Elyrielle woke up as every morning with the rise of the sun to follow her daily routine. The birds chirp, and the butterflies fly around as she starts with the cooking for the day. First, bread. She grabs a wooden bowl and puts the ingredients. Flour, eggs, milk, and salt. In the blink of an eye, the soft and moldable mass is ready to get into the oven. With a simple spell, Elyrielle casts fire into the oven.

As every morning, Elyrielle goes to their garden. She waters every plant, from their beautiful rose bushes to their mandrake collection. She also leaves some seeds for the wild birds that visit every morning. After that, she picks up some red dragon's leafs for the morning tea, Lirienor favorites, her husband’s favorites.

With another simple spell, she casts more fire to boil the water for the tea. She watches through the window as she waits for the water to boil. She admires the clear sky where few clouds move slowly across. She now spots a small group of adventurers. A classic group formation. A human in a full armored suit, a young female elf with long silk-like hair wearing an elegant green and white dress, a beast companion (in this case a male with what seemed to be fox ears and tail and finally, another male magician, with a modest gray robe and a big outlandish hat that every magician insists on wearing.

A soft smile forms into Elyrielle's mouth. She recalls her own days as an adventurer. How she always wanted to fight the goblins, dragons, ghouls, and many other cursed beasts that emerged from the dungeons. But, as a female elf, her role was only to support the team and heal them. It was useful as always, but she wanted more emotion, fear, even on her adventures.

The soft whisper of her teapot woke her up from her thoughts. She grabbed the teapot and made tea for her husband and Elthar, her young son. Both of them would wake up in a few minutes, and she needed to have everything ready before that. Unless she wanted to hear her husband’s scolding once again. She sighed and prepared the table. trhee porcelain mugs were now placed on the table along with a piece of bread for each individual.

She sat down then and looked through the window again as she waited to hear her husband’s slow and loud steps and, in contrast, the fast and almost silent steps of her son. She saw a huge red dragon fly magnetically across the sky, its glowing yellow eyes looked on with Elyrielle's and, almost as some sort of salute, both the dragon and the elf nodded to each other. Daydreaming was one of her favorite activities because she didn't have much time to do things for herself. Her whole life revolved around raising and taking care of her adult and young adult son.

As she lost herself within her thoughts, her husband’s angry door slamming made her jump back to reality.

-Elyrielle! What are you doing? Daydreaming again?

- I'm sorry, Lirienor, my dear, the breakfast is ready.

- Are you not going to wake Elthar up?

-I though he would do it on its own dear.

- On its own? He is too tired from earning money from his adventures all day long to do that. Is not much what I ask from you, is it? Go and do your duty "dear". - Said and sat loudly and started drinking his tea without hesitation.

Elyrielle nodded and went to his son's room to wake him up, she thought he could at least do that, but she guessed wrongly. His room was enormous. A big wooden crafted door. Carefully crafted images of warriors fighting dragons (his favorite type of mystical creature). She approached her pointy ear to the door but heard nothing. She gently knocked on the door twice but heard nothing again. So, she gently opened the door. Elthar was sleeping soundly with his mouth open. He was covered with a heavy woolen blanket and many pillows by his head. The window was closed as well as the curtains. Elyrielle could only distinguish all of those details because this was the same situation every single morning since his son became a teenager.

She, as silently as she could opened the curtains and breathed the morning air. Soon, light uncovered that once dark room and transformed into a really messy one for everybody to see.

- Elthar? darling, is time to wake up. Breakfast is ready.

Elthar frowned and covered himself with the heavy blanket.

- Elthar, please, you father is waiting for you.

Annoyed, Elthar stood up in one movement, looked at her mother's golden eyes and said:

- I'm coming, please, I told you that I would wake up when and how I want. Now go, I will soon join you.

- You know that your father will be mad at me because of this.

- I can deal with that. Now go.

Elyrielle nodded and got out of the room in silence. Closed the door and thought for a moment "you are not the one who has to deal with it" and left.

She went to the kitchen and sat down in front of her husband. It's been years since they sat together.

-And Elthar? -Asked Lirienor.

- He said that he is coming.

- And you didn't insist? Incredible Elyrielle, you can't even do that. By the way, the bread is too dry.

Lirienor stood up and went towards his son's room. A battle was about to start.

Elyrielle, just drank her tea in silence. He delicate fingers grabbed a piece of bread and felt it... as she suspected, it wasn't dry.

As they began their daily screaming match, she decided to take a walk. After all, it was still too early in the morning.

She walked until she reached the little river that is near their home. Found a big rock and sat there to meditate, as she did every single day.

In this world, many races live together. The strongest race, magicly speaking, is the elfs. If they are that powerful, why don't they rule the whole world? They can live centuries, use magic even better than magicians, and age slowly and heal faster than any other race. Then, why? Simple. The elder's fog. Once an Elf reaches one thousand years old, no matter how they lived their lives, any day the fog can catch up to them. What is the elder's fog? Is a disease that makes the elfs mind, magic and body to wither away slowly without their control. They can't prevent it, can't cure it or treat it either. Once it's detected, it's too late. That is why there are not that many elfs either.

Elyrielle turned one thousand one hundred and twenty three years old. She is scared. The sad routine that she follows every day is what keeps her mind away from that inevitable fate. But, it wouldn't be her turn yet, right?

That day passed without anything notable. Elyrielle went to her room to sleep. Her husband was already fast asleep on his bed, which was bigger and more expensive. She changed her clothes and went to her bed. She spent half an hour just... thinking. As every night, she fell asleep just because she needed to.

She woke up with the first rays of light of the rising sun. She woke up, changed her clothes into a silk long white dress with long leaves and went to make breakfast. Flour, milk, salt, and eggs on a bowl. After a few minutes, the mass was ready to be cooked in the oven. She casted fire and the cooking process began.

She went to the garden and watered all the plants. Grabbed some red dragon leaves for the tea and went inside. Now, when she tried to cast fire for the tea... it took her trhee attempts. Strange, that never happens.

She tried to forget about it and just sat there, waiting for her husband usual angry aptitude. And, right on time, he came to the room stomping like a toddler.

- Daydreaming again huh?

- Maybe. -Said Elyrielle, not in the mood today.

- What kind of answer is that? So rude. - Said Lirienor and gave her a dirty look.

- I will make us some tea.

- Tea? I'm already drinking the tea Elyrielle. Do you want to make more or what?

Elyrielle froze. She remembered boiling the water, not making the tea or putting it on the table.

- What? Are you daydreaming again? Are you sick or something?

- I... I'm just tired. I will go to the market. -Said suddenly Elyrielle and gave her husband her back.

- Hey! What are you doing? and Elthar?

- He must be tired too. -And simply left her home.

It was two things in one day, her magic failed her as well as her memory. This didn't look good. So, she decided to by some groceries to make up her mind.

She had to walk for half an hour but she was fine with that, after all, she could enjoy the beautiful views of the everlasting forest. She could see some young dragons flying away, some faries floating around flower bushes, some unicorns running through the forest, and many other magical creatures.

The cold wind made her long almost white hair float like a silver flag behind her head. Her golden eyes looked just as bright as the sun. Her porcelain-like skin had only a few wrinkles behind her eyes that showed that she passed the one thousand barrier. Her hair, that used to be golden as her eyes, is now a beautiful silver with few golden strings of hair that refuse to change its color.

Elyrielle, the daughter of the King of the Elf's empire, master of magic, the welder of the title "the eternal" because he was the elder that lived the most without losing himself to the elders fog. She had a huge weight on her shoulders. She had to marry and had a son as quickly as she could to preserve the purity and honor of her royal family. But, did she really chose that life for herself? Did she have any choice in the matter?

Lost again in her thoughts, almost fell because she tripped with a little kid that was playing with her little brother. Before she knew it, she was already on the market.

- Sorry about that little ones. -Said Elyrielle with a sweet smile.

The kids smiled when they saw her. Their eyes widened and she could have sworn that they sparkled a little.

- Zack! It's an elder! Can you believe it?

- Woah! Ms Elder, could you please do a magic trick for us?

- Sure! and my name is Elyrielle by the way.

The two little kiddos looked at her exited. Not every day you get to see an elder perform magic. Not every day you see an elder at all. Once elder elfs reach the so feared one thousand mark, most of them hide at their homes or simply remain at the Elf's kingdom, avoiding any interaction with other races.

Elyrielle, with a quick hand gesture, materialized her staff to do her little trick. Her staff, gifted by her professor at the magic academy, was one of the most precious objects that she had. It meant that she was good at something, it was the symbol thar represented that.

Her staff looked like a few branches that intertwined to create a hand-like shape at the top, where, a crystal that had the function to work as a catalyst for the magic, now started shining with a beautiful golden shimmer. Elyrielle said "Linquë lisseo calima"

Three lights floated out of her staff and shape-shifted into three birds. A sparrow, a robin and a finch. Their shapes were translucent and shiny. Their little shapes floated gracefully in a little circle around the kid's heads. The birds chirped and smiled happily to their exited audience. Once Elyrielle thought that it was enough, she snapped her fingers, and the three birds became three light balls and returned to her staff.

- I must go children. Take care.

- We will Ms Elder! Take care as well!

It was funny to Elyrielle, children were never easy to her, not even her own. But today, she felt great with those kids.

She kind of forgot what she came for to began with, luckily for her, one shop owner recognized her and called her attention.

- Elyrielle, darling! Did you come to buy some groceries from you old friend Mr Rockspike?

Elyrielle smiled relieved.

- Yes my dear, that is why I came indeed.

She proceeded to buy what she needed for the evening and went back home. Still, she couldn't shake that feeling. Her magic failed this morning, her memory as well, twice... could it be?... She would ask for advice from her husband.

- Lirienor darling, I'm home!

Only silence responded. Her husband was at his office, correcting some magic exams from the academy.

- Is the lunch ready yet?

Elyrielle, sadly used to this behavior, just moved on with the cooking in silence.

A few minutes later, Elthar got back from his adventure as well.

- Is the food ready, mother? I'm exhausted! We managed to defeat a two-headed dragon today. Well, I did most of the job!

- The food will be ready in a few minutes, son. Go get into comfortable clothes to eat please.

- AGH, again with that mother. Let me know when the food is ready. -And slammed the door of his room. Sometimes, she thought that her son never quite got over the teenage face at all.

After the three of them ate in silence, as always, her son left and only Elyrielle and Lirienor remained at the table. She decided to take this chance to talk to him.

- Lirienor, darling. I think I will go to the magic health specialist today.

-And why would you do that? - Answered coldly her husband.

- Because my magic failed me today.

Lirienor stopped eating for a second.

-As well as my memory... maybe is-

- Is nothing. You are overthinking.

- Darling, I'm well over one thousand years. The eld-

-WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT THAT HERE! -Said Lirienor as he smashed his plate with his fists. He was shaking, eyes fully open. - And... you are the daughter of "The Eternal" that is why I married you. There is no way that you will get... that.

Still in shock, Elyrielle only got up and started cleaning the mess that his husband left, as always.

Once she was done, she looked through the window again, now feeling the tears accumulate in her eyes. "I will go, either you like it or not" thought to herself.

She washed her face, determined this time and went to look for her horse to go to the specialist faster. There he was, her favorite horse, "Spotty". A big white horse with many brown spots around his body, the animal loved her as much as she loved him. He even started moving his ponytail as he saw her come to him.

- Hello my darling! It's been a while! Let me ride you this afternoon please!

As she tried, she noticed that she didn't have the strength to climb to the horse's back. She tried many positions but she couldn't. The horse ended up helping her his head to ride him. Now, she was honestly scared. The three symptoms were there, clear as water.

- We must hurry Spotty. Mommy thinks she is sick. Can you run as fast as you can?

Spotty nodded and both ran off faster than the wind itself.

Once she got to the specialist's home. A little home inside a cave, with a big wooden sign that read "If you have magic problems, I can fix that! And if you don't... I could probably still fix it!" Dr Aethoniel. He was her teacher that gifted her the staff. Someone she knew she could trust.

After some small talk, she went straight to the point.

- I want the elder's fog test.

Aethoniel looked at her, scared.

- Darling, you know what it means if it is positive?

- I know. I need to know. So please, do it.

The test consisted of taking a little sample of blood of the patient and put it on a petry dish to apply a spell on it. If the blood started shining, everything is fine. But, if the blood turned black, that meant that the elder's fog started.

Both looked inpatient as the sample received the spell and... it turned blank.

Elyrielle's heart sunk. She covered her face with her hands and started crying in silence.

- I'm so sorry Elyrielle... There is only one advice that I can give you... Live your life as YOU want, because you don't know when you are going to wake up unable to be yourself again.

She looked at him, still crying and the realized two things. One, thar he probably was talking from experience. Why else would he leave his work and precious home to live inside a cave? that also explained why she haven't seen him in a while. And two... did SHE live a life that she wanted?

Both hugged, acknowledging their fates and grieving each other's lives.

- I'm scared. - Said Elyrielle.

- I'm too... Erika.

That hurt more than the news itself. Her master, her role model, her professor... was withering away too. It was her turn now.

He was right. Now that everything was coming crashing down. Why can't she just burn all bridges and do a life for her own? Yes! that's it! If she is going to die... might as well die happily. Far away from that putrid routine were people that didn't appreciate her stepped on her boundaries over and over again.

- Good bye Mr Aethoniel. I will take your advice!

He didn't respond. He just stared through the window... he started drooling. He was too far gone. She even thought that it even seemed that he waited to day goodbye to her favorite student, the daughter that he wished he had.

Now, decided more than ever, Elyrielle went home determined. She would leave her old life behind tonight... for ever.

Defeated but determined, Elyrielle got home when the sun was setting. Her husband would arrive later, when the night takes over. This meant that she had at least one hour to herself. Good, that is enough.

She went to their room, grabbed a bag, and started packing. Comfortable dresses, comfortable shoes, a canteen, a rusty knife, a little bowl, her lost but still trustworthy bow, arrows (of course), and some fruits to eat for now. She grabbed her bag and gave their home one last look. She didn't feel sad, she didn't feel happy... she felt empty. That reinforced the idea that leaving was the right choice.

As a last act of kindness, she decided to leave a note. She casted a piece of paper and an old pen. The note said something along the lines of:

"Elthar, my dear son, I must leave to find meaning to my unanswered questions. I, sadly, found out that I now suffer from the so feared elder's fog. This means that my old self would most certainly disappear little by little, and I don't want you to see that. All of that said, please, understand my decision. Be a better elf, a better adventurer, a better person. I love you, I always will."

"To my husband, Lirienor, dear. I lived centuries with you, made my life, and took life choices around you. I know that our marriage was arranged, I know that you did it because you wanted our son to inherit your intelligence and my magic abilities. But still, even though you don't, I do worry about you. So, as my last request. Let me go, be happy, find your happiness. We don't need to live together and make miserable the other forever. It's not fair for any of us. Don't look for me either. I made my mind, and I'm not coming back. Where would I go? What will I do? Only time will tell. All that you need to know is that I do this because I suffer from Elder's fog, and I don't want to keep living a life that makes me feel empty. Live your life and leave the memory of me behind forever. This is my final goodbye."

Once she was done, she left the piece of paper on the dinner table and left. She took Spotty with her as well. After all, it was hers. All hers.

She decided to go and look for his father. The all-powerful King of elfs was living his best life at Ry'kloth. This was a continent away, but she felt that she didn't have anything to lose anyway. So, she went north, towards the first town that she would need to go across, Lyroz, the town of magicians.

The night caught up with her, and she needed to rest, so she decided to make a campfire to rest for now.

She found a beautiful big tree and chose that spot to camp. With her magic, she tried 4 times to cast fire but was unsuccessful. "I guess I would need to rely less on magic." Elyrielle grabbed sticks and rocks and started a little but stable fire.

The temperature started to drop. The fire was not enough to keep Elyrielle warm, so she curled up in a ball close to the fire to avoid the cold. It wasn’t working. Shaking, Elyrielle started questioning herself. After all, it's been years since she even left her house for something else other than going to the market. Now, for a glimpse of hope, she thought that she could survive in the wild. How stupid.

Right then and there, a crow landed on the tree under which Elyrielle was, with yellow glowing eyes, opened its peak, and a familiar voice came out from it:

<>

Elyrielle laughed out loud. A sour laugh. Her wife told him that she had a life or death, well, more death than a life situation, and he chose to scold her about it? She would rather die out there frozen to death that spend one minute hearing his complaints again. There, she remembered. You need magic to send a message through an animal like that. That also meant that she could absorb that magic and use it.

She started laughing again, her lips blue because of the cold. She used her hand, reached for the crow, and grabbed it. She out all her concentration on to that crow and saw its glow. She finally could start extracting the magic from the animal. The pure magic, golden and glowing, got out of the animal's body as a shining orb.

She redirected it to the little fire that she had, and boom! With an explosion, the fire became big and hot.

Elyrielle burst in laughter. His idiot husband helped her for once. The animal finally woke up from the "magic sleep" (that is the phenomenon that happens once magic is taken out of you. It doesn't hurt. It just makes you fall asleep for a few seconds)

She grabbed the bird, petted its head, and gave it a soft kiss.

- Sorry about that, my friend. Go and fly to your home, okay?

The bird responded "home" and flew away.

Maybe from exhaustion, maybe because she couldn't use magic properly anymore, but Elyrielle finally fell asleep. Her loyal friend, Spotty, lied down by his side and both sleeped through the rest of the night.

She woke up with the first rays of light of the sunrise. She stared at the sun for what seemed for whole minutes. For some reason, she thought that it looked beautiful. Big, yellow, and shiny. As her eyes used to look when she was younger.

Her first day on her own was hard, but she managed to survive. That surely meant that her journey wouldn't be easy. But she was ready to go through it.

She hopped on Spotty, and they both went towards Lyroz. It was just a few meters away now. With a new sunrise behind her, her journey to the truth just started.