Tsugi stared out to the horizon, watching the heat waves rise from the hot desert floor creating a mirage of ripples like the moving sea. The blazing sun beamed down on him, scorching his fingers that are left exposed outside of his armor and cloak. He quickly wiped the dripping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand before it fell into his eye, stinging it like salt from the sea. He pulled out his waterskin and took a swig to wet his parched throat.
“Here.” Yamo tossed an apple to Tsugi. “After we cross the desert, we still have to travel through elven territory.”
“Elven territory?” Over the last few days Tsugi has come to find out a lot of the stories he’s read in the books about this world were true. From all kinds of creatures to different races like elves, he begins to wonder if any of the other races amongst dwarves and giants are real.
“I keep forgetting you lost your memory.” Yamo slapped his forehead with his palm as if he were trying to knock the stupidity away. “Elves are very territorial and don’t take kindly to non-elf folk.”
“Then why don’t we go around?”
“Sadly, this is the only way to get there from this side. There’s mountain ranges all across the area. The only other way is to fly over, and on the other side, the only way through is also a very dangerous path. No worries though, we just have to pay a pretty penny to get through.”
Tsugi wondered just how much money they had that Yamo didn’t seem the least bit worried about the elves.
***
They were still in the desert, but grass grew in a perfect, fine boundary line, separating the Elven Territory from the desert. The mountain rose high into the sky on either side of the thin valley like a wall that went on for as far as the eye could see.
“So this is what you meant about the only way is through.” Tsugi's mouth gaped as he arched his neck to look up to the top of the mountain, which he could not see. As soon as they stepped onto the grass, the air immediately cooled as if it was a magical barrier to another world. Looking back he can still see the desert, which gave him the urge to want to step one foot in the grass and one foot in the desert to see if there really was a difference.
Fighting against his curiosity, he decides against it, and turns back to face the mountain. The crack splitting the mountain in two was barely wide enough to fit the carriage. It was so high that it blocked the sun from entering the path, casting a dark shadow before them.
“Death Valley.” Yamo murmured and urged his horse into it. “The perfect defense system. The narrow passage won’t allow huge armies to travel through, and enables the elves to pick them off one by one.”
“Does that mean they will try to kill us?”
“No. They don’t like non-elf folk, but they won’t harm us without a reason to either. Just don’t expect to be treated with kindness when we are here. We will be staying in one of their villages for the night. On the positive side, we won’t have to worry about monsters here, so we can all sleep. The elves are very good at their patrols and keeping the place free of monsters.”
“How many times have you traveled through here?”
“I don’t remember.” He scratched the back of his head. “Umm…a few times that’s for sure, but it’s not like they get any friendlier. They think of themselves as the higher race. They are more developed that’s for sure. They’re not immortal, but they do live for quite a long time and they possess quite a bit of magical affinity. The way they train is…(whistle)...intense. They start training their young as soon as they are born. Introducing them to all kinds of torture and rigorous training.”
Tsugi tensed at the thought. It reminded him of how he was raised. ‘No, there’s no way my father’s an elf…right?’...“Yamo, what do elves look like?”
“All elves have silver hair, winter gray eyes, pointy ears and they are all beautiful in a way I guess.”
“So all elves look like that?”
“Yep. Like I said, they are a very proud race, so it’s very rare to see any mixed breeds. They are usually frowned upon and shunned.”
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The valley was already dark, but with the setting sun, the valley almost became pitch black. Even the light from the moon could barely shine any light to light their way through. Yamo struck his knife against a flint stone and lit up a torch, leading the way through the valley.
In the distance, a small light lit up the end of the valley like a light at the end of a tunnel. Upon clearing it, the moon shone brightly down on them through the towering trees, waving slightly in the wind.
“Who dares to enter the Elven Territory this time of night?” A voice said from the shadows, but it sounded like it came from above.
“We are just travelers that wish to pass through.” Yamo pulled a giant bag of coins from the satchel on the horse and held it up into the air with his torch lighting up the area.
Tsugi looked up, and he could see approximately twenty elves perched on branches in the trees surrounding them with their bows drawn and pointed at them.
“Drop all your weapons onto the ground.”
Yamo and Volgan proceeded to untie their swords from their belts and dropped them to the floor; then their knives on the opposite side; followed by their knives in their cloaks; then the knives in their boots; then the knives hidden in the saddle of the horse and carriage. ‘Just how many weapons do they carry on them?’ Tsugi untied his weapon and dropped it to the floor along with theirs.
“Move.” The elf commanded and the carriage rolled forward continuing down the path, before the elves came down to collect the weapons.
“Why are they taking our weapons?”
“Why else? They need to make sure, while we are here, we have less of a chance to be able to harm them. Don’t worry, the weapons will meet us at the exit.”
“How are you so sure?”
“They may not like us, but they are true to their word.”
They quietly rode through the forest and came upon a clearing. The moon lit up the small village, with quiet chit-chatter emanating through that was masked by the running river and rotating waterwheel.
They crossed the small bridge and made their way into the village. The elves were so tall, they stood as tall as Tsugi, and he was on a horse, it wasn’t like this was a small horse either. It was a fully grown stallion.
The chattering elves went quiet with the approach of Yamo and the others. Bright gray eyes locked onto them, gazing intensely at the strangers that had entered their land in the middle of the night. Only after they rode past the elves did the murmurs start again.
They stopped by the stables and paid the stable keeper to take care of the carriage and horses. He scowled, but happily accepted the pouch of coins and did his job like anyone would.
“Come with me ladies. Madam Maligun, we have arrived in Anisherund, a village in elven territory.” Yamo helped them off the carriage. “Please stay close and don’t wander off. They don’t take kindly to non-elf folk. Don’t give them a reason to harm you.”
They meandered through town, ignoring the gazing eyes and entered the inn. Once again, silence fell upon the room as they approached the front desk.
“Could we get two rooms please? At least two beds in each room.” Yamo placed another coin pouch onto the counter. Tsugi was puzzled where Yamo kept getting these coin pouches from, and how he came to possess so much.
Just like Yamo explained, all the elves were beautiful. Even the elven men had a beauty to them that would awe anyone, drawing them in like a hypnotic trance. The man took the pouch and led them upstairs without a word and only opened the doors to the rooms to indicate which rooms they were permitted to stay in.
“The women will stay here.” Yamo held the door open and Tsugi followed the women inside. Tsugi was in awe of how beautiful the rooms were. Everything was in silk and decorated in marble, even the tub in the corner of the room was immaculate.
“Enron.” Tsugi turned and gazed at Yamo. “Where are you going? I said this one is for the women. Ours is in the next room.”
“Oh!” Tsugi blushed and quickly left the room trailing behind Yamo. “Sorry, I was intrigued by how nice the place was.”
“Mhm…more like just trying to be sneaky huh?” Volgan smirked and opened the door to their room. Tsugi just ignored him, and entered the room after them.
Yamo and Volgan placed their bags down and pulled out clothes and towels. Tsugi went over to the couch and laid down.
“Aren’t you going to bathe first?” Yamo placed his items on the bed and proceeded to take off his clothes.
“No, I’m too tired, you guys go ahead.”
“Are you sure? It’s been three days since we left Nangri.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Is it because we are here?” Volgan looked toward the couch, but Tsugi made no noise. Volgan turned to Yamo and shrugged his shoulders.
“There’s a men’s bath down the hall. Come on Volgan, we can go bathe there. It’ll be bigger to fit both of us too. That tub’s too small for us anyways.” Yamo picked up his items and they left the room.
Tsugi sat up and looked around the room, making sure they had left before locking the door. He quickly undressed and bathed with haste before crawling back onto the couch. He couldn’t risk them finding out about him, or he was sure his father would kill him before he could blink.
He figured, since he was smaller, he could take the couch and they could take the bed. Either way he didn’t mind, the couch was already ten times more comfortable than his straw bed. After bathing and feeling clean and pristine, exhaustion overtook him and he fell into a deep slumber.
He felt a cold breeze on his face and opened his eyes.