Page 64 of Earthbound

The word seemed familiar but different. Then it dawned on her. ‘Caperly, of course.’

His mouth twisted in disgust at her pronunciation. ‘The elves who live there have stolen that from us too.’

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she said nothing.

‘What are you?’ he asked, his smile returning.

‘I am an elf, no more, no less. My name is Lettle, I’m a diviner from the Waning tribe in the Elven Lands.’

‘A diviner? What are you doing so far from your temple?’

‘Temple?’

‘Your temple to Bosome?’

Lettle laughed. ‘There are no more temples to Bosome; divining is not a well-regarded profession.’

Afa looked shocked. ‘No temples to Bosome–what has happened to the elves?’

‘The Forever War is what happened to the elves.’

‘The Forever War?’

She waved a hand dismissively. ‘It is a foolish war that rages on the Bleeding Field between the four tribes.’

‘When did it begin?’

She shrugged, thinking it an odd question. ‘I’m not sure, a few hundred years ago, maybe longer. For as long as our history accounts for it.’

‘Hmm.’ Afa became engaged with his own thoughts so she tried to draw him out before he wandered too deep.

‘How are you still alive? How are you in Alder’s body?’

‘Those are two questions.’

‘Fine, the latter.’

‘Alder, as you call him, does not exist. He is simply me without my memories.’

She swallowed the ball of grief in her throat. Alder is not gone.

‘What do you mean?’ she probed.

‘My being, what makes me me, is bound to this warren. Beyond it, I am nothing but a shell.’

Lettle’s nostrils flared.

‘Alder is no shell. He is a living, breathing person with thoughts and dreams.’ Her voice shook with emotion and her cheeks flushed.

Afa’s eyes flashed in annoyance. ‘He is me; you seem to be forgetting that. There is no Alder.’

‘He exists.’ Her throat began to close with an incoming sob. ‘The person you are beyond here has a life and people who care for him. What happens to all the memories he has? The life he has built?’

‘You love him?’ Afa looked shocked.

‘Yes, he is my friend.’

Afa didn’t answer.