Upon the Moons Eyes

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? My mother is brutal. I couldn't let you guys take the brunt of it. Not if I could help it." Prince Dorian's shoes slammed against the cobble path, attempting to catch up to the pair of siblings he'd met months ago. The three of them had been caught trying to free the imprisoned dragons from the keep under the library and were supposed to get a punishment, but Dorian, being the heir to the throne, had taken their punishments. "Sorry isn't going to accomplish anything." Elian stated, never once turning around to face him.

When the knock had sounded from their door, Kael had instantly opened to see who it was. Finding a perfectly fine Dorian. So being as reasonable as she could— which wasn't much but since it was Dorian— she grabbed her cane and walked out, both boys seeming to catch the drift as Dorian rushed out after her and Kael locked the door behind him hurriedly.

"She's right Rema‒" Kael paused, realizing what he was saying. His emerald green eyes flitted away. He didn't need to look at the prince's face when he spoke. After all, they had fought together months ago, both attempting to free the dragons. They obviously weren't equals by any means, but they were friends. At least Kael thought so when they ran down the halls in the maze during the Xhari, running away from death before fiercely working together to defeat any foes and leaving the maze victorious. "She's right, Dorian. We thought you were dead. Or-Or at least injured beyond recognition." Kael looked at Dorian's face. Just to make sure. He couldn't rest until he made sure.

Nothing. No scars, no visible wounds.

Dorian finally looked ashamed. His golden eyes fell to the cobble stone they stood on, his shoulders tense. "Look. I know you have no right to forgive me. I lied about almost everything about me. But I promise you," He looked up so he could be as true as he knew how to be. The siblings stared at him. One with silent hope, and the other with defenses guarding every possible entrance. "I promise both of you, that wasn't my intention. I wanted to join the trials because the castle, the maids, everything, was overbearing. I wanted to be a normal person for once. My mother has been disappointed in me since I don't remember when; my father is always busy with paperwork or dealing with other things. I didn't want to lie, but I knew that if I told the commander that the prince was joining the dangerously lethal trials that they put on every year? They'd lock me in my room for eternity." An ugly laugh left his throat as his shoulders sagged. His eyes shone as he finally got that off his chest.

The siblings would never know of the various times his mother had wanted to go after them. They wouldn't know that he did get injured. But somehow, he was stitched back together again when he awoke as if it was a bad dream. They wouldn't know of all the times he'd thrown up just thinking of what his sadistic mother would do to his first ever friends he'd come to love. They wouldn't ever know, and that was perfectly fine.

Elian and her gaze on his arms and his face already told him she had suspected something, but with no proof, she wouldn't dare say anything. Not in front of her younger brother.

"You're stupid," Kael and Dorian looked to Elian who stood there still as ever, her piercing eyes seeming to see right through him and everything he had been reduced to. "if you ever thought that we would stop liking a dumbass who had protected our asses with that aim of yours." A sharp wolf-like grin appeared on her face as she turned fully towards them. She was right. Well, about his aim. He was amazing with a bow and arrow when the time called for it. Her eyes told him that this wasn't over, and he didn't doubt it. She had more questions, he was sure. Just as sure as he was when Kael first opened the door and Elian was surrounded by books about dragons— weaknesses, strengths, anything to help the creatures.

"Wait. I do have a question, though." Kael jumped in. Dorian looked to him. As did Elian. "What happened to Hyx? We haven't heard from him in a while." Dorian smiled when Elian groaned. She had the unfortunate luck to have been paired up with the guy for the maze. He had been annoying for the most part and insufferable for the remainder. And the several days in between the trials, he had been trying to self-sabotage their duo. Elian and Kael had already disliked him but when they found that out it was as if Hyx had summoned an all out war between them. It was slightly amusing up until Dorian found himself within the warzone, being called in as Kael's partner and subjecting Dorian to his new role in the war.

"Oh, don't worry about him. He's enjoying his new job." His dark smile is what made Elian smile with all the different possibilities as Kael scratched the back of his neck in worry. If the worry was for himself for being stuck between Dorian and his sister or worry for Hyx's sake, Dorian couldn't tell. Nor did he mind. His brain thought it hilarious.

"How's Oswyn doing? I didn't see him back there." Kael's awkward smile faded as his fingers went from his neck to his necklace. Dorian had seen him do it before in stressful situations. Elian's right foot shifted. "What happened?" His voice grew worried. "He was sent to an outer village. Just after you were taken in. We've tried to send him letters and figure out how he's doing, but he never responds." Kael spoke. "He'll be fine Kai. He's Oswyn." Elian limped over and stroked Kael's back. Dorian had previously noticed Elian never called Kael "Kai" unless it was to calm him down or unless she was stressed about something.

So they were both worried about him. It made sense. The man who raised them for 11 years just suddenly deployed to a outer village and hasn't written back? Yeah, Dorian would be worried sick too. "Do you know which village?" Elian looked to Dorian's golden eyes that seemed to glimmer even in the dusky skies. "That's the thing," Elian started. "It hasn't been occupied for the last 11 years."

Dorian didn't get it. Kael seemed to realize he didn't and fondly rolled his eyes before gulping so hard Dorian could hear it. "The village is called Vaalyun." Kael's eyes met his. As if he was trying to convey some hidden message. Again, Dorian didn't get it. Elian sighed. "That's where Kael and I are from. It's where the... The Vaalyun Massacre took place." Elian's eyes seemed to harden with memories. This time, Dorian got it. "Oh," was all he could say. What are you supposed to say to that?

The Vaalyun Massacre was one for the history books. It was written as gruesome and devastating. The Elyidors weren't exactly merciful, yet this was a whole new level. They say that the days following, no one could venture too close due to it smelling like death and carnage. There was no water surrounding it, so no one could put out the fires that spread. Even before the massacre, it was called 'The Village of Death'. No one could live there. With no water or good soil, it was deemed inhabitable. Yet, many took refuge there. Some had families there. The Elyidors apparently had murdered those who had tried to escape and set those in their homes on fire. Even years after, dried blood was sprayed everywhere across the land, and the houses were barely even houses anymore. More like half-finished projects kids leave lying around. Dorian had heard rumor of one survivor, a kid, that had hid out, and every time they were almost caught, if they deemed the person a danger, the kid killed them in their tracks. Rumor has it that the kid had killed 13 Elyidors. Some of the best trained soldiers this side of Tyvea.

Dorian supposes the rumors were wrong in that case. First, there were 2 survivors. Second, the kid wasn't deranged and chaos incarnate, but a terrified Elian who was only protecting her younger brother from danger.

"Why was he deployed out that far if no one was occupying the village?" Kael shrugged. Elian didn't stop soothing Kael's back. It was as if it was a lifeline for her. To remember that Kael was here. That she was here. Not in a deserted, bloody village.

After a moment, Elian's shoulders tensed. Her hand stopped on Kael's back, and her head swiveled behind her. Dorian and Kael followed her gaze and sure enough, they saw what she felt.

A small glowing blue wisp. One straight from Dorian's childhood book. Except this one had a small illusion of a... a hat? It had a face as well. Dorian wasn't going to lie; it was cute. Elian turned her body towards it and tilted her head. It bent the same way. The hat disappeared, as if it fell off the wisp's head. Kael and Elian shared a look, and then they both looked to Dorian as if he knew what they were on about. He didn't.

Without a second thought, Elian turned back to the wisp, and started down the hill with her cane. Kael soon followed, and of course, him being ever so curious, Dorian soon joined as well. The wisp was guiding them somewhere, but to what, Dorian didn't know, but at least he had his two friends— did that make him their friend in return— with him. They continued to follow the wisp, with Elian — somehow — in front, directly following the bouncing blue glow. It had a different hat on now. A top hat. Cool.

With every movement forward, it seemed to glow brighter and they soon found out why.

It was like the wisp split itself in half, one to guide the three of them, and one to heal whomever this was. Lying on the ground, with one hand lying limply against the tall tree, was a young woman, maybe their age, with glowing pale markings across her face. She was wearing a deep magenta flowing gown with gold accents embroidered into it. Long dark hair flowed and seemed to puddle around her as it raised and collapsed slightly, showing she was in fact breathing. Kael rushed to the young woman's side and that's when Dorian noticed her ears. They were long and pointed. Not the simple rounded ears of humans. Well, besides Elian and Kael that had a slight point but theirs looked more like a simple human mutation thing that Dorian had read about once. Elian stood over Kael as he rolled her over and gasped. Littered all over her arms were older scars and currently bleeding cuts, some looking deeper than normal and some looking shallow.

Elian handed Kael her cloth from her waist. Kael grabbed it and ripped it in half. He carefully took the woman's arms and wrapped the pieces of cloth around, tight enough to stop the bleeding for at least a little bit until they found help. When he turned to ask Dorian to go fetch someone, the woman groaned, her closed eyes pushing together as if she were in even more pain. Elian tossed her cane aside and leaned down, kneeling next to Kael and the woman. She moved the woman's legs to a more comfortable angle as the pain that was etched into her face seemed to die down.

As Dorian turned to call for assistance, a loud gasp erupted. He turned, finding the woman's pale eyes wide. It was like her eyes were taken from the moon itself. That pale silver that reached across the sky every night seemed to be split in two so that the gods could make it into this woman's eyes.

The woman sat up quickly and fast, leaning against the tree. "Who are you?" Her voice was elegant as she spoke. Dorian stepped closer, and the woman seemed to register that there were three of them with her. "Who are you?" She asked again, cautiously. Elian pulled her cane closer and maneuvered herself so she was kneeling right in front of the woman. "I'm Elian Tyroniel. That is my brother, Kael and that is," She paused. Dorian couldn't help his heart beat faster. What would she say? "That is one of my friends. Dorian Roffe." She used his false surname. "Who are you?"

The woman narrowed her pale eyes at each of them, but decided to sit straight up before answering. Before she spoke, however, her eyes drifted to Elian's cane that laid beside her. She focused her gaze on Elian. "I am Lyra Kekoa, heir to the Kekoa tribe and the appointed Realm Weaver of Erythis. Now, where am I?" Elian narrowed her eyes right back at the woman. "Realm Weaver?"

She pulled herself up with the help of the tree. "I must find out where I am. Either you tell me or I will find out on my own." Dorian heard a threat in there somewhere, but Elian was already getting impatient so he had nothing to worry about. Except the fact that this Lyra was staring right at him. "I don't know this Erythis you're talking about, nor any 'Kekoa' Tribe. We're in the northern city of Tyvea right now. All this land belongs to the Eldford Kingdom. It spreads for miles. Almost the entirety of the continent." He stated. Honestly, now the history lessons his father made him take are coming in use. "What?" Lyra gasped. Her hand flew to her magenta earring, fiddling with it quickly before pausing. It kind of reminded Dorian of what Kael does.

Elian grabbed her cane and stood shakily. Her leg was bothering her again. "Kekoa. What is a Realm Weaver?" Lyra broke out of her shocked daze and stared at Elian. "It is one who can traverse realms with a flick of their wrist. Not many are appointed as it has to be in one's blood. It can be wielded by others by their own blood in a specific sigil but it takes years to master." Lyra explained. Her hands fiddled with her golden cuffs on her wrists. "What are you?" Kael asked, standing up. He had been silent. Watching. "I am a Night elf. Daughter of Night and Earth." That's when Dorian saw them. The barely noticeable vine markings creeping on her skin. Compared to the pale crescent moon symbols under her eyes, they were not the showcasing factor. The blue wisp flew around her, seemingly happy at her up and talking. Once again, it had a hat.

"Orieon! Oh how I missed you!" Lyra poked the wisp, happily going through an array of hats. "Wait so you can go to another realm?" Kael brought everyone back to the present. "Yes. Some use it for evil, but I have been trained and taught how to wield it so it does no harm." Lyra said, still poking the wisp, Orieon, as she called it. "I do have to get back to my own realm. I have no recollection as to how I got here, nor how long it has been, but I have to go back. So thank you for helping me, but I doubt I shall need your help anymore." She nodded to each of them and wandered to another tree. It was a willow tree, one with big lush leaves that hung low.

"Orieon. Come, it is time to go home." The wisp was next to Elian's shoulder, wearing a small frown, before gliding over to Lyra. She nodded her thanks again before lifting her hands. They let out a soft glow and slowly got more intense as seconds seemed to slow. And then – nothing. She let out a whimper as she looked at her hands. Elian limped over to her and had started talking, but Dorian wasn't focused on that.

In the otherwise silent forest, there were sounds of marching. Metal against metal. That soft scratch of the chainmail hitting the sheath of weapons tied to the belts. He knew that sound all too well. "Guys." He called quietly. "Guys!" They turned to him questioningly. "Elyidors. They're coming! It sounds like a lot of them." Elian cursed and clicked on her cane. A sharp blade flew out as Kael reached into his belt and pulled out his dagger. "Guys. This is suicide!" Elian shot him a look. He shrugged. "Yeah. It sounded stupid to me too." Dorian's hands went to his back and pulled out a metal rod. A simple button press later, and it was a bow. Now he just needed— Elian handed him an arrow. Seeing his confused face, she pointed to her boot. Okay. Be a bad ass. "Make the sigil and go." Elian looked behind to Lyra. Fear etched into her face, but she nodded and got to work on the sigil. Bad ass women is something he should've gotten used to a while ago.

The Elyidors were easy enough to spot. If it was an Aedor, they'd be dead on the spot. Elyidors as much as they are in fact merciless, they don't give two shits about being quiet.

Elian looked behind, and Lyra nodded to her. The sigil was ready. Lyra slammed her wounded hand against the bark, and instantly, a bright green light swallowed his vision. When he opened his eyes, he saw it. A glowing door etched into the bark of the willow tree.

Just like that, they were swallowed by the door.