[Nyria’s POV]
It was a fleeting mory from a ti which she doesn’t rember.
Nyria usually tried to rember much of her past as most of them were haunting.
’...This place feels familiar.’
But right now, she was once again living one of those mories.
The World Tree lood over her as she slowly began to walk in her colourful dream.
’I rember it now...it was from that ti.’
Despite all her burdened mories of ntal abuse from her mother...there was a ti when she was normal.
A ti when she didn’t hate Nyria like she does right now.
’No.’
She quickly shook her head, clenching her fists tightly.
’She loves , she just doesn’t know how to express it.’
She kept on repeating the sa words again and again until her mind cald down.
In this mory, everything felt warm.
Sowhere in the distance, she could hear laughter, a light and carefree one.
She followed the voice and saw a little girl running around. A flower crown in her hand.
It was her from the ti long ago and her smiling mother stood under the tree holding her child.
Not a fake smile, not a forced one, but sothing soft and real.
A kind of smile Nyria hadn’t seen in years.
’I was happy once... wasn’t I?’
She stepped forward again, toward that younger version of herself, who was twirling in circles, giggling with pure joy.
Her heart ached.
’...’
Slowly, as if the world was expanding, the mories began to add details.
The things that she doesn’t rember happening began to happen.
A boy ran towards her along with a young child—younger than her.
’...Is she Zenith?’
Nyria recognised the child but the boy...
’Why is his face blurred out?’
No matter how much she tried to focus on him, that face remained blurred.
She ca to a stop as her younger self smiled brightly at the boy.
But her face imdiately changed as she pouted. "Where have you been?" she asked the boy.
"I got lost!" he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
The younger Nyria puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. "You promised you’d help make the flower crown!"
"I know, I’m sorry," the boy said quickly, crouching down in front of her. "Let help now?"
Younger Nyria looked at him for a second, pretending to be upset, but then her pout faded.
She nodded and handed him the crown.
But Nyria felt like her world was getting turned upside down.
’...Why?’
She wondered to herself.
’Why am I not getting disgusted with him?’
Since Nyria could rember, she had her OCD that forced her to keep everything symtrical.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a living or non-living thing. She gets triggered if they aren’t symtrical.
That is the reason, she always hated everyone.
No matter whom she looked at, she would always co to hate that person.
But...
’...Why is he special?’
Her confusion only grew when her younger self gave Zenith a disgusted look.
Zenith was laughing as she hugged Nyria’s younger self, but the little girl didn’t return it.
She even took a step back after the hug, brushing off her dress as if it were dirty.
That reaction made present-day Nyria frown.
’Did I hate Zenith even back then?’
Nyria doesn’t hate Zenith, what she hates is her relationship with her mother.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that she is jealous of Zenith solely because of it.
Nyria once again looked at the boy whom her younger self seed happy with.
’...Who are you?’
In her mory, she does rember a boy who didn’t trigger her OCD.
But it’s been so long that she doesn’t even rember his face as well.
’...’
The boy placed the finished crown on her younger self’s head.
She laughed and clapped her hands.
"I’m the queen now!" she announced proudly.
The boy gave a small bow. "Your Majesty."
She slowly walked closer to observe ’herself.’
Nyria was walking deeper into the mory... or maybe deeper into herself.
Suddenly, the scene began to flicker.
The sky dimd and the vibrant colours dulled.
"No," Nyria whispered, her eyes darting around. "Not yet... I want to stay."
But the laughter faded and the warmth slipped through her fingers like smoke.
It was only a blink.
The world around her changed and Nyria found herself in a completely different place.
Her heartbeat raced as she now stood in front of the boy in place of her younger self.
The boy stood with his back to her, he was shorter than her.
But what made her feel dread was the world tree that was burning behind him.
"Az."
Nyria’s lips moved on their own and her voice made the boy look back.
She took off her own necklace and extended it towards him.
"Find ."
---
---
[Himl’s POV.]
’Urgh.’
I clicked my tongue, deflecting the blade that Lazarus was swinging with the weight of a mountain.
The man turned sharply, his halberd slicing through the air with a sharp whistle, aid right at my face.
The solitude of Buinal over moved back and I followed his steps.
But even then I was grazed on my cheek from the sharp edge.
’Fuck, he is fast.’
Lazarus took a heavy step forward, halberd dragging against the ground, creating sparks.
I rushed in again, shifting to the left and then imdiately stepping right—an illusionary feint.
His weapon ca up to block, but I was already behind him.
I slashed down with all my might.
But he caught my sword with the shaft of his halberd and threw off balance, then smashed his elbow into my ribs.
Grabbing his hand, I jumped up and kicked his body to force myself away from him.
"Alright, switch."
Inna’s voice echoed within the place that made panic.
"Wait, Inna—."
The world switched and now, I was within the solitude of Lazarus and Buinal was in front of .
’Fuck.’
I changed the shape of my sword to a halberd as Buinal jumped at .
Inna has done this for quite so ti, changing my place between them so I can learn both their ways of fighting.
And I don’t like it one bit.
’They both were really strong.’
I thought, moving my body just enough to let his sword graze past my face.
’Well, they both are battle-hardened warriors who saw actual war.’
I can hold Buinal fairly easily in his Overlord rank but Lazarus was much more dangerous.
"Ahhhh!!!"
A sudden shout imdiately made stop in my tracks.
Buinal also stopped as Inna made him.
I turned to look at Nyria who had now woken up, drenched in sweat.
I walked towards the girl. "You saw a nightmare?"
Nyria didn’t respond imdiately.
She was breathing heavily, her hands clutching the grass beneath.
"Nyria," I said again, a bit softer this ti as I crouched beside her.
She blinked as she looked at slowly. "W..where am I?"
I shrugged. "Sowhere safe, I guess."
She didn’t reply as I kept on looking at her face which changed from pain, confusion, and dread.
"...No," she whispered. "It wasn’t a nightmare."
"Good for you then." I replied, standing back up. "Now, get out of here."
’Weird...’
Why does her sweat sll so good?
’Is it because she is an elf?’
Nyria sat up slowly, brushing her damp hair away from her face.
Her eyes still looked a bit lost, like part of her was stuck sowhere else.
"...Did I say anything while I was asleep?" she asked quietly.
I blinked. "I wasn’t paying attention."
She looked at , more specifically at my neck.
I looked down finding my necklace dangling.
"That necklace." She mumbled softly. "Where did you get it from?"
I frowned, already too tired of her behaviour. "Just get out of here." I said, turning around. "Don’t make touch you."
Nyria’s breath caught in her throat.
"W...What did you do when I was asleep!?"
"Huh?" I looked at her in confusion. "Nothing?"
"You did sothing—!"
"Don’t make laugh." I cut in her words, turning around. "I would rather die than touch a fucking elf."
I then ignored her as I began to walk back to training.
Inna seems to be only visible to right now.
"She isn’t leaving." Inna said, looking at . "Do you want to continue?"
"Yeah, ignore her."
Inna nodded as she brought back both of them.
’Huff...’
I let out a soft exhale and Buinal’s solitude wrapped over .
But before I could continue.
"Buinal?"
Nyria’s confused voice made stop.
---
---
[Yennefer’s ho, Akasha.]
"What are you doing, mom?"
Zenith asked, as she walked inside her mother’s room who was packing her things up.
"I have so work to do, baby." Yennefer replied softly as she smiled at her. "I will be out for a while."
Zenith frowned as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Work where?" she asked softly.
Yennefer paused for a heartbeat, then continued packing.
"To Lumina," she said. "There’s... soone I need to speak to."
Zenith tilted her head. "What’s this about?"
"Nothing special." Yennefer replied, shaking her head. "Don’t worry I will be back soon."
"..."
Zenith didn’t reply as she looked upset.
Yennefer smiled as she walked towards her daughter.
She hugged her gently. "I will be back soon, I promise."
"Um." Zenith hugged her back. "It’s just...I don’t feel so good."
Yennefer was about to reply but she stopped as she felt her pocket vibrate.
She slowly moved back from her daughter. "Can you give so ti alone?"
Zenith looked confused but didn’t argue. "...Okay."
She walked out of the room and Yennefer quickly closed the door.
She took out a device from her pocket that was beeping and placed it down on the ground.
It slowly opened up and a holographic figure appeared above it.
Yennefer’s eyes imdiately turned cold as she looked at ’him.’
The man appeared to be in his mid-sixties with a long braided beard and grey hair.
Two antlers protruded off his head, dangling with silverish decorations.
He was the current head of House Atretic and the other demigod.
His na was Abram.
"It’s been a while." he said, his voice deep. "You still have the sa repulsive look on your face."
"What do you need?" Yennefer asked, getting straight to the point.
Abram remained silent as he rubbed his chin.
As the silence stretched Yennefer felt more uncomfortable.
Abram finally asked. "How far will you go for your daughter, Yennefer?"
Yennefer looked at him without any words as she stared at him. "Get. To. The. Point."
"Our ’family’ has a task for you." Abram said, a small smile crept on his face.
"..."
Yennefer didn’t reply as she waited for him to speak.
Abram’s smile slowly died down. "I will give you three months." he said softly. "Kill Himl—."
"No!"
Yennefer denied, her voice more angered than ever.
"Don’t push your luck—."
"We will return you Zenith’s mark if you do it and kill her if you don’t." Abram said, cutting her off. "The choice is yours."
His hologram vanished just after that leaving her alone.
Yennefer stood there unable to move for a long ti.
"Uh..."
A tear trickled down her face and it wasn’t long before she broke down.
"No...No..Not like this."
Yennefer fell on her knees, rambling to herself.
Her soft sobs were the only thing that echoed within her room.
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