Rune

"Wyrmen, 12th of the month of Caimures, Evening

We've been walking all day and I think it's been a beautiful day. Talon had gold hair and gold eyes today – as ever he continues to be peculiar. I wonder if I shall ever understand him. He started teaching me how to speak the ancient runes. It's a complicated language so I don't know how long it will take. Jaekel seems to have been in high spirits most of the day – I wonder what he talked with Niliah about. They seem to get along."

Amrunela paused in her writing, glancing over at the tent in which Jaekel had already retired to. Her prince seemed to be exhausted again. She hoped he didn't have any more troubling dreams.

Her eyes drifted towards their companions. As usual, Talon was letting Niliah use his lap as a pillow. He was softly singing while brushing his fingers through her hair. A look of fondness was on his face. She wondered if he loved her. Though the look was different than the way her parents looked at each other. So she wasn't sure.

Honestly, Amrunela was not quite good at reading people's feelings – not like her mother was. She could tell with her parents cause they weren't exactly subtle about it – not anymore at least. According to Aunt Fayre during their first two years of marriage they had been a bit more subtle – though it had slowly became less and less.

And Jaekel's parents were if anything worse. Actually….most of the adults she knew tended to be a bit on the obvious side. King Arrion of Lumna absolutely adored his wife, and was always clinging to her when they were together – his wife was a lot less obvious but she never pushed him away. Then there was the Amriel royalty – the other kingdom that currently came more often to visit. King Heron was not as obvious either but sometimes he would flush at one of his wife's flirtatious comments. And his sister was obviously besotted with her husband.

All that being said, Amrunela had no clue how to read subtler signals such as those her age would often give when they were as yet uncertain as to the feelings of the other person.

So she was not entirely sure what sort of affection Talon had for Niliah. But he was fond of her – she was sure on that.

As she was thinking about this, her eyes were caught by something moving in the forest behind of Talon and Niliah.

It was a dark smoky shape that seemed to be hovering, swirling, and dancing in the trees. Curiously she stood up and moved to investigate it. As she passed, Talon gave her an odd look, but said nothing.

She went into the woods, following the now moving away smoky spiral. It was skimming the ground now. As she followed it, she began to have misgivings – it probably wasn't wise to follow a wisp into the woods. If Jaekel knew of this she doubted he would be at all okay with her doing so. But once again her curiosity had gotten the better of her and here she was. Foolishly following just to satisfy her own curiosity.

It led her into a scattering of vine and moss covered ruins, a fissure wrought through the middle of the ground, easily stepped over, but deeper than peering down could show. It came to rest on top of one of the fallen stone pillars, covered in moss.

She stopped, looking around. This place roused her curiosity even more. When she glanced back at the wisp it was gone, replaced with a wraith. A humanoid figure, wrapped in shadows like a burial shroud with a face that was ghastly pale – see through even. Wispy smoke-like hair framed the pale face. The most popping color was the eyes of the wraith. A beautiful shade of green. It was the eyes that made her think this was not a regular wraith.

Wraiths were usually dark souls that had a twisted desire to torment the living, but his eyes held a warmth that made her think that though he had been kept here and made into a wandering soul, he had not been completely turned into a wraith.

She blinked, not quite feeling like he was going to attack, but a bit confused why it had purposefully led her here.

He regarded her silently as well. A flicker of a smile crossed his face and he then chuckled, "You're very tall."

"…" She wasn't sure how to respond to that, but he continued.

"Such lovely red hair. You got that from your mother. Those grey eyes… your father? Your nose is petite, cute really. Your lips seem to naturally quirk upwards – you laugh a lot I take it?"

"Why are you critiquing my looks?" She raised a brow, feeling faintly uncomfortable.

"That's a reasonable attitude." He said with a slight tilt to his head. "…Its just that it's the first time I got to see you so…anyway, I didn't lead you here to discuss that – as much as I'd like to."

"What is it you want?" What could a wraith want with her?

"This place was once a shrine. You can't tell now of course, but there were many shrines like it in Nireal."

"That's the old kingdom that once stood there. It's not here anymore."

"Nireal is not completely gone. The buildings are in ruins, that is true. But so long as the Flame of Nireal still burns it cannot completely die – but the Flame cannot rebuild – not on its own. That is the duty of the Staffbearer."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You're curious aren't you? In life I was fairly ignorant of these things – only a bit of it was told to me. But ever since my death thirty-eight years ago all I've done is listen. The spirits are growing increasingly more restless – for the time is at hand."

"What time?"

"The time where either Nireal shall be reborn and once again have someone sit on the throne or… everything shall be plunged into chaos."

"W-what do you mean?" That didn't sound good.

"His name is Gormik. He's been regathering power again – but this time he is weakened. So getting rid of him without a major sacrifice might be doable. The more powerful you all are though the better."

"So why are you talking to me alone?"

"I can't do anything to help your companions grow in power. You and I though share some compatible wavelengths."

She stared at the wraith, "I don't follow."

"I am going to serve as a catalyst for you to awaken even more strength."

"I am not sure –"

Before she could say anything the wraith swirled back into the mist form and went into the amulet about her neck which darkened briefly but seemed to go back to normal.

Amrunela though could feel the presence of the wraith which had taken over her amulet. She tried to get it out, but because she lacked knowledge of its name the spells she knew that would have worked in this situation had no effect.