The ragged band of survivors arrived at last in sight of Cerridwen's village, where Elara's quest had begun what now felt like a lifetime ago. Anxiety and hope dueled within her as she gazed down at the dusty streets. Would the Sage still be here? Or had darkness already overtaken this place too?
Gesturing for caution, Elara led the way between modest thatched cottages towards Cerridwen's dwelling on the village outskirts. All was eerily quiet. Elara's heart sank. Had they come too late?
Reaching the small home, she hesitated only a moment before pushing inside. "Cerridwen?" she called softly. Her voice echoed in the empty space. The Sage was gone.
Elara weathered the fresh wave of despair. Their one link to understanding these chaotic events had vanished. But she could not succumb to aimlessness - not with the others relying on her leadership.
Turning, she instructed wearily, "Search the village for any supplies left behind. We'll rest here and decide on our next course." Right now she had no inner light left to guide the way forward.
While the refugees scavenged, Elara sank down on Cerridwen's abandoned bed. She missed the Sage's wisdom and guidance. How she wished this place still held answers instead of more mystery.
Seeking solace, she retrieved the ancient book Cerridwen had gifted her so long ago. Elara gently turned the worn pages filled with arcane symbols and glyphs. If only she could decipher its secrets...
One page made her pause. It depicted a shadowy forest landscape unlike any she had seen before in the Broken Lands. Strange wisps wound between the trees, and Elara spied mysterious figures peering from behind trunks. What place was this? She leaned closer, frowning.
"Where have you led me now, Cerridwen?" she murmured. The storyteller in Elara sensed a new chapter unfolding...
Over the next few days, they fortified Cerridwen's cottage and gathered supplies from the abandoned village. Elara spent long hours studying the mysterious forest page, seeking clues. It reminded her of whispers overheard long ago...tales of a lost wood brimming with magic and danger.
Her instincts told her that forest could be their path forward. Magic was the only force that could possibly stand against Malicek now. And where else but a land steeped in enchantment?
When she hesitantly voiced her theory to the scholar, he immediately began referencing ancient star charts and muttering calculations under his breath. At last he looked up, eyes bright behind his smudged spectacles.
"The glyphs match patterns for a Lost Forest in the southeast," he proclaimed excitedly. "Said to move about...but I believe I can plot a course!"
Elara felt a spark of the old exhilaration. This was the first proactive step since their defeat. She announced to the survivors that they would set out in search of magical aid. Their path lay through the Enchanted Forest.
After days of difficult travel, the trees began changing around them. The gnarled, lifeless bark gave way to leaves gleaming emerald in the perpetual gloom. Flowers and vines sprawled over the forest floor, and ravens stared down curiously from branches.
Elara sensed primal energy thrumming through this ancient wood. It set her teeth on edge, like the gathering power of an oncoming storm. Figures flickered between the mossy trunks, never fully emerging.
"We are close now," the scholar whispered, consulting his astrological tools. "The heart of the forest lies ahead...along with its inhabitants, for good or ill."
Proceeding slowly, they began glimpsing odd stone circles, fragments of architecture swallowed by the wilderness, and creatures that seemed to shift disturbingly. It was riveting yet unsettling.
"Why do you trespass here, outsiders?" called a melodic voice.
Elara turned with a hand on her dagger. A pale woman draped in living vines watched them warily. More folk with leaf-like hair or bark-patterned skin emerged from the undergrowth.
Raising her hands peaceably, Elara greeted them. "We come on a quest of vital importance. Please, we seek help from your magic and wisdom."
Murmurs passed through the fey folk as they studied the ragged band. Finally the woman inclined her head. "Very well. Our circle will hear you."
They proceeded deeper into the ancient forest until the trees themselves seemed to come alive around them, swaying and creaking ominously. Yet the folk seemed unafraid. This was their domain.
At last they reached a clearing where massive stones formed a ring amid the ferns. Within stood an assembly of forest beings, power and wisdom in their timeless eyes. Elara's party halted nervously.
An aged creature with vines for a beard stepped forward and introduced himself as the circle's high druid. "I am Aldros. Why have you ventured so perilously into these realms?"
Taking a deep breath, Elara once more recounted her prophecy and quest, Malicek's looming threat, and their desperate need for aid. The druid and other fey listened intently, occasionally murmuring among themselves. They showed no reaction to the dire tidings.
At last Aldros tilted his head thoughtfully. "Dark events unfold indeed in the outer lands. But the Enchanted Forest remains untouched. We guard our domain."
Dismay sank through Elara. "Please, this is a danger to all life! We must stand together or be destroyed separately."
But Aldros merely regarded her impassively. "Your quest bears no meaning for us here. We dwell apart."
As the fey folk began dispersing, Elara felt desperate tears of frustration fill her eyes. Their one hope of magical help had come to naught. The scholar took her hand bracingly, but his expression was also solemn. Not even the wise ancients would align with their cause. All seemed lost.
Turning away bitterly, Elara froze at the sight of a small spherical stone now sitting atop a nearby tree stump. It had definitely not been there a moment ago. Heart suddenly racing, she approached.
The stone wobbled, then sprouted spindly brown legs. Two eyes like shiny pebbles popped open, peering up at her. Then a wide mouth split its surface.
"You gave them quite the tongue-lashing!" it croaked gleefully in a bullfrog's voice. "Not used to being ignored, are you?"
Elara gaped as the creature hopped down and gave an elaborate bow. "Name's Puck, your resident wandering woodland sprite and part-time instigator! I couldn't help overhearing your impassioned pleas."
Swallowing her shock, Elara managed, "You...heard everything? Can you help us?"
Puck grinned widely. "With your quest? Not a chance! Far too chaotic out there for my tastes." At her crestfallen look, he chuckled. "But I may be able to help you help yourselves..."
Intrigued, Elara pressed for more, but the sprite merely winked mysteriously. "Rest here tonight. Tomorrow, we'll begin your education!" And with that he vanished into the ferns.
Baffled but daring to hope again, Elara led the group to make camp in the clearing. That night her dreams were untroubled for the first time in long weeks.
At dawn, Elara was awoken by vigorous prodding. She jerked up to see Puck peering down at her eagerly. "Rise and shine! Time for some tricks of the trade." With that, he vanished again.
Rubbing her eyes, Elara roused the scholar and quickly informed him of this new potential chance. Together, they grabbed a hasty breakfast, told the others they were going for supplies, and ventured out following the distant sounds of Puck's off-key whistling.
They discovered him lounging on a massive tree root, waiting for them. "Ah, there you are! Ready to unlock your gifts?" His bulging eyes twinkled.
Uneasy but intrigued, Elara nodded.
Puck cracked his knuckles theatrically. "Excellent! Lesson one..." Suddenly he vanished. Elara and the scholar glanced around in confusion. Where had he gone?
"Up here!" called a voice. Craning their necks, they spotted Puck casually reclining on a high branch. He waved cheekily before disappearing again.
This time when his voice spoke, it seemed to come from underground. "Let your senses find me!"
Baffled, Elara closed her eyes and tried to track the sly sprite by sound and instinct as he blinked in and out of sight. But Puck always seemed one step ahead, tricking her senses.
After an exhausting hour, the sprite finally reappeared lounging on a pile of leaves. "Gotta be quicker than that! But not bad for a beginner."
Elara frowned. "This is children's play. I must master real power to defeat Malicek."
Puck shook his head sagely. "The greatest magic relies not on force, but subtlety. All lessons build together."
Chastened, Elara listened carefully over the following days as Puck put her through a rigorous training of riddles, mental exercises, and seemingly silly mystical feats. She had to learn to track him by scent blindfolded, solve a maze of illusion, and make a flower bloom by focused thought.
Puck proved a strict but whimsical teacher, constantly challenging her patience. But Elara gradually noticed the tasks were honing her concentration, perception, and mental fortitude. Skills an unfocused sorcerer lacked.
One morning, Puck led them to a tranquil glade. "Your final test," he announced, handing Elara an acorn. "Use your newfound focus to unlock the potential within."
Brow furrowed, Elara contemplated the acorn in her palm. How to awaken the seed's power? She closed her eyes, visualizing its hidden magic. Warmth built in her hand.
A sapling now grew where the acorn had been. Elara opened her eyes and laughed. By seeing beyond the surface, she had called life from potential. It felt like the old pure magic, before Malicek's influence had twisted her gifts.
Puck whistled appreciatively. "Well done. You've regained what that snake sorcerer stole. Remember: magic comes from within, not without."
Moved by gratitude, Elara embraced the delighted sprite. "Thank you for awakening my gifts anew. We will use them for good."
Puck shook his head firmly. "This forest is my home. But you have the spirit to take on that fiend! Just keep learning." He winked.
Their mentorship had ended. But Elara now recognized the greater power had been within her all along. With the scholar beside her and her magic restored, she was ready for the conflict ahead. Hope kindled anew.