Finally the story was over and everyone was starting to head towards their beds after a long day on the road. Before everyone was settled in, or Leafia even managed to get up, I gave her hand a squeeze and whispered in her ear, “Michael looks a little lonely after not being with you this afternoon. You should probably go talk to him.” I could not tell if it was just the fires glow or if Leafia was blushing. My instincts, which I had learned were not all that good, were telling me it was the latter. But whatever the case her face was clearly red.
Leafia gave me a squeeze back but in the end she stood up and walked over to Michael who was checking on the horses. I watched for a little while as a bright smile appeared on her face after they were talking for a minute. A happy Leafia was really for the best.
Though looking over at Faun and the way she was attacking the dishes it was clear that there was still some emotional pain she had to deal with. I think Terra and I keeping her company through the night should help a little.
***
There were a few times in the night that we had to remember to be quiet as our talking caused a few of them to stir, especially when Mist woke up after a few hours of sleep. It was good to be able to spend time with Faun, Terra, and Mist. I guess in the end I had been lonely the last few hundred years at my pond. But how on earth would I let more people come and visit without Istan or others like him trying to bow down before me all the time.
“I should head out. Tide is waiting on me. It is low tide where I have been practicing and she promised to help me today.” Terra said shortly before sunrise. Or conversation started to wind down a little while ago and the others would be getting up soon. She gave the three of us hugs and sank back into the ground.
“Mist, you should spend some time meditating to figure out what your powers are before the others wake,” I told her before we could start talking again.
“I would rather spend more time with you two. It has been so lonely without you.” Mist did her best to give us puppy dog eyes. I did not know who had been teaching her that this expression was supposed to help her get what she wanted. But whoever it was they still had a long way to go. Mist’s face was more hilarious than adorable. Then again, maybe they succeeded since seeing a young leafia’s face give me puppy dog eyes would be really hard to say no too.
“Faun and I are just going to be meditating too. Both of us have a long way to go before we reach our full strength.” Faun and I would be just fine without meditating tonight but she still quickly assented knowing how important it would be for Mist.
With nothing to do once Faun and I had both released our powers into the surroundings, I felt Mist grudgingly sit down next to me. Her ability to express her emotions through her spirit has increased a lot since she was raised to a greater spirit. Usually begrudging was not something that could clearly be transmitted through the spirit but it was plain as day that this was how she felt.
Once Emily had gotten up and was starting a fire for breakfast I felt Mist stir clearly wanting to join her. But a few creepers of grass over her lap let her know that she should continue her meditation. By the time the fire was going and the food was being prepared my half hatred restraining could no longer hold her. However, neither Faun nor I felt like stopping until the horses were saddled and we were ready to head out. Once I made it home I would probably spend a week at least melted into my forest.
This morning was just like many of the other days on our trip. However, Mist was riding with Istan, it seemed like Emily had a serious conversation with Istan, and convinced him (beat him over the head) that Mist was not someone to worship. Once I saw how fully Emily had cowed Istan I felt we could give Istan riding with Mist a try. Leafia was in front of Michael again today so it seems their conversation ended well yesterday.
There was nothing else I would bother notting until it was about noon when I noticed a large number of people not far from the road. It seems a little odd to have a hunting party so close to the road, I thought. But there were many things which mortals did that I could not understand. Like plowing a field and only planting one thing in it. Very few plants did better with only one thing nearby. Plants liked a varied community.
We had just reached the bottom of a small valley when some of the hunters came out of the woods and blocked our path. “You should probably just give up now. There are thirty of us and you only have three men to defend all these lovely ladies.” The main in front said with a sneer, as five more men came out of the woods behind us with bows drawn. “Drop all your stuff and leave your horses and you can leave. Try and fight and your women are coming with us.”
Istan rode a few steps forward, Mist still in front of him, and lowered his hood that was up for the cold to talk to them, “We have nothing of value with us and many of us are experienced fighters and hunters. Even if you were to beat us in a fight, nothing we have will overcome the losses that you will incur. Surely you can find it in your heart to let our women continue to have the horses they need to continue our journey.”
“An elf.” I heard from the trees. “You don’t see them very often.”
Meanwhile in front of us the spokesman for the roadblock looked unsure. It looks like they were not expecting a logical argument about why they should not attack.
“Change of plans,” The voice in the woods called out loudly. “We are taking them prisoners. They will be worth a lot in the south.”
“It's more than two weeks to the nearest slave market?” The spokesman stated in concern.
“We won’t have to work again for a year!” the voice from the woods called out closer this time.
Istan obviously did not like how things were going, but Gray was the one that looked the most upset. He was the one with the child on the way. “It will be fine. There are only fifteen of them.” Faun said.
Faun and Gray had been talking that morning, I think he felt guilty for showing Maximus around the woods. Faun did not seem to hold anything against him, which was good since I had a feeling that Emily and Gray would be visiting the pond often.
“Laurel, do you think you could-” Before she could say anything an arrow streaked out of the woods just Missing Gray. Or not, as he grabbed his arm in pain.
Mist perked up after the arrow flew. “Let me,” she said while looking intently at Gray. There was a wince from Gray as a small ball of blood formed just next to his arm.
“Mist!” Faun called out.
“I know,” she said, concentrating on her magic, “I have already stopped his bleeding.” After a short pause Mist let out a small cry as the ball of blood shot in the direction of the voice in the woods. There was a scream of pain and I felt plants get crushed as a body fell in the woods. The bandits that were next to what I assume was the leader ran off with screams of terror. It did not take too long to find out why, as a much larger red ball came sailing out of the woods.
There was no doubt about it, Mist was using her powers. Even in the middle of the day you could see red light coming from her glowing eyes.
Mist worked her powers gesturing with her hands, and the ball started to roil as it broke into many smaller spheres. Mist let out another small shout as once again the balls raced off. This time the balls headed in every direction. Several cries of pain echoed from all around us. The cries began to fade as one after another bodies fell to the forest floor. I could tell from the plants that Mist’s aim was not perfect and some of our assailants managed to escape her attack. The trees nearby did not all fare so well. If I did not do anything to heal them, several of them would be dead before next summer.
I think I am going to have to have a word with her when this is all over about controlling her powers. There was no reason to kill the trees.
Two of the three men in front of us were also hit by her magic. And for the first time we could see what her powers did. The spheres pierced their bodies and the men quickly paled as the blood drained from their faces. All their blood was being drawn to the site of the wound.
The spokesman for these bandits had managed to draw his sword in time and had used the flat to bat the blood away from him. But instead the blood stuck to the sword. Where the blood had contacted the sword, the sword rusted before our eyes as the blood boiled away. Soon all that was left was the wooden hilt and a small shaft of iron sticking out from it.
I could feel the power in the air stir as once more large spheres of blood floated out of the woods to form a much larger ball of blood that was approaching the size of Mist.
“Please don’t kill me.” the spokesman dropped what remained of his sword and fell to his knees. Terror was clearly evident on his face.
“I don’t want to.” Mist said, as the sphere began to divide itself again. Her skin was glowing and it was clear that she was feeling a rush of exhilaration as she was unleashing her power as a greater spirit for the first time.
““Mist!”” Just when she was about to send the blood flying off once again, the voices of Emily and Faun both called out to her.
“You can’t just kill people.” Emily was clearly shocked at how much taking the bandits' lives seemed to excite Mist.
“It is not right to take lives when there is no need. It is not the way of nature.” Faun continued, but not quite in the same vein as Emily. But since when did nature not kill when there was no point. How many trees died every year from deer rutting or a bear just seeing how far a sapling could bend.
But I guess from her point of view an animal did not hunt if it did not need to eat. And even to me Trees are less self aware than any animal and could not talk back (for which I am still grateful).
“Faun is right,” I sighed, sending a pulse of power into the ground, “it is wrong to purposely hurt humans. I got upset with one village and covered it in vines and they are still talking about it a thousand years later.”
“But, this just feels right. Like this is what my power is for.” Mist whined.
“You need to control your powers and not be controlled by it.” I responded. “What if you got so caught up that you hit one of your friends.”
“But…”
“And you don’t want to become a monster that humans have to hunt. For some reason Humans are just as fascinated with monsters as they have always been.” While I was saying this the ground began to boil as Terra rose to the surface.
“I just left a few hours ago, why did you call…” her eyes widened as she took in the scene around us.
“I think we just learned what Mist’s power is,'' I said flatly, already not liking how long this conversation was going to take. At least we could do it surrounded by trees.
