New Friend

Within the Forest of Timul lives Dellie, a tiny fairy with delicate, iridescent wings that shimmer with a soft, pastel pink glow. Once recorded in books, fairies were thought to be extinct, unseen by humans or any beings for thousands of years. These rare and unknown creatures possess unlimited stamina and wield powerful healing and nature magic.

Every day, Dellie would diligently perform her routine, using her gentle magic to mend the damaged or dying parts of nature that roam the forest endlessly. One afternoon, while busy fixing broken twigs, she heard a pack of wolves howling in the far distance. Alarmed, she followed them, as she hates to see animals getting hurt.

As she followed the wolves further, Dellie caught the scent of blood near the river. Realizing this was what had drawn the wolves, she hurried and soon found someone floating and bleeding. She quickly scared off the approaching wolves with vines she summoned from the area, causing them to scurry away. Dellie then rushed to the wounded person, noting the severity of his injuries.

To her dismay, she discovered that both half his legs were missing. With a solemn sense of determination, she used her healing magic to tend to his wounds, though she knew she could not restore his lost limbs.

'He is no longer in grave danger, but it looks like he lost a lot of blood,' she thought.

Dellie carefully hauled the injured person through the overgrown forest, guided by the ominous vines that seemed to have a mind of their own. Weaving through the dense foliage, she finally reached her hidden sanctuary—a magnificent treehouse nestled within the ancient branches of a colossal tree.

The treehouse was constructed around a hollowed-out section of the tree trunk, surrounded by a riot of vibrant flowers that seemed to thrive in this magical place. Gently laying the injured figure on a soft bed of petals, Dellie gazed at him with a mix of curiosity and sympathy.

"I've never encountered a being like this before," she mused quietly to herself, her thoughts lost amidst the rustling leaves.

Stepping out into the dappled shadow of the forest, Dellie allowed herself to be drawn into her daily pursuits, the secrets of her forest home unfolding before her as she temporarily set aside the enigma of the stranger in her care.

***

Three days had passed, and Paul lay in bed, lost in a dream, pondering the fate of his parents, the well-being of the village, and the secrets they might have kept from him. These thoughts consumed his mind, preventing him from waking up.

Returning from her daily forest walk, Dellie approached her quaint home, her mind full of the delightful sights and sounds of the woods. She noticed a figure stirring in the flower bed.

It was Paul, slowly rousing from a deep slumber. Perturbed, she rushed to hide behind a large pot of fragrant flowers, her heart racing with a mix of worry and intrigue.

"Where am I?" Paul's voice quivered as he took in the unfamiliar yet beautiful surroundings.

The cozy home was adorned with delicate light fixtures that seemed to bloom within the trees, while the flowers in the garden dazzled like a constellation of stars. As he attempted to rise, a wave of panic engulfed him as he realized half his legs were nowhere to be found. The memories came flooding back—the vicious attack by the crocodile dragon that left him incapacitated.

In a desperate attempt to seek solace, he called out for his parents, but the only response was the echoing silence of the deserted surroundings. Overwhelmed, his composure shattered, and tears streamed down his face as he grappled with the enormity of his situation.

From her hidden vantage point, Dellie observed Paul's profound sorrow, her own heart aching with empathy, yet too paralyzed by fear to step forward and offer comfort.

Paul took a moment to carefully inspect his body. Aside from his missing legs, his other body parts were still intact, without any wounds.

"Thank goodness I'm still alive," he murmured with a sense of relief. "But how am I healed?"

Paul then tried to stand up using his knee as his foot. He realized that his height was now different. Frustration set in as he muttered to himself, "What am I going to do now? I need to find my way back to the village, but where am I?"

Paul was clearly feeling lost and confused. Observing Paul's plight, Dellie couldn't help but feel that he wasn't such a bad person, especially considering the sadness she sensed in him. She hesitated, contemplating whether or not to reveal herself.

After a few moments of uncertainty, she made the decision to show herself. Gliding right in front of him and then circling the house, she caught Paul's confused gaze. Unable to speak, Dellie resorted to gesturing, waving her hand and making a body motion to say hello, hoping to communicate her presence to Paul.

"What is that light? Is it a firefly?" Paul asked, squinting in confusion. Suddenly, the tiny creature flew close to his eyes, its delicate wings fluttering as it waved at him. "Wow, what kind of creature are you?"

Dellie performed a graceful 360-degree body action as Paul looked on in astonishment.

"You can't talk?" Paul inquired, to which Dellie nodded in response.

Undeterred by her inability to speak, Paul bombarded Dellie with a series of questions. "Are you the one who saved me? Is this your home? Why are you so tiny? And why do you have wings like a dragonfly?"

Each question was met with a nod from Dellie. As Paul contemplated her mysterious nature, he proposed, "What kind of creature are you?"

Dellie shrugged in response.

"You don't know?"

Upon closer inspection, Paul was bewildered as he recalled the village tale of a creature called a fairy, said to glow and resemble dragonflies. He shared his thoughts with her, and Dellie, delighted, fluttered about radiantly.

This made Paul smile. Eager to learn more about her, Paul inquired, "So, what's your name? I'm Paul Alkantar."

In response, Dellie presented him with a stunning flower.

"Your name is Dellie flower?, or just Dellie?" Paul deduced, to which Dellie nodded enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear.

Expressing his deep gratitude. "Thank you, Dellie. You're my hero," he exclaimed, bowing respectfully.

In a heartwarming moment, Dellie mirrored his gesture with a beaming smile. Intrigued by the rapid healing of his wound, Paul queried, "So, how did my wound heal that fast?"

Dellie demonstrated her healing abilities to Paul, who observed her radiant glow illuminating their surroundings and causing everything nearby to bloom.

"Wow, you have healing magic? That's amazing, Dellie," Paul exclaimed in awe. "Could you please show me the place where you found me?" Paul asked.

Dellie pointed at Paul's legs, their absence a poignant reminder of the loss Paul had suffered. Communicating through gestures, Paul asked Dellie if she could somehow help him regrow his legs. Dellie shook her head, indicating that regrowing his legs was beyond her abilities.

Paul kinda knew but still hoped that perhaps Dellie didn't heal his missing body right away. Seeing that Paul was sad again, Dellie racked her brain for a solution. Then, a spark of inspiration lit up Dellie's eyes.

Dellie began to radiate an otherworldly energy, and with a wordless command, the vines surrounding them attached themselves to Paul's missing body parts. Paul watched in awe as the makeshift vines acted as his missing limbs. Under Dellie's guidance, he once again experienced the sensation of walking.

They then tested the temporary limbs, with Dellie skillfully manipulating the vines to make Paul walk slowly. Paul was once again amazed as the vines responded to Dellie's command. He could sense the connection at his knee joint, synchronizing with Dellie's vine movements. Together, they started to seamlessly collaborate as a team.

"Wow, Dellie, this is incredible!" Paul exclaimed, his voice filled with gratitude. "I can't feel them, but it's like I'm walking. With your help, I can move around as if I have real legs. Thank you so much, Dellie." His face broke into a wide, heartfelt smile, and Dellie beamed back at him, her eyes shining with pride.

Dellie however was discontented as this measure was only temporary and didn't really give Paul the ability to walk again. Seeing this, Paul reassured the little fairy that her help was big enough for them to set off towards the spot where Dellie discovered Paul. 

They eventually reached the location. "Could you help me find my home?" Paul asked, and Dellie nodded with a warm smile.

As they followed the river's path, Paul hesitated before speaking again. "Could you stay with me while I adjust to using my legs? You're the reason I can walk at all. I promise to repay you generously. I'm sorry for asking for more of your help," he implored, his tone hopeful and sincere.

Overjoyed at the prospect of finally having a new friend, Dellie agreed wholeheartedly. To her, having been isolated for so long in a community where fairies rarely interacted due to their living in different parts of the forest, the chance to converse with someone was a genuine blessing.

"Thank you, Dellie!" Paul beamed with gratitude. "Let's become friends." His heart was filled with joy, but to his surprise, he couldn't jump up in celebration. Despite this, both Dellie and Paul were elated about their newfound friendship.

"Dellie, can you help me jump? I really want to mark this moment," Paul requested, his eyes filled with excitement. In response, Dellie gracefully waved her hand, and to Paul's amazement, he soared 20 feet into the air.

"No way! Your vines are incredibly strong. I feel like a superhuman!" Paul exclaimed in astonishment. Dellie's magical abilities never failed to surprise him. "I'm truly grateful that you were the one who saved me," Paul expressed his deep respect and admiration for Dellie.

As Paul saw the view along the riverbank, he took the opportunity to acquaint himself with the surroundings. 

"Dellie, I think this path leads that way. Let's pick up the pace," Paul suggested, pointing in a specific direction.

Dellie, with her incredible agility, effortlessly darted through the vines, leaving Paul struggling to keep up.

"Hey, Dellie, could you slow down a little? I'm still getting the hang of matching my knee to your movement," Paul called out, marveling at Dellie's extraordinary abilities once again.

Seeing Paul's difficulty, Dellie gestured apologetically.

"It's okay, Dellie. I just need to build up my weak stamina," Paul reassured her with a smile, and they both shared a lighthearted laugh.

Soon they arrived at their destination. Immediately, Paul's heart sank as he gazed upon the ruins of his once-thriving village.

"There, Dellie, that's my village," he uttered in disbelief.

Dellie came to a halt at the sight of the broken wooden gate, and her expression mirrored Paul's shock.

"No, this can't be real," Paul murmured, his voice trembling with emotion as tears welled up in his eyes. 

Dellie felt overwhelmed, unsure of how to console her distraught new friend in the face of such devastation.