《Forever》


 Chapter 1

    I grew up in the forest, with only an old man and the creatures for company. He taught me everything -- speaking, writing, dancing, fighting, magic, politics, math, any subject he felt I would need upon leaving the forest. I learned every language used on Aldaein, every fighting style to ever exist, and every magic spell he could find, but I also learned things he referred to as ¡®common¡¯: how to judge weather patterns, how to communicate with plants and animals, where the best places to find food are, etc. In short, he taught me how to survive. However, because it was just us, he never gave me a name and he never told me his. When I asked, he said I could give him a title, so I simply called him Grandfather.


    Three months ago, on my eighth birthday, he died. I realized quickly that I shouldn¡¯t stay in the forest. Being alone, even with the local fauna as company, would be enough to drive everyone crazy. He had once told me of a magic school to the east, where all the races learned magic and the arts and dragons found their riders. He never did tell me exactly what my race was, but he did once mention a racial affinity to nature ¡®unique to my race.¡¯ I had never pressed him on it, though, because it didn¡¯t seem all that important.


    I began to prepare. In the process, I found a letter tucked into one of his drawers. ¡°In the event of my death,¡± the envelope read, ¡°please deliver to Master Damarian Lee of the Golden Arcs School for Magic.¡± I tucked it into my bag. At least I had somewhere to go. I gathered no food or water (I could find those myself) and I didn¡¯t dare touch his spell components (he had permanent magical locks on those); instead, I packed only my clothes. Then I started walking east.


    A week ago, I stood at the edge of the forest that forms part of the school¡¯s land. My companions, both feline and canine in nature, stood beside me. I skulked up behind a man who appeared to be the Headmaster and waited. When he sensed my presence, he stood straight with a start and turned to find me holding out the letter. He took it from me without a word and led me back to a building labeled ¡°Administration.¡± I haven¡¯t seen him since.


    Now I stand at his office doors. For the past week, I have been dodging the questions of every teacher on campus. I would fully admit that I don¡¯t trust them, except that it¡¯s been three months since I¡¯ve spoken to anyone and I refuse to open my mouth now just because some random people decided I should. Because of my training, I¡¯m the observant type naturally and nothing I¡¯ve seen proves to me they¡¯re trustworthy. Today, I¡¯ve been asked to come and speak - no, ¡°communicate somehow¡± - with the Headmaster.


    I slip through his office doors with barely a creak and stand in the corner farthest away from him. He beckons me, but I don¡¯t move, and he sighs. ¡°Girl, he left something for you. But first, do you have a name?¡±


    I refrain from giving him even the slightest indication one way or the other, simply watching him with a cautious, nay, suspicious eye. The old man may have trusted this Master Damarian Lee, but I simply don¡¯t.


    Thirty minutes later, he groans and looks at the clock. I haven¡¯t moved, but it seems he has another appointment coming. ¡°You should go,¡± he says. ¡°The next visitor is a man whose son is a particularly rare type of dragon. He is very protective.¡± I still don¡¯t move. ¡°Okay, well if you want to watch, follow me to the next room over. It¡¯s larger so you and he both won¡¯t feel as crowded.¡±


    And I do. His comments have piqued my curiosity. Why would a full-grown dragon be afraid of small spaces? They stop randomly shifting when they finish puberty, after all. I follow him out and down the hall to the next door. The room we step into is extremely large and appears to be set up for a school dance with blue and gold decorations, several tables set up for small groups, long tables for refreshments, and some long, low couches for resting all spread out around the room. There is a lamp on each table glowing a faint golden color and the overhead lights are off to create a somewhat romantic atmosphere and the entire administration is present though seated. He walks over to one of the small tables and gestures for me to take a seat. I shake my head and make my way to the right-hand end of a long couch where I can see the whole room.


    We don¡¯t have to wait long before his visitor enters. I lift an eyebrow slightly - the man before me doesn¡¯t look the type to be claustrophobic. He¡¯s tall and broad-shouldered with black hair and dark eyes, much like the Headmaster, but where Master Damarian appears exhausted, this man looks kind and friendly (if a bit scared at the moment).


    Behind him are three boys, two girls and a woman who could only be his wife. She has beautiful honey-coloured hair and sparkling blue eyes. One of the daughters, the youngest by appearance, appears to be identical to her, one of the boys mimics his father, another has his mother¡¯s hair and his father¡¯s eyes, and the other girl has hair the color of maple syrup and pretty blue eyes, but it¡¯s the last child, standing kind of separate, who catches my attention. He has black hair and sparkling blue eyes in a perfect blending of his parents, with his mouth turned up slightly as his brothers shove each other around. His eyes are scanning the room when the latch onto me. His face lights up, but then he glances around and realizes he¡¯s yet to greet the Headmaster. The entire family is almost seated when the two boys start fighting. The mother groans and takes them outside, leaving only the blue-eyed boy sitting with his father.


    I sat pretty far away from them, but the room is suddenly so silent that I hear every word perfectly. ¡°I can¡¯t control his magic anymore,¡± the father says. ¡°What he really needs is a friend with magic strong enough to counter his, but most people are scared of him. I¡¯m worried that when he enters school in six years, he¡¯ll be alone and still be too volatile for proper training.¡± Immediately every teacher in the rooms starts talking.


    The boy groans, climbs out of his chair, and begins circling the room, though one of the teachers continues to watch him closely. He stops by the long table and grabs a couple of water bottles. His eyes set on me again and he grins, jogging over. As he comes over, I pull back, and he pauses with a confused expression before redirecting himself to the other end of the long couch.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    I¡¯m watching him carefully now. Most of the other people avoided me after they discovered that I don¡¯t like being touched and I don¡¯t trust them. The rest went to the other extreme and tried to act like I was perfectly normal, touching me too much even for regular people. He¡¯s different, though, and he seems like he¡¯s trying to find that perfect balance that only my Grandfather has ever found.


    As he sits down, he¡¯s watching me just as closely. ¡°Hey,¡± he calls softly. ¡°You seem like you need a drink. Do you want my extra water bottle?¡± He holds up the unopened bottle he took from the table. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the teacher watching us nudge her neighbor. I give the boy a slight nod, wondering what he¡¯ll do next. He tries to hold it out to me, but I flinch, and he pulls his hand back, frowning a little. Then his face lights up. He sets the water bottle down on its side and rolls it to me down the couch. My eye widens a bit and I almost smile. Opening it is a challenge. Which direction is it supposed to turn? I hear a quiet chuckle and look toward him to find him demonstrating on his own bottle. I imitate his motions and the lid comes off easily.


    I offer him a slight smile and he grins in return. ¡°My name¡¯s Alekai,¡± he says. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡± I open my mouth as if to speak before closing it again. He seems to nod. ¡°Oh, wait,¡± he says, scrambling through his bag. ¡°Here! You can write it out.¡± He hands me a notepad and pencil.


    My eye widens again as I take them from him. What he isn¡¯t realizing is that I don¡¯t have a name and that¡¯s exactly what I write. ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s kinda strange, but also really cool. What would you choose to be called? I mean, if you don¡¯t have a name, couldn¡¯t you just pick your own?¡± I stare at him. Why didn¡¯t that occur to me?


    I consider carefully and remember the name of my Grandfather¡¯s wife. I never met her, but she was the only person from outside the forest that he ever told me the name of. I hand him the notepad with two words written on it. ¡°Evangeliqua Greenstone¡±. I hope Grandfather wouldn¡¯t mind. Alekai smiles. ¡°That¡¯s a really pretty name! But it¡¯s really long. Can I call you Eva?¡± I turn a light pink color and nod. Then I write, ¡°Only if I can call you Lex.¡± He laughs.


    We sit quietly until he says brightly, ¡°My favorite color is green. What about you?¡± I look around and point to a woman in a purple dress. He looks confused until I tug at my shirt. ¡°Oh, purple,¡± he realizes. ¡°I¡¯m sure that looks great with your red hair. Hmmm¡­¡± He trails off.


    And this is how we spend the next hour. He¡¯ll tell me something about himself, ask me the corresponding question, and I¡¯ll come up with some way to respond. It gets easier when he tells me he knows sign language, but I think I¡¯m amusing him with all the different methods of communication I¡¯m coming up with - sign language, charades, writing, pointing, gesturing wildly, and others - since he seems to constantly be on the verge of laughing. Throughout the interaction, I notice the teachers watching us; they seem confused over something.


    Eventually, though, the Alekai¡¯s father and the Headmaster finish their conversation. I watch out of the corner of my eye as they stand, shake hands, and turn as if to walk toward us, but the first teacher who was watching us steps in their way. They start to frown, but their expressions turn to shock when they see us sitting calmly. I hear the Headmaster murmur, ¡°She never lets anyone get that close,¡± and a moment later, ¡°and she¡¯s never responded to anything we¡¯ve said. I wonder what¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I hear Alekai¡¯s father respond, ¡°but it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen him that excited, either. Those two are good for each other.¡±


    Alekai stops talking suddenly. I look over at him to find him staring at me. ¡°Sorry, I guess I talk too much,¡± he says. ¡°I seem to have lost you. Where¡¯d you go?¡± I lift the notepad. ¡°Sorry. Lost in my own head, I guess. What were you saying? I got distracted.¡± He smiles. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. I space out sometimes too, especially when the room gets really quiet like this.¡± He pauses. ¡°Do you really not answer anyone?¡±


    I see all of the adults flinch when it registers that we heard every word they said. Apparently they had thought they were being discreet. We share a conspiratorial glance and I write, ¡°How pale do you think they can get?¡± He takes the notepad and the cover of reading my note to whisper, ¡°That depends on how much you heard them say. They¡¯ll freak out if they think we heard everything.¡± I smirk slightly and write, ¡°What if we did hear everything, pretended we didn¡¯t, and just said enough to send them into a panic wondering how much we knew?¡± His eyes widen, and he whispers, ¡°I like the way you think, Eva.¡±


    Then he says louder, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re willing to listen to me, then. I¡¯ve been told that I¡¯m extremely boring.¡± He laughs. ¡°But then, most people are too scared of me to let me come near them in the first place.¡±


    I lift an eyebrow. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t picture you as scary. You¡¯re too kind for that.¡± He looks startled. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever been called that before. I have too much magic and I can¡¯t control it, so people are scared.¡± His father is about as white as a ghost and the Headmaster isn¡¯t looking much better off. ¡°Read this out loud. ¡®I¡¯m too silent and I don¡¯t much like being touched, so people avoid me. They think I¡¯m strange because I didn¡¯t grow up in a civilization like the rest of them.¡¯¡± He lifts an eyebrow but reads it anyway. We see the entire room turn as pale as a sheet and he hides a grin behind my notepad. ¡°Wow. Is that why you didn¡¯t have a name?¡± I nod.


    Finally his father intervenes. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, Alekai, but your mother¡¯s waiting for us. You can come back another day if you want, but we have to go for now.¡±


    Alekai turns to me. ¡°Sorry, Eva. Can we talk like this again soon? Oh, I should give you a way to contact me¡­¡± He trails off. Borrowing my notepad, he quickly scribbles his phone number, email, and home address. ¡°I¡¯ll explain how to use the phone and email next time. Bye, Eva!¡± I hold up a paper. ¡°Bye, Lex!¡± He laughs and follows his dad out of the room.

 Chapter 2

    After Alekai left, I was bombarded with questions. ¡°Why did you talk to him?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he scare you?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you talk to us?¡± ¡°Why did you let him get that close to you?¡± ¡°How come he can interact with you and we can¡¯t?¡± And many others.


    ¡°Ladies, gentlemen! We are teachers, not schoolchildren. Calm yourselves. Perhaps it is adults she mistrusts. Deluging her with questions will only exacerbate the issue.¡± The Headmaster sounds rather cross with them. I wonder why.


    He turns to me. ¡°Now that you have a notepad, are you willing to communicate with us? As I¡¯m sure you can tell, we have many questions for you.¡± I lift an eyebrow. He really thinks I would willingly subject myself to the torrent of questions they will no doubt throw at me? Uh, no. I would rather lose my other eye than answer everything they¡¯re going to ask.


    I¡¯m trying to decide whether or not to respond and if so, how, when help comes from a surprising source. ¡°I believe her mistrust stems from us. We have been less than forthcoming with any information about ourselves, yet we have requested on multiple occasions that she provide explanations of her life. If you put yourselves in her shoes, would you tell us anything?¡± It¡¯s the teacher who¡¯s been watching me all day. ¡°I thought not. Perhaps we should begin with introductions? My name is Torril Mayarna, I am thirty-five years old, and I teach the Magic Usage and Morality classes for all years.¡±


    I look up at him, startled. What the heck is this guy doing? I debate for a moment before grabbing the notepad and pencil Alekai left behind. ¡°Evangeliqua Greenstone. 8. No occupation.¡± I hold up the paper. Crap, what if they think I¡¯ll always answer them now? I don¡¯t want to spend all day answering questions.


    Mr. Mayarna smiles. ¡°Nice to meet you, Evangeliqua. I would offer to shake your hand, but I¡¯m a bit of a germaphobe.¡± Yeah, right, you¡¯re just trying not to have to touch me, I know how this goes. ¡°You look tired, have you been sleeping well?¡±


    This man never ceases to surprise me. ¡°Yes. Unfamiliar. Too enclosed.¡± I¡¯m fully aware that my short responses could be considered rude, but I honestly don¡¯t care. I¡¯ve never been much of a talker.


    ¡°Would you prefer sleeping in the forest? Headmaster claims that¡¯s where you came from, but we didn¡¯t believe him.¡± I nod. ¡°Should we drag a mattress out for you or would you be more comfortable making your own bed?¡± I¡¯m not even surprised at this point, this teacher is so unusual. He¡¯s actually giving me a choice? ¡°Make my own. Don¡¯t search.¡±


    They all look confused for a moment. ¡°Are you telling us not to search for you?¡± ¡°Why the hell would you want to sleep in a forest with the bugs anyway?¡± ¡°Who would want to look for someone like you?¡±


    Mr. Mayarna shakes his head. ¡°Actually, sleeping in the woods sounds like fun. Would you be willing to let me try for a few days before I leave you on your own? I¡¯m rather curious.¡±


    One of the other teachers pipes up, ¡°Trust me, if you don¡¯t let him go with you, he¡¯ll find some other way to try it, and then we¡¯ll all be searching for him, only for him to show up in a few days looking like he just made the greatest discovery ever. It¡¯ll be easier just to invite him along.¡± She notices everyone staring at her. ¡°What? It¡¯s true.¡± She turns to me, extending her hand palm up. ¡°Indira Coscana, age twenty-eight, I teach emotional therapy and shifter hygiene. It¡¯s wonderful to meet you, Evangeliqua.¡±


    I stare at her hand for a moment and she begins to look unsure. She¡¯s about to retract it when I set just the tips of my fingers on her palm. She flinches. ¡°Nervous. You okay?¡± Her eyes widen at my query and she nods. ¡°Yeah. But seriously, wow, you¡¯re really powerful.¡± She hesitates. ¡°Can I call you Eva?¡± Unlike Alekai, she sounds reluctant and scared, as if she thinks I¡¯ll explode. Suddenly I understand what he said about being feared for his power. I nod.


    The Headmaster steps in front of me, causing Mr. Mayarna and Ms. Coscana to step to the sides. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he states. ¡°You already know my name and position. Does my age matter that much?¡± I watch him in silence, trying to gauge his temper.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Actually, Damarian, I think it¡¯s about personality.¡± I lift an eyebrow; can Mr. Mayarna read minds? If not, he¡¯s doing a pretty good job of faking it. ¡°She may already know the names of everyone here by listening to our conversations, but we haven¡¯t displayed our temperaments in any way. Oh, with the exception of being annoyed over her silence and avoiding her like she carries the plague because she was raised in a forest.¡± Everyone present flinches. ¡°I think she wants us to demonstrate who we are by the way we introduce ourselves and our emotions as we do so. Our age and position probably mean nothing.¡±


    All eyes turn to me, but I refuse to give any indications one way or the other. ¡°Mind-reader?¡± I hold it up so that only Mr. Mayarna can read it and he laughs. ¡°Nope. I used to teach Psychology.¡± Color me impressed. ¡°Why stop?¡± His eyes widen at two consecutive questions directed to him, but he smiles. ¡°We hired a new Psych teacher and I started teaching Morality classes instead. It wasn¡¯t a big jump. Morality is part of Psychology, after all.¡± I nod slightly before turning my attention back to the confused-looking Headmaster.


    He sighs. ¡°Damarian Lee, age one hundred thirty-three, Headmaster of the Golden Arcs School for Magic. I teach Race Relations and Species Studies classes for seventh- and eighth-year classes. I knew the man who raised you since childhood. He was my best friend¡­ and my brother.¡±


    Everyone stares. I frown. He overdid it. He¡¯s trying to get me to trust him more, but it¡¯s having the opposite effect. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Johanor Greenstone. He-¡± I cut him off. ¡°Wife?¡± ¡°Yes. Evangelica. She was such a beauty, all the guys-¡± I cut him off again. ¡°Greenstone ? Lee. Brothers?¡± ¡°I¡¯m adopted. He was-¡±


    This time it¡¯s Mr. Mayarna who interrupts him. ¡°Jeez, Damarian, I don¡¯t think she wants any information past what she¡¯s asking about. If you¡¯re trying to use information to make her trust you then you are failing spectacularly.¡± Headmaster Lee seems to wilt like a chastised puppy. ¡°What do I do?¡±


    ¡°What do you do with a wild cat? You let it come to you, not the other way around.¡± I stiffen slightly at being considered wild, but he is right. I am slow to trust and if startled will slice you with the claws I have hidden under my cloak, much like the cat in his analogy. ¡°She uses as few words as possible, so I suggest you do the same.¡± I have to hide a smile. This guy understands me far too well.


    ¡°But, Torril-¡±


    ¡°No buts. Do you want her to trust you or not? You¡¯ll have to be patient, Damarian.¡±


    ¡°I am patient. I¡¯m trying to show patience. Why--¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re patient with us, but you¡¯re not being patient with her because of Johanor. Give her time and space, not information. If you¡¯re going to tell her anything, give her the letter first.¡±


    ¡°Some of that stuff was confidential. She shouldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Who exactly do you think she¡¯s going to tell? Alekai? Even if she did, you know he keeps secrets like he was never told in the first place. It¡¯s not like the whole world is going to find out something terrible just because you handed Johanor¡¯s letter over to the little girl he himself raised. He wouldn¡¯t have put anything too dangerous in it to begin with in case she decided to break trust and peek. Not,¡± he says, turning to me, ¡°that I believe you would ever have done such a thing. You and Johanor had a shared trust that you wouldn¡¯t have broken in this lifetime or the next.¡± I lift an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s clear by the way you stiffen every time we say his name.¡±


    The Headmaster clears his throat. ¡°Fine. Let me go get it. I¡¯m still against this, you know that, Torril?¡±


    Mr. Mayarna nods. ¡°Be quick, Damarian, Evangeliqua¡¯s probably tired of sitting in one spot.¡± the Headmaster walks out. ¡°I know I¡¯d be tired of being cooped up at one end of a couch for hours on end. Oh, right, what should I bring for the forest?¡±


    I stare at him. So he was serious. ¡°A water container and some clothes. Nature has the rest.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I think that¡¯s the longest sentence yet. What¡¯s the secret?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Not telling.¡± I¡¯m glad Mr. Mayarna introduced himself before indicating that he knew Grandfather. I might not have trusted him if that¡¯s what he¡¯d led with.


    The Headmaster walks back in and grudgingly hands me Grandfather¡¯s letter. I read through it carefully three times, writing down the really important parts. Huh. That¡¯s interesting. While there¡¯s some new information, it just brings more questions and nothing in the letter screams, ¡®I¡¯m confidential, nobody can read me!¡¯


    My race is stated, but what exactly is a ¡®forest-born¡¯? Since when do I have siblings, and why have we never met? Their locations are listed. How am I supposed to find them? What is this crazy magic I¡¯m supposed to have? Is that why everyone¡¯s scared? And above all else, who exactly was Johanor Greenstone?

 Chapter 3

    After handing the letter back to the Headmaster, I lead Mr. Mayarna and Ms. Coscana out of the room. Ms. Coscana quickly excuses herself to grade some papers from the previous year, but Mr. Mayarna continues to follow me. ¡°You are very strange. Why are you so interested in me? You were watching me and Alekai before he even sat down.¡±


    His eyes widen at the sight of complete sentences and he sighs. ¡°You are a mystery. I was away on vacation until yesterday, but I heard stories. You showed up and within a week had the staff a mess and Damarian so confused on what to do with you that he hasn¡¯t gotten any work done all week.¡± He pauses. ¡°I think that¡¯s why he let you come to today¡¯s meeting. He thought it might change your perception of us a little. I don¡¯t think he expected Alekai to take such a liking to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up with that? He mentioned that everyone¡¯s scared of him because he¡¯s strong. He said I was the first person in a long time to call him kind, but I can¡¯t imagine him being scary at all. He looks¡­ sad.¡±


    Mr. Mayarna sighs again, more heavily this time. ¡°Alekai used to live with his grandparents. They were unsure of what to do with his strong magic and ended up suppressing it. When his grandparents moved in with his parents, they brought him to us. By then he had little to no control over a force that should have been mostly instinctual. We¡¯ve yet to find ways to help.¡± He considers me. ¡°Although, he likes you. You¡¯re not scared of him and you have more than enough magic to smother his if he gets out of control. Perhaps you could try teaching him? With your background, I expect your methods would be quite unorthodox. Johanor was always good at coming up with unusual solutions to things, something I highly suspect he passed on.¡±


    I hide a smile as I nod. Grandfather had some of the most innovative and strange ideas, possibly ever. In his words, ¡°Think outside the box. When the whole population tries to fit inside, it gets really crowded and there¡¯s no space for anything new. If you stay outside, then you get a whole new perspective on the world.¡±


    I write this out and show it to Mr. Mayarna. He laughs. ¡°That¡¯s the same thing he used to tell us, only we were too stubborn to take his words to heart as much as we should have. He¡¯s probably the reason Damarian, Indira and I are considered eccentric. All three of us were friends with him and despite trying to invite the strangest teaching staff we could, we still ended up with some people who consider themselves ¡®normal¡¯. Most of us are round pegs not even bothering to try to fit in the square holes teachers are supposed to fill, but somehow we recruited some square pegs too.¡± He leans closer and whispers, ¡°Between you and me, those so-called ¡®square pegs¡¯ are the ones that students absolutely hate going to class with. Their teaching is so boring, even the other teachers fell asleep trying to listen.¡±


    I stare at him wide-eyed before bursting into silent laughter. My shoulders are shaking, I¡¯m running out of breath and my abdomen hurts from laughing so hard, despite my lack of sound. He watches me, clearly concerned for my health. I stand up straight again. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s been a while since I could laugh like that.¡± My gaze turns distant.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the forest. If you plan to join me, meet me at the place I first appeared, in an hour.¡± I shake my head and walk to the nearest window, swinging my legs out and jumping down, ignoring the fact that this is the seventh floor. Upon landing, I walk to the small garden where I first found the Headmaster and wait silently in the shadow of a tree. He sticks his head out the window to check if I¡¯m okay before nodding and taking off up the stairs at a full run.


    Exactly twenty-seven minutes later, Mr. Mayarna walks out of the building. He makes a beeline straight for the garden. He¡¯s carrying a small bag. Scanning the treeline, I can tell the moment he spots me because he walks over. Checking his watch, he settles down to patiently wait for the rest of the hour, whereupon he stands and offers me a hand up. I get up on my own (much to his embarrassment) and lead him into the forest to a small waterfall with a lake. There¡¯s a cave in the cliff face right next to the stream where we can set up camp.


    He follows me in and watches with awe as I quickly and easily set up a simple cover for the opening. I wave at him and send a meaningful glance at the stream. He startles a little before going to collect water. ¡°Is this safe to drink?¡± I nod. This stream hasn¡¯t been polluted yet, so it¡¯s perfectly fine to drink from. He seems nervous and jumps when I touch his shoulder. ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± he starts, before glancing toward the forest. ¡°I keep feeling like we¡¯re being watched.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Pfft,¡± I write. ¡°This is the forest. Of course we¡¯re being watched. There are always animals around and the plants have eyes too. Relax. None of them will attack.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that for certain?¡±


    I sigh, but it¡¯s a valid question. I pad over to the edge of the clearing and sit, holding out my hand to the myriad creatures assembled in the underbrush. I wait for a solid five minutes before a curious squirrel stretches out his nose to touch my finger. I remain perfectly still and slowly they all surround me, nuzzling my hair and clothes gently. I smile and stand slowly, leading them back to Mr. Mayarna. He sees the crowd and stiffens, moving at snail-speed in an attempt not to scare them. I smirk. ¡°That is a beautiful imitation of a statue. You would make an excellent street performer.¡±


    He laughs a little. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to spook them,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Will they run if I move?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll scare them less if you just move normally. Right now you look like a predator. Act like they¡¯re not here and they¡¯ll relax.¡±


    He nods and begins to move towards the cave at a normal speed, though I can see him watching them out of the corner of his eye the entire time. ¡°Why are they so calm around you? Is it because you¡¯re quiet?¡±


    ¡°My lack of sound actually scares them. It reminds them of predators. They like me because I¡¯m like them - I grew up out here, I don¡¯t smell like cities or pollution, and I act like I¡¯m part of the forest. You, on the other hand, are completely out of place: you smell like a city, you act awkwardly, and you move like frightened prey. They don¡¯t exactly see you as a threat, but they can¡¯t seem to entirely accept you either.¡±


    He considers that for a moment. ¡°What can I do to fix that?¡±


    I hesitate. ¡°Come here. Move quietly. No matter what, don¡¯t flinch.¡± I wait until he does as requested before continuing with, ¡°Sit. Slowly. No sudden moves. Wait for them to approach you first. Don¡¯t reach out to them.¡± He does exactly what I tell him. The animals move with extreme caution as they approach, but gradually overcome their fear and accept his presence.


    ¡°Somehow, I¡¯m reminded of you,¡± he says quietly. ¡°You don¡¯t react well unless you¡¯re given time to consider things - your thoughts, your actions, the situation, the thoughts and actions of others - and you don¡¯t like being prodded or startled.¡±


    I almost smile. ¡°It¡¯s a side effect of living in a place with predators around every corner.¡±


    He nods. ¡°I know.¡± There¡¯s a long moment of silence before he sighs and asks, ¡°Should we gather firewood?¡±


    I stare at him. ¡°There¡¯s no need, tonight will be warm enough without it,¡± I write. ¡°The fire would scare everything away, but it would also make it harder to see beyond the circle of light it would cast. Bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to sit watches, then, in case of predators?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°The animals will warn me if there is a predator, but the cave and my senses should keep us fairly safe even without them.¡± I eye him warily. ¡°Unless it¡¯s you I need to be concerned about?¡±


    He shoots me a horrified look. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t - how could you - why would I - oh, please tell me you¡¯re joking¡­¡±


    I roll my eyes. ¡°Of course I¡¯m joking, but I¡¯m also not as naive as everyone seems to think. Give me some credit - Grandfather and I survived peacefully for years, but he did give me a rather thorough education.¡±


    He grumbles, but subsides easily. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark, I¡¯m going to go lay down. See you in the morning.¡± He stands and walks into the cave, falling asleep almost as soon as his head touches the floor.


    I sit with my friends for a little while longer and eventually fall asleep, curled up on the grass around a small kitten who seems to think I¡¯m its mother. I fully trust the creatures around me to alert me if my own senses fail to recognize danger, but I doubt anything will try to harm me.

 Chapter 4

    A couple days later, I accompany a slightly confused Torril Mayarna back to Golden Arcs. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how you live like that so easily. You seem so natural in the woods, but I felt like a bumbling idiot. Couldn¡¯t you have warned me there were wasps in that tree?! Though I must thank you for healing the stings afterwards.¡±


    I just roll my eye. ¡°I did warn you, you just didn¡¯t read it. It¡¯s not my fault you were in too much of a hurry.¡±


    The Headmaster looks rather bemused as he watches Mr. Mayarna argue with his completely silent companion. ¡°Are you alright, Torril? Did I hear you say wasp stings?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯m fine, Damarian,¡± Mr. Mayarna responds breezily. ¡°Apparently Eva is quite good with plants; she healed me rather easily. Although she refused to heal the rash I gave myself after I tried to use poison ivy to pull myself out of the lake.¡± He winces in memory. ¡°I guess I deserve it, though.¡±


    Headmaster Lee stares. ¡°I was afraid for a moment that you¡¯d tried to use it as toilet paper, but you seem to be in a fine condition. Evangeliqua, I believe Alekai is waiting for you; I have a meeting with his father any moment now.¡±


    Both men start slightly when my eye lights up at the mention of Lex. ¡°Where should I go?¡±


    Headmaster Lee stares, but responds absently, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged to hold the meeting out here, in the garden and the sunlight. Unless you would prefer otherwise?¡±


    These men are far too perceptive. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, especially if you don¡¯t mind us running off into the trees.¡±


    I can tell I¡¯ve caught him off guard again, but he recovers quickly this time. ¡°Of course not. Running will probably do Alekai some good; that boy doesn¡¯t move nearly enough.¡±


    Just then Lex and his dad come around the corner. ¡°Eva!¡± Alekai calls, running to me. He stops about two steps away and lifts his arms. I stare confusedly at the gesture until something in my brain goes click and I realize he¡¯s asking for a hug. Thankfully he doesn¡¯t seem offended by my delayed response. I step forward and lift my arms in return, trying to figure out how people¡¯s bodies are supposed to fit together. He chuckles and presses his hands to the back of my shoulders, pulling me against him.


    It¡¯s a short hug, but warm and gentle; he isn¡¯t holding me there, and I¡¯m not trying to escape. We pull apart and try not to smirk at the bewildered expressions of the surrounding adults, all of whom appear to be in shock. I can sort of understand it - I¡¯m not a touchy-feely person, and he¡¯s generally feared, but we understand each other. He opens his mouth, but I shake my head and grab his hand, tugging him toward the forest.


    To his credit, he doesn¡¯t hesitate, just follows me in silence as I lead him to my waterfall. ¡°Whoa,¡± I hear quietly from behind me. ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s beautiful, Eva,¡± he says in awe.


    I smile at him and reach up a hand, waiting as if for permission before touching his temple. He ducks his head until it touches my hand, then gasps in shock as I reach out mentally and touch his mind. How is she¡­ this is amazing, I hear inside my head. I smirk in return. Isn¡¯t it though? I murmur telepathically.


    He grins, a beautiful, blinding expression of joy. Now we can talk without disturbing the wildlife!


    Speaking of, I say dryly, you move almost as silently through the forest as I do. You sure you were raised in a city?


    It¡¯s a rhetorical question, but he answers it anyway. Yeah, he says, about as sure as I can be. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d forget it if I hadn¡¯t been. My mom¡¯s never lived anywhere but a city, and I grew up with her, so I must¡¯ve been raised in one.


    I roll my eye. You didn¡¯t actually have to answer, doofus, I grumble. I was being sarcastic.


    He smiles. I know.


    We sit in silence for a few minutes, but I get a sudden urge to play with my magic. I hear a gasp from my partner as I lift my hand and a bubble of water in the center of the pond follows. I shoot him a mischievous grin and flick my wrist at him. He gasps again as he gets thoroughly soaked, but then his eyebrows furrow together and he focuses. He lifts a shaky hand and all of the water slowly lifts out of his clothes. He glances at me as if expecting me to recoil in fear, but I just smirk at him. He sends the water flying toward me.


    That¡¯s how we spend the next couple hours. When we tire of playing with water, we begin experimenting with other magics - air, fire, earth, nature, lightning, sound, light, energy, force, etc. We¡¯re still messing around when the adults decide to follow the sound of Alekai¡¯s laughter. They step into our clearing and just stare in shock at the sight.


    I guess from their perspective it is funny - a girl and a boy both entirely soaked, with the lake suspended over our heads as a ceiling, arches of fire and swirling columns of air as alternating supports, earth magic forming a table, chairs made of energy, rainbows as chandeliers, sound magic creating beautiful music, a force field as a net, throwing a ball of solidified lightning magic back and forth in a game of makeshift volleyball. When the adults shift to their magic sight, it¡¯s plain to see that we¡¯re both supporting all of these things, with our magic wrapped around each other, working together in tandem to keep our little world from falling apart.


    ¡°Alekai?¡± We know they¡¯re there, we¡¯re simply ignoring them. We glance toward them at the sound of his name, but we¡¯re having too much fun to stop. I smirk. Hey Lex! I think they¡¯re in shock.


    His grin only gets wider. I know. I don¡¯t think they knew we could wield this much magic. I usually suppress mine, and you haven¡¯t used any around them before; they¡¯re used to us being shy and reserved, but now we¡¯re just running free.


    He throws the ball at me again. This time, I execute a perfect pirouette, finishing with a high kick to send the ball careening back at him. He lifts an amazed eyebrow. I didn¡¯t know ballet could be used for sports.


    I shrug and bounce his next toss off my elbow. While this is fun, the sun is nearly down. I¡¯m aware that our magic will continue to provide us light, but it also acts as a beacon. We should probably wind down; your family will be wanting to go home soon.


    He looks toward the edge of the forest, where his mother and siblings have joined his father, the Headmaster, and the teachers. I guess. He looks sad for a moment before lighting up with an idea. ¡°Would you like to come home with me? I would love to continue practicing.¡± Sensing my reticence, he adds, ¡°Mom¡¯s cooking is excellent. Yes, I know you can cook for yourself, but she¡¯s planning meatloaf tonight, and I wouldn¡¯t want you to miss that.¡±


    I pause. Did you realize that you spoke out loud just now instead of telepathically? And yes, I¡¯ll come with you.


    He gives a start. ¡°Did I? Oh, I guess I did. Wait, you¡¯ll come? Awesome!¡± He turns and calls to his mom. ¡°Did you make enough meatloaf to share with Eva, too?¡± His distraction almost earns him a lightning ball to the head, but his magic catches it in time, and he turns back to me. ¡°If she didn¡¯t, then you can have my share and I¡¯ll find something else to eat. By the way, did you know that it¡¯s unsportsmanlike - or I guess in your case unsportswomanlike - to throw something at someone who isn¡¯t looking?¡±


    I roll my eye. Slow down, I mutter. I know you¡¯re excited, but talking 300 words per minute just confuses whoever you¡¯re talking to. Even I¡¯m having trouble keeping up with you, and I¡¯m not exactly slow.


    He grins. Come on, we should start dismantling this place so it doesn¡¯t collapse when we leave.


    I smirk. Or we could just tie off the magic and leave it all up.


    He stares at me in shock, the lightning ball forgotten in his hands. That¡¯s possible?


    Of course, I say, a bit confused. Why didn¡¯t he know that? Then I remember. I forgot how much you don¡¯t know yet. It doesn¡¯t matter anyway; leaving it floating will only deprive the animals of their water source.


    He lifts an eyebrow. I have an idea, but to do it right, it¡¯ll take our combined strength - your control and my imagination. Will you lend me your control for a moment, and your trust?


    I know he understands the weight of his request - I don¡¯t offer trust easily, and now he¡¯s asking for a lot of it, but I somehow feel comfortable with him, and something inside of me urges me to trust him, to let him borrow my control. It¡¯s like my subconscious can sense that he¡¯ll create something of beauty instead of destruction. I hesitate only a moment longer, my instincts warring with years of trained distrust, before saying quietly, Whatever you¡¯re going to do, be quick.


    His eyes widen - I guess he hadn¡¯t expected me to agree - and he nods. We must be a strange sight to the adults; as far as they can see, we¡¯re standing silently, staring at each other across a force field net, unmoving. He reaches out mentally, and I hand him my control. I close my eye and follow the magic, deciding to watch his actions through the strands of the spell he¡¯s weaving.


    I watch in wonder as he manipulates our combined magic into a rather impressive spell. The columns collapse and re-form with staircases and ramps winding up to the floating lake. Our pavilion solidifies - well, as much as rainbows, energy, fire, and air can solidify - and I can tell that the magic will remain unless we dismantle it. I can also tell that neither of us could undo this spell alone because our magic is intertwined throughout. I think quietly for a moment, and he asks, What are you considering so carefully?


    I open my eye. Can I borrow your trust in return? For this to work, we have to do it together.


    He appears startled. Is there something wrong with my spellwork? He looks rather frightened by the very idea of doing his magic incorrectly. I kind of understand - he¡¯s been told for so long now that he¡¯s dangerous that he automatically assumes someone will get hurt if he uses even the slightest bit of magic. I find myself saddening at the thought.


    No, I say, but if you want it to last after our deaths and without our support, this is very nearly the only way. Your spellwork is fine, I¡¯m just improving upon the idea a little.


    He relaxes. Eva, you¡¯ve always had my trust. Do whatever you¡¯re planning - I know you won¡¯t hurt me.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I offer him a slight smile. Closing my eye, I reach out to everything around us: plants, animals, Madira (our planet) itself, the magic the floats around and encompasses everything. I feel the slow-moving, ancient and powerful being that is the planet. I don¡¯t particularly want to wake it up, just give it the spell, but I worry that the former will happen in the process of attempting the latter.


    I feel more than hear Lex¡¯s gasp. ¡°Eva, what is that?¡± He asks out loud, as if fearing his telepathic voice would wake the sleeping ground. I smile, a bigger one this time. That, dear friend, is Madira. She slumbers, but two small, telepathic voices will not wake her. That¡¯s not our goal anyway. Come back. In his fear, he has withdrawn himself from the connection. He hesitantly reaches back toward me and feels the web that connects me to every living thing in the forest except the humans. He wonders briefly why I didn¡¯t include them before understanding. Only nature knows what to do with something of beauty. Humans mostly know destruction and plundering and would be trying to take it for themselves somehow - which, by the way, is impossible.


    Using my mental connection, I ask the creatures and plants, We wish to create a thing of beauty. Will you support us?


    I wait. I can tell Alekai doesn¡¯t fully believe that we¡¯ll receive a response until he hears a soft voice say, What are you creating? Will it benefit us at all? How will it benefit the humans? Apparently the creatures have chosen an ancient and wise tree as their spokesperson, something which awes Lex greatly. I don¡¯t think he ever imagined he¡¯d be holding negotiations with a Guardian of the Forest.


    Greetings, Ancient One. I did not expect one so wise as yourself to communicate with a small being like me. I can hear the Guardian chuckle deeply in my mind at the flattery, but he holds his peace and waits for me to continue. This is what we are attempting to create. I show him an image of the magical pavilion. We would complete this spell on our own, but we are relatively short-lived compared to the forest itself, and we wish this spell to outlast us. We wish for the forest to support it freestanding as a reflection of the beauty of the forest and its creatures. We have prepared methods for the creatures to continue accessing water despite being high in the air, and the spell is sturdy enough to support swimming animals so long as they do not fall out the bottom. I do not have an answer as to how this may benefit you, and I regret to admit that I may not have fully considered the consequences. I can feel his surprise at my confession; most humans refuse to admit their own wrongdoings. I can however say with certainty that the spell itself in no way benefits any humans¡­ though my friend and I do enjoy using the pavilion as a meeting place. I cannot say for absolutely certain that no one will find a way to profit off its presence, but they will not benefit from the spell itself.


    There is a long pause in which I¡¯m certain the Ancient One communicates all that I have said to the other creatures and plants that are listening. I can almost sense them having a conference just outside of my hearing, but I make no effort to listen in. Alekai says quietly, That was one heck of a speech. I didn¡¯t know you knew fancy dictum like that. He pauses. I also hadn¡¯t realized you¡¯d considered all of the possibilities. By the way, how are you communicating with the forest creatures themselves? I wasn¡¯t aware that was possible.


    I smile at him mentally. I consider the forest and everyone or everything in it my friends, so when I was very little, I learned how to speak with them. They are very important to me and I was happy to forge the connection, even as a toddler. Speaking with the beings in the forest is a wonderful experience, though I must say I¡¯m rather surprised - I¡¯ve never had the privilege of speaking with a Forest Guardian before.


    I¡¯m sorry, Forest Guardian? I haven¡¯t heard that term before. Alekai sounds confused. Is that another name for the Ancient Ones?


    To my surprise, before I can decide how to explain, the ancient tree cuts in and does so for me. We are ancient and powerful, yes; all Ancient Ones are. The Guardians of the Forest, however, are each tied to their own woods. There is only one of us per forest and we are directly intertwined with the creatures, or ¡®beings¡¯ as you said it, in our care. We are only as powerful as those who reside within our borders and have been known, in times of great distress, to defend our territory. You could think of us as extremely ancient trees who have over time become the conscious and conscience of the forest as a whole. We are each directly tied to Mother Madira and her life source. We are the only tree in each forest that even elves would find nigh impossible to cut down, though we can uproot ourselves and relocate if need be. Does my explanation satisfy your curiosity, young one?


    Alekai appears to be more than satisfied, actually he seems to be in a little bit of shock, so I speak for him. Thank you, Guardian, my mental voice takes on a teasing but respectful tone, though I think you may have overwhelmed him. My friend is unused to communicating with the spirits of the forest. Your explanation was certainly thorough, and I am glad you have explained, for I must confess that though I have known other forests, I was not entirely clear on the difference. I would surely have embarrassed myself had I attempted to explain and done so incorrectly, especially when you who understands was listening. I find myself smiling. May I ask, have you come to a decision?


    The Guardian seems to smile, as much as can be conveyed over a telepathic connection, anyway. We have. We will assist you in your spell. I have asked Mother Madira to send a small part of her consciousness and internalize the spell, so that your work of beauty shall last even longer than this forest.


    I gasp. Th-thank you, Ancient One. I would not have dared to ask the Mother herself. Please, would you examine the spell to ensure its construction? I wouldn¡¯t want any mistakes.


    I hear a low chuckle across the bond, and a low, rolling, feminine voice says gently, I shall inspect your spellwork myself, young one. It is finely crafted. It is the boy-child beside you who created it with the intertwining of your powers, yes? Just as you have mixed your magic together to contact this forest¡¯s Guardian.


    My mental self seems to open and close its mouth several times before I find my voice again. Next to me, Lex has allowed the lightning ball to fizzle out in his shock. I sense several other presences that weren¡¯t there before. Reaching, I discover Headmaster Lee and Alekai¡¯s family, all of them concerned for us as we have been standing stock-still for far longer than they believed possible. I hesitate.


    Then the Mother says, Let them in. They will not harm me, and though I will not allow them to fuel the spell, they may interfere if they become too worried. So I invite the adults into our shared mind-space and wait for them to recognize the situation.


    Alekai speaks first. We were setting up a spell, and we had this brilliant idea for keeping it anchored. I wonder for a moment if he¡¯s trying to take credit away from me by saying ¡®we¡¯ had the idea, but then I realize that he¡¯s unsure of their reaction and is preparing to spread the blame away from me if the adults are upset. His defense makes me smile a bit.


    And what idea would that be, son? Alekai¡¯s father asks.


    We were asking the forest and the beings residing in it to support the spell so that it will last until the forest falls. The Guardian of this forest spoke as their representative, and agreed to help us, but he also went one step further and asked Mother Madira to help us with the spell. She says she¡¯ll -- what was it again? Alekai trails off.


    The Mother understands. He doesn¡¯t want it to sound like he¡¯s giving her an order, so he¡¯s asking her to tell them her intentions herself. I didn¡¯t know goddesses read human social cues, but she nails it. I have decided to internalize their spell. The magic has been so carefully woven that it will cause me no harm or discomfort and internalizing it will make it stand for longer than any spell a human could cast alone. She pauses as if sensing all of the potential questions - the most common of which would likely be ¡®why¡¯ - and continues, These two are young and powerful. I have chosen to help them because they are attempting to create a thing of beauty, one which will stand as a testament not only to their power and our relationship, but as in their own words a ¡®reflection of the beauty of the forest and its creatures¡¯, something I admire and appreciate. Humans so rarely care for their environment anymore. Her voice grows a bit more powerful and intimidating. I wish for it to be known that so long as these two continue to side with light, beauty, and good, they have my complete support. Do not cross me. They are powerful and I know that scares you, but they will not harm an innocent soul. Her voice relaxes. Shall we do magic? She asks me.


    I grin. Absolutely! I can¡¯t restrain my enthusiasm and Lex is excited too. We swirl our magic together even tighter than before. I feel the Guardian helping shape the spell, and Mother Madira anchors it. I sense every being in the forest offering help, combining powers and strength to form a rather impressive piece of spellwork. I don¡¯t open my eye, but I can feel when our spell becomes permanent, the foundations of our pavilion digging themselves into the ground. Madira seems to take a step back, as if to examine our work with a nod, before saying sleepily, I¡¯ll retreat for now. This was a lot of fun; I hope you contact me again soon. Don¡¯t forget, I promised my support!


    Alekai and I can tell that her words are for our minds only and that the adults didn¡¯t hear it, so we answer in a roundabout fashion. Thank you for your help, milady, I say quietly and with respect. Alekai continues, We appreciate your assistance, and your support. We can sense her satisfaction and we both smile.


    Opening our eyes, we see that the columns and arches do indeed now have stairs and ramps, respectively, and the pavilion is far more grand than we originally built it, but it¡¯s not overdone. The magic - still with fiery arches, columns of air, energy chairs and rainbow chandeliers - is more solid now, and the animals scampering up the fire-clad ramps seem unharmed by the heat. I reach out to touch it and discover with relief that Mother Madira has changed it to a cold fire, though it retains its original color scheme. The entire place now has a flowing elegance, as if it were formed naturally no matter how strange a lake is for a roof. I look up and my eye widens at the sight of small animals already swimming around in it.


    I can sense the Mother preparing to leave, and I reach out mentally to catch her, then pull back at my own presumption. She laughs. Young one, you need not fear me; what is it you wish to ask?


    I hesitate. Can - can we make this a place of peace, where bloodshed and killing are forbidden and prey can swim alongside predators without fear? I¡­ for some reason, I don¡¯t want this place to be bloodied, even for something as natural as hunting for survival. At the same time, I can understand that many creatures would see this as a sort of shrine, and would want to come to your embrace here, so I would only ask to forbid killing, not death. I pause and blush. Wow, this sounds kinda selfish and particular, doesn¡¯t it?


    No, Mother Madira whispers, and I think I hear tears in her voice. No, it¡¯s not selfish at all. It¡¯s selfless, and it shows a kindness and desire for peace that I rarely see in humans. Yes, I will do as you ask; it will not even require anything from you, or me, really.


    Another voice breaks in. I will help. I startle at the Ancient One¡¯s voice. Please warn your companions to expect my arrival. I will be planting myself beside your pavilion to help ensure that your peace is maintained.


    I almost tear up in gratitude, but I successfully restrain my emotions. I look at Alekai and start to lift my hand, but he¡¯s already nodding and telling the others. There are some benefits to a telepathic connection. Thank you. We are ready for you, Guardian, I state respectfully. Not half an hour later, what must be the largest and grandest tree in the forest comes into the clearing. To the surprise of the adults (Alekai¡¯s siblings are still staring in wonder at the pavilion itself), Alekai and I bow deeply in honor of the Ancient One. The others quickly follow our lead, including the other kids once they notice.


    I really have no words to describe how the Guardian moves. It¡¯s like he¡¯s walking, but his legs are somewhere deep underground. The land parts around him like water around a shark fin, though without disturbing the surrounding plant life. He moves until he reaches a position just in front of the entrance to the pavilion before settling with a quiet groan. Then a noise like a trumpet sounds out of one of his branches, and two trees step into the clearing. Everyone gasps.


    Two of my friends, Ancient Ones both, have volunteered to stand sentinel with me. The benefit is that if I have to move, such as for defense, the Pavilion - I notice the emphasis he places on the word, almost like he¡¯s verbally capitalizing it - will still be protected.


    Two voices sound in harmony in my mind, like bells. We would be honored to protect a shrine of peace and beauty. We shall assist the Mother in casting a second spell, forbidding bloodshed and killing within the Pavilion, and allowing only those without hostile intentions to enter the clearing.


    I gulp and stifle a sob. Thank you, I whisper. We did not expect our desire to create a place of beauty would affect so many. We are honored by your presences and your support. Beside me, Alekai is nodding emphatically. The two Ancient Ones take up positions at two corners, completing a triangle with the Guardian. I can sense the moment they cast the spell, because a blissful peace spreads over the clearing.


    With a light heart and peace of mind, I bow to the trees and follow Alekai back to his home.