Jarl passed the eaves of the forest and stopped walking. The hair rose on the back of his neck, his heart began to pound and he struggled with the desire to flee. He stood motionless at the edge of the trees, searching the shadows at their feet with his eyes then activated the sensors on his suit. The heads-up display flickered for a second and died, the power totally exhausted.

Figures, he thought. Dale? There was no response, just a feeling of intense concentration. Great. I get to do this alone. Let's hope whatever it is can be reasoned with. Jarl took a deep breath, stilled his thoughts and stepped into the trees. Nothing stirred as he passed but his trepidation increased and he stopped several yards from the eaves of the forest, afraid to go any farther. "All right," he told the empty forest, his voice trembling. "I'm here. What do you want of me?"

A gentle green light broke forth from the ground, shining up into the tops of the trees. The light brightened and swirled, coalescing into the shape of a woman. She turned around, her long hair drifting through the air and winding about her body like vines on the trunk of a tree. Her gown rustled like leaves stirred by the wind and flowers fell from her fingers to drift to the ground. A soft green glow surrounded her and she regarded Jarl silently. He gulped and quickly dropped down to knee before her, bowed his head and stared at the ground. "Explain your unwarranted attack on my child," she demanded, her voice crystalline in the still forest air.

"He was hurting my friend," Jarl replied. His voice shook. He raised his eyes from the grass and stared at the emerald slippers gracing the woman's feet, not daring to lift his head further. "I thought he was trying to kill her."

The light took on a chilly blue cast. "Are you so uncouth that you act first and discover whether your actions are warranted after the destruction? What proof do you have she meant any harm?"