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Please send your comments to mystories92@gmail.com.Apologies for taking so long to post this. Life happened.
Chapter 7
Leandas and Calen stood at attention in front of the gathered council members sans a very significant one. Calen stood rigid, his face a mask of calm obedience. Leandas was perturbed and really afraid he might never know Jaden again. Calen seemed more elf-like than was possible.
Leandas looked at the council members again. His mother had a deep frown on her face, which made her look like a fierce warrior queen.
"This news is most distressing!" one of the council members exclaimed.
"Are you sure you aren't mistaken?" another one asked of Leandas.
"I am certain, Lady Leda. The scene is ingrained in my mind for all eternity. The forest trembled at Valeran's return."
"Enough bickering!" Lanara commanded. "We need to make preparations. I have no experience in dealing with a demon. I was but a little girl when Valeran was last defeated. My mother and father paid dearly in the Great War. Oren, you were a warrior during that time, your advice would be most valuable right now," Queen Lanara said, her piercing eyes shining with conviction. She knew that with the return of Valeran, many lives would be sacrificed to defeat him again, especially if it required two warriors like the previous.
"Milady, we have to amass an army swiftly and without delay. By now Valeran is summoning his minions. And there is one other thing. For us to defeat him, we have to come out of hiding. We only won the war with the help of the humans," Oren's grave voice announced into the silent throne room.
Many council members did not like this, but they saw no way around it. Leandas was beginning to dread the forthcoming days, weeks, even months, because it could take at least that long to gather all the elves together from all across Iradnia. He expected his responsibility as prince of the elves to become greater. He had to support his mother in this, while also helping to retrieve Jaden's memories. He felt very uncomfortable calling Jaden Calenmiriel.
"Tell me more Oren," Lanara asked the aged elf.
"We need to find a human leader who will join with us. We must seek the wisdom of the White Oracle to determine who this person is. If we work swiftly we might catch Valeran before he can finish his preparations. I can assure you that he will demand the destruction of Iradnia. He cares not for anything in this realm."
"Yes, you are correct Oren. We will do so at once," Lanara decreed. Then she looked at Leandas and Calen. "Leandas, have you managed to get a spark of recognition from Jaden?"
"He calls himself Calenmiriel now, mother, and no, I haven't been successful. I performed a memory stare spell and his mind is completely wiped clean. I am quite sure Heleria was responsible for this, seeing as none of the council members present have done it. Although in the forest, when we observed the summoning, I could sense terror emanating from him when the creature appeared out of the forest. I believe those were the beasts that pursued Jaden and his father into Iradnia. Therefore I assume that he unconsciously remembered them."
"That is logical, Leandas. Maybe if he encounters familiar things, it might trigger his memories. There is also the possibility of finding his true name," Lanara said, smiling sadly.
"There is one problem. Jaden is not from Iradnia, so it's useless, as is the task of finding Jaden's true name. I do not know him well enough to begin to guess his name," Leandas said dejectedly. How could he come so close to finding his soul mate, only to lose him to the oblivion of lost memories?
Lanara thought for a moment, an idea struck her, but the chances of it succeeding were slim at best. "What about his father? His father could be somewhere in Iradnia. If we find him, it might be enough to trigger Jaden's memories. And Jaden's father is the only one who really knows Jaden."
Leandas had thought of that, but it was a nearly impossible task and the odds were large. Iradnia was vast.
"Here is what you will do Leandas," his mother announced. You and, uh, Calen, will go to the White Oracle and find out what she knows about this human leader. Thereafter, while preparations are made here, you will find Jaden's father."
"As you command mother," Leandas bowed. He didn't see the brief flash of pain on his mother's face.
Lanara had other reasons for sending her son on this mission. She had a sinking feeling in her heart the her son was the warrior born in eternity, and because of what happened to Jaden, she was sure that Jaden was the warrior born here, but elsewhere. In a sense, Jaden had been reborn here. She had to find a way to prevent her son from dying. She couldn't bare that. Her son needed to continue on, and for that she was willing to give her life.
Calen could not comprehend what Leandas and the council members were talking about. The only part he could make sense of was when Leandas mentioned the beasts in the forest. Calen shuddered when he thought of them. He didn't know why they evoked such a feeling of terror inside him. It was like feeling this heavy weight on you and your heart beats faster than normal. He gathered that they were talking about him. Leandas had said that his name was not Calen, but Jaden, and that he had lost all of his memories.
"Come, Calen," Leandas said as he walked toward the large door.
Outside Leandas showed Calen to a room and said that it was his, and that he had slept in it ever since he arrived in Glenfey.
"Get a good night's rest Calen, tomorrow we make for the White Oracle. It's less than a day's journey away so we'll make it before nightfall," Leandas added.
"Yes, Leandas," Calen answered. He could see a peculiar expression on Leandas' face and he couldn't tell what it was. Was it sadness?
Leandas left and Calen closed the door of the tree room. It definitely looked lived in and Calen could sense the vaguest of familiarities in the things he saw. He disrobed and placed his clothing over the chair at his table. He stood naked in the room and looked at himself in the mirror in the corner, thinking that really looking at himself might help his memories along. But it didn't help one bit. His body was lean and toned, his muscles firm and strong. Long and athletic legs met up at a trim waist, his fair pubic curls arrowed down to his flaccid cock, which hung over his soft balls. Looking at his cock strangely aroused him and it began to fill up and rise. His gaze continued up and landed on his perfect pink nipples which were peeked. Lastly he looked at his fey face. So elf-like, yet he knew he was human. But why? He looked like them, but wasn't one at all.
By know his cock was hard and he saw a drop of pearly precum on his head. He moved his hand to grip his engorged erection and he shuddered at the touch. His hand was cool against the hot shaft. He began to stoke himself, revelling in the pleasure it created. It all felt completely new to him and he liked it a lot. For some unknown reason, Leandas face popped into his mind and it sent a surge right down to his cock, which flexed in his now warm hand. What was this new feeling? Or was it an old one. Argh! Why couldn't he remember?
Calen continued to stroke himself, his hand rubbing sensuously all along his shaft. He closed his eyes and let the sensations take over, letting his mind run free, and Leandas' face flitting across his mental vision.
`You are very brave Jaden, for taking on this immense task. I admire you for it.'
The memory came and he didn't know what to make of it. He remembered it was Leandas who had said that to him once. Calen couldn't remember when or why, but he did remember that it gave him great pleasure at hearing Leandas say that, and now he could feel his cheeks heating up at the thought that he may have had some romantic feelings for the elf prince.
Why am I not repulsed by this? He wondered to himself as his hand continued stroking his swelled up manhood. Maybe because I am like that, he continued mentally. What was the word for it? He searched his mind and found it. Gay. Yes, that was the word. Maybe he was gay.
Before he could think any further another flash of pleasure rushed through him. He stroked faster and squeezed a little harder. He was panting for air now. He desperately wanted to cum. An image of Leandas holding his stiff cock, stroking him flashed into his mind and he gasped as his orgasm washed over him. He arched his back as his pearly cum splashed onto the mirror in front of him consecutively as his body shuddered. A half minute later, his body relaxed and he needed to sit down. He shuffled over to his bed and lay down, unconcerned for the mess he made; he'd clean it up in the morning. He pulled the covers over himself and soon fell asleep mumbling "Who am I?" as he fell into a dark slumber.
Leandas entered his room and got ready for bed. These past few days had been very haunting. He felt sadness for Jaden, and also fear at the return of Valeran the demon. Tomorrow, he hoped, would be a day for answers. He and Jaden would make their way swiftly to the white willow and demand answers from the oracle. Iradnia depended on it.
He slid naked into his bed and lay with his head in his palm, wondering how Jaden must be feeling. He couldn't think of him as Calen, not when he didn't remember anything about his past life. It would have been easier if it was still Jaden inside. I've fallen for a human, Leandas thought to himself. He wondered what his mother would say if he were to tell her that.
Soon he fell asleep with a deep hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"You still haven't told me what those things were that saved us," Dalen said to Jiliura as the dawn light brightened.
They'd been up since before dawn and were steadily making their way to the white willow, still unsure of what they would find there. Jiliura was a few paces ahead of Dalen, leading the way. Dalen still remembered clearly last night's period of happiness and satisfaction. He was joyously in love with the man in front of him. He could still feel Jiliura's loving touch and the way they kissed. His arousal ached in his leggings and he wished he could just grab hold of Jiliura and repeat the previous night's performance.
But he couldn't. They were almost at the weeping willow, Jiliura had told him. They had about a half day's journey ahead of them, maybe less. At noon they'd take a quick break and have something to eat, and then move on again at a slightly faster pace. Dalen didn't mind the pace Jiliura set, he was used to it. His body was prepared for it. He was in fact amazed that Jiliura's shorter and slender body could handle it. But appearances were deceiving.
"They are felidaeans," Jiliura answered breathlessly. "A race of female, humanoid, cat-like beings. Apparently we walked through their territory. We are lucky to be alive. I've only read about them in legends, and I thought they didn't exist."
"Could that be what that oracle meant when she told you to keep your mind open?" Dalen wondered, thinking back to their encounter with the oracle of Denmore.
"I'm positive it is, and if felidaeans are real, then what other mythical beings could be real?" Jiliura said and stopped, looking up at the sky through the canopy of trees above them. "We are close. We should be within one kilometre from the site where the white willow supposedly is.
Dalen nodded, not sure what else could be said. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they emerged into a clearing and Dalen gasped at the site before him. It was ethereal and awesome. The white willow stood rooted before him. He could feel the age and the experience emanating from the ancient being itself, which was really strange to Dalen because he had never thought of a tree as a being. The area was entirely secluded and could not be seen from the sky as the trees surrounding the willow towered high up. The tree itself was beautiful. A pure white that seemed to radiate a kind of holy light and Dalen was struck with the belief that this could very well be the centre of Iradnia itself. Everything about the tree was white, from its immense trunk right up to the tiniest, miniscule leaf. The surrounding vegetation was healthy and full of life, a whole world on its own.
Dalen turned to Jiliura with a questioning look. "What are we looking for?"
"I'm not sure, the oracle said only to be here, but I'm not sure for what exactly."
They moved closer to the tree and looked around, searching for something that didn't fit in with the environment, some kind of clue, but there was nothing.
They were so engrossed in their search that they barely noticed until the last moment when blades were at the throat and they were told not to move a muscle. Dalen expected the blades to feel cool, but they were warm.
"Odo sode vemo wisumi sou nedro yuro," a male voice murmured in Jiliura's ear as he touched the blade lightly to his neck.
Jiliura cursed himself for not paying attention to his surroundings and being so shamefully caught off guard.
Dalen had to scramble for the words in his mind to translate what was said: Do no move or we will end you. Plus, because it was said in Raldin, it could be the truth.
"Please, we do not mean to trespass," Jiliura said tactfully, trying to stall for time so that he could get them safely out of a difficult situation. They could not see who their confronters were.
"This is not your place to be, Mysterian," the man said again.
Jiliura started at the mention of him being a Mysterian. He had concealed himself so well, only other magic users could really sense him. So he had to conclude that their confronters were anything but normal.
"Please, we are here on a quest, we were directed here by an oracle," Jiliura pleaded, slowly bracing himself to spring Dalen and himself from the deadly lock they were in.
"Mia loria, lura hallas wisumi odo?" another male voice said from behind Dalen. Dalen shuddered. The tone of voice sounded so familiar.
Jiliura frowned at the words: My lord, what shall we do?
`My lord'? What did it mean? The moment Jiliura felt the man's hesitation he acted. With a quick and fierce cry, he uttered the short words to the spell that would teleport them a few metres away. Dalen felt his stomach lurch and had to steady himself on his feet.
The two of them swiftly drew their weapons and stood ready to fight. But when they saw their opponents, both of them were flabbergasted. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the beings in front of him could possibly be real!
Elves!
As surely as he stood there, he knew without a doubt that they were elves.
Then he was startled out of his awe when he heard Dalen cry out. Dalen had dropped his axe and fell to his knees.
"My son!" he cried. "Jaden!"
Leandas, started at the human man's exclamation. Was this Jaden's father? On closer inspection, Leandas saw that it was true. The resemblance between father and son were striking. Hair, eyes and skin colour were the same, their facial features almost identical if it weren't for the difference in age and body weight.
The man got up and rushed to Jaden. That was when Leandas noticed that Jaden hadn't done anything. His expression didn't show much hint of recognition, only a slight frown.
"Halt!" Leandas commanded.
Dalen stopped and stared. This was his son! Jaden was alive. But what had happened to him? He looked so extremely different. The long straight golden hair, the angular features and what was undoubtedly pointed ears sticking out through the hair.
"Are you Jaden's father?" Leandas made sure.
"Of course!" Dalen exclaimed, there was no doubt.
Leandas eyes the Mysterian with his drawn magical sword. "I think we had best put our weapons away and talk about this." Leandas looked sadly at Dalen. "There is much that needs to be said."
"Very well," the Mysterian agreed, the sword disappearing. Dalen remained silent, looking at his son.
"Let us start with introductions," Leandas said, walking closer to the white willow. "I am Leandas."
"I am Jiliura, and this is Dalen," Jiliura said, waving to Dalen.
"And I am Calenmiriel..." Calen answered.
Dalen gasped and Leandas winced. "Uh, Calen, I think it's best we sit down and explain everything."
Later all of them sat around a fire, not so close to the tree this time. Leandas had just finished explaining about how Jaden had lost his memory, and about the summoning of the demon Valeran.
Dalen had his head in his hands, and he was weeping. "So what you're trying to tell me is that he has absolutely no idea who he really is or where he comes from?"
"Basically," Leandas nodded apologetically. "Though I have told him everything I know about him since I found him in the forest that day. I was hoping that when he saw you it might trigger his memories, but it doesn't seem like it worked."
"That's not entirely true," Calen spoke up for the first time. "Yesterday, after you left me in my room, I... uh, remembered something."
Everyone else sat up straighter and looked at Calen.
"I remember you telling how brave I was for taking some task on," Calen went on, "and when I saw you... uh, father, I had this overwhelming feeling of knowing you. I just can't remember."
"That is good news," Jiliura said, prodding the fire with a stick. This whole day had been one revelation. "It means that there is hope that you will regain all of your memories. It might help if one knew your true name."
"We have considered that idea, but there is only one person here who can truly begin to guess Jaden's true name. And that is Dalen," Leandas said, looking at Dalen. "From now on, you must try to spend as much time as you can with your son."
Dalen nodded determinedly.
"Tomorrow we will speak to the White Oracle. There is still much that must be done. Now we must all get some rest," Leandas said, lying down on his back.
Tomorrow was going to be an awkward day.
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