“What did you do in the pyramid, by the way?” – I asked Eala.
We were climbing up the pyramid. Or rather, I was jumping while she was clinging to my back. She had expressed a wish to get to the top of the pyramid, and that it was important. She even began climbing herself, and even managed to scale some of the huge, close to five-meters-high steps that formed the shape of the pyramid. But despite the amazing, and slightly unreal nimbleness she claimed to be natural for all elves, she ran out of strength in just a fifty or so steps. That still got her to the height of close to three hundred meters, but considering the fact that it seemed like the pyramid narrowed down roughly only by a third by the time it reached the clouds, the distance Eala had covered was negligible.
“We search. -Uooh!- We come, -Uoooh-, we find cities. -Uoooh!- Old cities. -Uooh!- In city, -Uooh- writings. Find signs -Uooh!- our Clann here. -Uooh!- We search, not find. -Uooh!- See pyramid. -Uooh!- away from city. -Uooh!- We go. -Uooh!- On way, many strange things. Old things, but move. Attack, we fight. We still come to pyramid. Long walk, pyramid far. All horse die, we have only one. We find, um, entrance. Leave horse, travel things, go in.” – Every time I jumped, the pressure squeezed the air out of Eala’s lungs, so I stopped as we reached the point somewhere halfway to the clouds.
Eala’s English was improving, and during our conversations I was picking up bits of Old Irish and some basic words considered to be “multinational” by the elves. Or multiracial? By the way, as I managed to find out, elves were really good in mimicking sounds not only thanks to superb hearing sense. They were actually able to manipulate the water inside their throats to expertly produce different sounds. No wonder I had such troubles with their clan’s whistling language, it was basically a secret insider language.
We sat down on the step we had reached. That was a good place to observe the never-setting sun, feel the breeze and drink the magically made water that required the salt to be added before considered drinkable. Well, Eala needed to drink, anyway. Each of my jumps took us over five meters in vertical distance, and I was no winged fairy providing soft takeoff and landing. Even if she hid it, I could see her suffering quite a bit. Well, pale quivering lips were dead giveaway.
—
As I fiddled with a strand of my hair, thinking about changing it into black like my eyes, Eala continued her story. She described how they felt the unnaturally low temperature inside the pyramid, and guessed that there was some sort of treasure inside. Hearing her talk about that, I asked more about their interest in treasures. As it turned out, Clann Taistealaí were sort of travelling treasure seekers and magic artisans. Uh, fairytale gypsies, wonderful discovery here.
Anyway, as Eala and her companions went in, after a while they encountered a collapsed section. And as they tried to breach it, they only had time to instinctively form the life-preserving water bubble. After that, darkness. And then, me. But one thing got me surprised.
“Eala, so all elves can use water magic?”
“Magic? Water for us, not magic. Part of us.”
“So many elves look different, but you all manipulate water?”
“Umm, same is air. But water, part of body. Easy to know, easy to use. Stone, light – hard.”
“But still, you all looked so different, but I am surprised the rest is the same.”
“No different. At start, all like me. White.”
“Wait? What? How?”
“All elf, white hair, white eyes. But elf, long life. So, elf can change. If come in new place, if same, die. So, need change.”
“Self-evolution? You can change depending on environment?”
“Self-ivoluusen?”
“I mean, you can change yourselves depending on your needs, amazing.”
“Nono. Elf, if in great danger. Weak, wounded. Battle, war, hunt, attack. Like that. Kill enemy, use the living power of enemy. Elf change. If enemy from new place, strong, good life – elf change, can live well too.”
As I became more and more astonished, Eala explained me the facts about the elven adaptability. Basically, due to the extremely long lifespan, elves can not evolve effectively as a race. Therefore, to adapt to the changes in the environment they can choose to absorb the traits of living organisms from the problematic environments. But that is used as last resort, as it can be used only once in a lifetime. And it is generally kept as a life-saving trick, as absorption process gives the elf a strong boost in vitality, allowing to recover from life-threatening wounds or other sources of weakness like poisons or curses. That sounded like something vampiric, and even involved the ingestion of suitable medium for the life force. Like blood, for example.
—
It turned out, that Eala’s companions were all “adapted” ones, hence the differences in their appearances. They were escort, accompanying her because of her position as some elf leader’s daughter.
If I got it correct, the male elves with grey skin and yellow eyes were actually the only survivors from some elven settlement that got attacked by something grey, strong and hulking. Trolls? Ogres? Anyway, they managed to take one down, powered up from it and escaped. As a result from power absorption, they became much stronger and became able to see in total darkness, making them exceptionally good vanguards and explorers.
Claw-nailed gold-haired female elf used the power from some sort of flying creature Eala herself did not know much about. Only that it was flying and very dangerous.
Black-haired elf woman gained her traits from something magical. At least it drank blood and carried feline traits. But she was again the only survivor, from a group that had met the creature, so nobody knew what it was for sure. I tried hard to get the image of a khajiit-vampire out of my head.
The blue-haired, slit-pupil elf was simply attacked by a huge water snake, whose power she had to absorb to survive the poison.
And green-haired, emerald-eyed elf that I had found first owed her vibrant colours to a small dragon. She was actually the only one who proactively went and used the adaptation power without being in danger or any actual pressing need. Eala kept describing her as an oddball.
—
A faint smile hung on Eala’s lips as she described her companions. She was clearly reminiscing about the past they had shared together. As she talked, she had unknowingly fished out from her belt pocket the black gem she used to wear on her neck. That actually reminded me about something, so I asked as I pointed at the jewel –
“By the way, what is that?”
“This… protection.”
“I guess, for you?”
“Yes, father make. Before, it shines. I think before, that this is gift. But when I see black, I know.”
“What do you know?”
“In battle, leader carry circle on head…”
“Circlet, I think? Like this?”
“Yes, circlet. Leader carry circlet, many guards carry rings on hand.”
“Bracelets.”
“Bracelets. If leader lose power, or wounded, guards give strength to bracelet. Bracelet to circlet. Circlet to leader. After that, circlet black, need new. Leader must live, must lead.”
“So… gems are like that?”
“No. Bracelet no kill. Guards strong, old, wise – Clann need. Gem – if no power, take life.”
“…”
Circle of Shards 