When we took control of the city that would later be Ignis… that was the start of the end. By this point, the Empire gained control over most of Axis Mundi. And with that, we’d nearly pushed the elves back to Vindanna completely. Our enemy grew desperate, and we should have realized that a foe whose back is against the wall is at their most dangerous. This proved true, when the Great Fragmentation occurred not long after.

  -Excerpt from “Man and Elves: History of the Perpetual Conflict”

  Aria never felt so alive! She twirled around as she closed her eyes and reached out her senses. She could FEEL the Ether as she never had before. She took a deep breath, taking in both air and Ether, noting with glee and excitement that her ability to take in the power had been greatly elevated.

  “Easy, Aria,” her mother chuckled, “I know how you feel, but do take care with how much Ether you’re breathing in. Without the collar forcibly accelerating your natural Ether leakage, whatever you store will be there for a while. Make sure you don’t overfill your Capacity.”

  Aria flushed, “Err… right. Sorry, Mom.”

  Anila laughed. It was a long and good one, full of mirth. Aria couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard her mother laugh like that. It brought a smile to her face. She couldn’t help but join in that laughter.

  It was a good moment between mother and daughter. One Aria wished could last forever. Unfortunately, the moment would soon fade as they began to calm down.

  Anila suddenly frowned, tilting her head to the side.

  “Footsteps,” her mother said, “lots of them.”

  Anila drew the sword she had sheathed at her side and gave it a few twirls. A few moments later, Aria heard them too. She began to breathe in Ether as she readied herself to fight if need be. She couldn’t stop the eager smile from forming as she once more delighted in how the power stayed in her Capacity rather than leaking out quickly as it did with the collar.

  They both faced the direction of the footsteps, both ready to battle.

  Fortunately, they didn’t need to.

  “Onas?! Sana?!” Aria called out as she saw them emerge from the corner.

  Shortly behind them were the other slaves Aria had spent the last month with. They had been running, but not in a way that indicated they were fleeing. Rather, it looked as if they were ready to fight.

  The two leading elves froze, with Onas holding up a hand to signal the others to stop as well. Seeing they were elves, Anila sheathed her sword.

  “Tufani?!” Onas called back, eyes wide with disbelief.

  “Aria!” Sana called out, rushing forward to her in a stumble, wincing as she did.

  The older elf woman nearly crushed Aria in a hug, “You’re alive! Maker… I worried we’d acted too late!”

  Aria began to hug her back, but Sana winced in pain when her hands touched her back. “Sorry!” Aria squeaked as she more gently embraced the elf woman, “what did you mean?”

  Onas stepped forward, and Aria saw they all had some kind of weapon. The elf had in his hands what might have been a mop, with the mop end snapped off to create a makeshift staff. The others all had similar makeshift weaponry.

  “We decided we’d had enough,” Onas said, “the two who’d been standing outside of Adele’s door ran to the rest of us when you’d started screaming for help.”

  “They did?” Aria asked in disbelief.

  Her gaze fell on the two bedroom doorway attendees who’d seen Adele dragging her unconscious form into her room. They looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

  “I’m ashamed to say we were hesitant to help at first,” Onas said, as he too looked away from her, “but-”

  “I convinced everyone,” Sana interrupted, “I convinced them all to help you and finally rid ourselves of that monster. To the void with the consequences!”

  Aria couldn’t believe her ears. She met Sana’s gaze, and found no lie in her eyes.

  “It’s true,” Onas confirmed, “Sana was also the first to say she was going to come save you. Said she’d do it with or without our help. We couldn’t let her go alone. Not in the state that vile hume left her in.”

  “Everyone… I…” Aria’s words died in her mouth as she felt suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude.

  Anila chose that moment to speak up, “Well, looks like help would have come even if I hadn’t arrived. That’s good to know.”

  All the elf slaves turned to Anila. Many of their jaws dropped as they no doubt noticed the startling resemblance between mother and daughter.

  “Aria…” Sana called out, her eyes wide with shock, “is this..?”

  “Yes,” Aria confirmed with pride in her voice, “this is my mother. The legendary Anila Tufani herself, in the flesh.”

  Anila frowned at the introduction. Aria knew her mother didn’t like to be given such accolades, though Aria couldn’t help herself in the moment. What surprised her was that her mother seemed to be… blushing?!

  I suppose getting complimented like that by her own daughter is something she isn’t used to, Aria thought with a teasing smile.

  What happened next, neither Aria nor Anila expected.

  Sana, Onas, and the other elf slaves all knelt before Anila and bowed their heads. Both mother and daughter’s brows raised at the display.

  “What are you all doing?” Anila asked with apparent discomfort.

  “A-apologies, milady Tufani,” Sana stuttered as she raised her head, “it’s just… you’re a living legend to our people! The strongest of us, in power and will. One who, despite being of the First Generation of slaves, retained her elven pride and has yet to break before the might of the Dominion and Athanasius! You’re a beacon of hope for us all! An example to strive towards!”

  Aria felt pride for her mother swell at that.

  Anila, however, frowned deeply, “You forgot to include that I’m a failure. One who could neither help our people escape to Vindanna before the Great Fragmentation, nor save them from being enslaved by the Dominion.”

  Sana and the others blinked with surprise at that. None of them knew how to respond. Anila sighed deeply, “Rise already. I’m no legend to be revered. I’m simply another elf, one who has their virtues and flaws like anyone else. If you strive to be like anyone, strive to be like the Maker, for He alone is good. It was only through His grace that I’ve lived this long with my sanity in tact.”

  The elf slaves all stood and nodded emphatically.

  Anila then pulled something out of her pocket, “Now that that’s settled. Line up here in front of me please.”

  The elves all looked confused, but did as she asked.

  Sana was the first in that line, standing before Anila.

  “Good,” Anila nodded approvingly before telling Sana, “now, turn around.”

  “What is this for, milady Tufani?” Sana asked as she obeyed.

  “To get those collars off, that’s what,” Anila said as she pressed something onto Sana’s collar.

  The collar opened and came off, falling to the floor with a loud clang.

  Sana froze, staring at the collar that had no doubt hung around her neck for as long as she could remember. Aria watched with a smile as Sana’s hands reached up, shaky and tentatively. The elf woman smiled and began to cry as she felt at her own neck.

  The other elves stood in shock, before they all cheered and looked beyond eager for their turn.

  As Anila removed each elf’s collar, Aria couldn’t help but wonder just how exactly her mother was doing so. She carefully watched as Anila removed yet another collar from yet another slave.

  Aria frowned, as she saw what her mother had been pressing on each collar, Is that… a finger?!

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  There was no doubt about it. What Anila had been using to remove the accursed collars was a severed finger.

  Anila caught Aria’s wide eyes. She looked to the severed finger in her hand, “Oh this? It’s belonged to that hume… Adele was her name, right?”

  “Why do you have that?” Aria asked with a frown of disgust and confusion, “and why is it unlocking our collars?”

  “The blasted things had the ashborn registered as your owner,” Anila explained as she freed the last slave, “and her fingerprint served as lock and key. So, I severed one of her fingers to use.”

  Aria blinked, “So… this… ‘fingerprint,’ you called it? That can unlock our people’s collars?!”

  Anila shook her head, “If only it were so easy. No, Adele’s finger only worked for yours and the others here because she was registered as your owner. The rest of our people all have different owners, and as such, different keys to their locks.”

  Aria nodded, but then frowned as a thought came to her, “If that’s the case… then how did you remove your own collar, Mom?”

  “I had help from someone.”

  Aria frowned, “Who?”

  “A bard,” Anila scowled, “or rather, a messenger of sorts. He came to me with the key to my collar. Maker only knows how he pulled that off. And the voiding man was insufferably vague about it.”

  Aria gave her a bewildered gaze.

  Her mother shook her head, “Never mind. He’s not important right now.”

  Anila changed the subject, “Come, gather around all of you. Aria and I have something important we need to tell you.”

  She met her eyes, and Aria immediately knew what her mother had in mind. She gave her mother a look that said, “Are you certain?”

  Anila nodded.

  Aria began to feel nervous at how the others would react.

  ***

  Onas, Sana, and the others were silent when Anila informed them of her escape plan. Aria had gone to change per her mother’s command while she talked with the others. The clothes and armor were identical to her mother’s. Aria disliked looking like a hume guard, and she particularly despised the Eye of Athanasius that was on the chest of her surcoat. Wearing it made her feel filthy on a spiritual level. However, she wasn’t exactly in a position to be picky.

  The outfit was horribly loose on her skinny frame, despite it being the smallest Anila had been able to find. Aria had to tighten the straps to their limit just to keep it from coming off.

  The silence turned to shock by the time she returned, and given what she knew of the plan, she couldn’t blame them.

  The escape was to go as planned, only with one minor alteration. Originally, Elder Feno had been planning on starting an uprising to create chaos that would allow them to flee. However, with Aria having been transferred to the Second, that part of the plan had no longer been required, though her mother had made sure to tell her that their fellow elves outside of Ignis were ready to lend them aid if needed.

  Aria stood to the side with abated breath as she waited for the plan to sink in with Sana, Onas, and the rest.

  Finally, one of the elves spoke, “Milady Tufani, you’re going to abandon us?!”

  Aria winced. She’d expected some scathing words, but it still hurt to hear.

  Some of the other elves echoed the sentiment. Aria glanced to her mother, who stood silently and took the verbal punishment with a pained look in her eyes.

  Sana urged forward, her step much steadier after being healed by Anila earlier, “Easy now, everyone. Keep in mind this wasn’t solely Lady Tufani’s decision. She’d spoken with Elder Feno at length, and he’d given his own approval. I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy to make this choice. Please, let us hear her out at least.”

  That seemed to calm the others. Aria and her mother each gave Sana a thankful look, though Anila’s look of pain remained as she explained, “You were right that this wasn’t an easy decision. However, there isn’t that much more to explain. We decided that I, as the most capable among us, had the best chance at reaching Axis Mundi’s Boundary to enter the Void Sea, and traversing that hellscape to reach Vindanna.”

  “If that’s the case, then why are you taking your daughter?! Won’t she just slow you down?” pointed out the first elf who’d protested.

  The look in Anila’s eyes, while still pained, had notably hardened, “I’m taking my daughter for precisely that reason. She is my daughter. As her mother, I won’t abandon her. This part isn’t up for discussion. In short, Aria and I will be the only ones making our escape attempt because I am the most likely to succeed, and because I refuse to leave my daughter behind.”

  Anila’s glare silenced the protesters. She sighed, “I know it’s selfish of me. But please understand. It’s not just that I won’t leave Aria here. I can’t…”

  Onas stepped forward, giving Anila a look of understanding, “No need to explain, milady. I don’t think any of us here can fault you. Not for that.”

  He looked back at the rest of the elves, who all nodded. Even the ones who had protested eventually gave in and nodded while giving an apology.

  Aria spoke up next, “It’s not like we’re going to abandon you here forever. We plan to warn our people in our ancestral Realm to prepare for war. We will come back for you all. And when we do, we’ll have the entirety of Vindanna’s army aiding us.”

  That squashed any lingering doubts in the elves. Anila nodded approvingly at her, then looked back at the rest, “There you have it. If you all are willing, I’d like your support in our escape plan.”

  “What would you have us do, milady?” Sana asked.

  “We will all need to leave here as soon as possible,” Anila began, “it wouldn’t surprise me if some Shadows come by to investigate what occurred here. Once they find that hume I killed, retribution will be swift. I’ve already told you what Aria and I will be doing, but you all have your own path to take.”

  A moment of silence passed before Onas asked, “And that is?”

  “With your collars removed, they won’t be able to track you as they once did,” Anila looked each one of them in the eye, “if you are careful, you should be able to flee. Find the Rebellion and ask them to shelter you.”

  Sana asked with wide eyes, “Them? You mean the rumors are true?!”

  A Rebellion?! Aria’s eyes widened. That was news to her.

  Anila nodded, “Yes. Now, on the off chance you are caught... well, then your only choice is to fight. The moment I removed your collars, any possibility of mercy from the humans was destroyed. There is also a chance that Aria and I are discovered before we can escape Ignis. In which case, a battle will break out. You will know if that happens. In that case, get as many of our people and either fight our slavers or flee.”

  She once more met each individual elf’s eyes before adding, “Know that this last part is a request. Not a demand. If you choose to flee, I won’t blame you. You may go without guilt or accusation from me.”

  The elves all looked to each other, as if wondering what to do. Aria was surprised to see steel growing in their gazes as they all nodded to each other. Onas stepped forward and spoke for them all, “Milady Tufani. We choose to fight! It is better to die free than to live as slaves any longer!”

  Anila closed her eyes for a moment before nodding, “Very well. I shall pray to the Maker that at least some of you manage to escape the aftermath.”

  “If not, then we will see each other in the resurrection,” Onas smiled, “death is not the end.”

  Anila smiled warmly, “Forgive me, I didn’t take you for a religious man, Onas.”

  Onas’s smile widened, “We had to be careful teaching and learning about the Maker and His ways. But the Maker always provides a way. And I believe it was He that led you to us today.”

  Aria watched as the genuine smile on her mother’s lips grew wider, “Yes He does. Thank you, Onas. I needed to hear what you said. Maker guide you.”

  “And you as well, milady Tufani,” Onas looked Aria and approached her with Sana, “I guess this is goodbye, child. Be well.”

  “Likewise,” Aria said with a gulp, trying in vain to swallow the forming lump in her throat.

  Sana gave Aria a final hug, and whispered to her, “Maker be with you and your mother.”

  Aria returned the embrace, “You all as well.”

  Onas, Sana, and the others left, leaving mother and daughter alone.

  “Mom,” Aria called out, “what was that you mentioned about a Rebellion?”

  Anila took a deep breath, “A rebellion exists that opposes the Dominion and Athanasius’s rule. They’ve existed in various forms over the centuries.”

  “Our people?” Aria asked.

  Anila gave a half smile, “Humans, actually. At least, mostly.”

  Aria frowned with skepticism. Her mother sighed at that, “Yes, Aria. There are, in fact, humans that exist that oppose what Athanasius and his empire are doing. I’ve told you that the world isn’t so black and white as you make it out to be.”

  She still had a hard time believing it. Disregarding that for now, she asked, “Why is it that I’m only now hearing of this?”

  “Partly because I wasn’t sure if one currently existed. I only learned in the recent years of the current one. Various rebellions have risen since the Dominion’s reign, and all have been utterly destroyed. However… I must also admit that this is something I purposefully kept from you,” Anila bluntly admitted.

  “Mother!” she said with disbelief, “why would you-”

  “Because if you had known then you’d have tried to escape to find and join them years ago!” Anila suddenly snapped.

  Aria had been about to refute that out of reflex, but her mother raised a stern finger to cut her off. “Before you say anything, Aria,” Anila locked eyes with her, “look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you wouldn’t have at least tried to escape and find them.”

  She opened her mouth to reply, but the words died in her throat under Anila’s withering glare.

  Aria knew her mother was completely right. That’s exactly what she would have done had she had confirmation that a rebellion existed. Even if it was mostly made up of ashborn. And knowing that, she couldn’t keep her mother’s gaze.

  “That’s what I thought,” Anila sighed, “honestly. I know you too well, Aria.”

  Anila pat her on the head, “Come, let’s get going. We need to get away from here as quickly as possible.”

  Aria perked up, “That’s right. You mentioned that the Shadows might be investigating here… but how would they know what occurred here?”

  “They likely would have noticed the lost signal of several collars. One or two might not have been so suspicious. Nothing made by imperfect beings can ever hope to be perfect after all. But with as many as Onas’s group? No, they’ll know something is wrong and send someone to find out what happened.”

  “We should get moving then.”

  “Yes, but first,” Anila removed one of the swords at her waist and tossed it in its sheath to Aria, “here. You’ll need your own weapon.”

  Aria caught the sword. She briefly unsheathed it, noticing it was a broadsword with a blade around three feet in length. It gleamed with newness and looked wickedly sharp. Aria smiled as she sheathed the weapon and buckled it to her waist.

  She was then handed a helm, and both put them on to obscure their features and hide their elf ears.

  “Let’s go,” Anila said as mother and daughter left to finally initiate their escape.

  https://www.patreon.com/GenZVall2025