Kite once again found himself being awakened by one of Liliana's tackle-hugs.
He grumbled.
Liliana just stared at him and giggled. "Awake now, sleepy head?"
He rubbed his head. He had stayed up very late looking over the scroll that he must've inadvertently slept in.
Liliana jumped off the bed and yanked Kite up. "Come on, let's go play with Elian and the others!"
"Hey! At least let me eat breakfast first," Kite yelled as he struggled to keep up.
She giggled. "Okay!"
He sighed and ran back into his room to change his clothes. That little girl was way too hyper. Would she mellow out in a few years? He remembered his friend in his past life was the same way.
Kite quickly changed into his day clothes, a simple tunic and trousers that were easy to move in. As he laced up his boots, he couldn't help but smile at Liliana's boundless energy. It reminded him of the sun, always rising, always shining, no matter what happened the day before.
He made his way to the kitchen, where the smell of fresh bread and fried eggs filled the air. "Morning," he greeted Darian, who nodded at him with a smile.
After a hearty breakfast, Kite felt ready to face the day. He found Liliana waiting outside chasing her little brother while Sylvana watched, giggling.
"Ready?" Liliana asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Kite replied, nodding.
"Can I come too?" Tomas asked, eyes big and bright.
Liliana patted his head. "Let's go ask Mommy."
He blinked. "Why not Daddy?"
She giggled nervously. "Well, Daddy's likely to say yes, but Mommy did get mad one time when he gave me permission to go to the river without telling her about it."
Kite chuckled. So, Elara had the final say.
With a nod of agreement, the four of them went back inside and out to the backyard. The morning sun cast long shadows on the ground.
Elara was in the garden, tending to her herbs when they approached. "Mommy, can Tomas come with us?" Liliana asked, her voice hopeful.
Elara looked up, wiping her hands on her apron. "Where are you all headed?" she inquired, her gaze shifting from Liliana to Kite.
"To Elian's place. Then to Ludo's then to the meadow," Liliana exclaimed, barely containing her excitement. "We're gonna build forts and play knights."
Elara considered for a moment, then smiled. "Alright, but be back before sundown, and no going near the river," she instructed, her eyes stern yet warm.
Tomas jumped with joy, and Kite couldn't help but laugh at the children's enthusiasm. "Thanks, Mommy!"
Sylvana smiled. Contrary to Liliana, she was so quiet.
The four adventurers made their way through the village, the morning air crisp and filled with the sounds of daily life beginning to stir. They reached Elian's house, a cozy cottage with a thatched roof and a small garden out front. Kite knocked on the door, and after a moment, it creaked open to reveal a woman with tousled hair and a sleepy expression.
"Good morning," she said, stifling a yawn. "Oh, Liliana, what brings you here so early?"
Liliana beamed up at her. "Is Elian home? We're going to play knights in the meadow!"
The woman shook her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'm afraid Elian left early with Ludo and a red-haired girl. They mentioned something about the library."
Kite's curiosity piqued at the mention of the red-haired girl. She must've meant Cassia. He was surprised she was hanging out with Elian and Ludo so early. Liliana was usually the one their group revolved around.
"The library?" he echoed. Did they went to find out more about Cassia's friend?
"Yeah. I was surprised too. Usually, all that boy does early in the morning is eat and train with his sword. He's a lot like his dad.
A tall, muscular blond man walked up from behind Elian's mom. His face was stern like a soldier's. He heard Elian's dad was a carpenter, though.
The man smiled slightly. "Well, if it isn't Elian's buddies. My son already left. Seems that for once, he's hitting the books."
Elian's mom turned to look at her husband. "Which is a good thing. Maybe he'll give up on his dream to become a knight."
Elian's dad chuckled, shaking his head. "You know how stubborn he is. Once he sets his mind on something, it's hard to change it."
Kite smiled. "We'll catch up with them at the library then. Thanks!"
The group turned and set off towards the village library. Sylvana and he laughed as the siblings' excitement remained undeterred.
Kite pushed open the door, and they stepped inside. The library's interior was warm and inviting, with rows of shelves filled with books. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting a golden glow over the space.
They quickly spotted Elian, Ludo, and Cassia gathered around a large wooden table, engrossed in their own books. Elian looked up as they approached, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, you made it!"
Liliana bounced over to the table. "What are you guys reading?"
Ludo adjusted his glasses. "We found a book about local myths and legends. We thought it might have something about the Cosmic Tree or the ruins we explored."
Cassia nodded. "There are a few mentions of the Cosmic Tree, but nothing about the ruins."
Kite was surprised they were looking up the tree instead of Cassia's princess friend.
Cassia glanced at him and blinked. "What's with the staring?"
Kite chuckled. "It's nothing, it's just... I'm surprised you got up this early to look up stuff about the Cosmic Tree."
She sighed. "I couldn't sleep well, so I decided to come to the library. That's when I ran into Ludo. We both went to get Elian who suggested we go to the library last night after we split up from you four."
Elian nodded. "I wanted to help Kite find out more about the ruins, but thus far, we got nothing."
Kite felt himself get a bit teary-eyed. They got up this early to help him?
He cleared his throat, trying to keep his emotions in check. "Thanks, you guys. It means a lot that you're all helping me with this."
Elian grinned and clapped him on the back. "We're friends, right? Friends help each other out."
Cassia shrugged, but her eyes were soft. "It's not just about you, Kite. We're all curious about the Cosmic Tree and the ruins. This is as much our adventure as it is yours."
Ludo nodded in agreement. "Plus, it's fascinating. Who wouldn't want to uncover ancient secrets?"
Kite smiled, feeling a warm sense of camaraderie. "Alright then, let's get to work."
The group spread out, each picking a different section of the library to search through. Kite found himself delving into old, dusty tomes that detailed the village's history and legends. He was so absorbed in his reading that he barely noticed the time passing.
Liliana and Tomas, still full of energy, bounced between the tables, occasionally bringing over books they thought looked interesting. Sylvana, ever the quiet observer, meticulously sifted through records and manuscripts, her keen eyes missing nothing.
Hours passed in a blur of pages and whispered discussions. Just as Kite was beginning to think they wouldn't find anything new, Sylvana quietly cleared her throat.
"I think I found something," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Everyone gathered around as Sylvana laid out an old, yellowed map on the table. "This map shows a path leading to a place called the 'Sanctuary of the Cosmic Tree.' But it's not marked on any of the newer maps. So it might no longer exist."
Elian's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That's it! That has to be our next destination!"
Cassia traced the path on the map with her finger. "It's not too far from here, but it looks like the way is through some dense forest."
Ludo adjusted his glasses, peering closely at the map. "Wait, forest? Could the sanctuary be the ruins we found?"
Sylvana studied the map. "That's what I was thinking too. If so then this doesn't help us much."
"At least we know the name of the ruins."
Kite stared at the map and saw the location on the map was actually by the bay. Was the sanctuary the cavern with the statue of Goddess of Light? It would make sense if so. But it made him wonder if perhaps the bay area might have some more clues.
"Think we could go to the bay one day?" Kite asked.
Ludo smiled. "I could ask Dad."
"Ask me what?"
They turned and saw Mako and Cat pushing Skyla's chair. The girl continued to hold her pet bunny. Were pets allowed in the library, though?
"Skyla! Fluffy!" Sylvana said, smiling.
Tomas beamed and ran over to his cousin. "Hey, Skyla! Here for a book?"
She nodded.
"What do you want?" Ludo asked, standing up.
Kite chuckled mentally. Ludo really loved doting on his sister.
Fluffy suddenly jumped out of her arms and bounced off.
"Fluffy!" Skyla yelled, almost falling over.
Ludo thankfully caught her before she faceplanted.
"Try summoning it," Sylvana said.
Skyla nodded. "Come back, Fluffy!" Her bunny reappeared in her arms. Yet, it jumped away again. She frowned. "Does Fluffy hate me?"
Ludo glared at the misbehaving bunny. Kite got a feeling he was imagining turning the bunny into rabbit stew if it continued to upset his sister.
Sylvana hummed. "Let's follow it. I got a feeling he wants to show Skyla something."
"Maybe a book!" Tomas said, giggling as he ran after him.
Liliana giggled and chased the bunny too. "Maybe he'll lead us to a secret door!"
Kite chuckled. It was just a bunny from Valoria forest, he doubted he knew its way around the library. Or maybe he did? Ludo was a bookworm, and he was with Skyla whenever he wasn't hanging out with them. And ever since she got Fluffy, Skyla hadn't been seen without her floppy-eared buddy.
Ludo grabbed the handles on his sister's chair. "Well, let's go after that slippery hare."