"Oof!"

"Hey watch where your walking mister!"

Did some idiot just run into me full speed and have the balls to blame me for it? "You're the one who ran into me!" To late. The prick was already well on their way running off to who knows where. "Hey get back here!"

"I'll get you back after my meeting with the Doyen, that is for running into me!"

That isn't even funny. She ran into me and ran off without an apology for it. "What do you mean later... and I did not run into you, wait did you say Doyen?!" The Doyen are the elders of our town and make all of the major decisions. Free popcorn for the evening? Fired for chewing gum? You name it, if they want it and there is enough votes, it will happen.

To my dismay, the girl was gone in the time it took to blink twice. It is going to be hard to find someone so fleet footed without using magick.

What a chaotic girl! I wonder what her race is? Damn good way to start off your 200th centenary. I mean this is Shedeth! This place is supposed to be known for it's peace and people like her go around running into things with little to no apologies. Why is there an outlander in the countryside, we haven't had a new arrival in how long now... well it's been a long time." She made a good choice of choosing Shedeth, it is definitely one of the best places to live in all of Syldarim.

Shedeth is one of many peaceful towns in the continent of Syldarim and is known for its rolling hills and its dense fabled woods. The trees here are a strange sort. There is a rumor that hundreds of thousands of years ago a brokenly powerful witch cast an enchantment on them to always be in a state of autumn. Why would someone even bother doing that... anyways, there is no shortage of beautiful yellow, orange, and red leaves in Shedeth!

"She is pretty cute...I guess I'll ask Emcess if he knows what her race and name are, he always manages to know about the new girls in town. I wonder how long she'll be meeting with the Doyen, more importantly why has she been allowed a meeting with the Doyen?"

"Hey Danos, having partial conversations with yerself again?" Good Emcess is here... it's so easy to recognize a Jasrai. "Hey baldy!"

"Hey no hair jokes, it 'aint my fault Jasrai are incapable of hair growth!" After pausing for a few moments looking hurt by my insult, Emcess looked up and caught my eyes.

"Do ya know who dat was that ran into ya just now?"

"Hahaha you know I'm only joking with you Emcess. No. I do not. Do you know her, do you know what her race is?" I swear I will find her again and hex her or something. Perhaps I'll have some godlike winds follow her for a week constantly disheveling her hair. "Uehehehe"

"Danos...why ya gotta laugh like some kinda closet pervert..creepy."

After some recovery from a minor wound to my pride I asked "well?". Scratching his bowling ball of a head while making a face as if he was searching some sort of race grimoire, he finally answered. "If ya mean to get back at her before she can get back you then I won't stop ya. Yer in luck though, being so cute an' all I know a bit on her. Except for her race."

Well so much for that. "To bad, she resembles a Human, I can't be certain she is one though. What do you know about her?" In Syldarim it is rare to see a Human. The predominant races are Elves and Jasrai with some minor races of course: Humans, Miucnur, Dwarves, Goblins, and Skrit. The later two are more of a wild beast than a race but they have enough of a self awareness and civilization to be considered a race. Humans and Dwarves, they are a greedy races, similar to the Skrit, and are usually in hiding. Miucnur are essentially cat people that live in northern Syldarim; their fur keeps them warm despite the cold climate. As for Humans, they are few number compared to the other races and this results in them usually being caught and made into slaves.

Peering at me from behind a sign as if scared provided some useful information. “I knows her name is Josay Pial, kinda suits her don't ya think? I also found out she's from the land of healing so she has probably got some serious business to have left the safety of her home.”

“What?! She's from Anlamthal? She must know some strong magick then... maybe I can learn some healing spells from her. “Get out from behind that, I wasn't casting a hex on you..just lost in thought haha.”

Emcess took care to look where he stepped as he came out from behind the sign. “I can never tell if yer using me as a lab rat or if yer just thinking!” I may or may not have tested several trap spells on him last year.

"Yeah Danos, it would be good ta learn some support magick. You'd be crazy strong then with the offense and defense magick ya knows already!"

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He is never going to learn is he. "Don't forget that I'm learning magick purely as a pastime, not as a way to pick fights." Elves need to have a way to waste their indefinite supply of time, unlike his kind with the lifespan of a mere ten centuries. That's my excuse anyways. In all honesty, I have become addicted to learning any and all magick I can get my hands on!

Looking at me with a face full of hope, "hey Danos are ya seriously gonna ask her ta teach ya support magick?"

Emcess is quite hopeless when it comes to magick so he loves seeing me use it whenever he gets the chance. Sometimes, he witnesses it firsthand.

If she is from outside Shedeth there is a chance she knows magick that I don't. Especially if she is from Anlamthal. "Yeah, why not? She owes me a proper apology too." She's not bad looking either, but she is a little strange. Particularly when it comes to social interaction.

Emcess replied with a smile reaching ear to ear and looking overly pleased, "ok. Well, good luck then on the first girl yer goin' fer and on yer 200th centenary! Aur Onnad Meren! Got any plans this year?"

I don't know if I could call it “going after her” but, she is the first to pique my interest this much. Perhaps it is time I properly sought a woman?

I shake my head dismissing the thought, "no more plans than the usual. Magick training and possibly another venture outside Shedeth. I'll let you know where the destination is in a couple days. Today we will be to drunk to make adequate decisions!" I rarely leave Shedeth but when I do, I always bring along company. Travels are always better with company.

Grinning like a fool that had been praised by the woman he fancied, "Drunk? I hope yer serving some of that stuff yer mother created a few decades back, what's it called..."

"Really Emcess is that all you think about? You can find mead similar to it anywhere, and it's called Waiss."

"True, but yer mother makes a completely different flavor and it don't make ya sick later on like mead does."

Only fools that drink more than they can handle get sick! "Maybe if you didn't drink so much of it you wouldn't get sick in the first place."

Ignoring my proposal to lessen his alcohol intake, "when do ya think the party will be? As soon as ya get back from yer walk, tonight, tomorrow?"

"Ah typical Emcess changing the topic haha. It's not even a guarantee there will be a party, don't get to worked up about it. Chances are we will stop by the bar and then finish up with some Waiss." Finally the last Waiss bush, just around that bush and I'm free of Emcess' constant questioning. Mother has the yard filled with Waiss bushes so that she can make her award winning liquor.

"Can't we start with Waiss and end with Waiss?"

"Trying to get more Waiss in one night than usual are you?" Emcess really does love his alcohol, especially when it's free and from our barrels!

Half muttering, Emcess responded, "one can try to get as much mead as possible."

I rolled my eyes at that one, he's hopelessly addicted. "This is my stop Emcess, stop by the place later so we can get our drunk on!"

"Aye! I look forward to it Danos!"

I waited to see that Emcess had left my vision after passing the last Waiss bush in our yard before entering the house.

Now then, time to hunt down mother and find out how much Waiss she can spare.

After hunting for her throughout the house and yard I finally gave up. "Ugh. She must have taken the day off to celebrate my centenary again. I was hoping that by some stroke of luck she wouldn't. I really don't know why she still bothers with it after so many years." It really is rare for elves to celebrate their birth year after reaching their first century.

"Get over here Danos! What do you think your doing so early in the morning and on your centenary!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, mom always pops up out of nowhere! "Would you stop it with your invisibility or whatever it is you always do! I'm taking my morning walk like I do every other morning Rumala." I noted that she tried, and failed, to hide the fact that her lips curled up after successfully scaring me yet again. It has become a daily thing now, "you would think that I would get used to it at least."

"Stop your muttering, you're supposed to be here at home still asleep. On your centenary you're supposed to relax and do nothing, then party all night long!" Mom loves her alcohol more than Emcess does. That's actually how I came to know Emcess. Rumala and Emcess met many years ago at a mead hall. Then, they became well acquainted with each other and mother thought it would be a good idea to introduce me to him. Can't say it was a bad idea, I've had a regular travel companion for quite some time now thanks to her.

"Hey Rumala! Are ya gonna have a party for my man Danos here?"

"Yes of course I will Emcess, everyone has a party on their centenary!"

How the hell did he get here...everyone is sneaking about all the time. I hid my surprise that Emcess had snuck into the house, he had plenty of time to sneak in while I was running around looking for mom. "No, that's what you do on your centenaries. I prefer to be left alone on my centenaries if possible." That isn't actually true, I just don't enjoy Rumalas parties very much. They tend to get out of hand. Someone always has to get naked and start singly badly.

"Nonsense! Danos if you keep up that attitude you'll never get a girlfriend ahahaha."

What? It seems it has not clicked in mothers head that I do not fling about with just anyone. "You're evil you know that?"

She ignored my comment, as usual, as if it were a given that she is offspring to Lilith herself. "Now then, go out to the market and buy the usual ingredients for Waiss for me."

"What happened to having to sleep in and relax all day?!"

"This is your punishment for calling your own mother evil hehe. Calo anor na ven!" Such a convenient time for her to act on my insults.

I refuse to let her get the last insult in! "See you later Tanar'ri'Jaless!"

Half out the door, Emcess sneers at me, "who knew I had such a barad'ellil."

"Emcess you're no better, you can be just as bad when you want to be."

"Lies!"

"Whatever you say you lyg."