Chapter Text
“Always good to see you, Aurora!” The shopkeeper held the door and waved to the young girl with a bag full of groceries.
“Thanks again for the goodies.” Aurora grinned as she turned on her heel, heading for home, her chocolate curls bouncing with the slight skip in her step. “I’ll be back,” the ten year old promised as she started down the dirt path.
“Good! Everyone loves the items you bring in. They sell fast!” The shopkeeper mentioned.
Over the last year, Aurora had been trading the excess goods she made for food. Since the storefronts were barren most days, the young one made a habit of creating jams, preserves, and pickled goods out of the items she gathered from the forest. With the help of her friend Keigan, she was able to create quality goods in exchange for groceries for her family.
Walking through the town square, a tune floated to her in the air and she hummed along as she strolled, shaking her head to the beat. She looked around and noticed the music was coming from the merchants.
Traveling carts were just starting to fill the west side of the square. A crowd of villagers were gathering around the make-shift market. Every Fritesdai in Stanton was utter chaos.
The merchants travelled around the kingdoms of Ardor selling goods at a premium price, staying in each town for three days before packing up and moving onto the next village. They had begun showing up in Stanton shortly after the river dried the year before. Each week, different merchants would make their way through the village and, with no way to get goods from the capital, the village now relied on the make-shift market.
The merchants had everything; from everyday necessities like soaps and food items, to luxury products such as trinkets and jewelry. villagers had no choice but to pay their exorbitant fees, not knowing when they were going to find that item again.
Aurora noticed a familiar sign among those setting up. ‘Oooh! Mr. Boh is open again. I hope he’s still selling fruit pops. I know the strawbabis are hard to come by,’ she thought to herself, a smile on her face.
Glancing to the other side of the square, Aurora saw a group of kids playing outside of the clothing merchant. Most of the children of the village thought Aurora was too ‘odd’. She got along with adults more than kids her own age. The young girl continued to walk home. She knew her mother was waiting for the groceries.
Aurora had found she had a special gift that made her different from everyone else. The first ‘event’ occurred four years before, while Aurora was out with her mother.
“Stay close, sweetheart!” Eira looked down at her daughter, seeing a large crowd in the square.
Aurora grabbed onto her mother’s jacket. There were so many people in the square this Fritesdai. It would be easy to get separated unless the six year old was attached at the hip.
The duo tried their best to swerve through the crowd of people. Aurora glanced around the square, recognizing the people of Stanton almost instantly. The child had been observing her hometown for as long as she could remember. She didn’t realize until this moment just how easy it was to notice the outsiders, many of them citizens of Gonau who followed the traveling merchants. It was a guaranteed way to get necessities.
Aurora glanced to the right, something green catching her eye. A little girl, a couple years younger than her, with a tear stained face. The little girl cried loudly, her head moving from side to side frantically as if she had lost something.
But the thing that had caught Aurora’s attention was the green hue emanating from the little one.
“Momma.” She tugged on Eira’s jacket.
“We need to get home before your father, honey. Let’s hurry,” Eira mentioned as she started rubbing her abdomen. After her long day of shopping, she was ready to sit down and address the problem of her swollen ankles. Carrying these twins was nothing like her first pregnancy.
“But that little girl.” Aurora pointed, as she continued to tug on her mom’s jacket. “Something’s wrong.”
Eira turned and gasped. She noticed the young child in the street and instantly recognized the look on the little girl’s face. Eira couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if Aurora was missing and she couldn’t find her. The two immediately walked over to her.
“Are you okay?” She asked.
“I dunno where…” the little girl cried, “Momma and Papa are.”
Aurora took the child’s hand. She felt a rush of emotions; anxiety, fear, sadness, disappointment. All rational feelings for someone who’s lost.
Aurora started to freak out herself. Quickly, she recognized these emotions as how the girl next to her was feeling. The six year old tried to keep her own feelings contained. Firstly, she didn't want to freak out the already emotional child. Secondly, Aurora didn’t want to alert her own mother about her new ability.
“Let’s find your Momma.” Aurora’s voice shook from the overwhelming rush of emotions, but she was determined to see this through.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Eira asked the little girl while she crouched down to her level.
“Meleni.” She sniffled.
“Do you know your mommy and daddy’s name?”
“Uhh…” The little girl thought hard. It was rare to hear someone call her parents by their names.
“Neeomi, I think.” Meleni finally muttered.
Aurora looked up and glanced around the square. She wanted to see if there were any adults lit up in different hues. She walked away from her own mother in an attempt to find the girl’s parents. Eira thankfully was vigilant. She grabbed onto Aurora’s coat sleeve before she could get too far away.
“Do you remember where you lost them?” The mother asked the small child.
“That way.” Meleni pointed east.
The trio walked in that direction. In the distance, Aurora could see a couple that emanated blue and green hues.
“Momma.” Aurora gestured towards the man and woman at the end of the square. The woman was clearly distraught, sorrow evident in every part of her body language, as well as the man next to her. The hues of blue that radiated from them both showed Aurora how sad they were.
Eira noticed the worried parents after Aurora pointed them out. The trio continued to walk through the square, now in a clear direction.
“MELENI!” the woman screamed as she frantically searched through the crowd, going as far as searching the alleyways. The man with her went up to the merchants and inside the shops, asking if anyone had seen their daughter.
“I think I hear your mommy. She’s looking for you.” Aurora pointed.
When the crowd began to thin in front of them, Meleni caught a glimpse of her mother. “MOMMY!” she screamed as she ran towards her. Aurora and Eira followed close behind, making sure the child made it to her destination.
The mother—Neeomi, Meleni had said—heard her daughter call out and her head spun quickly in Meleni’s direction, tears of joy running down the woman’s face. She ran towards Meleni and scooped her up in her arms.
“Oh my sweet girl.” Neeomi clutched her daughter tightly. “I’ll never let you out of my sight again.” She then noticed the mother and daughter standing close by.
“Thank you. Thank you so much!” Neeomi gushed, grateful to have her daughter back in her arms again.
“No need to thank me.” Eira grinned as she looked at her own daughter. “Aurora was the one that did all the work.”
“Here.” Sonni handed Aurora five gold coins. It was more money than Aurora had seen in her lifetime. “Please take this as a thank you for bringing our daughter back to us.”
“Oh sir, we couldn’t.” Eira attempted to stop the man.
“I insist.” He pushed the coins in Eira’s hand. “You gave me the second love of my life back. No amount of money can repay that happiness.” Sonni held onto his wife and daughter tightly.
“Thank you!” Aurora said as the group waved goodbye to each other.
As the two made their way home, Eira couldn’t help but wonder how her daughter had found the parents so quickly. Not only that, how had she even seen the little girl in the crowded market? Eira was sure that she never would’ve spotted her under normal circumstances.
“Aurora…”
“Yes momma?”
“How exactly did you know that little girl was in trouble?”
Aurora felt a rush of panic. She didn’t want to freak her mother out with her newfound ability. The young girl wasn’t even sure she could do it again. What was the point in worrying her? Anyone who was seen as different is ostracized in the village. Aurora didn’t want to be seen as anything but ordinary.
“Uhh…” Aurora thought of what she was going to say. “I was just looking around, and she looked lost.”
“And the parents?” Eira continued to question.
“They looked like they lost something and were looking hard for it.” Aurora shrugged, trying to play it off like it was normal. “I can’t really explain it.”
“Hm…” The mother decided not to question her further.
As the duo turned the corner, Eira noticed her husband at the other end of the road.
“You two are getting home late.” Egan waved at his wife and daughter as they walked up the opposite end of the side street, meeting each other at their home.
“That’s because Aurora helped save the day.” Eira beamed at her daughter with pride.
“Oh?” Aurora’s father raised a brow, his interest piqued.
“We saw a girl. She was lost.” Aurora explained. “We helped find her momma and papa. They gave me some coins after I helped them!”
“Aren’t you a little lifesaver?” Egan grinned, patting his daughter on the head. “That power will come in handy when you have a little brother and sister to look after.”
“Can I go tell Gramma what happened?” Aurora asked eagerly.
“Sure Kiddo.” The father nodded. “Come back before dinner at seven o’clock, okay?”
“Okay Daddy!” Aurora agreed happily as she attempted to run down the road. However, her newfound ability took more energy than the brunette had. She was able to get a few steps in before she collapsed outside of her home, exhausted from the day's events. Being the first time she used her ability, she didn’t realize she was running on fumes until it was too late.
“Aurora!” Eira screamed fearfully.
Egan was able to catch her before she hit the ground. He looked at his wife, confusion written on his face.
“The excitement must’ve taken everything out of her.” Eira smiled. “That was a good catch!”
The father chuckled as he picked up Aurora. He took her inside and laid her on the couch.
“Good afternoon, Aurora!” The voice pulled the young one out of her daydream.
The seamstress from the clothing merchant was stepping outside for a break, waving to the child as she walked home.
“Mrs. Bow!” Aurora beamed. “Did you like the flowers I brought you?”
“They made the most wonderful dye!” Arka grinned. “I’ll have to show you the yarn it made when it’s finished.”
“I can’t wait!” The young girl waved as she continued on her journey home.
Aurora exited the square, turning down a small alleyway. The homes in this area were run down, most of the occupants lacking the money or resources to deal with the upkeep. The young girl continued to wind through the side streets until she reached her home on the outskirts of town.
“Aurora!” an elderly woman called out.
“Gramma!” The curly haired child waved happily at her neighbor, Geraldine, rocking gently in the wooden chair on her porch.
Geraldine grinned. “I have a book I want to share with you. Stop by sometime soon.”
“Okay!” Aurora called back excitedly. She put a pep in her step, walking more briskly down the street. Home was only a couple of houses away.
“Mom! I’m back from the store.” Aurora hollered as she walked through the door. She could hear her younger siblings, Lerato and Parker, playing in the living area. The young girl walked into the kitchen, finding her mother attempting to cook lunch.
“Oh! Thank you, Aurora.” Eira wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Set it on the counter.”
“Can I go to Gramma’s?” Aurora asked. “She has a new book for me.”
Her mother sighed. “I was hoping you would take your brother and sister outside. They’ve been running around the house since you left.”
“I won’t be long,” the child assured her. “I’ll get the book and come right back. I’ll even take them outside to play.”
Eira sighed, knowing that Aurora had a habit of spending hours at Geraldine’s home. “Please hurry back. I’d like help with the twins.”
“Thanks Momma!” Aurora waved, practically out the door again.
Aurora ran down the street to the house on the corner, her legs only taking her so fast.
She loved spending time with Geraldine, the village Elder, often visiting multiple days each week. And since her parents didn’t have enough money to enroll Aurora in education classes, ‘Gramma’ had taken it upon herself to teach the eager child.
When the young girl found out about her abilities four years ago, Geraldine was the first to know.
“Gramma!”
The day after Aurora reunited the girl with her parents, she ran to the Elder’s home. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door.
“I’m coming!” Geraldine hollered through the door. It took it a few moments to open. The older woman greeted Aurora with a smile. “I wasn’t expecting you today. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I got something I HAVE to tell you.” Aurora could barely contain her excitement. “Can I come in?”
“Of course.” The Elder opened the door farther. “I’ll make us a pot of tea.”
The child nodded as she walked into the home, heading to the kitchen.
“What’s on your mind, Aurora?” Geraldine questioned as she filled a kettle with water.
As the water began to boil, the child told the Elder about what happened in the town square the day before; how the brunette had seen a “ring of color,” as she worded it, around the child and her parents. Aurora explained how she noticed a green hue around Meleni, then green and blue coming from the parents.
“Is-” Aurora paused for a moment. “Is that bad?” she questioned after Geraldine sat there speechless. The water screamed in the kettle, and the older woman was frozen in her seat.
The Elder was unable to take her eyes off the young girl. She’d heard rumors of such techniques existing, but they were only obtained by masters of the craft. Aura mastery of that caliber was something that took years, if not decades, to master.
How was this young child able to achieve this at only six years old?
“Aurora…” Geraldine began. “Do you know what aura is? Ki?”
“I’ve heard the men from the Fighter’s Guild talk about it,” the child mentioned. “They talk about how strong it makes them.” Aurora had overheard the men in the square talking about how strong and intense their aura was like it was something to be extremely proud of.
The older woman was surprised at how observant Aurora was. However, with her empathic abilities, it was one of the key components.
“Aura is the life energy that drives the universe.” Geraldine began. “Every human, creature, even plants contain an energy that is vital for survival. Some beings are able to harness that energy and manifest it into a great power. The men outside the Guild are such beings. Healers, warriors that travel the lands of Ardor, as well as village Elders usually possess the power.” Geraldine gave a sly grin.
“You know how to use Aura?” The curly haired girl raised a brow in shock.
“Of course! I didn’t live over a century just rocking in my chair.” The older woman laughed. “I was a healer in my younger days.”
“How did you get your powers?” Aurora questioned.
“The key to unlocking this ability is control, and a willpower that most Ardorians don’t possess.” the Elder admitted. “It is a process that makes or breaks most who undergo it.”
“Why?” Aurora asked curiously. If anyone could have “superpowers,” why wouldn’t they?
“Your aura is free flowing inside of you.” Geraldine began to explain. “The nodes are locked to keep it inside. Once the nodes become unlocked, life energy begins to pour out of you like a faucet. Unless you’re able to ‘plug the hole’, for lack of a better term, the life energy will drain from your body until there’s nothing left.”
“How do you plug the hole?” The child's hands clenched into fists as she sat on the edge of her seat.
The older woman laughed before setting the tea down on the table. “The unlocked nodes need to be sealed shut once again. That takes a lot of willpower and strength. Once you learn how to control it, you’ll become unstoppable.”
“Me?” Aurora questioned.
“You have a very special gift, child.” the older woman mentioned as she took a seat next to the young girl. She pushed the honey towards Aurora, knowing she liked it in her tea. “Even those who are considered masters of the craft don’t have the ability to see what you saw yesterday.”
“Really?” Aurora raised her brow in surprise. She glanced at her hands, not knowing why she was capable of such power. She felt the aura flowing inside her body. It was like a bubbling stream; small, yet the current was strong and steady.
“How do I use my powers?” She looked up at the Elder.
“I’m sure there are a multitude of ways to use your ability.” Geraldine contemplated. “What exactly did you have in mind?”
“I wanna make the world a better place.” Aurora took a sip of her tea, keeping the cup close to her. She loved how the beverage warmed her hands.
“That’s pretty broad,” the Elder mentioned.
“I know.” The child shrugged. “I’m not really sure how to use them. I just know that I want to help people, like I did with Meleni.”
“I can teach you everything I know.” Geraldine smiled at the girl. “One day, I’m sure you’ll surpass the aura masters.”
“Can we start right now?” Aurora asked excitedly.
“Of course, young one.” The Elder nodded. “We’ll start with Ruminae exercises after your other lessons.”
Since that day, Geraldine had been teaching Aurora about more than just reading and writing. The Elder instructed her in the art of reading someone’s ki, as well as learning how to feel the aura inside her own body.
According to the Elder, Aurora was an incredible student, soaking in every word she was taught. Any time Geraldine offered more material or coursework, the child took it happily and spent the next few days obsessing over it. Most times, she was unable to put the texts down. She spent hours upon hours in her room, practicing her Ruminae exercises and other techniques she’d been given over the years.
Aurora loved practicing Ruminae. It helped clear her mind and focus on her body, and especially the aura inside it.
It took her mere moments to run down the street. She quickly ran up the steps to the Elder’s home.
“Gramma!” Aurora knocked on the door as she yelled. “I’m here for that book you talked about!”
A few moments went by before the door opened. A short older woman was on the other side, a cane at her hip and her long gray hair held up by a clip.
“Do you have time to stay? I just made lunch. We can talk about the text while we have a bite to eat.”
“Not today.” Aurora sighed, a little disappointed. “I have to watch my brother and sister while Mom finishes making lunch.”
“Too bad.” Geraldine shrugged, a smile on her face. “Will you grab the book for me? It’s on the shelf, the black one with a blue design.”
The child walked inside, spotting the book on the second shelf. She took it down, dust flying into the air as she clutched it to her chest.
“I’ll start reading it later!” Aurora mentioned, opening the front cover.
“Next time I see you for training, bring the book please.” Geraldine smiled at the child. She had taught many students over the course of her life. Aurora was by far the youngest and most gifted.
“Okay!” Aurora said excitedly. She didn’t want to leave so quickly, but she knew her mother needed her help. “I’ll come by after I’ve read the book.”
“Only reach chapter ten,” Geraldine chuckled. “That’s all I can cover in a week.”
“Sure!” The brunette nodded before exiting the older woman's home.
Aurora skipped down the road to her own house, taking only moments to reach it. She entered through the front door, heading straight to her room. Aurora placed the book on her two shelf bookshelf, next to the rest of the books Geraldine let her borrow.
“Sweetheart? Is that you?” Eira hollered from the kitchen.
“I just got home!” the ten year old called out while exiting her room.
Eira rounded the corner, an appreciative look in her eye. “Thank you for being so quick.”
“Can I go to my room and read after dinner?”
“Of course,” Eira nodded with a grin. She was glad her daughter was so interested in reading. Not having an education herself, she was excited to see the possibilities ahead for Aurora. The young girl could become someone bigger than this tiny village. Eira wanted her to have every opportunity she lays her eyes on.
“Now please take your brother and sister outside to play. They’ve been running around the house all day.”
Aurora went into the living area, getting Parker and Loreto’s attention.
Her brother and sister were two years old, born only minutes apart. They shared some of her features; Loreto had her milk chocolate colored eyes, as well as her curly hair. Parker inherited the curls, but her locks were a bright auburn and her eyes a bright green like their father, Egan.
“Wanna go outside and play?” the older sister asked, wanting to give her mother some peace and quiet. The two had nearly migrated all the way into the kitchen. It was only a matter of time before they got into something.
“Yeah!” the twins exclaimed simultaneously, going towards the back door as fast as their legs would take them.
Aurora opened the door for the two of them, helping them down the steps. The ten year old watched as the toddlers ran towards the playset.