The Farland Files

Temple of the Elements, Nepal

Lena found herself sitting in front of the Librarian.

The library lay in wide rows that seemed almost to change and shift like some sort of labyrinth around them, the Librarian sitting in the center of the library on a simple cushion with a low table in front of her.

Lena had sat down on the cushion opposing the woman, as the Guardian had given her summons before the woman. Signing out a formal greeting, she dipped her head and then waited to be told why she was here.

Looking amused, the Librarian just calmly asked how she was sleeping.

Her response, "Fine, thank you," only held so much weight when her body was tense and her eyebrows furrowed, but the woman nodded slightly.

"Do you not wish to advance to the third ring? When the Lemondrop sent me a letter that he would be sending his best pupil, he made it seem like you would complete the five rings in a matter of days and yet you spend all your time in the library."

Lena couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her lips, singing out an apology even though she knew that instinctual sounds of the body were not counted in the code of silence. When she calmed, her smile was still wide, signing a quick question. "Windkeeper gave him the name 'the Lemondrop?'"

The Librarian smiled back at her softly, the first time she'd seen the woman smile. "He kept offering the muggle candy to Windkeeper. It was his fault, though he seemed to not care all that much."

"Sounds like him." Her smile then turned a bit more melancholy, thinking of the family she missed so much, though she knew that until she was of the third ring she could not have communication with the outside world. "I think that I have been hiding in books, as I know how to do that well... but I suppose I will try this task."

"Excellent." As the woman waved a hand, Lena blinked when the Guardian seemed to melt out of the bookshelves, moving over to them. "The Emerald Child is ready for the third task."

Conniving little...

Lena sighed slightly as she stood, rolling her eyes so there was some record of her reluctance before following the Guardian.

As the library was connected to the main area, she wasn't all that surprised when a few people decided to follow them as they meandered through the stone halls to a set of doors. Looking at the Guardian before letting herself into the doors, she found there was a large room like an amphitheater but in the center of the room... was a black circle.

Moving forward warily, she let her magic spread out around her because there was no way in hell she was getting pushed into that thing- whatever it was- and inched forward to stand at the edge.

Someone stopped next to her and she wobbled for a moment before steadying herself and glaring at the figure, heart racing.

An elderly woman with kind eyes smiled at her in amusement, settling a steadying hand on her shoulder. The woman had large gold disks in her ears, other gold jewelry larger than her eyes decorating her nose and ears in what had to be piercings that accented the wrinkled olive skin well.

Blinking a few times, Lena pushed appearance aside and then bowed her head respectfully, asking if she was the one responsible for the third task.

"I am the Earthmother." Signing with slightly shaky hands, the old woman smiled that kind and yet amused smile again. "If you are ready, I will ask the earth to meet you for your task."

Swallowing, she nodded, too nervous to sign out a response but thankfully her message seemed to be received. The Earthmother moved her hands out from her hips and then slowly with open palms, pressed up on the air as if raising something heavy.