Sphiel's Song

by Alara Branwen

  Sphiel Lvl. 8

  Health 15% (+1%)

  Stamina 32%

  Character Status

  Healthy

  “Did you just heal me?”

  Balanos leaned more heavily against the gate. “I transferred some of my energy to you so that you’d heal. Please be careful. I don’t have much left to give.”

  Sphiel noticed two leaves fell from Balanos’s head and twirled to the ground. The elf didn’t notice before but from his head sprouted several thin, leafy vines. They formed what looked like flowing hair that fell to his shoulders. Many of the leaves were were brown and shrivelled.

  “What happened to you?” the elf said, pointing to the gnarled leaves.

  “The necromancer drew the life essence from my tree for his spell work. It slowly drained the life from me and that is why I’m in the state I am. If it went on for much longer, I would have died. I hope your friend hurries. I miss my tree.”

  “Your tree? If you don’t mind me asking, what are you?”

  “I am a dryad. We are a culture of fey that live in the Wilderwood. My spirit is bound to a tree and from that tree I draw my strength from the natural magic infused within. I have to protect my tree. If it comes to harm then I’m harmed, and if it dies, I do as well.”

  “Where is your tree?”

  “It’s in the next cell over. I hear it crying to me, but I can’t reach it.”

  Sphiel walked over to the next cell and found a small white sapling buried into the ground. It was two feet in height and its bark snowy white. The leaves on the branch were silver and shimmered in the dark. Several of the leaves were brown and shriveled and there were large black splotches that formed divots in the wood. Like the dryad, it looked like it looked sickly and slightly bent. The elf felt bad about the dryad giving her some of his energy.

  Shiva climbed back down the ladder a few minutes later twirling a ring of keys around one of her long fingers. She unlocked the dryad’s barred cell door and let him into the cell where his tree was. When the door was open he lunged toward it, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around it. He whispered to it, like a mother trying to comfort her child.

  The leaves on the tree unfurled and took on a silvery hue. The large black dents rose and slowly faded into the white. After five minutes of this the tree was whole, its leaves glittering, spreading little sparkles of light across the dark floor.

  Balanos beckoned the elf over to him. Sphiel stumbled over to his tree and the dryad began to transfer his essence into her, healing her injuries. The action caused the tree’s leaves to wilt some, but with a little more coddling from the dryad the tree regained its vitality.

  Balanos turned to his rescuers with a pearly, jubilant grin. The leaves sprouting from his head were now all bright green and glossy and his skin a soft luster. Sphiel found herself eyeing his lean and muscled body. His only clothing were pear shaped leaves that were stitched together to form shorts.

  The elf’s eye lingered on these for a few moments before Shiva poked her shoulder. Sphiel’s face snapped upward.

  “My friends, thank you for rescuing me from my misery. Had you not come along, I would be dead.”

  Shiva shrugged. “No problem. You’re free to go wherever you like, we won’t keep you here.”

  Sphiel looked at the horrific visages on a nearby pillar and shuddered. “I think we should go too.”

  “No way. Who knows what kind of stuff that weird wizard has in here. I want to search this place to see if I can find anything useful.”

  The elf’s grip tightened around her torch. “I don’t know if I want to stay here to search, I’d feel a lot safer where there’s light.”

  “I don’t like this place either,” Balanos made a face. “But if you’re friend wishes to stay, you can stay with me near my tree.”

  Shiva nodded toward the dryad. “Why don’t you hang out with tree boy and you two can make goo-goo eyes at each other while I go through all of this crap.”

  Sphiel was about to fire back a retort but Shiva was already across the room, looking at an opaque yellow liquid in a vial. The elf smiled at the dryad, and as he returned the gesture, a small flutter went up in her stomach.

  The two spoke for several minutes about the game. Sphiel found that her sentences were short and her conversation was choppy a little incoherent. Balanos spoke in kind, his words a musical river that flowed with much more vitality than before.

  The elf admired the way his mouth formed his wispy words and the subtle gestures he made as he talked. Sphiel soon forgot the room was cast in gloomy darkness, and just about everything else, as she listened to Balanos speak.

  ****

  It took Shiva an hour to go through all of the items in the dark and stuffy basement. Most of what she found in the glass containers were parts and excretions of various creatures and the stacks of paper were the written details of these things. None of this was of interest to her or Sphiel, and the troll cursed for wasting her time. She was so angry she took one of the vials that contained the dung of some creature and threw it. The glass landed against one of the pillars where it made a hollow thunk before shattering on the ground.

  Curious, Shiva walked over to the pillar and found a keyhole in one of the screaming mouths. She found a matching key on the keyring she took from the necromancer and it revealed a compartment. Inside was a two foot long, cherry wood box, a huge black tome, and a large two-handed mace with sharp spikes sticking out of a black metal ball at the head.

  She checked the other pillars in the room but was only rewarded with ear piercing screams. By the time she was done, she approached Sphiel and Balanos.

  The elf was deeply involved in her conversation with the dryad, or rather involved in listening to him. She animatedly nodded while he told her about different fauna of the forest. Shiva cleared her throat a few times. However, they seemed to be lost in each other’s company.

  “Hey,” Shiva shouted. Her gravelly voice bounded through the chamber.

  Sphiel and Balanos turned to her.

  “You didn’t have to shout,” Sphiel said, a deep frown on her face.

  “I’ve been trying to get your attention for a couple of minutes,” Shiva said, looking equally disgruntled.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you. Balanos was telling me about the oaks in another part of the forest and it was really interesting. What’s up?”

  Shiva rolled her eyes. “I’m sure. Anyway, I’m done searching this place. I found a few interesting things but most of what’s here is bones and creature parts. Don’t think we’re gonna be able to sell spider fangs and buzzard gizzards to the merchants. You ready to go?”

  Sphiel suddenly remembered that they were in a dreary dungeon-like place and her trepidation returned. She bit her cheek and nodded.

  The troll packed up the few things she found and headed up the ladder, followed by Sphiel and Balanos, who worked together to carry his tree up the ladder. When they reached the outside, they found a few goblins peeking through the trees at the ruin. Shiva roared at the goblins and beat on her chest. This scared the much smaller creatures and they scattered again.

  The trip back to the clearing was much better than it was away from it for Sphiel. She was in high spirits, recounting her and Shiva’s greatest moments from the battle. It was Balanos’s turn to listen with rapt attention. He nodded and made small “hms” and “ahs” as she described the defeat of their enemies in exceptionally gory detail.

  Shiva was surprised. Her friend, who was extremely timid not terribly long ago, was excitedly describing the bloody way she stabbed a goblin in the neck. The troll was very proud of her.

  They made it back to the clearing and looked through the items they received. The box contained several small gems, and a few silver and copper coins. The black tome contained instructions on how to resurrect dead corpses and other writings in unintelligible arcane language.

  The troll took the mace in exchange for a smaller share of the gems.
She asked Sphiel if she wanted to come with her to exchange the gems at a town not too far away, but the elf declined. She felt drained from the adventure and wanted the chance to relax. The troll understood and promised to be back after she sold the gems.

  Sphiel stayed in the clearing with Balanos and they talked at great length about their experiences in game. While she was in the middle of listening to the dryad try to explain the nature of earth magic she received a pop up.

  Warning: A person outside the game world has entered your playing area.

  Knowing this was her sister, Sphiel bade her new friend goodbye and promised to see him tomorrow.

  TWELVE

  Mandy’s consciousness shifted back into the real world. She stretched the fatigue out of her muscles and rose up to see her sister smiling.

  Mandy rubbed her eyes. “Hey, what are you smiling about?”

  “Take a look at the clock,” Natalie said.

  Mandy looked to her right and the floating holoclock read 11:53 PM. Her jaw dropped.

  “Oh my gosh sis, I’m so sorry. I’ve been in game for hours.”

  “I know.”

  “Why didn’t you pull me out? Don’t you have school tomorrow? Dad is going to kill you, and me for letting you stay up late.”

  Natalie rolled her eyes and smirked. “Mandy, I’m not two. I don’t think dad is going to be mad if I stayed up a little past my bedtime. Besides, he knew you were awake and wanted me to sit with you.”

  “Why?”

  “How do you feel?”

  Mandy cocked an eyebrow. “I feel fine. Why do you ask?”

  “That’s why. You feel fine. You weren’t sweating or thrashing around. Well, you did a little, but not much.”

  Mandy looked down and felt her arms. There was no sweat. She pressed her hand against her heart and the beat was normal. She was in a new place and her heartbeat was absolutely normal. Her jaw dropped.

  “Oh my God I’m- I’m normal.”

  “I don’t know about normal, but you’re not nervous.”

  Mandy playfully threw a punch at her sister’s arm. Natalie grabbed it and pulled her into a hug. Their embrace was tight, tighter than it’d been when Natalie scored the winning goal in the city soccer championship or when Mandy won the state spelling bee.

  Natalie broke off the embrace and went to get their father. When he came in, Mandy told him the news he hugged her as well. He was a large man, and he was so happy that Mandy felt like he was going to squeeze the life out of her.

  The next morning, Dr. Braun seemed excited by the revelation as well.

  “You went out side of your comfort zone and you weren’t nervous?” The psychiatrist’s eyes seemed like headlights behind his coke bottle glasses.

  “At first I was terrified,” Mandy spoke with a shiver, recounting the event. “But somehow I managed to keep going. It was all downhill after the battle started with the goblins and that necromancer. All I could think about was killing off his zombies and making sure he didn’t hurt my friend.”

  Dr. Braun clapped his hands together. “Mandy, that is phenomenal. You’ve made a great deal of promise in a month’s time. I’m very proud of you.”

  Mandy couldn’t help but swell with pride. She, a lowly girl that was afraid of direct sunlight, had helped defeat a small encampment of goblins and a powerful necromancer and lived to tell the tale.

  “Dr. Thames is proud of you as well,” Braun continued. “He sent me a report of your brain pattern activity gathered as you’ve played the game and I’m happy to announce that he’s reported an overall seventy percent reduction in your stress levels in game.”

  Mandy’s mouth got small. “That’s really great, but that’s only in game. I don’t know if that translates over to real life.”

  “I don’t know if it does either. That’s why there is a real life portion to Dr. Thames’s research.”

  “A real life portion?” Ice settled in the bottom of Mandy’s stomach when she finished her question.

  “Yes. Once a subject has progressed to the next phase of the experiment, which you’ve done according to the data, a real life component is added. You’ll be required to do something out of game to expand your boundaries a little outside your comfort zone. I had a discussion with Dr. Thames a few days ago and we both agreed that your task, your quest if you will, would be to step outside of your room.”

  The ice in the bottom of Mandy’s stomach shot up into her brain and down her legs. She knew that would come eventually. Ever since she started her experiment, the niggling fear that she’d have to face that challenge hung in the back of her mind. She wanted to, of course. That’s why she contacted Dr. Thames in the first place, but it still wasn’t something he looked forward to.

  Mandy took a look at her closed door and looked back at her psychologist with a grimace. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet.”

  “Then you shouldn’t do it. Unfortunately, unlike Unexplored, you can’t start this quest right away. Take your time, get used to the idea, and do it when you’re ready. Like when you play the game, your sister or father should be with you.”

  When their meeting concluded, Mandy looked at the door again with a mixture of joy and dread. She was closer than she’d been in years to opening that door. For the first time, she could actually envision herself doing it. What she couldn’t see, was how she’d react when she saw what was beyond.

  THIRTEEN

  Sphiel entered the game a little more worked up than she had been the last time. Nothing pressing was happening, at least not yet. She’d spent most of the day in her room whiling away the hours reading a few manga and watching the people walking outside.

  Watching the people didn’t cause her any problems. She was getting to the point where she enjoyed it, and even wondered where they were going on their daily activities.

  She came to the conclusion that morning that watching the people didn’t give her problems because she knew she wasn’t with them. The four walls of her room were there to keep her safe from the terrors of the outside world. But soon, she would have to. She would have to walk out in the sunlight and feel the wind on her face.

  The elf held her elbow as she walked into the clearing. She sat on her rock and started to meditate. It wouldn’t be so bad. She wouldn’t start by going outside. The first step of her task would just be to set foot outside her door and maybe walk down the hallway. It wasn’t very far. Once that was done she could just retreat to her room and everything would be okay.

  She was imagining a peaceful field with grass waving in the wind and deer running across it. It was a vivid image, the first peaceful thought of a gentle field she had in awhile. She saw herself running through it, chasing after a moving rainbow, when she heard a small thump beside her.

  Sphiel opened her eyes and Balanos was sitting next to her. He sat cross legged with small hands folded into his lap.

  “Good afternoon, lady Sphiel. It’s nice to see you again.”

  The elf had to resist looking into his eyes, lest she get lost in them again. “Balanos, how are you? What are you doing here?”

  A worried look came over the dryad’s face. “I’m fine. I’m here because this is where you were when you left. Did you not want me to be here? I can go somewhere else if you want.”

  Sphiel held up her hands. “No, no I don’t mind. I just figured you’d go off somewhere else and adventure or something like that.”

  Balanos shook his head. “Dryads don’t normally go adventuring. If we did, we couldn’t watch after our tree. Someone might harm it while we’re away.”

  The elf looked over Balanos’s shoulder and found his tree near the little lake. It’s leaves cast little diamonds over the calm water. “Wouldn’t the game do that for you? If it doesn’t, I don’t see how you’d be able to have much fun playing, unless you’re like me and like staying in one place.”

  Balanos’s head tilted. “I do like staying in one place, particularly where my tree is. But what do you mean when
you say, game?”

  Sphiel’s eyebrows went up. “Game, like, Unexplored, the game we’re in right now?”

  “That’s not a game I’ve ever heard of. Is that something the elves play? If we’re playing now can I know the rules?”

  “No, it’s something everybody plays. You’re playing it now.”

  Balanos’s brow furrowed. “I’m very sorry. I don’t know what you’re saying.”

  “How could you not know what I’m saying? We’re in a game right now, an MMORPG that you have to login to.”

  “I don’t know what you’re saying because I’ve never heard of this game before. What is an MMORPG and how do you ‘login’? Can you teach me?”

  Sphiel rested her hand into her palm. “Look, I know you’re roleplaying, but right now I don’t want to roleplay. I have some stuff on my mind and I’m trying to relax.”

  “I’m not playing a role. I can if you want. I’m sure I can take up any role, especially if you want me to play a healer. I have a lot of vitality since I planted my tree in the outside world. Also, what’s on your mind?”

  “It’s just stuff in my personal life. No offense, but I don’t know you and I don’t feel comfortable sharing that much with you.”

  “I understand. Well I’m happy to tell you anything about myself you’d like to know, but you already know most things. I’m Balanos, I’m male, a dryad, my spirit is bound to a tree, I am able to wield a few minor magics that are tied to my tree, and my tree is currently planted in this clearing,” Balanos counted off these facts on his fingers. “I can share some knowledge about the greater Wilderwood if you like.”

  Sphiel shook her head. “Those are things about your character, not you. Look, I appreciate the immersion, but like I said, I’m not in the mood to roleplay. If you want me to get to know you, why don’t you tell me about the person behind your character, like the real life you.”

  “This is the real life me.”

  The elf growled. “No it isn’t, this is just a computer simulation. I want to know about you, the player. I’ll start. I’m from Virginia. Where are you from?”