Ambush

Birds have just awakened from their nests, singing beautifully to greet another day in Aetherux. The soft blue light from the sky beautifully enlightens the colorful feathers through children's magic catcher on the class ceiling. Their beauty has concealed tears from flowing down on my cheek for remembering that I do not have my own magic string to knit into as beautiful as theirs. I could use a breather from the thought of - elven in my age had already mastered the skill to control their magic catchers - by watching each one of their catchers spins around gently as the wind blows through the window.

The edges of my eyes catch busy looking elves walk pass the Magic Catcher School. Some elves are carrying lumbers, herbs or cottons in their hands. As hard as it is to say goodbye to the children's magic catchers, I had to go back to work. I grab my bag strap, filled of potions, herbs, beeswax, and flowers inside. Before I turn around to the door, a glimpse of an elf is waving at me.

Leir, a black-haired young man with a feather attached to a leather hood on his shoulder wrapped with roller-bandages on his chest, arms, and legs as the outer outfit, is standing by an apple tree in front of the school. He smiles brightly while waving at me. I point my chest then switch to him, to tell him that I am coming there.

I open the class door and close it back. Leir leans his back on the tree as I go out from the school. I walk pass elves who are going to the public cottages in the center of Aetherux; the craft, tailor, medical, library, and inn.

Leir giggles while stroking my hair, "Phew, you almost bumped into one of them." He smirked as I finally arrived by the apple tree.

I sulk, "They're busy. We should be too." I fixed my messy hair from being stroked.

"Let's fill in our stomach first." He walked to the inn, while I followed beside him.

The moment we take a few steps away from the school – BOOM! My body falls down by my hands as I lose balance. The earth was shaken by the thrown bomb when it hit the ground eighteen meters away from the tree we stood at. Leir had fell down to the ground with his left arm burned by the fire. The elves who had been working are unconscious on the ground.

Birds chirp panicky as they fly away from where the bombing is to the other side of the forest. My lungs ache from breathing in the brownish smoke which came out from the burn trees. I cough the smoke away from my lungs, barely able to catch a breath. With my eyes half opened from the smoke, I try to stand up.

The edges of my dress are slightly burned. As the smoke slowly fades, my legs are hobbling when I hurried to get roller-bandage, red salve, and cold water in my lab at the Medica.

Pharmacists run outside the cottage with potions and salves in their hands, as I arrived by the door. Without knowing who, I stopped one of them to see whether they bring roller-bandage and cold water. I immediately took it from them when I saw it in their medic basket.

I run towards Leir with cold water and roller-bandages in my hand. He is half awake while groaning. I kneel down to pour cold water on every inch of his burn on left arm. The cold water slowly dry as I blow my breath to his arm.

The moment I finished applying red salve on his left arm, he stopped groaning and started to breathe normally. I lift his arm, then wrap it with the bandage.

Just as I catch my breath while sitting down on the ground watching over him – BOOM! Another bomb was thrown at the same spot where the first one was. My body was slammed to the center of public cottage along with Leir's.

My ears are ringing all my thoughts away. The smoke covers my nose from breathing oxygen with its burn smell. My vision on Leir blurred in the middle of the smoke. When I try to reach his hand, my eyes are shut closed.

In my burned dress, I stand in the middle of darkness. The pain wiped away by the cold of darkness. I hold my trembling arms. Suddenly, my body enlightened by light. I turn my head to the left while covering the brightness from stabbing my eyes.

Not wanting to let the cold consume me, I walk towards the light. As I take one step at a time to the light, the cold fades. The heat in my body left the cold darkness behind. The tip of my skirt until the top of my hood changes into a light blue cotton dress when I completely inside the light.

M-my dress?!

I lost my consciousness the moment my dress has completely changed. My body is laying down on something soft. I gasp while getting up. The softness under my body was a bed. I hold the light blue dress I am in which was changed my dress back in the light of darkness.

How is that possible?

The sunlight softly brightens the room through the window. I get up from bed and walk close to the wall. The wall is not made of wood. When I look up, there is an unfamiliar white round glass attached on the ceiling.

A mushroom shaped thing is on a table next to the bed. A black chair is tucked nicely inside a white desk. And, a white wardrobe stands firmly beside desk.

I'm definitely not in Aetherux.

Aetherux villagers' homes are cabins. The color of this room is mostly white.

What happened to me?

Lost in thoughts while rubbing the unusual wall. A few birds are chirping through the window to welcome the day in a bright blue sky with soft clouds decorating the view.

There is not much of a tree I can find. A gray thing covers the ground completely. It also divides the houses across this house.

Vroom!

My eyes dazed at an unusual noise came out from a huge oval thing with four wheels like horse's legs but someone is not riding on it.

My head tip to shoulder in confusion while the ride is leaving from where it was. My eyes widen when one gets out from a house with round ears. I hold my ears to make sure mine do not change like they do. I slide my fingers to the tip of my fingers.

Phew! Wait. Am I the only elf here?!

My eyes could not escape from the round eared creature, wondering what they are. I hold the side of my head trying to remember what happened in Aetherux. I hit it a couple of times to let the memory out. My legs drop its knees on the floor as nothing comes out from my brain to know what happened before.

I want to go home.

Without notice my tears flow out to my cheeks. Suddenly – Knock Knock!

I wipe my tears, "W-who is there?" My teary voice stammered.

"Claire, it's me." A voice that I long to hear was behind the door.

Granny? Am I dead?!

I run towards the door and immediately open it. I find grandma is standing with a plate of fruit salad in her hand.

She leans the salad plate to me, "I brought you breakfast."

"Excuse me, gran." I permitted before I slide her side hair behind her ear.

Pointy.

I exhale softly. I let go off her hair. It falls down and covers her ear.

She holds my left cheek. "What's wrong?"

I stare at her eyes, "Granny. Am I dead?"

She suddenly stunned with her eyes widen. "Of course not, dear. You're breathing now, aren't you?" She lowered her voice tone.

I droop my head, "But you..." My eyes burst back into tears. "You passed away last two winters. So was grandpa." The tears made my voice unstably raised.

"Is that what your dream was about?" She suspected my claim while wiping away my tears.

"No! Back in Aetherux, you both passed away!" I accidently raised my voice as she did not believe me.

She hugs me, "Calm down. All that matters now is you are here with us."

I hold her shoulders from hugging me, "That's what I'm worried about! If you guys are here, then I must be dead!" I went downstairs; passed grandpa who was sitting on what seems to be a soft looking bench.

"Morning, Claire." Grandpa's eyes met mine.

I ignore them and go outside the house. A middle-aged woman is walking pass our house.

I wave my hand, "Excuse me!" I shouted while running to stop her from going any further.

The woman stops and turn to me, "Oh! Miss Priest. You're still in pajamas, dear." Her friendly voice reminded me what I wore.

Without noticing grandma was following me, she grabs my arm and drags me back inside the house.

"What were you thinking?! Going out in that?!" She pointed her finger at the pajamas. "Hurry shower, then eat this." She gave me the fruit salad. "This isn't like you to wake up late." She muttered while I take the plate from her hand.

I sigh, "Where's the bathroom, gran?"

She furrows her eyebrows, "Why do I feel a strange vibe that you haven't even been here?"

"Because I haven't!" I sighed deeper. "I know you don't believe a word I said. Just...tell me where the bathroom is."

She strokes my hair, "I'm sorry I yelled." She paused. "It's right next to your bedroom."

I nod to her before going back to where I came from to put the plate on the desk. Staring at swollen eyes on my face through the reflection of the mirror, I frowned. I hold my forehead while drooping my head.

How do I go back to Aetherux?

I bite my lower lip. My stomach is not cooperative in this state of time for it growled when the scent of fruit salad hovered around the room. I open the wardrobe to look for a dress. I pick the one with a hoodie above the dress, similar to what I wore in Aetherux. With a towel in my hand, I went to the bathroom.

I forgot! I have no idea how to use any of these.

This place seems to use an advance crafting or maybe forging like in Moustier. I pull everything there until water flows out above me. I screamed as the water soaked me. Water flows passed through my fingers as I cover my head.

After a while in the bathroom, I have finally figure out how it works. I dry myself up before putting on the dress as I finished showering. I ran to the bedroom with my hair dripping water on the chair I am sitting on.

It hurts when I breathe as if every inch of my lungs is being pinched in the smoke.

Smoke?!

I find myself holding Leir's hand in the middle of brownish smoke when I opened my eyes. Every memory of what happened both when the bombs were thrown until the unknown place I was in, are mixed.

I shake my head to sort both my memories out and focus on what is in front of me now. I let go off Leir's hand to get up. With his right arm lifted up, I swung it around my shoulder to let half of his body lean on mine. I wrap my arm around his waist to guide him to walk to the Medica.

Five elves are lying on the ground groaning in pain in every step that we take. Pharmacists are treating them with their medic baskets. Some of the pharmacists are taking them inside the Medica.

With my knees aching from falling on the ground, I put my strength in keeping his balance on my shoulder, having to lift his right arm up to my shoulder as it slides down every step I take. The closer I get to the door; the more my shoulder gets tired.

Naela runs in hurry downstairs. Our eyes meet, and she immediately lifts Leir's unburned part of his left arm gently. I nod weakly to thank her before we synchronize our steps together.

The moment we arrive in one of the patients' room, Naela and I are panting after we managed to lay Leir on the Medic bed. Naela goes out from the room when she saw Drothe pass by.

I take a chair to put it next to the bed Leir lies. When I sit down with my bag on my thighs, Naela came back in the room.

She taps my shoulder, "I need to treat you as well. Come with me." She shoved her hand while walking out to the door.

I shake my head, "No, thank you Nael. I'd like to stay." I held Leir's right hand.

Naela lets me be with Leir and leaves the room. Not long after Naela left. I lift my bag to see my thighs when they are cold. The bottom of my bag is wet when I held it. A bottle of blue potion broke into pieces as I open the bag. I take a sheet of cloth on the table next to the bed, and put it on the table. As I lay each pieces on the cloth, a faint sound of footsteps is behind me.

Not minding the sound, I wrap the broken pieces inside the cloth and put it on the corner of the table. I turn around to see who is coming.

A medic basket in Naela's hand. She walks toward me and kneels down, "Let me see your knees."

I scooch to the right to make it easier for her to treat. She slides the singed part of my dress up to see my knees. There are wounds on my knees I could barely feel while prioritizing Leir.

Naela takes out a blue potion out from the basket as well as cotton flower. She pours a couple of drops on the flower, then gently taps it to my wounds. My eyebrows furrowed while biting my lip every time the cotton flower of blue potion touched the wounds. It stings a little.

Not a moment too soon after the bombings, a sound of rain pouring down from outside the window. Mr. Harlord must be extinguishing the fire with his magic catcher before it spreads. The smoke fades the moment rain drops press it to the ground.

After she was done applying blue potion, she takes the cloth of broken potion bottle pieces with her. "I will be back with Medic's clothes for you to change into. Wait here." She left us in the room.

I let my knees revealed to let the blue potion dry. I hold Leir's hand and put it against my forehead. Nothing comes out from my mind except wanting Leir to wake up. When his tip fingers slightly move, I lift my head.

"Leir?" My voice shaken.

Leir groans, "Claire?" He held my hand on his. "What just happened?"

I immediately wipe my tears away, "There were bombs thrown at the school." I paused. "We were thrown away by the explosion and the flame hurt us."

Leir turns his head to the left to see his arm.

"The salve will heal you shortly." I held his hand firmly from touching his left hand.

He turns his head back to me, "Did the bombs hurt you too?" His deep voice asked sincerely.

"Just a little." I showed him the wounds.

He lifts his head to see my knees, then drops his head back on the pillow while groaning. "I need to search for the culprit!" He let go off my hand to cover his face. "I wonder if it was from one of us."

"I don't know." I shook my head. I stare at his eyes. "It's not your job to find it. You got hurt. Even if Sir Aragorn asked you, you're protected by the Head of the Pharmacy." I took his hand from his face. "Stay."

He holds my hand gently as our eyes are having a conversation without words. I lean my cheek on his palm in my hand. He strokes my cheek with his tip fingers.

The hallway is crowded by elves' footsteps. Some are going inside a patient's room; the others are leaving.

I glance at my knees. My skin knees slowly attach together as it heals. I put his hand on bed, then walk to the other side of the bed to check on his left arm.

I lift his arm up to untie the roller-bandage. When I roll down the bandage, the burned skin has been replaced by a new skin.

My eyes widen, "It healed!" I took off the rest of the bandage quickly. "Try to move your arm." I helped him up.

Leir sits on the bed. As he lifts his both hands, his eyes brighten as well as his lips. He hugs me tight and I hug him back. He whispers his thank softly in my ears. Just as he lifts me up in his embrace, the door is opened.

Leir lets me down when Naela walks in the room. She leans the clothes for us to change. Before even touching the clothes she gave, an announcement trumpets blow its melody at the center of public cottages.

I switch glance at both Leir and Naela. She leaves the clothes on the bed. I take my bag with me. The three of us then run outside the Medica. The other victims stay in patient rooms when we run in the hallway.

The head of pharmacy and pharmacists left their work to run outside alongside with us. The moment we were out of the Medica, the central of public cottages are crowded.

The guards are still blowing the trumpets to call for us. The melody is echoing through trees of Aetherux. The muttering of elves glooms the center of Aetherux air due to the bombings. It is growing even more intense as elves are coming from every corner of Aetherux.

Archers and knights are coming on horseback, while assassins jump through trees. Mr. Morthil, the leader's trusted knight behind the guards, hits the ground a couple of times with the bottom of his spear as a cue for the guards to stop blowing the trumpets.

Sir Aragorn steps forward to the front of the guards before he announces, "Aetherux." He pointed at the east where the grounds turned into huge holes, the half-burned trees, and a fallen burned tree. "Have any of you saw who threw those bombs?" His loud but calm voice silenced everyone.

Leah walks forward to face Sir Aragorn, passing everyone here. She bows to him with her magic catcher floating next to her. "Sir Aragorn, after the second bomb, I tried to detect the culprit behind this ambush using my catcher." She bowed down lower. "However, I did not sense any suspicious elf nor anything out of the ordinary. I truly apologize, Sir." She reported with steady voice.

"Shirva and I have searched through the trees to find the possible directions where the culprit might run off after throwing the bombs. They have escaped without tracks, Sir." Mr. Rohan reported.

Naela walks next to Leah, "Sir, we have saved seven victims of the flame bombs. Five of them are in the patient rooms, while the other two have fully recovered, Sir." She pointed her thumb backwards to the Medica.

After they took turns in reporting to Sir Aragorn, the rest of us report to him where they were during the bombings. Some share their complaints about our security.

We are too used to this peace with each other. There are no guards protecting Aetherux villagers, but the leader. I bet the bombings are not from us.

Why would we destroy our own land?

Without notice, my lips states what was in my mind verbally.

"From the looks of it, every one of us are busy with our own job. Clearly it was not from us. We were born in Aetherux. We may lack of security and vulnerable, but that is because we are too used to this peace. I personally think Elyvenor peace was not a charity, but earned, Sir." My eyes focused on Sir Aragorn even though others were staring at me.

"There is a possibility that the bombs weren't from us, Sir." Leir cleared my statement.

Sir Aragorn's eyes may look at us, but his mind is somewhere else. Our eyes never escape from Sir Aragorn, until Sir Aragorn stays quiet for a moment.

Chatters among us has started again since. Sir Aragorn taps the bottom of his spear to the ground a couple of times to silence us. The chatters fade slowly.

Sir Aragorn switches his sight to every one of us without missing any. "Are any of you against where I stand right now?"

The chatters echoed louder the moment Sir Aragorn asked regarding his leader position.

A middle-aged man at the back shouts, "Weren't you chosen by Sir Theoden himself to be the next leader before he died?"

He's right.

Two centuries ago, Aetherux had no leader before Moustier's leader ordered his villagers to build a metal gate as a border between Aetherux and Moustier. Even after they explained why they built the gate, some of us were concerned about it.

We decided to vote for our very first leader. When Sir Alberado had the most vote, others who voted for someone else were not very cooperative with the winner of the vote. We changed the leadership system ever since. The winner of vote leader, Sir Alberado, will be the one who choose the next leader before he passed away.

The next leader was tested in public to prove his worthiness of being a leader. If the next leader failed the test, Sir Alberado will ask the villagers who wishes to be the leader to do the same test. This becomes our leadership tradition for we had no longer argue about votes.

"And you passed the test. Why would we bomb the ground twice to bring you down?" The middle-aged man added.

"Yeah! Besides we cannot make any destructive bombs. The only explosive we can make is none other than the chemical ones back in the Medica." Said Melaine, a junior in pharmacy who stood at the front.

The moment I turn my head to the right where Naela is, "Why didn't I think of that?!" She covered her face with her head drooped.

For a junior who said it instead of the senior, I guess the seniors, including me and Naela have forgotten how to blow up the potion brew since Pharmacy graduation.

I pat Naela's shoulder, "That's okay, Nael. We haven't blown up potions for many seasons ago." I whispered.

I look at the back when I heard Mr. Iziuel faintly asking everyone to move aside.

He soaked in sweat on his neck down to his cotton shirt, "Excuse me. Pardon me." He walked pass everyone in his way to Sir Aragorn.

Sir Aragorn holds his right hand on his chest while releasing a deep exhale with his eyes closed, "That's a relief." He cleared his throat. "Well then, I would like to –"

Before Sir Aragorn finishes his sentence, Mr. Iziuel stammers, "S-sir Aragorn, I am sorry for my lateness and interruption. Do you by any chance have seen my wife, Elena?" He looked up to Sir Aragorn while wiping his sweat on his neck.

Sir Aragorn searches for every one of elves in front of him to search for Mrs. Iziuel, until his eyes stop at the head of Pharmacy, "Ilrune. Is Elena in one of the patient rooms?" He asked.

Mrs. Ilrune takes out her patient note. She slides her pencil from top to bottom, "Hmm... Elena is not in one of the bombings' victims." She tapped the very bottom of the note.

"P-please let me check in Medica myself for Elena. I-I want to see with my own eyes." Mr. Iziuel stammered while losing a bit of his balance in walking towards the Medica.

Naela raises her hand, "Sir, Aragorn, I would like to excuse myself to show the patients room to Mr. Iziuel." Naela volunteered.

I turn my head to Naela before she leaves to accompany Mr. Iziuel searches for his wife, "I will keep you updated, Nael."

"Thanks, Claire. I'll be right back." She nodded to me and Sir Aragorn before she left.

Leir wraps his right arm around my shoulder. When Sir Aragorn is trying to continue where he left off, with his mouth slightly opened, a woman on the back asks whether any one of us has seen Mrs. Keara's son, Zephyr. I find a woman pleaded Mrs. Keara to sit on a bench next to the Medica for she is too old to stand for too long. The moment Sir Aragorn eyes stops at Mrs. Ilrune, she immediately searches for Zephyr's name on the bomb victims list.

"There is no Zephyr on the list too, Aragorn." She frowned her eyebrows. "Let me check every room in the Medic." She ran back to Medica without the need for Sir Aragorn's confirmation.

The air echoes everyone's chatters, mutters, and whispers in between the trees regarding the missing elves. One elf and another take their chances to state their concern about Mrs. Iziuel and Zephyr to Sir Aragorn. Some said the possibilities of their absence in coming to the announcement call.

I gasp along with others when some guessed that the missing elves are kidnapped.

"Please remain calm!" Sir Aragorn shouted. "Before we come to a conclusion, let us focus on what is in front of us." He pointed at the destruction that the bombs had caused. "Those are able to repair, please form two teams. One to fill in the holes, and the others bring in fallen trees to the Craft." He paused. "As for the others, I need you to form two groups for the missing elves, Elena and Zephyr. East and west."

Right after Sir Aragorn finished his order, everyone turned their heads to the back when Medica door was opened. Naela, Mrs. Ilrune, and Mr. Iziuel are coming out from Medica. Mr. Iziuel's eyes are moist on his pale face.

I knew it, There's no error in the bomb victims list.

My legs automatically run to Naela for she avoids having eye contact with me the moment I turn around to see her out the Medica door. Leir's hand is off of me when I ran to Naela.

"Nael!" I called out for her. "No sign of Mrs. Iziuel?" I asked even though I knew the answer.

She shakes her head.

I tap her shoulder, "Sir Aragorn wants us to form groups of repairs and finding the missing elves."

Mr. Iziuel turns his eyes to me as he heard what I said to Naela. But then he walks towards Sir Aragorn, "Sir. I would like to be on the team to find my Elena!"

Sir Aragorn switches his sight from Mr. Iziuel to Mrs. Ilrune, "Elena and Zephyr are not in the Medica?" His loud firm voice made the entire elves who gathered in front of him changed their sight to Mrs. Ilrune for her report.

"Unfortunately, no. They're missing, Aragorn." Mrs. Ilrune confirmed the missing elves.

Mrs. Keara's eyes widen the moment Mrs. Ilrune said her son's name, "My son is missing?" She said it slowly as her voice a bit trembled.

Mrs. Ilrune approach her, "Your son is going to be alright, Mistress. We'll find him." She calmed her down while holding her back.

"It is officially confirmed that Elena and Zephyr are missing." Sir Aragorn turned his head back to see Mr. Morthil behind him.

When Sir Aragorn nods to Mr. Morhil, Mr. Morthil steps forward, "We do not have time to lose. We need to find them now. Those who are heading to the west are coming with me." Mr. Morthil rode his horse while stirring it to the west, trying to guide the elves who chose to find the missing elves.

Leir turned around to look at me. I nod as I understand that he would join the west side of Aetherux. Mr. Morthil leaves with his horse to guide the west team. Leir jumps to the tree, following Mr. Morthil's horse, so do the other assassins. While a couple of knights and archers are following them on horseback.

As the archers whistle, hawks fly fiercely above them. The hawks fly towards where the archers are pointing at. With the help of hawks, their search will be faster.

I hope.

"The rest are coming with me to the east." Sir Aragorn began his search with the east team, including Mr. Iziuel and Sir Aragorn's two guards who are following behind him.

The clopping of horses' shoes from both west and east teams are fading as they go further away from the center of Aetherux. Mrs. Ilrune waves her hand to pharmacists who are in charge of the bomb victims to go check on them in the patient rooms. Naela wraps her arm around mine as we are heading there as well.

I turned around to the west where Leir is heading. My eyebrows frown. Leir's hand may recover, but I hope he does not move his left arm too extreme.

Please, be safe.

The yellow light from the sun stabs the wooden wall through the window in my small lab. Fighters are helping out the crafters lifting the fallen trees. The crowd from how heavy the trees are loud enough to be heard through the second floor of the Medica.

It cannot be helped that the pharmacists are not helping them for we have to be ready to treat those who got hurt.

Plants, flowers, and herbs decorate half of the lab with other ingredients with flasks and a set of mortar and pestle half of the table. A mix of herbs and potion scent hovers around the room. For someone who is in charge of stocking potions and salves, Calendulas, Carnations, Calamus, Chrysanthemums and Roses are the flowers I use in brewing potion and salve.

Time to work.

I squash a kilogram of Calendula and put it inside a litter of flask full with water. I stir it with a wooden spoon until it becomes a dash of Calendula. I put that aside to cut blue herbs into pieces on the mortar, then begin to crush it with pestle into bits.

Fifty mini flasks in line on the side of the table, I put fifty gram of blue herbs in each of the flasks. I pour twenty milliliters the dash of Calendula flower in the flasks with blue herbs.

I stir the mini flasks one by one to mix the dash of flower with blue herbs. Every each one of the mini flasks shines the bubbles inside after ten seconds of stirring it. Once it has stopped shining, blue potion is ready. I pour it into potion bottles.

I repeat the same potion preparation ways with different mix for each kind of potions; green herbs with Carnation, red herbs with Calamus, orange herbs with Chrysanthemums, and purple herbs with Rose.

The moment I have made fifty bottles of blue, green, red, orange, and purple potions, I begin to brew salves. I let out a tube of mixed melted beeswax, and olive oil which I have made back home.

I split the mixture into half in crucible. Then crushing two hundred and fifty grams of red herbs into bits in mortar. I take another mortar to crush two hundred and fifty grams of purple herbs. I prepare two flasks on the table, with bits of red herbs in one flask, and bits of purple herbs in the other.

After I made twenty-five hundred milliliters dash of Calamus, and Rose, I mix half of Calamus dash with red herbs. And half dash of rose mixes with purple herbs.

All done!

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***