2. Dreamfall
“There was once a marvelous forest where the land is now barren. Dreamshore forest they called it and a magnificent place it was. We, the elves, lived there in a glorious treetop city – Dreamfall. Our leader was a wise and powerful elf called Dinendal. He had ruled us since the beginning for as you know we elves are immortal.
Dreamfall was positioned high in the trees so that if someone would accidentally wander deep into our forest he would not find out about us for this would mean our demise. Humans have a strange method of dealing with what they don’t know. We lived there in piece with nature as the elves before us had done for thousands of years and nature was kind enough to pay us back by protecting our city. Dreamshore forest was no ordinary jungle. It possessed powers of its own. I, myself, have observed how a human scout got lost and overwhelmed by wild beasts. When looking at the forest from a distance you got the feeling the trees moved. And that they did. The trees shifted their locations to confuse and puzzle the wanderer and eventually he would found himself lost.
Our way of life was simple. We didn’t have to worry about attacks from the outside world so there were no warriors among us. The closest thing to a warrior in our city was the hunter. You might wonder how we lived in piece with nature when we hunted animals in the forest. This was not the hunt you humans know and practice. Hunting and slaughtering are two totally different terms. I remember my father taking me on a hunt when I was still young…..
“Erina? Are you ready to go?”
“Yes, father.”
“Here.”, he gave me two swords. “You should learn to wield them in both hands.”
“Why?”
He was silent.
“Come on. We don’t want to be late, do we?”
We left our hose and climbed the tree down. I had never before set foot on solid ground so I curiously looked around. Two hunters and Legoen the druid were waiting for us.
“Ah, Anehdiar! I see you’ve brought little Erina with you.” The druid was smiling at me so I smiled back. Then he looked at the swords neatly secured on my back and for a second I thought I saw his face grow dark. He looked at my father but he was staring at the leaves beneath the tree.
“Let’s go then.” The hunters were getting impatient.
“Today we travel east.” Legoen lead us down a hidden path.
It was one of the best days of my life! I had plenty of practice with the two swords and was finally mastering them. I even got to kill a severely wounded deer! You see, we elves hunted a little differently – the druid would sit in a forest opening and commune with the spirits of the animals. He would ask them to send wounded or old animals to him so that his brethren could eat. The hunters would then kill the animals with their bows. So basically I had nothing to do but swing my swords in the air and wait for the next animal to come so that I could watch. When a wounded deer came by my father decided I should get my first kill. I swung the swords and seconds later the animal was dead at my feet. After the hunt Legoen would chant a blessing for all animals in the forest and magically sprout flowers for all we had killed and we would all go back to Dreamfall.
When the hunters returned the women would dismember the animals and make many beautiful things from their antlers, hoofs, horns and skins. Occasionally in Dreamfall we had Festivals of Nature in which the whole city would gather and watch the druids perform their Ritual of Nature. It was a marvelous thing to behold! They would use their magic to make them glow and then they would start to dance and move faster and faster until they resembled a sun down on Earth. Magnificent!
Every house in Dreamfall had a hunter but not every house had a druid. Becoming a druid would mean leaving your home to live down in the forest until you had reached your 30th year. Then they would return to Dreamfall and be initiated by High-Druid Ornor.
Our leader’s house was built between the treetops of two trees and was majestic as it fitted the might of Dinendal. High-Druid Ornor and a handful of servants also lived there as well as our leader’s advisor – Maenir. A shadowy figure which my father used to talk with such disdain and suspicion about. Maenir was a mind reader and that chilled my father to the bone – knowing that his thoughts are not his own.
That is what our humble city up in the trees of Dreamshore forest used to look like. But I am tired now young friend. I am not as strong as I used to be. Let me rest for a while and then I shall continue my tale…”
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