[In a Tree]

The dryad pulled herself close to the trunk of the tree and watched the goblins racing beneath her. They are everywhere.

She struggled to keep from shaking as she heard their mother’s roar approaching. Please do not look up. Please...

The bark dug into her hands as a sound below caused her to start and tighten her grip. The figure stepping through the brush below her was taller than the goblins. A man-child?

The little man-child staggered forward leaning oddly to one side as if supported by an invisible crutch. Even from her vantage point she could see the youth was badly injured. No, do no lead them here! Keep moving, lead them away!

She fought the urge to scream as the figure stopped just paces away from her tree. All around she could see the goblins closing in chittering loudly. Why are they stopping? He is injured, they should be swarming all over…

She felt a surge of panic as the tree she hid in shook. Beneath her, she saw the monstrous form of the goblins’ mother. Her mouth hung open in shock. She is massive. I knew they grew large, but not that large!

The horrible creature was so focused on the man-child that it did not even look around. The man -child for his part was shaking, but pointed towards the large monster with the metal claws of his kind.

Men are mad, the dryad through, as she watched the small figure prepare to meet the surging goblin mother. Only they would try to take on such a charge head first. But, I hope he at least cuts her. It will not bring my tree back, but I hope it hurts her even the smallest bit.

The hairs on her head seemed to stand on end as the figures collided, and the broken form was thrown backwards. The goblin mother stopped moving and the goblins cowered frantically searching for the source of the power surging through the forest. What is this?!

As suddenly as it started the power disappeared, and a man raced into view. It wasted no time attacking the goblin mother which quickly fell.

Dead? The dryad’s heart leapt in her chest. It is dead! The thing that killed my tree has been killed!

She reveled in the feeling of vengeance, even though she had not been the one to take it. Below her more men were pouring into view killing goblins.

Get them all, she cheered at the goblins cries of fear. She smiled as she watched the men falling ruthlessly on the small monsters. The goblins were lost without their mother and began to flee before the men.

When the sounds of the fighting became faint, she climbed down. Looking furtively around she started to run, but drew up short after only a few steps. Turning on her heel, she raced back to the still form of the goblin mother. Closing the last few steps in a rush, she kicked the body.

“May the forest reject you, and your kin. Let only the lowest of fly and their ilk find you worthy of their notice,” She cursed at the still creature that had taken so much from her. Then turning her back to the corpse, she ran into the woods.

…

With the men and goblins busy, fighting each other she raced through the trees unconcerned with being noticed. She did not know how long it had been since the forest had been so empty. Decades? Centuries?

Stepping into a small clearing, her revelry ended. Her feet had unconsciously carried her home. Before her lying on it side, was the lifeless form of her tree.

She slowly approached, and with an outstretched hand brushed the nearest of the toppled oak’s branches. At her touch several still green, if dead, leaves fell slowly to the ground. The sounds of them reaching the ground felt like physical blows.

“It does not need to be this way.” A voice called from behind her. She spun to see a fist sized ball of light floating a few paces away.

A spirit, she thought watching the light on its surface ripple.

“I am here to make you an offer. Look at your tree.” The spirit’s voice was flat, but somehow felt insistent.

She turned and gasped. Her tree stood before her alive and well, on an undisturbed hillock. Even from where she stood, she could feel the life radiating out of it. Then the illusion faded.

Tears in her eyes she spun back to the orb. “Why!? Why would you torment me so? What wrong have I done you?”

“None.” The simple reply seemed only to jar her more. “The offer is simple, serve and you shall have your tree back.”

The dryad fought the urge to spit at the spirit. “You have no such power. My beautiful tree is no more and there is nothing you can do to change that. How dare you pretend otherwise?”

“The Great Mother can. I only come to bring her message,” the spirit said, its surface once more a smooth ball of light.

“The Great Mother?!” The dryad stepped back in shock. If anyone could bring back my tree, it is her.

The dryad fell to her knees, her eyes pleading. “I will do it. Whatever she asks.”

“Then let it be so,” the spirit responded, floating towards her. “Your tree will stand for as long as you serve in the future. For serving in the present it shall never be harmed. For your services in the past it shall have never fallen at all.”

“But how do I serve in the past?” she asked as the spirit touched her head. Rather than answer there was a flash of light, and the spirit was gone.

Her question hung in the air as her own memories rushed up to answer. She could remember every offering made at the stones and every form she wore as she gave them their challenges. She remembered everything, from the first stones being placed, to the man-child’s offering.

Slowly rising, she walked to her restored tree. The memories fell seamlessly into place with her own even where they overlapped. Processing the memories of what she had done, she placed her forehead against the great tree. She felt the warmth radiating from it, and reveled for a moment in the feeling she though lost forever.

“It is so strange,” she whispered to the tree. “I know you fell, but I also know you never have. I remember speaking to the spirit, and being the spirit talking to a dryad I did not know.”

She shook her head and looked out into the forest, where her master’s youngest had supported an injured man-child. “If only they realized how much my master knows. Would they rejoice or cower. She is not happy with her children.”

Removing her head form the tree she took a deep breath. “However, none of that is my concern.”

She felt the power rise up in her before racing through space and time to the two who had earned their boons. She smiled as she considered what was given. She followed her sleeping masters instructions to the letter. Each was giving them each what they deserved, based on what they gave.

“Thank you for avenging my tree. Even if it never fell.” She smiled as she thought of the additional blessing she gave them, and touching the tree disappeared.

[Orn]

Through the pain Orn thought he heard his mother’s voice. Slowly a warm tingling feeling started to flow through him. He could feel the healing energy hiding the pain as it passed through him. His consciousness followed with it, as it numbed his raw nerves and made small repairs. But there was so much damage, and the energy seemed barely able hold things together rather than fix them.

Finally the energy faded out completely spent. With the healing energy gone he could feel new aches growing as the injuries slowly worked themselves open again. Almost instinctively he felt for the worst injury, willing the pain to stop.

Orn felt a shock of surprise as the pain dulled slightly. Did I just...? But before he could complete the thought, exhaustion pushed him back into unconsciousness.