The next day, Sophie packed her belongings and bid farewell to the elves in the village. Following their directions, she left the place she had grown so fond of, taking with her Charles—who had trained under the elves for a month—and Little Bai.
Perched atop a tree, Sam watched Sophie disappear into the distance, his heart feeling as though it had been torn apart. *"Sophie, one day, I'll find a way to make you as long-lived as the elves. And if I can't… then I'll grow old with you."* His whisper carried the weight of her parting words.
*"We can't be together. I'm human, and you're an elf. When I grow old, you'll still be young. I don't want you to watch me wither, and I don't want to leave you alone in grief. So I have to go. Forget me—find a beautiful elven maiden."*
*"Sophie… wait for me."*
Had Sophie known she wasn't entirely human, had she observed more closely or asked Little Bai, her life might have taken a different path. But there were no *what-ifs*. Perhaps fate simply wasn't on their side.
Chewing on the provisions she'd prepared during her search for the Jade Mushroom, Sophie's thoughts drifted back to Sam. The ache in her chest nearly suffocated her. *Why am I doing this to myself? Two people in love, torn apart by my own choice.*
"Charles, Little Bai, stay here. I'll be back soon," she said before striding into a thicket of low shrubs. Hidden from sight, she wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in her chest. *Let it all out—the love, the longing, the heartache, the pain. Cry until dawn, and then let it all fade. A brighter future awaits.*
"Why did Mom leave if she's so sad? Wasn't the elven village nice?" Charles whispered, hearing her muffled sobs. Little Bai, listless, offered no answer, leaving Charles to ponder on his own.
*"Maybe I should convince Sophie to go back. Sam wasn't so bad. I've never heard her cry like this before. Maybe making them happy is the right thing?"* Little Bai glanced toward Sophie's hiding spot, his own heart heavy.
It wasn't until much later—long after Charles had fallen asleep, drooling—that Sophie finally stopped crying.
Slowly, she gathered the scattered *ice-tear stones* that had formed from her tears. Wiping her dry face, she smoothed her skirt and took a deep breath. *"What a beautiful day!"* she declared loudly.
Little Bai, half-asleep, squinted at the sliver of dark sky visible through the trees. *"Beautiful…?"*
As she set up the simple tent Sam had gifted her, her hands hesitated before swiftly completing the task. She laid out a thick blanket and carefully carried the sleeping Charles inside. "Growing him up wasn't all good," she muttered, her face flushed from the effort. "He's so heavy now!"
Lying beside Charles, Sophie noticed Little Bai's hesitant gaze. "Go to sleep, Little Bai. Tomorrow, we keep moving. Who knows? We might find a human village soon. Maybe even a cute little mate for you!"
"I'm not a dog!" Little Bai huffed. "I'm Carina's companion—far superior!" Then, softer, "Are you sure about leaving? You won't regret it?"
"Even if I regret it later, I have to go now. Staying would only hurt Sam. We're not the same."
*"Not the same? Well, technically, no. But if he's an elf, that's not the issue…"* Shaking his head, Little Bai curled up and dozed off.
Sophie turned away from the tent—*Sam's tent*—and focused on Charles and Little Bai. *It's over, isn't it?*
---
She slept until midday, groggily sitting up to find the tent empty. *"Where are Charles and Little Bai?"*
Panicked, she rushed outside, scanning the area. No sign of them. *"Did something happen? I didn't hear any beasts last night!"*
"Mom!"
She spun around to see Charles bounding toward her, arms laden with fruit, Little Bai perched on his shoulder. Relief washed over her—until she raised a trembling hand. But instead of scolding him, she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Don't ever run off like that again! What if something happened to you?"
Charles hugged her back. "Don't worry, Mom! I'm big now. I can protect myself—and you!"
Sophie's anger melted. Earlier, Charles and Little Bai, seeing her asleep, had ventured out to find breakfast. Using his elven speed and Little Bai's sharp nose, they'd located a *red-leaf banana* tree and a *coiled chestnut* tree—both elven favorites. Without a Phoenix Bag, Charles had carried back as much as he could in a large leaf.
Eating the fruit her son had gathered, Sophie felt a swell of warmth. *Having a child like this… it's wonderful.* Back in her world, her parents would've adored such a grandson.
After breakfast, under Charles' lead, they returned to the trees. With the Phoenix Bag's endless space, Sophie ordered a full harvest. Charles plucked from above, Sophie collected below, and even Little Bai helped, carrying smaller chestnuts in his mouth.
But Sophie soon realized—Charles was *too* fast. For every fruit she picked up, he tossed down five. By the time they finished, the trees stood bare.
Laughing under the stripped branches, Sophie reminisced about gathering dates with her family in her childhood. *"Dad would knock them down with a bamboo pole, Mom and my brother would catch them in baskets. Sometimes one would bonk me on the head, and everyone would laugh… Mom, Dad, are you doing okay?"*
Bathed in sunlight filtering through the leaves, Sophie's spirits lifted. *Time to move on.*
Every fruit-bearing tree they encountered—or that Little Bai sniffed out—was swiftly stripped bare.
Eventually, the dense forest gave way to open plains.
No rising smoke. No signs of human life. Just endless grass under a gentle sun.
After hours of walking, Sophie missed the forest—at least there had been fruit to break the monotony. Here, the scenery never changed.
Bored, she remembered something important. "Little Bai, can I learn magic?"
"Of course! You already have strong magic—you just don't know the incantations to channel it. But Carina had beginner spellbooks from the Second Elder. Didn't you pack them?"
Sophie's eyes lit up. "Wait—really?!" She dumped all the books from her Phoenix Bag onto the grass.
*"Beginner Magic," "Intermediate Magic," "Advanced Magic," "Forbidden Spells," "Dark Magic," "Secrets of Spatial Magic," "Ice Magic Archives."*
Selecting the most practical, she stashed the rest away and began studying.
Most spells—even the forbidden ones—revolved around fire, and they seemed powerful. But the lengthy incantations made her head spin. *I hate memorizing.*
Glancing at Charles and Little Bai, she grinned. *Why stress? I'll learn a few simple spells and let my overpowered son handle the rest. As for Little Bai… he's my secret weapon.*
She picked the shortest chants and began practicing—while making sure Charles and Little Bai studied *all* the spells. Poor Charles groaned under the workload. Little Bai, already proficient, kept quiet.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
**Will Sophie's magic be enough to face what lies ahead?**