Aura - The Pure Truth: A Place With Soul [1]
Feb 8 12:25:16 2005

For all the disbelief to this point that Aura had held in the back
of her mind, the village itself was too beautiful a sight to look
upon in any sort of negative light. The sounds of laughing
children, conversing adults, and general happiness lingered in the
air as she clung to the outside of the doorframe, her only means
of supporting herself at this point. All around, trees grew in
enormous supply, as though the village itself were carved
directly from the forest itself. A lengthy brook cut through the
trees at about the midway point, serving as both a place for the
little ones Aura happened to spot playing in or around, as well as
a few adults idly washing clothes and various garments. So lost
in wonder was she, that she didn't notice the old man standing
beside her all this time, until he gently nudged her, allowing her
to wake from the land of awe as she looked at him with widened
eyes.

"It's quite a place, isn't it? We don't have worries of those
things that typically plague the world outside, such as
famine, violence, and the general evils that most people are
incapable of controlling. If you'd be willing to walk with
me a ways, I'd be happy to take you on a small tour of the
village, child."

A frown crossed over Aura's face, but not from his offer. She
glanced down at her still-trembling legs, then at the deathgrip
she had on the outside of the house, and finally back at the man,
somewhat annoyed.

"Well, er... that would be fantastic, I think, but I'm having
a little trouble here. If I--"

"Oh, nonsense. You'll get used to walking on your own two
legs in due time, my dear. Until then, why don't you ask
them for help? It was they who helped bring you home, after
all."

The old man gestured at her, and it took Aura only a moment to
realize he was indicating the tiny dryad that had somehow found
her way upon her shoulder between her awakening and her movement
to the exterior of the house. Confusion, however, remained.

"Ask for help? How can a tiny little thing like her help keep
me from falling on my rear end?"

The man laughed in response, a jovial little chuckle that made it
sound like Aura were just a little child who didn't know any
better. However, he merely gestured, first to her, then at the
village around them.

"My dear child, you stand within the village of the Mana Tribe,
those who are closer to the blessings of the Goddess than any
other form of life. We work in complete harmony with the
spirits of mana, who relish in the fact that we have taken up
the humblest ways of life. It keeps not only us safe from
the general evils of the world, but also them, as abuse of
mana's power is a dangerous thing. The spirits, as ethereal
manifestations of this force, help to keep the village intact
by supplying us with all the gifts that the Goddess has to
offer."

He paused, as if giving it a moment to sink into Aura's skull,
before continuing.