Chapter Three

"Are you all right?"

Seth looked up to find the voice coming from above him. "I'm not sure...who are you?" he asked, trying his best to stand up. His legs failed him and instead, he sat down on the hard wood flooring of the small tree house he was in.

"My name is Urmai, and you shouldn't try to stand up yet, my magic has not quite worn off."

Magic? "Lady, what the heck have you done to me?" he asked, his head throbbing with great pain. He felt like he had just gone the distance with the world's most dangerous heavyweight boxer.

He watched her floating up above his head, magic?

Either that, or I hit my head and am dreaming within a dream. "Okay Urmai, why did you come flying at my head and where am I?"

"You are in my home. I felt you enter my forest and I heard the witches screaming in the distance. They are after you, human. So, I figured I would put you to sleep. If the witches want you it cannot be good and they cannot track someone who is sleeping, so I cast a spell on you and brought you here. Do not fear though, they have since retreated back to the castle for the night."

"Witches?" Seth's head began to ache again. He tried once more to get up, this time although his legs were a bit wobbly, he managed to stand. "How do you know all this stuff? I mean, you feel me come into your forest and you know they are after me just by hearing a scream? This is ridiculous."

She stopped floating, her green toes landing softly, effortlessly on the wood.

"Is it? I am a fairy of the land, my senses are quite tuned into an aura such as your own, you exude the calmness of the water, one of the elements. And as for the witches, well what you heard is part of our language, they were warning all Varunians of your presence here."

"Wait a second, you're a fairy and the purple lady isn't? What about your wings? I don't get these rules!"

She looked at him with confusion. "Am I supposed to have wings? And you must mean Kumari, why would you think she's a fairy?"

Seth just looked back at her incredulously. These Varunians were turning out to be quite odd indeed. "I don't know, on Earth, the tales of fairies usually describe them as having wings, you people are just bizarre here! Anyway, why are these witches after me and now the entire land knows about me? That's just great."

She turned away from him, her face growing serious as she paced the small room. "Do not worry, all the land of Varuna is fearful of the witches but we do not bow to them. If they want you, they will have to find you themselves, the creatures here will help you avoid them at all costs."

"Oh, well that's comforting. Not."

Urmai smiled and floated up to the banister, perching herself on a post and crossed her legs. "Are you always so devoid of self confidence, human?"

"My name is Seth and I have plenty of confidence, where normal circumstances are concerned, that is. Hand me a scalpel and I can make you gorgeous but throw me into a crazy world like this and I have no idea what to do."

"I see. You are just afraid and unaware of the power that lies dormant inside you. Your aura is strong however, I feel that you will be able to awaken them, Seth."

"What makes you so sure? I'm terrible in a confrontation. One time this kid bullied me at school for my lunch money, he socked me in the nose and I fell down and cried."

Urmai smiled and placed a finger to her mouth thoughtfully as she looked deep into his eyes.

"Your eyes, they are filled with the truth. Strength and power, enough to move mountains."

"You can see all that? I wish I could."

"You will, in time."

"That reminds me, I'm supposed to be looking for the water goddess. Where do I find her? And what the heck does she look like, I don't want to offend her and call her a fairy."

"You will find her in the North, past the frozen woods. It is many days journey from here, I'm afraid. You will have to travel on foot until you find someone who can travel by water, I was not given that power. And you will know her when you see her, she will be the most beautiful of creatures in your eyes. The water has always beckoned your attention, she will do the same."

"Travel through water?" Seth sighed and took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. His brain was a jumbled mess trying to absorb all the odd things that went on in this strange land.

He turned toward the river that was behind him and placed his hands on the banister, leaning against it. Suddenly he was aware of how tired he was, she may have put him to sleep but he needed much, much more. "Is that where the evil dude is holding your Princess?" he asked, motioning to the castle he could see in the far distance across the river.

Urmai laughed softly at his human slang. "Yes, and his name is Lord Vulterian. You seem tired Seth, perhaps you would like to retire for the evening?"

"Retire? You all are so proper here, you drive me nuts," he said, earning a strange look from Urmai.

He laughed and then continued, "Yes, I would like to retire, I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day if I don't wake up in my cozy little bed at home."

She began to wave her hand about, much like Kumari had and then she began chanting in the same odd language of clicks and sounds. A wave of light surrounded the small hut and Seth watched in amazement as a blanket, pillows and a tray with a decanter and glasses materialized in front of him.

"Wow, that was amazing! What else can you fairies do that I don't know about?"

Urmai giggled again softly, she was finding this human to be rather humorous. "Will this do Seth?"

"Of course, this is wonderful!"

Seth had to admit that the longer he stayed here, the more the place was growing on him. Everyone he had met could conjure whatever their heart desired with the swish of a finger. How awesome was that?

"Well, I shall leave you to sleep now. Please be on your way in the morning, the witches had tracked you close to this area and will most likely resume their search for you here. Well, goodnight Seth."

"Goodnight, Urmai." At least some things were the same, a simple phrase to end a most complex day.

As Urmai left the hut, Seth sat on the plush rug and listened to the ambience of the night around him. It sounded very similar to the woods around his home; crickets, a bullfrog, an owl hooting every now and then. He didn't feel at home, however, and the growing doubt of what he was doing here was weighing down on him.

Why did these people continue to believe that he was the one to save their land from this evil being? Surely they could see how ordinary and feeble he was. He had never considered himself to be powerful where physical strength was required, he was always that kid in gym class that couldn't even do one pull up and was constantly tripping over his shoe laces on the running track.

The warrior within? These guys are crazy, I'm just a regular, boring, hum drum kind of guy. I can't save those people.

Seth opened his eyes slightly, squinting against the morning sun rays. He groaned as he rolled over, his back aching like he had slept on a hard floor all night. He yawned and looked up towards the ceiling, something looked different...

Then it hit him. The call of an exotic bird pierced through the air. Some kind of parrot, one that's not found in the woods around his home. He slammed his head back against the pillow angrily. He was still in la-la land. Varuna. Call it whatever you want, he was still stuck here.

After countless hours of walking in the warm sun, Seth happened upon what appeared to be some ancient ruins. An archway of crumbling stones harbored a pathway in between the high walls, where water could be heard swishing calmly from the other side. Seth surveyed the area carefully, it was giving him a strange feeling inside, one that couldn't be described with words.

He walked along the strange platform and wondered the purpose of this place as the stone walkway ended at an enormous waterfall. He stood in front of the pooling water, listening to it's melody as it splashed gently on the rocks below.

The sounds and sensations of water all around him, Seth began to feel a haze drift over him. His eyesight began to blur, an odd feeling arose in his chest. He blinked his eyes as a vision flashed before him.

The image was accompanied by the sound of swords clashing and an overwhelming feeling of adrenaline inside him. He could see himself clearly, a large sword in hand and he was swinging it at someone he could not make out. The man he was fighting was fearsome, that was all he could sense. Malicious and...evil.

The vision vanished suddenly and Seth heard a loud crackle behind him. Upon turning, he was taken back by a woman alive with vibrant red color, surrounded with fire. He stared at her in shock as the flames danced around her hair and dress.

"Do not be afraid Seth, my fire will not harm you. I am Nnenii, the Goddess of Fire and I have been trying to locate you for some time."

Seth stood in front of her, mouth open, trying not to be afraid. She was generating fire from her hands, after all. "W-why is that?" he stammered, unable to think of anything else to ask.

"You seek the Water Goddess, Quelani, do you not?"

Seth sighed, "That I do, Yoda."

Nnenii looked back at him blankly and seemed annoyed. She didn't understand his sarcasm but she was able to sense it, nonetheless. "Why must you be difficult at a time like this, you do not have an infinite amount of time to release the powers inside you, our people need your help and instead of trying, you make humorous remarks?"

"Look, I'm just so tired of how you people talk here, it isn't normal where I'm from. And speaking of which, I'd like to get back there if you don't mind, I have a rhinoplasty on Monday for crying out loud and I'm stuck in the stinking Twilight Zone with no apparent way to get out! And will you stop with the powers stuff? I am Seth Rhinehart, plastic surgeon, normal, average, corn ball. I am not a hero, lady. Get it?"

Nnenii smiled warmly, her red eyes sparkling and becoming more intense as she regarded Seth. "All you need is to believe in yourself, nothing else is needed."

Seth turned away, facing the small pool of water. "I wish it were that simple. No one here seems to understand the kind of guy who is born to be a hero, it definitely is not me. I'm afraid you all are mistaken, I can't defeat any evil Lord, that stuff is for some bodybuilder hunk in a Hollywood movie."

"What do they teach you humans?" she said, placing her hand on his arm. It was warm, even through the fabric of his coat he could feel what was left of the fire she had created. She used her other hand animatedly, waving it towards the water as she spoke, "Quelani will help you, fear not. She is tied to your soul, you both share the bond of the water. Listen to it, feel it, the water is inside you, a part of you both."

"But I've traveled so far already, I know she is further still. I'm not sure I have the strength to make it to her in time, aren't there only a few days left before that evil guy Vul...Vulterian, makes good on his threats?"

"Yes, this is true but I must tell you that there is a faster way to travel, but you must trust me completely."

"Why, is it dangerous?"

She pointed toward the water and said, "For a human, yes it is most dangerous. I must set the water on fire and send you through to the Crystal Lake, where you shall find Quelani."