"Grandma, who are you going to tell me about tonight?" asked the little elven girl.

                "Well, I am not sure child, I said patting her gently on the head," thinking to myself.

"You finished the story of Monique Dawnfire last night.  Could you tell me another one that lasts for a couple weeks?  I love those the best!" squeaked the child.

                "Okay, but you must promise me you will go straight to bed when I tell you.  I know that you will like this story so you have to promise to obey if you want to hear all of it," I said.

                "I will, I will!" she squeaked as she held tightly to my old wrinkled hand.

                I looked at the child and leaned in very close.  In a hushed whisper I began, "this story is about a young elven women in Anir.  She grew up in a village deep in the Elvandine Woods, which has become this very same city we are in.  At the very young age of fifteen she showed great potential in both magic and healing.  She looked like the next great prodigy.  Almost from the moment she could talk she began studying magic under the most patient Master in the village; his name was Kidel.  You know it is a great honor to study under such a man at her age.  Oh, this girl was a fast learner; she impressed everyone with the speed at which she would become proficient at one spell.  No matter how simple or hard the spell she spent at least one week on it before moving to a new spell.  She wanted to please her parents so much," I said as I paused and took a deep breath as I realized how loud and excited I was becoming as I was telling this story.  Before I could continue the little elf before me exploded with excitement.

                "Oh, this must be the story of Selna Faen-Lerrett!  Please go on grandma!  I want to be just like her!"

                I smiled at the child and continued on, her eyes glossed over as I began to unravel the tale.

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"Selna, are you almost ready to go?" asked Master Kidel.

"Yes, I just need to put a few more things in my pack.  It is going to be cold out there," replied Selna.  It was the middle of winter, and Selna's teacher, Master Kidel, was taking her on a trip.

Selna shouldered her pack and stepped outside.  A fresh layer of snow had graced the ground overnight.  The early morning sun was barely peaking over the horizon.  She bounced over to Master Kidel, who was busily fixing the straps on his pack.

"Master Kidel, I am ready to go," she said with a salute.

"Good, good. Let us begin then," he said as he turned and headed in the direction the sun.  Selna quickly followed him.  Her dark green eyes flashed everywhere, filled with curiosity.  She had never traveled far past the village.  Out in the forest the trees grew tall and wild.  Nothing was shaped by the magic like it was in the village.  She soaked it all in, the trees towering over them, the uneven landscape and the quiet.  By noon she was drenched in sweat.

"I think this is a good place to stop and eat," Master Kidel said as he looked about the small clearing they had entered.  "Go gather a few sticks for a fire, he said as he sat down on a fallen tree.

"Why do I need to gather sticks? Can't we just make a fire out of magic?" questioned Selna.

"You should know it works better with wood; now go get some."  Selna looked down at her feet and slowly trudged off to collect wood.  After collecting an armful of dead branches and twigs she brought it back and set it in the middle of the clearing.

"Go ahead. You know what to do," he said encouragingly.  Removing her fur-lined cloak and setting it aside, she set herself to work.  Sitting down on the ground, she stared at the pile of branches and twigs.  Carefully she lifted her hand, palm outstretched towards the pile.  She concentrated for a few minutes before a bit of fire leaped from her hand to the pile that quickly began to blaze.  Her shoulders slumped as energy drained from her; she was still just learning.

"Excellent job, Selna.  In time it will come faster and easier.  Next time do not look at the sticks but close your eyes and reach out for the energy around you.  It will not drain you as much."

Master Kidel reached into his pack and pulled out some flat bread and jerky, handing some to her and taking some for himself.  She took it eagerly and ate it as fast as her small mouth would allow her.

After resting for an hour, Master Kidel stood up and handed Selna her cloak.  She pulled it on along with her pack.  They continued their journey in silence for the most part.  Master Kidel only spoke to point out various animals and plant life.

Suddenly Master Kidel stopped and Selna nearly bumped into his back.  She looked at him, curious and waiting.  He pointed at a wide path in front of them that weaved in and out of the trees.

"Ice," he said pointing at the frozen river.  "Be careful while you cross."  He stepped gingerly on the path of ice and moved across one step at a time.  One step, two steps, three steps, four steps, he was so near the edge that he could almost bend over and touch it.  He reached his foot out to take the fifth step.  As his boot came down to make contact with the ice it slipped; his legs flipped up, his arms flew out to help balance himself, but his head came crashing down with a sickening crack.  Slowly the ice began to crack; the tendrils slowly inched their way outward from his body.  Her mind began to race.  She tried to run as fast as possible but she only seemed to be moving at a walking pace.  She pushed her muscles to their limits, finally after what seemed like a million years she reached him.  She pulled his arm from the water that was slowly seeping out of the thousands of tiny cracks.  With all her strength she pulled and tugged until she had gone those last few steps it would have taken him to cross the ice.  He was completely soaked by then, only the clothing covered by his cloak remained dry.

She paused for a moment not knowing what to do.  Then it hit her, start a fire.  So off she went to gather as much wood as she could.  With both arms full she returned to Master Kidel.  She dropped the wood a safe distance from him.  Sitting down, she prepared herself to light the wood.  She stared at the wood, but her teacher's words echoed in her mind, "do not look at the sticks but close your eyes and reach out for the energy around you." She stretched both palms out with her eyes closed.  She let her mind out to search and gather the energies that flowed from the living things of the forest and the energy of the wind.  She pulled what she could to herself and sent it out to the sticks.  With a burst of fire the sticks came to life, blazing brightly with a life of their own.

Selna was very surprised that she still had much energy left after such a use, but her teacher had been right.  When she realized that he was still lying on his wet cloak she tugged at it till it came out from under him.  She pulled her bedroll from her pack and placed it on him and carefully moved his frozen hands to his armpits, but she did not now what to do with his feet.  Finally deciding, she slowly peeled his boots off and tried to position him so that his feet were the part of him closest to the fire.

She sat there for hours watching him but not seeing any signs of consciousness.  Every hour or so she would get up to gather more wood for the fire; by the time morning came she was very tired and worried.  It was getting harder and harder to find wood and she didnt think she could stay awake much longer.

She knew that her mother was a healer and that one day she would be one too, but she didn't know much past healing simple cuts.  She was desperate though, and reached out to his head.  With hands set securely on his temples she reached her mind out into his.  She searched for the sign of the problem, the dark blot on his fading aura.  At last she found it, but the dark blot was like and unlike those of cuts.  The blot had the feeling of blood, but there was something else there.  She reached down to the blot and tried fixing it as best she should.  As she dispelled the clumps of blood the dark blot slowly faded to a light gray.  Exhausted and tired she pulled away from Master Kidel and passed out cold.  Not only had she used almost all her energy, but also she had not eaten since noon the day before.

Hours later a groggy Master Kidel woke up with a rather large bump on the back of his head.  To his side was Selna in a dreamless sleep.  He could feel the healing magic that was used on him and knew well how much she needed the rest.  He moved away from her and placed her bedroll on top of her.  He pulled out a small vial from his pack and drank it slowly, letting its healing power fix the little bit she could not.  Though only twenty-five, she would be one of the greatest additions to their community. Selna would be a great healer one day.  She clearly displayed the signs of a healer and showed that even though she was inexperienced she could accomplish much.

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                "Is that all?  I thought she healed him completely," said the young elf with a frown on her face.

                "No, that is just an exaggeration," I explained.

"So is there more?"

"Yes but you must remain quiet for me to tell the rest."

                "I wont say a word, I promise!" she said giving me the sincerest look she had.

                "Okay.  Now, Master Kidel continued to work with Selna for twenty-five more years.  She accomplished much in that time and had learned a lot of magic.  At the age of fifty-one she began her intensive training in the healing magic and arts.  When she learned magic she also learned a tiny bit of healing, so like before she learned a tiny bit more magic while she learned a lot of healing.  This time, though, she studied magic under her father, Master Lerrett and healing under Master Faelan.  After only four years she had learned what most did in ten.  Soon she began to work with the other healers and they put much responsibility in her young adolescent hands.  She was beginning to grow up very fast."  I paused and looked at the young beaming face before jumping back into the tale.

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From her perch on her tree Selna watched the forest around her.  She blended in perfectly.  To the untrained eye she was part of the tree.  Her darkened skin and brown hair was a perfect match to the tree's bark.  Her green eyes were almost unnoticeable next to the leaves and her clothing with its strange pattern matched the forest around her.  From her little spot she observed the other wood elves as they worshipped gods and went about their daily lives.  She herself worshipped Faelina, the Goddess of Healing.  Like her mother, she was a healer and therefore worshipped and paid tribute to Faelina.

Hours passed on and on and she continued to watch the hustle and bustle in the village.  Finally bored with it as things slowed down she left her perch and went away from their little city.  Always up in the trees, she ran from limb to limb till she was far away.  She often did this to get away from it all.  She once again took up a perch and watched the forest.  She sat along a path high up in a tree.  She watched as one of the boys from her village crept along with bow and arrow; he was probably going hunting.  She followed him as he went along, careful to always stay out of view for she caught his gaze looking up in to the trees.  More hours passed with little else happening; she finally gave up and went home.  It was well into the night by then. On her return she came upon a very unhappy mother, actually, two very unhappy mothers.

Jada, her mother immediately went into a long lecture, which was quickly interrupted by the other mother, Hannie.

"Selna, have you seen my boy, Joshu?" asked Hannie with worry written on her brown face.

"Uh," Selna hesitated as she remembered that she had followed him, "not since I left my usual perch.  He went into the forest with bow and arrow.  I thought he was hunting." She nervously pulled at the hem of her shirt.  It was half true.  She had seen him leave, but she'd seen him afterwards.

"He left to go hunting?  He didn't mention anything.  I hope he returns soon.  If you see him send him right home, said Hannie with stress filled eyes as she looked from mother to daughter.

"Of course, we'll do that," said Jada with a sweet voice.  It was not sweet for long though.  "Now you," she said pointing at Selna, "You said you would help me today at the Healer's Tree."

"I know, I know.  I just didn't feel like it.  I'll help you tomorrow, I promise."

"You better or I'll have your father cast root on you all night so you can't get out of helping again.  You are only fifty-five, it is your duty to help out, remember?"

"Don't worry mother.  I'll be there in the morning," she said as she quickly headed to their tree and up to her room.

When morning came she was true to her promise.  Of course she had been up for many hours.  She went out to look for Joshu in the early hours of the morning.  She had found his trail and could go back after she was done at the Healer's Tree and see what he was up to.  You always tell someone if you go hunting, but he had told no one.  He was up to something, but she had no clue as to what.

The day seemed to drag on and on.  All she wanted to do was find out what Joshu was doing.  Every person that came to the Healer's Tree was bombarded by her whispered questions.  "Did you talk to Joshu yesterday?  Is he back yet?  Has he been working on anything?"  On and on the questions went, most often only to the younger patients.  The adults would start to say things to each other and come to wrong conclusions; it was already bad enough that they had both "disappeared" at the same time last night.

Finally after several hours of work she was free.  She didn't gain much information from anyone; a few had talked to him, but nothing about what he was doing and why he was still missing.

As soon as she climbed up a tree, Selna shot off into the forest.  She ran as fast as she could, her lithe body leaping from limb to limb.  When she reached the spot she found earlier in the day she dropped to the ground.  With keen eyes she followed his light tracks.  He did not stay on the trail the whole time, he often ventured into the forest. His trail was hard to follow but he had made no move to hide it.

Night fell, but she still had not found him.  His tracks led back to a game trail.  She ran along the trail glancing from side to side to look for signs that marked his leaving of the trail.  She paused for a moment suddenly recognizing where she was.  Not to far from where she stood was a small clearing hidden in a little valley.  She squiggled up the nearest tree with this newfound knowledge in mind.  Quickly but silently she made her way to the tiny clearing.  As she neared the area she could see smoke wafting through the air.  She had finally found him.  She peeked around the thick tree in front of her.  She blinked her eyes to clear the dryness from the smoke and spotted Joshu.  He sat in the middle of a circle in deep meditation.  Her eyes went wide and alert.  She examined every detail.  He looked alone, but his lips moved as if he was talking to someone.  Suddenly he stood up, his eyes snapped open and he looked around.

"What do you mean someone is here, Great Goddess Lianar?  I see no one."  His eyes searched the trees but Selna was safely hidden from his searching eyes.

A voice entered her mind, "What do you want child?  You have no business here."  The voice was full of vileness, it reeked of evil and it made her shudder.  Something bad was bound to happen.  A sense of guilt and regret flooded through her.  Why did she not tell the truth?  She was alone now.  She did have a chance though, she could try and flee back to the village and warn them of the evil that Joshu was dabbling in.

The problem was, she didn't know exactly what Joshu was doing.  What was he planning or was he planning anything?  Did he mean to destroy their village?  He had no reason to; everyone treated him well.  The decision tore at her soul.  What must she do?  The fate of her village could very well be in her hands and she knew nothing of what would come.

"Who are you?!" she screamed out desperately to know who Joshu had allied with.  It would help everything fit into place.  It could answer all the questions floating in her head.

"How dare you speak to me in that manner you insolent fool. I am the Great Goddess Lianar.  I stand above all that dwell in the lower regions."  The air around Selna crackled as the voice resounded.  The evilness echoed off the walls of the valley causing it to almost overwhelm her, but she stood her ground and prayed to her goddess Faelina, the Great Healer.  The power in Lianar's voice could very well have enslaved poor Joshu.  Some had mentioned his actions had for the past week were strange.

"Faelina, oh Great Healer," her voice rang out in defiance of the evil there, "I have served you well and will do so for the rest of my life.  Please heal the mind of Joshu.  The vile goddess Lianar has taken him from the gods of good.  I beg of you my great and awesome goddess, bring him back to us."  Her voice pleaded and rang out above the screeches of Lianar.

The sweet and melodic voice of Faelina the Great Healer rang out, "Only you, my dear Selna, can heal his mind.  You have the power.  It is in you.  Trust in yourself."

Selna lunged to her feet, in a second she stood next to Joshu.  She worked as swiftly as she could.  Her hand flashed out with her dagger in her palm.  She dealt a quick blow to his head with the hilt.

Slowly she pulled Joshu on to her back.  She ran down the game trail as fast as she could with the load she carried.

"Bring me back my servant!  He is mine!" Lianar's voice screamed from the valley.  Selna did not stop; she could not.  It was her duty as a healer to save Joshu from the evil of Lianar.  His mind was not meant to be tainted so.

For most of the night she ran, always staying on game trials.  One of the hunters from the village would find them eventually.  She stumbled to the ground.  With the last of her strength she shoved Joshu off her back.  Then the blackness over came her.

They laid there for hours unconscious.  When she awoke she was at the Healer's Tree.  She stood weakly and moved to Joshu.  She gingerly reached out and touched his head.  It was still filled with evil, but she would fix that.  She had already won this battle.

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"With no one to teach her but her goddess she would have much trouble.  Her goddess has much to attend to and she did say all Selna need was in herself.  So inside she would reach and far from perfect she would be, but it will be a beginning and that is all that she needs.  As her life goes on she will be called to far and wide for her services.  She will even meet a few like her who have this rare and precious gift.  They will share and be friends for a lifetime and more.  And now it is your bed time my child," I said with a stern look on my face.

                "Oh please grandma!  Tell me more, Ill be a good girl," pleaded the child.

                "No, the rest of the story is for another day," I said patting her head and tucking her into bed.

                "Goodnight grandma," she said with a sigh.

                "Goodnight child," I said as I stood at the doorway.  With a simple thought I put out the little candle perched over the bed and moved into my study.   I walked over to the shelves and ran my hand across the many journals that I had saved.  I reached up and pulled down a very familiar and worn journal.  I walked across the room and sat down on my favorite seat formed in the tree.  I opened up the journal and began reading.