I was sitting on the bank of the River Kell, sketching one of the strange water plants, when I smelled it. One quick whiff, and my body reacted on its own, tensing up immediately.

I had smelled a distinct hint of sulfur. The smell of magic.

I slowly flipped my sketchbook shut, and stared at the semi-circle of trees surrounding me.

I had encountered magical creatures before; the woods of Faud were often filled with them. Most were benign or fairly harmless--woodland nymphs, dragonflies, a few types of pixie--and yet I also knew that there were a few species that should not be trifled with.

I also knew that if I encountered one of those, running away was not an option.

So I froze by the bank of the river, waiting for the creature to appear. Sure enough, over the sound of the river rushing along, I heard a rustling. And then, emerging from behind a tree, a figure came into view.

He appeared human, but my nose knew better; the smell of sulfur always gave away magical creatures. And yet, I was entranced by his other-worldly beauty. He was tall and thin as a waif, with pale skin and green eyes that seemed too large for his face. He had a black beauty mark under his left eye, and he held, in his long beautiful fingers, a small glass jar.

"Greetings, Krista," he said with a bow of his head.

I didn't bother asking him how he knew my name; magical creatures had their way.

"Greetings," I said, bowing as well. I adjusted my backpack, wishing I could pull out my Field Guide. The book had been a gift from my teacher, an artist who I had trained with for years. She had told me that if I truly intended to wander the Faudian wilderness by myself, I should have a guide to all of the plants, animals, and magic folk I would encounter.

The creature smiled at me. He had strong white teeth. "I realize you don't know what I am. Though I don't blame you. Elders are quite rare."

I blinked in utter disbelief. "You're an... Elder?"

He held out his arms. "In the flesh."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "That's impossible. I thought Elders..."

"...were extinct?" He shook his head. "No. We're just good at hiding." He smiled again, rotating the jar he had in his hands. "Now, Krista, I have a favor to ask of you."

My mouth suddenly felt very dry. When I had first entered the forest a few months ago, my only desire was to explore the wilderness and possibly discover some new varieties of plants. I had never expected to be enlisted by an Elder. But I had heard about them from my grandmother, in the tales she had told me and my siblings by the winter fire. They were powerful creatures with influence over many species, both magical and non, in the forest. Upsetting one would result in ruin. Outright refusing was impossible.

I swallowed, and slipped a piece of curly black hair behind my ears. "What is the favor?"

At this he held out the jar, close enough that I could now see that it was not empty. Instead, trapped inside the glass, was a small cloud. It moved and churned, a brilliant dark blue, and every so often it emitted a flash of pure white light.

Lightning.

"This is a very important jar," the Elder explained. "And I need you to deliver it to a particular trapped faerie. Her name Athia. It is of the utmost importance that you deliver this to her." He held the jar out expectantly, willing me to take it.

I hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the jar. My fingers brushed against the Elder's hands for a moment, and I was surprised by the coldness of his skin. And then the jar of lightning was in my grasp. I stared at the glass container, rotating it in my hands. When the lightning flashed, the jar vibrated slightly, but holding it was not painful.

"Where is this faerie located?" I asked.

The Elder handed me a scroll. "Follow this map. The faerie is trapped in a cage hidden in a great mountain. It shall only take you a day to travel there, and once you give her the jar, she will be freed."

I nodded but looked at the Elder again. His skin was so pale, nearly translucent, and his green eyes shone like emeralds. "May..." I started, haltingly, "may I ask why I was given the... honor of carrying out this task? I mean, I'm not... I feel like... wouldn't this be a safer task for someone with your power?"

The Elder's eyes furrowed, and for a moment I was worried I had upset him. But then he smiled gently. "You are much greater than you believe, Krista. Your skill and drive make you perfect for this task. And, alas, as an Elder, I cannot leave my brethren for long." He gestured around at the forest. "We are not allowed to meddle in the affairs of other creatures, but this faerie is an old friend. I owe her my life, and so I am making this exception. I only ask that you help me succeed." He looked into my eyes. "Are you willing to help?"

I nodded. "I... I will."

He smiled. "Good. Now run along and deliver the jar. And please, whatever happens, you must not open it. It is my friend's only hope for escape."

"Yes, of course... Thank you."

"No, thank you, Krista." And with that the Elder turned around and disappeared among the trees, leaving me alone by the riverbank with a jar of lightning.