Path to Destiny

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

The world shattered around me in blinding white. The pieces of the shadow world fell away like black glass, one by one as each dark pane disintegrated into nothing.

I was left in a world of white, in a world where there was no darkness but, at the same time, no light either despite the color around me...

I had no form, but I could see and feel. So I moved forward, wherever that was.

The magnitude of the world astounded me. It was white after unending white. I tried speaking, but I could not speak.

I saw a speck of color ahead and moved toward it. The thing was strange. A ball of moving, indefinable substance, like a rainbow reflected in water. Maybe it was an exit out of this white world. I reached out for it and entered the substance.

Colors invaded my mind. A rush of greens, browns, and deep midnight blues. A starlit meadow with glowing flowers. Peals of a woman's laughter, the deep chuckle of a man.

I opened my eyes to a beautiful scene.

No, not beautiful.

It was heinous and ugly, the land of that fool Zephyr. It was named Aria, of all things. And it had far too much green. Tekin was better. I liked its cold temperatures and freezing lakes... That was beauty.

I shook myself inside of these thoughts. What was this? I was thinking these things, yet they were not my own. I was Lannie Brackenbury. This person in my head was someone else. Someone else who thought the Wind Elemental Zephyr was a fool, hated Aria, and loved Tekin...

I felt the horror set in when I realized who it was.

No, it can't be.

The vision took over.

***

I was here in the first place because there was a border issue with Ashad and Tekin which needed to be settled. But upon entering Ashad, I found no trace of Eden. That imbecile Ashadian king told me she was in this Arian forest settling matters with Zephyr. Or something like that. He also asked why I was looking for her when I could settle the issue myself.

I did not deign to answer him.

Aria was wholly disgusting. Unlike Tekin's frosted landscape, Aria's vast plains and spots of forests made it perfect for Zephyr with the winds rolling across the high plains.

I crept through the glowing bushes of the Arian forest and skirted these damnable trees. What business Eden had up here was beyond my comprehension. The forest separated Ashad and Aria, so it probably had something to do with an issue she could only sort out with Zephyr. Probably a border issue. Ashad was known for making strife with other countries, after all.

Laughter echoed in the air, and I knew it could only belong to her. I smiled and continued through the bushes. I was about to call out her name when I heard male laughter. The smile fell from my lips.

I stopped in the forest and regarded my decisions.

I crept silently, weaving in and out of the trees until I came to a meadow. It had a haunting beauty to it, if you liked glowing blue flowers and fireflies stuffing up your nose.

Eden's laughter sent me hiding behind a tree. I felt somewhat guilty. Would she be angry if she figured out I was spying on her?

Of course she would.

But she would never find out. I cloaked my presence from them, becoming the air, using its spirit and energy to become essence. It was the perfect kind of espionage.