The Elder Gods of Maa

By Danny Hern

     Again she looked about, her thoughts betrayed her emotions; fervent and emotive, she was also heart-rendering; tears gathered at the back of her eyes but it was not her way to show such open display of affection. 
     "We will not perish without a fight; we will give the enemy battle on the walls, on the ramparts, in the streets and house by house if need be, but we will never surrender. We will defend our way of life and sacrifice our lives in order to preserve what we are, proud and free."
     I heard in my mind the roar of support which echoed throughout The Valley, reverberating from mountain to mountain, and from red soil to red soil. The dragons of The Valley were in my mind listening...
      The next scene was just as disturbing as the previous ones but in a more transcendental way, it was a Being, impressive, awesome and daunting. Who he was I had yet to find out, but in my heart, it seemed like he was a big piece of the puzzle I was trying to understand. He blazed with an inner fire which made him glow like a morning star. His enemies fled before him and the blade in his hands was a torrent of light which burned them away.
     The air in the room shimmered with the power of this weapon as its voice floated out and into my mind. An inexplicable crimson fire flooded through my arms, sweeping away everything before it. I felt the magic of the sword fill me, felt it sheathe me in the armor of its power and turn me indestructible. It exploded through me in a wild euphoric rush, a crimson energy which turned my blood to fire and my heart to ice.
     Then my perturbation began to cause the magical energies within me to build, unbidden, they rose exponentially on their own, a core of fire that would not stay quenched. I let it come, knowing the futility of trying to stop it, realizing there was no other choice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Danny Hern
• Release date: Mar 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781386541387

Book preview

Chapter – VIII

The Battle for Kaupunki

Chapter – IX

Twice in a Lifetime

Chapter – X

The Valkyries of Kaupunki

Chapter – XI

Lost

Chapter – XII

The Elder Vanhaviis Chapter – XIII Revelations

Chapter – XIV

A Warlord’s Travails

Chapter – XV

The River Bend Epilogue

Prologue

Sunset burned like fire across the horizon; shadows lengthened and grew, taking on strange and suggestive shapes, coming alive in the fading daylight. In the twilight's gloom, thick fog coming off the mountains, undulating short-lived tendrils of smoke, like the breath of ghosts, unnatural and frightening.

Eerie sights playing games in the growing dimness.

The drivers back in the city of Eddontenajon might have been right; I should have waited until morning.

Those local drivers said this part of the highway was spooked, especially in mid-spring when the mist came out of the Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness. It looks like they were right, about the spooky part. I am not going to make it through this area before nightfall.

They told me weird things happened when the mist came down from the mountains. Many people had been lost in them, never to be heard from again. I did not believe any of it, being from New York city where I have seen just about every kind of peculiar, creepy person or happenings.

The job I was contracted to do paid good money but the

other drivers would not leave Eddontenajon until morning,

childishly superstitious people. I didn't want to wait, there 

is nothing for me in Eddontenajon. I wanted to get to the city of

Keno as soon as possible.

The Oil drilling company paid me good money to haul pipes, and my Peter built with a condo, my beautiful, comfortable tractor-trailer would provide me with everything I needed. Driving this tractor for over seven straight hours was beginning to drain me, but I was trying to get through this stretch of highway before dusk. Still, my muscles are getting stiff, and the eyes are heavy, sleep beckons.

Canada is certainly a beautiful country. The tall mountains to the north and west are a shadowy wall in the growing darkness; giant north-eastern white pine trees like sentinels watch over the landscape.

Breathtaking as the Canadian scenery is, I kept wondering, asking myself over and over, what was I doing up here?

I had gone through one of those times in life when change was the only option; either that or go crazy with the pressures of life.

A friend told me this company was hiring drivers for a haul. I thought maybe a change of scenery would be the answer to my restlessness; so here I was. I had come north.

Night is approaching fast; visibility has become poor and my body demands sleep. It might be a good idea to start looking for a place to park, these roads are not like the highways in the United States. No truck stops, no bridges, no paved side streets, just lots of woods. The only good news is it hasn't rained in three weeks and the dirt roads are solid enough to park this heavy tractor trailer.

Chapter I

Summoned:

A Fairy Princess Named Elliani

THE MIST THICKENS, as daylight turns gray and the dark-blue canopy be-speckled with stars begins to appear. In the twilight' shadows, flickers of light, a wisp, something is moving along the woods, parallel to my tractor. It is very fast. I am traveling at sixty miles an hour up this highway and it is staying close.

Whatever it is I cannot get a good look, the way it moves, as if dodging something, darting in and out of the trees close to the road. It seems to play among the shadows of the forest.

The mist swirled, stirred by the winds coming off the mountains and in the weak light of dusk, back within the shade and concealment of the forest, strange shapes and forms come to life. Shimmering flashes of light, distorting the starry-night are getting closer and closer to the tractor.

Out of the corner of my right eye I pick up a darker shadow, a shapeless image, moving fast. I take out the revolver from under the seat and lay it on my lap; the windows are open because of the cigarette and the fresh air which keep me awake.

Danny, you should've stayed until morning...

There are heavy woods all around, high mount leaves in the West, eclipsing the dying sunlight. In the East... mist, a thick haze which hampers my vision, something is out there...

How can I fight something I can't see...? Thinking out loud doesn't help, but it sure feels good. In the blink of an eye, a strong swift breeze comes through the passenger window, ruffling my hair and sending chills up and down my spine.

I should have listened to those local drivers...

The blood drains away from my face; swallowing dry, I strain to hear something but the silence persists unbroken. The seconds slip away, a slow-motion presaging danger; something is coming my way.

A dark shadow crashes against the right side of the tractor, the impact makes me lose control of the steering wheel momentarily.

A hideously deformed beast, stubby-bristles, feral: with long fangs and piercing claws. Its arm shred the metal door of the cab but it’s too big to come through the window. Its blood-shot eyes panning, searching. Fear grips me: quivering, with clammy hands, I take the gun and shoot several times; the gun is empty. The hairy nightmare drops away into the night's shadow. It's gone...

What the hell was that...! Again, thinking out-loud is futile but sedating.... My hands shake; my head hurts and my tongue is rooted to the top of my mouth.

That was a Rumilus...!

I am not alone...! A voice from the cabin of my tractor... The revolver in my hand tumbles away; I lose control of the tractor... again, and the hair on my head and neck stood on end. My heart is pounding, my chest tightens, my stomach knots. I try to switch on the lights of the cabin in my tractor... repeatedly... My heart is thumping loudly, my skin is damp.

My eyes are bulging as I turn around to look at whatever is back there but I can't rightly see who said that. Through the haze in my eyes I finally see... a girl... it's a girl... with green hair. Maybe one of those scene... a style fashionable back home... But... but...

How did she get inside the tractor?

Haltingly, I point to the chair next to me. Come... here... girl... my words are slurred... Sit up... here... next to me!... My arm is still shaking but my fear is ebbing... slowly.

How did she get inside the tractor...?

The girl pauses between the two seats, time stops. She looks deep into my eyes, her eerie green eyes intense, anxious... she's searching... like the beast... but... searching for what...?

She has light green skin which seems to glow, her hair is a shade of darker green... she is beautiful. Slender, dressed in flimsy see through strips of cloth. These strips of cloth look like leaves from a tree, they are thin, transparent and very small; they do not cover much at all...

She seems very young, except that she has pointy ears, slightly slanted eyes and green hair. Her skin is a pale green, her face glows, she has big green eyes, a deep green like the forest trees in summer.

Her mouth is small, her lips are full, cherry red. I watch mesmerized as she moves towards the passenger seat, she has the body of a woman... a very well-developed woman. An impossibly small waist with full breast. She finally sits. I am dumb struck, my mouth is dry, my mind wanders, my vocal cords do not work.

I am princess Elliani... She says looking intently into my eyes... I am a fairy, from the misty land of Wood Crist. Her chest heaves as she fights for air, very little is hidden of her perky round breasts. I was being hunted by the evil Rumilus, they sought to capture me... Her alien stare continued unabated, but her search seems fruitless to me.

Even when I had been in the US army, studied martial arts, walked the streets of New York City at night and was physically fit, my thoughts were clear, fighting that Rumilus would be suicide for me... maybe if I was armed.

What am I thinking...!

We fairies of Wood Crist know where to find the waters of Ali-Dika, and use their magical powers. If the Rumilus found these waters, they could become strong enough to destroy the OE aelf cities...

I understood nothing of what she said, but her voice was melodious, she... was hypnotizing. I found myself fighting against another spell that threatened to send my mind into a spiral of incoherence...

It was impossible not to stare at this... princess. Battling my sight and my emotions, I forced my eyes back on the road. Being unable to understand anything of what she said and afraid to look at her, I change tactics... Please... let’s just try to get as far away from that... monster... as we are able. I said without looking at her.

It was time to concentrate on driving the tractor, struggling not to look at this vision of a fairy. If the thing which pursued this beauty catches up with us, we would both be in trouble, other than that, I just couldn't believe what was happening... A Fairy Princess...? What were the waters of...Ali...? My thoughts wandered in every direction... Dam...

I urged her to go back and lay down on the bed; she seemed tired and worn out. Maybe some respite between us would help. Everything happened too fast, and it was difficult to think with her staring at... me...

As an experienced truck driver, I knew when the road was the best answer to a problem, just drive and let matters slowly untangle themselves. When I dared to look back, she had fallen asleep on the bed... thank God for that...

Although my body is still strong lean and fit, I did not want the creature who almost came through the tractor's window to catch up to... us? It was a terrifying sight; I could still see its hairy face, its red eyes, full of blood and madness. Its huge yellow fangs. It was feline-looking; furry, shaggy.

With luminous oblique blood-shot eyes which beamed menacingly; talons or claws that indented my cabin... or was it a way of... marking...?

It was too big to fit through the tractor's window, which was probably the only reason it did not take me apart. I shot it repeatedly... but... did that kill the creature...?

I did not want to think about what a hideous beast like that would do to a little girl like this one, if it caught her. She looks like a teenage girl, but she said she was a fairy... Did fairies age...?

As I drove on through the night, thinking of the nightmare beast I had glimpsed, the vision kept me awake for many hours, but with dawn approaching, my eyes would not stay open any longer. I found a place where to park the tractor trailer, and for once, I missed the crowds of people.

Searching the woods through the windows and making sure the doors were locked. I laid down next to the little beauty, she did not move and my mind was in limbo before my head hit the pillow.

When I woke, she had curled herself into the curve of my body, her scent reminded me of the woods, pine trees and flowers. Her warmth was intoxicating. It was hard not to enjoyed the feeling for a little while, something which had not happened to me in a long time.

She moved against me seeking solace, maybe safety. It was startling when she began to make cooing noises. Placing my arm around her, I brought her closer against me, and gently caressed her long green hair.

To my surprise, she turns around and faces me, but instead of moving away, she pushes me unto my back and comes on top of me. I had stripped off most of my clothes in my sleep, being one of those people who cannot sleep with clothes on. The only reason I was not butt naked was her, she was... butt naked. Her attire was not meant for hiding her... assets, and her body was heaven on earth.

She found my mouth; sweet smells of honey and berries assailed my nostrils as her delightful lips pressed against mine. Her tongue eased softly into my mouth, and I did nothing to prevent the invasion... I caressed her shoulders, her back and my hands would not stop until I was squeezing her tight round buttocks. She pushed herself unto me...

She does not stop, instead her moaning began to increase, sounds she has been making since she pushed herself unto me, sounds which came from deep within her. A rumbling of her chest, like the purring of a kitten. Her hard breast where pressed tightly against my chest and her strong hands kept them there.

I found a moment of lucidity, and felt the air inside the cabin of the tractor has changed. There was an atmosphere of sparkling lights, but there was no desire to think further on it. She has started to move with more insistence, as she grinds herself into me, taking things as far as possible. Her insides grip me completely, all of me surrounded by her, and then... She squeezed me hard and urgently; so much strength in such a little woman...

Did this dream have to end? The thought she would come off me then was disturbing, but to my delight, she stayed on top of me and continued to work. It felt like she was working me, because from the moment she had come on top of me, her hands had not stopped massaging my body.

Her small but strong hands kept squeezing me constantly throughout our sexual encounter, roaming all over my body and making our togetherness pleasurable. She was as interested in what we did as I was...

Again, I noticed the difference in the cabin, the air sparkled, and the bamboo plants all around the cabin became a vibrant green. It would have been mesmerizing if there was time. She did not stop caressing me, humming and making those beautiful sounds which kept me spellbound. We enjoyed the pleasure of being inside one another for a while longer, a magical experience...

After that, I asked her if she wanted to take a shower. There was a small shower built into a corner of the tractor’s cabin, with a container outside on the top, covered by a filter and it collected water for a quick shower.

I did not feel tired after such an intense time of pleasure, on the contrary, my body felt invigorated, maybe even young. I took her by the hand and led her to the shower, she was beaming bright and her smile lit up the cabin like the morning Sun. You are so beautiful... My mind was still in a daze...

We squeezed into the small shower, being separated from her was not in my thoughts, not even in this small space. I wanted this beautiful body touching mine as much as possible. We showered together, enjoying the closeness, barely taking care of what we went in there for. After this, I asked her if she was hungry, we had woken with the morning Sun, and it was well past midday.

Are you hungry, would you like some eggs, beans, bread...? There was no knowledge as to what a fairy ate. She smelled out one of the honey jars kept around the cabin of the tractor, it was one of the edibles I kept in abundance, knowing the value of its many usefulness.

She smeared it on some bread and this was all she ate, that and some water...

We sat down in a corner of the bed and I started to ask her some of the many questions which were dancing around my mind.

Tell me about yourself... I asked hesitantly... It seemed to me, Elliani struggled with words, she has a lot to tell about her plight, her people and herself.

It was never our desire to have conflict with these others. She enunciates with difficulty, what can she tell and how much to reveal... or, was it something else...?

AVOIDING MY GAZE, SHE continues... My people are despondent and they have given up hope... I let her go on; she's pensive as her sight moves far away... I am a princess of the land of Wood Crist, I belong to the land.

She's focused on my facial expectantly. "I woke up to the foul

smell of the Rumilus; I could not stay sleeping. I woke to the nauseating

stench of those creatures. I had to run; I had to find you..."

It was almost impossible to make sense out of what she said, but the whole idea of actually meeting a fairy was thought-provoking, preternatural; my acquaintances back home on hearing of this might consider a psychological evaluation.

I have never met a fairy before you. Now that was an understatement but I had no idea how to engage this princess. What kind of fairy are you? And what did these... Rumilus... want from you? I asked trying to mask the consternation in my voice.

Elliani was bewitching, spellbinding; I wondered what she would say if I told her that a fairy could be witchy. Her melodious voice was entrancing as she began anew...

I am a woodland fairy princess, of the Dryad nature, and the Rumilus want to know where the waters of the elder god Ali-Dika can be found. She said without pause, as if she expected a reaction from me, gagging my response to her words.

I was still incredulous and apprehensive. "If you are a princess, then there must be a kingdom, people who could help you... right?

Reading some fiction and watching movies would not help me now, this was real and I understood little of what she tried to express so clearly. To her, this was important, she had risked her life... but... there wasn’t the slightest idea of what she wanted from me...

Elliani was assessing me again, her intense gaze trying to see into my soul, crestfallen she said... There are not as many fairies as there use to be, and many have decided to stay in the ground, to stay sleeping, they don't wake up anymore... They are afraid of the darkness. She said in a whisper.

"Others refuse to go beyond the misty woods, they fear the Rumilus who are always hunting the remnant of fairies. The magic of the land whispered to me; the darkness grows... There are very few who can oppose it. I am one of the few, one of the few who refuses to give up.

I felt a strong urge to waken, something was pulling me and I could not deny it's call. I began to change as I woke, feeling an urgency to run... an overpowering desire to find you..."

What was pulling you, Elliani... and why were you in the earth...?

I am a dryad. She said. I couldn't stay; I had to find... you.

Confounded by her disarray of descriptions, I was at a loss for words. She was trying to explain to me, something she did not fully understand herself.

I kissed her and held her tightly against me, memorizing the touch and feel of her until I was certain the memory was burned into me.

I tried again. Why did you feel you had to find... me? Why me? You didn't know me, and what is it you think I can do? There was some hope she would not say I was the one who could fight the Rumilus because... there wasn’t any chance of me beating that creature... and... and Rumilus sounded plural.

Her eyes were anxious and frightened as she answered; Magic... strong magic use to summon, strong enough to wake me, strong enough to guide me to you... The magic of the land of Maa is powerful and we fairies still care for the land. You are needed, Danny... you have been summoned.

She was pensive; reflecting on a land dear to her and yet in danger of being overwhelmed by her enemies; tensely, the susurrus voice held me in a trance.

"I don't know why the magic chose you, but the magic

guided me to you..."

I didn't think understanding all of what she said would happen any time soon, and we had to get going. There was a Rumilus to be wary of; would they follow her all the way here? Can you tell me in which direction your land is, north, south, east, or west?

Elliani had no idea in which direction the land of Wood Crist laid, it had been a long night and she had slept through most of it while I drove north. We went out of the tractor a little apprehensively, looking around but she could not discern which way to Wood Crist.

I told her we should keep heading north. Without a clear direction of travel, There's a major road junction just a little further north, we'll make a decision there.

Anxiously, I thought we should just get as far away from the Rumilus as possible.

In all of that time, my eyes had not been able to come off her, they couldn't; she was such a beautiful sight. Her huge green eyes, her cherry red lips, her long green hair, her nakedness would not permit it.

Her impossibly small waist, her hard breast, her small protruding buttock. I took such delight in just looking at this beautiful vision. She smiled at me constantly, and it seemed to me, she enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed her...

We went back into the tractor trailer and started moving north again; I wanted to get moving just as a precaution. As long as the tractor was moving, there were very few things which could stop it.

I had been traveling the Dease Lake Highway in British Columbia from the city of Eddontenajon on my way north to the city of Keno in The Yukon. It was a long haul but it paid good money. Memories returned... it was while passing the Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness that Elliani had come out of the woods. Not saying something out loud was being selfish, and I might regret it later, but right now it was such a pleasure to have beautiful company on this trip.

We drove until twilight eased its way in from the west; she had talked very little, it seemed she was happy just to watch the countryside. Canada's landscapes are stunning; it was spring, and the vibrant verdant vista softly billowed, pleating the undulating scenery.

EVERY TIME THOSE BIG green eyes fell on me, I became lost in them. As the Sun descended on the horizon, we began to look for a place to park the tractor for the night. The air was warm, the sky was cloudless and the moon was full, bright enough to illuminate the land. We were almost to the border, where British Columbia meets the Yukon, and the road would split west, east or north.

We would have to decide when we arrived at the junction, but not tonight; looking deeply into her eyes, it was obvious to me, the decision would have to wait for another day.

We found a place along the side of the road which looked like it could withstand parking the tractor-trailer. We sought for some bread, honey, water and a blanket, and went out into the countryside for a small picnic.

I was more of a meat person, but in this occasion, just about any kind of food would do. To say she looked beautiful in the moonlight would be a huge understatement, she was a visitant; more enticing than contemplating a full moon-rise, on a clear night, from the middle of an ocean.

Like someone newly released from prison, Elliani respired the scent of wildflowers and pine trees which floated down off the ridges of the peaks beyond. The wind was warm and soothing. A small stream some distance back ran down out of the rocks heading into the forest trees.

Laying out the blanket and the food as she stretched out on the grass next to me, I could not restrain myself and it seemed she was not interested in the food either. We made love throughout the night...

We went back to the small stream and washed with some soap I had brought along and laid out to dry on the grass. She would not let go of me, but stayed close, touching, rubbing, kissing and hugging. We slept, lulled by the coolness and the soothing sounds of the wind through the trees.

I woke up later and walked down to the edge of the grove of Maples in which we had sheltered to look up at the starry-night sky. Elliani appeared at my elbow silent as a ghost. She stood next to me as if she might have been expected all along. A bit of stray wind ruffled her long green hair. Somewhere in the distance a wolf howled, its cry fading unanswered into silence.

We made love again, without any urgency, linked in a desire which required no ending, and the night passed unnoticed in sweet ecstasy. We stayed in that area for many days, not wanting to go anywhere, except into each other’s embrace.

The days rolled away too quickly, but we did not care to find out what day it was or what month. It did not matter to us. It seemed that we had both found what we were looking for and we did not want to disturb our dream, for that is what it felt like.

Moonlight flooded down from the north, and the skies were clear and bright with stars. The day's heat had cooled, and there was a breeze blowing out of the mountains.

We had been awake most of the night and sunrise was a faint glimmer of sun-rays far to the east, barely visible through the top of the trees.

What is it like to be a fairy princess? I asked; curiosity taking me to a place surreal and mysterious. Fairies don't age, we don't die. I have been alive since the time when the Elder Gods were the land's caretakers.

There were many fairies then; the land of Maa was vibrant, teaming with life and endless possibilities. I went through the land tending the woods, the rivers, and the lakes. There were many fairy healers then and no animal went hurt.

The magic of the land was powerful, able to restore the effervescence of life, like rivulets on parched land after spring rain. The magic of life was everywhere, palpable, invigorating, a tonic of hope and dreams...

She ambled, stopped, turned, inhaled and almost motionless whispered, I have never known love, Danny. She said looking into my eyes, which pleaded for her to continue. Her eyes told me to wait, it was something she had never had before and she savored it with joy.

We don't think about love; although we know of it, have seen what it looks like. She made me wait, she found her cuticles alluring, her feelings an amalgamation of fear and uncertainty.

Fairies are exceptional; we are so fast that others seem to stand still when we go by, only another fairy can catch a fairy, but fairies don't, we are too fast to catch.

I am not fast, Elliani, how is it you chose me? I asked, because

speed was certainly not one of my abilities.

You have been summoned... She said placidly, as if it was all the answer I needed.

The powerful magic used to cast the summoning caused my awakening, the irresistible need to go out of the misty realm and find you, and the ability to do so. I am a fairy princess, I can do things others cannot, the power of magic is strong within me.

I did not know... I would love you...

She said with a dazzling smile, coming close and holding my face in her tiny hands. My breath caught as I leaned forward, her voice kept me enthralled, I was lost in her big green eyes; bewitched and I didn't think the spell would ever be broken, even if the desire were possible.

Twilight was gradually giving way to night, the moonlight spilled into the glade we were in; the skies were clear and bright with stars. She went into the light of the moon, beautiful, a vision which seemed too perfect for this world.  Her slender form moved with delight and natural grace, light-footed, as only a fairy can be.

Elliani came close and blew into my eyes... Sight...

She said laughing...

"So that you can see me... for otherwise... you would not

be able to watch..."

She was dancing in the moonlight, mesmerizing. All about the glade she whirled and spun, movements so filled with magic the air around the glade stirred to life, as a palpable response to the flow of magic, it sparkled and shimmered.

Elliani brought life to the glade, her movements giving it shape and form, exquisite images of landscapes which matched the intensity of her dance whirled into existence.

Her motions were creating life, flowers bloomed at her feet, her powerful magic brought to all living things within range the elation of being alive. The small creatures around the glade came to the edge of the trees and watched. Her pale green skin began to glow, and her long green hair undulated with elegance.

The air began to follow her, taking on the substance of magic, something no longer transparent, but visible.

Moonlight became part of her gesticulations as she moved about, and it seemed to me, as if the trees of the glade bent low so they also might come close enough to be touched by her.

Elliani became the muse which stole my soul that night... I stared out at her, so in love with her in that instant I could barely believe my thoughts.

She had become such a part of me, a binding of feelings, emotions so strong as to seem impossible, a joining of life in such a short period of time. The recognition a marvel that such a thing could be.

She was flushed with the heat of her dance, and covered with the loose leaves of the glade, but her bright green eyes were full of excitement and her elation at being alive was evident in her beautiful glowing face.

Elliani was a fairy, an impossible wondrous child of magic.

The weather had been warm, dry, and pleasant. Time moved on regardless of my desire to slow down its progress. We spent most of our days in the woods.

Elliani was happiest when she was able to enjoy the forest around her, having a natural talent for discovering food where I would never have guessed food existed. Pulling from unlikely places edible plants and roots, which she would identify and describe in quite thorough detail.

I would listen attentively and ask questions from time to time, but I knew those names would soon be forgotten. It was her melodious voice which captivated my full attention, and her big green eyes would absorb my thoughts leaving little room for anything else.

We slept that night in a grove of Cottonwood, near a small spring which meandered through the woods. It provided us with clean drinking water. We enjoyed fruits and vegetables and spring water that day.

These were quiet times in which we sat together watching the slow progress of twilight as it covered the forest in shadows, and the gradual return of small insects which bloomed when darkness eased the daylight away.

Even the first days spent in the woods had been magical... Elliani had an attraction for the animals around the forest. She was like clean water in an arid desert and they needed to drink her in.

These would approach her without any fear, and would not leave until she stroked them affectionately. I was able to get a touch in here and there but they were not interested in me, or my touch... it was Elliani’s affection they craved.

0

Dawn was overcast, and by midday it had begun to rain. Autumn was drifting towards winter and the days were growing short, filled with the cool air which arrives when the Sun goes down and lingers until it returns. We were sitting in the cabin of the tractor, when she spoke with an urgency I had not heard before. Her delicate features were shadowed and she seemed to be working something through.

Danny... the seasons are coming to the end of a cycle. I did not want to think about this, but I have no choice... She said somberly...

I am deeply in love with you Danny... I don't know how to express my love for you. It is something new to me, something I never had before and what I am feeling now is hurting me...

It was then I felt chills running up and down my spine. Her green eyes were filled with unspoken sadness as she forced the words out...

I have to go back to Wood Crist...

I stared at her in shock... as I breath her name... Elliani...

The Sun suddenly stopped shining, the world stopped spinning, the breath in my lungs burned. No... was all that went through my mind; no... I stood in a daze, my vision murky, my thought a quagmire of questions.

She spoke to me for a long time that afternoon...

I am a fairy of the Dryad nature, what it means is, the land where I live is more than just land to me. The land is my home and a part of the magic which gives me life. I am one of the daughters of the great fairy queen of Wood Crist. It is a land of powerful magic; it is also where most of the fairies live.

I had been sleeping in the ground for a very long time, how many human years, I don't know. I was called and awaken to fulfill a need; someone created strong magic from the land, the kind of magic the land of Wood Crist must answer.

"I am one of the few remaining fairy princesses who is powerful enough to leave Wood Crist, and travel the mist into another world, the evil which now roams the land of Maa cannot catch me.

It is one of the reasons I was chosen."

"Why can't you break the need to return home right away, if your magic is so strong, what's the urgency...? I said, stunned, anguish tugging at my heart.

I felt as if a pit had opened beneath me and was about to swallow me whole. I could not think of anything else except my selfish desire to keep her with me.

I need to rekindle; my life force comes from the magic in the land of Wood Crist, I need to bond with the land. I will change; a change that will take-over when I am in the land. I will become a Willow tree and renew the magic which gives me life...

She spoke contemplatively with a far-away look, as if remembrance brought sorrow. She turned away as she spoke; the anguish of possibly losing a once-in-a-lifetime love was upsetting.

The energies in the soil of Wood Crist are very strong; it's one of the last remaining places where the old magic still has the strength of the elder gods...

I did not know why I had awakened, nor what was I to do, it was the magic summoned which brought me to you. I had never known love... Danny...

There was agony in her beautiful green eyes and I could feel it in her words, strong emotions which were painful to both of us.

I am not entirely certain where your native land is... I said struggling against myself. But at least, I can get you close to where... you found me... Memories came unwanted; the bend in the road... the landscape...

The road I was driving through when she came out of the woods.

Yes... that road would not be easily forgotten...

Thick mist coming off the mountains, undulating short- lived tendrils of hazy mist, like the breath of ghosts, unnatural and frightening...

It was a long way to that wilderness plateau where I met her... Elliani... It's best if we get going, we can talk on the way... My words were laden with emotion as I struggled to hide my disquietude at our impending separation.

We got into the tractor trailer and started south; it would probably take us a couple of days before we got close to where she had come out of the woods.

Trying to lengthen her stay with me maybe futile, but I was not ready to call it hopeless. What are we to do about the Rumilus, won't they try to grab you again...?

She must have picked up the uneasiness in my voice; looking at me aslant, she went on as if to obfuscate the inevitable.

"The Rumilus don't like the daylight, they are creatures of the

night..." She said a little too quickly.

"If we travel to my country during the day, the Rumilus will

be in their caves." She said trying to mitigate my fears.

Will we see each other again? I inquired anxiously... Where and how will I find you? I am afraid for you... and I am afraid of never seeing you again...

This aesthetic dream was coming to an end, shattered and my mind would not go beyond my desire to stay with her.

I will grant you a wish... She said as tears dance within her

bewitching green eyes... If it is within my power...

My beautiful fairy princess...

That she could grant me a wish got me quiet for a