On the shore bordering the lake sat a city. I can barely see it past all the fog but it is there. I prepare myself for the swim towards land. Pain ebbing in my limbs, I start swimming towards the city. Thoughts swirl around in my mind. Will they attack me? Will they help me? Even though I am questioning myself, I know I have to make it to the shore as soon as possible.I have no time to decide. I can already see the dark outlines of fish swimming through the water, gathering below me like they're waiting. Waiting for what? Suddenly the fish all dart away, still nearby but keeping their distance. Seconds later I see why. Slowly, emerging from the depths of the lake, a gargantuan fish rises up to meet me. It is easily twice my size. Terror echoes through my head. I push myself to go faster but I am too far from shore. Then for some reason the water starts bubbling all around me. Seconds later a burst of water propels me into the air. Then, bursting from the water, the gargantuan fish flies up towards me. Its scales are a mix of dark red and light blue but apart from that it looks like any ordinary fish, just a lot bigger. I was gonna die. It seemed like every day something would almost kill me but I would always get lucky. Suddenly a grin flashes across my face. That dumb fish. I assume that was its water attack and, if it was, it launched me too high and it didn’t wait for me to get low enough. I watch as the fish, mere inches from me, plummets back down towards the water. My only problem is I am plummeting back down towards the water too. “[Stealth]” My heart pounds in fear, my body tense, as I crash into the water. If stealth didn’t do what I thought it did I will be fish food. As I look around to check for the fish, I don't see it anywhere. Where could it be? If it could move that fast I would be dead. Glancing around I finally look down. Below me drifts the fish in a haze of blood. A giant hole pierced right through its chest. Smaller fish dart around it looking for scraps as the bigger fish jealously guard the bigger pieces. I quickly swim to the surface. But right as I do, a small boat pulls up right over where I was gonna exit the water. I swim right into it. “Ow” I swim to the side before slowly peering out of the water so only my face is in the air above. A face stairs down at me. “Hello” I say ready to dart off at any sign of danger. “What are you doing in the water young lady?” I don’t answer. Suddenly before I can react he bends over the boat and grabs my arm, before hauling me aboard with surprising strength. “Now young lady, what were you doing in the middle of the lake? Even if it is the safest time of the year right now it is still very dumb. And you could easily get yourself killed. Would you like that? To get yourself killed?” I look at him. He is like a human just on a smaller scale. He also has a beard. Skin like a human. Arms and legs like a human. Eyes like a human. He has a weird red hat that is shaped like a cone. ‘Who are you?” I stammer. “My name’s Peter and you are?” “Elora” I reply “So why were you in the lake?” asks Peter “I fell in a river that led to this lake” “You need to be careful in the lake. You are still at a low level. You are lucky no big fish have tried to kill you yet” “And how would you know that?” “I wouldn't be here talking since you would be dead”. “Anyway, what are you? You look like a human but you are too small” I ask. “I am a gnome young lady” “Cool” “But why would an Elf like yourself be anywhere near gnome territory. If the city lord found out you would be dead, or worse” says Peter “What's wrong with me being an Elf?” “Elfs are one of the mythical races of the world, holding much more power than lesser races like gnomes and humans. The mythical races are in some cases seen as the enemies of the lesser races” My face goes pale “Does that mean most humans and other races will see me as an enemy?” “Sadly yes, so I will drop you off at the edge of town were you may sneak out”. “Why are you helping me?” “Because when I was young a lesser angel saved my life and ever since I have had a different opinion to most of the mythical races”. We sit in silence as we slowly draw closer to the city. We start to pass more and more boats. All gnomes fishing with the exact same red hat”. “Why's everyone wearing the same coloured hat?” “It represents our rank in society. Reds the lowest, then green, then blue and the highest is a gold hat for the city lord” A few minutes later we arrive at the edge of the lake pulling up next to one of the wharfs. Peter had intentionally pulled up at one of the few with no one on it. “This is where we part,” says Peter, sadness evident in his voice. “Thank you” I reply before jumping onto the wharf. I run down the wharf towards solid land. When I finally reach it, I look back. Peter stands in his boat waving at me. I wave back before turning around and entering the town. Peter had explained to me that I had to go through the town because the only entrance out of the massive cavern, apart from the rivers, was a large cave leading to the surface. My only problem was it was on the other side of the city and I couldn't just go around because the gate to the city was also the gate into the cavern. Peter had explained to me that all the guards were at least in the high thirties in level so there was no chance I could win in a fight. Luckily when I told him I had stealth he explained what it did. It made me invisible for the duration of the ability but people with enough perception could just sense me anyway. I could also just run into someone who would feel me. I glare at the guards back. Why would he not move? Thankfully not many of the guards were in the outskirts of the city. They were all gathered around the walls or at the very center, where all the important gnomes were. Because of that I had managed to get through the city fairly easily using stealth when I had to. It took a few hours but I made it. I was down the street from the gate, on top of a house. I had managed to find a tall ladder a few blocks back and had used it to climb on the roof of a nearby house. I had almost fallen down into the gaps between houses a few times, when jumping across, but otherwise I was fine. But none of the guards at the gate would leave and when they did another guard would arrive to take their place. The gate was also open the entire time taunting me! “Hey who's that up there” I hear a voice call. I look over the side of the roof where the voice came from. A guard stands there looking up at me.