After purifying the ancient oak and the towering willow, I felt the toll of my efforts despite the trees returning the energy I spent. Deciding not to push myself further, I made camp at the base of the oak tree, which seemed more welcoming than the imposing willow, It was also my first tree friend, so It had priority! The squirrel and fox, now healthier and more vibrant, stayed close by, seemingly following me everywhere.

I looked up, expecting the night sky to greet me with its stars. Instead, the sky remained shrouded in the twilight of the dense fog surrounding the grove. It must have been night when I first woke, but the fog was so thick it obscured the sun, creating an almost perpetual dusk. Only the purified areas allowed some light to penetrate, casting a soft glow that made the surroundings feel more alive.

A sigh of contentment escaped my lips as I observed the patches of restored nature. Despite my exhaustion, the progress I had made filled me with a sense of accomplishment. The purified areas hinted at the grove's potential once fully restored. I felt a pang of sorrow for the corrupted creatures and plants; their plight evoked more sadness than fear when I first laid my eyes on the grove. Nobody, well, more like no creature, animal or plant or bird deserved to be controlled by some corrupt being, freedom was a treasure that lots of people didn't seem to know the value of until it was too late.

Settling under the oak tree, I allowed the gentle rustling of its leaves to lull me into a state of relaxation. The grove's subtle life energy wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. Closing my eyes, I let the day's weariness wash over me and soon drifted into a deep, restful sleep, the promise of a rejuvenated grove lingering in my thoughts.

A few hours later..

I was jolted awake by the sound of rustling bushes and hushed voices. It was now nighttime, and the darkness around the grove was more pronounced, with the faint glow of the purified areas providing the only light. I lay still, pretending to be asleep, as I listened to the voices just beyond the edge of the clearing.

"I swear, Alduin! I saw shimmering light all night" one voice said in a language I didn’t know, yet somehow understood. "Emanating from the cursed forest. And for the first time in decades, I felt a subtle life energy"

"Do you think it's true, then?" another voice replied. "What the elder said? That an ancient spirit is purifying the grove?"

"It must be!" the first voice insisted. "No other explanation fits. Look at the trees—some of them are coming back to life" this one seemed to finally notice me laying on the ground "This must be it, the ancient spirit!" He pointed at my direction.

"Should we get closer?" a third voice asked, sounding curious yet cautious.

"Are you mad?" the second voice hissed. "Interacting with such a pure spirit? What if you had a corrupted essence that you weren't aware of! You'd risk getting it corrupted?"

I quietly activated my spirit vision, looking in the direction of the voices. Through the darkness, I saw faint, semi-transparent forms with pointy ears—elves. Their spirits glowed with a healthy, uncorrupted light, unlike the corrupted creatures I had encountered before.

Curiosity got the better of me, i wanted to take a closer look, but i didn't want to alert them, so I quietly activated my kimono’s camouflage ability, blending into the environment. I watched as the elves moved closer to the edge of the purified area, their curiosity palpable. One of them suddenly noticed that I was missing from where I had been lying. "Where did he go?" the elf asked, confusion in their voice.

As the elves turned in all directions, trying to spot me, I silently climbed up a tree, then quickly used my whisper of wind ability to launch myself, landing behind them. On all fours, I crept up behind them, my senses alert and my gaze focused. My kimono’s camouflage allowed me to blend seamlessly with the environment, making me almost invisible.

The elves turned around just in time to see me appearing right behind them. My eyes widened in awe as I finally got a good look at them. I'd read about elves in novels and stories, but seeing them in person was a different experience entirely. Their features were as ethereal and graceful as I had imagined, their skin smooth and their eyes sharp and expressive. Their pointed ears and elegant attire added to their otherworldly beauty.

I was so absorbed in my curiosity about their appearance that I nearly forgot to stay hidden. Their delicate, pointed ears and the way their eyes glowed with a natural, subtle light fascinated me. The intricacy of their clothing and the gentle way they moved was so captivating.

The elves, now visibly intrigued and somewhat unsettled, attempted to interact with me. Their approach was cautious, as if they weren’t quite sure how to address or communicate with me. One of them, the tallest and seemingly the leader, took a step forward. "Are you—" the elf began, speaking softly yet clearly, "—an ancient spirit?" Their voice was gentle but held a note of reverence. They extended a hand towards me, palm open, in a gesture that seemed meant to convey peace, it resembled something similar to a handshake, yet very different.

I didn't know how to react, so I just kept staring, I mean is this how the celestial being felt dealing with me? Really not surprised now that they just kept staring most of the time.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I stayed low, standing up on my legs but still lowering my body, I needed to immediately run if they showed any sign of hostility, my gaze was fixed on them, well, mostly their weapons. The elf’s voice was melodious, and their mannerisms were graceful, yet their uncertainty was palpable. I could sense their hesitation as they looked at one another, clearly unsure of how to proceed.

Another elf, slightly smaller and with a more cautious demeanor, reached out with a small, carved wooden token. The token was adorned with runes and symbols, and the elf placed it gently on the ground in front of me, as if offering a gift. "This is a token of respect," they said, their voice almost a whisper. "We mean no harm"

I could feel a subtle hint of life energy emanating from the token, I slowly approached, holding it in my hand and inspecting it, I could inspect it further on my own later, so I decided to stash it in one of my pockets for now.

Despite their peaceful intentions, their actions seemed awkward. They shuffled around, trying different gestures, like bowing deeply or holding their hands out as if to invite me to approach. It was clear they were trying to establish a connection but were unsure of how to do so appropriately.

I mean, I could have easily just smiled or approached them myself, but it was quite amusing to see them do their neat little tricks to try to appeal to me, is this how dogs felt like looking at humans? Or animals in general? It was really funny, in a way.

One of the elves attempted a more direct approach, kneeling down and reaching out a hand as if to touch me. As they got closer, the elf’s expression shifted from curiosity to surprise as I approached, allowing them to touch me, there was no harm in rewarding them for amusing me for a little bit.

I remained still, observing their attempts. The elf leader finally stepped forward, offering a more formal bow. "We’ve heard of the spirit who’s been cleansing the forest. We thought it was a legend, but seeing you... It’s a great honor"

As they spoke, their eyes occasionally darted towards the areas of the grove I had purified, as if trying to gauge their impact. The elves were clearly fascinated, and their efforts to communicate, while somewhat clumsy, were sincere.

As I observed the elves, my spirit vision detected a faint, unsettling flicker of corruption lingering around one of them—the elf who had placed the wooden token in front of me. Despite their outward appearance of purity, there was an underlying taint that marred their aura. My concern grew as I noted the subtle way the corruption seemed to warp their essence, even if only slightly, what would happen if an elf is corrupted? Are they turned into a zombie? A dark elf? A part of me was curious, but there was no room for experiment on a sentient being whose life was at risk.

I decided to act, understanding that even minor corruption could pose a risk to the grove's recovery, if these elves were going to frequent my grove, I didn't want them resetting my progress. Using the divine energy from my brush, I summoned a small, concentrated flame. It was a delicate, controlled flame, its brilliance softened to avoid causing alarm. I focused on the elf with the corruption, ensuring the flames would gently touch and purify the tainted aura.

The elf, initially startled by the sudden appearance of the flame, instinctively recoiled. However, sensing its benign intent, they relaxed slightly. I kept the flame steady, ensuring it reached only the corrupted parts of their spirit.

As the celestial flame touched the elf, the surrounding corruption visibly reacted. The dark miasma dissipated, transforming into wisps of smoky gray that evaporated into the air. The elf’s aura gradually began to clear, the once tainted energy now appearing more vibrant and harmonious.

The elf’s eyes widened in astonishment as they felt the purifying warmth. Their posture relaxed, and a look of relief crossed their face. They glanced at their comrades, who were equally surprised and curious about the sudden change.

When the purification was complete, the elf stood a little straighter, their demeanor noticeably lighter and more at ease. They extended a hand, palm open, towards me once more, this time with genuine gratitude.

"Thank you" they said softly, their voice imbued with newfound clarity. "I... I didn’t realize I carried such taint. Your assistance is deeply appreciated"

Satisfied with the purification of the elf and the overall progress made, I returned to my spot beneath the great oak tree. The elves, now aware of my intent and my assistance, had retreated to give me space. I laid back down on the soft, grassy patch, feeling a renewed sense of peace. The gentle hum of the restored grove provided a soothing background as I settled into a comfortable position.

With the subtle life energy of the grove wrapping around me, I closed my eyes and allowed the fatigue of the day to wash away. The cool night air, the soft rustling of leaves, and the distant whispers of the forest created a tranquil lullaby, guiding me into a deep, restorative slumber.

Later..

I woke up to the sound of gentle rain falling on the clearing around the oak. The purified areas around me were showing signs of vibrant life and new growth. Small plants and flowers that hadn't been there before were beginning to sprout, their colors a stark contrast to the rest of the decaying forest. The air felt fresher, and a subtle fragrance of blooming flowers lingered, this was the second day of me being an ancient spirit in a world I knew nothing about.

The elves were nearby, this time, more in numbers, but they didn't really approach, they observed me with a mix of curiosity and reverence. They had left small offerings around the oak tree for some reason—flowers, fruits, and intricately carved wooden tokens, did God take my words about living as a local deity to heart? Regardless, It seemed like their way of expressing gratitude for my efforts to purify the grove, I didn't know the grove was that important to them, I wouldn't mind the company, but I know a lot of sentient beings in one place is bound to bring conflict, which Is something I didn't quite welcome.

As I looked around, I noticed new wildlife cautiously emerging from the edges of the purified areas. Birds were singing softly, and small critters were testing the renewed vitality of the grove. I activated my spirit vision, and I could see the purified oak tree's vessels extending to connect with the corrupt spirits of the animals and critters that were gathering around the clearing, purifying their spirits without me having to do any of the work.

I stood up, stretching and feeling the energy of the grove coursing through me. The gentle rain was refreshing, washing away the fatigue from my body. The sky above was still obscured by the thick fog, but here, under the oak tree, the light seemed to penetrate, creating a serene and almost magical atmosphere.

As much as I wanted to take a sunbath, we did still have a task ahead of us, We pushed through the undergrowth, this time, the squirrel was guiding us. It darted ahead, leading the way, while the fox stayed close.