The Ways of the gods.

UNKNOWN POV

The air was chilly, and the night quiet. There was nothing but silence as far as I could hear. It was very strange, unsettling even.

Waking up in the middle of the night was something I always did. Rise late and wake my younger brother, Trisev. We both would escape into the loud and rowdy city outside the palace gates in the hopes of joining the ever-present shenanigans.

Oritais, the port kingdom overlooking the Zohar sea was a peaceful and lively place. My people unlike the normal Evershus took to seafaring and fishing. With our kingdom trading fish, farm products, and sea products as well as sea travel we had become prosperous.

Something I would soon come to realize was both good and bad. I shook Trisev awake and urged the sleepy boy to hurry up before we would both miss out on the usual night festivities.

One could describe Oritais as a city of hard work and success. But no one failed to recall the part about our love for life. It was second to none. With our nights filled with joys and laughter, drinks and music we were a happy people.

Tonight was different though. I could feel it in my bones. Yet I decided to go anyway.

Climbing out our windows and unto the walls, we descended the wooden boards of our rooms. Slowly we got to the ground and from there took off past the Forest oak portcullis that was surprisingly raised and into the outer sector. My mind didn't think to ponder how unusual it was.

Oritais was a simple wooden city, the outer gates were made of thick lumber and stone filled within the gaps. A gateway formed at two points of the walls. One east towards the plains, another west towards the sea. The gates were simply gaps with wooden portcullis.

The road to the sea was a cleared terrain with crushed gravel spread to prevent the growth of grass and trees again. That to the east was just a well-used road.

There were only so many houses within the outer sector. Past it was the business area. This was where the festivities were meant to be happening. Yet even before I reached the gates separating the outer sector from the business zone I and Trisev knew something was wrong.

"Everywhere is quiet Daena. " Trisev whispered. "Too quiet. "

Stopping at the gate we both hesitated. Things were so fishy here. Where were the guards? Why was no one positioned at the outer section gate?

"Trisev, I need you to run back and wake father. Tell him something is wrong. Go?"

"But father will know...

"Doesn't matter now Trisev. Something is wrong. Go quick" I whisper yelled before buying my lower lip hard. Trisev must have noted the urgency in my voice because he took off in a sprint headed back for the palace the sound of his feet surprisingly nonexistent.

I had other reasons for sending him away though. While alerting father was one, it was more due to the guard in his green and brown attire that lay to the side of the gate. His outfit was drenched in blood and his eyes were wide in shock as he lay there unmoving.

'Dead' I had seen wars before. Oritais wasn't an ancient city. I was in fact older than it. Father and mother had me when we migrated across the plains. Chased by the ever-growing beasts plaguing the lands. I had only been five then.

There was always death. Fights with other Evershu, or clashes with Argatans. It was something normal. With a few co-travelers, we found this place and made it into something.

Oritais. The labor of the road, mum had said.

Now death had come here too. I scanned him looking for anything that could tell me what killed the man. I found it soon enough. A deep hole in his neck, poking a hole into his windpipe. The normal white skin of an Evershu was paler as he now lacked blood. Slowly, I unlatched his belt and pulled it free careful to not make any noise.

If the festivities had been ongoing and this body was here then it would be a crime. I would inform other guards and call it day without stress. But he was dead, everywhere was quiet and I'm certain the other guards were dead.

I wasn't stupid. Maybe not over bright but there was only so much a person could not know after seeing all I had. I was there when the founding of this city happened. Playing in the old grounds of what was now the palace hall. So I felt I knew enough.

Slowly I slid out a dagger from the belt after attaching it to my waist. Pushed my black hair to the side as I walked to the gates. My pointy ears perked up as I tried listening for any sound beyond it. My green eyes reflected the silvery light hanging in the sky.

The gate was open. Just slightly enough to not be noticed but it was open. Very slowly I pulled it open and poked out my head. One scan was all it took to almost scream.

Without hesitating, I quickly withdrew my head and shut the gate as fast as possible dropping the dagger as I did. My feet made loud noises as I hurried for the beam to slide into the door hold and buy time.

The sound of feet rushing for the wooden double gates threw me into a panic as urgency rushed through me. The view I had seen out there filled me with dread as I heaved the beam of wood and dropped it in place barring the heavy gates of the outer section.

BOOM

The gates shook and a creak sounded as something rammed it hard. A grunt was heard and loud voices spoke from the other side. The language wasn't common and the voices didn't speak Argatan either which was the language used by the Argats. The gruff voices kept shouting amongst themselves before yet another ram shook the gate.

I walked back just as the gate shook once more and a split formed in the beam.

"How.?' it was tinsel oak. Lumber of the Undules from the forest up north. Trades with the three-eyed ones were rare but very important.

Tinsel oak was one of the very good products brought by the Undules. It was said to withstand the strike of a Forest Bol. How were the attackers managing to weaken it?

An answer came soon as another strike blew the door open. Behind there she saw a group of male Evershu's, covered in red and brown gear. Their pointy ears were visible in the light of the moon.

" No need to be quiet anymore, they know we are here. Storm the city. Go" a loud bellow in Evosi had Daena blinking.

The men stormed in spreading out while the few upfront walked up slowly to me. I made quick work counting the number of soldiers the enemy had.

There were hundreds of them. I was certain my heart was having a pounding feast within me as it got heavy. Oritais was more a trade city than one of war. Our chances of winning were minimal. The sound of shouts and screams filled the once-quiet air. My concern though was the Everhsu who had given the command to attack standing right before me.

"Daena Jorkstorn, princess of Oritais. How marvelous to find you here." I barely let him finish before I pulled the guard's sword free.

It was a copper blade. Something that hammered down how screwed I was due to the enemy carrying an obviously better weapon. He even seemed to agree with my thoughts as he took just one look and chuckled.

"For a prosperous city, your weaponry is outdated. Not to worry, I aim to bring all Evershus into prosperous times."

"By killing them" I somehow found my voice even with the palpable fright growing in my abdomen.

"I accept your grievance. But your father would never surrender without a fight. " The male shrugged.

"He would if you were thinking of the people. All know that my father Gorsda Jorkstorn is a fair and good man. You do this because you know none will follow you. Asdil Ufetil!" The sound of his name made the male frown.

"So you do know me?" Asdil murmured taking small steps closer.

"All have heard the tales of the murderous white skin. You bring disgust to our race. " I vehemently spat to the side while backing off showing an act of outward courage that wasn't mirrored within.

There were no illusions that I could ever hope to beat him. Stalling I could do, and if attacked, then defense I would not refrain from. Yet I dared not actively engage him. The result would I know be a quick trip to the unknown.

Asdil didn't seem to appreciate the insults though. His hand gripping and pulling his sword out of its sheath.

"You will die here Princess. Then, maybe you can find whatever made us and curse them for your cruel fate". The blade was a darker kind of metal unlike the one I held, affirming my fears that he wielded something stronger.

'By the gods. I really don't want to die' Was my thought while I took more steps back.

Yet my fate was sealed. Brave I might be, but a fighter I was not. Grasping the sword in both palms I tried mimicking the lessons I had gleaned from Trisev.

'Legs apart but not much. Ground yourself' I murmured internally while skirting around keeping Asdil in sight.

One look at my stance had him scoffing. " For all the speech you know nothing about the ways of the blade. You have no right to speak when you have never even killed a man young Evershu. " his words were barely over when he dashed forward his blade swinging up and then cutting down.

I try to think I would have defiantly stood up to him but unfortunately, I screamed. It was the normal reaction to seeing death flash from over Asdil. The large form of a hooded four-armed being gazing upon me with red eyes peeking from the darkness.

The copper blade shattered and a tearing sound met the pain rushing to my brain and registered itself. A thick warm liquid forced itself out of my throat as I gagged. My legs gave beneath me as I barely felt them while my body hit the floor, palms covering and trying to suppress the red liquid that had soaked through my party dress.

My eyes were on the green material that mother had made for my fifteenth winter. A shocking pain rocked me, the thought of death fading away as I remembered my family. Little Trisev and my parents. I forgot the still-standing Evershu as I pushed to my feet and turned in a stagger to go back to the palace.

'I had to get to them. Make sure they were okay'. Asdil chuckled darkly behind me.

"Running to father now, eh" I could sense his grin even without turning.

"Not to worry, I'll make sure to reunite you all in the next life. If there is one" I tried to drag myself faster but my body was heavy and my abdomen hurt.

'Someone, anyone. Just let me save them. Please.'

I took another step that was paused with a tremble as a sword ran through me from behind. I felt his arm hold me in place by the shoulder totally unnecessaryskmce I could feel the steel in my spine. I couldn't move.

Then he pulled it out and I gasped at the mind-numbing pain. So much I could barely scream. The air became fleeting. avoiding me like the plague.

"Die peacefully. I promise your family will follow". Asdil cooed at me, urging me along to shut my eyes and just sleep. All the while tapping my forehead lovingly. It was frightening to observe his serene face all through it. Then he rose and stepped over my still gasping body.

" A..ny..thing. Some..one. A..ny..one" my croaks were barely audible now as the life drained from within me. My sight slowly blurred and I found the elders saying coming true. Death was like letting loose. Becoming one with the wind, free of all earthly tethers whether we wished it so or not. I felt myself getting tugged harshly. Something constantly pulling at me. Urged me to get go and to follow.

I fought, I resisted It's urging, yet it never halted. It assured constantly that it was okay to follow it. I had to follow it. Amd so I did, I agreed and let it pull me free.

"Anything".

The voice was soft. It reached my hearing even as I kept floating free of my tethers. The binds that held me in place unfettering quickly. Though now I thought of it the chains had halted for a moment and I wasn't being pulled anymore. Whatever had been urging me had stopped.

'Anything'. I replied without even understanding and just repeating what I had been asking for.

"Then say my name. The price will be taken".

I'mcertsin I didn't even understand what the voice meant. But I did know something. A feeling, like a knowledge rushing up my spine. Tingling like a spark within my brain. Then my lips parted as my eyes opened and the name ingrained into my senses flew out my lips.

" HILDELITH "

It was instant.

A searing flame. Like lava pouring down my back, it sizzled and I screamed. My eyes heated and my fingers gripped the soil. Lightning flashed in the night sky a cloud of grey gathering overhead. Thunder boomed next in response to the appearance of this elder element

The pain stopped within a minute and I saw something new. Blinking in my vision in golden letters was a line of words that would forever change everything for me.

[You have been Marked as a Fearghal]