Searching - The Nexus

Section 2

Searching

Part 3

The Nexus

Robyn looked at Aria with a huge grin and said, “Well, what do you think?”

At first Aria could only stare around her in wonder, but she finally got her wits together enough to say, “What is this place? Where have you brought me?”

“We call this the Nexus. It’s a place for the magical creatures of the city to gather, exchange information, and trade.” Robyn replied.

“Um, isn’t that the function the park serves?” Aria asked, confused.

Robyn snorted. “Supposedly. From what I understand, when the large cities first started to form, our people went into the parks because it felt safe, and familiar. From your reactions and others I’ve seen, I guess it still does to outsiders, but times have changed for many of us. Take me, I was born here and I’ve never actually been outside of the city.” He gestured around the room with a sweep of his arm, “Most of these people are just like me. The old ways just don’t make sense in our world any more. I guess it works for the old folks, but we’re creating our magical world, right here, and it works better for us.”

“You know that I’m from the forest, why do you think the Nexus would be better for me?” Aria asked, still confused. “I mean, all of this is so foreign to me.”

“Maybe, but think of this, who do you really thinks understand the city better? Those of us who are actively living in it, forming our lives around it, or the old folks who still prefer the old ways? Who do you really think is going to be able to help you more?” Robyn folded his arms across his chest, still cocky, but obviously a bit defiant as well.

Aria was hesitant. She looked around her again at the strange hustle and bustle. Robyn did have a point, it seemed like the people associated with this “Nexus” were more in touch with what was really going on, but it felt a little like turning her back on what she grew up with. Still, there weren’t very many rules about how she went about her quest. She could solicit help, as long as no one directly interfered with the human she was trying to help, but advice, information, background support, all that was fine. Other than that it was pretty much up to her how she went about things. So, with a small sigh, Aria finally said, “Ok, so where should I start?”

Searching - Strange Sights

Section 2

Searching

Part 2

Strange Sights

Robyn flew fast, but Aria had always been an agile flyer, so she was able to follow close behind. The biggest problem was that she kept getting distracted by all the amazing things she’d never seen before! She was quickly learning that her previous trip to the city had only shown her a tiny glimpse of what to expect, and really hadn’t prepared her for her quest as well as she thought.

Aria felt a little overwhelmed as they wove through all the different buildings. She was used to the only tall objects in the sky being trees or mountains.  These looked nothing like that. There were some that reached for the sky, just like a tree, but much taller. Others we’re shorter, almost squat, like the foot hills around a mountain.

Before long they reached a grouping of buildings that was even stranger than what she had seen so far.  The main building wasn’t very tall compared to some of the others, but it seemed to go on forever! Plus there were those metal things that humans like to ride in, they looked so confining compared to flight, and they seemed to surround the building.

Aria was surprised to realize that Robyn was flying straight towards this strange building. She had to follow even closer as he swooped down, through strange glass doors, and wove in among the people. Aria nearly lost Robyn as he darted this way and that, everything was so overwhelming!

Finally the swooped through one last set of doors and came to a place where there were no humans, only fairies and other magical beings.  It was almost a relief after all the strange sights Aria had just witnessed, but there were still so many strange things in this large room!

There were monstrous shelves everywhere, and items of fabric were piled high as far as the eye could see.  Looking closer Aria realized that even the magical beings looked far different from what she was used to. She didn’t know much about other magical beings, but she knew enough to know that they weren’t dressed at all like what she’d expect. The fairies were the strangest of all. Instead of the dark woodland colors that she was used to, they wore bright outfits, often in colors that would be found nowhere in nature.

What had she gotten herself into?

Searching - Robyn

Section 2

Searching

Part 1

Robyn

Despite the wide range of advice Aria had received at her going away party, the one thing that every fairy had recommended was that she introduce herself to the local magical beings as soon as she arrived. Many fairies and other creatures had adapted to life in the cities, strange though it seemed to those who followed the old ways, and they would be able to help guide her on her quest. They would also help be able to help her with mundane things like finding a place to stay.

Finding a host family was really the first part of the challenge. Many young fairies stuck with their own kind, already unnerved by all the strangeness in the city, but many other creatures we’re willing to host a young fairy.  Aria’s brother Daffyd had chosen to stay with a family of goblins, and he claimed that the experience had broadened his view of the world. Aria wasn’t sure she wanted to stay with goblins though, the stories Daffyd had told of their eating habits had been vivid, and Aria didn’t think she would be able to stomach it. She was willing to try new experiences though.

The buildings in the city were just as tall and strange as Aria remembered. She flew along, peering into windows, and looking for signs of a helpful face to help her find a local park. The greatest concentration of magical beings would be there, where the connection to the earth’s magic was strongest, and that’s where she was likely to find the most help.

Aria paused to look through the windows of a building full of clothing. There we’re long shelves piled high with clothing, and metal trees with shirts and dresses hanging off them like over-sized leaves.  She’d never seen anything like this on her last trip to the city! They’d flown in high and gone straight to one of the parks, never venturing very far from the familiarity of the trees.  Lost in wonder, Aria never noticed the fairy that was watching her until he spoke.

“Hey there. New in town are you?” He said in a jaunty voice.

Whirling around Aria found herself looking at a young fairy, looking to be about her age, with eyes that sparkled in the sun and streaks of blue in his jet black hair. Caught off guard she stuttered a little as she responded, “Y-y-y-yes. That is. I’ve been here before, but it was just a short trip.”

“On your own then on this trip?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“You’d be on your quest then right?”

“Is it that obvious?” Aria asked wryly.

“Well let’s see, you’re dressed like you came straight from the woods,” with this Aria looked down at herself and wondered what was wrong with her clothes, “and you’ve obviously never seen a department store before. So yes, I’d say it’s pretty obvious.

“I guess you’re right.” Aria said a little self-depreciatingly. “Well, um, would mind guiding me to a nearby park?”

“I could, but that’s not where the fun’s at.”

“I’m not here for fun; I’m here on my quest.”

“Yeah, I know, but if you want the people who can help you the most, you’ll come with me. Name’s Robyn by the way.”

“I’m Aria.” She thought for a minute. Staring at him and quite frankly evaluating what she saw. He was a bit of rogue, that was obvious from his grin, but he seemed to sincerely believe that her best chances were with him. Oh well, it couldn’t hurt to go with him for a little while, if it didn’t work out she could still look for a park.

“Alright. Where are we going then?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” Robyn replied with a grin, and as he started flying backwards. “Come on!”

Aria's Quest: Section 1: Part 5: Traveling

Section 1
The Beginning
Part 5
Traveling

Aria woke the next morning with Eiowinn’s words still ringing in her head, but she soon forgot them as she realized that it was time for her to leave!  Trembling with excitement she washed her face, combed her hair, and grabbed her pack. Her older brother Daffyd had helped her prioritize and maximize the space in her pack earlier that week.  It was a little heavy, but in her excitement she really didn’t care!

Breakfast was a teary-eyed, but simple, affair. The whole family had gathered back at the house, even the older one’s who had their own homes and families now, and everyone wanted to give Aria one last hug. It would have been easy for breakfast to drag on all morning, but they all knew that she had a long enough journey ahead of her and no one wanted to delay her.

Even though Aria was a fast flyer, the trip into the city would take her around three days.  She’d been there once before, on a trip when she was still a student, but this was her first time going there on her own! It was comforting that she had some idea what to expect, but it was also a little overwhelming.

She remembered the city being big, and strange. There were trees, but they were small and spaced out and surrounded by concrete. Some of the buildings were taller than any tree in the forest.  She couldn’t really understand why humans wanted to live in those cold, impersonal, buildings, but they were everywhere.

As she flew Aria’s mind soon turned to thinking through her quest. She needed to find a human in the city and somehow help them improve their life. It sounded easy enough, but she had heard enough stories to know that it could be much more challenging than it sounded. Human’s are stubborn creatures, set in their ways, and slow to change. Many times they’d rather continue doing something that was bad for them than go through the effort to change.

There were really no rules about how you went about your quest. Some fairies chose to work secretly, never revealing themselves to the person they were helping, while others made friends with “their” humans.  The fairies who chose to work in secret would say that it was easier than finding a person who needed help and was wiling to accept the existence of fairies, but Aria couldn’t imagine operating that way.  She figured that you were handicapping yourself if you never interacted with the human you were helping. The power of persuasion is strong, and if you can’t talk to them, how can you use it?

That meant she’d have to locate a true believer, someone who would acknowledge her existence, and for that she figured she’d look for an Irish pub. She knew there were a few in the city, and after all, the Irish were known for believing in the wee folk! Hopefully that part of her quest wouldn’t be that hard, although with Eiowinn’s warning that her quest would be harder than normal, who knew?

The Beginning - Saying Goodbye

Section 1

The Beginning

Part 4

Saying Goodbye

Smoothing her hair into place one last time, Aria took a deep breathe, and walked out into the clearing.  For a moment all she could do was stare.  This wasn’t the first leave-taking party she’d attended, but this was the first time the party had ever been for her! Normally she loved the atmosphere, the crowd of fairies flying around, and all the beautiful decorations. Today it made her feel a little sick.

This was the moment she’d been waiting for, seeking for, and yet the reality of it was overwhelming.  She knew these parties had two purposes. Everyone said it was to wish the quest-taker good luck, but they also all knew this could be the last time they saw her. She might never come back.

With a shake of her head Aria banished the dreary and frightening thoughts from her head. This was her party and she was going to enjoy it!

The rest of the party passed in a blur. Since completing your quest was a requirement to being accepted as an adult in the woodland fairy community, many of the fairies were reminiscing about their quests, and of course they just had to tell her their stories! Fortunately Aria loved listening to tales, but after awhile they all started to blend together. Of course that also could have been a result of the honeyed wine that was flowing freely.  All this attention was a heady feeling, and Aria wisely switched to drinking a fruit punch. She was used to being well liked and having friends, but popular was never a word that would have been applied to her.

The sky drew dark as night approached, but the party was no where near over! All fairies love a chance to celebrate, and Aria’s woodland tribe was no different.  As the sky darkened they turned on brightly colored lights, and the musicians brought out their instruments. If Aria had been feeling a little light-headed before from the honeyed wine, she now was even more so from been twirled about! As the quest-taker she was the center of attention, and every fairy wanted a chance to dance with her.

Finally, as the hour truly grew late, the fairies began to take their leave. Each one came by to briefly embrace Aria, or give her a kiss on the cheek, or even both. More than once Aria’s eyes overflowed with tears as her closest friends said their good-byes. It would be months, maybe even years, before she saw them again!

Aria had just finished drying her eyes yet again when she saw Eiowinn approaching her. She stood up a little straighter and greeted Eiowinn with a smile and a slight bow.

“None of that child, soon we shall be equals, adults both of us.” Eiowinn said with a gentle smile.

“I may soon be counted as an adult Eiowinn, but I have years to go before I can be said to even approach your learning and wisdom.” Aria responded, in awe that the great Eiowinn would use the word “equals” when talking to her!

“Thank you my dear.  You show great promise Aria. Never doubt yourself, or your ability to think. The task ahead of you will be hard, I think harder for you than for most, but don’t give up. You’re being tested for a reason, and the rewards will be great.”

“Tested? What do you mean?” Aria looked at Eiowinn with searching eyes. “I don’t understand.”

“That’s all I can say m’dear. As you know, I can only see into the future dimly. I know that your quest will be challenging, and I know you have great potential. Do not give up, and I look forward to your return.” With this Eiowinn gave Aria a kiss on the cheek and departed.

Aria talked to many more fairies before the night was over, but it was Eiowinn’s words that stuck in her head as she fell asleep that night. Tested? What was she facing?

The Beginning - The Gem

Section 1

The Beginning

Part 3

The Gem

With a tired sigh, Aria tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. Her arms ached with the weight of the baby, but she didn’t allow that to slow her pacing. Lilith had been colicky a lot lately, and a steady walk and quiet hum was the only thing that seemed to keep her from screaming at the top of her lungs.  As tired as Aria was, the last thing she wanted was those shrill screams to resume and wake all the napping young ones.

Aria looked up with surprise when her mother quietly slipped into the room. She had thought her mother was hard at work in her studio, and hadn’t expected to see her until much later in the day. Quietly, her mother said, “Give me Lilith dear. You have visitors.”


“Visitors Mother?” Aria asked in surprise.

“Yes dear. Now smooth your hair and hurry along. Dahlia and I will be fine for the rest of the day.”

“Yes Mother.” Aria said, hurrying out of the room while fixing her hair to look as presentable as she could without a mirror. She knew any visitors would be waiting in the front room, and a little thrill of excitement ran through her as she approached the entryway, she’d never had visitors important enough for the front room before! Usually anyone who visited her would just come on back and talk to her while she took care of the kids.

Aria’s heart leaped into her throat when she entered the front room and saw the three visitors standing solemnly waiting for her. At last her turn had come! She did her best to hide her excitement as she gave a low bow and gave them the traditional greeting, “Peace, health, and joy my friends. How may I serve you?”

The man in the middle stepped forward. “Peace, health, and joy to you our friend. Today it is we who come to serve you. Please, kneel before us, not out of fear, but in the joy of receiving.” Aria knelt, head bowed, her heart thumping like a rabbit being chased by a hawk.  Slipping a thin chain over her head the man continued, “With this gem we charge you.”

Stepping forward and laying one hand on her head another man spoke, “With this gem you start your journey into adulthood.”

The last of the trio, a woman, also stepped forward and place her hand on Aria’s head. “Now you leave behind your childish ways.”

Adding his hands on top to complete the ceremony the first man spoke one again. “Go forth, seek who you will and render them aid as you can.”

Speaking in unison the trio finished. “Change the world for good, and you shall be welcome back to your people. Change the world for harm and you shall be an outcast, forever to wander alone, never to know the joy of fellowship.”

The trio stepped back, and Aria slowly raised her head. “I solemnly promise to go out, to seek the one who needs me, and to change this world for good.”

The trio bowed gently, and quietly left the room, leaving Aria on her knees, trembling. As she heard the door close she lifted the gem from her chest, and stared into its dark green depths. Her quest had begun!

The Beginning - The Counsel's Decision

Section 1

The Beginning

Part 2

The Counsel’s Decision

Eiowinn sighed softly, shifting in her chair a little to try to relieve some of the pressure on her aching bones.  Lately she’d begun to really dread these counsel meetings with their seemingly endless discussions! Ok, to be honest, she’d never really enjoyed the meetings, but the older she got the more annoying they seemed to be.   Well this one had gone on long enough; it was time for her to hurry things along a bit.


When Eiowinn raised her hand the chamber quickly fell into a hush. She was the oldest and most respected of the counsel members, and everyone knew that it was best to listen when she chose to contribute to the discussions. So mouths closed and those anxious to jump in with their point had to contain themselves.

“Friends, I don’t know why this discussion has grown so heated. I spoke with the girl, Aria, myself earlier today. She is ready and eager to go on her quest. Indeed, in many ways she has already begun to quest, she thirsts for knowledge, and asks questions at every chance she can. Yes, she is young, but we have sent fairies even younger on their quests before. Age has never been as important a consideration as preparedness.


“As to your other point, yes Dahlia is older and many think we should simply follow the birth order and present her with the gem.  Dahlia, while competent in everything she does, does not yet have the drive and fire that is necessary to complete the mission. She is too content to cook, clean, and care for children. All good things, but it is a very narrow focus. By sending out her sister before her we will cause her to question. Dahlia will try to figure out why she was passed over, and strive to convince the counsel she is worthy to go out when Aria returns. I believe this will give her the fire she needs and open her eyes. Yes, we run the risk of creating bitterness in her heart, but if we watch her closely, and subtly provide counsel, I believe that can be avoided.


“So now, my friends, I ask that we stop this endless debate and put the disbursement of this first gem to a vote right now. We still have two more gems to discuss, and the day grows long already.”