《The Wrath of the Ancient Ones》 Prologue: The Tale of Tezcal - Part 1 Thousands of years before the race of men walked the land that became the world of Terra, five ethereal beings now known as the Ancient Ones ruled. Each of them controlled one aspect of existence and was heralded as the Lord of that aspect by the others. They existed rather peacefully amongst each other, as siblings might, for millennia. Though they did not age as mortals perceive the term, and though they emerged ¨C if that is the correct word for their appearance ¨C at the same time, they ordered themselves in a fashion similar to siblings, eldest to youngest. The eldest of the Ancient Ones, T?zc¨¢l(TEZ-CUL), was the Lord of Creation and brought light and life wherever he stepped.[1] After him came his sister Qu?tzl¨¢(KA-TEZ-LA), the Lord of Wisdom, who established the knowledge and names of all created things. Next came Itzl¨ª(ITZ-LEE), the Lord of Stone, who shaped the world. Then came H¨¹itzl?(WHO-ITZ-LOW), the Lord of Destruction ¨C also referred to as the Lord of War in the modern era ¨C who undid those creations that needed changing. Lastly came X?ltl¨¢(ZOLT-LA), the Nether Lord, who controlled the Nether, a strange and dark place outside of the mortal realm of existence that none, other than the Ancient Ones, are meant to have knowledge of or access to. There are many theories amongst mortals now in the modern era as to the existence and purpose of the Nether, but no tangible knowledge exists. Over time the Ancient Ones began to occupy their own separate corners of the world, and there they began to spawn different races of mortals to serve them or the purpose that they championed. Itzl¨ª resided in the North West corner of the world and there he created the race of Dwarves. The Dwarves served under Itzl¨ª as slaves working and morphing the stone for him, creating great mountains, tunnels, and mines. Qu?tzl¨¢ resided in the South West corner of the world and there she created the race of Elves. Upon them, she bestowed the gift of knowledge, and they journeyed across the world discovering and naming all creation. H¨¹itzl? resided in the South East and there he created the race of Orcs who he trained in the art of war and destruction, and they went about destroying what creation was too weak to survive. T?zc¨¢l, the eldest and wisest of the Ancient Ones resided in the North and there he built himself a fortress where he would watch and observe the actions of his siblings and how they interacted with his creations. However, one Ancient One did not dwell upon the world that men later named Terra. X?ltl¨¢ continued to reside in the Nether and planned how he could take control of the world in order to solely rule it himself, for he craved power and control. X?ltl¨¢ resided long in the Nether and drew from its dark powers until he became prepared for his conquest. X?ltl¨¢ first appeared in the South East where he confronted his brother H¨¹itzl?. X?ltl¨¢ chose this strategy because he had watched as H¨¹itzl? trained his Orc warriors. Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s elves were too loyal to her to ever betray her for X?ltl¨¢, Itzl¨ª created his Dwarves to crave the work of mining so they would not be useful warriors for X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army, and T?zc¨¢l had created no mortals, and even if he had, he was too powerful for X?ltl¨¢ to openly defy. Thus, X?ltl¨¢¡¯s scheme for power began in H¨¹itzl?¡¯s domain. ¡°Welcome brother, you were unexpected here,¡± H¨¹itzl? said when X?ltl¨¢ appeared in the throne room of his keep through a portal of Nether Magic. ¡°As was intended,¡± X?ltl¨¢ replied with a grin. ¡°What is it you seek from me?¡± H¨¹itzl? inquired. ¡°You have built yourself quite a following, dear brother,¡± X?ltl¨¢ said after walking to the balcony in the throne room and gazing down upon H¨¹itzl?¡¯s Orcish army. At the very moment X?ltl¨¢ looked down there was a force of roughly 10,000 Orcs practicing marching. ¡°Thank you,¡± H¨¹itzl? replied while still sitting on his throne. There was a hint of confusion and questioning in his tone, but he yet remained calm. ¡°As you are aware, it is my duty to further destruction and war. Therefore, I have prepared a force justly suited for such a cause, though for our siblings'' sake I hope I shall need to dispatch it at full force.¡± ¡°And what might that full force be?¡± X?ltl¨¢ asked slyly while turning back to face his brother. ¡°And why would that be any of your concern?¡± H¨¹itzl? replied sitting slightly forward in his chair and squinting inquisitively at X?ltl¨¢. ¡°Curiosity alone, my dear brother,¡± X?ltl¨¢ replied with a gracious smile. ¡°It is much to benign in the Nether World for my taste. I crave to know what is occurring in this world amongst my beloved siblings.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Is that so?¡± H¨¹itzl? stated, somewhat relaxed by his brother¡¯s answer, though not fully. Only would X?ltl¨¢¡¯s response to his next query fully resolves him of all concern. ¡°And does T?zc¨¢l know of your visit, brother?¡± ¡°Why would I worry him with such trivial nonsense? Is he not far too busy amongst his solitude to be bothered with the lowly likes of me?¡± X?ltl¨¢ responded. ¡°Hmm,¡± H¨¹itzl? murmured and then sat long in thought. Then suddenly, as if he was struck by an orb of wisdom sent from his sister Qu?tzl¨¢, H¨¹itzl? thought of a perfect question to ask X?ltl¨¢ to discern the meaning of his visit. ¡°You have seen my army brother, and it is true that it is mighty and fearsome. I have long toiled in creating such a force. Now tell me, what news do you bring from the Nether, how has your work progressed there?¡± X?ltl¨¢ produced an almost fiendish smile that would make any but his siblings tremble with fear as he knew his brother was beginning to understand the nature of his visit. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, and working...and planning.¡± ¡°Planning? Planning what?¡± H¨¹itzl? stated, rising from his seat and gripping the handle of the great axe that sat next to him. Yet, H¨¹itzl? did not raise the axe as he was only guessing at his brother¡¯s intentions and did not have enough reason to raise his weapon against him. H¨¹itzl? grew impatient waiting for his brother to respond and growled, ¡°Answer me boy, before I lose my patience!¡± A flash of light gleamed in X?ltl¨¢¡¯s eyes as if this were the moment he had been waiting for. ¡°There it is,¡± he snarled. ¡°There is the disrespect and disregard that I have grown too accustomed to and weary of. You four get to live here amongst the sun and the warmth while I must toil in the dark abyss of the Nether! And why? Because that is our wise brother T?zc¨¢l¡¯s will? No, I say! No longer will I be overlooked and under-rewarded! I demand my seat at the Table of Creation, and if I will not be given one by my dear siblings, then I am forced to take one myself. And yes dear brother, I¡¯m afraid the seat I will be forced to take is yours!¡± With that proclamation, X?ltl¨¢ rushed H¨¹itzl? head on as H¨¹itzl? raised his great axe above his head to mightily strike his younger brother. They both let out battle cries as they neared one another, but as H¨¹itzl? swung his axe down towards his brother X?ltl¨¢ disappeared into a cloud of black mist. H¨¹itzl? looked around dumbfounded until he heard X?ltl¨¢ speak, his voice echoing as if it was dimensions away but also sounding as if it was being whispered into his ear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong dear brother?¡± X?ltl¨¢ hissed, though H¨¹itzl? could not see him. ¡°What happened to that fabled strength of yours?¡± ¡°Stop playing games and reveal yourself!¡± H¨¹itzl? growled infuriated. ¡°Glady. Though, I would like to bask in this movement a bit more. Your fear and paranoia are...exquisite.¡± The enjoyment in X?ltl¨¢¡¯s voice was unmistakable. ¡°I¡¯ll show you fear!¡± H¨¹itzl? replied spinning in a circle frantically trying to find where his brother was hiding. ¡°Only that which I see in your eyes!¡± X?ltl¨¢ hissed and then reappeared from a cloud of black smoke behind his brother. H¨¹itzl? did not have time to realize what was happening before X?ltl¨¢ stabbed him through the gut with a jagged dagger, dark as night, that X?ltl¨¢ had conjured out of Nether Magic. X?ltl¨¢ then brutally yanked the dagger out and spun his brother around. As he did, H¨¹itzl? dropped his great axe. As X?ltl¨¢ looked upon his brother¡¯s face he saw that it was pale, and his eyes were beginning to gloss over. X?ltl¨¢ then took his jagged dagger in his right hand and held his brother up by his hair with his left. X?ltl¨¢ then slowly dragged the dagger across his brother¡¯s throat until he severed H¨¹itzl?¡¯s head completely from his body. As H¨¹itzl?¡¯s body lay headless and bleeding on the floor X?ltl¨¢ looked his brother¡¯s severed head in the eyes, ¡°A shame really. I always thought you, the most handsome of us.¡± X?ltl¨¢ chuckled to himself before tossing his brother¡¯s head aside as one might dirty laundry. X?ltl¨¢ then walked back towards the balcony to watch the Orcs train. As he did he walked through the pool of blood surrounding his brother¡¯s body, leaving a trail of bloody footprints in his wake. *** X?ltl¨¢ stood on the balcony examining the Orc army¡¯s training for some time unnoticed. Then he raised his hands above his head and proclaimed loudly so that all the Orcs may hear, ¡°Long you have toiled under the rule of my dimwitted brother. An army bred to fight and destroy, yet kept in check and forced to only play at war!¡± Many of the orcs then looked up to see X?ltl¨¢ standing on the balcony, he had undoubtedly grabbed their attention. ¡°But now your oppressor is dead! I have come to release you from your toil and to unleash you like a plague upon this world! Will you follow me? Will you fulfill your life¡¯s purpose?¡± X?ltl¨¢ ended his speech triumphantly and then threw his arms down as if to await a response from the orcs. A few quiet moments passed as the orcs looked back and forth amongst one another, and then as if a consensus had been reached telepathically the majority of them began to wave their swords and cheer in acceptance of X?ltl¨¢¡¯s offer. Thus, X?ltl¨¢ acquired an army, and the true war amongst the Ancient Ones for the world would commence. ¡°First we shall raid the lands of the Dwarves!¡± X?ltl¨¢ exclaimed. ¡°They are the weakest of the races of mortals, and Itzl¨ª¡¯s cruel treatment of them is sure to assist our victory.¡± Again, the orcs cheered. ¡°Forward to the realm of Itzl¨ª,¡± X?ltl¨¢ commanded pointing his jagged dagger North West towards the realm of his brother. ¡°The time of the Orc is nye! The time of the Nether is nye! To war! To victory!¡± See Appendix A for pronunciations. Though keep in mind that the pronunciations recorded for the names of the Ancient Ones are how those who still keep the names of the Ancient Ones pronounce their names now, as the language of the Ancient Ones has been lost to time. Also keep in mind that the names of the Ancient Ones are not written in Elvish, but are written in a way that those who keep their names may read and pronounce them correctly. Prologue: The Tale of Tezcal - Part 2 At first, all of H¨¹itzl?¡¯s Orcs went along with X?ltl¨¢¡¯s plans, not knowing what to do without a leader. They marched long from H¨¹itzl?¡¯s realm until they arrived in the land of Itzl¨ª, though Itzl¨ª had felt a disturbance since H¨¹itzl?¡¯s death and knew the shadows of war were marching his way. X?ltl¨¢, who like most who crave power, did not understand the repercussions of the actions he was undertaking to gain that power, marched his army headlong and tirelessly towards the mountainous realm of Itzl¨ª. After weeks of marching and with very little rest or nourishment, X?ltl¨¢ found his army on his brother¡¯s borders, and he could taste the victory that he was assured was his. Overconfidence is the fault of many, and the Ancient Ones were no exception. Comfortable in his assumed impending victory, X?ltl¨¢ allowed his army to set up camp near his brother¡¯s borders so that they may rest, eat, and drink; for X?ltl¨¢ wanted his army prepared for the battle tomorrow. X?ltl¨¢ chose for the site of his camp a ravine between two hills, thinking that the area would hide his army from any of Itzl¨ª¡¯s spies. However, unbeknownst to X?ltl¨¢, Itzl¨ª had correctly predicted he would choose such a poor location to make camp, given that X?ltl¨¢ did not know the mountainous terrain of Itzl¨ª¡¯s realm, nor did X?ltl¨¢ have any experience commanding an army. One of Itzl¨ª¡¯s Dwarven spies, who had lived their entire life in the mountains and knew how to watch others without being seen, sat crouched on a nearby cliff looking down at X?ltl¨¢¡¯s orcs while they made camp. Once the orcs had set up their camp and settled down for the night the Dwarven spy left his position and returned to Itzl¨ª and the commander of his army, both of whom were waiting just on the other side of the hill with upwards of thirty-thousand Dwarven soldiers behind them. As anyone from the mountains knew, the road X?ltl¨¢ traveled was the fastest route into the realm, and haste had caused X?ltl¨¢ to traverse this path without any thought into the ease with which his moves could be predicted. Itzl¨ª and his Dwarven army were well aware that X?ltl¨¢ would march his army down this road and had been lying in wait for them for days. Itzl¨ª had a cunning grin on his face as he saw his spy return, knowing that he had correctly guessed his brother¡¯s plan. ¡°What news?¡± Itzl¨ª asked the spy. ¡°It was just as you had predicted. The orc army has made camp in the ravine. They are in the open and unaware,¡± replied the spy. ¡°Good! Let us prepare for battle!¡± Itzl¨ª said turning towards his commander. ¡°If my knowledge is correct, then X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army consists of roughly ten-thousand orcs. That puts our strength at triple his. However, those orcs were created and trained for one thing, war. Do you believe your men can defeat them?¡± ¡°Without a doubt!¡± The commander replied in a stout manner. ¡°Though we do not have the battle training of the orcs, we have worked long in the mines. I¡¯d wager that each and every one of us Dwarves is twice as strong and three times as hearty as any orc. Aye, I know we can defeat them!¡± ¡°Very well! Though, I do have one more command before you leave,¡± Itzl¨ª said. ¡°If you encounter X?ltl¨¢ down there be wary, he is far more powerful than any number of mortals. Slaughter as many of his orcs as you can without fighting him directly. When it comes time to deal with X?ltl¨¢ blow on your war horn, and I will deal with him myself! I would very much like to take his head for what he has done, but alas, T?zc¨¢l demands that X?ltl¨¢ is captured alive so that he can answer for his crimes.¡± The Dwarven commander nodded and then slowly he and the Dwarven army began to march up the western face of the mountain. Once they got to the top, the commander peered down and saw that everything was quiet in the orc camp. He also saw, that at the back of the camp, almost a mile from the rest of the army, sat what was unmistakably X?ltl¨¢¡¯s tent, for it was much larger than the rest and haughtily decorated in red gems. The Dwarven commander looked back at all of his men and made eye contact with those he could see, then he nodded. He then sat straight up in his horse, drew his axe, held it out in front of him, and with a terrific yell began charging down the eastern face of the mountain towards the orc¡¯s camp. His troops rode behind him, and it sounded as if an avalanche was descending upon the orc¡¯s camp. Many of the orcs awoke to the sound of screams, clashing steel, and the wild neighing of war horses. They rushed out of their tents still groggy and half-armored. One orc, a sergeant named M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡, stepped out of his tent in time to see a Dwarven rider behead one of his fellow company men.[1] The severed head of this orc rolled until it came to a stop at M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡¡¯s feet, its cold lifeless eyes looking up at him. To M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡¡¯s relief, the Dwarf took no notice of him and rode on. M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ walked over to his fallen comrade¡¯s body and removed the sword since M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ himself had left his tent in too much of a hurry to remember to grab a weapon. He walked around examining the chaos and ruin, trying to stay unnoticed. He then came about a couple dozen orcs standing with their backs to one another in a circle. They were standing around what looked to be the remnants of a cooking fire from earlier that night. As M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ approached them he noticed there were scores of dead Dwarves around them and around ten dead orcs. The Orcish fighters closest to M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ turned their swords towards him once they heard him approach, but upon seeing who he was, they let out a cheer for they were all members of the company he commanded. ¡°M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡! Be praised! It is good to see you¡¯re still with us!¡± One of the orcs exclaimed. The rest of the group raised their swords and let out a cheer in agreement. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you all are well too,¡± M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ replied. ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°The Dwarves must have seen us make camp!¡± Said one of the orcs, spitting on the ground afterward as if to clean his mouth of the words. ¡°I knew it was a poor idea to camp in a ravine in an unfamiliar land!¡± ¡°You speak true, but we are soldiers and to make camp here was our commander¡¯s orders,¡± M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ said. ¡°And? Where is our commander now?¡± Another one of the orcs asked. ¡°I do not know, I¡¯ve only just arrived on the battlefield,¡± said M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that no one has seen him leave his tent yet. Do you think he has retreated and left us here to die so he can make an escape?¡± ¡°That¡¯s doubtful.¡± ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± One of the orcs asked M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡. M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ looked around for a few seconds contemplating the options. As he did, a handful of Dwarves swarmed the group but was easily turned back, with three Dwarves dying and only one Orc receiving a minor wound on their arm. At last, M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ spoke, ¡°We do not know this land, so retreating is not the wisest of options. However, staying here and fighting appears to be getting us nowhere, their numbers are just too large.¡± M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ then took another couple of moments to try and work out the riddle he just posed. ¡°I say we stay here and fight until we cannot hold out much longer. We must wait and see what our commander¡¯s plan is. If we end up retreating, I suggest we try and make it to the realm of Qu?tzl¨¢, where maybe we can comfortably recover and rest. Perhaps the elves will take us in as refugees.¡± ¡°As you command!¡± One of the Orcs replied. With that, the band of Orcs stood their ground and held off waves of Dwarven attackers. As their stand continued they began to grow weary, and some of them began to fall. After a while, one Orc died for every two Dwarves slain, a rate the Orcs could not sustain. ¡°We must retreat!¡± One Orc yelled. ¡°X?ltl¨¢ has abandoned us!¡± The Orc pointed his sword towards X?ltl¨¢¡¯s tent, indicating that no one had yet emerged. M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ looked around franticly, trying to come to grips with the truth. Finally, after taking in as much mayhem and bloodshed as he could stomach, M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ gave the order. ¡°Fall back!¡± He yelled, and the band of Orcs under his command began a fighting retreat into the mountains. A couple of dozen other groups of Orcs followed their lead, and in a few moments, half of X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army had either fled or was lying dead on the battlefield. Itzl¨ª had also lost about half of his force to death and injury, leaving him with roughly fifteen thousand soldiers to X?ltl¨¢¡¯s five thousand. Outnumbered, the battle did not continue much longer. Soon, the Orcs threw down their weapons and surrendered. Itzl¨ª and his army rounded the Orc prisoners up and corralled them. Itzl¨ª then road upon his horse up to the entrance of X?ltl¨¢¡¯s tent. ¡°Your futile attempt is over brother!¡± Itzl¨ª boasted, sitting proudly upon his horse. ¡°Come out, and accept your defeat!¡± X?ltl¨¢ gave no response, and after a while, Itzl¨ª grew frustrated. Itzl¨ª dismounted his horse and began to approach X?ltl¨¢¡¯s tent. Though, as he approached the tent, the sky grew dark, and the air became stifling and hard to breathe. Itzl¨ª stopped in his tracks and then heard X?ltl¨¢¡¯s voice booming from within the tent. ¡°You¡¯re sorely mistaken brother,¡± X?ltl¨¢ said ominously. ¡°You think I fell into your trap, but it is you who is captured!¡± X?ltl¨¢ then began to utter words in the language of the Ancient Ones, a tongue that has been lost to time. Itzl¨ª stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed. Then, the earth began to shake and all of the slain warriors, both Dwarven and Orcish, began to rise. Their disfigured corpses, bearing the wounds of war, hobbled to their feet grasping for whatever weapon lay near them. The screams of Itzl¨ª¡¯s living Dwarven warriors first caught his attention. Itzl¨ª turned around to see X?ltl¨¢¡¯s undead army attacking those Dwarves that guarded the captured Orcs. Once their captors were slain, X?ltl¨¢¡¯s voice, as if coming from the sky above announced that they should ¡°Take up arms! Destroy those who oppose you!¡± The once-captured Orcs headed X?ltl¨¢¡¯s call, and after picking up whatever weapons they could find on the ground, joined the army of the undead in decimating what remained of Itzl¨ª¡¯s force. Itzl¨ª stood in shock, watching as his army was destroyed. At that moment he realized strategy and knowledge of battle was not enough to overcome X?ltl¨¢¡¯s command of the Nether. Itzl¨ª stood there for what seemed like an eternity, watching the massacre. Then, suddenly, he felt warm breath against his neck and heard X?ltl¨¢¡¯s soft hissing whisper in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself, brother,¡± X?ltl¨¢ hissed almost sweetly. ¡°You will not find death lonesome. H¨¹itzl? is awaiting you in the abyss.¡± With that, X?ltl¨¢ produced his Nether dagger and slowly, almost reveling at the moment, slid it across Itzl¨ª¡¯s throat. Itzl¨ª fell to his knees grasping at his throat as his blood flowed out like a torrent. Soon after, Itzl¨ª lay dead at X?ltl¨¢¡¯s feet. X?ltl¨¢ stood over his brother¡¯s body for a moment, taking everything in, experiencing every second. Then, he raised his arms above his head and shouted a single word in the tongue of the Ancient Ones. Immediately, X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army of undead and Orcish warriors stopped their slaughter of the Dwarves. The remaining Dwarves stood confused as their assailants all turned to face X?ltl¨¢. X?ltl¨¢ bent down, and when he stood back up he was holding the decapitated head of Itzl¨ª. ¡°We have won a great victory today!¡± X?ltl¨¢ exclaimed while presenting the head, the sound of his voice was nearly drowned out by the roar of his followers. ¡°Regather your strength! Collect your plunder! For soon we march to the South! To the realm of Qu?tzl¨¢!¡± Again, his army roared. Those of Itzl¨ª¡¯s army who still lived looked around in confusion before tossing down their weapons. X?ltl¨¢ took notice of this. ¡°Do not fear,¡± he said. ¡°For unlike Itzl¨ª who enslaved you, I will be a benevolent master. Those who do not wish to accompany my troops may return to their labors in the mines without my ire. Though first, each of you must swear allegiance to me!¡± All of the surviving Dwarves kneeled before X?ltl¨¢, and though few decided to join his army''s march against Qu?tzl¨¢, none again barred arms against him. X?ltl¨¢ smiled confidently at the display. ¡°Rise reborn under the light of my reign!¡± X?ltl¨¢ announced. With this victory, the final leg of X?ltl¨¢¡¯s conquest was underway. All that stood between him, and the complete conquest of Terra was Qu?tzl¨¢ and her elves, and T?zc¨¢l, the oldest and wisest of the Ancient Ones. X?ltl¨¢ felt confident in his victory against the elves, though he still worried about what plans T?zc¨¢l had in store.
  1. During the reign of the Ancient Ones, each race had not yet developed its own language. All languages of Terra are thought to derive from one single language, assumed to have been spoken by the Ancient Ones. However, no records survive that detail how and when each race''s language branched off from one another. Any people of Orcish blood in the modern era now speak Elvish. ¡ü
Prologue: The Tale of Tezcal - Part 3 After days of wandering, M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ and the rest of the Orc refugees made it to the border of Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s realm. The elves guarding the border were shocked at the sight of the ragged group of Orcs. If not for the Orcs¡¯ tattered clothes and disheveled demeanor, the elves may have thought they were an invading force. ¡°Who goes there!¡± One of the elven guards commanded. ¡°We are deserters of X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army. We escaped during his conquest of the Dwarven realm and seek sanctuary within our borders. We also come bearing important information for your leaders regarding X?ltl¨¢¡¯s approaching force,¡± M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ responded. The elves took a moment to discuss the situation amongst themselves. Then a second elf spoke, from his tone M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ correctly guessed he was the commander of the guard. ¡°And what information may you have?¡± The commander asked. ¡°That which I will only tell the leader of your forces,¡± M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ replied. The elves again took a moment to converse. Then the commander appeared again. ¡°Discard any weapons you may have on you, and we will take you to the commander. If she likes the information you bear then the rest of your party may be allowed to enter,¡± the commander said to M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡. M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ looked around at the faces of the weary refugees. ¡°If that is what must be,¡± he responded. He then threw down his sword and approached the gate that marked the border of Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s realm. A group of Elven guards opened the gate, approached M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡, and after patting him down to ensure he was unarmed, escorted him through the gates. As the gates closed behind M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡, the remaining Orc refugees could do nothing but wait and hope. *** ¡°You have a visitor, your grace,¡± an Elven member of the court announced to Qu?tzl¨¢ as guards escorted M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ into the throne room. ¡°That¡¯ll be all,¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ stated regally while waving her hand. With that motion, the elven guards backed away from M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡, allowing him to approach the throne. ¡°I hear you bring news of my brother¡¯s uprising,¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ said. ¡°I do, your grace,¡± M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ said with a bow, clearly familiar with the formal ways of the elves. ¡°You may speak,¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ said softly, her voice embracing M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ like a warm hug from someone dear whom you have not seen in ages. Though her voice was kind and soft there was an indoubtable strength within it, one that left M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ in awe. Despite Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s welcoming nature, the power in her speech far exceeded that of X?ltl¨¢¡¯s, regardless of how menacing he attempted to be. In her presence, M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ felt like he understood all of existence. Qu?tzl¨¢ exuded knowledge, power, wisdom, and strength. She was the greatest of leaders, and the matriarchal nature of the Elvish crown which carries into the modern era can be attributed to the magnitude of her aura. M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ stood in awe for moments before he finally responded.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ divulged all he knew, which was more than enough for Qu?tzl¨¢ to concoct a strategy. After a moment of silent thought, Qu?tzl¨¢ spoke. ¡°Your knowledge is greatly appreciated here,¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ said, standing up from her throne. She approached M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡, and he thought she moved as if gliding above the ground. Qu?tzl¨¢ extended her arms in front of her, ¡°You and your brethren are most welcome within my realm,¡± she said. Qu?tzl¨¢ then embraced M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡, and he wept. *** Days passed, as the Elves prepared for war. X?ltl¨¢ and his army of Orcs, Dwarves, and the undead marched slowly toward Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s realm. The Elves guarding the border of the realm could predict X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army¡¯s arrival by the stench. Then, after days of anxious waiting, the conflict began. ¡°Ready!¡± The same Elven commander who greeted M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ at the border yelled as X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army appeared over the horizon. On the commander¡¯s order, thousands of Elven archers knocked arrows. The Elven archers held steady until X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army was in range. ¡°Fire!¡± The commander yelled. In perfect unity, the Elven archers released their arrows, and a dark cloud of deadly rain fell upon X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army. Though many perished, X?ltl¨¢¡¯s force continued to march. Once the army came within charging range of the Elven archers, X?ltl¨¢ held up a fist, and his forces ceased their march. X?ltl¨¢ then dismounted his horse and spoke. ¡°Those who wish to become one with the abyss today shall be fulfilled, but if any among you want to live unto a new day, lay down your arms.¡± None of the elves moved, and as X?ltl¨¢ stood looking upon them waiting, a sinister and annoyed looked came upon his face. ¡°Remember!¡± He yelled righteously. ¡°Things did not have to be this way.¡± With that statement, X?ltl¨¢¡¯s army charged the Elven border, and the last great battle amongst the Ancient Ones began. *** After months of fierce battle, and little gain by either side, X?ltl¨¢¡¯s forces began to outnumber Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s. Using his command of Nether Magic, X?ltl¨¢ continued to replenish his army via undead soldiers as he did during his conflict with Itzl¨ª. The strain of the conflict began to impact Qu?tzl¨¢ and her Elven forces greatly, for she knew that it was only a matter of time before X?ltl¨¢ overran them. Desperate, she knew she must seek help from T?zc¨¢l, the eldest of the Ancient Ones and the Lord of Creation. Though, Qu?tzl¨¢ knew her task may prove unfruitful, as T?zc¨¢l rarely meddled in events outside of his realm and almost exclusively stayed within the walls of his northern fortress. However, Qu?tzl¨¢ thought, in times such as these, any possible solution, regardless of the odds, must be attempted. ¡°Hold as long as you can, and wait for my return,¡± she told the commander of her forces, a female elf who had taken over after the previous commander fell in battle. ¡°I am traveling North to seek T?zc¨¢l¡¯s help. Fight bravely, and with honor! Perhaps there is still hope we can prevail.¡± The commander of Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s forces dropped to one knee and bowed. ¡°We will keep the aggressors at bay and await your return.¡± ¡°Rise, L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª,¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ said softly, walking over to the commander and placing a hand on her shoulder. The commander obeyed and stood straight up exuding dignity and honor. ¡°You have always served me faithfully,¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ continued. ¡°I have no doubt that you will continue to serve in the same manner after this war has ended.¡± ¡°You honor me with your words,¡± L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª said. Qu?tzl¨¢ stood for a short while with her hand on L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª¡¯s shoulder, smiling kindly at the commander. ¡°Now, I must be going.¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ then turned around, and with a wave of her arm vanished. L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª placed her golden helmet whose shine matched her name ¨C meaning morning star in Elvish ¨C beautifully back upon her head, and left the throne room to return to the battle. She felt hopeful, entrusting that her Lord would find a solution. Unaware that she would never get the chance to see her Lord again. Prologue: The Tale of Tezcal - Part 4 After Qu?tzl¨¢ materialized in the hall of T?zc¨¢l¡¯s fortress, she saw him standing in front of a grand window, thoughtfully gazing out at the world. Anyone else would have only been able to see the pure white wind-blown flats of the great tundra in front of T?zc¨¢l¡¯s fortress, or perhaps if one had abnormal powers of sight they could see all the way to the snow-covered mountains that separated T?zc¨¢l¡¯s realm from the rest of Terra. However, for T?zc¨¢l, looking out of this window allowed him to see all which occurred across Terra. Before Qu?tzl¨¢ could approach him, T?zc¨¢l turned to face her. ¡°Welcome sister,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I have been expecting your arrival for some time now. Surely you have come to realize what must be done?¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ stood still a moment, examining her brother. She then spoke, though a hint of bitterness could be detected in her usually soft voice. ¡°Yes, T?zc¨¢l, I have come for your aid. Though I am curious as to why you have not provided any as of yet. You must know that both Itzl¨ª and H¨¹itzl? have been vanquished and that my forces and I are soon to follow.¡± T?zc¨¢l did not react to her tone but instead stood calmly before her with his hands clasped together in front of him. Though Qu?tzl¨¢ expected such a response, it did not stop her from feeling annoyed. ¡°Yes, I have witnessed their defeats,¡± T?zc¨¢l said after a moment. ¡°Though, I am not sure if this outcome is as ruinous as you seem to believe.¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ stood dumbfounded for a minute, as even the Lord of Wisdom was unsure about the meaning of T?zc¨¢l¡¯s words. After some reflection, she took a deep breath and spoke. ¡°I do not fully comprehend that which you say brother, and I certainly do not agree with it, but as the Lord of Creation you are entitled to your opinions.¡± ¡°That is all I may ask,¡± T?zc¨¢l said with a slight grin. ¡°Now, to the matter at hand. How do you suggest we defeat X?ltl¨¢?¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ thought for a second, ¡°His control of Nether Magic has made his army undefeatable through force alone. Perhaps if we could strip him of his power to control the Nether then we could stand a chance.¡± T?zc¨¢l¡¯s grin grew slightly wider, almost patronizingly so. ¡°I am afraid it is impossible to do what you suggest. X?ltl¨¢ is the Nether Lord, and as such, we cannot strip him of that power. Much like how he cannot strip us of our Lordships.¡± ¡°He managed to take Itzl¨ª¡¯s and H¨¹itzl?¡¯s Lordships away easily enough!¡± Qu?tzl¨¢ responded quickly. ¡°Yes,¡± T?zc¨¢l agreed calmly. ¡°However, he did so through destruction and his control of the Nether. Neither of which you nor I, for that matter, may wield.¡± ¡°Then what is your suggestion?¡± she asked bluntly. T?zc¨¢l turned around softly and began to stare out of his fortress¡¯ grand window again. He stood there contemplating for what Qu?tzl¨¢ felt like hours. He then began to speak while looking out of the window. ¡°How long have we existed in this world sister?¡± ¡°It must be close to ten thousand years or so. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Perhaps it is time for us to leave this plain of existence, and give this creation to those mortal races which you and our siblings have spawned.¡± ¡°And what does this philosophizing have to do with X?ltl¨¢? Do you think he would willingly leave this world he has already killed two of our brothers to control?¡± ¡°No, I do not think he will do so willingly. However, I do not intend on allowing him to have a say in the matter.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Qu?tzl¨¢ gave T?zc¨¢l a confused look to which he responded. ¡°I am the Lord of Creation, and you dear sister, are the Lord of Wisdom. We do not need to defeat X?ltl¨¢ with destruction. Let us create a new plane of existence in which to trap him. Surely you can come up with such a place that I may craft.¡± T?zc¨¢l smiled at his sister kindly. Qu?tzl¨¢ thought for a moment and then gasped as an idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. ¡°I have an idea, but we must act quickly. I do not know how much longer my soldiers can hold out.¡± *** L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª lay lifeless on the floor of Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s throne room in a pool of blood, her golden helm tossed near her side, nearly split in two by the blow of an axe. Screams of those Elven warriors, who had not fled into the wilds with the Orcish refuges to avoid being slaughtered, could be heard throughout the castle. After his force, now mostly consisting of the undead, had secured the throne room, X?ltl¨¢ entered. He strode across the floor, uncaringly stepping in L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª¡¯s blood, leaving a trail of bloody footprints as he walked towards the throne. As he turned to sit down he was stopped by a booming voice that sounded as if it was coming from all around him; a voice that X?ltl¨¢ feared. ¡°Enough, brother!¡± The voice commanded. X?ltl¨¢ frantically looked around, but could not determine from where the voice originated. ¡°Show yourself!¡± He hissed furiously. ¡°It is time to conclude this tantrum of yours,¡± the voice said, more calmly than before. X?ltl¨¢ let out a wicked chuckle, though he still looked around for the source of the voice with a panicked expression on his face. ¡°And what, oh dear brother, makes you think you can stop me when the rest of our siblings have failed? Hmm? Is it arrogance that I sense? That was always your one flaw, T?zc¨¢l.¡± At the saying of his name, T?zc¨¢l appeared before X?ltl¨¢. Qu?tzl¨¢ then appeared beside T?zc¨¢l. ¡°So that is where you fled to,¡± X?ltl¨¢ smirked seeing Qu?tzl¨¢. ¡°You needed help to fight your own battles?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± T?zc¨¢l said forcefully. ¡°Let us end this!¡± X?ltl¨¢ stared at his brother, the hatred was palpable. ¡°Yes,¡± he hissed. ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± X?ltl¨¢ then rushed at T?zc¨¢l, brandishing his Nether Dagger that had already tasted the blood of two of their siblings. However, before he could strike, he found himself frozen in place, paralyzed, and unable to move. Qu?tzl¨¢, with both her hands, stretched out towards him, spoke in the tongue of the Ancient Ones. X?ltl¨¢ could not turn his head to look at her. T?zc¨¢l slowly approached his brother. ¡°May you find peace as you drift forever through The Plains of Eternity.¡± He said softly. X?ltl¨¢ swore angrily, and after speaking a few words in the tongue of the Ancient Ones mustered up enough power to spit what appeared to be an egg-shaped mass through the opened doors of the throne room. T?zc¨¢l squinted for a moment, pondering what his brother¡¯s plan was, but then noticed that Qu?tzl¨¢ was beginning to struggle with holding X?ltl¨¢ in place. T?zc¨¢l looked over to his sister, who nodded affirmatively. Then, T?zc¨¢l lifted his right hand towards X?ltl¨¢, put his pointer and middle fingers together, and gently touched X?ltl¨¢ on the forehead. There was a blinding blue flash of light as if lightning trapped in a bottle exploded forth and engulfed the world, and then, quiet. *** After a few days of scavenging in the woods, the Elves and Orcs returned to Qu?tzl¨¢¡¯s realm to find no remaining sign of the Ancient Ones. There, both races settled and after generations of interbreeding, the Orcs, who there were far less of, to begin with, were almost totally consumed by the blood of Elves. There they founded the providence of S¨¦dali?, which became the kingdom of the Elves. Those Dwarves that remained in Itzl¨ª¡¯s realm stayed amongst the mountains, and there they founded the providence known as The Forge Lands. Though they were no longer enslaved or forced to work the mines, they had grown accustomed to the work and even enjoyed it. Soon the Dwarven crown was established, and very few of their race now venture out of their homeland. Lastly, it is said that from the egg-like mass, X?ltl¨¢ deposited on Terra during his final moments hatched the race of men. They are thought to have wandered across Terra for generations before founding the providence they called Olympia in the three-hundred and twenty-seventh year of the First Era, thus ending the First Era and beginning the Second. After a while, the Ancient Ones were mostly forgotten about, and those that did remember them talked of them as if they were legends and nothing more. Then tensions began to rise between the Elven kingdom in the West and the human kingdom in the East over who would control Terra. Wars became constant, and the hostilities continue to this day. *** The old Elven man with dark grey hair and green eyes, that at one time may have been vibrant but were now dulled with age concluded his story. He arose from his chair next to the fire and walked across the main hall of his fortress towards a grand window. He wore leather armor, though light in weight, and provided much protection during combat. On the leather armor, there was an emblem that resembled a nightshade flower, with six strange runes written across its center and petals. Lastly, on his side hung a sword which, despite having seen plenty of battles, looked as sharp as a razor, as smooth as glass, and as strong as the finest Dwarven forged titan steel. As he stood staring out the window at the pure white wind-blown tundra below he heard the light footsteps of the child whom he had been reciting the story to come up to him. As the Elven man turned around, he looked down at the boy who was no older than six. He was a human child, with olive skin, dark black hair, and vibrant deep violet eyes. The old elf smiled as he looked down upon the boy. ¡°Master D¨ªn Zal?,¡± the young boy asked impatiently. ¡°Whatever happened to the Ancient Ones?¡± A good question for a curious child to ask, as it had been nearly twelve-hundred years since the Ancient Ones left Terra. The elf got down on one knee, so he and the boy were the same height. He rested a hand gently on the boy¡¯s shoulder and smiled. ¡°That, my dear Elijah. Is a story for another time.¡± Appendix Materials - Part 1 Appendix A: Pronunciations A¡¯mon ¨C AH-MAHN A¡¯mon-R? ¨C AH-MAHN-RAH Coranthia ¨C CORA-AN-THEA Cre¡¯v?ss ¨C CRAY-VARS D¨ªn Zal? ¨C DEN-ZAH-LAH Drendal ¨C DREN-DOLL E¡¯clair¨¦ ¨C A-CLAR-EE E¡¯fa¨ªt Za Te¨²x ¨C A-FATE-ZAY-TOO Es¡¯p?r ¨C ES-POUR Et Se¡¯a¨² Na?¨ªn ¨C ED-SAH-EW-NAH-HEN Ferra L? ¨C FAIR-AH-LOW Geists ¨C GUY-ST G¨¹e¨ªn¨¦ ¨C GUY-NEE Hal?n ¨C HUH-LAWN H¨¹itzl? ¨C WHO-ITZ-LOW Itzl¨ª ¨C ITZ-LEE Kag¨¦ ¨C KA-GAY K¨¹ld ¨C KA-OLD Le¡¯brit¨¦ ¨C LEE-BRY-TAY Le¡¯p¨¹r ¨C LEE-PER L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª ¨C LAM-EYE L¨¹mdr¨¦ ¨C LAM-DREE Ma¡¯¨ª - MY M¨ºk¡¯l¨¡ ¨C MET-CLAW M¨¹r ¨C MER Qu?tzl¨¢ ¨C KA-TEZ-LA Re¨ª L¨¹mi¨¦r¨¦ ¨C RAY-LE-MEER-EE Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦ ¨C RAY-LOU-NAY S¨¦dali? ¨C SAY-DOLLY-AH Silas ¨C SIGH-LASS Terra ¨C TEAR-RAH T?zc¨¢l ¨C TEZ-CUL X?ltl¨¢ ¨C ZOLT-LA X¨¹ht¨¢l ¨C ZUHT-LA Appendix B: Major Providences of Terra The Scar ¨C Once a flourishing part of Olympia, The Scar is now a wasteland breaming with Nether magic. In the 52nd year of the Second Era, a sorcerer named X¨¹ht¨¢l attempted to draw power from The Nether to summon X?ltl¨¢ back from the Plains of Eternity. The ritual did not go according to plan and an explosion of Nether magic scarred the land. Since that time, Nether creatures ¨C who the humans of Olympia call Geists ¨C roam The Scar and are said to reside in a castle known as Nevermore near the North Eastern coast of the providence. Trench Hold ¨C A border zone humans set up between Olympia and The Scar in order to keep the Geists contained within The Scar. The military of the human king of Olympia, known in the modern era as The Golden Legion, patrols this area. The name of their main hold here is Bulwark. Beacon ¨C Was once part of Olympia until the Trade Republic of Beacon seceded in the 13th year of the Fourth Era. Beacon is now ruled by the Congress of M¨¹r ¨C a collection of the five most wealthy people in Beacon. Everyone who does not own land in Beacon lives as a slave. The main town in Beacon is M¨¹r. Olympia ¨C The seat of power of the human race. The providence was established in the 327th year of the First Era, thus ending the First Era and beginning the Second. The majority of humans used to live within Olympia¡¯s borders, but since the rise of the Golden Crown during the 41st year of the Fourth Era, those who do not wish to live under his rule have moved to other areas throughout Terra. The main town of Olympia is, rightly keeping in line with the imagination of men, Olympia. Free Port ¨C The providence of Free Port mostly consists of the main town of Free Port. This providence used to be part of Olympia but seceded in the 15th year of the Fourth Era, shortly after Beacon. No one rules in this providence and the land is run as an anarchist pirate hold. The main town is Free Port. Hal?n ¨C This land was conquered by the Elves during the War of the Third Era, which ended in the 162nd year of the Third Era. Hal?n was ruled by the Elven Crown until the 485th year of the Third Era, when the elves agreed to cede Hal?n if the humans agreed to cede the Mid-lands to create two free territories between the races that would act as a buffer zone. This treaty between the elves and humans ended the Third Era, thus creating the Fourth. The main town of Hal?n is Le¡¯brit¨¦. The Midlands ¨C This land was conquered by humans during the War of the Second Era in the year 256, thus ending the Second Era and creating the Third. It was ruled by the humans until the 485th year of the Third Era, when they agreed to cede it if the elves agreed to cede Hal?n to create two free territories between the races that would act as a buffer zone. This treaty between the humans and the elves ended the Third Era, thus creating the Fourth. The main town of the Midlands is Oak Hill. Drendal Tundra ¨C This mysterious frozen mountain providence of the North is home to a mysterious temple called Night Hold; the home of the Nightshades who are a group of warrior monks imbued with powers from T?zc¨¢l. The Nightshades are charged with protecting Terra from many different forces of evil. No one other than the Nightshades can venture far into the Tundra or traverse the thick wall of permafrost fog that lingers there, and no one lives there other than them. The main keep in the Drendal Tundra is Night Hold.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Last Light ¨C Founded in the 71st year of the Third Era by elves with traces of orcish blood who escaped the genocide the current line of Elven Queens have pursued to ensure that only pure-blooded elves live in S¨¦dali?. The current line of Elven Queens believes that impure orcish blood has caused the greatness of the Elven race to fade. The main town of Last Light is Bastion. The Field of the Fallen ¨C The site of the largest battle between the elves and the humans, which the humans call the Battle of Heritage. The Battle occurred in the 144th year of the Third Era and was caused by the elvish attempt to retake the Midlands. The vast majority of the modern providence is a massive cemetery housing the fallen soldiers of the Battle. The main town here is Reverence. Glacial Valley ¨C Once part of the Drendal Tundra, this semi-fertile valley was created by a glacier receding in the 6th year of the Second Era. Now this land is mostly populated by poor farmers of all races. The main town in the Glacial Valley is K¨¹ld. The Forge Lands ¨C This providence is the ancestral lands of the Dwarves, though very few survive and most rarely venture beyond the mountains. The main town in The Forge Lands is Iron Hold. S¨¦dali? ¨C The ancestral lands of the Elves. A land admired for its grace, beauty, and bountiful harvests. The main town of S¨¦dali? is E¡¯clair¨¦. Appendix C: Important Locations in Terra Bend ¨C A town on the banks of the Green River in the Midlands, roughly a fourteen-day ride North of Green River. Here a fiery red-headed Dwarven woman named Miggy (Migs) Fireforged runs a tavern named The Cove. Cre¡¯v?ss[1] ¨C The Dwarven name for a small farming village in the South Western corner of The Glacial Valley. Elijah fights Ice Wraiths here. It is roughly a two-day ride North West of Hearth. Driftwood ¨C The closest settlement in The Midlands to The Emerald Grove. It lies roughly a one-day ride North outside of the Grove. Driftwood is roughly an eight-day ride North West of Oak Hill. Ferra L? brings Clyde here while on their way to The Emerald Grove. Es¡¯p?r ¨C Also known as Le¡¯p¨¹r in Elvish. This is a small town in Hal?n in the central to the eastern part of the providence. It is roughly a nine-day ride North East of Le¡¯brit¨¦. Es¡¯p?r is the birthplace of Elijah Khan. Green Bank ¨C A small village on the banks of the Green River in the Midlands, roughly a two-day ride North West from Oak Hill. This is the town where Elijah meets Isabella. Hearth ¨C A small town in Midlands near the border of Drendal Tundra, the last area inhabited by more than a handful of people before one reaches the Tundra border. It is about a five-day ride North West of Bend. Hearth is the home of The Yule Inn. Knoll ¨C A small village in the Midlands roughly a three-day ride South East of Bend. This is where Ferra L? was born and the town the Ruffians raid and abduct her from. Perseverance ¨C A Golden Legion outpost about a one-days ride into The Scar. At the time of this story, the Golden Legion has lost all contact with the soldiers stationed there. The Dwarven River ¨C A mighty river that flows out of The Forge Lands and runs along S¨¦dali?¡¯s borders with The Field of the Fallen and Last Light before coming to a stop in E¡¯clair¨¦. The Emerald Grove ¨C A vast and nearly impenetrably dense forest that exists within both The Midlands and Hal?n. Here the Dryads reside. The Green River ¨C Perhaps the main waterway in all of Terra. The Green River begins at the southern edge of the Drendal Tundra and cuts through the Midlands and Hal?n while also curving slightly into The Field of the Fallen and Last Light. The Pilgrims¡¯ Path ¨C A walking trail that leads from the main human city of Olympia to the city of Reverence in The Field of the Fallen. Established during the reign of the first Golden Crown, those who live in Olympia are required by law to walk the trail at least once in their lives to honor the humans that died at the Battle of Heritage. Tribunal Hall ¨C A room carved into a Great Oak Tree in The Emerald Grove where the Dryad elders hold tribunals to sentence those who have committed crimes and broken the Dryadic Code. Appendix D: Timeline of Major Events 1st Year of the First Era ¨C The Ancient Ones leave Terra. 327th Year of the First Era ¨C Olympia is established by humans. 6th Year of the Second Era ¨C The Glacial Valley is created. 52nd Year of the Second Era ¨C The Scar is created. 88th Year of the Second Era ¨C Re¨ª L¨¹mi¨¦r¨¦ named Queen of the Elves. 140th Year of the Second Era ¨C The Alchemist Guild is founded. 256th Year of the Second Era ¨C The Midlands are conquered by humans. 71st Year of the Third Era ¨C Last Light founded. 144th Year of the Third Era ¨C The Battle of Heritage. 162nd Year of the Third Era ¨C Hal?n conquered by the elves. 391st Year of the Third Era ¨C Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦ named Queen of the Elves. 485th Year of the Third Era ¨C Treaty between the elves and humans. 13th Year of the Fourth Era ¨C Beacon founded. 15th Year of the Fourth Era ¨C Free Port founded. 18th Year of the Fourth Era ¨C Free Port Pact signed. 41st Year of the Fourth Era ¨C The Golden Crown was established. A¡¯mon I became King of the humans. 3rd Year of the Golden Crown (G.C.) [2] ¨C The Pilgrims¡¯ Path created. 13th Year G.C. ¨C Elijah Khan born. 28th Year G.C. ¨C A¡¯mon I dies at age 61 and his son A¡¯mon II becomes King of the humans. 57th Year G.C.¨C Perseverance Outpost established. 73rd Year G.C. ¨C A¡¯mon II dies at age 66 and his son A¡¯mon-R? I becomes King of the humans. 112th Year G.C. ¨C A¡¯mon-R? I dies at age 55 and his son A¡¯mon-R? II becomes King of the humans. 122nd Year G.C. ¨C Isabella Jade born. 133rd Year G.C. ¨C When the main story takes place. Appendix E: Translating Elvish Translating the Elvish dialect into the language of humans is not a precise undertaking, as elves are known to experience and describe sensations differently than humans. However, listed below are some grammatical rules for writing in Elvish, as well as the translation of certain base words and how those words fit together to create other, complex words. Grammatical Rules:
  1. The second ¡°a¡± in an Elven word is written as ¡°?.¡±
  2. If a vowel ¡°a, e, i, o, u¡± that is not an ¡°a¡± ends a sentence or is the second to last letter and is in front of a consonant, then it is written as ¡°¨¦, ¨ª, ¨®, ¨².¡±
  3. If the first vowel in an Elven word is a ¡°u¡± then it is written as ¡°¨¹.¡±
  4. There are three distinct ways to write the word ¡°the¡± in Elvish. One way is ¡°Le¡¯¡± which is considered feminine because it does not relate to something that exists in, or was created in, S¨¦dali?. The second way is ¡°E¡¯¡± which is considered masculine because it relates to something that exists in or was created in, S¨¦dali?. Lastly, for all things non-Elvish, ¡°Et¡± is used.
  5. Elvish words are sometimes created by combining many base words. These new created words are called complex words.
  6. In the Elvish language adjectives are written after nouns but pronounced before, so ¡°River Dwarven¡± is how it is written but ¡°Dwarven River¡± is how it is pronounced.
  7. If the Elvish word ¡°Ze¡± comes before an adjective then the adjective receives the suffix ¡°-ful.¡± For example, the word ¡°Te¨²x¡± in Elvish means shame or disgrace, but ¡°Ze Te¨²x¡± means shameful or disgraceful.
Translations: Ali? ¨C A base word meaning land in Elvish. Brit¨¦ ¨C A base word meaning light in Elvish. Clair¨¦ ¨C A base word meaning throne in Elvish. D¨ªn ¨C A base word meaning warrior in Elvish. D¨ªn Zal? ¨C A complex word meaning legendary warrior in Elvish. Dr¨¦ ¨C A base word meaning dust in Elvish. E¡¯ ¨C A base word meaning the(masculine/Elvish) in Elvish. E¡¯clair¨¦ ¨C A complex word meaning the(masculine/Elvish) throne in Elvish. E¡¯fa¨ªt Ze Te¨²x ¨C A complex word that means The(masculine/Elvish) Shameful Defeat in Elvish. This is their name for The Battle of Heritage. Et ¨C A base word meaning the(non-Elvish) in Elvish. Et Se¡¯a¨² Na?¨ªn ¨C A complex word meaning the(non-Elvish) Dwarven River in Elvish. Fa¨ªt ¨C A base word meaning defeat in Elvish. G¨¹e ¨C A base word meaning health in Elvish. G¨¹e¨ªn¨¦ ¨C A complex word meaning health plant in Elvish. Ha ¨C A base word meaning by or through in Elvish. Hal?n ¨C A complex word meaning through sacrifice in Elvish. ¨ªne ¨C A base word meaning plant in Elvish. Lan ¨C A base word meaning sacrifice in Elvish. Le¡¯ ¨C A base word meaning the(feminine/Elvish) in Elvish. Le¡¯brit¨¦ ¨C A complex word meaning the(feminine/Elvish) light in Elvish. Le¡¯p¨¹r ¨C A complex word meaning the(feminine/Elvish) calm in Elvish. L¨¹ma¡¯¨ª ¨C A complex word meaning morning star in Elvish. L¨¹mdr¨¦ ¨C A complex slang word used to refer to the substance stardust in Elvish. L¨¹mi¨¦r¨¦ ¨C A base word meaning star in Elvish. L¨¹n¨¦ ¨C A base word meaning moon in Elvish. Ma¡¯¨ª ¨C A base word meaning morning in Elvish. Na?¨ªn ¨C A base word meaning Dwarven in Elvish. P¨¹r ¨C A base word meaning calm in Elvish. Re¨ª ¨C A base word meaning queen in Elvish. Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦ ¨C The name of the current Elvish Queen. Also, a complex word meaning moon queen in Elvish. Re¨ª L¨¹mi¨¦r¨¦ ¨C The name of the former Elvish Queen. Also, a complex word meaning star queen in Elvish. Se¡¯a¨² ¨C A base word meaning river in Elvish. S¨¦d ¨C A base word meaning home in Elvish. S¨¦dali? ¨C A complex word meaning homeland in Elvish. Te¨²x ¨C A base word meaning shame or disgrace in Elvish. Zal? ¨C A base word meaning legendary in Elvish. Ze ¨C A base word meaning very or most in Elvish.
  1. Very few in the modern era know how to both speak and translate the Dwarvish language. It is known that the Dwarvish language is similar to Elvish but there are several differences that make translating Dwarvish to the tongue of man impossible if one does not speak both fluently. ¡ü
  2. Commonly referred to as the Modern Era by those who do not follow the Golden Crown. G.C. is commonly used as an abbreviation for Golden Crown. ¡ü
Appendix Materials - Part 2 Appendix F: The Emblems and Important Histories of the Groups of Terra The Elven Queens ¨C The Elves are ruled by an all-powerful Queen who is considered the fairest and wisest of all mortal beings. The Elvish line of secession is handed down not through blood but through the naming of an heir. Those of the Queens¡¯ blood may be chosen as her heir, but this happens rarely and is generally frowned upon as nepotism by the Elvish people. The current Queen of the elves is named Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦ and was named Queen in the 391st Year of the Third Era. When Elven women are named Queen they assume a name based upon a celestial body. Whatever Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦¡¯s name was before her naming has been forgotten by all. The emblem of the Elven Queens is known as the All-Seeing Eye and looks like an oval eye with extended edges containing a diamond-shaped pupil and three lines like streamers handing from the bottom. One line at the left edge of the eye, one line in the middle, and one line on the right edge of the eye. The Golden Crown ¨C The humans are ruled by a zealot King known as the Golden Crown. After the secession of Beacon and Free Port, the elite of Olympia, led by a power-hungry religious fanatic who called himself A¡¯mon, rebelled against their former King. Once the rebellion succeeded the people made A¡¯mon the new King and he began a campaign to force all humans in Olympia to worship him as the Golden Crown. Those humans who do worship him believe that he, and the males of his bloodline, are descended from the womb of the Sun. The current King of the Humans is King Richard A¡¯mon-R? II, he is the great-grandson of A¡¯mon I. The emblem of the Golden Crown is the King¡¯s crown with a ring of fire around the top. The Dwarven Crown ¨C The Dwarves are ruled by a King who has not been seen outside of the mountains for nearly two-hundred years, his name and face and seldom known amongst those who are not under his rule. The emblem of the Dwarven King is two forge hammers with emeralds shaped like triangles in their heads crossed. The Emblem of Beacon ¨C The emblem of Beacon is a coin that has two ¡°p¡± like letters on the front, one right side up and one upside down. These letters are the symbols those in Beacon use to represent money since Penance is the name of the currency most commonly used throughout Terra. On the back of the emblem is an etching of the Congress Building in M¨¹r. Only the five people who currently sit on the Congress of M¨¹r are allowed to wear the emblem. Every year during the tax season, the five wealthiest people in Beacon are appointed to the Congress of M¨¹r. The Emblem of Free Port ¨C The emblem of Free Port is a black flag containing two pennons with a blazing red sun in the center. This emblem is flown by every ship that docks in Free Port since the Free Port Pact prohibits the attacking or raiding of any ship from Free Port by another ship from Free Port. The only way to acquire a flag with the emblem of Free Port on it is to earn one from one of the pirate lords of Free Port. The Ruffian Sigil ¨C Ruffian is a collective term for the many groups of wandering bandits and raiders that plague Terra. They mostly raid in The Midlands, Hal?n, and Last Light as the stronger armies of the humans and elves keep them away from Olympia, Trench Hold, and S¨¦dali?. They also do not raid Free Port as they have an agreement with the Pirate Lords there. The weather of the Drendal Tundra and the lack of valuables in The Field of the Fallen and Glacial Valley stop them from raiding into those providences. Each group of Ruffians has their own sigil based on a creature that their leader chooses. For example, the sigil of the Ruffian gang led by Commander Kag¨¦ that Elijah fights in Green Bank is the head of a sand strider. The leader of the Ruffian wears the sigil as a large metallic pin on their chest and those that follow have the sigil either painted on their shields and helms or sewn into their clothes. The Emblem of the Shades ¨C The emblem of the Shades is a nightshade flower in full bloom with six strange runes written on it. There is one rune in the middle of each petal and one rune in the center of the flower. There is speculation by some people who are not Shades that the runes contain some of the letters of the language of the Ancient Ones, but few have ever seen the emblem of the Shades outside of Night Hold.[1] The current Grand Master of the Shades is D¨ªn Zal?, but he has not traveled through the permafrost fog or ventured out of the Drendal Tundra for over a century. Appendix G: People of Terra Arthur Gordon ¨C The commander of the Golden Legion. In his mid-thirties, Gordon has the look of age and wisdom while also retaining most of his vigor. He stands at six foot one and weighs almost two-hundred pounds. His hair is a dirty blonde, and his eyes are light blue. Bradshaw Blight ¨C The leader of the band of Ruffians that Clyde Freeborn belongs to. Bradshaw is a grizzled and opposing man of over six and a half feet tall and almost three hundred pounds of sheer muscle. He has thick black hair and a long thick black beard. He wears an eyepatch over one eye but the other is a deep black. Clyde Freeborn ¨C At the beginning of the story Clyde is seventeen years old, but as a baby, he was taken by a band of Ruffians and raised amongst them, though he always found it hard to fit in amongst them. He stands at five foot seven inches tall and weighs roughly one-hundred and thirty pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. Commander Kag¨¦ ¨C The leader of the Ruffian band that attacks the town of Green Bank. He is a brutal and rough man in his mid-twenties. He stands at about five foot ten and weighs over two-hundred pounds. He is bald and has light green eyes. D¨ªn Zal? ¨C The current Grand Master of the Shades. He is an elf and is almost three-hundred years of age. He stands at five foot nine inches and has dark grey hair, a shaven face, and eyes that may have once been bright green but are now nearly as grey as his hair. He weighs roughly one-hundred and seventy-five pounds. Duncan Caine ¨C The Grandmaster of the Order of the Shades at the time when Elijah becomes D¨ªn Zal?¡¯s apprentice. He is a grizzled human male standing six foot one and weighing two hundred and fifty pounds. He is bald, has a long dark grey beard, and his eyes are light blue. However, he has only had one eye for the majority of his life after he lost his left eye during a confrontation in a bar. Elijah Khan ¨C A member of the Shades and the current Imbued. He is the main character of this story. He has olive-colored skin, pitch-black hair, short yet thick facial hair, and deep violet eyes. He stands at approximately six foot two and weighs roughly one-hundred and ninety-five pounds. Ferra L? ¨C A fifteen-year-old half-elven girl from the town of Knoll in the Midlands. She is captured by a band of Ruffians but escapes with the help of Clyde Freeborn. She has chestnut-brown hair and light brown eyes. She is almost five foot three inches tall and weighs around one hundred pounds. James O¡¯Dell ¨C The mayor of Green Bank gives the orphan Isabella Jade to Elijah as a reward for defeating the Ruffian Commander Kag¨¦. He is old, possibly almost sixty, and hunched. He has thin white hair that is balding and clean shaving. He has a raspy voice and barely weighs one hundred and twenty pounds. Before he began to hunch over he may have been roughly five foot six, but now he hovers between four foot ten and five foot tall depending on the weather.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Johnathan of Driftwood ¨C The Father of Elijah and Silas¡¯ lover. He has black hair and light brown eyes. He stands at five foot seven and weighs about one hundred and sixty pounds. King Richard A¡¯mon-R? II ¨C The current King of the humans and the fourth Golden Crown. At the beginning of this story, he is currently forty-seven years old. He stands about six feet tall and weighs around two-hundred pounds. He once had sandy-blonde hair, but now much of it is white. He also wears thick facial hair that is almost entirely white. Lily of the River ¨C An eleven-year-old girl from the town of Green Bank. Elijah runs into her while hunting a band of Ruffians and discovers that she is Imbued like him. She has dark red hair and emerald-green eyes. Also known as River, River Lily, or Riv. Miggy Fireforged ¨C The fiery red-headed Dwarven owner of The Cove Tavern in Bend. She is almost one-hundred years old and stands at three-foot-four inches tall and weighs roughly one hundred and forty pounds. Her eyes, though they are nearly black are also gentle and caring to those she likes. Queen Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦ ¨C The current Queen of the Elves. Elves do not age the same as men, but by the beginning of this story, she has been the Queen of the Elves for two-hundred and seventy-four years. She stands at six foot four inches tall and weighs about one hundred and seventy-five pounds. She has long fine blonde hair and light blue eyes. Silas Khan ¨C Elijah¡¯s mother. She is a Dryad with dark blue eyes and chestnut brown hair that has a green hue. She is five and a half feet tall and weighs one hundred and thirty pounds. Solomon Khan ¨C The Father of Silas and Grandfather of Elijah. He stands at nearly seven and a half feet tall and weighs about two hundred and fifty pounds. He has long, flowing dark grey hair, a wise beard, and dark green eyes. Uncle Edward ¨C Johnathan¡¯s Uncle who lives in the town of Es¡¯p?r. A middle-aged man with common features who has no wife or children. Appendix H: Flora and Fauna of Terra Adder ¨C A plant that is heavily cultivated in Beacon and traded to the rest of Terra through Free Port. The plant itself is harmless, but when the leaves are harvested, dried, and crushed into a fine powder-like substance Adder becomes a highly addictive substance that causes hallucinations and feelings of euphoria. There have been attempts by both the human and elf governments to outlaw the selling and use of Adder but to little avail. The trade of Adder is highly lucrative and accounts for much of the money made in both Beacon and Free Port. Prolonged use of Adder can lead to insanity and brain rot. Cleft Fish ¨C A large orange-colored fish, thought to only be found in the northern half of The Green River. This species can grow up to fifty inches and weigh over two-hundred pounds. The Cleft Fish is named for the slit between its upper lip that makes the fish appear to have two separate upper lips. The fish feels smooth to the touch but puts up a ferocious fight when it is hooked. The meat is renowned for its flakey texture and rich taste, though the flavor has very little of the fishiness taste that some may find unappealing. There are fewer and fewer Cleft Fish left in Terra each year as they are prized for their eyes which are a highly soft after aphrodisiac amongst elves especially. Some merchants have been known to pay upwards of 200 Penance (the name for the most common currency used in Terra) for a single Cleft Fish head, freshly decapitated of course.[2] G¨¹e¨ªn¨¦ ¨C A light green plant that glows with a yellow aura that grows throughout Terra. It is best known for its healing capabilities. The most common name for this plant is G¨¹e¨ªn¨¦ which is Elvish for healing plant. It can be most readily found in damp biomes such as river banks, swamps, and marshes though some skilled botanists have mastered the art of growing it elsewhere. The usual way of preparing a healing salve out of the plant is to chew it up and then apply the mushed substance to the injured area and wrap it with a bandage. Most minor wounds will heal within a day, and the plant can also be used to treat infections and lesser poisonings. Heirloom Root ¨C A type of tree root that one can find throughout most of Hal?n and also in Eastern Midlands and Western Olympia. When one grinds up the root and smokes it they are met with the feeling of ease and relaxation. Most people throughout Terra use Heirloom Root at least occasionally, though many use it daily, and there are no known negative repercussions to its use. Most merchants sell either the whole Heirloom Root or its ground-up version. L¨¹mdr¨¦ ¨C A substance used exclusively by the Elves, as no other race can tolerate the substance without becoming poisoned. L¨¹mdr¨¦ looks similar to crushed diamonds as it shimmers and sparkles in the light and can illuminate the dark. When consumed by an elf L¨¹mdr¨¦ gives one the feeling of experiencing a conscious dream. When consumed by a non-elf, L¨¹mdr¨¦ can make one violently ill and can often lead to an unpleasant death where blood leaks into the eyes, nose, and mouth until one falls into a coma and passes away while suffering from intense and violent seizures. Sand Strider ¨C A beast resembling a large lizard that mostly roams the Northern plains of Hal?n and Last Light, but sometimes ventures into Southern Midlands and The Field of the Fallen. It has roughly heavily armored scales of a brownish-green and grows to be over six-foot long and six-hundred pounds on average. They have long muscular tails which they use to bash their prey with and thick fangs measuring upwards of two inches. They stand at roughly eighteen inches tall and can run over forty miles per hour. However, despite all of these traits, the deadliest aspect of the Sand Strider is its venomous spit which can melt through iron armor and which it can shoot upwards of thirty feet away. Skorn ¨C A giant scorpion-like beast with wings resembling that of a dragonfly that was made by the Alchemist Guild nearly one-thousand years ago to spread darkness and produce the energy they needed to tap into Nether Magic. They stand nearly four feet tall and stretch out over eight feet while weighing almost one-thousand pounds. They are not fast runners, maxing out around ten to fifteen miles an hour, but they can fly over thirty which is exceptionally quick for a beast of their size. Their pincers are strong enough to cleave a thoroughbred horse in two with little effort, and on its tail is a nearly five-foot-long stinger that carries a venomous sting strong enough to kill several men with a single drop. Titan Steel ¨C A type of metal alloy produced exclusively by the Dwarves of The Forge Lands. Very few ingots are produced each year as the process to create titan steel is an elaborate process and well-kept secret. Only the finest of blades and armor of made of the material, and only the wealthiest of people can afford them. There are only a handful of people who are skilled enough artisans to transform titan steel into weapons and armor, and only two or three of those live beyond The Forge Lands. Though it is a common belief, the swords carried by the Shades are not crafted using titan steel. Appendix I: The Races of Terra Humans ¨C The most populous race amongst those residing on Terra. They occupy the lands of Trench Hold, Beacon, Olympia, The Midlands, Free Port, Glacial Valley, and Hal?n. The most concentrated group of humans can be found in Olympia around the capital city of humans. The average human male on Terra stands at five foot ten inches tall and weighs roughly one hundred and seventy pounds. The average human female on Terra stands at five foot two inches tall and weighs roughly one hundred and twenty pounds. Elves ¨C Once thought of as the wisest and most beautiful races on Terra, the Elves have lost much of their reputation since the crowing of their most recent Queen Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦, as her crusade against those elves with Orcish blood has turned some across Terra against her. The elves live in the lands of S¨¦dali?, Last Light, Hal?n, The Mid-Lands, Free Port, Glacial Valley, and Beacon. The most concentrated group of elves can be found in S¨¦dali? around the capital city of the elves. The average elven male stands at six foot tall and weighs roughly one hundred and sixty pounds and the average elven female stands at six foot four inches tall and weighs roughly one hundred and forty pounds. Dwarves ¨C Though uncommon outside of their homeland of The Forge Lands, Dwarves make up the third most populous race on Terra. Some of their kind can be found throughout every providence in Terra, aside from The Scar and the Drendal Tundra. The most concentrated group of Dwarves can be found in The Forge Lands around the capital city of the Dwarves. The average Dwarven male and female are the same size, standing at four foot one inch tall and weighing roughly two hundred pounds. Orcs ¨C Few pure-blooded Orcs still reside on Terra, as the majority of their race has interbred with the Elves, thus they inhabit roughly the same lands as the Elves due, however, since the crowning of Queen Re¨ª L¨¹n¨¦, all pure-blooded orcs, and the vast majority of Orc and Elf mixed-bloods, are scattered about the continent and few remain within the borders of S¨¦dali?. Due to the scarcity of pure-blooded Orcs, there is no recorded data on their average height and weight. Geist ¨C The Geist are the newest race to come to Terra, as they were created through an explosion of Nether Magic in The Scar during the Second Era. They are only known to reside in The Scar, and due to their nature ¨C as Nether beings ¨C little else is known about them. However, the Golden Legion does suspect that they have a stronghold dubbed Nevermore somewhere within The Scar, though this information has yet been proven. Dryads ¨C The residents of The Emerald Grove bordering both The Mid-Lands and Hal?n are known as Dryads, and few ever venture out of the Grove. They are known to be very protective of their territory, and as such, few who venture into The Emerald Grove have ever returned. There are no confirmed stories of anyone currently living on Terra coming into contact with the Dryads, and some believe they are just a legend. Their exact race is unknown, though Knowing Ones believe they were once Elves whose long hermitage in The Emerald Grove has caused them to evolve differently than those who do not live within the forest.
  1. The runs found within the Emblem of the Shades are the same ones that can be found on the cover of this book. Read from left to right they roughly spell T?zc¨¢l. The rune representing ¡°T¡± is found in the middle of the flower. Then the rune representing ¡°E¡± is found in the upper-most petal. Going right from the uppermost petal, the rest of T?zc¨¢l¡¯s name is spelled out in runes, one rune per letter in his name. ¡ü
  2. For reference, the average farmhand in the Midlands would be lucky to earn upwards of 50 Penance a year. ¡ü
Chapter 1: The Imbued - Part 1 They met on the banks of Moss Branch Creek at dusk, during the Summer months of the twelfth year of the Golden Crown, nearly twelve-hundred years after the disappearance of the Ancient Ones. The creek, which ran between Driftwood and The Emerald Grove, lazily flowed as the light of the full moon reflected upon its surface. Her name was Silas, a flawlessly beautiful Dryad from The Emerald Grove.[1] She had chestnut brown hair, which in the right light had a green hue and dark blue eyes. His name was Johnathan, a well-built human from the town of Driftwood, the closest settled area to The Emerald Grove. He had dark black hair and light brown eyes. They had met one day, almost a year ago, while Johnathan was fishing along the banks of the Moss Branch Creek. Silas had watched him from the tree line for several hours, mostly out of curiosity since she had never seen anyone other than her fellow Dryads before. Johnathan stood there casting his line into the water, continuing to catch nothing and feeling himself become more and more hungry until suddenly he felt a large tug on the line. The sudden and vicious tug shocked Johnathan, who had not expected such a large and powerful fish to live in the calm and gentle creek. He tried his best to fight against the creature, and for a moment caught a glimpse of the giant fish he had unintentionally hooked. ¡°By the gods!¡± Johnathan exclaimed aloud after seeing what had to be a four-foot long and nearly two-hundred-pound Cleft Fish.[2] Johnathan stood no chance against the might of the fish, but hunger consumed him and made it so that he would not relinquish the rod and the first chance he had at a true meal in days. Silas, still watching from the tree line, was very much entertained watching Johnathan¡¯s struggle against the creature, as Dryads are known to be lovers and protectors of nature, and almost entirely despise the abuse it suffers at the hands of mortals. However, after a few brief moments, Silas saw Johnathan¡¯s strength give out, and she watched as he was dragged into the water by the Cleft Fish. She stood by waiting for him to emerge from the water, but after about a minute, her concern began to grow. Despite her father Solomon¡¯s warnings against coming into contact with humans, or any of the other mortal races for that matter, Silas swiftly rushed out from the tree line and nimbly dived into the creek in hopes of rescuing Johnathan. Since, despite their destructive habits, the mortal races were also a part of nature, and Silas felt a Dryadic duty to save the drowning man. After a few tense moments, Johnathan¡¯s body exploded out of the water like a breaching whale and landed on the ground next to the creek. Silas then drug herself onto the bank alongside him. Silas quickly caught her breath and then went to work resuscitating Johnathan. Pressing down on his chest did not work, so Silas had to resort to sucking the water out of his lungs. In the midst of Silas performing this act, Johnathan awoke, coughing up water, causing Silas to stumble back. He looked around, his eyes hazy, until he finally saw Silas¡¯ face. He cautiously moved away from her, recognizing that she was not human. ¡°What...what are you? What did you do to me?¡± He asked. Silas curiously looked the soaking wet human over while she remained knelt in the position she was in when he awoke. Johnathan patted himself down and looked himself over the best he could to ensure that he was not injured, or robbed.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Did you pull me out of the creek?¡± He asked with a shocked expression on his face. Silas took a moment to answer as if she was trying to translate his question into her own dialect. She then gently nodded affirmatively. Johnathan smiled and let most of his guard down. ¡°Thank you. Though, I¡¯d be even more grateful if you had any food on you. I was really hoping to catch some supper.¡± Silas scratched her head with one of her dainty fingers and then ran off back into The Emerald Grove. Johnathan watched her run off confused as to what was happening, but before he could think of the possibilities, Silas had returned carrying a small satchel. She walked over to Johnathan and kneeled down in front of him. She reached into the satchel and pulled out what appeared to be a piece of hard tack. Johnathan took it, trying to seem thankful, be he was disappointed that the only thing she had to offer him was a dried-out, brick-like, piece of bread, that one was more likely to break a tooth on than find nourishment in. He stared down at the hard tack in his hands and then looked back up at Silas. She made a motion, raising one of her hands towards her mouth, and bit at the air, giving Johnathan instructions on how to eat. What the hell? Johnathan thought. At least it¡¯s something. However, as Johnathan bit into the hardtack he was taken aback both by its texture and taste. He discovered that, although the bread felt hard on the outside, he could bite through it with minimal effort, and the texture was almost cake like. The taste, as well, was equally magnificent, being a mixture of honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. After swallowing the first bite, Johnathan noticed a sense of calmness and warmth come over him. He looked up at Silas and she smiled at him. He thought to himself that she looked as if she were made of starlight, and basking in her radiant beauty, he smiled back at her and finished eating the bread. *** A week later Johnathan returned to Moss Branch Creek, and after fishing for a few hours he noticed Silas appear from the tree line. They grinned at each other, and she ran over to him. She threw herself around his neck and they held each other for a while. ¡°I brought you something,¡± Johnathan said taking a step back and kneeling down before her. ¡°I saw it on my way here and it reminded me of you.¡± From a pouch, he pulled out a vibrant yellow flower that reminded Johnathan of Silas¡¯ radiance. Upon seeing the flower Silas smiled wide, and Johnathan thought he noticed her blush. Johnathan then stood up, brushed Silas¡¯ hair behind her left ear, and then placed the flower there. They held hands and gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, then Silas leaned in and kissed him. If Silas¡¯ father Solomon knew of his daughter¡¯s actions on the bank of the Moss Branch Creek, he would have burst forth from The Emerald Grove, pushed his daughter aside with a blast of magic, and then struck Johnathan down with a bolt of lightning. Solomon would not do so solely out of anger over the loss of his daughter¡¯s virtue, but also out of concern for his daughter¡¯s immortality. As Dryads, both male and female, retain their immortality and can only be killed in battle, as long as they maintain their virginity. Their race performed a magical ceremony where the blood of two Dryads, truly in love, regardless of gender, was mixed together and planted beneath the roots of an ancient oak tree. From that mixture, a baby Dryad grew underground, until, after six months, it dug itself from the earth and let out a scream, alerting its parents to its birth. But Solomon did not know of his daughter¡¯s actions, which were against his warnings and the teachings of the Dryads, and he would not find out until the seed of destiny had already been sown.
  1. While some believe Dryads to be a race all to themselves, Knowing Ones believe that Dryads are decedents of Elves who migrated to The Emerald Grove before the Ancient Ones left Terra. Dryads¡¯ connection to nature gives them many incredible powers beyond those of the mortal races. Dryads choose to reproduce through magic to maintain their immortality, though they are able to reproduce through conventional methods if they so choose. ¡ü
  2. For a more comprehensive description of the flora and fauna of Terra see Appendix H. ¡ü
Chapter 1: The Imbued - Part 2 It did not take long before Solomon became aware of his daughter¡¯s condition. Silas had begun acting strange, and things came to a head when Solomon caught her sneaking out of The Emerald Grove. ¡°And where, may I ask, are you going?¡± Solomon said judgingly, appearing from the shadows. Silas was too busy happily humming to herself to notice her father lurking. She spun around with a gasp. ¡°Father? What are you doing here?¡± Solomon slowly approached his daughter, stood directly in front of her, and looked down upon her. He towered over her, being nearly two-foot taller, and his presence was immense. ¡°That¡¯s what I intended on asking you,¡± he replied. ¡°Have I not warned you about leaving the Grove? Who knows what evil may befall you outside our borders!¡± Solomon lifted his daughter¡¯s chin up with one finger so that she was looking at his face. He gave her a warm smile and hugged her. Silas hugged him back. She began to quiver and weep. Solomon leaned away so that he could look at her face. ¡°What is wrong child?¡± Silas stood in front of him shaking and sniffling until she finally spoke, her voice hoarse from crying and mousy. ¡°I...I¡¯m sorry Father, I¡¯ve betrayed our people...¡± Silas looked down at her feet, unable to meet her father¡¯s gaze. Solomon again raised his daughter¡¯s head up so he could look at her face. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Though he tried to hide it, Silas heard a degree of worry in his voice. She could tell her father had a guess as to what she meant, and that his guess frightened him. ¡°There..there is this human,¡± Silas said slowly. Solomon squinted his eyes in annoyance. ¡°And...¡± Silas could not look at her father anymore, she put her hands on her stomach and turned her head to the side, staring off into the distance, wishing she could be anywhere else. A wave of nausea came over her. Solomon looked at her with worry, then he looked down and saw her resting her hands on her stomach. A look of fury consumed his face, and he blew hot air from his nose. He knew his guess, sadly, was correct. *** Silas stood in the hall of the Dryadic Tribunal. There, the twelve eldest Dryads sat and passed judgment upon those who had broken the Dryad Code. The hall of the Tribunal was carved inside a tremendous Oak Tree. The elders sat upon a risen platform that overlooked a stage-type structure where the one on trial stood. Those who sat to witness the Tribunal sat in pews laid out behind the stage. The viewing gallery for Silas¡¯ hearing was packed, as this was the first time in generations that a Dryad had physically become pregnant. Silas¡¯ father was, of course, in attendance, though not in the viewing gallery, for Solomon was one of the elders. In fact, Solomon was the second eldest living Dryad behind Coranthia. Coranthia cleared her throat and rose to speak. ¡°Silas Khan, you stand before the tribunal today accused of disgracing your people, abandoning your immortality, and defiling yourself with a human.¡± There were gasps amongst those in the viewing gallery. Coranthia put a hand up to silence them. ¡°What say you in your defense?¡± Coranthia asked after the viewers had silenced. There was a long and ominous pause before Silas responded. ¡°I have none,¡± she said. Again, those in attendance gasped. ¡°I am guilty of all that which I have been charged.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°And you are willing to accept your punishment?¡± Coranthia said, with a curious and slightly wicked tone. Silas did not respond. Coranthia inhaled deeply, almost as if to savor the moment. ¡°At first, this Tribunal ruled that you should be stripped naked, flogged, and exiled from The Emerald Grove, to walk the rest of your mortal life across Terra in shame.¡± Coranthia paused, most likely for dramatic emphasis, and got what she wanted when the crowd began murmuring amongst themselves. Once they subsided, Coranthia continued, with a hint of annoyance in her voice. ¡°However, your wise and noble father,¡± Coranthia turned and gestured to Solomon, ¡°has devised, and convinced the majority of this Tribunal of, another solution. If you would rather hear that one.¡± Silas looked up at the platform where the elders sat. She had tears in her eyes but also stared intensely at Coranthia. Silas then turned her attention to her father, and like through gritted teeth said, ¡°And what might this second option be?¡± Coranthia bowed to the crowd, sat down, and then after a moment¡¯s pause, Solomon arose. There was grief in his voice when he spoke. ¡°Your other option, your only other option, is to abort this child and live the rest of your life as an outcast here in the comfort of The Grove. I know it is still a harsh punishment, but living here as an outcast is far better, and safer, than wandering the world alone in shame.¡± Silas looked horrified that these were her only two options. After a while of waiting for her to respond, Solomon spoke again. ¡°There is no need to answer right now,¡± he said. ¡°You have till tomorrow at noon. I suggest you head on home and think about what is best for you.¡± Solomon then sat back down, and Silas ran crying from the Tribunal hall. *** Solomon arrived home that night to find Silas, but only found a few of her belongings missing. Solomon asked around but no one had saw her leave. Solomon cursed and knew that his daughter had ran away. He thought about whether or not he was too harsh on her, but he quickly abandoned that train of thought for he knew that it would not help him find her. But what would help me find her? He thought. Then, he thought about how everyone who stands before the Tribunal must make an offering of their blood to the great Oak Tree. Since Silas was pregnant, Solomon knew that he could determine the identity of the one who had sired the child by examining Silas¡¯ blood. Solomon rushed back to the Tribunal hall and there found a drop of Silas¡¯ blood, not yet entirely dried, sitting on a root of the Tree. Solomon ran his finger across the drop of blood, closed his eyes, and then after saying a ritual in the Dryadic language, put the blood-covered finger into his mouth and licked the blood off. As soon as Silas¡¯ blood touched his tongue Solomon began to have a vision. At first, he saw his daughter lying on the banks of the Moss Branch Creek laughing and talking with a human, though Solomon could not make out his face. Solomon knew this was in the past because of the way the stars shone in the sky. As Solomon began digesting the blood his visions became more potent. This time he saw a small cabin in the mortal town of Driftwood. He knew some about the town from those citizens who lived there, who trespassed in The Emerald Grove. Through the window of the cabin, Solomon could see a small fire burning and then heard two voices whispering. One of the voices was unmistakably Silas¡¯. Solomon¡¯s vision took him into the cabin, and he listened to the hushed conversation. ¡°What will we do?¡± Silas asked, her voice rattled with fear. ¡°We could leave here; I have kin in Es¡¯p?r. It¡¯s a small town in the center of Hal?n. It¡¯s about a ten-day ride from here. They could help us out, at least until I find work and a house of our own.¡± A male voice replied, trying to sound calm. ¡°But, what if my father comes looking for us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one knows you¡¯re here, or what our plans are.¡± The male figure placed his hand on Silas¡¯ shoulder gently. Silas leaned against him, and though she was crying, she also had a slight smile of comfort on her face. ¡°I love you, Johnathan.¡± ¡°And I you.¡± The two of them kissed, and after holding Silas for a while, Johnathan stood up, determined. ¡°Now, we must hurry. We need to leave before your father, or any of the other Dryads, realizes you¡¯re gone.¡± Silas nodded in agreement and stood up. She and Johnathan began packing any essential belongings into worn duffle bags. Solomon¡¯s vision ended, and his essence returned to his body. He was weary for a moment, as the stress of performing such magic is great. ¡°Johnathan...Es¡¯p?r,¡± Solomon said angrily under his breath after he recovered. He then stormed off towards the edge of The Emerald Grove. Chapter 1: The Imbued - Part 3 Silas and Johnathan arrived in Es¡¯p?r, though the journey had taken them two additional days, due to the many stops they had to make for Silas to relieve her nausea. When they arrived, Johnathan went to his Uncle Edward¡¯s house. His Uncle was happy to see him but was a bit wary about allowing a Dryad into his home. Like many humans across Terra, Johnathan¡¯s Uncle was not very trusting of non-humans, especially those who were suspected of being related to elves. However, after Johnathan explained the situation, Uncle Edward agreed to let them stay with him for as long as they needed. Though he made it known that he preferred they find a place of their own before the baby arrived. Two weeks passed, and Silas and Johnathan were becoming accustomed to their new life. Silas who was almost two months pregnant was beginning to show, as the half-Dryad half-human baby was developing faster than a full-blooded human baby would. Johnathan found that he was enjoying his new life in Es¡¯p?r. He had found work as a carpenter and was earning enough money to put a down payment on a cottage in town within the next month. Life was good for the both of them, and Uncle Edward was also enjoying their presence. *** About a week later an unnatural thunderstorm raged over Es¡¯p?r. The wind was howling, ripping trees from the ground, and a lightning strike had caught one of the houses in town on fire. Despite the downpour of rain, the fire roared, and every able-bodied person in the town went out and braved the storm in an attempt to rescue the people who lived in the house. Both Uncle Edward and Johnathan had gone to help, leaving Silas, who by human standards appeared to be five or six months pregnant, alone in the house. She huddled in a corner, covered herself with a blanket, and put her arms around her stomach to protect her child. As the shutters slapped against the house and the thunderclaps drew ever nearer, Silas began whispering to the little one inside her, as if to calm it. ¡°Shh...shh...don¡¯t worry,¡± Silas whispered lovingly while rubbing her stomach. ¡°Everything will be okay, Daddy¡¯s going to be back soon, and this storm will end. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here for you.¡± Silas continued to rub her stomach and hum the tune to a Dryadic ballad. One that was sung to Dryad children when they were scared. The translation of the first few lines to the human language is: Fear not, don¡¯t cry, No storm, shall harm; Those, I embrace, Within, my arms; For I am, your keeper, And guardian; And I will, protect you, Until the end. Silas did not know if the child within her had even felt fearful, or if the song helped them feel more comfortable. Though, after humming to the child, Silas felt less afraid. ***Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Suddenly, screams erupted from the town. Silas, still huddled in the corner could not tell what was happening, but the essence she began to feel terrified her. Then, a bang came from the door of the house, and Johnathan stumbled in. He was soaking wet, but also covered in smoke and what looked like blood splatter. ¡°Silas, ru...¡± Johnathan was unable to finish his sentence. Something resembling a thick tree root shot through his chest under his right breast. Then, before Silas could react, another one pierced his chest under his left breast. Then, Silas heard a crunching sound and the two root-like objects ripped Johnathan in two, tossing the bloody halves of his body to either side of the house. Silas let out an ear-piercing scream and watched as the tree roots were pulled back through the door of the house. Silas sat sobbing in the corner, too in shock to move. She tried her best to not look at the piles of bloody mush that once were her lover. Then, to her horror, another man entered the house. As she looked up at him she saw that the roots which killed Johnathan appeared to be attached to this man¡¯s arms. As Silas continued to look, the roots transformed back into the man¡¯s hands. Silas looked up from the man¡¯s hands towards his face, and upon seeing his face, she let out a whimper and cried. The man standing before her was her father, Solomon. He was covered in blood but was otherwise dry. He had conjured the storm and set the other house on fire, both were part of his plan to siege Es¡¯p?r and bring his daughter back to The Emerald Grove. ¡°Come, child!¡± Solomon demanded, stretching his hand out to Silas. One of the very hands that had just finished murdering her lover. ¡°No! Never!¡± Silas yelled, trying her best to get further in the corner. ¡°This is not a discussion!¡± Solomon growled as he lowered his hand and began walking towards Silas. ¡°You are coming back with me! You belong in The Grove!¡± Solomon was almost close enough to grab her. ¡°I...said...no!¡± Silas yelled, pushing her hand out towards her father. At that moment, strange magic that Solomon had never felt before began emanating from Silas. A wave of magic shot out from her hand exploding the house around them. Silas remained seated and Solomon remained standing, both unaffected by the blast. The thunderstorm continued to pour down upon them, though Solomon remained dry. ¡°What...what was that?¡± Solomon said astonished. A hint of pride was in his voice. ¡°What did you do?¡± Silas stared at her hand and the damage she had caused. Then she looked back up at him, there was a fiery look in her eye though her breathing was shaky. ¡°You will not take my child,¡± Silas said sternly, staring her father down. ¡°My dear, you must understand, our code...¡± ¡°Your code!¡± Solomon became angry at his daughter¡¯s denouncement of the Dryadic Code. ¡°No matter how much you may hate being a Dryad, you can never stop being one of us!¡± He growled. With considerable effort, Silas stood up. ¡°No, Father,¡± she said spitefully. ¡°You misunderstand. It is not the Dryadic blood in my veins that I despise. It¡¯s yours!¡± Solomon¡¯s face grew red with fury. ¡°Enough! You are coming back with me!¡± He then reached out to grab Silas¡¯ arm. Solomon¡¯s attempt was met by a magical shield that burst forth, surrounding Silas¡¯ body. Solomon stumbled and fell onto his back. As he looked up, he saw Silas begin to lift off the ground and hover in the air with the magical shield spinning around her. She then began to speak, in overlapping voices, none of which were her own. Solomon could not determine what language Silas was speaking, and in fact, no one on Terra would have known what she was saying. As the dialect Silas was speaking, had not been heard on Terra for nearly twelve-hundred years. As the overlapping voices continued to speak through Silas, Solomon noticed that her once dark blue eyes had become like shining jewels of silver, and her hair, once brown, had become bright white and glistened like the moon. She continued to lift higher and higher into the air until she towered nearly twenty feet above him. Then, in a language Solomon understood, the overlapping voices began to speak. But this time, one of the voices could be clearly heard above all the others. The voice was commanding, and when it spoke, the whole of creation trembled. ¡°I have chosen!¡± The voice said. Solomon, almost uncontrollably, dropped to his knees, bowed before Silas¡¯ floating body, and began to cry. ¡°Please...for...forgive me. I knew not what you were.¡± Solomon continued to bow and cry, struggling to get his words out. ¡°Ignorance is no excuse.¡± ¡°Please...please...just let me live. I¡¯ll leave this place. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Please forgive me.¡± Solomon begged pathetically. Silas lifted her right hand towards Solomon, put her pointer and middle fingers together, and spoke. This time, she spoke in her own voice and calmly, almost peacefully. ¡°You, are beyond forgiveness.¡± ¡°No...no...please!¡± Solomon cried. A blinding flash of blue light emitted from Silas¡¯ outstretched fingers and engulfed the town of Es¡¯p?r. Chapter 1: The Imbued - Part 4 The next day, those who remained in Es¡¯p?r gathered the courage to investigate the spot where Uncle Edward¡¯s house once sat. They found no sign of Solomon, Silas, or Johnathan. The house had been completely blown away, and only rubble was left. They only found a sizable crater, where, unknown to them, Solomon once knelt. Everyone there had an ominous feeling about the crater, and after much debate, one of the townsmen was selected to investigate the site. The townsman found it odd that he heard what sounded like cooing as he approached the crater. Then, upon further inspection, he saw what appeared to be a healthy infant baby laying at the bottom of the crater. The townsman climbed down and retrieved the baby, who, to his surprise, was not fussing and did not seem to be upset in the least. The child was moving its arms and legs and the townsman swore it grinned at him. When the townsman reappeared from the crater carrying this child everyone gasped in amazement. They took turns inspecting the child who had olive skin, vibrant deep violet eyes, and what appeared to be the makings of dark black hair. After deciding that the child appeared to be human and was harmless, the townsfolk decided to take him in. *** Almost six years later, a young elf with platinum blonde hair and green eyes rode into the town of Es¡¯p?r. Though he looked like a skilled fighter, some of the people of the town felt an aura of safety emitting from him, though since he was an elf most of the humans did not trust him. He wore leather armor and an impressive sword hung at his side. He rode his pitch-black stallion up to the entrance of the town¡¯s tavern and hitched him there. The owner of the tavern came out to greet the elf. ¡°What brings you to Es¡¯p?r, friend?¡± The tavern owner asked. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone,¡± the elf replied. The tavern owner looked the elf up and down curiously. ¡°The last time we had a stranger come to town looking for someone, that stranger nearly destroyed everything here.¡± He said suspiciously. ¡°And who might you be after?¡± The elf looked around and saw a boy, about six, with dark black hair, practicing at being a knight, by fighting a tree, with a stick. The boy was quite talented for someone his age and for someone who assumingly had no formal training. D¨ªn Zal? saw something of himself in the boy. The elf smiled, and then looked back at the tavern owner with a more serious face. ¡°You see this emblem?¡± The elf said pointing to his chest at a nightshade flower with six strange runes written across its center and petals. ¡°Do you know what this means?¡± The tavern owner took a long look at the emblem and then nodded. ¡°Aye, I know what it means. But it does not answer my question.¡± ¡°My name is D¨ªn Zal?,¡± the elf said. ¡°I am a knight of the Order of the Shades. I have ridden a long way in search of this town because I am here to find an apprentice.¡± The tavern owner snorted. ¡°An apprentice, here? Don¡¯t jest!¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. D¨ªn Zal? remained calm. ¡°Trust me, good sir, I am not in the mood for jests. And yes, I believe that the person I seek lives in this town.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the tavern owner thought for a moment, scratching his beard. ¡°And do you know who that person might be?¡± ¡°Yes, him.¡± D¨ªn Zal? said, pointing towards the boy with dark black hair. ¡°Him!¡± The tavern owner said surprised. He then let out a laugh. ¡°You mustn¡¯t be serious! He¡¯s just a local orphan he is, does nothing but get into trouble. I mean, just last week I caught him going through my rubbish. I asked him, ¡®what¡¯s you doing?¡¯ And he tried to tell me some nonsense about wanting to find something to feed the local stray dogs. Nonsense, I say!¡± Though D¨ªn Zal? was getting annoyed, he did not let it show. ¡°Regardless, I would like to meet him.¡± ¡°Have it your way. If you end up taking him off our hands, then good riddance I say.¡± The tavern owner whistled to get the boy¡¯s attention and then waved him over. ¡°Hey, boy! Come here!¡± The boy turned around, dropped his stick, and ran over to the tavern owner. D¨ªn Zal? was impressed with the boy¡¯s nimbleness, and also with his dark violet eyes, which were unknown to occur in humans. ¡°Yes, Mister Wan?¡± The boy said politely. ¡°This elf here, uh....¡± The tavern owner looked over at D¨ªn Zal? with a lost expression on his face. ¡°D¨ªn Zal?.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it. This elf here would like a word.¡± ¡°Oh, okay!¡± The boy said happily. He then bowed before the elf. ¡°Hello, my name is E...¡± ¡°Elijah Khan, yes I know. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± D¨ªn Zal? said cutting the boy off and also bowing. Elijah stood amazed. ¡°How did you know?¡± D¨ªn Zal? stood straight up as well. ¡°I know a great deal about you Elijah.¡± The elf then got down on one knee so he could look the boy in the eye. He rested a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder and smiled. ¡°I saw you practicing on that tree earlier. You¡¯re very skilled.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°I take it you want to become a knight one day?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Elijah gave the elf a big smile. ¡°Well, Elijah, it just so happens that I¡¯m a knight.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Elijah asked in awe. ¡°I am. I¡¯m a knight of the Order of the Shades. Do you know what that is?¡± Elijah shook his head, no, but D¨ªn Zal? continued to smile at him. ¡°We are a group of knights in charge of protecting this world from all sorts of evil people and monsters. I was sent here by the Grand Master of our Order to find you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Elijah asked surprised. ¡°Yes, you. Our Grand Master, Duncan Caine, has heard about you and thinks that you would make an excellent member of our Order. What do you say? Do you want to come with me and become a knight?¡± ¡°How did he hear about me?¡± ¡°Master Caine has his ways. Perhaps he will tell you one day. So, what do you say to my offer?¡± Elijah visibly shook with excitement and then looked over to the tavern owner. ¡°Can I go! Can I? Please!¡± Elijah tried his best to look persuasively adorable. D¨ªn Zal? stood up and smiled, knowing what the tavern owner¡¯s response would be. The tavern owner gave Elijah an affirmative nod and the boy jumped up and down. ¡°Yay! Yay!¡± Elijah shouted. ¡°Well, go get your things and we will be off. It¡¯s a long ride to the Drendal Tundra.¡± Elijah looked up at D¨ªn Zal? confused. ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s where the Shades live and train. We have a castle there called Night Hold. Come on, I will tell you about the rest on the way.¡± After Elijah gathered what little he owned, D¨ªn Zal? placed him on the back of his horse. The elf then climbed up and they set off. Chapter 2: The Trail - Part 1 He rode a stallion named Shadow, black as midnight, matching his hair. The one hundred and thirty-third year of the Golden Crown had just begun as he slowly went along the trail. He came upon their tracks half a day¡¯s ride from the village of Green Bank in The Midlands. He carefully examined their tracks with his vibrant violet eyes. The band of Ruffians he was tracking must have numbered around twenty, and based on the direction they were headings, they must have been the same group he had been tracking since Blind Gap, a small village in the North East corner of The Midlands. Now a knight in the Order of the Shades, Elijah had experienced a great deal during his nearly one hundred and fourteen-year tenure with the Order. Not only had he lived for over one hundred and twenty years, but he had also ventured across all of Terra and seen the vast majority of what the world had to offer. Though, he did desire to visit The Forge Mountains during their annual K?rv?log, something he had yet to do since his work required him to constantly be on the move.[1] Elijah had just crossed The Pilgrim¡¯s Path heading South towards Green Bank, when it began to grow dark. He rode down the road a little ways until The Pilgrim¡¯s Path was lost over the horizon, and then he found a quiet space amongst the forest, which surrounded the road on either side, to make camp. Elijah tied Shadow to a tree, took the saddle and bags off of him, and began to make a fire. After the fire was lit and stoked, Elijah walked over and began to pet Shadow as the horse grazed on the grass around him. ¡°I think you have the right idea,¡± Elijah said, smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can find to eat around here.¡± Elijah gave the horse a few more pats, removed his hand, and turned to leave. As he did, Shadow lifted up his head and nudged Elijah¡¯s face gently with his nose. Elijah laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, buddy. I won¡¯t wander too far. I¡¯ll be right back. Plus, there shouldn¡¯t be anything in these forests for someone as noble and as brave as you to be scared of.¡± Elijah looked at the horse out of the corner of his eye and grinned sarcastically. Shadow let out a neigh in annoyance and then went back to grazing. Elijah drew his sword and quietly walked deeper into the forest. *** Elijah¡¯s armor and sword matched that worn by his master D¨ªn Zal?, though Elijah¡¯s armor did not bear the Emblem of the Shades. In the time since Elijah became an apprentice, the reputation of the Shades had lessoned throughout Terra, and now most people looked upon them with scrutiny. Part of this scrutiny came from the rhetoric of the Golden Crown, whose growing influence over the years had raised suspicions around those who still associated with the Ancient Ones and did not accept the Golden Crown as the one true god and ruler. A similar rhetoric was put forth by the elven crown, who demanded undying loyalty and respect from her subjects. As for the common folk of Terra who did not bother with royal concerns, as Elijah had experienced, most were too oblivious to anything other than their daily toils to care about what mission or creed a knight¡¯s order followed. Though the Order of the Shades was not what it once was during D¨ªn Zal?¡¯s ¨C who was now the Grand Master of the Order ¨C time as a knight, Elijah never regretted joining the Order. *** While stalking through the woods, Elijah caught the unmistakable scent of blood, human blood. He changed direction and began following the stench. Soon, he came upon what appeared to be an abandoned camp. There were four tents, torn to shreds and smeared with blood, all sitting around what appeared to once be a campfire. Elijah examined the site carefully and determined that the tents were first cut by knives and then either hacked apart by axes and swords or ripped apart by hands. What Elijah found the most puzzling, however, was the lack of any corpses or even body parts. This lack of flesh was made even more odd by the amount of blood Elijah found around the camp. There was enough blood, either on or in the tents, covering trees, or pooled into puddles, to fill up four, or possibly even five, fully grown adult men. Elijah, who had been casually searching through the forest for food, now gripped the hilt of his sword tighter and became more tense.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Blast it,¡± he said to himself in a coarse whisper. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to figure out much more about what happened here in the dark, and by morning whoever ¨C or whatever ¨C did this will most likely be long gone.¡± He then slowly backed away from the ravaged camp and made his way back to Shadow. Shadow looked over as Elijah came out of the forest. The horse was clearly tired from the long day of riding. ¡°No luck on my end, buddy,¡± Elijah said, walking over to pet the horse. ¡°And, sadly, I think we might¡¯ve run into some trouble. I don¡¯t know if we are as alone in this forest as I had hoped.¡± The horse snorted, almost as if to sarcastically say, oh, great. Elijah continued to stroke the horse¡¯s neck and grinned in a way that showed he understood his faithful companion. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead and get some rest? I¡¯ll take the first watch.¡± Shadow nodded and neighed happily in agreement. Elijah stroked the horse a few more times and then went to go restock the fire, which was mostly smoldering coals by now. After restocking the fire, Elijah knelt down next to the flames. He kept his blade out and laid it across his knees. ¡°Sleep well,¡± he said to Shadow softly. ¡°And stop worrying. Everything¡¯s fine.¡± *** Time passed uneventfully until it was almost two hours past midnight. Elijah had kept a vigilant watch, but nothing, not even the wind, seemed to be moving through the forest. Growing weary, Elijah walked over to where Shadow slept. ¡°It¡¯s time to change shifts,¡± he said gently, stroking the horse. Shadow awoke slowly and glared at Elijah for a moment through a squinted eye. Elijah chuckled and then feigned sternness. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. We had a deal.¡± The horse squinted his eye a little more. Elijah responded by scrunching his face into an intimidating glare. Shadow had seen the same glare many times before. It was the same look Elijah wore before he crossed swords with an opponent he particularly disliked. Though, that made Elijah giving that look now all the more comical to Shadow, as Elijah was also fond of producing that face when the horse was being, as Elijah put it, though Shadow, if he could speak, would not agree, stubborn. However, Shadow also knew that Elijah only used that face as a last resort to beg him into compiling, and despite not wanting to cut his sleep short, Shadow could never truly deny his friend. Shadow let out a neigh of complaint but stood up and shook, like a wet dog might, in an attempt to toss the sleepiness from him. Elijah gave a sigh of relief and grinned. ¡°Thank you.¡± He then yawned, lied down with his back against a tree, and fell asleep. *** Elijah¡¯s dreams were pleasant. Currently, he dreamt about a time when he was a young apprentice at Night Hold¨C that he thought was rather hilarious though D¨ªn Zal? would disagree. Elijah had, as he recalled, borrowed something of value from Grand Master Duncan Caine, who grew furious upon learning that it had gone missing. When Caine found out Elijah had the item, he did not seem to agree with Elijah that the boy had simply borrowed it. The tanning that he received for his actions was none too hilarious, but the scolding that Caine gave the great D¨ªn Zal? about being more mindful of his apprentice, now that Elijah continued to laugh and tease his old master about to this day. It was during this section when Caine was just about to really start laying into D¨ªn Zal?, that Elijah was disturbed by what felt like something nudging him, trying to wake him up. Elijah, not wanting to miss the look on his master¡¯s face ¨C though he had recalled this memory in dream form or in thought hundreds of times ¨C swatted at whatever was nudging him and rolled over. Immediately after, Elijah felt the nudge again. Elijah mumbled some gibberish and pushed whatever was nudging him away for a second time. Then, suddenly, Elijah was awoken by Shadow¡¯s frantic neighing, the sensation of a hot wet liquid splashing his face, and the sound of a thud. K?rv?log is an annual festival the Dwarves of The Forge Mountains hold where they imbibe many different kinds of homemade alcohol and give awards to those that are rated most highly. It is even said that once, during the Second Era, the Dwarf, Dirk Ironbound, was made the King of the Dwarves after his home-brewed Anvil Ale was so widely beloved. ¡ü Chapter 2: The Trail - Part 2 Elijah jumped to his feet, sword in hand. He looked around, trying to determine what had happened and where Shadow had run off to. Though, by that time, the frantic neighing had stopped, and the horse, along with whatever attacked it, was gone. Elijah wiped the hot wet liquid off his face and found that it was not blood but some sticky thick black substance. This realization slightly calmed Elijah¡¯s fears, as he was initially concerned Shadow was wounded. He then slowly examined the area for any indication of where Shadow had gone or what had scared him. The first thing Elijah came upon was a set of horse tracks leading deeper into the forest. There was an indention in the grass near the beginning of the tracks as if a large body had been knocked down. However, the imprint did not resemble the shape of a horse but of a long and lanky figure. Elijah estimated the height of the creature to be roughly eight-foot tall. He also noticed that the creature was almost impossibly thin for its height. Whatever had scared Shadow must have been mishappened and boney. Expertly following Shadow¡¯s tracks, Elijah began searching for his companion. During this search, he came upon more unsettling signs. There was another set of tracks amongst Shadow¡¯s as if following the horse. These tracks resembled something out of a nightmare and confirmed Elijah¡¯s fear about what lurked in the forest. The tracks slightly resembled a humanoid¡¯s foot, though the five toes were extremely narrow and elongated. The pad of the foot was nearly eighteen inches long, and the toes ranged anywhere from six to ten inches in length. From the tracks, Elijah could tell that each digit was accompanied by a talon. D¨ªn Zal? had told Elijah long ago about such a creature and had warned him that it is best to avoid them at all costs. But Elijah had to rescue his companion, regardless of the danger. Regardless of the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka(WAY-TEE-CAH) prowling about.[1] Equipped with the knowledge of what he was facing, Elijah knew his next task was to find the creature¡¯s lair. He also knew that this must be accomplished before sunset, as it would be nearly impossible for him to win a fight against a We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka in the dark. ¡°Please have escaped,¡± Elijah whispered to himself worriedly as he continued to follow Shadow¡¯s tracks. This search lasted for several hours until he came upon a sign that allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. Shadow¡¯s tracks had darted off towards the right, the direction of the road, whereas the creature¡¯s tracks continued to go straight. The creature must have given up the chase once the sun fully rose. Elijah thought to himself. And it looks like Shadow managed to find his way back to the road. Elijah took a deep breath and chuckled to himself. You always did know how to disappear right before trouble. He thought as if talking to his horse. Well, at least you¡¯re safe. Now, time to deal with the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka. Elijah continued tracking the creature until he noticed that its tracks veered off to the left and went down a steep hill into a slight ravine. Elijah carefully made his way down the hill, and once he got to the bottom, he began to smell the nauseating yet strangely sweet aroma of decaying flesh. Elijah knew the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka¡¯s cave was nearby, and he prepared himself to come face to face with the creature. *** The ravine Elijah trekked through appeared to have been carved by a river, which was now nothing more than a small creek trickling along. Stones and tiny pebbles lay littered about the landscape. Not idle terrain for footing. Elijah thought. ¡°The wisdom one gains from hundreds of battles is not how to overcome your opponent despite the terrain,¡± D¨ªn Zal? had once told a much younger Elijah. ¡°But how to overcome the terrain despite your opponent. In most scenarios, the least important part of a battle is who you are battling.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Elijah shook his head, snorted, and grinned, thinking about his master¡¯s words. D¨ªn always did love to philosophize. Despite having grown accustomed to the riddles and metaphors his master spoke in, Elijah had yet to appreciate or even understand some of them. A sharp sword will always defeat sharp words. That was Elijah¡¯s philosophy. At least before D¨ªn Zal? showed him otherwise. *** Walking down the ravine in search of the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka¡¯s cave seemed to be taking all day, and Elijah began to let his mind wander. He thought back to his training at Night Hold over one-hundred years ago. One day, when Elijah was about fourteen, he was overflowing with confidence, as all boys at that age are, and had become particularly annoyed with his master¡¯s lectures and thought experiments. ¡°Wrong!¡± D¨ªn Zal? said, criticizing his young apprentice, as Elijah attempted to practice dueling with another young apprentice named Martin Fey. Martin was a few years older than Elijah and nearly a half-foot taller. He continually overpowered Elijah as they dueled with their wooden swords, and Elijah had begun to get frustrated. As Elijah¡¯s frustration grew, so did his sloppiness, and Martin was making him pay for every mistake. Eventually, D¨ªn Zal? grew tired of watching his apprentice be defeated, walked over, and grabbed Elijah by the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now,¡± he said calmly, with a tone of understanding. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Elijah had said, full of fury. ¡°How am I supposed to defeat someone if they are stronger than me?¡± D¨ªn Zal? no longer had to take a knee to look his apprentice in the eyes. Elijah now stood around the same height as the elf ¨C roughly five foot nine. Though Elijah was glad that he continued to grow for a few more years since now, he was six foot two and stood taller than most people he encountered. ¡°In battle, you are confronting yourself more often than you are confronting your opponent,¡± D¨ªn Zal? said. ¡°How is that supposed to help me!¡± Elijah said emotionally. D¨ªn Zal? closed his eyes, lightly breathed in, and then exhaled. ¡°My boy,¡± he began. ¡°Do not let your mind be clouded by worries and doubts. Even the greatest warriors have no control over the abilities and tactics of their foes. Focus on yourself and what you can control. You¡¯ve trained well, let your skills and knowledge guide you. The only thing you can control is what you do, so stop focusing on everything else. You cannot make Martin smaller physically.¡± D¨ªn Zal? took a moment to meaningfully look Elijah in the eyes. ¡°But you can, however, make him smaller here,¡± he said, touching Elijah on the forehead. Elijah glared at his master for a moment, D¨ªn Zal? could tell his apprentice found the lesson annoying. Finally, Elijah¡¯s emotions took over, and he yelled, ¡°And what exactly do you know? You¡¯re just an old man! When was the last time you ever actually fought someone? Can you even swing a real sword anymore!¡± Elijah then yanked away from his master¡¯s hand and stormed off. *** How stupid I was. Elijah thought to himself while walking down the ravine. If only the younger me could have seen D¨ªn fight that group of Ruffians in Shawsport a couple of decades later. Elijah chuckled. I definitely would not have been yelling at him then.[2] A few moments later, the stench of decay that Elijah had grown accustomed to while walking down the ravine returned, more putrid than before. The We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka¡¯s cave must have been extremely near, but it had begun to grow late. Elijah knew the sun would surely set in an hour or two. He knew he did not have long before the creature would have the advantage. This realization would have worried a younger Elijah, it may have even been enough to force him to abandon his mission. Now, however, it was not terror that painted his face but excitement. Let the night come. He thought. It will be easier for the creature to find me than it will be for me to find it anyways. And besides, we have to overcome our terrain despite our opponent. Right, D¨ªn? What better practice is there for low-vision night combat than to fight a We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka? So, Elijah stopped walking and kneeled down next to the trickling creek in the ravine. He closed his eyes and began to meditate, preparing his mind and body for combat. Soon, the sun disappeared below the horizon, and darkness engulfed the forest. The We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka slowly emerged from its cave, smelling Elijah¡¯s flesh. Elijah heard the creature¡¯s long and sharp talons scrap against the rock as it approached him.
  1. We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka is an Elvish slang term for People Eater, a creature created through cannibalism. For more insight into the Elvish language see Appendix E. For additional information about the flora and fauna of Terra, see Appendix H. ¡ü
  2. Shawsport is a town in Last Light. For more information about the Towns and Providences of Terra see Appendices B and C. ¡ü
Chapter 2: The Trail - Part 3 Elijah¡¯s movements were somewhat unlike those of his master. Every knight of the Order of the Shades developed their own unique style of combat. Honed through decades of experience. However, most Shades knew the basics of each other¡¯s techniques. D¨ªn Zal? held his sword with a reverse grip and performed quick and shallow half-turns that either slashed or stabbed his opponent, depending on the direction of the turn. This technique became known as the Way of the Gale. It was highly aggressive, and few could defend against it. Though, if one could, the Way of the Gale had very few defensive maneuvers. Luckily for D¨ªn Zal?, he had yet to meet such an opponent. Duncan Caine, on the other hand, relied mostly on his stature and strength. He wielded a hefty broadsword two-handed and fought using powerful, full-bodied strikes that could cleave stone. This technique was called the Way of the Thunder and was named in honor of the cracking sound that Caine¡¯s strikes produced upon impact. Elijah¡¯s style, however, resembled more of a dance. His attacks were fluid as he swept his blade lightly through the air in a figure-eight-like pattern. His attacks were accompanied by a similar set of movements, consisting of meticulously practiced footwork, as he continuously circled his opponent. He called this technique the Way of the Water, and it was equally reliable on offense and defense. Elijah fluidly spun around his opponent, striking quickly from multiple angles. Very few had lasted long against him in combat. And, if the situation did not require much effort, all Shades could also revert to the basic Way of the Shade that all new apprentices learned. This technique combined all of the common attacks and defenses and laid a sound foundation for future development.[1] There was also one last mysterious technique Elijah could use, though he rarely had to resort to it, and only in fighting against his master had he ever come close to fully harnessing the technique¡¯s full potential. Elijah knew he was the only being on Terra who could harness this power. He also knew that this power was why D¨ªn Zal? searched for him all those years ago. But Elijah had yet to figure out what the purpose of his having such power was. *** The We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka screeched in frustration. None of its attacks had yet landed. Elijah was masterfully deflecting its sharp talons, but it was also able to defend against all of Elijah¡¯s attacks so far. The creature and Elijah both stood in the creek at the bottom of the ravine. They were facing each other, and each was pacing, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The creature suddenly leaped forward and swiped its long and sharp talons at Elijah¡¯s face. Elijah expertly deflected the blow and spun around to strike the creature. However, the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka proved too agile and jumped away from Elijah¡¯s blow. Elijah cursed under his breath in frustration and spat on the ground. This fight had been going on for too long, and he began to feel himself tiring. I¡¯ve got to land a blow, he thought. Then maybe that will slow this monster down. Elijah knew that he had to switch tactics. He inhaled deeply and squinted his eyes at the creature. He contorted his face into a look that his horse Shadow was very familiar with and then spun his sword around in his hand so that now he was holding it in a reverse grip, just like his old master. Elijah let out a yell and rushed towards the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka. The creature responded and lunged toward Elijah. Less than a second before the creature was in range to claw at Elijah, the knight swiftly turned his body ninety degrees so that now he was facing the left wall of the ravine. He nimbly swung his sword as he spun. He heard a wet squelching noise and felt a warm liquid spray his hand. He then repeated the turn so that he was facing the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka again. This time, Elijah spun with the tip of the sword pointing towards the creature. Elijah¡¯s sword pierced the creature in the middle of its ribcage. The creature let out a dying gasp of air, and Elijah roughly yanked his sword out of the monster¡¯s torso. When the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka¡¯s corpse hit the ground, it split in two as Elijah¡¯s first blow and almost entirely severed it at the waist. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Elijah looked down at the creature, slung the majority of the viscera off of his sword, washed the rest of the blood off in the creek, and dried the sword by rubbing it on a patch of grass. I¡¯m sure glad D¨ªn wasn¡¯t around to see that, he thought. He would never stop gloating over how his technique is superior to mine. Elijah grinned at the thought of his master and then put his sword back in its sheath. *** Upon climbing out of the ravine and walking towards the road, Elijah heard a familiar set of hoofs trotting towards him. He turned around to find his dependable stead Shadow, standing before him, in perfect health. ¡°It¡¯s very much like you to show up the moment a battle is through,¡± Elijah said sarcastically. He walked over and began petting the horse. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay, buddy.¡± Shadow neighed happily as Elijah, and he made their way back to the road. Once they got to the road, Elijah climbed onto Shadow. ¡°No more detours for a while, what do you say?¡± Elijah asked, patting his horse on the neck. Shadow shook his head in agreement, and Elijah chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I thought you¡¯d agree. Now to find those Ruffians.¡± As Shadow trotted down the road, Elijah began to drift off into sleep. The fight against the We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka had taken a lot of his stamina. Every now and then, a rough part of the trail would jolt him awake, but for the most part, he slept well. *** The Ruffian band led by Commander Kag¨¦ arrived in Green Bank, a small village on the banks of the Green River in The Midlands, nearly two days prior.[2] It did not take long before they had ransacked the town and made the local tavern ¨C The Tamed Cock ¨C their base of operations. The mayor of Green Bank, James O¡¯Dell, stayed locked inside of his manor with the rest of the townsfolk he considered important. Commander Kag¨¦ had ordered his men to pillage the town and its nearby lands until they were bored. Once the boredom set in, then the Ruffians would break into the manor and conclude their murdering and stealing. At least in this area. One of the members of Kag¨¦¡¯s band stumbled out of the tavern to relieve himself in some nearby bushes. The Ruffians had been drinking heavily since they arrived. The man who was reliving himself had a particularly ugly face that could be attributed to his crooked nose that appeared to have broken, and poorly reset, no less than six times. Upon concluding his business, the man heard what he thought sounded like a canary, which was beyond common in these parts. He turned around and was immediately met with a mop handle across his face, which rebroke his already disfigured nose. The man lay on the ground, riving in pain until a knife slid across his throat, silencing him. Above the particularly ugly, previously stinking drunk, and now stone-dead man was a young girl with dark red hair and emerald-green eyes. She could not have been older than eleven. Her name was Lily. She was a local orphan girl and someone the mayor did not think was important enough to keep protected in his manor.
  1. For more information about the many different fighting styles across Terra see Appendix J. ¡ü
  2. For more information about the important people and places of Terra see Appendices C and G. ¡ü
Chapter 2: The Trail - Part 4 Elijah arrived in Green Bank a little after dawn. He had tracked the Ruffians to this small village, and based on the appearance of the surroundings and the ruckus erupting from the village¡¯s tavern, he concluded that he had finally caught up with his target. He slowly rode his horse Shadow up the main street of the village, taking in all the destruction the Ruffians had already caused. As he approached the tavern, he dismounted his horse, and hitched it to a nearby post. ¡°Stay right here,¡± Elijah told Shadow, before patting the horse¡¯s neck. Shadow let out a disgruntled whinny, not liking the looks of the village. Elijah gave his old friend a playful smirk and then turned to walk into the tavern. ¡°A¡¯t¨ª c¨¦ ¨¦s,¡± an Elvish Ruffian hissed to one of his comrades as they watched Elijah enter the tavern.[1] ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like much to me,¡± the other Ruffian replied. Elijah glanced around the tavern carefully as he walked through the door. After taking a second to examine the area, he walked up to the bar and sat down on an empty stool. ¡°I¡¯ll have a Dwarven stout,¡± Elijah told the tavern keeper, who appeared to be weary and frightened. Soon after Elijah¡¯s request he received his stout. He sat quietly and drank a few sips while also listening in to the conversations happening around him. While eavesdropping, Elijah learned that the mayor of the village ¨C James O¡¯Dell ¨C had locked himself and a few other people inside his manor, and that the leader of the Ruffians had instructed his men to set fire to the manor by day¡¯s end. ¡°Commander Kag¨¦ said that it would be easier to sift through this town¡¯s ashes for their gold,¡± Elijah overheard one of the Ruffians say. ¡°Yeah! And a nice bonfire would be a perfect way to end our stay in this dump!¡± Another Ruffian replied. Elijah managed to get a few more sips of his Dwarven stout before a handful of Ruffians walked over to interrogate him. ¡°What do we have ¡®ere?¡± The leader of this small group said to the rest of his men. ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s lost!¡± ¡°Not lost,¡± Elijah responded without looking up from his drink. ¡°Just passing through.¡± ¡°Oh, well then you must be quite unlucky,¡± the Ruffian replied. ¡°You see, we here control this village now. And ain¡¯t nobody allowed in or out without the Commander¡¯s say!¡± The Ruffian glared at Elijah for a moment, waiting to see if he was going to get a reaction out of him. When Elijah did not budge, an evil smirk crept across the Ruffian¡¯s face. ¡°So, which will it be? We can take you to see the Commander breathing, or we can take you to the Commander cold?¡± The Ruffian then reached and put his hand upon the hilt of his sword. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Elijah closed his eyes and let out a brief sigh before quickly leaping to his feet. The handful of Ruffians standing beside him did not have time to flinch before Elijah had finished cutting them down. It took a second for the rest of the tavern to react to what had just occurred, but once they did, the rest of the Ruffians ¨C roughly two dozen in total ¨C charged Elijah, baring whatever weapons they had on them. Being surrounded and severally outnumbered did not phase Elijah, especially since his fighting style ¨C The Way of the Water ¨C was well suited to fending off multiple attackers.[2] Elijah effortlessly spun and pirouetted while swinging his blade. It was a brutal ballet, as Elijah masterfully dispatched each of his attackers. When the melee was finished, the roughly two dozen Ruffians now more resembled a bloody pool filled with limbs. Elijah wiped his blade clean and then turned to talk to the tavern keeper. ¡°You are safe now. I will cleanse your town of the rest of this filth soon.¡± Elijah then turned and exited The Tamed Hen. *** As Elijah exited the tavern Shadow looked up from grazing to check on him. Noticing that Elijah was drenched in blood, and having heard the commotion inside, Shadow knew what had happened. The horse let out a snort of disapproval as Elijah walked over and grab a cloth to wipe the blood from his face and hands. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped,¡± Elijah said, responding to Shadow¡¯s snort. ¡°They must have had a problem with my face or something.¡± Elijah grinned slightly and patted the horse. All of the commotion at The Tamed Hen had alerted the rest of the Ruffians in the village to Elijah¡¯s presence, and soon after Elijah finished cleaning himself, dozens more Ruffians had appeared. Along with them was their leader, Commander Kag¨¦. ¡°What is the meaning of all this!¡± Kag¨¦ yelled as he made his way to the front of the pack of Ruffians now encircling Elijah. ¡°Someone murderer everyone in the tavern!¡± One of the Ruffian¡¯s cried out. ¡°What! Nonsense!¡± Kag¨¦ said furiously. He then finally made his way to the front of the pack and found Elijah standing there, sword in hand. ¡°And who might you be?¡± Kag¨¦ asked. ¡°My name is Elijah Khan, and I am a knight in the Order of the Shades. I have tracked your band from Blind Gap, and I am here to bring peace to this town,¡± Elijah responded sternly. Commander Kag¨¦ let out a hearty laugh and then responded. ¡°And how, O, knight, do you plan to do all of that?¡± A wide and sinister smile appeared on Kag¨¦¡¯s face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come find out?¡± Elijah said coldly, preparing himself for battle. Commander Kag¨¦ snorted and then threw off the duster jacket he had been wearing. He appeared far stronger than Elijah, and he wielded a massive two-handed axe. ¡°What do you say boys,¡± Kag¨¦ cried out to his men. ¡°How about some entertainment!¡± The group of Ruffians encircling Elijah cheered out in joy. It was understood that this battle was a one on one, and they were excited to see their Commander clash steel against an opponent. ¡°You first,¡± Elijah said with a smile. Then Commander Kag¨¦ rushed towards him, swinging his axe downwards towards Elijah¡¯s head. Elijah quickly spun and dodged the blow, leading to Kag¨¦ burying his axe in the ground. Frustrated, Kag¨¦ quickly pulled his axe from the dirt and swung at Elijah again, this time horizontally, aiming for his midsection. Elijah parried the blow and attacked with an overhead diagonal strike of his own. Kag¨¦ raised his axe up and blocked the strike with the middle of the handle. Kag¨¦ then kicked Elijah in the chest, causing Elijah to slide backwards a few feet. Thus, their tremendous battle began. *** Looking on from the window of an abandoned and wrecked house, Lily watched in amazement as Elijah and Kag¨¦ fought. She was in awe at every attack, perry, and dodge. Watching Elijah¡¯s masterful and fluid movements gave her hope that her village would be saved. But, as soon as that thought entered her mind she began to remember that her life as a poor orphaned girl in Green Bank was not that much better before the Ruffians arrived. She then began to fantasize, as she often did, about one day leaving the village and traveling across all of Terra, embarking on countless adventures. Then, suddenly, that fantasy was pushed from her mind by the loud sound of the clanking of steel as the fighting between Elijah and Commander Kag¨¦ began to intensify.
  1. A¡¯t¨ª c¨¦ ¨¦s is Elvish for who is this. For more insight into the Elvish language see Appendix E. To ask who are you, one would say A¡¯t¨ª c¨¦ t¨¹a. For a guide on pronunciation, see Appendix A. ¡ü
2. To read more about the different fighting styles of the Shades see Appendix J. ¡ü Chapter 2: The Trail - Part 5 ¡°Not bad for a knight,¡± Commander Kag¨¦ said with a grin as he and Elijah briefly disengaged from combat. ¡°Maybe there is more to you than I first thought.¡± ¡°I appreciate the compliment,¡± Elijah said with a smile, while also preparing himself for another strike. They then charged towards each other furiously. The sound of their blades clashing was equal to that of the clanging of the bells atop the great Cathedral of Brit¨¦ L¨¹n¨¦.[1] The two exchanged several blows, but neither gained the advantage. Commander Kag¨¦ swung his axe downwards overhead, but Elijah blocked the blow with an upwards thrust of his sword with the blade horizontal. Elijah then kicked his right leg out, sweeping Commander Kag¨¦ off of his feet. Kag¨¦ responded by immediately jumping back to his feet in frustration. As Kag¨¦ regained his footing, Elijah changed the grip on his sword, switching to the reverse-grip style of his master D¨ªn Zal?.[2] Enraged, Commander Kag¨¦ charged towards Elijah. Elijah prepared to perform the half-turn slash associated with his master¡¯s style, but once he swung his blade he found that Kag¨¦ had changed his path and was now standing to Elijah¡¯s side. ¡°Too slow, I¡¯m afraid,¡± said Commander Kag¨¦ tauntingly. ¡°Are you sure your confidence was not misplaced?¡± Kag¨¦ let out a chuckle. Elijah stood before Commander Kag¨¦, studying his opponent. He changed his grip on his sword back to the normal one associated with his own style of fighting. Elijah stared his opponent down for several moments and then closed his eyes and breathed deeply in through his nose. This breathe served the purpose of calming him, and helped him prepare himself for the mighty wave of power he was about to unleash. Upon exhaling Elijah¡¯s demeanor changed. He stood up straight and relaxed, while Commander Kag¨¦ looked on in confusion. Elijah then inhaled deeply once more, and then upon exhaling slowly opened his eyes. The light of Elijah¡¯s gaze was bling, and Commander Kag¨¦ stood frozen in awe. From deep within himself, Elijah had drawn forth an ancient magic he rarely used. Standing before Kag¨¦ was not the same man he had previously battled. Elijah¡¯s once pitch black hair had now turned a blinding white, and his once deep violet eyes had transformed into a haunting silver. Kag¨¦ stumbled backwards as Elijah stared him down. ¡°Who...what...what are you,¡± Commander Kag¨¦ said shakily, stumbling back. ¡° I am,¡± replied Elijah coldly, in a voice very different from his own. The he rushed towards Kag¨¦ like a bolt of lightning. *** It took many years ¨C in fact lifetimes for a human ¨C before Elijah fully understood his significance. When D¨ªn Zal? rescued him from Es¡¯p?r Elijah was just a babe and had no idea of his importance. It was only during his training at Night Hold in the Drendal Tundra under the guidance of his master D¨ªn and the Grand Master of the Shades, Duncan Caine, that Elijah began to understand the power the lay within him. For reasons unknown, he had been chosen by the Ancient One T?zc¨¢l to be imbued with mighty forces. Unbeknownst to anyone, these forces are what protected his mother Silas, allowing her to defeat her father, thus assuring Elijah¡¯s birth. After the Ancient Ones departed Terra there was peace as the many races achieved maturity. However, soon dark forces arose, and to protect the world, T?zc¨¢l, the leader of the Ancient Ones, bestowed a gift to those residing on Terra. Thus, the first imbued was born. This person wielded great power, and was charged by T?zc¨¢l with protecting Terra from evil and destruction. After wandering throughout Terra, the first imbued was sent a vision by T?zc¨¢l instructing them to journey to the Drendal Tundra ¨C until then unsullied by the presence of any living thing. There, the first imbued found the Night Hold and established the Order of the Shades. Upon establishing the order, the first imbued was again given a vision by T?zc¨¢l. This vision instructed the first imbued in the purpose of the Shades, and how the power of the imbued would be passed down throughout the ages. ¡°I have given thee a portion of my power,¡± T?zc¨¢l said unto the first imbued. ¡°With it, you also receive a charge. You must protect Terra from the forces of darkness that wish to overthrow order. The Order of the Shades, which you have created upon my instruction are to be a peacekeeping force. But a second task they also have. They are also the searchers and protectors of the power in which I have bestowed upon you. Once you die, your power will be transferred to another, and it is the Shades¡¯ purpose to find the one into whom the power of the imbued will transfer.¡± The first imbued nodded their head in understanding, and began the task of recruiting members to the Order of the Shades. Then, upon the first imbued¡¯s death, the power of T?zc¨¢l passed to another. After many generations, the power of the imbued made its way to Elijah. Who, now after over one-hundred years as a member of the Shades, understood his purpose, and could now wield his immense power with deadly precision. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. *** Elijah¡¯s movements were swift. Commander Kag¨¦ stood frozen as Elijah approached, like an unaware building in the path of a tornado. Elijah¡¯s strikes were imperceptible to all of those watching. To onlookers it appeared as if Elijah had passed through Kag¨¦ like a phantom. Elijah stood with his back towards Kag¨¦ who was facing away from Elijah. Elijah closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then suddenly his hair and eyes returned to normal,, and the aura around him changed. Elijah sheathed his sword and slowly turned around to look at Kag¨¦. As soon as he did, Kag¨¦¡¯s body collapsed to the ground, dead. The rest of the Ruffians looked on dumbfounded, and an eerie silence filled the air. Then, as if the thought occurred to each of them at once, the Ruffians drew their weapons and rushed towards Elijah, who calmly stood his ground. As the first wave of Ruffians closed in, Elijah drew his sword and delicately dismembered them. Wave upon wave of Ruffians assailed Elijah, as quickly the pile of bodies surrounding Elijah grew. Then, some of the Ruffians began fearing the idea of confronting Elijah in hand to hand combat. Out of this group, many fled, but some drew their thunder fists, and began to take aim at Elijah.[3] Elijah was too focused on those charging him to notice the Ruffians taking aim from afar. Luckily for him, Lily was still watching the battle from an abandoned building, and upon seeing the Ruffians draw their weapons, leapt into action. Lily, being small for her age, found that creeping up behind the Ruffians quite easily. There were three of them aiming their weapons at Elijah, who was still masterfully dissecting the Ruffians foolish enough to charge him. Lily quickly slit the Achilles tendon on two of the Ruffians ¨C who both fell to the ground screaming in pain ¨C before the third Ruffian noticed that something was happening. The third Ruffian turned around to see what his comrades were screaming about, and when he did he saw that Lily had quickly sliced both of their throats. Shocked, but not shaken, the third Ruffian pointed his thunder fist towards Lily, who was standing just too far away to strike him before he could pull the trigger. The Ruffian stared Lily down, as she slowly stood up to face him. The Ruffian found it quite unnerving to see the young girl drenched in the blood of his fallen comrades, but despite her age, he was not going to show her any more kindness than she had shown them. Lily stood still and calm as she watched the Ruffian lower his weapon so that it was aimed at her face. ¡°Such a waste,¡± the Ruffian growled right be he pulled the trigger. Lily closed her eyes anticipating the shot. But then suddenly Lily heard a blood-curdling scream, and opened her eyes to see the Ruffian standing before her with blood gushing out of what was left of his dismembered arm that once held his weapon. She looked down to see the other part of his arm lying on the ground beside him still tightly clenching his weapon. Looking back up, she saw Elijah standing menacingly behind the Ruffian, and then with one quick and deadly accurate strike, Elijah freed the Ruffians head from his shoulders. It rolled across the ground towards Lily, and once it came to a stop, its cold dead eyes were looking up at her. Lily spit on the head, and then kicked it away. *** ¡°Thank you for your help back there,¡± Elijah said to Lily after he had cleaned his blade and wiped the blood from his face. ¡°No problem!¡± Lily responded cheerfully. ¡°It seemed like you needed the help.¡± Elijah let out a laugh and grinned while he looked down upon the little girl. ¡°Right you are.¡± Elijah took a minute to glance upon the town, now half-ruined and littered with the corpses of the Ruffians. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get you back to your parents.¡± Lily¡¯s mood quickly changed after hearing this comment, and she looked towards the ground away from Elijah, almost out of shame. ¡°What is it,¡± Elijah asked, sensing that something was wrong. ¡°Nothing,¡± Lily responded, still not wanting to make eye contact. Elijah could tell from the tone of her voice that she was tearing up. Elijah was quiet for a moment, pondering what he should say next. Then he knelt down beside Lily, and put a hand upon her shoulder. ¡°How long has it been since you lost them?¡± He kindly asked. ¡°A little over five years. There was another Ruffian attack on our village back then, and they...they...¡± Lily was now crying, and could not finish her story, but Elijah had heard enough to infer the rest. ¡°Do you know what I am?¡± Elijah asked after a moment¡¯s pause. Lily shook her head yes without looking up at him. ¡°And then I assume you know what I do?¡± Lily shook her head again. Elijah took a deep breath, as if he was unsure whether to ask his next question. As he was contemplating his thoughts, Lily look up and met his eyes. Tears were streaming down her face, but she no longer appeared sad. Determination blazed in her eyes. ¡°I want to join you!¡± Lily blurted out. Elijah stared into her eyes, searching her thoughts. He saw that she was not going to take no for an answer. ¡°If that is your wish,¡± Elijah said with a grin. Lily stood before him in disbelief. She did not think he would have agreed so easily. Then without a word she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He was the first person to have cared for her in a long time, and from that day forward she admired him, and loved him deeply. *** After collecting his belongings and preparing Shadow for the long journey back to the Drendal Tundra, Elijah lifted Lily up on the horse and the two of them set out, never to return to the village of Green Bank.
  1. This cathedral is located in the town of A¡¯p?r¡¯i¨¦ in S¨¦dali?. Here the elves hold festivals to the full and new moons. Cathedral in this sense does not implicate a religious function, but only refers to the shape and styling of the building. In Elvish, Brit¨¦ L¨¹n¨¦ means moon light and A¡¯p?r¡¯i¨¦ means worship. To read more about the Elvish language see Appendices A and E. ¡ü
  2. To read more about the different fighting styles of the Shades see Appendix J. ¡ü
  3. Thunder fists is a slang term for the black powder projectile weapons solely utilized by the Ruffians. These weapons are similar to the guns of the modern world. Known as F??n¨¥¨¥d?s in the Dwarvish tongue and Po¡¯er¡¯i¨¦ in the language of the Elves. The black powder used in these weapons can only be found in The Forge Lands, and the mining and processing of this material is controlled solely by a criminal syndicate of Dwarves known as the L?nbr¨¹t¨§s. ¡ü
Updated Appendix Materials Appendix A: Pronunciations K?rv?log ¨C CORE-VAH-SH-LOG X¨¹l ¨C ZEWL We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka ¨C WAY-TEE-CAH Appendix B: Major Providences of Terra The Annex ¨C A sliver of The Midlands seized by the Golden Crown in the 114th Year G.C. Appendix C: Important Locations in Terra Blind Gap ¨C A small village in the North East corner of The Midlands. This is where Elijah picked up the trail of the band of Ruffians that he followed to Green Bank. Shawsport ¨C A port town on the South East coast of Last Light. Elijah¡¯s master D¨ªn Zal? expertly defeated an entire band of Ruffians here with ease. Thus, showing Elijah why he was known throughout Terra as the greatest swordsman who ever lived. Appendix D: Timeline of Major Events Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. 114th Year G.C. ¨C The Annex taken by the Golden Crown. Appendix E: Translating Elvish Kam? ¨C A base word meaning to eat in Elvish. We¡¯t¨ª ¨C A base word meaning people in Elvish. We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka ¨C A complex slang word meaning people eater in Elvish. Appendix G: People of Terra Shadow ¨C Elijah¡¯s trusty steed. A midnight black stallion that was born in the Drendal Tundra. Members of the Shades only ride horses from this specific herd who have lived within the Tundra¡¯s strange environment for centuries. The taming of one¡¯s horse is one of the final tests that an apprentice Shade must past along the pathway to knighthood. Martin Fey ¨C Another apprentice of the Shades who trained around the same time as Elijah. Sadly, he was later killed in the line of duty by the Nether Mage ¨C also known as a Necromancer or a Devourer ¨C X¨¹l. Appendix H: Flora and Fauna of Terra We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka ¨C The Elvish slang term for People Eater. This creature is created through the practice of cannibalism. There is not much known about these creatures as they are extremely rare and dangerous. Areas known to be prowled by a We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka are abandoned by those who live near and avoided by all cost. It may be of interest to note that Knowing Ones have determined that cannibalism on its own is not enough to create a We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka. It is suspected that only cannibalism not practiced through necessity nor through religious ritual can lead to the creation of a We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka. Some also think that evil must exist within the heart of the person before they consume the flesh of other humanoids for them to transform into the creature. Lastly, there are no known cases of the immortal races ¨C such as Dryads ¨C becoming We¡¯t¨ª¡¯ka. Appendix J: Fighting Styles The Way of the Gale ¨C The Shade fighting style created by D¨ªn Zal?. The sword is held in a reverse-grip and the fighter performs quick and shallow half-turns that either slash or stab the opponent, depending on the direction of the turn. The name comes from the wind like movements of the fighter. The Way of the Shade ¨C The basic Shade fighting style taught to all new apprentices of the Order of the Shades. Apprentices practice this form until it becomes ingrained within them, allowing them to perform the moves without thought. An apprentice can only begin crafting their own style of fighting after they have demonstrated complete mastery over The Way of the Shade. The Way of the Thunder ¨C The Shade fighting style created by Duncan Caine. This fighting style utilizes a massive great sword that is held with two hands. The fighter delivers powerful full-bodied strikes. It is said that Grand Master Caine could cleave boulders utilizing this fighting style. The name comes from the sound that the strikes make upon impact. The Way of the Water ¨C The Shade fighting style created by Elijah Khan. The sword is usually held in one hand and the fighter swings it in fluid movements in the shape of a figure eight. The sword strokes are accompanied by meticulous footwork, making it a very hard form to defend against. The name comes from the water-like motions of the fighter. Chapter 3: The Ruffian - Part 1 They sat on their heavily armored horses upon a hill overlooking the quiet village of Knoll. In front of them sat their leader, Bradshaw Blight, an intimidatingly large man with the countless scars he earned in battle tattooed across his face, arms, and bare chest. No less than three hundred strong they were. They were undoubtedly the most feared Ruffian clan in the area, spreading terror throughout the towns and villages along the border of Hal?n and The Midlands. They waited patiently and with deafening silence. Quietly preparing themselves for the raid that would commence on Blight¡¯s signal. Among those in the front of the formation was Clyde Freeborn, a seventeen-year-old boy who was captured as a toddler by Blight during a raid and raised amongst the Ruffians. Now, nearly eighteen, Clyde had yet to accompany Blight and his clan on a raid. However, now was the time for Clyde to prove himself a man to Blight and the rest of the Clan. Below, the people of Knoll went about their peaceful day unaware of the nearby threat. Life in Knoll was harmonious, with elves and humans living, working, and intermarrying with one another. Even the occasional nomadic dwarf would come by from time to time to sell their wares and restock on supplies. The people of Knoll lived happily and carefree and had no reason to do otherwise. Despite the Ruffian raids on other towns and villages in the area, Knoll had not been attacked in generations. The people of Knoll contributed this to the small size of their village and the low profile they kept. Unless one meant to travel to Knoll, or stumbled upon it due to becoming lost, one was unlikely to encounter the village. Amongst this tranquility, a young half-elven girl named Ferra L? played with her friends in the market. Believing, like everyone else, that she was safe. *** Blight slowly rode his horse back and forth on top of the hill, observing the village and its people like a hawk. Then, satisfied with his observations he turned to his men. ¡°On my signal! Take whatever you can carry and kill anyone who tries to stop you!¡± Blight paused for a moment to stare at his men. Clyde felt Blight¡¯s gaze upon him and was filled with a mixture of anxiety, fear, and excitement. He had waited all his life for this moment. Blight then turned his horse to face Knoll. ¡°Charge!¡± The Ruffians¡¯ horses sounded like thunder descending the hill towards Knoll. They hollered and yelled battle cries as they approached the village. They met little resistance as they stormed into town, but suddenly found that the people of Knoll were much more capable of defending themselves than the Ruffians initially thought. Though now peaceful farmers and merchants, many of the adults of Knoll had once been soldiers. The greatest among them being Ver¡¯¨²x A¨ªt, a former battlemage for the Elvish army.[1] Soon the quiet town of Knoll became drenched in blood as the Ruffian raid turned into something more resembling a skirmish between the two small forces. A type of battle that The Midlands had not seen since the last major war between the humans and elves. Amongst this chaos, Clyde was quickly thrown from his horse. A novice to battle, he had yet to even draw his sword. He crawled along the ground in a daze covered in mud and blood, the sounds of battle raging around him. As he crawled, he came across the body of one of the young girls Ferra had been playing with in the market. As first Clyde noticed her glazed eyes, blank stare, and pale skin. However, soon he saw that her stomach had been split open and her organs were spilling out of her body. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± Clyde exclaimed as he tried in vain to save the girl by shoving her organs back into place. Then a loud explosion rang out startling Clyde back to his senses. He stood up and saw a massive simmering crater and the bodies of over a dozen Ruffians and their horses lying in and around the center. Clyde drew his sword and ran in search of a place to hide. He eventually came to an overturned wagon that he could fit under. He lay under the wagon for what felt like hours watching the battle unfold from a crack in the wagon¡¯s side. As he watched, he saw the Ruffians slowly gain the advantage over the defenders of Knoll. Despite the defenders¡¯ valiant efforts, they were outnumbered nearly ten to one. Ver¡¯¨²x A¨ªt, the battlemage, made a heroic last stand in the market square but was eventually overwhelmed and captured by the Ruffians. Clyde watched as two Ruffians dragged Ver¡¯¨²x by his arms and dropped him at the feet of Blight who was now standing triumphantly in the center of the village. ¡°On your knees,¡± Blight growled looking down upon Ver¡¯¨²x. The beaten and battered elven battlemage looked up at Blight before spitting on his shoes. Blight looked on in disdain before kicking the elf in the head. As the elf lay on the ground barely hanging onto consciousness, the two Ruffians that had dragged him over, took him by his arms and positioned him on his knees. Blight then drew his sword, and holding it in one hand, quickly and cleanly severed Ver¡¯¨²x¡¯s head. Blight then bent down and picked up the head, showing it off for all to see. ¡°Your champions are dead!¡± He yelled for all the surviving people of Knoll to hear. Clyde watched on in horror, disenchanted with the idea of being of Ruffian. All of those stories of gold and glory he had heard since a child now seemed like nothing more than lies and propaganda. He clutched his sword tightly, now. Trying to devise a plan of escape. *** Blight tossed Ver¡¯¨²x¡¯s severed head aside and continued to address the people of Knoll. Those that had not fought in the skirmish were now doing their best to hide in hopes they would not join their neighbors in death. ¡°We only came here for your gold!¡± Blight announced. ¡°But since you saw it fit to kill so many of my men, we will also be taking some of you with us to make things even!¡± Blight then turned to his men standing behind him, out of three hundred only a little under two hundred had survived. ¡°Round them up boys! Kill all the men and any boy over ten, put the rest in chains!¡± The remaining Ruffians let out a savage yell as they began searching each building for survivors. Clyde could no longer see what was happening, but he could hear the crashing sound of doors being broken down and the screaming of people as they watched their husbands and sons being murdered and as they themselves got put in chains. Clyde closed his eyes tightly and began to grit his teeth in an attempt to block out the screams, but nothing worked. As he lay under the wagon continuing to unwillingly listen, he overheard something else, a softly quiet and gentle voice coming from the crack on the side of the wagon.
[1] The elvish name Ver¡¯¨²x A¨ªt means righteous might in elvish. To learn more about the elvish language and pronunciation go to Appendix A and E. Chapter 3: The Ruffian - Part 2 ¡°Psst, hey, hey, are you okay?¡± Clyde opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and crawled towards the crack, not knowing who or what awaited him. ¡°Who are you?¡± Clyde asked nervously. ¡°I¡¯m Ferra. Who are you? I don¡¯t recognize your voice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Clyde, Clyde Freeborn¡­¡± Before Clyde could say anymore, he heard a large group of Ruffians talking louder and louder as they walked closer to Ferra and Clyde¡¯s position. ¡°Listen, Ferra, I¡¯ll tell you all you want to know, but right now we need to get out of here, and fast.¡± ¡°Okay, here, I¡¯ll help you lift the wagon.¡± With Ferra¡¯s help, Clyde lifted the wagon up enough to crawl under. After getting out from under the wagon, Clyde stood up and looked over his new companion. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go!¡± Ferra said before bending down to pick up Clyde¡¯s sword. Clyde too his sword and gave Ferra a firm nod in agreement. They slowly and sneakily made their way into a nearby building that looked like it had already been ransacked by the Ruffians. They quickly hid in an area of the house away from the windows. As they hid, they could hear the screams and pleas from the people of Knoll being rounded up by the Ruffians. ¡°I wish there was something we could do to help them,¡± Ferra whispered. ¡°I know, me too, but what could we do? There¡¯re hundreds of them,¡± Clyde replied. Ferra let out a disappointed sign. ¡°Okay. So, what¡¯s the plan now?¡± ¡°I think our only choice is to wait until they leave and then make a run for it.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Ferra replied. ¡°But where are we going to go? Do you have any family near here?¡± Clyde shook his head no. ¡°How about you?¡± Ferra paused for a moment, her expression saddening. ¡°No, my mother died a few winters ago. I was living with my father, but¡­¡± Ferra took a moment and quietly gazed off into space. Clyde understood what Ferra was not saying. Instead of pushing her to answer he moved the conversation back to the task at hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try and get some sleep. I¡¯ll stay up and keep watch. I¡¯ll wake you up when it¡¯s time to go.¡± ¡°O¡­okay,¡± Ferra said teary eyed. She then laid down and turned over, trying to get some rest. *** After the Ruffians finished capturing all of the survivors, they put chains on their ankles and wrists before connecting them to one another. Blight approached the captives and thoroughly examined them, praising his men for their work in selecting such fine specimens. ¡°Yes, these will fetch us quite a good price indeed. Fine work.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Blight took a moment to look over his men when he suddenly realized something was wrong. ¡°Where is Clyde? Has anyone seen him?¡± The Ruffians frantically looked around at each other in search of answers, fearful of what Blight¡¯s reaction would be if they could not locate his favorite foundling. Finally, after what felt like hours of agonizing silence, one of the Ruffians stepped forward. ¡°I believe I saw him fall from his horse at the start of the fight.¡± Several other Ruffians amongst the group also spoke up in agreement. However, as they feared, this did not please Blight, and he grew visibly irritated. ¡°Many of you saw this and yet not one of you decided to help him!¡± Blight yelled. ¡°But sir,¡± the first Ruffian said, taking a step forward. ¡°We¡­¡± A loud bang rang out as the Ruffian¡¯s body fell lifelessly to the ground. A large hold having been blasted through his chest. Blight spit on the Ruffian¡¯s body before holstering his black powder hand cannon. ¡°No excuses! Go find him!¡± Blight then stared at the Ruffians with a ferocious gaze. ¡°And for those who saw him fall from his horse, you better pray to your gods that he¡¯s unharmed.¡± *** Listening from inside the abandoned building, Clyde¡¯s nerves were on edge. Oh no, he thought. Knowing that Blight would not give up the search until he tore the entire village apart looking for him. Damn, now what do we do? I thought with the confusion of the battle and rounding up the captives that they would have forgot about me. Clyde crawled over to Ferra and gently shook her until she awoke. ¡°Ferra, we have a problem,¡± Clyde said frantically. ¡°The Ruffians are researching the village for survivors; we have to leave now! Do you know how we can escape without being seen?¡± Ferra wiped the sleep from her eyes and thought for a minute, but nothing came to mind. ¡°We don¡¯t have any secret passageways or anything if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking. The only way we can escape without being seen is to sneak out and hope we¡¯re not caught.¡± Clyde let out a frustrated sign. ¡°I was afraid of that.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Okay, get ready and let¡¯s go.¡± Ferra quickly collected her things and gave Clyde a nod signaling she was ready. Clyde closed his eyes and took another deep breath. ¡°Okay, well, here goes nothing.¡± The two of them then quietly exited the building and started making their way to the edge of the village, while the remainder of Blight¡¯s Ruffian clan searched for Clyde. *** They crept as silent as a mouse down a path between two buildings, the edge of town within reach. Once past these buildings they only needed to cross one more house lined street before they got to the fields near the village. The wheat in those fields grew tall enough that they would be easily hidden, and past the fields was a forest they could disappear within. Ferra had told Clyde of a path on the other side of the forest that led to the main road. From there they could cross the border in Hal?n and hopefully find a peaceful settlement. All they had to do was make it past this last street without being spotted. Their nerves, already on edge, were not helped by the ruckus made by the Ruffians as they fervently searched the village for Clyde. ¡°You ready?¡± Clyde asked as he and Ferra reached the end of the path. It had grown dark, and they could not see any Ruffians patrolling the road. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ferra replied. They joined hands, and quietly they began to cross the road, crouched down as to not be seen from the windows of the surroundings buildings. The street was roughly twenty feet wide and as they slowly crept across; they could see the remnants of the skirmish strung about. Debris and corpses covered the street, and they did their best to avoid walking over anything. They had almost crossed the street when the door of one of the buildings in front of them violently flew open. ¡°Down, down!¡± Clyde whispered frantically. Clyde and Ferra immediately dropped to the ground and did their best to play dead. Out of the building walked two Ruffians, each carrying a lantern. ¡°Nothing!¡± One of the Ruffians exclaimed. ¡°Now what?¡± Asked the other. The first Ruffian thought for a minute while shining his lantern over the corpses in the street. ¡°We should probably check these bodies and make sure he ain¡¯t one of ¡®em.¡± Clyde quietly cursed under his breath and prayed they would not find him. Chapter 3: The Ruffian - Part 3 The Ruffians, with their lanterns, slowly walked the street shining their lanterns on the corpses and probing them with their swords. Some they lightly poked, some they kicked, and if the Ruffians thought they saw a corpse move, they stabbed it through the heart with their sword. Luckily for the previously unfortunate souls, they had already died during the skirmish and could no longer be bothered by the Ruffians prodding and stabbing them. Luckily for all, except for Clyde and Ferra who were still lying on the ground motionless, trying their best to imitate the dead. They kept their eyes closed, not daring to peak for fear the Ruffians would notice. However, they were listening intently as the Ruffians¡¯ footsteps slowly and methodically grew closer to their position. With each step the Ruffians grew closer, and as they did, Clyde and Ferra began to grow more anxious, both of them breathing more quickly and shallow. They each tried their best to control their breaths, trying not to betray their ruse. Despite their efforts, there was little they could do to overcome their deep-seated primal fear. Each second felt like an eternity as they lay there waiting to be prodded, stabbed, or discovered. Between the quick sword through the heart or being captured, tortured, and the gods knew what else, both of them had decided on their own that they would rather take the quick sword. Even Clyde, knowing the full truth of the situation, knew that he had little chances of talking his way out of severe punishment if he was captured. Blight was not kind to those in his clan who were injured in battle without first bloodying their weapons. Clyde had known many Ruffians who were ferociously whipped for such a disappointment. In his youth, Clyde did not feel sympathy for them, as Clyde was still under the intoxicating spell of Blight¡¯s influence. But not now, not after this skirmish, not after what he had witnessed. Clyde honestly did not understand what he felt or why, but something in him had changed. If he could have talked to one of the former soldiers that defended Knoll, they would tell him that he was suffering from battle fatigue, and affliction all too common amongst new soldiers facing combat for the first time. Many never recovered, and all are changed for life. From the closeness of the Ruffians¡¯ footsteps, Clyde and Ferra both knew only a few corpses lay between them and their fate. Both of them lay still and held their breath, awaiting the destiny the gods had chosen for them. The Ruffians grew closer when suddenly another Ruffian at the end of the street yelled out to them. ¡°Hey! You lot come here! Blight has an announcement he wants everyone to hear!¡± The two Ruffians looked at each other, shrugged, and walked off leaving Clyde and Ferra untouched. As the Ruffians walked away, Clyde and Ferra continued to lay still, not daring to move. *** Blight stood on top of a platform in the middle of Knoll¡¯s market square, set up for him by members of his clan. ¡°Men,¡± Blight began after waiting for the majority of his clan to gather around the platform. ¡°Despite our triumph, today is a sad one. We have searched for young Clyde for as long as we can, and unfortunately, we must end our search. It grows dark and we need to head out. We can¡¯t risk running into any patrols on our way back to the main camp, and the night will help us avoid any unnecessary risks.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Blight then stepped down from his platform and began to ready his horse. The. Rest of his clan followed his lead and prepared to depart. *** Hearing the noise coming from the market squares, Clyde carefully crawled over to Ferra and whispered in her ear. ¡°Ferra, hey, it sounds like they¡¯re giving up the search. You ready?¡± Ferra nodded slightly and slowly got to her feet. The two of them began to make their way to the edge of the village, only a few more feet stood between them and their escape. Only a few more feet. ¡°Hey! Stop!¡± A gruff voice yelled from behind them. They did not dare to turn around and look. They started to sprint the last few feet when suddenly Ferra became tripped up by a rope thrown by the Ruffian chasing them. ¡°Got you!¡± The Ruffian yelled as he began to pull Ferra towards him. Clyde turned around and ran after Ferra, trying to free her, but was swiftly hit over the back of the head by another Ruffian. His vision became hazy, and he lost consciousness as he watched Ferra be dragged away. *** When Clyde came to, he was sitting on the ground tied to a post in Knoll¡¯s market. He looked around and saw that Ferra was similarly tied up on the other side of the area. Looking at her face he could tell that the Ruffians had not been kind to her. A Ruffian walking past Clyde saw that he was awake and called out to Blight. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s up sir,¡± the Ruffian said giving Clyde a swift kick to the shin. Blight slowly got up and walked over to where Clyde was tied up. Blight knelt down, his face only an inch or so away from Clyde¡¯s. Clyde could smell beer, onions, and smoke on Blight¡¯s breathe.[1] These smells did very little to mask the stench of decaying teeth in his mouth. ¡°Well, look what we have here?¡± Blight asked with a sinister smile. ¡°What happened boy? I thought you were dead, but it turns out you were trying to escape. And worse yet, you were trying to save one of the villagers who are my property. Mine! And a filthy little half elf at that.¡± Blight looked over his shoulder at Ferra and spit on the ground. Blight turned his gaze back towards Clyde. ¡°You should know by now that the only way to leave the clan is death.¡± Blight paused for a moment, continuing to stare at Clyde. Though he felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, Clyde could not turn his head away from Blight¡¯s gaze. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I like you boy,¡± Blight finally said. ¡°Let this be a learning experience for you.¡± Blight stood up and began walking back towards the center of the market square. It was only then that Clyde noticed a chopping block had been placed there. ¡°Bring the girl!¡± Blight called out after reaching his position. Two Ruffians walked over to Ferra, untied her from her post, and began guiding her towards the chopping block. She was too tired to put up any resistance. Clyde began to fight against his restraints trying to break free. Once they got to the chopping block, the two Ruffians placed Ferra on her knees and lowered her head onto the rough and cold stump. Clyde continued to struggle against his restraints as he looked on in horror.
[1] The smokey smell of Blight¡¯s breathe came from the Bramble Leaf he smoked in his pipe. To learn more about the flora and fauna of Terra read Appendix H. Chapter 3: The Ruffian - Part 4 Ferra lay on the chopping block awaiting her fate. She turned her head to look at Blight, watching him intently. Blight took a second to revel in the moment before grabbing a large two-handed sword that was previously resting on the ground next to his chair. He glanced over at Clyde and chuckled to himself as he watched the boy desperately struggle against his restraints. Pitiful, Blight thought to himself before standing up and slowly walking over to Ferra who was calmly waiting. Blight casually stood above her, sword in hand. ¡°Any last words, half-elf?¡± He asked, his voice filled with spite. Ferra remained stoically silent. Blight snorted and spit on the ground. ¡°Hmph, nothing to say? That¡¯s probably for the best. I wouldn¡¯t want to waste my time listening to your worthless words anyways!¡± Blight smirked sinisterly and raised his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t turn away, boy!¡± Blight said turning his glance towards Clyde. ¡°Watch! Watch and remember this moment. Don¡¯t fail me again!¡± Blight turned his eyes back to Ferra and prepared to strike. Blight firmly planted his feet and brought his sword down with ferocious force. Clyde stopped fighting against his restraints and tightly closed his eyes. He anxiously waited to hear the crunching and squishing sound of Blight¡¯s blade slicing through Ferra¡¯s neck. However, when Blight¡¯s sword came down, the only sound Clyde heard was the dull thud of steel getting stuck in wood. Clyde quickly opened his eyes and frantically glanced around to see what happened. He saw Blight standing over the chopping block loudly swearing as he tried to dislodge his sword from the wood. Clyde then noticed that he could not see Ferra and saw that the Ruffians were looking and running around trying to locate her. As Clyde continued to look around, he heard a voice whispering to him from behind. Though initially panicked, Clyde quickly calmed down after he recognized the voice. ¡°Hey, come on. I¡¯ll cut you free.¡± The voice whispered in his ear. ¡°Ferra?¡± Clyde whispered puzzlingly. ¡°Who else? There you go.¡± Clyde felt his restraints loosen and turned around to look at Ferra, but to his surprise no one was there. ¡°What! Where¡¯d you go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Ferra replied. She was so close that Clyde could feell her breath on his cheek. ¡°How are you¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later. Right now, we need to go before they notice you¡¯re untied. Do you know how to use one of these?¡± Clyde watched as a thunder fist seemed to materialize in front of him. ¡°Yeah, a little,¡± he replied taking the weapon. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°You see those barrels over there?¡± Ferra asked, using her hand to gently turn Clyde¡¯s head in the direction of the barrels. ¡°They have the Dwarven rune for explosive carved into them. I¡¯ve seen runes like that used by Dwarven traders that used to come through the village. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say those barrels contain the powder the Ruffians use for their weapons.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right,¡± Clyde said, starring at the barrels. ¡°And if I shoot them with this thunder fist they should explode.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± Ferra replied. ¡°Then we can use the chaos caused by that explosion to get out of here.¡± ¡°Okay! Well then, here goes nothing!¡± Clyde aimed the thunder fist at the barrels and focused his breathing, preparing to take the shot. *** ¡°Argh!¡± Blight yelled out, finally dislodging his sword from the chopping block. ¡°Where¡¯s that half-elf!¡± Blight angrily looked around until he noticed Clyde aiming the thunder fist. ¡°Hey you idiots! Over there!¡± Blight yelled at his men, pointing his sword towards Clyde. The Ruffians suddenly all turned to face Clyde¡¯s location. They clenched their weapons, snarled, and began rushing Clyde¡¯s position. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Now Clyde! Take the shot!¡± Ferra frantically yelled. As the Ruffians quickly descended upon Clyde, he took one last deep breath and fired his thunder fist. The recoil of the weapon knocked him back into Ferra, and as they both rolled across the ground, she became visible again. The blast from the thunder fist tore through several Ruffians on its way to the barrels, leaving many of them either missing limbs or with large holes in their abdomens. The shot rang true and hit a barrel dead center, resulting in a massive explosion causing a chain reaction that detonated the remaining barrels. Blight was violently thrown off his platform and those Ruffians nearest the barrels were vaporized into a mist that was now raining down, drenching the village. As Clyde and Ferra lay on the ground covering their heads and slowly regaining their hearing, they began to hear the screams and gurgles of the dozens of dying and maimed Ruffians. After lying still for a moment and recovering their senses, Clyde slowly got to his feet and helped Ferra up. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Clyde said after picking the thunder fist up off the ground. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Ferra replied, wiping the bloody mist off her face. As they left the village, they noticed a few of the Ruffians¡¯ horses wandering around a field. Clyde walked over to one, slowly raised his hand, and after the horse accepted his touch, Clyde gently patted its neck. He then led to horse to Ferra. ¡°Can you ride?¡± Ferra nodded and then climbed on the horse. Clyde joined her and they rode off heading South, in search of a peaceful town. *** After riding for a few hours, the sun began to set. ¡°We should stop here for the night. I¡¯ll get a fire going,¡± Clyde said, bringing the horse to a stop. ¡°What about the Ruffians?¡± Ferra asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that they are searching for us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Clyde reassured her with a grin. ¡°It¡¯ll take them a while to recover and get everything back in order. They won¡¯t send out a search party until then. We should be able to rest until dawn without worry.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ferra said, smiling back at him. She then led the horse over to a tree and tied its lead up around the base. Ferra sat on the ground trying to get comfortable as Clyde made a fire. *** ¡°So,¡± Clyde began after they had sat around the fire in silence for a while. ¡°Are we going to talk about you turning invisible?¡± Ferra sat still and did not answer for a while. When she finally did, she sounded both tired and confused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s much to talk about. I don¡¯t know how I did it, it¡¯s just something that¡¯s happened to me randomly over the past few years.¡± ¡°Do you think it has anything to do with you being half-elf?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Ferra responded, noticeably agitated. ¡°I¡¯ve never talked to anyone about it before. You¡¯re the first person to know about it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Clyde responded, trying to think of something to say. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just glad we we¡¯re about to escape. Let¡¯s try to get some sleep. I don¡¯t know how long we will be riding for tomorrow. ¡°Okay,¡± Ferra responded before lying down. *** They awoke as the sun peaked over the horizon, neither of them having got much sleep. Clyde smothered the few coals that remained from their fire as Ferra untied their horse. After they both mounted their stead, they continued riding South, in search of salvation. After riding for several hours, it was already past noon and both of them had started to lose hope that they would find a town before the sun set. Then suddenly, they noticed a wagon approaching them. As the wagon got closer, Clyde and Ferra waved the driver down. ¡°Hey! Hey, can you help us?¡± They both asked waving their arms. The wagon driver pulled up beside their horse, removed his cap, and wiped the sweat from his brow. They noticed that he was a middle-aged balding human who ¨C by his clothes and the contents of his wagon ¨C they could tell was a farmer. ¡°Howdy,¡± the farmer greeted them with a friendly grin, revealing all his missing teeth. ¡°I¡¯m Stuart, but you can call me Stu. What are you two doing out here on your own?¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to find the nearest town,¡± Clyde responded. ¡°Do you know where that¡¯s at?¡± Ferra asked. ¡°Oh, that would be Ve¡¯ri¨¦. It¡¯s about an hour ride from here if you keep following the road South.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Clyde said. He then clicked his tongue, and the horse began to trot down the road. ¡°Be safe,¡± Stuart called out after them. ¡°There are plenty of Ruffians patrolling these roads.¡± ¡°We will!¡± Clyde yelled back. As they rode away, a tear rolled down Ferra¡¯s cheek. *** After riding for a little over an hour, the sun was beginning to get low in the sky. They rode over a hill, and that is when they saw the vibrant and sprawling city of Ve¡¯ri¨¦, the self-titled ¡°Free City.¡± ¡°Hey, Ferra! Look! That¡¯s the town that old man told us about.¡± ¡°Finally!¡± Ferra said, leaning around Clyde to get a look at the town. ¡°I could really use a soft bed and a good meal, and you could definitely use a bath!¡± Clyde gave her an annoyed look before nudging the horse with his heel.