Cellestra returned, her fla leading the way. Once near , I cast my fla spell to light up the area during the night instead. Soon, she had dinner while I was still trying to make sense of all the thoughts and emotions racing in my mind. I’d almost forgotten the tea I was holding.
“We should get you to sleep as soon as possible,” Cellestra said softly. “I can already see you overthinking things. It’s not pretty.”
“I know… it’s making my head hurt.” I looked down into my frontal spider eyes. “Both of them.”
“Go sleep.”
“We both know I’ll not fully sleep, perhaps even less this ti.”
“Still.”
“Ugh,” I let out as I laid my torso down on my back. Despite the usual softness, I didn’t seem to get comfortable this ti around. “I’ll try.”
“Good,” Cellestra said with a stern but warm voice.
I watched her finish her dinner as evening fully set in and the world around us went dark. My fla spell illuminated the direct area, but the two braziers not too far out ant that it wouldn’t be too dark either way. At so point, the doors of the temple closed. About the sa ti, Cellestra positioned herself at my side and pulled one of the wolf pelts off my abdon to cover herself.
“Good night,” She whispered as she petted my side.
I wanted to reply but found that my speech organs had already been cut off from the rest of my body, leaving
to reply to her by just lightly tapping her lap with one of my legs. I was surprised my elven head managed to find the rest it needed to fall asleep, but I wouldn’t question the why or how.
Instead, I cast the healing light spell on Cellestra and watched her smile as she dozed off.
Then, I prepared for the longest night yet.
Hours of incessant thoughts storming in my mind later, things began to quiet down as I started to structure things out. At the end of it, my biggest concern was not eting my parents again, but what ca after. Right now, they had no idea I existed, so they couldn’t worry about . However, things were about to change, which was a cause of anxiety deep down. There was no denying I was going to put my life at stake sooner or later, and it made
feel guilty.
I didn’t want to cause them distress, but I knew there would be no avoiding it. Was I being selfish?
Sure, I didn’t plan on dying… again, but still. It wasn’t sothing I could entirely control. There was also the ordeal with the obelisks and the darkness clawing at the back of my mind. I hadn't seen the last of that problem, and I knew sooner or later, I was going to be involved one way or the other.
I had already determined that I would grow as strong as I could. I was not going to have happiness taken away from
a second ti. This ti, I had even more to live for, and I would protect it with all my heart and mind.
I would show Elysa that I was worth all this.
With that determination, I waited and waited until at long last, the sun appeared on the horizon. The doors to the temple were opened once more and in the distance, I could see the farms around the village spring to life as the occupants started going about their business for the day.
Since I was told we would et here, I saw no reason to get up just yet. Besides, Cellestra was still fast asleep.
I saw so priests from the other shrines enter and exit their buildings. My suspicion regarding the color of their robes indicating the god or goddess they worshiped seed to hold strong. There were the green robes from Nilene’s shrine, then the white ones from Elysa’s, but in addition to those, there were blue, orange, and red ones.
I had the tendency to link the blue robes to the god of the sea that Cellestra talked about. It just clicked in my mind, but I couldn’t be sure.
The priest we’d talked to the day before stood in front of the shrine and had a few of the other shrines’ priests and priestesses co over, no doubt to talk about my presence. Their gazes did not escape .
I was so distance away from the entrance in the low wall, so the braziers weren’t roaring blue, but it beca clear soon enough that my presence wasn’t viewed in a negative light. In fact, I believe I saw so of the priests smile when they watched
sleep. I wondered if they knew I was technically awake.
The brunette awoke with a loud yawn and stretched her arms. I woke up my own torso and hoped that all the worries of the night hadn’t seeped into my other brain. I didn’t want to have a headache this day.
“Morning, Kealyna. How are you feeling?”
I let out a yawn of my own as sensations returned. I kept my torso on my back and tried to fix my hair as much as I could. Cellestra saw
struggle, giggled and pulled out her comb to at least get it sowhat decent before I’d et so important people.
“I’m… feeling surprisingly good. I hope it stays that way,” I said as she worked.
“It will get better,” Cellestra promised .
I let out a slight chuckle. “Yeah. I can’t wait.”
Cellestra tucked away the comb, started unpacking so food, and asked
to refill her canteen. Every now and then during breakfast, so of the townsfolk made their way over to the shrines. They were hesitant because of my presence, but the priest in green’s nonchalance seed to convince them that I wasn’t a threat to anyone.
After breakfast, and so business, as usual, we were left waiting for Selleron and whoever he would bring. There were still so formalities we would have to go through before I could be reunited. For , this couldn’t go fast enough.
Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait for long. Three mounted figures left the city and made their way towards us. Two figures were armored, where one seed to be more… casual. I had to assu that was Soranir, the mayor. I could clearly see what the priestess ant yesterday when she said that the farm had never really left him.
I stood up and smiled at the sight. If he was truly the mayor, one wouldn’t be able to tell it at first glance, at all. While the clothing he wore wasn’t the most basic, it was plain enough. Simple brown trousers and a green tunic made up most of his outfit. Only when he ca closer did I notice anything that would make him stand out. Around one of his ears was so kind of gold jewelry that spiraled upward until the tip.
I’d never seen anything like it before.
Selleron was of course, easily recognized by his red-plud helt. The other armored figure wore a helt, much like his, but with a blue plu instead. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the garrison commander that Selleron ntioned yesterday.
As they approached, I took a few steps towards the braziers until I was close enough to have the flas turn into blazing blue ones, causing the few people present to turn their heads in awe. They took a mont to watch, before going back to whatever they were doing.
The riders ca to a halt and Selleron removed his helt, followed by the other knight-like soldier.
“I hope you had a good night,” He said as he guided his horse slightly closer.
I nodded. “Better than expected.”
Selleron chuckled. “I can imagine. Do trust
when I say our mayor isn’t a difficult person. There’s no reason to fret.”
I nodded slightly.
“The commander… well, we discussed so things yesterday evening. He just had to see for himself. As for the mayor...”
“Enough talk,” The simple-clothed elf said as he brought his horse closer and dismounted. He then walked up to
without hesitation and extended an arm.
I smiled as I took hold of it and shook it.
“Kealyna’s the na, right?” he asked. As I nodded, he continued. “Soranir. Welco to Thymhil.”
I blinked several tis as I couldn’t believe what was happening before .
What?
“I’m sure you’ll abide by the rules as long as you’re in or near the city.” He then walked towards my side and extended an arm towards Cellestra.
“And who’s this lovely young lady?”
“It’s Cellestra,” She replied as she shook his hand.
“Now then,” he spoke as he walked back to my front. “We’ve talked about a couple of things last night, yada yada, not interesting, so let’s skip that. You were looking for your folks, correct?”
I nodded in response.
“There is one thing I don’t get,” He continued, his voice losing so of his optimism. “I’ve t them and talked to them, and while they seed to have lost mories, one would think they rember having a daughter. All in all, it’s an… atypical story, but those flas behind you confirm sothing that Selleron told
yesterday. Sothing with a goddess’s blessing and all?”
I nodded. “Long story.”
He eyed
from head to fangs. “I’m sure it is,” He said softly. “I’d like to hear it all soday, but I don’t want to hold you up any longer. As long as both of you agree to stay civil as long as you’re here, you’re free to go and do as you please. I’ll have Selleron lead you to your parents. I’d love to co with you, but there is a stack of paperwork waiting for .”
I had the feeling it was due to . I felt sorry for him.
“We will,” I said.
The mayor nodded and smiled before he walked back to mount his horse. “Best of luck to you,” He said as he and the commander turned around. “Let Selleron know if you need any further assistance.”
With that, he was off.
I was left dumbfounded but relieved as I used my spider eyes to stare at the wide smile on Selleron’s face.
“Shall we go?” He asked.
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