In the stone-and-wood house of a small family, a faint humming could be heard. Elantra was sitting alone, drinking the tea she had just brewed.
"I wonder how they're doing…"
She took another sip of her tea
A gust of wind could be heard as if someone or something was flying through the air. It was a spirit that took the form of a bird.
It landed on her shoulder and startled Elantra. Whoa—don't scare me like that" Small parts of her tea poured out. "Now look what you did, I have to clean it up now Jega isn't here" she frowned.
The spirit hurriedly spoke "My lady the children are close to discovering the hidden section." It flapped its wings loudly.
"Hey hey don't flap your wings like that on my shoulder, wait what" She turned her head in realization with a serious expression. "Subtly stop them I don't want them getting hurt or…".
——
Arina's face was in wonder and surprise. Arius crawled forward and looked up. It was a glowing light, a light that shouldn't be there. It was a green glow of light and dark leading somewhere.
Arius's eyes were wide and glowing "Let's follow it" he proposed. Arina nodded and agreed. They both ran following the light.
The farther they ran to follow the light the more it began to shine.
Dozens of spirits behind the trees were following them but one in particular was watching intensely while a bird came flying to it. "You have to stop them from getting hurt and going too far" it warned.
The spirit went in front of the two children "The Lady Elantra Vale is calling for both of you". The children stopped and looked at each other "But" the spirit cut them off "It's important to follow me"
The children followed it but were curious about the light.
The noise of leaves and sticks moving could be heard outside the house. Elantra sat down on a small table with three cups of tea.
"Hey, Mommy what happened?" "Yeah, what happened Ms Vale?" The two children asked with tilted heads.
Elantra gestured her hand for them to come sit down. The kids sat down and looked at the tea. "New herbs?" Arina asked.
Elantra's face grew a big smile "Try it and tell if it's good I used new material". Arina held the cup and drank it elegantly but Arius had trouble and almost dropped it. He smiled in embarrassment.
"So you're a he for today" Elantra teased. "Yeah, the spirit told us you had something important to tell us" Arius took another sip.
Elantra paused I didn't think this far she thought. "Uhhh…" She looked around until she saw the clock. "Aren't you going to leave soon Arina?" She asked
Arius's face darkened. Arina moved towards Arius "Don't worry I'll be back " she smiled.
Arius got up " I have something to give you" he ran upstairs. "Wonder what that is" Elantra said.
Arina leaned forward "Is he really going to stay here forever?". Elantra started sweating "uhhh not forever" She put her hands together Can you not ask questions like this?
"Listen Arina could you not talk about this around Arius I only want him to stay safe it's a terrible world out there" Elantra's face turned serious. Arina sat up and raised her voice "She should be outside and having fun with me and Q" she realized she raised her voice so she sat back down with her head down.
Elantra changed the topic "So how are things out there I heard they advanced the technology since I was gone". Arina looked up and smiled "Yeah, daddy brought me on a train and then an airship" her eyes lit up with her hands in the air. Elantra sighed "Technology has really advanced huh, I prefer old school magic".
"So how long until this spirit body of yours goes out?"Elantra asked. "Give or take 20 minutes" Arina answered as she started swinging her legs on the chair.
"How are you even alone in your house for this long?" Elantra asked. Arina answered "I just hide myself" she smiled. Elantra's mouth twitched.
Loud footsteps were heard going down the stairs. Arius reached the bottom but he tripped. Elantra quickly went over and lifted him up "Be more careful".
Arius had his left hand on his head but when he saw Arina he immediately went over as if nothing had happened. "Arina look I made this for you".
It was a black glove that clung like a second skin, its surface threaded with silver chains and tiny star-shaped charms. Rings and delicate filigree wrapped her fingers and wrist, blue gems catching the light as she moved, each motion sending a faint glimmer through the dark—elegant, dangerous, and unmistakably arcane.
"Mommy helped me make it" Arius cheerfully said. Arina's eyes widen as it starts glowing "Wow it's so pretty". "Don't forget Jega also helped" Elantra chimmed in.
"Where is Jega?" Arius asked. Elantra answered "It's almost winter so he's getting supplies, he'll be back in a week".
Arina hugged Arius "Thank you I love it". She's so sweet Elantra thought to herself.
"Hey Mommy, what was the light outside earlier?" Arius asked
"You know what we should do, we should play a game before you leave" Elantra got up. The two kids were excited. They played until Arina's body started glowing and dissipated.
Arius's eyes were down and darkened. Elantra saw this and stepped down to Arius's size "Hey wanna learn something fun?"
Arius looked up wondering what she was talking about. Elantra exactly told him "Before you go to sleep I'm going to teach you how to do the magic tricks I do"
——
In the same empty field, there were the same two silhouettes. Both were beaming with joy.
Elantra proudly stood with Arius beside her in excitement. A spirit flew over and gave Elantra a long staff.
It was wooden with vines and silver around it like a river. The top formed a circle with charms hanging off of it. In the circle was an orb, the orb had three layers the first being blue, the second purple, and the last green.
Arius, now female, wore an oversized black witch's hat that dipped low over her curls, a soft white blouse tucked into a simple dark skirt. The clothes looked a size too big, giving her a slightly awkward, childlike charm, finished with wide black boots that swallowed her small feet
"Did you have to change clothes?" Elantra looked dumbfounded.
Arius was an excited schooler learning magic for the first time "Presentation is important, you have to look cool when doing magic" she said straightening her back.
I think you've been reading too many books… Elantra put the bottom of the staff on the ground "Listen Arius before you learn how to use it I should tell you where it comes from.
Arius looked up at her "I already know where, I read about it in the books you told me to read".
Elantra smiled "Alright since you know everything tell me".
Arius took a deep breath "It comes from one of the seven wells of powers left by the primodials, to use this well we need… uhhh" Arius paused, embarrassed that she didn't know the name.
Elantra giggled "Mana it's mana, we are all born with mana and that's what we use to access the Arcane Well. But the type of magic one can use with the well depends on the person"
Arius tilted her head slightly "What do you mean it depends on the person?"
Elantra put both hands on the staff and leaned forward "the type of magic someone can use depends on what they were given but everyone can use the most basic of magic. Imagine a ceiling, everyone is born with a ceiling for all types of magic but some are low and others are high. Do you understand?"
I just didn't remember the name Arius stared blankly.
Elantra straightened her back and gestured Arius to take a step back "watch"
Elantra lifted the staff and pointed it upwards. Arius interrupted "Wait why do you need the staff Mommy?" She asked
"I've seen you do tricks before without the staff" Arius curiously said.
Elantra turned her head "Oh it's just for concentrating and making the tricks stronger. Now behold and watch" she smiled.
Arius took a step back. The orb of the staff started to glow as if taking something and putting it in. All kinds of colors went into it; blue, green, orange, purple, yellow, and many more.
Until finally a noise was heard. It was fast and quick almost, too fast for Arius's eyes but not for Elantra. The branches of the trees moved as all the spirits ran away.
Arius had her eyes closed for 3 seconds when the spell was cast. Elantra lifted the staff and taped Arius's left leg with the bottom. Her eyes opened in wonder and joy.
The sky had a streak of lightning across it as if a god was striking a heretic down.
Elantra proudly stood with her staff on her right hand "cool right?". Arius was staring at the lightning in awe.
Elantra held the staff sideways as if passing it to someone else. She turned her head sideways and said "Your turn".
Arius quickly turned her head too "Hey Mommy was the light in the sky also a cool trick?" She asked.
Elantra paused for a second and bent to the floor "Yes, it was a trick I wanted you and your sister to enjoy. Was it good?".
Arius shook her head up and down repeatedly "Let me try" she grabbed the staff but almost tipped over to the ground due to the weight.
Elantra quickly grabbed the shaft of the staff to balance Arius's weight "Are you ok Ari?" She wanted to check if Arius was still fine.
Arius answered "Yes, can I try now" Elantra smiled "Of course".
Arius held onto the vine and silver staff with all the force a 6-year-old can muster "Close your eyes and feel everything around yourself" Elantra instructed.
Arius did as told, she closed her eyes and tried to look around not with her eyes and not with her senses but with something deeper.
She could feel the warmth of mana in herself. She took a deep breath. "Can you feel that well?" Elantra asked.
Arius excitedly said "yes" but it was getting harder to concentrate as time passed. Elantra saw the hard time Arius is having "If you're having a hard time concentrating try humming".
Arius did as advised. The feeling of warmth felt clearer. "Now imagine the well and control the mana to go through it" Elantra could barely hold her excitement of Arius using magic.
Arius just barely made a small amount of mana go through the imaginary well. Elantra's lips opened "Now listen since you're at your beginning stages you have to have a medium and no I'm not talking about the staff. What I mean are runes, gestures, will, words, or for what you're going to use spirits".
Arius's heart raced with joy as a spirit that took the form of a cat ran over to the two silhouettes and went "into" Arius.
Elantra spoke in a calm and quiet voice now "the last thing you need to do is think about the spell, shape it, and lastly release it".
Elantra let go of the staff and took two steps back waiting in delight.
The orb of the staff glowed multiple colors such as blue, orange, purple, yellow, and many more but most of all green.
Something slowly came out of the orb. It was not something one can touch but only see. It was something from Arius's memory it was a green light.
——
The sky was pitch dark with stars coloring it. It was like one could see the cosmos just by looking up.
The sound of cold winds and trees moving could be heard. The very roots of the ancient trees were moving aside for a cloaked figure.
The cloak had symbols unknown to most on its surface. It was black with a streak of brown going over it like branches of a tree. It had a hood that made a shadow to cover the wearer's eyes.
The cloaked figure was walking beneath the night of the cosmos. Everything in its path moved. All the spirits were either asleep or running from the figure's path.
The cloaked figure stopped in front of three trees lined together. The figure bent to a prayer position and started murmuring words quietly until a path opened.
The grass and dirt in front of the trees opened to an underground passage that seemed to have survived for centuries.
Inside the passage, quiet steps were taken on the stairs leading down. With each step, the surroundings became more and more quiet until finally it was pure silence.
The silence was older than the roots and stone around the passage.
The figure walked past charms and veins all over the ground. There were sacrifices all over the passage.
The sound of stone slabs moving was heard as the passage entrance closed.
In the back of the passage, impossible to miss there was a stone statue. The statue was of a woman.
She had long hair, long ears almost like an elf, a tail indiscernible of which species, and rings around her body.
The cloaked figure bent down and prayed to the statue. The voice of the one praying was distorted but what could be understood was "anomaly".