1 day ago

A swift thwip in the air pierces through a wooden head, landing on the ground. An eye looks through the hole of the dummy. "How's that, Alvius?" Elvis turned with a smirk, finding his friend shooting an arrow close to his head by the wooden dummy.

"I'd say it's good."

"You could have missed."

"I'd kill myself if I'd miss."

Alvius walks to him and takes his arrow back. "What was the deal again, Elvis?"

The elf throws a pouch to him. Alvius catches it with a smile. "Feels good to win." He told to himself.

The melodic bells from the castle fill the forest city of wood and wing, with each chime carrying their message of summoning through the trees as they ring in the distance, followed by the marching of several elves clad in enchanted wooden armor.

"Four chimes, awakening ceremony," Alvius said, walking back to the castle with Elvis walking with him from behind.

The two catch up in a line of armored elves holding their spears and equipped with quivers.

Their footsteps echo sharply like the march of a seasoned army as they approach the large marble floor where an altar made out of pure green light floated at a marble stage. The air seems to be filled with excitement. Some elves looked worried too.

Alvius was one of those, nervously scratching his chin.

A group of elves with green glowing eyes presented themselves in beautiful robes purely made out of bark and leaves with winds forming around their heads and standing by the altar. An older elf with even larger robes that dragged across the ground stood before the altar and raised his arms.

"I welcome you all again upon our true god's presence!"

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

All the elves understood the cue, and all of them began to kneel before the presence of this grand priest.

"Now, now! Lift your heads!" The priest ordered, raising his hand. The altar began to shift into shape; a powerful beam shot into the sky from the altar. Different colored lights appear within the beam, shaping into a picture of an elf. The elves of the army watched and waited for the picture to form.

A yellow-haired elf with blue eyes and a slim build, one of the few with dagger-like ears and a very cheerful look on his face.

Alvius looked at Elvis, seeing him with a smile. "Elvis." He said, holding his hand out. The elf looked at him strangely with a chuckle. "Looks like I've won this time."

"I'll be honest, I don't trust this at all," Alvius said, and the yellow elf scoffed. "You should be happy still, you finally get to bully prisoners without me. I told you, good deeds always pay off!" He said, walking through the army. They all recognized his face, letting him pass through.

Alvius held back a grunt, he knew what kind of man he was. To deserve the honor of being awakened? He deceives the orbs winds that watch him. It disgusted him how he does not show his true nature. He'd prefer to be an elf with honest opinions.

Elvis stood in front of the altar, the beam pointing once again to Elvis. The elves with green eyes cheered for him enduring the beam. The army on the other hand watched in silence, skeptical yet curious to watch him become one of the awakened elves.

Elvis collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily and his flesh feeling silkier. His eyes flickered green and looked up at the priest. "Congratulations, young Elvis. You will soon become one of the awakened! Prepare yourself for our welcoming service at the castle tomorrow. Until then, keep the God's light within you satisfied. Go forth!" The priest announced.

Elvis laughed, his blue eyes still stayed as he stood up. He moved around his body, disappointed that nothing has changed yet. "Tomorrow eh? Well I still have some things to do. Where shall we meet?" He asked. He noticed that some of the soldiers were already walking out of the ceremony assuming it was already over. None of them seemed hyped at all. He saw Alvius' face in the crowd, shaking his head and walking away.

Alvius marched back to his wooden shack, where it was near the barracks. He prepared a map for himself and his items, placing some of them in his bag. "These new damn priests are getting damn freaky." He tells himself.

He hears someone knocking at the door, slowly opening it too. "Alvius." The yellow haired elf called.

The elf closed his bag, giving out a heavy sigh. "Why are you here?" He asked, not looking at him once.

"Just saying Goodbye."

"I have nothing else to pay. Even if I did, it would mean nothing."

"You did say if we're not getting picked, we'll come back home smoking enchanted grass."

"You're here for that?"

"No not really." Elvis turned from the door. "I thought you'd at least be happy for me."

Alvius clenched his fists. "I don't know. I've heard things happening with the priests. Humans being brought in and disappearing there. Don't you find that disturbing? Humans in sacred ground? Ridiculous!"

"I'm going to be awakened, Alvius! I don't care about that, even if I see a human. Let's just say I did grow fond of them. At least..." He paused, walking out of the door. "Nevermind. Just be nicer to the girl."

Alvius finally turned his head, watching him walk away under the elven night. "Whatever, I'm getting out of here." He told himself, closing the door.

Present day.

He stomps out of the dungeons, his spear still in hand unknowningly. "I should have killed that human!" He growled.

"Sir Alvius!"

He immediately stood promptly upwards with his spear, meeting a fellow soldier with long gray hair. "Where you headed?"

"To train. I'm done feeding the human."

"Training grounds closed for now, the priests even said we earned the day off."

Alvius scoffs at the mention of the priests.

"They're taking out another human into the castle today too, have you wondered what they do to them?"

"None of my business." He told, walking past him. "I have better things to do."