Elyonari lay on the massive bed. She stared at a petal in her hand and let her mind wander back to the events of the day.
The Richinaria palace was unlike anything she had ever seen. The beauty and opulence of it all were overwhelming but it wasn't the grandeur that lingered in her mind.
It was him.
Even now, the memory of his voice made her heart quicken. She hadn't been the only one affected. Elyonari had caught the brief flicker of surprise in her mother's expression.
The stories his sisters told during the tour around the palace painted a clearer picture of him.
Anamorsia spoke of his wisdom and sense of duty while Milliania teased about his tendency to strategize. Leones had defended him with a calm certainty, insisting that his quiet nature was a sign of his focus and care. Even Leon, who rarely spoke, had shown an unwavering respect for his brother. Elyonari had watched them carefully, noting the unspoken bond they all shared. Despite their teasing, there was no doubt in her mind that they revered him.
But what struck her most were the moments when Vastarael himself had spoken.
Her fingers tightened around the glowing petal she got from the palace gardens during their tour. For all the wonders of the Richinaria palace, it was Vastarael who had captured her attention long after the tour had ended.
______
Elyonari woke as the first streaks of dawn brushed against the painted sky of her. For most, it would still be too early to rise but for her, it was impossible to ignore the tug of nature. Elves of Mintheris were attuned to the rhythm of the world and the stillness before dawn always stirred her awake.
She stretched lazily before she looked outside the wide window of her room. They were sharp, rhythmic sounds that didn't belong to the gentle waking of the palace. Elyonari's pointy ears perked up as she sat upright.
Those were the sounds of combat.
Curiosity sparked in her chest, drowning out any remnants of sleep. Without much thought, she swung her legs out of the bed. Peering out the window, she saw nothing at first. But then, movement caught her eye. Far below, in an open training arena, two figures clashed in a furious duel.
Grabbing a handful of vines that she herself created, Elyonari stepped onto the ledge of her window. She barely hesitated before leaping. She landed lightly on one of the outer paths that wound its way along the palace edge. If Arthrea ever found out she leaped from a palace window, barefoot and in nothing but her nightgown, Elyonari wouldn't hear the end of it.
She walked briskly across the floating garden paths. The sounds of battle grew louder as she approached the training arena. Finally, she reached the edge of the open space and slipped behind one of the tall marble columns to watch.
What she saw made her freeze.
Vastarael stood at the center of the arena, wielding a glaive with an ease that belied its weight. His opponent was no less impressive. Her twin daggers moved like extensions of her own hands.
'That's Adelasta, the only female Viaca in history.'
Adelasta lunged with her daggers aimed at Vastarael's torso. He dodged smoothly. She wasn't deterred. Instead, she pressed forward again.
Elyonari's eyes widened as she watched Vastarael parry each of Adelasta's attacks. He didn't waste a single movement. Each swing of his glaive was meant to create openings or force his opponent into disadvantageous positions. And yet, Adelasta kept up with him. Her speed and agility countered his overwhelming strength.
Adelasta was smaller than Vastarael but her movements made her a difficult opponent to pin down. She ran around him seeking any gap in his defenses.
When Adelasta tried to feint to his left, he didn't fall for it. Instead, he countered with a sweeping strike that caught her off guard. She barely managed to roll out of the way.
Adelasta smirked as she regained her footing.
"Getting bold, are we?"
Vastarael didn't respond but the faintest tilt of his head hinted at a smile beneath his mask. He adjusted his stance, spinning the glaive in a dazzling display before settling into a low guard. Adelasta took the challenge, rushing forward with a series of rapid, unpredictable strikes.
The clash of weapons was deafening. Elyonari could feel the vibrations in the ground as the two combatants pushed each other to their limits. Vastarael's glaive whirled in sweeping arcs, forcing Adelasta to dodge and weave. At one point, he drove her back with a powerful thrust that sent a gust of wind rushing past Elyonari's hiding spot.
Adelasta wasn't easily overpowered. She used her smaller size to her advantage, slipping past Vastarael's longer reach and landing a glancing strike on his shoulder. Her victory was short-lived however, as Vastarael retaliated with a spinning kick that sent her staggering back.
Elyonari couldn't tear her eyes away. The raw skill and power on display were unlike anything she'd ever seen. As the battle raged on, Elyonari felt her heart pounding in sync with their movements. She couldn't decide what impressed her more; Vastarael's overwhelming strength and composure or Adelasta's speed and precision.
The tension in the air was thick as Vastarael's glaive hovered just centimeters from Adelasta's throat. For a moment, time seemed to still between the two. Then, with a decisive move, Vastarael broke the stalemate. He swept his glaive down, knocking Adelasta's legs out from under her. She crashed to the ground with a soft grunt and for the briefest of moments. As she lay on her back her cold expression remained, but it was far less composed than Elyonari had seen in the past.
"I won. My first victory after 3,647 defeats. I finally did it, Adelasta. I finally beat you in the one thing you take pride in."
But to Elyonari's sharp eyes, it wasn't the triumph that caught her attention. It was Adelasta's response, or lack thereof.
For a fleeting moment, something flickered in Adelasta's gaze. The practiced composure she wore like armor, slipped just enough for Elyonari to see. There was a subtle, almost imperceptible shift in her expression. Beneath that icy veneer, there was... sadness. It was as if the moment Vastarael had spoken, the reality of it hit her all at once.
Elyonari could sense the pain in the brief pause before Adelasta spoke. She forced a cold smile but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I need to go. I have… other matters to attend to."
"What about my evaluation?"
Adelasta looked back and said with a cold emotionless voice.
"Perfect. There's nothing wrong this time."
She didn't wait for a reply, quickly standing up and brushing the dirt from her clothes. Without a second glance, she turned and walked off but Elyonari could tell there was something fractured in her that wasn't there before.
As she turned to walk away herself, the quiet voice of Vastarael cut through the silence.
"I know you're there, High Priestess Elyonari. No need to hide."
She froze. Elyonari hesitated for a brief moment, then stepped forward from behind the column. He lowered his glaive and gave her a small nod of acknowledgment.
"Come on, then. I know you're curious. It's alright to watch."