Heirs of Hyarch

Chapter 132: Light First Step

Edeline was not certain what it was that had woken her. Whether it was a sound, a feeling, or the remnant of a bad dream, she was definitely awake now. It would not be the first time she had risen in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, although back then had a much simpler explanation - she had gone to sleep early, exhausted and still suffering from the effects of having been drugged the previous day.

Now, as she had done then, she silently rose to look around. Myronel was standing watch, probably just out of sight, but the rest of the group were there asleep, outlines just visible in the fading glow of their campfire's embers. Edeline had to hold back a snort of laughter on seeing Sedat asleep. The girl was stretched out wildly, with one wing laying directly across Nela's legs.

How Nela had slept through that, Edeline did not know. Then again, she was not one to complain. Normally she was the one to sleep in, even when the others would rather have her up. The irony of this moment was not lost on her.

It was not even time for someone else to take the watch, although if Edeline remembered it had been Hamond going to do it. Another hour until then, she figured. It was just too long for her to stay up to relieve her brother. Either she would exhaust herself come the dawn, or fall back asleep waiting.

With that in mind, Edeline lowered herself back down to the ground. Pulling the blankets back over herself, she tried to get what warmth they could offer. It might be a milder winter in the northern parts of Hyarch, but it was still winter, and soon they would need to prepare accordingly. For now, it was comfortable enough for her to drift away into-

She heard Myronel's voice in the distance.

Sitting up again, Edeline confirmed that all of the others were here asleep. Her first thought had been Myronel speaking to Jylania, but no. The girl was curled up under her blanket, face buried away. It gave Edeline the impression of someone who had forced herself into slumber.

Most likely what had happened was a local farmer or hunter had stumbled on their camp, and Myronel was talking to them now. It would not be the first time this had happened, although last time had been considerably more awkward. Hamond likely did not want a repeat of the experience of that older man stumbling onto him while he was in the middle of relieving himself.

As much as the memory made Edeline smile, this was not the time or place. With care, she moved out in the direction she thought Myronel was. She tried to recall where he had been standing relative to their campfire, but it was not a detail she normally took note of. Aether, don't tell her that she would have to walk out into the night to find him.

No one being awake to tell her didn't stop it from being the only option that did not require waking the others. Shaking her head in annoyance, Edeline murmured her spell. "Phosphaira."

The small ball of light darted out, illuminating the thin brush beyond. While not quite as dry and dusty as the lands around Lasfont, this area still was hardly lush with plant growth. It only served to make Edeline miss the green grass and thick forests that surrounded Hallowscroft. But there was no returning there, not after all that had happened.

Her longing thoughts aside, there was no sign of Myronel anywhere. She may as well return to the camp and lay back down. She turned and-

"What are you doing out here?" Myronel stood a few paces away, sword held at the ready.

Edeline wanted to answer, truly, but having her heart racing circles in her chest made speech impossible. How had she not noticed him?

"I didn't mean to startle you," Myronel quickly added, seeing her shock. He sheathed his sword in a smooth motion, visibly relaxing. "Just saw your light, and thought it might be...I don't know, some other thaumaturge."

Edeline knew just which one he had to be thinking of, but that was not important right now. "Maybe...someday I'll learn not to get up in the middle of the night."

"Couldn't sleep, I take it," Myronel said.

"Something woke me up," Edeline told her brother, frowning. "I could not say what."

"I know you're worried, but you cannot just wander around in the dark." From his voice, it seemed like Myronel was the one who was more worried. "Especially...never mind. Just go get some sleep."

"I will, if you tell me who you were speaking to." Edeline was not about to let that go. "The main reason I headed out here was because I heard it."

"Just talking to myself. It's a bad habit I've picked up recently."

It was almost believable - with the emphasis on the almost. Myronel would always go to Nela with anything that troubled him. So what could he be doing out here in the dark, that required him to speak out loud....

...it couldn't be that...could it?

"Myronel," Edeline asked, "Were you trying to practice spells?"

"Shit." That confirmed it for her. "I knew I couldn't keep it secret forever, but...this soon? Aether's blood..."

Edeline took a deep breath, needing a moment to steady herself. "How long?"

"Just a couple of hexdays." He looked a little sheepish. "I'm not having much luck."

That was hardly a surprise. Each of the rest of them had taken quite a while to get a grasp on their first spell. Sedat was the one exception, but little about the winged girl was normal to begin with. Edeline probably was not one to judge, wielding her own brand of unique power passed to her by the Stormsage. Perhaps it was a matter of everyone developing their skills at different rates, with Sedat simply having a swifter start.

However, that led to the next question, a rather obvious one. "Why did you not seek our aid in teaching you?"

"Nela and Hamond have all they can handle dealing with Jylania and Sedat," Myronel explained, "And you seemed too concerned with what comes in Melyn, so I didn't want to burden you further."

"I can certainly spare the time for this!" Edeline stopped herself, realizing she had let frustration push her voice to be too loud. "Listen to me. You and Nela both have given up so much to follow me on this ridiculous journey. As I have told you before, I will gladly take on any task that would repay that debt."

Myronel quietly regarded her for several long seconds. "Thank you," he eventually said.

"Just tell me one thing." Edeline matched his gaze. "Did you let Nela know you wanted this?"

"I did bring up the Second Ascension with her," Myronel explained, "She acted like it wasn't necessary, although...I think she doesn't really know much about the rite itself. Not enough to do anything formal for it."

That lined up with Nela not making that big a deal out of teaching Jylania. Although that could just be a matter of the healer training, with the Second Ascension being treated more reverently for other young men and women. Not being one of the Elefae, Edeline could not possibly know...even if one of her ears bore the same shaped point as them.

"So you have not told her, not directly," Edeline concluded.

"I just said that I did," Myronel protested.

Edeline blinked, thinking it over. "My apologies for misunderstanding," she said, "So I assume since she declined, you planned on surprising her with it then."

"With that light spell, yes." Myronel pointed at the Edeline's glowing sphere, which now floated just off her shoulder. "Someday I might hope to move on to more useful spells, but that will take months. Just this, for now, will have to be enough."

Of course Myronel was still bitter about his mauling at the hands of one of the twisted creatures that had beset Lasfont. He had spent years perfecting his swordsmanship, and in that regard Edeline knew few could match Myronel. But swords did little against the array of spell wielders they kept having to confront.

"You're not useless," Edeline said, voice flat. "Do not tell yourself that."

"That's part of it," Myronel admitted, "But my sword is good enough, at least for this. The problem is...I know so little about being an Elefae."

Edeline's own previous thoughts came right back, almost like a slap to the face. If she had doubts, he had them worse, having to bear the burden of sharing his life with Nela. She had been among the elves since birth, and Myronel had been one of them less than half a year.

"That's one of the things I want to try to do while we are here in Melyn," he continued, "There's no doubt some other Elefae living in the city, and I want to at least take a few days to try and learn what I can. It's as much for myself as it is for Nela. If there is the time, of course."

"We will make there be time," Edeline said, "Besides, if what we saw in Kelshir and Lasfont holds true here, we will need to join the fight on behalf of the Elefae here. They will need protection, and I have no doubt you would offer it anyway."

"I would indeed. So would Nela." Myronel paused again. "Should we get back to the camp? If Hamond wakes up for his watch and finds both of us missing..."

"He is not as bad about it as he was in Lasfont," Edeline insisted.

"If we don't hurry back, he might become worse," Myronel joked.

Edeline was not all that amused, although she managed to hide it. "Let us lay that worry to rest then," she said, sending out the light in front of her again. It was not that far, barely a hexty paces away. Odd, she had thought she had wandered farther.

The night and her sleepiness must be conspiring to deceive her. There was one simple solution to that, and it lay in the crumpled blankets she had left behind. With a nod to her brother, Edeline strode back to camp, and back to take what slumber she might find.