The first thing Galena registered was the fact she was cool and wet. The second thing that she realized was she no longer felt the intense pain that literally blinded her before. She felt her senses starting to come alive again. She felt the water on her hands, smelled the leaves drying and dying on their branches. The taste of blood was heavy in her mouth, she could hear the gentle breeze that swept its delicate fingers across her face, and she was blinded by a brilliant, white light surrounding her. She squinted her eyes, trying to filter some of the light that encased her, but it was useless. Using her hand, she blocked the brightest part until the light ceased its overwhelming dazzling effects or maybe her eyes became adjusted to the whiteness of it all. She was unsure which it was though.
In the light’s place stood the most beautiful woman Galena had ever laid eyes on. She stood at least ten feet high with fiery, red hair that hung in a long braid with the end of it dragging along what would have been the ground had she been standing on it. Bright, emerald green eyes stood out in her elegant face and her nose was a sharp slope, but went well with her beautiful features. Her skin was a golden tan and she stood proud, head raised in a dignified manner. She smiled gently at Galena for which Galena could not help returning the gesture.
“Mira,” she said in a whisper.
“Yes, my child. You finally made it.” Her voice sounded like the whispers of the wind in the trees, of birds calling, and the crickets singing. It reminded Galena of everything in nature that she loved and treasured. Mira continued smiling down at Galena, while she started to sit up in the pool. Although she remembered feeling wet and cool while lying in the water, when she stood, she noticed she was completely dry. Looking herself over to see if any parts were even damp, she noticed her hands and gasped. They were unmarked. Not a trace of the tattoo remained anywhere. Bending down quickly, she made short work of removing her boots as well, and gaped in wonder. The Marks of Rau had been completely removed.
“Did you do this?” she asked, turning her face upward to look at Mira, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Yes.”
“If stepping in your healing waters can remove the marks from every elf, why haven’t we heard of it before?” Galena asked somewhat puzzled.
“They can’t, but you, you are different my child. You have more magic in you than a hundred elves. That’s why Rau’s marks could not hurt you.”
“But it did. I can remember...Well, nothing really except the pain,” Galena said, feeling confused as she suddenly realized she had no idea how she’d arrived at Mira’s View.
Sensing her confusion, Mira chuckled, a sound that reminded Galena of the sun rising. “Your brother and Elenio brought you here. You hung on to the torture and a world that most elves would have died within minutes after sampling just a taste of what you endured for days. You made it through as I knew you would.”
Galena looked up into her face again, not quite believing what she said, but trusting her just the same.
“Now my child, our time together is short for you will awaken and you must help your brother and Elenio. They have risked their very lives to save yours.”
Galena looked around in a detached sort of way, noting Elenio lying beside her, blood flowing freely from the wound to his stomach and Tark who was fighting several torlics and losing. She took all this in and then returned her gaze to Mira. The goddess told her it would be all right and she trusted her.
“In the western woods you will find a cave. It will be in the heart of the forest. The cave is watched by a guardian. Nothing evil in nature can pass by the guardian as I have given him unusual magical abilities. Other elves have come across this area at their own peril and as the story goes, but none of them have been permitted to enter the sacred cave. Only the elf of my choosing is allowed to pass. The guardian makes sure of that. Only the guardian will allow my chosen elf to pass through, all others he sends away. They were not deemed worthy enough.”
“Does the cave have a name?” Galena asked, thinking she may have heard of it before.
“One does not name something if they wish to keep it a secret. When you name something, it seems to attract attention,” Mira said calmly. “Keep in mind my dear child, only you will be able to enter this cave, and even when you do, there is no guarantee you will survive. I had to make sure it was well protected you see. Once you enter, you will be haunted by your worst fears. Nightmares will come alive to you. Entering this cave will be your biggest test yet. But only with trials, can we become stronger.” Mira looked at Galena with sorrow and pity, knowing what she would have to go through. “If you can survive my test, you will be strong enough to take on the worst nightmare of them all, my brother’s creation.”
Galena nodded, understanding what she had to do, but a sense of dread started to loom up as well. “Why me?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“Because I saw your heart in your mother’s womb. What I saw there was pure, true, and brave. I saw the magic of generations well up around your tiny body and embrace you. When evil arises, there is always one who will come along and right it. This is the way the world has always worked.”
Galena thought about this for a while, but couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the idea. She looked up and watched Mira beginning to fade. “Will I be able to talk with you again?” she asked, panic filling her voice.
“I will come to you in your dreams when you need me my child. Do not fear. I will aide you as much as I can, but in the end, it will be up to you. Be brave, my beautiful one.” She faded from view even before she finished talking.
Galena felt a peace fill her. She believed what Mira told her. She’d always known she was different, even as a child. Now was her time to free her loved ones and make their world right once more. She looked around again. She could see the life draining from Elenio, even as she regarded him. Tark was on the ground, taking stabs and kicks from the group of torlics he had been battling against. His life force was fading more rapidly than Elenio’s because he suffered several fatal wounds.
As much as she wanted to stay in this dreamlike world, she knew she couldn’t leave them to die. Taking a calming breath, she laid back down in the pool of water, as she had been when she’d first awakened. She closed her eyes and new senses began to take over. She could hear the harsh and cruel laughs of the torlics while Tark groaned in response. She heard Elenio’s labored breaths beside her. She smelled the sickly smell of blood and sweat in the air and the cold water that surrounded her.
Opening her eyes, she realized with no uncertainty, she’d returned to her own body and what was more, she was completely whole. Standing quickly, she turned to face the torlics. Raising a hand and calling loud enough for them to hear her, they stopped and turned, their expressions somewhat surprised at what they saw.
“Your quarrel is with me,” Galena said in a steely voice. With that, every torlic burst into flames, as Galena stood, watching them burn to the ground.