https://youtu.be/_CGBJIZvFw4

As the soft melody reverberated from a distance away, something stirred within the little one.

A melody for someone close to you, from someone as close.

Iris shifted in her position, her eyes softly fluttering open. The moonlight entered through a slit that existed by the imperfect closing of the curtains, shining across to her room and ceiling as a single but dispersed sheet of white. The breeze accompanied it, carrying the scent of Nature to the little one.

The melody grew agitated, pronouncing the grief of loss overwhelmed by confusion. Iris took a deep breath, her gaze strengthing their focus on reality. She sat up slowly, turning an ear towards the direction the sound came in from.

One towards the source, one away. A difference not too easy to discuss in that setting, perhaps, but with the sort of being she was, she could.

The sound bends, travels in so many directions. Scattered by walls, losing the original intentions, yet it conveyed enough for her. An association with the fingers that played it, the instrument that sat in a place that came before her. Would it stay after her? For how long was she here? What was she here for? Could she do what was intended, if such a path was defined? Could she make her own, if it wasn't?

Life continues on, anyway. Even if she wasn't a part of living things, she was in the living world. 

As Iris stepped onto the cold floor, she experienced the vibrations in a different form. Perhaps someplace close by, someone else experienced them in a similar manner. What did they think of the one that passed away? Iris didn't think or feel anything yet, but perhaps she did...

Something picked out of time, from somewhere ahead and back, seeded in the present. What would foreign yet familiar sentiments do to one who was just introduced to the world?

Alone. Helped. Learning by observation. Learning by teaching. Interacting with the elements of Nature. Coming to understand one's nature. Is that what she was here to do? Or would these components help her achieve the end? 

The end. What an interesting notion. Perfection, satisfaction, or simply done?

The silence that followed the end of the piece caused Iris to stay still, though the footsteps that came after made her move back towards the place that was set by the shadow in question.

So caring for so many beings in this place, the little one included. Sharing some thread of energy in the shadow that was commonly related to them. Little sibling. Talking to the older one that grieved through music.

The ones who would look after the little one, along with a few others. What would aspects of life would they bring to her? What nature? What aspects of sentience, and what of their true nature? 

Shadows drifting on the walls and the floors and the ceiling. Projections of life as the melodies rang out. 

Capturing the moment with minimal information, yet saying enough. Against sunlight, moonlight. Torches, energies, abilities, illusions, the little one shrouded the most in darkness, protected from the sight of the world. Scents masked in that little room. Devoid of any touch.

After so long... welcomed by the sound of music. Farewell to one, greeting to the other?

How could such a little one have thoughts? What experience did she bring? What individuality did she have? What did she care about? What did she find meaningful? What faults was she bound by? What was she here to do?

As Iris drifted to sleep, one thought rang out, a fragment of hope spreading into the returned blanket of Nature that had spread itself over Earth.

I am here.
- - - - - - - 

... ___ ._.. .. ...

As Iris stepped into the unfamiliar land of a familiar energy, the sun's warmth washed over her aura. Those tiniest specks of hair tingled on her hair with the gentle breeze and her gaze lingered at the clouds floating above, the cover of shade softening the fire of energy.

Her sights fell to the horizon, her pupils dilating ever so slightly with curiosity.

Barren to infinity, yet so full of empathy. The stretch of the yellow ground even. The temperature of the path matching the mellow surroundings. The aura colourless other than the slight yellow filled by the sun, burning softly. The sounds silent, the vibrations like the pause between the passages of music. The thoughts abundant but never overwhelming, taking one to a world beyond their imagination. The emotions held within yet somewhat expressive, saying enough. The time following different laws of nature for the shadow of the land, but time existed.

Iris sat down.

Legs cross-legged. Back straight. Eyes on the atmosphere, with respect. Ears intently on Nature. Hands free, but ready to work, resting attentively on her lap. Chest straight, breathing well.  

When the instructions of that old mentor came, Iris stretched her arms out, palms facing each other separated by the smallest unit of distance. She closed her eyes as she shifted her sight. The clouds parted and she opened them to the brightest sphere of yellow she had seen.

Vibrations, motion, spinning, exciting, fluctuating, all uncertain but containing something.

A tiny hole was created, perhaps abstract or perhaps physical. It grabbed the energy of the sphere that had been dissipated across the land.

The waves that pervade this place... come together. Condensing, strengthening. Turbulent, chaotic, uncertain... curious.

Iris closed her eyes, thinking of her home. The diversity of ground and water and life and Nature. The spectrums of everything. The superposition of all good, bad, and everything in between.

The way of life.

The sphere condensed before bursting silently, traversing to the abyss of Grace like the soft flow of water, falling into that with infinite power to come out of another, following the path set by the shadow. The little energy spread amongst the planet of Nature, the tiniest element given to each part of Earth.

A little gift from Grace. Shreds of Nature came together, traversing as a single wave into the first one, the yellow gate granting easy travel from Earth to Grace. The spirit of the latter felt an odd sense of relief at the mere presence of its old friend, as if it had imprisoned itself in a sense of duty that wasn't always true.

At the first moment, an uneasy melancholy hit Iris.

Someone she came from, someone she had heard so much about, a presence she had felt in different manners, yet she never knew her.

The presence of certain shadows nearby as she returned to Earth. Why were they there? Why only them? Now, here... who? Why?

A tree stood amidst the barren space. The softest breeze moved its green leaves glowing brightly in the soft sunlight. Its head reached the sky, going up forever while remaining firm on the ground. The intricate web of branches span wide, a small distance as compared to the planet but protective enough from the little one's perspective. The space right beside the tree, beneath its cooling shade, softened. The aura of Nature settled down and Solis cooled, returning to something that felt like the new normal.

Small changes, feeling big. Or were they big changes that felt small, so natural?

Iris walked forward, sitting where someone else sat quite some time ago. Not too long in the scale of all time, but long enough.

._.. .. _... . ._.

Trina smiled as soon as the little girl entered the circle she often used to practise in.

A scene replicated from years ago, only the people were now different. As was the time. And the world. And the sentiments. And the purpose. And the understanding. And the duty. And the beliefs.

And everything.

The younger shadow greeted the older with a simple nod, her aura softening its presence to take in all that it could from the one with more time. Trina waved her hand from up to down, gesturing Iris to sit as did the same.

Cross-legged.

Trina held out her right index finger to the sky, giving a slight nod and Iris followed. She then placed it on the ground, the touch lingering before the rest of the fingers came down and the palm rested on the ground.

Trina closed her eyes, her aura's focus concentrated on the ground's feel. As Iris noticed she did the same, her fingers sinking into the material that gave her comfort like nothing else.

The reaches of Earth. Here with me, elsewhere in a different form. Feel the texture, smell the fragrance, see the colour,  hear the grains, taste the petrichor.

Or so she would, if she were a part of life. The aura was enough for the shadow, and it was her duty to maintain the energy.

Trina's hold tightened as the energy inside began bubbling, rising to the plane where the intersection of the abstract touch and the physical feel remained. Once it was locked into place it spun, strengthening its hold on the physical world before it unfurled and spread, becoming a sheet that covered some area of the land. Slight sparkles emerged from it, hitting the grains of the sand the shadows sat on. The energies shot interacted with the features, playing with numbers until the shadow that controlled it found the state to display.

The features shifted; the brown turned to red, the particles became finer, the composition was changed, the fragrance hit differently, the very essence was no more the same.

A different name. A different type of something. Shift one parameter and it gets a new name.

Iris wondered what changing the foundation of flowers that they already grew on would do to them. For how long would they survive in suddenly foreign soil? How would anyone feel displaced from their Nature?

After Trina lifted her hand from the ground, Iris let the moment breathe, staying still for a while. Her eyes closed for a time longer than a blink as she rest her palm on the ground, opening only once she had gained absolute awareness of the place.

Each piece of information, each wave of energy, each tie to Nature, each element of its aura...

Each element of its nature.

The shifts began, each following the young shadow's dictation, responding to the energy she gave out. The aura returned to the garden's Nature, though the energy further shifted in response to change.

Transformed by her will.

The soil returned to what it was before Trina's demonstration and the older one almost smiled, looking at Iris momentarily with a soft pride.

Trina thought back to her first lesson. The intrigue, the ignorance of the truth of what she learned, the pure fascination, the wish to impress... none of it was the same.

The same lesson, perhaps, but nothing is the same. Is this a sign of learning?

Iris's hands remained fixed on the ground, everything about her still other than the eyes that danced to keep up with the elements moving around her. Some beings of life such as birds and butterflies, some passive elements of life such as the grass that remained fixated to the soil they had shifted, the breeze as it danced will everything, sights and descriptions told countless times.

Yet each was special.

Is this right? Are these seven techniques right for us? Is this what we're supposed to do now? Aren't we abstract existences? Why are we still learning to interact with the physical world?

Trina looked back to the little girl at solace, her mind lost in the flurry of Nature's aura around her. Detached from all else, simply listening to the life that sang for them.

This is only one. Perhaps when everything comes together, it will make sense.

Or perhaps it won't make sense. It will just become the natural way.

_._. .... ___ ...

The ground gently vibrated against the little one's footsteps, her own sounds travelling far and echoing back to her, no matter how light they were.

No physicality, only abstract. Yet they carried that stimulus. Was it a product of existence? Imagination wrought from false perception? Or they still did exert physical influences, even her.

Iris followed Conrad closely, curious by how silent Conrad was. A presence felt, but nothing else was visible.

Like a shadow.

The prickly road tingled with each step, though Iris found the disturbance somewhat comforting. She wondered what expression the shadow ahead wore, though she soon realised it wouldn't do much.

An aura held back, but there to listen. Silence, but it can speak if it wishes to. Withdrawn, but it can communicate if it wishes to. With itself, others, the world and things beyond.

Does it have something to say for every sentiment in existence? Something to feel? Is that necessary to understand? Perhaps it says the same thing repeatedly in different forms? Or perhaps it sees through the unnecessary and repeats the core, letting the speaker realise.

Does it even care about anything? 

Conrad stopped and so did the little one, taking a moment to pause. The older shadow then turned to Iris with a smile before stepping aside.

Through the old column of green that stretched tall and wide, covering the sides and the sky. A soft yellow glow shining on the city ahead. Walking, driving, talking, eating, resting, playing, working, breathing, feeling, living. 

A prickly road dotted with tall structures, some of glass, some of cement, some of wood, some of metal, some of a myriad of other materials. A bright garden opening only a few feet to their side, stretching beyond their vision. Clouds covering the sky, mollifying the heat of summer for a pleasant cover, phasing into the unprotected wave with time shortly later. Trees lining the centre of the rood, the sides, little bushes filling the gaps between. Messily cut grass, somewhat dried but cool enough for that draining heat.

Sounds, sights, scents, infinite elements to show. To describe. To exist. All wrought from the One. Was that true? Or did they simply confuse concepts?

Concept. How does a concept make one feel? How does it feel to know your actions have consequences? How does it feel to know all is meaningless? How does the intrusion of physical stimuli feel? How does hope feel? Disappointment? Joy? Sorrow? Melancholy? Fear, anger and hatred? 

How far do these emotions take you? Do they make you care? Why did shadows care? Why do they still?

Thinking with your heart versus thinking with your head. What a silly notion. Logic feeds into emotion and emotion influences logic. One decision cannot be based on either independently because neither factor stands alone.

Pretty sight. Care. Disturbance. Care. 

The same thoughts, the same feelings, the same questions, the same conclusions. Perhaps in different forms but the same. Again and again and again.

Ordinary? Or is there simply nothing else?

Conrad walked forward after the moment of calm, taking Iris carefully across the road, onto a path made for walking.

The purpose of such a simple structure. It wasn't simple at a certain time though, for the creatures who built it. It perhaps still isn't. Someone works. Why did they work? Perhaps a creation they enjoyed, or a task that helped them survive. Or a mix. Or something else entirely.

Cracks on the edges, a sign of wear and tear stemming from the action the path was intended for. How would that make the creator feel? Happy with the fact that it was being used, or sad to see fragments of effort wither away?

Everything goes. How was its stay?

The path came to an end, leading the two onto another road. Conrad bent briefly, flicking his finger by the black surface, holding Iris's finger with his other hand. His focus grew on the waves that travelled through the space, jumping from the one he produced to the ones coming at him from all directions.

Originating somewhere. Something meaningful. Reaching someplace. Something meaningful. 

The little one by his side followed his attention, her grasp on Nature and life the only thing that helped her keep up. She managed to stay right behind, jumping and following all the flooding information, somewhat confused and somewhat in awe though she only glanced at each bit until she reached the momentum, seeing for herself. 

When Iris entered Conrad's world, it quivered.

Pages turning, moving ahead. Were the previous ones comprehended properly? Will you revisit them? Will you ever be able to experience them as you once did? If enough time passes, can you forget or will fragments always linger?  A single world can spark an idea to someone, another to someone else in that myriad of others that seem ordinary to one. A tiny shift in an equation, setting of a chain reaction. When does it stop? When does this universe stop? What comes after it stops? What do you do when there is nothing?

What if nothingness is inevitable? How do these abstract ideas matter? How do the creatures born from them matter? If feelings make one care, then is that a false notion? An illusion of Sentience, perhaps, to extend your time on this planet or any other.

What if the language you base everything on is false? Do you know for yourself what you mean to convey, or is it all lost? Flickering for a moment as it is born, never to be understood. 

Conrad's gaze brightened at the sight ahead. They didn't quite take any interest in the happenings unfolding, yet each action came from Nature and felt like something. Even plain was not a void. 

From disinterest to appreciation. Perhaps the opposite happened elsewhere? What would that mean? What does this?

The sound of crickets. The wings of butterflies. The chatter of all animals. The footsteps of all animals. Every motion, every thought, every emotion, every aura carried a sound to Conrad, his perception of information.

Listening keenly, understanding not out of interest but out of duty? Or perhaps it was a mix? Or something else entirely?

Iris ears perked towards the mentor by her side, listening keenly to the flow of his mind. A smile came on her face as she continued forward, turning her attention to the sounds of Nature around.

Feeling thoughtfully.

_. .. ___ ..._

Iris stood in front of Galen, though she wasn't sure if she could be seen. She looked at the kind expression as it peered into something beyond her, her eyes matching his gaze's level on the physical scale. 

Galen shifted, slowly blinking once before he smiled, acknowledging the little girl's presence. The atmosphere around him simultaneously lightened with the absence of his thoughts and grew somewhat heavier with his presence returning to reality. 

Iris sat in front of him, crossing her legs and sitting up with her back straight and arms on her knees to mimic the posture she saw. Did certain positions help one do a task more effectively? Why? That would be a simple answer, catering to the usual physical factors. Then why did they?

Would it be better if they had never existed in the physical world? If the beings never came down to reality, would everything have been fine? Were they somehow the cause of all this that was bad or unnatural, or were they properly trying their best to fix something that went wrong somewhere they didn't properly understand?

Or, as always, was everything simply Nature? 

So many unanswerable questions... were they supposed to be satisfied with uncertainty or perhaps come up with answers for themselves? Consoling lies? Something to keep their doubts in control? Under observation?

Everyone is being observed by Nature.

What is the point in thinking about all that could have been if one cannot learn from it? What is the point of moving forward if you have nothing to walk on? Or perhaps that road bends, takes you back to where you were because you don't know how to look straight.

Or perhaps you simply can't. You walk ahead because it's better than staying in one place. You walk ahead, hoping you can change roads. You simply walk ahead. 

Iris and Galen came to a stop beneath a tree that spread its being into the atmosphere, enveloped by its shadow. They closed their eyes, catching onto the plain aura of this element of Nature, seeing the intricacies of the pathway that connected it to the rest of Nature and transitioning to the dimension they came from.

Devoid of all stimuli. All mundane features. Pure information moving around boundlessly.

The two shadows observed the space of consciousness that floated above them, beneath the fabric, between two features of nature. Constantly changing though fundamentally the same forever, featuring information across all of time yet projecting the state of some present as it moves on the axis. 

Drifting in place.

Sparks flew from it, branching forward towards reality, sharing the slightest touch as it interacted with the elements of Nature and fed its aura to the physical world. 

One energy transitioning, relaying something to another and making the latter transition, propelling it forward, spreading little things throughout the planet that simultaneously felt so large and tiny. 

Such was how certain creatures were born, only one of which remained in the present tense. It was how certain abilities of the trappers could work, the phenomenon still continuing as the latter thinned down. 

The abilities model of power... were the techniques also a model of power that was meant to fade away eventually? Were Shadow Beings not supposed to be physically existing at all? Was their progress temporary? Was everything? 

Could thoughts be quantified as information? Could emotions? Were they independent in any sense? Were they the same in any sense? 

Could Shadow Beings understand such abstract information in its raw forms or were they subject to experience too? Did time change these beings, or can they return to their previous form?

Should they change? Would that be reversing their progress?

Galen picked out one spark of energy at random, recalling its motion in the past, staying with its location in the present to follow it into the future. Iris stayed close, holding on to Galen's aura, simply observing. 

He peered into the wave, needing no tools as it went deep and deep and deeper than anything one of Sentience could begin to understand.

Fundamentals stemming from the One, building into these falsely complicated systems. One change leading to a spiral of a myriad of changes at each step, changing everything. 

Perhaps this was a farce, too. Perhaps the entire world was false. Perhaps so was nothingness. 

Words cannot express everything. Limitations of a medium, unable to deliver the Truth.

Galen stepped back, looking at the infinite changes that little spark brought across all of time, new ones popping in with time. Iris's sight slightly widened and she briefly turned towards the older shadow, seeing the world reflected in his glazed eyes. 

The kindness of solitude, the courage of care. Nature cohesive, shadows sifting through the dark all alone. Sentiments interconnected, trying to separate themselves from each other. Was that how the world was built? Everything connected, trying to become individuals, turning into the same dust at the end. A popular notion, widely known. Was it understood?

As the two shadows returned to reality, thoughts continued to spiral into reality and back. As did theirs, though the oblivious one remained rather reserved.

One thought entered the grey aura as he looked at the little one by his side, slightly surprising himself.

Was she curious? If yes then why? A feature embedded to carry out her duty, or something of her nature? Was that even possible? 

If not, then was she able to learn? Can one make oneself curious? Can one make oneself disinterested? 

Iris smiled as she walked, looking at the Nature around her ina. gaze Galen hadn't seen before. In her or any other shadow. Galen smiled too as his sight left the little one of Nature, returning to the physical world around him.

Comprehending thoughtfully.

__. ._. .. ___ _.

Evelyn firmly held the young one's hand as she ran across the field, the smallest smile present on the latter's face. She observed the world as it whizzed around her, the blurs of colours and sounds and feels of the different spaces of Sylva Vita blending to create a mess of life.

Green stretches to someplace beyond their sights, its aura never truly fading away as it blended in with the rest of the world. Reaching the blue screen that rippled with the touches of the wind, its mere presence cooling the atmosphere of Nature as well as their minds. Reflecting all the sides above and around, being that which is down, interacting with all that remained further lower. Stemming from a place unknown far back in the depths of time, existing now.

Their pace of life slowed during their journey, returning to normalcy as they came to a stop. The breeze accompanied their phases, softening to alleviate the burning of their energy. The two looked up in unison, seeing the figures that weren't black move.

People. Standing, walking, sitting, talking, thinking, breathing, seeing, listening, feeling, experiencing.

Being.

Continuing on with time as if anything mattered. Or perhaps continuing forward as there was no other way to go.

Do they try? Do they truly feel? Do they think? Can they comprehend anything or are their minds filled with their beliefs? Clouding the truth, or perhaps the only way they can seek it.

Or perhaps it is their truth.

You know nothing. You will never know anything, not like this. Are you okay with not knowing?

Are we okay with not knowing? Thinking about the future as life passes by. Thinking about the past as life passes by. Focusing on the present as the other times fade out of focus, forgetting to learn.

Too much to keep in mind. What all matters?

A little girl tripped on the sidewalk, landing on her palm. She stared at the site of impact for a brief moment before she stood back up, giggling shyly at the tall man by her side.

Iris turned towards Evelyn to see her wear the softest smile.

Hitting a crack. Misbalanced. Falling down. Gravity. Pushing back up. Force. Stretching your muscles. Producing a sound.
Evoking softness, a tiny flicker in the vast abstract space. Traversing to someone. Felt for a moment before dissipating, but felt nevertheless.

What does it matter when something happens? What is a waste of time? Are usage and meaning even in one's control? Sitting, thinking or doing or idle or anything at all.

Evelyn sat with her back straight, closing her eyes as her focus on the elements of life deepened. Iris did the same, for a moment slightly confused by their position in the centre of a sidewalk, but nothing could distract her.

The wind whispered. Footsteps sounded in the distance. Someone scraped the roads. Someone typed on a bench. Someone drank, ate, drive. Tapping of fingers, clicking buttons. And on, and on, and on.

As Iris released her hold on these physical stimuli, everything faded away and yet the world brightened. Deeper, seeped in intricacies, complex, delicate, fragile, soft, harsh, a mess of information and emotions.

Full of life.

As Evelyn's nature flicked, the law of Nature for a tree shifted and its colours shifted from bright green to warm red, leaves dotted with water glistening in the soft sunlight to produce a scene out of season in a time that made this familiar phase a new setting.

A green shine flickered in Iris's gaze, confused for the briefest moment, the feeling turning to curiosity and awe. A red glow flickered and the sight before her deepened, though the previous one lingered in her mind.

Pretty, but feeling unnatural.

Iris stood up, walking silently to a bush and she crept by its side. She stared at the black creature with yellow stripes, buzzing loudly as it worked hard with its everyday routine, hovering around pretty flowers. She locked her concentration on that element of Nature, thinking of the wind and its motion and its currents and time and so much more. Every bit of its binding laws.

With the flaps in the following second, the fruits of a distant tree fell. Evelyn wore a small smile as she looked at the little one, and for a moment it felt as if the sun grew warmer, settling the cold winter wind.

Is everything connected or is it all the same? Is anything really separate? Different?

Individuality, freedom, complexity, chain reactions...

Iris touched the bark of the changed tree, pressing her fingers softly against the rough surface. She simply looked at the joint where the brown branched into various paths, the myriad colours of autumn dotting them. A momentary soft smile shifted her expression as she appreciated the sight but it returned to neutrality immediately after, her aura thinning and curling around the tree.

A force pulls you in, compelling you towards nature for the way of Nature shouldn't be changed. Is it okay to play with it even for a single second? It didn't feel right, not to the Shadow of Earth, anyway. 

When the little one's focus returned to reality, a familiar green scene greeted her. She remained in the moment, feeling Evelyn's gaze of pride behind her.

Iris wondered what the pride was for. Performing the technique properly, or doing the "right" thing? What was right? What was true? What held any meaning? What did consequences matter, even if you learn from it? 

What does anything matter if it all fades into dust, in the end?

Evelyn stood up and gently held Iris's hand, pulling her onto the path made of stone.

Shadows hovering above the physical world, interacting without being a part. A thin veil separates them, clear and transparent so perfectly that not everyone can see the difference.

But it exists.

Iris looked up at the tall shadow who wore a smile so bright, imparting a sense of life to each element of Nature as she walked past it.

Is it okay to care without knowing why you care? Is it okay to do without knowing the exact effects? 

Everyone says it is okay to make mistakes. Can they ever stop? Can we be free of our faults? Do we have to? Do we simply try to improve, never truly changing, using the excuse of trying to propel our lives forward?

What did such a notion matter for such a little girl? What faults could she possibly have? Something she was born with? Must she spend her entire life solving something out of control? Or do they come as one exists, inserted somewhere in their timeline? Why couldn't these faults be avoided, then?

Can we ever be free of nature?

Perhaps as long as we are a part of Nature, we cannot. Or perhaps we simply never can, existing physically or abstractly or in any sense. Do you want to be free of nature? What will that make you?

... .. __. ___ ._.

The leader walked slowly yet swiftly to the site of the flames from a past, a melancholic smile lingering on her expression that was devoid of all else. Ordinary gaze, ordinary forehead, ordinary aura as she simply walked.

Iris followed closely behind, hiding her curiosity at this unfamiliar demeanour of the leader well enough for her level, though it couldn't possibly pass unnoticed by the shadow in question. Using the methods of the sun she had learned from a certain spirit, the little girl briefly focused on the remnants of the fiery energy.

So shallow now, fading into dust. Just like a shadow. But it happened nevertheless. The grief, panic, anger, fear, hatred, trauma, kindness, patience, strength and so much more had made their mark somehow.

Could that be why she liked the rain so much? Washing away the burns of conflict?

Audrey turned towards Iris with a deeper smile small as ever, turning her head slightly as she looked down. Something orange momentarily sparkled in the latter's eyes, waved away as she looked at the sight ahead.

Such a tall and strong structure. White, as if it was a site completely untainted. Reaching the sky from a short perspective, as if it could never be brought down. Shadows filled its aura with hope, patience and work, seemingly so strong that it could never be cracked for the briefest moment of time.

The remnants of the fire burned below. Softly, in silence, but it never faded away. It never would, not completely. Nothing would.

Until perhaps everything did.

Audrey turned towards the right, heading to the small and lush lawn that sat by the side of the structure. Her gaze lingered on the destination for the briefest moment, a hesitance in her step that could perhaps only be explained by a scene from the past.

Frozen. Consoled only by the presence of an older girl who was too little herself. An event that seemed so unnecessary to her now, just as everything else did.

Why did things happen again and again and again if they were supposed to learn from each? Was it her inability of learning, her lack of will or simply a lack of care? Or something else? Or nothing at all?

Or something else. Or nothing at all. Questions that seem to follow every line of thought nowadays.

Audrey sat down slowly on the grass, not making a single sound with that action, in reality hovering ever-so-slightly above the surface. Iris followed.

Audrey simply closed her eyes, making contact with nothing, not even the atmosphere that enveloped them. She focused on the remnants of what could have been traumatic, but she focused on the kindness that surrounded her for so long.

Always present beside her in time. Understanding, death, time, life, kindness and now... belief. Did she believe in anything? Did she trust anything? Or was she simply drifting along?

The heat of the past intensified, the warmth sharply reaching the little girl that sat by the side of the leader. It floated, making its way up without physically interacting with the elements of Nature.

Fear, anger, hatred... she could contain them within the flame for she no more felt them. Perhaps it was odd, perhaps it was good, perhaps it was nothing... but it was what it was and it was right.

Right. What is right? Could she give Iris the right learnings? Could any of them who stayed back do so?

As the sphere of flame emerged from the ground Iris gently caught it withing her small palms, hesitating before giving it a short blow. It remained unfazed and Iris's fingers slightly parted, her gaze fixated on that orange glow.

Peering into the truth of the day. An event far back, though not really far. How much did it matter? To who all did it matter? To who will it matter after everything and everyone is done, gone?

Iris left its hold as Audrey tapped her fingers soundlessly in the air, calling the mark towards her. She focused on a single emotion that burned brightly during that event, outshining everything else. It all mattered, but she simply chose to focus on the one she needed most.

A certain shadow's wish to protect. Her will. Her honesty. Her strength. A young being, fighting to simply protect. The little ones, the place, the integrity of its aura forever and ever.

The flame burst timidly, slowly gaining that will for itself as it spread its reaches amongst the garden of life, settling within the blanket of Nature that had become so firm by that moment.

A piece of Audrey's soul, a sprinkle of that dear memory fluttering into the delicate atmosphere, capable of doing enough.

Iris rested her hand on her chest, feeling the energy that burned in there. Much stronger than this remnant, much brighter and young and tied stronger to time.

Coming from the blanket of Nature. Should it give back? Is it the right time yet? It doesn't seem that way.

The moment Iris let her palm rest on the ground her soul shook. Perhaps it was a small change, but it was visible to her.

Sinking into the ground like the comfort of death, but the physical world pushed back, keeping everyone still and strong. Always there for you, but it cannot accept you. Pushing you back again and again and again, till the time is not right.

For the moment, Iris was happy with receiving this will from her leader. A memory treasured forever, however long that could be.

Grateful to Hearth
Grateful to Earth
Grateful to all that could have been

But chose duty.

Iris believes.

__ . ._.. ._.. .._ ...

Ava spot the young girl's tiny figure shrouded in colours, hidden beneath the cover of the infinite flowers she often sat amongst. With a smile she crouched down, the younger one raising her head with one of her own. She scooted backwards slightly, letting Ava sit close by comfortably.

With Ava's deep breath, Iris removed any expressions from herself, her focus solely on her mentor and the setting they sat in.

Ava touched the ground with her fingertips, similar to the manner of Liber. She didn't close her eyes, however, their focus remaining on the streaks of nature around her. Colours of all sorts, scents mingling in the atmosphere that had displayed so many moods over the years. Responding to the activities of the life of the planet and vice-versa over the years. Evolving together, changing definitions of what was ordinary for each element of Nature.

The glow in Ava's eyes brightened ever-so-slightly, the white reflecting the myriad of existence that was displayed just before her. However, as the moments passed, other sights began to fill the tiny space.

Rocks. Brick. Leaves of different kinds. Skies of all colours. Sounds of leaves pattering on the ground. Cars. Footsteps. Music. Brushes. Typing. Wheels. Balls bouncing. Clicking. Talking. Eating. Treasuring moments. Hating everything. Confusion. Anger. Compassion. Wisdom. Sweet and bitter fragrances. Pastel colours. Dark atmospheres. Dull pleasant presence. Anything and everything, the prettiest chaos Iris had witnessed.

Earth.

Iris wondered what she would do with this information after all that the other techniques had done, but she soon realised such a question was trivial.

Ava sat still.

Iris stared at the sky, the blank blue letting the information flow into her more easily. The intricacies of this planet, of this ordinary world that was extraordinary for those of sentience.

Perhaps she admired it, too. She certainly cared for it.

----- -------

https://youtu.be/R-aEUmz32f4

The young shadow stood within the infinite circles of Nature, her face devoid of emotion and yet radiating an understanding of kindness. The slightest tinge of a breeze existed, carrying the flurry of petals to her, settling around her feet.

She lifted her gaze from the colourful ground to the thoughtful shadow, holding a myriad of emotions deep within her heart. Yet her expression showed nothing, her aura displayed nothing. 

Nothing except one thing.

The petals circled further and Iris turned her attention back to Nature, staying still in the circle while she touched her hand to the petal-covered Earth, feeling its vibrations beyond the thin layers of the soft sheets. 

Pulsating. 

Audrey walked to the centre.

Silent footsteps, pulling its aura back in to see all that surrounds it.

The breeze quickened its pace, playfully brushing against the leader's fingers. They vibrated, wishing to move, but Audrey let them hang loosely.

Aura relaxing, letting go.

The moment Iris turned, a warm smile appeared on the older shadow's face. She bent down slightly as she continued forward, the sky's colours deepening while she still stood strong.

Reminiscent of someone she wished to see again.

Audrey flicked her thumb, producing a mellow bolt of orange. It skipped around her, swirling its way to the younger shadow. Iris giggled ever-so-slightly, catching it within her palms in a protective manner. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the energy that bubbled inside, and the one that burned within.

As the shadow's grip tightened, the heat reached the source. Audrey tuned out of reality, focusing on that which came.

A silent breeze... disappearing. Chirpings of elements of nature... falling silent. Colours in the sky... going grey. Scents of nature... fading away.

With the soft bell, everything returned. Colder, euphonious, deeper, fragrance of innocence returning to the world.

Sights of beauty... returning to the world.

As a melody reverberated through the atmosphere ever-so-quietly, the flowers opened wide to the sky. The amplitude of sounds deepened, reaching the leader through the ground and the air and the abstract space and her mind and the energies that connected her to the centre of the land, a practise she had carried forward so many times that it may have become a part of her.

The sights brightened, lighting coming in from every direction and it blinded the silence of thoughts that pervaded her mind, an odd feeling overcoming her being. The scents were subdued as ever, yet they spiked at random intervals and sent shivers through her skin. The orange bolt's movements grew hesitant, though it still played with the little one.

Iris turned. 

Such a perfect facade. Was that a part of her nature, or had it become a quality with her time as a leader? With her time dealing with the world? How would she feel if it all went away?

A raven dove down, its wings faintly touching the flowers as it swam across the atmosphere before it returned to the infinity above. The trail of pale orange spread to the boundaries of the space of Nature, settling.

Little butterflies fluttering their wings, hovering around flowers. Living things moving their feet to traverse from one place to the other. Waking up. Getting ready. Thinking. Working. Communicating. Doing. Feeling. Doing. Going on and on. Again and again, every day. 

What do you think when every day is exactly the same? What do you think when changes are thrown at you from every side? What difference does a mix make? 

Can you adapt fast enough? Is it better to become comfortable so fast that everything feels ordinary, or is awe better? Do you ever wish to go back to how things once were? Do you 2wish to attain some goal set in the future? Do you wish for things to remain as is? Are you scared? Or lazy? Or tired? Or do you simply not care at all?

What do you do when you like multiple lifestyles? What do you do when you dislike them all? what do you do when you don't care? Does a mix help? Phases of feeling, thinking, shifting opinions...

Everything changes. Do you? Do you want to? Do you need to?

Does everything truly change or is it all ordinary fundamentally the same? Is there any value in the differences outlined on the surface? Variations create, but what does it matter if there is nothing? Why does anyone protect anything? Because they care?

Do I care? I no more know. Shifting opinions. Shifting feelings. Shifting information. Shifting world. Yet it is ordinary. 

The quest for meaning... how do you move forward if you don't know what is right? What isn't a waste of time? Does a Shadow Being follow their feeling? Could some logical framework exist? What is a waste and what isn't... what if everything feels like a waste?

Is it okay to hold onto outdated ideals? Is it okay to hold onto old sentiments? Is it okay to linger in the past as one moves forward with this chaotic present? Audrey didn't help humans anymore, but she still liked listening to them.

She still liked playing the piano.

As the bolt of light faded Iris ran forward, a demure smile on her face while she looked up at the older shadow. The light in the little one's eyes faltered for the briefest moment upon the facade and Audrey noticed it, but her aura mellowed while recalling a melody of the past.

The first one Iris had ever heard. Why? Why this one? Why was this the sound that rang so prominently within her, anyway? The instrument that gave Audrey her learnings, her moments of calm, her moments of frustration, her space to feel, her space to think, her space to hope...

They were withering, one by one, weren't they? Wasn't that good? Or perhaps they only thought such human qualities were going. What if you never stop caring? An illusion cast by you, coping up with sadness.

Iris looked into her eyes once again and sighed, settling herself. 

Withering.

...RH

LH...

No matter what, the next piece would be played. Which one? What's the time? What's the key? How long? How will it be played?

It will be played. What happens after it ends?