The Journey to Find Joy – Beneath the Quiet in Glimmerwood (Episode 6)

In this episode of Beneath the Quiet in Glimmerwood, Ember continues forward, following the glowing path laid out before him—though he still doesn’t fully understand where it leads. The forest feels different now. Quieter… but not peaceful.

As confusion spreads and others begin to question what they cannot see, Ember is faced with something even harder than fear— the weight of trusting what he knows in his heart, even when no one else understands it.

And as the path unfolds, he begins to realize that finding what’s been lost may require more than courage… it may require him to believe when everything around him feels uncertain.

 

Ember moved forward, carefully stepping between the stones as he followed the glowing prints.

“Stop!” cried Ivan. “They’ll hurt you! You can’t do this alone.”

“Who said that?” asked one of the fairies.

“I did,” said Ivan. His voice was shaking as he swooped into the foliage to hide.

“Come out so we can see you.”

Ivan flew out slowly into the crisp night air. Ember was afraid too, but he gradually stood up behind him.

“Come closer please,” the kind voice requested.

Ember walked hesitantly towards the fairy. He stepped carefully over the animals as Ivan hovered near his shoulder. The animals’ sleepy eyes were open as they lay quietly near the creek, but none of them moved.  Ember held the relic close to his leg in his pocket, hoping they wouldn’t see it.

“What is your name?” asked a little fairy, her long, dark hair flowed gracefully in the soft breeze.

“My name is Ember,” he replied faintly looking at the animals behind her.

“Why are you here?” she asked flying in a circle around him.

“I’m looking for…”

A massive thump made the ground shake and Ember lost his balance. He instantly fell to the ground looking up at the pointed tusks of a huge mammoth. The mammoth pounded the soles of his feet into the ground next to Ember and lowered its head. Ember became queasy from the sour smell of its breath. The woolly mammoth was massive, but the creature stopped when he saw the relic fall out of Ember’s pocket and roll across the ground.

“Wait!” screamed Ember. “Leave it alone!”

The forest erupted. Everyone in the village heard the thunderous sounds and wondered what was happening. Ember’s parents ran to his room and discovered he was gone. His mother panicked. Her husband grabbed his coat and rushed out the door.

Ember crawled slowly on his back along the cracked ground. He squeezed between the mammoth’s hind legs and turned towards the fairy. She asked him why he took it. Before he could answer, a large owl lowered himself through the trees and landed on the stump behind her.

Dawn broke over the forest. The sun’s orange beams radiated off the old owl’s enormous wings when he extended them towards all the animals. Amazingly, the uproar ceased and the forest fell quiet.

“I only wanted to find my friend,” Ember cried softly.

The fairy could see him trembling and knew he was afraid as he looked around at the animals. They were all staring at him.

“He’s missing,” sniffed Ember, wiping away tears. “I don’t know why you want the relic, but it’s the only way I’ll find him. The relic is showing me the way.” Ember pointed to the glowing prints. His finger trembled as he knelt down to show them the trail.

“Why do you want the relic?” the wise old owl asked the animals again calmly. His head occasionally turned back and forth. “More importantly… do you know why you’re fighting for it?”

None of the animals answered him, but their expressions said something very important. They didn’t know why…. and they were embarrassed about how they acted.

“I gave him the relic,” said a small voice. “He didn’t take it. I did.”

Everyone looked at the little bunny the deer tried to harm.  Powder Puff hopped closer to face the fairies and the old owl.

“It is the Relic of Joy. It doesn’t mean that it will magically make you happy, but it will guide you on the journey to find the joy you need. That joy is different for everyone. Ivan told me about Ember’s problem, and I knew he needed help. Because of all the fighting, we couldn’t get him to you, Mr. Owl. Ivan wanted to, but it was too dangerous. When I saw the relic by the tree stump, I grabbed it during the chaos and gave it to Ember.”

The wise old owl smiled. You, young bunny, have plainly told the power of the relic. That’s why Ember can see the paw prints...” He turned to Ember and winked. “…while the rest of you cannot.”

Ember’s mouth opened in disbelief because he thought he wasn’t alone in seeing them. He thought they could see the prints just as he did.

“No, young elf, they can’t see them. But I can… and so can the fairies.”

The animals were all amazed and listened for the first time as the fairies explained the importance of the relic. They also explained that it must go with them and then turned to Ember. He could borrow it to find his puppy, if he promised to bring it back to them. Ember promised.

The sun rose above the forest and Glimmerwood erupted again. This time not in anger, but with joy. The same voices that once roared in frustration now worked together in hope. And for the first time since Spark disappeared… Ember didn’t feel alone.

 

But as the glowing path reaches its turning point, Ember begins to understand that the journey was never just about finding what was lost…it was about what he would discover along the way.

And in the quiet stillness of Glimmerwood, something begins to shift— not just in the forest… but within him.

In the final chapter, Ember will come face to face with what he’s been searching for…
and the truth he wasn’t expecting to find.

— Written with care by W. L. Shaw, creator of Fanciful Tales