Chronicles of Aeryllia: Genesis

Through the Looking Glass

I had been born across the pond, I was one of Clan MacLean, and I had come to visit my hereditary homeland on the Isle of Mol. After touring the mainland of Scotland, I decided to stay. I put in for a work visa, and secured a flat in Glasgow.

I was working at a sheep farm just outside of town. Today was a weird day so far. It was unseasonably warm for this time of year, and although I had intended to sleep in, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

When I awoke, I was drenched in sweat because of the humidity, so I figured to grab a quick shower. As I was cleaning myself, I had this sudden feeling that I was inside a woman. It felt so real! It was amazing, but a little unsettling, because I had that funny feeling that I was being watched again. I was about to blow when the sensation suddenly stopped. I was a bit disappointed.

I finished my shower and lightly dried off. Standing in the mirror, I lathered up my face and shaved. After wiping my face clean, I gazed in the mirror and debated whether I should get my hair cut. "Nah. I'm going to just lay about and enjoy my day off." I decided. As I turned away from the mirror, I thought I saw something in the mirror. It was fleeting, but it almost looked like I was looking through a window at a clearing in the woods, but it was like no forest I'd ever seen before.

"Bloody hell! Am I losing my mind?" There was a straw hut in the distant and a very strange looking woman. The picture became just a plain mirror again. "I better lay off the scotch..." As I turned to walk away, I heard my name being called. "Sean...come to me. Sean..."

Her voice was beautiful. "Sean...come to me..." I looked around. "Was it a ghost?" Her voice was so enchanting, and sounded desperately wanton. Holy crap! Was I getting turned on by a ghost calling me? "Where are you?!" I called.

"Through the looking glass." The hairs stood up on my neck. "Through...the looking glass?" Then she called again. "Sean...come to the looking glass..."

Did she say come to the looking glass? I felt like I should be running out of the flat, screaming in terror! "Come to me...I NEED you..."

Well, my daddy always told me to never keep a lady waiting... I looked at the mirror, and searched around the area of the mirror. I knew this had to be one of Jon's pranks. He was always clowning around, but this was rather elaborate.

"How did he do that with the voice?" I wondered. I couldn't find any speakers around the mirror. I touched the surface of the mirror, and I suddenly had the sensation of being sucked in! In panic, I tried to pull my hand back, but I couldn't. The force pulling me through was too strong!

I could feel grass beneath my arms and hands as I was being pulled through. On one side, I was standing in my bathroom. On the other side, my body was dragging across the ground. I felt a pair of small, soft hands, grabbing my wrists. Despite how tiny this person was, they had great strength and dragged me deeper into the grassy area through the mirror.

Suddenly my head and upper body were pulled through, and in my panic, I felt dizzy. My vision was blurry, and I felt, more than saw myself being dragged across the grassy surface. My knees had just made contact with the ground as the hands suddenly loosened and let go of my wrists. At the same time, I felt excruciating pain from just below my knees. It was unbearable, and within seconds, I was on the verge of passing out. The last thing I heard, was that beautiful voice shouting. "What? NO! It closed? No! This can't be happening." Darkness overtook my vision with a sensation of weightlessness, and then I was aware of nothing.

The portal had closed prematurely, and in the process, it quickly severed the human's legs from just below the knees. Somewhere, in a flat in Glasgow, a pair of legs, severed just below the knees, dropped to the floor of a bathroom. Police would eventually assume that some nefarious, and unusually cruel kidnapping had occurred, but they would never be able to explain the lack of blood at the gory scene. No suspects. No motives. No demands for payments.

On the other side of the portal, Shayla struggled to drag the large human across the grass. He was a good two feet taller than her, and despite the loss of his legs, a good hundred and fifty pounds heavier. The blood spurting from the stumps of his legs was making a mess all over the place, and she knew that if she didn't act quickly, he would soon die. "No! Sean! No! You can't die like this. Not like this..."

She got to her feet and rushed into the hut. Finding the falchion, she grabbed it by the edge of the blade and slid her palms along its edge, slicing deeply into each of her palms. She rushed back out, her own blood flowing heavily from the deep cuts in her palms.

A few drops of blood fell to the ground as she made her way back to Sean, who was on the verge of death. Wildflowers instantly grew wherever her blood touched the soil. She placed her bloody hands at the stumps. She had to work quickly, as the wounds in her palms were closing fast!

She willed more of her blood into his wounds, and the bleeding slowly stopped. His legs began to regrow. Bones began to lengthen and strech out of the stumps, covered in a thin membrane of ashen hued flesh, and quickly began to take shape.

The ashen hue of his skin began to spread over his body as his skin adopted the color all over him. His brown hair faded to white, and his ears began to grow and stretch, becoming pointed at the tall upswept ends. The muscles in his abdominal and chest area became more defined as the body fat redistributed itself around his body.

He awoke once, howling in pain, but mercifully lost consciousness again, while his body continued to change. Finally, the transformation was complete, but without realizing it, she had also imbued him with a portion of her power. The golden nimbus of light suffused into his body, and then everything was still, except for a calm breeze blowing through the area.

She could hear voices. "Shadow elves! Good..." She went deeper into the forest, tracking the sounds of the conversation.

"Did you see that, Darmon? She changed him into one of us!" The one spoke, as they hid behind a large fallen tree's trunk.

"He is NOT one of US, Malkym! He's still a human. Remember that they are chaotic." The other spoke back.

Malkym frowned disapprovingly. "It doesn't matter. We need to offer assistance."

"I don't know about this..."

"Hello?!" Shayla called.

"Shit!" Darmon muttered.

Both rose to their feet and deeply bowed. "My Lady!" Malkym said. "May we be of service?"

Darmon elbowed Malkym. "Who are you to volunteer MY services to some naked wench in the woods?!"

Malkym's eyes narrowed, and he was about to say something when Shayla spoke up.

"Some naked wench in the woods..." she said mockingly, with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Be glad that my powers are drained right now, or I'd turn you into a toad for a week to teach you some manners!" She glared angrily. Darmon, realizing that he might have earned her wrath, visibly shrank back.

Malkym rolled his eyes and muttered, "Foppish city elves..." He noticed from the corner of his eye, that she had rewarded him with a slight turning up of the corner of her thick, full lips.

She regarded Darmon coolly, the slight smile she'd given Malkym was now replaced with a stern expression for Darmon. "Do you realize who you address?"

Malkym nodded fervently, but Darmon arrogantly huffed, "No, I do not. Nor do I care."

Malkym was aghast, and instantly reached out to slap Darmon upside his head. "That's SHAYLA, you dolt! Beg her forgiveness, now!"

"Shayla! Here?" Darmon looked incredulous. "I thought she was a myth!" He turned to fully take in her appearance. "She's more beautiful than the stories..." Despite her anger with his insolence, the compliment wasn't lost on her, and her features softened somewhat.

Malkym suppressed a snicker. "How many women this beautiful, could walk around naked, and not suffer a scratch, or being taken by a lesser man?" Malkym quickly knelt before her.

Darmon decided to follow his friend's leas and knelt before Shayla. "Goddess, forgive this fool for his insolence! This fool is your humble servant." Shayla smiled brightly enough that it seemed like a third sun had appeared in the sky. She leaned down, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered. "You are forgiven, and just so that you truly know that I am I, I grant you a boon to your healing magic."

As she touched her forehead to Darmon's, a soft golden glow appeared like a thread between them. As she slowly pulled away, the thread connecting them slowly vanished, and Darmon gasped, as he suddenly realized that he now understood a great deal more about healing.

Malkym instantly felt jealous and indignant. 'I showed proper respect. Immediately recognized her, and offered assistance, and this fool gets rewarded for being rude? Well ain't that the day!' He struggled to keep his indignation in check.

Sensing his thoughts and feelings, she leaned toward him, kissed his cheek, and whispered, "Faithful servant. Do not be discouraged. Your reward will be greater, but I must rest first." Now, Malkym understood, and he instantly felt ashamed of himself. "I need you two to come with me." She turned and walked back through to the clearing.

The two men exchanged glances, but immediately followed. As they approached where Sean lie unconscious, their eyes grew wide.

"Damn, he's big!" Darmon said.

"He's even a giant among humans!" Malkym confirmed.

"He is your champion." Shayla said. "He is MY champion." She said again. Both men could hear the possessiveness in her voice. 'Lucky bastard!' They thought.

"Carry him into the hut and lay him upon the bed." Shayla commanded. "He's been through a lot recently."

The men could only imagine. Everyone knew that the portal no longer led to anywhere. For her to have brought him here through a broken portal...

The exertion to her body, and the amount of power she must have used was unfathomable. No wonder she needed their help.

"Well, by the Twelve! I'm going to EARN my boon!" Darmon said as he bent to lift Sean's upper body. "Get his legs, my friend." Malkym bent and grabbed the blood covered legs, and they lifted and carried him into the hut.

With a practiced healer's eye, Darmon surveyed Sean's condition. "That's a lot of blood. He's not fully healed."

"The slices on my hands closed before I could finish." Shayla half lied. She'd accidentally infused him with a portion of her power when trying to infuse him with healing. That power was intended to heal him, not empower him. She felt ashamed, but didn't allow her servants to see it.

"I can fix it. It's mostly done anyway." Darmon said, as he lay his hands on Sean. A light blue glow surrounded Sean's body. The legs finished healing, and Sean slowly sighed with relief in his sleep. Malkym returned with rags and water to clean him up.

With nothing else to do, the three of them left the hut, leaving Sean to rest and recuperate. They convened outside, and Shayla thanked them for their assistance.

"I have more to ask of you two." Shayla confessed. The two elves peered at her with expressions of query.

"You must return to Stone Keep, and speak not a word of this to anyone." Malkym's brows knitted together as he tried to understand.

"Not that many would believe us anyway, but why the secrecy?" Darmon asked, giving voice to what both men wondered.

"He must earn his place among you, through his actions." Shayla said matter of factly.

"But you just said that he was our...YOUR champion!" Malkym said.

"And the people will believe it when they see him come to their aid in a time of great need." Shayla said.

"Milady! We already need him! Orcs carry off our people, even as we speak!" Malkym argued. "We were tracking a party of slavers, when we noticed that someone had activated the old portal, and we came to investigate."

"The time of conflict is not yet. My father has mandated a six moon span for you to prepare. "

"What of those already taken?" Darmon fussed.

"Unfortunately, lost." She sighed sadly.

"We can't just leave them to that fate!" Malkym shouted.

"You must. Do you believe that I want my children to suffer at the hands of my brother's children?" She asked, somewhat indignant.

Of course the notion was ludicrous. "No. Of course not, but..." Malkym had started to say.

Shayla cut him off. "Corvash has forced the conflict, but Kogar has interceded temporarily." She continued. "You have six moons to discover and learn offensive magics, and to be warriors, fighters..."

A tear slid down her cheek. "I did not want this for you...but my brother is a cruel and destructive god. A jealous and vile being." She sighed softly. "And he's a bully. Of all the gods, he chooses to pick on me, the youngest of us..."

The two elves now understood what was necessary. They needed to warn their people, and prepare. "We need to warn our people." Darmon said.

"We need to warn ALL peoples." Malkym corrected.

"Let the dwarves, humans, and gnomes find out for themselves!" Darmon said.

"The dwarves are greedy, but they're honorable. The gnomes prefer to stay in their caves and tinker, but they also deserve to know." Malkym took a breath and continued. "Even as chaotic as humans are, there are as many good, as there are evil. We don't know what forces Corvash has brought here." Darmon reluctantly nodded in agreement. "We must forge alliances."

"We should be wary of the treachery of humans and half elves though." Darmon warned.

"What of the Champion?" Darmon asked.

"Leave him to me." Shayla grinned.

"Well, I suppose that if one must be wrapped around a woman's finger, better the finger of a Goddess, than of a lowly mortal." Malkym agreed.

"I'll keep that in mind, handsome!" The feminine voice came from behind and too his left as the winged beauty came forward. Malkym yelped in surprise as she grabbed his ass cheek playfully.

Shayla smirked. "Now, Sister. Is that any way for a Goddess to act towards one of my servants?"

The winged beauty fluttered her eyelashes and said in a mockingly innocent tone. "Little Sister. Whatever do you mean?" She gently traced a long nailed finger along Malkym's jawline.

"Don't be such a harpy!" Shayla scolded indignantly.

"Harpy?!" The winged beauty feigned insult. One of her wings twitched slightly. "I believe that you're confusing me with our other sister. Has it been so long since we saw each other?"

"You know what I meant..." Shayla said.

Smiling coyly, the winged beauty brushed up against Malkym. Her full bare breasts pressing against his chest as she pressed her hips against his hips, practically raping him with her eyes. The color rose to Malkym's cheeks. "It's not my fault that you created such beautiful creatures. I'm rather taken with this one..."

"Shareen!" Shayla scolded.

"Alright. Alright!" Shareen backed off. "Later, Lover." She gave Malkym a wink, and was answered with an even deeper darkening of his cheeks.

Darmon watched silently, half amused, and half jealous. If he wasn't mated to such a beautiful woman himself... my, oh my, the young thoughts...

Sensing his thoughts, Shareen teased Darmon. "This one is quite handsome too." This caused a bit of color to his cheeks. "Too bad he's already mated..." She turned a lustful gaze back upon Malkym. 'By the Dead Eighty-eight! The things I would have him do to me!' She thought to herself.

"Kogar's Beard! Behave!" Shayla cursed in admonishing tone to her sister's lecherous behavior.

"I'm sorry, Sister! I can't help it!" She glaced wistfully at Malkym. "He's just so handsome...and I AM the Goddess of Love, after all..."

Shayla furrowed her delicate brows. "Love?" She muttered to herself, "More like LUST..."

"I heard that!" Shareen scolded.

"Good!" Shayla countered.

"Besides, as beautiful as he is, you haven't seen what's in the hut..." Shayla proudly grinned.

Shareen's eyebrows arched in surprise. "Is that so?" She noted her sister's dreamy expression, and sniffed at the air. 'Well, well. Someone has someone really hot and bothered!' She thought. 'I can't WAIT to see him!'

Shareen turned towards the flustered men. "I was here long enough to get a good idea of what you two need to be doing..." She then cast a glance at the hut, then at her sister. "My sister and I have...Godly stuff...to discuss. Things not meant for the ears of servants."

The men took the hint, bowed deeply to both, and quickly excused themselves. Shareen's eyes burned holes in Malkym's back as the two men slowly disappeared into the forest. Leaning over to Shayla, Shareen spoke quietly. "I really do fancy that one. More than just a toy. He has...power..."

Shayla gazed thoughtfully at Shareen. "We can discuss it later...the hut..." She turned and walked into the hut. Shareen was about to protest, but then, wasn't that why she hurried her sister's servants away? She sashayed off after her sister.