Later that night, after she had eaten dinner with Elder Merakia and Micah and cleaned up before changing into her white nightgown. Her keyhole-shaped stone dangled as Elysha retired to her room. She slipped under the blankets, hoping that sleep would clear her mind after a long day.

  The twinkling stars that sparkled in the deep ocean sky tonight shimmered through the window and touched the walls of her bedroom. Elysha lay with her face to the ceiling, staring up at it in the faint hope of seeing something, but her mind would not settle.

  Theonum, her own core, the thoughts of the events of the day—each concern buzzed around the edges of her consciousness.

  “What to do…?” Elysha whispered into the silence. “I used too much of Micah’s theonum today, so I have to carry him home. Why did it have to be like this?”

  There was no answer, except for the sounds of the nocturnal landscape outside. Still, she continued to think to herself, “Elder Mera told me that I won back in the forest, but… why do I still feel bad? This feeling inside me won’t go away. She told me that I tried my best and that she’s proud of me, and we had a very yummy dinner together with Micah, but still…”

  Elysha paused for a moment, recalling the events of the stages during the study session. She tried to remember what had happened after she had seen multiple Elders Merakias, but the memories became hazy and blurred until she had gone home.

  “Why is my head so strange?” she asked herself, then put her hand to her chest. “Why can’t I use my own theonum core? Why does my head hurt every time I try to connect to it? I don’t know why, but I want to know.”

  Elysha closed her eyes as if to try again. But before she could go any deeper, she stopped, opened her eyes again, and rolled onto her side, hugging a spare pillow.

  “No… I don’t want to do it right now,” she mumbled, shaking her head as she pressed herself into the pillow. “I’m… I’m afraid to do it.”

  A minute later, her eyes looked out the window from her bed and she continued to talk to herself. “I wonder… I wonder what will happen tomorrow and the day after?” she asked. “I wonder what will happen to me in the future and… where will I be on that side of a story? … The more I learn, the more questions I have in my head.”

  Her heartbeat thumped in her ears, evoking the same tension she’d felt when she’d run through the forest hours before.

  “No,” Elysha muttered, stopping the flow of doubt. “I don’t want to keep worrying about it. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt. I… Maybe I should just stop. I’m tired. I need to sleep for tomorrow, otherwise I—”

  *woosh*

  A faint rustling outside the window reached her ears. For a fleeting moment, a shape drifted past her window, briefly blotting out the starlight. She couldn’t make out any details—just a hint of movement, a shadow that crossed her vision and disappeared just as quickly.

  Her breath caught in her throat. “What was that…?”

  Nervous, Elysha pushed herself upright, blankets rustling around her legs. Her heart throbbed so hard that she wondered if whoever—or whatever—was outside could hear it. Her gaze fixed on the source of the disturbance.

  She stared at the window for a moment.

  “Micah?” Elysha whispered. “No, he can’t have been that big…” She blinked her eyes. “Wait… could it be Kitty?”

  After a brief moment of speculation, she slipped off the bed, moving closer to the window.

  She managed to unlock the window and pushed it open, half-expecting to catch a glimpse of whatever had caused the mysterious sight. The night air rushed in, bringing the scent of dew-soaked grass to her nostrils and the faint chirping of nocturnal insects to her ears. Elysha peered out, scanning the area and neighboring trees with eager, searching eyes.

  There was nothing—except the still expanse of the starry sky and the pale glow of the moonlight.

  “... Was it just me? Was I seeing something?” Elysha wondered aloud, then let out a soft sigh. “Maybe it was me.”

  Her eyes lingered a little longer before she closed the window and turned back to her bed. Yet something in her instincts urged her not to dismiss the event so quickly.

  A stirring uneasiness tugged at her heart, suggesting there was more to it than met the eye. She tried to shake it off with her head by saying, “No, it was nothing. I was just seeing things.”

  However, the feeling was still too stubborn to fade away on its own.

  “…”

  The little girl spun around and pushed the window back open. “Just one more time, and then I’ll sleep,” she said.

  She leaned out again, this time extending her head out to examine out for any signs of—

  “Brriii?”

  A high-pitched sound broke the silence. It had an otherworldly resonance that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The sound came from directly above her, sending shivers down her spine.

  “What…?” Elysha reacted in surprise, her eyes darting upward to where the sound was coming from.

  From the top of the roof, she saw a large, white winged creature perched among the shingles. Its form was partially obscured by the roof itself, but she could see its head looking directly at her, including its turquoise eyes glowing in the moonlight.

  The little girl froze. The creature didn’t seem hostile, but its presence was undeniably frightening at first glance. At the same time, the creature seemed familiar, but as she tried to recall it, a deep, calm voice broke the spell.

  “Back away, Fjorja. You will scare the girl if you move any closer.”

  The moment the voice spoke, the white winged creature—Fjorja—listened and stepped out of Elysha’s line of sight.

  The little girl blinked. “Hey, who’s there?” she called, her voice echoing in the night. “Please—who are you?”

  However, the only answer was the faint rustle of branches. No footsteps. No words.

  She could vaguely make out some sort of muttering, but she was too far away to make out the context of it all. So she could only wait, but the roof and the surrounding trees remained silent.

  Eventually, a light breeze blew through, carrying only the stillness of the night and the distant echoing of insects. It was as if the mysterious presence had vanished, like it had never been there at all.

  After a few minutes, Elysha’s impatience got the better of her. “But there was something up there…” she muttered, gripping the window frame.

  Closing the window shut, she turned and repeated the name to herself. “Fjorja… Fjorja… Who was that? What was that?”

  As she slowly made her way back to bed, questions began to circle in her mind like moths around a lantern flame.

  ‘Who was that voice? Why were they on Elder Mera’s roof?’ she asked herself in her mind. ‘That strange creature, it looks familiar…’

  Elysha’s heart thumped as a flash of memory appeared in her mind. She remembered seeing this creature before, standing in front of Elder Merakia’s house next to a tall stranger. The stranger had a voice as familiar as the one she had just heard—and it was the same voice that had just spoken.

  Her eyes flicked back to the window, then to her bed. She could almost hear Elder Merakia’s admonition to stay put, but the tug of curiosity refused to let her be.

  “Should I…?”

  With her hand on her blanket, Elysha recalled the same feeling she had felt moments before—the pain in her chest, the confusion in her head, and the desire to need answers for herself.

  For a brief moment, she just stood there, torn. She glanced at the window, then back at her bed. A small voice of caution whispered, ‘This is not a good idea,’ but her willful desire—and the unresolved ache in her chest—pulled the rope tighter.

  “...”

  She turned around and walked forward, pushing the window open again, feeling a rush of cool night air against her skin.

  “I need to do this,” Elysha muttered, steeling herself.

  ‘If it’s him, then I need to talk to him about this.’

  Carefully, she hoisted one leg over the sill and paused, looking down at the branch just a short step away.

  “This is not a good idea,”—repeated the cautious voice in the back of her mind. But Elysha ignored it, and it didn’t stop her from making it to the other end.

  Planting her foot on the branch, she tested its stability with a hesitant bounce. It seemed sturdy enough. She eased her weight onto it and gripped a higher branch to pull herself closer to the roof.

  ‘Almost there!’ she thought excitedly. She could practically see the edge of the shingles, just an arm’s reach away. Her fingertips brushed the rough texture and—

  *crack*

  Elysha’s stomach lurched. The branch gave way beneath her in an instant, and she felt herself tumbling backward. A startled scream tore from her throat, echoing in the quiet of the night.

  The ground rushed up to meet her—but the impact never came.

  Instead, she was whipped by a powerful gust of wind, and something large swooped down beneath, halting her fall. She gasped, her heart pounding as she realized she was no longer falling. Feathers brushed against her arms. She felt a strong, warm body beneath her—the back of a creature.

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  Heart pounding, the little girl squeezed her eyes shut. Before she could fully process what was happening, the rush of motion slowed and her feet once again touched the ground—only it wasn’t the ground, it was a firm surface of shingles.

  Shaken, Elysha’s breath hitched with both relief and fear. Trying to calm herself and shake off the lingering sensations of shock, she heard a voice from nearby. “Fjorja, good work.”

  The calm, measured voice—distinctly familiar—sent a renewed jolt through Elysha. She looked up to see the same large winged creature she’d glimpsed earlier—now unmistakably white in the moonlight, with turquoise eyes gleaming. And beside it stood a tall figure—the tall stranger from her memory.

  He had shoulder-length, gunmetal gray hair, and wore a dullish, blue vest and a long green hood coat with dark fur trim. An obsidian wand rested at his hip next to his long brown pants.

  Fjorja fluttered her wide, feathered wings. At the same time, the tall man’s unfriendly, deep blue eyes narrowed and stared down at her, unwavering and clearly judging.

  For a moment, Elysha could only stare, pulse roaring in her ears. “U-U-Um—” she stammered, not quite sure how to express her gratitude or her shock.

  “You’re fortunate Fjorja was ready to pick you up,” he remarked. His gaze flicked to her, who let out a happy little chirp. “If she hadn’t caught you, you would have learned the lesson of gravity the painful way.”

  Elysha swallowed. “I—thank you. Both of you.” She paused, glancing between the man and Fjorja. “You saved me…”

  “Fjorja saved you,” he corrected. Then he asked, “What were you thinking, foolishly climbing out in the middle of the night? Your mentor would have scolded you for falling out of the window and almost hurting yourself like what you just did. Apart from that, what brings you here?”

  Heat crept into Elysha’s cheeks. “I… I wanted answers,” she said quietly, hugging her arms around herself.

  She glanced away, fidgeting nervously. The truth hovered on her tongue, and before she could think it over, she muttered out, “I thought… I could find something important.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Something important?”

  Elysha nodded, pressing her fingers to her chest. “Something that will help me learn more about myself.”

  “Hm… learning more about yourself, to the point of recklessly trying to climb your way onto the roof?”

  She bit her lower lip and asked, “Please, sir—you must be Elder Mera’s former pupil, aren’t you?”

  “Did she tell you about that?”

  Elysha nodded. “Yes, I think,” And then she crinkled her eyebrows and continued, “Can you help me?”

  “Help you with what?”

  “I… I want to learn about the world, about theonum, about everything.” Her fingers curled tight against her chest and her words went on. “I want to become better at magic. I want to use my theonum to protect myself and others. I want to make everyone happy. Will you help me?”

  The tall man didn’t speak back, letting the silence stretch between them.

  Finally, he broke eye contact and let out a light, amused chuckle that caught the little girl off-guard. Though there was a teasing edge to his tone, there was still an air of detachment about him.

  “First of all, drop the ‘sir.’ I am not your superior,” he remarked coldly. “Secondly, we only have just met. Why should I teach you when you already have your mentor guiding you?”

  Struggling to form answers, Elysha’s expression darkened. “Uh…”

  “And third…”

  His gaze went flat, and his expression turned dismissive. “I don’t have time for your whims, child.”

  Elysha felt her stomach sink at his abrupt refusal. She opened her mouth to protest, but her words caught in her throat.

  Turning away, the tall man slipped his hands into the pockets of his coat. “Now, go back to your room and sleep like a responsible child,” he said firmly. “You’re too young to process all this knowledge. The festival is in a few days—so act your age and live a normal life.”

  He turned and walked away. Fjorja looked at her once more and followed him. Elysha stood rooted to the spot, staring at him blankly. The finality of his words hit her like a blow, leaving her stunned.

  “But—” she managed faintly, reaching out a trembling hand.

  However, there was no response, and her pulse throbbed. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed hold of the sleeve of his coat as she pleaded, “Wait!”

  Her sudden outburst startled some of the nearby birds into flight. Fjorja was also alerted, her eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before her.

  Elysha trembled, her fingers tightening around the fabric. “Living a normal life? I don’t get it… what does that mean for me?”

  Silence followed, broken only by the slight rustling of leaves in a light breeze. The night around them seemed to stand still, as if listening.

  “I tried my best… I studied… I practiced—everything—just to maybe become like Elder Mera,” she continued, her voice cracking, tears threatening to spill over. “I thought I was doing well, but… but it was when my core—my theonum core—started hurting me every time I tried to do magic.”

  She clutched at her chest as if to suppress the pain, her eyes glistening as her throat became tight. “It hurts. It hurts so much when I learned that this instability of my core can’t be fixed. How could I become a mage… if I can’t even manifest my own theonum? How could I become a mage if I keep using Micah’s core instead? I… I don’t like that—I hate it.”

  Attached to her necklace, her keyhole-shaped stone dangled, catching the moonlight as tears began to stream down her cheeks. The words poured out faster than she could stop them, “I had a dream where I saw what happened when my theonum core exploded. The forest—the trees, the grasses, the flowers, everything—they turned to n-nothing but white, like it was being erased. I could’ve—!”

  She choked on her words. “I could’ve made Micah and Elder Mera disappeared…”

  Her breath hitched, her breathing heavy and erratic. Panic and guilt tangled in her chest as if all the oxygen had been sucked away, making it hard for her to breathe.

  The young man didn’t respond right away; his silence felt both daunting and strangely safe. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a quiet sigh.

  Without a word, he gestured Elysha to sit down, and then lowering himself to sit beside her.

  “—!”

  She instinctively flinched slightly as he wrapped his arm lightly around her shoulders—an invitation to lean on him, if she needed.

  For a moment, Elysha’s tears halted in confusion. Fjorja, who was standing nearby, joined in on the embrace, wrapping her large wings around them like a makeshift castle. She let out a soft, comforting trill—a gentle noise meant to calm.

  The warmth of their presence, combined with the cool night air, broke the little girl’s last thread of composure. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with sobs that echoed in the silent darkness.

  The young man said nothing. He simply let her feelings out, allowing her to cry her negative emotions away.

  ~ ??? ~

  Time passed in silence as Elysha continued to cry, her sobs gradually subsiding. Her body relaxed in his presence, and the raw fear and guilt that had swelled inside her slowly ebbed.

  She wiped her tears with the back of her hand before looking up, meeting his gaze.

  The young man exhaled quietly, directing his eyes toward the moonlit sky before settling them back on her. “You’re a mess,” he murmured bluntly.

  Elysha managed a shaky, bitter smile, rubbing at her damp cheeks. “I know…” she admitted softly.

  The distant hum of nocturnal creatures filled the forest, and the moonlight cast everything in silvery shadows. He didn’t pull his arm away, nor did he say anything else; he just stayed there, giving her time to collect herself.

  Finally, Elysha sniffed and wiped away the traces of tears. Fjorja let go of her wings and stepped back with another soft trill. Gathering her courage, Elysha spoke in a hushed tone, “So, sir—”

  “Call me Lucius.”

  “Lucius?”

  “Yes, that is my name.”

  She nodded her head. “Um, Lucius… how do you know Elder Mera?”

  “Elder Merakia? That eccentric witch?” A shadow of a smirk passed his features. “We have known each other for a long time by now.”

  Elysha remembered Micah mentioning something about Lucius and Elder Merakia’s relationship history, but something in his voice warned her that prying further wouldn’t grant her any real answers.

  Instead, she switched to a subject that weighed on her mind. “What… what does the world outside this forest look like?”

  “What?”

  Feeling her nerves return, Elysha lowered her gaze. “Um, I don’t remember anything before Elder Mera found me in the forest, and I’ve never seen anything beyond these trees. I—” She hesitated, embarrassed. “I guess I’m just curious.”

  Lucius frowned slightly and tilted his head. “Are you saying you never left the Forest of Ir?stos at all?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  A note of curiosity entered his voice. “Hmm… how interesting.”

  He cast a brief glance at Fjorja, as though gathering his thoughts, then he stood up and returned his gaze to Elysha. “The world outside is vast, child—much bigger than you could imagine. Even though the islands float among the skies, each land is unique, with its own climate and culture. Elbijans and Zhivopians alike inhabit them, sometimes living apart, sometimes living in harmony… all under the watchful eyes of the Seven Divine Deities of the Asnoiji, Theo’lfanija.”

  Elysha’s breath caught. ‘The Asnoiji, Theo’lfanija…?’

  The name echoed in her mind, stirring a faint memory—something about strange inscriptions, about Micah trying to decipher stones in the ruins they’d once found together.

  She stood herself upwards and asked, “I heard that the Asnoiji is the creator of the world Right?”

  “Yes,” Lucius nodded. “Everyone in the Soliremisce Archipelago knows that the Asnoiji is revered as the ‘Lord of All Creation’ and the giver of ‘The Everything’ in the world. He’s the reason for our existence. Though He remains hidden from us, we only glean knowledge of Him through the old runes scattered throughout the forest and the isles.”

  “And the Seven Divine Deities… who are they? I think that Elder Mera told me about them.”

  He exhaled, “The Seven Divine Deities are the appointed guardians of the world. Each assumes the form of a creature and possesses powers and abilities. Together, they maintain balance and stability across the Isles of Elbija and Zhivopis.”

  Elysha recalled the descriptions from the book that she had read earlier today, and then a question raised in her mind and she asked, “The stability of the entire world? Like… keeping the world from potential harm?”

  Lucius nodded. “In a way.”

  Elysha’s jaw dropped as realization struck her. “Then… maybe—maybe there’s a way they can help me fix my core. Right? Perhaps the deities or the Asnoiji can help me heal my theonum core back to normal!”

  Lucius sighed and shook his head. “Hold on, don’t get too carried away. Nobody has ever met the Asnoiji directly—not in any recorded history,” he warned. “And as for the Deities… they’re elusive, reclusive. Even if you sought them out, there’s no guarantee they’d grant you an audience, let alone heal your core. It’s uncertain whether they can—or would—intervene.”

  Elysha’s initial spark of hope dimmed a little, but she clung to the possibility. “Even if it’s uncertain… it’s something,” she murmured, pressing a hand to her chest, where her keyhole necklace rested. “I have to believe there’s a way—”

  “Brrrrrriiiiiiiii!!!”

  A high-pitched, warbling cry tore through the stillness of the night, cutting the conversation short.

  Elysha jumped, nearly losing her balance, but Lucius reacted quickly, grabbing her arm and steadying her before she could stumble off the roof.

  “What—what’s happening?” she gasped, her heart racing.

  Fjorja flapped her wings, feathers puffed up in alarm, directing her keen gaze toward a far section of the forest. Lucius’s gaze narrowed as he retrieved a small metallic device from his coat pocket. It vibrated violently in his palm, flashing with pulsating blue and red lights.

  “It seems the time has finally come,” he muttered, swiftly shutting off the device and tucking it away. His posture grew rigid with focus. “Fjorja, can you smell it from here?”

  She dipped her head in a clear nod. Without another word, Lucius stood up and he climbed onto Fjorja’s back with practiced ease, gripping the reins with steady hands.

  Elysha, watching in growing alarm, took a step forward. “Wait! What is happening now? Where are you going?”

  He turned to her, his sharp gaze locking onto hers. “You mentioned that your theonum core is unstable, correct?”

  She hesitated before nodding, her heart hammering against her ribs.

  “As far as I know, you are not the only variable in the world experiencing this problem of instability,” he exhaled, “The environment can suffer from imbalances, too.”

  Elysha’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

  “This forest itself is a variable, susceptible to anomalies. Right now, there’s a disturbance. Fjorja and I need to investigate its source. We might find answers not just for you, but for the balance of the entire forest—and possibly beyond.”