Just as Alice began to choke, she heard someone else was running on her left side. In the beginning she couldn't figure out who it was by the sound. But the sound very quickly approached and intensified. “Oh my God! It's a horse! Maybe a rider? Can I get some help?” When the rider was almost at the same level with Alice, she heard:

– Kalan tol ana anim!!

A bright white light flashed in the rider's right hand and Alice could see that the rider was a graceful young elf with long golden hair and bright blue eyes. With a quick movement, the elf placed a bright glowing ball in a transparent flask, which was woven into the mane of his horse, then held out his hand to Alice and shouted:

– Give me your hand! Quickly!

As soon as the girl reached her hand, the elf threw her into the saddle in front of him with a slight tug, as if she weighed nothing at all. Then he tore off the flask with the shining light in it, whispered something into its base, turned around and sharply threw it back. A loud bang, and then a bright flash light up the dark forest. The chase fell behind.

***

They rode in silence for a while. Alice turned back from time to time, to make sure that there was no pursuit. But in reality, she just looked into the elf`s face who had saved her life. He had proper facial features, deep blue eyes and golden hair falling to his shoulders… For the first time in her life, Alice saw a live elf in front of her. She had never thought that a person could be so beautiful. Those guys she'd met in her life were nothing to compare with this Elven beauty. His flamboyant appearance, his knowledge of magic, and the fact that he saved her life played a key role – she liked him madly.

– Don't worry, they haven't been following us for a long time.

Alice just took a deep breath in response.

– Are you okay?"

– Well… – the girl said slowly – I scratched my face by some shrubs while I was running and tore my jacket. The rest… yeah, I`m okay. Thank you so much for saving me from them! I'm not going to be anyone's dinner tonight.

– Hmm. That's for sure. What's your name?

– Alice. And you?

– Enilice. And how did you appear in Izemburn? Where are you from?

– Izemburn? – Alice re-asked.

– Yes. Izemburn is the name of this forest.

Without directly answering the question, Alice asked:

– If we're no longer being chased by those beasts, can you make a stop for a while? I'm not comfortable to talk while we are gallop and I'd like to inspect my face, I think I'm bleeding from my cheek.

Enilice stopped his horse and dismounted.

– Actually, we shouldn't stop. Night in Izemburn is not a good time to rest. We need to leave it as soon as possible and go out into the Plains.

Without saying anything in response, Alice took out a small makeup bag from the inside pocket of her jacket. She wiped her cheek with a napkin and taped it up with a band-aid, keep looking to the Enilice from time to time, who was standing in front of her. As she put her makeup bag back in her inside pocket, she threw her view at the old pepper spray in it and thought: “Maybe I'll need it again”, and said:

– You know Enilice, it doesn't really matter how I got here. What's more important now is to find that sneaky old scoundrel and take back the thing he stole from me!

Slightly straightening up and pushing his chest forward the elf asked in surprise:

– Who are you talking about? Did you meet someone here?

– Yes, damn it, I did! – She answered angrily – He drugged me with sleeping drink and robbed me. And then he left me alone in the middle of the night, in this dark forest!

– Hmm… Interesting… What is the old man? Can you describe it to me?

– Well… Quite small in stature… At my five-foot-six, he was about chest-high. He had a long gray beard which is almost reached his knees. Big hat. He also smoked a long pipe all the time.

– Did he say his name?

– Yes, he said his name is Oks.

Enilice`s eyes become widened. He was one of the three trackers lord Tonnord had ordered to sent out to find the location of Oks.

– There's something wrong. I don't understand. That's crazy.

– What are you talking about? You don't believe me?

– A few hours ago, we received an order from Afleeakwein from our commander in chief. The essence of the order was to find the location of this particular old man Oks. I don't know why. I'm a good tracker and I know Izemburn good enough, so they chose me. We have a small outpost in the Plains, not so far from here. It`s about a couple of hours away. From there I moved to Izemburn and started to look for him in places where he was most often. He constantly moves around the forest, checking it. Putting things in order. Heals sick trees, helps to grow the young one. But I didn't find Oks. More precisely, the noise of the chase distracted me. So I found a girl escaping from a pack of hungry Wargs. Enilice smiled.

– Pack of hungry what? Wargs? So they weren't wolves?

– They were wolves once. But because of the effects of dark magic on them, they mutated. They are much larger, hardier, and stronger than normal wolves. We call them Wargs.

– I see. I'm sorry for interrupt.

– So, Oks is the guardian of the Ont forest. He is a very good old man, never offends anyone. Well, unless only those who “offend” his forest. And it's difficult to imagine he could steal something from someone! He doesn't need anything. Trees, shrubs, flowers, grass – this is his treasure. He doesn't care about people's trinkets.

– That's exactly what he said: “It's either just a trinket or it might be sell dearly!” Damn him!

– Sell??? What exactly did he steal from you?

Alice was afraid to tell the truth, but she decided to tell it, because she thought it wouldn`t make it worse. The elf saved her life and maybe he will help her find the thief and the stolen item. She understood in this completely new world for her, she won`t be able to handle anything without help. Trying to be not a verbose, but at the same time to convey the essence, Alice told Enilice about her grandmother, her fairy tales about Arakel when she was a child, and hopelessly lost, as it seemed to her now, the box with the key.

– In the name of the Creator! You're the new Keeper – Enilice said, thought for a moment, and then suddenly continued – We urgently need to leave Izemburn! I have to report everything to Afleeakwein, but I can't do that in this forest, because there is a very ancient and powerful magic in it. It silences the elven telepathy. And one more thing. It wasn't Oks!

–So, who was that??? – Alice asked, surprised.

– Doppelganger. Doppelgangers are the result of magical experiments with the trolls by Dark Magicians. As a result, they received magical creatures that can take on any appearance, people or animals, and they are also able to cast illusory magic on their enemies. But as a result of the same dark magic, they became stupid. But they weren't very smart, anyway. Everything what they want from life is money and pleasure. They exist only for the sake of it. So when you mentioned he said “to sell it dearly”, I knew that right away. And I know where he's going.

– Where?

– In Pleepmorr. This is a very bad place. But we`ll talk about it later. And by the way, everything you saw – a house in the woods, a table, chairs, candles, delicious tea – it was an illusion. The map was probably real. All over Araklia you can buy the map like that. The drink was real, too. But it wasn't tea, it was “mune”. A good sleeping drink. Don't worry, it's really herb-based, harmless. But the taste and smell of the fragrant flowers were an illusion.

– It's crazy – Alice drawled – Enilice, I'm sorry. I don't want to ask you too many questions because I don't wanna look like a fool, but I'm completely confused. Tell me, do you know what that key was for?