Moonlit Raveness

“So this is the Illian forest.”

Estra and Lim had arrived at the Illian forest which was a contrast to the surrounding greenery that could be seen beyond. It was a small section of a greater forest that was rotting away with sickly trees with very little in the way of leaves or semblance of natural life. It was a dead silence filled by the distant howling of wolves and ghastly wind that blew within.

“Uwwaah scary….”

“So. Where would we find it?”

“Who knows, maybe it’ll find us.”

“Not funny Estra!”

“Let's go, no point standing around.”

***

Lim curiously observed Estra and she went about her business tracking the beast. She peered into every corner of the tree and examined all forms of evidence. Animal dung, broken sticks, tracks and even several scratches left on trees.

The search had started in the morning and now it had been several hours past that the sun had already begun to set. Estra stood with both her arms on her hips staring aimlessly into the woods smiling blankly.

“I give up!”

“HUH! Don’t tell me we’re lost!”

“Don’t you HUH me! My abilities in this area I admit might need some work.”

“I thought you–”

“Well you thought wrong. Anyways, It's getting late, let's set up camp. We’ll try again in the morning.”

“I'll get the wood.”

***

After getting the necessary ingredients Lim saw Estra staring blankly into the forest. She was lost in her own mind pondering and scratching at her chin. He placed down the final piece of wood when she abruptly spoke. Her glowing eyes moved down towards him with an ominous all seeing gaze.

A thrilling chill was sent down his spine.

“Yes?”

“I’m curious, what's your experience with magic?”

“You know how my family is. I was forbidden. I never had any real experience, no.”

“Hmmmm… Do you want me to teach you.”

Lim was taken aback by her offer as he stood up slowly walking backwards with his arms up. He seemed almost frightful at such an offer. Estra gave a bright pink blush with an excitement that grew along with her curiosity.

Estra gave a long hot and heavy breath as her face widened with a large maniacal smile. Her fangs could be seen within her shameful grin.

‘God why are you so meek I just want to eat you up!’

Estra lunged forward as Lim quickly closed his eyes, flinching at the horned demon that approached.

“Ah!”

*Thud*

“Huh?”

Lim reluctantly opened his eyes to the short lived thrill and realisation of the anti-climatic reveal. Estra had simply placed a black book firmly on his chest. His face sank down with slight disappointment. Was he expecting more? Was he some kind of weird pervert? A masochist?

“What do you mean huh? What you expected something else?”

“Maybe….”

“Just have a read.”

Lim took the book thinking nothing of it. He gradually began to notice that there was something off. This was no mere book but a Magical Grimoire. A mysterious black inscribed on its cover with patterns of eldritch designs and unfathomable symbolisms.

He hurriedly opened the book and saw within the soft delicate pages were drawings and writings on several incantations, most seemingly forbidden.

“Most of these are insane”

“Wait What? You can actually read High Elven?”

“Yes I was taught at an early age… amazing this has….”

Estra was puzzled at the phrase that slipped through Lim’s mouth. High Elven was a language stolen and adopted by her demon ancestors with most Elves today having already forgotten it. She was almost hurt that there was a part of Lim that was hidden from her. There was so much more to him than she had realised.

‘Wait seriously what are you… Who are the Aldas really?’

“These are all way above my skill level. I can't learn these.”

“Oh go to the page on basic incantations. Fireball should be easy enough.”

“These incantations for even a fireball aren't normal… I….”

“Lim?”

As Lim flipped through the pages as tears slowly fell from his eyes. He had a grin that stretched from ear to ear and a bright blush across his cheeks. He tried to wipe away the tears pretending that it was never there.

“I’m sorry. I just remembered something that I shouldn’t have.”

He closed the book with a soft thud. He took a deep breath in as he reoriented himself as if he never cried at all.

“Sorry I know what you are trying to do but I can’t. Here, take it back.”

Estra looked at Lim as if ignoring his words and refusing to take back the book.

“Give me your hand.”

“What?”

“Oh don’t be shy. Give your hand.”

Estra grabbed Lim’s hand slowly, caging it within her own. Lim felt her soft warm touch folding his head down in a shyful demeanor.

“Don’t look away.”

Estra pulled up his chin with her fingers as their eyes locked on each other. The golden fiery sun and the emerald jewel.

“You are not bound by the Aldas pact and their malevolent curse but I feel that you are suppressing something deep. I can feel your potential for magic within you. The river cannot flow if you purposefully dam its path.”

“I can’t do this… I… Don’t want to!”

Lim tried to loosen his grip for Estra to quickly pull him back forcefully into place.

“No you can! Let it out! Your worries and Insecurities! Break that dam!”

“What good would this even do? Please let go. I don't want this….”

“I know deep down you know what you want. I can stop right now but ask yourself this. Will your inner self regret not crossing this path?”

“I… I….”

“Go on….”

“Ever since you left a part of me also left. I ran away from what was expected of me. What was expected as a king, but I'm no king, no ruler, I'm just me… poor weak pathetic Lyse, that's it.”

“What was it that compelled you to run?”

“Please don’t be jealous but before you I looked up to someone else, and still do, always. My mother who was thrown aside as nothing but a tool of political power between humans and elves. It was suffocating having to live as if my mother did not exist and in my darkest days I did an act of defiance. I pretended I was her, little by little I had transformed myself into a spitting image of her, which of course didn’t go well with the family being very unkingly and all.”

“...”

“You already know that I was too soft for a boy even back then and maybe this was a natural course for me. It's not that I want to be a girl per say but it's what's comfortable you know. It has stuck with me the feeling that in some way a part of my mother is here. I always felt her presence even though she was no longer there. You would have loved her, she was a beautiful and powerful mage.”

“Dig deeper, what else can you tell about your mother?”

“I guess I felt envious of her, betrayed by the customs that forbade me from learning. I wanted to be close to her yet I was pulled further and further away.”

“So what's stopping you now?”

“???”

“You are free. Free to dictate your life however you want… so tell me Lim. What do you want to do?”

“I… I guess I want to be like her. I want to be a mage!”

Estra smiled as she released her grip.

“Perfect!”

A sudden flash of light erupted out from the gap between their palms as a fiery orb formed in a fluid moving mass. Estra grabbed the fiery mass that was connected to Lim by thousands of tiny bright pale blue strings.

*Tssk*

“I knew it. You are perfect!”

*Boom*

A spectacular firework exploded out from Estra’s open hand releasing bright yellow glitter that lit up the dark forest.

Enveloped by the immense galaxy of fire Lim’s bright emerald eyes could not steer away from Estra’s grace. She proudly exclaimed to him with fangs that bared out in full display

“From this moment on… YOU ARE A MAGE!”