Everyone that had gathered to inspect and report on the monolith froze as the massive stone shrank and shifted into the form of a small girl. No one knew what to make of the little one as she looked over them with curiosity. Different people seemed to have different reactions as they looked over her. The youngest of the lot, mostly apprentices for the two groups, simply were in awe of the girl as they saw her emerge from their divine pillar. Those more in tune with their magic instantly felt the urge to bow to the girl, while those without just felt the need to stand at attention before her.

Only Umi had enough reverence and self-control to come forward and answer the girl’s question. “We were at the base of the Monolith. Since that doesn’t mean much now, I’d say instead, you are just outside of our town.”

“Your. . . town?” The girl asked, the words unfamiliar on her lips as if said second-hand.

“Yes, our town. it’s a pretty big one, as you can see.” Umi pointed behind her, where the place itself sat.

“Could you take me?” The words came faster, but were still off, like they were being read instead of spoken.

Umi moved her head to say no, only for a chill to come up through her spine and her body to suddenly dry out a bit. All at once, she felt a dominating presence as she spoke. “I can. What should I call you, little one? Do you have a name?”

“Name? My name is. . .” The girl stopped, repeating the words. At first, it just seemed to be muttering, but as she continued to say it, something started to pull on the people gathered. Umi felt it first, then other mages. It started akin to a push from behind, then a shove, then the pain started. A few of the adept mages let out harsh screams from the feeling, which make the girl jump, and the pull stronger to effect even more of the crowd.

Umi bit her lip as she attempted to weather the feeling to speak. “I-i-if you d-d-don’t know, can I give you o-one?” She asked, fighting against the discomfort in her chest and pain in her core.

Then the feeling stopped. A few dozen people collapsed as the girl looked up. “You would grant me one?”

Umi nodded as she tried to hide her condition. “How about Vio?”

“Vio. . .” The girl seemed to taste the words as she judged the name, before nodding in approval. “Vio, I like it. . .” She said as she walked over to Umi slowly.

Umi only wished she had the liberty to scream at this moment.

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The walk, for Umi did not want to risk teleportation with her new charge, gave the water mage time to reflect and assess the girl walking with her. As had been noted before, Vio seemed to be an unassuming girl with dark skin and even darker hair. Yet with Umi closer to her and able to take the girl in, more seemed to come to light about her. For one, Vio’s violet eyes seemed to sparkle with unknown power and childlike innocence. They were naturally wide as she looked from place to place, pointing to grass and dirt on the two’s path. Her face looked deceptively soft, more like the child she seemed to be than the stone she came from, and was framed by her hair. This was the only real proof of her origin at first glance, so dark that light seemed to bend around it while coming down past her shoulders and moving in a wind of its own. It had an almost ethereal quality to it, and Umi found it hard not to stare and get sucked in once she looked at it.

“-ur name, Miss? Miss?” Luckily, the calling of Vio was enough to break the spell the hair had over her, and Umi was back to reality to answer the little one.

“Oh. . . I haven’t introduced myself yet?” Vio shook her head, and Umi gave a nervous chuckle. “My apologies, a lot of excitement made me forget. I’m Umi.”

Vio smiled as she grabbed Umi’s hand and shook it. “Good to meet you.”

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Umi gave a small nervous smile back down to Vio before quickly pointing ahead, as the town came closer. “And look, we are almost here. Stick close to me, would you? I don’t want you getting lost here and hurting yourself.” Or more likely, hurting everyone else around you accidentally.

Vio nodded as she went behind Umi and started to follow quietly.

Umi could only hope the news itself would be as smooth. Light was coming, and even if the Searing was over, light was never good news. . .

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Vio looked at the town with silent awe as she took in the sight. Hundreds of stone homes stood before her, all of various shapes and sizes. There were glows that came from many of them, with bigger houses seeming to have bigger glowing spots. None of them were as bright as Umi’s, with many just as dull as the crowd that had met her. It still was like a sea of stars within the houses, each one calling to her in murmured whispers.

It was comforting, and it beckoned her to go faster to see them all closer. She just hoped it would go better than her first attempt to reach through the glows. Her focus had got inward for a moment, and the entire crowd flickered. She didn't know why. . . but she knew it was bad to do again.

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The two entered town with little fanfare, but Vio found it difficult to focus on Umi's words as she looked from building to building. To her, everything was new and exciting, and while she knew what things were, it was still her first time seeing these marvels. Umi gave a large sigh as Vio finally tuned back into what the water mage was saying. “. . . even listening? This is important for you to know.”

“The houses? Or the fact we are going to go around the square through back roads?”

Umi blinked. “That is right. We are taking the back roads to meet with the council.”

“Because my appearance is unexpected, right?”

Umi quickly recovered from her surprise to nod. “That’s right, we were going to celebrate a recent event, but your surprise showing means that we’ll have something different to do.”

“Like what?”

“Big girl things. Just know that you are going to have a big day very soon.”

“That sounds exciting!”

“That is one word for it.” The two passed an alley with a good look of the plaza, and there were at least a hundred people in the square. Even hidden and far from their gaze, the two could hear the people’s concerned words.

“There’s been no updates for the researchers since they started.”

“They probably broke it at this rate.”

“I saw the Monolith shrink from here.”

“Whatever they did put us in danger!”

“Fitting our anniversary is our day of reckoning.”

“The Monolith gives, and it takes.”

“Well, we aren’t all dead yet. . .”

“The elders had said the Light has pulsed and waned in strength before, just to come in full force whenever people leave. Now, we are doomed on the next pulse.”

“I knew we shouldn’t have left this to that water mage fool. She knew nothing of. . .”

Umi couldn’t help but quicken her pace as her clothes and skin rippled. Vio opened her mouth to speak, but somehow. . . she knew it was better to stay silent. Neither of the girls said much else as they came to a small brick building. It was more akin to a schoolhouse than what its label of “Council’s Gathering.”

Umi took a deep breath to steady herself and knocked on the door. “Now or never. No pressure, just the weight of the world.”

Vio reached out to grasp Umi’s hand at that, and gave the older mage a small smile while a small bit of energy transferred from the small girl.

Neither did anything to help the storm hidden behind Umi’s eyes.