I came to this forest every day, and it never ceased to amaze me. It was a place of beauty that went beyond words, something that seemed to be breathed in, something one felt deep within. I looked around, letting my eyes wander over every corner of this beautiful place: tall, ancient trees, a crystal-clear river winding between them, the soft murmur of animals hidden among the branches, and a gentle breeze that seemed to whisper the forest's secrets. It was perfect.
However, when my gaze fell upon the river, something disrupted that harmony. A dark flash floated in the water. I blinked, wondering if my eyes were deceiving me, but there it was… blood.
"Lady Sylthara? Why are you staring at the river so intently?" The soft voice of Lirael, my loyal servant and lifelong friend, snapped me out of my reverie. Lirael had been by my side since before I was born, caring for me like an older sister and, at times, like a guardian.
"There's blood in the river," I replied, without taking my eyes off the water. I saw her expression of surprise reflect my own. It was something I'd never expect to see in this protected forest.
"Blood… in this river?" she repeated, doubtful. "That's not possible; there shouldn't be any dangerous animals around here. This forest is peaceful." Her voice trailed off as she touched her chin, trying to comprehend the origin of the blood.
Following the river's flow, I saw that the blood was coming from the right, carried along by the weak current. I stood up and began to walk in that direction, with Lirael closely following. As we advanced, the clear water took on an increasingly darker hue until the entire river seemed tinged with red. Something was leaning against a rock by the shore, a figure that seemed to be fading away slowly.
I quickened my pace, worried, because whoever this person was, they were clearly hurt. Although the forest was our territory, the elves' home, I knew it could only be another elf or an animal. But when I reached the figure, the sight momentarily left me speechless.
It was… a human.
Lirael took a step back, equally stunned. "A human? What is a human doing in elven territory?" Her words reflected the bewilderment I was feeling myself.
The Human Land was far away, and between both territories there were elven guardian patrols. It made no sense. How had a human managed to get so deep in without being seen? Had he fought the guardians? Or had he arrived here by some other means?
I shook my head, pushing away my doubts, and approached him. He was a young man with blond hair, with fine, defined features. His lashes were long, and if it weren't for the wounds and the blood staining his clothes, I would have thought he was someone of high rank among humans, perhaps even a noble.
Slowly, and taking care not to worsen his wounds, I lifted him out of the water and laid him on the damp grass by the shore. His breathing was irregular, barely a whisper, and his wounds were deep. He would die soon if I didn't do something. Without hesitation, I placed my hands on his chest and began to channel healing energy into his body.
"Lady Sylthara, do you think it's wise to help him?" Lirael looked at me with concern, perhaps more than necessary. The relationship between humans and elves had never been good, and I knew she was only trying to protect me.
"I can't just let him die here, Lirael. If I can help someone in front of me, I will, without hesitation," I told her, with a firmness that seemed to dispel her reservations. Since I was young, the forest had been my home and my guide. The magic and blessing of the forest flowed within me, and it told me this was the right thing to do.
Minutes passed as I concentrated my magic on his wounds. Gradually, the young man's breathing began to steady, and his features softened. He was out of immediate danger, though many questions remained unanswered. How had he gotten here? And why?
Noticing that his clothing was pressing too tightly against his injured chest, I decided to unbutton a few buttons so he could breathe more easily. That was when I froze.
Under his shirt, close to his heart, something shone faintly—a mark I knew well. A mark that, of all the creatures in the forest, I'd never expect to see on a human.
The young man bore the blessing of the Forest Guardian.
I couldn't understand how this was possible. That blessing was a sacred symbol, a bond with the very essence of nature, granted only to the chosen among our people, to those who had the favor of the forest's ancestral spirits. But this human… how had he obtained such a powerful blessing?
Lirael was watching, equally astonished. "Is that… what I think it is, Lady Sylthara?"
I nodded, unable to take my eyes off the glowing mark. "Yes, it's the Guardian's blessing. Something only the chosen among elves should possess. How is it possible that a human has it? This defies everything we know…"
The forest seemed to envelop us in a solemn silence, as if even the trees and animals were waiting to see what would happen next.