Chapter Text
Eladris’ eyes filled with a warm, bright, yellow light, disorienting his senses.
‘What?’ They thought to themself. ‘Didn’t I… just go to bed?’
As xis eyes adjusted to the stern glow of the sun, xe finally got a look at what was going on. He was standing just outside a familiar doorway as if he had just come outside, and displayed in front of him was the forest training ground of Khindale. They looked down at themself, realizing that they were much shorter than the usual 9 ‘5”, in fact, their body reminded them of when they were the young, young age of 21, which was approximately 12 years old based on human standards. No, xe was 21, there was no doubt, but what a cruel reality it was for xim. Before another thought could be thunk, a voice called out.
“Hey!” The familiar voice rang out, speaking the familiar elven language that Eladris had not heard since xe left home. “El! Over here!”
Eladris swiveled around to his left, hoping and praying the voice belonged to who he thought it did. There, in the distance, stood an elf the same age as this younger Eladris body, and Eladris’ best friend of all time, Aereon. Tears weld in Eladris’ eyes as they tried to contain emotions of which he was understanding less and less, the dream becoming less and less lucid. Xe was careful not to let the tears fall as he walked over to Aereon, taking in his looks for a moment before falling into a hug.
“Whoa, whoa- good morning to you too?” Aereon rubbed Eladris’ head gently and awkwardly, being cautious. “Careful now- if you're seen like this they might kick you out, you know. Are you okay? Why are you so emotional- did something happen?”
Eladris pulled back, standing up straight again. He rubbed his eye, the water from them dispersing as the memories of the last 226 years of his existence began to fade. “Yeah, sorry, I had a nightmare… I feel like I haven't seen you in ages.”
“You saw me last night, dork. Come on, breakfast will get cold! Tell me about your dream on the way there.”
The old friends walked with each other, Eladris failing to recall the so-called “dream”. As they walked to the canteen, Eladris couldn't help but feel warm and floaty in the presence of Aereon. Though xe had forgotten xis reality in the amnesia barrier the dream had created, deep down xe knew this day, knew what this dream was about. Deep down, they knew that they shouldn't indulge in the visions of the past they were conjuring while asleep, but they wanted to enjoy this moment with their best friend just once more. Time ticked, passing the elves like the wind as they ate breakfast and headed off to their classes for the day. History, combat, arithmetic, sword handling… it was all so familiar for Eladris, more than it should be based on where he was: The Khindalion Institute of Survival Training.
Eladris and Aereon lived on the so-called campus, but really, it was a training ground for future warriors. The elves of Khindale were experts in their art of fighting, if you wanted a job as a warrior or guard of any sort, you'd need years upon years of training. They offered a special “school” for those 18, or 11 in human ages, and older to join the courses. They had specialized classes for those who joined, most of the day classes were training their minds and bodies to fight, the rest were general education, as well as a minor magic class for the essential arcane that warriors may need, like healing.
Everyone had their reasons for joining, for Eladris and Aereon, it was the want to guard the temples of Māno and Sunna, the moon god and sun goddess respectively. They promised to always be together, in life and work. The two had been there for 3 years, joining the moment they both turned the minimum age, so the day seemed to fly by… or maybe that was just because it was a dream.
Eladris tried to smile through the day, but anxiety plagued him. xe couldn't figure out why, while they were lucid in some ways, he wasn't lucid enough to access xis memories of this day, nor to remember this day had already happened.
“El, you seem on guard today, is something wrong?” Aereon asked during rest hour, which occurred just after lunch, his pale yellow eyes staring into Eladris’ to show his genuine concern.
Eladris thought for a moment putting feeling into words. “I feel like something terrible is going to happen today. I can't shake it.”
“Well, what proof do you have that something will happen?”
“...” Eladris stayed quiet.
“And what evidence do you have against something happening.”
“Aereon, as nice as it is that you're trying to comfort me, it's not going to work. It feels like there's going to be a horrific event… I just don't know when. I'm serious, this isn't normal anxiety. You believe me, right?”
Aereon smiled softly. “I'm not sure what to think when you give me that look… you've been acting different all day, y'know?” His smile softened for a moment as a small sigh escape his lungs. “If you're so sure about this, I'll go along with it, but that doesn't mean I entirely believe you.”
“Wait, I'm acting weird? How so?”
“I- I don't know. Yesterday you felt the same as usual, you know? Same dream, same opinions, everything was normal, but today… your goal isn't shared with me. It's like you wanna protect someone and it's not me you want to protect…”
Eladris paused trying to hang onto the memory that Aereon’s words brought to the surface. A blurry picture of someone with long, teal, twin-tails and vibrant glowing teal eyes was burned into xis head for just a moment. He blinked hard trying to bring it back, but instead more memories rose in a flash.
‘I've lived this already… but when?’ Thoughts of confusion raced through Eladris’ head. ‘If I've lived this before then…’ Eladris shook their head, the thoughts bouncing around.
“I understand your feeling, somethings off. I think I've lived this day before, if my feeling is right then we need to leave.” Eladris was suddenly even more serious in their words, standing up from where the two had been sitting.
Aereon stood with xim, running his fingers through his bright golden hair. “Okay,” he sighed. “Where are we going then? If you get me in trouble for ditching I'll kill you.”
“My dads’? They'll understand if I explain it…”
“And you're very sure about this? If you're not we could both be expelled… that would ruin the dream of working at the temple.”
“I swear, I'll take all the blame if I'm wrong… I just don't want something to happen to you.”
Aereon thought for a moment before giving way to Eladris’ plan of fleeing the campus for the time being. Without another word shared between the two, he gave a small nod and picked up the bow that had been lying on the seat, ready for Aereon’s next class. Slinging it around his chest, parallel to the quiver. Eladris smiled gently, hand on his sheathed sword handle.
The two began to walk, heading for the woods to the west of the campus. The woods almost sheltered the survival institute, and the trees surrounding its fauna-barren campus were thick, though it was only a few miles east of the city itself. Once they were far enough away from the school, a conversation came through once more.
“Do you ever think about what trees would say if they could talk?” Aereon asked staring up slightly at the sky, the sudden question making Eladris laugh a little.
“Hah… no, I don't think I- ... have.” Eladris almost cut off himself with another strange memory. ‘Wait… don't I like talking to trees? When did I learn that?’ Eladris cleared their throat. “Ehm… usually they just tell me”
“What?” Aereon gasped, jokingly offended. “Since when did you speak plant? Don't tell me you're a secret… plant whisperer!”
Eladris’ smile returned, putting xis hands on his hips jokingly proud. “I found a grimoire chapter about it in the magic library.”
Aereon pointed to a thin tree nearby. “What’s that one saying?”
“Hm…” Eladris walked up to it gently putting xis hand on it.
“.....tedious…….” The tree spoke softly, Eladris couldn't pick anything up besides the singular word.
“I'm sorry can you say that a bit louder..?” Eladris asked softly, tilting their head.
“........people are tedious………. directions…….. casual conversation.”
“Ah… uhm…” Eladris moved away a bit, taking xis hand back. He turned back to their confused friend. “Seems like this one’s been talked to already today. Or just doesn't like people, haha. It doesn't seem to wanna talk.” Eladris explained, chuckling nervously.
Aereon was speechless for just a moment, stunned with amazement. “El!! That's so cool!! Since when did you wanna learn to talk to plants? Even understanding that much was so cool! I didn't even hear anything!” His eyes seemed to sparkle.
“Why did I… want to learn…” Eladris thought, unable to conjure up when they had learned, more unable to find the reason for learning. That’s when the wave of déjà vu hit them. Walking through the forest with Aereon, talking about the wish to speak to trees, but the flash of the memory didn’t contain the section about speaking to the tree, it was the reason Eladris learned in the first place. But he only started because…
Eladris held onto the memories, both full and vague, and the feelings that came with them, adrenaline starting to pipe into their blood for reasons the young Eladris couldn’t understand, the rest of his memories of being much older than a human middle-schooler waiting to be unlocked. Swiveling to xis right, Eladris charged into the forest, quickly finding the large stones that littered the ground, reaching into the sky in strange formations. Some, flat, some sharp, the rocks towered the child. This is the last thing he wanted to find.
Aereon caught up after a moment of Eladris being stationary by the rocks. “Hey! ” he whispered. “Why the hell are we running? Did you hear something? ”
“Aereon-” Eladris was cut off.
“Woah… it’s so big… come on, let’s hide in the rocks! ” Aereon began to walk away.
“W. Wait! Don’t! ” Eladris chased after them, following behind.
“Oh relax, hiding here means nobody but an avian could find us. It’s better than your dads if there’s a chance they’ll be angry.”
“Aereon! You're not listening!” Eladris stopped his friend, grabbing him by the wrist. Another memory flashed, this time displaying a small memory of grabbing hold of a teal blue pigtail, likely from that strange person Eladris thought of when Aereon mentioned wanting to protect someone. “We… we can’t just trust these rocks, I have a horrible feeling about this area.”
Aereon sighed, climbing up one of the smaller pillars, and looking around. “There’s nobody here, Eladris, it’s safe, calm down,” he smiled softly, trying to comfort Eladris in his way
“Please, please, please get down… you’re scaring me.”
Aereon’s soft smile winced slightly as he heard Eladris plead with him. He sighed softly to himself, a sad smile spreading across his lips as he peered down, seemingly feeling bad for trying to change Eladris’ mind. “I’m sorry- uh… I’ll get down this way, it’s easier.” he pointed in the direction furthest from Eladris. “Stay right there, ‘kay?”
“Be careful!”
“I will! Promise!”
Aereon walked across the rock’s small platform, disappearing from Eladris’ sight. His footsteps could be heard on the stone, then the shuffling of clothing as he sat on the side. The wind could be heard quietly as it was caught within the clothes he had been wearing for training that day.
Thump thud.
His footsteps were heard once more as he landed properly, one foot at a time. There was silence for a moment.
…
…
…
Tipk… shhh.
An unfamiliar sound. It was quiet, almost sounding like a paperclip dropped onto a table before being lightly dragged through mud. A shakey, quiet gasp could be heard if you listen closely. Eladris’ heart stopped hearing the strange noises.
“Aereon?” Eladris called, beginning to walk slowly around the rock. “What was that sound?”
The sound of terror shook with Eladris’ voice, which was rare on its own, as normally you could not tell anything but friendly or stern from him. Panic and fear rooted deep into xis soul as they turned the corner, and there, facing Eladris’ from a corner made of two rocks stood Aereon.
He looked frightened, mouth gaped open slightly and eyes wide, the dusty lavender skin slightly pale. Over the left side of his stomach was his shaking hand. As if unknowing, he brought his hand away slightly when Eladris took slow steps forward. The silence felt so loud to them both as they looked into Aereon’s palm.
A metallic smell of pennies was faintly drifting through the air, and a golden metallic fluid stained the clothing, smears of it on the palm. Seeing the liquid caused Aereon to stumble back slightly, pure shock escaping through movement and a fearful ‘ha’.
“I’m… I’m so sorry… hah…” Aereon spoke breathlessly, tears rolling down his cheeks, blotting over the small tattoos that engraved his skin. “I didn’t even see… them when I looked around.” A small smile spread on his face for but a moment in a fleeting attempt to calm the stunned, frozen Eladris before his eyes widened and he turned his head to look out of the stone corner and into the forest. “Shit,,, where did they-”
Before another word could be spoken, the sound of fabric tearing rang through the air, a strong pressure pushing deep into the top of Eladris' left shoulder blade, the pressure seeming to increase as it moved down their back diagonally, finally lightening just under his ribs on the right side of xis back. Warm, silvery, metallic liquid began to flow from their back, feeling cold as it got used to the air. Eladris felt heavy inside, this staying silent for the most part besides a quiet ‘tssssss’ escaping from between his teeth as xe cringed at the feeling, however, he had felt no pain to accompany the mind-splitting pressure. It was a dream after all, though, despite this, Eladris still hadn’t realized it.
They finally came through from his shock and horror, unsure how to cope with the large tears falling. Just barely xe could hear a voice whisper from behind them, it nearly being covered by Aereon’s silent sobbing from fear and sorrow.
“That should do it,” the voice said, it almost sounded like a multitude of voices speaking in unison, distorted in by the mind itself. “Now I can continue without distraction.”
Footsteps away followed that voice as they ran, leaving the scene before anything else.
“Eladris…” Aereon spoke, voice weary and quiet. “Your back… are… are you okay?”
Eladris reached behind him, touching xis lower back before they brought their hand back around to look at it. He sighed deeply at the sight of the argent liquid. ‘How cruel…’ xe said quietly.
“Cruel indeed,” a voice replied in English. “Have you realized then?”
Eladris looked up, examining the person. They stood tall at 8’ 3”, large black wings tucked behind them matching the back feathers that grew from the edges of their ears. Their eyes were a deep purple that complimented their natural honey-tan complexion and deep ivory-brunette hair. Their hair blew softly in the wind, a velvet black cloak mimicking the motion and nicely with the midnight-colored leggings and long flowy shirt.
Eladris stood up, feeling short to someone who he was normally taller than. “Enchantress of Misery and Desolation? This is a nightmare… right?” Eladris asked, making sure it was English and not Elven as they recognized the avian.
They bent down to get to Eladris’ height. “Mhm, and no need to be so formal. Just use my name!” The enchantress smiled at Eladris, giggling slightly. “You were cute as a kid! How old are you in this dream, hm? 22?”
Eladris grew a slightly darker blue, the shade noticeable again xis usual pale, pastel blue from embarrassment. Now lucid, Eladris took control of the dream, taking the chance to become 247 once more, or, the early 20s to humans. “Come on, don’t tease me. I’ve had the worst night of my life!” Tears welled in Eladris’ eyes as he gestured to Aereon, which had frozen in time since the Enchantress of Desolation arrived.
“I wasn't teasing you,” They returned to standing completely. “It was a genuine question, you know.” They held the tip of their chin lightly as if it were the tip of a hat. “I am the real one, by the way, not a dream clone.”
Eladris groaned, turning away from the Enchantress and to the rock directly behind him, the corner Aereon wasn't stuck in time with a panicked expression. Xe jumped up, the dream granting them the ability to jump up on top of the rock easily. The Enchantress followed behind, flying to the top.
“Do you wish to speak about it? I can listen for a while about your friend if you'd like, though, dawn is approaching.” They asked.
“No,” Eladris responded, sitting on the ledge. “I’ve had enough of him today… any more and I might go crazy.” With a sigh, he laid down on the rock. “Why are you here, Misery?”
“Well, I went to Khindale to visit you and ask for your assistance, but when I arrived I found you missing. You’re on an assignment I hear? Where are you?”
“I’m in Hugh’s Burrough right now, on my way to RainsReach, then Beltmor after. I’m on an escort mission.”
“An escort mission? For who?”
Xe gave the Enchantress, or, ‘Misery’ as they had called them, a funny look. “Who would need to get to Beltmor right now and could be in danger?”
“What?” They gasped. “Don't tell me you’re escorting that knowledge unit! Eladris, that’s such an honor, congratulations!”
He let out a small burst of air to signify a tiny laugh of pride, though xe didn't smile to go with it. “You needed assistance?”
“Oh! Yes!” Misery sat down at the ledge of the rock and looked out to the horizon. “You see, I got a kid-”
Eladris shot up. “YOU HAD A KID?!”
“Let me finish!” Misery shoved the elf lightly with one of their wings. “Anyway… I found a kid trying to use a sword in the forest. The thing is, they absolutely sucked at it and were extremely dangerous with it… so I took them in as an apprentice. I'm teaching them what I know but they want to know more… and magic isn’t satisfying their want. I was hoping you’d come to teach them.”
“You know I’m not a good teacher, Misery.”
“Please just try? It’ll be good for you! You're never out of Khindale, take them back with you and show them some stuff on the way. It won’t be hard, they’re a fast learner!”
“Are you going to keep begging until I say yes?”
“Yup~.”
“Fine then. I’ll stop by and pick them up on my way to Beltmor, but don't expect me to be happy about the detour. Miku is already pushy enough about our schedule.”
“Miku? Is that what you call that Mechanical Intelligence device?”
“Yeah. Mechanical Intelligence Keeping Unit, M. I. K. U, Miku.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Are you done here now? I think I’d like to scream a bit while I’m still asleep so I don't off-put the emotion-apathetic robot I'm watching.”
“...You really aren't in a good mood, are you?”
“I just watched my best friend die in front of my eyes again. I thought I was done with these stupid fucking nightmares, but this one keeps coming back. I never seem to be able to change it.”
“That’s because it’s a memory within a dream, you can’t change those.” Misery sighed. “Unfortunately, it’s time for you to wake up. You’re so angry you’re waking yourself up.”
Eladris sighed frustrated, only getting increasingly angry, seething beneath an emotionless mask. “Of course I am, can't have anything good in nightmares!” They threw a pebble that was beside him as hard as xe could. “You’re so lucky I like you or I wouldn’t be helping your apprentice or whatever. You tell anyone you’re seeing me this angry and I won’t be showing up.”
The Enchantress of Misery and Desolation smiled. “Oh~? You like me~?” They teased.
“You know that’s not what I meant…”
“Hehe, yeah, but I gotta give you something good to tell your robot friend about dreams~.” Misery stood up, stretching their wings out behind them. “Now then, try not to wake up to panicked! See you soon~.”
Eladris sighed heavily. “Goodbye,” They muttered, closing their eyes as not only Misery disappeared, but everything else. Just as the enchantress had said, his anger with waking xim up, and they weren’t happy about it.