After my encounter with Seren, I felt lighter, more joyous. Neither of which I’d typically associate with me, as I was oftentimes more on the stoic side.

  Unfortunately, reality wasn’t that kind to me, and it knocked me right down all of the pegs less than four days later.

  In my joy, I had completely forgotten about a certain religious holiday that was approaching.

  There were two holidays that were most holy and were widely celebrated, and therefore being the only two days off students and staff got over the course of the academic year. Aside from the weekends, of course.

  The first was New Year’s Eve, which I could easily steer into something joyous but less religious. The same wasn’t possible with the second one.

  Luminous Day fell on the day of the spring equinox. The day the church claimed their great hero, their messiah, their prophet, their whatever they may call it.

  It was a bald-faced lie.

  Gaius Luminus, or Guy Luminus as he was more commonly called these days, wasn’t born on the spring equinox.

  He was born on the autumn equinox.

  But that didn’t suit the church’s precious narrative, so, obviously, they’d changed his birthday to a better fitting day.

  As always, I made sure I was well away from civilization. Lest I’d do something regrettable.

  So, I took Fluminix on another outing to the Flornem Forest. This time we didn’t stop at the edge of the forest but entered it.

  We also set off well before dawn’s first light.

  Picking a direction at random – mostly – we made the trek to one of the forest’s clearings. This one held a sinkhole-like depression at the centre, where a brook flowed into it, creating a waterfall down into the pond at the bottom. As it was not a naturally formed sinkhole, there were several paths down below. None large enough to be passable for the larger animals in the forest, but it had one that was doable for the ever-growing dragon.

  Our arrival scattered the birds and small animals drinking at the pond, the birds taking flight and the small animals seeking refuge in the small alcoves and caves that had formed in the cliff walls. I sat myself down on a boulder near the pond, whilst Fluminix started to explore the area around it.

  Once I was seated, I crossed my legs and started a meditative breathing technique. Not that it had any magical benefits for me anymore, but it still worked wonders to help me calm down.

  Thinking of the poor little critters hiding from Fluminix and I also helped.

  But neither was enough.

  It was unfair.

  Why did he get lauded, while I get condemned just because I was a lich?

  It wasn’t fair.

  It wasn’t fair how any joy I might find, will never be allowed to last.

  “Mentula!” I yelled, as I cast a spell that caused the water in the pond to explode upwards above the sinkhole’s edge.

  I let out a calming breath, as the water rained back down again. Most of it, thankfully, falling back down into the pond.

  I wasn’t usually this volatile during ‘Luminous Day’. Normally I would just head off away from civilization, spend the day busying myself with something, before I headed back. My thoughts of his deeds would only trouble me during New Year's Eve, not during this holiday.

  I let out a frustrated, tired sigh. This was all because I met Seren, wasn’t it?

  That… didn’t bode well.

  When I opened my eyes again, I found Fluminix standing a distance away from me, with a posture that would allow her to easily run. Fear and concern were warring in her eyes.

  My expression softened, just as my body relaxed at the sight of her.

  “Come here,” I beckoned her calmly.

  At first it seemed as if she wouldn’t, but after a few long beats, she hesitantly approached me.

  “I’m sorry for scaring you,” I said as I scratched her behind her budding horns. A spot she really likes to be scratched, as they’re always itching these days. “I lost my temper for a moment. Something I shouldn’t let happen. Especially not with you around.”

  I cupped her jaws and turned her face so I could look her in both her eyes. “Know that none of it was directed at you, okay?”

  She eyed me for a moment, before she let out a soft growl and gave me a gentle headbutt.

  I chuckled fondly, as relief filled me. “How about I tell you a story to make up for scaring you like that?”

  Fluminix withdrew from me and started to frantically look around, which caused me to chuckle again.

  “No, I don’t have a book with me,” I said through my chuckles. “But I think I can manage to tell you one without a book. Let’s see…”

  I fell silent and thought about it for a long moment.

  “How about a classic theme, huh?” I asked rhetorically.

  I totally didn’t pick it because I was feeling a bit melancholic and pessimistic about certain things.

  “Once upon a time,” about sixteen hundred years ago, but saying that out loud would ruin the magic of the story, “there was a powerful princess and a shrewd prince living along the shores of the Kaniatarononke, the Plentiful Lakes, in the northeastern part of Kanonsa, across the ocean.

  “One lived on the southern shore, born to the nation that had expanded and consolidated to the north of the lakes. The other lived on the northern shore, born to the nation that had expanded and consolidated to the south of the lakes.

  “However,” I paused to add suspense. “Both nations lay claim to all of the lakes and the surrounding lands. Both saw themselves as the most dominant among and truest of their shared cultural identity. But neither was willing to give in to the other.

  “And thus, the Tehonaton and the Ondawa were forever locked into rivalry and war. Forever distrustful of one another.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  I paused the story as Fluminix had been trying, and failing, to find a comfortable spot to lay down. It also seemed like she wanted to comfort me.

  So, I got up from the boulder and found myself a comfortable spot next to the pond. After taking my sandals off, I put my feet into the water. Seeing that I’d made myself comfortable, Fluminix joined me by curling up around my back, her tail dipping in the water to my right and her head laying on a patch of grass to my left.

  I started to gently stroke and scratch her head as I continued. “Each nation had a clan that stood out above all the others, having held positions of prestige and leadership for generations. Tewaterihwakon was born to the Atenhsanata, whose clan mothers had been the head of the council of clan mothers for as long as the Tehonaton had existed. And with it, Atenhsanata’s chiefs had all been declared the ruling chiefs of the Tehonaton.

  “Among the Ondawa it was the Atenhrokanata that had held a similar position of power and prestige since the nation was formed, its clan mothers and chiefs becoming the leaders of the Ondawa. It is to the Atenhrokanata that the Aténhro’ten was born.

  “They were both destined to be future leaders. And their clans wanted to make sure they had the prospects to make them great ones.

  “Unfortunately, Tewaterihwakon was as strong-willed as she was skilled with both bow and tomahawk. She was a warrior first and foremost. And she was set on carving out her own path. She kept refusing all marriage proposals, both before and after her coming-of-age ceremony.

  “One of those whose offers were refused, was Ostí:tsa’ten, the son to the Karonenya’s clan mother. He was smart, cunning and had all the makings and potential of being a great counterpart to Tewaterihwakon’s strength. Together, they could rule the Tehonaton.

  “Or so he reckoned.

  “Across the lakes, the future of the Ondawa was set to be less tremulous. Aténhro’ten had been promised to the Onenkanon’s heiress, Okwáho’ska. The Onenkanon were a powerful clan in the Ondawa, as they were their most martial clan. With their warriors on his side, Aténhro’ten was all but set to become the next great chief of the Ondawa.

  “One day, Aténhro’ten set off for a small island in the middle of Kaniataronékha’s largest lake to focus on his training and to enhance his prowess. This island has since become known as Teinontska’ronon.

  “When he arrived with his own small, sailing canoe, he set up camp close to the northern shore of the island. Only…

  “He wasn’t alone. Unbeknownst to him, another had come to the island. Just as he’d set up camp, Tewaterihwakon stepped out of the bushes, demanding what he was doing there. He stammered out that he was only there to train, to which she gave him a scrutinising glare before heading off to her own camp on the southern shore with a dismissive scoff.

  “Tewaterihwakon had deemed him to not be worthy of her time. After all, Aténhro’ten was more, as we’d on our side of the ocean would call, bookish, and held no interest in those that couldn’t fight.

  “Thus, their shared stay on the island was off to a glacial start.

  “Over the duration of their stay, though, something started to change. While Tewaterihwakon was skilled in archery fishing and strong enough to make chopping firewood a breeze, she lacked refinement and the application of her magical abilities. On the other hand, Aténhro’ten clearly wasn’t made for physical exertion, but was innovative and skill in magic that rivalled the better shamans.

  “Over their stay, they realised that they complemented one another, and that they bettered one another. Where they started off with separate camps on opposite shores, they eventually made a single camp in the centre of the island.

  “They couldn’t stay there, locked away on their own little island, forever, though. As always, time marched on, and the time to depart the island arrived. They each set off in their own sailing canoe towards their own nation and their own clan.

  “However, they kept meeting on the island, time and time again. Each time under the guise of needing further training for the future of the clan, for the future of the nation.

  “Ostí:tsa’ten was quick to grow suspicious. He started to wonder why Tewaterihwakon would need so much training, especially in isolation, when the warrior’s way was to train together. So, when she next set off for the island, he followed her.

  “What he found was not training in isolation, but a camp for two. A camp filled with joyous laughter and banter. A camp where the daughter and son of opposing nations and clans shared the same fire. And the same tent.

  “Enflamed, Ostí:tsa’ten set off for home again. This was something the rest of the Atenhsanata needed to know. This was…

  “He turned his sailing canoe around. Instead of going south, back to the Tehonaton, he sailed to the Ondawa. Especially, he sailed towards the Onenkanon of the Ondawa.

  “There, he regaled his discovery to their chief and, more importantly, their clan mother, Okwáho’tsi, for it was her daughter that Aténhro’ten was promised to. It was a slight against her, her daughter and their clan.

  “So, with Ostí:tsa’ten’s help, they devised a plan.

  “Tewaterihwakon and Aténhro’ten had created a system to be able to meet up without suspicion. They would leave messages for one another on other islands that they could easily sail to on their own without it raising any questions. They’d each designated an island each for where to leave their messages.

  “So, when Tewaterihwakon saw the message about when to meet up next, she set off as usual. With joy and warmth filling her heart, she sailed towards their island. When she arrived Aténhro’ten wasn’t there, however she suspected she was merely early, so she didn’t think too much about it.

  “Except, when night fell and several sailing canoes reached the northern shore of the island, she didn’t notice.

  “The Onenkanon’s chief, Okwáho’ron, along with a band of some of his best warriors landed on the island, and they silently sneaked up on the camp in the centre. Sneaking up on the sleeping Tewaterihwakon.”

  I was suddenly interrupted by a splash of water hitting my face and the sight of Fluminix’ tail dipping back into the water. When I looked down at the infant dragon, she looked back up at me with a narrowed eye.

  “What?” I exclaimed as I whipped my face dry. “This is just how the story goes. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

  With a displeased huff, she closed her eye and ‘allowed’ me to continue the story.

  “Now, where was I?” I asked, even though I knew full well where we’d left off. “Oh, yeah.

  “Tewaterihwakon startled awake just in time to her untimely end in her sleep. Readying her tomahawk, she engaged her attackers. With the magical skills she’d learned from Aténhro’ten she was more skilled a warrior than ever before, and was no foe easily slain.

  “Unfortunately, her opponents were too numerous. Even with the plants on the island being set aflame by her fire, she was overwhelmed. A spear pierced her abdomen whilst she was focused on evading a slash of the chief’s tomahawk.

  “Falling to her knees, she was left to the mercy of her opponents.

  “Instead of finishing her off, their attention was drawn to a newcomer that arrived at the northern shore. Whilst they left to see who had come, believing their opponent to be too beaten to rise again, Ostí:tsa’ten came out of his hiding spot.

  “He had been there this whole time, biding his time. For you see, he hadn’t just tricked Tewaterihwakon into believing she was meeting her beloved, but also tricked the Onenkanon into thinking they would be able to get away with the ambush without Aténhro’ten finding out.

  “By the time the Onenkanon warriors and Okwáho’ron stepped back into the clearing of the camp, led by recently arrived Aténhro’ten, Ostí:tsa’ten was nowhere to be seen again, and Tewaterihwakon was lying in a pool of her own blood, motionless.

  “Aténhro’ten was distraught. He fell to his knees and wept. It is said he wept so much that his tears extinguished the fires his fallen beloved had started.

  “When his tears had dried, when he had no more tears left to shed, he offered Okwágo’ron a deal. He would honour his promise to wed Okwáho’ska, but in exchange they would bring Tewaterihwakon’s body back to her family, to her clan, so she could have a proper funeral.

  “Though reluctant, the chief accepted, and he and his warriors left southward, leaving Aténhro’ten alone on the island.

  “Or so they all thought.

  “As soon as Ostí:tsa’ten was certain they were alone and that Aténhro’ten had his guard down, he struck. His aim was not as true as Tewaterihwakon’s would have been, but his arrow still landed a debilitating wound on Aténhro’ten.

  “As Aténhro’ten was neither very martial inclined nor used to combat, his lightning failed to strike true. Reduced to using his tomahawk, the fight became mismatched and more of a brawl than a fight between warriors.

  “Unaware of the fight to the death ensuing on the island, Okwáho’ron and his warriors arrived at the Atenhsanata to hand over her body. After a tense exchange that promised vengeance, they left for home, leaving the Atenhsanata to prepare for Tewaterihwakon’s final rites. Except…

  “She wasn’t dead. Not long after the Ondawa Onenkanon warriors had left, she bolted upright with a deep gasp for air. Confusion, fury and worry warred inside of her, as she demanded to know where Ostí:tsa’ten was. Upon learning that no-one knew where he’d been for the past weeks, she got up and marched to her sailing canoe, tomahawk in hand and mortally wounded.

  “When she arrived at the island, she found Ostí:tsa’ten standing over Aténhro’ten’s dead body. And this time there was no mistaking it, as Ostí:tsa’ten’s tomahawk was buried deep into Aténhro’ten’s skull.

  “Enraged, Tewaterihwakon charged at Ostí:tsa’ten. Exhausted and wounded, she was barely a match for him. The fight was messy, sloppy, but in the end, skill prevailed over cunning.

  “Leaving her tomahawk buried in his chest, she stumbled her way over to her fallen beloved. She lay down beside him and curled up to him as she quietly sobbed until she drifted off.

  “Never to rise again.”

  I, uh, don't really feel like explaining the names, as that would undo my desire to not use translated names of Native American people.