I felt a lot of confusion from my mother behind me. It was pretty clear that she didn’t know how to feel about me being here. I was still using the void energy. I do not completely know how this spell works, but it seems to be something along the lines of causing the brain to misfire at the point when it tries to connect the physical characteristics of the person you are seeing with something that is in your memory.

For Tia and the boys, it was like I had temporarily given them all face blindness. They still more or less knew it was me. The boys really did not like me standing side by side with Tia while I was using this spell though. Said it made them queasy. This suggested that this spell really was doing something weird to people’s brains.

I had walked through the village a little earlier to see how it worked as well. It seemed like this spell worked a lot better as I was out and about and interacting with people who didn’t know me well. I talked with some of the children. They definitely saw my grey skin, but my magic interfered with their ability to make the “grey elf” association. They seemed to think it was more strange that they couldn’t recognize me, some had asked if I came from another nearby village. Some also asked me where my birthmate was, this is apparently their word to refer to the human that all young elves have by their side.

I told them that I got lost in the forest and said I was going to find an adult, and then disappeared as quickly as I could. What I did there was definitely going to cause a bit of a stir, but it was important to understand my own abilities. This spell is definitely useful, but it’s not powerful enough for me to just walk around freely. It will definitely create problems if I keep it up. The more important aspect of it is definitely the complete invisibility to the spirits that it gives me.

Well, the interruption in recognition seems to be giving my mother something to think about anyway. All that is important right now though is Eirlathion being able to know who I am. I had given him exactly enough cues for him to know what’s up. No more and no less. My mother had been silent up until now and through her strong energy I could sense that she was focusing in and trying to put the pieces together. She also seemed afraid to speak up as she could sense this was somehow important.

It is a good thing for my mission I suppose. It makes her less of a hinderance. Time to focus on my real objective here and hope for the best.

[I think I should talk about the most important thing first.] I said. [Me, Tia, and the boys need to get out of this village somehow. As much as “Nymph” is going to hate it, I do not see anything good happening if we stay in this place. You are the only person I can go to for information on how to do this best.]

[Ahh…] Eirlathion seems to have a stunned reaction to all that information at once, but his mind only stumbles for a moment. [Well, I had considered that since last we talked. The best way would probably be to bring you to the Hidan. They are a group of several nomadic tribes. What they all have in common is that they see anything related to the fey as sacred. This also happens to be the season where the Hidan conduct their spirit communion, so if you go to the edge of the forest then you should encounter at least one of the Hidan tribes. If I were to bring you along and introduce you, they would certainly take care of you and Tia.]

He made a difficult face after this though. [I also agree it is important to get those boys who are the birthmates to you girls out if the… I mean, if “Nymph” is acting the way it is.]

[She.] I corrected him.

[I… uhh… what?] He responded somewhat dumbly.

[I realize you probably do not consider… tree spirits to have a gender, but “Nymph” considers herself to be a girl. It is important for you to talk about her that way.] I told him.

Eirlathion nodded. [Ahh… yes, I see it.] He said. [Thank you for showing me. As for what I was showing you, there is a difficulty with removing those two. Even though they were the birth mates given to you and Tia, the power that those boys have is far beyond any human we have ever seen before. They will not be given up easily. But, if they stay in the village then “Nymph” will almost certainly become a “Lukis” in a very short time and… she will likely still be angry at you girls being driven out. Some people in the village may die at that time. I will have to convince them of that.]

The talk about ‘showing’ when he meant explaining was something that had tripped me up about the elven language early on, but now I had grown used to it. It seemed like the elven language had a very strong association between vision and knowledge, even more so than English does.

There was something else strange that he had said though. [A “Lukis?” What is that?] I asked him.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

[It is the next step in the growth of a tree spirit.] He explained. [A “Lukis” is far more powerful than a “Sikitii” (nymph.) A “Sikitii” is simply more conscious of the world around it than a low level tree spirit and is able to consciously guide the mana given to it. A “Lukis” has the ability to use spirit energy in the way a fey would in order to turn it into mana. They no longer need to rely on others for it, and all the “Lukis” are at least as powerful as “Nymph” is when you are the one supplying her with mana. I fear that if “Nymph” is allowed to grow into a “Lukis,” even you would be unable to persuade her to such an extent that we all would be safe.]

[I see what you mean.] I told him. At that moment though, I was distracted as my arm was gently grabbed by a hand that had worked it’s way around my body from behind. I glanced down at it and up to the woman that hand belonged to. Her emotions still felt extremely conflicted, but there was an uneasy peace to them right now.

A jolt of sudden fear went through her when my eyes went in her direction. I could sense what was going to happen in a second if I didn’t do anything, so I reached my other hand across and grabbed her pinky finger, covering the rest of her hand with my entire arm.

I could feel she was tense. Eirlathion looked down at me like he had no idea what to make of this. I honestly didn’t know what my thoughts about this were either. I suppose things would be nicer if mine and Tia’s mom in this life would actually come to see us sometime, but it did not sound like this was a good time at all to push for that sort of thing.

I relaxed my grip on her hand and she slowly withdrew it. She had decided to retreat away from me. That definitely made me feel conflicted, but I was able to chase those turbulent thoughts away by focusing on the seriousness of what Eirlathion had just told me.

[Ahh… emm…] I made a little sound to clear up the awkward moment that had just passed. [So, wouldn’t you be able to persuade the villagers it was a good idea then?] I asked. [It sounds like it is even more important for the village to get the boys out then it is to get us out.]

[It is possible.] Eirlathion said. [However, saying such a thing when the, I mean… when >Nymph< can hear about it from the other spirits can also lead to h… her grudge turning cold and lasting longer. I have lived a long life and seen such things. It would be unwise.]

I gave Eirlathion a skeptical look. [You want to remove all four of us by force, making you out to be an enemy of the people in the village, aren’t you?]

I felt the tension in the air rise. My mother’s weight shifted. I could feel through the muscles of her body I was propped against that she had just turned her attention from me to Eirlathion.

“Enillar?” She said in a concerned tone. I didn’t recognize the elven word she just used, but I could guess she was addressing him by some kind of title. He glanced over to her for a moment, then fixed me with a determined gaze.

[That is the method I see producing the least death as a result.] He said, and then looked back to my mother. [It will also mean a great deal of danger for me. Kiriia. You do not have to follow me if you do not wish to.]

So, my mother’s name is Kiriia? This is actually my first time hearing it. However, I will be certain to burn it into my memory right now.

[For that…] she starts and then pauses. She seems to have completely lost her nerve on her thoughts.

[I would like for you to come.] I said before I could even think. My hands balled into fists. I felt my meditation drop. I immediately felt the tree spirit notice me. I had lost control of my meditation. In a panic, I knew there was only one way to deal with it. I had to play up the emotional outburst I just had.

[You… I have always really wanted to see you. I want Tia to meet you too.] I said. I already felt something wet running down my cheek. Curse this small body and it’s much less inhibited tear ducts. Well, it did work for me right now though.

I felt her body beneath me inclining away from Eirlathion and I as though she was trying to escape the small little intimate ball we were all curled up in. In the meantime, the combination between a few deep breaths and the natural endorphins that were released whenever one starts to cry had allowed me to quickly get my emotions under far better control.

[Can you please come visit us sometimes too? Just like Eirlathion does?] I pleaded, and then in that exact same moment I restored my void energy and worked in earnest to bathe the three of us in it once again.

[That… A… Asaren?] My mother said breathlessly.

I let out a deep breath. [I am sorry. You do not have to do that, but I do really want to know my mother. I do not want to have to never see you again.] I sighed. [I lost control of my spell a moment ago. The tree spirit knows I am here. It is agitated too, >Nymph< must have realized I was gone and asked the other spirits to say if they find me. It should have told her already.]

I shifted around and climbed over Eirlathion’s lap in order to get to the floor. [Eirlathion, I do not feel we will have the chance to see each other on this issue again. If things are as bad as serious as you say, it also might not be good for me to tell Levin, Rolwen, and Tia what to expect either. I will do my best to have them come along when you feel the time is right to move.]

[I… don’t know when it is going to be.] He said.

I nodded. [I will be expecting the preparations to take a significant amount of time then.] I told him. [I need to go back. I am sorry we cannot finish this properly.]

Both of them seemed at a complete loss for words as the small child with the poise of an adult walked out of the room, even using the green word to open a toddler size door to leave the house.

I am still not sure how I am able to do this without the tree spirit being consciously aware of it. Come to think of it though, I also have techniques to move the bodies of flesh and blood humans without them being consciously aware of it. It is a kind of active hypnosis. In that light, I guess it is not that strange.