As Payner, Évora, and Elara walked along the trail lined with a few scattered trees, Évora took a deep breath of the fresh air that filled the surroundings. Filling her lungs, she sighed shortly after, allowing herself a moment of contemplation. "Ahh... I love the smell of this place. It's so familiar, it brings an indescribable feeling of nostalgia."
Elara raised her eyes, looking at Évora with curiosity. "You've visited other places, haven't you?" Her voice was delicate but carried a hint of excitement. "Kragor told me you go beyond the Curtain. Is that true?"
"Yes, it's true," Évora replied with a nostalgic smile. "We've visited many places beyond it, but none are like this one."
Elara's eyebrows furrowed in pure curiosity. "Tell me more about what's on the other side. No one here has ever told me what it's like out there," she said, excitedly, almost begging for details.
"No one has told you because no one other than Payner and I can leave this place," Évora explained, her voice carrying a slightly enigmatic tone.
Elara seemed to ponder for a moment until, searching through her memory, she commented, "My parents always say it's dangerous out there."
"Because it truly is dangerous," Évora confirmed without hesitation.
"But why?" Elara asked, absentmindedly kicking the grass beneath her feet.
"All the danger that comes from the outside is caused by humans," Évora replied, her voice firm, "but I believe you already know that, don't you?"
Elara nodded. "Yes, Kragor has already told me about their history. But are they really that dangerous?"
Évora's eyes drifted toward the horizon, where a group of phoenixes soared through the skies. Their feathers shimmered in shades of orange and red, resembling embers dancing in the wind. "I remember something Bazaltho once said," Évora began, her expression softening. "'If there are beings capable of killing their own kind out of cruelty and not for survival, then it's dangerous to keep them around.' However, he believed there could always be something good even in the rottenest fruit. That's why he never took this idea to the extreme."
"If they're dangerous and unwelcome, then why are there statues of them scattered around Celestia?" Elara asked, her face alight with curiosity.
Évora chuckled softly. "Those statues aren't of humans."
They continued walking until the path led them to a flower-filled field, where blooms of various colors painted the landscape with breathtaking beauty. At the center of the location, a large fountain emerged among the plants, sculpted with intricate details. Atop the rocky pedestal stood the statue of a kneeling woman. Her arms were gently raised toward the sky, hands open as if in prayer. A continuous stream of water flowed from her eyes, like infinite tears cascading down her body into the fountain below. Behind her, two immense angelic wings arched protectively around her.
"They're angels," Évora added, her voice low, almost reverent.
Elara tilted her head slightly, confused. "But… aren't angels human? They look so much like humans in the books. The only difference is that they have wings."
Évora watched as the phoenixes, which had been dancing in the skies, descended softly to the crystalline fountain. Their orange and red feathers glimmered in the sunlight as they bent down to drink the sparkling water. "These statues are representations of Thôdos. Have you ever seen her sanctuary?" Évora asked, breaking the silence in a gentle tone.
Elara, delicately touching a wilted flower nearby, replied with a hint of disheartenment, "Not yet… Kragor always promised to take me someday, but he never did." Her expression reflected slight disappointment, her cheeks puffing lightly in a childish gesture. However, under her gentle touch, the wilted flower began to come back to life. Slowly, its petals restored themselves, taking on a vibrant golden hue that seemed to radiate light.
"Well, the waiting ends today!" Évora exclaimed with contagious enthusiasm. Raising Elara's arms in celebration, she smiled broadly. Her excitement was so great that her sudden cheer startled the phoenixes, which quickly took flight, disappearing once more into the sky. Elara, now beaming, seemed to connect the dots in her mind. "Wait… so the friend you said you were going to visit is Thôdos? That's amazing! Haha!" Her laughter was spontaneous and full of joy, and a wide smile lit up her face.
Évora, caught up in the little elf's excitement, responded with renewed energy: "That's right! So let's go! There's no time to waste!" But in the midst of her enthusiasm, she suddenly stopped, looking around. Something was off. Sighing, she murmured casually, as if used to it, "He's gone."
"Payner? Where did he go?" Elara asked, surprised, scanning the surroundings with attentive eyes as if searching for a clue.
"Don't worry," Évora reassured after closing her eyes for a brief moment. "He's fine. He probably decided to take a different route without telling us."
"How can you be so sure he's okay?" Elara insisted, her voice tinged with concern.
"I can sense his presence," Évora replied with a confident smile. "No matter where he is, I'll always know. Let's keep going. I can't be late, or your parents will worry."
With this reassurance, the two continued their journey along the trail as the sun painted the horizon. Thôdos' sanctuary wasn't far off now, its mystical contours emerging in the distance, almost as if calling them to an inevitable destiny.
[Forest of Vallora]
Payner walked silently along the trail, his light steps making almost no sound. His eyes scanned the surroundings, but his mind seemed distant, caught in enigmatic thoughts. Something disturbed him, a restlessness he couldn't name. As he advanced, a small fairy with golden hair appeared among the leaves of a tree. She flew gracefully, observing the scenery around her until her bright eyes settled on Payner. She quickly noticed something peculiar: small spirits floated around him, forming bluish, melancholic orbs. The faces within the small lights reflected profound sadness.
The fairy didn't hesitate. With determination, she flew toward the orbs, waving her hands vigorously and giving small slaps to the ethereal lights. "Shoo, shoo! Go away!" she commanded in an authoritative tone until the orbs dissipated into the air, vanishing like dust in the wind.
Payner stopped abruptly, observing the scene with calm intrigue. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and unhurried.
"I'm chasing away the spirits that are reflecting your sadness. You're welcome!" the fairy replied with a proud smile, as if she had just accomplished a great feat.
"Thank you," murmured Payner, his gratitude brief and subdued. He resumed his walk, but the fairy quickly followed, fluttering at his side. Curious, she asked, "Are you Payner Grimm by any chance?"
He cast a slightly surprised look and replied without breaking his stride, "It's been a long time since anyone called me by that name."
The fairy's eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing his confirmation. She began flying around him, examining him like a child fascinated by a new toy. "Wow! That's amazing! You're the Guardian, aren't you? Lyria always spoke about you and your sister. Where is she? Shouldn't she be with you?"
Payner, reflecting on the similarities of recent questions, remarked, "It seems we've really been gone for quite some time. You're the second one to ask about us. Didn't you know us before?"
The fairy dodged a few branches crossing the path and replied lightly, "No. I'm a newly blossomed fairy, so to speak. I'm still exploring all the areas of Celestia." Suddenly, she landed delicately on Payner's head, her small fingers touching his dark hair. "Your hair is so well cared for and soft!" she exclaimed, descending to hover in front of his face. Observing him closely, she said, "Your eyes… so cold, yet so full of life, haha!" Without warning, she lightly pinched one of his cheeks, as if testing its texture. "And your skin… so smooth! Incredible."
Payner, irritated by her invasive proximity, gently pushed her away with his hand. "How old are you?" he asked, intrigued by her eccentric behavior.
"I've existed for 16 years," she responded proudly, puffing out her chest and adjusting her hair with a theatrical gesture. "Appreciate the sight, for you are in the presence of the most beautiful fairy in this forest. My name is Pãff."
"Nice to meet you, Pãff," said Payner as he continued walking, ignoring her dramatic pose.
"Hey, wait a minute!" she protested, flying hurriedly to perch on his head again. "Tell me, what makes you sad, Guardian? I'm here to help!"
"I don't need help at the moment. Thank you," he replied firmly but without hostility.
Suddenly, one of the blue orbs reappeared, floating toward Payner, but Pãff was quick to chase it away again. "That doesn't seem true. You're sad," she insisted, flipping upside down to look him in the eye with a mischievous smile. "I can—" She abruptly cut herself off, realizing that her dress made of leaves and petals had slightly slipped. She righted herself in the air quickly, adjusting her attire with a faint blush of embarrassment. After regaining her composure, she pointed directly at Payner's eyes. "I can see it in your eyes."
Payner gently pushed the fairy away from in front of him, resuming his walk without altering his calm pace. "I already said I'm not sad. And even if I were, I don't know how you could help me. After all, we barely know each other to even start a conversation, so—"
Before he could finish, the fairy huffed in protest, crossing her arms with an obviously offended air. "You already know my name, and I already know yours. I know you're Payner Grimm, the Guardian. That's reason enough for us to consider ourselves, at the very least, acquaintances," she declared with a sly smile, her face radiating self-confidence.
Payner let out a long, resigned sigh. "Okay," he replied simply, as though giving up on prolonging the debate.
"Already?" exclaimed Pãff, surprised at how easily he had yielded. She hadn't expected him to accept her insistence so readily. "Maybe I just want to chat a bit," Payner added, his voice taking on a more introspective tone, "or simply walk around with someone who isn't my sister… at least for now." The confession came out laden with an unexpected weight. He had never imagined he could say such words.
Pãff began flying beside Payner, accompanying him with ease. As the two moved forward along the trail, their dialogue unfolded casually. "So, tell me, Guardian," she began, leaning slightly forward. "What's keeping your head so busy?" As she spoke, she playfully knocked on his head, as if expecting it to provoke a reaction. Naturally, Payner didn't feel a thing.
"You don't need to call me Guardian. Just Payner is fine," he replied in a firm but polite tone.
"Alright, then tell me, Payner, what's on your mind?"
"I'm not exactly sure," he replied, his voice tinged with a reflective tone. "But there's something about what I do that bothers me."
The two made their way to a small stream. Payner stepped carefully, walking on the stones spread along the water's flow, avoiding getting his feet wet.
Pãff, on the other hand, flew gracefully close to the surface, her wings nearly skimming the glimmering current. "Are you talking about being Celestia's Guardian? Because, honestly, I don't see anything wrong with that." As she spoke, she ran her hand through the crystal-clear water, feeling its freshness against her skin.
"Évora and I do protect this place, yes," he said, keeping his gaze fixed on the stones ahead. "But that's not all we do."
At that moment, Pãff noticed a shadow emerging from the water. A fish leapt with agility, attempting to catch her, but with a swift movement, she dodged, clearly startled by the scare. "Ah, uh... And what do you two do besides that? Lyria mentioned that you're always moving between the inside and the outside of the Curtain, but she never explained exactly what you do there."
This time, she hovered above Payner's head as he explained: "Évora and I are responsible for maintaining balance, ensuring that nothing disrupts the natural cycle of the world." Together, they crossed the stream and returned to the trail.
"What do you mean?" Pãff asked, curious, as she plucked a leaf and a small root hanging from a tree branch.
"Our role is to prevent certain races from threatening the natural cycle of nature," he said calmly. "For example, a few years ago, we had to kill a human because he was breaking that balance."
Pãff, entertained, split the root into two halves, biting it before tying each piece to the ends of the leaf she held. "And what did he do that made you need to kill him?" Her voice carried curiosity but also caution.
Payner stopped walking for a moment, surveying the surroundings as he replied, "He discovered a way to become immortal, something that goes against human nature. That's why we had to kill him." He changed direction, veering onto a new path.
Pãff, persistent, used the roots to fashion an improvised hammock between Payner's antlers, settling into it lazily. "And there was no other way to solve it? Without needing to kill him?" she asked, swaying lightly.
"No," Payner replied with a tone of resignation. "But Évora tried to warn him subtly, without raising suspicions. As usual, it didn't work."
As she swung in her makeshift hammock, Pãff pressed further: "I still don't understand why you're sad."
Payner hesitated before answering. "It's complicated. Somehow, I feel like I'm drifting away from my purpose. It's as if, little by little, all of this is losing its meaning."
"Let me get this straight," Pãff began, adjusting herself comfortably in the hammock. "You protect Celestia because... why exactly?"
"Because it was Thôdos' duty. When she died, Évora and I decided to continue her work," he replied.
"No, no," Pãff countered, shaking her head. "I know Thôdos took care of everything here, but I want to understand exactly what you're protecting us from. Everything here seems so perfect. There's never been a case of danger threatening Celestia."
Payner left the forest, walking toward a colossal figure sitting on the ground, leaning against a massive rock. The being was made of stone, with moss covering its broad shoulders and the top of its head. Cracks in its arms revealed plants growing within the gaps, while roots sprouted from its back, anchoring deeply into the surrounding soil. Dense grass surrounded its legs, making it appear one with the nature that enveloped it. The figure was motionless, exuding an aura of being as ancient as the world around it.
Pãff left her makeshift hammock and floated beside Payner, her eyes fixed on the majestic slumbering figure. "That's..." she began, her voice trembling with reverence.
"Bazaltho," Payner completed. "The golem created by Thôdos to protect Celestia."
"I've only heard his name," Pãff commented. "And that he was a friend of yours and Évora's."
Payner nodded slightly. "To answer your question, we decided to protect Celestia because, before all this—before we even existed—there was a race that nearly destroyed everything we know."
Pãff felt the weight of Payner's words, and even though he didn't show it, she noticed the sadness in his eyes as he stared at the inert form of the golem. Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked: "And what race was that?"
Payner answered briefly, without diverting his gaze. "Humans."