The Belirocean Chronicles chapters 2-4

 
Chapter Two

Rijon groaned , and sat up in a warm bed. He was confused, until he realized he must be in the crazy elf’s house. He had no idea of how he got here.
The elf walked into the room with a bucket of water. She placed it on a round bed of black coals, and whispered a word that sounded like, “Laertya”.
“I’m glad you finally woke up,” She said without looking up.
Rijon stared at her. She had tried to kill him less than a day ago, and now she was glad to see him?
“You’ve been out cold for the past two days,” she continued, wringing out a rag. The elf walked towards him, and Rijon grabbed her hand as it descended.
“Don’t mess with me,” he snarled.
“This needs to happen, Rijon,” the elf insisted. “You are full of blood.”
“Why didn’t you take it off when you dragged me in here?” Rijon snapped.
The elf finally lost her patience.
“You know fully well why I didn’t wash it off!” She roared. “Ki Tesir Ledar!”
“What?” Rijon spluttered. “Ke Tesere Laydar?”
“Forget this! I can never help you!” The elf cried, exasperated. She grabbed the bucket, and stormed out of the room.
Rijon stared after her, and a deep sense of foreboding came over him. The elf was his only hope of escaping to chase down those two dragons. But she was long gone by now. Groaning in anger now, Rijon rolled over, and tried to fall back to sleep.


Barasila paced around her house. She had blown up. Now she might never get the chance to help Masia. Above all, that is what really devastated her. Crying softly, Barasila poured herself a cup of satiru, a drink similar to tea.
Three hours later, Barasila walked back upstairs. She was determined to give that jerk one last chance. For Masia’s sake. Two plates of food rattled as she carried a tray up to her brother’s old room. Her brother wouldn’t be needing a room in the void.
Barasila gently opened the door, and found Rijon sitting on the edge of the bed. Breathing deeply, Barasila stepped towards the bed, all the while thinking, ‘He’s a necessary evil.’
“I brought you some food,” She said, making an effort to talk gently.
Rijon jumped, as if he had been stabbed in the back. He turned towards the elf, and said, “I’m sorry-”
“Food first, apologies later,” Barasila said, setting the tray down on a table.
“Thank you,” Rijon said, in a surprisingly soft voice. Apparently he had decided to ditch the gravelly voice in which he usually spoke.
They ate in silence, and after whisking the tray back to the kitchen, Barasila said, “You were saying something?”
“I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’d like to apologise, and possibly restart,” Rijon said quietly.
It was in that moment that Barasila saw it. That look of pain that Wyrsalin had mentioned. It had been in the dragon’s eyes too, but here, it had a glint of mad anger in it. This elf would stop at nothing to avenge the death of his family.
“Yes. I’d like to restart. On one condition,” she said as Rijon started to relax. “On one condition. That you give up your need for revenge. I know how it feels to lose your loved ones. My brother was hung as a traitor when he tried to negotiate for peace between the elves and the dragons. Let go of you hatred, as I have done. You'll go a lot further in life.”
Barasila could see Rijon struggling with himself. After a tense minute, he said, “Fine. I won’t hunt the dragons anymore.”
“My name is Barasila,” Barasila said. She turned and walked out of the room. Ten minutes later, she strode into the room, with another bucket of water. She once again placed it onto the circle of slightly gray coals, and pointed a finger at the lumps.
“Laertya,” She said, and the coals lit up in a flame.
Rijon couldn’t help but ask, “How are you doing that?”
“Magic. The dragons have figured out how to cast spells in their own language,” Barasila said, feeling the heat of the water. She wrung out her rag, and went to wash Rijon’s chest.
She stopped a foot away, and asked, “May I?”
Rijon grinned, and nodded. Barasila rubbed the rag across Rijon’s neck, and wiped off a rag full of caked blood.
“The dragons translated the elven language within a year of the elven invasion. They immediately got to work translating the spells as well. I of course was taught only the dragon spells. Hence, where another elf might say ‘Tesoru’, I would say ‘Laertya.’ Both mean fire, in the broadest of senses,” Barasila explained.
“Do you think I might be able to learn how to cast spells?” Rijon inquired.
“Maybe. It takes a strong mind and a strong body to successfully control a spell. I have no doubt you have both, Rijon. If you’d like, I can try to teach you the language of the dragons.”
“I’d like that a lot,” Rijon said, as Barasila wiped of his leg.


So it was in this way that Rijon gained knowledge of the language of his former enemies. Within a week, he started on his first spell, to conjure a shield.
“Blarake!” Rijon said. Nothing happened.
“No. It’s ‘Blariake,” Barasila said.
The next time Rijon tried the spell, Barasila threw a piece of wood at him. The wood bounced off of an invisible wall, and Rijon fell to his knees, exhausted.
Over time, Rijon gained the strength to stand up after a spell. He also broadened his knowledge of the dragons. But the largest leap he made was in a relationship.
Three weeks after the battle, Rijon took Barasila to one of his favourite places. The Library of Whitasan. There, Barasila listened as Rijon told her the dramatic story of Isilana, the woman warrior. He told Barasila of how this young elf had saved her home town from the attack of 200 dragons. His voice added emotion to the tale, and he made large gestures to illustrate the ease with which Isilana had stood firing arrows at the huge flying beasts, even as their fiery breath burned half of her face.
“Even as Isilana’s friends scattered, she stood firm, launching arrow after arrow at the dragons. She hit every single one, and almost escaped unharmed. But the last dragon dropped like a stone where Isilana stood, and crushed the elf. When the dragon was moved,” Rijon paused for a moment. “This is the strange part, but, when they moved the dragon’s body, there was no sign of Isilana anywhere. She had completely vanished.”
Barasila rose from her seat, yawning. “I guess it’s time for us to get going,” she said. Rijon took Barasila by the hand, and together, they stepped out into the night air.
Five minutes from the house, the sky began to pour rain. Within seconds, the two elves were soaked. Suddenly, Barasila pushed Rijon into the cold, wet mud. She burst out laughing as Rijon stood up, his clothes full of mud.
“Guess who gets to clean up this mess,” Rijon laughed as he threw a handful of mud at Barasila. She dodged the missile, and launched herself at Rijon, causing him to fall into the mud again.
“I like a muddy man!” Barasila exclaimed, rolling over into the mud.
A guard ran up to the two elves.
“No fighting!” he yelled.
Rijon stood up, and helped Barasila up.
“Sorry sir,” she said, grinning like a child in a mountain of candy.
The guard shuffled his feet, unsuccessfully trying not to stare at the elf.
“Just go home, and wait until morning to throw your mud pies,” he said, before turning around quickly. But not before the two had seen his reddened cheeks. The two elves laughed hysterically as they ran to the shelter of Barasila’s house.
“May I enter the premises Madame?” Rijon said, laughing.
“Yes, you may, Mr. Handsome,” Barasila said, giggling.
Rijon skipped into the building, dripping mud on the floor.
“On second thought, I think you should wait until you drip only mud before you come into the house,” Barasila laughed. She playfully shoved Rijon back outside, and into the pouring rain.
Rijon grabbed Barasila’s arm, and dragged her after him. They stood in the rain, laughing crazily. Rijon wrapped his arms around the elf, and kissed her.
Immediately, Barasila pulled away. Rijon looked at her and saw her eyes fill with tears.
“I’m sorry,” He said lamely.
Barasila turned and fled into the house.
“Barasila!” Rijon called, racing after her.
He leapt up the stairs, and quietly opened her bedroom door.
“Go away please,” Barasila said, with a tremor in her voice.
“What’s wrong Barasila? Can I hel-”
“You can help me by getting away from me!” Barasila suddenly snarled.
Rijon quickly closed the door and backed off. Shaking his head in wonder, he went into his own room.
 
Chapter Three
The next morning found Rijon hard at work in the kitchen. He placed food onto a tray, along with some plates, and carried the tray upstairs. He stopped outside Barasila’s door, and once again, quietly opened it.
Rijon carried the tray over to Barasila’s bed, and gently woke the sleeping elf up.
“Rijon!” Barasila screamed. “What the hell are you doing?!”
“I made you some breakfast,” Rijon said. “I wanted to a-”
“Don’t Rijon. There is no need for you to apologize. I acted like a jerk last night. I’m sorry. I just have bad memories. My brother was turned in by his girlfriend for the situation with the dragons.”
“I’m sorry,” Rijon said again.
“Forget it Rijon. You did nothing wrong,” Barasila said gently.


Two weeks later, Rijon took Barasila to the elven camp. At first, Rijon’s comrades were shocked at the sight of him with a girl. Then, elves started whistling and cheering at the two.
“Hey Rijon! I thought you were into dragons!” one yelled.
Rijon’s temper flared, and he grabbed a blade.
“No Rijon,” Barasila said firmly. “He’s not worth the trouble. Why don’t you introduce me to them?”
So, Rijon dropped his weapon, and grudgingly made his way towards the crowd of elves. Names were traded, and new friends were made between Barasila and the elven warriors. Meanwhile, the first elf was still yammering away.
“Why would anyone want to even look at that ugly mug of a face?” he yelled.
Rijon’s insides were boiling with rage. Then the other elf made the worst mistake in the history of the universe.
“Hey woman! How many other elves have you slept with? I bet they were all little girls!”
The elf doubled over, laughing his heart out. Suddenly, a knee slammed into his face with so much force, the elf’s head snapped backwards. Rijon’s arms were blurs, he was punching so fast.
“Rijon! Rijon stop!” Barasila screamed.
Rijon just kept punching away.
“Siate!” Barasila bellowed.
Rijon froze with his fist inches from the other elf’s neck. It was a blow that would have surely killed the elf. Rijon kept fighting Barasila’s spell as the injured elf limped away as fast as he could with several broken bones.
Barasila released her spell, and Rijon shakily got to his feet. The rest of the elves scrambled back as Rijon stumbled towards them.
“I think it’s time to go Rijon,” Barasila said, taking Rijon’s hand. Slowly, they walked away from what had seemed to be a lovely idea.


Rumours began flying all over town. Rijon’s violence, though understandable, was to be punished by death.
Rijon sighed, as he dropped the summons on the table.
“I’m to go to the court yard tomorrow,” he said to Barasila.
“I’ll go with you,” Barasila said, placing a bowl of soup in front of him.
“No. I’ll be okay. I’m one of their better archers. They’ll need me for the assault on Tieri Sanalu next week.”
“Rijon, remember your promise,” Barasila protested.
“I know. I have it all planned out. I will have to shoot, but only in self-defence,” Rijon assured her. “They’ll need all of the elves they can get, so they won’t kill me for last week’s episode.”
That night, Barasila took Rijon to the roof of her house. It put them well above the smoke-filled city, and therefore, they were able to see many constellations, such as Erisol, the sunkiller. Legend has it that this person saved the world from a neighboring sun’s hungry reach by shooting it into oblivion with his arrows. Barasila had also pointed out several new constellations, such as the great Asaranel, a dragon who had once tended Ledar’s eternal flame and who had fallen in a struggle against several rebellious dragons when they had tried to destroy the place.
The two elves went back inside, and they kissed each other, before going to sleep, hoping that the next morning would be peaceful.


Rijon rose early from his bed. He dressed, and wrote a note to Barasila, before heading to the courtroom.
Rijon entered the room as a free elf, but within seconds, he had been handcuffed.
“Rijon Moonshine, you are here because you almost killed a man four nights ago. Eyewitnesses say that the man would have died if it wasn’t for a woman’s spell to stop your hand.”
“If I may speak sir?” Rijon inquired.
“You may,” the judge said.
“The soldier in question was rudely commenting on my girlfriend, after making comments on how he thought I liked dragons more than elves,” Rijon revealed.
“Yes. The elves told me about that, along with the fact that you grabbed at a sword after the first remark. Again it is stated that the woman stopped full-scale bloodshed from ensuing,” the judge spat angrily. “Have you no self control? That our best archer would attack his own people because of a single word is insane!”
“Sir, he inferred that she was a whore,” Rijon countered. “I don’t take that remark kindly, as seen by this whole fiasco here. Basically I defended my woman from verbal abuse, to phrase it in a way that you can understand.”
The courtroom went deadly silent. After a minute, the judge said icily, “3 strikes for the crime, and 7 more for insulting my intelligence. Now leave my presence.”
Barasila raced to the courtroom, and reached it just as the doors opened. Rijon stumbled out and fell heavily. Four guards grabbed him, and dragged him to the killing post.
“Rijon!!!” Barasila screamed, racing after him. “Rijon!”
“Barasila, I’ll be fine. I want you to go home. Don’t watch what is about to happen. I swear to you that I should get out alive,” Rijon said firmly. He kept moving, and Barasila stopped where she was.
Rijon’s arms were raised and the rope around them was tied to the top of the post where, most often, criminals were flogged with a razor sharp knife until death. There was a buzzing noise as the knife was sharpened.
A guard raised the knife, and let his arm drop. Rijon cried out in pain as the blade slid down his back. Nine more times the knife bit into the elf’s back, inflicting deep wounds in the criminal. Then it was over. Rijon moaned in agony as his arms were untied and he was gently lead to barasila’s house by the same guard that had just scored his back with the knife. For with the elves, the rule is punishment shall be swift and just, and when done, all injuries are forgotten, past and present. The guard in fact was the same man whom Rijon had attacked.


Rijon woke up on a warm bed. He tried to roll over, and gasped in pain. Barasila leapt up from the chair she had been sitting in.
“Don’t move Rijon. The wounds are deep, and I was unable to heal them,” She grimaced.
“How long have I been out?”
“A day,” Barasila said, wringing out a rag.
She placed the rag onto Rijon’s back, and he squirmed in discomfort as the liquid entered the cuts in his back.
“Are you okay Barasila?” Rijon asked.
“I thought for sure they would kill you,” Barasila confessed.
“Like I said, I am a good archer. They won’t kill me right before a battle,” Rijon interrupted.
“Tonight, I am going to take you somewhere instead of having you take me,” Barasila declared.
That afternoon, however, something happened that threw off all of Barasila’s plans.
Rijon burst into the White Hand’s temporary headquarters.
“What happened?” He demanded.
“500 dragons just torched the town of Akarada!” An elf exclaimed. “You are wanted in the command room at once!”
Rijon leapt into the room.
“There you are!” The White Hand’s commander-in-chief said.
“What’s going on?” Rijon repeated frantically.
“A large force of dragons has torched Akarada. We need someone to lead a force of elves to assess the damage. Unfortunately, all of our other commanders are tied up elsewhere. You seem to take no dragon poo from anyone, as was seen a few days ago. Therefore, we have decided to give you command of the company we will send to Akarada.”
“What!?” Rijon cried. “Sir, I have no training to lead anyone, much less a recon group!”
“This is your training, Captain Moonshine. Either you succeed, and you name lives on forever, or you fail, in death, and your name gets buried in dragon poo. You leave tomorrow, at first light, with a company of 300 elven archers, and three spellcastors. Now go get ready to move out.”
Rijon returned to Barasila’s house in a daze.
“What happened?” Barasila inquired.
“I have been chosen to lead a group of elves against the dragons at Akarada,” Rijon whispered faintly.
“There are no dragons in Akarada!”
“There are now, I guess,” Rijon croaked hoarsely. “I am supposed to leave at first light.”
“Rijon, please don’t attack them!” Barasila begged.
“You know I won’t try to kill anyone. I love you too much to allow those elves to kill one of your friends. I will try to renegotiate the peace terms. I’m sure the dragons are as tired of this slaughter as we are,” Rijon answered.
“Please be safe. I couldn’t continue in this world if you died Rijon.”


Early the next morning, Rijon aroused his small force of elves. They suited up in silence, and were on their way southwest within minutes.
The elves dragged their feet for six hours. Rijon was in a hurry to beat any other elves to the dragons at Akarada. Truth be told, Rijon had already figured out that the dragons were not evil by nature by the time he was 15. But, he didn’t care about them back then. Barasila’s tolerance, and her friendship with the dragons had turned Rijon’s world upside down. Now, even the Executioner of the dragons was becoming docile towards those he hated with a vengeance, all because of Barasila’s love.
That night, Rijon had his force hunker down just to the west of Akarada. They slept peacefully, which was strange for being this close to the dragons. In the morning, Rijon gave the order not to attack unless attacked. Then his force walked openly towards the charcoaled city.


Masia heard the sound of elves walking straight towards the town she and Wyrsalin had retreated to two months ago. She roused Wyrsalin, and together they sounded the alarm.


Rijon heard the sound of dragons, and he halted his army.
“Everyone needs to drop their weapons!” he ordered. “Place your arms onto the ground, and stand peacefully! Spellcasters! You are to place shields around one hundred soldiers each! We will defend only, not attack! The elf who disobeys me will forfeit his life immediately!”
The elves began scrambling to carry out Rijon’s strange orders. Meanwhile, Rijon was stepping towards the nest of dragons. Several elves began following him, but Rijon stopped them. He continued alone, and armed only with a sword, towards the burnt gates of Akarada.


Masia flew into the sky. She scanned the ranks of the army gathered outside the gates of the city, and breathed a sigh of relief. Barasila was not amongst them. But that one elf was. Why would he be here, especially if Barasila had converted him? Then, the glint of metal struck her eyes, originating much lower than it should have. Suddenly, Masia understood. The elf was not here to fight, but to make peace, just as Barasila’s brother had done.
Masia leapt off of the wall, and glided to a gently landing next to the elf that had tried to kill her in Ceta Halina.


A dragon landed ten feet from Rijon.
“Ki Tesir Ledar,” Rijon exclaimed. “I didn’t know I was signing up for a surprise party,” he continued in the language of the dragons.
“She helped you then,” Masia said.
“Who?”
“Barasila. I told her to watch over you,” Masia said.
“What?” Rijon cried in his own language.
Suddenly, Rijon caught sight of an arrow speeding towards the dragon.
“Siate!” He roared. But his mind was still reeling from what Masia just said, and the spell slipped instantly.
“NO!” Another dragon bellowed.


Wyrsalin saw the arrow leave the elf’s hand. He screamed in horror, and launched himself off of the city walls.
The arrow sped into Wyrsalin’s throat; a fatal shot.
He watched through darkening eyes, as the elf he had put to sleep two months ago leapt at the elf who had fired the arrow. The elf was cut down immediately, under Rijon’s mighty arm.
“Wyrsalin!” Masia screamed.
Sweet, sweet Masia. She was so wonderful, so magnificent. No one in the world could be kinder to a grieving friend.
“Wyrsalin!” Masia screamed again.
The elf knelt down next to him, and Wyrsalin could see that the elf was going to try to heal him with a spell.
“No, little one. You’ll kill yourself. It would take the energy of several dragons to save me now,” Wyrsalin said softly.
“I want to help you,” The elf said.
“You know what needs to be done, soldier. I won’t survive anyways. Just end-”
“NO!” Rijon cried. “I can’t! I won’t!”
“You have... come a long way... from where... you... used to be,” Wyrsalin gasped.
“Please!” Masia cried “I can’t do it! You are the only one here who won’t brag about the death of a mighty dragon! It has to be you!”
Weeping openly, Rijon drew his dagger. His hand shook uncontrollably as it rose into the air.
“I love you... Masia,” Wyrsalin gasped.
“I love you too Wyrsalin,” Masia wept.
Rijon’s hand fell down, and he mercifully ended Wyrsalin’s short, sad life.
 
Chapter Four
Rijon placed his arm around Barasila’s shaking shoulders.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I tried to end this war, but I just extended it instead.”
“She had no right to ask you to...” Barasila choked.
“She had every right in the world. They loved each other. She couldn’t do it herself. If it was me, would you be able to end my suffering?” Rijon asked.
Barasila broke down into fresh tears. Rijon knew he felt worse than he had the right to feel. He didn’t even know the dragon. Yet he felt like he had betrayed Barasila at Akarada. The loss was great for her, far greater than for him.
“I love you Rijon. You were right. Masia shouldn’t have that weight on her conscious,” Barasila murmured.
“I feel like I betrayed you by ending his life...” Rijon breathed.
“You said yourself, it was a fatal shot.”
The door burst open. A messenger came sprinting into the house.
“Captain Moonshine! You are wanted at the HQ immediately!’ He cried.
“Go my love,” Barasila said. “Do your duty to the elves.”
“I’ll be back as soon as possible,” Rijon promised.


Rijon stepped into the building. He powered towards the command center, and sped inside.
“Captain Moonshine, we have a most... unusual... report from your force. Apparently you ordered all weapons to be dropped, and death to any elf that attacked the dragons.”
“I was testing their loyalty to me-”
“Wait! There’s more! I also heard that an elf killed a dragon. That elf died at your hands!”
“Sir-”
“I don’t care what you were trying to do! You murdered one of your soldiers! I’m sure you are well aware that the punishment for that is death!”


Barasila heard a loud pounding on her front door.
“Open this door!” someone ordered.
Barasila went to the door, her eyes still red from her tears. She opened the door, and six soldiers stormed into the room.
“Barasila Moonshine, you are under arrest for committing treason against the elves of Belirocea,” One of them announced.
Barasila screamed as the soldiers bound her wrists together. Two of them began ransacking the house, as Barasila was dragged out of the building.
She was dragged towards the prison, just outside of the town. Barasila was thrown into a cold dark and putrid smelling cell, with the last two occupants still inside. She would stay in this cell until she too sucumbed to the hunger and the thirst of her body.


Rijon stumbled towards the jail, his arms and feet chained with huge steel clamps. The two guards behind him cursed at his slow pace, and one of them jabbed his back with a spear, drawing blood.
Eventually, they reached the bleak building that housed several of the elven political prisoners. But, the rich and the famous weren’t the only elves in prison. There were also several ‘traitors’ in the musty cells below the prison. It was there that Rijon was being led, to spend the rest of his days out of the sun light.
He fell heavily into the darkness of a cell, and the door was locked shut.
“Your food for the next month is over there,” A guard cackled. “Try not to eat too fast you two!”
Still laughing maniacally, the guard strutted off.
“Who’s there?” A voice asked out of the gloom.
“Barasila?!’ Rijon gasped.
“Rijon! What happened? Soldiers came and arrested me for treason!”
“I don’t know what’s going on Barasila,” Rijon said. “All I know is that we need to escape.”
With a deal of difficulty, Rijon stood up.
“Do you think...?”
“Of course!” Barasila said.
She stood up, and placed her hands on the chains over Rijon’s wrists.
“Adalante!” She said.
The chains shattered, and steel flew everywhere.
“Great,” Rijon said. “Now we can go for the door!”
“Rijon, wait! We don’t know what's out there!” Barasila cried.
“I’ll tell you what’s out there! A bunch of elves that are going to be in a lot of pain if we don’t escape now! I memorized the corridors as I was dragged down here! I know how to get out of here!” Rijon snarled.
“Rijon, at least let me take the chains off of your feet.”
“Fine,” Rijon said.
Barasila cast the spell, and Rijon’s feet were freed.
“Give me a moment Rijon,” Barasila said, kneeling on the floor.
“Are you okay?” Rijon asked.
“That took more out of me than I thought it would.”
They rested for a minute, and soon, Barasila felt strong enough to attempt to open the cell bars.
“Adalante,” Barasila said again.
The cell bars broke open, and someone screamed.
Rijon ran into the corridor and dropped like a stone as an arrow whizzed over his head. He shot a spell at the guard, and the elf fell in a block of ice.
“Come on Barasila!” Rijon called.
“I can’t! My legs won’t hold me up!” The elf answered.
Rijon spun around and headed back into the room. He lifted Barasila up, and carried her down the hallway.
They ran unopposed for about 500 yards. Then, Rijon saw two elves, who were unarmed.
“Adalante!” Rijon cried.
The spell flew at the closest elf, and the guard yelled, “Cresule!”
The spell leapt off of the elf, and sped back at Rijon. Rijon dropped again, and the spell blew a hole in an wall behind him.
“Ledar calasera esal!” Barasila screamed. “Esala serante su eso sura culno fallaracs!”
“Kriaska,” One of the guards said coldly. “Kriaska te rilag prisano.” Kill the girl first.
The spell flew from the guard, speeding at Barasila.
“Siate!” Rijon roared.
The spell fell out of existence, and Rijon screamed, “Laertya!”
The guards were nailed by a blazing inferno of fire. Rijon heard them screaming, and he thought Serves you right, su acaresos.
He turned to help Barasila, and his jaw dropped to the floor. She was vanishing into thin air!
Rijon suddenly lost sight of the world around him. He was transported to a strange place, a place no words could even begin to describe.
“Greetings young friend. I have heard your cries, and I have helped you so you can help me,” Someone said.