The Story of Elysia, A Love Story

The Story of Elysia, A Love Story
by Ammikia Beign

All the great stories are about love and the Story of Elysia is a love story, after all. For you see, when Elysia was being founded there was Vanoviel Niltaurwen and her friend El’Dana of Dre’Ana. They watched the groundbreaking for the first time as poles were placed for the stockade. As time went on they shared at the moment when the first stones were laid and Champion’s Keep began to climb higher as did their ideas of what Elysia could be. On the day the final stone was laid those that had come to Elysia celebrated the moment well into the night. Upon the roof of Champion’s Keep were Vanoviel and El’Dana sharing the moment. A dream is a reality, a dream shared.

As Vanoviel retired for the night, El’Dana stayed to admire what they had done. As she peered over the landscape with the flickering fires and sounds of celebration drifting up upon the breeze; someone else appeared on that breeze, right on the roof. He was shrouded and mysterious but didn’t seem to threaten or show any ill towards her. He spoke from his shroud the words “Do you love her?” and El’Dana said she did. To which he gave her box and within the box were two of the loveliest warhorns one could ever lay eyes upon. Jeweled and crusted in fine metals and craftsmanship beyond this world. These were the fabled Warhorns of Jerico that were given to Dre’Ana and Dra’Nar upon their births. Now in Elysia they would be given to Vanoviel to become the most treasured belongings. She visited them often over the years and decades deep within the vaults of Champion Keep.

Elysia shined brightly with her lady leading her. The dream of the Three Towers became a reality and Elysia was home to some of the best artisans and merchants far and wide came to her markets to trade. The city of the Fey shined even in the darkness of the days of the Second Fey War and war between T’Nanshi and M’Chek. On the night of Elysias greatest victory, the two were upon the roof of Champion’s Keep as the city celebrated and the sounds drifted upon the breeze to the pair. As the night grew late, Vanoviel retired to her chambers but El’Dana stayed up on the roof taking in the sounds of their people celebrating. The shrouded figured appeared as he had before so long ago and he spoke as he did that first time. “Do you love her?” he spoke. El’Dana told him she did. What would now be asked by him of her, would test not only that love, but many not known yet. He told of two things that would happen and only one of them can be prevented. She will fall and Rhiss’s army would take Elysia and the other was the world would be turned to cinder and ash. That when it was time, the horns would be blown and promise would be kept, resurrection and something wonderful would happen. For one to be prevented, the box that he gave her all those years ago needed to be hiding away out of reach of Rhiss and his army. She got the horns to safety and drew a map as he told her to. Then the following day as Vanoviel left to meet the Council of Nine in Le’Or about Elysia’s independence she was attacked just outside of the Fairy Garden and taken from us.

Elysia’s shine slowly dimmed. The war carried on at a violent pace. Revenge on many a mind and action. Rhiss was captured and turned over but was shown mercy. The wars would end but they were bittersweet endings as Elysia did not shine. Time would pass and what was a dream, was now dreary and dull. To most Vanoviel became a memory that faded into the background of history. As life moved on another war came upon the lands and Rhiss was at the head of a mighty army that took Elysia among other places. His seers searched and ransacked the city looking for what was taken away so many years before and hidden away. That he never found them or any clues to the whereabouts for El’Dana was that good at her task. Elysia would be liberated from his grasp but she didn’t shine again nor would her Three Towers stand tall. His armies would be defeated in T’Nanshi and in M’Chek as the former foes were now allies.

Time passes and one day at a Trade Fair in the lands of Ferrell. A young knight, who lives in a keep, bought a map from Zoobza for a few coins, while a lady in mermaid costume sung songs about the sea. He was taken with the lady that sang and would ask her to join him in seeing where the map went. She would travel with him learning the secrets of the map. That it was three maps, as two of the maps were hidden. Together with friends they -would follow the first hidden map to Jechran and find Dre’Ana’s warhorn. They would follow the second hidden map to Culluth and retrieve Dra’Nar’s warhorn. Then following the visible map deep into the Wastelands there the lady that sang the song would part with something she didn’t understand so that others wouldn’t have to give. This allowed them to travel the Ever Shifting Maze and meet the Changeling King. He gave the lady a pitch whistle and rubbed some balm on her back while telling her she paid too high a price. It was a price she didn’t understand.

Now they had both horns and the pitch to know the notes. Now for the rest of what the shrouded man told El’Dana; that when the horns are blown, a promise will be kept and resurrection and something wonderful will happen, but no one had been able to locate Vanoviel’s soul. When she was taken she didn’t die, her soul was taken from her and imprisoned. She was not graced by her lord O’Ma in his realm but missing. No one knew by whose hand this happened or where to look.

The young knight that bought the map married the lady that sang the song because this is a love story. They started building a shining example of what can be when love matters in M’Chek. The horns were hidden away till they were needed for the safety of everyone as it was learned demons were seeking the horns. Other problems raised and were handled; great battles fought and honors given for deeds. The lady that sang learned more about herself, the knight with the keep became even mightier, and together they started something to show all that the world can change for the better.

It’s said that a man out in the forest took it upon himself to seek her out; the soul of Vanoviel and would take others along for help. In seeking her, the lady that sang learned of her true nature, who she really is, and what she gave away in the Wastelands reappeared and saved her. For the Changeling King’s words were true, she had paid a price greater than she knew. They foiled the designs of devils and demons that live in the darkness below us all. In a final moment, the man from the forest risked it all to find and secure her. Many great trees that never felt the sunlight did feel it the warmth of the sun to prepare them for the final act and light way for the one from the forest. Those trees stood in defiance when the demons appeared knowing it would be their last moments. This they did for they had felt the power of the sun and stood in the light. No one is sure what the man from the forest did deep underground in the darkness but he did. It is known that he saved some of the kin along with the vessel that held the soul of Vanoviel. This he did because he does not fail.

It was brought to Elysia right away with the greatest of haste and the horns were brought too by those that had hidden them. There within Champion’s Keep, the horns rang out true and loud by the lady that sang and a hero of the orphans blowing them. The vessel that held the soul cracked and turned to dust. Thereupon the altar was Elysia’s lady, Vanoviel but she wasn’t alive. For her to live, the wonderful would need to happen and it did happen. Tilla'taria appeared and joined her soul with Vanoviel and gave her life to her. The lady of light and the lady of dreams are one now. She stood up and knew where she was. Most of the faces she did not know as it had been a long time but she knew El’Dana and some of the others, including the lady that sang.

El’Dana and Vanoviel back together in the land that worked and dream of. The City of the Fey shines again because Elysia is a love story after all.