Supreme Grace

Chapter 24

Alda

I was barely holding it together. After so much excitement about seeing Everbloom Bay and meeting its inhabitants, what we were met with had all of us thinking about what this war would cost us and our people. So many had suffered. When I laid my eyes on the pile of bodies, towering over the houses in the square, I didn't think it could become worse, but as we got closer and I could see the faces, the eyes…the teeth….I knew it could always be worse.

Then watching this nice shopkeeper use his last breath to give us warning, I was beside myself with what to do. Krog, as Geilas had called him, lay at our feet, bleeding out, but somehow still had a smile on his face. It was as if his mask displayed the hope he had in Bavilan…in us.

"Geilas what did Krog mean when he mentioned the twins?" I asked quietly. I had been pondering over it, but we didn't know much about Bavilan, so coming to conclusions or solutions was a challenge to say the least.

"The Twins of Darkness, known as Vale and Wystan." That was all she said as she began to collect Krog. She picked him up as if he was a feather and walked back through the winding paths to the pile of bodies at the center of the city. We remained quiet as she gently laid his body amongst the other lost souls. She turned to us and held out her hands as a single tear fell from her eyes.

"Come, we must send them home." She advised as we linked hands with her and turned our attention back to meet the horrific gazes of death staring back at us. Geilas was in the middle, towering over us, with two of us on each side. I held Ember's hand, who held Geilas' hand. On the other side, Meadow held onto Geilas as Wren gripped her hand tightly. We waited in silence while we waited for the next instruction from our gentle giant or a sister.

"Death does not end here." Geilas began as she tightened her grip and looked ahead at the citizens gone too early from this world. "Listen, oh spirits of the fallen, as the winds carry your essence to the Summerlands. Your journey does not end here but continues in the realm of eternal light. Embrace the wisdom of the Earth, let the roots of these ancient trees guide your path. May the spirits of the forest welcome you with open arms and may your presence forever dance among the stars. Rest now, brave souls, for your legacy lives on in the whispers of the wind and the songs of the wild."

There was a power surge between us as Geilas recited the last of her farewell. We could feel it flowing from one hand to the next. The pain, sorrow, and regret of all my sisters was felt in my very being. We were all connected and aligned in our experiences. We had come far, not far enough, but far nonetheless. The web of power coursing through us verified the path we were on was the right one.

Geilas remained silent for a few more minutes, relishing the bond that we could clearly all feel. I took this time to say my own blessing in my head, never taking my eyes off the mound of bodies.

"I'm sorry we weren't here, I'm sorry we couldn't help. I hope you tortured souls find peace and may you rest with the fact that we will avenge you. We will fight for you. We will prevail!" I closed my eyes as tears streamed steadily down my face. I had always been more sensitive than my sisters, but in this moment I could see we were all taking this extremely hard. Even Ember had shed her hard exterior and was bawling her eyes out silently. The draw to this place, to our home had us all feeling like it was our responsibility to save them…and we failed

"Ember, we could use your help with disposal of the bodies. We do not want them festering here for creatures to feed off of them." Geilas mentioned silently.

"Um…what do I do?" Ember questioned, staring up at Geilas next to her. The Amazonian still had not removed her eyes from the dead.

"Round sword…" she drifted off her reply.

It clicked for us at that moment. Geilas wanted Ember to throw her round sword to incinerate the pile with her eternal flame. Ember held a face mixed between disgust, surprise and purpose. You could see the battle in her eyes. She wanted to help, but how could she throw her weapon at a city full of deceased folks. The battle in her mind was raging, but she must have found some resolve because she dropped everyone's hands and moved to grab her sword.

Geilas grabbed her arms.

"Do not think I take lightly what you are about to do Daughter if Fire. I know the pain of throwing a sword at this…" She motioned to the mound behind her "is not an easy task. They were all full of lives and now that has been taken from them. Let that fuel your anger, while we also remember these people deserve to be put to rest. We will come across many things in this journey that will be tough, but it is only when we overcome these things will we truly be ready to take our rightful places." She placed her hand on Ember's shoulder, encouraging her to be brave.

"Geilas is right, Ember, we can't leave them like this. Incinerating the bodies will prevent any more profane occurrences to their bodies. Their souls have left this place. Let us put them to rest." Meadow chimed in from the other side of Geilas.

"We are here sis; we will be right here with you the whole time." Wren added as she stepped behind Ember, placing a hand on her.

"You know I have you always! Even if you are the one throwing the sword, it is all our energy you will do so with. You will not carry this burden alone. "I told her, and I slipped around her back and placed my hand on the opposite shoulder as Wren.

"Thank you." Was all she could choke out. Geilas moved to the side and placed her hand on top of mine, while Meadow did the same to Wren. Ember grabbed her round sword, took a deep calming breath, and launched it. As soon as the sword touched the first piece of fabric, the magic happened.

Instantly, the bodies started to disintegrate. The flames spread fast and wildly, encapsulating every being within its grasp. It raged on, with no heat. We watched in horrific wonder as after a few minutes we were left with nothing. There was no piece of clothing, not a body part in sight, there wasn't even a pile of ashes. The only thing that remained was the fountain.

Geilas dropped her hand and stared at us with a sad pride. I could tell she hated that we had to experience this, but she was proud that we had been handling it so well. She didn't speak as she glanced back to where the pile once stood before turning and walking back towards the Bay. We looked between each other before silently following the long strides of our giant guide.

"Come lovelies, it would seem we have our pick of ships. Let's be on our way. The sooner we find the keepers, the sooner we can end this war!" Geilas started with a bit of force.

As we walked through rows of buildings, I was lost in thought, as I'm sure we all were. It was hard not to when silence was all you were met with. I couldn't take it anymore, I needed some answers.

"Geilas, who is Zora?" I asked with a bit of venom in my voice.

"Ugh, Zora is the commander of the Demon army. She is known for her cruelty, especially to children. She revels in the pain mothers experience when watching their kids be tortured. She makes them watch as she removes their eyes and teeth, feeding them to her demons as if they were dog treats. When the mothers have experienced all the pain imaginable, she feeds off their energy, draining them of life. She will pay for what she has done here today." Geilas was angry, rightfully so, but it was still weird to experience her like this.

"Wystan and Vale make up the Darkness. They are Gods in their own right, but have chosen a path of evil, bringing duality to Bavilan. Where we once lived in harmony, darkness has crept in and shadowed the light we once shared. It would seem that the traveler looking for you four has tipped off the Darkness that you have returned to reclaim what is yours. I don't know if this was purposeful, or if someone overheard and informed Zora. What I do know is, we don't have any more time to waste. It is imperative that we find the keepers before the Darkness has found you. You aren't ready to stand against them alone." Geilas rambled on as we reached the Bay.

She stopped and gestured to the ships.

"Which vessel shall host royalty my sisters?" She looked at us all with a small smile, showing proof that the Geilas we knew were still there under the hard warrior exterior.

"That one…" the four of us exclaimed at once. We had found the ship that would carry us wherever we needed to be.

"Great choice ladies, great choice!" Geilas smiles at us and starts walking towards the dock.

The ship we had chosen seemed to call out to us. I felt a tingle run down my spine as I felt my energy being drawn to the vessel. As soon as our gazes caught the ship, it was as if we couldn't tare away from it. How was it possible to feel so pulled in by a boat, no matter how extravagant it was. I was amazed by the beauty and could feel my emotions running wild.

"I didn't see this ship when we came into Everbloom. Where did it come from?" Ember asked in wonder.

"It's so beautiful. Do we really get to take it? What if someone is missing it? Ember is right, it definitely wasn't here when we came into town!" Meadow chimed in.

"It wasn't here" was all Geilas said as she turned back to the ship.

"What do you mean Geilas? Do you think someone is in Everbloom Bay for the Solstice and was just as surprised as we were at the lack of people?" I inquired quietly.

"No one is here besides us. That ship belongs to you four. Her name is Supreme Grace. She is the Royal vessel."

"Are you serious!?" Wren yelled with excitement. "This is our ship!? I can't believe we have a whole ship!" She ran ahead of us to the vessel and was surprised when the ship lowered the gangway to allow us to board. The rest of us caught up to her before she could take her first steps.

"Supreme Grace is owned by the Royal families. It disappeared when Bavilan fell to the Darkness and your parents no longer sat on the thrones. No one has seen it since. It is only right that it would appear to you. The ship is full of its own magic and will transform and become whatever you need it to be. I suppose she knows it is time for the Royal line to take back what is theirs!" Geilas smiled as she grabbed onto the rails of the gangway and began to board Supreme Grace.

Being closer to the ship just spiked our intrigue. The sails held me captivated. They were shimmering in the sun in an almost iridescent way. I had never seen fabric like this. As they were blown gently by the wind, the rare fabric would shimmer with colors I had never experienced. The hull of the ship was carved with intricate designs depicting some type of ancient symbols I didn't recognize, but they gave off the feeling of power and protection.

We all began to follow Geilas. The closer we got the more details I could see. Along with the carvings of symbols, there were also beautiful carvings of different creatures. I could only assume it was a depiction of the people of Bavilan. They also seemed to be separated by tribes. The side of the ship where the gangway stood seemed to be all water Tribe creatures. I could see a mermaid, a giant squid, different water creatures and...a turtle.

"The turtle!" I ran over to the carving to inspect it more closely.

"Yes, dear Alda, the turtle! It is a sacred creature to the Royal line of the Water Tribe. Some say that the turtle will only present itself to the true ruler of the throne. While others say that the turtle is the spirit animal of the Royal line. The only ones that could tell you of course are the past royals. So, this may be something you can learn on your own after the throne is yours once more." Geilas informed me with her extra-large hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her and smiled as I sat by the edge looking out at Everbloom Bay.

"Thank you." I whispered to her.

"You are most welcome, my dear." She squeezed my shoulder and then moved away, ready to prepare for our take off. I wasn't ready to explore more of the ship. Geilas' comments had me lost in thought about a life we will never know. A life that was stolen from us. I couldn't help myself but wonder about a life that could have been. I knew it was too late, but something in me wanted to fight for the past as much as the future.

"Alda, you have got to check this out!" Ember yelled from across the ship. I followed her scream and the squeals of Wren and Meadow. When I found them they were standing near the entrance to the deck below. There was no door but they were captivated by whatever it was they saw.

"What is going on?" I asked as I walked up to them, still not seeing the cause for excitement.

"Touch the wall." Meadow ushered me forward so I was standing in front of the wooden barrier. I put my hand out. As soon as my hand touched it, a door appeared shrouded in a translucent blue glow. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I instantly reached out to open the antique knob that had appeared.

The sight before my eyes was the most extravagant setting I had ever been blessed enough to experience. The room ahead was like its own apartment. There were 4 beds, each with our emblems etched into them, much like our beds at Geilas' cabin. The entire room was adorned with whites and blues of all shades, giving it the feel of the many layers of the ocean. There was a crystal chandelier that sat high on the ceiling, shimmering brightly, catching the blues in it's reflection. There was a big circular window with a seat and pillows. Somehow circling the window were books of all kinds, giving the feel of a little reading nook with a glorious view.

On the other side of the room another door was present. Wren walked open and threw the door open. Behind it lay a giant closet full of clothing with each of our emblems. The room was separated in four, something we were becoming accustomed to. Above each closet section our names were carved intricately into the glowing wood.

"Ah, I see the ship has already started to work its magic." Geilas entered the room and smiled at our wonderment. "As I was saying before, the ship knows your needs and wants, so it will become whatever you need from it. Here, come out and we will try again." She instructed us to follow her out of the room. Once we had filed out, she motioned for Wren to place her hand on the wall. When the door appeared this time, it was shimmering with a yellow glow. It felt like pure golden light touching our senses. She opened the door and the room changed.

Now inside of the room, it felt like you were in the clouds. The four beds that once sat majestically on the floor now floated gracefully around the room. The reading nook had become a globe like structure that you could walk out on to enjoy a 360 degree view of both the water and the sky. A pile of pillows were thrown lazily in the corner of the globe. The chandelier had become a string of floating lights that mimicked fireflies. Wren walked back to the closet and opened the door. Inside was still a closet, except this time, there was no clothing at eye level. All of the garments were in floating tubes that gracefully stayed in place. When Wren entered the chamber, her tube floated down and opened, revealing a large room that should not have been possible to be contained inside the small tube.

Amazed, we all ran out of the room for the next sister to try. Like the first two, the room changed to fit the personality and style of whichever of us touched the door. Ember's room became a smoldering den. There was no heat, but the vibe felt like we were living inside of the flame. Everything flowed beautifully together. Meadow's room resembles a rainforest. The beds were attached to the wall as if we were sleeping in a tree house. It was a wonderful experience for sure.

After all the excitement of the rooms changing, we decided to explore more of the ship as Geilas set us on our course. She explained that ancient runes had to be input into the ship for it to travel to a destination if the royal line did not know where their destination was. She advised us she knew the runes as she was familiar with the Supreme Grace. We trusted that she would get us where we needed to be.

The sun was starting to set and as we explored, we noticed the darker it became the more the ship would glow, as if it were a beacon of light on the dark waters. We decided we wanted to be above deck so we could see more of Bavilan, even if we were just floating on the Endless Lake. We found a seat at the back of the ship, enjoying watching the rippling of waves as we passed through the water.

"Do you see that guys?" I asked as I stood to look behind where the ship was passing. There were small flecks of light coming off the waves. It seemed that the Supreme Grace was leaving small particles of star dust in its wake, enhancing the beauty of the already gorgeous world we were living in.

"How freaking cool!" Wren squealed as Ember rolled her eyes at her. Meadow just smiled and remained quiet as we all watched the waves continue to break with magic speckled fervor.

I don't think we would ever be used to the magical world we were born in.