Mira was in the forest again, but the place was not as dark or dead as in her vision. Maybe because the girl wasn't inside the forest itself, but next to her.
The sound of running water could be heard. Such a liquid filled the river, as colored lights crossed it towards the background.
"I'm sure it is connected to the forest lake" - he thought.
"You're right. This river is also something that's going to die when the forest runs out completely.
He was there, sitting on a rock, watching the river, silver eyes staring at her. The stranger ( who was no longer strange because Mira already knew his name), held a cigarette while releasing the smoke in mid-air. The young woman thought to ask about it, but decided to say something before:
"I found out something about you " she said feeling victorious.
"Is it? What? " asked curious.
"You are the god of healing, health and life, right? Eluin. My mother prayed much for you. Or rather, for her statue.
Eluin smiled with fun.
"You found out then. " laughed. " I always answer all the prayers of my faithful, Mira. When your mother asked something for the statue I listened.
She looked at him, skeptical. If he listened to her, why didn't he help her while she was kidnapped?
"Why are you wearing this? " asked the girl pointing to the lit cigarette. " Aren't you the god of health and using a rotten business like that?
"I can. I won't die anyway.
"That's a bad example. " said the face with an accusatory look.
The man laughed.
"Do you know why we are here? " he asked as he once again let out the smoke in the air.
"Other than me telling you what I found out about you? I think you're finally going to explain to me why the forest is dying and what my role is in all this. "said cleverly.
"You're making a lot of things right today. "Eluin smiled quietly. "First of all, knowing my name doesn't give you any advantage over me.
She made a cute little pout and the god stroked her hair laughing.
Mira was different from the other priests. The young woman was not a flatterer, nor someone wholly clingy and submissive to a god, much less someone superb who considered herself on their level. Maybe because she didn't know who she was, or she wasn't raised like them.
"Have you noticed that the forest is dying.
The girl nodded sadly.
"It is so due to my younger brother, Temenis. " continued Eluin. "He used the power of the forest to seal all the gods. As the sacred forest came from a very pure energy, it needed such energy to maintain itself. Moreover, it has been corrupted by the evil feelings of the god of death. Without anyone to purify it, our Mother is dying.
"Aren't you the god of healing? Can't you do anything? " Mira asked worried.
"I alone cannot purify the whole forest. The other gods are needed. And only you can set them free.
"Me? I have nothing special. " said incredulous.
"And I say you do. You know what else Temenis did?
"Something worse than arresting the gods? " she asked tensely.
"Yes. He annihilated the priests.
Mira made an expression of shock to hear that.
"Without a priest, the gods cannot be delivered. Because they carry within them the original power of the forest.
Upon hearing this, the girl began to understand the situation.
"Are you saying I'm a priestess?
"You're not just a priestess, Mira. You're the last.
She sat on a rock so as not to fall.
"But it happened a long time ago, didn't it? I think it happened a long time ago. If all priests are dead, how am I here?
"You're right, it happened a long time ago. But you are, you were an apprentice, the only priestess born in a new era. Priests are usually sons of priests, but not always. Her mother, Sophie, her little magic only came from the blood of her ancestors, not a real priestess. Her power is not even close to yours. And since she gave up, her powers don't go back to her body.
"Do you know why she gave up being a priestess? " Mira asked curious.
"Your father was the cause. He was also the cause of your near death. But thanks to Sophie, you were saved.
"My own father wanted to kill me? Why? Because I'm a priestess?
"Exactly. " said the god stroking his hair. " He was one of Temenis' faithful followers. His family is a family of sorcerers. And wizards can live a long time without appearing.
Mira remembered the woman in the red hood. That was her real mother? She thanked her mentally for keeping her safe.
"I understood all this from liberation to the gods and all that. But we have a problem. I have no power. Like, I just have to go in there and do what? Touch the cell?
Eluin laughed the way she put it.
"Her powers will gradually manifest. They are still sealed, your mother and I had to do it to protect her from her father. But there are only two ways, one for each type of seal. For the first, you have to find your brother. The second is a bit more complicated, it can only happen later.
Upon hearing the word "brother", a question appeared in the girl's mind.
"And your brother? Why isn't he after me now?
Eluin threw his cigarette on the floor and looked at the girl, she was still curious.
"I arrested him as he did the other gods.
"Then when we release the other gods, will he also be released?
"No. With him it's different. Because I used a different method.
Eluin knew his brother's awakening was approaching. After all, the fairy needed her blood and was using Dylan to get some more with Mira. Of course he wouldn't tell the girl to worry her.
"What happens if the forest dies? If I fail? " asked the young woman, worried.
"If she dies, everything in the world dies. That's what Temenis wants, that everyone knows death. And don't worry " the man deposited a kiss on his forehead ", you won't fail. I have faith in you.
She looked at the dress, ashamed. She noticed that now it was no longer the white sweater but an ordinary light blue medieval dress.
"Her outfit changed when I arrived. " Eluin said with a funny smile.
She would probably be embarrassed that Eluin saw her in those clothes. Not that it stopped her from blushing at that moment. Magic worked strangely. But if Mira didn't have magic, how did it happen?
"Time to go, Mira.
"Already? " she said sad.
"Yes. Today you can't complain. I gave you a lot of information.
When Eluin was gone and she opened her eyes, the girl was smiling.
Mira stood up and noticed that the business that came out water to bathe, that shower was on.
"Kedy? All right? " she asked worried.
"Mira! " her friend shouted.
Mira ran into the bathroom. Kendra was dressed underwater. Rubbing a fox's mark on her chest. The skin was raw, and yet she wouldn't stop rubbing.
"Kendra, stop! Stop it! " Mira said entering the shower and closing it.
The priestess removed her friend's hands from the loofah and turned off the shower.
"Let's talk to Miss Between. She must know something about this.
They came out of the shower and priestess helped her friend dry and change.
When both were in uniform the school, they went towards the office of the coordinator.
The sun was shining and there were few students in the corridors. The girls stopped in front of a glass door, as well as the director's.
But this time the name "Coordinator Between" was written on the door.
A "come in" was heard even before one of them knocked on the door.
Upon opening the door, they realized that the coordinator's office was not much different from the director's. There were two neutral-colored armchairs, pictures of the old coordinators ranging from elves, wizards and even dwarves. In addition to a cat on top of his white wooden table and two light yellow armchairs in front of him.
The elf now sat in a yellow, darker armchair. This one was rounded like all the others in the room.
"What are you doing here so soon? " she asked taking a sip of whiskey.
Without delay Mira pointed to Kendra's chest.
"There's a strange mark here. " she said.
Astrid smiled for the second time at the girls.
"You're very different from your father, Mira. That's good.
The woman stood up and went to inspect the mark. As she watched, Kendra said:
"Your father? The king?
"I was going to tell you about the most recent dream I had, but... when I woke up you were there skinning like crazy.
"It's a binding mark. " said Astrid interrupting them. " She binds you to a fairy. You've been messing with one? How?
"I had a vision with her. It was a fox-headed woman. I was going to tell you Mi, but we didn't have time " Kendra replied embarrassed.
Mira understood that the lack of time was the exit they gave the other day. She tried not to look at the elf when she said that.
"Fairies can take shape from other creatures, probably she did it to hide identity. What else did you see? " asked the coordinator.
"She was in a strange shop. She gave her blood as payment to a bald man. I think she was talking about Mira. " replied the girl.
"All right, wait here! I have to contact some people. When I come back, I have something for you! " the elf exclaimed.
After the coordinator left, Kendra stared at Mira with her green eyes.
"I have something to tell you. It seems your brother knows me too.
"Dylan? How? " Mira was amazed.
"I don't know. It was in the note he sent you. "Glad to see you well, Kendra. Miss you.". I didn't want to worry you.
Mira held her close.
"Thank you. We have to trust each other. We can't hide anything else.
"No more secrets. " said Kendra.
"No more secrets. " agreed the other.
About 20 minutes passed when Astrid returned.
"Come on Miss Collins, Miss Millers. I have two things for you today.
"Who did you talk to? " asked Mira curious.
Astrid stared at her with an expression of "you do not need to know" but answered the young lady's question.
"A friend."
Leaving the room, they followed the woman through the huge corridors, arriving quickly in a garden full of flowers of various colors. In the center of it was a circle with 5 smaller circles inside.
"Let's find your magic sign,"
"Magic sign? " asked Mira, scratching her hands with curiosity.
"That's it. We'll see which energy was most active on the day of his birth. Nature's, shown by the color green? Life, white? The blue, indicating the spiritual? Or the universe, symbolized by the purple color?"
She looked at the younger girls and said:
"Your turn, Miss Collins."
"But what about the brand? " asked Kendra.
"I called someone to help with this. While he does not arrive we have to do this."
With this answer, Mira entered the symbol written on the floor and saw it light up in purple, the second circle rose and stopped at her waist.
"Your sign is Toganis. The second sign ruled by the universe. It explains your personality a little. " said Astrid looking at Kendra. "Your turn, Miss Millers."
Now it was Kendra's turn. The same color appeared when the blonde put her foot on the circle. But this time the third circle was who stopped at the waist.
"Sign Vowary, also from the universe. Now that we know your signs, we will choose a weapon for you. "said the blue streaks going towards a glass room that was in the middle of the garden. "The power of each weapon and its type are linked to its signs and personalities.
Inside the room were various types of weapons. Some that Mira had never seen before in her life. On the glass floor, 4 circles in the colors: blue, green, white and purple floated and in front of them there was at least one type of weapon equal to that of the side circle.
"Enter the purple circle and a gun will come to you. Decide who will go first."
Mira stood in front, and climbed into the circle. It took a while to balance, but she did. A silver bow came up to her. The arrows of the same color were floating beside him. A target made of wood appeared before him.
"Look for the target. " explained the elf.
Doing as she was told, the girl took the bow and an arrow, stood in the posture as her mother had taught her, parallel feet at shoulder level, relaxed her body and positioned her chest at 90 degrees. She prepared his arms to aim, held the bow with his left hand and positioned it at the height of his face. Mira aligned his shoulders straight and finally pulled the rope until his hand was completely on his face. When he had the point in sight, he shot. The arrow hit perfectly.
"I think you pulled both your mothers, Miss Collins. " Astrid Smiled. "Both of them have bow dexterity.
Kendra climbed into the circle. A dagger of blue handle and transparent blade came to her. The girl looked at Astrid as if wondering what to do with it.
"Try to shape your weapon with air. Imagine what kind of blade you want.
Kendra imagined a thin, long, pointed blade. And so it was formed in place of the short blade of the dagger.
"Wow! " exclaimed in unison the two girls.
"Only those who have the element in the air in their veins can shape it, Kendra. Very well! " commented the coordinator.
As she left the room, Astrid reported:
"Come back here after class, let's solve the problem of this brand.
After taking the weapons and leaving them in their room, the girls went to the alchemy class. Teacher Aline was a tall woman with a fine nose and a gentle smile. She was a witch who always wore a purple hat and a dress of the same color. At that moment, the teacher watched Mira as the young woman prepared a medicine. When it was ready, the oldest smiled.
"All right, Mira. You got talent.
Mira smiled happily, wondering what would be the reaction of mother Alice to learn that her daughter had received a compliment from a teacher, but did not have much time to think about it. A loud alarm sounded and everyone knew what it meant. The school was under attack.