Aura - Discontentment
Mar 7 03:00:28 2005

Aura lay on her back upon the pallet she'd laid out for herself,
intending to have gone to sleep for the night. But instead, she
lay completely wide awake, violet eyes roaming about the ceiling
interior of the Sanctuary that was her home, barely more than a
few feet away from the statue that she'd worshipped almost as
wholeheartedly as the entity it was created in the image of. On
this night, unfortunately, she was finding it difficult to
sleep. At least a dozen elementalings regarded her from all
sides with curious eyes, some situated on the floor, some in a
constant hovering state, and even a few resting on her stomach.
The consisted mostly of dryads and undines, the ones who seemed
to favor her most, but a gnome and sylph also kept a close watch
nearby. She sighed aloud, not able to blame their consistent
vigil over her as part of the reason she was unable to fall into
slumber. No, it was something else entirely different.

As had occurred since the time of her return, the memory of her
recent visit to the land of her birth played through her mind
without halt, from her awakening that morning, to the realizing
of who she was early that afternoon. She had been happy, then,
finally finding what she'd wanted for a handful of years; why
wasn't she now?

Aura closed her eyes, reaching up silently to clasp a hand at
her throat, and over the dimly-pulsing green emerald inset of
the choker around her neck.

I always had this feeling that I was different... so different
from everybody else... but now that I know what it is, can it
really be a good thing? I can't even go near Seikou without
hurting him... Mother and grandfather both mentioned that my
power would reawaken at its own pace... but is it too much,
too fast?

She opened her eyes again, to find one of the dryads had hovered
over to be near her face, staring down into her eyes with its
own enormous green ones. She couldn't help but smile a bit,
curious little creatures that they were.

"No, they know what I am, now. At least, I think they do.
I'm pretty sure Seikou at least has a decent idea... and you
can talk to Variance, can't you? So I don't see why he
doesn't already know."

The dryad shook her head, waving a tiny hand dismissively in
the air. Aura raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't want to tell him outright? Why not?"

Again, the spirit waved a tiny hand in the air, but seemed to
consider it for a moment, looking somewhat confused, herself.

"So you don't think they know? And that they don't have to
know, anyway?"

The dryad looked at her, bringing both arms around to place tiny
hands on tiny hips. Aura smirked, shaking her head slightly.

"Yes, I remember... and I know who my mother is, and what she
stands for... but my duties? I don't even fully know enough
about my own tribe to know what I'm supposed to do for it...
And even then, mother said--"

She caught herself, realizing that the dryad's gaze had turned
in rapid succession from curious to stern, and again from stern
to worried. She sighed, reaching up to pat a finger against the
tiny thing's cheek.

"I know, I know... I don't worry enough about myself. But
if you'll give me a chance, I can prove that I'm capable of
taking care of myself... I won't let my power get out of hand
under any circumstances; I'm aware that the flow of mana is
much different for me here than it was at the village..."

The dryad seemed contented enough with hearing this, and nodded
her approval, turning in the air and zipping back off towards
a small gathering of her own kind near her feet. Aura sighed,
rolling her eyes back towards the ceiling.

It would make sense, at least... I need mana to survive, too,
but the limiter keeps the flow regulated... It's almost to a
tangible point, but doesn't that make me different... from
even my own village? None of them ever mentioned it...

Aura closed her eyes again, with a subtle breath of exasperation.

I'll figure it out, in time... even if it kills me...