Of Beginnings and Endings (Mabinogi AU Oneshot)
It was strange once again for all of them, especially since Altam had become the new leader of the Alban Knights, to find themselves in the memories of Elysia, no longer displaced in worlds and shielded from unsuspecting eyes by Aton Cimeni's will.
Especially they now see an older, and much more mature Elysia on the lap of Altam's old mentor, Ronan. The melodic voice of Elysia filled their ears as the mystery of the disappearance of Altam's mentor before he once more showed up with Altam in his arms unfold, as Ronan caresses a noticeable large bump on Elysia.
"Ronan, what should we name the child?" Elysia slips off his lap and twirled around, her dress flutters as she holds her heavily swollen belly. "I think Alistair is a lovely name for a boy, maybe Tieve if they turn out to be a girl."
Ronan smiles and laughs as he follows her . "Perhaps Keaghan, but maybe Altam. I always wanted to name a son that." Elysia smiles but it falls off when the night edges near and the ground shudders as gods and beasts start to roam once more.
Elysia eyes the crude carved statue of Aton Cimeni as do others. "... soon you be able to return. Your god has promised that." Ronan grimaced as the others watching did. " Aton Cimeni did... for myself and the baby once they're born. I wished they did the same for you. I-" Elysia hushes him, placing finger and slightly bends down to peck his forehead. "Aton Cimeni has done enough. I am not a being of his jurisdiction nor have I given him any reason to do so."
She eyes the assortment of armor and weapons next to the threshold of the little hobble they called home. "It is also my time to fulfill my duty. I rather have both of you live and be happy in that world then to for you both to rot in a dying world with me."
Ronan falls silent but he moves close to embrace Elysia, falling down to his knees as he holds as she gentle pets his head.
"Will you promise to find me and our child if you do find your way towards us?"
Elysia breathed and she grimaced and sobbed. Her grey eyes glistened and tears started to fall down her pale skin.
"Please don't ask me that. Don't make me hope for the impossible."
The scene changes around them and Altam is given a reassuring tap from Avelin as it changes to a field of carnage, the corpses of people, beasts and gods alike litter the field. They see her, and she struggles, she strives forwards, plunging and hacking off the incoming waves of her enemies. Till their eyes widened and fear filled them, paralyzing them as they witness the most unholy of gods descending upon her and she slaughters them, and in retribution, the ashes of the fallen gods affect the world, decaying everything, taking the world of Elysia's memories with them.
Elysia is moving towards something, and all is silent as no more was left but Elysia, a bonfire and a stalwart emissary.
The sky is dark and the eclipsed sun look downs upon them all as she took slow steps up and towards the bonfire. Elysia looked exhausted, weary and distraught as the world around her starts to crumble. Her sword gleams slightly, chipped and smothered by ashes and blood and she swings it to her side.
Bowing deeply towards the emissary, before resuming to her stance.
She murmurs in a small and solemn voice, "Soul of Cinder, protector of the First Flame. I am Elysia of Astoria."
The Knights watch in baited breath as the emissary rises and in turn it bows. But it did not respond in kind, instead it howls as it charges towards Elysia taking the flame embraced sword with it and swung. She responds in kind, the shield she carries is sacrificed to allow her to send a flurry of slashes before she rolls out of the way.
Phine gasps as during one of the exchanges, Elysia is caught pieced through by the sword of the emissary and slung forward into the debris of metal and flowers. The cry was heart wrenching as they watch her scramble to her footing and riposte the other and deals a savage blow to the other.
Time felt like it has been frozen over, but Caswyn notices a light coming from her neck and it revealed a necklace of their god. And the others noticed too as Elysia triumphs over the emissary but they all know its not over as the other plunges their sword into the ground and is engulfed in blazing inferno.
Elysia starts to become engulfed in fire too but in comparison, she is just merely embers compared to the stalwart of fire. But they knew she would succeed, even if the odds seemed grim.
The Soul of Cinders rains down Lighting and Light, hailing down on Elysia as she weaves through and whittles them down with all her might. With one last breath, Elysia plunges forward, piercing them with her sword. The other takes steps back, howling as they twist around to fall to the ground, the gaze turned towards the sun before exploding in starlight and ash.
The bonfire explodes and Elysia gives a sobbing sigh of relief.
She drags herself towards the bonfire and raises her hand. But she hesitates and retracts it. The knights peer over and see markings, glowing white as she stares at it . Her voice cracks as she knelt before it and activates it.
"I told you R-Ronan. I can't make the promise you want."
The markings glow and rises up a familiar figure from the memories they watched and the Fire Keeper from the shrine rises up and turns towards the First Flame. The Fire Keeper takes a few steps before kneeling down, gathering the wilting Flame. Elysia knees beside her, her blade tossed aside as the world darkens around then and the First Flame is cradled in the Fire Keeper's Hand.
"The First Flame quickly fades."
The Knights watch them from across the bonfire, as they watch in sadness as all the pain washes from Elysia and she starts to breath in shallow breaths.
"Darkness will shortly settle... But one day, tiny flames will dance across the darkness."
Elysia's shallow breaths echo as the other spoke.
"Like embers, linked by lords past."
The Flame Keeper spoke and her voice sends shudders through the knights. Unsure what's to become now of the deal Elysia has soon to be made. Darkness envelopes them all and the breathing heard by the Fire Keeper and Elysia is when the Fire Keeper's voice cuts through the darkness.
Ashen One. Hearest thou my voice, still?
The memories suddenly cut off and they all are suddenly before Elysia, sleeping in the snow of Sidhe Sneachta.
"Oh..." Elysia cried out but she remained asleep. "Fire Keeper, has thy flames woken once more? Am I to return?"
The falling snow and the silence echoed after and Elysia weeps in her sleep.
"I don't want to leave my son, but I don't want to forget home."
Llywelyn guides them back except Altam away from Elysia. All of them understood. This was sacred to her after all, they must leave her to her reprieve.
A soul like her must be allowed this, for she deserved this much.
Altam sits by her and covers her with his cloak as he made a small bonfire like his mother taught him, something looking so simple yet ever lasting in the cold forest mountains.
He hums a tune, unsure of where it comes from, perhaps from his father, maybe from his mother.
He could feel Talvish watching, maybe from their memory traversing through Elysia's memory, or his close proximity to his mother, as he is the strongest in connection to the Divine Light. A tug pulls him a bit from the hymns he murmurs into the world and he see his mother grasping his suit, and he quickly releases her fingers, gently as he could as he allows her to grasps his own.
