Chapter 2 Part 2

There’s a reason why the Evergreen Forest is considered a curse by the whole village. Inside the forest, the trees are so thick no light can shine through a perfect home for the Void. Spirits, who walk into this forest, never come out of there with their souls unscathed.

Iris reaches a small area where the light shines through for some reason. The grass is bright green, and the pond is a clear blue. There is also a makeshift cabin for Iris when she wants to stay overnight.

Iris lies down on soft grass. Thoughts from today’s flow into her mind: the surge of excitement from the battle with Bruce, the sudden Void attack, the mysterious voice, her sudden awakening…and her uncle.

Four years ago, Zorro took her in after both her parents disappeared. The villagers couldn’t find their bodies, but they still assumed her parents died. When Iris asked how her parents died, Zorro didn’t tell her, and Iris assumed he was still getting over their deaths. So, she didn’t question him. However, the assumption was dismissed when Iris started asking Zorro teach her sword fighting.

You’re too young, he said. Maybe another time, he said. A child like you wouldn’t handle this level of responsibility, he said! Iris calms her nerves with deep breaths.

But this time, Iris finally got to that mind of his. Zorro’s actions were completely different from their other confrontations. Anger and disappointment were the same, but a new emotion came out of him: fear. It’s rare to see her uncle afraid even in private, yet, when she mentioned her mother, his eyes became strangely distant.

“Why did he hold back on telling me? What is he hiding?” Iris thinks and sighs.

Iris gets up and goes to the pond to get a drink. She looks at her reflection, and she is surprised at the change. Ruby and Rose are right. Both her hair and her eyes are bright green. “So it’s not an illusion.” Iris thought amused. Iris knows she should question why her features change, but she can’t help but think these changes suit her better than her old color.

“That voice from the battle helped awaken my powers, but do I have control over them? Only one way to find out.” Iris heads to her cabin and pulls out a wooden sword hoping it doesn’t break on her. Iris gives a nice down swing to the ground, but nothing happens. Iris impatiently tries again and again and once more. The result is the same.

“Maybe I have no control over them after all,” Iris thinks dejectedly as she catches her breathe. Then, she remembers what the voice told her about listening to the wind.

“In all situations

One must keep a calm mind”

She closes her eyes calming her breath.

“Distress is the ultimate enemy

One must never waver”

She automatically goes into a fighting stance: left leg front with toe pointing forward and right leg back.

“Conviction comes from the heart

When the heart is steady

The body responds with action”

The wooden blade is surrounded in the same green aura.

“With a calm mind and a steady heart

One has maintain focus

And, I am focused.”

With a battle cry, Iris swings the sword forward unleashing a sword beam across the pond.

“Yes! Alright-!” Iris hears the explosion and rock crumbling.

“Uh oh,” Iris runs quickly to the other side of the pond. Once she’s there, Iris finds dark blue debris and rubble .

She picks up one of the rocks and inspects it. “That doesn’t look good.” She jumps as the rock crumbles in her hand.

She ponders, “To think, there was an altar in this forest. Maybe I’m not only one comes in here after all. Hm?” Iris sees a sparkly object in the middle of the rubble. Moving some of the debris, she picks up the item, a deep blue orb. The orb for some reason makes her nervous. She heads back to her area with the orb in hand. Then, suddenly...

“What is your wish, young child?” A deep voice calls out to Iris sending shivers down her spine. She looks around to find where the voice came from, but there’s no one around. “Must be my imagination.” Iris looks at the orb in her hand.

“What is your wish, young child?” Iris jumps almost dropping the orb.

“Ok, who are you? I read fairy tales about wish granting creatures, but I know they have to be a myth.”

“Hm, I do sound like those. Well, let me rephrase my question, young child. What is it that you desire the most.”

“Ok,” Iris answers, irritated, “I am not a child. I’m fourteen years old. Second, I have no desires.”

“Do you now? You don’t have anything or ANYONE you want?”

“I don’t WANT anything.” Then, Iris whispers, “I just need to prove a point.”

“Go on.”

Iris explains dejectedly, “Well, I have this uncle. He knows my mother for the longest time, and I think he knows how she died. But, he doesn’t want to tell. He calls immature, hard headed, and overall he thinks I’m weak willed. I just need to show I’m ready for what the world will throw at me.”

“What a beautiful and innocent wish. Now tell, where does your uncle live?”

“Huh? Greenville, but I don’t see-.”

“Perfect.”

The orb shines, and Iris blackouts.