Realm of Token

The forests of Token were greatly similar in almost every way. Thick, expansive, seemingly never-ending. And if you walked through such forests long enough, you'd come across a town, shadowed by the bright green leaves of trees and shaded from the sun. Such was the case for the many towns of Token, each of them tucked away and hidden, with the only roads leading in and out.

However, there were also differences. Sizes of towns varied greatly. There were also vast cities haloed by the bright sun, never falling prey to the monsters that lurked in the darkest. The biggest places in Token were often the most expensive and extravagant, and were not always welcome to tourists. Steelgate was the biggest and most attractive city in all of Token, but getting in was a whole new story. Then there was Mirstone, Talet, Castillion, Viersir. All of which were home to the most educated and respected Elves.

In the more rural and lesser-known areas of the forest, there was no such thing as luxury. There was no need for it. Elves that lived in these areas were much less advanced than those in the cities and knew how to live off the land, giving them more of an advantage towards survival and hardening their senses. Such towns were Montaumur, Eastbourne, Aurilon, and the most well known, Edgerest.

Edgerest received its name due to residing at the very edge of a wide and bendy forest, the town itself not far from the edge of a steep cliff. If one were to walk through the town and follow the path out of it, they'd be led straight to a large chasm, almost as if the ground had been split apart by a giant sword. A weak, aged foot bridge hung from one end of the chasm to the other, but no one ever used it, for fear of tumbling to their death if it broke apart, which, from the looks of it, seemed very likely.

The town of Edgerest was very close-knit and friendly, home to Elves who held nature in a special place in their hearts. In fact, a large portion of the residents were so devoted to it that they spent every day cultivating and caring for the plants in the nearby area. This had been going on for centuries, and Edgerest had become a very well-known town for its ability to grow the most unique and beautiful flowers and shrubs. While the vast majority of Elves had nature-based abilities, Edgerest housed Elves who were beyond experts in such a field, despite the shabby and run-down appearance of the town.

Despite this, there was a constant sense of dread hanging over the town, the inhabitants always keeping an eye to the sky, fearing a potential monster attack. There hadn't been one in a few years, but the residents were always aware of the possibility. Lurking in the dark, only coming out at night, were the much feared Nightbeasts. Giant creatures with ink-black skin and no eyes and ears, with large claws to tear apart their prey. Their size was equivalent to a large house, and they were a bigger threat to the Elven population than the Demons. One thing that was different about the monsters was that, while they were equally as intelligent, the Demons were known to have more of a sense of reason, or at least could be negotiated with, though it was rare. The Nightbeasts attacked on sight, leaving the residents of Edgerest at a constant state of unrest.

Despite this, the bright shining sun of the new day put a smile on a certain Elf's face.

Lumi always woke up early, regardless of the day. Excitement bubbled through her as she planned out the activities that she would do in her notebook. Her smooth cursive handwriting flowed naturally along the page, the ink setting instantly. Her list of activities included watering her plants, taking another stop to the library, going for a walk, and so on. She was homeschooled, and was taught by the most respected and highly intelligent Elven tutors in the area, so she decided that she deserved a nice break. 

As she looked out the window, admiring the bright morning sun, her smile brightened, and she set her notebook down and ran out of her room, her bare feet slapping against the polished hardwood floors. Her mother had already gone off to work for her writing job, so her father was the only one home. He watched her run out and gave a chuckle, resuming to the newspaper he had been reading.

Lumi skipped down the steps and turned abruptly, skidding to a halt just before a fall could have occurred, her bright green eyes landing on a small potted plant in the hands of her best friend.

"Hi, Lumi!" Her friend, Lucky, said with a warm smile. "I got that plant you wanted. This is the right one, right?"

Lumi nodded enthusiastically. She took the plant from Lucky's hands, turning it around and around, inspecting every angle of it. It was small and purple, and the petals had a slight shimmer to them, almost as if they were coated with glitter. "Yes! Come with me to the backyard, we can plant it now!"

The two friends darted inside, nearly tripping over the oriental rug stretching across the foyer. This time, when her father looked up, he lowered his newspaper. "What are you two doing?"

"Father, look! Lucky brought the plant I wanted! We're gonna go plant it in the backyard!" Lumi said, holding up the plant for him to see.

He gave a smile and nodded his head. “Alright. You two have fun. Don’t trample Mother’s flowers, you know how mad she would be.”

“Yessir.” Lumi and Lucky saluted in unison, then made their way to the backdoor, which opened up into a beautiful backyard filled with beautiful plants and flowers of all shapes and colors.

Lumi held the potted plant in her hands carefully as the two walked, not wanting to break or damage it in any way. She felt a gentle breeze blow past her, making her soft, long green hair blow ever so slightly in the wind. They walked carefully along the intricate stone pathway, passing bright red rose bushes and tall apple trees. She could hear birds chirping happily in the trees above them, and the smell of the fresh grass was enough to put her in a trance.

Lucky walked along beside her, though she seemed much less interested in the beauty of the backyard and much more interested in listening to the sounds around them. In the fifteen years that Lumi had known her, Lucky had never taken an interest in nature like most Elves. She didn't have nature-based magic and instead had a form of card magic that Lumi was deeply amazed by. Despite not being as inspired and moved by nature as her friend, she still took part in whatever Lumi did with a natural happiness just to be with her.

Lumi picked a small spot under the gentle shade of an orange tree, positioning herself on her knees with the pot in her lap. "I can't thank you enough, Lucky. How'd you find it? It's impossible to get here in Edgerest."

"Not impossible, obviously," Lucky said with a chuckle as she joined Lumi by the orange tree. "I used my magic to replicate the plant from a sketch in a book. It was difficult. I think I had to retry at least four times."

"And it's actually alive?" Lumi asked in awe, again closely examining the plant, her eyes tracing over the veins in the leaves. "It's so beautiful."

"Thank you." Lucky smiled.

Lumi and Lucky had known each other since they were born, for they were both born in the same hospital, however not exactly on the same day. Lucky was the older one by a mere few months. However, their similar ages did nothing to deter their friendship. In fact, their bond seemed to grow stronger due to the fact. Lumi and Lucky were inseparable, doing everything together, even if it meant that Lucky had to put up with Lumi's constant monologues about nature and the beauty embedded in every single blade of grass. Both were now the age of fifteen, however Lucky somehow had a more mature body and frame than Lumi, and it secretly made her jealous. Lucky had long, beautifully drill-curled pink hair held in a tight ponytail, with delicate strands framing her flawless, almost porcelain face. Her eyes were like majestic orbs of pure pink, making her always look so curious and attractive. Her physique was something out of a magazine, her soft curves and long legs accentuating her slim but feminine figure. Lumi always wished that she could look so beautiful and sophisticated. She herself had no such luck with her body, her long green hair only reaching down to her waist, despite how she deeply wished for it to be longer. Sometimes, Lumi wondered how the two actually became friends, but it was more for personality rather than looks.

Lucky snapped her fingers, pulling Lumi out of her trance. "Hello, anyone there? Let's get this thing planted before it gets dark!"

Lumi blinked. "Sorry." She took the pot from her lap and set it in the dirt in front of them. She then began to sift through the dirt, moving it around to loosen it up.

Lucky watched on, her eyes flitting from Lumi's hands to the plant, intently watching the specks of sunlight dance across the thick leaves and broad stems.

Once she had made a decent hole in the dirt, Lumi removed the plant from the glass pot it sat in. She looked over at Lucky with a wide smile, then gently placed the plant into the ground. The fresh, cool dirt felt soft between her fingers as she patted it around the plant, encasing it in a secure dirt cocoon.

"There!" Lumi exclaimed, clapping the dirt from her hands and brushing them against her pants. "Perfect. It'll look beautiful when it blooms."

"I hope so," Lumi said, tracing a slim finger along the stem.

"Thank you so much, Lucky. I absolutely love it." Lumi hugged her friend tightly.

Lucky hugged her back, then grinned. "I'm very glad that you like it. I hope when it blooms, it outshines everything in this garden. No offense to your mothers planting expertise."

Lumi giggled and stood up, looking around the vast array of colors. She spotted her mother's favorite flower, a bright blue flower that was always in bloom. "This one is her favorite," she said, pointing to the flower. "I wonder if this one will ever become as big."

"It may," Lucky stood as well. "Perhaps when your mother returns home from work, you can ask her to use her nature magic to speed the growth process of the plant."

Lumi was thoughtful for a second, gazing down at the baby flower. "I suppose so..."

"Or...maybe it would be more rewarding to grow this ourselves, without the use of magic to hasten the process," Lucky smiled. "And we can both see it grow and watch it bloom together. Don't you think it would be more satisfying that way? Like raising a child!"

Lumi nodded. "You're right! That does sound like it would be more fun."

They both looked down at their baby plant, smiles on their faces and dirt on their hands.

***

They shuffled back inside after giving the plant a healthy serving of water and fertilizer, the air cool and crisp compared to the warm sunlight of outside. Lumi's father had been fast asleep on the couch in the living room, the newspaper draped over his face. The two had laughed and giggled in silence as they tiptoed to Lumi's room. Her mother was due to be home in just an hour, so the girls wanted to have as much alone time as possible before Lumi's mother sent Lucky home. She didn't have anything against Lucky, of course. In fact, she adored her as if she were her own daughter. But there was a family rule that after a certain time of day, visitors were not allowed over. Lucky understood this rule and obeyed it every time she came over.

"So, what's next on our agenda for today?" Lucky asked, looking over Lumi's shoulder at her notebook as they sat on Lumi's bed. "Anything fun?"

Lumi quickly shut the notebook, blushing. "Uh...not really. Kinda private."

"What could be so private about a daily agenda?" Lucky asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Lumi held the notebook to her chest, covering her loose-fitting shirt. "Just things that are for me and my eyes only."

Lucky raised an eyebrow, then released a soft sigh. "Practicing magic again?"

Lumi fell silent, turning her gaze to her feet dangling off the edge of the bed.

Since Lumi was born, she had no magic, unlike every other Elf in Edgerest. It was a strange phenomenon, since Elves were known for having innate abilities at birth. It was common sense that, when it came to Elves, the earlier the magic started to show itself, the stronger it would be. For Lumi, however, she showed no signs of magic whatsoever. At first, it didn't bother her. She was still able to play with her friends and enjoy nature and all the things she loved. But as she grew older, the teasing became more prevalent, and Lumi found herself shunned from most of the community. Her parents tried every trick in the book to help their distraught daughter, but to no avail. Every tutor they hired, every spell they tested, every doctor they visited. Nothing worked. Lumi's father began to become desperate, almost obsessive in his need to make sure his daughter would have magic. Eventually, though, both her parents settled on the realization that Lumi may never have magic.

But Lumi refused to give up. The teasing from other teens and children didn't bother her as much as not fitting in. She was a regular Elf, so why couldn't she have magic? She would study and research and practice any kind of magic she could get her hands on, but nothing ever seemed to work. Lucky would always try to help and encourage her friend, but she knew deep down that she was fighting a war she couldn't win. But Lumi's desperate and hopeful determination kept her going. Every day after her homeschooling, she would go to the library and check out a book of spells relating to plants and nature, then she would return to her room, lock the door, and attempt every spell in the book. Of course, she never had any success. The only thing she did accomplish, however, was a headache and a more crushed heart.

Lucky rested her chin in her hands, her eyes traveling around the room. "Nothing has worked yet, right?"

Lumi shook her head. "Not even close. But I've only been doing it for a couple of years."

"You know, there's always the possibility that you're just not a nature Elf. It doesn't have to mean that it's the end of the world."

"But if I'm not a nature Elf, what am I? I don't just want any powers, I want to harness nature like my mother and father. I don't understand why I wasn't born like everyone else." Lumi huffed, tossing her book onto her desk and removing herself from the bed, pacing back and forth across her soft plush carpet. "Everyone seems to understand except me."

Lucky reached out, gently grasping her friend's wrist as she walked past the bed. "Lumi, maybe you just need to accept the fact that-"

"That I'll never fit in. That I'll be an outcast for the rest of my life." Lumi interrupted, crossing her arms.

"That is overly dramatic," Lucky gave a light chuckle. "And I'm more than positive that you are not the only Elf in existence that does not have the ability of magic in their veins."

"I suppose not," Lumi sat back down on the bed, this time a bit closer to Lucky. "But it's not just about being an Elf. It's about being normal."

"I think you're perfectly fine the way you are," Lucky smiled, pulling Lumi into a side hug. "Besides, what is normal, anyway? We all have the right to define our own normality, after all."

Lumi was silent, pondering Lucky's words. Define our own normality? Huh. Spoken like a true Lucky.

***

Lumi's mother returned home from work just as the sun was setting itself among the bustling tree line. The colors of the sky were an array of pinks and purples, casting a gentle glow into Lumi's bedroom. Lucky had left just an hour prior, much to Lumi's dismay, but it gave Lumi a chance to get her tasks done. Her parents had a long list of chores that needed to be done before the sun rose again, and Lumi didn't want to be in any trouble, for that would put a damper on Lucky's visits.

She sat at her desk, her feet swinging back and forth under the chair. In front of her was a large open book of spells that she had checked out from the library a little while after Lucky left, the pages fluttering ever so slightly from the gentle breeze coming from the window. Her eyes traveled across every word, every image, every punctuation mark. She was desperate to find anything that would help her develop her own magic abilities. Even the most simple of spells seemed like a mystery to her. She couldn't wrap her head around how someone could create such complex incantations from the simple words written down on paper. It fascinated her to no end, and she deeply longed to be able to do it. Lucky's ability to create any object, even plant life, from her deck of cards was far beyond Lumi's understanding. But she wouldn't give up, even if it killed her.

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, and she closed the book abruptly, hiding it in the bottom drawer of her desk. "Yes?"

"May I come in, honey?" A sweet, gentle voice spoke, and Lumi immediately noted that it belonged to her mother.

"Yes, mother." Lumi called, turning in her desk chair.

Her mother walked in, her face flushed with color and her hands full of bags. She wore a beautiful white dress with golden trim, and her hair was braided and twisted elegantly into a bun atop her head. Her eyes were kind and warm, like honey in the bright light. Lumi looked just like her mother, only the hair and eyes were green.

"How was your day, darling? I got you some things from the market today. There was a special sale event that I just couldn't pass up." Her mother said, her voice like music.

Lumi's mother, Lea, had been an Elf for over 600 years, and she was one of the most respected nature Elves in Edgerest. Her magic was so powerful that she was known to be able to speak to animals and plants, and her connection to Mother Nature was so strong that she knew when the slightest thing changed in the environment. She had been born in Edgerest when it had just became the town that it was today, when the buildings were small and the population was even smaller. Lumi wished she had the type of deep connection to nature, so much so that she actually envied her mother. Not only did she have greatly impressive powers over nature, but she was beautiful and smart. Lumi often wondered why her mother was born so perfectly while she was born so...boring.

"It was good, mother. Lucky stopped by and we planted a flower in the garden." Lumi said, eyeing the bags in her mother's hands. "You got me things? What did you get?"

Her mother smiled and moved over to Lumi's bed, placing the bags on top of it. "I got you some clothes and some things for your room. I know that you've been wanting to redecorate."

Lumi stood and walked over to the bed, pulling out the contents of the bags. There was a small lime green dress, a new book on the history of magic, a small statue of a squirrel, and a large wooden box. The box was smooth and beautiful, with a carved design of a forest along the lid and sides. Lumi picked it up and opened it, revealing a velvet lining and a small glass vial filled with Will-o'-the-wisps. They were small blue balls of light that floated gently around in the vial, their movements slow and almost hypnotizing.

"Mother, this is so pretty! Thank you." Lumi smiled, hugging her mother tightly.

"Now, you be careful with that. Those Wisps are very rare and I had to get them from a trader. They're worth a lot of money, so don't let them out, and for heaven's sake, don't break the glass!"

"Of course," Lumi nodded, closing the box and setting it back down on the bed. "I'm really glad that you bought me this stuff. I love it. But I wish I could buy you things like this. Perhaps I should ask about working part-time at the library."

"Oh, dear, you needn't worry about that. I make enough money to support our family, and I've worked so hard to do it. And you know I would rather die than let you join the rough and tough work force at such a young age."

"I am old enough to work," Lumi said. "I am fifteen, after all."

"Fifteen is too young for such a thing," her mother said, picking up one of the bags and taking out a small pink teddy bear. "Do you remember when you were little and you used to have one like this sitting in your bed?"

Lumi looked at the bear, taking it into her hands. "Yes, of course. I lost it a couple of years ago, though. I do wonder where it went. Maybe it came to life and walked away."

Her mother laughed. "Oh, Lumi. You're such a silly child sometimes."

Lumi smiled and placed the bear back on the bed. "Do you remember when I used to believe that Will-o'-the-wisps were spirits that were trying to lure me to the Netherworld?"

"You don't still believe that, do you?" Her mother questioned, almost sounding concerned.

"Oh, no, of course not. I just recall the memory, is all."

"You always had such an imagination, even when you were younger. It's a good thing, too. Imagination is important when it comes to learning magic."

Lumi's ears perked up. Magic? Did she just say magic? "Mother, what do you mean?"

Her mother looked down at her daughter, a warm, gentle smile on her face. She looked as though she were about to say something, but stopped herself and just shook her head. "Never mind, dear. It's getting late. Come, help me cook dinner. Your father will be hungry when he wakes up from his nap."

***

As Lumi lay in bed, with the sun now completely hidden behind the wall of trees, she thought back to what her mother had said, and what Lucky had said as well. She didn't quite understand what she meant by 'defining their own normality'. Did that mean that she didn't need to have nature powers? Could she not define that as her normality? She sighed and rolled over in her bed, looking at the Will-o'-the-wisps through the glass of the small vile. They floated around and around, never once hitting the glass,  as if they were afraid of it.

Lumi's ears perked up, and she suddenly became aware of the silence of the night. The birds had stopped chirping, and there were no sounds of crickets or animals skittering about. It was at this time, when the sun wasn't present the moon rose high, that the Nightbeasts came out. It had been quite some time since the Nightbeasts had attacked Edgerest, so she wasn't concerned about their possible arrival. But the night was far too quiet for her liking. So quiet, in fact, that it almost seemed loud. As if the silence were a sound in itself and thrummed everywhere.

She sighed and sat up in her bed, her blanket falling into her lap. Glancing down at her hands, she stared at the lines on her palm, the tiny creases that marked her skin. She could almost feel the pulse of her heartbeat in her hands, and she closed her fingers into a fist, wondering if she was imagining things.

She removed herself from her bed, reaching for the dimly lit candle stick sitting on her bedside table. Her parents had since gone to bed hours before, evident by the rumbling sound of her fathers snoring.

Her footsteps were expertly silent as she slipped into the backyard, feeling the cool stone on her bare feet. At night, the yard looked completely different. The grass had lost its green color, turning grayish and dry. The flowers no longer had their beautiful colors and appeared almost dead, their petals wilting and drooping. It was as if the darkness had taken the life out of everything around her, and she suddenly felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. The daytime always made everything seem beautiful, and it was the nighttime that took it all away.

She walked down the stone pathway, holding her candle high to light her way. A bitter draft blew her way, and she had to cup her hand in front of the flame to keep it from blowing out and leaving her in complete and utter darkness. She continued walking, the grass crunching under her feet, and soon she reached the end of the path. The orange trees that stood tall and proud in the daylight now looked sad and miserable, the branches drooping and the leaves browning. Looking down, however, she noticed that the plant Lucky had given her still looked youthful and bright, the candle light sending the purple hue of the leaves coruscating along the blades of grass and tree trunks.

She squatted down in front of the plant, bringing her candle closer to the ground. It was almost as if it had a life of its own, as if it were breathing. She was mesmerized, and found herself leaning even closer, her hand outstretched to touch the soft leaves. Her slim finger grazed the side of it, and she smiled. It almost seemed to dance the second she came in contact with it.

Sitting back on her heels, and released a long breath and held her hands out in front of her, palms facing the plant. The spell book that she had gotten from the library had a small nature spell in it that was said to enhance the life of a plant, and she intended to try it out. The specifics for the spell were to focus on the plant and imagine it growing before her eyes, while also imagining her own energy being transferred to it. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the plant. She imagined the plant sprouting and blooming, the leaves becoming thick and wide. She imagined the plant blossoming and extending, the color changing to a brighter purple than before.

She held the image in her mind, feeling a gentle breeze blow past her, chilling her bare skin. The wind carried the sweet scent of the orange trees, and she inhaled, almost intoxicated by the smell. All her attention was on the small plant before her, and she held her breath, struggling to remember the words the spell said to say.

She peeked an eye open, half-expecting to see the plant she had imagined, but of course, the same purple plant sat before her, looking just as it had been when she closed her eyes.

"I just need to remember what the book said." Lumi said aloud, her voice louder due to the silence surrounding her. The words she was supposed to say had completely vanished from her mind. She sighed in frustration and stood, pacing back and forth in front of the plant. "I know it was something like...lifeforce...no, no. Lifespan...Lifeform? Ugh, I can't remember!"

She sat back down, her legs crossed. Her heart was beating hard in her chest, and she was beginning to feel a headache coming on. Usually, her memory was beyond perfect, but her stress had flushed the words from her mind. She leaned forward, her forehead resting against the cold grass. "What was the spell?"

She thought back to earlier that day, when she read the book at the desk. She pictured the words in her mind, reading each word as she went.

Suddenly, it came back to her, and she lifted her head up.

"Abracadabra," she said, then slapped her forehead. "No, no, that's not right!"

She stood again, walking over to one of the trees and placing her hand against it. She leaned her head against it, letting out a deep sigh. She wished that she could just disappear into the tree, or go somewhere where she felt safe. But she recalled something her father loved to repeat.

"You can't go anywhere if you can't remember where you're going."

She sighed and removed herself from the tree, snatching up the candle and stomping inside, making sure not to slam the door. Returning to her room, she reached down into her desk drawer and removed the thick, hard-cover book from its hiding place. She plopped down on her bed and opened it to the page with the spell, her eyes scanning the page.

"Las loodus läheb oma rada?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Well, it's no wonder I couldn't remember that. It's like a tongue twister."

She read the words over and over, her eyes becoming heavy as she did so. Eventually, she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, and set the book down on her desk with a heavy whump. "I suppose I'll have to continue this tomorrow."

As she buried herself under the warmth of her comforter, a thought ran through her head.

Why can't I be normal? Why can't I be like everyone else? Why did I have to be born so strange?