Illusion Vale: A Spirit's Cry

[Jedi_Khan]

Elmhand and Mia

"Elmhand, what was it like in your world? Do you miss it?"

Mia sounded as if she was about to fall asleep, and Elmhand wondered why, for the sun was still high in the sky. Elmhand was silent for a little as he thought of how best to answer Mia’s question. There was a lot about the world he had just come from that he didn’t like, but there was also an equal amount that he did like. Elmhand didn’t want to sound like he hated his world outright, but again, if he wanted to be completely honest, then he would have to include the negative parts. So, he decided to go with the truth, sans the negative bits.

“My world was a large and diverse world, not just in its people, but in its landscapes and animals. Vast mountain ranges stretch for thousands of miles, deserts cover thousands of square miles, forests dot the landscape, and plains fill in the rest. It is perhaps the seas that are the most striking feature of my world, with water covering nearly 80% of the world,” said Elmhand. “While the seas may be vast, the land holds the true wonder and beauty.” Elmhand began to describe the beauty of the Grand Canyon at sunrise, the majesty of the great mountain ranges, and the ancient grandeur of the Red Wood Forests. Elmhand describe them in such a way that it was almost like he was back there, seeing all those sights once again with his own eyes.

All the while, Elmhand kept walking, his great stride covering nearly a dozen yards in a single step. He was nearing the edge of the forest, and as he did, he slowed until he stopped at the very edge, looking out over the land beyond.

 

[Wolfsister]

Michael/Sila/Renvir/Takkin

"Damn and blast lad, I am sorry. I swear i wont scratch you again."

The dwarf regarded the werewolf and laughed, tears coming to his eyes, his scruffy beard wriggling and jiggling with mirth. "Ah, nuttin to it, lad. Don't yer worry yer red fur off. Just let me change yer bandages now without no fuss and we'll be iven," he chuckled and then bent over the wolf, tending to his wounds.

The same was being done to Sila, though she seemed a little more contrite about the process. She gasped with pain as she tried to move her wings, but soon gave up as it became apparent that they weren't going to move any time soon.

She sighed and looked over at Ren, "Thank you... all of you. I don't know how I keep getting myself into these... these..." her eyes were wide, her expression forlorn and then suddenly she had burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry!"

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

"Ravenwing, you are indeed the talk of the town. Or should I say, the resistance. It is truly foolish to assume that your passing through here has not been marked. A beauty such as you could not hide for long."

She blushed at his calling her a beauty, she as never so full of herself to assume that everyone would watch her but it seemed that that was not so far off in this world. Fay listened to him as he told her that he was an old friend and that she could trust him. She meant to correct him so that he would know that she was in the care of the wolf's and not the other way around, that was important...

"Dorian... Show her... she needs to trust you." She whispered once again, though her voice was far from conspiritory. Rather, it was simply soft and gentle. Almost the way one would talk to a lover. Almost.

Dorian sighed. "Perhaps... I could trust you a little more, if she asks it," he told Fay and then drew back his hood.

She was slightly reminded of a werewolf in the middle of changing from a man into said wolf. She knew that there was something going on between the two of them and it was more than obvious but it seemed like neither of them would own up to it. She sighed, this was getting more and more complicated.

"I am Dorian," he simply said to the avian once again. "And," his head swung to look over at Faelin, "I am in your service."

"Thank you..." She said as she watched him look to Faelin. She thought it over for a moment and looked to the wolf as well. "Have you gathered any info on the man that runs this city?" She asked curiously.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Michael reach over and stroked Sila's hair. "Dont cry my love, if ya didnt get into these messes, when would i get the oppurtunity to come and rescue ya?" he asked, chuckling weakly as he tried to comfort her. "Thank you Renvir, Takkin, I'd be lost without the two of ya."

 

[Mantra]

Jay

*Jeez, this place is wierd...* he thought.

He took a deep breath and stood silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. Every time he learned something new about what had happened to him, it seemed to have a rather nasty tidbit of history attached to it. Coudron's words sounded OK though, for the most part. He thought about what he'd said. He was who he wanted to be. Well, honestly, he didn't want to hurt anyone, especially some kid or whatever, but secretly, he thought of the bullies and assholes back in school, the girls who'd turn up their nose at him or laugh just because he wasn't one of the 'cool kids'. The jocks who'd torment him because he was an easy target, or worse still, because he was faster than they were.

...he liked the idea of hurting them, and he liked feeling the way he did when he was on fire.

He looked over the plains and imagined them burning, imagined a huge wave of flame washing across them with him running at it's peak and shivered, but not with awe or joy, but fear. A fire would crisp every single thing out here and probibly beyond. He thought of all the grouse and rabbits being torched along with hteir homes. Maybe the rabbits were all smart and stuff like that. Like they were in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

That would definaltly not be cool.

He sighed again. *OK Rocky, how do you want me to practice doing this?*

 

[Wolfsister]

Becca/Kail/girl/Brand

“Okay, sweetheart …” she said softly. “Can you tell me where the monster was? If you can remember, then me and the Captain can take care of it. The monster won’t hurt you or anyone else, I promise …”

The little girl shuddered slightly, her breathing was racked with little hiccups, her chest rising and falling painfully. She opened her mouth to try to say something, but was forced to stop as she quickly realised that she had to take more time to breathe. The dryad that slowly drew her fingers through her hair was soothing her and her panic soon eased.

"I have to walk two days to get there. Matron doesn't mind..." she paused again, her little chest struggling to get air to her lungs, her heart pumping her blood feebly through her viens. "I go missing all the time..." she looked desparately over to the one eyed matron, "I'm so...so...sorry!" she cried out and the matron rushed over, hushing her and taking her from Becca's arms to hold her gently. "Its okay, sweetling, its okay. I forgive you," she whispered into the sobbing girl's ear.

"Go south east... two days... small willow grove..." she said, her breaths coming harder and more rapidly, more shallowly. "I'm sorry!" she cried out once more and then her eyes closed as she slumped back into the matron's arms.

The matron looked the child over, testing her pulse and then herself cried out in alarm. She looked up, her one eye wide with terror and sadness, "She's dead..." she whispered somberely and then layed the girl back down onto the pallet.

Unbeknownst to the girl, Becca and the matron and much less all of the NightStalker's victims was that it wasn't the slash that killed. It was the poison tipped on its scales that was so effective a deadly weapon.

Kail weeped, starlight falling from his blue tinged orbed brilliance and sprinkling onto the girl. His sobs were heard by all that were gathered there and Becca would know that there was no more that she could do. The little body was lifted up and placed reverently back onto the pallet, beneath the covers and lovingly tended as Kail trailed stardust onto her pale figure.

Brand returned, his face even grimmer than before. "This must end!" he growled, his eyes holding an unholy fierceful light as he stared hard at Becca, "Do you know where it is?" his voice was a quiet rumble. Quiet and respectful but thoroughly menacing.

 

[Wolfsister]

Eeth/Van/Rolyn

“Any suggestions?”

Van shook his head, though he was denying nothing. He wore a thoughtful frown, "Peoples not usually speaks of Magi. Magi likes being secret. Magi not like being forced!" he brightened then and smiled, his pointy teeth glinting in the dim firelight.

The web of water over Eeth's head suddenly split and spilled a bucketful onto the young elf. Van was soon lost again into another fit of laughter, holding his sides and rolling around on the floor. Other elves stopped what ever they were doing to look curiously at the desparately mewing feline, but they soon just shook their heads and returned to their work.

Rolyn crossed his arms thoughtfully. "As I seem to understand it, Magi prefer to be left alone. It usually takes a lot of time to be able to use one's magi as a mere extension of yourself, at the moment, you are two beings split in the one body. The two things that helped me with my magi were trust and patience. I know it may seem an impossible task, but you need to get your magi to recognise you as something it can trust. Magi have a lot of power, they dont' like misplacing that power."

He smiled in encouragement, "Just try to talk to it. Don't be off putting or intimidating. We'll soon see if it want to be a slave to your will, or a partner."

 

[Wolfsister]

Elmhand/Mia

Mia almost did fall asleep, such was the soothing quality of Elmhand's voice. But out of politeness, she kept absently pinching herself to keep herself awake. She appreciated the grandeur that Elmhand spoke of and somehow sensed the subtle note of longing in his voice. She patted and stroked his bark affectionately, letting her actions speak much louder than her words could have.

She looked up and over his branches when he came to a slow rumbling stop. There before them was the road into Vakare. Well, they were on the edge of the forest approximately a mile east of the road into Vakare but at least they were close.

She pointed to the road, which appeared slightly busy, even in the late afternoon. "The Vakare Road runs into the more popular part of Vakare woods. There is a shrine to some old gods there and though some people disapprove, the Spirit said that we should all allow each other their own beliefs" she shrugged, "Its more of a tourist attraction, if you ask me."

She smiled, 'If we follow the Vakare Road, we should get to Vakare tonight. But I think that your long strides can get us there faster. Don't rush... and please be careful not to squish people? "

The hummed for a moment, and then suddenly spoke up again, "Oh I forgot. Its no use to just follow the road by the side or keep it in eyesight. You'll get lost. This close to the Vakare woods, there's an echantment that befuddles and bewilders travelers. The Vakare Road seems to be the only safe route. Just follow the tree line, but don't step out yet. Not until you get to the road."

She nodded to herself, somewhat self importantly. If Elmhand hadn't had a guide, he wouldn't have known that he could travel in circles for day on end with almost no hope of rescue. At least, he would have had to wait until the Spirit herself could come and guide him out.

So, it seemed that she was useful after all.

 

[Wolfsister]

Fay/Faelin/Dorian

"Thank you... Have you gathered any info on the man that runs this city?"

Dorian suddenly laughed. He recloaked himself, but the hood remained open, his wolven teeth bared in an ugly grin. He closed his fist, "Do I know anything about Pheldom?" He laughed again, this time it was a mere dry chuckle, "Aye, I know the man. Perhaps better than some. I'm his personal Assassin,"

He let the words drop heavily between them, then he drew up his hood, not willing to let her see his face, see the sadness in the depths of his eyes. "Some of the people I am sent to kill, Fay, I simply cannot save. That is the kind of man I am."

"Dorian!" Faelin suddenly yipped and then gently licked his gauntletted hand. "Don't say that. You were forced to take this position. We know you are the one that cares the most in this crusade. I know you are the one that cared the most..." she trailed off, suddenly realising that she had said all of that out loud. She coughed in her throat nervously and shied away from the two.

"I mean... you aren't like that. You aren't what... you say... you are..." she coughed nervously again.

Dorian shook his head, "Fay, understand this. You are about to delve into a mire of consipiracies, ugliness and darkness. This underworld is even more frightening than what's on the surface and it would be best to keep you out of it. But we need you, of that I am certain. Fay, I may do things that I don't like, but I recognize that I have to do them. Can you be that kind of person? Can you do what ever it takes?" his eyes burned intensley into hers, as if he wanted to peer into her soul for the answer he sought.

 

[Wolfsister]

Michael/Sila/Renvir/Takkin

"Thank you Renvir, Takkin, I'd be lost without the two of ya."

The two dwarves nodded in assent, not needing to say anymore. They soon finished with the rebandaging of their two most wounded party members and Renvir stood up, dusting his hands.

"Well boyo, I'm hungry..." he looked at the other two and grinned, "How's about some grub so's the Bassa kin recover and eat more o those stone pod things.. eh?"

Takkin hartily agreed and they were soon munching on rations. Though both Mike and Sila got two portions rather than one, they soon fell into discussing any further action.

"I don't want to run into those things again," Sila said quietly but she wasn't about to suggest turning back, "Hows that map, Mike? Did we go off course very far?" she asked him softly, stroking a soft patch of his fur gently and lovingly.

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

"Do I know anything about Pheldom? Aye, I know the man. Perhaps better than some. I'm his personal Assassin."

There was a heavy silence that fell. It was like a veil fell over her and for a brief moment she was sick to her stomach... But she cast that away after a moment, seeing the sadness in his face, how deeply sad he was in his eyes. Oh, she was not afraid of him anymore. She could see that.

"Some of the people I am sent to kill, Fay, I simply cannot save. That is the kind of man I am."

Faelin seemed to give away her true feelings again. Fay wished she knew a little more about the two of them but it seemed like this was maybe the worst time for it. She was working on little information but there was not much that she felt the need to ask, she was learning as she went.

"Fay, understand this. You are about to delve into a mire of consipiracies, ugliness and darkness. This underworld is even more frightening than what's on the surface and it would be best to keep you out of it. But we need you, of that I am certain. Fay, I may do things that I don't like, but I recognize that I have to do them. Can you be that kind of person? Can you do what ever it takes?"

He was staring at her with those intense eyes.

She wasn't afraid but they made her want to tell the truth... and... they made her feel braver but even that was not what inspired her answer.

"I understand what you are telling me Dorian. That if I choose this path there are things that I will not like but may be forced to do. That there are places that I will have to travel to and dangers that I have never faced before..." She smiled a little grimly but she was set.

"I can be this person... I will do whatever it takes..." She said firmly.

She didn't know why her heart was beating so fast. What was causing this nervousness? Oh yes, the thought of what she might be required to do because, right now her assests were limited to her beauty and her body.

"What would you have me do Dorian?"

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

Noah had not meant for the other to see his look of terror at the thought of sleeping on the open ground. He smiled as he looked to the tent, the tent would be for the best.

"You wil find everything you need in the tent. I will be sleeping out here, and standing guard. Be sure not to wander too far from the camp if you decide to take a walk though. There are wards place all over and you wouldn't want to trip over them."

"My luck... I would find one and kill myself by tripping over it," he said to himself with a depressed chuckle. His body felt suddenly weary...

"Sleep well Guardian. Tomorrow will shed more light on answers."

"Thank you," he called making his way into the tent.

It was a lot bigger on the inside than it seemed on the outside, how odd. He settled himself down and tried to warm himself up. He dozed for two hours before waking again.

He looked around him and was confused.

Where... Oh yes, now he remembered...

"Drakalin..." He called softly. He was nervous so he peeked out looking around the darkened campsite.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Mike closed his eyes as he felt Sila stroking his fur, and at her question, produced the map.

"I'm not quite sure, but id say, given our condition, that we may be a half day off course. What do you think Ren?" he asked handing the map to Renvir.

 

[Wolfsister]

Jay and Coudron

*OK Rocky, how do you want me to practice doing this?*

Rocky, that is to say, Coudron, nodded thoughtfully, frowning as he thought of the best way to say what he needed to say. "So far, it seems that you're running on instinct, eh?" he scratched his head slightly.

"Ever heard of a Magi, kid?" when he only got a blank and confused stare (something that was beginning to become the norm here) he sighed and then started to explain, "First things first, lad. We have to determine if you're a being that can use magic, or a being that is magic. So, if you use magic, you should have something whats called a Magi inside of you. Its a being of magic... but if you're the latter, then you won't find it."

He grinned, "So... here's the easy part. Just concentrate on your inner self for a little while and see if anything comes up. If not... then you're a being that is magic and we can take things from there."

 

[Wolfsister]

Fay/Faelin/Dorian/Aran

"What would you have me do Dorian?"

Dorian nodded, satisfied, "So, you're not just going to be a figure head after all, hmm?" He smiled and his pleasure was evident in his gruff, deep voice. "Good, good!" He rubbed his gloves together, "I anticipate a lot more mission once the governor knows you're around," he grinned, "Don't worry... I don't kill my own."

Faelin whined and then a distant clunking was heard from another room. Aran soon popped his head back into the room, his expression more than quizzical. Then suddenly a grin lit up his face as he came back fully to welcome his long time friend to his home. "Dorian! I see you have already met our lovely guest. Celeste is out back... if you want to see her,"

Dorian nodded and then took his leave, but not before promising to come back before Fay and Faelin needed to be on their way. He disappeared behind the curtain that cut off the rest of the dwelling and suddenly Faelin felt a overwhelming urge to run outside and breathe in fresh air.

She felt choked and she was certain that Fay would soon feel the same way.

"You must be exhausted and hungry!" Aran declared and then beckoned them towards the curtain, "Come, I'll give you a quick tour and take you to your room. Then you are welcome to supper, over dinner we can plan some more."

He smiled and beckoned them once again. It seemed that the rollercoster had just begun.

 

[Wolfsister]

Noah and Drakalin

"Drakalin..."

Drakalin seemed to singularily appear before Noah's eyes, it was as if he had melted out of the darkness. He smiled gently, his eyes were bright and alert and his voice soft as he asked, "What is it Guardain? Something troubling you?"

He continued to look around, his eyes never touching on one thing for too long. There was an air of alertness about him, his leisurely manner from before at the campfire seemingly vanished. His wing were tucked tight behind him, their tips just barely registering in the wan moonlight.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Eeth

Eeth gave Van a look that hinted at a horrible and painful death for the feline when Van dropped the water on Eeth’s head. But the look was purely artificial. Sure, Eeth might think about such things in regard to Van, and he might even scare the feline with those thoughts, every so often, but he would never act on them. He’s only human.

Eeth then turned his gaze away from the laughing Van in order to listen to what Rolyn was saying. As he sat there listening (and dripping water), Eeth realized that the information, though helpful in understanding the Magi, was of no use in helping Eeth figuring out how to understand the language the Magi was speaking. Eeth shook his head, sending a spray of water droplets everywhere, and unfortunately, Van was in the way of most of them. Eeth stood up and stretched without speaking. He had been sitting for some time now in the same position, and therefore needed to stretch his legs.

Eeth walked around the cavern a bit, his eyes possessing a distant look as he processed the information given to him by Van and Rolyn, and how he was to communicate with his Magi. He walked around for about five minutes before he came across the blades he had used in the fight yesterday against Rolyn. He picked them up and looked them over, without actually seeing them.

Eeth began walking again, this time with the blades in hand. Every so often, he’d twirl the blades around in his hands. After a little while, he began to actually practice various moves and attacks with the blades, but his eyes still had the distant look in them; his mind was working on the conundrum of the Magi, while his body worked on practicing with the blades.

Eeth’s body sidestepped, blocked, parried, slashed, stabbed, and cut with the blades, all the while his mind not consciously aware of what the body was doing. And then it happened. Eeth had come up with a solution just as his body had stabbed at a boulder with one of the blades, burying the blade to the hilt in the solid rock. Eeth walked back over to the fire and sat down, still holding the other blade, not even realizing that the other was stuck in the boulder some ten feet behind him. He was going to give this idea a try, and without a word to Van and Rolyn, he began to meditate.

 

[Wolfsister]

Michael/Sila/Renvir/Takkin

"I'm not quite sure, but id say, given our condition, that we may be a half day off course. What do you think Ren?"

Renvir took the map, amazed that it was still in mint condition and then looked it over very carefully. He used his highly developed sense of direction, being a Dwarf, it really wasn't all that hard to track where they had been and where they were now.

He nodded an affirmation and handed the slightly crumpled map back to Mike, "I'd say yer right, there. Our rations'll last boot two more weeks... we'll stretch it thin by stayin here ta recover, but we'll make it. I don't think she's in the shape to move fer a while," he nodded over the beaten and battered Sila.

Sila... who had just a minute ago fallen asleep. She looked so peaceful, at oods with her battered appearence, a gentle smile floating on her lips. Her wings were ripped and torn and the fairy dust that had clung onto them was wholly missing.

"Poor lass...." Renvir shook his head and then fetched his pipe, offering some tabac to the wolf at his side.

 

[Wolfsister]

Van and Rolyn

Yelped with feline surprise and indignanty when Eeth shook water all over him. He didn't say a word as Eeth stood, but rather turned around and began to lick himself dry. Why he would lick himself dry was a different matter, but it was what he did. He was, after all, a cat.

Rolyn, in the mean time, quietly watched Eeth, recognising that the young elf needed some time to think. He watched the unconscious sword forms and just as silently appraised and liked them. He was pleased with the combat experience that Eeth was beginning to get. He was just worried that it wasn't going to be good enough in time.

He sighed and then narrowed his gaze when Eeth suddenly began to meditate. He watched the quivering hilt of the sword buried in the stone and wondered silently to himself at such power. It would be a tall order, even for an elf, to do what Eeth had just done so nonchalantly.

Van mewed quietly and Rolyn's attention was captured once more by the figure of Eeth himself. He watched at Eeth concentrated and had to wonder what conclusion the elf had come to so suddenly.

 

[rengadeirishman]

It wasnt long before Michael's body healed, one of the perks of lycanthropy he figured, and before long they were underway, although moving a bit slowly to allow for Sila, who didnt heal as fast as Michael. At night he would lie by her side, gently caressing and kissing her, so as not to hurt her.

"So how much further Ren?" Mike asked, trotting along in his dwarf form, he found that he had been favoring it lately, allowing him to be closer to Sila and the others in stature, instead of having to bend over all the time.

 

[Wolfsister]

Michael/Sila/Renvir/Takkin

Ren smiled, silently taking a liking to his new nickname. Nobody had ever shortened his name thusly and he found that he rather liked it. It made him feel to be on the good side of the ferocious beast that constantly walked in Dwarf form beside him. It was remarkable just how fast the wolf had healed, but then again, lycans had a reputation for being hard to put down.

He shook his head, "I'd say a few more days..." he looked back at Sila who had taken to sitting on the back of the slow, swaying Bassa. She looked gray with pain and he nodded back to her, speaking to Mike in a low voice, "I think she'll make it... but..." he shrugged and put a comforting hand the Mike's back, patting lightly, "Ye can ride wit her, I don mind bein alone fer some time up here..." he nodded with meaning and then sped up, hopefully leaving the other dwarf behind.

Sila had not taken to recovery all that well. Her beautiful rainbow wings refused to heal. They were constantly in pain and she had no way of moving them. She couldn't even fold them into her back to give them some healing time because it hurt so much and what ever help could be found by the others, it just simply wasn't enough.

She had gone, sadly, back into the days in which she had been constantly startled by ordinary noises. Constantly apprehensive about the world around her and quieter than a mouse. She always had a sad, distant look in her eyes and not even Micheal's gentle caresses at night could break her from her desolation.

She was broken and right now, she wasn't being fixed.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Elmhand and Mia

Elmhand stood silently as he listened to Mia speak and give instructions. He could see people moving along the road from his vantage point, and at this distance, they appeared to be no bigger than dogs.

Elmhand took a step back into the tree line, and started to follow it in the direction Mia had indicated. He could see the road still from between trees, and it appeared that he was indeed getting closer.

“Mia, there is something I must ask before reaching the road,” began Elmhand. “What is the attitude of the general population towards my race?”

 

[Wolfsister]

Elmhand and Mia

Mia thought for a little while, trying to figure out which question she should answer first. She knew that he meant Ents, but she also knew that he had a secondary race. Something that others may take exception to.

"Well..." she dragged out, as if reluctantly, though a thoughtful frown was painted some what comically on her face, "Ents are liked. Almost revered, though they're like old people. They're tolerated and people are polite to them, but unfortunately, people don't generally listen all too well to Ents. They're always in their forests... and well... they don't socialise much."

She shrugged, a little apologetically, "They won't try to kill you for being an Ent." She was about to go on and then she smiled, somewhat comically again, "You're something straight out of legend!"

Then she grew serious once more, "But as a Guardian, you must be careful. There was an incident... well... anyway, just don't let people know you're a guardian, okay?"

By now they had crossed half the distance between them and the road and she looked excitedly forwards, unabashadly taking a ride on the Ent she now guided. "I haven't seen Vakare in for ages!" she cried out gleefully, clapping her hands.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Michael nodded and walked back to the bassa, climbing up behind Sila. He gently put his arms around her, taking the reins, and kissed her on the back of her neck.

"It'll all be over soon love." he whispered into her ear.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Eeth and his Magi

There were trees surrounding and towering above Eeth. He was in a forest, not unlike the one he had appeared in when he first came to the Vale. And this was his mind, and Eeth wasn’t a Navajo this time; he was an elf.

During the time he had spent thinking and unconsciously practicing with the blades back in the cave, he had been analyzing the events of the previous meditation session, specifically, the words the Magi had spoken. Eeth played those words over and over again in his head, and he soon came to realize, that he actually recognized the language: it was Elvish. He had apparently inherited knowledge of the elvish language when he had come to the Vale. But that didn’t explain why he didn’t understand what the Magi was saying.

Eeth had further thought on the situation, and he then deduced that because he had been a Navajo during the encounter, then he had been thinking in Navajo, as was his habit. And as a Navajo, there was no logical reason why he would know what Elvish was. So, Eeth came up with a solution: he would think in Elvish, and therefore he would be an elf in the next encounter with the Magi, and he would subsequently be able to speak the same language as the Magi. Or at least, that’s what he thought.

Back in the forest, all was silent just like on the butte. There was no wind to disturb the trees and the leaves on the ground. There were no animals moving about, no rustling bushes. Eeth stood silent for a while, listening for the whisper that would indicate the arrival of the Magi. But it did not come; instead, a chant reached Eeth’s ears, and it was a primitive sounding chant at that.

Eeth looked around, trying to identify the source of the chanting. Not seeing anything through the thick trees, he started to follow the sound. It took some time, but Eeth eventually found the source of the sound. It was coming from a small clearing, and in that clearing, sat a man, the source of the chanting.

The man had his back to Eeth, and because of his chanting, could not have possibly heard Eeth enter the clearing, even if Eeth hadn’t been an elf. But the man stopped chanting all the same, and turned to look at Eeth. His face had hard lines, like someone who had spent most of their life roughing in the wild. His hair was jet black, and reached to his shoulder blades. And Eeth could tell right away that this man was not an elf. Eeth watched as the man stood up and squared his shoulders at Eeth.

“You are the Magi,” said Eeth. “And I wish to speak with you.”

A look of slight confusion appeared on the man’s face. This seems awfully familiar, thought Eeth. Please don’t let this be a repeat of last time.

Then the man spoke. Damn it! thought Eeth. He didn’t understand a word the man said, and it was obvious by Eeth’s look of confusion on his face that was quickly replaced by frustration. The Magi’s look of confusion took on a hint of…what it was Eeth couldn’t quite place, but he looked…happier, for some reason.

“Why can’t I understand what you are saying?” asked Eeth, more to himself than the Magi, but apparently the Magi heard for his expression changed yet again. This time, it was a look of annoyance. Eeth instantly realized that look never bode well for him, especially when not a heartbeat later, a giant branch snapped off a tree right above Eeth.

Eeth managed to avoid the falling branch, but was disappointed when even more branches snapped and fell down. Eeth again dodged the falling branches, and turned to look at the Magi, who had his eyes locked on Eeth, the look of annoyance still there. And then something happened that nearly stopped Eeth’s heart: the base of a nearby tree exploded, sending wooden shrapnel everywhere, and causing the tree to fall.

Eeth ran to his right, avoiding the falling tree, only to hear even more tree trunks explode. He had no chance of avoiding all of them, so he didn’t even try. Just as he was about to resign himself to defeat, he realized that this environment was his mind, and therefore, his rules. He dug in his feet, put his arms up above his, palms up, and braced for impact. The tree hit with such force that Eeth’s feet sank two inches into the ground, but he remained standing and alive.

Eeth could still see the Magi, but the look of annoyance on the Magi was gone, replaced by a look of shock. Apparently, he hadn’t expected this to happen. Eeth looked him square in the eye, as his muscles flexed in order to keep him standing, while still holding the tree. The look on the Magi’s face changed once more, from shock to anger. Eeth then heard a snap, then some rustling, and when he looked to his left, he saw a considerably large branch rise out of the tangle of fallen trees.

As Eeth looked at it, the branch accelerated, rapidly, towards him. It crashed through the limbs and branches of the tree above Eeth’s head without slowing down. The last thought that went through Eeth’s head before impact was “Oh, f---” as he sent a glare towards the Magi.

Back in the cave: Eeth sat there in the cave, in the real world, stiff as a board, his breathing slow and steady, his face calm. After a little while, his leg muscles started to twitch. In his mind, he was dodging the branches, and then the tree. In the real world, his leg muscles stopped twitching, relaxed for half a second, and then every muscle in his body flexed, as if bracing for impact. Then his muscles rippled, like the blow he had been bracing for had just hit with tremendous force.

His muscles remained stiff for awhile longer, and then relaxed as he was launched back into reality, this time with a look of frustration on his face, his eyes fixed on the fire before him.