Waving his wand around the dark room, he found himself in a snow-covered forest. Trees all around Harry glistened with ice. There was no movement in the forest. Not even a breeze a make the branches of the pines sway.
Harry walked down the path of the forest. The only sound was the sound of his footsteps, and the sound of his breath. The forest was deadly silent, and Harry got a quick chill (not from the cold) down his back. Harry felt as though someone was watching him. A quick rustling suddenly stopped Harry in his tracks. He held he wand high to illuminate the shadows in the trees... but there was nothing. Harry shook his head, thinking he's hearing things.
He stepped forward just to fall on his butt. He hit something, or actually SOMEONE. Harry turned his gaze above him. A tall dark individual stood in front of him wearing a long silver cloak, his face hidden by a shadow casting from the hood of his cloak. Harry stood up and placed his hand on his sword, just in case he wanted to fight.
The man lowered his hood and extended his hand to Harry, "Welcome to the Forest Vine. My name is Cecil. And who might you be?"
Cecil smiled at Harry. The mans' hair was long, tied in a braid down his back, but he looked only a few years older than Harry. Harry smiled back and shook Cecil's hand, "My name is Harry. What did you say this place was?"
"Forest Vine, Harry." Cecil replied, "You look cold. Would you like to join me for some tea?"
Harry shook his head, "Although that sounds wonderful right about now. I must continue moving. A friend of mine was captured and I have a long way to go." Harry looked around the forest, "Although. I don't know which way I should go!"
Cecil looked at Harry with a smile, "Who is your friend?"
"Her name is Elora. She's about my height with brown hair past her shoulders. A pretty face, beautiful brown eyes. Oh! And she has a gold and silver bracelet around her right wrist, with a flame design embedded on it." Harry told him.
Cecil laughed, "Sounds as though you like this girl." Harry coughed lightly, then Cecil continued, "I haven't seen this Elora girl, but I might be able to help you find her. Please Harry, join me for a moment at my cottage."
Harry nodded and followed Cecil down the path of the forest. Soon they reached a medium-sized wood cottage. Cecil opened the door for Harry and when Harry entered, he automatically felt warm. A fire burned in the chimney loft in the center of the cottage. A table placed near the fire covered with sweets and hot tea tantalized Harrys' taste buds. Harry wondered if Cecil expected company.
"Am I intruding on anything?" Harry asked Cecil as Cecil closed the door.
Cecil took off his heavy cloak and hung it on a rack near the door. "No. I was just about to sit to read a book when I saw you enter the forest. I usually don't get company you see."
"Ah, I see." Harry said, "Why do you live in the Maze exactly?"
Cecil took Harry's cloak for him and placed it near his own, "Well Harry. As you probably already noticed, the Maze is made of a long corridor with thousands of doors on each side."
"Yes, I did notice that Cecil. What's behind all the doors?" Harry asked.
Cecil led Harry towards the table and poured him a hot cup of tea. "Each door, Harry, is an entrance to different worlds. The one you entered is the 'Forest Vine'. I am the guardian of this forest. Been so since my father died." Cecil sat down and poured himself some tea.
Harry sipped his tea and felt as though his insides defrosted, he looked over towards Cecil who was dropping some cubes of sugar into his own tea. "Cecil, do all the 'worlds' behind the Maze doors have a guardian like you?"
Cecil laughed softly, "They have a guardian Harry. But many not as nice I am. A majority of the others are ruthless. Just be glad you entered my world. You could have easily ended up in the Desert Land, and met Magluck, the desert guardian. He would have buried you in few thousand feet of sand without saying a word."
Harry's eyes widened and almost choked on a biscuit, "Well. My appetites gone. Cecil, you said you can help me find Elora. I don't know who it was who captured her, and I don't know why, but I do know that she probably doesn't have a lot of time. I MUST find her!"
Cecil smiled, "I understand." Cecil rose from his seat, headed towards a large bookcase, grabbed a scroll off a shelf, and returned to the table. He handed the scroll to Harry. "This is a map of the Maze. Use your wand and this map to find your friend. Just ask the map where your friend is. That's it, although..."
Harry unrolled the map, "Although?"
Cecil cleared his throat, "Harry, the Maze is a dangerous place. A young boy like yourself shouldn't wonder off in these worlds without protection. That's why I'm asking if it were okay if I could come with you."
"No problem Cecil. You can join me." Harry smiled at him.
"All right!" Cecil exclaimed, "I mean.. thank you, Harry."
Harry placed the map down on the table, looked at his closely. He could see the corridor of the Maze with its many rooms. The door Harry entered had been labeled 'Forest Vine'. Inside the room two marks labeled 'H' (for Harry) and 'C' (for Cecil) shone.
"I'm guessing those blinking dots are us. Now... where is Elora?" Harry told no one in particular. Then suddenly the map rippled and moved to the right so that Harry and Cecil's locations were to the far left of the map and two other dots appeared. One labeled 'E' (for Elora) and another one that was labeled, 'I'.
"The dot labeled 'E' must be Elora. But who's this other dot?" Harry asked himself.
Cecil took a quick glance at the map and choked on his tea. "Iceabelle!"
"Who is Iceabelle?" Harry looked at Cecil.
Cecil grabbed the map from Harry, and looked at the map closely, "No no no! This is bad Harry. Harry, if your friend is with Iceabelle then she is in major trouble. We have to help her Harry! Iceabelle is the Ice Witch. She is a powerful being. I'm not sure your friend would stand a chance against her."
Harry pushed his tea away and stood up, "Then let's go!" He headed to the door to grab his cloak.
Cecil was right behind him. He handed Harry a heavier cloak from the rack. "You'll need this Harry." He then put on his own heavy cloak.
"Thank you Cecil." Harry said, and they were out the door quickly. Cecil held the map and pointed the way for Harry who held his wand for light.
Continued: Chapter 12 - Tri-Elements