An hour after they buried Valla, Ben and Red mounted their new horses and struck west. They were heading in a straight line toward the Eloveen Valley, or so they hoped; the magical vale was nestled deep in the Ronadinian Forest, and the forest of the elves was rumored to be huge. Still, Ben found it easy to follow the tracks of the horses that carried the surviving elves, so he was confident they were riding in the right direction.

The day had become quite pleasant. It was still cold, but the rising sun served to warm their backs as they rode, and the smells of rain and wet grass were refreshing. The rolling and barren hills soon gave way to green meadows and occasional groves, bountiful with trees and flowers. Butterflies flew among the flowers; birds chirped their songs; squirrels climbed the trees. Ben’s high perception caught sight of other animals - rabbits, foxes, deer. He even spotted a couple of wolves peering at them from among the shadows of a cluster of trees, but the pack chose to let them by.

As far as traveling gear went, the two adventurers were pretty well equipped. The dead elves - and, more important, the saddlebags on the dead elves’ horses - had enough supplies for the two of them, including a stock of healing and mana potions and a healthy dose of food rations. Ben now carried a bow and quiver over his shoulder; he left his former Crossbow of Skewering buried with Valla, deciding to heed the AI’s advice and change his primary weapons. He also replaced his torn and battered leather armor; looting the elven leader’s corpse, he found a magical suit of chain armor that fit his size and gave him considerably better protection. He and Red also found a nice sum of elven coin, as well as a couple of rings. Two of those were magical as well - rings of healing that could be activated to replenish a small amount of HP - so they each took one.

Riding proved to be a challenge at first, as Ben never rode a horse before in his life. Fortunately, the trickster scout did have 1 skill point in Riding (earned after mounting a flying stirge), so he got the hang of it rather quickly; after an hour of riding, his skill increased to 2, and he felt comfortable enough sitting in the saddle of his large grey mare. Red, who loved riding horses both in VD and in real life, handled his black stallion with ease.

“So, tell me again,” said Red. The warrior also had a bow over his shoulder. He had lost his helmet, and since he found no replacement for his armor, he had to make do with the dented set he had. The big man swayed slightly on his saddle as he rode, guiding his mount with the pressure of his knees alone. “We’re keeping with the plan? You still want to find this elven temple?”

Ben held the reins firmly. He nodded once. “Yes. Nothing’s changed, Red. I still want that Power Crystal.”

“Why?”

Ben turned to look at him. “It’s a Power Crystal. Why do you think I want it?”

The mercenary raised his eyebrows. “So it’s just power you want. Nothing else.”

“You got it.”

“And you’ll also gain the strongest ally in this part of the world. Smart.”

Ben shook his head. “Viridion’s Quest doesn’t matter to me so much anymore.”

“No?” Red sounded skeptical. “Well, it sure looks like it does. You did everything in your power to help him, after all, including offing all the elves you could find and killing his traitor daughter.”

Ben shrugged. “They were in my way.”

Red fell silent for a moment, as if Ben’s answer threw him off balance. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, unsure. “And if they try to stop you again?”

Ben smiled. “I wouldn’t worry about more elves trying to stop us.”

Red pressed his lips and nodded thoughtfully. “The queen.”

“Yes,” said Ben. “The queen.”

Red frowned. “I don’t get it, skin. Why are you so sure we’ll even find -”

“I’m just sure,” said Ben, cutting him off. “Trust me. She’ll come.”

They fell quiet again, riding in silence for some time. They found a small trail winding through a peaceful and shadowy grove and rode single file between the trees, with Ben taking the lead.

After a couple of minutes, the Red Mercenary spoke again. “There are things,” he said slowly, his voice sounding eerie in the quiet of the grove, “that you’re not telling me.”

Ben smiled to himself. Here it comes. “Oh?”

“You’re different,” said Red, raising his voice to be easily heard from his rear position. “And I’m not talking just about your new sword. You behave differently. As if you know things you never knew before.”

“I always knew more things than you,” said Ben. “My scholar title -”

He stopped when he heard Red urging his horse forward and stayed silent until the mercenary rode again side by side with him. The warrior looked angry. “It’s not just that! Don’t fuck with me, man. I don’t know what happened to you in that hour you were gone, but you’ve changed. Truly changed.”

They emerged from the cluster of trees into another patch of green grass, and Ben stopped his horse, looking intently into the dark eyes of his companion. “Maybe I am,” he said quietly. “But every man is entitled to keep some secrets, don’t you think?”

Red stopped his horse as well. The stallion was bigger than Ben’s mare, and the man himself was taller, so he looked down at the young scout. The intensity of his gaze was nearly palpable. “We’re companions, skin. You’re my leader, goddamit. Why hide from me?”

Ben looked at him calmly. “You have secrets too.”

Red narrowed his eyes. “I think I’ve been quite open with you. Bloody hell, I told you my real name a minute after we met -”

“Yes,” said Ben, “and I always wondered about it. But that’s not what I mean. The very fact that you’re here, now, tells me you have a huge secret you’re not sharing with me.”

“What?” Red looked utterly confused. “Of course I’m here -”

“You should have logged out.”

Red stopped dead. His confusion changed to alarm. “Wha - what do ya -”

“You should have logged out,” repeated Ben. “Hours ago. We’re both logged into the system for more than twelve hours now. Way over the allocated time. You should have logged out, then rest for half a day, and only then return to the game. How come you’re still here?”

Red stammered. “I - I didn’t think about it. You’re right, man. Why haven’t we been logged out?” His eyes widened, but the expression looked forced. “Maybe we should ask Rax -”

Ben raised his hand to halt the warrior’s stammering. “Don’t give me that, Charlie.” He spoke his companion’s real name softly, and it had the desired effect: Red swallowed and licked his lips. Ben could well imagine that the other man was trying to come up with a suitable explanation, and, true enough, Red’s next words were so pathetic that Ben sighed inwardly.

“You - you don’t really know me,” blurted the mercenary. “I mean, the real me. I’m rich, Ben. Richer than you can imagine. I have access to VD consoles that let you do all kinds of things. Some of it is not completely… legal.” He looked more troubled than ashamed about his confession. “You wouldn’t know -”

Ben shook his head. “Don’t bother,” he said. There was no anger in his voice, no disapproval. Ben felt perfectly calm as he faced the agitated warrior. “I know you’re lying. But it’s okay: I will respect your secrets, as long as you respect mine. Agreed?”

Red looked at him for a long moment, and Ben saw his suspicion slowly turning to something else: renewed appreciation. For the first time since he had met the black-skinned warrior, Ben felt as if the man was looking at him with genuine respect. Red nodded once, slowly. “Agreed,” he said.

Ben returned the nod. He urged his mare forward, and they carried on.

It was high noon by the time they put the open meadows behind them and stopped to consider the looming forest that blocked their path. It was everything that Ben could expect from a mysterious D&D forest: The open field that they had crossed - green and golden, tall blades of grass swaying in the wind - ended abruptly, in an almost unnatural manner. The trees in front of them were tall and majestic, stretching everywhere the eye could see from north to south. When he peered into the shadows of the trees, he could see flickering movements, and when he strained his ears, he could hear sounds that were different from that of the wind rustling the leaves. The air itself seemed colder, coming from the depth of the woods, but the wind was pleasant when it brushed against Ben’s cheek. It was as if the forest was welcoming them with a soft whisper, urging them to step forward and enjoy its coolness.

“Hayarok hayom yarok me’od,” said Red quietly.

Ben turned a surprised look at him. “How do you know that phrase?”

Red grinned. “I don’t. But I do know some Elvish, and I heard our captors talk when you were out cold. They said these words several times when they talked about the Ronadinian Forest. What does it mean?”

“It’s an old elven proverb,” said Ben. “It means that the forest shall stay green forever, for as long as it is protected by those who live in it. As the years went by, many elves grew used to calling the Ronadinian Forest by that name, or just ‘Hayarok,’ for shorts.”

“Fascinating,” said Red dryly.

Ben smiled. “What else did you hear them saying?”

Red squinted his eyes in thought. “Not much. Just that they want to get here by midday. I think they intended to meet someone here - “

“Queen Talia,” said Ben. “Yes. And the three who escaped probably did find her. In fact, I think they’re watching us right now, waiting for us to enter their domain.”

Red took a deep breath. “Aye. I feel their eyes upon me too.” He put his hand on the hilt of his sword and straightened in his saddle. “Shall we oblige?”

Instead of answering, Ben urged his horse forward, crossing the first line of trees that comprised the Ronadinian Forest’s borders. Red rode after him.

From the first moment his horse's hooves stepped onto the mossy green floor of the forest, it was obvious to Ben that this place was one of Raxlon’s more favorable locations. While everything about Nolxar was awe-striking in how real it looked, there were some specific places - the Dungeon of Dwarven Despair, for one, or the city of Sonadin - where it was evident that the DM had put more work into his creation.

Hayarok was one of these places. Ben felt as if he stepped into a legend; the trees were ancient and huge, sprawling in whichever direction, erratic yet beautiful, wild yet majestic. The sun barely made its way through the thick brush, but every once and again, a brave ray of sunlight managed to filter between the branches and, when that happened, it painted the forest in a thousand different hues of green. That dim light gave the woodland an unworldly feeling, heightened by the myriad of sights, smells, and sounds surrounding the two humans as they slowly rode deeper into the woods.

The smell. It was an earthy, ancient scent, full of promises of untold adventures. Ben had a peculiar sensation: he felt as if he wanted to inhale as much of the cool forest air as he could, yet at the same time he was afraid to do it; as if doing so would commit him to the old pledge that was embedded into the very soul of this forest. Protect us; the trees seemed to whisper. Keep us safe, and we shall do the same for you. Ben knew it was only his imagination playing tricks on his mind, but he had to wonder: was this some kind of magic? A spell that affected anyone who entered the realm of the elves?

And then, a more disturbing thought: is this the magic Viridion wants me to destroy?

Red didn’t seem to be plagued with the same worries; the warrior raised his head slightly and took deep breaths, obviously enjoying himself, judging by the small smile that danced at the corner of his mouth. Ben noticed that his companion was no longer tightly gripping the hilt of his sword and that he wasn’t looking suspiciously at the shadows around them, as he had done when they first entered the forest. Whatever magic this place had, it was prominent enough to get Red off his guard.

Ben wouldn’t be so easily distracted. The young scout hardened his resolve, forcing the welcoming sensation imbuing from the forest out of his mind. Instead, he focused his attention on the movements he kept seeing in his peripheral vision; he was almost sure that he saw the elves shadowing them from the moment they rode into the woods. Still, despite Ben’s exceptionally high Perception, every time he turned to look at the hidden figures, they kept eluding him. It was the elves’ domain, and in here, Ben’s scouting skills were less useful than he was used to.

Frustrated and feeling he had to do something to incur a reaction, Ben took his newly looted longbow from over his back. He wasn’t skilled enough in Riding to shoot while still guiding his horse, so he pulled on the reins and brought the steed to a stop.

Red stopped beside him. When he saw that Ben was notching an arrow, the mercenary’s calm expression grew alarmed. “What is it?” He asked, readying his own bow, “you saw something?”

Ben didn’t answer. Instead, he aimed at where he last saw the figures hiding amongst the brush - and released. The arrow zoomed through the air in a sharp whoosh, quickly vanishing in the thick foliage between two of the massive trees.

Red, who was in the process of fitting an arrow to his bow, looked intently into the greenery. When nothing happened - no one called out in pain, no animal came rushing out - the warrior turned a quizzical look at his leader. “Ehm, nice shot?”

Ben frowned. He looked around and decided that enough was enough. “Queen Talia!” He shouted. His voice echoed eerily, and a group of red-white birds took flight from their perch on a nearby branch. “I will ride no more!” Ben shouted again. He thought about the elven phrase Red had said before and added, on impulse: “Lo kal linshom! Hayarok hayom, yarok me’od.”

At first, nothing happened. The two humans sat silently on their horses, watching, waiting. Both had their hands on their bows, and both were narrowing their eyes in anticipation. The forest was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves, fluttering of birds’ wings, and other noises of small animals, but other than that - nothing.

After a minute of waiting, Red coughed softly. “Ah - it’s very romantic an’ all, but I don’t think - “

Ben gave him a fierce look, and Red changed his approach: “I mean, you sure that shooting arrows at their trees was wise? Maybe you hurt their feelings or something - “

Ben’s face darkened, and finally, Red shrugged and kept quiet. “You’re the boss, boss.”

They waited.

Three minutes later, the two adventurers straightened in their saddles: a dozen mounted figures appeared from between the trees, slowly making their way toward the humans.

Ben gave the company of elves only a cursory glance, identifying them as levels 12 or higher - some were of a level too high for him to reveal - before he focused his attention on the regal figure that led them.

Queen Talia of Ronadin was one of the most ancient beings in Nolxar, yet the woman that rode to meet him looked nearly as young as he was. No wrinkles appeared on her smooth honey-colored skin; her hair - blue and opulent, reaching almost to her waist - had no white in it. She had perfect features and otherworldly beauty, but Ben - who by now grew somewhat accustomed to the unnatural allure of the VD players and NPCs - managed not to gawk as she drew closer. Still, the nearer she was to him, the more he realized that he couldn’t ignore the way his body reacted to her. The queen wore a dress made of thin white cloth, which clung to her perfect body and stirred unwanted desires in him - foolish desires, as the mere thought of one as lowly as him getting together with this legendary being was absurd. Yet as he stared at her and found her blue-purple eyes returning his look, he couldn’t help but hope.

And when she stopped her white mare in front of him, Ben found that all he wanted to do in life was to please her. “Queen Talia,” he breathed. “I am yours to command.”

She smiled - good Engill, she smiled at him - and was about to speak, but suddenly her eyes grew big. “I know you,” she whispered. Her mouth opened in amazement. “How can it be?”

Something stirred in Ben’s foggy mind, and at that moment, he realized: he knew her too. He had met this elf before, a long time ago. There was a sharp pain in his mind -

Scout Benjamin stood in front of the massive walls of the Temple, holding both of his bastard swords crossed in front of his chest, ignoring the green blood that dripped from the blades onto the grass. The forest around him was quiet - quieter than he had ever heard it - as if the trees were holding their breath, waiting to see what else this human would do.

Behind him, his enemies lay dead: he had slain both of the temple’s guardians: large green snakes that possessed magical abilities, whom he recognized as Nagas. He was sure that he would reveal the way to the temple by defeating these monstrosities, but alas, the walls surrounding the old building remained sealed. No door appeared, and when Benjamin tried to climb over the walls, he was repelled by some kind of defensive magic.

What a joke, he thought. To come all this way - only to be bested by a wall. The scout turned on his heels, frustrated - and froze. In front of him stood a beautiful blue-haired elf maiden, looking sorrowfully at the corpses of the two green Nagas. “You should not have killed them,” she said in a musical voice.

The human hero had to work very hard not to lose himself in this elven beauty’s blue-purple eyes. He was too experienced to succumb to her charms, yet the fact that he had to actively resist her told him that this foe was formidable - much more than the serpentine guardians of the temple were. “They blocked my way,” he said slowly. He did not lower his swords. As he looked at her, he realized that he knew who she was. “I am surprised that you came yourself to meet me, Queen Talia. And alone.”

The queen raised her hand in a small gesture - Benjamin tensed, ready to face her spells - but she didn’t aim her magic at him. Instead, she pointed at the dead snakes, which promptly vanished. “The Nagas will reappear,” she said. “And when they do, they will have gained levels and experience. It will be much harder for you to destroy them the next time.”

The scout raised his eyebrows. “It’s not them I can’t destroy,” he said and smiled. “It is your magic that I find impenetrable. Why can’t I break your spell?”

The queen studied him, and a small smile appeared on her lips as well. “You ask it as if it is obvious you could break it,” she said.

He shrugged. “I should have succeeded.”

Her smile widened. “There are some things even you can’t do.”

“You know of me?”

Talia nodded. “The Hero of the Plains, soon to be titled the Champion of the Forests.”

“Then you know I am destined to enter this temple of yours. The Power Crystal of Bree - “

“Is out of your reach. I cannot allow it to fall into your hands.”

Benjamin’s smile vanished. “Why not?” He snapped angrily. “The prophecies -”

“Tell of a human hero who will enter our temple and claim the magic that no elf was able to. Yet this human is not you.”

The scout took a threatening stride toward her. “I have withstood the charms of your forest,” he said through clenched teeth. “I have evaded the elves that were sent to hunt me.” He took another step. “I have slain the Naga Guardians. And I have the blessing of the Engill -”

The queen raised her hand, and a magical wall appeared between them, halting his advance. Benjamin stopped, though he was tempted to strike down the barrier, to charge and fight this elf who stood between him and the power he deserved.

Queen Talia looked at him strangely. “You have done all that, but the Engill have other plans for the Crystal of Bree. I am sorry, Benjamin. I cannot let you pass.”

The scout studied her, trying to ignore his anger so that he could understand her motives. “You are willing to risk the consequences and let the Crystal remain in this temple?” He asked. “You must know that its magic does more than protect your realm. If you don’t do anything, it will kill you. It will kill you all.”

Her face darkened. “I know,” she whispered. “We all know. Its curse has been with us for a thousand years, yet we must protect it even as it kills us, or the fate of the world will be much worse.” She raised her voice and lifted her chin defiantly. “The time for the destruction of the crystal is not upon us yet.”

The scout took a deep breath. “When, then?”

The queen smiled sadly. “I am afraid that this knowledge has not been revealed to me -” She suddenly stopped. “I -” She looked up.

Benjamin felt it too. He looked up as well. “What the -”

Both of their eyes widened.

“Banished Engill,” whispered the queen. “Is that -”

The vision ended abruptly, and Ben found himself on the ground, having fallen from his horse. Fortunately, the mossy forest floor was soft enough so he suffered no severe damage, but he was still disoriented and confused.

Red was beside him in an instant. The warrior jumped off his horse and stood over Ben with a sword in hand, looking threateningly at the elves who surrounded them. “What did you do to him!” The mercenary demanded.

Ben shook his head to clear the fog in his mind and got to his feet. He put his hand on his companion’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “They did nothing.”

Red seemed doubtful. He studied his leader and squinted his eyes. “You sure?” he whispered. “This elf witch, she just looked at you, and you suddenly fell -”

Ben nodded. “I’m sure.”

He turned to face the queen. The charming effect she had on him was gone, though his pulse still quickened as he looked at her. “So,” he said quietly. “We meet again.”

The queen looked at him in confusion. “How can it be?” She repeated her previous question. “You are merely a human. This is not possible -”

“Oh, but it is,” said Ben. “Many things are soon going to become possible, Queen Talia. You know of what I speak,” he added mysteriously.

The elf queen frowned. “I do?”

Ben didn’t expect that kind of reply. “Ah, sure,” he said, and, trying to sound mysterious again, added: “and you know what you must do.”

The queen sighed. “If you think I’m going to let you and your killer friend here pass any further into my forest, then you still have a lot to learn about us, Beacon.” She didn’t say the word with contempt, but there was no respect in her tone either. “I don’t know how you managed to assume this identity you’re wearing, but I’m not going to let the humans who killed so many of my kin - who killed Valla - get anywhere near our temple.”

Ben took a deep breath. “I did what I had to to get here,” he said, as calmly as he could. “And if you wanted to stop me, you could have done so long before now.”

The queen studied him. “Perhaps.” She paused, tilted her head in thought, and then gracefully dismounted. Immediately, some of the other elves dismounted as well and stood ready with their hands on their weapons.

Talia stepped forward, seeming to glide on the mossy green floor of the forest. She stopped next to Ben - she was nearly as tall as him - and raised her hand. Slowly, deliberately, she reached forward with her long fingers, clearly intending to touch his cheek.

Ben stood there, unflinching, and let her complete her motion.

When her fingers touched his skin, Ben felt a shudder going through his entire body. He didn’t recognize the magic she was using on him, but he knew he had to show complete trust, or this would never work.

After a very long moment, she withdrew her hand. “You want me to let you through the defensive barrier of the temple,” she said quietly. She looked distraught. “You think you can claim the Crystal.”

“Yes,” Ben said. “The time has come.”

She pressed her lips. “And if I don’t?”

“You must,” he said simply. “If you stop me, you will unravel a chain of events that started three hundred years ago. I am the one you’ve been waiting for.” He hoped it was true.

Talia snorted softly. “This, coming from the man who decided to help the evil Lord of the humans. You will say anything to complete your quest, won’t you?”

Ben raised his eyebrows. “Evil?” he repeated. “How evil were your elven warriors when they slaughtered all the humans in the Great Palace last night, my queen? Shot them in the back as they tried to flee -”

“We kill only the ruling echelon of Sonadin,” said Talia haughtily. She suddenly reminded him of Milenna. “As long as they follow Viridion, they will get no mercy from us.”

Now Ben snorted. “Evil is as evil does, my queen,” he said. “All sides are as wrong or as right as they believe they are in this unjustified war.”

This caused her to stop. “I have heard these words before,” she whispered.

Ben had to work hard to keep his expression impassive; this last sentence was not of his own design. “Then you know I am right to ask you the things I did,” he whispered back.

They fell silent, looking at each other for a long moment. After what must have been a couple of minutes - Red began to cough uncomfortably by his side - Queen Talia took a deep breath. “I will let you pass the magical defenses,” she said. “But this is where my help ends. You will have to face the protectors of the temple without our aid.”

Ben nodded. “I expect nothing more.”

Talia studied him, long and hard. “If you survive this,” she said slowly, “if you somehow manage to get to the heart of the temple and find the crystal… you will be presented with a difficult choice.” She glanced away from him - toward Red, who looked startled but tried to return a fierce look of his own - and then looked again at Ben. “I hope that you choose well. The fate of the world depends on it.”

Ben nodded. He had no idea what she was talking about, but he couldn’t suppress a shudder at hearing those words. “I think,” he whispered, “that the fate of more than one world depends on what happens next.”

The queen narrowed her eyes, thoughtful, but said no more.