"Mom, what’s that rectangle in the sky?"
"We call that constellation Garlaath, the Annihilator. Humans call it the Big Dipper, the Great Spoon, or the Big Saucepan."
"And that bright star right next to it?"
"That, Sarai, is 'Leola’s Last Wish.' Come here into my arms, and I’ll tell you her story."
Once upon a time, there was a young elf named Leola. She didn’t have two horns like you, but only one. Her father, the great archmage Aaravos, tenderly nicknamed her his 'little unicorn.' He taught her magic, and she was a very fast learner. At that time, only elves practiced magic, and we were bound to secrecy. Leola was joyful, creative, kind, and loved nature. As she was autistic, her favorite game was to arrange her blocks, spheres, and plushies into unique and original patterns.
One day, a young human girl named Sonia rushed into Aaravos’s study, devastated. Her friend Leola had suddenly disappeared. The two had been playing together, stacking pebbles while surrounded by butterflies. A golden dragon had been watching them from afar.
Aaravos understood immediately that the situation was dire and requested an audience with the Cosmic Order. The judgment was final! Leola had supposedly taught Dark Magic to humans. Such a source of chaos in the universe could not be allowed to exist. He offered his own life in exchange and pleaded for the child’s innocence, but it was all in vain. The King of the Dragons, Sol Regem, had witnessed her levitating pebbles in front of a human. To them, it was too much.
Leola was terrified. She didn’t understand what she had done wrong or why she was being punished. Aaravos was allowed to hold her in his arms one last time. He comforted her, speaking of a haven of peace and love—a place where he would always be there for her, all around her. He told her she would always be able to feel his arms and his love, even if she could no longer see him.
When the Cosmic Order tore the child from her father’s arms, a great explosion gave birth to that star. A meteorite struck the earth, carving out a crater. Aaravos wept for a hundred years, and thus, the Sea of the Cast Out was born.
"Mom, what was Leola’s last wish?"
"I want every child to know they are loved, even in the darkness, sadness, loneliness, and fear. Never forget that, Sarai—I will always be here for you."
"I love you too, Mommy Rayla!"
This fan-fiction has been chosen by the University Paris Saclay for an exhibition of creative workshops "l'art en scène".
