《Fourteen Moons》 Prologue - For Your Sake Various flowers and grasses, dyed in autumnal colors, are spread throughout the interior of the massive atrium. A serene calm fills the garden as soft winds tickle the flora. Sweet aromas spiral alongside the petals as they dance around in the breeze. Thirteen pavilions occupy a fraction of the courtyard, one at the center, and twelve forming a circle around it. The outer pavilions are perfectly distanced between themselves, the central pavilion, and the walls. The pavilions all have twelve wooden pillars that grow up from the ground and merge together creating a lowered, dome roof with a smooth surface. Each pillar consists of several branches that weave through one another. Halfway up the dome surface, twelve more branches extend and merge forming a second, smaller, spherical dome. Above the central pavilion-dome is a glowing white sphere that hovers in place, while the outer pavilions each have a different colored sphere floating above. A shrine resides within each of the outer pavilions. At the center of each shrine, is another large, glowing sphere. The orbs above and within each pavilion are the same color, while each shrine radiates a different color as energy shifts and sways within. Dozens of large, egg-like flower buds, each sitting on an individual cushion, lay beneath the pavilions. The buds vary in shape, design, and size, with similarly shaped and designed buds grouped together. Resting under the central pavilion are five buds, all positioned so close together that they are almost touching. Four of them look almost identical, except for their size. The air around the smallest among these four is frigid and the bud itself is cold to the touch. I reach my hand out and place it against the cold exterior of the bud. Why are you so cold? I frown and whisper, ¡°You¡¯re not even born and I¡¯m already worried about you.¡± ¡°You talking to the kids again?¡± a woman inquires from behind. I turn my head, still maintaining contact with the bud, and ask, ¡°What do you want Novaraine?¡± She sighs, placing her chin in her hand. ¡°I told you to call me Nova,¡± she states, her modulated voice perfectly clear. ¡°You¡¯re not my mom,¡± I snap, ¡°Now answer my question.¡± ¡°You should learn to be nicer,¡± Novaraine rebukes, placing a hand on her hip, ¡°Otherwise they won¡¯t like you very much.¡± I pull my hand from the bud and face Novaraine. She has a soft, rectangular face, with low cheekbones. Her round, indigo eyes are close together, while straight eyebrows with a slight curve at the end rest above them. Dark blue hair flows from her head but stops just above her shoulders. She has long lashes that caress her flawless, fair skin. Small round lips lay beneath her little, straight nose. She has a modest physique and thin limbs, yet an intimidating aura. She is wearing a dark-blue vest, a white undershirt, and clean, brown pants. ¡°Whether they like me or not doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I state, ¡°And you¡¯re still avoiding my question.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding it,¡± Novaraine responds, ¡°Just delaying my answer.¡± ¡°Look,¡± I sigh, placing my hand over my face, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy, so if you have nothing important to say, then you should get back to work.¡± ¡°Might I remind you,¡± Novaraine hisses, ¡°My job is to watch you and the kids.¡± She takes a breath before exhaling heavily, ¡°Verger Murz wants to gather everyone for a meeting.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°We got a messenger from Elrora about the current status of ¨¡¨¡thel.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I bitterly remark, glancing back at the icy bud. I¡¯ll be back in a bit. As I direct my attention toward Novaraine, I see her smirking, and ask, ¡°What?¡± ¡°People would like you a lot more if you smiled like that more often.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t change anything,¡± I comment, ¡°They¡¯d probably think I was planning something.¡± ¡°Well, at least smile for the kids after they¡¯re born,¡± Novaraine remarks, ¡°If anything it¡¯ll-¡± ¡°Help alleviate worries,¡± I cut in, ¡°I know.¡± That might work for others, but not me. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep telling me, I¡¯ve heard it more times than I can count.¡± ¡°I keep telling you because it doesn¡¯t seem to get through that thick skull of yours,¡± she sighs, ¡°Anyway, are you ready to go?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I lock eyes with Novaraine and we both manifest our wings. Similar to all fairies, she has two large, upper-wings and two smaller, lower-wings. Thick blue veins run through, and along the edge of, her wings. At the tip of each wing, thin veins extend away from it and form two tight spirals. Dark-blue and black are the primary colors of her wings, they swirl into each other to create a beautiful pattern. Sharp, indigo glitter flitters down from her wings. As wondrous as always. I glance at my simple, wholly black wings. A single curved point rests at the tip of each. A single vein travels from my back, through each wing, and branches out to several circles. As I breathe, the veins and circles glow yellow. I flap my wings once and yellow glitter falls from them. Mine on the other hand. ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Novaraine calls, ¡°Everyone should be there when we arrive.¡± As we rise into the air, I remark, ¡°I assume getting me last was because no one wants me around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting you last because you get uncomfortable being away from the kid for too long.¡± We soar up and out of the atrium, and fly toward the massive tree before us. It would be nice if the atrium wasn¡¯t so far away, but I understand why it¡¯s out here. The large tree is dotted with archways, doors, and windows. A large opening is located in the center below the branches. I glance down at hundreds of fairies flying around the tree. Everyone seems busy as usual. I follow Novaraine along the atrium¡¯s branch and up to the central part of the upper branches. We arrive at a fancily decorated archway and fly through it. As we land, our wings disappear into indigo and yellow glitter, respectively, that slowly vanishes. The archway is connected to a corridor and, as we start walking through it, Novaraine states, ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult for you, but behave. Regardless of what is said, do not react rashly.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I flatly reply. Novaraine walks with dignity and pride as I mindlessly trail behind her, maintaining a straight posture. Along the passage, there are a handful of fairies that, upon seeing us, greet Novaraine. ¡°Good day Lady Novaraine.¡± ¡°Hello Lady Novaraine.¡± ¡°Greetings Lady Novaraine.¡± As we pass by them, their attention shifts from her to direct hostility toward me. One of the fairies whispers to another, just loud enough for me to hear, ¡°Why¡¯d he have to come to K¨¡¨¡lith? Couldn¡¯t he have gone anywhere else?¡± You think I want to be here with you? ¡°What¡¯s her majesty thinking, allowing one of his kind so close to her children? Doesn¡¯t she know what they did in the past?¡± Obviously she does¡­ and she¡¯s also made it perfectly clear that if I do anything, I¡¯ll cease to exist. A shiver runs up my spine. ¡°A disgrace to fairies. We¡¯d be better off getting rid of them.¡± I stop and turn toward the group of fairies, ¡°Disgrace or not, it doesn¡¯t change that I¡¯ll-.¡± ¡°Revus! Let¡¯s go.¡± Novaraine calls out. I clench my fists, give the fairies one last frustrated glare, and turn back toward Novaraine. We continue down the hallway, turn right, and two large, ornate doors come into view. Two people stand imposingly on either side of the doors. As we reach the doors, one of the guards states, ¡°Everyone else is already inside.¡± ¡°Good. Then let us in.¡± Novaraine orders. ¡°Very well,¡± he answers, and the two guards open the doors. Novaraine and I walk inside to a circular room with a round table in the center. An elaborate crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling and large rings cover the walls, all of them illuminating the room. Along the table are a number of chairs, each filled except for two. ¡°Welcome Lady Novaraine, Revus,¡± an elderly man with straight, silver hair, and a long, thin beard announces, ¡°Please take your seats and then we will begin.¡± ¡°Thank you Verger Murz,¡± Novaraine replies. I simply nod. As we walk around the table and pass by a female with long, white hair, she mutters, ¡°Disgusting.¡± I look up and think about the icy bud. Your cousins¡¯ really hate me. Not that I can blame them though. Novaraine takes the empty seat next to the Verger. I sit next to her and another woman with long, wavy, orange hair. I glance at her and she leans toward me, whispering quietly, ¡°Thanks for coming.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I mumble. Ellalyn seems to be in a good mood. I pull my eyes from her and, as I scan the people sitting around the table, get a mixed welcome. Some glare at me, some smile and wave, while others merely look at me uninterestedly and maintain focus on the Verger. All the usual faces except old man Flos and¡­ I direct my attention to a man with short, teal brushed-back hair seated directly across from the Verger. He has a worn face, his eyes drooping lifelessly. His clothes are light, yet give him a professional appearance. This must be the messenger. ¡°Ahem,¡± Verger Murz coughs. Everyone directs their gaze at him as he says, ¡°I would like to thank everyone for joining me today. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard, little Lanthil has arrived with information about Elrora, ¨¡¨¡thel, and the status of the primordial.¡± We all look to Lanthil and, as the grown man stands up, he sluggishly complains, ¡°Murz, could you drop the little? I¡¯m not a child anymore.¡± Verger Murz chuckles, ¡°I apologize, it¡¯s become habit. Perhaps I¡¯ll consider it after your 4,000th birthday.¡± Habit¡­ don¡¯t you do that on purpose? Lanthil sighs exhaustedly and slumps forward, ¡°Anyway¡­ As the old man said, I¡¯ve just arrived from Elrora.¡± He pauses and narrows his eyes, the atmosphere around him drastically shifting. ¡°Things within the spectral realm are disastrous at the moment as the primordial has continued its rampage throughout the realm.¡± ¡°Has anyone managed to determine its reason for the sudden rampage?¡± a man with a hoarse voice questions. I look over and see a fairy with slicked back, dark-violet hair. He has a sharp voice and wears gaudy clothes. Sidgar. Can¡¯t you go a single conference without speaking? He looks over, locking eyes with me, and scowls. ¡°Unfortunately we don¡¯t,¡± Lanthil answers, ¡°And that¡¯s only the beginning of our problems. Due to our efforts to appease it, we¡¯ve already taken heavy casualties.¡± ¡°What¡¯re they doing?¡± Sidgar ridicules. ¡°Now now Sidgar,¡± Verger Murz says in a calming manner. He looks to Lanthil and nods. ¡°Combining our losses with the continued rampage, it is unlikely that we¡¯ll be able to properly regulate the elements throughout the realms. As such, we¡¯re anticipating an increase in elemental surges within the cardinal realms,¡± Lanthil explains, ¡°Additionally, the m¨±¨±ns have ordered that all sanctuaries are to immediately start patrolling the cardinal realms and quell any surges that appear.¡± ¡°Preposterous!¡± Sidgar bellows, ¡°A single sanctuary filled with mostly children is supposed to manage an entire realm?¡± I hate the guy but he does have a point. Even for the adults, this would be difficult, but them¡­ I glance at the three white-haired and two brown-haired fairies. ¡°Sidgar!¡± Novaraine shouts, ¡°Shut it.¡± ¡°Novaraine, don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t just hear those ridiculous orders?¡± Sidgar barks. ¡°I heard it perfectly fine but-¡± ¡°SILENCE!¡± Verger Murz announces, his booming voice resounding throughout the room. ¡°Now, little Lanthil, is there anything else?¡± Lanthil nods, ¡°Continuing on, currently we have zero idea about when the primordial will calm down and return to the outer skies, so expect an extended stay here within the mortal realm.¡± ¡°Again-¡± Sidgar starts to speak but Lanthil cuts him off.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I understand that most vravyth¡¯s aren¡¯t able to comfortably withstand thousands of fairies. That is why we are planning on creating another vravyth relatively close to each current sanctuary,¡± Lanthil elaborates, ¡°Once accomplished, more fairies will be able to take refuge within each realm, easing the burden on the sanctuaries, and reducing potential casualties.¡± Everyone remains silent. I look over to Sidgar who leans back in his chair, his face scrunched up. What¡¯re you thinking about now? ¡°And your final message?¡± Verger Murz inquires. ¡°I have a private message for Lady Novaraine and Lady Ellalyn, directly from her majesty,¡± Lanthil states, then looks to Novaraine and Ellalyn, ¡°If it is alright with you, can I meet you two in private after?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Novaraine states, a tinge of happiness present in her voice. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Ellalyn smiles joyfully. These two¡­ I sigh. Whenever they mention ¡°her majesty¡±, they lose their composure. I look back to Lanthil who glares menacingly at me. Looks like I have another fan¡­ Oh well, if it¡¯s a message for them, I¡¯ll probably hear about it before the day¡¯s over. ¡°Does anyone have any questions?¡± Verger Murz asks. Everyone looks around, but no one speaks up. ¡°Very well. I thank you all for joining me. If anyone would like to talk with little Lanthil, he¡¯ll be here for about two-¡± Crack. The sound of wood breaking explodes from the ceiling. Boom. I look up and see the ceiling break and the giant chandelier start to fall. Quickly, I jump out of my chair and away from it. Smash. The chandelier crashes onto the table, as dust and glass explode out in all directions. Instantly, I hold my hands in front of me and create a barrier of light. Ting. Ting. Ting. Cough. Cough. The sound of glass hitting multiple barriers echo in the room as people start coughing. Fwush. A moment later, a large gust of wind rushes all of the dust out of the three windows. What in aeth¡¯s hell happened? I examine the room, seeing everyone holding up various barriers made of light, crystal, wood, metal, or water. Everyone seems okay. Everyone¡¯s eyes descend on the center of the room, and immediately locate the culprit of the incident. Laying atop the broken table and shattered chandelier is a lone girl with long, braided, green hair. ¡°Ow,¡± she wines, ¡°I knew that was a bad idea.¡± ¡°Well well well,¡± Verger Murz muses, ¡°If it isn¡¯t little lady Aila.¡± His demeanor shifts, and he growls, ¡°To what do we own the pleasure?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± She hesitates as she picks herself up, ¡°I was¡­ um¡­¡± Aila lowers her head and bows, ¡°I apologize. My grandfather told me to wait there for some reason. I didn¡¯t know the floor was going to break.¡± Verger Murz strokes his beard and grumbles, ¡°Flos.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± an old man cackles as he flies in from the hole in the ceiling, ¡°My apologies everyone. I thought I¡¯d teach my granddaughter a lesson about pranks and figured it¡¯d be a good opportunity for everyone to laugh a little.¡± This crazy old man. A prank? He¡¯s trying to kill someone. ¡°Flos, my friend,¡± Verger Murz mutters as calmly as possible. He¡¯s livid¡­ ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a talk about the definition of a prank. Shall we.¡± ¡°Murz,¡± Flos calls out, ¡°No need to be so grounded. Live a little.¡± Verger Murz sighs, ¡°Sidgar, get someone in here to clean this up.¡± ¡°Yes Verger,¡± Sidgar answers and heads toward the door. ¡°And you, little Aila,¡± Verger Murz continues, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off with a warning this time since your grandfather appears to be at fault.¡± ¡°Thank you Verger,¡± Aila exclaims, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± Poor girl. ¡°Verger Murz, since our meeting seems to be over,¡± Novaraine remarks, ¡°Would it be fine if the rest of us are dismissed.¡± ¡°Yes yes. You may all go,¡± Verger Murz confirms, then glares at Flos and barks, ¡°Everyone except- What was that?¡± Verger Murz suddenly cocks his head to the side. What was what? ¡°Alright everyone, let¡¯s go,¡± Novaraine states, leading the rest of us toward the exit. Bam. The doors burst open and Sidgar flies through them in a panic. ¡°Verger Murz, trouble! A feros shadar is rapidly approaching K¨¡¨¡lith, and it¡¯s leading a horde of dyed.¡± ¡°What!¡± he roars, ¡°How much time do we have?¡± A feros and dyed. My heart rate suddenly quickens. ¡°Not long sir,¡± Sidgar answers, ¡°A group of sylphs just came across it and raced back here. At most, a few minutes.¡± Damn! I turn toward the door and, as I manifest my wings, Novaraine tightly grips my wrist and orders, ¡°Wait.¡± Wait? But¡­ I try to pull my arm free from her grasp but she tightens her hold. ¡°Tch.¡± She glares at me, then looks up to Sidgar and questions, ¡°Why didn¡¯t we hear about it sooner?¡± Sidgar looks down at us and answers, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My guess is that it crossed over from another realm and just left the world vein.¡± ¡°Verger-¡± Novaraine calls out. ¡°I know,¡± he interrupts and looks to Sidgar, ¡°You¡¯re certain of this information?¡± ¡°Absolutely Verger,¡± Sidgar straightens his posture, interlocks his fingers, and places his hands over his stomach. ¡°On my name as Sidgar Mistmys. I believe the sylphs that reported this are trustworthy individuals.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Verger Murz kneels, places his hands on the ground and, as he speaks, his words boom loudly as if the tree itself is speaking, ¡°This is an emergency announcement. K¨¡¨¡lith will soon be assaulted by a feros shadar and a horde of dyed. All children are to take shelter within the vravyth and prepare to defend themselves. Adults are to surround the vravyth and put up a barrier. Quills are to focus on thinning the dyed. I will deal with the feros shadar.¡± As Verger Murz stands back, he looks to Sidgar and declares, ¡°Sidgar, you¡¯re in charge of the Quills.¡± He turns to the rest of us and commands, ¡°Novaraine, you help defend the barrier. Disara, Dassen, and Serek, you and your pages are to assist Novaraine.¡± ¡°Understood Verger,¡± Novaraine exclaims. ¡°Ellalyn, Serkan, Desela, and Revus,¡± Verger Murz states, concern warping his wrinkled face, ¡°Protect the atrium.¡± ¡°BOOOOOOHHHHHRRRRRRRAAAAAA!¡± An ominous howl fills the room and resonates within me. It¡¯s already here? My stomach twists like it is being forcefully turned inside out. ¡°Urh,¡± I mutter, gripping my abdomen. All that from just its roar? ¡°Everyone go!¡± Verger Murz orders. Immediately, everyone¡¯s wings appear, and we all fly out of the chamber. Hang on. I¡¯ll be there shortly. We race through the corridor and fly back outside. As I exit, my eyes lock onto the massive black monstrosity lumbering toward the vravyth. So that¡¯s a feros shadar. Its height reaches over half the height of the surrounding trees. Frayed, thread-like skin draps over the boney entity. Its thin, freakishly-long limbs contain multiple joints. Its two arms bend four times before branching out into creepy fingers, each with extra joints and needle-like fingertips. Finger-like toes extend from where its feet would be, the toes pierce the ground as it shambles forward. A small skull, devoid of eyes, rests atop the creature¡¯s body, while long boney tendrils crawl out of the shadar¡¯s mouth. Hovering around the feros shadar are hundreds of, comparably tiny, black creatures. I look down through the inner confines of the vravyth, my gaze directed at the branch leading to the atrium. ¡°Novara-¡± ¡°BOOOOOOHHHHHRRRRRRRAAAAAA!¡± The feros shadar howls once more and immediately the dyed scatter as a wave of disgusting energy washes over me, weighing me down. Not good¡­ ¡°Get to the atrium!¡± Novaraine yells, ¡°We¡¯ll deal with the shadar!¡± Thanks Novaraine. As I bolt away from the group, Serek urges, ¡°We can help! Let us go too!¡± Idiotic. I weave through the branches, pressing my hand against my stomach to suppress the discomfort. I rush around several fairies that are panicking and darting about. I glance back at the horde of monsters for a moment and watch as a massive barrier of light is erected between the feros shadar and the vravyth. Damn, some of the dyed got in. I focus on my flying and rapidly approach the atrium. As I work toward the bud¡¯s garden, I see something black out of the corner of my vision. What the? Glancing over, I see dozens of dyed spreading out beyond the barrier, many of which are heading toward the atrium. As long as the barrier holds we should be fine. I arrive at the atrium and rush toward the center pavilion. I see Zoelle, Ellalyn¡¯s youngest daughter, staring at me. She is a bit shorter than me, with a round face, and large cheekbones. She has wavy, light-orange hair that extends just past her shoulders. Her large, round, purple eyes are tucked beneath short, angled eyebrows. She has a large mouth with full lips and a smooth, short nose. She is wearing a simple, dark-blue maid dress that goes down just below her knees and a pair of simple dark-blue shoes. The dress has short sleeves with white fabric at the end, a white collar, and a small white apron around her waist. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± I inquire as I land in front of Zoelle, glancing at the group of buds behind her. ¡°I-I¡¯m making sure nothing h-happens to them,¡± She stutters, trembling. I walk to the middle of the pavilion, kneel down, place my hands on the ground, and close my eyes. ¡°W-What¡¯re you d-doing?¡± Zoelle barks. ¡°Putting up a barrier around the pavilion,¡± I answer, channeling sp¨©¨©r through the ground, and encompassing the building. Once evenly spread, I evoke the crystal axiom, and large crystal spires begin to rise from the ground, surrounding the pavilion. Focus. Just a bit more. I direct the crystals to grow up and around the dome, completely sealing us inside. ¡°Phew,¡± I exhale, ¡°That should hold them back.¡± ¡°But w-what about the o-others?¡± Zoelle asks. I turn to the five buds within the barrier, walk past Zoelle, and bluntly state, ¡°Your mom should be on her way. Her and the others can worry about the rest.¡± I stop in front of the cold bud and place my hand against it. You¡¯re the only one that matters. The only one that I need to protect. I pull away from the buds, and begin to walk around the pavilion. There¡¯s got to be a good spot somewhere. ¡°Now what¡¯re you doing?¡± Without stopping my search, I answer, ¡°Looking for a spot where I can see outside the atrium.¡± I walk past one of the pillars and catch a glimpse of the massive light barrier. This¡¯ll work. I stop and, as I focus my attention on the fairies fighting the dyed, Ellalyn, Desela, Serek, and their pages land within the atrium. ¡°Revus,¡± Ellalyn pauses for a moment, examines the translucent crystal walls, and sighs, ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± She then turns to the others, and orders, ¡°Everyone, take a pavilion and do everything in your power to protect the buds.¡± They should be able to take care of everything else. As I watch the fight happening beyond the atrium, the light barrier suddenly disappears into white glitter. What the? It didn¡¯t break¡­ It disappeared¡­ I blink several times and, realizing it is truly gone, shout, ¡°The barrier¡¯s-¡± ¡°BOOOOOOHHHHHRRRRRRRAAAAAA!¡± The feros shadar howls. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Immediately, a cacophony of chirping erupts from outside the atrium and I watch as dyed begin pouring in toward the vravyth. ¡°Here they come!¡± Ellalyn roars. Everyone begins launching a series of attacks at the dyed that approach the atrium. As I examine the battle, something grabs onto the back of my shirt. I flinch, quickly turning around, and see Zoelle shaking. I thought you didn¡¯t like me. I return my gaze to the swarming monsters. Is the chirping getting louder? As the growing number of dyed flood into the courtyard, a dyed darts toward the atrium and, avoiding all incoming attacks, crashes into my crystal barrier. Bong! Dyed are the same size as a fairy, but have a smaller torsos, and long slender limbs. They have eerie, white skin, and large heads with beady, black eyes. Their wings are similar to mine, being wholly black, but are tattered and torn. A black mist covers their hairless bodies. I understand why everyone compares me to these things, but I¡¯m not that hideous. The dyed presses its face against the walls and screeches, ¡°Buuuud. Buuuud, heeeeeeere.¡± These things can talk? And did it say bud? Zheek. Zheek. The dyed pulls its face off the crystal walls and claws them. Damn. I put my hand against the crystal barrier and a crystal spike juts out where the dyed is, piercing its body, and launching it away from the barrier. Ugly bastard. Psss. I look at the scratch marks and watch as the black mist begins to slowly erode the barrier. Not good. I scan the surroundings and see that more and more dyed are forcing their way into the atrium. Are they targeting the buds? Quickly, the number balloons, and the accumulated damage to the barrier starts to strain it. I can¡¯t hold on much longer. There has to be something I can do to stop this, otherwise I might have to take you and run. Examining beyond my barrier, I notice that the dyed are not approaching any of the other pavilions and are only focusing on the central one. I glance over at the buds. No, they¡¯re targeting these ones. Bong. ¡°Iiiiiiiits heeeeeeeeeeeeeere.¡± Ting! One of the dyed opens its massive maw and a black, thorn-like tongue extends from it, piercing the crystal. Bong. ¡°Fooooouuuunnnnnnnnnd feeeaaaaaaarsooooooome.¡± Zheek. Zheek. Bong. ¡°Feeeeeeeeeel iiiiiit. Geeeeeeeeeet feeeeeaaaaaaar.¡± Ting! ¡°Get off!¡± I roar, launching spires of crystal at the dyed. It? Fearsome? What in aeth¡¯s hell? ¡°Ellalyn!¡± I shout, trying to get my voice heard over the infestation of dyed. Damn. These bastards are too loud. Kerk. A part of the crystal barrier cracks. Not good. Boom! A fierce explosion blasts the dyed surrounding us and Ellalyn flies over, turning her back to us. As she continues her long-range assault on the attacking shadar, she asks, ¡°Are you two okay?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I yell, ¡°but I think the dyed are after the buds!¡± ¡°What?¡± Ellalyn questions, firing large icicles at the approaching dyed. ¡°It sounds like they¡¯re targeting something specific,¡± I shout. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we should be able to hold out and-¡± ¡°BWWWWWWWOOOOOOHHHHHRRRRRRRAAAAAA!¡± The feros shader howls, and the black mist coating the dyed gets thicker. I glance at the damaged parts of the barrier and watch in horror as they start to erode faster. CHIRP. CHIRP. CHIRP. The dyed begin to jump about erratically, and continue to pour into the atrium. ¡°Ellalyn! We need to do something otherwise-¡± ¡°I know!¡± I see her glance back for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll make an opening for you!¡± Why would you- ¡°You look pretty terrified Revus, so take that opportunity to run. Grab the kid and get out of here, that way at least in the worst case, you can fulfill your purpose.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a deba- Gah!¡± Ellalyn screams as a black tongue pierces her left shoulder from above the dome. ¡°Mom!¡± Zoelle yells. ¡°Disgusting little shits!¡± Ellalyn turns around and launches an attack over the dome. A moment later the tongue is pulled from her shoulder and a black mist seeps into the wound. ¡°Get ready!¡± ¡°Revus, you have to help mom!¡± Zoelle yells as she grabs my shirt, tears filling her eyes. I¡¯m sorry. I push her to the side and force myself past. I walk over to the group of buds and, as I pick up the icy one, my eyes bounce to the remaining three. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll be taking your family with me. I hope you all stay safe. I hold the cold, ball-like bud with my left arm, turn to Ellalyn, and state, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ellalyn releases several icicles at incoming dyed, dropping them on the spot. Immediately after, she puts her hands together, ¡°Here we go!¡± I hold my right hand out, create a hole for myself and, as I manifest my wings, shout, ¡°Zoelle, look after the others!¡± ¡°Wha- wait!¡± Ellalyn then pulls her hands apart, and forces them forward as if pushing something and a massive cyclone of sleet blows into the sky. As I bolt through the hole, I see dozens of dyed frozen and falling out of the sky. The trees in the distance are also coated in ice. Thanks Ellalyn. I race through the massive gap in the dyed¡¯s forces and exit the atrium. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. The chaotic chirping erupts as I leave the confines of the building and gaze upon the hundreds of dyed that are surrounding the atrium. Fairies all throughout K¨¡¨¡lith are combating the dyed, trying to fight their way to the bud¡¯s garden. In the distance, Verger Murz is single-handedly keeping the feros shadar at bay, utilizing the surrounding trees to attack and restrain the monster. Need to get out of here. I race in the opposite direction of the feros shadar, but the dyed start to pursue me. Chirp. Chirp. Annoying and ugly. As I fly outside the vravyth¡¯s reach and approach the surrounding wildlife, a cluster of dyed attempt to divebomb me. I spin around, creating a barrier of light with my free hand, but it instantly shatters. Chirp. As I dodge the incoming attacks, I hear one of the dyed wail, ¡°Muuuuuust kiiiiiiiiill.¡± I dart into the nearby woods and start to weave through the trees and slip through the tiny gaps between the leaves and branches. What did you do for them to be chasing you? I glance back and see a cloud of black mist rapidly approaching. Chirp. Are they all chasing us? If so, at least Ellayln and the others should be fi- Oh s- I spiral to my right as dozens of black projectiles approach and almost skewer me. Not good. Damn! I instantly stop and bolt down and to my left as another group of dyed cut me off. They¡¯re starting to surround me¡­ Think. Chirp. Think. Chirp. Another group appears in front of me and I stop for a moment, scanning the area. I¡¯m almost surrounded. Come on, I need to do something. I need to- Fshk! A thin beam suddenly appears and slices into the horde, bisecting dozens of them in an instant. Black liquid drips from their corpses as they fall toward the ground. Wha¡­ I look for the origin of the attack and see Novaraine dashing toward me, releasing torrential beams of pressurized water at the surrounding dyed. ¡°Revus, let¡¯s go!¡± She shouts as she flies past me, ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡± ¡°Novaraine!¡± I holler, chasing after her, ¡°Thanks for coming, I thought-¡± ¡°Revus, listen to me!¡± Novaraine exclaims, ¡°Once you get out of here, don¡¯t come back until the kid¡¯s born!¡± ¡°What? But-¡± ¡°Shadar don¡¯t act like this!¡± She barks, ¡°I think this attack might¡¯ve been orchestrated by something.¡± Novaraine continues, ¡°Go hide somewhere and stay hidden. Fulfill your purpose and keep the kid safe. After they¡¯re born, feel free to return. I¡¯ll have hopefully figured things out by then.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± I click my tongue. So you just want me to run away? ¡°Don¡¯t lose focus of what you¡¯re supposed to do,¡± She exclaims, ¡°Even if it means abandoning us. Keep the kid safe, understand?¡± That¡¯s- ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I mutter, glancing down at the bud in my arms. My purpose¡­ ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Novraine huffs, cutting through a wall of dyed in front of us. As we fly past them, I notice that we have broken through the enclosure. Looks like this is my chance to- ¡°Don¡¯t look back!¡± Novaraine orders as she stops in place and turns around, ¡°I¡¯ll see you again soon!¡± I zoom by her, accelerating as quickly as my wings allow. Thank you. I look back for a moment and see Novaraine holding her arms out in front of her as a giant torrential storm pours endless amounts of water onto the struggling dyed. As the winged dyed are pelted by the violent rain, Novaraine turns her head, smiling back at me. I freeze, spinning around as a dyed approaches and launches its thornlike tongue at her. ¡°Nova-¡± Before I can finish, her stomach is pierced. ¡°I told you not to look back,¡± She yells and, as she coughs up blood, is pulled down toward the ground. I have to he- ¡°RUN! IDI-¡± As she angrily orders, a second black javelin drives through her head. I stop in place and feel my heart fall out of me. Nova¡­ she¡­ Tears well up in my eyes as I stare at the dense raincloud still dumping water onto the dyed. She¡¯s still fighting to protect us¡­ I spin around and fly away as rain rolls down my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Chapter 1 - A Strange World ¡°Ugh.¡± I haven¡¯t slept that well in a long time. I blink several times as I look up at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. How strange. On my back, I yawn, and stretch my arms and legs. Wait. I blink a few more times as I open and close my hands a few times. That¡¯s a strange feeling. I pull my arms in front of my face and stare at them. One¡­ two. I have two hands¡­ Opening my eyes wide, I bolt upright, ¡°I have two hands!¡± Immediately, I place my hands on my throat, ¡°Wha- Is that my voice?¡± I question, ¡°It IS my voice.¡± It¡¯s softer. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Hold on. I move my hands from my throat to my face as I feel for my left eye. My eye! It- It¡¯s there. I alternate between opening and closing one eye, and then the other, playing with my new vision. ¡°This has to be a dream, right?¡± I question as I quickly move my left hand to where my ear used to be. I feel a long ear with a pointed tip. Okay, now I¡¯m thoroughly confused. Nevertheless, I giggle as I clap my two hands together. As my body slightly shakes, a long strand of hair falls in front of my face. As I brush the hair out of my face, I feel something tickling the top of my back. ¡°What the-¡± I grab strands of hair at the sides of my neck and pull my hands back in front of me. Both of them hold soft, white, silk-like threads, ¡°Ow.¡± Wait. This is MY hair? I stare at the strands in my hand. But my hair¡¯s blonde, not white? ¡°What in the all-consuming Abyss is going on?¡± Realizing the scope of the unknown situation I am in, my heart begins to race. Okay, wait wait wait. ¡°Breathe,¡± I mutter as I take a deep breath, ¡°Okay think, what was I doing? Mom left, I was talking with those kids¡­ then I looked back into¡­ the chasm¡­¡± I trail off, biting my lip. ¡°Wait, did I jump? Am I DEAD?¡± That can¡¯t be, right? I know I thought about it, but did I¡­ No, something else must have happened. I didn¡¯t jump, I couldn¡¯t have. I sigh as I glance down at my legs, my skin is a clean, unblemished white. Are they smaller? ¡°Why am I naked? ... Wait. Why am I a girl!?¡± I scream, realizing the drastic change in my body. I bend my legs, wrap my arms around them, and curl up into a ball. This has to be some kind of dream, right? Maybe I¡¯m hallucinating. Did I eat something strange? Dang it. What happened to me, how did I get here!? I stay curled up for a long period of time. After a while, though, I lay on my back again and stare at the wooden ceiling. Things look and feel too real for this to be a dream. And even if this is some kind of dream, it doesn¡¯t explain why I¡¯m so different. Sitting up, I glance around the room and determine that I am in a fairly open chamber, but not at ground level. Looking down, I scan the soft surface I am atop. It is a white, spongy material that is circular in shape. Around the perimeter are several thin, sleek, silk-like structures that jut horizontally from the cushiony platform I am sitting on, each one is a soothing cream white. What is this? I climb over toward the thin structures and, pushing one to the side, look down at the ground, scanning the bottom half of the room. Within the room there appears to be a table with a door directly behind it. Resting on the table, are two objects, though with the limited light, I cannot make out what they are. There is also a raised foundation on the ground directly underneath the structure I am on. I focus on the foundation and see a green pole-like structure atop it that connects to the cushion. Sticking out of the pole, are two leaf-like, green objects. Wait. Is this- I turn to scan the structure again and my heart skips a beat. This IS a flower! I put my right hand over my mouth, covering a small smile. I¡¯ve never seen one this big before¡­ Lifting myself back on top of the cushioned florets, I sit straight up. Why¡¯s it so big though? I look around once more before crawling over to the edge. Alright, time to figure out how to get down from here. I look over the edge toward the ground, ¡°Hmm.¡± This is maybe two stories high? I could jump, but that¡¯s going to hurt¡­ I look around, trying to find something to climb down with, but the only things in this room are the table and this flower. Then again, that might be my only option. I place my hands on the petals to see how sturdy they are. Maybe I can hang from one of these, and then swing across to the stem and climb down that way. I glance under the flower again to see how far away the stem is. Yeah, that might be more difficult than I thought, but it should be better than just dropping down. ¡°Okay,¡± I say as I grab onto the nearest petal and slowly slide away from the center. ¡°Ah!¡± I cry as I slip and suddenly find myself hanging off of the side. Okay¡­ so far so good. I smile even though my heart feels like it is about to burst. Now I just have to¡­ I start swinging my legs back and forth, building momentum until I feel a slight jerk from the petal. No. I stop suddenly, and look up at the base of it. NO NO NO NO. I watch in horror as the petal slowly, painfully, tears from the flower. ¡°AAA-¡± I scream, before even beginning my plummet through the air. Plop. I land directly on my butt. ¡°Ow¡­?¡± Huh, that didn¡¯t hurt as much as I thought it would. As I look up at the flower, seeing it from the ground, I realize just how big it really is. I let out a light sigh. It¡¯s¡­ incredible. I stand up, rubbing my hands on my sore rear-end. But why is it so big? And why was I sleeping on it? I direct my gaze from the flower to the table. I walk over to the wooden table, and examine the two objects sitting on it. One is a furry, white robe, and the other is a stack of tan, rough paper with various symbols and patterns on them. Well, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but at least I can cover myself now. I grab the robe and put it on. It is large on me as the excess sleeves hang over my hands and the length causes the back of the robe to drag on the ground. A bit big, but it¡¯ll have to do for now. Now covered, I peek at the sheets of paper on the table and begin scanning them. Several of them are stacked atop each other, each has several lines of symbols. Each line is made up of different markings, of which none are duplicates. Are these letters? I can¡¯t read any of them. I don¡¯t see Sveltish in here either. How strange. I look up from the papers and face the door. I guess there¡¯s only one thing left. I walk over to the door and pull on the handle, it easily opens. I peek through the gap between the door and the wall into the other room. Seeing no one on the other side, I take a step through. Inside the room is what looks like the contents of a house. Wooden cabinets, shelves, and a long table cover the outer walls except for a couple of glass windows. The walls have a unique, slightly tan texture which I have never seen before. There is a door opposite the one I just came through. Wooden furniture, adorned with fur-like cushions, are placed around the room. The room is exclusively lit by natural light from the outside, as there are no light fixtures. To my right are two beds, two dressers, another door, and two cushioned seats. While to my left is what appears to be a workshop, storage shelves, and kitchen. A large table and two chairs sit in the middle of the room. It looks like someone¡¯s living here, but I don¡¯t see anyone. ¡°Hello?¡± I call out, ¡°Is anyone here?¡± Silence. I guess no one¡¯s here. I look more closely at the furniture. Nearly all of it is made out of wood. The shelves and cabinets have various objects on them, ranging from bowls and plates, to piles of furs and some jars filled with powder, all of which seem to be organized and categorized neatly. I walk over to the beds, and notice that both of them are made. In fact, neither of them look like they have ever been used. The floor and ceiling look polished and have an uneven circular ring-like pattern, with each circle surrounded by another, larger circle. Everything in the house, despite its rustic aesthetic, looks freshly cleaned. Whoever lives here must prefer everything to be spotless. I remember Mom always being like that¡­ I let out a heavy sigh. I need to stop thinking about her. I walk over to the door near the beds, and open it. Peeking inside, I see a dim room lit by the natural light from the window on an angled wall opposite the one I am looking through. On the left side of the small room is a row of cabinets, while on the right are two bowl-like structures, one of which is much larger than the other. I raise an eyebrow. What is this, some kind of washroom? ¡°Hmm.¡± Doesn''t seem like anyone¡¯s here either. I close the door and look toward the one between the two windows. That door leads outside, but I guess that¡¯s the only other option. I walk over to the door across the room and open it. Once again, without a locking mechanism to be found, the door easily opens. I poke my head out, and am instantly blasted with a fresh, earthy smell, very much unlike the odorous smog of Svelta. Accompanying the pleasant smell, I am barraged by a blinding light. I cover my eyes, and after letting them adjust to the bright exterior, I see giant greenery towering over the landscape surrounding me. Regardless of which direction I look, massive brown pillars, with various shades of green vegetation spread over them, cover everything. A variety of large, green mounds of leaves mask the lower portions of the trees. Looking up, a bright green ceiling blocks out the sky, only allowing small patches of direct light through. ¡°Wow, this is incredible,¡± I mutter in awe at the scenery before me, ¡°What is this place? I¡¯ve never seen such big plants before.¡± Wherever this is, it¡¯s definitely not Svetla. Realizing that I have been staring, awestruck, for several moments now, I call out, ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± This time, distant chirps, clicks, rattles, buzzes, whines, and crackles answer me. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like anyone¡¯s out here either,¡± I comment as I walk outside, the robe dragging behind me. I step out and look back toward the house. The first thing I notice is that it is inside the base of a massive tree. There are no distinguishable markers in front of the house either, so aside from the windows and door, the tree looks like any other. I hope someone¡¯s out here, being alone in a place like this¡­ I shudder. I walk out, away from the house, pushing the leaves and sticks of gigantic bushes and blades of flora out of my way. My robe drags along as it constantly gets attached to the aggressive greenery. As I struggle to fight past the foliage around me, I begin to hear the faint sound of something in the distance. I furrow my eyebrows hearing the unfamiliar noise. What¡¯s that? After a few more fights with the plants over who gets to wear my robe, I arrive at a rough expanse of water. ¡°Wow,¡± I mutter. There¡¯s so much. The flowing water rushes around numerous rocks and fallen trees, causing it to have a constant, cascading roar. Immense leaves and sticks ride down on the current. ¡°Is this a¡­¡± I put my right index finger on my chin, ¡°A river?¡± I¡¯ve only read about them in books¡­ I smile. ¡­but, seeing one for real is¡­ incredible. I follow along the river until I find a calm spot of water. Approaching its edge, I kneel down in the middle of what I realize to be a leaf. Is everything here really big? Maybe I¡¯m somehow really small? I look into the water and see a young girl looking at me. She looks to be around ten years old, has large white eyes, a soft face, a tiny nose, long pointed ears, and straight white hair. Is that¡­ me? I really am a girl now. I place my hand against my cheek, grab it, and pull. I make several different faces, watching as the girl in the water mimics my actions. I smile at her and she smiles back. Her smile quickly turns to a blurry frown as tears fill my eyes. Tiny droplets start rolling down my nose as I break into a full cry. They slowly hit the water, causing the reflection of the small girl, my reflection, to ripple. How¡­ Why? Collapsing on the ground, I wrap my arms around myself and curl into a ball, digging my fingers into the sides of the robe. ¡°What¡­¡± I sniff, ¡°Happened to me?¡± I continue to cry for several minutes, my weak sobs washed away by the serene sound of flowing water. As I begin to calm down, an indescribably sweet fragrance blows in from the wind. I lift my head, inhaling deeply as I try to take in the sweet smell. Wow, what is that? It smells so good. I force myself up and wipe away my tears as the scent rushes through the wind once more. I face a large tree next to the river. Is it coming from over there? I head in the direction of where I believe the smell is coming from. I push myself past foliage, round the tree, and arrive before a fallen log that lies parallel to the river. The log appears to have merged with the base of the tree. Is the smell coming from up there? I look up at the immense wall of timber in front of me, and begin climbing it, using the gaps between the bark as footholds to scale the mountainous, felled tree. As I approach the top, I scan the horizon and sniff the air to find the origin of the sweet fragrance. Nestled within a large hole on the upright tree is a glowing pink flower. The petals alone are roughly my size. I look around and, not seeing anything within the vicinity, pull myself up onto the log and slowly approach the flower, the aroma becoming more potent with each step. Click. What was that? I stop for a moment and glance around. Click. Click. There it is again¡­ My heart rate starts to increase and my hands start to feel sweaty. I turn around and scan my surroundings to see if there is anything behind me. For a moment, I wait to see if I notice anything or for the sound to repeat itself, but nothing happens. Content that there is nothing around me, I look back at the flower.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Focusing my attention on the hole, the contrast between the bright open-space outside and the dark interior of the wooden lair makes it difficult to determine if anything else is inside the cavity. As I stare, something starts to glow between the bright pink petals. That¡¯s pretty. As my focus draws to the glow, the increasingly-sweet fragrance fills the area around me. Smells¡­ nice¡­ I take another step toward the alluring object, my pace slowing down as my legs begin to feel heavier. Click click. I blink rapidly as the wind blows the fragrance away, my hazy mind clearing slightly. What was I doing? Realizing that I am closer to the opening, but still a decent distance from it, I analyze the flower. Leaning forward to get a better view of it, I no longer see the glow from between the petals. The flower marginally shifts toward me. I gulp as a chill runs down my spine. I slowly take a step backward. Click. Click click. As I warily back away from the hole, I stumble and land on my butt, placing my hands behind me to catch myself. Looking at my foot, I notice a silver, stringy substance stretching from the bottom of my feet to the log. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I question as I try to bring my hand toward my foot. A slight resistance from the robe holds my arm in place. I turn to look at my hand and see that the oversized sleeve is stuck to the same stringy substance. Struggling to pull it free, I glance back at the flower and see that it is noticeably closer to me than it was before, but still shrouded in darkness. Click click. Come on. I twist to look back at my robe, trying to pry it off the wooden surface. Click. Click. The clicking sound grows slightly louder, and more frequent. Shiii- I hear a sharp, high-pitched screech and freeze. I slowly turn my head back to see an imposing, dark-brown monster several times my size walk menacingly toward me from out of the hole with its long, outstretched legs. Its hairy body is separated into two sections; the front section is smaller than the back. The four, bright-pink petals fan out like a funnel above, below, and on both sides at the front of the smaller area. Between the petals, there are two large black orbs, with four similar, but smaller ones just below them. Two thin, sharp, pointy fangs hang from below the orbs. It¡¯s big¡­ No¡­ I feel my heart drop to my stomach. It''s me¡­ I¡¯m small. Click. It continues slowly creeping toward me. Shiii- Staring at the monster before me, my eyes grow wide and my body freezes as I realize what it is. Click click click. Bad. My breathing becomes heavy as I start to panic. Run¡­ I have to run! I try to stand up as the spider creeps ever closer to me. Get up. Get up! Its glossy black eyes glow pink once more, and immediately after, a calming aroma spreads around me. Get¡­ up¡­ I slowly look up at the terrifying creature now casting its seemingly immense shadow down on me. Need¡­ to run¡­ Click. I close my eyes, shrinking into my robe as much as possible as I hear that odd clicking sound once again. SCREEEE! Suddenly, the tree I am atop starts to aggressively vibrate. I clench my eyes even tighter. Loud screeching echoes through the air as the tremors grow more violent. A new wave of fear floods through my body as I feel a quick breeze directly in front of me. The soothing fragrance dissipates as a new, more vile odor spreads through the air. Slowly opening my eyes, I see a titanic black creature, one much larger than the spider. The monstrosity has a lengthy body, made up of vehicle-sized segments wrapped around the spider. Each section has, extending from either side, two thin, black, tubular protrusions that wriggle around as the spider tries to break free of its grasp. On what seems to be the back end of the creature, there are four tubular protrusions, similar to the ones at its sides, extending straight away from its body. At the front, there are two long black tubular tendrils covering two razor-like fangs that are piercing the spider¡¯s exoskeleton. Screee! The spider screeches desperately from the sudden ambush by the centipede. Click click click. The clicking noise resounds continuously as the centipede''s legs tap the wood. I stare for a brief moment, transfixed, at the two creatures locked in their desperate struggle. Wait. What am I doing? I need to get out of here. A slight sense of relief washes over me, knowing that I am no longer either creature''s immediate concern. Instead of fighting with the log over my robe, I untie it, free myself from the log¡¯s grasp, and shed it in the process. I use the robe to prevent my feet from touching the sticky substance and hop to areas without it. Glancing back at the frantic fight behind me, I cannot help but feel a little sympathy for the spider, as I was just in its situation. I try to quickly scurry down the log, but fall due to my carelessness. Bugs¡­ too big¡­ Once back on the ground, I race back around the tree, forcing myself past the sharp foliage in the area. Small cuts and scratches form on my arms and legs as I retrace my route back toward the river. Okay, from now on, don¡¯t follow random smells. Better yet, let¡¯s just wait inside the house and see if someone returns. Following alongside the river, I see the tree with the door off in the distance. Finally back. I smile as I increase my pace. Pushing aside more greenery, I attempt to climb over a rough, brown branch that is about twice my height. Upon touching it however, I hear another fear inducing screech, and freeze in place. Zriiii. No no no! Where! I quickly look around me as I back away from the branch. It begins to move, slowly sliding away and opening the pathway between myself and the house. After seeing the wood-like creature vanish into the greenery, I let out a heavy sigh. The tension in my body vanishes as I continue toward the house. Zriiii. I hear the screech once again, this time from behind me. Turning around, my eyes widen once again as I see a large, eyeless, worm-like creature. Its body is rough and brown, like the ¡®branch¡¯ from before. Please don¡¯t be the thing that just made that noise. Two large and lengthy antennae extend from both sides of its head, above an X-shaped slit. Both antennae twitch and move around as the creature turns its head slightly. One of the antennae almost brushes up against me as I slowly back away, rustling some foliage in the process. The worm-like creature faces me again, and, as if knowing exactly where I am, the slit on its face begins to spread apart. ZRIIII. The creature screeches with its massive maw now open, covering me in its thick saliva. I flinch as it does so, and open my eyes to the sight of the interior of its mouth, revealing several layers of hundreds of teeth. The sharp, curved fangs decorate the whole inside of the creature¡¯s mouth and continue down its throat. The sight of the nightmarish monster before me causes my naked, petrified body to cower. The fear becomes unbearable. No¡­ My exhausted legs crumple and I fall to the sticky, saliva-covered ground, staring at the horrifying creature that rears its long form back to strike. Please¡­ Tears begin to form as I lose hope. Someone¡­ With the mucus-like goo restricting my body, I close my eyes and place my hands over my head. ¡°NOOO!¡± ZRI- THUD. BOOM. ZRIIII! I wince as the ground shakes and a series of various noises explode around me. Huh? I¡¯m- Okay? I open my eyes and immediately notice a transparent yellow sphere surrounding me. Did I¡­ do this? There are sporadic patches of viscous saliva on the outside of the sphere. Beyond the golden bubble, the worm-beast screeches and violently rampages as its body has been pinned down by massive stone spikes. As it continues to spasm, a thick, red liquid flows out of its body. ¡°Wait what hap-¡± I stop short as I notice a man with fluttering, black wings suspended above the worm. He glares harshly at, and hovers imposingly over, the dying insect. In one arm, the man is carrying a large purple orb that is about half the size of his torso. His other arm is held out in front of his body, with his fingers spread apart. What¡¯s he doing? He slowly rotates his hand, and, in unison, the stone spikes twirl in place. What in the abyss is happening? ZRIIII. The worm continues to wail. The man raises his hand into the air. What¡¯s he doi-? Immediately, he swings his hand down, and, all together, the stone spikes drive down into the creature. ZRII-¡­ Slowly the screeching from the creature fades, and its body goes limp, occasionally twitching. Wow¡­ I watch as the man turns his gaze from the dead creature to me. He slowly flies in my direction, descending in the process. Slowly, I shrink away from him until my back is up against the yellow sphere. ¡°Ah,¡± I mutter as I glance behind at the obstacle preventing me from getting away. As the guy lands on the ground, his pitch-black, butterfly-like wings disappear. The man appears to be a young adult, with a well-built, slightly tanned figure. His handsome face is reminiscent of models from Upper-Svelta. He has yellow, piercing, almond-shaped eyes and black, slicked-back hair. His short-sleeved shirt, long pants, and rough shoes are made up of a crude mixture of animal skin, furs, and plant material. He scans me, and then he looks at the bubble that protected me. The man holds out his hand and I tilt my head. What¡¯s he doing? A second later, the outside of the sphere gets covered in another liquid that quickly washes away the mucus. Once the sphere is completely clean, it dissipates. Oh. I try to stand up, but cannot. He doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s going to attack me. The guy squats down, turns his face away from me, and mutters something in a language I have never heard. Huh? ¡°S-sorry,¡± I reply nervously, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying. Ah, and t-thank you for saving me.¡± I watch as he bites his lip and tightens his fists, his body marginally shaking. His piercing gaze stabs at me as he looks my way without turning his head. He says something else in the unknown language. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying,¡± I repeat, trembling as my body starts burning in the areas with slime. He turns his full gaze to me and releases a frustrated sigh. Why¡¯s he getting mad all of a sudden? He raises his hand toward me. He¡¯s not going to? ¡°Wait-¡± I begin to say, but am interrupted as water gushes from his hand. I gaze at the man in awe as water rapidly surrounds me and rushes about my body. A minute passes as it swirls around my form, but never completely covers my face for more than a moment. The water eventually vanishes, leaving my whole body drenched. *Cough* I move my now wet hair out of my face. ¡°How about-¡± *Cough* ¡°A warning next time?¡± I look down at my hands and realize they are free of the slime that once covered them. I look back up at the man. ¡°Oh, than-¡± Without a word, the man blasts me with a stream of hot air. ¡°Ah!¡± I shout in surprise, as the blazing wind storms past me. Nearly instantaneously, the intensity of the heat and the speed of the wind drop to a much less painful level. Why¡¯s he doing this? I put my arms up in front of my face and squint, trying to see what the guy is doing. ¡°Hey!¡± No response. He¡¯s just standing there? A tingling feeling shoots up my spine as I feel the drops of water rolling off of me. I scan my body starting with my arms and I see that I am now dry too. He did that to clean me? I lower my gaze to check the rest of my body. ¡°Ah!¡± Right! I¡¯m naked! I quickly curl into a ball, trying to hide as much of my exposed self as I can from the man. I can feel my body heat up from embarrassment. This is so awkward. I¡¯m a girl now. No wonder he wasn¡¯t trying to look at me¡­ While I panic, the wind stops blowing. I glance up at the man. He silently stands up, points at me and then the ground. I tilt my head. Then, he walks past me toward the house. Why¡¯d he leave though? I continue to watch as he enters the house, still carrying the purple ball. A few moments after, he walks back out without the purple orb and, instead, has a rolled up mass of fur. He approaches me and says something while unrolling the fabric. As the mass unrolls into a brown fur blanket he tosses it over me. ¡°Hey!¡± I comment as I feel the fluffy material envelop me. Oh my, this is soft. I pull the blanket from my head, and wrap it around myself. ¡°Thanks,¡± I say as I look up at the man. He is extending his hand out toward me while averting his gaze. Does he want to help me up? He mutters something I fail to understand as I reach my right hand out for his. My left clutches the blanket around me. I smile warmly as he pulls me to my feet. Standing next to him, I am reminded of my new petite form, as my eyes do not even reach his waist. He¡¯s a lot taller than me¡­ The guy looks toward the front door and says something in an aggressive tone before walking toward the house. Holding my hand, he practically drags me back into the house. ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit gentler?¡± I ask from behind him. We reach the front door and he opens it, directing me inside. Once inside the rustic house, the man holds out his free hand. From his hand, four small bright lights spread out into different locations in the main room and stop near the ceiling, illuminating the house. ¡°Wow,¡± I mutter in amazement. He can use the axioms, and several of them too. The man drags me over to a table with the purple orb resting on it. Is that a¡­ grape? He pulls a chair out from the table and, while staring at me, says something. Guess he wants me to sit down. After I climb onto the chair and situate myself, he pushes it in. Now what? I turn and focus my attention back on the guy. He looks at me, points toward the door that leads to the room I awoke in, and says something. I stare at him blankly and shrug. The only thing in there is the paper and the flower. Does he want the paper for something? He sighs exasperatedly, turns and walks toward the door, and heads inside. I place my arms and chin on the table and let out a heavy sigh. Glancing around the interior of the house, I mutter, ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like a bad guy at least. Better than those bugs.¡± A shiver runs down my spine as I remember the near-death experiences that just occurred. The door opens and the man returns, his hands holding the papers. I raise my head. Did he grab them all? He could¡¯ve asked for help¡­ I place my finger on my chin. Maybe he did ask for help and I just didn¡¯t understand¡­ I shake my head and focus on the man again, who is now in front of the table. He sets the stack of papers down on the table, sits in the chair opposite me, and sighs. He grabs the top sheet, looks at the symbols on it, and then at me. He turns the page toward me, points to the top line, and says something. He then just stares intensely at me. Does he want me to read it? After a moment of silence I shake my head, ¡°I can¡¯t read it.¡± He sighs, slides his finger down to the next line, and says something else. ¡°Like I said, I can¡¯t read it.¡± This sequence continues to repeat until we reach the last line on the first sheet. The man, again, repeats what I assume to be a question, to which I answer ¡°No, I can¡¯t read that one either.¡± Once done, I place my chin on my hand, sigh, and look at the guy who is placing the sheet down. He eyes the documents thoughtfully. He¡¯s not planning on doing this with all of them is he? I already went through them. The man glances at me then back to the documents, gestures to the stack, and says something that sounds similar to his previous questions. ¡°No, I can¡¯t read any of those either.¡± At my answer, the guy inhales deeply, stares at me briefly before closing his eyes, and exhales sharply. He then leans back in his chair and rests his head against the seat, facing the ceiling. He heaves a frustrated sigh and places both of his hands near his temples, and grinds his fingers into his forehead while muttering something under his breath. ¡°Um-¡± I go to say something but the man holds up a hand, sits forward looking down at the papers, and says one word I can only guess was crude. The man lowers his hand, and looks at me. What¡¯s he going to do now? I watch as he brings his hands to his chest and he slowly says a single word. ¡°Revus.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I mumble as I tilt my head, ¡°Revus?¡± He nods his head and smiles, ¡°Revus.¡± He taps his chest once again. Is that his name? I point at him and ask, ¡°You¡¯re Revus?¡± He relievedly nods, and then points at me and says, ¡°Evetta.¡± Evetta? Wait, that¡¯s not my name. My name¡¯s¡­ Wait, what¡¯s my name? Chapter 2 - New Words I stare at Revus and lose focus as I slowly bring my hands to my head. Why? I can remember everything else. My life in Svelta. My siblings, my parents, my co-workers. What I did on a daily basis, my experiences growing up. My heart races and an uncomfortable sweat builds on my body as I panic. So why can¡¯t I remember my name!? It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s¡­ gone? Suddenly I feel a hand on my head. I flinch as I look up and see Revus with a warm smile on his face. He then pulls his hand away from me and makes a yellow sphere around me. What is this? I tilt my head at him in confusion. He makes a bitter smile, removes the barrier, and kneels down to my height. As Revus wraps his arms around me and pulls me in tightly, he whispers something into my ear. Even though we cannot understand one another, the kindness present in his voice, and actions, convey the meaning of his words. I whimper a soft, ¡°Thank you,¡± as tears fill my eyes and I bury my face into his shoulder. I continue to cry as Revus holds me for several moments, but eventually I calm down. I stare at the wooden surface of the table, still in a daze. I hear Revus get up and walk away. I turn toward him to see what he is doing and watch as he pulls out two wooden sticks from among the drawers in the wooden cabinets lining the walls. What¡¯s he grabbing? Both are similar in design, having a long, flat structure that fits within his hand. The difference between the two is that one has a smooth, cupped end, while the other has three thin prongs at the tip. It looks like tableware. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls with a wave of his hand. I stare at him for a second. ¡°Evetta,¡± he repeats, raising an eyebrow. Evetta¡­ Right, I guess that¡¯s my name¡­ I sluggishly slide out of the chair, and trudge toward him. Once in front of the dark-haired man, he kneels down and pokes me in the forehead with the cupped utensil. ¡°Ow,¡± I reflexively complain as I place a hand on my forehead. He holds up the small weapon, and says a word in his strange language, ¡°Hur¨¥¨¥.¡± Is that how he says spoon? I stare at him, blinking a couple of times. Okay¡­ I think I see what¡¯s going on here. ¡°Hu-rry?¡± I reply, trying to mimic his pronunciation. Revus jabs my forehead with the spoon again. I attempt to swat the tool away, but he moves too quickly for me to react in time. He smirks and repeats, ¡°Hur¨¥¨¥,¡± while holding up the cupped utensil. I sigh, and try to pronounce the word for the cupped utensil in his language, ¡°Hury.¡± Revus pokes my forehead again and says, ¡°Z¨­¨­d.¡± Another new one¡­ ¡°Hu-r¨¥¨¥,¡± Revus states slowly, enunciating each syllable. ¡°H-huree,¡± I whisper, trying not to say it wrong. Revus cups his ear and pokes my forehead again. He glares at me, and whispers, ¡°Hur¨¥¨¥,¡± while making an annoyed face. He then almost yells, ¡°Hur¨¥¨¥!¡± That¡¯s what I said! I humph from my nose, irritated by his actions. I said it right, why¡¯re you getting so mad? He jabs my forehead once more and points to the spoon while we stare daggers at each other. ¡°Hur¨¥¨¥!¡± I yell as I lift my leg and stomp on his foot. Revus turns his head, exhales, faces me again, and then holds up the other utensil he took from the counter, ¡°Vor¨¥¨¥.¡± ¡°Vohry,¡± I answer as confidently as possible, but, upon seeing Revus¡¯ displeased face, place one of my hands over my forehead. I use the other to hold my blanket up. Revus sighs, biting his lip. ¡°Vo-r¨¥¨¥,¡± he says, a bit slower this time. ¡°Uh¡­¡± I avert my eyes, grip my fur blanket tighter, and answer, ¡°Vari.¡± ¡°Vor¨¥¨¥!¡± Revus bellows. He puts down the utensils, rubs his temples with his hands, and mumbles something else. Geez, no reason to go so upset. I¡¯m trying, alright. He sighs, and then holds the two utensils out in front. ¡°Vor¨¥¨¥. Hur¨¥¨¥. Vor¨¥¨¥. Hur¨¥¨¥. Vor¨¥¨¥. Hur¨¥¨¥.¡± He repeats as he raises them one at a time. I try to mimic the words to the best of my ability. The two of us continue this in his language for a moment until finally, with a somewhat content look, Revus puts the utensils down on the counter. I smile. Glad that¡¯s over with. Revus murmurs something else, walks back over to the table, pulls his chair out, and sits down. What now? I watch as he stands up, sits back down, and starts to repeat the action. So are we sitting or standing now? Revus says, ¡°M¨©¨©z,¡± as he sits down on the chair. He stands up not saying anything, and then sits once again and repeats the word. That doesn¡¯t sound like a hard one. ¡°Mice,¡± I declare. Revus stares at me with a furrowed brow, and whispers something under his breath. I¡¯m pretty sure I said it right. Why are you staring at me like that? ¡°Mice,¡± I bark. Revus closes his eyes and sharply exhales from his nose. He then points to the other chair and sternly commands, ¡°M¨©¨©z.¡± I tilt my head in confusion. Wait, I thought that meant to sit down? Is the word actually for the chair? Revus exhales heavily again, ¡°Evetta, m¨©¨©z.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I mutter as I walk over to the chair. I sit down and situate my blanket so it will not fall. So it was sit, he just wanted ME to sit down. I sigh as I look at Revus. I watch closely as he stands up, walks over to the countertop, and begins to grab a mixture of items from various places around the room. He creates a fire that hovers under a pot, and then uses a knife to cut meat and some vegetable-looking ingredients. He places them into the pot and begins to stir. Oh, he¡¯s cooking. Food actually doesn¡¯t sound so bad right now. I continue to watch him as he works, and, after a while, he finishes. When he returns to the table, he has two bowls of food and spoons with him. He places one in front of me, before sitting down in his chair. In the bowl is a thin, golden broth, cubed pieces of meat, chunks of yellow-white cubes, and some leafy green produce. This looks like a fancy soup. A wonderful aroma rises from the bowl. Smells good too. I grab the spoon and, as best that I can, say, ¡°Hur¨¥¨¥.¡± Revus smiles slightly. I grin in response, and then use the spoon to grab some of the thin broth and a piece of meat. I put it in my mouth and am greeted with a smooth texture and rich flavor. I glance up at Revus, who is watching me intently, and mutter, ¡°Thanks.¡± He grabs his spoon, prepares to take a bite, and, just before he puts it into his mouth, boldly says, ¡°Zell.¡± I¡¯m not doing this right now. I pull my spoon to my mouth and continue eating, ignoring Revus¡¯ glares. Before every bite he takes, he repeats the word ¡°Zell.¡± Try as I might to ignore him I, with there being no sound other than of us eating, am forced to listen to the grating repetition of ¡°Zell. Zell. Zell.¡± I¡¯m almost done eating, just keep ignoring him. ¡°Zell. Zell. Zell. Zell.¡± Revus starts saying the word much more frequently. I stare at my bowl as I feel my face heat up. Ignore him. Just ignore him. ¡°Zell. Zell. Zell. Zell. Zell. Zell.¡± Revus¡¯ barrage continues until I explode, ¡°Sell!¡± I yell before continuing in Sveltish, ¡°Geez, now shut and let me eat!¡± I look up at him and notice that he is no longer eating. He instead has his hands placed under his chin and is smirking at me. I look away from him and resume eating. ¡°Zell. Zell. Zell.¡± Revus starts repeating the word every time I take a bite. I briefly stop eating the soup and glance at him without raising my head. His smirk has turned into a full-toothed smile. I sigh deeply and begin repeating the word before every bite until I finish the bowl. Once finished, I get up and carry my dirty bowl and spoon to the sink, and leave them there. I¡¯m not washing these. I humph from my nose before tilting my head. Hang on, there¡¯s no faucet here. So how are we supposed to wash these? I look at Revus who is walking up next to me. He places his stuff into the sink, and then turns to walk away. As he leaves, he glances back at me, and waves for me to follow him. I follow behind him as we walk over to the beds and dressers in the back corner of the room across from the kitchen area. ¡°Evetta, m¨©¨©z,¡± Revus says, pointing at one of the beds. After climbing onto the bed, I watch as Revus uses one hand to grab onto his shirt, and says, ¡°Shaboks.¡± I tilt my head to the side as I look up at him. Okay¡­ Shirt? Outfit? It isn¡¯t the word for naked, right? My face starts to get warm. Revus sighs, placing a hand over his face. I watch as he walks over to the wooden dressers by the beds, opens one, pulls something out, and faces toward me. In one hand is a light-brown shirt, and in the other is a dark-brown pair of pants. He holds them up and says the word, ¡°Shaboks,¡± again. ¡°Oh!¡± I exclaim as I begin to understand. Revus repeats the word as he pulls the clothes away. Figures. I sigh, ¡°Shaboch.¡± ¡°Shaboks,¡± Revus emphasizes as he holds the garments up right in front of me. I look down and see that the clothes are quite a bit bigger than I am. I look back to Revus and reply, ¡°Shabokz.¡± ¡°Shabok-s¡­ s,¡± Revus emphasizes, slowly. He then goes back to the dresser and swaps the garments. ¡°Shaboks,¡± I mimic as he returns to me with a gray shirt and light-brown pants. Both articles are smaller in size, but still appear too big for me. Revus looks down at me with a slightly concerned face. He starts chewing on his lower lip, dives back into the dresser drawers, and quickly pulls out two pieces of fabric. One is small and light-brown in color, the other is much larger and dark-brown. He carries them to the opposite side of the room, places them on a table, and begins rustling about. What¡¯s he doing now? I continue to watch until he turns around, and works his way back over to me. He presents two articles of clothing before me. The first is a tiny pair of underwear with a string in the hem. The other is a flowy dress of sorts that is missing a large portion of its backside. The dress looks a little big for me, but is the closest thing to matching my size out of everything Revus presented to me. ¡°Evetta shaboks,¡± Revus states as he drops them on my lap. I look up at him and he makes a body movement as if he is putting on clothes. He doesn¡¯t mean here, right? I shake my head as my face gets warm. I place my hands between my legs and look down, away from Revus¡¯ eyes. I mean¡­ he¡¯s already seen me like that, but still, it¡¯s embarrassing. I glance at Revus, who has made his way over to the third door in the room, the one that leads to the washroom. He points at the door and repeats, ¡°Evetta, shaboks.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± I mutter in Sveltish. Duh... I exhale as I shake my head again, trying to get rid of my embarrassment. Revus opens the door and creates a small light within the room before I go inside. Once Revus closes the door, I scan the room. With more light in the room than before, I see a row of cabinets with a sink in the middle of them, a bowl-like structure that I believe to be some kind of toilet, and a large bathtub. I place the clothes on a small cabinet, remove the blanket, and look down at my petite body. Okay, I can do this. It¡¯s fine, this is my body. I take several deep breaths as I slowly get dressed. I struggle to put the clothes on, but, once I have everything on, I feel a slightly unpleasant feeling from my stomach. Oh no¡­ Right, I forgot. Being a girl now means that¡­ I look over at the toilet and bite my lip. After I use the toilet, I dress myself again and drag myself back to the door, open it, and wobble around Revus toward the beds. I probably shouldn¡¯t go to sleep if I need to pee. I dive face first onto the soft surface, and plant my face into a pillow. I can¡¯t believe I just did that¡­ And I¡¯m going to have to do that everytime now¡­ Silence fills the room for a while before Revus says something, but I fail to make out his words. I feel a hand touch my shoulder and I lift my head to see Revus¡¯ worried face. ¡°Evetta?¡± he inquires. I turn away from him and return my face to its soft prison. I really am a girl now. I hear Revus get up and walk away, sounding like he is heading toward the kitchen. Maybe he¡¯s going to wash the dishes? I turn away from the pillow and see Revus¡¯ bare back. His clothes are also missing a large portion from the backsi- Wait, didn¡¯t he have wings earlier!? I rapidly spring from the bed and land on my feet. ¡°Revus!¡± I call as I race over to him, the dress swaying as I move. This is pretty embarrassing to move in. He turns around at my call. I look up at him as he stares down at me. ¡°Um,¡± I mutter. Okay, how do I ask him about his wings¡­ I turn my back to him, point to it, and repeat, ¡°Revus.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± he chuckles, ¡°F¨¡¨¡v.¡± Fayve? He takes a step away from me, and smiles. A second later, tiny, black wings sprout from his back and grow, becoming large, pitch-black, and butterfly-like in shape. There are four in total with two large upper wings, and two smaller, lower ones. They are black in color, but have transparent vein-like patterns throughout them, with each vein having a circle at its end. A faint yellow shimmer pulses through the transparents designs, making his wings seem as though they are breathing. Small specks of black and gold dust fall from them which catches the light in the room and creates a beautiful, glittering effect. He flaps his wings once and the dust spreads throughout the room, making the whole of it shimmer and glow brightly. Oh. My jaw slacks as I stare at the glistening room. I reach out and grab a small bit of the slowly falling dust. It twinkles faintly for a few seconds before it fades away. ¡°Wow,¡± I mutter as I look back up at Revus, ¡°Beautiful.¡± He raises an eyebrow. I reach my hand out to touch Revus¡¯ wings, but he pulls them away. ¡°Ah,¡± I whine dejectedly. He makes a bitter smile, says something and shakes his head. I lower my gaze toward the floor. But.. they¡¯re so pretty.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Suddenly, I feel a hand on my head. Looking back up, I see Revus kneeling down in front of me, his wings already gone. He stares me in the eyes and says, ¡°Evetta f¨¡¨¡v.¡± I furrow my eyebrows and tilt my head. Evetta wings? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I like them¡­ I mean, yeah they¡¯re pretty, but- Revus pokes my forehead with his finger, pulling me out of my thoughts. He grabs my shoulders and turns me around. I twist my neck to watch him as he places his finger against my back and repeats, ¡°Evetta f¨¡¨¡v.¡± ¡°No way,¡± I mutter in my native tongue. He can¡¯t mean- I gesture toward myself with both hands. ¡°I have fayve too?¡± I ask, mixing both languages into a single sentence. Revus nods slowly, stands up, walks to the front door, and waves for me to follow him. I chase after him as he exits the door, but as I reach the doorway I freeze. My body begins to tremble as I remember my previous excursion outside. I can still see the remains of the giant worm outside of the house. I quickly hide behind the wall, poke my head out, and analyze Revus¡¯ surroundings to ensure that it is safe before leaving. Revus looks back at me and sighs. ¡°Evetta,¡± he calls out. I lock my eyes onto him and watch as he creates a yellow sphere around himself. It disappears and he motions for me to come toward him. Right. He protected me last time, so he¡¯ll keep me safe again. I hope. I hesitantly walk through the doorway, and race over to Revus¡¯ side. He places his hand on my head causing me to look up and I realize that I am firmly clutching his pants. ¡°Ah,¡± I murmur as I feel my body heat up. I instantly let go of them and take a step away. I can¡¯t believe I was just grabbing him like that. Looking around again, I notice that the sun is starting to set as the forest is slightly darker than it was before. The noises among the trees have become quieter and less frequent. The previously vibrant green colors of the vegetation are starting to be dyed with darker shades of black. Shadows cast from the trees are stretching out, consuming all of the light within various areas in the woodland. Even with the growing darkness, however, the wonder and beauty of my surroundings remains. I look up and say, ¡°Revus, fayve,¡± while tilting my head and furrowing my eyebrows. Revus sits down on the ground, crosses his legs, and says ¡°Rish.¡± I stare at him, blinking. Yeah, I¡¯ve got no idea on this one¡­ He stares at me, sighs, places his chin between his index finger and thumb, and slightly tilts his head while looking up. He then repeats, ¡°Rish.¡± I clench my lips together, squint my eyes, and continue to stare at him. He looks like he¡¯s thinking? Well, maybe a bit exaggerated so, is the word supposed to be ¡°think¡±? Maybe ¡°imagine¡± or ¡°remember¡±. Then, Revus adds the previous word to create the first sentence I can piece together, ¡°Evetta rish f¨¡¨¡v.¡± If that word¡¯s supposed to be think. Then that should mean, ¡°Evetta think wings.¡± Think wings? As in imagine I have wings? I close my eyes. Wings¡­ wings¡­ I have wings¡­ Suddenly, I feel a weird sensation on my back. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls out. I open my eyes to see him staring at me with a slight smile. I match his gaze, but see something white twitch out of the corner of my eye. Swiftly turning my head, I discover a thin, white, butterfly-like membrane. It moves behind me as I twirl around. Are those¡­ MY wings? I stop spinning, turn my head as far back as I can, and try to look at whether the wings are coming directly from my back. Analyzing the edge of one of them, I trace its perimeter and realize that it is coming from my back. ¡°I have wings,¡± I mutter in Sveltish. My eyes widen and I look at Revus. He tries to suppress a laugh as I giggle, ¡°I have wings!¡± I focus on my wings again, trying to completely take in their appearance. They are more rounded than Revus¡¯, and, unlike the pitch-black color of his, are pristine white. Mine also lack the patterns and yellow shimmer that his have. They do, however, have their own silvery dust radiating from them. My wings¡­ my wings¡­ I joyfully twirl around, watching the dust dance off my wings, but stop short and look at Revus. He cannot help but let out a short laugh now. I look up at the darkening forest canopy and fix my eyes on the fragments of evening sky scattered throughout the foliage. With wings, I should be able to¡­ I look back at my wings which move slightly. Okay, just need to get them to move, and I should be able to fly. I attempt to get my wings to move, but they do not respond, other than a slight twitch. Huh? I look over at Revus and see him sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and eyes closed. Is he sleeping? ¡°Revus?¡± I call out curiously as I walk over to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± He hums, opening his eyes. I guess not. ¡°Nothing,¡± I comment in Sveltish, and return to trying to get my wings to respond. Over the following hours, I attempt to flap my wings, but, unfortunately, I am unsuccessful. While I practice moving my newfound limbs, Revus remains on the ground, silently watching over me. Occasionally, he closes his eyes and appears to be napping. Night has come and darkness blankets the forest, causing the wildlife to go silent. The gentle wind and the soft rustling of leaves are the only remaining source of noise. Again, I¡¯ll get it this time. I concentrate on the feeling of moving my wings and finally manage to get them to flutter a single time. Frustratedly, I drop to my knees and place my hands on the ground. Why? I slam my tiny hand into the ground, ¡°Dang it!¡± Why is this so difficult¡­ I just want to fly¡­ I just want to- ¡°Evetta,¡± I hear Revus call. Looking up, I see him standing up from his cross-legged position. He points toward the house and motions for me to follow him. I exhale, and steady my breathing to try to calm down. I get back onto my feet and notice that the already long shadows have overtaken the whole ground. I guess it is pretty dark now¡­ I look back up toward the night-bleached canopy and sigh. One day, I¡¯ll get to see it. I walk over to Revus who is staring at me with his intense, yellow eyes. The contrast between the dark night and his gold-hued irises, combined with his large physique, give him an intimidating aura. As I try to walk inside, he holds his hand out in front of me to prevent my entry. I look up at him, and he says, ¡°Fediv.¡± I tilt my head back and sigh. What is it this time? Returning my focus to him, he pokes my forehead. Wha- He opens the door and points inside, and then repeats the word, ¡°Fediv.¡± ¡°Fidif?¡± I try to replicate the odd pronunciation. He sighs, heads inside and repeats the word again, ¡°Fediv.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± I humph, ¡°Why must this language be a pain in the butt?¡± I lower my head and place my hand on my forehead then sigh, ¡°Vediv.¡± Revus walks inside, heads to the kitchen, and starts preparing things for another meal. ¡°Fe-div,¡± he continues, slower than before. ¡°Fe-div,¡± I answer as I take a seat on a soft, cushioned chair located near the door opposite the kitchen. As I relax on the comfortable chair, a sharp chill runs down my spine and spreads throughout my body. I wrap my arms around myself and stare out the window toward the sky. I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to fly tomorrow? I smile longingly. Well, I¡¯ll have all day to try- Wait, what am I thinking? I need to figure out what happened to me. ¡°Revus!¡± I holler as I jump off of the chair and rush toward him, grabbing onto his shirt to get his attention. ¡°Evetta?¡± Revus replies curiously. He stops cutting the meat into strips, and turns his attention toward me. I stare up at him. Right¡­ How am I supposed to ask him when we can barely talk? I watch as Revus scratches the back of his head and sighs. I let go of his shirt, turn away, and, as I walk back toward the soft chair, mutter quietly, ¡°Nevermind¡­ I¡¯ll ask you later.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Revus clicks his tongue and starts walking. As I turn to face him, he walks past me and ends at the dressers. Now what¡¯s going through his head? After a moment, he pulls out a gray robe-like article of clothing and another pair of underwear. Then, he heads toward the washroom and calls, ¡°Evetta,¡± motioning for me to follow. As I head over to him, he says another new word, ¡°Vorch.¡± ¡°Fork?¡± I ask. Revus opens the door to the washroom and heads inside. I follow after him. He points to the bathtub, and repeats, ¡°Vorch.¡± Then, he places the clothes he grabbed on the counter, and begins to motion as if cleaning himself. Gotcha, so washing yourself is ¡°Forch¡±. ¡°F-forch,¡± I stutter as I try to pronounce the word. Revus holds out his hands, and then steamy water starts to flow from them. Oh thank the stars, it¡¯s really cold in here. While filling the bathtub, he says ¡°Vorch,¡± once more. ¡°Vorch,¡± I reply as I watch the tub fill with water. Well, it might be different, but at least I¡¯ll get to clean myse- Wait, taking a bath means I¡¯ll be naked¡­ Immediately, my eyes widen as I feel my heart speed up and my body temperature increase. Well, at least I¡¯m not cold anymore. ¡°Evetta?¡± Revus calls out, waving his hand in front of my face. ¡°Ah, yeah?¡± I reflexively answer, turning to look at him. ¡°Vorch,¡± he replies, pointing to the steamy water. He pulls some items from the cabinet in the room. One, a cloth, the others, two small jars. He hands me the jars and does the scrubbing motion again. Then he points to them. I look at the two jars, examining the powder within. Is this supposed to be soap? I face Revus and say, ¡°Thanks.¡± He places his hand under his chin, smiles, and then places the cloth down atop my clothes before leaving the room. I stare at the door and exhale loudly. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to do this. I take deep breaths as I start to remove my clothes. Once done, I climb into the tub and, as I do so, avoid looking at myself as much as possible. Ah¡­ so warm¡­ My body slowly loses its shiver as the hot water envelopes it. This is nice¡­ I soak in the tub for a bit before reaching for the jars of powder. Opening one, I pour some of its contents into my hand. I wet the soft powder, rub my hands together, and watch as it becomes frothy. Huh, there¡¯s no smell. I begin to lather my limbs and, as I slowly wash my body, do my best to avoid looking at myself. I know it¡¯s my body, but it¡¯s still so weird¡­ After finishing my bath, I climb out, dry myself off with the cloth Revus left on my clothes, and then get dressed. The gray robe drags along behind me as it is a bit bigger than the dress I was previously wearing. However, it is not as large as the robe that I walked through the forest with. I hope Revus doesn¡¯t get mad that I lost that other robe. As I finish dressing, I feel my wet hair drip down onto my shoulders. How am I supposed to dry my hair now that it¡¯s so long? I know mom used to wrap her hair with a towel but¡­ I look at the cloth in my hands. How do I do that? I repeatedly attempt to wrap my hair in the cloth, and put it on my head, but it keeps falling off. Yep¡­ I give up. I wipe my dripping hair with the towel to remove the majority of the water, and leave it like that. Good enough. I open the washroom door and see Revus sitting at the table with two plates of food already set. Seeing him like that, he doesn¡¯t seem like such a bad guy. Upon seeing me, Revus¡¯ calm face becomes vexed. I wince as he glares at me. What¡¯d I do now? Revus stands up, moves a chair next to him, and sighs, ¡°Evetta m¨©¨©z,¡± with irritation present in his voice. I walk over and take a seat on the chair. Revus remarks something that I fail to understand, and warm air starts blowing against my head. Ahhh¡­ I chuckle lightly. So he was mad that I didn¡¯t dry my hair?After sitting like that for a moment, my hair eventually dries and Revus returns to his seat. ¡°Thanks,¡± I mutter as I avert my gaze from him. Revus politely responds, ¡°Sh¨©¨©sh pr¨©¨©n.¡± My gaze quickly snaps back to him, mouth agape. Did he just¡­ His shoddy smirk causes me to smile. Guess that means ¡°you¡¯re welcome¡±. He continues, ¡°Zell.¡± With only that word, I move my chair back to its original spot, and the two of us start to eat. Instead of soup, this time it is some kind of light pink meat, and an assortment of vegetables in various colors. The food is arranged nicely, with everything already cut up so that I can focus on eating. What is this? It tastes¡­ different? The meat has a rich, strong flavor and a tender texture, while the vegetables nearly perfectly compliment the meat. Unlike our previous meal, Revus does not continuously say ¡°zell¡±, but instead, quietly works his way through his food. Occasionally I glance up at him, and see him watching me. Why¡¯s he just staring at me? With dinner done, Revus takes my plate over to the sink, and I return to the soft chair under the window. Looking out at the canopy, I look to the sky once more, and notice a handful of lights poking through the trees. I sit there for a moment, silently gazing at the tiny stars. One of them catches my eye, for it is much brighter, and vastly larger than the rest. I wonder why that star looks different? Unlike the other stars, this one occupies its own fragment of sky within the canopy. Wait, I read about this¡­ is that¡­ a moon? ¡°Evetta,¡± I hear Revus say. Turning my head, I see him standing in front of the door, holding the fur blanket I was using earlier today. Looking at him, I tilt my head and sigh. He¡¯s not planning on going outside right now, is he? He motions for me to follow him as he heads outside. I meet up with him and immediately feel a bitter cold sweep over me. As I start to shiver, Revus wraps the blanket around me. I look up at my stern-faced guide as he leads me away from the door. Now what? He bends down and places one arm behind my back while placing the other behind my legs. Hang on. He¡¯s not planning on- Revus mutters something as his glorious wings erupt from his back and he lifts me into his arms. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± I shout as he pulls against his chest. So close¡­ My body starts to heat up once again as my heart races. I glare at him and plead, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± Revus returns my gaze with a smirk, and then looks up as we shoot into the air. ¡°Aaaaaaaaah,¡± I scream as we soar through the air, ¡°W-where are we going?¡± Revus remains silent as he concentrates on flying. I feel the cool night air brush against my face as my eyes try to focus on the blurry scenery rushing by. Are we going¡­ up? Slowly, the star-filled patches of night sky grow larger as we ascend through the thick forest. Eventually, we fly through a gap in the canopy and leave the confines of the woodland below. The scene that follows causes my mouth to open in awe. The vastness of the clear, open sky and the endless dots that paint it, cause it to seemingly continue forever. Within the field of light, there are four larger, round lights, like the one I saw from the window. Each larger light is a different color, consisting of pink, green, yellow, and white. The white one glows by far the brightest, as it illuminates much of the night sky. Time feels as though it has stopped as I absorb the mystifying scene. ¡°Wow,¡± I mutter, in disbelief, at the serene expanse before me. I look about, taking in the majesty of the still night as my eyes dance from one part of the sky to another. Tears begin to blur my vision as I pull my arms out from within the blanket, and reach out toward the stars. The sky¡­ it¡¯s more incredible than I thought it¡¯d be. As my hand slowly moves toward the large, glowing, white light, I begin to slip from Revus¡¯ arms. ¡°A-¡± Nearly as quickly as it happens, Revus yells out and pitches forward to prevent my fall. I quickly grab onto anything that I can hold on to. I look up at Revus, and he stares back at me. His deep, yellow eyes cause me to blush. ¡°I¡¯m Sor-¡± Realizing what I am doing, I release my grip on his shirt and turn away from him. What am I doing? I¡¯m a guy¡­ I groan. ¡­was a guy. I look back at the large, glowing, white light. ¡°Revus,¡± I call out. I point at the bright light and ask, in Sveltish, ¡°Is that a moon?¡± I doubt he¡¯ll understand my question, but still¡­ I have to ask. Revus stares at the large, white light and answers, ¡°Tr¨¡¨¡t.¡± He then looks at the tiny specks of light and says, ¡°Lenas.¡± Moon, stars¡­ ¡°Trayt. Leniz.¡± I mutter, trying to copy his pronunciation. Revus sighs, and slowly shakes his head, ¡°Tr¨¡¨¡t. Lenas.¡± I chuckle, look back at the moon, and then the stars, and repeat, ¡°Trayt. Leniz.¡± As I rest in his arms, I stare at the beautiful, yet unbelievable, scene before me and smile. Well, there¡¯s still a lot of things I don¡¯t know, but after seeing this¡­ I look up at Revus who is staring at the stars. I¡¯ll ask him about things later. My smile fades as I feel a cold shiver run through my body. I guess we should head back. ¡°Revus, vediv.¡± I say, burying myself in the blanket. Revus looks down at me, says something, and then sighs, ¡°Fediv.¡± ¡°Fediv,¡± I giggle, noting his defeated look. With that, Revus smiles and starts to descend. I take one last contented look at the moons and stars before the foliage from the trees blocks them out. Once I learn to fly, I¡¯ll get to come back whenever I want. We briskly make our way back through the sleeping woods until we arrive in front of the house. Revus gently lands and puts me down. We begin to head to the house, but I stop and briefly stare at the door, and then gaze up at the night-drenched tree. It¡¯s nothing like my previous house¡­ but at least I won¡¯t be lonely. Revus opens the door and, as I follow him inside, I yawn. As I close the door behind me, Revus turns around and says ¡°J¨­¨­l.¡± I furrow my eyebrows. No idea what that one was. He sighs, walks to the corner of the room, lays down on a bed, and repeats the word, ¡°J¨­¨­l.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± I nod my head, and then continue in Sveltish, ¡°Yeah, today was a long day.¡± Revus points to the other bed and says, ¡°Evetta, j¨­¨­l.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I reply as I walk over to the other bed. I climb onto the bed, place my head against the soft pillow, pull the fluffy blanket tightly around me, and sink into it. I roll onto my side and watch as Revus gets up and walks into the kitchen. I close my eyes and yawn, ¡°Good night Revus,¡± in my original tongue. ¡°Good night Evetta,¡± Revus replies in Sveltish. I smile. Interlude 2.5 - The Origin of Sleeps [Revus POV] I split the stew into two bowls, one of them having a larger amount. I carry the heated wooden bowls over to the dining table, place the larger serving on my side, and set the smaller one down in front of Evetta¡¯s chair. I look up and see her sinking into the cushioned lounge chair, her chin resting on the arm of it, her eyes fixed on the pouring rain outside. What¡¯s going through her mind now for her to be frowning like that? I massage the back of my neck, roll my head, sigh, and call, ¡°Evetta, dinner.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± She blandly mutters as she crawls out of the chair. I sit down and watch her slog over to the dinner table. As she sits down and stares at her bowl of stew, I ask, ¡°You okay?¡± Evetta smiles wryly, says a few words in her native tongue, and picks up her spoon. Does she not like stew? No¡­ I glance at the window and watch the large water drops explode on the night-soaked ground. Does she not like the rain? Maybe she wanted to go see the moons again? Whatever it is¡­ I blink, focus on her, and say, ¡°Eat.¡± We begin working our way through our bowls but, midway through our meal, as Evetta is bringing a spoonful of stew to her mouth, she stops, lowers the spoon, and frowns. Was I too hard on her during our lessons earlier? I stare at her forehead and see a slight red mark where I was poking it. Maybe her head hurts? ¡°Revus, zleeps,¡± Evetta says sullenly. Sleeps? I bite my lip and clench my fists as my blood begins to boil. It¡¯s okay, she¡¯s still learning¡­ Just breathe. I examine her petite figure and scan her face. Is she that tired though? ¡°Okay,¡± I exhale, ¡°but bath first.¡± She tilts her head, climbs off the chair, and shambles toward the bathroom. She silently opens the door and enters. This girl¡­ She didn¡¯t even grab anything to change into. I sigh, get up, and walk over to her dresser. I open it, look for the smallest nightgown I can find, and pull it out. She¡¯s smaller than I expected. I close the drawer. Well, hopefully she¡¯ll grow into these. I turn around, walk over to the bathroom, and slowly open the door, peeking inside. Huh, where is she? I look behind the door and see her standing in front of the window. Good, she¡¯s still dressed but¡­ ¡°Evetta, clothes,¡± I say as I walk into the room. I set them down on the cabinet, turn to the bath and, as I hold out my hands, fill the tub with warm water. Once done, I turn to Evetta and say, ¡°Bath.¡± She turns around, nods, and walks over to the tub, stopping next to me. She looks up and stares at me, her bangs falling in front of her large white eyes. I brush them behind her ear, point to the bath, and smile. Then, I leave the bathroom and return to the dining table. Hopefully the bath helps. I finish eating my stew and take our bowls over to the sink to begin washing them. It¡¯s already been nine years¡­ That means we¡¯ll be returning soon¡­ I take a deep breath as I create water and use it to rinse our tableware. Nine years, and not once have I seen a shadar. Nor another fairy for that matter. Yet the en¨­¨­fen have been popping up more frequently, and they even have those damned birds. I tighten my grip on the spoons, snapping one of them in two. I frustratedly exhale as I stare at the broken utensil. Good thing I have more¡­ If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. I finish washing the dishes, dispose of the broken spoon, and glance at the bathroom door. Then there¡¯s Evetta¡­ I walk to my workshop and begin cleaning up the area. Sir Marth didn¡¯t teach me every language, but at least gave me information on the most common ones. Which means she¡¯s from some obscure region. She seems to have knowledge about the axioms but is fascinated by simple everyday objects like trees and the moons. I grab some parchment and a stick of charcoal and, as I lay them down on the bench, sit on my stool. I start to write down my thoughts about her. She isn¡¯t cold to the touch so what happened to that icy chill when she was a bud? Not once did it ever disappear, but now¡­ I sigh and run my hand through my hair. Another odd thing about her is her pure white wings. Pure white¡­ Doesn¡¯t that mean that she died and immediately entered a bud? But wouldn¡¯t that require dying while your soul was in the fountain¡­ That doesn¡¯t make any sense though¡­ I scratch my head and, as I forcefully write my last line, break the charcoal. Nothing about her seems normal. I crumple the parchment up, ignite it, and watch it turn to ash. I spin around, lean my back against the bench, and sigh. And the weirdest part is her abnormal absorption rate. Just thinking about her laying down and pulling in the nearby sp¨©¨©r¡­ She¡¯s going to be difficult to hide in the future unless she learns to control that. Looks like I¡¯m going to be busy going forward. I place my index fingers at my temples, massage them, and look toward the bathroom door. She¡¯s taking quite a while in the bath¡­ I get up, walk over to the bathroom and, before I knock on the door, hear Evetta sobbing. She¡¯s crying¡­ I feel my chest tighten, take a deep breath, and knock on the door. ¡°Evetta, you okay?¡± After a brief moment of silence, she responds, ¡°Yez.¡± I feel a tinge of frustration spread. Please pronounce it correctly. It¡¯s a simple word and we¡¯ve been using it for a couple of days now¡­ I sigh. Don¡¯t get mad¡­ I¡¯m supposed to protect her. I turn away and return to my stool, counting my supplies. Looks like I have enough ¡°Revus,¡± Evetta murmurs as she opens the door, ¡°Thank.¡± I turn my head to the side and narrow my eyes, ¡°Thank?¡± ¡°Yez,¡± Evetta nods as she points to her bed, ¡°Thank.¡± Is she trying to say sleep? ¡°Ah,¡± I mutter. Maybe she¡¯s confusing sleep and thanks. I rest my index finger on my upper lip and my thumb below my chin. That would explain her slip up during dinner. I get up and grab a hair brush, walk over to her bed, and sit down. ¡°Evetta, sit,¡± I say, patting the spot next to her pillow. She stares at the ground and shambles over to the bed, her small frame barely big enough to climb up onto the raised bed. As she works her way onto the mattress, water drips from her hair, wetting her nightgown, blanket, and pillow. I shake my head slightly. Silly girl¡­ I hold out my right hand and generate a warm wind that starts to dry her hair. With how she¡¯s been acting, it¡¯s likely she used to be a guy. While maintaining the wind, I brush her hair with my left hand. Is she struggling to adjust to her new body? I don¡¯t know what I can do- Evetta suddenly leans her head against my chest. ¡°Evetta?¡± I mutter as I hesitate to pull her away. I tilt my torso and look down at her. ¡°Revus¡­¡± Evetta whimpers, turning to look up at me, tears flooding from her eyes and pouring down her cheeks. ¡°Revus¡­¡± She continues, speaking in her native tongue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I state, putting the hair brush down. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying,¡± I add, pulling her toward me, and hugging her gently. She grips my shirt, buries her face in it and, as she cries, utters ¡°Sleeps.¡± I hold her close, rubbing her head as she sobs loudly. I think you mean thanks. We remain like that for a while until she slowly gets quiet. ¡°Evetta?¡± I mumble as I glance down at her. She is breathing softly with her eyes closed. She¡¯s asleep? I smile, pick her up, and tuck her in bed. ¡°Goodnight,¡± I whisper, brushing her bangs out of her face. ¡°Sleep well.¡± Chapter 3 - Sleepful Artist It has been a week since I began living with Revus. Living with him has been simple, yet brutal. My day starts off with Revus waking me to the smell of an already-cooked breakfast. Before I join him for breakfast, I go to the washroom to wash my face and use the toilet. Revus always makes sure I finish my plate, and then does all of the cleaning up himself. After breakfast, Revus sits at the table with me and teaches me more about his language, which I have learned is called Zoic. Aside from learning the letters and numbers, he has also taught me some general words and objects within the house. Chiefly among these are what Revus and I are, and what everyone else is. Revus and I are known as fairies, while non-fairies are called en¨­¨­fen. Like in Svelta, it seems as though there are varied and unique kinds of people. Thanks to his intense workload, I am learning around forty words every day. Our sessions start by reviewing the previous day¡¯s work, and then he dumps a new workload on me that utilizes the letters and words I have already learned. The language can be difficult at times due to differences in sounds and pronunciations. That, combined with the amount of work, Revus¡¯ constant sighs, and his jabs at my forehead, makes the sessions torturous. Thankfully, Revus only holds new lessons in the mornings, while the rest of the day is spent on other tasks or reviewing. He makes a light lunch when he finishes teaching me new words for the day. Once eaten, the dishes are again cleaned by Revus. By then, it is approximately midday, so we head outside so that I may practice flying. Over the past week, I have learned to manipulate my wings more naturally. With their new-found responsiveness, I have managed to increase the duration and speed at which I can flap them. However, even after practicing until I am exhausted, I am unable to stay airborne, let alone fly. While I tire myself out trying to fly, Revus usually sits silently on the ground with his legs crossed. At first I thought he was sleeping, because he would not react to sight, but, if I made too much noise, he would open his eyes. I tried asking Revus about what he was doing, but, after he explained everything in Zoic, I gave up and decided to wait until we could communicate better before asking again. My flying practice usually lasts for several hours, which I enjoy. Whenever I get tired, I find a nice spot in the sunlight, sit on the ground, and absorb the surroundings. I bask in the wondrous sights, fresh smells, and primal, yet serene sounds, all while feeling the warmth of the sun and the cool winds¡¯ breeze on my skin. Even though I have lived in this forest for almost a week, I feel like I could stay here forever and never get tired of it. On some days, Revus will interrupt my flight practice and have me go back inside so he can prepare for an outing. While I wait, he will leave multiple times for anywhere from a few minutes, to almost an hour. His outings involve gathering food or other materials for daily life. He often returns with various meats, skins, or large fruits and vegetables, as well as flowers, stones, or wood. During Revus¡¯ excursions, I stay inside and attempt to review my lessons from earlier that day, but I usually fail to stay focused. As I sit there alone, my mind wanders, and I start thinking about my situation. I asked Revus for some paper and have been using charcoal to write down my thoughts. With my overall lack of information, however, I have taken to writing down questions that I feel are important. Even though I know what to ask, our lack of proper communication prevents me from attaining answers. While brooding over my questions, I remain inside alone, awaiting Revus¡¯ return. It is during these lonesome times that I noticed this weird feeling in my chest. This odd sensation directs me toward the flower chamber. Once inside, it intensifies, and my attention is forced onto the flower. While I stare at the flower, something about it calls out to me, causing me to approach it. Touching the flower gives me a sense of comfort that washes away my lonesome worries. The solace I find has been so great, that I even began sleeping with the petal that fell from it. When Revus returns from his hunts, I help him put away the gathered items. During dusk, Revus will spend his time performing various tasks. Occasionally, he will clean the house or wash some clothes. Other times, he will stay in the workshop and build various things. His creations range from clothes and blankets, to furniture, dinnerware, or even daily products like the paper and charcoal we use. There was one night when I saw Revus not building something, but, instead, writing something down while looking at me. I went to see what it was, but he quickly hid it from me. He has not repeated what he was doing that night, so I can only guess as to what it was. Once the sun sets, Revus starts preparing dinner and has me go over the material from my morning lessons. As I review the words, I occasionally glance at the man I have been living with. From watching Revus over this week, I have come to learn a handful of things about him. One is that Revus always seems to be doing something, and never relaxes. Another is that, regardless of what he does, he seems to try and perform the task efficiently, yet perfectly. Whenever he makes a mistake, even if it is something seemingly insignificant, he gets frustrated. The weirdest thing I have noticed is that I have yet to see him sleeping, for he is always awake before me, and goes to sleep after me. After we finish dinner, Revus heads into the washroom to prepare the bath for me. I have gradually been adjusting to my new body, and, every time I use the toilet, I get a little bit closer to accepting the difference. Even so, I have continued to wash myself with my eyes closed, as I still feel uncomfortable looking at my exposed body. When I get out of the bath, Revus is usually busy working on his projects that he started before dinner. Once he notices me, he puts his project on hold and uses warm, conjured wind to dry my hair. The heated air, coupled with the warm water from the bath, helps to remove the cold that embraces me every night. After Revus dries my hair, I sit under the window looking at the slivers of the moons through the forest canopy, reminiscing about the first night. The first couple of nights, Revus asked if I wanted to go and see the night sky again. I refused, and did my best to explain that the next time I saw them, I wanted to get there on my own. Once I am settled in, Revus heads to the washroom and prepares a bath for himself. I either continue to sit under the window and gaze at the scattered stars, or, if I am tired enough, make my way to bed. I occasionally try to stay awake until Revus gets out of the bath, but I have fallen asleep a couple of times before he gets out. If I remain awake, he will stay up with me and we try to talk about how the day was, until drowsiness forces my eyes shut. Today, Revus and I have already finished breakfast, my morning lessons, lunch, and my flight practice. Now, I watch as Revus finishes prepares for another outing. ¡°Evetta, you stay home,¡± Revus states while walking toward the front door, ¡°Home safe.¡± I know I know. I stare at his exposed back as he opens the door. You don¡¯t have to remind me about those bugs. I shudder as Revus turns to face me, ¡°I be back soon.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± I reply in Zoic, Revus¡¯ language. He exits the house, and, as he closes the door, I holler, ¡°Revus, be safe.¡± Without reacting to my words, the door closes and I hear the fluttering of his wings. As they quickly grow distant, I sigh and close my eyes. Alone once again. I turn toward the flower chamber. Okay, time to check if I¡¯m right. I walk over to the chamber door, open it, and head inside. The flower chamber looks almost identical to how it was when I awoke here one week prior. The differences being that the petal that fell to the floor is no longer here, and that there are a couple of sheets of paper and charcoal that I have been using to document my thoughts on the table. I walk over to the table, grab the charcoal, and walk to the left of the door leading back into the main room. I place my back against the wall, straighten my posture, and draw a line on the wall above my head. I turn around and look at the three distinct lines on the wall. So I¡¯m not going crazy. I am getting taller. I continue to analyze the lines. The lowest one is still above my eye-level, but there is clearly a gap between all three lines. I look down at my clothes, and twist my torso. The clothes that were slightly big on me at the start of the week now fit me comfortably. Well, I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve confirmed that I¡¯m growing. I look back at the paper on the table. But that doesn¡¯t explain why I¡¯m growing so fast. It has to be related to being a fairy¡­ I hope. I walk back over to the table, grab a few sheets, and return to the main room. Sitting down at the dining table, I write the question down in Sveltish, adding it to my growing list of unanswered questions. Once I finish writing, I look over my notes starting from the top. How did I get here? Why did I wake up on that flower? Why can¡¯t I remember my old name? Why am I a girl now? How did I become a fairy? Who is Revus and why is he here? Is everything big or am I small? Where are we? Why aren¡¯t there other people around here? Why are the moons different colors? What is this weird feeling I get from the flower? Why am I growing so fast? I let out an exhausted sigh. Yep, nothing but worries. I look at the front door. It¡¯ll be nice when I can talk to Revus and ask him about these things. I stand up, walk over to my bed, lay down, and wrap my arms around the white flower petal. I analyze the smooth petal in my arms, pulling it tightly against my chest. It¡¯s so strange. I just feel better whenever I hug you. ¡°Argh,¡± I roar as I bury my face into it, ¡°I just want to know what¡¯s going on!¡± Sitting up and pulling the petal away from my face, I look back at the table with the papers on them. Guess sitting here isn¡¯t going to solve anything though. I get off the bed, take my notes back into the flower chamber, and return to the dining table to resume my studies. With my petal resting on my lap, I sit there for several minutes reviewing the letters of the Zoic alphabet, before moving on to trying to spell some of the words that I have been taught. Thunk. A rough, simple sound echoes from outside. I look up at the window and glance outside. I see a mixture of trees and shrubs covered in lush foliage. What was that? Thunk. There it is again. I get up from my seat, walk over to the window, and start looking around for the source of the sound. Peering out of the window, I fail to find anything that could be making the noise as the leaves and branches are resting lifelessly. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. The sound repeats every few seconds. Sweat starts to form on my hands as my heart rate increases. I don¡¯t see anything? Thunk. Where? Thunk. Where is it? Thunk. What is it? I race over to the other window and begin scanning the horizon for anything that might be causing the irregular sounds. Thunk. I still don¡¯t see anything. Thunk. I look over at the front door. Outside¡­ I take a step toward the door and reach my hand out but stop. No. Revus told me it¡¯s safe here. Besides, if it¡¯s another bug¡­ A shiver runs up my spine. Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll wait for Revus to come ba- Wait¡­ the sound¡¯s gone? I snap my attention back to the window, resuming my search for the mysterious source of sound. Why did this have to happen whil- Snap, SNAP, crunch, snap. Instantly, several sounds of something breaking resound through the walls of the house.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. BOOM. Suddenly, a singular, much louder sound erupts from outside. Paired with the unexpected blast, massive tremors violently shake the ground. The house trembles, and the interior quickly descends into chaos as multiple sheets of paper, dinnerware, and tools fall from the tables, counters, and shelves. ¡°Ah!¡± I scream as the quaking floor throws me to the ground, ¡°What¡¯s happening!?¡± I curl into a ball and place my hands over my head as debris is thrown around. As the furious vibration comes to an end, silence fills the air. Is it over? I stand up, scanning the room. The entire house is a complete disaster as much of the furniture has been knocked over, and smaller items litter the floor. What just happened? I look back to the window, hoping to see whatever caused the sound. The now quiet forest has been covered in a light cloud of dust that is slowly making its way inside through the shattered windows. I look around a bit more, and, after a moment, let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Well, whatever it was, it¡¯s gone now.¡± I turn my attention to the mess that was once our quaint house and start running my fingers through my hair near my shoulder. Revus is probably going to get mad when he sees this mess. I start to slowly gather the scattered items atop the dining table. Most of them are either dinnerware, tools and containers Revus uses in his workshop, or, the sheets of paper we use for writing. While cleaning up in front of the workshop, I find a wooden cylinder that I have never seen before. What¡¯s this? I pick up the cylinder, examine it, and notice that one side is a lid that can be removed. I take off the lid and slide the contents out. Inside are three rolled up sheets of high-quality, tan paper. I pick up the chair and sit at the dining table. I move some of the debris to clear a space so that I can unroll the papers. I place the rolled paper down, and straighten them out, using a jar to keep the paper from coiling up. On the paper is a beautifully realistic picture of a small rabbit with its eyes closed, resting under a large bush. It is black and white with incredible shading. Each hair on the rabbit, every leaf on the bushes, down to the smallest details, are all meticulously drawn. It appears as though a fragment of reality was placed upon the paper. ¡°Woah,¡± I mutter, running my hand across the paper, trying to feel the fur of the rabbit. Right. It''s just a picture¡­ I pull my hand away from the image and scan the paper once more. ¡°Still, this is incredible.¡± Moving to the second paper, there is an equally lifelike depiction of a large bird resting on a branch, backdropped by one of the moons. The light from the moon almost silhouettes the form of the avian. The craters and shadows of the moon, the lightly-twinkling stars in the sky, and the shading of the feathers, are expertly illustrated. Similar to the previous picture, the bird looks like it is sleeping, and seems to be captured within the thin sheet of paper. Conversely, the dark colors of the bird, against the bright glow of the moon, make it stand out far more than the rabbit. ¡°Did Revus make these?¡± I wonder, ¡°But, why would he keep them hidden? These are so good.¡± I move onto the final paper, and, on it, I see a young girl laying on a bed with her eyes closed. Her round face accentuates her large cheeks, thin lips, and small nose. For a moment, my attention is fixated on the long, pointed ears that poke out from her lengthy, light-colored hair. Because the girl is lying down, her face is partially buried in a pillow, causing her bangs to drape over her thin eyebrows and full eyelashes. A fur blanket is covering her body, while her exposed arms are wrapped around something white. Is this¡­ me? I stand up. Wait¡­ I walk over to my bed and hold the picture up in front to it. I take a few steps back, comparing the slightly ajar bed to the picture, until it mostly matches. That¡¯s definitely my bed. Then¡­ He drew a picture of me. Is this why he was staring at me the other night? I walk back over to the table, roll the pictures back up, and slide them back into their container. I¡¯ll ask Revus about these once he gets back. I smile as I tightly grip the cylinder and make my way back over to my bed to place it under my pillow. Once I do so, I move to the end of my bed and begin to push it back toward its original place against the wall. ¡°Urrrrg,¡± I groan as my feet slide against the polished ground. It¡¯s times like these that being a guy, or at least bigger would be nice. As I strain my back, trying to get the bed to move, I feel it move slightly. There we go. I keep exerting my will against the bed. Just a bit more! Bump. Hearing the sound of the bed hitting the wall, I instantly collapse onto the ground, panting heavily. ¡°I¡­ did it¡­¡± I wheeze, taking deep breaths as I lay down on the cool floor. SLAM. ¡°Evetta!¡± I hear Revus shout as he suddenly bursts through the door. ¡°Evetta! Where are you!?¡± I lift my head up to look at Revus and raise my hand to call out to him, ¡°Re-¡± ¡°EVETTA!¡± Revus roars as he zooms across the house. As he does so, sharp winds swirl about within the room. What¡¯s got him so worked up? He quickly kneels down, places his hands beneath me, lifts me up, and lays me on the bed. ¡°Hey, what¡¯re you doing?!¡± I shout in my native tongue. ¡°Evetta. Are you hurt?¡± He continues to call out while examining my body with a fearful expression, almost like he just witnessed someone dying. I put my hand on his face and try to force him away from me. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± I shout in Sveltish, ¡°Now get off me!¡± My tired body strains to push him away. ¡°Evetta. ARE you okay?¡± Revus asks as he takes a step away from me and intensely stares at me. ¡°Yes,¡± I answer in Zoic, ¡°I am okay.¡± Revus wraps his arms around me and squeezes tightly. ¡°Ah. Too tight. Too¡­ tight,¡± I struggle and complain as Revus crushes me. Giving up, I let him be, and smile. ¡°I was scared,¡± Revus murmurs worriedly. Scared? Of what? My smile fades as I look past Revus. The only thing that happened was- ¡°The boom.¡± I muse in a whisper. Suddenly, Revus pushes himself away from me, stands up, and coughs while scratching the back of his head. ¡°Sorry,¡± he mutters. This idiot just realized what he was doing. I chuckle softly. He must¡¯ve been pretty worried for him to act like that though. ¡°Revus,¡± I say, staring at him, forcing myself to sit up, ¡°I hear. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Boom.¡± I repeat the sounds. ¡°What-¡± Revus holds his hand up, interrupting me, glares toward the window, and remarks coldly, ¡°Home safe. Safe with me.¡± So you don¡¯t want to tell me? I glare at him and grumble, ¡°Revus.¡± ¡°Evetta.¡± Revus argues, ¡°Sound is bad. Danger.¡± His glare is now directed at me as he places his hand on my head, patting it lightly. ¡°Home is safe.¡± His intense face softens slightly as he puts on a smile. So whatever made that sound is dangerous. I sigh as I lay down on the bed. My pillow feels stiffer than usual. Right. I glance at Revus and watch him walk toward the window. I smile gleefully, turn toward my pillow, and pull out the wooden container. I can ask him about these. ¡°Revus,¡± I call out, holding the container in my hand. Revus turns around and his eyes grow wide momentarily, before narrowing into a menacing glare. His yellow irises glow as he radiates a terrifying energy. ¡°Evetta,¡± he snarls, taking a step forward. ¡°No!¡± I shout as I curl into a ball, wrapping my arms and legs around the container. Based on that reaction, he likely doesn¡¯t want me to have these. Revus stomps his way toward me. Each step resonates throughout the house until he stands imposingly in front of the bed. He¡¯s¡­ pretty scary, but I won¡¯t let him win. ¡°Evetta,¡± he hisses, holding out his hand. ¡°No!¡± I bellow back, sticking my tongue out at him. He¡¯s really mad that I have this though¡­ But why? ¡°Argh,¡± frustrated, Revus exhales sharply while gripping his forehead with his hand, and grumbling something in Zoic. He moves his hand to his hair, pulls on it slightly, then brushes it back to its original position. I remove the lid from the container, and pull the pictures out while keeping my guard up. I hold up the picture of the girl, point at it, and call out, ¡°Revus.¡± He glares down at me. I tilt my head and continue, ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Not¡­ you,¡± Revus answers awkwardly. He looks up, like he is thinking about something. Not me? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? That¡¯s definitely me in the picture. ¡°Tsk,¡± Revus clicks his tongue as he turns to look away from me. What¡¯s got him so upset? He walks over to the workshop, grabs some sheets of paper and a writing utensil, and sits down at the dining table. What¡¯s he doing now? I get up from the bed, place the pictures back in the cylinder, and walk over to Revus¡¯ side. He¡¯s drawing? I watch as Revus draws a diagram of some sort. ¡°Tsk,¡± Revus clicks his tongue, causing me to glance at him. He¡¯s so angry, but why? I look back at the swiftly, yet skillfully detailed sketch and watch as he continues to work irritatedly. The sketch shows two people with wings, a man and a woman, kissing. An arrow points from the people to what appears to be an oval. After the oval is another arrow that leads to a blooming flower with a tiny, winged person sitting atop it. So¡­ what¡¯s this supposed to be? Revus points his finger at the image of the tiny winged-person sitting on the flower, glares at me, and says ¡°This is Evetta.¡± He then moves his finger to the image of the two people kissing and says ¡°This is Evetta j¨±¨±ns.¡± I stare at the sketch of the person on the flower. If that¡¯s me¡­ I glance at the two people kissing. ¡­then joons means¡­ Parents? But doesn¡¯t this mean that I was born from- My attention jolts toward the flower chamber. Wait¡­ Was I JUST born? No, that can¡¯t be. I mean, I look like a kid, but what about babies? I tilt my head and look back at Revus. Revus points his finger at the wooden cylinder and states, ¡°For j¨±¨±ns.¡± ¡°For joons?¡± I mimic as I look down at the container. So Revus made these to give to my parents. My parents¡­ I look back up at Revus and see him staring at the cylinder tenderly for a moment, and then says, ¡°J¨±¨±ns no see Evetta now.¡± He puts a hand on the container and says, ¡°With this, j¨±¨±ns see Evetta.¡± That¡¯s sweet. I smile gently, tilt my head, and stare at the handsome man. I finally let him take the cylinder. Then. My smile fades as I ask, ¡°What is Revus?¡± Revus stands up, moves toward the workshop, and places the cylinder on a shelf. As he walks back, he stares at me intensely. Once in front of me, he kneels down, and looks me directly in the eyes. He reaches out, and clasps one of my hands with both of his, and sullenly intones, ¡°I keep Evetta safe.¡± Keep me safe? From what? I open my mouth to ask, but Revus shakes his head as he lets go of my hand, and says, ¡°No more. Clean home. Study Zoic.¡± I look around the room, seeing the mess that still covers the floor. ¡°Okay,¡± I mutter defeatedly. Then, we start cleaning up the house. I grab and return the smaller objects to their rightful places, while Revus puts high things back on the shelves and moves the furniture. When everything is back in its proper spot, Revus works to repair the windows, whereas I sit back at the table and continue to review the material from my morning lessons. I sit there, going over every word that I have learned within the last week, making sure that I know what each word means. I try to pronounce the words while I review in hopes that the sooner I learn, the sooner I will get answers to my ever-growing list of questions. After studying for a while, ¡°Tsk,¡± I hear Revus click his tongue. Glancing to my right, I look for Revus near the windows but realize he is not there, and that the repairs are already finished. I sit up straight and look for him, turning my head toward the workshop. I see him sitting on a stool with a complicated expression. He has set up a makeshift easel and has attached a piece of paper to it. What¡¯s he doing now? I get up, walk over to him, and direct my attention to the paper. Upon the paper is the starting sketch of me sitting at the table, studying. ¡°Revus?¡± I inquire as I look at him. His face contorts into a mixture of anger and embarrassment. ¡°Pfft,¡± I laugh, and then ask in Sveltish, ¡°What¡¯s with that face?¡± Suddenly, Revus brings his hand up and I feel a tight grip on my skull. ¡°Ow ow ow ow,¡± I close my eyes and cry as I try to remove the hand from my head. Opening my eyes, I see Revus¡¯ red face. ¡°Pfft,¡± I start laughing again. ¡°Ow¡­I¡­pfft¡­ow¡­ sorry,¡± I wheeze between laughter and pain. Revus lets go of my head and, pointing toward the table with the same hand, grumbles, ¡°Evetta. Sit. Table.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologize as I wipe a tear from my eye, ¡°No table.¡± I run over to the table, grab the chair, and pull it in front of the window. ¡°I sit here.¡± This should make for a better picture. Revus sighs, swaps the paper on the easel with a new one, and makes a faint smile, ¡°Okay, sit.¡± ¡°Ah, one more thing,¡± I reply in Sveltish as I run over to my bed. I collect my petal and return to the chair. ¡°This too.¡± I smile happily as I sit down. Revus¡¯ faint smile grows as he momentarily stares at the petal. His gaze goes from the petal, briefly to me, and then to the easel, before he quietly starts his sketch. Chapter 4 - A Cold Encounter A sharp cold penetrates my body, causing me to shiver. I curl up on the cushioned chair that rests under the window, wrapping my fur blanket tightly around me. Still cold. I stare out of the window and watch as large puffs of white fall from the sky. A thick, cold blanket of white expands over the ground, killing the vegetation by blocking out the sun. ¡°Revus, what is that?¡± I ask as I point at the window, turning to him. ¡°Sn¨­¨­,¡± Revus answers with his back turned, his focus on the food he is cooking. I look back at the falling flakes. Snow. It¡¯s beautiful. I know he said the seasons change every week, and it¡¯s hard to believe that summer was only two weeks ago, but it¡¯s hard to deny the drastic change in weather. I sigh. I miss the heat already. ¡°Food is done soon,¡± Revus calls out, ¡°Go sit at the table.¡± ¡°No,¡± I retort as I rub my hands over my legs to heat them up, ¡°It¡¯s too cold.¡± Revus turns his head, glancing back at me, and sighs, ¡°It¡¯s not that cold.¡± As he returns his focus to his task, he holds his left hand down at his side, ¡°But, if you are cold, I make it warmer.¡± If you could, that¡¯d be nice. My attention bounces between Revus and the window for almost a minute. He continues to stand there, cooking, while his left hand idly hangs at his side. Slowly, I start to feel the air in the room heat up. My body tingles as the warmth surrounds me. Is he? I direct my focus at Revus¡¯ hand and realize that his pants are waving slightly as if they are being blown in the wind. I smile and mutter quietly, ¡°Sleeps.¡± ¡°If you are thankful, sit at the table,¡± Revus states. I slouch in the chair, burying myself in my blanket, and complain, ¡°Hey Revus, we have lessons everyday. Can we take a break?¡± Revus turns his head toward me, locks his sharp eyes onto me like a predator intensely focused on its prey, and curtly answers, ¡°No. You need to learn.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I plead as I spring from the blanket, my hands clasped together, ¡°No rest. I want a couple days- No, one day. Please.¡± Revus closes his eyes, his face softening as he sighs, ¡°One day.¡± He holds up one finger with his left hand, ¡°One.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I exclaim as I smile brightly ¡°Sleep you.¡± Revus stops cooking, turns around to face me, and stares at me for a moment, eyebrows raised. ¡°What?¡± I ask. He sighs deeply, places a hand over his face, and asserts, ¡°But you still review.¡± He then refocuses on the food before him. I freeze and stare at Revus. ¡°Really?¡± I gripe in Zoic as I shrink back under my fluffy comfort, before grumbling in Sveltish, ¡°You just couldn¡¯t let me have a single day to rest.¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus snarls, ¡°No Sveltish.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I groan. ¡°Food is done. Come eat,¡± Revus announces, before turning around and carrying two plates of food to the dining table. He sets them down, takes his seat, and continues, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not fair, but we¡­¡± Revus trails off, pondering for a moment, ¡°We need to get you home.¡± ¡°Get me home?¡± I ask as I force myself out of the chair, still wrapped in the blanket. I trudge over to the table and sit down, saying, ¡°We are home.¡± As I do, Revus pierces the food with his fork and brings it to his mouth, but stops, ¡°This home is not home. We need to go to Evetta¡¯s family.¡± He points at me, ¡°To your home.¡± Revus then starts working his way through his plate, while I stare at mine solemnly. Go to my home. To my family. So, he wants to take me back to Svelta, to where my family is. Back to Mom, Rafal, Regina¡­ To where they are¡­ Where they WERE. Tears begin to form as I remember how Dad died, how Mom took my siblings, and how I was left alone. Wait. I look up at Revus. No, that doesn¡¯t make any sense. He doesn¡¯t even know Sveltish, so how could he know about Svelta. But what if- ¡°-vetta.¡± I hear him call. ¡°Huh? Sorry,¡± I reply, ¡°What did you say?¡± Revus points at my plate with his fork, then answers worriedly, ¡°Evetta, eat.¡± His gaze narrows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I hesitate, pushing my food around with my fork before answering, ¡°I no want to go to my parents. I want to stay here.¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Evetta no play with your food. Eat. I will explain when you are done.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I meekly say as I slowly begin working my way through my food. Going back to Svelta, to my family. I¡¯d rather stay here with Revus. He does have his moments but I¡¯ve been having a lot of fun being here. Things are different here, the environment, my body, but even so, it¡¯s still better than before. If I have to go back, what¡¯ll Mom say? Will she even be there? She said she didn¡¯t want me anymore, so¡­ While I lament, my vision blurs as tears fill my eyes and start to roll down my face. ¡°I¡­ done,¡± I cry. Revus puts his hand on my shoulder and says, ¡°All will be okay. You have a good family.¡± What? Confused, I look up at Revus, and then turn away, brushing his hand off my shoulder. Rafal and Regina, maybe. But MOM? She left me. I don¡¯t want to see her. I don¡¯t want to go back. I want to stay here. I stand up from the chair, walk over to my bed, and bury my face in my pillow. I hear Revus sigh, and then begin cleaning, but the sounds of him washing dishes do little to stifle my cries. ¡°Urg,¡± I grumble as I open my dry, heavy eyes. As I dizzily sit up, my wispy hair slowly covers my vision. I brush it behind my ear and place my hand on my head. What happened? I look over and see Revus sitting on a chair next to my bed, his eyes locked on me. I cannot help but jump slightly. ¡°Sleep well?¡± he asks. Sleep? Ah, I must¡¯ve dozed off. I yawn, stretch my arms, and, while wiping my eyes, reply, ¡°No. Bad sleep.¡± Revus smirks, then frowns, ¡°Evetta.¡± He pauses as I look at him, his hands fidgeting with some papers. The nervous-looking fairy passes them to me and continues, ¡°You ask. I answer.¡± Really. You want to test me right now? I just woke up. I angrily snatch the papers from Revus and, upon seeing what is written, realize that they are my notes. My momentary fury subsides as I look back at Revus, ¡°You answer?¡± Revus nods and replies, ¡°I answer best I can.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I smile, take a deep breath, and ask, ¡°How did I get here?¡± ¡°I bring you here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Revus hesitates and looks away, ¡°You are in danger. I will protect you. Bring you here. It¡¯s safe here.¡± Okay, that¡¯s good to know but I only have more questions now. But before that¡­ ¡°Why my name Evetta?¡± Revus returns his focus to me and states, ¡°Is your past name different from Evetta? I nod. Did he not understand my question? ¡°You remember your past name?¡± ¡°N-no.¡± I hesitate. ¡°You are different from the past. Your body is different. Your family is different,¡± Revus explains, ¡°Different you, different name.¡± I sit there, mouth agape, as I stare at him. I¡¯m different? Is that why I¡¯m a girl? But my family is also differ- ¡°My parents,¡± I quickly holler, ¡°What are names?¡± ¡°Your parents'' names, Vestele and Marth.¡± Revus answers. Vestele and Marth? Who are they? My parents names were- ¡°and Evetta has more family.¡± I look at him inquisitively. ¡°More family?¡± ¡°Yes, I have not met, but you have three siblings,¡± Revus continues, ¡°You are young, others are older.¡± I look down at the white flower petal in my arms. I have new siblings, new parents, a new family. ¡°How?¡± I ask as I look back to Revus. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Revus mutters while putting his hand on his chin and looking down, then he takes a deep breath, and returns his intense eyes to me, ¡°Evetta, you die in past.¡± My heartbeat increases and my head begins to feel dizzy. ¡°Huh?¡± I die? Sweat starts to form on my body as it rapidly heats up. I died? My breathing becomes haggard as I gasp for air. Did he mean to say something else? But then how- ¡°Too soon. I will explain when you know more Zoic,¡± Revus states as he gently wraps his arms around me, ¡°You are okay. I will keep you safe. For now, no worry about it.¡± I sit there, pull the flower petal to my chest, and rest my chin on it. I¡­ What happened to me? I tremble there with Revus hugging me for a while. ¡°Sleep you Revus,¡± I squeak. He chuckles lightly. After sitting like that for a few minutes, I calm down, Revus lets me go and sits back down, his face wrought with concern. ¡°Uh-¡± Revus starts to say something but closes his mouth and looks away, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You-¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I interrupt, gripping the petal and smiling, ¡°My family. We can go to my family.¡± ¡°We cannot go yet,¡± Revus smiles wryly, ¡°You cannot fly, and need to learn more Zoic.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°You have more to ask?¡± Revus inquires. I look down at my notes that are atop my blanket and shake my head, ¡°No. I will ask later. Thank you.¡± There¡¯s still more I want to know, but¡­ I glance at Revus. ¡­After hearing this, it¡¯s probably better to wait until I can properly understand Zoic. Otherwise I¡¯ll only get more confused. Revus grabs my notes, stands up, and enters the flower chamber. I lay back down, my head sinking into the pillow as I stare at the wooden-ringed ceiling. The me now is different from before. I was given a new name, and have a new family. I place the back of my hand over my eyes. But how did this happen? There¡¯s practically no similarities between here and Svelta. And how did I get here from Svelta when Revus doesn¡¯t even seem to know the place. Everything¡¯s so¡­ strange. I sit up and look around the house, then peer out at the white field through the window. This house, and this place¡­ I get out of bed, clinging to my fur blanket, and walk over to the glass barrier separating me from the snow. ¡­there¡¯s so many differences. I glance up toward the frosted canopy. The moons, the land¡­ I hear the door open from the flower chamber, turn my head, and watch as Revus enters the room. ¡­Revus and I are both fairies. Everything is different, but¡­ I smile at Revus and then turn back to the serene view of snow falling. I think¡­ I like it here. I sigh longingly. I don¡¯t want to go back. I want to see more of it. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls out as he approaches me on my left, ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I mutter as I look up at him, ¡°Revus, can we go outside?¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Revus questions, ¡°You-¡± ¡°I want to see more,¡± I explain as I point to the vast, white ground, ¡°More of that.¡± Revus sighs as he starts to scratch the back of his head, ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You still need to l-.¡± ¡°Day off,¡± I smile, interrupting him. Revus sighs again, looks down and away from me, then looks toward the window and groans. After a moment of silence, he answers, ¡°Get dressed.¡± ¡°Sleeps,¡± I murmur as I look back outside. ¡°BUT¡­ you study when we get home,¡± Revus smirks as he turns around. ¡°Maybe,¡± I whisper under my breath in Sveltish as I follow Revus over to the dressers to get changed. I dig through the drawers searching for whatever clothes might provide the most warmth. Why did Revus mostly make dresses and skirts? Thankfully my pants fit me now. I pull a light-brown pair of pants, a thick, dark-brown, long-sleeve shirt, and a puffy, gray jacket out of the drawer. Both the shirt and jacket have their backside exposed. I hold each one out in front of me. These might be the best. I glance down at the length and see that the pants are not touching the ground like before. Still growing¡­ I glance back to Revus, my height now almost a full head above what I was when I first met him. At least my clothes fit now. ¡°Revus, can you make¡­¡± I pause. Right, I don''t know the word for pants. I hold up my pair. ¡°Can you make more of this for me?¡± I hold up a dress as I shake my head, ¡°Not this.¡± He smiles at me, ¡°Sure, later.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I reply as I enter the washroom, pants in hand. I begin to change my clothes, removing my pajama-like gown. As I pull my left arm out from the gown, I examine it. I¡¯m really thankful for my body but¡­ I glance down. ¡­why did I become a girl? I feel my face heat up and I quickly shake my head and continue changing. Once done, I leave the washroom and meet Revus who is wearing a puffy brown jacket that has its back exposed. He is wearing long, dark brown pants, and has heavy-looking boots on. ¡°Hey Revus,¡± I call out as he turns to look at me, ¡°Will you be cold?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I will be okay,¡± he answers, then retorts, ¡°Will YOU be cold?¡± In Sveltish, I mutter, ¡°I¡¯m always cold,¡± to myself as I walk back to my dresser. I pull out a pair of socks that are still too big and, after putting them on, slip into my boots. I stand up, walk over to my bed, grab my blanket, and wrap it around me. ¡°I will be okay,¡± I answer before I stick my tongue out at him. He smirks, ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Together, we walk over to the front door and, upon Revus opening it, I feel a rush of freezing air seep inside as the warmth escapes. The chill creeps throughout the house, climbs up my legs, and pierces my body. I scrunch my toes and my body tenses as the cold spreads over me, my layers of protection seemingly doing nothing to prevent the biting air from reaching me. ¡°You still want to go?¡± Revus asks, with this sharp gaze locked on me. ¡°Y-ye-yeah,¡± I stutter as I try to adjust to the cold, ¡°I w-w-want to g-go.¡± Revus shakes his head, sighs, and then lifts me up in his arms to carry me as we exit the house. Now outside, Revus¡¯ wings appear and he lifts off into the air. As we rise higher and higher, I watch as the white landscape expands. The frozen forest reveals leafless, icy, wooden structures, all of which have a layer of snow covering their dark-brown bark. As we begin to head further into the winter wonderland, I scan the area. Watching the plants shift through the seasons so quickly was¡­ I¡¯m not even sure what word to use, but seeing this. It really is winter now¡­ There¡¯s nothing out here anymore. I continue to observe the surroundings, analyzing the environment as we fly. I don¡¯t see any bugs or other animals either. It¡¯s so quiet. ¡°Where you want to go?¡± Revus suddenly asks. Where to go¡­ As we fly away from the house, I hear the faint sound of the river in the distance. ¡°The water?¡± I mutter. ¡°Water¡­¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Hang on.¡± Together, we soar through the frozen woodland and I see the river I previously explored when I first awoke here. From up this high, the other side is clearly visible as the water cuts between the brown and white landscape. The water is now frozen along the calmer areas, while it continues to rush over snow-capped rocks and wooden debris. The snow dances down into the water, and swiftly disappears into the endless stream. It¡¯s so pretty¡­ ¡°You like it?¡± Revus asks, looking down at me. I nod, ¡°Yeah. I never see snow.¡± Revus starts to descend toward a rock that is in the middle of the river. As we prepare to land, Revus conjures wind and blows the snow off the rock. As he lands, he places me down on the freezing cold surface and a strong gust of icy wind blows across the water. ¡°Brrrr¡­¡± I shiver as I wrap my arms around myself. Revus chuckles, ¡°Cold?¡± ¡°No!¡± I shout as white breath escapes my mouth. I tightly wrap myself in my blanket and crouch down. Revus kneels down, places a hand on the rock, and, slowly, steam begins to rise from it. Warm air rises from the rock as water forms and rolls off of the top of it. Within moments, the once freezing stone is now warm and radiating heat. It¡¯s always amazing watching him use the axioms. I place my hand down on the surface. ¡°Ah, warm¡­¡± I mutter, then look up to Revus, ¡°Sleeps.¡± ¡°You are welcome,¡± Revus smirks, ¡°But why say¡­ sleeps¡­ when you are not cold?¡± I feel my body heat up slightly as I look away from Revus, ¡°Yeah¡­ well. Still sleeps.¡± I stand up, point down at the rushing water, and ask, ¡°What is it?¡± Revus motions over the water with his hand and answers, ¡°Fivis.¡± ¡°Feves.¡± I purposely mispronounce. Revus sighs, ¡°Fivis.¡± ¡°Feves.¡± He stares at me and narrows his eyes, ¡°Fivis.¡± I grin, ¡°Feves.¡± He sighs, ¡°Okay, feves it is.¡± I chuckle, ¡°Fivis.¡± Splash. Something drops into the water. I look in the direction of the sound and see a creature I have never seen before. It has no arms or legs, has a white, glistening body, and is jumping out of, and instantly diving back into, the water. Was that a fish? ¡°What is that!?¡± I quickly ask as I search for where the creature went. Another pops out of the river momentarily, before arching back down. Splash. ¡°Hey, hey,¡± I excitedly exclaim as I grab Revus¡¯ pant leg, ¡°What is that!?¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Revus starts to laugh, ¡°You have never see that?¡± ¡°No laugh,¡± I retort as I elbow Revus in the leg, ¡°I never see one.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Revus exhales, ¡°It¡¯s a foth.¡± ¡°Afoth!¡± I repeat. Revus stares at me with a deadpan face for a moment, blinks twice, then corrects, ¡°Foth.¡± ¡°Foth,¡± I mimic as I watch the water for another. What a strange creature. ¡°Is it home in water?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Revus answers, ¡°Foth home are in water.¡± I continue to wait, searching for where the next fish will appear. However, after a few minutes of idly waiting, nothing happens. ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± I frown. A chilly breeze creeps through my blanket as the cold starts to embrace our surroundings. I huddle within it, crouching down to minimize my exposure to the wind. Steadily, white snow falls from the bare, upper branches of the forest, and continues to decorate the barren trees and fluffy landscape. ¡°You ready to go home?¡± Revus asks, placing his hand on my shoulder. I look up at him and shake my head, ¡°No, where river go?¡± Revus sighs, ¡°You want to¡­¡± he trails off, before resting a hand over his face, ¡°Okay.¡± You don¡¯t have to make such a big deal out of it. I just want to know where the river goes. He picks me up, and I hold tightly onto my blanket as we rise from the cold stone surface. Soaring above the flowing water, we fly to and fro, crossing over snow-covered rocks and fallen icy logs that rest partially frozen in the water. It just, keeps going¡­ I pull my view away from the wintry woodland, look up at Revus, and ask, ¡°River no end?¡± He ponders for a bit before answering, ¡°Not sure.¡± So there are things that Revus doesn¡¯t know¡­ I chuckle and look back at the wondrous scenery. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, but I was kind of expecting him to know. We continue on our journey and, after several minutes of following the river, a large expanse opens in front of us. The river leads into a vast collection of frozen water that goes on for a great distance, with the opposite side of the icy field revealing a barely visible, miniscule treeline. Along the aquatic edge, there is a dense layer of trees that act like a wall preventing the encroaching water from expanding its territory. An islet rests on the left side of the expanse with a noticeably out-of-place collection of vegetation growing on it. The trees, similar to the rest of the forest, are barren, leafless, and snow-covered. However, a soft, orange radiance is emitted from the trunk of the trees. ¡°Hey, can we go see the light?¡± I ask, pointing at the vibrant glow. ¡°Okay,¡± Revus groans, ¡°but when we are done, we go home.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I smile. We exit the woody domain and begin to fly over the frozen field of water. Looking back up at the small island, I realize that the orange lights are actually orange flowers growing on the trunk of the trees. As we arrive at the islet, Revus takes us closer to the bright vegetation. Each flower has five bright, orange petals with a yellow streak down the middle. In the center of them there are several amber tendrils that extend out and end with deep crimson tufts. The flowers are all larger than both Revus and I, and litter the entirety of the dozens of trees that take refuge on this secluded grove. ¡°Wow,¡± I murmur in amazement. I pull my hand from under my blanket and reach out to touch one but immediately retract it. This isn¡¯t another bug¡­ is it? I gulp and begin to thoroughly analyze the flowers, inspecting every detail to ensure that they are safe. I don¡¯t see- Revus suddenly pulls us away from the flowers. He flies over to a branch, blows the snow from it, and lands atop the wooden structure. Revus sets me down and I feel the rough, gritty, frigid texture of the bark under me. Revus kneels and places his hand on the bark and begins to heat it similarly to the rock, however, it does not provide as much warmth as the stone. ¡°Sleeps,¡± I say before I turn and walk over to the trunk to further inspect the flowers. I reach a hand out and touch the petal. An orange mist spreads from the flower and begins to gather around my hand. What¡¯s going on? I pull my hand back and the mist follows, slowly converging on it before disappearing. That was¡­ strange. ¡°Revus¡­¡± I call out, staring at my hand. I hear Revus walk up behind me. I look up at him and he is furrowing his brow and staring at my hand. ¡°Uh¡­Revus,¡± I repeat, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Revus pauses, ¡°I cannot explain. You need to know-¡± ¡°Okay okay,¡± I interrupt, knowing what he is going to say. So it¡¯s something I haven¡¯t learned yet¡­ I pull my hand away from the flower and ask, ¡°Is it safe?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Revus ponders, ¡°Yes and no.¡± ¡°Can you explain?¡± ¡°Too much can be dangerous,¡± Revus elaborates, ¡°but little it is safe. This is safe.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I reply as I start to play around with the flowers. Orange mist appears from each one I touch and, like before, the mist gathers around my hands, but then vanishes. I turn to Revus and watch as he places a hand on a flower that I have not touched. The mist spreads from the flowers and gathers around his hand. However, the mist clings to him and does not disappear. That¡¯s strange. I look back at my hand. The mist lingers for a few moments before fading away. Why does it disappear for me¡­ I glance back at the other fairy. ¡­but stay on Revus? CRACK. A loud crackle echoes throughout the land. What was that? A different, yet familiar noise follows. The sound alternates between a mixture of two different pitches, one higher, the other deeper. Is that talking? Are there people out here? ¡°Revus,¡± I quickly turn to him, his face tense, ¡°Um, hey, can we go see the sound?¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus refuses harshly, ¡°The sound is bad.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I plead, ¡°I want to see¡­¡±. ¡°No Evetta,¡± Revus furiously interjects, ¡°That is danger. No, we need to go home, now.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± I huff as I feel my blood start to boil, and then bark in Sveltish, ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll go myself.¡± I remove the blanket from my body and place it in my arms, revealing my exposed back to the raw, frigid air. The light breeze sharply pierces my skin as the cold digs into me. With my back no longer covered, I evoke my wings. ¡°Evetta, what are you-¡± ¡°I go!¡± I shout as I start to flutter my wings. I know I still can¡¯t fly, but if I can just get to where the people are then that¡¯s fine. I can do this. I increase the speed of my wings and slowly feel my torso lift into the air. As my feet escape the shackles of the ground, something grabs my arm and pulls me back. I look back and see Revus holding my wrist, anxiety written all over his face. ¡°Let go,¡± I roar in Sveltish, ¡°I just want to see-¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Revus looks down, and then relents, ¡°I will take you to see it.¡± I glare up at Revus¡¯ defeated expression and sigh, expelling some of my built of rage. If you¡¯re going to make a face like that¡­ I flutter down back onto the wooden surface. ¡­how am I supposed to stay mad at you? I pull my arm free from Revus¡¯ grasp and stare at him for a bit. CRACK! Another large crackle resounds throughout the area, but louder than before. In the distance the two voices become much louder, one of them practically screaming. Despite the voices being closer, their words are still hard to make-out. ¡°Revus?¡± I call out. He shakes his head and blinks, and then looks at me, ¡°Sorry¡­ You ready?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I reply, dispelling my wings. Then, I wrap myself in my blanket and Revus picks me up. Together, we head in the direction of the yelling. As we fly across the islet toward the frozen waterfront, the yelling grows louder. CRACK! Sploosh! Suddenly, a third crackle and a loud splash of something dropping into water rings out. High-pitched screams follow and I feel my heart start to race. Something bad just happened. I look up at Revus, his face even more anxious. Does he understand what they¡¯re saying? ¡°Hey, can we go fast?¡± I ask, ¡°It sound like it is bad.¡± Revus glances down at me, gulps, nods. He grips me tighter, leans forward, and starts flying quicker in the direction of the screams, which have grown more hysteric. As we round another tree, the edge of the islet appears and in the distance are two people. The people are gargantuan; they are dozens of times my size. One, is standing near the water and is dressed in a heavy, dark-brown coat that extends past their waist, just below the knees. They are wearing high-top boots and dark pants. The hood of the long coat is up, obscuring their face. Sitting next to the individual is a large, open pack with several items sprawled out on the ground. They are screaming with a high-pitched voice while holding onto a rope. Large cracks now splay the frozen water near the islet, separating the ice into large slabs. The second individual is in the water, surrounded by the sheets of ice, and splashing about as they attempt to climb up onto the ice and out of the water. That person¡¯s in trouble! I glance up at Revus and see his nervous face. ¡°Revus,¡± I call out, trying to get his attention, but he continues to stare at the struggling people. I pull my arm from the warmth of my blanket, grab Revus¡¯ chin, pull it down, and shout, ¡°Revus!¡± ¡°What?¡± He bitterly asks as his eyes slowly drop to meet my glare. ¡°Help them!¡± I order as I look back at the two people. The one on land throws the rope into the water, but it fails to reach the one drenched in the icy prison. This is bad. Slowly, the one in the water tries to make their way toward the rope but is separated from it by ice. ¡°Revus please, help them,¡± I cry, tears starting to fill my eyes. ¡°I can but I-¡± ¡°Help them!¡± I scream as I slam my fist against his chest. Please¡­ do something. Revus stares at me for a brief moment, gulps, and then exhales, ¡°Okay.¡± He flies toward a branch, removes the snow, and places me down. He looks distraught as he stands up. Revus turns around and dashes off toward the person in the water, the light flap of his wings are drowned out by the desperate screams of the trapped person. ¡°Hurry Revus!¡± I wipe my eyes and watch as he reaches the flailing person. Now that Revus is right next to the thrashing person, I see the size difference more clearly, with the small fairy not even the size of the giant¡¯ hand. Revus holds out his hands and the water surrounding the trapped person is lifted up with them in it. The person immediately goes silent as the realization of what is happening sets in. The one on land also falls silent as they stare in the direction of Revus. The water slowly starts to drift and carries the stunned individual toward the land next to the other one. He did it. The water suddenly drops from them and I exhale relievedly as I watch the water retreat back into the massive pool. As the drenched person lays on the solid ground the other one drops the rope and quickly runs toward them. With the two people next to each other, I see that the one originally on land is a bit smaller than the one that was in the water. Quickly, the larger of the two stands up and they both start to remove the heavy, soaked coat that the larger one is wearing. Revus gently hovers near where he rescued the panicked individual. I hope that person¡¯s okay. The two giants look about until their gazes lock onto Revus. He remains still as they start to speak to him. I wish I knew what they were saying. After a brief conversation, the smaller individual gets up and approaches the water, attempting to take a step onto the ice, but they are immediately grabbed by the larger person. Are they trying to get over here? The two start yelling at each other as I watch Revus begin to make his way back toward me. As he approaches, I smile, ¡°Sleep you.¡± Revus¡¯ face is stone-still as he, without so much of a glance at me, flies past, back into the heart of the islet. Where¡¯s he going? The shouting from the two people escalates, causing me to look back at them. The larger person, who I now realize is an elven man, is almost naked. Without the large coat, I can see he has short, dirty-blonde hair, a distinct lack of facial hair, has long pointed ears, and a well-toned, yet slender physique. The man is holding the smaller person¡¯s arm as he yells at them. A high-pitched shout responds and echoes throughout the area. Is the other a girl? But what is she trying to do? Out of my peripherals, I notice something orange move. Turning to see what it is, I watch as Revus is making his way back toward my direction with several of the orange flowers hovering in the air around him. The contrast between his deep-black wings and the weightless dance of the orange flower¡¯s amber mist, set to the vast, white landscape, is breathtaking. ¡°Wow,¡± I mutter as I watch Revus fly past me and soar back toward the two giants. Wait, is he bringing them the flowers? I turn around and look back into the grove, seeing the orange glow from the flora. Right, this is the only thing here, so they must¡¯ve been trying to get them. I look back across the water. The two people continue to yell at one another until the man pauses, now wrapped in a large thick cloth. The man stares up at the wondrous sight of Revus and the illuminated flora orbiting him. The smaller person pauses, turns around, and goes quiet as they both gaze in Revus¡¯ direction. Revus arrives in front of them, lowers the flowers, and hovers in place for a moment. The smaller individual runs over and grabs the gently hovering flowers and puts them into her pack. She then runs over to and hugs the giant man. The man appears to say something to Revus before lowering his head. After a brief moment, Revus flies back toward me. I watch as the two giants hug one another and I smile. They look happy¡­ Wait. As I compare the giants to their surroundings, I realize that the trees around them look to be normal sized. I turn to look at the tree I am standing on, then back toward the people. This pretty much confirms it¡­ I guess I am small now. As Revus arrives next to me, I watch as the girl starts to collect their things while the man gets dressed. Revus turns to me and glumly states, ¡°We need to go home.¡± He has a sullen look on his face. ¡°Okay,¡± I smile hesitantly, ¡°We can go home.¡± I wonder what¡¯s bothering him? Revus picks me up and, as we lift off from the branch, I glance back at the giants. The smaller one is waving in our direction. Looks like they¡¯ll be okay. Together we start to fly back across the islet, and then over the frozen body of water, toward home. I look up at Revus and say, ¡°The sound is not bad.¡± Revus glares down at me piercingly and mutters something under his breath. My eyes narrow. ¡°You say that the sound is bad,¡± I state, ¡°That it is danger. Why?¡± Revus looks back up as we continue on our way. ¡°Tch,¡± I click my tongue as I bury my face under my blanket. What¡¯d I do to make you make you mad this time? All I did was ask you to help them¡­ and nothing bad happened. I peek out from under my blanket, and see Revus¡¯ stern face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I murmur, ¡°and¡­ sleep you.¡± Revus, without glancing down, softens his look, and sighs, ¡°I will keep you safe. No need to say sorry.¡± ¡°Sleeps,¡± I whisper under my breath as I take refuge under my blanket once more. Chapter 5 - Old Dream Drip. Drip. A steady trickle of water makes its presence known as the rain leaks through a crack in the roof. A damp, musky odor radiates from the wet boxes and spoiled trash covering the floor. Tiny bugs crawl over the rubbish and scatter throughout the area. Dim light barely illuminates the room to give it a dark, dreary atmosphere. Where am I? Drip. I look around the disgusting room and hear the light patter of the rain against the roof. Carefully avoiding the garbage that litters the ground, I walk toward the dim light and a doorway appears in front of me. Drip. I see a woman with large blue eyes and a round face covered in layers of thick cosmetics. Shoulder-length, wavy, blonde hair is forcefully brushed to the side. Her slender figure, modest bust, and long limbs are accentuated by her worn, ragged, red dress. ¡°Mom?¡± I murmur, ¡°I thought-¡± I turn my back on her and peer at the trash ridden floor. Drip. Right, she left me. She didn¡¯t want me. She- Suddenly, I feel cold hands creep over my shoulders and down my arms, the nails lightly digging into my skin. Drip. Her chin rests on my shoulder as I hear her whisper, ¡°What¡¯s wrong sweetie? You promised you¡¯d do this for me.¡± Drip. My heart starts to pound and goosebumps race across my body. ¡°P-promise?¡± I stutter, ¡°What promise?¡± Drip. ¡°You don¡¯t remember? You¡¯re going to hurt my feelings,¡± Mom purrs into my ear. She leans in close, until her mouth is less than an inch away, and hisses, ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t do that. You love your mom after all.¡± Drip. I turn to her, the entirety of her eyes are a deep black, as if swallowed by the endless abyss. The hammering in my chest grows more intense as a cold sweat starts to form on my skin and my breathing becomes haggard. Drip. ¡°I do- did but¡­¡± I hesitate. Drip. ¡°Come now sweetie,¡± Mom continues as she tugs on my arms, ¡°An old friend is waiting for you in the next room.¡± Drip. A friend? Wait. I scan the room once more, taking in the details of the house. This is¡­ was our house. I look up at Mom¡¯s unnaturally-wide, unnerving smile as she pulls me toward another, new, door. Drip. ¡°Mom. Wait,¡± I state. I try to free my arms from her grasp. Wait, why can¡¯t I move? ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to see Mister Lente.¡± Mom freezes. A sharp, eerie aura descends upon the room. Then, she turns around, her smile now stretched into a terrifying grin that disfigures her face. Her squinted, void-stained eyes pierce my soul as she tightens her grip on my wrist. ¡°You don¡¯t want to help your mom?¡± Her voice is now distorted into a shrill, ominous shriek, ¡°I thought you loved your mom?¡± My rough breathing rapidly increases as I feel myself gasping for air. My heart slams itself against my chest as if it is trying to break free from my body. ¡°Mom, let me g-¡± Mom¡¯s hands flash from my wrist to my throat before I can finish, ¡° -Ach¡­¡± Why? Why can¡¯t I move? She lifts me up and carries my limp form through the doorway to a pitch black room. As I weakly gasp for air, a light flicks on, revealing a heavy metal chair in the middle of the room. It has dark, unhooked clasps where the arms, legs, and head rest. Adjacent to the chair is a small table with various tools, and a few jars, atop it. Standing between the chair and table is an old, worn, and battered man. He has a slim body and thin face, with skin that is sucked in, exposing his boney features. He has a balding head with knife-like ears. His narrowed eyes are completely devoid of color and hidden behind round glasses. He is dressed in a white gown, has gloves on his hands, and is wearing a white mask over the lower half of his face. His gaze immediately snaps to me. ¡°Ah, welcome,¡± Mister Lente¡¯s hoarse voice croaks monotonously, ¡°You¡¯re such a good brat for helping your mom like this.¡± No¡­ I don¡¯t want this. I want to leave. Mom sets me down and puts her hands on my shoulders again. What¡¯s going on!? Why can¡¯t I move? Why can¡¯t I speak? ¡°Sit him there,¡± Mister Lente directs, ¡°I¡¯m almost ready.¡± No. Mom please. Tears begin to fill my eyes. Mister Lente turns his body to the table and begins to adjust his tools. His gaze follows me perfectly and never once leaves me as Mom pushes me toward the chair. Please. My quiet desperation only heightens my ragged, fearful breathing. Mom pushes me into the chair and holds me down as Mister Lente begins to latch my arms, legs, and forehead. Once done, they both take a step away from me. My panicked eyes dart between them as they turn to face each other. Mom looks at him with her wide, toothy grin and Mister Lente, with his cold, dead eyes, silently peers back at her. Then, eerily, they snap their heads toward me. ¡°Thank you sweetie,¡± Mom coos. Let me out. ¡°I knew you loved your mom.¡± No. I struggle pointlessly within my cold prison as Mom slowly walks backward and nearly disappears into darkness. LET ME OUT! Tears stream down my face. ¡°You know,¡± Mister Lente comments, drawing my attention to him, his body turned toward the table, his head unnaturally toward me. ¡°Ever since I got a hold of your ear,¡± he chuckles as he grabs the jar of liquid from the table. Wait, is that? It can¡¯t be. As his body turns back toward me, I notice the contents of the jar. It is. ¡°I¡¯ve been interested in adding more of you to my collection.¡± He then holds out a second, empty jar. I tightly clench my eyes. NO! I begin to violently shake within my constraints. I open my mouth to scream, but there is only silence. I have to get out of here! ¡°I could quiet that loud mouth of yours,¡± Mister Lente sneers. I open my eyes and watch as he grabs a cloth, ¡°maybe take the tongue?¡± He runs some water over the dry cloth as he shakes his head, his gaze perpetually locked onto me. ¡°No,¡± he laments, ¡°Sadly, I was promised only an eye today.¡± Get away from me! The shadow of Mom shifts slightly in the darkness. As Mister Lente wipes the cloth on my arm, he reassures, ¡°I¡¯ll be even more careful than last time. After all,¡± he glances at my tear-filled eyes before continuing, ¡°An eye is much easier to ruin.¡± No! No! No! Mister Lente grabs a tool filled with liquid and stabs it into my arm. I watch in horror as the clear liquid empties from the tube. This isn¡¯t real. ¡°Just need to wait a bit and you¡¯ll start to relax,¡± Mister Lente coughs, ¡°Ah, I almost forgot.¡± He grabs a small bottle, removes the cap, and leans his gaunt face over me. Even through his mask I can smell his putrid breath. Please let me out! This isn¡¯t real. I¡¯m not really here. I¡¯m- Mister Lente places a hand over my left eye and spreads my eyelids. No! Please. Revus¡­ I look over to Mom¡¯s shadowed figure. Mom¡­ Please. Mister Lente squeezes the small bottle and several drops rain down on my teary, left eye. Gradually, I feel my body start to relax, my heart rate slow, and my breathing calm. No¡­ This¡­ Isn¡¯t¡­ Real¡­ ¡°Well, it might be old fashioned,¡± Mister Lente states as he grabs another tool and holds it in front of me, ¡°but I¡¯ve always preferred these spoons for these procedures.¡± The sinister man leans over me and stares down at my left eye. ¡°Are you ready?¡± No! He meticulously moves the spoon toward my eye. No¡­ Please! As he holds my eyelids, I can feel the cold metal spoon touch my eye. No! ¡°Try not to move too much,¡± Mister Lente breathes, ¡°You¡¯ll feel a slight pop and then it¡¯ll be over..¡± He starts to move the spoon into my eye socket. I feel the cold metal slide between my eye and its socket. Slowly, I begin to feel pressure in my head. Pop. ¡°No!¡± I scream as I shoot upright in a cold sweat. My breathing is heavy and ragged, and my eyes frantically dart around the room. I quickly place my left hand over my left eye. Its¡­ Its there. I look at the palm of my left hand. They¡¯re both there. I slide my sweaty hand down my face and sigh as I plop back down onto my pillow, trying to calm down. Just a dream¡­ I stare up at the ringed, wooden ceiling and place the back of my hand over my face. Just¡­ a nightmare. I feel a hand grab my arm and I pull away forcefully. I prop myself up with my arms and see Revus in a chair with a plate of cut-up fruit. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asks worriedly. ¡°Yeah,¡± I murmur as I concentrate on my breathing, ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­ Just had a bad dream.¡± ¡°Zlith,¡± Revus mumbles, ¡°The word for a bad dream.¡± I glance at him without moving my head and chuckle, ¡°Heh. Same as ever.¡± Slith¡­ I sit back up and sigh, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°I thought it might help,¡± Revus replies as his eyes dance to me, then away, and back to me again. ¡°What?¡± I ask, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± He breathes in, opens his mouth, but does not say anything. What¡¯s gotten into him now? ¡°So¡­¡± I say to break the awkward silence, ¡°What¡¯d you bring?¡± ¡°I cut a mione,¡± Revus answers sullenly. I sigh, ¡°I said I¡¯m fine.¡± I forcefully smile. Why¡¯d I have to dream about that though¡­ Revus stands up and places the plate of cut up mione down on my lap, ¡°Here, eat. I¡¯ll make food in a bit. Leave the plate on the floor when you¡¯re done.¡± I nod. He then walks over to the kitchen and begins grabbing various ingredients from cabinets and shelves. I look down at the plate of pale-yellow, sliced fruit, each with a red layer of skin on its exterior. I glance to the window and see the faint light of daybreak. The sun¡¯s barely up. I look back at Revus. I know we were up late last night, and he¡¯s already awake. I start to eat the sliced mione, its fleshy texture releasing sweet juice. When does he sleep? I glance to my right at his bed and see it perfectly made, as if it was never used. Does he not sleep at all? There¡¯s no way, but then how much is he getting? I eat another slice of mione then ask, ¡°Revus, do you get enough sleep?¡± He peers back at me and chuckles, ¡°Yeah. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Just curious,¡± I reply as I continue to eat. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s getting enough sleep if he¡¯s already up. ¡°Hey, make sure you¡¯re getting enough sleep.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Revus laughs, and then says, ¡°I get plenty of sleep. I think you sleep too much though.¡± I furrow my eyebrows as I look at him. Do I sleep that much? I sleep like usual, but maybe it is a lot¡­ I scratch my head and eat the remaining mione. I lean over the edge of the bed to place the empty plate on the floor. It slips just above the floor and clatters loudly. I look at Revus as he stops what he was doing briefly, and then resumes. I look from him to my left hand and notice its trembling violently. Dang it. I clasp my right hand over my left, trying to calm my nerves. Why that dream of all things¡­ I thought I was over this. I lay back down, resting my head against the soft pillow, and yawn. I¡¯m still tired too but¡­ I roll onto my side, grab my petal, and pull it close to my chest. ¡­there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going back to sleep now. I groan. Guess I¡¯ll get up¡­ As I climb out of bed, Revus looks back and asks, ¡°Not going back to sleep?¡± ¡°Not tired,¡± I declare as I make my way toward the washroom. I enter, walk over to the cabinets and, like usual, there are two objects resting on it. The first is a bowl filled with water and the second is a dry cloth. Even these are already here. I glance back at the door. When does he have time for this? I cup my hands together to fill them with water but stop as I feel a lump form in my throat. I used to not be able to do this. I stare at my hands as tears start to form. I gave up so much¡­ fooling myself for all those years¡­ I sigh. Idiot. I softly cry as I slowly wash and dry my face. Why that nightmare again? I allow myself to calm down and take a deep breath before walking over to the toilet with its bowl-like seat and hole at the bottom. Guess getting everything back caused it to resurface. After going pee, I rinse and dry my hands off and head toward the door. Geez. One nightmare and I¡¯m a mess. As I reach for the door handle, I freeze. ¡°Mister Lente is waiting for you in the next room.¡± My breathing becomes quick and irregular as my heart rate increases. No¡­ Staring at the door, I begin to feel dizzy as the room starts to spin. My outstretched arm shakes as I try to grab the door handle. That was just a dream¡­ I pull my arm back and place it over my left eye. That¡¯s all in the past¡­ I¡¯m- Knock knock. ¡°Eeee!¡± I jump as the sudden sound pulls me from my thoughts. After a brief moment, ¡°Uh, Evetta? You sure you¡¯re okay? You¡¯ve been in there a while.¡± Revus. I exhale slowly then take a deep breath. He continues anxiously, ¡°Did you fall asleep in there?¡± I pull the door open and bark, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t fall asleep!¡± I humph as I walk past him and head over to the table. Jerk. Revus follows behind me and, together, we sit down to begin eating. Breakfast includes strips of meat, fluffy eggs, and a portion of a purple, juicy oliot. I glance up at him and see him staring intensely at me. Upon locking eyes with him, I look away. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Revus asks. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Then did you forget to brush your hair on purpose?¡± I open my mouth and raise my index finger but remain silent. Revus sighs, gets up, walks into the washroom, and returns with a hairbrush. He approaches and once next to me, brushes my hair. Ow. He finishes after a short stint, sets the brush down, and returns to his chair. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask one more time,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I mutter, ¡°Just¡­¡± How would I even explain that dream? I sigh, and then force a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Tch. You don¡¯t get it,¡± he states, raising his voice before trailing off, ¡°I¡¯m supposed to¡­¡± Supposed to¡­ I look up at him as he looks away. ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°Nevermind. Just eat,¡± Revus grumbles as he begins to devour his food. Breakfast continues awkwardly as neither of us says anything. When we both finish, Revus takes our plates to the sink and begins washing the dishes. I look up at Revus and ask, ¡°So¡­ What am I learning today?¡± A moment of silence follows. Are you still mad about that? I groan. ¡°Sorry. If I made you mad earlier¡­ I¡¯m just,¡± I hesitate as I bite my lip, ¡°Just trying to get over my past.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Revus inquires, without looking up from the dishes. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I murmur. ¡°Alright.¡± Revus replies as he dries his hands. He then turns around and walks over to the front door. Where? ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go outside today.¡± ¡°But what about-¡± ¡°Evetta, I may not have known you long,¡± Revus remarks, raising an eyebrow, ¡°but I know you aren¡¯t going to stay focused when you¡¯re like that.¡± ¡°So-¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to skip Zoic lessons and be more productive with our time,¡± he continues, ¡°So, since winter¡¯s over, let¡¯s resume your flight practice.¡± I widen my eyes, blink a few times, and ask, my voice riddled with disbelief ¡°We¡¯re skipping?¡± ¡°Would you rather we-¡± ¡°No¡­¡± I interrupt, ¡°No, skipping is fine.¡± I get up from my seat and head toward my dresser. I quickly pull it open, grab the first thing from within, and race into the washroom to change. Removing my nightgown, I slip into the dress and return to the main room. Should¡¯ve looked at what I was grabbing, but oh well. I toss the nightgown on my bed and rush out the front door, as Revus is already outside.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I take a deep breath, taking in the fresh, spring air. ¡°Ah, so glad winter¡¯s over.¡± Revus smirks. ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± I ask. ¡°Nothing,¡± he shrugs. ¡°Alright, today¡¯s the day,¡± I state encouragingly. I turn my head and watch as wings sprout from my back. I smile, and then tilt my head. Are they.. bigger? ¡°Your wings are developing nicely,¡± Revus remarks while scratching his chin. Ew¡­ I turn and look at him staring at my wings. Wait. Why does him looking at my wings like that bother me? ¡°Can you¡­¡± I hesitate, ¡°not look at my wings like that?¡± Revus immediately looks away, putting his hands up. ¡°Ah, sorry about that. Didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± he states, ¡°but it looks like you shouldn¡¯t have any problems flying now.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I murmur as I try to sort out my uncertain feelings from a moment ago, ¡°So¡­ my wings are bigger?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus answers as he turns to look at me, while scratching the back of his head, ¡°With how your wings are now, you should be able to fly.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I ask as I look back at my slightly larger wings. Sure, they look a bit bigger, but will that make a difference. I flutter my wings and smile at their instant response. They even respond better now. ¡°If you need me, I¡¯ll be here,¡± Revus states as he sits on the ground, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. ¡°Sure,¡± I smile. I¡¯ll give him some space so I don¡¯t bother him. I walk a few steps away from the meditating fairy into a more open area. Okay, here I go. I close my eyes and quickly flap my wings as I try to lift my body into the air. A few moments later, I feel my feet not touching the ground. I open my eyes and smile. Yes, getting into the air is easier. Now¡­ I continue to flap my wings, rising higher into the air. My smile grows into a massive grin. I¡¯m doing it! I begin to tilt my body forward and slowly I start heading back toward Revus. ¡°Revus!¡± I exclaim once I am in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m flying,¡± I continue as I begin to slowly orbit around him. Revus laughs, ¡°Yeah.¡± He pauses for a moment then grins deviously. Uh-oh. I know that look. I quickly turn away from him. No, don''t say it. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus hums. That¡¯s the look when you want to teach me something difficult. ¡°Do you want to fly with me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I mutter in response as I look back at him. That¡¯s it? ¡°You want to fly?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Revus happily states, ¡°You¡¯ll be able to learn to fly properly.¡± I stare deadpan at him, and then look down and sigh. I knew it wasn¡¯t as simple as just flying around¡­ I glance back up at his brazen grin and reply, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go,¡± Revus remarks. As he stands up, black wings emerge from his back and he rises into the air next to me. ¡°Try to follow me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± I ask. ¡°I won¡¯t go too far away,¡± Revus states. ¡°That¡¯s my¡­¡± his cheerful attitude fades as he bitterly smiles, ¡°job.¡± ¡°You okay?¡± I ask worriedly. ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± Does he not like being my guard? ¡°I¡¯ll explain things later, but for now,¡± he continues as he starts to fly backward away from me, ¡°keep up.¡± Revus flies higher into the air, slowly increasing the distance between us. Right, here goes. I take a deep breath and fly after him, leaning my body slightly to alter my direction. As we fly higher into the air, Revus approaches a tree branch, and then lands on it. I follow after him and, once I am above the branch, gradually descend and land next to him. ¡°Not bad,¡± Revus states as he sits down on the wooden surface, ¡°but you need more practice.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I wheeze. I drop onto my butt, place my hands on the ground behind me, and look up. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ as easy¡­ as it looks.¡± ¡°Did I say flying was easy?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°No,¡± I pant, ¡°but you¡­ make it look easy.¡± ¡°With a bit of practice,¡± Revus explains, ¡°you should be able to fly like this too.¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­ for now,¡± I huff, ¡°I¡¯m just glad¡­ that I can fly.¡± ¡°Alright, break time is over.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I rest¡­ a bit longer,¡± I ask as I drop my gaze onto Revus. ¡°Nope, better to keep going while you remember the feeling,¡± Revus elaborates, ¡°Now, I¡¯ll give you tasks.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I groan as I stand back up, ¡°What¡¯s first?¡± ¡°Start by flying under this branch and returning back up here.¡± I exhale, ¡°Okay.¡± I flutter my wings and rise into the air. As I slowly move away from the branch, I look down and see the ground a great deal below me. If I fall¡­ I gulp. ¡­I¡¯d rather not think about it. Revus holds out his right hand with his index finger, and moves his hand in a circle. ¡°Okay, now loop around the branch.¡± I nod and slowly descend down under the branch. As I drop below it, I rotate my body to turn around. Once below the branch, I lean forward and fly out from under it. Slowly, I ascend back up and spin around once more. Moving around is pretty difficult¡­ I stare at Revus as I land back on the branch. ¡°Not bad,¡± Revus remarks while scratching his chin, ¡°but not great either.¡± ¡°What did you¡­ expect,¡± I bark, ¡°This is my¡­ first time flying.¡± ¡°I know. I was just hoping for¡­¡± Revus hesitates then continues, ¡°Well, just know a lot of the basics need improving.¡± ¡°I know I know,¡± I grumble. Can''t you at least be happy for me though. ¡°It''s not the worst, but it¡¯s pretty bad,¡± Revus explains. Really? I would¡¯ve never guessed. ¡°When you flap your wings, try to open them as much as possible, otherwise you¡¯ll be wasting energy.¡± I look back at my wings and flutter them once. I pout as I notice that they do not open completely. ¡°Also, when you turn,¡± Revus continues, ¡°you aren¡¯t leaning enough, so you¡¯re slow to turn.¡± I feel my blood start to boil. ¡°Finally, you need to relax,¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°Your face looks like you¡¯re trying to poop. So-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± I roar as I turn away from the infuriating fairy. I rise back into the air and fly away from him as quickly as I can, trying to heed his criticism. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Revus hollers from behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ follow me!¡± I shout while panting. ¡°Are you mad that I was-¡± ¡°No!¡± I bellow, ¡°This is me¡­ happily yelling at you!¡± Jerk. ¡°If you¡¯re mad-¡± ¡°I said¡­ I¡¯m not mad!¡± I roar, ¡°Now¡­ leave me alone!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I glance back and see Revus hovering in place, no longer following me. Jerk. Is it too much to just congratulate me on flying for the first time? I sigh and turn back around. As I continue on, I realize that I am passing by the tree that hides our house. I haven¡¯t gone this way yet. I glance back once more, scanning the area. I¡¯ve only explored around the river and in front of the house. I faintly smile as I examine the unexplored area in front of me. Much like the rest of the forest, behind our house has massive trees and shrubs exploding with rampant vegetation. Okay, break time. I survey the ground and find a sprout with a single large leaf resting in a field of grass that is exposed to plenty of sunlight. Looks like a good spot. I descend down and, as I land atop the leaf, drop to my knees, panting heavily. Okay, flying is exhausting. I roll over and lay on my back. As I look around, I absorb the sunlight and the fresh spring air. ¡°Ah¡­ I missed this,¡± I murmur between my huffs, ¡°Winter¡¯s¡­ way too cold.¡± As I scan the canopy above me, I notice several broken branches hanging from a tree. That¡¯s strange. I wonder what caused that? I sit up and, as I scan the tree, my eyes dance from one tree to another. I notice more trees that have broken branches, all of which are adjacent to the initial tree I spotted. I bite my lip as I furrow my brow. Okay, something definitely happened there. Maybe a storm? I glance around at other trees not near the damaged ones. I don¡¯t see anymore with broken branches. I look back to the initial tree. Then what caused that? I look back at where I last saw Revus and see him flying toward me. Can¡¯t he leave me alone. I stand up, fly off the sprout, land on the ground, and begin walking toward the damaged trees. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°Go away,¡± I bark. ¡°Still mad?¡± I take a deep breath, exhale, turn around, and smile, ¡°Absolutely!¡± I then blankly glare at Revus, ¡°Now. Go. Away.¡± Revus smirks, chuckles lightly, and then looks up at the broken branches, asking, ¡°You curious?¡± I take another deep breath, tilt my head back, and mutter, ¡°You know¡­ You can be¡­¡± I lower my head and sigh, ¡°You make me mad.¡± ¡°I think the word you are wanting to use is-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± I roar. ¡°Now either explain that!¡± I shout as I point up at the branches, ¡°Or buzz off.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Revus laughs, ¡°you can be pretty moody when you don¡¯t get enough sleep.¡± I clench my fists, my muscles tightening as I feel like I am about to explode. I close my eyes, bite my tongue, inhale from my nose, and exhale. I look away from Revus, scratch my upper lip, glance back at him, and nod. ¡°Okay,¡± I put my hands up, ¡°Good job. If you were trying to make me mad, you¡¯ve succeeded, now please. LEAVE. ME. ALONE.¡± I hiss as I turn around and continue walking toward the damaged trees. ¡°Good, so you can get mad,¡± Revus mutters. Ignore him. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about it since you don¡¯t usually get upset.¡± Ignore him. My blood boils as I continue walking by the large blades of grass. ¡°So what was it that made you mad specifically? Your poor flying?¡± Shut up. ¡°Was it me not leaving you alone?¡± Shut up. I clench my fists and dig my nails into my skin. ¡°Is it my continued pestering?¡± ¡°SHUT UP!¡± I scream as I turn around, tears now blurring my vision. ¡°JUST LEAVE ME ALONE,¡± I yell as I quickly turn around and race into the air. As my feet leave the ground I feel a hand grab my wrist. Flap as I might, with my arm trapped, I am stuck in the air, unable to leave. I turn back and see Revus with a troubled expression on his face, his hand tightly holding my wrist. ¡°Let go!¡± I bellow as I try to free my arm, tears rolling down my face, ¡°Let me go!¡± Revus pulls me back down to the ground and wraps his arms around me. ¡°What¡¯re you-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Revus mumbles apologetically. I stop struggling and look up at him. ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± I murmur, ¡°You think apologizing is going to make everything better?¡± ¡°I apologize. I went too far,¡± Revus continues, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to make your cry. I was just¡­¡± He hesitates. ¡°Just what?¡± I question, ¡°Just wanted to make me mad? Get a laugh by making fun of me?¡± He puts me at arm¡¯s length, holding my trembling shoulders, and then replies, raising his voice, ¡°No, of course not.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± I bellow, tears still streaming down my face, ¡°Do you not like being my guard? Do you not like me?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Revus shouts, ¡°Now let me make one thing clear. I do not hate you nor the idea of being your guard.¡± ¡°Then why!?¡± I retort. Revus looks up and sighs. He then looks down at me, his worriedness visible in his golden eyes. ¡°I¡­¡± he whispers too quietly for me to hear. ¡°You what?¡± ¡°I was¡­,¡± he takes another deep breath, ¡°I was trying to get you to forget your bad dream.¡± My mouth opens as I tilt my head and stare up at Revus in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He nods. I blink several times before continuing, ¡°So, you¡­ you made me mad. All so that I¡¯d forget my bad dream?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you stupid or are you an idiot?¡± I ask in Sveltish. Revus jabs my forehead with his finger. ¡°No Svelt-¡± ¡°I know,¡± I answer in Zoic, ¡°I just don¡¯t know the words yet.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°But I am sorry. I wasn¡¯t trying to make you mad to the point the that you cried, just-¡± ¡°But why mad?¡± ¡°I figured if you were focused on me, you wouldn¡¯t think about your dream.¡± ¡°But why does my dream matter to you?¡± ¡°You seemed scared, and worried.¡± ¡°Sure, IT was a slith,¡± I try to pronounce the word. ¡°Zlith,¡± Revus corrects. I shake my head, ¡°Yeah that, but that still doesn¡¯t explain-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus says as he kneels down in front of me and puts his hands on my shoulders, ¡°My job is to keep you safe. Simple as it may be, I don¡¯t know what to keep you safe from.¡± He continues, looking toward the ground ¡°Strosk, en¨­¨­fen, other¡­¡± he pauses briefly and looks me directly in the eyes before continuing, ¡°Just know that if something is bothering you, I will do what I can to help. Do you understand?¡± I nod and, while I wipe away my tears, say, ¡°But there are some words that you said that I don¡¯t know.¡± Revus lets go of my shoulders and looks away, ¡°I¡¯ll explain those later.¡± He looks back at me, stands up, and asks, ¡°So. Do you want to know more about those broken branches.¡± I glance at where Revus is pointing and reply, ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t look natural, so what happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not tell you, but¡­¡± ¡°So you won¡¯t tell me,¡± I state harshly, ¡°even though you brought it up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only telling you as an apology,¡± Revus explains, ¡°After all, the en¨­¨­fen are dangerous.¡± There¡¯s that word again. ¡°Can you fly?¡± ¡°Of course. I learned today,¡± I proudly exclaim. Revus chuckles, ¡°Then follow me.¡± He begins flying up to one of the trees with damaged branches. I follow behind him, flapping my wings while watching how Revus moves his wings and leans his body. So¡­ It¡¯s more like that? As I follow, we fly up above one of the broken branches and land on a secure limb that overlooks the damaged ones. ¡°You should be able to see it from up here,¡± Revus states. See what? I begin to look around and notice a large damaged section of ground that lies between all of the damaged trees. The area has exposed soil and looks like something heavy was dragged over the ground. ¡°What happened here?¡± I mutter. ¡°It was a tree,¡± Revus states somberly. ¡°A tree?¡± ¡°A few weeks ago, while I was out you heard a loud boom,¡± Revus recounts, ¡°When I heard it, I rushed back and found you laying on the floor, and the house was a mess.¡± ¡°Ye-¡± I quickly glance at Revus, ¡°Wait so that loud sou-¡± ¡°It was a tree that fell.¡± ¡°Then what about the other noises I was hearing?¡± ¡°Come,¡± Revus says as he starts flying, ¡°It¡¯s better to show you.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I murmur. He¡¯s acting kind of strange. I fly after Revus and, together, we descend down toward the ground. We fly over the devastated soil until we arrive at a massive tree stump. It has wood that is much darker in color and is several times wider than the surrounding trees. Half of the stump¡¯s surface is smooth while the other half is rough, with random, sharp edges. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of it?¡± I ask as I look over at Revus. ¡°The en¨­¨­fen took it.¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°En¨­¨­fen,¡± Revus repeats, ¡°We met some when we explored the river. The giant people.¡± Oh, the elves. Well, I guess I can¡¯t be certain that they were elves. ¡°The en¨­¨­fen have come around a couple of times and they always take the same trees.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No idea, but remember, the en¨­¨­fen are dangerous,¡± Revus declares harshly, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to help those en¨­¨­fen before because they always come looking for us after.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, ¡°Do they want our help?¡± ¡°Again, I don¡¯t know,¡± Revus angrily answers, ¡°But they¡¯ve tried to capture me several times in the past.¡± He looks in the direction of the river, ¡°And I imagine that they¡¯ll come looking for us again now that they know we¡¯re in this area.¡± I gulp, ¡°What happens when they-¡± ¡°Enough of that,¡± Revus interrupts, ¡°I told you about the tree and I don¡¯t want you to have needless worries.¡± ¡°Jerk,¡± I pout. ¡°Come on,¡± Revus says, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I sigh. Together, we rise into the air and head back toward the house. ¡°Would you rather stay outside and continue flying or head in and rest for a bit?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I ponder for a moment, ¡°I think I¡¯d rather¡­ rest outside in the sun¡­ I¡¯ve been inside¡­ for over a week.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Revus replies. We make our way back near the house and I find a pleasant spot in the sun to sit down. Ah, this is nice. I yawn as I get comfortable on the ground. ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°A bit,¡± I mutter as I lay down. A nap¡­ doesn¡¯t sound so bad. As I close my eyes I hear Revus chuckle, ¡°Sleep well.¡± I stretch my limbs and feel a cold breeze on my feet. A brisk chill runs up my spine. Quickly, I retract my legs so I no longer feel the cold. ¡°Hm,¡± I mumble. Why¡¯s it so cold in here? I pull my blanket over my head. Much better¡­ Wait¡­ I open my eyes and run my hand against the furry fabric covering me. When did I go inside? I pull the blanket down, exposing my head, and see the dark, night-dyed forest. Leaves blowing in the soft wind are the only respite from the still quiet that envelopes the land. I bolt up and shout, ¡°Revus!¡± Hearing my loud voice resound throughout the sleeping woodland, I cover my mouth. I remove my hands, look around, and call quieter, ¡°Revus.¡± ¡°Finally awake?¡± he answers. I turn and see him walking out of the house. ¡°Why am I sleeping outside?¡± I ask angrily. ¡°You were sleeping soundly,¡± Revus explains, ¡°and since you didn¡¯t sleep well this morning, I figured I¡¯d let you sleep.¡± ¡°Well you could¡¯ve brought me inside at least,¡± I retort as I look down at the blanket that is covering me. ¡°Seriously, you even brought me a blanket, just bring me inside, or better just wake me up next time.¡± ¡°Sure. Whatever you say,¡± Revus remarks. ¡°Why do I get the feeling that you don¡¯t mean that?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± he shrugs, ¡°You hungry?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± I look up at the fragmented night sky hidden behind the canopy. ¡°Ah, you want to see the moons first?¡± ¡°Yeah. Now that I can fly,¡± I mutter, ¡°I want to go see them again.¡± ¡°Do you want me to carry the blanket?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I answer. Revus walks over and I hand him the blanket. Brrrr, why¡¯s it always so cold at night. I tightly wrap my arms over my elbows. Revus and I conjure our wings and rise into the air. As we approach the night sky, Revus says, ¡°You¡¯re going to be in for a surprise tonight.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get there.¡± A surprise huh? We continue ascending through the darkness, making our way past branches, through areas of thick foliage, and finally between the gaps in the canopy. We arrive at the endless expanse of dark, majestic beauty. The countless stars that dot the sky and the several colorful moons make it just as breathtaking as it was before. That¡¯s strange? I furrow my eyebrows as I notice five moons in tonight''s sky. The colors are also different, consisting of red, grey, violet, yellow, and brown. The red moon glows brightly, giving the sky a new, unique atmosphere. ¡°Wow,¡± I murmur, ¡°Hey Revus.¡± I turn and see him staring at me with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re curious about why they¡¯re different?¡± Revus states. ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod as I look away from him. Please don¡¯t act like you can read my mind. ¡°Every month, a different moon will glow brighter than the others,¡± Revus explains. ¡°Last month it was the white moon, Maiden. This month, the red moon Dract shines.¡± ¡°Do they always change?¡± Revus nods, ¡°From what I know they do. Each month follows a cycle and once all fourteen have had their turn, the cycle repeats. That¡¯s not all either.¡± Revus grins as I look over at him, ¡°Every night offers a different view.¡± I turn back to the wondrous moons. Every night they¡¯re different¡­ ¡°Hey, is it alright if we come up here every night?¡± Revus smiles, ¡°Sure. Oh, and Evetta.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I say as I look at him, his eyes locked on me. ¡°Congratulations on learning to fly.¡± Was that so hard to say? I smile. Jerk. Chapter 6 - Helping Through the transparent window, a myriad of colors swirl through the air as the autumn-dyed leaves fall from the trees. The wind whisks away the colorful yellow, orange, and red leaves, carrying them from their homes and scattering them over the land. The forest, once bright and filled with vibrant green foliage, is now preparing for another week of winter. ¡°Ugh,¡± I groan, ¡°Why does winter have to come so soon?¡± ¡°Would you stop complaining?¡± Revus retorts, ¡°It¡¯s not that cold.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± I reply, pouting, ¡°I¡¯m always freezing, and it¡¯s especially bad during winter.¡± ¡°Fine, cold or not, I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Now, do you want to join me or not?¡± I lower my head and place my cheek on the table where I have spent the last few hours reviewing. Stay here and keep doing this or go outside where it¡¯s colder and help Revus¡­ ¡°Honestly,¡± I mope, ¡°neither sound appealing.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not coming,¡± Revus says as he turns toward the door, ¡°then I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Ugh! Fine,¡± I bellow, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± I stand up from the chair, and stretch my limbs. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come, you know,¡± Revus remarks, turning back toward me, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for years by myself.¡± ¡°Yes, but even though you¡¯re capable of doing so,¡± I state as I put my hands on my hips, ¡°I want to help when I can, even if it¡¯s something small like this.¡± ¡°Do as you like,¡± Revus shrugs. He points at me, staring intensely, and barks, ¡°but while we¡¯re out, you listen to me and don¡¯t go off on your own.¡± I wave my hand dismissively, ¡°Yeah yeah. I know.¡± I¡¯d rather not fly into another spider web¡­ A shiver creeps through my body. ¡°Just because you know, doesn¡¯t mean you listen though,¡± Revus exhales, ¡°Sometimes¡­ Nevermind.¡± My gaze flashes to him and my eyes narrow. ¡°Please, finish that sentence,¡± I hiss, ¡°I¡¯d love to know how it ends.¡± ¡°Stop being a pain,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°We have to get enough food to last us until winter¡¯s over, and we¡¯re already running late.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I groan, and turn to him and smile, ¡°but someone kept lecturing me this morning.¡± Revus opens the front door and walks out. As I follow behind him, he replies, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t need to lecture you if you just studied the material properly.¡± The soft glow of the late-afternoon sun paints the forest in a fiery mixture of colors. The brisk wind sends a chill throughout my body as Revus and I both manifest our wings, and rise into the air. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this every day for almost two months now,¡± I complain, ¡°It¡¯s exhausting, boring-¡± and annoying dealing with you. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re not going to finish your sentence?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°You¡¯re annoying,¡± I humph. ¡°Annoying, am I?¡± Revus questions, ¡°Well, I guess that makes two of us.¡± Silence falls over us for a brief period as I angrily stare ahead at the infuriating fairy. The only sound is of our wings and the wind rustling through the woods. I watch the colorful leaves dance through the air and glance at his black wings, a stark contrast to the autumnal landscape we are in. I roll my eyes and look down, ¡°Tch.¡± I fly up next to Revus and ask, ¡°So, what¡¯re we going to get?¡± Revus looks over at me, ¡°What would you like to eat this winter?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ Something to warm me up,¡± I answer. Revus shakes his head and sighs, ¡°Is it really that cold for you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I roar then continue, ¡°I¡¯m not complaining about the cold at night, but the cold I feel during winter¡­¡± I trail off and murmur, wrapping my arms around me, remembering just how frigid it gets, ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± Revus asks, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but it feels like it''s not just my body that¡¯s cold,¡± I mutter, ¡°Everything just feels¡­¡± I hesitate for a brief moment, look Revus directly in the eyes, and whisper, ¡°Cold.¡± ¡°When we get back,¡± Revus says as he furrows his brows, ¡°I¡¯ll examine your soul.¡± I blink a few times, ¡°And why would you do that?¡± ¡°To confirm that there¡¯s nothing wrong with you.¡± I fall silent as we fly through the air, effortlessly avoiding branches and trunks. After a minute, I turn to him again and ask, ¡°So¡­ I might be sick?¡± ¡°Sick? No,¡± Revus denies, chuckling lightly, ¡°fairies don¡¯t get sick.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if anything¡¯s wrong with you,¡± Revus remarks as he drifts next to me and jabs my forehead with his finger, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to check.¡± As I rub my forehead, I ask, ¡°What could be wrong with me then?¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Revus ponders for a moment, ¡°Your soul isn¡¯t adjusting to your new form yet? Or maybe your soul is damaged?¡± I cringe, then worriedly say, ¡°Those both sound bad.¡± ¡°If it is something like that, then it¡¯ll heal over time,¡± Revus states. ¡°So it¡¯ll go away on its own? I¡¯ll be okay?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s all it is,¡± Revus replies, then clears his throat, ¡°However, if it¡¯s something related to your family or the elements, then things might be more complicated.¡± I raise an eyebrow, ¡°Complicated how?¡± ¡°Your family situation is a bit different from a typical family of fairies,¡± Revus states. ¡°Usually fairies will wait a couple of centuries between having a child,¡± he explains. ¡°This is done so that the parents don¡¯t lose too much of their own souls when creating the bud for their child.¡± ¡°Losing too much of their souls?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. In order for fairies to have children, the parents must sacrifice a part of their souls to create a bud,¡± Revus clarifies, ¡°The bud houses a spirit, and slowly, it transforms the spirit into a newborn fairy.¡± That¡¯s¡­ I scratch my cheek. ¡°So what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Your parents made four buds in four years.¡± Four years? ¡°Soooo¡­¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Among your siblings, you¡¯re the youngest. And since your parents already made three buds, if they didn¡¯t make your bud properly, that could cause problems for you, the child.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Your soul might need extra nourishment,¡± he explains, ¡°and without it, then in the worst case, your condition may never go away.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that bad then?¡± I ask worriedly. ¡°I doubt that¡¯s the problem, but it is possible,¡± Revus murmurs, ¡°Knowing your parents, a city is more likely to just disappear before they make a mistake.¡± I tilt my head at him, then mutter, ¡°I see.¡± A city though? Isn¡¯t that a bit much? ¡°Then what about the elements?¡± ¡°If it involves the elements, then I¡¯d guess it¡¯s related to either the ice or darkness element,¡± Revus states, ¡°Either could cause you to feel cold and they would be easier to explain why you feel the way you do, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± I ask eagerly, staring intensely at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have any of the elements yet,¡± Revus glances at me, then smiles, ¡°Which means that we can rule those out immediately.¡± ¡°And how can you be so sure?¡± He points at my wings and answers, ¡°Your wings are white.¡± I glance back at my white wings, silvery glitter dispersing from them. ¡°How does that explain anything?¡± ¡°A fairy¡¯s wings reveal what elements they have within their soul, with each element being portrayed as a different color,¡± Revus elaborates. ¡°You see, when a fairy is born, their soul is cleansed. Which means whatever axioms you had in the past, you¡¯ve lost, and until you acquire them, your soul should be empty. Hence your white wings.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I murmur as I glance at Revus¡¯ solid, black wings. What about yours, they¡¯re only black¡­¡±So¡­¡± No. I¡¯ll ask him later. ¡°Speaking of the axioms. Will I be able to use them too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start teaching you how next month,¡± Revus answers, ¡°but there are some certain words that you¡¯ll need to learn before I can explain things to you.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± I groan, ¡°More lectures.¡± Revus once again jabs my forehead with his finger and states, ¡°Be thankful I¡¯m teaching you. I know someone that wouldn¡¯t be as nice.¡± I point at him. ¡°If your lectures are nice then I¡¯d rather not meet this person.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have a choice unfortunately,¡± Revus sighs. ¡°Why?¡± I ask worriedly. ¡°Because she¡¯s¡­¡± Revus thinks for a moment, ¡°Your parents¡¯¡­ friend?¡± I tilt my head and furrow my brow. A friend? ¡°You could also say she works for your mom, ¡° Revus continues, ¡°but more specifically, she¡¯s currently in charge of watching you and your siblings.¡± Me and my siblings¡­ ¡°Then,¡± I almost whisper, ¡°Why are we out here by ourselves and¡­ not with my family?¡± Cough. Cough. Revus looks away from me and answers, ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll explain everything later, but for now¡­¡± He trails off, then states, ¡°Ah, looks like we¡¯re here.¡± Does he not want to tell me? Did something happen? Maybe he just doesn¡¯t want me to worry about it¡­ I sigh and look at the giant shrub in front of us. Several miones, large, round, red, fruit, hang from the branches. As I follow Revus, we fly around the bush. Revus scans the miones until he finds one he likes. ¡°This one looks good,¡± Revus declares as he creates a metallic blade and cuts the stem. Before it drops to the ground, he catches the mione with an air current and forces the fruit to hover alongside us. ¡°Impressive as ever,¡± I say as Revus dispels the blade, the metallic object disappearing into yellow particles. ¡°It¡¯s not that impressive,¡± he retorts, ¡°Now, let¡¯s keep going. There is an oliot vine not far from here.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I follow after Revus. While watching the red fruit flying beside us, I frown. It is impressive though. I¡¯ve wanted to use the axioms for a long time. ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± Revus asks from my side. ¡°Nothing,¡± I reply, still eyeing the hovering fruit. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about using axioms,¡± Revus states, ¡°If you¡¯re anything like your parents, then using the elements will be easy for you.¡± As an oliot vine becomes visible, I murmur, ¡°My parents¡­¡± Mom¡­ I shake my head. No, Revus said I have different parents¡­ I follow Revus over to the oliot vine and, while he examines the oliot clusters, I land on a branch and sit down. But¡­ What if they aren¡¯t different? How would Revus know who my mom was¡­ I shake my head and exhale. No, that doesn¡¯t make any sense. Revus doesn¡¯t know Sveltish, nor has he heard of Svelta before. So there¡¯s no way so he¡¯d know if Mom or anyone else was here¡­ I curl into a ball and rest my head on my knees. But then why am I here? As I hear the sound of fluttering wings resound in front of me, Revus asks, ¡°What¡¯s got you looking so glum?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I mope. ¡°Evetta¡¯s list of worries, her past, bugs, her parents,¡± Revus states, ¡°my lectures, the cold-¡± ¡°Is that necessary?¡± I interrupt as I lift my head, raising my eyebrows. ¡°I could¡¯ve continued,¡± Revus shrugs, ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My parents. They¡¯re different from the ones in my past, right?¡± Revus stares at me for a moment, blinks, and asks, ¡°Do you know how a fairy is born?¡± I shift on my branch and mutter, ¡°From a bud¡­¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re born from, but before that,¡± Revus inhales then continues, ¡°When an en¨­¨­fen dies, their spirit leaves their body, and that spirit may end up in a bud. That bud then transforms that spirit¡¯s soul into a newborn fairy.¡± ¡°So then¡­¡± ¡°From my understanding, the likelihood of parents and children remaining family after they become fairies is basically impossible.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Revus¡¯ bright-yellow eyes pierce through mine. ¡°Evetta, there are many things that I haven¡¯t told you yet,¡± he remarks intensely, ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡± I look down and smile softly, ¡°Sleeps.¡± Revus laughs, ¡°Now are you going to help me or waste more of our time?¡± ¡°You know,¡± I chuckle, ¡°You look perfectly capable on your own.¡± ¡°This,¡± Revus grins, ¡°THIS is why I find you annoying.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± I smile, ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like it anymore.¡± Revus shrugs, shakes his head, and sarcastically remarks, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I was only going to have you carry a single oliot anyway.¡± I look at the cluster of purple fruit and, with a straight face, say, ¡°Yeah, a lot of help I would¡¯ve been then.¡± ¡°Hey, you said you wanted to come,¡± Revus grins. ¡°Fine. Give me an oliot and I¡¯ll carry it back,¡± I sigh, ¡°At least I can say I DID help.¡± Revus smirks, pulls an oliot from the cluster hovering in the air, and hands it to me. I hold the large, purple ball in my arms and stare at its translucent surface. I glance back at the cluster of dozens of oliots and, while slightly shaking my head, roll my eyes. Yeah, a lot of help I am¡­ Revus sighs and then asks, ¡°Do you want me to bring you back home?¡± Home¡­ ¡°No,¡± I murmur, ¡°I¡¯d rather not be alone right now.¡± ¡°Alright, then just follow me while I gather everything else.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I nod as I stand back up and then rise into the air. I follow behind Revus as we make our way from one section of the forest to another. We stop at various shrubs and trees as Revus gathers different fruits, vegetables, herbs, and even some roots, all of which he adds to the ever-increasing pile of ingredients hovering in the air around him. The glow of the sun slowly fades as it begins its descent toward the horizon. The darkening sky, combined with the rustling of the wind and the distant roar of the river, gives the forest a quiet, soothing atmosphere. It¡¯s strange how in a few days it won¡¯t look anything like this¡­ ¡°Alright with this I believe we have everything,¡± Revus states as he turns his body toward me, his colorful harvest hovering around him. ¡°Then we¡¯re heading back now?¡± ¡°Ye-¡± Revus suddenly stops and sharply turns his head to his right. He narrows his eyes into a glare. I look to my left, scanning the forest for the source of his sudden change. ¡°What-¡± ¡°Shh,¡± Revus urges as he places a finger over his mouth, ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I nod as I follow Revus down into a low shrub. He quietly pulls our harvest into the brush and we stop behind a large cluster of leaves. Revus pokes his head out from beyond a leaf as I whisper, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Snap. The sound of a branch breaking resounds in the distance. A moment later, two voices enter earshot. Wait, there¡¯s people out here? I place my oliot down, move alongside Revus, and poke my head out from behind the same leaf. In the distance I see two giant men wearing tight fitting clothes and backpacks. One man has a series of jar-like containers on his belt, while the other is wearing a large, brown glove. Resting atop the glove is a bird, roughly the size of the man¡¯s head. The feathered-beast has long talons, beady, black eyes, a sharp, pointed beak, and white feathers with a silvery glitter coming from them. Wow that bird¡¯s kind of- Revus suddenly pulls me back behind the leaf. He places his right hand over my mouth and, with his left hand, holds his index finger over his mouth. I nod. I hear the two men¡¯s voices slowly growing louder. Are they coming toward us? My heart starts to race and my hands start to sweat. Their voices and tone become clearer the closer that they get. One of them sounds mad. Dang it, I wish I knew what they were saying. We wait in the bush and, slowly, the voices of the men start to grow more distant. Are they gone? We stay hidden for almost another minute before Revus looks out from behind the leaf to check for them. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re gone,¡± he sighs, relievedly, removing his hand from my mouth. ¡°Why¡¯d we have to hide?¡± I ask, tilting my head as I stare up at him. He looks at me and asks, ¡°Did you see that bird?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod, ¡°It was pretty.¡± ¡°A bes¨¡¨¡d, pretty? That thing would have attacked us the moment it saw us,¡± Revus retorts, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a couple of fairies die getting attacked by those damned things.¡± ¡°Wait, then why did those guys have one?¡± ¡°Because they were looking for us,¡± Revus curtly answers. ¡°But why?¡± I confusedly ask, furrowing my brow. ¡°Because we¡¯re fairies,¡± he asserts bluntly, then sighs. ¡°But-¡± ¡°This. This is why we shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with those en¨­¨­fen a few weeks ago,¡± Revus barks quietly, ¡°Dammit. It¡¯s still too soon.¡± ¡°What is?¡± I ask, bewildered. Revus places his hands over his face and groans. He slides his hands down, glances over at me, and harshly states, ¡°Let¡¯s head back. Stay close to me, and do exactly as I say.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I murmur. ¡°If I tell you to fly home and leave me,¡± Revus looks at me, his intense golden-yellow eyes piercing my very being, ¡°then leave me. Do you understand?¡± ¡°What?¡± Leave him? ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± Revus says, ¡°If that bes¨¡¨¡d finds us, I won¡¯t be able to stop both the en¨­¨­fen, and it. They¡¯ll try to capture us, alright.¡± He pauses, grips my shoulders, and continues, ¡°You told me you¡¯d listen to what I say when we¡¯re out here. Now, if they come back, fly home as fast as you can and stay there. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I mutter, ¡°I understand.¡± He looks beyond the leaf once more, then lifts our harvest back into the air. ¡°Good now let''s go.¡± I grab my single oliot and, as I rise into the air, look at Revus. He is tense with a sharp atmosphere about him. I¡¯ve never seen him like this before. We begin to cautiously race back home, flying from tree to tree. Each time Revus scans the area before we move on to our next hiding spot. ¡°Why are they looking for us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Revus curtly answers while looking around from behind a large tree, ¡°But I do know that they¡¯ve tried capturing me several times in the past.¡± ¡°Is that why-¡± ¡°I said they were dangerous, yes,¡± Revus interrupts. He starts darting to the next tree. I chase after him as he continues, ¡°I¡¯ve had to move our home a few times over the years because they tear apart the area every time they find me.¡± ¡°So will we have to leave now too?¡± I ask worriedly. Leaving home¡­ ¡°Depends on how long it will take for the en¨­¨­fen to find us,¡± Revus answers, arriving at the next stop, ¡°it¡¯ll likely be within a couple of months though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t-¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± Revus interjects, ¡°I knew what the repercussions would be. If I didn¡¯t want this to happen I wouldn''t have helped those en¨­¨­fen last winter.¡± He places his hand on my head, his intense expression softening as he smiles, ¡°So there¡¯s no reason for you to apologize.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I mutter, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change that, because of me, we¡¯ll have to leave our home.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to look so upset. I¡¯m not mad that we have to leave, but that the en¨­¨­fen are earlier than I expected,¡± Revus replies, ¡°I told you before, we¡¯ll be leaving eventually anyway to get you back to your family.¡± ¡°R-Right.¡± ¡°Now let¡¯s get home before anything else happens.¡± Together, we continue to make our way back through the darkening woodland. The entire trip is tiresome as we hide upon hearing any loud movement, or the squawk of any bird. Upon making it home, Revus puts our harvest away while I place my single oliot down on the table. I walk over to the cushioned chair that rests under the window and melt into it. What an exhausting day¡­ I look out of the window and see the dusk-dyed forest. I glance over at the Revus and then to the oliot I carried home. I chuckle silently. ¡­Yeah. Exhausting for Revus maybe. All I did was carry that back. I really didn¡¯t do much. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m going to get a bath started, so go grab your clothes,¡± Revus declares as he walks across the house, ¡°I¡¯ll check your soul when you get out.¡± As Revus enters the washroom, I get up from the chair. Right, there¡¯s also my sickness. I put my hand on my chin as I walk across the room. Revus did say we can¡¯t get sick though, so maybe it¡¯s more accurate to call it my condition? I open my dresser, pull out a night-gown and some undergarments, and make my way to the washroom. Opening the door, I see Revus filling the tub with warm water. I hope it¡¯s nothing serious like he said¡­ I walk over to the counter and place my clothes down. ¡­but if it¡¯s because of my parents or the elements, what do I do then? ¡°Baths ready,¡± Revus states. I turn and watch as he walks by. ¡°Also if you need help putting on your-¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± I shout, ¡°Now get out.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Revus replies as he leaves the washroom, closing the door behind him. Stupid jerk. I look down at my undergarments, lift up a bra, and glance down at my chest. I¡¯ve grown so much in such a short time and now I¡¯m starting to develop breasts. I sigh, put the bra down, and start to remove my clothes. Fairies are so different from humans. I walk over to the bathtub, look down at the water, and stare at the semi-transparent reflection of a young girl. I¡¯m so different from before. Am I even the same person? What if I just have memories of someone else and they weren¡¯t me? What if I¡¯m not me? I grip the edge of the bathtub, plunge my head into the water, submerging it completely, and scream. I pull my dripping head from the water and take a few deep breaths. That¡¯s better¡­ I sigh, climb into the tub, and, while leaning against the side, slide down until my chin is submerged in the water. What am I supposed to make of everything he told me today? I¡¯m sick, and it can be because something¡¯s wrong with my soul, because of a mistake my parents made, or because of the elements that I don¡¯t even have¡­ I lift my hands out of the water and scan my palms before turning them around. I twist them back and look at my palms once more, before slowly opening and closing them. What if I need nourishment from my parents? Then what am I supposed to do? They aren¡¯t here. And I don¡¯t want to be cold like this forever. I take a deep breath. He also mentioned the elements but, I shouldn¡¯t have any of those because my wings are white. Revus¡¯ wings are black though so he should only have one element too¡­ But I¡¯ve seen him use¡­ eight, nine of them? So why are his wings black? I sit up in the tub, begin to apply soap to my hair, and wash it. Revus also mentioned something about soul cleansing when a fairy is born too. Something about a spirit leaving the body of a dead person and that¡¯s how a fairy is born. So¡­ I really did die and became a fairy? What about Revus? And my family? I scrunch my face. My new family¡­ My fairy family? Are they all people that died too? I finish washing my hair, apply soap to my limbs, and begin scrubbing my body. And then there was all that stuff with those humans earlier. And that bird. They¡¯d attack and try to capture us¡­ because we¡¯re fairies? But what would they do with us? And he said they¡¯ve been trying to capture him for years. I chuckle meekly. He knew that they¡¯d come for us if we helped those elves, but he helped them anyway. Rather than helping¡­ I submerge my entire body under the water. ¡­I¡¯m just making things more difficult for him. I rise out of the water, climb out of the tub, grab my towel, and start drying myself off. A lot of help I¡¯ve been. All I could do is carry a single oliot back, and now there¡¯s humans looking for us too. I finish drying myself off, put my clothes on, and return to the main room. ¡°Feel bett- oh,¡± Revus pauses, ¡°You sure you took a bath? You look worse than when you got in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I mumble. ¡°Really?¡± Revus questions, ¡°Because it looks like the same nothing that you say whenever you¡¯re worried about something.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to cheer me up,¡± I reply coldly, ¡°then it¡¯s not working.¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Come sit down,¡± he says as he directs me toward my bed. We walk over to it and, after we both sit down, I turn and face away from Revus with my back toward him. He begins to dry my hair with the wind he conjures from his hands. ¡°So, what¡¯re you worrying about this time?¡± I sit there silently for a moment, open my mouth, and hesitatingly reply, ¡°Am I¡­ useless?¡± ¡°Where¡¯d that come from?¡± ¡°I mean, I haven¡¯t been able to help you with anything,¡± I blurt, ¡°and instead of helping, now those¡­ people are looking for us¡­¡± I trail off. ¡°Well, I admit that you haven¡¯t been able to do much to help,¡± Revus states as I feel a piercing pain run through my heart. ¡°You can¡¯t protect yourself, you¡¯re still learning to fly, you still struggle with certain words, and because you wanted to help those en¨­¨­fen, they¡¯re looking for us.¡± Each statement is another needle stabbing through me. I knew it but¡­ I really am- ¡°But you¡¯re by no means useless.¡± I turn to look at Revus. ¡°But I-¡± ¡°Look there,¡± Revus interrupts as he points to the oliot resting on the table, ¡°You carried that back on your own.¡± ¡°Yeah sure but it¡¯s basically nothing compared to you,¡± I retort, ¡°And now-¡± ¡°It might be small now, but you¡¯ll get better,¡± Revus puts a hand on my head, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people that are excited about what you¡¯ll do in the future, so it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t help out right now¡­ you were just born.¡± He smiles, ¡°You¡¯re still young, growing, learning¡­ But one day, I hope to see the changes you¡¯ll bring.¡± ¡°But how do you know that I¡¯ll do something in the future?¡± I whimper. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Because¡­ I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Revus mutters sullenly. ¡°Of course you have-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus glances away from me, then turns back and smiles sadly, ¡°Just know that I don¡¯t have a choice, so whether we like it or not, we¡¯re stuck with each other.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Enough of that,¡± Revus states as he removes his hand from my head and points, ¡°Your hair¡¯s dry so face that way, and lift up your nightgown.¡± ¡°What!?¡± I shriek as I tightly grasp my nightgown, ¡°Why would I do that?¡± ¡°I need to examine your back to check your soul,¡± Revus replies, ¡°and your clothes are in the way.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just check it while I¡¯m wearing them?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be able to accurately check your soul with them on,¡± Revus explains, ¡°If we¡¯re going to figure out why you¡¯re cold then lift your nightgown.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I groan. ¡°But¡­ don¡¯t look,¡± I mumble as I feel my face get warm. ¡°You do know I¡¯ve already seen-¡± ¡°I told you to forget that!¡± I roar as I turn around and slam my fist into Revus¡¯ arm. ¡°Okay okay,¡± Revus repents, ¡°I won¡¯t bring it up again.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± I huff as I turn back around. Stupid jerk. I know it was our first meeting, but why did he have to see me naked¡­ I place my hands over my face as my body heats up. ¡°I¡¯m going to lift your nightgown.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I bark, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ do it.¡± I slowly lift the back of my nightgown and hold it at my neck. ¡°Alright, you might feel a bit of discomfort,¡± Revus says, ¡°but try to stay relaxed and don¡¯t move. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I mutter. Revus places his hands on my back. I feel a strange energy emanate from his hands and enter my back. The smooth energy spreads up and down my back, but does not extend beyond that. I sit there for several minutes while Revus quietly mutters to himself. How long is this going to take? After a few more minutes of idly sitting, the energy in my back retracts and Revus removes his hands. ¡°Are you done?¡± I ask anxiously. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Revus mutters. I pull my nightgown down, turn around to face him, and ask, ¡°So, did you learn anything?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± he replies. ¡°What does that mean?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Simply put, I couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with your soul,¡± Revus answers, ¡°Your soul appears to be fine, and there¡¯s nothing internally that should be causing it.¡± ¡°So then what do we do about the cold?¡± ¡°I hate to say it but¡­¡± Revus trails off and shrugs, ¡°I think you just get cold easily.¡± I blink a few times, bite my lip, then shout, ¡°I told you that it¡¯s different!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Revus affirms, ¡°and I¡¯m telling you nothing appears to be wrong with you¡± He points at me, ¡°Whether you want to believe me or not is up to you.¡± ¡°Arh,¡± I groan as I look down and place my hands on my head. I¡¯m not cold easily right¡­ That can¡¯t be it. Revus laughs, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be happy that nothing is wrong with you?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± I sigh. I feel weight lift off of the bed. I look up and see Revus standing in front of it. ¡°Alright, now that I¡¯ve finished checking on you,¡± Revus says as he smirks, ¡°If you want, you can help me make dinner.¡± I pout, ¡°If you¡¯re trying to make me feel better, then it¡¯s not working.¡± I get up from the bed and, as I walk toward the kitchen, ask, ¡°What should we make?¡± ¡°You decide.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I ponder for a moment as I glance at the food we gathered earlier today. I grab the oliot I carried off the table and say, ¡°I want to use this.¡± Revus chuckles softly, ¡°Sounds good.¡± Chapter 7 - Wings ¡°Alright, we¡¯re done for today,¡± Revus states as he contently hands me the rough, brown papers. I take them from his hand and notice a perfect score on top of it. ¡°Finally!¡± I holler as I slump back into my chair at the dining table, ¡°With this, I¡¯m done¡­¡± ¡°Took longer than I would¡¯ve liked, but congrats on finally passing.¡± I roll my eyes, then eagerly ask, ¡°So you¡¯ll give me the elements now?¡± ¡°Yes yes,¡± Revus confirms, ¡°We¡¯ll start our lessons whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I shout as I clench my fists and raise them into the air. I burst from my chair, run around the table to Revus, and hug him. ¡°Thank you thank you thank you.¡± He chuckles lightly as he embraces me, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, you¡¯re the one that put the effort into learning the basics.¡± I pull away from Revus, look at him, and retort, ¡°Yeah, but I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do that without you teaching me,¡± I smile, ¡°So, thank you.¡± ¡°First,¡± Revus holds out his index finger, ¡°you haven¡¯t obtained the elements, merely earned my approval to receive them.¡± He raises a second finger, ¡°Second, now that you¡¯ll be obtaining the elements, things are going to become much more difficult.¡± He raises a third finger and smirks, ¡°Third, you¡¯re not saying ¡®sleep you¡¯ anymore?¡± I grin, ¡°I still am, but I figured, at least for now, I¡¯d properly thank you for helping me.¡± Revus looks away and scratches the back of his head, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± ¡°Maybe not to you,¡± I state, ¡°but I¡¯ve wanted to use the axioms¡­¡± I pause for a moment, ¡°for a long time.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Revus says as he claps his hands, ¡°Let¡¯s not get too emotional.¡± I faintly smile, ¡°Can we start right away?¡± ¡°Like I said before, whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s head outside!¡± I joyfully bellow as I turn around. Revus puts his hand on my shoulder and grips tightly. Dang it. I was hoping he¡¯d ignore it. ¡°Inside,¡± he hisses. I sigh, turn to face him, and ask, ¡°Can¡¯t we go outside just this once?¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus sharply refuses. ¡°Please,¡± I complain, ¡°I¡¯ve been in here for weeks now. I haven¡¯t even-¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to practice inside,¡± Revus proclaims, ¡°then we just won¡¯t practice at all.¡± I puff my cheeks out and pout, ¡°Jerk.¡± I sigh, droop my arms down, and hunch over, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll stay inside then.¡± ¡°Good, then go sit on your bed,¡± Revus orders as he stands up. I look back at the window and see the green foliage blowing in the wind under the bright light of the sun. I want to fly outside too¡­ I sigh, face my bed, and walk over to it. I climb onto my bed, and prop myself up by placing my arms behind me. Okay, I¡¯ll ask him about it today. ¡°Alright, the first step in receiving the elements is¡­¡± Revus trails off as he looks at me. ¡°What?¡± I ask as I raise an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s the first step?¡± he asks. ¡°Are you serious?¡± I bark, ¡°I just took a test on this, so can¡¯t you just show me how to grace my soul?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°We''ll go through each step as you get there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± I state, ¡°but how do I gather my sp¨©¨©r?¡± ¡°Let me see your hand,¡± Revus says as he holds his hand out in front of me. I place my hand in his. His hands are so much bigger than mine¡­ I glance up at him. As he places his other hand over mine, I look back down and see my hand sandwiched between his. ¡°I¡¯m going to channel some sp¨©¨©r into my hands. You need to remember the feeling of it,¡± Revus explains, ¡°Once you have a feeling of it, you must gather the sp¨©¨©r within you and channel it into your wings.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I reply. ¡°Close your eyes and concentrate on the feeling that surrounds your hand,¡± he continues. I nod and close my eyes. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s begin.¡± A moment later, I start to feel a smooth energy radiate around my hand. The energy evenly and calmly rotates around my hand, never fluctuating. After sitting there for almost a minute, the energy disappears as Revus pulls both of his hands away from mine. As I open my eyes, Revus asks, ¡°Were you able to feel my sp¨©¨©r?¡± ¡°Yeah, it felt like you were moving it around my hand.¡± ¡°Good, it seems like you¡¯ll have no issues gathering your own sp¨©¨©r if you were able to tell that much.¡± ¡°So I just need to-¡± ¡°Slow down there,¡± Revus interjects, ¡°Before you get ahead of yourself, I¡¯ll show you how I grace my soul. Then I¡¯ll watch you to make sure you¡¯re doing it correctly.¡± Revus moves to his bed, sits down, and crosses his legs. I¡¯ve seen this before. ¡°So this is what you were doing while I was learning to fly,¡± I announce. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Revus answers, ¡°In order to properly cultivate the elements, it¡¯s best to grace your soul regularly.¡± He interlocks his fingers, straightens his back, takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes. ¡°This is how I grace my soul, but you can do it however you want,¡± he explains. He opens his eyes and looks at me, then elaborates, ¡°I recommend doing whatever is most comfortable. If you don¡¯t want to interlock your fingers, you can rest them on your legs, or cross your arms.¡± He smirks, ¡°I¡¯ve even seen someone grace their soul while hanging upside down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a bit much, isn¡¯t it,¡± I say as I furrow my brow. ¡°Sure, but it¡¯s up to you,¡± he answers, ¡°Just do whatever helps you concentrate.¡± I nod as he continues, ¡°Now I¡¯ll turn around and grace my soul. I want you to watch how my wings change during this time. Your goal is to try and replicate this with your wings, understand?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I reply before Revus turns around. A brief moment later, four beautiful, black wings sprout from his back, a dark glitter emanating from them. His two upper wings are large in size, and are similar in shape to mine, with the difference being that the four tips of his wings are pointed, while mine are rounded. His lower wings are vastly smaller in size, and only have two pointed tips. A transparent vein-like pattern is vaguely visible on the wings. The upper wings have a single vein that starts near his back and, as it travels up the wings, breaks off, with each one leading to a circle. The lower wings have a similar vein-like design, with each vein leading to its own circle. The upper wings both have nine circles while the lower wings have three circles. ¡°Here I go,¡± Revus states. He takes a breath and I watch as his wings start to glow a faint, but beautiful yellow. Slowly, the glow is pulled from around his wings, into them. Gradually, the yellow energy starts to spread throughout the vein-like pattern of his wings. As the veins fill, the radiance from his wings grows stronger, until the yellow glow reaches each circle, and begins to fill them as well. Once each circle is filled, his wings maintain their beautiful glow, until eventually it slowly starts to fade. Revus exhales, and states, ¡°That¡¯s what gracing your soul looks like. It might look a bit different for each fairy due to the different types and elements they possess, but the process is the same.¡± ¡°It was pretty,¡± I mumble, ¡°seeing your wings like that.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Revus scratches the back of his head as he turns around, ¡°Thanks, but my wings aren¡¯t¡­ pretty.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Of course they are,¡± I retort, ¡°I kind of wish mine were also-¡± ¡°EVETTA!¡± Revus roars, louder than I have ever heard him. I cower back as I stare at him, my heart racing from his sudden outburst. ¡°Never. Never say that you want wings like mine¡­¡± He lowers his head as his words quiet down, ¡°Not even as a joke.¡± What¡¯d I¡­ ¡°Revus,¡± I mutter as I reach my hand out toward him. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you for a while now.¡± I take a deep breath to calm myself. ¡°A fairy¡¯s wings portray the inside of our souls, and each element has its own color, fire is red, and water is blue.¡± I watch as Revus droops his head as his body begins to slump. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you use all of the elements¡­ so your wings should have twelve different colors, right? But your wings are black.¡± I crawl out of my bed, kneel down on the floor, and look up at Revus¡¯ glum face. ¡°There¡¯s no element with black as its corresponding color though¡­¡± He distraughtly looks away as I inquisitively ask, ¡°Revus, why are your wings black?¡± ¡°I¡¯d¡­¡± Revus mumbles quietly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± he repeats slightly louder. ¡°Please,¡± I plead, ¡°I hardly know anything about you and you always say you¡¯ll tell me later but¡­¡± I trail off. ¡°We¡¯ve been living together for over two months now and I know almost nothing about you. So please.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me,¡± he mutters, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you¡­ from before. We both have things we¡¯d rather not talk about.¡± I stare at him for a moment, ¡°Fine.¡± I stand up, climb onto Revus¡¯ bed, lean against the wall, and take a deep breath. I hold my breath for a brief moment, look up toward the ceiling, and sigh, ¡°I¡­ used to be a boy and I lived in a place called Svelta¡­ with my mom.¡± I smile lightly and pause for a moment. ¡°I had a rough childhood. For a long time, I wanted nothing more than to be loved by my mom¡­¡± my smile fades as tears begin forming in my eyes, ¡°so much so, that I gave up my eye, ear, and even an arm, all to satisfy her¡­ to be loved by her¡­ but¡­.¡± I glance over at Revus who is staring at me with trembling eyes and biting the side of his lower-lip. I quickly look down and continue, ¡°The nightmares¡­ are memories of when I¡¯d lose my eye¡­or,¡± I touch my left arm with my right, ¡°¡­ my arm¡­¡± I gulp, then wrap both of them around my body, and take a shaky breath, ¡°I-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Revus interrupts. I look up and see his sorrowful gaze. His hand is lightly grasping my arm. He lets go, awkwardly coughs, then says, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you, but¡­¡± He takes a deep breath, ¡°Just know that I¡¯m¡­ different.¡± ¡°Because of your wings?¡± Revus nods, and clears his throat, ¡°Yeah. You see¡­ When a fairy is born, their wings lack color, because their soul is empty, but that¡¯s not why their wings are white.¡± He calms his breathing then asks, ¡°You¡­ remember everything from your previous life¡­ right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod. But what does that- ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t mean-¡± ¡°The more white on a fairy¡¯s wings, the more memories they retain from their previous life,¡± Revus explains. ¡°So¡­¡± I glance at his wholly black wings, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t remember anything from your last life?¡± Revus shakes his head, ¡°Not exactly,¡± He smiles faintly, ¡°I told you, I¡¯m different.¡± ¡°But you just said-¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± He takes an unsteady breath and continues, ¡°When an en¨­¨­fen dies, their spirit doesn¡¯t immediately get placed within a bud. It takes time. And during that time, the memories attached to that spirit will begin to fade.¡± He falls silent. I tilt my head and begin to get an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. ¡°Regardless of how much time passes between death and rebirth,¡± Revus continues as he locks eyes with me, ¡°a newborn fairy will always have both black and white on their wings.¡± What? I look back at where my wings would be. But then- ¡°Because their spirit will always retain the most important memories from their life their wings will have white, but because they always lose memories, their wings will always have black.¡± I look back at Revus as he says, ¡°Evetta, you and I¡­ we¡¯re both different.¡± He pauses for a moment, ¡°You, based on your wings, appear to remember everything from your previous life, something that has never occurred for a fairy.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. I gulp, ¡°Then what about you? Do you not-¡± He shakes his head again, ¡°Like I said, fairies will always remember something from their previous life.¡± He gulps, looks up, and takes a deep breath, ¡°My wings being all black means that I¡­ I don¡¯t have a previous life.¡± I stare at Revus for a bit, my mouth slightly agape. He matches my gaze, tilts his head slightly, like he is awaiting my response. ¡°Pfft,¡± I start laughing, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Revus¡¯ face shows brief shock, then makes a bittersweet smile, ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s it¡­ I don¡¯t have a previous life. I¡¯m-¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about that?¡± I ask, my laughter dying down. ¡°In fact, not having a past life might be better than keeping terrible memories.¡± Revus¡¯ bittersweet smile, shifts to a frown as he looks down. After a few seconds, he looks up and smiles, ¡°Yeah, but not having a past life makes me more like an en¨­¨­fen than a fairy.¡± I smile, ¡°Really, that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about?¡± I wipe a tear that is forming in my eye and look at Revus, ¡°Whether you have a previous life or not, I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re here for me in this one. Without you¡­¡± I quietly mumble, ¡°I¡¯d probably have died already¡­¡± Revus¡¯ expression softens a bit. ¡°Yeah, you might be right¡­ and thanks,¡± he mutters gently. ¡°Now, go ahead and try to grace your soul, I¡¯m¡­ going to start making lunch.¡± He still sounds upset¡­ ¡°Alright,¡± I reply as Revus gets off his bed. I get up and return to my bed as he walks toward the kitchen, his wings disappearing as he crosses the room. So he wasn¡¯t reborn like a typical fairy¡­ ¡°Hey Revus,¡± I call out as he looks back at me. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m turning twenty-one in a few months,¡± he states, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixteen,¡± I reply, ¡°So you¡¯re only a few years older than me.¡± ¡°What¡¯re you talking about, you were just born,¡± Revus corrects as he places his hand on his chin and looks up, ¡°But, I guess that¡¯s still only a few years older than you.¡± ¡°Twenty years is only a few years?¡± I question, raising my eyebrows. ¡°Sure, fairies can live for thousands of years,¡± he explains, ¡°So the difference between four and twenty is almost nothing.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I smile faintly, then jump up from my bed quickly, ¡°Wait, thousands!? ¡°Yeah, thousands,¡± he smiles as he turns to start preparing lunch. That¡¯s going to take some getting used to¡­ I sit back down on my bed and look up. ¡­Living for thousands of years. I can¡¯t even imagine. What do you do with all that time? ¡°Let me know if you¡¯re having any issues gracing your soul,¡± Revus calls from the kitchen, pulling me from my thoughts. ¡°I will.¡± I cross my legs, straighten my back, and interlock my fingers. Okay, this feels alright. I shift around, getting as comfortable as I can. I manifest my wings and take a deep breath. First I have to feel my sp¨©¨©r. I exhale, close my eyes, and try to detect the energy within my body. I quietly sit for several minutes, calmly breathing in and out. I¡­ don¡¯t feel anything. I open my eyes, deflate, and ask, ¡°Revus, how do I feel my own sp¨©¨©r?¡± He turns to look at me, ¡°Not finding it?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think so,¡± I mutter. He wipes his hands, and walks over to me. ¡°Let¡¯s try this then,¡± he says as he places a finger on my back. ¡°Having something to focus on might help, so try to gather your sp¨©¨©r on my finger. I¡¯ll lightly channel some sp¨©¨©r into your back to help you find yours easier.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I mutter as I get into position again. I relax myself, and concentrate on the energy stemming from Revus¡¯ finger. I feel a soft tingle as the smooth energy lightly flows into my back. ¡°I think I feel something, but it¡¯s not the same.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Revus answers, ¡°You sp¨©¨©r will be different from mine, but if you can feel it, then try to move that energy toward your back.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I say as I concentrate on the soft feeling and try to gather it. It¡¯s warm, and kind of¡­ fluffy? The more of the soft energy I collect, the more comforting it feels. I begin to shift it toward my back and, gradually, move the energy to Revus¡¯ finger. No, that¡¯s wrong. I need to move it into my wings. I begin to redirect my sp¨©¨©r into my wings but, the more I try to fill my wings, the more resistance I feel, almost like I am trying to force a large object into a tiny hole. After struggling for a bit, I open my eyes and collapse on the bed, breathing heavily. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ more tiring¡­ than I thought it¡¯d be.¡± ¡°You did well for your first attempt,¡± Revus states, standing next to my bed. He turns, walks back toward the kitchen, and adds, ¡°Keep practicing. Your sense, control, and understanding of sp¨©¨©r will develop as you continue. Once you grace your soul, we¡¯ll move onto creating your axsel cores.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I pant. I glance over at him. He looks like he¡¯s doing a little better now. I sit up and begin trying to grace my soul for almost half an hour, taking breaks whenever I become too tired. ¡°Lunch is done,¡± Revus calls, ¡°Come eat, you can continue after.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I wheeze as I force myself off my bed. I trudge over to the table and sit down. On the table rests a bowl and a cup. The bowl is filled with diced cubes of various colors with shredded pieces of light and dark meat mixed within. The cup has a thick, purple liquid, and a straw poking out. A salad and¡­ I¡¯m not sure what this is. I grab the cup and murmur, ¡°It¡¯s cold?¡± I look up at Revus and ask, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called an ¨©¨©sej,¡± Revus answers as he sits down across from me. ¡°It¡¯s a type of fruit drink. I know you don¡¯t like the cold, but I hope it suits your taste.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I briefly stare at the purple beverage, bring my lips to the straw, and take a sip. The thick, sweet, icy juice fills my mouth with a delicious oliot flavor. ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± I state as I take another drink, but stop as my head starts to feel cold. ¡°Don¡¯t drink too fast,¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°and make sure you eat too.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, I know.¡± We both sit there eating our lunch, as an awkward silence fills the room. I look up at Revus and see him quietly eating his food. He glances up and I instantly look away. This is weird¡­ I finish my bowl, take another sip of my ¨©¨©sej, look up, and see Revus already done with his food. ¡°So you used to be a guy,¡± Revus remarks, breaking the silence. Cough. Cough. I choke on my drink. Cough. ¡°Was that¡­ necessary?¡± Revus smiles faintly, ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t really sure how to ask that.¡± I look down at my food and clench my fists, ¡°Does that make me weird?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Revus ponders for a moment, ¡°I certainly struggle to imagine it.¡± I knew it. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that makes you weird.¡± ¡°But I used to be-¡± ¡°Sure, but that¡¯s the case for a lot of fairies,¡± Revus interrupts. ¡°What?¡± I stare at him. A lot of- ¡°Yeah, just because you used to be a boy or a girl doesn¡¯t mean that¡¯s what you¡¯ll be after being reborn,¡± Revus explains, ¡°There¡¯s plenty of fairies just like you.¡± ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m not weird?¡± I ask anxiously. ¡°Does being a girl make you weird¡­ no,¡± Revus rejects, then smirks, ¡°But you¡¯re definitely weird.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± I sassily ask, furrowing my brow. Revus looks away, then back at me, ¡°And helplessly clueless too.¡± ¡°I am not,¡± I bark. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Revus remarks as he raises an eyebrow. I don¡¯t like that look. ¡°Remember the first time you took a bath,¡± Revus states, ¡°when you were done, you had no idea what to do with your hair.¡± I feel my face start to heat up as I argue, ¡°Well, that was unavoidable. I¡¯ve never had long hair before.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also your lack of interest in wearing girls¡¯ clothes,¡± Revus continues. ¡°Also unavoidable.¡± Revus smiles, ¡°I¡¯ve had my suspicions for a while now about your situation,¡± he states, ¡°but I didn¡¯t want to ask.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because¡­ there¡¯s things about myself that I don¡¯t want to talk about,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°things that I don¡¯t want you to know about me.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to tell me,¡± I reply. ¡°Sure, but that wouldn¡¯t be fair to you,¡± he remarks. ¡°If I¡¯m asking about your past, but keep mine hidden¡­¡± he chokes up. ¡°So, I just¡­ didn¡¯t ask.¡± He smiles, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± I gulp. We sit there quietly for a few moments, until I inquire, ¡°Will you tell me if I ask?¡± Revus¡¯ eyes narrow before he looks away, ¡°I¡¯d rather not, but¡­ You¡¯ll find out eventually, whether I want you to or not.¡± He looks back at me, ¡°So, can you wait until then?¡± ¡°How long will I have to wait?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out once we return to your family,¡± Revus replies, ¡°So, a few months¡­¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I declare, ¡°I can wait until then.¡± I stand up and bring my dishes to the sink. ¡°The drink was very good, sleeps.¡± Revus smiles as he walks up next to me, shaking his head, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I walk over to the cushioned chair under the window, sit down, and stare at the picturesque view. I rest my chin on my hand and, after sitting thoughtfully for a moment, sigh, then glance at Revus. If only he¡¯d let me go out and fly for a bit, but¡­ ¡°Have you learned anything new about the en¨­¨­fen?¡± Revus flinches. He definitely did. ¡°So, what¡¯d they do this time? Take another tree? Clear more of the forest?¡± I ask. He continues to silently wash the dishes. I sigh, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me?¡± I pause for a second, then continue, eyebrow raised, ¡°At least that way I¡¯ll be less willing to go outside and fly.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Revus groans as he finishes at the sink. He walks over to me, and takes a seat on the other cushioned seat. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me worrying over things.¡± Although that seems pretty pointless. ¡°But if you tell me, I¡¯ll be more understanding of your decisions.¡± ¡°You say that, but then you try to find a loophole in my reasoning,¡± Revus glares. I smile, then elbow him lightly, ¡°What can I say, you¡¯re so strict that I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything otherwise.¡± Revus shakes his head, ¡°Can you at least try not to make things more difficult for me?¡± ¡°Sorry, but¡­¡± I look up at the forest canopy, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about being more selfish than I used to be.¡± Revus looks at me confusedly, then inquires, ¡°Than in your past life?¡± I smile bitterly, ¡°Yeah, I did a lot for others.¡± I listlessly bring my hand to my left eye, ¡°So I¡¯d rather do things for myself more now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think for one second that by hearing this I¡¯ll let you out to fly,¡± Revus bluntly comments. I snap my head at him, ¡°Please.¡± ¡°No,¡± he flatly declines. ¡°Now, do you want to hear more about the en¨­¨­fen or not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± I pout as I look back out the window. The bright sun, filtering through the luscious green foliage and gracing the colorful flora with its warmth. Revus chuckles, ¡°And you sound like your mom.¡± ¡°My mom?¡± I question as I return my focus to him. Now he is vacantly looking out of the window. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s something Lady Vestele would¡¯ve said.¡± ¡°Vestele¡­¡± I murmur under my breath as I lower my head. My new mom. Not my old mom. Not- ¡°Alright, so about the en¨­¨­fen,¡± Revus says, pulling me from my thoughts, ¡°Yes, the en¨­¨­fen are becoming more active.¡± I look up at Revus and ask, ¡°How so?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve constructed a building,¡± Revus answers. ¡°Why would they do that?¡± I inquire, ¡°I thought they were looking for us.¡± ¡°I¡¯d guess that it¡¯s so they can stay here during winter.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I mutter as I put my hand on my chin. It would be better to stay here than return- ¡°Where¡¯s the closest en¨­¨­fen city?¡± ¡°Leave the forest and cross the mountains,¡± Revus answers as he points toward the backside of our house. ¡°It¡¯s a few weeks of travel so they likely don¡¯t get much time to search for us if they¡¯re spending all their time traveling.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s going to be more of them now?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus nods, ¡°It won¡¯t be long before we¡¯ll have to leave.¡± ¡°Leave¡­¡± I murmur. I glance around the house, at the workshop, kitchen, bed space, living space, and the two doors leading to the washroom and the flower chamber. ¡°It¡¯s kind of sad.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve told you about the en¨­¨­fen, you¡¯ve eaten lunch,¡± Revus states, ¡°So get back to gracing your soul. The sooner you do the sooner-¡± ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± I interrupt as I wave my hand in front of my face, ¡°I get it.¡± I turn and look out the window one more time before I stand up. As I walk over to my bed, Revus says, ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time to fly once we leave.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I mutter as I climb onto my bed and get back into position. I begin meditating, focusing on the warm, fluffy energy within myself. I gather it, collecting what feels like massive bundles of fluff, and try to channel it into my wings. As I try to force the soft energy into my wings, I am met with a wall preventing me from sending any of the energy into them. I continue my attempts for a couple of hours until I collapse on my bed, breathing heavily. What am I doing wrong? I can gather it, but it won¡¯t do what I want. Is there something wrong with my wings? Or maybe it¡¯s my sp¨©¨©r that¡¯s the problem. I turn my head toward Revus and see him setting up his easel. He made it look so easy¡­ I look back at the ceiling and place the back of my hand over my face. Maybe I¡¯m just not cut out for this¡­ ¡°Tired already?¡± Revus inquires. I remove my hand from my face and wheeze, ¡°Just¡­ Can I¡­ really do this?¡± ¡°Oh? And after all your attempts learning the words,¡± Revus states, ¡°you¡¯re giving up already?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ I am?¡± ¡°Are you that stuck?¡± ¡°It feels like¡­ no matter¡­ how much sp¨©¨©r I gather,¡± I pant, ¡°It won¡¯t¡­ go into my wings.¡± ¡°Alright, time for some more advice,¡± Revus comments as he grabs a bottle and walks over to me. He conjures a large ball of water and says, ¡°I imagine your issue probably looks something like this.¡± Revus then moves the ball of water to the tip of the bottle. He places his hand on the backside of the liquid sphere and begins to push the water into the bottle. I watch as little water enters the bottle, most of it remaining outside the container. ¡°My sp¨©¨©r¡­¡± I point at the ball of water, ¡°feels bigger than that,¡± I sit up and question, ¡°So how do I¡­ solve the problem?¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Revus replies, eyebrow raised, then continues, ¡°There¡¯s two ways to do it, one simple, and one difficult¡± Revus holds up two fingers. ¡°First, the simple. Gather less sp¨©¨©r and slowly channel it into your wings,¡± he says as he sends a thin stream of water through the bottle¡¯s opening and slowly begins to fill it. Okay, that doesn¡¯t seem too hard. Revus walks into the kitchen, places down the bottle, and returns with an empty cup. ¡°Second, the difficult. Wing L¨±¨±tis,¡± he ponders for a moment then continues, ¡°You can think of it as opening, or maybe, unlocking your wings.¡± Revus holds the cup up and then brings a large stream of water into it. As he fills it up, he states, ¡°It¡¯s an advanced state you can achieve where you have more control of your wings.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± I murmur as I glance back at my wings. ¡°It makes channeling sp¨©¨©r into them easier,¡± Revus explains, ¡°but the real benefit is that it greatly enhances your element axioms.¡± ¡°How do I do it?¡± I eagerly ask. ¡°Can you show me?¡± ¡°Please, I may be pretty adept at controlling my sp¨©¨©r, but I¡¯m not even close to performing l¨±¨±tis,¡± Revus remarks. ¡°L¨±¨±tis is something that only a handful of fairies ever achieve.¡± ¡°Then why¡¯d you tell me?¡± I bitterly sulk. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in telling you,¡± Revus states. ¡°And¡­ Nevermind.¡± I sigh, ¡°So, basically, I just need to stop forcing too much sp¨©¨©r into my wings?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Revus answers as he walks back into the kitchen, draining the water in the sink. He walks back to his easel and says, ¡°Now, continue practicing while I get a picture for your parents.¡± ¡°Is that necessary?¡± ¡°Once you meet Lady Vestele, you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I chuckle as I assume my gracing position and close my eyes. Chapter 8 - Its My Fault I sit on the cushioned chair under the window and stare up at the sun-lit canopy, resting my chin on my hand. I didn¡¯t get to see Carilous glowing last month¡­ Now I have to wait until next year to see it. I sigh. I kind of want the en¨­¨­fen to come¡­ At least then I¡¯ll be able to go outside again. ¡°Are you still moping?¡± Revus questions. I glance at him and see him rummaging through two bags, a variety of items are sprawled in front of them. ¡°I¡¯ve been locked inside for over a month,¡± I retort, ¡°I want to go outside.¡± ¡°Too bad,¡± Revus flatly declines, ¡°How about doing something productive like gracing your soul?¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± I groan, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Why? Your wings are starting to light up,¡± Revus states, ¡°...slightly.¡± ¡°If you want to call that progress then it¡¯ll be years before I grace my soul,¡± I complain. ¡°It¡¯s slow, but you¡¯re improving, just-¡± ¡°I know!¡± I snap as I roll my eyes. Geez, I don¡¯t need you to remind me again. I glance back at Revus and bark, ¡°How many times are you going to check our bags?¡± ¡°Until I¡¯m confident that we have everything we¡¯ll need,¡± he answers. ¡°You¡¯ve been checking them every day for weeks now¡­¡± I sigh, then face the window as I slump into my chair. ¡°Can¡¯t we just leave already?¡± ¡°Just be patient,¡± Revus replies. Patient¡­ feels like all I¡¯ve been doing is waiting. ¡°The en¨­¨­fen have been getting closer, but I want to confirm something before we leave.¡± I thought guarding me was your job, so what could you possibly want to confirm? I sigh. I guess it¡¯s fine¡­ ¡°How much longer do you think?¡± ¡°A few days,¡± Revus answers, ¡°Are you¡­ that set on leaving? ¡­On returning?¡± I momentarily look at him as I reply, ¡°I¡¯ve already accepted it.¡± Then I somberly add, ¡°Sure it¡¯s sad, but¡­¡± ¡°Excited?¡± Revus inquires as he glances at me. ¡°I think so,¡± I answer, smiling faintly, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen this forest, and I¡¯d love to stay here, but I think I want to experience more.¡± See more places. Eat new foods. Meet other people. Learn more about- ¡°How would you feel if I said I didn¡¯t want to bring you home?¡± Revus asks. I sit up and turn toward him, furrowing my brows. He is slowly putting everything back into our bags. I tilt my head, narrow my eyes, and ask, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t want to bring me home?¡± ¡°Emotions aren¡¯t simple things you know,¡± he bitterly replies. ¡°That doesn¡¯t really help me,¡± I sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m certain about staying with them either, but I think I¡¯d like to at least meet them. If I don¡¯t like them, I guess we could just run away or something.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Revus starts laughing. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°You? Running away?¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°I can promise you, once you meet Lady Vestele and Sir Marth, any possibility of running away disappears. Especially after-¡± he instantly stops talking. ¡°Especially after what?¡± I inquire. ¡°N-no, nothing,¡± Revus chokes up, ¡°A-anyway, I¡¯m going to go do some scouting for a bit, I¡¯ll be back later.¡± Revus quickly finishes putting everything back into the bags and rushes out the door. I peer through the window and watch as the mysterious fairy flies into the vibrant forest, cautiously advancing from tree to tree. Great, more things he¡¯s hiding from me. I stare out toward the river. He didn¡¯t say I had to stay inside this time. A wide grin spreads across my face. Besides¡­ I scan the forest beyond the window. ¡­it seems clear enough. At least clear enough to go out. I stand up and stretch my limbs. I¡¯ll fly for a bit, nothing too long. I smile as I walk toward the door. I¡¯ll be out and back before anything can happen and Revus will never know. I take a deep breath and put my shoes on as an excited-anxiousness builds in my stomach. Just be careful and nothing will happen. I reach for the door, open it slightly, and peer through the gap. I search the land beyond the door, looking for any movement, while listening for any sounds that are out-of-place. Seems clear. I fully open the door and take a few steps out. The midday sun shines brightly throughout the vigorous forest and warms my body. The new foliage and budding flowers spread a fresh fragrance throughout the woodland. A light breeze softly caresses my skin and causes the flora to dance in the wind. A choir of chirps and cries from the myriad birds, rodents, and bugs give the land an energetic, yet harmless ambience. I inhale as I absorb the wondrous environment. I missed this. I exhale. Alright, I¡¯ll just go to the river real quick and come back. I manifest my wings and rise into the air. ¡°Ack,¡± I cry as I momentarily lose my balance. I guess not flying for over a month really has taken its toll. I slump as I hover above the grass, correcting myself. I sigh. I was just starting to get the hang of it too¡­ I stay low to the ground as I move forward, lingering beneath large leaves and flowers. I don¡¯t see anything, but I should be careful. The last thing I want is to get caught by who knows what while Revus isn¡¯t here¡­ I identify a hiding spot in the distance and, as quickly as possible, I dart toward it. ¡°Phew,¡± I exhale as my heart races. Okay let¡¯s keep going. I continue dashing from one hiding spot to the next, taking short breaks between each sprint. Geez¡­ Flying¡¯s just as exhausting as I remember too. I sit on the ground, concealing myself under a large leaf. As I look around, silvery strands blowing in the wind catch my attention out of the corner of my eyes. I trace the strands, which glow faintly in the sunlight, toward the branches of a tree and notice a large, dark-brown creature resting in a web. Stupid spiders. Revus wouldn¡¯t be so hard on me if not for your webs. I glance down and frown. Well, if I¡¯d listened to him last time¡­ I look back toward the house. ¡­Maybe I should go back? I scan the horizon. The river is right over there though¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I¡¯m already out here, so¡­ I stand up and lift off the ground. I scan the nearby plants and see a large shrub with white flowers blooming on it growing next to a large tree. Alright, I found my next spot. I search to my left and right for any large creatures. Nothing. I look up. No sparkly birds either. I dash toward the large shrub and, once within its dark interior, quickly look around for any potential threats. No spiders, no worms, no sickle-bugs. I turn around and scan outside the shrub, darting my eyes about. No movement¡­ no movement¡­ no movement. I sigh as I turn back around, resting on the ground in the cool shade. I smile as the cascading roar of flowing water fills my ears. Maybe two more times and then I¡¯ll be there. While catching my breath, I peek around the leaves to locate my next hiding place. That pile of branches could work¡­ I tilt my head as I stare at the fallen debris. ¡­although there might be something- Rustle. Suddenly the leaves above me start moving. My heart almost bursts as I snap my body around to find the source. Holding my breath, I look up and watch as a massive, furry, light-brown squirrel crawls down from the wooden trunk and into the shrub. Thank the stars. I exhale as I slump onto the ground and place my hand over my chest, my heart pounding heavily. I take a couple of deep breaths to calm myself and watch as the large-tailed creature zips about. ¡°Could you not scare me like that?¡± I murmur. The squirrel digs through the vegetation on the ground, pulls something out, and begins to nibble on it. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m getting so worked up over a squirrel. I sigh. I guess the humans really do have me on edge more than I thought. As I stand up, the squirrel rushes up the tree. Alright, break¡¯s over. I look beyond the leaves once more. Now, where to go? I¡¯d rather avoid those sticks¡­ I search around for any potential threats. I don¡¯t see anything, so I could just head straight to the river¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Alright, let''s do that. If I don¡¯t find a good hiding spot when I get there, I¡¯ll just- I look down, pick up a leaf from the ground, and hold it over my head. Why didn¡¯t I think of this before? I laugh lightly. As long as I stay close to the ground, the leaf should hide me. I clasp tightly onto the leaf, rise slightly off the ground, and leave my hiding spot. I look around, making sure I am safe, as I casually drift around the blades of grass, slowly progressing toward the river. This is so much easier than running- flying around? The sound of flowing water grows louder as the massive waterway becomes visible. I made it. ¡°Haha,¡± I chuckle. See Revus, I¡¯m fine. I hover down near the water¡¯s edge, keeping my camouflage overhead, and find a sprout with a larger leaf to rest under. I land underneath it, place my leaf down, and sit on the ground. I exhale, stretch my legs as I place my hands on the ground behind me. I take a deep breath, absorbing the smell of the river. It is nice being outside again. I look out at the canopy that is visible from under the sprout, small rays of light piercing the shrouded woodland. If only I could fly up there, then I¡¯d be content¡­ I lower my gaze to the calm water nearby. Oh, I haven¡¯t seen my reflection in a while. I wonder how different I look. I crawl over to the water, tuck my dangling hair behind my ears, and stare into the reflective surface. A young girl with large white eyes, a small nose, long pointed ears, and straight white hair gazes back at me. I definitely look older. My face doesn¡¯t look as¡­ chubby? I pull away from the water, grab my hair, and glance at the tips. And my hair looks longer than last time too. I sigh. Why¡¯re fairies so strange? Revus said we live for thousands of years, but it looks like I¡¯m aging really fast. I scoot back under the sprout and relax on the ground, listening to the river flow by. I sit there, enjoying the pleasant forest atmosphere for several minutes. It is nice out here, but¡­ It¡¯s kind of lonely. I turn my head to my right and stare at a rock resting near the river bank. If Revus were here, he¡¯d probably be sitting there, lecturing me on how to correct my flying. I sit up, bring my knees to my chest, wrap my arms around them, and rest my chin in-between them. I guess being out here isn¡¯t as nice when you¡¯re alone. Alright, guess it¡¯s time to go back. I stand up, stretch, and then pick up my leaf. Holding it overhead, I rise into the air, hovering just above the ground. I look around, searching for any en¨­¨­fen or bes¨¡¨¡d before leaving. Looks clear. I¡¯ll just head straight home. If Revus gets back before me¡­ I shudder. ¡­Yeah, let¡¯s not think about it.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I maintain a firm grip on the leaf as I bolt forward, heading home. I pass by the shrubs and other flora I used as hiding places, all while scanning my surroundings. Almost there. As I pass one final tree, I arrive back in front of the house. Peering into the distance in all directions, I still do not see anything. Looks like I¡¯m safe. I sigh and toss my leaf to the ground. I push the door open, walk inside, and sigh relievedly. Revus isn¡¯t back yet either. I remove my shoes, walk over to my bed, and climb onto it. Guess I''ll practice until Revus gets back. As I situate myself, I glance down at my flower petal and rub my hand over its smooth surface. How strange¡­ It¡¯s been three months and you¡¯re still fine¡­ I glance at the door leading to the flower chamber. I wonder. I crawl off of my bed, walk over to the door, open it, and enter. A dim light rains down over the massive flower from the center of the ceiling. It looks just like it did when I woke up. I walk up to the flower and place my palm against the large stem. A strong comforting feeling washes through my body. I smile as a tear fills my eye. And it feels just as nice too. ¡°We¡¯re going to be leaving soon,¡± I mutter, ¡°and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to come back.¡± I pull my hand away, walk over to the wall, and place my hand against it. I walk along the wall toward the doorway, sliding my hand over the wooden surface. I reach the door, open it, and prepare to step through, but instantly freeze. The house is drastically darker as the natural light from the windows is obscured. No. A cold sweat forms over my skin. How? My heart begins to pound loudly as I stand petrified. I thought I- My breathing quickens as my trembling foot slides back a step. No one was out there. Peering through the left window is a massive, blue eye. It darts about for a brief moment and then locks onto me. No¡­ How? The eye backs away from the window allowing light to flood back into the house. My quickened breathing turns ragged. Beyond the windows is the giant body of an en¨­¨­fen, their arms and knees resting on the ground. Suddenly a deep, loud voice starts yelling. Is he calling for help? No. I¡­ I have to get out of here. The en¨­¨­fen¡¯s eye reappears in the window as the front door begins to move. No. As the front door breaks open, a large arm forces its way into the house. The hand slowly makes its way into the house while the furniture is violently shoved aside. The dining table crumples under the weight of it. The fingers extend to the floor as the hand searches the interior, steadily progressing toward the flower chamber. I cower back until I stumble into the table behind me. ¡°Ah!¡± I jump as I turn around, my heart almost rupturing. I look from the table to the hand and see that it is just in front of the doorway, but not getting any closer. It stopped¡­ The hand then moves around spastically, lightly tapping the doorway. I dash around the table and move farther into the chamber. Loud yelling echoes from outside as the hand forms into a fist and slams into the ground. ¡°Woah,¡± I murmur as the ground momentarily shakes. The arm quickly retreats out of the house and, a moment later, the en¨­¨­fen¡¯s eye glares through the front door. What do I do? I quickly retreat behind the flower stem, keeping myself out of sight. I sit down, lean my back against the giant flora, pull my knees to my chest, and wrap my arms around them. I have to get out of here, but¡­ No. If I stay here, they¡¯ll eventually get me. But if Revus returns- My heart starts to quicken. Wait, what if they already caught Revus? What if I¡¯m trapped in here with no escape? I shake my head. No, Revus wouldn''t get caught that easily. He''ll be back, I just have to wait until then¡­ I hope. I gulp. Besides I shouldn¡¯t be worried about something like that, I need to focus on- I perk my ears up and turn my head slightly. It¡¯s kind of quiet in there? I stand up and slowly make my way along the wall of the chamber, back toward the door. As my heart races, I peek through the doorway and see the en¨­¨­fen¡¯s giant boots through the windows. They¡¯re still there but, what are they doing? I hide behind the wall. Okay think. Now that the en¨­¨­fen know where we live, we won¡¯t be able to stay here. So we¡¯ll have to leave once I get out of here. I look up at the hole in the ceiling. If only that was larger, I could squeeze through, but¡­ I''ll have to wait until Revus gets back. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I guess I could just try to fly past them and hope they don¡¯t see me but¡­ Yeah, let''s not. Okay if we''re leaving once Revus gets back, then¡­ What should I do? I lean against the wall and slide down it until I am sitting on the floor. Come on, think. There¡¯s got to be something I can do while I¡¯m stuck in here. ¡°Ah,¡± I murmur as I spring to my feet. Our bags! I peer around the wall and search for the two bags that Revus has been preparing for us. I locate one buried in the debris of the crushed dining table. Good. That one should be easy to grab, but¡­ dang it. The other is near the front door. Of course it¡¯s over there. I retreat behind the wall once more and take a deep breath. Okay, one at a time. I peek around the wall and, seeing the en¨­¨­fen still standing outside, instantly evoke my wings and rush toward the bag near the doorway. Quickly. I arrive at the front door, grab the bag, and momentarily glance outside. Standing outside are three en¨­¨­fen, two of which are accompanied by large white birds, and the third, a large metal ax. This is bad. Tightening my grip on the bag, I turn around, and dash back to the flower chamber. They¡¯re going to chop the tree down. I race behind the flower, and place the bag down. I exhale heavily as my heart pounds against my chest. Please get back soon Revus. I return to the doorway, gulp, and look out into the main room. In front of the main door, is the head of a beautiful, white bird. Its head is almost upside-down, and the tip of its beak pokes slightly into the remains of the doorway. It only takes a second before one of its beady, black eyes locks onto me. Instantaneously, it lets out a loud, piercing screech from its open maw. AAAAAAKRE! ¡°Argh!¡± I scream as I drop to my knees and place my hands over my ears. The shriek that reverberates through my body makes my head feel like it is being torn apart, and my heart crushed. ¡°Ugh.¡± It hurts! I¡­ have to- I open my teary eyes and my stomach drops as I see the second bird staring through the left window. ¡°Oh-¡± AAAAAAAAKRE! The shrill calls compound and the force tearing me apart intensifies. I¡­ My body becomes heavy and I collapse on the ground. ¡­can¡¯t¡­ Boom! An explosion rings in the distance as a gust of wind rushes into the house. I gaze at the entrance and, through my hazy vision, watch as the birds fly away and the en¨­¨­fen begin to leave. With the screeching of the birds gone, I remove my hands from my ears and reach an arm toward the doorway. Revus¡­ A soft breeze brushes against my skin and I groan, ¡°Ugh.¡± Where? I open my eyes and see a mixture of green, blue, and black blurred together. ¡°Ah!¡± I grip my forehead with my right hand as a piercing pain shoots through my skull. A drowned medley of sounds barrages my ears. ¡°¡­ey¡­ ¡­me¡­ ¡­etta¡­¡± What¡¯s¡­ A wave of dizziness rattles my head, causing my drained body to go limp. I¡­ Crackle. Pop. A crisp popping faintly reaches my ears. I wrestle my eyes open and see an unfamiliar, dark, wooden ceiling. Pop. Hearing the noise again, I move my eyes in search of the source. A small fire burns among a cluster of sticks, with a dark-haired man sitting next to it. Revus? Instantly, I bolt upright. ¡°Arh,¡± I wince in pain, closing my eyes and quickly placing a hand on my head. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Revus states. Opening my eyes again, I see a bleak room, lit by a fire. Two bags rest along a wall to my right. Revus stands up, walks over to me, and sits down on his knees. ¡°What hap-¡± I start to speak, but Revus wraps his arms around me tightly, and pulls me toward him. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay,¡± he mutters. I gulp and put my arms around him. He lowers his head, resting it on my left shoulder. ¡°I thought I¡¯d lost you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± I choke, my throat becoming heavy. Tightly, I grip his clothes and whimper. ¡°Revus¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Revus pulls me close and embraces me, ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. We¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± I whine, ¡°that¡¯s not-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus interrupts as he grabs my shoulders and pulls away from me. His usually intense eyes are sunken and inflamed. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, then¡­¡± As I stare at him, I notice his right ear is completely gone. I blink and see the mutilated reflection of my former self in front of me. I frantically shake my head without taking my eyes off of him. ¡°No¡­¡± I start, but my mouth hangs agape and my whole body stills as the memories of my previously disfigured appearance flood through me. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls, pulling me from my trance. ¡°But¡­ Revus¡­¡± I can no longer stop the tears as I slowly reach my trembling hand up to the side of his head, ¡°Y-your¡­ your ear.¡± My vision blurs and I stumble between choked breath, ¡°Revus¡­ D-did the en¨­¨­fen-¡± My hand flies to my mouth, my eyes widen, and fresh tears form as I come to a realization. AGH! ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s your fault,¡± Revus gently replies. I look away from him, ¡°Yes it is!¡± ¡°Did something-¡± He begins to say. I turn back to him, and, between my cries, blurt, ¡°I went outside! And then¡­¡± Tears stream down my cheeks as I sob, ¡°Revus, they hurt you! I-I¡¯m¡­ so sorry.¡± I continue to cry as I lean forward, planting my head into his chest, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just-¡± Revus gently pokes my forehead and tilts my head back, looking me directly in the eyes. As I stare back into his swollen, yellow eyes, he asks, ¡°You hungry?¡± He stands up and walks over to the bags. Tears continue to flow from my eyes as I stare at him in utter disbelief. ¡°What?¡± He rummages through the bags and, after he pulls out a metal pot, returns to the fire''s side. ¡°Anything specific you want?¡± He holds out his right hand and wood extends from the bark-like ceiling, forming a hook. He hangs the pot and starts preparing our meal. ¡°First,¡± he points to the injured side of his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my ear, it will heal.¡± ¡°Heal? Ears don¡¯t just heal!¡± I shriek, ¡°I would know better than-¡± ¡°That¡¯s,¡± Revus cuts in, ¡°how fairies are. Arms, legs, wings¡­ even heads.¡± He pauses, ¡°As long as our souls aren¡¯t completely destroyed, we will recover, given enough time.¡± I stare at him, mouth agape, ¡°Then¡­ your ear?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯ve lost more than an ear before¡­¡± He mutters. That¡¯s¡­ I exhale, slightly calming myself, ¡°Then, what about the en¨­¨­fen?¡± ¡°Lured them away.¡± ¡°And the birds?¡± ¡°Dealt with.¡± ¡°Then¡­ where are we now?¡± I ask as I look around the dimly lit wooden hole we are taking refuge in, wiping away my tears. ¡°Now that the en¨­¨­fen know where we live, we can¡¯t stay there anymore,¡± Revus states. ¡°Currently we¡¯re heading toward K¨¡¨¡lith, the fairy sanctuary. That should be where your siblings are.¡± I turn toward the opening in the wall and stare out into the dark night. So we¡¯ve finally left. ¡°W-will we be able to come back?¡± ¡°Perhaps one day,¡± Revus comments flatly. A still ambience fills the room with only occasional crackling of the fire to break it. ¡°Do you still feel any pain?¡± Revus asks, ending the silence. ¡°Um,¡± I gulp as I scan my limbs, ¡°Not really, aside from a headache and the usual cold chills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The room goes quiet once more. ¡°W-what happened to me?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the bes¨¡¨¡d¡¯s cry?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°Yeah,¡± I mutter, ¡°It felt¡­ like I was being¡­ torn apart?¡± ¡°Bes¨¡¨¡d¡¯s are a natural enemy for fairies- for spirits in general,¡± Revus corrects. ¡°Their screech has a mixture of different frequencies, that when imbued with aether, can fundamentally separate spirits.¡± ¡°Can you explain in simpler terms?¡± ¡°Their screech can rip apart a spirit¡¯s soul,¡± Revus elaborates. ¡°That, combined with their feather¡¯s ability to neutralize the elements, make them a fairy¡¯s worst nightmare.¡± ¡°Am I going to be okay?¡± Revus stops, looks at me, and sullenly smiles, ¡°As long as I¡¯m here, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I murmur as I look down at the fur blanket that covers me. Why hasn¡¯t he said anything? I inhale deeply. ¡°I¡¯m- sorry Revus,¡± I state, ¡°I thought I was careful. I didn¡¯t see anything, or anyone. I didn¡¯t go far either, but¡­¡± Tears start to blur my vision again. ¡°I just wanted to go outside for a bit¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You know-¡± Revus starts to speak, but goes quiet. ¡°Do you-¡± he stops as he closes his eyes and covers his eyes with his left hand. He exhales heavily, then softly states, ¡°I¡¯m glad things didn¡¯t end up worse than they did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± I weep. I continue to cry while Revus quietly finishes making dinner. Once done, he brings me a bowl of warm soup. He sits down next to me and we start eating our food. I¡¯m such an idiot. Why did I want to go outside? Why couldn¡¯t I have just stayed inside. Why am I- ¡°Evetta, eat,¡± Revus states, pulling me from my thoughts. ¡°Right¡­¡± I quietly murmur. ¡°Um¡­ are you mad?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to explain things seeing how you seem to recognize your mistake,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°but you do understand what you did, right?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Evetta¡­¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Let me apologize first.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I question as I look up at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you locked away,¡± Revus answers, ¡°and I¡¯m sure part of your decision stems from me keeping you inside like I did.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s-¡± Revus holds up his hand, causing me to go quiet. ¡°I am mad that you didn¡¯t listen to me, but more than that, when I returned home and saw en¨­¨­fen there¡­ I was scared¡­ terrified.¡± Revus takes a deep breath, ¡°Please, if I ask you not to do something¡­¡± As he speaks I look him up and down. He¡¯s¡­ trembling? ¡°Please¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if I lose you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I smile reassuringly. ¡°As long as you understand,¡± Revus drearily returns my smile, ¡°Now, eat. We¡¯ve got a busy day tomorrow.¡± I wipe my eyes as I look down at my bowl of soup, sniffling lightly, ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 9 - Pace, Past, and Parents The vibrant forest is filled with flowers that bloom in a myriad of colors. The sweet aroma and beautiful sights of flora dotting the land make for picturesque scenery. The woody territory is noisy with the chatter of bugs and birds, while both large and small creatures roam the region. Overhead, an intense sun burns bright beyond the green canopy. The hot summer air bakes my lungs each time I take a breath. My restricted clothing, paired with the heat, makes me sweat, causing my clothes to stick to me. As I soar through the unbearably hot weather, I shout, ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± and begin to descend down toward a nearby shaded tree branch. Revus flies down alongside me and grumbles, ¡°This is why I told you to change earlier.¡± ¡°This is why I told you to change earlier,¡± I mock under my breath as I roll my eyes. I land on the branch, pull my bag from my back, and place it on the ground. Revus lands beside me and complains, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be this far behind if you¡¯d just listened to me.¡± ¡°Would you shut up!¡± I bark as I pull a flowy, light, dress from my bag, ¡°Now go somewhere else so I can change.¡± ¡°Aeth, you¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Revus sighs, shaking his head, before he flies around to the opposite side of the tree. I glance at both sides of the tree to confirm he is not looking at me, then begin to change my clothes. Geez, just because I didn¡¯t want to wear a dress and you get so mad. Besides, whether we stop for a bit isn¡¯t going to change anything. Once I finish swapping clothes, I sigh, ¡°Ah, much better.¡± I look down and check out my appearance. As much as I prefer pants, I have to admit, this¡­ isn¡¯t so bad. ¡°Are you done yet?¡± Revus inquires from behind the tree. ¡°Yeah,¡± I holler. Revus flies around the wooden structure and stops nearby, hovering in place. ¡°Are you ready, we need to go or-¡± ¡°Or what? We¡¯re going to be late?¡± I retort as I glare at the black-haired fairy, ¡°Look, you already said we¡¯re not going to make it through the mountains before winter, so can¡¯t we slow down.¡± I state as I put my previous clothes into my bag. ¡°My back is killing me and the heat isn¡¯t helping either.¡± Revus places a hand over his forehead, lands on the branch, and replies, ¡°And I already told you that I want to get as far away from the en¨­¨­fen as possible.¡± ¡°Please, we¡¯ve been flying for hours already and-¡± ¡°Hours?¡± Revus bellows, ¡°We barely left an hour ago at most.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I grumble as I look up toward the sky. This guy¡¯s going to drive me insane. ¡°Then what about yesterday? Or the day before that? Huh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already explained-¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen any en¨­¨­fen or bes¨¡¨¡d since we left.¡± Revus closes his eyes, inhales, then exhales. He opens his eyes and sternly says, ¡°It¡¯s been three days. We haven¡¯t even left the forest yet, and you want to stop when we don¡¯t know where the en¨­¨­fen could be.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± I roar, tightening my fists, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to let me rest just in case we do run into any en¨­¨­fen?¡± Revus clasps his left hand over his face, gripping it tightly. ¡°Fine,¡± he answers roughly as he runs his hand through his hair, ¡°We¡¯ll rest for a bit.¡± I sigh frustratedly, ¡°If it¡¯s that big of a deal you could just carry me.¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus declines. ¡°Oh? Not fond of the idea?¡± I grin at him, ¡°Even though we¡¯d-¡± Revus plants a palm over my face as he walks by me. ¡°Three reasons,¡± he states as he pulls his hand off me and places his bag down. ¡°Ow,¡± I complain quietly as I watch him sit down, ¡°Jerk.¡± ¡°First,¡± he holds up his index finger, ¡°Me carrying you wouldn¡¯t help you learn to fly any better.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± I dismiss waving my hand as I sit down next to my bag. ¡°I know I¡¯m bad at flying, but what do you expect? I wasn¡¯t allowed outside for over a month.¡± ¡°Are you still mad about that?¡± ¡°What gave you that idea?¡± I gasp as I widely open my eyes and hold a hand over my mouth. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be when they¡¯re told they¡¯re not allowed to fly, and then get yelled at for not being good at flying?¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Revus says half-heartedly. ¡°Thanks,¡± I gripe harshly, crossing my arms and turning away from him. ¡°As for the second reason,¡± Revus continues, ¡°It¡¯s too hot to carry you.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± I mutter as I look back at him. ¡°So what¡¯s the third reason?¡± ¡°You¡¯re heavier than you used to be.¡± I stare at Revus blankly and blink a few times. I turn my head slightly and say, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the bags weigh more than me though.¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯d have to carry both bags and a heavier you,¡± Revus continues, ¡°Hate to break it to you, but you¡¯re not as small or light as you used to be.¡± I tilt my head and close my eyes. I don¡¯t know if I should be mad about that or not. ¡°Fine,¡± I mutter after a moment of silence, raising my hands, ¡°I¡¯d prefer flying on my own anyway.¡± ¡°If only you could do that well,¡± I hear Revus murmur quietly. ¡°Oh, well I¡¯m sorry for thinking flying would be easy!¡± I bark. ¡°Who said flying was easy?¡± Revus inquires. I open my mouth and raise my hand, but freeze and remain quiet. Right¡­ Why did I think flying was going to be easy¡­? ¡°Well?¡± Revus remarks, then shakes his head, ¡°Actually it might be better if you keep your mouth shut, at least I won¡¯t have to hear you complain anymore.¡± I turn and hit him in the arm. ¡°Jerk¡­¡± I lean against the wooden trunk and sigh, ¡°I was just¡­ thinking about how I used to dream of seeing the sky.¡± ¡°From Svelta?¡± Revus asks, softening his tone. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I murmur. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I think talking about it helps,¡± I reply then continue, ¡°At the time, I wanted to fly into the sky. So after gaining wings, I guess I just assumed that flying would be easy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rather weird thing to think about flying,¡± Revus comments, ¡°You weren¡¯t able to fly in your past, were you?¡± ¡°Not without the proper tools, but we could fly,¡± I answer. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t something available to me,¡± I state, ¡°and I died before ever obtaining them.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Revus clicks his tongue, then sighs. I turn to look at him and, as he scratches the back of his head, he says, ¡°Sorry,¡± with a bit of frustration still present in his tone. I smile, ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°If it makes you feel any better,¡± Revus replies, ¡°You¡¯re flying isn¡¯t the worst I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t,¡± I bluntly remark, ¡°after all, you¡¯re now going to criticize my flying, right?¡± Revus remains silent while he turns his head away from me. I chuckle, ¡°See.¡± ¡°Well, it definitely needs improvement.¡± Yeah, yeah, I know,¡± I sigh, pause for a moment, then ask, ¡°Is it weird that I¡¯m struggling to fly?¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus answers, ¡°but there¡¯s plenty of other things that make you weird.¡± ¡°I recall you saying I was weird before¡­¡± I murmur, ¡°but I¡­ don¡¯t remember you saying anything specific.¡± ¡°Oh? Then what did I say, little miss perfect memory?¡± Revus taunts. ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that¡­¡± I cringe, ¡°and I think you said I was clueless about girls¡¯ clothes and other similar things.¡± Revus stares at me flatly, ¡°So you can remember that conversation¡­ but not simple words from our lessons?¡± I scratch my cheek, ¡°Sorry, but¡­¡± How do I say this without sounding weird? ¡°I don¡¯t want to be weird,¡± I mumble, ¡°so I try to remember conversations about it.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make you a little weird?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Probably,¡± I dismally concede. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with being weird though,¡± Revus adds. ¡°Besides, everyone is weird in their own way.¡± ¡°You think so¡­¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Revus states, ¡°You, for example, are weird because you don¡¯t know Parazic, Annic, Eidish, or Oljin. All of which are the most common languages.¡± Parazic, Annic¡­ Yeah, guess that¡¯s true. I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. He pauses, points a finger at my forehead, and continues, ¡°No, instead you know some unheard of language Sveltish and lived in an unknown region.¡± Was Svelta really that isolated? ¡°Additionally, you know about the axioms but you¡¯ve never seen fish or snow before.¡± He pulls his hand back as I plant my face on my knees. ¡°So I am weird,¡± I utter. ¡°Yes, and regardless of what you do, you¡¯ll be weird,¡± Revus explains. ¡°If you¡¯re too quiet, too loud, too busy¡­¡± he pauses, ¡°too different, then you¡¯ll always be weird to someone.¡± ¡°So others find you weird too?¡± I ask as I look up at him. ¡°One of the weirdest,¡± he chuckles lightly, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t change who I am or what I have to do. That weirdness is a part of me¡­¡± he looks down, ¡°and the only thing I can do is try to accept it.¡± ¡°Sleeps,¡± I smile, ¡°That¡­ made me feel better.¡± A swift wind blows through the forest and bombards us with an instant heatwave. ¡°Ugh,¡± I groan, ¡°It¡¯s so hot today.¡± ¡°Do you miss being cold now?¡± ¡°Definitely not,¡± I exclaim, ¡°This is incomparably better than being cold.¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re wearing a dress?¡± ¡°Look, if I was forced to wear dresses for the rest of my life in trade for not being cold anymore, I¡¯d take that deal immediately.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Revus says as he shakes his head. As I look up at the canopy, I yawn. Revus asks, ¡°Want to take a nap?¡± ¡°I might,¡± I muse, ¡°Would it be alright?¡± ¡°If you can sleep in this heat, then go for it,¡± Revus answers, ¡°but we¡¯re leaving once you wake up.¡± ¡°Works for me,¡± I reply as I pull my blanket from my bag, lay it against the bag, and lean against it. I close my eyes and try to get comfortable. As I lay there, I hear Revus begin to walk away and quietly sigh, ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. A fierce heat rushes by, drying my throat and forcing me awake. Cough. Cough. It¡¯s still so hot. I stand up and stretch my limbs, while pain emanates from my back. Still sore too. I see Revus sitting silently a short distance in front of me, gracing his soul. I reach into my bag, pull out a wooden canteen, remove the lid, and take a drink. ¡°Ah, much better,¡± I remark as I put the lid back on. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Revus asks as he gets up. I stretch once more before putting my blanket and canteen away, ¡°Not really, but¡­¡± ¡°Alright then let¡¯s get going,¡± Revus states. Figures. I watch as he puts his bag on, and fastens it to his lower back, leaving space for his wings. He conjures his wings while I secure my bag on my back. I evoke my own and we both rise into the air. Revus takes the lead as we start flying toward a colossal mountain in the distance. While traveling, we cautiously progress from one area to the next, typically by dashing from one spot to another. With the midday sun penetrating the green ceiling, any direct contact with sunlight burns, so we try to stay in shaded parts of the forest. I struggle to maintain Revus¡¯ pace so I call out, ¡°Can we slow down a bit?¡± Revus glides forward, allowing me to catch up, then says, ¡°Is this really how fast you can go?¡± ¡°I can go faster,¡± I retort, ¡°but I doubt I¡¯ll be able to maintain that pace for the rest of the day.¡± Revus sighs while shaking his head, ¡°Fine, but I want to focus on trying to fix your technique.¡± ¡°Meaning¡­¡± ¡°Fly properly,¡± Revus answers bluntly, ¡°Watch me, and try to replicate it. Simple.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I groan. If only it was that simple. Revus speeds in front of me, stopping a short distance away from me, and starts swaying left, then right, while I mimic him. ¡°Keep doing that while I monitor you.¡± From there, Revus scolds me about how to lean when moving side-to-side, when ascending and descending, and how to correctly turn around. We progress onward with Revus explaining how to speed up or slow down, ways to come to a stop, and ways to conserve energy by gliding instead of constant flapping. The hours soar by as the flying lessons continue. The terrain around us slowly becomes more rocky and rough. The land is still full of vegetation, but is also now ravaged with constant hills, valleys, and ridges that progressively get worse the closer we get to the mountain. The sun has already begun its descent from the midday zenith. Heated wind occasionally blows us off course, and periodic gusts of dust fill the air. While flying along a steep slope, Revus declares, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for the night.¡± I furrow my brows as my eyes bounce between him and the sky, ¡°Why? We could keep going for a few more hours.¡± As Revus descends toward a thick-trunked tree, I follow him. ¡°We¡¯ll go to sleep early tonight, and leave before dawn tomorrow.¡± He turns to look at me as we both land. ¡°That should keep the heat off of us for a bit longer.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± I comment as I look at the landscape around us. The large tree juts out from the inclined hill. Thin, densely-packed leaves surround us, preventing anything from finding us in the air. The branch we are on is high enough from the ground to prevent anything from seeing us from below, while also large enough for us to set up camp atop it. We both begin to remove our bags and set up camp for the night. As I pull my bedding from my bag, I ask, ¡°So, when are you going to tell me about K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± ¡°Later,¡± Revus replies, as he sets up a makeshift kitchen. ¡°You keep saying that,¡± I sigh, ¡°Could you at least explain why you won¡¯t talk about it?¡± Revus pauses for a second, looks up as he puts his hand on his chin, and answers, ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to.¡± I turn, glare at him, and snap, ¡°Really? You don¡¯t want to?¡± He returns to his work and continues, ¡°Simply put, yes.¡± ¡°Come on, there¡¯s got to be more to it than that.¡± I assert as I refocus on setting up our beds, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to worry about something again, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus replies, shaking his head, ¡°Just don¡¯t feel like telling you.¡± I move my eyes toward Revus for an instant. Yeah right. So, the question is, why is he keeping information about K¨¡¨¡lith from me? If it¡¯s something that I¡¯d worry about then¡­ maybe it¡¯s about my past? I shake my head. No¡­ then maybe it¡¯s about my new family? I lay down and spread the blankets over a flat area on the branch. Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to talk about it because he¡¯s worried about someone there? I spring to my feet and spin to face Revus, ¡°What¡¯s the name of the fairy that¡¯s watching over my siblings?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know about her?¡± he asks. ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t want to talk about K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± I inquire, ¡°Because you don¡¯t get along with her?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Revus ponders, ¡°No, we got along fine. If anything, I¡¯m extremely grateful to her.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I murmur as I finish setting up our beds and move to help Revus with dinner preparations. As Revus opens his mouth, I quickly cut in, ¡°Also, what¡¯s her name?¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Novaraine.¡± ¡°Novaraine,¡± I mutter as I look up at him, ¡°So, what¡¯d she do for you to be extremely grateful?¡± ¡°You could say she raised me,¡± Revus softly smiles. His smile¡­ I feel a knot in my chest. ¡°After your parents took me in, they put Nova in charge of watching me.¡± Nova¡­ I purse my lips. ¡°S-so, you like her?¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I mutter quietly. ¡°Hmmm, is someone jealous?¡± Revus asks as he lowers his head and grins in front of me. ¡°Of course not,¡± I blurt as I shove his face aside. Why would I be jealous? I¡¯m a¡­ girl¡­ Revus laughs, then gently says, ¡°She¡¯s the closest thing I have to a mother, and yet¡­¡± he frowns and goes silent. Something definitely happened. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s not because of Novaraine. So, why don¡¯t you want to talk about K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± ¡°Still don¡¯t feel like talking about it.¡± ¡°Come on. All I know is that it¡¯s a fairy sanctuary and that my siblings are there,¡± I plead, ¡°There¡¯s got to be other fairies? Is it some kind of city?¡± I pause for a second, put a finger on my chin, and continue, ¡°No, if it¡¯s a sanctuary, then maybe it¡¯s a castle?¡± ¡°Do you want to know that bad?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I exaggeratedly reply, ¡°You keep leaving me in the dark. We¡¯re heading there so of course I want to know.¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be much of a surprise if I told you though.¡± ¡°A surprise¡­¡± I murmur. Well, maybe not knowing isn¡¯t so bad if he¡¯s trying to surprise me with it but¡­ ¡°Can you at least tell me a little bit about it.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°K¨¡¨¡lith is a refuge for fairies in the mortal realm.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s not a city?¡± I say, ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°It¡¯s surrounded by several spirit trees to help keep it hidden. It¡¯s¡­¡± he hesitates for a moment, ¡°quite the sight.¡± ¡°You really need to stop doing that,¡± I state as I glance up at him. ¡°Doing what?¡± Revus inquires, looking at me. ¡°Whenever we¡¯re talking, there¡¯ll be these times where you just¡­¡± I pause, ¡°I don¡¯t know, sound sad?¡± I look at him concernedly. Cough. Revus clears his throat, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I know you said I¡¯d find out, but¡­¡± I stop. I shouldn¡¯t, but I want to know. And maybe I can help him with his problems too. I inhale, resolving myself. ¡°Did something happen to you?¡± Revus opens his mouth but before he can say anything I clarify, ¡°And I mean, prior to me being born.¡± Revus chuckles frivolously, ¡°Nothing special happened.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s nothing special,¡± I say, watching Revus start cutting up some vegetables, ¡°then you shouldn¡¯t have any issue with talking about it, right?¡± Revus freezes, looks up toward the sky, and sighs, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± He lowers his head and looks at me, ¡°I don¡¯t have any parents or siblings.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re an orphan?¡± Revus silently stares at me for a brief moment, then turns back and continues cutting the vegetables, while sullenly answering, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well there¡¯s nothing wrong with being an orphan,¡± I flatly say as I take the diced vegetables and start piercing them with a stick. ¡°I used to know plenty of orphans, and several were better off than me.¡± ¡°Yeah well, where I lived,¡± Revus states, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°There were some people that didn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Because you were an orphan?¡± I inquire, raising an eyebrow as I glance in his direction. ¡°Heh,¡± He lets out a small laugh, then mutters, ¡°Something like that. Eventually, I happened to meet Lady Vestele and Sir Marth, and they took me in.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I became your guard and,¡± he gestures toward the surrounding hills and trees, ¡°here we are.¡± I stop, look up at him, and blink a few times, ¡°It feels like you skipped over quite a bit there.¡± He smiles while nodding, ¡°I sure did.¡± I tilt my head as I look at the irritating man and sigh, ¡°Care to elaborate?¡± He shrugs, ¡°Some important things happened, and some unimportant things happened.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I grumble. Why do I even bother? I sigh. ¡°You really won¡¯t tell me anymore?¡± Revus wordlessly takes the prepared skewers and places them over the fire. ¡°Fine,¡± I gripe, ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± Revus glances at me, refocuses on his work, and asks, ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°You said you don¡¯t know anything about my siblings, right?¡± I inquire. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then how do you know I have siblings?¡± ¡°Simple,¡± Revus claims, ¡°Your parents made four buds, however I-¡± he stops for a moment, ¡°I know of your siblings, but I haven¡¯t met them yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing that thing again,¡± I state. Revus sighs, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re apologizing,¡± I reply as I look back up at him, ¡°but if you want to talk about it, I¡¯m willing to listen. I-¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Revus smiles, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it some other time though.¡± I sulk as I lower my gaze. Revus continues, ¡°Is there anything else you want to know?¡± ¡°Do you know their names?¡± ¡°Not specifically.¡± I finish my final preparations, pass them to Revus, and begin wiping my hands with a cloth. ¡°Since you don¡¯t know much about them, there¡¯s no real point in asking anymore, so next would be¡­¡± I trail off. ¡°Lady Vestele and Sir Marth?¡± Revus queries as he places the skewers over an open flame to roast them. ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod. ¡°Hmm,¡± Revus ponders for a moment while I walk over to my cushioned bedding and sit down. ¡°Where to begin?¡± ¡°How about the beginning?¡± I say candidly. ¡°The beginning,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°My first impression of Lady Vestele and Sir Marth might¡¯ve been the first and only time I truly feared for my life.¡± ¡°Are they that scary?¡± ¡°Not really scary, more like terrifying.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. ¡°When you live merely to survive, you become used to being treated a certain way.¡± ¡°I¡­ know that feeling.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Revus murmurs, ¡°Well, your parents, unlike everyone else I had met up to that point, treated me like I was someone and no one all at the same time.¡± ¡°Could you stop speaking in riddles,¡± I complain. Revus sighs, ¡°They made me feel welcomed. They weren¡¯t mean or unfriendly, but at the same time, they made sure that I knew that at any moment, I could be executed.¡± I stare at Revus blankly for a bit, ¡°Isn¡¯t execution, I don¡¯t know, a bit extreme?¡± ¡°Was it?¡± Revus questions, ¡°You hire an orphan and he is given the job of guarding their daughter. Wouldn¡¯t most parents go to extremes for their children?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I mutter quietly as I lower my head. Not my mom though¡­ ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not the only one that does the whole, getting sad thing,¡± Revus playfully comments. ¡°Yeah¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°Lady Vestele and Sir Marth are your parents,¡± Revus states clearly, ¡°The woman in your past no longer has any ties to you.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I smile faintly, ¡°Uh¡­ Why do you call them lady and sir though? Are they important?¡± I guess they would be if they have servants that work for them, and even private guards for their kids. ¡°They¡¯re definitely important,¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°Maybe not the most important, but they¡¯re among the most important.¡± ¡°Are they a-¡± How do I say bureaucrat in Zoic? ¡°Ah, an important public leader or maybe the owners of a big business?¡± Revus tilts his head as he stares at me, ¡°A public leader? I guess you could call them that.¡± ¡°So, my family has money¡­¡± I note, then look up at Revus, ¡°They are paying you enough, right?¡± Revus laughs, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re paying me plenty.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I satisfyingly remark, ¡°So, aside from being scary and important, what are they like?¡± ¡°Sir Marth is pretty quiet overall, so I don¡¯t know much about him,¡± Revus answers, staring into the deep-green canopy, ¡°but he¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Strong?¡± Revus looks at me, then states, ¡°Remarkably so. He¡¯s also very diligent. He manages many fairies, but always pays them for the work they do.¡± He smirks lightly,¡± I may have more respect for him than any other fairy I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°He sounds like a good person.¡± ¡°He is,¡± Revus affirms, nodding slightly. ¡°Then what about¡­¡± ¡°Lady Vestele is¡­¡± Revus pauses for a moment, finishes cooking, and grabs two plates. He walks over to me, sits down, and hands me one. As I grab a skewer of roasted vegetables and meat, Revus continues, ¡°She¡¯s deceptively foolish.¡± I freeze, ¡°Huh?¡± I blink, furrowing my brow while holding the skewer in front of me. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I ask before taking a bite. Revus chuckles as he eats. Once he stops, he answers, ¡°She¡¯s a bit like you.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°She¡¯s very outgoing, and finds enjoyment in even simple matters, but under her playful facade, she¡¯s incredibly wise and cares more about others than anyone I know.¡± I smile briefly, then softly murmur as it fades, ¡°She¡¯s so different from¡­ that woman. She sounds nice¡­¡± ¡°She is,¡± Revus affirms. Between bites of food, I ask, ¡°Why aren¡¯t my¡­ parents¡­ Are they not also at K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus denies, ¡°About ten years ago, a problem arose in the spectral realm and it caused massive damage to several nations.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Revus eats another skewer, then answers, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but many of the younger generation fairies were evacuated to the cardinal realms.¡± ¡°So my parents?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still in the spectral realm,¡± Revus replies, ¡°I assume they¡¯re helping to amend the damages in the spectral realm before the fairies, like us, can return.¡± I glance at Revus and ask, ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me are you?¡± ¡°I told you before. I won¡¯t lie to you,¡± he clearly answers, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know the status of the spectral realm, or your parents.¡± ¡°So they could be-¡± ¡°I can promise you,¡± Revus interjects, ¡°Your parents are fine.¡± I smile, ¡°If you say so.¡± Revus finishes his food, and asks, ¡°You want a bath?¡± I chew and ponder, before swallowing my food, and responding, ¡°No. If we¡¯re getting up early tomorrow, then I want to get as much sleep as possible.¡± ¡°Sleepyhead,¡± Revus chuckles. ¡°I am not,¡± I retort, ¡°You just don¡¯t sleep enough.¡± ¡°I sleep plenty.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I grin as I finish my last skewer, ¡°When we get to K¨¡¨¡lith, I¡¯ll ask Novaraine whether or not you have¡­¡± I pause for a moment, and continue in Sveltish, ¡°insomnia.¡± Revus raises an eyebrow and smiles, ¡°Do as you please.¡± Chapter 10 - Face to Face ¡°Alright, next,¡± Revus says, flying through the air next to me. ¡°Enough!¡± I shout. Revus heaves a sigh, ¡°Would you get over it already.¡± ¡°No,¡± I bellow as I glare at him, ¡°Why do we need to have lessons while we¡¯re flying?¡± I flail my arms angrily, ¡°Flying is boring enough already.¡± Revus grinds his index fingers into his temples while muttering quietly under his breath. Don¡¯t get mad at me. You¡¯re making this trip worse than it already is. I slump as I fly over the damp, sloped landscape that is covered in wet, yellow-orange leaves. The morning sun pokes through scattered rain clouds. The land whispers as a brisk wind washes over the color-saturated mountains. The morning fauna scurry about in preparation for the coming winter. I glance over, see Revus staring intensely at me, and bark, ¡°What?¡± Revus blinks and sighs, ¡°This is-¡± ¡°The best use of our time,¡± I interject, ¡°I know. You¡¯ve told me a hundred times already.¡± ¡°If you know then why do you keep-¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s been the same thing day after day,¡± I state, ¡°Can¡¯t we do something fun for once.¡± ¡°Fun,¡± Revus mutters blankly. ¡°Yeah, fun,¡± I reply, ¡°You know how to have fun, right, mister best-use-of-our-time.¡± ¡°Evetta, this isn¡¯t the time for fun,¡± Revus argues, raising his voice, ¡°We don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll encounter-¡± ¡°I know!¡± I interrupt dejectedly, ¡°¡­I just¡­¡± I sigh as I look up toward the cloud-ridden sky. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°I¡¯m just tired of doing the same thing everyday,¡± I mope, ¡°We fly all day long and have lessons while we¡¯re flying.¡± Revus goes to say something but closes his mouth. I continue, ¡°When I ask you about anything, you don¡¯t answer me or just abruptly change the topic. At night, I review or try to grace my soul.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry but-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your apology,¡± I cut in, ¡°Just¡­ nevermind.¡± I fly ahead, slightly increasing my pace. I know he¡¯s just doing his job, but can¡¯t we take a break. Spend the day doing something other than just flying and lessons. My vision starts to blur as tears fill my eyes. And I¡¯m starting to cry again¡­ I wipe my eyes. Stupid emotions. Revus flies up next to me and says, ¡°Follow me.¡± He speeds ahead for a moment, before turning to add, ¡°Tell me if you need to take a break.¡± He flies ahead while I stay behind him. We continue flying through the maze of trees and stone that covers the mountains for almost two hours, with neither of us so much as uttering a word to one another. Revus slows down, turns around, and, as he matches my pace, asks, ¡°You need a break?¡± ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Evetta¡­¡± Revus pauses, closes his mouth, and exhales through his nose. Is it still bothering him? ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± ¡°I wish we weren¡¯t in this situation,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°but until we¡¯re safe, we need to keep moving.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I smile halfheartedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting mad earlier. You¡¯re just doing your job.¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°So¡­ you want to continue our lesson from earlier?¡± I stare at him dumbfoundedly, my mouth slightly agape. ¡°I¡¯m joking,¡± Revus laughs, ¡°Thought it might be funny.¡± I look away from him, ¡°Why must your fun always involve teasing me though?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re easy to tease,¡± Revus chuckles. ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± I pout. He grins and he leans forward, ¡°Nothing to say?¡± ¡°You,¡± I puff my cheeks, then retort, ¡°Leave me alone.¡± I shove his face aside and fly past him. He flies alongside me and says, ¡°Your flying¡¯s gotten better.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to immediately try to cheer me up,¡± I tonelessly respond, ¡°Then why bother making me mad in the first place?¡± Revus smiles, ¡°Simple, you¡¯re in a better mood now than you were earlier.¡± ¡°Even so-¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Revus urges as he pokes my cheek, ¡°You¡¯ve been moping long enough.¡± Urg¡­ Don¡¯t smile¡­ He pokes my side. ¡°Ah!¡± I squeak as I flinch, then smile and roll my eyes. ¡°There, better?¡± I humph, ¡°Yeah. Now go back to being mister best-use-of-our-time so I can still be mad at you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Revus hums, ¡°I think I prefer when you¡¯re not mad.¡± We both look forward and, after a brief moment, I turn to him and sigh, ¡°Did you mean it?¡± Revus glances at me, an eyebrow raised, ¡°Mean what?¡± ¡°My flying,¡± I answer, ¡°Do you actually think it¡¯s getting better?¡± Revus ponders for a bit, placing a hand under his chin. ¡°Two things,¡± he raises his index finger, ¡°First, your flying has vastly improved since we left.¡± I smile. That¡¯s good. ¡°Second,¡± he says as he raises his middle finger, ¡°even though your flying has improved, the areas you''re lacking the most are your speed, stamina, and mobility. With the latter being the area you¡¯re struggling the most.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s back,¡± I mutter quietly as I roll my eyes. I look at the mountainous horizon and ask, ¡°So, how much longer until we¡¯re out of the mountains?¡± Revus follows my gaze and replies, ¡°Does it matter?¡± He looks back at me and jokingly continues, ¡°Because of someone¡¯s slow butt, we¡¯ll have to-¡± ¡°Spend the winter here,¡± I interrupt, ¡°I already know that. After winter, how much longer until we¡¯re out of here?¡± ¡°At the pace we¡¯ve been going,¡± Revus pauses, ¡°Maybe a week?¡± That long¡­ I lower my gaze but keep Revus within my sight and follow him. I place a hand under my chin. So three more days of autumn, a week of winter, and possibly another week of spring before we¡¯re out. I raise my head and ask, ¡°How much farther is K¨¡¨¡lith after that?¡± ¡°At our current pace-¡± ¡°Is that necessary?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Revus affirms, ¡°Getting here from K¨¡¨¡lith only took me about two weeks. But, at our current pace, we likely won¡¯t make it before next winter.¡± ¡°So another month,¡± I complain as I hang my arms. ¡°Is there at least something interesting between here and K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± I ask. Please let there be something to do or see along the way. ¡°Not a fan of mountains?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°Svelta was in a gorge,¡± I answer, ¡°So I don¡¯t find rocks all that appealing.¡± ¡°Hmmm, I guess you¡¯ve never seen any interesting rocks.¡± I scoff, ¡°Rocks and interesting don¡¯t really go together.¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°Well, just don¡¯t ever tell that to a gnome or you¡¯ll be in for a heated argument.¡± Gnome. Gnome¡­ I pinch my lips together, then ask, ¡°What¡¯re those again?¡± Revus looks to the sky and heaves an exaggerated sigh, ¡°We¡¯ve gone over this before, fairies go through soul forging to merge their soul with an element.¡± He turns to look at me with a dead look, ¡°You do remember this, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I mutter as I look away, ¡°Of course.¡± He sighs again, ¡°We¡¯ll continue your lessons some other time. Gnomes are fairies that have merged with terra.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I say as I look back at him, ¡°So ignoring the boring talk, you never answered my question.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Is there anything interesting between here and K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± I say, watching as Revus looks away. ¡°You weren¡¯t hoping that I¡¯d forgotten, were you?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Revus says as he speeds up. ¡°Hey, come on, tell me,¡± I shout as I chase after him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing interesting,¡± Revus retorts from ahead, continuing to increase his speed. I bellow in pursuit, ¡°Then why are you running?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running,¡± Revus argues, ¡°Simply increasing our pace.¡± ¡°And why don¡¯t I believe you?¡± Revus shrugs in front of me, ¡°Who knows?¡± As I reach out to grab Revus¡¯ leg, he suddenly dives down toward the ground. I slightly overshoot him before following him down toward the ground. As we approach the hard, wet surface, Revus circles around a tree and begins to weave around several others. This jerk, just wait until I catch you. I smile as I follow behind him. We race under a fallen log, dive through a tunnel within a hill, and begin to climb up a cliff-face. You¡¯re not getting away. I hound Revus, copying his movements in an attempt to catch up to him. We surge up and down over a series of rough boulders but, as we make our way toward a large clearing with only sparse trees, a sound echoes in the distance. Revus momentarily flinches, then bolts toward one of the trees in the field. I¡¯ve got you now. I chase after him when he suddenly turns around and stops in front of the trunk, arms spread wide. ¡°Ah!¡± I shout as I slam into Revus and he catches me. ¡°What¡¯s the big-¡± Revus holds a finger over my mouth and whispers, ¡°Shhh.¡± I stare up at him and nod. He removes his finger and points down toward the ground. As we both descend, I quietly ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Revus glares out at the sky and answers, ¡°A bes¨¡¨¡d.¡± ¡°Where?¡± I say as I begin to scan the sky, searching the cloudy blue for any birds. Revus points his finger ahead and I notice one bird flying toward another. I focus on the winged-creatures and watch as they start to head in our direction. ¡°Looks like the en¨­¨­fen are nearby.¡± ¡°Can we avoid them?¡± I ask. Revus glances at me, then returns his attention to the bes¨¡¨¡d, ¡°Not while they¡¯re this close.¡± I groan, ¡°Then what do we do?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll wait for a bit and see what they do,¡± Revus states, ¡°If they leave, then we¡¯ll try to sneak around them, but if they stay¡­¡± ¡°Then what?¡± I stare at him as my heart rate increases. Revus looks at me, his sharp eyes glowing, ¡°Let¡¯s just see what they do.¡± I whimper anxiously as I shift my focus to the birds. Please just go away, please. We watch as the birds slowly fly overhead, passing above our hiding spot. Once they reappear, they continue to soar away from us, gradually getting smaller the farther away they become. I turn to Revus, ¡°Can we leave now?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± he responds bitterly, ¡°If we leave now and they come back we¡¯ll be-¡± Aaakreee. The distinct cry of the bes¨¡¨¡d resounds through the land. ¡°Damn,¡± Revus mutters. I nervously ask, ¡°What?¡± We stare at the two bes¨¡¨¡d as they turn around and begin flying back toward us. They fly over our tree again, causing us to turn around and wait for them to appear. Where are they? I frantically search the sky for them to emerge from beyond the tree¡¯s canopy. I don¡¯t- This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Ah!¡± I flinch as something touches my shoulder. I quickly turn and see Revus with his finger over his mouth. Geez, please don¡¯t do that. I sigh, then nod. He removes his finger and points toward the canopy before slowly flying up. I follow behind him and we work our way up toward the branches. We veer around the sporadic wooden arms, gradually ascending higher into the tree. We stop on a branch, hidden beneath thick foliage that provides a good view of the surrounding area. Beyond the tree, I locate the two bes¨¡¨¡d flying back toward the area we initially saw them. ¡°What are they doing?¡± I inquire. Without removing his gaze from the birds, Revus answers, ¡°Returning to their owners.¡± ¡°The en¨­¨­fen?¡± ¡°Yeah, the en¨­¨­fen controlling them should be nearby,¡± Revus states, ¡°I doubt they¡¯re going to go too far on their own.¡± ¡°Then do we just wait here until they¡¯re gone?¡± Revus bites his lower lip and goes quiet. I look from him to the bes¨¡¨¡d. Please just go away¡­ I face Revus and focus on his partially healed ear. ¡­please. ¡°Okay,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°This is what we¡¯re going to do.¡± ¡°Are we leaving?¡± I hopefully ask. ¡°No,¡± Revus shakes his head, ¡°You¡¯re going to stay here. And not draw attention to yourself.¡± ¡°No,¡± I say in a hushed roar, ¡°Me staying here means-¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to-¡± ¡°No!¡± I raise my voice a bit louder, ¡°What if something worse happens to you?¡± Revus places a hand on my head. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on dying,¡± he smiles softly, ¡°After all, who¡¯s going to keep you safe if I¡¯m gone?¡± I remove his hand and grimace, ¡°I¡¯d still prefer you to stay here too.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll leave, if at all,¡± Revus remarks, ¡°If we don¡¯t do something, we could be stuck here for days, and I doubt you want to spend winter in this tree.¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I groan, ¡°Not really¡­ but why do you have to-¡± ¡°If we leave together and get caught¡­¡± Revus interrupts, sullenly looking down, ¡°I¡¯m not confident that I can keep you safe.¡± ¡°But if you go fight them-¡± Revus jabs my forehead with his finger. Ow¡­ As I rub my forehead, he says, ¡°Who said I was going to fight them? Remember the cliff we passed?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± I mutter. ¡°I¡¯ll lure the bes¨¡¨¡d down there,¡± he states, ¡°and hopefully the en¨­¨­fen will follow. Once I¡¯ve confirmed that they¡¯re down there, I¡¯ll trap the bes¨¡¨¡d and we¡¯ll use that opportunity to escape.¡± I stare at Revus concernedly and ask, ¡°How confident are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain I can handle this,¡± Revus affirms. I close my eyes, gulp, and take a deep breath. I exhale as I open my eyes, ¡°Okay, just¡­ please come back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Revus grins, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone.¡± I timidly nod. Revus looks at the two birds through the opening between the leaves, glances back at me, and says, ¡°Stay here, I¡¯ll be back.¡± He then descends down the tree trunk. I catch a glimpse of him retreating back toward the cliff. As I watch him soar into the distance, he eventually grows too small for me to keep track of. Please be safe Revus. I turn my attention back to the bes¨¡¨¡d, they are now the farthest they have been from us. Are they really leaving? I sit and watch the bes¨¡¨¡d for a few minutes in silence until I see a small, reddish-orange ball flying toward the birds. What¡¯s that? Boom! Aaaaawk! A sudden explosion of flames erupts from the ball followed by a screech from the birds. Thick smoke fills the area where the bes¨¡¨¡d once were. I thought he said he wasn¡¯t going to fight them. Two figures appear from the smoky cloud and dash in the direction of where the fireball originated. Quickly, they speed overhead. I can¡¯t see. I move through the tree, in search of a better spot to watch the bes¨¡¨¡d. I fly down to a lower branch with less foliage blocking the view and find the bes¨¡¨¡d darting after a black speck. ¡°Revus¡­¡± I mutter. He flies in the direction of the cliff, the birds gaining on him, until he dives once again and I lose sight of him. I observe the bes¨¡¨¡d as they begin to descend toward the ground. They vanish over the ledge of the cliff. They¡¯re gone¡­ While I sit there watching the rocky ground, two more winged-creatures zoom down following the previous bes¨¡¨¡d. There¡¯s more? In a panic, I fly back up to my previous location and search the ground for any en¨­¨­fen. If Revus is right, then they should be here anytime now. I scan the area as calmly as possible, but my heart pounds violently against my chest. Come on, show up already. The longer they take, the longer Revus will- Deep voices echo in the distance, breaking the silence. Where? I trace the sound and find three large people appear from behind a rock and rush in the direction of the bes¨¡¨¡d. I lean over the branch I am on and peer down as they head toward the tree. Krih. An odd sound appears from behind me as something brushes against my leg. I freeze briefly, then glance behind me and see a large, brown bug. It has a flat body, with two antennae coming from its small head that is followed by its armored back-plate. ¡°Ah,¡± I squeak as I flinch and kick the bug in the head. Krih. I quickly turn around and crawl away from it in the process. A stink bug¡­ I sigh as I realize it is not a threat. Seconds later the bug screeches, KRIIIH. Boomph. Suddenly, a thick, heavy, foul stench explodes in front of me, clouding my vision, and filling my nose with a rotten miasma. Cough. Cough. It¡¯s horrible. I instantly rise into the air and fly away from the bug. My eyes water as the dense cloud assails my face. Cough. Can¡¯t¡­ see. I maneuver through the veil, trying to escape the pervasive pungence. Bam. A sharp pain jolts through my head. ¡°Ow!¡± I choke as I begin to fall through the tree. Cough. A faint muffled sound reaches my ears. Cough. Need to get out of this. I work my way down until the air around me is breathable and I faintly open my inflamed eyes, unable to clearly make out anything in front of me. The muffled sound becomes louder and clearer. Cough. Stupid bugs. I gasp for fresh air while I wipe my eyes. That¡¯s bett- Loud voices ring in my ears. I blink and, as clarity returns to my vision, notice that in front of me are three giant humans. No. I freeze as my eyes go wide with shock. To the left is a man with graying hair and wrinkled skin. In the middle is a man with black hair and a thick beard. The man on the right has short brown hair and appears to be the youngest of the bunch. Run. All of them are dressed in light, tight fitting clothing that allows for easier movement. Each one is armed with a bag, a tool belt, a weapon on their side, and a thick glove that climbs up their arm. I have to run. An eternity seems to pass as we stare at each other, neither side doing anything. Run! I turn around, but, as I start to fly away, a large hand reaches out and grabs me. Thick fingers wrap around my body and crush me. My delicate wings crumple between the meaty restraints. ¡°Arh!¡± I scream. As I turn my head to look at the men, the bearded man with black hair pulls me closer to him. Instantly, I am face to face with a giant, terrifying visage. His wide grin reveals faint yellow teeth. I grimace as he chuckles, his breath causing an uncomfortably hot, foul stench to coat me once again. ¡°Let me go!¡± I roar as I try to free myself. The bearded man tightens his grip around my body. The older man to my left starts speaking, causing my captor to turn. The two begin talking with one another. The bearded man nods and holds out his other hand. The young, brown-haired man removes the thick, arm-length glove from the bearded man, liberating his second hand. The bearded man stretches his fingers and brings his other hand toward me. ¡°H-hey,¡± I bark nervously, ¡°Wha-what are you-¡± He spreads his fingers along my back, giving my wings space to move. Great, if he opens his hand a bit more I can- From my peripherals I see his second hand approach my wings. No. He can¡¯t be thinking about¡­ I turn and watch in horror as the bearded man¡¯s fingers latch onto my wings. I face the man and scream, ¡°No! Please!¡± I shake my head and violently struggle to escape. ¡°Please! Not my wings!¡± ¡°Aaaaaarrrrhhh!¡± I scream in anguish as my thin wings are torn from my back. It hurts. A cold burning pain unlike any I have ever felt bores outward from the gorge in my back. It hurts. Strength drains from my body and I collapse forward, leaning against the giant, meaty fingers that imprison me. It hurts. ¡°Aaaaahhh,¡± I continue to cry through clenched teeth, digging my fingers into my hands. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. I lay limply in pain, groaning miserably. My tear stricken eyes barely stay open as I watch my captors move their mouths. Inaudible sound escapes their lips before they carry me to an open jar the young man is holding. I am dropped inside and sharp pain resonates through my already suffering body. It hurts. It¡­ hurts¡­ Revus¡­ ¡°Ugh,¡± I groan as I roll over, faintly opening my eyes. Dull light covers an obscure, timber plank wall. Why¡¯s it so blurry? I shift my gaze around and see a glass wall surrounding me. What- The en¨­¨­fen! My eyes widen and, as I sit upright, my gaze falls upon a woman that is also trapped in the glass prison. A fairy? She looks like an adult, with a slender body and long limbs. Lengthy, straight, dark-blue hair flows down to the middle of her back. She is wearing a white blouse with peach colored frills, a peach skirt, and white boots. She is sitting on the ground, with her exposed back toward me. Her face is buried in her curled up knees. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I say. As I lean forward to stand up, I stop. My back, it doesn¡¯t hurt? I look behind me and try to conjure my wings, but nothing happens. They¡¯re gone¡­ While looking back, I direct my attention outside the jar, and see several en¨­¨­fen talking joyously with one another. They are merrily drinking over a feast of meats and other foods. Four wooden walls bound the structure. Two doors are located on adjoining walls, with three windows separating the interior from the freedom beyond. One window is next to one of the doors. The other two windows rest isolated on the walls with no door. Light shines brightly beyond the windows. Along the wall with both a window and a door, there is a large metal cage. Is that for the birds? I look from the bes¨¡¨¡d, to the giants. One, two, three¡­Six people. Looks like four humans and two elves? All of the en¨­¨­fen are sitting at a table except one, the man with black hair, scruffy beard, and yellow teeth. He is standing next to the table holding a mug in the air, cackling loudly. His deep voice echoes noisily through the transparent cylinder. Dang it¡­ if only I- Before a frown covers my face, I shake my head. No. This isn¡¯t the time to be depressed. I need to get out of here. I turn back to the woman sitting near the glass wall. ¡°Excuse me,¡± I mutter as I walk toward her. She silently sits there, her face firmly planted atop her knees. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe here, so we should try to find some way to escape.¡± The blue-haired woman remains soundlessly curled up. Is something wrong with her? ¡°Um, are you hur-¡± ¡°Leave me alone,¡± she says, her soft voice filled with sorrow. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay here,¡± I repeat, ¡°Do you know any way out?¡± The silence following my question is only broken by the loud partying of the en¨­¨­fen. She pleads, ¡°Please, leave me alone.¡± ¡°A-¡± I open my mouth, but stop. I lean my back against the jar and slide down until I am sitting next to her. I¡¯m bothering her¡­ I glance over at her, trying to see her face, but it is hidden behind her deep-blue bangs. An uncomfortable feeling surges in my stomach. ¡°Sorry for bothering you,¡± I murmur, moving away from her. I guess some things never change. Even after being reborn, others still don¡¯t want to talk with me. I smile sullenly. I wonder if Revus has only been nice to me because he¡¯s my guard? I hope not¡­ I bring my legs up to my chest, wrap my arms around them, rest my cheek on a knee, and stare at a window. I hope Revus is doing okay. He was being chased by so many bes¨¡¨¡d. ¡°Ha,¡± I chuckle. I¡¯m getting all depressed again¡­ I lift my head, stand up, and stretch. Okay, first things first, how can I get out of here? I scan the glass jar, the rounded cylinder stretches up until the sides meet a dark lid covering the top. If I could use the axioms I could break out of here, but¡­ I glance at the woman sitting next to me. I could ask her but¡­ I turn back toward the glass wall and place my hand against it. I could try to break it. I make a fist and knock hard on it twice. Bong. Bong. Seems solid. I close my eyes, inhale, and hold my breath, before exhaling heavily. Okay, let¡¯s give it a try. I spin around, step to the middle of the jar, and turn around once more, facing the glass barrier. Here goes. I sprint at the wall with my shoulder in front, and slam against it. Bong. Ow¡­ I look up at the unfazed wall. Again. I rush back toward the middle of the jar and repeat. Bong. Again. Bong. Again. Bong. I pant as I slide down against the stubborn prison. ¡°Stupid¡­ wall¡­¡± I rub my numb shoulder while I slump over on the ground. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t overexert yourself,¡± a soft voice states. I glance over at the lady sitting next to me. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ just sit here though,¡± I reply, ¡°I need¡­ to be able¡­ to get myself out¡­ instead of relying¡­ on Revus to help me.¡± ¡°Even if you succeed,¡± the woman comments, ¡°what are you going to do then?¡± What am I¡­? My gaze drifts toward the giant people partying, then to the bird cage. She continues, ¡°You don¡¯t even have any wings, so you should just¡­¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I mutter as I stare at the hazards that would threaten my escape. If I can¡¯t fly, the en¨­¨­fen would just capture me. And even if I did avoid them, the bes¨¡¨¡d are still out there too. I continue to scan the room and realize the jar we are in is resting on a table that appears to be a good distance from the ground. I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯d get down without flying or falling¡­ I turn to look at the blue-haired woman and ask, ¡°How¡­ did you know I don¡¯t have any wings?¡± Several moments pass by before she answers, ¡°Y-you seemed to be in a lot of pain,¡± she murmurs, ¡°So, I did what I could to alleviate it.¡± ¡°You healed me?¡± I ask, now staring at her. ¡°Sort of,¡± she states while her head still rests on her knees. ¡°Sleeps.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The woman turns her head slightly toward me, allowing me to catch a glimpse of her red eyes. Once our eyes meet, she instantly buries her face in her knees again. I chuckle, ¡°Sorry, when I was learning Zoic, I¡¯d often confuse the two words, and since then, I¡¯ve been using sleeps instead of thanks.¡± I smile, ¡°Thank you for helping me.¡± A moment of silence passes before she mutters, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Evetta,¡± I say as I rest my cheek on my knees, looking at her. She quietly sits there. No reply huh¡­ ¡°Um¡­ Do you know where they are going to take us? Or what they plan to do with us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know and don¡¯t know,¡± She bluntly replies. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I groan, ¡°Do you at least know where we are? Also, how long was I asleep for?¡± ¡°Mountains. Two hours.¡± I blankly stare at her. It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m dealing with another Revus¡­ I lift my head and prop it against the glass. I hope he¡¯s doing alright. Aaaaawkreh. A distorted screech of a bes¨¡¨¡d echoes through the building. I turn around and place my hands on the glass. The en¨­¨­fen all stop as a thick tension fills the room. The bearded man shouts and the young, brown haired guy rushes to the window, looks outside, and immediately opens the door. A smoking, charred, bird flops inside, landing roughly on the floor. As it hobbles toward the men, the giant people gather around it. They begin shouting, and a couple of them run outside and look toward the sky. I chuckle. Stupid jerk. I told him not to fight them. Chapter 11 - Not Fighting [Revus POV] ¡°Ah!¡± Evetta jumps as I touch her shoulder with my left hand. I raise my right index finger in front of my lips before she spins around. She exhales softly, then nods. I point up and begin rising toward the top of the tree, glancing behind me in the process. Good, she¡¯s following. I lead us through the meandering branches, ascending to the furthest wooden limbs. Here? I examine the branch I land on. Adequate cover and a decent view. Overall, not a bad spot to monitor the bes¨¡¨¡d. Evetta wanders over to a viewing spot and I walk up behind her. In the distance are two two bes¨¡¨¡d that are circling back to their initial location. If only they¡¯d leave us alone. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Evetta abruptly asks. I keep my eyes locked on the bes¨¡¨¡d and coldly answer, ¡°Returning to their owners.¡± ¡°The en¨­¨­fen?¡± I scan the horizon beneath the bes¨¡¨¡d. Still don¡¯t see them. ¡°Yeah, the en¨­¨­fen controlling them should be nearby.¡± But where? ¡°I doubt they¡¯re going to go too far on their own.¡± ¡°Then do we just wait here until they¡¯re gone?¡± Evetta inquires. We could try to wait them out, but that leaves us here for an unknown amount of time and if the en¨­¨­fen are camped nearby, then there¡¯s no guarantee that the bes¨¡¨¡d will leave. Too many variables¡­ Since I¡¯m faster, luring them away could work, but¡­ I glance down at Evetta. ¡­she¡¯ll be alone and if she leaves we could get separated. Then it¡¯ll be risky trying to find her without alerting the en¨­¨­fen. The only risk is leaving Evetta alone, but she¡¯s been fine by herself before¡­ I return my gaze to the birds flying in the distant sky. Inversely, we could just leave, but there¡¯s the possibility that there¡¯s more than just the two bes¨¡¨¡d. If we get spotted, I¡¯m not confident that I¡¯ll be able to fend off more than two alone, while trying to protect Evetta. Too risky¡­ Yeah, Evetta needs to stay here¡­ ¡°Okay,¡± I state, ¡°This is what we¡¯re going to do.¡± Evetta looks up at me and fearfully asks, ¡°Are we leaving?¡± ¡°No,¡± I reply, shaking my head. She¡¯s not going to like this but¡­ ¡°You¡¯re going to stay here. And not draw attention to yourself.¡± Please. ¡°No,¡± Evetta bellows, ¡°Me staying here means-¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I interject, ¡°I¡¯m going to-¡± ¡°No!¡± Evetta roars as her eyes focus on my healing ear, ¡°What if something worse happens to you?¡± Such a kind heart. I smile and softly rest my hand atop her head. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on dying. After all, who¡¯s going to keep you safe if I¡¯m gone?¡± Evetta pulls my hand from her head, and complains, ¡°I¡¯d still prefer you to stay here too.¡± I wish it was that easy too but¡­ ¡°We don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll leave, if at all,¡± I explain, ¡°If we don¡¯t do something, we could be stuck here for days, and I doubt you want to spend winter in this tree.¡± Not that I want that either. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Evetta grumbles, ¡°Not really¡­ but why do you have to-¡± ¡°If we leave together and get caught¡­¡± If it¡¯s just the two, then maybe, but¡­ I lower my head, ¡°I¡¯m not confident that I can keep you safe.¡± Evetta mutters, ¡°But if you fight them-¡± I quickly poke her forehead with my index finger. Silly girl. ¡°Who said I was going to fight them?¡± I state as Evetta rubs her forehead. ¡°Remember the cliff we passed?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lure the bes¨¡¨¡d down there and hopefully¡­¡± I look out into the forest covered mountains. ¡°...the en¨­¨­fen will follow.¡± I face Evetta and continue, ¡°Once I¡¯ve confirmed that they¡¯re down there, I¡¯ll trap the bes¨¡¨¡d and en¨­¨­fen and we¡¯ll use that opportunity to escape.¡± Evetta¡¯s warm eyes are fixed on me. She¡¯s- ¡°How confident are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain I can handle this,¡± I declare. Taking care of myself is easy. It¡¯s you I¡¯m worried about. Evetta quietly stands there, anxiously breathing. ¡°Okay, just¡­ please come back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I smile widely, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone. Nova said smiling helps to alleviate worries¡­ Evetta hesitantly nods. ¡­but it looks like that made it worse. I turn to the opening in the leaves, locate the bes¨¡¨¡d, and return my attention to Evetta. ¡°Stay here¡­¡± Please. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back.¡± I place my bag on the branch, turn away from Evetta, rise into the air, and race down the wooden structure. I glide just above the still-wet ground as I progress back toward the cliff. This distance should be good enough. I peer up at the sky. Voluminous clouds dot the blue expanse and only allow scattered light through. Even with the sun nearing its peak, the land is cool from the storm a night prior. I glance at the tree Evetta is taking refuge in. It¡¯s times like these that I wish she could use the axioms¡­ I refocus on the feathered monsters in the distance. Maven be with me. I fly high into the air, rising further into the sky until I am soaring above the bes¨¡¨¡d. As I glide toward the birds, I close my eyes. Focus. My objective, draw attention to myself. I take a deep breath. Focus. My target, the bes¨¡¨¡d and en¨­¨­fen. I exhale. Focus. My purpose, protect Evetta. I open my eyes and dash forward. I approach the bes¨¡¨¡d, shifting my attention from them, to the ground below, and back again. Still no en¨­¨­fen. Now, within a decent range to attack them, I hold out my left hand and conjure a ball of fire, which hovers just over my hand. As I continue forward, I maintain the fire and wait for the two bes¨¡¨¡d to get close to one another. Now. I point my arm in the direction of the bes¨¡¨¡d, the ball of flame staying just above my palm, and launch it at the two birds. Once released from my grasp, it expands and rapidly accelerates until it becomes several times larger than either bird. Boom! Aaaaawk! The fireball collides with the bes¨¡¨¡d, erupts into a sea of flames, before filling the sky with smoke. If only that solved the problem but¡­ The two bes¨¡¨¡d emerge from the dissipating black cloud and begin racing toward me. I sigh, ¡°Damn.¡± I shake my head. Stay focused. I turn around and begin to fly back toward the cliff, maintaining my altitude. Aek. Aek. I hear a couple of squawks from the pursuing birds at my rear. I glance back and see both of them rapidly gaining on me. Damn, I must have terrible luck. I sigh. If I was a sylph, this would be so much easier¡­ Before the birds are within biting range, I create a dense purple fog, shrouding myself in it, and dive toward the ground. Aek. Peeking behind me, I see the birds still on my tail. Looks like darkness isn¡¯t going to help much. In the distance, I see two more bes¨¡¨¡d, then chuckle. I really do have terrible luck, but I¡¯m glad I made the right choice. As I pass the cliff edge, I lift my arms in front of me and spin them in a circular motion, creating a rotating wind force. I direct my falling form into the pocket of wind to increase my speed, and put some distance between me and the bes¨¡¨¡d. Now, how should I deal with these things? The easiest way would be to bury them underground, but making a hole large enough for them would take time. As I soar alongside the immense rock wall, I look back and see that the birds have followed me down. Just before I reach the ground, I lean back, arching upward to maintain my speed while also avoiding a crash. I release my wind pocket and begin shooting metal wires from the nearest tree to the next, forming a metal, web-like entrapment. This should slow them down for a moment. As I keep moving, I continue setting wires throughout the area. Now where are they? I scan the region above and behind me, never stopping for more than a second. Where¡¯d they disappear to? The surrounding wooded mountains echo with the sounds of animals, both large and small. AAAAKRE! A dense screech resounds around me and a moment later a bes¨¡¨¡d rockets toward me from the trees. I quickly create a barrier of light and place it between me and the bird. Its beak pierces the barrier. ¡°Damn,¡± I curse as I narrowly avoid the incoming creature. Akre. Aaaakre. Akre. With only a moment to regain my composure, a second bes¨¡¨¡d flies toward me from a different direction. I reflexively duck beneath its approaching maw, when the third bird dives down from above me. I form several light barriers overhead to halt its advance, but each one is penetrated and shatters. Not good! As the feathered monster descends onto me, I move to the side, place my hands on its beak, and push off. I begin to race away from the three birds when, out of the corner of my vision, I notice another bes¨¡¨¡d closing in on me. Damn. I create a light barrier on my right side and try to spiral around the approaching attack. Too late! ¡°Tssssssk,¡± I inhale as a pain spreads from my back. That hurt. I look back and see part of my upper right wing is missing. Before I can calm down, the birds continue their assault, cycling between attacking and preparing for another strike. Damn. These things aren¡¯t giving me time to fight back. I remain within their encirclement, constantly evading. The en¨­¨­fen need to hurry up. I struggle to dodge the attacks, but manage to prevent any meaningful damage to myself. I need to get out of this and reduce their numbers, but¡­ Slowly, I progress toward a nearby tree while trying to conserve my stamina. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Finally. I get alongside the tree and, due to it covering one side of me, the interval between the birds¡¯ attacks increases. Almost. I dodge another cycle of their onslaught and quickly turn toward the tree. Now. I place my hand against the bark, create a hole that passes through the tree that is just big enough for me, and dart through it. As much as I hate it, these things are smarter than I¡¯d like. Once on the opposite side, I race back toward the cliff. Well, it¡¯ll be risky, but let¡¯s see how they like being hunted. As I soar through the forest, I ascend toward the canopy. Aek. The screech of a bes¨¡¨¡d resounds from behind me. I glance back and see all four birds, slowly advancing toward me. ¡°Tch,¡± I click my tongue. Give me a break, would you. I arrive at the canopy, the bes¨¡¨¡d closing in, and begin to swerve around the tree tops. As I fly around each tree, I reach my hand out and, manipulating it with the nature axiom, pull it down. When the birds fly near the trees, I release my control and the tree bolts back upright. The bes¨¡¨¡d scatter as the large trunks and sporadic branches shoot up toward them, slowly adding to distance between us. I smile. That worked better than expected. I focus on the rapidly approaching wall of rock. Now, I have to time this perfectly, otherwise¡­ I move alongside another branch and, as I pull it down, attach a wire to the tree. I continue to fly toward the cliff, extending the wire in the process. Once I am just before the rock wall, I stop extending the wire, and begin to pull the tree down toward me. As the tension in the wire grows, I swiftly begin decelerating and, nearly at a stop, plant my back against the wall and stare at the approaching feathered monsters. Three. Two. One. Now. I release my control of the tree and, as it snaps back up, am rapidly pulled toward it. As I shoot toward the bes¨¡¨¡d, I pull a stone with me and form it into a spike. At the same time, one of the birds dives toward me, with its beak pointed at my stomach and my spike directed at its head. Aaaaaaaaawk! ¡°Aaaargh!¡± I groan, biting down on my lip as a loud screech resounds behind me. A horrible pain shoots up through my leg while I zoom through the air by my makeshift catapult-tree. As I soar past it, I look down and see that my left leg is missing from my knee down. Damn, I mistimed it. I grit my teeth and continue to fly away from the bes¨¡¨¡d. Aek. I glance back and see three birds chasing me, while the fourth is a bloody mess, impaled on the cliff. Good, one down three left. I smile. This should be easier now. I descend back into the forest and approach my wired area from earlier. Now, what¡¯re they going to do? I fly around in a seemingly random pattern within my wires while I watch the bes¨¡¨¡d. Not going to approach? The three birds circle the wires, staying just outside their reach while maintaining a spread out formation. Looks like they¡¯re being more cautious now, but if you¡¯re by yourselves¡­ I grin. ¡­then you¡¯re that much easier to hunt. I place my hands together and begin to gather energy in them, converting it into electricity. I only need a moment. As the static energy pops within my hands, I begin to separate them. Almost¡­ Almost¡­ Now. I force my hands together and a massive electric shockwave is discharged in every direction around me. The wave expands out, coating the wires in an electric current, and forces its way out beyond them, striking all of the bes¨¡¨¡d. While the shockwave expands, I dash toward one of the bes¨¡¨¡d. When it is hit by the electric shock, it staggers for a single moment. ¡°Ha!¡± Using the momentary gap, I land on the side of its head, gripping its feathers. AAAAAKRE! The creature begins to screech and I feel a wave of dizziness and pain abruptly drill into my skull. I wince slightly. Too bad. You¡¯re too late. I create a metallic blade in my hand, increase the temperature of it until it¡¯s glowing a searing red, and stab it into the bird''s eye. Aaawk! It screams in pain, ceasing its disorienting screech, and begins to dart about haphazardly. I fly off the creature, hold my hands up toward it, and create as large of a wind as I can. I throw the wind at the bird and it is violently pushed back toward my electrified wires. Goodbye. A moment later, the bes¨¡¨¡d touches the wires. Zz-Pop-Pop! The electricity flowing through the wires courses into the bird, causing it to tense up as it instantly cooks from the inside-out. Good thing their insides aren¡¯t resistant to the elements¡­ I stare down at the falling, roasted bird. I wonder how they taste¡­ Aek. Aek. Two screeches from the remaining bes¨¡¨¡d echo around me. They are approaching from opposite sides. Two left¡­ Now what¡¯s the best way to deal with these ones? I descend toward the ground, away from my electrified wires, and increase my speed by forming another wind pocket in front of me. I race through the forest with the two birds following behind me. As I fly about, I scan the area for any en¨­¨­fen. Still nothing¡­ Where in the five realms are they? I guess it¡¯s going to take a bit longer for the en¨­¨­fen, but if I deal with these things, then Evetta and I can ignore the en¨­¨­fen altogether, assuming they don¡¯t have any more pets. ¡°Hmm.¡± Not likely, as I¡¯ve only ever seen four at any given time, so this should be all there is¡­ In that case, Evetta shouldn¡¯t be in any danger, and with the pace we¡¯ve been flying, we¡¯ll have to camp in the mountains so¡­ I glance back at the two bes¨¡¨¡d that are still in hot pursuit. ¡­I can use this time to see just how resilient these things really are. I grin. Let¡¯s trim their numbers a bit more first. I circle around and search for an open and flat area, free of any trees, shrubs, or boulders. I evade the bes¨¡¨¡d as they approach me for several minutes. Found it. I fly around a nearby tree, creating wooden spikes that shoot out of the trunk, forcing the birds back a bit. With a comfortable distance between us, I dive toward the center of the empty field and land on the ground, using my wings to help me balance on my single foot. Still being cautious, huh? The two bes¨¡¨¡d slowly approach, but stay close together instead of spreading out. Worried I¡¯ll attack them when they¡¯re by themselves. I shake my head. These things are too smart for their own good. The birds slowly land on the ground, their eyes locked onto me. As they both open their mouths I raise my hands in front of me. AAAAAAAKREEEE! The horrid sound blasts my mind and I begin to feel pain throughout my body. Good they won¡¯t move now¡­ I endure the pain, biting down on my lip, and begin to create crystal spheres around the birds. Shut up! I close the spheres, causing the noise to diminish and the pain to subside. Crack. A large fracture appears on one of the spheres. Crack. A smaller fracture forms on the second sphere. Looks like they want out, but unfortunately¡­ I hold my hands out encasing the crystal spheres in yet another sphere, followed by a third. ¡­it¡¯s too late. I exhale. I get down on my knee, rest my hands against the ground, and take a deep breath. Now. Move. The ground rumbles slightly until a crack forms in front of me. Steadily, the gap grows into a fissure several times larger than either bes¨¡¨¡d. I exhale. Aeth¡­ Moving this much terra is always so draining. I lift off and float over the hole, peering down into the depths. Not bad¡­ I glance over to the nearby trees. ¡­Perhaps deep enough to fit a tree? Crack. I focus on the crystal spheres and sigh. No time to rest. I quickly swing my arms in the direction of the left sphere and the ground cracks beneath it. I flatten my hands and push them down, causing the crystal sphere and the foundation it rested on to collapse and fall into the fissure. Good. I look at the final sphere and create another two layers of crystal around it, the sphere now several times its original size. I scan the depths of the fissure. Let¡¯s close this first, before it comes back. I land back on the ground, place my hands on the ground, and take a deep breath. Move. The area shakes as the opening in the ground steadily closes, until the two ridges collide, and the fissure disappears. Like it never existed. I smile. Now. I lock onto the remaining crystal sphere. Let¡¯s see how long it takes to cook one of these things. Crack. A fracture forms on the outermost layer of crystal. Any moment now. Crack. Crack. AAAEK! Chunks of crystal fall and the sphere crumbles. The bes¨¡¨¡d shakes itself, removing bits of crystal from its body. ¡°Welcome back,¡± I state. The bird looks around for a moment before its gaze stops on me. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just you and me now.¡± The bird flaps its wings and rises into the air. I don¡¯t think so. I hold my hands out in front of me, creating a gust of wind that rapidly wraps around the bes¨¡¨¡d. I cup my hands, and bring them together forming a would-be sphere. In response, the wind shifts form, becoming a sphere and trapping the bird within. I smile. Good, now for the delicate part. I keep my left hand cupped while I slowly pull my right hand away. Focus. I continue to concentrate on the wind sphere while I hold my right hand in front of me, my palm directed at the ball of wind. Slowly. I conjure a small flame in my open palm and extend it toward the wind. Steady. When the fire reaches the sphere I cup my right and join it together with my left. Then, the fire merges with the sphere and a roaring ball of flame begins to burn the bes¨¡¨¡d within. Aaawk! Now I just sit here and wait until either you¡¯ve had enough, or the en¨­¨­fen show up. I sit down on the ground and continue to hold the blazing sphere in place. Finally a chance to breathe without worry. I sit there for several minutes, listening to the bes¨¡¨¡d¡¯s pained screams, scanning the area for any potential threats that could approach. Those single minutes gather into dozens, and before long well over an hour has passed. The bes¨¡¨¡d continues to cry, but its energy has drastically lowered. Shouldn¡¯t be too long now. I look around once more. I¡¯m surprised the en¨­¨­fen still aren¡¯t here. I call out to the slow-roasting bird, ¡°Where are your handlers?¡± They should¡¯ve had plenty of time to get here by now. Were they that confident in the bes¨¡¨¡d¡¯s hunting abilities? I place my hand under my chin. Perhaps there weren¡¯t any en¨­¨­fen nearby to begin with and these four were a reconnaissance group? No, the en¨­¨­fen wouldn¡¯t waste four bes¨¡¨¡d for merely scouting. Did I overestimate the en¨­¨­fen¡¯s ability to scale that cliff? I shake my head. No¡­ What am I missing? The bes¨¡¨¡d were chasing me, so that should¡¯ve been enough to lure the en¨­¨­fen here¡­ Which means something happened that was more important than chasing me¡­ My eyes widen as I quickly rise into the air. ¡°Evetta.¡± Please no. She should¡¯ve been fine. And after the incident back home¡­ She wouldn¡¯t have left the safety of the tree¡­ But what if she did? What if something happened to her? My breathing quickens as my heart rate increases. Damn. I release the flaming sphere and watch as the bes¨¡¨¡d flops onto the ground. The feathers covering its body are smoldering. Its legs are charred, but its head is perfectly fine. So, you tucked your head under your feathers. Too smart. The bes¨¡¨¡d looks back at me for a moment and then rises into the air. Good, lead me to the en¨­¨­fen. I fly after the bes¨¡¨¡d, its scorched body leaving a trail of black smoke. I follow the bird back through the forest, veering through the trees. As we approach the cliff, I glance at the sea of trees with wires scattered throughout them. I¡¯m going to have to come back and clean this up¡­ I sigh. Sir Marth, Nova¡­ I really hate these rules. We fly up through the woodland and ascend alongside the wall of rock. I reach the top and see the tree I left Evetta in. Almost there. Please be there. Please. I arrive at the tree, fly into the branches, and shout, ¡°Evetta. Are you here?¡± No response. Damn. I scramble up and down the wooden structure, finding both of our bags. ¡°Evetta. This isn¡¯t the time for games.¡± Damn. Damn. Damn. ¡°EVETTA!¡± She¡¯s not here. I look out into the distant sky and locate the lone bes¨¡¨¡d flying erratically. Lady Vestele. Sir Marth. Nova. Please forgive me, for today, I may break one of the sacred laws¡­ I put on the two bags, fly out of the tree, and chase after the fleeing bird. Please be safe. Please. If you¡¯re not, then what will happen to me? I take a deep breath and exhale, trying to force the anxiousness out of me. I¡¯m on my way Evetta, so please, be okay. Damn. I¡¯m sorry Evetta. I shouldn¡¯t have let this happen to you. If only I was better. If I had taken better care. If only I could do more. Damn! Nova¡­ you were right¡­ I¡¯m going to need help. I don¡¯t want it, but if it means keeping Evetta safe then¡­ Damn. I trail the injured bes¨¡¨¡d for a couple of minutes until a clearing appears within the trees. A steady stream of smoke rises into the sky, and as I crest the tree canopy, I see a wooden cabin lying comfortably on the ground. I watch as the bes¨¡¨¡d flails down toward one side of the building. A door, likely the front. I glance to the opposite side of the building. Which means¡­ I begin my descent and head to the rear of the building. The wall closest to me as I approach the building has a single window, and I catch a glimpse of a couple of en¨­¨­fen. Loud yelling echoes from within the building. Sounds like they¡¯re surprised by the state of their pet. I round the corner of the building, and find a second window on the wall, opposite the one the bes¨¡¨¡d went to. I fly over to the window and peer inside. Good, nobody¡¯s looking over here. I place my hands on the glass and scan the interior. I see six en¨­¨­fen, some of which are panicking. One is eating, and one is yelling loudly at the others. Damn. I see two elves, one looks similar to the elf I saved from the water a few months ago. I knew we shouldn¡¯t have helped them¡­ I groan. Now where is- There. On one side of the building, up against the wall, is a table with a jar resting atop it, and within are two fairies. One, a blue-haired fairy who is curled into a ball, and the other, a white-haired fairy peering toward the door. I sigh. She¡¯s safe. My eyes bounce from Evetta to the other fairy. An undine? Was she out here dealing with the surge last night? Well, that¡¯s perfect. I¡¯ll rescue them both and depending on their skills, I¡¯ll have them help me until we get back to K¨¡¨¡lith. I bring my attention to the distressed en¨­¨­fen. Now, how do I deal with them? Chapter 12 - My Promise [Revus POV} A cool autumn breeze blows through the rough woodlands. Golden leaves are carried from trees and land atop the wet, mountainous hills. The sun rests in the full blue sky near its peak and is veiled behind scattered clouds. The land is full of life and soft-sound as many wild animals roam free. The sound of insects and birds reverberate through the almost tranquil region. A lone cabin, isolated and out-of-place within the wild domain, disrupts the natural world. Harsh tones and rude words echo from within as large people begin to argue with one another. I prop myself up on my right leg and lean against the window. ¡°Tss,¡± I hiss in pain as I glance down at my missing leg. I was too hesitant¡­ and now I¡¯m going to have to hear Evetta¡¯s complaints for aeth knows how long. I sigh, peer through the window, and watch the sudden shift from the people inside the cabin. These en¨­¨­fen are kind of slow to react¡­ but they¡¯re panic seems to have dissipated, so it¡¯s passable I guess¡­ ¡°Gordan, Petra!¡± a black haired man with a thick beard shouts in Parazic, ¡°Grab our gear.¡± Immediately following, two young adults with brown hair rush into a corridor within the building. The bearded man turns around and, as he waves his arm in a commanding fashion, continues, ¡°Damir, deal with the bird.¡± ¡°On it,¡± an elderly man with a slender, gray ponytail replies, and carries the scorched bes¨¡¨¡d down the same hallway. The bearded one appears to be their leader¡­ The bearded man turns to the elves and orders, ¡°Rhys, you watch the fairies.¡± He turns to the other and continues, ¡°Ryul, you¡¯re with me.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s catch us another one,¡± an elven man with long hair joyfully answers before rushing out of the building. ¡°Ivan-¡± the second elf, with short brushed back blonde hair, starts to speak toward the bearded man. ¡°Rhys,¡± Ivan faces him and glares menacingly, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about letting our money go.¡± He grins with horrific, yellow teeth, ¡°Otherwise¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say, accidents can happen out here.¡± His smile shifts back to a glare. ¡°Now make sure nothing happens to them, or¡­¡± Ivan smirks at the elf, then turns and walks out the door. Can these en¨­¨­fen be any worse? Not only capturing fairies, but also threatening their own kind¡­ I sigh. I need to make sure they stop chasing us today¡­ I look up at the sky. ¡­Without killing them though¡­ I heave an exaggerated sigh. ¡­Stupid rules. I lower my gaze and focus on Evetta and the jar she is in. Now, before I deal with them, I need to get her out of there. Once she¡¯s safe I¡¯ll have a bit of fun with these en¨­¨­fen. ¡°Hmm.¡± Since my goal is getting Evetta out, then I need to lure the rest of them out first. The two brown haired humans rush through the building carrying armfuls of gear and tools and head outside. Well, that leaves two¡­ I could start a fire but¡­ there¡¯s too many variables and that could lead to excess collateral damage. I could just capture them but¡­ they could do something to Evetta while I¡¯m capturing them¡­ No, I need something else¡­ I could capture the elf inside first. From there, I could freeze the front doors, windows, and corridor. While the building is frozen, the en¨­¨­fen won¡¯t be able to enter. I can break the jar, make an opening in the wall and we can leave from there¡­ After she¡¯s out, I¡¯ll lead her somewhere safe and seal it. Then I can come back to deal with things here¡­ Yeah. Let¡¯s go with that. I push away from the window, rise into the air, and stretch my arms. I¡¯m going to be sore tomorrow¡­ ¡°Check over there,¡± Ivan¡¯s voice echoes, ¡°Our money could already be here so make sure to search thoroughly.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± a woman answers. Looks like it¡¯s time to leave. I ascend to the top of the building and scan the surroundings. The en¨­¨­fen are spread out, searching the skies and inspecting areas around the building. They seem pretty¡­ I furrow my brow. Inexperienced? Well whatever, I¡¯ll use this as my chance to head inside. I wait until they are all facing away from the building. Now. I quickly fly off the roof, curve down while rotating my body, and enter the building. Once inside, I hover near the ceiling and make certain that the elf did not notice. I hear nothing, so I slowly progress toward Evetta¡¯s transparent prison. Good, the elf didn¡¯t see me¡­ What¡¯s he doing though? Resting in front of the table that the jar is on is the elf with short blonde hair. His chin is propped on the table as he slouches forward, staring at the jar. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for this¡­¡± the elf apologizes. ¡°My children couldn¡¯t contain their excitement and told my brother about what happened¡­ If only I¡¯d¡­¡± The elf places his hands on his head as he goes quiet. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this¡­ I just wanted to help my wife¡­ Heh,¡± the elf chuckles, ¡°You can¡¯t even understand me, can you?¡± As I progress toward the elf I sigh. How bothersome can these en¨­¨­fen be? Can¡¯t you just leave us alone? Well, let¡¯s get this over with. I stare down at Evetta and, as I descend toward the back of the elf, I raise my index finger over my mouth. I see Evetta make eye contact, nod, then rush to the undine¡¯s side. Not what I¡¯d call subtle¡­ I arrive behind the elf, hold my arms out in front of me, and conjure metal wires. The cables wrap around the elf and, in an instant, he is bound to the chair he is sitting on. ¡°Ah! Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± the elf cries out. Good. Now before the others arrive¡­ I turn toward the corner of the room with a cage resting nearby. I point my right arm at the front door and the other at the hallway leading further into the building. I close my eyes for a moment. Careful. Don¡¯t overdo it and freeze everything. Just the entrances. I open my eyes and ice begins to form in the doorways of both locations. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± a rough voice from outside shouts. Need to hurry. ¡°Hello?¡± the elf man behind me calls, ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Shut up, would you. Quickly, a thick wall of ice manifests in both doorways. Good, that should keep them busy for a bit. Now. I turn to the windows. Shatter. The window on the wall adjacent to the front door breaks as a man with black hair and a thick beard peers through it. Damn. Can¡¯t you just quietly stay outside? Ivan grins at me from the window with his ugly, yellowed teeth, then bellows, ¡°Looks like our money really is here.¡± I don¡¯t think so! As the bearded en¨­¨­fen tries to climb through it I turn, pointing one arm at each window respectively, and begin to fill the windows with ice. ¡°Arh¡± Ivan hollers, his hand frozen within the wall of ice. ¡°Cold. Cold!¡± his voice trembles from outside. Just stay there for a bit. Bang. Bang. Bang. Pounding begins to sound from both doorways filled with ice, and then from Ivan¡¯s icy prison. Now then¡­ I flutter down toward the jar and, using my wings to balance on my remaining leg, land on the table. ¡°So it is you,¡± the elf mutters, ¡°I¡¯m so s-¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± I roar as I glance sideways at the elf. He flinches, gulps, nods, and goes silent. Such a nuisance. I return my focus to Evetta and the glass enclosing her. Evetta mutters something from beyond the glass. I tilt my head. Is she¡­ happy? She pouts, furrows her brows, and points at my missing leg. Ah¡­ Nope, not happy. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I reply with a smile as I approach the glass, hovering just above the table. I put my hand against the glass and suddenly feel my spyr drain from my body. ¡°Gah,¡± I shout as I immediately pull my hand away from the jar. The en¨­¨­fen¡­ I turn toward the elf and ask, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A¡­ jar.¡± I hear frantic, muffled shouting from the other sides of the icy walls. ¡°Not the jar,¡± I bellow, ¡°What material is the jar made from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the elf replies worriedly, ¡°Ivan brought it with him. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s most likely to know.¡± Useless¡­ I glance at the jar, then to Evetta, with the undine standing behind her, and return my attention to the elf. I fly toward him and stop in front of his face, his eyes narrow as he focuses on me. ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± I ask. ¡°Y-yes, I am-¡± ¡°Then open the jar,¡± I state, dismissing the wires that bind him. ¡°I can¡¯t though,¡± he answers as he lowers his head, ¡°My family¡­ they¡¯ll¡­¡± I place my hand over my face, pressing my fingers into my skull. For aeth¡¯s sake¡­ This useless¡­ ¡°Open it or I¡¯ll make sure you never see your family,¡± I bark. ¡°Now. Open. The. Jar.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he concedes as he stands up and places his hands on the jar. He twists the lid, removes it, and places the lid and jar back on the table. ¡°There,¡± he dismally states as he sits back down and places his head in his hands, muttering under his breath. I conjure wires and bind the elf to the chair once more. ¡°Ack,¡± he cries out, then exhales sharply. Then, I turn my attention to the open jar and see both Evetta and the undine still standing inside. Why aren¡¯t they flying out? I hover over to the opening and ask, ¡°What¡¯re you waiting for? It¡¯s time to leave.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Evetta states. I furrow my brows and bounce my attention from Evetta to the undine and back, before sternly inquiring, ¡°Why?¡± Evetta opens her mouth, but closes it, grips her dress with her hands, and looks down at the ground. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have wings.¡± she mutters disheartedly. I close my eyes, take a breath, and tilt my head. ¡°You don¡¯t¡­ have wings?¡± I ask. I open my eyes and look down at her, ¡°Did I hear that right?¡± She nods. I stare at her briefly, take a deep breath, and nod. Okay¡­ No more rules¡­ No more being nice¡­ Today, someone¡¯s going to die. I adjust the bags, exhale, and fly down to pick Evetta up. As I lift her up, I ask, ¡°Which one was it?¡± ¡°T-the man¡­ w-with black hair¡­¡± she murmurs. ¡°Beard? Really loud?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I look at the hand sticking through the wall of ice, then question, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Y-yeah,¡± she stutters as tears begin to fill her eyes. I look down at her. ¡°It hurt¡­¡± she mutters as a smile spreads across her face, ¡°B-but I¡¯m okay.¡± The tears are now rolling down her cheeks, and an angry chill runs through me. She buries her face into my chest and grabs my shirt, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I interject, pulling her closer to me, ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡± I look from Evetta to the undine. Red eyes¡­ So domination huh¡­ Might be a good idea to have some extra offensive power, but¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re staying, then stay, but if you¡¯re coming¡­ then I expect you to repay the favor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡± Evetta whines, ¡°She helped me when I was in pain.¡± ¡°Did she now?¡± I inquire as I scan the quiet undine. Her slender body and light skin are riddled with minor cuts on her arms and legs. Her round face houses red eyes, which have bags beneath them. Disheveled hair extends down past her shoulders while her bangs partially hide her face. Well, if she was going to do anything to Evetta, she would¡¯ve already done so¡­ And if she did help her, then depending on her skill, I could use her. ¡°If you did help, then you have my thanks,¡± I remark, ¡°and I would appreciate your continued assistance.¡± I pause and, as I look around at the jar I continue, ¡°For now, we should leave before the en¨­¨­fen break in.¡± The undine nods and manifests her wings. Her wings are identical in shape to Evetta¡¯s, having two large, upper wings with rounded tips, and two small, lower wings with similarly rounded tips. She¡¯s not an undine yet¡­ Still a sprite like Evetta. She must be pretty young then. Black envelopes a small portion of her wings, while the rest is a combination of blue and red. So she uses water and fire. Not the greatest for defense, but it¡¯ll have to do.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I say as I rise out of the jar. I glance back and see the blue-haired sprite still following. Need to watch her just in case. As I reach the ceiling, I turn and ask, ¡°Can you make a hole for us to get through?¡± The sprite nods, points her hands at the ceiling and, a moment later, a large torrent of water blasts from her hands. BOOSH! The force causes her to drift backwards slightly. Almost as quickly as it appeared, it vanishes. I frown in approval and nod. Not bad. I look at the cloudy sky through the hole, smile, and fly through it. We race away from the cabin as loud shouting echoes from beneath us. I peer back at the en¨­¨­fen. I¡¯ll be back to deal with you shortly. ¡°Revus,¡± Evetta murmurs, ¡°Thank y-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± I interrupt, ¡°I understand what you want to say, but I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Evetta hesitates, ¡°A-are you mad at me?¡± ¡°Mad? Yes,¡± I reply, glancing down at her inflamed eyes, ¡°At you, no.¡± ¡°Then¡­ the en¨­¨­fen?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mad doesn¡¯t even begin to describe how I feel about them. ¡°Then who?¡± ¡°I¡¯m mad at myself,¡± I state bluntly, ¡°My job isn¡¯t to rescue you. It¡¯s to protect you, and yet-¡± ¡°But that wasn¡¯t your fault!¡± Evetta bellows from my arms. ¡°Regardless of whether it was my fault or not, you got hurt,¡± I answer dejectedly, ¡°And that means that I failed.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I mutter looking down at her as we fly through the mountainous woodlands. ¡°You paid a heavy price because I wasn¡¯t there. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Evetta whines, then she puffs her cheeks and complains, ¡°You¡¯re being unfair.¡± I smile. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re safe.¡± I glance behind me and see that the sprite is still following us. Well, this should be far enough away from the en¨­¨­fen. I begin to descend. I head into the foliage of a large tree and land on a thick branch near its trunk. I lean forward to let Evetta down and, as she reaches the ground, the sprite lands next to me. I straighten my stance, turn to her, and inquire, ¡°You have a name?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be rude,¡± Evetta urges, ¡°I already told you-¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I cut in, looking at her, ¡°that was then, this is now.¡± I refocus on the blue-haired sprite, ¡°Are you going to answer, or just stay silent?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Fa-Faraine,¡± she quietly murmurs. A raine huh? ¡°Well Faraine,¡± I curtly retort, ¡°Is there anything that I should know about you?¡± ¡°Revus!¡± Evetta roars. I glare at Faraine as she shakes her head. I don¡¯t like it. She¡¯s hiding something and until I know, I can¡¯t leave her here with Evetta. ¡°Alright,¡± I sigh, turning away from the hesitant fairy. Using a combination of my right foot and my wings, I skip toward the trunk of the tree and place my hands against the coarse bark. A moment later, the wood shifts, opening into a hollow room. I head inside, hold out my hand, and release a light toward the ceiling. ¡°Evetta,¡± I say, motioning her to come to me with my head. I place both of our bags down against the wall. Evetta walks inside and asks, ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± I kneel down in front of her, placing my arms on her shoulders, and stare into her eyes. ¡°I need you to stay in here for a bit.¡± ¡°What? No!¡± Evetta argues, ¡°You can¡¯t be-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± I calmly interject, ¡°I need to go back and deal with the en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°No! You cant,¡± She shouts, ¡°You¡¯ve already lost a leg, and look at your wing. Plus your ear still hasn¡¯t finished healing yet.¡± Evetta pauses and breathes after her sudden protest. Silly girl. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure the en¨­¨­fen stop chasing us once and for all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to¡­ kill them?¡± she questions, her voice filled with worry. ¡°No, I won¡¯t kill them.¡± Evetta quickly crosses her arms. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you said something similar about the bes¨¡¨¡d. So¡­ how do I know you aren¡¯t lying about this?¡± Is she mad that I lied before? ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t fighting them-¡± Evetta spins around, faces me, points at my missing leg, and screams, ¡°Then what is that? What, you went out there and just let them attack you?¡± ¡°No, I-¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± Evetta cries, her voice trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get hurt¡­¡± She begins to sob as she turns away, her arms wrapped around herself. . ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be alone¡­¡± I see. I hop over to Evetta and wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± For lying to you and¡­ ¡°...for not understanding. As long as I¡¯m alive, I will always be here for you. I promise.¡± ¡°You will?¡± ¡°Have I ever lied to you?¡± Evetta looks at be dumbfoundedly. ¡°You just did though¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I smile and stare at her, ¡°Regardless of how far away or how long it takes. As long as I¡¯m alive, you¡¯ll never be alone. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Now, I need you to stay here,¡± I state, standing back up and turning toward the entrance, ¡°I¡¯m going to go deal with our giant friends and make sure they stop chasing us.¡± ¡°Please be safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be safe.¡± Evetta scowls at me, ¡°Then be safer.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Cheeky brat. ¡°Also, I¡¯m bringing Faraine with me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to test her skills,¡± I reply. And talk with her for a bit. I exit through the opening, turn around, and hold my arm out. ¡°One final thing. I¡¯m going to put up a barrier to prevent anything from getting in here. You¡¯ll be safe until we come back.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Evetta barks, looking up at me. Before she can react, thick crystal spires spread from the edges of the opening and merge together at the center. Evetta runs over to the crystal wall and starts banging on it. She lets out a muffled, ¡°Revus!¡± Please understand. I can¡¯t risk you getting hurt again. I turn to Faraine, frowning slightly, and say, ¡°Follow me.¡± She timidly nods and we both rise into the air. As we fly away from the tree, I hear Evetta scream from behind her clear enclosure, ¡°Revus!¡± I¡¯m sorry, but I also can¡¯t have you going out on your own. Not while you¡¯re wingless. Once we are far enough away to no longer hear Evetta¡¯s cries, I look at Faraine and say, ¡°You know who we are, right?¡± She quietly flies alongside me, not even turning to face me. Doesn¡¯t want to talk huh? I sigh, then bluntly state, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard, but the least you can do is answer my questions in return for rescuing you. Faraine glances at me. When our eyes meet, she immediately turns away, and stutters, ¡°O-okay.¡± ¡°Before that, let me make something clear,¡± I declare, ¡°I haven¡¯t fully explained to Evetta who her parents are, who she is, who I am, or what happened back at K¨¡¨¡lith.¡± ¡°Y-you h-haven¡¯t?¡± Faraine questions with a distraught voice, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Emotions aren¡¯t simple things.¡± Faraine, with her puffy eyes, turns toward me, ¡°Won¡¯t she find out eventually?¡± ¡°She will,¡± I sullenly answer. Faraine lowers her gaze, ¡°T-then¡­ Do you want me to keep,¡± she pauses for a moment, ¡°m-my mouth shut?¡± ¡°Ideally.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she mumbles. ¡°Thank you,¡± I breathe out, feeling some anxiety leave my body. ¡°Are they still looking for us?¡± ¡°Y-yes. Most p-people assume you¡¯re¡­ dead,¡± Faraine stammers, ¡°Some believe you¡¯ve been¡­ captured.¡± Captured? By the en¨­¨­fen? She fearfully continues, ¡°B-but¡­ but there are a few that are still searching¡­ for you.¡± Likely her siblings and Novaraine. ¡°And the status of K¨¡¨¡lith?¡± Faraine gulps and turns away. I furrow my brows and inquire, ¡°Did something happen?¡± She nods, and while looking away, mutters, ¡°It was destroyed.¡± ¡°What?¡± I bark in disbelief, ¡°How?¡± Faraine flinches, drifting away from me. ¡°Sorry,¡± I remark softly, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°A-about th-th-three years after you left,¡± Faraine trembles, ¡°it was¡­ raided by en¨­¨­fen. M-many were captured¡­ the r-r-rest of us escaped and set up a new sanctuary.¡± ¡°Damned en¨­¨­fen,¡± I growl, ¡°So they weren¡¯t just chasing us?¡± Damn. I sigh, ¡°Where¡¯s the new sanctuary?¡± She stares at me momentarily as if contemplating something. ¡°A f-few weeks south-west of K¨¡¨¡lith.¡± Damn. So our travel time just increased even further¡­ and with Evetta¡¯s wings gone¡­ I sigh once again, closing my eyes. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough about the others,¡± I say, opening my eyes and focusing on the young sprite, ¡°What¡¯re you hiding?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Faraine asks, turning to look at me, her face masked by her bangs. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised,¡± I declare, ¡°It¡¯s obvious from how you¡¯ve been acting.¡± ¡°N-no I-I-¡± ¡°Spit it out,¡± I urge, ¡°Is it me? Is it Evetta?¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± Faraine lowers her head and slows down, stopping in place and hovering in the air. I stop, turn to face Faraine, and fly closer to her. ¡°Well?¡± Faraine mumbles something too quiet for me to hear. I lean forward and remark, ¡°Louder.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a¡­ f-failed page candidate¡­ s-so¡­¡± I lean back, cross my arms, and ask, ¡°Her siblings?¡± Faraine shakes her head in denial. ¡°One of her cousins then?¡± Faraine nods. I see¡­ but she wasn¡¯t chosen? I look her up and down. The frail looking woman trembles as she looks down. Well, not much I can do about that but¡­ At least I¡¯ve gotten something out of her. ¡°Do you resent their decision?¡± ¡°M-maybe?¡± ¡°Do you plan on taking out your frustrations on Evetta?¡± ¡°No!¡± Faraine bellows, raising her head, ¡°I would never.¡± I widen my eyes at her sudden outburst. Well¡­ ¡°If you say so.¡± She doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯ll cause any issues other than possibly trying to get close to Evetta. ¡°Can you head back and watch over her until I return?¡± Faraine nods, turns around, and flies away. I turn around and continue flying back toward the en¨­¨­fen¡¯s cabin. Good to know she¡¯s not a threat. Just skittish¡­ and a little awkward¡­ I sigh. A failed candidate though. I¡¯d prefer Evetta meeting people in better conditions but it might be better to explain things from the beginning so she knows to be careful around others. After a brief excursion through the rough, sloped forest, I return to the breach in the natural landscape. Damn en¨­¨­fen. How dare you remove Evetta¡¯s wings. You will pay for your actions. Outside the building are three men, one with short brown hair, another with long blonde hair, and a third with black hair. The brown haired en¨­¨­fen is standing near the front door. The black haired en¨­¨­fen¡¯s arm remains frozen within the ice at the window. The en¨­¨­fen with long blonde hair is next to him trying to remove the ice. So, you got rid of the ice at the front door? Then the other three should be inside. I guess I should just capture them all, intimidate them a bit, and deliver a moderate punishment. Something that will leave a reminder, but doesn¡¯t inhibit them from making their journey home¡­ otherwise it could be argued that I indirectly killed them¡­ I sigh aloud. What ridiculous rules¡­ On the other hand, since I¡¯m not trying to stay hidden anymore, I can go a bit wild as long as I don¡¯t kill them¡­ I lean forward and dash down, stopping just behind both the blonde and black haired en¨­¨­fen. ¡°C-c-can¡¯t you break this any f-f-faster Ryul,¡± the black haired man stutters. ¡°Shut up,¡± Ryul barks, ¡°Would you rather I break your arm in the process?¡± ¡°F-fine, j-just hurry up.¡± Listening to them is going to give me a headache. I hold out my hands, pointing one at each man, and manifest wires that immediately coil around them both. Ryul falls to the ground while the black haired man remains upright, his arm still imprisoned in ice. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°The fairy!¡± the black haired man bellows, ¡°It¡¯s back.¡± As I rush around the corner of the building, I almost crash into the en¨­¨­fen with short, brown hair. ¡°What¡¯s all the- ah!¡± he shouts as I fly around him while binding him in wires. Good, that should be four. Two left. I speed into the building and see the female en¨­¨­fen with the brown ponytail trying to pry the wires off the elf who I bound to the chair earlier. The girl spins around and stumbles onto the ground. She crawls backward briefly, holds her hands in front of herself, and begs, ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t. I¡¯m begging you.¡± It¡¯s too late for that. If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for deciding to join this absurd hunt. I hold out my hands and bind the girl with the thin metal cord. ¡°Ah!¡± she cries as she falls on her side. ¡°What¡¯re you going to do to us?¡± Nothing yet. I fly into the only hallway in the building and there I see three doors, all of which are closed. Two on my left and one on my right. I fly close to the first door on my left, listening for any noise within. Aek. ¡°Shut up you damned bird.¡± A man whispers angrily. So you¡¯re in here. Well, let''s try and surprise him a bit. I close my eyes. Focus. I take a deep breath. Focus. I exhale. Focus. I open my eyes and begin to manipulate the light surrounding me. Good. I hold my breath. Now I just need to maintain it. I touch the door handle and, using the metal axiom, I turn it, forcing the door open just enough for me to fly through. Just a little more. ¡°Stay back,¡± an elderly voice croaks as the door opens. I fly inside and work my way toward the en¨­¨­fen¡¯s face. Looks like he truly can¡¯t see me. Good, once I have better control of this, it¡¯ll be helpful in many ways. I exhale, releasing my control of the light surrounding me. ¡°Ah!¡± the man screams as he stumbles backward. ¡°Why? I- I couldn¡¯t see¡­ but you¡­¡± I smile, hold out my hands and bind the man in the metal threads. I look at the bes¨¡¨¡d, but it recoils at the sight of me, its scorched body trembling in terror. Good. That makes six. Now¡­ I turn back toward the elderly man, hold my hands out, and begin creating water. Instantly, large amounts of liquid begin to flood the room, slowly filling it. ¡°W-what are you-¡± The elderly en¨­¨­fen says, eyes wide with fear. ¡°Wait, stop!¡± he yells as the water begins to rise. You¡¯ll be fine. I smile. I¡¯m just moving you. Nearly a minute later, I have enough water to fill the room. I guide it, use it to force the door open, and carry the man out into the hallway with it. As the water flows from the room and into the hallway, I direct it into the main room. Along the way, I use the water to grab the elf and the girl, forcing them all outside. I use the water to grab the remaining en¨­¨­fen and, when I get to the black haired man, release the ice that traps him and carry him toward the others. The en¨­¨­fen whimper and scream, clearly confused and scared about what is going to happen next. Now that I have them all. I line them up, each one sitting next to another, with the elf Rhys on one end, and the black haired human, Ivan, on the other. The brown haired man and woman follow Rhys, then the elderly man. Finally, next to Ivan is the other elf with long, blonde hair. ¡°Please, spare us,¡± the elderly man cries. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the woman sobs, ¡°Please let me go.¡± The other en¨­¨­fen are in a similar state. All of which beg for mercy or cry. All except Rhys, the elf I had open the jar earlier. Well, let¡¯s see how they like this¡­ I place my hands around my mouth and, by manipulating the air, magnify my voice, ¡°SILENCE!¡± I boom as I lower my hands and discharge lighting from them to land behind me. The resulting thunder rumbles through the land and, instantaneously, the en¨­¨­fen go quiet. I grin. Good. I return my hands to my mouth and continue, ¡°YOU PEOPLE HAVE MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE BY INJURING A FAIRY AND THUS¡­¡± I raise my arms over my hands and manifest six metal swords that I cover with brilliant light, ¡°YOU WILL RECEIVE PUNISHMENT.¡± Hold them there¡­ I lower my hands back to my mouth, ¡°THE MORE SEVERE ONES¡¯ CRIMES, THE MORE INTENSE THE PUNISHMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT REMOVED THE FAIRY¡¯S WINGS WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA SENTENCE.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s-¡± Ivan begins to speak. ¡°SILENCE!¡± I roar, immediately forcing the six blades to dive toward Ivan, each one piercing the ground around him. I remove the swords from the ground and raise them back into the air, each one hovering above a different en¨­¨­fen. ¡°NOW, LET US BEGIN.¡± Slowly, but don¡¯t lose control. Keep everything up. I begin to manipulate the wires around each en¨­¨­fen. The thin strings coil around their bodies and extend to their limbs. I use the wires to force them to their knees, then use their bindings to make each en¨­¨­fen place one of their hands on the ground in front of them. ¡°RETRIBUTION COMMENCE!¡± I drive the six, glowing blades down at the en¨­¨­fen. I have the swords cut the tips of Rhys and the two brown haired humans'' right index finger off. For the elderly man and the other elf, I have the swords impale the center of their hands. As for Ivan, the man who removed Evetta¡¯s wings, I drive the sword down onto his wrist, severing his right hand from his arm. There. Now he won¡¯t be able to use that vile hand ever again. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± The en¨­¨­fen scream in varying degrees of pain. I dismiss the swords and they all disappear into golden dust. Now for the last bit. I release the coils holding the en¨­¨­fen in place. They immediately reach for their injured limbs. ¡°LET THESE INJURIES BE A REMINDER TO YOU GOING FORWARD, AND AS A FINAL WARNING. IF ANY OF YOU HARM ANOTHER FAIRY IN THE FUTURE¡­¡± I hold my hands in front of me and conjure a pool of darkness on the ground. Slowly, I manipulate the dark-violet abyss to begin to consume the en¨­¨­fen. I return my hands to my mouth and boom, ¡°...NEXT TIME IT¡¯LL BE YOUR LIVES!¡± With the conclusion of my speech, I dismiss the darkness while simultaneously bending the light around me to appear invisible. The en¨­¨­fen all look around in awe, shock, and fear. While maintaining my invisibility, I fly as quickly as I can away from the cabin. Once I am far enough away I dismiss my illusion and look back at the en¨­¨­fen. Good, that should solve that problem¡­ and no one died. I smile. Time to go back. Chapter 13 - Kidnapped Rings cover the interior of the newly-formed, spherical cave, gradually growing in size until they merge with the soft, wooden walls. A bright light hovers close to the center of the ceiling, illuminating the cavity, and revealing an orange tint within the wood. A single archway acts as the only entrance and exit. I stand in the middle of the room and watch Revus. He takes a step with his right foot, then uses his wings to compensate for his missing left as he progresses toward the exit. Red liquid drips from his severed limb and, upon touching the ground, begins to disappear into golden dust. Stupid¡­ Idiot. Revus exits the wooden hole and, before I take a step forward, turns around. ¡°One final thing,¡± he states, holding out his arm, ¡°I¡¯m going to put up a barrier to prevent anything from getting in here.¡± A barrier? ¡°You¡¯ll be safe until we come back.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I blurt. As I take a step forward, large, yellow crystal pillars jut out from the edges of the doorless archway and rapidly converge in the center. You¡¯re locking me inside!? I run to the translucent wall and bang my fist against it. ¡°Revus!¡± I roar. He turns to Faraine, the blue-haired fairy, and says something. I can¡¯t hear. ¡°Revus!¡± I shout. Faraine nods and they both rise into the air, flying back in the direction of the en¨­¨­fen. ¡°Let me out!¡± I bellow, ¡°Revus¡­¡± I aggravatedly sigh, then mutter, ¡°Idiot.¡± I pound a fist against the yellow barrier, a jolt of pain shooting up my arm. ¡°Why¡¯d I have to get caught?¡± I lean forward and slam my head on the glassy obstacle. Ow¡­ I chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot.¡± I turn around, resting my back against the wall, and slide down until I am sitting on the floor. I curl into a ball and plant my face on my knees. Why¡¯d I let you leave? You dealt with the bes¨¡¨¡d, rescued me, and we escaped¡­ So why¡¯d I let you go back? I lift my head and prop it against the wall, my eyes focusing on the glowing orb near the ceiling. You got hurt because of me and now you''re going to hurt the en¨­¨­fen because of me¡­ I sigh and close my eyes. What am I supposed to do if you don''t come back? ¡°Revus,¡± I mumble under my breath, ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Suddenly my stomach growls and I place a hand over it. I look down at my stomach. Even after all that, and you want food¡­ I chuckle, look at the two bags resting along the left wall, stand up, and walk over to them. There should still be something in here. I dig through my bag and pull out a shriveled fruit with a leaf wrapped around it. I sit down, remove the green sheet, and begin to eat the dried, light-red berry. As I eat, I glance at the glassy obstacle in the archway. I know he¡¯s trying to keep me safe and all, but isn''t sealing off the exit a bit much¡­ I swallow, then sigh. No¡­ it makes sense. I couldn¡¯t do much before but now I can¡¯t do anything¡­ I wonder why my par- I shake my head. ¡­why would anyone bother protecting me? I continue to slowly nibble on the berry. I can¡¯t fly well. I can¡¯t grace my soul. I can speak Zoic but I still struggle with certain words¡­ What¡¯s so good about me that I need to be prot- I look down at the half eaten, withered fruit, and clench it tightly. No¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not good at anything that I¡¯m being protected. I stare at my food, then glance at my clothes. I turn to look at our bags, then shift my focus on the light inside the room, before staring back at the berry in my hands. Why¡­ My eyes start to water. ¡­everything in here is all because of Revus. I really wouldn¡¯t have any of this if not for him. I wouldn¡¯t have learned to fly, or even that I had wings, so getting food would¡¯ve been difficult. Even if I could get food, it wouldn¡¯t be as varied as it has been¡­ I wrap the half-eaten berry back into the leaf, and place it back into my bag. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make clothes or tools anywhere near as nice as this. I chuckle. If anything, I¡¯d be wearing leaves that I folded into makeshift clothes and using sticks¡­ I smile faintly. There¡¯s our house too. If not for Revus, I¡¯d have lived outside¡­ and during winter, I would¡¯ve probably frozen to death. I shake my head. No, I would¡¯ve died well before then. If not for Revus protecting me, time and again, I¡¯d have died long ago. Not only has he saved me and provided me with everything I¡¯ve needed, he¡¯s also taught me how to speak, read, write, fly¡­ I smile. ¡­and there¡¯s the animals, seasons, and moons too. I turn toward the crystal wall, stand up, and walk over to it. I place my hand against the smooth spires and look through it at the tinted yellow sky. All those things, and he¡¯s still doing stuff for me, but¡­ He¡¯s putting himself in danger. I place my hand against my chin and look at the branch beyond the translucent barrier. Actually, even before¡­ Whenever he was gathering food, hunting animals, or dealing with the en¨­¨­fen, he¡¯s always been putting himself in danger¡­ but¡­ Would someone normally go through all this just because it¡¯s their job¡­ I can understand an orphan wanting to repay someone for taking them in but, this seems excessive. I look back up at the sky. Revus¡­ What are you hiding from me? Hang on¡­ is that? A dark speck appears from above some trees in the distance. Revus. He¡¯s back already? But what about dealing with the en¨­¨­fen? I pout, pause for a moment, and blink several times. Am I¡­ disappointed? No, that can¡¯t be. I mean, I used to be one too, but¡­ The painful memories of the en¨­¨­fen tearing my wings off flash through my mind as my heart rate increases. ¡­they did such cruel things. And for what¡­ I clench my teeth and tighten my fists. Maybe I do want something to happen to them. I turn around, resting my back against the crystal wall, and slide down it until I am once again sitting on the floor. Well, now that he¡¯s back, we¡¯ll be able to leave. ¡°Um¡­ Mi¡­ La¡­Excuse me,¡± Faraine¡¯s soft, distorted voice rings out from beyond the wall. I spin around and see her timidly standing in front of the crystal barrier. It¡¯s Faraine, but¡­ I glance around, my eyes darting to the sky as I quickly scan her surroundings. ¡°Where¡¯s Revus?¡± ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± Faraine turns away for a moment, ¡°He went to¡­ punish the en¨­¨­fen.¡± I place my hand on my chest and sigh. He¡¯s okay and¡­ I pause, smiling bleakly. I guess I did want Revus to do something to the en¨­¨­fen¡­ ¡°I thought you were going to help him?¡± I inquire. ¡°He¡­ thought it might be better to keep someone here to¡­¡± Faraine pauses, ¡°keep you company.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± I utter. More like make sure I don¡¯t get into more trouble. I sigh. But, with how things have been going recently, I guess I can¡¯t blame him¡­ I turn around and lean against the smooth crystal. ¡°Hey Faraine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you think Revus is going to kill the en¨­¨­fen?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Faraine stays quiet for a bit before answering, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to go that far.¡± ¡°Would it be wrong if I wanted him to hurt them?¡± Faraine does not reply as I sit there waiting for her response. ¡°Faraine?¡± I ask, turning my head. She is standing in front of the crystal wall, left hand clasped over her right elbow while she is looking at the ground. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine answers, shaking her head. She takes a deep breath, ¡°It isn¡¯t wrong¡­ for you to want to hurt the en¨­¨­fen, especially after what they did to you.¡± Faraine¡¯s eyes tremble as her lips quiver. ¡°But¡­ all s¨©¨©rf¨­¨­n should avoid harming the en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I exhale as I turn back around and rest my back on the wall. So it is wrong for me to want to hurt them back¡­ I sigh as a knot forms in my stomach. ¡°Hey Faraine, what¡¯s a¡­ syrfone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pronounced s¨©¨©r-f¨­¨­n,¡± Faraine corrects. I chuckle, ¡°You sound like Revus.¡± My faint smile shifts into a frown. Faraine sighs, ¡°En¨­¨­fen refer to people that live within the cardinal realms, while s¨©¨©rf¨­¨­n refer to the people that live within the spectral realm.¡± ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± So, syrfone shouldn¡¯t hurt en¨­¨­fen. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Why not what?¡± Faraine questions. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t syrfone harm en¨­¨­fen?¡± I ask. ¡°Si¡­ Revus¡­ hasn¡¯t told you that yet?¡± Si? ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°Is it something important.¡± ¡°I think it might be better¡­¡± Faraine pauses, ¡°¡­to wait until he explains it to you.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s another thing Revus doesn¡¯t want to tell me,¡± I grumble, ¡°Figures.¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­ I¡¯m sure he has his reasons for-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he does,¡± I interject, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t make it any less annoying.¡± I sit there for a moment before continuing, ¡°Do you¡­ know about the things that Revus is keeping hidden from me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Faraine hesitates, ¡°I think I know some of them.¡± ¡°Can you tell me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± she sighs, ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I shout, spinning around and placing my hands against the translucent barrier. Faraine is biting her lower lip as she looks down on me with her bang-covered eyes. ¡°Please, I just¡­ I want to know what¡¯s going on¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­¡± Faraine looks away from me, ¡°It¡¯s not my place to say. After all, I¡¯m¡­ nevermind.¡± I clench my fists and grit my teeth. Why? My vision gets blurry. Why? Tears roll down my cheeks and drip from my chin. Am I not supposed to know? Am I so useless that it¡¯s better for them to not tell me? Should I just¡­ No, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be able to do anything in my current state¡­ Maybe it¡¯d be better if I¡­ If I¡­ I lay down on the wooden floor and sob for several minutes. ¡°Faraine,¡± I whimper. ¡°Yeah?¡± she hoarsely replies. ¡°Is there anything that I can do?¡± ¡°Um¡­ What do you mean?¡± Faraine inquires. ¡°I want¡­ to help Revus.¡± I state, ¡°I want to know what¡¯s going on and I don¡¯t want to be useless anymore.¡± I wait for a response but, after hearing nothing I continue, ¡°I don¡¯t want to rely on Revus for everything, but now that my wings are gone, things are just going to get harder for him¡­¡± ¡°So¡­ you want to lighten his burden?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well, that can be a variety of things¡­¡± Faraine trails off. ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Well¡­ not putting yourself in danger would lighten his burden.¡± I feel my body heat up. ¡°Yeah,¡± I pout, ¡°Just remain useless. Stay trapped in here. And don¡¯t do anything.¡± I grumble, ¡°That¡¯ll definitely help Revus, but that¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Not what you want?¡± Faraine asks, ¡°Then, do you want to help him fight?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I nod, ¡°I feel-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you should be worrying about,¡± Faraine interrupts, ¡°Fairies shouldn¡¯t be fighting in the first place¡­¡± she pauses. ¡°We have other responsibilities¡­ that we should focus on.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I ask. ¡°Managing the elements within the spectral realm,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°That¡­ is our foremost duty.¡± ¡°The spectral realm,¡± I scoff, ¡°that¡¯s not going to help Revus.¡± ¡°No but¡­¡± Faraine goes quiet for a moment, ¡°If you truly want to help Revus, then you should focus on healing your wings.¡± ¡°In other words, do nothing,¡± I bitterly bark, ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not doing nothing,¡± Faraine retorts aggressively, ¡°Channeling your sp¨©¨©r to your wings will speed up their recovery.¡± She continues, ¡°And if it helps Revus, then does it matter in the end?¡± I lean my cheek against the ground and whimper, ¡°I guess not, but it doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m doing anything.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Evetta¡­ You¡¯ve already said it yourself,¡± Faraine remarks, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to do much with your wings in their current state.¡± She takes a breath and continues, ¡°Don¡¯t mix up your priorities. Try to get better first, then you can try to help Revus in other ways.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I mutter, ¡°but, isn¡¯t there anything I can do right now to help him?¡± ¡°You could smile more,¡± Faraine softly states. ¡°Smile?¡± I furrow my brows and turn toward Faraine to ask, ¡°What¡­¡± She is smiling faintly. I raise one eyebrow, ¡°Does that really work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°but it¡¯s something that my aunt always says.¡± ¡°And what would this aunt of yours have me do right now?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Faraine ponders, tapping her index finger against her chin, ¡°Well, she¡¯d probably tell you to rest up, and to not run shoulder-first into any more walls.¡± I chuckle and smile, roll over onto my back, and stare up at the ceiling. ¡°Thanks for talking with me¡­¡± I say before a yawn escapes my mouth, ¡°I¡¯m feeling¡­ a little better¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ glad I could help,¡± Faraine murmurs. I close my eyes and exhale. An assortment of emotions calming down in me. A chill runs through my body and I curl up, trying to dissipate the cold. Please, come back safely Revus¡­ If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ----- ¡°Uh¡­¡± I yawn as I roll onto my side and pull my blanket closer to my face. Much better. I lay there for a moment, then force my eyes open and look at the fur blanket covering me. My bag is also at my side. When did? I scan the room and notice that the crystal barrier is no longer blocking the doorway. It¡¯s gone, then¡­ Beyond the entrance, the sky is now painted by dark, star-filled, night. Hushed whispers bitterly echo into the room. Their tones are sharp and cold, yet seem filled with sorrow. I look around once more but do not see anyone else in the room with me. Are they outside? I quietly remove the blanket covering me, stand up, and coast along the wall toward the doorway, their words steadily becoming more distinct. I stop next to the opening and lean my back against the wall. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to talk about this,¡± Revus hisses. I tilt my head. Talk about what? ¡°Why not?¡± Faraine argues, a deep yearning present in her voice, ¡°Do you have any idea how I felt earlier? ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern-¡± ¡°None of your concern,¡± Faraine cuts in, ¡°She seemed¡­ devastated¡­ when I told her that it wasn¡¯t my place to tell her.¡± They¡¯re talking about me? A cold sweat begins to form as my heart rate increases. ¡°You need to tell her-¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Revus hushedly roars. You¡­ can¡¯t? A moment of silence washes over the area. The audible sounds of bugs chirp through the mountainous woodland. A soft whistle of wind rustles the leaves. I turn my head and look at the empty doorway. Why aren¡¯t they saying anything? I clench my clammy fists. Did they hear me? I gulp. Should I go out there or wait here? What if- Revus sighs, then whispers quietly, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ scared.¡± He¡¯s scared? Faraine inquires, ¡°Scared? Of what?¡± Perfect question. ¡°Of what she¡¯ll think of me,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°Anger, disappointment, disgust.¡± What? Why would I- ¡°What if she-¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, that¡¯s none of my concern,¡± Faraine interrupts. ¡°Tch.¡± Did he just? Faraine bluntly states, ¡°She needs to know.¡± Revus exhales heavily, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll find out once we get to Folian anyway,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for her to know before we get there?¡± ¡°Yeah, it would,¡± Revus answers dismally, ¡°I just¡­ I need some time.¡± Time? Revus, you¡­ ¡°Haven¡¯t you had plenty of time?¡± I smile as the words flow into my ears. Another great question Fariane. ¡°I need to figure out¡­¡± Revus pauses for a moment, ¡°how I¡¯m going to tell her.¡± Is it that big of a deal? Faraine sighs, ¡°Please, don¡¯t take too long. She seems pretty upset about being left in the dark.¡± I nod lightly. ¡°I¡­ I know,¡± Revus responds sullenly. ¡°I would¡¯ve told her long ago if she hated me, but now¡­¡± Why would hating you change anything? ¡°You could just answer her questions honestly, I doubt she¡¯ll feel any differently,¡± Faraine comments, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to lay down. Today¡¯s been¡­¡± Not good! I quickly dart back toward my blanket, trying to be as quiet as I can. I lay down, grab my blanket, and pull it over me, acting like I have been asleep the entire time. Please just go lay down. ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine calls out faintly. Am I busted? ¡°Did you say something?¡± Revus replies. ¡°Ah, no,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°Good night.¡± Am I safe? Does she know? I feel sweat build up under my arms. Footsteps approach for a bit and stop next to me. Faint breathing tickles my ear. ¡°I won¡¯t tell Revus, but,¡± Faraine whispers almost too quietly for me to hear, ¡°did you hear our talk?¡± I roll over to face her, slide the blanket down until just my eyes are poking out from it, and nod, ¡°Mhm.¡± Faraine is crouched down next to me and she smiles, her deep red eyes, masked behind her blue bangs. She brushes her bangs behind her ear allowing me to wholly see her clear, warm eyes. ¡°I¡­ shouldn¡¯t be getting involved, but,¡± Faraine says, ¡°I¡­ think you should go talk to him.¡± I lower the blanket a bit more, nod, and respond, ¡°Okay.¡± I pull the blanket off me and lay it at my side. I sit up, face Faraine, and, as I stand up, mutter, ¡°Thanks for¡­¡± I tilt my head and pause. What am I thanking her for? Faraine chuckles lightly, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I understand¡­ and you¡¯re welcome.¡± I look from Faraine to the doorway and walk over to it. I stop before the archway and look back at the silent fairy. She nods. I gulp. Here goes. I peek through the exit and see Revus sitting on a lump of wood, a faint campfire quietly crackling to his right. Opposite the campfire, his bag rests atop a branch. He is quietly staring at the night sky, his back to me. I tilt my head. He seems¡­ sad. I walk out toward him and stop just before reaching his seated form. Now that I am next to him I can tell that he is staring at the glowing, yellow moon. As I walk to his side, I murmur, ¡°The moon is pretty.¡± Revus snaps his head toward me, and I glance down at him, our eyes meeting. He quickly looks down to his lower-right, then faces the moon once more. He sighs lightly, then solemnly replies, ¡°Yeah. It is¡­¡± ¡°Um,¡± I fidget with my fingers, ¡°What did you say its name was?¡± Urgh. What am I even saying? Just ask him. I can do this. ¡°Miracule. The fourth moon of the year and the moon of light.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I mutter, ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Revus asks, his gaze still directed at the moon. ¡°Um, I¡¯m feeling alright,¡± I state, lowering my head, ¡°but uh¡­¡± ¡°Did you overhear Faraine and I?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod, ¡°I wanted to ask¡­¡± Where do I start? ¡°Do you¡­ uh¡­ want me to hate you?¡± Revus laughs lightly and lowers his head. A moment later, he lifts it, turns to look at me, and smiles, ¡°Yes and no.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate?¡± I inquire, furrowing my brow. ¡°Sure¡­¡± Revus looks straight up at the sky, takes a deep breath, and exhales. He looks at me and clarifies, ¡°It would make explaining everything to you easier if you already hated me, but¡­¡± He turns away from me once again. ¡°Revus¡­¡± ¡°But,¡± he continues, facing me again, ¡°After getting to know you, and knowing that the one I¡¯m supposed to protect is such a helpless little girl-¡± ¡°Hey,¡± I bark, shoving him lightly. He laughs, ¡°With you being you, I¡¯d like it if you didn¡¯t hate me.¡± Okay, here goes¡­ I take a deep breath, and ask, ¡°Why do you think I¡¯d hate you?¡± Revus returns his gaze to the moon and answers, ¡°Because I¡¯m not a good person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I argue, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I¡¯d have died a long time ago. I wouldn¡¯t have been living as nicely or safely if you weren¡¯t there, so¡­¡± Revus looks up at me, smiling drearily. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s nice to hear it, even if it¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°But-¡± Revus lifts his hand and places it on my head, ¡°I¡¯m only a good person to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± He pulls his hand from my head, looks away from me, shaking his head, and whimpers, ¡°Aeth, why¡¯s it so hard talking about this. I¡¯ve been contemplating how to tell you for years now¡­¡± He sighs, ¡±But now that you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Revus,¡± I waver, ¡°What¡­ No, is something wrong with you¡­ or me?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong with you,¡± Revus clearly states, placing his hands on his face, ¡°It¡¯s what I am.¡± I turn my head slightly, still keeping me eyes on him, and question, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a fairy, like me, and Faraine, and-¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Revus cuts in, his voice shaking, ¡°and no.¡± ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯re just like-¡± Suddenly, Revus stands up and manifests his wings. Golden glitter rains down from his radiant, wholly-black wings. ¡°I¡¯m different!¡± he roars ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± he chokes on his voice, instantly going silent. But¡­ My eyes bounce from his face to his wings. Wait¡­ I glance back at where my wings would be. Right, but¡­ I face Revus and ask, ¡°Does it have to do with the color of your wings?¡± Revus plops back down onto the wooden seat, his wings disappearing into golden dust. I watch each speck as they slowly disappear, one after another fading into the darkness. ¡°Yeah.¡± he responds dully. ¡°But what does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Remember when we talked about wings and I said that I didn¡¯t have a past life?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I answer, tilting my head as I watch him. ¡°Do you also remember what I said about black and white on a fairy¡¯s wings?¡± Yeah,¡± I nod, ¡°You said that all fairies have¡­ both¡­ oh.¡± Revus turns to look at me, and smiles. ¡°Pretty sad, isn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°But if you aren¡¯t a fairy,¡± I hurriedly assert, ¡°then what are you?¡± Revus looks back up at the moons and states, ¡°The simple answer is I¡¯m a fairy, but unlike other fairies, I wasn¡¯t reborn.¡± Ok. Now I¡¯m confused. ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°Incredibly,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°You see, a fairy like me, who isn¡¯t reborn, doesn¡¯t have parents.¡± ¡°Yeah, you said you were an orphan before.¡± ¡°I did say that, but what I meant by I didn¡¯t have parents wasn¡¯t that my parents abandoned me, or that they died, or anything like that,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°I wasn¡¯t born from parents, I have no family, no relation to any other fairy that exists, none, no one.¡± ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re not alone,¡± I solemnly reply, ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s only you,¡± Revus laments, ¡°But otherwise, I¡¯m alone. I have nobody, no one I can turn to, no one I can rely on.¡± My eyes fill with tears immediately. He¡¯s like me. The old me. The pain I feel at hearing those words is something I can clearly remember from my past life. I kneel down in front of Revus and grab his hand. He looks me directly in my tear-filled eyes as I lightly sob, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Revus. I want to be someone you can rely on¡­ because¡­ you¡¯ve done so much for me, but all I¡¯ve done is put you in danger and¡­¡± I look at where his left leg should be, ¡°Gotten you hurt.¡± I look back at him, ¡°I know I can¡¯t do much right now, but I¡¯m trying so¡­ could you¡­¡± I go quiet as I look down. ¡°It¡¯s not the same¡­¡± Revus utters as he pulls his hand away from mine, ¡°We aren¡¯t family.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think you have to be related to be family¡­¡± I mutter, ¡°The person who loved me the most wasn¡¯t related to me.¡± ¡°Even so,¡± Revus argues, ¡°You should be the one to rely on me, not the other way around.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± I murmur, ¡°When you do need someone to rely on, would you consider me?¡± ¡°Maybe one day¡­¡± Revus mumbles, ¡°But none of that changes who I am, or the fact that I have no one who can truly understand me.¡± ¡°What about my parents, or Novaraine?¡± I state, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same!¡± Revus bellows, then calmly explains, ¡°They¡¯re not my parents. They¡¯re not related to me. They could never know what it¡¯s like to live like I¡¯ve had to.¡± I stand up and hug Revus tightly. He raises his hand to lightly grasp mine. After a few seconds, I pull away and ask, ¡°Is there anything I can do to make this feeling go away?¡± He smiles bleakly, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ think there is¡­ but thank you for trying.¡± I smile at him and I lean my head on his shoulder. After a few moments of silence I hesitantly ask, ¡°Revus, if- If you don¡¯t have parents¡­ then how were you born?¡± Revus leans his head back, looking up at the stars, and responds, ¡°Sir Marth explained to me that I was born from the world.¡± ¡°The world?¡± I murmur looking up at the twinkling stars. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he says, ¡°He told me that it¡¯s believed that black fairies are born this way whenever the world wants something.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± I inquire, ¡°Like, the world wants you to do something for it?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Revus bluntly replies, ¡°According to your father, black fairies are born with no connection to anyone or anything to emphasize the importance of their purpose.¡± A purpose. So something like a job? But¡­ ¡°Right, so you,¡± I tilt my head, ¡°also have a purpose?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Revus huffs, nodding his head, ¡°It¡¯s simple and straightforward, and yet I¡¯ve already failed a couple of times.¡± Then it is¡­ ¡°Well,¡± I nudge his arm, ¡°don¡¯t keep me in the dark.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Revus asks looking up at me, ¡°Or do you want me to say it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know,¡± I murmur, locking my eyes with his, ¡°but could you tell me?¡± ¡°The only thing that matters to me. My entire reason for living,¡± Revus smiles at me, his yellow eyes glowing brightly, ¡°My purpose is¡­ to protect Lady Vestele¡¯s fourth child. In other words, to protect you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± I open my mouth, leaving it agape for a moment, ¡°How does that make you a horrible person?¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°Because regardless of what happens to others. Whether that means abandoning your loved ones, sacrificing children, waging wars, or ending the world,¡± he smiles slightly, ¡°Nothing will stop me from keeping you safe. Even if I have to become evil itself.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± I boldly claim. ¡°I hope for both our sakes that you¡¯re right,¡± Revus opens his arms, wraps them around me, and hugs me tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping this from you, and I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for everything I¡¯ve done, and whatever I do in the future,¡± he apologizes distraughtly, his voice cracking. Tears fill my eyes again as I tightly hug him back, and I sob, ¡°I won¡¯t let you become a horrible person, and as long as I¡¯m here, you aren¡¯t alone, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Revus whimpers, ¡°So, please, from now on, stay out of danger as much as possible. Please, if something happens to you, I won¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I promise,¡± I weep, squeezing him tighter. I stand there hugging Revus for what feels like several minutes until the tears finally stop flooding from my eyes, and my emotions settle. Revus lets go of me, places his hands on both sides of my head, leans his forehead against mine, and locks eyes with me. His eyes are watery and look like tears could rain down from them at any moment. Is he going to cry? ¡°I will lie to you¡­ and do terrible things in the future¡­ I will make decisions that make you hate me. I promise you these will happen¡­ but I will keep you safe.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I purse my lips, ¡°Thank you.¡± Revus starts to stand up and kisses my forehead. My body heats up as I look away, placing my fingers on my forehead. Did he just? I glance back and watch as he walks around the campfire toward his bag. ¡°It¡¯s a little late,¡± Revus asks, his voice clear, as if nothing had happened, ¡°but are you hungry?¡± Is that it? I look up at him, blink a couple of times, glance down at my stomach, and answer, ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± Revus holds his hands over the small fire. Steadily the flame¡¯s vigor grows and before long, it is raging. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a couple of leaf-wrapped cubes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how long you were going to sleep, so I figured it would be better to wait for you,¡± he cheerily says. I bitterly smile, ¡°Um, yeah¡­¡± I get up from the ground, return to my seat, and stare at the popping fire. I¡¯m glad that we talked, even if it did get a little emotional. I glance at his back. And he thought I¡¯d¡­ ¡°Um¡­,¡± I examine Revus and as he begins to cut into the ingredients. ¡°I won¡¯t hate you because of your purpose, but why did you think I¡¯d hate you?¡± Revus pauses mid cut, chuckles, shakes his head, and, as he resumes cutting, answers. ¡°I thought you¡¯d hate me because of what I¡¯ve already done.¡± I sigh, lower my head, and scratch the back of it. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hate you because I got captured, after all, that was my fault.¡± Revus glances back at me and faintly smiles for a moment. ¡°And I won¡¯t hate you because you hurt the en¨­¨­fen either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not referring to today,¡± Revus bluntly remarks. ¡°Then¡­¡± I tap my chin with my finger, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t today¡­ Was it seeing me naked?¡± Revus stops, looks over at me dumbfoundedly for a moment, and quietly returns to preparing the meal. My body heats up as I feel my face flush. ¡°At least say something.¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t it either. No, it was prior to you being born.¡± ¡°Before I was born?¡± I murmur under my breath, ¡°Something with my parents? The spectral realm? K¨¡¨¡li-¡± My gaze locks onto Revus and I blurt, ¡°Something happened at K¨¡¨¡lith, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, something happened alright,¡± Revus bemoans, ¡°Depending on how you look at it, one could say I ran away.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I tilt my head, ¡°you ran away? Why would you-¡± Revus smiles, ¡°It sounds like most people don¡¯t see it that way though.¡± I hesitate to speak. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± He turns toward the fire, placing a pot over it, and replies, ¡°You really want me to say it?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to know what happened.¡± ¡°You have no idea how jealous I am,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°about being allowed to want something.¡± I frown and look away, an aching pain piercing my chest. Revus¡­ I return my attention to him and say, ¡°Would you please tell me what happened?¡± Revus turns around, holds his hand out over the ground, and the bark floor swells up until there is a second seat-like bump near the campfire. He sits down, faces me, and says, ¡°I kidnapped you.¡± I close my eyes, and turn my head slightly. He didn¡¯t say what I think he said, did he? ¡°Can you¡­ repeat that?¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus firmly conveys as I open my eyes and face him, ¡°I kidnapped you from K¨¡¨¡lith. I took you away from your family. From your siblings and cousins. Away from potential friends, and away from those that were looking forward to meeting you.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± I mutter, my mouth agape, as I place my hand on my forehead. I look at him in disbelief, ¡°Y-you¡­ you wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Revus bites his lower lip as I plead, ¡°Y-you¡¯re joking, right?¡± He lowers his head and turns away from me. ¡°Revus!¡± I shout as I bolt off of my seat. I rush around the fire, grab his clothes, and glare at him, tears blurring my vision. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re joking. Revus, tell me you¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s true,¡± Revus whimpers. ¡°Why?¡± I whisper, then, while shaking his clothes, shout, ¡°Why!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave, alright!¡± Revus bellows, matching my gaze, ¡°I would¡¯ve preferred staying. Watching you grow up happy around your siblings was something I¡­ something I wanted¡­¡± He goes quiet. I let go of him and drop to my knees. ¡°Then why¡¯d you do it?¡± I glare up at him and yell, ¡°If you wanted to stay then why leave!¡± ¡°Because what I want doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Revus shouts, pointing at me, ¡°I exist only to protect you!¡± He stops pointing and swings his arm in front of me, ¡°Not to have wants or desires!¡± He closes his eyes, takes a breath, and, after a brief moment, glumly continues, ¡°Dreams¡­ wishes¡­ wants¡­ I¡¯m not allowed to have those.¡± ¡°Revus,¡± I tremble. I slowly crawl forward, clinging to his clothes, and drive myself to my feet. I wrap my arms around him once again. He returns my embrace. I feel something wet hit my face and I look up at him. My eyes widen in shock on seeing his tear-soaked face. Before I can say anything, he sobs, ¡°K¨¡¨¡lith was attacked. I-I-I was scared of what would happen to you, s-so I took your bud, and fled.¡± I¡¯ve never seen him like this. ¡°Nova found me and helped me get out, but we were ambushed before I could escape, and Nova¡­ she¡­¡± ¡°Revus¡­¡± ¡°She told me to keep you safe as she protected me from the attack,¡± he weeps, ¡°The last thing I saw was her getting pierced through the chest and head.¡± My eyes widen again. Novaraine¡­ she¡­ Revus snivels, then lifelessly continues, ¡°Everything after that was a blur. All I know is I flew, and flew, and kept flying, until we ended up out here.¡± I collapse into Revus¡¯ chest, rivers running down my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Revus freezes as he holds his trembling arms around me, but does not hug me. He chuckles lightly, his voice cracking, ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± ¡°Even back then, you gave up what little you had to protect me.¡± Revus hugs me, resting his chin on my shoulder, and weeps into my ear, ¡°You can¡¯t apologize. This is the part where you¡¯re supposed to hate me.¡± ¡°I told you¡­ I won¡¯t hate you¡­¡± I pull myself away from him and look him in the eyes. His yellow eyes are now bloodshot, and his handsome face is a mess with tears and a little snot. ¡°Because I¡¯m thankful¡­ that you¡¯re here with me¡­ so stop thinking I¡¯ll hate you. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Revus smiles, lets go of me, and says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not telling you all this sooner, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I reply, ¡°I think I understand why you waited.¡± ¡°Gah,¡± Revus groans while wiping his eyes, ¡°I was hoping you didn¡¯t have to see me like this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with crying?¡± I tease. ¡°Nothings wrong with it,¡± Revus answers, ¡°but I don¡¯t like other people seeing me cry.¡± I smile, ¡°Too bad then, after all, we¡¯re stuck with one another, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Revus scoffs, ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting you to make me feel better today.¡± I laugh and watch Revus as he calms down. We sit there quietly as Revus begins to monitor our meal. After a couple of minutes, he removes the pot, and pours its contents into two bowls. He walks over, hands me one, and takes the other to his seat. ¡°Thanks.¡± Revus hesitantly replies, ¡°Sure¡­¡± I stare at the steaming stew in my hands and bite my lips. ¡°Um¡­¡± I look up at Revus, ¡°You said that your purpose¡­ is to protect me?¡± Revus removes the spoon from his mouth, swallows his food, and remarks, ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Do you¡­¡± I pause, ¡°Do you know why I need to be protected?¡± Revus tilts his head and stares at me. Does he- ¡°Sorry,¡± he replies as he shrugs his shoulders, ¡°All I know is that I have to protect you.¡± ¡°But why!¡± I bellow, tightly gripping the bowl, my frustration growing. I see Revus¡¯ shocked face and utter, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Revus states before putting another spoonful of food in his mouth. I take a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s just, I¡¯m not good at anything,¡± I claim, ¡°I can¡¯t grace my soul. I struggle to keep up with what you teach me. And now, I can¡¯t even fly.¡± ¡°Evetta-¡± ¡°So why protect me?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s what I was born to do,¡± Revus clearly says, ¡°and because that¡¯s what the world wants.¡± ¡°The world¡­¡± I whimper, ¡°But there¡¯s nothing great about me¡­¡± ¡°Sir Marth said that each black fairy has somehow changed the world, for better or worse,¡± Revus pauses and points his finger at me, ¡°So, if I¡¯m going to change the world by protecting you,¡± he smiles, ¡°then I¡¯m looking forward to what you¡¯ll do in the future.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s going to bother you,¡± Revus declares, ¡°but you should just do whatever you want. ¡°Right,¡± I mutter, looking down at my stew. ¡°If your father¡¯s right, and the world believes you¡¯ll do something one day,¡± Revus explains, ¡°then it¡¯ll somehow be connected to you, either now, or in the future.¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± What am I supposed to do then? Revus sighs, ¡°This is part of the reason I didn¡¯t want to tell you everything¡­¡± He stops for a moment, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter right now. Focus on what¡¯s in front of you first.¡± I glance at him, then back to my bowl of stew. ¡°Right.¡± I look at him again, tilting my head. ¡°How do you know you have to protect me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°How do you know?¡± I repeat, ¡°Is it like being hungry?¡± ¡°Ah, I see what you¡¯re asking,¡± Revus states, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve never really thought about it. Hmmm¡­¡± he ponders for a bit, ¡°I guess you could call it a feeling, but I think it might be more like¡­ a subconscious necessity. Like something¡¯s engraved in me, telling me to protect you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ I don¡¯t know, weird?¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°Is breathing weird? Or blinking?¡± ¡°No, but-¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of how it feels for me,¡± Revus explains, ¡°It feels¡­ natural.¡± ¡°It still sounds weird though.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you on that,¡± Revus agrees, ¡°but for now, you should focus on your dinner before it gets cold. We¡¯ll figure everything else out later.¡± I yawn deeply. ¡°Thanks¡­ for everything.¡± I¡¯ll find some way to make it up to you. Chapter 14 - Fears, Friends, and Family Black emptiness extends in every direction. Cold, stale air fills the abyss and wraps around my upper body. Slightly cold liquid covers my feet up to my ankles. The combination sends cold shivers into my body through my limbs. Where am I and why¡¯s it so cold in here? I frantically look around for any light but do not find any. There¡¯s got to be something- Splash. The sound of someone stepping through water echoes throughout the dark void. Where? I spin around looking for the origin of the sound. Splash. There it is again, but where? Splash. The footsteps grow steadily louder as if someone is approaching. ¡°Hello!¡± I holler, ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Splash. Splash. The steps continue for a moment but suddenly stop. I examine the nothingness surrounding me, searching for the source of the steps. Wait, is that? A small light appears in the distance. Finally, a way out of here. Splash. I take a step forward and feel a heaviness on my feet as I try to move. Why¡¯s there so much water here? Steadily, I fight through the heavy liquid. What is that? I tilt my head as something dark within the light becomes more visible. A person? A figure of a tall person with a well-built body is standing lifelessly in the middle of an archway filled with light. What are they- Instantly, I stop as I notice that the person is missing their left leg. ¡°Revus¡­¡± I mutter as a shiver crawls up my spine, ¡°W-where are we?¡± I wrap my arms around one another and try to warm myself as I glance around the room. Splash. I continue toward him, returning my focus to the dark silhouette standing within the light. Splash. ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡± Revus answers hoarsely. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just wait for me to return?¡± His grating words reverberate through the darkness. ¡°Revus, I-I don¡¯t understand?¡± I ask, my heart rate increasing slightly. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened to me,¡± he states, his tone growing louder while his voice fills with anger, ¡°It¡¯s your fault! I lost my leg because of you! ¡°No,¡± I whisper, shaking my head as I stop moving, ¡°No, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean-¡± Splash. Revus takes a step toward me, his single leg trudging through the rough water. ¡°If you weren¡¯t born, I wouldn¡¯t have to go through this!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true¡­ you said¡­¡± ¡°Did I ever say I like getting hurt?¡± Revus argues, his haphazard walking is only separated by flying to compensate for his missing leg. Splash. ¡°You think I like being like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Answer me!¡± ¡°No!¡± I cry, tears streaming down my face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡­¡± Splash. Revus turns around and starts heading back toward the light filled archway. ¡°Where are you going?¡± He remains silent as he continues walking forward. Splash. ¡°Revus!¡± I start running after him. Splash, splash, splash. My legs are bogged down by the thick mire beneath me. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you were abandoned,¡± Revus remarks coldly, ¡°Me¡­ and your family, we¡¯re all better off without you.¡± ¡°No,¡± I shout. Splash, splash. I chase after him. ¡°You don¡¯t mean that. You¡­ Revus wait!¡± Splash. Splash. Splash. Gradually, he gets further away from me. ¡°Please, Revus¡­ don¡¯t go! I¡¯ll change, I¡¯ll-¡± Splash. He stops in front of the white doorway and turns around. ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°No!¡± Revus turns back around, walks through the door, and closes it. Slowly, the light diminishes, until it completely disappears. ¡°Revus!¡± I scream. Splash. The water ripples as I force my way through it. ¡°Revus! Don¡¯t leave me!¡± Splash. Splash. Splash. I walk on for a while, but steadily my steps become heavy, until I stop. Splash. I drop to my knees and the water embraces my legs. The cold once again creeps into my body. He¡¯s gone¡­ ¡°Revus¡­¡± Drip. Tears fall from my nose and merge with the water-filled floor. I cry on the ground for a bit until I hear a low, pained voice. Revus? I glance around, wiping my eyes. ¡°Where are you?¡± As I scan the darkness, a dim light appears overhead, faintly illuminating this dreary abyss. Near the sole light, two giants are standing opposite one another, but their figures are too dark to clearly make out. Not good. I need to run, but I have to find Revus. ¡°Evetta¡­¡± Revus utters breathlessly, ¡°Help¡­¡± ¡°Revus,¡± I call out, searching for him, ¡°Where are y-¡± I freeze as my gaze lands upon one of the giant''s hands. Firmly within its grasp, I can make out a tiny figure. ¡°Revus!¡± The giant holding Revus turns away from the second one. He reaches an arm out, grabs what looks like a jar, and places Revus inside. No¡­ The man puts a lid on the jar and places it back where he grabbed it. I see several other jars resting on a shelf alongside it. Each jar on the shelf is filled with liquid and a single, floating object. He should be in Svelta¡­ On the far left is the jar with Revus and, going right, the jars contain, a tiny leg, a pair of wings, a human-like eye, and a human-like ear. Adjacent to the shelf is the left arm of a human, strapped to the wall. So why¡¯s he here? ¡°Doctor Lente,¡± a gruff voice states, ¡°What do you want to do with the other one?¡± I look between the two giants and examine them. If that¡¯s Mister Lente¡­ then who¡¯s that? Mister Lente turns around and glances down at me. ¡°Why of course.¡± He pulls down his mask and smiles, ¡°We¡¯ll capture this one too.¡± I see the second giant smile widely, revealing rotting, yellow teeth. No¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away this time,¡± the giant states. Bwoosh. He takes a step forward and waves of water erupt from his foot. No¡­ This isn¡¯t real. I turn around and quickly begin to run away. Splash. Splash. Splash. Bwoosh. ¡°Evetta!¡± Revus¡¯ voice echoes, ¡°Are you going to abandon me?¡± That¡¯s not Revus. Splash. Splash. I cry as I run away from the giant. None of this is real. Bwoosh. Wake up! Wake up already! Splash. Splash. Splash. ¡°I thought you were going to change,¡± Revus states, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to leave me alone.¡± I close my eyes and clamp my hands over my ears. Shut up! This isn¡¯t real. None of this is- BWOOSH. A giant step lands directly behind me and a large wave carries me away. Please wake up. I land on the ground, drenched in the icy water. Opening my eyes, my heart plummets into my gut as I see a giant foot above me, steadily growing larger. Wake up. Wake up! Wake- Bwoosh. ----- ¡°Ah!¡± I bolt upright as I feel cold sweat run down my body. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± I breathe erratically, glancing around the room. A dark, rocky cavern surrounds me, the only source of light being the moonlight filtering in from the entrance. A cold wind trickles into the cave. Why¡¯s the door open? I go to stand up but realize there is something warm rubbing against my leg. I look down and see Revus. ¡°Ah!¡± I silently scream as I jump away from him. Why am I sleeping next to Revus? I tilt my head and glare at him through the darkness. Wait, is he actually asleep? I crawl toward him and look at his sleeping form. He is laying on his back with his legs extended straight out, his arms resting on his stomach. Isn¡¯t this the first time I¡¯ve seen him sleeping? I tilt my head. He really does sleep¡­ I wave my hand over his face. No response. I stick my tongue out at him. Nothing huh? Well, if he¡¯s tired enough to not wake up before me then he must be really tired. I stand up, grab my blanket, wrap it around me, and walk toward the cave entrance. As I walk through it, I glance back at Revus. I guess it¡¯s not surprising. He¡¯s been carrying me non-stop for the last two days. ¡°Me¡­ and your family, we¡¯re all better off without you.¡± Revus¡¯ statement from my dream echoes in my head. I look away from him and out at the dark, snow-covered landscape. The lifeless trees are barren, with a thick layer of ice and snow coating them. The ground is layered with a dim yellow as the moonlight reaches the land. I know it was a dream but¡­ it might be true. Maybe they would be better off without me¡­ A sharp wind penetrates my blanket and the cold bites my legs and arms. ¡°Tsss,¡± I bitterly shiver. It¡¯s so cold¡­ It would¡¯ve been nice to get out of the mountains before winter but¡­ I sigh. Oh well, at least we found somewhere to stay. I adjust my blanket to minimize the amount of cold that sneaks past it. I look up at the fragmented, night sky hidden behind the sporadic branches of the tree canopy. I miss flying¡­ ¡°Evetta, what are you doing awake?¡± Faraine asks quietly. ¡°Ah,¡± I squeal, almost falling over as I frighteningly spin to my right. I take a deep breath and exhale. ¡°Faraine, I didn¡¯t know you were awake.¡± Maybe I¡¯ll get to talk to her a bit today. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she murmurs, ¡°I¡­ was thinking about something.¡± ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± I ask. Faraine shakes her head, ¡°No, that¡¯s okay.¡± Guess she¡¯s still trying to avoid me. ¡°What about you? Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I anxiously look away from her, ¡°I¡­ had a nightmare.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Faraine mutters and, after a moment of silence, continues, ¡°Should we wake up Revus?¡± ¡°No!¡± I blurt immediately, looking up at her charming face. I feel my face flush at my sudden outburst, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to wake him¡­ I don¡¯t think he gets enough sleep so¡­¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°Okay, in that case¡­¡± she pauses, ¡°Do you¡­ want me to keep you company?¡± She will? A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I tilt my head slightly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired though?¡± Faraine closes her eyes and flatly smiles, ¡°Yeah, but¡­ Nevermind.¡± She opens her eyes and walks toward the entrance, ¡°If you don¡¯t want company, I¡¯ll be heading inside.¡± As she passes by me, I grab her arm and sheepishly ask, ¡°Um¡­ Yeah¡­ Could you¡­keep me company?¡± Faraine looks from the cave to me, and states, ¡°Sure.¡± I release my hold on her and we walk to the spot where she was a moment ago. With nowhere else to sit, we do so on the cold, rocky ground. Without looking at me, Faraine asks, ¡°So, what happened in your nightmare?¡± ¡°Mmmm,¡± I hesitantly groan as I look down at the ground, ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Do you want me to guess?¡± ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°It was about Revus and the en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°Did something happen to Revus in your dream?¡± ¡°Sort of¡­ He blamed me for getting hurt and said that everyone would be better off without me,¡± I mope. I turn to look up at Faraine who, even sitting down, is still quite a bit taller than me, and ask, ¡°Do you think-¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine resolutely states, looking at me. I furrow my brow, my mouth agape, ¡°I didn¡¯t even finish asking.¡± ¡°There are a lot of people that care about you in Folian,¡± Faraine remarks, then mutters almost too quietly for me to hear, ¡°Unlike me.¡± I tilt my head and squint my eyes. Do people at Folian not like her? ¡°You just said-¡± ¡°What about the en¨­¨­fen?¡± Faraine interrupts. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Your dream,¡± Faraine clarifies, ¡°You said it was about the en¨­¨­fen too.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right.¡± I¡¯ll ask her in a bit. ¡°Um¡­ they were,¡± I look down at the ground, and tightly grip my arms, my fingers digging into my skin slightly, ¡°One was the man who captured me and tore off my wings.¡± ¡°Was he trying to capture you again?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± I hesitate and close my eyes, ¡°I think he¡­ stepped on me¡­¡± Silence follows my words. Why isn¡¯t she saying anything? I open my right eye and peek at Faraine. She is sitting there smiling. ¡°Is that weird?¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine laughs, ¡°No, it¡¯s actually the opposite.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, turning to face her. ¡°Since most of us are smaller than we were in our previous lives,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°A lot of fairies have similar dreams about being attacked by en¨­¨­fen. Especially after encountering them.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I mutter, feeling a bit of anxiety leave my body. ¡°So you were just being chased in your dream?¡± I shake my head, ¡°No. There was also a man from my previous life who¡­¡± I look down and stop talking. ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine calls, leaning forward to try and look at me. ¡°He took my¡­¡± I choke on my words. ¡°If it¡¯s painful then-¡± ¡°I want to tell you¡­¡± Faraine sighs defeatedly, ¡°I¡¯d prefer not to-¡± ¡°He took an eye, an ear, and an arm,¡± I resolutely state, my face still looking down at the ground. ¡°In your dream?¡± Faraine inquires. ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°In the past. In my dream, he had Revus and¡­¡± I take a deep breath, ¡°As Revus was asking for help, I ran away. I left him and he was yelling at me for abandoning him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Revus would get mad at you for that,¡± Faraine mutters. ¡°Huh?¡± I look up at Faraine who is sitting straight up. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen,¡± she continues looking out at the sky, ¡°I believe he¡¯d prefer you to abandon him if it meant keeping you safe.¡± ¡°Yeah but-¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it,¡± Faraine interjects, looking down at me, her red eyes glowing faintly, ¡°Then get stronger.¡± I stop and stare at her, my mind going blank from her statement. Stronger? But how? ¡°Sorry,¡± she apologizes, ¡°That¡¯s what someone told me a while back.¡± ¡°Is it that simple?¡± I question sullenly. ¡°Heh,¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I think she meant that if you¡¯re not satisfied then work harder or¡­ something like that.¡± I stare up at her smiling face. Why does she seem so sad even though she¡¯s smiling? She glances down at me and I immediately look away from her. I want to ask her about who she¡¯s talking about but¡­ An awkward silence fills the area as the wind softly howls. ¡°Brr¡­¡± I shiver, huddling tightly under my blanket. ¡°Cold?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°Yeah,¡± I answer, noticing that she does not have a jacket or blanket, ¡°I¡­ get cold easily?¡± ¡°Why are you answering with a question?¡± ¡°Because Revus said that¡¯s all it was but¡­¡± I hesitate, ¡°It feels like something else.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Faraine ponders for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand, but if you¡¯re cold, I can heat up your blanket if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Please do,¡± I blurt, once again feeling my face heat up. ¡°Sorry¡­ I got a little excited there,¡± I state while rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I usually heat up my own clothes too,¡± Faraine smiles stiffly as she places a hand on my blanket. A moment later, I feel warmth begin to seep into it, gradually warming my chilled body. ¡°Haaa,¡± I exhale as Faraine pulls her hand away. I look up at her and smile wholeheartedly, ¡°Sleeps. It feels a lot better now.¡± Faraine stares at me for a moment before suddenly turning to look away from me. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ welcome.¡± My smile shifts to a frown as I tilt my head. Why¡¯s she being like that? Maybe she really¡­ I look away from her and out at the sky, watching as thick clouds begin to veil the moons. ¡°Faraine, why have you been avoiding me the last couple of days?¡± ¡°Avoiding you?¡± she questions, ¡°I haven¡¯t been-¡± ¡°Whenever I¡¯d go to talk to you, you¡¯d try to end the conversation quickly,¡± I state, ¡°or you¡¯d say you¡¯re tired and go to sleep.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± she hesitates, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Please be honest with me,¡± I interrupt, ¡°Do I bother you?¡± ¡°Mmmmm,¡± she groans, ¡°No¡­ I just¡­ haven¡¯t figured out how to act around you.¡± I look at her while raising an eyebrow, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just act normally around me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple,¡± Faraine murmurs. ¡°Why not?¡± Faraine sighs heavily and scratches her head, ¡°I wish Revus would¡¯ve told you the rest the other night¡­¡± ¡°What else hasn¡¯t he told me?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she pauses for a bit, ¡°Evetta, you¡¯re-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough Faraine,¡± Revus declares, his voice echoing from inside the cave. I turn toward the entrance and, as he walks out, he continues, ¡°I¡¯ll tell her.¡± Tell me? ¡°You¡¯re still keeping things from me?¡± I angrily ask. ¡°Sorry, I should¡¯ve told you the other night,¡± Revus apologizes, ¡°but I didn¡¯t think there was a good opportunity with how our conversation was going.¡± ¡°So what is it this time?¡± I scoff, ¡°What else are you hiding from me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Revus replies, ¡°but let''s head inside first.¡± He looks out at the night sky and remarks, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to snow soon so, shall we?¡± He motions back toward the entrance with his hands. I look up at the large clouds that are rolling in and, still filling chilly from underneath my blanket, snap, ¡°Fine.¡± I get up and, as I walk by Revus, glare up at him. I return to our shelter, with Faraine and Revus following close behind me. I sit down at a stone seat and table that Revus created earlier that day, adjust my blanket, and, once the other two are seated, bark, ¡°What¡¯s so wrong with me that Faraine has to act differently around me?¡± ¡°I told you nothing¡¯s wrong with you,¡± Revus emphasizes, ¡°and it¡¯s not something terrible.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Revus casually says, ¡°You¡¯re kind of¡­¡± He looks at Faraine briefly, then back at me, ¡°A princess.¡± I freeze, close my eyes, and tilt my head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a what?¡± ¡°Your mom, Lady Vestele, is the current monarch of the fairies,¡± Revus states, ¡°And you, as the monarch¡¯s daughter, are akin to being a princess.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I open my eyes, and stare at Revus¡¯ firm posture. He¡­ doesn¡¯t seem to be lying, but¡­ I turn to Faraine and see her lock eyes with me. ¡°Faraine, is he¡­¡± I murmur as I point at Revus. ¡°Mhm,¡± Faraine hums as she nods. ¡°Wait, wait,¡± I declare, putting my hands up, ¡°So, my¡­ mom, isn¡¯t just someone important, but is like, miss-important?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Revus answers, ¡°But I think you might be misunderstanding things.¡± ¡°Oh, how so?¡± I inquire. ¡°The monarch¡­¡± Revus goes silent, ¡°You could think of her more as a figurehead with little ruling power.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t she like a queen?¡± ¡°Yes, but the fairy monarch is a figurehead, or a symbol if you will,¡± Revus explains, ¡°The ones that make all the decisions are the matriarchs and patriarchs of each clan.¡± I maintain my focus on Revus, blink a few times, and tilt my head. ¡°Could you¡­¡± Revus sighs, ¡°There are thirteen clans, each with a male and female leader. The matriarchs, patriarchs, and the monarch form a type of council, and they, together, make all the decisions for ¨¡¨¡thel.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I fidget, ¡°What was that again?¡± Revus places his left palm over his face and frustratingly sighs, ¡°We¡¯ve gone over this so many times already, how do you not-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I interrupt, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to focus all the time during every lesson.¡± Revus sighs again, ¡°Fine.¡± He lowers his hand, and continues, ¡°¨¡¨¡thel, the country of fairies, is our home within the spectral realm.¡± ¡°Ah right, I remember now,¡± I blurt, ¡°That¡¯s where Elrora is right.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus flatly answers, ¡°At least you remember the capital.¡± He continues muttering under his breath, ¡°Even though I had to remind you.¡± ¡°Hmf,¡± I turn away from him, closing my eyes, and crossing my arms beneath my blanket. Jerk. I remembered perfectly fine without your help. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting off topic,¡± Faraine comments. I open my right eye and peek at Faraine who is looking at Revus, ¡°Could you explain the rest to her now?¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Right¡­ Onto, how Faraine¡¯s been acting around you.¡± I face him, opening my eyes, but still have my arms crossed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I¡¯m a princess?¡± Never thought I¡¯d say that¡­ I direct my eyes to Faraine. Faraine shakes her head, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Before that, we should clarify more about the clans,¡± Revus claims. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± Revus pauses, ¡°Just listen.¡± ¡°Okay, if you say so¡­¡± ¡°Fairies will eventually partake in S¨­¨­l Firje, a type of ritual to imbue your soul with a specific element,¡± Revus explains, ¡°Once a fairy has undergone S¨­¨­l Firje, their wings will change, aligning with a corresponding clan.¡± I tilt my head slightly. ¡°Focus, I don¡¯t want to explain this again,¡± Revus hisses. ¡°Right, Soul Firg is a ritual to pick a clan,¡± I reply. ¡°Something like that,¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Anyway, twelve of the clans correlate with the twelve elements while the thirteenth clan performs a more arduous ritual, S¨­¨­l Firjis. If a fairy is successful, they imbue their soul with all twelve elements and become a skryver.¡± ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯m following,¡± I mutter, ¡°but what does this have to do with Faraine?¡± I ask, looking at her. ¡°You¡¯re expected to become a skryver,¡± Revus states, ¡°Just as most white fairies do.¡± So is it because I¡¯m supposed to be a skriver that she¡¯s acting weird? ¡°I¡¯m still not seeing the connection.¡± ¡°Would you be patient,¡± Revus barks, ¡°I¡¯m getting there.¡± ¡°Okay, sorry¡­¡± Revus coughs, ¡°Anyway¡­ Skyvers obtain a unique axiom that allows them to make a connection between their soul and the soul of other fairies.¡± I stare at Revus, ¡°And this is why Faraine¡¯s been avoiding me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Faraine answers, glumly looking down at the table in front of us. ¡°Is this connection important?¡± ¡°Incredibly,¡± Faraine utters, ¡°a fairy who makes a connection with a skryver becomes a page.¡± I look from Faraine to Revus, but before I can say anything Revus elaborates, ¡°Pages are like¡­ nobility that directly serve their skryver.¡± ¡°Influence over others, a better standard of living, and an increase in their s¨­¨­l,¡± Faraine adds, ¡°For a lot of fairies, becoming a page is like a dream come true.¡± ¡°And¡­ are you a page?¡± I ask, looking at Faraine. She shakes her head, ¡°No, I¡­ wasn¡¯t picked.¡± I tilt my head and raise an eyebrow. If she¡¯s not a page then¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the problem then?¡± Revus exaggeratedly sighs, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is because you¡¯re you, or because you haven¡¯t been around enough people¡­¡± ¡°Was that necessary?¡± ¡°If I associate with you,¡± Faraine states, ¡°then to others¡­ it might look like I¡¯m trying to get close to you with the intention of becoming your page, even after I got rejected.¡± ¡°Do you want to become my page?¡± I curiously ask. ¡°Evetta!¡± Revus roars, standing up from his chair and slamming his hands on the table, ¡°You- ¡°Revus,¡± I snap back, interrupting him with a glare, ¡°I want to hear her answer.¡± Revus grumbles and reluctantly sits back down. I look from him to Faraine. ¡°I¡­¡± Faraine hesitates, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure I understand this whole skriver, page stuff,¡± I state, ¡°but from how you two are acting, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s pretty important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than important,¡± Revus growls, ¡°It affects the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I comment, ¡°So, instead of worrying about that, can we try to be friends?¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Faraine mutters. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I say, fidgeting with my blanket as my face heats up. I look at Revus and continue, ¡°As much as I¡¯m glad to have Revus around, he¡¯s more like¡­ my guardian? And in my past, I never had any friends so¡­¡± I pause for a moment, feeling my body get warmer, ¡°I¡¯d really like it if we could be friends.¡± ¡°Friends¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I blurt. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls out, ¡°Becoming friends is the first step toward becoming a page.¡± He continues, ¡°She¡¯s been limiting her interaction with you to not get too connected.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Should a skriver be lonely until they find their pages?¡± ¡°For Aeth¡¯s sake¡­ You don¡¯t want others to think you¡¯re weird,¡± Revus states. He nods toward Faraine, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want people to think she¡¯s so desperate to become a page that she¡¯ll go to any skryver after being rejected.¡± I open my mouth, but say nothing, slowly lowering my gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Faraine replies, ¡°It¡¯s-¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t care if that¡¯s what other people think,¡± I exclaim, ¡°I want to be friends with her.¡± ¡°Evetta you¡¯re being-¡± ¡°Selfish?¡± I cut in, ¡°I told you before, I want to be more selfish in this life,¡± I smile at Revus. ¡°Besides, you told me the other night to just do what I want.¡± ¡°Yeah, but-¡± ¡°Well, I want to be friends with Faraine,¡± I declare looking at Faraine. I shift my focus to Revus, ¡°And I want you to tell me if you want something.¡± They both stare at me dumbfoundedly. Revus says, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can act like a spoiled princess now that you know about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I argue, ¡°Faraine said so earlier, if you¡¯re not satisfied, then work harder.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine laughs. Immediately, Revus snaps his gaze at Faraine and glares at her. She silently purses her lips and looks away from him. ¡°I¡¯m being serious, Revus. I want to make friends, and aside from you, Faraine¡¯s the first fairy that I¡¯ve met, and¡­¡± I remark, ¡°Ever since I got captured, she¡¯s been helping me, so I want her to be my first friend.¡± Revus places his left hand over his face again and sighs, ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s what you want, I won¡¯t interfere,¡± he reluctantly states, ¡°but, whether she agrees is a different matter.¡± We both look at Faraine. ¡°I¡­ Like I said, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I lean forward and plead as innocently as possible. Faraine leans back slightly, ¡°Uh¡­ well¡­¡± she looks away, then back at me, and sighs, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± I smile widely, ¡°Thanks.¡± I already got her to go from I don¡¯t know to I¡¯ll think about it. I sit back in my chair, and look over at Revus, ¡°Also, I was being serious about what I told you too.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°If you want something, then I want you to tell me,¡± I affirm, ¡°because I want you to pursue your wants and desires.¡± He looks away from me and, as he scratches the back of his head, says, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ keep that in mind.¡± I contentedly smirk, ¡°Good.¡± Chapter 15 - Making a Friend ¡°Remove your shirt,¡± Revus states frustratedly. ¡°Remove your shirt,¡± I mock, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be saying that if you were in my shoes.¡± Revus places his left hand over his face and, using his thumb and fingers, begins to grind his temples. ¡°We¡¯ve already been over this,¡± he complains, ¡°I¡¯m just treating your wings. Why are you making a scene?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s embarrassing,¡± I argue, glancing down at my chest. My breasts are getting bigger and¡­ I direct my gaze at Revus and glare as I cover them. Revus sighs, ¡°I¡¯m not going to peek at your chest, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡± He walks over to a stone bed with a fur pelt resting on it and, as he sits down, comments, ¡°Besides it¡¯s not like you have anything worth looking at.¡± I feel my body heat up as my anger boils, I bellow, ¡°Shut up jerk! Even if they¡¯re small, I¡¯m still getting used to having them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re used to them or not. Now get over here so I can treat your wings,¡± Revus declares, ¡°Or would you rather I strap you down and forcibly remove your shirt?¡± ¡°Grrr.¡± As we glare at each other, I clench my fists tightly. This stupid jerk! ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°Care to find out?¡± Revus inquires, lowering his head and raising his eyebrows. I squeeze my fists, digging my nails into my skin. ¡°Gah! You¡¯re so unbearable.¡± ¡°Funny hearing that from you,¡± Revus comments, ¡°I¡¯m not the one making a fuss here.¡± I look over at Faraine who is seated at the table. ¡°Faraine,¡± I call out, getting her attention, ¡°Would you say something to him?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Well¡­¡± Faraine glances between the two of us, until her eyes land upon me, ¡°I think you should let him treat you.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re on his side?¡± I shout. As I angrily extend my arm, pointing at Revus, an aggravating sting festers on either side of my spine. ¡°Tsk,¡± I flinch in pain. ¡°See,¡± Revus notes, ¡°You¡¯re just making things worse for yourself.¡± ¡°Would you shut up!¡± I bark, directing my rage at the aggravating fairy. ¡°I understand your concern, but¡­¡± Faraine hesitates, ¡° you won¡¯t be in as much pain and-¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I cut her off, ¡°I get it.¡± I frown at her. She bitterly chuckles, ¡°Sorry, I know it¡¯s-¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I sigh, angrily. I turn to Revus and scowl at him, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already treated your back a couple of times,¡± Revus remarks, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re making such a big deal about it today.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± I mope as I look down. Dang it. Why do they have to get bigger? It¡¯s making me conscious about them¡­ ¡°Do you want me to make you a shirt that exposes your entire back?¡± Revus asks, scratching the back of his head. I look up at him, ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± He nods his head, ¡°That way you won¡¯t have to take it off while your wings are recovering?¡± ¡°I¡¯d¡­¡± I pause, turn away from him as I feel my face heat up, and quietly reply, ¡°Like that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Revus states, ¡°but before that¡­¡± He pats the white fur pelt. I defeatedly slog over to the bed, climb up onto it, and sit next to Revus. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± he says as he looks down at me. ¡°Yeah I know,¡± I snap, ¡°Just, give me a moment¡­¡± I take a deep breath and exhale, before glancing down at my chest. I peek at Revus and hiss, ¡°If you look, I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± Revus questions, ¡°Get mad? Hit me?¡± ¡°Grrr,¡± I grumble, ¡°Just, don¡¯t look.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Revus mutters, waving his hand as he turns around. I face away from him, remove my shirt, and lay down on my stomach, exposing my bare back. I slowly sink into the fluffy, white, rabbit pelt, feeling a slight pressure from my chest. Urh¡­ If they keep getting bigger¡­ I glance down at my chest. ¡­then this is going to be more uncomfortable in the future. I sigh, cross my arms in front of me, and lay my cheek on my arms, allowing me to watch Revus. ¡°Done¡­¡± ¡°Good,¡± Revus states looking at me, ¡° now try to manifest your wings.¡± He slides closer to me, places his hands together, and a yellow glow starts to radiate from them. ¡°But¡­¡± I hesitantly murmur, ¡°It hurts when they-¡± ¡°I know, but I want to check their progress,¡± Revus bluntly states, emphasizing the word want. ¡°Or,¡± He goads with a smirk, ¡°Do you not care about what I want?¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I whine. This is going to hurt¡­ I close my eyes and try to manifest my wings. Immediately, a piercing pain stabs my back along my spine. ¡°Tsk,¡± I wince as my muscles tense. Ow ow ow. ¡°Please¡­ hurry¡­¡± I mutter between clenched teeth, my breathing becoming erratic. I feel Revus¡¯ hands gently meet my back along with a smooth, calming energy that seeps in and slowly spreads throughout my body. As I lay there, the pain begins to subside, and my breathing lulls. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I sigh. ¡°I see¡­¡± Revus murmurs, ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± ¡°Pre-¡± As I start to speak, a sudden pain shatters my comfort. ¡°Argh!¡± I scream, clenching my teeth once more as my eyes begin to water. It feels like¡­ my back is¡­ being torn open¡­ I force my eyes open and glare at Revus, ¡°What are you doing? That hurts!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Revus blandly replies, ¡°Your wings have started to regrow but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± I interrupt worriedly, gritting my teeth. ¡°The roots aren¡¯t dispersing properly,¡± he answers, ¡°So I¡¯m forcibly correcting them.¡± ¡°Well¡­ you could¡¯ve at least¡­ Tsk¡­ Given me a warning,¡± I complain as a tear rolls down my cheek, ¡°That¡­ really hurts.¡± ¡°I told you to prepare yourself,¡± Revus remarks. You told me at the same time you started¡­ ¡°Urgh,¡± I whimper as pain jolts up my spine. ¡°Almost done.¡± Please get this over with already. ¡°Ow!¡± I yell as I feel a pinching pain that runs up the sides of my back. It¡¯s not going away¡­ I peek at Revus and see his stern face, a bead of sweat rolling down his head. ¡°There,¡± he says, sighing heavily. Instantly, the pinching throughout my back subsides. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± I huff, breathing fiercely. ¡°I thought you¡­ were supposed to¡­ make the pain¡­ go away?¡± ¡°Yeah well¡­ We can¡¯t have your wings regrow incorrectly,¡± He states. ¡°So¡­ What is this about roots?¡± I question, ¡°I thought-¡± ¡°If the roots connecting your wings to your soul are misaligned,¡± Revus interrupts, ¡°Your wings won¡¯t be as responsive, worsening your already shoddy flying.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t that bad before¡­ I had to stay inside for a month¡­¡± I wheeze, ¡°And who¡¯s fault was that?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Revus remarks, ¡°You¡¯re done. Now put your clothes back on.¡± ¡°Put your clothes back on,¡± I scoff, ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you just the nicest person.¡± I sit up and slip back into my shirt. I glance at my back, an uncomfortable soreness present. ¡°Why am I in more pain than before?¡± ¡°Be glad we took care of it now,¡± Revus states as he gets up and walks over to our bags. As he starts pulling various items out, he continues, ¡°If your wings had healed like that, we¡¯d have to rip them off again to correct the roots.¡± I stare at Revus dumbfoundedly, my mouth agape. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Revus quietly continues rummaging through his bag. ¡°Say something.¡± I blurt, but he remains silent. I turn to Faraine and she bitterly smiles and nods. ¡°Seriously,¡± I glance at my back. Ripping them off¡­ again¡­ A shiver runs through me. I¡¯d rather not go through that again¡­ I direct my attention to Revus and say, ¡°Sleeps, for¡­ fixing them?¡± ¡°Sorry for hurting you,¡± Revus apologizes bluntly. I shake my head and smile faintly. This guy. I walk over to him and ask, ¡°What¡¯re you looking for?¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve got roughly five more days of winter,¡± Revus says as he pulls a cylinder from his bag, ¡°I was thinking about doing another drawing for your parents.¡± ¡°Oh, did you have anything in mind for a pose?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus faces me, ¡°I thought they¡¯d enjoy seeing you embarrassed.¡± I take a step back and gulp. ¡°W-what do you mean by that?¡± Revus stands up, walks over to the table, and sits down. He opens the cylinder, pulls the contents out, and begins to examine them. ¡°Tch,¡± he clicks his tongue, then agitatedly continues, ¡°I was thinking of getting a picture of you showing off your wing-stubs.¡± I follow Revus and join him and Faraine at the table. ¡°Huh? But then wouldn¡¯t they get mad?¡± ¡°I was told that if it was something they wouldn¡¯t be able to see, to draw it but¡­¡± Revus sighs, ¡°They might kill me for letting this happen though.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you draw something else?¡± I exclaim, ¡°Like¡­¡± I look around and, upon glancing at Faraine, declare, ¡°You could draw me and Faraine.¡± Faraine jumps slightly as Revus turns to look at her. He mutters, ¡°I could but, that¡¯ll depend on whether she wants that or not.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Because these are for your parents!¡± Revus bellows, ¡°They may not have a lot of political power, but they¡¯re still royalty. Put yourself in her position.¡± I turn to Faraine and she looks away from me. ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Can I think about it?¡± Faraine murmurs. Revus puts the contents back within the cylinder, stands up, and begins walking toward the door. Before I can say anything, he states, ¡°I¡¯m heading out to get more supplies and to find something to make your shirt from,¡± He turns toward me and continues, ¡°I checked the rest of the cave and it¡¯s safe. You might find something interesting if you feel like exploring a bit, but leave some for me.¡± Exploring? I glance further into the cave at the lightless passage and back at Revus. Well, if he was trying to get me to go in there, he¡¯s definitely succeeded. He faces the door, but stops, ¡°Oh, and Faraine.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± she replies. ¡°Look after her while I¡¯m gone, and consider what we talked about last night.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she mutters quietly. My attention bounces between the two. What¡¯d they talk about last night? Was it about me again or¡­ Revus opens the door and a cold breeze rushes inside. ¡°I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± As he steps out, his black wings appear, before he closes the door. I look over at Faraine, her mouth open like she was going to say something. ¡°Did you guys talk about me again?¡± I sullenly ask, resting my chin on the table. Faraine glances at me for a moment, then looks away, ¡°No, not about you, but me.¡± ¡°Oh? Well if he said anything rude, I apologize,¡± I comment, ¡°He can be nice when he wants, but other times¡­ he¡¯s pretty blunt.¡± ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t rude,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°just straightforward.¡± ¡°Does he want you to do something?¡± ¡°He told me to seriously think about whether I still want to be a page.¡± I sigh and look up at her. ¡°Can I ask something?¡± Faraine hesitates, then cautiously answers, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Being a page is like a job, right?¡± Faraine ponders for a moment, tapping her chin and looking up, ¡°I guess it¡¯s sort of a job, but-¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the difference between being my page and someone else¡¯s page?¡± Faraine furrows her brows and stares down at me, ¡°Well¡­¡± She remains silent for a moment, ¡°Probably¡­ the skryver that you''re bound to is different.¡± Then if I want to be friends with her, I have to be better than the other skryver¡­ I look away from Faraine and stare toward the dark tunnel that extends at the end of the cave. ¡°So what were they like?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The other skryver?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Minerva¡­¡± Faraine pauses, ¡°She was¡­ strict and domineering.¡± I raise an eyebrow and glance up at her. ¡°She was harsh, arrogant, and she¡¯d argue a lot¡­¡± Isn¡¯t that bad? ¡°¡­but she was hard-working and diligent. She¡¯s ambitious, intelligent, and realistic, but most of all, she¡¯s incredibly skilled¡­¡± Sounds like a hot-headed over-achiever¡­ I bet she¡¯s a pleasure to be around¡­ I look back toward the tunnel, and ask, ¡°And you wanted to work for her?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Faraine fidgets around, covering her right elbow with her left hand, ¡°Sort of¡­¡± ¡°How could you ¡®sort of¡¯ want to work for her?¡± I inquire, ¡°If it was me, I¡¯d go look for someone else.¡± Faraine whispers something too quiet for me to hear. I glance at her, ¡°Can you say that again?¡± ¡°My parents¡­¡± she mumbles, barely loud enough for me to hear. What do your parents have to do with this? I sit up straight, keeping my sore back away from the chair. After a moment of silence, Faraine continues, ¡°Can we¡­ talk about something else? I¡­ don¡¯t want to-¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I cut her off and, as I point toward the dark cavern, ask, ¡°Do you want to go for a walk with me?¡± Faraine directs her attention to the lightless cave extension. ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s fairly dark.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± I reply, ¡°I used to live in a place much darker than this.¡± Faraine looks at me blankly. ¡°Can¡¯t you go by yourself?¡± ¡°I can, but I¡¯d rather have some company,¡± I state, ¡°And even though Revus said it was safe, there¡¯s no guarantee that something won¡¯t happen.¡± I turn away from her slightly, then mutter under my breath, ¡°After all, I seem to have a knack for getting into trouble lately.¡± ¡°No need to frown,¡± Faraine says with a smile. Was I frowning? I shake my head, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m okay.¡± I get out of my chair and begin walking toward the corridor. I glance at Faraine and affirm, ¡°You can stay, I¡¯ll be back later.¡± I look back into the rocky passage as I feel my heart pound against my chest. Although, I would prefer if she came. I walk over to the wall, place my right hand against the cool stone, and tread further in. Even after being in here for a couple of days, my eyes still aren¡¯t adjusting that well¡­ It would¡¯ve been nice if Faraine joined me. I sigh. She mentioned that people don¡¯t like her before, and she seemed upset when she mentioned her parents¡­ I glance back at our camp, see the faint light in the distance, then return my focus to the tunnel, and march onward. I¡¯m curious about why she brought them up, but¡­ While keeping my right hand on the wall, I fidget with my hair using my left. I don¡¯t want¡­ Even now I can¡¯t escape that word. I heave an exaggerated sigh and hunch forward, then stand up straight. I would like for Revus to pursue his wants. I don¡¯t want¡­ him to give up on them because of me. And I¡¯d like to do that for others too, which means if they don¡¯t want something, then I should leave it at that I guess¡­ even if I want it. Selfish is fine, but not rude¡­ or domineering like Minerva. I chuckle.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Oh, right. Since Faraine¡¯s related to Novaraine, and she¡¯s in charge of my siblings, then maybe Faraine¡¯s met my siblings. I¡¯ll ask her about them later. I smile as the path starts sloping up. I continue hiking through the tunnel for several minutes. Is there really nothing here? The path along the wall turns left and right a few times while alternating between sloping up and down. Revus wouldn¡¯t have told me to come in here if there was nothing, so¡­ I look up, seeing nothing but darkness. Right¡­ I reach my arm up, standing on my toes, and try to touch the ceiling. If it¡¯s big enough then Revus probably flew through here, so I doubt it took him very long to go through here. I sigh and slump forward. I miss flying. I trek onward, the only sound, my breathing. It¡¯s so quiet¡­ I glance to my left. If Revus were here, he¡¯d have a light following us. Even Faraine can use fire to make it not so dark¡­ I sigh. I wish one of them came with me. Going on this walk was meant to keep from getting bored, but now I¡¯m getting lonely¡­ I perk up and tilt my head. Actually, this might be the first time I¡¯ve been lonely since Faraine¡¯s joined us. As I search the cavern, I kick a small pebble. Tink. The sound of the pebble echoes through the tunnel. Wow, that lasted longer than I thought it would¡­ I grin, take a deep breath, and shout, ¡°Hello!¡± As my voice reverberates loudly off the walls I smile faintly. I¡¯ve never heard my new voice that clearly¡­ It sounds nice. I feel my face flush. Why am I getting embarrassed about my own voice¡­ I shake my head and take another deep breath. Okay now¡­ ¡°How are you?¡± The repeating silvery words resound throughout the cave. I smile. ¡°I¡¯m good, and you?¡± The question floats through the corridor, sweetly humming until fading out. One more¡­ ¡°I want-¡± As I start to speak, I choke on my words, abruptly ending my sentence. The unfinished statement bouncing down the tunnel. I lower my head and tightly grip my pants. ¡­to not be alone. I frown, stand up straight, and slap my cheeks with both my hands. Urgh, now¡¯s not the time for this. I¡¯m not alone. Revus and Faraine are here, but¡­ I sigh. ¡­I think I want my family. ¡°Heh,¡± I chuckle roughly. I think I can understand Revus¡¯ loneliness. I continue on for a bit until I suddenly walk face-first into a wall. ¡°Ow,¡± I whimper, rubbing my nose while tears form in my eyes. Guess I should be more careful. I turn to my left and, as I start walking forward, a soft echo reverberates through the cavern. What was that? I quickly look around, trying to find the source of the sound. ¡°¡­ta,¡± a weak voice resounds. Faraine? I furrow my brows and face the direction I came from. ¡°Evetta¡­ ca¡­ y¡­ hear¡­ me?¡± Faraine hollers. ¡°Yeah,¡± I shout back, our voices echoing off the walls. I stare down the corridor until the walls in the distance start to get brighter, shifting from a pitch-black, to a deep gray. Light? I watch as the walls continue to illuminate to a dull gray, before a faint, red glow starts to radiate from them. A moment later, Faraine flies around the corner, a bright red flame held out over her left hand, painting everything nearby a shade of bright-red. ¡°There you are,¡± Faraine comments as she lands in front of me, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± ¡°Why? I thought you didn¡¯t want to come.¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°Um¡­ Well, I heard you yelling, so¡­ I thought¡­¡± her words trailing off. I tilt my head, looking up at her, ¡°Thought what?¡± ¡°Um¡­ That maybe you were in trouble¡­ or something¡­¡± Faraine replies, turning to look away from me. ¡°Ha,¡± I smile and take a step closer to her. I lean forward, twist my torso to look up at her face, trying to see behind her bangs, and tease, ¡°Were you worried about me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to laugh,¡± Faraine grumbles, looking away from me, ¡°Besides, Revus asked me to look after you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I exaggeratedly respond, ¡°So, it¡¯s because of Revus, huh?¡± Faraine whimpers, ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± I laugh, ¡°Thanks for worrying, but Revus wouldn¡¯t have let me come down here unless it was safe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Faraine mutters. I back away from Faraine, and glance down the now illuminated passage. The walls and floor of the tunnel are fairly smooth with only small pockets of rough terrain. It doesn¡¯t look as bad as I thought. Pretty crazy how adding some light makes this tunnel seem so much easier. ¡°Since you¡¯re here,¡± I remark, looking back at Faraine while pointing down the cave, ¡°Do you want to join me?¡± ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Faraine hesitates. ¡°Please,¡± I plead, ¡°We don¡¯t have to talk if you don¡¯t want to, but at least having you light up the cave is a huge help.¡± Faraine blankly looks down at me, blinking a couple of times, ¡°You just want me to be your torch?¡± I raise one eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯d prefer you to be Faraine so we can talk,¡± I answer, ¡°but if you prefer just being torch then who am I to tell you otherwise.¡± I shrug my shoulders and feel a sore pain from my back. Ow¡­ that hurt. ¡°What if I want to be Faraine but I don¡¯t want to join you?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I already told you that if you don¡¯t want to come then that¡¯s fine,¡± I say as I lower my head, ¡°but¡­ I¡¯d like it if you joined me, since it¡¯s kind of lonely.¡± I quickly face her, raising my index finger, and blurt, ¡°Ah, you can even stay quiet if you want.¡± I smile faintly, ¡°But just having someone here-¡± Faraine sighs heavily, cutting me off, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°You will?¡± I question. ¡°Yes,¡± Faraine states, ¡°But if I don¡¯t want to talk about something, then please-¡± ¡°Deal!¡± I exclaim. I grab Faraine¡¯s right hand and, as I start walking further in, try to pull her along. Immediately, I am stopped as Faraine does not budge from her spot. I turn around and ask, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you coming?¡± ¡°Hah, yeah,¡± Faraine murmurs, ¡°Sorry, that caught me off guard.¡± She takes a step forward and, as we start moving, asks, ¡°By the way, why were you yelling?¡± ¡°Oh that. I was playing with the sound. Like this,¡± I state, then take a deep breath and shout, ¡°Revus is a jerk!¡± The melodic insult skips through the red-tinted cavern. ¡°Much better,¡± I comment, smiling. Faraine glances down at me and says, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that bad.¡± ¡°He may not be now,¡± I state, ¡°but immediately after I was born, when I was learning to speak, he¡¯d always get mad at me.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know how to speak?¡± Faraine inquires, furrowing her brow. ¡°Ah, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± I correct, ¡°I could speak, but I only knew Sveltish, and Revus wasn¡¯t familiar with it.¡± Faraine tilts her head and raises an eyebrow, ¡°Zeviltich?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Revus told me it¡¯s kind of difficult to pronounce,¡± I comment, ¡°But, when I was learning Zoic, he would always jab my forehead and yell at me. He was infuriating.¡± Still can be¡­ Faraine chuckles, her soft voice lightly echoing. ¡°You should do one too,¡± I remark. ¡°Oh, no,¡± Faraine refuses, shaking her head, her blue hair shifting about, ¡°My voice isn¡¯t anything great, so it won¡¯t sound good.¡± I tilt my head and mutter, ¡°My voice isn¡¯t anything special either.¡± ¡°I think your voice is cute though,¡± Faraine blurts abruptly. I feel my body and face heat up. Cute¡­ I glance down at my body, seeing my breasts, and examine my limbs and clothes. Am I cute? My body temperature rises to its limit. I guess¡­ If it''s how I am now¡­ I might be, but¡­ I glance at Faraine, but she is not there. Where¡¯d she- As I turn around, I see Faraine standing quietly and not moving, her head facing the ground. ¡°Faraine?¡± I call out as I slowly approach. She¡¯s not moving. I stop in front of her and gaze up at her face, a deep red blush is spread across her face. I see her mouth move but no words come out. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispers, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Smiling, I take a step away and ask, ¡°Do you really think my voice is cute?¡± A moment of silence follows. ¡°Hmmm?¡± Slowly, Faraine nods her head. Hah! I grin widely as a warm feeling spreads in my chest. Am I happy? I turn away from Fariane and, as I start walking, state, ¡°Thanks but I¡¯m not really sure how to feel about that.¡± I slowly move on and Faraine gradually catches up with me. ¡°Is it¡­ because you used to be a guy? ¡°Yeah,¡± I frown, ¡°What gave it away?¡± ¡°Your¡­ outburst with Revus earlier,¡± Faraine murmurs, ¡°¡­about your chest.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I quietly reply, feeling my face heat up once more. I guess that would make it pretty obvious. ¡°Revus told me that there are a lot of fairies like me,¡± I recall, ¡°but I¡¯m still not fully comfortable being a girl¡­ or a fairy.¡± ¡°Well¡­ it should get better,¡± Faraine says, her words still sprinkled with embarrassment. ¡°Yeah, it has,¡± I respond, ¡°At first I hated it, but I¡¯ve grown used to a lot of things, but¡­¡± I glance at my chest, ¡°Why do they have to get bigger?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to them,¡± Faraine says, ¡°hopefully.¡± ¡°Quite the confidence,¡± I sarcastically remark. ¡°So, what about you? Were you also-¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine interrupts, ¡°I was a girl then, and still am.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Um¡­¡± I hesitate, ¡°If¡­¡± I lick my lips as my eyes wander uncomfortably. ¡°If I¡­¡± I glance at Faraine, and upon our eyes meeting, look away again. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If, and I mean If,¡± I emphasize, ¡°but if I have any¡­¡± I gulp, ¡°Questions about¡­ you know, being a girl¡­ can I¡­ ask you¡­¡± My words fade out as I slowly finish my sentence. ¡°Sure,¡± Faraine gently replies, ¡°but is there anything you¡¯re worried about?¡± ¡°Well, like¡­¡± I try to find my words, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to put my hair up in the bath¡­ and¡­¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine laughs. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh,¡± I exclaim, my body warming as my face goes flush. ¡°Sorry, pfft,¡± she continues, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to laugh, but I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± ¡°Well I-¡± I blurt, but instantly stop, ¡°I can¡¯t ask Revus about things like that¡­¡± I look down, grip my pants, and mutter under my breath, ¡°It¡¯s too embarrassing.¡± Faraine leans forward, her face just at the corner of my vision, and whispers into my ear, ¡°If you need any help, just ask.¡± She giggles, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± ¡°Sleeps,¡± I murmur, as I turn toward Faraine, her bangs still covering her eyes. Faraine steps back, straightening her stance, and we continue walking into the cave. ¡°Hey Faraine.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you tuck your bangs behind your ears?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Faraine starts, going quiet for a moment, ¡°Depressed, I guess.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with your bangs?¡± ¡°It just felt¡­ comfortable,¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just didn¡¯t want people to see me, so¡­ I hid.¡± Right¡­ She did say people don¡¯t like her. ¡°Want to talk-¡± ¡°No,¡± She cuts in, ¡°No¡­ Not. Not yet¡­¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I reply, looking up at her, ¡°If you ever do though¡­¡± I smile and repeat her words, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Soooo,¡± I muse, ¡°Can I see your face?¡± I smile, exposing my teeth. ¡°Do you really want-¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I exclaim, ¡°I want to see what you look like.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Faraine responds. She hesitates for a moment, then slowly tucks her blue bangs behind her pointed ears. She has a soft, rectangular shaped face, with low cheekbones. Her upturned, red eyes are close together, separated by her straight nose. Straight eyebrows with a slight curve at the end rest just above her eyes. As she blinks, her full eyelashes brush against her blemish-free, fair skin that is tinted red from the flames¡¯ radiance. She smiles and her perfectly white teeth appear from her bottom-heavy lips. ¡°Wow¡­¡± I mutter, examining her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stare,¡± she comments, looking away from me. ¡°Sorry,¡± I reply, ¡°You¡¯re really pretty.¡± As Faraine¡¯s face grows a deeper red, she starts to walk by me and quietly whispers, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, and I don¡¯t think you should cover your face,¡± I state, ¡°After all, I¡¯d like to see my friends¡¯ face.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t friends,¡± Faraine denies. So you say, but aren¡¯t we friends now? Maybe not¡­ I form a fist with my left hand and place it under my chin. What do people normally do to become friends? Maybe I should ask Revus later, he might know. We continue our walk through the cavernous corridor. Faraine seems to have a lot going on¡­ Between the page stuff with Minerva? I think that¡¯s what her name was¡­ That, people not liking her, and her parents- ¡°Oh! Faraine!¡± I shout grabbing her hand. She jumps to the side by my sudden outburst and looks at me, ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You''re related to Novaraine, right?¡± I announce, getting closer to her, ¡°Then have you met my siblings?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have,¡± She hesitantly answers, leaning back a bit. ¡°Can you tell me about them?¡± I implore, taking another step toward her, ¡°Please, Revus says he doesn¡¯t know anything about them.¡± At least, that¡¯s what he says¡­ ¡°Ah, I guess that makes sense,¡± Faraine mutters as she steps back, ¡°He would¡¯ve left before they were born, so it¡¯s not surprising that he doesn¡¯t know much.¡± ¡°But you do?¡± I pray, grabbing her other arm and gripping her wrists tightly. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± replies, glancing at my hands around her wrist, ¡°I¡¯ve talked with them on occasion.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I shout, releasing her while raising my arms in the air. I lower them, stare at Faraine, and blurt, ¡°Tell me about them.¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°Well, your oldest sibling is Evion, and he¡¯s your only brother.¡± I have a big brother¡­ I smile. ¡­and if he¡¯s the only one then¡­ ¡°You also have two older sisters,¡± she continues, ¡°Your oldest sister¡¯s name is Evanna. Then there¡¯s Evorra. And finally,¡± she looks down at me, ¡°There¡¯s you, Evetta.¡± Evion, Evanna, and Evorra¡­ I giggle, clench my fists, and look down. My siblings. ¡°What¡¯re they like?¡± I inquire as I gaze up at her. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about them,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ve only talked to them a handful of times.¡± ¡°Still, you¡¯ve got to know something, right?¡± ¡°Well, Evion¡­ He¡¯s kind of¡­ protective?¡± ¡°Like Revus?¡± ¡°Sort of, but specifically toward Evanna and Evorra,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°and likely toward you once he meets you. He¡¯s also pretty impulsive too and I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s gotten into a few fights.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Faraine makes a strained smile, ¡°He¡¯d start fights after people approached Evanna and Evorra with the intent of becoming their pages.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I note, ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t want to become my page?¡± ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not it¡­¡± She trails off slightly as she looks to the side. After a couple of seconds I ask, ¡°Alright. What about my sisters?¡± ¡°Evanna¡¯s beautiful, proper, and elegant,¡± Faraine says, ¡°She tries to be a positive example of what a fairy should be, however, she struggles a bit with her¡­ um¡­ studies.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± I proudly exclaim, ¡°So it¡¯s not just me!¡± Thank you big sis¡­ Now I won¡¯t be alone during my extra lectures. ¡°And Evorra? Is she like us?¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°No, quite the opposite actually.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°She booksmart, skilled with the axioms, and is quite the tomboy.¡± ¡°Then, was she a guy before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°She¡¯s always out and about doing something, so I haven¡¯t talked with her much.¡± I smile, ¡°I want to meet them.¡± ¡°There is one thing they all share in common though,¡± Faraine smirks as she glances at me. ¡°Really? I hope it¡¯s something I like too,¡± I murmur, ¡°Then we can go do stuff together.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine laughs. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I turn and glare at Faraine. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the thing they all care about,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°Ever since they learned about you, they¡¯ve all continued to look for you and Revus, and they¡¯re excited to meet you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I mumble, lowering my gaze, ¡°I want to meet them too.¡± The two of us silently walk for a bit longer, staying side by side. We reach a left turn and, after rounding the corner, I see several glowing, teal pillars in the distance. I tilt my head. What¡¯re those? As I take a step forward, I stop, and begin to scan our surroundings. As I bend down to pick up a rock, Faraine asks, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± I hiss before throwing the rock toward the lights, watching and listening for any reaction. Looks clear¡­ I turn to Faraine and state, ¡°I was checking to see if anything would happen.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Even though Revus said it was safe,¡± I elaborate, ¡°I¡¯ve had several poor encounters because of my lack of caution and awareness, so¡­¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°Were you scared?¡± ¡°No!¡± I blurt, ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t scared. Just making sure nothing would happen.¡± I pout, crossing my arms. ¡°It looks safe though.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine starts to laugh again, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s safe.¡± I feel my face heat up, and start walking toward the pillars, Faraine following behind me. It¡¯s not funny. I¡¯m just trying to be careful¡­ As we get closer, their numbers increase and the intensity of the light grows. The large, stone-like structures illuminate their surroundings with a shimmering, teal tint.. Crystals? I walk up to one and feel an energy radiating from it. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this, but they don¡¯t seem natural. I reach my hand out and place my palm against the smooth surface. Instantly, the light within the crystal gathers at my palm and, as it does, the color of the crystal rapidly shifts from teal to black. A glowing, teal glitter begins to orbit around my hand. ¡°Ah!¡± I shout as I shake my hand and, as quick as the glitter appeared around my hand, it disappears. ¡°Phew,¡± I sigh, looking at the now wholly black crystal. That was kind of cool, but what happened? Crack. Crack. Poof. Suddenly, massive cracks form throughout the entire crystal, before it abruptly shatters into specks of black dust that quickly fade and vanish. I blink a few times at where the crystal just was. Well¡­ they¡¯re definitely not natural if just touching them makes that happen, but why did it explode? I look over at the other crystals. Maybe that one was just¡­ different? I scurry over to the closest crystal and, after placing my palm against it, the same thing happens. The light gathers, the crystal changes color, the glitter appears, disappears, and then the crystal explodes into dust. ¡°Hey Faraine, do you-¡± I start to ask but stop as I turn to Faraine and see her frozen in place, mouth agape. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What did you just do?¡± Faraine hurriedly inquires, approaching me. I take a step back, bumping my back against the wall and sending pain through my body. Ow¡­ ¡°W- What do you mean? I- I just touched it,¡± I stutter, ¡°W- wh? Did I do something bad?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Faraine replies, glancing at the crystals, ¡°Just shocking.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°These are called spyrite, a mineral that forms over dozens of years after absorbing vast quantities of sp¨©¨©r,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°These ones specifically hold crystal sp¨©¨©r, hence their appearance and color.¡± She walks over to one, places both of her palms against it, and continues, ¡°These one seem to be holding a large amount of sp¨©¨©r too.¡± Slowly, the area around her hands glows a bit brighter than the rest of the crystal, but the light does not disappear, nor does the color change to black. Why isn¡¯t anything happening? A thin, faint amount of teal glitter appears around her hands before disappearing, but the crystal looks almost unchanged. Faraine pulls her arms away, breathing heavily, and elaborates, ¡°These¡­ are usually used as¡­ source of power for tools¡­ or catalysts for cultivation¡­ and for fairies¡­ it''s almost always¡­ the latter.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± She huffs, ¡°Just catching my breath.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t it crumble and break?¡± Faraine stares at me perplexedly, furrowing her brows. ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me like that. There are a lot of things I don¡¯t know and understand,¡± I remark, ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason that Revus used to get mad at me.¡± Faraine makes a complicated smile, places her hands on her knees and she leans forward. While facing the ground, she answers, ¡°Since spyrite¡­ is composed entirely of sp¨©¨©r¡­ once it¡¯s all removed¡­ naturally they would break apart¡­ like what you saw before.¡± ¡°Then does that mean that I absorbed all the sp¨©¨©r from both of those crystals?¡± ¡°Pretty much¡­¡± She breathes heavily, standing up straight, ¡°however¡­ It would take most fairies hours, if not days, to get through a single piece of spyrite this size.¡± ¡°That long?¡± I inquire, tilting my head. ¡°Yeah, that long,¡± Faraine flatly answers, ¡°Which means¡­ For you to be able to absorb two crystals instantly, you must have a high absorption rate.¡± ¡°Did Revus ever mention something like that?¡± I mutter. I don¡¯t know, but it reminds me of the orange flowers I once saw. ¡°Can spyrite be other things, like flowers?¡± ¡°Sure, it can take on other shapes,¡± Faraine states, ¡°but it can also fuse with things such as plants and animals.¡± I see¡­ ¡°Actually,¡± she continues, pulling me from my thoughts, ¡°Now that I think about it, high might be an understatement.¡± ¡°Is it really that much?¡± I ask, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anyone having such an absorption rate.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to tell Revus,¡± I proudly exclaim, puffing out my chest, ¡°That way I can brag about having something I¡¯m good at.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be that bad at everything, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± I hold up my hand, and extend a finger for each point I make, ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know much, I struggled to learn Zoic, I can¡¯t fly well, I¡¯ve yet to grace my soul, I¡¯m not very strong or big, I don¡¯t have any special talents, and now I¡¯ve lost my wings too. So¡­¡± I sigh, slumping my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sure you aren¡¯t that bad at those things,¡± Faraine replies. ¡°Ask Revus,¡± I grumble, ¡°He seems to think otherwise.¡± I stand up straight, and continue, ¡°Which is why I¡¯m happy to have found something I¡¯m good at, even if I don¡¯t fully understand what it means.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing,¡± Faraine remarks, ¡°You¡¯re also cute and very nice.¡± I pinch my lips as my face heats up and I look away from her. I timidly chuckle, ¡°I really don¡¯t know how I should feel about those, and¡­ can you even be good at them? ¡°I don¡¯t see why you can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± I hum, ¡°Maybe we should continue exploring the cave.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Faraine giggles, covering her mouth as she laughs. As we walk by the glowing pillars of spyrite, I ask, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m weird?¡± ¡°Weird? How so?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve never met anyone besides Revus since I¡¯ve been born, and my time with him is usually spent learning,¡± I explain, ¡°but I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s normal and what¡¯s not and that makes me uncomfortable so¡­ I wanted to know what you think about me.¡± Faraine ponders for a bit, then asks, ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Revus said that I was born on the first of Virgo.¡± ¡°Born on the first day of the year,¡± Faraine comments, ¡°So you¡¯re not even four months old then¡­¡± She pauses for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ think that makes you weird, just young.¡± ¡°How old are you,¡± I ask, looking up at the charming woman that is almost a full head taller than me. ¡°I¡¯m seven years old.¡± I furrow my brows, and look her up and down, scanning her well developed body. ¡°You¡¯re seven?¡± Faraine laughs, ¡°Revus didn¡¯t explain this to you?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Did he? ¡°He might¡¯ve but I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Fairies mature quicker than most species so that our souls are able to utilize the axioms as soon as possible,¡± she states, ¡°But after we fully mature, which is usually around ten years, we practically stop aging altogether.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, my aunt is over 2,000 years old and she doesn¡¯t look much older than me,¡± Faraine adds, ¡°I¡¯m sure you noticed rapid growth since you¡¯ve been born.¡± Yeah, I even used to measure my height to make sure I wasn¡¯t going crazy. ¡°So, you¡¯re not weird.¡± I smile. Faraine continues, ¡°But your monstrous absorption rate is weird.¡± ¡°Is it really that weird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not normal, that I can guarantee, but it¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± she replies, ¡°After all, a fairy¡¯s absorption rate is closely related to how powerful they can become.¡± ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be strong in the future?¡± ¡°Possibly,¡± Faraine considers, ¡°I would say there¡¯s a chance for you to become one of the most powerful fairies ever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating,¡± I comment as I see a wall in front of us. I look around, not seeing any turns or hidden holes. ¡°I guess this is the end.¡± ¡°Looks like it,¡± Faraine responds. ¡°So it was just the spyrite?¡± I ponder, ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to head back. I wonder if Revus is back by now.¡± Alright, before he gets back. I take a deep breath and shout, ¡°Revus is a jerk!¡± I smile as the wondrous words travel down the corridor. ¡°Much better.¡± ¡°Does it feel that good?¡± ¡°Try it,¡± I urge, ¡°It helps.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Faraine refuses, ¡°It¡¯s too embarrassing.¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± We start working our way through the cavern, back to our campsite. ¡°A¡­ jerk¡­ am¡­ I?¡± the words echo through the passage, a slight tone of annoyance detectable through them. Revus¡­ He¡¯s back. I quickly hide behind Faraine and shout from around her, ¡°I¡¯m not wrong!¡± My sentence echoes out, fighting its way back to Revus. ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, why keep agitating him?¡± Faraine questions. ¡°Because if I don¡¯t tell him, who will?¡± Quickly, the tunnel starts to glow in the distance as a bright light rapidly flies forward, Revus following closely behind it. As Revus approaches, the red-tinted walls change to a golden yellow. Revus lands in front of us, clearly upset about something, then smiles dubiously, ¡°Since I¡¯m such a jerk, how about we increase the duration of your lessons while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blurt, ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°And, you won¡¯t get any food until you completely understand the lesson.¡± I look away and flatly mutter under my breath, ¡°Might as well just kill me now then.¡± I return my gaze to him and add, ¡°You¡¯re being unfair.¡± ¡°Well sorry,¡± he sarcastically apologizes, ¡°I can¡¯t help being such a jerk.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine starts laughing. Revus¡¯ eyes travel up and Faraine instantly stops laughing. ¡°Move over,¡± he orders. Faraine takes a step to the right as Revus walks toward me. Faraine¡­ You¡¯re supposed to help me. I look at her and see her mouth the words, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± How could you? I close my eyes and gulp as Revus approaches me. ¡°Evetta.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I reply, keeping my eyes closed. ¡°Look at me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Well I want you to.¡± Guh, you jerk. Abusing your power. ¡°Not fair¡­¡± I comment, slowly opening my eyes and looking up at him. ¡°You ready to head back?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± I nod. ¡°Good,¡± he states as grabs me and places me under his arm. He rises into the air, carrying me with a single arm while I dangle at his side. ¡°Hey, put me down!¡± I bark. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Faraine,¡± Revus orders. I begin to flail about, shouting, ¡°I said put me down, this hurts!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear you,¡± Revus answers. ¡°If you can¡¯t hear me, then why are you responding?¡± Revus instantly stops answering. ¡°Hey, come on, put me down. Please. Revus¡­¡± I sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you a jerk, please don¡¯t increase my lessons?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Revus chuckles. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± I sigh once more. As we fly back through the cave, Revus remarks, ¡°You seem to be in a good mood today.¡± I smile, ¡°Yeah¡­ I think I made a friend.¡± Interlude 15.5 - A Simple Question I lay on my back, the soft sensation of fur embracing me. I place the back of my hand over my face and sigh. What I want¡­ I glance over at the small, innocently sleeping fairy. Her moderately long silk-like hair brushes against her face. It¡¯s such a simple question¡­ So why is it that when she asks, it becomes so difficult to answer. I know what I want, but using her to get it¡­ There¡¯s no guarantee that they¡¯d even approve. They¡¯d likely say I¡¯m a good-for-nothing, or talk about how disappointed they are. I roll onto my side, facing the wall, and wipe my eyes. They could¡¯ve at least told me to my face¡­ but no. I extend my arm and punch the stone wall in front of me. They had to talk about me behind my back¡­ Some parents you are¡­ ¡°Urh,¡± I wince as I bite my lip and rub my sore hand. Stupid. You don¡¯t deserve it. You had your chance and you blew it. ¡°If you¡¯re going to cry,¡± Revus comments, his quiet voice barely reaching me, ¡°Why punch the wall?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m frustrated,¡± I answer, sitting up. He is sitting at the table with skins and leaves spread out atop it. ¡°Are you actually making another bag?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± He simply affirms, ¡°After all.¡± He pauses and glances at me with his eyes, ¡°You lost yours and your supplies. Whether you stay with us or not, its pretty idiotic to travel without any supplies.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I open my mouth to debate his point but stop. No, he¡¯s right. Losing my bag in the surge was careless. Even if I wasn¡¯t captured, I¡¯d have nothing. I guess there¡¯s a chance I could find it but that¡¯s about as likely as escaping that jar on my own¡­ I turn my head and look at Evetta. If she hadn¡¯t gotten captured then there¡¯s no way I would¡¯ve been rescued. I¡¯d still be in that jar and the en¨­¨­fen would bring me to¡­ wherever. ¡°Hey¡­¡± I mutter as I get up and walk over to the table, ¡°Thanks, for saving me.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t you I was trying to save,¡± Revus flatly responds. ¡°I know, but if not for you¡­¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Revus sighs as he scratches the back of his neck. He focuses his attention on me, ¡°So, what¡¯re you going to do?¡± I sit down next to him, lean back in the chair, and reply, ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ Well, at the end of the day, what I think doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not a skryver, nor can I become a page,¡± He explains, then nods in Evetta¡¯s directions, ¡°What matters is whether she wants it, and whether you¡¯re willing to bear that burden.¡± I feel my chest tighten as my legs and fist tense up. I take a deep breath, ¡°That¡¯s true, but I still would like to hear your opinion. Otherwise I feel like I¡¯ll keep wracking my brain about what I should do.¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Fine. You want to know what I think?¡± I gaze at him and nod. He stops working on the bag, leans back in his chair, interlocks his fingers and places them atop his head. ¡°If you¡¯re anything like Nova, then I¡¯m sure you¡¯d make a great page. Being from the Raine clan, you family has ties to the skryvers so you¡¯re likely to be working with them with or without becoming a page.¡± He continues, ¡°I know she¡¯d be happy about it, which¡­¡± He pauses and directs a gentle smile at Evetta, ¡°I¡¯ve learned matters more than I initially thought it would.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve it though,¡± The words escape my mouth. ¡°Pfft,¡± Revus laughs, ¡°Deserve it?¡± He continues to laugh, trying to keep his voice down and, as he wipes a tear, he states, ¡°You think I deserve to be by her side? Let me ask you something.¡± He leans in toward me, ¡°Why do you think the world put me by her side?¡± I furrow my brows and look from him to Evetta and back to him, ¡°Isn¡¯t it to protect her?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± He admits, shrugging his shoulders, ¡°But why does she need to be protected?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I turn and gaze at the small fairy. ¡°Is something targeting her, if so what? Shadar, en¨­¨­fen, or aeth knows what else? Is she going to be incapable of protecting herself, if so why? Because she¡¯s crippled or something¡¯s preventing her from using the axioms?¡± He takes a breath and adds, ¡°These questions have plagued my mind for years.¡± As I hear his words, I gulp, the seriousness in his tone resonating with me. She needs to be protected? ¡°What she needs now, and going forward, is allies,¡± Revus continues. ¡°I won¡¯t always be around to keep her safe from everything, so what I need to do is find reliable allies that can help me protect her.¡± ¡°Allies¡­ Is that okay though?¡± I ask, ¡°Minerva chose someone else so-¡± ¡°I know I was pretty harsh on her when we were talking about it the other day,¡± Revus relaxes in his chair and resumes sewing the leather and leaf bag together, ¡°but I don¡¯t think having you along would be terrible, assuming you¡¯re qualified.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± I state, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t qualified to be Minerva¡¯s page then how could I be Evetta¡¯s?¡± ¡°Minerva is the fifth, right?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°The fifth?¡± I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Lady Vestele had four kids, but there were five buds back at K¨¡¨¡lith,¡± Revus states, ¡°I know all of her other cousins, so Minerva would be the fifth bud, correct?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± I confirm. ¡°Is Minerva someone great or-¡± ¡°She¡¯s incredible,¡± I interrupt, ¡°She¡¯s already being compared to Disara, and there¡¯s talk about her being another candidate for the next monarch.¡± ¡°Alright, and do you rate Evetta above or below Minerva?¡± ¡°Be-¡± I start to speak but stop and turn to look at her. No¡­ After what she did with the spyrite yesterday¡­ Maybe she has more potential than Minerva. ¡°I know what you¡¯re conflicted about,¡± Revus comments, glancing up at me for a moment, ¡°Evetta has potential, but in terms of skill, Minerva sounds superior, and by a lot. ¡°I think that¡¯s pretty accurate.¡± ¡°Alright, so your claim about not being qualified to be Minerva¡¯s page,¡± Revus says, circling back to the main topic, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because you lack potential or skill?¡± ¡°B-¡± ¡°And don¡¯t say both,¡± Revus quickly adds, a sharpness present in his tone, ¡°If you had to pick one.¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± I don¡¯t know. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s simplify the question,¡± Revus pulls his attention from the bag and looks directly at me, ¡°Yes or no. Does Minerva value potential?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does she value skill?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Which does she value more?¡± ¡°Ski-¡± I start to speak but stop realizing the word that is about to come out of my mouth. ¡°There¡¯s your answer,¡± Revus states, ¡°So, not being skilled enough makes you unqualified to become Minerva¡¯s page?¡± Revus nods, points at Evetta with a sewing needle, and continues, ¡°Skill won¡¯t mean anything to her. She¡¯ll likely view anyone who¡¯s adept at manipulating sp¨©¨©r fondly.¡± He looks down and returns to his work, ¡°Besides, skill and potential, there¡¯s more to being a page than just those. I¡¯m sure Minerva knows it, and Evetta seems to have a grasp on it as well.¡± I lean forward, lower my face to Revus¡¯ eye level, and ask, ¡°So you think I should become her page?¡± He glances at me, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What? But you were just saying-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Revus cuts in. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have a problem with you becoming her page at some point in the future,¡± he explains, ¡°but not right now, after all, we¡¯ve only known you for a week.¡± He continues, ¡°Being timid and unsure about how to act around us, struggling to decide whether you should befriend her, everything you¡¯re doing, it could be an act.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± I reply, ¡°In that case what do you think I should do, assuming I¡¯m not acting.¡± ¡°Assuming you¡¯re not, and if you¡¯re anything like Nova, I doubt you would,¡± he comments. ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmur. He nods and continues, ¡°Then I think starting as friends would be fine. Just think of our trip to Folian as a way to get to know each other.¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯ll¡­ do that.¡± ¡°Just be aware that this could lead to pagehood and, if it does, then be prepared for whatever the future may entail, even if you have to one day sacrifice yourself for her.¡± I stare at Revus. Becoming her page means bearing the burden of protecting her. ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re prepared to stick around though,¡± Revus comments, ¡°She¡¯s never had friends, and if you¡¯re the first, well¡­ good luck.¡± I smile and look over at Evetta. Friends. It does sound nice. After a brief silence Revus adds, ¡°Oh, and you look better with your bangs tucked back.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Chapter 16 - Simple Tests ¡°Hah,¡± I yawn. Cold¡­ I pull the blanket over my feet and curl up into a ball. I place my left foot over my right and, while chills race into the left, the right starts to defrost. Better¡­ In the distance, the sound of two foggy voices reach my ears. Too tired¡­ sleep more¡­ As I snugly lay there on the white, rabbit pelt, tucked tightly under my fur blanket, I hear Revus say, ¡°¡­go outside.¡± Hmm¡­ I roll over. No¡­ Sleep. Their voices are just loud enough for me to hear, but too quiet for me to make out their words. Urh¡­ Want sleep¡­ I roll onto my back, look up at the stone ceiling, and barely lift my eyelids. ¡­But curious¡­ I sigh quietly and climb out of bed, wrapping my blanket around me. I stand up, my eyes hardly operable, and feel the frigid air stab my feet and a cold crawl up my legs. ¡°Brrr¡­¡± I shiver, rub my eyes, and reluctantly force them open. I scan the room and, as I direct my focus on the door, start shambling forward. Can¡¯t they have secret conversations during the day¡­ I stop moving for a second and slowly blink, pondering the idea. Couldn¡¯t they just speak another language? I continue toward the door leading outside. Since they¡¯re speaking Zoic do they not care if I hear them? Maybe¡­ I yawn and wipe my eyes. ¡­Faraine doesn¡¯t know another language? ¡°Why haven¡¯t you asked about anyone else?¡± Faraine asks from beyond the door. Her voice, muffled by the howling wind. Who is it this time? ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Revus answers, ¡°Knowing that they¡¯re alive is good enough for me.¡± I grab the door and, as I open it, the wind pulls it from my hand and it slams against the wall. Bam. Oops¡­ Fssssh. A heavy snowstorm is roaring outside and the two of them are silent. Good thing I wasn¡¯t trying to hide this time¡­ I poke my head around the doorway, enduring the bitter cold. I see Revus and Faraine staring at me wearing their usual clothes, not bothering to wear anything to protect against the storm. As I squint at them perplexedly, Revus asks, ¡°Why are you awake?¡± ¡°Um¡­ W-well,¡± I shiver, feeling the cold seep through the blanket, ¡°C-can we g-g-go ins-side first?¡± Faraine giggles, Revus sighs, and they follow me back inside. How can they just stand in the cold and not feel anything? We walk back in and, while they head to the table, I return to my bed. ¡°Did you have another nightmare?¡± Revus inquires. I find the spot I was previously at and lay back down. Ah¡­ still warm. I sandwich myself between the furry blanket and fuzzy pelt, rubbing my legs to disperse the cold, and reply, ¡°No, but¡­¡± I look up at the two of them with hazy eyes. I hope they won¡¯t change the subject now that I¡¯m awake. ¡°I heard you guys talking and¡­ well¡­ I wanted to listen¡­ without earsdripping.¡± I say, my words getting quieter as I anxiously look away. Revus sighs and holds up his index finger, ¡°First, it¡¯s pronounced eavesdropping.¡± He raises a second finger, ¡°Second, go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Who¡­¡± I yawn, ¡°were you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°Besides you¡¯re clearly tired, you can barely keep your eyes open.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you at least let me listen¡­ until I fall back to sleep?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if she knows,¡± Faraine remarks, turning to look at Revus, ¡°Right?¡± Revus¡¯ eyes bounce between us for a bit until he concedes, ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Sleeps,¡± I murmur as I silently watch them, resting my head on my pillow. They sit at the table and quietly stare at me. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask anything?¡± Revus asks. ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, then move my bangs to the side. ¡°I just wanted to listen so¡­¡± I yawn, ¡°Please continue from earlier.¡± They look at each other and Faraine questions, ¡°Um¡­ Where were we?¡± Revus sighs, then states, ¡°You were asking me about why I don¡¯t bother asking about how anyone else is doing.¡± Good¡­ looks like they¡¯re not going to change the topic. ¡°Right, and¡­¡± ¡°Like I said, just knowing that they¡¯re alive is good enough.¡± Is this about the attack at K¨¡¨¡lith? ¡°They¡¯re alive, sure, but they¡¯re not in great condition.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°The st¨¡¨¡n is¡­¡± Faraine bitterly answers. St¨¡¨¡n? What¡¯s that? ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that have healed by now?¡± ¡°Normally sure, but¡­¡± Faraine pauses, ¡°My aunt¡¯s been too active. Never allowing herself time to properly heal.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m the idiot,¡± Revus hisses. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Novaraine?¡± I inquire, ¡°And what¡¯s st¨¡¨¡n?¡± As Revus¡¯ gaze drifts from Faraine to me, he sighs, ¡°St¨¡¨¡n is¡­ a type of infection that can spread and kill a fairy.¡± ¡°But it can heal?¡± ¡°Not completely, but it can be almost entirely mitigated if properly handled,¡± Faraine explains. ¡°The problem is my aunt, and many others, don¡¯t have the time, resources, or personnel to treat it. Lately, my aunt-¡± ¡°Why do you call her that?¡± Revus interrupts. ¡°Call her what?¡± Faraine questions. ¡°My aunt,¡± he states, ¡°It sounds so formal. So¡­ distant?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I,¡± Faraine hesitates, ¡°Mmmm¡­ My parents¡­ Nevermind.¡± I roll over and look at Faraine. Again her parents and the whole sad stuff. I chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Revus asks, turning to me. ¡°Faraine¡¯s just like us,¡± I smile, ¡°She gets sad and stuff too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re happy about her being sad?¡± Revus comments. ¡°No. I¡¯m happy because it¡¯s relatable.¡± Revus shakes his head, turns back to Faraine, and refocuses the conversation, ¡°Anyway, what were you going to say about Nova?¡± ¡°Oh, um, her, Ellalyn and,¡± She looks at me, ¡°her cousins have been straining themselves, trying to deal with the surges, leaving them with little time to recover.¡± ¡°Is that why you were out here,¡± Revus inquires, ¡°Because of the surge?¡± Faraine flatly smiles, ¡°Yeah¡­ Something like that.¡± She¡¯s lying. As I pout, a yawn forces its way out. I blink a few times, my eyelids heavy. I close my eyes and continue to listen. Their conversation persists, but, slowly, their voices grow quieter until neither one is saying anything. Are they done? ¡°Should we go back outside?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°It¡¯s cold out there¡­ so just stay inside,¡± I mumble, ¡°I¡¯ll be asleep¡­ soon.¡± I hear them laugh but remain inside, and the sound of their chatter soothes me until I fall asleep. ----- ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I roll over, pulling my blanket toward my face. Better¡­ ¡°Do¡­ e¡­ norm¡­ leep¡­ is¡­ ong¡­¡± Faraine¡¯s says. Mmm¡­ Too early. Sleep more. ¡°Usu¡­¡± ¡°The¡­ wou¡­ ou¡­ ke¡­ me¡­ elp¡­ ith¡­ fast¡­¡± ¡°Mgh,¡± I grumble. They¡¯re being too loud. I slowly open my eyes and scan the room from behind my bangs. I stare at them for a moment, then bolt upright and hastily question, ¡°Why¡¯re you both awake? Didn¡¯t you go to sleep after me?¡± ¡°Good morning,¡± Faraine remarks, holding back a laugh, ¡°You look like you slept well.¡± ¡°U- Morning¡­¡± I reply, moving my hair out of my face. ¡°We did,¡± Revus answers, ¡°But like I¡¯ve explained before, you sleep too much.¡± I puff my cheeks, then bark, ¡°If that¡¯s so then why don¡¯t you wake me?¡± Revus starts his preparations for breakfast and, with his back turned away from me, states, ¡°Two reasons. First, I¡¯ve tried and you usually don¡¯t wake up. Second, you¡¯re grumpy when you don¡¯t get enough sleep.¡± ¡°Am I really that difficult to wake up?¡± I inquire as I turn to Faraine who is sitting at the table. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she answers, ¡°but Revus seemed pretty certain about not trying.¡± ¡°Enough about the nonsense,¡± Revus interrupts, ¡°We¡¯ve got a busy day today.¡± I look over at the front door and comment, ¡°It¡¯s still winter though. What¡¯s so important about today?¡± ¡°Faraine¡¯s agreed to help me protect you until we arrive at Folian,¡± Revus announces. I face Faraine and smile, ¡°So you are coming with us?¡± Faraine bashfully nods, ¡°If you¡¯re okay with-¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I shout, ¡°but only if you say we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a bit much,¡± Faraine mutters. ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls, ¡°I know you¡¯re attached to the idea of having her around but-¡± ¡°Oh yay, the fun patrol is here,¡± I murmur in Sveltish. ¡°Ow!¡± I blurt as something hits my forehead. Tears fill my eyes as I place my hands on my forehead, rubbing the sore spot. What hit m- ¡°A rock?¡± I remark, seeing a pebble on my blanket in front of me. I glare at Revus and bark, ¡°Did you just-¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you get,¡± He cuts in. ¡°For what?¡± I bellow. ¡°For speaking Sveltish,¡± Revus roars, turning around and scowling at me, ¡°I told you, no Sveltish.¡± I rub my forehead and bitterly pout, ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know the word though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse,¡± He states, ¡°Try to explain it that way you know for the future.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± I complain, waving him off, ¡°So, why¡¯s today important?¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Because I¡¯m going to test Faraine¡¯s abilities.¡± I look to Faraine then back to Revus, ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be able to properly include her in my plans going forward,¡± Revus answers, ¡°So yes, it¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Do you want me to do anything?¡± I inquire. ¡°You¡¯ll be watching and learning.¡± I tilt my head, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Revus sighs heavily, turns to me and points with a spoon in his hand, ¡°At least try to learn something from this.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Fine fine,¡± I affirm, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Even though I don¡¯t know what I can learn from just watching. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not more of your lessons, I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks for reminding me,¡± Revus comments, ¡°Two things. First, if you don¡¯t properly pay attention then you¡¯re going to get extra lessons.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that fair?¡± I argue, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I can learn from watching.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for anything specific,¡± Revus replies, ¡°Just watch and think about how it might be for you doing the same thing.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I sigh, ¡°What¡¯s the other thing?¡± ¡°Second, the better Faraine does on her test, the fewer lessons I¡¯ll give you from now on.¡± I burst from my bed, ¡°Faraine!¡± I dash over to her side, grip her hand, and plead, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you have to do, but please, get a perfect score!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Faraine timidly pulls back, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ do what I can.¡± ¡°Please, do your absolute best!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough from you,¡± Revus orders, ¡°Go brush your hair and clean up, I¡¯ll have breakfast ready shortly.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± I smile. I organize my bedding, clean myself up, and return to the table sitting down next to Faraine. Not long after, Revus arrives with our meal and, once we finish cleaning up, we sit back at the table. ¡°I know we¡¯ve talked about this before, but I¡¯m going to explain it again anyway,¡± Revus states in a serious demeanor. ¡°Go ahead,¡± I reply, resting my chin on the table. ¡°You getting captured¡­¡± He starts but goes quiet for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about what I could¡¯ve done to prevent it and how I failed to protect-¡± ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± I interrupt, ¡°Don¡¯t get all depressed now. It¡¯s already happened so-¡± He takes a deep breath. ¡°As true as that may be, there are other decisions that I could¡¯ve made that would¡¯ve led to a different outcome,¡± he explains, ¡°For example, we could¡¯ve waited instead of me luring them away.¡± ¡°If I recall, I did mention that,¡± I remark. ¡°Why did you leave her alone?¡± Faraine inquires. ¡°Because I felt that luring them away was the best way to keep her from being put in danger,¡± He answers, ¡°but looking back, waiting for them to go away likely would¡¯ve been the safer option. However,¡± he continues, ¡°there will be times where we won¡¯t have that luxury and we¡¯ll be forced to confront the issue head-on.¡± ¡°You mean that there will be situations where you¡¯ll be forced to leave her side?¡± Fararine questions. ¡°Correct,¡± Revus answers, ¡°and it¡¯s during these times that she¡¯ll be powerless.¡± Revus looks at me, ¡°At least until she¡¯s able to use the elements.¡± ¡°And until then,¡± I elaborate, ¡°Faraine¡¯s coming along to keep me safe, right?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Revus replies, then faces Faraine, ¡°I know you¡¯ve got your circumstances, but,¡± he lowers his head, ¡°Thank you for helping me protect Evetta. At least until we get to Folian.¡± I glance up at Faraine, whose eyes meet mine. I shrug and mutter, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re being so serious about this.¡± Without raising his head, Revus answers, ¡°Because your safety is a serious matter.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Faraine gulps, ¡°Yeah, if it¡¯s until Folain then¡­ I can repay you guys for rescuing me this way too.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± I muse, ¡°If we never go to Folian then-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Revus barks. Faraine chuckles, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d stay if that was the case.¡± ¡°Oh well,¡± I sit up and smile, ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯ll be joining us.¡± ¡°Temporarily,¡± Revus adds. ¡°Temporarily,¡± I mock. ¡°Could you be any more annoying?¡± Revus bites. ¡°Sorry, can¡¯t help it,¡± I sassily retort, ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve come to enjoy.¡± Revus places his left hand over his face and sighs, ¡°I thought I let you get enough sleep.¡± He lowers his hand, ¡°Guess not.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s enough,¡± Faraine chuckles, then looks to Revus and asks, ¡°When do you want to test me?¡± ¡°At least one of you stays on topic,¡± Revus scoffs, ¡°You could learn a few things from her.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± I turn away from him. Revus sighs, takes a breath, and asks, ¡°Just to confirm, what elements can you use?¡± Faraine answers, ¡°Water is my primary and fire is my secondary.¡± ¡°So you are planning on becoming an undine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Faraine mutters, then glumly continues, ¡°I couldn¡¯t rightfully call myself a member of the Raine clan if I wasn¡¯t.¡± That¡¯s¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t that,¡± I pause and tilt my head, ¡°Sort of¡­ rude?¡± I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the right word. ¡°Is what rude?¡± Revus questions gazing at me with only his eyes. ¡°Her family, clan, whatever¡­¡± I shake my head, ¡°It sounds like they won¡¯t accept her if she¡¯s not an undine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Faraine states. I turn to her as she continues, ¡°Sure, my family is prideful and would prefer to have more undines, but if I wanted to be a hearth then they would have accepted that decision.¡± She pauses for a moment, ¡°I want to be an undine to make my family proud and if I choose anything else, especially now, then¡­ It¡¯ll feel like I¡¯m running away.¡± I rest my cheek on my hand and sigh, ¡°If you say so, but it still sounds wrong.¡± ¡°Everyone expects you to become a skryver,¡± Revus remarks, ¡°Faraine¡¯s family expects her to be an undine. There¡¯s no difference.¡± ¡°Then would I not be a rightful member of my family if I chose to not be a skryver?¡± ¡°No. Whether you become a skryver or not won¡¯t change your relationship with you family,¡± Revus explains, ¡°And Faraine just said that it should be the same for her clan too.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± I pout, ¡°Well, I still don¡¯t like how it sounds.¡± ¡°Ignoring little miss cranky,¡± Revus sighs and faces Faraine, ¡°This doesn¡¯t have any meaning now, but do you think you¡¯ll ever cultivate more elements in the future?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Though right now, I¡¯m only planning on sticking with the two,¡± Faraine claims, then lowers her head, ¡°I may be lacking with fire but¡­¡± She raises her head and claims, ¡°For those my age and younger, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone better than me.¡± Doesn¡¯t that make her kind of incredible. ¡°You almost sounded confident,¡± Revus mutters, scratching his chin. ¡°I never said I wasn''t good, just not good enough for¡­ Minerva,¡± she replies. ¡°With a bit more confidence, you''d fit in with the Raines.¡± I stare at Faraine and, upon her eyes meeting mine, she bashfully looks away, her semi-confident demeanor disappearing instantly. Cool for a moment and now she¡¯s back to normal. I chuckle. ¡°Well,¡± Revus chimes, ¡°let¡¯s see what you can do then.¡± ¡°Are we going to have a duel?¡± Faraine inquires, glancing at Revus. ¡°You guys are going to fight?¡± I blurt. ¡°I¡¯d prefer that, but we don¡¯t have the space inside and,¡± he glances at me, ¡°It¡¯s too cold outside for Evetta to properly watch us.¡± Why can¡¯t you show the same concern when it comes to your lessons? He continues, ¡°There¡¯s also the chance that we¡¯ll draw unwanted attention to ourselves, so instead, we¡¯ll test your power, speed, and control.¡± ¡°And how are we going to do that?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°Light screens,¡± Revus answers as he conjures a square sheet of light and holds it in front of his torso. Faraine turns her head but keeps her eyes locked on Revus and asks, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all that¡¯s needed. We¡¯ll conduct three separate tests using them.¡± He states as he projects it away from the table. As it hovers in the air, Revus explains, ¡°First, I¡¯ll create walls of light. Your job will be to maneuver your water through the course without hitting any of the screens.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too difficult,¡± I mutter. Faraine looks at me and replies, ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you might think.¡± She then turns to Revus and asks, ¡°Are you going to be moving the screens?¡± Moving them? I glance at Revus and he smiles. ¡°The course will be a ring, and every successful rotation, I¡¯ll increase the difficulty. We¡¯ll keep going until you hit a screen or until I¡¯m satisfied.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to admit defeat then,¡± Faraine smirks. Revus laughs, ¡°I may have underestimated you. I hope you don¡¯t disappoint.¡± They¡¯re being weird¡­ My eyes bounce between their smiling faces before I cough, ¡°Um¡­ What about the other two tests?¡± They both turn to face me, then back at each other, and then they relax. Revus continues, ¡°For the second, I¡¯ll create screens around the room. All you need to do is break them as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the catch this time?¡± Faraine shoots, a slight boldness present. Revus chuckles, ¡°The screens will vary in durability, size, distance, and visibility.¡± ¡°Testing my speed,¡± Faraine mutters, ¡°Sounds more like you¡¯re checking my judgment and accuracy.¡± ¡°Those are also going to be a part of the test,¡± Revus remarks, ¡°But the end goal is how quickly can you destroy the targets.¡± ¡°Are these ones going to move too?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°No, but I¡¯ll time each one,¡± Revus grins, ¡°And each one that takes you too long will lower your score.¡± ¡°Fine by me,¡± Faraine affirms, ¡°And the final test?¡± ¡°The third test will be the most simple. I¡¯ll create ten screens. All you have to do is break as many as possible in one attempt.¡± ¡°Easy,¡± Faraine confidently claims. ¡°Shall we get started then?¡± Revus inquires, standing up. ¡°Eager to lose?¡± Faraine asks in response, getting up and walking into the middle of the cavern. Revus turns to me and, as he holds his hands out in front of him, says, ¡°Make sure you pay attention.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I reply as yellow pillars of crystal shoot out of the ground and surround me and the table. ¡°This will keep you safe in case anything happens.¡± As he turns around, he mutters, ¡°Looks like this will be fun.¡± He walks toward Faraine and declares, ¡°Don¡¯t hate me later for this.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Faraine questions, ¡°I just hope you¡¯re not a sore loser.¡± I tilt my head and rest my chin on my hand. Well, at least they seem to be getting along. Hopefully nothing bad happens though. While Faraine stands in the middle of the room watching Revus, he walks past her to the opposite side of the room from me. He then sits on the ground, crossing his legs, and placing his hands on the ground. ¡°You ready?¡± He asks. ¡°Whenever.¡± Faraine affirms. A soft yellow glow surrounds Revus¡¯ hands and, instantly, a circular, yellow path appears on the ground surrounding Faraine. Several walls of light also appear within the path. The screens vary in size, shape, and location from the ground. The distance from one wall to the next is pretty large. Some of the walls are thin and tall, while others are wide and short. Many of them are touching the ground, but others hover in the air. This doesn¡¯t look that difficult. Even I could avoid those if I could fly. I turn my head for a moment at my wingless back. They¡¯ll come back soon. I return my attention to Faraine. She has conjured a ball of faintly-glowing, red water roughly the size of her head. Looks like blood. As it hovers in the air, Faraine asks, ¡°Is this big enough?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Revus states, ¡°Begin whenever.¡± Faraine nods, smiles, and holds her arms out in front of her. Following her directions, the liquid sphere travels toward the light screens. At first, the ball travels slowly through the course, going over a wall, then in between two, before lowering toward the ground to glide beneath another. Faraine slowly spins, maintaining concentration on the water. It doesn¡¯t look difficult but, I guess I shouldn¡¯t say that considering I can¡¯t even grace my soul yet. I sigh. Steadily, Faraine increases the speed of the ball of water and it begins to weave itself through the yellow sheets of light. After completing a full loop, more walls appear throughout the course, cutting the distance between each wall in half. Faraine does not appear to flinch as she continues to navigate the red sphere through the yellow obstacles. ¡°I suggest increasing the difficulty a bit more,¡± Faraine boldly remarks, ¡°Otherwise we¡¯ll be here all day.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Revus retorts, ¡°We¡¯re only getting started.¡± Faraine completes a second rotation, then a third, and a fourth. Each lap, Revus adds more screens, each time growing more complex. Sometimes reducing the distance between walls, other times restricting the space the sphere can fit through. Upon finishing a fifth lap, the walls start moving, varying in direction and the speed that they move. While maintaining the constant pace, Faraine persists in manipulating the sphere flawlessly through the course. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re trying to test me?¡± Faraine asks. Revus grins, ¡°You¡¯re quite talkative.¡± Now things are starting to get interesting. I smile watching the two of them. As much as I¡¯d like Faraine to win, I can¡¯t imagine Revus losing. ¡°Come on Faraine!¡± I shout, cupping my hands around my mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t lose to him!¡± Please¡­ I really don¡¯t want him to make my lessons any harder. Lap after lap, the track grows more difficult. The sphere fits through a small hole that is barely large enough for it. Then it rises high into the air and slides diagonally down between two walls until it reaches the ground where it swerves left and right around pillars, all while going up and down to avoid screens that are sliding left and right. As Faraine finishes another lap, Revus comments, ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet for a while now, starting to struggle?¡± ¡°Not¡­ at all,¡± Faraine replies, her words muffled slightly. Really? I focus on Faraine and see her fingers shaking slightly. She is also biting her lower lip, and her previous confident demeanor has disappeared. Is it going to end soon? I move my eyes to the sphere and see it slowing down, its shape trembling. Faraine finishes another lap and Revus announces, ¡°Alright, this will be the last one. Good luck.¡± Upon finishing, all of the screens shift in some way. Some grow in size, reducing the area the sphere can move drastically. Others start to move, while those that were already moving increase in speed. Isn¡¯t this kind of¡­ extreme. The sphere gradually weaves around screens of light. She makes it to a section of moving walls and stops the ball. Is this where it ends? I hold my breath and see Faraine nodding her head rhythmically to the movement of the wall. Suddenly, she zips the sphere forward and manages to avoid another part. She made it¡­ As I take a breath I hear Faraine exhale. She refocuses herself, but as she starts to move the sphere down a tube of screens, Revus announces ¡°It¡¯s my win.¡± ¡°What?¡± Faraine shouts, turning to Revus. Revus stands up, walks through the light screens, and stops at the ones where the red sphere is at. He holds his hands out and a sheet of light lowers down into his hands. As he turns to Faraine, he holds the red-stained screen in front of him, and states, ¡°In the last moment you didn¡¯t stop in time and hit the screen.¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± Faraine huffs as she stares at red liquid running down the sheet. ¡°I thought I stopped in time! Ugh!¡± She sighs heavily. ¡°I thought I had it¡­¡± Her words trail off. ¡°You were better than I expected actually,¡± Revus says, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make it to the tenth rotation. Consider me impressed.¡± ¡°Hmph, I still lost,¡± Faraine retorts. ¡°Indeed,¡± He affirms, ¡°Are you ready for the next test or do you need a break?¡± Faraine breathes deeply, then asserts, ¡°No, I¡¯m good to keep going.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Revus mutters, ¡°As I said before, the goal for test two is to shoot the targets before they disappear.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Fararine huffs, ¡°Should be easier then.¡± ¡°So you say,¡± Revus mumbles as he returns to his previous location. He sits down again, places his hands against the floor and, a moment later, the screens of light disappear. ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°Whenever,¡± Faraine claims. The circular, yellow path starts to expand. ¡°Wow,¡± I whisper watching the yellow field grow until the entire floor is covered. Ksh. I look up hearing the sound of something breaking. Ksh. Ksh. Ksh. Ksh. Ksh. Ksh. Faraine is scanning the room, her head moving about as she slowly spins around. Her attention is drawn to the multitude of light screens appearing throughout the room. A moment after she sees one, a small orb of water appears above her before rapidly launching toward the screen and shattering it. Ksh. Each time a screen breaks, the fragments dissolve into golden dust, while the water fades into red mist, both disappearing before reaching the ground. Streaks of red fire off from above Faraine as she pivots on her heels, the gold and red particles glittering down around her. ¡°Pretty¡­¡± I murmur. I shake my head and dart my eyes around the room, watching screen after screen shatter. This is crazy. Is she actually hitting each one? I can¡¯t keep up. Gradually, more and more screens appear, painting more and more of the room yellow. As time passes, the screens grow more varied in size and distance. ¡°Now this?¡± Faraine suddenly scoffs. Why¡¯d she- I look around and notice some of the screens are barely visible. ¡°Revus!¡± I holler, slamming my hands onto the table as I stand up, ¡°Isn¡¯t that cheating?¡± ¡°I told her that they¡¯d vary in visibility,¡± he declares. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Faraine urges, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a test without at least this much.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± I mope, sitting back down. Ksh. Ksh. Ksh. Faraine continues her dance, launching several attacks at a time in different directions. The screens are scattered throughout the room, some being near the ground, and others, closer to the ceiling. Most of them are about the size of the front door, but mixed in are a couple that are only a fraction of the size of the others. The smaller ones have a deeper glow, making them more visible, while the more common screens are fairly translucent. Amongst them, are a handful that are barely visible, being almost entirely transparent. If not for her hitting these, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d even find those ones. A couple of minutes pass by and the screens gradually grow smaller, increase in amount, and become more difficult to see. Ksh. Ksh. Ting. ¡°Tch,¡± Faraine clicks her tongue. What was that? I examine the room and notice a screen that is cracked but not broken. It didn¡¯t break? A moment later a red stream hits and shatters it. Is Faraine getting tired? ¡°You almost didn¡¯t get that one,¡± Revus states. Without a moment of hesitation, Faraine searches the room for the next targets and within seconds, attacks a cluster of screens. Her attacks start to shift from two and three spread throughout the room to four to six aimed at groups of screens located near each other. Ksh. ¡°That¡¯s one,¡± Revus announces. Ksh. Ksh. Ksh. Regardless of how many Faraine attacks or how many projectiles she shoots, the number of screens progressively grows. Ksh. Ting. Ksh. Ksh. ¡°That¡¯s tw- Nevermind three.¡± Come on Faraine, you can do it. I interlock my fingers and tighten my hands. Ting. Ksh. Ting. With each cluster attack, the number of screens that survive grows. Ting. Ting. Ksh. Ting. ¡°Eight¡­ Nine¡­¡± Revus pauses for a moment, ¡°...and that makes ten.¡± He lifts his hands from the ground and the field of yellow radiating from the floor disappears. Faraine lowers her arms and slumps forward. While remaining on her feet, she wheezes heavily, ¡°I¡­ lost¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t consider that a loss,¡± Revus replies, standing up and walking toward her. ¡°That was far better than I anticipated. If anything I¡¯d say that one is your win, but about midway through, I decided to see how long you could last.¡± ¡°I still¡­ failed¡­¡± Faraine huffs, ¡°If those were shadar¡­ then I would¡¯ve-¡± ¡°You saying that impresses me even more,¡± Revus interrupts, ¡°However, if those were shadar, you wouldn¡¯t have been alone.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Revus asks. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°Just¡­ give me some time.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Revus says as he walks away from her and approaches me. Now what? He stops in front of the crystal barrier and asks, ¡°What¡¯d you think?¡± ¡°It was¡­¡± I pause. What¡¯s the word? ¡°Pretty?¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Revus laughs. ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I quickly blurt, ¡°Um¡­ It was incredible. She was hitting so many of them and I could hardly keep up just watching. I didn¡¯t even see her miss once.¡± Revus glances back and mutters, ¡°Yeah, she might be incredibly useful.¡± I pout, narrow my gaze, and grumble, ¡°Do you have to talk about her like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only stating my opinion.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I don¡¯t like it.¡± Revus laughs lightly before walking away. He heads to the door and begins to construct more light screens. Steadily, he creates one after another, placing one in front of the door. Each screen thereafter is placed in front of the previous one. After a few minutes, ten thick barricades of light are set up between Faraine and the front door. ¡°Your last test is by far the simplest,¡± Revus says, ¡°Using as much power as you can muster, attack the screens and break as many as possible in one attempt.¡± Faraine takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and exhales. She opens them and asks, ¡°One attack?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± She replies as she brings her palms close together, resting them near her stomach. Revus walks over to me, places a hand on the crystal walls, and a section of them slides down into the ground. He removes his hand, walks inside with me, and returns his hand to the barrier. The crystal walls rise once more and, upon closing up, he sits down at the table across from me. ¡°How many of them do you think she¡¯s going to break?¡± Revus asks. I face him and ponder, ¡°Hmm¡­ Not sure. I guess saying all of them isn¡¯t likely, right?¡± ¡°If she breaks them all,¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one week without any lessons.¡± ¡°Hah,¡± I sigh looking back at Faraine. I guess her breaking them all isn¡¯t going to happen. ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy about that. Would you rather have more lessons?¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± I bark, glaring at him, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± I focus on the red fluctuating liquid hovering between Faraine¡¯s hands, ¡°¡­I know that¡¯s not going to happen. So it sounds like you¡¯re just¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± Revus comments. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, looking at him. ¡°She¡¯s surprised me thus far,¡± Revus states, ¡°If she manages to break all ten then¡­¡± Revus looks at me, ¡°She might be¡­¡± He goes quiet. ¡°She might be what?¡± Revus nods toward Faraine, ¡°Looks like she¡¯s ready.¡± I turn to Faraine. A red radiance moves erratically between her hands. She pushes her palms together, points her fingers at the screens, and slowly pulls her hands away from one another. FSH. KSH. Krk.KSH. Krk. Immediately a red, water-beam bursts forward and instantly shatters several screens. Yellow glitter explodes in all directions. As the beam remains for a moment, a few more screens crack and break. Steadily the attack forces its way through another screen, leaving two left. Krk. As the ninth screen cracks, the red beam fades and disappears. I stare at the lone fairy that just displayed a ferocious attack. ¡°Wow.¡± Faraine falls back and lands on her butt, placing her arms behind her to prop herself up. Revus laughs lightly, stands up and, as he shakes his head, mutters, ¡°Magnificent.¡± ¡°What was that just now?¡± I inquire. Revus walks forward, places a hand on the crystal and, as it starts to retreat into the ground, he answers, ¡°Water. Fierce, yet controlled.¡± He glances at me and adds, ¡°I can see why she was considered for pagehood.¡± We walk toward Faraine. She is breathing heavily on the ground. Revus claps his hands, ¡°Congrats, you exceeded my expectations.¡± ¡°But¡­ I failed¡­ each test¡­¡± Faraine huffs. I look up at Revus as he continues, ¡°True, but that is only because I pushed you to your limits.¡± ¡°What¡­ do you¡­¡± ¡°For the first test,¡± Revus cuts in, ¡°You passed merely by getting past the fifth rotation, but you made it to the tenth. For the second test, you lasted far longer than I predicted. I started adding far more screens than I wanted and in response you changed your tactics to compensate for the increased screens.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t see¡­ another way to¡­¡± Revus holds up his hand and continues, ¡°As for the last test,¡± He points at the remaining two screens, ¡°You passed by breaking five. Currently, I can¡¯t even break ten of those screens.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I turn to Faraine then back to Revus. ¡°If we¡¯re using strictly water, then you¡¯re likely better than I am.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Faraine wheezes, ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t make¡­ me feel better.¡± She¡¯s better than Revus? ¡°You use¡­ all twelve elements¡­¡± Faraine mutters as she lays on her back, ¡°I use¡­ one and a half.¡± ¡°True, but even when I was your age,¡± Revus retorts, ¡°You¡¯re vastly better than I was. So don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. Also, I look forward to having more matches with you, it was fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Faraine says. ¡°So does that mean that I won¡¯t have lessons for a week?¡± I ask looking up at Revus joyfully. Revus glances down at me, then points at the remaining screens with his thumb, and asks, ¡°Did she break all ten?¡± ¡°No,¡± I whine. ¡°Then no,¡± Revus bluntly replies, ¡°But¡­ A few days doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I exclaim, turning to Faraine. ¡°Thanks, and good job.¡± Faraine pulls her bangs in front of her eyes and mumbles, ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 17 - Vigaros Blessing A setting sun illuminates the sky as its warm rays start to disappear beyond the horizon. Pockets of white snow remain hidden in shadows where the sun failed to shine. The birds and bugs, active after a week of freezing weather, quiet down, while nocturnal animals begin to roam the still chilled hills. The flora has shed its winter blanket and has begun another cycle of vigorous growth. A fresh aroma is carried over the land as a brisk, cold wind cuts through the mountains. Brr¡­ I shiver, breathing into my hands. I rub them over my arms. ¡°Cold?¡± Revus asks, glancing down at me for a moment. ¡°Yeah,¡± I murmur, using my warm hands to cover my frosty, pointed ears. I look around at the darkening, rugged, tree-covered mountains as we soar through the air. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even feel like spring.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus comments, tilting slightly to fly around a tree, ¡°The month of ice¡­¡± He looks at me without moving his head for a moment before continuing, ¡°It¡¯ll be especially cold this month, with this winter being the most brutal.¡± ¡°So, I just have to get through¡­¡± I pause to warm my hands again, ¡°this month and the worst will be over?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± he remarks, ¡°Four weeks from now I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love Vigaro.¡± I skeptically look up at him, and bluntly inquire, ¡°Why would I love the cold?¡± ¡°I was joking,¡± Revus affirms, glancing down at me, ¡°Want me to heat up your blanket?¡± ¡°Please,¡± I whimper. Revus smiles slightly and, a moment later, I feel heat seeping into my blanket from Revus¡¯ hands. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± I exhale as I feel the cold start to melt away. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Much¡­ sleeps,¡± I murmur blissfully. Revus chuckles, then turns to Faraine who is flying alongside us, and asks, ¡°You¡¯re certain we just follow the river once we leave the mountains?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Faraine hollers, ¡°We¡¯ll be able to follow it most of the way.¡± Folian. I look up at the patchy clouds rolling through the sky. Soon. I¡¯ll be able to meet my siblings. I glance over at Faraine. I¡¯ll meet more fairies too. I tilt my head. I wonder what everyone does for fun? I look at Revus. Maybe they¡¯re like Revus and Faraine, and enjoy fighting? That¡¯s probably better than learning¡­ Well, maybe that depends on the subject? ¡°What¡¯re you thinking about?¡± Revus questions, his eyes meeting mine for a second. ¡°Just thinking about how things are going to be when we get to Folian,¡± I state, hiding myself within the warm blanket. He mutters, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re excited, and if it¡¯s anything like K¨¡¨¡lith, you¡¯ll like it, but¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask, poking my eyes out from under my fuzzy shield. He glances down, then to Faraine, and returns his gaze forward, ¡°When we get to Folian, there are going to be a lot of fairies that are going to be around you, and many more that are going to approach you.¡± You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing. I squint and rub my hands on my ears. ¡°But you¡¯ll need to be mindful about who you get close with,¡± he continues. ¡°Why?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Because, unlike Faraine, not everyone is going to be as¡­ considerate,¡± he pauses and locks eyes with me, ¡°Most will approach you with the goal of becoming your page.¡± I look at Faraine, her blue hair fluttering in the wind as she focuses on maneuvering through the trees. So there¡¯s going to be people like that. ¡°I know I¡¯ve asked, but¡­ Is becoming a page that important?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Revus confirms, ¡°Moreso in your case, since you¡¯re Lady Vestele¡¯s daughter and¡­¡± ¡°And¡­¡± I stare up at him.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m here,¡± he remarks, ¡°No one knows what you¡¯ll do in the future, but you are expected to-¡± ¡°Be great,¡± I cut in, rolling my eyes, ¡°I know. I¡¯ve heard it before.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why you need to be careful about who you surround yourself with.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± I click my tongue, ¡°Do you have that little faith in me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about faith,¡± Revus argues. ¡°Then what, you don¡¯t trust me?¡± I question, rising from beneath my blanket. ¡°No!¡± he shouts, glaring at me. As I angrily stare at him, flaring my nostrils, he looks away. He sighs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice,¡± he pauses for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll get mixed up with the wrong people.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­ well, I¡¯ll be okay,¡± I turn away from him and mumble, ¡°because you¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ but please be aware of those around you and watch them closely. Okay?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± I pout, glancing up at him. ¡°Good,¡± Revus smiles slightly, ¡°and like you said, I¡¯ll be there along with your family and Nova too.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I look out at the sky. I¡¯m not alone anymore. Revus is here and soon¡­ I wonder what I should do when I meet them first? What did Rafal and Regina do when I came home? I lower my gaze and chuckle dully. Right, they¡¯d hide behind- I pause and take a deep breath. No, what they did¡­ doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Evetta?¡± Revus mutters, ¡°Are you crying again?¡± ¡°I am not,¡± I bark, facing him, ¡°I¡¯m just glad that things are different from how they used to be.¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt¡­¡± Faraine suddenly inquires, ¡°but when do you want to stop for the night?¡± I look over and see her flying right alongside us. Revus looks up at the ever-darkening sky, and answers, ¡°It might be a little early but¡­¡± He glances down at me, ¡°Let¡¯s look for somewhere to set up for the night before it gets too cold.¡± I smile and whisper, ¡°Sleeps.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Faraine replies. We fly for a bit longer and, before the sun completely disappears, find a decent cavity within a large tree. Revus alters the hole by expanding the interior, adding a door, and flattening the space within. Once the room is finished I start to set up our beds, Faraine begins preparing for dinner, and Revus leaves to find something to be the main part of our meal. ¡°Hey,¡± I call out, getting Faraine¡¯s attention, ¡°You done?¡± She turns to face me and nods, ¡°Yeah, I just finished. Why? Is something bothering you?¡± I approach Faraine and grab her hand, causing her to take half a step back and lean away from me. I¡¯m not going to bite. I chuckle as I look up at her and ask, ¡°Since Revus is gone, would it be okay to go look at the moons while we wait for him?¡± Faraine relaxes and exhales, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why? What did you think I was going to ask?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°But whenever you¡¯re that straightforward it can be a little frightening.¡± I stare at her blankly for a few seconds before muttering, ¡°Me¡­ scary?¡± ¡°Not quite scary,¡± Faraine corrects, ¡°More like my intuition screaming at me that something uncomfortable is about to happen.¡± ¡°Ahuh¡­¡± I murmur, ¡°If you say so.¡± I laugh lightly, ¡°Anyway, can you take me to see the moons.¡± I¡¯d like to get a good look at Vigaro so I don¡¯t have to ever see it again. Faraine glances at the doorway, and states, ¡°Revus told me-¡± ¡°To keep me safe,¡± I finish her sentence, ¡°I know, but we¡¯re just going to see the moons.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to wait for Revus?¡± Faraine questions. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Waiting for him means prolonging dinner which pushes back the time I can fall asleep too. ¡°Nope, not really.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± I sigh and add, ¡°If you¡¯re that worried about us getting into trouble we can just hide in the trees.¡± ¡°And if Revus comes back and sees us gone, what then?¡± I aggravatedly sigh, ¡°We¡¯ll just leave him a note on the door.¡± I turn around, walk over to our bags, and, as I search for some paper and charcoal, continue, ¡°That¡¯s what he used to do when he¡¯d leave while I was still asleep.¡± I pull the items from the bag, place them on the floor, and write: Went to look at the moons Please start dinner DONT FOLLOW US ¡°There,¡± I exclaim as I return the charcoal to the bag. I stand up, walk over to my bed, grab my blanket, and head for the door. ¡°You coming?¡± I ask, shooting a glance at Faraine. She is standing still, her head tilted slightly, and her eyes glued to me. I stop in front of the door, wrap my blanket around myself, and request, ¡°Please Faraine. If I could fly myself I would but¡­ It¡¯s kind of difficult to get there without my wings.¡± Faraine takes a deep breath, exhales, and, as she walks toward me, comments, ¡°Fine, but if I think anything¡¯s going to happen we¡¯ll come back.¡± I chuckle. ¡°You sound like Revus but sure,¡± I smile, ¡°Sleeps.¡± Faraine opens the door and a rush of cold air sweeps into the room. We walk outside and, after placing the note in the space between the door and the wall, Faraine picks me up. ¡°Ready?¡± she asks as her blue, red, and black wings appear behind her. I nod and, a brief moment later, we rise into the air. Looking up, I see fragments of the night sky, the light of the stars and moons poking through the newly-grown vegetation. I glance at Faraine. This is my first time doing this with a friend. I giggle as I feel a rush of excitement spread through my body. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Faraine asks without looking down. ¡°Nothing,¡± I mutter happily, gazing up at the ever-growing sky, ¡°Nothing at all.¡± We fly up to the tree top and land on one of the uppermost branches, but still hidden under the cover of surrounding leaves. Faraine sets me down and I peek out from behind the large foliage. Resting tranquilly among the stars are four moons: the yellow moon of light, Miracule; the orange moon of rot, Orobus; the teal moon of air, Aviace; and, glowing magnificently, outshining the others, is the cyan moon of ice, Vigaro.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°So pretty,¡± I mumble as I stare out at the night sky. ¡°You really like looking at the moons?¡± Faraine inquires. ¡°Yeah,¡± I lightly answer, ¡°They¡¯re comforting to look at.¡± We stay silent for a moment before I ask, ¡°Hey Faraine, what do you like to do for fun?¡± ¡°Where¡¯d that come from?¡± Faraine questions. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been thinking about,¡± I reply. ¡°What do fairies do for fun? What do friends do together?¡± I pull my gaze from the moons, look up at her, and continue, ¡°Stuff like that.¡± ¡°Fun¡­¡± Faraine silently ponders, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I do much for fun.¡± ¡°Oh come on,¡± I bark, ¡°You can¡¯t be like Revus and do nothing for fun. There¡¯s got to be something you enjoy.¡± Faraine lightly pulls her bangs over her eyes and meekly replies, but her answer is too quiet for me to hear. ¡°Can you say that again?¡± I say, getting a bit closer. ¡°I like to read,¡± Faraine mutters quietly. ¡°Really? Reading?¡± I tilt my head, furrow my brows, and look up at her. Not what I had in mind, but I guess I used to read things for fun too. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I like solving puzzles?¡± I sigh, sit down on the branch, and look back out at the moons. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so stiff. I¡¯m just curious if there¡¯s stuff we can do as friends.¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine calls as she sits down next to me. I turn to her and, as she tucks her long bangs behind her right ear, she asserts, ¡°Don¡¯t get upset, but I think your idea of friends is a bit¡­¡± ¡°A bit what?¡± Faraine looks up and, after a moment of thinking, answers, ¡°Rigid? No¡­¡± She lowers her gaze back onto me, ¡°What I mean is you seem to be stuck on this idea that friends have to do certain things to be friends. Or¡­ that both people need to agree that you¡¯re friends to become friends.¡± Yeah¡­ I purse my lips, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you have to do things together to be friends¡­ I¡¯d say it¡¯s more accurate that friends spend time together and just happen to do things together.¡± I tilt my head and ask, ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ For example, instead of us doing puzzles together to become friends, I think it¡¯s more accurate that because you¡¯re friends you¡¯d spend time together and you could do a puzzle or any other activity for fun.¡± ¡°But then how do you become friends in the first place?¡± ¡°Ah, maybe that¡¯s the actual problem.¡± ¡°What is?¡± I furrow my brows. ¡°Let¡¯s try this,¡± Faraine scoots closer to me, ¡°Would you hate me if I said I hated you?¡± I lean back. ¡°Um¡­ I feel like you¡¯re asking me a trick question.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being serious. If I said I hated you, does that mean you have to hate me?¡± I look at her fingers, then back at her red eyes, ¡°No?¡± ¡°Exactly, just because I said something or feel a certain way, doesn¡¯t mean it applies to you,¡± Faraine explains. ¡°Now, on the other hand,¡± she adds as she turns toward the sky, ¡°The sun rises and sets without us doing anything. It just happens.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± She looks back at me, ¡°You might like or hate or love someone, but they don¡¯t have to feel the same way towards you. Just because you say you¡¯re friends doesn¡¯t make you friends. Friendship is like the rising and setting of the sun.¡± She shrugs, ¡°It just happens.¡± ¡°But¡­ Then how would I know?¡± Faraine smiles and answers confidently, ¡°You¡¯ll know.¡± I¡¯ll know¡­ ¡°Can we still do things together? It would put my mind at ease.¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°Sure.¡± We sit there for a moment looking out at the moons, before Faraine says, ¡°Revus was telling me that you¡¯ve never had any friends. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I mutter. ¡°Aside from obviously not meeting anyone other than Revus, I¡¯ve yet to make any friends here¡­¡± Faraine hesitantly asks, ¡°And before?¡± I gaze out at the four colorful lights and sullenly reply, ¡°Before¡­ Almost no one would talk to me. I think it was mostly because of my appearance.¡± ¡°What was wrong with how you looked?¡± ¡°I was missing¡­¡± I bite my lower lip and place my right arm on my left elbow. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I take a deep breath. It¡¯s in the past. I¡¯m different now. ¡°I used to not have my left arm, my left ear, and my left eye. So people looked at me like I was some kind of monster.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Faraine murmurs, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I turn to her and smile, ¡°There were still people that would talk to me regardless of how I looked, but most of them would distance themselves after they found out where I used to live.¡± ¡°Sounds like you had a rough life.¡± ¡°It was pretty bad,¡± I chuckle meekly. I pause for a moment, glance at Faraine, and ask, ¡°What about you? Did you used to have friends?¡± Faraine places her hands on the branch behind us, looks up, and remarks, ¡°I did.¡± I stare at the blue-haired lady next to me as we sit in silence. ¡°This might be weird to ask but, what were you like, you know, before¡­¡± She turns to me, her lightly-glowing, red eyes contrasting the darkness surrounding us. ¡°I used to be an en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°So you were a human like me?¡± ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head. ¡°Then, an elf?¡± ¡°Wrong again,¡± she smiles. ¡°What else is there?¡± A dwarf maybe but how do I say that¡­ ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°I was an en¨­¨­fen that lived in a different realm from this one,¡± Faraine states, ¡°I looked similar to an elf, but my people had horns on our head and our skin was more gray in color.¡± Elves with horns? ¡°Sounds kind of cool.¡± ¡°A lot of us were, my father was too.¡± I turn my head but maintain my gaze on her, ¡°You say that like he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°He died in a cr¨±¨±x while I was still the previous me.¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°What¡¯s a cr¨±¨±x?¡± ¡°Ah, I guess you haven¡¯t learned what that is.¡± Faraine ponders for a moment, then explains, ¡°It¡¯s kind of like a large fight between two nations that lasts for several years and results in a lot of people dying.¡± ¡°War,¡± I sigh in Sveltish, then reply in Zoic, ¡°Sounds¡­ pretty bad.¡± ¡°Bad is an understatement, they¡¯re terrible to an extreme level,¡± Faraine continues, ¡°Me.¡± She holds up one finger. ¡°My dad.¡± She holds up another finger. ¡°And my friends,¡± she holds up the rest of her fingers, ¡°all died in a cr¨±¨±x between my home country and our neighboring country.¡± She closes her hands into fists. ¡°That¡¯s how you¡­ died?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ But saying we died might not be right.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be more accurate to say I lead myself and my friends to their deaths¡­That I killed them.¡± I open my mouth to say something but no words come out. Killed them? But¡­ I close my mouth and woefully watch Faraine, her eyes starting to water as her lips tremble slightly. She coughs and scratches her cheek, ¡°Sorry I-¡± ¡°Did you mean to do it?¡± ¡°Of course no-¡± she snaps. Faraine pauses for a moment and stares at me. She looks down, interlocks her fingers, and sighs, ¡°I was a leader for a group and our mission was difficult. I tried to convince my¡­ boss¡­ that it was a bad idea, that we would die, but¡­¡± She gulps, ¡°In the end we were tasked with walking into an obvious ambush.¡± Faraine pauses, ¡°I knew what would happen. I explained it to my friends and told them they could leave, but they didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Faraine exhales as she looks up, then mutters, ¡°But in the end we all died.¡± I look down at the blanket wrapped around myself. I¡¯m worried about making friends¡­ Meanwhile she¡¯s dealing with having killed hers¡­ I peek at Faraine. Maybe my past life wasn¡¯t so bad after all¡­ ¡°I¡¯m-¡± I reach my hand toward her, but drop it, then whisper, loud enough for her to hear, ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ alright,¡± she smiles meekly at me. I return her meek smile with my own. ¡°It¡¯s not all bad though,¡± Faraine comments, a tinge of happiness present, ¡°I learned that we won the cr¨±¨±x and because of that, my people have been living peacefully for over sixty years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± I smile softly, then exclaim, ¡°Wait, sixty years! Doesn¡¯t that mean you were alive over sixty years ago?¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine laughs, ¡°Yep, if I was still the previous me, I¡¯d be over eighty and I¡¯d likely have grandkids.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t sixty years a long time though?¡± Faraine raises an eyebrow, ¡°Not really.¡± A moment later, she summons her wings, red glitter dancing off of them. ¡°Sixty years is actually a pretty short amount of time, especially for fairies, and is about right for the amount of black that is on my wings.¡± I examine her wings. They are mostly blue and red, but roughly a quarter of them are covered in black. ¡°There are others who have much more black on their wings who were originally born hundreds of years ago, and all of them have almost no memory of their previous lives.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I gulp. Not remembering your past¡­ I glance at the stars. What would I be like if I didn¡¯t remember Svelta¡­ I smile. Doesn¡¯t sound that bad. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Faraine remarks, ¡°From what I can tell, the more someone remembers, the more they seem to struggle adjusting to their new life.¡± I turn my head to look at where my wings would be. Revus said I remember everything. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m struggling a lot?¡± ¡°No, not really,¡± Faraine states, ¡°But I also didn¡¯t know you immediately after you were born.¡± She continues, ¡°For a lot of fairies, if they didn¡¯t like their previous lives then they tend to adjust much easier, and from how you sounded¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I state, ¡°I definitely like this life more than my previous one. Well, there are some things that I think I liked more before.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I feel my body heat up and I cover my head with my blanket, ¡°Like¡­ being a boy.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Faraine murmurs, ¡°I guess that would be something difficult to adjust to.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I quietly mutter. ¡°How old were you before you died?¡± Faraine inquires. I poke my head out from the blanket, look at Faraine, and answer, ¡°Sixteen, why?¡± ¡°Well once you lived seventeen years as a girl, then you¡¯ll have lived your life longer as a girl,¡± she explains, ¡°And by that point, you will likely have accepted your body.¡± I¡¯ll accept being a girl. I guess I am already getting used to it, but still. ¡°And besides, just because you used to be a boy or a girl doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t do the things you did before.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. ¡°Like¡­ If you enjoyed moon gazing as a boy. Just because you¡¯re a girl now, doesn¡¯t mean you have to stop moon gazing.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I pause, ¡°Funnily enough, I couldn¡¯t really see the moon where I lived before.¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°You can also do new things. So don¡¯t feel too conflicted about it. Like Revus said, just do whatever you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Sleeps Faraine,¡± I smile. Suddenly, a chilly wind slices through the air. ¡°Brrr¡­¡± I shiver. ¡°Ready to head back?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°Sure, hopefully Revus has finished dinner,¡± I remark as I look up at the glowing moons. What¡¯s that? I tilt my head as a black dot seemingly appears on the cyan moon. As I focus on the dot, it starts to grow. ¡°Hey Faraine, do you see that?¡± I ask without taking my eyes off the gradually-expanding, black circle. ¡°See what?¡± she responds curiously. ¡°That,¡± I state, pulling my arm from beneath my blanket and pointing to Vigaro, ¡°On the moon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Faraine comments, ¡°Other than the moons and stars.¡± I glance up at Faraine for a moment, ¡°You don¡¯t see that black circle on the moon?¡± Faraine locks eyes with me, then gazes at the moons again, and replies, ¡°No? Should I?¡± ¡°Really?¡± I confusedly mutter looking back at the cyan moon, the black circle now occupying a majority of its surface. My heart starts to race as I gulp, ¡°Faraine¡­ you really don¡¯t see anything on Vigaro.¡± ¡°No,¡± she firmly states, ¡°Are you maybe just tired?¡± ¡°Tired,¡± I quickly face Faraine, ¡°I¡¯m being serious. There¡¯s something-¡± I turn back to Vigaro and stop mid-sentence as the black circle has fully blocked out the cyan moon. I blink and suddenly it disappears, the cyan light shining brightly as if nothing had happened. ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine calls, bending down and looking at me face to face, ¡°You okay.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I look around Faraine and peer at Vigaro, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gone.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you sure you¡¯re not just seeing things?¡± I rub my eyes, then continue staring at the now-intact face of the moon. Maybe I am just tired¡­ ¡°You listening?¡± ¡°Sorry, we can head back now,¡± I reply as I stand up. Faraine picks me up, and slowly we start to descend down the tree. What was that thing? Faraine didn¡¯t see anything so maybe I was just seeing things but¡­ It didn¡¯t feel like nothing. It felt like- ¡°Argh,¡± I whimper as a pinching pain shoots through my chest. It kind of hurts¡­ to breath. ¡°Cold?¡± I take a light breath, trying to minimize the pain and, as it eases up, I exhale, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± We arrive back in front of our makeshift house, the note gone. Faraine sets me down and we enter. A soothing aroma kisses my nose as I walk inside. ¡°Finally decided to come back?¡± Revus remarks, standing in front of a fire. A wooden tube connected to the outside of the tree rests above the fire. ¡°Yeah yeah, we were out by ourselves,¡± I blandly reply as I walk over to the table with Faraine following behind me, ¡°So what, we were safe, nothing happened, so please don¡¯t complain.¡± I watch as Revus turns around, stares at me flatly, and asks, ¡°Did you think I was going to complain to you right after you got back?¡± ¡°It might not be the first thing, but I imagine at some point it¡¯ll happen,¡± I state as I rest my chin on the table. ¡°Is that really how you think about me?¡± Revus questions. ¡°Well¡­¡± I hold up my fingers as I list off, ¡°You worry about me, you complain to me, and you argue with me. I think that hits almost everything.¡± Revus pauses for a moment and then holds up his finger to me, ¡°You forgot lecture you.¡± He smiles, returns to the fire in front of him, and says, ¡°Thanks for leaving the note.¡± ¡°Thank Faraine for that,¡± I answer, ¡°She figured you¡¯d worry if we didn¡¯t do something.¡± ¡°So how¡¯d your moon gazing go?¡± ¡°Fine. Faraine and I just talked about our pasts and stuff.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡± ¡°Sleeps for starting it while we were out.¡± Revus chuckles, ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised you were gone for as long as you were. I figured you¡¯d come back sooner because of the cold.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± After several more minutes Revus finishes dinner and sets three plates on our makeshift table. As I look down at my plate, a frigid air sneaks into my lungs and cold pressure squeezes my throat. Its icy grip presses against my chest, limiting my breathing. Chills scurry along my skin as if someone was rubbing ice across it. My arms and legs suddenly feel heavy, like shackles are weighing them down. So¡­ cold¡­ I sit in my chair shivering as I stare at my plate of sliced fruit and cooked meat. Need¡­ to¡­ eat¡­ I direct my eyes from the bowl to the fork resting next to it and will my arm toward it. Almost¡­ ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus calls. I jump slightly in surprise, blinking a few times before glancing up at the black-haired fairy. His normally low-sitting eyebrows are covering the top of his yellow eyes as he glares at me. ¡°Make sure you eat,¡± he states, ¡°Once you¡¯re done, head to bed. We¡¯ll be leaving early tomorrow.¡± I stumble over my breathing and mutter, ¡°R-right.¡± I look down at my food and grab my fork. ¡°Tss,¡± I wince as it feels like cold needles stab my hand where I hold the wooden utensil. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and bite my lips to hold back a whimper. I can¡­ do this¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ eating. I open my eyes and my gaze drifts between the fork and my meal. Its cold and- ¡°Arh,¡± I flinch as a piercing pain shoots through my chest. It hurts to breathe¡­ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Faraine asks concernedly. I slowly turn to her and force the words, each one stinging my chest, ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m just¡­ cold.¡± Faraine tilts her head and leans away from her plate, ¡°Do you want another blanket?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know¡­ if that¡¯ll help.¡± I take another painful breath, ¡°Just¡­ feeling¡­¡± Revus inquires from across the table, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I face him as he locks eyes with me, ¡°Evetta? You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Just c-cold,¡± I sheepishly smile, then turn back to my food. Really cold. I sluggishly move my fork into a piece of fruit and stare at the liquid seeping out. I bring it to my mouth and take a bite, the sweet juice spreading through my mouth, and, as I swallow, it slices my throat. I hesitate to take another bite as my stomach bubbles and an icy pain pins itself to my gut. I close my eyes, bite my lower lip, and place my left hand over my stomach. Ow¡­ As I slowly breathe, needles run through my lungs. Ow¡­ I open my eyes and gulp, my sore throat throbbing. Ow¡­ I look over at Revus and see him cutting his meat into smaller pieces. Need to eat¡­ Otherwise Revus will get mad at me¡­ I focus on my meal and force myself to continue eating. Each bite aggravates my stomach more, each swallow claws at my throat, and each breath stabs my lungs. ¡°...vetta.¡± I turn to face Faraine, her long bangs are brushed to the side but still completely cover her right eye. ¡°Are you done?¡± Faraine worriedly asks. I glance down at my half-empty plate. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± I murmur. While I stare at my leftovers, Faraine grabs them. She stops and stares closely at me. ¡°Revus,¡± she calls, ¡°She¡¯s¡­ not looking good.¡± I turn toward Revus as he comments, ¡°Clearly I can see that but you should know it too, we don¡¯t get sick.¡± He pauses to face Faraine, ¡°Or are you saying that we¡¯ve been lied to.¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°but¡­¡± She looks back at me with a concerned face, ¡°Look at her.¡± She slowly turns her head away from me as she carries my leftovers. Faraine gets to the door, opens it, and dumps the remaining food on the ground. She then creates water and starts to wash the utensils. Revus sighs as he gets up and he walks over to me, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, then go lay down.¡± I tilt my head back as he approaches, lean it against the chair, gulp, and mutter, ¡°Yeah¡­ I think¡­ I will.¡± I look down, push my chair back, and stand up. Instantly, a freezing cold washes over me and I start to wobble, trying to maintain my balance. ¡°Arh,¡± I wince as a deep pain drills my forehead. As I press my hand against my forehead, my stomach churns. Don¡¯t¡­ feel¡­ ¡°¡­etta?¡± ¡­good. I sway about, starting to feel queasy as a sharp cold grabs my ears. ¡°Revus¡­¡± I quietly mumble, ¡°I feel¡­¡± I drop to my hands and knees and feel my stomach tighten. Instantly, cold liquid fills my throat, then overflows into my mouth. I release it onto the floor and stare at the clear fluid mixed with chewed bits of fruit and meat as I breath heavily. The puke spreads on the floor, covering the area beneath me, and coating the edges of my hands in my dinner. I slowly blink, trying to maintain my balance as I feel snot drip from my nose. ¡°Ugh¡­ Rev-¡± Before I can finish a word, another wave surges forth. As the chunky liquid forces its way out of my mouth, a bitter sting starts to coat my lips. The cold on my ears begins to burn. As I try to lift one of my hands, a chill spreads over both of my hands and holds them in place. Is that¡­ ice? Feeling momentary relief after vomiting, I lift my head and see Revus and Faraine kneeling down next to me. What¡¯re¡­ they saying? Both of their mouths are moving and their hands are placed against my ears. I can see their breath escaping their lips as they begin to shout. I open my mouth but no words escape. I¡­ can¡¯t speak? My heart starts to race as breathing becomes even more difficult. I peer at Revus¡¯ grim face, tears filling my eyes. Revus¡­ What¡¯s¡­ happening to me? Revus¡­ As a tear rolls down my face, I feel it freeze against my cheek. I open my mouth once more, ¡°Rh-¡± The all-consuming cold bites down on my neck, limbs, and head. ¡°Aw¡­¡± As the world around me starts to spin, my vision begins to fade. Can¡¯t¡­ can¡¯t¡­ As I fall forward, my gaze locked on Revus¡¯ frightened face, everything goes dark. Chapter 18 - Sleeping Gracefully Mmm¡­ So soft. I roll onto my side, extend my arms and, as I pull them back, grab an armful of the pillowy material. Feels nice¡­ I pause for a moment, place a hand near my head, and press into the spongy headrest. My pillow wasn¡¯t this soft. I open my eyes and see that I am sinking into a white cushion. I stare at the spotless bedding and slowly sit up. I lazily turn my head as I look around. The fluffy, white landscape I am sitting on extends as far as I can see, while, overhead, is a vast plane of more white. Well this is new¡­ ¡°Where am I now?¡± I mumble as I lay back down, the cozy comfort embracing me. Wherever this is¡­ I close my eyes and sigh pleasantly. ¡­I like it. I lay there for a while enjoying a luxurious calm, before eventually opening my eyes. I should probably get up before I fall back asleep. I sit up again, sigh, then stand up. Seriously though, where am I? Scanning the environment, nothing is visible save the white fluff. It¡¯s oddly quiet too¡­ ¡°Hello?¡± I holler, cupping my hands around my mouth. My voice almost instantly disappears into the nothingness that surrounds me. Doesn¡¯t seem like anyone is here¡­ I take a step forward and feel my foot press into the pillowy ground. Looking down, I notice that I am wearing a simple, white dress, while comfortable shoes adorn my feet. I sigh. At least I don¡¯t have to worry about someone seeing me naked if I find somebody. I look up and examine the horizon. Everything looks the same. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to get anything done just standing here. Just¡­ Need to be careful since Revus and Faraine don¡¯t seem to be here. I start walking forward. ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± I shout as I traverse over the cushiony floor, ¡°Can anyone hear me?¡± There has to be someone here right? Maybe not¡­ But if not, then how did I get here? I freeze in place as my heart starts to race. Wait, did I die again? I place my hands on my head. No, please tell me this isn¡¯t the afterlife. I pause and glance up. If this is my second time dying then would this be my after-afterlife? I shake my head and continue my walk through the endless white plane. There¡¯s really nothing here except me¡­ I stop for a moment as my feet gently press into the fluff beneath me. ¡­Well, me and this stuff. I bend down, reach my arm out, and press my hand into it. Soft. I smile as I close my eyes. Opening them, I retract my hand and watch as the fluff expands back into its original position. I giggle as I start to repeatedly poke the fluff and watch it return to normal. I look down and see the indent from where I am standing. I wonder. I stand up and jump from one spot to another and, immediately turning around, watch as the fluff rises. ¡°Hmhm.¡± I start to jump backwards, going from here to there, ogling the fluff. ¡°Ah!¡± I shriek as I trip backwards and fall into the pillowy landscape. ¡°Pfft,¡± I laugh as I gradually sink into the ground. Well, it¡¯s fun to play with, but what is this stuff? It¡¯s fluffy, warm, and kind of bouncy too. I place my hand against the fluff, grip it, and, without any resistance, pull a clump of white fluff from the ground. That was¡­ Surprisingly easy. I sit up and examine the tuft of fluff, my eyes bouncing from it, to the hole that now resides where the clump once occupied. So it¡¯s not connected¡­ I poke the misshapen ball and stare at it, but stop and tilt my head. Why isn¡¯t it going back to normal? I look at the hand-sized hole, then back to the small indent where I poked it. Is it because I removed it? I put the clump back in its original spot and it slowly, but seamlessly merges back into place. ¡°Phew,¡± I sigh lightly. Well, at least I didn¡¯t ruin it. I look to another spot, grab another clump of fluff, and pull it from the ground. Since it¡¯ll go back¡­ I smile, cup my hands, and press them around the fluffy ball. Now¡­ I release the ball, keeping it within my cupped hands, and stare at it. Huh? I tilt my head. The fluff is now an almost perfect sphere in my hands. I furrow my brows and continue to observe the white orb, patiently waiting for it to do something. Why isn¡¯t anything happening? Did I break it this time? I look back at the hole and try to return it to its home. I release the sphere and watch as it instantly falls from the cavity, rolling down the indented fluff that I am sitting on until it hits my leg and stops. An anxious bubbling erupts within me as I grab the ball. Did I really break it? Quickly, I place it back in the hole and try to cover it up with surrounding fluff but the sphere repeats its previous motions, falling and rolling back to my leg. No, please. I didn¡¯t mean to. I look around in a slight panic, but the eerie nothingness ignores me. Right¡­ There¡¯s nothing here to get mad at me so what am I getting so freaked out for¡­ I close my eyes, place my hand over my chest, and exhale. That¡¯s better. I look at the ball, grab it, and lay on my back, holding the ball over my face. Why¡¯d it change though? I poke the solid, glass-like ball and run my finger over it. Smooth? I sit up and sigh. Now what? Glancing about, my eyes return to the fluffy ground once more. I really shouldn¡¯t¡­ I place the smooth sphere in my lap, reach out, and grab a new clump of fluff. I don¡¯t even know what this stuff is, but¡­ I press my hands around it, remove them, and look at a second, smooth sphere now in my hands. I guess that confirms what happens when I squeeze it like that¡­ Wonder what else I can do with it? I place the second sphere on my lap, next to the first, grab a new clump, and press my hands together. Will it be flat like a pancake? I pull my hands away and watch as the fluff swells from its flattened state, and returns to a clump. Nothing happened? I grip the clump with both hands and pull them apart, tearing the clump into two smaller pieces. Interesting. I set one piece on the ground, cup my hands over the other, and press them together. Removing my hands, I see that the small clump remains. Nothing happened this time either? I glance at the fluff surrounding me. Do they need to be a certain size for them to change? I grab another clump, form it into a sphere, and examine it. I wonder why they change? I look down and grab one of the other spheres resting on my lap. As I pull the orb in my hand up, the other sphere rises with it. Huh? They¡¯re stuck together? I set the third sphere down on my lap, grip the connected spheres, one in each hand, and pull. THEY¡¯RE¡­ NOT¡­ LETTING¡­ GO¡­ I stop trying to separate them, exhale sharply, and lay down. I hold the two spheres over my face and scan them. They¡¯re barely touching but won¡¯t come apart¡­ I lift my head and glance at the third sphere. I wonder¡­ I hold the two spheres with one hand, grab the third sphere, place it against the conjoined spheres, and let go. It stayed! I smile, sit up again, grab several clumps of fluff, and start shaping them into spheres. And that makes four. I smile proudly at the newly formed spheres. Now¡­ I grab a new sphere with one hand, and the chain of three with the other. If I place them together then¡­ I bring the four spheres together and release the singular sphere. It fell¡­ I stare at the orb that fell into my lap. I tilt my head and analyze the three-sphere chain. Maybe only three can connect together? Unless they have to be in a certain order? I grab the sphere I previously dropped, press it against the opposite sphere of the chain, and watch it fall once more. Nope. That clearly wasn¡¯t it¡­ Maybe they only stick to the middle one? I grab the orb again, place it against the middle sphere and, upon letting go, watch it stay in place. It stayed! So they do stick to the middle one. I look down at the three remaining spheres next to me. I grab them and, one by one, connect them to the center sphere. Hmm¡­ I can move them¡­ I start to slide the spheres around the central orb, separating the top and bottom, then pulling the middle apart leaving two clusters of three. Hmm¡­ I wonder how many I can fit on here¡­ I set the cluster of orbs down and start shaping clumps of fluff into smooth spheres. Four¡­ I grab another handful, press my hands over it, and release. Five¡­ I glance at the cluster. That should be good. Slowly, I begin to add the spheres to the cluster. One after another, the empty space becomes occupied by a new sphere. I slide the spheres about to allow for another sphere to be placed. That¡¯s all five but¡­ I scan the cluster. ¡­there¡¯s still room for one, maybe two more. I sigh. I grab two more clumps, shape them into spheres, and place the first within the remaining space. Good. I grab the second and start to move the outer spheres to try and make space for the final sphere in my hand. I push the sphere down, but it refuses to touch the central orb. Doesn¡¯t seem to be enough space¡­ Guess I made one too many¡­ I put the last sphere down on the ground at my side and lay down on my back, holding the cluster of spheres overhead. Now what¡­ I rotate the cluster, looking at it. It¡¯s cool but I can¡¯t fit anymore on it¡­ I blink and, suddenly, an almost transparent sphere surrounds the cluster. What¡¯s this? I sit up and put the cluster in my lap. Is it going to do something? I wait for a moment, then try to touch the glassy casing, but my hand passes through it and touches the cluster. I sigh. Looks like I got my hopes up for nothing¡­ I place my elbows on the cluster, and rest my chin in my hands. Well that was entertaining for a bit but I guess I should- As my elbows start to sink, I hold myself up and glance down at the cluster. The outer sphere is back and¡­ I tilt my head as I lean closer. Did it get smaller? I lift the cluster up, bring it toward my face, and put a hand on either side of it. Did it get smaller because I leaned on it? I push my hands together and watch as the cluster of spheres start to merge with the outer sphere. A little more. The head-sized cluster of spheres shrinks as they fuse together, before the entire cluster is encased and hidden within my cupped hands. I pull my hands away and, there, a singular sphere resides but, unlike the previous spheres, a white ring hovers around the sphere without directly touching it. They became one? And what¡¯s with this ring? I go to poke the ring, but my finger passes through it. Interesting¡­ I look down at the extra sphere I made, grab it, and place it against the ringed sphere. As I release the ringless orb, it falls to the ground. So they won¡¯t connect if they¡¯re different? Does that mean that if I make another ringed sphere they¡¯ll stick together? As quickly as I can, I grab handfuls of fluff and start to shape them into spheres. How many do I need again¡­ I look at the ringed sphere. I started with a chain of three¡­ made four more, so that¡¯s seven. Then I made five which puts me at twelve. I glance at the extra I made. Plus one, so thirteen? I shape clumps into spheres until I have thirteen. Placing them together, I finally end up with another cluster. I put my hands on either side of the cluster and, once again, an almost transparent sphere appears around the cluster. Here goes. I press my hands together until the sphere is small enough to fit within my hands. I open my hands and a second ringed sphere rests around them. Time to see if they stick together. I grab the first ringed sphere, stick the two together, and release my grip on one of them. It worked! I tilt my head and furrow my brows. But that¡¯s new¡­ The two ringed spheres are connected, but the two rings have merged together, leaving one singular ring to surround both spheres. I place the spheres at my side, lay down on my back, and stare out at the white nothingness above me. Well that was fun for a bit but¡­ My eyes glance about, searching for something. ¡­I still have no idea where I am. What if I really am dead? Or maybe I¡¯m stuck here? Heck, I don¡¯t even know how long I¡¯ve been here. I sigh. Guess I should keep looking and hope that I find a way out of here¡­ Or at least something else to keep me occupied. I sit up, grab my ringed spheres, then stand up. As comfortable as this place is, it¡¯s¡­ pretty empty? I sigh, slump forward, and start to wander forward over the fluffy landscape. I gradually shift from walking, to running, skipping, and then finally, jumping, humming along the way. I try to keep myself entertained so as not to worry, since nothing within this place ever seems to change. ----- I trip and collapse forward, falling on my chest and slowly sinking into the fluff. How long has it been? Maybe a few hours? I chuckle. Maybe days? I sigh heavily. I wish there was some way to tell time in here, but there¡¯s nothing. As far as I can see, regardless of how far I walk, there¡¯s nothing around me. I roll onto my back. And there¡¯s nothing in the sky. I tilt my head. I can¡¯t even tell if that¡¯s sky or a roof¡­ I sigh once more. Nothing above or b- I quickly open my eyes and spin around. Below me¡­ I stare at the fluff on the ground. What if there¡¯s something beneath it? I grip the fluff and start to push it aside, digging my way down. How far down does this stuff go? After a moment, I look up, and see that I have dug myself into a hole. As I stand up, my eyes barely poke out from above the fluff. Geez, it¡¯s a lot deeper than I thought it¡¯d be¡­ Maybe there is nothing down here? I look down into the hole I am in. And if I keep digging could the fluff bury me? It doesn¡¯t seem heavy, but still, I¡¯d rather not risk it. I tilt my head. Actually, what if there¡¯s nothing beneath the fluff and I just start falling forever¡­ A chill runs down my spine. Yeah, I¡¯d rather not- ¡°Argh!¡± I shout as a sharp pain shoots through my chest. Breathing¡­ hurts¡­ A sudden cold starts to spread over the landscape and a cyan glow appears on the horizon. What¡¯s¡­ that? I press my hands against my chest and wait for the pain to subside. ¡°Huff¡­¡± I pant for a moment, then climb out of the hole. Resting on my hands and knees, I look up at the horizon. The ground and sky are tinted cyan, but the color deepens around a certain area. Something¡¯s¡­ over there¡­ ¡°...vet¡­¡± Hmm? Did someone say something? I look around and shout, ¡°Is someone there?¡± ¡°...vus¡­ it¡¯s¡­ ain¡­¡± ¡°Hello? Can you hear me?¡± The cyan color in the distance gets stronger and the landscape, as if in sync with the light, gets colder. Why¡¯s it so cold all of sudden? I force myself onto my feet, turn away from the glow, and start to retreat. Need to get away¡­ The farther I walk away, the weaker the cold becomes. This seems to be far enough. I turn around, and see the faint, cyan glow in the distance. Whatever that was- ¡°Evetta¡­¡± ¡°Revus?¡± I mutter as I look around. ¡°Revus, where are you?¡± ¡°...vetta¡­ you¡­me?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for games,¡± I shout, cupping my hands around my mouth, ¡°Where are y-¡± I stop mid-sentence as I notice my translucent hands. My hands¡­ I can see through them. As I stare at my now-clear hands in shock, white glitter starts to fall from them. ¡°Revus!¡± I shout in a panic. I frantically check the rest of my body, and see that I am now entirely see through, with the same white glitter radiating off me. ¡°Revus! What¡¯s happening?¡± Steadily, I become more and more translucent, until I- ----- ¡°Revus!¡± I shout. I open my eyes, but blurry images greet me. I- I can¡¯t¡­ ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± Faraine comments anxiously. Faraine¡­ ¡°Evetta, can you hear me?¡± Revus asks. Revus¡­ It¡¯s them. It¡¯s really them. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I mumble as my mouth trembles. I¡¯m back¡­ Steadily, my vision returns and I see Faraine sitting over me, anxiously looking down at me. Almost immediately, tears fill my eyes as I focus on her. ¡°Faraine, can you take care of the rest?¡± Revus asks. ¡°Sure,¡± Faraine nods, as she glances down at me and smiles. ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll get some soup started.¡± ¡°Revus-¡± I start to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t talk right now,¡± he interjects, ¡°Just stay still for now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I mutter as I glance around the room. Are we in a tree? I smile. Guess it doesn¡¯t matter, since I¡¯m back. I look at Faraine and notice her hands are over me. Glancing down, I see red flames coming from her hands, pressing on my chest.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. I furrow my brows, and inquire, ¡°Uh¡­ Faraine. What¡¯re you doing?¡± ¡°Melting the ice,¡± she bluntly answers, her focus unchanged. ¡°What ice?¡± I ask as I try to lift my head. Ow¡­ I feel¡­ stiff? Stuck? ¡°There,¡± she remarks, ¡°That should take care of the front, now¡­¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯re you doing?¡± ¡°Sorry, but bear with it for a bit more,¡± Faraine says. A moment later, she picks me up and rolls me onto my back. ¡°Faraine? Can you explain what¡¯s-¡± ¡°It¡¯s worse back here¡­¡± Faraine mumbles. ¡°What¡¯s worse!?¡± I shriek. ¡°The ice.¡± ¡°What ice!?¡± ¡°The ice that keeps growing on your body!¡± Revus roars from across the room, ¡°Now stop talking and let Faraine remove it!¡± Ice that¡¯s¡­ growing on my body? Faraine sighs heavily, ¡°This is going to be¡­¡± ¡°Faraine, could you-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine remarks, ¡°This isn¡¯t easy so could you be quiet and let me focus? Please.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I whimper. What the heck is happening? I wait as patiently as I can while Faraine treats my back. As I lay there, I feel liquid start to roll down my skin. The heat grows steadily and water starts to puddle beneath me. Gradually, the stiffness holding me starts to loosen and, soon I can move my neck. Ah¡­ Freedom¡­ That feels nice. Before long, my back, arms, and legs are released from the ice. ¡°There,¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Agh,¡± I heave a deep sigh, ¡°Finally.¡± I glance back at Faraine and ask, ¡°Can I sit up now?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± She replies as she wipes her forehead. I push myself up and, as I turn around, a blanket is thrown over me. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this for?¡± I inquire as I pull it from my head. ¡°I imagine you¡¯d rather not walk around naked,¡± Faraine replies. ¡°Naked!?¡± I shout as I pull the blanket around me. I glance down and see my bare chest and exposed lower half. I- I- naked¡­ I glance up at Faraine. ¡°Why was I-¡± ¡°Because we were looking for any ice left on you,¡± Faraine responds with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re done, go get changed,¡± Revus orders, ¡°I¡¯ll explain while you eat.¡± I puff my cheeks and glare back at Revus. I turn to Faraine and, as she locks eyes with me, I ask, ¡°Did you¡­¡± My face heats up as I get quiet and look away from Faraine. ¡°Sorry, but I figured you¡¯d rather I see you instead of Revus,¡± Faraine gently consoles, ¡°I had to convince him but he didn¡¯t see you so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± While my face is down, I glance up at Faraine and whisper, ¡°Sleeps.¡± ¡°Now, go get dressed and then eat,¡± Faraine instructs, ¡°I bet you¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°Food does sound nice.¡± I look up as Faraine stands up and walks over a table resting near a makeshift kitchen. Scanning the room, I see our bags placed against a wall, but none of the beds are set up. Looks like we just got here? Now, what should I wear¡­ I open my bag. Sitting on top is one of my dresses folded nicely. Well, this would be the easiest¡­ I sigh, grab it and some undergarments, and put them on. As I turn around, I feel the air tickle my lower back. Why¡¯s it feel different? I look over my shoulder, trying to find the source of the strange feeling. ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to make your new shirt, so I modified one of your dresses,¡± Revus remarks from across the room. I face him and see him walking over to the table with a bowl of stew. As I approach the table, I comment, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly what I wanted, but sleeps.¡± I sit down in one of the chairs. Faraine is sitting to my right. Revus sets the bowl down in front of me, walks around the table, and sits directly across from me. I stare at the thick, brown stew for a moment, then glance up at Revus. ¡°So, can you-¡± ¡°Eat,¡± Revus cuts in as he nods at the food. ¡°Fine,¡± I pout, grabbing the spoon. Revus leans his head back against the chair, and exhales heavily, ¡°You really know how to make me worry, don¡¯t you.¡± Sorry¡­ I grab a piece of meat with my spoon and, as I glance up at Revus, put it in my mouth. ¡°Uaagh!¡± Immediately, I spit the scorching-hot meat back into the bowl. Faraine stands up quickly, but Revus is already at my side. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he inquires intensely. ¡°Aught!¡± I whine, my tongue hanging from my mouth. Tears well up in my eyes as I turn to Revus, ¡°Iz oo aught!¡± Revus glances down at the bowl, then back to me, ¡°But¡­ this is how I normally make it?¡± I glare at him and state, while using my tongue as little as possible, ¡°Woo I ee cying ih ih uhzn augh?¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine chuckles. I snap my eyes at her as she turns away. It¡¯s not funny! Faraine takes a breath, as she sits down, ¡°Sorry.¡± Then, she picks up another spoon, grabs a different piece of meat, and eats it. Revus and I stare at her as she swallows it. Once done, she looks at me and says, ¡°It seemed fine to me, still warm but not too hot.¡± ¡°Iz oo aught or me ough!¡± I bark at Faraine.. I turn to Revus and order, ¡°Coo ih own!¡± ¡°Cool it down?¡± Revus clarifies. ¡°Ye!¡± I shout. Revus sighs, glances at the bowl, then back to me, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°YE!¡± I roar, my blood boiling. ¡°Okay,¡± Revus replies as he holds his hand over the bowl. A brief moment later, a chill frost surrounds the bowl. He¡¯s really making it cold? Then¡­ I glance at Faraine. ¡­If what they said is true, why is it so hot for me? ¡°There,¡± Revus comments as he pulls his hands away from the bowl. ¡°Zeepz,¡± I try to say as accurately as possible. Geez, now I can barely speak. I watch as Revus turns around and makes his way back to his seat. I look at my icy bowl of soup. Doesn¡¯t look as good anymore but¡­ I put my spoon into the slushy meal, scoop up some meat and broth, and hesitantly shove it into my mouth. ¡°Mmm,¡± I hum as warmth bathes my mouth. ¡°Mush etter,¡± I mumble with a mouthful of food. Revus sighs, ¡°Can you stop worrying us now?¡± Sorry¡­ I peek up at him, his yellow eyes fixed on me. ¡°Alright,¡± Revus starts, raising his index finger, ¡°Since you seem fine-¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Faraine interjects, waving her hands in front of us. Revus and I turn to her and Faraine faces me, ¡°Maybe let her eat first. This might be a little shocking so¡­¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Revus replies as he looks at me, then commands with a glare, ¡°Eat.¡± I continue working my way through the bowl of warm, slushy stew. It¡¯s good and my tongue¡¯s feeling better, but¡­ Do you guys have to stare like that? I glance at them, my eyes, bouncing from one to the other. It¡¯s making me uncomfortable. An anxious feeling starts to build up in my stomach. Oh no¡­ Am I going to get sick again? Burp. I look from Revus to Faraine, then down at my bowl as my face starts to heat up. ¡°Pfft,¡± Faraine rolls her eyes as she tries to stifle a laugh. Revus, on the other hand, starts laughing unrestrained, ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t laugh!¡± I bark, puffing my cheeks, ¡°It¡¯s not funny, I just burped.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Revus exhales as he wipes a tear from his eye. He looks at Faraine, ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting the first thing she does is¡­ Pfft, ha.¡± ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just a burp,¡± I complain, ¡°What¡¯s so funny about that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ hmhm¡± Faraine clears her throat to collect herself, ¡°We¡¯ve been worried about how you¡¯d react to the food.¡± ¡°Why would that-¡± Right. I got sick last time. Even I was¡­ I look at Revus, ¡°Is that why you were both staring at me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason,¡± Revus answers, ¡°The other being we just wanted to see how you¡¯re doing in general, and seeing how you reacted to the food¡­¡± I tilt my head. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine right now though?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t feel any different?¡± Revus inquires. My body feels fine. My head doesn¡¯t hurt. I stand up and stretch my arms and legs. No problems moving either. I put my hand against my chin. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I¡¯m full now, I feel good. Actually¡­ I quickly lift my head, ¡°Ah, for once, I don¡¯t feel cold.¡± Faraine¡¯s head noticeably dips as her mouth falls open and Revus¡¯ eyes widen in shock, a confused look plastered on both of their faces. ¡°What?¡± Revus turns his head slightly and questions, ¡°You¡¯re not cold?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± I smile widely, ¡°This might be the first time in a while since I felt like this.¡± ¡°Evetta, I just spent the better part of a day thawing you,¡± Faraine suddenly blurts, ¡°Yet, you don¡¯t feel cold at all?¡± I open my mouth to say something, but close and purse my lips. I guess I can see why they¡¯re confused. ¡°Alright before we get there,¡± Revus says, ¡°Let¡¯s start at the beginning.¡± I sit back on my seat and turn to Revus. He glances at Faraine then back at me and sighs, ¡°Evetta, you¡¯ve been asleep for roughly four days now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I mutter, blinking several times. Wait, how does that make sense¡­ ¡°But then¡­¡± Revus holds up his hand and continues, ¡°The night you passed out, ice rapidly encased you.¡± He pauses as he looks at Faraine, ¡°We worked to melt the ice, but even after it was all gone you didn¡¯t wake up and¡­¡± He looks back at me, ¡°The ice hasn¡¯t stopped either.¡± ¡°Wait wait wait,¡± I blurt, ¡°What do you mean it hasn¡¯t stopped?¡± ¡°Faraine, could you do a quick check?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Faraine replies as she gets up and walks over to me. I look up at the blue-haired woman, her red eyes filled with concern. ¡°I¡¯m going to check your neck, okay?¡± ¡°A-alright,¡± I mumble. My eyes follow her hand as she lifts my hair and looks at the back of my neck. Faraine lets out a long sigh, ¡°It¡¯s back.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blurt as my heart starts to race. My eyes jump from Faraine to Revus, then back to Faraine. The ice, but they just melted it? ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Faraine consoles as she points at my head, ¡°Could you hold your hair up?¡± She lets go of my hair and walks over to our bags. I turn around and watch as she pulls a cloth, and something else I can not see, from them. She returns to my side and places the cloth at my neck. ¡°This will absorb any of the water so your clothes don¡¯t get wet.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ sleeps.¡± ¡°And here,¡± she adds as she hands me an ornate hair clip. The white metal is sleek, with a yellow flower resting atop it. A single, blue jewel sits in the center of the flower. Written fancily on the metal is the word ¡®Raine¡¯. The text glows a mystifying blue, rhythmically intensifying, then softening. It looks like it¡¯s breathing. ¡°This is pretty,¡± I mutter as I stare at the wondrous clip, ¡°Where¡¯d you get it?¡± ¡°Faraine?¡± Revus snarls from across the table. ¡°I got it from my family,¡± she answers as she clips my hair in place, ¡°And, this is only temporary. I¡¯ll need it back, but for now, this will make it easier for us to check your neck.¡± ¡±Okay,¡± I murmur, ¡°Well sleeps again.¡± ¡°Sure. Also, I¡¯ll do your hair properly a little later.¡± Um¡­ Do my hair? A moment later, I see a red light radiate from behind me, its soft glow shining upon the walls and ground at my sides. ¡°There,¡± Faraine remarks, pulling the now damp cloth from my neck. ¡°So¡­¡± I face Revus, ¡°Why is ice growing on me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know,¡± Revus growls, then places his hand on his forehead, squeezing his temples. He lowers his hand, stares at me, and hisses, ¡°What happened the night you passed out?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Nothing happened?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Revus inquires skeptically, ¡°You expect me to believe that you suddenly started producing ice because you felt like it?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Revus implores, ¡°Think, there has to be something that comes to mind. Something that triggered this.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Something that comes to mind¡­ What¡¯d we even do that day? We left the cave. Flew most of the day. I played with some flowers for a bit while Revus rested¡­ I looked at the moons with Faraine¡­ ¡°The moons¡­¡± I mumble. ¡°What?¡± Revus says. ¡°That night, before we came in to eat,¡± I explain as I glance at Faraine, ¡°We went to look at the moons and I saw something on Vigaro.¡± ¡°Right, I mentioned that before but¡­¡± Faraine stops and looks at Revus. ¡°Just seeing something shouldn¡¯t cause this,¡± he clarifies, then gazes at me, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s nothing else that seemed off that day?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I answer, ¡°I felt fine up until then, but after¡­¡± I wrap my hands around my arms, ¡°I started feeling really¡­ really cold.¡± ¡°Yet you¡¯re not cold now?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°Yep,¡± I answer joyfully. ¡°So she¡¯s traded feeling cold for producing ice,¡± Faraine comments. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Revus rubs his temples, then faces me, ¡°What did you see that night? On the moon.¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it was anything specific,¡± I reply, ¡°It just looked like a black dot. But it started growing until the entire moon was black and then, poof it was gone.¡± Revus sighs aggravatedly, then mumbles something to himself. He leans back against his chair and states, ¡°Regardless of what¡¯s going on, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡± I smile softly at him. As we all sit at the table, an awkward silence fills the room. I silently scan the room, then blurt, ¡°So¡­ Where are we now?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ Ah,¡± Revus mumbles, ¡°We¡¯re actually on the edge of the mountains.¡± ¡°Really!¡± I exclaim excitedly. ¡°Yeah. Maybe another day or two and we¡¯ll enter the Valnia Woods,¡± Faraine explains. ¡°That¡¯s the place with trees that are always on fire, right?¡± I inquire. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Revus answers, ¡°And I¡¯m thinking about staying there for a while.¡± Faraine and I look at each other, then face Revus and, as I go to ask, hes continues, ¡°As long as the ice keeps appearing on you, staying in Valnia should help keep it at bay.¡± I guess that makes sense. And considering how focused Revus is on getting us to Folian, this might be a good chance to relax a little bit. I smile. ¡°I hate to burst whatever happy thoughts you¡¯ve got going on up there,¡± Revus states, ¡°but with Vigaro being the month of ice, your condition might be affected by the seasons.¡± I tilt my head and glance at Faraine as I ask, ¡°Which means?¡± ¡°He¡¯s saying that if your condition is this bad during spring then imagine how bad it could be during winter,¡± Faraine elaborates. I see¡­ I look down at my hands and notice small patches of ice forming on my knuckles. Summer shouldn¡¯t be that bad. Autumn might be a little worse than spring, but winter¡­ I glance up at Revus, ¡°Will I be okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m thinking about staying in Valnia,¡± Revus restates, ¡°While we¡¯re there, Faraine and I won¡¯t have to constantly monitor you and we can try to figure out how to solve your problem¡­¡± He pauses for a moment, ¡°Ideally before winter hits.¡± I sigh and mope, placing my chin on the table, ¡°It¡¯s just one thing after another.¡± ¡°Heh, now you know how I feel,¡± Revus mutters. Faraine pokes my arm and I turn to her, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Care to help me set up the beds?¡± I smile, ¡°Sure.¡± I get up and follow Faraine over to our bags. She bends down, grabs our blankets, and starts handing them to me. Ah, so comfy¡­ ¡°Oh right!¡± I shout, gripping the blanket and spinning to face Revus, ¡°Revus, I just remembered.¡± ¡°What? Did you recall something else that might have caused this?¡± ¡°Huh? No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°Earlier, you said I was asleep right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he reluctantly answers, squinting his eyes. So I was asleep? Then where was I? ¡°Hello¡­ Evetta?¡± Revus calls, ¡°You going to finish explaining or are you just having a moment?¡± I furrow my brows. ¡°I AM NOT having a moment,¡± I bark, ¡°Jerk. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d say that.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be your first time,¡± he comments. My mouth drops open and I slowly turn toward Faraine, ¡°Faraine¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not involved,¡± Faraine immediately remarks, holding up her hands. ¡°Now you guys are just bullying me,¡± I complain, puffing my cheeks, ¡°Hmph, fine I won¡¯t tell you about what happened while I was asleep.¡± ¡°Oh, are you going to tell us about how you were making the ice grow on you?¡± Revus brashly taunts. ¡°No!¡± I bellow, clenching my fists. ¡°Evetta!¡± Faraine hollers from behind me. As I turn around, Faraine crawls to my side on her knees, grabs my right hand, and, immediately, red flames surround my ice-coated hand. What the¡­ Revus rushes over, kneels down, grabs my left, and conjures golden-yellow flames that swallow it. My hands¡­ The ice isn¡¯t stopping¡­ I watch in horror as they both go quiet and silently start to melt the expanding ice, a look of concentration written on their faces as they fight the spreading ice. They¡¯re both working so hard to keep the ice from¡­ I smile flatly, then frown. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mumble. Almost a minute passes before the ice fully melts. ¡°Phew,¡± Faraine exhales, ¡°It wasn¡¯t so bad this time.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Revus agrees, then looks at me, our eyes almost at the same level. He says, ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. If anything I should apologize for getting you all worked up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I mutter as tears start to form in my eyes. Revus sighs and sits on the ground in front of me, ¡°Alright, so, what were you going to tell us?¡± ¡°I was¡­¡± I pause, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know where I was, but it was white everywhere.¡± Revus squints his eyes, turns his head to the side, and opens his mouth. ¡°The soul plane?¡± Faraine utters from my right. ¡°Wait, you mean, my soul plane?¡± I inquire as I place a hand against my chest. I turn to Revus, ¡°But you said-¡± ¡°I told you that once you successfully graced your soul you¡¯d know, but¡­¡± he pauses and places his hand on his chin, ¡°You graced your soul?¡± ¡°But I never-¡± ¡°I know,¡± Revus interjects, ¡°You gracing your soul while being asleep, much less encased in ice¡­¡± ¡°Is there anything else you can tell us about it?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°Well, everything was white, the sky, ground, everything,¡± I explain, ¡°Um, it was also really quiet. Oh, but I think I heard your voices a few times.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Revus shoots. ¡°Um¡­ The ground was covered in a lot of fluff, like clouds. It was bouncy, warm, and really comfortable to lay on,¡± I elaborate, but stop as I see their faces. Both, Revus and Faraine, are smiling widely. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°No reason,¡± Faraine replies. Revus chuckles, ¡°Just know your mom¡¯s going to love you.¡± My mom? That¡¯s kind of random¡­ I shake my head and continue, ¡°Anyway, I explored the place for a long time. I don¡¯t know how long it was but it felt like a day or two, but I can¡¯t say for sure since there was no way to tell time.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Revus acknowledges, ¡°And I assume there was nothing in there.¡± ¡°Hmm, well I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll still be there,¡± I state, ¡°but I made some glass-like spheres about this big,¡± I describe as I use my hands to portray their size. ¡°So you made some axsel cores,¡± Revus comments. ¡°Is that what those were?¡± I inquire, ¡°I was just playing with the fluff. I even made some with rings.¡± I smile widely. Why¡¯re they both staring at me like that? ¡°Could you guys not look at me like I¡¯m weird¡­ please?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Revus sighs as he puts a hand on his forehead, then shakes his head. ¡°I just wasn¡¯t expecting you to say you made ringed cores¡­ ¡®for fun¡¯.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Faraine agrees, ¡°Making cores for fun¡­ With how long it takes, you must¡¯ve been pretty bored.¡± ¡°How long does it usually take to make one?¡± I question, glancing from Revus to Faraine. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Faraine ponders for a moment, then answers, ¡°It¡¯s not going to be the same for everyone but a good guideline is if you can make a single core in a few minutes then you¡¯re about average.¡± I lick my lips. Minutes? ¡°And what about the ringed cores?¡± I hesitantly ask. ¡°Maybe an hour?¡± An hour¡­ is average? I gulp. Then if it took me a few minutes to make a ringed core¡­ I feel a sweat start to form under my arms. It¡¯s okay, as long as I don¡¯t tell them they won¡¯t think I¡¯m weird. ¡°Evetta?¡± Revus calls, ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Y-yeah,¡± I murmur, avoiding eye contact, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You know,¡± he remarks, ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re great at lying but other times¡­¡± He leans forward, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ this.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not lying,¡± I reply. ¡°Then what¡¯re you hiding?¡± Revus inquires. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Are you embarrassed?¡± Faraine questions, ¡°Would you rather tell me, then I can explain it to Revus.¡± Ugh¡­ If you guys say it like that¡­ I sigh and nod. Faraine leans next to me and, as I whisper into her ear, my words get progressively quieter, ¡°Um¡­ It took me a few minutes to make¡­ ringed cores¡­¡± Faraine sits up, a blank look on her face. ¡°So?¡± Revus prods. Faraine holds up a finger, looks at me, and asks, ¡°Could you repeat that?¡± Mgh¡­ I¡¯d rather not¡­ I lean toward her and quietly repeat, ¡°It took me a few minutes to make ringed cores¡­¡± Faraine turns to Revus and, as they lean toward one another, I hear Faraine mumble something in his ear. Revus glances at Faraine with an astonished face, then stares at me. As I match his gaze I feel a knot start to form in my stomach. Say something already. One of you please! Faraine still has a blank face as if she is staring off into space. Revus is shifting his hands from his temples, to covering his eyes, then pulling his eyes down, constantly massaging his face. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have said anything,¡± I mope. Revus sighs, ¡°You¡¯re not weird¡­ You¡¯re just¡­ not normal?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± I bark. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing if anything,¡± Revus argues. I glare at him. ¡°If that¡¯s true then why are you both acting like, like that!¡± I shout as I motion both my hands toward Faraine. ¡°Because for everyone else,¡± Revus starts to explain, ¡°We have to put in hours upon hours of cultivating to make multiple ringed cores, and you ¡®playfully¡¯ make multiple in a few minutes.¡± He takes a breath, ¡°Do you have any idea how upsetting that is for us?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Very?¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± Revus roars, ¡°If I was that skilled I¡¯d be-¡± He stops, stares at me, and turns his head. I don¡¯t like that look. ¡°Evetta, from now on, you can¡¯t tell anyone else about how quickly you can make your cores. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I nod, leaning back. Revus sighs, ¡°Clearly you don¡¯t. Let¡¯s say that, currently, about half of all fairies would like to become one of your pages.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± He rocks his head side to side, ¡°Maybe, but let¡¯s use it for our example. If word gets out about how quickly you make your cores, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if that number jumps up to almost everyone.¡± ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re definitely joking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Revus remarks, a serious tone in his voice, ¡°When a fairy becomes your page, you and your page share your power with one another, enhancing each other. Now what would happen if everyone found out that such a fairy still had spots available for pages.¡± ¡°They¡¯d¡­ gather around me?¡± ¡°Gather?¡± he scoffs, ¡°More like swarm.¡± Revus sighs, ¡°Look just don¡¯t tell anyone else about this, the only people you can tell are Nova and your parents. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod sullenly. ¡°Good,¡± Revus says, getting up. ¡°Um, I did have something I wanted to ask about,¡± I state, getting Revus to direct his attention to me once more. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°When I was in my soul plane, there was¡­ Well, I don¡¯t know what it was, but there was something cyan glowing in-¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say this sooner!?¡± Revus roars as he rushes around me and gets on his knees. ¡°Hey! What are you-¡± ¡°Faraine!¡± Revus hollers, as he snaps his fingers in front of her face, ¡°Time to come back to our realm.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Faraine turns to look at us, ¡°Sorry, I was imagining how easy life would be if-¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Hurry up and lay down a blanket!¡± ¡°Revus, why¡¯re you so worked up?¡± I question. ¡°If you saw something in your soul plane,¡± he hurriedly explains, ¡°Then whatever that was might be what¡¯s causing the ice to form on your body.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± I mumble as Faraine lays a blanket in front me. ¡°Lay down,¡± Revus commands. ¡°O-okay,¡± I comply, laying on my stomach. I feel Revus place his hands on my back. ¡°Here,¡± Faraine says, as she hands me a pillow. ¡°Sleeps,¡± I reply, placing it under my arms. A moment later, I feel a smooth energy coat my back. Almost immediately, Revus remarks, ¡°Well, whatever it is, it¡¯s definitely noticeable but¡­ What is it?¡± ¡°What do you see?¡± I inquire. After a short pause, Revus answers, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know but¡­ It¡¯s cold. Argh!¡± ¡°Revus!¡± Faraine shouts, ¡°The ice!¡± ¡°Da-¡± ¡°Revus?¡± As I turn around, I see Revus stepping away from me as ice rapidly swallows him. ¡°Revus!¡± ¡°Evetta!¡± Faraine screams. I turn to her. She is pointing at my legs. Ice is rapidly spreading from my feet up my legs. Not¡­ again¡­ Chapter 19 - A Warm Encounter Flickering wisps trickle through the air as I roll onto my side. Ugh¡­ This bed is nice and warm, but¡­ I grip the lumpy surface beneath me and adjust the knots. There, now¡­ I turn over and push against the itchy, heavy material that is covering me. Mgh¡­ That didn¡¯t he- I snap my eyes open and am greeted by an endless black abyss. Great¡­ I sigh. I feel like this just happened. I push away the weighted mat that keeps pressing down on me. I can¡¯t see anything¡­ ¡°Tsk,¡± I click my tongue as the rough substance rubs against my skin, rugged hairs scratching me. ¡°What the heck is this and why is it so hot?¡± I bark as I roll onto my back, extending my arms and legs to keep the heavy mat from crushing me. Ugh¡­ My arms are already getting tired. I look around. Let''s get away from this thing first. I force the itchy material up as I get onto my legs and start walking on the lumpy ground. What is this place, some kind of inverted soul plane that¡¯s really uncomfortable? I struggle between the two obstacles, marching in a random direction. I hope I find something- Hmm? I stop as I feel the ground starting to slope downward. Yes, if I go down, hopefully this THING will stop crushing me. Slowly, I creep down the slope, putting my foot out to feel the ground before taking the step. With each step, the weighted material starts to decline along with the floor. Maybe this wasn¡¯t a good idea¡­ I take another step and yelp, ¡°Ah!¡± as I slide down between the soft, lumpy wall and the scratchy, hairy wall. ¡°Ow,¡± I mutter as I land on soft, yet firm ground. I place my hand against it and, as I push down my hand sinks slightly, but is repelled. Kind of springy? I glance around and chuckle. Still can¡¯t see anything. I lean back, rest against the lumpy wall, and sigh. Now that I don¡¯t have to worry about being crushed I can think a little. I extend my arm to the left and right. Plenty of space at my sides. Moving them in front of me, my hands come into contact with the itchy wall. Not much room to move, but manageable at least. I rotate my shoulders as my palms slide upward against the itchy wall. Seems to be space to stand up. I rise to my feet with my arms still extended and, as I stand on my toes, barely find where the two walls meet. Alright, moving around shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but which way should I go? I look to my left then right. Not many options but I don¡¯t want to wander around like this for days again¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Which way¡­ ¡°Evetta? Are you awake?¡± a muffled voice calls out. ¡°Faraine, is that you?¡± I shout, ¡°It¡¯s kind of hard to hear you.¡± ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Guess this isn¡¯t a soul plane¡­ But where are we then? This doesn¡¯t look like any tree or cave I¡¯ve seen before. I sit down. Could it be some unique cave with squishy rocks? Maybe a plant with really big, hairy leaves? ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Loud, muffled voices echo through the air and gradually approach me. ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine hollers, ¡°We¡¯re going to move the blanket now.¡± Blanket? I furrow my brows. ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± I glance up at the lumpy wall. Was there a blanket up there? A moment later, I hear Faraine¡¯s muffled voice, but she is speaking a different language. Who¡¯s she talking to? Suddenly, the itchy wall in front of me starts to move and gets pulled up and away from me. Light shines down on me, blinding me for a second. As my eyes adjust to the dim lighting, I see Faraine hovering just above me. My eyes trail the giant moving blanket and lock onto a massive hand that is gripped tightly to the hairy cloth. What in the abyss? I take a step back as my gaze follows the raised wall of fur. ¡°Faraine,¡± I call out as she descends. ¡°Good to see you awake,¡± she says as she lands next to me. I rush over to her and tackle her, wrapping my arms around her waist. ¡°Ooh,¡± she mutters. ¡°Faraine! I¡¯m so glad I¡¯m not stuck in another plane by myself,¡± I whimper. ¡°Another plane?¡± she questions. ¡°Nothing,¡± I reply as I look up at her and loosen my grip, ¡°Anyway what¡¯s th-¡± I stop mid-sentence as I glance at the now still blanket. Instantly, I hide behind Faraine, clutching her clothes tightly as my heart drops into my stomach. An en¨­¨­fen¡­ I peek around her and examine it. Standing in front of us is a giant, blonde-haired girl. She has smooth, slightly-tanned skin with almost no blemishes. Her face is full with chubby cheeks. Large, round, blue eyes rest beneath her thin eyebrows. Pointed ears poke out through her thin, wavy hair. She has a thin build and is dressed in simple, light-brown clothes. ¡°Faraine,¡± I murmur, my heart pounding heavily against my chest. Faraine puts her hand on my head. I glance up at her inquisitively and she smiles, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She then flies to the elf girl and says something in a different language. The elf frowns, replies, and walks away, disappearing through a doorway within the massive room. She just¡­ left? I stare at Faraine as she descends to my side. What? As Faraine looks down and locks eyes with me, I shout, ¡°Faraine! What was that? Why is there an elf here and why were you talking to her? Where are we and-¡± Faraine puts her hand over my mouth, pinching my lips together, and kneels down in front of me. Her face is worn and dark circles hang beneath her eyes. She blinks and, with her face in front of mine, sighs, ¡°Too many questions. Do you understand?¡± I nod as I scratch behind my ear. ¡°Good,¡± she snaps, ¡°I¡¯ll explain so just slow down.¡± She releases my lips and sits down aggressively. ¡°We aren¡¯t in any danger at the moment so you can calm down.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I reply, tilting my head. I take a breath and ask, ¡°Why is there an elf here?¡± ¡°Because this is their house,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°And why are we at their house?¡± I sassily question, raising my eyebrows. Faraine takes a deep breath, glances back at the massive doorway, then faces me. She opens her mouth but she hesitates. ¡°We¡¯re at their house because I brought us here.¡± ¡°You brought us to an en¨­¨­fen¡¯s house!?¡± I roar, ¡°What were you-¡± ¡°What would you have done?¡± Faraine shrieks as she stands up quickly and lunges at me, gripping my shoulders. Her bloodshot eyes fill with tears. ¡°I could¡¯ve left you and Revus! I could¡¯ve-¡± She stops mid-sentence, releases me, and puts some distance between us. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mutters, ¡°I¡­ haven¡¯t slept much these last couple of days.¡± Ow¡­ I rub my shoulders, glance at them, then return my gaze to Faraine. I open my mouth to speak, but struggle to find any words as, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± is all that escapes my lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I sigh, ¡°I¡¯m awake now though, so we can leave now right?¡± ¡°We can, but¡­¡± Faraine looks up at me woefully, ¡°If we leave, then we have to leave Revus here.¡± I pause. Leave Revus¡­ ¡°What?¡± I blankly stare at Faraine, ¡°What do you mean leave Revus?¡± Faraine sighs and lays on her back, ¡°It¡¯s probably just easier if I explain from the beginning.¡± I sit down next to Faraine as she rests the back of her hand over her face. I sigh, ¡°Whenever you want to explain.¡± ¡°The other night, when Revus checked your back,¡± Faraine starts, ¡°Do you remember what happened?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± I reply, ¡°I know ice appeared around both me and Revus.¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­ unlike the first time, it didn¡¯t stop,¡± Faraine remarks. ¡°Can you elaborate?¡± ¡°At first I tried to melt the ice, but my fire wasn¡¯t hot enough. So I tried to move you guys by carrying you within my water, but the water would freeze instantly,¡± Faraine explains anxiously. ¡°And if I got too close to you or Revus the ice would spread to me too. I couldn¡¯t melt the ice. I couldn¡¯t move you guys. I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± I lower my gaze. Faraine¡­ ¡°Then how¡¯d we get here?¡± ¡°Initially, one idea came to mind, getting one of you to Valnia, but there were risks,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°What kind of risks?¡± ¡°I¡¯d have to catch myself on fire, and stay like that while physically carrying one of you the rest of the way to Valnia,¡± she mumbles, ¡°I¡¯d have to sprint there, all while knowing that if I stop my flames, then at any point, I could become encased in ice.¡± You¡­ I scan Faraine¡¯s body, not seeing any burns. I sigh. She looks okay. ¡°Heh,¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°Even if I got to Valnia¡­ if I brought Revus with me, that would mean leaving you to potentially get worse¡­ and I can only imagine Revus¡¯ reaction.¡± Faraine sits up, the whites of her eyes bloodshot, ¡°On the other hand if I brought you and we melted the ice, then when I returned for Revus, I¡¯d have to leave you here since your wings haven¡¯t recovered.¡± I glance at my back and try to summon them. I open my eyes widely as my wings manifest. They¡¯re back! I quickly face Faraine, ¡°Faraine look!¡± I spin back around and freeze as I realize that my lower wings are still mostly missing, and the tips of my upper wings are gone. I glumly frown, ¡°Nevermind¡­¡± ¡°Maybe a few more days,¡± Faraine smiles sleepily. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°Basically I didn¡¯t see any safe option to bring you both to Valnia.¡± ¡°So you found an unsafe option?¡± I inquire. Faraine smiles flatly, ¡°Not intentionally¡­ First, I managed to cut into the tree with my water, sloping the floor to get you guys outside. Once that was done, I formed a ball of water around you and got the ball to roll through the opening.¡± ¡°So you just let me fall out of the tree?¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°As you fell, I had my water become a slide and rolled you down the tree until you were on the ground.¡± Faraine glances back at the doorway, ¡°Once I got you down, I did the same for Revus.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°So¡­ We¡¯re both balls of ice, on the ground?¡± Faraine laughs as she looks at me, ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°Then, how¡¯d you move us?¡± ¡°That was the difficult part,¡± she sighs as she lays back down, ¡°I tried dragging you both on a leaf. I tried rolling you with my water. The most success I had was dragging you both on a large piece of bark.¡± ¡°Uh-huh?¡± I slowly nod, ¡°And¡­ How does that lead us here?¡± ¡°About half a day into dragging you both,¡± Faraine pauses, ¡°An en¨­¨­fen found us.¡± I gulp as I feel my heart drop to my stomach. We weren¡¯t captured¡­ I glance around the room. ¡­and it doesn¡¯t look like she killed them¡­ ¡°At first, I thought about killing him,¡± Faraine comments. ¡°Gu- Really?¡± I inquire. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Faraine calmly replies, ¡°because I recognized him as the elf that released us from the jar.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ he was a part of the group that captured us?¡± I shout. ¡°Like I said, I immediately thought about killing him,¡± Faraine restates, ¡°but he was alone and looked¡­ injured.¡± ¡°Even so-¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t supposed to kill the en¨­¨­fen,¡± Faraine barks, ¡°So whether I liked it or not, I let him be¡­¡± She takes a breath as she looks up, ¡°Besides I had more important things to worry about, so I ignored him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Pretty much. I let him be and continued toward Valnia.¡± Faraine continues, ¡°Apparently, he was heading the same way, and started following me. From there, he asked about what I was dragging and asked if he could help.¡± ¡°So what if he wanted to help,¡± I bark, my voice growing more intense with each word, ¡°He was still involved with the people that captured you. That captured me. Faraine, they ripped my wings off!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Faraine mutters, ¡°but¡­¡± She locks eyes with me, ¡°He also explained that he did it because his kids were taken hostage.¡± ¡°Why were his kids taken hostage?¡± ¡°He knew your location after encountering you and Revus a few months ago.¡± ¡°So¡­ Revus was right,¡± I gripe, ¡°They talked about us, but only knew where we were because I asked Revus to help them¡­¡± ¡°He wants to apologize and thank you.¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°Who does?¡± ¡°Rhys, the elf that released us,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°He said you saved him from freezing to death.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ and look how that turned out for us,¡± I mope. ¡°Hence why he wants to apologize,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°Not only for leading the hunters to capture us, but for not keeping his kids from talking about you guys.¡± ¡°So what,¡± I bark as my blood continues to boil, ¡°We saved him and he thinks that helping bring us to Valnia is enough to repay us?¡± ¡°Definitely not,¡± Faraine replies, pauses for a moment, then asks, ¡°Do you want to go see Revus?¡± I open my mouth but stop. Right, where is Revus? ¡°Is he here?¡± Faraine nods at the doorway, ¡°He¡¯s out there.¡± ¡°And the en¨­¨­fen?¡± ¡°They¡¯re also out there.¡± My heart races within my chest as I stutter, ¡°A-are you sure it¡¯s safe here?¡± Faraine inhales, ¡°No. There is a chance we get attacked while we¡¯re here, but it¡¯s been over a day and so far¡­ haaa,¡± she yawns, ¡°nothing¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°How much have you slept since, you know?¡± I inquire. ¡°None,¡± she smiles at me as she slowly closes her eyes, ¡°I haven''t slept since we got here.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because I promised Revus that I''d keep you safe,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°Sleeps,¡± I say as I stand up, ¡°And um¡­¡± I briefly stare at Faraine, ¡°Did you mean what you said earlier?¡± Faraine tilts her head as she raises her brow, ¡°Mean what?¡± ¡°About leaving us¡­ and¡­¡± Faraine exhales heavily and, a moment later, replies, ¡°I can¡¯t say it didn¡¯t cross my mind but¡­¡± ¡°Well, sleeps,¡± I wholly smile at Faraine, ¡°for not leaving us.¡± ¡°Sorry for snapping at you earlier,¡± she apologizes as she rises to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sorry for yelling too.¡± Faraine chuckles lightly, ¡°Anyway, you ready?¡± ¡°Yeah, just nervous,¡± I answer. I pause for a moment as anxiety swirls in my stomach. ¡°You okay?¡± Faraine asks as her wings appear behind her, the red glitter lacking its usual sparkle. ¡°Yeah, but could you¡­ nevermind.¡± She¡¯s already put in enough effort. I peek up at her tired face. Asking for more would be¡­ She looks down at me and I instantly look away, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I state as I look at my back. ¡°Hey Faraine, um¡­ Do you think I can fly now?¡± ¡°Let me see your wings,¡± she requests. I conjure my wings, turn my body away from Faraine, and glance back at her, ¡°So?¡± ¡°You can try but¡­¡± She tilts her head, ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it going well.¡± ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± I optimistically declare as I spin around and start to flap my wings. Slowly, I feel my back start to rise into the air. YES! I smile, but as soon as my toes stop touching the ground, I start to descend. ¡°What?¡± Again, I try to fly but, the moment my feet leave the ground, I drop back down. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s still too soon,¡± Faraine comments, ¡°Your wings can¡¯t sustain you once you¡¯re completely airborne.¡± I sigh heavily as I slump forward. A few more days. Just a few more days¡­ ¡°Well, I tried to avoid you needing to carry me¡­ but¡± I mutter. ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°Honestly, I wasn¡¯t expecting your wings to return for another week or two, so seeing this much progress is relieving.¡± I smile as Faraine picks me up and we rise into the air. As we ascend higher, I look around the room and realize what we were on. A bed and a pillow? Then¡­ I glance at the gargantuan blanket. ¡­that hairy wall really was just a blanket. We fly through the doorway and enter a long, wooden hallway with three doors and a stairway leading down connected to it. A crystal orb emitting a soft light rests on the wall with an ornate pattern written beneath it. What¡¯s that? Faraine guides us through the hallway and, once we get to the stairway, we start to descend. The stairs are straight with a wall on the right and a railing on the left. Just before the bottom, the stairs meet a corner of the room and turn left. Along the same wall is a door and just past that, near another corner, is a window leading outside. Sunlight shines in from beyond the glass fixture. I examine the larger room as it comes into view. Cabinets and cooking utensils line the corner wall beneath the window. A few more windows dot the wall as it extends farther into the massive main room, allowing a lot of natural light to illuminate the open space. A large wooden table sits in the middle of the room with five chairs surrounding it. Past that is a wooden couch. Fur pelts and lumpy, pillow-like cushions sit atop both the chairs and the couch. The entire house has a rustic, wilderness atmosphere. Shelves are scattered along the walls with various bones, powders, leaves, and roots resting atop them. Beneath one of the windows is a drying fixture with several dried flowers resting on it. Adjacent to the drying fixture is a mortar and pestle with green remnants lining it. Faraine carries me down and I focus my attention on the two en¨­¨­fen in the room, both sitting at the table. The first is the girl from earlier who removed the blanket. The other is a much larger man who looks similar to the girl. As we approach, they both stand up, the man visibly winces as he does so. He is tall with a modest build, long limbs and is almost twice the height of the girl next to him. His face is swollen. Cuts dot his sharp jawline and straight nose. He has thin, blue eyes that shine mystically, but are masked by a purple bruise surrounding his eyes. His pointed ears shoot out from within his short, wavy, blonde hair. He is adorned in simple, brown, leather clothes that fail to hide the bandages covering his arms and chest. We descend down to the table, there are dishes prepared, as if ready to serve a meal. A white flower vase sits in the middle and Faraine lands behind it, putting me atop the wooden surface. ¡°One moment,¡± she says as she turns to the elves, ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to get the others.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I anxiously nod as Faraine rises back into the air. As she flies around the vase, I trail after her, placing my hands on the smooth object and poking my head out from behind it. Faraine darts toward the man and, as he stares at her, says something. A moment later the elf nods and walks toward one of the doors farther into the room. My gaze follows him then returns to Faraine. I really need to learn this language. I sigh. But that requires more lessons¡­ I look up, close my eyes, and huff. ¡­Maybe it¡¯s not that important. I look back at Faraine. Now she¡¯s talking to the little girl. I pause and look down at myself. Wait¡­ I¡¯m actually a little girl¡­ I sigh as I slump my arms. ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine calls as she flies back toward me. ¡°What¡¯d you tell them?¡± ¡°I asked Rhys to get his wife and son.¡± Rhys? ¡°Is that the man¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Faraine answers as she directs her hands back at the elf girl, ¡°And that¡¯s Shelara, his daughter.¡± Shelara stares in our direction and she waves at us. Quickly, I hide behind the vase and place a hand over my chest. Calm down. I take a deep breath. It¡¯s okay. I glance at Faraine. She said they aren¡¯t dangerous. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t have to be scared,¡± Faraine comments drowsily, ¡°If anything happens, I¡¯ll deal with them.¡± ¡°Sleeps,¡± I bitter-sweetly smile, ¡°Just don¡¯t push yourself.¡± ¡°Too¡­ late,¡± Faraine yawns. ¡°You said it¡¯s safe here, right?¡± ¡°Mostly,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°We¡¯re outside the city.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a city here!?¡± I excitedly shout, then cover my mouth, ¡°Sorry.¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about what cities look like compared to Svelta ever since¡­¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Faraine solemnly comments, then continues, ¡°This house is also a herb store that the elves run¡­ It¡¯s right next to Valnia.¡± ¡°So the forest with fire trees is here?¡± I murmur, then inquire, ¡°Is that why it¡¯s so warm here?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Faraine points to the window in the corner, ¡°If you look out that window you¡¯ll see them.¡± Fire trees¡­ It¡¯ll be another first. I smile. Are the flames red? Maybe different trees have different colors? And it¡¯s fire so it¡¯s got to be hot, right? A knot starts to form in my stomach. Hopefully they¡¯ll help dealing with my¡­ condition. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re back,¡± Faraine says while looking across the room. Following her gaze, I see three elves walking toward us. Rhys, another man, and a woman. The other man looks younger, but shares Rhys¡¯ traits, having blonde hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, and a sharp jawline. Unlike Rhys however, his eyes are intimidating, and he is on the shorter side. I guess that¡¯s his son? Which means¡­ I look at the mature woman. She looks like an older Shelara, with dazzling blonde hair, spotless skin, and blue eyes that are just as magical as Rhys¡¯. She wears a wondrous smile as she approaches. Wow, she¡¯s beautiful. She must be his wife. I tilt my head as I see a deep, orange energy radiating from her arms. That¡¯s¡­ I pause as I stare at her discolored hands, the color pulsing and shifting over her skin. The elves advance, slowly growing more gargantuan with each step. Their menace, minimal when they first entered, swells as they approach. My pounding heart beats to the rhythm of their thunderous steps and my vision blurs. Before I know it, I find myself once again behind the vase. Breathe¡­ It¡¯s okay¡­ I place my hand against my chest and feel my heart slamming against it. I glance down at my chest and take a deep breath. I exhale slowly. ¡°Ah!¡± I squeal and jump as something touches my shoulder. Looking over I see Faraine with her hand on me. ¡°You okay?¡± she inquires. I exhale heavily as I lean my head against the smooth wall behind me. ¡°Yeah,¡± I comment, ¡°You just scared me, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Sorry but you weren¡¯t answering me.¡± ¡°You were asking me something?¡± I question, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, I asked if you¡¯re ready to meet them?¡± I gulp, look in the elves¡¯ direction without turning my head, and reply, ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I think so.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Faraine reassures. ¡°Right¡­¡± I murmur. As Faraine walks around the vase, I chase after her and grab her shirt. While hiding behind her, I gaze up at the massive people standing before the table. Suddenly the four elves bow their heads and Rhys starts speaking. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying, but it looks like they¡¯re apologizing. Once he stops, they all stay bowed. Faraine looks down at me and says, ¡°He¡¯s apologizing for what he¡¯s done, and is thanking you for what you did in the past.¡± ¡°What I did in the past?¡± I question. What¡¯d I do? ¡°Something about saving him from freezing to death in a lake,¡± Faraine replies. ¡°Oh¡­ right, that.¡± I glumly sigh. I look at the still-bowing elves. If not for that then we wouldn¡¯t have been found by the en¨­¨­fen¡­ But he also might¡¯ve died. ¡°Can you tell him that I¡¯m glad he survived and¡­ ask why he¡­¡± my voice fades as I struggle to find the words. ¡°Sure,¡± Faraine answers. I look up at her soft smile as she continues, ¡°but you¡¯re going to need to let go.¡± ¡°Ah, right, sorry,¡± I quickly blurt, then release my grip on her shirt. Faraine flies over to Rhys, near his ear, and says something to him. I guess us being small means our voice isn¡¯t very loud¡­ Rhys snaps a quick glance at her, then says something to his family in their language. The elves stop bowing, stand up straight, and look at Faraine before shifting and locking onto me. Their piercing gazes once again make me feel uncomfortable, and I take a step back. Rhys sits on the floor, his eyes level with the top of the table. Following him, the others begin to sit down, their bodies mostly hidden beneath the edge of the wooden surface. Faraine returns to my side and states, ¡°I told them you were scared¡­ so they''re sitting, hoping to make you more comfortable.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s comforting,¡± I look at Rhys¡¯ head as his blue eyes stare at me. ¡°It¡¯s kind of scary in its own way.¡± ¡°Come with me,¡± Faraine requests as she grabs my hand. ¡°O-okay,¡± I murmur, as I follow behind her. We stop closer to the edge of the table while maintaining a distance from them. The two girls are on the outside, while the boys are in the middle. I glance up at Faraine and ask, ¡°What are we doing?¡± Faraine glances at me, then looks at the elves and nods. I trail her gaze and see Rhys put his hand on his chest, ¡°Rhys,¡± he bellows. Next to him, the older woman places her hand on her chest and softly states, ¡°Sana.¡± ¡°Rydel,¡± the boy next to Rhys roars. Finally, the smallest elf waves and, with a smile, says, ¡°Shelara.¡± I turn my head toward Faraine, my eyes still locked on the elves. Now, Faraine places her hand on her chest and says, ¡°Faraine.¡± I look up at Faraine, then once again face the elves, their attention completely focused on me. ¡°Uh¡­¡± I gulp, awkwardly wave at them, and murmur, ¡°Evetta.¡± Immediately after my name escapes my mouth, I run behind Faraine. Nope. Nope. Nope. ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine says frustratedly. ¡°Faraine, could you ask them to leave,¡± I hurriedly blurt as my heart races. Faraine sighs heavily, then separates herself from me. She flies over to the elves who, after a brief conversation, all stand up and disperse, except for Rhys. Why¡¯s he not leaving? Faraine lazily flies back to me, picks me up, and we rise into the air. ¡°Faraine!? Where are we going? And why isn¡¯t he leaving?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to see Revus,¡± Faraine bluntly states. I watch Rhys¡¯ back as he leads us to another door. Revus. Please. Rhys opens a door on the furthest wall from the stairs. He remains in the room as Faraine and I enter. ¡°This is a storage room,¡± Faraine comments as we slowly soar through the dimly-lit room, past boxes and shelves filled with various objects, jars, and tools. Hidden behind some boxes and resting on a table is a flat device. Cyan light faintly radiates from the object, and an intricate pattern adorns its flat surface. Sitting in the middle of the pattern, is a clump of solid ice. As Faraine descends toward it, I can make out a black-haired figure within. ¡°Oh n-,¡± I whimper, ¡°Revus¡­¡± Faraine lands on the table and puts me down. I glance up at her, but before I can say anything, she explains, ¡°This is a device Sana made that helps to absorb elemental energies. With me melting the ice, you still spent a couple of days like that.¡± She looks down at me, her eyes heavy and empty. ¡°Now it¡¯s Revus¡¯ turn. He should be fine in a few¡­¡± she yawns, ¡°days.¡± I stare at Faraine¡¯s sleepy form, then to Revus¡¯ imprisoned one. Dang it! I clench my fists and dig my fingers into my hands. Why? Why do I have to be so¡­ I approach the device, place a hand on its smooth, cool surface, and punch it. ¡°Ow,¡± I whine as pain shoots through my hand. I close my eyes and say under my breath, ¡°If only I¡­ If only I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Did you say something?¡± Faraine questions as she yawns. I turn around and smile at her, ¡°If you want to get some sleep, I can keep watch over Revus for now.¡± Faraine smiles back, ¡°That would be¡­ nice.¡± Without hesitation, the groggy fairy lays on the ground, turns on her side, and closes her eyes. ¡°If anything happens¡­ wake me uh¡­¡± Faraine goes quiet, and her breathing, heavy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will,¡± I woefully whisper, ¡°Sleep well¡­ and¡­ sleeps.¡± Chapter 20 - Tiny Steps Forward Faraine POV Dim light seeps into the dark room from gaps beneath the doors. A stale, flat air permeates the space. Massive boxes stacked atop one another line the walls and decorate the shelves. The occasional chatter of en¨­¨­fen echoes through the walls and breaks the otherwise glum silence. A soft, cyan glyph shines atop a sleek, book-sized, box-like device that rests on a table in the corner of the room; the light-blue glow refracts off a nugget of ice resting idly in the center of the glyph. A black-haired figure stands frozen within the ice and, sitting in front of the device, longingly staring up at the frozen man, is a white-haired little girl with her chin plopped on her knees. She¡¯s still just sitting there. I sigh. ¡°Evetta,¡± I call out as I glide down and land next to her. ¡°Faraine,¡± Evetta sullenly whines as she turns toward me, ¡°The ice doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s melting.¡± I approach and calmly reply, ¡°It will, just give it a few days.¡± I look at Revus¡¯ imprisoned form, then back down at Evetta. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but slowly closes it. ¡°What is it?¡± I ask. She opens her mouth once more, but hesitates again. After a brief moment, she inquires, ¡°Couldn¡¯t I just, um¡­ Absorb the ice?¡± ¡°I would normally say ¡®sure¡¯,¡± I answer, glancing at the glowing cyan block, ¡°but considering how it was made and¡­¡± I return my gaze to Evetta, ¡°your condition. I wouldn¡¯t recommend it this time. After all, we don¡¯t want to make you, or him,¡± I point at Revus, ¡°worse.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Evetta replies dejectedly, lowering her head, ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too.¡± ¡°Revus will be fine,¡± I state as I sit down next to the tiny fairy, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you.¡± I lower my head and turn to peek at Evetta¡¯s bang-covered face. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replies, her voice directed into her lap. ¡°You don¡¯t feel anything? Cold? Hot? Nothing?¡± I question. She looks over at me and shakes her head, ¡°No. Just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± I curiously pester as I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Well¡­¡± Evetta goes quiet as she leans back and looks past me. I follow her gaze and see the giant door that leads into the house¡¯s main room. I look back at Evetta, ¡°Is it about the elves?¡± The little fairy silently nods. The en¨­¨­fen have her completely terrified now¡­ Not that I can blame her after what happened. Poor kid. I stare down at her harmless form and sigh. I don¡¯t even know what to say to help¡­ ¡°They aren¡¯t all bad,¡± I comment, ¡°There¡¯s plenty that are¡­ problematic, but- Oh right!¡± I exclaim, ¡°There¡¯s an entire group among the elves that treat fairies as saviors and believe that nothing is above them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Evetta mutters. ¡°Yeah,¡± I quickly reply, ¡°It¡¯s quite a popular belief among elves.¡± ¡°I guess they don¡¯t believe that then,¡± Evetta mopes. ¡°I actually think they do, and they don¡¯t seem like bad people,¡± I suggest. ¡°But they still helped capture us!¡± Evetta bellows. I lean back a little from her outburst, then meekly ask, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you do something terrible if your loved ones were in danger?¡± ¡°I-¡± she shouts, then goes quiet. She turns toward Revus¡¯ frozen form as she continues, ¡°I might.¡± I sigh heavily. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be around them I understand, but don¡¯t let what happened control you,¡± I pressure, ¡°They are helping us, and they do want to make amends for what happened.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Evetta grumpily mutters, ¡°but-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to be friends with them,¡± I interject, ¡°Just¡­ Don¡¯t let what happened dictate how you treat all en¨­¨­fen.¡± I pause for a moment, ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to have something like that weigh me down. It¡¯s best to forgive and let it go. It doesn¡¯t have to be much, start out small and go from there.¡± ¡°Ughm,¡± Evetta groans, ¡°...I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I smile. ¡°Can we talk about something else now,¡± Evetta pouts, putting her chin on her knees. ¡°Did you have anything in mind?¡± I inquire, leaning forward to look at the bitter fairy. ¡°Um, kind of¡­¡± Evetta starts, ¡°A few nights ago, I asked about what fairies do for fun, and¡­ I¡¯m kind of¡­ bored.¡± ¡°Bored¡­¡± I mumble under my breath. Is that why you¡¯ve just been sitting there? I glance at the Revus¡¯ icy prison. It¡¯s likely not the entire reason, but possibly part of it. I look back at Evetta, brush my bangs behind my left ear, and reply, ¡°It depends.¡± ¡°On what?¡± Evetta persists. ¡°On the person. On their past,¡± I explain, ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s one thing that all fairies do for fun.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I rub the tip of my ear with my finger as I sit there. ¡°To start, you could say most fairies enjoy, for the most part, flying and learning the elements.¡± Evetta opens her mouth as if to reply, but before she can say anything I hastily continue, ¡°As I said, this doesn¡¯t apply to everyone. Some just enjoy lounging and relaxing. Maybe napping under the sun, or staying warm under the covers of their bed.¡± A small, momentary smile, cracks Evetta¡¯s sour mood. Yes Evetta, there are others like you. I return her smile as I shake my head. ¡°In regards to the elements,¡± I clarify, ¡°those that couldn¡¯t easily use the axioms in their past life typically enjoy using them more now.¡± ¡°Like me then?¡± ¡°Just like you,¡± I chuckle, ¡°Most fairies that remember having hobbies, keep their hobbies from their previous life, but that doesn¡¯t prevent a lot of them from picking up new ones.¡± ¡°What kind of hobbies?¡± Evetta asks. ¡°Animal riding, taming, sewing, gardening, sculpting, painting, singing, dancing, playing instruments,¡± I ramble,counting each activity on my fingers, ¡°The list just goes on.¡± ¡°What about things to watch?¡± Watch? Does she mean something like competitions or sports? ¡°You already saw something similar to a duel between Revus and I.¡± Also hard to believe he was capable of having such control himself¡­ I continue, ¡°There¡¯s also combative duels using just the elements, but there¡¯s also duels that are strictly physical or use only weapons.¡± ¡°So a lot of people just watch people fight all day for entertainment?¡± ¡°No, definitely not,¡± I deny, shaking my head with a laugh, ¡°Sometimes, large events of Pursuit, Find the Flag, or simple races will be planned for anyone to join in.¡± Evetta confusedly remarks, tilting her head, ¡°Pursuit? Find the Flag? What are those?¡± ¡°Pursuit is a simple game where someone is picked as the leader, and everyone else gets in a line following behind the leader in front.¡± I explain, conjuring three small orbs of water, and one large. I twirl my finger, causing the small orbs to chase the large one as I continue, ¡°The leader will fly around, performing different maneuvers to try and shake off the pursuers. Each pursuer must follow the leader, mimicking their maneuvers or they lose. The game is done when the leader runs out of time or there are no more pursuers.¡± I open my palm and the orbs gather into it. As I close my hand, I absorb the water. ¡°I see,¡± Evetta mumbles unenthusiastically. I chuckle to myself lightly, then add, ¡°It¡¯s actually quite fun. Especially if there are teams. The dynamic of each leader and the pursuers and the mind games between them can make it very interesting to watch.¡± Evetta stares at me for a bit, then blinks. ¡°Sorry,¡± I remark, ¡°I got a bit excited.¡± Evetta giggles, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I guess you like Pursuit.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I answer softly, turning away from her as I feel my face heat up. ¡°And Find the Flag?¡± ¡°Find the Flag is fairly popular among the en¨­¨­fen as well. It¡¯s a game where everyone searches for a hidden item and the first person to find it wins,¡± I describe. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a flag, but a flag is an easy way to designate what you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°That could be interesting,¡± Evetta mutters, almost as flatly as before. You sound soooo interested. I sigh. ¡°Prizes are usually offered to the winners too.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Evetta perks up, ¡°What kind of prizes?¡± ¡°Depends on who¡¯s hosting the event,¡± I clarify, ¡°It could be free meals, clothes, spyrite,¡± I shrug, ¡°even massages.¡± ¡°Massages?¡± Evetta questions, furrowing her brows. ¡°Like I said, some people just want to relax, so when a good massage is offered as a prize, it gets everyone going.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I smile coyly, ¡°Well-¡± I choke on my words. Wait¡­ I glance at the man within the ice, but quickly turn away from him and blush. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re really good massages,¡± I describe, emphasizing the word really. ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± Evetta murmurs as she stares at me suspiciously. ¡°Anyway, aside from that, there¡¯s also the races and leaf surfing.¡± ¡°Oh, Revus tried explaining leaf surfing to me before,¡± Evetta interjects, ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t really understand everything that well though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not easy, but if you can figure it out, it''s really fun,¡± I remark. Evetta looks up at the ball of ice and states, ¡°Revus showed me that you just fall, while standing on a leaf.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but there¡¯s more to it than that,¡± I reply, ¡°It¡¯s most fun when you have strong winds or someone manipulating them. There¡¯s also the type of leaf you choose and its shape.¡± ¡°It looked like fun but¡­¡± Evetta glances at her back and sighs, ¡°I just want to fly again.¡± I can only imagine. I smile at her sympathetically, ¡°It won¡¯t be long now.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Knock. Knock. Thumping from the door echoes through the room. Instantly, I manifest my wings, snap to my feet, and pick Evetta up. ¡°Wah!¡± she exclaims as I fly behind the sleek device. I grip Evetta tightly and look out from around the corner to see a young, blonde, elf-girl, her head barely poking through the door. Okay, it¡¯s just Shelara. I exhale heavily as I put Evetta down. ¡°Lady Faraine,¡± Shelara calls softly in Parazic. I look down at Evetta and, in Zoic, state, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s just Shelara, but just in case, wait here while I go see what she wants.¡± ¡°O-okay,¡± Evetta stutters. I smile reassuringly, rise into the air, and make my way over to Shelara. She enters the room and closes the door as I stop in front of her. In Parazic, I ask, ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shelara meekly shakes her head, ¡°but¡­ um¡­ How¡¯s Miss Evetta doing?¡± I tilt my head, glance back, and see Evetta looking at us. I face Shelara, her large, blue eyes locked onto me, and state, ¡°She¡¯s still shaken up about everything that¡¯s happened, but otherwise, she¡¯s doing fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Shelara smiles wholly. ¡°How are things outside?¡± I inquire. Might as well ask while I have her here. ¡°Mom¡¯s resting,¡± the seemingly giant elf glumly answers, ¡°Her arms started hurting again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± I reply, ¡°I wish there was something I could do.¡± I glance back at Revus for a moment, ¡°Revus might be able to help once he¡¯s free, but don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Shelara grimly smiles, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°What about Rhys and Rydel?¡± I ask. ¡°Dad went into town to buy some things and Rydel is managing the store for the moment.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just you here?¡± I shoot back. ¡°U-huh,¡± Shelara nods. ¡°Alright, thanks for the update,¡± I remark, ¡°If anything happens please let us know.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Shelara happily gestures, clenching her fists. As I turn around, Shelara exclaims, ¡°Oh, wait, um¡­¡± I look at her once more as she stammers about. ¡°Is there something else?¡± ¡°Um¡­ yes. Lady Faraine, I¡­¡± Shelara stutters as she pulls something out of her pocket and displays it atop her palms, ¡°I wanted to give Miss Evetta this.¡± She is holding a glass-like sculpture. It has a circular base with four prongs coming out upward along the sides. In the middle is a stem connected to a sphere that is roughly my size. A beautifully patterned glyph is inscribed throughout it, covering the base, spiraling up each prong, and dancing around the sphere. It glistens slightly from the cyan light radiating from the device. ¡°A song sphere?¡± I whisper, returning my gaze to Shelara and ask, ¡°Why do you want to give her this?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll help,¡± Shelara murmurs, ¡°but Mom told me to use this whenever I feel down, and¡­ I thought it might help Miss Evetta.¡± I smile, let out a light laugh, and glance at Evetta. If only you knew how much this little elf cried for causing your situation. ¡°Go ahead and set it down on the table, and¡­¡± It might make Evetta uncomfortable but it won¡¯t be often she meets en¨­¨­fen this nice and welcoming. It¡¯s really not my place to interfere, but I¡¯d hate to see her fear of en¨­¨­fen get any worse. ¡°Lady Faraine?¡± Shelara calls curiously. ¡°Sorry, I was thinking about something,¡± I reply, ¡°If you want to stay and watch, I¡¯m sure Evetta will like it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shelara excitedly exclaims, ¡°I can stay?¡± ¡°As long as you remain calm and don¡¯t make any quick movements,¡± I firmly state, ¡°Understand?¡± ¡°U-huh,¡± Shelara nods, trying to hold back her visible excitement. I fly back to the table with Shelara trailing behind me and land behind the device, near Evetta. ¡°W-what¡¯s she want?¡± Evetta inquires in Zoic. ¡°She wants to show you something,¡± I answer. ¡°Is it that glass thing in her hands?¡± Evetta shoots. ¡°Yeah,¡± I reply, looking back at Shelara as she places the song sphere on the table in front of the device. I return my gaze to Evetta and continue, ¡°And you¡¯re going to touch it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Evetta shrieks as her eyes snap to me, ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°Because, you¡¯ll like it,¡± I bluntly remark. Evetta peers around the device and up at Shelara. ¡°Then why is she still here?¡± ¡°I told her she could watch.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°No buts,¡± I cut her off and kneel down, ¡°Evetta, listen. That thing is called a song sphere. All you have to do is touch the sphere and it¡¯ll turn on. It¡¯s not dangerous, nothing bad is going to happen.¡± I look up at the elf-girl and add, ¡°Shelara just wants you to feel better since you¡¯ve been upset and feeling depressed.¡± Evetta looks down at the floor and glumly comments, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to do it?¡± A heavy knot forms in my chest as I close my eyes. This is definitely taking advantage of her but¡­ if she doesn¡¯t take this step now, then when? I sigh, open my eyes, and request, ¡°I¡¯m not going to force you but, it would mean a lot to me if you would do this for me. Please.¡± Evetta raises her head and sighs with a quivering lip, ¡°You¡¯re being unfair.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I bitterly reply. ¡°I just have to touch it?¡± Evetta asks as she peers around me. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I glance back at the glass object and shift my gaze to the incomparably-giant person towering over the table, her large, glowing eyes staring down at us. I gulp then turn back to Evetta. ¡°Would it make you more comfortable if I hold your hand?¡± Evetta looks up at Shelara, then nods, ¡°Y-yeah. That¡¯d be nice.¡± I stand up, grab the small fairy¡¯s hand and, as we start to walk toward the song sphere, look up to scan its transparent form once more. Evetta¡¯s steps are slow and short as she practically hides behind me. I peer down at the white-haired fairy as she cautiously approaches it. Her grip on my hand tightens as we stop in front of the lightly-glowing object. She looks up at me, then up at Shelara''s massive figure. Suddenly, Shelara moves, lowering herself so that her face is level with the table. Evetta quickly releases my hand, grabs my skirt, and hides behind me. I sigh as I look from Evetta to Shelara, and call out to Shelara in Parazic, ¡°Can you please hold still for a bit?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Shelara answers, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be too scary for Miss Evetta.¡± She continues, frowning, ¡°but I guess I scared her anyway. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I look back at Evetta and, in Zoic, state, ¡°She¡¯s apologizing for scaring you.¡± Evetta pokes her head out from behind me and I see her eyes lock with Shelara¡¯s. ¡°I-it¡¯s okay,¡± she mumbles quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re that quiet, she won¡¯t hear you.¡± Evetta looks up at me and replies, ¡°That¡¯s fine. She doesn¡¯t need to hear me.¡± That¡¯s not very nice, but if you say so. ¡°Alright,¡± I comment, redirecting the conversation, ¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult to touch the song sphere from back there. So¡­¡± I look down at the white-haired fairy, lock eyes with her, and nod in the direction of the sphere. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen?¡± Evetta quivers. ¡°I promise, nothing bad is going to happen.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Evetta takes a deep breath and exhales. She releases her grip on my skirt, steps to my side, and clutches my left hand. I glance down at Evetta. Her gaze is fixed on the glass object like an animal assessing a dangerous situation. Sweat builds in our hands as Evetta¡¯s stranglehold on mine tightens as if her life depends on it. My eyes bounce between her, the song sphere, and Shelara, before repeating as she holds steadfast like a statue made to withstand the test of time. Quietly, I wait until Evetta finally pulls her head away from the sphere¡¯s hypnotic force. She looks up at me once more, wets her lips with her tongue, and nods hesitantly. ¡°Okay,¡± Evetta says. She faces the sphere, and takes a step forward. Slowly, I am pulled along as the tiny fairy walks onward. We stop just in front of the song sphere, its smooth, transparent surface now an arm¡¯s length from us. ¡°Where should I touch it?¡± Evetta inquires fearfully as she scans the object. ¡°You see these,¡± I state as I point to one of the four prongs, ¡°If you touch one of these, it will start to play music.¡± ¡°O-okay,¡± Evetta stutters. She reaches her left arm out toward one of the prongs and places her hand against it. Suddenly, a green glow fills the prong as a soft, soothing melody fills the room. The tune is a simple combination of harp and violin that lulls the soul and calms one''s breathing. This is nice. And Evetta seems to like it. I quietly sway my head as the hymn goes on. It plays sweetly for about a minute before fading out. The green light slowly disappears, and silence surrounds us once more. Evetta turns to face me, her face a complex mess of disbelief, confusion, and excitement. Her mouth is agape while the corners of her mouth hint at the slightest smile. Looks like she¡¯s calmed down a bit. ¡°Faraine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I answer, smiling lightly. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Evetta pauses, glances back at the song sphere, then faces me again, ¡°Can I¡­ touch another one?¡± ¡°Sure, play around with it as much as you¡¯d like,¡± I respond, ¡°Shelara brought it here for you to play with, so have fun with it.¡± Evetta looks at Shelara and mumbles, ¡°Right.¡± She releases my hand and walks leftward, to the next prong and places her hand on it. Similar to the previous prong, a light radiates from the glass post. This time, however, the light is yellow and is accompanied by a catchy and quick-paced beat. Rhythmic guitar and piano blend together perfectly making it almost impossible to not tap your feet along. Oh, I like this one. I chuckle as Evetta starts to clap her hands in unison with the song. Once again, the song fades out about one minute in, the light waning with it. Without hesitation, Evetta moves on to the next prong on the opposite side of the song sphere. And she¡¯s hooked. I smile as I walk around the glass music device to get a better look at her. Evetta places her hand against the third prong and- Boom! Dun dun dun dun duh. Boom! Evetta jumps back, nearly falling, and places her hand on her chest at the sudden start of the loud song. A red glow emanates from the prong as the fast and powerful tune continues. The heavy beat of the drums provides an intense tempo, while the guitar, unlike the previous melody, is potent and relentless, driving the piece onward. I let out a single laugh as Evetta stares bewildered at the red prong, like she is just now hearing this type of music for the first time. I nod my head along with the beat, before it ends on a single chord that gradually fades out. That might be my favorite up to now. ¡°Hey Faraine, why was that one so¡­ different?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a different type of music,¡± I explain as I walk over to her, ¡°Was that your first time hearing something like that?¡± ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Evetta replies, ¡°Kind of surprised me.¡± ¡°Was it bad?¡± ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t say it was bad,¡± she states, ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d listen to something like that too often.¡± Really? I glance at the prong that previously shone with a vigorous, red light. I guess it might be a bit extreme if that¡¯s your first time hearing something like that. Evetta walks past me and over to the final prong. Now I¡¯m curious which one she¡¯ll like the most after she¡¯s played them all. She reaches out and touches the last glass tooth. A rich, blue glow rises from within the prong. The tone matches the glow perfectly. It begins as a piano crying a deep and heavy melody, until the sharp whine of a trumpet jumps in, creating a simple, smooth chorus. Together, they create a slow, melancholic piece that seems to darken the mood, until leisurely coming to an end. I take a deep breath and exhale. Geez, that probably wasn¡¯t the best time to listen to that one. I glance at Evetta and see her eyes starting to tear up. ¡°Well,¡± I fully turn to face her, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve listened to the four pillars of this song sphere, are you ready to start the real fun?¡± ¡°The-¡± Evetta pauses as she composes herself, ¡°The real fun? Does this thing do something else?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I declare as I walk over to the red prong.I touch it and, once more, the powerful tune begins. ¡°I already heard this one though?¡± Evetta inquires, tilting her head. ¡°Sure, but- Just watch.¡± I then place my hand on the sphere itself. A red ribbon of light shoots out of the prong and flares away from the sphere, before spiraling around it and finally meeting its smooth surface. Instantaneously, the sphere fills with a red light as more ribbons of light shoot out from it. All the while, the intensity of the song grows louder. I turn to Evetta, who has taken a step back from the sphere, and is staring awestruck at the sight before her. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ pretty,¡± she mutters, ¡°but also loud.¡± ¡°It gets better,¡± I state as I continue toward the yellow prong. I place my hand against it then, after the light and tune begin, bring my hand to the red sphere. A yellow ribbon of light blasts out and wraps around the sphere until it kisses it. Suddenly, the red sphere changes to orange and the two distinctly different songs disappear. In their place, a new, energetic, and passionate tune rings out. The song is quick and fun, but at times it slows, before a powerful chorus strikes up. A flurry of sounds from a guitar are the star in this piece. Drums and a tambourine provide a solid beat to tap along with. The invigorating song plays for a few minutes as the lights dance for its audience. As the song draws to a close, the melody wanes and the lights dull. When it finishes, the song sphere returns to its normal, transparent state. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. I look over at Evetta, clapping happily. Good, that seemed to distract her. I sigh and walk over to the giddy fairy. ¡°So, do you understand what I meant by-¡± Evetta cuts in, ¡°Can it play more songs depending on if there are multiple lights on at the same time?¡± I smile, ¡°Exactly, so have fun.¡± Evetta''s face lights up as she nods, ¡°I will!¡± Evetta continues to try out combination after combination of the lights and songs. She works her way through each pair, before adding in a third color. Regardless of whether Evetta appears to like it or not, she attentively focuses on each song, and listens to them from start to finish. Some of the songs she plays more than once. She must really like those ones. After doing all other combinations, she finally merges all four tunes. The final song is an epic orchestra of several instruments playing together. The lightshow is dynamic and beautiful, with a rainbow of lights filling the room. This final piece is the longest of them all, continuing for almost twice as long as any of the previous songs. I look away from the colorful show and focus on Revus, still fully encased in the cyan block of ice. The glyph under it continues to shine, slowly absorbing the ice and dispersing cold air into the room. Sorry for pushing her into doing something uncomfortable. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to be furious when you see our situation, but¡­ I glance back at the ice-free Evetta, leisurely enjoying the musical performance. ¡­seeing her now¡­ I face Revus¡¯ icy prison again. ¡­I¡¯m sure you¡¯d agree with my decision. I sigh, closing my eyes as the song begins to end. Rhys and his family have been kind up until now, but¡­ Opening my eyes, I turn to Shelara. ¡­if anything happens¡­ I gulp. I get the feeling you¡¯ll do something extreme. ¡°Faraine,¡± Evetta calls. I face her as she continues, ¡°I want to listen to them again, but¡­¡± I fly to her side, ¡°But?¡± ¡°Would you join me, this time?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I answer, smiling down at her. We begin to play them all again one by one, watching the lights and replaying our favorite songs. As the second, orchestral melody comes to a close, I sit down on the table next to Evetta. She looks at me with a huge grin on her face. I ask, ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Evetta calmly answers, staring up at the transparent device, ¡°Lots.¡± She pulls her gaze away from the silent song sphere and earnestly states, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure¡­ princess,¡± I tease. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that,¡± Evetta snaps. ¡°Sorry,¡± I chuckle, ¡°but you shouldn¡¯t be thanking me.¡± I turn to Shelara, the young, yet giant, elf-girl that has been watching us both the entire time, ¡°You should thank her. She was the one that tried to make you feel better by letting you play with this.¡± I gesture to the song sphere. Evetta turns to the blonde elf, her face more full of life and her body, noticeably less tense. Without turning her gaze, Evetta asks, ¡°Faraine, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Sure. What do you need?¡± I question. ¡°Can you ask¡­ Was her name Shelihra?¡± ¡°Shelara,¡± I sigh. You forgot her name? ¡°Two things. Can you ask her to hold out her finger? Also, ask if it¡¯s fine if I call her Shelly?¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°Why Shelly?¡± Evetta looks down, gripping her clothes, and responds, ¡°Because it¡¯s difficult to say her name.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± I laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh!¡± Evetta barks, glaring at me, her face red. ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologize. I turn to the young en¨­¨­fen, manifest my wings, fly over to her, and call out, ¡°Shelara.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shelara replies in Parazic. I continue in the same language, ¡°Evetta wants to know if it¡¯s okay if she calls you Shelly.¡± Shelara stares blankly for a moment before looking over at Evetta. ¡°Yeah¡­ Yeah! Of course!¡± she happily exclaims. Figured that would be the case. ¡°Shelara!¡± I shout, getting her attention once more. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Evetta also wanted you to hold out your finger toward her.¡± Shelara looks at Evetta in confusion, but holds out her index finger in front of the white-haired fairy. She inquires, ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yeah, that looks good.¡± With my translating complete, I fly back to Evetta¡¯s side. What are you planning? I gaze at Evetta as she breathes heavily. I land back on the table, watching and waiting for her to move. A few seconds later, she takes a step toward Shelara¡¯s finger. One step after another, she progresses toward the en¨­¨­fen. Instead of stopping in front of the girl¡¯s finger, Evetta walks to the middle of it. She then spreads her arms, and wraps them around Shelara¡¯s finger. Is she? Evetta holds the hug for a brief moment before pulling herself away. She stares directly into Shelara¡¯s eyes and shouts ¡°Thank you Shelly! I had a lot of fun!¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± I desperately try to hold back a laugh. Wasn¡¯t expecting that¡­ I wipe a tear from my eye. ¡­but it looks like she¡¯s taken that first step in dealing with her fear. Evetta darts over to me and plows into my stomach, hugging me tightly. She mumbles softly, ¡°And thank you Faraine¡­ for helping me while Revus isn¡¯t here.¡± I go to place my arms around her, but I hesitate. You¡¯re¡­ shaking¡­I embrace the tiny fairy to comfort her. ¡°Faraine,¡± Evetta whines as she looks up at me, tears rolling down her face. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think I peed myself¡­¡± I smile. Also wasn¡¯t expecting that. Chapter 21 - Fiery Awakening Revus POV A flash of bitterly sharp cold pierces through me. Two feminine screams continue to ring within my ears. What¡¯s¡­ A tingling numbness constrains me, it crushes my lungs and suffocates me. Blurred colors soar past me disorientingly. ¡­happening¡­ ¡°...ow ¡­ger ¡­ou ¡­ll ¡­eep,¡± a faint murmur replays over and over again. Who¡¯s¡­ voice¡­ I drift in and out of consciousness, for how long, I do not know. My senses are dulled and I cannot seem to find my voice. Time seems as still as I am until, ¡°...ow ¡­ll ¡­ee ¡­ut ¡­im ¡­tle ¡­an ¡­ll ¡­he ¡­oom.¡± A different¡­ voice¡­ Is¡­ that¡­ Parazic? Parazic¡­ Why Parazic¡­ Oh no¡­ The en¨­¨­fen? Evetta¡­ Inhaling, I can feel the pressure on my lungs ease as they slowly expand. Is she okay? I begin to regain faculty over my senses, the depth of the cold I was in now realized. The icy grip further loosens as a furious heat begins to spread throughout me. I¡­ can¡¯t move? My rigid limbs flex and I can feel the ice holding them prisoner, crack. Move. Feeling a slight twitch from my fingertips, I continue to press. Move. My joints bend, my muscles contract, and my whole body tenses. Move dammit! ¡°Revus!¡± a soft, clear cry finds my ears. The sweet, delicate voice resonates within me. The voice, uncannily reminiscent of the Fairy Monarch, the voice that I have heard thousands of times over the last few months. Evetta. Opening my eyes, I see Evetta¡¯s weeping form looming above me, her tears raining down onto my still-cold face. Smiling, I sit up as she takes a step back then kneels down next to me. ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± I manage to utter, the words fumbling out of my mouth. ¡°Me?¡± She looks taken aback. For a brief moment, she stares at me, but then smiles and nods, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I croak as I place my hand on her head. I slide it down to her wet cheek, her silky hair running through my fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Evetta cries as she tackles me, wraps her arms around my waist, and buries her face into my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I tightly return the hug and steal a glance at her bare back. Noticing the empty space where her wings should be, my smile rapidly shifts to a frown. I return her to arms length, forcing another half smile as she looks at me, wiping away what remains of her tears. I notice Faraine standing before me. Focusing on her, I see she is bearing a forlorn smile. Why¡¯s she- I give a suspicious squint. Out of my peripheral vision, something catches my attention. My gaze drifts from the blue-haired fairy to the abyss beyond her and, as my barely-functioning eyes adjust, I see a sliver of light cutting through the darkness. Within that illuminated chasm, a giant entity all but devours the glowing ray from within. A single blue sphere, barely hidden amidst the shadows, shimmers before disappearing. An en¨­¨­fen? I squint at where the orb disappeared, a door. Where, where are we? As my eyes continue to adapt, I scan the room, more of my surroundings becoming apparent. Boxes¡­ shelves¡­ Two doors. I continue my scan of the room. One. Two windows ¡­ we¡¯re on a table, and¡­ what¡¯s that? I lock onto an object resting on the table beside us. Some kind of axiom device? Doesn¡¯t matter. Glaring past Faraine at the en¨­¨­fen behind the door, I tighten my grip on Evetta. ¡°...ou ¡­uldn¡¯t ¡­ve ¡­et,¡± Faraine states. Breaking out will make too much noise. ¡°Hold on,¡± I whisper to Evetta as I manifest my wings. The door will be the quietest, but likely has more en¨­¨­fen. ¡°Revus?¡± Evetta probes. Should I just kill them? I forcefully push myself into the air. Evetta and I rise off the table as Faraine mumbles something. Urgh¡­ Wings aren¡¯t responding, but¡­ Concentrating on balancing myself, we continue rising toward the ceiling. Above us are several wooden beams that run parallel from one side of the room to the other. ¡°Revus, what are you doing?¡± Evetta flusteredly shouts. ¡°Shut up!¡± I bark back, ¡°We¡¯re getting out of here!¡± ¡°Wha-¡± she starts, but is cut off as I dart down, approaching the glimmering light. ¡°Revus! Stop!¡± Evetta yells directly into my ears as she struggles within my arms. Gripping her with my left arm, I reach out my right. Zzzt. Bzzt. Sparking surrounds us as I create four metal, electrically-charged blades and direct them toward the en¨­¨­fen. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± the giant just behind the door screams piercingly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± a male¡¯s voice bellows in Parazic from beyond it. The screaming figure at the door falls back and nudges it open. Good, with this- Slap! A subtle, but noticeable pain bites my face. I stop in place, halting my blade''s attack. My hold on Evetta loosens momentarily and, as she fiercely presses her legs against me, she pushes herself away. Placing my left hand against my stinging cheek, I fixate on the now falling fairy. I slowly reach my right hand out to her. ¡°I said stop!¡± Evetta orders furiously, before flipping around, her back now facing up. She summons her still-damaged wings and haphazardly glides down back to the table, returning to Faraine¡¯s side. Why? As I hover in place, she looks up at me with a glare on her face. I clench my jaw, ball my fists, and roar, ¡°We¡¯re leaving. Now!¡± ¡°No!¡± Evetta argues. Her wings disappear, scattering into white glitter. I soar down, dispelling the lightning-infused blades. Once near her, I take a deep breath and chuckle, ¡°Evetta, I¡¯m not arguing with you. It¡¯s dangerous here and-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± she shouts, ¡°Besides, Faraine¡¯s been protecting me this entire time too. So-¡± I laugh, scowling at the red-eyed fairy, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Please just listen, Revus,¡± Faraine pleads as Evetta hides behind her. A tight knot builds in my chest and I dig my fingers into my palms. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve made things pretty clear,¡± I growl, my blood boiling, ¡°Fine, if it¡¯s safe here, then I¡¯m not needed!¡± I turn away from them and face the doorway. On the floor, the en¨­¨­fen is still cowering. A kid? Standing just beyond the door is a second, larger en¨­¨­fen, pale and frozen in place. I see. It¡¯s them again. My body shaking, I irately zoom past them, enter the other room and, quickly scanning it, find an open window. There is a third en¨­¨­fen sitting in a chair in the center of the room, her arms coated in thick rot sp¨©¨©r. That¡¯s¡­ I meet the seated en¨­¨­fen¡¯s worried eyes and grind my teeth. Not worth my time. I direct my attention to the window and, staying close to the wall, fly through it. A hot wave of air rushes against me as I drift away from the window. With the house behind me, I see nothing but wooden towers decorated in blazing red-orange fire. A landscape of trees whose leaves are like a small campfire. Hundreds of thousands of these flames flicker consistently, but remain magically lit atop each tree, creating the effect of a raging bonfire. The magnificent arbors spread over the land, repeating thousands of times to create, ¡°The Valnia Wilds.¡± I hover in place, examining the flaming forest. I don¡¯t see anyone else. Glancing back through the window I see the male en¨­¨­fen standing in the middle of the room staring at me. Dammit. I turn back to the woodland and race away from his hopeless gaze. I furrow my brow. Why? I dash as quickly as I can away from that place, slowly picking up speed as my wings regain their strength. Why? I pass tree after tree, my fists clenching tighter and tighter at each one, the heat growing the farther in I go. Why¡­ Descending down I slow myself near the base of a tree. The roots jut out and loosely define the rough forest floor. I land on one of the wooden tubers, drop to my knees, and place my hands against the gritty bark of the tree. The uneven texture pokes my palm in several places. ¡°Why¡­¡± I mumble, lightly tapping the bark wall in front of me with my fists. I start pounding them against it as the pain in my chest dully aches. ¡°Why, why, why, why, why¡­¡± As I continue to slam my clenched knuckles against the rough structure, I raise my head to the burning canopy and explode, ¡°Dammit! Why!? I¡¯m supposed to protect you!¡± Memories of my time spent with Evetta flood my mind, causing my emotions to hit their boiling point, and tears to start spilling down my face, ¡°Me dammit¡­ me¡­¡± After a moment, the flood of emotions and tears subsides. Huffing and inhaling, I look down at my bloody fists. The red liquid that paints my hands, and the tree, gradually begins to disappear into yellow glitter. My chest slowly expands and contracts as I take deep breaths. My rage, fueled by the Valnian heat, grows. Arching my back, I once again look up at the blazing inferno overhead, and roar ¡°Fuuuuuuuck!¡± Seconds that seem to last forever pass by. My anger and chest deflate as my breathing steadies and the tension in my body recedes. Did I¡­ I stare at the rough, natural wall. ¡­really just say that? I approach the tree and rest my forehead against its bumpy surface. Am I stupid? I asked her to help. Thud. I pull my head away from the tree then forcefully drive it forward, ¡°So why?¡± Thud. Now, I am furiously banging my skull against the wood. Thud. ¡°Why does my chest hurt? Why?¡± Thud. ¡°Why?¡± Thud. Why!?¡± THUD! ¡°Argh!¡± I scream as warm liquid rolls down my face, momentarily blinding me. Panting, I push myself away from the tree and lay on my back. The lacerations on my hands thump in agony, while my pain in my head beats violently. ¡°I¡¯m weak,¡± I gasp, ¡°terribly weak.¡± I lay there in silence, soaking in the self-inflicted pain as a faint, heated breeze whistles through the softly crackling flora. After a few moments, I place my hand over my eyes and chuckle, ¡°Ha, I let something so stupid get to me.¡± I take another deep breath and sigh. I pull my arm from my eyes, and watch the flaming leaves overhead dance as the torrid wind rushes by. How long has it been since I¡¯ve felt¡­ jealous¡­ Not since I first arrived in ¨¡¨¡thel. Seeing others with parents, families, how happy they were, and how everyone treated them. I exhale heavily and close my eyes. And all it took this time was seeing Evetta take someone else¡¯s side. ¡°Idiot,¡± I mumble as I slam my hand down onto the root beneath me. ¡°Ow,¡± I wince as pain shoots up my arm. Stupid. I take a deep breath. And what did I do? Got mad at Evetta, was jealous of Faraine, and in a fit I ran away. ¡°Stupid fucking idiot.¡± My lips begin to quiver. Who cares about my feelings? All I have to do is keep her safe and I left her. A single tear rolls down my cheek. I sniffle. Aside from that, we¡¯re inside an en¨­¨­fen¡¯s house? Why? How? ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m going to have to ask her, and I¡¯m going to look like a complete ass because of it.¡± I sigh, opening my eyes. At least things don¡¯t appear terrible. We weren¡¯t captured, so those en¨­¨­fen are likely helping us, but still¡­ being helped by en¨­¨­fen that helped capture Evetta¡­ I don¡¯t like it. Rapidly sitting up, I bring my hands to my head and grab my hair, ¡°Aaaaaah! Who the fuck cares about what I want!? It doesn¡¯t matter! I just need to do my job!¡± I pant, ¡°Stupid idiot¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I just need to¡­ keep her safe.¡± ¡°Haha, now that¡¯s funny,¡± I laugh to myself, ¡°Keep her safe. Look at me, leaving her in a strange house while I turn into a pitiful mess.¡± I manifest my wings and rise back into the air, my body lifelessly hanging from them. I sigh, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± Flying slightly above the ground, I slowly progress back through the forest. The first thing I need to do when I get back is to apologize. Looking forward, I maneuver through the Valnian treescape. To Evetta for yelling at her¡­ and for being weak. I need to apologize to Faraine for blowing up like I did. I sigh. She¡¯s probably trying to deal with the situation now. And assuming the en¨­¨­fen are innocent, then I¡¯ll need to apologize to them too, for blindly attacking them. But before that, I¡¯ll need to confirm their innocence. Focus. I quickly bring my hands up to my face and slap both of my cheeks. Focus. I take a deep breath. Focus. What do I need to do? Protect Evetta. Increasing my pace, I begin to dart through the woods. How? I don¡¯t have enough information right now, so let¡¯s just observe first. I¡¯ll talk to Faraine tonight and make a decision then. As I fly through the flaming trees, I watch the wind blow a handful of the fiery leaves from the branches. They twirl in the breeze, some racing alongside me. Upon reaching the ground, their flames gradually begin to go out. A wooden building appears in the distance, partially hidden behind the cacophony of fire. Scanning the surroundings to confirm no one is nearby, I approach the house. The window is still open. That¡¯s good. I silently make my way up to the window sill and peak over the edge. Dam¡­ Standing atop the wooden ledge looking down at me, is Faraine. ¡°Why are you sneaking around?¡± Faraine inquires, her red-eyes glaring at me. ¡°So much for waiting until tonight,¡± I whisper under my breath. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I state, ¡°How did you know I was coming?¡± She shrugs, ¡°Coincidence.¡± I look at her doubtfully, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Pure coincidence. I was talking with Rhys and happened to see you flying over,¡± Faraine explains. ¡°Also,¡± she eyes my hands before returning her stern gaze to me, ¡°you look terrible.¡± I rub the back of my neck, ¡°Yeah, some stuff happened.¡± I look away from the blue-haired woman and exasperatedly sigh, ¡°Can we talk?¡± ¡°Stuff¡­¡± she repeats tilting her head slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside,¡± she suggests, ¡°We¡¯re on the edge of town but it¡¯s still better than being out in the open.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Entering behind Faraine, I glance at the en¨­¨­fen as we pass by. They seem to have calmed down a bit. As we leave the large open room, we make our way into the dark room I awoke in. As my eyes adapt to the lightless space, I see Evetta laying on her back atop the table, staring at the ceiling. As Faraine lands, she announces, ¡°Revus is back.¡± Evetta bolts up into a sitting position, facing away from me. She crosses her arms and snaps, ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Her arms fall back to her side, her hands now resting on her lap, ¡°Still mad at you.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°I know,¡± I sourly agree. ¡°Do you know why?¡± she probes, turning her head slightly. Sighing, I walk over to the small fairy¡¯s right side and sit down beside her. Her and I both stare straight ahead. ¡°Is it because I overreacted?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a start,¡± she hisses. I look at her and sigh. ¡°Because I almost attacked the en¨­¨­fen?¡± ¡°And?¡± she grills, more viciously. She¡¯s really mad this time. I pause, biting my lip, ¡°Because I left you here?¡± She shakes her head, then turns to me with an expression of sincerity, ¡°No, I knew you would come back.¡± Looking away, I avoid the gaze of her pearl-like eyes. ¡°Then¡­¡± I take a deep breath, exhale, and firmly express, ¡°Because I felt jealous of you taking Faraine¡¯s side.¡± I continue hiding my face, but I can tell Evetta looks toward Faraine after exposing my imperfection. ¡°Because I felt emotions that were irrelevant to my job of protecting you.¡± ¡°Revus?¡± Faraine calls. ¡°Because I failed to-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Evetta interrupts as she crawls over to me. She places her hands on my cheeks, locks eyes with me, and affirms, ¡°You didn¡¯t fail!¡± As I try to pull away from her, she grips my face, the same look of sincerity on hers, ¡°Look at me! I¡¯m fine. You, me, and Faraine, we¡¯re all fine.¡± She smiles kindly. So much like Vestele. ¡°So you didn¡¯t fail. Do you understand?¡± Her pearl-like eyes start to succumb to her emotions. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I murmur as my eyes meet hers, my own tears starting to well up, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Revus¡­¡± An onset of tears flow from her eyes as she collapses onto my chest and hugs me tightly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry¡­¡± ¡°Me too,¡± I mutter, hugging her tightly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how I acted earlier.¡± I hold her head as she quietly cries. After a few moments, Evetta sniffs, ¡°Revus.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± She wipes her tear-stained face with the back of her hand, their wet remnants fading into a faint, white dust, ¡°Can you apologize to the others too?¡± I smile. ¡°I planned to, but Evetta,¡± I say, peeling her off, and setting her down in front of me. ¡°Even though I¡¯m going to apologize to the en¨­¨­fen, doesn¡¯t mean I trust them.¡± ¡°But-¡± I hold my injured hand up in front of her, ¡°I-¡± ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± I drop my hand and rub it with the other, trilling my lips, ¡°Nothing important.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± I adamantly affirm, ¡°I promise, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She stares at me, sighs, and sags her shoulders, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Now.¡± Standing up and facing Faraine, I resolutely state, ¡°First, thank you for keeping Evetta safe and I¡¯m sorry for how I acted earlier.¡± ¡°Apology accepted,¡± Faraine chuckles. ¡°Second,¡± I stare at the open door that leads to the en¨­¨­fen for a moment. ¡°Before I apologize to them,¡± I face Faraine again, ¡°Can you explain why and how we got here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been dreading this,¡± she comments, ¡°but sure.¡± ¡°Come sit down,¡± Evetta requests, pulling on my shirt. ¡°Alright,¡± I answer, putting my hand on her head. As we all take a seat, Evetta lays her head against my leg. She smiles up at me and says, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back.¡± I return her smile and direct a question to Faraine, ¡°Why have you been dreading this?¡± As she sits in front of us, she explains, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to critique my decisions and get mad at me for choosing to come here.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± I give her a wry smirk, ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Faraine then describes what happened the night Evetta and I were encased in ice. How she struggled to melt us, thus choosing to move our frozen forms. Eventually she encountered an elf, Rhys, who was wandering the mountains alone, and injured. After a while of talking, she convinced him to help bring us to his home. The entire time she was prepared to kill the en¨­¨­fen if anything happened, but, to her surprise, everything seemed safe. Additionally, they had let us use their axiom device to assist in draining the excess ice sp¨©¨©r surrounding us. Faraine clarifies that she chose Evetta to use it first, since she assumed that would be who I would prioritize. She adds that the entire time she was waiting for Evetta¡¯s ice to melt, she stayed awake. Once Evetta woke up, Faraine introduced her to the en¨­¨­fen but Evetta seemed to display a deep fear of them. Since then, Faraine has pushed Evetta to interact with these elves, in hopes that it eases her trepidation. ¡°And that brings us to today,¡± Faraine concludes. Looking down, I see Evetta¡¯s eyes are closed and her breathing has slowed. I gently snort, shake my head slightly, then return my face to Faraine, ¡°You were right to thaw Evetta first, and thank you for watching over her for my turn. My only major criticism is that you were too quick to let the en¨­¨­fen help.¡± I elaborate, ¡°Everything worked out, but it was too risky. Had something gone wrong we all could¡¯ve been in a much worse situation, especially since they were the ones who tried to take Evetta.¡± I pause, take a deep breath, and continue, ¡°That being said I can understand why you did it.¡± I lock eyes with, and smile at, the fairy sitting across from me, ¡°You did good Faraine.¡± She blushes deeply, her eyes wide. The flustered fairy falls onto her back and sighs heavily. ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± she giggles lightly, ¡°I hope I''m getting some axsel cores for this.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± I chuckle. ¡°Who knows, but,¡± I continue, looking at the little girl''s innocent, sleeping form, ¡°depending on how things go, you could get something much more valuable.¡± ¡°I want to be clear,¡± Faraine declares, raising her right arm and pointing her index finger up, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this to be her page, but I¡¯m also not denying that I still want to become one, more than anything.¡± I sit there for a bit, watching her, contemplating. As she lowers her arm, I question, ¡°Is it the power?¡± ¡°No,¡± she answers instantly, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the recognition.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, I wouldn¡¯t have taken you for someone that needed the public¡¯s recognition.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was the public¡¯s.¡± If not public, then personal, or¡­ I raise an eyebrow, ¡°Your family¡¯s?¡± She turns her head away, then mutters, ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Well, whatever your reason for helping is, thank you,¡± I state, ¡°Even if this isn¡¯t the safest place, we¡¯re all in one piece, and Evetta seems to be doing better.¡± ¡°So,¡± Faraine sits up, ¡°Do you want to talk to the elves now?¡± ¡°Before that,¡± I look at Evetta¡¯s sleeping form, ¡°Has anything happened regarding her condition?¡± ¡°Not since you both froze that night.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I furrow my brows, looking at Faraine, ¡°Nothing even subtle?¡± ¡°Well, when we first got here, and Rhys put her on that,¡± she explains pointing to the axiom device, ¡°The ice didn¡¯t really go away the first day¡­ But after, it started to rapidly disappear.¡± Once again looking down at Evetta, I rub the back of my neck. You¡¯re a real handful. ¡°Do you also think this has anything to do with Vigaro?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s at least some kind of connection,¡± Faraine confirms, ¡°I¡¯ve been racking my brain trying to figure it out, but everything leads back to Vigaro.¡± ¡°Explain,¡± I press, eyebrow raised. ¡°For starters, Evetta was seemingly fine the winter before Vigaro but, on the first night of the month, she mentioned seeing something on the moon, then froze.¡± Faraine clarifies, ¡°After she woke, she mentioned that something was in her soul plane. Whatever it was, was cyan, the color of ice.¡± ¡°Yeah, that lines up with what I found when I inspected her soul too.¡± That and that fucking freezing cold feeling. ¡°Then, like I said, while she was on the device, the ice didn¡¯t seem to respond. But it was still spring,¡± Faraine continues, ¡°Once summer started, the ice showed drastic signs of weakening.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the summer might be hindering whatever¡¯s in her soul?¡± ¡°Basically,¡± Faraine validates. ¡°On top of that, over the last week, she hasn¡¯t mentioned being cold. Even today, when she got riled up, nothing happened.¡± Placing my hand against my chin, I turn my attention to Evetta. Then, like I feared, there¡¯s a chance you¡¯ll get worse over the next few weeks. Sighing, I look up at the ceiling. ¡°How many more days of summer do we have?¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the last day,¡± Faraine answers. Damn. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and exhale. Thankfully we¡¯re in Valnia but we have almost no time to find a solution. And if this is truly connected to Vigaro then you¡¯re going to get worse over the next few weeks. I open my eyes, face the door, and listen to the en¨­¨­fen in the other room talking amongst themselves. The next question is whether it¡¯s safe to stay here, or do we leave and just stay in Valnia¡­ I turn to Faraine and ask, ¡°Do you trust these elves?¡± She stares at me for a bit, glances at the door, then back to me. ¡°I believe they don¡¯t want to harm us and¡­ they seem to genuinely want to repay us.¡± ¡°I assume you¡¯re referencing when Evetta and I helped them a few months ago.¡± ¡°That and to apologize for aiding in our capture.¡± I nod, then inquire, ¡°How many live here?¡± ¡°Four,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°Occasionally there will be other people that stop by because they also run a store, but the only ones that come back here are Rhys and his family.¡± Rubbing my chin, I murmur, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s any benefit to staying here, or should we just stay in Valnia?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done making important decisions,¡± Faraine scoffs. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you decide,¡± I retort, ¡°I just want your opinion whether there''s any reason we should stay, even though we risk being found.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Faraine pauses for a bit, ¡°I think there¡¯s a couple benefits. The biggest is that we don¡¯t have to worry about finding food, so we can stay by Evetta¡¯s side at all times.¡± I see. Not needing to get food does ease my burden. ¡°That¡¯s the biggest, so what else?¡± ¡°We¡¯re right next to Valnia, so if things get bad for her we can just fly over to one of the trees. But more importantly, it will be warm in here compared to outside, at least until Vigaro passes. And no cold wind so, hopefully, a lower likelihood that Evetta¡¯s condition flares up.¡± I nod, ¡°Okay, is that all?¡± ¡°That,¡± Faraine says, motioning at the axiom device, ¡°If it can help minimize Evetta¡¯s condition when it gets out of control, then it will be a huge help in getting through winter.¡± Looking at the smooth device, I ask, ¡°You think that¡¯ll help?¡± ¡°If you and I deal with the ice, while Evetta tries to suppress it, the device could be the deciding factor that prevents the ice from getting out of control.¡± I continue staring at the device. ¡°If not that, we could throw her into the flames of a Valnian tree, but I assume you¡¯d like to keep that as a last resort.¡± ¡°Preferably,¡± I respond. I don¡¯t like the idea of staying here but¡­ I glance down at Evetta. ¡­my priority is to protect her. Now, is it the en¨­¨­fen, or Vigaro that¡¯s more of a problem. Worst case scenario, I can kill the en¨­¨­fen. I gulp. But I have no guarantee that I can stop Vigaro and the ice so¡­ I lock eyes back onto the device. As much as I don¡¯t like it, staying here might be better, even with the risk of other en¨­¨­fen. I sigh, looking back at Faraine, ¡°I think my only other question is how are Evetta¡¯s wings healing? I saw them briefly earlier and they didn¡¯t look fully healed, but she was able to somewhat use them.¡± ¡°She¡¯s eager to fly again,¡± Faraine comments, smiling, ¡°They still need a few more days, but she¡¯s been trying to fly since she woke up.¡± ¡°Silly girl,¡± I chuckle as I look down at the snoozing fairy. Nudging her slightly and leaning forward, I announce, ¡°Evetta, nap time¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Mhmm, just a little longer,¡± she mumbles. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you in here while I go make food,¡± I state. ¡°That¡¯s mean.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± I pester, ¡°My leg¡¯s numb and covered in your drool.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Evetta raises her head, ¡°Drool? ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake,¡± I remark as I manifest my wings. Grabbing Evetta, I rise into the air and, as I stand on my feet, place Evetta on hers. ¡°Is it already time to eat?¡± Evetta questions. ¡°Soon,¡± I reply, ¡°but first.¡± I look toward the door. ¡°If we¡¯re going to be staying here for the next couple of weeks, then I need to go apologize to the owners.¡± Neither fairy responds. For a moment, the only sound comes from the en¨­¨­fen in the other room. I look at them; they are both staring at me. Evetta blankly turns to Faraine, who looks down at her. As they both turn back to me, Evetta mutters, ¡°I must still be sleeping.¡± Flick. ¡°Ow!¡± Evetta whines as she brings her hands to her forehead. ¡°Is it really that surprising-¡± I start, ¡°You know, nevermind, let¡¯s go talk to them. We can discuss things over dinner.¡± ¡°That hurt,¡± Evetta complains as I pick her up. As we all lift off the table, Evetta yawns, ¡°Fa¡­Faraine, how¡¯d you convince this jerk that we should stay here?¡± You¡¯re the one that was being rude. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she responds as we fly over to the doorway. Peeking around the wall, I see the same three en¨­¨­fen, the man, the woman, and the girl. All three are seated at a table in the middle of the room. A pleasant aroma spreads throughout the house. It originates from a steaming pot atop a stove in the far-left corner of the room. ¡°Where¡¯s the fourth?¡± I direct at Faraine. ¡°He¡¯s likely running the shop,¡± she answers from beneath me, ¡°Considering how dark it¡¯s starting to get, he¡¯ll likely be coming in soon.¡± I glance down at her, ¡°Okay, then everything looks clear.¡± ¡°Yeah, aside from their terrified expressions, everything looks normal.¡± ¡°You really scared them earlier,¡± Evetta chimes. I sigh, ¡°I know.¡± Faraine enters the large room first, heading toward the elves. I follow behind her and the man, as we approach them, notices us. He quickly tells the others to quiet down, directing their attention to us. Instantly, they go silent and tense up. I sigh again. Here goes. Faraine and I land on the table in front of the three elves. It really is the same en¨­¨­fen. Examining the man, I notice more than just the injury on his hand. He looks like he was attacked, with bandages and bruises covering several exposed parts of his body. Faraine was right, someone really did a number on him. From him, my eyes travel to the little elf girl. Noticing this, she stiffens up and scoots closer to her father, trying to hide behind him. I turn away from her and lock onto the elven woman. Her hands¡­ Such thick rot sp¨©¨©r even for a fairy. As an elf, I imagine she¡¯s in a lot of pain. I place Evetta down on the table, then rise into the air and fly closer to the elves. ¡°Hello,¡± I announce in Parazic, ¡°My name is Revus.¡± They remain motionless with their blue-eyes locked onto me. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to apologize for my behavior earlier today. I overreacted in an attempt to keep Evetta safe,¡± I proclaim, ¡°For attacking and scaring you all, I sincerely apologize.¡± I bow my head. Again, silence follows. I open my eyes and glance at them as the woman motions to the man. He nods and, stuttering, replies, ¡°I-i-it¡¯s¡­ um.¡± He gulps, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He looks from his wife to his daughter and continues, ¡°I would do something similar if my family was in danger.¡± Family huh¡­ I chuckle once. ¡°Thank you for understanding,¡± I acknowledge. ¡°Second, I would like to thank you for the last week. Helping us, providing food and shelter. It is greatly appreciated.¡± ¡°O-of course,¡± the man responds, ¡°It¡¯s not enough to apologize for what we¡¯ve done, but please, make yourselves at home.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I nod, then continue, ¡°Third, would it be alright if we stayed here until the winter passes?¡± ¡°Please do,¡± the man answers firmly, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re worried about the fairy hunters, but I promise we¡¯ll do everything we can to keep you all hidden.¡± I nod once again, close my eyes, and smile, ¡°Thank you.¡± Following that, we all introduce ourselves to one another. The man¡¯s name, Rhys, and his wife¡¯s, Sana. The little girl¡¯s name is Shelara. Her older brother, whom they confirm is out working the shop, is Rydel. Given the current situation, at least for the time being, I commit their names to memory. ¡°Rhys,¡± I call, ¡°Would it be alright if I used some of your food to cook for us?¡± ¡°If you want, feel free¡± he states, gesturing to the pot on the stove, ¡°But we could just share what we make with you.¡± ¡°Thank you, but,¡± I respectfully decline, ¡°At least tonight, I¡¯d like to cook for them,¡± I reply, looking at the two fairies on the table. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Shelara politely interrupts. I look down at the elf girl and descend down to her. She slightly retreats behind Rhys. ¡°C-could you help my mom?¡± Turning to Sana, I focus on the sp¨©¨©r that has deeply corrupted her arms. ¡°You¡¯re asking if I can heal her hands?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­ please,¡± Shelara hesitantly confirms. It would not make us even, but hopefully this alleviates some of their worries. I fly over to Sana, her desperate eyes tinted with hope. Ideally they¡¯ll feel more indebted to us but¡­ I can feel the thickness of the sp¨©¨©r in the air. Her hands, where the sp¨©¨©r is the most dense, are black, and almost completely devoid of life. The skin is as though someone tightly wrapped her bones in a patch of burnt leather. As the concentration of sp¨©¨©r lessens, the tone of her skin changes. Her wrists are a deep purple, as if they are perpetually bruised. Along her forearms, the skin shifts to a soft blue, like if she just came out of the snow. Beneath the ruined skin are glowing orange veins, becoming less visible as they snake up the arm. I hover around her arms as if I am inspecting them, knowing she is doomed. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to heal you.¡± All hope fades from her visage. ¡°I figured,¡± she apathetically replies. ¡°Sorry,¡± I explain,¡±But whatever happened, the rot sp¨©¨©r has been fused with your body to a point beyond what I can do. At best, I can ease the pain.¡± She smiles, ¡°That¡¯s more than I could ask for.¡± Turning my attention back to her arms, I shake my head. How did she even¡­ I sigh, extending my arms out in front of me. I feel everyone¡¯s eyes focused on me. Here goes. As I touch her hands, I can feel the heavy sp¨©¨©r suddenly rush into me. Overwhelmed almost immediately, I stumble backward and fall onto my butt. What the¡­ That¡¯s worse than I expected. I stand up and wobble for a moment, trying to maintain my balance. ¡°Revus!¡± Evetta hollers as she runs up to me, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I huff, catching my breath, ¡°Just wasn¡¯t¡­ expecting there¡­ to be so much sp¨©¨©r.¡± ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± ¡°It is,¡± I answer, standing up straight and wiping my forehead, ¡°The sp¨©¨©r is so thoroughly fused with her, that the outer layer is acting like a barrier. It¡¯s preventing me from being able to tell how much there actually is.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate in a way I can understand,¡± Evetta whines. I turn to her and explain, ¡°Basically, if you break through the outer sp¨©¨©r, a much larger amount of sp¨©¨©r is released.¡± ¡°Can you fix her?¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think I can,¡± I shake my head, ¡°There¡¯s too much. When I tried just now, I almost passed out from a fraction of it.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Evetta ponders, ¡°Can I ask you another question?¡± ¡°Why are you asking?¡± I reflect, ¡°Just ask.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she sighs, ¡°Do her hands look¡­ weird to you?¡± I glance down at the small fairy inquisitively, ¡°Yes. There¡¯s discoloration and-¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Evetta interjects, pointing at me, ¡°When you look at her hands, what do you see?¡± Furrowing my brows, I focus on the elven woman¡¯s discolored hands. ¡°Well, the sp¨©¨©r is orange. And it¡¯s so thick that the hands appear black. Why, what do you see?¡± ¡°Her hands look like those flowers we found that winter, with a kind of soft orange glitter around them.¡± I hold up a finger and open my mouth, but instantly close it. After a moment of blankly staring at Evetta, I turn to the blackened hands. ¡°So¡­¡± I mutter, lookin back down at her. She looks up at me and smiles, ¡°Yep. I knew you were going to think I¡¯m weird.¡± I further stare at her. Weird is not the word I¡¯d use to describe you. ¡°Hey,¡± she says, facing Sana¡¯s hands, ¡°Would it be alright if I tried to absorb the sp¨©¨©r?¡± I look at the corrupted hands once more. If, instead of black, all you see is orange then¡­ ¡°Go ahead. But I¡¯ll be standing right here, so if at any point it feels like too much, let go, or call out to me.¡± I look up at the elves. At least for this family who¡¯ve likely already given up¡­ I focus on Evetta. ¡­maybe you¡¯ll show them a miracle. Slowly, she approaches the giant lady¡¯s hands. She holds out her small hands and places them against Sana¡¯s index fingers. Almost instantaneously, all of the dark-orange sp¨©¨©r is pulled into Evetta, the discoloration on Sana¡¯s arms disappearing in turn. Evetta turns to look at me and remarks, ¡°Uh¡­ Revus¡­ I think I got it all.¡± I stare at Sana¡¯s wrinkled hands, lacking any signs of the previous affliction. I close my eyes, place my two forefingers against my temples, and start massaging them. No¡­ Weird wouldn¡¯t be close. More like, monster. I peek at her through squinted eyelids. Yes, you¡¯re a little sp¨©¨©r monster. The elves altogether start to weep, celebrating Evetta¡¯s successful extraction of the sp¨©¨©r. For several minutes they cry joyfully, thanking all the two of us for what we did. All three elves vow to help us with whatever they can, for as long as we stay. Knock. Knock. Knock. A loud pounding echoes from the side door. ¡°Rhys! Open up,¡± a shrill, drunken man¡¯s voice says in Parazic. Not good. Faraine and I lunge for Evetta, but I am closer. We take off and fly up to the light fixtures in the central part of the room, trying to hide as quickly as possible. ¡°Phew,¡± I exhale, turning to Faraine. I give her a look that asks, ¡®I thought you said we were safe in here.¡¯ ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispers in Zoic, ¡°This is the first time anyone¡¯s come over.¡± ¡°Rhys,¡± the voice shouts again, ¡°Come on, open up, I got some exciting news to tell you.¡± Glancing down, I see Rhys approach the door, but before reaching it he looks in our direction. He puts his finger to his pursed lips, pulls it away, and gives a thumbs up before opening the door. ¡°What is it Ryul?¡± Rhys questions, barely opening the door. ¡°No need to be so rude,¡± the man states, pushing the door open and barging inside. The man looks similar to Rhys. They share the same, blonde hair, though Ryul¡¯s is much longer. They also share the same tanned skin and body type. Ryul is far more attractive, however, being significantly less covered in injuries. Rhys gives the other man a sour look, ¡°This is my house.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m your brother,¡± Ryul states matter-of-factly. He gives Sana a curt nod and Shelara a silent, playful wave. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem very brotherly when you left me in the mountains,¡± Rhys barks, ¡°or while you watched the others beat me.¡± ¡°Can you blame me. I didn¡¯t want to join you in the uh¡­ fun,¡± he gestures at Rhys¡¯ whole body, ¡°Besides, I came to tell you some good news.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Rhys sighs, visibly angry now, ¡°Just tell me and leave.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being much meaner than usual,¡± Ryul comments. ¡°Ryul,¡± Rhys growls. ¡°Fine fine,¡± Ryul spins around heading back out the door, ¡°I just wanted to tell you that some big shot fairy hunters are coming here, and they¡¯re very interested in hearing about that black-haired fairy.¡± Chapter 22 - One Hundred Revuses The boiling, lid-covered pot idling in the corner of the room fills it with a pleasant heat, and decorates it with a savory aroma. Revus, Faraine, and I are hiding near the ceiling atop a beam of wood above the living area that stretches from one wall to another. Revus and Faraine peek down at the commotion below while I sit listening to the unknown words as they disrupt the peace of the elves'' home. It sounds like two guys are talking? So Rhys, but who¡¯s the other? I dart my eyes back and forth from the well-built, handsome, black-haired fairy to the slender, youthful, blue-haired one. Tracing their movements, I watch them for any changes in their body language to try to understand the situation below. Dang it, I have no idea what¡¯s being said. And listening like this is driving me crazy. I bite my lower lip and, alongside Revus, crawl over to the edge of the smooth timber. Glancing beneath us, in the center of the room, I see a table with two blonde elves seated around it. One is Sana, the elven woman with shriveled hands I just healed. The other is Shelly, a young elven girl that I have recently started interacting with. They are both staring intently at two other blonde elves, both men, who are talking in front of a door to the right of the kitchen. I gulp. Wasn¡¯t he- ¡°What are you doing?¡± Revus inquires as he pulls me away from the ledge. Turning and looking up at him, I shoot, ¡°What? I was just looking.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I mean.¡± Revus quietly snaps back, ¡°If you fall-¡± He suddenly goes silent, staring blankly at me. A moment later, he turns his head slightly as if to listen in on what is being said below. I furrow my brows and start to ask, ¡°That guy-¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± Revus hisses, raising his index finger over his lips, his eyes turned away and his focus elsewhere. Revus¡¯ eyes go wide as he and Faraine turn to look at each other. I don¡¯t like that look. I poke Revus in the leg and he directs his attention back to me. I agitatedly ask, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± Revus snaps once more, ¡°It sounds like they¡¯re almost done.¡± As I sit there moping, I bring my hands in front of my mouth and clasp them together. I think he was with those people that¡­ that captured me. A chill runs through my body as painful memories of my wings being ripped from my back flood my mind. Please. Don¡¯t be about that. Please. I clench my hands tighter. Just go away. We¡¯ve already got enough to deal with. Thunk. Click. Sounds of a door closing and a metal lock echo through the now voiceless room. Revus leans back, placing his hands on the ground behind to prop himself up, and exhales heavily. He stares up at the ceiling and very clearly utters, ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Can one of you fill me in, please,¡± I anxiously plead. ¡°Simply put, the elf that was just here said that there are some hunters coming to town,¡± Faraine starts to explain, ¡°and one of them is the leader in charge of the hunters.¡± ¡°Like, the guy at the top?¡± I remark skeptically. Faraine nods a few times, ¡°Yeah, him.¡± ¡°Argh! Why?¡± I bellow, placing my hands over my face. After a brief moment, I pull my hands away, return my gaze to Faraine, and glumly inquire, ¡°Is it because we escaped?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Faraine answers, turning and pointing to Revus, ¡°It¡¯s because of him.¡± I look at the forlorn fairy. He is still facing the ceiling, but he is giving me a sideways glance. ¡°They¡¯re coming here for Revus?¡± ¡°Apparently,¡± Fararine sighs. ¡°Do they know we¡¯re here?¡± I probe. ¡°No,¡± Revus definitively affirms, ¡°From what that en¨­¨­fen said, they think we¡¯re still in the mountains.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Because these en-¡± Revus starts to say, but stops and sits up straight. He turns to me and continues, ¡°Because Rhys was a part of the group that captured you.¡± I tilt my head slightly. He called Rhys by his name. ¡°Basically, the leader of the hunters is coming to speak with the group that captured us to learn more about Revus,¡± Faraine clarifies. ¡°But why Revus?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± the black-haired man gripes, ¡°Maybe because I attacked them?¡± ¡°It sounded like they were focused on your black wings,¡± Faraine comments. ¡°Why would they care about that?¡± I ask. ¡°My best guess is that I look different,¡± Revus replies, looking at me, ¡°Most fairies that left the spectral realm were either newborns like yourself with white wings, or fairies like Faraine with, at most, two elements.¡± Revus manifests his wholly black wings, lustrous yellow glitter dances off of them. ¡°Mine however, are rare. So¡­¡± His wings dissipate, leaving behind nothing but the glowing yellow dust. ¡°¡­perhaps they see me as something unique that they need to study.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. I glance from one to the other, their bodies tense. Revus is clenching his fist tight. Faraine is fiddling with her bangs. I lower my head and regretfully ask, ¡°Should we leave?¡± Light, rushed chatter of the elves, and the gentle bubbling of food being cooked, ripples through the room. ¡°I think it would be best if we left,¡± I somberly mutter, ¡°My condition hasn¡¯t-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Revus interrupts.I look up at him as he continues, ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be fine, so you don¡¯t need to be so upset.¡± ¡°He said that these new hunters will be in town tomorrow,¡± Faraine notes, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯ll stop by here to talk with Rhys.¡± ¡°Shelara too,¡± Revus adds, ¡°Since she also saw me a few months ago.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± I bring my legs up to my chest, wrap my arms around them, and plant my face between my knees. ¡°What if they find us though?¡± ¡°As long as no one says anything, no one should find us,¡± Revus states, ¡°I doubt they¡¯d think we¡¯re staying at an en¨­¨­fen¡¯s house, especially if they think we¡¯re still in the mountains.¡± I look up at him. ¡°Besides, even if they find us,¡± he glances at Faraine, ¡°We¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± He looks back at me and flicks my forehead. ¡°Ow,¡± I reflexively whine, rubbing my forehead, ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°Our priority is getting through this winter, so we¡¯ll be staying here for the time being,¡± he consoles, smiling warmly, ¡°And if that isn¡¯t enough to ease your worries, then, if anyone other than this family discovers us, we¡¯ll leave. Alright?¡± I nod, smiling faintly, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Adding on to what you said a moment ago,¡± Faraine joins in, ¡°With us being this close to town, the likelihood of them searching here is lower.¡± I look at her as she continues to explain. ¡°Aside from the mountains up north, they might think to look in the surrounding areas like Valnia, or even farther south if they expect that we¡¯ve already passed by here¡­ since the weather has been nice.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree. So, we¡¯re going to be okay. I smile as I rest my chin on my knees. ¡°Good, then we¡¯re all in agreement that we¡¯ll be staying here,¡± Revus affirms, standing up. He walks over to the ledge of the wooden beam and peers down below. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s Completely safe so¡­¡± he glances back at me, ¡°...for the moment stay up here.¡± He turns to Faraine, ¡°Keep her company.¡± Faraine nods courteously, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make something for dinner. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t scare them anymore,¡± I remark. Revus manifests his wings, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡± He sighs, then drops off the beam. With Revus gone, I turn my head to look at Faraine, resting my cheek on my knees. Then, I say, ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that he¡¯s trying to keep me safe but¡­¡± I spin on my butt, lift my head, and stare at the woman in front of me. ¡°¡­was there anything he left out or didn¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s hiding something from you?¡± Faraine inquires. I sigh, ¡°No, at least not this time, but¡­ even now there are things he won¡¯t tell me so¡­ I just want to know that he¡¯s being completely honest right now.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she ponders for a moment, ¡°If there was anything that he didn¡¯t mention¡­ it would be how much they emphasized wanting to capture ¡®the black fairy¡¯.¡± So he was keeping something from me. I sigh, placing my face between my knees. He doesn¡¯t want me to worry about him. I get that, especially with my condition¡­ but I wish he¡¯d be more open with me about things. I hate being left in the dark. It makes me feel like I¡¯m a burden. ¡°I have something I want to ask you,¡± Faraine states. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask, lifting my head to look at her. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Yeah, I feel fine. Why?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she hesitates, scratching the back of her neck, ¡°That was a lot of sp¨©¨©r you absorbed earlier.¡± ¡°Was it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ it was.¡± Faraine declares. ¡°Okay¡­ Geez, I get it.¡± Faraine shrugs, ¡°I don¡¯t think you do.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate?¡± ¡°What you can do is pretty incredible,¡± Faraine emphasizes. ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± I reply, ¡°I just touched her fingers.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Faraine shouts, ¡°You¡¯re such a natural that you really can¡¯t get it¡­¡± She sighs, lowering her voice. ¡°Listen Evetta, what you did isn¡¯t something anyone can just do. With the amount of sp¨©¨©r that was in her hands, I doubt hundreds of fairies, together, could have dealt with that.¡± ¡°And now you¡¯re exaggerating,¡± I remark, rolling my eyes. ¡°Even if I am to a degree,¡± she explains, ¡°doing something that a hundred fairies together couldn¡¯t handle is still incredible, especially for a newborn.¡± She puts a hand up to her head. ¡°You saw Revus try, and it looked like he almost passed out. Maybe one hundred Revuses would¡¯ve been able to deal with it,¡± she shakes her head and chuckles once, ¡°but not all fairies are as talented as him. Please no, I can barely handle one Revus. Ninety-nine more, no thanks. ¡°And even if there were one hundred of him, it would¡¯ve taken them some time to deal with it¡­ and yet, you.¡± She points at me, ¡°You did it instantly.¡± Faraine¡¯s energy tapers off as she drops her hand and goes quiet. ¡°Was it that big of a deal?¡± I ask, looking over to see her turned away from me. ¡°Yes,¡± Faraine murmurs just loud enough for me to hear, ¡°Absorbing that much sp¨©¨©r shows you have massive potential as a future skryver.¡± She turns her head to look at me again and claims, ¡°But more importantly, by doing that, you saved Sana.¡± She smiles. ¡°I¡­did¡­¡± I guess it didn¡¯t hit me because we got sidetracked by the hunters. Faraine gets up, walks over, and sits down next to me, ¡°You should be proud of what you did. You saved someone¡¯s life.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like I did though. I just wanted to try absorbing the sp¨©¨©r.¡± ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t your intention, the fact remains,¡± Faraine nudges me, ¡°If Sana lives, it¡¯ll be solely because of what you did tonight. Rhys will still have a wife. Shelly and Rydel will still have a mother. Their family will still be whole, all because of you.¡± ¡°It feels weird, getting praised for something like this.¡± She smirks, ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, I imagine.¡± You say that, but you look really sad. Before we can continue, Revus returns with dinner for the three of us. We eat his delicious meal in relative silence. Once done, he disposes of the eating utensils and starts talking. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about going out and investigating the hunters.¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± I argue, standing up and grabbing his shirt, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. They have those birds, and what if you get captured. You just said that they were looking for you!¡± ¡°I know,¡± he replies, ¡°But if we¡¯re going to stay here, I¡¯d feel more comfortable if we had more information about them.¡± ¡°Faraine,¡± I look at her, ¡°Please tell him how dumb his idea is.¡± She glances at Revus and asks, ¡°What information did you have in mind?¡± ¡°Faraine!¡± I shout. ¡°How many hunters are here.¡± ¡°Revus!¡± I bark, glaring at him. ¡°Where in town they¡¯re staying,¡± he adds. ¡°Stop ignoring me!¡± I demand as I stomp on his foot. ¡°But I figured since we have time, and their leader is coming to town,¡± Revus looks down at me, unfazed, then continues, ¡°I thought this might be our best chance to obtain information about where the captured fairies are being held.¡± I stop. Revus locks eyes with me. Where the¡­ I slowly lower my arms. Right, there are others that have been captured. ¡°Sorry for hurting you,¡± I mumble. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he replies, ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± Faraine chuckles, then turns to Revus, ¡°You know it¡¯ll be risky, especially if you go by yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. I always am,¡± Revus states, ¡°And it¡¯ll give me a chance to assess the surroundings. Besides I want to do a bit of flying, being encased in ice has left me feeling stiff.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair!¡± I complain, ¡°I want to go into the town too.¡± ¡°No,¡± Revus flatly refuses, ¡°Not with the hunters searching for us. You still can¡¯t fly either.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I beg, looking up at him ecstatically. ¡°What about when my wings are healed? Oh,¡± I add energetically, ¡°And if my condition isn¡¯t acting up. Please Revus, I want to see the en¨­¨­fen town.¡± Revus takes a deep breath and sighs heavily, ¡°It¡¯s just a town. You¡¯ll see plenty more in the future. It doesn¡¯t need to be now, does it?¡± I quietly stare up at him, feeling my excitement deflate and my smile wane, ¡°Like usual, you¡¯re right. I know that, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Revus heaves, ¡°but only if your condition stays as is. Any ice and it¡¯s an instant no.¡± Looking up at him, I smile slightly, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Alright, come on, it¡¯s dark outside,¡± he notes as he puts his hand on my head, ¡°We should all get some sleep tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Revus flies down to inform Rhys and the others that we are going to bed. Meanwhile, Faraine picks me up and flies me upstairs and into the giant bedroom we have been sleeping in for the last few nights. Faraine places me down on a gargantuan pillow that is atop a massive dresser hidden within the bedroom closet. It¡¯ll be nice to go into town and see how different it is from Svelta. Crawling over the pudgy material, I find a soft spot, adjust it until it is the most comfortable, and lay down. I wonder if they¡¯ll have more devices like the one Sana let us use. I yawn as I curl up into a fairy-sized ball, pull my blanket over me, and close my eyes. A few more days. It feels like forever since I¡¯ve last flown. Soon. Very soon. Chapter 23 - A Day With Faraine ¡°Mmmm,¡± I stretch my limbs and release a yawn. Opening my eyes, I see Faraine laying not too far from me, still asleep. I scan the rest of the pillow-bed as I wipe my eyes. Where¡¯s Revus? I quietly stand up and walk over to the edge of the pillow. Glancing around the perimeter of it, I fail to find him. I look at Faraine¡¯s sprawled out, snoring figure. I could ask her, but she¡¯s probably still very tired. I smile. I¡¯ll let her sleep. Revus probably went to make breakfast or something. As I examine the interior of the dark closet, my eyes are drawn to the light shining in from beyond the slightly-open door. It¡¯s too bad I can¡¯t fly, but¡­ I glance over to the motionless fairy. ¡­I don¡¯t want to wake her up just to carry me. I inhale sharply, look over my shoulder, and manifest my wings. The silvery, translucent forms of my upper wings are still damaged at their tips. I look to where my lower wings should be, and sigh. My gaze drifts back to the shimmering opening. I could try to fly. Worst case, I glide down to the floor. I take a deep breath. I want to stop being so reliant on everyone else, so let¡¯s give it a shot. Flapping my wings, I haphazardly rise into the air. ¡°Woah¡­¡± I whisper. It¡¯s not easy balancing without my lower wings, but¡­ I grin widely. ¡­I¡¯m staying in the air. I drop back down to the wooden surface, walk back to the far edge of the dresser, and turn around to face the opening. Here goes. I run forward and, as I reach ledge, jump into the air, flapping my wings. With the extra speed, I soar forward, gliding to the best of my ability through the gap, thus escaping the closet. The bright, spacious room blinds me momentarily as my eyes adjust. Good. Now where to go? I continue flying awkwardly away from the closet as I scan the room. My gaze, once again, is drawn to the light radiating from the window. I smile and lean slightly to alter my flight path. I make my way to the window sill and land atop it. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I exhale, dissipating my wings. ¡°That was tiring, but,¡± a large grin spreads across my face, ¡°I did it. I flew.¡± I look back at the distance I covered. It wasn¡¯t pretty and it didn¡¯t last long, but I did it. Walking over to the transparent glass, I place my hand against its smooth, cold surface. Beyond the invisible barrier, a bright blue sky gently cradles the sun. Blazing, red-orange flames idle atop the trees, creating a veritable sea of fire. I sit down, gazing out the window, watching the whimsical flames flutter in the breeze. My eyes drift to a single road that leads away from the house, and toward a town that rests on the horizon. How nice it must be to live out here. Far enough away from town to enjoy the beauty of the forest, but close enough to never feel isolated. I look up at the sky as a bird soars far in the distance, before returning my focus to the buildings below. I wonder what it¡¯ll be like. I giggle. It¡¯s nothing like Svelta. The buildings don¡¯t look like they¡¯re built atop one another. And, unless there''s a large hole, then the town won¡¯t be up and down. I smile as I lean forward, placing my other hand on the glass. I can¡¯t wait to see it. A faint, dark figure moves in the corner of my vision. What was that? Looking in its direction, I scan the woodland in front of the house. Where¡¯d it go? It was just- there¡­ I tilt my head and furrow my brows. What is that? A translucent, black figure, about the size of Rhys and the other elves, roams around outside. There are no distinguishable limbs, and its head connects directly to its body, lacking any form of a neck. Two deep, void-like, blue eyes are engraved near the figure¡¯s would-be head. That¡¯s¡­ not an en¨­¨­fen, right? It shifts about randomly, changing the direction it is moving every few seconds. It drifts in and out from behind trees, disappearing for a few seconds at a time. I continue to observe the entity for several minutes. I see Rhys appear in front of the house, walking straight toward the town. I jump at the glass as the figure slowly drifts out from within the forest, approaching the elven man. ¡°Rhys!¡± I shout, ¡°Be careful.¡± Rhys does not react even with the black entity standing right beside him. Does he not see it? The figure stands motionless next to Rhys, its eyes following him. I sigh heavily, feeling the sudden stress leave my body. Thankfully nothing happened, but what¡¯s going on? I watch as Rhys gradually grows smaller as he approaches the nearby town. The black figure however, returns to its previous, random movements. It seemed to clearly see Rhys, but it didn¡¯t do anything. And Rhys definitely didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine softly calls from behind me. Turning around, I see her flying toward me, wiping the sleep from her eyes. ¡°Morning,¡± I say, then quickly ask, ¡°Hey what¡¯s that?¡± pointing at the black entity in front of the house. ¡°Good morning,¡± she replies as she lands. I turn my focus to the figure outside as she walks up to the glass, saying ¡°That¡¯s a vagrant spirit.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± Faraine yawns, sits down next to me, and answers, ¡°Vagrant spirits are the spirits born from the death of an en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see,¡± I mumble, ¡°So that was once a person?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A spirit¡­ Hang on. Recalling how it interacted with Rhys, I ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t we technically spirits too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, then¡­ Earlier, Rhys walked by it but it didn¡¯t seem like he saw it, but he can see us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because vagrants haven¡¯t been reborn as true spirits,¡± Faraine states. Which means true spirits are the only ones that are visible? I pause, then look over at the drowsy, blue-haired woman. ¡°Sorry for asking so many questions right when you woke up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Faraine smiles sleepily, ¡°I was just surprised you weren¡¯t in bed.¡± She looks around the quiet, empty room and asks, ¡°How¡¯d you get over here?¡± ¡°I flew,¡± I grin. Faraine gives me a skeptical look. ¡°Really,¡± I declare, closing my eyes and raising my chin, ¡°It wasn¡¯t pretty, but I did it on my own.¡± I peek through squinted eyes and add, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to wake you, so I figured I¡¯d try. Sorry, if I scared you.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Faraine takes a breath, exhales, and says, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I look back outside at the vagrant spirit roaming about. ¡°So¡­ why¡¯s it acting like that?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t know what to do,¡± she answers. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Vagrants lose all form of identity. They lose their body, their heart becomes disconnected, and their mind becomes inactive. All that remains is their soul that carries the remnants of their heart and mind,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°They wander the realms until a shepherd finds them and guides them to the spectral realm.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s a lot of them?¡± ¡°One for each en¨­¨­fen that¡¯s died,¡± she somberly replies. I face Faraine and inquire, ¡°Does that mean we were once vagrant spirits?¡± Faraine summons her blue, red, and black wings. ¡°Yes¡­ At least I was,¡± she claims as she looks back at her own wings, ¡°You see the black on my wings?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She focuses on the vagrant beyond the window. ¡°The black on our wings corresponds to the amount of time we were vagrants.¡± My gaze bounces from Faraine, to the vagrant. So¡­ I manifest my still-healing wings. ¡°Are you saying that I might not have been a vagrant because I have no black?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± she shrugs, ¡°As far as I know, every en¨­¨­fen becomes a vagrant before being reborn as a spirit.¡± Faraine continues, ¡°But I do know that the longer a vagrant walks the realms, the more of itself it loses. Its memories fade, emotions wane, and the soul withers. Until nothing is left.¡± We both sit there silently, my gaze locked on the black spirit. ¡°What about Revus?¡± ¡°Black fairies like Revus were never vagrants,¡± Faraine states, ¡°They had no previous life. No previous identity. That¡¯s why his wings are completely black, and his lack of memories.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I quietly murmur, lowering my head. ¡°Speaking of, where is Revus?¡± Faraine asks. Glancing up at her, I shrug, ¡°I don¡¯t know. He wasn¡¯t here when I woke up.¡± I look over at the massive door leading to the rest of the house, ¡°I assume he went to make breakfast, but I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Faraine ponders for a moment, ¡°Alright.¡± I look back at the innocently wandering spirit. Was I also like that at one point in time? Maybe there is something wrong with me? I sigh. And what about you? You were alive, and now¡­ ¡°You said that a shepherd will guide it to the spectral realm. Is a shepherd another spirit?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a type of geist, which is one of the three major spirits in the spectral realm.¡± ¡°Fairies¡­ geists¡­ and what¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°Aethereals,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°What makes them different?¡± ¡°Fairies manage the elements,¡± she starts to explain, ¡°Aethereals are small in number, but manage major parts of the world. While geists are abundant, and are in charge of basically everything else.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate a bit more?¡± I question, looking at her. ¡°The aethereals protect the spring of renewal and manage the balance between the realms,¡± she clarifies, ¡°Geists on the other hand, manage the lesser spirits, guide the vagrants, clean the spectral realm, and so on.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re in charge of the elements?¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve got the easiest job?¡± ¡°You say that, but the seasons of all the realms, how fast or slow, how strong or weak, all of it depends on us keeping up with the elementals,¡± Faraine expands, ¡°Massive storms, droughts, terrible natural disasters, almost always fall back onto us for something happening in the spectral realm.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I look out at the town in the distance, ¡°And I assume there are a bunch of different en¨­¨­fen too aside from humans and elves.¡± ¡°Yes. Most of which aren¡¯t a problem, but¡­¡± Faraine pauses. I turn to look at her and notice her hands trembling slightly as she wraps them around her arms. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ Just remembering¡­¡± Faraine gazes out at the vagrant, going silent. I follow her gaze, look back at her and ask, ¡°Does it have to do with who you were before you, you know¡­¡± ¡°Yea¡­ There are en¨­¨­fen that are corrupted and become terrible monsters,¡± Faraine growls, her fingers digging into her arms, ¡°Heartless creatures that live solely for themselves, attacking everything that crosses its path.¡± ¡°Sounds scary.¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°Did they¡­¡± I tilt my head, leaning toward Faraine a bit. ¡°Yeah,¡± Faraine answers, her bangs partially covering her red eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologize. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s in the past¡­ and it doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± she replies, ¡°I don¡¯t remember my previous name, nor am I the same person anymore.¡± ¡°It does matter though. Even if you can¡¯t remember your name, you still remember your friends and family, and your experiences,¡± I boldly declare, ¡°Those things do matter. They help make us who we are now.¡± Faraine smiles gently, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I remark, looking outside once more. Huh? Where¡¯d it go? I scan the flaming forest, but fail to find the vagrant spirit. ¡°Looks like it''s gone.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Guess so.¡± I hear Faraine stand up. I continue to scan the scene beyond the glass, my eyes passing by the rising sun. Today¡¯s the last day of summer. I sigh. That means tomorrow¡­ I place my hands against the cool glass. ¡­I¡¯ll start feeling cold again. ¡°Do you think my condition will get worse tomorrow?¡± ¡°Do you want me to be honest?¡± Faraine asks. ¡°Yes please,¡± I chuckle. ¡°Then¡­¡± she exhales, ¡°I think there¡¯s a good possibility that it¡¯ll be worse than it was this week.¡± I tighten my lips, nodding slightly, ¡°That¡¯s what I thought¡­ Do you think there¡¯s anything we can do to stop it? ¡°If it¡¯s in your soul then unfortunately I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much I or Revus can do,¡± Faraine notes, ¡°But, because it¡¯s in your soul, then if you can grace your soul again, you might be able to do something yourself.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± I laugh, ¡°I don¡¯t even know how I graced my soul last time.¡± ¡°Well, if you can grace your soul, and figure out what it is that¡¯s causing the problem, then we can try to formulate a plan.¡± ¡°So what? I just sit here and try to grace my soul?¡± I inquire looking up at Faraine. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± she muses to herself, then shoots, ¡°What were you doing the first time you graced it?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t I frozen in ice?¡± I irritably retort, looking away, ¡°Great let''s just freeze me again so I can grace my soul. Great plan.¡± ¡°Was that all?¡± Faraine questions, ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t being frozen in ice, but just being really cold? Or¡­¡± ¡°Or what?¡± I snap at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°but if we can figure out what the trigger is, then gracing your soul will be a lot easier going forward.¡± A moment of silence passes before she continues, ¡°Have you tried gracing your soul since then?¡± ¡°No,¡± I answer, ¡°It hasn¡¯t seemed important, but if you think it might help us figure out what¡¯s wrong with me then¡­¡± I sigh. ¡°I guess I can try gracing my soul again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Faraine comments, ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Now, stay here,¡± she states, ¡°I¡¯m going to go talk to Revus and Rhys and see how things are going downstairs.¡± ¡°Oh, Rhys just left so you¡¯ll have to talk to Sana,¡± I inform. Faraine flies off, leaving me alone on the window sill. While she is gone I start trying to grace my soul. Repeatedly, I fail. With each attempt, I adjust my sitting posture. I change where or how my hands are positioned, and even attempt to grace my soul standing up. As usual, nothing¡¯s working. I glance at the open door. And where¡¯s Faraine and Revus? They¡¯ve been gone for a long time now. I place my hands over my stomach as it rumbles in hunger. I sigh. I hope they come back soon. Shortly thereafter, Faraine returns with breakfast and, as she lands, says, ¡°Sorry it took so long, it took some time to prepare breakfast.¡± ¡°Revus wasn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°No. It looks like he¡¯s already left. My guess¡­¡± she nods toward the window, ¡°...he¡¯s already in town.¡± I face the window, focusing on the en¨­¨­fen buildings in the distance. Jerk. Didn¡¯t even say anything. I turn to Faraine, take the food, and reply, ¡°Thanks.¡± Faraine and I sit there on the window sill talking as the hours go by and the sun overhead gradually works its way across the sky. With each passing hour, anxiety grows within me over Revus¡¯ continued absence. Nightfall arrives and I stare out at the slightly glowing town on the horizon. The vigor of the flames on the Valnian trees starts to wane as the night starts to swallow them. The dark hours seem to drag on as my energy fades and sleep starts to call me. ¡°Do you¡­ think he¡¯ll be back soon?¡± I inquire through a yawn. ¡°Of course,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°He probably found out something important and he¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s never been gone for this long before,¡± I whine, ¡°He always comes back to update me about how long he¡¯ll be gone.¡± ¡°Well, the town is filled with en¨­¨­fen so he¡¯s probably just being careful to avoid being spotted.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Faraine cuts in, placing her hands on my shoulders, ¡°Let¡¯s just go lay down and try to get some sleep.¡± ¡°But, can¡¯t I at least wait until he comes back?¡± ¡°Evetta, you and I both know he¡¯ll be mad if you¡¯re still awake this late,¡± Faraine states, ¡°And if he¡¯s mad at you, he¡¯ll then be mad at me for letting you stay up, so let¡¯s just go to sleep. Once you wake up, he¡¯ll be here. Then we can both get mad at him for worrying us.¡± I look out at the dark sky, the sea of flames below drowning out the stars. ¡°Okay,¡± I mumble. ¡°Good,¡± Faraine says as she picks me up and flies us back into the closet. I do not have the energy to protest. She sets me down on the pillow and I crawl over to my usual spot. I adjust it, and lie down. Looking up at the dark ceiling, I yawn. Closing my eyes, I mutter, ¡°Good night Faraine. Good night Revus. See you in the morning.¡± Swiftly, sleep overtakes me. Chapter 24 - Defeated in the Dark A light whistle calls from beyond the wooden walls. A soft, familiar fur tickles my bare arms. A comfortable cushion lies beneath me. A simple warmth fills the air, giving the room a homey feeling. I roll over and pull my fur blanket over my shoulder. Warm. Smacking my lips, I yawn and tightly snuggle against my blanket. So comfy¡­ --- "Mmmmm¡­" I groan as I slowly open my eyes. Wooden rings on the ceiling ripple toward the smooth, solid-wood walls. Hmm? Through squinted eyes, I sit up and see small, fairy-sized furniture decorating a dim, open room. Scanning the area, there are three doors, the flower chamber immediately to my left, one that leads outside across the room, and the bathroom door on a wall to my right. In the center of the room is a dining table with a single chair positioned by it. The kitchen occupies the far left wall, with a sink located beneath the lone window. In the far right corner of the room is a window, and an empty, cushioned chair placed by it, where I would often relax. Home. Pausing for a few seconds, I observe the room once more and notice there are things missing. I glance to my right. Where''s Revus'' bed? Turning to my left, I see an odd, empty space. His work bench isn¡¯t here either? I crawl out of bed, clinging to my fur blanket, wrapping it around myself. ¡°Revus?¡± I call out, ¡°Are you here?¡± I walk over to the bathroom and knock on the door. ¡°Revus, are you in there?¡± A dull whistling from outside the house answers me. Is he outside? I back away from the bathroom and glance at the front door. No¡­ I turn to my left where Revus¡¯ missing bed should be. ¡­something¡¯s wrong. My eyes drift to the flower chamber door as an eerie feeling runs through me. Slowly, I walk around my bed, keeping my eyes focused on the wooden exit. I reach my hand out, grip the handle, open the door slightly. Wooosh. An abrupt, icy wind blows past me from beyond the door. I hug the cold door and peek into the room with one eye. The radiant, white flower I awoke on is nothing like I remember. Instead, it is withered. The glamorous, white petals are now flaky, dark-gray, and have shriveled up. The stalk has wilted and the entire flower droops down, its miserable petals almost touching the ground. Long, thin, strands of white hang from the lifeless flower. ¡°What the?¡± I whisper as I push the door open a bit more. Creeeeaaak. As the hinge whines, I jump back, look at the door, and exhale heavily. My heart aggressively pounds against my chest as I direct my attention back into the frigid chamber. I survey the room again, shivering slightly. Where¡¯s the table? And what¡¯s that? I squint my eyes as I focus on a silvery thread that runs over the floor. I turn my head slowly as my eyes follow it toward the wall. I lean forward slightly and look around the doorframe, the line expands into a mess of fibers that cover the wall. Wha¡­ That looks like¡­ Gradually, I direct my eyes up, tilting my head to help me gaze at the large, spacious area beneath the ceiling. I gulp as I notice a pattern of silvery threads that disappear into a black void. I squint, trying to focus on the dark space. As my eyes adjust, I realize what I am looking at. I gasp as I trip and land on my butt, the warm, fur blanket falling to the ground. Idling near the ceiling is a massive, eight-legged monstrosity. Its body is covered in hair and its eyes shine a profound cyan color. It has an odd familiarity that pulls at my chest. Mesmerized, I stare at the hulking beast, a black dot appearing within each of its eyes. Slowly, the black dots fill the eyes, then completely shroud them in darkness. BAM. ¡°Ah!¡± I shout, jumping and spinning around as a loud bang resounds from behind me. The front door hangs open, the bright light from outside shining into the bleak room. I look back up at the spider. Oh no. Frantically, my eyes dart about, scanning the dark chamber for the missing predator. Where? Where? Not seeing the monster, I crawl backward, away from the open chamber. Sitting in the middle of the room, I lean back and place my arms behind me to prop myself up, then stare at the ringed ceiling. What¡¯s¡­ I take a deep breath then exhale heavily. ¡­going on? I glance back down through the door-sized hole before me, the dying flower stranded in its gloomy center. I exhale once more. I need to find Revus. I stand up, face the front door, and walk toward it. Once at the house¡¯s entrance, I scan the familiar landscape outside. The towering trees are stretched out toward the gray sky. The bark, a deep brown, and the leaves, a faded green. The shrubs, grasses, and other flora that blanket the land all lack their usual luster. A sinister whistle runs through the nooks and crannies of the forest, carried by the cackling winds. The usual fresh aroma is instead musky, and a foul clamminess fills the air. I bring my arms up to my chest and clench them tightly. That¡¯s unpleasant. I summon my wings and, as they appear, look over my shoulder. My mouth hangs open as I stare in utter disbelief. They are torn and unusable. ¡°Why?¡± I spin around trying to get a better look at their tattered form, but, as they are secured to my back, they elude me. I stop in place, looking at the ground as tears start to well up in my eyes. ¡°Why¡­¡± I sniffle, ¡°They were supposed to be healing.¡± I bite my lower lip, look through the front door, and wipe away my tears. I take a deep breath and walk outside. From the recently-exited door, a chill whisper slithers through the rancid air, ¡°¡­you¡­ stay¡­¡± The ominous words wrap around my ears and I freeze. I blink, look over my shoulder, then slowly turn around. I face the center of the house, the flower chamber on the opposite side of the room. Carefully, my eyes sweep the place, checking for anything that could have spoken.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Hello?¡± I warily call out, ¡°I-is somebody here?¡± ¡°Home¡­ safe¡­¡± the ghostly voice says as a sharp wind blows in from behind me. I wrap my hands over my elbows as I briskly make my way back into the room. ¡°Wh-whoever you are, y-you can come out,¡± I stutter, continuing to look around from the middle of the house. ¡°I¡­ be¡­ back¡­¡± it states from the front door. Quickly spinning to face voice, I see Revus walking away from me, a slight haze obscuring him. ¡°Revus.¡± His name escapes my lips before he suddenly disappears, like smoke dispersed by wind. ¡°Revus!¡± I shout, running outside after him. I search the surroundings for him but he is nowhere to be found. AAAAKRE! The sudden screech of a bes¨¡¨¡d interrupts the eerie, but otherwise calm atmosphere of the forest. The piercing sound invades my ears and shakes my vision. ¡°Argh,¡± I wince in pain as I clutch my head. ¡°Why now?¡± I groan as I stumble back inside, slowly heading deeper into the house. Need to get- Instantly I stop as my eyes lock onto the dying flower ahead of me. No. I can¡¯t go- AAAKRE! I drop to my knees and look to my left at the bathroom door. As I start to crawl toward the lone remaining escape, a tiny, red petal floats past me. A burning heat spreads through the air and, as I glance to my right, I see my bed on fire. The room takes on a threatening, red glow as the flames rapidly swallow everything. No. ¡°You¡­ stay¡­¡± Revus¡¯ voice quietly whispers into my ear. My heart pounds against my chest as I continue to crawl forward, the vague image of wiry, silver threads covers the door to my salvation. ¡°Home¡­ safe¡­¡± ¡°No¡­¡± I murmur as an intense heat spreads around me. ¡°I¡­ be¡­ back¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ Revus¡­¡± I whine as tears run down my cheeks. Red flames fill my vision and, as I turn to look at the flower chamber, I see everything engulfed in fire. No. No¡­ --- ¡°No¡­¡± I whisper, my eyes flying open. My heart slams against my chest as I feel sweat roll down my forehead. I stare up at the dark room and sigh. Just a dream. I rest the back of my right forearm over my eyes. What was all that? I take a deep breath, calming my nerves, and bring my left arm to my chest. Revus was there and our house¡­ I sit up, feeling dizzy. I scan the top of the pillow. Faraine¡¯s not here and¡­ I sigh. ¡­still no Revus. Slowly, I force myself up and walk over to the edge of the pillow. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Faraine inquires, her voice beneath me. Looking down, I see her sitting with her feet hanging off the dresser. ¡°Yeah,¡± I mutter, ¡°I had a nightmare.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Faraine glumly responds. ¡°What about you?¡± I ask as I slide down the pillow and walk up next to her. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± I sit down next to her quietly and we both sit in silence for a moment. I lean over and rest my head against her shoulder. I feel her hair brush over my head as she looks at me. ¡°Was your nightmare about Revus?¡± Faraine asks, her words heavy, as if she is trying not to choke on them. ¡°Mhm. Part of it anyway.¡± Following that single question, we once again sit in silence for well over a minute. I calm my anxious breathing and close my eyes. I feel the slight shift of Faraine¡¯s body as she softly breathes.. I reposition myself and feel my moist hair sticking to Faraine. ¡°Sorry if I¡¯m sweaty.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ It¡¯s okay,¡± she lightheartedly replies. ¡°Faraine, can we please go look for Revus tomorrow?¡± She leans toward me, resting her head on mine. ¡°You know¡­ That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± She sighs, then takes a deep, full breath. ¡°I¡¯m worried about him too, but¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want anything to happen to me,¡± I voice her concerns, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she remarks. She sounds like she¡¯s in pain. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not okay,¡± Faraine breaks down, her voice cracking as her words turn into sobs. ¡°I know you¡¯re more worried about him than I am but¡­ if we go out and something happens to us¡­ to you¡­ then¡­¡± I gulp, then feel something wet fall onto my hand. I glance down as a bead of water rolls from my hand, onto the dresser. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here if Revus isn¡¯t here,¡± I state. ¡°Hmph,¡± I feel Faraine chuckle, ¡°I know, but¡­¡± She exhales anxiously, ¡°If we leave and Revus comes back-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll yell at him, so don¡¯t worry,¡± I console, ¡°It¡¯ll be his fault for being gone for so long. Besides, I can¡¯t imagine Revus being dead.¡± As the words escape my mouth, the fresh memory of Revus fading away in my nightmare leaves a sour taste. ¡°Heh,¡± Faraine laughs, ¡°Honestly me neither.¡± She continues, chuckling, ¡°Knowing him, he¡¯d probably cause some kind of commotion before that happened.¡± I half-heartedly smile, ¡°Yeah, that sounds like him.¡± ¡°Which means¡­¡± Faraine exhales, ¡°him not being back is either because he¡¯s found something or¡­¡± ¡°Something happened to him.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± We sit silently leaning against one another for a bit before I ask, ¡°So can we go look for him tomorrow?¡± Fararine remains quiet. ¡°I can fly on my own and-¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather we wait one more day,¡± she interjects. ¡°Why?!¡± I raise my voice, pull away from the discordant fairy, and glare at her. Faraine¡¯s red eyes look weak and filled with concern. Her knitted brows a frame for her distress. Her quivering, pursed lips expose her foreboding fear. ¡°Because if there is a chance that he did find something important, he might still come back on his own,¡± she explains. ¡°Also,¡± she gulps, ¡°the hunters arrived earlier and it didn¡¯t sound like they had captured him.¡± I bite my lip and clench my fists. I look down at the wooden surface beneath us and bark, ¡°But what if something did happen?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll go look for him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two days already though!¡± I argue, avoiding Faraine¡¯s gaze, ¡°He would¡¯ve been back by now!¡± ¡°Would he?¡± What? I stop. Speechless, I slowly raise my head and lock eyes with the red-eyed fairy. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Evetta, up until now, has Revus had anything else to do other than give you his full attention?¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°I still don¡¯t get what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Faraine sighs, then states, ¡°For the first time, I assume, since you¡¯ve been born, Revus has someone to rely on to help keep you safe.¡± She gestures toward herself, then adds, ¡°Now, with me here to help watch you, and with the possibility to learn about where the hunters are keeping the fairies, perhaps he doesn¡¯t feel like he needs to be here for you all the time.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Would Revus really do something like that without saying anything? I stare at Faraine, squinting. Would he really leave me here with Faraine just like that? ¡°That¡¯s why, just one more day,¡± Faraine requests, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t come back tomorrow, then we¡¯ll go look for him, okay?¡± I purse my lips as I feel my eyes start to water. I look down and nod, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask Rhys to go look around again tomorrow. Hopefully he¡¯ll find something.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Hopefully.¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± Faraine wimpers, ¡°but we can¡¯t make reckless decisions considering where we are and¡­¡± ¡°And¡­¡± I repeat, looking back up at her. ¡°And¡­ If your condition acts up while we¡¯re out, that¡¯ll immediately give us away, so I want to wait another day to confirm that nothing is going to happen to you.¡± ¡°Fine. You win,¡± I snivel, ¡°We¡¯ll wait one more day, but¡­ you have to promise that we¡¯ll go look for him if he¡¯s not back tomorrow night.¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°I promise.¡± I slump my shoulders and look down, defeated. I lean forward and plant my head against Faraine¡¯s arm. Once more, we silently sit there for a while. The quiet is occasionally broken by my soft sniffling as I fight back tears. We both shift around, wordlessly adjusting ourselves until we are leaning against each other. The peaceful night threatens to lull me into slumber once again. ¡°Hey Faraine,¡± I yawn. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Can I sleep next to you tonight?¡± I feel her hair tickle my head as she looks down at me. ¡°Hehe,¡± she laughs lightly, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Hey Faraine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± She sits next to me silently for a moment before whispering, almost too quietly for me to hear, ¡°Me too.¡± Chapter 25 - To Galegarde The start of day three I awoke and Revus was still gone. Like Faraine had mentioned the previous night, she requested Rhys go search for clues about the missing fairy, but he could not find anything. Later that evening, the leader of the fairy hunters returned for the second time and talked with Rhys. According to Faraine, the talk was thorough, the fairy hunters seeming to believe us somewhere in Valnia. That night, I reconfirmed Faraine¡¯s promise that we would go look for him tomorrow if he was not back by morning. Unlike in our argument from yesterday, Faraine was much more open to the idea. We came to an agreement that, as long as I show her that I can fly on my own and I can keep my condition under control, we would go look for him first-thing tomorrow morning. She informed Rhys and his family about our plan and asked them to hide us inside their clothes while we search the town. With their approval, we went to sleep, Revus¡¯ absence burning a hole in the bed. The same nightmare caused my sleep to be restless like the night before. --- ¡°You better keep your promise,¡± I bark, ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m going alone.¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I declare, breathing furiously as I summon my wings. Glancing over my right shoulder, I quickly inspect them from top to bottom. Doesn¡¯t seem like anything¡¯s wrong. Shifting my gaze to my left wings, I continue my scan. They look fully healed. Standing atop the central table within the main room of Rhys¡¯ house, I walk over to its edge. Rhys, Sana, and Shelly are all seated at the table behind me. Rydel, their son who has come in from the shop, sits next to them. The light chatter from the elves is drowned out by my own frustration. I glance at the window left of the kitchen, the bright, morning light shines into the room. Beyond the glass barrier, flaming leaves are plucked from the Valnian trees and breeze by the window. I look back at Faraine as she says, ¡°Remember you need to remain calm. If the ice-¡± ¡°I know!¡± I snap. I take a deep breath, exhale, and start to calm my breathing. ¡°I know. I¡¯m just anxious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you are,¡± she mutters, ¡°I am too.¡± ¡°Here I go,¡± I announce. I flap my wings and rise into the air without difficulty. Good. I smile eagerly. I spin around while hovering in place and see Faraine and the four elves focused solely on me. A rush of energy and nerves flood my body. I take another deep breath and shoot into the air. I fly toward the ceiling, my skin tingles from the cool breeze as my hair flutters behind me. As I reach the wooden beams that support the roof, I quickly begin looping over them. ¡°Oh,¡± I stop as I almost crash into one of the cross beams. Too close. I lick my lips, a grin sneaking out. Let''s keep going. I dart away from the beams and start spiraling downward, around the hanging lights. ¡°I missed this so much!¡± I joyfully shout, spreading my arms out wide as the air rushes past me. I turn away from the lights and descend toward the floor. As I pass the top of the table, I lean to my left and arc under it. I zoom just above the floor, weaving between the legs of the chairs. When I arrive at Shelly¡¯s chair, I emerge from beneath her, then soar around the young elf. Faster. I increase my pace, speeding through the air faster than I have in weeks. I complete my helix around the elven girl and I stop above her head, hovering in place. My chest expands and contracts as I breathe heavily, sweat building on my skin. Smiling, I look down at Faraine and start to glide toward her. Upon my landing on the table, the elves start clapping, which they follow with a flurry of unfamiliar words. I spin around, facing the applause, and smile wholeheartedly. ¡°Any idea what they¡¯re saying?¡± Faraine inquires as she walks up behind me. ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± I reply, turning to face her. I ask, ¡°So, we¡¯re going now, right?¡± Faraine sighs, tilts her head, and starts to walk around me. I feel her eyes slowly analyzing me. She raises my arms to look beneath them, brushes my hair to the side to check my neck, and walks in front of me, asking, ¡°You don¡¯t feel cold anywhere?¡± I shake my head, ¡°No.¡± I smile widely, ¡°I feel great.¡± ¡°No ice anywhere?¡± I start to pat myself down checking myself for any unbeknownst ice. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any.¡± Faraine steals a glance at the door leading beyond the safety of Rhys¡¯ house before facing me. She takes a deep breath, then exhales, trilling her lips, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go find Revus.¡± ¡°Finally,¡± I release. I look at the door and clench my fists. Just wait Revus, we¡¯re coming. Faraine snaps her fingers, drawing my attention to her. ¡°I know I don¡¯t need to remind you, but we¡¯re not going out to explore.¡± ¡°Remind yourself,¡± I rebuke, ¡°I could care less about the town. Revus is way more important.¡± ¡°I agree, but what we¡¯re doing is also risky,¡± Faraine states, ¡°Revus has been gone for three days now. He could¡¯ve found where the fairies are and is trying to rescue them.¡± ¡°Yeah, or he could be captured,¡± I gulp, ¡°or worse¡­¡± ¡°No thinking like that,¡± Faraine scolds, ¡°We both know Revus won¡¯t die just like that. Like I said last night, he¡¯d definitely not go down without a fight.¡± I sigh and slump my shoulders, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why we¡¯re going to take things slow. I know you¡¯re in a hurry, but the last thing we need is getting ourselves into trouble so let¡¯s just be cautious. Even if it takes all day to find out where he is, that¡¯s fine,¡± Faraine says, waving her index finger critically, ¡°We can always go get him another day. Information is our goal for today.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let Rhys know we¡¯re ready to go.¡± I watch as the blue-haired fairy flies toward Rhys, a trail of red glitter following in her wake. I turn toward the door. This isn¡¯t like you Revus. You wouldn¡¯t be gone this long without saying anything. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The elves stand up to finish getting ready for the trip. Rhys and Rydel grab two woven baskets. While they do that, Faraine returns to my side and says, ¡°Once they¡¯re done, we¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°Are we going with Rhys?¡± I inquire, ¡°And where are we hiding?¡± I glance at the woven baskets. Those? Faraine points up at Rhys as he pulls a brown hooded cowl over his head, the cowl rests on his shoulders and covers the top of his torso. ¡°Under the hood, near his ears so we can direct him through town.¡± I gaze up at the giant elven man and gulp. I take a deep breath. This is so we can find Revus. ¡°Alright,¡± I reply, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I rise back into the air. Faraine follows and we approach Rhys. Gradually, the size discrepancy magnifies. I arrive in front of his face, his eye acting almost like a mirror for me. I wave as I pass by, his eye suddenly moves and locks onto me. Jolting away, I collide with Faraine. He chuckles. The laugh is light, but to me is still loud and deep. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mutter, staring back at Rhys¡¯ giant, glistening, blue eye. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Faraine replies. Rhys holds one side of the brown fabric covering his head, allowing us entry. I follow behind her as she flies over to his ear. She leans in and says something in Parazic. I sigh. Would be nice to know what¡¯s being said but¡­ I tilt my head, watching Faraine. Too much work. I¡¯ll just let them translate for now and learn it some other time. Faraine turns to me and states, ¡°It might be uncomfortable, but to avoid being seen, we¡¯ll ride on his head.¡± I look at the elf¡¯s wavy blonde hair, ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Would you rather hang from his ear?¡± I turn to his large, pointed ear. Hang from that? ¡°Not¡­ really¡­¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Faraine motions with her head, ¡°We¡¯re losing daylight.¡± We fly over to the side of Rhys¡¯ head, latch onto his hair, retract our wings, and begin to climb between the hood and his hair. The long, thin strands of hair tickle my skin as I brush past them. Laying on his head, I crawl forward slightly, enough to peek out from under the hood, while still remaining hidden. ¡°You all set?¡± Faraine asks from my side. ¡°Think so,¡± I murmur as I glance at the blue-haired woman. I watch as she grabs a golden lock of hair and forcefully pulls up. Immediately after, Rhys starts moving and speaking. Faraine moves back down his head and disappears. Focusing in front of me, Rhys turns toward, makes his way to, and opens the door. Here we go. As we head outside, a light breeze catches the hood. Oh. I slide back slightly, trying to stay hidden as Faraine crawls back up next to me. Shelly and Rydel start speaking, followed by Sana, with Rhys chiming in at the end. I listen to them talk as we move around the house and pass by the flaming trees. Reaching the front of the Rhys¡¯ property, a single dirt road lies ahead, with the en¨­¨­fen town awaiting us on the horizon. I take a deep breath as my stomach swirls with nerves. I tightly grip the golden wires as we approach town. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited,¡± Faraine comments, ¡°From what I know, Galegarde isn¡¯t much.¡± ¡°No?¡± I question, glancing at her, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a town on the edge of this country so it doesn¡¯t have the support of the larger cities.¡± ¡°Regardless, it will be nice to see what it¡¯s like compared to¡­¡± I trail off. ¡°Compared to?¡± Faraine repeats. I face her, ¡°Compared to the city from my previous life.¡± Faraine nods, then looks forward, ¡°I understand.¡± Looking forward, we lay there silently listening to the elves¡¯ chatter. Step by step, Galegarde grows in size. As we approach, another road appears on the left and merges with ours. Gradually, more and more en¨­¨­fen dot the road. Their appearances vary from young to old, their hair a multitude of browns, blacks, blondes, reds, and grays. Before Galegarde is a massive front gate whose top arches. Two giant rectangular pillars, each dwarfing the en¨­¨­fen, bridge the gap between wall and gate. Rhys waves his hand as he says something to some en¨­¨­fen sitting by the gate. The people are dressed in a simple, dark brown uniform. They each have a spear leaning against the wall near them. Their rough voices resound from under the gate and, after a brief conversation, Rhys walks past them. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I exhale as we enter the town. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like we need to worry too much,¡± Faraine notes. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I reply, glancing at her. Then, I look ahead to the fresh sight of town. Light-brown dirt streets run through the town. The large wooden buildings have a slight red-orange hue, similar to the flames of the Valnian trees. Most of the buildings have massive, rectangular pillars that act as their main supports, giving them very flat, yet powerful designs. The angled roofs are constructed from dark-brown wooden planks. Similar to Rhys¡¯ house, most of the windows are square, and several of the structures only appear to have a single door. Resting above each door is a diamond-shaped glass fixture with a faint light coming from it. Like Faraine mentioned, the town lacks decoration, seemingly built for functionality and to be durable. Only a handful of buildings have a porch in the front, with many lacking any form of yard. Unmaintained weedy grasses cover the ground in areas without foot traffic. Small, dark paths sneak between several buildings¡¯ shadows. It¡¯s pretty¡­ basic. The buildings are so small and there aren¡¯t any axiom powered machines. I purse my lips. How lackluster. I guess I was getting my hopes up for nothing, but it¡¯s nothing like Svelta¡­ I sigh as I scan the town again. Not even remotely close. ¡°Looks like this place is mostly humans,¡± Faraine remarks. Is it? I start focusing on the people in town, surveying their appearances. Most have slightly tanned skin and rounded ears. Their attire mostly consists of a combination of leathers, furs, skins, and woven cloth. The clothes all consist of natural browns, whites, greys, and blacks. I continue to observe the people as we head deeper into town. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other elves,¡± I glance at Faraine, ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°No, but we¡¯ve only just arrived,¡± she answers, ¡°Remember we¡¯re here to look for Revus, not sightsee.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I focus my attention on the buildings again. Where would you be? ¡°Does Rhys know where the hunters are staying in town?¡± ¡°He said he does,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°but I told him to explore town first to not make it obvious that we¡¯re going there.¡± Rhys walks through town as he and his family do some shopping. They stop at some markets to pick up some food for meals and buy some things they need at their house. While they peruse the stalls, I observe the surroundings, looking for anything out of place or anywhere Revus might have gone. A few hours into our excursion, my stomach starts to growl. I look over at Faraine as she locks eyes with me. ¡°You hungry?¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± I embarrassingly ask. ¡°A bit,¡± she smiles, ¡°That¡¯s okay, I¡¯m also getting hungry. Give me a second.¡± Faraine crawls down Rhys¡¯ head and, after a few seconds, returns. Almost immediately, Rhys starts speaking, the others joining in on his conversation. ¡°So, are we going back to their house?¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°I asked him to find a place in town.¡± ¡°But how are we going to eat from here?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hide in the baskets.¡± I tilt my head, ¡°Isn¡¯t it too risky though?¡± ¡°Possibly, but what we¡¯re doing is already risky,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°If we can learn something new, then that¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Yeah, but if we don¡¯t then what?¡± I argue. ¡°Then we¡¯re putting ourselves into unnecessary risks, but that¡¯s no different from what we¡¯re doing right now.¡± While Faraine and I continue to talk, Rhys walks up to a building. The hood suddenly darkens as we enter. ¡°Looks pretty busy,¡± Faraine comments. Glancing about, I see dozens of tables, most of which have people seated around them. A handful of windows dot the walls allowing for a moderate amount of light to enter. Several lights hang from the ceiling, with more spaced evenly along the walls. Similar to the rest of the town, it is very rustic as almost everything inside is made of wood. I feel a pit form in my stomach, ¡°Faraine, I¡¯m not sure if this is a good idea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, if you¡¯d rather we stay on Rhys¡¯ head¡­ then we can do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not but¡­¡± I survey the room, checking out the various groups of people seated within. Gradually, Rhys walks through the busy tables, heading to the back of the building near the corner. As he progresses to an empty table, my eyes lock onto a group of five sitting at one of the adjacent tables. Among them, two people catch my attention. The first, appears to be a woman with short, white hair and pointed ears. The other, is much smaller than everyone else at their table, she has furry, black, cat-like ears atop her head, and a tail. ¡°Woah¡­¡± I murmur. Rhys sits down at the empty table, facing the group that I am focused on. The elf has their back facing us. To their right are two blonde, human males. Next is the black-haired, cat-like woman whose green eyes glare in our direction. In between the elf and cat-girl is an older man with short, gray hair. ¡°Faraine!¡± I excitedly shout, pointing at them, ¡°What is-¡± Faraine quickly jumps onto me, covering my mouth, and pushing me down behind Rhys¡¯ hair. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± she quietly whispers as she pulls her hand from my mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I irritatedly hiss. ¡°I think that beastkin can hear us.¡± So that¡¯s a beastkin? I slowly rise, peeking out over Rhys¡¯ hair, to watch the cat-girl. She is talking to the blonde man next to her. Her green eyes shift and seemingly lock onto me. Instantly, I duck down and quietly ask, ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°For now, just remain calm,¡± Faraine instructs, ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain. Once we leave, I¡¯ll ask Rhys¡¯ to see what they do once we¡¯re gone.¡± I gulp, ¡°Okay¡­¡± Urrrrrr. My stomach growls once more. Looks like I¡¯m not going to get to each much. I sigh. Chapter 26 - Legacy of Svelta To avoid drawing any unnecessary attention to ourselves, Faraine and I begrudgingly decide to go without food for now. I hear people bring plates of food to Rhys¡¯ table. His hood fills with the pleasant aromas of cooked meat and fresh bread. Loud chatter reverberates throughout the restaurant. Urrrrrrr. As my stomach barks at me, I look down at and place my hands over it. I know already, so shut up. Now¡¯s not the time. We¡¯ll get something to eat later, I hope¡­ As I lie on Rhys¡¯ hair, I sigh, then glance at the blue-haired fairy at my side. She is resting on her back, hands atop her stomach, her posture is perfectly straight. Her white blouse and peach-colored skirt are smoothed out. Her eyes are closed and she is breathing softly. The long minutes of tortuous silence finally conclude when Rhys stands up and starts to move. He says something aloud and I quickly look at Faraine. I crawl over to her and whisper, ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡± ¡°He asked if everyone is ready to leave,¡± Faraine replies and, after a pause to listen to the rest of the conversation, continues, ¡°And it sounds like everyone is in agreement.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I remark, ¡°The thought of that beastkin hearing us was starting to bother me.¡± Faraine gives me a concerned sideways glance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I appease, holding my hands up, ¡°I don¡¯t feel any ice.¡± ¡°When have you felt the ice?¡± Faraine points out. I pause, look up, then tilt my head. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Now that she mentions it¡­ ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Faraine says, pulling me from my thoughts. She crawls down Rhys¡¯ head and, after a few seconds, returns to my side, ¡°I told Rhys to head home for now.¡± I sigh, looking down at the strands of golden hair, ¡°Guess we aren¡¯t finding Revus today.¡± ¡°We can try again later tonight,¡± Faraine consoles, then cautions, ¡°But for now, we should try to avoid being found.¡± I look up at the small woman in front of me, exhale, and force a smile, ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°It might not be the same as finding Revus,¡± she adds, ¡°but we can get something to eat too.¡± I smile and chuckle, ¡°Yeah, food sounds nice.¡± I roll over and peek out over Rhys¡¯ hair, and see us moving back toward the entrance of the restaurant. Once outside, the natural sunlight shines down on us as a cool breeze walks with the locals. As Rhys walks away from the restaurant, with each passing step, the taunting aroma of the hearty banquet slowly dissipates. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t the goal, but what do you think of Galegarde?¡± Faraine inquires over the idle chatter of the elves, ¡°Is it anything like your previous life¡¯s town?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± I shake my head, turning to Faraine, ¡°Svelta, my previous¡­¡± I pause, struggling to find the right words. I don¡¯t like the idea of that place being my home. ¡°The city I used to live in was very¡­ different. It was within a gorge and the buildings and streets were built atop one another.¡± Faraine furrows her brows and looks down at me. ¡°I¡¯m serious. It also had axiom machines everywhere, and there were even carts that could fly.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± I blurt, ¡°It makes me feel uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± she apologizes, ¡°I just don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of anywhere like that. And flying carts?¡± ¡°Yeah. Think of something like a wagon or a carriage, but it didn¡¯t have an animal pulling it and it could fly.¡± ¡°Why go through all that trouble though?¡± Faraine murmurs, rubbing the bottom of her ear. ¡°What trouble?¡± I question. ¡°From what I know, axiom machines become more difficult to power the larger they are, so having one the size of a carriage,¡± she describes, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it just be easier to have an animal pull it? Why spend the power on something like that?¡± I nod slowly. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I state, ¡°I think that¡¯s because we didn¡¯t have many animals. At least I rarely saw them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really really,¡± I reply, ¡°Wild animals, plants, water, we were lacking a lot of those, but we had massive, towering metal buildings. Everything would glow at night because of the axiom machines.¡± I continue, ¡°The bridges and streets above made it difficult to see the sky though, so I only ever got to see fragments of the moons and stars.¡± ¡°And what was the name of your old home?¡± ¡°Svelta.¡± ¡°Remind me when we get back to Folian,¡± Faraine remarks, ¡°and we can ask around to see if anyone knows where Zvelta is. It sounds like an interesting place.¡± I chuckle, then repeat slower, ¡°Ssssvelta.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I said?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± I smile, ¡°but it¡¯s okay, Revus also struggled with it at first.¡± Shortly thereafter, we arrive at the gate and Rhys¡¯ house appears in the distance. The elves wave to the guards and say something as we leave. The temperature swiftly shifts as we travel through the flaming forest. As we approach the house, I see a sign with unfamiliar writing on the front door. So as to avoid it, we head around the house and arrive at the same side door from which we left. Rhys holds the door open, then scans the outside area, before walking into the house and closing the door. Rhys removes the hood from his head and says something aloud. As I listen to the elves start talking, I stand up and stretch my limbs. ¡°Mmmmm. That was really tiring even though I didn¡¯t do anything other than hide on Rhys¡¯ head.¡± ¡°You say that, but you were restlessly worrying and peeking the entire time we were out there,¡± Faraine comments. ¡°Well sorry for being worried,¡± I huff. Faraine chuckles, gazing down at me, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She manifests her wings, then says, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Rhys and the others to see if they saw anything.¡± ¡°Okay. Oh, and ask them if they know anything about that group that sat across from us.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she smiles and flies off. As I watch her descend, I conjure my wings and follow suit, rising into the air. I glide down to the table, land atop it, and sit down near the white vase. I watch them all conversate, my eyes following my ears as I look to whoever is actively speaking. After a few minutes, Shelly runs upstairs and disappears. Shortly after, Rydel heads through the door to their shop, leaving just Rhys and Sana to talk with Faraine. I lay on my back and look up at the hanging fixture with glowing gems. We went into town but found nothing. There are a lot of places to check, but the obvious is wherever the hunters are staying and we didn¡¯t even go there. I sigh. I know it¡¯s to avoid being suspicious but still¡­ at least pass by there. I turn my head to the side and look at Faraine hovering next to Rhys¡¯ ear. Hopefully we can go back out tonight and check there. Thud. Thud. A soft knocking comes from the door leading to the store area. I look over that way, getting onto my feet. Should we hide? I glance up at Faraine and see her darting down toward me. ¡°What are you doing? Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± she urges. ¡°Right, sorry,¡± I summon my wings, rise into the air, and race after Faraine.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. We take refuge atop the beams like usual and peek over the edge to gaze down at the room below. Rydel opens the door and starts speaking, his head poking through the gap. ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡± I inquire. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got company,¡± Faraine remarks, her words filled with a slight intensity. I raise my eyebrow, ¡°Care to elaborate.¡± Faraine looks over at me, her red eyes glowing, and states, ¡°Our friends from the restaurant.¡± ¡°Aihbystk!¡± I blurt in Sveltish, sigh, then ask in Zoic, ¡°Why?¡± Faraine gives me a funny look, then warns, ¡°Just stay calm. We don¡¯t need you going cold on us.¡± I turn to her and stare flatly, ¡°Ha ha, very funny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being serious,¡± Faraine assures, her gaze locked on the elves below. Focusing on the commotion beneath us, I watch Rhys approach the door, open it, and walk through. ¡°So, what do we do if they¡¯re hunters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple, we flee.¡± ¡°And what about the birds?¡± I snap. ¡°Fly faster?¡± I place my left hand over my face and start to rub it, ¡°You¡¯re not serious about that, are you?¡± ¡°Not really, but I should be able to stall them while you focus on running away.¡± ¡°No way, what if-¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± Faraine hisses, ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± I gaze down below and watch Rhys enter the room. Two blonde-haired human men follow him. One, has long hair, is tall, and is slender, while the other, is a bit shorter and has a handsome face. Behind them is a man with slicked-back, short, gray hair, and is the largest of their group. Finally, the two that caught my attention in the restaurant enter the spacious living area. The elven woman with short white hair and tan skin walks in front of the shortest member, a female cat beastkin with black hair and a lively tail. Not good. A light tap comes from my shoulder. Glancing over, I see Faraine with her index finger over her mouth. I nod, then look back over the edge of the wooden beam. While Rhys and Sana are talking with the five intruders, they seem to be scanning the room. I instantly hide as the cat beastkin and gray-haired man both look up. Oh no¡­ I gulp as my heart starts to slam against my chest. This is bad. What if they find us? Do we really have to run? Will we even be able to escape? Does that mean we¡¯re going to leave Revus? No. No, no, no, no. I don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t- ¡°Before anything, I would like to apologize for our intrusion,¡± an unfamiliar female voice states from below, ¡°My name is Vehra and I, along with my comrades, are trying to help the fairies. Our purpose here is to look into the recent fairy disappearances within the Parazic Empire.¡± They want to help the fairies? I turn and face Faraine, my brows furrowed. Faraine looks just as confused as I do. Wait, are they speaking Zoic? I nudge Faraine and crawl over to her ear, then whisper, ¡°They¡¯re speaking Zoic, so do you think they¡¯re actually here to help?¡± I pull away from Faraine and she shakes her head, then raises her index finger to her lips once more. ¡°I know it might be difficult to believe our words, but we¡¯re from the Odelle Kingdom. We came here disguised to figure out why there seems to be less fairies in the area,¡± the woman below explains, ¡°I admit that our goal is selfish, but the Odelle Kingdom would like to receive aid from the fairies. In return, we are searching for a way to assist you in any way we can.¡± She pauses for a brief moment, then continues, ¡°The storms that have been ravaging the land are getting worse and our people are suffering. The fairies are our only hope to stop them. Please.¡± Well¡­ that was¡­ I gulp and glance at Faraine. She is biting down on the tip of her thumb. I¡¯m not sure I understood everything there, but it seems like she did. I poke Faraine then hold out both my arms and shrug. Faraine gestures to come closer. I crawl over to her as she leans toward my ear, ¡°If what they¡¯re saying is true, they might be our best bet to find both Revus, and the missing fairies.¡± I whisper, ¡°In that case I say we hear them out.¡± Faraine leans back, a perplexed look smeared across her face. ¡°If they are here to help, then that¡¯s good, and if they aren¡¯t, and we get captured, then we¡¯ll be reunited with Revus.¡± ¡°That¡¯s assuming he was captured,¡± Faraine snaps back quietly, then sighs, ¡°If we go down there, we¡¯re risking ourselves in the hope that they¡¯ll help us. I don¡¯t know if we should-¡± ¡°Faraine,¡± I interrupt, ¡°We¡¯ve been here for over a week now. If there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned in that time, it¡¯s that not all en¨­¨­fen mean us harm. I want to trust them¡­¡± ¡°I do too, it¡¯s just.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it basically the same thing we did when you asked Rhys to help us?¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine bites, ¡°it definitely isn¡¯t.¡± I sigh, ¡°So what do you want to do? You don¡¯t seem fond of the idea of getting their help.¡± ¡°I,¡± Faraine gestures at herself, ¡°would love their help, but if we keep requesting help from random en¨­¨­fen, eventually we¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°Well, you decide,¡± I unenthusiastically order, ¡°I never seem to fully understand what¡¯s going on anyway, but I¡¯ll trust your decision.¡± Faraine rocks her head left and right, indecision plastered all over her face. She glances at me, looks in the direction of the en¨­¨­fen, then back to me. ¡°Okay.¡± She takes a deep breath, exhales, and states, ¡°I¡¯ll go down and talk with them. If anything goes wrong, I want you to promise me that you¡¯ll run away.¡± ¡°You and I both know I¡¯m not leaving unless you¡¯re coming with me,¡± I blandly reply. Faraine sighs, slumping forward, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you at least agree to ease my mind.¡± ¡°Faraine,¡± I call, ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll trust your decision.¡± Faraine stands up, fixes her white blouse, straightens her peach-colored skirt, and manifests her blue and red wings. She nods at me, ¡°Here goes.¡± I remain hidden atop the beam, but listen intently on what is happening below. I cannot hear Faraine, but the woman from before continues speaking in Zoic. ¡°Thank you for hearing us out, it is an honor to be graced by your presence.¡± Do Rhys and the others speak like this? It sounds really formal. ¡°Let me introduce everyone, this is-¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I assume the pausing is because of Faraine? The sound of several footsteps echoes throughout the room. The footsteps are broken by the sounds of chairs scraping across the floor. ¡°Like I said previously, we are from the Odelle Kingdom east of here.¡± ¡°On the opposite side of the Valnian Wilds.¡± So we¡¯re in the empire? And if we go east¡­ Not sure which way that is in here¡­ But if we go that way, we¡¯ll get to this kingdom? ¡°On behalf of the prince of the Odelle Kingdom, we would like to make a formal request to receive aid from the fairies.¡± A prince? Sounds like they were being honest. That or they¡¯re telling an elaborate lie. Suddenly, their conversation shifts as one of the males start to speak. Is that Parazic? Sounds like it¡­ Following that, there are a few gasps from within the room. Curiosity overtaking me, I crawl over to the edge of the beam. I grab a hold of my loose hair and pull it back so I can peek at the en¨­¨­fen below. One of the blonde men is seated next to the white-haired elf. The other three are stationed directly behind them. The other blonde man is looking straight at me. As I lock eyes with him he raises his eyebrows, smiles, and waves at me. I instantly retreat to my wooden sanctuary. What the? Did he really just do that? The man previously speaking, starts once more and talks for several minutes until, suddenly, the room goes silent. Is it over? Faraine rises up alongside the wooden beam and hovers in place. Her arms are crossed and she is shaking her head. Red glitter rains down from her wings, some landing on her white shirt before disappearing. ¡°I guess you saw that?¡± I sweat. ¡°I did,¡± Faraine replies furiously, then points to the table, ¡°Come down, they want to meet you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I was hoping we¡¯d skip this part. Meeting en¨­¨­fen is still¡­ I sigh heavily as I stand up and conjure my wings. But guess it can¡¯t be helped. As we descend toward the table, my eyes meet the green eyes of the cat beastkin. She smiles and waves at me. ¡°Ha ha¡­¡± I nervously return the gesture. As Faraine and I land on the table, I ask her, ¡°Did you ask if the beastkin heard us?¡± ¡°Not yet, but I get the feeling she did.¡± I look up at the massive people towering across the wooden table. The blonde man at the table stares at me with tired, brown eyes. His shoulder-length, wavy hair falls past his ears and down the back of his neck. His nose is straight and he has a sharp jawline with high cheekbones. Weird¡­ I tilt my head as I stare at him. The white-haired elf next to him places her right hand over his throat. A moment later, a soft, green glow emanates from it. ¡°Can you understand me?¡± the blonde man says. My mouth drops open. I point at the man and turn to Faraine. ¡°She¡¯s using the axiom of language on him so that we can communicate,¡± Faraine explains. I look at the man and then back to her, ¡°That¡¯s a thing!?¡± ¡°There are dozens of axioms out there,¡± Faraine clarifies, ¡°I thought you knew that.¡± ¡°I did!¡± I bellow, ¡°But there¡¯s one that helps with speaking?¡± I grab Faraine¡¯s blouse, ¡°Do you have any idea how useful that would¡¯ve been?¡± ¡°I can imagine,¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°Now how about answering him?¡± I exhale heavily, ¡°Fine.¡± I fly into the air, slowly approaching the man. He looks familiar, but why? I¡¯ve never met him before¡­ As I get closer, I continue to analyze his face. I stop in front of him, but far enough away so I can still see him clearly. I tilt my head and rub my chin. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± the man asks. Ignoring his question, I cover my mouth with my hand. I hardly know any en¨­¨­fen. At most it¡¯s Rhys, his family, and the en¨­¨­fen that captured me¡­ ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± If not this life then¡­ ¡°Gasp.¡± My eyes go wide as I slowly back away from him. No way¡­ It can¡¯t be. I turn around and dart to Faraine¡¯s side, ¡°I need you to help me with something.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°This is important,¡± I firmly demand, ¡°please!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, what do you need?¡± ¡°Tell Rhys to go outside and get a bucket of dirt.¡± ¡°Dirt?¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± I order. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Faraine says before she turns and flies toward Rhys. He looks puzzled, but begins to head outside, eyeing the en¨­¨­fen around his table. I fly to the blonde man, but turn to the elven woman and ask, ¡°Can he understand me?¡± ¡°Thanks to the axiom,¡± the blonde man replies, pointing at his throat, ¡°I can currently understand you.¡± ¡°I apologize for this,¡± I say, then request, ¡°but there is something important that I need you to do for me.¡± He says something in Parazic, then looks around at his group. Following his gaze, I watch the others nod their agreement in turn. ¡°What can I do for you, Miss fairy?¡± ¡°So what are we doing with a bucket of dirt?¡± Faraine questions. ¡°You¡¯ll see when Rhys gets back,¡± I exclaim, turning to her. I point to the blonde human, ¡°Now pour water on him.¡± Out of the corner of my eye, I see the man blink several times. Faraine glances at him, then asks, ¡°You do know he is the prince of the Odelle Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who he is!¡± I roar, ¡°This is more important. Now, please. Pour water on him. Soak his hair.¡± Faraine looks at the man inquisitively. ¡°Go ahead,¡± he says, ¡°If Miss fairy says it¡¯s important than getting a bit wet won¡¯t be a bother.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Faraine mutters. She flies over his head as the other en¨­¨­fen back away. A moment later, a stream of water floods down from beneath Faraine and drenches him. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°We need the dirt.¡± Not long after, Rhys comes back inside carrying a bucket full of dry, brown soil. ¡°Faraine, tell Rhys to dump it onto him,¡± I hastily command, pointing at the soaked en¨­¨­fen. She sighs, flies over to Rhys who, after talking with him briefly, shakes his head violently. The other blonde man says something, walks over to Rhys, and takes the bucket, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. Gleefully, he approaches the prince, says something, then empties the bucket over the soaked man. ¡°Good,¡± I murmur as I wait for the dust to settle. I fly over to the now-dirty human. This can¡¯t be. There¡¯s no way. I take his hair and pull it down so that it partially covers the left side of his face. Then I start to smear the dirt all over the rest of his face. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± Faraine inquires. ¡°One moment. I¡¯m almost done.¡± I fly over to the prince¡¯s ear and say, ¡°Sorry for doing this, but could you bring your left arm inside your shirt so your sleeve hangs down¡­¡± I point to my left arm, ¡°As if nothing is there.¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± the dirty prince agrees, his voice riddled with confusion. ¡°Thanks,¡± I anxiously reply, then zoom away from him. I fly far enough away to get a good look at him from the waist up. He looks like a complete mess with his face smeared in dirt, his ratty hair covering his left eye, and his arm tucked into his shirt, making it look like- My hands fly up to my mouth in shock. ¡°Are you going to explain what¡¯s going on now?¡± Faraine chimes. ¡°Faraine¡­¡± I murmur dizzily, ¡°The prince¡­ he¡­ he looks like me¡­ from before.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± she leans closer. ¡°He looks exactly like me before I died,¡± I say, flustered, ¡°The me, from Svelta.¡± Chapter 27 - A Day for Recorded History As I hover in the air, staring at the en¨­¨­fen prince, flashes of Svelta blur reality. I blink as I clutch my head in pain, the reflection of my past self gazing into my soul. The voice of a woman that I once called mom rings in my head. Vague images of a dark house on a rainy day and a doctor wearing a mask appear next to the en¨­¨­fen. His enthusiastic guile warns me of my impending fate. The words, ¡®I¡¯ll be more careful than last time,¡¯ fill me with terror. ¡°Stop,¡± I whimper, digging my fingers into my skull. My breathing becomes erratic and laborious. Gradually, I lose my balance in the air as everything before me starts to spin. The colors rush around me as I feel the air pass me by. ¡°Argh!¡± I scream in pain as fangs of ice pierce my neck. A needle-like cold stabs me and crawls over my body. --- A soft ringing fills the air. It sounds like the occasional dripping of a single water droplet into a still pond. Who? ¡°¡­ett ¡­ou ¡­me,¡± a frantic voice calls out. Each word upsets the calm water as ripples expand from the center, steadily transforming into small waves. Faraine? --- I slowly open my eyes, my vision blurred by my eyelashes. Sitting directly next to me is Faraine. ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine mutters gazing down at me. She hugs me, then sighs heavily, ¡°Thank goodness.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± I murmur. ¡°You fainted,¡± Faraine replies, pulling away from me, ¡°Then ice started to spread from your neck.¡± ¡°My¡­¡± I sit up, but, as I do, a splitting pain slams against my skull. ¡°Agh!¡± I hiss. ¡°Easy,¡± Faraine states, ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I express, massaging my forehead, ¡°My head just hurts a bit, that¡¯s all.¡± Glancing around, I see the five en¨­¨­fen from the restaurant still here, seated in front of the table and talking amongst themselves. Looks like I wasn¡¯t out for long. Continuing my scan, I see Rhys cooking in the kitchen while Shelly is helping Sana treat her hands. Daylight still shines in from beyond the window. ¡°So¡­ can you explain what you meant earlier?¡± Faraine asks, looking up at the en¨­¨­fen prince, ¡°Something about him looking like you.¡± I stare up at the group of giant people. As they notice that I am awake, they one by one turn to look down at me. ¡°Tsss,¡± I wince in pain as I grip my head. I close my eyes and focus on breathing. ¡°I meant what I said,¡± I answer as calmly as possible. I open my eyes and gaze at the handsome, yet dirty, blonde en¨­¨­fen, ¡°He looks exactly like me. Or at least, the old me.¡± Faraine glances from me to him, then remarks, ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t believe you, but¡­¡± As she looks back at me, she continues, ¡°¡­doesn¡¯t that sound like too much of a coincidence?¡± I flatly turn to Faraine, ¡°So you think I just freaked out because I felt like it?¡± ¡°Again, I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t believe you, but it¡¯s too difficult to simply believe,¡± Faraine reiterates. I sigh, ¡°I know, but it¡¯s true.¡± I try to stand up, but, as I push myself off the wooden table, I stumble forward. ¡°Take it easy,¡± Faraine says as she catches me. ¡°Thanks.¡± I straighten myself, fix my dress, then look up at the en¨­¨­fen once more. ¡°I¡­¡± I take a deep breath and exhale, ¡°I was¡­ missing an eye, an ear, and an arm, but aside from that, it¡¯s like I¡¯m looking at a reflection of myself. One that¡¯s alive.¡± The white-haired elf brings her arm to the prince¡¯s throat and, like before, a green light radiates from it. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the brown-eyed prince asks. I nod. ¡°If you want to talk with him about it, go ahead,¡± Faraine comments. I look at the blue-haired woman next to me and shake my head, ¡°No, I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯d say. Besides, there¡¯s something else that¡¯s more important.¡± I can ask him about it after I figure out what to say, but Revus¡¯ safety can¡¯t wait. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I smile at Faraine, then conjure my wings. I rise into the air and fly toward the man that looks like I once did. Memories of a miserable life living with my mom distort the air around the prince. I close my eyes and violently shake my head. Stop it. That¡¯s not me. I bite down on my lip and open my eyes. I don¡¯t live there anymore. That¡¯s all in the past. I approach the prince¡¯s ear and declare, ¡°I¡¯m fine, sorry about earlier.¡± He laughs lightly, ¡°It did take me by surprise, but are you certain you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I state, ¡°I needed to confirm something and I¡¯d like to discuss it with you at a future time, but for now¡­¡± I take a deep breath, ¡°You said you would like to help us in return for the fairies assistance. Is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the man confirms. ¡°My kingdom-¡± he stops, looks around at his group, and restarts, ¡°Our home is being ravaged by the element storms. The extreme weather is making it difficult for people to survive. And there is no sign of it slowing, as sickness and injuries continue to pile up.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Like the storms Faraine mentioned? I glance down at the tiny woman standing on the table. Sounds like things are pretty bad but¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises about helping but, I will speak with my¡­¡± What would I call the fairies from Folian? Leaders? No, guardians? ¡°You¡¯ll speak to¡­¡± the prince restates, raising his eyebrow. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll talk to the leaders in charge of the fairies about helping us¡­ and your request,¡± I state. ¡°And they¡¯ll listen to you?¡± Hearing his words, I fly in front of him and I declare, ¡°I might not look it, but I¡¯m someone influential amongst the fairies.¡± I probably shouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m a princess though. I notice his confusion and blink. Referring to myself that way feels so weird. I sigh, then collect myself and declare, ¡°I promise that if you help me, then I¡¯ll be sure you are repaid, even if that means I alone am helping you.¡± He smiles widely, ¡°Thank you Miss fairy.¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± I correct. ¡°Thank you, Miss Evetta.¡± His eyes suddenly go wide and he turns to his group, saying something in Parazic. While they are talking, Faraine flies up next to me. ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine whispers, ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t get too involved with the en¨­¨­fen.¡± I sigh. ¡°Isn¡¯t it already too late for that? Besides, they¡¯re asking for help. If anything, I¡¯d like to help these en¨­¨­fen in spite of the ones capturing us.¡± ¡°Suit yourself, but just know that you are going to get an earful from my aunt.¡± ¡°Novaraine?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she confirms ¡°She¡¯ll likely be against aiding them, at least directly.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll figure that out once we get to Folian.¡± ¡°Sorry for interrupting,¡± the prince announces. Faraine and I turn to him. ¡°I apologize for our late introductions.¡± He holds his left hand in front of his chest and states, ¡°I am Eidgar, first prince of the Odelle Kingdom.¡± He holds his hand to his left where the black-haired, beastkin girl and the giant man with short, slicked-back, grey hair are, ¡°This is Kari, our scout, and Glendale, my personal knight.¡± I gaze over at the cat-girl, her green eyes locked onto me as she smiles and waves. Hesitantly, I wave back then glance up at the man behind her. He nods silently as I gulp. ¡°The one helping us talk is Vehra,¡± Eidgar says, directing my attention to the elf seated next to him, ¡°And finally, the one that graciously dumped dirt on me, is my good friend Lloyd.¡± I fly closer to Eidgar and reply, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all. Like I said before, my name is Evetta and this¡­¡± I motion toward the other fairy, ¡°¡­is my friend Faraine.¡± ¡°Well, Miss Evetta and Miss Faraine,¡± Eidgar starts, ¡°Vehra had mentioned when we arrived that we are investigating the recent fairy disappearances. Our hope is that by helping the fairies, you will help us in response.¡± I look over at, then fly toward Faraine, ¡°Do you want to explain our situation?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Faraine replies as she looks at the giant man behind me. ¡°Currently, help from the five of you would be wonderful given¡­¡± Faraine gestures to the both of us, ¡°¡­our circumstances.¡± ¡°And what might those be?¡± Eidgar inquires, ¡°Aside from trying to stay hidden from the empire¡¯s fairy hunters?¡± ¡°As you just witnessed,¡± Faraine turns to me for a moment, ¡°Evetta is dealing with a type of¡­ fairy illness, and it makes our current task more difficult than it already is.¡± ¡°And, if you don¡¯t mind my asking, what would that be?¡± Eidgar probes. ¡°Evetta is indeed someone important amongst fairies,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°so much so that she has a guardian that is unique to her.¡± That¡¯s one way of putting it. ¡°And this guardian has been missing for the past couple of days.¡± Eidgar raises his hand to his chin and glances at me, ¡°Hmmm¡­ I think I understand. You¡¯re trying to locate where the captured fairies are with the intent on rescuing Evetta¡¯s guardian. Is that right?¡± ¡°For the most part,¡± Faraine confirms, then adds, ¡°However, we¡¯d ideally like to rescue him before he is transported somewhere else, assuming he is still in town.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we may have some good news,¡± Eidgar states, ¡°We have been in town for about a week now and have learned a bit about the fairy hunters and their recent activities.¡± Eidgar stops for a moment, turns to Vehra the elf, and says something in Parazic. Vehra removes her hand from the prince¡¯s throat and he gets out of his chair. Eidgar turns to Kari, the beastkin, and she sits down in front of us. Vehra then activates the language axiom on Kari. ¡°Can you both understand me?¡± Kari questions, her voice delicate and playful. ¡°Yes we can,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°Good,¡± the much shorter en¨­¨­fen replies, then states, ¡°Prince Eidgar is having me inform you of what I learned because I know the specific details.¡± Faraine opens her mouth. ¡°Oh!¡± The catgirl interrupts, ¡°Two more things. First¡­¡± Kari locks her green eyes onto me, ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry if I scared you back in the restaurant.¡± Faraine and I look at each other. Then, Faraine replies, ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± It is nice that she apologized, but her eyes still scare me. ¡°Second, you don¡¯t have to stay near me,¡± Kari says as she tilts her head, her ears twitching, ¡°I have pretty good hearing.¡± Faraine looks at me, ¡°Do you want to land?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I tilt my head, glancing up for a moment. As my eyes drift down and meet Kari¡¯s, I decide, ¡°Yeah, we can.¡± I start my descent and, once atop the table, turn to face the catgirl. Faraine lands beside me, then asks, ¡°So, what is this good news you have for us?¡± Kari smiles and states, ¡°First. The fairy hunters recently had one of their primary captains, Vespelius, come out to Galegarde alongside a few of his trusted men.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve already seen him a few times,¡± Faraine remarks. ¡°Sure,¡± Kari grins widely, ¡°but did you hear why he¡¯s here?¡± Faraine looks over at me. I shrug and comment, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that because they wanted to capture the black fairy?¡± ¡°Hm hm,¡± Kari chuckles, ¡°Not quite. They¡¯re actually here because a fairy escaped their prison.¡± ¡°Someone escaped?¡± ¡°If he escaped,¡± Faraine ponders aloud, ¡°then it¡¯s reasonable to assume they know where the captured fairies are located.¡± ¡°Correct!¡± Kari exclaims loudly. ¡°Wait, then what about them wanting to capture Revus?¡± I inquire. Faraine faces me, ¡°Likely a cover up.¡± ¡°That or it was their original goal, and chasing the other fairy just happened to align with it.¡± ¡°Hmmm, I guess that¡¯s possible,¡± Faraine murmurs. ¡°So we know that they¡¯re here because of another fairy,¡± I reiterate, ¡°but what about Revus?¡± ¡°Is Revus your guardian?¡± Kari asks. I nod, ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Would he happen to be the black fairy that Vespelius is interested in?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I confirm. ¡°Then here¡¯s the next good news,¡± Kari pauses and looks up, her ears twitching, ¡°or maybe bad news.¡± She looks down at us again, ¡°But he¡¯s been captured.¡± ¡°No way!¡± I shout. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Revus wouldn¡¯t just get captured,¡± I argue, ¡°He couldn¡¯t have been.¡± Kari leans forward so she is almost eye level with the table, Vehra¡¯s hand following her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve heard them talking about it for a few nights now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s-¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine cuts in, grabbing a hold of my shoulders and looking down at me, ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll go get him, so calm down. Please.¡± My lips quiver as I stare up at her, tears starting to well up in my eyes. ¡°Okay,¡± I whimper. Faraine looks at Kari and inquires, ¡°What else did you hear?¡± ¡°Most of the hunters have been celebrating the capture of two fairies,¡± Kari explains, ¡°The one that escaped and a black fairy, specifically.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Aside from that, I¡¯ve heard Vespelius mention something about staying in town for a bit longer, because they¡¯re waiting for something,¡± Kari continues, ¡°The only other major thing I¡¯ve heard is faint talking. I couldn¡¯t make it out but considering how far away I was, I believe it was likely a fairy talking.¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°That must be Revus and this¡­ escapee¡­¡± She taps her nose a few times, ¡°Something just doesn¡¯t make sense though.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask. ¡°How Revus got caught without causing any kind of commotion,¡± Faraine states, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t just let himself get captured, and I doubt he¡¯d willingly walk into a trap, so how¡¯d he get caught?¡± ¡°That,¡± Kari says, ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°So what do we do now?¡± I blurt. Faraine looks at me, then glances around the room. As she looks around, I follow her gaze. It starts with Rhys, Sana, and Shelly as they continue to prepare dinner. Then it moves onto the five en¨­¨­fen from Odelle. Lloyd and Eidgar, the two blondes, whisper to one another while the giant, gray-haired man gazes down at them. Vehra maintains the axiom on the beastkin Kari that sits in front of us. ¡°Tonight we do some scouting and come up with a plan,¡± Faraine asserts, then looks at me, ¡°We¡¯ll decide on a day to execute our plan based on what we learn. Does that sound good?¡± I smile, ¡°Yeah.¡± Urrrrrrrrrrrr. My stomach roars. ¡°But can we eat first?¡± I ask, smiling. Chapter 28 - Mutual Trust Though earlier in the day than usual, Rhys prepared a much larger dinner to accommodate Eidgar¡¯s group. Beyond the window, the fire-lit trees still shine brightly beneath a fading, dusk-tinted sky. The house, lacking enough chairs for everyone, caused a short debate between Rhys and Eidgar about who should eat at the table. Rhys and his family eventually lose the discussion. Faraine and I eat at the table with them, while the Eidgar and the others sit on the floor, stairs, and other lounge furniture. The food that Rhys prepared was a large flat mushroom, green vegetables, and fluffy bread. He cooked the mushroom like a piece of meat, searing both sides until they were well-done. The oil, juice, and handful of seasonings he cooked the mushrooms in, infused them with a rich, tangy flavor. The vegetables were individually wrapped and grilled in a thin strip of meat. He also mixed three different sauces to dip the savory, wrapped greens in. The bread had a dark-brown swirl design that started at its center, its slight sweetness complimented the savory vegetables well. With our meal coming to an end, Rhys and Shelly begin to clean up the dishes. Rydel returns to the front to manage the store. Sana tries to help, but Rhys and Shelly appear to discipline her. While this is happening, Glendale, Eidgar¡¯s personal guard, and Lloyd help Rhys and Shelly with cleaning up dinner. ¡°Aaaah,¡± I exhale, rubbing my stomach, ¡°I needed that.¡± ¡°It was a pleasant meal,¡± Faraine comments. ¡°Pleasant,¡± I scoff, ¡°That might¡¯ve been one of the best meals I¡¯ve had in a while.¡± Faraine chuckles, ¡°I won¡¯t deny that it was uniquely delicious.¡± Out of the corner of my eye, I see Eidgar and Vehra approach the table. As I turn to focus on them, Vehra activates her axiom on Eidgar, releasing a green glow from her hand that covers Eidgar¡¯s throat. ¡°Before dinner, Kari mentioned something about you wanting to plan some scouting and a day to rescue¡­ Was his name Revus?¡± Eidgar inquires. Faraine manifests her blue and red wings and flies up toward Eidgar. As she approaches him, my eyes wander and eventually lock onto the green light coming from Vehra¡¯s hand. I sigh. How nice it would be to have that axiom. Then I wouldn¡¯t need to learn any other languages. I tilt my head. Actually, why didn¡¯t Revus have that axiom? It would¡¯ve made it easier for both of us if he did. ¡°Hmmm?¡± I survey the room, scanning all the en¨­¨­fen, then Faraine and Eidgar, before locking back onto the green glow. Wait¡­ Can¡¯t all of them speak Parazic? So couldn¡¯t Vehra use her axiom on me so I could understand everyone, then no one would be excluded from the conversation. I glance over at Shelly and Rhys. I¡¯d also be able to talk with them. I conjure my wings and fly toward the blue-haired fairy. ¡°So you want us to try and figure out the layout of the building the fairy hunters are staying at?¡± Eidgar questions. ¡°If possible,¡± Faraine answers, then turns to face me. ¡°Hey, I had a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I look down at Vehra¡¯s glowing, green hand, and ask, ¡°Couldn¡¯t Vehra use her axiom on me so that I can understand Parazic?¡± Faraine silently looks down, then her eyes shoot up as she tilts her head, ¡°Huh¡­ Yeah, I guess she could.¡± She focuses on me and asks, ¡°But are you okay with that? She would have to be touching you.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Having an en¨­¨­fen, especially one I don¡¯t know¡­ A sharp pain runs down my back as I remember my wings being torn off. I take a deep breath, glance down at Vehra¡¯s hand, then toward Shelly and the other en¨­¨­fen, ¡°I think I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°In that case, follow me.¡± We fly around Eidgar and stop next to Vehra¡¯s ears. Faraine says something in Parazic, causing the white-haired elf to look at me, then nod her head and reply. Vehra pulls her hands away from Eidgar and holds them out in front of her. Faraine turns to me and states, ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± I stare down at the open hands and land atop them. Suddenly, they start to glow green as I feel an energy envelop me. ¡°Can you understand me, Miss Evetta?¡± Eidgar says in unfamiliar words. ¡°I- I can understand him?¡± I murmur to myself. I glance at Vehra and she smiles. I face Eidgar, nod, and shout in Zoic, ¡°I can.¡± I wonder if my words were also translated? I guess even if they were, he likely can¡¯t hear me from here but at least I can understand them. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Eidgar replies, then inquires, ¡°Shall we resume our discussion?¡± Faraine flies back over to Eidgar¡¯s ear and answers him. I can¡¯t hear Faraine though. I purse my lips, look at Vehra, and motion her to get closer. She leans forward, turns her ear toward me, and asks, ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°Can you bring me closer to Faraine so I can hear her too?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Vehra says. ¡°Thanks,¡± I quickly reply before she turns and raises me up to Eidgar¡¯s ear. Now alongside Faraine, I focus on the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s possible,¡± Eidgar states, scratching his chin. He glances sideways at us and asks, ¡°Miss Evetta, do you have any idea why the empire¡¯s hunters haven¡¯t left Galegarde yet?¡± My eyes bounce from Eidgar to Faraine. Oh¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting him to address me instantly. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure, maybe they¡¯re trying to find us too?¡± ¡°I feel that that¡¯s what makes the most sense,¡± Faraine notes as we look at each other, ¡°We were previously captured so they already know about us, and since Revus rescued us, they know there¡¯s at least three fairies in the area.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eidgar hums, ¡°You said Revus is unique amongst the fairies so maybe¡­¡± ¡°He very much is,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°And you two aren¡¯t noticeably unique, right?¡± Eidgar inquires.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I glance at myself, then scan the other fairy. Not really. I mean, we have different colored hair but that doesn¡¯t mean much. Although Faraine¡¯s wings look impressive so maybe she looks more unique in that way. ¡°We probably don¡¯t look that unique to you or the hunters, so yeah,¡± Faraine simply confirms, ¡°we are kind of simple based on appearances.¡± ¡°Then why not leave if they seemingly have the more unique fairy?¡± Eidgar questions aloud. I instantly open my mouth, but stop. Wait, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s asking us to leave. ¡°What if they are staying because of the weather?¡± Vehra offers. Oh yeah¡­ ¡°I guess that¡¯s possible,¡± Faraine murmurs, ¡°This winter is going to be the coldest of the year¡­¡± Yeah¡­ Not looking forward to that. ¡°But even then¡­¡± Faraine continues, ¡°If I had a valuable prisoner, why would I choose not to return?¡± ¡°How about we just assume that they¡¯re still looking for you two until proven otherwise?¡± Kari mentions as she approaches us. Faraine looks at the cat-girl and sighs, ¡°The proven otherwise is what I¡¯m worried about. Not knowing why they¡¯re still here limits how we should approach them.¡± She glances at me, ¡°Then there¡¯s how Revus got captured¡­ the part that really worries me.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± Vehra questions. ¡°Revus is¡­¡± Faraine goes quiet, ¡°Well, he¡¯s not one to go along quietly.¡± ¡°So what are you worried about then?¡± Eidgar asks. ¡°From what I know of Revus, and¡­¡± Faraine looks at me, ¡°¡­feel free to elaborate, Evetta, he would cause a commotion that everyone in town would have heard before getting captured.¡± ¡°Is that true Miss Evetta?¡± Eidgar asks. ¡°Um¡­ Yeah, Revus and I have been together for months without being separated for more than a few hours,¡± I explain, ¡°If he thought he was going to be captured, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d hesitate to attack some people to ensure his¡­¡± Or my. ¡°¡­safety.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Eidgar murmurs. ¡°This is purely me speculating,¡± Faraine starts, ¡°but I believe he viewed something as a threat to Evetta and engaged with that thing silently.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Kari inquires. ¡°As I previously said, he would have caused a commotion if he thought he was going to get captured. That being the case, I believe he found something. An animal, some kind of tool, maybe a weapon, or information. Whatever it was, he tried to get rid of it for Evetta¡¯s sake, was ambushed, and captured without being able to put up any kind of resistance.¡± Is that even possible? Sneaking up on Revus like that¡­ ¡°So¡­ Revus found something so potentially dangerous that he felt the need to deal with it immediately? Am I understanding that properly?¡± Eidgar asks. ¡°Yes,¡± Faraine confirms. ¡°What if he found the other captured fairy and tried to release them?¡± I offer. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Faraine rejects as she looks at me, ¡°He¡¯s only interested in helping you. It¡¯s difficult imagining him putting himself into unnecessary danger.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Evetta, please, be honest with me,¡± she lowers herself, ¡°Do you think if you weren¡¯t in that cabin in the forest, would he have helped me?¡± I stare into her red eyes and open my mouth, but struggle to answer her. I close my eyes and turn away from her, ¡°He-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she consoles, putting her hand on my shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m not upset by it, that just shows how important you are to him.¡± ¡°But he wouldn¡¯t just leave you if you were in trouble,¡± I anxiously argue, looking at her. She smiles softly, ¡°Maybe if it was just me in danger, but if you were also in danger, he would¡­ and it wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡± ¡°What?¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°But you guys-¡± ¡°My aunt, Novaraine,¡± Faraine interjects, ¡°Ellalyn, Zoelle, and your siblings. He left all of them when you were in danger.. I¡¯ve heard some of the circumstances about what happened, but the fact remains that he left because you weren¡¯t safe.¡± ¡°You really think he¡¯d abandon you if I was in danger?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he forsook the entire world to keep you safe.¡± I look down, biting my lip. He wouldn¡¯t do that. He wouldn¡¯t¡­ Would he? ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Kari calls, ¡°but we seem to have gotten off topic.¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± Faraine states, standing up and facing Eidgar. ¡°I have no reason to doubt your reasoning Miss Faraine,¡± the blonde prince announces, ¡°So, what would you like us to do to help?¡± ¡°Ideally, I¡¯d like to know the specific location where Revus is potentially being held. Where it is, and its layout,¡± Faraine clarifies. ¡°Additionally, I¡¯d like to know roughly how many people there are and how many bes¨¡¨¡d they have?¡± I look at Eidgar and watch as he silently scratches his chin. Kari comments, ¡°The building, and his location within, shouldn¡¯t be too hard¡­¡± She flicks her tail, ¡°But the layout is a bit more difficult without having someone sneak in.¡± ¡°Counting the people and finding the bes¨¡¨¡d is also pretty difficult,¡± Vehra notes. ¡°Difficult, but not impossible,¡± Lloyd remarks from across the room. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like us to do?¡± Eidgar asks, ¡°Or are you fine with just gathering intel?¡± ¡°Once we have more information,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°we¡¯ll decide on how to sneak in, find Revus, and get him out without being found.¡± ¡°That-¡± Eidgar starts to speak, but goes quiet. ¡°Evetta and I will handle getting Revus out by ourselves,¡± Faraine clarifies. ¡°As for you and your group,¡± she says looking at the prince, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d like to request that you all cause some kind of distraction to lure out as many people as possible.¡± ¡°Woah woah woah,¡± Vehra chimes, ¡°Scouting and gathering intel is one thing, but if we do anything that reveals us then¡­¡± ¡°Then what?¡± I ask, looking around at everyone. ¡°There¡¯s the risk of starting a war,¡± Eidgar states, ¡°Miss Faraine, Miss Evetta. That¡¯s not a risk I¡¯m willing to take with just a promise, even if you are fairies. I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m going to need something more concrete.¡± I glance at Eidgar, then Vehra. Asking them to possibly go to war¡­ I look at Faraine. ¡­I don¡¯t know if I can do that. ¡°Eidgar,¡± Faraine calls, ¡°Do any of you or your comrades know what hair color means for us fairies?¡± What are you doing, Faraine? ¡°Do any of you know what a fairy¡¯s hair color means?¡± Eidgar repeats Faraine¡¯s question aloud for everyone to hear. I look at the others and they all shake their heads negatively. ¡°Our hair color is something we specifically inherit from our mothers, and rarely does its color vary,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°Because of this, we use a queen as our symbolic leader.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Eidgar says, ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± ¡°In my case,¡± Faraine continues, ¡°I am associated with a water clan because my hair is blue.¡± ¡°Does that mean you can use the water axiom?¡± Eidgar inquires. ¡°I can, but being from a clan does not mean you use its associated element.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m following,¡± Eidgar states, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure where you¡¯re going with this.¡± ¡°The same is true for all twelves elements. Each one aligns with its color as represented by twelve of the moons in the sky.¡± ¡°Yes, but what about the other two?¡± Vehra questions, ¡°There¡¯s fourteen.¡± ¡°The two remaining moons are the black moon Titen, with black corresponding to no color for fairies,¡± Faraine describes, ¡°On the other hand, there¡¯s the white moon Maiden, its corresponding color, white, is associated with all of the elements.¡± ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m still not sure what you¡¯re getting at?¡± Eidgar mutters, still puzzled. ¡°Evetta has white hair, which she inherited from her mother.¡± ¡°Wait Fariane-¡± I blurt. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she says holding a hand up to stop me, ¡°You want to rescue Revus don¡¯t you.¡± I nod. ¡°Wait, Miss Faraine,¡± Eidgar realizes, turning his head toward us, ¡°Are you saying that Miss Evetta is connected to fairy royalty?¡± Faraine walks over to me, leans down, and whispers into my ear, ¡°Summon your wings.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I oblige, conjuring my wings immediately after Faraine. ¡°I apologize for not telling you earlier, but I couldn¡¯t fully trust you,¡± Faraine says, turning to face Eidgar. She walks to my side and bows, holding her arms toward me, ¡°Before you is Princess Evetta ¨¡¨¡this, third daughter of the current fairy queen, Vestele ¨¡¨¡this.¡± My eyes shoot from Faraine to Eidgar, then back to Faraine. I hover toward her and whisper, ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± ¡°Princess Evetta¡­¡± Eidgar murmurs. I glance at him as Faraine straightens herself. ¡°Yes. Evetta isn¡¯t just related to the royal family as shown by her hair, but is also the youngest child of the current queen,¡± she elaborates, ¡°Like we said before, Revus is a unique fairy in his own right and because he is Evetta¡¯s personal guard, she is one of a kind amongst the royalty.¡± Eidgar takes a breath. ¡°I know this may be difficult to believe, but just as you struggle to trust our words, we can¡¯t fully trust your words either,¡± Faraine states, ¡°After all, you could be doing all this as an elaborate charade to fool us and lure us into a trap.¡± The cat-girl shouts, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t-¡± ¡°Kari!¡± Eidgar erupts. As his booming voice bellows around us, Faraine and I cover our ears. ¡°Sorry,¡± he continues calmly, ¡°They¡¯re right. It is difficult to trust each other with words, but if you are who you say you are, then I hope you keep your promise to help our country.¡± A silence washes over the room. I look at Faraine and she motions for me to respond. ¡°Of course,¡± I quickly reply, ¡°If you can help us, then I promise, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to ensure that you receive our help in return.¡± Eidgar licks his bottom lip and squints, ¡°Alright then, Miss Faraine, how big of a distraction would you like?¡± I glance at Faraine and see her smile, ¡°One big enough to pull out as many of their people as possible.¡± Eidgar takes a deep breath and sighs, ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll see what we can find and come back tomorrow. Does that work for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she calmly answers. ¡°Alright, is there anything else you¡¯d like us to do tonight?¡± Eidgar asks. ¡°Not betray us,¡± Faraine states, ¡°Other than that, I¡¯ll leave it up to your judgement.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the prince replies, then claps his hands and announces, ¡°Alright everyone, we¡¯ve got a job to do, so let¡¯s get to it.¡± Chapter 29 - Faraines Evening Lesson With Eidgar and his companions gone, I turn to Faraine. ¡°Hey, um¡­ I could be wrong but,¡± I pause. ¡°What is it?¡± Faraine sighs as she sits on the table. ¡°Well, you say we should stay hidden, but then we reveal ourselves to the en¨­¨­fen,¡± I anxiously state as I follow her, ¡°You say that we shouldn¡¯t get involved with them, but then push for us to work with them. So, I¡¯m confused¡­¡± Faraine silently stares back at me for several seconds. Suddenly, she lowers her head, ¡°We fairies are in a tough spot.¡± She raises her head and motions to both of us, ¡°And our situation is even more precarious. Ideally, we should never interact with the en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°But why not?¡± I argue, my confusion slowly turning to frustration. ¡°Well,¡± she exhales out of her nose, ¡°There are several reasons. The simplest being that we, as spirits, are meant to live in a different realm from the en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°Sure, but we aren¡¯t currently, so why can¡¯t we interact with them?¡± ¡°Another reason is also pretty boring but¡­¡± Faraine pauses and looks over at Rhys, Sana, and Shelly, ¡°It¡¯s because we have MUCH longer lifespans.¡± ¡°Care to elaborate?¡± ¡°You may not understand it now,¡± She looks at me again and chuckles, ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t fully understand it either, but¡­¡± She looks at the elves once more, ¡°¡­they won¡¯t live as long as us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not-¡± ¡°Not what? Important?¡± Faraine snaps. I furrow my brow and stare at her, taken aback. What¡¯s got you all flustered? Faraine sighs, ¡°Could you befriend Shelara and grow up alongside her, sure. But after a couple hundred years, you¡¯ll watch her grow old and die.¡± She turns toward me, her red eyes glowing slightly, ¡°Would all those years spent together then be important?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± I glance at Shelly. She¡¯d die and¡­ ¡°Evetta, we as fairies live for thousands of years,¡± Faraine solemnly explains, ¡°You could be friends with dozens of elves, watching them be born and live their entire life while you hardly age at all.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just to prevent us from getting heartbroken from watching our friends die?¡± I question, flustered, ¡°Is that why?¡± ¡°Like I said, that¡¯s only one of the reasons,¡± Faraine replies, ¡°One of the major reasons is that, because we are spirits and live within our own realm, we shouldn¡¯t interfere with the world of the en¨­¨­fen.¡± I furrow my brows as I sit down, almost glaring at her, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We, as spirits¡­¡± Faraine takes a deep breath, ¡°We¡¯ve already lived out our lives as en¨­¨­fen.¡± She sighs, then looks over at the elves, ¡°We lived. We died. And we¡¯ve been reborn. What right do we have to come back and interfere with the residents of these realms?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± I lower my gaze, ¡°That never crossed my mind.¡± ¡°Regardless of whether they were our friends, family, lovers, or enemies, to them¡­¡± Faraine motions with a nod, ¡°¡­we¡¯ve already died and passed on. Even if we are alive again as a spirit, the person we were is dead.¡± My breathing slows as I feel a pit in my stomach. I guess, but¡­ ¡°What if¡­¡± ¡°What if they¡¯re complete strangers?¡± Faraine asks, ¡°Like us?¡± I look up and see her staring at me. ¡°Maybe¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She looks back at the elves, ¡°There is one more reason we, as spirits, try to avoid interacting with en¨­¨­fen.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Faraine faces me sternly, ¡°Let¡¯s say, hypothetically, Revus or myself were to kill an en¨­¨­fen, how do you think they¡¯d react?¡± I tilt my head and gaze up. What do you mean? Wouldn¡¯t they be dead? How could they react? ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure I understand the question. Did you maybe use a word I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Faraine replies, then clarifies, ¡°I mean, how do you think they¡¯d react after being reborn as a spirit?¡± ¡°Oooh¡­ Oh,¡± I mutter, shifting my focus to her, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they hate you or Revus?¡± Or whoever it was that killed them. ¡°And that is the primary reason spirits avoid the en¨­¨­fen,¡± Faraine states, ¡°If something happened and they were reborn as a spirit, depending on what they were reborn as, they could cause catastrophic problems.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I murmur, ¡°That explains why Revus has stressed not wanting to kill them.¡± ¡°Simply put,¡± Faraine sighs, gazing down, ¡°this isn¡¯t where we belong anymore. We may live in the same world, but we don¡¯t share the same land.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that the opposite is true though,¡± I argue fervently as I glare at her. Faraine looks at me, ¡°Opposite of what?¡± ¡°That if we help the en¨­¨­fen, like we¡¯re trying to do with Eidgar and his kingdom. Won¡¯t they have a better view of fairies after they become spirits?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Faraine scoffs, then suggests, ¡°We could declare their kingdom as a holy land for fairies and pledge to help them, but how would their enemies view fairies then?¡± My firm resolve shatters as my glare shrinks. I look down, bring my knees to my chest, and wrap my arms around them. We¡¯d¡­ ¡°If gaining one ally means making tens of enemies, is it worth it?¡± Faraine inquires, then sighs, ¡°Sorry. I know this is a lot but it''s something that we¡¯re all taught and¡­¡± She looks over at the elves, ¡°¡­it should be easy to enforce, but with us taking refuge in the cardinal realms¡­¡± ¡°Are we going to get in trouble?¡± I whimper.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°What¡¯s happened has happened,¡± Faraine answers, ¡°My aunt will understand. We aren¡¯t the first who have interacted with en¨­¨­fen, but limiting our interactions would be wise.¡± ¡°You say that but didn¡¯t we just reveal who we really are?¡± ¡°Would you rather I did the diversion while you found Revus?¡± Faraine asks, then points at Rhys, ¡°Maybe them? Would you prefer that?¡± My eyes drift from her to the elves. Sana is seated in her usual chair reading a book to Shelly. Rhys is in the kitchen, warming up a bucket of water, chuckling at Shelly¡¯s reactions. Their simple smiles, and innocent interactions show how much they care for one another. Asking them to risk their lives¡­ ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t want that. They¡¯re already putting themselves at risk by sheltering us.¡± ¡°Yes, asking Eidgar for help does expose us to more en¨­¨­fen, but given the situation, I felt it was fine,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°Since all they¡¯re asking for in return is dealing with the elmite surges¡­ something that we fairies are already doing.¡± ¡°The elmite surges are the big element storms, right?¡± I inquire. ¡°Yes,¡± Faraine smiles. We sit there, silently listening to the elves go about their evening for a few minutes. As I continue watching them, I ask, ¡°Those rules, is there nothing we can do to change them?¡± ¡°Who knows¡­ truthfully, I hate these rules,¡± Faraine exhales as she stares at the elves. I raise an eyebrow incredulously. She turns to face me and says, ¡°You could always try to change them.¡± She tilts her head, ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Maybe Revus is here to protect you from any troubles you face while doing that.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Who knows, I know I¡¯d help you,¡± Faraine states, then stands up, ¡°Come on, it¡¯s getting late. We should head to bed.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Quickly, I get to my feet, ¡°Um¡­ Faraine, before we go to sleep¡­¡± She looks back at me, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I was¡­ wondering¡­¡± ¡°If¡­¡± she continues my sentence. I gulp, ¡°If you would help me try to grace my soul again.¡± She takes a deep breath, exhales, and says, ¡°Sure. Let me tell Rhys and the others that we¡¯re off to bed. I¡¯ll meet you upstairs.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I murmur. We conjure our wings and rise off the table. As I head upstairs, Faraine flies toward the elves. I make my way to the second floor, fly into Shelly¡¯s room, and enter her closet. Within, is a dresser that has a pillow resting atop it. I descend down onto the soft surface, dispelling my wings and lowering myself until I am lying on the pillow. I sigh. I guess I know why she seemed mad earlier. I wonder if Faraine¡¯s got someone she wants to meet from her previous life. I shake my head. No. Of course she has people that she would want to go see. I stare up at the dark ceiling. I don¡¯t know where Svelta is but¡­ If Faraine knows where she lived previously. I gulp. Being told you can¡¯t go there, can¡¯t go meet your old family and friends¡­ I sit up and bring my hands to my face, lightly slapping myself. Come on. Don¡¯t get all upset. Like Faraine said, what¡¯s happened has happened. For now, let¡¯s focus on trying to grace my soul. I need to figure out what¡¯s wrong with me, and in order to do that, I need to grace my soul again. I manifest my wings and, as I glance back, see the white glitter descend around them. If only I could figure out what caused me to grace my soul last time. I sigh, close my eyes, and get myself into a comfortable position. Concentrate on my sp¨©¨©r. I breathe calmly. Find my wings. I flap my wings in response. Send my sp¨©¨©r into my wings and completely fill them. Almost¡­ I feel my back muscles tense up as I force my sp¨©¨©r into my wings. Almost¡­ I bite my lower lip as the pressure on my backside grows. Come on¡­ I stop breathing as I concentrate, my wings feeling heavier. Just¡­ a¡­ bit¡­ more¡­ I take one more deep breath. ¡°Dawhhh!¡± I gasp as I collapse onto my back, panting heavily, ¡°So¡­ close¡­¡± I lay there staring at the ceiling for almost a minute, trying to catch my breath. Why¡­ ¡°Are you already sleeping?¡± Faraine questions. I sit up slightly and see her gliding down toward me. ¡°No¡­¡± I pant, ¡°Just trying¡­ to grace¡­ my soul.¡± Faraine scratches her head as she looks down at me, ¡°I know I¡¯ve asked but, didn¡¯t Revus explain how to grace your soul?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Okay, now,¡± she kneels down beside me, ¡°describe to me what he told you to do.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I struggle to sit up. Faraine holds out her hands and helps me into an upright position, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°He¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure it was to just gather my sp¨©¨©r, fill my wings with it, and then I¡¯d grace my soul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± I look up, ¡°I might be forgetting something, but I¡¯m pretty sure that was it.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t explain anything more than that?¡± I purse my lips, shrug, and smile, ¡°Maybe he did¡­¡± Faraine sighs defeatedly, ¡°No wonder you¡¯re struggling so much.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he explain everything to you?¡± Faraine murmurs, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± She focuses on me and bluntly states, ¡°That gracing your soul is more than just filling your wings with sp¨©¨©r.¡± ¡°Then please,¡± I put my hands together, ¡°Please, please, please, explain it to me so I can understand. Think of me as someone that knows nothing.¡± Faraine blinks at me once, then sighs. ¡°That might be a bit much, but alright.¡± She straightens her posture, focuses on me, and remarks, ¡°Gracing your soul isn¡¯t some crazy thing. Most fairies can do so within a few months of being reborn.¡± I turn away from her and whine, ¡°Thanks for hitting me where it hurts.¡± ¡°You said to explain it like you knew nothing,¡± she chimes, then continues, ¡°The purpose is simple. Create a doorway that allows you to enter the innermost parts of your soul.¡± I look at the blue-haired fairy sitting next to me, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Obviously, there¡¯s more to it once you¡¯ve succeeded, but gracing your soul is just the beginning,¡± she explains, ¡°Currently, you¡¯re wandering around in the dark trying to find that door, and you¡¯ve already found it once.¡± In the dimly lit room I can still see her point at me, ¡°What we want is for you to find that doorway again, and remember how you found it.¡± ¡°So how do I find it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we fill our wings with sp¨©¨©r.¡± ¡°Uh huh¡­¡± Faraine taps her chin, then says, ¡°Let¡¯s try this. If I asked you where your mind is, where would you point?¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°Is this a trick question?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, come on, answer.¡± I sigh, ¡°My head?¡± ¡°And where is your heart?¡± I look down at the left side of my chest, and hold my hand over it, ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Now, without pointing to the previous two spots, and picking a single location,¡± Faraine emphasizes, ¡°Where would you say your body is located?¡± My body? I furrow my brows again. ¡°Um¡­¡± My eyes scan my body. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it just be everything?¡± ¡°But if you had to pick a single point,¡± Faraine reiterates, ¡°One spot that signifies the body, just as the head is the mind, and the chest is the heart.¡± One spot where the body would be? I scan my arms, move down to my stomach, and lower my gaze to my groin. Instantly, I feel my face heat up. No¡­ She wouldn¡¯t be referring to¡­ I slowly look up and, as my eyes meet hers, look away. ¡°Um¡­ my¡­¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°That¡¯s one of the two correct answers.¡± ¡°It is?¡± ¡°Depending on the country or religion, some believe it to be groin, while others believe it to be the stomach.¡± I gulp. ¡°Right.¡± I bring my gaze up to meet hers, ¡°What spot do you think would be for the body?¡± ¡°Personally I think it¡¯s the stomach,¡± Faraine claims, ¡°Those that think otherwise are more fueled by sexual desires.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± I murmur, ¡°Um¡­ So why did you ask those questions?¡± ¡°Oh right. So, with the head, chest, stomach,¡± Faraine restates, ¡°where would you say the soul is?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± I survey my body once more, ¡°This one I have no idea.¡± Faraine smiles, turns away from me, and displays her bare back. Her blue, red, and black wings sprout from her back, red glitter falling from them. ¡°The back. That is the spot that holds the soul.¡± ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t what I was expecting.¡± ¡°Truth be told,¡± she chuckles dryly, ¡°depending on your country and religion, the soul is argued to be either the back or the stomach. Actually, some think that the location of the body and the soul depend on your species.¡± ¡°I see.¡± So our soul is in the back but¡­ ¡°Why is that important?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s where your wings are,¡± Faraine answers. ¡°You¡¯re trying to funnel your sp¨©¨©r into your back, then into your wings so you can access the inner depths of your soul. Instead of just arbitrarily filling your wings with sp¨©¨©r, think of them as a doorway or¡­ even a path, that connects you to your soul.¡± I manifest my wings again and glance back at them. A doorway to my soul. ¡°So¡­¡± I yawn, ¡°I should think about creating this door as I channel my sp¨©¨©r into my wings?¡± ¡°If that helps you then yes. At the end of the day, there isn¡¯t one correct way to do it,¡± Faraine explains, ¡°Whatever method makes you comfortable and helps you access your inner soul is the correct answer for you.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I think I understand,¡± I mutter, then look at Faraine, ¡°And thanks for explaining that. It¡¯s easier to understand than what Revus said.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to imagine why he wouldn¡¯t explain it to you in detail,¡± Faraine sighs, ¡°My best guess is he didn¡¯t know how to explain it to you.¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± I grumble, ¡°But I feel more confident after hearing this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stay up too late,¡± Faraine comments as she crawls over to her usual sleeping spot and lays down, ¡°We¡¯ve got a busy day tomorrow.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I smile as I turn away from her, taking a deep breath. Using my new information, I attempt to grace my soul once more. Chapter 30 - Enduring the Cold A sea of soft darkness blankets Faraine and I. The blue-haired woman is lying down next to me, soundly asleep. Her faint breathing rhythmically sways the darkness like the rolling of gentle waves. Amid the night, my heavy panting acts like craggy rocks disrupting the peaceful waves. I lie on my back, staring into the black depths overhead, a cold sweat washing over my skin. Why¡­ I clench my teeth and tighten my fists, breathing coarsely. Why can¡¯t I grace my soul? I turn my head and look at the sleeping fairy. Her hair covers her face and her posture is more relaxed compared to her usual decorum. Even with her advice, I still can¡¯t do it. I sigh heavily and look back toward the ceiling. Maybe I really am hopeless. Maybe I¡­ I yawn. I hate that I still can¡¯t grace my soul. I close my eyes, roll onto my side, and curl up into a ball. I need to go to sleep but¡­ I roll over, facing Faraine again. I want to grace my soul. I want to but we¡¯re going to get Revus tomorrow. I can¡¯t be tired for tomorrow¡­ I frown, breathing lightly. Tomorrow¡­ we¡¯ll¡­ --- I yawn. Mmmm¡­ So soft¡­ I hold out my arms and wrap them around a fluffy material. As I pull it closer, I feel myself sink into it. Mmm¡­ I smile. Feels so nice. I haven¡¯t felt this since¡­ I grip the soft material, release it, then open my eyes. I¡¯m holding a ball of white fluff within my arms. It¡¯s- I push myself up, an endless field of white expands as far as I can see. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± I mutter as a smile spreads across my face, ¡°I did it.¡± Tears start to fill my eyes as I begin to weep, ¡°I did it. I graced my soul.¡± After a brief moment, I wipe my eyes, stand up, and look around. Just like before, I find myself in a seemingly endless plane of white fluff. As I scan the horizon, I see the only non-white thing here, a bright, cyan light. Focusing on its radiance, I feel a cold chill that seems to creep over the land. Well, whatever it is, it¡¯s still there. I turn away from the light and the coldness eases up. I glance back for a moment. That¡¯s new. I shake my head and continue to survey my surroundings. I wonder if it¡¯s still here? I start walking, searching the ground for the ringed spheres that I created the last time I was here. After nearly a minute of walking, I notice a mound of fluff that is about as tall as my knees. What the¡­ I tilt my head and approach it, stopping once I am within arms reach. Another thing that¡¯s new. I scan the area, my eyes slowly sweeping over the pristine emptiness. I don¡¯t see any more of these. I lock my gaze onto the pile of fluff before me, kneel down, and reach my hands out. I press my finger into its fluffy side. Immediately, I retract my finger and it gradually returns to its previous shape. Spongy. It doesn¡¯t seem any different, yet¡­ I tilt my head again, analyzing the pile. There has to be some reason why it¡¯s here¡­ and why there isn¡¯t another one. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I tap my chin and circle the mound. Nothing around it. Maybe there¡¯s something inside holding it up? I reach my arm inside, driving it through the soft, fluffy pile until my hand emerges from the other side. Doesn¡¯t feel like there¡¯s anything in it either. I move my arm to the left and the pile falls over. The clumps of fluff scatter onto, and slowly begin to merge with, the floor. I instinctively lower my gaze to the base of the mound. I hold out my hand before it, reach into the pile, and feel a smooth surface. ¡°Ah! Found it!¡± I exclaim as I glide my hand over the spherical object. I grab it and pull it from its fluffy prison. In my hands is a pair of transparent, glass-like, orbs. The spheres are barely touching one another, but are irrevocably held together. A singular, white ring surrounds them both. Good to know these things don¡¯t disappear. I glance at the, at one time, mound of fluff that is now gradually merging with the ground. And I guess I know where to find these next time. I take a deep breath, stand up, and turn back toward the cyan light in the distance. The cold chill spreads over me once more. I glance down at the sphere in my hand. Now that I¡¯ve found my axiom cores¡­ I refocus on the brightly radiating horizon. ¡­my only remaining question is what that light is. I smile. Whatever it is, it should be the cause of my condition. I take one more breath. Here goes. I take one step forward and feel a light, cold breeze. I gulp. Looks like it''s going to get even colder. I grip the ball tightly and continue walking forward. With every few steps I take, the temperature seems to drop. My skin starts to prickle as the cold brushes against it. I place the spheres under my arm and wrap my hands over them, trying to maintain warmth. The cold winds become sharp as I continue my advance. My long, pointed, ears start to sting as the piercing cold envelops them. Cold, but I can¡¯t stop. I stare at the glowing, cyan light. It grows larger and gradually becomes more discernible the closer I get. I breathe into my hands to warm them. My breath is now visible, like a constant stream of steam with each exhale. The suffocating cold has now engulfed me, cutting me from all sides as I press on. Snot starts to drip from my nose, the wet liquid sliding down to greet my upper lip. As I breathe in, the bitter cold slices my nose and throat, before finally puncturing my lungs with its painful chill. Can¡¯t stop. I have to figure out what¡¯s causing this and stop it. As the cold freezes my body, my muscles tighten and become more difficult to move. My jaw is clenched shut. My hands are stuck over my arms. My fingers, toes, and ears are painfully numb. My progress has slowed as each of my steps now feel like climbing a mountain. So cold¡­ With my face practically frozen in place, my eyes are locked onto the source of this unbearable cold. I must keep going¡­ I¡¯m so close¡­ I grit my teeth and force myself to take another excruciating step forward. Krrk. The definitive pop of ice cracking rumbles from beneath me. That sounded like¡­I quickly freeze in place, slowly lean my head forward, and look down. On the ground is a transparent layer of ice with cyan-colored cracks expanding out from beneath my foot. I gulp and continue marching, slower and more cautiously than before. My feet now almost slide over the surface with how little I am lifting them. I glance between the cyan light and the icy ground. Krrrrk. My eyes shoot down as the loud crack disrupts the eerie silence. I stop for a moment, violently shivering in place. Not good¡­ I try to take a step, but my leg refuses to respond. Move¡­ I feel my muscles twitch as if trying to obey, but they remain still. Come on¡­ I painstakingly pry my hands from my arms and grab my lower leg. I bite my lower lip and grimace. I can¡¯t feel my leg or my fingers¡­ I stare at my immobile limb and lightly pound against it with my frigid hand. Ow¡­ Ow¡­ Ow¡­ Each hit sends a biting pain up my arm, as if my hands are going to shatter. Come one, move. As I bang against my leg, I feel the spheres under my arm start to slip out. I try to catch them, but with my delayed movements, I cannot help but drop them to the ground. I watch in horror as they crash into the ice below. Time seems to stop as I breathlessly listen and wait for something to happen, but nothing does. I glance down and see the cores resting comfortably in the ice. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I exhale, my white breath dissipating in front of me. I crouch, lowering myself to grab the spheres. I pull them from the ground, but stop before I stand up. Directly under where the cores were are two perfectly circular holes in the ice. What? As I look down at the spheres, I notice that the color of the ring surrounding them has changed from white, to cyan. Why¡¯d it change? Hang on¡­ A faint, cyan, dust-like glitter now swirls within the glass-like balls. Like our wings. I pull them closer to my face. But how? All I did was- I glance down at the holes in the ice.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I extend my arm out, holding the orbs toward the ice. Upon making contact with it, I push the spheres into its solid surface. My eyes go wide as the orbs slide forward with no resistance, eating away at the ice. As I push, more of the cyan glitter fills the inside of the two spheres. As the color becomes more defined, the harsh cold that once threatened to strangle me eases up enough for me to notice. A fraction of the feeling returns to my limbs and the tightness of my body relaxes ever so slightly, allowing me to breathe easier. No way¡­ I pull the spheres back toward my face, observing them. Both cores are more than half filled with the floating, cyan glitter. Did these make it not as cold? I glance at the ice, then to the glowing, cyan light, before looking back at the spheres. What would happen if I filled them up? Quickly, I push the spheres through the ice. As the cores absorb more of it, the amount of glitter within grows. I was right. I smile joyfully. The more they fill up, the less cold it gets. After almost a minute, the spheres start rolling without absorbing the ice. I lift them up to better look at them. They are both completely filled. A shiver runs up my spine. Still cold, but much better. I gaze over my shoulder. Looks like I found an answer to getting closer. Filling the spheres left a small area of the under-fluff exposed. I swiftly dig into the soft fluff, grab a clump, place my hands over it, and form another axiom core. Good. Once done, I immediately run the glass sphere through the ice but, almost instantly, it fills with glitter. I puff out my cheeks, furrow my brows, and stare at the now-full core. Huh? I glance at the pair of spheres that are surrounded by a cyan ring. Is it because there are two of them there? Or maybe it¡¯s because- I quickly repeat the process and create a second core. Now let¡¯s just¡­ I bring the cyan core and the empty core together but, upon releasing the empty core, it falls. Okay¡­ I purse my lips. So they won¡¯t connect if they aren¡¯t the same type of core, or if one is colored and the other isn¡¯t. I sigh. Good to know. I follow my experiment up by making twelve more cores, each one completely empty, and I attach them to one another. I merge them together and a white ring appears around the now-singular core. Time to see if it works. I run the ringed core through the ice and, unlike the ringless core, it takes much longer to fill with glitter. However, it does fill up quicker than the pair of ringed cores. Looks like I was right. The amount of cores does determine how much they can hold. I join the single-ringed core with my pair of ringed spheres. Alright now¡­ I glance at the lone, ringless, cyan core. Time to make some more cores. I smile and dive into the fluffy material, making core after core. Once I have twelve more singular cores, I fill each one with glitter. I try out various ideas like filling some partially, or barely letting any glitter in at all. And they still merge together, awesome. With my cluster of thirteen cyan spheres, each with a slightly different amount of glitter, I place my hands on either side of the cluster and push my hands together. Instead of a white ring appearing, a cyan ring manifests around the newly-fused core. Huh? It doesn¡¯t have a lot of glitter in it. So does that mean that this core has the space of thirteen of the ringless ones? I glance at the trio of bonded, ringed spheres. So, if I make thirteen of these, then will the next core be able to hold the same as thirteen of these ringed cores? I look at the fluff beneath me. Only one way to find out. Just as before, I start to make dozens of empty, transparent, glass-like cores. Once I have enough, I merge the cluster into a ringed core, briefly run it through the ice to fill it with a bit of glitter, and attach it to my growing, ringed cluster. I continuously repeat the process, going through the same hand motions, only shifting my position if I can no longer reach any of the ice. And that makes thirteen. I smile proudly at my cyan-colored, ringed cluster. Now hopefully¡­ I place my hands on either side and start to push them together. Yes! Just as with the single-ringed cores, the spheres begin to merge and a second cyan ring appears. I force the cluster into a single core, leaving a lone, dual-ringed sphere in my hand. The two rings diagonally wrap around the center of the core, intersecting twice on either side of it. It¡¯s not full of glitter either, so¡­ I hold the core tightly, sliding it through the ice and, as expected, it fills with glitter, albeit much slower. I continue running the core over the ice for a few minutes until it is completely full. A sense of relief washes over me as the bitter cold that I was struggling with earlier now feels like a minor inconvenience. I sigh contentedly, my breath still visible. That¡¯s much better¡­ I grab my dual-ringed core, stand up, and face the chilling, cyan light on the horizon. I¡¯m still far away, but I have a way to get closer. I smile. As I take a step forward, a voice calls out, ¡°Evetta. It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± Faraine? I furrow my brows. What does she mean ¡®wake up¡¯? I survey my body. I¡¯m clearly not sleeping. ¡°Hey, come on,¡± she says softly, ¡°We¡¯re going to be getting Revus today, so you need to wake up.¡± I gaze up at the endless, white sky, and mutter, ¡°I''m not sleeping though.¡± I sigh aggravatedly as I scratch my head. Who cares¡­ ¡°How do I wake up?¡± I holler. I purse my lips and gaze down. Suddenly, I notice that I am becoming transparent. ¡°Woah¡­ What¡¯s happening?¡± Gradually, I disappear, fading from the soul plane. I look down at the axiom core in my hand, then to the cyan horizon, and smile. Well, I didn¡¯t deal with it, but I made progress. Next time. --- As I feel the pillow beneath me tickle my skin, I adjust my body, rolling over the lumpy, spongy material. ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine whispers, ¡°Are you going to sleep all day or what?¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± I look in the direction of her voice and force my eyes open. Behind heavy eyes, I see the blue-haired woman sitting next to me. I glance around the interior of the closet, light bursting into the space from the partially open door. ¡°I¡¯m back¡­¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Faraine inquires as she looks at me. ¡°Oh um¡­¡± Was it just a dream? I shake my head, focusing on her. She has some parchment and a piece of charcoal in hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just drafting up some plans for tonight.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± I reply, then smile as I push myself off the pillow. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you slept for so long,¡± Faraine states, ¡°So much for not staying up late.¡± As my smile fades, I tilt my head and furrow my brow. ¡°What do you mean? I went to sleep shortly after you.¡± ¡°So you were just tired?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± I respond flatly. ¡°You could¡¯ve fooled me,¡± Faraine claims. I silently stare at her. She doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s lying. ¡°How long did I sleep for?¡± ¡°Well, you missed breakfast, and lunch,¡± Faraine answers. My eyes go wide, ¡°Wha-?¡± ¡°Also, Eidgar and the others have already come back.¡± ¡°What? But¡­¡± That means I slept for¡­ I start using my fingers to help me calculate. ¡­almost eighteen hours? I glance down where I was sleeping. Was it not a dream? ¡°Um¡­ hey, I have a funny question.¡± Faraine pauses what she is doing and gives me a sideways glance. ¡°Oh?¡± She faces me and says, ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Well¡­ um¡­ I think I graced my soul last night,¡± I stammer. ¡°Congratulations,¡± she clearly replies, ¡°but that¡¯s not a question.¡± ¡°Right, so¡­ um¡­ Have you ever heard of someone gracing their soul in their sleep?¡± The blue-haired fairy looks up, her red eyes searching her memories. She looks back at me and answers, ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever heard of it happening before, but just because I haven¡¯t heard of it doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t happen.¡± Faraine turns her head slightly to the left, her eyes still locked on me, ¡°Why? Do you think you graced your soul while sleeping?¡± ¡°Kind of¡­¡± I murmur. ¡°Did you investigate the thing you said you saw before?¡± I wrap my hands over my arms and answer, ¡°I tried but it was too cold to get close enough.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she ponders, tapping her chin. ¡°I did however¡­¡± I proudly exclaim, ¡°¡­find some ice and filled some axiom cores with this cyan glitter.¡± ¡°Really? In that case,¡± Faraine remarks as she stands up. She walks behind me and requests, ¡°Can you summon your wings? We¡¯ll see if there¡¯s anything different about them.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I say as I manifest my glittery appendages, ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No,¡± Faraine states, ¡°But what you did do is confirm something for us.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask as I glance back at her over my right shoulder. ¡°Look here,¡± she directs as she points to the middle of my upper wing. Right above her finger, noticeably sticking out on its white canvas, is a single, cyan circle. That¡¯s¡­ My eyes drift from the dot to Faraine¡¯s eyes as I inquire, ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°That, princess¡­¡± I glare at her. Please don¡¯t call me that. ¡°¡­is coloration of your wings,¡± Faraine finishes. ¡°And that means?¡± ¡°It means two things,¡± she states, ¡°You indeed have something in your soul that is causing your condition.¡± ¡°How does that-¡± ¡°Because your soul should be empty,¡± she interjects, ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any existing ice¡­ or anything making it. You, however, have something that is doing exactly that. And using whatever it is, you¡¯ve filled your first axsel core with ice sp¨©¨©r.¡± So that glitter was sp¨©¨©r. ¡°Is that bad?¡± ¡°No,¡± she says, shaking her head, ¡°But fairies usually have to get their elements from another fairy.¡± ¡°That does sound bad.¡± ¡°I promise, it¡¯s not,¡± she remarks, ¡°What it does is bring me to my second point of the coloration.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± She smiles and says, ¡°Congratulations on obtaining the ice element.¡± Chapter 31 - Rescue Start! After finishing my conversation with Faraine, we headed downstairs, where I enjoyed a much needed meal. While we were eating, Faraine talked with Eidgar, his group, and Rhys¡¯ family to discuss the details of her plan. Their discussion was extensive, carrying on for a couple of hours to finalize all of the details. In the meantime, I spent some time with Shelly, trying to utilize the ice axiom for the first time. To my dismay, I was unable to succeed using it before Faraine returned to my side to explain the plan to me. The plan would start with Faraine heading to the northern part of Galegarde, near the mountains where we came from. Once there, she would fly over the area, releasing flames in multiple locations to start a massive wildfire. From there, Eidgar and his group will help Rhys and his family gather any necessities for the journey. After half an hour had passed, Eidgar, Glendale, Vehra and Rhys would leave to assemble the townspeople to start quelling the fires and start evacuating. Meanwhile, Lloyd would head to the fairy hunters¡¯ base, where he would try and get as many people to head out in search of Faraine. It was decided that someone from Rhys¡¯ family would be too suspicious, so Lloyd, being the least recognizable amongst Eidgar¡¯s group, would deliver the news. Sana, Rydel, and Shelara would continue to pack up their home in preparation to leave. To my surprise, Rhys and his family have decided to flee to the Odelle Kingdom because they cannot tolerate how they, or the fairies, have been treated. Meanwhile, Kari and I would wait for Faraine¡¯s return to the house. With the majority of the townsfolk and fairy hunters distracted, Faraine and I would hide on Kari, who is disguised as a thief to prevent the hunters of the empire from relating her to a knight from Odelle. Kari will sneak us to the hunter¡¯s base and, ideally, there will be no one left. In case there are, Kari will be our lookout, listening for any possible problems. Kari is also to act as our assistant, breaking into the building in case there are no open windows and helping with our escape. Additionally, Vehra will help with the evacuation while monitoring the base from outside in case we need assistance. Once a way inside has been secured, Faraine and I are to find Revus, get him and the other fairy out, and return to Kari¡¯s location. After we have successfully escaped, we are to rendezvous with everyone back within the Valnian Wilds. Meanwhile, during the commotion, Eidgar¡¯s group and Rhys are to sneak off, meeting up with Sana and the elven kids at the rendezvous point in Valnia Woods. If everything goes as expected, we will all meet up in a few hours to begin our journey southeast, with the goal of fleeing to the Odelle Kingdom. Several times during Faraine¡¯s explanation, I tried to argue with her. However, she informed me that, after debating everything with the en¨­¨­fen, the plan was finalized and non-negotiable. Reluctantly, I conceded and, after listening to everything once more and asking my own questions, prepared myself for tonight. --- My stomach churns with the butterflies of unease. Okay, we¡¯re actually doing this. I exhale slowly, then look at the blue-haired fairy standing in front of me, ¡°Please be careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back shortly,¡± Faraine says, looking over her shoulder. She glances out the window briefly, conjures her wings, then faces Eidgar and flies upwards toward him. I manifest my own wings and glance back at their glittering form. I focus on the single, cyan dot in the center, smile, then look forward and follow Faraine¡¯s trail of dissipating, red glitter. Hovering near Eidgar, she says something in Parazic. The blonde, human prince nods, and seemingly answers affirmatively. Faraine glances at me once more, smiles reassuringly, then flies out the window. And she¡¯s gone¡­ ¡°Good luck,¡± I murmur under my breath as I stare at the window. With Faraine gone, Eidgar starts speaking loudly, directing his words to the other en¨­¨­fen. I gradually ascend toward the ceiling to get out of everyone¡¯s way, watching them move throughout the house. They¡¯re really packing up their things. I sigh. I guess I can¡¯t blame them for wanting to leave, but¡­ My gaze drifts to Sana. Rydel is helping her grab her things and load them into a bag. ¡­It¡¯s going to be difficult for her to travel. Especially if there¡¯s no roads in the forest. I look over to Rhys and Shelly as they similarly determine what belongings to take, and what to leave. Part of me is glad they¡¯re leaving though. I¡¯d hate for the first elves I meet to get in trouble because of me. I turn away from the en¨­¨­fen, rise through the air, and land atop the wooden beams resting near the ceiling. As I land I quickly sit down. I don¡¯t have much time before we leave so¡­ I hold my arms out in front of me, my palms diagonally-facing the wooden structure beneath. ¡­I¡¯d like to figure out how to summon my ice. Faraine said that I need to concentrate on releasing my sp¨©¨©r and imagine what I want it to do. I gather my sp¨©¨©r in my hands and feel a fluffy energy surrounding them, but nothing happens. I continue practicing while the en¨­¨­fen shuffle about on the ground. Sooner than I would like, the shuffling dies as Eidgar starts speaking. I sigh, then crawl over to the ledge. Glancing down, the door is open and I see Eidgar¡¯s group, along with Rhys, leaving. Kari stays behind and continues to help Sana, Rydel, and Shelly pack. Looks like we¡¯ll be leaving soon too. My stomach twists restlessly. I lean back, sitting uncomfortably atop the wooden beam, and take a deep breath, rubbing my stomach. It¡¯s okay. I exhale. We¡¯re doing this to get Revus back. ¡°Evetta!¡± Shelly calls from below. I glance toward the ledge. Why¡¯s Shelly calling me? I look over the edge of the beam and see the three elves, and the cat-girl all looking in my direction. What¡¯s going on? I summon my wings, rise into the air, and start to glide down toward everyone. Once in front of Shelly, I stop, tilt my head, and say, ¡°Shelly?¡± She holds out a clenched hand, then opens it to reveal a pale-yellow piece of cloth. That¡¯s a¡­ dress... It has two flowy sleeves that cover the shoulders. A band wraps around the midsection that tightens the waist. It is fairly long, about knee-length for a fairy my size. ¡°Evetta,¡± Shelly says as she brings her hand up toward me. She reaches for the dress with her other hand, picks it up, and holds it in front of me. I grab the dress from her and hold it out, staring at it for a bit. I look back to Shelly and ask, ¡°Is this for me?¡± She nods, smiling happily. Sana leans down and says something to the small elf girl, causing her to glance at her mother. I start to analyze my gift. It looks a little big for me but¡­ I chuckle. ¡­that¡¯s nothing new. You can tell it isn¡¯t something made by Revus. It¡¯s too¡­ girly. But even so¡­ I bring the dress to my chest, holding it tightly as I look up at Shelly and smile, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Evetta,¡± Shelly says as she points to the dress. I tilt my head as I watch her. She motions like she is changing clothes. Oh¡­ I look down at the pale-yellow dress, its smooth material sliding in my hands. She wants me to put it on. I glance down at my current white dress and notice its cuts and frays. I guess changing clothes wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea but¡­ I sigh. ¡­I wish it wasn¡¯t a dress.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I look up at Shelly, nod, and reply, ¡°Okay.¡± I fly back up to the beam I was previously on and quickly change clothes. I make my way back down and, as I am showcasing my new outfit, Faraine flies through the window. She approaches me and states, ¡°You look cute in that.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me cute,¡± I rebuke, ¡°It still feels weird being treated like a girl.¡± Faraine smiles, ¡°I imagine you¡¯ll get used to it.¡± She looks over at the en¨­¨­fen, then back to me and asks, ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go,¡± she directs as she flies over to Kari. I follow behind her and, like with Rhys, we climb atop Kari¡¯s head, hiding beneath her hooded cloak. Faraine says something into Kari¡¯s ear. The cat-girl replies aloud as she turns for the door. I look at Faraine and ask, ¡°How¡¯d things go with the-¡± Immediately upon Kari exiting the house, I feel a heavy shift in the atmosphere, unlike anything I have felt before. The surrounding area has a thick energy that feels like it is pulling at me. Following the sensation, I crawl forward so I can see beyond Kari¡¯s hood. I look up over the flaming Valnian trees and see a mixture of a red-orange light and dark smoke filling the horizon. Is that where Faraine- ¡°Evetta?¡± Faraine calls. ¡°Huh? What?¡± I stammer as I turn to face her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asks, ¡°You were zoning out.¡± ¡°Was I?¡± I furrow my brows. ¡°Yeah,¡± she replies as she crawls up next to me and looks in the direction of the towering smoke plumes, ¡°Is the smell bothering you?¡± ¡°No,¡± I answer as I hold my hand out in front of me. I open and close it. Something feels¡­ off. I turn my head slightly, look at Faraine, and ask, ¡°Do you feel that?¡± ¡°Feel what?¡± ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to describe it¡­ heavy energy?¡± Faraine glances around for a moment, looks back at me, and states, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just nervous?¡± Faraine suggests, ¡°Or perhaps you feel different because of the ice axiom?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I muse, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. This feels¡­ different.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t feel anything,¡± Faraine notes, ¡°So, let me know if you feel it shift in some way.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I nod. ¡°What does it feel like right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just this heavy feeling and I feel like I¡¯m being pulled toward the smoke,¡± I explain. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Faraine remarks, ¡°but we¡¯ll just have to keep it in mind. For now, let¡¯s review while we have time.¡± I gulp as I pull my eyes away from the sensation and focus on the blue-haired fairy. In the cover of darkness, Kari continues her stealthy advance, navigating her way through the city, avoiding people whenever possible. Meanwhile, Faraine and I discuss the details of our plan. We review what to do when we find Revus, what to do if we are found, what we should do in the worst case scenario, and what to do if we get separated. We steal through the city quicker than I expected. Yelling and the sound of running fills the city as most people seem to be either evacuating the city, or heading toward the fire to try and put it out. During our covert operation, I witness dozens of children screaming and crying as they flee the town. I clench my fists and bite my lower lip. This is¡­ I look over at Faraine and ask, ¡°Are they going to be okay?¡± Faraine places her hand over mine, glances at me, and replies, ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on rescuing Revus for now.¡± ¡°Faraine, I¡­¡± my words stop as my throat feels heavy and I struggle to find the words to say. ¡°I know what you want to say but if we made a frontal attack, there¡¯s a chance more of them would become casualties of the fighting,¡± she explains, her words filled with grief, ¡°I know it¡¯s not perfect.¡± She looks over at me as she tucks her long bangs behind her ears. Her red eyes glisten softly as she continues, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t come up with a better plan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± I lower my head. ¡°Thank you. You don¡¯t need to be doing any of this,¡± I look up at her, ¡°but you¡¯re still helping me. So¡­¡± I smile widely, ¡°Sleeps!¡± A moment of silence follows as we look at each other. Suddenly, Kari speaks up, pulling Faraine¡¯s attention from me. Faraine replies shortly after. I look out beyond the cloth covering our heads while they have their conversation but, as soon as I get comfortable, Faraine states, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± I glance at her as she crawls up next to me and continues, ¡°Kari said the building in front of us is their base and¡­¡± Faraine points up at a window on the second floor, ¡°Revus is up there.¡± I stare at the reflective surface as a faint, red light bounces off it. This time, I¡¯ll save you Revus. Quickly, we spin around as Kari faces the building that was behind us. She starts climbing a nearby fence, then makes her way onto the building¡¯s roof. We spin back around and Kari speaks up again. Faraine translates her words, ¡°She said that she¡¯s heard fairies talking from the room connected to that window.¡± ¡°So that means Revus is in there?¡± I inquire. ¡°Yes,¡± Faraine nods, ¡°Also, Kari¡¯s going to open it for us. She said she doesn¡¯t hear anyone else inside but we should go in first to confirm that it¡¯s clear.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I comment. Kari says one last thing that Faraine translates, ¡°She said hold on.¡± I give her a sideway glance, then look down. Hold on? To her hair? We both grip tightly onto her hair. A moment later, Kari backs away from the edge of the rooftop, then sprints forward. She jumps from the roof and we soar through the air, heading directly toward the wall below the window. As the wall rapidly approaches, I close my eyes and turn away, bracing for impact. Nothing. Huh? I open my eyes and see a wall in front of us. I turn to Faraine, but before I can inquire she speaks up. ¡°She¡¯s caught the window sill and reduced the force of her collision using her legs.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± I murmur as Kari quietly pulls herself up. I stare at the ledge Kari is holding onto as we slowly pass it. She¡¯s holding onto that tiny ledge? Faraine taps my arm. As I glance at her, she points forward. I see the interior of the room beyond the window. Darkness masks the space sealed by the glass. Kari pulls herself up and rests on the window sill, trying to stay out of vision. After a brief moment, she reaches down and attempts to open the window. ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± Faraine mutters, ¡°Come on, we¡¯re up.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I reply. We both crawl forward and, as we escape the cover of the cloak, manifest our wings and rise into the air. Looking down, I see Kari holding the window open just enough for us to get in. She lifts it up a bit more, then places her canteen under the window to keep it open. Kari whispers something to Faraine. Faraine nods and, as we fly inside, states, ¡°Kari¡¯s going to wait on the roof to stay out of sight for the moment.¡± ¡°What if we need help?¡± I quickly shoot back. Faraine holds her arm out to stop me, and points up. I nod and follow behind her as we fly up. We land on a shelf and she whispers, ¡°If we need help, I¡¯ll call her. She said she can hear us in here. Now, keep a lookout for Revus, he should be somewhere in this room.¡± I nod and walk over to the edge of the hanging shelf. A single door resides on the wall to our right. On both sides of the door are bookcases filled with books. Across the room, against the opposite wall, is a small nightstand, a simple dresser, and a bed big enough for a single person. Directly beneath us is a desk that sits in front of the window. Books and scattered papers decorate its surface. To my left is a fancy dresser and cabinet. The cabinet in particular catches my attention, as a glistening jar can be seen within its glass display. I turn to Faraine and, as I direct her attention to the cabinet, she nods. ¡°Stay close to the walls, we still need to be careful in case someone walks in.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± We rise into the air once more, making our way through the still room. The flapping of our wings and the sounds of people running about outside shatter the dark silence. We reach the top of the cabinet and descend down the front of it. Inside its glass display is a black-tinted jar with two fairies held prisoner within. One is a boy I have never seen before. He has short, wavy, brown hair and is wearing tattered clothes. He is sitting down next to a black-haired fairy that I do recognize. Revus¡­ I smile, then tilt my head. He is sitting down, mediating. Figures¡­ I sigh. He doesn¡¯t even look worried. Faraine flies down and grabs onto a handle of the glass doors. She pulls on it, but it does not give. I fly down beside her, grab onto it, and pull. After a brief struggle, the door gives way and opens slightly. Faraine pulls it open fully as I fly down to the jar. I land on the wooden shelf next to the jar, walk up to it, and knock on its glass surface. As I tap on the glass, I feel the same draining effect from when I was previously trapped. It feels¡­ I gulp. ¡­stronger. Revus does not seem to notice my tapping, but the other fairy sees me. Quickly, he shakes Revus and they both look at me. Revus runs up to the transparent wall and starts yelling. I tilt my head and put my hand up to my ear. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you,¡± I say, ¡°But it¡¯s okay, we¡¯re going to get you out of here.¡± Revus covers his face with his hand and slowly slides it down. The other fairy says something, his face contorting into one of worry. Revus¡¯ eyes go wide as he points at me. Me? I point at myself. He shakes his head and points over me. ¡°Evetta,¡± Faraine calls, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got some unexpected company.¡± I gulp as I slowly turn around. There, hovering in front of Faraine, are four other fairies.