Chapter 6 Part 3

The fifth floor swirled into a semi-reflective forest. Covering the ground with grass damped by dew droplets that bounced the light of each other. “You can’t do this forever!” Aaron said.

“Doesn’t look like I’ll have to.” Kagdas replied from behind Aaron. Several black tentacles whipped out from the ground, knocking both Jared and Aaron back. “Honestly, I was hoping for better.”

“You’re putting up a lot of fight for someone who thinks it’s pointless.” Cain lit five arrows before firing them all.

Kagdas threw a flat rock up from the ground letting it collapse as it blocked each arrow. “Curious, wondering how far you would get.”

“I think we deserve more credit.” Jared said as got whipped down again.

“Well, let’s see, you broke your first one by pure luck, and you didn’t have to fight to break the water one. Meisa broke the light one because of its instability, and how either of you got through Lydria is a mystery for the ages.” Kagdas replied, hitting Aaron as he tried to rub behind him.

“Hey, Anna and I helped Meisa fight.” Cain retorted.

“I don’t doubt it.” Kagdas said. “Doesn’t change the facts, here.” He launched a few boulders up into the air before covering the forest in mist. “The only people who don’t belong here are you lot.” Leaving the field covered in a dense fog, the battle raged on.

A black shock wave pushed Anna forward as she collapsed on the group panting. Wind and Shadow… in her frustration she had forgotten about that. She sensed the loss of both of her gems. A sharp tug on her stomach confirmed as much. Anna saw two short silhouettes approaching before she passed out.

Anna awoke to the wooden walls around her along with various rock, and minerals. Beds filled with various other races also recovering. Not a building she would’ve associated with medicare, but they were making do.
“Hey…” Meisa said. “I’m not on far-seeker duty, but I hate standing around.”

“I… I thought people lost their voice?” Anna asked.

“Most do.” Meisa answered. “You haven’t been tapped into magic that long, so I figured you won’t.”
Anna groaned as tried to sit up. Meisa assisted in response. “Do you… like…”

“I don’t get it, if that’s what’s your asking.” Meisa replied. “But I’ve seen the destruction that comes from censoring everything, and the point was to protect this place.”

“Ugh.” Anna took the ice pack, and placed it on her. “I would rather be at home.”

“We could send you.” Meisa said. “But you should’ve realized a world pull, doesn’t drag you back by now, no matter how many gems you’ve destroyed.”

“What…” Meisa looked, and assisted the other female who just woke up. “What does it do?… and why?”
Meisa was silent for a while after helping out where she could. Hours went by before she finally spoke again. “I suppose us Elves would say it maintains a balance, but not every balance is worth maintaining.”

“Mixing a few subraces there.” Lydria replied walking in. “High Elves, maintain the structure as it is, because who are they to defy it. The more nomadic tribes help the balance adapt. Meisa, despite her High Elven blood, has always, been more a Moon Elf.”

“The balance is here, simply, because it is. It is neither inherently right nor wrong, simply living, as we are all”
“I always understood the Moon Elves. They were hated, and almost every war dragged them into it. But… Meisa leaving took me a while to understand.”

“Are we…” Anna spoke again, and Lydria looked towards her. “Do you think we’re dragging the Moon Elves back to that?”

“The most I know about your world is in what the question says about it.” Lydria replied. “But… I would say you’re not unlike a High Elf, what you do about that is up to you.”