Chapter 219: Descent Into Darkness
In the morning, a few hours after Nyrielle and everyone accompanying her had departed, Ashlynn sat with Heila and Jacques as they waited for the sun to break above the eastern mountains. A soft, rosy glow lit the sky, and the sounds of bright morning birdsong filled the air.
At this point, Ashlynn had long grown accustomed to being awake to watch the sun rise. Sometimes, Nyrielle would linger with her as the sky grew brighter, but she always vanished by the time the first sliver of golden light appeared above the horizon. This time, however, the vampire had warned her that it would be dangerous for her or Zedya to linger near this waterfall at dawn, particularly on the longest day of the year.
Already, the air felt charged with an even greater energy than Ashlynn had felt the night before. The world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the sun to make its appearance. Finally, after sitting quietly facing the waterfall for close to half an hour, the first sliver of the sun’s rays fell on the waterfall.
Instantly, the waterfall seemed to transform before their eyes. No longer were they watching thousands of gallons of water pouring over the towering cliff every second, instead, the White River had turned into a flowing river of liquid gold that spilled into the dark and foggy abyss below.
A moment later, a wave of energy rippled outward from the river of light. It felt warm, pure, like the sun had descended upon them to wrap them gently in a blanket of warmth that drove away the chill of the spray from the powerful waterfall.
"He shall touch all the lands with his Light," Ashlynn whispered. "Driving away the darkness, bearing warmth, comfort, and joy to all who bask in his glory."
"What was dat, cher?" Jacques asked. The more time he spent with Ashlynn, the more her command of the Eldritch language had improved. The instances where she said things in the human tongue and he needed to wait for Heila to translate had been decreasing by the day. This time, however, the way she spoke felt almost... reverent, which took him by surprise.
"It’s nothing," Ashlynn said, collecting her rucksack and standing to leave. "I just said that the waterfall is beautiful.
Beside her, Heila gave her lady a concerned look. Faith wasn’t something they spoke of often, but she knew that Ashlynn had been struggling ever since coming to the Vale of Mists. Her own faith declared her a heretic that must be killed but despite that, a lifetime of belief wasn’t something that could be snuffed out like a candle.