Chapter Ten

Three Years Ago...

"Hello, my lady. Would you be so kind as to marry me?" Cid asked, presenting a ring. It was made of grass, with a little daisy worked into it in place of a gemstone.

"So gallant of you, my lord," I said, curtsying with exaggerated elegance. I accepted the pretty ring he offered. Cid's so silly. He's asked me to marry him at least once a week for the last five years. His rings were getting much better though. Slipping this one on, it fit perfectly. I admired the extraordinary flower that now adorned my finger. It made me giggle. Cid smiled, giving me his goofiest grin.

"Alright you, time to get serious. Adventures afoot," I said eagerly. Gramps had left us to play in the area around the old stone bridge leading into the Enchanted Forest. He had some important stuff to do over there, but wouldn't let us come with him. He never did. So unfair too. I'm an adventurer. How can I adventure if I can't even go somewhere as wonderful and mysterious as the Enchanted Forest? Someday, I would go all over the Sanctum, even in there. No place would be off limits to me. Someday…

"Sure, but what adventure? The Grand Magnus told us to wait over here. I don't wanna get into trouble," Cid said.

"Come on Cid. Adventure is all around us. Gramps will understand. Maybe we can find those fairies again. Or the Mermaids. Might be able to see them if we head back to the river." Cid's eyes perked up when I said Mermaids. Boys.

"I guess. That sounds fun. But, can we avoid the fairies? They wouldn't stop blowing fairy dust in my eyes last time. And pulling my hair. And tying my shoelaces together." I laughed, remembering the fairies antics last time we were here. "Its not funny, Lizbeth. It was really annoying."

"Well, you shouldn't have called them cute."

"They are," Cid said defensively. "How was I supposed to know they were all boys?"

"I thought the one who tied your shoelaces together was quite handsome," I replied, teasing him. He pouted.

"Whatever," he said. "As long as I don't have to go through that again. Lets go back to the bridge. Maybe we will see some Mermaids from there."

We had moved a ways down the road leading to the bridge in our search for flowers. I had a couple in my hair, and Cid had even put an awesome one he'd found in the breast pocket of his shirt. He loves flowers almost as much as I do. I think he's embarrassed about it though. He only ever keeps one there, and always takes it off before we go home. Poor boys. I'm not embarrassed about being an adventurer. Even if some of the kids at the village tease me about it. Saying a girl can't be a true adventurer. That I was just playing at it. I'd show them though. I'd have adventures they couldn't even imagine.

"Race you there," I shouted, dashing off to take an early lead.

"Hey, no fair," he shouted after me.

Looking back as I ran; I saw him reach for his breast pocket, ensuring his flower was secure before racing after me. I couldn't blame him. It was a really cool flower. Was almost a shame to pick it, but this area was full of all sorts. We had been picking them for a long time, and they were still here. Should be fine. So many different varieties to choose from. Some that wouldn't even grow outside the Sanctum in this area of the world. They come in many different colors, sometimes ones that aren't true to species. Even multi-color, where normally they would be only one. The daisy I wore on my finger was pure white in the center, each petal a different color like a rainbow surrounding it. I've never seen anything like it outside the Sanctum. Those are rare too. Somehow, Cid always finds the best ones. Every time. The daisy and the one he wore now were proof. The best one I'd found today was a deep purple plumeria, with tiny yellow dots. The color was not solid, so the different shades of purple along with the dots made it look sort of like a little galaxy. The overlapping petals of the flower gave the galaxy a spiraling shape. I guess I couldn't complain. It was pretty awesome. Cid had found a sunflower that literally looked like the sun. Even the seeds were the right color. It almost seemed to be generating light. It looked super awesome, like he was wearing the sun on his chest.

We made it back to the bridge. I won. My legs are longer than Cid's, my head-start ensuring my victory. Sadly, there were no Mermaids. There was, however, a large brown rabbit sitting halfway down the bridge. It thumped its foot several times when it saw us.

Cid was staring down the bridge at it. "Is that… That's the same rabbit, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I think so." I wasn't sure how I felt about seeing this particular bunny. It had a white spot on one ear, and a black one on the other. We'd run into this one—or one just like it—a few times in the past. Our adventures tended to take a turn whenever we followed it. Usually for the worse.

Last time, the fluffy thing had led us to a stash the Gnomes had set up. There were a bunch of weapons inside, but me and Cid just thought they were toys. They were abnormally small, even small to us. Kid size. We took them home, not realizing till later they were actually razor sharp. Real weapons. We got into quite a bit of trouble for that. Luckily no one was hurt. Much. The Gnomes weren't very happy about it either. Let me tell you, getting bitten by a Gnome is not much fun. It hurts. That was one of our more pleasant excursions that occurred after following this bunny.

Though, I did find out later that the Gnomes had been planning to use those weapons to attack the Tinker Elves. If we hadn't taken them, something bad could have happened. It had all been a misunderstanding too. The Little Goblins had played one of their pranks, as usual, but had obviously taken it too far. The Tinker Elves had the blame placed on them, and everything had been blown out of proportion. Everything ended up fine, but I shudder to think what might have happened. Between such normally peaceful folk too.

These thoughts crossed through my mind as I watched the large rabbit hopping up and down in the center of the bridge. It thumped its foot several times, spun in place, and took off to the other side of the bridge. When it got there, it turned around to resume its bouncing.

"Don't even think about it, Lizbeth. We can't go in there. We can't. Can not," Cid said. He may have had a slight note of panic in his voice. He looked at me, shaking his head, eyes wide and pleading.

I took off after the rabbit, shouting behind me as I ran. "Sorry Cid. Adventures afoot." And it was. I couldn't turn down an adventure when it had fallen so perfectly onto my lap. It was as if the forest was calling to me. It just better not end up as bad as those other times.

"Lizbeth," Cid shouted after me. "Stooooop," he bellowed, but it was too late. I finally had a chance to prove myself. To show that I was an actual adventurer, in truth as well as in name. Into the Enchanted Forest, where adventure awaits those brave enough to seek it.

Cid didn't follow me. I don't blame him. His dad is strict to the point of insanity. Scary too. Hes a powerful Warden, one of their regional commanders. You can tell, just by looking at him. Not a man you want to anger. He would put stripes on Cid if he heard he'd wandered into the Enchanted Forest without permission. I wont be much better off, but Pops is too busy with his experiments, and Mom… well, I'd cross that bridge when it came up.

The rabbit had taken off when I'd started running, and it was fast. There was no road on this side of the bridge. Only a small path leading off at an angle to my right, into dense forest. That was the direction of the Wood Elves fortress. Where Gramps had gone. The rabbit had raced off straight ahead, and I followed.

He didn't go far before stopping beside a tree. Running parallel with the forest as I followed, the forest now jutted out to spread in front of me. Thick with trees and brush, it would not be easy to travel through. Slowing to a walk, the rabbit thumped his foot a few times as I approached. It bounced once, then disappeared into the tangled brush. Standing there, hands on my knees, I struggled to catch my breath.

"Ah, a little Guardian," came a voice from the branches above me. I did not jump out of my skin. It was just a little hop. The rabbit had made it look like fun, that's all. Looking up, I was in time to see a small figure drop from the branches. She fell lightly and gracefully to the ground, as if the several meter fall had been nothing at all. She was slight, barely taller than me. Still, I stared in wonder.

"What could one such as yourself be about?" She considered me closely. "Uninvited too, unless my eyes deceive me. This is no place for children, little Guardian."

My mouth hung open, my eyes wide. I had heard so much about these people, yet I had never seen one before. "Are, are you…" I couldn't get the words out, utterly in awe.

"I am, as you call us, a Wood Elf. Yes." She smiled at me sweetly. She was absolutely gorgeous. Her features sharp, her skin smooth as silk. Her voice a slow, steady song. Her eyes were raised ever so much, deep with the knowledge of ages. Her ears long and pointed. They were framed by her long, flowing brown hair, which was braided about her head and festooned with greenery and flowers. Her garb was unlike any I had seen. The material—all greens and browns—was unknown to me. It seemed to be a combination of armor and traveling wear.

"I... I've never…" I still couldn't get the words out.

"Never seen my people before?" she laughed, the sound a chorus of songbirds. "I'm not surprised. Seeing as how you have not been invited to venture here before. It seems I must ask again. What business does a human have here? Rabbit hunting, mayhap?"

I stared at her adoringly. I couldn't help myself. Her expression changed as I did. She looked like she wasn't quite sure what to make of me. I shook off my awe, starting to feel embarrassed. And a bit nervous, since I really hadn't been invited.

"No. I mean, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be here. It's just. I wasn't hunting the rabbit. Just following it. That's all," I finished, rather lamely.

"Ah. A good chase can be fun. But be warned little Guardian. You may not enjoy falling into that ones rabbit hole." She glanced back where the rabbit had vanished. "Interesting…" she said, looking back at me critically. She glanced to the side, towards where the fortress must be. "Why were you following our furry friend there? Have you encountered him before?"

"Well, yes. A couple times, actually." I said, frowning. "I was looking…" I trailed off, considering how lame this answer might be to an actual Wood Elf. I looked at the ground and muttered, "I wanted an adventure."

"An adventure? Interesting indeed. Is that, truly, your desire?"

"Yeah. It is. You see, I'm sort of an adventurer. A real one. I'm not pretending," I said, still sounding lame to my own ears. I was still looking down, not wanting her to see right through me.

"Look at me, little Guardian," she said. Her voice hadn't lost its sweetness or song, but now had a power in it I could not disobey. My eyes traveled to her face. She took my chin lightly in her hand, staring deep into my eyes. Her eyes! Like windows into the distant past. A wellspring of worlds that had come and gone, filled with places that would never be again. Eyes filled with knowledge far beyond the understanding of men. Deep within them; shining forth and encompassing all, a love for everything that grows. Not just for our world. For all the worlds that have been, are, or will ever be. I wept.

"Oh, child. I should have known. Please, forgive me." She placed a hand on my shoulder, wiping tears from my face with the other. "Now I have seen. Again I will ask. Is an adventure your honest desire?" Nodding eagerly, not willing to risk speaking just yet. I wiped more tears from my eyes. I had to get control of myself. I did wonder why she apologized. I don't know if I had ever seen something so wondrous before in my entire life. It had been pretty intense though.

Composing myself, I answered firmly, "Yes. That is why I'm here. Why I entered the Enchanted Forest. Seeking adventure. To prove myself." That last bit slipped out.

"To prove yourself... To show off your strength? Boast of it to your fellows? Adventures are not for the proving. Not the kind that are likely to find you, little Guardian. I fear you do not truly grasp all that the word entails." She was looking at me critically again.

"I know what adventures are," I said, a little defensively. "They're exploring the unknown. Meeting new folks, and helping them if they are in need. Fighting off evil wherever you find it."

"So you do know, in part. Do you understand that to attempt such adventure is to risk your very life?" I frowned. I hadn't ever considered dying on an adventure. Who would?

"My life?" I asked.

"Yes, child. With many adventures, that's what is at stake. With some, the lives of others may depend on your actions. To call yourself a true adventurer, you must be willing to give your life. If you are not, or your desire is selfish, your will to see it through to its end may crumble. For this adventure, a misstep such as that could doom us all. Are you willing to risk your life?" I nodded. "Will you put the lives of others before your own?" I nodded again. "For that is the only kind of adventure I have to offer. You are still young, so very young. You need not take up this quest." I shook my head. She smiled. "Still, I must ask, for the need is great. First you must fully understand the cost. What is at stake. To understand, you must gain knowledge. This, I shall give you, if that is your wish." I nodded, eagerly this time. Nodding back, she granted it. "A threat has long been dormant in this land. Far to the north and west it wakes. It will spread, consuming all in its path. It is not a thing of our Ilu. It does not belong. It must be removed, a task I cannot complete on my own. Placed there by the hands of a mortal, a mortals hand is required to vanquish it. Alien to us, we cannot truly understand the limits of its power, or its capabilities. The danger is far greater than you can possibly know. So, thrice I ask, and done. Do you, Elizabeth Kanti Teargwed, burdened with this knowledge, still wish to travel with me to the place this evil persists? Will you do all in your power, risk your life, knowing none may learn of your deeds? Tell me true, for the lives of all those you love, all those who dwell in these lands, all those who call this Kemen their home, may require your sacrifice so that they may live. Will you join me in this?" Holding her hand out to me, I knew that to clasp it would be to seal my fate. My hand was shaking as I raised it to do just that.

"Yes, I will do all in my power. If it's to save my family and friends, I'll risk even my life. I'll die to protect them," I said, my voice strong. Even with all she had just told me, I felt emboldened. The danger certainly sounded far greater than I had considered, but this was the true adventure I had been seeking. If peoples lives were at stake, all the more reason to do all I could. I didn't want to die though.

The Wood Elf nodded, sounding a piercing whistle that carried far. "We must make haste. Time may be of great importance in this endeavor. Unexpected as your arrival was, it may be the very thing that saves us all. I warned my people that to wait could mean our end. They wouldn't listen, seeking first to take council with your Elder. Long now they have spoken, yet no action has been taken. It is up to us, little Guardian. Fear not, our ride comes," she said, as I started backing away. A large creature was moving through the forest towards us. The noise had startled me. I stopped at her assurance, as a giant elk emerged from the trees. A real giant elk. I had no idea how it could have fit through the dense forest. Two feet taller than a normal elk, it was one of the largest creatures I had ever seen this close.

"Come, child, we must away. The journey is far. I fear we must make it there before nightfall. Hours of hard riding lay ahead of us." She stood stroking the great beasts flank for a moment, then vaulted into the saddle. It was incredibly impressive, since the elks back was above the height of her head. "Take my hand." She reached way down, and I cautiously approached the monster elk to grasp it. With incredible strength, she easily lifted me to sit behind her. "Hold on tight." Without any sort of command, the elk took off. Covering ground faster than I would have believed possible.

In moments, we were crossing the bridge, leaving the Enchanted Forest behind us. As we blurred past, I caught a glimpse of Cid still waiting at the end of the bridge. His mouth was wide, as were his eyes. He spotted me, his look of astonishment becoming flavored with worry. I barely heard his forlorn shout as he called my name. That reminded me of something.

"How do you know my name?" With the whipping of the wind and the thumping beat of the elks hooves, I nearly had to shout my question into her ear as I hugged the Elf tightly with both arms.

"I know much of your family, little Guardian." She added extra meaning to the title guardian. She must know my grandparents, the current Guardians. And Gramps of course. That made sense. "I seem to have you at a disadvantage. I have not shared my name." I nodded, my face pressed against her shoulder. "You may call me Glenrhyell. That is how I am known among your kind."

"Thank you," I said, not knowing what else to say. Realizing I still didn't know exactly where we were going, I asked loudly, "Where is this… evil?"

"You know of the ruined tower far north of your families home?"

"Yes. Gramps told me never to go there. That it was a bad place. I saw it once from really far off. Gave me the creeps."

"He was wise to warn you so. It is an odious place. Terrible deeds were done there in days long past. The taint of those atrocities remains even now. There the evil we seek resides."

I stopped speaking, as we flew like the wind. Lost in my thoughts, and the incredible, unforeseen adventure I found myself in. I thought of Glenrhyell's words. Could an adventure be as dangerous as she had said. To me, adventures had always been just a new exciting challenge. They were tough sometimes, but more fun than dangerous. Then I thought of what I had said. About fighting evil wherever I found it. Had I really just thought evil things would lay around and let me beat them? I had never considered what it would be like to face something evil. The worst creatures I had run into were the Little Goblins. They aren't exactly nice, yet they certainly aren't evil. More mischievous. They may go too far on occasion, but they rarely hurt anyone. I'd never had to risk my life on one of my adventures before. I'd never had to face anything truly evil. I wondered what this evil could be. What enemy could possibly pose such a threat to the entire Sanctum? My mind created all sorts of hideous things to fill the void that represented this new foe. When we finally arrived at our destination hours later, I discovered just how unqualified my imagination truly was when it came to envisioning evil.

The ruined tower was not as I remembered it. In fact, it was gone. In its place, dark protrusions jutted from the ground. They spread out in a circle from where the ruined tower had once stood crumbling as the centuries past. Only the thick outer walls of the once hulking structure remained. These too were covered in pitch black obtrusions that jutted out at all angles. They looked like long, unnaturally crooked arms, or rigid tentacles. Or maybe some nightmare version of branches, protruding from the ground like jagged lighting. They didn't look, correct. Like they were trying to mimic something they didn't understand. The angles were impossible. The mass seemed to shift ever so slightly, as if a wind were stirring them from every direction. Yet there was no wind. In any direction. When I looked away, then back, I swear the things had shifted. The protrusions closest to us, at the edge of the dark circle, were smaller than those deeper in. Much smaller than those behind or on the wall. I looked at the smaller ones, and I could see them getting bigger right before my eyes.Seeing them now, I understood completely what Glenrhyell meant when she said they did not belong here.

Glenrhyell said something in a harsh tone, but I didn't catch the word. "This surpasses my greatest fears. It must have long lain in wait, gathering itself to spread far before it could be countered. We must hurry, there is no time to lose," she said urgently, reaching back to grab my hand, lifting and setting me gently on the ground. I was trembling. This was way, way more than I had bargained for. "Conquer your fear, little Guardian. This is our purpose. We must stop it from extending to cover this Kemen." She dropped from the back of the elk, taking my shoulders with her hands. "Are you with me?" Nodding, I was reduced to speechlessness once again. I stared at her wide eyed, knowing terror must be clearly written across my face. "You must ready yourself. Once we go in there, we cannot retreat until our task is complete. Remember, that thing is a threat to all beings of this Kemen, maybe our entire Ilu. If we cannot stop it here, it will continue to multiply, to the ruin of all life. Even now, it's power increases. Can you not feel it?" I did, which was why I was so horrified.

"That… What can. What can I do against that?" I asked desperately, staring towards the center of the hideous monstrosity.

"Much and more, little Guardian. Strength and power you have, more than you know. More important than those by far, your heart." She placed a hand over my heart, closing her eyes. "Filled with love. For your family. For the Sanctum. For the people that learn, the plants that grow. For all that lives. Hold that in your heart. Nurture that love. It will protect you in this darkness." She reached behind her back. When she brought it forward, she was holding a magnificent longbow. Where it had come from, I do not know. With her other hand, she drew a long knife from her belt.

"I don't. I don't even have a weapon," I said, feeling extremely unprepared for what lay ahead of us. I hadn't even begun any real training with my magic. I wouldn't start until the coming spring, when the new term begins. I only knew how to control my mind and power, not how to employ it.

"You are the weapon, little Guardian," she said with a reassuring smile. "I will equip you with all you need. When the time comes," she assured me. Then added as if to herself, "I will need it for now, or my power will wain before we can break through to the bowels of this chaos."

I was still well past terrified. Closing my eyes, I tried the exercises I had learned to clear my mind, calm my emotions. They didn't help. Then, I began to see faces. Cid. Gramps. My mother and father. My brother. My little sisters. All my family. The villagers right outside the Sanctum. Even the mean boys who had teased me. They could all die. If I failed, it would be my fault. I had agreed to come here, to help Glenrhyell to put an end to this corruption. This was my adventure. It wasn't what I had imagined, yet it was mine. Glenrhyell said she could not accomplish it alone. That was why I was here. To save everyone I love. To save those I hadn't ever met. So they could have a chance to keep living. What was my life compared to all that? My fear wasn't gone, but I would not let it rule me. If I did, how could I possibly survive? I began to realize that to give in to fear, is to give up on life. I hardened my resolve. I would do what was necessary, no matter the cost.

"I'm ready. Just… Just tell me what to do," I said. My voice was much steadier, if not brimming with confidence.

She nodded. "Follow close behind. Not so close as to hinder my movements. Stay as far as you can from those, protuberances. I will clear the path. Then, it will be up to you."

I had no idea what she meant, that it would be up to me. I nodded anyways. My mind was set. Without another word, she took off at a steady pace towards our aberrant enemy.

We reached the obstructions, our way barred by the many arm, tentacle, branch things that protruded from the ground. Up close, I could see they were not actually moving. Still they were a perversion to the very laws of our universe. Like they did not need to physically move to crush you. I could feel their presence, as if they could reach into my soul. Past them, I could see the entry into the courtyard that lead to where the tower once stood. Glenrhyell pointed a ways behind herself and to one side. I caught her meaning, and stood in that spot to wait. She studied the nearest projection. It seemed to pulse with a feeling of sinister portent. As if it were breathing in alien power before it enlarged, exhaling pure hatred. Unable to see Glenrhyell's face, her posture and movements all I needed to know her revulsion for what lay before us. Quick as lightning, she slashed her long knife at it. Just as quick, the thing blurred into motion. It seemed to move in all directions at once, my eyes not comprehending what they had seen. I gasped in despair. Glenrhyell was gone.

"Tsk," she said from behind me. I sighed in relief. She must have dodged out of its path. "Disgusting," she said, and tossed her knife to the ground. Its blade was gone. Entirely gone. That did not bode well for us.

"You can't hurt it?" I asked, maybe a little desperately.

"Oh, I can hurt it. But only with a power equal to or greater than its own." She pulled an arrow from her quiver. Where had that come from? "When I fire, follow after me quick as you can. I can not be sure what will happen when I unleash this power. You can be sure our enemy will protect itself. Stay close." She set arrow to string. With one fluid motion, she drew back and let loose. The moment the arrow left the string, she shouted a word. The word was muffled and did not register to my mind, as if what she said and what I heard were two different sounds. Her arrow burst into flame with the utterance. It flew through the vile projections climbing from the ground, straight through the open gate. All that the white flame touched turned to ash. The smallest brush of the flame destroyed the things entirely. The fire did not spread further, yet our path was clear. We could see now, into the courtyard. To what stood at its center.

"That is our target," she shouted, running through the newly cleared path. "The source, from which this excrescence is derived. Those I have destroyed are but echoes of it. Its will their master." My horror grew as I ran, realizing the branch tentacle things were now moving on either side of us. "Unless it is vanquished, it will never cease to exude this foul blight. Alien power from another Ilu shall continue to surge into ours, to the ruin of all. My Elennar will not harm it, only its spawn can I destroy. It is the Never-Tree. Your task is upon you, little Guardian." We had reached it. Never-Tree was as good a name as any for the monstrous thing that emerged from the ground in front of us. Attempting to describe it in detail could drive one insane. Thick at its base, wrapping my arms around it would not cover half its girth. Towering high above us, what could be mistaken for branches began to spread, separating from the 'trunk' well over our heads.

I looked around, not wanting to gaze on the abysmal thing any longer. Erratic jerks comprised the movements of the echoes all around us. Moving unnaturally, they seemed to ignore the laws of physics. Waving around without traveling through the intervening space. Reaching for us, as if they hungered for our destruction. Behind us… Oh glob. Behind us, covering the ground, pitch black nubs oozed from its surface. Looking like nothing so much as snot hanging out a persons nose. Upside down. As if gravity were reversed. Seeming to dangle upwards, they were enlarging with every second that passed. They were under me! No, no, no no no. We were trapped in here. Trapped! What were we going to do? What could we do? What was this thing going to do to us?

"Elizabeth, Kanti, Teargwed," Glenrhyell said, a soft power caressing me as she spoke my Name. "Your fear will not avail you. Conquer it, for all that you love." Reaching into a pocket at her breast, she clasped tight to what she removed. Soft light emanated from her hand, though it was firmly shut. Wherever it illuminated, the ooze turned to dark smoke. The not-branches around us leaned away from its glow. Even so, I could feel their hunger for destruction increase. Taking my hand in hers, she opened it. Glenrhyell transferred the source of the light into my hand. Firmly closing it, she said, "Take this. You will need it to approach, and banish this adversary. Use it upon the Never-Tree. Its alien existence abhors what you hold, and all it represents. With it, you can force the Never-Tree from our Ilu, back into its own. Remember, your true strength comes from your heart. Bring that strength forth, and your fear shall crumble. You will survive. Go, quickly. I will keep you protected for as long as I can." She gave me a gentle push towards the Never-Tree. I moved, the twang of her bow and the unrecognized word coming to my ears as she fired into the swarming pitch black mass all around us. White hot flame illuminated everything, sending hideous shadows in every direction.

My fear was strong. I wasn't. I couldn't do this. Stand up to something that didn't even belong in my world? Who was I kidding. There was nothing I could do. It was just too much. Glenrhyell had chosen the wrong person. I had doomed us all.

"Your heart," she shouted. "You must trust in your heart."

My heart? My heart was just an organ, how could it help me here? Did she mean my blood, pumping through my veins as my heart beat? No, that isn't what she meant. I closed my eyes. My heart… It came to me, in a flash of images. The faces of all those I love. That was my heart. Warmth rushed into me from my closed hand. Opening my eyes, I lifted my arm before me. I opened my hand. In it, lay a star. Light bright as the sun, yet soft as the moon shown from it. Even the Never-Tree seemed to lean away from its radiance. Looking into the stars depth, understanding of it came to me in an instant. I knew it utterly, as it knew me.

"Do it now, child," Glenrhyell bellowed in desperation. I could still hear the twang of her bow, the word she shouted with each shot. I could almost understand it this time. "You must do it now."

Her shout cut through my moment of insight. I could remember little of it. But I knew that what I held was no star. It was a seed. The seed of a tree. One so mystical it surpassed my imagination. Looking past my hand, I stared at the Never-Tree. Holding the seed firmly, turning my hand, I bathed the Never-Tree with its light. The light that was a power. A power that represented a love for life without equal. Nothing happened.

"What do I do?" I screamed. "Nothings happening."

"Find its heart. The nexus of its power. Find the point where its essence pumps into our Ilu."

Looking back at her, I saw the things were enlarging far more quickly now. Her flaming arrows could only destroy so many at a time. Those nearest to me were inching ever closer, the light from the seed only prolonging the inevitable. Returning my gaze to the Never-Tree, I could see nothing that remotely resembled a heart. Nothing was pumping. It was entirely pitch black, no deviations. I cried out in fear and desperation, "Its heart? The nexus of… I don't… I don't know what you mean."

"Its heart must be hidden," Glenrhyell screamed, still firing arrows. "To find it, you must See."

I must see? I could already see it. It was right in front of me. Understanding hit me. No. No, no. No no no no no no. Anything but that. There was nothing in the universe I wanted to do less than glimpse this Never-Tree with my Sight. Looking upon it fully? Searching for the origin of its power? This was going to hurt. A lot. Why me?

"You must do it now,"

The rising panic in Glenrhyell's voice spurred me into action. There was no time left. I had no choice but to act. This was my sacrifice. Lowering my head, closing my eyes, I opened the Sight. I Saw the Never-Tree. My head exploded with pain, invaded by the terrible hatred for life that was all this thing embodied. It tore at my mind, trying to unmake me. Without the seed, I wouldn't have remained conscious as I Saw the thing for what it truly was. A slow, steady warmth flowed through me, keeping me in the present. Searching the Never-Tree through my pain, I found what I sought. There, in its thick base, was a gnarly knot hole, like some wretched old tree. I could See the alien essence as it was pumped into my universe. My mind reeling, I almost lost it. I couldn't move, though I knew I must act, or condemn all I love to this lifeless void. Despair had begun to take control of me, when the seeds warmth pulsed in my hand. Together? Yes. Together. I calmed, the seed lending me its strength. Together, we moved my hand. As one, we plunged it directly at the gaping hole. The seed touched it, passing through, its light flaring brighter than ever before. My hand touched the Never-Tree, pain exploding inside me at the contact. My body felt consumed by it. Before my eyes, the Never-Tree imploded upon itself, banished. As it was forced back to where it belonged, I closed my sight, losing myself as I fell into an all consuming darkness.

"Oh, my dear, dear child," a voice said above me. Cracking my eyes as wide as I could, I saw Gramps through the narrow slits.

"Old Wizard?" My head was pounding. What had I done? Hadn't I been with Cid, searching for flowers? "Why does my head hurt?"

"Old Wizard? Hmm… that's a new one. Not Gramps any longer?" he said, amusement creeping into his worried voice.

"No. Your still Gramps. Just, thought that worked too. Been meaning to try it out. I think it fits you," I said weakly. He laughed. Opening my eyes a bit further, I could see I was laying in his arms. Was he carrying me like he had when I was a little girl? Why? And what was that steady, cold breeze. Tilting my head forward, I looked out. I could see a large wing, the ground far beneath us. Were we flying? What was going on?

"It certainly does, dear child. I was worried for a moment. I don't want you growing up too fast on me. Though, after what you did today… but lets not speak of that at present. What could have possibly possessed that Elf into taking you on such a perilous task? Still, you have proven yourself no child, my dear. A true Teargwed, and no mistake," the Old Wizard said, his voice full of pride.

Smiling, I soared on his adulation. Then I considered. What had I done to prove myself? I racked my memory. I immediately wished I hadn't. I Saw the Never-Tree. That terrible image sent me back, into the darkness.