by Faith Naff
“Am I… speaking with the… Lady… of the Forest?” Rosewood asked with a shaky voice.
“You are, priestess of Moon-hollow,” the Lady said. Shimmer still could not believe her body was being used as a vessel. Of course, such thoughts also came with the realization that she shouldn’t still be alive right now. Such questions would have to wait until later. For now, Shimmer tried to concentrate on the vision presented to her. “You summon me here because blight threatens the forest.”
“Great Lady, we are lost and need your guidance,” Rosewood said as she dropped to her knees. “What has brought this terrible blight upon us?”
Shimmer’s blood ran cold as she watched her own face glare back at her with white, glowing eyes. “Failure,” the Lady said sternly through her own lips. “Failure by your ancestors to uphold their end of our bargain unleashed the blight upon my forest. I was true my end, but your time has run out.”
“Great one, forgive me, but I know not of what you speak,” Rosewood said. Shimmer could hear the sheer terror in her voice. “What pact with you has been broken?”
The Lady turned and began walking slowly back towards the trees. Many elves scattered, not wanting to be in her path. “Your war created the blight and gave birth to terrible Vehlrock. I told them how to defeat it, but they were weak from years of senseless fighting and unable to take on such a demon. I kept the demon at bay, waiting for the time when the tribes would regroup and return to slay the beast, but you never did. Our agreement was forgotten.”
The Lady suddenly stopped and spun around quickly. “Time has now run out,” she said. “I can hold the demon back no longer. Its power spreads across my forest now, turning life to death wherever it touches.”
“What can we do?” Rosewood asked.
The Lady lowered her head. “There is only one among you who can fight and destroy the Vehlrock, restoring life to the forest. She is the vessel from which I speak to you now.”
“Shimmer?” Rosewood asked.
“Gather your people and provisions and flee from the coming blight. I will watch over you as I watch over Shimmer. A terrible task lies before her, one she should never have had to bear.”
“Great Lady,” Rosewood said. “I…”
“Go now!” The Lady demanded as her head snapped upright once again. “Take your people and leave by dawn. Do not be caught in the blight, for it brings with it only horror and death. Go!” At her final word, Shimmer’s body fell to the ground like a limp doll. The winds stopped howling and the darkness hanging over the land was washed away. As the shore returned to its peaceful serenity, Shimmer’s vision went black.
Shimmer’s eyes snapped open as Rosewood pushed away from her. She was gasping for breath. Sweat ran down her forehead and her fingers scraped against the rocky ground below her. “It… can’t be,” she said between gulps of air. “It’s… not… possible.”
Rosewood put a crooked finger under Shimmer’s chin and lifted her head. She peered deep into her eyes. “It seems the Lady had great plans for you.”
Chapter VIII
A private audience with the high priestess of Moon-hollow was a rare occasion for just a common elf. Having one was always the result of doing something so remarkable or so terrible that it affected the lives of everyone in the territory. These meetings usually ended in a large gathering where either accolades were presented or heads were chopped off. Either way, it meant that you would never be looked upon by the rest of the village, or even the entire territory, as just another common elf.
These realizations raced through Shimmer’s mind as she stood face to face in a private meeting with Rosewood off in the wilds northeast of their ruined village just after dawn. Only her and the elders were present, much like it was just before the summoning, but there was a difference between barging into such a gathering uninvited and having one called specifically in your honor.
The whole village had treated her strangely ever since she awoke upon the shore. Not only was she now the elf who spoke with the voice of the Lady, but the one who did it and lived. Tongues fell silent when she approached and became alive with frantic whispers in her wake. Eyes followed her every move while the watchers did everything in their power to keep their distance. No one knew how to treat her after such an ordeal, so they simply decided not to at all.
“Tell me everything about this vision of yours,” Rosewood said as she and Shimmer sat together on a fallen log. The village elders were all gathered around, but they remained silent. “Spare no detail.”
Shimmer sighed as she looked down. Her fingers fidgeted with the fabric of her dress at her knees. “I fear there is too much to say,” she replied. Her voice was sheepish and distant. Just trying to recall such an overwhelming experience was daunting enough. Putting it into words that did it justice was unthinkable, but she knew she had to try. “She was like nothing I’ve ever seen. So lovely, and yet so terrifying.”
Rosewood gasped. “She? You mean the Lady?”
Shimmer nodded.
“You actually saw the Lady herself?”
“I did,” Shimmer responded as she brought her left hand up and rested it upon her right shoulder. “She touched me right here. I felt her flesh upon my own.”
“Remarkable,” Rosewood said. The high priestess was wide eyed and full of wonder, like a small child hearing tales from her parents just before bed.
“Describe her to us!” one elder enthusiastically demanded.
“What did she look like?!” another insisted.
“Silence, everyone,” Rosewood insisted as she raised her hands into the air. “There are more pressing matters at hand.” Rosewood placed her right hand on Shimmer’s knee. “You said there were others with you in the vision. Who were they?”
Shimmer craned her neck back and stared up at the treetops. “I couldn’t see their faces,” she said. “They stood all around us on the shore. All I could see were silhouettes, but none of them were elven. One was a centaur, one was dwarven, and one was… was…”
Rosewood turned her head to the side as her right eyebrow went up. “What is it?” she asked.
Shimmer lowered her head, turning her gaze towards the high priestess. “There was a human there as well,” she said. “Like the others, I couldn’t see his face, but I think I recognized him.”
“If you knew him then he must be a Harmonious,” Rosewood said. “Who was it?”
“I can’t be sure, but I could have sworn it was Valdin.”
Rosewood quickly turned her head as she extended her left index finger towards the closest village elder to where she was sitting. “Go to the village and find the Harmonious known as Valdin,” she ordered. “I want him brought here at once.”
“There will be no need for that,” said a voice from behind a nearby tree. Everyone turned as Valdin stepped out from behind the trunk.
Rosewood snapped to her feet. “Spying on a meeting of the elders is grounds for exile, Harmonious,” she said with great authority.
Valdin gave a little smile as he made his way to the fallen log where Shimmer still sat. “Given the current circumstances, I think the greater punishment would be staying here. As we speak, the whole village prepares for the exodus at hand.”
“Very well then,” Rosewood continued. “Why are you here?”
Valdin looked down at Shimmer. “I’m here because she is right. I shared the same vision she did.”
Shimmer’s eyes widened and she quickly rose to her feet. “It was you I saw!” she exclaimed.
“Are the events you witnessed as she described them?” ask one of the elders.
“To the last detail,” Valdin replied. “It seems I have a part to play in this holy mission as well, and young Shimmer is to lead the way.”
Shimmer threw her hands up and took a step back, almost tripping over the log behind her. “I don’t know why she chose me,” she said frantically. “There’s nothing special about me.”
“It seems the Lady knows otherwise,” Rose
wood said.
Shimmer took a deep breath to recollect herself. “She said that we each had a special ability, something unique that no one else could do. Valdin, you said you could sense the Hoard’s attack before they came to us.”
Valdin nodded. “I’ve always had a sense for danger before it arrived. It’s not something I’ve ever been able to explain.”
“See,” Shimmer said. “Valdin has a special gift. I have no such talent. He should be the one the Lady wants for… whatever this is.”
Rosewood grasped Shimmer firmly by the shoulders. Locking the young elf in place, she looked upon her with a gaze of seriousness and authority. “But he isn’t,” she said harshly. “Like it or not, this task was given to you. I don’t know why, no one does, but it’s yours.”
Shimmer started to become hysterical. “But I’m useless,” she said as tears began welling up behind her eyes. “I always have been. I know it, my parents know it, and even he knows it.”
“I was wrong,” Valdin said humbly.
Shimmer looked up at him with both surprise and confusion. “What do you mean?”
“You are stronger than you give yourself credit for, than I gave you credit for. The weak don’t allow their friends to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others.”
Shimmer was speechless.
Valdin placed his hands on Shimmer’s shoulders. His touch was warm and comforting. “Maybe you can’t fight. Maybe you can’t hunt. These things can be taught. Courage is something no one can give you. It’s not a skill to be learned or wisdom to be gained. It’s a pillar of your character, and you have more of it than you realize.”
Shimmer looked up into Valdin’s eyes. They were kinder than she had ever seen them before. His presence gave her comfort. His words gave her strength. “Thank you,” she said.
“Shimmer,” Rosewood said. Her tone had softened. “This task was given to you. What is the next move?”
Shimmer took a deep breath and cleared her head. “You’re leading everyone away from the blight, correct?”
“As the Lady has instructed,” Rosewood replied.
“You will have to go north, that much is certain. We will follow you north on the safe road to Tri-leaf Pass. From there, you can lead the villagers wherever you see fit. Valdin and I will stay and wait for the other chosen ones. Her instructions were to meet on the second sunrise.”
“And this is the first,” Valdin said.
“Then we must get moving at once,” Rosewood insisted. “The elders and I will gather the people and prepare for the exodus. If we leave within the hour, we should all reach the pass by sundown.” Rosewood placed her hand gently on the side of Shimmer’s face. “Lady, watch over you,” she said.
“And you,” Shimmer replied.
Rosewood led the elders back towards the village, leaving Valdin and Shimmer standing together silently. The sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing were the only things to fill the void. Neither knew what to say, instead choosing to quietly contemplate their own thoughts and feelings. Shimmer was still baffled as to why the Lady had placed this task on her. Certainly there must be a more fitting elf, or any other creature for that matter, to take on such a daunting challenge. She had said that fate bound them to these assignments, but what could have fated her for such a thing?
“You will need to learn some combat skills,” Valdin said, finally breaking the silence. “If this blight began in the Savage Lands, it has likely pushed many of the tribes within them into the Lands of Order. No doubt we will see these creatures again.”
Shimmer nodded but did not look at him.
“It takes years to master the sword, but I can teach you enough to stay alive if you’ll let me,” he said as he took a step closer to her, standing only a few inches away. His presence gave her a feeling of comfort. She was starting to recognize his smell, a subtle mix of sweat and dirt touched with a hint of something mysterious that was all his own.
She’d never thought before that she would find such comfort, such solace, in a human. Instinctively she took a step towards him, almost without thinking. She could feel the heat coming off of his skin less than an inch from hers. Was it their intertwined fates that drew her to him, or was it something more?
“I would like that,” she said as she rested her head on his chest.
Valdin rested a hand on her shoulder and gently held her to him. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him this way. Perhaps his part to play in all this was to be her protector, to defend her as she took on this perilous task. Whatever it was, it caused his mind to be consumed by her, her safety becoming his only priority. “I will be here for you,” he said with a warm, friendly tone. “I don’t know what’s going on, but if the Lady sees fit to trust you with our salvation, I will be by your side.”
“You two sure are sweet,” said a cocky male voice.
Valdin and Shimmer instantly broke apart from one another as their eyes darted all about in search of the source of the voice.
“Where are you, Cricket?” Valdin asked, instantly recognizing the voice carrying such a smug tone.
“Right over here,” the tiny faerie said as he landed on Valdin’s shoulder. He had a smug look on his face with one arm bent in front of him resting on the elbow of the other. His fingers stroked the stubble on his chin.
“Eavesdropping on a private conversation?” Valdin asked. “So very much like a fae.”
“Perhaps, ape,” Cricket said as he lifted back off his shoulder and hovered a few feet in front of him on his rapidly moving silver wings. “But I’ve been here long enough to know you’re the troll calling the goblin ugly.”
The corner of Valdin’s mouth turned up as his eyes looked off to the left.
“Besides,” Cricket said. “I was listening in for the same reason you were.” Cricket turned mid-air to face Shimmer. “I was there with you on the shore,” he said.
Shimmer’s eyes flew open wide. “You had the vision, too?!”
Cricket nodded. “I was there. I saw her blessed face and heard her words. It seems you’re a rather important elf, Miss Shimmer.”
“I still don’t see why,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t have any kind of special ability.”
“Do you?” Valdin asked as he addressed Cricket.
Cricket nodded. “The only way to be enlisted into the Rose Thorns is to be stealthy, silent, and practically able to disappear.”
“Your point?” Valdin asked impatiently.
Cricket smiled. “My point is I wouldn’t have been able to advance to leader of the Thorns without being able to do this.” As the last syllable left his lips, Cricket suddenly vanished into thin air. He hadn’t moved from where he hovered and they could still hear the faint beats of his wings moving the air around him, but not an inch of him could be seen.
“Lady’s grace!” Shimmer shouted.
Cricket reappeared right where he had vanished, lowering his upper body into an overly elaborate bow. “I don’t remember when exactly I figured out that I could disappear at will, but it’s a trick that has always come in handy. It’s how I managed to kill your moronic soldier at the border. Sorry again for that, by the way.”
“See,” Shimmer said with exasperation. “He can vanish into thin air, you can sense danger before it arrives. If each of the chosen are supposed to have some kind of special gift then what is mine?”
“You can see me,” said a voice from amongst the trees behind her.
Shimmer suddenly spun around in alarm, coming face to face with the mysterious tree-woman that had led her to her missing parents the day before. The creature was standing perfectly still, her eyes wide and watchful like a curious child.
“It’s you!” Shimmer said with a gasp.
“It’s who?” Valdin asked. “Who are you talking to?”
Shimmer was too mesmerized by the tree-woman’s appearance that she didn’t even hear Valdin’s question. Cautiously she began moving towards it. Her steps were slow and quiet as s
he rolled her feet along the ground. She approached delicately, as if trying to coax a frightened animal. “What are you?” she asked.
“That’s a tree,” Cricket called out from behind her. “You’re talking to a tree, goblin brain.”
Shimmer didn’t want to take her eyes off the mysterious creature, but she couldn’t help but turn away to look back at Valdin and Cricket. She was met with confused gazes from each. “Don’t you see her?” she asked. “Don’t you…?”
“They cannot see me as you do,” the creature called out. Its voice was high and soft like a young girl’s, but carried with it an unnatural echo as though she were talking into a cave. “You are the only one who can see or hear me, Shimmer.”
Shimmer shot back around. The creature had not moved from its position. Its head bobbed back and forth slowly like a branch adrift on the surface of a choppy lake. “You know my name?” she asked it inquisitively.
“So, does she make a habit of talking to trees?” Cricket asked as he lowered down next to Valdin’s ear.
“Be quiet,” Valdin answered. He didn’t know what was going on or what Shimmer was conversing with, but he’d never known the young elf to go crazy before. She may be chasing phantoms in the trees, but he had seen her touched by the Lady herself, so anything was possible.
“I know all about you,” the creature said with a small laugh. It was like conversing with a child that was wise beyond its years. “I have watched over you from the very moment you were born.”
“What are you?” Shimmer asked. She was right up next to it now, studying the intricate details of its amazing body. Like the Lady, it was a perfect marriage of plant and sentient life forms, making it difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. Its eyes were like rubies sparkling in the sunlight and Shimmer couldn’t bring herself to look away from them.
“I am a dryad, a spirit of the forest and servant to the Lady herself. My name is Wyndelle.”
“A dryad?” Shimmer whispered softly.