When Picea heard my request, a strange look passed over her face. She looked at me with a placating smile, “Well, Kane. I would love to teach you, it’s just that I can’t at the moment.”

  This was like a needle popping my balloon, and I deflated in dejection. “W-why not?” I asked with a frown.

  Picea sighed, “My child, you are still so small. Your celestial core is undeveloped, so even if you knew how to use magic, you would be completely unable to release any celestial energy.” she explained.

  This made a lot of sense actually, but this just meant that I had to develop my celestial core. “So, how do I grow my celestial core?” I asked as if it was obvious.

  “You’re quick aren’t you? Unfortunately, even the most talented elves can only develop their celestial cores after well over a decade. Most take upwards of twenty cycles to be able to proficiently use magic. This is to be expected, of all mortal races the elves have the longest lifespans. Most aren't matured until they are at least forty cycles old.” she said before pausing.

  When I heard all of this, my mood darkened even further. I assumed that a 'cycle' was what they called a year here. If it took at least twelve years to develop my celestial core, I wouldn’t be able to use magic until I was a teenager! That was far too long!

  Picea eventually continued though, “Luckily, my little experiment seems to have been bearing fruit.”

  This caused me to raise an eyebrow at the dryad, “Experiment? What are you going on about?”

  Picea laughed with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Little one, did you think that I was helping you purely because you were adorable? That was the main reason, yes, but the other reason was to satisfy my curiosity.”

  “I would describe myself as a scholar, and I have studied almost everything there is to study in my long life. However, I’ve never had the chance to see a baby with an adult mind, let alone feed one with my essence.” she finished, a scary look now in her eyes as she looked at me.

  I gulped, not knowing if I should be thankful or terrified of this dryad. After all, they were an ancient being that quite literally feasted on the flesh of mortals. When you put it like that, I felt stupid for even coming here in the first place.

  Picea seemed to know what I was thinking, “Stop looking at me like you’ve just seen a ghost! I’m not going to hurt you.” she chuckled.

  I wasn’t quite buying it, but what they were saying still interested me greatly. “Can you explain what’s so special about your ‘essence’. It does taste really good, but isn’t it just like honey or something?” I asked.

  Picea looked offended as she shook her head, “Honey?! How outrageous, my essence is essentially liquid celestial energy in its purest form.” she pouted, her hands on her hips.

  That explained its seemingly magical properties, “So, if I keep drinking your essence, I’ll probably be able to use my celestial core sooner.” I realized, speaking my thoughts aloud.

  Picea nodded her head with a bright smile, “That’s the conclusion that I came to as well. You’ve only been here for a week, but your body seems to have developed by almost a month. It’s fascinating, a nearly 420% increased rate of development!” she exclaimed.

  That was pretty incredible actually. This meant that I was growing more than four times as fast as I normally would while drinking this dryad’s essence.

  “How long do you think it will take me to develop my core at this rate?” I couldn’t help but ask.

  Picea scratched her chin and hummed, “By my estimations, maybe a little over three years.”

  If I had any water in my mouth I would have spit it out. That was far too long still! “There’s no other way to speed up the process?” I asked, hopeful.

  “I’m afraid not, my dear.” Picea said, snatching away any hope I had.

  I rubbed my temples in thought, “Okay, well I still need to find my mother. I’ll stay here for a little bit longer before I set back out.” I said.

  The opportunity to hasten my development using Picea’s magical energy was far too amazing not to take advantage of. Even if she was studying me, I figured that was only fair because of what I was receiving in return.

  Besides, I wouldn’t be here much longer anyways.

  Unbeknownst to me, I found myself immersed in Picea's world for an entire year.

  My days were filled with the intoxicating allure of her essence, each taste binding me tighter to her side. As time blurred, months melted away, lost in the mesmerizing haze of her presence. In this idyllic haven, Picea imparted the ancient secrets of the Elarion forests, unveiling the rich tapestry of our world's history and its warring nations.

  Under her gentle guidance, I honed my powers, witnessing their growth with each passing day. As my abilities flourished, I found myself juggling wooden toys and launching them into walls with mere thoughts. Picea would patiently mend the broken playthings, her endless patience and warmth a stark contrast to the tumultuous world beyond.

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  Yet, amidst this sanctuary of tranquility, a nagging sensation persisted, a whispered plea from the depths of my mind. An elusive purpose, an unfulfilled quest teased at the fringes of my consciousness. But each time I sought clarity, the answers dissipated, my thoughts lost in a fog of confusion.

  Picea, ever attuned to my inner turmoil, would insist that I was merely hungry. Her reassuring presence and sweet nourishment offered solace—until the day when hunger was no longer the answer.

  "No, I'm not hungry!" I retorted, defiance rising within me. "You just fed me an hour ago! Why do you always do that?" My eyes searched her face, seeking an explanation for her persistent attempts to sate a hunger that was not there.

  A gentle smile graced Picea's lips as she regarded me. "Do what, my child?" she asked, her tone laced with concern. "Does my little Kane have a tummy ache? Come, let me ease your pain. My milk can heal all that ails you." She reached for her breast, offering the elixir that had become my refuge and my prison.

  "What the f*ck?" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with disbelief. As I stood face to face with Picea, a sense of impending dread crept over me. My mind raced, attempting to piece together the fragments of time that had slipped through my grasp.

  Wait, I was standing. When had I learned to stand? Shouldn't a baby's first steps be an occasion marked by joy and celebration? The realization hit me like a tidal wave—I was no longer a mere infant. My thoughts careened back to my mother, her face flickering like a distant memory. Where was she in all of this? Why had she not found me? Had she given up her search? Panic welled up within me as the truth began to unfurl—I had been trapped in this enchanted realm for months, perhaps even a year or more.

  Piece by piece, the fog began to lift, exposing the disturbing possibility that Picea's milk had somehow clouded my mind. Had I been under her spell this entire time? I looked at her, eyes wide with horror, as my trust in her began to crumble.

  I channeled my powers, summoning my iron sword to my side. Its weight felt reassuring, a tangible reminder of the world beyond this twisted illusion. I brandished the sword between us, its tip trained on her.

  "You're not my mother!" I spat, my voice icy with accusation. "You're a psycho! Did you brainwash me with your breast milk?"

  Picea's once serene expression contorted into one of pain, her voice pleading. "You don't understand, Kane. I love you as if I were your real mother. Whoever she is, she left you stranded in the Elarion forest. If she hasn't found you yet, she's weak and undeserving of you."

  Her words only served to fuel my anger. "No, Picea, you're the one who doesn't understand. If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have kept me imprisoned here like some possession or experiment." The thought of my mother, alone and vulnerable, tore at my heart. "In the time I've been trapped here, my mother could have died! When I could have saved her!"

  With resolve burning in my veins, I turned to leave, floating towards the door that promised freedom. But just as the taste of liberty brushed my lips, the door vanished, swallowed by the shifting wooden walls.

  I cast a dismissive glance back at Picea, her once-beautiful visage now contorted into a sinister reflection of the darkness within. "How childish." I muttered, sending a surge of my power rippling towards the wooden barrier before me.

  Over the course of my captivity, I had discovered the true nature of my powers—an invisible energy beyond the constraints of this world's magic. I had come to call it Aether, for it was the essence of the cosmic void. It flowed through my veins, yearning for release.

  The tree trembled under the force of my assault, its wooden confines splintering into a thousand pieces as the morning sun bathed the room in a warm glow. The vast expanse of the Elarion forest stretched out before me, a verdant sea of possibility that was now within my reach.

  "NOO! I won't let you leave me!" Picea shrieked, her voice tinged with desperation as tendrils of wood erupted from the floor and ceiling, hurtling towards me with blistering speed.

  Undeterred, I channeled my aether through my iron sword, its blade dancing in a whirl of devastation as it cleaved through the onslaught of vines and tendrils. The dryad's vines were moving far faster than my eyes could follow, so I simply sent my sword flying in several arcs at random. Luckily, this did the job.

  The sound of splintering wood filled the air as my blade continued its relentless assault, seemingly possessed by a force beyond my own. I ducked down in the air, narrowly avoiding a wooden spear that was aimed at my torso. Spinning around, I send a blast of my aether towards another group of vines screaming towards me from my blind spot. Wood and plant matter exploded as this attack was thwarted, leaving me to face the dryad—who was now gathering their emerald mana to launch another attack.

  With a flick of my wrist, the sword soared towards Picea, her attack faltering as the blade found its mark. Her severed head fell to the ground with a sickening thump, her features showing a mixture of shock and anger. Yet, even in the face of defeat, Picea's tears betrayed a strange, twisted love that I could never fully comprehend.

  "Please, Kane!" she hollered, tears leaking down her severed head, "Don't leave me! The forest isn't safe, you'll die without me." she pleaded bitterly, her hands reaching out to grab her head from the floor.

  "Picea," I began, a tinge of sadness lacing my voice, "I truly appreciate what you've done for me. You may be a twisted creature, but I'll always remember the time I spent here. I know this isn’t enough to kill you, so I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

  As I turned to embrace the freedom that awaited, a forgotten memory tugged at the edges of my mind. With a gesture, I sent a tendril of aether towards a dusty desk in the corner, retrieving the mysterious letter that had long intrigued me. It hovered alongside my sword, a solemn reminder of a past I had yet to uncover.

  Soaring through the breach in the tree, the vast expanse of sky beckoning me forward—I knew the answers I sought lay just beyond the horizon. The dryad's desperate pleas were lost on me as I embraced the uncertain future that awaited, vowing to unravel the mysteries of my existence and rediscover the path that Picea had taken from me.