The Endless Forest

Finding the two dragons was an easy task, especially for Felix. With his bond, it was trivial to know the rough location of Zira. But even without it, the dragons were hard to miss among a village of elves.

He and Lorem had found the pair out near the edge of town, laying on the grass. Children, of all ages, surrounded the dragons. Some merely played around them, while others had decided they would sit on top or lean on them.

Curiously, Felix did not see any adults around. I guess they decided to trust the dragons enough to leave the kids with them. It didn’t surprise him, he knew neither one would do anything to harm a child, no matter how annoying one might end up being.

Putting that thought aside, he did smile at the fact that Zira looked…pleased with herself. A quick check into her side of the bond told him she was indeed content.

While he was at it, he gave her a mental nudge before shouting out. “Zira, Kyrith!” He waved to them as they both turned to look at him.

Lorem waved as well. “Hello again, Zira!” The elf called out.

All the children stopped what they were doing as Felix and Lorem approached, watching the two of them as they got closer.

Have you finished your shopping yet? Zira asked, sounding hopeful. Apparently she still wanted to spend time with him, despite how things were going with the kids.

A slight change of plans… He could feel her grow disappointed, but he quickly continued. But, that’s why I’m here. I ran into Lorem, and he’s really good at wood carving. So we made a deal.

What kind of deal? He could feel her narrowing her eyes at him.

Well… In exchange for some dragon scales, he will make wooden figurines of both you and Kyrith. One will be yours and… He trailed off nervously.

And one for Eri. Zira finished for him, there was a slight irritation in her tone.

“Hello, Felix! Who’s this?” Kyrith interrupted.

Using the distraction, Felix decided to introduce the elf. “This is Lorem, one of the other volunteers.” He turned to the elf, “Lorem, this is Kyrith.”

Lorem put on his signature smile as he greeted the dragon. “It’s nice to meet you, Kyrith.”

“Oh, it's wonderful to meet you as well! I just know we’ll become good friends!”

Felix decided now was a good time to warn the elf. “Careful Lorem, Kyrith is a professional at getting you to play with him.”

The elf laughed as Kyrith managed to frown. “And what’s wrong with that? Who wouldn’t want to play with a dragon? Just look at the kids, they are enjoying themselves!”

The ember-colored dragon turned his frown into a wide grin. “Exactly!”

Felix and Zira both shook their heads.

“In any case, we came here for another reason.” Felix said, trying to get back on topic. Meanwhile, the elven children seemed to go back to playing.

“Oh?!” Kyrith lowered his head down, looking excited.

“First! I need you to promise me something.” He leaned over to the dragon dramatically, hoping that playing it up would work. “I need you to promise to keep this all a secret from Eri,” he said in a whisper.

“A secret?! Certainly–” The dragon caught himself, lowering his voice. “But why?”

“You see,” he gestured to Lorem, “he’s an exceptional wood carver and I’ve asked him to make a wooden figurine of you. I plan to give it to Eri as a gift–”

“A gift?! Oh, she would certainly love that! She’s been feeling down all–” The poor dragon stopped, looking as if he said something he wasn’t supposed to.

“Wait, what do you mean?” He asked concernedly.

“Nothing! Anyways, the gift.”

Felix eyed the dragon carefully, not buying the dismissal. I know she has to be embarrassed about the whole thing. I was, but ‘feeling down?’ He was filled with new determination now.

He decided to let it slide for now, this gift would hopefully have new meaning. “Right, the gift… I plan on giving the figurine of you to her as a gift.”

Kyrith’s tone shifted back to his normal state, excitement. “Yeah, she will definitely love that! She loves me a lot, and now she will have something besides me–”

The dragon cocked his head and looked questioningly at Felix. “Wait, you don’t think it will replace me? What if she falls in love with it instead of me?!”

He had to keep from rolling his eyes at Kyrith's antics. Instead, he reached out and patted him. “Easy now, there is no way a wooden figurine would replace you.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Felix chuckled. “Anyways, you think you can keep that a secret?”

“Huh? Oh, certainly.” Kyrith looked to have been deep in thought.

“Good,” he nodded, turning to Lorem and stopping. The elf already had two small logs in one massive hand and was already working on carving them with a knife in the other.

Felix could only watch, mesmerized at how quickly Lorem worked. The tall and muscular elf wasn’t even looking down and instead kept his eyes squarely on the two dragons, as he worked.

Okay, I’m not going to bother him but I am curious… Felix activated his mana sight and confirmed his suspicion. Lorem was, somehow, using mana to guide his knife over the wood.

It was fascinating to watch. He could see mana condensing into the elf’s hand and, as the knife glided over the logs, small cuts were made.

Mana manipulation? He questioned himself. Hmm, I’m not so sure… It’s similar but different. Like, it's mana manipulating him and not the other way around.

It is unique. Zira stated, startling him. She had been rather quiet, and he hadn’t noticed her entering his mind. I can’t say for certain, but I’ve tasted, felt, and even seen your mana enough to know that whatever he is doing, it isn’t the same.

Felix thought about it for a moment. Interesting…but then again, I’m still figuring out how my mana works. Who is to say that this isn’t just another form of mana manipulation?

Why don’t you ask him then? She offered genuinely.

I will, but later. I don’t want to break his concentration. He ended his mana sight at that.

Fair enough, she said with a mental shrug…

Time passed as Lorem continued to work on carving the figurines. However, after a little while, Felix heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Felix!” It was Solanna, and turning around he could see her brother was with her as well.

“Hello,” he greeted them when they got closer. He noted that Yedril was frowning until, that is, Kyrith decided to greet them.

“Yedril! I’m so happy to see you again!” The dragon started to move.

“Please, stay still.” Lorem said, commanding more than asking. He went back to working, ignoring everyone else.

“Can I talk to you in private real quick?” Solanna asked. Meanwhile, Yedril put on a smile as he approached the dragons.

“Uh, sure?” Felix looked at her curiously, only now noticing that she was carrying a beautifully made bow.

They walked several yards away, before she spoke up again. “It’s about Yedril,” she started, “He won’t admit it but he’s running out of mana.”

He gave a quick glance over to her brother, watching as he laughed with Kyrith. On the surface, everything seemed fine with the elf… But just to be sure, he activated his mana sight one last time.

“I see what you mean, he’s nearly empty from what I can tell. Honestly, he’s burned through it a lot faster than I had hoped…” Felix sighed, ending his mana sight. A thought occurred to him. “Has he been casting magic?”

Solanna froze, seemingly not having considered that. “I hope not…”

“Maybe I should talk with him? I know he is your brother, but he might take it more seriously if he hears it from someone else.”

It was her turn to frown. “Why would he listen to you over me?”

Felix took a deep breath, remembering how Yedril ditched Solanna and all the implications that went along with that. I need to choose my words carefully here…

“Because… Well think about it, he is feeling better and now able to do much more than he could before. But he has you, always protecting him– I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that… But you gotta see it from his perspective.”

She cocked her head questioningly at him. “What do you mean?”

He sighed again, this was going to be more difficult than he thought. “First, let me ask. How old is Yedril?”

“Well, he’s five years younger than me, so about eighteen…” She answered.

Nodding, Felix confirmed what he already knew but something perked in the back of his mind. Something about Fea, knowledge, and… It was gone.

“He’s rebelling… I think.” He said, doing his best to ignore his thoughts.

Something clicked for Solanna as he said that. “Oh…” She looked depressed.

“Hey now,” he said placatingly, “It’s just a phase…” Felix didn’t know if he truly believed what he was saying, but it did sound right.

“It does make sense…” She added, looking a little heartbroken.

Clearing his throat, he decided to end this conversation. “Anyways, I will give him more mana and talk with him. Alright?”

“Yeah…” Solanna didn’t look like she was listening.

Quickly taking his leave, he made his way back over to the others. “Hey Yedril, uh, how are you doing on mana?” He sounded as awkward as he felt.

The elf whipped around, his smile fading somewhat. “It is…depleting.”

Felix raised an eyebrow, a little surprised Yedril admitted it. “I see. Well, if you like I can give you more now?”

The elf sighed, dropping the smile in its entirety. “I take it you and my sister were discussing me?”

“We were, she told me you didn’t want to admit it. I was concerned.”

“Yeah? Well, that’s why I didn’t admit it.” Yedril practically scoffed as he said that.

One of the elven children came zipping around Kyrith and nearly plowed into them. “Sorry!” The child said as they continued on.

Felix shook his head. “Let’s find a more quiet spot, shall we?”

Yedril nodded and they set off, heading back towards the village.

Felix looked up to the sky, noting that the clouds were still gathering. Yet, for the moment, it was looking to be another perfect day. He brought his attention back to the village. It was around noon, and only now were people starting to make their reappearance.

Small groups left the various homes in the village or came from the camps just outside. Still, it was rather peaceful compared to yesterday…

They found a small bench that had been set up in the shade of one of the buildings and sat down.

“So tell me,” Felix started after a few moments of gathering his thoughts, “why is being concerned about you a problem?”

“Because…” Yedril paused, looking away. “That’s all I ever have been; someone else's concern.” The elf muttered.

“I…think I understand. You don’t wish to bother anyone, or want them worrying about you.” Felix shifted in his seat to get a better look at Yedril. “Is that right?”

“Yes…” Yedril admitted.

He chuckled, unable to help himself. “Well, let me tell you something, Yedril. It’s good to have people care and worry about you. It means you are liked. It means people want you.”

“I know that!” The elf shouted, bringing his attention squarely on Felix. “It’s just–”

“Do you though?” Felix cut the elf off.

“Yes!”

He leaned in, staring right into Yedril’s eyes. “You know, I didn’t truly understand what it meant to be alone until I met Zira. Now, I never want to be alone ever again. That’s why I came here, to start building trust with you and the other elves. I want as many friends as possible.”

Yedril slumped down into the bench. “But I’m not you. The most I’ve ever had to look forward to was a slow and painful death. I can’t put that on everyone I know. That’s just… That’s just cruel.”

“That’s not true anymore.” He commented.

“What?” Yedril asked incredulously.

“Your future is no longer a ‘slow and painful death,’ as you put it.” Felix leaned back, giving the elf some space. “Not when I can help.”

The elf was quiet for several moments, clearly trying to think of a comeback. “What happens if it stops working?”

Felix shrugged. “We’ll just have to figure something else out.”

Yedril stared at him for several seconds before suddenly bursting out laughing. “That’s you’re plan?!”

He waited for the elf to calm down a little before answering. “The truth is, I had no idea if what I did would even work. It was a whim.”

More laughter followed that…

***

A little while later, both him and Yedril were walking back to the group. Felix had successfully given the elf more mana, and even managed to make it less painful. For his part, Yedril’s body hadn’t tried to suck everything from Felix. Still, it did take its toll and both needed a couple minutes of rest afterwards.

When they made it back to the group, there was even more good news.

“I’ve finished!” Lorem exclaimed, showing off the two completed figurines.

Everyone, including most of the children, leaned in to get a good look, they were impressive. Both figurines looked exactly like the two real dragons, minus the colors. Even their expressions and tiny details like the patterns of their scales were matched perfectly.

Without skipping a beat, Felix reached into his small pouch and pulled out four scales. “Here you go,” he said, offering them.

“This is more than we promised!” Lorem shouted in shock. “I can’t take this–”

Felix cut him off. “You can, and you will. The extra is for doing it so quickly.”

The two siblings looked on in confusion but said nothing. Meanwhile, Lorem stared down at the scales now in his hands.

Felix left him and approached Zira, holding hers out. “What do you think?”

“It is…acceptable,” she said. However, he could feel her excitement at the gift.

“Good, we’ll have to find the perfect spot for it when we get back to the manor. For now, I will hold onto it.”

“Oh! Can I see the one of me?!” Kyrith interjected.

Chuckling, he held Eri’s gift up for the dragon. “And what do you think?”

The ember-colored dragon lowered his head and eyed it. “It’s really good! Eri will love it for sure!”

“That’s what I am hoping for. But Kyrith, just remember, you have to keep it a secret from Eri. Otherwise, it will spoil the surprise.”

The dragon nodded vigorously.

With that, he lowered it and swapped to speaking to Zira through their bond. So, what do you want to do now?

Huh? She was apparently caught off guard by his question.

I promised you that I would spend the rest of the day with you. So, what do you want to do?

She went into deep thought, taking several long moments before answering with a question of her own. Tomorrow is supposed to be an important day, right?

Yes, he answered.

Another long pause.

Felix could sense she had an idea but was unsure how to ask it. Zira, it’s okay. I meant when I said I would do whatever you want.

Finally, she responded. I…want a bath.

That caught him off guard. A bath?

Yes…

Okay, but can I ask why? He tried to keep his tone neutral, it was rare for her to show any sort of vulnerability.

I want to look good for tomorrow. She was sounding unsure of herself. There's a pond not too far away…

Ah, I understand. But the word is, it will rain tomorrow.

Oh… Still, I want a bath. Zira was starting to sound more confident.

Alright then, we’ll need to go ask Chief Yorlen if they have anything we could use. Another thought occurred to him. Also, Kyrith will figure it out and he definitely would want to join us. What do you want to do about that?

They both went silent in thought, but the laughter of the children sparked an idea for Felix. Hear me out for a second, what if we invited him and the kids? Have them help with Kyrith.

He watched as her eyes darted to one particular group of elven children. I…wouldn’t mind them.

Perfect, he said with a smile. He turned his attention away from her.

“Hey everyone! Who wants to help give a pair of dragons a bath?!”

Eri let out a sigh of boredom. She had spent the entire morning hiding away in her room and now, she was finally ready to face the world. Only, it seemed the world wasn’t going to wait for her…

Stepping out into the hallway, she could hear a chorus of voices, most of whom were definitely children.

“Alright everyone, just stay put for a moment!” It was Felix, and a moment later he quickly stepped into the hall only to come to a dead stop.

“Eri!” He shouted, sounding surprised. She watched him quickly slip something behind himself.

“What’s going on?” She asked, confused.

“Nothing! I mean, me and the children are going to give the dragons a bath.”

“A…bath? Isn’t it supposed to rain tomorrow?”

“Supposedly… But that apparently hasn’t stopped them.” He said, relaxing. “Do you want to join us?”

She opened her mouth to turn him down but stopped. Maybe I should? Especially with Kyrith and all those kids. She didn’t want to say it, even to herself, but she would also like to spend some more time with Felix.

“Sure,” she answered awkwardly.

Felix smiled. “Great! Then I just need to, uh, put something up and we can leave.”

Eri could only stand there and watch as he shuffled past her with his hands still behind his back. A moment later, he quickly darted down to his room and slammed the door shut.

Due to his strange behavior, she decided to ask Kyrith if he knew what was going on. Hey Kyrith, what’s gotten into Felix? He was clearly hiding something behind his back.

Huh? Oh! It’s a surprise– Wait, forget I said that!

A… Surprise?