Elder Mere was a quiet little village,
Tucked between rolling hills and an old forest.
Life there moved at a slow,
Steady pace,
The kind where people still took the time to watch the sunset or listen to the wind through the trees.
But what made the village special wasn't just its charm,
It was the lanterns.
Every evening,
As the sky darkened,
The lanterns that lined the streets and the wooden bridge over the lake would flicker to life,
One by one,
Casting a warm golden glow over everything.
And yet,
No one ever lit them.
The lantern-keeper did.
At least,
That's what people said.
Nobody had ever actually seen the lantern-keeper.
Some people believed he was an old man,
Wise and quiet.
Others thought he was more of a ghostly figure,
Tending to the lights in secret.
But no one knew for sure.
Ellara had grown up in Elder Mere,
But she had left years ago,
Drawn to the noise and excitement of the city.
But now she was back,
And though much of the city was just as she had remembered,
Something about the lanterns felt different,
Warmer maybe,
More alive.
One evening,
Curiosity got the best of her.
After the village square emptied and the last cottage doors closed for the night,
She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and followed the path toward the bridge.
She hid behind an old oak tree,
Waiting.
The final lantern,
The one by the water,
Hadn't turned on yet.
And then she saw him.
A figure in a dark cloak stepped quietly onto the bridge,
Carrying a lantern that glowed softly,
Not like regular fire,
But like something deeper,
Something alive.
Ellara barely breathed.
The figure lifted the lantern,
And something incredible happened.
The flame inside pulsed,
Stretched,
And then separated into dozens of tiny glowing orbs.
They floated up into the night air,
Drifting like fireflies before disappearing into the sky.
She gasped.
The lantern-keeper turned.
His eyes met hers,
Deep,
Calm,
Like the sky before dawn.
You see them,
He said,
His voice quiet but certain.
Ellara stepped forward.
What are they?
Memories,
He simply said,
Wishes,
Moments that people leave behind.
She looked up as the last of the lights faded into the stars.
I don't understand.
He gave a small smile and held up the lantern.
People carry things,
Memories,
Feelings,
Things they don't know how to let go of.
The lanterns help.
They gather the pieces people don't realize they've left behind and send them where they need to go.
Ellara felt something stir in her chest,
A kind of warmth mixed with something bittersweet.
Have you always done this,
She asked,
For as long as people have needed the light?
She let her eyes drift back to the sky,
Thinking about the memories she carried,
The smell of her childhood home,
The sound of her mother's laughter,
The way the wind felt on her skin when she used to run through the fields as a child.
She turned back to him.
Can I leave something behind?
The lantern keeper nodded and held out the lantern.
If you're ready.
Ellara took a breath and then,
Like letting go of a deep sigh she hadn't realized she was holding,
She closed her eyes and released it.
When she looked up,
A single orb floated away,
Carrying with it a piece of her past.
The lantern keeper watched her,
Understanding in his gaze.
You can come back whenever your heart feels heavy.
She smiled.
Thank you,
She said.
As she walked back toward the village,
The lanterns glowed just a little softer,
Just a little warmer.
And for the first time in a long time,
She felt lighter.
That's the end of our story.
Now let your mind drift like a lantern on the wind and rest.
