Delen, an elf messenger, wanted more than anything to get out of Candoryn as quickly as he could. The humans were getting closer by the day, and Delen was dreadfully afraid of humans. Some elven towns and villages had already been attacked. Unfortunately, the Elven Council had given Delen one last message to deliver before he was allowed to flee across Candoryn's borders, and join the rest of his people in the Outlands. That is how he found himself flying on the back of a borrowed griffon, approaching the Grove of Blades.

The Grove was an almost perfect ring of heritage trees, the tallest of them reaching nearly two hundred feet into the air. There were various structures that had been built in the gaps betweent the enormous trees, which were intended for the use of the warriors that once trained there. One such structrue looked like a dormitory, as far as Delen could tell, antother appeared to be a smithy. Delen had never personally visited the Grove before, but he had heard stories about it. Every elf had. In the days of the True King, when elves and the humans of Candoryn were in good standing with each other, the Grove had been a place of great importance, because it had served as a training ground and a home for an elite band of elven warriors. As a gesture of goodwill between the elves and humans, these warriors had agreed to act as guardians of the human towns and villages. Their service and their loyalty were considered to be one of the strongest examples of the alliance that once stood between elves and humans. After the True King was betrayed, Candoryn fell under the rulership of Laird Clawdus, the usurper. Under his new regime, the Grove lost its purpose and fell by the wayside in short order. The Elven Council did not see any point in pledging warriors to Clawdus, who despised non-humans in general, and elves in particular. Still, the Grove was not completely abandoned. According to Delen’s masters, there was one elf that still lived there. Seredaine, they had called her. She was the one that Delen had come to see.

Delen landed his griffon in the center of the grove, then dismounted, so he could have a look around. The circular area in between the mighty trees had once been a well kept training yard, but now it was more or less an overgrown field, with stalks of grass that reached nearly to Delen’s waist. He looked around, but saw no sign of Seredaine. The scattered buildings that were arranged between the mighty trees looked abandoned, and there was no sight or sound to indicate that anyone was there at all. Then Delen heard a furtive sound from behind one of the large trees. Their trunks were certainly broad enough for someone to hide behind. Perhaps Seredaine had slipped behind one of them when he landed in the clearing. According to the Council, she didn’t like visitors.

“Hello?” Delen called out.

There was no answer. Delen walked closer to the tree, so that he was close enough to reach out and touch the trunk. Then he heard the sound again, only this time it was not so furtive. Something was definitely behind the tree. Something large, from the sound of it. Suddenly Delen wasn’t so sure that it was Seredaine. Then quite abruptly a large spotted boar came rushing around the side of the tree, and bowled Delen to the ground with one sweep of its broad snout. Then it quickly pinned Delen down by holding its trotter on top of his chest. Delen struggled to get free, but it was no use. The boar was stronger than him by many times. Delen’s griffon emitted a high pitched shriek and sprang towards the boar, but it stopped in its tracks when a figure appeared all at once between it and Delen. It was an elf woman. She had a willowy figure, like all elves, though her grim expression and the sword at her side suggested that she was anything but dainty. She wore leather armor, a tunic that had been crafted to resemble the palette of the autumn leaves, and sturdy traveling boots. She was an elf of "gossamer" heritage, which simply meant that she had fair skin. Her hair was red, and hung wild around her shoulders.

“I see you’ve met Stout.” She said. “He’s a loyal friend, and what’s more, he can smell a politician from miles off.”

“In point of fact, I am not a politician.” Snapped Delen, who was vainly trying to pry Stout’s enormous trotter off his chest. “I’m a messenger!”

Delen’s griffon snarled and advanced a few paces. In reply, Seredaine drew her sword. She was not threatening the griffon, she was actually quite fond of animals and magical beasts. She merely drew it and held it up for the griffon to see. The griffon recognized the runes that were carved upon her greenling blade at once. It bowed its head, and then withdrew a few steps.

“Brilliant. I thought griffons were supposed to be loyal.” Delen whined.

“They are loyal to warriors above all else.” Said Seredaine. “And you are no warrior. The griffon knows that this blade speaks for my honor. Just because you were allowed to ride this noble creature, does not make you its master."

“Well, as you can plainly see, I am a fellow elf.” Said Delen. “So if you please, call off your swine.”

Stout grunted irritably and pressed down slightly on Delen’s chest. In return Delen groaned in pain.

“He doesn’t care for that word.” Explained Seredaine. “Nor your tone, if you want to know.”

“I’m sorry!” Cried Delen. “Truly I am!”

“Very well then.” Said Seredaine. “I will ask him to release you.”

She approached the giant boar, and patted it on the shoulder. At once Stout lifted his trotter, and when he did, Delen scrambled to his feet.

“I can see why you live in exile.” He said irritably. “If that is how you treat a messenger from the Council.”

“The Council is it?” Said Seredaine. “Hm. I Probably ought to have let Stout crush you then.”

“Three of our young ones have been taken.” Delen blurted out. "That's why I'm here."

Seredaine’s expression became serious at once. She did not reply, but only nodded her head for Delen to continue, and explain fully.

“It was just yesterday.” Delen began. “The town of Krin's Dell was in an uproar, for human scouts had been spotted just a few miles off. Our folk were fleeing the town however they could, many of them setting out into the woods with nothing but the clothes on their back. They had heard of what happened to the elves that were caught by the humans, and terror was spreading like a sickness. Into this chaos, a sorcerer descended, and before anyone realized what was happening, he had taken three of the young children, from beneath the very noses of their parents. Then he vanished, and the children with him.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Hold on." Said Seredaine. "If this sorcerer was so swift and subtle, how did anyone realize he was a sorcerer at all? They can dampen the senses of others, even make themselves invisible, if they wish. Frankly, I’m surprised anyone saw him."

“It seems that this sorcerer extended his powers a bit too far.” Said Delen. “For he became visible again before he was able to complete his escape. Only for a few seconds mind you. He appeared to be a dreadful looking human man, very old, in robes and hat of blue. He was glimpsed in the town square with his gnarled hands wrapped around the shoulders of one our young ones, and then, as I said, he was gone. We soon found out that he had already taken two more children before he was spotted.”

“I'm not familiar with him, whoever he is.” Said Seredaine.

“The Council is though.” Said Delen. “He visited them about a year ago, asking about magical wellsprings and artifacts in the valley. They told him what they were willing to tell him, and paid him no mind after that. His name is Alpendaur, they say.”

"I assume that the council dispatched warriors immedately, to track him down?" Seredaine asked.

"They did not." Delen replied.

“And what wise reason did they give for that?” Asked Seredaine. Her voice was tight with anger.

“You know very well why.” Said Delen. “The human king has run out of patience. He wants all elves driven from Candoryn. His forces will be swarming through the valley any day now, to make sure that we’ve abided by our banishment. Any elves that go to the aid of those children, are not going to come back. The council has decided that the loss of our homes, and the loss of the children is quite enough. They will not add to it by throwing away more lives in pursuit of Alpendaur.”

“That is the talk of cowards.” Said Seredaine.

“It also happens to be the will of the council." Delen replied.

"So then it falls to me to hunt down Alpendaur.” Seredaine said. "That is why you are here, isn't it?"

“The Council seemed to think it was a brilliant idea.” Said Delen. “They had to tell the parents of the children that they were doing something, but they didn’t want to order any of their own warriors to certain death. Then your name came up. Seredaine, an exile, too proud to admit defeat, no matter how obvious it may be."

Then he handed her the rolled up parchment that he had brought all the way from the Council chambers.

“You can consider this your final quest from the council.” He said.

Seredaine accepted the parchment, but she didn’t bother to read it.

"So they offer me a suicide quest in order to ease their guilt.” She said.

“That is more or less the size of it, yes.” Said Delen. “But you should know this: the council understands if you wish to decline. No shame will come to you if you do. The humans have us overmatched, over all. As tragic as the fate of these children is, our time in Candoryn is finished.”

Seredaine’s eyes narrowed.

“Finished you say? Do you see my blade in my hand? Do you see that there is yet breath in my body?” She said.

“Of course I can see that.” Said Delen.

“Then it is not finished.” Said Seredaine. “It will never be, as long as there is one elf left to fight.”

“I think it may come down to the last elf before long.” Said Delen. “But it won’t be me, I tell you that.”

“I take it you’re not going to be joining me then?” Asked Seredaine.

It was not really a question, since they both knew the answer. Seredaine wanted to make the messenger admit it out loud.

“No.” Said Delen. “I am going to get out of Candoryn as fast as this griffon can carry me.”

“Go then.” Said Seredaine. “I will track down this Alpendaur, and cut his head from his neck. Then I will bring the children back to their families. Once I have done all this, I will go to the Council, and pronounce them cowards, for every elf to hear.”

“For the children’s sake, I hope that you will.” Said Delen. “Yet I can’t help but feel that this is the last time you will ever see me, or the Council, for that matter.”

“Perhaps.” Said Seredaine. “But if I should die, then I will die upon a heap of dead humans. Then I will greet the gods with my head held high.”

Delen shook his head. He had said all that he had been ordered to say. There was no reasoning with Seredaine, as far as he was concerned.

“Goodbye, Seredaine.” He said.

“Goodbye, messenger.” Said Seredaine. “I hope you get what you deserve.”

“You do? And what is that?” Said Delen as he climbed back onto his griffon.

“An immortal life, unmarred by hardship, yet haunted by your own cowardice for every day that you live, from now until the end of all things.” Said Seredaine.

Delen had no reply to that. Perhaps he did feel some measure of guilt, or perhaps he was simply eager to be rid of Seredaine. In either case, once he was back in the saddle, his griffon leapt into the air, then vanished over the tops of the trees that encircled the Grove. Seredaine watched him go, then sheathed her sword.

Stout pawed the ground, then grunted at her.

“Of course I was hard on him.” Said Seredaine. “He ought to be ashamed of himself, flying off to safety while our young ones are in peril.” She shook her head in disgust. “By the way Stout, you were unusually quiet for that exchange. Tell me, what do you have to say about this matter?”

In reply, Stout grunted aggressively and stamped one of his trotters upon the ground.

“Yes, yes, of course we’ll save the children.” Said Seredaine. “My goodness but you are a straight arrow, my friend.”

Stout nodded his large head.

“Let’s waste no time then.” Said Seredaine. “We’ll head back to the dormitory and gather such supplies as we’ll need. We’ll have to consider the matter of allies as well. Taking a sorcerer head on is a mighty task, even for the likes of us.”

Stout cocked his head as though recalling something, then grunted again.

“Those three miscreants?” Said Seredaine. “I’d nearly forgotten about them. Yes, they’ll do. They do owe me, after all.”