Page 26 of Ecliptic

My breath caught in my throat as I imagined the Light unprotected and alone. So vulnerable and afraid. The same as me. “I was only a small human child.”

“Be that as it may, you have always had celestial influence, a connection to nature and cosmic forces,” Nepta replied, her tone laced with respect. “The Elder Spirits saw fit to intertwine your abilities with our ancestors, enhancing your body to better hold the power to meet the severity of our plight.”

I gulped, trying to suppress my guilt from rising to the surface. I once had the power to guide dormant plants back to life, but now my touch only granted death.

Takoda shifted in his seat and added, “I agree. Luneth wasn’t in this dire of a state when the Light was bestowed upon you. Back then, the changes were significant but not insurmountable. That time has passed, and we are on the brink of destruction. Erovos’ darkness has fully taken root, and it is only a matter of time before he is unleashed into the cosmos. Now that the earth falls evermore dire, the Light and power in you have grown to match our need.”

Rowen gave Takoda a worried glance. “Will she be all right?”

The healer heaved a sigh. “She looks to be in perfect health. Though without a full examination, I have no way of knowing.”

“Could this body protect her, or is it slowly overtaking her?” Rowen asked, voicing my concerns.

“I do not know,” the healer replied solemnly.

“My body is stronger,” I said, remembering my finger divots in the tree.

“A dangerous combination indeed—an untamed wyvern with too much spirit,” Alvar, the war captain said, toying with the scar on his chin.

My eyes narrowed. This guy couldn’t make up his mind! “You once saw me as a weakened mare and now an untamed wyvern. Well, which is it?”

“Ah, yes, Rowen. Your soul flame is still in there. Her sharp tongue has not changed. Perhaps a mare in wyvern clothing,” he said, his eyes trailing up my new body.

“There is something you still keep from us,” Nepta said, and my heart lurched. There was no way she could know about the flower I killed. Could she? “I can feel the shift in both of you.”

My gaze collided with Rowen’s. “Our soul flame bond?” Rowen offered carefully, and my face heated.

“Indeed,” Nepta said with a regal dip of her chin.

“Like Althea and Donis,” Driskell whispered in a state of shock.

“Who?” I asked, wondering if I could possibly digest any more information tonight.

“Althea was an elven princess born of sea foam,” Nepta explained, her weathered fingers steepled on the table. “It was said that a small piece of the Light lived within her, shining upon her ears like celestial jewels, much like your own. And Donis was the son of an Elder Spirit. Such beings are known as the Vassi and are born of the sky.

“The waters of Luneth used to run wild, drowning lands and valleys. Althea spoke to the chaotic waves and shaped them into oceans, lakes, and rivers. She created waterways and channels that brought balance to the land. The elven princess spent hours by the ocean, swimming and playing in the waters she had tamed. One day, as Donis soared over the sea, he chanced upon her bathing. Enthralled by her beauty, he assumed a human form and waited for her on the shore. Althea was captivated by the being in the distance and swam to him. Despite their differences, much like that of a fish and a bird, their love was fierce and powerful.

“But Althea’s father, Arkan, did not agree with the match. He had promised her to Tor, the king of the Stonefist Giants. He forbade her from seeing Donis again, declaring it was her duty to bring peace amongst the races.

“Donis was horrified for Althea. Such a union was not only unwanted, it was dangerous. The Stonefist Giants were enormous creatures, their bodies incompatible with that of the elves. It was cruel of Arkan to betroth his daughter to someone she didn’t love, much less to someone who could kill her during mating.

“Althea refused to marry the giant and claimed Donis as her mate. But when Tor learned of the betrayal, he declared war on the Vassi. Donis and Althea begged for peace, but there were no agreements to be had. Tor refused to relinquish his claim on the princess, and Donis refused to let Tor, or anyone else, touch Althea ever again.

“The battle of the Stonefist Giants against a Vassi was immense. It tore imprints into the ground and splashed up rock and debris as their colossal footprints gouged into the land. As a descendant of the Elder Spirits, Donis was strong and mighty, but after a fortnight of fighting, the giants overcame him. Althea watched in terror as Tor went to land the killing blow. Refusing to watch her love perish, Althea channeled a flood to scatter their enemies. When the water cleared, Althea held an injured Donis in her arms.”

My heart stopped. I knew all too well the terror she must have felt, watching as her love was nearly killed. I leaned in closer as Nepta continued the tale.

“Tor regained his bearings and charged toward his betrothed and her lover. Althea and Donis knew they only had moments left together, but they were unwilling to be separated in this life. With the moon, elves, and giants as their witnesses, the lovers withdrew a piece of their soul fire and gently exchanged their flames, offering a part of themselves to the other. A cosmic connection formed as their fires intertwined, and they became the first soul flames. Their bond forever immortalized in lovers whose devotion burns just as fiercely.”

My bond with Rowen flared as we made eye contact. The tale of the first soul flames sent comforting heat waves throughout my body.

“When the dust finally settled, the earth was reshaped, and the Sillarial mountain range was formed. Tor could not disputethe love of the soul flames and realized he wanted a love as fierce as the one he had just witnessed. Appalled by his actions, he ordered the giants to disappear into the mountains their war had created. They have never been seen since, but I suspect Graem is a descendant of the Stonefist Giants. Though in ancient days, they used to be much larger.”

I wondered if Graem had returned to the mountains. I hoped so.

“What became of Althea and Donis?” I asked, comforted that even though I couldn’t touch Rowen, I held a piece of him within me. Even when I’d been gone for months, Rowen still felt me. It was how he managed to search for me every night in the Hymma. I was forever grateful for the connection the two lovers had forged.

“Donis eventually healed from battle, and the soul flames lived the rest of their days in peace and happiness. As a Vassi, Donis could not die, and though the Ancient Elves lived longer than most, Althea’s flesh would eventually succumb to time. After two centuries of wedded bliss, they refused to be separated on the princess’s deathbed. Donis forfeited his mortal body and returned to the heavens as Althea surrendered to the ocean. Their soul flame bond endured as they returned to their true forms, their connection and pull so profound, it created the horizon. Their love forever found where the sea meets the sky.”

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