Sixteen year old Elizabeth Greythane sat herself beneath her favorite old willow
tree, deep within the Serenwilde Forest. She sighed happily as she drank in the
natural beauty around her. The gentle rustling of leaves caused by the wind
moving through the canopy above. The sweet song of the birds. The warmth of the
sun breaking through the cool shade. The dancing and fluttering of various
insects as they made their way from flowering plant to flowering plant. The
rich smells of loam and growing things.

It had taken her a while to find this spot. Homesickness for her childhood home
in the Commune of Gloriana had been the original driving force that lead to the
discovery. She'd been exploring her new home within the Serenwilde, knowing
deep down that she would grow to love it as she had the Gloriana, if she only
let herself. So she explored, seeking to know each tree and stone and burrow
and creature. That was how she'd found this glade and the old willow she now
leaned against comfortably.

It'd become her special place. A place where she could go and feel completely
at peace with herself. She came here to practice her meditations. To further
her burgeoning communion with the Great Spirits of Nature. To contemplate her
life and its purpose. To focus on her connection to the Fae and her responsibly
to them. And sometimes it was her refuge. A place to escape the pressures of her
novicehood in the Coven of the Moon and the expectations of the senior members.
A place to get away for a bit and relax.

Elizabeth frowned a bit as she thought about what'd brought her to her favorite
place today. The tense, anxious atmosphere of the Commune, and the Coven in
particular, as everyone gathered together to listen to the aethercast from
Magnagora. Project Cosmic Hope was underway, despite the ill omens and warnings
given by the High Priestess of Night.

It shocked and dismayed Elizabeth that even with the direct warning from Mother
Night, the Emperor would press forward with his plan. High Priestess Farella had
tried to explain the narrow-minded blindness of the city-dwellers, but it was
still so difficult to comprehend for Elizabeth who'd been born and raised to
revere the Spirits.

She hadn't wanted to listen to the aethercast, as it filled her with an uneasy
feeling, despite the apparent joviality of the exploring party. She knew she
wasn't alone in this because there hadn't been a single smiling face in the
Commune. The elders especially had pinched, worried looks on their faces. So,
she'd come here to attempt to clear away this strange foreboding and perhaps
work on her meditations.

With this in mind she settled herself more comfortably and closed her eyes. She
concentrated first on her breathing. A deep breath in through her nose, and a
long slow exhale through her mouth. She continued this until it became natural.
A thing done without conscious thought or effort. By doing so, her mind slowly
cleared of all thoughts, concerns and worries. This was a big step for
Elizabeth who'd always had a great deal of difficulty in clearing her thoughts
for meditation and communion. Her mentor within the Coven had suggested this
breathing technique to her, and Elizabeth was very pleased with the results.

Once she felt her mind and spirit were ready, she began singing softly in the
language of the Fae. It was a prayer she sung to the Spirits of Nature and to
the great Mother Moon, inviting them to speak to her and help her to serve
Them. This was a private ritual she conducted at least once a day, usually here
under the old willow tree. She would use song and prayer to open her heart and
soul to the wisdom of the Spirits she served.

As she sang, she could feel a presence surround and fill her. Her voice dropped
into a reverent whisper as she beheld the faintest touch of true communion.
Though it was only a mere fraction of what the elders of her Coven could
accomplish, she felt buoyed by the power and the joy as the Spirit of Mother
Moon brushed hers lightly. In her excitement at the accomplishment, her
concentration and control lapsed and the sense of the presence of Mother Moon
slipped away from her like water.

She tried to regain it, the volume of her song increasing as she reached out,
seeking the glorious presence. For a moment she thought she would not regain
the connection, but just when she was about to resign herself to the loss, the
light of Mother Moon once again entered her soul. This time, to her
astonishment, the Great Mother's attention was focused on Elizabeth. She felt
infused with a cool, gentle light and a silvery voice moved through her.

"My child."

Elizabeth was struck by the strange tone of the voice she heard and felt. There
was love there, and power, as Elizabeth expected, but there was also a strange
sense of despair and even a touch of fear hidden within. Before she could reply
to the Spirit her Coven worshiped, She once again slipped away, leaving
Elizabeth feeling humbled and honored… and slightly concerned as well. What
could cause Mother Moon to despair? What could Mother Moon have to fear?

As she contemplated this, she suddenly remembered the ill conceived Project
Cosmic Hope and shivered slightly. For a moment a shadow seemed to pass over
her and a chill crept up her spine. She pushed away the dark feelings and tried
to recapture the reverent joy of before, but it was not a thing easily done.

A sudden loud rustling startled Elizabeth from her efforts and a moment later a
bundle of fur rolled out from the nearby underbrush. The furry lump stood and
revealed itself to be her good friend Karit, who scowled at the bush he'd just
tumbled out of.

Karit had been her first friend when she'd come to the Serenwilde and despite
the fact that he became a Druid of the Hartstone, while she'd joined the Moon
Coven, they remained quite close. They didn't have much in common if one went
by appearances alone. Karit was of the furrikin race. He greatly resembled the
rabbits that inhabited parts of this forest. Elizabeth was an elfen, with long,
dark red hair and pale white skin. She was quite tall, while Karit was, of
course quite short. She was thin and willowy, while he was a bit stout. She was
graceful while he was usually a bit clumsy. But they were best friends despite
the surface differences.

"I still haven't gotten the hang of that," the small furrikin muttered before
turning towards Elizabeth. "I thought I'd find you here. Come on, you better
hear this."

Before she could voice a protest, he'd grabbed hold of her arm and she felt her
form scatter like fall leaves and a great rush of movement before the two of
them tumbled out of the underbrush near the Moonhart Mother Tree.

"Next time, just let me do that," Elizabeth griped as she brushed herself off
and pulled twigs out of her hair.

"I won't get better if I don't practice," Karit replied defensively.

Elizabeth's retort was cut off by a sharply hissed "Shh" from someone in the
crowd that was gathered, and suddenly she became aware of the voice flowing
from the aetherwaves. She turned towards Karit, wondering why he'd brought her
here to hear the aethercast.

He whispered an answer to her unasked question, "Something's gone very wrong."

Elizabeth listened with a growing sense of fear as the voice of the aetherwave
personality, Leela described the horror of what was happening on the Higher
Plane of Shallamar. Her breath caught in her throat as the last terrified "No"
was cut off and the voice of Globglob announced the connection was lost. Before
she'd had a chance to recover, a new voice interrupted saying that something was
happening on the Plane of Earth, but it was cut off quickly. Her hands clutched
in fists as Globglob described the black oil and smoke flowing from the Stone
of Truth in Magnagora. The fallen prophets who rose again. The last
panic-stricken words from the aethercast were Globglob's cries of "Run."

Then there was silence.

(to be continued)