Crunch! The featherlight crinkle of brush echoing around Essairyn halted abruptly, and with it, a flash of gray snapped inches from her face. As the girl belatedly dodged the attack, lustrous forms sharpened into view. Slender bodies with spindly limbs, a mystical silvern that luminesced the air around with dappled and streaked platinum across their backs––the greyhound-like spirit animals stood a head taller than herself.

“Ah, Errol! Must you greet the human like that?” D’yrwin scolded, pouting as she whacked one of his ears.

“Just checking that your blessing worked.” Errol casually replied while flicking his left ear away, its shape reminding Essairyn of a rabbit. He scrutinized the girl from head to toe while encircling her on sateen sable paws. A remarkably long tail splayed out like a feathered fin and two elongated appendages arising from behind the ears billowed behind him, nearly brushing against Essairyn’s stiff posture. Warily, she eyed his slow paces and returned his sharp emerald gaze.

What the heck is his deal?! She cried out inside her bewildered mind. When D’yrwin said someone wanted to meet me, I didn’t expect them to be this intimidating and nearly bite my face off too! Although… Her hands itched to grab onto one of the long appendages floating gracefully at the sides of Errol’s head. They sure are pretty… like most of the animals that live here.

“Welcome, human.” The spirit animal finally greeted with a low, resonant rumble. “You are lucky that the faes have accepted your presence. We don’t usually allow humans into our forest, much less our home…” He glared at D’yrwin in particular at the last word.

The little fairy shrugged nonchalantly. “What? You were the one that wanted to see said human. And I’m not going to go running around trying to find you while on a solh’vund hunt. See? This is the best time, you’re not busy now, yeah?”

“As a matter of fact, we are. Orin is making a visit today.” Errol soundlessly sighed and walked away. Throwing his head back as he began running with his pack, he shouted for Essairyn to follow. Only a few seconds passed when they reached the solh’vunds’ home. Known as ‘spirit hounds,’ they were one of the guardian animals of this forest, D’yrwin explained on the way.

“Might as well watch, human. And maybe then you’d have the smarts to leave this forest immediately after.” Errol scorned before disappearing inside the largest central den.

“Gah, sorry on his behalf, Essairyn. He’s a bit of a spoilsport snob.”

“I heard that, faelyte.” Errol’s deep voice resounded from inside the den.

Essairyn gave a sympathetic look. “It’s okay, D’yrwin. But what exactly was Errol referring to––”

The girl’s words died as a gigantic, ghastly beast manifested itself from the gloom in the near distance. Essairyn watched with amazed horror as the grim, humanoid giant languidly slogged through the canopy toward them. Its arms and legs were gangly, its blackened bones visible underneath its stretched, sooty skin. The head hung under the apparent weight of its two horns. Rising loftily above its skeletal figure, the horns curved toward one another in an ellipse, creating what Essairyn envisioned to be an almost full moon. As it moved, strands of earthen masses swung from its center.

“A nightstalker.” D’yrwin answered the girl’s unspoken question. “Another guardian animal of the forest. This one is Orin, my favorite boy.” A brief giggle jiggled the fairy’s body as she anticipated the monstrous figure’s visit.

“Your, your what––?!” Essairyn stammered in bafflement. “How can you even tell it’s–– No, never mind that. Aren’t they a demon?!”

“Huh?” D’yrwin’s silver eyes blinked curiously. “What do you mean? It’s a demon, so what?”

“Erm–” The girl glanced apprehensively between them and the approaching titan. “Aren’t spirits and demons, like, opposed to one another?” She gestured with her hands in distress. “I just had two demons attack me!”

“Ohhh~ I see~ Nah, Orin’s a good boy.” D’yrwin waved assuredly.

Flabbergasted by the fairy’s insufficient reply, Essairyn’s body bent over in defeat. “Huh?!? Is that supposed to relieve me?”

“Uhh…” D’yrwin seemed to weigh two options before replying. “Well, they do eat souls, so I understand if––”

“They EAT souls?!” Essairyn exclaimed, recoiling back.

“Ah, wait wait!” D’yrwin entreated, putting up her hands. “It’s not what you think! I mean, it IS what you think.” Essairyn’s face dropped in incredulity. “But!” The fairy quickly continued before the girl could protest. “They only take souls to keep the balance and health of the forest. At least in the Spirit and Demon Forest they do. It might not be wise to encounter them outside of here. They may not be so… friendly.”

Essairyn wrinkled her brows, slowly gaining some reassurance. “Why’s that?”

“Evolution?” D’yrwin shrugged. “Here inside this forest, we are at balance with one another. Guardian animals maintain the order to keep everything flourishing. And of course, we faelytes are at the top of them all.” She lightly pounded her chest in pride. “So I guess the nightstalkers adapted. They’re definitely different from the ones that roamed millennia ago. I’m also not sure if many live outside of the Spirit-Demon forest since they need a lot of souls to maintain themselves.”

“What the fae is trying to say,” Errol interrupted as he exited the den with another solh’vund, “is that the night guardians are fearsome creatures, but they protect the forest as we do, unlike nightstalkers of the past.” He halted beside Essairyn and peered up at the nearly arrived demonic monster.

“It’s speculated that a nightstalker’s collection of souls prevents it from transforming. But seeing as no one actually knows what their regular or morphed forms are even through history, it makes more sense to me that they’re instead maintaining their rampaging forms through eating souls.” He turned toward Essairyn briefly before trotting off with the other solh’vund who gave a quick nod in her direction. She gave one in return and then looked at D’yrwin questioningly.

The fairy sighed, shaking her head. “It’s what the erhinde was trying to do at the end before it perished. Demonic energy is more unstable than spirit energy, but while this may seem like a bad thing, it actually makes demonic magic more flexible. They’re able to change their forms in times of distress but at a cost. It’s called rampaging, and once activated, lower tier beast demons cannot return to their regular forms.”

Bobbing her head in fascination, Essairyn reflected on the memory of the demonic bear’s last struggle. So it was trying to save itself, but failed because it was too injured? The pieces started aligning, and she began speculating that the reason why it disappeared was because of the instability of its rampaging form. “Good to know…” She murmured.

“Speaking of which…” The fairy fluttered slyly near the girl. “Can I have your erhinde claw?” Her silver eyes sparkled expectantly.

“…” Essairyn blinked at the gall of the fairy. “I can’t hide anything from you, can I?”

“Nope!” D’yrwin cheered gleefully. “At least not in this forest, although, we fae have communication channels extending all across Sol’h’meyr. Though it’s less efficient and delayed information.”

“Sol’h’meyr…” Essairyn mumbled the name of this world, letting it roll thoughtfully off her tongue. During her short guide before heading to meet the solh’vunds, D’yrwin had explained a little about this world to her and the kingdoms that laid beyond the Spirit and Demon Forest’s borders. Hearing about the human kingdom north of the forest, which was also the closest to where she currently was, Essairyn decided to journey there. While she was intrigued by the various elemental kingdoms surrounding the rest of the forest, it didn’t sound like they’d be welcoming of a human traveler from Earth as a magically-gifted species that deemed themselves superior to all other life forms.

“So, can I have it?” D’yrwin broke Essairyn’s contemplation.

“Ah, yeah you can––” The girl began before she froze in terror at the grotesque face that peered inquisitively at eye level.

How did it sneak up on me like that? She shivered involuntarily, meeting its gaze. The nightstalker looked like it came straight out of a fantasy horror movie. But there was an odd, mysterious magnificence to the monster. It seemed weathered by the ages, languid to life. Despite that, she still had to repeat countless times in her head that it was safe.

Disregarding the girl’s discomfort, D’yrwin happily pried the erhinde claw from Essairyn’s back pant pocket. Cackling to herself, the fairy hugged the claw much larger than herself and whizzed around. “I got a quality carving material, ehehe~!”

“Ah.” The fairy abruptly stopped. “Don’t worry, I’ll make this a fair trade! How about I give you this?” Pulling from thin air, D’yrwin withdrew a metal lump and gleaming knife while putting away the erhinde claw.

“Eh?” Essairyn gasped. “Where did you just—?” She briskly shook her head. “No, did you pull these out of some hidden inventory?” The notion of portable, spacial inventories like in video games dawned on the girl, setting her aflutter. Is it actually true? Can I also…?

“Oh this? The magic cache? I guess it’s like a hidden inventory. Why? Wanna learn how to access it?” D’yrwin’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

Before Essairyn could respond yes, Errol’s irritated voice rung across the solh’vunds’ settlement. “Can you stop chattering over there!? We’re in the middle of an important matter! And you!” Errol beckoned impatiently with one of his floating appendages. “Human, come here.” Muttering, he added discreetly, “Can’t believe the human didn’t scream and run at the sight of Orin…”

Hastily grabbing D’yrwin’s trade items, Essairyn rushed over to the earthen mound that the solh’vunds had gathered around. At her arrival, the crouching nightstalker turned slightly, gazing with dark, vacant eyes that suddenly triggered an overwhelming sense of urgency to retreat in Essairyn.

But the fleeting feeling receded as the beast bent toward a solh’vund mother and her pups lying on the dirt mound. Sprawled out on her side, she looked frail with her eyes closed and her pups milling weakly about her belly. The solh’vund that had accompanied Errol earlier stepped out from the pack and sat stoically next to the mother’s head. Parting her weary, emerald eyes, she lifted them towards the solh’vund, and they exchanged silent farewells before her eyes listlessly closed again.

As if on cue, the nightstalker blinked with eyes that mirrored the night sky. Stardust filled their depths, and its mouth gaped open to reveal a maelstrom of starlit darkness. As if magnetic, specks of light arose from the mother’s body and spiraled inside the gaping mouth. The warm, silvern starlight, the fragments of her body, eddied into the depths of the demon and disappeared among the twinkling stars.

Closing its mouth, the nightstalker squinted its eyes at the pups and then inhaled and blew a stream of soft myrtle light upon them. As the light hit the pups, they squirmed and began mewling. After the nightstalker closed its mouth and the last rays reached them, they wriggled their faces in an attempt to open their eyes.

Transfixed by the entire scene, Essairyn hardly realized it was over until the solh’vund father broke vigil and padded over to the pups whose eyes were now open. Errol then looked at the nightstalker and gave a nod. Upon that gesture, the beast demon rose to its full height, giving Essairyn a sidelong glance before it melted into the woods. The crowd of solh’vunds departed, and a few remained to comfort the pups. Leaving the mound, Errol approached the mesmerized girl.

“Strengthening weak bodies is a special ability of night guardians. In this case, Orin used the strength of her soul to fortify her litter’s weak bodies. She had insisted on carrying them; even though, she knew she’d be at risk since her first miscarriage…” Errol’s face was still stoic, but Essairyn noticed a small gloom lingering in his eyes. As she pondered this for a moment, he spoke up again.

“Although I do not care for humans, it seems even Orin has taken a liking to you. So take guard as plenty in this forest would jump at the opportunity to get rid you, but with the faelyte’s blessing, the nightstalker’s fondness, and the solh’vunds…acceptance, you should be fine.” He paused briefly. “Human, what… is your name?”

The girl smiled faintly. “Essairyn. It was nice meeting you, Errol.”

He grunted reluctantly in reply and padded away, leaving D’yrwin to her giggles.

“See? He’s not so bad? He can be uptight at times, but he means well as the leader of the solh’vunds and always comes around.” She gave a knowing wink, making Essairyn release an amused chuckle.

“Now… about that magic cache…” Essairyn hinted.

D’yrwin grinned jovially. “Yes yes, I’ll tell you all about it, no fretting dear human. I believe with your magical talent, you’ll pick this up in no time! But warning, it’s quite tricky until you get the hang of it!”

“Let’s get to it, then.” Essairyn smiled brightly.

Before long, she grasped the concept and motion of accessing one’s personal magic cache. By tapping into the flow of the world’s magic, the building blocks that formed everything in Sol’h’meyr, Essairyn could create a spacial fold that held various inanimate objects.

“Isn’t this magic dangerous?” She questioned the safety of spacial magic which almost anyone magically-adept could use.

“Not really.” D’yrwin assured. “It’s true it’s spacial magic, one of the most complex types of magic––pretty similar to transformative magic which is more common but only for alchemists––but the only reason why ordinary magic folk can form and access the cache is because we’re dealing with the magical fluctuations layering the air. We breathe and absorb magic naturally, with some being able to draw in more, hence why some are more magically gifted and stronger.” At this, D’yrwin gestured at Essairyn, who, for the human race, displayed higher than average magical capability.

“If you tried doing this on a living thing, it would be millions times more difficult, no, basically impossible to do. That’s why you can’t put living things in the magic cache; it’ll be like banging a closed door. The magic in living creatures is too secure and complex to store.”

Essairyn scrunched her brows in acute deliberation. “So then, theoretically, you could kill someone by trying to put them inside the magic cache?”

D’yrwin laughed nervously. “Yes, but please don’t entertain that thought. It’s too scary thinking about being inside a void.”

Essairyn nodded slowly. So I’d die from lack of air, aka exposure to the magical fluctuations that we breathe and which circulate in our bodies, besides being cramped and claustrophobic? Objects didn’t sit neatly in an open space like a storage room. Rather, the cache was only as large as the size of the objects currently in it. And the storage limit to how many, how large, and how dense of objects that could fit at once could be expanded with magical practice.

“Huh, how interesting…” She mumbled in awe. While she couldn’t completely reason magic caches and magical fluctuations out logically by Earth’s standards and laws, Essairyn found it fascinating how similar it was to scientific thought. Notions of gravity, quantum physics, and relativity rushed to the forefront of her mind. Folding of space-time… have I teleported here somehow?

But rather than pondering onto the tangent of black holes, white holes, and wormholes and possible connections to her arrival in Sol’h’meyr, Essairyn resolved it was best not to think too seriously on theories. Wasting time on conjectures instead of learning about this world would serve her better for the immediate future. My brain is already frying trying to make sense of this anyway….

“Well I’m glad to have found a reliable way to carry things.”

“Yup! It’s super convenient for adventurers, so––!” D’yrwin cut her words short, swallowing unexpected rising emotion. “So, you’ll be able to use it well when you leave…”

Seeing the fairy’s downcast aura, Essairyn gave an gentle smile. “I won’t be leaving today, but probably tomorrow or the next day when I’ve packed enough provisions. It’s not like I have money on me to live comfortably in a human town and find a job that’ll provide me food and shelter right away. Might as well prepare as much as possible in this bountiful forest, no?”

D’yrwin’s droopy wings perked up at the girl’s words. The fairy hadn’t realized until now how much she liked the human’s company. Having lived for hundreds of years, D’yrwin had gotten too acclimated to an unchanging life. While she didn’t dislike her peaceful, free lifestyle, rare occurrences like these added much needed spice. Teasing spirits like Errol and habitually playing tricks on the Spirit-Demon forest’s inhabitants got old at times.

D’yrwin sadly recounted the reports she had received a hundred years ago of the human that had died almost immediately on the first day. Many species of fae existed in the forest, but only the faelytes could issue strong enough blessings to protect someone. That last human had a similar magic type as this girl too… I’m glad at least one of rain’s children survived. She ruminated whether Essairyn would stir up this world or live quietly as the majority had. While Essairyn’s type of magic was extremely unusual for a pure human, many travelers before her had arrived with it across Sol’h’meyr’s history.

Still… D’yrwin glanced at the human girl. Those blessed by rain often had weaker magic due to the uniqueness of this elemental magic type presiding abnormally in a human. Her magic is stronger than normal at the arrival stage. How strange…

“Hey Essairyn?”

“Hm? What is it, Diwi?” The girl queried as she inspected and gathered leafy greens and fruits.

“You’ll visit us again, right? After you leave? You can’t forget about us here!”

Essairyn chuckled at the suddenly mawkish fairy. “How can I when I went overboard and created a huge treehouse? It would be a shame to leave it unused.”

“We’ll take care of it!” The fairy grasped her hands intently. “The one on the Primordial Eichen tree, yes? So be sure to come back, okay? And… please be careful!” D’yrwin looked downward in pause, the serious tone making Essairyn concerned.

“Your magic is… a little weird.” The fairy confessed. “I’m worried someone may take advantage of you since magic is a common currency among mages and elementals. Don’t let anyone scam you!!” She shook her little fist sternly, prompting an entertained chuckle from Essairyn.

“Noted. Thanks Diwi for the heads up.”

The fairy nodded vigorously before swaying side to side impatiently. “I need to head back since it’s evening. I’m sure Liukell and the others will scold me for being gone this long, telling me that I’m an irresponsible laecait again…” She mumbled, miffed at the thought of his incessant bickering. “Hmph!” She crossed her arms. “It’s not like I wished to be born with the strongest spirit power and become the leader! I want to adventure too!”

Essairyn giggled and smiled softly. “I’ll be sure to tell you of all my journeys.”

“You mean brag to me about it? I’m kidding! But that reminds me, that knife I gave you, carve something for me, will you?”

“Wait, I thought that was a considerate gift, but it was just a tool in disguise to make work?” Essairyn joked back, making the fairy blush lightly.

“Ahem! Not true! Just think of it as a souvenir… made by yourself. Ah! Anyway, don’t forget! Good night, Essairyn~!”

“Good night, Diwi.”

As the faelyte flitted off, silence settled loudly, leaving Essairyn to her brooding. For all of her excitement at a fantastical adventure, she had to do a reality check. It wasn’t going to be all fun and games but cold, harsh survival. It didn’t matter if there wouldn’t be vicious monsters attacking her anymore, humans were just as dangerous. And yet, that was still the safest place to be, inside the human kingdom of As’pyze.

Knowing that my magic may be exploited is a bit worrying, but one thing at a time. Keeping her wits about her, Essairyn finished foraging with the knowledge D’yrwin shared about what was edible and stashed them in her magic cache.

Then, last of all… meat. Essairyn narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t forgo meat as one of her favorite foods besides fruit. It should be easy to preserve if I dry it too… While it was apparent that both spirits and demons hunted for food despite the evident peace within the forest, she wasn’t certain which animal would be most appropriate, setting taste aside.

Instead of mulling over it, Essairyn scouted the area from the treetops for a herd of suitable animals. She soon spotted some stocky and round grazing animals, much like a pig in shape and size except furry with round, large ears, and stumpy tails. They were cocoa powder brown with green dappled backs. Opting on these, she devised a plan to successfully bring one down from her current distance in the trees rather than startling them trying to get closer.

Constructing a bow with her magic, she prodded the string and tested its elastic force. Satisfied with the bow’s draw weight with a magic arrow nocked, Essairyn slowed her breath and aimed at the nearest animal’s neck.

Zing! The arrow lodged soundly in her target; the gush of magic bursting even created a small crater on the poor creature. Others in the herd scattered upon hearing the strangled cry of their critically injured member. The struck animal tried to follow its group, but it soon collapsed with harrowed, shallow breaths. Essairyn’s stomach convulsed nauseously at the sight of its bloodied neck and bulging, white eyes when she jumped down toward it. The creature quavered and frantically clawed the air, trying to get up to no avail.

Quickly putting the animal out of its misery, Essairyn thoroughly sliced its neck with an arc of magic. Sighing, she withdrew her bow and then gingerly picked up the beheaded animal and placed it inside her magic cache. Then, she dug a hole for burying the remaining head. The girl knew her limits and couldn’t deal with also eating its head. And feeling rather remorseful for taking another life, she held a cursory funeral and wished its soul peace, wherever that took it in this world. Perhaps eventually, she would get used to killing to eat. But Essairyn didn’t need to force it. She would reach civilization soon enough, so if she could, she would resist getting accustomed. Burying the head didn’t absolve her act, but it still made her feel better.

By now, the sounds of the day had gently subsided into the stirrings of the night, and fairylike wraiths materialized in the cascading twilight. Startled by their sudden appearance, Essairyn goggled at the ethereal creatures. They dusted the forest floor with falling wisps while flitting around like fireflies. Their speckled glow faintly illuminated the understory. Intrigued, she outstretched a hand, and they daintily danced upon her hand in mirth. Their giggles whispered throughout the air, and their smiles radiated in the coming night. She wondered if this delicate creature was related to the faelytes. Could this be one of their 'communication channels’?

“Ts’ rien,” they murmured, causing Essairyn to knit her eyebrows in confusion at the foreign language.

More creatures of the night arose from their slumber, and soon the forest was a hushed frenzy of activity. Once again, Essairyn was astounded by the beauty of these otherworldly spirits and demons. Appreciating the mysterious splendor of the night, she leisurely traveled back to her treehouse. Funny how once I know I’m safe, not even the night bothers me. In fact, I missed this beautiful scene the first day because of how petrified I was. It’s oddly comforting even…

Back at the base of the ancient tree, Essairyn prepared to fly up to her treehouse. But the sound of spattering of water nearby piqued her curiosity. Traversing across the enormous roots of the Primordial Eichen, she stumbled across an underground opening in the back where steam faintly puffed in the dim light. Peering inside and noticing a soft illumination toward the end, she cautiously stepped down the uneven root ledges with miniature flowers clinging to the sparse dirt tucked between the roots.

Entering the cavern ahead, Essairyn sucked in her breath at the ethereal sight. Irregular swathes of short grass blanketed most of the area not covered by water while the walls were decorated with vines and larger flowers. The pristine water gleamed in various colors, an effect of the brightly colored flowers hanging from the ceiling. The dirt bottom of the spring was as clear as day, and some roots were also sprawled across the cavern floor and water bed. The source of the steam, however, was from smaller pools of water in the back and on the sides, each encompassed by thick roots. Water cascaded from these pools to the large center pond, framing a gorgeously serene hot springs scene.

At the pond edge, dragonflies skimmed the surface, cavorting amidst water droplets whipped up by their wings. Seeing the girl, a certain jade and celadon dragonfly darted up to her face, issuing a merry squeal of greeting.

“Why hello there again, little guy.” Essairyn giggled as she offered a finger for it to land. “So this is what you’ve been up, huh? Getting the friends together for a pool party? Haha~” She gently stroked the dragonfly’s head. “I should thank you for helping me find this place. I’ve been looking for a body of water all day, but this forest doesn’t have any nearby, so I was getting a little concerned. For such a verdant forest, it hasn’t rained yet too.”

Glancing over at the hot springs, she murmured. “Shall we see what the water is like?” Flying over with the dragonflies zipping along, she dipped a finger into the cloudless water and felt a pleasant warmth on the verge of scorching. Interesting… even my heat tolerance is higher. While she wasn’t sure if bacteria existed in Sol’h’meyr, she had an inkling that it didn’t. This appears to be a strictly magical world and not biological despite the visual similarities. At least I hope I won't ingest something harmful drinking this.

Exceedingly satisfied with her discovery, Essairyn looked forward to a much needed bath after whipping up some food and assembling her blanket with the materials she had gathered. Producing ink was also not forgotten, for Essairyn had much to write about this world. Noticing the dragonflies following her, chittering in delight, the girl laughed.

“All right, you can come home with me.”