Bark, Fire and Water

                                                                      Bark, Fire and Water

         The forest of Ralan was vast and beautiful, stretching out for hundreds of miles. Covering fields, vast mountains and their valleys alike, it was the greatest of forests of Eloris, the eastern continent of the world. Trees and plants of all sizes and colors grew within this forest, its vast size having beautiful hues of greens, yellows and reds. Animals of all types were here their furs, feathers and scales populating the land and giving it flavor unlike any human could. It was in essence the epitome of peaceful natural beauty.
         Frolicking about or dominating their prey, a race of forest folk known as Fey lived within Ralan. These beings of magic were numerous in variety, each having their own mystical powers and desires: Such as the Nymph, who had such beauty that could blind a man who let his eyes roam, or the Joystealer who could sap the emotions from the living to turn them into mindless slaves. All beautiful, terrible and powerful, this was their home and they were its masters.
         There had been a time long past when an orc stumbled within this paradise and encountered some of the goodly Fey and their wonder. After living with them for a time and realizing the harm civilization could wreck upon the forest, it opted to form a group and train them to defend the forest as its sworn guardians. This nomadic group came to be known as the Jelikki. Having made an oath to the Fey to protect this place and its inhabitants from harm at the cost of their lives if need be, they were granted some of their mystical secrets to better protect it and live the wonderful lives within this paradise that they desired.
         Eventually civilization began to push against the forest boundaries, civilized folk came to chop the trees, harness the power of the Fey or otherwise disturb the land. In their vigilance, the Jelikki had managed to maintain the forest’s pristine beauty, but this did not come without sacrifice and depletion of their numbers. Their methods of recruiting others was very poor since they never left the forest, so childbirth was one of their only means of repopulation. These children, blessed by the Fey, had great potential.
         Two such children who had grown up together with the forest and their families had grown to be very close friends, taking time to band together and sometimes go off days at a time to protect Ralan in their own way, fighting as a well working team to defeat whatever obstacle awaited. Brethriel who was an elf by race, tall and fair in appearance, his pointed elven ears giving him good hearing and his lithe form allowing to wield his staff with expert ease. Estariel was a half-elf, half-human at birth. She was fair but shorter than her companion, though not to be underestimated, her trident having tasted the blood of more than one slayer of beasts.
         Upon their wanderings they stumbled upon a sick Dryad, a Fey woman forever bound to the life of a mighty oak tree. The health of a dryad was directly linked to that of their oak, so the two knew something was wrong. The dryad then explained that it could not meld with its oak home as it normally could and could not stray far for help and pleaded for their assistance. The massive oak, being at least thirty feet in diameter and a hundred feet in height, looked untouched. Its coarse bark which looked to be at least a few inches thick was unharmed by axe nor fire.
         After some searching of the perimeter and undergrowth, they found a large concealed hole in the ground which was used to burrow beneath the root system of the massive oak. Without hesitation the two Jelikki entered the underground passage to confront whatever assailed the innocent Fey and its home.
         Following their descent into the hole, the companions had soon found one of the workers which had torn out the rooted ground. A strange yet hideously deformed creature like the horrible crossbreed of a rat and a human. Standing about four feet tall with a longer torso that consisted of most of its height and shorter legs and arms for its size. Its face had a long pointed and whiskered nose and small squinted eyes that stared at them shortly in shock but recovered very quickly, readying its razor sharp clawed hands and feet in preparation to spring at them. It wore no clothes, clad only in its short light brown fur, and it bore no weapons save for its claws. Gathering their wits they quickly dealt with its wild attack, slaying the abomination in little time. They then continued another thirty minutes of twisting dirt passage that steadily spiraled downwards.

***

         Brethriel watched Estariel walk through the earthen passage ahead of him. The pitch black confines were lit only by a glowing orb of light hovering above her leather clad shoulder. Large brown roots that twisted and knotted through the dirt around them ensured the stability of the passage. The passage was crudely made by clawed hands, evidence of torn and mutilated life giving roots of the great oak and earth carelessly torn in clumps by the small vicious hands of the rat-men.
         But Brethriel was not paying attention to the passage. His eyes were on his companion Estariel who was leading him through these darkened passages. He watched as the shadows created by her orb of light accented her features: The light glistening off her pale blond hair, shadows highlighting her high cheek bones and full lips. Her light hazel eyes that he secretly loved to catch glimpses of watched about warily, anticipating another attack from their continued disturbance of the tunnels. A light brown leather armor made for freedom of movement covered her torso and legs, the imprints of small leaves running down the seems marking it to be of elven make. Her hand kept straying to her trident which was carefully strapped to her back out of habit, despite it being useless in these narrow tunnels, its long sapphire-blue shaft far too long to use effectively for anything but readying it against a charging opponent.          
         “Bear, what are you staring at?” she said with irritation as she glanced back at his position. “Watch our back, no telling how many more of those rat-men are down here.”
         Giving a small start Brethriel tore his gaze from his long time companion and looked behind them sheepishly as he resumed his role as rear guard, seeing nothing behind them in the dark, root strewn passage.
         They had given each other nicknames during their time together. Brethriel having been named ‘Bear’ after having been caught picking berries then lazing around in the sun by Estariel. Estariel has forever been fascinated by the great rivers and lakes of Ralan, having become a superb swimmer. After an incident of riding a log down a waterfall, Brethriel had since called her ‘Wave’.
         “With all the damage done to the root system I don’t think we’ll even be able to save the tree even if we get rid of all these rat-men.” Brethriel said, attempting to break the silence that ensued after his ogling.
         “Concentrate at one thing at a time. Besides, hopefully the dryad with be able to enter the oak once we have driven them all out. And we have to at least try Bear, you know the oath we took.” She glanced back, giving him a look which said that he should know better than to say something like that.
         “Yes I do and I don’t regret taking them. I was just wondering if you had a plan.”
         “I plan on saving this tree.”
         Brethriel sighed quietly. When Estariel got an idea in her head, it was stuck in stone. He admired her determination at times but sometimes it boiled down to plain stubbornness. Either way, try and shake her from her course without adequate reason or proof and she would attack in a torrent of words or fists. Whichever she feels like using at the time.
         Turning her attention back to the passage ahead, Estariel lead the two of them further beneath the earth’s surface, slowly but steadily spiraling downwards about fifty feet. The density of roots in the passage rose dramatically, wood shavings being littered about where it looked as if the rat-men had chewed through roots too large to rip free of their path. Soon the light of Estariel’s glowing orb revealed a large den smelling of excrement and decay, being about fifty feet in diameter and about seven feet in height. Littered about the ground were chewed roots and the eaten and sometimes regurgitated remains of small animals. Dug into the ground were small sleeping spaces filled with grass taken from above ground to make comfortable beds. Ten beds for the ten rat-men who hissed and chittered at the sudden brightness of the light entering their bleak den.
         Brethriel gripped his staff tightly and focused on it. It was made of ash, a natural tree which according to the Fey had willingly given its branch for the defenders of the forest. The branch, though severed from the tree remained part of nature and a part of him. A druid of these woods, nature was his calling and his weapon. The quarterstaff seemed to pulse in his hands, pulsing in time with his heartbeat, before the ends flickered with a light like that of a candle going out in the wind. Focusing his will, the ends of the staff burst into flame that neither burned the wood nor put smoke in the air. The magic of nature and the will of a druid was all the fuel that the flame needed.
         The rat-men retreated from the two Jelikki in shock, taken aback by the sudden appearance of flame in their den, giving the two enough time to enter its confines safely.
         “So what, you're going to burn us out?” said Estariel, eyeing his flaming staff.
         “What’s there to burn down here?”
         “Oh I don’t know...Roots, grass, rat-men...”
         “Feces?”
         “Just go kill them already.” grumbled Estariel in exasperation as she moved to the side to let him pass, unhooking her trident in anticipation of the skirmish to come.
         Brethriel grinned slightly at the exchange and stepped towards the rat-men, who after recovering from the initial shock of their entrance were spreading out and looking at Brethriel warily, though seeming more concerned about his flaming staff. Lunging once the two got within a few feet of them, the rat-men attacked in unison, in a frenzy of rage, claws and spittle coming from all directions to assail the two Jelikki.
         The two fought on the defensive, fending the rat-men off as best they could with their weapons, letting the rage run its course.
         “Hey Wave, I’ve been thinking...” said Brethriel pantingly as he smacked one up the head with a burning end of staff, sending it spiraling to the ground with a shriek as it attempted to put its fur out.
         “Well isn’t that nice? I’m a bit busy here!” returned Estariel, booting one in the gut to drive it back.
         “We’ve been together a long time,” he continued, grunting as a claw scraped his hand before he could smack it away. “And we’ve been through a lot and...Want to take it to the next level?” He paused.
         “Next level of what? You want me to start sewing your clothes too?” She growled, irritated at his continued conversation.
         “Want to be my girlfriend?” He said, sparing her a glance.
         Estariel gave a jerk, looking at him incredulously, dropping her guard for a moment. Brethriel quickly struck out with his whirling staff to fend off their opponents so that she could recover.
         Recovering quickly and stabbing a rat hard in the shoulder, she responded with a yell: “Why would you wait until we are in the MIDDLE OF COMBAT to ask that?!”
         “Because this way you're too busy attacking them to attack me.”
         “UGH!”she cried, stabbing again and killing the rat-man. 
         Renewing their efforts, the two made quick work of the remaining rat men, Brethriel’s flaming staff flickering, leaving the ends of his staff to smoke slightly as if singed.

***

         Stunned, then angry....Then she was stunned again. Why was she stunned again? She should have still been angry! Asking at a time like that, the nerve of him! But then why was she stunned? She did not understand, it was not like she had not been asked that before. She knew he was going to ask eventually, so why was she caught so off guard? What was she supposed to say? No? She liked him as a friend, but he was not the most reliable person. What if he changed his mind after a while? She did not want to deal with that. She needed a sure thing, but she did not know how to tell him. What if she hurt him by saying no?
         Her mind in turmoil and chaos, Estariel fumbled with her trident absently as she strapped it back on. Brethriel watched and Estariel pretended not to notice, wondering if he knew what he did to her.
         Gathering her composure she said, “Well, what are you waiting for? Check to make sure there isn’t another way out of this den!”
         “I was waiting for an answer...”
         “Then you can wait a bit more damn it!”
         Brethriel frowned and started poking through the grass in the dens with his staff and rooting about the walls. Estariel wondered what he was thinking. Did he think it would be so easy? That it would be just yes or no? She had to think this through. She had to be sure it was a no before she hurt him, or sure that he would not hurt her if it was a yes.
         Turning to watch him search as she thought about his proposition she sized him up. Unlike her, he was unarmored, wearing only a set of light green and dark red clothing. Though he was lithe of form, he had no fat on him and was composed solely of muscle, giving him greater strength than what one would think. His light brown eyes searched about the walls and his long brown hair was drawn back into a ponytail, pointed ears uncovered.
         She started to think through all they had been through as she joined his search for another passage. All the times she had saved his life and he her’s. The times they had needed to shelter themselves from the winter’s cold under a makeshift shelter of trees and their cloak, hugging each other for warmth. What would happen when she answered? Would it change? Would they drift apart or come closer than before? Why did he have to ask now? Why did he have to ask at all?
         She sighed and started to speak without looking at him as she searched, “What if it changes Bear? I might stick out my neck for you when I shouldn’t and we both get our throats slit by our enemies.”
         “Is that a yes?” He asked with hopeful anticipation.
         “I didn’t say that.”
         “Is it a no then?” He frowned, not liking where this was going.
         “I didn’t say that either! Look, I just want to make sure your sure. I want a guarantee that our who relationship won’t fall apart.”
         “It won’t fall apart.”          
         “Lovers don’t travel together for a reason Bear! We could care too much about one another and be stupid enough to get us both killed.”
         Bear sighed but poked through part of the wall with his staff. “Oh...hey, I found a way.” The wall was caked with dirt and roots looking solid and making it a solid barricade. It would take quite a bit of digging to get through it.
         “...I think I have too.”
         “Two passages?! We’ll be here all week at this rate!”
         “No you idiot!” Estariel sighed in exasperation, and reached into her belt pouch and extracted a small vial of water. Long ago in ancient times the great researchers made a wonderful discovery known as arcane magic. This force if manipulated properly could allow people to perform feats thought to be restricted to the imagination. Estariel, having learned from one of the elder Jelikki, had learned to use sorcery. Focusing on the core of her being, her very essence and life force, she drew on this power, imagining an endless ocean. Guiding her essence with movement of the finger in her free hand she imbued the water with some of her power. The vial, suddenly under immense pressure, blew its cork and produced a jet of water which was  impossible for the small vial to have contained. Aiming it at the section of wall with the concealed passage, she proceeded to remove the dirt from their path, leaving only a few roots blocking their way and mud at their feet.
         “...Never ceases to amaze me...” said Brethriel in awe.
         “For this to work. I’ll say yes...If you agree to the Blood Bond with me.” continued Estariel as if she had not paused for spell casting.
         “What?! Why?”
         “Because that way I know you're committed.”
         “No way! If we do that, you’ve heard the stories! Sure you gain powers but it’s more than a commitment, it’s your life!”
         “Fine! I knew you weren’t serious!”
         Turning her back on him she moved to the passage. She knew it was a lot to ask, the Blood Bond ritual was one of the most powerful of the Fey magics that they shared with the Jelikki. Mixing the blood of the two recipients and the sap of a old growth tree of Ralan, then each consuming part of the elixir in the presence of a Fey to seal the magic. The two recipients are then forever bound in thought, mind and body. Along with granting both power over the other and strengthening each other, it was not something to be taken lightly. If Brethriel was truly serious about his thoughts of a relationship, he would have accepted the offer.
         Estariel was disappointed and saddened by his response. Maybe she really had wanted to be with him. Did he mean that much to her?
         A strong hand gently grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from forcing her way into the passage. “Wave...Wait. I’ll do it.”
         She blinked, not believing what she was hearing: “...Really? You’ll do it?”
         “Yes, I’ll bond with you.” He smiled at her as she turned to face him.
         Suddenly fixing a scowl on her face, she slapped him hard, sending him reeling backwards.
         “Ow! What was that for!? I said yes to the bond!” he said, looking at her incredulously.
         “That’s for choosing a time like that to ask me!” turning to the passage she forced herself past the roots.

***

         Gathar remembered walking through this forest with a band of hired mercenaries. He had heard the rumors of magical folk in the forest. His memory went blurry until he was deep within it, looking about and thinking it all a myth. But then up ahead the air seemed to ripple like a lake that a small pebble had been thrown in. He moved closer in disbelief when the ripple suddenly turned into a wave and crashed over him and his hired band, carrying them away into the depths of unreality, drowning them in its energy.
         He awoke later laying on the ground feeling strange. Getting up awkwardly he looked about to find his hirelings had been transformed into some kind of grotesque rat-human hybrids. Alarmed he looked down at himself and discovered he was covered in bright, reflective feathers, looking like strange mirrors. At the tip of every feather there seemed to be a runic symbol of some sort. In his reflection he saw his neck had elongated by a foot though his facial construction remained the same despite lacking teeth and his eyes where like small mirrors in his skull. The reflection of them in his feathers mirror his expression of shock a million times over. His feet now were clawed and bird-like and he now had a tail made of feathers.
         Though more feral, he found that his once hirelings now rat-men still obeyed him and they set off into the forest in confusion. The rats ate whatever small animals they could find. In passing a great oak tree he stopped, the tree almost calling to him. It was so...beautiful, it would make a perfect home.
         Not wanting them to damage his new home he ordered his rats to burrow beneath the ground with their sharp claws. Not long after they made it underneath the tree and he found that his feathers, in addition to be reflective, had very sharp tips and made them ideal for cutting though wood. He proceeded to hollow out a space in his home. Once done he made a very comfortable bed made out of sticks, grass and dried mud. In addition an exit tunnel was made so that he would not have to go through the rat den every time he wanted to leave. His feathers seemed to get stuck easily in the wood of his home and once embedded in the tree, glowed with a strange yet calming light. These lost feathers would be replaced by new, growing ones in a matter of days and for a week he lived comfortably, having his rats bring him food and whatever other supplies he needed.
         Sitting in his bed, he was staring into his reflection as he heard voices coming from the passage that led to the rat den. Perking his head up, he stepped off his bed and onto the wooden floor of the hollowed out oak tree that made up his one room home.
         “Sure the bond is fine but you don’t have to get all fussy about ground rules.” came a male voice.
         “Look. Either you stop being lazy and start making us meals once in a while instead of it always being me...” came a irritated female voice.
         “Hey! I made that stewed rabbit that one time!”
         “Oh that’s right...After I caught, cleaned and skewered it and picked all the vegetables.”
         “...Seemed fair to me.”
         “Sigh...”
         Brethriel and Estariel emerged from the passage and entered the hollowed oak. Estariel gasped and looked about in shock, while Brethriel stared at the new resident of the tree.
         “First rat-men, now a mutated...Peacock?!”
         He spoke in a more mumbled voice: “Why have you come to Gathar’s home? You are not invited.”
         “At least this one talks.” mumbled Brethriel.
         “Bear, concentration please.” scolded Estariel before speaking to Gathar, “Gathar, you are killing this tree and its occupant. You need to leave.”
         “This is Gathar’s home!” He frowned, not liking these people, “Where are Gathar’s rats?”
         Brethriel started to tick off his fingers as he listed: “Bludgeoned, seared, trampled, eviscerated...”
         “Gathar, you are going to leave, or we are going to throw you out.” Estariel responded while ignoring Brethriel.
         “No! Gathar throw you out!” ruffling his feathers which suddenly glowed with a strange light, he prepared to defend himself from these intruders.
         “Dumb as a brick too...” said Brethriel as he focused on his staff, the ends igniting in flame. Estariel frowned as she watched Gathar, fingers moving as she cast a spell, her trident seeming to be suddenly made of water.
         The two rushed Gathar who fought with skill and agility, lashing out with his mirrored wings. Using his wings as weapons and shields, the watery trident screeched with a high pitched wail as it scraped down the feathers. Gathar was angry and scared at the intrusion, fighting for his life and his home as the two fought side by side.
         “Wave, we really need to work on our fighting technique.”
         “Thanks for bringing it up Bear...” she responded with exasperation.
         “Maybe after we are done we can do some sparing, wrestling...Cuddling...”
         “Ugh!”
         Gathar was getting irritated at this constant inane chatter. Did they not realize how serious this was? It threatened the lives of all of them! “Gathar is confused, explain or be quiet and concentrate on...”
         In unison the two of them growled angrily: “Mind your own business!” and lashed out with their fists, simultaneously punching Gathar in the face and sending him sprawling to the ground. Estariel quickly put her trident to his throat. “I said you need to leave.”
         Gathar thought about attacking but realized he could have an easier home, and getting hurt was not a good way to do that. “Fine! Gathar find better home!” his feathers lost their glow as he stood up, Estariel removing her trident. Looking them both over wearily to be sure they did not attack him, he fled down the exit passage and out of the tree altogether to find a new home where he would not be harassed.

***

         “Huh...That was easy.” said Brethriel as he watched Gathar go.
         “Count yourself lucky those feathers didn’t hit you. Look what they did to my trident.” lifting up her trident to eye level, it resumed its normal form of metal. The shaft was scored in many places and the trident points were no longer sharp, but half their previous length and dull.
         “...Woah. Ah well. We can get you a new one. Lets get out of here.”
         “Do you forget everything!? We have to make sure this place is safe...” She then proceeded with Brethriel’s help to remove all the feathers from the walls, at which point they ceased to glow.
         A minute after the last feather was removed, the dryad appeared beside them in the hollowed room. Her eyes widened and she gasped, “This will take a long time to repair...Thank you both for your service, I would not have survived otherwise.”
         “Hey no problem! We’ll just be going. Bye!”
         “Not so fast Bear...” said Estariel, grabbing his hand, “Miss. We have a favor to ask.”
         “Please, name it. I would be glad to help you anyway I can.” The dryad smiled warmly.
         “We would like to undergo the Blood Bond ritual.”
         The dryad blinked: “...Are you sure? There is no turning back once it is done.”
         “We know but she’ll settle for nothing less.” smiled Brethriel.
         “...Alright. I need your blood.” She said as she kneeled down and shaped a bowl out of the wood of the floor.
         Taking out a dagger, Estariel sliced open her wrist, as well as Brethriel’s and they filled the bottom of the bowl, their blood mingling. The dryad then went to the tree and touching it, caused a bit of sap to flow from the wall into the bowl. Mixing it she made a pair of cups and poured the mixture of life bloods into them and handed one to each of them.
         “Cheers?” said Brethriel a bit nervously.
         “...Thanks for asking Bear.”
         “Sure, I’ll make a point of asking all important questions during combat.”
         Estariel sighed with a small smile and drank her elixir as Brethriel did his.