Vernon realized he was being followed the moment the forest went quiet.
Not silent-the birds still sang, insects still hummed, and the wind still moved through the leaves-but quiet in a way that felt deliberate. As if the sounds had stepped back rather than disappeared.
He slowed his steps.
The narrow trail near the lake was familiar by now. He had walked it dozens of times while checking traps or gathering herbs Derek had pointed out. Every root and dip in the ground had etched itself into memory.
Yet now, something felt... offset.
Not wrong.
Just different.
"Bruce?" Vernon called softly, more out of habit than expectation.
No answer.
Bruce was training with Derek farther upriver. Vernon knew that. He also knew this presence wasn't either of them.
He exhaled, steadying himself, and continued walking.
The sensation followed.
It wasn't pressure.
It wasn't hostility.
If anything, it felt like curiosity-cautious, almost shy.
"Are you going to keep pretending I don't notice you?" Vernon asked, stopping near the water's edge.
The lake reflected the sky like polished glass. Spring sunlight broke through the canopy, scattering gold across the surface. The world looked peaceful enough to make his unease feel foolish.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then-
The air shifted.
It wasn't dramatic. No flash, no surge of power. Just a subtle bending, like space itself had inhaled.
A girl stood a few steps away.
She was small-shorter than Vernon by a noticeable margin-with pale blonde hair that fell in soft, unbound waves down her back. Her eyes were an impossibly clear blue, the kind that caught light even in shadow, and her skin seemed to glow faintly, as if touched by sunlight no matter where she stood.
She wore no armour, no robes. Just a simple, light dress that stirred gently despite the still air.
She tilted her head, studying him.
"...You noticed me earlier than I thought you would," she said.
Her voice was soft. Not weak-just careful.
Vernon swallowed, not letting her out of his gaze.
"Who are you?" he asked again, quieter this time.
The girl hesitated.
Then she smiled-tentative, almost relieved.
"My name is Melian."
Vernon didn't move.
He didn't reach for his knife. Didn't run. Didn't shout for Derek.
Some instinct told him that doing any of those things would be a mistake.
"What are you?" he asked instead.
Melian blinked, clearly surprised by the question.
"...You're supposed to ask where I came from," she said.
"I don't really care about that," Vernon replied honestly. "You've been watching me. I want to know why"
Melian's smile faltered.
She looked away, fingers curling lightly at her sides.
"Because you're strange," she said.
Vernon frowned. "That's... not very helpful."
"I know," she admitted. "I'm still learning how to talk to people."
That, more than anything else, made Vernon relax just a fraction.
"...You're not human, are you?"
Melian looked back at him, eyes bright.
"No."
They sat by the lake after that.
Not close-Melian kept a careful distance-but near enough that conversation felt possible.
"I'm a spirit," she explained, tracing idle patterns in the air with her finger. "Not a powerful one. Not ancient. Just... born where mana gathers naturally."
Vernon nodded slowly. "So.. the forest?"
"Yes. And the water. And the space between them."
She paused, then added, "You're not afraid."
"I am," Vernon said. "Just not panicking."
Melian seemed pleased by that.
"You heal strangely," she said suddenly.
Vernon stiffened. "You've been watching more than I thought."
"I can feel it," she replied. "When you're hurt, the mana around you twists. Not violently. More like it's being pulled."
That made Vernon uncomfortable in a way he couldn't explain.
"...Is that bad?"
Melian shook her head quickly. "No! No, it's just... rare. You burn through yourself to fix yourself. Most beings don't do that."
Vernon laughed weakly. "Yeah. That sounds about right."
She studied him more closely now, gaze thoughtful.
"You don't resent it," she said.
"I do," Vernon replied. "Sometimes. But it's mine."
Melian's eyes softened.
Derek noticed the change that evening.
Not the presence-he had sensed something watching them for weeks now-but Vernon's focus.
He was quieter. More inward.
"Something happened," Derek said as they ate.
Vernon hesitated, then nodded. "I met her."
Bruce perked up immediately. "Her?"
"A spirit," Vernon said. "Named Melian."
Derek's expression sharpened, but he didn't interrupt.
"She's been watching us," Vernon continued. "Me, mostly. She didn't feel hostile."
"That doesn't mean she isn't dangerous," Derek said calmly.
"I know," Vernon replied. "But she talked to me. Like... a person."
Bruce frowned. "That's kinda cool."
Derek shot him a look.
Bruce shrugged. "Just saying."
Derek turned back to Vernon. "Did she say why she revealed herself now?"
Vernon shook his head. "No. But I think... she was waiting for something."
"For what?"
Vernon looked toward the forest.
"For me to notice her back."
Melian didn't appear again for three days.
Then, on the fourth morning, Vernon woke to find her sitting near the cave entrance, legs drawn up, watching the sunlight creep across the ground.
"You're awake," she said.
"I usually am," Vernon replied groggily. "You're... early."
"I don't sleep," Melian said. "I just... dim."
She stood when he sat up, keeping her distance.
"I wanted to tell you something," she said.
Vernon waited.
"There's a shift coming," Melian continued. "Not just the season. Something deeper. Your path and his-" she gestured vaguely toward where Bruce trained "-will start to diverge more clearly."
Vernon's chest tightened. "I already know that."
"Yes," Melian said. "But knowing and accepting are different."
She hesitated.
"I can't interfere," she added quickly. "Not directly. Spirits like me don't get to choose sides easily."
"Then why talk to me at all?" Vernon asked.
Melian smiled-small, sincere.
"Because even observers are allowed to care."
That night, Derek sat alone by the lake, notebook resting on his knee.
Moonlight painted the water silver.
He wrote carefully.
Vernon-Innate Trait Observation
Healing response exceeds known human parameters.
Regeneration appears complete but stamina consumption is extreme.
Hypothesis: Perfect healing factor with proportional exhaustion.
Risk: Prolonged overuse may endanger long-term growth.
He paused, then added another line.
Spiritual sensitivity increasing.
Derek closed the notebook.
Across the clearing, Vernon and Bruce stood together, staring up at the moon.
They didn't speak.
They didn't need to.
The forest breathed around them-alive, watchful, patient.
And somewhere just beyond sight, Melian watched too.
Not as a guardian.
Not as a threat.
But as something new.