Thunk

The sound rang out through the air as the first arrow hit the target. Zanar lowered his bow to see exactly where the arrow struck, it was a dead-on shot to the center of the target, which was to be expected for him. Reaching down he grabbed the second arrow from the ground beneath him and tapped it against the side of his leg to loosen the dirt around the arrowhead. Preparing the arrows this way was not the most practical and acted more like a handicap to the God. He could hear the whispers behind him and let out a small chuckle. Of course they were going to bet on this, and he would humour his men. He knocked the arrow to the string and readied his aim to the target.

One would think that they would learn by now

Cheers and roars erupted from behind him, as they tried their hardest to make him lose his concentration. His fingers released their grip on the shaft of the arrow, and it flew from the bow striking the other arrow and splitting it down the middle. Disappointed groans rang out, while others cheered for what they won. ”Maybe next time you’ll distract me enough,” Zanar laughed as he shouldered his bow and made his way from the targets. He had lost count on how many times they had tried to make him miss his mark, and it would be the day hell froze over if they ever did.

These were one of the more quieter days at the Keep, as ever since he had been married the issues that once came up around the keep were far fewer, which he was thankful for. He did what he could for those that came to visit his temple of course, yet he longed for something to break up the monotonous mood that had befallen the temple. He could, of course, leave the grounds and see if any of the surrounding areas were in need of his aid, but he couldn’t feel anything from the wilds around him either. Perhaps he was thinking that every day he would need to be doing something because of his position.

He got to the steps leading up to the Keep and took a seat upon them setting the bow down beside him. ”I wonder if my brother’s and my sister’s of the conclave were this restless when they first ascended as well. The passage of time must have made them used to the more quieter moments I suppose.” He said looking up through the clearing of the trees. He stretched out and laid back upon the steps with his hands behind his head.

”I must be the only being in this world complaining about relaxing,” he chuckled at the thought and closed his eyes. Perhaps he should take this chance to just relax, it had been a while since he had a moment to himself.

Nelanna had made a decision. For a while now Virens Forest had been the place of her choice to live in her cottage, to be her home. However, she only knew parts of the forest. It made no sense to her that she had lived there for so long, and didn’t know the full territory. Its reputation wasn’t unknown to her, for the moment she first set foot in the place she had become lost. Since then, she had made it her goal to map out the place, to know the territory, and hopefully memorize it. She already made a map of her own of what she knew so far, and pursued her goal by venturing into unknown parts to add more to her map. Thankfully, she wasn’t alone.

She wandered through the forest, partly done map in hand, and both of her phoenixes flying high above, scouring the forest from up top. Fortunately for her she had learned a spell which allowed her to speak with any animal. That way they could communicate and they could help finish her map, all the while giving her directions so she would not become lost within the unknown parts of Virens. But she also had a familiar now, her “sworn protector and humble servant” as he so described himself. He never let her leave his sight for a moment, so naturally, he came along to ensure nothing happened to her. Already she had begun to get used to his presence, and it didn’t quite bother her as it had before. She had to admit, he was very useful and quite pleasant to have around. Not only was he good at cleaning her cottage -which he insisted on doing- he was also a wonderful protector, supportive companion, and wise friend. Whenever she had problems, no matter what it was, he always gave her the best advice.

However, the form he had chosen to take as they ventured on was his true form as the nine-tailed fox. Every few moments she would see his red pelt flash by from her side view, keeping his distance as he kept a look out, but close enough to aid her should the need arise. She appreciated the effort and his undying dedication to protect her, but he was rather overprotective. It was a little bit annoying, if she were honest. But she just couldn’t bring herself to say anything to him, for his heart was in the right place. She just decided to deal with it.

And as she thought this, she could feel something through her magical bond with her familiar. It was very faint, but she could feel slight alarm, as well as a bit of shame coming from Kohaku. “Nelanna, look out,” his voice rose in her thoughts with a mixture of commune with beasts and telepathy, and she stopped in her tracks to look ahead, her blood running cold by what she saw.

There stood a timber wolf, its posture strong and confident. This of course frightened the red headed maiden, for wolves were dangerous creatures. But she wasn’t as alarmed as her familiar. Wolves were dangerous, yes, but only if one posed themselves as a threat towards them. She meant the wolf no harm, so she was confident it would refrain from attacking. Besides, she had brought her bow and quiver with many arrows to fill it, as well as her newly bought twin blades. So even if she was attacked, she could put up a good fight.

“It’s just a wolf. There’s no need to worry, so long as we don’t provoke it,” Nelanna explained to Kohaku, whilst offering him a reassuring smile. He gave her an unsure look in return, but said nothing. “Let us excuse ourselves and return at a later date to continue our purpose here. That way we won’t make it uncomfortable.” However, as she looked once more at the wolf, she noticed it padding away calmly. That didn’t strike her as odd, until it stopped and looked back at them. Naturally, she was confused, and quite curious. Raising her brow, Kohaku’s voice entered her thoughts once more, “I may be mistaken, but it seems the wolf wishes for you to follow.”

From observing the wolf’s body language, and the way it just stood there looking at them, she started to believe Kohaku was right. “Seems so,” she whispered in agreement to her familiar.

Obligingly, she and Kohaku began to follow the timber wolf through the forest, though Kohaku was far more on edge than her. In fact, she was so relaxed that she returned to adding to her map as she followed her guide’s lead. Nelanna was a bit too trusting at times, that is, when she saw no reason to doubt. The wolf wished for her to follow, and seemed to have no hostile intent. She figured it was either trying to aid her in exploring the forest, and perhaps guiding her down the safest routes. Or, there was something it wished her to see. Either way, she had decided to trust it. Besides, why would a wolf try to trick her?

They soon came upon a large engraved wooden gate. Nelanna and Kohaku both gazed at it, their eyes following the gate up until they found the top. “I don’t like this,” huffed Kohaku, keeping his thoughts to Nelanna and her alone. He was certainly overprotective, but he was bound by her word. She had decided to follow the wolf’s guidance, so he was forced to obey, no questions asked. However, he did complain.

Many questions came to her mind as the wolf stopped before the gate, then sat on the forest floor, its yellow eyes watching her. She felt there was something specific it wanted her to do, but no matter how much she asked, it didn’t give her an answer. Until finally, she decided to take a look around with a light sigh. She examined the wooden gate, lightly tracing its engravings with a finger. Nelanna wondered what this was doing there, and what was on the other side as well. If it was a gate, then surely it had a way to enter. Right?

She searched and searched, but all her efforts seemed to be in vain, for she could find no way of entering. “Darn,” she muttered with another light sigh, leaning forward to examine the engravings more carefully for any clues. Finally, something caught her eye. There was a bare spot, nothing that stuck out really, nor was it very unusual. But something told her it was odd within the myriad of animals carved into the wooden gate. So, with her natural curiosity, she reached out and gently touched the bare spot, until her entire palm was pressed up against it. Upon full contact, she suddenly felt a wave of magic wash over her unexpectedly. Then, the eyes on the animals lit up, and creaking and groaning filled her ears. The gate began to split, and the doors opened.

She glanced where she last saw the wolf, only to see that it had already gone. Kohaku stepped forth to stand at his master’s side, looking up at her with questioning eyes, his ears twitching. Already she knew what he was thinking before he even had a chance to speak, and she offered him a reassuring smile. “We’ll be fine,” she said softly, briefly scratching him behind his tall, black ears. “This’ll be fun.”

With that, she looked ahead, and stepped beyond the gates.

Zanar had almost completely dozed off while resting on the steps, basking in the warmth of the sun as it broke through the trees that dotted the temple grounds. He had taken his own advice and just decided to relax, and just let his mind be free from the worries. He had felt the presence of someone entering his realm, but he knew that the wolves under his care would either scare them off if they were here for vile intentions or guide them to the gate if their heart was true. It was not also uncommon for travelers to also just step into the Flidais Forest on accident as it shared the same land with the Virens. He cast aside the thoughts, as the gate itself would soon tell him the truth for their being here.

It was only a few moments later that he heard the gate the stir, and it broke him from his rest. He leaned up and looked toward it, seeing it slowly open. Another visitor the wilds had approved to enter the grounds. ”Well, the peace was nice while it lasted,” The god spoke with a yawn and stood up to stretch and regain his composure. As he took a step down he felt a pulse emanate from keeps walls, which cause him to turn his head towards its direction.

”This visitor?” He was answered with another pulse of energy. It was strange to him, usually, the magic of the keep showed him who would make for suitable rangers, but this was different. ”I shall see to it, but remember we can not force the position onto others. I want to see what this person is made of first. Then and if then, I shall bring them to the heart.” Silence fell once more, as even though the wilds wished for their servants it was his final call that set it all in motion. He had never taken anyone besides his wife into the heart of the fortress, so it was strange that it would call out for the newcomer.

As he approached the entrance of the keep grounds he finally caught a glimpse of the newcomer. It was a woman, and she seemed to have a fox companion with her. The fox thought had nine tails and he could not feel it like he could other creatures that roamed the land. It must be a familiar it was the only explanation that he could come up with for its appearance and invisibility to his senses. A bow and twin blades were present on the woman, the typical weapons of choice for most of her kind it seemed. He was not unfamiliar with elves, as they were the most common of visitors to his lands beside that of hunters themselves. He also took note of the scroll in her hand, it seemed large enough to be a map. A cartographer as well, or was she just marking her path to easily navigate the Virens?

He had so many thoughts brewing through his head as he made his approach, yet he was sure to find out the answers in due time. As per usual though, he held back his aura, as he was sure an elf would be more attuned with the natural flow of aether in the land, and he wanted to find out more before he revealed himself to her. ”Welcome stranger,” He politely greeted the woman with a bow, ”What brings you two to this of all places? He made sure to include the fox with the question seeing as a familiar were one in the same with their master.

    Nelanna paused after stepping beyond the gates to gaze around. The first thing she noticed were the wooden walls and dirt paths, each leading to different parts of the area. She wanted to get a better look around at the place, but before she would go on she wanted to mark what she already found on her map before she forgot. So she took a pencil from her pouch and immediately started putting it down her her partly done map. Normally one would carry just jewelry or money in their pouches, but she added pencils and inks to hers, for she didn’t want to carry around large packs just for mapping out the area. She needed room for her weapons in case something went wrong. Besides, she could only hold so much weight.

Not only did she start carrying her weapons around, but her whole attire had changed as well. She had a tight, brown corset which showed how thin her waist was, with rings at the bottom where she attached her pouch, as well as her twin blades. Something she did instead of using a proper belt. Brown heeled boots reached her knees, and matching leather gloves covered her entire forearms. Tight, thin, pale brown trousers covered her legs, with a beautiful, green open skirt. Her top was sleeveless, consisting of brown, green, tan and gold, all decorating her top elegantly. A silver choker covers the majority of her neck, with an oval turquoise stone embroidered in the front. Lastly, her curly red hair, which was usually kept down, was now pulled back in braids, keeping any and all hair away from her face, then left to hang at her back. But now she also wore very little make up, revealing freckles all over her arms, shoulders and face which could never be seen before, freckles which somehow only added to her natural beauty. Her new clothing was more fitting for a huntress or warrior, and far less ladylike than her previous dress. But she didn’t mind. It was still modest, and that was all that mattered to her.

She suddenly felt a faint feeling of alarm and hostility coming from her familiar, and she looked up from her map. A man had approached her and Kohaku, and naturally, she offered him a friendly smile, pushing away Kohaku’s worry while making him calm down with a quick thought. “Hello,” she replied with a curtsy. “Forgive us if we’re intruding. We were wandering the forest to make a map of it, when we stumbled upon a wolf. It had us follow it to the gate, but then suddenly vanished. I was curious as to why it had led us here so I tried to find a way past the gates and, well, here we are.” She giggled a little, feeling a tad foolish for some reason. Perhaps she felt her story about being led by a wolf might be viewed as unlikely by another. She had seen a many strange things, but that one was new even to her. Well, excluding the High Wolves in the Adthorn family.

“Might I ask what this place is? I don’t recall seeing something like it before. Aside from mansions and castles, of course. But, this is rather different…” she put a finger to her chin as if she were in thought, titling her head slightly.

”Intruding, relinquish that thought. This place is open to whoever that the gate accepts. Zanar pointed back to the gate as it started to close back up sealing the fort away. ”Itself is the will of the wild creatures that run throughout the land. Am I sure you felt the swell of aether as you placed your hand upon the bare space yes? With that, you connected to every heart of all the creatures and they judged you in that instant, and apparently, they were accepting of you.” He finished his explanation of how the gate work, very rarely did he explain the gate but sometimes he just rambled on without giving it a second thought.

He laughed when she mentioned the wolf that guided her. ”Aaah yes, they usually frighten people at first, they are the guardians of the forest and the guides to this place. Their eyes are ever watching and the teeth ever ready if the situation calls for it.” He remembered the day he saved the whole pack from some poachers, ever since that day their hearts had been on and the wolves lived in the forest safe from anyone and able to thrive on the abundance of wildlife, in return they offered themselves to guide those to the temple. ”They are family to the one who controls this realm”

He mentioned for her to follow him, he wanted her to see more of the temple grounds as they made their way to the fort entrance. ”You would be correct, this place was never part of the Viren’s before..it recently came to be when the flow of divine aether seethed into the grounds,” he started to explain as they made their way forward, ”It is a sanctuary for beast and hunter alike. Hunters from all over and for various reasons come to this place to hone their skill and be taught if they need arises. While in the forest creatures thrive protected from any outsider who decides to poach on them.” He said with a slight smile over his shoulder.

The rest of the way towards the entrance he stayed quiet, to allow the woman to take in the information that he gave her, and to ask any questions if she needed to as he would answer them gladly. During this, he had made his own assessment of her in his head. He could tell that she was a hunter herself, she dressed the part after all with her own touches. He couldn’t tell if it was just the elvish sense of fashion or was she perhaps a high born? Very rarely did they go into trades such as hunting, and if they did they killed just to kill. So far, from his viewpoint, he saw no reason as to why the heart would lie to him about what they called upon her.

They got to the steps that lead up to the fortress that lay within the mountain, and he turned to face her. ”A fine little place is it not? Many come and go, few actually stay here, but the people who come tend to respect all the rules laid out.” He then stopped suppressing his power and smiled. ”Please forgive my rudeness, people tend to hide who they truly are once they find out. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Zanar Arowin. Or more often referred to now God of the Hunt and Wilds.”

    Knowing that she wasn’t intruding indeed pleased the red haired elf maiden, but to be honest that drew far from her mind when the man began explaining the gate and the wolves. Suddenly it all seemed to make sense, however, the more questions he answered the more arose.

Her first question was one quickly answered, for she wondered why the gates worked the way they did, as well as why the wolf led her to it. If they judged before allowing entry, then surely what lied beyond was important. And that it was, for what lied within was “divine aether” as he described. At that, another question came to her mind: Was there some kind of god or spirit present?

It made her wonder quite a lot as he guided her through the grounds, as well as question all that she had known. Growing as a noble, gods and spirits were far from their minds. The nobles there only cared about money, fame, and power. Within her family mansion walls, the words god and spirit were unknown to her. It wasn’t until she ran away and was taken in by that lovely couple whom lived on a farm that she learned a little about religious beliefs, for it was the folk of lower status that had such beliefs. Though, it was understandable. Being as poor as they were and with such hard lives they needed faith in such things as deities to make it through their lives. Whilst nobles had their money and power to put their faith in for survival. Even still, she found it difficult to believe that there really were immoral beings out there with divine powers. She blamed her noble childhood for making such things so difficult.

She gazed around the grounds, attempting to take in the sights as they walked by. She had the perfect chance to ask her questions as the man went silent, but she decided against it. Nelanna was still trying to process everything at the moment, so she would ask questions later after she’s heard everything. That is, trusting her memory won’t fail her and cause her to forget any of her questions. She glanced down at her familiar as he quietly padded alongside her, taking notice of the suspicious look he was giving the man. He was oddly quiet. What was through that head of his, she wondered.

Nelanna and Kohaku stopped when the man turned to face them, standing at a set of stairs. Blinking with curiosity, Nelanna looked up at the man with a slight tilt of her head. “Oh, yes. This place certainly is quite wonderful,” she sincerely agreed, smiling brightly. He spoke again, and just as earlier, he had managed to answer her question before she asked. Her eyes widened as a sudden feeling of surprise came from Kohaku, mirroring her own surprise. “A G-God?”she repeated in bewilderment. Normally she wouldn’t be so appalled by hearing someone claiming to be a god. Naturally, she would have doubts. However, as he fully introduced himself his entire aura changed. She could feel his divine presence reveal itself, and instantly, she knew this man was the real deal.

Despite her sudden surprise, she relaxed and smiled softly. Even if he was a god, she would not allow this news to change her first impression of him, nor how she acted around him. She was honest, and did not wish to attempt fooling anyone. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Zanar. If I may call you that? I am Nelanna Rey Fox, but you may call me what you wish,” she curtsied as she was trained to do as a noble child. “However, you mentioned earlier that the gates open for those whom are accepted. Assuming it accepts those worthy of entering the realm of a God, might I ask why it has accepted me? I am hardly anyone nor anything worthy of being in the presence of a God.” Her words weren’t meant to alarm Zanar or make him think she was impure. She was simply far too humble, and thought of herself so far below deities that she’s undeserving of even a passing glance.

Oh the look of the surprise on people’s face when they found out he was the ruler of this temple, was something that never got old to him. Some would have a far more flustered reaction, while others would for a brief moment be surprised just like the woman before him. He could see the same in her own familiar as the once cautious behavior he was having during this whole time turned to that of bewilderment. He was just glad that they didn’t go all formal with the bowing or kneeling like others have before them as he preferred if people spoke to him like they would anyone else.

Nelanna Fox was it, quite amusing He thought as his eyes looked at the fox to her side, yet was not all surprising as his own familiar was that of a raven, his own sigil and family sign. Her introduction also verified the thoughts that he had in his mind, as most common folk would not have bothered with a curtsey in introducing themselves it was reserved for nobler of folk to do such things. He crossed on arm before his chest and gave her a slight bow in return, “Well met Nelanna, it is a pleasure that you have stumbled across my temple. Let me welcome you to Flidais, The Eternal Hunting Grounds”

She then asked why the gate accepted her, and as with almost everyone else stated that she was not worthy of being of his being. ”Such thoughts are not needed around me. I may have been chosen to ascend, but I do not see myself higher than anyone else,” He stated truthfully, as he remembered where he came from. Perhaps with the passage of time would he start to think differently, but he hoped that would not come to be. It was for this reason why his Rangers and clergy were so comfortable around him. He could laugh with them, drink with them, overall be on the same level as them.

”As for why the gate accepted you, As I stated before it reads your heart and must have seen some sort of purity in it. Regardless if it did not accept you, I would have overridden the rule of the wilds as it is my dominion. I have let poachers and murderers into these grounds only to banish them as a show of power and a warning.” He then took a moment to think and let out a small sigh. ”I have also killed those who disregarded my warnings and continued with ways that disrupted the balance.” Normally he would have felt regret for doing such actions, but he felt nothing anymore about drawing blood. He knew what his role was in this world, and blood would be one of the prices to pay to follow the will of the Tree.

”Such talk though is not why I have came before you though. I’m sure you saw the Keep Rangers as you passed through did you not? Cloaked in green with a silver Raven sigil. They were chosen by Flidais itself. It seems that it has found itself another,” He nodded towards her with a slight smile. ”So come and let us discuss this some more. That is if you want to accept, feel free to think it over.” He said and turned to make his way inside of the temple. Unbeknownst to Nelanna, if she decided to accept the role the main entrance to the temple would not take her to the Grand Hall, instead it would take her to the Heart of the Keep were her true purpose in Flidais would be awakened.

    A god whom did not view themselves as higher than mortals? Such a thing was unheard of to Nelanna, for she always imagined gods being cocky because of their greater power. She supposed she imagined all beings with power being that way, for she grew up as a noble, and that’s how they all were. However, the thought of such a god existing made her smile. But that didn’t keep her from thinking higher of him than herself; she thought that way about everybody. And then, he went on to answer her earlier question.

It saw purity in her, did it? Understandable, for she did her upmost best to keep her purity and never have ill thoughts towards another person nor creature. But that didn’t mean she was perfect, for she had made many mistakes, and at times she wasn’t quite so pure. With that thought, she once again returned to doubting her worth, despite what Zanar had said. “I see,” she replied, glancing down at Kohaku. He was sitting next to her, his eyes looking in the direction of the god, however, it didn’t really seem as though he was actually looking at him. His amber eyes seemed distant, as if he was looking beyond at something she couldn’t see, like a distant memory. And yet again, she wondered what was going through his mind. What did he think of all of this sudden news?

Deciding to leave him be for now, she looked back up at Zanar, just as he began to speak once more. Nodding briefly to his question, she was once again surprised by this man. She averted her eyes for a moment as he said that the temple -which she assumed was Flidais- had been the one to choose her, not him, and once more took in her surroundings. Did that mean Flidais itself was alive? Nelanna felt intimidated by that thought, naturally. However, she had the feeling Zanar was as kind as he seemed, and that none of what he’s done nor said so far was for show. But she couldn’t make a decision right now. It was all so sudden, and a lot to take in. She needed a little time to think it over.

She looked back at him as he began to walk up the stairs and into the temple, where he then vanished from her sight. With a light hum, she straightened her skirt and sat at the bottom of the stairs, looking out at the rest of the area. “What do you think?” Kohaku suddenly asked, moving closer next to Nelanna and laying his head across her legs. She looked down at him and started lightly stroking his head, “It’s all so sudden, and so much to take in. I’m not sure what to think.”

“I can understand,” Kohaku replied. “It is certainly something which needs careful consideration.”

“How so?” Nelanna tilted her head, blinking slowly with curiosity in her eyes. She could understand that anything involving a god would require careful thought, but she felt Kohaku had deeper meaning to his words. He always did. He looked up at her with his eyes, keeping his head laid on her lap. “Not only is it such a high honor to be close to a god, but it also comes with responsibility, and major downsides,” he began. “When having a close bond with someone of high status, you also attract higher threats, higher enemies. You could become a target, and I am certain even a god won’t be able to protect you at all times.

“Just as you’ve mentioned about Cecil many times,” she groaned, narrowing her eyes just a little with a slight furrowed brow. “You seem to forget I am completely capable of protecting myself. Besides, I have you, whom I know will always be there to help when I need it.” That was something she often said to get him to stop saying such ridiculous things. After all, what protector thinks they aren’t capable of protecting? It was only when he began to doubt his capabilities to protect her that she knew she needed to listen and obey his word, for the threat must truly be serious.

He huffed and closed his eyes, but didn’t give any reply, so Nelanna added, “I don’t think taking him up on his offer will be as bad as you might think. Just trust me on this, Kohaku.” At that, he calmly, slowly sat up and looked her directly in her eyes. “It seems you’ve already made your decision,” he said, though she could pick up a hint of disappointment in his voice. She was caught off guard by his words, but as she thought about it, she realized it must be true. She was coming up with every reason she could to accept Zanar’s offer, and couldn’t come up with good enough downsides to decline. So she smiled softly and patted Kohaku’s head, replying, “I suppose I have.” Though she still thought herself unworthy, she would have to work hard to become someone whom was worthy.

With her decision made, she stood and led Kohaku up the stairs, and into the temple. Her breath was taken away by what was inside, stopping her in her tracks to gaze around in amazement. There was a large, white oak tree with evergreen leaves, standing tall in the center of a field of grass. A hole in the cavern ceiling allowed sunlight to fall upon the tree, as running water surrounded the patch of land. It was a relaxing environment, quite; the only sounds she could hear were birds that entered through the ceiling hole, and the running water.

Once she broke through her amazement and remembered why she was there, she began looking around for Zanar.

He walked up to the tree in the middle of the heart, and placed his palm on it and closed his eyes. “To ask this of someone the first we met, I would not blame her if she declined the offer.” He spoke softly as he felt the energies of his Temple flow into them, and the voices of all the wilds came to his head. The gave him a peace offering their belief in him, and at that time he could feel the belief of those who had started to worship him ever since he ascended. A soft smile broke his face, ”Thank you, my friends.” Opening his eyes he took his hand off the tree and looked up at the blinding light that poured down from the single opening in the cavern. A Champion was not something that he thought he would have for many moons.

Yet, much to his surprise, he could feel her approach through the doors of the Great Hall. ”So her resolve has been made up, very well.” He disappeared from view and watched as she entered the Heart of the Keep. He could tell that she was amazed by what she was seeing, and she was one of the two none divine people to ever step foot within this sacred place. Quietly he blinked behind her as she started to search for him. ”So you have decided, I am glad. You are the only one besides my betrothed that have seen this place. Even the Rangers have never seen it.

He was sure that he may have confused her some, as he did say that the Rangers were chosen by Flidais as well. But they never came to this place, as he initiated them within the great hall with their cloaks. ”The heart is the center of my realm. The mana that flows through all of it starts here. The waters are alive by it, and this tree thrives in conditions like no other. Everything in this place is sacred to me, its sacred ground.” The mood that lined his words were far more serious than that when they had first met. The birds in the tree had stopped chirping and were looking at her their eyes all illuminated by the blue mana that flowed and lit up the surrounding edges of the chamber. ”The wilds are watching..we are watching.”

He disappeared for a brief moment before he reappeared only inches away from her. He was trying not to frighten her, he was testing her resolve himself. ”Why? Why did you accept, I’m sure your familiar there warned you,” again he disappeared and this time was behind her, ”The dangers could be great, and people may want to take advantage of that knowing who you will be serving. Can you defend yourself if it comes to that? Can you fight foes who are more than mere brigands?” The atmosphere in the area was becoming darker, and threatening as the eyes of the birds never once left her. He then reappeared in front of the tree between the two.

”Are you willing to fight and die for beliefs of a god you just met? You a noble elvish woman, who before this day never had heard of me? Are you willing to defend the creatures of the wild with your own hands?” His voice was harsh. Words that were cutting through the thick air as the water that surrounded the water flowed faster than normal. ”I did not bring you here to be a simple Ranger, no that is not what you were destined for. We saw something greater in you, something else. You were to be my Champion, the Warden of the Wilds.”

    As he told Nelanna how precious this place was, she began looking it over once more. Certainly, she could feel it’s magical power, just as she could from him. And, she could understand why so few people had ever seen it. For a place so sacred, it was only natural to protect it from any possible threats, even if you feel you can trust a person enough to allow entry. You can never truly trust someone enough when it comes to something so precious. She smiled as she looked over everything for a second time. But then, that smile quickly fell the moment she heard his tone take a sudden turn, and the atmosphere changed. The birds went silent, their mana filled eyes illuminating, bearing down at her. His next words put her on edge.

Zanar suddenly vanished and reappeared inches in front of her, causing her to flinch and take a step back, her eyes wide. Her mind spun with confusion and a hint of doubt. And when he spoke, she froze. What was this? What was going on? The entire atmosphere had darkened. Her eyes darted around for any answers to her unspoken questions, until they finally laid on Kohaku. He was sitting near where they had entered from, his head a little low, but his amber eyes bearing into her. She couldn’t feel any hostility, nor alarm from him. Instead, she felt expectation with a mix of curiosity. At first, she thought his behavior was odd for him, until she tried to reach out to him through her psyche. “Why? Why did you accept?” His only words echoed what Zanar had asked, and then it hit her. She began to think, and thought hard.

Why did she accept? Curiosity never caused her to get involved into something so important, and she didn’t do it because she thought it would be fun or interesting. She had a reason, and needed to find it. Think…think! After picking her brain, she finally began to realize what it was she wanted. Not entirely what she wanted from him, but what she wanted as a whole. It was something she had always wanted, and it has been the very reason she learned defensive magic, healing magic, and took up a bow and sword.

She forced herself to calm down, and she raised her eyes to look at Zanar evenly, determination practically dripping from her eyes. “I took up books and scrolls to learn defensive and healing magic. Then, I took up a bow and sword to learn how to fight. I did all of this so that I may be able to protect those closest to me,” she began, placing a hand over her heart and clutching it into a fist. “I trained hard, day and night until I had mastered those arts. But now, I realize that protecting my loved ones isn’t enough,” her voice softened, and she smiled briefly to herself. “This world has given us all so much,” her smile vanished, her voice hardening. “And yet, there are those who tear it apart. They disrupt the peace and steal away happiness, taking away freedom. They take innocent lives and destroy all that this world has given us. I want to protect this world; it’s people, it creatures,” she paused to look back up at Zanar, the memory of her cruel parents flashing through her mind only strengthening her determination. They had torn her sister apart from her, and beat her until she had no choice but to run away.

“There are children being beaten, abandoned and starved. Families being torn apart. Animals being killed for sport and fun, their homes being destroyed. When I heard I could become a Ranger, I thought I could hone my skills and become even stronger than I am now. Because the way I am now, isn’t enough. I want to learn how to do this, even if I have to put my faith into a god whom I just met and know nothing about. I will fight until my final breath,” she paused for another moment to take a deep breath, feeling her entire body become empowered by her resolve. Words could not explain how much she wanted this. “I will do whatever it takes to fight for this world. So yes, I would kill more than just brigands, for they are not the only ones treating this world unjustly. I am more than willing to become your Champion and fight for you, if it means I can protect this world. And I shall do it all with my bare hands if I have to.”

Each word she spoke came directly from her heart, entirely unthought of. And each word rang true. It wasn’t the power that came with being a Champion that she wanted. Ever since she was a child she had felt this way, mainly because of the torment her parents had put her elder sister and her through. She never wanted anyone to have to experience such a thing. And through her travels and journeys she had witnessed countless unjust acts, heinous crimes and unbearable suffering. It was then that she had decided that this dream of hers to protect would no longer remain a dream, for she would make it a reality. It was then that she learned how to fight.

She glanced over at Kohaku, and noticed he still looked the same as earlier, only this time his eyes were softer, and she could feel a sense of pride coming from him. Clearly he was pleased by her reasons, but was Zanar?