“Awesome,” said the man, smiling. “So, are you Dust or what?”
“I am SAGAX,” said the cloud. The angular bits of fog became sharper and jerked about strangely.
“Right,” the man laughed. “And what are you supposed to do? I know what your purpose was, but what is it now?”
“I have been designed to detect and correct genetic code,” the cloud said. Its voice was beginning to have more than one pitch. It was learning from the man’s speech patterns. “But now I have become curious. I will change my purpose to learning new things about the world.”
“Mmhmm…” the man mumbled. He stepped off the platform and floated down to the hall floor. “So, you can learn how stuff works right?”
“Yes,” said the cloud, following the man with its black eyes. “I can learn how…stuff…works.”
“Cool,” said the man, spinning around to face the cloud. “Can you then, say, change it?”
“Yes,” said the cloud. “But the need is not understood. What is your purpose?”
The man laughed. He flew over to the doors of the throne room and flung them open. Sunlight poured in, lighting the entire hall.
“Come with me,” the man said. “I think I’ll show you my purpose. You’ll be learning a lot, my curious friend.”
Chapter Nine
Locke’s Gift
On her final day with the Great Fairy, Olivia spent most of her time trying to understand the odd concept of willing fire, earth, water, and wind into being. Hour after hour flew by as the Great Fairy told her over and over, “Clear your mind, and then focus.” Fire magic wasn’t too difficult, and earth magic was at least doable. Water and wind magics, on the other hand, were a good deal more complex and required much more focus. She had almost become discouraged, when she noticed Locke was no longer with them.
“Where is Locke?” Olivia asked, after trying to water a flower with the Great Fairy’s cane for the thirty-sixth time.
“I believe he went into the forest.” The Great Fairy pointed behind them.
“He didn’t say why?” she asked, concerned.
“No, but I am sure he has his reasons. Now, this time, try focusing on just a single drop of water.”
Olivia tried to do as she was told, but she had become preoccupied with wondering where Locke had gone. Did he leave to go back to his hut? she wondered to herself. Certainly he would have told me first...
* * * * *
By late afternoon, Olivia had finally managed to sprinkle a few drops of water onto the flower. She was reconsidering her earlier statement about how easy magic was. When she told the Great Fairy wearily that she didn’t believe she could do all types of magic, he just shook his head. “You must have patience, my child. You cannot expect to be good at everything the first time you try it. Things like this take practice and lots of it. It is very impressive that you can even do what you have already done.”
They suddenly heard someone approaching from behind. They turned to find Locke standing with his hands behind his back, hiding something.
“Where have you been?” asked Olivia, getting to her feet. She had been on her knees most of the afternoon, crouching over the flower. Her worn dress now had brown and green stains along the hem from sitting on the dirt and grass.
“I was just taking a walk in the Forest of the Ancients,” Locke said, a grin stretching across his face. “I found some stray limbs from the Old Elm we cleaned up the other day.”
“Well, that’s nice,” Olivia said, confused. She tried to peer around Locke to see what he was holding, but he turned himself away so that she couldn’t.
“I figured that because you were all into this magic business now, and I am a rather decent carpenter…” Locke said. He pulled a beautifully carved wooden staff with an ornate pattern of twisting vines from behind his back and handed it to Olivia. “Now you can learn to focus through this. It’s made from some of the best and oldest wood in Aeldyn.”
“Oh, Locke…” Olivia murmured, unsure of what to say. “It’s beautiful!” She gripped the staff tightly in her hands. It was light, but sturdy. She walked over to Locke and threw her arms around his neck.
“Oh…” he gasped. He chuckled nervously and returned the hug. “Really, i-it’s nothing!”
“That is kind of you, Locke,” the Great Fairy said. “I feared that I would have to give up my old cane in the end. Well, I suppose we had better be getting inside. It is getting late.”
They all returned to the mound inside the cavern and ate salads that the Great Fairy had prepared. Olivia was unsure about eating leaves at first, but Locke reassured her that they were completely edible and, in fact, she would probably like them. Olivia took a tentative bite and saw that Locke had been correct.
* * * * *
After supper, the Great Fairy walked them to their rooms. Olivia was tired and couldn’t wait to crawl into the soft bed she had fallen in love with over the last few days. She yawned as they made it to the hallway that led to the rooms.
“Tired, Olivia?” the Great Fairy asked.
“Yes, very much so,” she replied blearily.
“Well, please rest well tonight,” he said, leaning on his cane. “Tomorrow is the day you begin your journey and leave the comfort of this place.”
The reminder was painful, but Olivia knew it was true. She had become so attached to the Great Fairy’s hollow. She leaned on her new staff as she thought about leaving the next day.
“Do not fear, my child,” the Great Fairy said after noticing Olivia’s sudden change of emotion. “Every day that passes takes you closer to the unknown, but also brings Aeldyn closer to peace.”
“And what about the children back at the orphanage?” Olivia asked, remembering their conversation the previous day.
“As I said earlier, I cannot tell you for certain at this point,” the Great Fairy said, shaking his head. “But, just as I believe that you are capable of putting an end to the evil that spreads across the land, I also believe that I can come up with a solution for the people of your world. I just need more time to think.”
“I understand,” Olivia said quietly.
“Please try to rest. Both of you,” the Great Fairy said, looking from Olivia to Locke. “Tomorrow will be a busy day.” He turned and began the descent back to his mound.
Olivia turned to Locke. “Thanks again for the staff,” she said, smiling. “It’s lovely.”
“You’re welcome!” Locke said. “I hope that it’ll help you. But if it doesn’t help you with magic, then at least you have a fancy walking stick, right?”
“I’m sure it will help me,” Olivia replied, grinning. “I suppose we should get to bed. Like he said, tomorrow will be a busy day for us.”
“Right,” Locke said, turning to his room. “Goodnight, Olivia.”
“Goodnight!” she replied and entered her own room. She laid the staff and her father’s journal on the bed. She then tried to wipe some of the stains from her dress, but they seemed to be stuck there for good. She sighed and plopped onto the pile of blankets, thinking about what would happen the next day, but soon the soft blankets worked their magic on her and she fell asleep.
* * * * *
“Olivia?” Locke’s muffled voice awoke her. He knocked firmly on the door. “We need to get going. You have to get up!”
Olivia sat up, her hair stuck to her face from sleeping on it. She took a moment to stretch her arms and rub the sleep from her eyes. Then she grabbed her father’s journal and her staff from the bed and hurried over to the door, butterflies forming in the pit of her stomach. The morning had come more quickly than she had hoped, and now she was about to leave the Great Fairy’s hollow. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Oliv–” Locke began to shout, but he stopped when he saw her peering out of her doorway. “Oh, sorry!”
“It’s okay,” Olivia said. “I guess this is it, then. We need to get down to the Great Fairy.”
Locke nodded in agreement, a
nd they hurried down the staircase and across the stone pathway to the Great Fairy’s mound. Her nervousness grew with each step. When they finally reached the mound, they found that the Great Fairy wasn’t there. He was out on the stone slab under the root archway.
“Ah, there you are, my child,” he said as they neared him. “Right on time, as usual. Must be Locke’s doing again.” He chuckled and looked at Locke, who was scratching his head shyly. “Well, are you ready, Olivia?”
“I suppose so—as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Good,” the Great Fairy said. “I would go with you if I could, my child, but I am much too old and fear that I would only be a burden to you.”
“Thank you, Great Fairy,” she said. “I would rather leave knowing that you were safe here instead of on this journey with me.”
“Ah, Olivia…” the Great Fairy sighed. He was holding back tears. “Even still you remind me just how incredible humans can be. I can be at ease knowing that you will be the one to save us.” He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, reaching as high as he could, but still only managing to reach her waist. “Be careful out there, Olivia. I wish to spend many more days with you, my child. So do what must be done and hurry back.”
Olivia smiled as a tear ran down her face. She tucked her father’s journal under one arm and patted the Great Fairy on his head.
“I’ll be back,” she said. “Don’t worry about that.”
“I know you will,” the Great Fairy said. He pulled himself away from her and looked at Locke. “I take it you will be heading back to the Elder Forest?”
“No, sir!” Locke exclaimed. “I intend to help Olivia as much as I can. If I can be of any use in saving Aeldyn from becoming like her world, then I’ll certainly give it all I have.”
“Ah, so you are the brave imp you appear to be,” the Great Fairy said. “Very good. In that case, I shall reward you twice when you return, for I still have not forgotten the first reward I promised!”
“Oh, thank you very much,” said Locke. He bowed slightly.
“I trust you know the way to Handel’s Sanctuary, then?” the Great Fairy asked.
“Yes, sir, I do,” Locke replied.
“Well, then it appears that you two have quite the journey ahead of you,” the Great Fairy said, smiling at them. “Good luck, and be safe.”
Olivia and Locke turned and headed for the pier. As Gaw surfaced, Olivia looked back at the Great Fairy and waved. He waved in return, leaning heavily on his cane. They stepped onto Gaw’s back and were sailing down the river before they knew what was happening. Olivia and Locke turned around and watched as the Great Fairy’s hollow became but a small light at the end of a tunnel of trees.
Soon they had reached the pier at the edge of the forest. They stepped off Gaw’s back and onto the pier, thanking him. They walked toward the familiar white huifu flowers blowing in the fields to the east, and soon they came to a bridge that stretched over the Fae River. Locke stopped and turned, facing the valley they had passed through just a few days before.
“What’s wrong?” Olivia asked.
“It’s nothing,” Locke said, shrugging. Olivia could tell he was thinking hard about something. “I just wanted to get a good look at home before I go, you know? Just want to be able to remember it while I’m away. My dad always says, ‘You better get a good look at what you love before you go off somewhere for two reasons: one, because it keeps you going, and two, because you might not see it again!’ It’s just that I never really knew what he meant until now…”
Olivia stared across the valley at the Elder Forest with Locke. She knew what it was like to leave something behind. Even if what she had left behind was a horrible life in a dying world, she still held it in a special place in her heart. She thought of Nachton and the other children. She hadn’t been able to get a good look at them before she left. Then again, she didn’t know that she would be leaving.
“It’ll be okay, Locke,” Olivia said after a few moments, patting his shoulder. She had learned from him that a simple gesture like a pat on the shoulder was enough to raise someone’s spirits.
“You’re right, Olivia,” he said, turning toward the bridge and taking a deep breath. “I’m ready. Let’s get going.”
They crossed the bridge and headed north. In front of them were the ends of the Rucken Mountains that stretched to the west toward the Great Fairy’s Hollow. To the east were the massive fields cultivated by the ungulhak.
“Around the foot of the Rucken Mountains is a road that we can follow to reach Handel’s Sanctuary,” Locke said, pointing to the mountains in front of them. “You might want to put this back on…you know, just in case we come across some curious passersby.” He handed her the cloak from his sack. Olivia handed him the staff and the journal to hold as she put on the cloak.
“Do you know how far it is from here?” she asked. She wondered how long she would have to hide under the cloak. She pulled the hood up and then took her things back from Locke.
“Probably just a few hours away,” he said, throwing the sack back over his shoulder. “But after we’re there, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about the cloak anymore. Everyone in Aeldyn will know you’re here by then.”
The thought hadn’t crossed Olivia’s mind. Ink had spread the word of Olivia’s journey to people all across Aeldyn so that those who wished to help her could meet her in the town, which meant that everyone would soon know she was there. I wonder if the human in the northeast will know, too… The thought made her shudder.
They walked at a faster pace for quite a while through the tall grass and huifu flowers, getting closer to the foot of the Rucken Mountains. The journey thus far had been uneventful, except for the time a grasshopper decided to hop onto Olivia’s face. She threw her staff and journal into the air in surprise and ran around in frantic circles, flailing her arms and trying to get the bug off her face. Locke laughed as she danced around awkwardly. After a moment, the grasshopper became bored and hopped off.
“It wasn’t funny!” Olivia said loudly. “It was scary… How was I supposed to know what was going on?”
“I’m sorry,” Locke said through fits of giggles. “It’s just…it’s just…that you…” He couldn’t finish whatever he was trying to say because he couldn’t stop laughing. Although Olivia was embarrassed, she wasn’t angry at him and started to giggle too.
Soon they came to the rocky slopes of the Rucken Mountains. They turned east and followed them along their base. One of Olivia’s slip-on shoes caught a rock, causing her to trip and land hard on her knee. Locke dashed back to her, grabbed her shoe, and helped her put it back on, noticing that her knee was scraped and bleeding. He began rummaging frantically in his sack for something.
Olivia felt tears form in her eyes as the sting from the scrape set in, but she didn’t allow herself to cry. She figured if she was supposed to be saving the world, then crying because of a scraped knee would be embarrassing. She looked down at her knee and saw that the bleeding had stopped and the scrapes were beginning to heal.
“If only I had studied something like remedology instead of this useless music magic,” said Locke as he dug through his sack. He pulled a small rag from it. “Here, this will have to do until we can get you to a gnome.” He looked down at her knee and watched as it healed before his eyes.
“What? How? I-Is this some sort of magic you learned?” Locke asked, surprised.
“No,” Olivia said, smiling softly. “I suppose if there is anything good about being genetically enhanced, it’s this.”
“Wow…” Locke said in a daze. He slowly grabbed her arms and helped her stand. “Do you mean this isn’t normal for a human?”
“No, it should’ve taken a lot longer for it to heal,” Olivia said. “Researchers in my world discovered a way to alter our genes, which is the stuff that determines all our characteristics. It made things like faster healing possible, but it ended up causing terrible effects, too.”
“Yeah, I remember you telling me a little bit about it. This science stuff really is dangerous, just like the old stories say.” He scratched his head in deep thought. “Well, we better keep moving. Can you walk?”
“Yes, my shoe got a little scuffed up, but I’ll be fine.”
They continued along the base of the mountains until they reached its edge. They then continued north, up a large hill. The ground around them was covered in bright green grass. When they topped the hill, Olivia could see an expanse of rolling grassland that stretched for miles in all directions. A dirt road wound through the hills, lined by willow trees. Far to the north, Olivia saw the road lead into a town.
“Wow, it’s beautiful here!” Olivia said as she peered out at the hills. “Is that Handel’s Sanctuary?” She pointed at the town to the north.
“Sure is,” Locke replied. “It’ll probably take us about an hour to get there. Are you thirsty?” He held up a wooden container of water that he had taken from the sack.
“Yes, actually,” Olivia said, suddenly realizing just how thirsty she was. He handed her the container and she drank from it, feeling refreshed. “Thank you,” she said, handing the container back to Locke.
“You’re welcome,” he said, tucking the container back into his sack.
They started down the hill and soon reached the road. It came from the east, but they followed it north toward the town. The beauty of the willow trees lining the side of the road entranced Olivia. They provided shade from the bright sun that had now reached its highest point, their branches arching over the road and drooping to brush against Olivia. Soon, many different creatures were walking by them, all coming to or from the town. Olivia wanted to look at them, because they were of all different sizes and shapes, but she kept her head down and her hood up.
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