Elysha and Micah continued on their way, crossing a wooden bridge that led over a flowing stream.

As they walked along, Elysha watched the view around them while Micah commentated throughout the whole trip, wagging his big fluffy tail, "Just so you know, Micah was born in the Forest of Iröstos, and he made up lots of fun activities and games for all of the neighborhoods alike. And through that, I've met so many people and made so many friends, you'd be surprised how well they know me."

“Really?”

“Yes, really! The forest wouldn't be the same without Micah, haven't you been listening to me?”

“I am listening.”

He smiled and continued, “Micah has made many memories, including lots of creative and special activities in the forest, including games and delightable shows!”

“You do?”

“Because Micah is the ‘storymaster-mind’ here! I’ve already made a big footprint here in the forest, and life here wouldn't be the same without me!”

“... Really?”

“Yes, really!” He repeated, then frowned. “Micah needs to invite you to one of my sessions, then you'll see how much I am capable of crafting amazing stories for the forest!”

Elysha blinked her eyes, trying to imagine what the gray-furred creature was describing.

“Hey, it’s that Micah over there?”

Ears perked, Micah and Elysha turned their heads towards a pair of creatures behind the bushes. The little girl didn't recognize their appearances from her encyclopedia, and their eyes were fixed on the gray-furred creature..

“It is the infamous Micah!”

As the duo approached, Micah's expression shifted from pride to annoyance, his ears twitching with irritation. "Ugh, not you two again.”

“Yes, us again!” One of them proclaimed.

The other one recognized the little girl’s presence and spoke out, “Ah, and who's this? Another innocent soul to fall victim to your game?”

“Game?” Elysha raised a brow.

“Oh no, give her my condolences.”

“Your condolences?!” Micah shouted back, his fur bristled, his tail swishing back and forth in agitation. “Hey, Micah’s games are not infamous!”

The two creatures laughed, clearly enjoying their little game of provocation. "Oh, come on, Micah, where's that sense of humor you usually have?" One of them taunted, nudging the other with a playful grin.

“Sorry, but I don't have time for your nonsense today.” Micah then turned to Elysha and said, “Let’s not pay attention to them any longer. Follow me!”

She nodded, and they continued on, leaving them behind.

“Bye Micah! Come back when you are done!” They shouted.

“Let’s continue the storyline session later!”

The two walked on, their footsteps rustling through the undergrowth as the sounds of birdsong filled the air around them.

*chirp*

Elysha turned her gaze upwards and saw a group of birds perched on the branches, looking below at them before taking to the air with the rest of the flocks.

“Look at that, more birds noticing you in the forest,” Micah remarked, his eyes following the birds' path through the sky. Then, turning to Elysha, he continued, “Usually, this forest is abundantly lively, because for all of us who were born here, this place is known as our home.”

“Where do you live then, Micah?”

“Micah lives practically everywhere! Well, at least Micah does these days.” He replied, his smile widening.

“Everywhere?”

“Everywhere!”

Elysha couldn't help but imagine that scenario as he continued, “Anyway, where was I? Oh yes! We're about to reach a place where Micah wanted to visit! Let’s move faster! Do you think you can catch up with me?”

She stopped, processed his words and returned with a determined nod.

Micah smiled and took off into the forest. Elysha quickened her pace to keep up with the gray-furred creature, interested to know what awaited them at their destination.

They ran and ran as they passed the tall stone pillars that stood guard along the overgrown forest path, their surfaces adorned with a tangle of moss and other forms of fungi.

Eventually Micah stopped, and allowed Elysha to take a moment of breather. He turned to observe the stone pillars and said, “Beyond these scattered stone pillars lies a place of old ruins.”

“Old ruins?”

“Yep! These ruins belonged to the forest's ancestors, the Kuwakjis, and were then passed onto one of the forest's later tribes, I don't know who, the details elude me to be honest, ehehe.”

Curiosity piqued, Elysha raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you know all the details?" She asked.

He let out a sigh, "Well, you see, Micah had tried to unravel the full history of everything, but… you know…”

“I know…?”

“Micah simply hasn't made the effort to learn all the details, yet!” He replied. “Micah still learning a lot, too. So don't embarrass me with questions I can't answer!”

"Embarrass you? Why would I do that?” Elysha tilted her head, then a playful gleam appeared in her eyes. “Don't you enjoy being called ‘Mister Fluffy?’"

Micah's fluffy body trembled with amusement, and a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Actually, I have to admit that I quite like that nickname. It has a certain charm to it, don't you think? Ehehehehehehehe..."

Elysha frowned at his words and laughter, but she decided to remain silent for now and instead observe their surroundings as they approached the ruins.

The first glimpses of the area revealed a scene of desolation and decay: broken statues lay scattered on the ground, while piles of stones and toppled pillars, wrapped in a carpet of moss, vines, and tall grass, gave the impression of a forgotten history.

Elysha walked to one of the pillars and pressed her hand on the moss, feeling its soft texture covering the hard surface. Then she let go and looked at her hand and then at her other hand—her eyes widened in realization.

“Wait, where is my staff?” She blurted out, searching around herself and the area.

“What staff?” Micah asked.

“My staff! It’s a long stick with um… a round thingy at the end like this! I… I was holding it since the beginning when I entered the forest, and then…”

He scratched himself and replied, “Hm, nope! Micah has never seen you hold a staff like that since I first saw you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really—really!”

“Then…” Elysha heart sank at Micah's response. “But I could have sworn I had it with me," she murmured. “If you didn’t see me holding a staff, then, when was the last time I held it with me?”

She took a moment to try and remember.

“Perhaps maybe when I was with Kitty?” She mused.

Elysha then turned around to backtrack her steps when a voice called out, “Hey! You are not leaving Micah are you?”

“I need to find my staff.” She insisted.

“Grr, wait until Micah has shown you the place I wanted to go first, then you can go and find what you're looking for!”

“...” She looked back at Micah, torn between her desire to retrieve her staff as well as find Kitty, and her curiosity about what he wanted to show her.

After a moment of hesitation, Elysha made a decision. "Okay, Micah. I'll come with you," she said.

Micah's expression softened, and he nodded in understanding. "Deal!" He said, keeping down the excitement in his voice.

They proceeded forward, passing by more of the stone pillars as Micah continued his commentary, “Now where was I at again? Hm… Ah! I remembered now! This part of the forest originally belonged to the Kuwakji Tribe, one of the original three civilizations of the Asnoiji. Nowadays, after being passed down and then lost in time, these ruins are now assimilating with the forest, meaning that history and nature are becoming one with each other.”

As they approached the ruins, Micah stopped and so did Elysha, their eyes gazing upon the sight to behold in front of them.

She could catch glimpses of the place, which resembled Elder Merakia's garden, but its sight was amplified by the ongoing reclamation of nature: Moss, ivy and an abundance of wildflowers adorned most areas, breathing life into the broken stones.

As they admired the sight of the ruined wonders, Micah broke the silence and spoke, “Anyway, to sum it all up, this is one of the places where we Zhivopians can relax and have fun!"

“Have fun?”

“Of course! What place in the forest is excluded from having fun?”

Her curiosity was further piqued and she asked a question, "So, why did you bring me here?"

His grin widened, revealing his pointed teeth. "Why," he replied, his tail wagging in anticipation, "Micah brought you here to face a trial!"

"A trial?"

"Yes, you simply need to navigate and complete the challenge while exploring the ruins!"

Perplexed, Elysha pressed for more information. "And what is this challenge?"

"I'm afraid Micah can't give that away,” he said, shaking his head, “because then it wouldn't be as entertaining as it should be! You'll have to rely on your intuition to solve the trial yourself!"

"I see..." she folded her arms. "I'm not going to join your trial."

“Why?”

“Because…” Elysha recalls the words that the creatures before had mentioned. “I don’t know what ‘game’ you are doing.”

“Oh, come on! You're not thinking about those idiots from earlier, are you? Do you really doubt the truth of what Micah says?”

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Elysha hesitated, “I just… I don’t know,” she admitted softly.

Micah's expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Ah, I see,” he murmured, his ears perking upwards. “You don't know what a game is, do you?”

Elysha shook her head. “What’s a game?”

“It's... well, it's like a challenge or an activity that people do for fun,” Micah explained, his tail swishing back and forth in excitement. “You see, in a game, there are rules and objectives, and the goal is to achieve them while having fun!”

Elysha nodded. “Oh, I think I understand now. Then, is this trial a game?”

“NO! A trial is a trial, and a game is a game. Trials are a special process as they examine the growth of one's soul identity. I am sure it will be a great experience! Just trust me.”

“Soul identity?” Her muttered breath recognizes the term. "I suppose if this trial has anything to do with Elder Mera, then it’s fine to try, I guess. But why do you feel the need for me to explore this place? What strange wonders are hidden here?"

"It’s called taking part in an exploration through the ruins," said Micah, running along towards the inner sections. "The closer you look, the more you witness the history that these ruins once were! Follow me!”

He then went on running, and Elysha followed his lead, emitting an exasperated groan as she struggled to keep up with his brisk pace on a direct path. "Where exactly are you leading me?" She inquired.

"You will see it just up ahead!" Micah declared. “The hidden strange wonders you speak of could be found up ahead! If you want to see them, then come forth!"

~ ❈❇❈ ~

In the inner sections of the ruins, Elysha and Micah came upon a staircase that led down to the lost civilization. The air felt thick with an essence of the ruins, and as they descended, Elysha's eyes couldn't help but stare at the structural sight before her: Mazes of trees, bushes, statues, pillars, buildings—there was so much to see.

However, she took a misstep, her foot slipping on a loose stone.

“Ah—!”

She tumbled forward, her hands reaching out desperately for something to hold onto, when her upper body landed on something soft and her hands grabbed onto a tuft of fur.

“...?”

Elysha turned her head to see a large creature, more than twice her size, standing horizontally on the stairs. His body was like clumps of clouds that had merged into one form, almost spiritual-like and more subdue in colors. There was a shiny golden mark on his forehead, and his gaze looked at her with an expression of concern.

Her eyes widened in shock, “Mi-Micah?”

He nodded and replied, “It’s me,” then went on, “are you okay?”

“Y-Yes.”

Elysha slid herself off back to her feet on the stairs, and after that Micah transformed, sending a gust of air around them, shrinking smaller and smaller until he was back to his previous form.

”Whoo! I haven't done that in a long time, come to think of it.” He said, then turned to Elysha, “Make sure you don't fall off the stairs again! Maybe Micah won't be there to help you next time.”

He observed her reaction and noticed that she wasn’t paying attention to his words. “That mark…” She muttered.

Micah looked up and his eyes widened, “Ah! my leaf! It’s gone now!”

“Your leaf?”

“Nooo! Now I feel naked now without Micah’s leaf!” He complained, trying to cover his head with his tail.

She watched him hiding himself for over a minute until she looked around, walked away and came back to place a small leaf on his head. “Here you go,” she said.

Micah sniffled, looked up at the leaf and shouted, “This leaf is too small! It even has brown decay on it!”

“But I don’t know what to do to make you feel better,” Elysha said, frowning.

“... It’s okay, Micah can look for Madelei to make me a new hat again.”

“Madelei?”

“Ah! You probably haven’t met her, didn’t you? She’s the daughter of the Forest Mistress of the Guardian Iröstos.”

“Forest Mistress?” She blinked her eyes. “Guardian Iröstos?”

“Yeah! You will have a lot to learn by the time you visit the Village of Illumina. That is like, the central place of all of the Forest of Iröstos and where she is from.”

Elysha processed those words as Micah continued descending the stairs, “Anyways, I am certain that Madelei will be happy to meet you—Ah! My leaf! It’s down there!”

She watched and took a few cautious steps down the stairs as Micah cried, “No! Don’t let the wind take you away! Come back!”

They continued forward, with Elysha following after Micah as they entered the edge of an labyrinthe-like area with walls of gates and bushes tall enough to where the little girl’s gaze couldn't even reach the other side.

Micah retrieved the leaf and settled it back onto his head. “There we go,” he smiled. “Micah is relieved to have it back.”

He turned to Elysha, who nodded at him.

“Let’s go!” He grinned, and they continued through the grounds until they reached the end of the path where a large archway rose at the far end of the open space, its stone ashlars decorated with a weave of moss and leaves. The entrance to the archway emitted a warm, inviting light.

Micah turned to see Elysha’s expression as she took in her surroundings and teased, “Ehehe, looks like you've stumbled onto something really wondrous, doesn't it?”

Elysha shook her head, “I don't know what you're talking about. I was just taking in the surroundings since it's my first time here.”

“Sure, sure, pretending that you aren’t interested in what lies beyond the archway, are you?”

She shrugged, “Hm, maybe…?”

“Shall we go and find out?” He smiled, swishing his tail around.

She nodded, “Yeah.”

Together, they took a step forward, crossed the threshold of the archway and entered the central area of the ruins. They walked on as Elysha followed Micah's gaze and looked what she saw before them: Small structures dotted the landscape, their walls marred by cracks where even trees had found their way through the stone. Nature thrived here on the open ground with shrubs, trees, weeds and flowers enveloping the structures in a verdant embrace.

“This is… the place of the lost Kuwa Tribe isn’t it?” Elysha asked.

“Kuwakji,” Micah corrected, “and yeah, and so on and so forth with its successor tribes until this place became what is is now.”

“Then why has it become like this now?”

Micah furrowed his brow in thought before explaining, “Mmm, because you see, when life comes in goes for a long period of time, things change. New people replace old ones, and they live their lives differently from those in the past. What remains are the cultural traditions and memories left behind. But with preservation comes the desire for new changes. So people moved out to start their own lives, and those who preferred the old ways stayed here.”

“I see,” Elysha nodded.

“Over time, the newer tribes became more populated and prosperous. People migrated to these new tribes. Then, the Guardian Iröstos moved to the Village of Illumina, and more followed. Eventually, this place became a memorial relic to the old tribe. People visit to preserve the memories of the past.”

“How interesting,” she murmured.

Micah continued, "All of this happened long before even my ancestors witnessed it. Many like myself come here to play around. There are things that Micah want to show you as well! Not only that, we are almost there too, so follow me!”

He darted forward, beckoning her to follow. As they moved through the ruins, Micah glanced back at Elysha.

"By the way, what do you think about all of this so far?" He asked. "These ruins hold a wealth of historical knowledge, don't you think?"

"They do," she replied, catching her breath. "From what you've told me so far, and from what I've seen, I find them very interesting to me."

“What else is there that you don't know? I'm sure you've heard of the Asnoiji, right?”

"Um, I’ve heard that name, I think that you may have mentioned to me before.” Elysha replied, her brow furrowing in thought. “But I don’t know who the Asoiji is.”

Micah raised a brow and opened his mouth, "Interesting. Almost everyone is familiar with the Asnoiji. He is the creator of all things in this world, his name meaning 'The Lord of Divinity.'”

“The Lord of Divinity?”

“That’s right!” He nodded. “He brought this world into existence from nothingness and ensured that the Elbijan and Zhivopian races coexist in harmony and peace. It is through His power, known as theonum, that we are able to use and manipulate the very essence of creation itself.”

"I see…" replied Elysha, her mind imbued with the newfound knowledge. The concept of a higher being creating a world full of creatures and limitless wonders felt almost magical, as if He were the most divine occurrence there was.

The mysterious figure of the Asnoiji stirred her questions, “So you are saying that he created both you and I, and Elder Merakia as well?”

“Yes, that’s right! Including you, I and Elder Merakia. It is known by everyone on the isles that we are all part of His divine story, each with our own unique purpose in this world.”

“All part of his divine story?” Elysha repeated. “Then, has the Asnoiji ever revealed himself to anyone? Given that he’s the 'creator' of this world?"

Micah shook his head, "Hm, not that I know of, and not that anyone remembers. But there is a lot of evidence and ancient records in these ruins that attest to His existence.”

She nodded in understanding, “I see…”

As they kept walking, Elysha peered into her mind, her thoughts echoed by Micah’s words, ‘The more I learned, the more questions I have...’ She mused inwardly, gazing her eyes out to the sky. ‘The Lord of Divinity—the creator of the world. He created me, Micah, and Elder Merakia as well, and everyone in this forest. He is… then, I wondered what soul identity he gave me to become in this world?’

Elysha quelled her ever-growing curiosity about the knowledge of the world. And then, as if in response to her growing anticipation, Micah declared, "Ah, we're here!"

~ ❈❇❈ ~

When they had arrived, the two came across a section of the lost civilization where there are various pillars and statues, each with a different shape and size. From a distance at the center was a large circle with a fountain could be seen, empty and dry, with moss and vines growing on it.

“Here we are is the memorial area of statues and tributes to important figures and loved ones,” he said. “This place kinda holds the memories of those who once walked these grounds back in the days of the Kuwakji Tribe, and their memories and stories are immortalized in stone. Some considered this as the heart of the ruins.”

As Micah continued to speak, Elysha’s eyes was drawn to a statue standing on a large stone pedestal. One of its arms stretched upwards, as if reaching for the sky. Near the pedestal, a single carving in a language she didn't recognize caught her attention. White flowers grew around the statue, their petals swaying in the soft wind.

She tilted her head and, as if in a trance, found herself mirroring the statue's gesture. Her hands reached towards the sky, her hair flowed behind her like a cascading stream, and her lips formed a soft, serene expression. For a moment, Elysha felt as calm and phlegmatic as the frozen statue before her, and her gaze fixed on the bright expanse of the sky.

However, her reverie was abruptly interrupted by Micah's voice breaking the still serenity, “... And not only that, over there is the temple where devotees worshiped the Asnoiji," he explained, addressing Elysha. "But over time—uh, are you even listening to me?"

Startled, Elysha lowered her arm and offered an apologetic smile. "Oh, sorry, my mind wandered off again.”

“Again?!?”

“W-What were you saying again?"

Micah sighed, and spoke, “Ah, to get straight to the point, those statues you see scattered throughout Soliremisce are called 'neshevöds.' They were erected by followers of the Asnoiji, known as 'eiríköpis,' to pay tribute to their divine lord."

Elysha attentively absorbed his words, noting the tone of enthusiasm in Micah's voice. "So, the eiríköpis believe that the divine powers they possess come from the Asnoiji himself. They see these statues—the neshevöds—as protectors in times of danger, such as when they are confronted by supernatural creatures, monsters, or otherworldly beings."

Understanding dawned upon Elysha as she nodded in acknowledgement. “Ah, okay then.”

Micah grinned, "Well, did Micah manage to confuse you with all the details of the trial?"

She shook her head and said, "Um, not at all. Your words make sense, I mean, since the Asnoiji is the creator of everything, it's only makes sense that he knows everything about everything there is. Because he created us, after all."

Micah arched an eyebrow, “I am impressed by your level of insight. Cecil was right about you. You have a decent intellectual maturity that belies your youthful appearance.”

Elysha blinked her eyes and tilted her head, but before she could inquire further, Micah redirected his attention elsewhere. "Anyway, let's keep moving. The main place Micah was going to take you isn't far from here!"

“Huh? So it wasn’t this place then?”

“Ah haha, nope it wasn’t!”

As he took some steps towards the destination, Elysha called out to him, “Wait!”

He halted his steps and asked, “What now?”

"What is written on that statue?"

"Hm?" Micah turned his head, following her gaze, and his eyes lingered on the statue she had pointed out. Curious, he walked over to the pedestal and examined the inscription she had noticed.

"Ah, this is just another statue of the Asnoiji," he explained. "And the writing you mentioned is the language of the Soliremiscians from the past.”

“Language from the past?”

“That is what our ancestors mainly spoke back then, and there were different variants of the language, such as this is the Iröstos variant. Nowadays we sometimes speak the old languages to enchant our theonum spells, ehehe."

Micah stepped closer and began to read aloud the characters etched into the stone. Elysha listened as he spoke out the inscription:

“‘J’Asnoiji, Theolfanija,

Enestreküné niji Mikataiji ni Wergoraja,

Oreschwaüdiné ni j’Efkulturja Chtholvdol,

Naija niji Nukamot Olma.’”

Elysha's eyebrow arched in confusion and asked, "What does it mean?"

Micah checked the words he had spoken and replied, "Well, the inscription translates to:

‘The Asnoiji, Theolfanija,

Wearer of the Crown of Thorns,

Originator of the -------- -----,

----- of the ----- -----.’”

Elysha's expression became even more confused. “… What?”

Micah turned to her and frowned, asking, "What do you mean by ‘what?’ Do you want me to say it out again?"

“No…” Elysha’s eyes quivered, her body shaking a little. "I didn't hear some of the words when you said them to me. Sorry."

"Hmm… but Micah could swear that I heard the words I spoke very clearly.” He mumbled in disbelief.

Elysha's eyes never left the statue, her mind grappling with the enigma before her. Finally she spoke, “Micah?”

“What is it?”

"Look at the writings behind you."

Micah turned his head back to the inscription. His eyes widened in shock.

“How...?”

The words seemed to have vanished from the statue's surface. The once clearly engraved text was nowhere to be found.

“How did they disappear?" He repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.