Chapter: The UtopiaAelanor's eyes opened with the clamour of bustling businesses coming from the open window. Her companions slept through the din, except Saayan who was nowhere to be seen around the room. She walked up to the window and looked down. Her homeland might be called Utopia, but as she looked down at the cobbled street with all kinds of races, haggling and laughing and helping each other carry weights of marine life from the ships, she realised that the real utopia was here. Here, every creature was welcome. No one was looked down upon by others- except that female orc in the tavern- she thought resentfully. Here, creatures would not fight for power, and here, no one would be banished by their fathers for the supposed crime of falling in love with someone of another race.Aelanor looked at her sleeping companions. She didn't want to wake them up. She knew they all have been tortured in their nightly visions, possibly even Saayan, who, Aelanor didn't know, could sleep or not. Barely making an
Last Updated: 2024-09-28
Chapter: The Mug and the MeadThe after effects of the food made all of them a little lethargic, and they pressed a few coins in the hand of the barkeep to save a room for the four of them for the night. The sun was still on the horizon, and the grief and shock of the day was on them, each lost in their thoughts, so sleep was out of question. Not even consulting each other about their next move, they exited the tavern, and the bell tinkled again over the sign, "The Mug and The Mead".Their feet carried them towards the beautiful scenery in front of them. The sun's warm orange glow cast a gentle light upon the bustling dockside. Boats and ships of all sizes bobbed gently in the water, their sails and rigging a tangled web of ropes and canvas. Barrows and carts, laden with an abundance of fruits, ales and wines, and exotic spices, rumbled across the worn wooden planks, as merchants and traders hurried to secure their daily hauls. The air was thick with the sweet scent of fresh fruit and the sound of laughter and ha
Last Updated: 2024-08-14
Chapter: The Golden Barrows"Where are we headed?" Nimuel asked as the phoenixes finally seemed to lose elevation after hours."The Golden Barrows," Pylaeius told her."What creatures live there?" Aelanor asked."All of them," Aidan said from the front, "all the creatures in the Golden Barrows live together in harmony.""Together? This has to be a sham. Creatures cannot live together; there would be fight for power and survival. Most likely this place is in chaos." Aelanor remarked."You are talking about our home," Surya said, stung. "As for chaos," Seraphim's feet touched down the cobbled streets and Aelanor landed beside him, hard, "see for yourself."Aelanor and Nimuel's face showed nothing but awe. The street in front of them was in chaos, yet it couldn't have been farther than what Aelanor had imagined this place to be. Multiple storied houses with thatched roofs stood on the sides of the street they walked, with flowers and bushes all over the doors and windows. Vendors pushed carts and barrows of apples
Last Updated: 2024-07-01
Chapter: EscapePylaieus moved silently towards the panel, and Aleanor followed. She could see carvings on the panel, but they were not in any language she understood. Pylaieus however, traced them with his fingers, and seemed to glean something. He stopped, head downcast, and then looked up and shaked his head slightly, as if to shake a fly away. He turned to Aelanor. "We were taught of a poem as a pledge when we joined the ranks of Dream Isles Guard. It was not, however, the usual kind of pledge, that I had believed. The inscription here," he motioned to the panel, "proclaims that the final call for the life as we know it is in the answer to the defense of the same.""Pylaieus..." Nimuel began with a apologetic tone, but Pylaieus held out of hand to stop her. "I am going to recite it now. I have never really understood the meaning, so you should take an attempt.As I spread my wings to the widening chasm belowWith the crimson and maroon plumage scattering low,It burst forth, and molten gold ope
Last Updated: 2024-06-27
Chapter: PylaieusNimuel shrieked. Saayan went silent. And Aelanor moved faster than the speed of light. She reached behind Nimuel and broke off the head of an icicle and drew it against the intruder."Your endeavor is futile, Princess, for I cannot be harmed by a shard of ice."Pylaieus moved slowly towards them, blue lights falling on his bare skin like thousands of bioluminescent planktons in water at night. His gait was steady, and so was his piercing gaze, that held the trio in a dead lifelessness.""I am warning you, Centaur..." Aelanor took an unsteady step towards him."The name is Pylaieus, and you will do well to remember that.""Pylaieus, listen, it is not what you think," Nimuel said."It is precisely what I think, and understand, Lady Saeltheriel. There is no use trying to deceive me. You are trying to destroy the Kingdom, and take down Elektra with it. But you have no path forward, none at all, getting out of here." Pylaieus said."Then do what you must," Aelanor roared, "and we will figh
Last Updated: 2023-07-12
Chapter: The CaveElektra was crouching beside the Shaman, trying to terminate the flow of his soul or something from his body with her fingers. Her face was turned away from the group, for whom the world had stopped moving. Their eyes were on the immobile form of the child, small in death. Somewhere, Nimuel was gasping for breathe, her voice struggling to find a scream that should eventually rise the dead. Saayan was whispering something, something in the language of the Shadow Realm, and Aelanor could not make out anything. There was some sort of cushion being pushed over the eardrums of her ear, and the world around her was trying to fade. However, her objective was clear: to clear out of the Nightmare's Isles without any further casualty. One look at Nimuel and Aelanor ran towards her. "You bitc-" Nimuel's words were muffled as Aelanor's palms covered her mouth and dragged her away. "Aelanor-" "Shh, Nimuel, listen-" "Aelanor, Haz'th-" Nimuel's eyes sparkled with tears and hatred for the witch,
Last Updated: 2023-01-19