Forest Guardians || Straykids ff

t w e n t y t h r e e

yeona

I opened my eyes, unable to move. A yellow, fluffy chick greeted me as soon as I opened my eyes. "Good morning, Felix." He chirped as he jumped and flapped his wings. Then I felt some movement at the end of the bed. I was going to rise up, but someone stopped me.

"Good thing you're awake." I looked at the source of the voice and I saw a familiar face. He lifted his eyeglasses and smiled. "Your grandma was worried sick about you." He spoke, pouring water in a glass. He drank it and put the glass down on the table.

"H-how'd you know I was here?" Elijah sat down on the provided chair beside the bed. "I couldn't explain, actually. Even Master. It was morning that time, and a spirit called on us to go to the Elven Kingdom. It said that an evil witch attacked the Elven people and they needed help. And you know what's weird about that? The spirit somehow looked like you." He shook his head and smiled a little bit.

"When we arrived, we saw someone floating and releasing such massive powers. She attacked the evil witch that quickly ended her life." He looked at me in amusement.

"Who was that?" I asked him and he smiled. "It was you, dummy." My eyes widened in shock. "Me? But I died from the witch's curse." He looked at me, confused. "Really? Then this scar must be from the curse." He said, pointing at my arm. It had a horizontal scar that seemed like it was from a burn. It was also as thick as the ring that binded me. I looked at my other arm and it showed the same scar.

I looked at him when a thought came into my mind. "You know, I remembered something. It all happened after I became unconscious during the fight. I was woken up by grandma, then I saw you down the dining room preparing the table for breakfast. And when I asked you both about the little ones, you said that they all died a long time ago." I looked at him while he was puzzled with what I told him.

"It was because of the curse's effect." Someone entered the room. It was King Einar, and behind him was grandma. Elijah quickly stood up and bowed to him. Grandma rushed to my side and hugged me. "I thought I was going to lose you." She whispered to me, not letting me go.

"I'll never leave you." I told her, hugging her as well. She kissed my forehead many times. "When I saw you lying on the floor, almost lifeless, I thought I'll lose you. It was already heartbreaking when your grandfather and your parents died, but please not you. I'd rather be dead than you." I caressed her back, calming her down. I hugged her tight, reassuring that I wouldn't leave her.

"I was careless during the fight. But it won't happen again. I promise." I told her, and she shook her head. "I don't just want you to promise. I want you to do it." She spoke, and I quickly nodded at her. "Don't worry, I will be careful." I said and she smiled at me. Then we looked at the two who were waiting for us. "I remembered, King Ein-"

"Just Einar will do." I paused as he cut my words. "Right, Einar. I remembered that you said what I saw was the effects of the curse. Then how would you explain what happened next?" I looked at all of them, and they did as well.

"After you two said that they already died, I rushed back to the Elven Kingdom to find answers because that was the last place I left them. When I reached the kingdom, I saw my lifeless body lying down, then I cast a spell to remove the curse, making the wand I was holding black." I roamed around the room. "Have you guys seen my wand? I put it down beside my body."

They all looked at each other. "Do you remember the spell that you used to remove the curse?" Grandma asked me, which made me puzzled. I tried to remember the words, but couldn't find the exact words. "I think it was Vita something. I don't really remember." I saw the shock from their faces.

"It was Vita Aeternum, wasn't it?" I nodded at King Einar and he looked at grandma. "I think, the spirit that you saw was the guardian of the Eldertree." Both grandma and Elijah gasped at the news. I just looked at them, observing everything in their conversation.

"Really? Then I suppose the Seed of Eternal Youth was gone along with that spell casting?" Grandma asked the king, and he nodded. "Only the guardian of the Eldertree will know how and to whom she will use it." He looked at me with a smile. "And you're the lucky one whom she wanted to save." He said, making me smile at him.

"I should thank her then." I smiled at them, then Elijah gave me my wand. "An Elf gave it to me. She said that she saw this beside your body." I grabbed the wand from his hand and observed it. The same design and crystal, but everything was dark in color.

"Is that the wand I gave you?" Grandma asked me, and I nodded at her as an answer. "The moment I used that spell with my wand, it somehow absorbed the curse and the wand became black." I explained to her and she nodded.

"Okay, now you need to rest there and gain back your strength." King Einar said as he walked towards the door but then stopped. He turned back to me and smiled. "Thank you, Yeona." He opened the door, and the little ones all entered at the same time. I heard him laugh as he saw all of them hopped into my bed and greeted me. He eventually left with a smile.

"Okay you little guys. Yeona needs to have a rest, so you have to get down. Changbin! Not the fruits! It's for Yeona!" Elijah said as he put them down. Grandma then hugged her little companions one by one as they missed each other.

My attention went to the window, where I felt someone looking at me. I slowly looked towards it and saw a spirit glowing under the sunlight. It was waving at me like it was an old friend of mine. I smiled at it and it left, leaving a piece of leaf on my window sill. A leaf from the Eldertree.