The time of the Sorcerer was nigh.

Every year in the early spring, the Sorcerer rode forth from his castle to "recruit" soldiers for his army and the summer campaign. Whomever the Sorcerer wanted for the army – mostly able-bodied young men, but there were some exceptions – he got, for fear of the Sorcerer’s magic. It was said that aside from the reclusive elves of the Lost Wood, no one could match the Sorcerer’s power.

Arilynn waited with trepidation, anxious to see it over soon. She was only a healer, an herb-witch from a small town on the edge of the Wood. She knew she would never be chosen, but she felt the toll exacted by the Sorcerer, as well. The towns were dwindling down to nothing, leaving the aged, sick, and infirm to care for themselves.

The Sorcerer was due in a few days. The last of the snow had melted, but there were just too few people to work the fields, and they lay fallow. Most of the shops in the town had closed, and the healthier people in the town were forced to travel far to get needed supplies and equipment. Arilynn surveyed her dwindling supply of herbs, and decided to brave the Lost Wood to get the plants she needed. She didn’t like doing it, but it seemed like the only way. Screwing up her courage, she put on a pair of old breeches and tunic, braided her long blond hair into a rope down her back, got some supplies, and left.

The Wood was dim, the sunlight not quite penetrating the canopy of the trees. The air was cool and moist, with drops of dew clinging to the leaves of trees. Within minutes, her hair and clothing were wet. Arilynn was careful to leave a trail behind her, so she would not stay lost in the woods. Sighing, she pushed on, looking for the telltale signs of the herbs she needed.

While digging up a comfrey plant, she heard a roar. While startled, she did not panic, and immediately put her back to a large tree and looked around. She saw nothing. She waited, and heard the roar again. Carefully, she began following the sound.

As she strove further in, she glimpsed something ahead. She slowed down, walking as quietly as she was able. What she saw shocked and amazed her.

A large bear was on its hind legs, roaring in pain and anger. Facing it was what looked to be a man, with long white hair and wearing armor that looked like it was made from silver, and wielding a sword, which glowed in the dimness. One of the elves of the Lost Wood was fighting a bear!

The elf moved with inhuman grace and speed, but the bear was stubborn and powerful. The elf darted in, sword blazing, but the bear swiped at his shoulder with a massive paw. Everyone heard the sickening crack just before the elf screamed, but he still was able to thrust his sword into the bear’s neck.

The bear let out a small squeal and collapsed. The elf swayed for a few seconds, then dropped his sword and fell himself.

Half awed, half concerned, Arilynn approached the fallen pair. The elf looked like he was breathing, but his shoulder had been dislocated by the bear’s swipe, and he had some gouges from the bear’s claws as well. She hoped she was doing the right thing, and grabbed the elf by his good arm and dragged him away from the bear.

She found a little clearing nearby and set him down. Doffing her pack, she ran her hands over him, assessing the damage. Bad, but she could fix it.

She started by lying him down straight. She had to give the elves credit. Their armor was very light, and did not hamper him or Arilynn as she straightened him out. She carefully removed the armor on his arm and shoulder, and quickly took the arm, pressed her hand on his chest, and pulled the shoulder back into place. Once that was done, she made an impromptu splint from dead sticks and splinted the elf’s arm.

The gouges would require a bit of preparation. She poured some water into a bowl, then rummaged through her pack for the herbs she had collected. She crushed several, adding them to the water in the bowl. She stirred them with her finger, making a thin paste. Once that was done, she dipped more bandages in the paste and applied them to the gouges, tying them in place.

She hoped the elves responded to her herbs the way humans did.

For a while, all she did was wait. The bear was indeed dead, but she didn’t feel that she should try and skin it – the elf HAD killed it, after all. She checked her patient a couple of times, but there was no change. Finally, after what she guessed was two hours, the elf stirred.

He groggily looked around, saw her, and jerked back – only to hiss in pain as he moved his arm. "Relax" said Arilynn; "I’m not going to hurt you."

The elf radiated suspicion. "As if you could human." He remarked. He checked himself over. "But, it would seem, I am in your debt."

Arilynn pushed him back to a lying position. "Lie down. The dislocation isn’t going to get any better with you jerking around like that."

Obediently, he set himself back down. Arilynn retied the splint and checked the bandages. "So," he finally asked, becoming more comfortable with her presence, "what is a human doing this far into the Lost Wood?"

She grimaced. "My name is Arilynn, elf, and I am here trying to find herbs. I stumbled across your fight with the bear by accident, while looking."

The elf looked guilty. Finally, he said, "Thank you, Arilynn. I am Derevos, of the House Meerlock." He thought for a minute. "Is the bear dead?"

She nodded. "Yep. The carcass is right where you left it, along with your sword. I don’t deal much in magical weapons, and thought it best not to touch it."

He looked at her. "You are wise and just for human. I would think that a human finding an elven blade would keep the blade for themselves."

Arilynn sighed. "Some would, but not me."

For a while, they just sat in silence. Finally, she asked, "Does anyone know where you are who can come and get you? I can’t carry you to your home."

Both of them heard a disembodied voice say, "That won’t be necessary, human." Suddenly, Arilynn was jerked back; a knife set again her throat. Several of the elves seemingly materialized from nowhere, drawn swords leveled at her.

"Karesh si milon! It vo no suspira!"

Arilynn didn’t understand what Derevos said, but the other elves did. The elf holding her let go, and the others raised their weapons and looked at him. For a moment, they conversed in their own language. Finally, one stepped forward to her, sheathing his blade.

"I apologize, human. I saw you and our brother and thought you were holding him hostage."

Arilynn gulped air, and anxiously rubbed her throat. She had not been cut. Slowly, she let her hand drop, all the time staring at the elves. Finally, she found her voice. "Well, you can see I’m not!" She shot back. She got to her feet, anger replacing the fear.

The elf’s head dropped. "As I said, I apologize." He looked back the other elves, all of whom were looking pretty ashamed. He looked all around, and finally, sighing as he did, he said to her, "What can we do for you, to make amends?"

Arilynn’s eyes went round. The elves would help her? There were so many things she needed, so many things that the elves would be a valuable ally for. Then she looked at her patient, and was reminded why she had been forced to go into the Lost Wood to begin with. ""Tell me," she began, "Have you heard of the Sorcerer?"

The lead elf looked a trifle surprised. "I assume that you would like to learn our magic, to challenge him."

She half-grinned. "Not necessarily. The Sorcerer is a blight. He needs to be dealt with, permanently. Help me deal with him."

The elf’s jaw worked a little. Finally, he grinned. "To be honest, human, we were looking for an excuse. With his army, he’d be a threat even to us." He came forward, put out his hand, and said, "Done. Come, let us heal our brother and devise a plan to deal with this Sorcerer person."

Arilynn took his hand and shook it.

* * * * *

The elves were as good as their word. With their magic, they healed Derevos’ arm and shoulder, noting with some respect Arilynn’s skills. They then decided on how to get the Sorcerer into the Lost Wood, where they would have the advantage.

The plan they decided on required Arilynn to bait him. Using their magic, they wove leaves from the trees into a delicate green gown for her. She undid her hair, slipped the dress on, and when she looked into a pool, she had to admit, she did look impressive.

While she did that, Derevos shapechanged. They all agreed to a rendezvous point where the elves would attack. Arilynn and Derevos then left the wood, to await the Sorcerer in her hometown.

The Sorcerer arrived soon. A tall, imposing man in his forties, with dark curly hair and beard. He was not handsome, but very charismatic. He surveyed the pitiful remnants of the townsfolk, and decided that he’d try closer to the ocean. He was going to just pass on, then he saw her. She was a splendidly beautiful woman mounted on a unicorn. That caught his attention.

"He sees us." Whispered Arilynn.

"I know." He replied, "Just do it like we practiced."

As the Sorcerer approached, she called out, "Halt! I, Arilynn of the Lost Wood, do hereby command you to cease and desist! Abandon this unholy crusade and send the people of your armies home!"

"That is MY decision to make, woman, not yours." He looked her up and down. "You would do well respect your betters."

She laughed. "You better than me? A fantasy even more remote than the elves of MY wood."

The Sorcerer’s face reddened. A few of the men with him laughed quietly behind their hands. After fixing them with a black glare, he once again turned his attention to her. "Insolent little wench! Taste my power, and learn!" He pulled out a long staff and gestured at her.

A spiral of flame erupted around her. She was about to scream, but Derevos said, "Relax. This is simple enough." The flame abruptly vanished. After she regained her composure, she said, "That trifle? Taste what REAL magic is!" She raised her arms.

Suddenly, she felt the elf’s magic flowing through her. It was dizzying, exhilarating, a rush beyond anything she had felt before. If magic was like this, no wonder there were those who killed to learn it. The spell conjured forth a blast of wind, which tore at people’s clothes and forced some backwards. The Sorcerer’s staff was ripped from his hand, and then, defying the wind and nature, floated gently to Arilynn, who took a hold of it. It tingled in her hands.

The wind died, and the Sorcerer looked at her with true hatred. "Guard!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Follow me! Kill the bitch!" He spurred his horse into a gallop, the men with him close behind.

"Good. He’s mad. Lets go." Said Derevos, as he wheeled around and began running towards the woods. Arilynn held on to the unicorn’s mane and the staff, hoping she would not fall off.

The woman and the unicorn charged headlong into the Lost Wood. The Sorcerer did not hesitate for a second, and followed her in. Even if the elves did exist, the woman showed no fear of them by entering it, and he wasn’t going to let a bunch of myths and superstitions defeat him.

He and his guard continued for about a half-mile, having lost sight of their quarry just after entering. They slowed, then stopped. Some of the men looked around in puzzlement. The Sorcerer tried to cast a spell to discern something, anything about the location of the woman, then stopped, staring in horror.

The trees had come alive. Branches lashed about like whips, the ancient trunks bent as if to see the humans who had trespassed into their lair better. Vines snaked out to wrap themselves around the people, and moss and earth flew into the air, to blind and confuse them.

One by one, while they tried to fight back, the trees took them, throttled them, crushed them. The Sorcerer watched helplessly as each of his men was killed. Finally, wrapped in vines and branches, his mouth filled with choking moss and his hands entangled, the Sorcerer was killed, knowing full well that the elves he had dismissed so lightly were the ones responsible for his death.

The Sorcerer and his guard we no more.

Derevos led Arilynn back to the edge of the wood. She had changed back into her own clothes, but had kept the Sorcerer’s staff and the magical gown the elves had given her. "Well, the Sorcerer is gone. Hopefully, the armies will now disperse and people will be able to get back to their normal lives again."

"I have not the gift of forelooking, human, but I think things will be well on their way back to normal soon enough."

She looked up at the sky for a second, and then muttered, "I hope you’re right." She pointed to the town, now visible along the edge of the horizon. "Well, there’s the town. I should be getting back." She walked away.

"Arilynn!" Derevos called out.

She turned.

"You are a quite fascinating human. Come back soon. I should think we could learn a lot from each other."

She smiled. In that instant, she felt something she hadn’t for a long time – hope.