The Eternal Protector

I remember the first time I met her. The year was 1327, several months after the brutal rise of King Edward III. We, however, resided in the much smaller kingdom of Moldavia. While we were separate from the English regime, our king had decided to follow most of their doctrines and ideals in the hopes of someday being welcomed into the blossoming empire. Though normal day to day life was not much affected, it meant there were a few strict rules regarding certain practices amongst the citizenry. Witchcraft, in a broad sense, or any practice thereof that could possibly threaten the safety (as King Bertholemey put it, however we knew that 'safety' meant his status) of the kingdom and its King. There were not many among our small kingdom folk that dared practice such things beforehand; however, with the threat of death looming over those practices, they became impossible to find. Which leads me to how I met her.

I had, in my short time of life, become a soothsayer of sorts; a practitioner of paltry magics and illusions to help wayward souls feel confident in their life's purpose. Most came to me in search of simple answers: when will I find love, will I survive the coming winter, will my crops yield this coming harvest. These questions were always easy to answer, as I knew the answer they sought by the tone of the question given. They would pay handsomely, and I had no qualms about lying to them, as none had challenged my foresight afterwards. One day, while preparing to pack up my things, I heard the flap of my tent open. I turned to greet the new patron, only to be struck by the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. Her hair was a flowing river of silvery blond locks, as if kissed by the moon itself. Her eyes shone a vibrant amethyst, a color that had not crossed my path before, and spoke of the depth of her ancestry. I admit, I stared for longer than was commonly acceptable, but she did not protest. With a hand outstretched, she introduced herself as Nyralis. I took the hand with enthusiasm, though my voice seemed to take a few moments to catch up, before I introduced myself as Gideon. The small smile that crept across her face made my heart jump a beat or two. Nyralis had come looking for me, specifically, as she was looking for an answer to a question she had. I told her I would be happy to help, but in reality my heart sank; I knew my advices and predictions were all deceptions. As she sat down, I pulled out my various devices, and began going through the motions I did with all the other clients. Nyralis, however, gave me a strange look as I went through these steps, but did not say anything. When I had finished 'preparing', I asked what it was she wished to know. After a tense moment, she simply asked me if the tome she sought after would ever be found, or if it would remain untouched by mortal hands. Though the phrasing of the question was strange, I gave my best answer, saying that it would eventually be found, but its current hiding place was obscured, and that my sight could not find it. There was a small chuckle from Nyralis as she pulled out a large, ancient leather bound tome and set it on the table. She informed me that this was the tome she had mentioned, and knew me to be a false soothsayer. She did commend me on my presentation, stating that unless an actual seer were to observe and question me directly, the procedure and materials I used were surprisingly correct. I, embarrassed and outmatched, apologized for my deception, as I had not ever met someone who sincerely practiced this art. There was a sparkle in her eyes, and she asked if I would like to learn how to truly do what I had pretended to do for so long. I knew, that should I refuse then this would be the last time I would see her. So I agreed.

For the next few months, I followed under Nyralis's tutelage, learning the ways of foresight. Spells, incantations, herbs, crystals; all of these things I began to research and study. As was the law of the land, we could only do such practices at night, and in secret, or death would come swiftly. After just a few months of practice, Nyralis noted that I would soon be able to peer into the future for real, and give accurate statements about another's fate. This excited me, and it seemed to excite her as well. It wasn't long after that our romantic relationship blossomed, something that I had longed for ever since our first meeting. Our love burned fiercely in those days, and I found the hope of a true future that I had once thought was lost. Unfortunately, as it so often goes, that future did not come to pass. I was awoken one night, Nyralis shaking my shoulders in fear, whispering that we needed to leave. She had peered into the future, and saw her own death; set ablaze within the castle grounds at the behest of the King. Nyralis said the knights were already on their way, and that we needed to escape. I quickly grabbed what little things I could, and we fled into the night. As we ran, we could hear the sounds of shouting and clanking; armor bound knights giving chase. Soon, the sounds of hoofbeats began to drown out the other noises, and we knew that they would descend upon us soon. Nyralis turned and began heading for what I knew was a dead end; just past the forest line up ahead was a large pond, the largest around the kingdom. As we passed into the clearing, the bright moonlight reflecting off of the clear pond, I knew that she was not going to give herself up. She made her way to the waters edge, gently stepping into the freezing water. I was still holding her hand, and I felt a shock of energy pass through as she turned towards me. With a final kiss, she told me to hide, and to wait, as she had seen that one day she would be freed from the prison she was about to enter. I protested, saying that we could escape, but Nyralis smiled and I knew that we would have never made it. Letting go of my hand, she began to recite ancient texts that I had once peered at inside of the tome she always carried. I quickly moved towards the tree line once more, hiding behind a large trunk, before the knights made their way into the clearing. I could see the moonlight reflecting off of their metal armor, their words becoming muddled in the distance between us. Nyralis, however, began to rise, her legs now hovering a good arms length above the ground. Her entire body began to glow, matching the moonlight that so permeated the space around them. The knights began to move forward, swords drawn, shouting at Nyralis as they approached. However, they seemed to recoil as they got closer, as if they were in pain. From what I could see, frost had begun to grow on their armor, and along the ground leading from Nyralis. With a final look in my direction, something the knights seemed to not take note of, she fell backwards into the pond. As her body hit the surface of the water, it shattered; pieces like shards of ice skittering across the top. Where each hit, the water froze instantly. Within a minute, the entire pond was a sheet of pure ice, and Nyralis was no more. I stifled a sob as the knights regathered themselves and made their way back towards the castle, their shouts and hoofbeats fading into the distance. I slowly made my way to the edge of the pond, sorrow slowing my footsteps in the most painful way. I collapsed to my knees when I reached the edge, placing my hand gently onto the icy surface of the pond. To my surprise, it was not cold; my hand was surprisingly temperate while touching the ice. My sorrow still pulled at my conscience, and I longed deeply to return to just an hour ago, when Nyralis was still alive. I looked around, hoping to find some reminder of her, when my eyes landed on a small piece of leather jutting out of a nearby newly formed pile of snow. Pulling it out, I gasped as I saw that it was her book, the tome she always carried with her. I was unsure if I should open it or not, until I saw a loose piece of parchment sticking out from one of the back pages. I gently opened the book to the page, where that small piece of parchment slid down to my open hand. On it was written three words, in Nyralis' beautiful handwriting; 'Wait for me'. I looked down at the page of the book and saw it was a spell; not just a normal spell but a severely advanced one. I had learned minor spellcasting when training as a soothsayer but this arcane text echoed of eternity. As I read it, I realized what it was for. Immortality, a spell that cancels the aging process. In doing so, the caster would never need to eat, sleep or drink again. They would, however, be stuck watching days and months and years and decades pass by without end, as the caster becomes immune to disease and other natural effects that negatively impact the body from the inside. The caster can die, though, through normal means outside of natural causes. I read these stipulations, surely a warning for anyone who was looking to cast this spell, but my mind had already been made up with the note that fell from the page. I stood and began to recite the incantation, pulling on all the experience I had received from both being taught by Nyralis and watching her cast spells on her own. The wind began to pick up heavily, and the little snow that had gathered on the ground was blown away in an instant. I stood my ground, the sounds of thunder growing closer with each word that passed from my lips. With a flourish, I shouted the final words of the spell, a bolt of lightning striking a nearby tree, sending it to the ground with a shower of splinters. I waited, bracing myself for any sort of shock or jolt of energy, but nothing happened. The wind died back down, the thunder and lightning disappeared, and I was left again in silence.

The next few centuries passed surprisingly quickly. I built a small home by the frozen pond to aid in my eternal watch, making sure that none disturbed my Nyralis' peace. Once a month, I would perform my scrying ritual, peering into the future as she had taught me. I would always receive the same flash of images; a darkened sky, storm clouds roiling with lightning, a bolt of electricity hitting the center of the pond, a flash of amethyst eyes. I was determined to wait for as long as I needed to, so that I could be with her again.

The centuries continued to pass, and I will admit I began to lose hope. By the time the next millennia came around, I found myself leaving my home less and less, the sight of the frozen pond dragging at the sorrow that still held a place within my heart. Watching the world advance while knowing that my love was still trapped within the ice brought pain I did not think could exist. There were nights where I would be meditating, and a whisper of wind would flow through the window, sounding like her voice. I have become accustomed to the tricks my mind plays on me, though I will admit there is a part of me every time that falls for the illusion.

The year is now 2021. I look out my window, catching just a glimpse of the crimson sky through the clouds that have begun to pull over the horizon. On the television, the weatherman gestures to a radar screen behind him. I glance over, my eyes glimmering with hope.

There's a large storm coming tonight.