Queen Of The Ventils

XVI

He opened the book tenderly, and immediately the font on the pages started to glow with a forest green color. The words lifted off the paper, swirling around in a cyclone of green magic and pink flower petals. When the magic died down, a small, green humanoid was standing before me.

She was only about three feet tall, and had large horns of a deer that rose an extra foot to add to her diminutive stature. Her skin was green, and she wore armor decorated with the patterns of leaves. Her forest green hair was tied back in a bun with many braids, and her eyes were like black lakes with rings of amber inside.

"Hisirdoux," she murmured, her voice like that of a small child. "Why have you summoned me?"
"Nari, this is Lunalis," he said, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. "Lunalis, this is Nari of The Eternal Forest. She is the preserver of life, and a former member of the Arcane Order. I felt like you two might get along, because, well, you're into nature and stuff."

Nari crept closer to me on all fours, and froze when she got close to me. "A Ventil," she murmured, reaching out to touch me. "I have not seen one in so long. I thought they were extinct, like so many other species." I backed away from her touch. "We're very much alive, thank you," I said, trying to keep myself from touching this strange forest woman.

"Oh! The young god," she smiled when she saw Toby. "Tell me. Do you still have your incredible tricks with you?"
"Of course," he smiled, bringing out a small ball and hovering it between his hands. "Woah," I gasped, coming closer to get a better look. Sure enough, there it was; a small sphere the size of an orange defying gravity under Toby's power.

"Nari, we've called you here for an important reason today," Archie said, swooping in front of her to try and regain her focus. "We need Lunalis to show us her den, but she continually refuses to. If there were one being in the world that could help us, human or magical, it would be you."

She sighed, gently stroking the shapeshifter's head. "Archibald, I have been absent from the world for so long, I do not know if I could be of any assistance," she murmured, walking away to look at a painting of a man in green armor. "I ran from my siblings for almost a millennium, so I could not hurt anyone. Merlin granted me safe haven, gave me a home and family. I will do what I can, but I will not use force to get my way."

"Ugh. Why do all-powerful veggie ladies have to be so passive," Steve groaned. "Steve, be thankful Nari is willing to lend her assistance as it is," Douxie warned him, and I caught him rolling his eyes a moment later. "Lunalis, if you could step closer to Nari so she could take your hand-"

"I'm not letting anything touch me," I snapped, drawing away. "Especially her." Nari slowly approached me, and I stiffened when she brushed a hand against my face. "I swear, I will not influence your thoughts," she promised, and for some reason, I felt obligated to believe her. Slowly, I knelt, and I let her dig her fingers into my hair to rest on my scalp. I could feel her hands pulsing with magic, and something wiggling their way into my mind. Like the roots of a tree, worming their way underground.

Instantly, memories flashed before my eyes. Laughing with Raven. Archery practice with Meloetta. Taking walks with Araidne and Pythia. Scorpio-

I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears from coming. Nari slowly drew her hands away from me. "You are hurt," she whispered, brushing her claw-like fingertips against my cheek. "I can feel it. Your pain. Your sadness. It is so strong...so potent. I do not know how you can bear it."
"It's hard," I whispered, and I found little tears tracing rivers down my face.

After a moment, she let her roots worm deeper into my mind, and I found memories that did not belong to me.

Vibrant fish Ventils, gracefully floating in the water. Coral reefs of all colors. Soaring free over cottony clouds on silver wings. Trees, bending down to greet me as I walked through the forest. Lovingly stroking a young, female Ventil's hair.