Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Luminous awoke one day, the sounds coming from the hallway were louder than usual. The other beds in the room were empty, to his surprise. He wasn’t usually one to wake up late.

As he got out of bed and slipped into his Aurora robes (the smallest size still sloping over his tiny shoulders), he realised that he hadn’t woken up late. Everyone else had just been up earlier. When he left his sleeping chambers, every mage seemed busier than usual; he could see someone packing a backpack full of necessities (robes and books) and a senior mage even approached him to ask about fitting new robes for him later. (“To look presentable as a representative of Aurora.”) Finally, robes that actually fit him! In his excitement and confusion, he forgot to ask what all the commotion was for.

Lucia, who had been hovering around all the working mages, made her way through the hall to reach him.

“It’s all so exciting, isn’t it? Your first time studying away from the Temple!”

Luminous stared at her blankly. “Away? Am I being sent somewhere?”

“Oh! I can’t believe no one told you, even though you’re the one who’s most involved…” For a moment, Lucia looked as confused as he did. “You’re being sent to Elluel as a representative of the Temple. Sort of like an envoy, but also to continue your training.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard of something like that happening here.” He murmured.

“Hmm, apparently it happened pretty often during the time of the first Master, but Aurora has been having trouble with reassuring other communities that we aren’t dangerous since the... incident.” Lucia’s face darkened as she ended her sentence.

Luminous, like all Aurora mages, had been told again and again of the incident regarding the first Master. A tragedy, most senior mages recalled, to lose such a bright young pioneer of Light magic. In more hushed tones, some called it an embarrassment to the organization.

“I’m surprised the elves agreed to have me then. I thought they were amongst the most conservative species nearby.”

“I guess they changed their minds? Who knows, you’ll find out when you get there! Don’t worry too much about something that hasn’t even happened yet. You do that too often.” Lucia replied, wearing her bright smile as always.

The senior mage from earlier called for Luminous, and he nodded to Lucia, then made his way back to his room where the mage waited.

-

A few hours later, in the early afternoon, it was time for Luminous to leave. The Forest of Peace was as dark as ever; there was no way to tell the time without a proper watch.

A backpack almost the same height as him was strapped to his back, and the weight seemed to increase every moment he carried it. Some of the mages, including Lucia, followed him outside to send him off.

“Good luck, Luminous! And don’t forget to have some fun, you’ve been way too stiff lately.” Lucia called out.

One of the mages held out a small floating crystal to him. “This crystal will guide you to Elluel. The journey is not long.” Luminous accepted the crystal with his two small hands.

The other mages were saying their assorted goodbyes when a sudden hush fell over them. A hooded figure Luminous hardly recognized emerged from the crowd.

“Master..?” Luminous asked. The second Master rarely made an appearance around the Temple.

“You are leaving to Elluel as a representative of Aurora. I am not sure if the elven people truly trust us yet, so be on your guard and always show the best of manners. ...I hope you do not fail us, young mage.” The Master spoke in a low tone, and his voice was muffled by his mustache but unmistakably had a hint of sadness.

Luminous tried not to take notice of it. He bowed down low. “Thank you for your words of warning, Master. I will return with promising results.”

The Master nodded slowly, and returned swiftly to the Temple. Luminous let out a brief sigh, waved goodbye for the last time, and began walking the way the floating crystal indicated.

-

He knew it had been hours since he began his journey, but Luminous couldn’t tell the difference from his surroundings. The trees around him looked the same as the ones near the Temple, albeit they did seem to be slowly thinning out. Although the journey felt long, longer than any distance he had travelled before, he was glad he had not run into any danger. He only knew the most basic of Light spells, none of which were suited for combat. He was more like a human lamp than a magician at his current level.

Luminous trudged on. His feet ached from stepping on branches and uneven forest flooring for hours, but he wanted the journey to be over soon. Taking a break would only lengthen his time in the forest.

However when the hours seemed to turn into days, his surroundings seemingly showing no sign of changing, and the crystal being his only source of light, Luminous began to have second thoughts.

His legs and feet were aching unbearably by now, and his worries about running into danger were raised again as he struggled to see several meters in front of him.

Maybe I’ve almost reached Elluel, Luminous thought. He had walked for half the day without rest and it wasn’t even supposed to be a long distance to the elven village. Just a few more steps...

He couldn’t take it anymore. He dropped his backpack by the trunk of a nearby tree, which fell with a light thud. Luminous sat down in front of it, leaning back into the hard leather the bag was made of. He breathed a sigh of relief. Relief and exhaustion.

Opening one flap of his backpack, he grabbed around for the emergency food rations he had sneaked in when the mages were preparing his bag. Luckily, it was still there.

Leaning back again, munching on some bread and sweets, Luminous listened to the sounds around him.

The soft hooting of an owl. Leaves rustling as creatures scuttled around the high branches in the trees. And something else he didn’t recognize. Something that sounded louder and louder the closer he listened to it.

After a few moments of pondering, the sound became much louder. He still couldn’t identify what the sound was, but it was getting closer. Standing up abruptly, teetering a bit on his tired legs, he tried to look around to pinpoint the direction of the sound.

There! Luminous whipped his head around, but before he could react he was suddenly pushed back on the ground, his elbows breaking his fall as he fell on his back. Confused, he adjusted his eyes to the darkness; the crystal was too far away to illuminate his vision properly. Directly above him was a girl who looked around the same age as him.

The girl had blonde hair which reminded him of Lucia’s. She was wearing a blue dress adorned with a few rips here and there. Luminous would have thought she was an ordinary human girl if not for her clearly pointed ears.

Too shocked to speak, Luminous sputtered at the girl until she too, realised he was there and swiftly got up and away from him.

“Who are you ?” She asked suddenly, staring at his face. He then realised she was looking at his ears.

“That’s what I should be aski-”

“Mercedes!”

Another voice called out from the darkness, this time coming from an older woman. When she entered the light from the crystal, Luminous noticed that she had pointed ears as well.

“Mercedes, how many times have we told you about leaving the village!”

“I don’t care! You never let me leave, so I don’t have a choice!” The girl, Mercedes, crossed her arms and turned away from the woman.

Sighing, and turning to Luminous as if she had just noticed him, she remarked in mild surprise. “A human! Are you the envoy from Aurora?” She asked this skeptically. Luminous had a feeling this had to do with the fact that he was a child.

Brushing himself off and standing up properly, he bowed. “My name is Luminous, and I am indeed the representative sent by Aurora. I’m seeking the elven village of Elluel.”

“You’re in luck then,” the woman said, still looking incredulous. “This child and I live there, and it’s not too far away.” She grabbed Mercedes by the waist and hoisted her up, despite the child’s protests.

Silently (on the woman’s part, not Mercedes’), she turned around and Luminous quickly grabbed his bag, seeing this as an invitation to show him the way.

-

The village was indeed not far. Within a few minutes of walking Luminous noticed the plants changing slightly through the limited visibility he had at night.

“Here we are.” The woman said, her voice almost covered by Mercedes’ incessant screaming. She pointed to a passage which seemed just like a gathering of vines at first sight, but upon closer inspection it opened up to an underground tunnel.

Luminous walked ahead this time, marvelling at the glowing crystals within the tunnel. He had always been fascinated by crystals, but now, they reminded him of home. He grasped his own crystal from the air, and its light slowly disappeared.

When they emerged from the tunnel, Luminous’ mouth was agape. Even in the darkness of the night, the moonlight managed to shine so brightly he could see the town stretched out in front of him. The architecture; wooden structures woven in with giant plants and magnificently intricate patterns. The greenery within the village all seemed to glow. It was different from the crystalline trees near the Aurora Temple, and it felt even more mystical. The most awe-inspiring was the giant tree at the center of the village. Its leaves seemed to fall down continually in a dreamlike pace yet the tree was still full of blossoming flowers and abundant with leaves. From afar, it looked like it was outstretching its branches over the village like a protective guardian.

“It’s a shame you had to arrive in the dead of night. I suppose we can hold the welcoming ceremony in the morning.” The woman suddenly spoke, snapping Luminous out of his trance. “Your room is this way.”

As she made her way into the cluster of buildings near the giant tree, Luminous followed. She led him to a room of modest size, the inside decorated with wooden furniture and several plants growing from the ceiling and walls. He thanked her briefly and then he was left alone. Dropping his backpack in the corner of the room, he collapsed headfirst on the bed.

He wasn’t sure if the woman was being welcoming or not. If anything, she seemed taken aback by him being a child. But Luminous hadn’t forgotten what the Master had said.

Within moments, the door to his room opened again. Luminous looked up, startled and expecting to see the woman who guided him here, but instead his eyes rested on the smaller figure of Mercedes.

“So you’re the magic human from Oh-roh-ra? Why do you talk like some old man even when you’re a kid?” Mercedes approached him without hesitation and even plopped herself on his bed.

Luminous blinked once, twice. He reminded himself to be polite as he opened his mouth to speak. “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. I am merely talking normally.”

“See, you’re doing it again! And here I was, thinking I’d finally have someone to play with who isn’t a boring adult.” Mercedes crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks. She seemed to do that often.

“I… apologize. There are very few children in the Aurora temple, so I never learned how to speak like one.”

“You don’t learn to talk like a kid, you just do it. Well, anyway, do you like climbing trees?” She looked up at him expectantly, her blue eyes opened wide.

Luminous was taken aback by her abrupt change in attitude. “I’ve never tried,” he admitted, “the trees around the Temple back home are only used for research purposes.”

“You’re missing out! Look, I’ll bring you with me tomorr-”

She was interrupted by another “Mercedes!” from afar. Luminous had a feeling this was something that happened pretty often.

“Looks like I have to go. Sleep well or whatever. See you tomorrow!” With that, Mercedes crawled off his bed and slipped out the front door.

Outside, Luminous heard shouts that sounded like it came from the woman from before. He rested his head on the soft pillows behind him, much too large for him, and sighed to himself again. At least the journey was over and he was safe in Elluel. He thought about Mercedes, whom he dubbed ‘that troublemaking elf girl’ in his head. He was only in Elluel to study with the scholars here, but she had already set up different plans for him.

He had a feeling it was going to be a really long stay.

Chapter Text

When Mercedes woke up the next day, she heard a commotion outside. Peering out of the small window in her room, she saw several elven officials gathering around the clearing in front of the large tree in the center of the village. Curious, she changed into her usual outfit and quietly sneaked outside.

As she approached the town center, she caught a glimpse of the human boy in the middle of the gathering. What was his name again? Loo-mins? She was terrible at remembering names.

“...You are the first human to step foot inside Elluel in a while. So we welcome you, Luminous of Aurora.” Astilda, one of the highest-ranking elves in the village, spoke in a low voice as her hand gestured out to the rest of the village. There were murmurs of mixed approval and uncertainty among the other elves. Mercedes managed to squeeze into the crowd and tapped Luminous on the shoulder.

“Psst. Ready to go?”

“Excuse me?”

Did he already forget what she told him last night? Exasperated and impatient, she grabbed his arm and dashed off in the direction of the tunnel entrance at the end of the village.

“Wait, what do you think you’re doing?!” Luminous cried out, his words coupled with quick breaths. Was he already that tired? Humans are so fragile, Mercedes thought.

“We’re going tree-climbing! I told you yesterday!”

“But the welcoming ceremony…”

“That’s just a bunch of adult nonsense. You gotta have fun if you’re a kid like me!”

Mercedes looked back at the crowd of elves behind them. They didn’t seem to have noticed he was gone yet. She smiled to herself. It was their fault they never managed to catch her before she left town.

As the two left the tunnel and emerged in the forests outside, Mercedes breathed in deeply. The air outside always felt different from home.

Still clutching her hand, Luminous was hunched over, trying to catch his breath.

“Are you really that tired? We just ran out of the village!” Mercedes rested her hands on her hips, letting go of Luminous’ hand.

Luminous took a few deep breaths before replying. “Physical capabilities aren’t prioritized among magicians. I only ever had to walk short distances back home…”

“Argh, the way you talk reminds me of my professors! Loosen up a bit!” She covered her ears with her hands and scowled at him. Luminous’ expression seemed to soften a bit.

“Alright,” Luminous stood upright. “I’ll start off by accompanying you with your... tree-climbing.”

Mercedes huffed. “That’s a start, I guess.”

-

The trees in the forest were tall and had long, twisting branches, which made them perfect for climbing. There were even platforms here and there, strong enough to hold the weight of several people. Mercedes heard of monsters who roamed the forest, but she had never actually seen them. Not in all her life of mini expeditions to the forest outside. She was starting to think they were just stories told to elf children so they don’t wander outside the village. Mercedes was getting too old for those kind of flimsy tales.

Mercedes was surprised at how bad Luminous was at climbing (and at her memory for never remembering his name). Even for a first-timer, he slipped too often, got tired within a few minutes, and sweated buckets the whole time. But he never complained.

Dangling her legs from a platform above, she looked down at the boy, still struggling to reach where she was. They weren’t even that high up yet; Mercedes usually climbed much higher when she was alone. She rested her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands as she watched him slowly grab the next branch, getting closer and closer to her.

She mulled over his features - they were much easier to remember than his name. He had blue eyes like her, but they were lighter and bluer than her greener, azure ones. His grey-white hair reminded her of the elders in Elluel. At least his manner of talking matched his hair colour. Most peculiar to her was his rounded ears. She knew humans had different ears from elves, but seeing it in person just looked… wrong. She furrowed her brows. Luminous had almost reached the platform.

Mercedes saw his eyes suddenly widen.

“M… Mercedes! Behind you!” Luminous suddenly yelled out, scrambling up to the platform on all fours. He stood above her as she wrapped her arms around herself in shock, and noticed what he was talking about: a monster, she thought, but it looked more like an overgrown caterpillar made of rocks.

Despite its appearance, they both knew not to underestimate it. Mercedes grabbed the hood of Luminous’ robes, even though she could see that he was trembling too.

The monster came closer, pushing the two of them to the edge of the platform. Suddenly, Mercedes saw a bright light coming from in front of Luminous. Magic?

Despite its flashiness, the light only distracted the monster for a moment and it charged at them, faster than before. That was when Mercedes had an idea.

“Jump!”

“What?!”

“Just do it!”

Mercedes could see that Luminous looked even more uneasy about jumping off. Grabbing his waist, she jumped backwards, sending them falling.

“What now? You’d rather die by suicide than by monster attack?” Luminous cried out. His voice was barely audible over the sound of whooshing in Mercedes’ ears.

She rolled her eyes. “Just trust me!”

Bringing her index finger and thumb to her mouth, she let out an ear-splitting whistle that rang out throughout the forest. Within moments, a white blur zoomed towards them. Mercedes grabbed Luminous’ hand as it approached her, breaking their fall. Luminous slipped off at first, so she had to use both hands to pull him back on.

They were riding on the back of a small white unicorn, its size barely keeping both of them on board. “Sylvidia, bring us down.” Mercedes gently commanded. The unicorn complied, gliding on its angel-like wings down to the forest floor.

When they got to the bottom, Mercedes gracefully slid off the unicorn’s back while Luminous practically fell off. Looking over at him, she doubled over in laughter.

Luminous’ hair was slicked up in random places from their fall, and his robes were muddied and had small rips on the sleeves. His eyes looked dazed, as if he had just woken up. When he realised she was laughing at him (it took him a few moments), he desperately tried to smooth down his hair and robes, his face turning pink from embarrassment.

“It isn’t like you’re in a much better state...” Luminous pointed out, brushing some leaves out of his hair.

It was true. Since Mercedes’ hair was longer, it was spread out in all directions and her tattered dress was even more ruined. But that didn’t stop her from laughing at him.

“Ahem.” A third voice called out. Luminous flinched slightly.

“Oh, sorry, Sylvidia. Thanks for saving us up there. We would’ve been monster food without you!” Mercedes turned around to face the unicorn, who was looking mildly upset (or at least, as upset as a horse can look).

“Who’s the human?”

“Ah, he’s… a new friend? I dragged him out of the village today to go climb trees with me. And you saw how that ended up.” Mercedes laughed sheepishly.

“I didn’t know there were humans living in Elluel.”

“You’re right, there aren’t. He’s from another part of the forest, from Oh-roh-ra or whatever. He’s just visiting, I think.”

Luminous stepped forward and bowed down. “My name is Luminous of Aurora. Pleased to make your acquaintance, unicorn.”

The unicorn awkwardly bowed back. “You can call me Sylvidia.”

Mercedes clapped her hands together. “Weeeelll, I think it’s time for me and… Luminous to get back to the village now. It’s getting dark and it’s suspicious that no one’s come to chase us down yet.”

“Hey, I just saved your lives! Where’s my reward?” Sylvidia asked in a mock offended tone.

“Next time, okay?” Mercedes waved at her and grinned, then turned around and headed back to the village.

-

Mercedes lay on her bed, bathed and cleaned up. None of the adults had questioned where she had been, or even scolded her for it. Maybe they finally realised how useless it is to try and keep her trapped in town, she smiled to herself in triumph. There still seemed to be a commotion outside - it was weird for the village to be so chattery after nightfall.

“...Do you really believe what that human child said? Mercedes would never be so docile as to guide him around the forest. If he was really here to study, why couldn’t he have asked one of our scholars to show him around? Not to mention he slipped away from our gracious welcoming ceremony without so much as a sound…”

“Then what do you suggest he is here for? Mercedes is an unpredictable child. I find it perfectly believable that she merely found herself a new companion and decided to have some rebellious fun.”

“He comes from that organization. The Black Mage’s organization. We should never have let a human into our sacred village, let alone someone associated with the greatest evil known to the Maple World!”

“I… suppose you have a point.”

Mercedes was listening to the conversation outside when she decided to interrupt. Slamming her window open right next to the two elves outside, she shoved her face between them.

“Stop saying mean things about Luminous! He’s just a kid!”

“Mercedes! What would you know about that human? It’s been hardly a day since you met him.”

“That doesn’t matter! Adults aren’t supposed to pick on kids like that!”

“Humans are a different story. Especially those humans…”

Mercedes’ face felt hot from anger. She slammed her window shut without another word. She didn’t hear the other elves say anything else. That showed them, she thought to herself.

But she still didn’t feel satisfied. Making sure no one was in the vicinity, she left for Luminous’ room again.

She knocked this time. “Who is it?” She heard him call out.

“It’s me,” Mercedes replied in a low voice. “Let me in before someone sees me outside.”

From inside, she could hear his footsteps quickening at the sound of her voice. The door creaked open and their eyes met for a brief moment before Mercedes yanked the door open and quickly slipped inside.

“I do hope this isn’t going to become a regular routine for you.” Luminous sighed.

“Oh, it already is! Too bad for you, Mr. Stuffy Mage.” Mercedes flashed her toothy grin at him, walking towards his bed.

“At least refer to me by my name! You must have remembered it by now.”

“Fine. Luminous.”

Silence spread throughout the room for a few moments as their blue eyes met once again. Luminous broke eye contact first, lowering his gaze.

“Ah, your legs…” He approached her on the bed, his eyes fixed on her bare shins.

Mercedes looked down too. She hadn’t noticed before, but her legs were covered in scratches. It’s not like it was unusual for her, though.

After giving them a thorough look-over, Luminous headed to his absurdly large backpack (did he actually carry that thing?) and pulled out a smaller pouch. When he opened it as he sat down on the bed next to her, Mercedes noticed it was full of first-aid supplies. He pulled out a roll of bandages and a packet filled with some kind of paste.

When Luminous slathered some of it onto her scratches, they stung and made her wince. He then started rolling out some bandages and began wrapping it around her legs.

“This is an ointment made from some medicinal herbs near the Temple. It may sting a little.” He said softly, his eyes focused on his work.

“They weren’t hurting before. Now you just made it sting.” Mercedes protested, but she kept her leg in place as he slowly wrapped it around in a mesmerizing motion.

“Wounds won’t properly heal unless you treat them. Light magic is closely related to healing, but I’m afraid I don’t know any healing spells…” Luminous tied up the ends of the cloth, and began working on her other leg.

“Oh yeah, you did use some magic back in the forest.” She mused. “But it didn’t do anything.”

Luminous stopped for a moment and Mercedes could see his cheeks turn slightly pink. “I’m sorry about that,” he muttered with a hint of sarcasm, “but I’m still a child, as you can see. I’ve only just begun to learn basic light spells.”

He had finished wrapping up both her legs. It limited her movements slightly, and Mercedes already wanted to take them off. She suddenly remembered what the other elves had said outside her room. An evil kid wouldn’t be treating her wounds, right?

“If these don’t actually work, I’m going to rip them off and throw them at your face.”

“Go ahead. That ointment was made by one of the most skilled magicians in Aurora. I’d bet my life on their expertise.” His expression turned smug, which made Mercedes want to rip her bandages off even more. She stuck out her tongue at him, which made him laugh. It was the first time she saw him smile genuinely. She wished he did it more often.

Mercedes hopped off the bed, trying to get used to the bandages tightened around her lower legs. “Good night then, Luminous.” She said. And in a quieter voice, “Thank you.”

She knew he couldn’t be evil. Everyone else just needed to stop being paranoid.

Chapter Text

A few weeks passed by in Elluel, which felt (relatively) uneventful for Luminous after the tree-climbing incident. He felt relieved to finally begin his studies, which had been the original intention of the trip in the first place (despite the fact that it had barely been a day since he arrived in Elluel, dealing with Mercedes made the day feel much longer). His lessons included elven history, culture, and most prominently, magic. Luminous knew the importance of studying the different cultures various species had, but he was undeniably most intrigued by the magic they used. He also knew about the close relationship Aurora had with the fairies in the past, though their connection was severed after the fall of the first Master. In spite of that, he had immature hopes to build a similar relationship with the elves. He figured the first step to achieving that was knowing more about them.

Despite his immersion in his studies, Mercedes didn’t cease to bother him by loitering nearby. He couldn’t really figure out why, since his schedule consisted of lectures and reading from morning to dusk. Though that didn’t mean she would persist with her visits, let alone join him in whatever he was doing. She would usually sit beside him when he went for morning lectures, staying suspiciously quiet until he realized she was trying to throw as many pebbles in another elf’s hood without being noticed or other antics. By the time Luminous returned to his room to do some extra reading between lessons, Mercedes would ask several irrelevant questions (“Does that book have any adventure stories in it?”), and, upon finding his answers unsatisfying, stomp out of his room. Luminous never saw a reason to ask where she was going, since he was almost certain she was out exploring the forest as usual. But the first time she left, he asked a different question.

“You’re still going back to the forest? What if you run into a monster again?”

“Then I’ll beat it with my bare hands. Sylvidia’ll be there, anyway.” She scoffed at him. “Plus, why are you even asking? It’s not like you’re going to stop me, or going with me with that pile of books surrounding you.”

He had nothing to say in response.

-

In the afternoons Luminous studied elven history and culture with Astilda, who seemed to be the oldest elf in the village. Judging by the way she talked about some historical events, he found it likely she was actually there.

“Elves are, by tradition, ruled by monarchs. With our extended lifespans, it is significantly more important than for humans to have a true and just ruler who leads the race with pride.”

Astilda paced slowly, back and forth, as she spoke.

“…As you may have noticed, we lack such a ruler in Elluel. Rather, a ruler at all. Though the ruler of elves is also aided by three elders to guide them in making decisions, I am the sole elder remaining in Elluel.”

She stops her striding, instead facing out to the village.

“The previous ruler and the elders of War and Magic, who were more suited for battle, went to join the battle with the Black Mage.”

Luminous’ hand paused mid-sentence as he was scribbling notes. The Black Mage, formerly Aurora’s first Master. There was no way Astilda was unaware of that. There was no doubt Aurora held the stigma of the Black Mage’s tarnished reputation. He braced for the worst.

But it never came. Astilda continued her lecture. “The monarchy of elves, however, is different from royalty in a human sense. While human monarchies are sustained by bloodlines, elf sovereigns are chosen by the Great Spirit. When the time comes for a new ruler to emerge in Elluel, on the day of the Summer Equinox, the Great Spirit reveals Herself to the one worthy of the title. Once chosen, the candidate must prove themselves by completing three tasks… only then can the elf rise to the position of ruler.” She raised her head, her eyes fixated on the sun.  “…The equinox is soon upon us.”

It was only then that Luminous realised why the elves had previously cut off contact with the rest of the world. That is, until they contacted the Aurora organization. If the elves were without a proper leader, they would be seen as disadvantaged by the other races and groups. And, as Luminous could already conclude, the elves were a very proud race who would rather go extinct than admit their weakness.

Luminous raised his hand. A habit that persisted despite him being the only pupil at the moment, he began to speak when Astilda nodded at him.

“Would it be possible for me to… attend that ritual? The naming of the new sovereign.”

Astilda smiled. “Of course, child. Why, that’s one of the reasons you were called here in the first place. This is a ritual that happens once in a few centuries, after all.”

After answering his question, she began to collect her books, which was a sign that the class was now over. Closing his own notebook and holding it under his arm, he slipped out of the seat when he noticed Mercedes standing behind one of the pillars around the classroom.

“Why would you want to go to that thing? That event the elders have been talking about so much recently. Once we have a new ruler, they’ll put strict rules on everything and I won’t be able to do what I want anymore.”

Luminous couldn’t help but laugh a bit.

“What are you laughing at? I’m serious!” She began walking towards him, her lips pursed.

“It’s just so like you to care only about how you would be affected. The elves would benefit greatly with the presence of a solid leader.”

“Oh, whatever. I didn’t think you’d understand, with that for-the-greater-good mindset of yours. Just know that I won’t be there.”

-

Luminous could tell the day had come before he had even gotten out of bed. The commotion outside was louder than ever, and when he opened his door he could see the crowds of elves bustling around. Flattening out his robes, he walked into the crowd, trying to find what it was they were crowding around.

And then he saw it: a large, intricate white harp in the center of town, with four seats surrounding it. One was placed right in front of the harp, and was significantly more ornate than the rest of them. Astilda sat in one of them. Three of the seats were empty.

He felt someone tug at his sleeve. It was Mercedes.

“I thought you weren't going to attend.” He murmured, his eyebrows raising slightly.

She huffed. “I was forced to. They quadrupled security just for today, and one of the guards caught me on my way out.”

He didn’t want to admit it, but he was glad she was here. Despite being in Elluel for several weeks, the only elves who would readily speak to him were Mercedes and Astilda.

“It’s starting.” Luminous said under his breath, as he saw Astilda stand up and the elves around him quiet down.

“We are gathered today, on the day of the Summer Equinox, to witness the coronation of our new ruler, who will be chosen among those of us present here.” She paused for a bit before speaking again. “...In the absence of a sovereign to call upon the Great Spirit, I shall act in their stead. May the Great Spirit grant me this honour.”

Luminous could hear people around him holding their breaths as Astilda sat down again, this time in front of the white harp. Raising her hands to the strings, she began playing a soft melody that reverberated around the village.

“Who’s that lady over there next to Astilda? I’ve never seen her around before.” Mercedes suddenly whispered to him. But he had been looking at Astilda this whole time - she was the only one in the center of the crowd, where the harp was located.

“The lady? There’s no one else there.”

“No, she’s right there! It’s not even crowded where she is, can’t you see her? The one with the long golden hair!”

Luminous squinted at the area around where Astilda was seated, but he couldn’t match that description with anyone he could see.

“Really, there’s no one there. Are you seeing things?”

Frustrated, Mercedes grabbed the back of his head and pointed it at Astilda. “No! That person! She’s right over there!”

The other elves turned their heads from Astilda to look at them instead. Mercedes had raised her voice just a bit too much, because even Astilda had stopped playing to look over at them.

“Is it true? Mercedes, child, are you able to see the Great Spirit?” Astilda approached them, and the crowd around them dispersed so that they circled him and Mercedes.

Suddenly aware of the situation she could be in, Mercedes lowered her voice. “I don’t know if she’s the Great Spirit or whoever but… there’s someone there, next to the harp. Someone I’ve never seen before.”

Astilda closed her eyes and sighed. “It seems I lacked the power to speak to Her myself. Though if the Great Spirit is here now, my job is complete.”

Mercedes looked up at her with wide eyes, her brows slightly furrowed. Beside her, Luminous was even more confused. Was this how the ritual was supposed to go?

“The Great Spirit has spoken! From this day on, our sovereign is… Mercedes. Your Majesty.” Astilda bowed down to her, and though some had a delayed reaction, the elves in the crowd did the same.

It was the first time Luminous had seen Mercedes stand so quietly. He didn’t blame her, with all that just happened. Awkwardly, he bent down in a bow as well.

“Don’t you do that too! I have no idea what’s happening!” Mercedes hissed at him, pulling him up.

“From what I can gather… you’re the new ruler of the elves now. Congratulations.”

“Congratulations my foot! Who says I’m the new ruler? That lady didn’t even say anything.”

“Allow me to explain.” Astilda suddenly appeared behind them, startling the two.

“Traditionally, this ceremony entails the passing of duties from the current sovereign to the next. The Great Spirit, called forth by the song I played just then - The Sovereign’s Appeal - relieves the current ruler of their duties and welcomes the next ruler by appearing only to their eyes. The ruler then has the choice to appoint new Elders or reappoint those chosen by the previous ruler.

But several things were different today. There was no current ruler to guide the whole ceremony, or initiate the proper passing of duties to the newly appointed ruler. I wasn’t even sure if the Great Spirit would answer an Elder’s call.”

“...But she appeared to me.” Mercedes said in a hushed voice.

“Correct. Now, you’re still much too young to assume your royal duties immediately, but it gives us time to prepare you. Perhaps it is better that you are still young, so that you need not be burdened so suddenly.”

Luminous had listened to the whole explanation in mild awe. He looked over at Mercedes, who was the same as ever - messy blonde hair, slightly tattered blue dress, clear azure eyes. A moment ago, she was just an elf child he was acquainted enough with to call a friend. Now she was the future ruler of an entire race.

Chapter Text

The night sky brought a feeling of calmness for Luminous, tinged with a drop of homesickness.

The Forest of Peace was in a state of constant nighttime, and as such, Luminous’ first experience with daytime was in an unfamiliar place several years after he was born. That’s ridiculous, Mercedes had said, what kind of place doesn’t have daytime?

Nevertheless, as he grew accustomed to the coming and going of the sun, he found himself drawn to the nighttime, as expected. During his time in the Aurora Temple, the passing of time was governed by his routinely lifestyle, split up into daily tasks and assignments. Having the celestial bodies guide time still felt foreign to him.

As such, when nighttime came around and the villagers retreated to their respective homes, Luminous stayed behind, bathing in the moon’s subtle light. With no more tasks left in the day, it felt as if time itself had stopped.

Nighttime was also when the stars were visible. Back home, he, Vieren and Lucia had occasionally snuck out after sleeping hours to try and spot stars through the high-reaching foliage that covered the forest’s ceiling. It was mostly a fruitless effort, since the trees rendered the sky obscured, but they amused themselves anyway by creating little sparks of light on their own.

Now, with the whole expanse of sky at his disposal, it felt like there was another world that existed that he had no access to before moving to Elluel. Stars twinkled and danced on their own, and Luminous didn’t have to do anything but watch.

Sometimes, when he laid down on the grass and his vision was filled with the sky, he felt like he could grab out and touch one of the stars.

But he didn’t want to disturb them. He was content with just watching.