Not Yet

Epione shook her head from being entranced by the magical ball before flying back outside to where Hel was preparing dinner, "Where did he wander off to now?" Hel was setting up the table while her husband was bringing the dishes over, "Over there, hun." Her husband placed the dishes down on the other side of the table where Sir Oskar was still mediating as he was healing his wing which was going wonderfully where it was about two-thirds of the size of the undamaged one. It was evident that he was working hard for the chance to fly again. Epione began to put on Idris' chair, completely forgetting all about the magical ball that he was trying to play with earlier.

However, Epione's mind was still stuck on that ball completely enthralled by the energy that it seem to radiate from it as she called for the others for dinner. It didn't take long for Oskar to notice that Epione was preoccupied with something on her mind as she stared at a particular room in the abode. After dinner was concluded and the table was cleared from all the dishes. Idris was put to bed after eating so much but he had plenty of energy still left over so he was chucked into the air where he began to fly so that he could strengthen his wings and use up the abundance of energy that he had. Idris then began to chase after Epione who was creating an afterimage of something that was bugging her at the back of her mind.

She used water as a medium to create an image of a tower but it wasn't clear inside the tower, there was something horrible almost frightening. Cages that tinkled with the cry of pixies, sprites, and fairies. A man was holding a book, a leather-bound book which was clasped by insectoid-looking wings on the cover before an intense fear washed over her, causing her to drop the image altogether thoroughly soaking Epione from head to toe. Even Idris was completely drenched to the point that he couldn't even lift off since his wings were too heavy from the weight of the water. Epione went to grab little Idris to dry him off using her magic, blowing warm air at him before moving on to herself.

Her wings which were slumped from being waterlogged finally began to spring back to their normal shape after drying, "Why is that tower so scary?" Epione tried to figure out which towers in the magical realm resembled the one in her mind that frightened her so much. But, no tower in the magical realm seem to have any resemblance to the tower that she was fearful of. But, it wasn't long before Epione become more curious about the orb that was in the abode's treasure room. The warm air soon made Idris sleepy as his head dropped onto the bed and this was where Epione when to treasure where she went to the shelf which held the ball. As she held the ball, a rush of memories came over her.

A little version of herself without wings was playing in a forest that was both familiar but unfamiliar. There were similar plants in the forest as to the magical realm which was inhabited by many magic folks. But, the little girl was found by some people with knightage clothes who took her away from the forest where her parents were restrained by some sort of magic. They were screaming for the little girl before she was thrown into a carriage where the door was slammed shut, "Wake up, Epione." Epione was quickly returned to her current reality where she was just High Fairy Epione, "It seems the little fairy got curious about her past?" Hel returned the ball of memories to the shelf before locking it behind a magical barrier that even Epione couldn't open herself.

Epione felt ashamed for snooping around in Hel's treasures, "I'm sorry." She apologised for her action knowing that people had things kept away for a reason, "These memories or premonitions that are showing themselves to me are so strange to me, both unfamiliar as well as familiar to me." Epione had acquired a portion of her past but the past that was had been long forgotten to her. Those early memories were so foreign to Epione who knew that little girl was her but she was different; no pointy ears, no wings and she looked so happy. The current Epione felt nothing of the sort that compared to the little girl's joy. She felt lost in a gigantic sea of nothingness.

Hel felt that the girl needed to explore the world once again with a new lens of the world without anything to interfere, "This ball does contain your memories but they are very sad memories." Hel explained the reason why Epione couldn't have them yet in this current stage of her emotional capacity was still very young, "How about I let you return to the mortal realm? Explore it. Enjoy the experience and make sure to protect yourself." This confused Epione who had never been trusted with the idea of exploring a realm outside of the magical realm which was known to be a world completely inhabitable because of the humans. Hel immediately packed a few supplies along with some talismans for her to use if there was a dangerous circumstance.

Hel took out a hairpin from the treasure trove shelf before she sliced the air in front of her, "How about Oskar and mother?" The hairpin had managed to rip a small portal back to the mortal realm. Hel motioned her towards the portal saying that she could handle whatever consequence would happen before she waved off Epione for safe travels. Epione stepped through the portal as she held her breath before she stepped on the lush green that enveloped her feet with a softness that was unlike the magical realm. She spun around to see her surroundings to witness a beautiful forest wildness which was beautiful with the lush green pine tree that was only just sprouting out buds. The wintry ice that once plagued the lands had melted into the land as the animals began coming out of hibernation to look for food.

Epione began to fly upwards towards the sky to witness a land completely different from the magical realm but equally as beautiful. But, it didn't take Epione long to notice how dry the mana leylines were. Epione began to fly in a completely random direction as she was completely unfamiliar with the world. Her eyes wandered to a forest that had an inkling of magic still left. As she landed in the forest she was immediately greeted by many magic folks who looked vaguely familiar to the magic folk race back in the magical realm. She was escorted by the overly enthusiastic crowd who led her towards a dried-up mana leyline that was soon about to dwindle to nothingness.

She began the basics of leyline maintenance so that she could maintain what was left of the mana leyline since she didn't know what to do to revive it back to a normal state. She released a portion of her magic into the leyline giving it some vitality to continue to sustain the forest for a little while longer, "The High Fairy has sustained the leyline!" The magic folk in the forest rejoiced with joy as they escorted Epione into another part of the forest. It was the deepest part of the forest which was the most dangerous part but also the safest. The innermost part of the forest was a dilated house that had been abandoned for a long time around. It was unliveable for a person like Epione. So she demolished the old structure of the house returning the compostable components to the forest whilst she rebuilt another house for her to live in.

Epione thus began to explore the forest under the guidance of the magic folk that lived in the forest long before she came here. She would take on the job of maintaining the leyline as well as heal the magic folk that was long overdue for injuries from old wounds from the magic era to minor injuries. She had soon become the High Fairy of the Forest. The oldest but the strongest magic folk began to form a protective group for the High Fairy knowing that she would be the only thing sustaining their livelihood of mana. They made more of a conscious effect of scaring away humans who had bad interests from coming into the forest. While Epione was slowly learning how to revitalise the leyline so that it could better the lives of the magic folk in this forest.

Epione continued with a peaceful lifestyle with the magic folk in the Forest of Illusions which she had only figured out through a signpost at the entrance of the forest. She was essentially the caretaker in the forest to the magic folk that dwelled in the forest. Even non-magical creatures came to her for aid with their wounds or safety. The vegetation in the forest continues to flourish during Epione's stay in the forest with her maintenance of the leyline aiding the forest's overall vitality. This only bought more animals into the forest because of the abundance of resources which also bought more hunters and forgers to come to the forest. Rumours had come forth because of the sudden abundance of food and medicine growing in the forest like a miracle that people began to risk their life to obtain some of the forest's resources.

The residents that lived in the Forest of Illusion soon began becoming more aggressive to the intruders, however, Epione made a limit for them to not harm any children or people who are unable to defend themselves. There was an undergoing defense with the forest guardians barricading themselves against the humans who wants to steal from the forest. Some have managed to slip past but rarely any further than the mid section of the forest. However, there was a handful of people who did manage to enter the centre of the forest witnessing a new entity that was akin to a celestial entity. This immediately garnered attention with crowds of people began telling stories of the new entity dwelling in the Forest of Illusion.

This immediately caught the attention of the Ferdinand county which was known for its territory's abundant magical environment. A few certain nobles even began having their interest peak with the sudden arrival of a celestial entity in the Forest of Illusion bringing abundance and vitality to a seemly dead forest. Epione, however, was completely unaware of the chaos that her presence brought as she continue to tend to her new garden plot which was flourishing under the earth nymphs' care. As she was harvesting potatoes, onions, carrots, leeks, peas and the rest of her garden produce. The basket that she was using to hold all her vegetable harvest had vanished with three little children. The biggest one was carrying the basket while the other two were carrying the carrots and potatoes that had fallen out.

The nymphs were about to capture them because of their thievery, however, Epione stopped the nymphs from harming them. It was only vegetables. There was no harm with having some vegetables being taken. Epione continued to expand her garden with other plants that weren't just for consumption as she began germinating medicinal plants but those cared for under the earth nymphs who were able to create a controlled environment for the easily fallible plants. These types of medicinal plants came from the magical realm which was given by Hel who need that High Fairies had a kindling for gardening as they also maintained the leylines. Epione learnt how to garden from the nymphs who were happy to teach her since she was rebuilding the forest back to a hospitable environment for all magic folk living in the mortal realm.

She was like a child, learning all sorts of things about the plants that she was growing and harvesting from the nymphs who explained how humans used the plants for consumption or medicinal purposes. The medicinal plants were able to grow at a substantial rate under the influence of the healing leyline but also the powers of the earth nymphs abilities. Epione wanted to make a tincture out of each medicinal plant so that she could make tonics out of them at a later date but she didn't have any type of vinegar or alcohol in the forest. For now, she would have to leave the tincture making for a later date since there wasn't much she could do without vinegar or alcohol.

So, Epione returned to her vegetable garden where there were the same three children, pulling out her plants. Once they saw Epione they quickly bolted back into the forest with what they could carry. Leaving a huge mess for Epione to clean up. Nevertheless, Epione could never feel angry toward those children stealing her vegetable but she felt bad that they were only eating the raw vegetables. The earth nymphs decided to regrow all the vegetables that had been taken by the children knowing for well that the High Fairy never reprimanded them. But, instead, she would occasionally leave out some cleaned vegetables that were also sweet-tasting along with some wild berries. Every day the basket would disappear for the day before reappearing that same night empty.

However, Epione decided to do something different as she began making some potato pancakes with some green onions, carrots and leeks so that it would be a nice hot meal for them. The children, on the other hand, were peeking from the bushes as they watch the pretty fairy cooking something instead of leaving the vegetables and fruit in a basket like usual. They could even smell the delicious scent of fried potatoes from the distance that they were at.