Secret Rendezvous

Elaina

Elaina skipped through the forest. She wore a vibrant purple dress, and had a basket slung under her arm. She stopped occasionally, filling her basket with flowers. She crossed a small brook by hopping from one stone to the next. She traversed the massive forest in a few minutes, reaching the spring that Stephen came to every week.

"You're as lively as ever, Elaina." He briefly looked up from the bottle he was holding.

"I brought some of the ingredients you asked for."

"I appreciate that." He reached up and took the basket from her, grinding some of the plants in a mortar.

She sat down next to him. "What are you making this time?"

"The last potion I made turned yellow. Apparently, I'm close to creating a philosophers' stone. I'd be the first person in history." He carefully poured one bottle into another. "As for the potion's effects, it's a Panacea. There are apparently several types of philosopher's stones. The form I'm trying to create would be able to cure any disease." He frowned at the vial of viscous yellow fluid in his pouch. "This one can only cure diseases that are already curable."

"You say apparently a lot. Does the mage who taught you know that little?"

"Mage? Does magic exist?"

"You're an alchemist close to making a magnum opus and you don't even know about magic? Who taught you?"

Stephen put his hand on his chin and stared across the pond. "It might sound a bit weird."

"You probably can't surprise me."

"When my sister first fell ill, I started having strange dreams." He continued his work. "A man started appearing in my dreams from time to time, telling me about some formulas. I did my own research, and realized what he'd taught me could ease her suffering and extend her life. From there, I did everything he taught me."

"That's kind of creepy... do you know who he his?"

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"Now that I think of it, I never thought to ask. I have my suspicions. But that's enough of that, you came to practice your singing like you always do, right?"

Elaina stood up and walked to the edge of the water, singing as she went. Stephen stopped his experiment and watched as she did so. She practiced for half an hour. At the end Stephen gave her a round of applause. She walked back over and sat back down.

"It's embarrassing when you do that." She pouted slightly as she looked over at him.

"Well, I enjoyed the performance."

He picked his equipment back up and continued his experiment, explaining what he was doing as he went. She smiled softly as she watched him. Eventually the sky began to darken. Stephen looked up.

"It's about time for me to go." He started packing up. "Y'know, you could always come back to town with me. I'll introduce you to my sister."

Elaina looked sad for a moment. "I told you, I can't." She stood up. She waved as he picked up his bag and walked away. "See you next week."

He waved back over his shoulder. "See you then."

Once he walked out of sight she turned around and began walking deeper into the forest. Now that the human was gone, some forest animals crawled out of hiding and approached her.

I really do wish I could visit you. But fairies can't leave the forest for very long. Besides, I'd definitely get caught if I did that.

She made her way through the forest with a sad look on her face. She crouched down in front of a fox. She smiled as she patted its head. The sun set completely, and the forest was blanketed in darkness. The fox she was petting darted off, along with all the animals around her. She looked around cautiously.

What scared them? She continued retracing her steps, growing more and more worried. Even the bugs are silent...

She finally found what she was looking for, a small ring of mushrooms in the middle of a clearing. Before she could take a step towards it, a transparent black figure appeared in front of her, blocking her path. The eleven-foot-tall creature towered over her. She looked up in fear for a moment, but quickly began casting a spell. She disappeared into thin air, and the forest shifted around the creature. It reached out and grabbed her throat, despite her invisibility. It picked her up off the ground and held her close to its face.

A raspy female voice rang out in her mind. Weak...

"What do you want?" She helplessly tried to swing at the creature, but her hands harmlessly passed through it.

Want... No, need... Vessel... Fading away...

"A vessel?" Elaina's eyes widened.

Soul corroded... No body...

"Let me go! I won't give you anything!"

Make... Deal... Grant wish... Elaina felt the monster probing around her mind, sifting through her memories. Understand... Can't... Leave... It set her down and knelt down to look her in the face. You give... Body... I Give... Essence... Leave Forest... Together...

Countless memories flooded Elaina's mind. Images of Stephen's face, all the time they'd spent together. She looked back at the monster.

"I accept."