The day had been uneventful for most residing in Sadida, even after the evening crawled in and settled down the heat of the day to a pleasant warmth. The calm was welcomed by many after all what happened within the Sadida kingdom, but no matter the times of peace, turmoil continued to brew within a few people while moments of silence allowed thoughts and worries to wander.

Alys stood on the balcony of her room, looking up to the stars while she rested herself on the balustrade. Even for her the day had passed without anything worth of note. Qilby and Adamaï returned from their search for Yugo several days prior, her King extremely pleased by the positive outcome. With the aid of the Eliacube and Adamaï's guidance, he managed to save the boy after a rampant Shushu dragged him and several others to another dimension called Shukrute. Adamaï was ecstatic to tell her and Alibert all about what had happened while Qilby kept mostly to himself after the occurrence in Cania. It would still take a while before Yugo and his friends were to reach the Crimson Claws island, allowing everyone that stayed behind to indulge themselves further in the presence of king Qilby, whether they wanted it or not.

Alys had been very thoughtful since Qilby's temporary absence from the Tree of Life and although there was a moment of freedom before he returned, she grew more withdrawn with each passing day. It wasn't easy to be an empty husk, to guess and trust people who were either strangers or supposed friends. She tried to focus on making new memories to replace the ones she lost, but that resolve was shattered with Qilby's arrival. Instead, it made way for a desire to fill the empty gaps in her mind with what once was. Even though she felt an unexplained unease and fright in her King's presence, he was the only solid source of information she had on her heritage. To make matters worse, she felt nothing but a sense of duty towards Qilby. There was no affection or admiration present, not even when she tried to feel it. Instead she felt discomfort and a void whenever she looked at him. There was nothing remotely soothing about his presence and it made her feel more lonely and empty than before.

This night she was alone on her balcony, once more in solitude. Every night was the same routine and while she enjoyed the peaceful quiet times before she would retreat for the night, she knew it to be wrong. It felt like these nightly hours were her only escape from the mysterious feeling of dread she endured during the day. She had nobody talk about it... No, she didn't allow herself to talk about it. To speak about how she felt but unable to explain why she felt such… she would only make a fool out of herself and make matters worse. She found it best to keep her worries to herself and hope it would all fall into place one day, her memory loss the blame for it all. She didn't want it to become an excuse, however.

She softly sighed as she leaned on her arms, listening to the crickets chirring their song far below while she wondered how Yugo was doing on his quest for Qilby's Dofus. So young and yet so strong. She honestly believed in him. She didn't know why, but she was certain the boy was capable of getting through the worst of situations… unlike her.

Alys turned over a hand to look at her palm, staring at the lines and creases. She had seen Yugo do it; make portals and leap through them as if he had full control. Qilby had shown capabilities to use the Eliacube or his own Wakfu to create stunning visuals and she… she wasn't certain. Was she capable of doing the same, of anything? Both Qilby and the boy assured her that the Eliatrope race were masters of portals and channeling Wakfu, but she had been too afraid to try. The fear for disappointment prevented her from making any attempts. What if her amnesia made it impossible? What if she was still too weak? What if.

A silent sigh escaped her when she hung her head after doubt gnawed at her. There was no confidence in her own strengths, uncertain if she had any. All that had happened since Yugo's departure made her feel locked up by herself and Qilby in an invisible cage which she had no key to. Or… did she? She stared at her hand which rested palm up on the mossy wood of the balustrade while she slowly blinked, her fingers flexing as realization began to dawn upon her. For a moment she was deep in thought until she clenched the hand into a fist and took a step away from the balustrade, her heartbeat quickening as she pushed herself to not let her sudden determination waiver.

She was all alone. She could try anything she'd set her mind to without feeling the shame of failure. There was nobody here to stop her other than herself and she better not, not this time.

She tried to recall how Yugo did it during the times she watched him show off and rose a hand to channel her Wakfu to her fingertips, or at least make the attempt. How did it even work…? Was it instinct? She took a deep breath and then another to calm herself when she felt slivers of doubt rise, the fear she felt before lingering. The palm of her hand became warmer while she imagined her Wakfu gathering before her held up hand, feeling the warmth surge through her arm before the spreading sensation swirled round and round inside her hand. She held her breath in anticipation but also focus while she dug deep into what she presumed were habits and instincts, hoping they would guide her while she used Yugo as her example.

Her hand emitted the cool glow of Wakfu when it lit up under her skin, faintly flickering like the stars above. She wove with her hand in a circular pattern with the glowing palm held upwards, her eyes growing larger at the sight of her fingertips leaving behind a trail of Wakfu which lingered like an incomplete circle. It looked as if a child finger painted it on an invisible canvas with messy strokes, though in truth it was real, her own creation floating in front of her. She looked a little dumbfounded while trying to contain her excitement, not certain what to do with the uneven circle until she reluctantly reached out touch it. The floating Wakfu shimmered, though dissolved like smoke before she could even inspect it. She quickly retracted her hand when the thin trails of Wakfu dispersed, huffing in disappointment and blowing some strands of hair aside before she rubbed her wrist while trying to convince herself not to give up just yet.

This was more than she thought she was capable of and in a way it was encouraging. She should give it another try.

She focused once more on the Wakfu gathered within her hand and drew another circle to make a second attempt in creating a portal, larger this time for a higher chance in success. The curving lines of Wakfu she drew upon thin air connected to one and another with a sigh-like sound to form an almost perfect circle, framing what looked like a white flat sphere; a portal into a blank void. She held her hand up for a while longer to make certain this portal would remain, unable to stop staring at what she had created before she rose her other hand to investigate the supposed portal.

Her hesitation was apparent as her fingers lightly trembled before they disappeared from sight after dipping into the white center of the Zaap, feeling they were still attached to her hand even though they weren't visible or poking through the other side of the portal. She couldn't help to smile in growing awe at the discovery, knowing she made a large step forward. If she was able create another and connect it to this particular Zaap, she could teleport through it like Yugo had effortlessly done before. Would she be strong enough? She hoped she was...

Pulling her hand out of the portal, she tried to divide the flow of her Wakfu between both her hands before repeating the motion to form a second portal while trying to keep the first one active. It took some effort… as expected. The first attempt had both the zaaps disappear before a second one could even properly form. The second try had one portal linger, but the other disappearing over and over with every attempt to bring it back. This was going to take a while… she was persistent however, determined to tap deep into her powers to discover what she was capable of; she had put this off for far too long.

Elsewhere and hidden away among the shadows, Master Joris stood listening to the voices coming through the open window beside him. The conversation he had been eavesdropping on during the evening held nothing of importance but he continued to listen while remaining out of sight, his presence concealed and undetected.

The coming of the Eliatrope King brought along a sense of joy to the people, but it had also brought forth complications. The small master had to do some investigating for his own King to see if Qilby and the Eliacube would pose a threat or form an alliance with Bonta and the rest of the Twelve. While hiding in the shadows and spy on others from the background was his forte, his skills were unfruitful this night. All he had learned was how much louder Prince Armand talked while intoxicated and how much he liked to boast about his achievements, something the whole of Sadida and beyond were already aware of. To Joris biggest disappointment, Qilby indulged the Prince and let Armand do most of the talking. Nothing of value was discussed and by the sounds of it, nothing remotely sensible would become a topic.

It was as if the gods picked up on Joris' quiet dismay when a flicker of light in the distance caught his attention and drew it away from the conversation happening inside. It was further along the tree's wide trunk, higher up from what he could guess and while it was but a flicker, it was very faint. He looked towards it to try and figure out what it was before he gave into his curiosity. There was nothing here for him but petty slurring.

He shuffled along the thick vine which was his ramp to the window before he bent through his knees and propelled himself forward with a strong push, leaping through the air while the wind ruffled his coat and fur mantle. He jumped and traversed over branches, slopes and balustrades almost effortless and with unnatural balance until he had gone far enough along the tree's massive size to find the source of the flickering. He gazed down at the scenery he had seen many times before after he landed upon the edge of a small balcony, but to his greatest surprise, something new was happening. Joris slightly frowned as he witnessed the female Eliatrope conjure portal after portal on her balcony, first one, then two and then one again as if she couldn't make any more than two simultaneously. He hadn't seen her do this before... Was she practicing?

He sat himself down to watch, making sure he was out of sight in case she would look his way though he had a feeling she wouldn't. She had yet to discover the spot he used before to keep an eye on her chambers. His eyebrows rose in intrigue when he saw her hop through a Zaap she created and reappear through the other, seeing her stumble before she spun around to look at what she had done. Her back was turned towards him but he had a suspicion she was quietly ecstatic about what she accomplished, if she couldn't already. How long had she been capable of creating portals? He saw her try again, repeating the motions several times until her movements became more fluid. The distances she crossed were small, as if testing the limits of her Zaaps. She even looked thoughtful and focused from where he sat.

It was good to see her experimenting with her powers and in a way it was also reassuring for Joris. While he believed her to have a strong heart and mind, she had been a frail appearance from the moment she was found. One couldn't help but wish to protect her; even he was unable to resist the urging. To witness she was strengthening herself was assuring indeed. However, he hoped she wouldn't overdo it this night. She was still recovering, no matter all the progress she had made these last few weeks.

He tilted his chin slightly upwards when Alys lowered her arms and looked towards the dark horizon while the last remaining Zaap disappeared with a small flash of cyan, appearing done for the day with her practice. He tugged a little on the front of his hood to pull it further over his head after the show came to an end, guessing he would return to Armand's chambers to continue eavesdropping or turn in for the night, although he didn't feel like doing either of the options. He stopped in his motion and thoughts with the arching of a brow when he noticed past the edge of his dark blue hood that the female Eliatrope was backing away from the balustrade, before seeing her raise a glowing hand towards the distant horizon. A new portal appeared with but a twirl of her fingers, hovering above the balustrade and far above the ground below.

Joris' eyes widened in shock when it became apparent what the lady in blue was planning after he found her intently staring at the Zaap she summoned and slowly shook his head in disbelief. "She wouldn't," he sternly said to himself while releasing his hood and pushed himself up to get ready to jump into action, only to bite his tongue to not cry out for the Eliatrope when she rose the skirt of her gown and sprinted forward to jump over the balustrade and into the Zaap.

He didn't hesitate after the portal closed and erased all traces of the Eliatrope's presence on the balcony, making his way down to try and find her and be certain she didn't miscalculate her jump. He could see it high up in the sky as he jumped from branch to branch; a Zaap. It only took but a few seconds before the familiar shape of the female Eliatrope leaped from the portal, soon disappearing into another before she reappeared further away. He watched on in horror and amazement as portal after portal flashed and flickered above the tall treetops, witnessing how one lone woman kept jumping through them and made her way across the clear night sky like a shooting star.

Alys smiled as she felt the wind whip through her hair and tug at the skirt and hood of her gown, sweeping through the blinding white of the Zaaps and the beauty of the night. She never dared to dream she was capable of this, but it felt natural to her. Doubt made way for confidence; she didn't want this to ever end but she could feel the strain on herself. She steadily made her way down to no longer be out in the open or so high up, leaving the large tree behind her while unaware someone was in pursuit.

It wasn't long before her feet touched the branch of a tree and she was surrounded by the vast forest, panting while she gazed around and listened. It was silent in comparison to the close vicinity of the palace and the daytime, the hooting of owls and the crickets chirring the most prominent noises. It was so peaceful and very different from during the day. She stood there with a hand resting against the tree while she caught her breath, feeling how her play with the portals drained her. But no matter tired, she had to admit to herself that she felt great, fantastic even! This new sensation had her heart thumping in her chest and unable to wipe that smile off her face. She wanted to continue and go further, but how much further? How far could she go? What was her limit?

She created another portal and looked ahead to try and figure out a pattern of where to go, not wishing to think about when it would be time to return. This was her night, her first step to being reborn. She had waited for this moment and all she needed to do was convince herself… how foolish it seemed in the end. She jumped through the Zaap to continue with making her way through the trees like a flitting wisp while the branches acted as a support in between her jumps, lost in her excitement.

Joris had finally made his way down the Tree and into the forest, his eyes kept on the sky while he rushed through the darkness. He saw her go in this direction, but she was much faster in the air than he was able to make the climb down. He had lost track of her, to his biggest annoyance. It frustrated him. If something were to happen to her…

He hurried through the undergrowth, listening intently while he kept his gaze high up in the hopes to pick up on another flash of cyan or a flicker of light. Unexpectedly, it was the sudden sound of pleasant laughter which stopped him in his tracks and scan the tree tops towering over him. Was that her?

He instantly pressed himself against the bark of the tree beside him when a flash of light appeared overhead like an answer to his wonder, seeing Alys jump free from the Zaap only to disappear into another before gravity could pull her down. He looked after her before he pushed himself away from the tree and followed after her to not lose sight of her again. While he believed her to be foolish to put so much strain on herself and go through such danger without informing anyone, he reminded himself of how solemn Alys had looked these last few weeks. To see her like this, to hear her laughter echo among the trees… he couldn't bring himself to be angry for what she was doing; he was worried however.

Her joy seemed to come to an abrupt end when Alys' foot hooked behind a branch the moment she came out of one of her Zaaps, immediately interrupting her flow. She gasped when her body became victim to gravity, the straight line she took through the air and treetops making a steep drop down. In a panicked attempt to not make a painful landing when the ground came too close far too fast, she opened a Zaap as quickly as possible, the white circular void swallowing her up... and spitting her out like unwanted food. She rolled through the grass and undergrowth after getting propelled from the portal that caught her, unable to stop herself until she came to a rocking stop and dropped backwards onto her back. She frantically panted and gasped for air while staring up towards the sky and the canopy with wide open eyes that easily betrayed her startle.

That could have ended horribly...

Joris lingered on the edge of her vision to not give himself away after he caught up with her and looked down with an inspecting gaze after the Eliatrope came to a rolling stop in a small clearing, checking if she was unharmed without giving his presence away. He was fearing the worst when he saw her fall and quickly made his way into the trees to get a better vantage point, standing on a branch above the clearing. He instinctively leaned back to not be seen after he picked up on chuckling coming from the tall grass below, quiet at first until it turned into soft laughter that rose up towards the heavens and the dark abundance of leaves and branches which hung overhead. He slightly frowned in surprise before he smirked, his worry becoming mute. It appeared she was all right.

The Eliatrope laid on her back in the grass while she softly laughed and the adrenaline began to settle, before the sound of joy died off and she smiled to the stars shimmering through the canopy. Although a little sore, she felt free. Free from any burden, free from her amnesia, free from the invisible cage she was locked within. This may be the happiest she had felt in a long time... She spread her arms and took a deep breath after closing her eyes to savor the moment, knowing she wouldn't do this again any time soon, but it made a precious memory she wanted to keep. Her racing heart calmed down as the world quietly passed by. Even though someone was observing her from the cover of leaves, she didn't feel watched or threatened. Everything was serene.

"Over there, that way."

The sudden voice roused both Eliatrope and hidden guardian when it sounded through the trees, causing Alys to quickly roll over and push herself up on her hands to cast a bewildered glance around while Master Joris slunk back into the shadows to be ready to act if needed. An orange light swayed from side to side further away from the clearing and in the direction of the palace; a lantern. Guards.

Alys scrambled up onto her ankles to take her weight off her hands while staying low in the grass to not be seen by what she assumed were guards, before creating a portal to escape to higher ground.

Joris froze in the tree he was hiding in when a Zaap appeared on the other side of the trunk his back was pressed against, the female Eliatrope stepping onto a branch to remain out of sight from the approaching guards below. He held his breath to keep quiet in the hopes Alys wouldn't notice him while also hoping she wouldn't try to move to a different branch and find him standing there. He wouldn't be able to answer her questions and wonders about why he was there without losing a large part of her trust. And it would be far too awkward to explain...

Alys was unaware that she wasn't alone in the tree she sought refuge in, looking down to the two Sadida guards after they reached the small clearing and were scanning the surroundings with the lit lantern held up high. She hoped they wouldn't see her up there. How was she going to explain her presence in the forest so far away from the palace, alone and at this hour? Not to mention in a tree. She wouldn't hear the end of it...

"See anything?"

"Nothing. Must have been the wind… or something," one of the guards shrugged as he lowered the lantern and turned on his heel to head back to the trail," whatever it was, it isn't here anymore. Let's head back. If we hear it again, we'll come back to investigate."

Alys quietly exhaled in relief when the guards made their way back to whence they came, laying a hand upon her chest to calm the frantic beating of her heart while she rested her back against the rough bark of the tree. She really feared she would be discovered. that would have been a bad ending to a wonderful experience. Still... She may not regret getting carried away by her excitement, but she didn't think this through. She sighed, knowing it wasn't the best decision to put her powers to the test on such a large scale and stray away from the palace, especially this far and during the night. She could have gotten in serious trouble if something happened to her; nobody knew where she was... It pained her to admit it, but it was time to head back.

The interruption of the guards and coming to terms with her lack of thought made her realize how tired she was after using her Wakfu to get all the way out here… and she still had to make her way back somehow while remaining undetected. She straightened up to try and see where the Tree of Life was so she would head in the right direction, clasping for a branch to keep her balance as she searched before finding the tallest tree top imaginable through the dense canopy.

Joris leaned to the side to peek around the tree after hearing the familiar sound of a Zaap opening and closing behind him, seeing Alys disappear among the treetops in a trail of portals. He ran the back of his glove across his forehead with a deep breath before he rapidly shook his head to shake off the tension which had crept up his spine. That was close, too close. He didn't expect this to happen this night, not after he endured hours of tipsy rambling from a prince. While he had grown accustomed to watching Alys from afar, this was the first time he got to see a different side to her, one she hid away all this time or simply wasn't aware of. Whatever the case was, he had to make certain she would return safely to her chambers and stay there for the remainder of the night… and the next night. This was bound to happen again... To assume she wouldn't venture off to test her limits further was incredibly naive and foolish. It appeared he was back on guard duty after all. Not that he minded... It was what he willingly did before Qilby came into their lives and he gladly continued it.

He jumped down after making a decision and begin the long trek back to the palace, following in Alys' wake before sneaking back inside like he hadn't left in the first place.

To be continued