Perfect Soul

Chapter 11:

“Oh, come on now, Matthias…you don’t honestly mean to tell me you’re not the least bit curious about what that must be like, I mean, that was Auriella Moonstar. THE Auriella Moonstar, daughter to the first high elf king…surely you wander what that power and immortality must be like, right?” A girl asked, looking at the boy standing next to her, she seemed like Zerinia herself, yet younger, perhaps 14 to 16 years old at most with the same blonde hair and blue eyes that matched her mothers.

The boy next to her appeared the same age, except his hair was dark and his eyes matching too, both complete opposites to one another, where her expression seemed cheerful and happy, his was serious and observant, where her hair was blonde, his was coal black, where her eyes were a fascinating colour where they seemed light green around the pupil and turned blue eventually when reaching the white of the eye, his were almost as dark as his hair. Yet despite all those differences, they both seemed very close with one another.

“Yes, I suppose I can wonder what elven immortality is like…” He responded, his tone professional and courteous. “…And I can acknowledge her power much superior to my own, due to her superior experience, it is just one of those things I will never get to experience in person.” He said with a small shrug, accepting it as absolute truth like it was as inevitable as dying of old age is for a mortal.

“Maybe, but I’m sure you, Matthias Von Istvan, inferior big brother to me, the amazing, miraculous, beautiful and superior, Zerinia Von Istvan. Have the potential to become the greatest mage this world ever has or will see.” She said with an encouraging smile, despite the teasing. “And you can bet all you own I won’t be far behind, if anything, I’ll surpass you before you even realise it.”

“I appreciate the encouragement, especially someone as important to me as you.” He said with a smile back at her. “Though, I can’t say you’re the superior one between the both of us.” He commented that his smile remaining as he deflected the sibling teasing, a rare occurrence for him.

“Yeah? We’ll see about that.” Zerinia sighed, before looking out the window to the courtyard below, the warm crisp sun beating down on the gardens below. “Matthias…I want to ask you something.”

A beat of silence landed between the pair, Matthias listening intently, though his expression or posture didn’t seem to change in anyway to suggest as such.

“When mother says that…you look like father, that I apparently act like him…” She began, not knowing how to ask the question but trying anyway. “Do you think he would have stayed? It’s just that, I’m afraid if he’s like me, then he wouldn’t be committed or he wouldn’t like me or…something like that.”

Another stretch of silence hung between them both as Matthias thought of a response despite knowing the answer to the question, though not because he asked anyone else himself, but rather a conclusion that he came to himself through pondering and having wondered similar questions about his father.

“To be honest, I’m not sure. He was executed before we were born for breaking the vow of chastity, a very serious crime in this land, so it wasn’t like we would ever have had the chance to live like this and know him at the same time.” Matthias responded, with that same tone as before, one he’d go to for all sorts of things, and in this case in particular, to tell the truth without having hurt the persons feelings, not that it always worked, if ever.

The response itself made sense however, something Zerinia confirmed with a simple nod. They both had known that since they were young children, their father was Paladin of their kingdoms church order. It was confusing hearing conflicting stories about someone who was supposed to be one of the two most important figures in their lives, despite never having met him.

“Though there is one living constant, the idea that you’re like him, and if that is so, then I have no doubt in my mind that he would have been a present father, and a very good one at that.” Matthias continued, his tone remaining calm and careful. “I do wonder what things would have been like if he were with us, just as you do.”

“But do you think…killing him was justified? I mean, all over some vow of chastity?” Zerinia asked the man next to her, worry deep in her heart about how he may respond about something as controversial as this. “I mean, kicking them out the church or banishment is one thing, but execution?”

“I understand what you mean and agree with it sincerely…” He began, pausing about the subject before continuing. “But regardless of how we feel about it, or how we make ourselves feel publicly, it doesn’t change anything. He’s dead, that’s it.”

“Yes, I suppose so.” She responded, nodding lightly as they kept walking down the hallway. Beautiful castle walls of white marble floor with red rug along the floor, paintings decorated each wall and chandeliers hanging along the ceiling, equally separated from one another.

“Though, I am sure he would be proud of you.” He said plainly, there was no warmth or smile, just acknowledgement in something that felt obvious. A simple yet trivial comment that would almost make one think it didn’t need much other thought.

“Until tomorrow…Zerinia.” He said, looking to her with what seemed like almost a smile. Something clearly strange coming from him of all people.

“Until tomorrow, Matthias.” She responded quickly before walking off down another corridor. A saying both siblings had with one another for when they departed from one another and they knew they wouldn’t see one another until tomorrow. But as Zerinia walked away, Matthias gaze watched her for a few seconds too long, noticing something darker deep within her, something off putting, something a normal human would really notice.

“Another vision?” Zerinia asked herself in her mind, making sure not to say it out loud as she looked around, back in the throne room, now bloodied, the last of them, the cleric girl laying there terrified. As she stood up to run away, she tripped over herself, causing the circlet to fall of her head.

“Wha…what the hell?” She asked, looking to her right, the body of Oriath, his head turned to face her. “What the hell?!” She screamed, looking to Zerinia and immediately noticing her as the aggressor. “Please don’t kill me, I’ll do anything…I didn’t want to be here, please, I…I can help you, yes, I’ll tell you all about the Solmara Theocracy, I’ll…I’ll serve you.” She said, absolutely terrified about what was happening, leaving Zerinia weirded out about why she was acting so scared all of a sudden.

Then, a pair of firm, course cold hands rested over her shoulders, griping tightly. Boned hands with no warmth of flesh of softness of skin like a normal mortal creature.

“Tell me…”

A voice began, cold, detached and terrifying. The poor woman turned her head, only to see a lich with glowing purple eyes as it stared down at her.

“…everything.”