“I come in peace.” Came a lilted voice, followed by an elf. He looked somewhat familiar…
It was the young elf Kari had seen in the enchanted items shop when he had walked in that morning. Medium-length bark-brown hair. A grass-green, short-sleeved coat worn over a beige cloth tunic. A bandolier of tools and materials was worn around his waist.
“No closer,” Kari warned in a low voice. “Who are you, and what do you want?”
“You’re an adventurer, aren’t you? My name is Elwin,” the elf said.
“You haven’t answered my second question.”
“I was thinking: if you’re an adventurer, would you mind if we travelled together to Al Dherjza?”
“Al Dherjza? That’s on the other side of The Great Basin!” Kari was confused at the blasé delivery of Elwin’s words. Did he even know what he was suggesting? The journey would take weeks, maybe months. And, they would have to cross the Shimmering Sea, a treacherous expanse with limited access to food and fresh water.
“To be honest, I hoped to approach you under, well, more favourable circumstances. But you left Ellenia so quickly I had no choice but to follow.”
Kari was suspicious. “And you were already packed to travel four hundred leagues on foot at a moment’s notice?”
“I have been waiting for an experienced traveller such as yourself for nigh on a year. If you would be happy to listen, perhaps I can explain myself while I guide you at least to the edge of the forest. Maybe that will be enough time to make up your mind?”
If he tries any funny business... Kari sighed. He must’ve been a young elf, there was no other explanation for his apparent ignorance. And, he was trouble, no doubt about it. But Kari was not the type to pass on exploiting the goodwill of others.
“Alright then. Get over here.” Kari said, remaining on his guard.
Elwin ran over eagerly, showing his empty palms as he did so, to placate Kari’s somewhat stiff stance. Elwin offered a handshake to Kari, who simply ignored it and began to walk.
Unperturbed, Elwin followed right in step.
He seems innocent enough. Kari thought.
True to his word, Elwin began to tell Kari his story. It was then that Kari learned that Elwin was the greatest fool on Apolaphia. The elf had set aside his promising future in enchantments after a fateful encounter with a knight of Al Dherjza. The knight’s name was Lumie, a blonde spearwoman under direct orders from Knight Leader Sophia herself, to map out the Ellenian forest and the surrounding areas.
Lumie had passed through Ellenia last spring. Though her stay had been brief, she had made quite an impression on the relatively youthful Elwin, who had promptly indentured himself as her local guide. Lumie, under orders of her King, had been looking for a mysterious 'monolith', believed to be somewhere nearby. In the end, they had failed to find it, owing to the abundance of mysterious metal objects buried in the Ellenian forest, and Lumie was recalled to the Capital to serve some other mission.
By Kari’s assessment of the situation, it seemed that Lumie and Elwin had spent too many afternoons in Ellenia’s gentle shade together, such that Elwin had become quite smitten with the woman. With Lumie gone, Elwin's feelings had begun to grow with each passing day. Despite his parents' incredulous objections, he had decided to leave Ellenia behind and search for Lumie in Al Dherjza, far to the East. It was just as well that elven parents were known for their relatively carefree nature.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Of course, Elwin knew little about life on the road, so he had struck a bargain with his caregivers. If he could find a guide willing to take him to Al Dherjza, he would be on his way. Until then, he was to focus on the future that had been laid out for him.
Elwin had gone about the past year preparing for his departure, settling family business in Ellenia and his debts with the Artisan's Guild where he was trained.
"...So you've spent the past year working like a slave, just for the slightest chance that you might reunite with a girl you knew only for a few weeks? And she lives in a city four hundred leagues away?" Kari asked, just to get the facts straight. He could not say he had ever felt romantic love before, so he found the entire situation completely alien.
"Yes," Elwin simply replied. He seemed a tad proud, though to be fair, settling all his debts in just one year was quite a feat. "Lumie said she hoped to see me again in Al Dherjza."
"Don't you think that she would have forgotten about you by now? Gotten with someone else?"
"Impossible, Lumie is far too noble and honourable a person."
"... Well, sure thing, I suppose," Kari said, having been left a bit speechless.
I don't understand this elf. The man thought to himself.
Changing tack, Kari asked:
"Did your agreement with your family include an escort through the forest in lieu of a farewell?"
"What? No." Elwin replied.
Instantly Kari was alert. "Then who the hell has been following us for the last minute?"
Elwin spun around. "What? Where?"
"Don't be so obvious, idiot," Kari growled. "They're in the canopy just above us, hiding."
"What do we do?" Elwin asked nervously.
Kari ignored him, instead choosing to shout up at the canopy. "What is your business? Show yourself! Or we'll be forced to make you!"
No reply.
"Are you really going to attack?" Elwin asked.
"Of course, don't be daft," Kari responded.
It would be wise not to forget Kari was used to such occurrences.
"How do we fight?"
"Use your gift. Assess their options and figure out what their Gift or magic is. Figure out their weaknesses - and exploit them. Don't die."
Elwin gulped. He suddenly felt uncomfortably hot.
“We’re right outside Ellenia, if we run, we can be back to the gates in ten minutes.”
"You have five seconds." Kari continued, once again ignoring Elwin and choosing to speak to the canopy.
No response. Kari still felt their presence based on the flask of water that they carried.
"Five!" Kari said, beginning to count down.
A bead of sweat rolled down Elwin's temple. His pointed ears were wide open, as were his eyes, searching for any sign of movement, of possible danger.
"Four!"
A stiff breeze blew through, kicking up dust. Elwin reflexively closed his eyes for just a moment and instantly regretted it. He opened his eyes... Nothing had changed, their assailant hadn't taken the opportunity to strike.
"Three!"
Kari began to draw moisture from his surroundings. The air, grass, the soil. He took the moisture and forced the water molecules to pack together and slow their vibrations. Heat was released in the process, creating a warm blast as several two-meter long, frozen spears were 'forged' by Kari. They floated in the air around him, awaiting further commands.
"Two!"
Elwin turned to look at Kari, he had noticed something.
"Use your stasis bracelet! It'll be easier to keep your ice frozen!"
“I know that much! Let me handle this.” Kari retorted.
Kari wordlessly flicked his wrist, activating it. He kept his eyes trained on the canopy the entire time.
"One!" Kari shouted.
…
…
…
No response.
Elwin flinched as a bird suddenly took flight from a nearby tree.
But then, a flap of fabric and a cold glint against the warm sunlight.
An attack!
Kari jumped back, pushing Elwin aside with one of his spears. Thud-thud! Two blacksteel knives slammed forcefully into the dirt where Kari and Elwin had been standing just a moment before. In an act of retaliation, Kari launched his ice spears at the assailant’s last known position, reducing the branches to splinters.
But it was already too late, the momentary distraction caused by the throwing knives had been enough for the assailant to jump from the canopy to a lower tree branch, from there he made another attack: two orbs flew through the air towards Kari and Elwin.
Elwin raised an earth barrier as quickly as he could. The orbs smacked into them, exploding into a billowing cloud of purple smoke.
Poison?!
“Run!” Kari shouted.
Kari and Elwin turned and started running. Elwin applied his Gift to the earth below him, creating a rolling ball of dirt on which he began to ride.
“Get on!” Elwin yelled, grabbing Kari by the arm.