The nearly full moon illuminated the night sky as Teya made her way through the forest. She knew the trees well and navigated herself easily in the night despite not having her remarkable elven eyesight. She also, as she had noted over this last week, made sure to avoid those Guardians that were posted to keep watch.

As Teya neared the edge of the clearing where the village awaited, she blinked and her eyes changed from navy blue to a sky blue colour. She looked around and saw her kin posted around, frozen as they stood in position. Just as they had when Teya was last here. The Guardians were far enough away to not be in any immediate danger. They knew that a nearly full moon would give a considerable boost in strength to the Elves. So Teya took this opportunity to circle around the clearing and make her way to the other side of the great tree where she transformed her legs, giving her strength to leap upwards from branch to branch, denying her the need to use the stairs.

As she came to the top and entered the meeting room, her father immediately broke his spell. “Teya, what are you doing?” he whispered in anger. “And why do you look like that?” he asked, recognizing his daughter through her facial features and sensing her all too familiar magical presence. If not for the fact that she had a bit of her magic flowing through her, she knew not what he would have done. Most likely, they would have thought her to be some form of shape shifter that failed to completely take the appearance of an Elf.

“I was hoping that you could explain that.” Teya crossed her arms and flared her eyes at her father.

Her father approached her. “You shouldn’t undo the spell until tomorrow. If they see you now, you’ll be in danger.” He then grabbed her hand. “Quickly, release your magic and let us return to being still.”

Teya tugged her hands away. “Not until you explain this.” Teya motioned her hands at her body. “Who is my mother?” she asked.

“Teya, we don’t have time for this. If you can’t revert now, then let us hide in the prison chamber.”

“I’ll ask again. Who is my mother or rather what was my mother? Was she human?” By now, her father had turned his back and began walking to the trap door. Seeing that he intended to ignore her, Teya added a rather threatening remark. “I suggest you answer. If not, then you can forget me helping to break the barrier tomorrow night.”

At that, Elioton turned around and looked with grim eyes at his daughter. “Fine.” He then opened the trapdoor. “But first, we hide.” And so they did, they both crept into the chamber, hidden with the trunk of the tree. There, Elioton began to explain.

“Your real mother left years before you were old enough to remember her. My wife, Lady Liothon, took her place and claimed to be your real mother.” Even through the darkness, Teya could see her father frown. “In hope of hiding my affiliations with a human, I forged a spell that would keep you from changing forms. And before you ask, I don’t know where your mother went. Not that it matters, she’s long dead by now.” Elioton then looked at Teya. “But how did you break the spell?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” Teya replied, choosing to keep Steven out of this conversation. Even so, she didn’t lie. She really didn’t know how Steven did this.

“Well, are you satisfied now?” Her father asked. “If that’s the case, then either leave the forest in human form or transform to Elven and return yourself to the spell. But remember, half Elven or not, you’re still my daughter and have a duty to your people.” And then he proceeded to climb the ladder. Most likely to return to the meeting room and stay in stasis until tomorrow.

After a moment of thinking, Teya did the same. She left the prison chamber and walked beside her father, where he sat frozen within his chair in front of the large war table. There, Teya took a breath and her skin became paler, her eyes even lighter, her hair whiter and her ears stretched to a point and curled backwards at its tip. She then let her magic calm itself, tempting her to not resist the forest’s magic and soon enough, she became clear as glass.

~

“Chaos, how do you suppose I can help tomorrow?” Steven asked as he crouched seated on the staircase and stared towards the dark army.

“First you must ask yourself, do you really want to help?” Chaos asked as he met Steven’s eyes.

“I don’t suppose I do. I don’t particular favor either Elf or human. But I do have my family to protect.” Steven rose his large form up from where he stooped. “But Teya has hers as well. I don’t want to harm either if I could.”

“Then that is a tricky situation.” Chaos turned and walked towards the well. “But someone as powerful and mighty as yourself could figure it out.”

“Except I don’t know how to use my powers. I’ve only ever managed to use the ‘Spell breaker’ as you call it and I don’t see that being too useful in battle.” Steven said as he turned to face Chaos again. “Not that I’d know how to activate it even if I tried.” He added.

“Then perhaps you can learn to use your powers again.” Chaos said as he stared deeply into the golden well.

Steven’s shattered eyes grew thin to form a glare. “I thought you didn’t know how my powers worked.”

“Yes that is correct.” Chaos swept a hand in the golden water and cupped some of its content. “But you do. After all you are a great being.” Chaos walked forward and held the water in front of Steven. “The well is what keeps your soul connected to this body of yours. And a soul is the source of one’s magical powers. The reason why you can’t use spells is because magic is something that rejected you a long time ago. The only powers you can wield are your own abilities but to do that, you must awaken the soul of the World Walker when you are in the body of Steven.”

“And how would I do that?” Steven batted an eye as he looked at the water in Chaos’ hand.

“You must release your soul. From time to time you have done this before, when your desires to do so were strong. Strong enough to awaken your dormant powers. But without a certain will and no particular desire, you cannot do this.” Chaos bowed and held the golden water in his black hands forward. “The water is what connects you. Every time you awaken, you pant and let the water out. This time, you must drink it and drown yourself. Then your powers can become more accessible.”

It was then that the well had begun to overflow. Steven looked down at Chaos one last time. “Drink.” He said and Steven did as was told. The golden water tasted rather bitter for something so pretty. It was like horrible medicine. But soon enough, as the water was above Steven’s knees, he began to feel a warmth in his throat. And when the world overflowed and he awakened in his bed, he could still feel the warmth.

The day had come. Steven got up and looked through his window. And as you would expect, men armed themselves and waited on the hill. Those with magic carried no weapons but most had bows. But that was only the first ranks, the rest would be in the town. Steven looked to Arthur’s bed, he had gotten up already. Ever since Steven had accepted his dreams, he found that he slept more and in fact, he often overslept. Thanks to that, the dark bags under his eyes had lessened. But even so, it was unlikely for Arthur to be up before him.

Steven left the room and saw no one but Sarah staring through a window in the main room. And as Steven entered the room, she turned to him.

“Did you rest well?” Sarah asked, skipping her morning greetings.

Steven rubbed his right eye and replied “I suppose I did.” He then looked at the table, there was no one there. “Where are Arthur and Maria?”

“They’ve already made their way to the town. You should get ready and do so as well.”

And that he did. Steven brushed his teeth and clothed himself as best as he could. He skipped a bath because he did not want those men to see him naked. But other than that, he was done with his usual morning routine and was dressed well enough. He wore no armor like the men outside, none would fit him nor could he bear the weight. And besides, it would have been a waste of resources on him.

So with that done, Steven left the cabin and made his way to the town. The first site where Maria and Arthur were supposed to be was at the top of the clock tower in the town’s square. From there, they could see the entire eastern section of the town, enclosed within its stone walls. Up the brick stairs, Steven went until he reached the platform where Arthur and Maria waited. The enormous clock ticked with gears and chucks above him.

Unlike Steven, Arthur wore a chain plate armored vest and bore his magic sword at his side. Maria also had a long velvet robe that extended a hood over her head, hiding her dark hair but still, you could still see her face. Steven thought that he looked quite bland in his trousers and t-shirt. But then again, there wasn’t much that he could do to stand out. He had no magic to call and no blade to wield.

Arthur looked at him as he came closer. “Why did you come?” Arthur said. “You could’ve left with the other townsfolk.”

“And you could have too.” Steven retorted.

Arthur smiled and wrapped his arm around Steven. As he gave him a brotherly knuckle in the head, he said “Just stay with us and we’ll keep you safe”

Steven yelled “Fine! Fine!” as he tried to pull Arthur’s arm from around him. Of course he failed to do so and Maria chuckled behind her hood at the familiar sight. And that was it for most of the day. Preparations and traps had already been made, the common folk would have already reached the mountain base and everyone else would have readied themselves into position. All waited.

Soon the sun settled in the west and night came. Only a few more hours. By now Steven had felt the tingle in his throat dissipate into his entire body. He didn’t know what it would do but for some reason, he felt like he could accomplish the impossible. In many ways it was like drinking alcohol (which of course Steven had no idea what that was like). The only difference, of course, was that he actually became more powerful as Maria noted.

“What’s happening to you?” she asked beside Steven as he leaned against the stone railings.

“What do you mean?” he asked, obviously not knowing what she was talking about.

“Your eyes, they’re becoming red. Have you slept well?” she asked. And indeed, Steven’s eyes were red and strained, as if he had gotten no sleep at all. Though of course, he had gotten plenty of sleep. Maria continued, “And you’ve got this sort of feeling about you. I don’t know how to explain it except that it’s warm. Uncomfortably warm.”

Arthur had overheard the conversation and while Steven figured that Maria could sense something strange in him because of her powers, he knew that Arthur could not. And that is why his brother said without hesitation. “You’re both probably on edge. Must be getting on your nerves.”

At that, the conversation ended and the trio waited until midnight approached. When it did, Steven saw a red translucent barrier decorated with runes appear as the moon became full. And then they were various flashes of white light and soon after, beacons extended from the sky to four locations in the forest. Before long, the barrier became dotted with holes. The battle had begun.