The Tree, the Lake, and a Stranger with Wings

Whatever stirred in Dravion's chest, he didn't have time to name it. He'd buried his emotions years ago after taking the responsibilities of a crown prince. But down in the trench, the Veland'ir Shadows weren't wasting time on thoughts.

They were busy hiding the loot they collected from the forests, before anyone else could come asking for a share.

✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧

Deep in the lower trench, far from the palace wards, the sea was darker — and rotten. The water here didn't shimmer. The hall they used was once a shrine, but now it was nothing but crumbling columns and salt-stained stone. Perfect for traitors and thieves.

Three Veland'ir Shadows had chosen this place to stash the haul they'd collected after the elven attack. Their armour was mismatched — recently stolen from dead elf soldiers — and their laughter echoed through the hollow chamber.

Relics were scattered across the floor. Expensive robes floated nearby in preserving sea-magic bubbles. A torn satchel and a melted pendant still flickering with leftover enchantments lay on the stone slab they were using as a table.

"Forest raid was a joke," one of them grunted, tossing a broken flute onto the pile. "The saplings fought harder than their warriors."

"They scream prettier," another added, grinning. "Especially the little ones. All that highborn arrogance melts fast when you burn the roots they're clinging to."

One of them raised a bottle. "To the elves. May their trees rot faster next time."

Laughter erupted.

"Dalila nearly drowned one just to hear her gurgle in our first attack."

"Tch. Dalila," another spat. "That parasite's probably halfway here already, pretending she bled for this haul. Has she even lifted a blade recently?"

"The only thing she lifts is her fins when the Lord swims by. We always get scraps because of her."

"It's still better than nothing."

That set them off.

"Always playing queen. As if the Lord even sees her."

One of them mocked her in a nasal whine. "Ohhh, lord… notice me, please. I brought you pearls I didn't pay for!"

"I saw her try that gift act last week — he didn't even blink."

"She's been throwing herself at his shadow for years and he hasn't even allowed her near his throne once."

"She acts like royalty but never lifts a finger when the Lord gives orders."

"She would've been dead if the Lord hadn't stepped in when she tried to take on that human commander by herself."

"He doesn't care for her. He just doesn't want to waste time finding a replacement. Hah!"

Silence settled for a beat.

Then the mood shifted.

"You seen the surface girl everyone keeps talking about?"

Heads turned.

"The one they're saying might be the hidden Niraya? I saw her from a distance during our expedition. She's prettier than anything in this trench. Even Dalila. No question. Skin like silk. But she looked like she was about to cry when she saw the Hadalborn. I bet she did."

"I heard the Lord's been watching her."

"Through the vision shell?"

"Yeah. Sits there for hours."

They glanced at each other.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

A nod.

"We take her. Present her to the Lord before he even asks."

"She's worth more than any raid loot."

"If we hand her over, he'll know our names."

"He might even give one of us a higher rank."

"You think he's interested?"

"Does it matter?"

They went quiet again.

Then a darker voice broke the silence. "I wonder how she'd taste."

A few chuckled. One licked his teeth.

Another snorted. "You'll get your throat slit for even saying that."

"Maybe. But he hasn't claimed her yet."

Laughter rose again — darker this time.

Hungrier.

✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧

The laughter was cut off fast.

None of them had seen him enter.

One second the water was still. The next, Zerieth was there — massive, pale, and carrying the weight of command. An ancient serpent, second only to Vaelros himself.

His white-scaled body coiled into the open space near the table. Smooth. Controlled. His golden eyes scanned each of them, one by one.

None of them moved.

The youngest Shadow lowered his head first and the others followed.

Zerieth looked at the loot — the robes still floating, the broken pendant on the stone.

Then his gaze shifted back to them.

"Vaelros gave a directive."

His voice was calm. Blunt.

"You're not to approach the girl until he says so. You're to watch the area for anything suspicious around her — or if a guardian of the Tidefather shows up anywhere near her."

No one spoke.

"Anything unusual, report it to me. Don't interrupt him unless you're certain it matters."

One Shadow started to nod.

Zerieth didn't wait.

He was already leaving.

His tail slipped through the archway without a sound and before they could even blink, he'd already gone.

They stayed still. No one dared to move.

One finally exhaled.

"We're lucky he came first. Could've been worse if it was the Lord himself."

No one replied to that.

The girl wasn't a joke anymore.

And no one was dumb enough to finish the thought out loud.

✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧

After a few days of watching the horrors of the sea and moving to a much safer place, Elara had gotten used to her new dwelling. But tonight, sleep didn't come easy — and when it finally did… Elara vanished

✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧

I don't even remember falling asleep. One second I was staring at the ceiling, listening to Kaelen snoring way too loud. Next thing I knew… I wasn't in the sea anymore.

No currents. No glowing walls. Not even distant jellyfish light.

Just soft grass under my feet, and a breeze. Real air, filled with the scent of fresh grass and flowers.

And in front of me — that same tree with those strange glowing flowers, and the same lake from the dream I had on my first night after coming to this world.

I took a few steps towards the lake. For a second, I thought it might vanish again like last time. But it didn't. The water was still. Cold air hit my face, and the ground felt real under my feet.

I tried throwing a pebble in the lake. It jumped on the water, making splashes as it went further before sinking. Maybe I was really here in the flesh, not dreaming anymore.

But something from that scene I saw in my dream was missing.

The woman holding the baby… and the man beside her. They were not here like last time. I looked around again and found nobody. Instead — I saw a small cottage-like house a few steps farther from where I was. I didn't remember that being here before.

The door was half open with smoke coming from a chimney.

There wasn't any sound or anyone around and it didn't feel threatening or weird. So I walked towards it.

As I stepped through the doorway slowly, the wood creaked beneath my feet, and I smelled the scent of something faintly sweet — like vanilla and old pages — lingering in the air.

At first, I thought the room was empty. Just a cottage. Old, quiet, harmless.

But when I scanned the room, I saw him.

Sitting at the far end, by the low table, was a man with long silver hair and white wings on his back. Not the small ones either. They were huge, feathered wings folded behind him, nearly brushing the floor. He was wearing a long white robe with silver edges. He looked like he'd walked out of some ancient temple painting… or just a hallucination. And in his hand… a can of cola.

My breath snagged. My chest tightened like I'd been yanked from the inside — and then my legs just gave out. I hit the floor with a thud, my palms scraped against the worn wood as I scrambled back towards the door.

"Am I dead again?" I whispered, voice shaking. "Why is there an angel here…?"

He didn't move. Just watched me with eyes, the colour of an emerald.

"No," he said gently. "You're not dead sunshine. But we don't have long."

I couldn't speak.

He glanced at me, completely unfazed by the fact I was gaping like an idiot.

"You're finally here," he said, like he'd been expecting me for hours.

I didn't answer.

He slid forward the second can of drink towards my side on the table — casually, like we were just old friends catching up — and nodded at the chair across from him.

"Come in, Elara. You've traveled far. You should sit."

Somehow… I knew this wasn't just a chat. Whatever he was about to say — it was going to change everything.

✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧✧𓂃⋆༶⋆𓂃✧