Chapter Three

A dark blanket set over the sky casting mist in the air. The ground was wet as the mud soaked into their shoes. It was quiet and only the faintest wind blew through the leaves. They had to keep their eyes on the path to prevent them from getting lost. Aenaed felt a quick chill of pain down her back. Aenaed held her back and as the pain grew stronger she found her hands wet with blood. "Ahhhhhh!"

She quickly turned around and there was only half a meter high a tiny little orc pawn. Elsek told his pet to attack but his pet was scared. The pet hid behind Elsek from the hideous beast. Elsek grabbed his pet and put it right in front of the orc. The pet looked deep into the orc's eyes, looking at his muddy hair and pear-shaped head. His pet grew in fear and ran away. Elsek chased him as they followed. He caught up to it and said "Bad pet!!"

Aenaed looked behind her and it seemed she had lost the orc. As she walked closer to Tyd and Elsek they noticed the blood running down her back. Elsek summoned some bandages and covered her wounds. Afterwards they looked in all directions for the path but it was gone. It seemed they had run too far from the path and they were lost.

They headed North thinking that hopefully they would find the path and maybe some people. "Light, I see a light!!!" Tyd shouted.

They all ran towards it. When they reached the light there was a fire. Aenaed looked up in the sky and above on top of the trees were homes and stores. It was a little tree town. "How are we supposed to get up there?" Aenaed wondered. Then up ahead they saw another light. They ran to it. There beside the light was a lift to get into the city.

As they entered the city it was deserted, no one was in sight. Then they saw a little wood elf girl run into a guild. Aenaed decided to follow inside. As the three of them entered they saw many druids sitting in a circle meditating. Then they saw the girl sit down and meditate. She was completely dry, not a drop of water on her. They decided not to say anything to disturb the druids while they meditated.

Elsek's pet started walking around the room back and forth. Elsek tried to catch his pet but it ran further in the room. All of them were getting worried, if Elsek's pet disturbed the druids then they might get mad. Even though Elsek's pet was silent when moving the slightest breeze woke up a little pet bear. The bear started to chase Elsek's pet. They were jumping over everything and making a mess. From that the druids stopped medding. "Stop!" one of the druids yelled. The tiny bear slouched over walking toward its master. "What is going on here?" The druids wondered.

"I'm sorry, we were just looking for a place to stay while it was raining. We are sorry for the inconvenience, we will leave." As they started to head out the door the druids started saying "Wait, wait, come back, stay." The three of them entered the room again. "Please sit down, make yourself comfortable."

One of the druids stood in the middle of a hole in the roof. As the rain poured on the girl she started to cast a spell. She closed her eyes and began to mumble a prayer to Karana. Orange light shot up from her fingers and through the roof into the sky. The sky turned a deep purple as the clouds started to blow away. "This will make your journey easier," she said as the sky turned to a light summer blue. "My name is Fiercewind, and this is Jynzo, Talaren, Talbot, Tebryn, Starpiercer and Enick."

A blonde haired wood elf came forward. "My name is Talaren. You look hungry. Let me summon some energy food." A light green colour spun around his hands as food appeared. "This food will increase your strength when you are hurt." As Talaren gave the three food, Aenaed told the druids their story.

Then Aenaed felt something paw her shoulder. She turned around and there was a little grey wolf.

"Pet Attack!!!" Elsek's pet ran over and started hitting the wolf. Then the wolf turned back into an elf. Elsek's pet stopped attacking it since it thought the wolf was dead.

"It isn't nice to attack wolves," the elf said, "they are our forest friends. One day you may need their help. My name is Tebryn."

"Are you hurt?" Elsek asked.

"No I'm fine. I'm a very well trained druid and your pet isn't strong enough to hurt me." Then Tebryn handed Aenaed a small red bottle. "Inside this bottle holds a potion, if you take a sip of this potion you will turn into a wolf." He continued.

"Thank you!" They all said.

"You gave them food Talaren but they have nothing to drink! I will buy everyone beers." Everyone grinned at Jynzo as Talaren shook his head back and forth. Jynzo led the way to the tavern. "Give me your finest beer!" He said to the merchant.

The merchant replied: "Greetings Jynzo. It looks like you could use a royal jelly!"

"No, beer will be just fine." The merchant handed Jynzo a case of beer.

They all turned around towards a table in the corner and saw Tayron, a druid friend, sitting holding a dwarven ale. His cheeks were flushed and he was rocking back and forth. "Hey Tayron!" Jynzo said.

Tayron said "Ej Olscp!" and hiccupped.

Before any of them knew it they saw Tydirium and Elsek dancing around in circles. It seemed they had two bottles of beer each. Tayron said "Watch out for the window!" but no one could understand him. Tydirium fell out the window with her beer in her hand.

Talbot began to cast a spell. White clear bubbles spun around Talbot as he disappeared. Suddenly Talbot was floating outside the window holding Tydirium. Tydirium mumbled something that no one could understand. "If you drink too much you think you can fly."

After their drinks they headed back to the guild. Enick whistled loudly. A tiny little bear jumped through the window and into the guild. "Aenaed I am giving this bear to you for your journey. Take good care of him." Aenaed gave the bear a hug.

As they started to head out the door Starpiercer shouted "Wait! Aenaed, before you go there is one more thing that we must give you." Starpiercer put out her hand and in her palm was a pure gold ring with a circle on top. Tydirium's eyes widened. Starpiercer lifted the circle and inside was a little cocoon. "On your journey if you ever need our help use this ring. Only one tear will turn the cocoon into a butterfly and that butterfly will fly to us. But it has to be a real tear."

The three of them set off again on their journey to the swamp.

To Be Continued...