Chapter 2

Scene : The Innocent’s Judgment
Kingdom of Arathen – Gardens of Fire
7:10 a.m.

Kagayaku falls to the ground.
His small body.
His wounded chest.
The dawn lights him.
And his blood… glows.

SCENE – The Reaction
The gravity circle dissolves.
The central mage runs toward the princesses.
The other two rush to the baby.

Mage 1 (shouting) –
“Kagayaku!”

Mage 2 (in tears) –
“No… no… no!”

The garden falls silent.
Only the sound of footsteps.
And the restrained sob of a child… who can’t cry any louder.

Kagayaku’s body lies motionless.
The mages can do nothing.
The princesses, now healed, cry in their parents’ arms.
Servants and stewards surround the child.
The air is still.
The pain is absolute.
Until the sky… breaks.

SCENE – The Circle of Silence
Kagayaku’s body remains at the center of the garden.
The three mages kneel, hands trembling.
The eight princesses, embraced by their kings, cry in silence.
Servants and stewards surround the child.
No one speaks.
No one breathes.

King Aldren (voice breaking, holding his daughters) –
“It shouldn’t have ended like this… not like this…”

Queen Lysara (whispering, stroking the youngest princess’s hair) –
“He… only wanted to live…”

Princess 1 (kneeling, eyes red) –
“Kagayaku… please…”

Mage 1 (voice trembling) –
“He’s not responding… no magical pulse…”

Mage 2 (tears in her eyes) –
“We tried everything! Everything!”

Mage 3 (looking to the sky) –
“Where is justice… for someone like him?”

SCENE – The Tremor
Suddenly, the ground shakes.
Violent.
Deep.
Roots stir.
Stones crack.
The garden shatters like glass.

Servant 1 (shouting) –
“What’s happening?!”

Servant 2 (covering her mouth) –
“The ground… it’s breaking!”

Steward 1 (stepping back) –
“This isn’t magic… this is something else!”

The sky darkens.
And then… it fractures.
White cracks cross the firmament.
Like shattered crystal.

A celestial chorus is heard.
Female voices.
Pure.
Immense.
Singing without words.

SCENE – The Arrival
From the fractured sky descend five figures.
Women.
Angels.
Wings white as snow.
Hair golden as the sun.
Eyes sky-blue like the dawn.

They do not speak.
They do not smile.
Their mere presence fractures the surroundings.
The air turns to crystal.
Time… stops.

Princess 6 (voice trembling) –
“Are they… angels?”

Servant 3 (kneeling) –
“I’ve never seen anything so… pure…”

Mage 1 (eyes wide) –
“They weren’t summoned. They weren’t called. They… come by will.”

SCENE – The Ritual
Each angel holds a golden sword.
They form a circle.
And lower their blades.
The tips touch.
And in the center… a white pentagram appears.

Golden electric details run through it.
Below, three more pentagrams emerge.
From largest to smallest.
A white glow concentrates.
The air vibrates.

Princess 3 (voice breaking) –
“Are they… doing something?”

Mage 2 (in reverence) –
“They’re judging. Not the world. The pain.”

SCENE – The Celestial Decree
The five angels open their lips.
And speak in unison.
Their voices are not human.
They are judgment.
They are response.

Angels (in unison) –
“The cry of an innocent reached the throne of heaven…”
“And we answer.”
“Return his soul… not as a child, but as judgment.”
“Let his breath shatter curses, and his gaze consume darkness.”
“Rise, chosen of light… and make tremble those who thought you weak!”

SCENE – The Rebirth
A white glow bursts from the pentagrams.
It envelops Kagayaku’s body.
He floats slowly.
His arms open.
His hair stirs, as if called by the wind.

The surroundings transform.
Flowers crystallize.
Leaves float.
The sky turns white.
The ground rises in fragments.
As if the world itself bowed before him.

Servant 4 (crying) –
“He’s floating!”

Princess 8 (hands on her chest) –
“Kagayaku!”

Steward 2 (voice breaking) –
“He’s… glowing…”

Mage 3 (in tears) –
“The light… is claiming him.”

SCENE – The Breath
Kagayaku’s body shines.
His chest glows.
And then… he breathes.
His small mouth opens.
His chest expands.

Kagayaku (whispering) –
“…Rhazkar…”

His eyes open.
They are no longer just golden.
They are light.
Pure.
Uncontainable.

Princess 2 (crying with joy) –
“He’s alive!”

King Aldren (on his knees) –
“Heaven… has returned him.”

Queen Lysara (in tears) –
“And transformed him.”

Mage 1 (softly) –
“He’s not the same.
He is judgment.
He is response.”

Ushinawareta Yogen no Saigo no Eiyū

Scene: The Star of Silence

Kingdom of Arathen – Gardens of Fire
7:15 a.m.

Kagayaku has been reborn.
His body floats, wrapped in light.
The world watches in silence.
The five angels, who descended from the heavens to answer the cry of an innocent, have fulfilled their purpose.
And now, the sky prepares to close.

ESCENA – “The Star of Silence”

ESCENA – The closing of judgment
The five angels remain in a circle.
Their swords still shine with the glow of the pentagram.
The air vibrates with calm.
The surroundings, still fractured like crystal, begin to stabilize.
Without saying a word, each angel raises her sword..

Princess 5 (whispering) –
“Are they… leaving?”

Mage 2 (with reverence) –
“They’ve done what no one else could.”

ESCENA – The golden star
The sky, still cracked, lights up with a new radiance.
A golden star, enormous, appears above the garden.
It doesn’t shine like fire.
It shines like memory.
Like promise.
The five angels rise slowly.
Their wings extend.
And one by one… they enter the star.

Servant 1 (eyes filled with tears) –
“They are… part of the sky itself.”

Butler 1 (in a low voice) –
“They only came… for him.”

ESCENA – The rest
Kagayaku, still floating, slowly descends.
His body gently settles on the grass.
His light fades little by little.
Not from weakness.
From peace.
His eyes close.
His breathing is calm.
He is asleep.
Not wounded.
Not broken.
Just… at peace.

Princess 1 (approaching carefully) –
“He’s… asleep.”

Mage 3 (in a soft voice) –
“After everything that’s happened…
it’s the only thing he deserves.”

King Aldren (looking at the sky) –
“Thank you…”

Queen Lysara (stroking the child’s hair) –
“Sleep, little one.
The world can wait.”

Narrator (voiceover, like a serene echo) –
“Judgment descended.
Light responded.
And the child… returned.
Not as a weapon.
Not as a miracle.
But as peace.
And now…
the sky sleeps within him.”

Scene: The Shattered Sky

Kingdom of Arathen – Gardens of Fire
7:25 a.m.

Judgment has been pronounced.
Kagayaku has been returned to the earth.
The five angels, bearers of the celestial decree, have fulfilled their mission.
But the sky does not close without leaving one final sign.

ESCENA – “The Shattered Sky”

ESCENA – The celestial closing
The five angels remain in a circle.
Their golden swords vibrate with the echo of the pentagram.
Without saying a word, each one sheaths her blade with solemnity.
The air calms.
The surroundings stop fracturing.
Then, the entire sky cracks.
Not like before.
Now, each fracture glows in gold.
As if the firmament were yielding to something greater.

Princess 4 (looking upward) –
“The sky… it’s breaking…”

Mage 2 (with a reverent voice) –
“It’s not destruction.
It’s opening.”

ESCENA – The four-pointed star
From the center of the celestial cracks emerges a golden star.
Four perfect points.
Brilliant.
Silent.
Majestic.
The five angels rise slowly.
Their wings extend.
One by one, they enter the star.
And disappear.
The star pulses one last time.
And dissolves.
The cracks close.
The sky returns to its form.
But the world… is no longer the same.

Servant 2 (with tears) –
“They left… as if they’d never been here…”

King Aldren (in a low voice) –
“But they left something… greater than themselves.”

Scene: The Growth

Kagayaku lies asleep on the grass.
His small body.
His peaceful breath.
But then…
a golden glow surrounds him.
The air vibrates.
Leaves rise.
Flowers bow.
Kagayaku’s body begins to grow.
His hair lengthens.
His limbs stretch.

Princess 1 (voice trembling) –
“He’s changing!”

Mage 1 (eyes wide) –
“It’s not magic.
It’s design.”

In seconds, the child transforms.
No longer a baby.
Now the age of the princesses.
His face is serene.
His body wrapped in white light.
And still… he sleeps.

Queen Lysara (looking at the young Kagayaku) –
“And still he sleeps… as if the sky protects him even in dreams.”

Mage 3 (in a low voice) –
“It’s not just a rebirth.
It’s a transition.
From innocence… to judgment.”

Scene: The Silence of Power

Kingdom of Arathen – Gardens of Fire
8:10 a.m.

The garden remains in reverent silence.
Kagayaku sleeps, his body already transformed by forces no spell could explain.
A golden sword etched with never-seen runes and a silver blade glowing red float beside him.
The kingdom stands around him, expectant.
And then… he awakens.
And the world changes.

ESCENA – “The Silence of Power”

ESCENA – The surroundings
The air is still.
The crystallized flowers lean toward the center of the garden.
Leaves float suspended, as if time has stopped.
The dawn’s light filters through the trees, bathing Kagayaku’s sleeping form in golden hues.
The sword floats beside him.
Its golden hilt pulses slowly.
The silver blade burns red, without heat.
The runes along it move as if breathing.
Ancient language.
Forgotten language.

ESCENA – The awakening
Kagayaku snores softly.
His breath is deep.
But then… it stops.
His eyes open.
First, he blinks.
Then, he sits up slowly.
He looks around.
Sees the princesses.
The kings.
The mages.
The servants.
The stewards.
And his eyes… change.

ESCENA – The elemental change
His golden eyes glow.
And then… one by one, they transform:

· Intense green — Nature: the garden’s roots stir, flowers open as if greeting him.

· Deep blue — Water: dew rises from the grass, forming droplets suspended in the air.

· Earthy orange — Earth: the ground vibrates, stones align as if recognizing him.

· Electric purple — Electricity: sparks run across the leaves, the air charges with energy.

· Absolute black — Darkness: shadows lengthen, but do not threaten… they bow.

· Mint green — Wind: a soft gust swirls around his body, lifting petals in a spiral.

· Blood red — Fire: the sword’s blade burns without consuming, as if answering his gaze.

And finally… his eyes return to gold.
Serene.
Steady.
As always.

Princess 1 (in a low voice) –
“His eyes… were all the elements.”

King Aldren (with a serious expression) –
“It’s not magic.
It’s something deeper.”

Mage 2 (voice trembling) –
“It’s convergence.
It’s what shouldn’t exist.”

ESCENA – The revelation
The central mage steps forward.
Her face is grave.
She speaks only to the kings, princesses, stewards, and servants.
Her voice is low.
But firm.

Mage 1 (looking at everyone seriously) –
“Listen carefully.
What has happened here… must not leave this garden.”

King Aldren (frowning) –
“Why hide it?
Isn’t this… hope?”

Mage 1 (harshly) –
“Hope for us.
But for others… it would be a weapon.
An excuse for war.
A reason to control him.”

Queen (pale-faced) –
“Would they… use him as a weapon?”

Mage 1 (nodding) –
“Don’t doubt it.
If anyone finds out… they will come.
And they will not ask.”

Princess 6 (in tears) –
“Then… what will we do?”

Mage 1 (looking at her companions) –
“The three of us… will take him.
We will train him.
We will protect him.
But no one…
no one must speak of this.”

Ushinawareta Yogen no Saigo no Eiyū

Scene: Departure Between Light and Dust

Ushinawareta Yogen no Saigo no Eiyū

Scene: Departure Between Light and Dust

Kingdom of Arathen – North Exit of the Sanctuary
12:00 p.m.

After hours of discreet movements, the day comes to an end. What departs is not only the child… but the air that once laughed when he laughed. The carriage waits under the shadow of the arches, and the world seems to bow to the moment when three mages, without applause or drums, take away something they do not know if they will ever return.

SCENE – Travel Preparations

The servants have been working since before the sun began to set.
On blankets spread beside the crystal well, they place fruits protected by moon leaves, warm root bread, small vials of solar-flower infusion.
The baskets are filled with care, as if their contents must uphold the memory of home.

Servant 1 (tying a ribbon on the smallest basket) –
“May everything he tastes remind him who loved him in silence.”

Servant 2 (placing petals over the bread) –
“And if he grows hungry… may he think of us.”

SCENE – The Wardrobe’s Failure

In the butlers’ wing, chests and wardrobes were opened without success.
The royal tunics were too large.
The apprentices’ garments were overly symbolic.
Nothing fit.
Everything felt foreign.

Butler 1 (hands in his hair) –
“Not a single thread for him…”

Butler 2 (closing the last drawer) –
“We never made clothes for someone who wasn’t planned.”

SCENE – The Carriage and the Contained Air

Two strong horses, one white and one gray, remain hitched to the carriage.
The wood is polished but worn.
The wheels are covered in dried mud, as if they already know long journeys.
Protective runes are drawn on the roof, barely visible under the golden light of dusk.
The three mages stand ready.
Serious.
Contained.
Their staves hung at their sides.
Their faces unadorned.
No one expects this to feel like an event.
Because it isn’t.

SCENE – The Child’s Passage

Kagayaku walks slowly from the inner courtyard.
His clothing is worn: the sleeves frayed, the edges dirty.
But no one notices.
What they see… is the calm with which he walks.
Without fear.
Without haste.
He approaches the carriage.
The mages watch him without a word.
And just as he’s about to climb in… he stops.
He turns.
And smiles.

SCENE – Reactions

Princess 3 (hands clasped) –
“He… smiled.”

King Aldren (almost whispering) –
“Not because he was told.
Because he saw us.”

Queen Lysara (covering her mouth) –
“The same smile he had chasing the dragon…”

Servant 1 (eyes moist) –
“He forgives us.
Without saying so.”

SCENE – The Departure

Kagayaku climbs into the carriage.
He sits by the open wooden window.
The mages climb in one after another.
There is no ceremony.
Only function.
The horses start with a soft crack of their harnesses.
Dust rises under their hooves.
And the carriage moves along the stone road leading out of the sanctuary.
Leaves fall slowly.
Light fragments through the trees.
And the child looks back one last time.
Without saying goodbye.
Leaving only a smile… in every corner that once heard him laugh.

Scene: Enalya, Land Without a Crown

Enalya Village – Hometown of the Mages
8:17 a.m. – Third day since departure from Arathen

The carriage has crossed misty mountains, golden fields, and unnamed valleys. After two days of silence, dust, and whispers, the round houses, the living chimney, and the perfume-sweet sky of Enalya finally appear: the village without kings, but full of mages… and warm magic.

SCENE – Arrival at the Heart of the Valley

The carriage creaks gently as it descends the stone slope.
Two horses pant with dignity while the village of Enalya reveals itself between the trees:

· Dark-wood houses with living roofs and runic symbols carved into every door.

· Floating flowerpots hang from balconies, watered by tiny enchanted water-globes.

· Children run after light-orbs that bounce without breaking.

· Mages chat with bakers, and non-magical elders play runic chess on tables of infinite cloth.

· Enchanted hens cluck melodies, and an invisible goat chews the air near the mill.

SCENE – Change of Appearance

Inside the carriage, Kagayaku watches with curious eyes.
His white hair gleams beneath the window.
His golden eyes reflect the village light.

Central Mage (soft voice, firm gesture) –
“Here, you must pass without a name.
Only as a child.”

With a whisper barely touching the wind, she extends her fingers.
A small swirl of amber dust surrounds the boy’s face.
White turns to black.
Gold becomes brown.
The light in his eyes shifts… but does not vanish.

Kagayaku (touching his hair, confused) –
“…Hee…”

Mage 2 (smiling gently) –
“That way no one will ask questions.
And you… can look without being looked at.”

SCENE – Entry to the Town

The carriage crosses the rune-carved arch.
Its wheels leave travel-worn tracks on enchanted earth.
In the distance, a small boy tosses seeds that turn into butterflies.

Teacher (looking at the mages) –
“You’re back! And is that boy yours?”

Mage 1 (with a brief bow) –
“He’s a traveler. He only seeks rest.”

Local Turner (polishing an enchanted wooden orb) –
“He looks like he’s seen more than we have.”

Local Child (curiously) –
“Can he play with us… or is he here to learn runes?”

Baker (placing solar-flower bread on the counter) –
“Well, if he’s hungry, he can ask like everyone else!”

The mages do not bow.
No one suspects.
The village of Enalya… receives them without questions.

SCENE – Home Atmosphere

The air smells of scorched leaves, fresh ink, and enchanted fruit dust.
Curving paths invite slow walks.
The runic school hums its formulas through wind-bells.
An elder draws floating maps in the plaza.

Kagayaku (watching a celeste-glowing firefly) –
“…No walls. Only branches… and soft sounds.”

Mage 3 (placing a hand on his shoulder) –
“No one here is above anyone.
Here… you can breathe.”

Ushinawareta Yogen no Saigo no Eiyū

Scene : The Whisper Beneath the Root

Village of Enalya – Plaza of the Blue Lanterns
12:03 p.m. – Warm day, with a gentle breeze and magical chants in the air

SCENE – “The Whisper Beneath the Root”

SCENE – An Open Plaza
Enalya breathes in harmony.
The central square vibrates with laughter and games.
The blue lanterns float gently, the benches carved with runes of friendship occupied by wise elders and resting merchants.
Children run between enchanted bubbles, toss springing seeds�� and trace drawings in the air with dust of light��.
Kagayaku approaches timidly, his clothes dusty and shapeless.
Most of the children smile at him warmly.

Local girl (offering a sphere of colors) –
“Do you want to play?”

Boy 1 (laughing) –
“The new kid will be the guardian of the bubbles!”

But Eden, the turner’s son, crosses his arms and frowns.

SCENE – Contempt and Violence
Eden (loudly) –
“Why invite him? Look at him! He looks like a beggar.”
The children fall silent for a moment.
Eden’s mother rushes forward.

Eden’s Mother (grabbing his arm) –
“How dare you?! You will not humiliate someone who has just arrived!”

Eden (shouting) –
“Then get out with him!”
Without warning, Eden throws a punch.
It lands on Kagayaku’s chest, who does not move.
The children recoil.
The breeze stops.

Mage 1 (intervening with her staff ablaze) –
“Enough! This is not a game.”

SCENE – The Girl Falls
Girl 2 (defending Kagayaku, voice trembling) –
“He did nothing! You’re the cruel one!”
Eden shoves the girl.
She falls onto an exposed root, striking her head.
She cries.
A floating sphere shatters in midair.
An enchanted bird flies away abruptly.

Baker (from her stall) –
“…What is happening?”

SCENE – The Earth Responds
Kagayaku, motionless, bows his head.
He does not speak.
He does not cry.
He does not scream.
But his eyes open slowly.
The concealment spell dissolves like mist.
His hair turns white, bright as the moon.
His golden eyes flicker…
And shift to green. Intense.
Alive.
Ancient.

The earth trembles.
A subtle rumble travels through the cobblestones.
From the center of the plaza…
a colossal root emerges with vegetal roar.
Twisted.
Majestic.
Enraged.

Eden (screaming) –
“What is that?!”

The root rises toward him, and everyone steps back.
The air thickens.
Leaves float.

SCENE – Magical Intervention
Mage 1 and Mage 2 (urgent) –
“Elemental Shield, now!”
An amber dome forms between the root and Eden.
The runes throb.
But the root charges.
The shield shudders!
It breaks!
Eden is hurled through the air like a fallen leaf.

But before he hits the ground…
Mage 3 (firmly) –
“Impact Suspension!”
She catches him in a circle of light.
He floats.
Trembling.
Speechless.

SCENE – The Village Watches
Baker (tears in her eyes) –
“That boy is light! But the earth… protects him like a guardian.”

Mill Elder (voice trembling) –
“I’ve never seen root magic answer to pain. Only to legacy.”

Girl 3 (looking at Kagayaku without understanding) –
“You didn’t say anything… but I heard you just the same.”

Farmer (standing in his field) –
“That wasn’t a threat.
It was a response… from one who has already suffered in silence.”

Scene 58: Kneel Before the Truth

Village of Enalya – Plaza of the Blue Lanterns
12:22 p.m. – Under the shade of the central tree, the air no longer plays

SCENE – “Kneel Before the Truth”

The dust from the previous moment still hangs in the square.
The villagers’ murmurs have dissolved into a silence heavy as stone.
The girl who was pushed sits on a low root, a healing leaf on her forehead, breathing deeply between dry tears.
Eden stands before Kagayaku, trembling with broken pride.

Eden (voice cracking) –
“I–I… want to apologize to you…”

Kagayaku does not answer.
He watches him with eyes still glowing green.
Not with anger.
With clarity.
With a single gesture, Kagayaku grabs Eden by the collar.
Not with violence.
With resolve.
With the weight of truth.
He leads him in front of the girl.
And without unnecessary words… he forces him to kneel.

The air condenses.
The central tree drops three golden leaves.

Kagayaku (voice low, as firm as a deep root) –
“To whom you owe an apology…
is her.”
Eden swallows.
The girl’s eyes look at him without hatred.
Just waiting for justice.

Kagayaku (looking at him without blinking) –
“Kneel…
and apologize to her right now.”

SCENE – The Village Reacts
Mill Elder (voice trembling) –
“The boy is not only light…
he is balance.”

Baker (placing a flower on her counter) –
“I have never seen someone guide forgiveness… like one who knows its cost.”

Mage 1 (eyes fixed on Kagayaku) –
“He does not seek punishment.
He seeks repair.”

Boy 3 (whispering to another) –
“Is this what truth looks like… when it walks?”

Girl 1 (taking Kagayaku’s hand) –
“Thank you for reminding him… that hurting isn’t erased by empty words.”

SCENE – The Moment
Eden lowers his head.
He kneels.
His hands touch the ground clumsily.
And finally, he looks at the girl.

Eden (voice broken) –
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you.
I shouldn’t have said anything.
I shouldn’t have judged…”

The girl nods, still embraced by the scent of the healing leaf.

Girl (softly) –
“Now you know.
And it’s okay if you remember.”

Kagayaku turns away.
He expects no recognition.
Nor forgiveness.
Only that the root settle…
in the hearts that ignored it.

Ushinawareta Yogen no Saigo no Eiyū

Scene 62: Where Hunger Knows No Titles

Plaza of the Blue Lanterns – Village of Enalya
1:06 p.m. – Warm sky, leafy shade, awakened gazes

SCENE – “Where Hunger Knows No Titles”

The root has returned to the ground.
The wounded girl has been bandaged with petal dust, and Eden remains at her side, respect evident in every gesture.
The air no longer holds judgment.
Only stillness.
Kagayaku watches without speaking, the mages surrounding him like guardians of the unseen.
The children still do not know whether to resume playing or remain silent.
But then, as Eden tries to summon the courage to say more…

Mage 1 (looking at Eden, in a soft, restrained tone) –
“If only you knew who that boy is…”

Mage 2 (not looking at the others, but with a firm voice that carries across the square) –
“He is the little prince of the Kingdom of Arathen.”

Reactions from the villagers
Eden (falls silent, eyes wide)
Baker (pausing with a loaf in her hands) –
“The prince of Arathen, here in Enalya… and without announcing it!”

Mill Elder (doffing his hat) –
“So he came to play as a child… not to be treated like a statue.”

Girl 2 (looking at Kagayaku gently) –
“If he is a prince… we can care for him without bows.”

And just as silence threatens to return,
Kagayaku’s stomach… shatters all solemnity.

The roar nobody expected
GRRRRM!
A clear, sustained roar, emerging directly from his abdomen.
Everyone turns.
Kagayaku covers his mouth with his hands, his cheeks faintly flushing.

Girl 3 (laughing sweetly) –
“The prince is hungry!”

Eden (with a shy smile) –
“Do you want to play while we wait for the food to arrive?”

Boy 1 (raising a bouncing orb) –
“We can teach you the game of running on roots!”

Kagayaku looks at them.
He nods.
Without words.
And walks toward them.

Entrance of the Hunters

At that moment, four village hunters cross the northern stone arch:

· The eldest carries a long bow covered in moss and a curved knife engraved with moon symbols.

· The young one bears a hunting blanket and whistles to call the guide crows.

· A woman in a feathered cloak sets the pace with silent steps.

· The last wields a tracking staff wrapped in red threads.

Lead Hunter (looking at the children) –
“Is anyone hungry?”

Mage 3 (nodding from the stone bench) –
“The forest will be generous. Today, we hunt out of necessity.”

Baker (opening her basket) –
“And in the meantime, let bread accompany the game.”

Scene: The River That Breathed Again

Enalya – Garden path and the tainted riverbank
3:58 p.m. – The sun tints the treetops amber, and Kagayaku watches in silence

Kagayaku walks among bushes with floating leaves, following the distant song of the wind. The village children scamper between roots as the boy pauses before a tree laden with apples, its branches extended over a well of shade.
He tries to reach them, stretching out his arms… he cannot reach.

Medic Mage (from behind a moonflower hedge) –
“Fruits aren’t always for those who reach the highest. Sometimes, honest eyes that look upon them are enough.”

She offers him an apple. Kagayaku takes it with a slight smile, biting gently. The juice gleams on his lips.

Near the garden, four grey-furred wolves with bright eyes sleep beneath a canopy of intertwined branches. They are the village’s pets, ancient guardians without chains or harsh voices.
Kagayaku approaches quietly. He lays a hand on one’s back. The wolf opens its eyes, watches him… and moves closer. The others follow suit. They settle down beside him. The scene fills with restrained tenderness.

A Tour of Enalya

The children guide him along stone-carved paths. Living-wood roofs, floating crystal lanterns, shops embroidered with light. Kagayaku walks unhurriedly, absorbing every explanation, each detail that draws him into village life.

The Ailing River

Until they reach the northern edge. There lies the river.
The water is green. Thick. It does not flow; it drags. Nearby branches are black, the stones seem to weep.
The air no longer sings.

Boy 1 (pointing, voice dull) –
“This used to be clear. You could fish with your hands. But mages from the dark court… tainted it.”

Girl 2 (gazing at the surface) –
“They cast a spell. Since then, no one bathes. No one comes near.”

Kagayaku crouches without a word.
The wind stops.
His eyes begin to turn blue.
He slowly places his hands into the river.
A pulse of light travels through the water.
In seconds, the spell dissolves like smoke in sunlight.
The turquoise returns.
The crystalline sheen spreads in both directions.
A hundred kilometers of river breathe once more.
The banks become carpeted in gleaming moss.
Small fish appear.
The trees stretch.

Reactions from the village
The children cry out in surprise.
The sound spreads.
Adults emerge from their houses, alerted by the commotion.

Farmer (with shovel in hand, staring at the water) –
“We thought it was another attack!”

Baker (shielding her eyes from the sun) –
“The river… is back! Look at the color!”

Elder (touching the water with trembling fingers) –
“I never thought I’d live to see its reflection again…”

The mages watch from afar. They say nothing.
But among them, one nods slowly.