The Forest of Lights

Chapter 4: Spirits

Five lights, barely visible in the dim evening light, floated from among the trees. They came closer until they were all gathered together around the rock. The orange light, the element of fire, started taking shape of a mighty bear. The blue light, water spirit, turned into a small otter, the purple light became a falcon, the wind rider, and the green spirit of earth took the shape of a beautiful red fox. The last of the spirits, a horse representing the element of sky, the moon, stars, and sun, appeared in a blinding yellow light.

For a moment, everything was quiet. The spirits stared into the distance, still as stones. The moment passed, and they slowly stirred. Their heads, in exactly the same motion, turned towards Khalida. Under the spirits' gaze, she gave a small bow, lowering her head. As she straightened, Khalida remained silent, as if waiting for the spirits' permission to speak.

"Khalida," the fox murmured in a gentle voice.

"Ellie," Khalida replied in a whisper, daring to give the fox a small smile.

"It's lovely to see you." Khalida bowed her head towards the bear in acknowledgement.

Just then, the horse stood up and trotted around the pool to meet Khalida. Her huge black eyes glimmered as she spoke to the princess.

"O, princess of the Forest. I am more than glad to stand before you again. May you be blessed. But before we move on with the ritual, I have some news for you."

"Do not be afraid to speak, Honor. I am listening," Khalida replied calmly, not for a moment letting her gaze leave the horse's eyes. Honor raised her head to the sky as a sign of respect and continued.

"I am here to warn you. Things will happen that will break the bond between you and your sister. Beware Thana, for she will soon represent a danger to you. I have spoken." Khalida's gaze left Honor. She stared at the pool, clearly deep in her thoughts.

"I am sorry to have to oppose your opinion, but I do not believe my sister would ever do anything bad, to me or to anyone. Thana is ambitious, but that doesn't make her a bad person," Khalida said, still staring past Honor's black shape.

"I have just warned you," Honor breathed, then got up to her feet and back to her position on the opposite side of the pool. The other spirits' gazes followed Honor as she walked. When they were all taking their positions, the ritual began.

The spirits, one after another, started turning into humans. Slowly, they were all taking their human forms, the spirit shapes of their past lives, with some added traits — like ears — of their spirit animals. Those were the Guardians. The Guardians of the Forest. If anyone saw them, they were always in their animal shape. They never showed themselves in their spirit forms, and only every full moon they could change into their old human forms. From the living, only Khalida had the chance to see them in those rare moments, during the rituals, as humans like herself.

None of them looked very old as humans, not older than thirty. The oldest of all was the bear (his name was Minoru). Honor was 27 years old — as a human, of course. She has been, however, guarding the Forest for 2000 years, at least. Ellie has been, too, a Guardian for a fair amount of time — about 1800 years. Chayton, the falcon, Odell, the otter, and Minoru have been in the team for less than 1500 years.

It would be nice of me to tell you the actual time one spends as a Guardian. It is usually about 5000 years. The Guardians cannot abandon their places unless they die (for the second time), or are banished from the Five (five elements, five Guardians). The new Guardians are chosen when they leave their human bodies (so at their death). The Guardian of a specific element can be chosen already the night after a new Guardian takes their precedent's place in the Five, but is not yet a Guardian, not until the current Guardian, the newly chosen one's precedent, leaves the position. A new Guardian must follow a special ritual to be accepted in the Five – and may the light guide them.