Enlightened

Xiāo was before the edge of the unknown forest. The slumbering woods. He knew not its name. He had seen no map, gotten no direction. It was almost as if the choice to head for it had not been his own but his feet’s. 

Magic oozed out of its vegetal gates, filaments of it wrapping themselves around him, on his feet, around his neck. 

He hadn’t been able to get those waves of magic out of his head. He’d be laying down trying to sleep and his heart would drum and thump, his head would pound with an urge, a need, to head somewhere, though he knew not the destination. 

He’d grabbed the few belongings he had and let his body guide him. His friends had followed, unsurprisingly. 

Kit chirped from the strand of Xiao’s mane it clinged to. His mind unclouded as the memories faded away and the magic clinging to him dissipated.

Xiāo silently nodded to his companions. He knew they’d all worry if they sensed stress in him. Not that he was stressed. Well... Maybe a bit.

The afternoon was taking its leave and the sun was slowly retreating. The tall trees soon had started to obstruct sunlight from him, and shadows swarmed around him.

Calmly, he did one last inventory check. 

It would be hard to forget the walking stick in his hand, and the magic charm that hanged around it. 

His poncho was on him and keeping warmth to him when the darkness around him was emanating cold, and his bag of seeds was tied to it on the inside. He had never had a big appetite, and seeds would do the trick, as well as feed his friends. 

In a pocket on the inside of his poncho, he had put the roll of vegetal bandages he had, in case some things would go sour. He brought it everywhere with him for safety, but something had screamed in him to be careful when he’d gotten the call to follow the magic, and in front of the dark forest he was glad he listened.

The last of his belongings, a rope bracelet with two bells, was securely wrapped around his left ankle. The sound had always soothed him, and who knows it might come in handy. He sure was not going to leave it behind, in any case.

He looked at his equipment, to the determined faces of his three companions who truly didn’t know what they were getting into, similarly to him, and then to the forest looking so somber, unwelcoming, screaming at midveilers to keep out.

And yet, the magic swarming out of it was intriguing and unheard of. What could it mean? Why was he so attracted by it? It seemed so... Delicious. He wanted to find it and take a part of it.

He had always had an innate talent for magic. It felt natural, logic. Magic flowed through his body, and harnessing it was just like breathing. 

He’d however never had any mentoring on his magic, so while the power was there, and while his current level was enough to satisfy him subconsciously, even when harnessing large amounts of magic he couldn’t do more than basic things with it.

Yes. Finding the magic was the goal. He’d get to it and then learn how to do magic the kinds he’d never dreamed of before... Probably. Maybe. But somehow, it was what he felt in the deepest of him would happen if he succeeded.

His gaze on the forest’s edge had steeled. With a last look back at the safe and welcoming grassy hill and a glance to his friends that might want to back out last minute, he stepped into the forest.

The soil against his feet was more humid than was healthy for the vegetation, he noted, but the plants all seemed to be thriving just fine. There was no path and everywhere he looked seemed like the same. Trees repeated, and the sun rays filtered through the leaves so much that light was hard to find. 

He persevered and walked through shrubs and roots, pushing aside tree branches in his way as he squeezed through and got small scratches as he did so. His friends would have a hard time moving on the forest floor and keeping up with him, so they simply hid inside Xiāo’s mane, safe and sound.

The sun was setting. Light was dimming even more so and getting around was becoming even more difficult. He couldn’t see further than his arms anymore. His breath shortened and with the last sun rays leaving his efforts doubled to make progress.

Suddenly, his thrashing feet met emptiness. He flinched out of surprise. Everything was overwhelmingly dark and he couldn’t see anything. 

He took some steps and found the dirt floor was smooth and devoid of any obstacle. Touching tree back after walking a bit, he found that he’d stepped into a very small spherical clearing. They could sleep there for the night, this clearing would probably be the best they’d find.

He looked back at where he’d come from, hoping to see moonlight reflecting on the hill, judging his progress and offering him direction. His eyes met only darkness.

He can’t see where the forest ends anymore.