Something new had arrived on the island.A presence attuned to the melodic waves of the universe.Though she knew it not,the girl's affinity to music linked her with the fires of creation in a far more profound way than most creatures.
But that link exposed her to...other things.Ethrach took his time constructing a mindsong,one that would snare her with curiosity about not only the melody that could be heard,but also the many hidden sounds and psychic pulses that made up the sum total of its parts.
He would use the power of that song as the bait in his trap,but what he would do after she had been snared,was something she would never suspect.

Violating their bodies is entertaining enough.But violating the sanctity of their minds...

Breathing deep,he began the song.The sorrowful music drifted lazily from the forest outward,seeking its target.A song of the dragon's first days and the last days of his kind,where words were meaningless and only the music described the tale.

Though he knew it not, she listened, not to the notes, that drifted through the trees, but the entirety, She was the song, she was connected to powers through music, this she had been told, and taught, but, she knew little of how to harness it, once, she had been told, she had been able to bend reality itself with a mere tune... But now, she was a musician, nothing more, a small smile, and her flute lifted to her lips, she was curious, wondering, who could create such a delicate weave?

Smiling gently, the notes, coaxed forth from her flute... but, she was unable to mimic the powers woven with it, the subtlety of the Psionic influence washing over her, and she understood, was drawn to it...

Images entered the former bards mind, images of vast distance, and a history of ages, she could glean no further information though, her bare feet, the one thing she would never change, no matter how often she was told off about not wearing shoes... her bare feet padding through the foliage, with little in the way of sound, not wanting to taint the attempt to duet with the mysterious force, her long, Violet hair streaming out behind her, miraculously, never snagging on a single twig... She smiled as she played, a note of hope, for the future, to the people the singer had lost spinning from her tune as happy memories of the past interrupted the solemnity of the Mindsong, she would have giggled, had she not been playing as an image of her 'sister' tying her up with her own long hair flitted into her mind... happy times, in a solemn song.. hope, it still existed...

Her song rose gently to greet the sonorous and sorrowul tones of the mindsong.The two songs met and flowed into each other almost effortlessly.This was no duet,rather it was a tale in the telling.One,as old as the fires of creation and rife with pathos,the other,young and filled with hope born of sweetest love.
Had the Ancient tears to cry,he certainly would have.
He spotted her moving through the foliage,spectral and wreathed in the beauty of mystery.Ethrach sighed deeply with satisfaction at her arrival before he wove his unspoken thoughts into the mindsong.

Welcome,child of The Song,his deep voice whispered through the waves of sound that flowed between them to reach into her mind.
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The girl smiled again as she drew nearer to the source of the song, enjoying the feeling of playing with another of such talent, smiling happily as she heard the words within the song, woven into the mental component... a sad smile, the part she could not play... Lowering violet eyes to the earth for but a second, she lifted her flute again, and greeted the one that had spoken to her, in the only way she could, a tune, flowing from her flute, teasing at the ears, a bouncing, happy tune, a warming one, a tune of welcome...

She lowered the flute again, her eyes searching the treeline, wondering someone had been singing, such beautiful music, where were they? were they afraid to show themselves? she smiled again, softly in case they could see her, her ankle length flowing, violet hair tied up into two pigtails, that none the less nearly reached the ground, flowing about her body as she tucked her flute into a specially designed pouch at her belt... and showing her open, and empty palms, she would not hurt the singer...

Ethrach smiled from the shadows at her display of peaceful intent.He allowed the mindsong he was weaving to subside only a fraction,as he slowly stepped into her field of vision.

I sense such wonder in you,child of The Song,such talent.But you do not use it...

The ebb and flow of the music did not cease,but continued to play between them.No longer simply born from his physical singing,but held within their minds - a shared connection that,however fleeting,would leave an imprint none the less.

Would you like this gift I offer,child?The ability to sing and make music without the cumbersome tools of vocal chords...

Eyes widened as she gazed at him, first, a flicker of fear, and that was quickly banished by growing wonderment, his words were strangely soothing, but it was more than that, he knew, who she was, what she had once been...

She stepped forth, without fear, fishing in her pocket for a notepad, and a pencil, scribbling with a fluid, and surprisingly old styleof writing, >I always like to learn sir, and so, it is an honor to meet you, my name, is Aluri Lanis< she smiled again, gently as she looked to him, unbothered by his nonhuman visage, she would have been curprised if a personcould even -make- those sort of noises...

>What would be involved sir... If I may ask? what sort of music could you teach?< she smiled upat him, and up, and up, smiling happily, she reached up to offer him the notes, no fear, just curiosity...

The Ancient smiled indulgently.

There is no need for words on paper,child.I hear your thoughts as clearly as if you have spoken them.

Kneeling down in front of her and making himself comfortable on the ground,he gently pushed the notepad she had held out to him back against her.
The mindsong had acquired a new tempo,slow and whimsical,the embodiment of patience.The music swirled in thick currents,isolating them as thoroughly as any wall or enclosure.Where she stood and he sat before her,there was nothing else.Only the song.

Within your mind,there is a song as old as the universe itself.It sings to all creatures,though most have forgotten its ancient call.Even now,it sings to you,but you are unable to respond,unable even to hear.

He reached out with his mind,brushing her awareness with the Mindsong,a lulling invitation to surrender.

I wish to teach to you the song of the First Light.The song within the mind that opens our eyes and souls and grants us the gift to speak without words.

He smiled at her again.

Would you like to be able to sing with me?As I have been singing to you?

The girl gazed at him in wonderment once again, he could teach her, he was willing!? A bright smile lit upon the girls lips, and she bowed her head to him, thinking, as he had said he could hear her thoughts, so, she tried...

>I would love to learn sir, I would love to learn how to ing the song I know is within me, I have felt it, I have heard little pieces of it... But, I want to hear it, through to the end, I want to be able to listen to my own song<

Another bright smile, and the girl offered him a hand, after tucking her notepad away, she could not wait, she wanted to learn, she had to...

>Please... Teach me<