I woke up to the faint humming of a woman. The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it. Opening my eyes, I realized who it was.
"Flemeth." I murmured. "Where am I?"
"Ah, you're in the Deep Roads."
"And where are we?" I clarified.
"We, child, are in the Arbor Wilds." A soft laugh.
The way she said it sounded like I should know what she was talking about. Sadly, I hadn't heard of this place yet.
"What are we doing here?" Pushing myself up into a sitting position.
"A surprise for both of us, I assure you." She stood, motioning for me to follow her.
I rose, going to her side. Taking in the scenery around us. Before us, a large stone bridge spanned the length of a deep ravine, statues of halla dotting the landscape on the other side. A thick fog surrounding everything else, hiding it from my eyes. Her, though, I was pretty sure she could see through it.
A grand, sweeping gesture. "This is Mythal's Temple."
"Your temple." It wasn't a question.
Elves in a thin, fine armor came from the fog, melting into sight.
"Yes." I could hear the smile in her voice.
When they were only a few feet away, they all went down on one knee, bowing their heads.
"It is an honor to be in your presence, Mythal."
"Rise. To your feet. There is no need to bow before me." It sounded like something she'd had to say multiple times and would probably continue to. People were just like that, never wanting to listen, when it came to how to treat you as their better.
The five men's eyes went to me, questioning expressions on their faces, after straightening to their full height.
Tallest flippin' elves I'd ever seen, let me tell you.
"Abelas, I bring a Champion."
That didn't sound good.
"Um. Excuse me?"
She reached out, her fingers brushing my forehead, and I suddenly wasn't standing with here anymore.
I was still here, but everything was smoking, the sides of the bridge crumbling. Some of the elves with us, dead at my feet. A large, looming shadow. A cackling, maniacal laugh that had the hairs all over my body standing on end.
A new shot, a little farther in the future. A pool of water, deep and crystal clear. At the edge of the pool, two feet came into view. Another hair-raising laugh.
Coming back to myself, I wiped at the blood trickling from my nose, only to find there wasn't any.
She'd either triggered the vision or straight-up given it to me, without causing the nosebleed. Interesting. I wondered idly if that was something I could learn to do.
"You want to protect the water." Again, not a question.
"Yes." A sad expression on her face, she gazed at the temple in front of us. "This will be desecrated in a few years' time, and I didn't want the Well to fall into the wrong hands."
"You said it was a surprise for you that you were here." I reminded her, sounding more than a little sassy to my own ears.
"Perceptive."
"I try."
"I was thinking on what to do, and then, suddenly, I was here. As were you." A secretive smile. "It seems the Well has chosen."
"What does the Well do?"
She began walking, toward the temple, and I shrugged at the elves who were looking at me. Trotted to catch up and fell into step beside her. We walked in silence, her waving her hand every few seconds at a wall, which opened up for us to pass through.
Eventually, we came across the Well.
"The Well of Sorrows." That sounded... ominous. "It carries memories."
"People's memories?" I stepped forward, looking down into it, like it was a pensive and I'd see a wisp floating around.
Sadly, no.
"Yes."
I felt a pull, falling to my knees. Heard whispers, calling out for someone to listen. Talking to nothing in particular. Retelling stories long since forgotten. Ancient knowledge that no one remembered.
"What... What would I have to do?" My hands itched to reach in and watch the water part around them.
"It's very simple. You'd just have to drink from it."
Drink from it...? I could do that. It would be easy.
Be careful. The soft voice in my head warned. Do not get lost in the memories.
The words, spoken to me directly, from my own head, broke the trance.
"There's more to it." I frowned, wrapping my arms around myself. Feeling chilled.
"Time and time again, you show your cleverness." From anyone else, that would sound like an insult, but from her? It came across as genuine. "In exchange for the knowledge, you will be unable to stand against me."
"That's the dumbed down version, I'm sure." I smiled, tone free of sarcasm. "Do you plan on taking over the world?"
"I do not." Another laugh.
"Good. Then, I don't really have any objections." Every time I was around her, I never had any bad feelings. No gut instincts against her.
Are you okay with this? I asked inwardly.
...This affects you, not me.
You're in me. As long as that's the case, it affects you.
That is true... Yes. I am okay with this.
Without a second thought, I stepped into the pool, drawn to do so. Move to stand in the center. Slowly sat, until the water was above my head, holding my breath. Strangely, I wasn't afraid. I was... calm. Peaceful, even. Something told me this wasn't like ordinary water, and I was right.
Inhaling, I breathed in... everything. The entire universe flew into my lungs, into my blood. My body. My entire being.
Whispers, shouts, screams. A cacophony, everyone jostling to be heard.
I willed them to fade to the background, something I'd gotten good at with the spirit. So, I could focus on other things.
And it worked.
They faded, one by one. Dozens by dozens. Hundreds by hundreds. All falling silent, until there was only the spirit.
That... I am... Pride swelled, coming from somewhere in my mind. Cresting like a wave and washing over me.
Thanks to you, I've gotten pretty good at that. I murmured my thanks to her.
"It is done." Flemeth, Mythal, Her voice came from just in front of me.
Opening my eyes, I found her crouching, almost eye level for me. A soft smile on her face.
"You are so strong, for one so small."
"It's the constant running to and from danger." My attempt at humor drew out a chuckle from the nearby elves. "Which I do. A lot."
"Abelas." The taller of the already tall elves came forward. "She is now the Well. Protect her, should she need it."
"We will do this." A nod, his eyes meeting mine.
"I've got to warn you, I run toward life-threatening situations. Pretty frequently. So, I hope you won't be there all the time. Because then, you'd just be attached at my hip." I held up my hands, shrugging.
"If you need us, you only have to call." He tapped his temple. "They will tell you how."
"Got it. Thank you. Abelas..." I heard a whisper. "Sorrow? That's a sad name."
"It is the name I have chosen for myself."
"Because you guard the Well of Sorrows?"
A faint smile was my only response.
I yawned, and the mage patted the top of my head. "I fear your time here is running out."
I didn't not like my head being patted...
"Well, I suppose this Well should say goodbye for now."
Judging from their expressions, none of them appreciated the joke.
Waking, I shot up into a sitting position.
"Whoa, there." Anders started.
"You were like the dead." Marian's face came into view, frowning. Much like everyone else. "We couldn't wake you."
"Yeah, that happens."
I gave myself a shake, the whispering almost swallowing me whole. Barely managing to tamp them back down again.
"Were we waiting on me?" Getting to my feet, rolling up my bedding, I packed away my things and glanced around. Ready. "Let's go."
Several long hours later, daylight at the end of the tunnel. Finally, after four days from our starting point of being locked down there, we'd reached the surface.