The Time Capsule

Chapter 15: The Fair Folk of the Forest

***Note from the Author* Tricksters are often not to be trusted. I do apologize for leaving you in the dark, but I rather thought you would be more interested in the dangerous fight taking us to a place than a mysterious author. Anyway, back to Tricksters. This is of course, notable in how we choose to label them, 'Trickster, who specializes in cards, jokes and...tricks.' Tricks ot the mind, of deceit, and more importantly, tricks of the soul. I know this better than most. I was tricked once before in my foolish youth, and now, I am quite unable to be tricked again. The Trickster who got me has escaped into the world, and I remain quite certain that he will do more harm, particularly to the characters in this story, perhaps even to you. And I am afraid. For aren't we all stories in the end? Proceed to the next chapter with the devils of the forest. I am quite sorry- did I say devils? We shall refer to them as the Fair Folk. Not fairies, that seems childish. For their kingdom is beyond what myths and legends of a children's bedtime stories can convey. Proceed to this chapter to meet the Fair Folk. I'll be waiting with tea and a biscuit, safe from any harm you may encounter in their walls. ***Note from the author ends***

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Chapter 15: The Fair Folk of the Forest

The woods were slowly growing steadily darker and the branches more creepy, the limbs reaching out to grab the trio as they advanced into the night. Angelica felt her hand held by Levi and kept it there, even though he was smirking. 

"We need to find the fairy tree," Levi said. "It's too dark for me to see properly, but we'll know it when we see it. You'll love it, Angelica...at the witching hour, the fairies take flight to the sky to perform the Moon Ritual, sing and dance with thousands of sparks of ancient magic raining down. It celebrates the victory of the elves against the Wordsmiths in the great war." 

"A war?" Angelica asked. "There was a war in my own backyard?" 

"Oh, yes, ten years ago," Levi shivered from past memories. "I shouldn't even be back here. I've...er...shall we say, parted ways with them." 

"Levi...can I ask you something?" Angelica turned to him, tracing his hand. "Everyone at school thinks you're the bad boy...the kind who drinks with a different girl every night. But that can't be the *real* you. Can it?" 

"What you have to understand about that is-" Levi started to say, but was cut off by a distant twinkling of the strangest bells that Angelica had ever heard. "Ah. It's starting, this'll be a treat. No mortal has ever seen this." 

"Careful, cover your ears," Levi gently put Angelica's hands up just in time as a horrible screeching noise just like Nightwing's garbled speech rang out, then took her hands down. "There you go, it's over now." 

He had a big smile on his face, his eyes filled with joy as Angelica looked wonderstruck. Thousands of silver, gold, purple and green sparkles rained down from the top of a huge oak tree, the canopy of leaves dropping down over the lake. The full moon reflected in the water as the fair folk left the stump of the tree all at once. It was once a month that they performed this scene of unity, and Jillian, Levi and Angelica were privileged enough to see it from their hidden spot in the bushes. The bells got louder and a strange violin-like instrument sent vibrations through the trees as it hummed its bewitching song. 

"What *was* that?" Angelica asked. "It was horrible, it sounded like Nightwing when she's not human." 

"I think it's beautiful," Jillian said. "You simply can't hear it yet...it's the song of the forest. The song of unity, between all creatures. That's why it sounds so garbled it's all languages at once."

"*All* languages?" Angelica gaped in disbelief. "All languages in the world at the same time?" 

"Not just the world," Jillian explained. "The whole universe."