[b]Chapter 20: The Lady[/b]

He landed on his feet but it didn't matter, his balance betrayed him and he toppled over with a heavy thud, landing on something relatively soft. He had been dazzled by something, but now his sight was gradually returning to normal. He stared up at trees, dense enough to block out the sky, but a few gaps through the branches revealed a twilight sky. How long had he been gone, and where exactly was he? Leofric rolled over to his left side and looked around him. A lush forest expanded around him, colourful and tranquil. Silent. Leofric blinked sluggishly to focus his gaze. Was he in the Silent Woods? He had never seen this part of the forest in that case. Something glimmering caught his eye and he turned his head towards it. Roots of some sorts had pierced up through the earth and twisted around themselves into what he could only describe as a pillar. The gnarled top of the pillar was similar to a crown, and in the center of it Leofric could spot a small glowing blue orb. That is what had caught his attention.
Leofric pushed himself up to his feet and leered suspiciously towards the orb. A short distance away from the strange pillar he could see another one, identical in shape with a glowing orb at the top. He counted up to near a dozen pillars after the first two, standing to the left and right of one another in a zig-zag pattern, as if outlining a path.

Briefly, Leofric contemplated if he had died - and if this was the afterlife. He glanced down at himself and spotted his sword by his feet. He crouched down to pick it up. The blade was soaked by crimson red, and a vague pounding in his back back and head made itself known No, he was still very much alive. The last thing he recalled was defending Lowburg's manor against his enemies. It had been a losing fight, but as soon he was about to get overwhelmed something had grabbed his shoulders from behind, and in a burst of light he was gone. He had no idea where he was, or if he even were in the Northlands still. But something had brought him here, and whatever it was it could still be around. Leofric reaffired his grip around the sword and slowly approached the rooted pillars.
It was eerily quiet in the forest. For such a lush place he thought to at least hear some form of chirping birdsong, but all he heard was his own footsteps and the rustling leaves beneath his boots. Leofric gingerly stepped closer to one of the pilars and realised that the orb of light was hovering within its crown, as well as emitting a low humming noise. He frowned somewhat in thought, he had never seen magic like this before. All of his instincts screamed at him to create distance between himself and the pillars, but he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of soothing and benevolence from the blue lights. Leofric extended a hand and to lay upon the pillar, if only to verify that it actually was made of roots, and despite the visual evidence he felt mildly surprised that such was the case. He gave the naturistic construct another eye-over before continuing down the invisible path. Ahead it took a turn, the lights bending around a few large moss-covered rock.

Rounding the rocks, Leofric saw the pillars continue down a slope and slither around in a path through the trees, disappearing off into the rich lush landscape. He exhaled silently and shuffled down the slope, intent on following the lights. They were guiding him somewhere, that was much evident. He turned his gaze upwards again, the sky was rapidly darkening and that darkness was encroaching upon the forest now. It made him feel at unease, but the shimmering blue orbs were made all the more apparent. He adjusted the grip around his sword and pressed on under the guidance of the pillars.
He wasn't sure how long he had been walking until a large expanse revealed itself a distance infront of him, past a cluster of trees. He stepped past them and realised that the expanse was in fact a sizable lake. Leofric leered skywards again and night had fallen long ago. As if strategically placed, the moonlight from above shone down upon the lake, revealing the purest looking water Leofric had ever seen. A burning sensation of thirst made itself known in the back of his throat, and though he had his suspicions about this entire ordeal he slowly approached the lake. Warily Leofric glanced around himself as he edged closer to the shoreline, but as before the forest stood completely silent. He plunged down the sword into the ground and dropped down to a knee, mail and plate rattling in protest. He lowered down a gloved hand to dip down the tips of his digits into the water. The water seemed natural at least, pure and potable.

A white light appeared in his peripheral vision, and in the blink of an eye Leofric had flewn up to his feet again and yanked up the sword from the earth. He stared out over the lake, straight at a source of the light - an enchanting woman with long, bright hair reaching down to her waist, garbed in a delicate dress or robe, Leofric couldn't tell the difference from the distance. She was slowly approaching him, walking upon the very surface of the lake on bare feet. When she neared he could make out her garments, a dress fit for royalty. Simple in design yet decorated with various, unknown patterns. She raised a hand, and Leofric could just barely make out a smile stretched over her features.

[i]"Fear not, King of Men. I am no enemy of yours."[/i]

Her voice sung out from seemingly everywhere at once, though Leofric managed to keep his gazed fixated on her. There was something about her - like with the pillars, she radiated goodness and benevolence, regardless of her magical appearance. He lowered his weapon, the tip grazing against the ground. Leofric felt his heart pound in his chest as he spoke up. "Who are you?"

[i]"I am the Lady. You are a guest in my domain."[/i], her voice rung again. [i]"You are safe here."[/i]

Leofric glanced to the left and right. Throughout the forest surrounding the lake he could see the same blue orbs shimmering in the dark from before. He concluded that there must be several paths leading around the forest. Wherever it now was. He looked back to the lady. "Why am I here? What do you want from me?"

The bright lady went closer, though Leofric stood his ground. Her aura was benevolent, pure and just. She smiled again.
[i]"Dark days are upon us, King of Men. The world will shatter and bleed, kingdoms will fall to ruin. A tide is coming. But you have the strength to resist it."[/i]

Leofric blinked a few times. Dark days? A tide? He narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? What is happening?"

The Lady smiled still, standing upon the surface of the lake, radiating a light that seemingly wasn't entirely blinding. [i]"Darkness is coming for us all, threatening to plunge the world into chaos and ruin. You can help prevent this from happening."[/i]

"How?"

From seemingly nowhere, the woman procured a silver chalice which she held out. It was filled with water, presumably from the lake itself, Leofric guessed.

[i]"Drink, King of Men. Restore your energy."[/i], she smiled. Leofric stared at the chalice for a few moments and realised that he was exhausted and dehydrated from the trek through the woods. He took a breath and extended his free hand to take the chalice. He turned it around in his hand, inspecting its embellishment. Delicate patterns of gold engulfed the chalice into a beautiful creation that undoubtedly had not been made by normal men. Leofric huffed another breath before raising the chalice to his lips and draught. True to her words, he immediately felt reinvigorated by the water, and the thirst was as good as gone. Leofric glanced at the chalice questioningly and slowly held it out again. The woman took it back, and then held out her other hand.

[i]"Now give me your sword."[/i]

Leofric raised his weapon and turned it around to extend it with the hilt first. The woman lirked her fingers around the grip and hoisted up the sword up from the king's hands. She turned around and walked back towards the center of the lake where she stopped. The chalice she held was gone now, and she grabbed the sword in both hands with the blade facing down. From the shoreline Leofric could hear her chant something in a language he had never heard, and saw then how she plunged down the sword beneath the lake's surface, only to raise it up moments after with the steel raditing a bright, white light. The lady of the lake turned around again and walked back towards the baffled Leofric. The light engulfing the steel gradually lessened, until it was just barely glowing, but it never fully dissipated. Stopping near the king, she extended the weapon back to him.

[i]"Take it, King of Men. You will be my champion in the dark days to come. Use this weapon to defend mankind against the coming darkness, and fight well - in my name."[/i]

Leofric grabbed the sword by the grip and was certain that the weapon felt lighter now. He held it up to inspect the shimmering blade while processing the mystical woman's words. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he knew that she was sincere, and a being of tremendous power, yet not in the twisting ways of magic he was used to. He nodded eventually and shifted his eyes back upon the woman.

"In your name."