“Estienne! You can’t possibly go. No one has ever returned, and I couldn’t bear to lose you too-”
    “Jarvis, come on! What if I find him? What if I could find the lost civilizations? What if I could be the first one to come back? It could be revolutionary!” I exclaimed, packing my bags furiously. I was wearing typical sorceress clothes, a pale blue coat over a white chiton with a gold braided belt, signifying I was in my senior year of classes.
    “Estienne, this is mad. I know all the amazing things that could happen, but I also know all the horrible things that could as well! You’re not thinking this through. Besides, Artemas also said he could be the first to come back, and I believed him, but he hasn’t come. Not for four horrible, excruciating years,” Jarvis looked down, and I could tell this conversation was starting to get rough for him. 

     “Look. I understand how you feel, but-”
    “NO YOU DON’T!” Jarvis stood up and yelled at me, his blue eyes glistening with rage, but the glow in his eyes dimmed almost immediately. “Estienne, I didn’t mean to-”
    “Fine. I guess I don’t understand. Goodbye then, Jarvis,” Tears welling in my eyes, the room started to dim to a light blue. I knew it was my emotions, they had always controlled my magic whether I liked it or not. I quickly dashed out of the room, trying not to show my face. 

     “Estienne! Wait! Estienne, please!” Jarvis ran after me, but I didn’t stop. I was going to find the lost civilizations and Artemas, and I knew one thing- no one was going to stop me.

    After a while of journeying, I was tired. I guess I wasn’t used to strenuous activity. I looked around my surroundings, wondering where I was. I seem to be in the middle of a deep dark forest. The trees were towering over me, and I couldn't see fifteen feet ahead of me because the trees were so thick. Suddenly a shadow passed over me, darting quicker than the blink of an eye.
    “Uh… is anyone there?” I asked cautiously. Then the thing darted again, causing another shadow. “Please tell me I’m alone, please tell me I’m alone,” I prayed silently.

     “Who art thou?”
    “AAH!” I screamed, and tumbled off my feet. A little spark flew into the air, probably my magic acting all weird again. “Who the heck are you? Don’t ever scare me like that again!” I squeaked.
    “I did not mean to scare thee. And again, who art thou? Why doest thou dwell in my woods?” A woman stood in front of me. Her skin was as dark as the night sky, hair as silver as the moon, plaited into a side braid. Her face was wearing a stern expression, but I could see some compassion in her golden eyes.

     “I-I’m Estienne. And who are you?” 

     “Nice to make thy acquaintance Estienne. I am Althea, keeper of these sacred woods. Why art thou dwelling in my woods, as I have already asked thee twice before?”
    “Well, umm, I’m traveling. I don’t exactly know where, I’m kinda trying to find-”
    “To find the lost civilizations?” Althea guessed.

     “Yeah. You probably think I’m crazy to go off and try to find the civilizations, but-”

     “No. I do not think thee mad. I have also tried to find the lost civilizations, and I did have one encounter with fairies, but it was fairly clear I was not welcome. Why art thou trying? Any specific reason?” Althea looked me over, as if trying to decipher who I was. 

     “Not really. Well, I do have a friend whose brother went to find the civilizations and never returned, so I’m trying to find him, but… I don't know. Peace maybe? Just a change from home?”
    “Everyone has a reason. I have met many in these woods who have tried to find the other civilizations. Most had already gone mad, or were slowly diverging into madness.” Her golden eyes dimmed a little, starting to grow full of sadness. 

     “Did you ever get to know anyone who came through these woods?” I asked. I could tell there was a story behind those eyes, but if she didn’t want to tell, I wouldn’t push it.

     “Once. A young man named Archie.” There was a spark in her eyes as she said the name. “He was kind to me, and he was the only person I’d ever trusted.” A flood of memories seemed to wipe over her.
    “And?” I asked.

     “And, let’s just say… things didn’t work out. It’s alright though, friendships almost always end. Some worse than others.” She sighed, and I knew this was pushing it. 

     “Oh.” There was an awkward moment of silence. “So… how long have you lived in these woods for?” I asked, trying to keep up the conversation. Man how I hated awkward moments!
    “Well, to be exact… nine hundred nintey seven years.”
    “Wha- how old are you?” 

     “One thousand one hundred and seventeen painful years of life.”
    “One thou- wow.” I knew sorcerers could live longer than an average human life, but that age had never been heard of before. “So, are you immortal or something?” I asked. She laughed, but it didn’t sound so happy.
    “Something like that, yes. I ran away from the sorcerers when I was sixteen. That’s when I found Archie and Lillith, they too had run away from home. They had already been banished, because of their powers. They were a bit… dark. But they were very nice people, very welcoming,” She said, seeming to relive the memories, her eyes darting to a thousand different places at once.
    “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you run away from home?” I had to know, my curiosity peaked.
    “Well, my parents hated me for no apparent reason that I could see, if thou understands what I’m saying.”
    “Oh.” I couldn’t relate. I had always had a loving family, and I guess I had always kind of taken them for granted. 

     “It was quite sad, but I have no reason to mourn anymore. But anyway, Archie and Lillith had also run away from home, because of their seeing powers-”
    “Seeing powers? Oh man, those people are so cool! But, how were they dark?”

     “Their visions were more like they could predict death and destruction, almost to the point where they became a bit obsessed with it. But as I said, they were really nice people. Or so I thought. Anyway, one night, they told me about a dream they’d had together, like a conjoined dream or something. It told them about a hero who would save the lands, but cause destruction while doing so. They told me… that they thought the hero was supposed to be me. I still think about that to this day. If I truly am the hero, or if it’s someone else.” Her expression turned dark, and she turned away.

     “Wow. That’s quite the story. But how did you become immortal?”

     “I… I think that’s another story for another time. Would thou like to stay with me tonight? I have plenty of room in my campsite for others like thee.” Althea gestured to a clearing in the woods I hadn’t noticed before. I saw a campfire going with a tent set up near it. 

    “That would be great. I am exhausted. Thank you so much Althea!” I exclaimed. We made our way over to the tents, and before I knew it, I had crash landed on an extra mattress and had dozed off.