Of Gods and Fae

by Tom Keller

  I turned to the others and everyone nodded ascent. Sendy removed her clothes, spread her wings, and then disappeared. I felt her now diminutive form perch on my shoulder as we entered the golden glow.

  The first thing I noticed when we entered the Fae lands was the smell. Fresh and clean, not polluted with the trappings of the modern world. Then I was suddenly overcome by an overload of sensations as the magic took over. It was if the entire world was flooding in. Like the first time it happened, I could feel everything and even sense the emotions of those around me. Then I could feel the Fae, the Hamadryads and Dryads of this world, as well as others. I tried to hold back but felt myself being sucked in. I fell to my knees as I tried to slow the sudden input of information. Suddenly, I felt Siegfried grab me and Charlie's tongue on my face, then with a slap I slowly came to my senses.

  "You must force the magic back," he yelled. "Do not let yourself be drawn in, look at me!"

  I focused on his voice and slowly pulled back. It seemed to take forever but I was finally able to focus on Siegfried. I slowly processed what was happening.

  "Meredith told me this might occur. I should have warned you," he said, pulling me to my feet. "I did not think it would happen so quickly."

  "What just happened?" I asked, trying to shake the cobwebs from my head. "What did she warn you about?"

  "She told me that when you touched the water of her home you could feel the Nereid in the sea," he answered as he took me by my shoulders. "I have heard of this. It is said that when one goes into battle with the Gods, their emotions flow into you and strengthen your own."

  "Are you saying I can control them?

  "No, not control exactly, at least not that I have heard. But it is said that in battle a God can bolster their subject's confidence and strengthen their blood lust. Meredith feared that if you became too connected then the more powerful Fae of this realm may feel your presence and know that you have come," he replied. "Again, my apologies. She did not indicate that it could occur by merely stepping into these lands."

  "Well, it was definitely a rush. But next time give me a heads up on things like that," I finally said. I tried to calm myself as I fought to contain the magic. Unlike the first few times when it had literally taken me over, I had since learned to focus it a bit and could control it after a fashion. Well, at least for the most part.

  "Did she tell you anything else?" I asked, wondering once again what surprises were still in store as my hidden past caught up with me.

  "Yes, it may be best that you refrain from using any magic until we reach the Temple," he said cautiously. "Without full control it could happen again."

  The problem wasn't the magic exactly, it was using it. I just couldn't control it sometimes. It’s been said that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at something. I was lucky if I'd had 40 real hours at the magic game. Unfortunately, events were out of my control and the opportunity to practice was just a hazy dream. As crazy as all this Fae and Demon stuff must sound like, for me it was the real thing. I paused and looked to see that everyone was still staring at me.

  "I'm fine, really," I said as I reached down and patted Charlie. Then I noticed the latest addition to our group. She looked like a medium sized Border Collie, jet black except for a small patch of pure white at her chest and on the tips of her hind paws.

  "You must be Sophie," I said, kneeling down closer to her level.

  "That I am," she replied in that strange way I could understand and converse with animals. It was easier to understand here. Just as it had seemed when I travelled to Olympus and conversed with Charlie during the battle.

  "You must not linger here too long," I heard another voice say.

  Turning, I saw another Hamadryad next to the tall oak we had emerged from. She appeared older looking than Aeva, maybe in her mid-teens. She was also dressed in a similar garment of white and connected to the tree by wisps of magic.

  "I am Elon," she said with a bow. "All has been prepared and we will watch for your return. But you must be on your way soon. The path is not far from here and it is often journeyed by others. Sophie has brought clothing so you may travel the realm."

  "Thank you," I replied as Siegfried handed me and Diantha the garments that had been brought for us.

  "Before I go, I would meet the Aurea that travels with you."

  I gave a nod and Sendy materialized, still in her small Faerie form. She flew toward the Hamadryad and landed on her outstretched arm.

  "Hail sister, well met," Elon said. "It has been many ages since I gazed upon the face of the wind. May the breezes always carry you in the light of the sun."

  "Thank you, sister of the wood," I heard her reply. "May the sun shine upon you and may your roots grow deep and never thirst."

  "What's that about," I asked as Sendy flew back to my shoulder. Elon was already disappearing and I watched as the tendrils of magic flowed back into the tree.

  "We have always been close to the trees," she replied. "They call to us as our winds and breezes move the clouds and bring the sun and the rain. She was merely being polite."

  "Oh, that was nice," was all I could think of to say. "Anyway, why don't you go ahead and scout a bit. Let me know if anything looks strange or you get any word from the Hamadryad. I'll call you if I need you."

  "As you command."

  I felt a slight breeze as her wings took her into the air. While invisible to the others I could see her wake as she flew upwards and was then lost to my sight as she flew between the trees.

  I took a moment to compose myself and then started dressing. As I put on the clothes Sophie had given me I began to feel like someone making a movie. I was now dressed in woodland garb that would fit right in any Peter Jackson film. As a matter of fact, I could think of an Elf or two that might have used the same tailor. What the hell, I had to assume that she knew the current fashion trends around here.

  I reached up and ran my fingers through my now full head of hair. It took me a second before I realized I was already in my Fae persona. No longer a 50 year old male, I now looked 25 or so, and had taken on a Fae appearance. Glancing around, I saw that Siegfried and Gerda looked younger as well. Diantha appeared the same, but I had expected that. Her youthful looks were already influenced by the magic of the jewel she carried around her neck.

  "Alright then, where are we heading?" I asked, looking to Sophie for an answer.

  "We go to the Wayward Elf. It is not far from here and there you will not appear out of place," she replied. Damn, it was almost like talking to another person. I wonder if Charlie would sound that good.

  "Wayward Elf! Many travelers will be there and Handion is known as a good friend." Charlie said, answering my question for me.

  "Whoa, hold on. Another friend?" I asked the large dog as he started to trot toward the path.

  "Friend of my sire."

  "Your sire?"

  "This is not just your home," Charlie said. "It is mine as well. I will know friends, as well as enemies."

  He started for the path once again and the rest of us followed. I remembered then that Bernd had told me that Charlie came from a line of hunting dogs first bred by the God Pan and later gifted to Artemis. Since I'd gotten Charlie as a pup it was something that never seemed to register. But I did have to admit that he'd been right so far, and when you think about it, how often are dogs wrong about that kind of thing.

  "Do not worry, my friend," Siegfried said, putting his arm on my shoulder. "Trust the hounds. They know this place well."

  "So it appears," I answered. "But what's an Elf doing here? And the Wayward Elf… well, it sounds too much like something out of Tolkien. That's not exactly what I expected."

  "There will be others beside the Dryad here, as in most Fae realms. Remember, we are travelers as they once were. As for Elves, they watch over us in their own way, as such, they are usually found in a meeting house or tavern. Who knows what the name signifies. Perhaps we will find out."

  "I
guess," I replied. "Hey, Sophie, what do you call this place?"

  "Where we are going? As I said, the Wayward Elf. It is a way stop and a place of refuge. Food and drink is to be had there." She had stopped and was looking back at me.

  "No, no, I mean this place. This land that the Dryad dwell in, what do you call this?"

  It's amazing what emotions a dog's face can convey. It was clear to me that she thought I'd just asked a really dumb question. It took a moment, but she responded.

  "This land? We call it Fae, what else?"

  Chapter 6

  The path was just that, a hard packed dirt path that led through the forest. It was about 8 feet wide and covered in leaves and dead vegetation that made it feel like carpet. In some places, deep, dark, earth showed through, but I could feel that some form of magic kept the path clear so that nothing grew that could cause one to stumble.

  As to the forest, it wasn't dark and gloomy, it was magnificent. The trees were tall and came in many varieties, not just oak. The sunlight filtered through the trees allowing a not too dim light and you could see between the trunks for quite a distance. I also heard water running from streams or maybe a small river. It was peaceful and I felt like I belonged.

  Just moments before stepping onto the path Sophie stopped and turned to face us.

  "This is the path between worlds. The Wayward Elf is but a short journey. Here we must hunt as it is not proper to enter without an offering. "

  "An offering?" I repeated.

  "An excellent point, Sophie," Siegfried said, and then he bent down to retrieve something out of his pack. "It is only good manners to bring something to the table." He pulled out a bow and strung it.

  "Isn’t that…" I started to say.

  "Yes, one of the Fae bows Delia brought back from Olympus. I took the liberty of having extra arrows made. They are not as powerful as true Fae arrows but they will suffice."

  I saw then that Gerda had a bow as well.

  "What should we hunt?" she asked.

  "There is boar not far from here," Charlie said. "And stag to the left."

  "I think I want boar," Siegfried said with a smile. "Lead on, then." Before I could say a word he and Gerda took off into the forest after Charlie.

  I guess he really is a Fae hunting dog, I thought to myself as I sat back against a tree, deciding to just enjoy the scenery for a while. Eventually I turned to Sophie.

  "By the way, anything else I should know about?"

  "No, a boar will suffice."

  Well, that was helpful.

  "There is one thing," Delia interjected, turning to the dog. "When names are used, call him Rupertos. It is best we refrain from using his true name for now."

  "As you say," she replied.

  Great, we’ve barely started, my dog's off hunting with one of my best friends and now I get to be called Rupertos. I still thought that it sounded too British. Who ever said that it was good to be the king? Wait a minute, the path between worlds?

  "Sophie, you called this the path between worlds, why?"

  "This is the traveler's road," she answered. "It runs along the outskirts of Demeter's city, none without reason may enter any closer. The trees will not allow it."

  I stood up and walked to the path, looking down both ways before turning back to them.

  "Just how much travel is there between the worlds?" I asked, walking back to where the two were waiting and sitting back down.

  "Enough, as Elon said. This is the only road that leads between the worlds that the Dryad allow others to pass through. So it has been in all my time."

  "So there may be other ways into Fae?"

  "That I cannot say. It is said that once all the worlds were open but now this is the only road that the trees allow outsiders passage."

  "Interesting," I said thoughtfully.

  "What are you thinking?" Diantha asked.

  "Just something my aunt told me, about distancing themselves from the others."

  "I don't understand."

  "It probably doesn't matter," I answered. "But if this is the only way in and out for outsiders, then it must be well guarded, or at least watched. I just hope the Hamadryad are the only guardians. Sophie," I said, turning toward the dog. "Are there any warriors in Fae? Any that travel or guard the path?"

  "The Dryad are not weak. There are indeed warrior Fae, but there is no need for them here. The tree's guard well enough and no traveler that I have heard of has ever entered the city intending harm, if that's what you ask." She trotted up to me and sat down. "Charlie and I have already discussed this. This is Fae, a world of magic, and it knows who belongs here. Have no fear."

  "I hope you're right," I murmured. It wasn't that I was necessarily afraid. I mean, hey, we could hold our own against almost anything. I was more concerned that my being here would be discovered too early. I needed to make it to the Temple without interference. Maybe I should have gone straight there, but it just didn’t seem right, I had to know a little about the place I was laying claim to. Descendant or not, it just seemed like the right thing to do.

  There was a rustling at the edge of the clearing, Siegfried and Gerda had returned. As he exited between the trees I saw that he carried a large, dressed boar, draped over his shoulder as if it was no heavier than a backpack. He was smiling as he threw it down before us.

  "The hunting is incredible here," he said with a huge smile. "Of course, Charlie should be credited, for he led it right to us."

  The big dog took that moment to arrive, landing halfway into the clearing as he appeared from out of the trees.

  "Too long it has been," he barked, then ambled up to me and lay down at my feet. "Good hunting with friend's Siegfried and Gerda."

  "So, shall we depart?" Siegfried asked as he knelt down to pat the big dog's head.

  "Sure," I answered, standing back up. I sent a mental image to Sendy and a moment later she appeared at my shoulder. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

  "No, all is quiet. The road is barely travelled for many leagues," she replied. "There are some houses and inns, a few Fae out around them, but nothing out of place."

  "Okay, we're heading towards a place called the Wayward Elf. Keep watch and let me know if anything comes up."

  She nodded and flew off.

  Siegfried had returned the boar to his shoulder as we began walking, following Sophie as she stepped onto the path. I told Siegfried and Gerda what Sendy had told me and then expressed my concerns about no one else guarding the way, magic or not.

  We hadn’t gone far before Sophie motioned us off the main path and down another that led to the Wayward Elf. I let the others pass as I stood on the main trail for a moment before following. I was probably being over cautious, I mean we really hadn’t been here that long. But it seemed to me that for a path so well-travelled, it was awful empty.

  I didn't really know what I expected but the place reminded me of some type of building right out of medieval England. It was tall, with a circular tower structure to one side and a 3 or 4 story building on the other. It was constructed primarily of brick and stone with an archway in the center. Above that was a wood sided area with two large bay windows. Instead of a hanging sign, the words The Wayward Elf were inlaid in silver metal on polished wood above the archway. As we passed through the arch we entered a courtyard compete with stables to the rear and I spied a few cows and chickens in the field behind. A barn stood there as well. Unlike its 16th century counterpart, the place was extremely clean and smelled of fresh cut grass.

  "Allow me," I heard Siegfried say as he opened one of the large wooden doors and gestured for Diantha and Gerda to go in. The rest of us followed behind them.

  We entered a large room with walls of brick and wood. A fireplace with stone mantle took up one wall. It was lit but I couldn’t see any wood burning. Of course, it must use magic, I thought to myself. The bar ran the length of another. Wooden tables and chairs of some hand crafted hardwood were set out throughout the room.

&nbs
p; Sophie bounded up to the bar and barked as a tall blonde Fae with Elven features came up behind the bar top.

  "Well, well, Sophie, what have we here?" the Elf asked as he leaned over the bar to see her.

  "I bring friends, travelers in need of rest and libation," she answered as Charlie strode over. The large dog's head almost resting on the bar as he looked the Elf over.

  "Friends, eh…," the Elf replied as he looked first at Charlie and then at us. "I am Handion and I welcome you. Is that for me?" he asked Siegfried as he watched him place the boar down at the table in front of him.

  "Truly," Siegfried replied. "What kind of guests would we be if we came empty handed?"

  "What kind, indeed," he answered before shouting out. "Karl!"

  From behind the bar another Fae appeared.

  "Karl, our guests have brought us a gift. See to it, please."

  The other Fae, much younger looking with long dark hair, nodded and went around the bar and picked up the boar as if it weighed nothing and then immediately carried it back through the opening where he had come from.

  "Sit, please," Handion said, gesturing to a table near the bar. "It is still early and other guests have not arrived. I have ale and wine aplenty and you look as if you might be hungry. I will have food brought out."

  Moments later another Elf came out from the back. This one a woman, blonde and almost as tall as Handion. She was the first female Elf I'd seen.

  "Lotte, guests have arrived and their table is empty," he said.

  "That will soon be remedied," she replied and then disappeared. Moments later she returned with a serving tray.

  Handion took it and set down cups and glasses, along with two pitchers and a bottle of wine on the table in front of us. Returning to the bar he fetched two large bowls and placed them down for the dogs.

  "Fresh milk for your furred companions," he said, rubbing Sophie's head before returning to our table.

  "So, my friends," he said, filling mugs from the pitcher. Taking one for himself he raised it, tilting it toward Siegfried. "I bid you welcome. It has been many ages since travelers from the North have visited. Pray, tell me, how goes it in the nine worlds?"