Dark Warlord Chronicles

Deception of the Soul

Part 12 Continued...
"To Have no Regrets"

The sound of something moving was the first thing he noted. The second, a breeze against his face. Wherever he was, it felt warm. Slowly he opened his eyes. It took a moment for them to focus, but he saw it fairly quickly first. A face, a face he knew and memorized after the previous view of it. Silver eyes shined down, looking into his. Light green hair blew in the breeze and the light caught those few silver strands in it. She sweetly smiled down at him. Then she rested a small right hand gently on his forehead. She took off a cloth and wrung it out over a bowl. Then the cloth was placed in another bowl to soak. "How do you feel," her musical voice asked.
He opened his mouth to answer but found it was sore and dry.
"That's all right. I understand. This is the first time you've been conscious."
"Me... key.. rah.."
"Mekira? He's lying on the bed next to this one. He will be all right, as will you, thanks to my healers."
He tried to lean up a bit, to see her more. Even that was an effort. The elf wore a simple light weight sleeveless dress that was light blue. She was sitting on the side of the bed he was lying on. A worried look crossed her face as she placed a gentle hand on his chest.
"Rest." As he lied back down, she smiled a little again. "You have done well and helped me more than I wanted you to." She motioned her head to her left. Dais turned and looked to see Mekira sleeping. "He had been missing for so long that we feared him dead, but never truly believed it in our hearts." Dais started to open his mouth to say something, but the elf placed a gentle index finger on his lips. "No. Don't speak. Let it wait until you are better." The man closed his eyes again as she placed the now cool cloth back on his forehead. Sleep came easily this time, with no nightmares to trouble him.
Dais stood in clothes he thought much too fancy for his tastes. The raven stood on the Warlord's left shoulder. Luckily, ever since that day, the bird stopped with his teasing. The man then looked forward at the two elf guards who were at the sides of a large set of doors. Without a knock from inside, or a single word, they opened them. "The Queen awaits," one said. The Warlord walked through, trying not to look left and right at the beauty of the place. It was breath taking indeed, but it would be rude to gawk at this particular moment. Light filled the room with a warmth, but not a hot and painful glow. By the throne, to the left as Dais faced it, was Mekira. He stood in decorative robes and looking much better than before. To the right, stood another elf Dais did not recognize. The other elf had mostly black hair with some silver of old age. This elf seemed more hardened than Mekira and wore clothes and cape of dark blue and gold.
Finally Dais' gaze fell on the throne itself. He gasped. There sat the elf he knew in a dress of white and silver. On the dress, in small designs, were also other colors, but those two were the main ones. When Dais finished walking up as much as he thought warranted, he kneeled.
The elf raised her right arm. "Rise Dais of Illusion. We are as equals, so you need not kneel to me." Dais promptly, with a graceful move, stood. "I now formerly welcome you to my kingdom Dais. My name, as you asked before of me, is Fealina. We owe you our thanks for bringing back to us Mekira." She motioned a hand to her right.
The elf walked forward to Dais, holding something in his hand. "This is for you. It is a translation of the book that, during my time, I had inscribed in before I was captured. The knowledge contained will prove most helpful to you I'm sure." Mekira handed the book to Dais, then walked back to his place beside Queen Fealina.
The elf queen stood. "I know your first visit was far from comforting. I hope this moment until you return to your world will show you different." She walked gracefully down to him and held out her right hand. "You will always be welcome here for as long as I rule, Dais of Illusion."
Dais took the hand, at first unsure of what to do. Shake it? No. Kiss it? Naahh overused. He just held it softly and raised the hand so it touched his forehead as the man bowed a little. His gaze then met hers. "Thank you for your welcome and gift." Those were the only words he could think of, and already they sounded inadequate. Still she smiled to him. Dais wondered where the true warmth of the room came from as Fealina's silver eyes met his crystal blue eyes.
Fealina stood on the overhang again of the castle. To her right stood Dais. The wind carried their hair to move before their faces. "So you are leaving now."
"Yes. My friends will worry if they have not already." Dais turned to her. "I appreciate all you have done for me." Her face turned to his and again Dais could feel that warmth in the sparkle of her eyes. The man paused for a moment in thought, then reached his right hand to her right cheek. She did not refuse his touch in the least. He felt the smoothness of her elf skin and a few strands of hair blowing in-between his fingers. Why not. I have lived for over 400 years without knowing much about love myself. I saw it around me, but never felt it except to my family. Perhaps I feel I have waited too long for this moment. Dais closed his eyes and reached out. Fealina did the same as their lips touched in a loving kiss. The elf held him, and let his curly white hair run through the fingers of her hands. After moments, Dais moved his face away, with love and a little mix of fear in his eyes.
"It's all right Dais," she whispered. "I love you too." The elf let herself fall against him and to his embrace. He held her there, regretting having to soon leave all this behind. This was their first touch, their first kiss, and it came with no regrets, just love.
He finally left her and went out of the castle where Mekira waited, holding the harness of a horse. "I'd figure I'd give you a choice. Either way I'm riding by your side but.." He pulled out a gem. "You can ride on a horse or ride on my friend." Mekira tossed the gem to the ground a distance away in front of them. Mystical smoke, the color of their armor, appeared and grew upwards. Finally it took form until a griffin stood in front of them. The elf walked up and pet the beak.
The Warlord looked, stunned at the sight. "Your.... friend?" A familiar weight fell on Dais' left shoulder as the raven perched there once again. The man turned to the bird. "You never did tell me your name."
"Because I have none. You must give it." The raven, strangely, also had blue eyes like Dais'.
The man thought for a moment. "Randolyn." Then he turned back to Mekira and his griffin. "I think I'll ride your friend. It should prove to be quite an experience." The elf smiled and motioned for the griffin to lie down as they got on. Then without motion or word, the griffin stood and opened its wings. It ran a bit and then took off into the sky. Dais gasped and grabbed hold best he could. Then he looked to see the landscape becoming increasingly smaller below. "Amazing."
"Child stuff," Randolyn replied.
"Hmph. Look who's talking. You were born with wings!" The man retorted back. Mekira chuckled a bit.
The Warlord admired the view until they reached their destination. The griffin landed soundly and lied down again so they could get off. Dais looked puzzled for there was nothing but more landscape ahead. "So how do I open the doors? I gave Fealina her flute back, remember?"
"You have your kanji now to guide you. That is all you need. Farewell my friend." Mekira smiled.
Dais shrugged and concentrated until his humanity kanji glowed on his forehead. Then he just walked forward on the path, with Mekira's book in hand. The Warlord felt something, then opened his eyes to see himself standing in a sea of water. Home again. Randolyn was still perched on his shoulder as the man walked out of the sea, grateful it was still night. The Warlord cast away the body armor for the clothes he originally had when he first came here. "Now to get a boat home." Then Dais chuckled. "Aww.. heck with that! I'll just teleport!"
"Well I'm done packing," Sekhmet announced to all that would listen. Kayura had already left for the Nether World last night.
Cale grumbled as he stretched and walked into the front room. "Well thank you Sekhmet." He said sarcastically. "Guess I'm the one to find Dais huh?" He reached for the doorknob of the front door and opened it to see a quite familiar face. "Well, well.. took ya..." Then Cale's blue-green eyes widened in surprise. "Dais. What happened to your eye patch? And what the heck is that bird doing on your shoulder?" Sekhmet rushed over to see, and Unacera walked in the room.
Dais chuckled. "Well Cale, first off, I found out I don't need my eye patch anymore. Yes I can see out of that eye too. As for the bird, he's my new companion. Meet Randolyn. Randolyn, meet Cale."
"Ah so this is Cale," the raven said sarcastically.
The Warlord of Corruption was practically speechless. "It.. I mean he.. talks?!"
"Yes and very well thank you." Randolyn replied back.
Dais, Sekhmet, and Unacera chuckled at the raven. Cale just shook his head. "Well whatever happened you can tell later on the way." The Warlord motioned a thumb. "Now get packing!"
"Packing?" Dais looked surprised.
"Yes packing," Cale said with some annoyance. "We're going to New York."
The Warlord of Illusion just grinned as he stepped inside the house.

To be continued...