《Arcane Engine: Wrath of Extinction》


 Chapter 1

    Tired, undernourished, overworked, she continues pushing through each day. Faylin strikes the anvil as the red hot metal bends under each hit of the hammer. She loses herself in her thoughts, trying to find a way to escape her life and make a fortune.


    Smells of smoke, sweat, and burning coal is in the air. Wall decay has made a fading gray, cracking and crumbling. Windows are dirty and has cracks all over. She is in her workshop, an old house, but it is still standing. There are shelves full of tools and supplies lining her walls.


    Arms ache from the constant work and blisters are on her hands. She feels the pain and keeps going, not stopping for anything. Wiping the constant sweat off her brow, she continues her work. Faylin is alone. Sun rises and sets. The moon changes phases, the weather shifts from day to day. The seasons change. The world is full of color and life. An experience she never gets from unchanging determination.


    Faylin has been working on the same sword for a few hours. Metal is still hot and sweat drips heavily off her chin. She takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, then strikes the anvil again. Iron is bending into the shape she desires.


    Faylin longs for the chance to escape, to find her own path, and build her own business.


    Molten metal goes into a tub of water, she hears the steam release as the metal cools. A crashing shock and rumbling horses break her thoughts. Faylin rushes to the door of her smithy and is met with a sight of a noble and his guards.


    "Faylin! You have until the end of the month to finish the armor, and weapons for my guards and I."


    "But sir, with that many guards and commissions I have, I might not be able to finish in time," Faylin whines with a soft voice looking down. "I''m a busy woman, and have a village to look after."


    The noble gets off of his horse, face close to Faylin. "You''re a blacksmith, you should have plenty of time. It''s not my fault you waste it all on useless trinkets. You have until the end of the month to finish. You hear me?" He grabs her collar.


    Faylin nods her head, too weak and tired to fight back. She is thrown to the ground, and the noble and his guards ride off on their horses with their heads high and mighty.


    Faylin pushes herself off the ground. Dirt covers her face. She is stumbling her way into her smithy where she goes to rest on a chair. A single tear rolls down her face as she mutters, "I''m sick and tired of living like this."


    "Hey Fay, you doing okay?" a young man barges in the shop.


    "Yeah, I''m fine Lyrian. It''s just I''ve got too many commissions and work that needs to be done."


    "Well then I guess I''m glad that I stopped by," he smiles.


    "Yeah me too." Faylin gets up and quickly hugs her friend to her side and heads back to work with a quick shift of focus. She picks up a hot metal rod from her furnace with a pair of tongs and begins hammering the metal.


    "So then who was that man?" Lyrian asks with his arms over the shop counter watching her work.


    Faylin stops mid swing of her hammer, "just the same old nobles from the Avesian Empire." Striking continues at the glowing piece of iron, hammering it out to flatten it into a sword.


    "Sorry Fay, wish there was more that we could do to get away from these greedy nobles." Lyrian walks around the smithy and looks at a piece of ornamental gear.


    "I wish so too." She stops hammering, "but we can''t, we don''t have the strength, the money, and we can''t just uproot from the life we''ve got here." Tears begin to roll down her cheek, the hammer drops to the ground.


    "Hey now Fay," Lyrian comforts her as he grabs her by the shoulders and turns her around to hug her. "It''ll be alright."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Faylin pushes Lyrian off of her. "Don''t. It won''t. It''ll never be alright, it never has and never will. Nobles, and royals take everything they want and kill the commoner. We can never be happy."


    "Fay, that''s not true," Lyrian raises his voice but stops at a burst of the door by an old dwarf.


    Faylin''s eyes widen in surprise and quickly wipes away her tears, "oh Gimrik. Sorry."


    "What is all the noise, lass. I could hear ye two all the way from my place." The dwarf stands there, hands on his hips like a dad.


    Lyrian walks up to Gimrik and grabs his buff hand, "Gim, good to see you."


    "Lyrian, lad, how ya doing?"


    "Well just helping out Faylin with her work and commissions," he chuckles.


    "Oh lad," the old dwarf laughs, "ye always be helpin'' her out." He turns to Faylin. "Lass, yer work is amazing, just look at ye, all dirty and grimy. I love the sight of a dirty blacksmith. That shows true dedication and work ethics," Gimrik bursts with a hearty laugh. "So what was that noise all about, I thought I was going to find ye both at each others throat."


    "I''m sorry, I''m just going through a lot right now Gimrik," Faylin walks over to her counter and begins to take her tools apart from the shelves.


    Gimrik is walking over and pats her on the back, "lass, I know what''s wrong."


    "Then why ask?"


    "Lass, I know it''s hard, but we can only keep going."


    Lyrian is walking up behind them, "That''s what I''ve been telling her."


    Faylin looks down. Grabbing a bucket of water, she splashes herself with the cool water. Dirt, and mud is washing off. She looks over to the men and tells them, "I''m sorry. I know that I''m being difficult. I''m just tired of the constant work with nothing to gain."


    "Yes but you''ll be buildin'' yer business won''t ye? That''s something," Gimrik explains.


    Faylin is looking to the side not knowing what to say.


    "Anyway, I came to drop off some new clothes Bibby asked for," Gimrik reaches in his bag and hands a bundle of clothes over to Faylin.


    Faylin has taken them and sets them aside, going back over to her furnace. The furnace glows a boiling red, orange, and yellow. Flames are dancing and flickering, the metal within it, a deep red like her short greasy hair. Faylin stirs and adds fuel to it with a shovel.


    Lyrian looks over to Gimrik and asks, "how is the old lady doing?" Crackling has the room filling with a hot and intense heat.


    Gimrik chuckles, "she''s doing fine. She just wishes to get up and out of that chair of hers."


    Faylin grabs a metal rod that glows red from the heat and places it on her anvil. She strikes the iron with a hammer, shaping the metal to fit the shape of a dagger. "I wish to be able to help her, but we have so much on our plates as it is."


    Faylin strikes the metal and shapes the dagger, each strike of the hammer is filled with rage. The hammer is striking loudly and with such force that she begins to huff. She thinks about the past events of her mom that forced her to never walk again as she has been pulling back for another hard pound against the rod.


    Gimrik reaches up and grabs her arm in the air, "Faylin, I know yer angry. But messing up that dagger out of rage, won''t help ye."


    Faylin slumps her shoulders and rests the hammer on her anvil, "I''m sorry Gim, I''m just tired."


    Gim walks up to Fay and pats her on the back, "don''t be lass, I understand. Now get some rest, you need it."


    "How about I stay over? We have a mining expedition tomorrow, right?" Lyrian reminds.


    "Oh yes, that''s right," Faylin sighs.


    "Come on Fay, it''ll be fun. Just you and me, mining like we always do," he laughs. "But you should go ahead and wash up and rest. I''ll help Gim with Bibby."


    "Thank you, I would appreciate it," an unhappy Faylin glances with her head hanging. Guilt is showing in her eyes.


    Lyrian and Gimrik head to the back of the shop to Bibby''s room. Faylin heads upstairs into her living quarters, a small and cozy room with a single window and bed. Flooring creaks and the room smells of old wood and rust. Faylin takes her shirt and pants off, and heads into her small bathroom, grabbing a rag from a bucket of water. She begins to wipe the grime off of her skin. Her pale, freckled, dirty body shines in the sunlight as she cleans her arms and face.


    The bathroom has no mirror, the sink is old and rusted. She is washing her short red hair with a rag and soap. After rinsing, she finishes bathing herself, throwing on a new ragged shirt and shorts and heads into her bedroom.


    Mess of book piles are on the floor and papers scattered about on a desk and table. A few bottles of alcohol are sitting empty on her nightstand. Faylin heads over to her toy collection, blowing out the candles of a dark room. She presses a small button on a small flower contraption with a stone in the middle, and it blooms with small red flames for a night light. The room is filling with the glow of the flower. Faylin lies down in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. Wood is stained, and a little rotten. Night is quiet except the chirp of the crickets outside. Wind howls and is causing the leaves to rustle.


    "Lyrian''s right. I have to think positive. But it''s so hard," she whispers to herself. And then, her eyes close shut.


    The room is silent, and the crickets stop singing their song, the night sky shines in her small room. Her window barely lets any air in. Faylin sleeps restlessly. Eyes are moving under their lids, and her body shifts in place. Her legs and arms stretch out.

 Chapter 2

    Lyrian


    <hr>


    A bright light pierces through her eyelids as a voice booms in the distance. "Faylin?" it calls.


    Faylin''s eyes shoot wide open and her body has shot straight up, but she realizes it''s morning.


    Lyrian has been standing next to her bed smiling. "Ready for our day?" he asks. "I''ve got a special day planned out, just the two of us. It''s gonna be fun, I promise. You''ll forget all the horrible things that have been happening recently and enjoy yourself." He laughs as he is watching Faylin get out of bed and begin her day. Lyrian smiles. His white teeth shine and his green eyes are shimming in the light of the morning. "First, we head to the mines," Lyrian points out. He begins to pack their supplies, and heads downstairs. "We''ll head down the mine, and I''ll show you the way."


    "Okay, I''ll be ready in a minute." Faylin begins to change into her mining clothes, and grabs a bag. She grabs her pickaxe and gives it a quick sharpen. She looks around her room for a bit of food preserved in jars and salt.


    Later, Lyrian and Faylin has headed to the gates of Bogh Buldar, the dwarven kingdom. It is early in the morning, and not many are awake. Faylin rubs her eyes and yawns, her hair has been made a mess from her bed. Pale skin makes her look exhausted, dark circles are under her eyes, and she looks like she didn''t get much sleep last night. The dwarven guards of Bogh Buldar look at the two and waves them by.


    They are heading into the city, through unreachable tall hallways. A large cave fills multiple levels of stone pillars, and lava flow beneath the rock streets of dwarven houses and castes. Hot iron, dust, and ale, echoes loudly of chatter and work. Lanterns are lit along the city that line the roads and homes of the people.


    Lyrian has been looking over at Faylin who has her head down, tired, and exhausted. "You okay?" He asks. Lyrian walks closer and places his hand on Faylin''s back. She looks over and smiles.


    "I''m fine, just a little tired," she says with a slow blink and yawning.


    "Come on then." Lyrian grabs her arm and begins to walk a bit faster. They pass the city through dwarves walking by and are heading towards the mines. They are passing many dwarves that are looking to be busy. Working in mines, masons, smithies, and taverns, the dwarves are much like Faylin in a way. Down the mine and to the lift, a metallic platform is cranking down with chattering chains.


    "I''ve been wanting to do this for a long time," Lyrian explains. "I''ve missed this."


    The lift halts at a dwarf mining outpost, and a dwarf miner comes to greet them. "Outsiders again? Here to mine?" he asks with a strong voice.


    "Yes sir" Faylin says.


    "Follow me. I''ll be your escort and show you where you can mine," the dwarf miner explains. They follow the miner, passing carts full of minerals and rocks. Miners are clinking with pickaxes and hard work. Lyrian jumps at a loud explosion of dynamite. Stone is crumbling down then rests at the bottom. Through tunnels of stone at a dead end, a river of water is sitting in the center.


    "Here we are. This is Kaloggh mine, you may mine here. If you decide to tunnel further, you''re allowed up to fifty yards for the whole two months."


    Faylin is looking around, and then down to the river of water. Her eyes narrow, "fifty yards for two months? Last time it was one hundred yards for two months."


    The dwarf escort shrugs, "Look kid, I don''t make the rules. The king does. I''m just here to do my job."


    Lyrian sighs and says, "Faylin, let''s not cause trouble. Let''s just mine, we won''t need that many resources anyway. Come on."


    Faylin pushes Lyrian''s hand off her, "are you serious? I''m low on resources."


    "Then go find a shop to buy it from," the escort dwarf says. "Now I''ve got to be on my way." And with that, the whistling dwarf leaves them in the tunnels of Kaloggh Mine. His footstep echos are becoming quieter.


    Lyrian walks closer, "come on Fay. Let''s just mine."


    "I just don''t understand. They always restrict me. They know that I use these resources to help people." She sighs, "Let''s just get to work." Faylin takes off her bag and pulls out her pick axe.


    The pickaxe glimmers in the dim torch light of the mine. Strong but worn wood is what makes up the handle. The axe head is jagged, but sharp at the end. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.


    Lyrian has lit his clawed gauntlet with a green magic as he sticks it out in front him. Messy brown hair and long mage robes flow from the wind of the earth magic. "Shall I begin?" Lyrian smiles.


    Faylin nods and watches as a large ball of green magic forms in the gauntlet of his hand. Magic is growing brighter and bigger as the wind intensifies. Lyrian focuses the energy, his eyebrows furrow in deep focus. Wind grows more and more until he releases a powerful beam of magic, striking at the rock wall that breaks off large boulders of stone.


    Faylin points, "there, some iron. It''s basic, but we need it."


    Lyrian circles the iron ore with a green light of earth magic and crumbles the rocks around it. Faylin picks up the iron ore and puts it into her mine cart. "Thank you. Now I need a little copper and tin."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Lyrian points the green magic at another part of the mine wall, "there, there is copper." A beam of green magic fires and crumbles the wall. Rocks tumble to the ground, and Lyrian uses his clawed gauntlets to dig the rocks out. Faylin grabs the rocks and chucks them into the mine cart. The minerals sparkle in the light of the torches.


    Later, after about fifty yards, already reaching their limit, there''s still room left in their mine cart. Faylin looks in disappointment. "Not a single rare mineral. Just copper, and iron. I didn''t even find any basic tin."


    Lyrian looks over to her, "don''t worry Faylin, you can always head into the city and buy some. But let''s get back, we''ve got a long day ahead of us."


    Faylin narrows her eyes and yells, "no! Lyrian, keep mining." She points forth in a demanding tone.


    Lyrian looks back, but is continuing on to lecture, "Faylin, you heard the King''s orders, we can''t go any further. They''ll throw us in prison."


    "You think I care about what some coin grubbing King says? Keep mining Lyrian."


    Lyrian poses with a bit of fear in his eyes at what he''s about to do. "Fay, you really want me to continue, despite the guards?"


    "Yes!"


    Lyrian sighs, and readies his stance. He holds his clawed gauntlet out, and balls up green magic which is beginning to charge. Rocks and pebbles shake and vibrate. The wind picks up. Blasting energy fires out and destroys the rocks before him. Lyrian then follows up with another attack, and this time several of the rocks begin to break off and fall to the ground. A large rock rolls away as Lyrian bends it. "Fay, here. Look at this. There is ruthenium, but I sense a strange energy within. I believe we''ve stumbled upon a vein."


    Faylin gasps as she is walking over quickly and kneels down. "That''s perfect." Faylin picks at the rock and breaks the ruthenium ore out. "Keep going, keep digging Lyrian. There has to more Ruthenium if it''s a vein. This is so rare and valuable. It gives the magic ability of all metal surrounding it to be indestructible."


    "Fay, I''m sorry I have to disagree. We need to leave. Now. They could be coming at any minute." Lyrian looks around with his back to Faylin, looking to the exit.


    "Oh come on Lyrian. Please, just a little longer. Who knows, maybe we''ll stumble upon something better like rhodium, or silver and gold!" Faylin gleams.


    "No."


    "Lyrian, do it!" Faylin has turned and yelled out in frustration.


    Lyrian is shuttering at Faylin''s dominance. He turns around to face her, and summons magic within his sharp gauntlet once again. Tightening up in his chest, he knows it''s wrong, but his love for Faylin pushes him forward. Faylin holds a strict demeanor but she means well.


    Lyrian fires a blast of earth magic. Earth magic flies through the air and shatters the wall of stone and dirt into pieces. And nothing but stone, ore is barren. Faylin touches the stone, waving the dust with her other hand. No ore is in sight.


    "No, again," Faylin commands.


    Lyrian blasts the wall once more, destroying it once again. Rocks are rolling down and crash into each other, creating an opening.


    "There," Faylin points to the hole.


    Within the hole, it leads into a large chamber, lined with crystals. It is glowing a faint purple color and looks to extend very deep into the underground.


    "We''re not supposed to be doing this, Fay," Lyrian says under his breath.


    "Of course not. It''ll be fine, let''s just do this quickly." Faylin goes over to one of the torches on the walls and removes it. She is walking into the new mine shaft. A new tunnel descends downward into the darkness of the earth, lit only by the torchlight of a few miners. Braces line the wall and provide illumination.


    "More ruthenium, and look at the purple. Osmium. And there''s the tin I need," Faylin points around at the different ores. "Lyrian quick, I need you to grab them with your magic and then we''ll haul them to the mine cart and go. I promise."


    Lyrian shakes his head in disagreement, but obliges to Faylin''s command.


    "Don''t forget that palladium, it''s worth so much," Faylin mentions.


    Lyrian''s clawed gauntlet has grown with a bright green and it rips apart the earth around the ore. Large stones crumble and crash to the floor. Faylin picks up the ore and carries them. Over to the mine cart they go.


    Half way through in their illegal tunnel to reach the cart, they jump at the sound of voices. "Yep, the outsiders were digging beyond 50 yards," one dwarf voice says. Faylin and Lyrian are glancing at each other. Shadows draw near along the caves. Footsteps follow the echoing voices, and they get louder.


    "I knew outsiders couldn''t be trusted," the other dwarf speaks out as they get closer and closer to where Faylin and Lyrian are. Shadows get larger and the footsteps grow ever so louder.


    "Oh no." Lyrian turns around quickly to Faylin who''s picking up more ore, "Faylin, we gotta go. Guards are here. Let''s go. Leave everything here." Lyrian drops his arms full of ore and runs back into the mine chamber to find a hiding spot. Faylin watches Lyrian leave, then turns around and starts to load up the mine cart.


    Lyrian continues running down the cavern, searching for an alcove to hide in.


    "Faylin, come on," he turns back and sees Faylin grabbing the ores and hauling them into the mine cart. "What are you doing?" He waits for Faylin''s return.


    Faylin eventually runs back with Lyrian and they run down the cavern. Lyrian spots an alcove big enough for both of them to hide. They run over to the alcove. Suddenly, the sound of heavy armor is being heard.


    "Where are they?"


    "Hush, you will scare them off. They''re probably lurking somewhere nearby."


    Clanking of armor walks down the halls. Lyrian slips through a crack in the walls and whispers, "Faylin, over here!"


    Faylin runs over and slides into the crack next to Lyrian. Eyes are wide, and hearts are beating. They stand shoulder to shoulder in the dark crevice, sweating profusely as the footsteps are walking closer and closer. As the dwarven guards search the area, they pass the narrow crack in which Faylin and Lyrian are hiding in. The clank of metal, and rustling of paper gets louder as the guard slowly approaches.


    Faylin looks over and sees the same miner escort and three dwarven warriors.


    "This is way more than fifty yards. The king will accuse them of hogging all the ore. Damn humans," one of the warriors explains as he picks up and examines some of the precious metals left on the ground. Another warrior lifts up an axe and searches the tunnel.


    "How do they dig so fast?"


    "A damn mage. A human mage. Geomancy is what they call it."


    Faylin and Lyrian watch with held breaths, trying not to move a muscle. After a while of searching, the dwarves turn and walk back towards the main entrance.


    When they''re far enough away, Lyrian nudges Faylin, and whispers, "we''re okay now."


    Faylin sighs in relief and they both slip out of the rock crevice.


    Lyrian turns to Faylin with his arms crossed, "well? What do you have to say for yourself?"


    Faylin''s eyes narrow, and she shrugs, "nothing."


    "You could''ve gotten us thrown in jail, for life, or killed," he points towards her with a stern voice. "Why''d you have to do this Faylin? It''s bad enough with the taxes and kings breathing down your neck."


    "Well if I''m going to die from being imprisoned, or have to live a miserable life of no income from stupid greedy kings and nobles, then so be it."


    Lyrian grabs onto her wrist, "let''s just go."


    As they walk back to the entrance and to their cart of metals, they find that the soldiers and guards have left most of their ores. They dump the remainder of the ores into their cart, and head to the lift leading up. Once in Bogh Buldar, they are heading back to Faylin''s smithy. The streets are still busy and active, which has filled with miners and smithies alike.


    Faylin humphs in annoyance, "they didn''t even take much."


    "What did you expect? We aren''t dwarfs after all. They probably think that our materials and tools are inferior," Lyrian laughs.

 Chapter 3

    Bed ridden stains and dirt still cover her sheets and pillows. Plank floors are sandy beneath her bare feet, hearing the dirt creaks with each step.


    Faylin sets the ore onto her desk, near her bed. Magnifying with a glass, she inspects each speck of mineral. Metal infused rock is glimmering on the other side of the glass. For once, Faylin has a broad smile on her face.


    Lyrian sits down and opens a book, feeling guilty but yet tired from the day''s events. "Hey Fay, sorry I didn''t quite make this the best day of your life."


    She stays focused on the ore. Her fingers glide along the sides and bumps. Her nails are scraping against the metal, and she has wiped away a layer of dirt to see underneath. "It''s alright Lyrian, I needed these. Don''t feel bad."


    "I tried planning ahead and making a special day for you. But...yeah. I still think what you did was reckless. We might not even be allowed in there anymore."


    Faylin turns to him and smirks, "well maybe in about two months, we can always go back when those bastards forget."


    Lyrian shakes his head, "You''re impossible. I''m going to bed. Today has been tiring."


    Faylin smiles, "Alright, goodnight. You did great today." Lyrian stands to leave the room as she continues inspecting her materials.


    The rest of the day, she spends all the time she can checking the quality of the ores and metals. Late into the night, she finally decides to put it away, and calls it a night. She climbs into her dusty bed and falls asleep, leaving the smithy undisturbed.


    ***


    A pounding knock on wood comes from the door to the front smithy. Faylin wakes up, and is groggy from a short night of rest.


    She opens the door and a human in fine noble wear stands high. "Faylin."


    Faylin squints her eyes, "Hagren. What brings you here?" She looks up and sees that behind Hagren are two guards.


    Hagren takes a step forward, his long blonde hair, grey eyes and soft skin shining from the sunlight behind. "I need to speak with you." He points inside the smithy.


    "Sure." Faylin moves aside and lets him in.


    Once in, Hagren walks over to Faylin''s desk covered in papers and blueprints for contraptions and tools. "This place is always dirty. I do not understand why you do not clean this place." He frowns and looks back to her. "Anyway. I come for your tax collection from the Avesian Empire." His arms cross in anger, "also I had a complaint last night from the king of Bogh Buldar."


    "The Avesian Empire?" Faylin awakens, "The king has done nothing for us. Why must we give such money?"


    "Because. We are all apart of the kingdom and need to help protect and fund the people who guard our borders."


    "But the money never reaches those men. It''s greed, and corruption."


    "It is to save money for possible future wars, and crisis. Anyway, stop avoiding. And your taxes go up 20% as a punishment for breaking our allies'' laws in Bogh Buldar."


    "That''s outrageous! Hagren please, I cannot afford this. Already half of what I make is spent in taxes," Faylin whines. She balls her hands into fists as her eyebrows furrow. Veins begin to pop.


    Hagren huffs, "look it doesn''t matter, pay up." His voice grows angry as he holds his hand out. The two guards at the door are holding their spears tight at attention.


    Faylin walks over to a small vault built into the brick of the building. She hesitantly cracks the code of the vault, clicks the lock open, and takes out a bag. With frustration, she counts the coins, throwing them on the shop counter, one by one. Change jiggles in the pouch, as she holds it out to Hagren.


    He takes the money, opens it to inspect the coins and then shoves them in his pocket.


    "Looks like it''s all here." Hagren nods, then he exits without saying a word.


    The two guards follow suit behind. Faylin slams the door shut and screams while holding her head, "fuck!"


    Later in the afternoon, Faylin sits alone in her shop, hunched over, exhausted, and stressed. She stares blankly at the paperwork of a commission order, barely starting the project. The bell hanging over her door rings as Gimrik barges in. "Heyo, how''s Bibby? I came with a couple of new books for her to read."


    Faylin looks up at him, still annoyed from the taxation. "I''ll take them up to her." She pauses, "actually I don''t feel very well Gim. Do you mind taking them up to her?"


    Gim walks over and places his hand on Faylin''s forehead. "Aye lass, what''s wrong? Yer burning up."


    "I think it''s just from lack of sleep and food. It''s been very hard lately to cope. Nobles and kings taxing me constantly, I don''t have time for commissions anymore."


    Gim frowns, "that ain''t good. Well come on, I''ll take ye up to rest. Ye know ye can come stay wit me whenever ya want if things go south with the shop."


    "I''ll be alright, just a bit under the weather is all."


    "Alright then." Gimrik walks through the shop and passes Faylin with books in his arm. He stops at the doorway and looks back at Faylin. "By the way, someone''s out to kill business owners."


    Faylin looks up from her paperwork, "what do you mean?"If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "There was a murder in the Avesian Empire last night. Someone killed a nobleman, and no one knows who."


    "Really? Good then. I hope they suffer."


    "Now yer talking nonsense." Gimrik then turns and heads to Bibby''s room with books in hand. "Don''t come crying to me when your next."


    Faylin is left alone to finish up the commission paper. She sketches and writes on parchment. Paper covers her desk and creates piles of mess. Faylin focuses solely on finishing the projects assigned to her for the rest of the day.


    Lyrian comes in the shop with a cheerful smile, "Fay, it''s time to get out and have fun."


    "I don''t have the money for that," Faylin mumbles looking at her work.


    "Yeah right, what about all that platinum, gold, osmium and palladium we stole the other day? You sold some didn''t you?" he leans against the counter watching her.


    "I sold the copper and iron as a couple of swords and garden tools," she replies looking down at a commission paper. "And I''m not going out. I''m trying to figure this thing out. I have a deadline soon."


    "Come on Fay. Let''s go to the tavern. You need a night of fun," he says pulling up a backwards chair to sit on.


    "I don''t want to."


    "Come on, for me?"


    Faylin looks up and meets his gaze with a small glare, "fine. For you, but not because I want to." She stands up and gets herself ready, dipping her hands in bowl of water before leaving.


    They walk together through town. Cobblestone streets are wet with the early autumn rain. Puddles splashing as they walk by the smell of woodsmoke and baked bread that fills the air as they pass a bakery.


    Depression is all around the grey skies for Faylin. Buildings are dull and lifeless with only candles that seep through windows. The people all seem to have a depressed look in their eyes which doesn''t help Faylin. But not all are sad as Lyrian notices.


    The sound of the busy street fills their ears. Children play in water. Adults gossip upon each other. Merchants shout their wares in the marketplace. The tavern door creaks open.


    They enter the tavern. Its small with wooden tables, chairs and benches lining its walls. Lanterns are hung on each side of each table giving off light and warmth.


    Inside it''s cozy, and lively. The tavern is bustling with customers, bards, and laughter.


    Faylin and Lyrian find a seat at a table.


    As they sit down, a waiter comes over and asks for their orders. Faylin orders herself a mug of mead, and Lyrian orders himself a stone fruit tea. The waiter walks off to get their drinks. Faylin is seeing many surface dwarves and humans having fun, drinking mead and eating hearty food. In a dark corner, the table next to them, she spots two cloaked figures drinking themselves away in silence. The waiter returns with their drinks, "Here you are, enjoy."


    "Thanks." Lyrian smiles. He and Faylin sip their drinks.


    "So, what''s new at your shop?" Lyrian asks, "You seem so busy all the time. Is the King and nobles pushing you down more?"


    "Yes, actually." Faylin lowers her head, her cheeks red from the alcohol. "I can barely afford to pay for mom." Faylin starts tearing up, "she can''t even walk or take care of herself. She can''t move her back, it''s like she has no back muscles. Things are just getting harder and harder."


    "Fay, hey I''m sure it will all be okay." He comforts her, placing his hands on hers, and rubs with a gentle thumb. "It''s not going to be easy, but it will get better. Just remember, you''re strong and talented, and I''m here for you if you ever need me."


    Faylin wipes her tear filled eyes with a sniff, "thank you Lyrian."


    "Maybe a fortune would help?" A hooded figure from the table next to them looks back at them. She walks up and throws back her hood, revealing long light grey hair and a young dirty face. The lady looks like she hasn''t washed or slept in days.


    "If only I did have a fortune yeah," Faylin chuckles over her crackling cries.


    "Not that kind of fortune," she giggles. "I''m Luminitsa, a fortune teller." She extends out a dainty white hand.


    Faylin hesitates for a moment, looking into the woman''s cute blue eyes, then shakes her grimy, sweaty hand, "um, Faylin."


    Hints of awkwardness falls between them as Faylin can feel the old dirt on her hand. But Luminitsa doesn''t seem to care how she looks or if she smells like a used wet rag.


    Luminitisa grabs Lyrian''s hand with a jolt. Lyrian jumps as he feels a cold grip wrap around his wrist, but then his vision begins to change colors. Lights flash through his mind.


    "What is your future?" the woman questions as Lyrian feels his entire world fade into black. His breathing slows, his heart thuds heavy in his chest, then suddenly he can see. He is watching a black castle in the distance, surrounded by mountains and a forest. Everything looks dead around, but in the throne room within the castle, a man with golden eyes stares back.


    "You will become the most powerful mage alive," the man''s lips curl up into a smile, his teeth jagged and sharp. "But you are weak now," the man speaks out, but then is cut off.


    The woman snaps her fingers, waking Lyrian up. He breathes deeply, his chest rising high and then exhaling, after he has blinked a few times.


    "You will eventually come to a tough decision between between a job and your friends. You''re not good at making decisions, are you? Well, you will in due time."


    Luminitsa sits down with Faylin, turning her attention away from Lyrian. Her long legs fold neatly under the table as she places her hands in front of her, "so, Faylin."


    "Yes ma''am," Faylin answers politely as the woman stares into her soul with her bright glowing eyes. Faylin wonders why the tavern didn''t notice or ask her to snuff out her own magic to keep it dim. "Let''s see you."


    "My what?"


    Luminitsa smiles, "your soul, future, past."


    "My past...isn''t very nice."


    "I can tell by just looking at you, Faylin." Luminitisa looks down at Faylin''s arms, "you''ve endured pain and sorrow. Haven''t you?"


    Faylin folds her arms across her chest, "please. Not here, not now."


    Luminitsa takes Faylin''s hand and she starts to see visions of her mother being trampled on by horses, stomped on by hooves. She sees the angry faces of nobles and kings, their fists slamming onto tables. "Enough," Faylin tears her hand from Luminitsa''s grip. Water is running down Faylin''s cheeks. She wipes the wet streaks away quickly and then storms off.


    Lyrian chases after her calling, "Fay, Fay wait!" Lyrian grabs her arm and stops her as Luminitsa has been silently standing behind him. "It''s alright Faylin, I''m here. I''m here," Lyrian says.


    Faylin turns and hugs him burying her face into his shoulder, "thank you." Faylin turns her head to Luminitsa, "I''m sorry, thank you for reading us, but I must go. My heart is torn with emotions I don''t wish to open right now."


    "I-I was only trying to help," Luminitsa explains, looking with her head held low.


    "Is my sister bothering you?" the other hooded figure says with a smile and cool expression while smoking a pipe. "Sorry, she''s been practicing a lot lately."


    Faylin can only catch a glimpse but she does seem to be recognizing him, "Serrill? Is that you?"


    He uncovers his hood as a few strands of jet black hair fall over his forehead. Serrill''s nose wrinkles when he smiles at Faylin, his light blue eyes piercing her gaze.


    "Yes, it is I."


    "What are you doing here?" Faylin asks crossing her arms, hiding her shock.


    "Don''t worry, mages like I don''t hold a grudge. I''m just passing through this town," Serrill laughs at Faylin''s reaction. "Lighten up Fay, it''s all good. Anyway, me and sis got to get going. Enjoy the fortune."


    Luminitsa waves innocently and Faylin says farewell.


    Lyrian looks to Faylin, "Who were they? Seemed like you recognized the guy."


    "I did. He used to be an assistant blacksmith with me. But then I fired him because he didn''t listen and instead dealt with shady underground deals."


    Lyrian nods his head and looks at the crowded tavern surrounding them. He then looks towards the door. "Do you wanna head out? I think you''ve had enough social time today," he smiles awkwardly with his pearly white teeth.


    "Yes please, let''s head home," she says, feeling pleased to be sheltered alone again.


    Lyrian and Faylin walk out of the tavern leaving the cold night air to greet their faces.


    <hr>


    Luminitsa

 Chapter 4

    Next morning comes quick and Faylin has struggled to wake up and begin the day. Faylin arrives downstairs in the kitchen, and notices Gimrik sitting at the table enjoying a cup of coffee.


    "Good mornin'' lass. How ya feeling?" Gimrik asks smiling at Faylin.


    "I feel alright," Faylin answers while staring blankly at Gimrik, trying to clear her mind of foggy thoughts and memories. "Is Lyrian here? I need him to go mining with me again today."


    "Aye, he should be here any minute now." Gimrik tells her.


    Right as he has said those words, the door opens and closes again. Faylin turns around to see Lyrian walking through the door holding two cups of coffee in his hands. "Oh, hello Gim," Lyrian says handing Faylin her cup, and making her smile.


    Gim nods and walks over to grab a bottle of cream to add to his morning beverage. "Where ye heading to?"


    "Bogh Buldar again," Faylin answers sitting down with the drink that warms her hands. She is looking up at both of them and she takes a deep breath. "Lyrian, let''s hurry up. I have to get this project finished by tomorrow. This new tool could get me much needed gold. I just need one more palladium ore."


    Lyrian gives her a serious look, "Why, what happened?"


    "Taxes went up 20 percent because Bogh Buldar complained to the Avesian Empire about what we did in the mines, and since they''re both allies, the Avesian Empire is punishing me with a tax raise. I need every coin I can get, and I''m selling the platinum I have left as regular ore, so I won''t get too many funds from that." Faylin stands up and gulps down the last of her drink setting the clay cup down on the table.


    "That''s ridiculous. That king is nothing but a greedy tyrant, I swear it!"


    Gimrik adds with a small frown, "good luck getting in. The dwarven king was murdered last night. Gates are closed to outsiders."


    Faylin''s mouth gapes open. She tries to speak but cannot muster the strength.


    "Oh gods!" Lyrian mutters as he watches Faylin sit down.


    "But..." she trails off. Faylin stares off into space with a shocked expression on her face. "Then that means the next heir in line is a prince. His rules will surely change. I won''t know what to do in this new situation."


    "Right now Bogh Buldar has no king," Gimrik explains. "The Prince is supposed to take the throne but there is a political divide among dwarves now. Protests just arrived this morning. There''s even protests at the gates right now. People are saying the King''s advisor might take the throne but no one knows. They''re also trying to find suspects to the killer."


    "Do they think we did it?" Faylin asks in fear as she begins to realize the consequences of stealing ore. She raises her eyebrow and narrows her gaze. "Maybe we disturbed the mines by extending that tunnel. Are they going to pin this on us somehow? Gimrik, we need to go and explain," Faylin gets up in a panic shake.


    She goes for the door until Lyrian catches her arm, "we can''t Faylin."


    "Lyrian, come on, let''s just go the gates to get some information."


    Faylin runs out of the house, grabbing her coat. Once outside she looks around frantically. Her heartbeat racing, sweat trickles down her brow.


    Gates are busy yet closed. Crowds are clustered together. Hundreds of surface dwarves and humans demand through loud chattering rants that they reopen. At the front of the gate stands two dwarven guards standing firm in their positions, their weapons drawn at the crowd. One guard yells out, "Move along! There is nothing for ye to see here!"


    "We know you are lying! There are reports of the King dying yesterday! Tell us who it is!" one protester yells out. "I thrive on trade here!"


    Faylin pushes through the crowd and makes it to the front. "Please," Faylin pleads, "I need to get into Bogh Buldar, my shop depends on these mines."


    The two guards look to each other and turn their attention to her. "No. Now move along before we make ya."


    Faylin takes a step forward, "who''s the suspect then?"


    "No suspects, now scram!" the second dwarf yells pointing his spear to the crowd. Everyone screams, taking a step back but quickly continues with their ranting.


    Faylin continues pushing, "Listen, if you don''t know who the murderer is, then how do I know you dwarves aren''t going to accuse me?" she taunts, acting kind of weird and panicked.


    "If yer confessin'' then step forward, otherwise move along human scum."


    "I''m not saying it was me!" Faylin flails her arms in anger, "I didn''t kill anyone. I just don''t want to become a suspect because we went against the King''s wishes. And I already suffer from our landlords now because of it."


    The first dwarf raises an eyebrow, "And what''d ya do?"


    Faylin looks back at some of the angry protesters who seem to calm themselves as they listen for Faylin''s crime, "Me and another mage dug beyond the restrictions of the King. We extended our tunnel too far and dug in illegal areas."


    The protesters around her murmur to one another.


    The first dwarf laughs with his raspy low voice, "Ya, no that ain''t it. Get out of here and stop wasting our time!"


    Faylin sighs and nods to him before making her way out of the crowd and returning to Lyrian who was waiting outside of all the chaos.


    "So?" Lyrian asks.


    "The King really did die, and my crimes have nothing to do with it so at least we''re not suspects," she answers walking towards her smithy. "I need to sort this out, see what the Prince has to say about us using the mines."Stolen story; please report.


    "Faylin, the Prince isn''t going to answer to you. You know this," Gimrik explains following her footsteps. "Listen. You already know we dwarves don''t like humans."


    Another dwarven guard from Bogh Buldar is walking passed them and Faylin quickly gets his attention, "excuse me. How do we talk to the Prince?"


    Gimrik slaps his hand over his forehead.


    The dwarf guard turns to her annoyed but responds anyway, "You can''t, the gates are closed to outsiders."


    "But then how do I use the mines for my shop?" Faylin asks.


    "I don''t know, find a different mine and stop leeching off us dwarves."


    "Well-"


    Gimrik interrupts, "that''s enough lad." He turns to the guard, "go ahead."


    The dwarf rolls his eyes and leaves. Faylin sighs and is gazing at Gimrik, "How am I going to keep the shop running Gim? What happens to mom now if I close down? What happens to Dad''s shop? His memories? Am I going to be forced to sell my shop to a greedy noble to become a commoner myself?"


    Lyrian places a hand on Faylin''s shoulder as Gimrik shakes his head with disappointment, "Look lass, I know life ain''t fair, but sometimes things don''t go your way. And there is nothing wrong with having to sell the old man''s smithy. It would bring ye quite the amount of wealth. Maybe it''s time you accept that."


    "Gim, you know me," Faylin says angrily, "you know I''m not giving this place up. No matter what you tell me or how many dwarfs tell me to scram."


    Gimrik walks away shaking his head, his beard is flowing in the wind as he has turned his back to her.


    <hr>


    Late afternoon at the smithy, Bibby is resting in the living room on a comfortable chair and watches Faylin in the kitchen. "Faylin, do you know a fortune teller named Luminitsa?"


    "Yes mom, apparently she''s the sister of a former employee of mine."


    "Well I''m friends with her mother actually. It seems the daughter is doing a little bit of fortune telling as a side hobby of hers, or maybe even work." Bibby says as she pours hot water into her tea.


    "Why do you ask, Mom?"


    "Oh, well I met her once or twice in a tavern long ago. Nice girl, very charming, a little peculiar though."


    "You met her twice?" Faylin says as she stirs the soup simmering above the fire.


    "Mhm," Bibby says as she sips her tea quietly.


    Faylin taps the spoon on the edge of the pot and lays it across the edge of the counter. She wipes her hands off on her apron and goes to wash it out. Bibby gazes over at the young girl and sighs softly before turning back to her cup.


    "What is it mother?" Faylin asks her noticing her sigh.


    "I know things have been difficult Fay. It''s alright to rely on others." Bibby is staring into Faylin''s eyes hoping for an answer but all she gets is an empty nod. She sips on her tea. "Have you gotten any sleep?" Bibby asks while turning away to look out the window beside her.


    "No, I haven''t. I found rare ore but not enough to make it into a weapon. I''m running out of iron and steel for weapons, and I''m just not going to meet my deadlines. I have to pay for everything, including food. All the money I made has to go back into the shop."


    "You have to relax dear," Bibby tells her gently. Faylin sets the clean wooden bowl down and dries her hands off with the cloth. She is leaning against the counter in bitterness. Water ripples in the sink tub, trying to keep her cool by washing more bowls.


    "What can I do, Mom?" she says, tears beginning to form while trying to hold back.


    Bibby smiles, "Find yourself another mine. There''s bound to be more in other cities and villages."


    "Okay, Mom," Faylin responds wiping away her tears with a small relief. She sits down beside her. "Mom, I want to be independent and run my business the way I want to, without interference from nobles or kings."


    "I understand," Bibby says sipping the last drop of her tea.


    There is a knock on the front door and Bibby motions towards Faylin, "get the door please."


    Faylin walks to the door and opens it seeing Lyrian standing there with his cloak covering him from the rain, as well as Gimrik. "Hey guys, come in."


    They walk inside and hang their cloaks over a rack.


    Gimrik says in a soft tone, "heya Bibby, how''re ya doin''? Feelin'' any better?"


    Bibby answers with a smile on her face, "yes sir, thank you for asking. Just tired mostly, but other than that I''m fine."


    Faylin grabs a bowl and sets out the food. "We got some stew for dinner."


    Lyrian smirks, "Oh yeah, gimme a bowl of that deliciousness."


    Faylin smiles and let''s put a small chuckle, "Sure Lyrian, I got plenty." Faylin takes a seat and spoons out a scoop for Lyrian, "Here."


    "Thank you." Lyrian takes the bowl and eats immediately, "Ah, damn, this is good. Your best yet."


    "Yeah," Faylin agrees with a little laughter.


    After a few moments of silence Gimrik breaks the ice, "So Fay, what''s on yer mind?"


    "Well, it looks like I might have to travel for a bit to find a different mine. One with an understanding King. And one that hasn''t been tainted by greedy humans," Faylin replies taking another bite, sitting with her whole family.


    "Hmm, what about Limerock Valley? My people there could possibly allow you access into their mines, and I could guarantee you safe passage. It''s a human mining village but there are some surface dwarfs I know that have moved there," Gimrik says nodding at Bibby.


    "That would be wonderful," Bibby says smiling. "Thank you."


    "Who will take care of mother while I''m gone though," Faylin looks down at the table, and staring at her soup feeling guilty.


    Lyrian replies, "Gim, are you willing to watch after your neighbor while we''re gone?"


    "Aye laddie," Gimrik says giving him a bulky thumbs up.


    Bibby cuts in, "No need to worry about me Fay, you''ve got a business to run."


    "Uh, Gimrik, are you sure?" Faylin turns to Lyrian "A-and we? I know you have your mage duties Lyrian. I can mine legitimately with my pickaxe."


    "Just let him go," Gimrik whispers yet points out. "It''ll be safer that way. I''m talking ''bout the bastard killing those leaders in high positions of power, you know about that right?" Gimrik clears his throat and begins again, "well they''re killing people like ya. High positions, merchants, folks with authority and coin."


    "But I haven''t reached any sort of status or power," Faylin explains.


    Gimrik shakes his head, his beard covers his mouth perfectly, "doesn''t matter. People like that don''t care and want to see people die, regardless of their situation."


    Lyrian adds, "speaking of dangers, isn''t there a wood elf clan posted in the forest on the way to Limerock Valley?" Lyrian is slightly worried.


    "Yeah, but ya should be able to just walk by them and be on yer way. I doubt they will attack," Gimrik says.


    "Wood elves are usually peaceful vegetarians. I don''t think they''ll bother you," Bibby adds in.


    "But they''re violent. I heard stories about how the clan kills any travelers or trespassers. Wood elves hate outsiders, especially humans," Lyrian explains. "I''ve seen them. They''re skilled hunters, archers, and dual wielders with daggers and swords and small shields. And they protect nature and their land at all costs."


    Faylin replies, "Well we have no other choice." Faylin sighs, "we''ll leave tomorrow. I have a war hammer and a shield I can carry to protect myself with. And the hammer is good for smithing as well."


    "How are we going to carry all the ore back?" Lyrian asks.


    "I can buy a horse carriage in Limerock and ride that back home. We can store all the ore in the back of the carriage," Faylin explains. "It will cost a lot of money though, I''ll have to use all the money I made this month to pay for it."


    "Will you have enough money to afford food?" Gimrik asks.


    "I''ll make sure we have enough to eat," Faylin dismisses knowing she doesn''t have the coin. She goes to stand, and takes the empty bowl from her mother and walks over to the kitchen. "Thank you all for helping me today. I''m sorry for all the trouble I caused you, especially Gimrik for having to watch after my mother."


    Gimrik nods, "No problem lass, that''s what neighbors are for. And friends."


    "I wish I could repay you somehow," Faylin says as she turns to him.


    "Aye. No need to worry. You leave Bibby to me and you and Lyrian prepare for your journey." Gimrik slowly picks up Bibby in his burly thick arms. "Alright lassie, let''s get you in the bed." Bibby smiles warmly at Gimrik and hugs his neck. "Lucky you humans are light." Bibby lets out a chuckle as they leave the room.


    Lyrian smiles and turns to Faylin, "I''ll start packing." Faylin nods in approval.


    <hr>


    Bibby and Gimrik

 Chapter 5

    Lyrian grabs Faylin''s bags and packs it with the necessary items for their trip, and Faylin goes to her room to gather up her belongings. She grabs a small bag, puts in her clothes and tools, and then walks back downstairs.


    Night is upon the town. Small breezes whistle through the wooden cracks of the house. Dim lights of tallow candles burn throughout.


    Gimrik has been sitting in a chair next to Bibby''s bed. He is reading a book quietly and Bibby is sleeping peacefully. Book shelves line the walls and the dwarf sets the book back down where it belongs.


    Faylin winds up a small rat contraption and races along the shop, carrying her bags a small distance as she lets her mind wander.


    Gimrik is spying at the doorway of Bibby''s room with his arms crossed. "Ah Faylin, I''m surprised you never opened a toy shop with all those useless gadgets," Gimrik says jokingly. "Yer father would''ve been proud. He would''ve been proud of anything you did."


    Faylin smiles, "thanks. But, I''m afraid it''s a blacksmith shop and always will be. It''s what I was born to do and I''ll make the best of it, for my dad. I''ll keep his legacy alive, and someday make this shop the most successful and popular smithy in the realm."


    "Don''t set yer self up for unrealistic standards young one. Seriously, open up a toy section on the other half of the shop. The dwarven children of Bogh Buldar would love it. I guarantee ya."


    "Maybe," Faylin shrugs.


    "Anyway," Gimrik sits down on the couch and pats the space next to him. "Come sit down."


    Faylin sits beside Gimrik and leans back into the cushions. She looks up at the ceiling, and then closes her eyes, thinking about everything. All of the events that has led her up until this point, it tingles her nerves. She thinks about how she got here, and all the things that could''ve happened differently, and what could''ve changed.


    Lyrian has packed, clothes, tools, and starts rolling up sleeping bags.


    "Ya ready to go on yer first journey?" Gimrik asks. "You might learn a thing or two from Lyrian there."


    "Are you sure it''s safe?" Faylin asks, her eyes still closed.


    "Safe?" Gimrik laughs. "Nothin''s safe lass. It''s a dangerous world out there, full of evil people. Yer gonna have to be brave and strong, not weak like ye were when yer father passed away. Ye have to move on."


    "I know," Faylin opens her eyes, and looks at him with a pang of fear. "I''m just scared. And nervous. And worried. What if I get injured, or worse, killed? What will happen to my shop?"


    "I''ll be right beside you Fay," Lyrian adds as he carries bags.


    "Thanks," Faylin stands and walks over to Lyrian. "Here, give me one." Faylin grabs a large bag from Lyrian and slings it across her shoulder.


    Gimrik looks at the small rat contraption on the floor, "what is that anyway?"


    "It''s a toy," Faylin replies. "It moves on its own."


    "Ya mean, like a living thing?" Gimrik''s face becomes shocked. "Like...like a golem?"


    Faylin laughs putting down the bag over by the torn couch, "no Gim, it''s just a thing with a bunch of small gears and wheels." Faylin winds up the toy and lets it go. The rat races around the room, "See?"


    Lyrian''s mouth gapes open, and he laughs in amazement, "that''s amazing. How did you do that? That must a new one."


    "Like I said, it''s gears and wheels." Faylin explains, "I''m not the best at making toys like these, but I try." She walks over and picks up the toy then puts it back in her bag. She also picks up a small dragon toy and puts it in her bag.


    "Yer a genius Fay," Gimrik says. "Ya could sell those and make a living off of em''."


    Faylin shakes her head, "I don''t think I''d be able to make enough to live off of."


    "Well Bibby is asleep. I''m headed over to my place to call it a day," Gimrik tells them.


    "Alright Gim. Thanks for taking care of her," Faylin says.


    "No problem. I''ll check on ye guys tomorrow morning before you head out."


    "Thanks again," Faylin smiles. "Goodnight Gimrik, see you tomorrow."


    <hr>


    Sun is shining through the windows of the house. Eggs and bacon waft through the house. Gimrik is sitting in the kitchen, he''s cooking breakfast for Bibby and Faylin. Lyrian is in the room with them, and Bibby is glued to her chair at the table. Faylin enters the kitchen, her hair is messy but she looks well rested for a change. "Good morning Gim, good morning Lyrian."


    Gimrik and Lyrian turn around. "Mornin'' Fay," they say in unison.


    Bibby waves, "Good morning dear."


    "Morning mom," she says.


    Faylin sits down at the table, and Gimrik is serving the breakfast plates on the table with a tiny reach above his head.


    "Thanks," Faylin says as she starts eating. "I feel better than yesterday, but not great."


    Lyrian turns to her, "well you will once we start traveling and get out of the house for a change."


    Faylin shrugs, "maybe." She continues to eat. They all eat, quietly enjoying their food.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Some time has passed enjoying the meat and dairy. Plates are empty. Bibby looks up, "I''m sorry I can''t do more to help you two, but I''m sure that once you get back you will have more business and money."


    Faylin smiles, "yes. I''m sure we''ll be fine, thanks Mom." Faylin stands up and puts her dishes into the rusty tub of water.


    "Everything''s packed and ready." Lyrian says as he is still finishing up his eggs.


    Faylin is washing dishes but she has heard Lyrian, and she lets them go as they plop into the water. Frustration takes her down where she leans on the rusty tub and she thinks of all the dangers. "I can''t do this. I''ve never traveled before," Faylin confesses.


    "You''ll have me," Lyrian turns and explains, "and we''ll have a map, so there''s no reason to worry about getting lost or anything. You can do this, you just need a little confidence boost."


    Faylin nods, "yeah. Yeah you''re right." Faylin dries her hands on a rag.


    "You''ll gain some discipline too. Stop worrying about the future and focus today Faylin," Gimrik adds in. "You''ll make it, trust me."


    Faylin sighs, "alright."


    Lyrian stands up, "it''s time to go. The longer we stay, the more likely we won''t make it." Faylin looks to him and nods. Lyrian walks along the creaking floor and gets the bags ready.


    "Bye Gim," Faylin says hugging Gimrik. "Thank you so much for taking care of mom, and everything you do."


    Gimrik hugs Faylin and pats her back. "You got it, and make sure ya bring me some souvenirs." Faylin smiles. "And Fay," Gimrik pulls out of the hug, "be careful."


    "I will," Faylin says then turns to Bibby sitting in the chair. Faylin walks to her. "Bye, mother." She kisses her mother''s forehead. "I''m going to miss you."


    "I''ll miss you too sweetie, be careful. Have fun," Bibby holds Faylin close.


    "I''ll try." Faylin smiles as she pulls away from her mother''s embrace. Faylin turns to Lyrian and nods, then leaves the house.


    <hr>


    Later in the day, Faylin and Lyrian travel along the dirt road. Faylin observes the high trees around. Greenery, and flowers are blooming in the springtime. "Wow, I''ve never been this far from home. It''s so beautiful," Faylin smiles.


    "Isn''t it?" Lyrian replies. "You never get out. I come out here all the time to do rituals."


    "Really?" Faylin asks.


    "Yeah. I come out here and just sit on the grass, and let the magic flow through me. It helps me relax, and it feels great."


    Faylin nods, "that sounds amazing. Maybe I should try it sometime."


    Lyrian nods, "you should. I think you would really enjoy it. It''s very relaxing." The sun is shining brightly, and the birds are chirping. There''s a cool breeze blowing through the trees, the leaves rustling softly in the air. The forest smells like freshly cut grass and fragrant flowers. They continue walking, looking at the scenery as they pass by. "I wish I could show you what it''s like," Lyrian says.


    "Maybe you can," Faylin says looking over to him.


    He looks over to her, still walking the pathway. "Really?" He smiles. "I''d love to. Maybe we could even go to the lake, I''ve always wanted to try that," Lyrian says full of enthusiasm.


    "That sounds like fun." She holds a smile and looks down at her feet, kicking a few rocks. Journey is in her head, and all the things she''ll have to face is what she thinks about.


    Faylin looks around at the empty sign of sentient life. "It''s kind of scary, no civilization or anyone in sight," Faylin tells Lyrian.


    He nods, "I know, but it''s also exciting. It''s like we''re the only ones out here." A smile hits his cheerful tone, "and it''s nice. No one around, just us."


    Faylin nods and looks back to the dirt streaks left behind of once traveled wagons. She thinks about how she''s going to get home, and what will happen if they run into any trouble.


    Lyrian notices her gaze. "Fay, stop worrying," he warns. "I know what you''re thinking, but I''m here to help. We''ll get through this together."


    Faylin nods disregarding him, "sure." She continues walking down the path.


    They reach a small clearing in the middle of the road, with a small stream running along side it. The sun is setting, and the sky is a mix of orange and yellow. The trees are a dark green, and the grass is a light green. "Wow, this place is amazing," Faylin exclaims.


    "Yeah, and it''s all ours," Lyrian smiles. "This spot seems perfect for a campsite," Lyrian suggests. "We can set up our tent here."


    Faylin looks around and nods, "okay." Her bags drop and she starts unpacking them, throwing out their sleeping bags and blankets. Lyrian does the same, setting up the tent and getting everything ready for the night.


    Lyrian has readied a small campfire with dried grass and keeps spinning a stick in his hands on a log.


    "No fire spells?" Faylin smiles to the side.


    "I''m an earth mage, not an elemental sorcerer. Besides, it''s more rewarding using your own two hands." Lyrian lights the fire with a blow and then sits next to Faylin. Sun is almost gone, and the sky is a mixture of orange, yellow, and purple.


    "Thank you for coming with me," Faylin says looking at him sincerely.


    Lyrian looks back at her with a gentle smile, "of course. What kind of friend would I be if I let you go alone?"


    Faylin smiles, "thanks." She stares into the fire, and the flames crackle softly. "It''s beautiful," she stares into the flames.


    Faylin glances around the campsite noticing the small rocks around. "If only I could make weapons only out of stone. That might be easier."


    "That''s ridiculous. We''re not in the stone ages anymore," Lyrian laughs.


    She laughs as well, "true. But I bet it would be a lot cheaper."


    Lyrian nods, "yeah. But then you''d have to get a lot more stone to make the amount of money you already make, and it''d take a lot longer." He chuckles again, "and the weapons would break so easily, it''d be useless."


    Faylin laughs with him, "I know." They continue to talk and laugh for a while.


    "Hey Fay," Lyrian says. "Do you remember when we were kids, and we used to play that game where we''d throw stones into the pond? And the first one to miss, lost?"


    "Don''t remind me, I had to smash my face into a mud puddle and wear that all day around town, you bastard," Faylin smiles, reminiscing fondly of the old times.


    "I still remember that. Everyone called you ''Fay the Muddy Princess'' for a week straight. You couldn''t even get a drink from the inn, they''d refuse to serve you because of the mess," Lyrian laughs.


    Faylin beams graciously at a small stone she picks up but then frowns. "Life''s different as adults."


    "Yeah. It is." Lyrian says, staring into the flames. "I''ve been meaning to ask, why didn''t you ever go to magic school?"


    "I dunno. I guess, I''ve always been more of a blacksmith, and I wanted to carry on the family business, and make weapons and armor. Plus, I''ve been busy with mom, and Gimrik."


    "It would''ve helped you learn more about metals and their properties. You could''ve studied alchemy."


    "It''s too late now," Faylin throws the stone and grabs another. "I''ve missed my chance, I''m an adult now. And besides, I''m not a mage like you. I''m a blacksmith. I can''t just go to magic school." She tosses the stone and picks up a third one but notices a strange shape. It rests up on her palm at Lyrian, "looks like someone left an arrowhead."


    Lyrian narrows his eyes and snatches it out of her hand, "let me see that."


    "What?"


    Lyrian is examining the arrowhead, "it''s not that old." His eyes widen as he realizes who the owner is, "wood elves."


    "Wood elves? Are they near by?" Faylin stands up.


    "I''m not sure, but I''m pretty sure we''re in their territory." He stands up and looks around. "We should leave, or put out the fire at least."


    Faylin shakes her head, "no. We''ll stay here and rest, and if they come, we''ll fight them off." She says standing up and drawing her hammer, "I''ve been trained by a dwarven warrior on how to use this thing."


    Lyrian nods, "alright, but we''re putting the fire out, and we need to be quiet. We don''t want to draw attention to ourselves." He starts to put out the fire, pouring dirt while Faylin watches him. Smoke billows up into the night sky.


    Lyrian stands up and scans the camp. "We''ll be safe here. I''ll keep watch for a bit."


    "Alright, thanks Lyrian. Wake me up when you need to sleep." Faylin says.


    Lyrian sits down, his eyes scanning around, "I will. Goodnight."


    <hr>


    Forest walk

 Chapter 6

    Faylin is asleep, and Lyrian has been still sitting, watching around the camp. A small flutter is heard in the bushes. Lyrian pans his surroundings, and reaches down, for a rock from the ground. He stands up, and sees. There is a shadowy figure has been peeking near the edge of the clearing behind some bushes. "Who''s there? Show yourself!"


    Although the figure is beast-like, it is not human nor elven. Soft, high pitched growling comes from the shadows.


    Lyrian grabs another stone, and throws towards it, "I said, show yourself!"


    Bushes shake, and the beast leaves with a tail whipping into the bushes like a lizard.


    "Was that a dragon? Or a Drake?" Lyrian wonders to himself.


    He sits down, and sighs, looking around. He thinks to himself, and wonders if he should wake Faylin up, but decides not to, and keeps an eye out. He''s seen them before, and they are large beasts. Up to the size of a human if it''s a drake. He holds high hopes that it is just a lone beast that will leave them alone.


    "Lyrian, are you okay?" Faylin asks, waking up.


    "Yeah, I''m fine." He replies, "I think I saw a Drake, or a Dragon, I''m not sure."


    "Are you sure?" she asks. "I think I heard a growl."


    He nods, "yeah."


    "I''ll watch next if you want?" She offers.


    "Okay, thanks," Lyrian replies. "Wake me up if you need to."


    "I will," Faylin says, sitting down next to him. Faylin looks around, and the moon is shining bright, and there''s no clouds in the sky. The stars are out, and the sky is a deep purple color. She is looking up at the sky catching sight of a few twinkling stars, and she wonders if the stars are actually other worlds.


    <hr>


    Sun is rising in the sky at dawn, the birds are chirping, and the trees are rustling in the wind. They''re both eating breakfast, and Lyrian is cooking some eggs over a fire. "We should be able to make it to Limerock Valley by nightfall if we leave now." Lyrian says. "It''s about a day and a half walk."


    "Good. I''m looking forward to getting to this place, and finding some ore, and then making some weapons," Faylin says. "It''ll be nice to actually sell something of value for once."


    Lyrian laughs, "you sound like you''ve been waiting for this your whole life." He smiles knowing Faylin will be happy.


    "Maybe I have," Faylin says, slipping a slice of bacon in her mouth.


    "Are you going to open up shop when we get there?" Lyrian asks.


    "How would I do that?" she says while chewing. "I''d need a forge and I don''t have any equipment. I''ll probably have to buy a horse and carriage once we get there, I can''t carry all the ore on my own."


    Lyrian laughs, "you could use magic to make a forge. And you can use magic to make a horse too."


    Faylin laughs, "that''d be great, but I''m not exactly a god and pretty sure you aren''t either. Besides, I''d need a forge, a workshop, a horse and carriage, and a way to transport all of that."


    Lyrian smiles, "well, maybe one day." He starts nodding thinking about the possibilities, "I''d like to be a god."


    Faylin laughs, "you''re weird."


    "Let''s get going," Lyrian says as he lugs his bag, "we should leave now, it''ll be dark by the time we get there." Lyrian puts out the fire, and packs up his things and Faylin does the same.


    Faylin has her bag on her back, and she''s ready to go. "Let''s go," she says.


    "Let''s." Lyrian takes off down the road, Faylin following.


    They''re walking down the road, and Faylin is looking around. Sun is up in the sky, the grass is swishing, and the birds call to each other. They''re walking through the fresh forest, and it''s a beautiful sparkly day. They reach through a clearing in the woods, and there is a stream running next to the road.


    Faylin looks at the stream, and sees a fish swimming in the water. Trout as pretty as a rainbow are beneath the sparkles of clear water. She looks up at the sky, and the clouds are moving, and a single bird is flying up ahead. "It''s a nice day," she says.


    "Yep," Lyrian says, looking at the sky. They continue walking.


    A small group of well armed soldiers with bows on their backs are walking towards their way. Some have short bows, and some are long made of all wood. Leather armor of green cloth and brown hide is slick to their bodies. Casual steps is what they are taking, but they close the distance soon, still making their way.


    Faylin tenses up at the sight. Her heart beat increases. Lyrian has been squinting his eyes trying to get a good sight of the leather soldiers. Sharp ears is what he notices, and he confirms.


    "Oh. Wood elves." Lyrian mutters under his breath. He turns to Faylin, "you got anything on you?"


    "Just my hammer and shield," she says.


    "Alright. They don''t usually attack people unless provoked."


    "Lyrian, they''re right in front of us," Faylin says as the wood elves get closer and closer. "What are we going to do?"


    "Be friendly," Lyrian suggests. "Just act natural. We''re just passing through their lands."


    "Stop right there human," the leader elf draws her bow, her long blonde hair brushing in the wind. She''s wearing a green, and brown leather outfit that shows her agility and survival. Arrows are in a quiver on her back, and deadly blades make up the longbow in a green jagged pattern in her hand. The deadly longbow almost looks like a double-bladed sword, but can easily fool someone. She''s a wood elf, with an arrow pointed right at them. "State your business," she demands militantly.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "I''m a blacksmith. My companion and I are just passing through on the way to Limerock Valley," Faylin says with her hands up.


    "Really? A blacksmith? What business do you have in Limerock Valley?" she asks, prepared to throw a piercing shot.


    "We''re traveling there to mine for ores and minerals," Lyrian answers. "We mean no harm."


    "Yet you pass through our forest at a time like this? Keep going any further and you''ll enter our clan territory. Go around and face the beasts ahead. I''d suggest you turn back if you want to live," the elf urges.


    "Why is that?" Lyrian questions.


    "We''re dealing with a situation right now. Flightless dragons that are supposed to be extinct but have been brought back to life," she explains. "Keep going, and you will enter their hunting grounds."


    "I need to get to the mines," Faylin pleases with a rush. "I''ve been taxed too high and cannot continue my business with my usual mining location. If I don''t find a new mine, I''ll lose everything."


    "Get out of our forest human!" the lead elf blurts out, her brash voice has them jump. "I don''t care about you humans and your greed for coin. It''s your problem now." The other elves in her group aim their bows.


    Lyrian places a hand on Faylin''s shoulder and pulls her back. "We should get out of here Fay."


    Faylin sighs but refuses to move. "Do you have any other safe route to Limerock Valley?"


    The lead elf shakes her head, "the only way to Limerock Valley is to pass through our territory which is restricted. No humans allowed. If you need to that badly, go around and hope you don''t face one of those beasts that plague our land."


    Faylin frowns, "we can''t go around. We''ve never faced any type of dragon before." She knows that she is just a lonely commoner. Inexperience has the will to drive her to severe injuries or worse. Thoughts of it has made her tremble slightly.


    Faylin continues, "we have no idea what to expect, and if we go around and face one, we''re dead. Please, I''m begging you. Let us pass through, we won''t cause any trouble, and we won''t take anything from your land. I just need to get to Limerock Valley and find a new mine."


    The lead elf glances to one of her archers in thought and then back at Faylin and Lyrian. "Then what do you expect? An escort? Us elves do not serve humans. Besides the ones you''ve already enslaved by force."


    "I don''t expect an escort, just to pass through your land unharmed," Faylin explains.


    The lead elf sighs, lowering her bow slightly, "I''ll grant you permission to cross through our land." She puts down her bow in full and the other hunters do the same. "But we don''t treat humans as equals." She has her arms crossed and she points, "You have to give us something in return, and know that you will be watched closely."


    Faylin''s eyes light up. She turns to Lyrian who smiles and nods at her to obey. She turns back to the lead elf, "Here, I can give you some coin." Faylin holds out a hand full of gold coins but is slapped quickly out of her hand, scattering and jumping around the dirt floor.


    She scoffs and emphasizes, "I do not want your filthy human currency. I want something better. Something that doesn''t enslave my people. Something useful."


    Faylin looks down to the floor and shrugs, "like what?"


    "Us elves value story, connection, anything to do with nature," she thinks with a finger to her chin. "We don''t want to be bound by the chains of greed and power that of corrupt humans."


    Faylin nods, and looks at Lyrian, "do you think we should give them a toy?"


    Lyrian nods, "sure, it''s better than nothing." He is pulling out a wooden dragon contraption.


    "What''s that?" the elf sneers.


    "I made it," Faylin puts it on the ground and winds it up, letting it go as it struts forward and breaths small puffs of smoke. "I make small things, or toys I guess. It''s useless, but..."


    The lead elf picks it up, "You made this? You didn''t just buy it?"


    "Yes, I made it," Faylin says a second time.


    "It''s a wooden dragon," Lyrian adds. "Faylin here makes them in her spare time. She''s quite the artist."


    "It''s not much, but it''s something," Faylin says.


    "It''s beautiful," the lead elf says. She looks over the dragon in her hand, examining it with a straight face. "You need to realize that the things you make can bring joy to someone. The time spent on this is more valuable than any coin you will ever have. Do you know why Faylin?"


    Faylin shakes her head.


    The elf continues, "because this, this is what is worth living for. The time and love you put into this will stay in this toy forever. It will never die. That will bring joy to someone and yourself, no coin involved. And that time, you will never get back, except for the love and appreciation. That is giving without anything in return," she says dropping the contraption back in Faylin''s hands. "That is the true meaning of giving." The elf crosses her arms and hangs her head to the side, awaiting.


    "I don''t understand," Faylin replies with a face of her own shame.


    "You will. One day," the elf says. "Now, come with me."


    Faylin and Lyrian follow the elf into the forest, the rest of the group follows them. They''re walking through the forest and the trunks of trees are tall and the branches are swaying in the breeze. Elf steps are light. No clanging of armor this time.


    "I am Aleena by the way," Aleena says, looking back at them through her hunters following.


    "Faylin, but I guess you already knew that," Faylin takes note at Aleena''s intelligence, looking down with a little frustration and jealousy showing in her.


    "Lyrian," he says, smiling and cheerful as always.


    Aleena smiles and nods, "nice to meet you two. You''re lucky we''re not in a war or anything. This could''ve gone very differently." She leads them further into the forest, and they pass a group of elves sitting around a campfire. An old elf man plays a flute to dancing elven women. Elves are looking over at the group from a hut on wooden wheels, and one of them walks up to them, holding out a hand.


    "Hey, what are you doing with these humans?" he asks.


    "They''re just passing through our lands," Aleena explains. She turns to Faylin and Lyrian and points to a small campfire of adults and small children, "by they way, I have a story I''d like to share with you, come."


    Faylin is still, "Oh, we really don''t have the-"


    "We''d love to," Lyrian pushes Faylin to the side and interrupts her smiling at Aleena.


    Faylin''s face turns to a frown, and her eyes narrow. "I really don''t want to be late to the mines. I don''t want to waste any time."


    Lyrian raises a brow and leans to her ear. "We should stay on their good side," he whispers pulling away. "Besides, it''s nothing but hospitality. We should be honored."


    Faylin growls, "fine."


    They continue to walk to the campfire, and the elves are sitting around the fire. They''re all in various states of dress. They have long hair, and some are short hair both male and female. More elven children even gather. Aleena sits down on a log by the fire, and motions for Faylin and Lyrian to sit, "so, you''re a blacksmith?"


    Faylin nods, sitting down next to her. Lyrian sits next to Faylin, and the elves are sitting around the campfire. "I''m a smith, but I can''t work without ore. That''s why I need to get to the Limerock mine."


    "I see, well you''re lucky. There are plenty of mines around Limerock. But you''ll need to be warned. I heard even the new flightless dragons plague Limerock as well. Some of their kind love caves to dwell in."


    "Flightless dragons?" Lyrian asks. "I''ve never heard of these creatures."


    "Neither have I," Faylin adds.


    "Dragons that have lost the ability to fly, I guess. I don''t even know much about them," Aleena says. "They were brought back to life after a necromancer was found experimenting with their bones. The only thing I can''t understand is that they are not undead. They are alive and well but unable to fly."


    Faylin nods, "so they''re just normal dragons, but they can''t fly?"


    "No, they look very different but same reptilian look, each with different kind and unique hunting strategies. Some are large and heavy and hunt for large prey, and some are small and light, and hunt for smaller prey," Aleena details. "I''m sure you''ve seen a few of them, but I don''t know how many there are. But they are still fairly new, so there shouldn''t be many."


    Lyrian turns to Faylin, "that could''ve been the thing that I saw last night."


    "Anyway, let us continue on with the story." Aleena claps her hands together once and tightens them, "listen up everyone."


    She smiles, ready to tell her story.


    <hr>


    Aleena

 Chapter 7

    Aleena begins with a finger lifted, leaning forwards as elves and elf children listen together with their human guests.


    "In the beginning, there was a great king, and his name was Aranath. He was the ruler of the great forest of Thyn, and he was the first of the high kings of the elves. He was the one who united the clans of the woods, and he was the one who betrayed the gods. The gods wanted to create a perfect world, and so they created the elves, and they were perfect in their eyes, and so the gods gave the elves the gift of magic, and the gift of immortality, and the gift of beauty. But the gods had forgotten one thing, and that was free will."


    "And so, the elves rebelled, and they turned to darkness. The gods tried to destroy them, but they couldn''t, because the elves had become too powerful, as well as their leader Anarath. So the gods created the dwarves, and the humans, and they gave them the gift of the forge, and the gift of the hammer, and the gift of the axe. And they gave them the gift of strength, and the gift of courage."


    Aleena glances at Faylin who is listening but she can easily assume her disinterest. She turns her head to the crowd anyway, continuing on.


    "The humans and dwarves would go to war with us elves with their new weapons upon the forge. Humans would chop our forests down for resources, and dwarves dug under us like gofers smashing rock and stone. Once the forest was all chopped down and the ground sunk from under like a large quarry, we have had our land taken away."


    Lyrian sits in amazement and nudges Faylin, "wow, these are good stories, right?"


    Faylin rolls her eyes, "I''ve heard enough of these." She looks to the side among the grass, not amused.


    Aleena leans forward, and looks at Lyrian, "do you know what happened next?"


    "The story of Kaelen? The elven beggar who begged to the gods?" Lyrian tells Aleena.


    "Very good. Are you a scribe, mage?" Aleena laughs.


    "An archivist of sorts, but not by occupation. I''ve read many stories in my lifetime," Lyrian smiles. "I''ve always loved the story of Kaelen. It''s one of my favorites."


    Aleena nods, and continues to the children.


    "Kaelen, the elven beggar, begged to the gods for help. He promised to make things right by repentance, worship and prayer to them. The gods were moved by his plight, and so they took pity on him, and gave him a gift. The gift was a magical staff, and with this magical staff, he could make his dreams come true and wish for anything he wanted. So he did, and he went to the great forest of Thyn, which was just but a quarry at this time."


    Faylin closes her eyes.


    "The heart of the forest still remained within the roots. Kaelen planted his wooden staff, and the forest began to grow, and it was like no forest had ever grown before, and it was the most beautiful forest that had ever been seen."


    "Kaelen became the next king of the high forest, and he was the first of the high kings of the elves. And Anarath was banished with dark black skin and ugly features, and he became the first of the dark elves. And from that day forth, the elves were no longer the perfect race, but the imperfect race. The gods were no longer their masters, but their creators, and the elves could no longer rely on the gods for their happiness and their well-being, but only themselves, and each other. This created the wood elves, a reminder of our individuality and willing to treat all our brothers and sisters as equals."


    Aleena looks to the children and back to Faylin, "do you know the moral of the story?"


    Faylin''s eyes open slowly and turns to Aleena, noticing her gaze. "Oh, me?" she asks.


    "Yes, you," Aleena replies with a slight wrinkle in her brows.


    "I don''t Aleena," Faylin shakes her head.


    Aleena turns to the children and Lyrian who are listening better than Faylin is, "it is to not let greed take over your mind and be grateful to what you have. To cherish nature, family, friends, and love. And to always respect the world around you, no matter what the cost. Anarath had power and abused it and so the gods created humans and dwarves to strike at Aranath''s ego. A reflection of himself. He couldn''t appreciate anything he had, he just used all he could. The high elves and their ego, branched out to be the dark elves we know today. And we wood elves took our forest back and found a place back with the high elves. And the god of love, teaches us to still love our dark elves as brothers and sisters, even though they were cursed and betrayed our beloved gods and goddesses."


    Lyrian claps and the elven children join. Faylin sits in silence, thinking about the story. Aleena smiles at the children and they disperse and head off to play.


    "That was beautiful Aleena," Lyrian says.


    "Thank you," Aleena smiles. "I hope to tell many more stories in my life."


    Aleena notices the chirping birds, but her ear flickers to a howling owl. Lyrian, who is next to her, hears it too. The deep fluting note is perfect for the wild. Cheerful at the forest''s sounds and beauty, he is smiling at the note, and listening to the stuttering chirps of the owl.


    "What''s an owl doing up in the day? Looks like someone''s an early bird," he smirks.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Aleena is not amused, she knows that there is something off, "that''s not a owl..." Her eyes widen as howling and chirps get louder. She gets a frightening feeling creeping inside as she knows what it could be because she has never heard of a high pitched chirping owl reverberating in the distance.


    Faylin examines the bushes nearby as she hears a small growl slowly deepen. Her eyes widen and her face goes pale.


    Curiosity gets the better of her and she makes her way the bush. Growling is getting louder. She reaches out, ready to pull back a branch of shrubs.


    "Faylin no!" Aleena yells out.


    It leaps out in a pounce on top of her, latching Faylin''s arm with an incredible bite force. A green dragon takes on the size of her own height. Two crests are on its head, and it signifies an unknown species of dragon, but there are no wings to be found.


    It growls deeply like a dragon, but chirps in a threatening manner at her over it''s locking mouth.


    Faylin yelps in pain and the dragon chews for better a grip of bite. The dragon''s teeth are sinking into her flesh and it begins to pull. Claws flail at her, and are shredding her armor to tattered leather. Faylin''s face turns red in pain and anger. Yet an arrow strikes at it''s head, letting it go limp and fall off of Faylin''s arm.


    Aleena aims her bow. "Hunters!" She commands as elven hunters scatter when more multi-crest heads dash out of the sides of the camp with swift speed. They run on two legs and turn their heads like birds to target a prey. They are small, and quick. And claws are fierce. The elves draw their bows and fire arrows at the beasts, but they are too quick.


    They have their prey targeted on Faylin, Lyrian, and Aleena. A swarm of bird and dragon hybrids chirp, run, and howl.


    Aleena is able to hit one of them with an arrow, but the others are too fast. They dash, passing her by. Each run flocks her radius.


    Faylin, despite her wound, gets out her hammer with her other arm and smashes one in the face as one gets close.


    Aleena glances at Faylin but keeps her eyes on the creatures, "good going human. You startled them."


    "I''m not a damn animal hugger, elf," Faylin insults.


    Aleena wrinkles her brows with a threatening intent, "don''t make me prick your skull." She fires another arrow in Faylin''s direction. Faylin, with wide eyes, reacts out of the way of the arrow and hits one of the creatures behind her, killing it.


    "Gee, Thanks," Faylin says sarcastically, and the two of them glare at each other.


    Lyrian stands in the back and uses his green geomancy magic. He lifts rocks and hurls it at a creature as it lunges at him. It hits and Lyrian dodges it.


    More of these small dragon-like creatures dash out of the sides of the camp and surround the trio. Aleena and Faylin are able to kill a few, but they''re outnumbered. They''re surrounded by the chittering beasts.


    "What are these creatures?" Lyrian asks, levitating a rock above his hand. Using his magic, the boulder hurls at the creatures. The rock flies through the air and hits one of the beasts in the side, sending it back.


    Aleena turns to Lyrian, "I told you. Flightless dragons. They have unique abilities." She draws her bow and pulls the string for another shot, hitting another in a swarm coming. "Everyone into the trees!" Aleena commands.


    The elves run to the trees, and they begin to climb up. Faylin and Lyrian follow them, and they scale up the long trunks. The creatures follow them, and stop at the bottom of the tall wood.


    Faylin and Lyrian are struggling to climb as most of the elves are already positioned and firing arrows. Faylin looks down and sees the swarm of creatures clawing at the bark below her. "I can''t climb as good as you guys," she tells Lyrian who is above her.


    "Just keep going," Lyrian tells her, seeming to be slowly making it with one branch at a time.


    Faylin slips a little and the scaly creature bites and nips at her legs with a low twittering hum, "Lyrian help!"


    "Foolish humans," Aleena mutters as she tries to provide cover for Faylin, hitting the closest one that nips at her.


    Lyrian looks down and sees that the creatures are starting to nip at Faylin''s legs, he tries to use his geomancy to create a wall, but the ground is too far away. He sticks to the bark and he can''t get a good grip of magic.


    Aleena shoots an arrow and kills one of the creatures that''s nipping at her again, "climb up stupid human! Use the branches!"


    Faylin struggles and finally makes her way up with determination of survival, and follows Lyrian. They''re at a higher altitude, and the creatures are not able to climb as high. Faylin and Lyrian continue to climb, and they get to a safe height. Aleena jots arrows a long the tree for Faylin to easily grab.


    The hunters in the trees have been firing arrows for some time, killing the creatures, one by one. Creatures start to fall back to the ground, and it takes a minute to drop each one. They eventually give up on their prey who are too far away now, and they retreat back into the forest. Each two crested carnivore hops back into the bushes and behind trunks of trees, slipping their lizard tail in behind them.


    Aleena jumps off with all the other elves and gracefully fall to their feet. She walks up to the creatures and examines them. "These ones have a quick reaction time and very agile," she says. "They hunt with their packs and their speed. I''ve heard them described like a mix of birds and reptiles." She turns to Faylin and Lyrian, "you two need to be more careful." Aleena looks to Faylin''s arm and then her leg. "You''re wounded, come with me to the healer''s hut."


    Faylin holds her arm, and looks at the wound on her arm, leg, and body, and the blood dripping down. "It hurts like hell," Faylin groans while laying on a piece of a giant leaf.


    They are in the healers hut, another large wagon on wheels. Medicines and herbs layout the walls. It''s crammed, but cozy, smelling of a fresh mint aroma inside.


    Lyrian looks to the bite mark, "that looks like a nasty one."


    Aleena looks at the wound, and she glares at Faylin, "that was a stupid move on your part. Reaching out like that."


    The healer elf works on her wounds in the traveling wagon. She applies liquids and bandages.


    Lyrian turns to Aleena, "hey, in her defense, she really didn''t know any better. She didn''t know what was behind that bush."


    Aleena shakes her head and looks at the bite wound, "it could have been much worse." She looks to Faylin, stern in her eyes, "you got lucky, human."


    Lyrian nods, "at least the healer''s fixing her up."


    "Yeah, she''ll be fine, but she needs to rest," the healer elf adds. "She needs to stay here for the night."


    Aleena nods and tells Faylin, "you''re not leaving this hut until morning, and you''re not going to argue with us about it." Faylin looks at her and nods with an innocent face.


    Aleena and Lyrian head outside. "Look, you two wouldn''t last a day in the forest or the caves of Limerock," Aleena sighs. "I''ve been meaning to find information on these creatures anyway."


    Lyrian smiles, "so, you''re saying you''ll come with us?"


    "Yes, I''ll join you two in your adventure," she replies. "Maybe Limerock will have some sort of library or something. I need to identify what they are and where they came from."


    Lyrian says, "I can help with that, I''m an archivist, remember?"


    Aleena smiles yet her brows are still narrow, "I''ll keep that in mind, mage."


    Lyrian glances to the hut, "I''m going to go back inside to check on Faylin."


    <hr>


    Dilophosaurus

 Chapter 8

    The next day Faylin wakes up to the morning sun. Her arm is wrapped in a bandage and her leg is also bandaged. She limps out of the hut to see Lyrian and Aleena chatting.


    "How are you doing Fay?" Lyrian asks as she goes to meet with them.


    "I''m fine," Faylin replies.


    "Are you sure?" Aleena asks, looking to her arm. "You don''t look so good, human. We should stay for another day."


    "No, I''m fine," Faylin replies trying to convince her of her determination, "I just want to get to Limerock and find ore. I''ve wasted so much time already."


    "You have all the time in the world human," Aleena corrects with her usual stern face.


    "No you don''t get it elf! I have to make weapons and armor for about twenty armed soldiers for a noble that I know in the Avesian Empire, by the end of the month. Or they''ll take my house away, and we''ll become homeless on the streets." Faylin explains, her voice shakes. "I don''t have time to waste, so let''s go."


    "Fine, but we''ll go slow. We''ll stop at nightfall," Aleena replies, "it''s for your own safety."


    Faylin rolls her eyes and walks away.


    "Don''t be like that," Lyrian tells her, "we just want you to be safe."


    "I can fight!" Faylin argues as she flails her arms in frustration, "that thing just caught me off guard. I''m a warrior not a rogue!"


    Lyrian looks at her, "you''re hurt. I don''t want to see you hurt worse. Let''s just go slow and get to Limerock."


    "No! I''m in charge of this business so I''m leading the way," Faylin argues. "And I say we don''t need to stop, we''re going to get there fast. If not for my sake, for my mother''s sake," she pleads. "Please, I need to get to the mines. I need the ore to craft and sell, to make money, to keep a roof over my mom''s head, and my own head."


    Lyrian frowns, "okay."


    "You humans and your need for material possessions," Aleena scoffs with disgust, holding her chin up at Faylin.


    "Excuse me, but I don''t recall you having a mother who''s paralyzed from the bottom back and up! Who can''t even walk or take care of herself!" Faylin points a finger at Aleena''s chest in anger. They are both in each other''s faces, ready to blow. Faylin continues with fiery heat, "Do you think I''m doing this just because I''m a greedy human!?"


    "You have no right to speak to me like that, human!" Aleena points, and her eyes are narrowing, but more self aware.


    Faylin growls and faces away from her, "I have every right to speak to you however I please, elf!"


    Aleena glares at her. Lyrian steps in between the two, "Stop! Please! I''ve had enough of this."


    "Stay out of this, mage," Faylin says, turning to him. "This elf is nothing but an uppity, stuck up, self-righteous jerk who thinks she''s better than us."


    "I''m a wood elf, and you''re a human. Of course, I''m better than your elephant ears! I should''ve let you rot with these creatures," Aleena says closing her eyes in disappointment.


    "Really? Well, you''re an arrogant bitch. That makes you perfect doesn''t it!" Faylin raises her voice to a yell up the last word.


    Lyrian stomps the earth beneath him and causes a swift quake, "Enough!"


    Faylin and Aleena turn to him in shock and anger. "You will not argue like this in front of me or anyone else! We''re all in this together! So just stop!" Lyrian orders. "Now, we''re going to get to Limerock, and we''re going to find the ore we need, and Aleena can get her information and then we''re going home, and that''s it."


    Faylin and Aleena look away from each other. "Fine," Faylin says. "Let''s just go."


    Aleena follows, "I can''t believe I''m about to travel with this hoarding scrooge."


    Lyrian follows third with his hand held to his face.


    <hr>


    The three of them are walking awkwardly after the argument down the dirt road of forest. Lyrian walks next to Faylin in slight anger, "Faylin. Don''t ever call me mage again. I''m your best friend. I''m not a mage, I''m not an elf, I''m not a dwarf, I''m not a human. I''m not even a man or a woman. I''m a person." He lectures.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it. It''s just..." She looks at Aleena who is walking behind and can never seem to wipe off those mean nature green eyes.


    "You need to apologize to her," Lyrian tells her.


    "She''s the one who should be apologizing," Faylin argues.


    Lyrian rolls his eyes in disappointment, "then just forget it ever happened Fay. We''re in this together."


    Faylin nods in slight sadness but she sticks to her decision, and they continue walking. Although the walk is emotionally unpleasant, they manage to calm in silence, after focusing on their destination.


    Some time passes. They''re in a clearing. Forestry starts to dissipate as trees grow smaller and more spread apart. Grass is getting shorter and the sky is more visible. They''re nearing the valley of Limerock.


    "We''re almost there," Faylin says, looking to the blue sky with minimal clouds. "We''ll get there before nightfall."


    The three of them walk in silence, and they approach an arid orange desert valley getting cooler from the coast. Faylin looks around, and she sees a few rocks, boulders, and some short grass patches. Plants aren''t present as much as the orange rock hills and cliffs. A lot of plant life is dead. Lizards scurry across the dirt.


    Aleena stops them at a small town on the edge of the valley, "this is Limerock Village. We should rest here before we venture to the mines."


    Faylin looks at the town with an arch above them and a dangling sign reading, ''Limerock.''


    Houses are made of stone, and the roofs are thatch. Small fog runs above the town from long chimneys, with a bridge over the stream. They rattle the dirt with each step. A small windmill grinds it''s wood on the side of one of the buildings. There are a few shops, and a few houses that they take notice of, and only a few people outside.


    Aleena walks through the old dusty town with her back straight and her eyes alert, ready for danger at any moment. Faylin walks with a slight limp from the bandages around her arm and leg, and the tiredness of walking all the way. Lyrian walks in between them with a slight smile on his face, happy to be off the road.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    People look up at them as they walk by, curious about the newcomers in their little village.


    Aleena approaches a small house and opens the creaking door. The wooden sign hangs above reading ''The Dancing Donkey.


    She leads the two into the tavern, and they''re immediately greeted by the innkeeper, a dwarf. "Welcome travelers," he says. "What can I get you?"


    "We need a room for three," Faylin says, handing him some coins.


    "Three? I''ll give you two for that price." The innkeeper nods, and he hands Faylin two room keys. "Enjoy your stay."


    They walk up the stairs, and Aleena turns to them. "I''m a light sleeper, so I''ll take the room at the end of the hall. That way, if something happens I''ll wake up and come to your aid."


    "Me and Fay will take this room. That''ll work," Lyrian says, and Faylin agrees. Aleena takes her key, opens the door, and heads to her room. Lyrian and Faylin head to their room. Inside is a bed, a dresser, a table, and a window. A very small room.


    Lyrian blushes slightly, "damn, only one bed?"


    "Yeah. But it''s big enough for both of us," Faylin says with a nervous chuckle.


    "Right," Lyrian puts his bag down. "Let''s get some rest."


    "Want to come with me for dinner and information? I''m sure the innkeeper must know something about this place," Faylin asks.


    Lyrian smiles, and they head to the tavern downstairs. The innkeeper is cleaning up, and he turns to them. "Ah, you''re the two who are staying in the room." He says, and he walks over to them. "What can I do for you?"


    "We''re looking for a mine to dig ore and gemstones. We''re hoping that you know where some are and what we''ll find," Faylin asks.


    "Nope. The mine is closed to all people and outsiders of Limerock Valley," The innkeeper says, his beard covering his mouth. "It''s closed off to the public."


    "Closed off to the public? That''s absurd," Lyrian argues.


    "Are you serious? We came all this way from Acrine and fought a bunch of bird-lizards in an elven camp ground," she complains with a clenching fist on the bar table.


    "Well, I''m sure you can still get in, but I don''t think it''s a good idea. Unless you''re some kind of bounty hunter or mercenary looking for work, the job for the mine is posted outside," the dwarf explains while shining a cup with a rag in hand. "I''d be careful if I were you. You might end up dead if you go there. Or worse."


    "What happened?" Faylin grows curious.


    "There''s a dragon down there. It''s been causing a lot of trouble. It''s been killing miners and people alike. And the king doesn''t want to send his army to deal with it. He wants to use his personal bounty hunters."


    "I see," Lyrian says.


    Faylin nods, "we''ll take it. If it''ll earn us coin then all the better as we mine for ore." Faylin can only think about the ore she''ll collect, feeling desperate to finally get back to work. "Do you know a dwarf named Gimrik? Moved to Acrine, and knows a couple of people here?"


    "Gimrik? I think he used to be a miner here, no? I''m not sure who might''ve known him better than I. Most of the dwarves are either dead in the mine or have ran off back to their kingdoms underground. This place is being slowly abandoned because of that beast."


    Faylin sighs, "alright thank you."


    "Good luck," the innkeeper says, "you''ll need it."


    Faylin and Lyrian nod, and they head back to their rooms. "I hope Aleena can help us," Faylin says.


    Lyrian nods, "I hope so too. She seems like she can take care of herself."


    "Thanks, that makes me feel better," Faylin says with a nervous itch of what they might face.


    <hr>


    The next day arrives and the sun is shining through the window of the room. Faylin is already up and dressed in her usual armored leather attire. Lyrian is still in bed, his hair a mess. Faylin watches him on the small bed and nudges him with her foot. "Lyrian wake up!" She yells and pushes with her boot. "We''ve got to get to the mines."


    Lyrian groans and rolls over and falls to the floor. "Alright, alright, I''m awake."


    Faylin smirks from above him with a chuckle, "are you okay?"


    "Yeah, just tired," Lyrian yawns.


    "Well, get up and get dressed. We''ve got a lot of work to do."


    Lyrian stands up and stretches. "Okay, okay." He goes to his dresser and pulls out a pair of pants and a shirt.


    They arrive down stairs and Aleena is there eating a couple of berries for breakfast. She''s wearing her leather armor and her bow is on her back. "Ready to go?" Faylin asks Aleena. "We should be getting to the mines before noon."


    "Negative. I''m headed to the library," Aleena replies popping a berry into her mouth. "I''m hoping I can find some information on the flightless dragons that are plaguing the forest and this valley."


    "We need to get to the mines and kill the dragon," Faylin says. "If I can get paid for the kill and get ore while I''m at it, we can head home and I can start making weapons again."


    Aleena sneers at Faylin, "I''m not going to argue over your greed again. You can either come with me to the library and then I''ll help you kill your dragon, which is probably flightless." She stands up crossing her arms. She points out at her with a slow grudge, "or, you can go alone and risk your life."


    "Where do you think you''ll find information at a small town like this?" she questions.


    "Have you not noticed that this desert is home to many prehistoric bones and archeology?" she argues. "There are mines, and dig sites for quarries and bones stuck inside sediment rock. We''ll find lots of information here. Now what is your choice? Are you to go alone to face your death and come to the realization that you''re a worthless human?"


    Faylin turns her head to the side and growls, "fine!"


    "Great. Let''s go to the library," Aleena whips her long blonde hair and leads the way out the door. "We can get some information on the dragons."


    The library is small and the walls are stone. There is a small wooden door in the front, and a small cracked window. They barge inside the dust filled library, and there is a small fireplace in the corner. Bookshelves lean against the wall.


    Aleena asks Lyrian in a calm yet noble tone, "archivist, can you find anything?"


    Lyrian nods and begins looking through the books on the shelves. He pulls out a few and sets them on the table, all having to do with dragons.


    He reads through the pages, sitting on a uneven wooden chair, "dragons, wyvern, drakes, wurms. They all seem to be able to fly, or have limited flight, but there are no drawings or anything." Lyrian says. "I don''t know how to identify what kind of creature we''re dealing with. I''m sorry, I need more information."


    "These things are supposed to be extinct. Try the origin of the dragons," Aleena says.


    Faylin is pacing the room and Lyrian is reading the pages of the books. "The origin of dragons? Well, there are a few theories, but most of them seem to be based in folklore. One says that dragons were created by the gods to be guardians of the world."


    Lyrian pulls out another book and reads the title, "Dragons of Myth and Legend, by Dr. Gromley. Here''s one by an alchemist."


    "Alchemist?" Aleena asks.


    "Someone who practices magic using potions and elixirs. They are usually called mages, but this one seems to be more of a scientist than a mage," Lyrian explains.


    "What does it say?" Faylin is disinterested. She is sitting at a chair and placing her cheek on her fist in boredom.


    Lyrian flips through a few pages. "Let''s see here," he reads, "Dragons were not created as told in the religious stories told by monks and priests but as an evolution." He reads more of the passage, "Dragons were not originally meant to fly, as they were originally meant to swim, like a fish in the sea, or crawl on land, like a snake. However, as dragons evolved, their bodies changed, and they gained the ability to fly, but at a cost. Dragons like hydras were meant to swim in the sea, and they became wyverns, the ones that were meant to crawl on land. A family of dragon but of a different species."


    "No, close. Try reading ahead," Aleena says dismissing with a wave.


    Lyrian flips the pages and stops on a page titled "In prehistoric times, dragons never had wings, or breathed fire."


    "There! Keep reading."


    Lyrian clears his throat. "In prehistoric times, dragons never had wings or fire breathing abilities. These creatures once dominated the lands before any human, dwarf, elf or any sign of intelligent life. These wingless dragons are called dinosaurs," Lyrian continues. "These creatures lived, hunted, and thrived. There were carnivores and herbivores of these species. Some were even as small as a house cat."


    "Keep going," Aleena commands. Lyrian turns the page.


    "These dinosaurs were wiped off the face of the world by a meteorite strike event that led to the extinction of all these beasts, and then came the new mammals and reptilians, which eventually led to the dragons we know and love today." Lyrian flips through more pages, "Look, here''s all the types of Dinosaurs."


    Lyrian points to a page as Aleena peeks from behind, "There''s the one that attacked your clan. They''re called dilophosaurus. They hunt in packs, they''re fast, and small." Lyrian turns the page, "Oh, and that one is called a tyrannosaurus rex. Look at those teeth, and those jaws. It''s chunky. It must have been terrifying to come face to face with." Lyrian peers at the small picture.


    "What about the dragon in the mine?" Faylin whines, "we''re on a limited time schedule."


    "I''m not sure, no one knows what it looks like. But it''s gotta be flightless."


    Aleena closes the book in Lyrian''s hands, "let''s take the book. We can identify it when we see it."


    "Sounds good to me. Fay, are you ready?" Lyrian asks, putting the book in his bag.


    "Oh my gods, I''ve been ready," Faylin says, rushing out the door. Aleena and Lyrian follow her.


    <hr>

 Chapter 9

    The mine is large, with a wide opening in the mountain side. Ground floor is rocky and uneven. The sky is blue, and there is a gentle breeze blowing through the dust.


    The mine entrance is empty and desolate. Walls are rough, with the stone unevenly stacked. The ground is a rocky orange, with loose gravel scattered around the entrance. Air echos off the stone walls and ceilings.


    Lyrian examines the area and there are no tools, or mining equipment visible in the entrance. Faylin faces the inside and feels the slight breeze blowing from deeper inside the mine, cool and damp. She notices the small abandoned building in the entrance, and there''s no answer from her knocking.


    "No one''s here," Aleena says, facing the mine entrance and left behind scaffolding.


    "Well, of course there''s no one here. They were all eaten by the dinosaur," Faylin says, entering the mine.


    Aleena rolls her eyes, "that''s not funny human."


    "I''m not joking," Faylin says stopping her tracks. "I''m serious. I''m going to kill this dragon, and we''re going to mine this cave. I need the coin, and I''m tired of your wet smelly dog arse. You can stay out here if you''re too chicken to fight a dinosaur."


    "You''ve got guts to talk like that to an elf. Especially one like me," Aleena snickers. "You better learn to watch that mouth or someone is going to take a fist to it one day. Human scum."


    "Come on, guys," Lyrian tries to say calmly. "Let''s just get this job done and get out of here."


    Faylin, Lyrian and Aleena enter the mine. The cave is dark and cold, but lit dimly with torches. It''s quite ominous. Although Faylin''s determination is written with her walking ahead. She''s ready to get back to work.


    The three walk into a cavern with Limestone stalagmites and stalactites growing from the ground and ceiling. Faylin lights her lantern with the scorch of a match and glances around the dim cave getting darker.


    "I see tracks, human," Aleena says looking to the dusty ground. Faylin turns and gives a glare, but Aleena goes on. "If I can find it, it''ll be easy to take down. Unlike what happened to the hunters back home," she says, her eyebrow raising at the snide hint of the last few words.


    "Stop bringing that up. I told you it came out of nowhere," Faylin scorn. "They attacked my arm. How was I supposed to defend myself?"


    Sounds of a low horn grabs everyone''s attention. From low to resonant, it is a simplistic dinosaur call, wailing it''s voice. All the hair on Aleena''s arms stand at the ambience. "It''s nearby," she whispers. Faylin draws her hammer. Lyrian lifts his hand in defense and Aleena draws her bow. They move slowly through the cave, Faylin and Lyrian moving as Aleena stays on alert.


    "It''s close," Faylin says, holding up the lantern.


    The group moves into a large cavern where mine cart highways are interconnecting. And right at the entrance, is where a large dinosaur is laying. It''s huge and it seems to be sleeping. It''s back is fully armored like layers of studded leather as hard skin, and has bludgeoning mace-like tail. It''s almost fully armored besides the belly and underneck. The dinosaur is on four legs, but curled up in a slumber.


    Around the dinosaur, is a couple of dead bodies, one of a human and two dwarves. Wounds give it away that they have been beaten to death trying to fight it, but have also been bitten.


    Aleena looks at it in amazement, but keeps an arrow ready. "Amazing..."


    Lyrian flips through the pages of the book. "It''s called an ankylosaurus!" he whispers to them.


    "Great now let''s slay it," Faylin says impatiently.


    "It''s armor is very strong. Even a black dragon''s breath won''t pierce that armor. But look, you two can see right under that armor is it''s belly and it''s soft." Lyrian explains. Faylin looks closely, examining the armor, "you mean a precise blow?"


    The ankylosaur inhales deeply, frightening everyone. Faylin almost falls over from her knees shaking in surprise and fear. She tries to regain her footing and her grip on her hammer.


    "We don''t want to wake it," Aleena whispers.


    "Y-yeah, you can say that again," she stutters.


    The ankylosaur rolls to the side and exhales with a slight lazy grunt.


    "It''s strong armor makes it slow, but that thing looks strong. It''s a herbivore," Lyrian explains. "It only eats plants."


    "Preposterous, why is it eating humans and dwarves?" Aleena questions, noticing the bodies around it.


    "I''m sensing magic Aleena," Lyrian adds. "Someone must''ve enchanted the dinosaur into attacking the people."


    "What are you talking about?" Aleena says.


    Lyrian whispers, "there''s some sort of enchantment, a magical energy coming from that thing. It might''ve come from it''s food. It must be from whoever''s been feeding this thing." Lyrian closes the book.


    Aleena furrows her brows in uncertainty about the situation. She turns to Lyrian and keeps her voice quiet, "Are you saying that someone is feeding it and is making it kill the miners? Someone is actually behind this?"


    "I think that might be a possibility, your necromancer maybe?" Lyrian replies. "Let''s just try and focus on killing it for now. Then we can worry about who''s responsible."


    Aleena hesitates knowing her dilemma of killing harmless animals. Her memories suggest of how she was treated once and can''t bare to do the same to another. She knows the barbaric costs of nature and what it will do. Aleena bites her lip and she is shaking, "wait! Can you dispell this magic?" She stops Lyrian from getting closer to the beast.


    "I-I can''t, I don''t know how," Lyrian answers. "My powers only allow me to detect and manipulate rock, I don''t have the ability or power to dispell the magic."


    "So we don''t know if it is even evil or not?" She looks at the beast in sympathetic horror. Aleena gulps, "it has no reason to be here in the mines, and the necromancer can control any dead or living being as a puppet." Aleena faces the two, "we have to find another mage to help it."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Wait! What?" Faylin stops and raises her voice. "We don''t have time to leave! What about my weapons for the Avesian army! What if this creature kills another innocent person!" Faylin snarls, "It has no control, we must stop it!" She starts walking to the ankylosaur to kill it, "if there''s magic involved, that mage isn''t here anyway!"


    Aleena grabs and yanks her arm and has pulled her hammer away from the creature. "Don''t be such a fool Faylin!" Aleena scolds, "if you''re willing to hurt this animal you''re no different from the corrupt nobles or even this necromancer."


    Lyrian gets closer to the two flipping more pages in the book, "Aleena, this animal is supposed to be extinct and-"


    "Quiet human!" Aleena turns her head.


    Faylin pushes Aleena away from her, and holds her hammer to her chest. She growls in Aleena''s face, but Aleena just glares, "I won''t hesitate. Don''t get in my way, Aleena. I''m tired of these dinosaurs killing innocent people! Human or not. We can''t afford to let them keep hurting others just because of the stupid ideals you have."


    "This is murder! Have some respect! It''s under a spell!" Aleena continues.


    Faylin yells back, "it''s an animal! Not a human! Not an elf! An animal! And you know it, so don''t act like you don''t know!"


    Aleena draws her bow and nocks back an arrow at Faylin in anger. "I don''t kill innocent beings. They deserve life as much as you, me or anyone! Now back down human!"


    "Put that arrow down or I''ll shove my hammer so far down your throat it will come out your arse," Faylin threatens Aleena and focuses back to the sleeping ankylosaur.


    Aleena pulls the arrow farther back. "You put your weapon down or you''re dead you greedy wretch," Aleena shouts.


    Faylin jumps, coming down and smashing her hammer down across the face as it honks in pain. The armor of the beast has a crack. Faylin prepares another swing and a sudden rock hard tail wacks her across. She has been smashed against the wall of the cavern with another swipe. Faylin is yelling in pain, and is holding her bleeding head.


    Aleena stays frozen in shock but Lyrian moves passed her and starts using the earth and rocks around the cave to rise from the earth and smash against the armored beast.


    Aleena puts down her bow and stays silent, starting to cry but Lyrian and Faylin ignore her. She just stays in place and watches, trying not to watch the horror unfold.


    The beast hobbles towards Faylin who is down on the ground and unable to stand up. Lyrian runs over and tries to stop the ankylosaur. As he rises the rocks around the ankylosaur, he crushes the beast in rolling boulders. It honks it''s horned voice like a cow, and it''s strength is enough to escape the rock.


    Faylin lays still and the beast is on top of her, a grimy foot on her leg. However, she manages to still move her arms and is pounding the beast along the face with her war hammer. She struggles but Lyrian gets back behind the dinosaur and crushes the tail under heavy weight.


    The beast is immersed in dirt clouds as Aleena watches and rolls tears down her cheeks, "please! It didn''t want to hurt us! Stop this now please! It can''t help it!" She covers her pointy ears and closes her eyes tightly, but she still can hear the horror happening.


    It roars in a low funneling wail at the pain and feels helpless knowing it can''t move it''s tail. The cave begins to shake upon Lyrian. Lyrian has it''s tail trapped with large rocks and immobile, giving Faylin a chance to escape it''s heavy weight.


    Faylin stumbles back, but regains her balance and starts a flurry of swings at the face, cracking the armor, crushing bone, more and more with each hit.


    "You don''t know the agony this animal had!" Aleena cries, "this wasn''t even its original environment and it''s forced to survive!" Aleena shouts, crying.


    "Stay out of the way Aleena, I almost got it," Faylin yells through the chaos, swinging more and breaking skin off it''s face as it loses life. It''s about ready to pass out into a coma.


    Aleena is angry at her response. Her head is down, yet her eyes are clearly focused. She feels left out from the fact that no one has considered her values. Faylin and Lyrian are at an advantage, and they will kill this dinosaur at this point. She nocks back an arrow and launches it in the back of Faylin''s shoulder blade.


    Faylin shouts in pain, the arrow hitting deep in the blade. She winces and grabs her shoulder in pain. Blood oozes down her leather armor, and she stumbles back again in the rocks and falls.


    Lyrian is in the back, still holding the rock on the trapped ankylosaur.


    Aleena widens her eyes to Faylin and flares her nostrils in a string of breaths over gritted teeth, "you should be ashamed, these dinosaurs were living in their environment, doing no harm to you or I and then the necromancer comes along and poisons them, turning them from harmless dinosaurs to vicious and feral creatures. It wasn''t his fault! You never understood nature like I have! If I have to kill you humans to protect my home then so be it." She readies her bow for another arrow at Faylin. Faylin jaw drops in horror.


    Lyrian in panic, has seen Faylin fall down, and his fear for her is getting to him. He knows he can''t let the ankylosaur escape. "Damn it!" Lyrian lifts the boulder up and bashes the rock on the ceiling cave, collapsing the cave to kill the creature.


    Lyrian runs and quickly picks up Faylin, dodging the crushing rocks around. All three of them run with rocks falling apart behind them. Rocks drop through plummeting mine cart highways and scaffolding. Crashes of raining rocks shatter at the floor around Lyrian who is trying to keep Faylin safe. Aleena is behind him, jumping over rock and explosions of descending debris.


    The avalanche is consuming the creature as it follows slowly with it''s short stubby legs, and the group sprints to the entrance.


    Dust closes the cave and rocks settle to the ground, rolling off each other. The crashing is getting quieter and the cave-in is still.


    The group stands in front of the mine entrance, panting heavily as they watch the cave in settle. Aleena falls to the floor on her hands and knees. She weeps with her hands over her face. Lyrian sighs and sets Faylin down, who holds her wound, whimpering in pain.


    "Faylin I''ll get a cleric to heal this," Lyrian says.


    Faylin nods, "it''s not too bad, I can barely feel it."


    Aleena looks back to the mine and frowns. She walks back over to the cave in, and she just stands, her head hanging down in sorrow. "It''s all over now. That animal is dead."


    Faylin, who has a deep wound, glares at the elf. "It deserved that," Faylin hisses. "I don''t regret it."


    "But, if the animal wasn''t enchanted by some mage, it probably didn''t do anything to harm anyone!" Aleena cries. "It was you who disturbed it, like the typical barbaric human you are!"


    "Animals kill other animals, they hunt and eat other living things," Faylin tries to argue back, but stumbles while Lyrian catches her.


    "And now that creature will never get to see another sunrise," Aleena says in a low tone over choking her words. "Intelligent beings like us are supposed to care, not cause harm. You''ve learned nothing Faylin."


    "You''re in no place to judge, you almost killed me for the gods'' sake!"


    "And you deserved every lost drop of blood from that arrow, you murderous, disgusting..." Aleena growls and walks closer, "cruel...horrible...evil...human, trash!"


    Lyrian stops Aleena from getting closer to Faylin with a hand at her chest.


    "You''re sick! All of you! I''ll be leaving Limerock as fast as possible to return back home to my people. I''ll deal with this necromancer alone. It seems I cannot trust humans after all, as long as they are ignorant and selfish, I don''t think you''ve earned the title intelligent," Aleena hisses at the wounded Faylin.


    Aleena turns to Lyrian, "and you, the real killer of that innocent creature!" Aleena continues to threaten him, almost hyperventilating from the shock, "you will suffer just like her!" She snatches the book of ancient dinosaurs from his side.


    "If you want to call yourself a man, you better leave her before it''s too late," Aleena says walking away.


    "Aleena no!" Lyrian turns her around with his hands on her shoulders. "That creature is supposed to be extinct. This creature is changing your environment to a point where it is making other species of animals and plants that live now, extinct."


    Aleena listens with tears forming in her green eyes, "what do you mean?"


    "Did you let me talk before? No! You told me to be quiet while you call Faylin human trash. I was trying to to tell you this, it''s messing with our current evolution. So it doesn''t matter if it''s a herbivore, it doesn''t matter if it is just minding it''s own business. It''s, not, supposed, to, be, here!" Lyrian raises his voice getting in her face. "If you''re any kind of woman, you''d listen for once," he snaps back, and she''s stunned from the comment.


    She pulls the book under her arm. Aleena stares into his green eyes, tears streaming from her face. Her face turns from sad, to clenching her fists, then to sadness again as she releases her hands. She pushes past Lyrian and stomps her way back to town.


    "Wait!" Lyrian shouts to Aleena who''s in the distance, but it''s too late.


    <hr>


    Ankylosaurus

 Chapter 10

    The town healer is over in their room at the tavern tending to Faylin''s wounds. After some hours of castings of blue auras and praying over her, her shoulder blade starts to heal completely.


    Faylin smiles and gives the cleric some gold.


    "Thanks again," Faylin says, smiling.


    Faylin is laying in bed as the cleric finishes with one more prayer for her, "no problem, stay safe, young one. May the gods watch over you."


    Lyrian smiles and the cleric leaves. He shuts the door and sits on the bed where Faylin is lying down. "Well, we didn''t get any ore, and the cave is collapsed. But we did get about 800 gold from the reward for the job."


    Faylin sighs in relief, "600 of it will pay for the mortgage and a roof over mother''s head. But not the noble who''s after me."


    Lyrian hands 600 gold pieces to Faylin. "You keep the rest, you''ve earned it," Faylin says with grace.


    Lyrian smiles, "it''s ours then." He pockets the coin. "You okay about everything with Aleena? If that''s a loaded question, I''ll forget about it. I''m sorry," Lyrian apologizes.


    "She almost killed me." Faylin laughs, "yeah, no! We were at a fight with a large dinosaur and she just went and nocked that bow at me."


    Lyrian sighs, "she''s a complicated woman, and a little crazy."


    "You think she''ll stay gone, or come back?" Faylin asks.


    "Probably leave for good after today," Lyrian sighs. "We won''t hear from her again. Even if she can help, she won''t want to anymore." He shakes his head and then lays next to her above the sheets. Faylin snuggles under the sheets but she faces and him and touches his arms through the bedding.


    "Hey," Faylin calls out. Lyrian turns his head.


    "You''re a man, Lyrian. I think so, at least," Faylin compliments with a chuckle.


    Lyrian turns pink, "you mean it?"


    "Yeah, you do lot for me." Faylin smiles and she closes her eyes to rest.


    "That''s just what friends are for," Lyrian whispers, fading out above the candles on the dresser. "Although I consider you more of family than a friend."


    "Me too." Faylin and Lyrian dwindle to sleep. Moonlight beams through the clouds and through their window.


    <hr>


    Faylin and Lyrian head out the door of the inn, with their coats on. Pouring rain bounces off their jackets and their cheeks are blasted with cold air.


    Aleena stands up where she was sitting on the floor waiting for them, "wait!" Aleena is soak and wet from the rain, her feet muddy in her sandals and her leather armor dripping wet from water. She looks like she had been outside in the storm without any jacket or rain gear.


    "What do you want?" Faylin groans in slight anger. "You tried to kill me and now you''re here."


    "I thought about what Lyrian said," Aleena pauses. "Maybe my thinking isn''t correct."


    "You mean how you''re a wood elf? Living among humans and dwarfs isn''t good enough to think that you can trust us?" Faylin says, rolling her eyes, and turns her head away from Aleena.


    "No," she steps forward. "My culture. My upbringing," Aleena replies, looking down at her muddy feet.


    Aleena continues on, "listen, Lyrian was right, these creatures are changing the environment and they''re really not supposed to be here. I know how nature works. And the only way is to, e-execute it."


    "What are you getting at, Aleena?" Faylin says, looking down at her.


    "These creatures have no right being on this world, they are monsters, so the best way to deal with them is kill them before they become too much a nuisance," Aleena says. "And I need help, as you''ve proven."


    Lyrian raises an eyebrow, "And?" He waits.


    "Will you join me in fighting them?" She pauses, and takes a big breath.


    "Let me get this straight, you''re asking us for help, even after all the crap you''ve been saying to both of us? How are we going to trust you?" Faylin asks. "Why should we trust you? You shot me in the shoulder."


    "I''m sorry! Okay? I''m sorry I''ve called you human scum, I''m sorry for shooting an arrow through your shoulder." She turns to Lyrian, "I''m sorry for the comments I made about you being a man. I''m sorry for all the arguments. I''m a wood elf, I''m used to driving humans off my land, and that sometimes includes killing them. I aimed at your shoulder, I didn''t mean to kill you, and I didn''t. It was reckless, but it was just a natural reaction of me watching humans disturb and abuse animals in their natural habitats."


    Aleena looks to the side feeling warm in her eyes, despite the cold rain and wind, "you''ve no idea how much this has been messing with my values. Elves do not kill living beings of any kind unless it''s self defense."


    Lyrian smiles and hugs the wood elf. He picks up the small fragile girl who is in shock, "thank you, Aleena, we can be friends now and we''ll help you in anyway we can to stop this." He sets her down.


    "No, I''m not your friend but I would like to be partners in this," she reassures to him but Lyrian keeps his cheerful smile over her stubborn attitude. He knows he''ll eventually win her over.


    "Alright, I''ll take that for now," he says with smugness.


    Faylin sighs, "I guess I''m sorry too. I haven''t exactly been very inviting." Faylin scratches the back of her red hair awkwardly. "And I guess I could understand your natural reaction. I''m not a fan of idiots disturbing animals like that either. It''s a complex situation we''re in."


    Aleena chuckles, "I''ve never met someone like you Faylin. A bit of an air-head, and yet always realistic. I guess that''s good." She looks to Faylin and gives a gentle smile over a straight face. "Sorry I shot that arrow at you, it was reckless and childish."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Thanks, but don''t do it again, I might not forgive you a second time," Faylin smiles.


    "So, we have to stop a necromancer?" Lyrian asks, "Where do you think he''ll go?"


    Aleena shrugs, "she''s in the mountains, I think. That''s what we should look into," Aleena explains. "That''s the best idea I have to go on right now."


    "Wait," Faylin interrupts, "I need to pay my mortgage so I need to stop back at Acrine."


    "How about we send a messenger with the money?" Lyrian says, and Faylin nods. Lyrian waves over a town messenger on the street, delivering morning mail.


    He runs to them, "hello sir! What can I deliver?"


    "I need you to take this bag to Acrine and give it to a dwarf named Gimrik." He writes something down on a sheet of paper and gives the letter to Faylin to sign. She signs the bottom of the page and he rolls it up.


    "Alright, I''ll do it," the messenger takes the money and heads off, tilting his hat, "Thank you."


    Aleena nods, "let''s go. We''ll go to the mountain, and we can try to find out what''s happening. We have to start looking for the source of this, so our next lead is the village of Tranmere," Aleena explains.


    Faylin stops her, "also, Aleena. If we help you, you''ll help us find another mine."


    "Deal," she says. "Thank you. And if we find a dinosaur..." Aleena asks knowing that she''ll have to take part in killing. "If it is harmless and under a spell, promise you''ll do your best to end it swiftly, at the very least."


    "Of course," she says. "Now let''s get you some rain gear Aleena, you are soaking wet."


    "I''m not afraid of the rain Faylin. My body is a lot more adaptive than you humans," she explains walking next to them.


    "Still, it''s nice to keep warm and not catch a cold," Lyrian adds.


    "Maybe," Aleena replies.


    The group heads off on a path, ready to face their challenge that awaits.


    <hr>


    The three walk through a large meadow. Flowers bloom, trees howl and leaves rustle. The grasses are green, and the skies are blue of fresh air. A beautiful day, and they travel down a road. The birds in the area chirp, and it''s a quiet day full of nature''s call. Their objective is the nearest mountain. The group continues walking through a prairie full of yellow and red wild flowers, tall grass and bouncing bees. After about thirty minutes they stop at a small river for a break and water. They need to camp out soon as nightfall will arrive. But not just yet. As they cross a small wooden bridge Lyrian turns to Aleena, "where do you think we''ll end up? We still haven''t found this so-called necromancer."


    "We''ll get there when we get there," Aleena responds with some annoyance. She shrugs with a sighs and takes another step through a small puddle.


    "Great," Faylin says. She rolls her eyes. "How is the mountain supposed to help us exactly?"


    "The cave in Limerock had magic and enchantments on that dinosaur. I would guess the mountain would be the best place to investigate and see if the necromancer is up there," Aleena replies. She turns to the others, "I can''t think of another place for us to search. Necromancers love control so they''ll pick high places to hide."


    "Okay, fair enough, but I don''t feel like walking all day. Let''s take a break or camp. We''ll walk all night otherwise," Faylin replies, and stops in the dirt road. The road winds through hills, tall trees and even more flowers, like a picture book.


    "I hate to say this," Lyrian interjects, "But I think Faylin might be right." He catches up with the other two. The sun is starting to set over the horizon.


    "There''s a village up ahead in the meadow. See the smoke?" Aleena points. "Let''s go. It''ll be nightfall."


    Lyrian and Faylin squint their eyes to see to see a distant village with several buildings, houses and even a blacksmith that is smoking.


    "Alright, let''s go." Lyrian begins to walk again.


    "I''m starving, I could eat a wyrm," Faylin groans.


    "We''re almost to the inn." Lyrian starts to run. "Come on Faylin!" Lyrian yells.


    "Alright!" Faylin runs with him.


    They run to a tavern at the beginning of the street, "The Red Maiden". It is a rather large tavern. Large logs make up the inn house and there''s a stable on the left side. Several other smaller shops surround it. They push open the door.


    Inside the bar patrons are yelling and cheering and singing while the bartender is cleaning cups with an old rag. Smells of alcohol and stale beer are in the air.


    The group walks through the lively village folk and to the counter. Aleena looks around with wide eyes at all the people in one spot, slightly becoming nervous. But she is able to hide it with her usual seriousness.


    "Hello?" Faylin says to him, "are there any rooms?"


    "Yeah, of course." He says. He turns to his backroom, and he pulls a small book.


    "The village of Kneiclappia welcomes ye," the old man''s accent says. "How many nights?"


    Faylin reaches for her pocket to get coin, "is ten alright for one night?"


    "Yes, that''s perfect," he smiles. He is missing most of his teeth and he looks very old. Saggy skin drapes his texture and covered with scars.


    "Faylin, fancy meeting you here."


    Faylin turns to her side and two hooded figures sit at the bar next to them, "Serrill? Luminitsa?"


    "Good job noticing," the male takes down his hood revealing his black hair and pale skin. His face looks stern, his eyebrows narrow. His sister, a few inches short of him, is more kinder, but more frail looking. Thin and delicate under long silver hair. Luminitsa sips a tea, minding herself for the moment. She looks tired again, like she hasn''t changed since the last time. Same dark bags outline her eyes, and no one forgets her same musky smell. Her robe is torn and she''s barefoot, looking like a total mess.


    Unlike her brother who is more clean yet carries a mysterious presence.


    "Fay, who are they?" Aleena asks, getting in front of Faylin, ready to pull her bladed bow.


    Serrill laughs loudly and struts his chin at Aleena, "who''s the elf belong too?"


    "My name is Aleena!" she says raising her fist. "And you better watch your human tone."


    Faylin stops her. She places a gentle hand on Aleena''s chest, "it''s alright, I know him," Faylin replies. "Serrill is a simple mage, and former coworker of mine. Luminitsa is a fortune teller." Aleena steps down, but keeps a glaring eye at Serrill, not giving eye contact to his twin sister Luminitsa.


    "Former huh Fay?" He laughs, "former as in you fired me?"


    Luminitsa speaks in a soft and quiet, almost child-like voice, "we missed you so much since the last time." Luminitsa''s eyes are looking down. "It''s always a treat when someone hires us, especially you Fay."


    "Shut up!" Serrill snaps, then turns back to Faylin.


    Lyrian whispers to Faylin, "hey Fay, I''ll take Aleena and we''ll set up in our room. Just meet us up there."


    Faylin nods, "I''ll be up there in a few." She then shakes her head at Serrill who is sipping a steaming tea. "What are you doing here Serrill?" she asks in a rude and monotone voice.


    "I could ask you the same. What''s Acrine''s young and only blacksmith doing miles away from her shop?"


    "Bogh Buldar''s king was murdered and they closed all access to the city, which means I can''t use their mines so I have to find a different mine." She says in a monotone voice.


    "Oh. Why is that important?" He says.


    "I can''t get ore for my shop. Any more dumb questions or can we cut the crap? Why are you really here, Serrill?"


    "Can''t a guy just travel and live day by day," he chuckles and looks to Luminista sipping tea, "or a gal too?"


    "You have no reason to travel to the mountains unless you were given a job by someone, so tell me the truth before I call the town guard. What have you been up to, Serrill, selling your black market drugs and being a general annoyance?"


    Luminitsa gives Faylin a small frown.


    "Listen, my work is none of your business. It never has and it never will." His eyebrows lower, "so how are we going to handle this?"


    "You don''t intimidate me Serrill. What is your job and where are you going?" she asks in an angry tone.


    Luminitsa puts her hand on Serrill''s chest gently to back down. Serrill sighs as he notices the innocence on his sister''s soft yet greasy face. He rests calmly in his seat, "I''m sorry Faylin. I''m genuinely just trying to make amends and travel with my sister. That''s all. I never meant to anger you with my presence." Serrill gets up with Luminitsa. "We should be off now," Serrill says.


    He puts up his hood with Luminitsa. They both get ready to head outside. "Wait!" Faylin yells out to them.


    "Y-yes?" Serrill asks in shock. Luminitsa keeps looking down to the floor.


    "You two hungry? Do you want to eat some supper?"


    "Sure, you paying?"


    Faylin groans, but pulls out coin from her pocket and sets it on the bar as she is reminded of what Aleena said when she first met her. She takes the coin back. "Actually, I''ll cook you guys something in our room if you''d like. We have steaks and Aleena has some fruit, I''m sure she''ll share," she offers, thinking it would be nice for the two siblings.


    "You sure that''s a good idea?" Serrill questions.


    "Yeah, why wouldn''t I? It could just be like old times, the good memories at least," she whips her hair, and the two follow.


    <hr>


    Serrill and Luminitsa

 Chapter 11

    Serrill sits next to Lyrian and Luminitsa next to Aleena as the four wait in an awkward atmosphere. Faylin cuts the food. She has the steaks marinaded and sizzling on a pan as she dices the fruits with a knife.


    Seasoning and juicy aromas of cooking meat freshen their bellies. Though Aleena sniffs at a horrid smell next to her and quickly plugs her nose in disgust. Foul stench from Luminitsa invades her space. "Soooo, who are you guys?" she asks awkwardly, trying to create space between herself and Luminitsa. "I mean who is Serrill and Luminitsa to you Faylin?"


    "Serrill worked at my shop once. Didn''t last very long because of some bad decisions, and we''ve been fighting over business since. We don''t agree, he''s rude, a jerk, a drug dealer, a black market weapons dealer, and I just want him to stay away from my shop is all."


    "Fay, Fay, Fay, Fay, come on now. You know I wasn''t always a jerk or a drug dealer. It''s the business, and it pays more than your simpleton little blacksmith shop, Faylin," he says and crosses his legs. Serrill turns to Lyrian, sipping tea. "Mage, you of all people know the power of nable mushrooms cannot be ignored."


    Lyrian sets his tea down, "that''s different. Nable mushrooms have magical properties and in tea. It''s the fen mushrooms that''ll actually kill you straight up, and is outlawed in most kingdoms."


    "Exactly, what''s the difference? Too many nable mushrooms will kill you," Serrill emphasizes.


    Faylin is done with food cooking on a pan and comes out with plates from the small open kitchen area of the room, "Serrill, you know I don''t hate you right? Otherwise I wouldn''t be doing this for you. I just want you to live a good life away from dungeons and executions." She sets Serrill''s plate down with almost a motherly look in her eyes as she glances at him.


    Serrill takes a fork and knife and smirks at her heartfelt statement, "Thanks Faylin. And I want you to live a good life away from all the corruption and tyranny."


    Faylin frowns thinking of her mother then takes her seat.


    "We''re going to the mountains to see if a mage is up to anything, you know of a necromancer in the area?" Aleena questions Serrill.


    "I thought you weren''t working, why are you investigating?" he asks taking his first bit. Luminitsa just eats her fruit and stares out at the window.


    Lyrian is cutting his steak and answers instead of Faylin, "we are still trying to find a mine, and along the way, we''re trying to help Aleena find this necromancer."


    "The only place a black mage could be is the old ruins. It''s a very long and tedious trip there," Luminista finally says. She sips some tea, and her pale skin faces everyone in the room. "They are old and abandoned but it makes for a good hideout."


    "That would be the place," Serrill says. "The mage has been hiding in those ruins. And an old cult of mages in fact, from what I hear at least."


    "Any sign of wildlife in the ruins?" Aleena asks.


    "I don''t know, I''m not a ranger," he replies. He stabs another piece of fruit with his fork, "why does it matter anyway?"


    Aleena squints her eyes, "you really don''t know about the animals? There have been dinosaurs running about, extinct for centuries and they are back, hunting the people down."


    "I''ve never seen any sign of these, what do you call them? Dinosaurs?" he replies.


    "You should watch yourself. The creatures have killed people all around, causing terror," Faylin explains.


    "I haven''t seen anything, so they''re probably a fairy tale," he says. He puts his plate down after eating everything, and stands up to stretch.


    "You should watch yourself Serrill. I''m warning you now, you better stay safe and get your business done quickly," Faylin says back to him.


    "No need to be so aggressive, Faylin," he says. He walks towards her.


    "I''m only trying to warn you," Faylin stands.


    "You were always a tough one," Serrill hugs Faylin for a long moment and smiles. Faylin has wide eyes, never thinking in a hundred years Serrill would be so gentle, but he steps off from the embrace, and the warmth leaves. She frowns.


    "It''s been nice talking with you, Serrill," she says, not giving any eye contact.


    "It has been, hasn''t it?" Serrill looks to the others, "well we should off. Thank you for the dinner. And good luck finding your mine and necromancer." Serrill grabs his cloak and starts to walk out the door.


    Faylin gets up from her seat and nods.


    "Lets go, sister," Serrill commands.


    Faylin notices how Serrill commands Luminista but doesn''t say anything. "Thank you so much, Fay, you''ve been a great host. Hopefully we will see you again, and good luck," Luminitsa says, walking with Serrill as they leave.


    "What a strange pair," Faylin thinks.


    "And foul. I still smell Luminitsa," Aleena wrinkles her nose in disgust. "And I thought I would smell when didn''t have access to a bath out in the wilds."


    "I don''t know why that girl doesn''t bathe," Faylin says.


    Lyrian sighs and is relaxing in his chair. "Well I don''t like that guy at all, Fay," he explains.


    Faylin frowns again, "yeah but he doesn''t mean any trouble. And I guess I owe him a good meal."


    Lyrian sighs, "you owe no one a thing Faylin, especially someone like Serrill."


    "I was just trying to remember what Aleena first told me the first time I met her when I gave her that dragon toy."


    "Thank you," Aleena smiles to her. She eats a piece of a strawberry.


    "We should be leaving tomorrow. We need to be on the move," Faylin tells the two.


    <hr>


    The party gets out of the inn early. Morning dawn is just now starting in town. Aleena spots commotion near a fancy town house where some people are gathered. There''s blood on the floor next to the mayor''s office, a woman crying, and two men yelling at each other with guards investigating the scene.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "What happened here?" Aleena asks a nearby townsperson, who''s watching.


    "The mayor was murdered," the bystander explains to Aleena. He wears a straw hat and holds a basket full of food.


    "What?" She replies, covering her mouth with her hand in shock. She looks to the guards questioning a few towns people.


    The guards are walking around. Lyrian watches the guards pick up the body in a bag. Faylin stands there shaking. He asks her as he notices her trembling, "are you alright, Fay?"


    Faylin looks shocked at him and whispers, "It can''t be. What if it''s Serrill?"


    "Could have been," Aleena responds. "We need to be on our way before we get caught up in all this."


    "Where can he have gone off to?" Lyrian asks, as the three look to each other in the middle of the street, surrounded by other citizens and even some farmers. Lyrian asks another farmer nearby, "any sign of the killer?"


    "They already got him," the man replies. "Turned out to be Mernum, our local chicken farmer. Poor Mernum though, the mayor pushed him too far. No one''s exactly going to miss the mayor here."


    "So it wasn''t the other traveler here, the black haired one?" Faylin asks.


    The villager laughs, "of course not. Serrill was long gone before then. People always misjudge traveling salesmen and gypsies like him all the time." He walks off, carrying his eggs to the tavern. Faylin sighs in relief.


    "Thank goodness, it wasn''t Serrill after all," she smiles.


    "Regardless, it''s not our business." Aleena walks over to a nearby stable and grabs a stick of celery. She holds it out to a horse as it sucks it in and chews, "we need horses, it''ll be easier."


    "You want to take horses?" Faylin questions. She raises a brow.


    "Yeah, I''d hate to walk that many miles to the ruins," she answers and continues, "it''ll save time too."


    "Let''s go get a couple," Lyrian suggests, and Faylin nods at him.


    Aleena walks over with them. She looks to the other villagers walking and chatting along the streets.


    They get to a farm where Aleena buys a beautiful white stallion, and Faylin buys a spotted brown horse and a black horse for Lyrian.


    "I call the white one ''snowdrop'', because of his beautiful hair," Aleena smiles to herself. She pets his mane.


    Faylin and Lyrian don''t care about naming so they just mount up. Lyrian struggles, trying to get on, "It''s fine you two, just be on your way."


    Faylin smiles and she mounts the horse like an expert and starts to trot.


    Lyrian is having a hard time and falls off from the horse''s back.


    "Come on mage boy!" Faylin laughs.


    "I''m coming! Hold on," Lyrian struggles getting back up.


    Faylin giggles at Lyrian but she stays with him. Aleena rides to the distance, but she stops to wait.


    "Faylin! Come on Lyrian," Aleena calls out. "Let''s stay together. Just get up," she yells to him, and Lyrian eventually climbs the horse. "Okay! Let''s get going," he smiles awkwardly at Faylin, rubbing the back of his head. Lyrian begins to ride and Aleena takes the lead of the group.


    Faylin catches up. She looks around noticing the fresh smell and the sounds of frogs in the pond. It''s a cool and cloudy day, perfect weather for a horseback ride. They travel through the rocky mountain filled with pine and brush.


    Lyrian in the back, is admiring nature''s beauty and the day. They pass an abandoned cart with wheels broken off. The three ride down the path of the forest road.


    The dirt road leads into a rocky path.


    Lyrian yawns and rides beside Aleena and they eventually come to a couple of ruins getting more dense as they continue on.


    Aleena scans the area, "no sign of any wildlife or any dinosaurs anywhere."


    "Aleena, we can handle whatever comes," Faylin assures Aleena.


    "Faylin your imbecilic human mind has no clue once again," Aleena''s face goes stern. She glares, "we''re in the middle of nowhere where are enemies are no where to be found. Maybe there is a cult somewhere here but they have nothing to do with dinosaurs."


    Aleena dismounts her horse with Lyrian. They walk closer and come to some stairs and columns.


    "They''re called the ruins of Jurnia, and meant to celebrate a long lost diety," he explains. Lyrian''s hand moves over the walls. "There are hundreds of ruins all over but this particular one has many religious statues."


    "Who''s the most famous in this place?" Faylin asks.


    "One is named Volantis. A female deity of nature. Worshipped by many of the druids. And over here is Crenus, a goddess of the sun and moon," Lyrian points out to the next statue.


    "I wonder why this is left to ruin?" Faylin says as they approach the stairs.


    "This site was only made for worship. It''s an old site dating back when magic was more rampant, and the druids would worship here," Lyrian says, explaining more. He brushes his hands along the large columns. He reads, "This one says it was made by the people of the Vale, a town once here. This temple was made seven hundred years ago. Can you imagine how long they had this as an important site for?"


    Aleena studies a nearby tree, "well here''s some random insects, and a squirrel over there. Maybe some chicken tracks. No dinosaurs, anywhere." Aleena takes some mental notes, and then she steps closer to a column. "Strange," she whispers, rubbing her fingers along a pattern.


    "What''s that?" Faylin points to some footprints in the dirt.


    "More tracks, human." she says. Aleena turns and walks down the forest path.


    Faylin looks around at the broken down walls of what we''re once buildings, then follows. "Well we got a long ride back, so let''s make this worth our time. We''ll interrogate someone who lives here. See what they know."


    "Good idea," Lyrian agrees and follows down the rocky trail.


    "Any other ideas?" Faylin says to the others.


    "Yes. Maybe the tracks can give us an idea where to go. But also the ruins are the only thing here so it would make sense to look further," Aleena responds.


    Faylin groans, "we''ve already checked the ruins and nothing is happening."


    Lyrian sniffs a whiff of magic just around the area, the faint smell of ozone and electricity in the air that''s unmistakable. He points, "there''s someone." A man is boiling a potion in a small pot with fire underneath the black metal. His back is turned from the group, and he has a hood on with dark robes.


    "Excuse me, sir," Lyrian says.


    He doesn''t reply, but just keeps brewing his potion. Magic swirls around his ingredients as they dump in.


    "Excuse me?" Faylin says as they all approach. They are ready for a fight if it comes. She looks at him sternly and he turns to them, and gasps when he sees Lyrian.


    "Who are you? You dare trespass in my land?" He stands dominant with a hand up, but is short. He is about a couple inches smaller than Lyrian.


    "We just need to know if they''re any dinosaurs in this area," Aleena asks. "Is there any place they would stay nearby?"


    "I haven''t heard or seen anything nor do I know what that is. Now begone!" he shouts and stands up to the party. His black hood is dark over his head and covers his eyes in shadow. He pulls a dagger out of his black robe. "This is your final warning, now leave."


    Faylin clenches her hammer, and Lyrian his gauntlets into fists.


    Lyrian pulls green energy from around him, and a light forms, a glowing, blinding him in his eyes as he shields them from view.


    "There are dinosaurs plaguing these lands, tell us what you know!" Lyrian commands. He waves the glowing light. His face is stern and serious, not in his usual calm tone and expression. The earthen rock beneath the cultist starts to liquify under his feet, holding him in place.


    The cultist struggles, "stop! You''re trespassing. I know nothing of what you speak of! I just want my beautiful goddess to be proud of me." Tears start to form in his eyes.


    Lyrian keeps him in place. Aleena swings her bladed bow to send his dagger flying out of his hand. She puts a hand over his heart and watches his body language. His breathing is deep, and starts to fasten. His pupils are small but slowly enlarge. His face is showing signs of fear. Eyes lock together, green to brown. She stares at him with fury, ready for intense interrogation. Beats of his heart are fast yet steady, and Aleena suddenly releases her breath with a sigh. She relaxes her anger and calms herself.


    Aleena lets him go. "Lyrian release him. He''s just a deranged hermit," Aleena says with a straight face. Lyrian sets the hermit man loose, the gravel beneath him hardens back into stone flooring.


    "We were mislead, and badly. This was a complete waste of time," she implies Serrill''s directions. Aleena''s eyebrows slant over her green eyes and turns to the hermit who stands in fear but ready to fight, "sorry for the intrusion sir. You may go back to your worship and we will bother this land no longer."


    The hermit groans, "this is your last chance to leave before I call upon the power of our lord Crenus." He clenches his fist.


    "I do not believe you are capable to kill a flea, and for that we''re sorry," she bows. Faylin gives a smile to Aleena.


    They walk out to the horses and mount. Aleena sits up top her white horse and Faylin her spotted horse as Lyrian struggles to get his horse to cooperate.


    "Kneiclappia''s road leads to Tranmere, Serrill was probably headed there next, if we''re lucky, we can still catch up to him for answers," Faylin suggests and the two nod and head off.


    <hr>


    Aleena and the deranged hermit

 Chapter 12

    They arrive in a small transport village. Tranmere intersects with different roads leading to different cities. The group walks the hill to one of the entrances.


    Lyrian, Faylin, and Aleena walk through the small, stone walled village of Tranmere. Houses and shops that line the dirt streets are observed by them. There are several wagons and stalls, along with crates and barrels full of supplies. The town is not too far from the edge of the woods as they just get done riding out on their horses.


    "I''ll ask the townsfolk about the whereabouts of Serrill. Stay put and meet me here at this well in the center," she says and then rides to a nearby vendor. She dismounts and goes to a local farmer to ask about Serrill.


    "Excuse me, do you know a traveler named Serrill? A black mage with black hair?" Faylin asks. "This is serious, I must speak with him."


    "I''m not sure," the lady explains, she''s short, with brown short curly hair. She wears a small yellow shawl and carries a large bag full of goods stocking up her display crates. "Maybe try the inn, I think there was a gentleman who stayed last night," the old lady walks off carrying her veggies, and turns a street corner.


    Faylin walks to the inn with seriousness written on her face. She fast walks to the inn and barges through. Anger is fills her determination to find him and she holds her fists to her side.


    "Welcome," the bartender says, "what can I do you for, miss?"


    "I need to find Serrill and ask him some questions. Do you have information?" Faylin asks. "This is serious, I need to see him now."


    The bartender points to two hooded figures in the back of the room, and the rest are other travelers and merchants, who are gambling.


    She approaches alone, "Serrill! What the hell!" Faylin yells and slams her fist on the table. Luminitsa jumps in fear at the sudden bang of Faylin''s fist and gets teary eyed.


    "Oh, Faylin, hello again." Serrill smiles and places some chips on a board game. He sits relaxed in his seat and takes in a smell of tea.


    "Cut the crap Serrill. Why did you lie to us? I thought you had changed?" she glares to the two.


    "You act like I''m involved in whatever your job is. I was trying to help but I don''t know anything about any necromancer!" Serrill emphasizes. He clenches his fist and his tea rattles a bit. His sister gulps down her drink trying not to pay attention. Serrill points to her chest, "and my sister has not predicted anything either. You found a mage up there didn''t you?"


    "Nothing but a deranged hermit worshipping an old goddess that doesn''t exist."


    "Well that was my best lead for you. Wasn''t your guy. Cry me a river Fay."


    "Serrill, I need you to tell me everything you do know. Or else-"


    Serrill jolts to his feet, pushing up against the table with hard slamming fists and yells, "or else what?"


    Luminitsa squeaks in the corner of their seat. She takes another drink and her brother looks at her.


    "Please, I really need to know, Serrill," she begs in an angry and serious voice. She glares at him and keeps standing at his face.


    "I don''t want to get involved anymore than I already have been. You''re on the wrong path, Faylin. I''m telling you the truth when I say, I don''t know anything."


    "How much money will it cost to get to you talk?" She asks. Faylin puts a small amount of gold pieces in his hands, and he looks at her and pushes her away, disgusted.


    "Faylin, it isn''t money I''m after, and frankly, you wouldn''t have the money in Acrine to get me to talk. So do me a favor, and let me finish this game in peace," he demands. "I''m trying to spend some quality time with my sister. I''m nothing but a damn traveling salesmen." Serrill pulls out a fine crafted dagger, "look, I sell weapons now. I don''t make them, I just sell them. It''s nothing illegal."


    Liquid shines along the dagger when Faylin notices the steel blade, "why is that dagger wet? Is that poison?"


    "Yes," Serrill explains, "but it''s not illegal is it?"


    He sighs with disappointment at her treatment towards him, "Look, what we have in the past is something you need to let go. Even if you did want to rehire me, I wouldn''t accept."


    Serrill faces away from Faylin, trying not to look into her eyes, but she has a stern and commanding gaze. He walks up to Faylin in a slow and intimidating manner that slowly fades away. "Look Faylin. I''m sorry, and, I forgive you. Okay?"


    Faylin''s head slumps down. He hugs her and Faylin accepts the heartfelt gesture that tears her apart inside. It takes all she had in her to keep a straight face, not to breakdown and sob, and she looks up at his warm eyes.


    "Now, can I go back to play my game now, please? I''m waiting for a customer."


    "Serrill," she whispers.


    "Yes?" He questions.


    Faylin shakes her head and runs away in tears. "I''m sorry, I''m an idiot."


    He tries to stop her, but Faylin runs to Lyrian and Aleena waiting with the horses. They are at the well in the center of the town. Lyrian notices Faylin''s hurry and her eyes are watery. He stops leaning on the stone and waits for her to talk.


    Faylin''s head turns away from everyone and she sniffles as she dries her eyes and Aleena comforts her.


    "Whoa whoa, Fay, are you alright?" Aleena asks.


    "No!" Faylin snaps, still hiding her teary face, not wanting to see their reaction."


    "Hey, what happened?" Lyrian asks.


    "It doesn''t matter," she says, still looking down. Her hands are still wet and her cheeks are rosey and her eyes puffed.


    "We''re here for you," Lyrian smiles.


    "I messed everything up! My life. My shop." Faylin starts to tear again. "It''s all ruined. I''m ruining my life while Serrill has such a successful traveling business. He''s doing so much better than I ever could, and I keep blaming him for stuff he didn''t do."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Hey, he was a jerk, remember?" she chuckles.


    "But still. I messed my life up." she cries.


    "I think you should sleep this off Fay. Maybe tomorrow will be different." Aleena offers and gives a comforting smile to the distraught woman.


    "Serrill is not telling us something. I really don''t like it Fay. I think we should all try talking to him. So Fay, don''t believe him when he shows his flashy business around. He''s still a criminal. Let''s go get a room and get some rest."


    ***


    The bartender is polishing a beautiful wood carving over it the racks of bottles. Smell of bar alcohol hits Faylin as she sits down. "Can I get some water?" she says rubbing her head from the stress yesterday as morning sun hits the windows.


    "You got coin?" The bartender says.


    "I don''t. I just want water. Please?" she begs.


    "Alright." The man slides a mug to her, "what you in town for?"


    "I don''t know anymore," she says back and sips her water.


    "Here to look for work?" he questions.


    "Yeah, or a mine. Or anything." She says. Faylin stares down into the wooden cup.


    Aleena comes downstairs, her long blonde hair shines, and she is in casual clothes as well.


    "Morning Aleena. Sleep okay?" she says. Aleena''s face is soft as always, but with sternness.


    "Yes, thank you," she replies in a soft and delicate tone. She puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. Faylin brings the mug to her mouth once more.


    "Can I get a honey milk please? Warm," Aleena requests. The man brews and makes a drink for Aleena and hands to her.


    Aleena thanks him and hands some gold to the man and she walks over to a nearby window not far from Faylin. She gazes at the outside, leaning at the window, and watches a mother walk by with their children and husband, walking to the bakery, getting some bread. They smile and hold each other''s hands. She looks at her drink thinking to herself.


    "That was some show yesterday Faylin," Serrill smiles. Luminista and Serrill come walking in, Serrill leans against the wall, folding his arms.


    Faylin''s heart starts racing as she looks up. She is ready for an insult. Insecurity overrides her usual attitude when she''s around him now. Luminista and Serrill look happy, like a new light shined upon them.


    "Yeah," Faylin nods. "I''m sorry. Really."


    "No, I''m sorry. Anyway, Luminitsa wanted to stay another day. She wanted to help you and so she meditated last night."


    "Luminista," Faylin says. She takes another drink, "I appreciate the help but you don''t have too."


    Aleena looks over from the window to watch and listens to what Luminitsa has to say. "What have you found?" Aleena is eager for any type of help over Faylin''s lack of confidence.


    Serrill nods and gestures to Luminitsa.


    Luminitsa nods at her with a serious look that isn''t usually seen on her. She starts, "There are two magic auras. A green and a red. They''re intertwined with each other."


    "Do they look familiar? Or is there any sign?" Aleena asks her.


    Luminitsa sighs, and smiles at the group, "it is familiar. It''s in the village of Mosswick."


    "Are there any creatures there?" Aleena asks. She takes some of the honey milk tea and sips some more, then looks back at the window.


    "That I do not know. Only, that there is an elf and a human. And there is no sign of dark magic with what you seek," Luminista explains to the best of her ability and tries not to mislead. Her focus is hard.


    "Are you saying there is no necromancer?" Faylin asks, surprised. Serrill is still leaning on the bar, watching his sister work. She smiles and her long light gray hair flows over the bar as everyone''s attention is locked to Luminista''s next sentence.


    "I see nothing, unfortunately."


    "That''s ridiculous!" Aleena comments, and Serrill frowns as she walks closer. "I need to know," Aleena demands. "How else did the dinosaurs come back?"


    "Sorry. If you know a better fortuneteller I''d like to meet them," Serrill says to Aleena. His hands clench and his eyebrows furrow.


    "You could at least help us," she replies, glaring back to his reaction, not afraid to speak her mind. "What other magic would bring a dead species back to life? Necromancy is the only conclusion.''


    "I did help you. My sister already said, it''s at Mosswick, but she can''t help anymore," he says to her, not breaking the eye contact and they keep a stare.


    "You misled us already! Why should we believe you this time?" Aleena snaps.


    "I''m telling the truth. I only said the first thing that popped in my mind, I didn''t want to be interrogated," he defends. Lyrian comes downstairs in the background, rubbing his eyes and stretching. He is wearing some new clothes, a new tunic, pants, shoes, and the dinosaur book.


    Faylin speaks up, "please, we need your help. I''m sorry I snapped, Serrill. This is information we really need. If Luminitsa can find anything else, we need to know."


    Luminitsa creates a purple magic orb in her hands and closes her eyes to focus.


    Lyrian watches from behind to see the commotion.


    Luminitsa focuses, "as you know, there is no dark magic, there are elves, a human, and there is a red and green magic aura, and..." She focuses deeper and a small purple aura glows next to her forehead. "And someone is," Luminitsa''s breathing skips and her heart beats fast as the glow brightens, "oh no, a- an elf is, she''s, Aleena is dead!" Luminitsa collapses to a chair and the magic fades. "I''m so drained," her voice wavers and airs out as she falls unconscious. Aleena flares her nostrils in anger at the idea.


    "Aleena! That''s not possible! And who, what, and why these auras?" Faylin says and she walks over to her. "Please, wake up," she begs with her hands on Luminitsa in growing desire.


    Serrill pushes Faylin away from his unconscious sister. "No! Lumi! I need a healer!" Serrill screams, holding the unconscious Luminitsa. Her hair and head dangle, and he checks for a pulse and her temperature over her forehead.


    Lyrian runs over, "what happened?"


    Aleena looks on in frustration and heads outside the tavern, "I''m not going to sit here and listen to how I die."


    Faylin is frozen from shock, her heart pounds faster, her skin is white. Her face is covered with stress as she stares at the wall of the inn and bar. Aleena has a glare to the morning dawn. Her blonde long hair waves in the wind. Her pale and smooth skin and soft cheekbones show no reaction but anger. Her green eyes show nothing but frustration as her mind paces about the topic.


    Serrill picks his sister up in his hands, and carries her upstairs. Lyrian opens the door to their room for Serrill to carry her into bed.


    Serrill turns to Faylin, "listen, no offense, I''m glad we could help you. But you seem like you''re in a rough spot right now and it''s seriously effecting me now. I really think this should be the last time we see each other. I have customers, some of them very private, so I really don''t need you barging into our business."


    Faylin can''t move, "I''m so sorry."


    "It''s okay," he says and shuts the door.


    "Dammit!" She slams her fist into a nearby pillar. On her way downstairs and she grabs a piece of cloth and sits on the steps with a pounding head.


    Faylin''s mind flashes images of her shop dark, and empty. Lyrian places a hand on her shoulder and comforts her.


    "It''s gonna be okay, Fay," he tells her.


    "Okay isn''t going to bring in money, okay isn''t going to save Aleena from fate" she explains to Lyrian. She closes her eyes and tears start forming.


    "She''ll be safe, okay?" Lyrian assures her, and they head to meet with Aleena outside. The sun is getting high and they walk outside to the water well where they met. Aleena is leaning on the cobblestone rim of the well. She is staring at the distance. Lyrian and Faylin approach her. They sit at the rim with her, the dirt path leading from the inn to the rest of the town. "Hey Aleena," Lyrian says. He turns to her and Faylin is right beside her.


    "You guys ready to go?"


    "I think we need a moment," Lyrian replies. Faylin keeps still, her face and eyes locked to the inn, not wanting to leave Serrill behind, or her shop, or her dreams.


    "I guess we could use the time to figure out our plan then," Aleena explains. "We go north from this road to the next. And then we''ll head to a swamp and reach Mosswick, the swamp village."


    "Great, I guess. You''ll lead us to the place?" Faylin asks.


    "Yes, I will."


    "Alright then," she replies not wanting to trigger any emotions in Aleena.


    "It''ll be okay. Don''t be upset, Fay. And I''ll make sure I live. Don''t worry about me either," Aleena tries to say.


    "But it''s dangerous and," she whines.


    "And nothing. It is my choice. Besides, do you really believe fortune tellers?"


    Lyrian explains, "fortune tellers are close to the god of fate Aleena."


    "And I''m forced to believe in your gods, human?" Aleena asks.


    "I don''t care what your race believes, this is true, so please stay alive, okay?" Faylin asks.


    "Yeah Aleena," Lyrian adds on.


    Aleena stands up to the two, "we only just met. But I appreciate your concern. I''ll be fine. I promise."


    Faylin sighs with a bit of relief but still can''t shake the worry.


    <hr>


    Luminitsa''s magic

 Chapter 13

    Faylin rides her horse while Aleena is in the lead, and Lyrian follows behind. Strutting of horses necks bob back and forth as they run smooth through a mix of biomes. The dirt trail heads into a dense forest filled with oak trees, large thick and green leaves in the treetops and vines growing along the bark. Willow trees with moss are in the middle of small ponds and swamps. Ground changing from grass to a thick mudded texture as the hoofs of their horses splash through. Moisture and swamp is filled with murk, lily pads. Dragonflies flutter around the marsh, and in Lyrian''s face who is struggling to swat them away. The trees get shorter, thicker, and more gnarled, with willows growing.


    Aleena looks at a map as their horses go by, their hoofs now clicking on the hard rock and soil.


    The trio reach the village of Mosswick, and it has a few cabins standing on platforms over a river. Other cabins stands on higher dry ground. Disorganizing roads are made by wooden platforms with huts and rowboats. People are fishing off of docks.


    Faylin scans around. A boat sails across the waters. There are fishermen on the shores with a bucket and rod in their hand.


    "Should we ask about the mage, again?" Faylin says and she hops off her horse and Lyrian follows.


    "No, let us ask about flightless dragons. People should know more about that then any mage around here." Aleena responds and pets Snowdrop''s hair.


    Lyrian points to a blacksmith shop, with smoke billowing from a furnace, and the sounds of hammering on iron. "Look Faylin, there''s your people," he chuckles.


    "Oh hush it," Faylin teases, smiling at him and patting him on the back.


    Aleena sighs and continues to walk past the two.


    A black haired man in an apron hammers away. He looks over to the three. His muscles are strong, showing through his thin white shirt. He wipes his sweaty and dirty forehead. The man approaches them, "what business do you have in the forge, travelers?"


    "Any good mines around here?" Lyrian asks.


    "Of course, it''s quite wet though." The man chuckles.


    "How wet?" Faylin asks.


    "Pretty wet. Muddy and you have to be careful of mud slides, or dig to far and you''ll hit a water socket in the rock, it''ll spray mud all over you," he chuckles. "There is iron all around here," he points out to some trees in the background and the hills and mountains around. "The most valuable in the mines is gallium." The man hammers at another sword.


    "Gallium?" Aleena asks.


    "Gallium? The magical ore?" Faylin asks.


    "Yes, a softer and light material, and the water around here in the rock should keep it cool," the smith explains.


    "I know, the material has magic properties to help me make the best blacksmith tools, why didn''t I ever look here," she laughs and smacks herself in the face, "that would be so much more convenient. Is there a carriage we can buy to haul ore?"


    "You might be able to buy one from Osney. He should be fishing outside around this time."


    Aleena nods, "thank you, one more question. Have you seen anything around here that resembles a giant lizard? They''re called dinosaurs." Aleena explains. She puts a hand on her hip and gazes into the distance, waiting for his reply.


    "Very much so, there''s a lot of them all around here. And one comes near the village from time to time. One with a fin as large as a sail on it''s back." the man chuckles. "No one knows where they came from."


    "I guess we''re in the right place," Faylin comments. She takes in a breath, happy they''re not going the wrong way for once. She sighs with relief.


    "It''s a carnivorous animal so it comes out to the village and snags up pigs or chickens. Sometimes people, it doesn''t have many natural predators. Just don''t be too loud and obnoxious and we won''t anger it. Our rangers always scout around and keep a watch," he continues, and the man goes back to his work and the group leave.


    Lyrian flips through the pages of the book they found at Limerock. "It''s semi-aquatic," Lyrian points to a picture, "but there. It''s most likely a Spinosaurus. It''s carnivorous and like the other carnivores, they''re aggressive hunters with large and very powerful jaws. This one''s dangerous. And that makes it our top priority to find and kill. Even if we find the necromancer or gallium first, I say we focus on this. This one is large and dangerous."


    The blacksmith adds, "not only that, it''s also eating our fish. This thing has to have more then a hundred stomachs, so all our meat supplies are dwindling."


    Aleena glares, "isn''t that a good thing?"


    "Humans aren''t vegetarians little girl," the blacksmith lectures.


    "Enough with personal ideals, this beast is close. This is perfect," Faylin exclaims. "Let''s go hunt this beast down."


    "Don''t forget that this thing can eat us Fay," Lyrian replies. Faylin gives him a worried smile, trying not to fear for his safety.


    "I''m here to do a job," Aleena says to Faylin, and walks ahead.


    "Maybe we''ll get some coin for killing it. And then we can still look into these other issues," Lyrian replies.


    Faylin thinks of Serrill, and she gazes at Lyrian and his caring eyes, and Aleena who''s always stern and ready to get her job done.


    "We can make it, I know it. And we''ll get our mine and ore," Lyrian gives Faylin an excited smile. "Let''s hurry," he commands.


    <hr>


    Faylin walks into the local carpenter shop to buy the carriage from the man.


    "You''re telling me you want a carriage? Right now?" he says. Faylin walks to a counter and the old man looks confused.


    "Yeah. To haul ore. Do you have one?"


    "For ore?" He questions. The man is wearing overalls, he is short with grey hair and has a pipe in his mouth.


    "Yep," she says and smiles to the man.


    "I guess I could get you one. It''ll cost one hundred and fifty gold pieces," he responds. He pulls the pipe from his mouth and puts it on the desk, leaning forward.


    "Is there a cheaper price we can settle on?" she begs. Faylin gives an innocent look to him. He smiles and shakes his head.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "I''m afraid not, miss," he responds and puts the pipe back in his mouth.


    Faylin puts a sack of gold on the desk, "it''s all I have. Will you take a hundred?" The man smiles and counts the money.


    "I can make your order now but it''ll be at least three days until the wood dries," he says to her, placing the coins in a bag and stashing them under the desk. "But feel free to visit and see the process and I''m happy to do it for a young girl like you. Can you pay the other fifty later?"


    Faylin feels relief all along her chest, finally relaxing. "Yes, I can. Thank you, sir," she replies. "I''m going to need it, so the minute it''s ready, please let me know."


    "Okay miss," he smiles. "I''ll be expecting the other fifty once you pick it up."


    She heads off with the others, they are waiting at a table in a tavern and Faylin approaches.


    "It''ll take three days, sorry," Faylin says. "I suggest we find the Spinosaur. We are dead broke and need money quickly. I have to pay him the rest once we pick it up."


    "It''ll be fine." Aleena responds, looking to the side at the window. "I saw some tracks and we should follow them. It''ll lead to the beast," Aleena explains.


    "Sounds good to me," Faylin agrees.


    "Let''s get hunting," Lyrian smiles. They all get up and Faylin and Lyrian follow Aleena expecting her to do what she''s best at.


    They head to the forest floor, following the tracks. They are in a bog, where there is a lot of mud and murky waters, with tall grass along the dirt. Flowers and mushrooms are growing all around. Cattails swish along, hearing plops in the water from frogs.


    Aleena points to the cratered ground, "look, the tracks."


    "That''s huge!" Lyrian gulps. They continue to follow. Willows are dense as they brush away the vines, and the sun is high, reaching noon.


    "There''s a lot of trees," Faylin notices and they walk deeper into the forest. Faylin and Aleena hop onto a fallen log to cross a small shallow river and Faylin turns to Lyrian falling behind. "You coming, slow poke?"


    Lyrian jumps and lands on the slippery log. His foot slips and he falls in. He gasps for air and Faylin grabs him. She pulls him up and the two laugh, "thanks Fay." Faylin gives him a friendly pat and Aleena shakes her head at the two messing around. But a small smile draws on her face as they catch up with her. Aleena feels a hint of joy seeing them happy despite the dangerous swamp.


    Aleena is walking along the logs when she hears a howl of a wolf in the far distance. Then barking, echoing noise reaching her long twitching ear as she stops to listen carefully. Yet the barking was not dry.


    "Better be careful," Lyrian says, "if the spinosaur doesn''t catch us, a pack of wolves might."


    Aleena hops off the log, splashing a puddle, "yeah, maybe large fish-wolves?"


    "Fish wolves?" Faylin questions her sarcasm.


    "That barking was not dry and raspy. It was smooth like a whale. That''s not a wolf."


    "The spinosaur?" Lyrian questions.


    Aleena furrows her brows with worry, completely disoriented at what it could be, "all I know is that it wasn''t a wolf." Trouble stews up in her chest at not being able to know her animals anymore. She is confused more than ever, but at least focuses on what she does know. Aleena continues on with the others behind her.


    A small clearing is where they land, balancing along the logs, and mud is thick. Aleena jumps off the log and her feet squish into the mud, knee high. "Right about now is when I wish I didn''t have sandals. Gross," she groans, pulling a leg from the mud.


    Lyrian and Faylin pull themselves from the mud and look to the center of the swamp, a small patch of land and a large egg sits on top. Aleena looks at Lyrian, "stay back, and no magic. It''s not here but we need to be stealthy."


    Faylin stays behind and Aleena takes big steps in the thick mud to get to the egg, it is about half the size of Aleena.


    "What is that?" Faylin asks.


    "That''s the egg of a spinosaurus, it has to be," Lyrian says.


    Aleena is halfway through the clearing of thick mud as it gets deeper up to her waist, struggling to sway her legs through it. She sinks, and fast, "oh gods! Help!" Aleena plunges head under the mud.


    Faylin and Lyrian panic. "Aleena!"


    Lyrian stomps his foot on the ground and platforms Aleena above the mud''s surface. Splashing out, she is sent flying as she screams. Aleena lands with a roll on the island ground and the group laughs.


    "That was too close," she says, shaking from her near-death experience.


    Aleena gets up, covered in mud and sludge. "Gross!" she comments and pulls mud from her face and hair. She wipes off the rest of her body.


    "Hey, at least I got you out," Lyrian chuckles. He smiles to her with a smirk and she glares at him.


    "You were screaming," Faylin laughs, and Aleena gives her an unamused look.


    "Ugh when you guys get over here, you''re getting a face full!" Aleena threatens and they laugh. "Seriously be quiet! The spinosaur could be listening."


    The two continue on together, holding hands to get the island. They manage to reach it and mud covers their waists.


    Aleena shivers as she wipes more mud from her hair, "ugh, this stuff''s gross." Aleena looks to the egg and back to the two.


    "We should destroy it. The less eggs the better. If there are a lot of spinosaurus, the worse it gets," Faylin says to the two. Aleena nods and Faylin raises her hammer.


    "Whoa whoa whoa, what are you doing?" Lyrian says.


    "Getting rid of the problem," she says to him.


    "If we kill an egg, the mother will get angry. I say we leave the egg alone for now."


    "Lyrian, that''s what we want. To draw it out," Faylin says.


    "But that''ll-," Lyrian gets interrupted.


    "Lyrian. We''re going to do it, okay?" Aleena assures. Faylin nods in agreement.


    "I think we should stop and think before we do this," Lyrian says. Aleena and Faylin shake their heads in disagreement.


    Faylin raises her hammer and smashes the egg, splashing a large glob of yoke onto Aleena straight in the face.


    "Gods Faylin!" Aleena screams and wipes the yoke from her face.


    Faylin and Lyrian chuckle and Aleena glares to the two, "oh you two are so in for it." She wipes more from her stringy face.


    Lyrian laughs and Faylin helps her rub some of her face with her thumb. "It''s just a joke," she assures her. "We''re sorry, really. I didn''t mean it. I didn''t know it would explode like that. Laugh at yourself once and a while. You don''t always have to be so serious all the time you know?" She gives her a warm smile with an arm over her shoulder.


    Aleena groans, and wipes more from her eyes and hair. She growls over her gritting teeth and pushes the two off the island and straight into lake of mud.


    "Hey!" they scream and Aleena giggles to herself with chaos in her eyes.


    Faylin merges from the mud and gasps for air, "what the hell!" she screams to Aleena.


    "Serves you right," Aleena laughs. "Come on, laugh at yourself once and a while."


    Faylin crawls back onto the island, spitting up mud and wiping it from her face.


    Aleena watches her struggle, "that''s funny. Now you look like a monster. You''re welcome." She chuckles and grins, watching her.


    "Ugh, gross," Faylin complains. She wipes more from her face. Faylin looks behind her and realizes Lyrian is no where to be found. "Where''s Lyrian?" She asks. The two look around in panic. "Lyrian!" Faylin screams.


    The two get back into the mud looking but there''s no way to locate except for feeling around.


    Aleena sinks to her waist where Lyrian fell, "right here, sink hole." Aleena reaches her arm down deep into the mud but there is no sign.


    "I''m going in after him," Faylin says and takes a deep breath, submerging her body deep into the mud. Faylin goes down deep and tries to feel around and Aleena tries to feel for Faylin so she doesn''t lose her.


    Faylin grabs onto something soft and pulls, trying to swim up from the mud. Lyrian emerges using the earth to lift himself and everyone else up back into the island in the center. Faylin and Aleena feel the hard rock form beneath them.


    Lyrian coughs and chocks up mud from his mouth and lungs, gasping for air.


    "Thanks Lyrian," Faylin says, still covered in mud. Faylin helps him to his feet and he is still coughing up mud, gagging.


    Aleena plops to the ground and sits along the bottom of the lone willow tree with guilt in her eyes, "Alright, no more. That wasn''t funny. I''m so sorry. You could have died."


    "Aleena it''s fine, we probably deserved it," Lyrian chuckles. "Don''t feel bad. I''m okay."


    Faylin sighs, "Lyrian I thought you were dead."


    Aleena balls up on against the willow tree. "I feel like an idiot," she closes her eyes, "sorry."


    "Aleena, mud is earth. I''m an earth mage, a geomancer. I just fell too deep is all, and I could barely move. But I can get myself out," Lyrian explains to her. "It was my fault for not being fast enough with my magic," he chuckles.


    "Don''t say that, no more mud," Aleena says. "I''m starting to miss the forest. Clean, and fresh forest. Not swamp." She leans against the tree.


    "I think I have more globs in my hair." Aleena tries to pull more from her hair and the two giggle at the attempt. Aleena''s eyebrows furrow and she glares to the two. "Oh shut it," she groans.


    The two laugh and look to the swamp to take a moment.


    "Aleena it''ll be alright. Once we find the perp behind these dinosaurs, the forest will be safe again, and that''s what matters." Lyrian smiles and tilts his head to Aleena, "I promise."


    "Thank you, Lyrian," Aleena smiles but is short lived as Aleena''s eyes shift to the distance, her long ears perk and her green eyes shift in focus.


    A sloshing large scaly creature with a spiny sail on it''s back and a long snout stands on the other side of the mud lake. It tilts it''s head, hissing with a slow rotating quack and mouth closed.


    "That''s a big crocodile bird," Lyrian comments.


    <hr>


    XD!

 Chapter 14

    "I think it''s angry that we destroyed it''s egg," Faylin lowers her voice in a nervous panic. The group readies their weapons.


    The spinosaurus bellows a roaring hiss and sprints across the mud lake. Sink holes do nothing against it because of its size. It sloshes against the mud, and it''s long snout is open ready for a bite.


    "I told you it would be angry. Prepare for a hard battle. We have to kill this beast," Lyrian yells. He summons rock from the ground and launches it at the spinosaur. It shatters along the monster''s side but doesn''t do much.


    Aleena swings her legs up, pulling up in the trees and aims her bow. She fires an arrow. It pierces the spinosaurus and it shrieks. It''s eyes turn bloodshot red. Teeth is bare and it growls as saliva droops from its mouth.


    The dinosaur is still charging along the mud lake, getting closer. Faylin''s heart beats faster, and her body is ready for the adrenaline. Faylin pulls her hammer and runs to the spinosaur, "hey, come to me ugly!" She waves her hammer for a distraction.


    Aleena turns and sees Faylin afar at the deep shore of the small land they''re on, "Faylin no! Get on the tree, the sink holes aren''t doing anything."


    Lyrian takes a stance and shines his clawed gauntlets, "I''ll make my own sink hole." He digs the claws into the wet dirt with a stab, and cracks form into the ground radiating green.


    The spinosaur splashes it''s belly into the mud as it struggles to swim. It''s feet slides and kicks across the slippery ground under the mud. Mud sprays everywhere trying to escape, and Aleena launches another arrow. It pierces the dinosaur''s neck and it rattles another hiss directly at her. It''s disorganized teeth are showing as it bares them. The spinosaur climbs with it''s deadly claws, breaking free from the fissure, and faster, it''s legs kick the mud behind it.


    Lyrian radiates his gloves and whirls them around slowly, hardening the mud underneath it. Lowing the spinosaur once more, it''s belly hits the tight shore of the islands, trapping it.


    "I got it, I''m trying to hold it, keep going!" Lyrian yells out, bursting with green energy.


    The beast is petrified but it''s neck is still free. Jaws snap at Faylin as she dashes away from the beast. She strikes the hammer at the spinosaur''s face, snapping it''s head to the side and the creature shrieks.


    A single arrow blinds it''s left eye, blood spills and the dinosaur hisses in pain and anger. It''s neck flails around. Lyrian keeps his stance as sweat pours from his head.


    "Flank to the left, it''s blind!" Aleena shouts to Faylin.


    The dinosaur''s jaw is inches from Faylin''s face and she rolls under the snout as it is biting down. She swings her hammer at the jaw in an upper throw. Faylin''s hammer smashes into it''s nose and the dinosaur''s mouth opens wide.


    The spinosaur''s head thrashes and it knocks Faylin back trying to block with her shield. She rolls to the ground and her head hits the tree.


    "Faylin, it''s up to you, flank to the left. I''m trying to get a view of the neck," Aleena yells again. She shoots an arrow at the dinosaur''s neck, and it bounces off the scales, ineffective. She nocks back another arrow and waits for an opening.


    Faylin gets to her feet, clutching her head, and runs at the dinosaur''s mouth smashing the hammer at it''s teeth. The creature''s jaw snaps and it screams. She makes another impact into the dinosaur''s teeth. But the dinosaur''s jaw shuts, and Faylin''s feet slide. Her hammer is stuck in its mouth.


    "Gods, this thing''s strong," Faylin says.


    An arrow hits again in it''s snout, letting go of the hammer but flinging Faylin over it''s head. She lands in a splash of mud, her hammer following.


    Lyrian focuses as sweat drips from his face, "Aleena, I can''t hold much longer!"


    "I''m almost there." Aleena replies, "Fay! Hit the face to the left, I need a neck opening." She pulls back another arrow and focuses at a critical.


    Faylin gets to her feet, and runs at the blind eye. Slashing claws are striking her shield, ripping wood. She holds it until finally, it goes for another bite which gives her a striking opportunity at it''s jaw once again, "come on you stupid fish!"


    The dinosaur hisses and its neck tilts to the side with pain. Aleena let''s her arrow go, silencing the hiss with a choke as it lodges deep. Lyrian''s hands move, and the ground loosens and the dinosaur falls and moans.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The monster is still struggling to stay alive, climbing out of the mud but slowly.


    Lyrian looks at the two, "guys, I don''t know if I can kill this thing, and I can''t hold it down. What do we do?" He asks.


    "Kill it," Faylin says. She jumps onto to the back of the struggling beast. With a heavy swing of her hammer, she slams the hammer into the spine of the beast, crunching it''s vertebrae, and damaging it''s large spiny sail.


    Aleena fires more arrows at a rapid rate, punching through the neck as it''s still open. The creature stops moving barely but breathes slowly. Faylin looks it in its eye as it loses life, almost in relaxed sadness.


    Aleena jumps from the tree and hops onto the skull. She can feel it still breathing with her hand at a prayer on his head, "May the gods bring you peace."


    Aleena raises her bow and readies the blades on it. With a stab, she slams the blades into it''s forehead, and the beast stops.


    Aleena''s eyes are closed in a prayer, "In the god of life''s name, you are now at peace, spinosaur." She pulls her blades and jumps off. She wipes the blood on her clothes. The group breathes in relief, and they all sit.


    Lyrian holds his chest as he breathes, "That was a big one." His chest is covered in sweat and his clothes are dirty, and soaked.


    "I''m so sorry guys, that was really dumb," Faylin says. She sits and rubs her head from the bruise. "I never knew it was that big."


    "It''s okay, you did great," Lyrian says to Faylin. "It''s gone, that''s all that matters."


    "We should head back to Mosswick," Aleena says. "We can let the people know, and we can get some money. We have to get that carriage."


    "Guys, we should rest, this took a lot of energy," Lyrian is panting out of breath. His mana is drained and he is slumping over, holding his knees.


    Aleena points to the distance, "we have another issue."


    A creature larger than a castle tower, possessing a neck over forty feet tall and a tail only slightly shorter than it''s neck. From a distance, Lyrian takes note of the orange air sacks inflating all along it''s neck. It has four legs the size of trees arching it''s neck down to eat ferns.


    "That''s even larger than the spino," Faylin says. Her mouth is dropped in fear and awe.


    "Dreadnoughtus," Lyrian finishes looking in his book, and everyone watches the gigantic creature waltz by.


    "There''s a mage tower nearby, and the creature is just eating plants," Lyrian explains to the two. "It''s a herbivore, so it might not attack unless provoked. These things a warriors nonetheless. Slow, but we should be careful."


    "Then why is this herbivore not under a berserking spell like the ankylosaur?" Aleena asks.


    "I don''t know," Lyrian replies, and the three watch the giant creature slowly makes it''s way by. "Maybe the mage knows something, but regardless, we should kill it since it''s still messing with the environment. Right?"


    "Agreed," Aleena replies sternly, and the three watch as the creature strolls along the forest, stomping on vegetation.


    "Let''s get moving," Aleena says, "the sooner the better." Aleena gets to her feet, and Lyrian and Faylin follow her, with her leading the way.


    Aleena looks down at her bow and back at the large beast as they reach the area of the monster. Aleena shakes her head, "we''re gonna some new weapons."


    Moans of the creature travel through the valley, and crushing of leaves and branches snap at each step of the creature. Pops and the sound of air go straight through it''s long tubular neck. But it keeps minding it''s own business and reaches for another fern to rip from the ground.


    Lyrian smiles and pulls the book from his satchel, "let''s see here."


    Faylin and Aleena watch behind his shoulder as Lyrian looks through his book.


    "This is the dreadnoughtus, the third largest sauropod. It''s a gentle giant, yet a warrior among it''s kind, a herbivore that feeds on the tallest of trees. It''s peaceful unless threatened, and will defend it''s young with the strength of a titan. It''s legs are as strong as a castle wall, and it''s height is taller than the largest building," Lyrian explains. He shuts the book and is ready to get on with the plan despite is lack of energy.


    "Okay so it''s huge, what''s your plan, Fay," Lyrian asks her. Faylin thinks for a second.


    "We can use the trees and snipe at it. Aleena, you can shoot at its head from a far, and I can smash it''s leg with my hammer, Lyrian, you can keep it''s legs trapped in the fissures and use earth magic to hit, it''ll be like bringing a tower down from the inside out," she explains.


    "Guys, I gotta admit, I can''t hold another fissure together," Lyrian is still tired and drained. His movements are slow.


    "Lyrian, we need to take this creature down. At least use some kind of petrifying spell," Aleena encourages but Lyrian shakes his head.


    Faylin feels a bit of sorrow but she lifts a brow to an old man who has been standing behind them.


    "Why hello travelers," an old man''s cheerful voice greets them.


    "Hello?" Aleena looks behind he back. Faylin and Lyrian look to see an old man with a grey beard. He has a wooden cane in one hand and a book in the other. His eyes show a bit of crazy in them but a cheerful smile shines on his face.


    "Are you the mage of the area?" Faylin asks.


    "That''d be me. Are you guys okay? You all look like the swamp thing," the man laughs.


    "We''re okay. We defeated the spinosaurus and now we''re going to kill this dreadnoughtus. Is there anything we should know about it?" Aleena asks, folding her arms. Lyrian and Faylin pay their attention to the mage.


    "A spiny-what? And you guys are going to do what lookin'' like how you are?" The man giggles.


    "We''re serious. We''re gonna kill it, it''s hurting the environment," Aleena says, gaining more frustration with a balled fist. The old man shakes his head and chuckles. Lyrian and Faylin are a bit confused as they listen.


    "Let me handle it," Faylin walks up to the old man. "Look here, that gigantic creature is called a dreadnoughtus," Faylin points. "And it''s a danger-"


    The old man lifts a hand to stop her, "his name is Tilbert."


    Faylin chokes in laughter and blinks, "what?" She lowers her head and lifts a brow. Lyrian and Aleena look at each other with confusion on their faces.


    "His name is Tilbert. He''s my companion," he explains. "Come," he gets serious, "I''ll show you to my tower."


    <hr>

 Chapter 15

    The man leads the three to a clearing in the forest. A large wooden and cobblestone tower is in the middle and a large door is at the base. Aleena walks through rows of small saplings and bushes growing as one garden. Fresh scents bring her to a smile, remembering the forest.


    "A nature wizard?" she looks around at the tower and the vines growing on the side of it with flowers blooming.


    The old man looks at Aleena, "I specialize in all kinds of plants. And I have a few animals here."


    The group enters the wooden tower and they see a few cages and a desk. Plants grow in the corners of the tower and the light from the windows shine upon them.


    "I''m Lyrian, that''s Faylin, and Aleena," Lyrian says to the old man. They follow him up the wooden stairs and through some flowery vines through a doorway into the next room.


    The old man glances to them and smiles, "you can call me Merrik." He steps slowly holding his cane and pours some tea from a tea pot. Merrik takes a seat in a red armchair at the corner of the room and offers the three to sit. "Make yourself at home. I also have a bath salts and a pool downstairs if you want to a scrub with Mr. Loofa," Merrik laughs and holds a cylinder sponge like a puppet on his hand. "Don''t worry, he''s seen me many times, it doesn''t do anything to him anymore," he chuckles.


    Aleena''s face is in disgust but Faylin and Lyrian let out a nervous chuckle. Faylin grabs his sponge and hands it to Lyrian, "Lyrian why don''t you go first? Aleena and I will go after. It''d be nice to wash this muck off."


    Merrik stands up with the help of his cane, "I''ll get you some new clothes. They''re rags but it''ll do until the ones you''re wearing are washed." He puts his hat on a rack and heads to his room.


    Lyrian sighs, "I''ll go then." He takes the sponge and some soaps. He grabs the new fuzzy cloth from Merrik and heads down stairs.


    Faylin and Aleena are sitting in his living area on a couch.


    Merrik comes back and sets out a few folds of clothes, continuing on to his chair to sit. "So tell me ladies. What you know of Tilbert?"


    "Only that he''s a danger to the ow!" Faylin punches Aleena to the side to shut her up.


    Merrik chuckles, "nonsense, he may look gigantic, but he''s harmless."


    "How did you find him?" Faylin asks.


    "Now that is a tragic story there. He was under a mage spell. Someone who had a grudge against the forest. I was able to calm him and help him out. Poor fella was a mess."


    "Where did you get the dinosaur...I mean, how did you do it?" Faylin says, correcting herself from calling Tilbert a dinosaur.


    "He was rampaging around the village, swinging his tail, stomping and kicking houses. I was able to dispel the magic in his mind that was making him do that. Someone tried to turn him into a weapon, but considering he doesn''t have many defenses, it was quite easy to calm him. He was like a living battering ram."


    Aleena glares of at the side table next her, deep in though, "you said someone who had a grudge against the forest?"


    "I don''t know who," the old mage shakes his head. "The elven slaves have said something about that in the village. But what I do know, this person, hates humans."


    "Why? Why would a mage use a dinosaur to destroy a human village?" Aleena questions.


    "I don''t know, maybe they want to see humans burn. Either way, I''m happy Tilbert is safe. He''s a good fella," Merrik smiles and sips his tea.


    Lyrian comes up the stairs and sits on the couch, wearing white loose cotton shirt and pants, he is also barefoot. "Thanks, I feel a lot better," he stretches and yawns, clean and fresh. He looks to the girls and the old man, "so what''d I miss?"


    "Merrik was telling us about Tilbert, the dreadnoughtus," Faylin explains. "turns out he was under a mage spell like the Ankylosaur we encountered. But Merrik dispelled it."


    "That''s right," Merrik replies, taking another sip from his tea.


    Faylin takes a towel, "anyhow, Aleena, you coming?" Faylin says to Aleena, and the two leave.


    "Alright," Aleena replies, grabbing a towel and the pairs of raggedy clothes.


    Lyrian sits with Merrik, and watches the man finish his cup of tea, going about their day.


    Aleena and Faylin make their way to an underground steaming bathroom with a large hot pool. Faint magic is felt, probably to keep the underground hot spring warm. Aleena takes off her clothes and wraps a towel around herself. She steps into the pool and lets her body sink to the edge of the rock tub. She turns to see Faylin with a towel on and she is washing off the muck in the water.


    Faylin notices her and sighs. She sits next to Aleena, "I can''t do it."


    "What do you mean, Fay," Aleena asks, and gazing to the ceiling. She breathes in deep, and exhales out a relaxed breath.


    "I can''t kill that dinosaur. It''s innocent," Faylin says. She dunks her head in the water to clean her hair.


    "I know. But we have to," Aleena responds, closing her eyes.


    Faylin emerges from the water and wipes her face, "Aleena. I know it''s hurting the environment, and I feel like a hypocrite right now. But I don''t think leaving one harmless dinosaur would hurt. This is Merrik''s friend, his pet. We can''t take that away from him."


    "Then what about the forest Faylin?" Aleena says, turning her head to her, "what happens if the forest can''t keep up?"


    "Then we''ll deal with it, but for now, let''s leave it be. Let''s not make any hasty decisions," Faylin says. "You saw the spinosaur egg. These things are already breeding. It would be too late to catch them all anyway by ourselves. We should be focusing on the source of all this."


    She looks at Aleena who''s eyes are shut in frustration. Faylin''s face is full of worry and she places a hand on Aleena''s bare shoulder.


    "I promise, the forest will be safe. One harmless dinosaur eating a couple of trees won''t hurt," Faylin says to her.


    Aleena opens her eyes. "Okay," she complains. "Okay, we''ll leave Tilbert alone. As long as you''re sure he''s not going to hurt anything."


    "Thank you, Aleena. I promise, if Tilbert does anything to the forest, we''ll make things right," Faylin says to her, and smiles. "We''ll probably be staying here for a bit. We can observe what Tilbert is doing and how he acts with the environment around him. Study him, make sure he isn''t harming anything. I''m guessing he''s also a male so he shouldn''t be laying any eggs anywhere."Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Fine," Aleena responds.


    The two emerge from the water to dry off and get dressed. Up the stairs, they meet with Lyrian and Merrik. Faylin sits with Lyrian, her feet feeling the soft carpet and she is in torn but newly clean clothes of soft cotton.


    Aleena sits in a soft arm chair, clean with torn shorts and a shirt. And her long blonde hair shines upon the light.


    "We''ve decided to not kill Tilbert, as long as it''s okay with the forest," Faylin tells Lyrian. Lyrian nods and smiles to Faylin, knowing that was the decision all along.


    Merrik smiles, "well that''s good to hear, ladies. I didn''t know you were out to kill him. Or I would''ve had your necks partying with the willow vines on first sight." He bursts out in laughter.


    Faylin chuckles nervously and Aleena sighs in frustration. "Is that a joke? I can''t tell," Aleena says.


    "Partly," Merrik laughs. "It''s a warning to not do anything stupid."


    "Right," Aleena replies. She then questions, "Merrik, you''re a nature mage living out here on the edge of a swamp. Aren''t you afraid that Tilbert, a dreadnoughtus, which is an extinct species, may be messing with the environment out here?"


    "Nonsense, I''m the one who''s feeding him after all. I''m the one who looks out after the nature out here. I grow willows, ferns, cattails, grass, berries, all when necessary. I help the animals out here and farm them out in the wild. I can assure you, the swamp is quite controlled and well respected. Tilbert, while having a thousand stomachs, is well fed."


    "Must be a lot of work," Lyrian comments.


    "Oh it''s quite draining, but it''s what I am called to do as a green wizard."


    Faylin smiles and looks at Lyrian who''s smiling back. "Merrik, do you have a place we can stay?"


    "You''re welcome to stay here, I don''t mind the company. The guest room is level two of the tower," Merrik replies with a smile.


    "May I observe Tilbert outside?" Aleena asks.


    "Of course, as long as you keep your bow down, you''ll have no trouble."


    Aleena bows to him, "thank you. I want nothing more than to observe. I just want to make sure there is no complications with the forest here."


    "You''ve nothing to worry. Now who''s ready for supper?"


    Aleena takes her leave and the rest prepare for dinner.


    <hr>


    Aleena is leaning on a rock, by herself outside, next to all of Merrik''s rows of outside plants. Tilbert is in view as Aleena is watching it eat from a far. The same long neck arching to rip willow trees and ferns off the ground. A long tail swishing behind it, and it''s legs holding it''s massive weight. Aleena gazes afar and sighs trying to find a way to convict Tilbert but there is nothing she can see.


    Evolution takes a long time and the forest is quite controlled here. Aleena feels more at peace but does feel for it''s long arching neck that must be a pain for Tilbert since he must be used to eating taller trees.


    She puts her hands together for a prayer, "Thyrdon, god of life, forgive me for lives I have taken." All of the beasts she as shot down over the years start to well up her eyes. The coming of the dinosaurs is very much messing with her beliefs. But at this point, she knows she can''t stop them now. She wonders why she should even go after them anymore.


    The wind blows, and Aleena stands to her feet, hearing the sound of a twig snap. Tilbert moans in the distance.


    Aleena looks around, a shadow in the corner of her eye dashes. She pulls an arrow from her quiver and nocks it. Listening, more twigs snap and she fires her arrow at the sound.


    "Who''s there?" she calls out. "Show yourself."


    Aleena is met with a dagger through the back of her gut, feeling a burning sensation in it. Her heart beats, her vision blurs with blood spilling from her mouth.


    "Aleena? Dinner is ready." Faylin asks, she walks to the front door of Merrik''s tower. She steps outside and looks around, the sun is setting and the air is cold. She shivers and wraps her arms around herself.


    Faylin glimpses at a woman with red and black armor, and long red hair, hugging the back of Aleena with a dagger sticking from her gut. Faylin''s heart drops and she screams, "Lyrian!"


    The woman glances in Faylin''s direction but reacts, pulling the dagger out and dashing into the bushes to escape. Aleena collapses and she gasps for air, having no ability to talk.


    "What''s going on?" Merrik asks. He and Lyrian follow behind Faylin, heading outside.


    "Aleena!" Faylin yells, she kneels down to Aleena. "Who did this to you?"


    Blood spills from her mouth and Faylin looks at her wound. Faylin pulls her shirt off, leaving a white top, and wrapping her wound. Aleena coughs and red soaks onto Faylin''s wrapped shirt.


    Lyrian holds her and takes a glimpse of her eyes which are bloodshot and pupils grey. "She''s been poisoned."


    Lyrian starts to cry, "Aleena, we''re too far away from any cleric to help."


    Aleena desperately reaches for Lyrian, tugging his clothes and pulls herself closer to him. She leans her head against his chest, as if she was ready to sleep. She closes her eyes slowly, and Lyrian puts a hand to her head. "It''s okay, it''ll be okay," Lyrian says, crying.


    Merrik walks at fast pace with his cane and some emergency supplies full of herbs. He kneels and grabs Aleena''s wrist, holding it tight. Her wound is inflamed and he savagely tastes her blood and spits it out, "poisoned from a dart frog. This rogue was slick."


    "Is there a cure?" Faylin asks.


    "Ferny, tsst!" Merrik yells out and a plant comes poking from the ground. A small mandrake rushes to him, letting him grab some of it''s leaves. "Faylin, grab some some of those mushrooms over there."


    Faylin runs over to some lines of mushrooms and picks them. "Lyrian, keep her awake and keep her breathing. She''s not allowed to sleep," Merrik commands and Lyrian nods.


    Lyrian pulls Aleena closer and he holds her head, "Aleena, listen to my voice, it''s okay. It''s okay. We''re here." He holds her hand, and Aleena opens her eyes slowly, her eyelids heavy.


    Merrik grabs the ingredients and puts them in her mouth, "no time to make tea, just eat." The old mage has a raspy voice for his fast reaction time.


    Merrik takes a large leaf from his bag and puts it over Aleena''s wound, on her belly. He wraps the bandages around it, and then wraps it with Faylin''s shirt. Faylin helps him wrap the bandage and the three look at Aleena.


    Aleena is still bleeding and groaning in pain. "We''re here Aleena, please hang on," Lyrian begs. "Stay awake, stay awake."


    Faylin stands up and a horde of different kinds of animals are circling the clearing at the trees. Even Tilbert joins in the circle behind, moaning dreadnoughtus calls, and green sparkles starts to surround. Small grass begins to sprout around and a clear green fog pans alongs the dirt.


    "Nature destroys, and breeds a new and always heals it''s protectors," Merrik chants. His hand glows green on the wound and a circle of green light surrounds them, with lines pointing to the animals. Animals close in with green orbs of life feeding Aleena.


    The magic fades, and the orbs finish, and Merrik sighs in relief.


    Lyrian and Faylin look at each other in awe. "Did it work?" Lyrian asks. He holds Aleena in his arms and Faylin is holding her hand. They look at Merrik, who''s breathing heavily and wiping his forehead from sweat.


    His old age is showing and he leans on his cane. "Ah, she should better in the morning. Though a little tipsy from mushrooms. They have a good kick to them," Merrik laughs, regaining back his strength quite quickly.


    Faylin lets out a sigh of relief and hugs Aleena, "Thank goodness."


    Lyrian smiles to Merrik, "thank you so much, sir." He has a tear in his eye and he wipes it away.


    "No need, young ones," Merrik responds and looks to the house as his animals leave back to the swamp. The dreadnoughtus arches down next them, biting a willow down and pulling the roots. Cold dirt flies in their faces making them flinch.


    "Tilbert! I thought I told you to save that one for lunch tomorrow. I haven''t made the seeds yet," Merrik yells to his gigantic pet as it moans and echos back.


    "No no, I don''t want to hear it," he lectures.


    Faylin turns to Lyrian, "let''s get Aleena inside to rest." Lyrian nods and picks her up.


    They bring her inside and lay her on the couch, keeping her warm with a blanket. Lyrian sits on the soft carpet, watching her sleep, and Faylin is on the couch, looking at the two.


    "I can''t believe it. That was so close," Lyrian sighs. Faylin looks down at Aleena and then to Lyrian who''s trying to wipe the blood off her mouth. "Did you see what the killer looked like?" he asks.


    "It was dark," she replies, "but it was a lady. I saw her. I saw her red hair and she had black and red armor," Faylin explains.


    "Do you think she was a human?" Lyrian asks.


    "I don''t know," Faylin responds. She sighs, "she looked at me when I yelled. She was fast, she was gone before I could do anything."


    "You think this is the event that Luminitsa warned us about? Red aura, and Aleena dead."


    "It could be, but she was very vague," Faylin says. "All we can do now is wait, and see if Aleena will remember anything."


    "Right," Lyrian replies.


    The two wait, and Merrik comes back inside, "I''m sorry about that. Tilbert can be an handful sometimes, even for me."


    "It''s okay," Faylin replies and smiles awkwardly. She turns her head to Aleena who is sleeping peacefully. She smiles to them and then back to Merrik, "thank you so much for your help, Merrik."


    "You''re welcome, dear. I''m glad I can help," he smiles and takes a seat. "You can rest, I can keep an eye on Aleena. If anything happens I''ll come get you two."


    "Thanks you," Faylin says.


    <hr>


    Faylin, Aleena, Merrik, Lyrian, and Tilbert

 Chapter 16

    Faylin and Lyrian emerge from the guest room and Aleena is still sound asleep on the couch, nice and peaceful. Her stomach rises and falls slowly as her body sits still. Merrik is cooking breakfast in the kitchen area and he notices the two.


    "Good morning," Merrik greets.


    Faylin and Lyrian look at each other, and then back at Merrik. "Is she awake?" Faylin asks.


    Merrik turns his head to Aleena, "she''s been asleep for awhile now. You two go on, have breakfast."


    Faylin and Lyrian are back in their normal clothes all clean and ready. Lyrian wears his black mage robes with a green trim and ornamental buttons. Faylin is in her usual brown leather armor.


    Aleena stirs in her sleep. Sizzling spinach and eggs light up the room. They eat breakfast together, but Aleena wakes rubbing her closed eyes and yawning. She groans as she sits up, holding her visible forehead head in a hangover. "Bleh," Aleena let''s go of the mushrooms and leaves that was still in her mouth.


    Lyrian runs to her, "Aleena, thank the gods you''re awake."


    "Huh?" Aleena slurs and lazily holds her arms out.


    Faylin hugs her, "we thought you were gone."


    Aleena cuffs Faylin''s cheeks and starts to swirl her tongue in her mouth, leaving Faylin shocked. She holds her, Faylin too surprised to escape Aleena''s grasp. "Thank you, you''re the best boyfriend ever Faylin," Aleena pulls away and her pupils are as large as cat''s eye.


    "Uhh," Faylin is frozen, blushing red. Lyrian bursts out laughing and Faylin''s eyebrows lower, her face is flushing a deep red. "What?"


    "Don''t ever change," Aleena chuckles and leans on her shoulder. Lyrian and Faylin look at each other.


    "No seriously, you smell like a rock, but I love it," Aleena says.


    "Aleena I''m a girl! You don''t have a boyfriend!" Faylin clenches her fists.


    Aleena starts to drip from her eyes and cries like a innocent child, "but what about our bath last night?"


    Faylin''s eyes widen further as she keeps her red face, "what!?"


    Lyrian laughs at the two and Merrik joins in. "That would be the mushrooms," he laughs. "She may still be a little loopy."


    Lyrian and Faylin are confused. "I''m so sorry, I didn''t mean to. Please take me back," Aleena begs, holding her hands. Faylin''s face turns redder, her head is about to burst from steam, but Aleena''s face is full of sadness, like a puppy in the rain.


    Aleena turns her attention towards Lyrian. "Lyrian! I want to show you my pet dinosaur," she runs up to him all enthusiastic. "It''s big, and it eats trees. Do you like it?" She hangs and tilts her head like a drunk near the window.


    Faylin''s face turns back to normal, "Aleena that''s not yours." Lyrian can''t help but continue to giggle. Merrik is sitting on his chair, watching Aleena''s chaos. "Did you know she was going to be like this?" Faylin asks Merrik.


    "Oh yes, when I was younger, I ate some jurry mushrooms to see what it would taste like, and thought I could talk to animals afterwards. It''s quite hilarious really. Not that I don''t do that already while sober," the old man chuckles.


    "Wait, are you serious?" Aleena asks and her head slightly wobbly.


    "What?" Faylin replies to Aleena which catches her attention.


    "Mom, I''m going out to see my animal friends. There''s a hippo hosting a party down town. Grampa over there said it was okay." She exhales and her voice is airy, "I''m going to go." Grabbing a random shirt that isn''t even hers, she stumbles over to the stairs and hangs her head.


    "Aleena, no," Faylin grabs Aleena and she struggles, but Faylin holds on tight. "You''re not going anywhere."


    Lyrian chuckles sarcastically, "well she''s doing great." He sits on the couch and watches the two fight.


    "No, let me go, I''m tired of this damn farm!" Aleena pulls and stops her foot and Faylin pushes her down on the couch, sitting on her as she pouts and struggles underneath. Aleena starts to cry, "I''m not a kid, let me go!" she whines. "I hate this."


    "Maybe you''re the one that hates the farm, Fay," Lyrian says with a smirk.


    "How about you shut it and help me keep Aleena out of danger?" Faylin replies with a glare.


    Lyrian sighs, "Aleena, what do you remember about last night?"


    "Ugh, we were having a bath and then I woke up here on the couch," she says. "My belly hurts," she complains.


    "It''s okay, just rest, we''ll get you some medicine," Faylin says carefully releasing her and trying not to hurt her.


    Aleena nods and lays down on the couch, finally relaxed.


    Merrik watches and laughs.


    "Alright, I think she''ll be okay," Lyrian says and Faylin lets Aleena go completely.


    "Why is my belly so itchy?" she feels the bandages and her skin around it, and then scratches it. "And why am I covered in raspberries? Can I have some?" She licks her finger with a bit of red.


    "No, that''s gross!" Faylin yells. "Aleena, you''re not eating that, that''s rotten." She holds Aleena''s hand away.


    Aleena pouts and looks at Faylin, "but mom."


    Faylin''s eyebrows furrow, "I''m not your mother, Aleena." And she sighs finally giving in to playing along with her fantasies. "We can get you some fresh raspberries from the swamp later, okay?"


    Lyrian smiles, "you know, I think you''d actually be a great mom."


    "Shut it," Faylin snaps at him.


    Lyrian laughs, "that was a compliment. Look at you taking care of her." He points to Aleena who''s sleeping soundly, holding Faylin''s arm.


    "She''s my friend, of course I''d take care of her. I''m not her mom though."


    "Sure," Lyrian chuckles.


    Faylin''s eyes narrow, "you''re weird Lyrian."


    "Says the boy who likes making toys."


    Lyrian laughs, and Faylin''s face flushes red, "shut it Lyrian!" Faylin rests her face taking in a deep breath and glances at him with a smirk, "thanks though."


    Lyrian and Faylin sit with Merrik. "did you see the attacker?" Lyrian asks Merrik.


    Merrik shakes his head, "no, but the poison was definitely from a dart frog. It''s a strong poison that can paralyze victims and make them bleed out from their body. I''ve been attacked a few times by rogues, but this one was different."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Who do you think it was?" Lyrian asks.


    Merrik shakes his head, "I''m not sure. But it''s definitely a rogue. And from what she was after, she''s only after Aleena. It seems as if you guys have nothing to do with this, otherwise she would''ve fought you off, but instead she ran."


    "I can confirm. She looked at me, and ran," Faylin replies.


    Lyrian looks at Aleena who is resting, "why is she after Aleena though?"


    Merrik thinks, "I don''t know. But what I do know is that Aleena is safe with us for now. Just keep an eye out, I can protect you guys. No one will mess with an old nature wizard like me."


    "I wish we knew more," Faylin says.


    "Me too," Lyrian replies.


    <hr>


    Dusk is shining through the clouds on the next day. The swamp is dark but the moonlight shines on the clear areas. Aleena is laying on the couch. Faylin and Lyrian are talking together, chattering.


    "I was always fascinated with magic, I wanted to learn all about it," Faylin says. She is holding a pillow and looking up at the ceiling,


    "But I''m not a mage. So that''s why I took up blacksmithing because if I find the rare materials, I know they have magical properties. That''s why I went with my dad to the mines," Faylin explains to Lyrian. She has her hands locked along a pillow, looking to the ceiling. "And I found a special rock when I was young. My dad said it was the greatest find in all the years of mining. It''s a special material."


    Lyrian looks to Faylin, listening to her. He can sense a bit of sadness filling as she speaks.


    Faylin sighs, "but here I am, wasting my time as an adventurer."


    "You''re not wasting your time, Fay. You''re helping Aleena and the people around. You''re helping your kingdom, and you''re making a difference. And you''re gathering rare ore." Lyrian says to her, with a smile.


    Faylin rolls her head to Lyrian, and smiles, "thanks Lyrian. But I haven''t gathered anything yet."


    "You will, you have the potential," Lyrian reassures.


    Faylin sighs, "I just feel like a failure, I feel like I can''t do anything."


    "Well you''re doing something. You''re helping people. Bibby has a roof over her head and your dad''s shop is still intact. That''s what matters."


    "But is it enough? Am I doing it right?"


    "Yes. You are a good person. I know you are." Lyrian puts a hand on her shoulder.


    Aleena stirs awake again. "Guys?" She rubs her eyes looking better.


    Faylin and Lyrian turn their heads. "How are you feeling?" Faylin asks.


    Aleena smiles to her and the three look at each other, "better, a lot better. My head feels a lot clearer." She looks down and pulls her shirt up, seeing the bandages. "What happened to me?" Aleena asks.


    Faylin puts her hands on her hips, standing over her, "you kissed me, that''s what happened." Lyrian giggles to himself.


    "Sorry?" Aleena is a little confused, but then it hits her. Aleena''s eyes widen, "wait, what?"


    "You were on some mushrooms and you were calling me your boyfriend," she explains with a smug look.


    Aleena''s face deepens red, "oh," she looks away.


    They both enjoy seeing Aleena in her embarrassed state, and Lyrian says to Aleena, "we''re kidding. You were drugged and poisoned. You were hallucinating and delusional. You thought you were going to a hippo''s house party."


    "Wait, a hippo''s house party?" Aleena asks and raises an eyebrow. "That''s a weird hallucination. I mean I have been around hippos before but not in house."


    "Yeah, we know. You were a mess. But the good thing is, you''re okay now," Faylin says to her.


    She smiles, "thank you."


    Faylin smiles back. "no problem. But you are never going to live that kiss down. You dug deep, with your tongue. And it was slimy Aleena," Faylin''s eyes narrow at her with a smirk.


    Her eyes widen, and her face turns red again. "Ew, Faylin!" Lyrian laughs at the two, and Aleena playfully pushes him.


    "Can you guys not," Aleena says embarrassed.


    Faylin smirks, "oh come on, you liked it."


    "No I didn''t, it was weird," she argues.


    "Right, and that''s why you were begging me to marry you," she teases.


    Aleena smacks her lips to cover her mouth, "shut it, Faylin." She closes her eyes trying to let the emotional torment pass.


    Lyrian and Faylin laugh.


    "Seriously, what happened to me?" Aleena asks, rubbing her belly. "My wound still hurts."


    Laughter stops and the mood gets serious once again.


    "A rogue attacked you. It was a woman. She was too fast and escaped," Faylin explains.


    "Oh, I see. A rogue..."


    "Don''t worry, you''re safe. Merrik helped us out, he healed you and got rid of the poison. He''s very skilled," she continues.


    "Thank you."


    Faylin smiles, "yeah, we were worried for you."


    Aleena''s voice is soft, and her face turns serious, "but why did she attack me?"


    "I''m not sure. It seems like someone wants you dead. But we''re here for you. We''ll figure it out together," Faylin says to her. "No one is going to get their hands on you like that while we''re still alive."


    "Thanks," Aleena replies, not knowing how to react at all the kindness.


    "Come here Aleena," Lyrian hugs her and teases, "I need my kiss too." Lyrian leans in and Aleena punches him in the gut.


    "Not even in thousand years Lyrian," she says firmly with her arms crossed.


    "Okay okay," Lyrian says trying to laugh, but holds his stomach in pain.


    Faylin laughs, and Merrik walks into the room with some tea, "ah, I see the elf is awake. How are you feeling?" He sits down next to Faylin and takes a sip from his tea.


    "Better, thank you," Aleena smiles.


    <hr>


    In the front yard of the mage tower, Merrik is outside next to the garden. Glowing bright green as the leaves are rising from the floor, his arms are above his head, and a large willow grows instantly. "There you go Tilbert, more willows for you to eat. Oh, I have to work twice as hard now since you came. But I guess I can''t stay made at that face, can I?" The dreadnoughtus moans and starts eating some ferns a long the ground.


    Merrik walks to the house and looks into the horizon, seeing the sun setting, "oh dear, it''s getting dark, I better start a fire for dinner."


    "Hm," he thinks to himself staring at a smoke flaring in the village from afar. "That is much larger than any old campfire or chimney. This can''t be good."


    Merrik heads inside.


    The three are sitting together on the couch. Faylin is reading a book, Aleena is polishing her bladed bow, and Lyrian is reading a book of magic.


    "Hello, younglings," Merrik says, walking up the stairs.


    "Hey Merrik," they reply in unison.


    Merrik''s eyes are wide, "the village is burning, someone has to help them."


    Lyrian jumps up from his seat. "That''s ridiculous, why?"


    "I don''t know, but someone needs to check it out. I thought it might have something to do with Aleena''s assassin," Merrik explains.


    Aleena looks at him, "I''ll go check it out."


    Faylin stops her, "no, you''re hurt. You can''t go. You have to rest."


    Aleena shakes her head, "I can''t. This assassin almost killed me, and it''s time I return the favor."


    Lyrian jumps in, "I don''t think it''s a good idea, Faylin is right. What if it''s a trap?"


    "Then let''s all go together," she replies. "I''m not going to sit here and let her get away with this." Aleena stands up, grabbing her bow and quiver and heading downstairs.


    Faylin and Lyrian stand, and look at each other.


    "And with that, it looks like it''s time for my guests to part ways with me," Merrik sighs. He walks with them downstairs to the door. "Be careful, young ones, don''t get into any trouble you can''t get out of."


    "Thank you, Merrik," Lyrian replies.


    Merrik looks at Faylin, "and Fay, don''t forget to use your head."


    "I won''t," Faylin replies with a smile.


    He then turns to Aleena, "and Aleena, keep the forest safe. You and I depend on each other, even though we may be miles apart." Merrik places a hand on her shoulder.


    Aleena nods, "I promise I won''t fail."


    Merrik pulls out a small salve containing a mixer of sparkling balm, "take this, I brewed it up while you were asleep. Just in case that assassin tries it again, it should heal you and give you a little resistance. It''s not strong though and her poison is some of the toughest out there, so be careful. This is best I can offer for now."


    Aleena stares at the small container held out to her, then takes it. It shines a fog with the magic of nature and smells like fresh eucalyptus. "Merrik, I can''t thank you enough for all you do for the forest."


    Merrik looks at her sternly in the eyes, "Aleena, you must count on the forest, nature always heals it''s protectors. You are strong with it, and you always have been. Even with these new creatures, the forest is teaching you a lesson. Listen to it."


    "I have not fallen apart from the forest Merrik," Aleena lightly argues.


    "You have been caught off guard many times Aleena. You observe Tilbert not knowing what he is doing and how he is effecting the forest and other animals around. He is unknown to you and you are afraid of an animal minding his own business as my other animals do the same. It is a lot simpler than that, and you make it much more complex. That is not a normal wood elf Aleena."


    Aleena looks down, realizing her wrongs and listening to the old green wizard. She has been caught emotionally, thinking back to the unknown calls and sounds of dinosaurs and how they react. Guilt tightens in her chest and she trembles.


    Merrik continues and grips his cane, "sometimes there are sacrifices, and know that it is not your fault Aleena. You are strong and smart with the forest."


    She thinks back to the Ankylosaur under a spell. An innocent creature it was to her. Even the spinosaurus, trying to protect her young, only to be shattered to find out her egg was crushed. And the pack of dilophosaurs that attacked her clan, only trying to survive by finding food and even to possibly feed their own families.


    Aches form in her arms. She hates that she has to take the lives of animals which was once a rare occurrence. "I feel like a killer Merrik," she tells him with a sniffle and watery eyes.


    "Don''t, you have no access to this magic, and just because Tilbert is fine now, doesn''t mean the others are. It doesn''t mean that the forest won''t regress," he explains. "Do what you must, but you must rely on the forest and have trust, in yourself and the magic around."


    Aleena nods and gives the old man a hug with a few tears. "You''ll always be welcome in my clan Merrik. It''s rare to find a human like you with much respect."


    "I''ll be sure to come visit."


    "Keep Tilbert safe," she says.


    "You can count on it."


    The old man smiles to the group after he has his hug, "you all be safe, and come back soon. I''ll keep an eye out for your assassin." He waves to them, and the group leaves into the swamp, following the path to the burning village.

 Chapter 17

    The town of Mosswick is raining ash but there is only the rubbled inn ascending into the air. The townsfolk are gathered around. Dead bodies in armor are placed all along the village. Villagers are terrified and no one is there to save them.


    The group is in concern. Aleena sees that the people are scared and hears their cries. But some soldiers in red armor catch her eye. Red armored soldiers are pacing along the village and the people have been huddling close together. But the soldiers are not the village guard.


    "Let''s go see if we can help," Aleena says, and the group follows her to the villagers.


    Lyrian examines the dead guards, and then at the burning inn. "Did the assassin kill the guards?"


    A soldier wrinkles his browns at Aleena and she returns the nasty look. "Who are you people?" she asks the soldier. However, the soldier remains silent.


    A frightened villager points slowly and the women in red and black armor is waiting with a bunch of other rogue soldiers in the same color. She is human, rounded ears and the same long red hair Faylin saw earlier. Orange eyes mark a crazy thirst for blood.


    "It''s her, it''s the assassin," Faylin whispers.


    "What is she doing here?" Lyrian asks.


    "I don''t know, but she must be here for a reason," Faylin replies. "She doesn''t look friendly."


    The woman turns her head to see them, and she marks her attention at Aleena. She smiles to the side, an evil grin. Flames ascend from the inn behind the rogue woman who strolls casually towards the group. "Aleena. I knew you weren''t dead. A scout caught a glimpse at the old mage healing you. Sorry about the inn, I needed beacon to summon you."


    "Our stuff was still in there!" Faylin yells out. "And why do you have the village hostage?"


    "Oh, sorry," the assassin shrugs. "But Fay, at least you still have that nice carriage you bought. I''ll even help pay for it," the assassin smiles and holds up a bag of coins. A dagger behind the bag rests in her palm. She moves to the salesman Faylin bought the carriage from a couple of days ago. "You''re selling carriages right?"


    The salesman is in fear, his eyes widen and he holds his hands up. "Yes! Yes!"


    She grips his hand and slaps the coins in it for him to take. Though as she lets go of the coins, the dagger slides and spills his blood. The coins bounce along the ground and the salesman falls over to his knees, screaming and he holds his throbbing hand.


    "Oh I''m so sorry, that was so clumsy of me," the assassin giggles.


    Growing tired, the man drops to the floor, having been injected with the same deadly poison Aleena was struck with. The assassin steps over his lifeless body and walks to the group. "See Faylin? No more worrying about paying that man. All paid off," she taunts in a threatening manner.


    Faylin clenches her fists and holds her war hammer. Aleena pulls an arrow from her quiver and nocks it. The assassin and Aleena lock eyes.


    "You will pay for your actions, assassin," Aleena demands, keeping a stern look. "Let these people go."


    "Oh, and what are you going to do?" The assassin asks, tilting her head.


    "I''ll kill you, human scum," Aleena replies with a burning rage.


    "Oh, you think you can take me? You can barely walk. Your friends will have to help you even stand, you''re so pathetic. I don''t understand what they see in you. You''re just a weak, pathetic little elf girl who should be in chains of a human owner," the assassin taunts Aleena, smiling.


    "How dare you! I would die rather to be in the hands of a slaver," Aleena defends.


    "That''s enough," Faylin steps forward, holding her war hammer in both hands. She swings at the assassin, but her speed is too intense. Faylin misses and the assassin kicks her gut, knocking her down.


    "Oof," Faylin hits the dust.


    "Pathetic," the assassin spits on Faylin. "I can''t believe you''re the blacksmith everyone is talking about." She delivers another kick to Faylin.


    "This is your last warning. You and the mage will stand aside while my gang here collects our bounty. Or the rest of this village goes up in flames. Each house and shop are all connected by fuses ready set off dynamite. And better yet," she pauses. "I won''t even kill these people. Their punishment will be to go homeless and live as a begging refugee the rest of their life. Got it, blacksmith?"


    Faylin looks up to the assassin, and Lyrian runs to her side. She holds her paining stomach and Lyrian helps her up. "That was dirty trick, attacking me while I was down," Faylin says.


    "Well who''s the dirty one now?" the assassin insults. "Now, I need you all to move aside, so I can finish my job. You are welcome to watch if you wish."


    "Faylin, Lyrian. Do as she says. This is my fight," Aleena tells them. Faylin and Lyrian nod and nervously steps out of her point of fire.


    Aleena stands firm. Her bow is held in her hand, her arrow is ready to be released. Her eyes scan there area. Air is hot from the inn flames, already sweating from a nervous mess she tries to hide. She counts the gang around, a warrior, two rogues, two archers in back, and the assassin leader in the middle.


    Lyrian glances around at the buildings. Fuses are connecting each house. Potential for a chain explosion is imminent. All it would take is one match to set off each bomb.


    In the blacksmith, there is someone in view through the glass, guarding with the same armor as the gang. He holds a flaming torch.


    "Faylin look, a rogue inside that blacksmith is ready to set the bombs off. If we can kill him silently, and you can locate all the bombs in town, I can make stone barriers around them so no one messes with them. Then we can help Aleena."


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "I''m not stealthy Lyrian," her voice wavers.


    "You can do this. We have to hurry, Aleena can''t take on this many by herself," he replies.


    Faylin sighs, "I''ll try, but I''m not promising anything." She sneaks off, hiding behind a building as Lyrian waits by leaning on a couple of barrels. She peeks around the corner and sees that the blacksmith is open. She hunches over and grabs a stone. Cobblestone walls hide her presence near the door.


    Throwing the stone through the door frame and at the wall of the building, the rogue looks towards the impact. Faylin sneaks in, hiding below a tool shelf.


    Dynamite is in a dark pile in the middle of the room.


    Readying her hammer behind the rogue bomber, she wacks him on the head with all her might.


    <hr>


    Aleena continues facing the whole gang and the assassin girl in the middle. She is tensing up, "who are you people? What do you want with me?"


    "Me? I''m Valery, and I run the Scarlet Flake gang. There''s a bounty for your blood," she points her red bladed dagger then holds it with a twist, "and my employer set me on the job."


    "What employer? Tell me who it is," Aleena commands, despite her nervous sweat on her forehead.


    "That is none of your business, elf," Valery responds and warms up her blade by giving it a spin. "Now how about you stop your useless commanding that no one listens to, and let''s get this over with. I have a lot of gold waiting for me after your death."


    "You damn humans and all your filthy greed," Aleena snarls.


    "Oh you wouldn''t know what it''s like to have everything taken from you. You''re an elf, you have nothing. Just like you elves deserve."


    "Elves are proud to have nothing," Aleena lifts her head high. "We actually appreciate what we have in our lives. And we have the one thing that you don''t. Family, love, and we value who we have in our lives and stick together."


    Valery twirls a dagger and grips it with an evil smirk, "you wanna bet? Because I don''t think that will last very long."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll put you out of your apathetic misery," Aleena hisses and lets the arrow fly. Valery dodges quickly and the rest of the gang charges for the elf. Arrow after arrow, she fires, killing one of the rogues, and an archer that had just shot at her. She turns her attention to Valery who is fast approaching. Aleena draws her bladed bow and swings.


    Valery dodges and pulls her other dagger from her hip, slashing at Aleena. Aleena blocks with her bow, and parries with a swing. Clashing of metal, a bow against two daggers. Valery is ecstatic. She smiles with each swing. Her silent joy and focus overwhelms Aleena''s frustration.


    But Valery''s taste for blood only fuels Aleena''s hate for humans. Aleena attacks. Ding after ding, they continue their close combat. Aleena is not equipped for Valery''s flurry of short daggers. She appeases anyway and continues the swing. But Valery does the same.


    The two exchange blows, and Aleena gets a large gash on her arm, and Valery has a cut on her shoulder.


    "I will end you," Aleena threatens.


    Valery laughs and kicks Aleena as her vision blurs once again. Aleena drops to her knees, feeling weak. She looks at her hands which are shaking.


    "Have you forgotten?" Valery chuckles. "You''ve been poisoned again, and now you will suffer the same fate." Valery smiles deviously, "here, maybe a kiss from a frog might help."


    A frog emerges from her hair and croaks. Valery giggles, grabbing the small pet and licks the poisonous residue from the frog, "you should really try it, it''s delicious."


    Aleena babbles on, fast and pants to brush off the venomous pain, "you''re mad if you think I''ll let you get away with abusing nature like that. Using a dart frog''s poisons for your own personal gain of murder." She gasps for air and her heart heavy.


    Valery tosses the dart frog at Aleena''s face, "fine, take him if you wish. But bubbles loves his kisses." Valery laughs and walks back to the gang. "Finish her," she commands, "she''s done."


    The dart frog hops all along her hair as Aleena tries to catch the little creature. "Stop," she commands. It jumps from her shoulder and it''s cool slimy belly, wet with venom, sits on her arm. She snatches at it and misses, trying again, and again, springing up and down all over her.


    Aleena looks to see the frog hop in her satchel and quickly closes it. "Stay," she demands again, falling on a hand as she grunts weaker from the poisons.


    <hr>


    Faylin kills the rogue in the blacksmith and she searches around to see where the bomb is. She finds the dynamite on the floor. Faylin looks out the window waves to Lyrian, signaling she knows where the bomb is.


    Lyrian tightens his fist below his waist so no one will see what they are doing. Stone barriers fold around the dynamite in the blacksmith, cutting off all access.


    Faylin enters the next building over and locates the bomb in the room, signaling him. Lyrian does the same still standing in his position outside, folding stone around the dynamite with his magic.


    They do this again after each dynamite pile is shielded while Aleena is losing to Valery. Lyrian bites his lip watching the fray.


    The warrior elevates his long axe high over Aleena who has been on her knees. "Die," he yells and brings the axe down. Aleena''s eyes widen and her heart races, the sound of the wind from the blade echoes in her ears. Strength crunches down on her bladed bow above her head, ploughing her into the dirt, and barely blocking it. A silvering axe is pushed away to her side. The blade of her bow cuts through the axe man''s boot, slicing his toes in half.


    Aleena''s vision spins, barely able to stay conscious, but is forced to keep fighting. She pulls the bow from the warrior''s foot as he wails in pain.


    The next rogue warrior is coming for her. Her bow jabs the rogue''s chest. She pushes him to the ground with a foot and is pulling the blade out. The rogue coughs and groans, dying on the ground.


    She faces the axe warrior once again, trying to slash at him. Aleena''s backs up, but she struggles to keep her distance for ranged purposes. He keeps stepping forward. Aleena''s blades do nothing to knock his muscular body back. His force keeps pushing her, too strong for her own blade.


    Far from the warrior''s reach, he still uses the momentum of the long axe to reach and overwhelm her. Hands are at the edge of the long staff of the heavy battle axe. He swings, knocking her back into the ground and cutting her side.


    She rolls away from a slow drop of the axe blade. Her eyes widen at the large silver head in her face, barely missing her head. She swiftly gets up to her feet and faces him.


    <hr>


    Faylin enters an abandoned building as the last building to check for a bomb but there is none in her sight. The attention of a shriek is heard with a pattering of metal. Hissing chirps fill the room along with a clicking high pitched growl.


    Peeking along, a cage in the corner of the room with raptor-like forms are inside. Faylin knows it''s the perfect chance to kill them so she goes near the cage. One of them screeches, and grows curious with rapid tilts of the head to fully see Faylin approach.


    Flapping of it''s arms covered in long feathers, it shrieks with a spit splattering across Faylin''s face. Her eyes clench and she screams in pain, holding her face. "Damn it!" she yells, "it burns!"


    Faylin backs away, and the small bird charges towards the cage and claws at the bars while chewing.


    Faylin wipes her face off as her vision fades but backs up into Valery. The assassin turns her around and grabs her collar. She pushes her up against the wall and pulls a dagger to her neck, "you were supposed to stay out of this. I guess the village will turn to flames then. Enjoy your slime."


    She smirks and spits in Faylin''s face as a mockery. Letting her go, she opens the cage to the pack of sinornithosaurs.


    Faylin falls to the ground and rubs her eyes. The creatures approach her and they are about half her size. Smells of venom is thick like vomit, and the sound of claws clicking on the floor is getting closer. Faylin can only hear the creatures chirp, and feels the heating draft of their breathy stench.


    The creatures lunge and Faylin swings her hammer. She hits its head and it shrieks but the others hop on top of her. Raptor claws pierce her skin. Slime is soaking her hair and dripping on her. More venom, and teeth pierces her arms and legs. She screams in agony, blind with burning eyes. Bite wounds from birds with teeth are all over and raptor sickle claws are latching onto her.


    Faylin fears the worst, being the first time she''s ever been poisoned.


    <hr>


    Aleena and Valery fight


    <hr>


    Faylin and the pack of sinornithosaurus

 Chapter 18

    Valery walks to the next building with a torch in hand where her dynamite is placed. Once stopped at the door frame, her eyes widen at the stone cube covering her access.


    "Damn you mage!" Valery''s eyes narrow to Lyrian from afar. Outside in the open, Lyrian launches a stone fist. A green cloud over floating rolling rocks in the shape of his own fist hurl into Valery''s crossed blades. She pulls them to her side, then rushes.


    A burst of foggy energy, he reaches for the sky. Up goes the earthen spikes from the dirt, following Valery. Swiftly, Valery rides them, hoping off each one and getting close for one final jump.


    She lands for a slice along Lyrian''s clawed gauntlets across his forearm. Valery''s dual daggers twirl. Her body spins. Lyrian shoves each hit along his metal gloves. He traps a blow with a grab of the blade. He pulls her in for a silver fist to the face and she stumbles back, rubbing her nose. "So you do know how to fight."


    "Not as much as Faylin, but I can hold my own," he replies.


    "Of course, you have to protect that pathetic excuse of an elf." Valery hisses.


    Lyrian blocks and shoves her blows aside. Valery keeps her blades at an advantaged offense. He steps in and swings a claw, at an opening, scratching her face. A punch to the gut and Lyrian kicks her to the ground. Valery rolls to save her stagger, but Lyrian counters with a pound beneath him. A wave of rock projects, brushing dust to her boots to find a face full of dirt, knocking her over.


    The assassin looks through her red hair a mess on the floor, gritting her teeth.


    Lyrian turns and sees Aleena still struggling against the warrior and the archer, the last of Valery''s gang.


    An axe drops again and Aleena is still fighting mainly lying on the ground. The axe clashes with her bladed bow and her arms shake with all the might she has. The warrior lifts, holding the axe tight in his hands.


    The archer gang member is in quite a distance. She pulls her arrow back and shoots, the arrow whizzing past Aleena''s head as she is still lying on the ground, barely surviving.


    The axe drops as Aleena draws another arrow and she turns over to her back to let the axe dig the ground. The axe man tugs, a slow warrior working to get the axe out the ground.


    At an upside-down view, an awkward angle, she focuses at a weak point in the warrior''s leg armor and pulls further on the string. With a piercing eye, the arrow traverses in a line through the warriors shin and hits the archer in the chest. She gets to her knees and fires two more. One stick in the gut and another in the throat. The archer falls and chokes.


    Hearing the cries of the warrior holding his foot in agony, she kicks at his wound but the warrior catches his fall, grabbing Aleena''s tight armor. He wrestles her to the ground but is met with a sudden stone spike impaling him from the ground.


    Aleena looks up to see Lyrian standing over her. Finally a rest, even though it is small, she yields with a sigh, weak and nauseous.


    <hr>


    Faylin runs out of the building and trips over a wooden bucket with saliva across her face. The sinornithosaurs kicks the dirt behind them, faster than Faylin could ever run. It overwhelms her with a sickle claw on her waist and digs in her back with painful nibbles of teeth along her back. She screams in pain, undergoing her tearing flesh as it pulls, "someone! I can''t see!" She screams again.


    Aleena tosses a small salve to Lyrian, "Merrik''s healing balm. Save Faylin."


    "What about you?" Lyrian worries.


    She pants and signals with her hand to stop, "don''t, Faylin needs it more, trust me. Trust nature."


    Lyrian stares at the balm but takes it. Even though he is more connected to earth, he grips the salve and knows what Aleena means.


    Lyrian''s runs toward Faylin being eaten by the pack of small birds. A stone launches out of the ground like an artillery. He smash one of the beast''s head. It rapidly gains all attention to Lyrian standing abroad.


    They are screeching and charging after him. He readies his iron fists for battle.


    Lyrian moves, punching at a lunge. One of them bites and another tugs at his robes. A sinornithosaur snaps its jaw at his arms. Lyrian holds its mouth open, his gauntlets protecting him from the teeth. He pushes it''s mouth open and snaps a jaw bone, and the one lays limp on the dirt.


    Creatures leap, chirping, and one beak grabs a hold of a gauntlet, and chews. Gnawing of metal, his glove spills venom. With his other arm, he digs his own durable claws into the beasts long neck and slams it in the stone floor.


    The last beast is chirping but backs away slowly. It makes the sounds of an innocent cry, holding it''s head down then finally turns away.


    Lyrian notices the surrender and runs to Faylin, "are you okay?"


    Faylin groans, "yeah, I''m fine. It didn''t break any bone, I just can''t see." Slime is still sticky on her face. She pants, and grunts, "this slime stings." Faylin tries to stand up but Lyrian sits her down.


    He grabs his water jug, "hold your breath." Water pours down on her face, focusing on her eyes. Lyrian grabs part of his robe starts wiping Faylin.


    She''s able to open her eyes still feeling the tension, "ow, it still hurts." She takes the robe and wipes more, "okay, okay, thank you. Let''s kill this thing." Faylin stands up but falls once more, dizzy and sick to her stomach. Her sight blurs at the straining sickness. Feeling is numb to her and legs tingle like noodles.


    She falls flat on her side, almost in faint. Drowsiness and fatigue is overwhelming.


    Lyrian helps her sit up, "Faylin, you''re poisoned."


    "I can''t do this, it caught me off guard..." Tears streak down her face as she finally gives in. The guilt of not knowing what opponent was in the cage before is hurting her inside. All the sweat and paleness of her face, she cries.


    "Faylin, stop being strong for just a minute. Let me take care of you, you need it," he gazes to her eyes with worry. Her pale face scares him even more looking at the mess she is.


    Faylin lifts her head, barely able to stay awake, "Lyrian..." Then her head drops even more, closing her eyes.


    Lyrian quickly reaches for the balm and pops the cap with a twist. A twig is grabbed nearby, and it scoops up the white fluffy material in the salve. He holds her mouth open and feeds all he can get into her.


    Faylin scrunches her face in disgust and coughs, "gods it tastes like a leaf came out of a cow''s arse."


    "I know, but the poisons are inside you, so I need you to swallow some," he explains, trying to feed her another.


    Faylin gulps another, then coughs. He then scoops some with two fingers and applies some to her cheeks and eyes. "It''s Merrik''s salve. It''ll heal the poisons."


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Hands rub her cheeks more slowly and move down to her neck as she feels the oily sensation. Skin color turns back to normal and cools the sweat away. She opens her eyes in shock to see meet Lyrian''s, though she doesn''t reject.


    Lyrian blushes a bit of red, knowing what he is doing, "a-are you feeling better?"


    "Yeah," Faylin says quietly, "why are you blushing?"


    He closes his eyes in embarrassment, "I''m just glad you''re not dying."


    Faylin stands with him and pulls him in for a hug, leaving him shocked. She is thankful for his care with a widened smile. The only thing she has close to home.


    <hr>


    Valery casually plods her way towards Aleena. Her fists are tight on her dagger with red rage. Aleena is on the ground trying to gain strength back with one knee down. Red armor clanks together, more and more loudly, "that gold is now mine elf."


    "Greed. It''s a sin and the very downfall of your kind," Aleena replies.


    "Your time is over elf, you and that damn mage will pay. And that blacksmith, and that old wizard. I''ll have all of your heads on a pike." Valery is pulling her other dagger from her waist and raises it for a backhand jab.


    Aleena dashes at Valery''s direction and slices with her bow, twirling like a double bladed sword. Metal clashes and sparks on each parry. Jagged blades on a bow swipes at the red daggers in a barrage of attacks. Aleena''s speed is fast, and the ends of her bow shine a green line in the air.


    Valery leaps back, swerving and sidestepping. She smiles by playing along. The bow blades hit her daggers, crossed, and from side to side. Aleena has thrown all her rage in one go, breathing heavy and trips over with a burning gash to her side.


    Valery smiles, "nice trick, but you''re still weak, elf." She slashes at Aleena''s chest and cuts her again. Blood drips, and Valery licks her lips.


    Aleena pants, holding her infected blood, "I will not be killed by a human." Crouching down, her nausea gets worse. "Oh gods," she closes her eyes to try to control her spinning head.


    "You''re already dead, Aleena." Valery laughs and kicks her in the chest, knocking her to the ground. Cold metal and dirt of her foot smashes Aleena''s back, as Valery holds her with an armored boot. She has a pointing dagger to her head.


    Aleena intertwines her fingers for a quick prayer.


    Valery smirks, "that''s right, say your prayers to your fake gods elf."


    Her hands glow a dark green. She mutters to herself a prayer so quiet, Valery lifts a brow in confusion. Aleena''s hands go to her stomach. A bright light shines along her wounds. Trust is building inside her and small patches of grass sprout beside her.


    Her satchel unzips with gentle fingers, with the small orange dart frog poking out. It crawls along her forearm to bring the little critter to her face.


    Aleena gives it a small kiss, gently along it''s cold back. That seaweed taste of murky waters, and natural sour neurotoxin bringing joy to her. "You''re free bubbles. Do your part for nature''s plan. I trust you."


    "What are you talking about? Bubbles, come here!" Valery snaps with small pupils. Crazy eyes identify her rage and she snags at the frog.


    The small creature leaps over Valery''s hand, free in the air. Valery tries with the other hand but trips over a solid patch of grass. Her hand covered in thorns as another small patch of shrubbery grows over.


    And the frog plops to a nearby pond in the water, not to be seen again, and becoming one with it''s environment.


    Valery yells in agony but pulls the thorny plant from its roots, breaking wrapped pieces off her bleeding hand.


    Aleena rolls to her feet and pulls her to the ground.


    "Ugh," Valery groans but quickly gets up to parry Aleena''s blade, which also clashes with her armor.


    Aleena kicks her straight in the chest as the assassin cruises with balance. She fires an arrow. Valery soars a few steps but pinned with an arrow paining her thigh.


    Aleena knees her, hunched over in the face. The double blade clings with her daggers, pushing for a slicing stagger. Rage gets more heated in Aleena''s shrinking pupils. She goes for another arrow that pierces through her breastplate.


    Valery steps back, and swings her daggers. Metal flickers amongst each other, bouncing upon each hit. Quick jabs head for Aleena but propelled to the side. She slices Aleena''s chest at an opening and her leather is torn.


    Valery kicks her away and pulls the arrow off her, tossing them to the ground with frustration. Her hair a mess over her eyes, skin bruised black and cut.


    Daggers twirl around the bladed bow. They circle each other. Blood and sweat is dripping off their faces, and the smoke from the burning building makes it hard to breath. Aleena goes for another strike, and Valery counters with her own.


    Valery gains the upper hand. Aleena has fallen and pinned on the ground. She holds Valery''s wrist with the blade inches from her face. Valery grits her teeth with frustration, "why is my poison not effecting you?"


    "You cannot use natural poison against nature itself," she says.


    Aleena pushes the dagger to the side and attacks.


    Aleena is on top of her focus and punches her. Valery stumbles up with a bloody face but Aleena kicks her down to her knees.


    Valery coughs, and looks up at Aleena, "do you know why they want you dead, Aleena? Do you really know why you were targeted?" She chuckles, spitting out a bloody tooth.


    "You humans just want all us wood elfs in slavery or killed," Aleena says.


    "It''s more than just that," Valery explains. Aleena jabs at her face and spins her body to slice with her jagged bow. Valery shields with crossed daggers, and snatches her wrist.


    Aleena pulls with a hasty rate, not giving her time to use her own strength. Her fist thrashes in Valery''s face to stagger. She draws three arrows and sprays them at Valery with two piercing through.


    "I don''t understand why your kind would risk the dangers of these dinosaurs," Aleena pants. Valery is still fighting back with her daggers, slashing at Aleena. Aleena swerves using momentum to swing, and her rage increases. "You''re hurting our environment, you''re killing my forest!" she yells.


    Aleena is finished with Valery, kicking, punching, and swinging. She has her collar gripped, and socks with fist so hard to feel the crack Valery''s cheekbone. She goes for another manifold of hustling pummels along her stomach, boxing her into a beating. The last thrusts hits her ribs and face.


    Valery is outmatched by the enraged elf and crouches with no energy.


    Aleena walks toward the burning inn and looks up to see a wooden sign of the tavern, a red dragon in flight with the words in common "Dragon Slayer". She tears it off the nails.


    Walking to the weakened Valery on the charred dirt, Aleena''s anger rises and tears are flowing down her greasy cheeks. She smashes the plank across her back and grabs her collar to drag her. "You''re a monster! You humans ruined my life! You''re human scum!" she yells with a distorted tone.


    Valery is being dragged along the dirt. Her face a broken clutter and shambles. Her hair stringy and strands sticking out. Cuts and bruises all around. A swaying head makes her dizzy and barely conscious.


    Ashes ascend behind the red assassin. She is thrown and falling into a hot pile of charred scrap from the inn, inches away from the fire. Aleena shoves her foot to Valery''s chest and pushes her down, further near a patch of small flames. Valery cries and holds onto Aleena''s sandal as she notices her hair catching ablaze.


    Aleena grabs her collar once again away from the fire, landing a tough fist to her cheek, "who sent you?"


    A tick of a second, Valery is bruised with another face jab. "Who, sent you human!" Aleena''s voice gets louder with gritting teeth.


    Lyrian and Faylin watch in horror at Aleena''s anger and torture.


    "Aleena," Faylin calls to her, but Aleena ignores.


    Lyrian and Faylin look to each other and they run over, trying to stop her.


    Aleena grips her singed hair, pulling her up, "answer me or I will burn you alive like the witch you are!"


    Valery spits a bloody laugh. "Kill me then. Kill me like the pathetic human hating elf that you are."


    Aleena lands multiple jabs across her face, "tell, me!" Her anger is overwhelming and Lyrian grabs her wrist.


    "Aleena! Stop! She isn''t worth that!" Lyrian yells to her, holding her fist. Aleena turns to glare at Lyrian. He is taken back by her rage and the two lock eyes.


    "This is not you," Lyrian''s voice wavers. "Nature didn''t heal you for revenge."


    Aleena''s face softens up and her tears become more prominent.


    "It healed the beastmaster for her revenge," Valery smirks.


    Aleena''s anger blooms once again and she punches her. Lyrian and Faylin stops her by pulling her away. Valery coughs and looks to the group, "your little elf friend was the only one who survived. I hope you heard. The packs of Mapus? They took your beloved elder. Your whole clan is gone. I told you in the beginning, elves have nothing."


    Lyrian and Faylin''s eyes widen, looking back at Aleena, who is in tears.


    Aleena lands a fist on her once again, "what have you done!?"


    Valery chuckles with a smirk, "don''t worry elf. Your elven flesh and elder has returned back to nature." Her voice slows and suaves, "right inside the belly of a Mapu."


    Lyrian''s eyes widen. Aleen falls to her knees. Breaking down in front of her friends, her sobs are loud with mixed scream, "ahhhhh!"


    "Who''s the beastmaster?" Faylin asks trying to pry more information.


    Valery shrugs and still smiles, "An elf? I don''t get paid to ask questions. All I know is the beastmaster took your beloved clan."


    Aleena grips her bladed bow and digs into Valery''s throat, twisting to suck the life out of her in rage and sorrow. Valery goes limp. Flames spread near her dead corpse along the wooden planks scattered across. Fire from the inn takes her to the air in ashes.


    Valery''s soul no longer present and lifeless. Greed and ferocious laughter now silent and lay barren. Her body chars under the fire to be cremated into forgotten ash.


    They sweat from the straining battle of flames and humidity of the swamp. And they leave the battleground with Aleena limping over Lyrian.


    <hr>


    Aleena and Valery


    <hr>


    Valery''s End

 Chapter 19

    Fire dances in moonlight, and willow vines drift by a tinge. The three sit in their camp on the outskirts, right near the open village mine.


    Aleena cries in Lyrian''s arms as he holds her, comforting her. Faylin pokes the fire with a stick, and the three sit in silence, except for Aleena''s tears.


    The carriage that Faylin bought earlier is hooked up to her horse, and all the rest of their horses tied to a willow.


    Buildings are not far and within sight of the back of camp. Faylin looks over her shoulder at the village. One of the townsmen walks up to Faylin, "3000 coin as a thanks from the entire village. Thank you." The man hands Faylin some coin.


    Faylin takes it and smiles. "You''re welcome. Thank you for this. And thank you for the carriage."


    "Osney crafted it for you didn''t he?" the townsman says.


    "Yes but I still owed him money," Faylin drops her head in sadness.


    "After what you did, he would''ve had you keep the rest." The person leaves with a bow, and Faylin watches with satisfaction knowing she did the right thing.


    Aleena is still in tears. Lyrian comforts her with an arm around her shoulder and she leans. Faylin sits down to join Aleena, putting a hand on her shoulder to help ease her emotional distress.


    "I''m sorry," Faylin says to Aleena. Lyrian tightens around Aleena, nudging her closer.


    "She killed the whole clan," she cries on Lyrian''s shoulder, burying her face.


    "We will make things right, I promise," Lyrian comforts with more rubbing and pats. "Who is the beastmaster anyway?"


    "I don''t know," Faylin replies. "But we need to find them."


    "She has a mapusaurus, a pack of them. We can''t face her, they''re killing machines, monsters," Lyrian says with a sigh of worry. "I just got done reading, they''re sauropod killers. They take down gigantic long necks. How in the world do you think we can take something like that down?"


    Aleena wipes her eyes and sniffs, "I have to go back to my clan and find out what happened." She stands up eager for action, facing the two.


    "There''s also a neighboring clan, and they might be able to help us. I also should do a check on the wildlife that lives around. I have so much to do but you don''t have to go. You''ve already done enough for me. Thank you," she looks back down and wipes a tear filled with guilt.


    Faylin grabs her hand and smiles, "Aleena, you''re my friend, and I won''t let you face this alone. I will do whatever I can to help you find the beastmaster. I know you''d help me with my shop as you are now. And I promise, once we''re done mining, we''ll go straight to your clan to find out what happened. That''s what friends are for."


    "Faylin is right, we''re not going to abandon you, we''ll always be your friends. And your family," Lyrian smiles. "And we''ll help you stop the beastmaster. No one is going to stop us, no monster, no human, no elf."


    "We''ll always have each other''s back, right?" Aleena looks down but with a small amount of bittersweetness, "I gotta admit, I don''t exactly have anyone else anymore."


    "Then we''ll always be there for each other, and for the people that need our help, right?" Lyrian gleams with happiness.


    Faylin smiles to her, "we''ll never abandon each other."


    "We''re like a family," Lyrian replies. The three sit upon a rock in a moment of silence. The nearby willow tree vines are hanging down with a squirrel running up the trunk to hide, and Aleena notices no wind. Nature gives off sadness in her eyes and there are no calls in the wilds around.


    Faylin thinks, holding her chin and notes.


    "We''re not like a family, we are a family," she replies to Lyrian with a finger in the air.


    Aleena breaks her thought but appreciates their comfort and concern. She gets up from the rock and faces the two with an intent in mind, "I need to mourn with the trees. Faylin, you should gather some ore from the mine. I might be able to convince the red leaf clan to let you use their crafting tools. I don''t know how much that would help, or if they even have a forge but you might to be able to use something."


    "I would really appreciate that, Aleena," she widens her eyes in shock of her offer.


    "Us wood elves use wood from the trees of course. But our warrior hunters do need metal from time to time. When we get there, I''ll ask."


    Faylin nods with merriment that Aleena is finally coming around.


    "Aleena, what was your clan name?" Lyrian asks.


    "Aeirwood. Clan Aeirwood was mine. And the neighboring clan is The Red Leaf clan. Of course if Valery said was true, there is no more Aeirwood clan," Aleena sees the murky waters around the swamp, the nature around in sadness. Wind blows her hair and she clasps her fingers together, "nature, please protect me as I go to my birth clan."


    Faylin nods, "okay, well, let''s go mine Lyrian. We''ll meet Aleena back at camp and sleep for the night after that. And Aleena can do her regular rituals and prayers while we''re gone."


    "Agreed," Lyrian gets up from his seat and moves over to the mine cart sticking out from the small entrance.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Lyrian holds a lantern as they enter the cave, Faylin grabs a laying pickaxe and throws it into the mine cart to push.


    Small tunnels are made of moist rock and mud with the sound of a water drop leaking into a puddle. Some algae and moss grows painting the walls but slowly diminishes as they walk deeper. Some crevices let them know where the area has been dug up by villagers.


    As they go deeper, they come to a more rich mining cavern.


    Open caves with a bit of ore sticks out of the wall, "wow, look at all these," all the different ores brings Faylin to shock. She excitingly points around, "there''s iron, tin, and gallium. Oh I want that gallium!"


    She grabs a pickaxe and begins pick at the ore but Lyrian nudges her back to clear the area.


    "Here Fay, let me," he holds his claw gauntlets to her, "give me some room."


    Lyrian moves his hand with his eyes following a path. Stone spikes open up the walls, taking chunks of rocks. Ore rock of bauxite and crystal clear cassiterite roll in a pile at his leather boots, partially covered by the green trim of his robe.


    He dusts off an ore sample for Faylin with a couple of brushes of his hand and holds up the orange clay looking rock, "here you go, Fay, some gallium. It''s bauxite ore, meaning you can sell the rest of the minerals in this. There''s some tin ore too I think."


    "Thank you, this is going to help a ton," Faylin says with a hint of hope. "Let''s go in deeper to get some more iron, and coal."


    The duo ventures deeper into the cave. They had put their ore inside of the cart and push it along it''s creaking wheels of the track.


    "You know, I never thought I''d make friends with a wood elf like Aleena. I always thought they would just attack us on sight," Faylin says, strolling along with the cart.


    "Really, you thought all elves are just violent people? I thought the same of dwarves when I was growing up, because they''d be all gruff and dirty," he chuckles, looking at her. "But then I saw one who helped my mother. I saw the dwarf give her money to help our family, so I was wrong about all dwarves."


    "Yeah, I guess I am wrong. I mean, there is still a lot of hatred towards humans, but not all humans are like that. I guess I judged Aleena too early." Faylin sighs, "but there is still a lot of humans I hate, even though I''m a human. Like Valery and her gang of mercenaries."


    "Aleena still does hate humans. But at least she won''t just attack them."


    "Let''s hope so, I mean, we can only help her so much."


    Lyrian''s voice deepens in defense, "well, if you don''t want to come, I''ll still help Aleena myself."


    "No, Lyrian, that''s not what I''m saying, I want to help, but Aleena can only learn so much about humans. She''s broken and probably blind to some things. And what will happen if we do defeat the dinosaurs and the beastmaster? What comes of her interactions with humans then? You saw her anger towards Valery."


    "Maybe that was just because she killed her clan. Or helped killed her clan," He shrugs and sighs.


    "I know, Lyrian, and we''re going to do whatever we can to avenge her clan, and her elder," Faylin looks at the cave, and sees the light of the entrance, "Let''s just gather some iron and coal. It''s getting late."


    Lyrian puts a hand on her shoulder, "Aleena won''t betray us. You saw her clan before, they even gave us a bit of their hospitality."


    They come across a small vein of iron on the bottom wall, easy to gather.


    Faylin picks up a pickaxe, and starts swinging away at the wall with momentum over her head, "you know, Aleena isn''t too bad to talk to." She grunts and continues, "she is a lot different than I thought. And she''s really nice. I think I can see us becoming really good friends." She mines more ore from the wall, and looks to Lyrian. He''s smiling, and she can''t help but smile back.


    "Maybe I''ll try and learn more elvish from her, so I can understand her better," she chuckles, mining the rest of the iron.


    "I''d love to see you speaking in elvish. It''s a beautiful language. My mom would sometimes speak in elvish to me, but it''s hard for me to pronounce it," Lyrian tells her.


    "Oh, really? You don''t remember much of it?"


    "I remember a little. I know some words and phrases, but nothing much more than that." He sighs, and smiles again, "it''s been so long since I''ve seen my mom. I can still remember how she''d hold me and sing to me, and I can still see her smile when I was little."


    "You miss your mom, don''t you?" she leans her arm on the cooling moist wall. A sad smile displays to her best friend. She feels his sadness.


    "I do miss my mom," he replies.


    "And you said she lived in Aigeia?" She tilts her head in curiosity. Her face glows in the torchlight.


    "Yeah, last I heard, she lived there. It''s pretty close to my dad''s home city but I guess she left." Lyrian focuses his attention on seeing more ore in a patch of darkness.


    "So, why did she leave Aigeia? Did she move to Legin? Where''s Aigeia?"


    "No, she didn''t. She left because of some disagreement. And Aigeia is on an island, it''s pretty far south. Legin is farther north than Aigeia."


    "If you ever want to visit her, we can go after helping Aleena with her clan issues," Faylin responds.


    "I don''t know where she lives, but maybe I could find her."


    "We will you mamas boy," Faylin nudges him.


    "Hey," Lyrian shoves lightly, "I''m not a mama''s boy."


    "You are too," She chuckles. "Or at least you were when you were younger." She laughs more. "But seriously, we can find your mom sometime."


    Lyrian breaks off another pitch black rock ore of iron and let''s it fall, "I''m glad I met you when we were younger. It''s good to be independent as a mage but it is quite lonely at times."


    Faylin is feeling a small warm fuzziness in her chest, "I''m glad I met you too."


    Then she snickers, "but you''re still the reason why we don''t have an apothecary in our village." She hugs the iron ore and hauls it to the cart, continuing their work.


    "Hey, it''s not my fault other mages misjudge my house for a magical item shop," he chuckles as he continues to shatter the rest of the smaller ores left. "Besides, I''m not a salesman, I take care our Earth. I''m partially the reason how your minerals are made anyway."


    Faylin beams with delight, "much like Aleena takes care of animals and plants huh?"


    Lyrian smiles to himself thinking of Aleena''s beautiful nurturing, "yeah I guess. Maybe that''s why I admire her ability to survive. I sort of do the same in my meditations, don''t I? And I like being out in nature, it''s simple."


    Once Faylin drops another ore in, she slouches over the edge of the metal cart and takes a second of physical relief. The blend of ore in the bucket of the cart, it makes her think of her next worry. Pain of her commissions bring her to back home to a stressful feeling.


    "Lyrian?" she gets his attention and his mood shifts, "what if I can''t make it. My deadline I mean. I have 20 soldiers to make weapons and armor for. The ore will be enough, but Aleena is kind of slowing me down. All this stuff with nature and dinosaurs."


    Faylin starts to worry of her reputation back home, how her shop might fall to unfinished work and broken promises.


    Lyrian takes a moment to think, "you have a roof over your head for the next month and three thousand gold, yes? And you''re gathering ore for your next set of crafts."


    "But the noble..."


    "But nobody, we''ll get it done in time. Don''t worry about it. Aleena is helping you find a forge isn''t she?" Lyrian asks with a raised eyebrow.


    "I guess, I still have to haul it back home in time," she argues.


    Lyrian sighs, "you know, it wouldn''t hurt to work on your survival skills too Faylin. You don''t have to be perfect, but, seriously. It would be for your health."


    Faylin drops another ore in with a grunt, "maybe."


    Lyrian''s shoulders settles down and he furrows his brows in worry feeling empathy towards her, a sign of one ear out the other.


    <hr>


    Aleena Mourns


    <hr>


    Faylin Finally Finds Gallium in Bauxite Ore

 Chapter 20

    Lyrian and Faylin are back to the swamp area at camp. Faylin loads up the carriage, packing the ores they found in the village''s mine. Orange bauxite and black cassiterite piles the wooden wagon.


    A willow tree houses their camp with leaves drooping down, and above is Aleena laying on a branch, with her eyes closed in tranquility. Next to the tree trunk stands their three horses, neighing in unison. Night has fallen and crickets play their songs. Stars glitter in the skies like freckles on cheeks.


    Faylin''s eyes scan the horizon. Lyrian packs up their horses and feeds them some grass while Aleena is still sleeping.


    Lyrian looks up at Aleena as Faylin sits by the fire. He notices her cute figure, her legs visible, her small pointy ears, and her flowing blonde hair. Her visible belly raises as she breathes in a soothing rhythm. He can''t take his eyes off of her.


    "She is so pretty," Lyrian says to Faylin. "She''s just sleeping there, and she''s so peaceful, and she''s so cute. She is like nature itself. Like a flower blooming in the sun." He smiles to himself, knowing the beauty of even her leather survival outfit.


    "Wow, Lyrian," she says, laughing softly and raising an eyebrow, "I haven''t seen you talk about anyone like that before."


    "She''s just beautiful is all," Lyrian replies.


    "She is pretty cute," she smiles at Aleena sleeping peacefully above the trees. "She kinda reminds me of an innocent young girl."


    "That''s what makes her so cute. It''s almost like she''s a nature goddess." He sighs deeply, lost in her trance, "she''s so beautiful."


    "You better watch it Lyrian. You don''t want Aleena finding out about you talking about her beauty," she teases. "Now, go to sleep, you pervert," she giggles and lays in her bedroll with a blanket over her head.


    "Goodnight Fay," Lyrian replies and covers up as well.


    A couple of minutes go by the crickets and the swirling buzz of cicadas. Faylin''s eyes are still open, thinking about Lyrian and Aleena. Her mind then questions if they''d even go good together.


    Faylin rolls over and uncovers her head in the cool grass, "hey Lyrian? You don''t actually like her like that, do you?"


    "Well, no, not in the romantic sense. Plus I haven''t talked to an elf in a long time."


    Faylin feels a hint of jealousy springing from her chest, "so you don''t like her romantically?"


    "Yeah, she is cute, but I''m not interested in her in a romantic way." He thinks, "I''d rather have a human wife if anything."


    Faylin''s jealous feelings fade with a relieving soft sigh to herself, "okay, well good night." She lays down, thinking about what Lyrian had said to her.


    He lays on his back, and fireflies hover over him, lighting the night sky. Lyrian continues, "but you never know. There might be an elf I meet one day. Or a dwarf, or a gnome, or even an orc, or another mage like me. Life is full of surprises. As long as she has a good personality, and a good heart."


    "You''re a hopeless romantic," Faylin giggles. "You and an orc woman?"


    Lyrian blurts out with laughter, "hey orcs are intelligent."


    "I guess if you like green and grey muscles, bottom fangs, and slobber," she can''t help but to shiver at the thought.


    "Hey muscles are very good looking. Besides you''re one to talk Fay," he squeezes her bicep as a playful touch. Her strength obviously coming from her metal work.


    She giggles and gives a playful slap to his hand, "you''re so weird."


    Lyrian''s joy settles down and he lays his head back onto his flat pillow, "it''s not about looks Fay."


    "I guess you''re right, but what about a kleptomaniacal goblin for a wife? Always stealing your things and running about?" She giggles again walking two fingers up his arm.


    Lyrian turns his head with a smile, "what''s mine is hers."


    Faylin rolls her eyes and gives him a nudge, "you''re so a mama''s boy."


    "Well it also depends on what''s she''s taking and if I need it in that moment of time, and I''m not a mama''s boy," he explains.


    "She would eat all your food, your farm would also probably be food to her, how about that?" she smirks.


    "Then we would have a problem," Lyrian says.


    "Also your orc wife would probably work you to death," Faylin adds with a smug.


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    "That would also be a problem," he points out.


    "And your little goblin wife would probably have you hoard a junkyard in the back of your house."


    "I would be constantly throwing stuff away each day. No thanks."


    "Oh Lyrian, you''re such a weirdo. Don''t stay up too late now. We''ll continue first thing tomorrow morning." She rests, ready to drift off to sleep to get rid of her feelings of jealousy. ''It was stupid to get upset,'' Faylin thought.


    He lies awake in bed. He looks up at the stars in the night, "stars are beautiful. Just like the moon."


    He hears a rustle of leaves and creeping branches coming from the willow tree, seeing a small squirrel crawl its way onto the leaves. It moves around them to create noise, jumping onto the other branches.


    "It''s not like anyone would be interested in a mage like me anyway," he says with his mood changing. "What human girl or elf woman wants to marry some weird human that''s got magic rock powers?"


    "I''m sure someone would," Faylin replies, trying to go back to sleep.


    "I don''t know." He watches the squirrel jump onto another leaf, taking in the entertainment as he talks. "Even with my earth magic, and my love for magic, and books, I doubt any human or elf would like the same." His mood saddens, "but who needs romance? I''m happy as I am."


    "Well, it doesn''t hurt to dream about romance," she smiles to herself, keeping her eyes closed.


    "Romance is a dream that will never be real. No one would be interested in me for the reasons I''ve mentioned. Plus, geomancers are rare. Hardly anyone takes interest in them."


    "That''s not true," she tells him. "There''s someone out there that''s meant for you. Some human, somewhere, that loves magic like you." She thinks and recalls one person, but then sighs herself back to sleep.


    "I''m sorry, I just normally don''t like to think about it. It depends on my mood," he rolls away from Faylin and shut his eyes.


    The fire is still crackling. Smoke blows to the willow as it shakes the squirrel off. The moon is bright, casting shadows, illuminating the forest.


    <hr>


    Faylin and Lyrian are shot up by a sudden kick to their sides, "wake up humans!" Aleena orders in a loud yell with a military rasp of an annoying child. "Nature awaits!"


    "Good morning, Aleena. Nice to see you too." He rubs his side, "ow."


    "Good morning Aleena," Faylin''s voice is rough. "Thanks for waking us up with such a gentle touch," she snarks at her.


    Aleena is irritated, "we should have left sooner. Come on, get your arses up!" Aleena kicks Lyrian once again, frustrated and red.


    "Ow! I''m getting up," he rubs his leg. Lyrian gets dressed, putting on his robes swiftly. He scarfs down a packed egg sandwich as Aleena paces back and forth, annoyed.


    Aleena watches him impatiently, waiting for Lyrian to get done eating, tapping her foot in the dirt, "come on, hurry up Lyrian."


    "I''m going, I''m going," he replies.


    "Ugh!" She groans, rolling her eyes. "Stupid human," she mocks and throws a small pebble at his head.


    "Hey!" the tiny rock skips off the back of his head. He calls in pain, "ow, I''m sorry!"


    Faylin quickly finishes up and packs everything up with the help of Lyrian.


    "Hurry, let''s go!" Aleena yells to them, annoyed.


    "Aleena, we''ll be done in a minute." Faylin grunts and finishes tying down a leather strap to the carriage.


    "Pathetic. You ill-bred hoarding curs of humans always want to laze around. Sloth will be the death of your kind," she huffs. "I told you we needed to leave as soon as possible," she growls under her breath and crosses her arms.


    "You sound like my mom. Get a move on! You can''t just lay around like a bum!" Lyrian imitates, getting closer to her.


    "I am not like your paunchy churl of a human mother!" She snaps.


    "Well you sure sound like a paunchy churl," Lyrian argues back with a finger. "And don''t insult my mother you self-righteous wretch."


    "I don''t take orders from some ill-nurtured inchworm," she spats back and slaps a push to his chest.


    Lyrian puckers his brow with rage only growing, "you don''t want to fight a mage Aleena."


    She squints at him, "you best watch your tongue or you may loose it, boy!"


    "Hey!" Faylin shouts in defense, "that''s enough Aleena!"


    Aleena lifts her finger to argue back but Faylin cuts her off, "remember what you did last night?"


    Aleena crosses her arms, "yes, and? It''s not like that matters. One less human scum to walk this planet. I still need to reach my home! The forest is waiting, I shouldn''t even be here with you human worms but by the gods'' bones, I need help." She raises her arms with annoyance and drops them.


    "Whoa! Whoa! That''s it. Aleena," Faylin steps toward her. Aleena backs up in caution with a hand on her bow. "First off, no wonder people call elves ruthless and evil because you seem to be proving their case. Second off, how many times do we have to prove we''re not here to enslave you! If we were slave traders, we would have killed you for being so annoying!"


    "You know I wasn''t even talking to you. I was talking about that pathetic excuse of a man over there. A useless, lazy rock mage mooching off your business, who can''t even brush his hair right! Until you came in defending him like his paunchy mother with no self control."


    Lyrian looks over to the side, red with embarrassment, taking a big offense but Faylin doesn''t notice. She focuses her attention solely on Aleena.


    "Do you honestly think we wanted to travel all this way and do this for you?! You don''t know how much we are giving up for our life''s back home! Lyrian abandoned his magic farm, which he built up by himself. I closed down my blacksmithing shop for a month, possibly more."


    "Magic farm?" She raises a brow. Aleena steps forward in rage and pushes Faylin, "all this suffering could have been prevented had you humans just stayed on your own turf and left us elves alone!"


    "Don''t you dare push me you witch!" Faylin retaliates and grabs a fist full of her hair and pulls.


    "You human whore!" Aleena screeches as she wrestles to grab a hold of her red hair.


    "Guys stop!" Lyrian tries to pry them apart but they don''t listen. Faylin pulls her in by the head and knees her gut.


    Aleena grunts and grits her teeth, "I have endured enough damage from the bandits who raided my village to beat your bastard self down."


    Lyrian tugs Faylin, "guys! We are suppose to be helping each other." He eventually has it and pounds his fist to the ground, causing a large earthquake. "Both of you, knock it off!" He yells, now standing between them. He is fuming but the two girls are stunned silent, glaring at each other.


    They break their tension and turn away from each other.


    Aleena wipes off dust, "I won''t tolerate being put behind schedule. Let''s just go already. Leave your stuff if you may, maybe you''ll learn some discipline that way."


    Aleena walks over to her horse, Snowdrop and hops on, petting the side of his face. She doesn''t even bat an eye to them, getting ready to leave.


    "Lyrian, just throw the stuff in the back of the wagon, we need to go," Faylin shakes her head and hurries over to their horses to ready the leather reins.


    <hr>


    Sleeping Aleena


    <hr>


    Faylin and Lyrian

 Chapter 21

    Lyrian and Faylin sit on the driver''s bench over the wooden wheels bumping over rocks and trotting of horses that kicks up dirt. Faylin snaps the reins of the horse and her brown horse neighs to keep up pace with Lyrian''s black horse.


    Both horses are pulling their carriage entering the hot sun above their heads.


    Lyrian is sitting back in the corner of his seat and thinks about what Aleena said about him over the jolty ride. He wonders if there''s any truth to her words.


    Faylin is driving the carriage, watching Lyrian from the corner of her eye, looking distracted. The forest trail passes along with tall trees and vines hovering over. Mixing swamp with forest, mud becomes more hardened over time.


    Faylin still watches him, and Aleena who is riding Snowdrop in the distance. Things are awkward for her getting that strange nag from Aleena earlier and Lyrian is not helping by staying silent.


    "Lyrian?" Faylin taps him, bringing him out of thought. "What''s wrong?"


    "What? Oh, yeah, just thinking about what Aleena said about me," he replies, thinking back to what she said earlier in the morning. "Do you think she was telling the truth about me?"


    "Oh, come on, Lyrian. You don''t honestly believe that you''re a lazy bum?" she pats his shoulder being playful.


    "I don''t know. I mean, I don''t think I am, but sometimes, I wonder..." he trails off. "I''m not exactly the most useful person in a fight." Lyrian sighs, "and I don''t think I''m very attractive either."


    Faylin chuckles, "what kind of nonsense are you spewing?" Faylin reaches over for a gentle touch to his chin yet being serious to his face, "come on, chin up. You''re not lazy. You''ve been the most useful person here. Don''t listen to that stuck up elf."


    "It''s not just her," he shrugs off her fingers. "My family always said I wouldn''t amount to anything and that I wasn''t smart enough to handle a farm and business. And well, they weren''t exactly wrong. I spend most of my time helping you."


    Faylin''s voice lowers with feelings of guilt, thinking that she has kept him for herself for too long, "well, what do you want to do? Do you want to run your magic farm? Go back and live in Aigeia? Continue your journey with us? Or maybe find something else?"


    "I really want to be part of the mage''s guild. It''s been my dream since I was little, to study and perform powerful magic spells," he perks up with excitement. "That was the whole point of running my farm anyways, so I can use the extra money and buy magical ingredients."


    Faylin thinks to herself as she might lose her assistant and mining mage. She was only getting by because of him using magic to dig so quickly. She bites the inside of her cheek, "oh, uh, that sounds like fun. So you want to quit helping our business?"


    "No," he quickly responds, shaking his head. "If that''s the case I''d keep helping you. I enjoy spending time with you and working on the forge. Your work fascinates me and I want to keep learning new things from you."


    "You still can if you''re wanting to be a mage. It''s your life and you should follow your dreams. What happened that caused you to change from doing your own path to helping me?"


    "I want to, but I just worry you''ll fall behind on business," he admits.


    "But I''m not your priority nor your goal," she worries shaking her head slowly.


    "Exactly what most mages would say. Mages love to be independent," he rolls his eyes with his arms crossed. "It''s okay to stick with family Faylin. Many races do it, especially in such economic depressions. Like you do with Bibby. Maybe it''s just people''s pressure that''s getting to me. Always putting me down, misunderstanding, making me think I''m lazy or an underachiever."


    Faylin pays her attention back on the road to drive, "you are more than welcome to leave anytime." Faylin slightly panics with a nervous chuckle, "not that I want you gone!"


    "Sorry," Faylin apologizes. "I just don''t want to drag you away from your ambitions. You are smart and capable of anything."


    Faylin looks to him but Lyrian is not paying attention, "if you want to focus on magic, that''s great, it''s your life, and I would support you."


    "Ugh," he glares firmly raising his voice. "Faylin, you''re not getting it. Dreams are just dreams. Not everyone is serious about them and that''s okay. I have my hobbies and stuff that makes me happy. The circle tower already pays for my small house and taxes as long as I look after the earth. If I want to achieve my dreams then I will when I feel like it and that''s not lazy!"


    Lyrian takes a breath. Faylin gives a nervous expression as Lyrian eases back into reality after his rant.


    "I''m just tired of being misunderstood and put down," Lyrian slumps in the seat of the carriage.


    Faylin nods, "okay, I get it."


    "And now Aleena calls me a lazy slob this morning. Saying those harsh things. To think I thought she was cute." he sighs, shaking his head. "This day has been awful. Why can''t I just be left alone to do whatever I want."


    "What?" Faylin''s brows furrow in disbelief. "You''re not seriously saying you have feelings for her?"


    "No, not in the slightest. I said she''s cute and that''s it," Lyrian replies.


    "Well she did insult you. I guess she isn''t so cute after all," Faylin says, frustrated at Aleena, and having a nature to defend her best friend.


    Aleena rides on the white horse in the front, far distance. She looks behind her to view the duo having a chat. Faylin holds a stern posture, but Lyrian looks miserable, slouched over.


    Faylin shakes her head, "just ignore her and don''t think about her insults or anyone else''s. People are shameful sometimes and don''t know the real you."


    "Yeah, I guess you''re right," Lyrian replies. Faylin holds the reins to steer the horse.


    Aleena hears bits and pieces from Faylin''s nagging and bickering. Her ears twitch towards their direction.


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    Lyrian looks away and rests his head on his fist, the bumps making him hard to relax, "I just thought Aleena was my friend."


    Faylin nods, "sometimes friends have disagreements. Hell, we argue all the time."


    Lyrian turns away, ignoring her.


    "Lyr-" Faylin hesitates to speak and then gives him a quick tap, "Lyrian, hey... Are you okay?"


    He looks to her, "yeah, just thinking about Aleena."


    "Oh," she sighs, "it''s alright. I bet she will calm down."


    "Maybe," he looks ahead, seeing Aleena in the distance. She appears to be whispering something to the horse as she rides.


    Aleena''s head turns in their direction and she whispers again.


    A squirrel scampers across the path as they travel through the forest. Heat beats down on them getting warmer with each mile, creating a uncomfortable atmosphere.


    Faylin listens to the hush, motionless forest approaching and she smiles softly, "the forest is so hot. But at least Aleena isn''t nagging anymore. Maybe she''ll calm down. Her whole clan was just killed." Faylin brushes her hand along a patch of tall grass near the wheel of the wagon.


    However, Aleena keeps whispering to her horse''s ear and glancing in their direction.


    Faylin glares noticing her rude movements. She yells to their long gap, "I see you talking about us to a dumb animal that doesn''t understand!"


    "Shut your pearly mouth you fool!" Aleena yells, shaking her fist, and Faylin barely able to hear her.


    Faylin rolls her eyes but keeps the horses at a pace. A mile by, heat gets more intense producing moisture along her arms. Flies buzz around their faces, annoying them. Lyrian just glances at the bushes along the roadside pass their traveling carriage.


    He notices a dead rat in the clustered grass side of the road, fairly new with no wounds. The reins tug as he grabs a hold of it from Faylin, "stop the carriage!" Horses neigh and stand on two feet to stomp the dirt and stand idle. Faylin is in a confusing shock but Lyrian jumps out of the carriage and tries to signal Aleena by waving his hands high in the air.


    "Aleena! Stop!" he yells.


    Aleena looks over her shoulder and gives a dirty look. The reins are pulled to the side of Snowdrop and it turns, running her over to where Lyrian is. She stops the horse and flares her nostrils at him, her eyes threaten him, "you better have a good reason for this you lazy mage."


    "Look," he points to the dead rat on the side of the road.


    Aleena lifts a brow keeps to her nagging, "yes, that is tragic, probably another one of your kind ran it over."


    "Aleena," he sets his hand in the dirt, his fingers spread out to feel the Earth''s slow heartbeat, "there''s death nearby, I feel it. There''s more."


    Lyrian leaps over bushes and sprints through poking branches of the foliage. Aleena widens her eyes, hopping off of Snowdrop, "Lyrian, stop! A lion''s den is in that direction!"


    "A what!?" Faylin says surprised. But Aleena follows and so does Faylin with no choice.


    Lyrian comes to a clearing and a large crater of dirt. Lions lay dead around and in the crater, female and male, a pack of them lifeless. Eyes are closed, and there is no sign of slaughter, just natural death.


    Aleena gasps, holding her mouth and gazing upon the death of lions all around a crater. "What happened to the pond?" she says with worry.


    The crater is a dried pond, no water to be found. A hippo is overturned upside down with its ribs and bones sticking out, as if it was once being snacked on. Boulders make a small cave nearby. But there is no life in sight, only the bodies of matted and scraggly lions.


    Aleena runs over to a male lion with a scruff mane. The lion lays with it''s mouth open and eyes closed. It is not responding. She drops to her knees knowing the fate and starts to shed a tear. "The forest is wounded. It should never be this hot."


    She pets it''s scruffy mane, "died of dehydration. There''s literally no water nearby. This was their home of water. This means the other lakes around have dried."


    Lyrian puts a hand on Aleena''s bare shoulder, "I''m sorry Aleena."


    Aleena bursts into tears, crying loudly. Faylin scans the area and notices another lion panting with a mouth open and eyes closed. "Uh, looks like there''s a survivor," she takes a step back fear of the predator.


    Aleena pierces her eyes to the direction and quickly gets up to run to a female lion still alive. Lyrian follows her behind but Faylin stays a distance.


    Aleena kneels to put a hand on her head, stroking it''s fur. It''s barely conscious but panting in the heat with short breathes. "I need water, someone!" her hands are trembling.


    Lyrian whiffs out a metal canteen and hands it to her. She pops the bottle open and pours the water in it''s mouth to lick the stream and swallow.


    "The forest is changing to quickly. I don''t even know where a heatwave like this came from, it should be perfect temperature," she explains.


    "Dinosaurs are making a new environment Aleena. They''re adapting as the forest is adapting to them," Lyrian says.


    "The forest is wounded more like. A whole family of lions and their home destroyed? These creatures are slaughtering them and killing them with the magic they produce," she keeps a steady stroke to the lion''s head for comfort.


    "Well, look who at least survived? She''s strong, isn''t she?" Lyrian looks to the disoriented lion. He gives her a nudge and a smile, "reminds me of a certain someone. And I admire that about you, you know?"


    Aleena doesn''t respond, and focuses on pouring more water into the lioness''s mouth. She gives it another pet for comfort along it''s soft fur.


    "I know you might think I''m a lazy human Aleena. It might seem like all I do is just leech off of Faylin. But I look after our Earth. I provide the soil for your plants, I make minerals for different races, I provide nutrients in the water, all in my meditations. Similar to what Merrik does with plants and animals, like you. It''s my job as a mage."


    "What are you talking about?" she snickers with teary eyes.


    "Your constant insults Aleena. Do you really think I''m a lazy human?" he asks.


    Aleena shakes her head with tears flowing down her cheeks, petting the animal in front of her, "Lyrian, I''m sorry. My clan is dead and now this."


    Lyrian grabs her shoulders and stares at her green eyes, "Aleena, you can trust me. You can cry right here and right now. I''m your friend. I''m not out to get you."


    She looks away from him, attending to the animal. He lowers his brows, "I''ll show you."


    Lyrian walks over to the dried crater and sits in front of it with his legs crossed. Auras of green surround his area, and small cracks of wet dirt develop at the bottom of the crater. Water seeps out from beneath, bubbling up. Mudded water starts to puddle at the bottom of the crater. Then the dirt starts to settle at the bottom to make a fresh drink.


    Lyrian focuses more, tightening his eyes. Grey rocks harden at the bottom, and poke out from the dirt. They sparkle in the sun, making a nice fresh bed for a small but new nutritious puddle.


    Aleena is in awe with her jaw dropped. The lion notices and with little strength, manages to get up from her position. Fresh and sparkling water at the bottom of the crater provides the lion with a hydrating drink.


    Lyrian points, "this is what I do. That is my magic. And I managed to pull the leftover water from beneath the ground. She should survive a couple of more days in order for her to move and find another pack. The heat I cannot do anything about though."


    Aleena wipes her tears and pulls him in for a hug. His soft black robes covers her with bliss. "I''m sorry Lyrian," she says with her voice wavering. "I''m such a terrible friend, I never meant to take it out on you guys."


    "It''s okay Aleena. We''ll help protect your forest. I promise," he holds her in an embrace as she cries in his cotton cloth.


    Aleena stares up at him from his shoulder, "you''re not lazy Lyrian. You''re a strong, and moral mage with a good social life. That''s actually really admirable. I know mages struggle with their social life."


    Lyrian chuckles, "yeah, I guess you can look at Merrik as an example."


    Aleena gives him a playful poke, still holding onto him in a side hug, "you better never become that crazy old man."


    Faylin lowers her eye lids, watching them hug from a distance. Yet she tries to brush it off by heading back to the carriage.


    Lyrian notices Faylin and and he plucks her arm with a gentle pinch, "come on, we''d better get going." She nods and follows him back to the carriage.


    Suddenly Aleena darts forward with her white steed. Faylin grips the reins tightly on the carriage and follows the dirt road while Lyrian tries to balance himself. The cart shakes and hops, as the horse gallops after Aleena.


    She enters through a bunch of thorny bushes and braches, leading into the thick green forest becoming even more dense with green.


    <hr>


    Lyrian and Faylin''s New Carriage


    <hr>


    Aleena Weeps Over The Dying Lion

 Chapter 22

    Carriage wheels come to a halt. Aleena slides off her white horse and gasps at the dreadful aftermath of a battle.


    Empty crates and damaged wagons are on the grass. Dead wood elves litter the land, bloody with gaping holes in their skulls. Their armor is discolored and their skin pale. Broken swords and bows lay scattered next to lifeless bodies with broken limbs.


    Faylin, Lyrian and Aleena wander cautiously throughout the carnage. Blood soaked and clawed clothes with severed parts are laid out like a graveyard.


    Tents are torn and ripped with bite marks along their surfaces. Lyrian crouches, holding one open, viewing supplies and bedrolls.


    Aleena walks through the ruins holding her chest, crying silently at all the corpses of the elf clansmen she once knew.


    Aleena examines the corpses of her former clan. The bodies of women, men, and children all lay lifeless, covered in deep gashes.


    "Who would do this?" she gasps and falls to her knees, sobbing. Tears stream down her cheeks. "Valery was right. They''re dead..."


    Lyrian notices bite markings and blood stains everywhere he looks. Tattered pieces of clothing and armor. Everything is in complete shambles, nothing salvageable, and nothing usable. A faint rotten stench hits Lyrian''s nostrils as he picks up a discarded dagger, hot from the melting rays of the sun.


    "Looks like something big has been definitely feeding on them," Lyrian opens his book full of dinosaur information. "A mapusaurus is a carnivore and according to this dinosaur book we found. These wounds are much larger than raptor talon strikes. This thing has been feasting on your people. Possibly swallowing them whole as well. Small portions are a mapusaur''s greatest snack. They would steal and snack on sauropod breeding grounds."


    He flips through his book, "if this mapusaur is smart, she probably won''t hunt the same spot twice. Or at least, not for a few weeks or so. It''s probably long gone from here."


    "They''ve raised me here," she stands. "My elder... Our homes, our community... everything was taken." Aleena shakes and wipes her tears, and wiping her nose. She clenches her fist, "why would these beasts target my clan?"


    "The beastmaster could be a human and targeting wood elves. She also must have ties with the humans we met with, especially Valery, the assassin," Lyrian says.


    Faylin replies, "but Valery was just a simple mercenary. She probably didn''t care about the beastmaster''s goals, whatever they are. Valery said the beastmaster was an elf, but she made it sound uncertain."


    "Those dinosaurs, they seem to be pretty organized," she glances at the bodies scattered around, missing limbs and chewed bones. "The mapusaur was specifically ordered to destroy your clan. Like a mission of some kind."


    Faylin pauses and thinks, "which means..."


    "The Beastmaster is smart and knows how to command dinosaurs?" Aleena answers.


    "Or control them, makes sense at least," Lyrian points out holding his chin.


    "That is an abomination to nature. Animals should never be commanded or controlled," she protests. "Even if they do act with their instincts and natural order of things. Even if they''re monsters, or carnivores, it goes against our moral code."


    "The beastmaster may not necessarily be an elf. We have to assume that they aren''t," Faylin adds. "Elves normally respect nature and would never do such a thing. But the beastmaster is controlling dinosaurs to attack villages."


    "Unless it''s a dark elf, or an elf that simply hates others," Lyrian argues.


    "Doubt it," Faylin replies. "Valery wouldn''t risk her reputation and job. She wasn''t born yesterday. But still, she seemed to have had close enough contact with the Beastmaster."


    Faylin looks at Aleena and puts a hand on her shoulder, "we''ll make it right, okay?"


    "How?!" she shoves her off and steps back, turning around to kneel in front of a former clansman.


    Faylin steps back in nervous tension. Her shoulders lift and palms up, "because I promise. Because we''re your friends, we care for you and want justice for these murders."


    "I-I''m sorry," Aleena stutters, stepping back. "I''m sorry, Faylin, Lyrian," She kneels down to cry again.


    "Aleena," Lyrian speaks calmly.


    "I need to be alone to say my prayers," Aleena walks on to the center of the dead campsite.


    Faylin grabs Lyrian''s wrist, holding him back, "let her mourn, I know we mean well, but she needs space."


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Lyrian nods and steps back to give Aleena some distance. Faylin follows behind Lyrian as he starts to look through some old, forgotten belongings.


    Faylin looks around, noticing multiple tents and shelters. Each shelter holds some supplies inside.


    Aleena steps up to a corpse and falls to her knees. She reaches out a hand to hold the arm of the dead woman. A woman she use to know, Yuthyra, comes to her mind. There is no leg. Holes are bloody, all over her body and clothes. She was pricked by teeth of something large.


    Heat makes the battlefield even more rotten. Aleena let''s doesn''t even care about the smell of death. A small grunt, her hair falls, lowering her head. She peeks up at the dead Yuthyra, recalling the time she would share stories with her. Aleena puts Yuthyra''s hands on her chest for her to peacefully rest.


    Her voice cracks as tears fall down her face. She speaks slowly as if trying to find words through her sobbing.


    "Dearest nature, we have been wronged and slaughtered. My elder has been slain and our lives ruined by dinosaurs who do not belong to this world. Bring vengeance upon our killers and help us save our forest," Aleena closes her eyes.


    "Please bring us strength for our struggle. Please bring us justice for our fallen brethren and loved ones," her voice lowers and her head drops.


    "Let the forces of nature fight against those that wish harm to come to this land."


    Aleena opens her eyes and looks up to the horizon with sorrowful eyes. A feign figure stands near the elder''s wagon, holding her hands like she''s praying. Aleena takes notice of the long ears and her green hair.


    "Maiwyn?" Aleena calls, "is that you?" Her tears dry in shock and confusion. Maiwyn doesn''t hear her cries.


    "Maiwyn!" Aleena tries again with worry.


    The figure vanishes from thin air in an instant, leaving Aleena confused. "Maiwyn... How are you still alive?"


    Aleena stubs her foot over a log and smacks her forehead on the side of a small tree, "Gods!" Her hand lands on top of a corpse of an old wood elf man.


    Her breath shortens and her heart pounds rapidly. His wrinkled forehead with brown and white hair covers his face.


    She cries out and crawls up to him. Aleena grasps him tightly and hugs him with teary eyes and shaky hands. Finally, a scream bellows the air, and her cheeks wet, scared for her life and left with nothing once again.


    "Aleena!" The green haired elf woman stands before her in shock. She kneels down for a hug, "Aleena it''s okay. How are you still alive?"


    Aleena''s eyes widen in surprise. Aleena gets up to hug the girl, wrapping her arms around her. "Maiwyn!" Aleena cries, "Thank the gods!" She hugs her tighter.


    "Aleena!" she gasps, "I thought you were killed by the pack of mapusaurs!"


    The two remain in each other''s embrace. Aleena sobs uncontrollably, burying her face in Maiwyn''s leather armor.


    Maiwyn holds her close, "Aleena, it''s okay, you''re safe. The monsters won''t hunt again."


    "Our entire clan is gone," Aleena weeps.


    "And their sacrifice won''t be forgotten Aleena," Maiwyn assures. "I''ve taken refuge in the Red Leaf Clan. I heard clan Aeirwood was destroyed. I had to come say my prayers, even though we had our disagreements, we''re still brothers and sisters."


    "Why didn''t you ever come back?" Aleena questions. "The elder said you could but you never did."


    "Maybe it was a good thing I never came back," Maiwyn''s voice is soft and nurturing, and her figure very mature. "But I''ve found my place as nature''s healer Aleena. I''m happy with my life. When I heard about the attack, I had to take refuge with the Red Leaves to stay safe."


    "I am going there myself, Maiwyn." Aleena pulls away from her grasp and wipes her eyes. "To gather help in killing the Beastmaster, she''s responsible for all these killings, and I can find her and stop her."


    Maiwyn nods her head in understanding, "I''ve decided to stay with the Red Leaves to help heal injured elves. They''ve suffered greatly too."


    "What happened?" Aleena asks, concerned, worried.


    "There was an attack last night, the first of its kind in recent memory."


    "Who attacked them?"


    "Something called a monolophosaur. A lizard beast with a crest on it''s head. Some call them fallen dragons who had their wings taken from them."


    "I''m planning on visiting the Red Leaves soon." Aleena nods sadly.


    "If you''re lucky, you should arrive there in a couple of hours. I can take you there."


    Aleena sighs in relief, "that would be wonderful Maiwyn."


    Maiwyn explains what happened to the tribe in greater detail, "a pack of those creatures raided the clan, attacking several members before fleeing. Most were injured while hunting. I was traveling and found an injured group of hunters so they took me in."


    "How many are injured?" Aleena asks with concern.


    "There are at least five elves wounded. The leader of the hunters, Garrik, is hurt badly, but I hope with my magic abilities he should survive."


    Faylin and Lyrian investigate further, walking back and forth, searching for anything useful within the remains of the camp. Faylin holds Lyrian by the wrist, afraid he may stray from her gaze.


    Maiwyn looks over at the humans, "what are humans doing here?"


    "Oh them?" Aleena mentions, "they''re helping me, I''ve grown fond of them. There''s no way I could defeat the beastmaster without their help."


    "Aleena you know better than to trust humans," she lectures, "humans enslave other races, force them into horrible conditions, and treat us all terribly."


    "They''re good people. And they''re risking their own lives to help me. Please accept them Maiwyn, for me?" Aleena begs with her hands folded.


    "Aleena, I beg you reconsider. Those humans aren''t worth the risk. We can gather elves from the clans and kill the Beastmaster ourselves."


    "Please just do this for once Maiwyn? They''re not like other humans, I promise you."


    Maiwyn sighs in disappointment, "fine, I will let the Red Leaf Clan elder decide whether to let them in or not."


    "Thank you Maiwyn," Aleena hugs her.


    "Now let''s head back to the clan, I''ll guide you."


    "Hold on, I have to talk to the humans." Aleena leaves Maiwyn behind to talk to Faylin and Lyrian.


    "Good news you guys, someone has survived."


    Faylin turns from rummaging through boxes of vegetables.


    Aleena continues, "her name is Maiwyn, and she''s taking us to a clan of elves. If they allow us in, we may restock on supplies, gather help to aid us in our quest to take down the beastmaster and whatever army of dinosaurs she''s amassing."


    "That''s wonderful, but what happens after we get rid of the dinosaur menace?" Lyrian asks.


    "She mentioned gathering an elven army together. But after that, it''s unlikely the beastmaster would leave survivors of the villages she destroys. But after, I imagine everyone will continue to live out their lives. But until the threat of the Beastmaster is eliminated, the future will never happen. Now let''s go."


    <hr>


    Maiwyn


    <hr>


    Aleena Reunites with Maiwyn

 Chapter 23

    Maiwyn steps over each prickly bush, leading the walk through the woods and climbing uphill.


    Aleena follows leading Snowdrop with a rope. Faylin and Lyrian are behind her leading their horses with the carriage still attached. Branches are losing their leaves and grass is getting increasingly brown but with a mix of pale green. Sweat drips from the burning rays of the sun.


    Faylin''s head droops and her tongue dry, "ugh, guys, I need water."


    Maiwyn hands Aleena her metal flask with a small glare, "here, give your human some water."


    Aleena sends it flying behind her shoulder, to Faylin. She almost doesn''t catch the flying flask, making her drop her rope and waking her up even further. Faylin twists it open and guzzles down all the rest of the water.


    She hands it back to Maiwyn, "thank you."


    Maiwyn grabs back her empty flask and peeks through the opening, "hm, drank it all. No sense of survival or courtesy."


    Aleena gives Faylin a nasty look, making her guilty. But all fades when a mid-tone chirp interrupts them, sounding like a sort of bird. It chirps once, then trills it''s haunting medium tone. Ambience of the forest are of small tweets from birds, but the warbles standing out comes more from the ground.


    Aleena''s ears perk up and she looks to Maiwyn for a sense of support, "another Dinosaur? I know that is not a bird."


    Maiwyn is calm and settled, "yes. It is sad, and lost. You can hear it."


    Aleena is in shock how Maiwyn can distinguish the behavioral sounds, "how can you tell?"


    "Shh, listen again," she whispers.


    The trill is fast but slowly diminishes speed. Snowdrop whinnies, shaking her head at the sound with a sense of danger but Aleena puts a hand on the horse''s snout, which quickly calms her down. She notices the rhythm slow down, "how did you know?"


    "Dinosaurs are becoming more frequent Aleena. Wood elves are already starting their studies," she explains.


    "I don''t get it, where are they? All there is, is birds in the trees."


    Maiwyn points in the direction of more forest, "Northeast from here. No one knows why and no one has been there yet. But every once and a while they wander out from their territory, and some will attack."


    "Maiwyn, the forest is changing, it shouldn''t even be this hot," Aleena looks around at some dry brush spots, some trees have empty branches and small pale grass clusters, "our plants are dying! Animals are dying, we saw a whole pack of dead lions in our way here. I can''t imagine what Northeast looks like, you need to deploy scouts."


    Lyrian notices Aleena''s sadness once again and puts a hand on her shoulder, but also doesn''t know what to say. He stays silent and Aleena hangs her head.


    Maiwyn lowers her brows, annoyed and irritated, balling her fists, "I am aware, but I don''t have all the answers Aleena. I don''t know what is going on with our forest. We''re dealing with it."


    Aleena moves closer to Maiwyn getting annoyed at her held high, "you act like it''s not even a big deal."


    She stops her by a hand, clamping her arm, "then stop being weak."


    Aleena yanks her arm back, "I see you haven''t changed. What about other northeast clans?"


    "Either dead or have moved because of the heat, or other environment changes."


    "Someone has to go after them," Aleena says.


    "Then tell Elder Kyrza." Maiwyn sighs her way back to her restful demeanor and takes a step forward, crunching twigs, "come, we must be careful. That thing could attack us. I already don''t like how close it is to camp."


    Maiwyn continues on to lead through the camp, brushing her sandals through hairy and soft leaves of weeds and plants. The group follows, pushing back branches for their horses. Squirrels scatter up trees in their path and birds watch them pass.


    Lyrian walks through the brush, following Aleena. Bundling birds flock around another one, lying dead in the dirt, again with no wounds. He raises his head to the tall branches. Ravens, robins, sparrows, and songbirds sing, as flying squirrels glide from branch to branch.


    Wildlife blossoms at sights of cotton tents behind bushes. A grizzly even strolls up to Aleena for a pet, lowering his head as she chuckles and scratches his fur.


    Maiwyn stops in her tracks on the dirt road. Deer skips through the bushes to open a path and separate along the clearing of the elven camp.


    The four emerge from the dense forest into a clearing where an encampment lies nearby. Small, crudely constructed wooden structures on wheels surround a central square. Scents of food, and smoked vegetables wafts through the air. Incense and rosewood is fresh.


    Grass is much more greener, and bushes and trees are much more nurturing to the fresh air around.


    Faylin and Lyrian leaves the carriage, parked with Snowdrop tied to wooden stables.


    An elven warrior, dressed in traditional garb, stands guard atop one towering buildings to keep watch over the distance, while also keeping guard to their sacred animals that elves hold dear to them.


    "The village seems nice enough, a bit underdeveloped and unprepared," Faylin notes.


    "Underdeveloped?" Aleena replies. "We''re nomadic and rely on our surroundings rather than permanent stone buildings, like you humans. You build huge buildings and tear down forests for your fancy civilization and farmlands. Do not lecture me on being uncivilized."


    Aleena turns to Faylin and Lyrian with a lowered head and avoids their eyes in frustration, "please be on your best behavior. Otherwise, they won''t let you in."


    The group approaches the elder elf who''s not exactly old but a male in a studded leather robe. He greets the group, looking sternly towards Faylin and Lyrian.


    "Althara," the male elf bows in his greeting. "I see Maiwyn found another one of ours. I''m the elder of the Red Leaf clan. Kyrza is my name. I do have to wonder about these strange others you bring before me though."


    Aleena approaches with a bow, "good day to you Elder Kyrza. Aleena from the Aeirwood clan, and survivor. These humans helped me come this far and I owe them. Without their aid, I would be lost to the wilderness."


    "A survivor from the Aeirwood clan? But the humans," he points.


    Faylin introduces herself in front of Kyrza.


    "I''m Faylin, a blacksmith, and this is my partner and friend, a mage Lyrian," she smiles nervously and nudges Lyrian in front.


    Lyrian gulps and awkwardly waves slowly.


    "Humans, disgusting," he scoffs, his voice deep, "what need do we have of outsiders?"


    Aleena interrupts, "please elder. They''ve been a great help to me and even helped me fight an assassin who was out to kill me. They''ve provided very useful information, helped with camping, and interactions with others in human villages. If it weren''t for them, I''d be dead."


    "I see," he turn to Faylin and Lyrian. "And what have you learned on your travels with a wood elf?"


    "Um," Faylin hangs her head and fidgets with her pocket.


    Lyrian answers, "I''ve learned about the simple life. It''s a beauty to me. Time is valuable because it''s something you cannot get back, especially for us humans who have shorter lifespans than elves. Sometimes, it''s better to just do nothing instead of living fast lives in the city. And stuff like family, Faylin for example, is my family and I''m willing to help her and her family stay afloat. I know she needs it, and it''s important. I''m not tiring myself, or neglecting anything, it''s just something I''m called to do. I''m pushed by my fellow humans and called lazy, all the time for it."


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    Aleena listens and starts feeling guilty as Lyrian looks to her. She turns her head towards the grass, away from Lyrian''s gaze.


    Lyrian continues, "and sometimes an underachiever, and someone who''s gullible and a target for scams and gypsies. But heck, I''ll achieve my dreams when I feel like it because I live in today and not the future. I don''t have to worry like some do."


    "Wow Lyrian," Aleena says in awe with her mouth open.


    The elder smiles with sparkling relish, "at least mages can be well respected among our people for their wisdom. Thank you Lyrian for sharing that with me."


    Lyrian exhales and steps back with a smile.


    Kyrza turns to Faylin, "and what about you blacksmith? What have you learned from the wood elves?"


    Faylin is nervous as the elder stares her down.


    "Oh uh, w-well... I haven''t had much experience with any of the elves until recently with Aleena," Faylin smiles as she thinks. "When I first met Aleena, she was really cautious about me. She taught me about giving and not asking anything in return. Like planting a good seed that will blossom for generations."


    "I handed her some coin at first," she giggles, "but she slapped it out of my hand. We were just trying to pass through Aeirwood clan and she promised to let me pass if I gave something. So I gave her a toy dragon I made, and she gave me a lecture about making something verses buying something. The time spend on making something is way more valuable than coin. And she gave me the toy dragon back. I was touched and through our travels I met a former coworker of mine who I had disagreements with and had to fire. His name was Serrill and his sister Luminitsa. Instead of buying him something at the bar, I was able to invite him for dinner. And I cooked steaks and Aleena prepared fruit on the side. And I was able to treat them to a nice dinner and let them know that I don''t hate them."


    Faylin is grateful to herself at her story but also notices Aleena crossing her arms with annoyance.


    "Steaks?" the elder raises a brow, escalating his skepticism. "And what animal did you butcher to cook such a thing?"


    "Um," Faylin gasps internally, perking up over to Lyrian and Aleena.


    They both nod their heads for Faylin to proceed. Faylin sweats, "we went to a bazaar, in a human town, and bought cow meat for coins?"


    The elder''s mouth is open in such distain of sproglet behavior, "I suppose Aleena didn''t eat any of this currency traded cow flesh?"


    Aleena crosses her arms and lifts her chin, "I would never eat such barbaric foods elder. I only had a bowl of fruit."


    "Faylin you have a lot to learn," Kyrza glares at Faylin. "A business woman, and blacksmith, and human I presume. Humans have tainted ideas and spread greed wherever they go. Perhaps Aleena can teach you more about humility."


    Faylin drops her shoulders and looks down, dejected by her story.


    The elder continues, "but giving without anything in return is a nice story to hear. Perhaps it is a start. Very well Faylin. All I ask of Aleena is that you watch this one closely."


    Aleena nods to the elder''s request with a serious look, "of course I will. Thank you Elder Kyrza."


    "All that over a steak?" Faylin comments to herself but Lyrian bumps an elbow to her, signaling for her to shut up.


    "Please relax amongst yourselves," the Elder says. "Help out around here and do your best."


    "We plan to stay here for a short period of time," Aleena adds. "But I''ll be glad to help during that time."


    Kyrza turns to Aleena with sorrow, "my condolences for your clan Aleena. At the very least, I''m glad that there was one survivor."


    "Thank you. Speaking of that, have you caught sight of the beast that attacked my clan?"


    "Yes. A Mapusaurus is what it is called by the word that is spreading. And yes, they passed by the edge of our border last night but never came inside the campsite. They haven''t appeared again."


    "What about the beasts that actually attacked your hunters?" Aleena asks.


    "You mean the pack of monolophosaurus?" Maiwyn asks. "That attack occurred about three days ago."


    "Yes, those beasts. Where are they now?" Aleena responds.


    "That pack of predators, like the Mapusaurs, never crossed our border and fled into the thick foliage," Kyrza adds.


    "Are you sure it fled to safety and that it wasn''t a diversion?" Aleena asks.


    "No one knows, except the Beastmaster," he says.


    "Any signs of the beastmaster?" she questions.


    "Not that we''ve seen. As I stated before, the Mapusaurs just stopped by the border and left. Other than that, we haven''t heard anything else," the elder says.


    "The red leaved forest must have become a sanctuary. In the event that another attack comes, you''re fully aware of the danger?"


    "Yes. We already have our warriors on standby, patrolling the outer edges of our territory. But in the event that the magical curse of heat destroys this part of the forest, we will be moving soon."


    "What? That''s it? That''s your battle plan? Elder, we need to find this beastmaster," Aleena says urgently. "She poses a threat to all of us, and to all elves across this land. She threatens this very forest we swore to protect. Please help me hunt down this person and kill her."


    "I cannot order anyone to leave our borders for dangerous missions. My clan mates must agree to this mission. But these creatures are just to large. We don''t have enough soldiers to take down this many large predators at once," Kyrza gives her a serious but heart felt frown.


    "It could be the end of elves forever. Our forest forever," Aleena argues. "Elder please help me!"


    "No is no Aleena," Maiwyn speaks up.


    The entire group spot another elf man running up to them with rubbery leather armor and the clanking of his wooden bow and quiver.


    "Elder!" the elf soldier calls. "We''re under attack."


    Kyrza drops his crossed arms in surprise, "what is it this time?"


    "A large beast with feathers."


    "Maiwyn, stay back and lend support, Aleena you stay behind the soldiers and help rain arrows." He turns to Faylin and Lyrian, "you two, what might be your skills?"


    "Skilled with a dwarven war hammer and shield sir," Faylin prepares herself.


    "And I''m skilled in most geomancy Kyrza," Lyrian says.


    "Then Faylin, join the front lines, and Lyrian will provide earthen artillery behind our archers."


    Faylin''s eyes widen and she turns to Lyrian in panic, "wait, I don''t know anything about war. I never fought without you guys by my side and I''m supposed to join the front lines?"


    Lyrian assures, "Faylin, it''ll be okay. It''s just one beast. I''m sure we''ve faced worse."


    "Let''s go, move," the elder urges and everyone scatters to a second entrance where the path leads to the heavy forest.


    <hr>


    Archers are at the ready, pointing their arrows and three warriors with swords stand in front. Faylin is behind the warriors, but she grips her hammer with nervous tension.


    A Nanuqsaurus is calm, staring the elves down. It''s mouth is closed, just focusing with beady eyes on the elven hunters, hoping to each individual. The beast drops it''s head with desperate attempt. Bows flinch with a step back. A sudden growl releases despite it''s curiosity.


    His belly is very skinny. White feathers are matted and splotchy with an excess of oil. The Nanuqsaur looks like it hasn''t eaten for months. Hungar for the search of food is first priority for Nanuqsaur. It has one last chance.


    "Looks like a starving demon," Kyrza says.


    Lyrian is next to Kyrza and Maiwyn a small ways away from him. He reads in the Limerock dinosaur book he has, "a Nanuqsaurus... there''s only one problem, his environment is in the arctic."


    "So it''ll be an easy kill then," Kyrza stands tall.


    The Nanuqsaur keeps his head down, and splits off towards the small elven army. Small-scale eyes are widened with a craving for food.


    Arches let their bows fly, piercing through it''s feathers, and it moans a mid-tone. It''s anger only increases and starts sprinting faster to grab a hold of one of the warriors. Teeth chomp next to a warrior and Faylin watches.


    The warrior slashes his sword and the others join in.


    Archers pull on their bows and point to the sky. Rain of arrows shower from the air and onto its back as the warriors dive out of the way.


    The Nanuqsaur snags the legs of a warrior but the other warrior grabs a hold. Taste of flesh feeds it''s starvation.


    Lyrian hauls a large boulder, showing off his determined magical strength to the elves, and launches it into the air. The boulder shatters upon the nanuqsaur, letting go of the warrior. It hisses and squirms in terror under the rubble.


    What would be easy to shake off dirt, slowly turns to a lack of energy and weakness. Defeated and depressed, he yowls one last whine.


    Another wave of raining arrows fires on but Aleena still holds her arrow in her bow, pulling back even further for a precise shot. She let''s go.


    Streaming through the air, it passes above the shoulders of archers, passed Faylin who is frozen in place, and above the heads of the scattered warriors. The arrow lodges deep through a bullseye middle forehead hit, and the warriors stick their swords in the head.


    The nanuqsaur twitches still stuck under rubble and dust, finished off, lying limp on the ground. It''s last growling breath is full of depression and woes, trilling an exhaling growl and humming it''s eyes to sleep.


    With that, Kyrza lowers his stern brows and makes his way to the dead nanuqsaur, his archers making a path for him with Lyrian and Maiwyn behind.


    Aleena follows, bumping her shoulder to Faylin in a rude gesture on the way, "good going, you did nothing the entire time."


    Aleena stands furious at Faylin, who feels guilty and can''t face Aleena''s eyes. But she narrows her eyes and crosses her arms mixing her anger within. Aleena turns to leave her.


    Elder Kyrza pats the clumped sticky feathers of the lifeless nanuqsaur.


    "Mage, you said that this creature is an arctic being?" Kyrza says to Lyrian.


    "Yes," Lyrian responds.


    "Then what is it doing here?" he speaks over gritting teeth. "No wonder it was starving and weak."


    "Perhaps the beastmaster is experimenting," says Maiwyn.


    "This is an abomination to nature. This person person has no empathy, a villain to nature bringing back such a being who doesn''t belong. Look at the depression that this creature left behind," he stands profound by the creature never seen before by any other, left to die in such a confusing environment.


    Aleena speaks up to Kyrza, "now do you see why we need to fight back?"


    "Negative, my hunters, our clan would never..."


    "Elder!" Aleena breaks down with a yell.


    "Aleena!" Maiwyn approaches Aleena and begs, "unlike you, I would never vouch for your banishment. Please listen to our elder."


    Aleena mutters a whine, her stress more ridged and she scratches her arm. But Maiwyn lends a gentle hand to hers, her palm soft.


    "Come, lets have some food. It might calm your nerves," Maiwyn says to Aleena.


    "Maiwyn," the elder calls, "be sure you handle our warrior''s wounds first."


    "Yes Elder," Maiwyn obliges, leaving Aleena with a final sentence. "Meet me at dinner dear."


    <hr>


    Aleena and Elder Kyrza


    <hr>


    Nanuqsaurus

 Chapter 24

    As the group follows Maiwyn through the grass clearing of the woods, Faylin looks over and whispers to Lyrian, "this is bad Lyrian. Our plans fell through."


    "I know," Lyrian sighs. "The elves won''t help us. But it''ll be okay."


    "Look, I really want to help Aleena, but eventually, I''m going to have to return home," Faylin says adding a hint of guilt.


    "I''m not abandoning Aleena Fay, this is all just too sad with everything that''s happening," Lyrian gives her puppy eyes yet his voice is serious.


    Maiwyn turns and gives Faylin a hard glare. Faylin''s eyes lower as she looks away from the green haired healer. She quickly makes conversation with Aleena.


    "I don''t suppose you have any chicken?" Faylin ponders.


    Aleena laughs nervously, "goodness Faylin, we''ve been through this so many times."


    "Fine, then I guess that''s a no on meat. Let me think um... cheese? Milk?" she guesses.


    "We do make cheese. And bread. It''s baked just like yours only with different ingredients and recipes," Aleena explains.


    "I''m going to miss meat."


    "I thought that when you told the elder you gave something freely, that you might''ve learned something about our vegetarian diet. Can''t you think of anything beyond just trading coins and meat?" Aleena scoffs and raises her head high.


    The three sit down at a wooden dinning table near some stoves. It is underneath a canopy, which is a makeshift structure built for cooking meals, that is outside.


    Maiwyn heads for the stove, to drop some veggies in pan, readying the fire with some coal.


    Faylin continues to talk to Aleena across from her, "speaking of your elder, why does he have to push your entire clan''s views on us that? I feel judged."


    "Then you obviously don''t get why he does it in the first place. It''s not to judge, it''s about respect and trust, considering that you''re in our territory now. Elves have to be careful of your kind," Aleena explains.


    Faylin scrapes her finger along dust on the table of the outside. Other elves are coming to join for dinner around the outstretched family table.


    "This doesn''t look very sanitary," Faylin comments. "I hope you wash your vegetables."


    "Sanitary? What do you mean?" Aleena asks, "the cooks wash their hands."


    "I mean," Faylin points to the pots on the wooden stoves. "That looks like rust. Are there rodents here? Who knows what kind of diseases are lurking around these corners? Including your vegetables. Who knows what kind of worms have been eating off those peppers."


    "It''s natural for humans to worry about things they cannot see," Aleena twirls a fork on her table as other elves are chatting among themselves.


    Faylin looks at her with distain, "this is not imaginary. This is very real and concerning. You ever heard of plague or rabies or dysentery or salmonella or-"


    "What the hell are those terms?" Aleena squints her eyes at her, "do humans normally make things up? And our vegetables are not contaminated. The nutrients in the ground are very healthy."


    Lyrian turns to Faylin calmly, "Fay, it''ll be fine. Don''t make a scene."


    Faylin mumbles to her self with her teeth together. Maiwyn places a stack of plates next to them, moving onto the next group for their stack. They grab some dishes once Maiwyn serves large plates and bowls full of fruits and veggies. Everyone serves themselves, passing around vegetable stew, fruit filled dumplings, and fresh berries. Aleena takes bites from a sweet cornbread.


    The green haired female sits at the table next to Aleena. She looks at Lyrian and Faylin, unsure what to think of them. Maiwyn is surprised that the elder allowed humans into the encampment, given her history with them.


    Although, Faylin glances at her as she scoops up vegetable stew to splatter in her own bowl. It is awkward with Faylin''s complaints, but the elves already expect it. Maiwyn sits dejected by Faylin but takes the heat anyway as if she was used to it.


    Aleena tries to break the silence, scooting to adjust herself in her chair.


    "So, Maiwyn. Is there anyway way that Faylin would be able to use the crafters forge?" Aleena asks, taking a bite of a strawberry.


    "That would be up to the crafter. I don''t know Aleena. I''m not really even a part of this clan. I''m a traveling forest healer who protects the plants and wildlife here," she explains with her soft voice. Her eyes seem cold and dull, but with an innocence, she takes a delicate bite of a peach dumpling.


    "Who are you anyway Maiwyn? If you''re not apart of this clan, what do you do and how do you know Aleena?" Faylin asks.


    "Aleena and I are very complex human," Maiwyn dismisses her with a simple answer.


    Aleena glares at Maiwyn''s stuck up attitude, "don''t be rude Maiwyn. At least make conversation."


    Faylin picks up a spoonful of her soup and tastes it, then frowns, setting down her silverware with a sour expression.


    Maiwyn''s attention locks on her with a blank stare, "how is the food blacksmith?"


    "It''s good," Faylin answers still with a sour taste of veggies and dirt.


    Maiwyn sighs, not believing her, "well then, Aleena and I used to be close friends. Unfortunately we grew apart for a while."


    "Though it''s never changed my view of you. You''re still my sister Maiwyn," Aleena''s heart still blossoms at her once best friend.


    "I struggle to say the same Aleena," says Maiwyn by a thread of sorrow.


    "But you still consider me as a sister don''t you? We''re wood elves, family," she worries.


    "I do, but that doesn''t mean I''m not forced to walk on eggshells around you," she takes another bite of a peach dumpling.


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    Aleena feels the soft texture of her cornbread and takes a small nibble while trying to hold back a few tears. Cornbread is held to her chest as if she was to say a prayer in her mind.


    Lyrian offers a smile and hands her a salad bowl, "it''s good if you make a sandwich, you know?"


    Her vision blurs for a second but she blinks them away and hands Lyrian the small bitten cornbread. He cuts it in half, sprinkles lettuce and peppers, then places a tomato and a fried eggplant in the center.


    Aleena chuckles as the sandwich is put on her plate. She savors a bite, loving the taste of the contents between the bread.


    "It''ll be okay Aleena," Lyrian says still trying to cheer her up.


    Aleena closes her eyes as those words hurt even more, "I just wish things were different. And I just wish we could find what this beastmaster wants."


    "Well you shouldn''t poke your nose around where it doesn''t belong. That''s what got our clan in trouble," Maiwyn remarks stabbing a piece of lettuce on her fork.


    "What do you mean?" Aleena glances over to her.


    "You saw how it was, our people lived peaceful lives. Then you showed up. Soon enough, so did those humans. Soon we had conflict within our own clan with this group and that group. Some wanted to leave the forest altogether. Others wanted to stay here. Some of our people died arguing and fighting each other. That''s why I chose to live nomadically rather than stay put."


    Aleena pounds the table, "you were banished for your destructive ideals you liar! You were forced to wander the forest alone."


    "Not just that. Because I have other motives."


    "And what''s that?"


    "It matters not."


    "Don''t you pin this on me, Maiwyn. You''re the one that divided our clan," Aleena accuses pointing at her.


    Lyrian eats his stew with a mouthful, watching intently while Faylin picks at her food. Her face scrunches in distaste and disinterest.


    Maiwyn continues, "I simply suggested an alternate solution that didn''t involve humans. But you ruined that. And now we lost everything."


    "Do you honestly believe that I am responsible for this chaos that surrounds us? This necromancy?"


    "Necromancy? Do you see any undead walking the forest?" Maiwyn chuckles. "You''re ridiculous."


    "Do you honestly believe that the dinosaurs are coming back to life because nature intended it so? Dinosaur bones being brought to life is the same as a necromancer raising the dead," Aleena explains.


    "This is the forest. Nature is coming back to life. Mother nature is angry and she''s taking revenge against humanity and defilers of nature."


    Aleena scoots her chair back and gets up. "Faylin, Lyrian, let''s go. Let''s set Faylin up with the crafter. Maiwyn, don''t talk to me for the rest of the day, I thought you were my friend," hurt fills Aleena''s eyes as she looks away.


    "Apparently you chose humans over your own family. We aren''t friends Aleena. Not as long as you walk with those two sinful dogs."


    Those words has made a stinging pain in Aleena walking away. Pain in her chest spreads for a brief moment, choking up her throat.


    They walk out of the dining area. Aleena sulks as Lyrian rubs her shoulder. Faylin watches as several elves kneel over a wooden frame. Wooden planks run along it''s top edge, creating a table-like surface. A man hammers down a nail on the wood while a woman holds a plank steady. Children play in between adults as they pound and saw various pieces.


    The main crafter carves some wood into a crescent shape like a bow. A shed is behind their tent, as well as an elven wagon home with swirls of decor and hanging lanterns of tallow and fireflies.


    Wood already fills their noses as they walk passed the other crafters to find the shop owner sitting in his tent, sanding down a bow.


    "Crafter," Aleena says in a quiet tone. "This here is a blacksmith that wishes to borrow your tools. She''ll help us in our quest to stop the Beastmaster and the dinosaur menace."


    The crafter gets out of his seat, walking out of his tent. His tent covers a wide area with tables that house scattered materials. Various types of lumber are set in piles ranging from oak, birch, pine, spruce, and cherry.


    "Hello there. My name is Reklan. I hear you are a skilled smith," he pauses to take a closer look at her. "Human, that is."


    "Yes I am. I am Faylin. I''ve worked at only one forge really. Mostly in Acrine, but I''ve been on the move lately so haven''t had much work recently. I have to repair armor and weapons for back home to make a living. My mother is paralyzed and I have to keep a roof over her head."


    "Well that''s a noble cause," he smiles and offers his hand.


    "Nice to meet you," she shakes his hand firmly.


    "Of course, my pleasure as well," he says happily, smiling warmly. "If there''s anything you want, just ask."


    "Do you require any trade to use your forge?" she asks.


    Reklan holds a welcoming presence but Aleena feels impatient as she leans on the wagon waiting on Faylin to hurry. Though she still can''t shake the thoughts of Maiwyn at dinner.


    Reklan answers comforting once again, "no trade needed. If Aleena and our elder trust you, you may use our forge and tools we have here."


    "Thank you, thank you very much," Faylin widens her eyes, gracefully.


    "Now about those materials, we are low in metals. But feel free to browse whatever else you need." He leads Faylin and Lyrian to his storage, piles of wood planks and branches carve a path for them.


    A small door way stands in their path, covered by a thick cloth. He pulls back the cloth and opens the door for them, pulling apart cobwebs and tracking up dust. Dusk from outside shines orange in the horizon, and they are surrounded by a fenced in area.


    "My wife should be able to explain this area more than myself. But over here is our forge," he walks them past the door way and straight towards the back. There''s a metal barrel where one pours molten steel or iron, a furnace, bellows to fan flames, water buckets, an anvil, and grind stone. Just everything a blacksmith needs.


    "If there''s anything you need, let me know and I''ll see if I can find it," Reklan leaves the three as they browse around.


    Faylin spots an empty area. "Look, a grinding wheel!" she gasps, running over the large stone wheel.


    Her happiness turns to a frown however, feeling the jagged stone, bumpy and small rocks put together, "it''s too jagged, it''ll scratch the blade."


    She sighs but doesn''t let her ruin her excitement, "Lyrian get the iron ore from our carriage. It''s been so long since I worked."


    She tosses off her leather top and boots. Wearing a brown cotton bra, she puts on some heat resistant gloves and an apron. Faylin ties on her protective gear.


    Afterwards Lyrian heads back to the horse cart to retrieve her supplies and items.


    "And an anvil," Faylin notices another table in the corner and runs over to it excitedly. However the anvil is small enough for a sitting position, "goodness, how am I going to hammer down on this thing?"


    Lyrian is over by the horses untying the knots of the wagon tarp holding the ore.


    In the corner stands a large stump where Reklan would sit, shaping wood.


    Lyrian comes back with some of the ore in a small wagon, "here, that''s some from what we have gathered at Mosswick."


    "Let''s start with the iron. Something simple. I''m out of practice for too long."


    Lyrian loads up the iron into the smelter''s stove. Faylin shovels coal under it and Lyrian loads the ore in the container on top. The slag drop furnace is too small and the ore is sticking out. Faylin sighs with disappointment but lights it up anyway. Flames funnel through the top of the metal furnace for them to wait for the ore to cook into molten iron.


    She opens up the small shaft hole at the bottom of the smelter. The hot airflow whisks passed her. Molten slag streams out from the hole, the excess of rock and dirt extracting from the iron. The temperature slowly rises, glowing orange at the bottom of the furnace.


    "You humans love this don''t you?" Aleena comments with a small smirk. She sits down at the stump and pulls a book from her bag.


    "Mhm." Faylin nods as her body rocks up and down with the pumping of bellows. The blacksmith keeps pushing as sweat drips from her skin. As her muscles grow stronger, they begin to tire and ache.


    "Isn''t that heavy?" Aleena asks.


    She smiles, breathing heavily and sweating. A molten ingot drops on the anvil, carried by a pair of tongs, "not anymore."


    The misshapen ingot suddenly falls, spraying firey rock into dry grass. A panic issues on Faylin, "gods!"


    Faylin quickly places the iron on the anvil again, struggling to get it to stay. Her foot tries to stomp out the molten fire on the grass. She yells, "ugh! This anvil is too small!"


    "This thing is going to explode if we leave it alone," Faylin adds leaving the ingot to move towards the furnace. Perspiration streaks off her forehead from wiping as it trickles into her eyes.


    "Why are you sweating like a pig? We''re outdoors?" Aleena comments again, enjoying the nagging.


    "It''s called a sweat lodge," Faylin explains with a smirk, pouring water over the drop furnace.


    Aleena playfully rolls her eyes and watches them work, almost taking interest in the smelting process.


    Dusk is getting darker, and Faylin works, while Lyrian helps with the smaller tasks, and Aleena watches, peacefully reading her book.


    <hr>


    Maiwyn and Aleena at dinner


    <hr>


    Faylin Starts Smithing Again

 Chapter 25

    Morning rises after the taste of fresh salad for breakfast.


    Swords, shields, maces, and halberds all lean against the fence of the Reklan''s backyard. Finely made armor of iron also sits in a pile next to the weapons on the grass.


    Faylin is hammering a well crafted sword, pounding each hit with focus. Hammering stops, then another hit to be careful not to spill the liquid gallium inside the hot iron of the blade.


    She turns over to the grinding wheel, steps on the pedal to let the circular motion start. Whetstone is spinning and the blade contacts the wheel letting the sparks fly.


    A bump jolts her sword flashing a rain of sparks everywhere. Scrunching her face in frustration, Faylin slams the sword on the ground, spilling the liquid gallium in the iron, "damn this stupid wheel!"


    Faylin lands a blow to the wheel with her boot, kicking hard whetstone. She holds her foot in pain, hysterical from her anger, "ah! Damn!"


    Aleena, who is sitting on a tree stump, bursts with laughter at the sight of Faylin hoping on one foot, "Hahaha! Faylin, that was so dumb, it was actually funny. Sometimes I do feel like I''m keeping two human pets."


    "Why don''t you mind your own business elf?"


    Aleena gets serious, "what are you so mad about?"


    "These tools are of no good! They keep breaking the things I make," Faylin complains, picking up the broken sword.


    "Then be more careful."


    "I would''ve had everything done way sooner at my shop. Quality of tools is important to making quality weapons for nobles and armies of kingdoms," says Faylin with a finger.


    "You know, I was only trying to help you. If these tools are such a pain, then don''t use them. I don''t know what you expected, wood elves are not nobles nor do we have kingdoms," Aleena lectures proudly.


    Faylin ignores her lectures and puts the sword back on the anvil. She sighs and turns to Lyrian, "it needs more."


    Lyrian puts a hand on her shoulder for comfort, "we''re almost there Fay."


    Rock is tough on the callouses of her hands, picking it up. Cubic crystalline metal shines between the rock. Faylin rubs the small stone to make heat between her hands, and gallium starts to melt.


    Lyrian holds the blade on the small anvil. Fragile liquid metal is sprinkled on the blade, each drop separate from each other.


    Lyrian focuses a green energy over the blade, soaking liquid gallium inside the thin pockets of the blade. The thicker middle side of the iron blade makes room for it to be a tad hollow, hiding gallium inside.


    Faylin sighs with relief, "thanks. I can''t believe I messed that up."


    "Don''t sweat it, enchanting is a hard practice," Lyrian says with a smile.


    "You know I feel like I cheat with you around," she smirks, pounding hammer once again on the blade.


    ding, ding, ding.


    Lyrian sits and waits patiently for her to finish hammering. He stares at his book while flipping the pages. A couple hours pass of dinging metal clashing together.


    Afterwards Aleena yawns, watching the crafting process all for a couple of peaceful days.


    Finally after the work is done, Lyrian brings the supplies and finished products outside to Faylin in a small wagon.


    She is holding her hand just above the blade, making her way up and down. Nothing is happening but Faylin can feel a tingle in the palm of her hands, acting out something spiritual.


    Aleena watches her with her arms crossed in confusion, "is this some call to a human God?"


    "Sort of, Ailrun, the blacksmith God. Helps with enchanting. Though I''m not all crazy religious. But he does help me," Faylin explains.


    Aleena smirks, "and yet nothing is actually happening."


    "Not yet, the enchanting process isn''t done."


    "How can you enchant? You''re not a mage."


    Faylin turns to her, "mineral enchantments are different Aleena. Humans use magic and minerals to enchant. Not just magic like you."


    "That''s blasphemy," she scoffs.


    "There''s still magic involved Aleena. Faylin is using it now," he grins.


    Faylin continues the ride her hand above the blade, "come here Aleena, hold out your hand above the blade."


    Aleena walks over to her and feels the invisible aura on the sword. Tingles of static in her hand make her mind envision a flash of noise, wincing to pull her hand back, "gods! What was that?"


    "Mineral and metal enchanting," Faylin drops the aura. "I made something special with that Gallium."


    Faylin hands Lyrian the iron sword with the handle wrapped in leather strips. Its design appears sharp, smooth, and glimmering.


    He grabs it''s grip, pulling it out of it''s scabbard, revealing a silver blade. Lyrian tests it and spins it around. Liquid starts emerging from the blade as Lyrian focuses, and morphs the blade into a hammer. "Nice! The magic properties of gallium!"


    The hammer''s flat surface reflects his image like a mirror.


    Faylin beams a bright smile, proud of her hard work.


    "This is amazing," Lyrian hands it back over to her. "I''ve never seen anything like it."


    Faylin blushes, "well thank you."


    "Go ahead, try it out," Lyrian suggests.


    Faylin takes the weapon and holds it firmly with two hands.


    She focuses and melts the tip of the blade into a spearhead shape. With one quick motion, she thrusts forward. Suddenly, her momentum carries the rest of her body forward until the entire length slides through its target with ease.


    "Gallium isn''t the best and most expensive enchantment, but this will enhance our allowance a little. The sharpness of the blade is permanent and will never dull as long as you morph it right," Faylin grins as the spear returns into the sword''s shape. She swings the sword overhead, cutting down a leaf parachuting down in front of her face.


    "The material can change form with willpower," Faylin adds.


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    "You still amaze me Fay. Maybe we can sell these," Lyrian says.


    "To humans?" Aleena scoffs. "Humans would probably end up killing innocent folk with these weapons."


    "We''ll make our living though Aleena. My mother will have a roof over her head. She''s paralyzed and can''t take care of herself," Faylin argues.


    "Just be mindful Faylin," Aleena adds.


    "I understand your concerns, and I don''t sell to criminals," Faylin replies softly as Lyrian places the last batch of the products into the wooden crate. The box gets picked up by the pair of them, carrying it over to the carriage.


    Aleena, Faylin and Lyrian drop off some supplies by the cart, and Aleena looks around the camp. Children run playing tag, and elves are hard at work nearing the crafting circle. Archers practice their aim on hay stuffed dummies.


    The elf crafter comes out to them, Reklan and his small elf daughter. He is slender with blonde hair. His pale skin and delicate facial features are common among elves. He has the same kind of ears as Aleena, sticking out upward. He wears a simple brown tunic.


    "Thanks for letting us use your workspace and tools," Faylin says.


    "Happy to help, any friends of a wood elf is a friend of mine," he smiles and waves goodbye.


    His little girl seems shy, peeking from behind her dad. Faylin notices the little girl wearing ragged clothing, but it''s apparent she does her best to keep the fabric clean of dirt and grime.


    Faylin sighs, looking towards the blue sky, "at least there''s one positive thing out of today. Making useful tools out of limited resources. Hopefully we''ll earn good money off of em."


    "I wouldn''t count on it," Aleena says solemnly, heading back into the crafter''s area.


    Faylin kneels down to the girl and pulls out her toy dragon. She shows the tiny device to the little elf and activates a wind up key on the contraption. It starts walking in struts and puffs tiny bits of smoke.


    "This is for you," Faylin smiles at the timid girl and hands it to her.


    The young child gasps with delight, "really?" The girl hesitantly accepts the trinket.


    "Yeah! For you," Faylin''s expression brightens as the child squeezes the small figurine tightly in her hands.


    The elf girl plays and hugs with the dragon before turning away quickly. Reklan smiles and nods a thank you to Faylin.


    Lyrian folds his arms as the little girl walks off back into the crafter''s tent, playing with her toy.


    Birds chirp in the fields, filling the air with sound. Already everyone is preparing for the next meal together as a family.


    <hr>


    Everyone settles into tents and prepares for slumber. The dim campfire casts soft light across everyone.


    Lyrian reads the book sitting on his lap while Aleena stares into the firepit. Aleena turns to Faylin, "thank you. For making that little girl happy."


    Faylin lays down on her bed roll. "Oh it''s nothing," Faylin stretches and yawns.


    "There''s a lot we disagree on. About our world views. But I am grateful for you," Aleena says furrowing her eyes with a bit of vulnerability.


    "Nothing''s perfect Aleena. Not even me. But thanks. That means a lot."


    "And Faylin, sorry for doubting you," Aleena confesses. "I think I finally see you as a friend."


    Faylin smiles, pulling out a small sheathed knife. The knife is held out to Aleena, "here then, a token of our friendship. A gallium survival knife."


    Aleena crawls up closer and grips the knife, "you''re joking. I thought you could sell these odd metal made weapons."


    Faylin stays silent and just smiles with half closed eyes.


    "You made this for me?" she asks in disbelief. But looking at it, it''s shape is exactly to be a survival knife size, evidence that Faylin was thinking of her.


    Faylin takes the survival knife, "look you can morph into anything small."


    Faylin shows a string of possible tools, running hands on the blade, morphing into a pair of clippers, pliers, a small hammer, a small drill, a corkscrew, a bottle opener, and a saw blade.


    She hands it back as Aleena takes it with a heart of glee, "Faylin, this means the world to me that you would think of me. I didn''t know humans were capable of those sort of things."


    Aleena lays on her bedroll next to her, "but thank you. This will prove very useful to me."


    "Goodnight Aleena," she closes her eyes, happy for Aleena, and ready for a goodnight rest.


    <hr>


    Aleena is walking with Maiwyn in the forest as they gather healing herbs and mushrooms. Aleena gathers and picks a green plant growing out of a tree bark. The stalks of the plant snap off.


    Bark peels away from a rotten log near the base where fungi grows wild and abundant in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Maiwyn searches underneath fallen logs.


    "These mushrooms hold many uses. From antidotes, medicines, to poison and even food," Maiwyn looks up. "You know much about them?"


    Aleena nods. "My father was a farmer. He knew a lot about plants. That was before I was a wood elf though, many years ago."


    "Do you miss him?" Maiwyn asks, snapping off a mushroom at its stem.


    "I do. Even when we would argued about my career goals," Aleena snaps off some other medicinal herbs from branches hanging on trees.


    "Do you ever miss the city?"


    "Are you joking? Of course not. Although, I never really lived in the city as much as the outskirt farms. So I guess it was more of a human life than anything," she says.


    Maiwyn frowns upon a tree covered in mistletoe. Branches of puffy parasites hang on the wood with almost no leaves. It sways, tapping the next tree over, and she recognizes the potential of it spreading, "this poor tree."


    She touches the bark. Her hands are glowing green and magic light of lime, trails up the trunk, blossoming new leaves and the parasites falling to the ground.


    Maiwyn smiles at the newly revived tree, sheltering above her head.


    "That''s amazing," Aleena has been watching her magic.


    "It''s my job now Aleena. This is what I do."


    "Isn''t it lonely?" Aleena''s voice is soft with worry and sorrow.


    Maiwyn waves to her to come walk with her. The heat is pushing on them, as they walk deeper into the forest. Rays of sun peak through leaves and openings, very dry on their skin.


    She answers, strolling through the dirt trail with Aleena by her side, "I rather like the seclusion. The animals are peaceful, and I am surrounded by nature, watching it''s every move."


    "Then why is it so hot? Why is the forest hurting so much?" Aleena''s eyes almost get watery.


    "I can only speculate Aleena. But I do see the evolution changing with new breeds each day," Maiwyn explains through the buzzing of bees and tweeting of small sparrows.


    The chirping of another unknown species, a distance away from them, another dinosaur calls to the wildlife around. High pitched trills blow between the trees. Although Aleena listens as her ears move to the direction of the call, she recognizes it, but not fully, "a dilophosaur."


    "A what?" Maiwyn asks curiously, continuing to hike.


    "That call was a dilophosaur, they hunt in packs. They attacked my clan when I first met Faylin and Lyrian."


    "Are you sure that was a dilophosaur?"


    "No, it was, saturated. The call is supposed to resemble a low flute, or an owl, this one sounded, broken," Aleena is still unsure to the new nature around, but she remains calm.


    "Could be the monolophosaurs that attacked the red leaves. They are apart of the same family, and they''re around here somewhere," says Maiwyn.


    "How do you know so much?"


    "Enough about dinosaurs, it should be any minute now," Maiwyn leans on a rock to rest and crosses her arms, focusing her hearing once again. Aleena waits and closes her eyes, knowing to listen to nature once again.


    Drumming of wood pecks at bark of the tall tree trunks. An easily recognizable species of the forest is known to them, a woodpecker. The drumming of bark is slightly off, only recognizable to wood elf ears. Wood is not hollow in the trunk, or at least not enough.


    "She''ll be pecking for days to reach the food," Aleena worries.


    Maiwyn reaches in her bag and brings out a steel stake. Aleena nods and yanks her body up the tree branches with the stake and a rock.


    Up top, she swings to another branch, and through the oily leaves to land on another. She walks along, scaring the poor flapping creature to another branch.


    The glimpse of where the woodpecker was hammering is focused. Her fingers rub along the hard wood to find small splintery holes within the bark but nothing hollow.


    With a rock in hand and the stake pointed one of the holes, she pounds the steel deeper in with each hit.


    Finally, the last hit forces the stake all the way in and small clear bugs, a termite colony, all scatter around the bark. The woodpecker flaps it way next to Aleena, pecking at the small termites on the tree.


    Aleena giggles with joy, seeing the small bird enjoy it''s meal that would''ve taken days. The termite colony is large, hiding in crevices and wandering on the bark, burrowing back in and out. It was a great accomplishment of them both for finding and working to get too.


    Aleena takes joy at the work, helping the small bird, and allowing the mercy of nature. She makes her way to Maiwyn again, to continue their healing walk.


    "That was beautiful," Maiwyn smiles with blank eyes.


    "Thank you Maiwyn, just like old times?" Aleena smiles back at her.


    A screech next to them, a wild lizard hiss, bellows right near them. Aleena winces at the sound, and prepares her bladed bow.


    Only one green lizard on two legs is in the distance, walking on a bed of leaves, and not even paying attention of their presence. It has a size of a dilophosaur, but it is facing away. Aleena crouches below a bundle of bushes, pulling back an arrow, eyeing the back of it''s head.


    Maiwyn grabs her arm in concern, "Aleena, leave him be. I must be going soon, will you walk with me?"


    Aleena notices her eyes are in much worry, begging her to leave the dinosaur alone. It is a rare sight to see from Maiwyn''s natural dull face.


    "Why?" she whispers softly and slowly, her voices wavers at the thought of leaving the abomination to his own will of nature. Tears protrude from the corner of her eyes at why Maiwyn would even think to leave it alone.


    She puts down the bow, thinking that something isn''t right, and continues the walk.


    <hr>


    Faylin Trying Out The Morphing Gallium Sword


    <hr>


    Aleena Feeding the Woodpecker

 Chapter 26

    Maiwyn grabs her pack full of herbs and a sleeping roll and throws her picked herbs in. They''ve been walking for some time from when they left that unknown dinosaur, and Aleena is there to see Maiwyn off to continue her travels.


    Aleena watches Maiwyn gather the last bit of herbs from the ground, but she can''t shake off why Maiwyn told her to leave the dinosaur.


    "You won''t be able to stop it you know?" Maiwyn says, breaking Aleena''s tunneling concentration.


    "What do you mean?" Aleena asks.


    "The dinosaurs, they are already breeding to a point where there is no going back. You can''t kill them all," Maiwyn answers.


    "How do you know that was my intention? Maiwyn, you know something," Aleena tells her sternly, getting more skeptical.


    She smiles, "I should be setting off Aleena. But before I go I must warm you of something."


    "What''s wrong Maiwyn?" Aleena asks curiously but also with worry.


    "I''ve been searching the Red Leaf Forest and gathering evidence. I hate to tell you but... there''s another clan of elves here, one in particular. But they''re corrupted and they practice your necromancy," she says in an almost sarcastic tone.


    "Elves do no such thing!" she snarls at Maiwyn. "Where did you hear this lie?"


    "I heard rumors, I investigated further and followed those rumors, and it lead me here."


    Maiwyn picks up a small pouch of dinosaur bones from her bag, and shows it to Aleena. "These bones aren''t fully restored, but they''re starting to come alive. They glow with a green tint. And there were corpses of other dead animals, coming back to life with this similar magic energy."


    "That''s impossible, no one would stoop so low," Aleena doesn''t want to believe, and she is unprepared to see the dinosaur contents in the pouch.


    "Someone would," Maiwyn pauses. "And she''s one of our kind. Aleena, you realize no will listen or help you because you walk with those two piles of humans waste. No one takes you seriously."


    "Don''t talk about Faylin or Lyrian like that, they''re my friends!" Aleena defends. "How do you know so much about this corruption? Where did you hear this?"


    "I was attacked by some of those animals. And they were just an undead pack of wolves. I managed to escape, but only after a fierce battle."


    Aleena looks doubtful, not knowing how much is true, but Maiwyn continues speaking.


    "When I first found out about the Beastmaster, I searched the forest thoroughly until I came across a tribe of corrupted dark elves that practice necromancy. A secret coven practicing the vile arts. They didn''t call themselves ''Beastmaster'' but I''ve learned many things from watching them from afar," she smirks, "many things."


    Screeching is heard from the bushes. A burst from a green beast knocks Aleena off her feet and rushes towards Maiwyn.


    "Maiwyn watch out!" she shouts.


    Aleena jumps up to tackle the creature but misses from a trip into the dirt again. Maiwyn is standing calm and the creature slows nearing towards her.


    Scales all along it''s neck stretches as it lowers it''s head to Maiwyn. Her hand reaches and gently rubs it''s crest on top of it''s nose, shutting it''s eyes in comfort. Her head turns in a cold calming manner, "Aleena, this is your last warning. Stop chasing the Beastmaster."


    Maiwyn looks to the ground with almost a pang of guilt, "stop chasing me. Nothing good will happen. No one will help you, no one will believe you. Just let nature be."


    "How could you do this to us! We were your family, wood elves stick to together!" tears form in Aleena''s eyes.


    "Says the sister that helped banish me from Aeirwood clan. And now you roam with humans? Truly pathetic," she turns towards Aleena with disgust in her gaze. "This is your last chance Aleena. Join me or die alongside the humans."


    Aleena looks shocked with her eyes wide open, and can''t believe what it happening. Her heart sinks as anger builds with red and tears, "if anyone is human filth, it is YOU! YOU sent a human to kill me in the first place! You''re the one who''s too proud and entitled to come back to your own family after a temporary punishment!"


    "Valery was just a hired mercenary from human coin I got from my contact. I knew you would kill her and I''d thought you might learn a thing or two from her. Like how disgusting humans can be, how they torture and kill themselves blindly. I thought you might join me after facing her. Instead, you keep hunting natural, million year old beings," she hops along the back of the beast, mounting her monolophosaurus. "Even if Valery did kill you, there was a pack of sinornithosaurs ready to have her as a lunch.


    Aleena is gasping on the dirt with anxiety, her hair and face a mess. The monolophosaur slowly brings Maiwyn closer, and she is able to gaze upon a high view of Aleena for her inflated ego.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "But now I know where you stand. It''s a shame, because you were my friend," Maiwyn trots her pet as it tilts it''s head at a rapid move, "Come for me and you sign your death. Tell the red leaves to move or they''ll be dire consequences. I need the room for my new habitat."


    "You are no longer my sister," Aleena threatens but also begs for mercy. She doesn''t know how to respond. Her hands tremble. Her throat is choking with so many emotions rapidly rolling through her mind.


    "Please just leave me and my people alone," her voice blares, "Leave my forest alone!"


    She screams, "you killed our family!"


    Maiwyn shakes her head at a fallen Aleena, "they deserved it for banishing me and betraying our own brethren. Now get up and scram before I have your head. Stop hunting dinosaurs and tell the Red Leaves to ''move it!''"


    Maiwyn rides off atop her monolophosaurus, turning slowly, then darting off into the deep wilds on a dashing prehistoric predator.


    Tears run down Aleena''s face, staring in silence for what seems forever, processing everything that transpired. Dust is kicked up nearing towards her and squawking roars are heard. A pack of monolophosaurus runs past her and kicks her, rolling her in the dirt and trampling her.


    "Aghhh!" Aleena shouts and tries crawling to a safe space while dust kicks up from the stampede that clouds her eyes.


    One of the dinosaurs stands tall on it''s hind legs. It stomps it''s feet in place and raises its head skyward. One long crest juts out reaching the air. It releases a high pitched scream. The beast runs with the rest of the pack and the stomping heads for the Red Leaf clan.


    Aleena scrambles to her feet and bolts for the tribe, "NO!!!"


    She sprints through the forest, weaving past shrubbery and fallen debris.


    <hr>


    Arriving at the village, it is already too late. Many of the red leaf elves lay dead around the encampment.


    Monolophosaurs of a pack of six are terrorizing elves. Wagon homes and storages are tipped over. Bodies of elves are left dismembered on the ground. Blood stains the grass and earth. Carts and belongings are tossed about randomly. Monolophosaurus run amok, biting fleeing villagers.


    Aleena spots one as it digs it''s mouth into a tent and pulls out an elf woman. It starts slamming her around. Cries are loud and painful and the girl is thrashed side to side violently.


    Aleena draws her bladed bow and charges forth with a warcry.


    Arrows fly from her bow, striking the beasts repeatedly in their sides and chests. Each arrow pierces deeply beneath thick hide, embedding itself firmly within flesh, causing intense agony and distress for each victim struck.


    As she closes range, her arm flings backwards and releases arrows rapidly as her bowstring flickers.


    Several projectiles penetrate deep into muscle tissue, before eventually lodging within the bone of the beast, knocking it a short distance. Her target drops limp, with mouth open, never able to catch it''s prey.


    Multiple arrows fly around from different hunters, hitting the single crested carnivores as they fall. She spots two more beasts dead in the distance, but Faylin and Lyrian are battling two of them together.


    One lunges in fangs first but Lyrian conjures an earth spell, sending clumps of dirt flying towards the animal''s eyes.


    It screams, backing away. Lyrian follows suit by shooting another spray of sharp earthen shrapnel, piercing the beast.


    Faylin jumps in and smashes the beast in the face with her hammer. But fangs gnarl on her shield, and she tries to push it away. Faylin stumbles back, unprepared for such strength.


    Aleena launches arrows from her bows and joins Faylin and Lyrian.


    Her shots hit the monster square between shoulders blades and one straight through the crest. Blood oozes slowly from the wounds inflicted, leaving trails behind as the creature recoils backward, shrieking a hiss.


    Its claws scramble forward but Lyrian conjures a wall of stone that traps its legs and Faylin finishes it with a bang on top of the skull.


    Aleena glances over to the other beast who is rummaging inside a crate full of eggplants, and another one afar, facing off a battalion of elven warriors and archers.


    The beast in front of them looks up at the crafter''s daughter as she mimics the roars of the beast. "Rawr, rawr!" she hysterically says.


    "Oh my gosh!" Faylin exclaims.


    The monolophosaurus cries a loud high pitched hiss, ready to fight a prey who is challenging it. Rushing towards the small child, it''s the perfect hunt. The daughter freezes in fear, hearing its footsteps pound harder and closer towards her she gasps.


    Faylin intervenes, closing in and kicking it in the air for both to land on the ground. She runs over to the child who is about to cry.


    "It''s going to be okay sweetheart, let''s get you out of here," Faylin holds her hand as she leads her back to safety inside the tent.


    "Faylin get back!" Aleena screams as Faylin looks back seeing it charging for them once again. Dashing, as Faylin holds her shield up in fear, it is interrupted by a slash from the crafter Reklan holding a sword, ready to defend his daughter. It cuts deep into the monster''s back.


    Blood splatters everywhere. As the beast turns around, Reklan swings downward at its belly. And the elder Kyrza counters, blowing a spell of wind to knock it away.


    Lyrian joins in and impales it''s fall on a bed of earthen spikes, killing the creature.


    Aleena looks around and the creature attack is done, "we defeated all of them?" She looks around at her fallen clan members and civilians, laying dead on the ground.


    The elder, injured approaches Aleena, "we need your help once more Aleena."


    "Of course Elder Kyrza. What may I help you with?" Aleena kneels as she catches her breath.


    "It pains me to say that our casualties are five people and we lost one of our protectors," he pauses. "You are a great warrior, please, we need your strength to defend our clan. We need you here with us."


    "I accept wholeheartedly but-" Aleena replies.


    "No. Don''t trust her, she''s working with humans," one elf claims.


    "Have you not seen them protect our village just now? These humans have earned our trust." Elder Kyrza claims, trying to reason with the elf.


    "If you saw how they treated their meat, you wouldn''t allow this either!" another elf points at Faylin accusingly.


    "Enough! Stand down and go help the others rebuild," the elder orders the elf.


    The elf backs off and leaves. Two more injured elves walk up, both haggard and exhausted from exertion.


    "Please take these arrows," one of the wounded elves gives her their quiver of special flammable arrows.


    "I will gladly serve and fight for the good of others," Aleena replies humbly as she takes the quiver graciously. She inspects the quality, noting nicks along the arrowhead.


    "Thank you all for fighting with us," the injured elf says to Aleena and her friends.


    "Yes, thank you indeed," the elder has a hint of sadness in his eyes for the dark times they face.


    Aleena turns to the elder, "Elder, I need to speak with you. This is urgent."


    She steps aside and motions for Kyrza to follow her along with Faylin and Lyrian. News of horrific events must be known. And they all follow into the Kyrza''s mobile home on wagon wheels.


    <hr>


    Maiwyn Reveals She is Responsible


    Aleena shoots down a monolophosaurus