“I unpetalled you, like a rose, to see your soul, and I didn’t see it. But everything around – horizons of land and seas-, everything, out to the infinite, was filled with a fragrance, enormous and alive.”

Juan Ramon Jimenez

I freaked out!

She can see my soul? Do I look like a child or an old man? What do souls even look like in the first place anyway? What a horrible hook to leave us hung up on. Hurry up, woman elaborate!

“You can see our souls?” Aleera continued the conversation. “What does mine look like?”

“It is not so much that I can see into your soul but rather that I can get a general sense of who you are. Yours looks, to me at least, like a young wood full of energy keen to expand. But this is my lens through which I see or envision souls.” She eventually answered. "How you see a soul is very much up to your perspective."

“What about Kai’s?” she quizzed dauntless in her digging.

She can see my soul? What do I look like? Can she see who I was as much as who I am? Stop panicking! She hasn’t said anything till now. But then who would use Soul sense or whatever the skill is called on every baby you meet? Besides . . .

“To me, Kai’s is a large forest with an ancient impenetrable oak dominating at its centre. A forest with large clearings leaving plenty of space for growth within as well as without.” Her poetic description of our souls put my mind slightly more at ease. That did not sound drastically different to how she was describing Aleera’s soul and she had never commented on them before. So other than the size of it maybe it looked the same as everyone else.

“How do our souls affect our levels?” Aleera asked keen as always to focus on cause and effect. She wanted something and was trying to work out how to get it.

“Well, our beliefs, supported by my skill soul sight, imply that the larger the soul the greater the amount of life experience, and the greater the number of skills. In comparison to your soul, Kai’s is significantly larger. Larger even than mine or your Grandfathers’ but it is only supporting a relatively small number of skills in comparison to my list and probably your Grandfather’s.” She enlightened us on an aspect of the system we had never considered. "This fact alone suggests he is an old soul rather than a new soul."

“How does that affect things? If anything he has the opposite problem of not being able to grow up quick enough although I suppose you are solving that with the Elixir." Keen to identify the effects she kept quizzing.

“Well, most Elves myself included see our souls as forests. Within the forests that form our souls, our skills grow as trees. The larger your soul the more nutrients to support your skills. My soul is large and supports a wide variety of skills which grow. It is possible that despite a large number of skills for his age Kai has relatively few skills for the size of his soul meaning that they are all able to grow quickly supported by the depth of his soul. There are many different theories about how this might affect skill growth. However, Elves would argue as an old soul he already has acquired the seeds for each skill he learns quickly and once completing the requirements needed it quickly blossoms into a skill tree. Because he is regrowing a tree he already once had rather than growing it from scratch.”

“He has a fat soul and his skills grow quickly because his soul already knew them?” Aleera summarised her theories in a single sentence. Before driving forward again, “How can I get my soul to grow as big as his?”

“Life, experiences, experience. Your soul will grow in time.” Lady Acacia gave the oft-given and most hated of all answerers to children, it will happen in time and when you’re older.

“Is there any way, to make my soul grow quicker?” She wasn’t giving up just yet.

“Maybe, but now we are back to where we started, if you invest your time in attempting to grow your soul, only to speed up your levelling you are losing the time you would have spent levelling up your skills. It is circular problem and your time is finite.” She advocated waiting rather than worrying.

“So I can either spend my time levelling my skills as I am or I can spend my time increasing the size of my soul. This might help me speed the levelling up my skills later but will cost the same amount of time as I save. Bah!” She threw her hands up in frustration.

“So do you still want to know?” Lady Acacia smiled.

“Know what?” Aleera asked a little confused after Lady Acacia had answered that time was the best remedy to her conundrum.

“How to help your soul grow?” Lady Acacia continued to smile.

“Yes?” she tilted her head unsure whether the answer would help or hinder the speed of her growth.

“Through helping others to grow.” She offered an alternative to time.

“Others?” she asked for clarification of the short answer.

“Other people, other animals, other, plants, others.” She elaborated a little more.

“Animals? Plants?” She seemed surprised that even they would count.

“Why do you think Elves are known for protecting the forest and the life that lives in it? It is not an entirely selfless effort. It also helps our souls to grow.” Elves were known for their forest on the border between the Kingdoms of Ponente and Maestro. It was also the buffer between the Kingdoms and possibly the only reason they weren’t at war was the vigorous manner in which the Elves protected their forest.

“Would our garden help my soul grow?” Tried to think about what she had that she could use to apply to increase the size of her soul.

“As long as the plants are growing and healthy it should certainly help.” She answered.

“Does helping us grow help you grow?” I asked having thought of an alternative reason to the Prince’s request for her presence with us on our island. Was she here for the progress she could make on her soul as much as helping us out?

“Yes, beyond my skills teaching, training, tutoring, instructing and coaching levelling as much as they have. I believe the experience of visiting this remote island as well as the progress both you and your Adals are making is helping me to grow my soul. I would love to help out with your garden as well.” She answered honestly.

“Why do you have so many skills for the same thing?” Aleera asked.

“They all have a slightly different focus, teaching supports my academic lessons. Training supports me in helping you develop your physical skills along with your weapons skills. Instructing is primarily focused on helping you learn your social skills while tutoring is used for children as well as the one-to-one nature of our lessons much like coaching. Each one is specific to a particular function and allows me to educate more efficiently.”

Why were we talking about this when we should be asking more about the soul? That was the most important aspect of this conversation.

“How do you learn to see the soul of others?” I asked.

“First step is being able to see your own.” She answered, and we waited patiently for a little more elaboration.

We continued to wait some of us patiently some of us impatiently. Before she finally deigned to continue her explanation. I swear she did this on purpose sometimes.

“Meditation is the first step. Second, clear your mind and attempt to divorce your sense of self from that of your body. Attempt to see yourself as a soul with a body rather than a body with a soul. Third attempt to step out of your mind, your body into your soul.” That sounded confusing.

“What is the difference between your mind and your soul? Surely if you can envision yourself in your mind it is the same as being in your soul?” I was a little confused at the distinction between them. Especially as I was already able to envision myself in my mind within my fortress. Was that not my soul? Was it merely a mental construct but still part of my body? I was confusing myself and waited to hope for a little more clarification.

“Yes and no.” She answered, which hardly clarified anything.

“Remember I said I would improve your mind body and soul. I was not exaggerating when I said so or being superfluous with my vocabulary. You might not get to be able to see souls such as I do but there is no reason we can’t work on yours in the process. You may use a mirror to see your face but to see your soul you can use works of art. Time to pick up those paints young master and mistress.” She deftly transitioned us into the next lesson ignoring any further questions about her skills, their consolidation or more importantly in my humble opinion, the soul.

“Today let’s focus on a quick sketch before adding some shading, remember to blend before adding your detailing.”

We were left drawing the literal fruit while pondering the metaphorical food for thought and wondering how this might be helping our souls to grow.

Ding! Painting (LV1)

I wondered whether a new tree had joined the forest that Lady Acacia saw as my soul.

. . .

It was a short while later that we found ourselves making our way up to our hidden garden. We were both intrigued to see what Lady Acacia would make of it. It was our own. Something we had done without our family's support or suggestion. We crested the ridge line of the crater.

Wanda was working her way around the plants but other than that all our farming efforts were laid out in front of her in a row after circular row descending to the bottom of the crater.

“Amazing work children.” She looked impressed by our efforts. Mana made many a thing possible. In this case, it had sped the speed at which we could grow our plants and create our produce. We walked her around talking through each plant and what it needed best for it to grow to its full potential. Our vines had finally fruited and they were ready for us to harvest.

“I'm very impressed."

Wanda came up to meet us and walk us through the garden while explaining our crops and their successes.

"Have you ever considered planting trees?" she asked.

"There is hardly space here for trees if we want to continue growing this variety of crops."

"No, but you do own the rest of the island do you not? You are hardly limited to this as your only area available."

"I suppose we could."

"Which one would you suggest?"

"The Elendil."

"What is special about the Elendil Tree?"

"If you plant one here in the center of your garden I will show you." She said producing a seed from out of nowhere.

It did not take much effort to create a little island of stone and soil in the centre of the cauldron. I was worried that the tree would destroy my beautiful initiation well. But was promised that she would be able to sing the tree around it in time. Directing its growth so that it grew over and around without damaging the structure itself. In fact, she promised that when it was complete we would be able to walk into the tree before descending the well. That it would be a guardian of sorts or at least a secret entrance once it had covered it up.

We spent a pleasant afternoon watching her work as she sang the Elendil Tree from a seed to a shoot to a sapling. It would take a lot longer before it was as large as she described it was possible to get but the possibilities were exciting.

Not that we didn't have to help out as well.

"There is no reason we cannot practice your spells at the same time, you two. We will need the same three spells that I first taught you. What works to keep us alive also helps to keep plants alive. Kai if you will provide the water." she gestured to where she wished to have more water.

"Nerano." I shouted. My control had been getting better as my core stabilised. So I was now able to direct the water to where I wished it to go more or less.

"Aleera if you would be kind as to create a little more light."

"Would it not be better and more efficient to apply the mana directly to the plant?" She asked.

"The best method is time, but we are skipping that with our magic. The closer we can keep it to its natural growth the better." She explained.

"Phos." Aleera illuminated the area.

With water and light provided through our spellcraft. Lady Acacia continued to sing the tree into the shape she wished it to take. It was simply magical watching ten years of growth happen in 10 minutes.

"Pause for a second Aleera and Kai." We stopped to see what the next stage would be. "We have exhausted much of the soil's nutrients from the surrounding area so they need to be replenished. Before we attempt to sing it any higher."

"That's not a problem Lady Acacia, Des and Sinis regularly bring up plenty of fertiliser to support the growth of our garden. If you follow us this way you have a choice of three different kinds." Aleera informed her excited to help.

Des and Sinis kept bringing it up and formed 3 piles of different nutrients for our soil. Firstly there was the nightsoil that we had started using. Then there was the guano that Wanda had recommended. Finally, we had also started collecting all the fish offal and any other offal from the town. For the most part, they had been using it to feed local livestock but any that was not we were now collecting.

"The offal and guano are perfectly acceptable as is. The nightsoil however needs to be prepared before that is acceptable to give to the Elendil tree as food." She perused our offer.

"What is wrong with using it directly," I asked a little concerned as we had used all three to support our garden's growth.

"Humans are not always the cleanest of animals." she started with before pausing to consider her audience. "It would be better prepared to ensure there are no possible parasites or diseases."

I inwardly winced not having really considered the danger when I had first suggested the idea.

"Not to worry, we have created a solution to this a long time ago." She showed us a vial much like the one she kept the Solana seed in. "This is Solano. Much like how Solana is the basic food for the noble races from light and water. This creates the essential nutrients for plants from light, water and . . ." she hesitated, "other organic material." She showed us a green seed that threw into the pile that had been collected before quietly reciting her spellcraft. "Nerano phos auxano."

The pile was showered with light and water a huge green ball grew out of and across the pile.

"It also smells a lot better." She smiled at us. "Now if you three would like to bring that back to the Elendil we can work on singing it a little taller.

It was late afternoon before we made our way back down the mountain to prepare for the evening meal. The Elendil tree was now twenty feet high and magically following Lady Acacia's Spellsong in how and where it was growing. It would be a wonderful centrepiece for our gardens in time.

. . .

"Think about it, if we want to increase the size of our souls by experiencing life and helping others grow we need to do it on a bigger scale. We need to set up a school." I spitballed with Aleera.

"And just how are we going to do that? There is already the Lodestar Luminary in town. Why would anyone come here to learn?" she unknowingly played devil's advocate.

"Because we will pay them to come." I had been thinking about this.

"Why would we do that?" she sounded horrified at the idea of paying anyone anything.

"To get them to come." I grinned.

"Money doesn't grow on trees Kai!" she was not impressed with my circular logic.

"No, but fruit does!" I pointed back to the wealth I was thinking of. "We don't have to pay them in coins or pearls. How many parents would be happy to send them here for a free meal." I grinned excited my idea.

"Pay them in food?" she asked.

"Yes but not just that get them to work for it too!" I kept running with the idea.

"If they turn up at the beginning of the day they can help Des and Sinis carry up a bag of fertiliser for an apple at the top. Then a short maths or Bussola lesson followed by helping out in the garden in order to earn their lunch. If helping others to grow helps us then we would be growing our souls, our workforce and our garden all in one go!" Once I got going I kept going.

"Not sure that it is going to work out quite as well as you are hoping but no reason not to try."