Silverwood

Raise of the new beginning.

The crowd gathered, and it kept getting denser and denser. A short rebel started. Don't know why and how but the public was on my side. They were so desperate to be free that they wanted a war. They had a superstition. That on my arrival the curse upon elves got eradicated.

Even I did nothing, they gain hope because of me. Strange! They had suffered so much that now they are willing to bet the whole of them. All their wealth, weapons that were created for their protection, they submitted and joins the hand in the war. While I was unconscious, the public has boycotted the fairies. 

"There you are. I was searching for you everywhere." Arun says.

"Sorry"

"What are you doing at the cliff? It is dangerous."

"Just enjoying the view."

"Sorry, now you are stuck in this world. There may be another way out. Don't lose hope."

I nodded softly.

"You know what Dev,"

When will he call me correctly? When?

"What?"

"This place is not that bad. I mean, I am here how can it be bad in any sense."

What? I am staring at him but couldn't have any eye contact. Why is he avoiding eye contact? 

"I want to say is...."

Is he nervous? Clearing his throat too in each second. Is he ill? Maybe. He is sweating too. Minor fever, I guess. He is turning red. 

"Arun, are you alright?"

"I am great and handsome, and funny, and...."

Again. He might be having some sort of throat problem. 

"I want to ask... you don't have any place to stay right."

"Yes, not yet."

"Hm.."

"Dev.."

"I'll get you some water."

"What?"

"You have a sore throat so."

"Thanks"

I get up and headed towards the camp. Turning back, I see him a bit dull. His head is down and he is mumbling something. I kept going.

"Human!" A lady approaches me. She must be a wizard. Coz I don't see any wings.

"Yes, I am that human."

"I heard you lost your chance to return to the human world."

Yeah, you scratched my wound again. 

"Yes."

"I have heard that destroyed the curse on the elves?"

"I didn't do anything. I was just figuring my way, and this all happened."

"You started the war just to go back to your world."

What's with her tone? 

"You took so many people with you and made them sacrifice just to fulfill your desire."

"Listen.."

"No, you listen human. I won't let you go like that. Humans are so selfish."

She is not looking normal. Her eyes are on fire. Took out a bottle of potion. She is going to throw that on me. The camp is far and Arun is on the cliff. I dodge back. But I think I can not run from her. Fear strikes me so hard. That made me paralyzed. I am standing right there totally numb. Watching her, taking out the potion. She hurls the potion at me. I closed my eyes and raised my arm as a shield. 

But nothing happened. Open my eyes and the scene in front of me stuns me. I see that the lady was in the air. Struggling to set free. Looks like someone was controlling her. The potion was floating in the air too. It didn't hit me at all. I look around and found Mina. 

Mina was standing there with her chubby palm open and raised in the direction of that lady.

"Mina? How are you doing this?"

"I don't know."

"Put her down."

"I can't."

She is panicking. 

"Mina calm down."

She is panting. That's not right. The lady is choking. And Mina is too scared that she is unable to control her powers.

Powers...powers.. powers. Bingo! I need to separate her power source. Scanned her well. But couldn't find any crystals on her body. 

"Mina, try to relax. You are hurting her."

"Devi, I am trying."

"Where is your crystal, I can't find it? Did you eat one?"

"I am not a snake girl. We can not eat crystals. We can't digest it."

Point.

"Do you have a crystal with you? If so, throw it in the ground."

"I don't have any."

"Akk ak uuk" She will die in this way.

Mina had something. Something that gave her power. But the thing to focus on is to set the lady free.

"Mina... Mina, look at me. Don't panic, just look at me."

"Hmm" She nods.

"Ammm.. Ahh.. You know, I went to the giant valley."

"You did?"

"Yes. And I saw many books there. Obviously, it is a library. You like books, right?"

"Yes."

"Yes..." What am I doing?

"Thank you."

"What?" Her grip loosens up.

It is working. 

"Mina, I wanted to thank you before. But I was so confused and scared at that time. It just went out of my mind. Thank you for everything. You mean a lot to me. Meeting you was wonderful. You are wonderful. Truly."

The lady is getting down slowly. She stopped choking, too.

"Because of you, I got hope that yes, there are some good people who will help me. Those good people who will protect me. They can not harm anyone." 

She is calming down. Tears rolled down from her eyes. I slowly step forward to her.

"You are so sweet, kind, and humble girl. Lady."

I think I messed up.

"Stay away from me, or I'll hurt you." She yells.

"I know you will never hurt me."

"I can. I can't control it."

"You can and you will. I know. I trust you."

"Stay away."

"Take a deep breath."

"Do as I say, Mina."

She took a deep breath. Finally, the lady is down. The potion that was floating in the air falls on her. She turned into a small bird. 

"Oh my god! How can we fix her? Oh oh oh.... she flew away."

"Devi?"

"Yes"

"Am I really wonderful?"

"Yes, you are. Look what you did today."

"I almost killed her. I am a monster."

"No, you are not."

"I am! I am different from other wizards. No wizard can do this. I did. How? I don't even know."

"Being different is not a bad thing. But that was dope. You often do such kind of stunts."

"No, it was my third time."

"Means, it wasn't your first. You are diff... What's that?"

"This.. this is a ring. My love gave it to me before going to the war."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be. He never went to the war."

"Oh"

"Because he was taken by the witches. It is his souvenir with me."

"You miss him."

"With every breath of mine."

She sigh.

"Is that a wooden ring?"

"Yes"

"Mina, may I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Since when did you start experiencing this glitch in you. The difference. This ability?"

"I get it what you want to ask."

"Oh"

"After my love left me. I was so depressed. I began to mess the spell on the potions. Mariya said it was because I was unstable. Once I almost killed her. And now I really..." She sniffs.

"Sorry about Mariya."

"I killed her."

"Mina?"

"I wanted to go on the war. For my love. She went in my place." She is sobbing. Letting her heart out. 

The more emotional she is getting, the more she is glowing. But for a fraction of time only. She is not glowing anymore. Though she said so much and calm down. The glow didn't seem to disappear as the result of her calmness. I think she must have had something. 

"I will join the war. For her. Or at least to meet her. Sorry, I just bored you." She says.

"No, not at all."

"Can I ask you one thing?" I say.

"Hm"

"What did you ate before coming here?"

"I haven't eaten anything."

"Oh"

"But I had juice."

"Juice?"

"Yes, the one bottle in your room had juice. I had that."

Juice can be the reason?

"It was so chili. The ice has formed. It was so cold, so I just swallowed it."

"Oh"

"Oh"

"Oh no."

 "Devi, what happened?"

"Oh yes."

"Oh no? Oh yes? What is it?"

"Ice..."

"What about it?"

"Ice is a crystalline form of water. Ice is a crystal."

"Is it?"

"Yes. And your ring. It must be the wood of the tree, Silverwood."

"Silverwood?"

"Come with me."

I dragged her to Arun.

"Arun!"

"Arun!"

"Hey.. easy girl. What happened?"

In a panting voice, I said everything to him.

"Is that for real?" He is shocked.

I nod.

"So the wood is the key to our powers. But there are limited trees left."

"Arun, you need small strands of wood, no?"

"No my dear. The inner core is the only part that is used for making a wand."

"Then let's grow it," I say.

"What?"

"For the better future, we need more trees. And I know the exact thing to grow the plant into a healthy tree."

"Okay. I am with you."

"Can she have a wand? Not big as you but a length of a pen?"

"Just order, anything for you." 

Arun! You give me butterflies. 

"Will ice really work?" He asks.

"It will melt. Not that reliable. I guess sugar may work. But.."

"Sugar? We have it all the time. Nothing happens."

"Sugar crystals?"

"No, powder sugar."

"Powder?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Our factory produces it in that way, so."

"You have factories?"

"You think we live in a stone age Dev?"

"No.. I mean, you have a sugar factory."

"We do."

"You have power sugar now?"

"Yes. In the camp we have plenty."

"Time for some DIY."

"Some, what?"

"Nothing. Let's go."

Inside the tent, I am waiting for the formation of sugar crystals. I was the one who used to do that experiment in my house. For every slumber party, that was a must. Each friend had their own color code. We always maintained that color code. Those bracelets were also as per their colors. 

"Oh, brain freeze.. brain freeze.." Anu says.

"Slowly kid," Vidya says to her.

"Is it working?

"Aachhuuu" Anu sneezed. 

"Don't think so." Her mom says.

"Let me try," Sushree says.

"Hey Shush...., slowly."

She swallowed two-three tiny pieces. No change. Damn! I asked yeti to create ice for nothing. 

"Wait! Mina can you take out my bottle."

"Sure."

The copper bottle was buried under the snow created by yeti. Mina got power from that so does they can. 

"Break the ice and have it."

They did the same. 

Marvelous. The result is marvelous. 

"Your juice is great." Mina says.

Come on. Don't you all get it.

"It is not because of the juice. It is because the ice was formed naturally. No magic was used."

"So Dev,"

"Yes Arun."

"You are saying that only naturally created ice or other crystalline elements will work."

"Kind of"

"Kids regain their energy but it is not enough," Sushree says.

"Hmm, chemistry.... help please," I mumble. 

They look at each other. They had no idea about what I just said.

"Does it work?" The Ogre asks.

"Kind of," Everyone says in chorus.

"How's the plantation going?" I ask.

"As estimated."

"Thank you so much."

He left, blushing. 

"Ice can save many lives now. I'll go announce this news." Arun left the tent.

Mina got a small wand. She is practicing. Sushree tried too. But she couldn't. But she could only generate a wave. To understand the matter, I suggested calling the sprites. All the leaders held a meeting. Mina's power strengthens their superstitions. And they blindly agreed to follow my leads. 

"Anu is healthy now. I am glad I could help a bit." I say.

"Show me your hand." Anu's mom says.

She had a piece of quartz and produced a wave. That wave was short but powerful. 

"Oh.. my hand?"

"Feeling better?"

"You can heal?"

"Yes. We were the servants of fairies for this reason only. We have the ability to heal others, but we became so weak that we lost our ability. Still, we served them."

"Once this experiment works. No snake person will have the problem of malnutrition anymore." I assure her.

"Right. Lord chemistry help us." She prayed, joining her palms.

Lord? 

"Chemistry is not a god. It's science."

"Science god please help us." She prayed.