Chapter 9

"What's true?" Zath asked, staring at the light. 

"Spriitum," she responded blankly. 

"Spriitum?" I questioned. 

"It's fabled that when an elf dies, they appear at Spriitum," she began. "They become forest spirits, fabled to help those in need overcome their obstacles,"

The blue spirit laughed, a child-like one, and flew away. I watched Elaria's face fall, but Zath pulled us both along to follow it. It seemed to be leading us somewhere with its childish laughing, weaving in-between the trees with its bright light and flowing along like a river. It occasionally turned and smiled at us, stopping to make sure we were following. As we moved, the slow depleted to a thin layer on the ground, and a warmth emanated from in front of us. I still kept myself bundled in Zath's jacket to avoid any illnesses though, I didn't need a cold as I travelled.

The spirit stopped and faded into sparks. Zath kept walking, slower this time, and gave us both reassuring looks. Elaria shrugged at me, as confused as I was, but followed obediently. The warmth got closer as we walked, and the snow turned into grass and dirt, surprising us all. 

"Are we even in Nix Silvam any more?" Zath said, looking around. 

"I don't know, the snow's gone, so we could be right at the border?" She suggested. 

"But the forest doesn't continue at the end," Zath replied. "Look. It goes on for a while,"

"I see," she nodded, whereas I was struggling without the blue light illuminating the trees and stopping me from walking into them. 

Unfortunately for me, as the two of them were moving, I walked into a tree. They both noticed, and Zath immediately picked me up on his back. 

"Woah! What are you doing?" I grabbed onto his neck with a death grip. 

"Geez I'm helping you to not walk into the trees, you've been pretty close to a few," he replied, sounding as if is as strangling him. 

"Right," I loosened up, making sure to not strangle him. 

"Let's just keep walking, it's a little unnerving being here," Elaria said. 

"Let's,"

They continued walking through the trees that I couldn't see. It was annoying really, I hated not being able to see anything. And a couple tree branches whacked me in the face, which was extremely annoying. 

 A blue light flew past a few trees, weaving in and out of them and laughing again, the childish laughing. 

"Wait!" Elaria ran after it, following it. 

"Elaria!" Zath called out, running to follow her. 

Again, I couldn't see what was happening. I could just hear Zath's rugged breaths and his feet on the ground as he ran, stepping on a couple branches and snapping them, all while letting out curses. He eventually stopped, looking around wildly. 

"Elaria!" He called out. "Where did you go!"

I heard the childish laugh in front of me. "Forwards, that laugh,"

"But… that's a large bush," he replied. "There's no way,"

He outstretched a hand, pulling on a couple of the branches of the bush and opening it for us to see. Inside was a bright blue light, and Elaria. Zath quickly walked through, raking us with the branch as he pushed through. 

"Elaria!"

I climbed off his back, staring in awe at what was in front of me. A large waterfall, surrounded by swirling lights in the silhouette of elves. Elaria was stood there, staring. 

"Are you alright?" Zath stood beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. I stood beside her, and she seemed to be staring in awe. 

"I-I," she stuttered, tears brimming on her eyes. She was staring right in front of her, at a shining female figure. 

"What?" I questioned. 

She pulled a picture from her pocket, a small photo of an elven man and woman, tattered and creased. A tear slipped down her face. 

"Puella?" She stepped forwards. 

We stood in awe as the spirit approached her, taking on more of an elven shape. Her features softened, and even the spirit began to cry. 

"Tyria, my darling Tyria," the spirit embraced Elaria. "Oh, how I've missed watching you grow up,"

Zath and I exchanged glances. Neither of us knew how to react to the situation. 

"Never in my life did I think I would meet my Puella in person," Elaria said, breaking the hug to look her mother over. 

"Never did I think I would see you so grown up with my own eyes," the woman shook her head. "My little Tyria, I remember when you fit into my arms,"

Elaria turned to us. Her mother followed. 

"Guys, this is my birth Puella," she said, smiling and letting a tear fall. 

"It's nice to meet friends of my little Tyria," she smiled at us. 

"It's nice to meet you too," Zath replied. I was still in shock at the fact that she was touching a ghost. 

"Where's Pur?" She asked, turning to her mother. 

"He chose to be reincarnated," she replied. "He said there were many things he didn't do in his life before he fell ill, so he wanted to go back and do them,"

"I see," she nodded. "But what about you?"

"I wanted to see you again, even just once," she replied, smiling and taking her hands. 

We stood beside Elaria as her and her mother exchanged smiles. After a couple seconds, hers began to fall. 

"I wanted to ask," she took a deep breath, tears brimming on the edges of her eyes. "Have you seen-"

She cut herself off by crying. Her mother immediately comforted her as the tears rolled down her face. I knew what she meant to ask. 

"Have you seen Shyael?" I asked for her, knowing at this point she wouldn't be able to say it. 

"Prince Shyael?" She pulled away. "Oh my! Don't tell me!"

"He… yes, I do love him," she mumbled. "And I want to know if he passed on, or if he's still here,"

"I haven't seen him," she shook her head, smiling, a proud smile. "Oh my, my little Altium,"

She began to cry, hugging her daughter. They stayed like that for a while, with neither of them moving. The childlike spirit reappeared, bouncing around and smiling. 

"Wow, you are tall!" The spirit stopped in front of Zath. 

"What?" He seemed a little flustered at the comment. "I'm not that tall,"

"You are!" The boy cried. "I've never seen an elf so tall!"

"I'm flattered," he replied. 

"You are kinda tall," I told him, noticing how he towered over me. I was barely able to reach his shoulders. 

"No, you're just small," he smirked directly at me. 

"Hey! I'm quite tall for a human," i responded, slightly offended. 

"Humans are small then," he replied, laughing at his own comment. I punched him lightly in the arm. "Hey! For someone so small, you pack quite a punch,"

"I was taught by the best," I responded, smiling and crossing my arms, puffing my chest to make myself look intimidating. 

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," he rolled his eyes. 

"I was!" I squeaked, my voice cracking. 

"Wow, so intimidating," Zath smiled at me. 

"You two seem to know each other well," the kid smiled at us, leaning forwards slightly, his hands behind his back. "It's almost as if.."

"What are you implying?" Zath asked, curious. 

"I don't know, you two argue like an old married couple," the kid smiled at us both. 

"What?" Zath jumped back slightly. I felt myself do the same. "We haven't known each other for long enough!"

"Yeah!"

"Whatever you say," the kid smiled, walking away. 

"Hey!" Get back here!" Zath yelled. I simply laughed at him. "What're you laughing at?"

"Nothing," I shook my head, still laughing. "Other than the fact you're bright red,"

I wasn't lying. He was as red as a tomato. He rolled his eyes, looking away. "Says you, you're red too,"

"Not as much as you, I can assure you," I replied, smiling. 

"Oh shut up," he turned away, looking the opposite way from me. 

"Stop it you two," Elaria smiled at us. 

Zath mocked her, mimicking her speech as she laughed at us. Her mother looked up at the sky and stared at the moon. 

"You guys should sleep soon, it's getting late," she turned back to the river, floating over to the spirits there. 

"But I wish to talk more," Elaria said, her shoulders slumping. 

"We can talk more, don't worry," she smiled. "Your two comrades look tired and cold,"

"I am a little cold," I replied, crossing my arms and huddling in Zath's soft jacket. She smiled in triumph at her statement. 

"Kyoka, please show them to the room," she turned to the small child. 

"Alright!" He saluted, turning to us. "Please follow me,"

He walked to the waterfall, splitting the water and the waterfall and revealing a small cave. We shrugged and followed, entering the room. It was a small cave, fit with a couple small mattresses and thick blankets, some fruits and vegetables, at least I assume they were, and a couple folded clothes. 

"It's not much, but we weren't really prepared for you guys to arrive," he told us. "But the mattresses are comfy!"

"I bet they are," Zath walked to the closest one, collapsing onto it. Kyoka laughed. 

"You two sleep," he smiled, walking out and closing the waterfall. 

I turned back to Zath, noticing he was asleep already. I yanked the blanket from underneath him, lying it over him and sitting on the nearest one to me. The mattresses were comfortable, I'll admit that. They were so soft, it was like sleeping on a cloud. Even the pillows were soft. I covered myself with the covers, falling asleep.