Both look on at the snowy forest which then Miriel turns back towards Mig.

“This is as far as I can take you, take one of the Speed Chariots and head northwest”

“What about you, I don’t think your higher-ups would let you get away with just letting me leave”

“Do not fret. I know my steps, we were not seen. You managed to escape by your own means. I can relay that message and have supporters of my claims”

“Very well. I will find a way to end the war on my side, you do the same. I don’t know when will be the next time we meet, until then”

Mig hops onto one of the Elven Speed Chariots in front of him as he starts the cycle he keeps the dagger close, as it is a vital tool for his survival. With one last look back to Miriel, Mig takes off on the Speed Chariot into the snowy forest that surrounds Verdentrech.

“Safe travels Mig”, said Miriel as she watched Mig ride off into the forest.

Riding the Speed Chariot through the snowy forest Mig nears the edge of the Elf Facility, he picks up the speed of his cycle to drive through the gates as the Elf Militants on guard noticed. The stationary turrets by the gate unable to denote the status of the vehicle that just passed lay dormant until some of the Elf Militants moved to operate the turrets manually.

The turrets fired upon Mig’s cycle, a crystal-like projectile, as Mig swerved around them one of the crystal projectiles came close to hitting Mig, but he moved quickly to block it with the Elven Dagger. He drives deeper into the forest away from the carved path and out of the firing range of the turrets. Mig drives around the tree and in circles to cover up the tracks of his cycle so that any trackers would be thrown off.

Once Mig is sure he has thrown his tracks enough he heads northwest as fast as he can to get out of Elven territory before search groups are sent to investigate what happened. The sun rises ahead of where Mig drives as the gleaming light shines off the snow, Mig knows that soon he will have to slow down and find a place to hold out as it is far too dangerous to continue going in daylight.

“Damn, western sunrise, I have to lay low. Too much heat if I keep going. I bet by now Higher Elf Command has gotten word about my escape, but they’ll be looking for a rider. I just got a wait them out till it’s safe to keep moving”

Mig settles his cycle by a creek in the forest, lying on his Speed Chariot trying to keep himself hidden. Soon the elements of the forest along with Mig’s growing tiredness start to take effect on Mig.

“Adrenaline kept me going for a while, now everything is hitting me like a brick. Luckily the cold will keep me distracted from most of them. Now how am I going to make do”

Mig looks at the creek’s river as it seems to head westbound.

“I suppose I could go down that route, but I’ll have to do it on foot. At least it’ll keep me busy”

Mig gets up as he turns to push his cycle along the river, after hours of pushing, Mig finally starts to feel tired. He stops for a bit to rest, luckily the Speed Chariot has a supply of rations, but unfortunately, the rations in the supply are for Elves.

“At least some of this is barely edible, I should just throw out what I can’t eat. No, I can’t be too easy to track. Damn, I’ll just keep it until I can ditch them. For now, I need something in me”

Mig sits down to eat one of the Nut Nutrient Bars that were in with the supplies.

“There are only so many of these I gotta use them sparsely, so this is the only food I can eat for today and maybe part of tomorrow”

Mig finishes eating the Nut Nutrient Bar as he is about to get up, he hears a noise creep around the snowy forest. Mig grabs his dagger and readies himself for what could be around him. As Mig waits, soon a tuskdeer walks past, Mig and the tuskdeer look at each other for a small while before the creature runs off. Mig lays down his dagger back into his waist as he chuckles to himself about his stand-off with the tuskdeer, but soon Mig hears a crack as he gets down, and an arrow flies past him.

Mig turns to where the arrow came from just barely he can see the slight movement of a figure. Mig peaks around the Speed Chariot as he sees the figure from afar reloading the bow to try and shoot again.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Who the hell is that? Could be a hunter? No, I’m still within the area of the Elf base. So he’s an Elf Militant, but what’s with the bow? The only cases of a bow used in action were, shit, he’s special forces, some kind of assassin. How’d he track me I was sure I covered my tracks, now’s not the time to ponder, this is do or die”

Mig reaches as he grabs a can of rations from the supplies in the Speed Chariot, he throws it back over himself as an arrow hits the can. In that short moment, Mig makes his move as he relocates from behind the Speed Chariot into the cover of the trees. He zig zags around the trees trying to near the Elf Militant Spec-ops all while arrows are fired at the trees that Mig stands behind.

“Surely if I have been made then more Elves aren’t far behind, right? Cause it seems like he’s the only one here. I think he tracked me just so he could get me. Damn, if that’s the case, I have to get close enough to him to fight”

After enough snaking between the trees, Mig pulls out the dagger to try and charge the Elf Militant Spec-ops. As Mig charged he was able to block an arrow shot with the dagger, but soon a second arrow hit Mig in his shoulder. He shrugs it off, temporarily, as he slashes at the Elf. The Ef is able to dodge Mig’s attack, trying to reload his bow, Mig drives his dagger into the Elf’s hand holding the bow.

“What’s the matter, not much of a talk even with a hole through your hand”, said Mig pulling the dagger back, splitting the Elf’s hand and cutting the string of the bow.

The Elf Militant Spec-ops through the visor of his mask glares at Mig as he wraps the string of the bow around his split hand to bring it together while grasping the bow ready to fight. Mig responds by cutting the shaft of the arrow in his shoulder with the dagger.

“You disrespect the way of my people by using that”

“Oh, so you can talk, guess you didn’t do so to report me, huh?”

“Enough of your talk. You humans know nothing and ruin the land that is valued. Do you believe you can best me I have twice your age of experience”

“Yeah, well all of my life has been war. I think I can stand my ground, but then why don’t you tell me how I do”

Both stand off pacing around, snow crunching under their feet, waiting to strike. Silence rings across the forest, but soon the sound of, what could be, a branch breaking, a twig snapping, or even perhaps a tree falling can be heard at that moment both charge at the other.

Mig and the Elf with their dagger and bow, clash as both weapons sound off across the forest. Mig could tell that the Elf winced behind his mask from the shockwave of the hit, but the Elf moved quicker and struck Mig on his side then jabbed at the partial arrow still in his shoulder. Mig is able to retaliate as he drags the dagger across the Elf’s chest, but all Mig can do is barely slash at the Elf as he is holding Mig’s dagger back with the bow.

“You humans all brute force no technique. We, Elves, on the other hand, have the grace and tenacity to out-deal you all”

“Is that so? Cause right now you don’t seem to be so smart”

The Elf kicks Mig in the knee as Mig stumbles back, the Elf lunges towards him, and Mig raises his dagger to try and block the Elf’s attack. It does go well as the Elf knocks the dagger aside, he then strikes Mig with the bow in his shoulder. The Elf then beats Mig as he unwraps the string of the bow and pulls it around Mig’s neck.

“You know how these bows work, Human, it is magically made. It does not require physical arrows to fire. When the two strings are attached to the ends of the bow and then pulled back an arrow forms. Just like this”

An arrow materializes in front of Mig’s face. The Elf steadily holds the arrow ready to fire it at Mig’s face. Mig looks to his left and sees his dagger, he stretches his arm to grab it.

“Know this, Human, we Elves have always been superior to your lower race. We value the land and your kind sullied the land with war”

“If that’s the case why are you bringing conflict into your land right now”

“What do you babble about?”

“On your left”

The Elf turned as on his left stood the tuskdeer to which then it charged at the Elf, the Elf moved to retract the bow from Mig’s neck to block the tuskdeer. He does so pushing the creature back, but he turns his back on Mig. In that small moment, Mig grabbed his dagger and plunged it into the Elf’s neck.

The Elf is unable to resist Mig’s strength as the dagger enters his neck. The blood pools in the Elf’s throat, he gargles and coughs up blood within his mask. The Elf’s body slumps as Mig lays back on the nearest tree and slides down to the ground. Once Mig fully lays the body of the Elf on the ground, he takes the dagger out.

“I guess the forest decided which one of us valued it more”

Mig turns over to the tuskdeer as it stood watching him. Mig cleans the dagger and then puts it away, when he does the tuskdeer gets closer to Mig. Mig reaches out his arm to pet the creature.

“Thanks for the assist. I would have been done for”

After some time of petting the tuskdeer shakes off Mig’s hand and walks away. Mig gets back up and gives one last look to the Elf’s body as he then turns towards the creek where he left his Speed Chariot.

“I should start heading out, but I think I’ll take this with me”

Mig bends down to pick up the bow as he stored it on his back; he walks back to get his cycle and continues walking down the creek river. After a few hours of walking the sun finally sets to which Mig hops on the cycle to travel faster through the night.