The Shadow Cast Upon Me

Enne sat quietly across from her brother, troubled by the news from earlier. Loose fringes framed her pensive face; Her hair was tied into a sloppy bun. She looked toward the wall-sized window, seeing sunlight slowly receding from the cold wood board floors. The refugees came to mind, wondering what she could do to address the matter. Their stories left a lasting impression of the events that happened. When she heard Alejandro was still around, it provided a glimmer of hope. Sitting across from her, Mathias couldn’t help but sense her distress; Her silence was jarring.

“Have you visited Miss Salazar yet?” he asked.

“Now, why would I want to spoil my day even further?” she answered.

“Either you go to her, or she’ll find you.”

“She really needs a hobby. All she does is hound people.”

“You should be thankful, having her as an ally. It makes everything so much easier for us.”

“Is that so? Did you hear what happened at the western entrance?”

“Yes, the refugees attacked—”

“They didn’t,” she interrupted. “They were speaking out and one of them was shot.”

“Well, my understanding is Rita was handing out food, which she didn’t need to do.”

“What we should’ve done is let them in.”

“With what shelter?”

“We just gave them food, but we don’t have shelter? We have a decent portion of the city that’s still in good standing. We can’t just ignore them.”

“It’s not for us to decide what the city wants. We’re just their overseers; They know what they were voting for when they voted her in.

Enne, if you were in charge, you’d bring unrest.”

“Unrest? Who in this city wasn’t a descendent of migrants? Our father was one and so was our mother.”

“Oh, another emotional appeal—”

“You mean a fact of life?”

Their ears perked, hearing the double doors creak. The wanderer unceremoniously entered with a small bag in hand. He examined the elegant Southern-style backdrop, taking a deep breath before directing his attention toward them. His tired expression gave the undeniable impression of someone who just woke up. They wondered how much he heard, but he seemed docile as he approached the table. Iscah had just arrived with their food, passing them out promptly. Her eyes narrowed, sending a jolt down his spine when their eyes met.

“My apologies for the other day.” He cleared his throat.

“Please have a seat,” Mathias insisted. “Iscah, I’m sure you made a little extra for this—Occasion. Also, if you can take our guest’s bag to his quarters—”

“Yes, sir,” she responded.

He noticed the weak smile Enne exchanged with Iscah, noticing an unusual marking on the left side of her chest. Alejandro analyzed the marking’s brilliant detail as discreetly as he could. A smile emerged along her stoic facade when their eyes met again.

“Something caught your eye?” she asked.

“T—The material of your kimono,” He stuttered.

“Oh, it’s made of only the finest Elven silk.”

“That must’ve been hard to get a hold of.”

“No, not really. When you can mana-infuse anything, it’s possible.”

“What a waste,” Mathias commented as he received his plate. “Such trivial things!”

She glanced over toward her brother, amused, as she held her fork full of food. Alejandro received a dish comprising baked fish, steamed rice, and cutlets of carrots and broccoli sauteed with a variant of miso sauce. He took a bite, finding a delectable taste in its flavor; It was unlike anything he tasted in decades, not since his time on the Coast. As he ate, he watched an argument brew.

“According to you,” Enne retorted. “But, it doesn’t require much mana at all.”

“I’d like to hear your take?” Alejandro raised his finger, much to her surprise.

“Well, as I’m sure you know, mana has several uses. The more life existing in a concentrated area, the more mana can be produced and the more sentient, the higher the quality. That’s the basis of mana.”

“That’s the hypothesis,” Mathias interrupted. “One of the many theories my dear sister claims.”

“A claim?” Enne’s vigor bubbled. “Your dear, Republic, abides by those same principles. I’ve pointed it out myself. Another theory is emotions can be an underlying influence. And of course, the Elven religion says the goddess Ethos spilled her own blood to create the world, thus part of her exists in all things as mana.”

“So,” the wanderer continued. “How does that tie into your kimono again?”

“You interrupted me.” Enne cleared her throat. “I was compelled to explain.”

“Right, carry on before you go on a tangent.”

“Right! So, with mana, you could also manipulate matter. That’s how I summoned the Bad Touch!”

“The Bad Touch?” Mathias sighed, meeting her smirk. “You’re still calling God’s Reach that horrid name?”

“How could I equate it a weapon of mass destruction to a character of creation? I always thought ‘The Bad Touch’ was more suitable.”

“Father’s mana surges through it, yet you tarnish part of him with a ridiculous name. Have you no respect?”

“You hold tradition too close to the heart. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

Alejandro felt the rising tension between the siblings’ peak. Enne glanced at the wanderer, with her arms overlapping the other on the table as she leaned forward.

“Allie,” she reminded. “Have you considered my proposition?”

“Still coercing him?” Mathias raised his eyebrow.

“Coercing? By giving him a place to stay? It’s just southern hospitality. But—He has knowledge about the world, we can make a difference. Maybe with his insight—”

“This again?” he grumbled, subtly grinding his teeth.

“I’ve been talking about this for ages. And the refugees at our gate aren’t coming because they want to, it’s because they have to.”

“The Ethoxian Guard isn’t a force to reckon with, Enne.”

“I’ve heard their stories, the refugees already integrated. They’ve done nothing for us; Father built this, not them. Or are you scared of losing control?”

“There are consequences!”

“You’re a fucking coward!”

Alejandro ate a scoop of rice, watching them stare down.

“You would put yourself in harm’s way? For people that would otherwise look down on you.”

“I can handle myself! And—We can’t make that judgment on everyone we meet.”

“If I understood correctly, that low-level sorcerer saved you from a mere necro-bear.”

“That’s not accurate,” Alejandro interjected softly. “I merely applied the mana necessary to eliminate the necro-bear. Otherwise, she gave it her all.”

Mathias looked back at Enne with disgruntled defeat. Her stern gaze lingered upon him as he quickly expressed indifference.

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with,” he uttered. “Now, if you excuse me, you all have a good evening—”

His sister slammed her fists onto the table as she stood up. Her admittedly theatrical behavior annoyed him, but it didn’t fool Alejandro. Mathias clenched his fist, his nostril flaring.

“You’re so goddamn selfish,” her voice trembled. “There are so many people that could use our—”

“The world is unkind, Enne,” he interrupted coldly. “That little savior complex of yours is going to cost us everything.”

“It’s for us to create warmth in an unkind world.”

“You squandered our father’s legacy with this whimsical nonsense.”

“You’re as much of a coward. When he had everything in his power, he hid away in this home.”

“If you were born a human out in those outliers,” Mathias frowned. “You’d be nothing more than a cheap whore. He’s probably rolling in his grave seeing how much of a failure you are.”

Her stern eyes watered, choking on her words before finally letting out a whimper. She stormed out of the room with her head down, unable to look at him. Mathias massaged his temporal, walking in the opposite direction, leaving the maid to clean. He thought about the sibling’s brief debate; Enne spoke earnestly about her wishes and outlooks. Much of it affirmed his opinion of her.

“I should go check on her,” Alejandro uttered.

It was as though fate tempted him when he caught whim of her lingering scent. He followed its trail to the second floor, halfway down the hallway. He stood in front of the door, knocking twice before the door cracked. Enne wiped away her tears before making eye contact.

“Allie?” she said.

“Can we talk?” He asked, finding a smile on her face.

She bowed, allowing him into her simple room. There were a few anomalies scattered throughout. An entire wall served as a bookcase, comprising a range of topics, from philosophy down to the sciences. One section was dedicated to a mix of comics and manga. Across her desk was an electric fireplace. A single portrait of a woman and an elven man with dark-tipped ears hung behind her workspace. He took a few steps closer to get a better glimpse of the portrait, noticing the striking similarities between the woman and Enne.

“That’s your mother?” he asked. “And your father?”

“Ah yes,” she smiled, standing next to him. “That was them before Mathias and I were born. Quite an odd couple, no?”

Alejandro examined the peculiar details of her father. The steely, melancholic eyes contrasted her mother’s soft, yet fierce expression. Patches of skin were darkened, presumedly scaley in nature. His fingertips and neck stood out with their reptilian appearance. The elves he encountered looked like regular humans.

“Your father,” he noted. “He doesn’t look like other elves I’ve seen.”

“I noticed that, but he never spoke about it. The library we have says little about his skin condition.”

“He doesn’t look like the cruel man I imagined him to be.”

“They say love changed him, but it felt like the marriage was just to fill a void. That sadness in his eyes says it all. My mother was always there, always having my back. She was the only parent I looked up to and when she passed—”

Her lips tightened, unable to speak as she cleared her throat.

“As long as we carry the memories of those we love, they’ll never be lost to time.”

“That’s quite profound.”

She leaned against her desk with her gray eyes cast toward the window. A deep breath escaped her lips before she turned toward him.

“What he said, he’s right. I am a disappointment. Our father passed away over a century ago, but I’ve offered nothing but lofty dreams. If—I could get my shit together for a change, then I—”

“You’re trying to live up to expectations that can’t be met. Are you trying to forge your own legacy or live in the shadow of another, En?”

She thought, glimpsing the portrait of her parents. The social expectations weighed upon her conscience. Power was never her end goal, in contrast to her brother’s obsession with their father’s faded glory. She looked back at the wanderer, who examined the portrait with her. His split ends proved distracting.

“Let me,” she spoke.

Her slender fingers ran through his hair, combing through its strands. She leaned in closer to get a closer look, ignoring his odor.

“My split ends?” he sighed.

“Yes, even the refugees noted it.”

“The refugees?”

“Yes, don’t think I haven’t been snooping around. Also, it would be unfortunate if a good head of hair becomes ruined.”

“Not too much, alright?”

Alejandro sat on a small stool in her sizeable bathroom. Enne sat close behind. He felt her body’s warmth brushing against him. She carefully snipped away at his hair, a seemingly therapeutic affair for her. The split ends piled onto the ground, keeping his preference in mind. Her tired gaze carried with it thoughts from earlier, as she’d stop to sigh every so often.

“I know what might cheer you up,” he suggested.

The half-elf scoffed, stopping to take a break. He could feel her eyes burning into the back of his head.

“Cheer me up? I’m fine—”

“C’mon Enne, you’re like an open book.”

“Fine. Then what do you propose, sir wanderer?”

“Let’s spar—Tomorrow.”

“I’ll wipe the floor with you!” she grinned, leaning away from him.

Alejandro admired her upbeat attitude. She continued to feel for any anomalies in his salt and pepper mane, eventually setting aside her clippers. Her hands massaged his scalp for the rest of the time. She hummed an unfamiliar tune as she tussled his hair.

“So, you never finished your explanation of your kimono,” he continued.

Enne giggled after her failed attempt to maintain a calm facade.

“I honestly thought you were just looking at my chest. I found it hard to believe anyone would be interested in mana-craftsmanship, especially a wanderer.”

“I became interested when you engaged with the topic enthusiastically.”

“That’s the best way to reach people. Unlike you wanderers, you don’t seem to make the best teachers. All stoic and to yourselves, so much information… Such a shame!”

“I’m sure we could if we took a few pointers from you.”

She smiled, pressing against this back, immediately making him hot under the collar.

“Now you want something from me,” she whispered in his ear, creating a soothing, tingling sensation.

“N—No,” he stuttered. “I just want to know about the kimono.”

“Mana can manipulate all sorts of matter, like silk and cotton. The only requirement to making the silk was being able to remember what I knew about its properties. And ta-da! You get this nice little dress!”

“Seriously?”

“Mana is knowledge-based, so it depends on the user. But, that’s a bit of an Elven secret. The Bad Touch was one of those creations, but it’s no different from how you summon a sword. Or—The healing you’ve done.”

Alejandro looked over, finding her narrowing eyes.

“The refugees filled me in,” she said. “I—I was moved that you put yourself out there, especially with the stigma you deal with. If there is one way to change the world, it starts with showing people another light.”

“I saw everything,” he nodded. “I remembered what you told me that night and—”

“You did the right thing.”

The wanderer smiled in their moment of silence. Enne had remembered another thing from that night that struck her curiosity.

“Blacks holes and such,” she continued, feeling his body tense. “What use would that be to you?”

“Um,” he cleared his throat.

“Fine… I’ll just snip off more of your hair.”

“N-n-no! I’ll talk.”

She set down the clippers with a satisfied grin.

“I’m listening.”

“It’s just a passing interest. Like I’ve told you before.”

Her steely eyes noticed a cold sweat of honesty running against the side of his face. She tried to hold in her laughter before bursting with a snort. A faint smile emerged, chucklingly lowly to her infectious laugh.

“Oh, my! So, you were serious! This was the big reveal I imagined? How—Disappointing.”

“I mean, you’re the one with the knowledge.”

“Indeed! Elves pride themselves on the vast databases of knowledge we possess, just like you wanderers.”

“You have a wealth of knowledge I could only dream of having, but you also have a way of educating that I envy even more.”

Enne glanced away at a loss for words.

“Maybe it’s my human side that drives that desire to educate others.” Her eyes searched along the tile for answers. “I hope someday I could—”

Alejandro startled her as he turned to face her while on his hands and knees.

“Why dream at all when you could do it?” he asked.

“W—Where the hell is this coming from? Why support a whimsical dreamer like myself?”

“Why the hell wouldn’t I?

He held her hands, placing them on her laps. When their eyes met, she found an uncharacteristic warmth in his relaxed eyes. Her eyes shifted away as a tear ran along the side of her face. His resolve remained as she collected herself. To live up to someone else’s expectations was a cruel fate to be relegated to.

“You sure come on strong, Allie,” she responded. “You were so reluctant before.”

Alejandro placed a hand over his heart before he spoke.

“What’s the point of just going about life to do nothing with it. I observed everything you’ve done, and well, it’s nothing less than inspiring.”

“Come on! Now you’re just making me blush.”

Enne knew his words came from his soul. His amber eyes pierced her heart that very moment. It was an unusual exchange of commitment that they understood innately. She knew she was no longer alone in her endeavor, although doubts lingered.

“Y—You’re absolutely serious about this?”

He nodded, keeping his hand over his chest. Enne took his hand, moving it toward her heart. She held both his hands with hers, returning a humble smile.

“You think too highly of me.”

She held back her tears as he leaned closer to shoulder her head. He never imagined the more fragile side of her. Her strength lay with her compassion and sense of right and wrong. Where she longed to confide herself in another, the wanderer found solace in her grace.

This chapter definitely had to be refined, especially with how mana works!
The original dialogue was lacking and with thin motivation...
Well, that's what spawned those previous chapters!
We even get a better glimpse at Enne's own insecurities.
I think we get a better understanding of Alejandro's fielty, which also extends from his past.
Which we'll touch on in the coming chapters!
Thanks for reading... And let me know what you think!