�Well, I wish you the best of luck, Lady and thank you for everything.�
The two embraced and Minerva whispered into Tavia�s ear, �Don�t forget about that necklace I gave you,� before pulling away and striding down the eastward facing path.
�So, Tavia, I guess this is it. Let�s go, the stairs aren�t too far away.� Tansis said as he moved toward the path opposite the one his Lady had taken.
But Tavia remained rooted to the spot, shaking her head slowly, �Thank you but I don�t want to see another set of steps until I ascend the ones leading up to the Star Heaven. I�ll fly down from here, if you don�t mind.� She replied stubbornly.
�Alright then,� Tansis laughed, �I�ll ask the trees to move apart and let you through. That way you won�t get your wings caught on their branches.� Still laughing, he walked over to one of the trees and spoke to it in the whispery language that the elves used. A great creaking could be heard and when Tavia looked down, a hole had been made in the branches big enough for her to fly down through.
It took very little concentration to gather the golden power against her back and summon her wings and other dragon-like features. The process was like breathing and she almost didn�t feel complete without her wings. Once the leathery skin was solid, glinting golden in the sunlight, she lifted off the ground. Her wings felt stiff but after a few solid pumps, they were back to normal and she glided down off the bridge with ease.
�Good-bye, Tansis!� she called back over her shoulder, �Thank you for everything!�
The elfin bodyguard leaned forward and waved frantically at the gliding fire-mage, looking like a child whose been asked to show how well he can wave goodbye. Tavia felt sad at leaving them, but knew that she had to leave of would go crazy among all those powerful emotions vying for her attention. The guilt was still there, though, even with that knowledge, and she fought back tears that sprang to her golden eyes.
Tavia pushed them back, though, and focused once again on the ground as she descended. The way was eerily clear, the branches making a perfect circle as she passed through, coming nearer and nearer to the ground. Once she felt the soles of her feet touch the dry and slightly prickly carpet of dead leaves, she looked back upward the way she had come. There was no sight of either Elven city or elves themselves and the branches that had previously opened to let her through now had closed protectively over the city.
The fire-child turned away, moving eastward as her map had told her, trying to block out the faint whirring of the elves� emotions behind her. It grew fainter as she moved away and once it was gone completely, she breathed a sigh of relief and longing. It was good to be rid of that headache-inducing buzz but she would definitely miss her friends among the elves.
So Tavia continued on her journey, always heading eastward toward her destination, the Temple of Simione. All she had to do now was to make sure that she stayed out of trouble and out of the way of the mages. With a bright smile at the prospect of walking through this delightfully shaded forest and at completing more of her pilgrimage, Tavia strode off toward Orrin and the Forest Road.