Four Years Later (Year 6015)

When the Dragon Queen sends a private missive to you, marked with the word 'Important', you do not ignore it.

Among her many roles and titles, Cressida had a lesser known title: Guardian of Future Past. A close friend of Therelia's, they had known each other for more than thirty years, after the Elf had taken her place as an Elder of the Light Elves, and the Guardian of the Forest.

At 170 years old, Therelia was the youngest Elf to hold a position in the Elven Council. If, in an unlikely event that the Elder had to step down from his or her position prematurely, their assistant, the 2nd in command, would take up the duties of the Elder.

That was what happened to her. The Elder of the Druids had died in the Fall, leaving Therelia to helm the role, but due to an...unfortunate...issue, she could not take up the position until a year after.

Now, 40 years after the Fall, her long time friend and colleague Cressida had requested her presence. As a hawk, she had soared on the wind towards their meeting point, the miles eaten up by the current under her wings. Spotting the distinct ice blue hair of the Seer, standing facing a cliff's edge, and her delicately carved horns, Therelia circled twice in the air, letting out a cry to alert her to coming. Tucking in her wings, she dived, shifting back to her natural form and alighting in a crouch.

"Hello, Cress," Therelia said, straightening and dusting herself off.

"Therelia," Cressida regally inclined her head. Cressida was also a Seer, and this was one of the traits that her role as Guardian of Future Past conferred on her. One look in your eyes, and she knew the endless possibilities that you could be involved in. That gave her enormous power, because she could arrange it so that the best future could come to pass.

"What has happened? You mentioned that you had to see me urgently," Therelia pressed, fishing for answers. Cressida was silent for a while, still staring off into the distance. Then, her crystal blue eyes shifted to me and whispered, "I have seen your mate."

Therelia's heart skipped a beat. "Carus? You've found him?"

"Yes. In your absence, he thought you dead, because none except your brother survived the massacre in the Council on the day of the Fall. In sorrow, he tried to get as far away from Tahtien as possible. However, he knew you would want him to continue to help against the rise of the Dark Elves, and thus he went to the Manticore Mountains."

The Manticore Mountains was a bit of a misnomer. Other Shifters lived in the Mountains and its elevated fields and forests. The Manticores were merely the most visible, guarding the pass leading from the human kingdom of Duslik to the territories of the Shifters.

"Why did you tell me this, Cress? You know I would want to go to my mate, after 40 years of not seeing him. Yet, I have duties here as well; the Light Elves are scattered, and the Dark Elves grow in power every day."

Cressida clasped her hands in front of her, the silk of her dress bellowing in the wind. "I felt a surge of Dark Magic from there recently, and decided to peer into my scrying mirror. What I saw was that if you did not go there, the Mountains would be lost to the Dark Elves."

She gently took Therelia's hands in hers. "I cannot say overmuch, for fear of changing the best course we can chart for Aoturoa. But please go. Find Carus, and help him in the time to come. And remember, even though you are the youngest, you are the most powerful of your bloodline. And where your power fails, your brother's knowledge may yet succeed. You will find him at the School of Magic."

Leaning down, she brushed the wisps of the Elf's golden hair aside, and kissed her gently on the forehead. "May Kaihanga watch over you, Sky Hawk," she breathed, and then, in a blink of an eye, she melted into icy blue mist and faded away.

Stretching out her arms, Therelia shrunk once more into the shape of a hawk and launched herself into the air. Carus, and the Manticore Mountains were waiting.

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Word count: 734

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Hello! Thank you for reading so far into my entry for this year's ONC! Read, comment, and if you enjoyed this chapter, turn that star up there yellow to vote for me! Do also check out the other amazing entries the other ONCers are putting up, and if you want me to read yours, put a link here for me to check it out. ONCers, pls also do consider joining the book club Dreamland Community is putting up so you can get a reliable group of people to exchange feedback with!

ILY,

Kiawah Adev

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