Clack, clack, clack—the sound echoed along the stone path as they made their way through the surprisingly quiet forest.
It's hard to believe this is a dangerous place; I don't sense any threatening presence at all. Not to mention the guild—the hostility was palpable there. Do you think it's because we're new, Alexa?
I'd say they looked a little suspicious, but don't dwell on that, Elise—we need to stay alert in case we run into a monster.
I wouldn't ignore Elise's hunch. Those three certainly never took their eyes off us for a moment. They thought I wouldn't notice them, tucked away in the corner, but they were definitely staring at us intently.
"That's true," Aisha replied. "Their scent gave them away. They certainly don't seem to want us there."
"Their scent?" Tylos asked Aisha, a look of astonishment on his face. "How can you tell something like that just like that?"
"Ummmm, let's just say it's something unique to my race. Our sense of smell is very sensitive, and when a scent is bitter, it signifies hostility, suspicion, and antipathy—while the opposite would be a sweet scent…" She then approached Alexa, took a strand of her hair, and gently brought it to her nose. "She smells like flowers." Alexa blushed and tried to grab Aisha, but she dodged the scolding with a leap, laughing her head off. "You're grumpy, but your scent tells me you have a very sweet heart"—although it's more complex than that, but you can get an idea of what goes through our minds.
"Don't look at me like that, you fool!" Alexa shouted.
Tylos turned around, realizing the city was no longer in sight. Crack… crack… crack—the sound echoed throughout the forest; not a single other sound could be heard.
The young man then added: "That's a strange way to size someone up, though even without smelling them like you do, I could tell by the way they were looking at us as we were leaving. They seem suspicious. We'd better be careful—monsters are sometimes less scary than people themselves, and this place is pretty quiet, as if we were the only ones in this vast forest."
"I SEE IT… I SEE IT!" Elise shouted as she soared through the forest above the treetops.
"Which way?" Alexa shouted… Then Elise came down and pointed to the right. "The path is clear."
And suddenly they saw it, leaving them speechless—there were crops everywhere: vegetables, fruits, grains, and farm animals too. In the center stood a modest structure that resembled a barn, and all around it, children of all ages were running about, playing and laughing nonstop.
The wagon stopped at the door of the barn, and the children crowded around it, shouting and running about.
"Kids, what's going on? What's all this commotion? Please, let me finish cooking—I'll have dinner ready soon. Be patient."
A young woman emerged from inside the barn wearing an apron and a headscarf that held back her blonde hair. Slightly annoyed, she gave the kids a few swats on the head—they wouldn't stop calling out to her even after she'd chased them away.
"It hurts… Sister… you're even grumpier than usual today…"
"Hmmmm, you kids force my hand with your mischief. What are you doing that has you so worked up?"
Then one of the youngest pointed behind her.
"Oh, so you've come, Liss. It's been a while since you've been here. I suppose no one from the guild wants to come to the orphanage."
When Silly turned around, she covered her mouth in shock—she hadn't expected to see a whole entourage standing right in front of her, so she rushed inside, terrified.
Tylos turned to look at Aisha and the others, puzzled.
"Maybe she's crazy," Elise said mockingly.
"Hey, don't say that about Sister Silly. She teaches us every day with her books about what lies beyond the forest, she cooks for us, and she's always taken care of us ever since our parents left."
Everyone fell silent, and the crying began—starting with the youngest and spreading to the oldest. In all, there seemed to be twelve children, ranging from a one-year-old being carried in someone's arms to the girl looking after them, who appeared to be the same age as Aisha.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think new adventurers would show up—because that's what you are, isn't it? Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."
"That's right, we forgot to introduce ourselves," said Tylos.
"It won't be necessary. I'm sure you won't be coming back here—it's always like this. Just leave your things there and go; the children are getting restless."
Tylos tried to speak, but Aisha stopped him and looked at Alexa, who was sitting on one of the fences. In her hands, a harp of light took shape, materializing in an instant, and with a sweet, mesmerizing voice, she began to hum as she gently played the instrument. Everyone fell silent, and the children stopped crying and approached Alexa, surrounding her with wide-eyed wonder; soon they were sitting on the ground. Birds began to perch on the branches of the trees and on the roof of the shed, and even the farm animals in their pens couldn't help but be enchanted by the melody.
Then Alexa stopped, and looked at Silly, who had tears streaming down her cheeks, and said, "We're certainly strangers who've just arrived in this town, and we know nothing about your problems or why you live alone in this place taking care of these children, but just seeing the way you look at them—and the love in your gaze—I don't plan to stop coming to visit them whenever I have the chance."
Tylos nodded his head alongside Aisha and Elise, who revealed herself to their new acquaintances, impressing them even more.
"Look, sister, there's another fairy—maybe she's a friend of the ones who come to visit us…"
"Oh…" said Elise, surprised. "These days, there are very few of them left, and even fewer who show themselves—though I can imagine why they visit these charming children."
Elise began playing with them so they could talk to Silly.
"Will she let us introduce ourselves now?" exclaimed Tylos, visibly tired, as night would soon fall.
"Go ahead," said the sister, "but I already have a pretty good idea of who sent you on this mission—and how you got here."
Aisha stepped forward, introduced herself with a huge smile, and said, "My name is Aisha, and I'm from the Black Wolf tribe. This place is beautiful—it's like a paradise in the middle of the forest. I'm delighted to help; how could I not, after seeing these beautiful little ones?"
The children looked at Aisha curiously. "Are your tail and ears real?" one asked, her voice shy but her eyes sparkling. Aisha took her in her arms and asked her name. "Silly," Gina replied, and the little girl nodded. Aisha brought her close to her head. "Maybe you can figure it out, Gina."
The girl, about five years old, gently touched the girl's ears. "It tickles," she said, while the others began to slowly approach her to play.
"I'm Alexa. I came from far away with my friend Elise—the one flitting around over there after the children. Our home used to be the big tree, but that was a long time ago; it's not worth remembering."
"Has it been a long time?" Silly whispered. Then Alexa pulled the cloak off her head, and her ears peeked out from among her thick crimson hair, which glowed brightly in the evening light.
The children were spellbound. "SHE'S AN ANGEL!" they exclaimed, and Aron, the oldest boy, added, "SHE MUST BE A PRINCESS!"
"Now that's a surprise. What an unusual and diverse group Liss has sent to bring me what I asked for—even though she'd already taken far too long. Although we're able to grow food for the children here, the truth is that I always need spices, clothes, and utensils made in the city. But unfortunately, I can't go there."
"It's understandable…" Alexa replied, "you can't leave them alone."
"In fact, they're very responsible, especially Ana, the oldest. But that's not the reason—I'm simply not allowed to enter the city. And before you ask why, by the time this moment comes, you'll understand, and you might want to leave…"
The forest trembled, and deafening screams began to echo from all around and in every direction. Silly took a staff she had tucked away on her back and walked to the center of the clearing, where she knelt, closed her eyes, and began to pray.
O Goddesses of Creation, rulers of our world,
Before you I kneel as a servant of light and darkness.
Grant me the strength to repel evil and keep these children—children of the earth and bearers of light and darkness—safe.
I invoke your protection once more, that you may aid us in this hour of danger.
Goddesses Mauren---Gala, grant us your protection and punish those creatures foreign to your creation who seek to corrupt your children.
A massive dome formed over the entire area, and a golden glow shone as the sun set, casting a trail of light across the field.
The night fell silent, and the roars and the stampede stopped abruptly. The visitors stood there impatiently, gripping their weapons, and Silly whispered to them, "They do the same thing every night." Tylos looked at her again, not understanding what she meant, then Alexa whispered, "They're here." The young man ignited his sword, but to his surprise, in the light of the barrier, the monsters stopped and stared intently at them; their eyes, like candles in the darkness, scrutinized them with a thirst for blood that could be felt even from where they stood. Tylos glared at them with such absolute and defiant ferocity that it intimidated even the children and the girls.
"Enough already—you're scaring the children," the girl shouted in a firm voice, adding, "They won't be able to get past that barrier. It's been several years since I've been here protecting this place, and they've never managed to get through. For your peace of mind, you can spend the night here without any problems."
And so they did…
Everyone went inside. The place was spacious, and its walls were covered with all kinds of drawings everywhere—made by the children who lived there. Alexa looked closely at the murals, which featured the children's names, and easily realized that there were an exorbitant number of them compared to the twelve children who were there at that moment. Tylos found a corner of the room and sat apart from the others, while the girls sat in a large dining area alongside the children as Silly served them dinner.
The children wore smiles, and genuine joy was evident on their faces. Silly knew this, and perhaps that was why she had no qualms about welcoming the new adventurers; in her heart, she knew that a child's intuition is always right.
"Eat," she said. "We don't have great luxuries, but food has always been a blessing from the goddesses who watch over these little ones."
Silly began to serve the food, but far from being modest, it looked like a royal feast: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and all sorts of dishes were laid out on the table. To the children, it seemed perfectly normal, but it was anything but normal for the girls who were joining them at the table that night. The girls began staring at the food with wide eyes, practically drooling, which made Tylos, sitting in a corner, smile. It was the first time he'd seen such an expression on their faces; even though he'd been traveling with them for several weeks, he was only just beginning to get to know them a little better.
"This is a feast! Can we really eat as much as we want?" Aisha asked in a desperate tone, almost as if she couldn't contain herself any longer.
"Yes, it's our way of thanking you for bringing us the message all the way to this remote place—it's the only thing we can offer here at the orphanage."
The sparkle in Elise's eyes as she flitted around the room, taking a small portion from each dish, warmed the children's hearts like never before.
"Aren't you going to join us?" Silly asked, standing next to Tylos with a plate of food. "I feel better this way," the boy replied.
Silly replied, "It's incredible! It's as if they've known you for a long time—they don't usually open up to the few strangers who've come here."
Tylos took the plate, took a small bite, and swallowed; then he smiled slightly, looked at Silly, and said, "It's amazing to think I'd see so much joy at the dinner table right now."
Silly smiled back and said, "I'm glad you came."