Valdemar 11

"Where am I this time?" I say getting up. :Hello?: I try and am surprised when someone responds.

:Who is this?: I hear a male voice ask.

:I am Lizzy. Who is this?:

:I am Rolan. What are you? Every Companion can hear your Mindvoice.:

:Companion! Wait where's Rosemarie?:

:Rosemarie? She was the Companion of the mage Lizzy. Why do you know her name?:

:I am Lizzy. She is my Companion.:

:Impossible. That was over 600 years ago!:

:What? So she's dead? No!:

:I'm afraid so yes. You must truly be Lizzy. The Herald-Mage that disappeared the day she became a full Herald.:

:That's me. Now who's your Herald?:

:One second.: The Companion left my mind and came back shortly afterward. :She's coming now.:

:Thanks Rolan.:

"Hello? Rolan said there was a person here that I needed to come see. Where are you?" A feminine voice called out.

"Over here!" I call to the person who was hidden in shadow.

"Hello. What's your name?"

"You should state your name before asking another's."

"Oh. Sorry! I'm Talia. Nice to meet you..."

"Lizzy."

"Wait! Could you be?"

"Could I be what?"

"There's only one person ever to have that name. Do you know Rosemarie?"

"Don't ask me about her. I just learned she's dead. I don't need anymore pain."

"So you do. How about Vanyel?"

"Is he dead too?" I say feeling myself tear up.

"Unfortunately yes. So is Savil."

"No!" I yell both with words and Mindspeech.

"Ow." She says coming closer to me. "I'm sorry. I know you care about them."

"How?" I ask looking at the girl next to me and she saw that I was crying.

"You're in the history books as a wonderful person who was one of very few who could break open Vanyel's shell."

"That's nothing. I know everything about the guy. I've accidentally broken into the deepest parts of his mind."

"What?" She shouts shocked. "Accidentally?"

"Yeah. I wasn't supposed to go so far."

"What?"

"Oh nothing. Now I'm hungry."

"Oh well come with me!" She says grabbing my hand and pulling me behind her.

"Wow!" I say smiling. "This place is fancier than it was the last time I saw it!"

"That is what happens when centuries pass since you've seen a place."

"Who's the Queen now?"

"Selenay."

"That's a pretty name. Can I meet her?"

"You're gonna meet her now."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Cool!" I shout excitedly.

"Quiet down."

"Sorry." I say as we get to the door Talia was taking us to.

"My lady." Talia said as we walk in. "I'm sorry I left so hastily. This is Lizzy. She is the Herald-Mage of the Companion Rosemarie."

"Not possible." The pretty lady with blond hair said annoyed. "Why are you trying to trick me Talia?"

"I am truly not."

"Are you Selenay?" I ask walking up to her. "You are very pretty you know."

"Who are you?"

"I am as Talia said I was. I am the Herald-Mage Lizzy. My companion is Rosemarie. I knew Vanyel and Savil. I broke through all of Vanyel's shields. Including the one one his inner mind. That boy hated himself for a lot of things. And Rosemarie." I say slumping and starting to cry again. "God I miss her. That constant presence in the back of my mind. Her helping me do many things like befriending a Shin'a'in Clan."

"A clan?" She asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Was it Tale'sedrin by chance?"

"It was. Why?"

"Kerowyn! Can you come here?" Selenay shouted towards another blond.

"Yes my lady?"

"Didn't your grandparents tell you about the mysterious woman with a white horse who could speak Shin'a'in but wasn't?"

"And who could work magic? Yeah they did. Why are you asking?"

"Because I suspect this is her. Did you get a description of the woman along with the story?"

"Somewhat. It's sort of garbled from the years but it should still help us. You!" She called to a page. "Help Sayvil get in here."

"Yes ma'am." The page said and ran off.

"Why would this help?" I asked the girl.

"I should be able to tell if you are her if I have a Companion next to you."

"Ok." I say and we wait for the Companion.

"Alright. I need you to sit on Sayvil's back."

"Isn't she your Companion though?"

"Yes but she's fine with it for now."

"Alright." I say and get on her back. I lean into Sayvil and absentmindedly stroke her mane.

:That feels nice. Please continue.: I hear a female voice in my head.

:You sound familiar.: I say confused. :Almost like Savil does.:

:Really? That's a new one.:

:Hmm. I missed this.: I say resting my cheek on her.

"I'm done now Lizzy. So can you stop trying to steal my Companion?" Kerowyn says smiling.

"Huh? Oh! Sorry!" I say and get off of Sayvil.

"It's fine."

"Wait. Did you call me by my name?" I asked surprised.

"Yep. You passed the test. You are the Lizzy that lived 600 years ago. Either that or an exact copy of her."

"Is she really Kerowyn?" Selenay asked.

"Yes she really is."

"Odd. So Lizzy do you want to see Vanyel again?"

"What? I can?" I half yell surprised.

"You can. Elspeth can take you."

"No."

"What?"

"If I go see him again I go alone."

"You're going to be very stubborn about this aren't you?"

"Yes. Tell me where he is."

"In the Forest of Sorrows." Another voice said. This time it was a brunette who spoke up.

"Thank you...?"

"Elspeth. Nice to meet you Herald-Mage Lizzy."

"Nice to meet you too Elspeth. Now I will take my leave of you all. Goodbye." I say and leave without getting anything to eat.

"Wait! You need food!" Selenay said.

"Nope. I don't need anything. Except maybe a map. And possibly a Companion. Or not actually." I say and leave.

"I'm gonna need a very detailed map. No wait," :Vanyel?:

I call searching for his presence.

:Who is this?: I hear his familiar Mindvoice reply.

:You know me.: I say laughing a little at the confusion in his thoughts. :Did you really forget me already teach?:

:Lizzy? Is it really you?: Vanyel asks surprised.

:Yep. Now I need you to gate me or something. I need to talk with you.:

:Alright. Why don't you start making one there and I'll join it to mine.:

:Alright teach. See you soon!: I proceeded to create a gate with no particular destination in mind and felt a small almost nonexistent tug on it. I saw a forest like area through my side of the gate.

I went in.

:Hello?: I call looking around and see Vanyel materialize in front of me. "Woah!" I say jumping.

:Hello Lizzy. Where have you been?:

:Here and there.: I say grinning and run up to hug my mentor who was surprisingly solid. :I missed you so much.: I try to hide the tears running down my face but fail.

:Hey. What's wrong?:

:It's just... When they said you were dead I just- I couldn't handle it. And now you're right in front of me.: I say and give in to my tears. I cried and cried. And the whole time Vanyel was there, holding me and comforting me.

:You're okay. I'm here. Just let it all out.:

:And Rosemarie!: I wailed. :She's dead too. I- I just can't. I miss the presence in the back of my mind. Her warmth when I rode her. I miss it all!: I was probably hurting his 'ears' but he didn't complain.

:There are more Companions that you can ride. Sure it won't be the same but at least you'll have the warmth of a Companion.: Vanyel said trying to comfort me.

:Vanyel? Who's this?: I hear another male Mindvoice.

:Stefan?: I say so surprised I stopped crying. :How are you here too?:

:I was given the option to stay with Vanyel after I die. So I took it.:

:Then is... um- Yfandes here too?:

:I am here.: She said and I smiled. When Vanyel was sleeping or busy doing something else me, Yfandes and Rosemarie went out and just rode for hours. :I miss her too.: She says almost as if reading my thoughts.

I ran up and hugged her. :I miss her so much Yfandes. I can't believe how much I miss her. It's like I lost an arm or a leg because it hurts so much.:

:That is normal. But I can promise that she died a painless death.:

:I am glad.:

:Now that you've calmed down little one, mind if you tell us where you've been?:

:You won't believe me.: I say resolutely.

:Try me.:

:I was in different worlds. I went to one where there were demon and fairies. There were giants and lots of humans. Another was one where there were superpowers. Another magic world. And an odd one I still don't truly understand. It was a world based on games.:

:Interesting.: Vanyel said.

:It was. That's what happened when I disappeared. Now what happened with you?:

:Do you remember the project I was working on? Well I completed it. It made it so mages get watched by vrondi. It also worked as the web. I made every Herald a part of it. Savil died then I died. Ma'ar came back and fought us. We won. And now you're here.:

:I'm glad we won. Do you think I should stick around for a while?:

:Should you? Hmm... Yes. You definitely should. I have the feeling you might be needed soon.:

:Alright.: I say smiling. :I guess I will. But I should get going now.:

:Goodbye little one.: Vanyel said and faded away.

:Goodbye Songbird.: Stefan said. He had started calling me that after I first sung to him.

:Bye Lizzy.: And just like that, they were all gone.

"Well then. Guess I'm leaving now." I imagine my room in the Herald's Wing. "Terepōto!" And suddenly I'm there. "Huh. Didn't think that would work." I say and scare the crap out of the lady who was dusting my old possessions. "Sorry ma'am." I say and she runs off, thankfully she had just finished dusting so my stuff is all clean of dust. "I missed this." I say running my fingers over the twelve stringed gittern that Vanyel gifted me. It had metal strings and was very nice. "I wonder what else is still in good condition." I start wandering around my room and check out what's there.

"Hey." A soft voice says and I jump.

"Oops." I say as I knock a glass container on the ground and it shatters.

"I am so sorry." Elspeth says rushing to help.

"No. Stay back." I say then use my mage-gift to clean it up by floating it upwards and condensing it until it's gone.

"That's a pretty powerful mage-talent you have there Lizzy." A different person says making me turn. I see two men standing in my doorway. Both of them had white hair although one was a very beautiful man and the other looked almost stern. The one who spoke was the one who was quite beautiful. "Are you done staring at us yet?"

"Huh? Oh! Sorry!"

"You're fine." The other man said. "I am Darkwind. This is Firesong."

"Nice to meet you two."

"How do you speak our language?" Firesong asked.

"Huh?"

"We weren't speaking Valdemaran. How can you understand us? Actually now that I think about it I think I've heard of you before. A girl who speaks any language she hears. Teal hair. Red eyes. You're Lizzy Clearsword k'Treva."

"What?" I ask confused.

"I don't think she remembers." Darkwind says.

"I guess not. That sucks." Firesong says.

"What are you all talking about?" I say very confused.

"They heard me talk about you and were determined to see you." Elspeth said.

"Oh. Well nice to meet you boys. Now I'm gonna tune this."

"Bye!" Elspeth and Darkwind say and leave.

"Why aren't you going?" I ask Firesong who stayed and sat on the ground.

"I wanna hear you play."

"Ok... Whatever."