Sylphie's Trials

E-Sumi-Yan

Greetings, [name]. You radiate the confidence of a conjurer who neglects not her/his study of the elements.

I confess, I have no lesson for you to learn this day. Instead, I would ask that you aid me in the education of another.

Yes, I speak of Sylphie.

• FR Un problème nommé “Sylphie”, pour ne pas la nommer. ‘A problem named “Sylphie”, to name no names.’ English plainly says he speaks of Sylphie; French jokingly calls her a problem named Sylphie, “to name no names”.

After no small amount of prompting, bordering on coercion, the child has finally promised to attempt to embrace the forces of nature. But I am afraid the matter is not so easily resolved.

Sylphie has never attempted to learn the basic offensive spells that you and most other conjurers mastered before first venturing into the wild. As such, she is ill equipped to undertake the trials which furnished you and your peers with an understanding of the elements. Put simply, she is no match for the tainted spirits of nature.

But if a more capable conjurer were to accompany her and purify the corruption in her stead, it may yet serve to impress upon her the power of the forces at work. I bid you take her on a pilgrimage around the Twelveswood, and give her the opportunity to witness these confrontations firsthand.

Earth, wind, water─she must know them all. Show her the majesty and primal ferocity of nature.

As it was with you, let earth be her first lesson. Sylphie awaits you at Bentbranch Meadows. Pray forgive my presumption, but I thought it best to send her on ahead while her conviction remained strong.

• FR Je vous conseille de commencer avec l'élément qui est la fondation de l'élémentalisme, autrement dit...? ‘I advise you to begin with the element that is the foundation of elementalism, in other words...?’ English simply names earth as her first lesson; French quizzes you on which element is the foundation.

Once you have located the patch of corrupted soil at Bentbranch, draw forth the tainted sprite and let her witness the struggle that ensues. May the elementals aid you in this endeavor, [name].

Sylphie

Oh! I wasn't sure you'd come...

You are...kind to help me. I've done nothing but mock you...

• FR L'élémentaliste parfait(e), en somme ; peut-être même un peu trop parfait(e) à mon goût ! ‘The perfect elementalist, in short; perhaps even a little too perfect for my taste!’ English: she humbly admits she has only mocked you; French: she mocks you again as too perfect.
• JA まあ私が頼んだわけじゃないし、関係ないけど。 ‘Well, it's not as if I asked you, so it has nothing to do with me.’ English: she humbly admits she has only mocked you; Japanese: she shrugs that she never asked for help.

Well, if you're ready, the corrupted soil is just there. I promise I'll be paying attention.

Sylphie

Aaah!

I wasn't scared! I was...just a little startled, that's all!

It was as if a mass of solid wrath had erupted from the ground. I've never felt anything li─

• FR Cette explosion, c'était comme si une énorme masse d'énergie s'était soudainement volatilisée dans les airs. ‘That explosion, it was as if an enormous mass of energy had suddenly vanished into the air.’ English: solid wrath erupting from the ground; French: a mass of energy suddenly vanishing into the air.

I mean, um, never mind. We have to head to the Bannock next. Let's get this over with.

Sylphie

This seems to be the place. I'll be watching, so...do whatever it is you do.

Gods!

The wind blew straight through me! It felt both gentle and sharp at the same time. I-I can't explain it...

This is something you can conjure...?

Let's be on our way. The last one is at Lilystone.

The tainted water is here.

Show me how it's done, then.

The lake is so beautiful. I never noticed how clearly the sky is reflected in its surface.

I never noticed...

Let's head back. I'm ready to speak with the guildmaster now.

E-Sumi-Yan

Welcome back, my avid conjurers. How fared you in your encounter with the elements?

Sylphie, what did you sense as [name] cleansed the sources of corruption?

Sylphie

It's hard to explain. It was...like hearing voices crying out in joy.

And I felt their happiness wash over me. The world seemed sharper, more...alive. It was almost as if nature were speaking to me.

But why, Brother E–Sumi? Why did my mother teach me to avoid this side of conjury?

• JA お母さんは、いつも「自然は恐ろしい」と言っていた。 ‘Mother always said “nature is frightening.”’ English asks why her mother taught her to avoid this; Japanese says her mother always called nature frightening.

What was she so afraid of?

E-Sumi-Yan

There are certain truths that hide behind the mask of our words, and there is much that your mother didn't tell you. But you needn't seek all the answers at once, Sylphie.

Even now, your mind founders amid a sudden inundation of awareness. The first time we connect with nature can be a wonderful but disorienting experience. I suggest you allow yourself some time to adjust to this new perspective.

Sylphie

Yes, Guildmaster...

E-Sumi-Yan

You have my gratitude, [name]. Thanks to you, Sylphie has taken a most important step.

You heard her mention “voices crying out in joy,” did you not? It appears the mother's gift has been passed on to the daughter.

• FR Je me demande si c'était une métaphore ou si elle a vraiment entendu quelque chose. ‘I wonder whether it was a metaphor or whether she really heard something.’ English: the mother's gift has passed to the daughter; French: he wonders if she meant it as a metaphor.
• DE Könnte das bildlich gesprochen gewesen sein? ‘These “cries of joy”... Could that have been meant figuratively?’ English: the mother's gift has passed to the daughter; German: he wonders if she spoke figuratively.

Such sensitivity is not something one can achieve through meditation and training, but a blessing that only a few fortunate chosen receive. And, as you have no doubt surmised, Sylphie's mother was one such person.

• DE Falls Sylphie wirklich das Flüstern der Gebieter vernommen hat, so wäre dies äußerst erstaunlich. ‘If Sylphie really heard the whispering of the elementals (Gebieter), that would be most astonishing.’ English says her mother had this rare blessing; German doubts whether Sylphie really heard their whispering.

The misunderstanding of that blessing, however, was what led her down such a tragic path. We cannot allow Sylphie's astonishing talents to consume her in the same manner.

• DE Solch eine Empfänglichkeit für die Natur stellt sich sonst erst nach Jahren der Meditation und des Trainings ein. ‘Such receptiveness to nature otherwise only comes after years of meditation and training.’ English: misunderstanding the blessing led her mother to tragedy; German: such sensitivity normally takes years of training.
• DE Vielleicht hat sie eine natürliche Gabe dafür? ‘Perhaps she has a natural gift for it?’ English warns her talents must not consume her; German only wonders if she has a natural gift.
• FR Je sais que sa mère en était capable... ‘I know her mother was capable of it...’ English: misunderstanding the blessing led her mother to tragedy; French only notes her mother had the ability.
• FR Peut-être que Sylphie a hérité de ce trait ? ‘Perhaps Sylphie inherited this trait?’ English warns her talents must not consume her; French wonders whether Sylphie inherited the trait.

...But we mustn't get ahead of ourselves. The girl has barely awoken to her potential.

• JA すばらしい才能も、今のままでは、身を滅ぼす毒でしかない。 ‘Even a wonderful talent, as things stand, is nothing but a poison that destroys oneself.’ English: we mustn't get ahead of ourselves; Japanese: as it stands, her talent is a self-destroying poison.

And for that potential to be fully realized, your support is yet needed. I suspect she failed to mention that the promise of your involvement in her lessons was the reason for her change of heart.

Ah, you underestimate the impression your quiet determination has made on young Sylphie. If modesty prevents you from acknowledging your own good deed, consider this task a part of your training─for conjurers are healers of wounds, be they physical or otherwise. Walk with her on her journey, [name], and together explore the myriad mysteries of nature.