Shortly after entering the house, Elder Merakia led the child into her bedroom and had her lie down on the soft mattress.

“Rest now,” she said, pulling the covers over the girl. “Your body needs time for the pain to subside, and so does your mind.”

Hugging a pillow, the little girl nodded and murmured with her eyes averted, “I… Okay…”

Elder Merakia brushed a strand of hair from Elysha’s face. “As I said before, you have done well for your first manifestation. That itself is enough for the time being. When you feel better again, you can come out of your room and help me clean up the house.”

When the door closed, the room fell into a calm silence. Elysha let the stillness settle over her, her breathing becoming steadier with each passing second. She reached out with her senses, trying to feel the faint warmth of her theonum core.

“It’s still there,” she murmured to herself, her lips curving into a small smile. The pain in her head felt less daunting now than before, overshadowed by the pride of her accomplishment.

Soon after, she fell back into her thoughts, replaying the events of her theonum manifestations, from the time in the woods with Micah to the one in front of her guardian. Holding her hand to her forehead, Elysha whispered to herself, “I don’t understand why, I can still feel the pain in my head, but why does my core keep hurting me? Rejecting me? I can’t understand it.”

Images of the failed attempts to connect with her theonum core flashed through her mind. She remembered the feelings of frustration and confusion that left her with more questions than before.

“I have tried so hard to use theonum magic,” she went on, her eyebrows furrowed. “I have spent so much time trying. Why do I feel that my efforts are not enough?”

Elysha stared at the ceiling, one hand resting on her chest and the other wrapped around her pillow. The pride she had felt earlier had faded, replaced by an ache not just in her head but in her heart.

She moved the pillow to her face and asked herself, “Am I’m not good enough? But, I tried so hard. What am I missing? Micah made it look so easy. Even Elder Mera said I am doing well, but… it doesn’t feel like it to me. What if I continue to stay like this?”

A wave of disappointment swept over her expression, she wanted to realize the full potential of her theonum core, to harness its power with the confidence and finesse she had seen her guardian display yesterday.

As Elysha lay in silence, her mind pondered, ‘What if maybe Elder Mera had the same problem? What if it was just only me who had this problem?’ Her eyes widened in worry. ‘Maybe if I could find the reason why my core hurts me so much, why I cannot use my magic. Maybe that way I can fix all of this.’

*thud*

She flinched, her moment of introspection interrupted by a subtle and abnormal movement in the background. Her eyes had caught a glimpse of something at the edge of her vision.

“Huh? What was that?”

Her curiosity piqued, Elysha turned her attention to the ceiling and its corners. Nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be there.

“...?” Her mouth was left hanging in confusion. “But I thought I noticed something…”

Wanting to investigate further, she closed her eyes, feigning rest. She didn’t move and listened carefully.

…

*rustle*

When she heard another abnormal movement, she quickly rose from her bed and looked up at the ceiling. There she caught a glimpse of the rear end of an unknown creature before it disappeared back into hiding.

“There you are!” she called out with a determined gaze. “I found you!”

Elysha squinted at the corners of the ceiling, searching for any further movement, but there were no other signs to give her any clues. The room was still, with only the soft glow of the dim light casting long shadows across the walls. Her gaze turned to confusion as she muttered, “Where did it go?”

Stepping cautiously out of her bed, she tiptoed across the floor, her bare feet making no sound against the wooden planks. She checked behind the curtains and peered under the furniture, but her search turned up nothing. Despite the stillness, a strange feeling of being watched prickled at the back of her neck.

Even though she couldn’t see anything, Elysha didn’t want to give up. Thinking, she thought up an idea and decided to address the hidden beings directly. She stood in the center of the room and said aloud, addressing the air, “I know you’re here. I saw you. You can’t hide from me forever.”

Her voice echoed faintly in the room, but there was no response. Elysha frowned, pursed her lips in a straight line and said, “Okay, fine. If you won’t show yourself, and since you’re here and not afraid of me, I can guess that you’re the reason I’ve felt something strange since I woke up this morning. I want to talk to you and get to know you better. Please let me see you.”

Silence hung in the air, and even the dim light from the window was still. She thought about what to do next, but before she could do anything else, another abnormal movement appeared in her line of sight.

“Huh?”

Then another, and another. In a few seconds, all the hidden creatures appeared and scattered around the room.

“—!”

All of them began to surround her, looking at her with interest. They were creatures that resembled different kinds of animals, some of them emitting sounds of varying degrees.

“Kyaaaakkkkrrrrrrr!”

“Bwaaaannnnggggiii!”

“Tikkaaakoooooo!”

Elysha stood frozen, her eyes wide as the room filled with the unusual creatures. After a moment of astonishment, she blinked and took a slow and deep breath, “You… you all scared me just now.”

Some tilted their heads, others wagged their tails. A few opened and closed their mouths, while a few more kept moving around the room. Elysha steadied herself, her surprise turning to cautious curiosity as she said, “I believed you all have been watching me for some time now, and now that I see everyone of you, I am kind of reminded of a certain mister fluffy…”

As if a lightbulb had switched on in her head, Elysha asked them, “You all belong to a race known as ‘Zhivopians,’ is that right?”

In unison, the creatures nodded their heads, and some of them even made affirmative sounds to confirm her assumption.

“Oh, I see now,” she smiled. “So you all are Zhivopians.”

One of the creatures, a small being that looked like a cross between a squirrel and a moth, hopped closer, its ears twitching. It tilted its head and made a soft noise that made her giggle in response.

“Well, I don’t think any of you are dangerous to me, so… I’m wondering, what kind of Zhivopians you all are and where you’re from?”

Her eyes moved from one to the next. She paused for a moment before adding, “Also, do any of you know who Elder Mera is?”

They exchanged glances and then turned their attention back to Elysha. At the same time, they shook their heads, indicating cluelessness.

“Hmm, okay.” She placed her fingers to her chin, then released them and asked again, “Then, do any of you know who Elder Merakia is?”

At the mention of her name, their faces and ears lit up with recognition. They all nodded their heads and either made excited noises or slapped their tails on the ground.

“I see, so you all know who Elder Merakia is. That means she knows all of you as well. Maybe that makes sense as to how you all somehow entered my room.”

Then Elysha slipped into her slippers and turned back to them before saying, “Sorry, everyone, but I want to help Elder Mera clean the house. Do any of you want to come with me?”

“House chores? No way!”

Her eyes, and the eyes of all the creatures, turned to a small Zhivopian standing among them. She looked like a cross between a fox and a firefly.

She covered her mouth and looked awkwardly at the others. “Uh, oops, I didn’t mean to say that out loud haha.”

“Seriously Huilji? Did you have to ruin the fun?” Another spoke up.

“I’m sorry, okay? My mouth just moved on its own.”

“Well, if its ruined now, then we all can just drop the act, right?” asked another Zhivopian.

They all exchanged words to each other when Elysha cut in with her question, “You all… can talk?”

Their eyes turned to the little girl.

“Of course we can talk!” said Huilji, her wings glittering in the light from the window as she waved her tail. “We’re not just random critters, you know!”

The others nodded. Before they could say anything else, Elysha quietly stepped back, opened the door, and slipped out of the room.

~ ❈❇❈ ~

As the little girl left her room, she felt her heart beat faster.

‘They can talk,’ she thought as she quickly walked down the stairs to the first floor hallway. The living room was empty, as was the kitchen.

“Huh? Elder Mera is not here,” she said, moving her gaze around every corner. “Then…”

The faint sound of the wind rustling through the open window caught her ears, and her gaze shifted to the back door, which opened to reveal her guardian entering inside.

She turned her head, a small smile on her face when she saw Elysha. “Oh, you got out of bed sooner than I expected. Are you feeling better now?”

“I think so,” she replied, raising her hand to her temple. “I don’t feel any pain anymore.”

‘I didn’t realized it went away…’ she thought to herself in surprise.

“That’s nice to hear,” Elder Merakia said, washing her hands at the sink before wiping them with a towel. “Are you ready to help me clean the house?”

Elysha nodded. Together, she and her guardian gathered the necessary supplies and began their task of cleaning up their place.

The little girl assisted Elder Merakia with various tasks around the house indoor: They swept the floors, vacuumed the rugs, wiped the windows and polished the furniture together. Then, they ventured outside to gather ripe fruits from the backyard.

“Another one,” Elder Merakia called out, releasing a plump mango fruit.

Elysha adjusted her position and caught the fruit in the basket with a satisfying thump. “Got it!”

“Well done,” she praised, reaching for another fruit. “You have quick reflexes.”

Elysha smiled and looked down at the collection of mangoes in her basket. Then she looked back up and asked, “Um, what are we going to do with them?”

“We will make fruit tarts with them,” Elder Merakia replied, her hands plucking another fruit. “You haven’t eaten since breakfast, and as soon as we take a break from our chores, we can have some delicious tarts and drinks to enjoy.”

She examined the fruit briefly before using theonum to drop it down. “Catch this.”

Elysha caught the mango in her basket, and then they went on to pick strawberries, kiwis, and blueberries before setting them aside for other chores. Then Elder Merakia turned to remove the dry sheets and clothes hanging on the clothesline.

“Like this?” the little girl asked, holding up the folded sheet for for her guardian to see.

Elder Merakia glanced over and gave a nod of approval. “Yes, that’s perfect, Elysha. You’re getting the hang of it.”

A small smile spread across her face as she placed the folded sheet in the basket. Though she sometimes found the chores tedious and sweaty, she found herself getting the hang of it as the soft hum of a breeze filled the air.

Soon Elysha was told to take a basket of dry clothes back to the house. As she walked through the garden, her eyes caught the sight of a water fountain. She stopped and watched as the sunlight reflected off the moving water.

She clutched her basket tighter, a distinct memory emerging in her mind. It was elusive, slipping through her fingers like water, accompanied by a faint echo of childish laughter. The little girl turned, expecting to find the source of the sound, only to find an empty entrance leading to a passageway.

Silence hung in the air, except for the soft murmur of the fountain.

‘... That is what you are looking for, isn’t it?’

The wind tousled Elysha’s hair as she stood still. The faint memory that had surfaced refused to solidify. She furrowed her brow, gripped the basket tightly, and lowered her eyes in thought.

“What… was that?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

After failing to remember, Elysha sighed and turned to focus on the present. She made it back to the door, kicked off the outdoor slippers, and went inside. When she came out again empty-handed to return to her guardian, she made her way past the garden shed where most of the tools were stored. She continued on her way until something caught her eye.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

She halted, spotting Micah bathing in a nearby bird bath, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight. He let out a fat yawn and submerged himself further, as if it were a hot spring.

For a brief moment, Elysha envied the way he basked in the sun and enjoyed his surroundings. But she shook her head and approached the lazy ball of fur, asking him, “What are you doing?”

Micah slowly opened his eyes, stretched lazily in his comfortable bathtub, and yawned again with a satisfied smile. “I’m just resting here. Why?”

“How long have you been in there?” Elysha inquired, somewhat curious.

“Hmm, since when Micah woke up and wanted to relax myself,” he said.

“So,” she blinked her eyes. “Are you going to stay here or…?”

He nodded and grinned. “Yep.”

Elysha frowned, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing as she looked down at Micah.

“What do you mean? Are you going to stay here all the time?” she asked. “You could at least lend a paw to help Elder Mera and me instead of just lying in there.”

“Help you out with what?”

“Help us out with cleaning the house. Don’t you think you could help us a little?”

Micah cracked open one eye, his whiskers twitching as if her words amused him. “Help? Me? Micah doesn’t even live here. Why should I do chores?”

“But what does that have to do with anything? You’re here, aren’t you?”

Then, Elysha’s eyes widened in realization, “Wait, you don’t live here?”

“Of course I don’t! What were you even thinking?” he gasped in shock. “Micah is merely a guest visiting here, enjoying the hospitality of your guardian’s garden as she welcomes it. House chores? That sounds like a permanent resident’s duty, not mine.”

He chuckled and flicked his big tail, sending drops of water into the air, some of which landed on her face.

“Oops, my bad,” he said, dipping his tail back into the pool.

Elysha wiped the water from her face with an annoyed sniff and glared at the smug, gray Zhivopian lounging in the bird bath. Her hands clenched into fists for a moment, but she quickly forced herself to take a deep breath.

‘Calm down, Elysha,’ she told herself. Instead, a sly smile crept onto her face as an idea took shape.

“Okay, Micah,” she said. “You can stay here and relax. Don’t worry about helping us. I’m sure Elder Mera and I can do it all without you.”

He raised a brow, sensing the sudden shift in her tone. “Oh? That’s more like it. Micah knew you’d see reason.”

“Mm-hmm,” Elysha hummed, turning around. “You just enjoy yourself. Besides, Elder Mera and I have plans to make yummy fruit tarts and drinks from what we’ve gathered soon. I’ll let her know that you’re here and that you never helped us the whole time. That way, you won’t get to taste the fruit tarts we’re—”

“WHAT? I want my fair share!”

She turned a hundred and eighty degrees to see him standing up from the birdbath with his paws on the edge.

Micah feigned a cough before continuing, “And being called ‘lazy’ doesn’t exactly describe what you said earlier.” He yawned and jumped out of the water, shaking himself dry. “I’m just resting and conserving my energy, and besides, Micah is not the only Zhivopian around here, you know.”

“Not the only Zhivopian around?”

Elysha’s thoughts turned to the encounters she had earlier today. “Oh? You mean like those creatures I saw watching me in my room?”

“Aha! So you have met them already! They are my friends and my kin, who also live in the Forest of Iröstos, just like you and me.”

“I see…” Her eyes looked around the area. “I only saw them for a little bit, and at first I thought they didn’t speak. But now that I think about it, you can talk to me, and I met a few others who can speak too.”

“Of course we can talk,” Micah said with a raised brow. “We are not like typical animals you know.”

“But if they are your friends, then where are they right now?” Elysha asked, looking around in confusion. “From what I can see, it looks empty except for all the trees and other plants. I don’t see them anywhere.”

Then a wave of nervousness washed over her face. “Could they still be in my room, waiting for me?”

“No way they would still be in your room,” Micah said doubtfully. “Just like me, they would all get bored easily and leave.”

Then he continued, “Well, I guess my friends may have been a little shy about meeting you when they haven’t shown themselves yet,” he explained, wagging his tail. “Perhaps it could be because you’re Elder Merakia’s newest pupil, and they don’t want to risk getting into trouble right away. We Zhivopians can blend into our surroundings and watch from a distance. We are curious and playful by nature after all.”

Then, as he glanced around the area, he suddenly laughed, saying, “Ehehe, Micah realized that they’re watching you because you’ve piqued their interest. I expected something like this to happen when words of you spread through the forest.”

“Of me?”

“You are like a unique guest that the Zhivopians have been closely observing in this forest,” he grinned.

“Does that mean I am being watched right now?” Elysha looked around again with an uncertain, uneasy look. “Do you think they might come out?”

“Well, Micah can call them out for you to show you how friendly and playful my friends can be,” he declared, looking in a certain direction and opening his mouth wide.

“HEY, ALL OF YOU! COME OUT HERE AND SAY HELLO TO THIS SPECIAL GUEST!!!”

Wincing at his sudden and loud call, Elysha shot him an annoyed look before scanning her surroundings for any changes.

…

So far, nothing has changed.

She waited patiently, her gaze intent and unwavering.

Still nothing.

And patiently she waited…

“—!”

And then, a rustling noise from the trees caught her attention. Her heart raced as she turned toward the source of the sound. There, she noticed a Zhivopian creature hiding amidst the natural surroundings. Then, there were more.

“There they are,” Micah said smugly, sitting down and flicking his tail. “Told you they wouldn’t hold out for that long.”

Elysha blinked her eyes with her jaws dropped. “You all…”

Before she could finish her sentence, the Zhivopians she had spotted sprang into action. Shedding their camouflage, they emerged from their hiding places and took flight, making a flurry of high-pitched sounds and flew around Elysha.

“Gaaakkkiiijjjiii!!!”

“Arrrraakkkkkk!!!”

“Brrrrrriiiiiiiii!!!”

Soon the area was swarming with Zhivopians, their eyes fixed on the little girl. Elysha stumbled back, her eyes wide as the vibrant swarm of Zhivopians surrounded her, appearing in all shapes, sizes, colors, and races. Some hovered in the air, others darted between her legs, and a few landed on nearby objects. The ones that caught her eye the most were the ones with large wings.

“They… they look like birds…” Elysha murmured in wonder. “And I see other strange animals as well.”

“Those you just described as ‘birds’ are called Friòja Zhivopians,” Micah explained. “They are a race under the canopy of the many different races that reside in this forest. And not only they, but all of them are saying their words of excitement to see you.”

“Saying?”

Elysha blinked at the chaotic swarm of vibrant Zhivopians darting or flitting around her. Their high-pitched cries and excited noises filled the air, but none of it made any sense. She turned to Micah with a furrowed brow and asked him, “Do you know what they are saying?”

“Of course, I can tell! Micah is a Zhivopian himself too, which I thought you would know by now!” he replied, amused. “One thing we all share is that we understand each others’ languages and get along like family.”

“Well, then, what are they saying right now?”

Micah flicked his tail and took a quick glance at each of his friends and replied, “That one just said, ‘Wow, she’s even smaller than I imagined!’ And that one over there? He thinks your expression looks funny—don’t take it personally, everyone’s sense of humor is different.”

“Really?”

“Oh, absolutely. And that little one over there thinks you smell like sweet fruits.”

As they continued to swirl around her, playing and getting her attention, Elysha focused on each one, trying to take in their presence. A few more began to appear, and the little girl began to feel overwhelmed and dizzy.

“Micah, there are so many of them! What am I supposed to do next?”

“Maybe you’ll get used to my buddies eventually,” he replied, then curiously asked, “What? Are you scared?”

Elysha furrowed her brows, steadying herself as the Zhivopians surrounded her. She clenched her fists at her sides, taking a deep breath before meeting Micah’s gaze.

“I’m… I’m not scared,” she said, though her voice wavered slightly. “If they’re here like this… it means they want to be friends with me, right?”

Micah tilted his head. “Well... yes, that’s—”

“Then that means they won’t do anything to hurt me, right?”

“Of course not! Why would any of my friends hurt you?” he corrected. “Zhivopians and Elbijans coexist with each other in peace on these lands thanks to the Asnoiji, are you that forgetful?”

He then added, “And don’t get too nervous or scared when you want to tell them to stop; do it with your own will!”

As Elysha watched the Zhivopians excitedly fly and move around her, she remembered her earlier encounter with them. She had also once asked a question to her guardian before venturing into the forest, wondering about the presence of other people in the world.

‘Are you curious about what lies beyond this window next to us?’ Elder Merakia’s words echoed in her mind.

She nodded at the memory.

‘Well, dear child, there’s more to see than the garden. Today is a beautiful day, so how about taking a step outside and exploring the forest?’

Elysha took a deep breath and stated, “You are all Zhivopians, and I am an Elbijan. We are both here to coexist in this forest. There is no reason for me to be scared of you.” She shook her head. “After all, I have this little annoying Mister Fluffy Ball right next to me.”

“Hey!”

She raised her hand to her chest and continued, “My name is Elysha, and I am happy to see everyone of you.”

“I am not an annoying ball of fur!” Micah complained.

“So, and not only that,” she added. “Can you talk to me in the same language so I can understand you? I want to know you all better.”

‘She’s really growing and adapting to this environment,’ Micah remarked in his thoughts. ‘She is more clever than when I first met her this morning, and that was less than a couple of hours ago!’

“Sure, we can speak to you!” replied one of the Zhivopians.

A few flashes of light transformed within Elysha’s field of vision, causing her to shield her eyes behind her arms as she watched some of the Zhivopians transform into different, yet similar, forms at the same time.

“—!” She gasped in shock as they turned into humanoid forms, childlike and roughly her size. “Y-You can change appearances?”

“Haha, of course we can,” said another one of them. “What? Do you think our bodies can only be limited to our animal-like forms? That would be kind of boring, don’t you think?”

A flash of Sorcha appeared in Elysha’s mind, and her eyes widened, “That… That makes sense now, I get it now…”

“I saw you’ve met my friend Sorcha earlier, she’s a Zhivopian too,” Micah said. “She would have looked similar to a wolf if she had been here as part of the group.”

“I-I know,” she replied, looking at the features of each of the transformed Zhivopians. “So that means each and every one of you can change your appearance, too?”

“If our theonum cores are strong enough, then yeah,” one of them answered back.

“... How long does it take for you to be able to do that?”

They exchanged glances as the same one replied, “Uh, not long for us since we can usually start transforming by the time we started going to school.”

“It’s really easy,” said another.

“Yes, we can do more than just change our appearance! It depends on the element of your soul identity and how strong your theonum core is!”

Micah turned to see Elysha with a half-smile and a distant look. “Oh, okay…”

Knowing the reason behind her expression, he turned back to them and said, “All right, that’s enough about theonum for now! Talk about something else instead!”

One of them, looking like a cross between a fox and a moth, flew up to Elysha and said, “Hey, do you remember me from earlier? My name is Huilji! I’m curious about you because aren’t you the Elder Merakia’s newest pupil?”

“U-Um, yes?”

Her eyes sparkled as she continued, “Wow! You are so lucky! Who wouldn’t want to be raised and taught by such a powerful and famous mage? I bet there must be something really special about you that made Elder Merakia choose you out of all the others.”

“You’re strong, right?” asked another in the group. “Can you show us what you can do?”

The last sentence caused the Zhivopians to become even more excited and expectant, their eager vibes swirling around her with even more enthusiasm as well as a stranglehold on her throat. Elysha took a step back, overwhelmed as their eager voices overlapped in rapid, expectant bursts.

Micah’s eyes darted between Elysha and the others, but before he could say anything, a familiar voice sounded in the distance, “Astad’en mard!”

At these words, a wave of silence swept over the garden. The Zhivopians around Elysha froze in mid-air or mid-step. Their wide eyes darted to Elder Merakia, who stood tall at the edge of the clearing, her garden tools hovering effortlessly beside her in a soft magical glow.

The Zhivopian children hesitated only briefly before they began to disperse obediently, their chattering voices replaced by murmurs of recognition. One by one, they moved away, regrouping around Elder Merakia with a respectful air.

The elder mage approached, her gaze landing on Elysha before shifting. “Micah, did you think it would be wise to overwhelm her with your friends so soon? Elysha is still adjusting to our environment.”

“It wasn’t me madam. They all came here of their own accord,” he replied quickly, shaking his head in defense.

“Is that so?” she glanced at the group and back at Elysha and Micah. “I have an understanding of what is going on here.

“Umm, Elder Merakia, if we are intruding on your place, we can just leave right ahead,” one of the children said in a nervous tone.

Her lips curved into a smile. “Leave? I never said you must leave. I understand your curiosity. It’s not every day that someone new joins our forest, much less someone like this young girl here.”

The Zhivopians exchanged glances, their tension easing. Huilji fluttered forward hesitantly. “S-So… you’re not upset with us, Elder Merakia?”

She chuckled and said, “No, child, I am not upset. I know you are all very well interested, but overwhelming someone—especially someone who is still adjusting to our environment—is not the best way to make a good impression. My ears can hear the excitement from the other side of my residence.” Her eyes swept over the group and finally to Elysha. “I hope they have not disturbed you in their playful way, dear child.”

“No, Elder Merakia, they didn’t disturb me,” the little girl replied, shaking her head. “It was just… a lot all at once. They’re all really nice and kind to me.”

“Uh, hello?” Micah jumped in. “While you two are talking… could you, maybe, please undo the spell on my friends now?”

He gestured toward the frozen children, who looked both amused and mildly embarrassed in their suspended states.

“Hm, certainly,” Elder Merakia chuckled lightly. With a wave of her fingers, the frozen Zhivopians immediately sprang to life, murmuring and adjusting themselves.

“We weren’t that overwhelming, were we?” one of them asked.

“Perhaps not intentionally,” she replied. “But intentions aside, self-awareness and balance are key. Remember that, children.”

A moment later, the Zhivopian children were playing among themselves nearby. They continued to make excited noises, playfully bumping into each other, running or flapping their wings. A few even tried to climb onto Elder Merakia’s shoulders, but she shook them off with amused but annoyed looks.

Elysha, trying to hold back a giggle at the sight of her guardian being swarmed, commented, “They are kind of funny.”

“Funny, perhaps, but also a handful,” she said, swatting one of them off her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. “Zhivopians are naturally curious, childlike, and live in the moment, immersed in their dream-like environment, so they are often seen as lively and full of energy.”

“Hey, those words sound just like me!” Micah chimed in from behind.

Ignoring his remark, Elder Merakia continued, “Like all Zhivopian species, they feed on the theonum potency known as ‘wishes’ of Elbijans. And we Elbijans rely on their ‘dreams’ potency to sustain us. Together, we maintain a delicate balance of existence that harmonizes with the emotions of the world.”

“I see…” Elysha murmured, nodding her head even though she didn’t fully understand the concept.

Sensing her confusion, Elder Merakia added, “As I mentioned this morning, I will explain more during our evening session after the exercise performance with these children.”

The Zhivopian children perked up at the mention of the evening exercise performance.

“A performance?!” Huilji exclaimed. “Elder Merakia, you didn’t tell us it was happening today! What kind of performance will it be?”

Elder Merakia raised a patient hand and replied, “A simple exercise to encourage creativity and teamwork.” She turned her eyes to Elysha and continued, “It is important for both Elbijans and Zhivopians to understand each other’s perspectives through shared storytelling and expression.”

Another kid clapped his hands together. “Does that mean we can act out stories again? Oh! Can I join in this time?”

“Me! Add me! I want to join too!”

A cacophony of eager voices pressed against Elder Merakia’s ears until she replied with a wave of her hand, “Yes, yes, everyone will have a chance to participate, but only if you all agree to behave and follow my words of instruction. Understood?”

“Understood!” the Zhivopian children chorused, their voices bright and unified.

Micah rolled his eyes and muttered, “Yeah, sure, like the performance itself is really going to help tone it all down.”

With the garden tools still levitated in the air, Elder Merakia turned around and said, “Well then, our practice session will be held later this evening. Today is a special day for a certain someone.” She turned to Elysha. “If you’re interested, I can put on a show that will surely impress you.”

“Me?” Elysha’s eyes widened in anticipation.

“Yes, after all, these energetic guests can’t simply sit still and do nothing in my garden. From time to time, I have invited them over and treated them to a demonstration of my theonum arts.” She covered her mouth with a yawn and continued, “But for now, we must finish our house cleaning and rest until closer to the evening.”