I was alone in my new room now. Beo, Ight and the others had left after I had gotten tired of asking questions. Or maybe gotten tired of getting the same answer repeated differently. They had no idea how I had landed in their world with the mark on my shoulder and there was nothing else any of the healers could do for me.

The view from the window showed a small sliver of the city, framed by the trees. It sprawled out within the forest, seeming to have grown right alongside all the trees. There were homes built into the trees, using them as structural supports. This made it so no home looked the same, a collection of oddly shaped trees houses that eventually led up to the city center. The center, I was told, was in a large clearing and built of stone that made the tree houses here look primitive.

The forest, Myrkvood, was a living thing apparently and ancient beyond imagination, one of the first beings born on this planet. Or at least that was the lore of the beast-kins.

Beast-kin…

That was what the people here called themselves. They had broken away from larger civilization a long time ago, not remembering when or why they had left. Through many centuries of living in the forest, several different cities and tribes had been formed. Sacred Grounds was one of the largest present. They had become beast-kin by the blessing of Myrkvood, after proving to the living forest they were looking to make their home here. The forest had given them the boon of survival within its domain.

A knock on my door startled me, I had become engrossed in writing this all down in a small journal they gave me.

“Druin, it is Beo. May I come in?”

“Yeah, come in. Doors unlocked.”

Beo came in and softly closed the door behind her. She had changed into an outfit that was similar to the one Mehr had worn, light leather armor with a staff in hand.

I motioned to the staff, “Are you also like her?”

“Yes and no. Magi Mehr is the leader of our order but her sect is Emerald. I come from Citrine, we deal with applications of magic rather than pursuit of theory.”

I stayed silent. I didn’t want to know anymore. Not that I wasn’t curious, I especially was. For some reason, a world where magic, beast-kin, Guardians existed seemed incredible to me. But it also made me uncomfortable, like an itch under my skin. Any moment now I felt like I would experience vertigo and crash land in another world.

“Why are you here Beo?” I asked, breaking a silence that wasn’t uncomfortable. She had taken a seat at the desk, choosing to stare out the window.

“I know it’s sudden Druin. I do know but,” She started speaking faster, “we really need your help. If I could get you to trust me and us right this second, I would do anything.”

“Beo, I understand. Or understand as much I can without being a part of your society, but I have no idea what you’re asking of me. Do you want me to turn into some monster that I don’t know how to control? You don’t even know what the fuck I am.” To say idea of turning into something Indra frightened me wouldn’t been the total truth. Indra was some sort of god, something magic and I was captivated a little by that.

But even Mehr didn’t know what kind of monster I would be.

“I can help you.” She turned towards me and put her hands up. “I swear to you that I want to help just to help, not to use it as some sort of ploy.”

“I hardly even know you Beo.” I countered.

“I still saved your life.”

“Because you wanted to use me.” That was a dagger to the heart.

“Well Druin, if you’ll recall,” She said sweetly, “I didn’t even know at that point. That was an asshole move. Maybe I should’ve let you waltz into Amara.”

I dropped my head. She hadn’t known.

“Would Indra have killed you if you had walked in?” I asked.

“Yes.” She said matter of fact.

And so she had helped me without regard for own safety.

“Okay how? Do we go on a mythical quest to find the Golden Fleece and turn me into your personal Guardian?”

“Um, yes to the quest and a double yes to the personal Guardian.”

That made me smile. Okay, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

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