Submission (#7433) Approved

Yuji stood at the edge of the dense forest, and he furrowed his brows as he looked at the faint shimmer on the path before him. The trail was subtle, barely visible to most, but today for some reason the delicate flow of mana that danced along the edges of the narrow path made it impossible to miss. It was an old elnin trail - one of many hidden pathways all over Eyre, infused with magic and traces of the past. He had heard about them in stories from Greywind and Subaru but had never stumbled upon one himself until now.

The path called to him, a soft whisper in the air and the rustling of the leaves grew louder and louder.

He hesitated.

The adventures in the past never ended well for him when he entered a forest, and this time he was alone. “What if something goes wrong?”, he murmured to himself and kept a watchful eye on the edge of the forest, unsure of what to do next. Should he wait and get Subaru? But what if he didn’t find the trail again? He didn’t even notice it in the first place when he came here, he stumbled onto it by accident over time.

He had been out gathering herbs near the base of the mountain when he had felt the faint trace of mana lingering in the breeze, pulling him toward the trail. It was as though the forest itself had been waiting for him to find it.
This wasn’t the thick and dense forest of Kyendi or the snow-ridden ones in Strynhalde. Yuji and Subaru were in Bellmori - the air was fresh and crisp, the eternal land of autumn welcomed the white elnin. The forest was light and warm and inviting.

And before Yuji realized, he walked along the narrow, secluded path, the soft golden moss beneath his paws barely making a sound. He felt like he was in a trance.

When had he entered the forest?

The trees around him were tall, full of warm red and orange hues and the sunlight made everything glow even more.

The trail twisted and turned, almost playful in the way it meandered through the underbrush. Small stones, worn smooth by time, lined the edges of the path, and every now and then, Yuji spotted an old wooden signpost sticking out of the ground. The signs were etched with words in Old Eyreish, their letters curling elegantly, though some had newer, more modern inscriptions added beneath them. He stopped at one of the signs, leaning in to read the faded script.

"Take heart, little one. You are never truly lost."

The white elnin blinked in surprise, before he couldn’t help but smile. The words felt warm and comforting. It was as though the elnin who had created the trail long ago had left these messages behind for others like him, to offer encouragement along the path. It was reassuring and his anxiety eased ever so slightly. Yuji found his spirits lifting as he continued forward, his earlier hesitation finally fading into the background and he was comfortable listening to the sounds of the forest.
Everything melted together, maybe it was just his imagination but it sounded like a faint melody.

A song he never heard before and yet he knew exactly what it meant. The further he went, the stronger the mana around him grew. It wasn’t overwhelming, but just a gentle pulse, like the beat of a distant drum, reminding him that he was following in the footsteps of generations before him.

As he walked, Yujis hair swayed softly with the gentle breeze and from time to time he spotted animals crossing the trail. Rabbits and mice darted across the path, scuttling through the colorful bushes and seeked shelter under big mushrooms. He loved watching them and he knew then and there - everything would be okay.

His curiosity grew and he wondered what would lay at the end of the trail. Maybe there was a hidden glade or a secret viewpoint overlooking the mountain? Was there anything at all? The possibilities spun in his mind, each more exciting than the last, but at the same time, he tried to keep his expectations low. The walk was an experience in itself; one he deeply cherished.

Eventually, the path opened up into a small clearing, bathed in golden light. At the center of the clearing stood a stone, taller than Yuji, covered in moss and ancient carvings. It was clearly a marker of some kind, perhaps the end of the trail or the start of another, and as he approached it, the soft hum of mana around him intensified.

Yujis breath caught in his throat and his heartbeat grew faster. The carvings on the stone were intricate, telling a story in Old Eyreish - too old for him to fully understand, but the images were clear enough. They depicted elnin walking together, leaving behind trails that wove through forests and mountains alike, spreading all over Eyre, connecting them all throughout the different regions.
Beneath the carvings, there was a small inscription in modern Eyreish. Yuji cocked his head a little and read it.

"May your journey be light, and your heart be full."

A quiet warmth rose in his chest as he read the words. He had always been cautious, a little hesitant to explore too far from home, and his experiences weren’t always great.., but standing here, at the end of the trail, surrounded by the magic of the past, he felt a little bit like he was home. The world was vast, but maybe that was the beauty of it. There were so many paths, so many trails to follow - each one left behind by those who wandered with a purpose.

“I can’t wait to tell Subaru about this”, he whispered. And yet - he knew this was his journey to take. Alone. He didn’t want anyone by his side - but he did want to share the experience of the afternoon with his friend.

After a few moments of quiet reflection, Yuji turned to leave the clearing, casting one last glance at the stone. His heart felt lighter, as though he had discovered something more than just a path. He had discovered a connection to the world around him, to his ancestors, and to the elnin who had walked these trails before him. Maybe he wasn’t so alone after all.

The walk back was peaceful. The forest felt even more alive now, with the soft breeze rustling the leaves and the scent of autumn filling the air. The trail didn’t seem as daunting anymore and Yuji’s steps were confident.

It was time to go home.