NOVEL NEXT A Learning Experience
Nyx woke up feeling a surge of excitement. Today was another chance to learn, to grow. After a quick bathe and a hearty breakfast, she was ready to begin the day. Len, Ryu, Suli, Nabi, and Guerim were preparing to leave, a surprise on their faces.
“We won’t be with you today,” Len said, his tone a mix of apology and duty.
“Why not?” Nyx asked, looking up at them with a slight frown.
“We have to head to the Silverheart Tree,” Suli added. “There’s something important we need to take care of.”
Nyx’s heart sank slightly. She had grown used to their presence, and today felt a little lonelier without them. “Oh, okay,” she replied, trying to mask her disappointment. “I’ll definitely miss you all.”
“We’ll miss you too,” Nabi chirped, his wings fluttering softly. “But we’ll be back soon! Don’t have too much fun without us!”
Nyx smiled at the little Aetherling’s enthusiasm. After watching them head out, it was time to get down to business. Nyx sat cross-legged in front of Drac, who had already prepared the materials they would need for the day’s lesson.
In front of her lay Leaf Parchment—large, smooth leaves from the magical Lumira Tree, with a naturally glossy surface perfect for writing. Beside it, Drac placed a feather quill, a long, elegant feather from the Griffin, paired with a vial of ink made from the Inkfruit Plant. The magical ink shimmered in the light, shifting from deep indigo to a sparkling violet.
Nyx couldn’t help but feel impressed. “This is amazing,” she said, running her fingers lightly over the smooth surface of the leaf parchment.
Drac’s deep voice rumbled through the cave as he handed her the quill. “The leaf is what you’ll be writing on, and the feather—well, that’s your tool for the task.”
Nyx took the quill carefully, holding it between her fingers. It felt lighter than she expected, almost as if it was imbued with magic itself.
Drac stood before her, his immense form looming, but his eyes softened as he summoned a shimmering light in the air. Letters began to form, glowing softly in the cave’s dim light—the Divine alphabet, used by the constellations.
“We’ll start with the basics. The alphabet,” Drac said, his voice calm but authoritative. “Watch closely.”
One by one, he spoke each letter and its pronunciation:
•A - Ah
•B - Bruh
•C - Cahr
•D - Dur
•E - Eh
•F - Frun
•G - Gruh
•H - Hah
•I - Ih
•J - Jrah
•K - Krah
•L - Lur
•M - Mur
•N - Nuh
•O - Oh
•P - Pah
•Q - Quor
•R - Rur
•S - Sur
•T - Tur
•U - Uh
•V - Vrah
•W - Wur
•X - Xah
•Y - Yuh
•Z - Zur
“A - Ah. B - Bruh. C - Cahr,” he began, his voice steady as he guided her through the sounds. “D - Dur. E - Eh. F - Frun…”
Nyx watched closely, trying to imitate the sounds as best as she could. “Ah… Bruh… Cahr…” She stumbled over a few, her pronunciation clumsy, but Drac was patient. He corrected her gently, his tone firm but not unkind.
“Hold the quill like this,” he instructed, adjusting her grip slightly. “The angle matters. Now, try writing the letters.”
Nyx dipped the quill in the ink and began copying the letters, her hand shaky as she made her first attempt. The letters came out crooked and uneven, but she kept going, determined to get it right.
“Good,” Drac said after a moment. “Again. This time, focus on the flow of the quill. Don’t force it.”
She nodded, taking a deep breath before trying again. Each stroke felt more natural this time, the letters coming together in a smoother pattern. They still weren’t perfect, but they were an improvement. Nyx smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
After mastering the alphabet, Drac decided it was time for the next step. “Now, write your name,” he instructed, watching her carefully.
“Nuh… Xah… Yuh,” Nyx said, carefully pronouncing each letter as she wrote them down. Her hands were steadier now, and her name appeared on the parchment in a legible script. She beamed with pride.
“I did it!” she exclaimed, looking up at Drac.
“Not bad,” he replied with a rare glimmer of approval in his eyes. “Now try writing my name.”
Nyx furrowed her brow in concentration. “Dur… Rur… Ah… Cahr,” she said slowly, each letter appearing on the parchment under her quill. When she was finished, she looked up expectantly.
Drac glanced at the parchment and gave a satisfied nod. “Well done.”
Encouraged by her progress, Nyx continued practicing, writing out the names of her friends one by one. “Len, Suli, Ryu, Nabi, Guerim…” she said, sounding out each letter with growing confidence.
“You’re catching on fast,” Drac commented, his voice softer than usual, though the natural gruffness never left his tone.
The day slipped by as Nyx practiced, the sound of the quill scratching against the parchment the only noise in the cave. When it was time for a break, Drac gave her a small nod. “Take a moment. Eat something, rest your hands.”
Nyx stretched her arms, realizing how stiff her fingers had become. She grabbed some meat and fruit from the side and ate quietly, but even while she ate, she couldn’t stop thinking about the alphabet and how exciting it was to learn something new.
Drac noticed her determination. “Ready to continue?” he asked once she was done.
Nyx’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Absolutely!”
Now, it was time to learn how to count. Drac summoned another set of glowing symbols in the air.
•0 - 𝔼 (Ehn)
•1 - 𝔸 (Ahn)
•2 - 𝔹 (Bahn)
•3 - ℂ (Cahn)
•4 - 𝔻 (Dahn)
•5 - 𝔼 (Ehn)
•6 - 𝔽 (Fahn)
•7 - 𝔾 (Gahn)
•8 - ℍ (Hahn)
•9 - 𝕀 (Ihn)
“This system is used by everyone,” Drac explained, his tail flicking behind him. “It’s universal, though the language may differ.”
Drac introduced her to numbers. “0 - Ehn. 1 - Ahn. 2 - Bahn…” he began,
Nyx repeated the numbers, writing them down on the parchment with a focused intensity. The quill felt more natural now, and her strokes became smoother with every letter and number she wrote. Her voice was steady as she counted from one to ten, and Drac gave her an approving nod when she finished.
As she counted, Drac watched her progress, correcting her when she made a mistake, but always allowing her space to learn on her own. It was a new rhythm they had fallen into, a teacher-student dynamic that worked surprisingly well between them.
By the time the sun had begun to set, Nyx had filled the parchment with letters, numbers, and names. She felt proud of her work and couldn’t wait to show it off. When Len, Ryu, Suli, Nabi, and Guerim returned from the Silverheart Tree, Nyx eagerly showed them her progress.
“Look!” she said, holding up the parchment. “I wrote all of your names! And Drac’s too!”
The group gathered around her, impressed by what they saw.
“You’ve been busy!” Ryu said, giving her a grin.
Nabi fluttered around her, his excitement contagious. “You did so well, Nyx!”
“Not bad for your first try,” Suli added, nodding approvingly.
“We brought you something,” Len said, handing her a small, glowing fruit. “It’s called a Glowrenberry. Try it.”
Nyx took the fruit eagerly and bit into it. A cool sensation washed over her, and a puff of frosty air escaped her lips. She giggled in surprise. “It’s so cold! But it’s sweet.”
The others laughed, pleased that she liked it. After some more chatting and laughter, Nyx headed to bathe, the events of the day replaying in her mind. She felt good—better than good. She was learning, growing, and surrounded by friends who cared for her. And with Drac’s guidance, she was starting to feel like she belonged.
After her bath, she looked over her work one more time before heading to bed, a smile still on her face. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, but tonight, she slept peacefully, proud of how far she’d come.