The Ascension

"Master, what is that?" Alara asked as Aila sat at the table with the large piece of gold ore.

"A metal. Most people don't know what it is, but I recognize this metal. It's called gold. Where I come from, gold is more valuable then silver, and at one time in the past, it was weighed against all coins." Aila said. and instead of cutting the gold, she stretched and flattened it out.

"Okay. So..." She pursed her lips. "What do you plan to do with it?"

"Watch." Aila said. "Mostly, I will learn about it. I'm not sure I can do what I want, but I will try." Once it was flattened, she cut it into thin strips, and flattened it again. Once it was cut again, Aila wondered if she could do what she wanted to do with it. She could make links, like chain mail, or she could make a braid.

"Hm, no, I can't make a braid without turning it into a thread. So that won't work." She put her chin on her hand, and thought for a moment. "Can I make chain mail?"

"Chain mail?"

"It's a type of armor made of small rings. If the rings are small enough, it can make something delicate." Aila tapped her chin, and tried. She frowned as thin bands of gold turned into dust one after another.

"Master, how do you make the rings for chain mail?" Alara asked, as she noticed that Aila was getting frustrated.

"Hm, I don't know." She answered honestly.

"Okay, so if you don't know, you won't be able to do something because you're not picturing it, right? Isn't that how you said you do things? A firm picture?" Aila closed her eyes.

"Alara."

"Yes, Master?" She asked in a small voice.

"Come closer." Aila said. Alara cleared her throat, and leaned in. She was pushed in closer by wind elements, and felt Aila's arm slip around her waist. She heard Aila inhale a slow deep breath, and sigh.

"Master?" Alara asked shyly as Aila had pulled her even closer, and her hands roamed over her belly.

"I needed to hear your reminder." She sighed a bit. "If I keep trying to brute force something delicate, it will never work." She buried her face in Alara's hair, and inhaled her scent again.

"So what are you going to do, Master?"

"I'm going to make a tool to help me. A rod to wrap the wire around. I can cut them easily, so all I need to do is make the coils of gold wire, cut them, and weave them." Aila smiled, and put her hand on the back of Alara's head. She kissed her passionately, and sucked a little on her lip.

"Do you want to help?"

* * *

"Gold is flexible and soft, but it hardens easily. Bent too much, pull or twist too much, and it will break." Aila said. She held an iron rod she made so that the rings could be half the diameter of her index finger.

"Take the wire I made, hold one end with your finger on the rod. That's it. Now, take your first finger of your other hand and press right there. Good. Now, roll your second finger forward. See how it's curved the wire?" Aila said.

"Yes, Master. It's nice and round like the rod." Alara said.

"Now, don't turn the rod. Take your thumb and hold it in place. Wrap your finger around from behind. That's it. You now hold it on the other side with your finger. Run it around until it meets where you're holding it with your first finger. See? Your first ring." Aila said. Alara smiled wide.

"Do I cut it now?" She asked.

"Nope. Keep doing that same thing, and add more rings. As you make each new ring, push the wire so that each ring will touch each other. This will allow you to make a coil. When you run out of wire, or it breaks, then you can use a knife to cut it. I can cut it for you, but a knife is just as good." Aila said. "Also, if you don't feel confident to cut it, just ask Kaala. Her hands are really steady. This will allow you to make rings when I have other things to do." Aila watched as Alara slowly adapted to the work, and soon had one full coil completed. It ended up being twelve rings.

"Um, Kaala?" Alara called out.

"Yes, Raa?" Kaala came over and leaned down. Alara smiled and blushed when she heard her nickname.

"Master said I could cut this coil with a knife, but I'm not confident enough to do it. Can you cut it for me?" She asked. Kaala pursed her lips.

"I can, but I'm used to cutting meat, not metal. Shaala has more experience in cutting fabric, and threads. She would do this better than I can. Give me a minute." She leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I'll go get her."

"Master." Alara said, her cheeks red.

"Yes, Raa?" Aila asked. Alara felt more heat in her cheeks.

"Thank you for bringing us home. My sister and I have never been treated with consideration, or affection like this." She smiled, and grasped Aila's thigh. "I'm really happy here."

"All of us are happy that you and your sister are here too." Shaala said as she appeared right when Alara spoke. "Master no longer worries so much since she brought you home." Aila frowned and poked Shaala's side.

"Sh. You're not allowed to tell on me." She said, but Shaala laughed.

"Master, you can't tell me to do something like I'm supposed to obey, but also say that I'm not a slave, or a servant anymore." Aila blushed.

"So mean." She pouted, and her cheeks puffed out. Alara laughed lightly, a twinkle entering her eyes.

"This is so relaxed." She sighed, and slowly, her smile faded. "Every day, I saw Ivadra fade before my eyes. She grew weaker, and older, even though she's my age. We were prisoners in our own home. Our mom died when we were young, and didn't even know her name. Now we know she didn't even have one." Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Aila felt an indescribable pain when she saw those tears.

As the pain flowed through her heart, and clogged her throat, she also had a random thought enter her mind.

'They didn't have names given to them. Why can't I name them for my wives? Those bastards, the Black Guards, dared to touch their mom years ago, and would have done the same to my girls!' Her emotions were getting chaotic, and all the elemental essence types she possessed became agitated. Her eyes clouded, turned smoky, until they finally turned gray, like the mist that brought her to this world.

"Tana." Her voice vibrated, as did the entire house. "Mother of Ivadra, mother of Alara. I give you the name of Tana. Mena, sister of Tana, aunt of Alara and Ivadra, my wives. May Imera let you both rest in peace." Alara laid her head on Aila's shoulder, and started to sob.

"Thank you, Master, for telling me my mom's name."