After visiting the hermit, the muse was left with a sense of wonder. Those abilities were beyond what the muse thought was possible. It caused the muse to daydream. Hunting dangerous ideas became boring. Instead, it practiced changing the weather. Soon, it wielded the power of human passion, the source of it all.
Wherever the muse went, energy flowed through it. It was one with its environment. The muse no longer wanted adventure, but true skill. It could only gain skill through practice and discipline. The best don’t get better for a reward, but to be better.
Eventually, the muse glowed with an energy that drew other muses to it. It continued to visit its first human, only to drink from the water and fly off. There were other, younger muses flying around, squashing bad ideas. The muse left the gardening to them. Sharpening its skill and learning were all the muse had attention for.
That is, until one day the muse arrived for a visit. It decided to take a moment to stroll through the forest. There was a strange noise it could not identify. It was like a clicking and a screech. The muse flew over the canopy and was stunned by what was there. Giant fruits grew from the massive tree in the middle of the forest. The muse had not noticed them when it arrived. The rest of the forest was also lush with large fruits. Then came the sound again. Clearer now, it was from above. The muse’s neck craned upward, to the sky.
Slowly drifting to the top of the forest canopy, the muse trembled at the sight of it. Compared to the one it took down with the hermit, this one could eat it like a snack. It was like a cloud that shifted in color and shape. It had different heads and body parts that slithered out before twisting back into itself like a knot.
The muse examined the skies. Other large ideas were flying around as well. It had spent so much time away that it had been inattentive. The human had continued to learn and grow. Now, large ideas circled the human. Scariest of all, there was a titan high in the sky.
At first thought, it was wonderful for fate to give the muse such a great battleground to hone its skill. However, the titan in the sky was a threat. If the muse did not help the human take it down, it could consume the entire forest and drive the human mad. A friend since birth, the first human the muse had known would be destroyed from the inside.
Surely, the hermit could help. When the muse explained what it had seen, the words spilled from its mouth like a waterfall. The story poured from the muse full of excitement and fear. Sitting on a tree stump, the hermit nodded and listened. When the hermit said nothing, the muse asked, “What should I do?”
“Ye said the titan is high in the sky?”
“Yes.”
“Then ye got some time before it comes close. In the meantime, get strong. Take down those low fliers and learn what ye can. It’ll make your human stronger, too. When that beast comes in to feed, be ready. It might take a few tries, ye might have to team up with someone, but ye can do it.”
“Can you… help?”
“I’m too old for one that big without my human.” The hermit patted the tree stump it was on and rubbed it lovingly. “Especially by the time it gets close. If I’m still here, I’ll be really old by then. Is that human your home?”
The muse was caught off guard and stared off into space. Mouth agape, contemplating the question. It muttered sounds to try and start a sentence, but couldn’t form one.
“You plan to wander forever? Even if you like adventure, it sounds like you’ve got adventure and a home all in one.” The hermit winked at the muse, then stood atop the stump. It placed its hand to its forehead and bowed, waving its arm through the air. “Good luck, young muse.”