"My name is Akupara."
[I… Heard that name before… but where?] The name resonated with a faint echo in the recesses of his memory.
"Well, if a young elf like you knows me, then I'm pretty popular, aren't I?" Akupara's voice, deep and resonant, seemed to vibrate through the very air.
[Deep voice, can use telepathy… crystal… Is this Sage of heaven?] The fragmented images from his mother's ancient tome clicked into place. The descriptions, the illustrations… it all pointed to one being.
"Ohhhh, ohhh, hoo… Sage of heaven… Haven't heard that title in a few thousand years." A ripple of amusement seemed to emanate from the giant crystal.
Areion's eyes widened in confirmation. [That's it then; you are Sage Akupara, the one who lifting Suryasthirh on his back.]
"Yes, you are right." A sense of ancient wisdom permeated Akupara's mental voice.
[Damn, when I entered the tunnel, I didn't expect this. Waaahh but weren't you supposed to be a turtle according to the illustrations?] He craned his neck, trying to take in the entirety of the massive crystal. [Where is your main body? I mean, Suryasthirh is established on a small part of your back.]
"Yes, this is just a way I can interact with people like you who manage to find me. And you know a lot about Suryasthirh in comparison to your age…" A curious pause hung in the air.
[Because I read about all of this in my mother's tome.] The image of Ojaswini poring over the heavy, leather-bound book flashed in his mind.
"Mhm, your mother's tome." There was a subtle shift in Akupara's mental tone, a hint of something Areion couldn't quite decipher.
[Can you stop reading my mind? It's infuriating.] The constant intrusion felt invasive, like having his thoughts laid bare without his consent.
"Okay, I won't read your mind without your permission, but can you speak with your mouth?"
[Oh yeah, I can't move my body… Hey… old man. Can you heal me by any chance?] He waited expectantly, but silence stretched between them, punctuated only by the distant rush of the waterfall. His hopeful expression slowly morphed into a comical grimace. [Don't ignore me now…]
"You said that you don't want me to read your mind, so…" Akupara's mental voice held a playful tone.
[You're so annoying for someone so old.] Areion couldn't help the petulant thought.
"Mind your tongue, kid…" A hint of ancient authority laced Akupara's response.
[Sure, can you heal me first? I can't move…] The urgency of his predicament returned.
The pink hues within Akupara's massive form intensified, shifting to a vibrant, almost electric green. A warm glow emanated from the crystal, flowing outwards and enveloping Areion. He felt a tingling sensation spread through his limbs, like life returning to long-dormant roots. A faint, white steam rose from his body, carrying with it the lingering stiffness and pain.
He cautiously moved his right arm, placing it on his head in a gesture of bewildered relief. Using his left hand for support, he pushed himself into a seated position, his muscles protesting with rusty creaks. After a moment of awkward maneuvering, he finally stood, his legs feeling shaky but functional.
"How much time has it been… me being here, actually?" He felt disoriented, the events of the past hours a chaotic blur.
"Eleven hours." Akupara's mental voice was matter-of-fact.
Areion's eyes widened in disbelief. "Eleven hours…?"
"Yes. I suppose you were out cold for eleven hours."
He looked down at his arms, expecting to see the strange blue markings left by the cave's inhabitants, but his skin was clear. "I want to go back." The urgency to return before Adima noticed his absence resurfaced.
Akupara's mental image was one of confused contemplation, a subtle ripple of light within the crystal. "Back where? The waterfall?"
"No, back to the palace before Grandma arrives there." The thought of Adima's reaction to his unauthorized adventure sent a shiver of apprehension down his spine.
"It's really fascinating; you know who I am, and I can satisfy your undying curiosity, yet you want to go back so easily." Akupara's mental tone held a hint of playful disappointment.
"Mhmm. If I think about it again, you're right; you can give me answers to many of my questions." The allure of the ancient sage's knowledge was a strong counterpoint to his fear of Adima's wrath.
"I said I can, but I didn't say anything about that I will." Akupara's mental voice held a mischievous undertone.
Areion's brow furrowed in a grumpy expression. "Hey, then why the heck did you say you can if you don't want to?"
"Just messing with you." A mental chuckle seemed to resonate from the crystal.
He let out a sigh of exaggerated defeat. "Wow, old turtle with ancient, rotten humor."
"Well, calling me ancient is not an entirely accurate term, young one, because the concept of time doesn't quite interfere with my existence in the way it does with yours."
Areion scratched his head in annoyance. "Yeah, whatever you say, old man." He walked towards the edge of the cavern, peering out at the cascading waterfall that seemed to plunge endlessly into the into an endless bottom. Clouds drifted lazily across the vast expanse of the sky. "So tell me, old man, how can I go back?"
"Mhmm. If you want to go back, then there are many ways, but I'm assuming you don't possess any flight or teleportation capabilities. So, if you'll go back by foot, then you have to deal with all the beasts waiting to munch on a curious little elf like you."
Areion recoiled mentally. "Seriously…? I just escaped those funny-looking bats, and now I have to go back that route? I'm not that stupid."
"Oh yeah, and I saw marks of cave limion's digestive enzymes on your body earlier before I healed you." Akupara's mental tone was nonchalant.
"Oh, that blue thingy thing?" Areion shuddered at the memory of the sticky, corrosive substance.
"Yeah, so how many cave limions have you defeated?"
Areion smirked, puffing out his chest and crossing his arms. "Too many to count."
"I don't need to read your mind to tell you're lying." Akupara's mental voice was dry.
"You're not fun."
"So, how many?"
"Zero. I just ran away from them until I found an escape route and fell into a ravine that led to a waterfall, and here I am." He admitted sheepishly.
"And what about the King Limion? How did you escape that thing?"
"What king again?" Areion's bravado deflated.
Akupara remained silent for a moment, a subtle pulse of light rippling across his crystalline surface. "You know, you are quite lucky that you survived this far on your own."
"So, how can I go back?" Areion pressed, the image of Adima's stern face looming large in his mind.
"Well, you can't." Akupara's mental voice was firm.
"Hey, no fun! I can't stay here in this dirty cave with a hard surface and a giant crystal looking old fella, and if Granny Adima knew that I ran away from her training, she was going to beat my ass." He emphasized the last words with a dramatic mental shudder.
"What did you say? Adima?… You know Adima?" A distinct note of surprise resonated from Akupara.
"Mhmm, yeah, you know her; she is my grandmother."
"She is your grandmother…? Then you must be little Raatindra's child… Oh, how could I not have noticed?"
Areion frowned. "No, Raatindra is my aunt."
Akupara's mental gaze seemed to intensify, a subtle shift in the crystal's internal light. "Don't tell me…"
"Yes, you're on the right track." Areion confirmed, a hint of pride in his mental tone.
"Ohhh, it's been centuries since I met any of them. I don't really know what is happening, and Ojaswini having a child is the most wild thing I can imagine." A sense of bewildered wonder filled Akupara's mental space.
"Why is it a wild thought?" Areion asked, genuinely curious.
"Oh, congrats! You don't know anything about her…" Akupara's tone implied a wealth of unspoken history.
Areion felt a surge of annoyance at the disembodied voice's cryptic pronouncements. "Well, she is my mother, and I probably know her better than you."
"Sure, but I'm not letting you go on your own; I can't risk anything related to Adima." Akupara's tone shifted to one of protective.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I'll teleport you back."
"Wow! Thanks, old man! You're not completely useless after all," Areion quipped mentally, admiring his pristine robes.
"Useless? Young sprout, I hold the very land and sky upon my back! Your grandmother would have washed your mouth out with soap for such insolence." Akupara's mental voice rumbled with mock indignation.
"Yeah, yeah, the sky and all that. Anyway, teleport me back now, before she starts wondering where I am." A nervous edge crept into Areion's thoughts.
"Hold your horses, little whirlwind. A journey such as yours must have left you famished." A pause. "Are you hungry?"
Areion's stomach chose that exact moment to rumble loudly, a deep growl that echoed in the cavern. [Starving would be an understatement. I haven't eaten since… well, before the bats and the waterfall and the near-death experiences.] "Yeah, a little bit."
"Hmm," Akupara mused. "A pity. There is nothing in this place that a young elf such as yourself could… or should… consume."
Areion's mental image was one of utter dismay. [Nothing to eat? After all that? Are you kidding me? I braved creepy caves and killer waterfalls, and now you're telling me there's no food? This is just great.] His thoughts were laced with dramatic despair.
A faint, almost inaudible mumble rippled through Akupara's mental presence, a sense of ancient exasperation. "Oh, for the love of… these impulsive little…" The crystal pulsed with a soft, golden light.
Suddenly, a cluster of vibrant fruits materialized in the air beside Areion. Plump, red apples gleamed invitingly, nestled amongst fuzzy peaches with a delicate blush. They looked impossibly fresh, as if plucked moments ago.
Areion stared, his jaw practically dropping. [Wait… what? Where did those come from?] He snatched an apple, its smooth skin cool against his palm. He took a tentative bite. The taste was exquisite, a burst of sweet juice that instantly revitalized him.
"Well?" Akupara's mental voice held a hint of reluctant amusement. "Are they to your liking, oh brave explorer?"
Areion devoured the apple in a few enthusiastic bites. "Are you kidding? This is amazing! You said there was nothing to eat!" He reached for a peach, its fragrant aroma filling his senses.
"I said there was nothing here that you could eat," Akupara corrected, a touch of weariness in his mental tone. "A little… conjuration… is sometimes necessary to appease the impatient."
Areion grinned, already halfway through the peach. "So, you can be useful after all, old man."
"Just eat your fill, child. We still have the matter of your hasty departure to address." A hint of seriousness returned to Akupara's mental presence. "And you owe me a rather lengthy explanation about why you're here in first place." He sighed with a quick ember glow in his eyes; he turned Areion's clothes into good as new.