a union of souls, pt. iii
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2022 12:53 pm
T A L O N
The crash of a wave drew his attention and Talon beheld a sailboat resting upon the waters in the tranquil bay. One of the large fish that he had seen from earlier, swam near the boat, splashing what appeared to be a solitary figure on its deck. For a moment, Talon thought the man was in trouble. Moved to action, he pushed himself off the cliff, spread his wings and soared toward the boat. As soon as he drew nearer, the sailboat was significantly larger than he expected. Angling his body, he folded his wings and dropped down to the surface of the deck to see what he could only describe as a literal giant. He had dark brown skin with dread-locked hair that fell down his broad shoulders in waves. Tattoos covered his body, telling a story that Talon could only guess at. Across the expanse of his back was an intricate pattern that formed complex knotwork. It seemed alive as he looked at it.
“Xyren.” He looked up from his work with what appeared to be a net. Talon had to look up to meet his gaze, something uncommon for him. The silver eyes that stared back at him possessed a purity to them that eased some of the tension in Talon’s chest. He extended a hand to the giant.
“Talon.” Xyren ceased his work with his net and wrapped one large hand around his own, giving it a soft shake. Despite his size, there was a distinct gentleness to him. A peace that seeped into the world around him.
“I thought…I thought perhaps you were in trouble.” Talon looked out to the school of large fish that were swimming in the bay, some brushing against the boat causing it to rock. Xyren smiled.
“Ka’na’koi fish are playful. Peaceful, but playful.” Talon took the man’s word for it. He had never seen the likes of them before. Long slender bodies that were spotted with bright orange and gold scales. They had elaborate fins that reminded him of lion fish but looked almost like a shark as well. Xyren reached down into the water. Immediately one of the large fish swam forward and arched up, allowing the giant’s fingers to run along its back.
“Are you fishing for them?” Xyren swung his legs over the edge of his boat and let his feet dangle into the water. He shook his head.
“Not today. No need. Elder ka’na’koi beach themselves near the coast. Those are whom we eat. The young come to see them off before their last day.” He nodded toward one of the fish that was being circled by the others. Its scales were paler with a rheumy tinge to its eyes. It moved slower but participated in the aquatic dance that the others performed when and where it could.
“Today, we dive for aether pearls.” Xyren reached up. He tied his hair back with a leather strap then reached out to extend one to Talon. Accepting it, Talon tied his hair back more securely. He had nothing else to do. He had never seen an aether pearl before. Why not see one then?
“Why the net, then? If I may ask?” Talon looked into the crystal blue waters. He could see practically to the bottom of the bay. Bright coral and other sea life flourished beneath the surface. Xyren chuckled.
“To drag them to the surface, of course. Come.” Xyren pushed himself off the boat and into the water. He rose back to the surface, running his hands over his face, motioning for Talon to join him. Talon hesitated.
“I…am not the best at swimming.” He lifted his wings, spreading them slightly for Xyren to see. The giant quirked his head, running his hands over the bodies of the large fish that came to swim around him.
“You are master of your form here. If they burden you, do not let them.” Talon furrowed his brow at that statement. He was not quite sure what it meant. Before he could ask further, Xyren made a brushing gesture with his hands.
“Send them away. Call them when you need them again.” The giant swam comfortably, his movements smooth and certain as though he were practically made for the water. Talon blinked at him. Send his wings away? That might have been possible if he were an Animus mage but he possessed no such power. Unless…
The memory of the black storm tugged at his consciousness. The choice he had made. The life he had chosen to save in place of his own. Talon winced and pushed those thoughts aside.
“I do not--” His words fell short when he felt a presence wrap around him. The sensation filled him and as soon as it passed, Talon shook his head. He stepped forward and nearly tripped as his center of gravity felt off. Looking around he noticed the absence of his wings immediately and as soon as he did, Talon spun around as though he might somehow manage a glimpse at his back.
“My wings!” Panic flared in him for a moment before he heard the giant’s deep rumbling laughter. Talon whirled around to look at him. “What did you do!?”
Xyren raised his hands in a placating gesture. He tread water for a moment as his chuckles subsided.
“It is as I said. You are master of your form here.” The man pet one of the fish that swam near him. Talon stood still for a moment before he huffed and focused. He saw himself with his wings once more. He felt the weight of them. He felt the way the air moved over them. They were part of him and the loss of them left an ache in him that was hard to describe. Again, the warmth passed over him and when it faded, he felt the familiar weight and shift of them. He raised them both experimentally. Looking at Xyren, he eyed the giant, puzzled. Xyren motioned for him to join him once more.
“Come.” Talon looked at his wings. It made him uncomfortable but he concentrated again and imagined himself without them. It was hard to do. He had known them all his life and the idea of a life without them was horrifying to him. But he could not swim in deep waters with them. Again he felt that warmth pass over him. When it faded, he felt lighter. It was not a sensation he liked and it made him feel exposed. Still, he found his footing and then jumped into the waters to follow after Xyren. When he surfaced, Talon paddled, attempting to keep himself aloft in the water. The giant swam close but remained just out of arm’s reach.
“Easy, Talon. The boat is right there. Do not panic. Breathe. You will not drown.” It was hard to admit that his first thought had been that he would flail about in the water and find himself submerged. After several minutes of breathing and finding his balance, Talon calmed himself. Xyren rode through the water on the back of one of the ka’na’koi fish nearby, ever watchful.
“I cannot say that I am a natural.” He managed a half-smile. Xyren smirked.
“You are. Your body simply needs to remember what your soul already knows.” Xyren let go of the fish and dove under the water. In just a few strokes he surfaced from beneath the water and was right in front of Talon, hands coming to steady him upon his hips. Talon blinked in surprise. Out of instinct, he grabbed on to Xyren, who was as steady as a rock in a stream.
“Here. Remember from me.” Xyren leaned forward and pressed their brows together. Familiar warmth spread through Talon and he half expected the touch of another mind upon his own. That was not quite what he experienced. It felt as though he were remembering a long-forgotten memory, covered in the haze of a half recalled dream. The more he focused on it, the more it felt as though he were simply reminding himself of something he already knew. When the sensation passed, Xyren released him and Talon felt his muscles and body simply…act. He began treading water as though he had done it naturally all of his life.
“What was that?” Xyren looked at him steadily but did not answer.
“Come.” In one fluid motion, Xyren swam backwards and then dove down into the water. Talon drew in a deep breath, closed his inner eyelid and then dove into the water after him. There beneath the crystal clear water, Xyren seemed even more in his natural element. The tattoos upon his body practically mimicked the coral beneath them. Silently he motioned for Talon to follow him and Talon did. Deeper into the waters of the bay, swimming past sea life of many colors, shapes and types that Talon had never seen before. Everywhere they went, life came alive. Eventually, Talon began to feel a burning in his lungs. He was about to signal to Xyren that he needed air when the giant took out a familiar sight. An air crystal. He held it between them, the crystal beginning to glow brightly before a bubble rose up from it. Xyren pushed the bubble toward Talon until it collided with his face. As soon as it did, Talon let out a gasp, exhaling. He breathed in fresh air. He noticed the air bubble growing smaller over time. When he had caught his breath, Talon drew in enough air to fill his lungs and then pushed the bubble off of his head. Wordlessly, Xyren turned and led him onward into the waters until they came to a sprawling coral reef.
Swimming forward, Talon watched as Xyren grabbed what appeared to be a type of red kelp. He extended it to Talon then picked another few leaves himself. The two of them swam toward a shelf where rested dozens upon dozens of clams, all of whom were easily the size of Talon’s head. Xyren swam up to one of the clams he held up some of the kelp from before and then began rubbing it between his fingers until his fingers were red with the stain of the smashed kelp. He then brushed the red stuff over the shells of several clams. Understanding what was to be done, Talon took his own kelp and repeated what Xyren had done. He then swam back and waited. While waiting, the giant created another air bubble allowing Talon to take another breath. When he was returning to the waters, Talon watched as the shells of the clams began opening to expose what appeared to be a glowing sphere of mist, aether, and glass. Talon’s eyes went wide. He immediately recognized them. Before he could get excited however, Xyren grabbed his wrist and guided him over to one of the exposed treasures.
Xyren brought out what Talon recognized as an aetherite dragonshard. He gently brushed the tip of the crystal over the rim of the clam causing it to almost shudder. The treasure within it was gently dislodged and Xyren caught it, depositing it into his net. He then extended a second dragonshard to Talon. Following the example that he had been given, Talon began the work of collecting each and every treasure that had presented itself to him through the open clams. When it was finished, Xyren tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow back to where they came from. When they broke the surface near the sailboat, Talon saw that the ka’na’koi fish were near the beach, with the elder still participating in its languid dance. As soon as he was clear of the surface, Talon let the feeling of warmth pass over his body once more. He pictured himself with his wings and in short order he felt the comfortable weight of them on his back. He swept them through the water momentarily then pulled himself up onto the deck of the sailboat, turning around to help Xyren out of the water along with his net.
“Somnosyte. Dreamstone.” Talon marveled at them all. Perfectly preserved and brimming with powers that he could see misting off the stones. “What are you going to do with them?”
Dreamstones were rare. Well preserved ones? Even more so. Talon had not known how they were formed. Like many, he believed that they were fashioned from something woven by the Dream Dragons. Xyren began turning the sailboat back toward the shore. The breeze began guiding them back toward the seaside complex.
“What I have done since coming here.” Talon was brimming with questions but he held his tongue. Instead he seated himself, running his fingers thoughtfully through his wings as he groomed them. Before long, they were at the small docks by the palatial complex. Not much of a sailor himself, Talon assisted in getting the sailboat situated where he could, following Xyren’s lead. Once the sailboat was in order, Xyren shouldered the net full of dreamstone and nodded his head toward the school of ka’na’koi fish. The giant walked up to the edge of the waters and gently planted himself there. He seated himself and Talon watched, marveling as the elder fish swam forward and placed its head into the giant’s lap. Tenderly, Xyren began singing softly. The fish in the waters continued to swim in their slow, mournful dance while the giant stroked his fingers over the fins and scales of the large fish in his lap. Talon did not know the words but he could feel the meaning of them.
“Bring me a stone, please.” Talon stirred from the trance the singing had lulled him into at Xyren’s request. He picked out a stone and handed it to the giant. Humming, Xyren held it delicately in his hand. A soft silver-white fire wrapped around the dreamstone as it spiraled up from Xyren’s palm. Looking into the mist and flames of the stone, Talon felt warmed. The pain that had settled deep in his chest eased. The weariness that tugged at his heart and mind abated ever so slightly.
Talon felt like he could take a deep breath for the first time in ages. Staring into that soft flame, woven into the mist of dreams, Talon felt one thing.
He felt Hope.
Gently, Xyren extended the stone to the nearest ka’na’koi fish. The fish took it into its mouth gently and then began swimming away. Xyren repeated this, with Talon handing him dreamstone after dreamstone, each one filled with hope. Talon watched as the school of fish swam off into the growing twilight, the small lights they held in their mouths forming a tapestry of stars within the crystal clear waters.
“Where are they going?” Talon watched as the last of the fish swam toward the horizon.
“To deliver hope, where hope is needed.” Xyren lay his hand upon the flank of the fish in his lap. Talon looked to it. The eyes of the fish were still open staring up into the stars that were beginning to light the sky. Its breathing was slowing. Talon felt it would not be long before the fish passed. Despite the gravity of the moment, he thought it looked to be at peace.
“Who were you?” Talon looked up from the fish. Xyren was still watching the horizon as though he could still see the school of ka’na’koi swimming over the edge in the distance. Perhaps he still could.
“I am still me. I was born in the world just after the Sundering. When so many had perished and suffering and madness was all that was to be found.” Talon could practically see the world as he Xyren spoke of it. A stormy skies that was filled with nothing but angry clouds and jagged lightning that incinerated all that it touched. A yawning black sea with waters that raged and crashed upon any who dared to brave them.
“I was not born in Ailizane. My home was far to the south. My family were cast adrift in the dark waters of the Crystal Sea. When I awoke…I was in a strange land. I never believed in Fate. I always braved the odds. That was what called me to him, the Oddsmaker himself.” Xyren smiled. His hand stroked along the fins of the elder fish, prompting it to let out one last breath. Its fins wilted and its body began to grow limp.
“Vhexur is the one who dared me to brave the impossible, to find peace in the midst of turmoil. To laugh in the face of despair. I thought he was a mad fiend at the time. Until I realized he helped me to bring what the world needed most at the time; Hope.” Xyren’s silver eyes glowed softly. Talon thought he could see the ka’na’koi fish swimming in them with the dreamstone pearls being gently dropped into dark waters that then grew light and warm.
Another vision brushed across his reverie. He saw Xyren standing defiant upon the deck of a ship in the middle of a hurricane. Those around him looked serenely up at the seven pillars of darkness that pulsed with dreadful power. Xyren himself looked at peace, resigned to something. Then a flash of lightning met a burst of light and fire and Talon returned to the present moment.
“The world would have drowned in fear and suffering. I tried to give them something more to believe in. It seems to have worked.” Xyren smiled. He then shifted and scooped the now still ka’na’koi fish into his arms. He swung its body across his shoulders and rose to his feet nodding for Talon to follow him.
“Did you never feel as though you were robbed of your freedom? Robbed of your choice?” Talon walked alongside Xyren. He folded his wings behind him, keeping in step with the giant easily.
“Yes. It was Vhexur who taught me that destiny changes. The odds are always shifting because destiny is written by the choices we make. I was destined to become Hope incarnate. He showed me that there had been a chance for me to become such when I was a boy, but Arcas held back, giving me the time to be a boy, sheltered and taught by his family. Hard as those lessons were, I was given the time to be with the people I loved so that I could fight for them that much harder. I was showed that there was a chance for me to have become Hope when I was older, when the world had been broken down even more than it already was. When the Liches of the Black Water had spread their evil and despair to the furthest reaches of their continent and began digging their claws into my homeland.”
Xyren led the both of them toward the large temple-like building at the center of the island complex. Talon hesitated. He saw Kaena standing at the entrance, waiting.
He saw Arcas waiting there too.
Talon came to a stop.
“I do not know if I was ready to make that choice.” The giant stopped and turned to look upon Talon, not with pity but with understanding.
“Do you regret it?” Talon thought on Xyren’s question. Did he regret saving Rickter? Did he regret sparing Aoren from that darkness? Did he regret shoving his husband out of the way of the demon that had intended to kill him? Did he regret unleashing his wrath upon those who had murdered his father?
“No.” Again, Xyren nodded in understanding.
“It is never easy to make the hard choices, to choose peace when violence would satisfy such a primal urge to inflict hurt and vengeance.” Xyren shifted his shoulder, adjusting the weight of the fish upon his shoulders.
“But that is why you are you. Because even in your pain, you strove to protect and cause the least harm. You could have destroyed half of your city in your grief, Talon.” Xyren’s expression softened. Talon winced. He firmed his jaw and looked away from those familiar silver eyes. The raw hurt he still felt at the loss of his father still stung more than he could say.
“I do not know if I wanted to hurt them or everything and everyone around me. I do not know that I wanted Justice either. I just…I just wanted my father.” He let out a breath, struggling to keep his grief from overwhelming him.
“And now?” Talon shook his head. He was still so unmoored. There was still so much spinning in his head.
“I just want to keep my family, to keep my people, safe.” Talon looked up. His eyes met those of Arcas. He was still angry. He turned from the temple and walked back toward the docks. He still needed time to think. Talon did not look back as he kept walking. He did not stop until he had reached the docks once more. Seating himself on the edge, he let his feet dangle and brush over the water. He adjusted his wings, letting them fan out behind him as he stared out over the horizon. It would be nighttime soon and Talon thought he could see ships sailing in the distance.
“Xyren.” He looked up from his work with what appeared to be a net. Talon had to look up to meet his gaze, something uncommon for him. The silver eyes that stared back at him possessed a purity to them that eased some of the tension in Talon’s chest. He extended a hand to the giant.
“Talon.” Xyren ceased his work with his net and wrapped one large hand around his own, giving it a soft shake. Despite his size, there was a distinct gentleness to him. A peace that seeped into the world around him.
“I thought…I thought perhaps you were in trouble.” Talon looked out to the school of large fish that were swimming in the bay, some brushing against the boat causing it to rock. Xyren smiled.
“Ka’na’koi fish are playful. Peaceful, but playful.” Talon took the man’s word for it. He had never seen the likes of them before. Long slender bodies that were spotted with bright orange and gold scales. They had elaborate fins that reminded him of lion fish but looked almost like a shark as well. Xyren reached down into the water. Immediately one of the large fish swam forward and arched up, allowing the giant’s fingers to run along its back.
“Are you fishing for them?” Xyren swung his legs over the edge of his boat and let his feet dangle into the water. He shook his head.
“Not today. No need. Elder ka’na’koi beach themselves near the coast. Those are whom we eat. The young come to see them off before their last day.” He nodded toward one of the fish that was being circled by the others. Its scales were paler with a rheumy tinge to its eyes. It moved slower but participated in the aquatic dance that the others performed when and where it could.
“Today, we dive for aether pearls.” Xyren reached up. He tied his hair back with a leather strap then reached out to extend one to Talon. Accepting it, Talon tied his hair back more securely. He had nothing else to do. He had never seen an aether pearl before. Why not see one then?
“Why the net, then? If I may ask?” Talon looked into the crystal blue waters. He could see practically to the bottom of the bay. Bright coral and other sea life flourished beneath the surface. Xyren chuckled.
“To drag them to the surface, of course. Come.” Xyren pushed himself off the boat and into the water. He rose back to the surface, running his hands over his face, motioning for Talon to join him. Talon hesitated.
“I…am not the best at swimming.” He lifted his wings, spreading them slightly for Xyren to see. The giant quirked his head, running his hands over the bodies of the large fish that came to swim around him.
“You are master of your form here. If they burden you, do not let them.” Talon furrowed his brow at that statement. He was not quite sure what it meant. Before he could ask further, Xyren made a brushing gesture with his hands.
“Send them away. Call them when you need them again.” The giant swam comfortably, his movements smooth and certain as though he were practically made for the water. Talon blinked at him. Send his wings away? That might have been possible if he were an Animus mage but he possessed no such power. Unless…
The memory of the black storm tugged at his consciousness. The choice he had made. The life he had chosen to save in place of his own. Talon winced and pushed those thoughts aside.
“I do not--” His words fell short when he felt a presence wrap around him. The sensation filled him and as soon as it passed, Talon shook his head. He stepped forward and nearly tripped as his center of gravity felt off. Looking around he noticed the absence of his wings immediately and as soon as he did, Talon spun around as though he might somehow manage a glimpse at his back.
“My wings!” Panic flared in him for a moment before he heard the giant’s deep rumbling laughter. Talon whirled around to look at him. “What did you do!?”
Xyren raised his hands in a placating gesture. He tread water for a moment as his chuckles subsided.
“It is as I said. You are master of your form here.” The man pet one of the fish that swam near him. Talon stood still for a moment before he huffed and focused. He saw himself with his wings once more. He felt the weight of them. He felt the way the air moved over them. They were part of him and the loss of them left an ache in him that was hard to describe. Again, the warmth passed over him and when it faded, he felt the familiar weight and shift of them. He raised them both experimentally. Looking at Xyren, he eyed the giant, puzzled. Xyren motioned for him to join him once more.
“Come.” Talon looked at his wings. It made him uncomfortable but he concentrated again and imagined himself without them. It was hard to do. He had known them all his life and the idea of a life without them was horrifying to him. But he could not swim in deep waters with them. Again he felt that warmth pass over him. When it faded, he felt lighter. It was not a sensation he liked and it made him feel exposed. Still, he found his footing and then jumped into the waters to follow after Xyren. When he surfaced, Talon paddled, attempting to keep himself aloft in the water. The giant swam close but remained just out of arm’s reach.
“Easy, Talon. The boat is right there. Do not panic. Breathe. You will not drown.” It was hard to admit that his first thought had been that he would flail about in the water and find himself submerged. After several minutes of breathing and finding his balance, Talon calmed himself. Xyren rode through the water on the back of one of the ka’na’koi fish nearby, ever watchful.
“I cannot say that I am a natural.” He managed a half-smile. Xyren smirked.
“You are. Your body simply needs to remember what your soul already knows.” Xyren let go of the fish and dove under the water. In just a few strokes he surfaced from beneath the water and was right in front of Talon, hands coming to steady him upon his hips. Talon blinked in surprise. Out of instinct, he grabbed on to Xyren, who was as steady as a rock in a stream.
“Here. Remember from me.” Xyren leaned forward and pressed their brows together. Familiar warmth spread through Talon and he half expected the touch of another mind upon his own. That was not quite what he experienced. It felt as though he were remembering a long-forgotten memory, covered in the haze of a half recalled dream. The more he focused on it, the more it felt as though he were simply reminding himself of something he already knew. When the sensation passed, Xyren released him and Talon felt his muscles and body simply…act. He began treading water as though he had done it naturally all of his life.
“What was that?” Xyren looked at him steadily but did not answer.
“Come.” In one fluid motion, Xyren swam backwards and then dove down into the water. Talon drew in a deep breath, closed his inner eyelid and then dove into the water after him. There beneath the crystal clear water, Xyren seemed even more in his natural element. The tattoos upon his body practically mimicked the coral beneath them. Silently he motioned for Talon to follow him and Talon did. Deeper into the waters of the bay, swimming past sea life of many colors, shapes and types that Talon had never seen before. Everywhere they went, life came alive. Eventually, Talon began to feel a burning in his lungs. He was about to signal to Xyren that he needed air when the giant took out a familiar sight. An air crystal. He held it between them, the crystal beginning to glow brightly before a bubble rose up from it. Xyren pushed the bubble toward Talon until it collided with his face. As soon as it did, Talon let out a gasp, exhaling. He breathed in fresh air. He noticed the air bubble growing smaller over time. When he had caught his breath, Talon drew in enough air to fill his lungs and then pushed the bubble off of his head. Wordlessly, Xyren turned and led him onward into the waters until they came to a sprawling coral reef.
Swimming forward, Talon watched as Xyren grabbed what appeared to be a type of red kelp. He extended it to Talon then picked another few leaves himself. The two of them swam toward a shelf where rested dozens upon dozens of clams, all of whom were easily the size of Talon’s head. Xyren swam up to one of the clams he held up some of the kelp from before and then began rubbing it between his fingers until his fingers were red with the stain of the smashed kelp. He then brushed the red stuff over the shells of several clams. Understanding what was to be done, Talon took his own kelp and repeated what Xyren had done. He then swam back and waited. While waiting, the giant created another air bubble allowing Talon to take another breath. When he was returning to the waters, Talon watched as the shells of the clams began opening to expose what appeared to be a glowing sphere of mist, aether, and glass. Talon’s eyes went wide. He immediately recognized them. Before he could get excited however, Xyren grabbed his wrist and guided him over to one of the exposed treasures.
Xyren brought out what Talon recognized as an aetherite dragonshard. He gently brushed the tip of the crystal over the rim of the clam causing it to almost shudder. The treasure within it was gently dislodged and Xyren caught it, depositing it into his net. He then extended a second dragonshard to Talon. Following the example that he had been given, Talon began the work of collecting each and every treasure that had presented itself to him through the open clams. When it was finished, Xyren tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow back to where they came from. When they broke the surface near the sailboat, Talon saw that the ka’na’koi fish were near the beach, with the elder still participating in its languid dance. As soon as he was clear of the surface, Talon let the feeling of warmth pass over his body once more. He pictured himself with his wings and in short order he felt the comfortable weight of them on his back. He swept them through the water momentarily then pulled himself up onto the deck of the sailboat, turning around to help Xyren out of the water along with his net.
“Somnosyte. Dreamstone.” Talon marveled at them all. Perfectly preserved and brimming with powers that he could see misting off the stones. “What are you going to do with them?”
Dreamstones were rare. Well preserved ones? Even more so. Talon had not known how they were formed. Like many, he believed that they were fashioned from something woven by the Dream Dragons. Xyren began turning the sailboat back toward the shore. The breeze began guiding them back toward the seaside complex.
“What I have done since coming here.” Talon was brimming with questions but he held his tongue. Instead he seated himself, running his fingers thoughtfully through his wings as he groomed them. Before long, they were at the small docks by the palatial complex. Not much of a sailor himself, Talon assisted in getting the sailboat situated where he could, following Xyren’s lead. Once the sailboat was in order, Xyren shouldered the net full of dreamstone and nodded his head toward the school of ka’na’koi fish. The giant walked up to the edge of the waters and gently planted himself there. He seated himself and Talon watched, marveling as the elder fish swam forward and placed its head into the giant’s lap. Tenderly, Xyren began singing softly. The fish in the waters continued to swim in their slow, mournful dance while the giant stroked his fingers over the fins and scales of the large fish in his lap. Talon did not know the words but he could feel the meaning of them.
“Bring me a stone, please.” Talon stirred from the trance the singing had lulled him into at Xyren’s request. He picked out a stone and handed it to the giant. Humming, Xyren held it delicately in his hand. A soft silver-white fire wrapped around the dreamstone as it spiraled up from Xyren’s palm. Looking into the mist and flames of the stone, Talon felt warmed. The pain that had settled deep in his chest eased. The weariness that tugged at his heart and mind abated ever so slightly.
Talon felt like he could take a deep breath for the first time in ages. Staring into that soft flame, woven into the mist of dreams, Talon felt one thing.
He felt Hope.
Gently, Xyren extended the stone to the nearest ka’na’koi fish. The fish took it into its mouth gently and then began swimming away. Xyren repeated this, with Talon handing him dreamstone after dreamstone, each one filled with hope. Talon watched as the school of fish swam off into the growing twilight, the small lights they held in their mouths forming a tapestry of stars within the crystal clear waters.
“Where are they going?” Talon watched as the last of the fish swam toward the horizon.
“To deliver hope, where hope is needed.” Xyren lay his hand upon the flank of the fish in his lap. Talon looked to it. The eyes of the fish were still open staring up into the stars that were beginning to light the sky. Its breathing was slowing. Talon felt it would not be long before the fish passed. Despite the gravity of the moment, he thought it looked to be at peace.
“Who were you?” Talon looked up from the fish. Xyren was still watching the horizon as though he could still see the school of ka’na’koi swimming over the edge in the distance. Perhaps he still could.
“I am still me. I was born in the world just after the Sundering. When so many had perished and suffering and madness was all that was to be found.” Talon could practically see the world as he Xyren spoke of it. A stormy skies that was filled with nothing but angry clouds and jagged lightning that incinerated all that it touched. A yawning black sea with waters that raged and crashed upon any who dared to brave them.
“I was not born in Ailizane. My home was far to the south. My family were cast adrift in the dark waters of the Crystal Sea. When I awoke…I was in a strange land. I never believed in Fate. I always braved the odds. That was what called me to him, the Oddsmaker himself.” Xyren smiled. His hand stroked along the fins of the elder fish, prompting it to let out one last breath. Its fins wilted and its body began to grow limp.
“Vhexur is the one who dared me to brave the impossible, to find peace in the midst of turmoil. To laugh in the face of despair. I thought he was a mad fiend at the time. Until I realized he helped me to bring what the world needed most at the time; Hope.” Xyren’s silver eyes glowed softly. Talon thought he could see the ka’na’koi fish swimming in them with the dreamstone pearls being gently dropped into dark waters that then grew light and warm.
Another vision brushed across his reverie. He saw Xyren standing defiant upon the deck of a ship in the middle of a hurricane. Those around him looked serenely up at the seven pillars of darkness that pulsed with dreadful power. Xyren himself looked at peace, resigned to something. Then a flash of lightning met a burst of light and fire and Talon returned to the present moment.
“The world would have drowned in fear and suffering. I tried to give them something more to believe in. It seems to have worked.” Xyren smiled. He then shifted and scooped the now still ka’na’koi fish into his arms. He swung its body across his shoulders and rose to his feet nodding for Talon to follow him.
“Did you never feel as though you were robbed of your freedom? Robbed of your choice?” Talon walked alongside Xyren. He folded his wings behind him, keeping in step with the giant easily.
“Yes. It was Vhexur who taught me that destiny changes. The odds are always shifting because destiny is written by the choices we make. I was destined to become Hope incarnate. He showed me that there had been a chance for me to become such when I was a boy, but Arcas held back, giving me the time to be a boy, sheltered and taught by his family. Hard as those lessons were, I was given the time to be with the people I loved so that I could fight for them that much harder. I was showed that there was a chance for me to have become Hope when I was older, when the world had been broken down even more than it already was. When the Liches of the Black Water had spread their evil and despair to the furthest reaches of their continent and began digging their claws into my homeland.”
Xyren led the both of them toward the large temple-like building at the center of the island complex. Talon hesitated. He saw Kaena standing at the entrance, waiting.
He saw Arcas waiting there too.
Talon came to a stop.
“I do not know if I was ready to make that choice.” The giant stopped and turned to look upon Talon, not with pity but with understanding.
“Do you regret it?” Talon thought on Xyren’s question. Did he regret saving Rickter? Did he regret sparing Aoren from that darkness? Did he regret shoving his husband out of the way of the demon that had intended to kill him? Did he regret unleashing his wrath upon those who had murdered his father?
“No.” Again, Xyren nodded in understanding.
“It is never easy to make the hard choices, to choose peace when violence would satisfy such a primal urge to inflict hurt and vengeance.” Xyren shifted his shoulder, adjusting the weight of the fish upon his shoulders.
“But that is why you are you. Because even in your pain, you strove to protect and cause the least harm. You could have destroyed half of your city in your grief, Talon.” Xyren’s expression softened. Talon winced. He firmed his jaw and looked away from those familiar silver eyes. The raw hurt he still felt at the loss of his father still stung more than he could say.
“I do not know if I wanted to hurt them or everything and everyone around me. I do not know that I wanted Justice either. I just…I just wanted my father.” He let out a breath, struggling to keep his grief from overwhelming him.
“And now?” Talon shook his head. He was still so unmoored. There was still so much spinning in his head.
“I just want to keep my family, to keep my people, safe.” Talon looked up. His eyes met those of Arcas. He was still angry. He turned from the temple and walked back toward the docks. He still needed time to think. Talon did not look back as he kept walking. He did not stop until he had reached the docks once more. Seating himself on the edge, he let his feet dangle and brush over the water. He adjusted his wings, letting them fan out behind him as he stared out over the horizon. It would be nighttime soon and Talon thought he could see ships sailing in the distance.