They went through these ancient forests steeped in ancient magic. Annlynn remembered hearing legends about them when she was younger. She had been destined to protect them, but her magic was broken in order to protect her kingdom.
Traveling through the forest wasn’t any easier on a broken leg. She only slowed down the elven companions, but she didn’t feel comfortable asking them for help. After all, the weight of the broken stone still lingered. The fact that they asked for nothing in return gave her great pause. In her native village, she would have been beaten if she broke a neighbor’s item.
“We’ll be arriving at the Gwynisar’s place soon,” Sylvani said. But a great heaviness lingered inside her. “Annlynn, I guess I should go with you.”
Annlynn flinched, remembering the assassin’s oath. “Can you at least try to make my death painless?”
Sylvani nodded. “Let’s just hope that it doesn’t come to it, but with a destiny like yours, I don’t know.”
After straightening herself, Annlynn released a heavy breath. “To die by your hands is better than dying by the kings’ hands, at least. We’re gaining nothing by waiting here. Let’s get this over with as soon as possible.”
“If it does come to it, I am so sorry for what I might have to do. I don’t ask for your forgiveness. But I just want you to know that I don’t think it’s right that I have to follow such a stupid oath.” Sylvani began to cry. “No one should have to die this young, especially by the king’s order.”
“I’m ready,” Annlynn said. It was a lie, but she tried to tell herself that she didn’t care.
Inside an old cedar tree, a shapeless spirit awaited. Annlynn inhaled a deep breath as she hesitated, not ready to kneel. She wasn’t quite ready to show her soul to the Gwynisar, nor was she ready to die. But she couldn’t wait any longer at the same time, knowing that it would likely only leave her with more dread.
She knelt, trembling. The being danced back and forth. Annlynn glanced at the ground, feeling too afraid to speak. Instead, she remained silent. Would the being speak to her? Or would she have to guess if she was worthy or not. She glanced at Sylvani, who stood in the entrance facing the rest of the forest.
“Welcome, Young One,” the Gwynisar said.
“I’m ready,” Annlynn said.
“This process will be dangerous for you,” the Gwynisar said.
“I have nowhere else to go. I’m doing this.”
With those words, the Gwynisar entered her body. A deep pain filled her as old memories resurfaced. It was as if she reviewed her entire life within several minutes. Her head ached from all the sobbing as she relived some of her worst moments. She longed for the pain to stop, but she couldn’t escape. She was stuck. Her sister’s death, the torture, and her parents’ deaths all came back to her.
When the Gwynisar left her body, she collapsed on the ground, panting. The relief did not hit for several minutes, leaving her in a trance she wished she could flee from. The tears wouldn’t stop. Sylvani stood above her, her plants in one hand and a sword in another hand. In that moment, Annlynn almost hoped that Sylvani would kill her. At least the sweet offer of death would leave her pain free.
“My dear child,” the gwynisar said. “You are in need of healing. No one should go through that much trauma, especially a child. You may pass into the elven world.”
Annlynn nodded, too dumbfounded to say anything more. She was too weak to get up, too, her own magic fighting against what was left of the Gwynisar’s magic. Sylvani sat down next to her, placing a hand on Annlynn’s shoulder.
“She’s wounded deeply,” Sylvani said. “May I ask that we pass through to the elven world together? I want to be there for her in case passing through the elven world is deeply traumatic for her.”
“Yes,” the Gwynisar said.
The being then passed into Sylvani’s chest. Sylvani grimaced, but she held onto a side of the cedar trunk. Soon, buckled at her knees, but she remained stronger than Annlynn ever could have. Soon, the Gwynisar left her body.
Annlynn had many questions about how they would enter the elven world. But before she could say a thing, the cedar tree vanished. After a moment, they were in a deep alpine forest. But Annlynn laid on a soft patch of underbrush, feeling nauseous.
Sylvani rushed over to her. She then placed a hand on Annlynn’s wrist. Annlynn then felt herself get moved close to Sylvani’s chest. As the other elves soon joined her, she spoke to them in panicked Elvish. Annlynn waited, the confusion a thick fog inside her. Then, she turned back to Annlynn and held her tightly. “Hang in there.”
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