The foolish faery: Neveila

As I received a gleaming golden badge, the outline of a phoenix came into view.

Each strand of the feather intricately flared out, its ruby-dark eyes shimmering from their small pocket holes.

Flames meandered out of its beak, spiralling in different directions with an array of coral-orange colours, all linking to each other yet perfectly balanced on the tip of the beak like a cascading waterfall. I gazed in awe at the badge further enamoured by its striking detail, wondering if I described it with such detail.

As I walked out, gasps of admiration and envy followed me. I quietly stood outside the entrance, where students now mingled and bustled about.

An atmosphere of anticipation, curiosity, and envy settled in the air, the crisp autumn breeze adding to the excitement.

Just then, someone tapped my shoulder-

I sharply recoiled, reflexively turning around-

Only to find the person sheepishly behind me was none other than Ling Er.

He looked shy and self-conscious in this environment, a stark contrast to his usually fiery, defiant, and boisterous personality.

"Hey, Ling Er... are you okay?" I asked, noticing the sombre expression on his face.

He hesitated for a moment before replying, "Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking about things... By the way, congratulations on that flashy phoenix badge of yours. It's pretty impressive."

 Ling Er seemed reluctant to meet my gaze, fidgeting as if trying to hide something. His badge, a simple bronze figurine, was barely visible, tucked away behind his blazer as if he were ashamed of it.

He silently and solemnly peered down at my badge intently for a second.

"Thank you, Ling Er... These badges don't mean everything though, it's not like they're permanent."

I blurted intentionally an internal comment to myself, checking for his reaction.

He seemed slightly convinced as the colour began to come back to his face.

I took a glimpse of his badge, Dorm Neveila.

Neveila was a faery with great potential, however she limited her knowledge to the extent of what nature provided.

In the Kingdom of Elaeris, there lived a faery named Neveila, renowned for her wisdom and keen knowledge of the natural world. She spent her days conversing with the great creatures, healing plants and creatures alike, and mastering new magic techniques. Neveila's heart was captivated by the magnificent beauty of nature, and she delved deep into its secrets, studying its every detail.

However, the ancient elders of the faery realm advised Neveila to seek beyond what was visible, beyond what she already knew. They urged her to look past the boundaries of nature and explore the realms of understanding. Neveila, driven by a thirst for profound knowledge, heeded their advice. She searched tirelessly, yearning to grasp the essence of everything she encountered.

Yet, those around her could see that Neveila's pursuit was not just for knowledge but for a deeper understanding. She longed to comprehend the mysteries that lay beyond the veil of the natural world.

It was during this quest that Neveila encountered a human who claimed to possess a potion of understanding.

Filled with obsession and eagerness, Neveila accepted the potion without hesitation.

Blind to the consequences, she drank deeply, believing it would grant her the enlightenment she sought.

But as the poison took hold of her, Neveila realized the grave mistake she had made.

In agonizing pain, Neveila's final moments were spent reflecting on her journey. With her last breath, she spoke to the humans who had given her the fatal potion.

"I finally understand," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Not because of your potion, but because I failed to look beyond what I knew. I sought knowledge in the belief it would bring understanding, but true understanding lies in exploring the realms beyond what the eye can see and what logic and reason can explain."

With those words, Neveila succumbed to the poison, her life slipping away. Her tragic end earned her the title of "the foolish fairy Neveila," for though she died with a newfound understanding.

She realized too late that true wisdom came not from blindly seeking knowledge, but from embracing the vast unknown and daring to explore beyond the boundaries of the familiar.

As told him this story while waiting for Luo Luo, I observed that he listened attentively.

When I finished he thought silently before saying, "I think Neveila is pretty cool, I mean she dedicated her life to one thing which she achieved in the end."

I looked at Ling Er taken aback by his response as it was unexpectedly thoughtful, something I never imagined he would utter.

Luo Luo approached us happily, a circular golden badge with a phoenix perfectly encrusted in the middle.

Ling Er looked at both of our badges frowning, "Are your badges different or am I seeing wrong?"

Luo Luo glanced at the glimmering red phoenix badge on my blazer, "They are different silly, did you not listen? It's because Li Wen isn't like us, she's a Prima Phoenix! " She teased proudly.

Ling Er surprisingly playing along, "Sorry Prrrrima if I upset you at any time in the past."

As Luo Luo and I laughed at his not-to-shabby attempt at an apology.

I was surprised by the character development of Ling Er and interested in seeing how much he would change in the future.

His attitude seemed much less arrogant and boisterous than before, it seemed that this experience here had humbled him.

However, I knew there was still more humbling to be done as he ragged about how he would become a Prima Phoenix in no time.

Sometime Later...

It had been around 2 hours after the first-year assembly and most people had roughly finished packing their bags and putting the essentials and necessities into their dorms.

After going to Luo Luo's room to assist her in packing, I couldn't help but notice the stark difference in size between her room and mine.

They shared a rather large squarish bunkbed but all the room had was two seperate sizable desks and enough space to fit two more wadrobes.

My room, though I shared it with 2 other girls, was as large as a living room, you could fit 3 of this room into mine and as well as that I even had a balcony.

But I slightly preferred this room for it's cozy and comfortable layout it reminded me of my room in the past.

Luo Luo shared her space with a ginger-haired girl named Alisha, who possessed a strikingly unique appearance with her fusion of Western features. Her face was adorned with an array of red freckles, beautifully complementing her vibrant vermillion hair.

I was actually rather astonished at her appearance in this dorm level she seemed so upset during the principal's speech. So I had automatically assumed she would end up in a lower dorm level.

Luo Luo explained in a motherly tone, "She was crying because she had promised her mother she would get into Prima Phoenix.

Her parents have immense expectations of her. So I don't blame the girl for crying, though I can't understand it."

I saw a hint of sadness and envy though her eyes were mostly filled with warmth.

Admiring Luo Luo, I believed someone like her must be an important character in my novel; how could I create a character as loving, kind, smart, and thoughtful as she is?

I also wondered how it must have felt to be born without parents, though I previously had parents I don't think I ever truly felt like I did so I could honestly sympathise.

Despite her absence during my years due to illness, my love for my mum remained unparalleled. She was, frankly, the only family I had, and not once did I stop thinking or praying about her and her wellbeing.

"Let's go Luo Luo it's going to be our introductory class, we need to grab seats in the front!" I exclaimed as enthusiastically as I could in an attempt to lift her spirits.

We both trotted along in a hurry to the introductory lessons in the South Tower. A place unknown to her I was already accustomed to.