"I have wanted to see you for many reasons, one of which is that I have waited for this moment for long years. Forgive my zeal, but I have truly missed you."
Before Elena could respond, he leaned closer to her face and smiled, saying, "Truly, you look so much like your mother."
Elena gazed into his loyal eyes, sensing a purity of soul within them—a pristine sincerity that left her flustered. What had puzzled her most since her arrival in Azaveria was how someone could exist without hiding what lay within. Why were his eyes as transparently honest as his words?
The thread of her thoughts was broken by Ravaz's warm voice: "Tell me, my daughter, what happened yesterday with the Ceratigas?"
Elena lifted her head, her eyes clouded with confusion. "Believe me," she answered softly, "even I do not understand."
Ravaz added quickly, "You must know... they do nothing in vain." He then continued with a hint of anxiety, "Why did they rush forward like that on your first day? In truth, no one can fully fathom them."
Elena stood in silence, absorbing every word and revisiting the moments that had passed. The questions within her multiplied until Ravaz spoke again, trying to mask his concern: "Elena, my child... as you know, you are not ordinary. You are rare—one of the rarest beings. And everything that happens to you will be rare as well."
Elena shuddered suddenly and said nervously, "I am not rare! Until recently, I was just an ordinary girl!"
Ravaz tried to reassure her. "Trust yourself, and never judge your future by who you are now. We all change."
"I am truly not good enough," Elena added with painful honesty. "Perhaps I am not rare as you say; perhaps I am the first and only mistake in Azaveria."
Ravaz stepped closer, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. Looking directly into her eyes, he said softly, "Even if that were true... you are at least the rarest thing in my eyes."
Elena's eyes welled with tears as her emotions finally collapsed. Her words came out choked with pain: "Why did you leave me? Why did you let me love and grow attached to a father who wasn't mine? I bonded with people who are nothing like me... and now I miss them dearly."
Ravaz leaned toward her, gently wiping away her tears. His voice trembled with sorrow as he spoke: "Had I brought you here then, it would have harmed you. You were not yet a complete being of light; there was still a human side to you that needed to be enveloped by the light of Azaveria. You were so small. You had to remain human until the right time came—until you were drawn back here to be born anew from the womb of Azaveria. Forgive me, my daughter... and know that losing you was the hardest thing I had to endure after your mother's passing."
Elena whispered sincerely, "I forgave you... a long time ago. But now, I cannot control my feelings yet. I... I speak everything without restraint."
Ravaz smiled warmly, then said kindly, "My daughter, I am sending you to the Nizarians with Rash. There, everything shall be revealed to you."
"Who are the Nizarians?" Elena asked with a mixture of curiosity and fear.
He replied in a mysterious tone, "They dwell in the Library of No-Place and No-Time... they hold the secrets of the universes. You shall meet them soon. But before you go..." He sighed, his gaze softening suddenly. "Your mother left a memento for me to give to you." He pulled a small device from his pocket and added, "Watch this later. For now, you must depart with Rash."
At that moment, Rash entered, standing tall and poised. He did not look directly at Elena, careful not to betray what he was hiding. He offered his greetings, then said gravely, "Shall we depart now?"
Ravaz's eyes overflowed with tenderness as he looked at Elena. "Rash, protect her with all of your light. Do not forget this."
"I will," Rash answered firmly.
Elena turned to her father, her eyes shimmering with shy tears. "I will be fine... I do not know where I am going, but I trust you both."
Ravaz smiled as he watched her leave with Rash, his heart burning with secrets he had yet to share. As she vanished from his sight, he smiled with paternal love, praying his daughter would find the answers she sought.
Rash looked at Elena, his eyes gleaming with a longing he could not suppress. "Shall we transition now?" he asked.
Every spark of light in his body and soul cried out with the joy of being near her. He could not tear his gaze away, which left Elena flustered. Despite her inner strength, she had always carried a great deal of shyness. She rubbed her left thumb with her fingers, trying to calm herself. She was happy to be with him, but deep down, she wondered: How will I control the light flowing through my body? And how will I control my words so they do not betray me?
Taking a deep breath, she replied softly, "Yes, Rash... let us transition now."
He stepped behind her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. She jolted at the surprise of his touch, but he whispered in her ear in a low voice, "Now."
She nodded, her breath uneven and her heart racing with a wildness she could not master. Suddenly, a whirlwind of air formed around them, and they vanished as if they had never been there at all.