Chapter 7 - Bloodlines

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“Do we have the time for this?” Darius asked hesitantly as the wellbeing of his grandfather weighed on his mind. His father did not give an immediate response and instead rode in silence as his horse led a trail of oxen up a narrow path and over the crunching of the forest floor. “Father,” He tried again.
"The waters must be protected at all costs as well you know...” The Maester finally snapped. “Without it…” His voice lowered as he continued. “Without it we have no future.”
Darius simply nodded. It was not what he meant. He knew the history of his people all too well but Looking back at carriages that carried bodies of the dead behind them, the notion that the enemy could be in pursuit worried him. Surely they would be faster without the dead he thought but did not voice this opinion. His father was cold at times but even he was not heartless. He was going to bury his brother after all. Darius gripped the bracelet on his arm.
“So he finally found the courage to ask you,” His father spoke again.
“You knew?”
“I may have gave him a little push.” 
“What did you say?”
“Nothing more than was needed and nothing less than was required.“He asked me today of all days.” Darius said with a sadness itched on his face.
“Fate works in mysterious ways my son,” Damani sighed.” Cherish this friendship until the end, Darius.”
“How can you speak so calmly at such a time.”
“The time calls for it, Darius. My heart is broken but there will be a time to mourn. I have a duty to my people first and foremost.”
Darius's head dropped.
“You are my son. The strength is there with you. Until you find it, Amadeus will be at your side to lean on.” 
After what seemed like a full day of rain, the dark clouds that had gathered overhead finally began to part and the first sun of the day began to cut through the clouds and pierce through the leaves. They passed a long winding river with moss lichen covered boulders rising out from the water that was gentle and carried the water downstream. Darius noticed the clearance in the trees where logs lay dead on the ground, rotting in the soil, remnants from when the Atholians had ransacked the area and torched the forest amidst the chaos.  
“This place serves as a reminder for what has happened. When it grows back it may not resemble what was lost and yet it will grow back and it will be beautiful.”
“How did it come to be that we became so dependent on a pool of water.”
“I honestly do not believe we were destined to exist and yet we found a way to endure. That is our will of fire.”
“Do you truly believe that we are protected by something higher?” Darius asked.
“The will of fire will not stop any harm that may befall my father if that is what you're asking. It did however give him the strength to walk into the clutches of evil.”
“Would you have done the same? Could I have?”
“Strength comes in many forms, Darius. Though we may share the same blood, our hearts are our own.”
“Answer the question.”
“If by giving my life would but give hope that you may live then yes... without a second thought. A day will come when your heart steps forward before your legs even realise they have been asked to move.
“I see… So what are we going to do when we get to Kona?”
“We will see. Even with Kona and the support of Cilbaen and Lionsford. That too would still not be enough to strike at Athol, especially now that they have control over the fiends.”
“I thought as much. East and west divided as it has always been.” 
“We are at a crossroads in history, Darius. The future of our world will be decided in what happens over the coming days. Our only hope is that the King can convince Nakari to fight.” The thought disgusted Damani.
“Some chance of that happening,” Darius replied. He too knew the name of the notorious lord of Sovos.
“Tobias must make himself heard.”
“He did not look himself today?”
“You noticed that too? It does seem he has been hiding an illness.”
“I thought those with the blood of Kona could not get sick.”
“These are indeed strange times. Who would have thought the sight of a dragon would not be the strangest thing we see today.”
“The Alami, They lived on Falaj didn't they? Could they know something of the beast's return?”
“Perhaps... but what few of them remain have long gone into hiding. The King will know of their location, of that I am sure. But ever since the sealing of alchemy they do not take well with outsiders.” 
“I’ll seek them out.”
“You will?”
“Somebody has to go and try and get answers. I have proved myself capable have I not?
“It’s not that I doubted you Darius. Your life carries the weight of the Tassinari bloodline.”
“Perhaps this is where I find my strength. Perhaps this is where I awaken my will of fire.”
“You speak like a true hero. The strength is already within you, believe me.
“So I have your blessing?” 
“You must always follow your heart Darius. Just hold off until we get to Kona at the very least. You can rest a few days in the capital before setting out. It will give us time to gauge our options and allow me more time to talk to Tobias. There may still yet be another way.”
“There isn’t, and we would just be wasting time we do not have thinking that there is. A dragon lingers in this world and we must know how. Perhaps there is another source of alchemy that we can harness. There may still be time to turn the tide.”
“Perhaps… but you will not carry this burden yourself. I’ll ask Amadeus to go with you once more.”
“He’s still mourning his father.”
“It’s best that he's kept occupied. A mind can be a dangerous thing when left to wander. He would follow you to the end of the earth, he's your blood brother now after all.”
“He’s done as much already.” 
“Then Alami were the protectors of the Alchemy stone but if they knew something we must assume they would have told us by now.”
“I believe Mateusz used us to lure the dragon out. Why else would he have stalled his attack? The garrison is made of wood. Those arrows would have made short work of it, if that truly was his intention. The question is what connection do we have to a dragon?”
“Your great grandfather was a dragoon who once tamed a fire breathing beast. Perhaps he fears we would be able to do it again. I don’t know why he would think that but we must remember how cunning a man Mateusz can be. In the past he raged a war with us, only so the holy waters could be pilfered under the fog of war and used to seal the magic in the world away. How wrapped up in darkness he is or how deep this plan of his goes, we may never know. It is beyond rational.”
***
In the midst of forest before them, the path winded up until all the trees began to fall away revealing an open meadow with a large grassy mound in the middle. They approached the knoll as Damani ushered his son through a narrow tunnel that only became visible as they got closer. In darkness, they used their magic to light up the small chamber that held nothing more than the small pond made of ancient rock. It appeared less than half full and yet neither river nor stream ran into or out of the basin. Its water simply lay motionless, as if untouched for eons but Damani knew that was not true. A shadow fell over the Maesters heart for he knew the grief caused by this place but quickly banished the dark thoughts from lingering too long. Their precious water was safe now. At least... what was left of it. But it was enough, for their race would endure and that’s all that mattered.
“This is it Darius,” the Maester announced. “This is where Snow Elves are born.” 
“It truthfully doesn’t look like much father,” Darius said as he gazed into the water below pondering at the rocks that circled the pond. It was not known if its origin was natural or not, but they were lucky it was found; but that was hundreds of years prior, or at least that is what the stories say. Discovered before they hailed on the Silver Mountains at a time when woodland elves and snow elves were once considered the same, and shortly after race began to diverge as their element began to take hold.
“Other than the smell, it just looks like normal water. It’s not unlike sea water?” He asked as a salty aroma hit his nose
“I assure you, whilst there are similarities, this is not mere seawater. This is the very water that kept your mother alive after you were born. Mine was not as lucky for I was born during the lost age. Darius… Whatever happens you must always protect these waters for there is none like it in all Lucere. This water holds more value than gold or any precious gemstone.” 
“Grandfather said that darkness will have no further use here.”
“Perhaps so, but we would be fools to not learn from our past. I will be stationing a group to stay here and the Prince has promised men to do the same. We have agreed to have it moved deeper into the King's territory, to a place not even Matesuz cannot reach.”
“So, we are conceding our land once again.” Darius asked as he turned and gave his father a stern look.
“It cannot be helped but let me assure you of one thing. This will be the last time the Snow Elves of Leuven do any retreating. If our world is indeed dying then I will ensure that it dies free from chains and tyranny.  Our next move will be in the eastern capital. Now let us go and bury our dead.
***
Galiron and Amadeus were standing over a grave but the soil was not freshly dug. “I used to visit at least once a year.” Galliron said to his brother. “Even after I left to join the Knights I would still find the time every year to come.”
“I too would come with father,” Amadeus replied, gesturing to the dead flowers that lay atop the grave. “We always wondered who else was leaving flowers. Father said it must have been you, I just didn't believe him.”
“It must be a cruel reminder to have on your birthday…” a voice came from behind. 
“Maester...” Amadeus uttered. “I have long accepted it by now. It’s easy to forget the mother I never had.”
“I remember the day like it was yesterday.” Galrion spoke. “We were migrating off the mountain when we were attacked and Darius fled into the caves. The shock was all too distressing and mother went into labour. You could have chosen to stay and search for your son but instead you choose to try and save my mother.”
“That day I put my faith in the will of fire to protect Darius. That somehow it would guide him back to me. Tired and sore, I rode with all my strength... Your mother, she tried to stop me. She feared that if we did not make it to the spring that both she and the baby would perish but still I rode ignoring her pleas. When she stopped responding I had no choice but to stop. For her child to be given a chance at life, her fire she accepted must be traded.”
“It must have been hard for you,” Galrion said.
“At that moment, I felt total despair. If my choice to ignore her plea cost my brother his child's life along with his wife then I do not think I could have faced him again. In that moment I could have easily taken my own life so as to escape the burden. As I cut you out Amadeus… Your first cry in this world saved me from that cowardly act.
“What happened to Darius? How did you ever find him?”
“He found me…right here where you stand.”
“How?”
“I do not know. He claims to have fallen into a river and yet to the extent of my knowledge no river runs anywhere near here. But here where you stand is where I found him asleep, his body soaked to the bone. The will of fire guided me to him.