Elizabeth and Leon couldn’t afford to spend more than a day on their detour, as the world would be fading away quickly. That meant Nefeline’s time with Elizabeth was limited, and she made the most of it as she possibly could. She couldn’t teach Elizabeth to master her magic in a single day, but she could help her understand it — and understanding her powers meant learning where they came from.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZZUjAP48t
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“You are not Eloise,” Nefeline started, “but she is still a part of your spirit, your soul, where your magic originates.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡlM3YeVzW7D 維尼
“My magic originates in my soul?” Elizabeth echoed inquisitively.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXdyB0RLCC 維尼
“Indeed. All magic comes from the power of one’s spirit — the elusive fifth element. The four elements comprise the earth: Air, Water, Fire and Earth. But we are composed of greater things beyond the physical and tangible world, all life is imbued with a spirit — even the tree in which we stand.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡek01bUdJJr 維尼
“How can the tree have a soul?”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4pdBvjzs2 維尼
“It doesn’t have a soul, or consciousness as we know of it, but it has a spirit — it has life energy that we cannot perceive, but we can feel it if we try.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQoS2Ko7K0 維尼
“How does this help me?” Elizabeth was confused.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R9ZW53vuk 維尼
“To understand your power, you must first understand how it came to be,” Nefeline explained patiently. “To do that, we must look at Eloise’s history — as she was your incarnation that became an Enchantress.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGr1giA4Rd 維尼
“How did she do that?”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0y51HniJjs 維尼
“That is what you must learn,” Nefeline said as she flew over to her bookcase and pulled out a large tome. She dropped the book onto a clear spot on the table, careful not to break any of the precious baubles sitting there.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡso0dnYxwLd 維尼
“How? Leon won’t speak about her,” Elizabeth protested as she walked closer.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHP2rOimVw 維尼
“Come here,” Nefeline beckoned and Elizabeth complied. “We here at the Great Life Tree collect the life history of every magic user to roam this world,” Nefeline explained.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3qpl6zFWR 維尼
“How?” Elizabeth asked, skeptical.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡavjy7WbHjT 維尼
“Faerie magic,” Nefeline replied. She began to skim through the ancient, leather-bound book. “I presume, since you know about Eloise in the first place, that Leon did speak about her at one point.” Elizabeth nodded.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4DsifuGw2 維尼
“He read one of his journal entries to me, and I’ve dreamed of her,” Elizabeth explained and Nefeline looked up with an expression that conveyed surprise.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡlO7CKU76No 維尼
“You dream of her?” Nefeline echoed. It was her turn to be dismayed.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzbSqiyVmn 維尼
“Well, not of her, per say…” Elizabeth trailed off but Nefeline beckoned she continue. “I dream that I am her. I see through her eyes, feel what she felt. I think I’m reliving her memories. Somehow,” Elizabeth explained slowly, as though feeling each word roll off her tongue tentatively.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡClirw2YRmx 維尼
“I seem” Nefeline replied and seemed to ponder this revelation, “I didn’t expect such a thing.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJkVgpzshD 維尼
“Is that bad?” Elizabeth was worried.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCtczI5rDD 維尼
“On the contrary, my dear! This is excellent news!” Nefeline exclaimed as she began to flip through the book again.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBaWQdCi4a 維尼
“How?” Elizabeth asked.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g8o5sRTMa 維尼
“Because it means you are already familiar with the type of person Eloise was,” Nefeline replied. “We don’t have to cover all the reading material then.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdJXx50fcr 維尼
“Reading material?”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyEHX70u9X 維尼
“Indeed. We must help you recover your memories of Eloise, if possible. I believe then you will further learn to control your power. Leon said they manifested when your life was in danger?”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpN40t32TN 維尼
“Yes.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8DvXkADkr 維尼
“We can’t rely on that happening again — if your life is threatened, you may not be able to control whether or not your powers manifest, which means they’re unreliable,” Nefeline explained, echoing the concerns Elizabeth herself had.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SPL9mQbD9 維尼
“I’m scared of hurting someone…” Elizabeth trailed off, leaving out the part about almost killing Leon when her powers went out of control.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCPBOTKFvV 維尼
“That is why we will access those hidden memories, and reveal to you how to control your powers,” Nefeline replied. “How much of her life do you remember, or rather dream of?”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cjeTrzI2t 維尼
“Just bits and pieces,” Elizabeth admitted. “They don’t really make sense.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFnxKtxtmX 維尼
“We will make sense of them, given time.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAwKKVsC8B 維尼
“I don’t have time,” Elizabeth protested, “we have to find The Dreamer’s Daughter.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZQpzu0cg2 維尼
“Ah. Azalea.” Nefeline didn’t even bother to look up from the text.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoNS0gm29K 維尼
“Azalea?” Elizabeth echoed.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLKLeWALAk 維尼
“Her name. Eloise’s sister. The Dreamer’s second Daughter. Azalea,” Nefeline explained.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRlVIUcVGC 維尼
“I didn’t know her name.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwvwE9mmiX 維尼
“Clearly.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAS69jTwDp 維尼
“Is she dangerous? Can she use magic?” Elizabeth asked, growing concerned. She looked over at the bookshelf and wondered if Leon or Azalea were somewhere in a book there. Nefeline paused and looked up at the sky, pondering her response for a long moment.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0jug9d8Bu 維尼
“Maybe.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Yw0XwPrD4 維尼
“Maybe? That’s it?” Elizabeth was dismayed at how little the fairy would sometimes give her to work with.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzBJ6H6rMi 維尼
“Maybe,” Nefeline repeated with conviction, “I’ve never met her before, so I couldn’t say if she were dangerous herself. Her ally, however, Jahan, is a powerful and dangerous, blood thirsty man. While she possesses magic, it is of divination.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzBYoUgV0W 維尼
“Divination? What’s that?” Elizabeth asked.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡjO0H1ytlMo 維尼
“She can foresee the past, present and future,” Nefeline replied, “I imagine she knows you’re here.”8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdfebG7iaI 維尼
“Wait, she knows I’m coming?” Elizabeth asked worriedly.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjvjLw55Vx 維尼
“I imagine it was she who sent the assassin to kill you — possibly to test you,” Nefeline explained and then noticed Elizabeth’s alarmed expression, “however, she is unlikely to try the same tactic twice.” This didn’t reassure Elizabeth — they were going to find the person who may or may not want Elizabeth dead. After a long moment, Nefeline spoke up, pulling Elizabeth from her worried thoughts. “Read this,” she commanded. Elizabeth complied, moving closer to the tome. As she began to quietly read, she felt the familiar tingling sensation occur just behind her eyes a moment before she was blinded by a flash of light and her consciousness faded away.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqHmdpw8hB
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Elizabeth awoke in the softest bed she had ever been in. She could feel herself sinking into the plush mattress, squishy like a marshmallow, and imagined that must be what it felt like to drift in the clouds. She rubbed and opened her eyes, realizing that the light orb above was out — and wondered briefly if it had something like a light switch somewhere. She sat up and squinted through the darkness, barely able to make out the shapes of furniture. She recognized the layout of the room and realized she must be in the first bedroom where Leon had left their things before going upstairs to meet Nefeline. The memories came rushing back to Elizabeth: meeting Nefeline, learning about Eloise, and her vision of Eloise’s childhood. Eloise had controlled her magic through her emotions, and so Elizabeth must also learn to do so — that was the only way to master her power without hurting someone by accident.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡur6BHPFtS3
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“Leon?” Elizabeth meekly called into the darkened room.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlEGuOqtl0 維尼
“Hm?” he barely responded with more than a groan and Elizabeth felt stirring beside her. She looked over and realized Leon had been asleep next to her the whole time, perhaps watching over her again.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡEliafbtqE8 維尼
“Sorry, I just want to know where you were,” she apologized. Leon sat up slowly to address her face to face.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuc3d9qYss 維尼
“Nefeline said you passed out when she was teaching you about Eloise — you had another vision, I assume?” he asked. Elizabeth nodded.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kwF8pZR3N 維尼
“Yes. I saw Eloise as a child, learning to use her magic in the first place,” Elizabeth replied. Leon didn’t say anything for a long time and Elizabeth wondered what his thoughts were of.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9nZShrycJ 維尼
“What was she like?” Leon asked finally, his weak low and weak.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡgi5lYaxpTH 維尼
“She was… curious and inquisitive. She asked a lot of questions and marveled at the beauty in the world,” Elizabeth told him.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6b9JqdHoH 維尼
“Much as you do,” Leon replied quickly.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7LL5mivmU 維尼
“I thought you said I’m nothing like her?” Elizabeth countered.8964 copyright protection393ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TY4rBdVy3 維尼
Leon didn’t answer. Elizabeth fell back asleep, at the least feeling secure that her protector was nearby.397Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb5TNVoaEL
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