Time Skip

Chapter 7: The Awakening and the Child of Water

Three years had passed since that fateful day when Elias had returned to the Iron Hawk Guild with the newborn child of the Lord of Water in his arms. Three years of turmoil and conflict, of secrets and discoveries, of battles fought in the shadows and alliances forged in the light.

But for Elias, those three years had been lost in darkness.

When Elias first fell unconscious, no one understood why. His body had simply collapsed, his eyes closed as if in a deep slumber, and he remained that way for days, then weeks, then months. The healers tried everything they knew to awaken him, but nothing worked. Even Liora, with her knowledge of elemental magic, could not decipher the cause. It was as if something had locked him away in a world beyond their reach, a place where even time seemed to bend.

And then, suddenly, after three long years, Elias awoke.

His eyes blinked open, and he found himself in a dimly lit room, the familiar scent of the Iron Hawk Guild's main hall surrounding him. He felt disoriented, his limbs heavy, his mind foggy, as if he were waking from a dream that he could not remember. His first instinct was to reach for his sword, but he felt too weak to move.

"Where am I?" he whispered, his voice hoarse from disuse.

A face appeared above him—Alyndra's. She looked older, her hair longer, her face marked by a few more scars, but her eyes were the same, bright and sharp. "Elias," she breathed, relief washing over her features. "You're awake! We… we thought you might never wake up."

He struggled to sit up, his muscles aching, but Alyndra gently pushed him back down. "Easy," she said. "You've been out for a long time. Three years, Elias. Three years."

His eyes widened in shock. "Three years?" he repeated, incredulous. "But… how? Why?"

Alyndra shook her head. "We don't know. You collapsed suddenly after bringing the Water Lord's child to the guild. We tried everything to wake you, but it was as if you were in some kind of magical stasis. Then, a week ago, there was a strange surge of energy… and you started to stir. And now, here you are."

Elias's mind raced. He remembered the child, Rani—or was it Revens?—the last thing he had seen before the darkness claimed him. "The child," he said urgently, his voice gaining strength. "What happened to Rani?"

Alyndra's expression shifted, a complicated mix of emotions crossing her face. "The child… is no longer Rani," she said slowly. "Or rather, not the Rani we knew. She—or rather, they—have grown, faster than any normal human child. And their name is now Revens. They are… different."

"Different?" Elias asked, confused. "How so?"

Before Alyndra could answer, the door to his room swung open, and a figure stepped inside. It was Liora, and beside her stood a figure that took Elias's breath away—a slender, ethereal being with a delicate, almost fragile beauty. They had long, silver-blue hair that fell in waves down their back, eyes like the clearest waters reflecting the sky, and skin that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. They wore a simple, flowing tunic that clung to their lithe form, and there was an air of quiet confidence and ancient wisdom about them that made them seem far older than they appeared.

"Elias," Liora said with a smile. "Meet Revens."

Elias stared, trying to reconcile the memory of the small, helpless baby he had held three years ago with the figure before him. "Revens?" he repeated, his voice filled with awe.

The being nodded, a serene smile playing on their lips. "I am Revens," they said softly, their voice melodic and calm. "The child of the Water Lord, and yet, I am no longer merely that."

Elias blinked, trying to grasp what he was hearing. "You… you've grown so quickly. And… you look…"

Revens chuckled, a sound like a babbling brook. "I appear as I choose," they replied. "My body may seem feminine, but I am neither man nor woman. I am water, formless and flowing, capable of taking any shape. I am Revens, and I am beyond what humans understand of gender."

Elias's head spun. He had heard of elemental beings who defied the conventions of human nature, but seeing one before him was entirely different. "You speak as if you are much older than you appear," he said carefully. "And you seem… different from when you were a child."

Revens nodded, their eyes sparkling with an inner light. "I have grown in mind as well as body," they explained. "The death of my parent, the Lord of Water, accelerated my maturation. The energies that sustained them now flow within me, guiding me, teaching me. I remember the ocean's depths and the river's flow. I am both child and heir, new and ancient."

Elias swallowed hard, trying to take it all in. "So, you're… genderless?" he asked, seeking to understand.

Revens tilted their head. "Gender, in your world, is tied to form and function," they replied. "But I am beyond such things. I am what I choose to be. My essence is fluid, like water. I may appear feminine or masculine, or neither, or both. I am what I need to be."

Elias nodded slowly, accepting their words. "I see," he said. "And what does this mean for us? For the guild? For the realm?"

Revens's expression grew serious. "The realm is still in chaos," they said quietly. "The death of my parent has left a void that the other elemental lords have begun to feel. The waters have calmed somewhat, but there are factions and forces moving in ways they should not. Some wish to claim the power that was lost. Others seek to restore the balance. And some… some wish for the chaos to continue, to consume all."

Elias felt a shiver run down his spine. "And what of you?" he asked. "What do you want, Revens?"

Revens looked at him, their gaze deep and piercing, as if searching his very soul. "I want to understand," they said softly. "To learn what it means to exist in this world as I am. I want to honor my parent's memory by finding a way to restore balance, to bring peace to the waters and the lands they touch. But I do not know how yet. I am still young, still learning."

Elias felt a surge of admiration for this being before him—so young, yet so wise, so fragile, yet so powerful. "I will help you," he said firmly. "We all will. You are not alone in this, Revens."

Revens smiled, a gentle, radiant smile that seemed to light up the room. "Thank you, Elias," they said. "I knew, from the moment you found me in that forest, that you would be someone important in my life. I am glad to have you by my side."

Alyndra and Liora exchanged glances, and then Alyndra stepped forward. "We'll stand with you too, Revens," she said. "Whatever comes, whatever we have to face, we'll face it together."

Liora nodded. "The balance of the elements affects us all," she added. "We cannot afford to let things continue as they are. We need to act, and we need to act soon."

Revens looked around at them all, their expression a mixture of gratitude and determination. "Then let us begin," they said softly. "Let us find the path forward, together. For the waters are rising, and the storm is coming. And we must be ready."

Elias felt a renewed sense of purpose swell within him. He had been given a second chance, a new life, and now he knew what he needed to do with it. He would stand with Revens, fight for balance, and protect those who could not protect themselves.

And perhaps, in doing so, he would finally find the strength he had sought all along.