Elder Merakia lifted Elysha's unconscious body into her arms, cradling her carefully as she carried her to her room.
Concern etched deep lines across her forehead, for she could see the toll the pain and confusion had taken on her young pupil. Elysha's exhaustion was notable, and Elder Merakia couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for pushing her too far, too soon in her journey of theonum sorcery.
As she laid Elysha gently on the bed, Elder Merakia couldn't help but question her own judgment on her own actions during that incident.
‘Could I have been too hasty?’ She pondered silently, her forehead creased with worry. ‘Elysha has only just awakened to this world, and her journey has been filled with uncertainty from the start. Perhaps I expected too much from her, especially considering her mysterious past.’
As she stroked the blanket over Elysha's sleeping form, Elder Merakia couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. The memory of the pain and confusion on the girl's face haunted her, a stark reminder of the weight of her responsibilities as both guardian and mentor.
‘The girl is still a child after all, it's unfair to burden her with the complexities of sorcery before she's truly ready. To find this possible ‘kuniju-naufenüvji child’ in the depths of the forest was a miracle in itself—I shouldn't hasten to expect her to uncover her theonum core this soon, all because she wanted to find her identity as a mage…’
She continued, ‘Elysha's sensitive state and her desperate search for belonging may have misguidedly pushed her to go beyond her limits. Not only that…’
Elder Merakia frowned as she remembered the haunted look on the little girl's face and the laughter she had let out during the collapse of her suffering. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had overlooked the weight such a task brought to the child's current condition.
She sighed, ‘Perhaps I should allow time to measure the child’s conditions until she is ready to participate in training again. Today is an exception for assessing her growth and for the potential challenges that lie ahead on her journey.’
Elder Merakia looked at Elysha's slumbering form. She wanted to find out the root cause of Elysha's recent disturbing behavior, but as she looked at her current resting face, a feeling of affection and pride filled her heart. The child she had taken under her wing showed remarkable potential, and in her vulnerability she had managed to touch the soul of Elder Merakia.
She sighed again wearily, “These emotions I am feeling… all because of this child.”
‘For now, I will raise her, train her, and protect her until the time is right to let her go, just like I have done with Lucius.’ She nodded resolutely. ‘I will focus on providing Elysha with the comfort and care she needs. The investigation into her past can wait until she's ready to leave the nest.’
She tenderly brushed a stray strand of hair from Elysha's sleeping face, watching her until she settled to leave the room. But just as she reached for the lamp to extinguish its light, a faint grip took hold of her sleeve and the little girl's voice filled the air.
"Don't go," Elysha begged, her tired, vulnerable eyes pleading with her guardian to fulfill her request. "Please stay. Don't leave me alone."
Elder Merakia's expression softened, and she nodded with a smile. She sat down on the edge of the bed, close to Elysha. "I will stay," she whispered. "I will be here with you until you fall asleep, dear child."
Elysha, who found comfort in the presence of her guardian, clutched her pillow, nestled her head into the soft cushion and murmured sleepily, "Thank you, Elder Mera.”
Silence enveloped the room as Elder Merakia sat quietly by the little girl's side. After a few minutes, the child's voice broke the silence, "Elder Mera, why can't I remember anything before you found me?”
Elder Merakia lowered her gaze, her brow furrowing with concern as she considered what to answer when Elysha continued her questions, “Is there something wrong with me? How can I stop the pain when I try to remember?”
Then she lifted her head from the pillow, eyes fixed on her guardian, searching for answers and reassurance. "Do you think I'll be okay, Elder Mera?" She asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
Her guardian watched the child's eyes, which had become a little more sharper as a result of what she had experienced. Then she gave her a faint smile, emanating her affection as she placed her hand on the child's right cheek.
Elysha's pupils danced rapidly, feeling the warmth emanating from her guardian’s touch.
"You will be, dear child," Elder Merakia replied, caressing Elysha's cheek soothingly with her fingers. "Remember, things do take time, after all. It's too early to expect any immediate progress. Today is just the beginning, and tomorrow holds a long road filled with memories yet to be discovered. Life is a story of adventure, and you are, after all, my little protagonist to raise.”
A soft smile curled Elysha's lips as she clutched her pillow tightly, finding comfort in Elder Merakia's words. With a soft rustle of fabric, she buried her face in the pillow again, and this time the muffled hint of a soft squeak escaped her.
Silence returned to the room, a brief pause in the conversation. Neither discomfort nor embarrassment lingered in the quietude, but instead calmness and tranquility. Elder Merakia's presence acted as a soothing balm, helping Elysha to breathe peacefully again, no longer burdened by the weight that had hurt her.
~ ❈❇❈ ~
After a while, Elder Merakia rose from her seat, breaking the quiet stillness.
"Wait here for a moment," she instructed, stirring the little girl, who fell half-asleep from her pillow. "I will fetch something important and return shortly."
Elysha remained in the room, blinking her senses into clarity. Looking around, she thought she caught a glimpse of movement at the edge of her vision, and her eyes stared into a corner next to the curtains. However, it disappeared completely when her guardian reappeared, holding a book in her hands.
Elder Merakia settled down in a chair next to the bed and asked the child for her attention. "Elysha," she began in a thoughtful tone, "if I remember correctly, you took this book off the shelf earlier, didn't you?"
Her face emerged from the wall of her pillow and she turned her gaze to the cover of the book. It was indeed the same book she had once seen on the shelf—the one with the strange symbol.
"Yes," she confirmed with curiosity in her voice. "I remembered it, but I couldn't read it clearly. The words seemed blurry to me. How did you know?"
A wry smile curved Elder Merakia's lips. "Let's just say I have good observation skills." She replied cryptically.
Then she opened the book and deftly flipped through the pages to find a particular story. "This book contains stories about the Soliremisce Archipelago, the world we live in." She explained. "Written by a storyteller in the past who was very passionate about stories, each tale contains valuable meanings and lessons for those who listen. The characters on these pages have wishes, dreams and emotions that carries them through the passages. Not only that, but the stories are reflected on real experiences of the people on the islands themselves."
Elysha suppressed a yawn. "How interesting…" she mumbled, trying not to let the sleepiness overtake her. "Tell me more."
Elder Merakia leafed through the pages until she reached the cover of a particular story. “Ah, I found it. This one is titled, 'The Dreamweaver Bird.’”
“The Dreamweaver Bird?”
“Yes,” she affirmed, nodding. “This is one of several unique stories written by this storyteller. This story is about a girl who dreams of flying—to fly and to see the world with her own eyes.”
“Fly?”
Elder Merakia turned and saw Elysha's eyes looking at her curiously.
"Yes, flying indeed," she confirmed. "Like a bird that takes to the skies, flies through the clouds and travels to different places one may never have been before."
“How do you fly, then? I want to know, can you show me how?”
Her guardian chuckled, “Well, flying is indeed possible, but unfortunately I can not show you today as the sky has become late. For now, let me read you the story of The Dreamweaver Bird first.”
Elysha nodded, and Elder Merakia adjusted the book to where the little girl can see the illustration on the page. A glint of amusement danced in the lady's eyes as she cleared her throat and prepared to read the passage.
She began with a voice full of storytelling allure:
“There was a wistful dream felt by a curious girl....
A dream in which she was a bird whose heart spoke to the vast, open world....
To see with her own eyes upon the different places: from a meadow of flowers, to the mystical green forests, and to the rest of the wondrous lands in the afar....
And yet they were all elusive to her; a dream that was only just a longing dream....
When one night, as she lay in her bed like a nest and slept under the starry sky, a bright star fell down in its basked gleam....
And when she opened her eyes, it appeared in front of her in place of her hand-drawn book. The little girl cradled the bright essence in her arms like a large egg. She closed her eyes once more and whispered to the star....
‘I want to fly.’
Her eyes reflected gold when she imagined flight. Just as the child was about to drift off to sleep again, the star bathed the girl in its light. Wings sprouted from her back, and she jumped out of bed, happily surprised as she danced around and around....
With her wings until she turned to the window and saw the expanse of the stars that greeted her. She took a deep breath, climbed out of the window, flew and danced through the skies....
In her dreams, the girl has woven her story as a bird, and now she has become one in the air and sees the whole world before her eyes...."
----------------------------------------
Elder Merakia continued until she had finished reading the passages. After that, she turned to Elysha and asked, “What do you think of this story?”
Elysha blinked her eyes, took a brief moment to process her impression and nodded her head with a smile, “I liked the story,” she said. “Um…..”
“Don’t worry, take your time.”
“... I liked the dreaming and the girl who imagined flying and the bright star that gave her the wings to fly in the sky.” She said. “It's very nice and warm. I liked this story a lot.”
Her guardian chuckled again, “I figured that you would like this story,” she said, remembering the child’s wondrous gaze in the garden.
“What happens next?” Elysha asked. “The girl met a man with a big bird and went on adventures together before she had to go home.”
“Next? Oh, that was the end of the story.”
“End?”
“Yes, because when the author has finished, there are no more words after what was written, but since the story is open-ended, you can always imagine more adventures if you wish.”
“I see,” Elysha said, looking ambivalent until the sound of pages turning reached her ears, and she watched as Elder Merakia continued flipping pages until she reached the beginning of another story.
“This one is titled 'The Girl, the Beast, and the Golden Tree.’”
"The girl, the beast, and the…?" Elysha's eyebrows rose, her interest piqued.
“Golden tree,” her guardian nodded. “I find this story to be particularly interesting. It's more serious and dark in tone than the other one, but it makes you think about the story itself more deeply.”
“I see. I want to hear about it.”
Stolen story; please report.
Her guardian smiled upon hearing her pupil’s impatient anticipation, and so she began to tell the story:
“Abandoned and cold, she was still a lamentable soul....
The Beast, forsaken by fate, waits in the depths of the forest....
In search of the light, haunted by fear, the girl was lost and alone....
Wreathed in shadows, the Beast crept through the veil of darkness....
Clinging to hope, she saw a golden tree from afar....
The tree allures, its swaying leaves asking for a wish....
The girl had a feeling that wavered in her heart....
Of a wish that would bring her dreams to life....”
----------------------------------------
When Elder Merakia finished reading the story, she turned to Elysha and asked her with a curious look, “What are your thoughts on this story?"
Elysha tilted her head to the side and thought about the question for a moment before answering, "Hmm, I find the story interesting, but I don't understand it.”
“I see, then what can you tell about the story as far as you can remember?”
The little girl thought for a moment and then answered, "It was about a girl who was alone on a cold day, and everyone was having fun but her. So she walked and walked, following light after light until she got lost in the forest alone. She cried when she can’t find her way out in the dark when… a beast was behind her.”
“Indeed, and what happens after that?”
“Um, she ran and ran until she saw a golden tree that asked her for a wish, and she wished that her dreams would come true. I don't know what happened after that.”
Elder Merakia nodded, “That is a good way to interpret it,” she remarked. "This is one of the common fables often told as a bedtime story or during a fair noon leisure. For the story itself, there may be more to it than meets the eye. It could very well serve as a metaphor for hope.”
“Hope?”
“Indeed, for when light meets darkness, and darkness meets light, there lies the essence of hope," Elder Merakia explained, her voice soft but firm. "Just as the girl in the story faced darkness and despair, she also encountered the golden tree—a symbol of hope and possibility."
Elysha pondered her words, and as her guardian continued, "There's much more of the story to tell, however, all of that would be revealed another day.”
“You are stopping here?”
“Oh no,” she corrected, “there is a few more I want to tell, it hasn’t been long since I started telling stories, has it? Unless you are tired and want to go to sleep, are you?”
“Oh no-no!” Elysha insisted, “I want to hear more, I’m not tired yet. Is there another story you could tell me?”
A smile played around Elder Merakia's lips as she recognized the child’s visible eagerness and hunger for more stories. "Indeed, yes," she replied, "There is another story called 'Totheniui's Owl.’"
“Tohujhi’s Owl?” Elysha blinked her eyes. “Toh—”
“Totheniui,” Elder Merakia corrected. “This story is about a prominent individual from the City of Totheniui, which is named after him. He is the founder of a famous library and institution, and he is accompanied by his faithful owl, a constant companion on his ventures through the layers of history and knowledge preserved."
She spoke as she flipped through the pages to find the beginning of the story and began to read aloud:
"Thus was the tale of the owl of Totheniui—
Who watches over the library, wise and enigmatic....
The owl is faithful to its master, the one who leads the prestigious city....
To collect and preserve stories, gathering them like precious gems and storing them within the repository of knowledge....
Night after night, the owl continues its solitary flight. The people know of the owl, who flies as the moon casts its silvery glow over the snow-covered mountains....
Reclusive and aloof, the owl rarely communicates with the people of the lamplight city, only to collect new stories for the library....
By fulfilling its role for the Totheniui, the owl preserves and regulates the repository—for the people, for the city, for the world itself. Stories are like fertilizers for the tree of knowledge....
Despite its conscientious routine, the owl longs for something more, something that attracts the owl's eyes more than books, more than the pleasure of secrets and cryptic words....
Perhaps something more intrinsic to the ideal than the mundane. Such as the time span for a bored and lonely owl is longer than that of the books themselves....
Thus the tale of the owl of Totheniui continued its flight....”
----------------------------------------
Elder Merakia finished reading, lowered the book, turned to Elysha and asked, "What do you think of this story?"
Elysha thought for a moment and frowned slightly. "Hmm, I liked the story and the owl, but I still don't understand it."
“Is that so? Then what can you gather from the story, as far as you can remember?”
“Um, it's about an owl that belongs to Toteni and watches over the library. And the owl collects stories and wants more...”
The little girl thought again until she said, "Um, that's all I can remember. I'm sorry."
“Oh, there is no need to apologize,” Elder Merakia said. “This story seems a little more difficult to comprehend in its abstraction. I suspect there's more to the story, but unlike the other story before, there's no continuation for this one.”
“No more?”
“No more indeed, sadly.”
Elysha's expression changed, a mixture of compassion and concern crossed her features. She leaned back against the pillow and said, “How sad,” she murmured softly. “What is an owl though?”
“An owl?”
She nodded.
Elder Merakia studied her and replied, “An owl is a bird.” Then she asked, “Do you know what birds are?”
“Yes, like the bird in the first story. They fly up into the sky and have wings like this on their backs.”
Elysha stood up on the bed and gestured to where her back is, then she raised a questions, “Are we birds too, Elder Mera?”
Her guardian chuckled, and bluntly responded, “No.”
“No? But the story…?”
“I will like to ask you another question,” she continued, “Do you know what birds are before you heard of The Dreamweaver Bird story?”
Elysha's brows furrowed as she pondered Elder Merakia's question. "Um... I'm not sure," she admitted hesitantly. "I don’t know…”
“You don’t have to remember,” she clarified. “Even if you do not know, I can tell you everything there is to know about birds.”
‘I may likely have to send her into the woods tomorrow morning with a children’s encyclopedia and a folder of homework.’ She sighed inwardly and looked at her watch, “It is almost bedtime, so the next story will be the last one for the night.”
“Okay,” Elysha nodded.
With a subtle movement, Elder Merakia turned the pages of the treasury book. “The next story,” she announced with a sense of finality in her voice, "is called, 'The Cat and the Bird.'"
“The Cat and the Bird?”
“Yes, and just to our coincidence, this story also features a bird alongside a cat.”
“Cat?”
Elder Merakia looked at the little girl with scrutiny. “... Do you also not know what a cat is?”
She fell silent and her guardian sighed, “Tomorrow morning, you will go outside the house and explore the woods so that you can get to know and understand the world you live in better.”
Elysha's eyes lit up and she spoke, “I am?”
“Indeed, yes.” She nodded. “Well then, let’s begin this story, shall we?”
Elysha closed her eyes, a feeling of anticipation rising within her. She settled into a comfortable position, ready to engage in the words that would soon tell another story.
Elder Merakia began to read:
"Long ago, there was a world of the lost....
Everything was shrouded in white, a sad, fragile and lonely sight....
A lonely cat stood around looking for something....
Whatever it could be, it would appear one day....
The cat, with a heart full of longing, is on an endless journey....
Then a bird appeared and greeted the cat....
The cat watches as the bird flies, wings outstretched as if in heaven....
The cat was nothing and the bird was everything…."
----------------------------------------
Elder Merakia closed the book and turned to Elysha, whose eyes filled with empathy. "I felt bad for the cat," she said, this time speaking first before her guardian.
“You felt bad for the cat?”
“Mm-hm.”
"Tell me more, dear. What made you feel sorry for the cat?"
“The cat in the story felt lonely and sad because the bird had everything the cat wanted, like flying in the sky.” She explained.
Elder Merakia regarded Elysha with a smile, "What would you say to the lonely cat if you had the chance?" She asked.
Elysha's gaze moved briefly, meeting Elder Merakia’s deep green eyes. With a calm determination, she replied, "I want to tell the cat that he is not alone in this world, because I am here at his side."
A quiet atmosphere filled the room after her words, until Elder Merakia spoke, “You possess empathy beyond your years, dear child," she praised, clapping her hands softly. “Not only that, there is much wisdom, knowledge and experience to be gained from this world, just as this treasury book holds tales of our history and the stories of Soliremisce, full of important details to be remembered.”
She placed the book on the side table as she continued, “As for more tales, I will share them with you another day.”
Elder Merakia placed the blanket around the little girl. “Rest well, Elysha," she said in a warm voice. "I will have breakfast ready for you in the morning.”
When the flickering lamp had gone out, Elder Merakia turned toward the door. Just as she was about to close it, a soft voice reached her ear. "Good night, Elder Mera.”
A warm smile graced the lady's face as she replied, "Good night to you, too, sweetie."
With that, she closed the door and Elysha drift into a peaceful slumber, embraced by the memories of the stories she had heard and the promise of a new day.
~ ❈❇❈ ~
After closing the door to Elysha's room, Elder Merakia couldn't help but release a heavy sigh, the burden of her responsibilities finally lifted from her weary shoulders.
Stepping into her office, she reached out and, with a flick of her fingers, ignited a nearby candle, its warm glow casting an inviting light into the room. Her tired eyes scanned the familiar surroundings, taking in the rows of weathered books that housed a wealth of knowledge on plants, creatures, and medicines, as well as the stacks of parchment holding letters from various addresses. The flickering flame on her desk playfully danced, shedding light on the countless hours she had spent in this room, immersed in her pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.
Settling into her well-worn chair, Elder Merakia let out another deep sigh as her body sank comfortably into the familiar cushion. The events of the day lingered heavily in her mind, and the stories she had shared with Elysha echoed in her thoughts. Each tale she had read held sentiments that resonated within her, and the child's reactions and interpretations had added new perspectives to the stories she had long known.
Yet, amidst the echoes of those heartwarming tales, Elder Merakia couldn't shake off the haunting memories that plagued her mind. The tear-streaked face of her young pupil played over and over again, from their initial encounter to their shared breakfast. The pain and anguish etched in Elysha's eyes had seized her heart, leaving an indelible mark. The mere thought of the child enduring any more suffering was unbearable to her.
"In times like these, the weight of responsibility becomes troublesome, especially for someone as delicate as myself," Elder Merakia mused aloud. “That child, I wondered, what connection could she have with the mysterious force from earlier, unsettling the whole forest for a rude awakening? Is she really just another phenomenon of a kuniju-naufenüvji child? Or is she something more than a lost child as far as this complex connection is concerned?”
Lost in her thoughts, she found herself seated at her desk in the dimly lit office. Pen in hand, she began to craft a letter on a sheet of parchment, intending to address the chief of the nearby village of Illumina.
“Nonetheless, I will inform the neighbors of this forest about the situation, however, Elysha's unknown background will remain as a kuniju-naufenüvji.”
As her gaze wandered across the desk, she couldn't help but glance at a stack of papers under which lay two letters that had arrived that morning. The stack caught her attention and the sight of the letters triggered her earlier recollection.
In the early morning, before Elysha was awake, Elder Merakia had set down her cup of coffee and walked outside to see a winged creature perched on the mailbox.
“Firlija, good morning to you my friend.”
She gestured at the bird in acknowledgement before the creature took off towards the next house for delivery. Elder Merakia opened the mailbox, took a set of new mails and walked back to her house as she glanced at the sender's name on the front mail.
“Oh? From Professor Chthostric?” Elder Merakia’s brows crinkled with interest.
She entered the house and stopped at the table to set down the letters and opened the letter from the esteemed professor from the Totheniui Institution. She raised the paper and read the message:
‘Dear Elder Cécil Merakia,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you with a matter of urgency concerning the delicate balance of theonum energy in the Forest of Iröstos around your residence. Recent observations and analyses conducted by our esteemed scholars at the Totheniui Institution have revealed concerning fluctuations in the levels of theonum energy, indicating a potential destabilization of the equilibrium.
In particular, our research indicates a significant increase in the conflicting energies between the Elbijans and Zhivopians within the vicinity of the forest. This imbalance has increased the likelihood of a distortion effect, where the conflicting energies interact in such a way as to disrupt the natural order of theonum flow.
As you are well aware, the consequences of such a disturbance can be dire. We need only look back to the tragic events of the disaster that occurred in the Isle of Vikavirya ten years ago to understand the devastating consequences of uncontrolled fluctuations in theonum energy. It is imperative that we take proactive measures to address this situation before it escalates further.
I urge you to remain watchful and to take all necessary precautions to mitigate the risk of a major incident occurring within your forest and alert your neighbors as well. Our scholars at the Totheniui Institution are prepared to conduct thorough research to determine the cause of the unstable levels, and are available to provide you with advice and assistance if you need help in this matter.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information or assistance. We can work to ensure the safety and stability of the beloved forest and its inhabitants.
With sincere regards,
Professor Demetrius Chthostric
Totheniui Institution’
----------------------------------------
Elder Merakia sighed and set aside the quill, its ink still drying on the parchment. She leaned back in her chair and let her tired eyes wander to the flickering flame of the candle, whose warm glow cast changing shadows in the room.
"A troublesome time indeed," she whispered softly, her words dissipating into the still air of the office. Her gaze wandered to the mail next to the professor's letter, a dark-colored envelope that emitted an aura of foreboding.
After a moment or two of staring at the mysterious mail, Elder Merakia reached for it and opened it.
Her eyes skimmed over the letter and took in the words written inside. Her brows drew together, and her expression changed from curiosity to a deep frown as she read on.
“Beijal.”
From the shadows emerged a creature. "Kyjuu?"
"Burn this mail."
Without hesitation, the creature obeyed, enveloping the letter in flames until it was nothing but ashes. As the last remnants of the letter disintegrated, Elder Merakia let out a deep sigh in frustration.
"Annoying." She scowled. "Whoever wrote it, I'm going to find that person and make sure I get every last bit of answer out of them."
Her teeth gritted and her hands clenched into fists, but she knew she couldn't let fear and anger get the better of her.
She whispered under her breath, "How did this person know?"