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"I can't come to the village anymore." Eleya had announced shortly before the autumn feast and the arrival of the selesti.

"Is it because of the upcoming blessing?" Tao asked.

"Yes, but not only. The enemy is growing his strength. I have to do something too."

"What exactly do you want to do?"

"You'll see. I'll be away longer than usual, maybe a month. In the meantime, you keep training, all right?"

“I will."

As usual, it was impossible to get the forest spirit to answer decided to remain silent. Tao could only give up.

Well, at least this time he got some answers and rather quickly. It was completely unexpected, though.

Making sure that his father and sister paid him no attention, the boy knelt and leaned closer to the tiny creature.

Eleya had always sounded like a young girl, though her words and tone were often closer to those of an adult. This creature also looked like a young girl, only very tiny, perhaps the length of an adult's wrist. Her skin was pale green, like a young sapling, her hair darker, like grass in its summer bloom. The tiny creature was dressed in a kind of dress made of grass, leaves, and petals, but perhaps it was all part of herself because the grass-like hair was also woven inside the dress. The face, though human-like, was also different, very slender, as were the ears – long and with pointed tips. The yellow eyes almost glowed and were undoubtedly alive.

"Didn't I say you will see?" The creature's smile grew wider.

She looked pleased to see Tao's confusion.

"Eleya... how?" He breathed out softly, not sure what to say.

"A lot of work and effort... but it looks pretty good, doesn't it?" She raised her arms to her sides and turned in a circle.

Sometimes it was hard to tell where the ordinary grass ended and the tiny creature's robes and hair began. But without a doubt, her stature was indeed human-like, slender, and agile.

"Are you now... clothed in flesh?" Tao tried to remember the term the forest spirit had used earlier.

"No, not quite. But close to it, I'd say."

Before Tao could ask what that meant, Eleya put a finger to her lips and leaned in, wrapping herself in her leaf robes like a cloak. Safia, noticing that her brother was studying something on the ground, had come over to see it too. Fortunately, the pile of leaves didn't seem to be worth noticing.

"Stupid," Safia told the boy and walked away.

Moments later, the pile transformed back into the miniature girl.

"I see this form has its drawbacks. It won't be as easy to talk as before." She spoke thoughtfully.

Tao didn't answer, he was still trying to figure out what that meant.

Seeing how serious the boy looked, Eleya stopped smiling too and held out her hand to him.

"Give your hand, but hold me so others can't see." The forest spirit said.

Tao obeyed and placed his palm in front of the tiny figure. Eleya jumped into it nimbly, her bare feet touching the boy's skin. He flinched a little but didn't pull his hand away. The forest spirit's body wasn't cold or otherwise strange. Tao could clearly feel a physical mass on his palm, suggesting that it wasn't an illusion or something immaterial.

The boy got to his feet and turned to walk a little further away from his father and sister. There were no other people nearby, but Tao still kept his other arm around the tiny figure so that outsiders couldn't see what the boy was holding. Unfortunately, Eleya was taller than the child's wrists and wanted to stand at full height. With her tiny hands propped against Tao's fingers, she let her grass-like hair flutter in the breeze.

"Ha ha! Wind!" She laughed.

It wasn't just her outward appearance. The boy got the impression that Eleya was also acting closer to the kid than before. He considered the possibility that this creature was another spirit, but it would be stupid for a fake one to behave so differently.

"You didn't feel the wind before?" Tao was still speaking in a low voice.

"How could I feel it without a physical body?" The tiny being smiled.

"Then what happened? How did you make a body for yourself?" The boy urged Eleya to speak.

"Out of the earth, the flesh of a young tree, out of leaves and grass and other things. "

"It looks real."

"Thank you! I tried." Eleya smiled again.

She ran one hand through her hair, even though it was already flapping in the wind.

"But why didn't you do it before?"

"I didn't have the strength."

"So, you got stronger?"

"Yes, I made a bond."

"A bond? With whom?"

"Not a person, with a magical object... a tree to be exact." She shook her head.

It was hard to get used to the fact that Eleya's voice was now accompanied by human-like gestures and body language. Not to mention the fact that she had a body...

"I didn't know you could do that."

"I don't think I said that... well, most spirits can form a bond with a physical object, though there's usually little benefit to it aside from a stronger connection to the Material Realm. But I can absorb more spirit power through this tree, so it's worth it."

"But couldn't you have done this earlier? Make a bond with the tree, I mean."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Hmp! This kind of tree is very rare. And I was hoping I could return to my old place soon... Now it's clear that it will take more time. With the influence of the spirits of light growing in the village, I had no choice."

Tao quickly looked around, but still, no one paid attention to him, so he continued talking.

"Are you saying that the protection of the light spirits in the village doesn't work in this body?"

"No, I have a stronger connection to the Material Realm, so less power is needed to overcome their protection. It's like... um, how to explain? "Eleya became thoughtful and even put her index finger to her cheek.

"Imagine if you tried to fly high in the air... no people don't usually fly... Oh, I know!" She clapped her hands vigorously.

"Imagine you're trying to dive into the sea or a lake. The deeper one tries to dive, the harder it is, right? A person can reach the bottom, but his body is usually pulled back to the surface. Similarly, with spirits, who have a weak attachment to the Material Realm, we are pulled back to The Unseen. The more we want to influence the Material Realm, or dive deeper, the more spirit power is needed."

"I see... " Tao tried to grasp the thought.

"But if a person has a place to cling to in the depths, they'll stay there longer and easier, right? If the spirit makes a bond with someone in the flesh, or even with an object, it thoroughly improves the contact with the Material Realm. Of course, it is best to make a bond with something that can give the spirit power."

"And that's why you made a connection with some... magical tree?"

"Yes, I think in your language it would be a moon tree. Or a moonlight tree? Something like that. Very rare, but capable of taking into itself not only nourishment from the earth but also the spirit power. And thanks to bond, I can take that spirit power for myself." Eleya smiled merrily.

Tao remembered that both the light spirit and Eleya had mentioned a spirit’s bond to humans. It hadn't occurred to him, though, that the bond could also be with objects. It was true that his mother's storybook told of spirits living in objects, but the boy still didn't know what was real in this world and what was a fairytale.

"And this body is also bonded to you?" he asked.

"I don't need it, but it helps me to feel your Realm better. Besides, it's better for you too."

"For me?" Tao didn't understand.

"You can see me! Isn't it better than just hearing a voice?" Eleya held up her hands to indicate that it was obvious.

"Well... yes, but... what if the others notice?" The boy looked back again.

"Everything will be fine! We'll be careful." Eleya replied boldly.

Seeing that Tao's face continued to express worry, she added:

"I waited until you were alone before we started talking now, didn't I? If anyone comes over, I'll pretend to be a pile of leaves." The spirit of the forest once again demonstrated its ability to transform itself into an inexpressive pile of leaves and grass.

Indeed, Tao could no longer see the tiny girl's body, only the grass and leaves. The weight was also about the same as could be expected.

"Are... other spirits doing something similar?" it occurred to him to ask.

"Create a body like that? Usually, no. At least the ones that live in the Realm of Man. Most are too weak, but the ones that can do it avoid humans, so there's no point in trying.” Eleya replied, standing up again to her full height.

Even though she claimed that this body was not flesh and blood, it was hard not to think of it that way. Tao had the impression that the tiny body's chest was heaving as it breathed, he could feel the warmth of the body on his skin. Tiny face expressed full emotions, and lips and eyes moved just like a real one the boy felt tempted to touch the miniature girl's cheek or stomach with his fingertip to test the elasticity of the skin.

"Now you know what I did this time... how about you?" Eleya changed the topic of the conversation.

"Me?"

"Was there anything interesting?" There was a sort of sly edge to her tone.

The boy judged that Eleya's voice had also become richer with emotion.

"I'm practicing as usual, if that's what you want to know. And as you already knew, the selesti had arrived and called down a blessing on the village." He replied.

"Is that all...?" it looked like Eleya was expecting more.

Her eyes narrowed a little, her face showed frustration.

"What more do you want to know?" Tao felt himself starting to sweat.

"Like why, when the village's defenses were raised, did you completely remove your spirit power barrier?"

Damn! The boy's hopes of getting through these events unnoticed were not fulfilled.

"Didn't you say you were going to leave? How could you see that?" He tried to buy more time with questions.

"I was close enough to feel the radiance of your spirit power. Everyone could feel it. Luckily for you, I don't think there was another powerful spirit nearby. "

"Well... that's good."

"So why are you taking such a risk, given all the effort I put into hiding your aura?" Eleya asked again, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't lose her balance, though the boy's hand wasn't completely steady footing.

It was clear that there was no point in trying to hide it anymore.

"I was trying to contact the spirits of light... to get their help against the enemy," Tao confessed.

As could be expected, Eleya wasn't surprised, but her face didn't smile.

"And? How did it go?"

"They didn't want to talk to me..."

"But did they reveal you to the summoner?"

"Well... not entirely... she knew I did something though... luckily she didn't realize what exactly, so it's fine."

"The Temple selesti know that you wanted to summon the spirits of light? A human child too young to be able to do that?"

"Well... yes."

The yellow eyes studied the boy's face for a moment.

"That wasn't smart." There was disapproval in her voice.

"The first time the light spirit spoke to me, so I thought... " Tao tried to excuse himself, but the tiny being interrupted him.

"That was an exception. It was foolish to expect it to happen again."

"Yes... " he decided to be compliant.

"You know they don't like the likes of me, don't you?"

"Yes, I remember."

"They won't do anything themselves, they'll just use humans who, even if they manage to defeat the enemy, might think of coming to live in my home."

"I just wanted to ask their advice... "

"Or they'll burn it down, like that tower."

"Sorry, I didn't think of that." Tao hoped to appease the spirit of the forest.

She fell silent but continued to study the boy's face carefully.

"Well, I guess it's my fault too..." Eleya's face and voice brightened.

Tao was surprised by such a change; he didn't understand what the forest spirit meant.

"Now that I have more strength, my understanding of humans has also grown, or rather, returned... I know I didn't always understand enough of your worries before. No wonder you looked elsewhere for help."

Eleya touched Tao's fingers with her hands again and smiled.

"It will be different now. The enemy is getting stronger, so we need to be stronger too. You must be stronger. If you want to learn to sense the spirit power, I will help you."

"Really?" The boy's heart began to beat faster.

"Although my plan to defeat the enemy does not need it, it won't do any harm. You never know what might happen before then."

"But you said it was impossible."

"It Is true, I don't know how to do it... yet. But some animals and even humans indeed have that ability. We have to figure out how to get it for you too."

Finally! Tao couldn't contain his excitement. His hands were almost trembling.

He didn't know about Eleya's plan, but his idea had the power to feel the power of the spirit, and more importantly, the spirits. He finally began to take steps in that direction.

"You need to keep getting stronger too, Tao. That artifact that the enemy got makes him stronger and will make him even stronger in the future. I can feel it, and so can the other spirits. If he becomes more powerful than you, it won't matter whether you see him or not. He will overwhelm you. You and me." Eleya's tone grew more somber.

The boy's joy faded.

"You know what that artifact does?" He asked.

"Not exactly, but it's no coincidence that the enemy gained more power so soon after getting it."

"How much stronger is he now?"

"Hard to say. Your spirit power is more powerful, from what I felt recently. I don't think he'll risk doing anything anytime soon, especially since he's already attracted the Temple's attention to him."

Tao looked south, towards the forest. Most of the trees had already lost their leaves and looked rather gloomy. The boy thought of the spawns that roamed in the shadows of the trees deeper into the forest. So far it looked like the enemy was able to control a few dozen monsters. If he indeed was getting stronger, would his influence over spawns will also grow? The ability to enter people's minds in dreams was also to be considered. Besides, what else could the enemy do?

Indres' voice caught Tao's attention. The puppy had finally obeyed the order to sit properly, so the man happily praised and caressed her. Seeing this, Safia also ran over to pet the dog. After a while, Indres made his daughter step back again to continue raising Sigi.

Even though Tao's parents and other people knew about the threat in the forest, they still went about their daily lives. Was it because they did not realize the seriousness of the threat? Or was being endangered by monsters and evil forces normal, something they just had to live with? A powerlessness?

The boy remembered his father's promise to protect his family and also Tao. It had warmed the boy’s heart at the time.

But the truth was that the burden was on Tao's shoulders.

He turned again to the spirit of the forest in his arms. The boy's eyes expressed determination.

"All right, I'm ready."

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