The Whispers Of Trees

13. Illusive Lady

"So we've seen two ravens that like to mock me and we've seen a Rove or whatever it was you called it. What else is out there that we don't know about?" Orym asked Alimar as they walked. Both felt tired despite their restful sleep, although he had to admit that his soul looked much more worse for wear. He just hoped that Mirith held up her side of the bargain, if it was indeed true and not a dream.

"Considering you live upon the surface, you Saplings are truly blind to life beyond your own. It is not uncommon for creatures such as the Rove to linger out in the open, even if they are shy, they are not difficult to find"

"Well, with a leader like Achillia, there is never any time to think about anything else with her constant gatherings, meetings and visits. I suppose, when adding things together, she isn't all too bad, in her own twisted way I think she cares." he said thoughtfully, feeling somewhat enlightened but putting it to the extra sleep he'd managed to salvage.

"If you insist. To answer your previous question, there are other beings we may well come across on our venture, some of which are influenced by Ubium and will need to be avoided. Mirith may have reign over the earth, but his minions still remain"

"What sort of creatures serve him?"

"Rove for one. Even mice, they could all be messengers of Ubium that have undoubtedly kept him up to date with his plans to decay the mycelium. Vossolicas, enormous wolf-like beasts, however, are known to serve Mirith"

"Do all creatures serve one or the other?" Orym asked, watching his footing as they landed on a dirt road, bent and stressed with tree roots deep beneath that rose the very ground.

"They are like you or I, they can serve either Ubium, or Mirith, however, they can too choose to serve themselves and live a faithless existence. An example would be Kirreo's, sister prophets that follow no god but the fate of the universe."

"And where would we find them? Can they tell us if we succeed or not?"

"They do not inhabit, they can be summoned or found if one unknowingly needs them. But they will not reveal such things to you. Should you ever meet them, do not waste your questions on things such as that."

Stepping over a rather uprooted section of path, Orym continued with his quizzing, silently wondering how much longer it would be before Alimar tired of him. "So all of these creatures, are they spirits too?"

"No, Roves are the most common as you have seen, alongside Lossens. Spirits of the air that take on the subtle form of those like you. Both can be very persuasive in their ways."

"You'll find much more than that out here wee laddie" came an unfamiliar voice from behind them. But on turning around to face it, they saw no one. Orym started to question whether Ennoq and Ennor had followed them, until a slender lady, shrouded in an amethyst velvet dress that clung to her subtle curves.

Her hair sat just above her shawl-draped shoulders, the redwood tresses pulled back with black ribbon.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you're Pendula" Orym stated with a tone of boredom.

"Aye. Pendula Anemone" she said, her voice thick with a foreign accent, at least one not native to Uskara.

"And how is It you knew to find us?" Orym asked suspiciously, his eyes squinting as if to catch a glimpse of her motives.

"A wee lass I met, Alea. She called to me asking for help, she has been a long time friend so I couldn'y refuse. That, and I owe her"

"Good enough" he sighed "So what now?"

"A brew and a blether sounds good to me"

Orym could hardly believe his ears, his sit down with a tea had hardly been relaxing at Amber Boughs so the idea of having another try was music to him, the sweetest, sweetest tune.