The Sorceress's Tree

Prologue

Fog rolled across the ground as dusk set in the forest. Five figures in long brown cloaks tramped through the forest with a single destination in mind. Years of wisdom lined their faces as they pushed forward ready to complete their mission. Their destination was a single tree standing alone in the center of the forest. The tree was beautiful and ancient old oak standing strong for a thousand years. It towered over everything with a spiraling network of limbs forming a protective shell around its core.

It was time to break that shell and release what was inside the tree. The figures adjusted their hoods on their cloaks as they formed a pentagon around the tree, raising their palms out to face each other. A low echo of chanting in a language not heard for years came from their mouths as they spoke the Old Tongue. The words grew louder as they continued the chant, their bodies swaying to the rhythm. The faster they spoke the more they swayed as a brilliant glowing light emitted from their bodies.

As their swaying increased and the light grew, the tree began to twist and turn to the rhythm of the words. Its limbs made a large cracking noise as they unfolded amongst themselves in the dance of the spell. The bright light intensified as the tree changed shape. It no longer towered over everything else in the forest. Instead, the tree was beginning to shrink smaller and smaller as it twisted amongst itself changing into a human like shape as it diminished its size.

A loud clang filled the air and the tree was no more. In its place stood an extremely tall man with dazed emerald eyes. Absentmindedly, his hand reached for his face, pausing in shock at the tangled blonde mess of a beard that had grown on his once bare face. He slowly moved his long limbs, testing them as he stretched them. His movements were awkward and stiff as he attempted to remember what it was like to be human.

"Alzkend," the five men said in unison, their voices booming across the forest echoing in the background.

The man glanced up at them, turning to observe all five of them at once while slowly blinking in a daze. Confusion swarmed through his thoughts as he tried to remember how he had become the tree or why he was being awoken now. How much time had passed? Had it really been one thousand years that he had stood in place watching the world grow and change?

The man in the center of the group of five stepped forward to speak. His hood fell back revealing a white haired man with bright amber eyes that told a story of wisdom and power.

"Your time of glory has come again. Another Sorceress has been born and we need you to help save us from the end of the world. Your life will begin anew as a normal mortal. However, you must kill the sorceress in order to keep this new life."

Alzkend slowly blinked as his memories came rushing back to him. He recalled the last moments of his life as a human as he fought to protect the world against an evil Sorceress who was wreaking death and destruction throughout the land.

All hope had been gone as one by one his fellow wizards fell in the fight. Her power was terrifying as it easily wiped out a whole village. Battered and weak on the brink of death, his final actions had been the saving light. With nothing left to lose, he had thrust himself into the heart of the battle taking the Sorceress down with his own hands. His sacrifice towards his own life had saved everyone else.

The Elders had rewarded him for his sacrifice. Instead of letting him die, they had transferred his nearly dead body into a tree by placing a preservation spell on the man to keep him alive while he regained his strength.

He hadn't realized it would take this long to regain his full strength, though. He honestly had thought the Elders had forgotten about him several centuries ago. That doubt was gone now as he stood before them understanding the task at hand.

Boldly, he gazed up at the Elders letting his eyes hit each and every one of them as he cleared his throat swallowing to form the words needed to communicate.

He let out a low bow as he responded, "I am at your mercy."

~~~~~

Hello! Thank's for checking out the Sorceress's Tree! It must really suck to be stuck as a tree for over 1000 years only to be awakened with the mission to take out another Sorceress! What are your thoughts on this prologue? Feel free to leave your comments below and click the little star if you enjoyed!