The Ocean Hearth (A "Hymns of Evermorn" Story) by Lionelson NY

Thorny bushes brushed their trousers. They treaded through muddy grounds and leeched rivers while the sun was giving out its last rays. Then the first star shined its light. It has been hours since they entered the Blackwood jungle. Eli had a torch in hand to light his way while Laia had no trouble travelling in the shadows of night.

“Obed seems a tad too young to be in charge of the Reds, don’t you think?” Laia spoke up, breaking the silence.

“The kid has talent, I tell you. He just needs a little sharpening up. Besides…he’s the only one I can trust there” Eli replied, brushing the sweat off his thick brows “How far till we reach Dalhar?”

“It’s only a few stone throws away. Don’t worry. We’ll reach there in time. And by the way, Eli” Laia mentioned. “When we reach Dalhar, do not speak unless you are spoken too. You and I both know the tension between our races.”

“Understood.”

So they continued their journey. About an hour later, the trees were becoming less dense. Laia was just about to behold the gleaming walls of Dalhar to Eli. But to her dismay, the walls were not how it was when she left them.

Presented to them at first sight were burnt human corpses piled up like carcasses. The Eleazarian flag torn and half burnt lied on the ground. Laia’s eyes widened, her hands trembled. Even Eli cringed at the sight.

Passing by the horrid scene, they walked beside the walls to the city gates. But there were no guards protecting it. Laia simply pushed the wrecked door open and both of them entered. But her soul was pierced even deeper when she saw the inner city destroyed. Even the streets were blotched in red. Flies hover all over the city but not a single starborne was in sight.

Eli looked at Laia, puzzled. He heard stories of Dalhar before. A gleaming ancient city, incomparable to any other civilization in Evermorn. Of course, he had low expectations of it after hearing about the Blue Moon of Ashes. But the bloodstain was too fresh to be from that night.

Out of impulse, Laia quickly ran across the street while a thousand thoughts ran through her mind. She was heading for the Square of the High Towers, the heart of Dalhar. Eli followed close behind, running on the bloody pavements.

Upon their arrival, they found many starbornes circling the square, wearing their black and gold hoods, chanting an old Dalharian song for the dead. Laia’s pulse raised to the point of anxiety. For she knew this was not a mere mourning tradition; the song tells the tale of king who died in battle.

An-ashosh mai, an-Ashosh la’ai. Alana veru sya’rina la’naha’i

‘My king was good but my king had died. The goddess would bless him but she would still cry.’ It was a song taught to Laia ever since she was a child. A song she prayed to never have to sing.

She pushed herself through the crowd while noticing she was drenching her cloak with tears of her people. They didn’t even recognize her passing through. Not that she would want to be recognized right now.

But when she reached the front of the crowd, her heart was shattered! Many cold starborne bodies lined up atop a circular woodpile; old and young, Sye’rah and common folk. All laid there…lifeless. And at its centre was a mourning Tarsya, caressing her late husband.

Laia gasped, holding her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks. She was in disbelief. This was a far worse tribulation than the Blue Moon.

And as the crowd continued to sing the second verse of the song, she saw the Tarsya stood away from the woodpile and went to hug the high priestess, crying. The high priestess then gently sent her off to the crowds. She then lifted up her staff and prayed.

“May Alana commend your spirits to a new Dalhar. Alana ta’ira. Alana maha.”

To which the starbornes replied “Mekhisya’fela” asking for her blessings to the dead.

The old priestess then pierced her staff on the earth as it burst out an array of white light, setting the woodpiles on moon flame. Slowly, the fires licked and swallowed the bodies of the starbornes while the living continued to chant the ancient song.

The many cadavers glowed white as the winds blew them into sparkling dusts that float up to the sky. Everyone watched as their loved ones drifted to the heavens to join the stars. This was the reason why they called themselves the starborne. For from the stars they were delivered and to the stars they shall return.

Laia couldn’t stand the sight any longer. She quickly withdrew from the crowd to meet Eli at the back, grinding her teeth in agony. But as if the funeral was not a surprise enough, she found Eli being held captive by her fellow huntresses!

“Laia?!” The huntresses were shocked as if they saw a ghost.

“Do not hurt the man. He is with me.” Laia ordered sternly. Eli just let them chain his arms to his back, fearing any rash actions may backlash against the mission.

“Forgive us Laia, but we must take him away. No humans should ever step on Dalhar’s land again. It’s the head huntresses’ order.”

“Head Huntress?” Laia was baffled.

“Sya’amar, Laia.” A husky voice came from behind her.

Laia turned around and saw Keira. A silver band wrapped around her arms.

“Keira…what happened?” she stuttered.

“I apologize. But whoever this man is to you, he is forbidden to set foot on our grounds.” Keira made it clear to her. “Take him away!”

Laia just stood there, unable to utter a single word. It was all too much. So just watched as Eli was pushed away, not showing any resilience to his capture.

A beautiful statue of the silver haired goddess looked over the council room in the Shrine of Alana. The chamber was lit only by regular candles with yellow flame rather than the blue moon flame they usually used. Laia was sitting at the Crystal Table opposite to Keira, who was explaining to her the recent events.

“I must apologize, sister. I did not ask for this either. The city needed a new head huntress when you told us the humans were coming. We had to prepare.” Keira stated, feeling guilty of taking Laia’s position.

“I understand, Keira. I was absent. There is no need to apologize” Laia slipped off her silver band from her arm and placed it on the table. “Then I have no need for this anymore.”

“You know what you need, Laia?” A croaky old woman’s voice spoke from behind them. “You need to explain yourself. Why did you bring a human to our city?”

Laia turned and saw Tarsya Raenna, still in her black and gold mourning garments. Her eyes swollen after crying all night. The sorrowful queen paced her way to the Crystal Table.

“Sya’amar, an-Tarsya…” Laia bowed. “The man’s name is Eli Rivergrove. He is the leader of Reds of Elmswood; a rebel group who fights against the king. They desire to overthrow Velron from the throne!”

“And you honestly believe that they could make a better government than the Allistairs? Don’t be so naïve. All men are the same.” Raenna mentioned as she sat down on a cushion. The chief priestess did not join this council as she went to offer incense by the altar in accordance with their royal mourning tradition.

“This man is different, an-Tarsya. I’ve seen him fight. I’ve seen him change hearts. His intentions are pure. He is different from the people in the castle. Surely you must believe my eyes.”

“You speak like an adolescent who fell in love for the first time.” The Tarsya remarked.

“I am not speaking based on emotions. I am speaking based on my-”

“So you admit that you do have emotions for the man. How else did he corrupted you?” The Tarsya interrupted.

“No, an-Tarsya! Please, consider this. You know for a fact that we don’t have the resources nor do we have enough Sye’rah for a full blown war with Eleazar. Therefore, we need as many allies that we can find.” Laia turned towards the head huntress. “Keira. How many starbornes are left at your command?”

Keira stuttered, unable to give a number. But the Tarsya spoke up.

“Your Ashosh sacrificed his life battling men and you choose today to ally with them?!” She reprimanded her. “Look at yourself, Laia! One week with the humans and you already speak like them. What happened to your honour?”

“My request is to protect our honour, an-Tarsya.”

“Then why do you choose to dismantle their government only to replace it with another human one?”

“Because they are not the kind of humans we are familiar with. These are people who had their lives ruined by their own king. If anything, these rebels can be a more benevolent government than what they have now. This may even be a start of a new relation between our two kingdoms!”

“Miho sha’rae yesa!” The Tarsya shouted. It means ‘the mouth is bigger than the eyes’. In Dalharian culture, it means that there is no point in sharing a tale if there is no proof to show for it.

Laia cringed her brows and reached for her satchel. Raenna and Keira just watched her as she took out a beautiful oval stone, gleaming in blue radiance. Its surface was smooth, its insides were clear. Like stars embedded in a sea of sapphire.

“This Eli…is he trying to bribe me with jewellery? Does he not know that I possess stones far more valuable than this?”

“No, an-Tarsya. This is his token of friendship” Laia pushed the heavy rock to her queen. “It’s called the Ocean Hearth. This was King Velron’s regalia. Eli and his comrades stole it from right above his throne to inspire the oppressed that they too can fight against the king. And he wishes to share this small victory with us.”

Raenna looked deep into the curves and cracks of the Ocean Hearth. She caressed it, experiencing every groove that lined it. The sensation on her fingertips travelled all the way up to her chest, giving her an immense feeling of euphoria. In the midst of her sorrow, she needed this sense of sureness that was possessing her.

“I’ve seen this stone before. I’ve heard how it was found…Thirty years ago, when the humans first reached our shores, Thremendor Allistair, Velron’s father, found this stone half-buried in the sandy beach. He claimed it was a sign from their god that the land was theirs for the taking. I hated that story. I hated to see the stone hanging above him when he invited us to their welcoming. But now…now I see what he saw in it. I see…fate”

Laia just looked at the queen mumbling to herself. Her gaze rooted into the blue stone. But then Raenna suddenly shook herself from her day dream, coughing as she beat her chest. She continued.

“That doesn’t mean I will set Eli free. I will only let him live because of this small gesture…but he will remain my prisoner. Consider that a mercy” She ordered.

“But an-Tarsya…” Laia was about to raise her voice. But Keira interrupted.

“Laia, let our Tarsya rest before we force her to make a rash decision.” She said. Stern.

Laia stared at Keira. Her apprentice, whom she had always trained whole-heartedly seemed to lose respect to her simply because of a silver band around her arm. But Laia had to respect the customs of her people; about the authority of the head huntress to sit by the Tarsya. So she just nodded, clenching her teeth.

“Very well then, head huntress.” Laia sighed.

“Because Eli seems kind, I will not hurt him. I will give him proper food and a clean cell. But I’m afraid I am not ready to give him my trust. Give me time to decide his fate.” The Tarsya said as she received a cup of wine from her servant.

“Understood, an-Tarsya” Laia said in humble tone.

“Good. You are both dismissed.” Raenna ordered as she took a sip from her cup.