The Streets of Everglow

Becky couldn't believe what Zephyr said. magic isn't something that exists, magic is from books and fantasy. Becky was trapped in her head trying to understand, trying to believe this man she met almost ten minutes ago. She didn't know where she was or how she got there, but she knew something was different.

"Absolutely not!" Becky exclaimed.

"What?" Zephyr said, nearly jumping from his seat at the sudden interruption of the long silence.

"Magic isn't real. I couldn't just summon fire in the palm of my hand, so how was I supposed to believe what you said? But the way you said it... it felt like you were telling the truth, like it was happening right here," Becky said, her voice carrying a hint of concern.

"Well… I guess there's something strange about you, but I can confidently say magic does exist. There are 8 fathers of magic, each Father of magic has their own type of magic. One can potentially master every type of magic, yet it is your main magic type that will always be the strongest."

"I have to be dreaming." Becky said with a scared voice.

The air grew colder as Becky and Zephyr started to enter the gradually thickening forest, the trees growing closer and closer together blocking out the light to the point it was dark enough to be dawn. The deeper into the forest the more foliage grew closer and closer, thicker and thicker. The plants made the endless looking forest seem smaller than it actually was. While following the bumpy and uneven path, the forest was almost quiet besides the wagon Becky and Zephyr were riding in. After a few twists and turns they neared the end of the forest. As they got closer they noticed 3 people guarding the path up ahead.

"Alright Becky, the guards up ahead have to check to see if we have magic before we enter the town." Said Zephyr. "So don't worry, just show them your arm and they'll use their magic to determine if you have magic or not." Zephyr calmly reassured Becky that nothing bad would happen.

As Becky and Zephyr reached the guards, they signaled for Zephyr to stop.

"Halt!" one of the guards commanded, holding up a hand. The guard, a tall figure with a stern face, stepped forward. "State your business."

"We're heading to Everglow," Zephyr replied calmly. "Just passing through."

The guard's eyes narrowed as he carefully examined them. "Magic rune?" he demanded, extending his hand.

Becky shot a confused look at Zephyr. "Magic rune?"

Zephyr leaned closer to her and whispered, "People who are allowed to control magic have a rune on their hand that limits their magic to basic abilities. Most doctors have these runes since their medicine used to rely on magic."

Becky gulped and looked down at her own hands, which were bare. Zephyr, however, seemed unfazed. "We don't know any magic," he said smoothly.

The guard raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. "Show me your hands."

Zephyr held out his hands confidently, and after a moment's hesitation, Becky did the same. The guard inspected them closely, his eyes lingering on Becky's hands. Finally, he nodded and stepped back. "You may pass."

As they began to move past the guards, Zephyr stopped and turned back. "Do you know of a town called Glowhaven? How far is it from here?"

The guard looked slightly irritated at the question. "Glowhaven? Sounds familiar, but I'm not sure. It's probably outside of this country. The next town over, Silverwood, gets a lot of people bringing goods from other countries. Maybe you can find more information there."

"Thank you," Zephyr said with a nod, and they continued on their way.

Becky let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as they continued on their way. "That was close," she whispered to Zephyr.

Zephyr nodded. "It's getting more difficult to travel without those runes. The guards are getting more strict."

They continued their journey and soon emerged from the dense forest, the path widening as they approached the town of Everglow. The town was a beautiful sight, with cobblestone streets bustling with vendors and townspeople. Medieval-style buildings lined the streets, and the air was filled with the sounds of merchants calling out their wares and children playing.

"Welcome to Everglow," Zephyr said with a smile.

Becky looked around in awe. "It's beautiful. What's our next destination?"

"We need to get some supplies," Zephyr replied. "Let's find a clothing store first."

They wandered through the town, exploring the various shops and stalls. The town looked as though it had been taken straight out of a story, the old medieval buildings nothing like her hometown. Becky's eyes lit up when they found a clothing store. Inside, she found a forest green hooded cape that caught her eye.

"This would be perfect," she said, trying it on.

Zephyr nodded approvingly. "It suits you."

After making their purchases, they left Everglow, planning to reach the next town before sunset. Unfortunately, the sun was already beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the forest as they walked through it. The path was quiet, and the air grew cooler as the light faded.

Suddenly, they heard someone screaming, followed by explosions and magical sounds. Zephyr and Becky exchanged worried glances and hurried towards the noise. As they got closer, they saw five guards lying unconscious on the ground, surrounded by scorched earth and fallen trees.

In the middle of the chaos stood a girl about Becky's age, her black streaks of magic out of control. The magic lashed out, causing more trees to fall and crashes that echoed through the forest.

"Be careful," Zephyr warned as Becky started to approach the girl.

Becky nodded but couldn't ignore the fear in the girl's eyes. "Hey!" she called out, dodging the black streaks of magic. "It's okay, I'm here to help!"

The girl's eyes widened in panic, and she started to back away. "Stay back!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "I can't control it!"

Becky didn't stop. She dodged another streak of magic and reached the girl. "You don't have to be afraid," she said softly. "We can help you."

The girl hesitated, then finally stopped running. "They were after me because I can't control my magic," she explained, tears streaming down her face.

Becky nodded understandingly. "We'll figure it out together," she promised. "What's your name?"

The girl took a deep breath. "I'm Lila."

"Nice to meet you, Lila," Becky said with a reassuring smile. "I'm Becky, and this is Zephyr. Come with us. We'll help you."

Lila looked at them, uncertainty in her eyes, but eventually nodded. "Okay."

"We are not going to make it to the next town before sunset," Zephyr said with a disappointed face. "Since you took care of the guards, we can find a place to stay in Everglow and leave tomorrow"

While heading back Lila told Becky and Zephyr how she was unable to control her magic when she gets stressed or scared. Becky, a little scared herself, asks Zephyr, "Do you think someone in Silverwood will know how I can get home?"

"They should, I wouldn't get too worried." Zephyr said with a reassuring voice.

As they reached the entrance to the town Zephyr said "we need to find an inn so we'll have a place to sleep tonight. Fortunately Everglow is a small enough town where you don't have to look far to find what you want."

When Becky, Lila, and Zephyr entered the inn, Zephyr used his so-called expert persuasion skills to ask for a room. Despite his impressive efforts, it was clear the innkeeper would have been more than willing to provide a room simply to make money. Once they secured a room, they headed straight there to prepare for the next day. As Becky fell asleep, the sounds of the bustling town outside gradually faded away.