Eloise’s mentor? Elizabeth wondered what this mysterious person could be like, as they climbed the spiraling staircase that ran the interior of the Great Life Tree’s trunk. It seemed as though the stairs ascended forever, and Elizabeth felt herself quickly running out of energy. Leon, on the other hand, always seemed un-phased by physical labor.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWnxMoDkZk
“How much further? I feel like I’m climbing a mountain,” Elizabeth complained.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYhaltVtXM
“You climbed an actual mountain two days ago; how can you already be tired from a few stairs?” Leon chided.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ntlrwNYmS
“A few? This goes on forever!” Elizabeth exclaimed in response.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAPZ8BnMVm
“Hardly,” Leon retorted.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7elopHRkaP
“Does it go all the way to the top of the tree?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bcAxE6kCs
“Yes.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡce32dcDBYz
“That’s basically forever.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5Ojte0lya
Leon chuckled. “We’re almost there,” he replied.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEmofT2ldF
“That’s what you always say.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqTRs736I2
Elizabeth lost track of how many floors they had ascended by the time they turned off the stairs. She had started to feel dizzy from constantly veering to the right in the spirals, and was still resisting the urge to throw up.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG8v0BJ0Xh
“Are you well? You look very pale,” Leon asked as he turned around, his eyes darkening with concern. Elizabeth just nodded — she was certain that if she spoke now she would surely vomit. Leon nodded, hesitant, and turned back to lead the way forward again.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8WxwbrzxE
They emerged into a room much smaller than the first. The room and all its furnishings were carved straight out of the tree and immovable. The room itself was furnished with a long table and four chairs, a wide bookshelf, a bench beside it, and a bed. It was decorated sparsely, with books on the shelf, the bed made up with silken blankets and soft-looking pillows, a chamber pot in the far corner, and a fancy-looking silk throw rug in the center of the room that depicted a scene of a fairy dancing with a dragon-looking creature.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡem57dyehEX
Leon noticed Elizabeth examining the carpet and spoke up, “it depicts the legendary beast, the Kirin.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡklEsQE4AF1
“What’s a Kirin?” Elizabeth asked, inquisitive.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQaOoH0Pgx
“Supposedly a magical beast who guards The Dreamer — it is simply a myth, though,” Leon explained briefly.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuTAC78RpN
“Some things are myths even in this world?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡPK8tcZ8hzN
“Indeed. Every world must have its myths and legends, to awe and inspire.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrEtf3bfTr
“Every world? How many worlds are there?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnWHYzP6qe
“Honestly, I do not know the answer to this,” Leon admitted.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgZ2Jb2RtC
As Leon put their bags next to the bed, Elizabeth examined the rug a while longer. Both creatures depicted in the carpet were beautiful in their own right — the fairy’s wings were woven with a sparkling yarn, well representative of those wings they had just seen down below. The Kirin was woven in brilliant bright colors — it reminded her of an oriental dragon with a horse’s mane and tail.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM3jfjmrzf
“I bet they’re beautiful,” Elizabeth commented.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnDP4BpTIQ
“What are?” Leon asked, puzzled.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C67FPjHHM
“Kirin. I bet they’re beautiful and majestic creatures — if they exist.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmynFOG1ff
“Ah,” Leon replied, at a loss for words, “I imagine so.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9CUYHwoAe
“I wish I could meet one. If fairies are real, I’m sure Kirins must be, too,” Elizabeth commented more-so to herself than her companion as she finally looked up from the decoration. Leon was already waiting by the door and Elizabeth groaned, “more stairs? Are you serious?” Leon chuckled in his typical way, a honeyed sound that enchanted Elizabeth every time.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJQkRvaacR
“My apologies, dear, but I am afraid we must travel higher once more,” he replied. Elizabeth exaggerated a groan but Leon ignored her and started to head up the stairs, knowing she would follow. She did so begrudgingly.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwdwTTkAVA
“Where are we going? How high this time?” Elizabeth asked, clearly annoyed with stairs at this point.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcJs7I9D6K
“The top,” Leon replied.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡRluIFldQwq
“Are you serious?!” Elizabeth halted, angry. “Before you said it wasn’t far, now we have to go to the top?!” Leon stopped and looked back down at her, sighing heavily.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtWVZQPkqK
“You are acting as a child, Elizabeth — it is not too much to ask for you to make a little effort; the horses have carried your weight for two days, I am certain you can carry your own self for a few more minutes,” he replied condescendingly. Elizabeth fumed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgXEI4nSHu
“What the hell?” she demanded.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzP7husvkY
“If you throw a childish tantrum, then I shall thusly treat you as a child,” Leon chided. Elizabeth was furious with him at this point, but tried to take a few calming breathing exercises like her therapist had taught her years ago. Leon watched her impatiently, but said nothing as she closed her eyes and breathed through her mouth. He recognized that she was attempting to calm herself down.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2sSYrJNL9
“Fine,” she said through clenched teeth, “lead the way.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGqvl8AI1i
“Good,” Leon replied simply and started heading back up the stairs with Elizabeth right behind him. They were starting to get irritated with how confrontational the other one was.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡcER1L9wdER
A few minutes later of climbing the stairs in aggravated silence, they reached the summit of the Great Life Tree, where Leon claimed they would find Eloise’s former mentor. Elizabeth didn’t know who or what to expect — perhaps a fairy elder of some kind? Or another creature altogether? She braced herself for the unknown as they emerged into a grand chamber that Elizabeth guessed encompassed half the width of the tree. It appear, for all intents and purposes, as one would expect of a throne room — a long hall ended in a throne, with a silken red runner carpet leading from the stairwell landing up to the three short steps directly in front of the throne — which elevated the seat. Fancy tapestries lined the entire wall behind the throne. No one was seated on the throne, and Elizabeth wondered briefly why they had come this far for nothing. Before she could get mad at Leon, a figure emerged from behind a tapestry — which Elizabeth realized had been concealing a doorway.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzUErS5bGR
“Leon!” a tiny voice cried as a child-like figure with glittering silver wings launched themselves at Leon and he caught the small fairy in a warm embrace. “You’ve finally returned!”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeyKKTTkCU
“Indeed, I have,” he affirmed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPytRjCnxg
“I saw it in the stars, but I scarcely could believe it!” the fairy gushed as Elizabeth looked her over. She was a tiny thing, smaller than the fairies downstairs, and Elizabeth realized she seemed to be nothing more than a child — perhaps twelve years old, by human standards — though Elizabeth had no idea about the aging process of a mystical creature. The fairy had deep-set silver eyes that seemed to shine like starlight and matched her wings, and long silver hair tied into a tight bun. Her clothes seemed to be made of layers of sheer blue and black fabric, in fading hues — it appeared as though she wore a darkening sky. It reminded Elizabeth of seeing the moon and stars, if they were personified.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJQ9ni2stJ
At that moment, the unidentified fairy noticed Elizabeth and began to look her over, fluttering all around her in 360 degrees. Elizabeth felt awkward and out-of-place as she eyed the fairy curiously.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOXSyIMs2p
“Is it true? Is she it?” the fairy asked, and Elizabeth realized she was referring to her.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEeV85fLtM
“Yes, it is true, and this is she,” Leon confirmed the cryptic question.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JvTTSbVlF
“She doesn’t look like her,” the fairy pondered.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFtCy2klun
“No, she does not,” Leon agreed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR1ZNa42Wy
“Curious, is it not?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYikSbd37z
“I suppose so.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMfcpNeK8I
“You brought her from the other world?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TA9SnjXpf
“Yes.” Elizabeth realized then that they were talking about her, and drawing comparisons between her and her former incarnation.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡweeOz60Na8
“I’m standing right here,” Elizabeth fumed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTUB5koj4x
“That you are,” the fairy child mused and Elizabeth frowned.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bqCkj0Dgp
“Leon, where the heck is this mentor I’m supposed to meet?” Elizabeth demanded.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡTME8BefB1p
“Right here,” Leon pointed to the fairy still circling Elizabeth. The fairy in question stopped and landed directly in front of them with a low curtsy.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnjEZoYoI2
“My name is Nefeline, of the Forlarren people,” she introduced herself. Elizabeth flustered and stammered for a moment, before curtsying awkwardly in return.174Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel1schHgR3
copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKdmnyGnbW
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Elizabeth managed to stammer politely.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5JrelGtXI
“Enough of the formalities, they bore me,” Nefeline said as Elizabeth straightened back up. “Let’s get down to business: you want to learn to control Eloise’s, your, powers. Correct?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡTH6cl5Bktj
“Yes, ma’am — please teach me, before I hurt someone again!” Elizabeth pleaded.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡnp4BMr9sPl
“Hurt someone?” Nefeline echoed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCq94FuK8r
“Yes, I— I…” Elizabeth trailed off. Leon noticed her distress.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡs28yfuERP7
“It was an assassin, sent after her. Her power manifested when her life was in danger,” Leon explained and Nefeline nodded her acknowledgment.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡacxfNjHWMw
“I understand,” Nefeline replied.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb8IldnPYw
“Then you will teach me?” Elizabeth asked, hopeful.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqypZNUDFJ
“Why?” Nefeline asked, a challenge in her tone.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPVi5JCMFo
“What do you mean ‘why’? So I won’t hurt people!” Elizabeth exclaimed, distressed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXAsFVF2LD
“Yes, but why should I teach you? This doesn’t affect me,” Nefeline replied. Elizabeth looked to Leon, at a loss for words, but Leon just shrugged.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡy247s4UnIA
“We’re trying to save the entire world, this affects everyone!” Elizabeth cried but Nefeline just frowned.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uq2NvLpiq
“That’s not a good enough reason, I’m afraid. Come back when you figure it out.” Nefeline dismissed them with a wave of her hand. She nodded to Leon and fluttered away back to the hidden doorway. Elizabeth looked on in dismay.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCnp43lK57
“Leon, can’t you do anything?” Elizabeth cried.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEasLCxGZf
“Nefeline isn’t easily swayed — you have to earn her respect; it’ a test,” Leon said, offering very little in the way of aid or explanations.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6KG8xbUXu
“Test? For what?” Elizabeth asked, trying to calm down again.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡlL6JbaMxVR
“Your character,” Leon replied, “that is the only way she will decide whether or not you are worthy of her efforts.” With that said, Leon turned sharply and began to head back down the stairs. Elizabeth stayed rooted in place, dismay still plain on her face.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjwOMhrjXr
What do I do now? She wondered.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdxjTGR5BO
“Wait!” Elizabeth called after Nefeline. The fairy turned back to regard her with little interest. Elizabeth was flustered but attempted to gather her thoughts quickly. “I’m— I’m not Eloise,” she began meekly but, as she spoke, her confidence and intensity grew and she slowly strode towards the fairy who had so easily dismissed her. “But I’m not her shadow, either; I’m my own person. I have my own appearance, my own personality. I’m sorry if that’s not good enough for anyone, if I disappoint them because they expected Eloise to suddenly be back, but I won’t apologize for being myself — I won’t allow you, or anyone else, to detract from who I am now and who I’m becoming. I may not really belong in this world or Earth, I may be caught somewhere in between, and this power I’m developing scares the hell out of me. But I WILL save both worlds, with or without your help.” Elizabeth was now standing toe to toe with Nefeline, at eye level while the fairy hovered in the air. Nefeline was still frowning and Elizabeth swallowed hard but kept her composure.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWAGFLQrjM
“Okay,” Nefeline replied after a long moment of silence and turned away again.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX5QLR7db4
“Okay? That’s it?” Elizabeth was dismayed at how easily she was constantly being dismissed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡELic5cSWit
“Come along then,” Nefeline added and Elizabeth cocked her head in confusion. Nefeline held the curtain aside and looked back at her. “Are you coming or not?” she asked and Elizabeth found her motor skills again, hurrying to pass through the doorway. Inside Nefeline’s quarters was grander than Elizabeth could have ever imagined. The room was again carved out of the wood of the tree, with furniture fixed in place. However, the entire room was beautifully adorned and decorated with intricate, brightly-colored tapestries covering every wall and silken carpets depicting various scenes of fairies and magical beasts, a towering bookcase crammed full of books and parchments, a long table covered in flawless glass and crystals in radiant colors of varying shapes and sizes, a king sized bed made up with plush-looking blankets and pillows, floating light orbs, and no ceiling. Wait, what? Elizabeth was confused as she strained her neck to look up. She could indeed see the sunny sky above, as soft clouds drifted gently across the ocean of blue. Nefeline noticed her reaction and giggled, a sound that reminded Elizabeth of wind chimes or a bubbling brook.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSqly57pxq
“It’s an illusion,” Nefeline answered the unspoken question, “but it is exactly as the sky appears at present.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRogHa8Onk
“That’s amazing!” Elizabeth exclaimed.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡT15cdap67H
“That’s magic,” Nefeline replied in a matter-of-fact tone.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSz0e85lxD
“Will I be able to do that?” Elizabeth asked excitedly.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJvaZck81H
“No.”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVJy8WIx2Q
“Why not?”copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCJPCXXIiv
“Faerie magic and the magic of an enchantress are very different — you deal with elements, we deal with illusions and nature,” Nefeline explained.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5eRfe3Am5
“What’s the difference?” Elizabeth asked.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡiP01n8X6G0
“That is what I must teach you,” Nefeline replied.copyright protection170ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVDGLfDIYW
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