"Arslanian, what do you think of getting your very own familiar?"On a break from an arduous session of map-making, Arslanian turned to see her father looking quite thrilled with his own suggestion.
The pair had been busy working on an updated map of the Barrens to include the Forest of Faces. Ever since her return from the adventure with Wanderlust, they had been finessing this new map, put together using existing ones of the Barrens and Arslanian's careful sketches. It was a privilege and an honor to have helped make such a discovery. The journey they had been on would forever be immortalized on these maps, which other travelers would use in the future to navigate those lands.
"Familiar?" Arslanian repeated. Both her parents had bonded to scuttle scales. The lizards were keen, helpful creatures who could take at leat partial credit for many of the discoveries the pair had made in their lifetimes. And having a constant friend, it seemed, was terribly worthwhile.
Arslanian had some friends, but she'd never felt lonely. In the dream-spaces she created in her head, there were friends to be found everywhere. She carried them with her wherever she went and used them as an excuse to exercise the parts of her that urged caution when her heart wanted to be reckless. Or, vice versa, they would encourage her to be brave when she felt fearful. Did she need a familiar?
"Think about how useful one could be," her father was saying. "Brightheart has issued a call for new guardians. It seems she's ready to resurrect a new species. It'd be a great honor to receive a familiar from an Ascended."
Arslanian nodded. She'd heard the announcement as well, and though it wasn't clear what the species was yet, she couldn't help but begin to imagine the possibilities. A tiny catbeast, perhaps, that was friendly to the noulicorns. Or a miniature boar that remained cute all its life. The thought of trotting off on adventures with a friend in tow seemed rather idyllic.
"Your mother and I would both feel a little less worried if we knew you had a familiar with you," her father continued. "Narith has bailed me out of some tough spots more than a few times. You never know. It might be useful."
"I think you're right, father," Arslanian said, banishing the dream scenarios to the back of her mind. She set her compass down on the almost-completed map, marveling at the work they had done. "Every adventure is a story on its own. It must be meaningful to be able to share that story with someone. It's hard to describe what happens out in the wasteland to those who weren't there."
Her last comment felt oddly poignant. She'd tried so hard to explain to her parents, who had been worried sick by her weeks-long disappearance, what had happened out there. And though she could form into words the tale that involved them cross an operated bridge, through the Forest of Faces, and into a cave which then led to them being trapped underwater by crystal beasts, it was impossible to convey the emotions she had felt at every step of the journey. How could she explain that, through all of the fear and adrenaline, there was a part of her that had been thrilled by the whole thing? Or that a true appreciation of how close they might have come to death still eluded her, because the whole thing had felt like a dream? It was impossible. And though Arslanian was thankful for the party they had traveled with and shared these experiences with, perhaps having a close friend there with her would have been the best.
Arslanian's father nodded understandingly and came to rest his nose atop her neck. He nudged her reassuringly, reminding her that he needn't understand everything, and that the story was hers alone. "Let's go talk to Brightheart," he said gently.
The two of them left their family's workshop and made their way toward Brightheart's grove. Arslanian entered on her own, stepping up to face the gentle Ascended.
"Penna," she began, feeling her heart race. An Ascended! Despite all the time she had spent in Wanderlust's company, the young navigator couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by awe now that she was standing in front of the powerful noulicorn. "I..." There was another pause as Arslanian swallowed another breath and perhaps more than a few of the words she'd meant to say. "I'm... I'm here to answer your call for guardians." She railed off the sentence so fast, she was afraid she'd jumbled all the words into one. Nobody would be able to understand her...
Embarassment washed over her and she ducked out of Brightheart's line of sight before the Ascended could rescind her invitation. She would just have to wait it out, and hope that nobody else had noticed her.
