Lingering Silence
Her steps slowed as she came to the edge of the lake, her eyes scanning quickly around to ensure she was alone. She was certain she would be after the care she had taken, but someone could have been at the lake for a different reason. No one seemed to be; the water was crystal clear in the warmth of the sun beating down from overhead. It was a warm day, warmer than she had expected for this area. She stowed her gear that would mind getting wet on a nearby rock before wading in to the water, swimming out to a nearby large rock to climb up on to.
Inquiring around Idyllshire had garnered her a map of the surrounding area, and she had picked out this secluded lake to travel to specifically because of how remote it was. It was the matter of a few hours of travel by foot to make it to the forest, and if that was not enough to dissuade any possible pursuit, then her silent passage through the forest should have done the trick. It had been many years since she had left the Wood, yet still she knew how to move effortlessly through a forest, not even disturbing the local wildlife. Coming to the lake had therefore been easy, with nothing moving to try and harass her on the way. Another hour of this silent - yet also slower- travel had brought her to this shore, and now on to this previously dry rock she had found to sit upon.
This place was nearly perfect for her purposes. There was a gentle breeze blowing, the clear water of the lake so near at hand. The feel of the rocky earth beneath her. There was no fire, but that could be overlooked. Fire was always the most volatile of elements anyways. Her eyes rose up towards the sun as she sat and listened, just basking in the heat of the moment. She heard nothing. She had not expected any different, after so many years of silence. Why should today be any different? The only difference was in her own head, and the elementals could not possibly know what was in her mind.
She had read the books she had found in the library on summoning. They had taught her nothing useful. She wasn't sure what she had been looking for, but the knowledge contained within amounted to 'you can find this information in other books'. It was a little frustrating, but she had never been one to learn from books anyways. The only exception was the one she had pulled from the cave. A frustrated sigh left her and she shook her head. She was getting sidetracked. She had come here with a purpose.
Her hand reached out over the water, her eyes closing. It had been so long, she barely remembered how to do this. Her nose scrunched up as she concentrated, her breath steadying. Her hand moved, making slow circles in the air above the water. A tiny whirlpool formed in the water beneath, her eyes opening as her hand came to a stop. The whirlpool ceased its formation, the water slow to grow still in its wake. She spoke out in to nothing, to no one.
"Twenty years have I kept my promise, and still you will not speak to me." A morose look was given down towards the water. "Long have I waited. I fear I can do so no longer. If you will not speak to me, I may break that promise I made. I have found something I wish to protect, but I am not strong enough to do so. Will you not help me?" She waited, she listened. No sound greeted her ears. Another sad sigh left her as she moved to stand. "I do not do this lightly, and will strive not to use it at all."
Her right hand rose, tracing symbols in the air. A trail of bright aether remained floating in the shape of those symbols as she turned, making three of them in a circle around herself. As soon as she finished the third she stopped, and waited. Mist started to form above the water near the rock she stood upon, gently swirling as it was drawn in towards the etched symbols. She stood patiently still as more mist was pulled from the water, and eventually made it's way to her in n the center. Her hand reached out, touching against the gathered aether, drawing some of it in to herself.
She spun on the spot, her hands dashing through the runes she had drawn. Once destroyed the bright aether quickly dispersed, though the mist was slower to fall back to the water it had been drawn from. She let out another sad sigh. She had almost hoped it would not work, as much as she had needed it to. She collapsed to a seat on the rock, bringing her knees to her chest to hug them. It would be many hours before she moved from this spot; plenty of time to sit alone and think.
