Grey clouds hang over the green canopy of the dense forest of Cymbal, where the vegetation grows dense among the lakes and foothills underneath the thick foliage of branches. Once a haven for animals and people alike, now ruin has befallen Cymbal Forest, its plant life slowly corroding away and the animals emigrating south in search for safety. At the centre of the forest, amongst fallen Oaken trees there sits a single tree, its trunk a light brown shade of wood with several types of birds and critters occupying its crown a lone druid has made a home for herself.
“It seems that the corrosion is spreading faster than the elders had excepted, I need to get this information to the four courts before the whole forest is lost!” the young druid thinks, the sense of dread enveloping her as a blanket of fear.
Thinking to herself for a few moments she steels her resolve and chants for a moment and from nothing a large elk is summoned before her amongst a cloud of white vapor.
Grabbing her staff, she jumps atop the elk and in a hasty speed head away from her home towards the south where the druidic leylines are connected. these leylines are magical sources of natural energy where proficient druids can warp between the several sacred forests spread across the world.
After about thirty minutes of traveling Elaine and her steed rested at one of the many lakes that were spread out across the vast forest. Surrounding the lake was a small clearing filled with a colourful flowerbed of varying colours and species, varying from wild flowers to berry bushes and some mushrooms hiding near the moss-covered roots of the trees. Elaine slid down the side of her steed and guided it to the lake for a brief pause in their journey. Walking over towards the elk Elaine leans down towards the water to quench her thirst.
Taking several large gulps of water, she notices some leaves stuck in her hair, staring at herself in the reflection. Her dark brown shade of hair tied into a single braid that reaches down to her chest, her outfit consisting of several patches of a thin fabric stitched together in a makeshift half dress, half combat outfit fit for both long range and close combat fighting against animals, and humanoid foes. She looks up towards her face, noticing that her scar, a cut wound reaching across her nose ridge vertical beneath her eyes, from her younger days have slowly faded away and is barely noticeable unless in the glaring sun. The most striking future according to Elaine is her eyes, oceanic blue her mother had always told her they resemble, but she had never ventured outside the Cymbal Forest, except once, and she had to pay dearly for that mistake.
“Elaine, stop reminiscing about the past, what is lost is lost, Nyalith is right, you need to focus on the present moment.” Elaine thinks, trying to brighten the mood. Unsure of the solution to her current problem in regards to the forest she remembers a suitable guide to her predicament and with a short incantation a small dark blue magic circle appears above her cupped hands. Seeing the success of the incantation she leans in and speaks her message into the circle.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Layla, Elis, can you meet up with me quickly? I need some help” Elaine soft voice reaches into the magic circle. Finishing her sentence, she makes a hand signal with both hands and the magic circle disappears in a flash of particles.
A few minutes after the message was sent out Elaine sees the all too familiar bright lights emanating next to her and in the air suddenly two small winged beings were floating next to her. A soft smile appeared on Elaine as she saw her two friends once again. The one on the right called Layla was a small fairy with a pair of translucent wings, adorning her small body a colourful dress in all the colours of the rainbow. In comparison to the fairy equivalent of a flower bouquet Elis had a simple white dress with blue and red markings along the arms and sides of the small fairy.
“Elaine! It’s been so long since you called us, what gives?” The small fairy called Layla shouts aloud with excitement before flying towards Elaine and giving her a hug on her cheek.
Returning the hug Elaine explains that the northern parts of the forest have recently been acting strange and she needs to inform the elders in time. Layla, confused by Elaine’s problem looks at Elis for explanation.
“Layla, Elaine has a big problem regarding the forest and she needs to get to the courts where the arch druids are located and she needs our help in getting to the big energy circle in the southern part of Cymbal” Elis explains to Layla.
Understanding the two fairies’ assignment Layla jumps away from Elaine’s cheek and begins flying along with Elis towards the south with Elaine on her summoned elk right behind them.
Several hours pass and finally the trio arrive at the leylines located in Cymbal, jumping of the elk and with a short hand gesture the elk evaporates in the familiar white vapor the elf and her two companions have a small chat before Elis and Layla both begin shimmering in a bright light and leave Elaine standing alone before her destination. Walking towards the glade Elaine looks up towards the horizon and sees the large Oaktree casting a shade with its many branches across the entire glade its resting upon. Walking for a few minutes Elaine makes a small incantation and a light green aura envelope her as she cast a minor protection spell to protect her from the immense magical aura the glade has due to the concentration of leylines. Walking into the glade a sense of nausea hits her due to the concentration of magic she braces herself and ventures towards the large entrance that is carved into the trunk of the large Oaktree. Elaine’s eyes dart fervently between the dozens of runic engravings around the entrance, looking for the one of her destinations, The Hall of Trees.
“Where in Yaris locks is the rune located, even if there are seven divine forests across the world its simply stupid to have so many locations to have memory of” Elaine angrily shouts in her mind, irritated by the design of her folk’s transportation methods.
Looking for the right rune Elaine after a few minutes finally found the correct one, at the upper right corner of the entrance a dwarven runic symbol looking like a backwards r. Tapping the rune with her staff the rune lights up with bright lines and the other runes slowly over a few seconds begin lighting up until Elaine is standing before the entrance where before a dark entrance was located now a swirling mass of light green energy covers the entrance in a brilliant light.
“Here we go, hopefully they will listen to the concerns of the forest before their constant infighting over which spirit guardian they should perform rituals to” Elaine sighed in annoyance over the coming hour-long discussions.
Entering the swirling portal Elaine traverses the familiar path-ways from her youth when she followed her parents to the other forests and courts to mingle with the other elves of the forests, but now she is alone, and perhaps is the only one able to save her home.