Chap. 21
It took a while for Islaria’s words to sink through to Serenity, and once she understood, she shouted, “So you are?”
“Shh!” Islaria exclaimed as a couple of rocks fell down by Esmera’s feet.
Serenity flushed. “Sorry.”
“Its okay, Serenity. We just need to be careful since we are up so high in the Kothari. These are dangerous times. And yes, Serenity, I am an elf.”
“Seriously?” asked a bewildered Serenity.
Islaria nodded slowly. “How’d you figure it out?”
Serenity wasn’t sure if she could tell Islaria, but suddenly, and idea popped into her head. Before Serenity could speak up, though, Islaria exclaimed something that was louder than when Serenity exclaimed earlier. “You lost your memory, right? When you ‘died’, you didn’t remember anything, right?”
Islaria was clearly upset, so Serenity reassured her. “Yes, Islaria, I lost my memory. Why? And how do you know that?”
Islaria looked relieved, but then confused. “But then how did you know I was an elf?”
Serenity shared her idea with Esmera, and she agreed to it. Serenity hoped it would work. “Islaria, I will tell you how I knew that you were an elf, that is, on one condition of course.”
“There always is,” muttered a very angry Islaria. But, obviously, Islaria badly wanted to know how Serenity knew that piece of information about her and she slowly nodded.
Serenity smiled inside, knowing that she was about to find out how or if Islaria was YoKo. And all she had to trade for that was the little information she had about her ‘visions’. “You first, Islaria.”
Islaria glared at Serenity from the other side of Esmera. “Fine,” she snapped, but then looked straight at Serenity, eyes serious. “Serenity, what do you know about me? And I want every piece of information.”
Serenity stared blankly at Islaria, thinking about how little she really knew about Islaria. She started off slowly and carefully, thinking hard about everything she had ever heard about Islaria. “I know that you and Jason used to know each other a long time ago. Right?”
Islaria nodded.
Serenity continued. “I know that you and Jason used to be like brother and sister, but then something happened between you two and you weren’t as close as you were.”
Islaria nodded again, but this time more hesitantly.
“Someone you loved very much died, and I think that is what caused your friendship with Jason to die also. I do know that Jason still cares about you, and that all of us used to be really close, but it was also really painful.”
“Is that all?”
Serenity nodded, suddenly realizing how little she really knew about this mysterious stranger.
“Good, it’s a start, then. Serenity, all the information is true, but it is really basic information. I tell you now, I have many secrets I have kept in my lifetime, and I cannot tell you all of them. Okay?”
Serenity nodded again, just wanting to know about her being YoKo, but then also wanting to know what happened between her and Jason. Esmera, realizing what Serenity was thinking, as her emotions were really strong they “floated” into Esmera’s mind, said, Another time, Serenity. Be patient, it has many rewards.
Fine.
“I am able to turn into another animal. That animal is the white fox. But the animal I am is like no other animal. I can still turn back into an elf at will, and I can “talk” with my mind, sort of like what you do with Esmera.”
How does she know that? Wondered Serenity.
“But to be able to do that, I had to study dark magic, really dark magic, something I was set against. But I felt as if I had to accomplish that. Please don’t ask me to tell you, but I promise I will tell you as soon as I can.
“Yes, you know that someone I had loved really much died, and that is the reason I felt the need to escape from my life. I felt that I didn’t have a reason to live, but Jason talked me out of it, so I found another plan. I wanted to escape into the animal world; they had it so easy! It took about half a century to find and learn how I could do that. And finally I could be able to turn into a beautiful white fox at will. I kept changing back into my elf self every other day, but then I started to stay in it longer and longer. Eventually, I stayed like that every second of every day.”
Serenity was awed by Islaria’s story, although she wanted to know more. Islaria was a person of mystery.
“Anyway, since I am YoKo, we really do need to get going to try and save Jason, Serenity.”
“Oh yeah, it’s kind of going to be hard remembering that.”
“Don’t worry, Serenity. Now that I actually have two hands, traveling will hopefully be easier.”
“When are we going to start off again?”
Islaria looked at the sky, and listened intently to everything around her. “Right now,” she said, and got up. Serenity and Esmera followed.
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