“Papa, am I dying?” asked Elin.

“Why do you ask such a question, my dear?” Lars replied.

“The other children at the village, they talk about the stars, and they said that when people die, they become stars in the sky. But I don’t want to leave you, Papa.”

Lars knelt beside Elin. 

“You’re going to be just fine. The stars in the sky are indeed beautiful, and they hold a special place in our stories. You are my most precious star, and as long as we have each other, you will always be with me, no matter where your journey takes you.”  

“Promise, Papa? I’ll be okay?”

“We’re on our way to see the Oracle. She possesses wisdom which far surpasses my own. She’ll help us find a way to make you healthy again.”

Elin tightened her grip on her father’s hand, and together they continued their ascent up the mountain. 

However, the air grew thinner, and the path grew steeper. Elin, with her legs struggling to keep pace, looked up at her father.

“Papa, I can’t do it,” she declared.

“Be brave, my girl,” he replied. “We’re almost there.”

He pointed to a patch of wildflowers. 

“Nature is full of wonders and in it are solutions. Just like how we’ll find a solution for you.” 

Elin nodded, her hand clutching a wildflower she picked. “I hope so, Papa.”

As they climbed the mountain, the trees with bark as smooth as polished stone began to form a natural archway, their branches intertwining like fingers. A carpet of vibrant flora adorned the forest floor, its colors ranging from brilliant whites and soft pinks to deep purples and fiery reds.

“Papa,” Elin whispered, “it’s like a dream.”

Suddenly a voice permeated into their ears. It seemed to resonate with the very roots of the forest.

“I sensed your arrival, Lars and Elin.” 

Elin’s grip on her father’s hand tightened more. “Papa, I’m scared,” she said. 

“The Oracle is a wise and powerful being, Elin. We must show her respect and listen to her guidance. Let me speak with her.”

“Oracle Freya,” Lars implored, “I’ve exhausted all of my medical knowledge, but nothing could save my daughter. They say you possess ancient wisdom and remedies. Please, I beseech you, heal her.”

“Bring her closer, and I shall see what I can do.”

Sunlight filtered through the grove and gathered in the center, where Freya stood, calm and commanding.  Her complexion was fair and untouched by the ravages of age. Her features were delicate and the grove seemed to respond to her presence. Leaves rustled in greeting and flowers and trees swayed to acknowledge her authority. 

Her otherworldly eyes met Elin’s. The Oracle regarded the child with a half-smile before turning her attention to Lars.

“Although you have arrived, the journey is not yet complete,” Freya began. “To find the cure for Elin, you must further prove your determination and devotion. You must seek the remedy, a unique flower called the Heart of the Mountain. And you must do so alone, Lars.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to save my daughter, Freya.”

“Will Papa come back, Oracle?” asked Elin. 

Freya knelt down to Elin’s level and gently touched her cheek. “Yes, little one. Your father loves you deeply, and he will return to you.”

Lars knelt beside Elin and spoke softly, but firmly. “I promise I’ll return as quickly as I can with the remedy that will make you well again.” 

Elin hugged her father tightly, tears glistening in her eyes. “I love you, Papa.”

Lars embraced his daughter and then rose to his feet, facing Freya with resolve. “Thank you, Oracle. I’ll find the Heart of the Mountain, and I’ll return for Elin.”

“Go, Lars, and may the mountain’s spirit guide your journey.”

With a final glance at his daughter, Lars turned and began his solitary journey to seek the elusive Heart of the Mountain.

As Lars disappeared out of view, Freya turned to Elin, her expression darkening.

“There is something you should know, child. Your father also carries your affliction. And soon, too, he will die. When he finds the Heart, he will have to make a choice.”

Elin’s eyes widened with concern. “What choice, Oracle? What will he have to decide?

“He will have to choose who to save, Elin—either you or himself. The Heart of the Mountain can only heal one.”

Elin’s heart sank at the devastating revelation. 

“I don’t want Papa to be sick,” Elin said, her voice filled with sorrow. “Oracle, is there another way?”

“There is one other choice, Elin. You can accept the primordial pact to become one with this grove, to turn into a tree that reaches for the star you will never become. In doing so, you can save both your father and yourself. “

Elin looked up at the sky, her eyes glistening. With a solemn nod, she whispered, “I will accept the offer, Oracle. I want to save Papa.”

Freya touched Elin’s forehead, and a menacing light enveloped the girl. Elin’s form began to change, her body gradually transforming into that of a young sapling. Panic surged through her.

“Oracle Freya,” Elin cried out, her voice fragile, “I’ve changed my mind! Please, stop this! I want to be with Papa!”

“Too late, dear child,” Freya intoned “The choice has been made. You have accepted your fate.”

Elin’s cries of desperation were drowned out. Her roots extended deep into the sacred soil, and her branches reached toward the starry sky, forever out of reach.

***

Two weeks passed and Lars returned to the sacred grove, his heart heavy with the weight of anticipation and hope. 

“Elin! Elin, where are you? I’ve found it!”

But there was no answer, no giggle or sound of her laughter. The grove was eerily silent, and a sense of foreboding filled the air. 

His heart pounding, Lars approached the spot where Elin had been, only to find a small pool of water and a tiny sapling tree. A sense of dread washed over him. “Elin? It’s Papa! Where are you, my love?”

But there was no response. 

Lars’ shoulders slumped, and he collapsed beside the sapling. Tears filled his eyes. He reached out and touched its delicate leaves, his fingers trembling.

“What have I done? Where is my daughter?”

His eyes fell upon the dark water at the center of the grove that seemed to give back no reflection. Without hesitation, he released the Heart from his grip and let it sink into the pool. He then took his own descent down the mountain once more.