The big yellow eye was now accompanied by another one and came into clearer focus as the huge trunk moved slightly backwards.

  The tree folk I had seen in beloved movies back home did not look like this one. With the nearly scorched look of the bark, the starfish looking blossoms on the upper branches, and the barely tolerable smell… I was starting to get a very bad feeling about this.

  And then it spoke— deep, rumbling, and slightly melodious in a mixolydian B flat tone.

  “Hello young sirs,” Then looked at Maleena in his palm, “And young madam. Excuse me, terribly sorry. How are you?”

  “Uh… good… sir? How…. How are you?” Benji, ever earnest, asked in return.

  “Oh, I like your manners! And what an interesting question! Do you mean how am I feeling? Because I do think I’m catching a cold. Or do you mean how am I…? I think we’ll need more time to tackle a philosophical question of that caliber? Or are you simply asking about my state of being? I am quite well, thank you.” The Tree said.

  “I suppose, all of them. But yeah, let’s go with that. Erm—” Benji gestured like he was trying to ask for something, hand upturned with a questioning look.

  “Elmstier,” the tree said, magnanimously.

  “Yes, thank you. Elmstier? Good to meet you. Charmed, delighted… I’m sure. I’m Benjamin Julius Travato. This is Maleena … eh…” Benji turned to her.

  “Maleena Soli.”

  “Right, this is Maleena Soli, Danforth Black, and Gregory Zell. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Benji said.

  “Very good manners, indeed.” Elmstier said, graciously.

  “Elmstier?” Maleena asked sweetly.

  “Yes Ms. Soli?”

  “Would you mind putting us down?”

  “Hm? Oh…. No.” The tree said.

  “May I ask why?” I asked, speaking for the first time.

  “Well, I only just got you up here. It would be a shame to go through all that trouble and put you right back down, wouldn’t you say?” Elmstier asked, innocence on his face (however that worked).

  “I don’t understand—” Dane began.

  “—QUITE understandable,” Benji cut in, shooting Dane a dirty look, “And while we’re up here, Mr. Elmstier, is there anything we can do for you?”

  The tree chuckled, its weird blossoms making a tinkling noise like water over crystal.

  “I do enjoy a good riddle or two. Answer a few, and I’ll be pleased. Answer three, and I’ll give you what you need!” Elmstier said, still chuckling like a big arbor themed Santa Claus.

  “How do you know we need something?” I asked.

  “Apostle Trelain sent you, did he not?” Elmstier asked.

  “He did. You know Tre?” Dane interjected.

  “I do. He’s been in my woods for a long, long time. And I’ve grown to care about the man, as he’s cared for me. So, what do you say? Riddles in the bark?” Elmstier asked, chuckling again quite fervently.

  “We would be delighted,” Benji said.

  “Wait now hold up. What are the rules? How many guesses do we get? If we get all three right, you’ll give us what we came for? And if we’re wrong? Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I just… I like to know what I’m getting myself into.” I said.

  “A perfectly reasonable question or two, Mr. Zell. How about this. If you answer one, I’ll be pleased. Two, I’ll put you down slow. Three, I’ll give you what you want. But fail to answer correctly, and I’ll keep you with me!”

  “Wait, what?” Dane asked.

  “I think he said he’s gonna keep us,” Maleena whispered.

  It looked like Benji was about to be cordial again, or something, so I stopped him and countered, “I like those terms, but what if we didn’t do that last part at all. Keep us for what?”

  “To repurpose you, of course!” Elmstier said, gesturing at his odd blossoms, “To become part of the tree!”

  “Yes. Defintely. Let’s definitely not do that. What about if instead, you answered a riddle of ours. And if you can’t get it right in… say… a minute, you give us four guesses per riddle?” I asked.

  “Two,” Elmstier countered.

  “How about three?”

  “I can live with three, Mr. Zell. But the riddle will have to be a good one. I’ve been here a long, long time. And being in the same place for an eternity has its perks, but it also becomes incredibly tiresome. So tiresome you wouldn’t believe. And the birds don’t come up this high anymore,” Elmstier said.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Elmstier. Perhaps, if you let us go, we can come back another time?”

  “Benji!” Dane whisper-yelled.

  “Deal!” Elmstier smiled, “Now speak your riddle, and I’ll be the judge of your extra guesses.”

  “May we have one moment to strategize?” Benji asked.

  “Certainly, I have plenty….” Elmstier took a long, deep breath and let it out slowly… “of time…”

  “Right,” Dane said under his breath.

  “So, anyone got a good riddle?” Maleena asked.

  “I do. If ya’ll just trust me on this one, I used to stump my partner back in SF and I think I’ve got a really good one,” I said.

  “What’s SF?” Dane asked Maleena.

  “I think it’s where he’s from…”

  “Guys!” Benji hissed.

  “Right sorry, do your thing GZelle,” Maleena said.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Okay, Mr. Elmstier. I’m ready. And just to confirm, if you I stump you… we get three guesses per riddle?”

  “Precise and efficient, Mr. Zell. Yes. I am learning this about you. Okay, ask away if you please,” Elmstier said.

  “Alright, here goes. What howls but has no mouth, can be found both North and South. East and West have it too, and no one knows its home in true. It is strong beyond measure and cannot break, but when it’s weak sailors shake.”

  “Hmm. Quite interesting. Quite interesting indeed. You know, I don’t get many asking me these riddles? Clever enough I’m inclined to just give you the three guesses here and now. Oh I feel quite tickled by this whole experience,” Elmstier said.

  I let the old tree ponder the riddle for a good minute, him making a few hmm-ing noises while he thought. The wood creaked below us as he sidled back and forth, trying different answers in his head.

  At one point, he raised a branch-hand as if he had the answer.

  But ultimately, he put his hand down and the moss over his eyes furrowed down.

  “Okay, Elmstier. Time’s up. Whatcha got for me?” I asked.

  “Is it… wind.”

  “Ah, so you got it. Well done, Elmstier,” I said.

  I turned and my head bowed in concession, “Shit sorry guys.”

  “Don’t worry about it GZelle, I’m sure we’ll get his too,” Benji encouraged, and then whispered, “I think he just likes the game.”

  I just nodded, not wanting to point out that whispering was ineffectual considering we were being held by Elmstier’s head a few feet away.

  “I’ll still give you two guesses per question. My little treat,” The large tree said.

  “Well, that’s very gracious of you,” Benji accepted.

  I shot the three a classic Obama ‘Not Bad’ lip shrug, feeling pretty good about the outcome all things considered.

  “All right, Mr. Elmstier, your turn.” Benji said.

  “OOoooh yes, lets! My favorite. Okay, here we go. Riddle number one… I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but come alive with wind? What am I?” Elmstier asked.

  “An Echo.” Benji said, without missing a beat.

  “Very good, Mr. Travato. Very good. Onto the next, then?” Elmstier asked.

  “Lets.”

  “What disappears as soon as you say its name?”

  The four of us thought about that one for a few seconds, and then the most unlikely source spoke up, “Silence,” Dane said.

  “Right you are Master Black. And onto the next?”

  We murmured in approval. With the way this was going, I was now feeling kind of stupid for making a big deal about getting extra guesses. Though it seemed that asking Elmstier a question of our own might have ingratiated ourselves to him.

  It didn’t seem to hurt, at the very least.

  “What belongs to you, but everyone else uses it?” Elmstier asked.

  “My name,” Maleena said, quickly.

  “Well aren’t you all a quick lot! That was fun, quite fun indeed. Come back again, and I’ll have some more. And for being such good sports, let me add a little something along with… wait what was it Trelain sent you here for?” Elmstier asked.

  “Uh… some… of your… essence,” I said, awkwardly.

  “We weren’t sure what we were walking into, honest. It might have been different had we known you were, ah… sentient.” Benji said, apologetically.

  “Why, all trees are sentient,” Elmstier said, gravely.

  “What the what now?” I protested.

  Elmstier started chuckling, “I’m just teasing you, Mr. Zell. Wouldn’t that be odd? It’d certainly be more entertaining for me. But, alas… no. I haven’t seen dear old Willoby for a while now. I think he put down roots in the West,” Elmstier sighed.

  “Right, well. That’s unfortunate,” Maleena said.

  “What? Oh yes. Yes indeed. No matter, here you are!” Elmstier said, putting a gnarled finger into some knot in his trunk. Pulling something silvery and shiny out, he asked, “So who can I give this to?”

  “I’ll take it, thank you Elmstier,” I said, holding out my hand.

  He delicately lay twenty small vials of the silver, swirling liquid in my outstretched palm. Each vial was smaller than a pencil. But with twenty of them, it was hard not to drop them almost immediately.

  I pulled up my inventory, picked a blank box in it, and visualized putting it away.

  The vials disappeared and became a stack of twenty in my inventory and a new message popped up in my HUD.

  Congratulations! You have collected 20/20 Elmstier Wood Essence.

  Congratulations! You have all the required ingredients to craft a key of stabilization. Please find a workbench to complete this quest. Once crafted you will then be able to use the key to repair the wards of the forest.

  “Thanks Elmstier. This is exactly what we needed,” I said with a smile, and then continued, “Perhaps we can come back another time and do another round of riddles for a few more things?”

  “Greg…” Dane said, disapprovingly.

  “What? I’m sure he’s got all sorts of goodies in there,” I said, pointing at the still open knot in his trunk.

  “I do…” Elmstier said with an over exaggerated wink.

  Congratulations! Gregory Zell has received an uncommon item.

  Riddle’s Reward [Utility] [Ring] [Uncommon] Cast confusion, once per day, on target. Cause mental distress (loss of focus). Lowered success chance on higher level targets.

  Then I saw the notifications for the rest of the party.

  Maleena Soli has received an uncommon item in her dimensional party inventory.

  Riddle’s Redoubt [Defensive] [Ring] [Uncommon] Provides resistance to mind altering spells. Lowered chance of resistance to higher level spells.

  Benji Travato has received an uncommon item in his dimensional party inventory.

  Riddle Master [Offensive] [Ring] [Uncommon] Cast hold person, once per day, on target. Target cannot move until they correctly answer your riddle. Target must be able to speak.

  Danforth Black has received an uncommon item in his dimensional party inventory.

  Riddles in the Bark [Utility] [Ring] [Uncommon] Cast inconspicuous once per day on self. Avoid becoming the target of spells or abilities for ten seconds.

  -

  On the way back, we chatted absently but didn’t really have much to say in the way of substance. I think we had all expected a sort of fight, and when that didn’t happen we were maybe a little disappointed we didn’t get to use our new powers.

  Or at least I was disappointed.

  Not about the riddles. I’ve always loved riddles.

  That was fun. As was talking to a real, living, tree. Only in my dreams, and within the shitty LOTR fan fiction that I used to write in middle school, did I get to do that. Then I remembered Maleena’s earlier words about her newest power acquisition.

  “Hey, Maleena? Weren’t you going to show us something?” I asked.

  “What? Oh. Yeah. One sec.”

  Maleena looked at us, raised an eyebrow, and then touched a hand to her chest. At first nothing happened, and we all stood there perplexed. Then she held up a finger with the universal wait sign, and suddenly she was a foot taller, her hair was darker, and her muscles were bulging.

  “Holy…” Dane said, and then mumbled something under his breath.

  “You are… GLORIOUS!” I said, slapping her buff shoulder with one hand and then pulling back because it kind of hurt.

  “What’s the spell?” Benji asked, curiously.

  Maleena turned and looked at the smaller man, grinned, and said, “Heroic Stature.”

  Heroic Stature: [Active] [Transmogrification] [Domain: Enhancement] Grow in size and strength. All attributes improved. Durability is greatly improved. Resistant to piercing, slashing damage from a similar power level. Your bones cannot be broken by non-magical means. Mana regeneration and Health regeneration greatly improved. Lasts a short time (Mana cost: high) (Cooldown: one day).

  “Bad. Ass.” I said.

  “I know, right? I wonder if I can bench you, Dane.” Maleena said.

  “You could probably bench all three of us,” Benji said, looking over her physique.

  “How do you feel? This is the first physical transformation I’ve seen from magic. I mean looks like you must feel amazing,” I said.

  “GZelle, you turn into an Antelope.” Maleena said.

  “It’s a gazelle. Like the name.”

  Maleena just stared at me, flexing.

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  “Damn right it doesn’t,” Dane muttered, still just unabashedly staring at Maleena.

  “Dane, would you quit being a perv?” Maleena teased.

  Dane just muttered something about buying her a watermelon to squash. Benji and I just laughed our asses off as we strolled back to the treehouse. It felt good to be done with the fetch portion of the quest.

  -

  Later, in the guest treehouse, we patiently waited around for Trelain to get back. We weren’t entirely sure where he went, nearly every day, but he had always made it home at the end of the night.

  So, we sat and relaxed.

  Trelain was supposed to teach us, or maybe just me, how to use a workbench so we could craft the key. Once we did that, the next course of action was to repair the wards.

  We were well on our way in making the forest more secure, and less susceptible to incursion from the Hoarfrost Gang or anyone else who might wander through.

  Though we hadn’t met anyone, except for a very polite tree, it was just a matter of time for someone to stumble in.