“They knew you would come tonight,” Ranon said, amusement in his voice as he led us to the large room on the eastern side of the hall. The room was breathtaking, with no walls or balustrades to impede the view. The wooden floor seemed to plunge into nothingness, hinting at the winged beings who lived here. Comfortable nests of blue and white cushions were scattered around.
To my surprise, Enlial was not in Aerieth form tonight, and they were alone. Resting on a few cushions, they had chosen a body resembling a Human girl: young and fresh-faced, long golden locks tumbling over slim shoulders. Their distinctive blue eyes were focused on a large silver bowl in front of them, one pale finger lazily drawing circles in the water within.
Ranon excused himself with a polite nod, his footsteps fading. Enlial waited until the last creak of the wooden floorboards had died away before addressing us. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
Aramaz wasted no time. The foreboding expression on his face was back as he answered, “She needs to know.”
Enlial’s eyes snapped to me, piercing in their intensity. “Are you sure? Knowledge is not always a blessing.” A bitter laugh fell from soft rosebud lips. “I should know.”
“At this point,” I replied sarcastically, “imagining the worst islikely more tormenting than the most terrible prophecy.”
Aramaz had decided to share the truth with me. There was no turning back now.
Enlial offered me a compassionate smile. “Indeed.” They twirled the water in the silver bowl, strands of Air magic dancing on the surface. The image of Lyrheim’s green hills appeared in the water. “As I always say,” they continued, “what the winds whisper is uncertain. It might not come to pass. Or we might interpret it in a way that is as fallible as our hearts.”
“Tell her,” Aramaz commanded impatiently. The king was clearly eager to get this over with. He didn’t join me as I stepped closer to Enlial; instead, he moved to the edge of the platform, his back to us, staring into the night, a visible tension in his broad shoulders.
“I have long sensed a darkness in this world,” Enlial began, their melodious voice a haunting melody. The water in the bowl mirrored their words, shifting from verdant green to scorched, lifeless black. “A shadow threatening to destroy everything we have created. A shadow born of resentment, hate, and desperation, fueled by the power of Chaos.”
Icy dread trickled down my spine. “And who will wield that power?” I whispered, my voice trembling. I feared I knew the answer, but hoped I was wrong.
Another spark of Air magic danced across the surface of the water. Despite my fears, I couldn’t look away as the images in the bowl shifted, shadows raging through, sparkling with an emerald-and-amethyst glow. I recognized that magic all too well—Darkness, intertwined inextricably with Chaos.
“No,” I gasped, an anguished sound escaping my lips. My legs felt weak, as if they suddenly lacked all the strength to carry me.
The images in the bowl changed faster and faster, each one a dagger to my heart. Monstrous faces howling in battle glee; hulking dark shapes tearing into a line of Elvish warriors; a burning city, smoke obscuring the sun. Death—so much death I couldn’t hold back the tears streaming down my face. Each scene was a new, vivid nightmare. The cries of the fallen echoed in my ears. The scent of blood filled my senses.
“If Belekoroz ever breaks with us completely,” Enlial whispered, “there will be war. A dark and terrible war that brings nothing but destruction and misery. A war that will rage for centuries.” The words hung in the air, chilling me to the bone.
“Do you understand now?” Aramaz returned to my side and took my hand. His tone was urgent, harsh with anguish. “Why I needed to try everything in my power—in our power—to prevent this future?”
“Can it be prevented?” I stared at Enlial, frantic for a hint of hope, no matter how fragile.
The Aurea of Air hesitated and dispelled their magic, the water in the bowl deceptively calm and clear once more. “As I said, not everything that will come to pass is set in stone. There are different paths that might be taken, depending on our decisions.” They sighed, a sound heavy with the weight of their gift. “Some futures are more probable than others, though.”
I didn’t need to ask which future was most probable. My eyes closed as a renewed wave of despair washed over me. There was another question that needed answering, even if I dreaded that answer. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I tried to summon my strength.
“If that war cannot be prevented,” I whispered, my voice so faint that surely only Enlial’s magic carried it to their ears, “will there ever be peace again in Aron-Lyr?”
Aramaz’s hand fell away from me, his entire body freezing as we waited for Enlial’s answer. So the king had not asked that question yet. I couldn’t blame him; even thinking of the possibility of this future becoming reality made me sick to my stomach. We had been sent to Aron-Lyr to be its guardians, not to destroy it in an endless war.
“If war is inevitable, then a lasting peace can only be achieved…”
Enlial’s eyes were filled with such sorrow that I could barely breathe.
“… if the Adept of Chaos is banished from Aron-Lyr. Forever.”
No.
There was a time when I had thought that was what I wanted, when I’d believed I despised him. But that was before I knew, before I touched the Darkness and looked into its heart.
The enormity of Enlial’s statement left us in stunned silence. Aramaz was the first to break. A rough curse escaped him as he stormed out, the faint rumble of thunder in the air. I was tempted to follow him, but I knew this wasn’t Enlial’s fault. They deserved better than our scorn for being the bearer of dark tidings.
As I grasped their hands to say my goodbyes, Enlial’s entire body suddenly tensed, their eyes turning an eerie white.
“Sister.”Every soft word burned itself into my mind.“There is one thing you should never forget. If the Light fails, the world will burn. But if your heart fails… all hope will be lost.”
Enlial came back to themself with a gasp. I had never witnessed the Aurea of Air gripped by the stirrings of fate, and part of me wished that hadn’t changed. Enlial themself seemed as shaken as me, sorrow in their eyes as they embraced me.
