My Point of View

It had been a week.

Seven days since I'd somehow been thrown four centuries into the past.

Seven days since Lady Sayuri's mother had nearly taken my head off before realizing I wasn't an immediate threat.

Seven days since I'd learned that history...

Wasn't nearly as distant as I'd once believed.

I leaned back against the trunk of one of the ancient cedars overlooking the sanctuary below, watching the afternoon sun spill across the rooftops. From up here, the village looked almost peaceful enough to be a painting.

Children chased one another through the narrow paths between the buildings.

Blacksmiths worked their forges below, the rhythmic ring of hammer against steel echoing faintly up the mountain.

Further away, I could see hunters returning through the western gate, their packs slung over their shoulders as several younger Kitsune hurried over to greet them.

Life continued.

Exactly as it always had.

It was strange.

I'd spent so long believing history was something fixed. Something written down in books.

Now...

I was walking through it.

Living it.

Meeting the people who would one day become legends.

Or, in Lady Sayuri's case...

Become one of my closest friends.

It was surreal.

In just one week, I'd met dozens of people.

Some...

I already knew.

Or rather...

I knew who they would become.

Lady Sayuri, of course, was still only a ten year old girl.

Brilliant.

Curious.

Already frighteningly intelligent.

Though she hadn't yet developed the calm, almost unnerving composure that would define her centuries later.

She still smiled easily.

Still laughed often.

Still had the habit of asking endless questions that somehow left everyone else feeling like they'd just taken an examination.

Watching her now...

Knowing the woman she would become...

Was honestly fascinating.

Then there was Akane.

Warm.

Patient.

Far gentler than her first impression had suggested.

Though...

Considering she'd mistaken me for someone threatening her daughter...

I couldn't exactly blame her for introducing herself with a sword.

I smiled to myself.

That was certainly one way to make an entrance.

I'd also met several elders who, centuries later, would be remembered only as names in old scrolls.

Master builders.

Scholars.

The previous shrine keepers.

The blacksmith whose techniques would eventually become the foundation for nearly every enchanted blade produced by the sanctuary.

People I'd only ever heard mentioned in passing.

Now...

They were simply...

People.

They laughed.

Complained.

Argued over tea.

Forgot where they left tools.

Grumbled about paperwork.

History had a funny way of turning ordinary people into legends.

Living among them reminded me that they hadn't started that way.

None of them had.

One thing, however, had occupied most of my week.

Magic.

Or...

More specifically...

Trying very hard not to embarrass myself while learning an entirely different branch of it.

Akane had apparently decided that, since fate had already thrown me four centuries into the past, I might as well leave knowing something useful.

So...

Every morning after breakfast...

She dragged me into the forest.

Not literally.

Usually.

The first lesson had shattered one assumption almost immediately.

I had always believed magic was...

Well...

Magic.

Mana.

Spells.

Different techniques perhaps...

But fundamentally the same thing.

Akane had very politely informed me that I was completely wrong.

"Human magic..." She'd explained while drawing circles in the dirt with a stick. "...is only one language."

That comparison had caught my attention.

She'd continued drawing three more circles beside the first.

"Dragonic magic. Kitsune magic. Elven magic."

Then she'd drawn lines connecting all four together.

"They all use mana."

She'd looked up at me.

"But they do not think the same way."

That sentence had confused me for nearly an hour.

Apparently...

Human magic was built upon structure.

Formula.

Control.

A human mage gathered mana, shaped it through deliberate intent, and produced a spell.

Simple.

Predictable.

Efficient.

Dragonic magic...

Was almost the opposite.

It wasn't forced.

It was expressed.

Power flowed according to instinct, emotion, and overwhelming force of will.

A dragon didn't calculate how to breathe fire.

It simply...

Did.

Trying to explain it felt like asking someone how to breathe.

Kitsune magic proved even stranger.

According to Akane...

Foxfire wasn't merely mana.

It was identity.

Memory.

Emotion.

Illusion.

Perception.

A Kitsune didn't simply cast an illusion.

They invited someone else to experience a different reality.

The distinction sounded subtle.

Until she demonstrated it.

A human illusion spell...

Created a false image.

A Kitsune illusion...

Convinced your own senses that the image had always been there.

The first time she hid an entire cedar tree in plain sight...

I walked straight into it.

She hadn't laughed.

Much.

Only enough that I spent the next five minutes rubbing my forehead while she politely explained the importance of awareness.

I still maintain that tree moved.

She disagreed.

Elven magic...

She admitted she knew the least about.

Not because it was rare.

Because the elves guarded their teachings carefully.

What little she did know suggested it revolved around harmony.

Growth.

Balance.

Life itself.

Where humans commanded mana...

Elves cooperated with it.

It was less casting...

And more...

Asking.

The forest answered those willing to listen.

By the end of the explanation...

My head hurt almost as much as it had after the City of Silence.

Then...

She'd somehow made everything even more confusing.

"You possess three."

I'd blinked.

"...Three what?"

She'd looked at me as though the answer should have been obvious.

"Human. Dragonic. Kitsune."

I'd stared.

"...Excuse me?"

She'd nodded calmly.

"I can feel all three."

Naturally...

That had raised approximately five hundred questions.

The Dragonic affinity...

Actually made a disturbing amount of sense.

After all...

I'd absorbed something from the dragon I'd slain.

Whether it had been its mana...

Its essence...

Its blessing...

Or its curse...

Nobody seemed entirely certain.

Whatever had happened...

It had fundamentally altered me.

I'd suspected as much ever since magic first awakened within me.

Dragonic mana simply confirmed the theory.

The Kitsune affinity...

That one puzzled me.

At least...

Until I remembered Akiko.

The thought had struck me during one of our training sessions.

Akiko.

The ancient Kitsune whose power had intertwined with mine.

The woman whose soul had left behind more than memories.

It had left...

A mark.

No...

Something deeper than a mark.

A connection.

If the dragon had awakened Dragonic magic...

Then Akiko...

Might very well have done the same for Kitsune magic.

When I'd mentioned the theory to Akane...

She hadn't dismissed it.

She'd actually gone quiet.

Very quiet.

Finally...

She'd nodded once.

"It is possible."

That had surprised me.

"You don't think it's impossible?"

"I think..."

She'd chosen her words carefully.

"...you continue accumulating things that should not be transferable."

"...That's becoming a trend."

"It is."

She'd sighed.

"I dislike trends like this."

"So do I."

Unfortunately...

Neither of us had a better explanation.

For now...

The theory would have to do.

Somehow...

Against all reason...

I had become something that should never have existed.

A human...

Capable of wielding human magic...

Dragonic magic...

And Kitsune magic.

Whether that was a blessing...

Or simply another complication waiting to happen...

Remained to be seen.

"...So..." I said without looking up from the book resting in my lap. "...Are you ready for what happens in about five minutes?"

The soft rustle of robes stopped behind me.

"...What happens in five minutes?" Akane asked.

I blinked.

"...Right."

I scratched the back of my neck.

"I forgot about that part."

Closing the book, I looked up at the blue morning sky filtering through the shrine courtyard.

"I keep forgetting I'm the only one here who's expecting what's to come."

Akane folded her arms inside her sleeves, one golden ear twitching with curiosity.

"I suppose that would make remembering future events rather inconvenient."

"You have no idea."

I let out a small laugh before clearing my throat.

"A delegation from the Elven Kingdom is about to arrive."

Her eyebrows rose slightly.

"So soon?"

I nodded.

"Completely unannounced, too. They're coming as part of... well... an experiment."

"An experiment?"

"More of a diplomatic one."

I leaned back against the wooden railing.

"They want to improve relations with the other races."

"They've spent centuries keeping mostly to themselves, and now they're curious what happens if they allow outsiders to learn their magic."

Akane's expression became thoughtful.

"They would permit foreigners to study Elven magic?"

"Five of them."

I held up my hand.

"They're going to ask for five volunteers willing to undergo a series of trials. They aren't simply looking for talented mages. They're looking for people who are adaptable. People willing to learn another culture instead of forcing their own upon it."

She remained silent, absorbing every word.

"And I..." I continued with a grin. "...fully intend on volunteering."

Akane looked at me for several long seconds.

"I expected as much."

"You did?"

"You have yet to encounter a mysterious trial you did not immediately decide to participate in."

"...That's..."

I frowned.

"...Actually a fair observation."

The corner of her lips lifted ever so slightly.

"You seem incapable of ignoring curiosity."

"I prefer to call it healthy scientific inquiry."

"I call it recklessness."

"Tomato, tomahto."

She shook her head with a sigh that somehow managed to convey both exasperation and amusement.

"You've only recently begun learning Kitsune Magic."

"I know."

"You have not yet begun Dragonic Magic."

"I know."

"You continue studying Human Arcane Magic."

"I know."

"And now you wish to learn Elven Magic as well."

"Correct."

She regarded me thoughtfully.

"If you succeed..."

She hesitated.

"...You may become the first recorded person to possess all four major magical traditions."

I blinked.

"...Really?"

She nodded.

"Arcane. Kitsune. Dragonic. And Elven."

She counted each one on her fingers.

"No one has ever mastered all four. Most struggle to learn even two."

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.

"...Huh. I hadn't actually thought about that."

"No."

She replied dryly.

"I suspect you simply saw another opportunity to learn something interesting."

"...Also fair."

A comfortable silence settled between us before Akane spoke again.

"There are, of course..."

She paused.

"...Two other magical traditions."

"Holy and Demonic?"

She nodded once.

"They stand apart from the others. Neither belongs to a race. They belong to powers beyond mortal civilization."

My curiosity immediately flared.

"So how does someone learn them?"

Akane exhaled quietly.

"The paths differ."

She held up one finger.

"Holy Magic may be granted by a god... a goddess... or, according to some ancient legends, by the blessing of a unicorn."

My eyebrows rose.

"...A unicorn?"

"They are exceedingly rare."

"I've never seen one."

"Few have."

She raised another finger.

"Demonic Magic follows different laws. It can be granted willingly. It can be earned...Or..."

Her voice grew noticeably quieter.

"...It can be bought."

Something about the way she said that made me straighten slightly.

"Bought?"

She nodded.

"Through blood."

I frowned.

"...Blooded."

"You mentioned that before. What exactly does that mean?"

Akane's expression lost its earlier warmth.

"It is an ancient ritual."

She spoke slowly, carefully choosing every word.

"A demon or devil exchanges blood with a mortal. The act binds both parties. It seals an agreement. A contract. A pact."

I felt a chill crawl up my spine.

"...And that's bad."

"It is. The mortal gains access to Demonic Magic. But in return..."

She looked directly into my eyes.

"...Their soul becomes claimed. The exact destination depends upon the being who formed the pact. The Abyss. Hell. Or another infernal realm."

The words lingered heavily between us.

"So..."

I finally asked.

"...You're basically signing away your afterlife."

"Precisely."

"...Yeah."

I grimaced.

"I'm gonna pass on that one."

Akane gave an approving nod.

"A wise decision."

I thought for another moment.

"You said there was another way."

"There is."

Her ears twitched once.

"If a mortal defeats a demon...Or survives certain infernal trials...They may gain insight into Demonic Magic without surrendering their soul."

I blinked.

"...So...It's possible."

"It is."

"It is also exceptionally dangerous."

"I assumed as much."

She continued.

"Most who attempt such trials never return."

"I figured."

Silence settled again.

I looked toward the distant mountains where I knew the Elven delegation would soon appear.

"...Interesting."

I murmured.

Akane narrowed her eyes.

"...That tone concerns me."

"Hm?"

"That is the tone you use immediately before making a terrible decision."

"I do not have a tone."

"You absolutely have a tone."

"I disagree."

She stared at me.

"...Alex."

"What?"

"Tell me..."

Her voice became perfectly flat.

"...You are not considering hunting a unicorn."

I looked away innocently.

"...Not today."

"And you are not considering challenging demons."

I smiled sheepishly.

"...Not today."

"...Alex."

"I said not today."

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That was not the reassuring answer I had hoped for."

I laughed.

"I'm joking... Mostly."

She slowly lowered her hand.

"...That single word concerns me more than the entire previous conversation."

"I'll worry about holy and demonic magic another time."

I stood, dusting off my clothes as voices echoed faintly from the village below.

"For now..."

I smiled toward the mountain path.

"...I think we've got some elves about to make a rather dramatic entrance."

Akane followed my gaze.

A faint breeze stirred the cherry blossoms overhead.

"...Right on time."

Somewhere beyond the forest...

A distant horn echoed through the valley.

The horn echoed once more.

Long.

Clear.

Ancient.

Its note rolled across the valley like the wind itself, bouncing from one mountainside to the next.

The conversations throughout the sanctuary immediately ceased.

Farmers stopped working.

Children stopped playing.

Even the birds seemed to grow quiet.

Akane slowly straightened beside me.

"They're here."

"I told you."

She shot me a look.

"You also told me exactly when."

"Yeah."

"...I still dislike how casually you do that."

I grinned.

"You get used to it."

"I sincerely hope I do not."

From somewhere below, temple bells rang three times.

A signal.

Within moments, Kitsune from throughout the sanctuary began making their way toward the central shrine.

Elders.

Warriors.

Scholars.

Healers.

Even many of the younger students.

Curiosity spread through the village faster than wildfire.

Word had already reached everyone.

The elves had arrived.

Akane and I joined the growing crowd moving toward the main courtyard.

As we walked, I noticed more than a few Kitsune glancing my way.

Not suspiciously.

Curiously.

Most of them had grown used to my presence over the past week.

Apparently I had already earned a reputation.

Mostly for asking far too many questions.

I considered that reputation accurate.

We made our way to the main courtyard in record time.

The main courtyard had filled by the time we arrived.

Lady Akiko stood near the front beside several elders.

Not far behind the assembled adults, I noticed a familiar head of long golden hair.

Young Sayuri stood quietly among several other children, trying very hard to appear composed despite the obvious curiosity shining in her mismatched eyes. Every so often she'd peek around one of the older Kitsune to get a better look toward the great gate.

It was strangely surreal seeing someone I knew as a four hundred year old healer standing there as an inquisitive child.

Akane quietly took her place among the shrine maidens.

I stood several steps behind the elders.

Trying, and failing, to look inconspicuous.

"You realize..." Akane whispered without turning around. "...that standing nearly a head taller than everyone else makes that impossible."

"...Worth a shot."

"It was not."

Before I could answer...

Movement appeared beyond the great torii gate.

The first elves entered.

Silence swept across the courtyard.

They were...

Beautiful.

Not in an exaggerated, mythical sort of way.

Simply...

Elegant.

Their movements carried a quiet grace that reminded me of flowing water.

Long robes of emerald, silver, and ivory shifted gently with every step.

Some carried beautifully carved wooden staves.

Others wore curved swords at their hips.

Every one of them possessed the unmistakable pointed ears I had only ever seen in fantasy books back on Earth.

Their hair ranged from silver to gold to deep forest green.

Even their eyes seemed brighter somehow.

Like polished gemstones.

There were perhaps twenty of them altogether.

At their head walked an elderly elf whose silver hair reached nearly to his waist.

Unlike the others...

Age actually showed upon his face.

Not weakness.

Wisdom.

His sharp emerald eyes calmly surveyed the sanctuary.

Lady Akiko stepped forward.

"Welcome to the Kitsune Sanctuary."

She bowed respectfully.

"We are honored by your visit."

The elderly elf returned the gesture.

"The honor is shared."

His voice was calm.

Measured.

"We thank you for receiving us."

For several minutes...

Formal greetings were exchanged.

Introductions.

Blessings.

Ceremonial acknowledgments.

Exactly the sort of diplomatic conversation I'd expected.

Then...

Everything stopped.

Because one of the younger elves looked past Lady Akiko.

Directly at me.

He froze.

"...Elder..."

The silver-haired elf noticed.

"What is it?"

The younger elf slowly pointed.

"There."

The elder followed his gaze.

His eyes settled on me.

Silence.

He blinked once.

Then again.

"...Human?"

Every elf turned.

Twenty pairs of eyes landed squarely on me.

I resisted the overwhelming urge to point at myself and ask, Who, me?

"...Uh..."

I gave a small wave.

"Hi."

The silence somehow deepened.

Several Kitsune exchanged amused glances.

Apparently this wasn't the reaction the elves had expected.

One elven woman stepped forward.

"...There is a human..."

She looked toward Lady Akiko.

"...Living here?"

Lady Akiko smiled faintly.

"There is."

The younger elf looked utterly bewildered.

"...Willingly?"

That earned a few muffled chuckles from the Kitsune.

I placed a hand over my heart.

"...You wound me."

Akane quietly muttered,

"Not nearly enough."

I glanced toward her.

"I heard that."

"I intended for you to."

The elderly elf continued studying me.

"...Humans rarely survive finding this sanctuary."

"I've been told."

"They almost never remain."

"I've been told that too."

"And yet..."

His gaze sharpened.

"...Here you stand."

I shrugged.

"They're nice people."

Several Kitsune smiled proudly.

The younger elf still looked unconvinced.

"...Surely there is another explanation."

I thought for a moment.

"...Good tea?"

Lady Akiko actually laughed.

The elder's eyebrow twitched.

"...You are unusual."

"I hear that a lot."

"I imagine you do."

Another elf stepped closer.

Unlike the others, she wore scholar's robes instead of armor.

"...May I ask your name?"

"Alex."

She frowned.

"...Only Alex?"

"Long story."

"I have time."

"I don't."

Several Kitsune snorted.

The elder slowly approached until only a few feet separated us.

"...You carry no ears."

"Nope."

"No tail."

"Nope."

"No mana signature typical of the forest races."

"Nope."

He paused.

"...Yet I sense..."

His eyes narrowed.

"...Kitsune mana."

Akane stiffened.

Several shrine maidens exchanged glances.

The elder continued.

"...Interwoven with Human Arcane mana."

His expression grew more puzzled.

"...Impossible."

I scratched my cheek.

"...Actually..."

I looked toward Akane.

"...That one's kind of your fault."

She blinked.

"...Mine?"

"Well..."

I gestured vaguely.

"You've been teaching me."

Several elves looked between us.

"...Teaching..."

The scholar repeated.

"...Kitsune Magic?"

Akane nodded calmly.

"I have."

The courtyard exploded into whispers.

"Impossible."

"A human?"

"He should reject the spiritual pathways."

"It cannot stabilize."

"The resonance alone..."

Lady Akiko calmly raised one hand.

The whispers immediately ceased.

The elderly elf looked back toward me.

"...Demonstrate."

I raised an eyebrow.

"...Right now?"

"If you would."

I glanced toward Akane.

She gave a small nod.

I took a slow breath.

Only a little mana.

No need to overdo it.

Silver-blue light gathered around my fingertips.

Then...

Almost instinctively...

Soft foxfire bloomed within it.

Blue.

Silver.

Gentle.

The tiny flame danced above my palm.

Not forced.

Natural.

The elves stared.

The scholar took one involuntary step forward.

"...It's..."

She whispered.

"...Stable."

The elder slowly circled me.

His eyes never left the foxfire.

"...Extraordinary."

He finally stopped in front of me again.

"...How long?"

"A week."

He blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"I've been learning Kitsune Magic for about a week."

Complete silence.

The younger elf laughed nervously.

"...Surely he jests."

Akane answered before I could.

"He does not."

The scholar visibly paled.

"...A week..."

She whispered.

"It takes most initiates, years."

I gave an awkward smile.

"...I study fast?"

The elder remained silent for several moments.

Then...

To my surprise...

He smiled.

A genuine smile.

"...Perhaps..."

He looked toward the other elves.

"...Our experiment has arrived before we announced it."

The surrounding elves slowly nodded.

Several of them now regarded me with something entirely different than surprise.

Not suspicion.

Interest.

Scholarly interest.

The elder folded his hands behind his back.

"...Lady Akiko."

"Yes?"

"We intended to request five volunteers."

He looked directly at me.

"I believe..."

A faint smile crossed his weathered face.

"...One has already chosen himself."

A quiet ripple of laughter spread through both the Kitsune and the Elven delegations.

I sighed dramatically.

"...I had a feeling you were going to say that."

The elder regarded me for another long moment before turning back toward the assembled Kitsune.

"My name is Elder Aelion."

His voice carried effortlessly across the courtyard.

"I serve as First Scholar of the Emerald Court."

He swept his gaze across the gathering.

"My companions and I have journeyed for many weeks to reach this sanctuary."

He paused.

"Our purpose today is simple."

Simple?

Judging by the crowd, I doubted anything involving diplomats, elders, and ancient races was ever simple.

Elder Aelion continued.

"For centuries, the Elven Kingdom has remained isolated. Not through hatred. Nor fear. But because we believed our traditions could only survive if protected."

His eyes drifted briefly toward the forest beyond the sanctuary.

"Perhaps, we were mistaken."

A quiet murmur passed through both delegations.

He continued.

"The world changes. Knowledge changes. So too..."

He smiled faintly.

"...must those who preserve it."

Several of the younger scholars were already scribbling furiously.

"Our people have therefore reached a decision."

He looked toward Lady Akiko.

"We will open a single exchange. Five volunteers. They shall live among our people. They shall study our customs. They shall undergo our trials. They shall learn..."

He paused deliberately.

"...Elven Magic."

That final sentence seemed to suck the air from the courtyard.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody even shifted.

Even I could feel the weight behind those words.

Elven Magic.

Something that, according to Akane, had never been taught to outsiders.

Elder Aelion raised one hand.

"Before anyone volunteers, there are conditions."

Ah.

There they were.

The catch.

I knew there had to be one.

"The trials are dangerous. They are physically demanding. They are mentally exhausting."

He looked toward the assembled warriors.

"Strength alone will not succeed."

His gaze shifted toward the scholars.

"Nor knowledge."

Then toward the healers.

"Nor compassion."

His emerald eyes slowly swept over the entire sanctuary.

"The forest judges balance."

A younger elf stepped forward carrying a beautifully carved wooden chest.

Setting it gently upon the platform.

Inside...

Rested five silver pendants.

Each shaped like a leaf.

Each surrounding a brilliant green crystal.

The crowd watched in silence.

"Those accepted..."

Elder Aelion said quietly.

"...shall wear these. They are both invitation and promise."

One little fox kit whispered loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear,

"They're pretty."

His mother gently hushed him.

I smiled.

Kid wasn't wrong.

They were.

Lady Akiko stepped forward.

"Our sanctuary thanks the Emerald Court."

She bowed once more.

"It is a tremendous honor."

Elder Aelion inclined his head.

"The honor is shared."

He turned back toward the crowd.

"Those wishing to volunteer, you may step forward."

Silence.

Nobody moved.

Not immediately.

I understood why.

This wasn't agreeing to help harvest crops.

This wasn't volunteering for guard duty.

This meant leaving home.

Leaving family.

Walking into a completely foreign civilization.

For who knew how long.

Finally...

One Kitsune warrior stepped out from the crowd.

Tall.

Broad shouldered.

Probably around my age.

He bowed respectfully.

"I volunteer."

Elder Aelion acknowledged him with a nod.

A second stepped forward.

A healer.

Then...

A young scholar.

Three.

Two spots remained.

The courtyard became quiet once again.

Akane slowly glanced sideways.

"...Well?"

I smiled.

"Told you."

Without another word...

I stepped away from the crowd.

Walking toward the platform.

The whispers started immediately.

"Of course."

"It had to be him."

"I wondered how long he'd wait."

"About six seconds."

"I counted four."

Even Roland, who had somehow wandered close enough to observe everything, would have been proud of those comments.

I stopped beside the other volunteers.

Elder Aelion regarded me carefully.

"...Human."

"Still human."

"I wished to verify."

"I appreciate the thoroughness."

One corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"The trials were not designed with humans in mind."

"I've noticed most things around here weren't."

Several elves quietly chuckled.

Even Lady Akiko smiled.

Elder Aelion folded his hands behind his back.

"May I ask...why?"

I blinked.

"Why what?"

"Why volunteer? There is no obligation. You owe us nothing. You owe the Kitsune nothing."

His expression remained calm.

"So...why?"

I didn't even have to think about it.

"Because I don't know."

Silence.

"I don't know your people. I don't know your magic. I don't know your history."

I shrugged.

"I'd like to."

The elder continued watching me.

I smiled.

"Also..."

I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I've got this really annoying habit of wanting to learn everything."

That earned another laugh from the Kitsune.

Akane covered a smile behind one sleeve.

"I've noticed."

She muttered.

Elder Aelion nodded slowly.

"I believe..."

He looked toward the other elders.

"...that may be the most honest answer I have heard in many years."

He reached into the wooden chest.

Carefully lifting one of the silver leaf pendants.

Rather than immediately handing it to me...

He held it in front of me.

"One final question."

I nodded.

"Shoot."

Several elves looked confused.

Lady Akiko merely sighed.

"He means..."

I quickly corrected.

"...Go ahead."

Elder Aelion's expression remained perfectly composed.

"You already study Human Arcane Magic. You now study Kitsune Magic. You intend to learn Elven Magic."

He paused.

"To what end?"

I looked at the pendant.

Then at the crowd.

Then back to him.

"I don't collect magic."

His eyebrow rose.

"I collect understanding."

Complete silence.

"If Human Magic teaches one way of seeing the world... if Kitsune Magic teaches another... if Elven Magic teaches another..."

I smiled.

"...Then I'd rather understand all three than spend my life arguing about which one's better."

Not a single person spoke.

Even the children had gone quiet.

The breeze stirred the cherry blossoms overhead.

Finally...

Elder Aelion laughed.

It wasn't loud.

Nor mocking.

It was the quiet laugh of someone pleasantly surprised.

"...Lady Akiko."

He said without taking his eyes off me.

"I believe your sanctuary has produced..."

He glanced at me again.

"...or perhaps adopted... a very unusual young man."

Lady Akiko smiled with unmistakable pride.

"I've found that to be true."

Elder Aelion finally placed the silver pendant into my hand.

The crystal was cool against my palm.

"For the first time in our history..."

He said.

"The Emerald Court formally welcomes a human as a candidate for the Trials of the Elder Forest."

The pendant shimmered softly as I closed my fingers around it.

Around us...

The assembled Kitsune and elves began murmuring once more.

But this time...

The whispers weren't about the human standing among fox spirits.

They were about the unprecedented possibility that, for the first time in living memory...

A human might walk the path of the elves.

I turned the silver pendant over in my hand.

It was surprisingly light.

The leaf-shaped frame had been forged from polished silver, each vein intricately engraved into the metal. Suspended within its center floated a small emerald crystal no larger than the tip of my thumb.

It wasn't simply decorative.

The mana radiating from it was...

Alive.

Subtle.

Like standing beneath the canopy of an ancient forest while sunlight filtered through thousands of leaves.

I looked up.

"...Pretty."

One of the younger elves looked mildly offended.

"It is a sacred symbol."

"I know."

I nodded.

"I can appreciate craftsmanship."

That seemed to satisfy him.

Mostly.

Elder Aelion returned to the center of the platform.

"One volunteer remains."

The courtyard fell quiet once again.

Several Kitsune glanced toward one another.

No one moved.

Apparently the first four had been easy.

The fifth...

Not so much.

A young healer shifted uncertainly.

A warrior looked as though he wanted to volunteer before quietly stepping back.

Leaving home...

Even temporarily...

Wasn't an easy decision.

Finally...

A voice rose from the middle of the crowd.

"I volunteer."

Heads turned.

An older Kitsune woman stepped forward.

She wasn't young.

Perhaps in her late forties.

Gray had begun creeping into her black hair, and fine wrinkles surrounded her eyes.

Despite that...

She carried herself with quiet confidence.

A healer.

Lady Akiko smiled warmly.

"Master Haruna."

The woman bowed.

"My Lady."

She turned toward Elder Aelion.

"I have spent most of my life preserving the lives of others. If your people possess knowledge that may save even one more..."

She smiled softly.

"...Then I wish to learn."

The elder studied her for several moments before retrieving the final pendant.

He placed it into her waiting hands.

"So be it."

The five volunteers now stood together.

The warrior.

The scholar.

The healer.

Me.

Master Haruna.

Quite the group.

One of the elven scholars stepped forward carrying another scroll.

Unlike the others...

This one looked newer.

He unrolled it.

"Our exchange shall begin tomorrow morning."

Murmurs spread through the gathered crowd.

"So soon?"

"The volunteers should prepare. You will travel light. No servants. No escorts. You will remain among our people until your training concludes."

One Kitsune elder raised a hand.

"...How long?"

The scholar looked toward Elder Aelion.

The elder answered himself.

"We do not know."

That answer drew confused looks.

He continued calmly.

"Each trial differs. Some complete them within months. Others..."

His expression grew thoughtful.

"...Require years."

The courtyard became noticeably quieter.

Years.

I hadn't actually considered that possibility.

Out of the corner of my eye...

I noticed Akane staring at me.

Not saying anything.

Just...

Thinking.

Another elder stepped forward.

This one wore robes embroidered with silver leaves instead of foxes.

His hair was almost pure white despite appearing no older than fifty.

He regarded me with open curiosity.

"...Human."

"Still."

I replied.

"I have another question."

"Shoot."

Several elves looked confused again.

I sighed.

"...Ask."

The elder nodded.

"You possess Human Arcane Magic. You are learning Kitsune Magic. You seek Elven Magic."

He folded his hands into his sleeves.

"If successful, what then?"

I blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"What purpose drives such accumulation? It is... unusual."

I considered the question.

Longer this time.

Finally...

"I don't think magic should belong to races."

Silence.

"It belongs to people willing to understand it."

Several scholars immediately began writing.

"If Humans discovered something useful, I'd want Elves to learn it. If Elves discovered something useful, I'd want Humans to learn it."

I shrugged.

"If Kitsune discover something tomorrow, I'd probably want everybody learning that too."

The elder tilted his head.

"...You would erase boundaries."

"No."

I answered.

"I'd erase ignorance."

The breeze drifted quietly through the courtyard.

Cherry blossoms swirled between us.

"I think..."

I continued.

"...Most people are afraid knowledge will make someone else stronger."

I smiled faintly.

"I think shared knowledge makes everybody stronger."

One of the younger scholars accidentally snapped the tip of his brush.

He hadn't even noticed how tightly he'd been gripping it.

Elder Aelion watched me silently.

Then...

Very slowly...

He nodded.

"Our ancestors once believed similarly."

Every eye turned toward him.

"Before the kingdoms withdrew from one another..."

He looked toward Lady Akiko.

"There was cooperation. Trade. Shared scholarship. Our histories speak of libraries visited by every race."

The courtyard had become completely silent.

"But..."

His expression saddened.

"Wars ended that age."

Lady Akiko quietly nodded.

"Our histories say the same."

"So they do."

For several moments...

Neither leader spoke.

It was strange.

Watching two civilizations quietly acknowledge the same mistake.

Then...

A tiny voice broke the silence.

"...Excuse me?"

Every adult looked downward.

Young Sayuri stood near the front of the crowd.

She looked up toward Elder Aelion with complete innocence.

"...Yes, little one?"

She hesitated only briefly.

"...If everybody shared..."

She looked between the elves and the Kitsune.

"...Wouldn't everybody have become friends?"

The entire courtyard became still.

The question...

Was painfully simple.

And therefore...

Painfully difficult.

Elder Aelion looked at her for several long moments.

Finally...

He smiled.

"...Perhaps."

He admitted.

"...Or perhaps they would simply have understood one another better."

Little Sayuri frowned thoughtfully.

"...Isn't that how becoming friends starts?"

Several elders quietly lowered their eyes.

Lady Akiko looked at her daughter with unmistakable affection.

Even the elven scholars had stopped writing.

I couldn't help smiling.

Four hundred years later...

She'd still be asking the questions everyone else overlooked.

Elder Aelion bowed his head ever so slightly toward the child.

"...You possess remarkable wisdom for one so young."

Sayuri immediately shook her head.

"I'm just curious."

I laughed quietly under my breath.

"...That..."

I murmured.

"...Never changes."

Akane glanced toward me.

"What was that?"

I smiled.

"...Nothing."

But inside...

I couldn't help wondering.

Watching the ten year old girl who would one day become the wisest healer I'd ever known...

It suddenly became very obvious.

She hadn't become that person because of four hundred years.

She'd already possessed the heart for it.

Time had simply given her the opportunity to become who she already was.

The courtyard remained unusually quiet.

Not the awkward silence of uncertainty.

Nor the tense silence that often followed difficult conversations.

This one was...

Thoughtful.

Young Sayuri had somehow managed to leave several hundred people contemplating a question that sounded as though it belonged in the mouth of a philosopher rather than a ten year old child.

Elder Aelion smiled warmly at her.

"I hope..."

He said gently.

"...that your curiosity never fades."

Sayuri lowered her head politely.

"I'll do my best."

The elder nodded once before turning back toward the assembled crowd.

"Our volunteers should spend this evening preparing."

"There is little to pack."

He smiled faintly.

"The forest provides what is necessary."

Several Kitsune exchanged uncertain glances.

One hunter raised a hand.

"...What should they bring?"

Elder Aelion answered without hesitation.

"Themselves."

The hunter blinked.

"...Nothing else?"

"They may carry personal belongings. But understand this..."

His expression grew noticeably more serious.

"Our trials are not examinations of equipment. They are examinations of character."

My hand instinctively rested against the grip of my pistol.

"...Well..."

I muttered.

"...That's either very reassuring, or very concerning."

Akane quietly smiled beside me.

"I suspect both."

The younger elven scholar stepped forward once more.

"There is one final matter."

He unrolled another scroll.

"The trials permit no violence between candidates."

The Kitsune warrior beside me nodded.

"Understandable."

"However..."

The scholar continued.

"The forest itself is dangerous."

That earned everyone's attention.

"You may defend yourselves. You may hunt. You may survive. But..."

His emerald eyes swept across the five of us.

"...You will not receive rescue."

Silence.

"If one of you becomes separated, you will find your own way. If you become injured, you will rely upon your own judgment. If you fail..."

His expression remained calm.

"...You return home."

The scholar rolled the scroll closed.

"There is no shame in failure."

I found that interesting.

Most ancient orders would probably have proclaimed failure some great dishonor.

The elves...

Didn't.

One of the Kitsune elders slowly stood.

"Elder Aelion."

"Yes?"

"I have heard stories."

The old fox folded his hands into his sleeves.

"They say the Elder Forest itself chooses who succeeds."

The elf nodded.

"There is truth within those stories."

"Is it alive?"

Aelion considered the question.

"I believe..."

He smiled softly.

"...That depends entirely upon how one defines life."

That...

Wasn't really an answer.

Apparently the elder knew it too.

Several scholars immediately began writing anyway.

The conversations gradually resumed.

Not as one massive gathering.

Instead...

Small groups formed throughout the courtyard.

The blacksmiths spoke with the elven craftsmen.

Healers exchanged herbs and medicinal knowledge.

Scholars eagerly compared books and scrolls.

It was...

Exactly what the delegation had hoped to accomplish.

Akane quietly wandered off to speak with several shrine maidens.

Leaving me standing rather awkwardly beside the other four volunteers.

Nobody said anything.

For almost an entire minute.

Finally...

The Kitsune warrior cleared his throat.

"...I'm Daisuke."

He offered me a hand.

I accepted it.

"Alex."

His grip was firm.

Calloused.

Definitely someone accustomed to training.

The scholar bowed politely.

"My name is Emi."

She couldn't have been much older than I was.

Perhaps nineteen.

Ink stains covered several fingers.

Definitely a scholar.

Master Haruna smiled warmly.

"I believe we've already met."

"We have."

I nodded.

The fourth volunteer...

The healer...

Gave me a respectful nod.

"I'm Sora."

"You were the one asking about the new splints yesterday."

I recognized him immediately.

"Oh!"

I pointed.

"You figured out how to make the joints adjustable."

His face brightened.

"You remembered."

"Of course."

His smile widened.

Apparently healers appreciated people remembering their work.

Daisuke folded his arms.

"So."

He looked toward me.

"You're the human."

"I've been told."

"The one who redesigned the hunting stretchers."

"Among other things."

"The improved farming tools."

"Yep."

"The new water wheel by the river."

"With a lot of help."

"The strange little handcarts the children keep racing downhill."

I sighed dramatically.

"...Those were supposed to move supplies."

Daisuke blinked.

"...They're using them as toys?"

"Apparently."

We stared at one another.

Then both laughed.

Emi tilted her head curiously.

"I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"Why do you always say someone else deserves credit?"

I blinked.

"What?"

"The hunting stretchers. You thanked the carpenters. The water wheel. You thanked the millwrights. The farming tools. You thanked the blacksmiths."

She frowned thoughtfully.

"You never simply say,'I built this.'"

I scratched my cheek.

"I didn't."

She looked confused.

"But the ideas were yours."

"Maybe."

I shrugged.

"But ideas don't build themselves."

I pointed toward the water wheel slowly turning beside the river below.

"I never cut a single beam."

Toward the smithy.

"I didn't forge the iron bands."

Toward the nearby fields.

"I didn't shape the plow blades."

I smiled.

"They did."

Silence.

Master Haruna nodded approvingly.

"A good answer."

Before anyone could continue...

A sudden gust of wind swept through the courtyard.

Not strong.

Just...

Different.

The leaves overhead began rustling.

One after another...

The elves looked toward the forest.

Every single one of them.

At exactly the same moment.

I noticed immediately.

"...What's wrong?"

Nobody answered.

Elder Aelion slowly lifted his head.

His expression had changed.

Completely.

Gone was the relaxed scholar.

Standing there now...

Was someone ancient.

Someone who had survived centuries.

The breeze passed.

Silence returned.

One younger elf whispered something in their own language.

I couldn't understand a word.

But the tone...

Concern.

Elder Aelion listened.

Then nodded once.

He looked toward the five volunteers.

"...Interesting."

I frowned.

"What?"

"The forest knows."

"The forest..."

I looked around.

"...Knows what?"

His eyes settled on me.

"...That something unexpected approaches."

I felt a small chill crawl down my spine.

"Unexpected?"

He gave a slow nod.

"For the first time in many generations..."

He looked toward the ancient woods stretching beyond the mountains.

"...The Elder Forest has acknowledged a human."

Around us...

The elves had grown noticeably quieter.

Not fearful.

Respectful.

Almost...

Reverent.

Akane returned to my side.

She looked between the elves and me.

"...Alex."

"Yeah?"

"...What exactly did you do?"

I looked at her honestly.

"I have absolutely no idea."

Elder Aelion's faint smile returned.

"I believe..."

He said quietly.

"...Tomorrow..."

His gaze remained fixed upon the distant forest.

"...We shall all learn together."

The gathering slowly began to disperse.

Not all at once.

The conversations simply shifted from the center of the courtyard toward smaller circles scattered throughout the sanctuary.

Elves spoke quietly with Kitsune craftsmen.

Scholars eagerly compared notes, occasionally pointing toward Elder Aelion as another question came to mind.

Several hunters had already begun discussing routes through the Elder Forest, debating landmarks and streams they knew would lie just outside the trial grounds.

The atmosphere had changed.

The surprise of the announcement had faded.

Now...

Preparation had begun.

I found myself standing near one of the stone lanterns, watching everyone move around me.

"...Tomorrow."

I muttered.

One day.

After everything I'd been through over the past week...

Somehow another ancient trial was already waiting.

A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.

"You're thinking too loudly."

I looked over.

Akane stood beside me, her hands folded neatly within her sleeves.

"...Is that a Kitsune thing?"

She smiled.

"No. It's a you thing."

I laughed quietly.

"...Fair."

For several moments we simply watched the courtyard together.

Children were already chasing one another between the stone lanterns, pretending to be elves venturing into the mysterious forest.

One dramatically announced his own death before falling onto the grass.

Another immediately declared himself the victor.

"...Children."

Akane murmured.

"They have remarkable imaginations."

"They're also terrible at surviving."

That earned a soft laugh.

"They rarely survive their imaginary adventures."

"They usually get eaten by imaginary monsters."

"I noticed."

Silence settled comfortably between us.

Finally...

She spoke again.

"...Are you frightened?"

The question surprised me.

I thought about answering immediately.

Instead...

I actually considered it.

"...A little."

She looked toward me.

"Only a little?"

I shrugged.

"I've learned something over the years."

"Oh?"

"The things that scare me the most..."

I looked toward the dark line of forest stretching across the distant mountains.

"...usually end up teaching me the most."

She smiled thoughtfully.

"A wise lesson."

"I learned it the hard way."

"The best lessons usually are."

As the sun slowly dipped toward the western mountains...

The five volunteers were quietly summoned together once more.

Elder Aelion stood waiting near the sanctuary gates.

Behind him...

Five elves carried simple leather satchels.

No ornate equipment.

No ceremonial armor.

Nothing extravagant.

Each bag looked almost disappointingly ordinary.

The elder gestured toward them.

"These are yours."

Daisuke frowned.

"...They're empty."

"They are."

"...Why?"

"So that what you choose to carry..."

The elder answered calmly.

"...is truly your own choice."

One by one we accepted the satchels.

Mine was surprisingly well made.

Soft leather.

Strong stitching.

Lightweight.

Designed for travel rather than appearance.

I slung it over one shoulder.

"...Comfortable."

The elf beside Aelion gave a satisfied nod.

"Our leatherworkers take pride in their craft."

"I can tell."

Another elf stepped forward carrying several rolled maps.

He handed one to each of us.

The parchment felt surprisingly old.

When I unrolled it...

I blinked.

"...There's barely anything here."

Most of the page consisted of rough mountain outlines.

Several rivers.

A few ancient landmarks.

Large portions remained completely blank.

Emi frowned.

"This map is unfinished."

"It is."

The elf smiled.

"The Elder Forest changes."

Daisuke looked confused.

"...Forests don't move."

"No."

The elder replied.

"But paths do."

Silence.

"The forest reveals different roads to different travelers."

I slowly lowered the map.

"...Wonderful."

The elf looked amused.

"You sound unconvinced."

"I've spent enough time around magical forests recently."

I admitted.

"They have a habit of making my life complicated."

That actually earned several quiet chuckles from the elves.

Apparently...

Even they understood that feeling.

Master Haruna stepped closer.

"One final piece of advice."

The five of us turned toward him.

"When you enter tomorrow..."

He spoke quietly.

"...Do not hurry."

Daisuke frowned.

"But it's a trial."

"It is."

"Shouldn't we move quickly?"

Master Haruna slowly shook his head.

"The forest has existed for thousands of years. It is in no hurry."

He smiled.

"If you rush, you will only discover how patient ancient things can be."

Nobody spoke.

Because...

That somehow sounded less like advice...

And more like experience.

As twilight settled over the sanctuary...

The elven delegation gradually withdrew toward the guest quarters prepared for them.

The Kitsune volunteers began heading home as well.

Everyone wanted one final evening with their families.

One final meal.

One final night's sleep before tomorrow changed everything.

I had almost reached the stone steps leading toward the guest house when someone called my name.

"...Alex."

I turned.

Young Sayuri stood several yards away.

Both hands clasped behind her back.

Golden ears twitching uncertainly.

She seemed oddly hesitant.

"...Hey."

I smiled.

"What's up?"

She slowly walked closer.

"I..."

She looked down at the ground.

"...May I ask something?"

"Sure."

She looked up again.

"...Are you going to come back?"

The question caught me completely off guard.

"...I..."

I hesitated.

"I'll certainly try."

She frowned slightly.

"...That's not the same answer."

"...No. It isn't."

She nodded once.

"I thought so."

For a few moments she remained quiet.

Then she reached into the sleeve of her small shrine robe.

Carefully pulling out a tiny woven charm.

It was beautifully made.

Red and white thread wrapped around a small piece of polished cedar.

A single fox motif had been stitched into its center.

She held it toward me.

"...This is for you."

I blinked.

"...Really?"

She nodded.

"My mother says travelers should never enter unknown places alone."

I accepted it carefully.

The charm was surprisingly warm from being tucked inside her sleeve.

"...Thank you."

She smiled shyly.

"I made it."

I looked down at the careful stitching.

It wasn't perfect.

One corner was slightly uneven.

Another thread crossed where it probably shouldn't.

But...

It had clearly taken time.

And effort.

I smiled.

"I think..."

I carefully tied it onto one of the straps of my satchel.

"...It looks good there."

Her ears perked up immediately.

"...You're keeping it?"

"Of course. I don't usually throw away gifts."

That made her smile even wider.

"Good."

She took one step backward.

Then another.

Before hurrying after Akane, who had quietly waited nearby without interrupting.

Akane glanced back toward me.

She inclined her head ever so slightly.

A silent thank you.

I returned the gesture.

Then looked down once more at the little charm gently swaying from my satchel.

Tomorrow...

The Elder Forest awaited.

For tonight...

That was enough.
--------------------
A/N: And done. kuwebby2, what do you think?