Born of Light and Power

Chapter 5

Elder Fergus watched as his apprentice left the room, running off to find the woman from his showing. Fergus sighed as he remembered his first showing. The connection between him and his subject still burned bright almost 1000 years later. It had recently gotten even stronger, which surprised him since it had dulled when she left Aureum 800 years ago, just as his showing predicted.

He chuckled lowly. He was in an exceedingly good mood today. He could feel her so intensely it was like a fire was warming his soul. She was near.

“Are you going to lurk in the shadows for the rest of my visit, or are you going to say hello to an old friend?”

He heard grumbling in the shadows of the balcony and soon a tall female elf appeared in the archway. Her white hair shone against the dimming light of a setting sun, and her honey eyes were glowing brightly, practically a beacon for his heart. He felt the ancient magic swirling with excitement around him as she glared in his direction.

“Faenear,” he said with a smile. “It’s been too long.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Fergus,” she said with irritation dripping from her tone. “How did you know I was here?”

“You seem to forget about our connection, Fae. I know when you are near. I was surprised to feel you return to Aureum a few days ago.”

Her eyes softened and her posture weakened. She walked towards him slowly, her eyes never leaving his.

“You still feel me? After all this time?”

She was a few feet from him now. Her eyes were searching his for signs of deception. She hadn’t been able to trust Fergus since he had betrayed her 800 years ago.

“Of course. As long as we are both alive, I can feel you. Even when you leave this realm, I can feel you are alive.”

He could see her fingers twitching, longing to reach out and hug her old friend. He took a step closer to her, but she stepped back and shook her head.

“I still haven’t forgiven you, Fergus. And I still haven’t forgotten him.” Her eyes were glistening with tears that were threatening to fall.

“Why are you back, Fae?”

“To make sure my ancestor isn’t executed, of course. It’s not her fault some meddling fairy couldn’t leave well enough alone.”

“Wait, your ancestor is here? I thought they were all in the Earthen...” his eyes widened as he understood what she was saying. “Fae, is your ancestor the young woman upstairs?”

She nodded.

“Damn fairies,” she muttered. “You’d think they’d leave the humans alone after they discovered their changelings but NO! No. It's like a compulsion for them,” she said hastily with an eye roll.

Fergus was barely hearing what she was saying.

“Your ancestor is part elf?”

Faenear looked at him annoyed.

“More like a full-blooded elf. And then some,” she said dryly.

“How?”

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“It's a long story, Fergus,” she said.

“Then we had better get started. Because my apprentice had a pretty substantial showing...”

“I know about her future, Fergus. Why do you think I’m here trying to protect her?”

“As your Elder, I demand you explain. Now!”

Fanear threw her head back and laughed at him. A loud, mocking laugh.

“YOU are NOT MY ELDER!” She yelled. All the anger she had been bottling up inside overflowed. All the things she had been wanting to say to Fergus for the last 800 years came rushing forcefully to the surface.

“The nerve of you Elders thinking you can demand things from me. Your master felt the same way. Remember when YOU took my spot as an apprentice? Simply because I was a woman?” She walked close to him, fury in her eyes. The glow was almost blinding. “I was the MOST powerful elf ever conceived, Fergus. ME!” She shouted. “YOU and YOUR Elder discarded me like I was nothing! You DON’T get to demand anything from me!” She poked his chest forcefully with her last statement, rage seeping from her pores. Fergus could practically see the flames of her anger in her eyes as they glowed even brighter.

“How did you find out about your power?” He asked her quietly. “I mean, I know you are aware of it now obviously, after everything that happened there...”

She scoffed at him again.

“Did you really think that would be kept a secret? I had a role to play, Fergus. I would’ve been much more prepared if you had told me from the second you saw it,” she was calming down. It had been a long time since the events that shaped her and her family’s future had unfolded. Still, her anger with her clan simmered deep under her well-composed surface. “Your Elder’s Elder told me. McKinnon. He warned me after I left Rowealwood and came here. He begged me to return home, to seek out your guidance and strengthen this bond, but I refused. He helped me here instead. He and the Fae Queen at the time helped train me and help prepare me for the war I had to win.”

“I know you lost Darien in that war, Fae. I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” Fergus said as he reached his hand out and placed it gently on her shoulder. “He was only a human. They are so... so fragile.”

She looked at him with rage again. He saw ice forming on her shoulders like pauldrons and around her hands like gloves. She was even more angry.

“You have no idea who he was, Fergus. He was far more than a human,” she spat. She turned on her heel and walked back to the balcony. “You think I am powerful? He was far more powerful than me!” she yelled over her shoulder.

“Fae, where are you going?” He yelled back. “Aren’t you going to protect her?”

She whipped around. Her once honey eyes were ice blue. The staff that hung on her back was glowing brightly.

“I need to be away from you for a little bit. You are pushing me close to losing control! I will be close by. Maybe we can try this conversation again once I’ve cooled off,” she turned and continued walking to the balcony and hopped over the guardrail down to the gardens below.

Fergus sat back down in his chair. His once good mood had turned darker, not foul or angry, just disappointed and confused.

So the girl wasn’t human. Ancient Elven blood courses through her veins. But how was that possible? Darien definitely wasn’t an elf and, as far as he knew, there weren’t any elves in the Earthen Realm apart from Faenear. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. She had always been fiery. That was one of the things he loved about her all those years ago. Before his showing, before he became an apprentice, he hoped she would step back from trying to prove herself and settle down with him.

He heard laughter and footsteps approaching the door, along with a huge pulse of ancient magic. He looked towards the door as it opened to see the honey eyes he had longed for and loved for a millennium walking through the door with Caelum.