"Waaah!! Lars... Master Glenn's gonna send me away! I don't wanna go! Waah!!!"
On top of Mount Bulrush sat the Bulrush Temple. It was usually enveloped in a serene atmosphere, but a child's heartwrenching wails now pierced through the peaceful silence.
Three-and-a-half-year-old Nell Winters sobbed loudly as she dashed towards the training grounds on her short legs.
Chasing desperately after her was Glenn Pierce, a middle-aged man dressed in a flowing white robe. "Slow down, girl! You don't have to tell Lars!"
"But I wanna keep living!"
Nell stopped for a moment, scanning the training grounds through pitiful sobs and tearstained vision. When she spotted who she was searching for, she started running again. Her target, Lars, a handsome, distinguished young man dressed in their temple's white robes, dropped his training sword immediately to embrace the crying girl as she flung herself at him.
"Lars... Waahhh..."
"Nell? What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?"
"Waah!! It's Master Glenn! He wants to kick me off the mountain! I don't wanna go! I wanna stay here with you and the others!"
The little girl snuggled into his arms for comfort as she continued sobbing. Lars frowned, then glared coldly up at Glenn as he approached them.
"You're sending her away?" he said, his tone a clear demand for an answer.
Glenn came to an abrupt stop and lifted his hands in surrender. "L-Lars...," he said with a nervous chuckle. "Look, I obviously have a reason for this."
"Nell's been with us for three years now," he continued when Lars raised an eyebrow. "It's time for her to leave."
Glenn then knelt down to pat the girl on her head. "Nell, haven't you always wanted to find your parents? If you leave, you'll be able to find them."
With that, Nell stopped crying and glanced up at him. "Really?" she said softly, still sniffling.
"Of course!" Glenn said reassuringly. "I've seen it in my divinations!"
"Wow!!" Nell yelled happily, her sadness forgotten. "Then I wanna leave!"
She climbed out of Lar's arms to bow at Glenn. "Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Master Glenn," she said happily. "I'll be leaving now!"
Then, she turned back to Lars. "Lars," she cooed, "I'll be leaving now. I'll miss you!"
Lars ruffled her hair affectionately, then glared up at Glenn as he said, "Good girl, Nell. Go look for your parents, and you can come back here and play as soon as I take over the Temple and exile Master Glenn."
"Yay! Thanks, Lars!" Nell cheered, planting a kiss on his cheek and grinning up at him. "You're the best!"
Glenn fumed in silence at the sight.
What an awful disciple!
He wanted to take his place!
Then, he sighed and shook his head in amusement. "Nell, come here," he said as another disciple approached with a small bag. "I've packed your luggage for you."
Nell quickly and skillfully took her bunny pacifier out of the bag and put it in her mouth as Glenn helped hang the bag on her back.
"I'll get going now... Goodbye Master Glenn! Goodbye Lars!"
She waved reluctantly at them, then put her pacifier back in her mouth.
Excitement returned to her eyes when she turned around.
Woo! She could finally leave the mountain! Time to look for Mommy and Daddy!
She was going to have a great life!
