2 The Spirit Forest and Aegiri

Aegiri was playing with the other children when she saw a strange butterfly. She was a curious girl, so she followed it without noticing that she was going in the forest's direction. Aegiri was near to touch the strange butterfly when she fell in a hole that was in the base of a tree. The butterfly disappeared. Aegiri got a bit scared "Hey! Someone help me! Please!" she knew that it was getting late, needed to return with her grandmother, and to get out the forest. It passed like an hour, when she heard foot steps. Aegiri wanted to shout but something inside her told her to be careful, and not to act in a impulsive way. After thinking, she decided to try luck "Please! Someone help me! I'm inside this hole, please help me to get out!" the foot steps stopped and a calm voice sounded "Wait a moment, I'll return with something to get you out" the foot steps started to sound distant. Aegiri was afraid that the owner of that voice just left her there. A few minutes passed and the same calm voice said "Take this rope made with lianas" Aegiri took with both hands the rope and when she was ready, the rope was being pull up. Finally, Aegiri got out the hole and looked at the owner of the calm voice. It was an earth spirit. He had brown hair and green eyes, his clothes were like grass, but Aegiri could see that it was cloth. He bowed his head, smiled at her and left. All these actions were so fast that Aegiri didn't notice when he left.

She looked at the sky, it was night already and she knew that her grandmother would be anxious if she don't return. Aegiri started her walk to return to the village. The forest had a mysterious aura. The view was magnificent, she never saw the forest at night. Sometimes, her grandmother took her to the forest but only when it was all sunny because grandmother told her that the forest is more dangerous when is dark. First Aegiri thought to get out the forest, but her curiosity was more, so she adventured going deeper and deeper the forest. There were a lot of kind of plants, and some of them she recognized, but all of that plants were dangerous.

She remember every images of those plants but she didn't understand why they were risky so she got near one interesting flower and touch it. Instantly she felt bad, like all her energy was leaving her body. She started to felt tired and sleepy. The cold air, the strange noises and her sick body did not help her much, it was the first time that Aegiri felt that way. She understood, despite her age, her small body could not continue to endure all these difficulties. Aegiri continued her way, when suddenly she smelt something delicious. With all the strength she had left, she began to move in the direction of the smell of hot food. It was more than clear that Aegiri was very hungry, since after leaving home she had not eaten anything. When she finally saw lights, she could not move forward and fell near a tree, and there she was sound asleep.

Near where Aegiri was sleeping, it was a house. The house was small, with a big garden that had strange flowers, it also had a slight brightness, and you can even said that it had a peaceful ambient. In the house was a man with red hair and blue eyes, he was in his forties. The man was cooking something delicious for dinner when an earth spirit appeared in the kitchen's window "Goodnight Salgot, I need to inform you that near this place is a hungry little girl sleeping in a tree's base" the man called Salgot looked at the spirit with a confused looked "Are you sure?" the spirit nodded. Salgot left what he was doing and left the house quickly. He knew first-hand how dangerous the forest was at night, and he understood perfectly well that a small child could not survive. When he leaves his house, he realizes that the weather is colder than usual. He started looking for her everywhere when he finally sees her lying at the base of a trunk. He could not believe what his eyes saw. The girl was pale. Salgot came over to check his breathing. He could not believe how a four-year-old girl had ended up in that state.

Salgot carried her in his arms and carried her home as fast as he could. When arriving at the house, the girl had a very high fever. Salgot started to treat her injuries and after checking all the symptoms, he sentenced that the venom was from the Tulio flower. The flower drains all the spiritual energy from a person to kill him. The good news were that the flower that Aegiri touched was something near a baby flower, so it wasn't to aggressive, the bad news were that Aegiri didn't have more time. If Salgot didn't find her in that moment, it would be too late to save her. Immediately Salgot put a wet cloth on her forehead. Few minutes later, Aegiri's fever decrease and then she woke up "Be careful and don't get up to quickly" Aegiri, following the sound of the voice, saw a man preparing a meal "Where I am, sir?" The man smiled "You are in my home, little girl. May I ask for your name?" Aegiri was feeling better "You were the one who treat my injuries and disease condition. It was rude of my part, my name is Aegiri, thanks for saving me" Aegiri smiled. Salgot watched her smile "You are a polite child, not like the one that is living with me, my name is Salgot and this is my house" the stomach of Aegiri started to growl "Sorry for the inconvenience, but would you prepare for me some food please" Aegiri was red. It was the first time she saw that man and now she was asking for food "Hahaha! Don't worry little Aegiri, I already finish your food, come and sit. I think you can get up now" Aegiri nodded and got up the sofa where she was laying. She sat on the chair that was next where Salgot was sitting. Both started to eat. Aegiri saw that in front of her it was another chair and a plate of food in that side of the table. She remembered Salgot talking about a child that was living with him "Mr. Salgot…" "You can call me just Salgot" "Then, Sa-Salgot, who is the child you were talking about? I'm a bit curious about that" Salgot suddenly change his expression into a serious one, but at the moment he returned to his relaxed expression "You will meet him soon, because I think it's better for you to stay the night here" Aegiri forgot that she was lost in the forest, and when Salgot mentioned that, she remembered and nodded in affirmative. When Aegiri finished eating she was already tired and sleepy " Salgot, if is not inconvenient, where am I going to sleep?" Salgot looked at her, and with a movement of his hand a door appeared "Passing this door is your room with a bed and a bathroom, you can use the blankets that are on your bed without problems" Aegiri opened the door and everything what Salgot said was inside the room. She saw the bed with the blankets. The next thing what she was doing was laying on the bed with two blankets covering her body. She quickly fell sleep. After an hour, someone entered the house and Salgot took the person to his room "Please, try to not cause any sound. We have a guest" the boy looked at him "I understand elder-Salgot. But I'm not agree with having a guest passing night here with us" the boy went to his room and closed the door. He was upset. He was uncomfortable with the guest. He knew that something was wrong.