Drewberry Jam

You know about the Arcane Alliance. Everyone does. Well, everyone did, I suppose.

I surely didn't. Whenever the name was brought up, my curious ears were covered by sweet distracting murmurs of the closest adult, or a small task asked with a generous smile. Honestly, I believe I missed many of those conversations, too preoccupied with sticking flowers in my sister's hair or daydreaming about being a poet. Regardless, ignorance does not last. Unfortunately, mine was broken quite harshly; with my village's bell, in fact.

What I was specifically doing, again, is a mystery; perhaps drawing, or listening to Somi paint a tune with her ocarina. My mother came running, face pale as flour, telling my sister to grab me and run towards the Amber Forest, miles of trees caressing the heavens surrounding the east side of our village. I remember having a pack hastily strapped to my back and a kiss planted on my nose, a common gesture of love that left me giggling as I was placed into Somi's arm; I did not notice her dagger strapped on her belt as she ran outside, asking me nonsense questions about frogs and ducks as chilling shrieks slammed against us both.

When I first distinguished the loud sounds as ear-piercing screams, I did not understand the severity of our situation. Somi asked me about my toys to which I began recounting their names and digging through my mind to remember what my rabbit was called. Now we were running through a field, Somi panting heavily as she fixed me on her hip and ordered me to hold on, tight. I obeyed.

My most vivid memory is clenched in fear. Gut-wrenching fear, one that almost makes you completely shut down, as if your body knows the pain would not be worth recovery. I look up and spot a man- no, a giant, a power-hungry beast lurching to our direction. Though which sound I made, I do not remember, Somi had been alerted and glanced behind her. I wish I knew what words she spoke, but my first encounter of real fear left me numb, hands trembling and eyes wide. I swear, to this day, I made eye contact with my first and last enemy.

This is where his club made my memory fade.

The creature hit us once, his thick branch hitting my sister's shoulder and in the process knocking my head to worn farmland. Somi scrambled to crawl on top of me, pinning me safely to her chest before we were swung high into the air and thumped harshly against the ground once more. I tasted blood for the first time, hot and salty, as I bit through my tongue; my whimpers of pain were replaced with a petrified cry as Somi's grasp was torn away, her arms trembling desperately after me as I was carried away from her. My screams of anguish were hot, searing through my veins and burning my throat as I attempted to kick, punch, claw at my sister's murderer. What else could I do, to avenge my sister? I was lifted to level my enemy's face, but before I could meet his gaze a goddess came upon us.

I now am blessed with her name; Lixiss, Carrier of Arrows. Her name, from what I could tell out of our short interaction, suited her. Her first arrow hit square against the beast's temple, pulling out an enraged roar as he threw me to the ground. I hit the dirt and crushed wheat hard before being scooped up; I turned to meet Somi and instead found a radiating woman, jaw clenched and silver hair woven into braids down the side of her head. I was almost stunned into silence, hot tears trickling down my skin but heartrate calmed. Only for a second, was there peace as my eyes took in her radiance. Her slightly pointed ears, those determined eyes and her pinky gently rubbing my arm. Her instinct to rub my skin in such a delicate touch soothed me as she nestled me into a clump of ferns and began running back to her fight, pulling weapons from her satchel which I am aware now, were throwing stars.

I wish I could say more about her last fight. I wish I had looked on at her graceful moves, how her enemy suffered blow after blow until he got her by her neck. I was young, and anguished. I thought I had lost my sister, pain radiated from my body and I had only stopped sniffling when Drill the Dragonslayer nestled me into his large embrace. For the first time, I overheard older beings talk.

"... hotter than an ogre but he'll be good, wouldn't ya be champ?"

"Gently, Drill..."

Murmurs from all around me turned deathly silent, almost as if I had lost my ears. I remember opening my eyes to be met with a mass of ginger beard, a man's head so huge I thought he was a giant too. But when Drill propped me up in my arms, his touch was more than gentle, though turning weaker by the minute. I followed his gaze, only to flinch. A Peculiar clad in black robes, shimmering in the bright sunlight, fallen at his knees by a body laying elegantly in the trodden wheat field; in his hand was an empty vial. By his side, a woman with moth wings gently holding Somi in her arms and another man also knelt by the body. We know them, now, as Oleos The Peculiar, Serena Sunspring and Kape.

"What, does it take a while?" Kape stuttered, long hair hastily swung to the side. "The potion just takes a while, right? Or is she going to stay like this for-"

"Didn't work."

Sunspring snapped her head up as Drill fell to his knees, carrying me down with him in a great thump. "Didn't-"

"Why didn't regeneration work, maybe strict heal?" Oleos The Peculiar is known for his calm demeanor, eyes examining surrounding areas with precision and a level tone no matter the situation; he was not always like this. "Hold on, maybe I just need to use a stronger one, she is fairly hurt after all-"

Kape stood weakly as Oleos attempted to trickle the potion down the body's throat. After nothing happened, history began to write itself. As desperation grew, so did nature; first unnoticeably, as Oreos threw potion after potion flowers bloomed in a state of gut-wrenching fertility. Health radiated through the air, both Somi and I were miraculously mended with fumes from vial after vial after magical staff, and yet Lixiss remained silent. What was sun to a wilted flower? Oleos is no necromancer, and nature proved his worst fear. As Somi held me in her arms, her voice all but a whisper in my ear, I could not tear my eyes away from the blooming forest growing before our eyes. As the sun held Lixiss hand in hand -leading her to the night sky with a gentle touch, no whisper of goodbye- Oleos cried out in anguish as he fell to his knees and dropped his staff to clutch his head, sobbing when his lack of energy brought upon reality. Kape ran to his side, drooping to his knees and hugging his friend tightly as Sunspring and Drill stayed silent. I remember sharing their pain, weeping with Oleos as a tall willow tree stretched her branches to the stars and silver flowers bloomed at the moonlight.

To this day, when you look out our window, you can see that very same willow tree. I built our house right across her. Lixiss saved my life, after all, and I owe her my gratitude; she deserves to see how her last battle paid off. Now, our village is a resting place for a goddess who gave her abiding existence to live among mortality.

Lixiss, Carrier of Arrows, resting in our town center.