Sofia woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. Looking around, she realized that she was in a kind of tent. Hearing a commotion outside, she held the blanket tightly to herself and peered shyly and curiously through the front flap. Elves and creatures unlike any she had ever seen, all radiantly colored and beautiful, were scurrying about the camp with a sort of electric energy filled with excitement and nervousness. 

It was with the same sort of enthusiasm the camp had met the rescue party yesterday. Harton had quickly been ushered to the healer’s tent. Relieved that the Dlam had finally reached the help he needed, Sofia had fainted from exhaustion. 

Now she had woken up in this tent, covered in blankets. Sofia sat back on her bed, suddenly spotted her clothes on a line at the far end of the tent. Wait…

Sofia looked under her blanket and quickly pulled it down again, cheeks burning. Before her mind completely derailed, she heard a soft scratch on the tent flap.

“Friend, are you awake?” she heard a young female voice say gently from the other side. 

“Erm, uh… Yes, hi. I…I am awake,” Sofia stuttered.

“May I enter?” asked the young woman.

“Erm, well, I’m not quite dressed…”

“Forgive me, I have come to return the last item of your clothing. The Healer said that it was best to remove your clothing. She and I needed to tend to your wounds last night, and your clothes were soaked. I washed your garments and had them out to dry. I can place them just inside the entrance, if you prefer.”

“Y-yes please.” 

Sofia watched as a toned, slender arm slipped into the tent to place her sweater inside. The young woman had an ornate arm cuff, set with small stones that reminded Sofia of her earrings.

“I will wait for you to be dressed,” her attendant announced.

Still sheepish at the idea of having been stripped, but relieved that it had not been by the ridiculously gorgeous male elf she had met yesterday, Sofia quickly dressed herself and stepped outside the tent.

Waiting for her was a young elf who was about Sofia’s height and with a similar skin tone. But Sofia’s eyes were immediately drawn to her long, vibrant green hair. Sensing Sofia’s presence, the elf turned and met her gaze with dazzling violet almond-shaped eyes. 

“I am glad to see you are doing well,” the elf dropped her gaze slightly. 

She speaks so formally, thought Sofia. 

“Are you hungry, Friend?”

Sofia’s stomach replied by releasing an embarrassingly loud growl. The young elf’s eyes sparkled in amusement.

“Follow me.”

Sofia’s guide led her to the center of camp where there was a group of elves cooking. The glances and stares from those nearby made Sofia feel incredibly uncomfortable. Noticing her nervousness, the green-haired elf sat her on a stump by the cooking fire and requested soup on her behalf. 

Sofia, although having not eaten properly in a couple of days, gingerly picked at the soup. After her first taste, however, she nearly inhaled it.

“I take it that you…enjoyed the soup, Friend?” asked the elf.  

Catching herself, Sofia, chuckled nervously. “My name is Sofia, actually.”

The elf’s eyes sparkled again, this time in excitement. “I am called Itah, apprentice to the Master Healer.”

Sofia was about to ask about Harton when a call came from across the camp. “Itah!”

Turning, the pair saw the elf who had rescued Sofia yesterday making his way towards them. Sofia’s face flushed again, and attempted to cover her face with her hands.

“Friend Itah,” the male elf addressed Sofia’s young companion, “you are taking wonderful care of our guest. Well done.” Sofia noticed a slight redness rising on the young elf’s cheeks. All right, so it’s not just me.

The blonde elf turned suddenly to Sofia, startling her. With a slight bow and a mischievous smile, he said, “Friend, our chief is requesting your presence. It seems you have caused quite a stir.”

Sofia soon found herself ushered into a large tent. Light entered from window-like gaps at the highest points of the tent, allowing Sofia to see without difficulty. The tent’s fabric was ornately patterned and shimmered in the light. There were several plants, giving the tent the feel of a greenhouse. 

At the back of the tent was a beautifully carved wooden table, itself seeming to grow from the ground beneath it. Behind the table sat a stern, mature looking female elf. 

She must be the chief, thought Sofia. What should I do? Should I bow or curtsy or something?

The chief’s eyes narrowed as Sofia, still debating what to do, was led to the table by her blonde elven escort.

“Chief Kiysat,” her escort bowed his head slightly and placed his fist over his heart, “I have brought our unexpected visitor.”

“Unexpected indeed,” Chief Kiysat replied in a low, serious tone. “Thank you, Erae.” 

Erae bowed again, and backed away slightly to allow Sofia to have the chief’s full attention. 

“Friend,” the chief began, “what are you called?”

“M-my name is Sofia, ma’am. Y-your chiefness,” Sofia stammered. “Sofia Pérez.”

“And how is it that you came to be in Lyfay, Sofia Pérez?”

“I-I passed through some sort of gate, I think,” replied Sofia. “I found this unusual dog badly hurt on the beach and he said he needed…” Sofia’s eyes flew open. “Harton! Where is he? Is he all right?”

Chief Kiysat raised a hand to stop her. “The Dlam is in the care of our Master Healer. He was weak, certainly, but with her expertise he is expected to make a full recovery.”

What a relief, Sofia sighed. 

“His condition would not have been so serious, however, if you hadn’t led a scathe of Ymplerim into Lyfay.”

“Pardon?”

“There have been no reports of Ymplerim sightings in that region for years,” Chief Kiysat rose from her chair to tower over Sofia. “Until yesterday. Your appearance and the return of the Ymplerim in that region of the forest cannot be a coincidence.”

Sofia suddenly recalled yesterday’s events with the dark, gaseous figure and its pale yellow eyes and shuddered. That was an Ymplerim? Did…did I really let them in?

Chief Kiysat had come around the table to face Sofia directly. The chief’s short, silver hair gleamed in the light as she stood nearly a head taller than Sofia.

“Why are you here?” the chief demanded. “How did you know about the gate? What did you bring to lead the Ymplerim here?”

“I… I didn’t mean… I don’t mean any harm… I, I was just trying to help Harton…” Sofia attempted to defend herself.

Erae suddenly stepped forward. “Honorable Chief, I don’t believe Sofia’s intentions were against Lyfay. From what my party and I saw, Sofia is not working with the Ymplerim. She herself was at risk of losing her life force as she attempted to protect Harton.”

“But she did let them in,” a new voice shouted.

The group turned to see two elves standing at the entrance of the tent, one holding up a half-dissolved metal can.