This Place Called Home, and the First Page of His Story

On the west end of Glynnfoldt's town square, towards the Blackhorn Mountains, were scattered homesteads belonging to the farmers that relied upon the white waters of the Milkwater River, flowing from the mountain peaks and down through the tilled fields and into the town. 

Among them was a home that looked to be built more recently when compared to those nearby, housing a small family that happily spent their days raising their only child.

Shynerai or Erai as the other townsfolk took to calling him spent most of his days either helping his mother with whatever chores he could around the house or assisting his dad whenever he went to see his patients in town, working as the Glynnfoldt's resident physician. 

While neither his mother nor father were farmers, they still sought a home near the town's outskirts, wanting nothing more than what the countryside could offer.

Making an honest living from house calls or by running his clinic on Barrimier Street, at the corner of the fabric district of Sanali where the majority of the town's markets were found, with merchants from out of town and the Northern territory coming to trade with the locals. 

The town is known for hosting wayfaring strangers or people looking to start a new life for themselves. Those responsible for the largest commitments to building up the town have streets and other places named after them.

Glynnfoldt was surrounded by lush, fertile fields and dense forests. These natural resources provide an abundance of agricultural produce, wood, and an essential material known as Milkwater reeds. Shielding the region from harshest weather the northern fringes could set upon it was the Blackhorn Mountains.

The town is situated along the meandering Milkwater River, facilitating the transport of goods to the various regions it serves. The rest of the town was dotted with picturesque cottages, while the Milkwater reeds sway gently in the breeze, a testament to the town's primary export.

The people of Glynnfoldt were known for their industrious nature, working tirelessly to cultivate and harvest Milkwater reeds, which are used to create textiles of renowned quality. The durable and stain-resistant fabrics were the town's most desired goods, for there were few beyond Northern regions of Melodoria who had the expertise to work with the material. 

While most children of the town were out playing and getting into mischief, Shynerai had his time occupied by spending with his parents, for someone so young he struggled greatly with making friends, in spite of how beloved his family was within the town. 

Although he grew up in a loving and nurturing home, he was generally treated as an outcast within Glynnfoldt. 

The cold indifference they had for the boy influenced a lot of the decisions his parents made regarding his upbringing, chief among them being that he never went to school, instead learning from home when he wasn't helping out his family. 

His mother being his first and greatest teacher, a savant of the magics and its study among many other things.

Though this would do little to shock him as he was quite aware that the source of his discrimination was his heritage. A truth that presented itself in his studies wherein he came to understand why others would choose to ignore him. 

A secret his parents choose not to keep from him, believing that in knowing the truth, they would dissuade him from growing any resentment for the townsfolk.

Shynerai was the child of an elven mother and human father, a Daumier born with no talent for magic, a fate that was already tough to bear for anyone was made even harder since all the halfling inhabitants of the First World are rarely seen as people by their parent races. 

To hail from such magic talents as the elves but carrying none of their abilities would mean certain if not outright ostracism from their society, being seen as one untouched by the blessing of their home, Liohterda, and as such one born to a cursed life.

But because Daumier children are born with the enhanced traits resulting from their combined parentage, most if not all the races generally employ them into services for menial labor that people would generally reserve for 'workhorses'. 

Taking to using their abilities in service of them, never letting them believe that they could be born for anything more than honoring those of pure blood.

And sadly none were spared from this fate, for even the Humans and Elves practiced the same culture of racial supremacy, generally tasking any Daumier with work that involved working in environments that are incredibly saturated with magic, a hazard for any normal folk, despite how much they present themselves as the First World's most civilized peoples.

Unfortunately, being magical-less meant Shynerai wouldn't even be able to do this...making him somewhat of an oddity and most times even a disgrace.

Despite being well aware of the scorn suffered by their child because of his heritage, they still chose to hide the truth of this condition as well as why he is the way that he is.

Even so, parenting still came before any secret and his parents were still determined to be there for him, even going as far as to offer him words of encouragement when it seemed as though his condition was getting to him.

One such mantra that Shynerai has always taken to heart was offered to him by his father one night when a teary-eyed Shynerai had stumbled into his parent's bedroom. 

His father had asked him why he was up so late but upon seeing the tears filling his eyes and the sound of his muffled sniffles, he simply stopped mid-sentence before turning on the light and calling him over to his side.

"What's wrong Erai, did you have a nightmare or something." He asked as he lifted Shynerai and placed him on his lap.

"Papa...Why can't I use magic l...l..like the other ki...ki...kids. I know you and mama can use magic but I can't shock things like you daddy or make big booms like mama. So why papa." Exclaimed the child with a disheartening whimper in his tone. 

The young boy sniffled, trying to hold back his tears as Astral wipes his tears away.

Shynerai's mother brushes her son's snow-white hair from his glassy eyes before soothing him with a soft grasp of his cheek as she brings his focus onto her, revealing a kind and gentle smile.

As Shynerai's pain began lessening, his mother asked him. 

"Erai, do you think that we would love you more if you could do magic like mama and papa, or do you want other people to stop teasing you..."

Shynerai interrupted his mother.

"I want them to stop saying such horrible things about mama and papa. I know the people in the village are always kind and welcoming to us even though we moved here when I was born, but when you guys aren't around they say stuff that hurts me. They...they...they..." Tears started to stream down his cheeks.

Before Shynerai can continue, Astral embraced him, allowing him to cry out his feelings onto him before telling him.

"You know what, if we had to choose between having a son with great magical talent and one who only has kindness in his heart, then we are glad to be your parents."

Since that night hearing those precious words would always wash Erai of any sadness or loneliness.

As time went on Erai continued to find solace and joy in helping his parents in any way he could as nothing made him happier than when someone needed his help.

And not just his family, but really anyone who needed help could find themselves calling upon Erai's name which quickly made him a local favorite amongst the villagers.

More and more the locals began to rely on him despite their horrible opinions about him, sadly even with everyone needing him, part of him always knew that none of them saw him as more than a Daumier of no worth, watching as mothers would keep their children from visiting his home or warning them no to speak the white-haired child.

Unbeknownst to him that his melancholy would soon be cast aside with the introduction of someone new in his life.

From time to time, Shynerai's father would be treated to regular appearances from a close friend of his from the days when his father was still a Guardian. The Guardians stand as the protectors of the Mortal Races, defending them and their home from destructive forces of the Nycerii.

The man who made these visits was known as Shadow.

Shadow was one of the few people that made trips to the Astrapordt home, even more so he didn't seem bothered by Shynerai or his condition in the least. In fact, Shadow saw himself as his uncle, caring about Shynerai enough that every time he came to the house, he would personally bring a gift. 

And as long as it had to do with magic, Shynerai would happily accept it.

On one of these routine trips Shadow had actually come with some company, a young girl with large turquoise eyes, long red hair in a braid and beautiful flawless skin was standing behind him and she seemed to be at least two to three years younger than him. 

Shadow had realized that the young girl had caught the eye of Shynerai and so he decided to introduce her.

"Go on, go say hello. Don't worry, they're nice people." Shadow urged the child.

The young girl stepped forward and introduced herself as Sarah Eiston...and that Shadow was her father.

"Can't you tell Astral?" Lifting the little girl into his arms, they both shared a smile as he pressed his cheeks against hers.

Astral and Shynerai stood in shock while on a surprising note Shynerai's mother was as excited about the news as if Sarah was her own daughter that walked into the house. Holding her cheeks and pinching her nose while giving her a big hug before putting her down.

"Father says I have mother's hair and voice but his eyes, see." Again the young girl smiles, overwhelming Shynerai's mother with cuteness.

After an unusual introduction, Shynerai decided to leave the room so that the adults could tend to their own devices and so that he could have some fun with his latest gift.

As he left out the door, Shynerai's mother asked Sarah:

"Why don't you play with Shynerai outside, I'm sure the two of you would have fun playing together."

"Father, can I?"

"Sure, honey. Oh can she give this to him, I may just forget about it if Astral gets started with his stories again."

"Yes of course, I'm sure he'll be happy to have it. Thank you so much, Shadow."

Handing the wrapped trinket to his daughter before sending her off. Sarah thought it could be fun, so she did, mentioning that 'he seems like a nice person' before dashing out the door to find Shynerai.

When she left the house she went straight into the outside study as it was the last place she saw him head. When she opened the door that leads into the inside, she was surprised to find that despite its large size it happened to be quite a warm and cozy room.

Closing the door and walking through the makeshift corridor of stacked bookcases, her gaze was constantly affixed to the various items placed in display cases, not to mention the large collection of literature ranging from Arts, Science, Mathematics, Geography and Basics on Magic Seals, Sigils and Runes. 

As her eyes moved from item to item various questions came to mind like are all these books and relics Shynerai's and if they were what purpose do they serve? Her thoughts turned to the trinket in her hands...until suddenly she tripped over something in her path.

She sat in frustration of her daydream as she ran her fingers through her hair to soothe herself from the fall. 

When she opened her eyes to look for what she had tripped over, she found Shynerai was sitting on the floor surrounded by pages strewn about while he was obviously puzzled over the sketches and diagrams he was holding.

Thinking that she might have disturbed him, she quickly stood and apologized but to her surprise, he remained unbothered, barely having noticed her until she spoke, as he continued to stare intently into his pages, only stopping when he found her foot atop one of the sketches on the floor.

Expecting to be scolding by him, Shynerai instead asked her what it was that she was looking for and she replied by saying:

"Your mother thought we could play together. But it looks like you're busy right, with school right? Wow, I wonder what that's like"

Only sparring a brief moment of his time when hearing this as his gaze focused intensely on her just as it did when he saw her in the house...before Shynerai proceeded with what he was doing and saying only that:

"I see. Well I'm not sure what you have in mind if you want to play. Nobody ever comes over to play." 

"Really?" Her eyes widened in surprise. 

"Why not, there's so many interesting things in here?"

"I don't really know, but it's all probably boring anyways. Wouldn't you have more fun playing with the other children? Just because you're here does not mean that you have to play with me. I'm sure that Uncle Shadow wouldn't mind if we just play with the ones nearby." Brushing his hair out of his face.

His words left Sarah a little disheartened. Without saying a word she lifted the pages beneath her and suddenly planted herself beside, her keen eyes intently focused on what he was doing. Despite being so close, she took care not to interrupt or disturb him as worked. Though she would indulge herself with whatever seemed interesting at the time.

And for most of her upcoming visits, he didn't sway from his belief. 

Despite Shynerai's impersonal and quiet nature, she found it equally curious, unconsciously stealing glances of the way mutters the words he may struggle with when reading, that he leaves books that she might find interesting for her where she can reach instead of forcing her to scale the bookshelves or even how close he is with her father. 

It didn't take much for her to realize that what they both wanted was simply a companion. For her it meant taking to enjoying the quiet moments together while Shynerai found himself behaving more expectantly towards her presence.

What first caught his eye was her flowing red locks sweeping past him as he tried to make sense of various diagrams of Magical Theory. With each page he put down, she would rush to it and pour over the strange and intricate images, trying to imagine what the person who wrote them was hoping to do.

In her eyes, he found purity. Her heart flowed with a curiosity and interest that had him explaining the pages that she would be interested in. After that, she could wrestle descriptions of the various artifacts in the room from him, and it wasn't long before she felt comfortable enough to engage his mind with all the questions she had been overflowing with.

Under the suggestion of his mother, Sarah found more certainty in how to interact with the young boy,

"Erai is a moonlit spirit. A curious, and bright mind. As long you tempt that side of him, you will see a different side to–"

"Like, like a teacher?"

"Yes…Though I can say that it would be the first time I have heard of this. Has he been teaching you, honey?" She wondered with a gentle smile as she embraced Sarah.

"Yes. Some of the words that I tried to read didn't make sense so he showed me how to read them. He even taught me a bit of magic…but don't tell Father, he would be angry."

"Magic? And he taught you?" While Shynerai's mother was overjoyed by hearing of how well they were getting along, she never expected her son would be capable of doing something like that, especially when as far as she knows, Shynerai is incapable of using magic.