Night time, it was her least favorite time of
Divus’s rotation around her Red Giant but it was a time that she had to deal with as it was as much a part of living as her heartbeat. While the darkness was suffocating to the young Elven Shifter, it wa not a terrifying as what awaited her in her sleep. Her own personal Hell waited for her in the Realm of Dreams, a Hell that she thought she would be able to escape from considering it had been years since the occurrence that had landed her in the forest of
Tillus. Years since her abandonment by the one Human she had put any trust into and year since she had to deal with the feel of another filthy human over her. Every time she closed her eyes it was something she had to deal with, it was like the curse that prevented her from doing the one thing that she loved.
Just close your eyes and sleep, there is no point in dwelling on the things you can do nothing to change. He will continue to be free from what he did to you, and you will continue to be free from servitude, there is nothing more I could want than that. Summer thought to herself, but even then she knew it was a lie. She missed Ostel, she missed the one human, the one
man, that she had put any trust into, any real feeling into. She had finally gotten the courage to tell him and before she had gotten the chance, he had left her nothing but a letter and no idea where he had gone.
That’s what you get for trusting a Grimward, they take everything and leave you with nothing. Letting out a slow breath, Summer pulled her blanket around her curled frame and did her best to get to sleep. There was nothing else she could do, no point in dwelling in the ‘what ifs’ when they gave you nothing but heartache.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
She remained huddled in the far right corner, pale white legs drawn up to her chest, hiding as much of her naked body as she could from the leering guards that stood watch over her cell. She couldn't understand why they were there, and part of her just didn't want to even though one question ran through her head contently. What was it about her; a small elf girl; that had them watching her so intently?
Like clockwork, one of the guards came to her door holding her usually provision of cold beef soup, a stale piece of bread and some water in his hand. She never moved though, even when she saw the food. She knew better than to get anywhere near those bars because the one time she had, she was left on the cell floor bleeding more than she had when she had first been thrown in there. With a sneer, the guard opened the door, causing the pale elf to scurry up to the wall, her back pressed firmly against it because she had no other place to go. This was Summer, this was what she had been, what she felt deep down she would always be. She would always be that 18 year old Slave Girl with bruises littering her small body and blood covering her thighs and face. She would always be that terrified girl who had received a jagged cut horizontally across her right cheek, just under her eye, because she didn’t want to let the eldest son have his way with her. In her mind, and in her heart of hearts, she would always be this broken, useless thing that had to be saved by the Bastard child of the family, only to be abandoned by him.~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
It was dawn when Summer finally opened her eyes, ready to check her traps and take care of the things she did for the people that took her in. While she had spent some time in Zephyru to learn of her abilities, she never felt like she really belonged. To begin with, she was taller than most, as shifters seemed to retain an almost childlike height compared to what she was used to seeing. On top of that, it was so noisey there with all the varying animal forms she wasn’t entirely sure what to think about the one that she had.
No point in focusing on that now, You are what you are and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it Summer, she found herself thinking as she made her bed before leaving her home.
Out of all the things she enjoyed about her stay in
Tellus it was that she was able to earn her keep without fearing for her life if she did not. While she was unable to hold a bow, so traditional hunting was out of the question, she was rather adept at traps and very rarely failed to catch anything. It was during her time gathering her game that one of the messenger elves had managed to find her, hunched over and retrieving a dead rabbit to add to the string of rodents she had on her back.
”Can I help you Tyrael?” Summer questioned as she reset her trap before straightening herself out,
”I don’t think I’ve ever seen you come seek me out to deliver a message, normally you do as the others do and leave it upon my doorstep. What makes this day any different than the last five years that I have taken up residency here.” Looking rather unfazed by her questions, the seemingly young male elf handed her a scroll before making a face.
”You know many of us do not know how to approach you,” came the response,
”You are one of us, yet not completely and though you do not share our magical affinity, you still choose to stay here with us rather than with the shifters upon Zephyru. You are a strange one, but we are happy to have you here all the same. Now, I must make my other deliveries. Should you need anything do not hesitate to send word, and good luck at the market.” With that said, the elf left her to her time alone in the woods, a scroll in hand with a seal she did not recognize. At first she had hoped it to be a letter from the Grimwald son she had spent some time with, but after seven years of hearing nothing, she should have known better.
Frowning, Summer let out a shrill whistle before she popped the seal of the scroll to begin reading, the noise calling forth a pure white hawk from the trees that came to rest on her shoulder.
”Hey Merlin,” she murmured as her violet eyes scanned the scroll before her,
”Looks like they want us to attend some fancy ass University to practice magic. Not what I would call ideal, but it’s better than going through the motions here right?” The Hawk simply cocked his head to the side before a response clear as day rang in her mind,
”It could be fun, let's do it, more game to hunt maybe?” the hawk inquired, earning himself a scoff and a light pat on the head before Summer simply shook her head. Her letter was simple, as she did not need much reason to leave the place she had yet to even call home. In fact, that was all it really said, there was nothing complicated and there was no real reason given for why she should go, because somehow whoever sent the letter knew she did not need persuasion. She was ready to move on to the next chapter in her life, and if that meant getting formal schooling in her magical field, then who was she to say no?
”Off to Tenebra we go Merlin, why not learn how to seal up the Dark Lord or whatever it is they want us to do? What could possibly go wrong? I mean, I guess I could die but hey, at least I went on an adventure instead of staying home and sulking. ‘Summer, you have been accepted into the University located in Central Tenebra. Please be advised that, while your training will be free, it will be grueling and potentially life threatening, as is the path with any magic that must be used to reseal the Dark Lord’.” she read off, a small laugh escaping her, that is, until she saw what was towards the bottom of the page.
We know what has been done to you, and we will help you find justice for the wrongs that have been committed. Someone knew, and if they knew, then that must mean others knew. She didn’t want that attention, she didn't want that tie to her past anymore even if it still haunted her in her dreams.
Without another word, Summer rolled up the scroll and started walking back to her home. She still had to skin and sell her game for the day, then she would bother packing and catch the airship to the Demon Continent. Just as the thought solidified in her mind, a knock sounded throughout her home, pulling her from her thoughts and from the task she was performing. Frowning, she set down her skinning knife, the pelt of the rabbit only half removed and the innards strewn across the table, bunched up with the other usable pieces. With bloodied hands, she opened her door and simply stared at the female elf that stood there, a small look of concern marring her brow before she simply sighed and moved off to the side so the female could enter her home.
”Am I to believe that word has traveled through the town already that I am to be leaving even though I have just now decided to do so?” Summer inquired of the woman as she went back to separating the rabbit's pelt from its body. It was the one thing she hated about living in the small town that they did, everyone knew about something before the person who it involved was even aware. In this case, it just happened to be the other person who Summer allowed close to her that knew, or cared to express that they knew.
”You know as well as I do that you have no choice but to go. Università dei Maghi doesn’t really leave you much of a choice when they decide that you are to be their student, usually because they have managed to find something they can hold over you to get you to attend.” the female said, taking up a spot next to Summer as she worked, even going so far as to begin the gutting process to help her along.
”Did you know that Kailu-En got a letter a few months ago? I heard he was called to be a combat instructor there or something.” ”You speak of the winged elf, am I correct Lethilan?” Summer questioned, giving the other female a nod of appreciation when she began to assist in the process,
”I am mildly surprised since he tends to forget a lot of things, and he looks like a good wind would knock him over. However… he does seem to know his stuff despite his forgetful nature, so I guess I cannot complain.” ”You say that….” Lethilan started, only for Summer to shove the girl playfully.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
It wasn’t until well into the evening that Summer was ready for her journey to
Tenebra, what little belongings she had packed and ready to go with her. At the present time, she found herself sitting and staring at a white sundress, the fabric slightly worn but overall in good shape. She was at a loss as to what to do with it, a large part of her felt like she needed to leave it behind, let her last tie to where she had started go. However, another part of her kept arguing to keep it, what if he came back for her after all these years?
You need to stop thinking like that, he’s gone, he left and he’s not coming back for you… ever. she told herself, and though she has said it many times, the words still caused an ache in her heart.
After a few more minutes of staring at the dress, she grabbed it and threw it in her trash can before retreating to her bed. She needed to stop holding onto him, the first step was getting rid of the dress that he had given her the day they started traveling together. However, while that was something she could get rid of, the brand that rested on her left clavicle was not. Sitting where she was, slender fingers began to trace a second visible scar with the shorts she was wearing, the white tissue starting from her knee and disappearing under the fabric that did very little to hide her legs. Most of her hidden skin was like this, even more so on her back from the lashes she had received the day she had fought back against the Grimward’s eldest son. They did not bother her anymore, she had come to understand that they were as much a part of her as her past was, and though she had a constant reminder on her skin, even if those disappeared she would always have her name.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
She really didn’t have anyone to say goodbye to, so leaving the small village was easier for her than it would have been had anyone else gotten the letter. She had one friend, and even Lethilan was ok with the fact that she had to leave, kept insisting that she understood and that she had to go lest something bad were to happen. Frowning, Summer simply took one last look at her small town before patting Merlin’s head and climbing into the carriage that was to take her to the port a handful of miles away. When she finally got there, she was able to board the airship with little issue and opted to remain her allotted cabin until she was to reach
Tenebra as she had no want to socialize with the other passengers. During one of the times she had ventured from her room, she spotted another elf that seemed to be more interested in trying to talk to the variety of avians that decided to perch upon the airship than he did anything else, which interested her slightly. However, when it became clear that he was not able to actually converse with the birds, she simply went back to her room to hide away for the rest of the day.
Due to the distance between
Tellus and
Tenebra it took the airship 72 hours to land in the port within the major city, something that bothered Summer. While she enjoyed her time in the air, she hated the nights even more, as they felt so much more imposing within the sky as they ever did within the trees. Without a word to anyone, she disembarked and immediately left for the area where she was told to go, not that a gated off courtyard in the middle of a city was hard to find.
Upon arriving to the designated area, Summer found herself standing in front of an ornate Gate in the shape of a large Dragon. Winding along the metal poles and up the stone walls of the courtyard was an array of Briar and Rose vines, their thorns long and sharp, making them look menacing.
If this is what it looks like on the outside... is the inside going to be unkempt and creepy like now? Summer thought before slowly going up to the gate and placing a hand against the dragons head, her right finger gently tracing the multicolored gem that was its eye. Once her finger slipped over the eye, the gate opened without a sound to reveal a lush garden on the inside.
Slowly, she stepped through the gate and immediately found herself captivated by what was inside the Courtyard. In the center stood a large fountain with a sculpture of a Nymphe holding an orb with 6 gems sealed inside. Around the fountain there were various types of flower including Red Roses, Black Roses, Orchids, Lilies, and Lilacs. With some hesitation, Summer reached out and gently touched one of the roses, pinching one of the silky petals between two fingers as a small smile spread across her face.
It's so pretty in here, maybe the outside is just meant to deter people who don't belong here from coming inside, she thought to herself as she turned to look at the rest of the courtyard.
To her surprise, she noticed the courtyard was shaped like a Hexagon with different objects in each corner. To the corner on her right she saw a large crystal like structure that seemed to hold light within but beyond that she was unable to tell. Continuing on, she saw an uncontained pillar of water, large oak tree, an onyx stone building, a volcano like structure, and lastly she saw a structure that both drew her to it, but also warned her to stay away for the time being. The Structure was a cylindrical shape that seemed to hold clouds within it. She couldn't understand why she was so drawn to it, but she listened to the silent voice telling her to stay away for now.
Separating each section of the courtyard was a line of rose bushes varying in their colors. Setting between the crystal and water was a mix of white and blue roses, between the water and oak tree a mix of blue and green rose bushes sat, followed by a mix of green and black between the tree and onyx building. Red and Black roses were in place between the Onyx and volcano while red and light blue sat between the clouded Cylinder and volcano.
”It is good to know something to beautiful can exist in so dark a place,” Summer murmured to herself as she began to idly walk around the area to inspect the foliage.
Venus
