A semblance of\nconfusion still reigned at the center of Eld\u2019rin, but the lower district was\nquiet, save for the footsteps of two lone elves, who walked side by side along\nthe system of roots. Their steps were wandering, yet they knew where they walked.\nThey said nothing, but remained silent, their own thoughts and each other\ncompany enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At length,\nhowever, one spoke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere will he\ngo, Eltuthar?\u201d asked Ilrin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomewhere\nsafe,\u201d replied Dilmir, looking ahead. \u201cHe\u2019ll take my parents with him, so that\nAlfimir can\u2019t find them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you think\nhe\u2019ll ever come back? To Eld\u2019rin, I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir\nconsidered for a moment. \u201cYes,\u201d he said decisively. \u201cHe\u2019ll come back, some day.\nHe\u2019ll find a way to lift the curse that Sonlen gave him. When my training is complete,\nI\u2019ll join him and help him search.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They walked on,\nsilent once again, for nearly a minute, until Ilrin broke the silence again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy do you\nbelieve in him?\u201d she asked. \u201cHow do you know what he says is true, and the\ncouncil is wrong? They were right about the consequences of his discoveries,\nafter all.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir was\nsilent for a moment. \u201c\u2026Because I have to,\u201d he finally said, suddenly realizing\nit. \u201cI believe in him because I have to.\u201d It was clear to him why this was so,\nbut every time he tried to put it into words, his thoughts became jumbled and\nconfused. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think\nyou should try to hide your power anymore,\u201d said Ilrin, interrupting his\nthoughts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d asked\nDilmir, surprised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell,\u201d said\nIlrin, \u201cthe council kept on bringing up all the things you could do, without\nmentioning the things you did do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI hadn\u2019t done\nanything yet,\u201d laughed Dilmir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExactly,\u201d said\nIlrin, serious. \u201cTheir fears were based off of what you did to the wolves. That\nwas all they had seen. I saw how Eltuthar used his magic when I was at Arath\nImil. I may not approve of Eltuthar\u2019s reasoning the way you do, at least not\nyet, but Arath Imil showed me that magic can be used as more than just a\nweapon. It can be used to help to bring beauty to whatever it touches, and\nspread kindness, peace, and love to those that use it. That\u2019s what you have to\ndo, Dilmir,\u201d she said, suddenly stopping and turning to him. \u201cYou have to use\nit. Use it so that it can be seen for what it is, and for what it can bring.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir looked at\nher for a long while, suddenly realizing fully just how lucky he was to have\nher as his friend. His face broke into a smile. He knew now why he had to\nbelieve in Eltuthar. Ilrin had said it for him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Silently, he put\nhis hand in hers and, together, they continued walking down the tangle of roots.\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A semblance of confusion still reigned at the center of Eld\u2019rin, but the lower district was quiet, save for the footsteps of two lone elves, who walked side by side along the system of roots. Their steps were wandering, yet they knew where they walked. They said nothing, but remained silent, their own thoughts and … Continue reading Chapter Twenty-Eight – Through a Tangle of Roots<\/span>