Astellia
The next morning, I stood in front of a mirror the water elder had made for me and looked at my male form. The white hair I used to have had gained a few different hues during my time here. Now shining red, blue, green, and white could only be explained by the influence of the power of Belur, the elemental rings, and the spirits. My long hair was now closer to my head, flopping over in loose curls covering a bit of my violet eyes, a bit darker than Rio's.
Speaking of my not-so-pink lizard, he had been disappearing off to the night for some time now, showing up once in a while. Rio had grown a lot since I first took him in.
Strangely he was almost the size of my forearm with small horns, planed ears, and had grown sharp teeth. His tail was much longer now and thinner. On top of that, he had small bumps growing on his back, like a parasite.
Only it wasn't, I had checked with my elders and they only smiled mysteriously before telling me that I was in safe hands.
What?
Safe hands of my pet lizard who can't even walk properly without face-planting on herbs and bushes everywhere we go? I anything, it was the other way around.
Today, however, Rio had stayed by my side since the morning as the spirits chittered happily around me. They told me not to worry since no one else but I could see them because they had permitted it so.
One strange occurrence today was the presence of all four of the elders in my living rooms sitting on the soft cushions as they waited patiently for me to finish.
"Astellia, come here dear," the fire elder beckoned me closer and pulled me down to sit with them.
"We have to do something to ensure your safety. The rings you wear will seem expensive to everyone around you, no doubt the thieves will steal them from you. If that happens your disguise will be released."
"Don't worry I won't go near anyone!" I reply to assure my concerned elders.
"People are devious creatures with strange minds, one can never be too sure," the water elder chimes in and takes my hand with the four elemental rings on them.
"If it doesn't bother you, we can merge these to your soul, so you will always be safe, and we can also converse directly with each other this way."
Seriously? Were they serious, I couldn't see any hint of a joke in their expression, "But that is sacred magic, it would weaken you immensely."
"if we get to leave something of ours that will protect you so be it. You just have to master it before it consumes you but don't worry we will be here to teach and walk you through all the phases," the earth spirit replies, his deep voice rumbling like an earthquake.
"I don't want to hurt you, you all have done enough for me. You accepted me, that is enough for me," I clench the water spirit's hands but talk to all of them.
"But it won't be enough to protect you. You must understand that now, you're one of us. You are under our care, under Belur's care ever since it has accepted you. Ever since you asked for shelter," the air spirit paused looking at the eldest spirit hesitantly before continuing.
"The day you gave your blood to Belur four years ago, we had never witnessed such power before. Belur was laughing, it was happy. Whoever gives their blood to Belur becomes tied to the magical forest, we all have ever since our ancestors settled here...Belur also commanded us."
"...Commanded what?" I ask, weirded out by their behavior and anxious looks.
"Well, Belur told us to protect you at all costs if you were to leave the forest. The forest warned us of the future and what it holds," the water elder finished.
"Future? What?"
"We aren't permitted to speak of the forbidden, my dear. At first, we were hesitant to approach you but then he," the fire elder pointed to Rio who was curled in front of the fireplace, "became your companion and so we decided that you were just a young girl who had suffered too much for your good."
"Why would Belur go through all this trouble? Why would it command you to?" I didn't understand what was happening. They were ordered to approach me? To protect me?
"You are a very special soul."
"Does it have something to do with my healing abilities?" I ask because that was the only possible explanation. It had to be.
"Somewhat," the air elder replied.
"What do you mean somewhat? I don't understand!"
"Come home tonight, we will explain everything to you, or as much as we can without cursing ourselves," the water spirit got up, dragging me with her as she eyed my rings.
"But first, we need to merge these with you, is that alright?"
Was it alright?
Was it alright?
I didn't know, they were about to give me a chunk of their powers, no doubt the most powerful elemental spirits in the most powerful forest were about to merge their powers into me, it could kill me.
As though sensing my thoughts, the earth spirit spoke up, "Your healing ability will not hurt you in any way it will balance the elements perfectly in your body. Only you can do this, you will be the only human to exist with pure elements in your body, so you will have to hide it from others until you are strong."
"...Alright, let's do this," the water elder took the rings off my fingers, snapped the gems out of the bands, and gave each element to its elder.
The four elders stood around me proudly, with their chests puffed and chins high as they started to chant in their language which sounded like a beautiful song every single time I heard it.
Each elder created a tinted aura around them, red, blue, green, and white. They pushed the aura into the stones in their hand before placing the stones on my lower back in a diamond structure.
Nothing happened, I relaxed as they continued their chanting but then an agonizing pain ruptured from my back, where the stones were making contact. I should have been able to handle pain or have a certain threshold for it but this...this was torturous.
Like having my bones burned, my lungs drowned, my flesh cut, and my organs crushed. Each one belonged to each element as I felt the stones push into my back, embedding themselves into my skin, merging their powers with my soul.
"Astellia, breathe, it's over. It's done."
"You did well, my dear."
"Amazing Stel, you are an amazing being."
"My dear, you did amazing."
Voices faded in and out, they kept muttering words of comfort as I collapsed and panted on the wooden floor, their hands rubbing my bag, kissing my forehead, and patting my hair. I wasn't tired, not I was energized.
I was feeling amazing but it was overwhelming. The pain of not being able to do anything about it as the power ran wild inside of me burned my flesh from the inside.
Then everything went quiet. Or well I should say louder. I could hear the smallest of movements, I could see the finest detail, smell the safest herbs, and taste the power like it was on the tip of my tongue.
"Wow," I murmur as the elders chuckle around me.
"Yes, wow indeed, you healed and leveled your inner body temperature and stabilized your soul state. How do you feel?" the earth elder asked.
"I feel...great. Like I could do anything," I exclaimed as newfound energy pooled inside me.
"I could run for miles, swim for days, and climb mountains in a second!"
"That's great, now, the youngsters are waiting for you."
"Oh, right! The town. I'll see you guys tonight!" I reply and run out the window with a huge grin following the baby spirits and stepping out of Belur just as I finish putting on my cloak.
"No matter what, Astellia, remember we are still here with you."
The fire elder's voice echoed inside my head, I wasn't sure if it were words from last night or her speaking in my head but a small uneasiness settled in the pit of my stomach as a thought entered my mind when the town downhill came into view.
Why had they insisted on my traveling in the first place?
Stop it, Astellia. Nothing will happen. You'll buy some clothes and eat delicious food. It'll all be alright.
I should have listened to my instinct that day. If I knew what was going to happen, I never would have left Belur.