Chapter 1 - 2007

The sound of raindrops touching the ceiling could be heard in a dark room, accompanied by a fireplace. The warm air from the fireplace engulfed a child, who was contemplating the burning pile of small logs in front of them. Leaning back in a soft cushioned chair, a blanket had been wrapped around their body to keep them from shivering.

A steaming mug had been placed beside them, keeping them company and only drunk when respected. At that moment, they took the mug and glanced at it for a moment. The aroma of the drink was enticing, making their nose and head ache to take a sip. The dark brown color displayed on the drink made them bring the cup closer to their mouth. Their closed eyes suddenly opened, taking them to a new world of the delight gained after drinking the drink.

"Cocoa, it's so delicious." She was startled and touched her own cheek as the warmth in her mouth subsided.

The door to the room suddenly opened, the sound of the door scraping against the floor was barely audible to them who were now wrapped in their own enjoyment. "Lily, come here!" a gentle-toned woman called out to the child.

The woman offered her hand to be grasped by Lilya. Dark blue hair touched the tips of her fingers. She was tall but didn't pass the door. She smiled as she waited for Lilya's response.

Without hesitation, Lilya stood up from the fireplace and removed the blanket. "I'm coming, Mom."

Holding her mother's hand, they both walked through the house corridor. They eventually arrived in the living room. A tall man with hair similar to both of them had been waiting for their arrival, reading a book while sitting on the sofa.

"Dad!" Lilya called out to her father.

The two ears on his head twitched in response to Lilya's call. His long blue tail wagged as he stood facing Lilya. "Good morning, Lily. Did you sleep well last night?" her father asked.

Lilya nodded, releasing her mother's hand and running towards her father. However, Lilya ran too fast and accidentally fell, hitting her forehead on the floor.

"Ah, dear, I told you to be careful around the house," her father said. Both parents approached Lilya and helped her stand up.

As Lilya stood up, the sound of drops and tears could be heard from both of her eyes. "I'm okay, I'm... fine." Lilya held back the urge to scream from the impact of the fall, which was quite painful but didn't cause any serious injury.

"You're a strong child, Lily. However, it's also important to get used to not holding in that pain. Just let it out, it will make you feel better," her mother said.

Lilya walked silently and sat next to a mirror that reflected her image. Lilya turned to the side of the mirror, making her see her own appearance.

"Your hair is starting to grow longer," her mother said. Lilya didn't reply, but she felt uneasy in her body.

Lilya observed herself behind the mirror. While looking at it, she felt as if at some point, the reflection behind the mirror might move in a way that she didn't want it to. However, that shouldn't be possible. That shouldn't happen unless there was something behind the event.

She saw her short bright blue hair and a shadow of dark blue, but merged with her hair color in some parts of her hair. Her eyes were light blue, and she had two small animal ears on her head.

Lilya humbly said, "I'm sorry my hair can't be as long as you want, Mom."

"Nevertheless, you're still our child, Lily," her mother whispered in one of her ears.

A sound of something rubbing against a surface was heard behind Lilya. However, she didn't pay attention to what was behind her, perhaps it was just her father who was standing there. And, indeed, Lilya's assumption was correct.

"100 centimeters. You're getting taller, honey," her father said while pulling the measuring tape that he had put behind Lilya.

"Really?" asked Lilya.

Her mother hugged Lilya with both of her hands. Lilya sat on the sofa, leaning against her mother's warm embrace. Her father looked at them from his position, then stood up and approached the two who were enjoying the silence.

"You still have a long life ahead of you, Lily, you're only five years old, and it's like a dream to be able to live in times like this," her mother said.

Her father looked up at the ceiling, hearing the sound of thunder outside. "It seems that today will be heavier than usual."

"Is there something wrong, Dad? Is it a sign of something?"

"Your uncle told me that something bad will happen today. But, that's how the Bytn Forest is. There will be a lot of-"

"Shh, you'll scare Lilya, you know that, right?"

"Oh, right, sorry."

"Forgive your dad, Lily, did I make you scared?"

Lilya looked back at her father. "No, it's okay, I'm not scared at all."

"Ah, thank you, honey," her father replied while stroking her head.

"You're welcome," Lilya replied with a smile full of joy.

Lilya released herself from her mother's embrace and jumped in front of the two. While closing her eyes, Lilya sang and moved her body here and there. Then, she opened her eyes again, and her parents were talking and laughing happily.

Lilya contemplated her parents who were talking to each other. There was nothing she wanted more than to hope that happiness would always be there, regardless of place and time. Seeing someone's happiness was enough to make Lilya's heart touched. She smiled automatically.

Suddenly, Lilya thought of something as she looked at several tools scattered on the floor. Her father saw his daughter's focused gaze on the sharp tools. There was a small backpack equipped with a long sword and a bow with its arrows.

Lilya walked towards the sword, followed by her father from behind. Her mother approached the two who were getting closer to the equipment and watched them from a distance.

"Dad, what is this?" Lilya asked.

"These are my adventure tools when I was a traveler before I met your mother. I don't know why these things are here. If you hadn't seen them, maybe I wouldn't have realized their existence. Good job, honey," her father stroked Lilya's head until her ears were lowered.

"Hehe .... I want to go on an adventure like you!"

Her father laughed. He leaned down in front of Lilya. "You can do it, but when you grow up." He closed his eyes and smiled at Lilya.

"Heh~ but that's not fun. I want to experience exciting adventures soon," Lilya said.

Her father and mother looked at each other, confused about how to answer Lilya. But her mother came to Lilya and held her shoulder. "Okay, Lily. Tomorrow, when the rain has stopped, we will go on an adventure in the forest. How about that?"

Lilya nodded eagerly. "Yes! I want to!"

"Wait a minute, don't we have a meeting with the head of Lorien Village tomorrow?"

"While we're exploring around the house, it's a good idea to take Lilya to Lorien Village. We can leave her to play with other children. How about that?" Mother asked.

"Not a bad idea, but..."

Something felt strange to Lilya. There was something happening to her hearing. The sound of the drizzling rain was no longer clear, let alone the conversation between her parents. Lilya's hands touched her cheeks, seeking an answer to what had just happened to her.

An aroma of fragrant plants crossed Lilya's sense of smell. The air was refreshing but warming. The scent was like the drink her father often had when she was playing in the living room. If Lilya could still remember, it was the scent of a cup of tea.

"Bystander, mediator of all conflicts. You don't know how long I've been looking for you," Lilya's eyes suddenly narrowed, hearing the voice in her head. "Wh-who?" she asked nervously.