She rushed forward to take her staff from him. She had neglected the weapon since she’d stored it in her room after she arrived at the palace and hadn’t had an excuse to use it since then.
“Shall we?” he said, moving to a clear spot and setting his feet. Staff in hand, Lana mimicked his stance and they began to dance. It had been so long since she’d sparred with anyone, she was a little concerned she’d forgotten how but it all came back to her immediately. She blocked out all distractions and focused on Clay, looking for the tiny little clues that would say what he was about to do. A shift in his balance, his eyes darting a certain direction.
Their staves met again and again as they whirled around each other, the weapons moving so quickly they almost seemed to disappear at times. She leapt over his low attacks and ducked the high ones, using her staff to trip him up or disarm him when he was off balance. The physical exertion was very satisfying.
Finally, they had worn themselves out so they sat against the Great Tree to catch their breath.
“I haven’t sparred with anyone since you left,” she said, panting. “I think I needed that.”
Clay chuckled and put an arm around her, drawing her to him. As always, his touch made her aware of his emotions. With other elves, she was able to focus her mind so she wouldn’t notice, but with Clay she liked to experience his feelings from time to time. Right now, he was loving her, as he always was. Along with that feeling was something deeper, hotter that made her blush. And he was also just simply enjoying being with her.
She looked up at him. “I like the way you feel about me,” she said simply.
“I wish I could feel you in the same way,” he responded, trailing a finger down her cheek then along her jaw. He rubbed a thumb over her lips.
“I feel the same as you,” she said, placing her hand over his. “In every way.” Lana blushed at her forwardness. Clay grinned and pulled her to him to kiss her.
The moment their lips met, a dark cloud seemed to cover the sky. The garden had grown dim and quiet. Lana pulled away in alarm. Something had changed. What was it? She looked at Clay, frightened.
He stood up, fetching his quarterstaff and looking around, alert. Lana took her staff as well. Something was not right. Something was terrible. There was a feeling of menace in the air and all of the hairs on her arms were standing on end. It seemed like silence had blanketed the earth. Then suddenly she heard distant screams from the palace.
“Clay, something is happening! What is it?” She clutched at his arm but he was staring at the Great Tree, his face devoid of color. His quarterstaff dropped from nerveless hands and he fell to his knees.
“No…” he said hoarsely. “Lana, the tree… The Great Tree is dead! I can’t hear the tree!”
Lana ran to the tree and he was right. The aura of peace it exuded was gone. She touched the trunk, reaching for whatever spirit remained within it, desperate to find some flicker of life but there was none. Elves began pouring into the room, despair plain on their faces. They fell to their knees, weeping.
“What is going to happen, Clay? What will happen to us?”
He looked at her silently, tears running down his face. He shook his head. There was no hope for the elves, not any longer. The magic within the Great Tree that sustained them was gone.
Lana stood, holding her staff tightly in her hand and approached the tree. She suddenly felt something within her, some secret thing pushing to break free. She knew what it was. This was the time.
The elves and Clay watched her approach the Great Tree and lay a hand upon it. She stood tall and proud as only a princess can and looked up at the canopy above her. She opened her mouth and uttered a word, The Word. It was a word that meant life. It was a word that meant salvation. It was a word that meant power. No one would later recall what she’d said but they knew it was the single most important word that could ever be spoken.
Suddenly, Lana was bathed in a silver light, staff and all. She rose several paces in the air, shining like a second sun, casting an eerie light upon the dim garden. Her back was arched and her arms were flung wide but she kept hold of the staff. It felt as if something were burning her up from the inside but there was no pain. She knew the heat of it but she didn’t burn. She could feel this light in every nerve, every vessel in her body and it was good. It was pure.
She heard a voice in her mind, the woman from the woods, a voice that sounded like the chiming of bells.
“Child… it’s time. All hope is lost but you bring new hope for our people… Do you accept this charge? Will you be the savior of the elves, as I was? Answer wisely, for this famine and sickness is only the beginning. You may heal the elves and you may heal the land but the protection of the forest will be no more… You must prepare the elves to fight again, you must lead them into battle. Do you accept?”
Lana floated in the air, burning and reveling in the sensation. It was so distracting she almost couldn’t answer, but she did.
I accept.
* * *
Clay watched as Lana gently lowered to the ground. He was in shock. The scene he had just witnessed was so powerful he felt weakened by it, the magic in the air so thick he could taste it. Lana stood silently, looking at
