Ascension - (Alarian Warriors)
Tiger stripes

Riku was still crying as Aveyon pulled away from the awkward embrace, untangling their arms.

“You know, you do not have to be afraid. If you want to join the others, you should.” She told the girl. She wondered how the child could cry so much. Was this normal?

“I know, these people were the ones that made it stop... but still.” Riku’s voice was shaky.

The child lifted her free hand, brushing her fingers against the scar below what was left of Aveyon’s right eye. Aveyon let her pull aside the hair that covered the deformity. She knew the girl had to see.

Riku gasped and pulled her hand sharply back as she saw what had been done to the Alarian Princess. She’d heard the stories from when she had arrived, but to see it. It was something else. Simply terrifying.

“You...You’ve had far more taken from you.” Riku added with a grim look on her face, her true age showing through her childish face.

Aveyon saw the eyes of a girl who knew far too much, of a young woman who had been forced to grow up too quickly, of a person who had endured hell, she saw herself reflected in those eyes. Her mouth opened slightly, was she feeling some sort of emotion?

Coming back to her senses Aveyon replied dryly. “It is nothing I cannot live without.”

“How can you do that, be so...unnerved?” Riku looked up in wonder.

Her face grew stiff, was her fake demeanour showing through? “I- I guess you just learn to live with it. If you cannot, what else is there?” She commented. “We must remember that we are free, we can now walk our own path, and no one is controlling us. No one will stop us.”

Riku seemed to think about that for a while. “How can we stop that from happening again?” she asked concerned.

Aveyon’s only answer was what she had been telling herself, she touched the girl's cheek gently and frowned. “For that to happen you and I must become stronger, strong enough for people like that not to have power over us.”

“Become stronger...” Riku repeated to herself. “Okay... I will try Princess.”

Aveyon shook her head. “Call me Aveyon, please.”

Riku looked up at her in wonder. “Av... Aveyon.” She tested it.

Aveyon nodded her approval. “Now, how about we see if we can have some fun with the other children?” She asked.

Riku stiffened taking a sharp intake of breath. “To be stronger?” She asked.

“Small steps, one foot at a time,” Aveyon Reassured her.

When Riku nodded Aveyon stood and helped the girl up. The child stuck to her hip like glue as she led them to the circle of children, Aveyon had an odd thought comparing her to the deer that had followed her last night.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at their approach. Rude little brats! Aveyon thought.

“Mind if we join in?” she asked quietly, trying to sound polite.

Vincent smiled up to her and nodded. “Please do.”

She was grateful for his quick response. She sat down, careful not to touch any of the other children. He then started up the next trick and the children turned their attention back to him, clapping and cheering. Riku climbed into her lap, she must have made a shocked face as Vincent laughed softly at her.

“How does he do that?” Riku whispered wide-eyed as Vincent made butterfly-shaped lifts appear from within his hands. They flapped and flew around the children, Riku couldn’t help but stare in wonder as Vincent entertained them with a light show.

“I am not sure.” Aveyon lied. “It must be magic.” She felt a warm sensation in her hands, and she glanced at Vincent, he winked at her. She moved her closed hands around the small girl placing them in front of her. Her hands slowly opened to reveal a blue butterfly made of light that fluttered off and flew around the girl before joining Vincent’s green ones.

To any outsider, it would appear to be magic, but essence-wielding was far from magic. It was a way of borrowing the life source from around you and transforming it. But it was a tricky craft, if you drew too much from yourself, others or from around you it would result in the death of the environment or even yourself. It required a lot of training and discipline to wield successfully. She wanted that control!

Vincent smiled sweetly at her as the girl gasped and then started giggling. Aveyon felt oddly distant from the group, she was there in body only. They sat together for a few hours, playing with the other children.

Riku was brave in that she tried talking to the others. The child soon appeared less broken than Aveyon and for that, she felt grateful.

No one should be as broken as I am. She had thought.

Thought the child couldn’t speak to the others without stuttering, and Aveyon glared at anyone who laughed shutting them up instantly. But to her surprise the other children didn’t tease or mock her, they accepted her and even started playing with her, though they learnt not to touch her fast.

The evening moon was soon disappearing into the horizon, and they were all ushered away inside, Riku however never left Aveyon’s side.

She was starting to compare the child to a parasite more than the deer now. They ate a small meal together, and when it was time for bed Riku was hesitant to ask. Aveyon rolled her eyes and motioned for her to follow.

“There is someone I want you to meet,” Aveyon told her as she walked a lengthy trail around the back of the estate. Heading to Emerald's room, they caught Elaina on the way in.

Seeing the other women made Riku hide behind Aveyon’s dress, clinging to it tightly. Aveyon couldn’t hide her stiffness either as the women approached her, but she made it a point not to back away.

Elaina smiled at the two but didn’t stop to chat. She lightly knocked on Emerald’s door before entering, in her hand was a tray of food for the elf.

“Thank you, Elaina.” Aveyon forced, as they followed the women into the room.

“It’s my pleasure, you two ladies are far too precious, I just wish there was more I could do.” He responded with a weak smile.

Glancing behind Aveyon’s legs she beamed at Riku. “Would you like to carry in the food for Aveyon’s friend?” she asked including the small girl.

Riku glanced up at Aveyon, she inclined her head at the girl in encouragement. Riku nodded at Elaina and moved forward to take the tray, the poor thing was shaking.

“I’ll leave you three to have some fun, come find me if you need anything,” she added before heading back to the main house.

Emerald was sitting up in bed with a bright smile on her lips. She looked to the little girl not missing the scars all three of them shared.

“This is Riku, Riku this is Emerald.” Aveyon introduced them. Reaching the bedside, she sat down. Riku moved forward and handed the tray to Emerald shyly.

“Thank you little one, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Emerald couldn’t contain her joy, she loved children.

It took a while for Riku to climb up on the bed. “Are you okay... You’re all green?” Riku asked, wondering why the woman was in the bed. Was she sick?

Emerald laughed. “Yes, I’m fine, I’m an elf, much like you. It’s normal for our race to have different coloured skin based on the clans, my dear. I’m getting better slowly, but I’m afraid I can’t walk just yet and I can’t attempt walking until I’m at full health.”

“An elf! Like me!?” Riku’s eyes widened.

Emerald responded by moving her hair behind her ears exposing the pointed tips for her to see. Riku touched the tops of her ears in awe, it seems the girl hasn't yet met another of her kind.

“My mother was Human,” Riku commented. “I was sold as a baby to the slave traders.”

“How old are you really child?” Emerald questioned curious.

“I’m not too sure exactly, the babies started dying not long after I was born, I was labelled a curse on the village...” She was becoming quitter with her speech, Aveyon could tell she was getting uncomfortable.

“Not to worry, age does not matter.” Emerald incurred. “What matters is that you are here now.” She tried to lighten the mood.

“It’s okay because now I can be a tiger, look I have strips!” She exclaimed, showing her wrists.

Emerald giggled. “And what a beautiful brave little tiger you are!” she added as she moved the food tray closer.

“Emerald and I were together for a very long time, unfortunately, once our captor died Emerald became very weak due to a lack of food and water.” Aveyon Explained.

Emerald nodded. “It was damn scary I didn’t know if I was going to wake up once I fell asleep.”

Riku gasped and crawled closer. “Eat much more! Get fat!”

Emerald laughed at the child’s reaction, she nodded and began to eat the food. The three got to talking and time passed quickly. They told Riku their stories, their lives before and during, leaving out details she didn’t need to know. But it helped the girl open up about what had happened to her as well.

Though she’d been savagely beaten by her captors, Aveyon was relieved to hear that the women in charge of the child wouldn’t allow the men to touch the children in an inappropriate way. That didn’t make her story any less heart-retching. Emerald cried for the girl; Aveyon however wasn’t sure how to feel bad for the child. She’d been through worse, what was the point in shedding tears?

“I wouldn’t have survived if not for Aveyon, friends are precious, don’t ever forget that.” The elf told her.

Riku nodded. “Can you and Aveyon be my friends?” She asked.

Emerald smiled at the child, wiping away her tears. “Of course, but don’t forget that you need to make other friends as well, all the people at the Sanctuary can be your friends.”

“Even the boys?” Riku asked with a disgusted look on her face.

“Depends on the boy,” Emerald told her with a wink.

“Emerald, do not give the girl ideas. You be friends with the ones you want to, the best thing about friends is that you can choose them.”

“So, Vincent is friends with Aveyon? “Riku asked.

Emerald eyed Aveyon as she shrugged. “Is that so, have you not been telling me the gossip?”

Aveyon frowned. “No, it is nothing like that.”

Emerald raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think that’s what Riku here would say.”

Riku started laughing. “He smiled really big at her today then winked.”

Rolling her eyes, Aveyon reached across the bed and tickled Riku causing her to giggle and squirm. Emerald smiled but couldn’t hide the sadness. Aveyon caught on quickly realizing she was probably thinking about her son.

“Emerald are you okay, I did not hurt your feelings, did I?” Aveyon wondered if bringing the child with her was suddenly a bad idea. Emerald shook her head and smiled, but her eyes held a sadness to them.

“Did I do something wrong?” Riku asked.

“Oh, no sweetie! It’s just that I have a son that would look around your age.” Emerald blinked back tears.

Riku sat closer and placed her hand on Emerald’s arm. “A brother protected me for a while, but he was sold away. Where is your son?” She asked.

“He was sold to slavery as soon as he was born. I haven’t seen him since I gave birth to him.” Emerald shivered at the memory.

Aveyon cringed, though Aveyon hadn’t been there when it had happened, she’d heard the cries of agony and could only imagine the pain and heartache Emerald had gone through that day.

Emerald’s child would be along the lines of around 60 years old. But being a half-elf like Riku meant he would look the same as an 8 to 10-year-old human.

They guessed Riku was around the 50-60 age range. From what Aveyon had gathered by the ages of the children and no newborns, the cycle had life had run dry around 50 years ago. The children were higher sort out in slave markets as they couldn’t be produced anymore.

“Once I get stronger, I’m going to find him and give him a good home,” Emerald added, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group.

Riku was shocked, she’d been in the same position as the young boy only a mere two weeks ago.

“Once you find him, I promise I’ll make friends with him.” She told Emerald being as serious as she could.

Emerald smiled. “I’d like that, I’d like that a lot. Thank you.”

Riku nodded and yawned.

“I think it’s time for bed little one,” Emerald added.

Aveyon leaned over and kissed Emerald on the forehead and left the bed, holding her hand out for Riku. It was evident that the girl was far too sleepy to walk on her own so Aveyon picked her up allowing her to rest her head against her shoulder. She grimaced, she was rather heavy and appeared to start drooling once she fell asleep, what had she gotten herself into?

Emerald laughed. “Children do that, don’t worry. By the way, how are you holding up with the whole blood thing?”

Aveyon was glad that Emerald had waited for the girl to fall asleep before asking, the last thing she wanted was to scare the small thing.

“There are no cravings thankfully, I can eat regular food for around a month before needing more. But my essence is... I think my vessel is broken; I may need to feed more often to keep my essence filled.”

Emerald frowned. “Broken?” she asked concerned.

“Removing my eye was an experiment to see if Bevan could extend his life but it made me lose a lot of my power.” She sighed. “I lack any other training, so I do not know how bad it is, but I do not have a lot I can call on and it’s leaking out of me with each passing day.”

“Erosvent does not need to feed, how does he recharge?” Emerald asked.

Aveyon’s head tilted to one side. “That is a forbidden ritual, it may be an option, but I know too little about it.”

“Maybe ask, there may be a way to get you that strength faster, you’re going to need it after all.”

Aveyon nodded. “Get some rest, okay, I will talk to Erosvent about it.”

Taking the child with her she closed Emerald’s door and allowed the elf to rest. She was looking far better than before; she had a darker tone to her skin now and her face wasn’t as sunken in as it had once been.

A thought struck her as she was going to take the child back to her room, she didn’t know where Riku’s room was. She would have to go into the main building to find Elaina.

The thought made her uncomfortable. Step two; enter a closed space. Can’t stop now. She told herself.

Shifting Riku’s weight to her hip she headed for the main building.

Approaching the large building she stopped dead as she heard voices. Erosvent was there, with another male-only inches from the door before her. She was hesitant to enter, but she needed to find Elaina. Erosvent would know where she was, it wouldn’t be wise to wait, and she also needed to speak to him. It was now or never.

She opened the door awkwardly with one hand, balancing the child on her hip.

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