The three of us walked through the town's gates. Elves wearing leather stood near the entrance, carrying long bows on their backs; they glared at me and Aria as we walked past, a look of distrust in their eyes. Aria greeted with a small wave, but the gatekeepers were unresponsive. With each step, my boots made a 'thunk' sound on the wooden planks that lined the walkways. The village was colored with a mix of blue and orange. Across the town, a common plant with wide, glowing leaves and a blue hue grew, lending a cool atmosphere to the shadows.

"What's this blue plant?" I asked Liora.

"Uhm… shimmerbulbs," Liora said. She kept up her pace and guided us through the busy elven streets.

This was exciting. I hadn't come across these plants in my Yandrian readings. I wondered if shimmer blubs had an interesting effect when used in alchemy; perhaps they lent illuminating properties. Eventually, we reached a set of steps that spiraled around a tree near the back of the village. We walked our way up the winding steps, each step creaking. We reached the first level and disembarked, facing a solitary structure ahead of us.

"Welcome to the Church of Ardwyn. Make yourself at home," Liora said with a smile. She lowered her hood, letting her silver hair flow freely from behind her. In front of us was a building beautifully decorated with various ornaments. The front of it glimmered with a mesmerizing emerald gemstone, casting a radiant green hue across the entrance. Inside were various artifacts and decorations sitting on either side of shelves. The room was unconventional, with beds, blankets, and a mix of comfortable seating replacing the traditional pews and altar.

"Er'alya Liora. Who are these Su'mirs?" A voice called from the back of the church. An elderly man with lengthy ears, his left ear bearing a scar, questioned us. He adorned a long, unkempt silver beard and had deep gray eyes. While hunching over slightly, he used a tall stick to maintain his balance against the floor.

"Ah!" She looked surprised momentarily and gathered her composure. "Er'alya… father. I found these adventurers across the river. They looked injured," Liora said in a timid tone.

"Lay them down. This is a good chance to see if our lessons are paying off, Liora." The old man gave a nod to his daughter.

Liora quickly inspected the two beds and gestured for us to approach. Aria and I exchanged nervous glances, then nodded at each other before heading to our separate beds. The bedsheets were made of luxuriously soft white linen, fit for royalty. I took the bound book and placed it off to the side of the bed atop a bedside cabinet.

"Don't disappoint me." The man stared sternly and stepped away. "Clarity before connection, Liora."

"Y-Yes." Liora stuttered. She took a deep breath and walked between me and Aria. She was looking down at the ground silently and concentrating deeply.

"Do we need to do anything?" Aria broke the silence.

The old man shot a gaze towards Aria, and Liora tensed up, "P-Please give me some silence. I will heal the both of you."

Liora briefly averted her eyes downwards. A gentle glow emanated from the top of her staff. I felt butterflies across my body, landing on each part of me. They flapped their wings against my skin. It felt hot. I tightened my muscles in fear, recalling the intense heat from that day, the fire that consumed me and Aria's body in the catastrophe. The day everyone I loved died. The day when I couldn't help anyone.

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"I-It's harder when you resist, s-so please don't." Liora's ears drooped as she clenched her staff harder. Her face showed signs of struggle. The intensity of the glowing increased. The light suddenly burst and illuminated the room before fading with a loud bang.

A whimper escaped Liora as she released her staff, watching it fall to the ground with a clang. While Aria's injuries seemed fully healed, mine remained untreated. Liora glanced over at her father for approval.

The old man let out a long, drawn-out sigh. "Come to the ring first thing in the morning, Liora. Don't be late." He scowled and vanished into the church's rear, opening a door and slamming it shut behind him.

Aria touched her face, feeling her smooth skin. Next, she sat up and patted herself down from head to toe. "I'm healed, Liora! Thank you so much." Liora blushed and looked down at her staff in return.

As long as we were with Liora, Aria wouldn't need me for regenerative potions. I was both relieved and jealous of that thought. The scar across my arm remained which meant I must've stopped the magic somehow. "I'm sorry for resisting," I said while I rubbed my arm.

"It's okay. I-It's my fault; I should be able to push through the resistance…" Liora frowned and bent down to pick up her staff.

"So you work as a priest? Do you heal people often?" I questioned her.

"I work in the domain of the genuine spirit under Ardwyn. I work with both nature and the soul." She looked down, smiling gently.

I picked up my bound book and held it towards Liora. "Have you ever seen a book like this before?"

Liora walked over and took the book off me, inspecting its cover, the strange text, and the strap that bound it. "S-Sorry, no. I know someone who may, but they would definitely want payment."

As a smile spread across my face, I clenched my hands in excitement. Despite having little money, I was confident they would help after hearing the captivating backstory and seeing the artifact. The chamber may be a known location to the people of Whitfall. This place seemed comfortable enough. If we could find shelter and a way to sustain ourselves, then our short-term problems would be solved.

Aria spoke up, "Liora. Your dad there seemed — well, really strict. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I just need to practice…" Liora looked down momentarily before turning to us, "Besides, how did both of you get so hurt?"

Aria and I turned to each other. We both opened our mouths, waiting for the other to talk. Aria spoke first. "A creature with deep black fur and long arms pounced on us."

Liora blinked, and her smile faded, "It could be a Vull'nir — did it have red eyes and attack from above?"

We both nodded slowly. In response, Liora's panic rose, and she dashed to the church's exit. She turned around on her heel before heading out, "Y-You two stay here. I need to go talk. I won't be long!"

Aria and I sat in our beds and looked at each other. "Whelp. That was a lot." I said to Aria.

"Twel. You need to stop bringing up things people won't believe. It makes us look crazy." Aria gave a frustrated look. "I know you are in a panic — but we need all the friends we can get."

I gave a frustrated look towards Aria, "We are in a crazy situation, Aria! Crazy circumstances demand crazy solutions. We need someone who understands our situation and wants to help."

Aria shrugged, "Sure. But take it slow, Twel. I'm happy with you getting that book checked out here, but let's not say we just died to demons." She pointed to me. "The only evidence we have is that chamber, your necklace, and that book."

I rolled my eyes and looked down. She could be right. Scaring away people who could help us would not do us any favors. We sat in silence, taking in the surrounding atmosphere. Occasionally, passersby would give us strange looks, as we were clearly visible. A long while passed, and there was still no sign of Liora.

Aria stood up with frustration. "I am getting back ache. I want to explore! Where is that priestess?" She complained.

I stood up with her. "I was enjoying relaxing, to be fair. Though you are right, you'd expect her to be back by now." I made the bed behind me and moved my eyes across the church's walls. The portraits in the church depicted a singular figure with large horns and wearing a green gown painted by various artists, likely throughout various periods.

"C'mon, let's go explore," Aria said. She grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. I knew Aria had issues sitting in place. Whenever we were growing up together, I wanted to set up dens while she wanted to explore. I hesitantly agreed. We wouldn't be listening to Liora, but she seemed to be in a panic. We'd waited long enough. We were going to sort this out. Something wasn't right, and Aria and I were on the case.