Zenora

Brock’s point of view:

Hmph, I walked away and sat on the grass near a tree. And the men placed their horses and gryphons near another tree and sat in a pack together on the grass. I kept my sword close though, there was something I didn’t trust, but I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly.

“Where do Elves come from? I thought only humans lived in Terralon, besides Cirilya that is. Where is she from anyway?” Emily asked me when she sat down next to me.

I explained to her that Elves roam pretty much everywhere, as long as it is quiet and filled with nature. They have their own pastures or forests to live with their kind as there is not an actual city or castle they call their home. They believe that the lands are for no one to claim and that they should be shared equally.

Orcs however seem to think differently. They believe whatever land they roamed through was theirs and they annihilated nearly anything they came in sight with. Hence the reason Elves hadn’t made their homes in their lands, besides for trading supplies.

But I didn’t know where Cirilya had come from though, may it be from the Orc’s lands or on ours, one day she was at the castle and became one of our most trusted mages. However, I recommended Emily to ask her father as he probably would know more.

It became dark soon and I tried to stay awake for as long as I could, while Emily was lying right next to me on the grass, already sound asleep. There was still something strange in the air, but exhaustion took control and soon I fell asleep too.

Emily’s point of view:

I woke up by soft, gentle whispers.

“Emily. Emily. Come find us in the woods.”

It sounded like an echo through my mind, a calm soothing voice that wailed through the thick forest. Looking around at the trees behind me, where I had the feeling the sounds came from, I heard it again.

“Emily. Find us in the woods. Emily.” It wailed again.

I walked slowly to the trees when I suddenly got to see small white flying orbs. I followed their trail and in the distance, I saw a particularly strange-looking tree. This tree looked different from all the other trees here in the forest. It was a lot smaller, glowing with orange light and strange glowing fruit hanging from the branches. My mind got distracted and felt a bit blurry, I wanted to sit down and began to rub my head.

The white orbs seemed to ignore my confused state of mind and surrounded the strange tree, dancing around its bark and branches.

“Just keep walking Emily, find us. Find us.” The voice kept motivating me, so I kept walking.

When I got closer to the tree, I saw that the white orbs had faces, gently looking, guiding me to my destination. I felt like I walked on clouds, so happy and light… Suddenly I heard a different voice, strangely familiar even, calling my name. It sounded far away, so it wasn’t meant for me, right?

“We need you to join us, find us!” The whispers continued, interrupting the voice I heard.

They sounded a bit ominous now but I still wanted to get to the tree. I don’t know why but my feet just kept on moving, so I just kept on going. The white faces flew around me now and nudged me in the direction of the tree. When I reached it, I touched its bark and I felt a warmth radiating off of it, making me feel more light-headed than I already was. Am I dreaming? Where am I? I wanted to look around, to look where I came from.

“Emily, let go of the past and join us. Let the warmth guide you to the centre of the tree.” Multiple voices chimed in at the same time.

The voices became a bit pushy now. In the back of my mind I really wanted to know what was inside the tree and the lightheaded feeling I got almost made me want to let go. But something was bugging me as I still didn’t take the time to look back. Why not? Didn’t I want to look back? What was back there?

The tree opened up its roots, splitting the tree open in the middle, showing a swirling portal inside.

“Emily, come join us, we are your true destiny! Not the human in your head!”

The voices sounded a bit annoyed, angry even! What human in my head? Did they mean the yelling voice earlier? And why didn’t I look back? I tried to turn my head but the white faces pushed me forward. Why won’t they let me? I don’t like to be forced like this!

“EMILY!” I heard that strange, familiar voice again. Who was that? I wanted to turn around but the white faces didn’t let me go.

“Let me go!” I yelled and turned my head around. There I saw Brock! It all came back to me! Why did I forget about the love of my life? The things that happened that lead me up to this very moment, I had forgotten everything! How was that possible?

“No, you should join us! Not the humans! You are destined to guide us into a new age. Us! Not them!”

The voices screamed at me now. What new age? Why? But the questions did not matter anymore. I wanted to go back to Brock! My love! Why are they holding me?

“LET ME GO!” I screamed as loud as I could with my eyes closed. When I opened them again, I saw the white faces being scattered around me, dazed, as they couldn’t hold me to the tree anymore.

I didn’t think twice about it and as fast as I could I ran towards Brock! I noticed he and his men were being held back by a lot of the Wood-Elves. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot! Like hundreds of them! They were all gathered around Brock and his men, and they held on to the horses and Gryphons as well. What had happened here? Where did they all come from?

Norim held Brock back but suddenly let go, looking very sad. Brock ran up towards me with fear in his eyes, picking me up from the ground, hugging me like he was never able to do that again.

“I’m so happy that you got back to me! I never was so scared in my life until the moment I realized you were gone!” He said to me, kissing me, holding me so tight I could hardly breathe.

“What happened? I don’t understand.” I asked Brock.

“Ask the Elf, maybe he knows!” He looked angry at the Elves who had held onto him and the others.

“Let them go Norim.” I said to him, as we approached him. Reluctantly, he nodded to his people and they let go of everyone. But it wasn’t up till now that I noticed they looked all very sad. Why though? Did they want me to join the white faces? Did they know anything about the things the faces had said to me?

“The love between you and this man is stronger than we could have ever imagined. Your destiny clearly doesn’t lie with us, but with the humans. I guess the age of men is about to unfold.” Norim said calmly.

“What are you talking about! Why did you do this to me, Norim?” I yelled at him angrily.

While Brock was still holding me tight, Norim began to speak.

“Every few hundred years a female is born into this world, to enhance the race that she was destined to be with. Her offspring would have a lot of abilities, abilities which were gone, almost forgotten through the ages.” He sighed as he told me. “I had sensed your strong powers as soon as you entered the forest, and when you understood every word I said I was almost sure that you were the one to enhance the Elven race again. But now that you resisted the urge to follow our whisps, our ancestors, I know that I have been wrong about this all. We have been living for over a thousand years and we were just longing to receive the long-forgotten abilities, but it seems that you are not ‘our’ chosen one.” He said with a sad face.

I could understand the sadness of it all, but it was still all so strange to hear! I’m the female to be able to enhance the human race? Into what?

“We did our best to guide you through our most sacred tree, to make you join our elders, but your love for this man is too powerful.” One of the whisps behind me suddenly said.

The whisp transformed into a full-body elfish female and walked over to me and Brock. Brock wanted to push me behind him to defend me. But I told him it was alright, realizing that he still couldn’t understand a word the Elves and the whisp had said. He released his grip on my body reluctantly. The whisp smiled at him and looked back at me.

“This man made it difficult for us to get you with us. Other people we enchanted would have been in our grasp within seconds of guiding them, but your mind wasn’t so easy to compel.” The female whisp said to me. “Soon you will have beautiful children, cherish them with all you got.” She said and I smiled.

“Please leave the forest now, we will keep up our agreement with your father and grant you passage through if you ever need it again. Good luck human.” Norim said and all the Elves that were gathered around us started to walk away. Jumping on the conks of the trees, rising themselves to the red canopy. Vanishing, into the red leaves, swiftly and so easily. I was wondering how it looked up there, how it was possible to house over a two-hundred Elves, but I guess I might never get to see that.

Brock, Archeops and his men all looked up to me, expectantly waiting for me to explain. But I just smiled, happy that my connection with Brock was so strong. Words cannot describe what I feel about him, I never want to let go of him ever again.

“We have to leave now. Brock, Archeops, we will talk later. For now, let’s get out of this forest.” I said firmly and without hesitation, we gathered all our supplies and the animals, and we rode off.