Chapter 36 The Elf Revolts
Everything was a dream come true.
The last echoes of celebratory cheers faded, replaced by the gentle hum of the city. Klishei, diploma clutched tight, felt a lightness she hadn't known in years. Her college acceptance letters, once distant dreams, now felt tangible, within reach. She had walked across that stage, not just as Klishei Aizal, but as a silent testament to a life reclaimed.
Klishei hoped her parents were proudly smiling from heaven. She did it. If only she could celebrate such a milestone with them, it would mean the world to her.
Her grandparents beamed from the first row, their faces crinkled with pride. Luka, ever the exuberant best friend, whistled louder than anyone. In the back, a figure stood apart, a shadow among the vibrant throng. Yeseus. His presence, a steady anchor in her tumultuous world, resonated with a quiet strength.
Later, at her small celebration, the apartment buzzed. Naelyr, the water nymph, rearranged a bouquet of irises, her movements fluid and graceful. Angus, the fairy, zipped around, snatching canapés mid-air, his translucent wings a blur of motion.
But Suneia, the elf, watched from a corner, her emerald eyes fixed on Yeseus.
He moved through the room, a quiet storm. His usual lean power, a barely contained force, seemed muted. His skin, typically a warm bronze, held a pallor, a subtle shift that only Suneia, who had known him for centuries, could discern. Each laugh he shared with Klishei, each casual touch, seemed to draw a sliver of light from him.
“He’s fading,” Suneia murmured, her voice barely audible above the revelry. Naelyr, polishing a crystal glass, paused.
“Who?” Naelyr asked, though her gaze drifted to Yeseus.
“Yeseus,” Suneia hissed, her jaw tight. “Look at him. He’s always been immortal, yes, but never been brittle. He’s like an ancient tree, hollowed from the inside.”
She was a creature born directly from the craftmanship of Mother Nature. She can discern when a living thing is dying, whether inwardly or outwardly.
Naelyr’s brow furrowed. “The blight of the heart?”
Suneia nodded, a grim set to her lips. “Klishei’s letter-she knew. But he denies it. He thinks his power is simply ‘recharging’ from her. He doesn’t see it’s consuming him. I did not know that Yeseus could become this blind.”
"But," the water nymph carefully thought of her words. "This is the first time in ages that I have seen him so hapy."
Yeseus laughed then, a genuine, unrestrained sound, as Klishei playfully nudged his arm. He leaned closer, whispering something that made her cheeks flush. Suneia’s hands clenched.
She stalked towards him, a determined glint in her eyes. “Yeseus,” she called, her voice sharp.
He turned, his smile still lingering from Klishei’s jest. “Suneia. Enjoying the human festivities?”
“We need to talk,” she stated, her gaze unwavering. “Alone.”
Klishei, sensing the shift in atmosphere, stepped back, her smile faltering.
Yeseus followed Suneia to the balcony, the cool night air offering little solace.
“What is it?” he asked, his voice low, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. “Can’t it wait?”
“No,” Suneia countered, her voice firm. “It cannot. You’re dying, Yeseus.”
He scoffed, a dry, dismissive sound. “Don’t be dramatic. I’m immortal, remember? Cursed to never die.”
“And that curse is twisting,” Suneia retorted, stepping closer. “The blight. It’s draining you. Klishei’s presence, the Phoenix’s essence is accelerating it.”
“I know what I am,” he said, his voice hardening. “And I know what I feel. I’ve never been stronger.”
Suneia gripped his arm, her touch cool against his skin. “Your strength comes from her, yes. But it’s a borrowed strength, a fleeting surge before the true cost. You are becoming human, Yeseus. You are becoming fragile.”
He pulled his arm away, his eyes, usually a vibrant blue, now dulled, almost opaque in the dim light. “I’m content. Klishei makes me feel alive in a way centuries of existence never did. If this is the price, then it’s a price I’m willing to pay. Suneia, I understand where you're coming from. But believe when I say that I have never felt so alive.”
“You’re willing to abandon us?” Suneia’s voice cracked. “To leave the sanctuary unprotected? To let your own life wither for a human who will outlive you by decades?”
She deserves a life,” Yeseus said, his gaze drifting back to Klishei, who now was laughing with her grandparents. “A future. And I will see her have it. I will live out every remaining essence, every year, just to watch her accomplish her dreams.”
Suneia stared at him, a profound sadness settling in her eyes.
Yeseus sighed and turned his back on her. "I'm going back."
Suneia did not follow. She stared out into the night sky, trying to calm her feelings down.
He was lost. Lost to a love that would consume him. But Suneia will not allow it.