Grace for The Fallen

Gifts and Destiny

Daetheia Grace

I almost forgot that the Skrul was even there as he led me down the passage. The only time that he had made his presence known was when I hadn't realised that I was turning down a side tunnel.

"You don't want to go down that way. I'm not the worst thing living in this cave." His evil smirk was a s***h of white in the darkness, and I didn't bother to repress my shiver. But strangely enough, I wasn't scared of him. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, no matter what people said about him. Anybody who lived in a dark cave without seeing another living thing except for when they wanted something from him was guaranteed to go a bit insane.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I was suddenly blinded by a light. I covered my eyes and blinked, wondering if the Skrul had done that flashy thing again. But somehow, this light seemed... warmer. And less concentrated. More like we were outdoors under the sun. I pulled my hand away from my eyes and gasped.

We had emerged into a huge cavern. It had a hole in the roof with buttery sunlight pouring through it like honey. There was a small stream that cut through the middle of the cave and widened into a shallow pool before disappearing back into the shadow of the rock walls, where it vanished just as abruptly as it had appeared. There were smooth stones dotted around the pool, providing passage to the other side of the cavern where a magnificent tree burst forth from the stone floor and brushed the roof of the cave.

The tree had bark even whiter than the trees of the Vhugala Forest. It was such a pure white that it almost hurt to look at, my worldly eyes immediately looking for blemishes and, upon finding none, deeming the colour impossible. Because surely, something that pure could not exist. The leaves were a beautiful pastel pink, and almost seemed to be dipped in glitter. They were sparkling in the sunlight that streamed through the roof, and I was suddenly aware of how far up through the mountain we must have walked to be able to see the sunlight.

There was a corner in the cave that was covered in soft, green moss. The Skrul walked straight for that corner without a pause, and I followed him after taking in the scenery for a second.

"Is this where you live?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I am not a creature of sunlight and beauty." He responded simply.

"Oh. Then... why are we here? I mean," I continued, suddenly self-conscious under his piercing gaze, "Wouldn't you want to be in a place more comfortable for you?" The Skrul c****d his head slightly, the movement almost comical if it weren't for the constant predatory glint in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, have I offended you in some way?" I asked hesitantly after a few awkward moments of silence.

"No," the Skrul responded, "It is just strange. Nobody has asked me what I would prefer before."

My eyebrows furrowed, and I was once again hit with a strong surge of pity for the Skrul. I reached out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder but, exactly like last time, he flinched almost imperceptibly and pulled away immediately. He quickly sat down cross-legged on the fluffy moss and motioned for me to do the same.

I frowned but didn't prod, instead just sliding down onto the moss. I couldn't resist a little sigh as I sank down into the moss and ran my palm over the velvet greenery. I was suddenly aware of the Skrul looking at me again, and shifted uncomfortably.

"You are different, Daetheia Grace," his voice sounded almost confused, "I have not met an Elf like you in a long time."

"Um... thanks?" Suddenly I realised something, "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"Oh, that one's easy," he replied, "I saw you coming."

"Ok." Though I was still confused, I decided not to question him. It would probably just lead to more confusion if I did anyway.

"Now, Elfling, are you ready to receive your gifts?"

"I guess," I replied hesitantly, not bothering to correct him when he called me an Elfling. All Elves must seem young if he is as old as he said. "Do you give the gifts?" He tilted his head as if considering the question.

"No," he replied eventually, "All of your original gifts are already locked inside you. I just happen to be the one with the key." He opened his hand in front of his face, and a sphere of purple so deep it was almost black appeared, floating above his palm. The only way that I could think to describe it was pure, undiluted power. Its presence was like a magnet, and I felt myself being drawn towards it more strongly with each passing second.

"However, I do have the ability to give additional gifts, if I deem the Elf worthy," At this, the orb glowed brighter, and I was transfixed. "But, more importantly, I also have the ability to take gifts away, if I search the Elf's soul and find them... undeserving." The orb suddenly disappeared as the Skrul snapped his fingers shut and I gave a start, blinking as if coming out of a deep sleep. I looked up, only to see the Skrul looking at me with reprimanding in his eyes.

"Be careful, Daetheia Grace," he warned, caution and something almost like bitterness in his tone, "Even the most sensible of mind and purest of heart can be turned by power." I swallowed and nodded, my head slightly bowed in shame.

"But now, you will receive your gifts," he suddenly announced, his tone brisk and commanding. He put a milky hand on my forehead, and I was suddenly aware of how horrifically scarred his otherwise smooth hands were. He looked into my eyes, and I almost shivered at how much power and bitterness they held. But there was a slight softness to them that hadn't been there before. If I had to guess, I would say that it was... pity. Then it was gone.

"This may hurt a bit." The last thing that I saw before I blacked out was his amused smirk, then searing pain ripped through me and I was out before I could even scream.

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I woke up with a back against the moss and aching in every one of my joints. I groaned softly as I tried to sit up, and ended up simply collapsing back onto the moss. Instead, I settled for just lifting up my arm to see if my skin looked as raw as it felt. It didn't. Rather, it now had the faint golden glow around it that I had noticed on most of the Elves in The Valley. I looked up and whipped my head around, searching for the Skrul.

Where did he go?

I tried to get up again. I needed to find him. He had some explaining to do.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," a familiar voice came from my right, and I swung my head around again.

"Where are you?" I asked frantically. I could never tell with him. His voice came from everywhere and yet nowhere, and if he didn't want to make a sound then even my now-Elf-hearing couldn't pick him up.

"I can be everywhere and nowhere."

"Please. No games. I'm really not in the mood after getting my insides boiled and my skin set on fire."

"Ah, yes, I suppose I should explain that." He chuckled slightly, and I glared around the room. All fear I had had of him had faded.

I felt an odd prickling sensation at the back of my neck and turned around painfully. I was met with nothing but a bare rock wall behind me. But I knew he was there. I don't know how, but I did. I looked harder and, sure enough, the dark eyes and evil smirk shimmered into existence before me. It was an unsettling effect, as the rest of his body and face was still in shadow. I assumed it was in shadow. Unless he really could be anywhere and nowhere. I shook my head slightly. No use in thinking of such things.

"Why shouldn't I do that?" I questioned, referring to what he had greeted me with. His eyes and face disappeared, and he reappeared directly in front of me. I jumped a little bit the hissed at the pain it caused me. The Skrul's eyes glittered with cruel amusement, and I glared at him.

"You should not do that, because your body has just been hit with a blast of raw power. Parts of your body and brain that have lain dormant your whole life have just been woken up. Basically, you have just had your molecules rearranged, so I suggest you take it easy for a bit." The only thing that I could think to say to that was;

"You told me that it would only hurt a little bit,"

"Ah, yes. My bad." His smirk returned briefly, then disappeared again into a slight frown, "You handle power very well, Daetheia Grace. Most who have received close to your amount of gifts were passed out for several hours, and had a sort of temporary brain damage. But you were only out for half an hour, and your brain seemed fine. Better than fine, actually." He c****d his head again, and I realised that, for some reason, I was like a sort of puzzle to him. Interesting, yet something that one could get tired of quickly. The thought wasn't exactly comforting.

"Um... ok." I responded, then; "You do know that you could just call me Daetheia, right?" He simply shrugged in response and looked at me a bit weirdly before we promptly lapsed into another awkward silence. This one, however, was surprisingly broken by the Skrul.

"I know what your gifts are," he suddenly announced, "Would you like to know? Some Elves prefer to figure them out as they go along."

"No, I want to know. Please." I requested. He looked at me with that strange look of almost-pity in his eyes again before speaking.

"You have more gifts than anyone has gotten for a long time, Daetheia. You have the smaller, less significant gifts of hunting, chlorokinesis, duplication of self, panmnesia, lycanthropy and even further advanced senses as well as the stronger gifts of telepathy, swordsmanship, future-reading, photokinesis, as well as... the gift of Death," I swallowed. That's a lot of gifts.

"The gift of Death? What does that mean?"

"You have a gift for Death. What else could it mean?" I frowned and shook my head at his question, showing that I didn't know what else it could mean. I had just been hoping that it wasn't as bad as it sounded, but apparently it was.

"Why does it matter how many gifts an Elf has?" I asked. The Skrul looked at me incredulously.

"Because of the prophecy."

"Prophecy?"

"Are you telling me that those Elves didn't even..." His voice trailed off as he sighed heavily, then shook his head. "Fine. I'll tell you." He sighed again then began to recite monotonously;

"Two warriors will travel deep

into the forgotten land in which they seek

the mind-reader made of stone,

hidden in the lost city buried in bone.

The one with gifts to surpass a decade

will decide if ties be severed or made."

I listened intently, but none of it made sense to me. Well, one part did.

"'Gifts to surpass a decade,'" I mused, "So... me?" The Skrul nodded silently.

"I gave that prophecy over 80 years ago,"

"No wonder it's so cheery," he stopped and looked at me strangely, "Never mind," I muttered. He eyed me for a second then continued.

"I was beginning to think that I would not live to see it come to pass. And yet here you are." He sounded almost disappointed.

"I... I don't understand," I stuttered, "'Forgotten land? Mind-reader? Buried in bone?'" The Skrul shrugged.

"Ask your Elf Leader. I'm sure she has some theories."

"Couldn't... couldn't you just tell me what it means? After all, you were the one that gave the prophecy." His eyes crinkled, and I could swear that I saw a spark of amusement in them.

"It doesn't work like that. I cannot give you the meaning of anything in the prophecy. But I can give you some tips since you seem different from the other Elves." He seemed to think for a moment, then looked back at me.

"Have someone tell you the real story of what happened at the last meeting between Elves and humans. I can only imagine what sort of nonsense they feed you back in your world. Think very carefully on the one leader who survived, where he came from, and go from there." I listened carefully, then nodded to show that I understood.

"Thank you,"

"Oh, don't thank me yet," his evil grin was back. I sighed and shook my head, hiding a smile. I had begun to find his pessimistic nature slightly endearing.

He looked up at the hole in the roof and sighed.

"You should be going. Though I admit that I wish you wouldn't. I haven't had decent company in so long." My heart gave a twang.

"I'm sorry. I'll come back to visit, I promise." The Skrul looked at me, and I could see the barest hint of hope in his black eyes before it disappeared and he sighed.

"That's what they always say. But they never come. Who would come back for a friendly visit with a monster?"

"I don't break my promises. And you are not a monster." He looked at me disbelievingly, so I sighed, "Read my thoughts. See if I'm lying," I invited. His immaculate eyebrows shot up, but I saw his eyes lose focus and knew that he was looking. His head snapped up and he looked at me with an emotion that I couldn't quite place.

"You are... telling the truth," he whispered with a sort of awe in his voice. I rolled my eyes but nodded with a slight smile on my face. "...Thank you. Can I... do you mind if I gave you another gift?" His cruel and cold façade was gone, replaced with a new vulnerability that I doubt many had ever seen.

"Will it hurt?" I asked in response. The amusement flashed again in his eyes.

"No, this one will not hurt."

"Ok then," I nodded, and he simply placed a scarred palm on my forehead again. I tensed, but the Skrul hadn't been lying. The new gift flowed over me like warm honey, comforting and sweet. He removed his hand and I opened my eyes.

"What was it?" I asked, wondering what gift he had decided to give me. He simply shook his head.

"This one I will not tell. You will have to figure it out on your own," I sighed dramatically, but stopped when I heard a strange sound. I stared in stunned silence at the Skrul as he chuckled. Chuckled. In genuine amusement. He didn't comment, simply standing up and brushing himself off. He offered me his hand and I took it to pull myself up. I followed him back across the cavern to the tunnel on the other side, taking one last look at the tree before darkness obscured my view.

This time the Skrul walked beside me, his skin emitting a slight glow so that I could see him and the path at all times. It was both a blessing and a curse.

"You let me walk this path in the dark? What if I had fallen?" I asked incredulously as I looked at where the ground fell away into a sheer drop on both sides.

"I wouldn't have let you fall," he replied simply, and I snorted.

"Why do I not believe that," I mumbled playfully.

I finally began to see daylight, and the Skrul stopped me just before the light got too bright.

"This is where I leave you," he muttered, and I nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry that I have to leave you alone again, but I promise that I will be back."

"Thank you. Though I do like being alone, company is always appreciated. As long as it's the right sort." I grinned at him and held out my hand to shake. He looked at it then at me, confused. I sighed in exasperation and took his hand in mine, showing him how to shake. Before I had even shaken it once, however, he tore it out of my grasp and cradled it to him as if I had burnt him.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." I started, but he shook his head and stopped me.

"No, it's not your fault. It's just..." he sighed and shook his head, "A story for next time, I suppose." I nodded in understanding and bowed to him instead, waving my hand in front of me with a dramatic flourish.

"Farewell, good sir. I shall return," I said in a haughty voice. He cracked the first real smile I had seen out of him the whole time I had been there. It was beautiful.

"I will see you soon, I hope,"

"You will. Thank you." His smile widened.

"You are different, Daetheia. Don't let the world change you." With that, he turned and was gone, swallowed by – or perhaps becoming – the shadows.

I breathed deeply and turned to the small square of light, stepping towards it.

I was surprised to find myself strangely reluctant to leave. 

-Rebecca Underwood