EverRealm

Lingering Thoughts

As they stepped out of the tavern's warm interior into the cool evening air, Elora took a deep breath. The stars were beginning to appear in the darkening sky, twinkling like distant diamonds."Finally!" came a familiar voice from nearby. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten all about us!"Clover hopped out from behind a barrel, his whiskers twitching with mild annoyance. Beside him, Koa chirped and fluttered excitedly toward Elora's shoulder."Sorry we took so long," Sofia said, kneeling down to eye level with the rabbit. "The innkeeper was very strict about no animals inside.""Yeah, I bet," Clover grumbled, but there was no real bite to his words. "While you were all cozy inside, we've been out here counting cobblestones."Sofia bent down, offering her hand to Clover. "I saved you something." She pulled a small bundle from her pocket, unwrapping it to reveal some bread and cheese. "It's not much, but I thought you might be hungry."Clover's ears perked up immediately. "Well, maybe waiting wasn't so bad after all!" He hopped forward eagerly, sniffing at the offering. "At least someone was thinking about us poor, abandoned creatures.""I tried to get you some carrot soup too," Sofia whispered with a smile, "but it would have made a mess in my pocket.""Next time, bring a container," Clover suggested between bites. "A rabbit has standards, you know.""We should find somewhere to rest for the night," Cedric suggested, glancing at the sky where more stars were appearing. "It's getting dark, and we still don't know this area well."Koa fluttered down from Elora's shoulder to perch near Sofia, tilting his head curiously at her as if inspecting the princess. Sofia smiled, gently running a finger over his ebony feathers."He seems to really like you," Elora observed, smiling at the sight of her feathered friend bonding with Sofia."Birds have good instincts," Miri commented, watching the interaction. "They say back in my hometown that birds can sense magic better than any other creature.""Is that true?" Elora asked, looking at Cedric, who looked a little uneased by the question. Elora noticed the slight tightening around his eyes and the way he shifted his weight. "Is there something wrong?"The royal sorcerer adjusted his robe, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his sleeve. "Well, there is some truth to it. Certain birds have an affinity for magical energies. It's why many sorcerers keep them as familiars. They can... sense things that sometimes even we cannot." He glanced at Koa with a mixture of respect and wariness. "They can detect magical imbalances, hidden enchantments, even the true nature of a person. Sofia always had a talent with magic even excelled better than her classmates in her sorcerer's class at Royal Prep, which I sometimes helped teach there." A small, nostalgic smile crossed his face at the memory.Sofia blushed slightly at the compliment, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Only because I had such a great teacher, Mr. Cedric the Great." Her voice was genuine, filled with admiration that made the sorcerer stand a little straighter."You did more than that, Princess," Cedric said with a hint of pride. "You have a natural affinity that's quite rare."Elora watched Koa, preened one wing. "I wonder if that's why he found me in the first place.""Perhaps," Cedric murmured, his voice thoughtful. "Magical companions often find us rather than the other way around.""Do you have one, Cedric?" Elora asked him, curious about this aspect of the sorcerer she hadn't heard about before. She stepped closer, genuinely interested. "A familiar, I mean."A shadow seemed to pass over his face as he thought about Wormwood, his raven. His eyes grew distant, and he absently touched the spot on his shoulder where his companion used to perch. "I did once. Before I was betrayed. He didn't find me—I created him through a rock to a raven spell. "His voice grew quieter. "Years together, and in the end, he chose power over loyalty."Elora looked at him, sadly. "I'm sorry." The genuine empathy in her voice made Cedric look at her a little surprised, their eyes meeting. For a moment, he seemed to get lost in her gaze, noticing for the first time the flecks of amber in her green eyes. He quickly shook his head, breaking the connection."What's done, is done. There's no use in thinking about the past now." His tone was dismissive, but his hand lingered on his shoulder a moment longer.An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a moment, and no one seemed willing to press Cedric for details. Koa chirped softly, as if sensing the tension, and flew back to Elora's shoulder."Were you close? You and your raven?" Elora asked gently after a moment, her curiosity overriding her caution.Cedric glanced at her, initially looking as if he might snap at the intrusion, but something in her expression made him pause. "Wormwood was... more than a pet. When no one else would listen, he was there. When my spells failed, he was there." His voice grew softer. "I thought we understood each other."Sofia reached out and touched Cedric's arm lightly. "You still have friends who understand you," she said with a gentle smile.Cedric's expression softened slightly. "Yes, well," he cleared his throat. "As I said, it's in the past."The group began walking down the village's main street, past small cottages with windows glowing with warm lamplight. Some villagers were still out, closing their shops or hurrying home for dinner, giving curious glances to the unusual travelers."Look at those mountains," Miri said, pointing to the silhouettes visible against the darkening sky. "Remember the tales of the crystal caves? They're said to be somewhere in that range.""Crystal caves?" Elora asked, following her gaze to where jagged peaks cut into the twilight. "What are those?""Just old stories," Miri replied with a shrug. "Places where magic is said to be so concentrated that it forms crystals that can enhance a sorcerer's power. Probably just tales to entice travelers." Elora thought quietly to herself as they continued to walk, her mind turning over the possibilities. The memory of the lava creatures was still fresh—the heat, the overwhelming odds, the look of frustration on Cedric's face when his magic seemed to barely affect them. Cedric's magic couldn't affect those lava creatures with just his wand alone. If they could get a piece of one of those crystals and enhance his wand, then maybe he'll be able to stand a chance against them! The idea took root, growing stronger with each step. Elora hummed thoughtfully as she put that thought behind her mind for now, though she couldn't help glancing back at the mountains one more time.As they walked away from the tavern, the group fell into comfortable conversation. The tension from earlier seemed to have eased somewhat, though Elora noticed Sofia casting occasional worried glances her way."So, Alysia," Miri said, falling into step beside Elora, "you really don't remember anything?" Elora looked at her confused for a second before realizing Miri was saying her real name."If you don't mind, Miri, can you call me by my temporary name for now? It's a little confusing when you call me Alysia." Elora tucked a strand of hair behind her pointed ear, her fingers lingering there as if the touch might trigger some memory. "I'm not quite ready to claim that identity yet." Miri blinked at her."Um, sure. So, Elora," she corrected herself, "do you really not remember anything?""Just fragments," Elora admitted. "It's like trying to catch smoke with your hands. The harder I try, the more it slips away.""That must be terrifying," Miri said softly."Sometimes," Elora nodded. "But then I remember I'm not alone in this." She glanced at Sofia and Cedric walking ahead of them. Sofia was gesturing animatedly about something, and even Cedric seemed relaxed enough to smile slightly at whatever she was saying. The sorcerer's normally rigid posture had softened, one hand occasionally rising to emphasize a point in their conversation. "And that helps more than I can say."Koa chirped softly on her shoulder, and somehow Elora knew he was agreeing with her. Miri noticed Elora's gaze lingering on Cedric a little longer than necessary, taking in the way the sorcerer's profile was illuminated by the rising moon, the slight smile that seemed reserved only for moments when he thought no one was watching. The way his hands moved gracefully as he talked, the surprising warmth in his eyes when he looked at Sofia... and occasionally at Elora herself. Putting two and two together, Miri made a small, knowing smile."You like him." she said, not a question but a statement of fact. Elora immediately snapped out of her trance, her cheeks flushing a delicate shade of pink that was thankfully hidden in the gathering darkness. She opened her mouth to deny it, but the words wouldn't come. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!" she finally managed, but her voice betrayed her, rising slightly in pitch. Koa made a sound that, if Elora didn't know better, she would have sworn was laughter."Mmhmm," Miri hummed skeptically, a knowing gleam in her eye. "You know, for someone without memories, your face is remarkably easy to read."