Chapter Ten

Chapter 10: The Discoveries
                            Of a Wondrous World



Falion - The Illumination Forest

The band of outsiders never fully got use to all the different colors of the forest. And as the sun went to rest, there was no need for a fire at all. The warm glow from the plants gave off more then enough light.

During her time in the Eastern Temple, Elowen had learned a lot about the geography of Falion, so finding the best way to get to the Arriescent Ruins was a relatively easy task.
It was just getting everyone else to see it.

   “Why can’t we just get out of this bloody forest completely, and then go around it?” Merek asked in a huff. His forehead was knit together with confusion, as he tried to get his band out of the freaky forest as soon as possible.
Elowen took a deep breath. Her mind growing weary of all the bickering.
   “I mean it beats going through the forest, and we might actually be able to get a good night’s sleep.”
Merek went on. Oblivious to Ellie’s desperate tries at keeping her mind clear.
Dreyden had been watching her closely and noticed her efforts.
She needed a break.
   “Come on. Lets go for a walk.” He said quietly. Gently touching her elbow.
She looked up at him and nodded. Grateful for an escape of some sort.

Outside the cave, Elowen took a deep breath of fresh air, before turning to Drey. He gestured with his head, and they began to walk through the forest of colors.
   “If I knew any better, I’d say you’re pretty stressed.” Drey said with a casual smile.
Ellie let out a sigh as she passed under a vine of white glowing jasmine. The melody of the forest began to calm her nerves.
   “Yes. I suppose you could say that.” She muttered in her usual quiet tone.
   “Why do you want to go through the forest instead of around it?”
He asked as he held back some leaves for her.
She let out another sigh and paused. She began to fiddle with her new dress.
   “Did you see that region of the map called the Abyss?” She spoke up.
Drey nodded. The Abyss was smack-dab in the middle of the map.
   “That is the worst part of Falion. Everyone goes out of their way to avoid it. And going out of the Forest just to sleep better doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.”
Drey could see that really worried her, but he was still confused about why it worried her.
He let the silence linger for a moment, trying to figure out things.
A sycamore tree’s bow was hanging so low, that Elowen pushed off a rock and landed on the branch.
   “Alright, time for a history lesson.” She said, patting the branch beside her.
Dreyden raised his eyebrows.
   “A history lesson? Now?”
She nodded.
   “Yes! If you want to know why I’m so scared of The Abyss you have to know your history. Of Falion. Not of Cevlon.”
He nodded and jumped up on the branch next to her.
   “Alright. I’m listening.”
   “When Cevlon was raised into the air, out of the reach of Eleyos’ greatest enemy, a rift was left behind. That is The Abyss. However, it’s not just a rift. When the battle between Eleyos and his enemy was over, Eleyos cast him in to The Abyss, sealed it and gave orders never to go with in a hundred leagues of it. And we haven’t.”
Drey’s eyes became as large as a pebble on a river bed.
   “Wait so.... Viglur is still down there?” He asked.
   “As far we know. But there’s rumors flying around that he’s starting to break the seal. Chaos is sweeping in to all four corners of Falion. The Talon-Bears are getting agitated, The Nigvorians are leading more raids then usual, the Pixies are causing...more trouble then normal, and the humans down here are going insane! Especially the Infidels. We all fear that they’ll some day gain truce with the Nigvorians and descend onto Asmodea! And if that happens...” She shuddered at the thought of the chaos that would unravel if that would ever happen.
   “We need someone who can reinforce the seal once again, someone who can stop Viglur from rising again. If that happens we might have a chance. If that happens and even if we simply delay him, we can gather the forces we need to make sure we survive. It’s been fabled that a force will rise someday and bear the Supreme Gems...but I know it’s not me.”
Drey objected automatically.
   “But you have one of those Lost Gems. So why can’t it be you?”
She smiled at his ignorance. She should have known he didn’t know of the fables.
   “Because, the force the fables speak of, is fearless, fierce to an extreme, and can knock down any enemy no matter how large or how strong. I don’t exactly fit those categories.”
He was about to say something, but then thought better of it and shut his mouth.
   Being a girl, and as they say, a girl thinks in strands. One thought led to another and she sprouted out something completely off topic.
   “By the way, where is Lorem?” She asked.
Dreyden froze. He wasn’t quiet sure how to tell her that her little tiger had gone from the cute and cuddly cub, to a near giant of a monster.
Ellie saw his hesitation and looked at him.
   “You do, still have him, don’t you?”
   “Of course I do!” He said. Pulling the silver-blue Gem out of one of his pockets.
   “But uh...before you call him there’s uh...”
Too late.
Elowen had already taken the Gem from his hand and called her friend.
She let out a screech when her tiger friend appeared in front of her, no longer floating, and almost coming up to her hip.
She would have toppled backwards if it weren't for Dreyden, who's battle quickened reflexes caught her elbow and the small of her back before she fell over, quickly pulling her to his side to make sure she didn't fall off.
   "Wha-what happened to him?" She asked, her breath suddenly gone.
Drey hesitated before answering carefully.
   "He ate."
She turned her deep green eyes to him in startled shock.
   "He ate?!" She repeated, not sure she heard right. Hoping she hadn't heard right.
He nodded.
   "Ate what?!"
   "My house."
She moved away slightly and turned to face him properly.
   "Your house?"
He cocked his head.
   "Okay maybe not the actual house, but he did make it explode."
Her mouth dropped and she looked down at the tiger who was now bumping her hand with his nose, trying to get her to pet him.
   "Well that wasn't very nice of you now was it?"
Lorem shook his head.
   "I'm sorry about that. Can you fix it?"
   "Hmm?" Drey realized she was talking to him. "Oh! Yeah it's no problem...If I ever go back that is." He mumbled the last bit under his breath as he let go of Elowen. But she managed to hear it, and it got her thinking. Wondering really, about that odd dream she had when she had nearly died.
Was that really a part of his past?...or just a dream her subconscious mind made up.

Elowen tried to devise a way to ask him about his mother. And then a piece of old wisdom her Master had told her came to mind. 'To learn of another, you must first share yourself.' Now of course he hadn't actually meant her physical body, but her past. Memories and that sort of thing. That was the kind of thing that everyone always was eager to hear. Whether they told you that or not.
And she also found herself wanting to break the awkward silence.
   "The melody of the Forest reminds me of a song my sister use to sing to me when I couldn't get to sleep." She muttered, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she scratched Lorem's head.
   "She was like a mom to me." She added.
   "What about your actual mom? And dad?"
Ellie shrugged and looked up at Drey.
   "I never knew them. My sister raised me for most of my life before the monastery. She told me that they died when I very young. So she was the only living family I've ever known."
Dreyden was caught by fascination when she opened up to her own history. And he realized they really didn't know much about each other.
   "What happened to her? Is she still around? Waiting for you?"
Elowen, sadly, shook her head.
   "No...Before she dropped me off at the monastery she told me she had a job to do, and then she left. I haven't seen hide or hair of her sense then. I don't know what's happened to her."
Drey fell silent and he sighed.
   "What was her name?"
   "Jedika."
There was another long silence as Ellie contented herself with petting Lorem, and Dreyden contented himself with watching her. Deciding what to say next.
   "I didn't know my parents very long either."
   "How old were you? When they passed away, and your brother?"
Drey looked down at her.
   "Six. Still a child. And I only have one real memory of my mother. She was really kind and put up with my...rather," he cleared his throat and Ellie smiled. "demanding personality. I'm just sad I didn't get to know her better."
The silence between the two held for a while as they listened to the Forest's song. Ellie couldn't bare to ask about the memory. He looked so depressed that she really didn't want to pry any further.
The beautiful melody rose and fell in perfect harmony, flawless to a point it was blissfully painful.
   "So, what makes the Forest sing?" Drey asked. Elowen turned to him with a growing smile.
   "Pixies of course." She answered with a giggle.
Dreyden's eyes grew wide, the shock easy for her to see.
   "Wait - What?"
Ellie had already pushed herself away from the branch, and was walking deeper into the strange Forest, with the silver tiger at her side.
Dreyden jumped off the branch and jogged a few steps to catch up with her.
   "Do you mean 'pixies' as in the ones from children's tales?" He asked, not quiet sure what to make of her statement.
   "Well they're anything but a child's tale, however, I suppose you wouldn't have them up on Cevlon would you?" She questioned sweetly.
   "No. No we don't! Along with Talon-Bears, or - or what ever else you have down here."
The two laughed as he said this, but when he finished, Elowen stopped abruptly.
   "Why don't I just show you and the rest at camp? It would be much easier, and this way you and your lot can get some education."
Drey shrugged. His light armor clanging together.
   "Better late then never." He pointed out. She nodded and turned back the way they had come.
Drey knew forests were easy to get lost in, but he had been so focused on Elowen that he had forgotten to mark their path.
   "Um...Ellie? How do we get back?"
   "Oh some bounty hunter you are." She remarked. Though her words were slightly sarcastic, her smile was genuine.
She took up the lead, but let Drey fall into step with her.
   "So have you been to Illumination Forest before?" He asked.
Elowen shook her head.
   "No. I've only seen pictures in ancient texts, and heard stories from travelers, but no. I've never been here in person."
   "Then how? You seem to know everything there is to know -"
He was interrupted by her silver bell laughter.
   "I know very little, and I do not pretend to know, that which I do not. Some people call me a snob" She said gently, looking down at her boots.
   "Honorable." Drayden chimed in. Ellie was taken aback. She looked up at him with wild eyes.
   "Honorable," he repeated. "That's what I'd call you."
Color flushed Elowen's cheeks as she smiled.
   "Well, I wish I had known you sooner Drayden." She whispered sweetly.
But before Dray got a chance to respond, they broke out of the trees and came into the camp.

Tarryn seemed lost in thought as he shredded pieces of bark. His dark eyes looked slightly troubled behind his pale bangs. Like he was trying to decide what to believe, and what not to believe.
Ellie's heart went out to the poor boy, she had all ways been told that Cevlon was real. But poor Terryn was suffering from major culture shock! Everything he once knew to be true, was suddenly lost in the wild sea of chaos.

Ysmay and Merek were arguing in quiet whispers by the map, which was lying on the ground between them. Kade was watching them from his log with a bored interest.
Elowen didn't see Sonera anywhere around the camp site, so she assumed she must be in the cave.

She moved over to Terryn, who didn't notice her 'til she was standing next to him.
He looked up at her, the only hint of shock or surprise was in his eyes.
   "Want to see something even more miraculous then this singing Forest?" she asked, bending down so her hair fell in her eyes. Terryn saw something white behind her left ear, but another wave of hair fell over it before he could tell what it was.
   "I don't believe anything could out do this forest." He remarked. Looking around with a slight smile, but it fell quickly as a shadow crossed his face.
   "But then again, I use to think nothing could out do Haven either. Guess that shows how little I know." He added gloomily. Ellie sighed and sat down on her knees. She gripped his well muscled forearm.
   "I know it'll all come as a shock, but give it a few days and you'll come round. Promise."
Terryn looked her square in the eyes and sighed.
   "I guess so. I just hope your right."
She smiled and squeezed his arm.
   "Come on." She said, rising back up and nodding to him.
He sighed and stood up, placing his long dagger back into it's sheath on his hip.
She flashed him a smile before turning to the others.
   "Would you mind stopping your bickering for the moment so I can show you something?" She called out.
Sonera peeked her head out of the cave, looking at Ellie with raised eyebrows. Coming out of the darkness, she tapped Kade on the shoulder, earning his attention. He looked from her, to Ellie with the same questioning face. Ysmay and Merek fell silent as they cast more questioning glances between Elowen and Dreyden.
Who was the only one not wondering what the mysterious Magi had in mind.
   "Thank you kindly. Now the illumination is very beautiful, but...would you like to see what or who really, makes it glow?"
Barely had the words escaped her lips, did Kade start to protest.
   "A glowing forest is one thing, but you can't actually expect us to believe magic makes it do that." He stated with fire in his eyes and tone of voice.
She smiled and moved over to a pink and purple flower. The petals were as large as her palm and she knew that that particular flower petal would create a gold dust when crushed up very fine.
   "Kade," She gazed at him with a sympathetic look. "No one likes things that cant be explained," She clasped her hands behind her back. "And magic hasn't been explained to you yet.. But magic isn't something to be feared." She plucked one of the petals off and began to crumple it up between her finger tips and palm. A smile spread across her lips as she raised a closed palm to her mouth.
   "It's the Magi you have to be wary of." She opened her palm and blew the gold dust into the air.

Ysmay watched in amazed wonder as Elowen slid her long staff out from it's sheath on her back.
There was a hum that came from the back of her throat, a chant came out her mouth.
Kade's brow furled, but she shot him a look that told him to keep his gop shut, or she'd shut it for him.
Elowen sent up a prayer to Eleyos that this would work. She wasn't actually sure what it was she was doing. Maybe she was making a bit of a show of herself, but she knew she couldn't back down now.
She created only a summoning spell, simple enough in nature, but so much so she wasn't sure it would do the trick.
After she had finished uttering the spell, she lowered her staff and waited. The silence was awkward, what with everyone starring at her expectantly.
   "Ellie, what are you -"
   "Shh!" She snapped, keeping her gaze up in the trees. Mostly just so she could avoid eye contact with any of them.
After a long moment of nothing but the song of the forest to fill their ears, they could hear the giggles again. Coming from all around them. She turned around and gazed up at the tree tops. At first there was nothing, then, she finally spotted them.

   "Look! Up there! Can you see it?" Terryn pointed out. Suddenly giddy.
Everyone followed where his finger was pointing to, and gasps over took them as their breath was stolen away.
A person, about as small as one of the petals Elowen had crunched up just a moment ago, flew down to eye level with Terryn. Yes, flew. He had translucent wings that sparkled when they caught the light, they were so fine that Terryn could see the veins running through them. Besides the wings, another trait that caught him off guard, was the fact that the little person, was blue! And his hair, bright red and stuck strait up everywhere. He was dressed in what looked like sewn leaves, with no shoes. But with the use of wings, why use one's feet?
   "Not an 'it'," Elowen said quietly, walking up next to him. "But a Pixie. They live in this forest, all around us. They're the ones that sing."
Ysmay turned on her heel, her mind now knowing what to look for, spotted thousands and thousands of Pixies. All coming out of various hiding spots.
   "See? Not all of this world is bad." Ellie said, her eyes on Kade. "It just takes a little bit of explaining, and an open mind is all."