Avandor's Gift
Under the Nadir

I was drowning but by Avandor, I savoured every second of it. She was here with me. “Tet.” I said. She was just as I remembered, an iridescent face with beguiling green eyes.

“Evander, you came.” She smiled as she floated towards me.

“I told you that I would.” I said taking both her hands. I couldn’t believe it I finally had her with me and now I would have her forever.

“I don’t want you to leave me ever again.” She said as she placed her hand along my cheek and gently stroked the planes of my face.

“I promise,” I said and leaned in to kiss her. But as I did her smile disappeared and her form shimmered slightly. The tendrils of hair that framed her face were no longer black but were now silver as were her eyes.

“Evander, clear your mind.” Her voice echoed through me peeling away the sense of euphoria which had possessed me so fully. “The pool is acting on you and if you don’t free yourself you will drown.”

“Tet?” I said confused by her sudden reproach.

“Clear your mind of the pool’s hold Evander. If not you and the others will perish.” She said and then disappeared.

As if awaking from a sudden dream I became aware of the frigid waters surrounding me as well as the pain in my lungs as they screamed for air. I kicked at the water swimming up to the surface. I saw that Greyshanks had already made it to the opposite shore and was looking out at the water anxiously.

Greyshanks. I said reaching out to her.

Evander! She said. The relief was palpable even from here.

I need to get the others. I said and then went under water once more.

Lishpa was the first one I spotted. I grabbed him under the arm and pulled him to the surface. He was already out of it, but I still sensed the pulse of warmth still thrumming through him. I pulled him ashore and Grey’s feet.

“Stomp on his back or shake him if you must to get some of the water out him. When he comes around, drag him away from this place.” I said turning to go and retrieve Noran and Nivraél.

At this point I wasn’t sure if they were alive, but their pure changeling blood should preserve them longer than it would either me or Lishpa. Or so I hoped.

I swam around searching near the area where I thought that they dived. I soon spotted both their forms lying close to the bottom of the pool.

I grabbed both their arms and pulled them to the surface and waded unto the shore. I flopped down beside them as my limbs were leaden from exhaustion. I caught a few more deep breaths and didn’t tarry long as I pulled them further out of the water. I started my ministrations on both their backs immediately.

Greyshanks and Lishpa were nowhere in sight, which I took as a good sign. He must have awoken and she had to drag him away before he attempted suicide once more.

After a couple slaps I was rewarded as first Nivraél coughed, followed by Noran.

“Naürïa,” both whispered at different intervals and I couldn’t help but to wonder who or what that they had seen while in the water.

“We are fine now,” I said as I slung an arm of each over my shoulders and pulled them away from the water.

I looked back at the cliffs. The fire was gone and also any sign that it was there. The trees along the cliff stood tall, green and untouched. It was like the last half an hour never happened.

I found Greyshanks’ trail and followed it into the forest. Lishpa was awake and was sitting at the bottom of a tree in silent musing. When we approached he took one of the changelings from me. I gladly relinquished the weight.

We put both of the changelings to lie together and then I sat down.

“When do you expect they will wake?” said Lishpa.

“They were under longer that any of us. It will take time for their body to heal, but it won’t be long I think.” I said looking at the slight rise and fall of their chests.

“What, what was that pool?” said Lishpa after a moments silence.

“That was the Pool of Contentment. It makes you see your deepest desires from which you won’t part with even if it means drowning. It protects Talithá from outsiders by pulling them there.”

“I see,” he said and again he curled back at the tree root falling into a silent reverie.

Greyshanks came to stand beside me. Are you well? She asked.

Yes, I said as I stroked the area behind her ear.

You too were affected by the water, but how did you wake?

Tet, she came to me. The forest was darkening and being draped in wet clothes made me shiver.

You are cold, you should start a fire. She said.

No, no fire. I have had enough of that for one day. I will bear the ague which follow this, but not another fire tonight. She hummed in agreement. Take my warmth then. She said as she came to settle beside me.

The night waxed and waned with the moon and I stood watch until the first light of Anolis filtered through the canopy. I couldn’t sleep as my mind was heavy with the weight of my encounter with Tet in the pool. What did this mean about me being king? Was I worthy when I was ready to sacrifice the life of thousands including my own for one person? A king was to be self-sacrificing, but could I honestly claim to be such? The longer I pondered it, the more my conscience was burdened with the answer.

The moment I knew I loved Tet, no longer could I claim to be the martyr of the people. In a heartbeat I would risk their lives, dooming them all to a horrible and uncertain future just for her. This realisation brought me no pleasure but neither did it bring pain.

Noran and Nivraél had woken up sometime during the night. They were somewhat more subdued than before but they were fine otherwise. I nudged Lishpa awake and he woke with a start and then flailed around slightly disoriented.

“We leave for Talithá now.” I said no one objected as we were all eager to leave the confines of the forest. The pool had elevated us to the zeniths of our existence where all we wanted in life was within our grasps. Escaping had sunk us under the nadir of our emotions, as we saw what we wanted most in this world, accepted death to gain it and after all that, we still had to leave it behind. At least they had to leave it behind.

Tet, I am coming.