Steps in the shallow water reverberated throughout the misty ponds outside of Shadegate island. He walked alone, a hermit you would say, with only his trusty staff and a satchel of herbs.
The man lifted his eyes to the cloudy, gray sky which kept the place in a permanent state of dimness. A few drops of water fell onto his cheek, suggesting it would rain soon.
What he needed, was a shelter for a long, stormy night. His gaze laid on an outline of an overgrown hill, where auburn trees swayed on the wind. A few cliffs protruded from those woods, often accompanied by waterfalls. To man's far left, was an arch of stone that reached a few dozens of meters below the top of the hill, where a lone cabin and an elevator platform were situated.
Perhaps, it was the right trail. Perhaps, a shelter was near.
He walked this path, still alone. Marched onward, silently. It was like the whole world around him had died. Only the large rings in the water were traces of his presence.
When the man reached the platform and called it down, the rain started to fall, tapping softly against his hood. As the man rode up, his longing, downhearted gaze laid for the last time on the unblemished, ashen lakes of Shadegate.
“No guardians... and spirits are long gone... nothing, apart from being forgotten, is left for us.” - He uttered to himself.
When the platform reached the top of the hill, the hermit walked into the cabin, inspecting its unusual wax roof, in a mellow yellowish-white color. Inside, waiting for him, was a bee humanoid. It extended one of its four hands, waiting.
“Oh, a faring fee.” - The hermit said and reached to his satchel, taking out a single coin with a symbol of a sky-ship.
The bee wiped the coin in a sleeve, then inspected it carefully. It seemed satisfied with the payment and gestured for the man to follow.
They walked a winding road atop the hill, climbing down treacherous rocks until two rows of poles with lanterns illuminated a new, cobblestone path.
“There.” - The bee buzzed from underneath its coolie hat and pointed at the orange lights afar, which shone through rounded rooftops of wax apartments.
“Thank you.” - The hermit replied and the bee walked back to the cabin.
When the man finally reached the outer streets of the town, he looked at the wooden arrow signs, looking for ones that point to an Inn or tavern. Nobody dared to walk out in this weather, so he couldn't just ask. The hermit turned right, to the main road and walked, watching the parked carts, piles of crates, and abandoned booths. A flash of light illuminated the sky, followed by a roar of thunder. A strong gale struck the hermit and his coat began to flutter. Assailed by the rain, the man covered his bearded face, looking for a signboard... and there it was, a symbol of a half-closed eye and a name – Beholder's Refuge.
The hermit pushed the door, wind and rain barged inside the tavern space, so he hurried inside to not disturb the guests. Chilled and weary, the man took off his hood, walked near a fireplace, gently pushed aside the crowded regulars, and warmed his palms.
“Another druid?” - One of the guests uttered, directing those words to the hermit. - “That's a rare sight!”
The man turned, inspecting the bee who spoke those words, he was quite surprised. - “What do you mean by another?”
“An apprentice of your kind arrived here a few months ago. She's of wind lineage, and came here to finish her thesis on the migratory birds. If that says anything...”
“Does she have an animal companion!?” - The hermit asked.
“Oh. Indeed. An owl, to be precise.”
“Lily!” - The man uttered loudly. - “Is she staying here!?”
“She should be in her chambers. Shall I ask an innkeeper to call her?”
“Please do! I'll be forever grateful.”
The bee nodded and moved to talk to the inn's owner. The latter opened one of many trumpet-like brass funnels on the wall and called into it. A few minutes later, a woman walked down the stairs. She had a robe similar to the hermit's, long brown hair and brown eyes, and a single horn.
“Hector?” - She uttered when she noticed the other druid.
“Lily!” - Hector smiled and walked up to the girl, hugging her. - “You've no idea how glad I'm to see a familiar face!”
“I'm also happy to see my old mentor alive and doing well...” - Lily replied. - “Do tell, what brings you here.”
“Ah, nothing in particular. I just travel, paying homage to the ancients, finding out how the spirits are doing.”
“Ahh...” - Lily saddened. - “...those are unfortunate times.”
“Indeed, desolate places like this one are signs of the end of our era, but I bring good news too. The forest of Tob is doing well, the great king of the mountains and she who rules the grass are sending us their regards.”
“It's good to hear, that there is still hope for us.”
“...and how are you faring? I heard you're about to graduate.”
“It's true, but it felt a little odd to leave the Nests. I... expanded my thesis.”
“Oh, I do want to hear about it. What new did you discover?”
“Nothing crucial... but I have a few new unconfirmed theories... let's take a seat and order something, you must be hungry. I'll tell you everything.”
Both druids transferred to a table in the corner, Hector ordered a sweet omelet with fruits and cream and two cups of herbal tea, since Lily wasn't hungry.
“An omelet?” - Lily rested her chin on her intertwined hands. - “Brings back memories...”
“You used to love these.”
“I still do, but they use larval fluids as a substitute for eggs here. It's thicker and less fluffy, they're nothing compared to omelets in the Nests.”
“Haha, our picky Lily. I still remember your quarrels with the hunters.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Lily sighed. - “I wish I understood their role in the balance better back then, but hey... they shouldn't have been trying to dictate my diet!”
“Hahaha, true, true... but you know their feelings, they were opposite of yours, to them, to sacrifice prey and not partake together in a circle of life. It felt disrespectful to their duties.”
“Hmpf! Nature always has its littlest servants to fulfill the task, it's not a shame to delegate your supposed obligations to them.”
“Ah, Lily. Your way of arguing cardinal beliefs did not change.”
Lily pouted. - “You know that I was correct!”
“Correct doesn't mean right, though, but I understand your point and I still take your side.”
“Eh... I never thanked you... for fostering me. If not you, they would've made me leave the Nests a long time ago. I really would've regretted that.”
“Don't overthink it. I'm happy you're still with us, and continuing nature's work, that's enough.”
Lily smiled.
Hector cut a piece of omelet with his fork and stuffed his mouth. - “...so, you expanded the thesis. Please tell me about it.”
“I focused on the larger picture, not just birds, but mammals, insects, and Belsaari too. They tend to roam to the outer planes, where they either disappear in anomalies or form... these strange graveyards. I have a feeling... that those are like reverse wells.”
“Reverse wells? You mean, in relation to aether?”
“...and nether.”
“What would that mean?”
“I feel that a theory of spirit decay is partially outdated and incorrect. My suggestion is that souls can and often will travel down to primordial rivers and oceans, through, as you likely guessed, reverse wells.”
“...that would suggest, that the cycle isn't broken.”
Lily waved her head. - “No, still, something isn't right. The balance of influx and outflow of aether is upset. It's as If the wells are closing, that's why the guardians and spirits are leaving.”
“Do you suggest, that the planes and realms... are dying?”
“It would appear so, perhaps all would end in the primordial ocean.”
“That fates scare me. I wish there was a way to reverse it.”
“There could be, but I believe it's impossible without traversing to the primordial planes.”
“...but you spoke, that the souls can and will travel through reverse wells. I have a feeling... that one could theoretically slip one's shell through those cracks in reality.”
“It would take a pure reverse well, as a counterpart to pure aether wells. The latter could only form after the rupture, as an analogy, the similar applies to reverse wells, but they would form at the end of time, when it's already too late.”
“...I understand but think about it. A reverse well is an outer construct, it originates from our world. You could theoretically tinker with it, to allow better flow capacity.”
“You wouldn't be able to bring it to perfect levels, though.”
“Yes... but maybe... a decay of shell could be slowed down, and only a part of it would be lost in the process.”
“I thought exactly about it... but I can't seem to produce satisfactory results. It feels as If my papers are missing a crucial piece, a piece so arcane...”
“Do you have your notes?”
Lily nodded and took out a journal. - “Everything is here.”
“Show me!”
Hector studied the writings, statistics, and analysis carefully. Lily was a diligent student, he could not find a mistake, yet he had an intuition. - “Lily, you sure remember the Academy?”
“I do, but their studies... disregard our spiritual school of thought. You know, druids are frowned upon there. They reduced guardians... to quote – lesser manifestations of aspectual singularities, and every existing god is apparently false to them. They pride themselves in their deaths at the hands of mortals. It's sad.”
“Yes, it's a shame how... controversial to ours, their studies are, but that's not a reason to disregard their knowledge, in the same manner, that they disregard ours. We ought to be better than that.”
“Knowledge is knowledge, I can respect their results, but not their methods.”
“...and in their methods, however, lies the answer.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you hear, about the precise magic?”
“I heard some news, there was a few breakthroughs lately... on the ephemeral extensions of incorporeal spaces. This is the one that must be on your mind.”
Hector nodded. - “My Lily, as bright as always.”
“The embedding of soul in the psyche, If it could be reverted...”
“Lily, wrong! You don't need to do that.”
“...but the alternative is a singularity... some sort of temporary bubble. It wouldn't 'squeeze' through a well.”
“That's where precise magic comes into play. If there is a bridge, there must be a continuous transformation between boundaries. If you could apply that to a bubble...”
“...but what If the transformation is a spiritual one? That's theoretically possible and undoable to us.”
“Lily, think! It's obvious.”
“Oh... aether planes, in theory, are spiritual extensions, so the risk is marginal.”
“Correct! The well would have to lead to substandard structures!”
“How do we differentiate between wells, then?”
“Good question, is there a way to extract information out of reverse well? The common theory for wells is that all information is lost on the other side.”
“...yeah, but only because it's convenient for the established theories, which treat the bridge as two linked singularity points. What If the inlet of reverse well, was more like an elastic membrane, a mirror of a kind?”
“That would suggest, that the degrading aspects of spirit alter the imperfect tunnel in some way... and as we know, no pure wells can exist. That would mean... the data is readable.”
“If one could extrapolate how the transformation affects the image of reverse well... one could distinguish between substandard wells and extensions.”
“...and that's more than your thesis needs!”
Lily smiled brightly. All nooks in her mind were illuminated. - “Thank you, Hector! It was great to talk theory with you!”
“Hah, but what's left, is the research and analysis. I can't help you in methodology unless you find a studiable reverse well.”
Lily just smirked. - “...and that's precisely, why I am in this place, observing the migratory birds.”
“The boundary of unknown... do you think, it is where it all ends?”
“Yes.”
“That's a dangerous journey. You know that druids... just don't have resources to venture that deep.”
“I understand. I'm thinking of alternatives.”
“Lily... are you considering joining one of the twelve?”
There was a hint of guilt in Lily's eyes. - “Yes... but there is also an alternative.”
“What alternative? The witch!?”
When Hector exclaimed these words, half of a tavern turned to observe them. Hector realized that it was improper to call her name here.
“No... astronauts. Did you hear about them?”
“No, what is their status quo?”
“They openly oppose the witch, but that's my biggest chance.”
“Lily! I opposite this!!! Don't put yourself in this kind of danger!”
“Hector. It's for the greater good... and I'm a grown-up person now, I really appreciate your concerns... but it's the time I carved my own path.”
“Lily! The druids need you! Don't abandon us!”
“I won't. In the heart, I always will be a druid... but it's our mutual effort to stop the decay. Someone has to do this.”
“It doesn't have to be you, Lily! Leave it to the Academy!”
“Hector, you know that our teachings and that of the Academy are incompatible. It has to be one of the druids.”
“Lily... but you're still young...”
“It's one more reason to do it. It's usually the youth when our stars shine the brightest.”
Hector was stupefied, he was lacking rational arguments. He stared at Lily in silent concern. - “I don't like this.”
“I know, but give me... no, us all a chance.”- Lily stared at Hector with big, pleading eyes. They completely melted his soul.
“Ehh, you would do it with or without my blessing. What can I say?”
“A farewell, from me to the druids.”
“You should be the one to do that, in person.”
“You know... I would If I could, but the universe... is just too vast, and I wouldn't like to run out of time.”
“You put a heavy burden on me, but If that's your will, I will do that.”
“Thank you.” - Lily gently clutched Hector's hands.
“...but there is one condition.” - Hector said, with a stern face. - “If anything happens to you, know that I'll be the next to follow in your footsteps... and finish what you started.”
“Hector...”
Hector smiled. - “I would never leave our little, sweet Lily to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders, alone.”
Lily moved over the table and hugged Hector, as hard as she could.
“Oh, oh. Don't break these old bones, fledgling.” - Hector uttered, reciprocating the warm embrace.
“We soar together...” - Lily whispered.
“...even when miles apart.” - Hector finished.