The forest path had narrowed, curling like a ribbon between tall, whispering trees. The deeper Lira walked, the quieter the world became. No birdsong. No breeze. Only the soft crunch of her boots on the mossy earth, and the sound of Fluffy's low, alert growl beside her.
The fox padded just ahead, ears twitching.
Then — a sudden snap of branches overhead.
Something huge and dark dropped from the trees — a bird-like creature, massive and gnarled, feathers bristling like black needles, eyes glowing like coals. Its shriek split the air.
Lira barely had time to gasp before the creature dove straight at her, claws wide and curved.
But then the fox leapt high, its body stretching through the air like a flame. Teeth sank into the bird's left wing just as Fluffy launched from the ground, claws aimed at the creature's right side.
The beast squawked in pain, twisting midair.
Wings flailed — one bleeding, one pulled down by Fluffy's grip — and the bird crashed into the undergrowth with a thud that shook the ferns.
The fox landed beside it, growling, ready to strike again. But the creature flapped and scrambled backward, then shot into the trees, vanishing with a final screech.
Silence returned, thick and ringing.
Lira's breath came in shallow bursts. She turned toward her companions.
The fox was panting, fur bristled, but unhurt. Fluffy was crouched, tail swishing like a whip, watching her closely. The fierceness in their eyes melted as Lira knelt.
"Thank you," she said softly, reaching out.
The fox stiffened — just for a moment — and then stepped forward, pressing its head gently into her hand.
She ran her fingers along its ears, then turned to Fluffy, who nuzzled against her with a proud little grunt.
Something in her heart swelled.
The ruins appeared soon after — gray stones twisted with ivy, shaped like broken teeth rising from the ground. The portal, pulsed softly.
One by one, they stepped through.
Warm light enfolded them — and when it faded, they stood once again in Lira's grove. A place of old magic.
Birds chirped here. Petals floated on a breeze that didn't touch the rest of the world. The great central tree stretched above them like a guardian.
But something new glinted beneath its roots.
Lira stepped forward slowly.
There, on the mossy soil, stood a copper and crystal structure — a sort of distillation furnace, shaped as if it had grown from the grove itself. Curved tubes like vines curled from a central bowl, petals of brass and glass overlapping like a blooming flower. Small symbols glowed faintly along its surface — symbols she half-recognized from old herb scrolls.
She reached out, brushing a fingertip over one.
The furnace hummed softly, as if it recognized her.
Fluffy sniffed at the base, and the fox sat beside it, watching her silently.
Lira understood.
This was a gift. A tool for drawing essences from flowers and roots ,to strengthen her magic, or maybe even grow plants of power never seen before.
She looked up at the great tree, its leaves rustling like whispers.
"Thank you," she whispered again, but this time not to the fox, to the grove itself.
She glanced at the table and carefully selected a few dried petals and sprigs she had gathered in earlier visits — lavender leaf, nightberry skin, and the fine silvery moss that only grew near the singing stones.
While Fluffy curled into a soft circle near the base of the tree and the fox stretched out with a long sigh, their bellies rising and falling in a slow rhythm, Lira began to place the herbs into the small basin at the center of the device. As soon as her fingers turned the handle to ignite the process, a sudden warmth surrounded her, and her vision began to blur.
The grove fell away.
A mist rolled in through her senses, cool and thick like the dreams she'd had before. Her hands moved, but they were no longer her young hands, they were older, worn by time, yet sure and practiced. Before her, the same tool sat glowing, its shape familiar but more ancient. A woman stood over it, focused, lips murmuring a soft incantation. The woman looked up.
It was her. Older. Wiser. Wearing a cloak embroidered with roots and moons, her hair streaked with silver. The older Lira smiled faintly, and without words, showed her how to adjust the flow, how to catch the first drops of essence, how to listen for the hum.
Then, the mist pulled back like a tide, and she was standing once more in her grove, her own hands steady on the tool, a soft drop of violet liquid forming in the small glass vial below. She blinked, her breath shaky but filled with awe. Some part of her remembered.
With newfound calm, she adjusted the tool as the vision had shown. The distiller gave a soft click, and another drop fell, this time, with a sparkle that shimmered like moonlight.
Lira stayed in the grove for what felt like hours, though the light beneath the great tree never changed. With quiet precision, she began experimenting, placing different herbs and petals into the basin of the distiller. Some gave off rich scents, earthy and warm, while others released pale vapor and glimmering droplets that clung to the glass like dew.
Each time a vial filled, she touched it gently. The moment her fingers met the smooth glass, a tingle sparked up her arm, and a clear sensation bloomed in her chest. One vial pulsed with the warmth of courage. Another whispered clarity, like a wind clearing heavy thoughts. A third shimmered cold blue, and brought with it the sense of slipping through a crowd unnoticed.
She didn't need labels, her body remembered each essence. They hummed to her. One by one, she placed the slim vials into her small leather pouch, nested in folds of fabric to keep them safe. Her pouch was soon full, gently jingling with the weight of new vials, not just alchemical, but personal, intuitive.
She exhaled. "That's enough for today," she whispered to the grove, as if thanking it for its patience.
Fluffy stirred first, stretching long and yawning, before hopping to Lira's side. The fox lifted its head, ears twitching toward the mist beyond the trees. Without a sound, it began walking, tail high. Fluffy followed with a flick of her ears.
Lira gave one last look at the tree, and then stepped after them.
The mist parted once again under the fox's guidance, opening a narrow path through the twisting fog. Familiar trees passed by, quiet and watching. Eventually, the thick forest lightened, and ahead of them stretched the border of the Academy grounds,whitw old stone archways overgrown with ivy, and soft golden lanterns flickering near the edge of the path. Fox sat at the border and watched them for few moments as they left and turned to the forest again as ussual.
As Lira and Fluffy crossed the stone threshold of the Academy's edge, the familiar scents of herbs and parchment drifted on the warm breeze. Lira paused just before the lantern-lit path that led up to the main courtyard. She reached into the small pocket near her belt, fingers brushing a tiny bird. With a gentle tug, a shimmer of soft, iridescent light appeared in the air.
The light condensed, fluttered, and then took form, a small bird, no bigger than her hand, with feathers that shimmered like sunlight through a prism. Its round eyes blinked at her, alert and ready.
Lira smiled, pressing two fingers to its head affectionately. "Can you find Grandmaster Elion?"
The bird gave a musical chirp.
"Tell him I've made progress. I've found something… I believe it's important. I'd like to show him, if he has time."
She whispered the message into the bird's ear, and with a flick of its wings, the creature shot into the sky, a trailing ribbon of light following in its wake. Lira watched it go, then turned to sit on the low wall near the gardens. Fluffy curled up beside her. The fox sat tall, eyes scanning the distant walkways.
She didn't have to wait long.
Within minutes, a glimmer returned from the far tower of the Academy. The rainbow bird darted down like a falling star, landing gently on Lira's arm. A soft scroll was tied to one of its legs. She untied it with care and unrolled the tiny parchment.
"Lira,
Bring what you've discovered to the inner study.
Now is the right time.
Grandmaster Elion."
Her breath caught with a quiet excitement. She tucked the scroll away, gave the bird a soft nudge, and it vanished in a flicker of light.
She looked to the fox and Fluffy. "Let's go. It seems the Grandmaster will see me."
Lira walked through the halls of the Academy, each step echoing softly on the polished stone beneath her feet. Fluffy trotted just beside her, tail swaying like a soft breeze. Behind them, the misty forest lay far behind, the fox had watched her go with knowing eyes before turning back into the fog, as always.
She passed familiar sights: the gentle hum of classroom doors as they whispered open and shut, the low murmur of students bent over scrolls, the occasional burst of laughter or elemental shimmer. The Academy thrived with life, yet Lira moved with quiet purpose now. Something had changed in her, deepened.
When she reached the spiraling staircase, she stepped confidently onto the platform. The runes beneath her boots stirred to life, glowing faintly. With a low hum, the lift began to rise, carrying her upward with Fluffy padding calmly beside her.
Soon, she stood again before the tall door of carved wood, where the twin dragons circled endlessly in their dance. Their green gem eyes seemed to gleam brighter, as if recognizing her return.
She didn't hesitate. She pushed the door open.
The chamber welcomed her in a wash of amber light. Golden sun spilled through the stained glass, painting warm hues across the floor. The scent of parchment, herbs, and something faintly floral hung in the air. The shelves were still heavy with ancient tomes, the room silent save for the soft scratching of a hovering quill.
At the round table sat Grandmaster Elion, unchanged in his blue robes, the silver threadwork still catching the light like moonlit waves. The feathered quill paused mid-sentence as he lifted his gaze.
"Ah," he said simply, his voice like still water. "Lira. You have returned."
Fluffy settled beside her with a low thrum in his chest, ever present.
Lira stepped forward and bowed her head lightly. "I've made something. I… believe it's important. I'd like to show you, Grandmaster."
He regarded her for a breath, then gave a faint nod, motioning her closer.
"Well then," he said, folding his hands together. "Show me."