The Seed of Light and Life
After changing plans to meet the Elf King, she moved the Fusion Ritual tonight. Now the kids play in the meadow with Lionel, and he reduces his body to the size of a typical lion on this planet.
At the moment, they were taking a nap under a sycamore tree, and all pillowed on Lionel's body. Her children have been attached to him since then. All their life, only the three of them lived together and could count with fingers the human beings they made as close friends.
Zelenia prepares to leave for the Elven Realm, and Sora approaches her with a troubled face.
"Priestess, is it alright that you will visit the elves alone?" she asked worriedly.
Zelenia smiled at this thoughtful familiar. "Do not worry, Sora. I can feel they are friendly and mean no harm to me. Please look after my children while I am away."
The priestess entrusted Sora. Zelenia is more concerned about Janus now being a vessel of the Blue Flame.
"I will, Priestess," said Sora.
"Now then, how about these books?" the priestess waved her hand, and three books appeared. Sora happily catches them with both of her palms. She loves books and has been looking forward to reading books written by humans.
"Thank you, milady!" her eyes gleam from delight. The priestess knows the things that bring joy to her.
"You're welcome, dear. We're leaving now, and the kids are napping, so I will not wake them to say goodbye. Luna and I will come back right away," Zelenia assured her.
"Please be careful, milady." Sora's gaze followed the priestess, and Luna flew toward the forest to find the Gate to the Elf Kingdom.
Before sundown, Zelenia visits the Etherea Kingdom. Prince Argus meets her at the Gate connecting the human world and the Elven Realm.
On the surface, it was just like a gigantic tree. But what's here is a mysterious hidden gate that human eyes can not discover.
"Welcome to the Etherea Kingdom, milady. Please follow me. My king's father has been looking forward to your visit."
"Thank you for such a warm welcome, your highness." Zelenia nods.
The elf prince bows cheerfully. "Argus! Just call me by name, milady," the Prince suggests.
"Okay. Then Zelenia is fine also." The priestess pursed a smile, which stunned the Prince.
Karas, standing behind the Prince, clears his throat. "Ahem! Please, this way, Priestess Zelenia."
He attended the Prince from they returned to the palace until it was time to meet their guest at the Gate.
The princess is glued in front of the grand mirror, changing his clothes every minute as he doesn't like his looks. He can't decide which clothes he should wear to impress their guest. Finally, the Prince chooses a not-so-extremely dazzling Royal Elf garment with a plain white formal Royal Elf wears.
Following the sword warrior Karas, Zelenia moves her eyes into the tall trees above their heads as they pass the trail…
They climb stairs, and now they cross a bridge. She glances below and finds elves' children playing in the stream. It looks like Janus and Aisha would enjoy visiting the Elf realm, and she must bring them the next time she sees Etherea.
Her breath is taken away by the vast pink tree in full bloom. It made her remember her Sanctuary and the floating island she named Lunaria.
The Sanctuary could be found on top of the Celestial Polaris. There she could reflect the light from the Moon Kingdom, her very own Clan.
Zelenia tilted her head from a flashback, which made her remember many things from her childhood.
"Milady, please come this way toward the Throne Hall." Karas gestures toward a cross hallway, pulling Zelenia back to her senses.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It mesmerized me… that pink tree is lovely," she complimented, pointing at it.
Prince Argus and Karas look at each other. The pink tree is where the waterfall flows and is the source of life for the entire Etherea, and it is what shielded them from other beings.
Once it dies or is destroyed, the Etherea Kingdom will become visible to the world. Dark Elves can then get through beyond the borders. With the light of this tree, Dark Elves cannot harm them, and outsiders should not know its secret.
"Can we resume, milady?" asked Karas.
"Yes. Please show the way."
'The tree is the same as the trees in Sanctuary, Priestess.' said Luna.
'It was a big mystery, then… let's find out.'
Zelenia and Luna followed Prince Argus and Karas into the left corridor. They halted at a giant door with strange writings, and she could read them with her magic.
"Follow the path of light, and it leads you to the Heart."
It must mean something like a riddle... Zelenia thought.
"Welcome, your holiness!"
A man seated on the throne, the king, sat up and bowed at the priestess. The Elvish council and a few warriors and mages in that Hall wondered and whispered to each other.
"You need not do that, your majesty. It is a pleasure to meet your kin."
"The pleasure is ours. My forefathers and I met your kind ten thousand years ago, and she is the one who gave us the seed of light and life." The king walks toward the gallery and gestures his right hand toward the pink tree.
"Oh. Do you mean this tree is from the Moon Kingdom? It looks the same to mine back in my Sanctuary because it is the same tree!" It surprises her. She wonders what goddess from the Moon Kingdom traveled to this planet. Earth hides many secrets.
"But, your holiness…."
"Zelenia, you can address me by name, your majesty."
"All right. Zelenia, but you are carrying chaos to this planet." The king stated. His Elven kin is whispering once again.
"I just discovered this today… It seems the Blue Phoenix, my power, awakened the Blue Flame. Wait a minute… could it have also reacted to this tree." Zelenia fixed her gaze on the tree and felt an overwhelming force from it.
"I have to figure out and observe the blue flame's behavior. I have now sealed the Blue Flame inside my son's body. He possesses the Red Flame, and I need to train him to keep the Blue Flame hidden inside him."
'Aelius, what have you done to your son?' Zelenia clenches her left arm. An invincible scar seemed to come alive again—the deep wound created by Aelius's sword.
The pain flashes back to her head.
'Are you all right, priestess?' Luna asked worriedly.
'I am fine, Luna. It was just my imagination.' she told her familiar not to worry.
"Then, why does he have it?" asked the Elven King.
"I don't know how it happened." She has no idea. Whether it is something she must find out soon, she must keep a watch on Janus.
"A family possessed this power, and it seems?" The elven king queried further.
It took a moment before Zelenia answered. " Yes…"
"It was his father's…."