Crystalline Soul

The fawn cried out, in terrible pain from her torn leg. She was lucky that two nameless stags came along to ram the coyotes off of her, but the damage had been done. Her back leg bled terribly, and she was starting to go into shock.

"The beasts are long gone.", one of the nameless said. The other was mending the fawn, trying to help her as best as he could, but he didn't really know what to do. "She's in bad shape.", the second nameless said.

"We can't help her, but maybe the Shaman can.", the first said.

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The two transported the youngling as best as they could. They took turns carrying her on their backs, both with an eye out for her attackers. They followed a road into the Endless Forest, making it into the birch area toward the Playground.

There they approached the rocks. One of the stags called out, "Shaman, are you here?"

Silence for a moment, and then... "Wh...what do you want, nameless?", the voice came from beneath one of the boulders. The two stags saw a figure shadowed underneath, who kept to himself under the stones. He was willing to help anyone, but he had somewhat of a fear of nameless deer.

"Shaman, this fawn was attacked, and needs your help.", the other nameless said.

They laid the fawn before the shadowed figure. Her breathing had deepened - she had lost quite a bit of blood along the way, and was already beginning to cling to life.

The Shaman began to speak a few chants, and reaching out, he placed a hoof on the young one's leg. The leg at once was covered by crystal.

"What?", one of the nameless questioned. He noticed that the Shaman's leg was pure white, and as soon as the spell was done, he quickly retracted his leg.

"The wounds will heal. She needs to eat something as quickly as possible.", the Shaman said.

The two nameless bowed, "You are a hero. Please, come out so we may thank you properly.", they said.

The Shaman looked away, not responding. Without receiving an answer, the two nameless helped the fawn up, and the three left the Playground, all looking back at the one under the rocks.

Don't call me a hero. I'm only doing my burden..., the Shaman thought.

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Drops of blood made a trail into the Endless Forest. The coyotes followed the trail, finding the hidden entrance into the sacred ground.

The Forest was not safe, and the deer who saw the predators fled, alerting everyone they could about the threat. The two coyotes soon made it to the Playground, their mouths watering as the smell of their prey grew stronger and stronger.

The Shaman's ears perked. He heard not hoofsteps, but...that's not deer, what was it?

He sat up and saw the two carnivores heading his way. His blood went cold as they spotted him under the rock. Snarling, the two coyotes approached him, seeing a much bigger meal than the fawn they wanted.

The deer was quick - standing up with the space he had, he began to breathe a spell. His fur began to crystallize, and keeping his eyes on the coyotes, he waited until they got close enough...and then...

The white deer darted out of his lair, tackling the two predators at once. The two coyotes, surprised at the attack, tried to bite at him, but they found their bodies starting to become covered in the petrifying crystal. They cried out in horror as they were completely covered.

The two predators were no longer a threat, entombed in the crystal. Several deer came to the Playground, all ready to fight the threat, and all surprised at what they saw.

"The Shaman...it's...", they began to say.

"Phelim!", others exclaimed.

The stag looked up at them. He had been the one mending their wounds in secret, but now his identity was revealed.

A doe approached him, "Why...why were you hiding, Phelim?", she asked.

The stag lowered his head, "I was afraid I would be an outcast because of my curse.", he said.

"Curse? You have no curse, but a gift!", another doe said to him.

The others all spoke of him and his greatness. Phelim did not want the attention...he only wanted to protect those he loved.

"Courage, Phelim.", a voice spoke to him, "The courage to act when others cannot. You have done well."

The stag sat up from the dream. He found himself in a beautiful plain, and looking around, saw others he knew. Kahlan, Noelle, and Exile spotted him there, "Phelim, you too?", they asked.

The stag smiled, "I suppose so.", he replied.

The end of this chapter...