Mira's View (5 page)

The evening progressed into late night as
even larger amounts of wine were consumed. With each passing hour,
the elves became wilder and wilder. Galena watched the different
activities with increasing humor as they danced alone and with
others. She heard wild stories and stories from the past. She
smiled at the poetry recited and created on the spot, and laughed
at the jokes that flew in every direction. Elf pairs snuck off into
the shadows, while others simply sat around fires, holding hands.
There were large amounts of food consumed, always being replaced
by, yet another dish upon its disappearance. It was a grand
occasion in which everyone appeared to be having fun. Galena saw
Melan sneak off with Venia in the distance as she watched Tark
dancing with his commitment partner, Taura. His eyes twinkled as he
watched her dance around him in a kind of frenzy. In the distance,
she saw her father among the elders, deep in conversation.

Galena herself, felt extremely giddy.
I
could float on air
. Pulling on Elenio’s arm, she dragged him
out to dance by the fireside. A group of elves played different
instruments; pipes, drums, and stringed instruments all blending in
perfect harmony. They were currently playing a slow, sad song,
which didn’t match the mood of those around them, but Galena found
appealing just the same. Reaching for Elenio, she pulled him closer
to her. They danced around in circles until she felt quite dizzy,
making her cling tighter to him for fear of falling.

“Come with me,” he whispered in her ear.

Giggling, she let him lead her off into the
shadows. They walked slowly into the forest for the light was dim,
and continued until they could hear the music they had left behind,
grow fainter. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her.
She forgot everything, but Elenio’s warm mouth on hers. His lips
were soft, warm, and tasted of elderberry wine. Coming up for
breath, she gazed at him.

“Did I mention that I think you look
beautiful?” His voice sounded husky in the quiet of the night.
Blushing, she returned his gaze, caressing his face lovingly. His
face was a face that she would be able to love for an eternity. Her
heart swelled with pride. They may have a shorter life than those
of her ancestors’, but she was ready to make the most of it.

Galena was content just to embrace him,
savoring the moment, and simply enjoying being beside this
incredible elf as well as the peace and quiet from the constant
partying. However, something made her pull back.

There was a different feel and smell in the
air, a sort of tension that could readily be felt, tasted, even
heard. Breaking away completely, Galena searched the surrounding
forest to see what had made this change in the atmosphere.
Straining all of her senses, she heard leaves crunching followed by
an almost inaudible grunt. Elenio looked around as well, body just
as tense. Somewhere in the distance, where her family and friends
had gathered for the commitment ceremony, she heard a scream
followed by another.

Her heart leapt to her throat before crashing
down into the pit of her stomach.
They wouldn’t come out
tonight
, she thought to herself.
The torlics wouldn’t
interrupt this happy occasion, would they?
More and more
screams filled the night air, piercing the peacefulness with their
wails. Sparing a glance at Elenio, Galena tore off toward the
feasting area, Elenio hot on her trail.

Racing back into the clearing, Galena’s
stomach clenched painfully as she beheld the carnage before her.
Everywhere she looked, were fallen elves, both old and young. Some
still gasped for breath, while others appeared to be staring into
the night sky.

Fighting the panic that threatened to
overwhelm her, Galena searched for her brothers and father. She
found them fighting with torlic swords, attacking with gusto. Rage
filled their eyes as they spun in frenzied circles, cutting and
slashing any torlic that came across their path. Elenio came behind
her and taking in the sight, pulled the dagger that he had stored
under his tunic and threw it into the back of a torlic charging
Melan. Melan, noticing what had just happened, nodded in a brief
display of gratitude before plunging his sword into the belly of
another monster.

Racing to the torlic he had slain, Elenio
grabbed its sword, jumped into the air while he turned, cutting the
head off yet another beast. He grabbed this one’s sword and tossed
it to Galena, who was jerking up elves roughly, snapping them out
of their confusion, and shoving them toward the woods and safety.
But seeing the sword come her way, stopped and snatched it out of
the air, determination filling her as it always did when she held a
sword. She spun around, cutting the legs out from under a torlic
who chased the elves that were attempting to escape. Spinning, she
stabbed the next torlic in the back. She pulled her sword out just
in time to block the sword that was aimed at her neck. Sliding the
sword off her own, she swung the blade around, cutting off the
attacking torlic’s hand, which sprayed blood all over her.

He bellowed as both his hand and sword fell
to the ground with a clang. With his other hand, he hit Galena
across the face, sending her flying a few feet before she landed on
her back. She felt the air leave her lungs, momentarily stunned.
The torlic charged her, holding his bloody stump at his side and a
dagger in his remaining hand. Without hesitation, Galena thought of
fire, burning everything in its path. Instantly, her hand felt as
if it had received a shock. She cried out in pain as she watched
the torlic’s head catch fire. He screamed in agony, dropping to the
ground, thrashing around, and wailing into the night. Galena
cradled her hand, the pain was fading, but now, it felt as if it
had fallen asleep. She couldn’t control it at all, because of the
lack of feeling.

Melan stood above her, staring with wide
eyes. “You used magic and you’re okay...” He reached down to help
her up.

Seeing another monster charging Melan from
behind she opened her mouth to yell, but didn’t have time to get
the words out. The torlic came up behind him and thrust his sword
into Melan’s back. The tip stuck out from Melan’s chest. Screaming,
Galena jumped up and over both Melan and the great beast, swung her
sword around, and removed the monster’s head from his shoulders.
Melan collapsed to the ground, dead before he landed. His eyes
still held a surprised look, but they were empty of life.

Galena wailed her grief, cradling Melan’s
head, blood was dripping from his mouth and the horrible wound that
had taken his life. She called his name repeatedly with no effect.
Elenio ran over to her and grabbing her arms, he hauled her up.

Shaking her slightly as he held onto her, he
shouted, “We’re not done yet. Use your grief and avenge him. Don’t
let his death be wasted.” Letting her go, he ran back into the
fight, and engaged another vile creature with his sword.

Galena felt as if she had been slapped.
Standing, she gripped her sword, knowing that she was needed in
order for them to win. She still couldn’t feel her hand, but she
didn’t let that stop her. Screaming her pain, she charged an
oncoming torlic. She jumped up, doing a somersault high above his
head and landed gracefully behind him, she stabbed him in the back.
Kicking him off her blade, she turned to face the next one. After
what seemed like both an eternity and no time at all, there was
just her, Tark, Elenio, and her father standing.

Tark had a shallow cut across one of his
cheeks and a gash in his arm, but otherwise, he appeared to be
fine. Elenio was streaked with blood, though none of it appeared to
be his own. Her father, likewise, appeared to be no worse for wear.
Galena was covered in blood herself and, other than her numb hand,
felt exhausted, but fine.

“It’s you,” her father said quietly as he
took in the sight of Galena.

“What’s me?” she asked tiredly.

“You’re the chosen one,” he said, looking at
her with reverence. “You’re –“

Galena’s scream of panic cut him short. He
turned quickly toward the torlic running at him. He swung his sword
around, aiming at the torlic’s neck, but it was just as fast. The
torlic blocked the blow and swung to the left, where her father
prepared himself to block as the torlic had done. Galena saw what
was going to happen a second before it did. The torlic, in mid
swing, changed directions, plunging the sword deep into her
father’s stomach.

“Father!,
” Galena heard herself
scream. She watched in horror, as her father slumped to the ground,
and falling back, his body slid from the blade. Elenio was the
first to react. He raced to the torlic, blocking the first blow
aimed at him, he spun to the left, and slashed at the monster, but
the torlic was too quick. He too blocked Elenio’s blow, sliding his
sword across the blade and preparing to strike again. Quick as
lightening, Elenio twisted and stabbed the giant beast in the
stomach. Stunned, the torlic dropped his sword.

“Why have you attacked?” Elenio snarled at
the creature. “What have we done that Rau saw this necessary?”

Sneering, as blood dripped from his black
lips, the torlic replied in raspy voice, “Because he sensed someone
using magic without harm.”

Elenio pushed the sword farther in, causing
the torlic to breathe for the final time. He fell over onto his
side, dead. Elenio pulled the blade from the monster’s stomach with
a horrible squelching noise and threw it on the ground beside the
body.

Galena scrambled over to her father, trying
to stop the flow of blood that seemed to be rushing from the gaping
hole in his belly. Tark, who had beaten Galena to him, cradled
their father’s head in his lap, saying in broken sobs, “It’ll be
okay, just hang on. It’ll be okay.” He rocked back and forth,
stroking his father’s hair with each sway.

“Galena, it’s you,” her father choked. “You
are the one we have been waiting for.” He gasped for breath,
choking on the blood filling his lungs. “No elf has been able to
use magic in centuries, but you...” Grabbing her hands in his
clammy ones, he pulled her closer until her face was just inches
away. “You have to find the sword Mira promised Moira.” A coughing
fit racked his body before he could continue. “Go and find the
sword—it has to be you. I love... you all...remember... be brave...
my beautiful daughter,” he gurgled. Smiling at both of his
children, he closed his eyes and moved no more.

Galena felt the tears stream down her face,
her chest shook with the sobs that she could no longer control.
Tark hugged their father’s head closer, crying silently. Galena
could hear Elenio somewhere in the distance, searching over the
area for any more torlics, but couldn’t force herself to move so
that she could help him. Taura had wandered back into the clearing
as well and was searching for Tark and her family. When she found
them, she dropped to her knees beside Tark and looked at Gormon
lying on the ground. She placed a hand on Tark’s back, silent tears
streaming down her face as she took in the sight of her dead
father-in-law.

“Where is Melan?” Tark asked gruffly, his
voice filled with emotion.

Her still heart aching with horror of Melan’s
fate, she simply pointed to where his body lay. Seeing Venia bent
over a dark shape lying on the ground, wailing into the night, Tark
understood. Fresh sobs shook Galena anew. She leaned forward,
burying her face into her father’s bloody chest while Tark stood,
walking over to their dead brother’s body, and bringing Melan back
to them. Taura covered her eyes with her hands, sobbing more
audibly now as the devastation embraced her. Venia clung to her
commitment partner’s lifeless body until she saw who had him. She
relinquished her hold and stood to follow, silently sobbing as she
did. Galena couldn’t watch. It was just too much; half of her
family snatched away from her in a single evening. Together, they
grieved the loss of their loved ones as only a family could do.

Finding no other torlics, Elenio came to join
them. Holding Galena as she continued to wail, he stroked her hair
until she had cried herself out. Tark silently hung his head, grief
apparent in every muscle. He held his commitment partner who
continued to cry, while Venia appeared to be beyond tears as she
stared at Melan.

The sun began to creep over the edge of the
trees when other elves began to wander back into the clearing. They
looked for loved ones among the corpses; their cries of anguish
rent the air as they discovered friends and family alike. The male
elves gathered the bodies of the torlics into a large pile to be
burned. Every elf face showed signs of grief, from tear streaks to
the blank looks of one who couldn’t process all that had
happened.

For the first time, Galena looked up to see
the extent of damage that had been wrought. There were several dead
elves, all with looks of terror on their faces, as they lay in
various grotesque positions throughout the clearing. Family members
were starting to gather around the bodies, grieving in their own
ways. Many more torlics littered the ground, Galena saw, with grim
satisfaction, including the one with a blacked head.

Looking down at her hand, Galena realized she
was slowly and painfully, starting to regain feeling in it. She
flexed her fingers to see if any permanent damage had been done,
but all she felt was the prickling sensation of blood
returning.

“We need to leave now,” Elenio whispered
urgently, as he continued to stroke Galena’s hair.

“You’re right. Let’s take the bodies back to
our home where we can send them off,” Tark said thickly.

“No, I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s such
a good idea,” Elenio said cautiously.

Galena looked at him, noting the sense of
urgency in his voice.