The forest Diane and Nisselila were traveling thru started out some big pine trees and some elms. But after two days that made it to an older forest that had trees that reminded her of Sequoya redwoods they were so huge. The branches and leaves where so thick the sun could barely filter thru, so it was always dark down there. Diane could constantly feel things on the edge of her senses, but she had no clue what they were. She felt that they were being stalked constantly. Nisse seemed to know where she was going so Diane followed her lead. Nisse found them different fruits and berries they could eat, their juices helping to relieve her thirst. Diane had been on guard for so long that she was able to practice using her mind to project around her and get an image of her surroundings. It started out at ten feet around her, but she is able to see a hundred yards around herself now. So she wasn't surprised when they came into a clearing in the woods. It was the site of an incredible battle, with bodies still littering the ground from one end of the clearing to the other. On the far side of the clearing she could see a couple of people looting the corpses. They looked her way keeping a wary eye on her also.
"What are we doing here?" Diane asked Nisse
"We must find you armor and a weapon. This is the Eternal Battle Grounds, called so because for millennia armies would fight here. It became tradition to just leave the bodies where they fell. New warriors would come to find armor and weapons that they hoped would bless them in battle." Nisse said.
"Don't they realize that if it didn't help their original owner it wouldn't help them any better?"
"Many a warrior would rather die in battle then grow old, living till they became too frail to look after themselves anymore. So instead some of the mightiest warriors would volunteer for these wars, knowing they were past their prime and wouldn't live thru it. It became known as the Honor Wars or Death Wars by many. Some of the armor and weapons these warriors wielded are enchanted by wizards or blessed by Gods. If you find the right weapon and you have a connection it is said it makes the user invincible. If you are going to learn to fight in the arena you will need every advantage you can get."
Diane looked around, she had no idea what she was looking for. She started walking looking back and forth just glancing really not actually looking at anything in particular. She had been walking along the edge keeping the forest to her right and the clearing to her left. When she suddenly turn left and walked diagonally across the field. She felt something pulling at her, so she focused on that, which allowed her to ignore the fact that she was walking on dead bodies. She stopped at the corpse of a woman. She didn't know how long she was dead, but she was just bones now. She died kneeling on her right knee, her left foot was planted firmly on the ground. She wore a gold and crimson armor that look exactly like Calypso's. She held a sword by the pommel in both hands with the blade pointed at the ground. Her head was bowed and touching the pommel of the sword like she was locked in and eternal prayer at the moment of her death. The sword had a golden pommel with a red wrap that matched the crimson leather of her armor. If Diane didn't know any better she would have sworn she was looking at Calypso's corpse. The corpse's hair was very long and fell down covering her face. Diane's curiosity got the better of her, she slowly reached out and hesitantly moved the hair out of the way, so she could see the face. The head suddenly jerked to the right and let out a hellish scream. Diane jumped back and tripped over shield laying on the ground. The face started out old but then reverted back to its youthful state. Diane now started to scream seeing her own face stare back at her. Nisse who wasn't far away flew over to her to see what was wrong. When she got there she grabbed Diane, who was trying to scramble crab-like away from the dead warrior and help calm her down.
"What do you see?" Nisse asked Diane
"I-I-I-It has my face and is screaming at me! Let me go before it gets me!" Diane screamed still trying to get away.
"Shhhhh... its ok Mistress. Its ok...." Nisse said soothingly, "It not trying to get you its chosen you. It has accepted you as its new owner." Nisse said smiling at her
"Huh....? I'm not going anywhere near that thing while its screaming like that?"
"Mistress it's not screaming. Look at it again closely. It hasn't moved."
Diane looked at it again confused by what Nisse was telling her. How could she not hear its incessant wail? Diane did what she said though and looked closely at the warrior. She realized Nisse was right, the warrior hadn't moved, there was an image that was cloaking the warrior. When she focused on the image it stood up and approached her. Diane found herself standing up and approaching it. It felt like she was looking in a mirror. The image copied her every move as they circled each other. Next thing Diane knew she had a sword in her hand, it was the same sword the warrior was holding. As the image lifted its sword Diane followed suit. They raised the swords over their heads and continued circling each other. They brought their swords together, sliding them down the edge as they spun in unison, and bring the swords across their bodies to crash together again. They continued to do this for what felt to Diane like hours. Each movement and flex of their bodies in constant union. When they had come together in one final move that left both of their swords poised next to the right side of each other's next they stopped, panting and covered in sweat. When Diane looked into her face she saw it wasn't her own face anymore but the true face of the warrior. She smiled at Diane and said, "I accept you. You now possess not only my armor, but my fighting moves as well. You must practice them and make them your own. For even though you have my moves you don't have my experience using them. This armor will protect you with the Sun Goddess's blessing, and this sword was crafted by the Master Crafters. It will never dull and cleave thru solid stone. Protect them and they will protect you in turn. Be well Daughter of Time." With that she smiled and faded away, leaving Diane blinking her eyes as she came out of her trance. She looked down to see she was already wearing her new armor and she was holding her sword in her hand.
"What happened?" Diane
"When you focused on the warrior it started glowing and when you walked over to it the glow enveloped you also. Then it died down and you are standing the way you are now." Nisse answered
"How long was I gone?"
Nisse looked at her confused, "You weren't gone at all. The whole thing took a couple of seconds."
Diane was shocked, but a part of her knew Nisse was right. As she looked down at her sword she began to duplicate the moves she demonstrated a moment ago. She did an ok job, but she stumbled thru a lot of them and she knew her balance and strikes were not perfect. She understood what Tryna meant about having to practice. She didn't know how but she was certain that the fallen warriors name. She knew all of Tryna's moves, they were like second nature to her now, but her body wasn't used to moving in those ways, her muscles still need to learn what her mind already knew.
Diane looked over to see Nisse with a huge grin on her face. "We can go to my aunt now. She can get you into the battle arena." Nisse said. Diane nodded her head and followed Nisse back into the woods. She felt better having a plan to follow. She still wasn't confident in herself or her ability to help the slaves of Urenhiem, but Nisse's confidence in her was constantly pouring thru there bond and helping to bolster her. As they walked she looked at Nisse and opened herself up to the bond some more. Nisse turned around startled by what she felt. The power she felt from Diane was eminence. How could someone that powerful have so much doubt about herself? There was so much that they didn't know about each other. Their bond connected them deeper than anything else in the world could have but their past was still a mystery they hadn't looked into yet. Diane feeling the same thing felt she should speak up first. "So how does a world as hellish as Oblivion have fairies on it?"
"I only know what a fairy is only because of our bond. I am not a fairy, the best way to think of it would be to say I'm a Nymp. That would be a combination of your understanding of a Nymph and an Imp." Nisse said
"How so?" Diane asked
"Well a Nymph is a creature of nature on your world. People of my race make our villages deep in the forests of this world. We can control the elements and plants to a very limited degree. And as for Imps when we reach adulthood we seek out people of strength to attach ourselves to and serve however they need us to."
"So your genetically programmed to be servants. That's horrible!"
"No it's a protection for us. We are small and not very powerful on our own. Even in large groups we can fight against a couple of enemies, but the people of this world are so much stronger than us that we wouldn't survive a real battle with an army. What we have developed is a symbiotic relationship with the rest of the world. We make ourselves helpful to the point that they can't get along without us. The bond we share is so deep because it travels in both directions. You bonded me at the same time I bonded you. That has allowed us to understand each other almost instantaneously. When we usually bond to someone it takes many years for us to develop and intimate understanding of who we serve. We don't just learn to interpret their wants and needs, but we feel them as soon as they do. We learn to act before they even know what to ask for. In time this makes us so invaluable to them that they protect us as they would a child or family member. We normally have free reign throughout the world. Even if there is a war we are never harmed because we are seen as a symbol of neutrality. We will only attack when our bonded are in danger."
"I see, that does make sense now. But when I look at you I see a child from my world, how old are you?"
"We age slowly as does everyone else on this planet compared to yours. You are an adult on your planet right? How old are you?"
"I'm thirty-six." Diane said
"I was considered a child still in my village at thirty-six. My people aren't considered adults until we are fifty. I have been searching the lands for someone to serve, who would protect me. I was leaving the city of Urenhiem, where I had been visiting with my aunt to travel to the northern lands when the arachnoid got my sent and started chasing me. I thought the crater you were in would make a good hiding spot till you started screaming. I knew your screams would draw it to us, so I was trying to quiet you down. When you wouldn't stop I was trying to flee when I fell and was knocked out."
"I'm sorry about that. My psionic blast hit you a little bit and knocked you out. I don't even know how I did that. I had this pounding headache that kept built pressure inside my head till it felt like it was going to explode. But when I saw you as terrified as I was I thought of my daughter Stacy and I knew I had to protect you. So I pushed everything inside my head at that creature, then it exploded. I'm still very confused about this world and Calypso is a terrible guide. She barely tell me anything of use and expects me to know what she wants of me....." Diane stopped walking looking up toward the sky in frustration.
"The Goddess Calypso is known for her wisdom, but she also values a person's intuition over giving them a direct answer. She has helped many on this planet arriving her over two hundred years ago. My mother bonded her shortly after she arrived and the two of them were instrumental in stopping the Craven Wars. Her prowess in battle and her seemingly unlimited well of power elevated her beyond mere mortal to godly status. It's amazing that she is your guide. I haven't seen her since I was a child. My mother left me with her family to raise me because she was needed by Calypso on another world. I wonder when they returned, I haven't been home in fifteen years. Maybe when we are thru we can visit my home."
"Of course. We can go now if you want."
"No this mission is very important and if the Goddess Calypso has entrusted us with this task then we should be honored to complete it. I will lead you to Urenhiem now. We should be there in about a week." As they turned to leave They both jumped when they a baby crying behind them.