The Elven brothers, Part IV

     A swirling torrent of green glowing sparks in the form of a swarm of fireflies flew around Veldren's body. As they dissipated he began to see things that weren't there before and people began to appear before him. The whisper that spoke to him now had a body accompanying it and he could see that it was attached to a warm skinned, and yet not entirely unfamiliar elf. The elf gazed into his bright emerald orbs like an animal searching for his next meal, and Veldren looked back at him in an awe, inspired by his obvious kinship to the Earth.
     Soon the other beings began to gather around him too, their green clothing meshing well with their surroundings. So well in fact that whenever they stopped moving they would disappear into the forested glade once again. To Veldren it all seemed like a vision of fantasy rather than the truth but it also felt as if he had seen it all before. Still the feeling of power from the Earth pulsed in his veins but now he could feel it permeating the others as well and a strange calm like he had never known washed over him.
     "Swyrel", the elven man whispered again, "Do vys know lye?" The question ran through Veldren's head like an eagle flies through the wild skies and the answer raced to him as a predator to its prey.
     "Arael", he said in a quiet but certain voice, "Vys naa arael...amin brothers." A joyous roar ran through the crowd of arael as his answer reached their ears. They hooted like owls and cawed like hawks in a celebration of their find. The call of 'Kemen!' raised in the air and without warning it seemed as if the trees themselves joined the reverie as they moved with the element of air around them.
     The Arael man smiled at Veldren with a knowing grin and heralded him over to a small wooden shack. Inside was a mob of feasting elves with a jovial musician spouting lilting songs from a set of pipes in the corner. The song was the same as what Veldren had heard earlier, the same song that had beckoned him to this hidden glade. The young Swyrel spent that night as an Arael, joining in the feast and spinning the tales of his hunts.

*     *     *

     Warm and kind the dawn came to Aluim. It spilled over the hills and dropped down through the treetops as it journeyed across the lavender sky towards the lone young elf. He felt the sun on his chilled body and knew that the Father watched over him in his time of need. Covered in ash and dew of the morning the tired elf stood in the light and let its soothing soul mingle with his own. He opened his almond shaped green eyes and the glorious golden light poured into him and filled him with a vision of the possible future. Aluim saw what Britannia could be without the constant warring and death and in knowing what could be, he gained the will to go on.
     A sweet-watered brook babbled nearby. A bird sang a song of the morning in a berch tree. The pure white clouds swept across the sky. Aluim stood in the sun. Everything was right again.
     Suddenly the stomping hooves of a steed began to come from the wood and Aluim peered to find its source. "Swyrel", a voice called from the forest, "Naa eller a problem sinome ot one? Do vys need amin help?"
     Aluim looked up and answered, "Ays...amin do friend Espel".

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