Chapter VI: Adventure is waiting for us!

By dawn the next day I had already been awake for hours. I have finished preparing my things for the journey from which I may never return.

I prefer to travel lightly.

Last night, I came home to find my precious hunks Mikko and Rosden waiting for me at the balcony of my bungalow.

The funny thing is, after telling them everything and in full detail (as requested by you know who), they slept over at my bungalow and refused to leave me to myself for the entire night.

I regret having doing so, as they make it harder for me to leave.

I treat them as my brothers and it's hard not to get attached to people you consider your family.

But somewhere deep down, I'm glad I told them that I would be leaving. They deserve to atleast know and it would be unfair to them if I remained silent on the matter.

As the sun's rays touch the peaks of our towering edifices, it was my time to depart.

"Well, this is it. Mikko, remain serious as you are and never forget to truly relish and hold unto life's memories in full detail."

"I will cherish your words, my First-Bow. More than life's memories, I will put close to my heart the memory of you and the times the three of us had spent together. Know that you are like the sister we never had."

"And you are the brothers I have always loved. As for you, Rosden, remain as sweet as you are. Hold unto the moral lessons of every story I have ever told you."

"Wrote each one down on my diary. Thank you, First-Bow, for everything. You're literally the only family we have left since our parents died a- and... now... w- we.... have to..." Rosden said sobingly almost like he's about to cry.

"Hey, hey. It's alright. Everything will work out fine.You just have to find a new family, and I have no doubt you will. I- I have to go... Aratura."

When I said that last word, I couldn't help but embrace Rosden abd Mikko one last time knowing our fates may never collide again.

"Are you sure we can't accompany you on this journey?" asked Mikko for the 11th time now since last night.

"Oh Mikko, you already have. And I am grateful that I was able to meet such special elves in this life."

"If it's any consolation, you'd die as a hero. OUR hero. Know that you always have been, and always will be."

"Aratura, sister." Said Mikko and Rosden in unison.

Okay, one more embrace. I'm gonna miss these two. I'll be sure to find them in my next life. Yes, that I must do.

"I'll get going."

"Yes. Mother Moon guide you sis!" Exclaimed Rosden.

I sure pray she does.

*A few moments later"

It's been an hour since I left the capital. By this time the sun's rays were most radiant, beyond dawn it was already morning. Luckily, the trees of the glade were enough to grant me shade on this journey.

Now, to the first on the list: The Pod of Titans.

I've been heading north all this time, and further on lies the marshes where I am supposed to be, only a 3 hour trek from where I am at this pace.

While I've been walking, I couldn't help but wonder what riddle the guardian Belerick might give me.

I've always been diligent to my studies back at the phrontistery, but I'm afraid riddles challenge one's wisdom more than one's own knowledge.

I'm so nervous right now I could-

"Hoot! hoot!"

What the? I was interrupted by what appears to be an owl in glasses.

No, I am not hallucinating right now. An owl, in glasses, with its own funky costume.

Its adorable!

Meanwhile, as I was admiring the beautiful creature, my mind snuck in the idea of maybe asking the owl for its aid on the riddle I am about to have to answer.

The moon elves believe owls to be the icons of wisdom similar to how a tiger represents ferocity or cunning and how a hare is viewed as an icon of agility and spirit.

"Uhm, hello there!"

"Hoot hoot?"

"I- I uhm *clears voice* (I feel so stupid and desperate right now, talking to an owl)... I'm Miya, and I'm on this quest to save my people."

That's right Miya, just talk from the heart.

"Further from here lies the marshes, the only place where the Pod of Titans thrives. I need that pod for the quest I mentioned earlier."

"Hoot."

"But before I can get that pod, I need to go through its guardian first. He is known by the name of Belerick around these parts, have you heard of him?"

"Hoot hoot?"

"Well, he is supposed to give me this super-hard riddle. If I am able to answer it correctly, I get to bring with me the pod and go on with my quest.

B- but if I fail to answer it, I- I'm gonna die."

"Hoot."

"I was hoping, that you, an icon of wisdom, might be so kind as to help me with the riddle?"

After I said those words the owl flew away into the dense forest until I can no longer see it.

I was really filled with disappointment mostly because I truly HOPED that in some way, it would really help me.

I hoped wrong, as I always did with my life with Teetee after all the chaos that's taking place.

Well, I've wasted enough time talking to that owl. I must continue on with my journey.

"WAITTTT!"

I heard a voice calling out from the distance.

I turned to what I could only describe as the most AWE-mazing suprise yet.

It was the owl, who I had talked to, flapping its wings with haste and flying straight towards me.

It still wore its funky costume, only now it was also carrying what would appear to be staff with a clock on one end.

"*panting* W-WAIT FOR ME!"

I stood still, still awestruck by this sudden turn of events.

I waited until the owl closed in the distance between us.

"*panting* Thank you... let me catch my breath first."

The owl did a couple of inhales and exhales until he finally steadied his breathing and eased down his panting.

"Now as I was saying. THANK YOU for leaving me. I mean who does that?! You ask for my help, I agree, I went to recover my staff, and when I came back, you were gone already."

"W- Wait! You can talk this entire time? And how should I know you agreed to help me? You just made owl noises and flew away."

"Owl noises? That was OWL-TONGUE for Rooney's sake! You doot doot!"

"Did you just insult me in another language?"

"Yes. That I did."

"Do you have a name?"

"Name? Of course I do! Hoot doot! Horology is my craft, Diggie is my name!"

"Nice to meet you, Diggie. I'm M-"

"Miya? Is that right?"

"How did you know?"

"You literally told me that a while ago! You big Doot doot!"

This owl's getting into my nerves, though I couldn't help but feel glad he came all this way for me.

"You know, if you're planning to help me on this mission after all, you might want to minimize insulting me on your language lest I insult you in mine."

"Fine."

"Before we proceed, may I ask what made you want to help me on this quest that doesn't concern you at all?"

"Well, I just felt like you really needed my help. My master always taught me to use my abilities for the greater good of those who deserve it."

"What made you think I deserved your aid?"

"Love. Your love for your people made you worthy of my aid. They must be lucky to have you."

"Aww, that's actually flattering. Thanks."

"No prob."

"What are your abilities anyway?"

"Well, for starters, I can manipulate the fabric of time, reversing it by conjugating the fibres of my existence. But I can only reverse to moments in time where I was physically present."

"That's nice, a welcome addition to our arsenal. I can already think of ways to use that."

"...I also have a deep love and a talent for solving puzzles and riddles, which was also part of the reason I decided to help you on this quest."

"PERFECTION! Now, let's show that riddle who's boss."

*time skip, 3 and a half hours later*

"Do you want me to repeat that riddle for the third and last time?"

"Yes please."

What a turn of events. Diggie and I just can't seem to answer the guardian Belerick's riddle. I doubt it even has an answer at this point.

"C'mon, it can't be all that hard. It's the latest riddle I made.

Now, listen closely.

My tough bark barks with imperfection, my growth rings ring with patience;

Never once a beast but I can drive you wild, never once ignorant but with every innocence of a child;

Like the stranglethorns which set you free; I am the flower that blooms eternally.

Who am I?"

"Can you, um, maybe give us time to thoroughly discuss our answer? It was the last time you repeated the question after all."

"*grunts* Fine. You may. But only until that flower over there blooms."

Belerick points out at a white flower not far from where we were standing. It was a Morning Star plant.

Morning stars typically bloom at a particular time during the day, and judging from the current time it would bloom at an estimate of 3-4 minutes from now.

We're screwed.

Okay think fast Miya, gotta work that noggin' you were so proud of back in high school.

"Diggie, we have atleast 3 minutes before that flower blooms. The riddle sounds confusing on the whole but the key to solving these is really to-"

"... to decipher the meaning of each line. That's brilliant!"

Diggie finishes my sentence. I'm glad we're on the same page on this one.

"Okay okay. The first line reads "My tough bark barks with imperfection" It uses a personification, of a bark, as in a tree's bark, somehow "barking" with imperfection. What makes a bark imperfect anyway?"

"Imperfect maybe in the sense that it's rugged, not smooth. Not perfect. What are the imperfect things we know?"

"I don't know? Everything? Life itself is imperfect. Moving on. "My growth rings ring with patience." Growth rings are a way of telling how old a tree is, hence the term "growth", and hence why it is connected with the attribute of being "patient". What things do we know are patient?"

"I don't know, snails? People like us elves who live very long? Are snails imperfect too? Because I can assure you us elves are far from perfect."

"I'm not sure if snails are imperfect too but, maybe we shouldn't attribute the answer to just be living things that we know. That would be like scratching only the surface of something. We must delve deeper."

"Are you suggesting that the answer could be a concept? Like time, or reality?"

"Yes and-"

"2 minutes left."

Reminded the guardian as if it does anything but add up to the pressure we are currently experiencing.

"Blrw blrw! As I was saying, yes concepts such as that AND possibly more. We could try to serve the benefit of the doubt by narrowing it down to just concepts, since S class riddles usually have those for an answer."

"Okay but, did you just curse in Owl-tongue?"

"It was the pressure okay?"

"You should really teach me some time. Anyways, let's move on with the next 2 lines. "Never once a beast but I can drive you wild, never once ignorant but with every innocence of a child." Something that can drive you wild and is innocent at the same time."

"Pressure? No pressure IS NOT innocent. Wealth? Wealth can be innocent if achieved with the right means, and can drive one wild in the absence of it.

"1 minute remains before ther flower blooms."

"Nothing seems to click yet. Let's move on to the last 2 lines."

"I agree. The last 2 lines read "Like the stranglethorns which set you free; I am the flower that blooms eternally." Stranglethorns are like chains right? Basically the more "nature-y" way of saying "like chains whoch set you free."

"A flower, that blooms eternally... something that is immortal, eternal, everlasting. Time is eternal right? It can drive you mad, it does not however, ring with patience."

C'mon Miya! Think!

"Diggie, anything coming to you yet?"

"I'm trying! Riddles with a time limit are the worst! Speed is not my forte!"

"This is it."

"What is?"

"Diggie, I'm gonna die strangled in vines not as a hero, but as someone who has failed the people she loves. My failure would let them down gravely for sure."

"That's it!"

Diggie exclaimed as if a switch just turned on the bulb inside his head. At that time, I was too preoccupied with hopelessness to have noticed this.

"Miya, repeat the last thing thar you had just said."

"What? That my failure would let them down gravely for sure? I know, no need to rub it in any deeper, Diggie."

"No, the line before that!"

"...but as someone who has failed the people she loves."

LOVE. The word echoed to the deepest chasm of my mind. Love is the answer, and it always have been!

"Do you get it now?"

"Y-yes, but how?"

"Well, it all adds up right. Love is a concept but can also be a person, love is imperfect, but it rings with patience because to love means to be patient. To love means to grow hence the growth rings."

"Right! Love drives you wild, but love is also innoceng like a child."

"Love sets you free from all the chains that are hding you back. When you love, you allow yourself to be free of your facades. You allow yourself to be who you truly are."

"And above all else, love blooms eternally. It does not die, only weakens, but it is still there no matter what you do. The answer is LOVE! I am Love!"

"Your answer... is correct."

Hearing those words from the guardian made my heart burst with excitement and relief. We did it!

"I gotta admit, two heads are indeed better than one."

"You weren't as much of a doot-doot afterall, friend."

"Thanks."

"You didn't let me finish."

The guardian spoke in the midst of our conversation.

"What do you mean?"

I asked him.

"Indeed your answer to my riddle was correct, but... the morning star had already bloomed 15 seconds before you had answered the riddle."

What?! 15 seconds?! That's only less than a quarter of a minute!

"Oh cut us some slack you big lump! 15 seconds will not account for what my people has had to face for the last 15 weeks!"

"Hmm?"

Okay, I might have slightly offended and pissed off the guardian.

"Pardon, great guardian Belerick, but what my friend was trying to say is, would you be so kind as to consider the 15 seconds, of course putting into mind that our answer was in fact, correct."

"I understand full well what your moon elf friend was trying to say, owl. But the rules are set and my decision is final. Now.... now YOU DIE."

"NOOOO!"

What happened next, I can only describe as time slowing down until it finally reached a full stop.

I don't know for sure what had happened, but I think Diggie may have had something to do with it.

*Time reverses a few moments back, when the guardian said the riddle for the first time*

"... Who am I?"

Upon hearing the guardian's riddle I felt like melting down like butter.

However, I also can't help but feel as though I've already heard this riddle a number of times. I don't know when for sure.

Diggie gives me long stare and I stared back at him, until he eventually averts his gaze unto Belerick before answering,

"Love. Love is the answer."

"Your answer... is correct."

The guardian acclaimed with a defeated tone.

"Was it really that easy? What gave it away?"

"Love is not a foreign concept to those who open themselves to it, great guardian."

Diggie responds.

"Wow, you sure know your game, Diggie. When I first heard the riddle my mind went blank but yours seemed to race with light."

"What can I say? I'm gifted *smirks*"

I feel like this was not the first time he heard the riddle. I can't prove that I'm right though. That sly owl.

"I now grant you access to the Pod of Titans, may it do you good on your quest."

The guardian opened a thick wall of flora to reveal the nursery where the pods are nurtured. We swiftly took one and went on our way.

We were rather merry while traveling, talking about all sorts of things.

Until Diggie stopped and was now a short distance behind me.

"Diggie? What's the matter?"

"Miya, I wish you nothing but the best on your quest, but this is as far as I can go."

I was slightly taken aback. I knew Diggue would only help me with the riddle but somehow, I felt attached to this adorable creature.

"I see. I wish you nothing but the best too, Diggie. You helped me a great deal today, more than you know."

"Believe me, I helped you more than YOU know. *chuckles*. Miya, thank you too."

"Why?"

"For existing. Only seldom feet walk the Land of Dawn as pure as yours."

"Aww, thanks."

"And Miya, doot-doot isn't an insult."

"It isn't? Because it really sounds like it *chuckles*"

"Well, doot-doot acutally means "Precious friend" in Owl-tongue."

Upon hearing him I was vastly moved. I too see him as a precious friend, one that I would exalt close to my heart.

"I just wanted to let you know, before you -"

I couldn't help myself any longer. I hugged Diggie tight as several tears escape my eyes.

"I think you're a doot-doot too."

Diggie hugged me back. After a while, it was time to say our goodbyes.

"Aratura, Diggie."

"Aratura?"

"Yes. It's elven for "Until our fates collide." And until then, I'll be sjre that my people remember the heroic deed you did to help me on the Belerick's riddle."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll take your word for it. Aratura too, Miya!"

Diggie flapped away the opposite direction of where I was currently heading. Looking back, I'm just glad I got to meet a person like him.

Like they always say, "friends can never be truly apart, maybe in distance but never in heart."

Now, I must focus on the next item on my list, the Twilightgales, just a few more steps towards the Eclipsed Grove where they live.

As I was walling, I tried to think of what truth about me I will give to them in exchange for their service.

I still haven't decided when I realized that I had arrvied at my destination.

The Eclipsed Grove.

I recognize this place anywhere.

Unlike most of the realm that is covered in lush, verdant green, this part of the Emerald Glade is rather dark and gloomy.

Sunlight rarely passes through the great willows. If ambience was a color it would violet.

It wasn't the type of dark place that was full of dead stuff though.

The Eclipsed grove brims with life, of rare fauna and flora. Most of which glow in the dark.

Speaking of fauna, I see a flock of Twilightgales resting on the great branches of a tree at the distance.

I hurriedly rushed over to them.

"Greetings, little archer."

"Uh, hi?"

"We've heard of this quest of yours. A desperate effort to rouse the Moon King and bring triumph over the darkness of the Blood Queen." Stated an elder Twilightgale.

"Yes, yes, it is known." Added two others in unison.

"Once again, your "abilities" never fail to impress, great....birds."

"Spare us the pleasantries dear, we know full well why you have payed our beautiful grove a visit."

"Well, in that case, I am ready to tell you a truth about myself that even I cannot accept."

"Go on. We're listening."

"I hate moondew tea."

"False. We know your favorite part of the day is when you sip from a glass filled with moondew tea."

"It is known."

"Okay. I was just testing if you can really discern truth from fallacy."

"Never doubt us dear."

"Yes, I know that now."

"Tell us the creamiest tea you've got dear. We've got all day."

"Yes bless our ears with some creamy tea!"

"Okay, hear goes nothing. You want tea right? Here's one for you!"

"*expectantly* Go on..."

"I fight for a future that I fail to envision for my people! That's right! I am not the most optimistic leader and that is a truth about me."

That's right. That is a truth about me. I am not positive enough for my people.

"False."

"W- what?"

"That is indeed a truth, your lack of optimism..."

"But that is not a truth you find hard to accept."

"What do you mean?"

"You have embraced this lack of optimism of yours. You ACCEPT that for as long as your beloved Moon King is asleep you will not be able to provide your people the optimism they need."

"Hence one of the reasons why you want him with you right now. Are we right or are you wrong?"

"I- You- You are right, and I am wrong."

"There there. Surely you have other tea prepared for us today?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Little archer, are you finally giving up on your quest?"

"It's okay to give up and give in, little archer. Those entitled elves which you call your people do not deserve you in the first place."

"No! I must be strong for them!"

"What's this? The little archer wants to be strong for others? How cute."

"I've still got one tea for you birds."

"We're all ears."

"Estes. The Moon Kings' slumber."

"What about it?"

"I am still in love with him and that's the truth I can't fully embrace. I can't accept this truth because I hate him for leaving me and his people. But is still love him. I don't hate him. I- it's complicated."

Tears once again escaped my eyes for the second time now today. Those sneaky little fluids.

"Excellent!"

"Feed us more tea!"

"B-but you said one is enough?"

"Right. It was a joke, Remus here easily gets carried away upon hearing such creamy, tear-sprinkled tea such as the one you gave us today."

"Oh."

"But, you "willingly" gave us a truth about yourself that even you can't fully accept, so I think I speak for my brothers and sisters when I say that that deserves our services."

"Really?! Oh thank you great birds!"

"No problem. Just whistle when you have prepared everything else, and we'll be sure to warp to your location right away."

"I will."

Hoooooh! That was a relief, the best one yet! When I came out of the Eclipsed Grove I realized that it was already 2 hours past noon.

I still have considerably lot of time left to prepare everything else since the ritual must be performed at exactly midnight when Mother Moon's light will touch the center of the ring I am yet to form made of Empyrean shrooms I am yet to collect.

Empyrean shrooms are indeed common as Zignon had said, but he didn't say there are other shrooms which appear like empyrean shrooms but are actually not.

I am not a shroom expert, so I can almost guarantee this task will be a living hell for me.

"Okay, I just have to get the real ones from the copy cat ones. That one looks like a real empyrean shroom! This one too! And that little one over there too!"

"Those are not empyrean shrooms."

A squeaky voice startled me, almost giving me the cardiac arrest.

I turned to see a small child dressed in furry, pink clothes with pink hair and large, furry, ears with of course a furry tail to complete the set.

The child appears to be a she, and is carrying one massive boomerang with ease despite clearly being almodt the same size as her.

"Those are not empyrean shrooms."

"These are not? How do you know I was looking for empyrean shrooms? And what is a child like you doing all alone this deep into the forest?"

"First of all, I "accidentally" overheard you saying that you must "get the empyrean shrooms from the copycat ones", which exains why I know they are what you are looking for.

... Secondly, I AM NOT A CHILD! I am a leonin, and we typically do not age abit! For all we know, I'm practically older than you pale-skin!"

"Okay, I'm sorry I called you child."

"I'm sorry I called you a pale-skin too... that was admittedly low of me. I'm Nana, by the way."

"Hello, Nana. I'm Miya. Is it just me? Or is the world spinni -"

I blacked out. I didn't know why nor how. Everything was just endless black... until I was teleported to a battlefield.

In it I saw us, the moon elves, fighting against an army of blight elves and other twisted creatures.

All of us were there, Second-in-command Irithel, Rosden and Mikko and the scout-rangers, the moonsworn templars, even a battalion of glade guards... well, except for one... Teetee, our Moon King.

Oh no, it's as I feared. Did I fail to wake him up?

Was I not able to sacrifice myself?

As I was pondering this, my eyes navigated the battlefield.

... And there, in the middle of all the chaos that's taking place, I saw myself.

More specifically, I saw myself getting strangled to death by the Blood Queen.

I moved closer to where I was, and I heard our conversation as I drew closer.

"See, child. There are always lessons in failure. This time, the lesson is that the Blood Queen is not someone to be trifled with."

Stated the Blood Queen, a devilish red lurks in her eyes.

"L- light will always triumph darkness."

The words almost couldn't escape my mouth because of Alice's strangling which pressed harder by the second.

"Maybe you're right... but not this time. No Moon King nor a Mother Moon can save you now."

I saw myself finally giving in, and now merely a lifeless corpse in Alice's hands which she sends rolling to the ground for all to see.

"Witness this, moon elves. Your Commander has fallen. From this point onwards, resistance is futile.

Your mother has turned a deaf ear to your prayers. Your king has forsaken you.

But fear not, for in the place of a king you shall have a QUEEN!

... one that will lead you to triumph and eventual domination over every other racenin the Land of Dawn.

The Lord of the Dark Abyss... cannot be stoped now."

As Alice said that last line, her eyes shifted to where I was, a bloodthirsty grin on her face.

That was the last thing I remembered before I was pulled from that nightmare to finally regain my consciousness.

I open my eyes to see the crown shyness of the trees above me. Judging from the orange-ish color of the sky, what little of it I can see through the gaps between crowns, it is about 6 hours from noon and the sun is starting to set.

I've been out for 4 hours?! I've been delayed long enough!

I hurriedly stood up to see Nana squatting beside me, looking at me with a worried look. To my relief, beside her sits the pod of titans Diggie and I workes so hard to get."

"What is it?"

"Do you not feel dizzy after blacking out due to contact with a couple of dreadshrooms?"

"No I, I don't think so. And dreadshrooms? They look like empyrean shrooms to me."

"Dreadshrooms appear to be like empyrean shrooms, a copy cat as you would say. Contact with dreadshrooms immediately causes blacking out.

While blacked out, one gets to live and event that he/ she fears would come true. Upon regaining consciousness one may sometimes feel dizzy, lasting for about an entire day.

You look like a strong person, but while blacked out, you were as easy to get as any other prey.

Luckily for you, I have time to spare to watch over your body for the entire afternoon. You're welcome."

"Geez, thanks. Hmm... you sure know alot about mushrooms huh?"

"Of course! I've tasted all kinds of mushroom in the forest!"

"I'm probably pushing my luck too far out, but I'm in a desperate position here. Will you help me get enough empyrean shrooms to form a medium sized mushroom ring?"

"Let me think about it. YES!"

"That was fast."

"I don't have anything to do anyway, ever since I... ever since..."

"Ever since what?"

"Oh, it's nothing. L- Let's get those shrooms! You seem like you are in a hurry on this important task of yours."

"I couldn't agree more."

*After 4 hours*

"Well, this should be enough."

"These are alot. Where are you planning to make the mushroom ring? I'll help you carry these there."

"In front of the Great Tree at the center of the glade. I appreciate the help but I must tell you, it's a long walk from here."

"Don't worry, I know a short cut."

Nana showed me a shortcut towards the Great Tree. We swiftly carried the empyrean shrooms and made our way towards there. We arrived there in only 30 minutes, half of the time it would've taken us had we not used the shortcut.

"We're here!"

Nana exclaimed with joy. I wish I could've too, but knowing my journey ends here I just stood silent.

"It's been so long since I have laid my eyes on this timeless beauty!"

"Hey, did you forget that you accompanied a timeless beauty on your way here?"

"Oh, right. I accompanied MYSELF here. You were also there, tagging along."

Nana and I shared a good laugh, before I decided it was time to prepare the ring and everything else.

"We should start preparing the ring."

"Right. And where does this giant go?"

Nana asked, pointing at the pod.

"Oh the pod? It goes to the center of the ring."

When we were done with both the ring and the pod, I decided to summon the Twilightgales.

"*whistles*"

"Twilightgales?"

"Yup. Thry should warp in 20 minutes from now, just about time for the ritual.

In the meantime, someone will finish her story."

"Who, me? No no no no no... it's a long one."

"If you cut it short we've enough time to spare."

"Okay, fine. But it's not a good one."

"Fortunately, I'm not a child anymore. Unlike a child, I am well aware that life isn't all about happy endings."

"Okay, here goes...

Us leonins are known to love adventure, putting it on a high pedestal ontop of everything else in life. However, our race is of constant war to a sister race of ours, the felines.

The felines are rather, driven individuals. We are too, but that is the only similarity between our races. Even that is a difference."

"How come?"

"Well, if adventure is what drives us leonins, then the practice of arcane magic is what drives the felines.

We leonins also live a pretty nomadic life, while the felines prefer to create Mana sanctums, towering edifices which grant them access to almost endless amounts of mana, thus enabling for thw free practice of arcane magic.

See the huge difference? One loves to travel and explore, while the other wants to stay and flourish."

"Yes, that does explain why both the leonin and the feline don't seem to get along well with each other."

"Yeahh, except for one leonin and one feline, who fell in love and spent a lot of time together."

"OMS!"

"OMS?"

"O my stars! You don't mean to say that you were that one leonin who got attached to a feline?"

"I did mean that."

"Who's the guy?"

"Geez, you seem very enthusiastic about these kind of stuff."

"Well, a friend of mine once said that quote-unquote, "love is not a forwign concept to those who open themselves to it." I myself have felt in love."

"That's... beautiful. The guy's name is Harith, a dashingly handsome feline with flawless albino silver hair and gleaming chestnut-colored eyes engraved with all the wonder in the world."

"He sounds adorable."

"He is! He's about my size. Everyday, we met at a part in the forest not too far from my leonin camp and not too far from the mana sanctum where Harith stayed.

We would have a picnic, he'd show me some really cool arcane magic and I show him my improvement in wielding this trusty boomerang, which he kept track of by the way."

"Aww, sounds like a keeper. (Unlike someone I know."

"This one time, he asked to sneak me into the mana sanctum just so I could see what it's like inside. I actually agreed to do it because I felt more adventurous than usual."

"That's nice. Though I can't help but feel that there is a "but" on this story."

"Yes, there is. A big one at that.

On the last picnic we had together, Harith he... he.."

"He what?"

"He asked me to marry him."

"Woah. Did... did you say yes?"

"I couldn't explain how I felt back then. Yes I want to be with him for the rest of my life but... I feel like getting married to him would mean us, settling down and me not being able to go on adventures anymore."

"I see. What did you do then?"

"I ran away. I didn't look back, but I know Harith must have shed some tears that day. Now, all I feel is the guilt of being unfair to him. And... *starts crying*... he must hate me now! *cries loud*"

"There there. Nana, can I tell you something too?"

"Yes?"

"You know, the person I loved escaped from me too. Not that I proposed to him, it's just that he had other responsibilities more important that what we had.

... But you know what? I never hated him for it. I couldn't bring myself to hate him for it. Becauee deep down, I loved him for than anything."

Nana stops crying, her ears intent on listening to what I have to say further.

"If Harith loves you the way I loved my other half, then he would be understanding towards you and the last thing he'd do is to hate you."

"*sobs* You really think so?"

"I know it to be true."

Nana gives me a hug and I hug her back. I feel like an elder sister to her similar to how I feel with Rosden and Mikko. Seriously, I think I was born for the role.

After a few minutes of hugging, the twilightgales warp in and rest on the branches of the great tree.

"We have arrived as promised. We are ready to begin the ritual, little archer."

Acclaimed the elder twilightgale.

"Then let us commence." I responded.