Veilon

Bob sat frozen on the bed. The voice was not in his head. It was real.

He looked at Traveller. They were fast asleep, their breathing slow and steady. They had not heard it.

Slowly, Bob slid off the bed. He left his stick-sword behind. He walked to the window and peered out into the night.

Floating just outside was a small ball of light. It glowed with a soft, white-gold color, and it pulsed gently, like a calm heartbeat. It was the source of the voice.

"It's okay," the voice whispered from the light. "Come outside. I want to show you something."

Bob looked down. It was a long way to the ground. But he was not afraid. He was curious.

He pushed the old wooden window open. It creaked loudly, but Traveller did not stir. The night air was cool on his face. He was small enough to fit through the opening. He put one leg out, then the other, and stood on the narrow ledge.

His foot slipped on a loose stone.

For a second, he was falling. His stomach lurched.

The ball of light shot forward. It expanded in a flash, wrapping around him like a warm, soft blanket. He was no longer falling. He was floating. The light held him gently, lifting him away from the wall of the inn.

They floated up, over the rooftops of Mokhaven. The town was quiet now. The glowing crystals on the streets looked like little yellow stars below him. The two moons watched them from the dark sky. Bob reached out a hand and touched the light that held him. It felt warm and solid, like smooth glass.

The light carried him past the low town wall and out into the open fields. It set him down gently on a patch of soft, green grass.

Then, the light began to change.

It grew brighter, stretching upwards. It took a shape. Arms, a body, a head. The light softened, and colors bled into it.

When it was done, a person stood before him.

She was a tall woman with long, straight hair that shimmered with the colors of purple and magenta. She wore a simple, flowing dress that looked like it was made from the night sky itself, dotted with tiny, sparkling stars. Her face was kind, and her eyes held a deep, gentle sadness.

Bob just stared. He had never seen anyone so beautiful.

"You... pretty," he said.

A soft, bittersweet smile touched the woman's lips. "Thank you, little one. My name is Veilon."

She knelt down so her eyes were level with his. "I'm so sorry, my little one," she said, her voice full of an emotion Bob did not understand. "I had to bring you here. It was the only way."

Bob tilted his head. "Sorry? Why?"

Veilon's smile faltered for a moment. "It's... complicated. This world needed someone like you. Someone new. Someone simple and good." She reached out and gently brushed his messy white hair from his forehead. "You will be okay here. I promise."

She then placed her warm hand on his forehead. Bob felt something warm and pleasant spread through him, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. It felt like the stew he had eaten. It felt like home.

"A small blessing," Veilon whispered. "To help you on your path."

Bob did not understand what a 'blessing' was. He did not understand why she was sad. But he stood still and listened, the way a child listens to their mother's quiet song.

"Your journey will be long," Veilon continued, pulling her hand back. "You will meet many people. Some will be kind. Some will not. But you must always be yourself, Bob. That is your greatest strength."

She stood up, tall and graceful against the night sky. "It is time for you to go back. Your friend will worry if you are gone too long."

The ball of light formed around him again, lifting him into the air.

"Will... see you?" Bob asked, as he began to float away.

Veilon's sad smile returned. "In your dreams, perhaps. Now, go."

The light carried him swiftly and silently back to the inn, through the open window, and placed him right on his bed. The window closed with a soft click.

He was back in the room. Traveller was still asleep. It was as if nothing had happened.

"Goodnight, Bob," Veilon's voice whispered one last time, seeming to come from the air itself.

Bob lay down and pulled the blanket over himself. The warmth from her blessing was still inside him. He felt very sleepy now.

"Night..." he mumbled into his pillow.

He felt a soft, gentle press on his forehead, like a kiss. When he opened his eyes for a second, she was gone. The room was empty.

Bob closed his eyes and fell asleep.