Ilio noticed plants grew fast here as he made tools with rock and wood he found along the river. He made shelter of oak branches and a bed of willow branches to sit on. He braided cattail leaves to make a necklace. Then he added red and yellow stones to his necklace from an island covered in cattails and birds. He hated leaving this place and return to an angry wife. The days were quite long here with the goddess Petrie driving her sun horses across the sky to end with a green glow on the horizon. Stars twinkled and Ilio could make out the constellations. Elves used their candles from afterlife goddess Isis to light fires. Nights were long too. At a distance he saw a ghost ship carrying souls who died at sea, but lived on land. Elves said the ship is called The Sea Phantom and steered by the god Vasio, son of the Seahorse King who takes them to Roanoke to be judged by underworld goddess Isis. Sometimes elves disappear twice a day and Ilio explored the grassland and marshes. He made a raft to navigate the streams. He caught saw no fish swimming in the waters. Otters said magic fish swim around in the morning and night, and then once eaten, the bones grow back into the fish and floated back the river. Ilio enjoyed this afterlife. Zanya ate berries and played with the fairies. It never rains here for there are no clouds, just a clear blue sky. The next day Queen Thalia requested he leave.
Edwina sent her children to find their father in the fairy realm. Ares, the golden flying ram, picked up Ilio’s crystal before it became dust. Ares dived into the Miras River with the children. He followed the tunnel to the River Styx where the boatman Charon was picking up passengers. Jaden used his crystal to change rocks into gold coins. Charon accepted the coins. The other people were Dacians who appear to have been murdered and confused thinking they were dreaming in their sleep. One carried a baby and another snake. They rowed across and noticed spirits in the river.
“Yes, those are beings that die in the sea. The Seahorse King guides them to the Happy Sea where the underworld god Gwyn determines their fate. Others who die on islands or on ships are carried to Roanoke by the Sea Phantom and its helmsman Vasio, my brother.”
They walk past the three headed dog Helga curious about the smell of living spirits. Then she bowed before the holy gods and goddesses. Ares then took the children to Roanoke where underworld goddess Isis judged the land beings. Her husband, a phoenix named Hato, laid a feather of truth upon the scale where the beings sat for judgment. They are given a candle and led by demons to their afterlife. A guard introduced them to Isis and she offered food and drink from their long journey. Isis gazed upon a black rock and announced Ilio was still present in her realm speaking to elves. A demon directed their journey to the elf afterlife. When they entered the doorway, the elves had not seen him. They met their elf ancestors. Ilio’s grandparents Bryce and Nadia from Etonville were most happy for news on their son Homer and grandson Ilio. Homer’s brothers were there and the Happy Sea waves crashed along the shore. They flew across the grasslands and forests to fail in their quest. They met with the fairies making food plants grow. They saw Ilio with Zanya and Queen Thalia made him leave that morning. They made camp and conversed with the elves eager for news on the living. They met The Hermit’s parents Starn and Amalia who died in the Battle of Etonville. They were pleased their descendants were doing well. Nearby in the forest edge revealing a grassland. The Hermit’s sprite aunt Tatiana who was killed by a curse and her son Leander who died during The Elf War were happy to hear Leander’s son Yutzi was married and surrounded by family. They were introduced to Starn and Amalia’s parents who were wondrous hearing tales of their family in wars and saving royalty. They continued on to speak to the fairies. Queen Thalia suspected Ilio floated on his raft to a neighboring afterlife. One direction will take them through another doorway to a desert and on the other side were mountains of centaurs and fauns. The other direction will give way to grasslands and marshes where humans and their pets were.
Ilio did leave the elves with his raft floating further down the river to sand dunes, a shadowy dark doorway, and then more marshes. Zanya said this looked like the human Elysium fields. Wonderful, he was looking forward to visiting King Dinu or King Dracon. Grapes grew here that the humans squashed into juices. A few recognized Ilio as the elf who killed them in the Varrick and Armorican Wars. They also welcomed Ilio into the afterlife. He again made tools from stones, an elm bark lodge, a bed of willow branches, and a fire pit in the center of his house. The day wore on long swapping stories with the Dacian soldiers sitting on logs near campfires as the men baking flatbreads on heated stones. Humans would walk away from the homes and disappear saying someone was praying to them. Eventually, during the night the word spread that Ilio the elf was in the Elysium Fields and he met Radu’s wife Tawny reunited with her parents and soldier brother who died in the second Dacian War. She was most pleased to hear her son Nelu was safe in Alesia. Ilio had to defend that her death stirred emotions in Radu to take comfort with Queen Nastia. He also confessed to using his magic to save Radu’s life when he wanted to come to Tawny. He explained he was needed to lead the army that overthrows Sorin. Who else was there when the other generals pledged their allegiance to King Sorin? He promised Tawny that he would look after Nelu. Soon after, he met with King Dinu.
“Welcome my brother to the afterlife. Enjoying our bread?” asked Dinu.
“Yes, very much. I bet your next question is about your children.” replied Ilio.
“I was going to wait until you settled in your new lodge, but if you would like to tell me about my daughters and supposed sons go on ahead.” answered Dinu.
“Tanith was crowned queen at his death and Sorin was crowned king. Quickly he set out to murder all relations to the royal family. He started with Raluca and Danut. Danut used his amulet to pray to him so he saved them with a flying golden fleece ram he created from stone. Then Sorin sought the golden fleece of this magic ram and his wife angry over Danut rumored to be his son helped the heroes who came looking for it. Yes Danut is my son, but Fane is Radu’s son.”
“I knew that demon lied to me about him and Nastia. What’s your excuse, she bewitched you even though you’re a demigod full of magic yourself?” inquired Dinu.
“You have a point there. I did it for revenge. You were the enemy at the time and I was an ambassador trying to make peace when you wanted war.”
“I understand. I will just wait patiently for Radu and Nastia to come here. Maybe I will forgive them by then. I mean a day here is like a year up there.” laughed Dinu.
“What? Did you just say a day down here is a year up there?” begged Ilio.
“Oh, you didn’t know that. Wish I could catch the look on your wife’s when you return home.” laughed Dinu.
“She probably married someone else by now, right?” retorted Ilio trying to remember how long he had been away.
“I recall a wizard say Danut is a future king. You help him win his crown.”
“I cannot say too much about their futures. Danut as well as Fane are predicted to be future kings, but prophesy does not say king of what country.”
They settled down into the night and dreamed about what was happening in the living realm. Ilio’s children searched for a border to the next realm. They reached a border of sand dunes and a black fog doorway to find centaurs on the other side. They had not seen any elf or fairy. They returned to the fairy realm and rested during the night. They sought out another doorway through the grasslands and found Blythan humans who had not seen Ilio either. They rested and found King Dracon with his ancestors: Emperor Rurick, Empress Athena, Prince Linos, High Priestess Dyna, and Prince Lucius. They saw their grandfather’s best friend Captain Colby and their father’s betrothal Princess Mariah. They explained an outbreak of scarlet fever spread through the islands. Then suddenly, King Demetrius appeared with his candle from goddess Isis. He explained the golden fleece made into a cape gave King Sorin great magic to defeat his army in a great battle. The Dacians took over half of Varrika and the whole Dark Mountains. He prayed King Oskar could keep them from taking over Armorica too. He was uncertain of new Emperor Ragnar was able to defeat this powerful enemy. The Blythans gave him comfort and assurance all will turn out well. Demetrius asked Ares the golden ram to take him to the Dacian grassland over the hills to ask for any known prophecies were made when Sorin was crowned king. In the Dacian Elysium Fields, they find Zanya and all the things Ilio made. They rested in Ilio’s lodge and ate flatbread. The Dacians said he left to ask mermaid goddess Queen Aurora’s advice on what to do with his wife. He returned from swimming and quite humbled to see his children in his new home.
“Mother wants you home,” announced Jaden. “Now stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
“Yes, son. If you insist.” replied Ilio.
“We insist,” answered Jaden.
“I swam all the way to Queen Aurora’s palace to hear her wisdom say the answers he was looking for would be revealed upon his return. And here you are.”
“Yes, quite the journey talking with our ancestors and your friend Emperor Demetrius.” replied Mahalah.
“Demetrius is dead?” asked Ilio.
“Yes, he was killed in a great battle on the Armorica Plains last evening. He arrived in the afterlife grassland this morning.” answered Selena.
“Oh, dear, I should not have left him alone to fight Sorin. I must go to him.” asserted Ilio.
The children took him to the Blythan humans after bidding farewell to King Dinu. Ares flew over the hills to where Emperor Demetrius was being consoled by his soldiers and ancestors. Ilio apologized for not helping him, but Demetrius was just relieved not to fight anymore battles. King Sorin is simply someone else’s problem. The Hermit does all he can to help the new Emperor Ragnar. They stayed to hear stories of the past three years and packed to leave. Ares flew them to the border of Roanoke and bid farewell to Helga, the three-headed dog. They boarded The Sea Phantom and paid gold coins to god Vasio for passage to the living world. The god sailed forever and they watched souls floating in the Styx Sea guided by the Sea Horse King. They came upon many places in the Living World, but not close enough for Ares to fly them back to Blue Island. After a day of sailing back and forth picking up pirates, merchants, and navy sailors. He came across Captain Briar, Lord of Adea who married his betrothed Princess Mariah. He was killed by an arrow fighting pirates off the coast of Roden.
Briar informed Ilio how his father Captain Colby, died from scarlet fever and his grandchildren were sick with it too. His wife Mariah died from it when the children were healed from it. One grandson of his was now blind and in the care of Queen Ishtar when he left to sail the world. The ambitious Dacians only know how to sail in rivers so their open boats row down the coasts, but never venture far. One Dacian boat followed the currents to Caledonia and set up trade there to learn sea sailing. Dark Mountain elves fleeing the Dacians set up towns along the islands Ionia and Lydia to the south of Caledonia. These are the islands where the Blythans originated from. Much like Kala Island, Lydia Island’s volcano destroyed Lydia and nobody could inhabit it for four hundred years. Ionia to the southeast was hit with a monster sea wave like Nubia and could not recover from the damage. The Blythans sought out a new home and made a new life in Lotan who navigated the grasslands on rafts and rowed out to the Mermaid Islands. About this time, people of the South Sea came to Kadacia and settled with the leprechauns bringing camels and ostriches. The plant life has grown back and animals from half damaged Ionia flourished to repopulate the islands. As time went by, sailors visited to gather supplies fearful of another grand explosion. The elves are certain the islands are safe again. They quickly till the soil for planting grain and vegetables. The mermaids who have enjoyed the beaches for years speak of gold in the black mountains.
Briar stepped off the ship to learn his fate and god Vasio steered towards the living world again. They came upon a battle in Varrika’s Pirates Cove where the Mermaid Island elves were fighting against Dacians. Many ships hurled arrows and quicklime at the coastal fort and harbor. He saw his son Cambri and asked to be let off the Sea Phantom. They all jumped off and swam to The Intrepid where Cambri was boarding the life boats to row to the beach. Ilio apologized for gone for so long and helped his son win the Battle of Pirates Cove. He knew he had to face his wife and destroy King Sorin. After the battle, Cambri loaned his magic cape so Ilio could visit Blue Island promptly. He used the cape to transport the children and ram too. Edwina was relieved to see family again. It has been four years. She spoke of Prince Azriel requesting sanctuary from Queen Ishtar and married the elf High Priestess on north side of Blue Island. His younger brother Ateas has been studying sailing from Ilio’s brother Captain Evan. A grand feast was held in honor of their return. As night fell, Ilio explained he had to return to Varrika to give back the magic cape. Upset of this sudden departure, Edwina confessed that the son she had said Prince Azriel and his wife were raising, was truly her own. Devastated Ilio had left her and fathered a child with Queen Nastia, she allowed Prince Azriel to share her bed chamber for a year waiting for Ilio to come back to her. Then he left her for the high priestess because he knew she was waiting to reunite with Ilio. Saddened by such news, Ilio decided to remain home for a while and attend his daughter Selena’s wedding to an elf from Adea. Captain Cambri can handle the Dacians in Varrika. He wrote a message to Cambri with his magic quill and gave the cape for Ares to return to Cambri. The harvest soon came and Ilio helped fill up the stores of food. The harvest games and festival completed, Ilio receives a note from Cambri declaring they are settled in winter quarters along the coast.
New Year festivities came and gone. The high priestess predicted this year of great movement and conflict. Wasn’t that every year? He told his family he would like to travel to the mysterious Sheba to the southeast of Aferdia where much of their prayer incense comes from. A new medicine has been brought to Aferdia and Nubia from Sheba traders who claim to find this sugar reed sap on an island in the sea to the east of Sheba’s Oyster Bay. It is a large island called Sahul with coastal swamps with volcanic mountains in the center holding grassland valleys. People there cut the sugar reeds and chew the fibers to make the sap come out. Then they dry the sap in the sunshine and sell these brown sugar rocks to Sheba. Nubian priests have been using these sugar rocks in aiding stomachaches. They also crush these rocks to make a medicine for sailor sickness by adding it to a mixture of water and lemon fruit juice. Often sailors will get sea spots on their skin and bleeding of the teeth when away from land for over a month. If they don’t find land to find fruits or even oysters found in coral reefs, they end up very weak and eventually die. This is why there is fear of getting lost at sea and missing the location of an island. He wanted to investigate this medicine for his sailors and set up a trade route for it. The snows were serious this season and the family worked hard on their crafts to sell in the marketplace. Shell beads, ivory figures, colorful blankets, and dolls from clothing scraps. Ilio took his family ice fishing, sledding, skiing, and ice skating. Edwina made them snow cream and served it to guests coming by to sing for the approaching Winter Solstice. Every singer was given a clay cup of spiced cider and roasted chestnuts.
Azriel, his wife Amariah, and Ateas joined the elf court winter solstice festival. Many of the forest elves slept on the floor of Ilio’s great hall and helped prepare for the feast he hosted. They brought apple sauce, roasted walnuts and chestnuts, fruit preserves, fruit tarts, mince pies, breads, butter, honey cakes, cheese, jars of vegetables and roots, and roasted deer. Edwina prepared roasted rabbits, fruit cakes, and nut bread loaves for the overnight guests. The children help decorate the halls and chambers with evergreens. Garlands were decorated with white mistletoe and red holly berries, red ribbons, and ivy. They decorated small evergreen trees with spiced apples, sprigs of holly, strings of berries, and ribbons. Recently, glass makers in Adea and Kara have been creating glass spiral pendants by pouring melted glass along a clay covered metal rod. These glass spirals were also hung on the trees. As the final touch, knitted mittens and mufflers were placed on the trees for the guests to take home.
The Dacians loved learning the Lotan tradition of hitting a ball with poles across the river ice while wearing ice skates. Adding their traditions, they taught the elves taffy pulling. Leftover maple sugar from last winter’s maple tapping was boiled until it hardened. Then it was lengthen on tables by people pulling at opposite ends. A tradition from trading with Nubian Queen Chloe was candied fruit. Cherries, ginger roots, raspberries, blueberries, and juniper berries were soaked in heated honey and cooled to create a hardened coating. In Nubia, many fruits and peels of fruits are preserved this way are a grand treat during festivals. The Winter Solstice fell in the growing of crops season so fruits were freshly preserved at the time.
Ginger flavored breads, cakes, and candies were widely eaten by all. Ilio was quite fond of their ginger tea with a spoonful of honey stirred in. Elves from the nearby elf villages came by with gifts for family. Ilio left to deliver his gifts for his villagers giving each one three gold coins. All the sailors of his fourteen ships scattered among the islands received a gift of a gold ring as they hauled the ships into the sheds for the winter. The morning of the festival was buzzing from excitement of cooking the feast. Apple fritters, berry tarts, sauces, gravy, butter, cheese wheels, breads, pies, snow cream, honey, maple syrup, roasted seeds and nuts, and cakes were placed on the wood dining hall. Twisted bread with sticky coating was finished. Plum pudding was taken out of the copper pot. Gourds, vegetables, and roots were boiled and placed on the tables. Four geese were roasted and sliced. Ale, mead, cider, and wine were brought up from the cellar and spices added. Midafternoon, the household and overnight guests bathe in the heated pool chamber with sponges and lavender soaps. The Dacians did not know about these before. Ilio explained many homes along the South Seas have heated pools and fountains. Everyone on the island is dressed in their finest fur and wool clothing. Leather boots have been oiled and silver tableware brightly polished.
The festival guests wait for the master in the drawing room. Ilio’s family come downstairs and led the people to the temple. The High Priestess Amariah praises the festival of returning light and everyone receives a beeswax candle. They light their candles with the torches along the wall. Celebration songs are sung and music is played. Prayers for the health and prosperity of the islanders are spoken. Incense and flowers are burned to carry the prayers to the gods. The ceremony complete, the islanders return to Ilio’s home. A log is lit in the central fire pit and the story of the Holly King bringing life back to plants for the elves to gather after many years of ice fields. The Holly King brings gifts to those who leave a basket at the window full of hay and carrots for his flying horse to celebrate this time. Then music played and the guests danced. Through the evening, they ate from the tables and drank from copper cups. Food was stored in their baskets and decorations removed from the tree. The local elves left as the house settled into sleeping arrangements. Baskets were set on window sills. In the morning, everyone placed their gifts in the baskets. Dolls, clothing, bows and arrows, pottery, jewelry, and figurines were common gifts. A morning meal of mush and milk began the day of winter entertainments of snowball fights and sledding for the happy islanders. The children played with their new toys and the guests returned home. Azriel and Ateas asked to tag along with Ilio’s planned journey to Sheba. Winter continued on with gathering wood for making bows and tapping trees for maple syrup. The Dacians were happy to eat maple candy frozen in the snow. Spring came with heavy rains and planting season began.
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