Chronicles of the Overworld Book 1 — Nihal of the Land of the Wind by Licia Troisi

finest autumn fruits.
    After Nihal had devoured the bounty, Phos handed her a bowl containing a clear, thick liquid. “Try this.”
    Nihal sniffed it, perplexed.
    “Try it. Believe me, it’s delicious and it serves as an aid to recovery after a great effort.”
    Nihal took a sip. It really was delicious.
    “It’s ambrosia. It’s the resin of the Father of the Forest, the tallest tree here. Not bad, right?”
    Nihal drank her fill as Phos and the other wood sprites chattered away. When she finally curled up on the grass with the idea that she’d look at the stars, she fell asleep immediately.
    No dreams disturbed her sleep that night.
    The next morning she woke feeling completely rested. Phos was beside her, alone.
    “Will you be going away today?”
    Nihal rubbed her eyes. “I think so. Soana is supposed to come for me.”
    “We’re friends now, right?”
    “Of course we are!”
    “Then I have something for you. It’s a token of our friendship.”
    The wood sprite handed her a gem. It was white, but within it glittered thousands of tiny specks of every possible hue. Nihal turned it over and over in her hands as she studied it admiringly.
    “It’s a Tear,” Phos explained. “You find these rocks at the foot of the Father of the Forest. They’re formed from dried sap. They are a sort of natural catalyst. They enhance the power of magic spells and make them last longer. I thought this would be a good gift for you, something that will be useful when you become a sorceress. Plus, it’s a sort of emblem. There are trees like the Father of the Forest in all woods, so these Tears are a symbol of our people. Wherever you go, wood sprites will recognize you as a friend.”
    “Thank you, Phos. It’s really beautiful.”
    Nihal was moved. She would have liked to give something to Phos in return, but she couldn’t think of anything so meaningful. Then she saw her sword, which was still leaning up against the rock. “I don’t have anything so precious to give you,” she said to the wood sprite. “But my sword is the thing I care about most. I’ll have my father melt it and make you a sword that’s just your size.”
    Phos flapped his wings enthusiastically. “You’ll see: I’ll learn fencing, and then I’ll be the Overworld’s champion wood-sprite sword-fighter!
    They laughed together. Then Phos pricked up his ears.
    “Here comes Soana. It’s best that she not see me. She wouldn’t be happy to know I’d helped you.”
    He gave Nihal one last smile, then vanished in a flash.
    Soana appeared shortly thereafter, Sennar at her side. She was even more beautiful than usual. She had dressed for the occasion in a splendid purple tunic with runes and magic symbols embroidered on it in gold and black. “How did it go?” she asked.
    Nihal savored her triumph. “Very well. I communed with nature. It was a fantastic experience.”
    Soana smiled enigmatically and gestured to Sennar. “We’ll see.”
    The young sorcerer took six rocks out of his bag, laid them out on the ground in a precise pattern, and gathered his mental forces. All of a sudden, six luminous trails appeared to join the rocks together in pairs, thereby forming a star. Then Sennar put his hand over the center of the star and the fire flared up.
    Only then did Soana step forward. She closed her eyes and opened her arms wide, her palms held toward the sky. “For the air and the water, for the sea and the sun, for the days and the nights, for the fire and the earth, I invoke you, supreme spirit, so that the soul of my follower will be tempered by the tongues of your flame.”
    The fire burned brighter.
    Soana opened her eyes and looked intensely at the aspiring student.
    “Put your hand in the fire, Nihal.”
    Nihal thought she’d misunderstood. “Pardon?”
    “I told you to put your hand in the fire,” Soana repeated.
    Nihal’s heart missed a beat. “What do you mean, my hand in the …”
    “Nihal. Do as I say.”
    Soana’s gaze told her