New Beginnings pt2

In a vase void, Ethan looks around. After what seems forever, he picks a direction and starts walking.

"Hello, is anyone out there?" 

Nothing but the emptiness of the void answered him. so he kept walking. After a few minutes, he stopped and looked around again. Then, the floor gives way as he falls into the Hall of Elders.

His body hits the floor, and as he looks up, he sees a little girl sitting on a table. She is wearing a yellow day dress with red flowers. Her blonde hair went to the floor. As he started to look up. She started to giggle, and two wings appeared behind her.

"Well, hello there, cutie, what's your name? I am Aurora. But my name has been long since forgotten. Before I was a tree, I was an old and powerful Fae. Then, those juvenile humans started killing my friends. My people. And eventually, me..." 

Aurora loses herself in nostalgia but then eventually returns to the moment.

"Sorry, when you've been a tree cut off from the rest of the world for so long, you tend to lose your social skills and live in the past. Oh- please take a seat."

As Ethan stands up, a chair appears behind him. He sits, and a table with a cup of tea appears beside the chair.

"Oh, thank you, umm... My name is Ethan. I- Well, I died then, I guess, got transported to this place... well, not this place because, like, I just woke up here, but like, It was a forest, and there were people... Honestly, lowkey thought I was tripping on acid for a sec not gonna lie but yea no I was in a forest I was tiny like I was inside a flower. Then I grew wings and tried talking to some people and blacked out. I woke up in a really comfy bed, took a shit in a pot, then was escorted to a room that looked exactly like this. Oh, and I almost forgot you're the first person I've been able to understand." 

He takes a long sip of tea and then pours another cup.

"Wow, this is some really good tea."

Aurora jumped off the table she was sitting on and ran in front of Ethan. She put her hands on his face and then pressed her forehead to Ethan's. After a moment of silence, she lets go and goes back to her spot on the table. She sits and sighs, looking at Ethan.

"what I just did, in simple terms, was read your soul. Sorry for the invasion of privacy, but I had to check your story out... So, in your situation, there are a few things I can do to help you out. but first-"

She claps her hands, interlocks her fingers, and points at Ethan.

"you need to learn."

The room spins, and eventually, everything goes dark. As the light returns, Ethan notices the room is different. It looked like a classroom. There was a map on the left wall, but not of earth. In the front of the room was a desk and a whiteboard. Aurora now wore a white blouse, a red blazer, and matching red pants with black heels. Her long hair was in a messy bun, and she was wearing glasses. Ethan was sitting at a desk.

Aurora Stands in the middle of the front of the room.

"Welcome to Alva. Before we do anything, you need a basic understanding of the world you now live in. You are currently in 'The Great Forest.' It is a small country annexed from the Kingdom of Grayscale about 1900 years ago. But the Forest was born about 2000 years ago when I cast a spell that converted me into a tree instead of me drying..."

She goes on to give a basic rundown of the Forest and the political environment of Alva.

"Sorry, but much of my information about things outside the Forest is dated and of little importance. I can hear and see everything in the Forest. But can only dream about what happens outside these walls. However, I think I can help you based on what I've heard, but it will be a little risky. You and I are Fae. We have a special connection to magic that no other race has. Humans must be blessed by a god before they are granted the ability to cast anything stronger than a parlor trick, and even then, it takes years of training. Elves are strong, gifted magic at birth, and blessed to see mana. They, however, need to use outside sources of mana to access their power. Druids are powerless without a connection to their roots or to earth. Beasts need to evolve before they can weld any magic. Fae need not worry about any of this. We have full access to our mana from the moment we are born. Magic often bends to our will. This is why we were feared and hunted down almost to extinction."

She looks at him, and after a moment of silence, she asks him.

"What do you want to make of this life? You can stay in this Forest for as long as you want. But I will warn you that the news of the birth of a fae will not be kept just in the Forest. Eventually, the humans and the outside world will hear of you, and your peaceful days will be gone. It's safe here for now, but there are only a few opportunities to grow if you never venture into the real world."

Ethan was quiet for a moment to digest everything he had just learned.

"I don't think I want to stay in the Forest, but I don't see a way to live in the real world without being a human. From what you described, I would be a huge red flag as I am now."

Aurora smiles.

"I think I know how to give you a life outside this Forest. It's not easy, and we're going to need some help. And my plans depend on a small favor. Will you agree to be my vessel? This means a part of my consciousness will merge with yours. I will be forever with you, and you will have access to everything I am. Take your time to-"

Before she could finish, Ethan answered.

"I'll do it, but on one condition instead of me being a vessel, what if I am just the carrier? Sorry, you seem nice, but we both will probably need some privacy sometimes. Plus, if you have your own 'body,' we can operate outside of each other."

Aurora laughs.

"Beggars can't be choosers. It's a deal, kid. Besides, I was already going to bless you with a few gifts, but I can adapt them." 

She pulls out a circlet formed by two twigs wrapping around each other. It floats in between Ethan and her.

"I bestow Upon you the crown of the Forest. Whoever may wear it will rule these woods and be their sovereign."

She touches her forehead and pulls out an almost transparent thread. She turns her hand so that now the palm faces the crown, and she pushes forward. The thread moves to the crown but stops in the center. Now, she motioned to Ethan as if picking something out of the air. A new thread comes forth out of his forehead. She turns her hand so that the palm faces her and pulls the new thread to meet the first one at the crown. With both hands, she uses the threads to tie an elaborate knot.

"The threads represent our souls, and the crown will be the vessel of our bond. For your convenience and at my digression, the crown can take on just about any shape or appearance. You will wake up when you put it on, and the real game will begin. Don't worry about the language I'll auto-translate. Also, they'll probably give you some gifts."

Ethan reaches for the crown, and Aurora starts speaking again as he puts it on.

"by the way, you should pick a new name—something more Fae-like. You seem like a... Lumiere"

-Back in the Hall of Elders-

"Well, he's been out for a while. If he's not up in the next 30 minutes, imma start experimenting on him. I think I'll start with something simple, like his hair."

Nagini stares at Ethan's body on the floor.

"Absolutely not. If you so much as to dare to slither your scaley ass anywhere near him, I will be making myself some new snakeskin boots."

Echo stares down Nagini as Ethan's body jolts up. The room falls silent. Ethan stands up and introduces himself.

'This is the Council of Elders. Think of them as an elected government. They rule the Forest.'

Aurora's voice sounded in his head.

"Hello, my name is Eth-Lumiere. Thank you for welcoming me to this Forest."

'nice save. Technically, you are being tried for grand mana theft and reckless spell craft. I doubt they will press any actual charges. In their minds, you owing them a favor is a good thing.'

"Oh please, it's our honor to be hosting a Fae. My name is Echo. I govern over the druids. If you have any troubles, please feel free to request my counsel."

Echo, like all druids, suffers from a biological attraction to power. Fae are a universal symbol of power.

"Stay as long as you like. Would you, by any chance, care to give me a lock of your hair? Or maybe even let me run a few tests on you?"

'That's Nagini, she's a snake. Literally, not figuratively. She might be crazy, but she's a certified genius.'

"Nice to meet you, Lumiere. My name is Dimitri Lovell. I hope the clothes are up to your standards. Speaking on behalf of the elves, I drop all charges and offer my services during your stay. All in favor of dismissing this trial and dropping charges say, aye."

"Aye," Nagini and Echo say in unison.

"If you wish to stay here, I suggest you get a cover story. At the moment, only 6 people know you are a fae—3 of them are in this room—and I assume you wanna keep that a secret as long as possible. As you find yourself more drawn to elven attire, might I suggest you say you are a visiting emissary from Moon-dance, A tiny elf country we are considering opening trade with.

'He has a good point. Also, our link is a little rocky right now. We should get somewhere private. I can arrange a room for us.'

"Thank you for your wisdom. I will think about it, but I really am quite tired. Can we continue this meeting at a different time?"

He looked at the council, and they all agreed to continue the meeting in the morning.