Chapter 2 - Inverna

Young Holly couldn’t place why she was so wishy-washy about the idea of leaving Inverna. Laid out factually, she knew where the trepidation came from.

-Her kind were exceedingly rare out in the greater world – such rarity may draw unwanted attention.
-Inverna was safe – she had never even seen a crime committed in the peaceful city.
-She wouldn't be allowed back in should she leave – a scary prospect.
-Her mom would be sad.

The last point was especially poignant. She didn’t want to make her mom sad. Day by day though, poor Holly struggled to keep her ever-growing wanderlust in check. She wanted to see things, meet people, do something with her life besides stare at the same confining walls day in and day out.

This was her personal hell.

Her heart hammered with anxiety. She had to take her mind off of it. She sat up in bed, struggling to ease her breath down to a manageable level.

Even at midnight when all was dark, she found the courage to act through curiosity. She closed her eyes and focused on the four holly berries that graced her head. As she lorded over the plants at her crown, she could exact a tax on them for their mutual protection. She drained the four toxic berries of their rhythm, their magical essence. She felt the element of nature coursing through her body, free for her to mold to her will.

At that moment she hungered, and knew that she wouldn’t be able to satiate her protesting gut with the food downstairs (those darn stairs were always so creaky). For that, she took matters into her own hands.

Il Raccolto Della Natura was the spell she recited in her head and her knowledge of its inner workings gave form to the image that lived on her mental canvas. Normally these mundane-looking fruits cleansed the consumer of magically inflicted ailments, as such the spell was expensive rhythmically speaking. Expensive enough to require the rhythm of two whole holly berries – of which she grew four naturally.

The hunger pangs were intense; she felt the burden atop her head ease as the berries and leaves burnt away for magical purpose. Perhaps the desire was stronger than she realized as she unconsciously spent all four berries to create a small cluster of edible fruits in front of her. The fruit bore no seeds, nor held any true nutritional value from Holly’s research – they were just a vehicle to deliver a rhythmic payload. Either way, the empty foodstuffs quelled her stomach, imparting some satisfaction in the young zalavan.

Her content was short-lived as a bitter smile graced her lips. “Why do I think myself to death?”

The girl fell back on her bed, arms splayed out. “Why indeed?” she whispered as the veil of sleep took her into the darkness.

KNOCK KNOCK

Holly’s eyes snapped open and her heart raced.

Morning.

Trapped.

She was trapped. That was what every morning wrought. Some cruel god instilled wanderlust into the one being who had no way to quell it. Why? Why was it like this?

“Good morning my little berry tree!” came the same greeting that graced her ears as did every morning.

“I gotta get out of here…” Holly bit her thumbnail as she curled up on herself. At least her four berries had grown back, a sign she got her full eight hours of sleep. Even so, where her body was well rested, her mind was not.

---

Leaving Inverna was easier said than done. Sure, she had been practicing seed craft, studying up on the effects of spells in all manner of different elements and attributes, and even went as far as to look into supplies for a theoretical expedition outside of her cavernous home.

But still… the world was a scary place full of so many uncertainties.

If it was unknown, she’d just have to alleviate that knowledge gap. That was the only solution to the problem that made sense.

For that Holly repeated yesterday’s excursion. Truth be told, it was how she spent most days. Having her nose in a book was the only way she found peace. Inverna had long since been wrung dry of discoveries for the eighteen-year-old girl.

Where to actually start though? The world outside the walls of the city was vast, impossible for her to imagine with her limited experience.

Holly browsed the many books at her disposal. Even the library’s collection paled in comparison to what she knew was out there. But there had to be some information about the outside world. She wasn’t daft enough to think everything that existed within the walls of Inverna was purely of zalavan origin – this library housed examples of such within its many shelves.

Trade existed. Somehow, some way, they traded with the outside world.

The key was finding the knowledge that allowed this to happen, and how it happened safely.

Starting simple was the key.

Her eyes scanned the shelves as she recalled the basics. The element wheel was an interesting aspect of their world. Nature beats earth which beats lightning which beats water which beats fire ending off with fire beating nature. Solar and lunar were off to the side with their mutually assured destruction towards one another.

While Inverna was a den claimed purely by the element of Nature, the greater world possessed those who breathed the other six. Those would be tricky to deal with. Holly had never seen another fully immersed in a different element. Sure, the rarer plants her fellow Resonators bore gave her whiffs of the other elements; the heat of fire, the tingle of lightning, the brightness of solar. All were dwarfed by the distinct foresty feeling that came from the population’s shared element.

Before she could pick out something to bolster her theoretical combat knowledge, she quickly spun and snatched up an entirely different book from the shelves behind her.

“Oh, little Holly, I hardly knew you were there,” said the old librarian, a smile gracing their lips as they approached the younger zalavan. “What do you have there today?” they asked.

“Just a book on knitting!” Holly sang her prepared answer, showing the book describing a certain stitch pattern. The kind librarian didn’t need to worry themselves about Holly’s true objectives.

The innocent material earned the young girl a gentle head pat before the librarian saw to tending to the rest of the collection.

Once out of sight, Holly let out a held breath, her façade melting away into her typical apathetic countenance. “You don’t need any more stress in your life,” muttered Holly, her calculating gaze returning to the knowledge she sought.

---

“I should get over myself and just check out the books,” Holly mumbled to herself as she walked home. It was late. A bit too late for her liking. Darkness blanketed the sleeping city, only through the glow of the embedded crystals above were the streets of Inverna navigable. She took a path, unlike her normal route home, away from any prying eyes. She just wanted to be alone; to pretend she had her freedom before returning to the reality of her existence.

It was warm out as always. A neck craned up, to view the hole in the cave roof that hung so high as if a sky of its own. “It gets cold at night in other parts of the world. Never here though…” Holly breathed out to an audience of none. Given the late hour, she was alone in her appreciation for the night sky, or what little of it she could make out. The small break in rock and crystal allowed the vista of the starry sky to poke through. She stopped for a moment to appreciate the few twinkling lights she could see.

“Damn it,” sighed the zalavan, her shoulders catching slack as her gaze fell to the dirt road. With a heavy heart, she shifted to start her trek home. Before even a step could be made in that effort, a large hand covered her nose and mouth. Holly's eyes went wide as she was suddenly yanked off the ground.

“Got one!” a voice cheered on a whisper.
“That’s everything we need; let’s get outta here before any more show up,” a second quietly warned.
“We’re set for life if we can get her and these apple seeds back to Mr. Noel!”
“Not sure what he wants with this stuff, but hey if he forks over the cash, I ain’t gonna question it.”
“You and me both, let’s get!”

Holly’s heart pounded in her chest as she was effortlessly taken away, unable to break free.

The reality of her situation was crashing down on her: she was being kidnapped! Holly was no easy mark, however; she closed her eyes, ready to tap into the berries atop her head.

Wait…

The person that was holding her was too large to be a zalavan – her people were a demure species compared to others (or at least that’s how foreign books described zalavan as a whole). Holly quickly scanned what she could make out. Breaking free was impossible, the one who grabbed her was muscular in build. Far greater mass than any zalavan could ever hope to put on, their biology simply did not allow for it. Oh, how she wished she could see her assailant!

She was able to see the accomplice to the grabby individual. A man, taller than any melopomorph she had ever seen in her short life. He was a lean, rough individual, or at least what she imagined one would look like. Long greasy hair, tied up, with scars and dirt coating his body and clothing. His shoulders were broad, jawline sharp and squared, also bearing much more height and musculature than she had ever seen on any zalavan. This man looked practically alien compared to her people.

With all that in mind, Holly realized he must be a Maestro based on his distinct lack of any elemental feeling from his form. That and the red object he proudly wore at his waist – a tuner, the symbol of modern Maestros which linked them to the Resonators they commanded in battle. She had only seen the gadget in books describing their form and function; thankfully this was a reliable fact rather than fiction.

Adding it all together, she deduced getting into Inverna wasn’t the easiest process. That would explain the distinct lack of Maestros in their little slice of the world. Holly surmised her foremothers picked their underground haven for this express purpose.

The Resonator to the man’s Maestro was easy to figure out with all that considered: the striking red of the tuner and the overbearing heat suffocating Holly; she had been grabbed by one bearing the fire element. It was an elementary conclusion – bring fire to a colony full of nature elements. A child could have conceived such a plan. The issue was of what species the fire element was; it wasn’t something she could intuit from her limited vantage point.

What she did know was other Resonator species could bear an innumerable number of animalistic traits. How those traits manifested again, was a mystery to her. Book smarts did not translate to street smarts, and that would be her undoing if she allowed it.

As her mind worked, her heart pounded with a rapid steady beat, and her body trembled. Despite the rugged hand clasped firmly over her mouth and nose, she felt a rush she had never experienced before.

Even as she was crushed by the secure grasp, even as she struggled to breathe through constricting digits, even as they spoke of her ultimate fate.

This wasn’t fear.

She was being kidnapped! And innocent little Holly… was excited. More excited than she had ever been in her brief existence. She didn’t even mind the rough treatment. It was something new, something different. She was going to see the world! These muscle heads had solved her problem for her!

Holly thanked Sage Lanvi that it was her they grabbed and not someone content with their life. A lesser zalavan would have been beyond themselves with despair. Not Holly though. She was simply built different. If being built different meant her brain constantly tormented her with the prospect of exploring the world. She realized what a messed up little sprout she was. Who in the world got excited about being kidnapped?

Perhaps she’d meet someone who shared her sentiments - the desire… no, the lust for freedom.

Speaking of her wanderlust, the caves they traversed were like nothing she had ever seen. They had crossed a boundary that she hadn’t been allowed to before. The path ahead was rocky but oddly well-traveled. Lights were affixed to the cavern walls, illuminating the way for the three adventurers. This was perfect! She had plausible deniability!

What’s more, they didn’t even think to search her! As such, she still had her entire satchel of seeds hidden in her jacket’s inner breast pocket. She’d have to be careful. Let them take her just far enough away so she could get properly lost, that was how she would get her freedom. In this way, she’d have an easy way back home if the world truly was too much for her.

To that end, the little zalavan struggled – she knew it was a fruitless endeavor. When it came to raw strength, the mystery fire Resonator had her well and truly beat. One might logically conclude she should preserve her strength knowing escape was futile. Holly thought that was sloppy planning, however. She had the forethought to keep up appearances; she had to make them think she was helpless – her specialty.

It wouldn’t go that smoothly; she may have lacked worldly experience but a fool she was not. That being said, she did have to play the hapless victim for now to make them drop their guard. The mask stayed on, it was the only way to ensure her safety.

Though she was shaken to her core as a breeze hit them. A cool breeze. There was light ahead. It was dim light, but it was light. Holly couldn’t keep her act up as her heart hammered harder and harder.

This was it.

It was happening.

Against her will, she was brought… outside.

It was beautiful. So high up she could see it all – the infinite sky with all its shimmering stars, the endless sea of trees. She began to cry. This was all she had ever wanted. Her dream was before her very eyes and all she could do was sob though the hand clamped tightly over her nose and mouth.

“What’s her problem?” asked the fire Resonator.
“Dunno, probably scared shitless. Whatever, let’s keep going before we’re seen,” said the Maestro.

They couldn’t have been more wrong, but Holly didn't correct them – this was the start of her grand adventure. Even if the circumstances were less than ideal, every story had to begin somewhere. She could confidently call this hers.