Return of Legends

Everspring's lake was as much a mystery as the Silent Garden or the Wishing Tree. Unlike other lakes that sparkled under the sun, its waters were dark and still, as though they swallowed every ray of light. The villagers called it the Silent Lake, for no sound ever echoed near its shores. Birds did not sing in the trees that surrounded it, and even the wind seemed to hold its breath when passing by.

Few dared venture close. Stories spoke of those who had gone to its edge and never returned, their names lost to the whispers of time.

But Liora was not afraid.

The young healer had come to Everspring only a year ago, fleeing from the war that had ravaged her homeland. With her gentle hands and soft voice, she had nursed many back to health, earning the trust of a people long burdened by sorrow. Yet, despite her efforts, the heaviness in the air remained, an invisible weight that pressed against her chest each day.

One evening, as the sun dipped low and painted the sky in shades of amber and rose, Liora found herself drawn to the Silent Lake. She had heard the villagers' warnings, their hushed tones warning her to stay away. But something about the lake called to her—a quiet pull that she couldn't ignore.

As she reached the shore, she felt the air change. The world seemed to grow quieter with each step, as though she had crossed an unseen threshold. The lake stretched before her, its surface smooth and unbroken, like a vast mirror reflecting the fading light.

Liora knelt at the edge, her reflection staring back at her. She saw the weariness in her own eyes, the weight of countless sleepless nights and unspoken fears.

"Why are you so silent?" she whispered, her voice trembling in the stillness.

To her surprise, the water rippled, as though in response.

Startled, Liora leaned closer, her heart pounding. The ripples spread outward, forming patterns that seemed deliberate, purposeful. She reached out, her fingertips grazing the surface.

The moment her skin touched the water, a song filled the air.

It wasn't a sound she heard with her ears but a melody that resonated deep within her soul. It was haunting and beautiful, a blend of sorrow and hope that seemed to echo from the depths of the lake. Liora gasped, pulling her hand back, but the song did not stop.

Instead, the water began to glow faintly, and from the center of the lake, a figure rose.

At first, it was little more than a shadow, its form indistinct against the shimmering light. But as it drew closer, Liora saw it was a woman, her hair flowing like liquid silver, her eyes glowing softly. Her presence was both ethereal and commanding, and Liora felt an overwhelming urge to kneel.

"You have come," the woman said, her voice the same as the song, resonating in the air and within Liora's heart.

"Who… who are you?" Liora managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I am the Keeper of the Lake," the woman replied, her gaze piercing yet kind. "And you, healer, have been chosen to hear my song."

"Chosen?" Liora asked, her confusion evident.

The Keeper nodded. "For centuries, this lake has held the grief of Everspring, much like the garden and the tree. Each place carries a piece of the sorrow, but the lake… it carries the voices of those who were lost. Their pain, their regrets, their longing—they are all woven into my song."

Liora's heart ached at the words. She could feel the weight of the lake's sorrow, as though it pressed against her chest. "Why me?" she asked. "Why have I been chosen?"

"Because you are a healer," the Keeper said simply. "And the lake's song is not meant to be kept silent. It is meant to be heard, to be understood. Only then can the voices find peace."

Liora hesitated, the enormity of the task sinking in. "But how can I help? I am just one person."

The Keeper's eyes softened. "Sometimes, one voice is all it takes to begin healing. Listen to the song, Liora. Listen, and remember."

With those words, the Keeper extended her hand, inviting Liora to step into the water.

Liora hesitated only a moment before taking the hand. The water was warm, not the icy chill she had expected. As she stepped deeper into the lake, the song grew louder, filling her with a sense of both wonder and sorrow. Images began to flash before her eyes—faces of people she had never met, their lives cut short by war, famine, and despair.

She saw a young boy reaching for his mother as they were separated by a rushing river. She saw a soldier clutching a letter to his chest as he fell on a blood-soaked battlefield. She saw a woman kneeling by the grave of her child, her tears falling like rain.

Each vision was a story, a life unfinished, a voice that had been silenced.

Liora wept, her tears mixing with the water around her. The song swelled, wrapping around her like a comforting embrace. She realized then that the lake was not just a place of sorrow—it was a place of memory. It held the stories that the village had forgotten, the voices that needed to be heard.

When the visions finally faded, Liora found herself standing once more at the shore. The Keeper stood beside her, her expression serene.

"You have heard the song," the Keeper said. "Now, you must carry it to the village. Remind them of the voices they have forgotten. Help them to remember."

Liora nodded, her heart heavy but resolute. She understood now that her role as a healer was not just to mend bodies but to mend the soul of the village itself.

As she turned to leave, the Keeper spoke one final time.

"The song of the lake will always be with you, Liora. And in time, it will guide the village back to hope."

Liora looked back at the Silent Lake, its surface once again still and dark. But she no longer saw it as a place of fear. It was a place of remembrance, a reminder that even in silence, there was a song waiting to be heard.

And as she walked back to the village, the melody of the lake echoed softly in her heart, a promise of healing yet to come.