Crann—tree.
Sgòt—lock, or ward.
Glao—call.
Naar—fire.
Cha—warm.
Fuar—cold.
Cym—air.
Tahmla… I wasn’t even sure what it meant yet, but it buzzed at the edge of something deeper, older. And there were so many more of them. I would certainly need to study my whole life, but for now I’m focusing on the basics. The ones any good Elgarian should know. At one point, Nalaka even suggested an all-night study session.
We were sittingin the cafeteria one morning after night patrol, savouring a warm cup of coffee that tasted like heaven, mostly because of the exhaustion weighing me down. Sakura hadn’t been far off; she overheard us and immediately jumped at the chance to offer her place to meet up.
The Satos’ house was stunning, almost ethereal. Overgrown cherry trees arch over the paved path, soft pink petals kissing the grey stones. The contrast with the elegant black manor rising at the end was nothing short of breathtaking.
Sakura doesn’t just have a room; she practically owns the entire top floor. It’s her own private apartment, and her dresser looks like a boutique straight out of an alternative fashion show, a hundred percent jealous.
The study session kicked off just after sundown. Nalaka had already crafted a colour-coded schedule, complete with snack breaks, stretch sessions, and motivational check-ins. Her energy was borderline alarming for someone who’d barely slept, and she barked orders like a teacher leading her troops into academic battle.
“We’ll start with a review of basic alchemy theory, then move into healing potions and spells. Sakura, no more detours into dream interpretation. Avilyna, you’ll begin with a report on the four main elemental magic and name at least two divergences.” Her being a Corporal makes total sense.
I raise an eyebrow. “Didn’t we say this was a casual session?”
“This is casual,” Nalaka replies, tapping her clipboard. “I didn’t even include Elgar’s history or tactical analysis.” Meanwhile, Sakura floats in and out of the room, bringing in plates of powdered pastries and golden croissants. She eventually returns with a delicate porcelain tea tray.
“To keep our mental energy strong and balanced,” she says, followed by the subtle scent of ginseng drifting through the air. I catch myself smiling, despite the looming mountain of work. So we study, focused, and occasionally interrupted by bursts of laughter. They cheer me on when I nail a tricky formula, and in the quieter moments, I can’t help but look around and feel strangely... at peace.
Somewhere around midnight, Nalaka has a minor meltdown over Sakura’s chaotic notes. Which I can’t help but giggle at and find endearing, especially for someone like me who thought Elveron’s golden girl was flawless. Meanwhile, our healing witch starts braiding her hair with bits of dried flowers.
“As long as you have a natural element on you, you can cast just about any spell.” She tells me, with that faraway smile of hers.
The days went on, and if I wasn’t trapped in a nightmare, I was visualizing runes, seeing them seared behind my eyes. Over and over, until the words weren’t just memorized, they were part of me.
I have joined higher-level classes;desperate times call for desperate measures. They judged that I was a third-year student in all the training aspects of the curriculum, but a second-year student in magic and history. So that’s why visiting Skyfire is the exact type of self-care I need.
The trail is still foreign, my steps guided by my heart. The trees stretch above, half-dressed in copper and gold, their branches swaying in the breeze, whispering secrets to each other. Pixies stir as I pass, drawn out. They blink into view, glowing softly as dying embers. Blooms stubborn in the cold trails at my feet, releasing other pixies wrapped in the last colours of the year. I learned they live in the flowers, using their magic to harden the petals, making them resistant to the weather’s wrath. The pixies drift ahead of me, weightless and drawn to the same place as me, the clearing.
Passing beneath the weeping willow is like crossing some invisible threshold. The sensation of water rippling around me, momentarily weightless, before the world changes. The air turns warmer, gentler, holding onto the last traces of summer like a memory it refuses to fade. Time slows, stretching thin and quiet. Even the breeze seems hesitant, as if the whole clearing is exhaling in silence, Kvirr’s magic unfiltered, untouched.
This is what it feels like when the veil thins and the land remembers itself. Some places are just closer to the Gods. This time, Skyfire is not alone. Pegasus rest among the foliage, their wings folded neatly, their bodies half-draped in sunlight. A few wade into the river, flicking water with casual grace, while others glide down from the treetops to land softly in the moss.
Magnificent.
They watch me with quiet curiosity, but it’s Skyfire who moves first. She steps forward with easy confidence, her movements slow and steady. She stretches her wings wide, a friendly greeting, before she folds them back neatly against her sides. Then, without a hint of hesitation, Skyfire nudges her nose right into my pocket, searching for what she knows is there. I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips.
“Yes, it’s for you.” I laugh softly as I pull out the apples. “Told you I’d bring you snacks.” Skyfire takes a fruit gently from my hand, eating it whole. Her eyes are warm and gentle, as if she understands just how fragile I’m feeling, even if I’m doing everything to hide it. In that quiet moment, I realize that’s what the bond means, being unable to hide what you’re feeling. No matter how hard you try, without the fear of being rejected.
Sinking into the grass. Skyfire settles down beside me, dropping her head gently onto my lap, seeking quiet comfort. Her warmth spreads through me, familiar. She lets out a low, contented sigh, eyes half-closed, and then a soft purr vibrates from her chest.
I giggle.
There’s something about that quiet purring, so unexpected and tender, that it feels downright adorable. For the first time in a long while, I let myself feel something close to peace. Leaning back, I take in the scene around me. It’s the kind of place you’d want to lose yourself in a book, or maybe have a picnic, even take a nap.
My fingers trail through the grass, letting the quiet pulse of magic settle under my skin. The energy hums here, stronger, alive. But you have to be still enough to feel it. With pegasus all around, finding a feather isn’t hard.
