#siliven
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The Siliven's Request: Part 33
Despite having agreed to Manas’ last minute plans, Pim was now feeling that it was crazy. They had somehow managed to slip through the walls and past the first few guards using sleep magic, but now that he stood in front of the moat, he was feeling like this invasion was an impossible task.
How could he possibly move all this water into a wall? Manas was overestimating his ability. Even if there were other water magic users helping, he still felt powerless in the face of this body of water. Well, there was nothing for it. Sara and the others were depending on him.
He took a deep breath and commanded the water to rise. It obeyed, rushing upward and towering high above him. Pim felt the familiar thrill of calling upon water, the delight he always felt when using his magic. He spoke to the water beneath the earth, telling it to lend its strength to the water wall, until the water rose above the palace walls, even touching the high branches of the trees above. The anxiety Pim had felt moments before had disappeared, enveloped by the joy of using magic.
Shouts and clanging filled the palace as Siliven tackled Siliven. The intruders were far outnumbered, even with the water wall preventing reinforcements; but the invading Silivens had sleep magic as well as dark magic user, making it easier to hide and ambush the guards. Plus, the Overseer had his own plan.
As for the palace guards, they were in turmoil. “Why haven’t you stopped those intruders?! You lot of lazy soldiers are only good for sitting around and looking pretty! Get out there and destroy them!” the captain of the guard roared at his subordinates.
Suddenly, a soldier came stumbling up to the captain, his face white as a sheet, his eyes wide with terror. “A ghost! A ghost! The intruders have a ghost on their side!” he gasped.
“Ghost? What nonsense!” cried the captain. “There’s no such thing as ghosts, and I’ll have your hide for spreading—“
“Hallo! You must be the captain?”
The captain looked up in horror as the Overseer stepped into the room, a cheerful smile on his face.
“Y-you should be dead,” the captain stammered, terror suffusing his own face.
“Oh, I assure you, I’m quite alive,” the Overseer said calmly. “I’m here on behalf of Manas, your new king, to ask that you stop fighting these ‘intruders,’ as they happen to be his loyal subjects. If you cease fighting now, he might have mercy on you and not put you all in prison.”
The captain stared for a moment, then immediately began commanding the nearby soldiers to stop the others. He was not about to disobey a ghost. Especially not one the ghost of a powerful man like the Overseer.
Meanwhile, Manas, Sara, and Chess made their way to the queen, Chess taking out any soldiers that got in their way. When Manas strode into the throne room, guards immediately surrounded them. At the end the room, the queen sat regally on her throne, a look of triumphant disdain distorting her thin face. Next to her stood Ven, eyes glittering with evil delight. Manas, however, stepped forward with a calmness that made the guards hesitate.
“It’s been a while, Mother,” he said quietly.
“Halt!” one of the guards shouted and moved as if to attack him, but Chess swiftly blocked the soldier with his arm, which he had formed into a blade.
The queen held up a hand and motioned for the soldiers to move away. They stepped back warily. “Indeed, Manas, it has been a while,” she said coolly. “I must confess, I did not quite expect you to stage a coup. You’re being rather rebellious.”
“Mother. Will you not put an end to this war? If the Siliven and humans continue to fight and struggle like this, then they will both be destroyed. Innocent people and civilians on both sides will be killed—“
“Innocent people?” the queen cried. “And since when have we cared about innocent people? Since when has the royalty ever had to care about those beneath them?” She narrowed her eyes. “Why should I care if some civilians get killed, if in the end we win? The Siliven must, they will conquer the humans. And if I have to sacrifice some ‘innocent people’ as you call them, then I will.”
Manas clenched his hands. “So your people are nothing but tools in your eyes?” he muttered.
The queen laughed, a horrible, scornful laugh. “All the people in this room are my tools. All the people of Vawaren are my tools.” Her dark eyes glittered and she sneered at Manas, “You are my tool.”
Raising a hand she thundered, “I command you to kill your two friends.”
Manas stood motionless. The queen’s face distorted with rage. “I command you! I command you to kill them! I-I--” Her face turned pale, and she slumped back upon her throne.
Ven exclaimed in surprise, “Mother, what is it?!”
“Why-I can’t remember—his name,” she gasped, her face white as a sheet.
“What? His name is—his name is—“ Ven started to say, then horror filled his own face. “You! you!” He turned furiously to Manas. “You’ve done it again! How are you taking our memories!”
Manas took a step forward. “Mother. Step down,” he said firmly.
“No! no!” She shrieked, her face becoming livid. “You, what have you done—“
“Attack him, guards!” Ven shouted. The guards hesitated, however, uncertain about this power they had never seen before.
Manas took another step forward. “Step down, mother.”
The queen ground her teeth. Then suddenly she paused, a smug smile crossing her face, and she broke into a vicious laugh. “Ha! You thought you had me there! But I can still use you; I’ve had my spies watching you and your little friend.” Pointing a finger at Sara, the queen roared, “Sara, I command you to kill him!”
But Sara did not move either. The queen collapsed onto her throne, shaking in horror at this power she couldn’t understand. Stepping forward until he was right in front of her, Manas said quietly, “Please step down. I won’t hurt you. But if you will not end this war and bring peace, then I will.”
The queen stared at Manas with terror, her breath coming in short gasps. She was trembling, shrinking back so that she no longer looked like a grand queen but more like a frightened little girl.
Ven stepped forward as if to strike Manas, but Chess stood in his way. Angrily, Ven cried, “Guards, what are you doing? Seize them! Stop them!” But the guards stood motionless. “You would defy your queen and prince?” Ven practically shrieked.
One of the guards stepped forward and addressed Manas, “Do you really intend to bring peace?”
“I do. I intend to negotiate a peace that will not oppress the Siliven or humans. A peace that will last not just a few years, but centuries,” Manas said firmly.
The guard turned to his fellow soldiers. “You saw this strange power that was even able to thwart thee queen’s Name Calling Art. You heard what he said about peace. Haven’t we yearned for that, for our children to grow up in Vawaren not oppressed by war or cruel rulers? What say you, men?”
The soldiers glanced at each other, murmuring. Then with one accord they all knelt and bowed their heads to Manas. “All hail, king Manas!” Sara shivered at the cry, a thrill of excitement running through her. If even the guards recognized Manas as king, he had won.
Manas commanded them, “Take my mother and Ven to their chambers for now. Give the command to stop attacking the ‘intruders.’ Also, release Kelsin and ask him to meet me here.”
The guards saluted, some grabbing hold of the queen and Ven, others hurrying out of the room to do Manas’ bidding. The remaining soldiers looked up eagerly at their new king. Chess cleared his throat loudly and motioned at the throne with his eyes. Slowly, Manas made his way to the throne and sat down. He was now king.
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#original story#fantasy#siliven#a bit disjointed because I haven't figured out how to describe everything yet
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The Siliven's Request: Part 32
“Sara, can I talk with you? Alone?” Manas asked.
“Of course. What is it?” Sara followed him to the cave’s entrance, and they stood next to the pool, away from the others.
Manas opened his mouth, then shut it, frowning. Though he had spent most of the previous night deciding what to say and resolving himself to tell her, now that she stood in front of him it was a different matter. She was beautiful. Though perhaps in worldly terms she appeared rather plain, to him she was the most beautiful, most precious thing the world could offer. He didn’t deserve to be near someone as good as her. How many times had she saved him, when he had only brought her trouble? There was no way he would ever be good enough for her, yet if she really did love him….
Manas took a deep breath and said, “I wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for me. For traveling with me, for saving my life, for... accepting me. I don’t deserve the kindness you’ve shown me. You’ve gone into dangerous situations for my sake. And though it may be selfish of me, I—I want to stay with you. If we win, if I do become king, I want to live the rest of my life with you. I….” He paused uncertainly.
Sara smiled and said, “Well, I did promise I was going to keep you from becoming like your father, didn’t I? It would be rather hard to keep an eye on you if I wasn’t nearby.”
“Yes, but I mean, I, err,” Manas stammered. Uncomfortably, he turned and stared into the nearby pool’s depths. Slowly, he said, “It’s only recently that I really thought about our relationship. And if you don’t feel the same way, I understand. But I think I’m finally realizing just how important you are to me, and just how much I—I love you.”
Sara stood speechless for a moment, then a joyous smile spread across her face. She said softly, “And I love you, Manas.” They stood quietly for a moment, gazing at the pool and listening to the faint sounds of forest creatures calling to each other.
At last, Sara spoke again, “You once said that Siliven and humans can’t be together. Did something change your mind?”
“Kelsin said that there used to be some mixed marriages in the past, before all the strife between humans and Siliven started. And it’s not likely I’ll live much longer than you, if even as long, so lifespan won’t be an issue. Though...I suppose we wouldn’t be able to get married right away. Even if I am able to take the throne from my mother, there will be the treaty to arrange, corruption within the Vawaren government to fix, and more,” Manas commented.
“Then perhaps an engagement would be better,” Sara suggested. Manas nodded.
“I’m afraid I don’t have anything to give you, though. Isn’t it customary to give an engagement ring?”
Sara glanced down at the stone hanging from her neck and said, “The necklace you gave me will do for now. Even if it can't grant any more wishes, I still treasure it, and it was one of the first gifts you gave me. Just make sure you find a ring by the time we’re actually getting married.” And she winked cheekily at him. Manas raised an eyebrow, but smiled.
“You’re sure you won’t mind living in Vawaren, if we succeed? It’s a dark place,” he commented.
“Anywhere with you is fine. Even if it’s dark, the forest can be beautiful, can it not?”
“Perhaps,” Manas murmured.
“And Manas, stop talking like we ‘might’ succeed; we will succeed. I feel sure of it,” Sara said and looked up at him with a determined gaze.
Manas gave her a smirk. “If you say so, queen.”
Sara rolled her eyes. She stood and said, “Well, we’d better get ready if we’re really going to do this.”
Manas nodded and followed her back into the cave. It was time to become king.
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The Siliven's Request: Part 31
Kelsin walked slowly down the palace corridor, his mind full of the meeting from yesterday. They would meet again tonight to discuss more plans.
He paused by a window, gazing out at the shadowy palace garden. Though it was still midday, the trees blocked out most of the light, creating an atmosphere of gloom that seemed to enter inside and penetrate even Kelsin’s mind. Despite his support of Manas, Kelsin knew it would likely take a miracle for the plan to actually work. The queen was too powerful, her guards too many. Sara would ultimately be their best hope, if she could get the queen to forget names. Or if she could make the queen—
“Kelsin!” Kelsin turned slowly to see Ven striding towards him, a friendly smile on his face, yet one Kelsin knew was fake. He knew it well. That smile always meant trouble.
“Ven, what a surprise. Is the battle over already?” Kelsin said calmly.
“No, my sister Valerie is handling the troops at the moment. She can be dutiful when it’s required,” Ven said.
“You must have business back at home, then,” Kelsin said.
“Indeed, business with you,” Ven said, still wearing his smile, but a dangerous look entering his eyes.
Kelsin raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What business could you want with an old man like me?”
“Why did you come back here?” Ven asked coldly.
“I am too old to fight, and Chess and Fanny are too young. They were not learning anything by being in the battlefield either. As no one was paying attention to them, I deemed it best to bring them back here so they can continue their regular studies.”
“Oh really? I think there’s another reason.”
Kelsin responded mildly, “If you refer to my general dislike of war, you’d be correct. But you already knew that. There’s no need for you to come interrogate me about—“
“Don’t play dumb!” Ven suddenly hissed, a snarl disfiguring his face. “I know you’re up to something. You’re plotting with Manas, aren’t you?”
Kelsin widened his eyes in an expression of surprise. “Manas? The exile? Why would I have anything to do with him?”
“You said it yourself. You don’t like war. Even if you never openly oppose my mother, I know you don’t agree with her, nor did you like my father. You’re plotting against the queen, aren’t you?”
“You forget that she is my daughter. Even if I don’t see eye to eye with her, I’m not going to kill her for it. I’m not like your murderous brother,” Kelsin replied coldly.
Ven’s eyes narrowed. “Manas was with you when you left the war camp. I could sense it. I got that same feeling I had when I saw Manas in Fairen. He’s done something with my mind, messed up my memory. It’s all his fault. You’re hiding him, aren’t you?” Ven’s eyes blazed with murder and fury.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand you,” Kelsin said, keeping his voice steady. “What gives you the idea that I am hiding Mansas? What gain could I get from doing that?”
“Not going to tell me, huh? Guards!” Ven suddenly cried. Several soldiers appeared and surrounded Kelsin. “Take him to his room and lock him in. See he doesn’t come out or get any food or water until he’s ready to talk,” Ven said. The soldiers immediately obeyed, grabbing Kelsin by the arms and towing him away down the hall.
“Now then, Manas, what will you do when your right-hand man is taken away?” Ven muttered to himself, a sneer crossing his face.
“Manas! Manas!” Chess came hurrying into the cave, collapsing breathlessly in the middle of the group gathered there. It was the day after the Silivens had accepted Manas, and he had been discussing with a few of the them the route they would use to sneak into the castle.
“Grandpa has been captured!” Chess finally said, after catching his breath. There were fearful murmurs and glances between the Silivens. Manas frowned deeply. “I saw it—Ven suspects Grandpa of scheming with you to take down the queen, and so he locked Grandpa in his room and put guards at the door. He’s going to starve Grandpa...,” Chess panted.
“What should we do, Manas?” Sara asked anxiously. “Shouldn’t we go try to save him?”
One of the other Siliven shook his head. “That’s too dangerous! And now they suspect something’s up, we’ll never be able to succeed in attacking the palace!” The murmurings grew, until Manas raised a hand.
“We will go ahead with the attack. Even if Ven is preparing for an attack, he doesn’t know exactly what we’re planning. We will need to go sooner than we originally thought, though. Can you all be ready by tonight?” There was hesitation, but at last the Silivens nodded reluctantly.
Manas looked over the group. Some Siliven had green auras around them, indicating earth magic; one had purple, the sleeping magic; others had red for fire or yellow for light magic. There were three Siliven who had blue auras around them, indicating water magic, but none were as bright as Pim’s aura. His was a vibrating blue aura, larger and more vibrant than those around the others, a sign of a large amount of magic power. An idea entered Manas’ mind. “Pim, instead of coming with me and Sara to the throne room, I would like you to go with the three other Siliven who can use water magic. You four will go to the moat surrounding the palace and create a wall of water, so no one can get in or out of the palace. It will prevent reinforcements.”
“A wall of water! You mean you want us to use the whole moat? It’s not that easy to control that much water with magic, you know,” Pim protested.
“But you can do it,” Manas said quietly, gazing intently at Pim.
The young man hesitated, but finally he nodded and murmured an agreement. Manas continued, “The rest of you will go with the Overseer to fight the guards that try to follow us to the throne room. If possible, try to find the captain of the guards and force him to surrender.”
“Hmm, I don't know how easy that will be, but we'll do our best. Though, doesn’t this plan mean that it’ll be just you and Sara that go to the throne room?” the Overseer questioned.
“No. Chess will come with us.”
Chess looked up startled. “Me?”
Manas nodded. “We need at least one person who can use metal abilities, in an emergency. And you want to save Kelsin, don’t you?”
A determined look entered Chess’ eyes and he nodded. “Very well. We will meet in four hours. Go and get ready,” Manas said, dismissing the Siliven, who went away quickly and quietly. Manas sighed and clenched his hands. Four hours until it began. Four hours until either he was truly made king or all was lost. But before that, there was something he needed to do. Something he needed to tell Sara.
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The Siliven's Request: Part 29
Manas surveyed the group that had gathered in the cave, about 15 Siliven not including Kelsin, Chess, and himself or the three humans. The Silivens stood or sat on the ground, some glancing about uneasily, some casting fearful glances at him. They all looked like common people, none of them soldiers or even nobles. Even if he did manage to get them on his side, would they really be able to pull off the plan with only these people? Taking a deep breath, Manas pushed away his unease and stepped in front of the group, which quieted immediately.
“Thank you all for coming here. Kelsin has explained why you were asked to come here, that I intend to become king in order to bring an end to the war and to bring peace to Vawaren.” Manas paused. “I know you have doubts about me. You are wondering if I am a murderer, if I will be oppressive like my father and mother. Those fears are valid. But I have no intention of becoming an oppressor. With your help, and with the help of Kelsin and other advisors I seek to bring an end to the war and to rule you with peace.”
Murmurs arose and doubtful looks were exchanged. “And how we do know we can trust your word? You might be lying,” one Siliven said.
“You murdered your own father. Even among us Siliven that is an awful deed.”
The Overseer stepped forward, and the murmuring quieted. Some of the Siliven looked astonished to see a supposedly murdered man, others didn’t seem to know who he was.
“I see that some of you are surprised to see me. Yes, I am the Overseer, and though your queen was supposed to have killed me, I survived. However, I bear no hate towards your people, indeed I would like to establish peace between us. No doubt some of you have resented the fact that the Overseer was a human. I can understand that. Therefore, would it not be best to have a Siliven who desires peace be your king? Though Manas murdered in the past, he has put that behind him. I can vouch for him, he will not be what your previous king was.”
“So can I,” Pim spoke up, holding up his arm. “Manas saved my life when I was about to die from a severe injury and when I was almost killed by bombs. He’s saved a whole village from poison. He will take care of his people.”
“So you say. But how do we know that? If you ask me, we’d be better off making Kelsin or even Chess king,” an angry voice said. There were murmurs of agreement.
Kelsin said calmly, “I am too old to become king now, and Chess is still too young. Besides that, Manas is the only one who has connections to humans, making him the best suited to form an agreement with them.”
One of the younger Siliven women asked uneasily, “When you make the agreement, won’t the humans try to take advantage of us?”
“I intend to settle a fair treaty with the humans. The Overseer has also agreed to mediate between both sides and ensure neither Siliven nor humans is disadvantaged,” Manas replied.
There were still several uneasy glances and murmurs. Suddenly, an older Siliven, with the same rusty orange hair as Kelsin, stood and fixed Manas with a firm gaze. “Your friends and Kelsin have been saying you have good intentions and will bring peace. But what proof do you have that you will not be like your father? Do you have proof that you will not abuse your kingship just to gain power?” the old Siliven asked. All eyes turned to Manas.
Manas did not speak for a moment, his face expressionless. Finally, he calmly replied, “If you want proof, then I swear by the Creator that I will never again use any of my metal abilities, not even liquid metal, on human or Siliven.”
There was a stunned silence. Glancing to her right, Alaine saw that even the Overseer, Kelsin, and Chess seemed surprised. Leaning toward the Overseer, she murmured, “What does Manas mean? Why is everyone so shocked?”
“Siliven are very proud of their abilities. Especially for the royalty, it’s a symbol of their power and standing, giving them a place in the hierarchy. The more powerful the ability, the higher up in the hierarchy. For Manas to give it up—they might react to his statement in two ways. Either the people will lose faith in him, thinking he’s abandoned his pride and identity as a Siliven; or else they will see it as him sacrificing his pride to serve them, a sign that he intends to seek their good and not his own,” the Overseer murmured.
Alaine looked at Manas in surprise. When she had made Manas promise her not to use his metal abilities, she had not thought of what it might mean for a Siliven in that sense. She had only been thinking of his health. And now he was even willing to give up his liquid metal ability…. When she had first met him, he would never have been willing to sacrifice like this for another person. Alaine could not help smiling as she realized just how far her friend had come.
Among the Siliven, there was a sudden wave of whispering and muttering, as they processed Manas’ declaration. Finally, however, the older Siliven who had spoken before stepped forward again and said slowly, “No king of the Siliven has ever said something like this. If you say this out of a desire to serve your people, then I have no objection to you becoming king. However, I do not wish my king to be powerless. Your Highness, please continue to use your metal ability to lead us towards peace.” With that, the old Siliven knelt down on one knee and bowed his head to Manas.
There was tense silence for moment, then a few other Siliven knelt as well, until the whole group was bowing towards their new king. Manas looked uncomfortable and motioned for them to stand again. But the air in the room felt much lighter.
Manas said, “Well, then. Let us discuss how we are going to infiltrate the palace—and take the throne.”
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The Siliven's Request: Part 28
Manas paced restlessly back and forth in the cave, casting glances now and then at its entrance. They had arrived at the bathing pool just yesterday, having made it safely through the Vawaren forest thanks to Manas’ knowledge of it.
It was not just his worry for Sara, nor the anticipation of encountering his mother, nor even the uncertainty of his reception by Kelsin that was bothering him. The moment he had stepped into the forest, he had felt unease, an almost queasy feeling in his stomach. Seeing the familiar dark forest brought up memories. Memories he did not want to think about. Memories of his father, of Uncle Paine, of the deceitful royal court, of the crimes he had committed, of the melted puddle that had been his father.... Manas had never wanted to come back here. Never intended to. But now he had, and the thought of seeing his own people again made his stomach clench.
Manas paused his pacing, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Forcing his mind to think of Sara, he clutched at the memory she had shared of her own mother. There was good in the world, there was someone who accepted him and cared about him. He had to cling to that hope. No matter what he was about to face, Sara would stand by him; and if she stood with him, he could do anything, even become king.
“Sara!” Pim cried. Manas turned to see three figures entering the cave, one being Sara and the other two Siliven. “Pim!” Sara cried eagerly, then her eyes met Manas, and a look of joy entered her eyes. He smiled at her, his anxiety ebbing away slightly.
Sara waved towards the two Siliven, and they stepped in further. “This is Kelsin, your grandfather, and Chess, your nephew,” she introduced them.
Kelsin walked up to Manas, observing him carefully. Manas felt himself tensing up. He had not met with another Siliven since he left Vawaren, except for when he and Sara had run into Ven in Fairen. Just seeing another of his race made him wary, as if he expected this Siliven to hurt him. “So, you’re Manas,” Kelsin said. Then a smile broke across his stern face. “It is good to finally meet you, my grandson.”
With those words, Manas relaxed. Kelsin’s smile was not the same as Uncle Paine’s, but there was something in it that reminded him of the old gardener and his kind ways. “A pleasure to meet you as well,” Manas murmured.
“Well, let’s not just stand around. Please, everyone sit down, and let us discuss our plans,” the Overseer said cheerfully.
Once they had explained, Kelsin said slowly, “So, your plan is to win over Silivens in Vawaren and use their help to take over the palace, forcing the queen to step down, is that correct?”
“In simple terms, yes,” Manas said.
“And is this plan something you, Manas, want to do? Are you doing this for the Siliven people? Or are you merely following the Overseer’s orders?” Kelsin asked, shooting a glance at the Overseer.
Manas paused, then said slowly, “I have reservations about becoming king. I am not that experienced at leading, and...I have not been in Vawaren for a long time. But if this plan will end the war, I am willing to go along with it. And if there are other Siliven like Uncle Paine—who are not cruel like the royalty--I would be willing to help them. If I can.”
Kelsin studied Manas, then said, “Did you ever have remorse over what you did to your father?”
Sara started and looked anxiously at Manas, who had narrowed his eyes. Even the Overseer and Pim looked somewhat startled at the question. At last, Manas replied, “Not at first. All I felt was hate and bitterness." He paused, then continued, "But if I continue to hate, I will become like my father or worse. I don't want to kill anymore. I...regret what I did."
With a nod, Kelsin sat back and smiled. “I see. If that’s the case, then I will support you. What say you, Chess?”
Chess, who had been listening with a very serious expression, answered, “I too will support him. Please lead us into peace, Manas.” Kelsin and Chess both bowed their heads to Manas. Awkwardly, Manas thanked them and asked them to raise their heads. Kelsin left soon afterward to contact the Silivens, saying that he would try to bring them that evening. Chess remained with Manas and the others, discussing further the plans for infiltrating the palace.
There was an eager, anxious air in the cave as they waited. Despite the anticipation he was feeling, however, Manas also felt as though a great weight had been taken off his shoulders. With Sara's help, he had been slowly letting go of his bitterness and anger towards his father, and now it felt like it had finally slipped away, disappearing into the dark corners of the cave. He was strangely free, even though he was about to take on great responsibility. Free of his hate. Free of the shadow his father had cast over him. Free to change.
Link to Part 27:
#original story#fantasy#siliven#freedom#the characters need more fleshing out but needed to move on#something to work on when I finish and revise
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The Siliven's Request: Part 27
It was one thing to tell the others she would find Kelsin; it was another to actually do it. With Kos’ help, Alaine had arrived at the battlefield and found the tunnel entrance fairly easily, but now she was alone, creeping through the dark passage with only a small lamp to light the ground in front of her feet. It felt like time had stopped. Like she would continue walking in this darkness forever. She shivered at the thought, and tried to focus on what she would tell Kelsin. The walls closing in around her made it hard to think, however. What if a bomb should explode above her and cause the ground to cave in? What if—shaking her head, she pushed her anxious thoughts away and quickened her pace.
At last, she came to the tunnel’s end and saw the ground sloping upward to the wooden floor boards of the cabin. Pushing against them, she moved the boards away and poked her head up out of the hole. To her surprise and relief, there was a lamp in the hut's room, so she could see to pull herself the rest of the way up. As she clambered out of the hole, she heard a gasp and a delighted cry, “Miss Sara!” Turning, she saw Fanny bouncing towards her from the other side of the room. Chess, who had been sitting on the floor, stood and approached her with a look of surprise.
“What are you doing here?” he exclaimed. “Did the tunnel not have an exit? But surely you would have come back sooner if that had been the case…” he said.
Fanny gave Alaine a big hug, which she returned with a smile. “The tunnel did have an exit, but I came back because there’s something I need to tell Kelsin. Is he here?” Alaine asked.
“Yes, he’s coming here in a little bit. Fanny and I have sort of made this our little hideout,” Chess said. “You’re lucky we were still here, though. Grandpa’s been trying to persuade the officials to let us go home, since we aren’t really learning anything and we’d just be in the way. With all his nagging, I think they might just give in and let us go home soon,” he commented.
“You’re going back to Vawaren?” Sara asked eagerly.
Looking slightly confused at her eagerness, Chess replied, “Probably.”
“Good, that’ll make it easier if you’re going back anyway,” she murmured, more to herself than to Chess, who gave her an odd look. “Sorry, I’ll explain it all when Grandpa gets here,” she said.
“Explain what?” Grandpa’s voice interrupted. He had entered just as silently as he had when Sara first met him. She was again struck with how imposing his presence was, only this time she also felt a sense of safety as she gazed into those stern eyes. “Did you run into trouble?” he asked, seating himself next to her.
As quickly and concisely as she could, Alaine explained how she had found Manas, how he had been healed, how they had discovered the overseer was alive, and how they planned to make Manas king. “It seemed like the best way to end all this fighting would be for the Silivens themselves to seek peace, not just the Overseer forcing it on them,” Alaine finished. Earnestly, she asked, “Please, will you help us?”
Kelsin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “True, the Siliven have long resented that the Overseer, a human, should assert authority over them. If a Siliven were to instigate a peace treaty….What makes you think that there are Siliven who desire peace, though? And for that matter, why would I be able to help you find them?” he said, looking keenly at Alaine.
“Surely there are some who are tired of all this war and strife. If even some among the royalty don’t support the queen’s actions, then surely there are some among the common people,” Alaine said firmly. “I reached out to you, since you’re the only connection into Vawaren that we have, not to mention there was a time you were not among the royalty. Perhaps you still have some connections?”
Kelsin regarded her curiously for a moment, then smiled. “Perhaps I do. However, obtaining their trust will not be easy. Even those that hated his father still see Manas as nothing more than a murderer,” he commented.
“Even so, we have to try,” Alaine insisted.
“It seems like a rather risky plan to me. Though,” Kelsin said with a grin, “I must say, it has piqued my interest. Chess, what say you? You yourself had plans of becoming king.”
Alaine turned to Chess in surprise, who shifted uncomfortably. The boy sighed, and said, “Yes—I thought that when I became old enough, I would try to take the throne, even though the next in line is my mother or Ven. I thought perhaps I would be able to change so many of the things that are wrong in Vawaren. Not just the war, but the way our people treated by our royalty. But, I’m still too young and inexperienced. If Manas truly wants to end the war and stop the queen's tyranny....” He paused, then said, “I will give Manas my support.”
Kelsin nodded. “Very well, then. We shall help you in any way we can. I do happen to know some Siliven in Vawaren that would like to see the queen replaced with a better ruler, we can start with them and they probably know others. If they hear that I and Chess support Manas, that should help persuade them to trust Manas. Though, I and Chess should like to meet him first and form our own judgement of him,” Kelsin said.
Alaine let out her breath in a sigh of relief. Eagerly, she explained where Manas had suggested they meet. Kelsin nodded. “I know the place. A good hiding place, as few people use that pool anymore, nor would they expect a person to pick a bathing spot as a hideout,” he said, then after a pause asked, “What will you do, Sara? You aren’t planning to come to Vawaren….”
“Yes, I am,” Alaine responded. Chess frowned.
“That’s rather dangerous,” the boy said slowly. “I mean, we can try to take you with us in the covered cart that we took here, but you might still be seen slipping out of this hut and into the back of the cart,” he said.
“It’s all right. I’ve been through a field of bombs and survived, I doubt this could be worse. Besides, I have my memory magic. If someone sees me, I can make them forget about me,” Alaine replied.
Chess and Kelsin exchanged uncertain glances. Fanny, however, cried happily, “Come with us, Miss Sara! It’ll make the trip so much more interesting!”
Alaine smiled and patted the girl’s head. “Besides, I told Manas I would meet him in Vawaren,” Alaine added.
Kelsin sighed and stood. “If that is your choice. I will go finalize the arrangements for our return to Vawaren. Chess, can you help gather our things together? Fanny, you stay in here and keep Sara company, just don’t make too much noise, all right?”
Chess nodded and stood, while Fanny cried, “Okay!”
Watching as Chess and Kelsin exited the hut, Alaine felt excitement growing in her chest. The plan was actually succeeding, at least so far, and she was beginning to feel that peace was not as far away as it had seemed on the battlefield.
It seemed only a little while later, that Chess entered the hut again, telling the two ladies that it was time to leave. “We brought the cart as close as we could. It’s just a few steps away. Ready?” Chess said, his hand on the door.
Alaine took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily and trying to clear her mind of its anxious, excited thoughts. She hadn’t exactly practiced this use of her magic. Always before, she had had clear targets, someone she could see or already knew was there. This time, however, she would have to send her magic out to potential people who might see her, people she might not even be aware of. She would have to give a vaguer command than usual. She just hoped it would not be too vague.
She nodded to Chess. As they stepped out of the hut, she whispered under her breath, “Memories of those who would do me harm, forget my presence.” Though it felt like a rather ambiguous sentence, she willed the magic to work. Chess led the way quickly to a covered cart that was harnessed to two large lizard-like creatures. In a minute or less, Alaine had clambered into the cart, Chess and Fanny behind her. As soon as they were in, Chess clicked his tongue, and Alaine heard a “hup!” from Kelsin, who sat at the front of the cart. They began moving, and Alaine let out her breath, which she had unconsciously been holding in. Chess grinned and winked at her, while Fanny giggled. Alaine smiled back, her heart lifting with hope and joy.
Ven stalked through the army camp, casting black looks at the soldiers, who shrank away from him. Despite the Silivens having pushed the human army almost back to their capital, both sides had now come to a stalemate, throwing bombs at each other but not causing any real damage except for a few casualties. It was infuriating. Those inferior humans should not have been able to figure out how to make bombs as well. And now they even had reinforcements from the Overseer’s former soldiers. Angrily, Ven cursed and spat on the ground.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a cart standing next to a hut. Ah, that nagging Kelsin had finally got his way and received permission to take his two charges back to the palace. Well, good riddance, those kids were just nuisances anyway, not fit to be part of the army. Ven almost turned away, but he paused and looked again at the cart. Were his eyes betraying him? He thought he had seen a movement, someone slipping into the back of the cart. But there was nothing there, and now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen anything. Besides, it would have only been one of the children. He turned to leave again, but then stopped. No, it had not been Siliven. There had been a human, climbing into that cart; or had there been nothing?
Ven cursed again. This feeling, it was similar to when he had confronted Manas in Fairen, a feeling that he was missing something, that he had forgotten something, as if a piece of his memory had been taken away. An evil glint came into Ven’s eyes. Through gritted teeth, Ven hissed, “Manas!” What was Manas doing? The queen’s spies had lost track of him, though she was certain they would find the exiled prince again soon. What if he was near? Or what if…. Ven’s eyes narrowed, watching the cart pulling away. Kelsin. That old fool had always been reticent to engage with the royal court, not to mention the war, and he had been just a commoner until his daughter was married to the king. He didn’t see things as most of the royal family did. Ven smelled trouble. “Just you wait, Manas, Kelsin. I’ll sniff out what you’re plotting,” Ven muttered, his mouth curving into an evil smile.
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The Siliven's Request: Part 20
Manas became aware that he was soaking wet. He could hear water running, feel it flowing past him and pulling at his feet. With a struggle, he opened his eyes. Though it was dark, he could barely make out that he was at the bottom of the cliff, on a narrow ledge of rock in between the cliff and a raging river. Somehow, Manas must have survived falling into the water and washed up onto the rock. He struggled further up onto the ledge and tried to stand, only to immediately fall back to his knees, gagging and retching.
The nausea was worse than before, coming in waves of sickness that wouldn’t stop. It seemed like endless moments that he coughed and threw up, until finally it let up enough for him to gasp for breath. Pain flared through his whole body, making him feverish and hot. His mind felt fuzzy. Where was he? What had he been doing? Where was Sara? He had to find her. Had to know she was okay. Putting a hand on the rough cliff wall, Manas forced his uninjured leg to stand and pulled himself forward a few steps. With a vengeance, the nausea returned, and he collapsed. After another bout of retching, he struggled a few more steps, only to be stopped with sickness once again. Gasping and wheezing, he forced himself to half-stand again. He had to find her, had to tell her he was sorry. Sorry that he had tried to use her. Sorry that he could not fulfill his promise. Sorry that he had not been able to protect her from losing someone again.
Keeping one hand on the tunnel wall, Alaine gingerly made her way further into the cave. How long had she been walking now? It seemed like ages ago that she had said goodbye to Kelsin and the children, ages ago that she had entered this dark, tight space. She shook her head. It was no good thinking about that. She needed to focus on finding Manas….
Suddenly, she hear a distant roaring. There was a cool breeze ahead, and she hurried forward. At last, she came to an opening that led out onto a ledge of rock. Looking up, she saw a high, steep cliff above the tunnel entrance, and in front of her was a raging river that soaked her almost immediately from its spray. She glanced to both sides, but the ledge went in both directions, lining the cliff. Which way should she go? As she hesitated, she suddenly noticed a figure moving toward her from her right, and she lifted her lantern to try to see better. Blue eyes reflected the light back at her, and she knew who it was. Almost dropping the lantern in her haste, Alaine ran to Manas.
“Manas! Oh thank goodness, I was afraid--” she started to say, but stopped short at sight of him. Manas was heaving, his breath ragged and difficult, and his left leg dragged on the ground. He was soaked and filthy, blood trickling from his left leg and both arms, as well as from his mouth. Looking up dazedly, he tried to say something, but ended up coughing and retching. Alaine grabbed him, trying to support him.
“S-Sara,” Manas finally gasped. “I’m sorry….”
In a trembling voice, Alaine replied, “It’s all right, Manas, don’t talk, just rest.”
But Manas panted, “I couldn’t—fulfill our promise—couldn’t find you a home--”
Alaine shook her head. “That doesn’t matter right now, just rest, all right?” she said in a trembling voice. Manas looked ill, very ill. Had he used his metal ability too much? If he had....Kelsin's warnings about the disease and how it led to death rang in her mind, terrifying her. There had to be something she could do, something that would stop the poison. But Kelsin had not mentioned any cure.
“I’m sorry...I couldn’t change…” Manas murmured.
Tears jumped into Alaine’s eyes. “But you have changed, Manas, you have,” she whispered.
Despite his pain, Manas smiled at her, a peaceful smile that Alaine had never seen before. “I’m glad—I got to see you—one more time,” he murmured, and slumped forward into her arms.
“Manas? Manas!” Alaine cried, but he didn’t answer. She put her ear to his chest, listening for his heartbeat, but it was faint and fading fast. He was dying.
With a heart-wrenching sob, Alaine knelt over her friend and cried, “Please, please don’t leave me!” Why, why did it always end this way? Her parents and home had been destroyed, and she had been unable to do anything; Alf and Pim had probably been blasted to smithereens by the bombs, and she had not been able to help them escape the war; now Manas was dying, and she could not save him. She was useless. And as always, she was going to be left behind.
Suddenly, she felt a hard object tap against her hand. Blinking, she looked down and saw the necklace Manas had bought for her, dangling from her neck and touching her hand. Though she had worn it every day since Manas had bought it for her, she had almost forgotten the necklace with its white stone. The wishing stone. It glowed brightly in the dark, like a lighthouse guiding ships in a storm, and suddenly an idea formed in Alaine’s mind. Cradling the gem in one hand, she lifted tear filled eyes and cried, “I wish that Manas would live!”
The gem shone even brighter, becoming so bright that Alaine was almost blinded and had to shut her eyes tight. Then the glow slowly faded, until the gem had become nothing more than a dull, grey rock. Hesitantly, fearfully, Alaine listened to Manas’ breathing. It had become steady and even, not the ragged, faint breaths he had been taking before. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Letting out a sigh of relief, Alaine almost laughed and then found herself sobbing. All the adrenaline and excitement from the past day and night suddenly drained away, leaving her utterly exhausted. She leaned against the cliff wall, with Manas’ head on her knees, and fell into a deep sleep.
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The Siliven's Request: Part 19
“Is she waking? Is she waking? I want her to wake up!” a child’s voice exclaimed, somewhere above Alaine.
“Quiet, Fanny! You want the soldiers to hear us?” a boy’s voice muttered, sounding irritated.
Alaine groaned. Her head ached, and she felt sluggish and weary. Even opening her eyes felt like an impossible task. “She said something!” the child cried. Suddenly, she felt water being forced into her mouth and poured down her throat. Swallowing and lifting her head slowly, she struggled to open her eyes and saw two Siliven children, a boy and a young girl, kneeling next to her and peering at her curiously. They started as Alaine sat up suddenly, looking about herself in confusion. They were in what appeared to be a small shed-like building, barely lit by a dim lantern.
“Who are you? Where am I?” Alaine asked in bewilderment.
The girl squealed in delight and bobbed up and down on her knees. “Oooh, oooh, she woke, Chess, she woke!”
“I know, I can see,” the boy said, rolling his eyes. He frowned at Alaine and answered her, “I’m Chess, and this is my little sister Fanny. You’re in a little cabin near the Siliven army lines. We found you out in the field and brought you here, before any of the soldiers could find you. You were lucky you fell into a hole in the ground and somehow got shielded from the bombs.”
“Soldiers? Bombs?” Alaine repeated dazedly. “What bombs?” Suddenly she remembered the loud sound and the flash she had seen just before she lost consciousness. The color drained from her face. “Wait, you said the Siliven army—is this a battlefield?! But, the war shouldn’t have been that close yet,” she said in a trembling voice. She looked anxiously about the room. “Did you find anyone else? A human and another Siliven?”
Chess cocked his head. “No, you were the only one out there.”
Alaine clenched her hands. Were Manas and Pim dead then? Manas might be able to escape, since he could use his metal abilities, but Pim would have no protection. And what about Alf and the others? Had the bombs reached their camp? She shook her head. No, she had to believe that they were still alive, that they had somehow escaped. The alternative was too horrible.
“But, why did you bring me here?” Alaine asked. “If you’re on the Siliven side, aren’t I an enemy to you?”
Chess shifted uncomfortably. “Well, technically you are,” he said slowly.
Fanny interrupted, “But we want to talk to a human! We don’t never get to see or talk to any humans! What do you eat? Is it true you’re all weak and can’t do any magic?”
In annoyance, Chess lightly rapped his sister on the head. “Fanny, don’t ask such stupid questions!”
Alaine smiled. “I don’t mind. I would assume humans eat pretty much what you do. And while there are a lot of humans who don’t do magic, there are some magicians,” she said.
“Can you do magic?” Fanny asked, her red eyes sparkling with delight.
“Err, well, yes,” Alaine stammered. Changing the topic, she asked quickly, “But, if I’m your enemy, why are you keeping me alive?”
“Grandpa says killing people, even humans, is bad,” Chess responded. “Besides, killing a defenseless girl is one of the most shameful things a person can do, isn’t it? I’m not about to be like Uncle Ven or Aunt Chen, who kill just for fun,” he said savagely. Alaine blinked. Uncle Ven?
“What were you doing out there, anyway? You really didn’t know the war was heading this way?” Chess asked.
“We had hoped we could get to the capital before it reached us,” Alaine sighed.
“You were traveling with someone, then,” Chess said, watching her keenly.
Alaine nodded. “Yes, I’ve been traveling with my friend Manas, and we recently joined a group of refugees heading to the human capital,” she explained.
“Oooh, you know Uncle Manas?” Fanny asked eagerly.
“Uncle? Are you somehow related?” Alaine asked in surprise.
“Fanny, it might not be the same Manas,” Chess scolded his sister, who was bouncing about with excitement. Warily, he said to Alaine, “We do have an uncle named Manas, but he’s obviously a Siliven, and used to be part of the royal family at that.…”
“Yes, that sounds like the Manas I know,” Alaine confirmed.
Chess stared. Fanny cried, “How lucky! You got to see Uncle Manas! Does he really have weird eyes like they say?”
“They’re not weird,” Alaine replied. “They are a bit different, but they’re actually kind of beautiful, once you get over the first shock of seeing them.”
“Why are you traveling with a Siliven? And why with that particular Siliven?” Chess asked with a frown.
“We made a deal together, to help each other find a place to live and work,” Alaine said hesitantly. Even to her ears, it did not sound convincing; but she still remembered Manas’ warning to not reveal her magic ability, and though these children seemed nice, she was still uncertain what their intentions were.
Chess considered a moment, then shrugged. “Kind of strange, but I guess I’ll take your word for it. Not like it really concerns us,” he said, surprisingly indifferent.
“Did you know him very much?” Alaine asked.
“Not really. He’s our mother’s brother, but they never let us near him when he was still at the palace. And then he got in trouble, and, well, he was banished,” Chess explained.
So Manas had a sister. Alaine vaguely remembered from his memories that he had a couple sisters, but they had not been as prominent as Ven in the memories she had seen.
“You mentioned your grandfather….does that mean he’s…” Alaine hesitated.
“Grandpa is her highness the queen’s father. So, he’s really our great-grandfather, but we just call him Grandpa,” Chess replied. “He’s the one who takes care of us. Since mother doesn’t care about us at all,” he said bitterly.
“Surely that’s not true. Every mother feels something for their child,” Alaine responded, then immediately regretted what she had said, seeing Chess’s glare.
“You don’t know our mother. Once we were born, she didn’t want to have to do anything with us, said we were too troublesome and passed us off to nurses and then to Grandpa. She doesn’t care about anything but herself and being comfortable,” he snapped. Alaine bit her lip. She should not have assumed things; hadn’t she seen how Manas’ mother had rejected him? Not every mother was as nice as hers. And it seemed there were a lot of problems within Manas’ family. Though, if this great-grandfather had told Chess and his sister that killing was bad, perhaps there were Silivens even among the royal family that were not all mean and cruel.
"Your Grandpa has rather different views than some of the other royal family," Alaine said cautiously.
"Yeah, you could say that. Part of it's because he wasn't born royal," Chess said. Seeing Alaine's confusion, he explained, "In the Siliven land, you don't necessarily have to be royal or even nobility to become part of the royal family. Magic ability is more important in determining who you marry. Grandpa was actually a doctor before he became the queen's father, but when it was discovered that Grandpa's daughter had the same magic ability as the king, she was chosen to be the king's wife. Grandpa became part of the royal family as a result, but that doesn't mean he thinks like the rest of them."
"I see," Alaine murmured.
Chess sighed. "But, they also know he doesn't see eye to eye with them, so as a result he doesn't get much respect or authority in the royal court. Even though he deserves it," he muttered.
There was a pause as Alaine digested this information. A new thought occurred to Alaine, and she asked in concern, “By the way, what are you two doing here? Isn’t it dangerous for children to be so near a battle?”
Chess smirked, in a way that was quite reminiscent of Manas. “We might not be as young as you think, considering that Silivens live a lot longer than humans,” the boy replied in an amused tone, then said more seriously, “It’s a Siliven tradition that children in the royal family attend battles in order to learn how to fight and lead the soldiers, since eventually they will take charge of the army. Not that anyone is really teaching us or even paying any attention to us, besides Grandpa.”
“That seems rather harsh, to have children go to war,” Alaine said in concern. “For us humans, we try to shield them from war.”
Chess shrugged. “It’s only a tradition for the royal family, though. Most Siliven children don't go to the front lines. Grandpa didn’t want us to come either, but we had to, so he compromised by coming along with us so he could make sure we were safe.”
“Yeah, and we’d be in biiiig trouble if he found out we actually went out onto the battlefield and brought you here,” Fanny giggled, half nervous, half excited.
“Indeed, I’d say you are in big trouble,” a deep voice spoke. The children froze, turning to the door guiltily. Alaine looked up to see that another Siliven had noiselessly entered the cabin and was standing to one side of the door, in a dark corner of the shed. How long had he been there? She hadn’t noticed him come in at all. He appeared to be a much older Siliven, his face wrinkled and his hair a rusty orange. His purple eyes looked over Alaine with a piercing gaze, inspecting her closely, though not with hostility.
“Grandpa!” Fanny cried, jumping up and running over to the man. He patted her head tenderly, but said sternly, “Didn’t I tell you two to stay away from where they were bombing?”
“We didn’t go out when they were launching the bombs,” Chess said quickly. “We made sure they were done, and we only went a little ways. Besides, we found this human and brought her here to be safe.”
The old Siliven considered Alaine, who bowed her head slightly in greeting. Though he did not carry himself regally as Alaine would have expected of royalty, there was something about this Siliven that made you want to respect him, a certain wisdom and experience that showed in his eyes. A shiver ran down Alaine’s spine. Despite what Chess had said, she felt a little fear of what the queen's father might do to her.
“Very well, I’ll let you off this time, but there won’t be a next time, got it?” Grandpa admonished the children, looking them both in the eye. They nodded. He turned his piercing gaze back towards Alaine and asked, “And who might you be?”
“My name is Sara,” Alaine answered a bit nervously. “I was traveling with a group of human refugees, and we got caught in the front lines, it seems.”
“I see. You were trying to escape the war, is that it?” the Siliven said. Alaine nodded.
Fanny interjected, “Grandpa! Grandpa! She knows Uncle Manas! She says she’s friends with him.”
The Siliven gave Alaine a curious look. “Manas? What would he have to do with a human female?”
“Well, we made a deal to travel together and look for jobs,” Alaine said awkwardly.
She wanted to shrink under the scrutinizing look the Siliven gave her. Finally, he said, “I highly doubt Manas would join you just for that purpose. Not after what he did. Sara, is he trying to take advantage of you?”
“N-no. I mean, maybe at first, but not now…,” Alaine stammered. It was hard to keep her composure under those piercing eyes. It was not that they were mean or accusing, more that she felt like they could see into her mind and tell that she was not revealing the whole truth. Yet there was something in them that caught her gaze. They were stern eyes, hardened by the harshness and of the world, yet deep within them Alaine could see something else, something gentle and compassionate. And suddenly she wanted to tell him everything.
The Siliven sat down next to her. “My name is Kelsin,” he said. “You seem to have a history with Manas. Why not tell me?" Seeing Alaine hesitate, Kelsin assured her, “You needn’t worry, I don’t plan to use the information against you or Manas. Though I was never allowed to get close to him, and so I have no personal relationship with Manas, I still have some interest in his whereabouts. He is my grandchild.”
Alaine’s eyes widened at those words. In all Manas’ memories, she had not heard his parents ever call him their son, and he had never really been treated as family by them or his siblings. Yet this man had just called him grandchild....
“I—Manas found me first, when I was living with my uncle,” Alaine began haltingly, and she ended up telling Kelsin the whole story, from when Manas had taken her out of her uncle’s shop until they had been gathering firewood just before the explosion happened. She told him about her magic, about Manas’ abilities, even about Manas’ past and the deal they had made. She left nothing out, except for her true name.
When she had finished, Kelsin regarded Alaine with a softer expression and said kindly, “You’ve had quite an adventure, haven’t you?”
Alaine nodded, tears popping into her eyes unexpectedly. She suddenly felt drained. It had been a long time since she had confessed so much to someone besides Manas, and telling Kelsin felt like a weight had just been taken off her back. She had not realized how heavy it had become to carry the knowledge of Manas’ past as well as the fears of both her and his futures.
“So, is Uncle Manas a good person?” Fanny asked. She had started braiding Alaine’s hair while they had been talking, and now peeked around Alaine’s head curiously.
“Yes, deep inside at least,” Alaine said, wiping her eyes.
Kelsin asked, “You trust him? Even if he’s murdered people? Your people?”
“I know...most people would say it’s unwise, maybe even wrong to forgive him. I know he’s done bad things, and I’m not saying they should just be ignored. But he doesn’t want to do those things again. He wants to change. Is it wrong for me to choose to trust and help him, to give him a second chance?” she said, looking earnestly into Kelsin’s eyes.
Kelsin regarded her a moment, then rested a hand gently on Alaine’s shoulder. “That is for you to decide. I won’t stop you if you still choose to follow Manas and try to help him. As I never knew him personally, neither when he lived in the palace nor now, I cannot say whether he is really changing or if he is a murderer at heart. Though for your sake and his, I certainly hope he is as you believe. And to forgive others is good. I would caution you, though, to be wise. You cannot always save a person, no matter how much you desire to,” he said, a note of sorrow entering his voice.
Alaine gazed up at him and smiled somewhat tearfully. “Thank you,” she sniffled.
“You intend to look for Manas, I suppose?” Kelsin asked.
“Yes. I can’t give up hope that he’s alive,” Alaine said determinedly.
"Yes...If that is the case, then I should let you know of his condition,” Kelsin said slowly.
Alaine blinked. “His...condition?” she asked in confusion.
Kelsin paused, then said, “You already know that the color of his eyes are connected to his ability to see the magic aura of others. There’s more to it than that. While it may seem his eye color is a side effect of that ability, it’s actually due to a sort of disease.”
Alaine started. “Disease? Manas never seemed sick,” she said uneasily.
Kelsin continued, “It’s a very rare disease, one that most people have never heard of. I only learned about it, because I was asked by a certain person to research it back when Manas was just a child. The disease occurs at birth, for unknown causes. It’s a cruel disease, one that slowly kills its victim by poisoning them.”
Alaine’s eyes widened in horror. Kelsin said, “You may know that each race has their own innate ability. Elves have an ability to communicate with plants, dwarves can mold rock into any shape, faeries can change their size at will, and we silivens can turn our limbs into weapons. This disease, however, causes these natural abilities to poison the body. The more the ability is used, the more poison accumulates within the individual, and the sicker they will become. If the ability is used moderately and only once in a while, the disease can be slowed and does not show many side effects. But if an ability is used too much at one time, that person could become seriously ill and die suddenly. And even if a diseased individual uses his ability very sparingly, the disease will still progress, simply because the person has the capability to use his or her ability. Whatever one does, eventually it will kill him or her.”
Alaine began to feel like an iron claw was slowly closing around her heart. “You mean—Manas is—slowly dying?” she said, her voice trembling.
“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Kelsin said grimly. “Frankly, it's a miracle that Manas has survived this long. The disease shortens an individual’s life severely. Of the few cases that I could find information about, none of them survived past adolescence. And judging from how much they forced Manas to train his ability as a child, his life span has probably been cut in half—perhaps even more.”
“Half?” Alaine said faintly.
“It’s very dangerous for a diseased child to use the ability when young, since he or she is still developing. But Siliven teachers are notorious for pushing their pupils to the limits” Kelsin replied solemnly.
“But—Manas never seemed ill, even when he did turn his arm into a sword or an axe. He said that he could use regular Siliven abilities for ten minutes without feeling sick. I mean, he seemed a bit tired whenever he used his liquid metal, but still…” Alaine murmured.
“He may have trained himself to endure the immediate effects for a few minutes, but it would still progress the disease,” Kelsin responded. “Though I don’t know about his liquid metal abilities; they are rather different from the usual Siliven qualities, and may affect him differently. Even among the few diseased Silivens I was able to find in my research, none of them could do what Manas could.”
Alaine stared at the wooden floor boards beneath her, her mind spinning. Manas was dying. Had been dying, right in front of her, and she had never known. Perhaps he didn’t even realize it either, for in his memories she had seen nothing about this disease nor had Manas mentioned it. Was there no way to cure it? Nothing they could do? What would Alaine do if he did die? At that thought, a dark chasm of despair opened in her heart.
Seeing Alaine’s pale and troubled face, Kelsin gently put his hand on her shoulder and said kindly, “I am sorry, I did not mean to worry you. If Manas has survived this long, he may yet have many years to go, at least as long as a human life.”
Alaine took a deep breath and nodded, her mind retreating from the black pit of despair it had almost fallen into. Yes, she had to cling to the hope that Manas would be alright. That he would live. For now, she just needed to find him and keep him from using his metal abilities as much as possible.
“Come, you should leave,” Kelsin said, standing.
“Aww, but I don’t want Miss Sara to leave!” Fanny pouted.
Chess, who had been frowning thoughtfully this whole time, scolded his sister, “Don’t be like that, Fanny. Do you want her to get in trouble with the queen?”
“No,” Fanny said miserably.
Alaine smiled and patted Fanny’s head. “It was really great to meet you. Maybe we’ll meet again someday,” she encouraged.
Fanny brightened. “You will visit, won’t you? Once the war is over?” she said eagerly.
Alaine hesitated and said falteringly, “Y-yes, when the war is over.” But even if the war did end soon, would it really be in a state that she could visit Fanny and Chess in peace?
Chess turned to Kelsin and asked, “Grandpa, how are we going to get her away without the soldiers seeing? Our army is crawling all over the place here, except for this cabin and the bombed field.”
Kelsin smiled, a somewhat mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Haven’t you noticed? The way out is right underneath us.”
The others looked blankly at him. Kelsin reached down and pulled some of the boards up off the ground, revealing a large gaping hole that sloped downward into a tunnel. “How did you know that was there?” Chess exclaimed.
“I noticed it when I entered. It’s easier to see when you first come in,” Kelsin responded, then turning to Alaine said, “I don’t know where this tunnel will take you, nor how far it may go, but I think it might be your best bet at getting away.” Alaine nodded. Handing her the lantern, Kelsin smiled gently and said, “May the light guide you, child, and may you find Manas soon.”
Fanny hugged Alaine and squeezed her tight. “Do come back sometime!” she sniffled.
“Um, if you ever need help and we’re nearby, know that we’re happy to help,” Chess said somewhat awkwardly. Alaine smiled and thanked them. She turned to the tunnel, took a deep breath, and entered its dark depths. She would survive and get out of this battlefield. She would find Manas, and she would not let him die.
Link to Part 18:
#fantasy#original story#siliven#had to rewrite this so many times trying to avoid info dumping#hope it makes sense and is not boring/overwhelming#big reveal
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The Siliven's Request: Part 26
“Now then, the question is how are we to contact Kelsin and get into the Vawaren capital without the Siliven royalty finding out?” the Overseer said.
They were gathered in the underground room again, seated around the Overseer’s desk. After Manas had agreed to the Overseer’s plan, they had decided their first course of action was meeting Kelsin and arranging for a meeting with other like-minded Silivens in the Vawaren capital. “Getting into the capital won’t be that difficult. There are several ways to go through the forest, and it’s easy to hide in there. Once we get there, however, we will have to find somewhere safe to hide,” Manas said.
The Overseer nodded. “Then the only problem is how to contact Kelsin,” he said.
Alaine hesitantly spoke up, “The battle is probably still being waged near where I first met him, right? If that’s so, maybe I could find the tunnel to the hut where I first saw him and try to find him that way.”
The others stared at her. Manas frowned. “That’s very dangerous,” he said slowly. “You’ll be near the bombs and the fighting.”
“You should at least go with someone,” Pim protested.
Alaine shook her head. “If I go through the tunnel, I’ll be safe from the bombs. And I should go alone. The less people there are, the harder it is to get caught,” she said.
“Kos could at least take you as far as the tunnel on the human side. That might be our best bet. We really don’t have any other way of contacting Kelsin...,” the Overseer said.
“But,” Pim started to protest, then bit his lip as Alaine turned to him with a determined look. “I’ll be fine,” she reassured him, and turning to Manas said, “Trust me. I escaped the Siliven side safely before, and I’m not completely defenseless.”
Manas hesitated, the look in his eyes revealing an inner struggle. Finally he sighed and said, “Very well. Just don’t be reckless.” She nodded.
“Good. Manas, is there a place in the capital where we could tell him to meet us?” the Overseer asked.
“There is a bathing pool outside one of the city gates. That might be the best place for a rendezvous point, since it has good hiding caves around there but is also a landmark,” Manas replied.
“Sounds like a plan! Kos will take Sara to the cave near the battlefield, then she will search for Kelsin; in the meantime, I will accompany Manas to the outskirts of the Vawaren capital and wait for Kelsin. Alf, can I trust you to help negotiate with the human leaders and make them more willing to meet with Manas when the time comes?” the Overseer said.
Alf nodded eagerly. “Of course! I may not have been very active in politics recently, but I think I might still have some clout with his highness and the army general. I did save the army’s neck several times in that previous war,” he agreed. Alaine blinked and looked at him curiously. There was still much she didn’t know about Alf, apparently. Once this was all over, perhaps she would ask him.
“I’ll go with the Overseer and Manas,” Pim spoke. “You’ll need all the support you can get, right? Maybe if the Silivens see what you did for me, they’ll be more open to listening,” he said, holding up his metal arm. Manas nodded and murmured a thanks.
They dispersed after that to get ready for their travels. Though there was not much Alaine had to do, besides figure out what exactly to say to Kelsin and to steel up her courage. Despite what she had said about her being fine going, she could not help but feel fear at the thought of coming near that battlefield again. And what if Kelsin was not in the hut when she arrived? She would have to venture out and find him in the Siliven army, and she had never done any kind of sneaking or infiltration before. She shook her head. It did no good to worry like that, and she had meant it when she told Manas she was not completely defenseless. While her memory magic might not be good for combat, it could be useful in letting her hide and escape if someone saw her.
“Sara,” Manas said, and she turned to see him step up to her outside of the refugee tent. “We will move out early tomorrow morning. Are you sure about this?”
Alaine nodded resolutely. “I am. I’ll be fine,” she said.
Manas contemplated her a moment, then said quietly, “I thought we weren’t going to hide anything from each other anymore.”
Alaine blinked, started to laugh, then stopped short and felt tears coming to her eyes. “I-I’m scared. Scared of the bombs...of being separated from you again,” she whispered.
Hesitantly, Manas placed a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to. We could find another way to contact Kelsin….,” he said.
But Alaine shook her head, wiping away her tears. “No, this is something I must do. Kelsin knows me; he doesn’t know the others and doesn’t really know you either. I’ll be all right. I may be a bit afraid right now, but I won’t let it get in the way of bringing peace,” she said. With a smile, she looked up at Manas and said, “Wait for me in Vawaren, okay?”
Manas gazed at her and nodded. Sara was strong, much stronger than he could ever be. And however much he hated the idea that she would be going into danger, he knew he could trust her to take care of herself. She was smart and stubborn, and she knew how to adapt her magic for her own purposes. And perhaps...she was right. There was a reason they were here, a reason that both their lives had been spared in the midst of bombs and illness and danger. Instead of holding her back, it was time he encouraged her as she had him. “We’ll be waiting.”
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The Siliven's Request: Part 25
“You’re the—what?” Pim spluttered. Alf and Alaine gaped at the man, while Manas scratched his head in confusion.
“But, how?” Alf murmured.
The Overseer sighed and took his seat again. “I know, I’m supposed to be dead. Don’t get me wrong, I was almost killed by the spy the Silivens sent; and I did receive quite a bad wound, but somehow I came out of it alive. I’ve been hiding away in various places, including here, to recuperate. Not even most of my own soldiers know I’m alive, only my closest advisors, like Kos,” he said, nodding towards the Searcher.
“But why keep everyone in the dark? If they know you’re alive, won’t the fighting stop?” Alaine asked, her mind still reeling from the revelation.
Resting his elbows on the desk and lacing his hands together, the Overseer said seriously, “The main reason has been to keep the Silivens from trying to assassinate me again. If they realized they failed, it's likely they would have tried again while I was still weak. Even if I did reveal myself now that I’m stronger, I don’t know that it would end the war. Despite being human, I am an outsider to both humans and Silivens. If there is to be any real, lasting peace, the Silivens and the humans themselves must change their relationship. Anything I do will be intervention and will only result in precarious peace.”
The Overseer paused and glanced at Manas. Suddenly, the Overseer said, “The kings and queens in Vawaren have been warmongers for a while, have they not? Seeking power and authority over lands.”
“Yes,” Manas said slowly.
The Overseer nodded. “But, surely not every Siliven desires war. Surely even they, after this many years of war and unrest, would like to have peace with other races. What would happen if a Siliven ruler came to power who sought peace, who could negotiate with the humans and stop the fighting? And what if there were someone who could persuade the humans to listen and make peace with the Silivens as well? Wouldn’t that bring a much more lasting peace than if the Silivens are stopped by force?” he said earnestly, looking keenly at Manas.
“What are you getting at, Overseer? Even if there was a Siliven who could do that-- my mother is still on the throne, and she won’t give it up that easily,” Manas said warily.
“No, but with aide from the Searchers, sympathetic Silivens, and even some humans, such a person might be able to take over the Siliven throne. Not to mention, we have just the Siliven we want, right here,” the Overseer said. Manas stiffened. “Even if you are exiled, you are still royalty, Manas. You have a connection to the humans,” he waved a hand at Alaine, “you have shown that you can care about people, that you are not interested in war. If you were to take the throne and become king of the Silivens, then you could make the peace much more lasting than I could.”
Tense, startled silence filled the small room. Alaine glanced at Manas, who was frowning deeply. Manas...a king? Finally, Manas slowly said, “What makes you think I would be a good king?”
“Well, I admit you may be a bit rough around the edges. But every good king will have advisors, who can help guide him down the right path. And as I mentioned before: you have seen both the human and Siliven side of things. You can look at the situation outside of the need for more power. That is what we need in a Siliven king right now,” the Overseer said.
“And what makes you think that the Siliven people will follow me? I did kill my own father,” Manas objected.
“There are Siliven who will follow you, at least I think they would,” Alaine suddenly spoke. The others turned to her. “I believe Kelsin would back you up; and he said there were others that did not like what the queen was doing either. True, they might doubt you at first because of what you did to your father. But if we can show them that you’ve changed, they would have no reason not to trust you” she said.
Unhappily, Manas argued, “And what would persuade them I have changed? They might doubt anything I say.”
“You have Sara and I to back you up,” Pim said, and held up his metal arm.
“Despite my being human and somewhat of an outsider, they might also listen if I add my commendation,” the Overseer added.
“Plus there’s Kelsin. I’ve already told him about you, and if he backs you up I think a lot more Siliven would listen,” Alaine urged.
“Even if we do manage to get the help of other Siliven,” Manas said, “how are we going to dethrone the queen? I’m not going to kill her. I’m not killing any more of my family.”
The Overseer shook his head. “No, no indeed, my hope is that we can pull off a peaceful coup of sorts. Not all the Silivens are out on the battelfield. If enough of the Siliven still in Vawaren support you, they could take over the palace and subdue the royalty there without much bloodshed. Once you assume kingship, you would be able to call the other Siliven troops back to your own lands, and we could arrange a peace meeting between you and the human leaders,” he said.
Manas still looked hesitant. “None of this seems very certain,” he murmured.
“Perhaps not—but if we don’t do something different, history will keep repeating itself, and there will be no end to the war at all. Please, Manas. We need your help,” the Overseer said earnestly.
Manas clenched and unclenched his hands. Seeing the troubled look on his face, Alaine suggested, “Perhaps we could have some time to think about it?”
The Overseer nodded. “Of course, that’s a good idea. Kos, please find a place for them to stay for the night,” he said. Kos bowed slightly and led the group out of the room and back through the tunnel and above ground again. Guiding them towards one of groups of refugees, which Alaine recognized as the refugees they had traveled with before, Kos left them, saying he would be back tomorrow. The refugees were delighted to see that Manas, Alaine, and Pim had survived and invited them to share in the meager rations they had been given. Manas declined to eat, however, and wandered off, away from the group. He couldn’t really find solitude, as the courtyard was full of refugees, but he obviously did not want to interact with people.
“Sara, if you’re that worried about him, why don’t you just go talk to him?” Pim asked with a sigh. “You’ve been glancing at Manas all during supper, and you’ve asked me to repeat my question three times already.”
“O-oh, sorry,” Alaine said sheepishly. “I didn’t want to disturb him if he needs to be alone...”
Pim shook his head and said quietly, “I doubt he’ll mind if it’s you.”
Hesitating for just a moment, Alaine set her soup bowl down and made her way to where Manas was sitting brooding on a box. She sat down quietly next to him, and they remained silent for a while, listening to the murmur of voices from the many refugees huddled around their small fires. Alaine gazed up at the night sky, full of sparkling stars. How small people were, even this big group of refugees, in comparison to the myriad of stars and the moon that looked down on them. How small the problems of humans and Silivens and other species must seem in the bigger scheme of things. One day, even this war would be nothing more than a story in the history books one day. Was there really any meaning in what they did here? And yet….Alaine’s hand closed over the stone still hanging from her neck. She and Manas were alive. Her friends were alive. Surely there was some purpose, some reason for their lives. There was someone who wanted them here at this time.
“Sara,” Manas said, breaking into her thoughts, “what do you think I should do?” Alaine glanced at her companion, but he kept his head turned, staring at the refugees’ campfires.
Turning her gaze to the sky again, Alaine replied, “I think the Overseer is right. There needs to be a Siliven who brings about the peace, not just a human trying to make it right. Both sides need to change...and you certainly have changed already. But, I don’t blame you if you don’t really want to become king. I mean, it’s a lot of responsibility. I just can’t stop thinking that maybe that’s why you’re here; maybe everything that’s happened to you wasn’t just coincidence, maybe you’ve survived your disease and met me and even got saved by the wishing stone for this reason. So that you could help end the war and really bring peace to your own people and humans….”
Manas turned to her, the light of the fires reflecting in his eyes like stars, his white pupils seeming to glow like the moon, making Alaine feel as though she were staring into the night sky again. “Sara, if I did become the Siliven ruler--what if—what if I become like—my father,” he said haltingly, his voice shaking slightly.
“You won’t, Manas. You aren’t like him. No, you won’t be the perfect ruler, especially not at first. But no one is perfect. And you’ll have other people to help you and show you what is right, you won’t be alone. If nothing else, you still have my promise to help you change, remember? I won’t let you go back to doing awful things,” Alaine said firmly.
Manas stared at her silently for several moments, then turned and murmured, “Yes, you’re right.” They sat silent for a while longer, gazing up at the stars, when Manas finally stood. “All right, Sara, I’ll trust you. If you promise you’ll keep me from being a tyrannical leader, then I’ll agree to become king of Vawaren.”
Alaine grinned. “I promise. Though I doubt I’ll have to work hard to do that,” she replied. Manas turned and smiled.
Link to Part 24:
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The Siliven's Request: Part 30
The plan Manas presented to the group of Silivens was risky. At night, they would sneak into the palace gardens and find a way into the palace, knocking out any guards they might find on the way. It was fortunate one of the Silivens had sleep magic, which would be handy for sneaking in. Then they would separate: Manas, Pim, and Kelsin would make their way to the throne room, while the others would slow down any guards that might chase them. The most difficult part, however, would be subduing the queen.
“I do not want to kill her, if at all possible. But then again, I’m not sure there is any way to convince her to step down without use of force,” Manas sighed.
“Indeed. And the Name Calling Art will make it all the more difficult. If she uses Manas’ name and commands him to kill everyone, it’s over,” Kelsin said.
“What if just one person confronted her, someone whose name she doesn’t know? Like me, I’m sure she wouldn’t know my name,” Pim suggested.
Manas said doubtfully, “Perhaps, but it would still be dangerous to go alone. The Name Calling Art isn’t her only weapon.”
“Then there really isn’t any way except by force,” the Overseer murmured.
“There is a way,” Sara suddenly spoke. They turned to her in surprise. “The queen will have no way of knowing my name, not even if she had spies watching Manas and me. Manas himself doesn't know my real name.” Ignoring the startled looks the others gave her, she gazed intently at Manas and said, “Let me go with you to the throne room. The queen won’t be able to use her magic on me, even if she tries. And...I have a plan if she tries to use it on you or others.”
“That’s very dangerous, Sara. Even without her magic, my mother is not one to be trifled with,” Manas said slowly.
“And it’s all right for you to go into danger and not me?” Sara said somewhat sharply. She shook her head. “I’d rather not just sit around and worry while you all go off and potentially lose your lives. Besides, what other option do we have? How else are you going to thwart the Name Calling Art?”
Manas considered her silently for a moment. With a sigh, he finally said, “Very well. But the moment it gets too dangerous, you’ll get out of there, okay?” Sara smiled and nodded.
“Erm, I think we’re missing something. Just how is Sara going to stop the queen?” the Overseer asked in confusion.
Manas and Sara glanced at each other. Sara said, “I’m sorry to keep it hidden from you, but I think it best if I don’t explain until after we’ve succeeded. That way, our opponents won’t have any way to find out.”
Kelsin nodded. “I believe that would be wise. It allows us to have a trump card if all else fails.” After further discussion, it was decided that they would carry out the plan in a few days, and the meeting was finally adjourned.
“Manas, are you upset?” Sara asked, after most of the Siliven had left to begin preparations.
He shook his head. “No, just worried. I wish there was another way that wouldn’t involve you being near my mother,” he murmured, a troubled darkness filling his sky blue eyes. “I won’t even be able to use my metal abilities….”
“It’s all right, Manas. Just knowing you’re there is enough. And...I want to be able to do something to help."
“You’re planning to make her forget my name, aren’t you? Are you sure about that? You’ve never tried to do that before.”
“No, I haven’t, but a name is a word. Words are easily forgotten, even without magic involved. Besides, I was able to give you one of my my memories, even though I hadn’t done it before. It’ll be fine, Manas.”
Manas relaxed slightly. She was right, of course.
"I'd better go help Pim with supper. I promised him I'd help this evening." She smiled encouragingly, then turned and headed towards the corner of the cave, where Pim and the Overseer were starting a fire.
“Are you sure about letting her go with us?” Kelsin remarked, stepping up beside Manas. Manas nodded.
“I don't really like having her go into danger, but I trust her. She's come a long way from not even knowing she had memory magic, so she should be able to handle making my mother forget names," Manas replied. "And how I could not trust her when she's saved me so many times-- from my past and from death," he murmured softly.
Kelsin gave Manas a keen look. “You trust her; is that all?”
“What do you mean?” Manas asked, turning to the older Siliven.
“She loves you, Manas. I noticed that when I first met her, from the way she talked about you, and now that I see her interact with you I'm sure of it. But do you love her?” Kelsin replied, his gaze boring into Manas.
Manas started, caught off guard. He opened his mouth, then shut it, then stared at the rocky cave floor. Sara loved him? They had been traveling together for a while now, but surely they were just companions, not lovers. How could Sara love him in that way? He was a Siliven and she was a human, there was no way…. And then he remembered the way she had looked at him when he had tried to leave, how she had pleaded to stay with him. How she had given up her chance to use the wishing stone to save his life. How she was always trying to help and protect him, to encourage and guide him. How she was always smiling so tenderly at him.
“Silivens and humans can’t—be together,” he said haltingly.
Kelsin grunted and replied, “It’s true, Silivens and humans haven’t married for several years because of the tension, but a long time ago, before all the fighting between races, some did intermarry. It’s not impossible, though of course there is the difference in lifespan to consider; in your case, however, it might not be that much of a difference.” After a pause, he asked, “You are uncertain of your feelings for her?”
Manas clenched his hands. “I—I want to protect her, to make her happy. I want to be with her. But, is that really a basis to marry?” he asked.
Kelsin smiled slightly. “If you want to share the rest of your life with her and give her the best, I don't see why not. But you should be clear, to her and yourself, just what you two are. If you are friends or something more intimate,” he said.
Manas glanced over at Sara, who was helping Pim add some ingredients to a pot. "Make it clear," he murmured to himself with a frown.
Kelsin chuckled. "You needn't overthink it too much. Just tell her what you feel, ask her what she is feeling and thinking. And of course, if you remain as friends and not something else, that is good too. The danger is not knowing." He turned to leave. "Chess and I should head back to the palace, or else Fanny will get impatient. I'll be back tomorrow with some more provisions for you and the humans, and I'll let you know the progress of our preparations."
Manas nodded and watched Kelsin and Chess leave, thoughts swirling about in his mind like storm clouds, until at last the sun broke through, and he knew what he needed to do.
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The Siliven's Request: Part 24
“Our people are known as the Searchers. Before the Overseer became the Overseer, and before the previous war between humans and Silivens, we didn't interact much with the human world. Instead, we devoted ourselves to researching and studying the world, both in the sky and on the ground. We were not powerful or well known at the time. Since we lived on a group of floating islands in the sky, it was easy for us to be recluse, staying in our flying libraries unless we went down to the ground to gather information for our studies. It was during this time, however, that we received a request from a Siliven, asking us to give him any research we had about children born with blue eyes that had white pupils.”
Alaine’s eyes widened. A Siliven...could it have been Kelsin?
Kos continued, “We obliged and gave him what information we could, and even did a little further research for him. It was an interesting topic, one we had already been pursuing, due to its being a rare and severe disease. When we asked the Siliven why he was interested in this research, he mentioned that a royal child had been born with those eyes, and he had been asked to look into a cure; but we lost contact with him soon after. And despite our attempts to learn more about this child, we discovered only that his name was Manas.”
Alf raised his hand. “Err, I think I’m missing something here. You’re saying that Manas’ eyes are a disease?” he asked.
“Oh, we haven’t told you,” Alaine exclaimed and quickly told Alf what Kelsin had told her about Manas’ eyes. Scribbling furiously in his notebook, Alf muttered to himself and motioned for Kos to continue.
“Anyway, we slowly forgot about the incident as the years passed, assuming that the child had probably died already. Then the war began, and the Overseer became our leader. He was already making plans on how to bring peace between the humans and the Silivens, when news came to us that the Vawaren king had been murdered by his own son—a Siliven with blue and white eyes,” Kos said and paused, glancing at Manas. He remained silent, but tensed slightly.
Continuing, Kos said, “We were quite surprised to hear that you had survived to adulthood, and the Overseer became quite interested in you. After Overseer was able to assert authority and bring an end to the war, we heard about you being exiled. Because of our interest in your ability to survive despite your condition, as well as our uncertainty of your intentions, we kept an eye on your whereabouts and doings after you were exiled.”
Seeing Manas’ frown, Kos raised a hand and said, “Ah, you needn’t worry, we didn’t spy on everything you did. The Overseer quickly deemed that you were not an active threat and mainly had us keep tabs on where you were traveling.” He glanced at Alaine. “Though I must say, we were rather surprised you started traveling with a female human,” he commented.
Manas didn’t reply, still looking unhappy. Alaine thought she knew why. It wasn’t just that being spied on was uncomfortable; but if a spy had happened to overhear and find out that Alaine could use memory magic….
"Pleasantly surprised, I might add," Kos added, seeing the uneasy look Alaine shared with Manas. "At least from our perspective it seemed that she encouraged you to help people,” Kos said.
Manas blinked, opened his mouth to say something, then shut it, giving Sara an odd look. Finally, he looked away, murmuring, “Yes.”
Kos continued, “Needless to say, once the war started, we didn’t have the capacity to follow you anymore. Why don’t you tell me what happened since you left Fairen?”
As the four explained what had happened to each of them, including Alaine’s meeting with Kelsin and the two royal children, as well as Manas’ close brush with death, Kos listened eagerly. After they had finished, he sat muttering to himself for a bit. “Yes, yes, this is even better than the Overseer had thought,” was all Alaine could make out. Finally, he looked up with a wide smile and said, “Come, there is someone who would like to meet you all.” Leading them around a stack of boxes, Kos took them down a hall, deeper into what appeared to be an underground network of tunnels. They came to a door at the end of one of the tunnels, and Kos ushered them inside.
They found themselves inside another room, this one larger and neater. It had a makeshift bed in one corner, boxes full of books and scrolls lining one wall, and a desk and chair standing in the middle, occupied by a human who was writing furiously on a piece of paper. Another Searcher stood by the man, looking rather anxious. “You really should be back in bed, sir,” the Searcher was saying as they came in.
“Ah, you must be feeling better, sir,” Kos said cheerfully.
The human looked up from his paper. He appeared to be a middle-aged man, with curly brown hair and intelligent, curious eyes. He looked his guests up and down, then his eyes widened. Jumping up from his seat, he exclaimed, “Why, you found them!”
Kos nodded and said, “Yes, this is Manas and his companion Sara, and this is Master Alf and his apprentice Pim.”
The man came up to them, shaking each one’s hand eagerly. “Oh, good to meet you, good to meet you. And to finally meet you, Manas! I’ve heard so many things about you and wanted to see you in person so many times, but it never worked out. Always too much work, you know, and they never give me a vacation,” he said.
Manas said warily, “Should I know who you are?”
“Ah, of course, of course, you wouldn’t. Practically everyone thinks I’m dead anyway,” the man said with a sigh, then smiled. “I’m the Overseer.”
Link to Part 23:
#original story#fantasy#siliven#sorry to end on a cliffhanger#but seemed like the most natural stop before they go into another explanation#feel like I'm info dumping but don't know how else to do it
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The Siliven's Request: Part 23
“You were on the Siliven side?!” Pim exclaimed in horror.
“It turned out okay, though,” Alaine said quickly. It was the morning after she and Manas had arrived at the human army. Once the soldiers had been assured that Manas was not a threat, the healer had ushered him and Alaine into the infirmary tent. While Alaine had been quickly dismissed, as she had only small scratches and scrapes, Manas had been given a cot and been worked on for a bit. At last, the healer had told her that Manas would be all right, he just needed rest. They had given her another cot, and she had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Coming out of the tent the next morning, she had noticed Pim munching on a piece of bread nearby the tent and had sat down next to him to tell him what had happened to her and Manas.
“Even so, are you really sure it was right to trust those Silivens?” Pim asked.
Alaine nodded. “They were very kind to me. There are Silivens you can trust; even you know that now, don’t you?” she replied quietly. Pim looked away. She continued, “Pim, what made you decide to trust Manas?”
Pim shrugged. “Well, he's already saved my life three times now. And this time, there wasn't any reason for him to save me, not even you to tell him to help me. And he got hurt as a result. Then when I saw you with him yesterday and how you were defending him, I guess I just realized how foolish I was in not believing you,” he said.
Alaine smiled. “I’m glad you’ve decided to trust him,” she said softly. They sat quietly for a while after that, wrapped in their own thoughts, until Manas came hobbling out of the infirmary tent and joined them with a sigh.
“How are you feeling, Manas?” Alaine asked.
“You still look like you’ve been dragged back from the edge of death,” Pim commented.
Manas rolled his eyes. “Because I have been,” he grumbled. “I assume Sara told you what happened?”
Pim nodded. “She did. She also told me about your disease. Does this mean you’re gonna be a weakling for a while?” he said.
Manas smirked. “Probably, but that just means you’ll have to carry me now. Since I carried you here,” he said.
Their teasing was interrupted by a commotion from one end of the army camp. “Captain, it’s an emissary from the Overseer’s forces!” a soldier cried. Captain Frank came hurrying out of a tent and rushed to where a crowd of soldiers was gathering.
“The Overseer! But I thought he was killed!” Pim cried, jumping up.
Another soldier who was walking by answered, “He was, and his forces were in disarray after he was discovered dead, but they must have organized enough to come and help us!”
Pim, Alaine, and Manas followed the soldier to where the captain stood, gazing upward. And then they saw them. From the sky came a horde of winged men, wearing golden armor and helmets, with swords strapped to their waists and bows on their backs. Their wings were wide and strong, like a eagles' wings, their feathers white as snow. As they landed gracefully in front of the gawking human soldiers, the Overseer’s soldiers stood to attention, their impassive faces showing no emotion. Alaine had never heard of any species like this, nor had she seen any soldiers so disciplined. They were impressive, almost frightening.
One of the winged men stepped up to Captain Frank, who bowed his head politely in greeting. “Captain Frank of the humans, I am Sir Sheshek, emissary of the Overseer. We have come in answer to your plea for help. I am afraid we are not able to spare as large a force as I would wish, but we will give what aid we can,” the winged one said, in a voice clear and strong as a bell.
Captain Frank answered, “We thank you, Sir Sheshek. My deepest condolences for the Overseer’s death; but we will take any help you can give.”
Sir Sheshek’s gaze wandered over the human soldiers until it came to rest on Manas. Sheshek’s eyes narrowed. Pointing towards Manas, he said coldly, “You have a Siliven among you.”
There was murmur as the soldiers turned to look at Manas and backed away from him. Captain Frank gestured to Alaine and Pim, saying, “These two say he’s trustworthy. Apparently, he saved the young man’s life.”
Sheshek strode towards Manas and came to a halt in front of him, looking the Siliven up and down. “I see. You are Manas, are you not? The one who killed the Vawaren king,” Sheshek said. There were murmurs of surprise among the soldiers, and Alaine started.
Manas narrowed his eyes and said carefully, “Yes.”
The murmurs increased. “A Siliven killed his own king?” “Then he really is on our side?”
Hearing the murmurs, Sheshek said, “You may have killed the Siliven king, but that does not mean you are trustworthy. One betrayal can easily lead to another. So, Manas--whose side are you really fighting for?”
There was a heavy, tense silence as everyone gazed uneasily between him and Sheshek, but then Manas shrugged and smirked. “Well, seeing as I’ve been banned from fighting unless it’s a specific emergency, I don’t have any intention of fighting for either side,” he replied nonchalantly. Glancing at Alaine, however, he said quietly, “But if I must fight, there’s only one person I’ll fight for.”
Sheshek gave Manas a piercing look, then nodded and turned. “Farkon,” he called, and one of his men stepped towards him. Turning back to Manas, he said, “If you will not fight, then I will have Farkon here escort you and your friend away from the battlefield. Farkon can you take as far as the capital. There is no guarantee you will be allowed in, but he can get you there safely.”
Manas gave a nod and murmured a thanks. “I’ll go with them,” Pim spoke up. Sheshek nodded, then walked back to his men and began talking with the human captain. Farkon beckoned to Manas, Alaine, and Pim and said, “Come, we mustn’t waste time. The battle will start soon. No, you needn’t worry about provisions, I have enough for you; the capital is only a few days away. Let us hurry.” So saying, he led them swiftly away from the tents until they had left the army far behind them. They walked along the edge of the cliff until they came to a rickety bridge that crossed it.
Here they paused, allowing Manas to catch his breath. Though the healer had done a good job of taking care of his arrow wounds, he still seemed quite exhausted from the ordeal he had gone through with his illness, and he could barely manage to keep up with the others. His weakness worried Alaine, especially when she remembered that Kelsin had said Manas’ lifespan was shortened; but there was not much she could do besides support him. After resting for a bit, he said he could keep going, and they continued.
The next few days passed this way. Farkon led them in a fairly straight direction towards the capital, giving them frequent breaks so that Manas could keep up. At last, they saw the city’s walls in the distance. The city was bigger than any other Alaine had been to, and as they came up to its gates, she gazed up in wonder at the great stones making up its wall. There were so many guards lining the ramparts. So many houses surrounded by those strong walls, so many people in there. Above all the houses loomed the castle, where the king himself resided. A shiver ran down her spine. Would they really be able to get in?
There was a line of refugees, walking or on carts, that were milling around near the gates. Tired, frustrated guards were trying to sort the people, inspecting their carts or instructing the people to open their sacks and show what they were bringing into the town. Farkon led the three towards the front of the line, people making way for the Overseer’s soldier. As the group walked up to the gate, a city guard standing there frowned and stepped in front of them. “H-hey, what’s the meaning of this?” he said uneasily, pointing at Manas. Others had also begun to notice there was a Siliven in their midst, and several of the refugees were muttering fearfully or glaring at him.
“He is a refugee as well. You have the word of Sir Sheshek, the Overseer’s emissary, that he will not fight any humans,” Farkon responded firmly.
The guard shifted uncertainly. “Even if you say that, I can’t just let a Siliven in,” he grumbled.
“Please,” Farkon said, bowing to the guard.
Looking flustered, the guard waved his hands. “All right, please, you don’t have to do that. This way,” he said, leading them inside the gate and into a courtyard full of tents and makeshift shelters. People were tending to their animals, sitting at small fires, or muttering to each other in low, anxious voices. “Too many refugees have been coming in; we don’t have anywhere else to put them now,” the guard sighed.
Alaine let out her breath, which she had unconsciously been holding. Even if it was crowded and dirty here, at least they were in. Perhaps they could finally be safe.
“Pim?” a voice they recognized suddenly exclaimed. They turned to see Alf hurrying towards them, his glasses falling down his nose and relief on his face.
“Master Alf!” Pim cried, running to the old man. “You’re alive!” he cried, tears coming to his eyes. “I thought—we thought--”
“How did you escape the bombs?” Alaine asked wonderingly.
“I could ask the same of you all,” Alf exclaimed. “You see, we were saved by a Searcher—that’s what winged men, the Overseer’s soldiers are called. When the bombs started, we thought for sure we would be killed; but a Searcher suddenly appeared and used some sort of magic to repel the bombs,” Alf explained. “He then brought us to the capital, where we’ve been since. Ah, here he is,” Alf said, waving over a winged soldier. Though he looked almost identical to the other ones Alaine had seen, this one wore a smile on his face and seemed more cheerful. “Sir Kos, these are the friends I was telling you about, the ones we thought had died in the battlefield,” Alf said.
“Ah, I see. Good to see that you all survived,” Kos said, shaking Pim and Alaine’s hands heartily. When he got to Manas, however, he gave the Siliven a curious look. “It’s good to finally meet you, Manas.”
Manas frowned. “Your kind seem to know a lot about me,” he said slowly.
Kos chuckled and said, “Well, you did kill the Siliven king; and it is the Overseer’s job to be aware of what’s going on in each territory. Though to be honest, we knew about you even before that.”
“What do you mean? How do you know so much about Manas?” Alaine asked uneasily. She was becoming a bit unnerved by how much the Overseer and his soldiers appeared to know.
Kos smiled kindly and said, “I will explain all. But we mustn’t talk here. Come, there’s a place we can talk in private. Farkon, will you be coming too?”
Farkon shook his head. “No, I must return to Sir Sheshek,” he replied. Bowing, he lifted his wings and flew away.
Kos beckoned and led the group to a small shed that stood next to the city wall. Opening a small door in the shed, he motioned for them to enter. They went down a staircase to find themselves in an underground room filled with boxes and old furniture. Pulling up a few chairs and boxes, Kos told them to sit, while he himself perched on an old wooden chest. “Now then, where to begin?”
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The Siliven's Request: Part 22
When Pim woke, he found himself in a tent that appeared to be an infirmary of sorts. There were several rows of cots with men lying on them, many of the men groaning in pain, others lying silent and still. Bending over some of the invalids were healers, using their magic to close up the men’s wounds. Was Pim in a hospital? What had happened? Suddenly, he remembered and sat bolt upright. The woods. A loud explosion….
“Ah, you’re up,” a voice interrupted his thoughts. A lady wearing a blue robe, the symbol of a healer, walked up to him. Following her were two men dressed in armor, one with an ornate cape around his shoulders. Pim’s eyes widened. A captain of the army?
“Wh-where am I?” Pim stammered.
“You’re in a war camp on the front lines,” the captain replied, sitting down next to Pim. “My name is Captain Frank. This is Lieutenant Gren. Who might you be?”
“My name is Pim,” Pim replied. “But what am I doing here?”
“You must have gotten caught up in the battle somehow,” the captain sighed. “It seems like a lot of civilians and refugees have been stuck in between when both sides start bombing.”
“Bombing?” Pim whispered.
Lieutenant Gren nodded. “You heard of bombs? A new weapon both us humans and the Silivens are using now. It’s very destructive. Anyone caught in it wouldn’t be able to survive...which begs the question how you survived.”
“I don’t know, I don’t remember any bombing….I was gathering firewood in the forest for our camp and then blacked out…” Pim murmured.
“You were traveling with other refugees, is that it?” the captain asked compassionately.
“Yes...yes, did you find anyone else?” Pim asked anxiously. “It was a group of human refugees, and we had a cart. One of them is a magician.”
Captain Frank shook his head. “I’m afraid not. What kind of magic did the wizard have? Perhaps he was able to teleport the group away,” he suggested.
Pim shook his head gloomily. “No, Master Alf is a water wizard,” he said.
The captain started. “Alf? You don’t mean the wizard Alf?” he asked.
Pim nodded slowly, confused at the captain’s reaction. “Yes, I’m his apprentice,” Pim said. “Do you know him?”
“Why yes, Master Alf was a very powerful wizard who helped at the beginning of the previous war! It was thanks to him that we didn’t lose more cities than we did. Though he left in the middle of the war for unknown reasons. He never told you?” Lieutenant Gren interjected eagerly.
“No,” Pim said wonderingly.
The captain sighed. “Well, he never did like to boast about himself. Back to the topic at hand—there are no survivors we know of besides you. And even with Master Alf’s water magic, I’m not sure he would be able to withstand the bombs. I’m sorry,” he said.
Pim clenched his hands, dread filling him. Was Master Alf really dead? And what about Sara? “But...I’m alive,” he murmured.
“Ah, I suppose there was one other person we saw who came from the battlefield. Last night, a Siliven came hurtling over the trench we’d built and rolled into our camp carrying you,” the captain said.
“A...Siliven?” Pim repeated. Could it be Manas? Who else could it be? But why was Sara not with him as well? Had Manas abandoned her? And if it were true that the Siliven had carried Pim here, then Manas had saved his life. Again. “Where is he?” Pim asked slowly.
“We shot at him, thinking he was an enemy. He rolled off the cliff nearby, probably to his death,” Captain Frank replied. He paused, then asked somewhat apologetically, “Was he a friend of yours?”
Lieutenant Gren scoffed, “A friend? Captain, surely you joke. There’s no way a Siliven could be friendly to a human!”
The healer, who had been silently checking Pim over, raised an eyebrow and finally spoke, “Well, if this Siliven was an enemy, he’s quite a strange one. Whether he meant to or not, he seems to have protected this young man quite well; except for a bump on his head, he doesn’t have a scratch. And considering that he was out on the bomb field, that’s almost a miracle.”
Before Pim could reply, a commotion from outside the tent interrupted them. Another soldier rushed in and called to the captain, “Sir, there’s a Siliven!” The captain, the healer, and the lieutenant hurried out of the tent, followed by Pim. At the edge of the cliff were several soldiers, pointing swords dangerously at two people who stood just at its edge. Pim’s eyes widened. It was Sara and Manas!
“He’s not an enemy!” Sara was saying desperately. Her hair was disheveled and dirty, and her dress was soaked. Behind her, Manas looked utterly exhausted. He seemed to be holding onto Sara for support, and his face was paler than usual, almost white compared to its usual grey.
“Wait! I know them, they’re not enemies,” Pim said, stepping forward.
The soldiers looked uncertainly between Pim and the two intruders. Sara’s eyes widened and she exclaimed, “Pim!”
The captain waved a hand, and the soldiers withdrew their swords. One soldier protested, “Sir, but he’s a Siliven--”
“He’s not going to hurt you. He’s a...friend,” Pim said hesitantly.
“Stand down. This boy is Master Alf’s apprentice. We can trust him,” the captain ordered, and the soldiers withdrew.
“Sara, are you all right?” Pim asked, walking up to her. Glancing at Manas, he raised an eyebrow and said, “You look like you’ve been dragged through hell.”
“Basically,” Manas groaned and sat down with a sigh as if he could not take another step.
“It's a long story," Sara said, and glanced anxiously at Manas. "But before that, Manas needs a healer."
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The Siliven's Request: Part 11
Alaine blinked as the memories faded, leaving her mind reeling with shock and horror. Staring blankly at the fire, she tried to process all that she had just seen and felt, all the pain, anger, and despair that Manas had gone through. She glanced at him. Though he avoided her gaze, she could see the ache in his eyes. She hesitated, feeling as though she should say something. But what could she say? Words felt meaningless in this situation, so she remained silent.
Finally, Manas murmured, “Well, now you know. Do you still think I can be anything more than a murderer?”
Alaine stood and walked over to the fireplace, standing in front of Manas so that he had to look at her. “Yes, I’m actually more convinced that you can,” she said firmly. After a slight pause, she added, “And I think Uncle Paine would agree.”
Manas studied her, uncertainty showing in his eyes. Once again, Alaine held out her hand. Hesitantly, Manas took it.
Ven stormed away from the city, his guards doing all they could to keep up. It was odd that he should leave the city so soon after visiting it, and without having accomplished what he had said he was going to do, but of course they could not speak against their prince. He had his reasons no doubt. But they did wish he would slow down, for not even they could keep up with his furious stride.
At last, Ven stopped at a crossroads. Panting, the guards stumbled up to him. His eyes were full of rage, and he did not seem tired in the least, despite having jogged the whole way. Hesitantly, one of the guards suggested, “Your highness, perhaps we should stop somewhere for the night?”
Ven turned on the guard fiercely, causing him to shrink back. But Ven only snapped at him, “Set up a tent then.” The guards quickly obeyed, erecting a small tent in a grove of trees near the road. Meanwhile, Ven paced back and forth, muttering to himself. When the tent had been built and one of the guards had started a fire, the other guard approached Ven apprehensively.
“Your highness, won’t you eat?”
Ven scowled, shaking his head. Then suddenly he grabbed the guard and demanded, “Tell me, why did I go to that city?”
Trembling, the guard stammered, “Y-your highness? You went to kill that girl, didn’t you?”
Ven stared, his eyes bloodshot. “What girl?” he hissed.
“Th-the girl that was with Manas,” the guard answered. “I thought you went to get rid of her, though you didn’t, so perhaps I was mistaken, milord.”
Ven shoved the guard away, causing him to fall hard on his bottom. “A girl?” Ven growled to himself, his face contorting with confusion and frustration. “A girl? I don’t remember any girl. You’re sure there was one?” he asked the guard, once again turning to him with savage eyes. The guard nodded fervently, terrified. Ven let out a howl of frustration.
“I don’t remember! Why don’t I remember? Manas was there, I was talking to him. Why, why?” With a cry of rage, Ven slammed a fist into one of the trees, cracking its bark. His mouth twisted into a terrible scowl, a look of pure hate and loathing burning in his eyes. “Manas,” he growled, “what have you done to me?!”
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The Siliven's Request: Part 21
“Sara?” Manas’ voice spoke near her, and she forced her eyes to open. Though the sky was still dark and the lantern had gone out, Alaine could make out the cliff above her and the river rushing past on the other side. Sitting next to her with a look of concern was Manas, his blue and white eyes seeming to glow in the dark. Though he looked tired and worn, he was alive. With a cry, Alaine flung her arms around him, startling him and almost knocking them off the ledge into the river. He was alive, he was alive, he was alive!
“S-Sara, are you all right?” Manas finally asked.
Pulling herself away and drying her eyes, Alaine nodded. “Yes, I’m just so happy that you’re alive,” she sniffled.
“Yes...somehow,” Manas replied. “But are you all right? How did you find me?”
Alaine proceeded to explain how she had been shielded from the bombs, how the Siliven children had found her, how she had talked with Kelsin and discovered Manas’ disease, and how she had found Manas and used the necklace to save him. Manas frowned when she mentioned being with Silivens, but he listened without interrupting her until she mentioned using the necklace.
“You were supposed to use the wishing stone to protect yourself,” he said.
Somewhat angrily, Alaine retorted, “But if you died, it wouldn’t matter if I were protected or not!”
Manas’ eyes widened. Alaine looked away, her face turning slightly red. “I see. I’m sorry I made you worry,” he murmured. There was an awkward pause after that. Manas finally broke it by saying, "This Kelsin, are you sure we can trust what he said?"
"He didn't seem to be lying. And he was very kind to me, especially considering the circumstances," Alaine said. In a softer voice, she murmured, "Besides, he called you his grandchild."
Manas glanced at her, then said slowly, "Well, I suppose it's good to know you have allies on the Siliven side. Who knows what will happen with this war...."
After another pause, Alaine asked, “Do you think that the wishing stone healed you of your disease?”
Manas shook his head. “No, probably not. My eyes are still blue and white, aren’t they? And the wishing stone grants only one specific request, so even if it kept me alive I doubt that it fully healed me.”
“I guess I should have wished that it would take away the disease entirely,” Alaine said regretfully.
“Well, you still saved my life, didn’t you? And since it only grants one request, it’s hard to make it fix everything,” Manas said with a shrug.
Alaine nodded, then said determinedly, “But that means you have to promise to not use your metal abilities anymore.”
“Not even in emergencies?” Manas asked with eyebrow raised.
“Not even to rescue me,” Alaine said firmly. “Promise?”
Manas considered her a moment, then sighed and said, “All right. I promise I won’t use them unless it’s an absolute emergency involving both of us. How’s that?”
“I’ll accept it,” Alaine agreed.
“Now then, we’d better find a way out of here,” Manas said. He looked up at the cliff thoughtfully. “The human army is up there...but our best bet is probably to find a way up the cliff or over the river.”
“The human army?” Alaine queried. Manas explained how he had carried Pim to the human army and then fallen off the cliff. “Thank goodness Pim is safe,” Alaine sighed in relief.
Manas nodded then said, “If we follow this cliff, we might find a staircase up.”
Seeing Alaine’s surprised face, Manas explained, “If I’m remembering right, there are two big rivers in this part of the land, with several of these cliffs lining the rivers. A long time ago, dwarves carved their homes into the cliff-sides and tunneled deep underground. That’s probably why the hole you entered was a tunnel that led here. So if we keep going, we might find one of the dwarves’ staircases.”
“Wow, you sure know a lot, Manas,” Alaine exclaimed.
“I did a good amount of research about different things when I was looking for someone with your ability,” Manas responded.
“You mean after you were exiled?” Alaine asked. Come to think of it, she never had really asked what he had been doing during the time between his exile and when he had come to her uncle’s shop.
Manas nodded. He hesitated, then said, “I was exiled after the war ended, and it was only a year or two later that I found you. During that time, I was mostly doing research about the land and about memory abilities.” Manas struggled to his feet, holding onto the cliff wall. He winced slightly when he tried to put weight on his wounded left leg. Though his wounds appeared to not be bleeding anymore, they were still painful. “We should go,” he said.
“Here, you can lean on me too,” Alaine said, resting his other arm on her shoulder. They made their way slowly along the rock ledge, Manas holding onto the cliff wall with one hand while Alaine supported his other arm. Though the sky became slightly lighter as the sun rose, smoke hung thick in the air above, making it dark. Gingerly, the two made their way along the rock until they came to a staircase carved into the cliff.
“You were right, Manas!” Alaine cried in excitement. Glancing at Manas, who looked exhausted, Alaine suggested they rest for a bit before continuing. He nodded and they sat down on the bottom stair. With a weary sigh, Manas rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. Perhaps it was because of his wounds, or perhaps he was still recovering from his bout of sickness, but he seemed very weak. Despite that, Alaine smiled to herself. He was alive. That was enough.
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