FairyKnight

Trixie knew she was still alive. *Nobody dead would have a headache as bad as this!* she thought as she stirred.

Opening her eyes revealed only inky blackness.

*Oh no, I’m blind!*

As if on cue her other senses assaulted her. The floor was cold, damp, and filthy. The smell was like a whole village of goblins had used this place as a dumping ground. She heard dripping all around her, and then, muffled voices .

She stifled a moan of fear and squeezed her eyes shut. If she really was blind, at least she could pretend for a while that it was just that her eyes were shut.

Trixie strained her head to listen for the voices again.

“... We’ll execute the elf tomorrow morning. He wouldn’t talk no matter how much we beat him ...”

Trixie bit her lip. Memories came flooding back. *Thalon! Oh this is really bad.* Tears began to stream down her face.

“What am I going to do?” She whispered to herself.

Suddenly, in her mind’s eye, she saw a face.

“Thalon! ” she cried aloud.

Then immediately put her hand over her mouth. The image faded and light flooded the room as she heard the rasping sound of a metal door opening.

She scrambled backwards, scraping the heels of her hands on the rough stone floor till she was against the wall. She held up her hand to block the blinding light.

“Well,” said a rough, gravelly voice. “Looks like one of the Master’s little Mages is up!

Through her fingers Trixie could make out the silhouette of a goblin guard.

“Who are you? Why are you doing this? Where am I?” She cried.

“My name is Grunt. At your service mylady,” he made an exaggerated mock bow.

“You are a guest of our fine master Rath. This-” he gestured with his arms on a grand circle “is the dungeon of RavenBlight. Make yourself at home!”

He laughed derisively. “Don’t get too comfortable though! Tomorrow we take you to the Master for your...conversion! Heh! Heh! Heh!”

He turned and slammed the iron door behind him. The cell was plunged into darkness once again.

Trixie buried her face in her hands and wept.

-------------

Thalon’s face once again came into focus in Trixie’s mind’s eye.

*What?* she thought.

Her teeth chattered involuntarily from the coldness of the stone floor. She hadn’t dressed for kidnapping, and her light dress was torn in places already.

“Mage-Child.” Thalon began, “I’ve implanted memories into your mind. My time is growing short and I must be brief. You have a spell within you that you must invoke when you reach the Elf Queen. Her name is Braigeth. Here is a memory of her appearance.”

Trixie was stunned to find herself in a sunlit grove of trees. Dappled sunlight warmed her face as the air sparkled with magic. All around her were people dressed in amazing garb. One woman was in an elegant gown that - while delicate and amazingly beautiful- also reminded her of a deer. Another -* they must be Elves! She thought* was an Elf warrior all in shades of blue and white, reminiscent of the waves of the ocean, with a tremendous sword decorated with seashells. Traces of seaweed threaded his clothing, but not in a haphazard way - instead carefully arranged to look both natural and elegant.

Trixie realized she was seeing a memory from Thalon. *This was her coronation* Thalon said in her mind.

Trixie looked forward where all eyes were intently turned toward the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life. She was small by Elf standards, and very delicate in her features. She was clothed in a beautiful black robe with stars that seemed to twinkle, even in the daylight. Her light blond hair was pulled up into a style that suggested a sunset, continuing with the high collar that appeared light blue, like distant clouds. Her face was long with the high cheekbones of her race, and her pointed ears had small comet earrings. Her eyes were as blue as a cloudless summer sky.

Everyone in the whole glen was dressed uniquely in some fashion that was both elegant and natural, in a way that Trixie could only describe as “magical”, but Braigeth was breathtaking. The thought that somehow this delicate woman could be struck down by some creature of darkness made Trixie’s heart break in sadness.

She started weeping again, only this time not for her own plight, but for that of this Queen.

*In addition to this spell, and these memories, I’ve given you a powerful spell but it will only work once. It will transport you to the closest entity that can help you escape. It is my hope that there is someone within range of the spell that will be not only willing to help you, but able to do so as well. I am sorry that I cannot do more for you Mage-Child. Please, save my Queen!* Thalon’s face faded from her thoughts unbidden.

Trixie could feel the weight of the spells in her mind. It was not just the spells themselves, but all of the training and knowledge she would have had to master in order to successfully cast the spells. Thalon had done far more than just given her some magic and the memory of an impossibly beautiful Elf Queen, he had given her hope.

“Here goes nothing!” she whispered to herself and invoked the transport spell. An instant later the dark dungeon cell was empty once again.

---