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20. Anya

Anya and Irien had set out early the next morning, as promised, on a path that led them through the El’diso Forest. It was very small compared to the Aldo. Its trees were dispersed and upright with minimal branches. It was almost like an orchard; each placed in a specific area and trimmed to perfection like a lady’s garden. The bows towered over them creating a spotted canopy of round leafy umbrellas. The grass was clean too with no dead leaves or stray bushes. The path they were walking was trimmed and pristine, but besides its perfection, the forest seemed awry. The precise placement and meticulous upkeep of the trees was unnerving to those who knew the wildness of the Aldo; Anya was used to seeing branches fighting for space and a floor covered with moss, weeds and leaves. This forest made Anya’s nerves twitch.

“Why are the trees so organized?” she asked Irien when she could not take it any longer.

Irien turned in her saddle, a tight frown on her face. “I thought history lessons were your least favourite part of the day.”

“Not when I am genuinely interested.”

A soft snort escaped the Guardians before she answered. “The forest is well-kept due to the after-effects of a potent legend.” Irien replied curtly.

“A legend? Which one?”

Irien seemed to smile at the inquiry. “This used to be a great forest; it is said that it was even greater than the Aldo itself, in size and abundance. Folk would journey from all over Hanarah just to experience its grandeur. Rumours that even the Elves used to live here float around. They had grown houses out of the trees and became one with the forest and all that lived in it.” Irien paused for a long time. Anya cleared her throat and the Guardian looked back at her with a scowl before continuing. 

“The forest thrived with their presence and there was not one forest in the whole of Hanarah that could compare with its beauty and vastness. But when they left, the forest yearned for their return. It wept and drooped until all that was left was misery and despair. People began to disappear on the road. Farmers and merchants traveling to other towns never returned. Their families left without closure as to the true nature behind the disappearance. Legend says the forest ate them out of spite, that you would have seen deadly beasts if you looked hard enough. Eventually people were too frightened to cross the Great El’diso, isolating cities and towns, like Largon, from everywhere else. Most of the cities suffered a great famine, killing many people who were unable to leave or seek help.”

“So they decided to cut down most of the trees, leaving only a few to remind them of the greatness that once was here; they have been watching them ever since, so that the forest doesn’t grow back. These trees you see here are the chosen few that survived the harvest of the El’diso and are guarded and trimmed regularly by the people who live near it.”

“And people believe that?”

“Do not disrespect the past, Anya. Whether it is true or not to your ears matters not.”

Anya stuck her tongue out behind Irien’s back, turned to her pack, set on having another go at the candle. She ignored the pain in her head and concentrated on lighting it – or trying to. She did the same as she had before except this time she felt for fire instead of trying to create it. 

She did not understand how she felt it, but it was there, hot and blistering as if it surrounded her. Sending her Will in a small thread towards the candle’s presence and then reaching the fire in her mind, she sent it forward to the candle. The result surprised her. A spark! I am sure that was a spark. She stopped Thorn’s monotonous walk, concentrating only on the candle.

“Anya–?”

Anya didn’t reply, she reached once again for the fire that seemed to surrounded the  forest, gently sending the detailed feeling the fire evoked to the candle and this time the candle’s wick caught alight.

“Ha! I did it! Did you see that? I lit the candle!”

Irien was smiling, “Try again.”

Anya blew out the candle and repeated the process and once again the candle caught alight.

“Very good,” Irien smiled. “I think it is time for your next challenge.”

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