Aira folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

  "Somebody may think that you want to get rid of me," she said to Ainorrh. "I thought we still had much to learn from each other."

  "That's not what I meant," said Ainorrh with a smile. "I just wanted to offer you some distraction. While keeping you focused on the goals you declared yourself. I'd be happy to give you some recommendations. And after that, maybe you can join me and Alliot for a meditation."

  "Sorry, Ainorrh, I overreacted," said Aira. "I didn't think that Lila's abrupt departure would affect my judgment that much…"

  Ainorrh's smile softened, but there was something distant in her gaze as if recalling a memory too old to grasp fully.

  "We may not be human, but that doesn't mean we don't feel loss," she replied. "So, as I said, to shift your thoughts from these troubles a bit, why don't you tell me about this new profound connection you had with Heart of the Forest?"

  "I truly didn't expect it," said Aira. "It was like the air itself reached into me, like it had been waiting for me all along. I think I was the one who was surprised the most by what happened. But Alliot was probably pretty close to my level of excitement. Wasn't you, Alliot?"

  "Not my tale to tell," said Alliot. "High Shaman, I would ask you to explain everything."

  "Don't worry, Alliot," said Ainorrh. "We have nothing to hide from our guests, right?"

  "That's your call, High Shaman," answered Alliot solemnly.

  "I'd be happy to hear his view on what had happened," said Aira. "This experience was transformative to me. I have never felt anything like that. But now, it seems that I understand the Air element much better."

  "I can probably explain what happened a bit better than Alliot," said Ainorrh. "He was, indeed, a bit confused. I should confess that it is a consequence of our education system. Our mysteries, our system of beliefs, if you would."

  "So, you guide your people with teachings, traditions... but there's no deity watching over you," she said slowly, piecing it together. "It's not worship, but it's still a belief system, isn't it?"

  "As I told you before, I was born before the Dawn of the Enlightenment," said Ainorrh. "I remember the old world. I may have lost some knowledge, like the human language. I have definitely lost many sensations. Centuries are long, and there were other things to care about. But he is different. He doesn't remember the old times or, really, his human life. It is an integral part of the initial education to make a newly transformed person believe that we are on the top of the evolution ladder in this world."

  "So, you mean indoctrination," said Aira. "That concept isn't new to me. We had it in my world as well."

  "Indoctrination, religion, belief system," said Ainorrh with a smile. "Call it whatever you want. But we need it. There are few of us. And there are still many more humans than enlightened. It's a part of what makes us stay together. Knits our communities closer."

  Ainorrh looked at Alliot.

  "I hope you will consider this information with the needed discretion," she said. "As I mentioned you in the very beginning, you are entrusted with a lot on this mission. And it will definitely affect your future."

  "Of course, High Shaman," said Alliot. "I understand."

  "I don't have any issues with being upfront with you, Aira," continued Ainorrh. "I hoped that you'll have that connection with our elemental source. And I'm not alone. I know for sure that some other shamans, from the other cities, have noticed something special when you appeared in this world. Many of my peers expect you to visit other places besides Wentouk."

  "How so?" asked Aira. "What do you expect me to do?"

  "We hope you'll help us get closer to each other," said Ainorrh. "To find a common ground. We may seem to be one people. But in a way, our affinities separate the enlightened no less than we are separated from the humans."

  "It can't be," said Aira. "You all can use magic. That alone makes you completely unlike humans."

  "That's not what I meant," said Ainorrh. "The thing is, sources of foreign affinities are almost useless to people coming from other places. I understand that Alliot has already mentioned that larger enlightened settlements have attunement to one of the four elemental powers: Air, like us, Earth, Fire, or Water. It defines many things for these towns and cities and for their inhabitants."

  Ainorrh traced a rough circle in the dirt with her foot, then divided it into four uneven sections.

  "Each city thrives because of the others," she explained. "Here, in Wentouk, we command the skies. We send word across vast distances and shield ourselves from unseen threats. But the houses you sleep in, the tools you use—those come from the Earth affinity cities. Or from the forges of our brothers and sisters who are attuned to Fire. And our water flows clean because of the Tidewood engineers and people like them. We aren't just separate settlements; we're threads in the same tapestry. Pull one loose, and the whole thing unravels."

  "We work together to create a network where each node depends on others," Ainorrh continued. "But then, if one of us travels closer to, say, Earth affinity settlement, it wouldn't help them with their powers. On the contrary, it may impede or even kill that person in the worst cases."

  "That doesn't answer my question, though," said Aira. "What do you expect of me?"

  "Honestly? We don't know," said Ainorrh. She paused, and her gaze became distant. Ainorrh stood there for a minute, smiling at some thoughts. "There is a legend, a prophecy if you want, that there will come a person who can unite all elements. Some think that it is you."

  "Isn't that a bit too much to expect of a random outworlder?" asked Aira. "I just hope to get back to where I came from."

  "I don't have any answers for you," said Ainorrh. "If you'd asked me about that a few months ago, I'd say that it's a fairy tale for the young enlightened, who need to have some incentive to excel, to strive to do better, to develop beyond the limits."

  Ainorrh looked at Alliot.

  "Tell us, did you know of this 'prophecy'? Did it make you train a bit more intensely?" she asked him.

  "High Shaman… we are not supposed…" mumbled Alliot.

  "Ah, drop it," said Ainorrh. "I know you are not supposed to believe in these superstitions. But they are planted for a reason. Oh, well… Don't worry, Alliot. You are off the hook."

  "So, I'm willing to help you," said Ainorrh. "And now you know my reasoning. Do you have any more questions about the elemental sources or the other cities?"

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  "Now I only have more questions, not less," said Aira. "I have to learn all I can before moving forward. So, you told me that each of your settlements plays its own part in the enlightened network. Do they bring different products of their specific flavor of magic to the table? Or how does that work?"

  "That's right," said Ainorrh. "We, for example, specialize in long-distance communication and aerial defenses. And, well, some other things. The treehouse you live in is a product of one of the earth-affinity cities. There are tools, artifacts, and materials provided by water and fire settlements as well, that are crucial for our day-to-day operations."

  "And how do I fit within that supply chain?" asked Aira. "It's not like it's my place to improve anything."

  "No, of course not," smiled Ainorrh. "But if during your travels you collaborate with the other shamans and help them to learn something, that will benefit us all. something tells me that the effects of the other elemental sources on you would be different compared to the enlightened people who have a single affinity."

  "Is that again because of what you sensed in the very beginning?" asked Aira.

  "Yes, exactly," confirmed Ainorrh. "If you'd like that, I can pass a message to my colleagues so that they welcome you as we did."

  "I'm still not sure how have I deserved all that generosity, hospitality, and support," said Aira. "I'm grateful for your help, but it seems like you are going to great lengths to help a stranger."

  "As I said, I have my own interest in your journey," said Ainorrh. "I hope you'll learn more about merging the elemental powers and will teach us to harness that joint force. The enlightened community was stagnating for decades. There is a balance with humans and we are in no imminent danger. But there is room for so much more in this world. It's time for us to leave the confines of the ancient cities and finally gain independence from our past."

  "You understand that as soon as I find a way to leave this world, I'm moving on?" asked Aira. "That's the main goal of my quest."

  "Of course, it's not like we can hold you against your will," said Ainorrh. "I've seen your level. It would be unwise of me to do anything against you. But I hope for some reciprocity for all the help and advice we offered you."

  "I agree, that sounds fair," said Aira. "But I can't say that I want to stay here for longer than I have to. Still, I will share my findings with you."

  "Thank you, Aira," said Ainorrh. "That's already more than we could hope for."

  ***

  After that strange experience at Heart of the Forest and the departure of Lila, Ainorrh took much more interest in Aira. She promised to bring other enlightened for training even before, but, with the exception of Alliot, that was never fulfilled. Until now.

  It was as if Ainorrh was waiting for Aira to pass a test. And by communicating with the elemental source through the arcane, she had finally proved to their hosts her worth.

  Now, almost all twenty-six hours of each given day were filled with group activities. There was always at least one enlightened accompanying Aira now, sharing their approaches to meditation and physical training. Interestingly, they shared much more in their approach with the humans of this world but not with Aira's magical tutors of the past.

  For Aira, the main goal was to build upon these new sensations she discovered when her Rune communicated with Heart of the Forest. It wasn't a straightforward process. More like she experienced it as a slow journey through a marsh. She had to check each step, each next magical probe, before exploring further and getting closer to the intricate Air affinity magic supported by the powerful source of Wentouk.

  Sometimes, enlightened helped her take those next steps and pointed her to some convoluted whisps of energy she wouldn't notice otherwise.

  In some cases, it wasn't a single companion; occasionally, they came in pairs, making Aira constantly add and remove people from the party.

  That was another thing Aira spent a lot of time thinking about. She could easily upgrade her skill one more time. She could even bump it several levels up. But something prevented her from doing that. Firstly, Aira began to rely on Lila's opinion quite a lot by that moment. Losing her trustworthy companion made her dispute many decisions that couldn't be easily reversed.

  But also, despite all Ainorrh's assurances, the trust between Aira and the enlightened was only starting to build. She showed enough of her abilities and powers when she invited Ainorrh to the party.

  Aira drummed her fingers against her knee, staring into the distance where the tree canopy swayed gently in the wind. Every instinct told her to hold back—to keep her cards close. She had already revealed too much, hadn't she? Ainorrh's words were smooth as river stones, but Aira knew better than to trust a current just because it felt gentle.

  So, for now, she remained at the level of two maximum invitations. Having to juggle all these enlightened who trained and studied with her.

  The world of enlightened presented itself before Aira as an incomplete puzzle. She saw that there was a lot of interaction between the different settlements and the shamans that led them. But Aira had yet to meet any enlightened person with an elemental affinity different from Air. That also meant that she didn't have any confirmation of Ainorrh's words about the effects of the foreign element on the people from the other cities.

  Among other enlightened, besides Ainorrh, Alliot was the person Aira spent the most time with. When she discussed Ainorrh's words with him, he claimed that was out of his primary scope. He could neither confirm nor deny Ainorrh's explanation. And that even fit his previous comments that he had never ventured too far from Wentouk. But could this knowledge be kept only among higher-level enlightened, and Alliot wasn't qualified yet?

  Aira frowned, absentmindedly tracing spirals in the dirt with her boot. It didn't add up. Magic was magic—wasn't it? If power flowed through the world, why should it care who wielded it? And yet, the way Ainorrh spoke, the way the others seemed to accept it as fact, made her wonder.

  ***

  Aira stood barefoot in a small clearing, toes sinking into the cool, damp soil. The wind coiled around her like an inquisitive serpent, teasing the edges of her senses. She exhaled slowly, extending the tendrils of her magic—not commanding, but inviting. A faint pulse echoed through the air, like a distant heartbeat, as if the element itself was considering her request.

  The wind responded weakly at first, but she persisted, adjusting her technique.

  "Come on," she muttered, feeling the strain. "Just a little more..."

  By that moment, Aira could easily trace the source of power to Heart of the Forest. She could separate different currents of the elemental power, witnessing how they fed the life in the enlightened city and around it. Each of the inhabitants was connected to this arcane stream, constantly charging their inner resources, transforming the magical flow, creating their own signature.

  Aira remembered how humans represented through her senses, through the abilities of her Energy Manipulation skill. Lila left her too soon after this experience at Heart of the Forest. Aira didn't have the right tools yet to explore Lila's energy signature. To check if the humans were connected to this intricate system as well. Whether they had a dependence on the Nexus in the end or not.

  With all the new knowledge and understanding Aira had gotten in the past few days, she had even considered probing through that distance that separated Aira from Lila. As the days passed, she felt like she had to do that to ensure her human companion was safe.

  There were some issues with that desire, though. Firstly, Aira wasn't sure she'd be able to find Lila's signature. But also, the old problem remained. The larger the distance was, the higher the energy spent on feeding the skill was. And the number of living beings that fell into the range of her probing was increasing geometrically with each kilometer.

  Aira tried again this time. And it felt like she was able to reach a human settlement on the grand river with her probe. Multiple humans appearing in her magical vision. But as soon as she reached some intangible limit, the process was just becoming overwhelming and impossible to sustain.

  ***

  Ainorrh's presence greeted her as soon as Aira emerged from her explorative reverie and focused on her surroundings. It wasn't hard to distinguish between different enlightened for Aira anymore. And she had learned that the enlightened recognized each other using the same approach, probing the energy signatures.

  Luckily, they had a training session with Ainorrh not too long ago, and she still was one of the two people added to the party. Otherwise, Aira wasn't sure she'd be able to bear the mental strain of operating the System menu, kicking out one enlightened and adding Ainorrh instead. She first needed to fill her resources from that powerful magical source of Wentouk.

  "How far were you able to probe today?" asked Ainorrh. "Did you reach Lila?"

  "No, it wasn't much more than a half of the distance this time," said Aira. "I don't know if that's because I'm not powerful enough or because I'm not focused enough. But also, it's hard to tell the distance. I'm not even sure my skill's range would allow me to reach Lila's current location."

  Ainorrh chuckled, raising a hand. A soft wind current circled her palm, barely strong enough to rustle the leaves.

  "You see?" she said, letting the breeze slip away like a sigh. "This is the best an average person could do alone. But our attunement to the Heart of the Forest amplifies what little strength we have. Of course, my power is higher than that. But it's not just about raw power, Aira—it's about focus. It's about embracing the source. The right current can lift a mountain if it's channeled correctly."

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