Wind Rider (Return of the Dragons 2)

The voice in my head grew clearer, deep and guttural, and damp like the earth, but also fertile and strong and somehow feminine. Anders Tomason, come to my gate. I must give you what is only mine to give.

I nodded, but the others only looked more confused. Take me to the gate of the tree mother. She calls me.

Later I would realize that the tree folk were shocked. Later I would know that only one person a year was granted such privileges, and that the tree folk had no idea how to respond to such a request. But now it was Ulrike who stood up and smiled at me.

I will take him, father. Listen, all, for the Tree Mother calls him now as we sit here staring, and grows impatient with us.

The tree rumbled briefly. Erik nodded. Take him, then, daughter. And we will meet again at the base of the tree when he comes out again. If she lets him out.

I looked at Ulrike as she led me out.

She smiled back at me. He’s only joking. I think.

People parted as we passed, and I heard low murmurs of thought, leakage from the people around me. He’s so young. He’s not one of us. I hope he will be all right. Mother can be harsh with her enemies but she is just.

Soon it was just the two of us. The murmur of unshielded thought faded to nothing as the thoughts of the mother tree grew stronger and louder, deep in tone and rich in their tonality; they were velvety, and stroked me. I could almost understand her, and there were moments where I did, and in these moments I heard her calling: Anders, I await you. I have something for you, that only I can give you.

My skin started to buzz with the energy of the tree, as we approached a patch of the trunk about the size of a man, lighter in color, and covered with sap. Without thinking about it, I closed my eyes, unafraid of falling now. Below me the tree glowed under my feet, to my side was Ulrike, and in front of me the trunk glowed green. There, outlined in front of me, was a door, and there were runes on it, in a darker green. I reached out and traced them and felt the energy of the tree buzz through my fingers as the tree covered my hand with sticky sap. But my fingers kept moving. Then I was walking forward, opening my mind to the mother tree as my body entered into the sap and the wood opened up around me. My body was being covered from head to toe with warm wood, and I stopped moving. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe either. Still I did not panic.

My lungs filled slowly with sap. I stopped breathing, but remained somehow alive. My mind kept thinking. I could feel my heart pumping, and somehow my lungs got what they needed from the sap. This was deep magic, magic that moved inside me. There was no way to open my eyes, I could not move, but my inner eye was open. I opened my inner ears, looked out and listened.

She was in front of me.

She looked like a woman, old but strong and wise. Her back was straight but her hair was grey and long, reaching down to her feet. Her eyes were emerald green, and her teeth shining white. And she spoke to me then, and now I understood her.

I called and you came, Anders Tomason.

I couldn’t move a muscle. Still there was no pain. You called and I came, Tree Mother.

Call me Helga..

Why have you called me here?

She smiled.

You can change the world, Anders Tomason. You can hurt it or you can make it whole again. I see so much bloodshed. I hope you will come out of it whole and unscarred. That the world too will come out of it whole and unscarred. For this I give you several gifts. The first is the sap now filling your lungs — it will fill your body with plant energy and make the trees your friends, wherever you might go. The second is a living shield of my own wood, which you will carry on your back. The third is a breastplate of magical living hardwood, which I will affix to your chest. It will be light enough to wear underneath your clothes, and will absorb the energy of bruising blows, and deflect the energy of those who try to pierce it.

I felt a tingling on my leg and then Carolina was there as well in front of me, between me and the tree mother.

She was smiling. I did not know tree spirits to be so generous with their gifts. I assume there is a hidden price, as well.

I knew that Anders carried a great blade, but I did not know there was such power as you within it.

Carolina smiled again. Helga knows that flattery will get you everywhere with pixies. With tree spirits it does not work as well, unfortunately. Tell me, tree mother, what is the hidden price for these priceless gifts?

The tree mother groaned and imprisoned within her I could feel the whole tree shake. I wish the deliverance of my peoples, both human and tree from the man called the dark lord.

Carolina nodded. Is that all, tree mother?

That is all. I ask only that Anders reaffirm a pledge already made. One made already in the heavens the day of his birth. And in return I give him those gifts, and send him and you on your way. Along with several of my strongest human children.

Carolina looked at me then. If I were you, I would pledge. A tree mother’s gifts are priceless, and never have I seen a tree mother with such a true and good heart.

I pledge to deliver all peoples, human and non-human, beast or plant, from the reign of the dark lord.

Carolina smiled. Will that suffice?

Helga the tree mother smiled. You have my three gifts and my blessing. I spit you back out into the world of men, tree-friend.