The Scholar's Rebirth-Chapter 3: The tale

The old woman sat by the fire, her hands folded in her lap, the flickering light dancing across her weathered face.

The woman cleared her throat, her voice soft but steady as she began to speak, her words slow, as if each one carried a weight too heavy to be rushed.

"It all started long before you arrived here, child," she began. "This island, Luinmir, was once a place of prosperity. A jewel of the seas. The only island known to be as grand as the capital. Its core—ah, the energy it held... it was like nothing the world had ever seen. Rich, vibrant, pulsing with life, blessing the land, the people, the creatures. The island was alive with it, and the King—he dreamed of a future beyond imagination."

Athena felt a strange stirring in her chest as the old woman spoke of the island's glory. The description sounded like a paradise, a place of unimaginable wealth and happiness. She leaned forward, her curiosity piqued.

"But then, disaster struck," the woman continued, her voice now a low murmur. "It was one of those rare, fateful days when the sky itself seemed to crack open. Balls of fire—fiery meteors, they say—fell from the heavens, striking the island's core, and with it, everything changed. The crack that formed wasn't just a physical wound—it was a wound to the heart of the island itself. The energy, the very lifeblood of Luinmir, began to drain away. Slowly, but surely."

Athena's breath hitched. A wound to the heart of the island. It sounded like a curse, and the more the woman spoke, the more the island seemed to bleed.

"The King," the woman continued, her eyes distant, as though she could still see those days clearly in her mind, "he tried everything. He consulted the wisest scholars, summoned the greatest minds of the empire. They knew that without the island's core, the island would perish. It would sink beneath the waves, lost to history. But the King refused to believe it. He couldn't accept it."

The fire crackled as the room fell into a heavy silence. Athena could feel the weight of the woman's words, the sense of loss that seemed to saturate the air.

"And then came the dragon," the woman added, her voice darkening. "A creature so wild, so unreasonable, that it could only be a sign of the island's fate. No one understood why it had appeared—what it sought. The rumors spread quickly. Some said that the dragon had come because of the energy leaking from the core, that it had come to feed on the very life essence of Luinmir."

Athena's mind raced. A dragon. She had heard of them—great, ancient creatures, feared and revered—but only in fairy-tales...

"The King," the woman said, her tone almost bitter now, "he refused to believe it. He sent his finest warriors to defeat the dragon, hoping that if they killed the beast, the island would return to its former glory. But one by one, the King's men were defeated. The dragon was too powerful, too unpredictable. It was as if the island itself had chosen the creature as its last protector, unwilling to let go of its dying life."

Athena sat back, her heart sinking further with every word. It was a desperate, tragic struggle. But it only worsened.

"Soon after that, people began to leave. The island, once brimming with life, started to die in earnest. The crops stopped growing. Even the forest slowly lost its life."

Athena thought back to the forest she had passed through,no wonder.

And then the King—he finally gave up. He had no answers, no solutions. He declared Luinmir cursed, removed it from his territories, and left it to its fate."

The old woman's eyes darkened, the weight of years pressing on her shoulders. "But still, some stayed. They refused to leave, hoping against hope that somehow, something would change. They watched as the forests withered, the soil turned dry, and the last remnants of life on the island faded away."

Athena's voice trembled as she asked, "What happened to them? The people who stayed?"

The woman's gaze softened, as if she had seen this story unfold too many times. "They still hope for a miracle. They hope that someday there would be a change."

A long silence followed as Athena absorbed the tale,for some reason her heart felt heavy with the loss. The island—once a symbol of hope and prosperity—had become a graveyard, both in spirit and in truth.

"What about me?" Athena finally whispered, the question barely escaping her lips. "What do I do now?"

The old woman's gaze lingered on her, amusement glistened in them. "What do you mean child? You were born here!" She ended with laughter.

"Rest assured I already called for your brother, can't say for sure that he'll be happy so see you."

Athena felt confused but quickly accepted the new information, at least someone knew her.

"Gran Mirela, I'm here," Kael called out as he stepped into the hut.His voice echoed softly in the small space, laced with familiarity and the faintest edge of urgency.

Mirela, still seated beside Athena, gave her a small smile and rose. "Come, child," she said gently, placing a steadying hand on Athena's back. "It's time."

They walked toward the doorway, the wooden floor groaning softly beneath their feet. Kael stood there, tall and composed, his eyes cast downward as he waited.

He heard the approaching footsteps.

He looked up.

And froze.

For a moment, everything stopped. It all seemed to pause as Kael's gaze locked onto the girl behind Mirela.

Eira...his sister.

His breath hitched, his chest tightened, and for a long, fragile second, he couldn't move. His heart thundered in his chest, his fingers curled tightly into fists at his sides. His mind screamed, Please don't let this be a dream. Please don't let this be a dream.

Athena stood still too, uncertain, caught in the weight of the moment. She had no idea what to say or how to move forward. She felt awkward, She was an only child and so mever jad any siblings but her heart... her heart reached toward him. 'She must have really loved you',She said internally.

She glanced at Mirela.

The old woman gave a quiet nod, a wordless encouragement.

Athena proceeded to do what she had seen parents do to their wailing children.

She stepped forward, slowly closing the distance between them. She didn't speak—she didn't need to. When she was close enough, she wrapped her arms around him.

Kael broke.

Tears spilled down his cheeks as his arms clutched her tightly, almost as if he feared she might vanish again if he let go. He cried—loud, aching sobs that shook his frame. The kind of crying that came from someone who had held too much pain for far too long.

Athena held him silently patting his back.

Only when his sobs quieted, when the storm of emotion had passed, did he whisper, "Promise me you won't leave again."

She swallowed hard and whispered, "I promise."

But even as she said it, the words tangled in her thoughts. As if I have a choice, she thought bitterly, but she said nothing else.

Kael finally pulled back, wiping his tears with the back of his sleeve. He turned to Mirela then, his voice raw. "Thank you."

Mirela simply smiled, her eyes twinkling with something unreadable. "Go on," she said. "You've waited long enough."

Athena took Kael's hand.

And together, they left the hut.

As they stepped out of the hut, silence hung between them like mist.

Kael finally broke it, saying something in the same flowing, melodic tone the blonde-haired girl had used. Athena froze. Her eyes widened slightly as realization dawned—the marriage barrier. She had completely forgotten. Mirela must've spoken English, which explained how they'd conversed so easily. But this boy? He was speaking full-on Elven.

She stopped walking and turned toward him. "Can you understand me?"

Kael stopped too, tilting his head. Then he responded in Elven, frowning. "What exactly are you saying? You sound weird."

That frown deepened as he caught the clear confusion in her eyes.

"Wait," he said slowly, suspicion creeping in. "Don't tell me... HAVE YOU BEEN STAYING WITH THE HUMANS?!"

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His voice was a little too loud.

Heads turned. A few people paused mid-task to stare. Athena cursed internally.

She lurched forward and grabbed his sleeve, tugging him closer and pressing a finger to his lips. "Shhhh!"

He blinked, startled.

"Oh god," she muttered, drawing a hand down her face. Help me.

He was still staring at her like she had grown wings. She could practically see the thoughts scrambling in his head.

Athena scanned the ground, spotting a stick. She bent down and grabbed it, then knelt to write something in the dust. Halfway through the motion, she paused. Wait... if he can't speak English, there's no guarantee he can read it either.

She sighed, staring blankly at the stick in her hand like it had betrayed her.

"Great. Just great."

Kael knelt beside her, watching her frustrated expression.

"...You're not joking, are you?" he said softly, still in Elven.

She shook her head slowly.

His face was a whirlwind of emotion—confusion, worry, maybe even a little hurt—but then he nodded, as if determined.

He pointed at himself. "Kael."

Then at her. "Eira."

She blinked, then pointed at him. "Kael."

He smiled slightly. "Yes."

She pointed at herself. "Eira."

Kael looked at her—still puzzled, still clearly trying to figure her out—then his expression lit up as if an idea struck him.

He stood up quickly and pointed toward the road, then mimed walking with his fingers.

"Walk," Athena guessed, nodding.

He grinned.

Then he pointed to himself, then to her, and repeated the walking gesture. "Together?"

She gave him a small nod. "Okay."

Then came part two.

Kael clutched his stomach dramatically, gave a theatrical groan, and made exaggerated munching movements with his hands.

Athena blinked. "...Eat?"

He clapped his hands once, delighted.

Next, he yawned loudly—loud enough to sound like a cat pretending to be a lion—then mimed curling up like he was lying in bed, his hands tucked under his cheek.

Athena smirked. "Sleep."

He nodded vigorously, pointing again to the path.

"Walk, eat, sleep?" she said slowly, trying to string it together.

He gave her a bright thumbs-up.

She snorted. "Wow, you're basically a walking emoji."

Kael didn't understand the words, but her soft laugh made him smile anyway.

Then he turned and started walking, motioning for her to follow, still glancing back every few steps as if to make sure she was real and still there.

Athena took a deep breath, then followed. Well, at least I'm not alone anymore, she thought, the weight of her confusion settling just a little lighter with each step.