Menticide

The destruction or undermining of a one's mental independence in order to alter his or her beliefs

Prologue

Sometimes, its the tiniest of changes and events that often cause the biggest impacts.

She had read that from a book once. An attempt by Mother Fortuna to get her used to reading material that wasn't picture filled even if they weren't nearly as any fun. But right here. Right now, she couldn't help but think of anything else. Probably because if she hadn't disobeyed her surrogate mother and had stayed in her room instead of going out into the forest she wouldn't be in the mess she found herself in.

"N-Nice – uh – d-doggies." A silver-haired half-elf girl stuttered fearfully. Backing away from the ever closing pack of ulgarms that eyed her with bared fangs and hungry gazes.

Yes, coming into the forest today had been a mistake. A major one and Emilia couldn't help but wonder if this could have all been avoided if she hadn't gotten curious and diverted from her usual play area.

Those were her last thoughts, followed by a strong desire to see her mother one final time before the mabeasts leapt forward, eager to tear her limb from limb.

Emilia let out a startled cry, crouching down and raising her arms defensively, readily expecting the excruciating pain of having ones flesh torn off and bones crushed into splinters between sharp molars.

…

Any minute now.

…

Any second...

...Huh?

Emilia daringly opened her eyes, fully expecting the dastardly demon beasts to be staring her down with menacing sneers with the purpose of prolonging her suffering. After all mother did say that mabeasts were surprisingly more intelligent then what people gave them credit for and that she must always be altert when she encountered one.

But what greeted her wasn't the creatures parents told their children to keep them in after dark, quite the opposite in fact. What stood before the small elf girl was what she could only describe as simply –

"Beautiful." Emilia said, her mouth moving before she even had the chance to fully process her words.

A woman stepped forward.

She was flawless. Her long hair the color of platinum and her eyes were a deep blue.

And she was smiling gently at her.

"You weren't harmed were you?" The woman asked in a voice that shined with radiance.

Emilia shook her head dumbly, feeling grossly inadequate and self-conscious despite only being a child.

"U-um-n-no– I mean thank you." Emilia quickly stammered out a response, bowing her head in fast successions knowing her response was more than a little awkward. If Fortuna had been here she would diffidently had scolded her for poor manners.

Thankfully, the woman didn't seem to mind, seemingly amused by Emilia's less than stellar performance.

Which was good, not great but at least she hadn't made a complete fool of herself in the pretty ladies presence.

Which reminds her, where did the mabeasts go? Beside her and the woman nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary and the forest was eerily quiet.

"Were you the one who saved me?" Emilia eventually asked, because if she did then that meant she owed her savior a huge debt and a debt must always be paid in full.

"I did." The woman said. "But that begs the question of why such a cute girl was out here all by herself."

"I was…playing." Emilia flushed, the excuse sounding lame even to her own ears.

The woman giggled and the half-elf turned redder.

"You should be more careful next time. There are many dangerous creatures that tend to wander this forest."

"Doesn't that go for you too?" Emilia couldn't help but point out. Noting the woman's obvious lack of clothing save for the all too revealing white fabric that made the girl divert her eyes with mortification.

The woman's lips quirked upward. "Yes, but I'm far from defenseless."

Emilia watched in amazement as dozens of fairies surrounded them in a spectacle of light that made her purple irises widen.

"Your friends with the fairies too!" Emilia said with no small amount of glee.

"Fairies?" The woman looked confused for a moment, before shaking her head. "You mean the lesser spirits?" she corrected gently, waving a few over to Emilia who let laughed as they brushed up against her with the woman going on to explain that what she thought were fairies were in fact beings known as lesser spirits who could only be contracted with those with a strong spiritual affinity, which to Emilia sounded much more boring than the spiritual creatures in her stories.

"The spirits seem to be quite found of you. Indeed you are truly blessed. Your family must be very proud."

Emilia looked down, fiddling with the helm of her dress bashfully. "Thank you Miss – uh – "She stumbled, her eyes growing slightly wider and mouth curving into a large 'o' in the realization that she had forgotten to get her saviors name.

Again the woman laughed beatifically. "You can call me Pandora." She said lightly, seeing the girl's unease and taking pity on her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Pandora. I'm – "

"Emilia, right?" Pandora answered stunning her.

"You know my name?" Emilia asked, bewildered if not a little nervous. If Pandora was someone from the village then she could possibly be in really big trouble. Mother Fortuna would be furious and that would spell the end to all her secret explorations.

"The spirits told me." Pandora said putting Emilia's fears to rest while simultaneously making her eyes widen.

"Fairies – I-I mean spirits can talk!"

"If one has the affinity you could even contract them. Fortunately it seems that you are loved by the world and have been gifted with such ability."

Emilia couldn't restrain herself from jumping with excitement. This was great. Fantastic even. If what Pandora said was true then did that would mean she'd be able to make a lot more friend's right?

Pandora sighed. "Sadly it would seem that are time together must be cut short. It is getting late and your mother will grow worried if you're away for much longer."

Emilia blinked. "Huh?"

Pandora turned to leaving the girl with a wryly smile. "I hope that we will meet again Emilia."

"What! No, no she couldn't leave! Not yet. She was just starting to learn about spirits and stuff and maybe have someone else to talk to that wasn't mother.

Emilia's face scrunched in concentration. Thinking of something, anything to get the woman to stay.

Thus she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"T-Teach me!" Emilia said, in a spur of desperation that was entirely unladylike. But she couldn't care less. Pandora had stopped and that was all that mattered.

"I-I mean you know all about spirits and magic so I figured…" Emilia trailed off suddenly feeling self-conscious the more she rambled. The results from living a life of seclusion with no one but her mother to converse with.

If Pandora was surprised by Emilia's outspokenness she didn't show it

"Are you sure?" Pandora asked. "I've been known to be a very wicked magic user."

Emilia shook her head. "I don't believe that. Besides your very pretty."

Anyone that breathtaking couldn't be evil Emilia easily assured herself

Pandora seemed pleased. "Well after such praise how can I refuse."

The two agreed to meet at the same location tommorow morning with Emilia vowing to be there bright and early ready to learn. That day the silver haired half-elf left with a spring in every step she took nearly tripping on more one occasion in her excitement to get home.

This was the start of something great she could just feel it.

Strangers were just friends waiting to happen and Emilia believed she had found such a friend in Pandora.

Fortuna certainly wouldn't be pleased with such a flimsy excuse, but Emilia had no intention of telling her, at least not yet.

Besides her mother had secretes of her own that she refused to share with her.

So it wasn't wrong if she kept a few of her own. Right?

Oh Emilia. You sweet, sweet cinnmon roll. Never change

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