The Guardian Crusade

                                               Volume III

                                                                        Prologue

I walk under the Great Tree the oldest of all the trees in the forest.  They all longed to return here one day, longed to have the critters of this world live with them, and they’ve longed to sway in the winds of this land again.  I have returned them to their home and protect them from the humanoids who wish to harm them.  Now they tell me people are walking through the forest, they follow the river and there are many of them but they also tell me some of them are not of this world. 

Wait something is not right, yes, great mother is coming and now she’s talking to those humanoids.”

“Rayne!!”

Who is that? To close he is coming to close I will not let him see me. I return to the safety of my home in the branches the Great Tree.

“Rayne it’s me, it’s Alex Rayne.”

Again he calls me by a humanoid name and why does he act like I know him.  Although I must admit he is a lovely Elvaan much better looking than the humans or dwarfs and Elvaans always did treat us well.  Maybe I should go back down. Wait the human woman is taking him away.  For the best, the sooner they leave the sooner the trees will be at peace again.

“And now I will protect you.”

Protect me? I do not need protecting.  Why would this Elvaan want to protect me? And where did great mother go?

“I am right here my child.” She said from behind me.

“Who were those humanoids, why did the Elvaan act like he did?”

“Times have changed my child; it has been a long time since this land has seen or even heard of a Dryad.” Great Mother said as I climbed down from my branch.  “Evil lived here for hundreds of years and it almost ended this world.”

“But the Druids.”

“The Druids forgot my child, along with every other humanoid on the world.” She told me.

“Forgot how do you forget?”

“They were put under a spell, now the spell is broken but pieces are scattered.” Great Mother said as she walked with me. “My Guardians are strong and loyal but I am afraid I may have jeopardized that.” She sighed.  “And I worry now that the door has been closed again it’s only a matter of time before they try once more to open it, someone will try and open it.”

“You mean the demons?”

            “Yes” She nodded at me. “Demons or Dwarfs.”

“But I am here now.”

“I still worry you will not be enough, this world has changed, evil has found it’s way here who knows what or who has been infected and there is much unfinished business regarding the Dwarfs.” She told me.  We stopped at the waterfall pond.

“So what do you want of me great mother?”

“The Elvaan that called to you, he is one of my Guardians.” Great Mother told me.  “And you use to be as well.”

“Me?”

“Yes your name was Rayne and you were a Human Druid.” She said as she looked at me.

“Human?”

“I need both of you.” Great Mother told me.

“Both, I do not understand.”

“I need you to protect the door and protect the land here but I need Rayne to protect the people and to restore my loyalty in Alexander.”  She explained.

“Alexander…Alex, that Elvaan.”

“Rayne and he were married, they loved each other very much and when she gave her life to restore life to this land, Alexander slipped away from me but not just me he’s slipping away from everyone, just like Ignis did.” Great Mother told me and I could hear sadness in her voice.  “Every day his link becomes weaker and weaker and I have never had a Guardian…well to use a human word condemn me, he is very angry with me.”

“But she chose to give her life otherwise it would not have worked.”

“Yes, yes she did and I’m sure one day he will realize this but he and the others have sacrificed their lives to save me, I see no harm in rewarding them, especially Alexander.” She told me.

“So what do you plan to do?”

“Come, I will show you.” She said as she walked me back over to my tree.