Hey! It looks like you're new here. You might want to check out the introduction.
Show rules for this event
A Fairy and Her Hero
Ismerelda knew her purpose from the very moment she emerged from the Well of Light. Find the destined hero and guide them on their path to defeat the Demon King.
Easy.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” Ismerelda called out before launching into another coughing fit. She could barely hear her own voice over the roar of the inferno that raged around her. Acrid smoke filled her tiny lungs, and she beat her diaphanous wings furiously to try and stay steady amongst the boiling updrafts.
The bond still pulsed in the back of her mind, so not all hope was lost just yet. Somewhere in this pile of ash and fire that could have once been called a town, the hero still lived.
The bond grew fainter with every passing moment.
A nearby wall collapsed, throwing sparks and soot about with a blast of hot air. Ismerelda bit back a scream as she tumbled through the air. She had to focus.
There, through the recently opened building, Ismerelda could see a dark form slumped against a smoldering bed. The bond in her mind twinged. This had to be it!
Ismerelda dove inside, dodging falling embers as she twisted about. She came to rest on the bedside table and took a moment to catch her breath.
A young woman lay against the bed, dark curls of hair framing her slender face. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her skin was deathly pale. Blood seeped out of a large gash in her side to pool on the floor below.
Ismerelda wasn’t too late. The hero could still be saved.
Fairies could not perform magic on their own, but they could act as conduits for the power of the Goddess. Ismerelda opened up her mind, sending a plea for assistance to her home. Radiance filled her, and the fire and smoke seemed to shrink away from her light.
With a quick beat of her wings, Ismerelda flitted downwards and pressed her tiny lips to those of the human who would assuredly save the world.
The hero took in a deep, rattling breath. Her eyes shot open, the wounded flesh in her side knitting itself back together with a soft golden light.
Power ebbed away from Ismerelda, leaving her completely exhausted. Such power was too much for most fairies. To use it would be a sacrifice of one's corporeal form until they could be reborn once more. But the fairy chosen to be the companion of the hero was made of sterner stuff.
“Gods above,” the hero whispered. Her dark eyes came to rest on Ismerelda, and a soft smile played across tired features. “Izzy, you’re okay. I thought I lost you.”
Ismerelda pursed her lips at the strange form of address. A part of her just wanted to collapse into unconsciousness, but her job wasn’t done yet. She raised her chin, and did her best to look regal despite her diminutive stature. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, hero. I am Ismerelda, a fairy sent from the Goddess to help guide you to your destiny. May I ask your name?”
The hero blinked several times, and cocked her head to the side. “Izzy? What are you talking ab—”
Another section of wall collapsed nearby. Ismerelda screamed and darted to land on the hero’s shoulder. “Maybe we should finish introductions somewhere that's not on fire!”
With a grunt the hero stood up and picked up the sword that had fallen by her side. Her steps were shaky at first, but color seemed to return to her cheeks with every breath.
Fresh air washed over them both as they stumbled outside, and Ismerelda filled her lungs with its sweet embrace. The remains of the village still burned around them, so they weren’t safe yet.
“This way!” Ismerelda flew ahead, letting her body glow with a soft light to lead the hero through the smoke and haze. She turned back, both to make sure the hero was following, and to get a better look at her.
Ismerelda had never met a hero of course, but the stories that surrounded them all tended to follow the same pattern. When great evil threatened the world, the fairies would seek out a destined youth with a humble background, and lead them to take up arms and fight for the forces of good.
The girl in front of her though… she wore a well fitted suit of chain mail over traveling leathers. Her sword, of a masterful craftsmanship, looked like it belonged in her hands. She stepped past rubble with the practiced gait of a fighter, eyes darting about and constantly alert for danger.
Rather than a naive youth unaware of her destiny, the hero looked like, well...
A hero.
They finally came to a stop a mile from the village, next to a small stream. The hero knelt down to splash water on her face, washing away the accumulated blood and grime.
Ismerelda decided to follow suit. She dove into the water, then burst out of the water with a splash and shook herself off. She spun about in the air, her natural luminescence filtering through the droplets of water. “There. Much better,” she said with a giggle.
The hero cracked a smile, but it quickly faded. She turned back towards the village, her eyes downcast. “I couldn't protect them, Izzy.”
“You keep calling me that,” Ismerelda said. She landed on top of the hero’s head and held onto her curls. “But it is not my name. I am Ismerelda. And you still have yet to tell me what I should call you.”
The hero stiffened, her expression out of sight. “Izzy? You're just joking right? It's me, Solana. Did you bump your head or something? You sound like you did six months ago.”
“Solana,” Ismerelda said, sounding the name out. It felt right somehow. A good name for a hero. “I'm afraid you must be mistaken. This is the first time we've met. Have you met another fairy before?”
Solana’s hand shot up, lightning fast, and snatched Ismerelda from her perch. Tight fingers wrapped around her diminutive form in a powerful grip that could easily crush her into dust. Solana’s bangs hung low, shielding her eyes. “Izzy, stop it. This isn't funny. Please. I… I saw you stop that sword for me. You just vanished. I looked everywhere for you, but you're okay now, right?”
Ismerelda did her best to still her rapid heartbeat and remain calm. Humans could be scary even from a distance, but this close it was a stark reminder that size mattered. “I, um. When a fairy’s corporeal form is destroyed, our essence returns to the Well of Light and we eventually return with no memories of our previous existence. But whatever fairy you knew, it couldn’t have been me. Recorporealizing is a process that can take several years. If you knew a fairy and lost her only recently…” Ismerelda shook her head. “I'm sorry.”
The grip around Ismerelda tightened, and she let out a strangled squeak. Something splashed onto her head, drenching her hair.
Solana looked down at her, her eyes filled with tears. “That's not… that can't be true. You look just like her. I can't lose you too, Izzy. Please. After everything we've been through together…”
Solana fell to her knees with a rasping sob, and her fingers fell loose around Ismerelda.
Ismerelda sucked in a deep breath, then darted out of grabbing range. This wasn't at all how this was supposed to to go. Her heart ached with something deep inside, even though she barely knew this girl. Perhaps emotions carried across the bond.
“I…” Ismerelda started. She reached out a hand as if she could comfort the sobbing woman, but what could she possibly say? Was it really possible that Solana knew a past incarnation of herself? She wracked her brain, trying to dredge up memories of past lives, but nothing came.
“I think she's over this way, I see footprints!” a high pitched voice shouted from nearby.
Ismerelda dimmed her light and dropped back into Solana’s hair.
Solana’s sobs cut off, and she tensed up. After a few moments of listening to the crackling leaves and snapping branches of their clumsy trackers, she drew her sword and ducked into the shadow of a tree.
Two lesser demons burst from the underbrush into the clearing by the river. They were short, knobby creatures with misshapen limbs ending in razor sharp claws. Sickly yellow eyes darted about the clearing. The bigger of the two sniffed the air several times, before it smiled a hideous grin that showed more teeth than should fit in a mouth that size.
“Izzy, take the one on the right,” Solana whispered.
“I’m on it.”
They moved in perfect sync. Solana leapt forth from her hiding spot with a bellow, sword raised and falling on the first demon before it could raise its claws in defense.
Ismerelda fell upon the second demon. She called on the power of her homeland once more. Offensive magic was tricky to handle and required a lot of power to hurt such creatures of evil. But she didn’t need to slay the foul beast. Only distract it.
Golden sparks fell from her wings, each erupting into a bright flash and a thunderous boom. She darted about, circling the demon's head, and deftly avoided its clumsy counter attack as it flailed its claws about. A foul beast like this would never lay its filthy claws on her, even if it wasn’t already blinded and deafened.
In just a few more moments, Solana had finished off the pair. Dark ichor dripped from her blade. The corpses of the demons dissolved into a foul black smoke that puddled on the ground and killed the plant life it found there.
“Did you have to make such a racket?” Solana said, out of breath. “They were just scouts, there might be others nearby.”
Ismerelda opened her mouth to retort, but paused, her mouth hanging open. She’d never been in a fight in this life, but it all felt so natural.
Solana glanced at Ismerelda’s expression, and hope sparkled in her eyes. “Izzy… We came up with that tactic together. Do you remember?”
“I don’t think so, but…” Ismerelda shivered, and twiddled her fingers together. “Maybe you are right. You say a fairy named Ismerelda came to you six months ago, and led you to your destiny as a hero?”
“Yeah, something like that.” Solana took a deep breath, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “You just came into my window and started telling me all this grand destiny stuff. I threw a pillow at you, because I was trying to sleep. You followed me around the whole day while I was doing my farmwork, talking my ear off. That night, demons attacked. I found my father's old sword, and you guided me to slay one. At that point, I knew you weren’t just some fancy delusion. Does… any of this ring a bell?”
“It doesn’t. I’m sorry.” Ismerelda could feel Solana’s disappointment through their bond. She flew up in front of the young woman’s face and placed her hand on her nose. “But I do believe you. For me to reincarnate so quickly… my past self must have really cared about you.” A strange memory, like a half remembered dream, came to her. Buried at the bottom of something, light far in the distance. Swimming, climbing, desperately to reach the top, because there was something she had to do. Ismerelda shook her head. “But regardless of the past I may have forgotten, I am still your companion, bound to you by destiny, and I will stay by your side as long as I am able.”
Solana sniffed, biting back tears. “It really is you then. Just a bit of memory loss. Not too bad then, right? We can find a way to get them back. Maybe your Goddess can do something.”
Ismerelda looked about them, the smoke and dying embers from the town still visible in the distance. “No, it won’t be necessary. You must continue on your quest. My memories are unimportant to your destiny.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what memories you were losing,” Solana muttered, her expression darkening. She took a deep breath and sighed. “Izzy… I’m not sure I can do this anymore. Too many people are dead because I’m not strong enough.”
“And many more will die if you don’t fulfill your destiny.” Ismerelda bobbed up and down. “I know the journey is tough, but you must be strong.”
Solana narrowed her eyes. “And those are the words of Ismerelda, the herald of destiny. Always move forward, keep slaying demons, keep unlocking ancient seals. Not the words of my friend. Who was there for me. Who wept when I wept when we failed to save that kid. Save the speeches. Unless you can be my Izzy again, it won’t help. Come on. We better get moving.” Solana cleaned off her blade, sheathed it, then strode off, not saying another word.
Ismerelda followed faithfully behind. She relayed her distress to her Goddess, hoping for advice, for guidance.
She received no answer.
Ismerelda rested on the branch of the tree, watching her hero sleep next to the dying fire.
To her credit, Solana did her duty.
Together they traveled over hills, through mountains. They plundered tombs, scaled ancient ruins, delved deep into dungeons, and activated sacred temples. With each step on their journey they grew stronger, grew closer to unlocking the power required to seal evil away until the next time a hero was needed.
But a darkness had grown in the heart of her hero. She fought ever onwards, with little regard to her personal safety, her goal seemingly the only thing that mattered. Rare was the day that she laughed, or even smiled.
Ismerelda wished she could have known the Solana that her past self knew. Someone innocent and naive. Someone happy. A friend. But try as she might, all she could retrieve from those better days were fleeting glimpses of contextless emotions.
She wanted to weep. Solana had closed off her heart, and Ismerelda wasn’t sure how much longer they could go on like this. If there was no light in the heart of the hero, could they truly face the darkness?
The Demon King’s armies were camped only a few days away. They would soon stride forth into the final battle. Together they would face him, or die trying.
But there was something else. Something missing. She could reach the fairy homeland in less than a day, as the fairy flies. She’d be cutting it close, but...
Ismerelda floated down from her branch, coming to hover above Solana’s ear. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “There’s something I need to do. I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
“I am sorry my child, but I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to help you.”
Ismerelda balled her fists and stomped one foot. She felt like a petulant child talking back to her mother, and in some ways, she was. The Goddess loomed over her, her ethereal form radiant, ever shifting with all the colors of the rainbow. She wished that Solana could be here to see it. Humans were never welcome here. But it was worth beholding nonetheless.
“There has to be something,” Ismerelda whimpered. “This quest is destroying her, inside and out. I fear that if she faces the Demon King like this, she will fail.”
The Goddess nodded, her expression impassive. “Indeed, she will fall to the darkness, and this land will be overrun. It is not the first time it has happened, nor will it be the last. The cycle will continue, and eventually a new hero shall arise. But your hero has lost her light, and without it, she is doomed.”
Ismerelda grit her teeth. “So give me my memories back! There has to be something in there I can use to save her!”
“Your memories are gone, child. They have been dispersed into the Well of Light, and can never be recovered. Only your soul remains.”
“No…” Ismerelda fell to her knees. “There has to be something I can do. Something to bring her light back.”
The Goddess let out a patient sigh, once more reminding Ismerelda of a mother dealing with troublesome children. “Your soul is still bonded to the hero. Long has the purpose of the fairy companion been to be the hero’s light in the darkness. If your light cannot reach her where she is, then you must strive to shine even brighter.”
“But I…”
“You must go. Time is running short.”
Battle raged below Ismerelda.
Solana stood alone against the collected armies of darkness.
At the moment, she was winning.
Their journeys had transformed the once humble farmgirl into an avatar of death and destruction. Every swipe of her sword sent out pulses of radiant energy that knocked away demons by the dozens. She casually shrugged off blows that would cripple or kill lesser folk, and returned each strike in kind.
Ismerelda beat her tired wings furiously. She needed to be at Solana’s side. She could feel the ache through the bond, the emptiness in her friend even as she fought for the sake of the world below.
She watched helplessly as the battle parted around Solana below, and the Demon King himself made his appearance. A great, lumbering brute. He looked more like a man than most of the hideous and misshapen beasts that made up his army. There was probably something poignant in there about the nature of humanity, but Ismerelda couldn’t bring herself to ponder it right now.
Just a little bit farther.
Sword met sword, heroic will tested against the lust for destruction. A wave of energy crashed across the battlefield, knocking most of the infantry to the ground. It sent Ismerelda into a tumble, and she screamed as she fell into a ditch.
Ismerelda beat her wings furiously, but the mud weighed them down. She pulled herself to her feet and did her best to shake herself off. Any moment now she could be trampled by the thousands of demons that rampaged about.
The battle seemed still for the moment, the clash of the champions still raging nearby. Ismerelda climbed up a nearby embankment, which she realized was just a particularly deep footprint.
Swords rang above her. She looked up to see Solana’s sword knocked from her hand, and it went tumbling through the air to land ten paces away. A roar of triumph erupted from the surrounding army, which had formed a ring around the duel.
Solana fell to her knees. The Demon King raised his sword high, triumph in his eyes.
“No!” Ismerelda screamed. She shot forth, a bolt of light, faster than she’d ever moved in her life. She drew on all the power she could, demanding, stealing, every scrap the Goddess had to offer, whether she was willing to give it or not. She knew the overload would likely destroy even a body like hers. That it might buy Solana only a few seconds at most. She was just repeating the mistake of her past self once more.
She floated in front of Solana’s face, even as the shield of golden energy sprang to life around them. Time seemed to slow. Solana’s face flickered with surprise, recognition, and then fear. She began to open her mouth, to scream something, to beg her to stop.
The Demon King’s sword slammed against her shield. A brilliant flash of light erupted, blinding the entire battlefield.
When Ismerelda opened her eyes, she found that she wasn’t dead. The world had stopped around them. The battlefield had washed out to a dull gray, the only spots of color that remained were the fairy and her hero in the center.
This power… she could feel the warmth of the Goddess all around her. But even for her, it was incredible. She was sacrificing herself, willing to give up her memories and be reborn. Just to give them this moment.
Their eyes met. “Izzy?” Solana asked, her voice echoing strangely in the void. “Is that really you? Are you back to yourself?”
Izzy shook her head, even as she wore a radiant smile. “My memories haven’t, and won’t ever return. But I’m still me. I’m still your Izzy, and I always have been. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to realize it.” She flew forward and pressed her lips against Solana’s forehead. “We can’t get back what we lost. But I want to make new memories with you. Together, we can win this fight. Together, we can work to fix all the damage left behind in the Demon King’s wake. And together, we can live.”
Solana stared at her, her mouth hanging open. Her cheeks began to color, and she coughed, looking away. “Geez, when you put it like that…” She held up her hand, and gently cupped Izzy in her palm. “I’m sorry. Everything that I… that we’ve lost. It still hurts. But I’ve been letting that loss consume me. Thank you. For coming back to me. You never really know how much you need someone until they’re gone.” She reached down a finger with her other hand, gently stroking Izzy’s auburn hair.
“Hey, that tickles!” Izzy burst out laughing, and Solana soon joined her. They laughed together in their frozen moment, even as death and destruction rested around them, waiting to strike.
“Right.” Solana took a deep breath. She smiled, even if it was still a bit strained. Izzy could feel the lightness of her heart through their bond. “We still have the big guy to deal with. But I can’t see my sword from here.”
Izzy frowned. She looked around the battlefield. Either the sword had been knocked away, or the watching demons had conspired to hide it. Just how much longer did they really have? Minutes? Seconds?
The bond between them pulsed. She could feel how much Solana cared for her, and hoped Solana could understand her own feelings.
The answer came to her. Izzy’s form began to glow a soft golden light, her fairy form twisting and deforming.
“Izzy?” Solana asked, her eyes wide.
Izzy sent a message through the bond she hoped was reassurance, even if she’d never done this before, and had never known she could do this until this very moment. It was certainly left out of all of the stories.
When her transformation finished, Solana held a glorious golden sword in her hand. It fit perfectly, like the two of them belonged together.
Solana smiled, holding the sword up into the air, seeing her own eyes reflected off the gleaming blade. “Amazing,” she whispered.
She took a few steps back, then dropped into a combat stance. “Say, uh, you can transform back, right? I kind of like you better as a fairy.”
Izzy giggled, which was a sensation she found very odd as a sword. “Of course. But for now...”
Time resumed. The hero raised her fairy, and together, they fulfilled their destiny.
Easy.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” Ismerelda called out before launching into another coughing fit. She could barely hear her own voice over the roar of the inferno that raged around her. Acrid smoke filled her tiny lungs, and she beat her diaphanous wings furiously to try and stay steady amongst the boiling updrafts.
The bond still pulsed in the back of her mind, so not all hope was lost just yet. Somewhere in this pile of ash and fire that could have once been called a town, the hero still lived.
The bond grew fainter with every passing moment.
A nearby wall collapsed, throwing sparks and soot about with a blast of hot air. Ismerelda bit back a scream as she tumbled through the air. She had to focus.
There, through the recently opened building, Ismerelda could see a dark form slumped against a smoldering bed. The bond in her mind twinged. This had to be it!
Ismerelda dove inside, dodging falling embers as she twisted about. She came to rest on the bedside table and took a moment to catch her breath.
A young woman lay against the bed, dark curls of hair framing her slender face. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her skin was deathly pale. Blood seeped out of a large gash in her side to pool on the floor below.
Ismerelda wasn’t too late. The hero could still be saved.
Fairies could not perform magic on their own, but they could act as conduits for the power of the Goddess. Ismerelda opened up her mind, sending a plea for assistance to her home. Radiance filled her, and the fire and smoke seemed to shrink away from her light.
With a quick beat of her wings, Ismerelda flitted downwards and pressed her tiny lips to those of the human who would assuredly save the world.
The hero took in a deep, rattling breath. Her eyes shot open, the wounded flesh in her side knitting itself back together with a soft golden light.
Power ebbed away from Ismerelda, leaving her completely exhausted. Such power was too much for most fairies. To use it would be a sacrifice of one's corporeal form until they could be reborn once more. But the fairy chosen to be the companion of the hero was made of sterner stuff.
“Gods above,” the hero whispered. Her dark eyes came to rest on Ismerelda, and a soft smile played across tired features. “Izzy, you’re okay. I thought I lost you.”
Ismerelda pursed her lips at the strange form of address. A part of her just wanted to collapse into unconsciousness, but her job wasn’t done yet. She raised her chin, and did her best to look regal despite her diminutive stature. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, hero. I am Ismerelda, a fairy sent from the Goddess to help guide you to your destiny. May I ask your name?”
The hero blinked several times, and cocked her head to the side. “Izzy? What are you talking ab—”
Another section of wall collapsed nearby. Ismerelda screamed and darted to land on the hero’s shoulder. “Maybe we should finish introductions somewhere that's not on fire!”
With a grunt the hero stood up and picked up the sword that had fallen by her side. Her steps were shaky at first, but color seemed to return to her cheeks with every breath.
Fresh air washed over them both as they stumbled outside, and Ismerelda filled her lungs with its sweet embrace. The remains of the village still burned around them, so they weren’t safe yet.
“This way!” Ismerelda flew ahead, letting her body glow with a soft light to lead the hero through the smoke and haze. She turned back, both to make sure the hero was following, and to get a better look at her.
Ismerelda had never met a hero of course, but the stories that surrounded them all tended to follow the same pattern. When great evil threatened the world, the fairies would seek out a destined youth with a humble background, and lead them to take up arms and fight for the forces of good.
The girl in front of her though… she wore a well fitted suit of chain mail over traveling leathers. Her sword, of a masterful craftsmanship, looked like it belonged in her hands. She stepped past rubble with the practiced gait of a fighter, eyes darting about and constantly alert for danger.
Rather than a naive youth unaware of her destiny, the hero looked like, well...
A hero.
They finally came to a stop a mile from the village, next to a small stream. The hero knelt down to splash water on her face, washing away the accumulated blood and grime.
Ismerelda decided to follow suit. She dove into the water, then burst out of the water with a splash and shook herself off. She spun about in the air, her natural luminescence filtering through the droplets of water. “There. Much better,” she said with a giggle.
The hero cracked a smile, but it quickly faded. She turned back towards the village, her eyes downcast. “I couldn't protect them, Izzy.”
“You keep calling me that,” Ismerelda said. She landed on top of the hero’s head and held onto her curls. “But it is not my name. I am Ismerelda. And you still have yet to tell me what I should call you.”
The hero stiffened, her expression out of sight. “Izzy? You're just joking right? It's me, Solana. Did you bump your head or something? You sound like you did six months ago.”
“Solana,” Ismerelda said, sounding the name out. It felt right somehow. A good name for a hero. “I'm afraid you must be mistaken. This is the first time we've met. Have you met another fairy before?”
Solana’s hand shot up, lightning fast, and snatched Ismerelda from her perch. Tight fingers wrapped around her diminutive form in a powerful grip that could easily crush her into dust. Solana’s bangs hung low, shielding her eyes. “Izzy, stop it. This isn't funny. Please. I… I saw you stop that sword for me. You just vanished. I looked everywhere for you, but you're okay now, right?”
Ismerelda did her best to still her rapid heartbeat and remain calm. Humans could be scary even from a distance, but this close it was a stark reminder that size mattered. “I, um. When a fairy’s corporeal form is destroyed, our essence returns to the Well of Light and we eventually return with no memories of our previous existence. But whatever fairy you knew, it couldn’t have been me. Recorporealizing is a process that can take several years. If you knew a fairy and lost her only recently…” Ismerelda shook her head. “I'm sorry.”
The grip around Ismerelda tightened, and she let out a strangled squeak. Something splashed onto her head, drenching her hair.
Solana looked down at her, her eyes filled with tears. “That's not… that can't be true. You look just like her. I can't lose you too, Izzy. Please. After everything we've been through together…”
Solana fell to her knees with a rasping sob, and her fingers fell loose around Ismerelda.
Ismerelda sucked in a deep breath, then darted out of grabbing range. This wasn't at all how this was supposed to to go. Her heart ached with something deep inside, even though she barely knew this girl. Perhaps emotions carried across the bond.
“I…” Ismerelda started. She reached out a hand as if she could comfort the sobbing woman, but what could she possibly say? Was it really possible that Solana knew a past incarnation of herself? She wracked her brain, trying to dredge up memories of past lives, but nothing came.
“I think she's over this way, I see footprints!” a high pitched voice shouted from nearby.
Ismerelda dimmed her light and dropped back into Solana’s hair.
Solana’s sobs cut off, and she tensed up. After a few moments of listening to the crackling leaves and snapping branches of their clumsy trackers, she drew her sword and ducked into the shadow of a tree.
Two lesser demons burst from the underbrush into the clearing by the river. They were short, knobby creatures with misshapen limbs ending in razor sharp claws. Sickly yellow eyes darted about the clearing. The bigger of the two sniffed the air several times, before it smiled a hideous grin that showed more teeth than should fit in a mouth that size.
“Izzy, take the one on the right,” Solana whispered.
“I’m on it.”
They moved in perfect sync. Solana leapt forth from her hiding spot with a bellow, sword raised and falling on the first demon before it could raise its claws in defense.
Ismerelda fell upon the second demon. She called on the power of her homeland once more. Offensive magic was tricky to handle and required a lot of power to hurt such creatures of evil. But she didn’t need to slay the foul beast. Only distract it.
Golden sparks fell from her wings, each erupting into a bright flash and a thunderous boom. She darted about, circling the demon's head, and deftly avoided its clumsy counter attack as it flailed its claws about. A foul beast like this would never lay its filthy claws on her, even if it wasn’t already blinded and deafened.
In just a few more moments, Solana had finished off the pair. Dark ichor dripped from her blade. The corpses of the demons dissolved into a foul black smoke that puddled on the ground and killed the plant life it found there.
“Did you have to make such a racket?” Solana said, out of breath. “They were just scouts, there might be others nearby.”
Ismerelda opened her mouth to retort, but paused, her mouth hanging open. She’d never been in a fight in this life, but it all felt so natural.
Solana glanced at Ismerelda’s expression, and hope sparkled in her eyes. “Izzy… We came up with that tactic together. Do you remember?”
“I don’t think so, but…” Ismerelda shivered, and twiddled her fingers together. “Maybe you are right. You say a fairy named Ismerelda came to you six months ago, and led you to your destiny as a hero?”
“Yeah, something like that.” Solana took a deep breath, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “You just came into my window and started telling me all this grand destiny stuff. I threw a pillow at you, because I was trying to sleep. You followed me around the whole day while I was doing my farmwork, talking my ear off. That night, demons attacked. I found my father's old sword, and you guided me to slay one. At that point, I knew you weren’t just some fancy delusion. Does… any of this ring a bell?”
“It doesn’t. I’m sorry.” Ismerelda could feel Solana’s disappointment through their bond. She flew up in front of the young woman’s face and placed her hand on her nose. “But I do believe you. For me to reincarnate so quickly… my past self must have really cared about you.” A strange memory, like a half remembered dream, came to her. Buried at the bottom of something, light far in the distance. Swimming, climbing, desperately to reach the top, because there was something she had to do. Ismerelda shook her head. “But regardless of the past I may have forgotten, I am still your companion, bound to you by destiny, and I will stay by your side as long as I am able.”
Solana sniffed, biting back tears. “It really is you then. Just a bit of memory loss. Not too bad then, right? We can find a way to get them back. Maybe your Goddess can do something.”
Ismerelda looked about them, the smoke and dying embers from the town still visible in the distance. “No, it won’t be necessary. You must continue on your quest. My memories are unimportant to your destiny.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what memories you were losing,” Solana muttered, her expression darkening. She took a deep breath and sighed. “Izzy… I’m not sure I can do this anymore. Too many people are dead because I’m not strong enough.”
“And many more will die if you don’t fulfill your destiny.” Ismerelda bobbed up and down. “I know the journey is tough, but you must be strong.”
Solana narrowed her eyes. “And those are the words of Ismerelda, the herald of destiny. Always move forward, keep slaying demons, keep unlocking ancient seals. Not the words of my friend. Who was there for me. Who wept when I wept when we failed to save that kid. Save the speeches. Unless you can be my Izzy again, it won’t help. Come on. We better get moving.” Solana cleaned off her blade, sheathed it, then strode off, not saying another word.
Ismerelda followed faithfully behind. She relayed her distress to her Goddess, hoping for advice, for guidance.
She received no answer.
Ismerelda rested on the branch of the tree, watching her hero sleep next to the dying fire.
To her credit, Solana did her duty.
Together they traveled over hills, through mountains. They plundered tombs, scaled ancient ruins, delved deep into dungeons, and activated sacred temples. With each step on their journey they grew stronger, grew closer to unlocking the power required to seal evil away until the next time a hero was needed.
But a darkness had grown in the heart of her hero. She fought ever onwards, with little regard to her personal safety, her goal seemingly the only thing that mattered. Rare was the day that she laughed, or even smiled.
Ismerelda wished she could have known the Solana that her past self knew. Someone innocent and naive. Someone happy. A friend. But try as she might, all she could retrieve from those better days were fleeting glimpses of contextless emotions.
She wanted to weep. Solana had closed off her heart, and Ismerelda wasn’t sure how much longer they could go on like this. If there was no light in the heart of the hero, could they truly face the darkness?
The Demon King’s armies were camped only a few days away. They would soon stride forth into the final battle. Together they would face him, or die trying.
But there was something else. Something missing. She could reach the fairy homeland in less than a day, as the fairy flies. She’d be cutting it close, but...
Ismerelda floated down from her branch, coming to hover above Solana’s ear. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “There’s something I need to do. I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
“I am sorry my child, but I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to help you.”
Ismerelda balled her fists and stomped one foot. She felt like a petulant child talking back to her mother, and in some ways, she was. The Goddess loomed over her, her ethereal form radiant, ever shifting with all the colors of the rainbow. She wished that Solana could be here to see it. Humans were never welcome here. But it was worth beholding nonetheless.
“There has to be something,” Ismerelda whimpered. “This quest is destroying her, inside and out. I fear that if she faces the Demon King like this, she will fail.”
The Goddess nodded, her expression impassive. “Indeed, she will fall to the darkness, and this land will be overrun. It is not the first time it has happened, nor will it be the last. The cycle will continue, and eventually a new hero shall arise. But your hero has lost her light, and without it, she is doomed.”
Ismerelda grit her teeth. “So give me my memories back! There has to be something in there I can use to save her!”
“Your memories are gone, child. They have been dispersed into the Well of Light, and can never be recovered. Only your soul remains.”
“No…” Ismerelda fell to her knees. “There has to be something I can do. Something to bring her light back.”
The Goddess let out a patient sigh, once more reminding Ismerelda of a mother dealing with troublesome children. “Your soul is still bonded to the hero. Long has the purpose of the fairy companion been to be the hero’s light in the darkness. If your light cannot reach her where she is, then you must strive to shine even brighter.”
“But I…”
“You must go. Time is running short.”
Battle raged below Ismerelda.
Solana stood alone against the collected armies of darkness.
At the moment, she was winning.
Their journeys had transformed the once humble farmgirl into an avatar of death and destruction. Every swipe of her sword sent out pulses of radiant energy that knocked away demons by the dozens. She casually shrugged off blows that would cripple or kill lesser folk, and returned each strike in kind.
Ismerelda beat her tired wings furiously. She needed to be at Solana’s side. She could feel the ache through the bond, the emptiness in her friend even as she fought for the sake of the world below.
She watched helplessly as the battle parted around Solana below, and the Demon King himself made his appearance. A great, lumbering brute. He looked more like a man than most of the hideous and misshapen beasts that made up his army. There was probably something poignant in there about the nature of humanity, but Ismerelda couldn’t bring herself to ponder it right now.
Just a little bit farther.
Sword met sword, heroic will tested against the lust for destruction. A wave of energy crashed across the battlefield, knocking most of the infantry to the ground. It sent Ismerelda into a tumble, and she screamed as she fell into a ditch.
Ismerelda beat her wings furiously, but the mud weighed them down. She pulled herself to her feet and did her best to shake herself off. Any moment now she could be trampled by the thousands of demons that rampaged about.
The battle seemed still for the moment, the clash of the champions still raging nearby. Ismerelda climbed up a nearby embankment, which she realized was just a particularly deep footprint.
Swords rang above her. She looked up to see Solana’s sword knocked from her hand, and it went tumbling through the air to land ten paces away. A roar of triumph erupted from the surrounding army, which had formed a ring around the duel.
Solana fell to her knees. The Demon King raised his sword high, triumph in his eyes.
“No!” Ismerelda screamed. She shot forth, a bolt of light, faster than she’d ever moved in her life. She drew on all the power she could, demanding, stealing, every scrap the Goddess had to offer, whether she was willing to give it or not. She knew the overload would likely destroy even a body like hers. That it might buy Solana only a few seconds at most. She was just repeating the mistake of her past self once more.
She floated in front of Solana’s face, even as the shield of golden energy sprang to life around them. Time seemed to slow. Solana’s face flickered with surprise, recognition, and then fear. She began to open her mouth, to scream something, to beg her to stop.
The Demon King’s sword slammed against her shield. A brilliant flash of light erupted, blinding the entire battlefield.
When Ismerelda opened her eyes, she found that she wasn’t dead. The world had stopped around them. The battlefield had washed out to a dull gray, the only spots of color that remained were the fairy and her hero in the center.
This power… she could feel the warmth of the Goddess all around her. But even for her, it was incredible. She was sacrificing herself, willing to give up her memories and be reborn. Just to give them this moment.
Their eyes met. “Izzy?” Solana asked, her voice echoing strangely in the void. “Is that really you? Are you back to yourself?”
Izzy shook her head, even as she wore a radiant smile. “My memories haven’t, and won’t ever return. But I’m still me. I’m still your Izzy, and I always have been. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to realize it.” She flew forward and pressed her lips against Solana’s forehead. “We can’t get back what we lost. But I want to make new memories with you. Together, we can win this fight. Together, we can work to fix all the damage left behind in the Demon King’s wake. And together, we can live.”
Solana stared at her, her mouth hanging open. Her cheeks began to color, and she coughed, looking away. “Geez, when you put it like that…” She held up her hand, and gently cupped Izzy in her palm. “I’m sorry. Everything that I… that we’ve lost. It still hurts. But I’ve been letting that loss consume me. Thank you. For coming back to me. You never really know how much you need someone until they’re gone.” She reached down a finger with her other hand, gently stroking Izzy’s auburn hair.
“Hey, that tickles!” Izzy burst out laughing, and Solana soon joined her. They laughed together in their frozen moment, even as death and destruction rested around them, waiting to strike.
“Right.” Solana took a deep breath. She smiled, even if it was still a bit strained. Izzy could feel the lightness of her heart through their bond. “We still have the big guy to deal with. But I can’t see my sword from here.”
Izzy frowned. She looked around the battlefield. Either the sword had been knocked away, or the watching demons had conspired to hide it. Just how much longer did they really have? Minutes? Seconds?
The bond between them pulsed. She could feel how much Solana cared for her, and hoped Solana could understand her own feelings.
The answer came to her. Izzy’s form began to glow a soft golden light, her fairy form twisting and deforming.
“Izzy?” Solana asked, her eyes wide.
Izzy sent a message through the bond she hoped was reassurance, even if she’d never done this before, and had never known she could do this until this very moment. It was certainly left out of all of the stories.
When her transformation finished, Solana held a glorious golden sword in her hand. It fit perfectly, like the two of them belonged together.
Solana smiled, holding the sword up into the air, seeing her own eyes reflected off the gleaming blade. “Amazing,” she whispered.
She took a few steps back, then dropped into a combat stance. “Say, uh, you can transform back, right? I kind of like you better as a fairy.”
Izzy giggled, which was a sensation she found very odd as a sword. “Of course. But for now...”
Time resumed. The hero raised her fairy, and together, they fulfilled their destiny.
A Fairy and Her Hero
Starting off with what seems like a fantasy story, at least based on the title. Perhaps a reference to Link and Navi? Let’s see where this takes us.
Well, okay, this wasn’t a Legend of Zelda fanfiction. But it did dip into the depths of fantasy video games -- the narrative explicitly mentions offensive magic, plundering tombs, activating sacred temples… Not so different from a Zelda game after all, maybe.
There’s a lot of exposition-by-dialogue here, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a sign story written in a rush, though, or without enough space. On the plus side, by dumping a lot of information into the dialogue, the actual narrative is able to proceed quite speedily -- we get a fairly thorough story of good against evil here, in less than 4,000 words. On the other hand, it leads to dialogue like this:
There you go, the entire backstory in a single section of dialogue. Convenient! But also artificial. Leaning so heavily on dialogue also leads to awkward situations like this:
Followed, a mere four paragraphs later, by this:
That’s a pretty quick reversal, Solana. Ismeralda went from being your friend to being just another random herald of destiny.
Anyway, on technical merits, this story does well. The writing is pristine and flows easily. Aside from the exposition-y dialogue there’s little to complain about on the crafting front. The story ends before we know who wins the final, ultimate battle, but that’s just fine -- all the important stuff is already done.
I do wish, author, you had focused more on the darkness growing in Solana’s heart. It gets mentioned at about the 2/3rds point in the story, but nothing ever comes of it. We’re told by a literal goddess that it will result in the destruction of the world, but that doesn’t seem to happen. This darkness was what made Solana a complex character, unique, someone who stands out against the ranks of endless fantasy heroes, but it never actually mattered. If you get a chance to expand this story, I’d like to see it play more of a central part.
Starting off with what seems like a fantasy story, at least based on the title. Perhaps a reference to Link and Navi? Let’s see where this takes us.
Well, okay, this wasn’t a Legend of Zelda fanfiction. But it did dip into the depths of fantasy video games -- the narrative explicitly mentions offensive magic, plundering tombs, activating sacred temples… Not so different from a Zelda game after all, maybe.
There’s a lot of exposition-by-dialogue here, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a sign story written in a rush, though, or without enough space. On the plus side, by dumping a lot of information into the dialogue, the actual narrative is able to proceed quite speedily -- we get a fairly thorough story of good against evil here, in less than 4,000 words. On the other hand, it leads to dialogue like this:
“Yeah, something like that.” Solana took a deep breath, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “You just came into my window and started telling me all this grand destiny stuff. I threw a pillow at you, because I was trying to sleep. You followed me around the whole day while I was doing my farmwork, talking my ear off. That night, demons attacked. I found my father's old sword, and you guided me to slay one. At that point, I knew you weren’t just some fancy delusion. Does… any of this ring a bell?”
There you go, the entire backstory in a single section of dialogue. Convenient! But also artificial. Leaning so heavily on dialogue also leads to awkward situations like this:
Solana sniffed, biting back tears. “It really is you then. Just a bit of memory loss. Not too bad then, right? We can find a way to get them back. Maybe your Goddess can do something.”
Followed, a mere four paragraphs later, by this:
Solana narrowed her eyes. “And those are the words of Ismerelda, the herald of destiny. Always move forward, keep slaying demons, keep unlocking ancient seals. Not the words of my friend. Who was there for me. Who wept when I wept when we failed to save that kid. Save the speeches. Unless you can be my Izzy again, it won’t help. Come on. We better get moving.” Solana cleaned off her blade, sheathed it, then strode off, not saying another word.
That’s a pretty quick reversal, Solana. Ismeralda went from being your friend to being just another random herald of destiny.
Anyway, on technical merits, this story does well. The writing is pristine and flows easily. Aside from the exposition-y dialogue there’s little to complain about on the crafting front. The story ends before we know who wins the final, ultimate battle, but that’s just fine -- all the important stuff is already done.
I do wish, author, you had focused more on the darkness growing in Solana’s heart. It gets mentioned at about the 2/3rds point in the story, but nothing ever comes of it. We’re told by a literal goddess that it will result in the destruction of the world, but that doesn’t seem to happen. This darkness was what made Solana a complex character, unique, someone who stands out against the ranks of endless fantasy heroes, but it never actually mattered. If you get a chance to expand this story, I’d like to see it play more of a central part.
Well, I've done slate + some formal reviews, so from here on out it's going to be impressions and thoughts with a bit less intention.
I like the themes here a lot; it's no coincidence that Legend of Zelda is probably my favorite video game series ever. And if this isn't inspired by that, I'll be surprised. It even starts with the hero waking up! So that's cool.
It does take a darker turn, which is also something I enjoy, although.... it's not exactly explored to the depth I might like. You've got more words you could have used, and I'd have very much liked to have seen some of those go into building Solana's character and inner struggle more strongly. There's a bit of a disconnect there, perhaps, because most of the inner struggle happens in the secondary character, not the MC, but... it's doable, it just takes a bit more polishing to bring out.
Either way, though, this really hit a lot of things I enjoy in stories, so I enjoyed it a lot!
I like the themes here a lot; it's no coincidence that Legend of Zelda is probably my favorite video game series ever. And if this isn't inspired by that, I'll be surprised. It even starts with the hero waking up! So that's cool.
It does take a darker turn, which is also something I enjoy, although.... it's not exactly explored to the depth I might like. You've got more words you could have used, and I'd have very much liked to have seen some of those go into building Solana's character and inner struggle more strongly. There's a bit of a disconnect there, perhaps, because most of the inner struggle happens in the secondary character, not the MC, but... it's doable, it just takes a bit more polishing to bring out.
Either way, though, this really hit a lot of things I enjoy in stories, so I enjoyed it a lot!
Like those before me, I find myself wishing we'd had more time to digest the little nuances that made Solana and Ismerelda compelling characters.
I honestly have to congratulate you on that front. While they didn't veer too far from the traditional clichés of fantasy, the characters had depth, and that youcould pull that off in a little under four thousand words is a sign of your skill.
Still, the story is marred by the infodump-heavy dialogue and the rush of character development. Giving an abridged version of events that would span entire stories of their own is bad per se, but maybe spending a bit more time with the characters instead of telling us of all those adventures they had off-camera would have done wonders to help the reader connect more with Solana's plight of having lost a partner and Ismerelda's inability to be what her hero needed of her.
I have no doubt that if you'd had a few extra days to beat this into shape, this could be a surefire winner, but as it stands it's juuust a bit short of getting there.
Oh, and if you ever expand upon this little universe, let me know. ^ ^
I honestly have to congratulate you on that front. While they didn't veer too far from the traditional clichés of fantasy, the characters had depth, and that youcould pull that off in a little under four thousand words is a sign of your skill.
Still, the story is marred by the infodump-heavy dialogue and the rush of character development. Giving an abridged version of events that would span entire stories of their own is bad per se, but maybe spending a bit more time with the characters instead of telling us of all those adventures they had off-camera would have done wonders to help the reader connect more with Solana's plight of having lost a partner and Ismerelda's inability to be what her hero needed of her.
I have no doubt that if you'd had a few extra days to beat this into shape, this could be a surefire winner, but as it stands it's juuust a bit short of getting there.
Oh, and if you ever expand upon this little universe, let me know. ^ ^
It wasn’t until my second reading that I noticed that the Goddess sacrifices her memories to send Izzy more time and power. I think this event needs more foreshadowing / emphasis if it is to add to the drama of the ending.
I have no other objections that haven’t been raised by others. Good job, author!
I have no other objections that haven’t been raised by others. Good job, author!
>>Cold in Gardez >>Not_A_Hat >>ZaidValRoa >>GroaningGreyAgony
Holy crap, I got a medal! Almost two years of writeoffs now, and I've finally got my digital claws on that shiny piece of internet silver. Muahahahaa.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. Your feedback is all pretty valid. Ultimately this story was written in a bit of a rush. I was super busy that weekend, and didn't get a solid chunk of writing time until Sunday afternoon.
In a way, this story is kind of a "proof of concept" idea for a longer novel. I had the basic premise in mind awhile ago, of "heroic quest told from the perspective of the fairy companion." With the focus of the story not being on whatever generic fantasy bullshit is going on, but instead about the relationship between the two characters.
The prompt "a long road home" is what gave me the starting point of having Ismerelda being reincarnated and losing her memories.
As premise, I think it could definitely cover an entire book. Although I'd have to turn the "generic fantasy bullshit" into something actually interesting and meaningful, beyond just serving as the backdrop of a relationship story. And that's hard, I hate worldbuilding.
Zelda was a pretty obvious inspiration here. I even listened to the OST while writing it. Although I realized at the end of the story that I'd accidentally cribbed some stuff from Brandon Sanderson's "Stormlight Archives" as well.
I'll see you all again in the pony short story contest!
Holy crap, I got a medal! Almost two years of writeoffs now, and I've finally got my digital claws on that shiny piece of internet silver. Muahahahaa.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. Your feedback is all pretty valid. Ultimately this story was written in a bit of a rush. I was super busy that weekend, and didn't get a solid chunk of writing time until Sunday afternoon.
In a way, this story is kind of a "proof of concept" idea for a longer novel. I had the basic premise in mind awhile ago, of "heroic quest told from the perspective of the fairy companion." With the focus of the story not being on whatever generic fantasy bullshit is going on, but instead about the relationship between the two characters.
The prompt "a long road home" is what gave me the starting point of having Ismerelda being reincarnated and losing her memories.
As premise, I think it could definitely cover an entire book. Although I'd have to turn the "generic fantasy bullshit" into something actually interesting and meaningful, beyond just serving as the backdrop of a relationship story. And that's hard, I hate worldbuilding.
Zelda was a pretty obvious inspiration here. I even listened to the OST while writing it. Although I realized at the end of the story that I'd accidentally cribbed some stuff from Brandon Sanderson's "Stormlight Archives" as well.
I'll see you all again in the pony short story contest!