The trio entered a backdoor of an obscure home, transporting them from a filthy squalor filled slum to a clean and elegant stairwell leading down into a cellar. Kodriel sniffed the air as the fragrances from the exquisite cuisine being prepared below filled the air, the smells escaping from a small kitchen vent below from a tin window filling in the role for a vent.

“Almost there…”

Scruff announced as they reached the bottom of the stairwell.

“About time too.” Gevien commented as his belly growled in agreement.

Scruff knocked twice and tapped thrice on the final door next to the ‘vent’, above it was a sign board reading in Que’denian “The place with the cook books!” causing Gevien to wonder at the name while Kodriel had a private chuckle to some dry Que’denian Humor.

“The password?”

A voice from behind the door whispered barely enough for the three of them to hear causing Scruff to scratch his head and mumble to himself for a few moments.

“Open up before I break this bloody door down?”

Scruff replied unsurely as a disheartening sigh was heard behind the door before silence descended upon them all, the three of them standing there waiting for the door to open, which it didn’t.

“Open up before I break this bloody door down!”

Scruff yelled with new flare causing the door to be opened by its guard stationed on the other side.

“Finally, welcome human. Remember the tone, I’ve grown tired of repeating myself to every blasted human who doesn’t understand the word tone”

The guard mentioned as he invited them inside, closing the door behind them and bolting it, Gevien spying a Que’denian mace, a ordinary shaped piece of metal with an masher at its tip, runes similar to the ones he had seen on Kodriel’s sword were carved all over it.

Greeted by a waitress, Scruff gave her a hug

“Delphia!”

“Scruff! My favorite customer!” The waitress eyed the two behind him

“New guests?”

Scruff nodded

“Military elves by the look of it, hopefully they’ll be able to read the menu for me… Something you’ve at the pleasure of not doing for me.”

The female elf chuckled a reply

“It’s too much fun watching you pick something you think sounds nice and the look of your face when it finally arrives! Aye no matter now then I suppose, come!” She commented cheerfully as she lead them into a main dining area filled with more noble looking humans than Gevien had seen above, along with several elves in unfamiliar garb.

“Where do they come from? These people I mean.” Gevien asked causing Delphia to turn his way as she directed them to their table, a triangular piece of furniture made from polished stone.

“Tunnels link this restraint to the wealthier parts of the city, where these humans come from while the elves are from the various Elven tribes in the desert, our main suppliers for all our cuisine being prepared in the kitchen.”

An assistant waiter provided them with menus which looked like old cook books stuffed with folded notes for every recipe.

“Unique presentation…” Kodriel remarked, causing Delphia to reply in an instant

“Shows you exactly what you’ll be eating, down to the details.”

“But won’t others copy your recopies?” Gevien asked as Delphia pointed out various steps in preparation which included foreign terms to him including a ‘Black flame for 20 seconds’ ‘Shift valve to through and through on the pot’

“How many people do you know can conj our a black flame for 20 seconds AND have a Que’denian magic cooking pot? Not many after the City of the Sun fell I reckon!” Delphia announced proudly as Gevien nodded slowly trying to figure out what a Que’denian magic cook pot was.

Kodriel pointed at a recipe. “I’ll have the…” She leaned in closer at the notes in-between the pages “the… Cobiel Mushroom stew, much spice please.” She looked to Scruff who was asking her to translate, his Imperial Education had taught him how to speak Que’denian but not to read to, truth be told no human was capable to figuring it’s 450 alphabet out.

Gevien on the other hand decided to look for something familiar and browsed till he saw a recipe featuring a Cidas. “Roasted desert Cidas, white space…” He said, and anticipated some good food which tasted like home.

Kodriel read out a recipe which contained Black Burrower meat causing Scruff to shout out in joy, “Fried Black Burrower meat! I didn’t know they had it here!” He skimmed through the book back to the appetizer section and fiddled around with the pages. “I’ll also have the  Desert Dried Tubets”

Delphia nodded “Any drinks then?”

“Mead” Scruff replied in an instant.

“Just water for the two of us.” Kodriel replied on behalf of Gevien who had drunk nothing but water and various flower nectar in his life. As Delphia headed off with their orders Gevien thought about how Anira would love this place.

“So Scruff,” Kodriel began “a Soldier of the Imperial Empire huh?” She asked as Gevien continued to daydream about his beloved.

“That’s the New Human Imperial Empire to be exact.” Scruff replied as he thanked the waiter, his Desert Dried Tubets, crunchy roots of a plant that grew under bushes as a weed to the few species of vegetation that grew in the Runéan desert.

“Of Course, so we’ll be seeing a lot of each other then?” She asked as her Cobiel mushroom arrived, the sliming mass of the giant mushroom popping and hissing as bubbles rose through the slime-like soup like substance.

“Hmmmhmm” Scruff murmured as Gevien began to eye his Desert Dried Tubets, quickly nabbing one out of his bowl causing Scruff to hug it defensively.

“Hey I’m paying for everything and these are mine!”

Gevien rebutted “Technically you picked up ‘your’ money from the pockets of those thugs we slaughtered earlier, so we’re paying for it!” He munched on his ‘stolen’ tubet, Kodriel holding her brow in defeat.

“Boys settle down.” Scruff turned towards the female elf and defended his maturity with his mouth full of Tubets

“Who you calling boy?” bits of pieces of tubets were flyng out of his mouth like a unit of archers firing at will at Kodriel’s face.

Wiping the pieces off her face she asked “So how old are you exactly?” rasing an eyebrow at the human

“24, fully educated, full time soldier of the N.H.I.E!” Gevien stole another tubet as Kodriel gasped in surprise

“My … I thought you were young but not that young!” She couldn’t help but marvel at his age and the speed at which humans could mature… Which reminded her of how the Elven Empire to be brought down to its knees to these primates.

“Not for a human that’s not!”  

Scruff defended himself again as Gevien tapped him on the shoulder

“Excuse her she’s older than your great great great grandmother, possibly more, and if I’m not wrong she should be approaching her thousand and two hundred year soon…” Gevien commented as the food arrived, the Cobiel mushroom hissing angrily as Kodriel began slicing it into pieces.

“That’s about right, we elves don’t keep track of the number of the years we live.”

Scruff eyes widened and bowed in respect to his elder

“Whoa, what was life before the N.H.I.E? I only was thought about how man was united against the Elven empires in history.”

Kodriel cleared her throat, realizing that humans have a similar education to her own, having history lessons was something she remembered vaguely.


“Well primitive man were mostly scattered hunter gathers and were domesticated by elves to be servants. They soon became more intelligent over time and started a wide web of communication through established trade routes they began to develop...”

Kodriel explained as Gevien’s food arrived, it wasn’t a Cidas he was familiar with and instead was this thing covered with scales. He poked at the scaley thing as he examined it and found that it looked more like a snap dragon.

“They adapted our currency and began trading with us as well and discovered we had human servants and were very upset about it, and human servants began to rebel after being introduced to the free-lifestyle that their brothers were having. Rebellions grew, some aided by human kingdoms but were put down one by one as they were disorganized, uncoordinated and regional.”

Gevien called Delphia to confirm he had received the right dish and she confirmed it, prodding at it he took a deep breath and began on it, it had a funky smell to it but it went down fine, and he promised to himself that he would never order desert Cidas ever again.

“Then your emperor was born and united numerous human kingdoms to fight against the United Elven Empire, he coordinated the attacks and suffered massive losses. It was all part of his grand strategy, replenishing his ranks with young people like yourself every 20 years and wore the Elves down who could not replenish their ranks as fast. After decades of fighting he took the capitol, established your empire, adopted elven education, healthcare and strong expansionist policies… They rest should be history you should know.”

She concluded and continued eating her Cobiel mushroom.



When the meal was finished they all sat back in their chairs with full bellies, yawning tiredly, Scruff sat back sipping at the last of his mead, sporting a last question as Gevien patted his belly thinking of his beloved again.

“So how do you feel living under humans?”

Kodriel smiled

“Quite alright actually, a hundred years of service for freedom? It’s like a vacation, I get to travel further than I’d ever would for an entire century! Besides I don’t think you humans will rule for very long… I just hope I live long enough to see the Elven powers rebuild.”

Scruff felt has head go heavy,

“Why won’t we rule for very long?”

Kodriel chuckled at the human

“It’s been 10 years since your Empire was established and you’re already at war with every other human kingdom on both fronts of your empire, you humans cause conflicts like you populate… More soldiers to fuel the wars… These conflicts are the ones that will consume your Empires.”

Kodriel sat back and nodded to herself, Scruff looking at her intriguingly.

“Your wars will consume you.”

Chapter 5:


The two elves made their way back to the barracks in their disguises, Scruff heading back to the inn in which his platoon took residence in.

Lumbering through the doors they staggered back to their beds, catching Gwlafinhgol’s attention who sat up peering at the two elves

“Wher’ in my mother’s name did you twa go?”

He asked as his hand eased on his Kressen Paran.

“For a walk…”

Gevien replied as the bow wielding elf raised an eyebrow and swore that he could smell the old fragrance of elven cooking on them.


“We got lost.”

Concluded Kodriel, Gwlafinhgol shrugging to himself and going back to sleep as did the two elves.

The next morning they were awakened by Fin’dae

“Alright you two it’s time to get out of bed and start on our journey through the desert to the front these blasted humans have made themselves.”

Gevien rubbed his eyes as he yawned, stretching as he got out of bed ready for the day ahead of him.

The elves assembled in the courtyard and were greeted by a larger division of humans, Soldiers of the Imperial Empire. Gevien and Kodriel caught a glimpse of Scruff who stood at attention like the rest of the division.

“Each group of 60 men will be assigned a group of 5 elves, please split yourself accordingly.”

The human leader announced in Que’denian and again in Kressen, causing Urak’detil to look at Gwlafinhgol, Fin’dae, Kodriel and Gevien.

“We’re ready.”

She said as the leader directed them to a section of the division, Gevien smiled inwardly as Scruff was amongst the men there.

The other elves divided themselves accordingly and split up to their different sections as the human leader gestured for a translator to come forth. He spoke in Que’denian as the translator spoke in Kressen.

“The Son’s of Runea are planning for a major counter-offensive, they outnumber us plenty but as we know already, they are no match for Imperial discipline, training and equipment.”

The leader looked tense, sweat curling down his brow as Gevien whiffed the sweat coming from the humans nearby, baking in their plated armor and mail.

“But cowards they are, they would not fight men against men, instead they’d bring beasts against us! I know you’ve heard of these… Salamanders… Some of you may already have seen some in action and how they horrify the men, fear not for the Empire has brought us Elves, old warriors of the Old Empire!”

“Not all of us.”

Urak’detil said as Gevien began to feel like they were treated like beasts of war, much like what those other humans were using the ‘Salamanders’ as.

“We march to the fortress upon the pass of Kleriva, we are to storm the fortress with 500 men and kill the leader who planned this counter-offensive… Hopefully giving us a chance to break coordination in the Son’s of Runea’s offensive. May your gods watch over you, whoever they be.”

The leader pointed into the pass of the Dragon’s Maw, and the men began to march out of step, murmuring amongst themselves about the speech their leader had just given them. The elves found themselves being eyed at a lot, much with condescending looks, for they were their war beasts, nothing more.

They made their way through the city, the civilians keeping their distance from the large military force moving through the city, not even trying to jeer at the elves passing through.

Gevien watched as they passed by the slums and through taller and grander gates into the section of the cities devoted to the nobles or honorable war veterans, their houses lining the mountains that flanked the pass, built right into the mountain more spacious and cooler then the ones deeper in the port city. They were elegant and well carved, some had terraces with tables others had plants of some sort, showing greenery among the orange rock of the mountain.

Scruff made his way to the Elves, weaving his way through his section mates who stared at him, the skinny scruffy one.

“Elf, boy am I glad we’re in the same section.”

Fin’dae eyed the O’lva, peering at him speak in broken Que’denian.

“Kodriel, do you know this… Human?”

Kodriel nodded as she greeted him, Gevien doing so too.

“We met him when we took a walk last night, after that incident with that… Memory storing device.”

Gevien mentioned as Fin’dae eyed the trio

“I thought you sat on the roof… No matter… Hello O’lva.”

He greeted Scruff who looked at Fin’dae.

“O’lva? You call me O’lva?”

The humans around the elf stared at him, they may not have known Que’denian like their friend but they certainly knew the word O’lva

“My mistake, human…”

Urak’detil held Fin’dae back as Kodriel and Gevien stood in between Scruff and him.

“Fin’dae be nice.”

Fin’dae snorted and shrugged, giving a death stare to Scruff who returned it mutually.

“If I’m able to earn one of these houses in the mountains I’m definitely not a O’lva, besides you’re closer to one now, aren’t you in service of humans?”

Fin’dae’s eyes grew into a rage as his friends held him back.

“You be nice too Scruff!”

Kodriel glared at him, who sighed and nodded.

“How ironic,”

Fin’dae announced, taking deep breathes and soothing his own anger

“Now I’m the O’lva’s O’va for a hundred years… Why did I ever agree to this?”




They entered the desert, the sun beating down upon the living and baking the dead. Corpses of stray Banthi cows spotted the scenery ever so often. Fin’dae went through his pack and pulled out a Poguli stick set, a form of Narcotic for elves… Just they didn’t receive effects from it as severely or as damagingly as humans did.

He pulled out a stick and dipped it into the purple pasty substance contained on the corner of the wooden box that he stored it them in, finding veins on his arms and stabbing himself with it.

“Fin’dae what in the heck are you doing!?”

Kodriel yelled as Urak’detil sighed, Gwlafinhgol eyeing the substance and shrugging.

“I’m relieving stress, the heat is making my head spin.”

She snatched a stick from him and waved it about

“This will make your mind melt like butter in this sun! Can’t you just deal with it?”

“Dealing with the sun is no problem.”

Fin’dae pulled out another one, Kodriel snatching it.

“I’m not going to watch you drug yourself stupid just because you can’t deal with
miserable situations!”

Fin’dae sighed at Kodriel.

“And I suppose you know what ‘miserable situations’ are.”

Kodriel nodded as they continued marching.

“So I suppose you’ve lost your beloved to an O’lvaian rebellion who killed her in cold blood?”

She paused and shook her head slowly. Gevien’s heart jumped at the thought of losing Anira as did Urak’detil.

“What happened?”

Urak’detil asked as Fin’dae looked at Kodriel in the eyes.

“Hundreds of years ago, when we were still putting down human rebellions against elven rule in the old united Empire there was this village… Queer people they were. We were sent there to put them down, but we were arrogant thinking it was like any other rebellion to put down. But it wasn’t these humans had metal hollow cylinders that spat fire from. I know it was some form of mixture of substances, regardless, we took losses, something that never happened to us before. My beloved was among them.”

“I’m sorry Fin’dae.”

Gevien apologized, sorry to hear such a thing as Kodriel looked in surprise.

“She was beautiful, but that weapon they had shattered her face. I swore to myself and my superiors that I would find any ingredient of this composition of substances and destroy it, least more lives of good Elves would be lost. I spent hundreds more years traveling the old Empire, destroying everything… Till there was nothing left for the Que’denian Kingdom’s geographers to find. But I still felt no peace.”

Fin’dae pointed to the sticks being held in Kodriel’s hands which were now quivering, embarrassed assuming that Fin’dae was resolving to Poguli sticks just for the high.

“Poguli Sticks were the only thing that helped me find peace of mind, taking it off my beloved. So please, return them.”

She handed them back as she sighed inwardly in sadness.

“Now I serve the kind that killed her. This should help keep my mind off that too.”

He stabbed himself, inserting the substance into his blood stream directly.




As the day drew on, Kodriel began to feel light headed and weak, slowing down from the rest of the group as they separated, Gevien staying behind with her to make sure she was alright. As her light headedness got worse Gevien knew it was something to do with the heat, he called out for the others but they were now too far ahead to hear him.

“Gevien… I can’t walk anymore.”

“You have to! Urak’detil! Fin’dae! Gwlafinhgol!”

He yelled as humans passed them by, eyeing them, receiving nothing in reply as Kodriel collapsed into the sand.

“Kodriel get up!”

Gevien yelled as the marching soldiers continued ahead leaving the two of them behind in the desert. No they did not care, they were elves after all.

“Wait!”

Gevien yelled in vain as he attempted to lift her up onto his shoulders, before hearing the sand around him shift, skittering and pouring upon each other.

“Wait up!”

He yelled again, but the army was soon becoming a dust cloud in the distance, that’s when he began to see the sands around him shift about, causing him to eye it.

All of a sudden something jumped at him, the size of a overgrown Cidas bird only black, scaly with a mouthful of teeth. He dropped to the ground dropping Kodriel dodging it, as the black creature burrowed into the sand.

“Black Burrowers.”

Gevien said to himself as he drew his sword and watched as the sands around him shifted. Many were circling him; he waited for them to make their move.

“Touch Kodriel and you die.”

He spoke his mind as he prepared for an attack, Kodriel breathing shallowly, the sun continued to bake her face.

One jumped up at her, Gevien slicing it into two as it screeched in pain before realizing it was already dead. Another jumped at him, and another and another. Soon Gevien found himself in the middle of a feeding frenzy.

“Man’eruanna!”

He screamed the name of his sword as he sliced through the crowd of them, keeping them off Kodriel. He screamed again but this time in pain as one of them clamped down on his shoulder and another on his foot, trying to disable the closest threat to a free meal.

“Get off!”

He twirled like he learnt in class killing those who had bit him, pain seethed through his body as their teeth released him, he felt as if his arm was going weak, then felt as if the saliva was eating his skin.

He twirled again as another bit the same leg causing him to drop to his knees, and as he was about to give up hope of survival he heard a Elvish cry, but in a dialect that he did not understand.

“Zuri’thurigarth Blinelith!”

Female elves appeared seemingly from nowhere, dicing and impaling his attackers with black tipped spears and picking up Kodriel.

“Que’denian follow!”

One of them gestured to him and he did, but the pain was too much for his leg which seemed to disobey him, little did he know he was poisoned, but these elves did as the female that called to him picked him up too. He continued to watch the females in action against a tide of black burrowers before following suit, he watched until the black tide could follow no more and retreated then Gevien passed out.




He awoke to the sound of singing, violet rays of dawn filling the room as he looked about. Herbs hanging from the shelves on the walls around the room as the whiff of some perfume was mixed with the morning air which blew through the window.”

“Ana’diel Kawashalar, Berkuvidiam tiel, vangaler dan mithhserin kor’dan balacl.”

Female voices sung in harmony outside, reminding him of the Dranea Gypsies back home, along wth his love who awaited him there. Starring out the window as he rose he watched as male elves and humans dance and sing for the rising sun, while the armed females sat and watched.

“What are human males doing here?”

Gevien asked himself before he jumped involuntarily when there was a loud knock, vibrating the wall dividing the room next door.

“Their Matriarchal.” Kodriel’s voice was muffled by the thin wall, before a shuffle of feet was heard and his room door opened. Kodriel was in what the other females were wearing, a covering garb which protected them from the harsh sunlight.

“Matriarchal?”

Gevien asked his friend who sat down on his bed, looking through her bags and pulling out Beathyn’s Guide to humans, flipping through it she explains.

“He trails off a bit while describing the lighter skinned humans in the desert.

…Usually the males of those races of humans are kept as pets but the various tribes of elves whom are mainly matriarchal. Actually they keep males in general as pets, as they go out to hunt for a sand burrower or a western desert snap dragon. The males are simply left behind in the village to smoke an interesting array of herbs which are quite pleasant if I do say so myself, or to care for the children or the sort of things we keep O’lva for… anyway these paler humans-“


Gevien looked at his room filled with overhanging herbs and raised an eyebrow.

“Hmmm now that I think of it these herbs do smell a little like Fin’dae’s needle box…”

Kodriel took a deep breath and went about the room, taking small leaves and mashing them into purplish pulp.

“Looks like you’re right, this is Poguli… And apparently it can be smoked too.”

A knock on the open door was heard as the two elves looked to the door way, seeing a female elf, the same one who had saved them the day before.

“We be safe because this be solid rock, burrowers know no way through rock.”
She stamped her feet and pointed outside. Gesturing to the rock foundations upon which these houses were built, rather that humans who build their houses on sand… often sinking into the desert.

“So that’s why the Black Burrowers don’t attack…”

Kodriel said nodding to herself.

“Rock not tasty, and too hard.”

The female confirmed.

“But human villagers down south by Dragon’s Maw port don’t do so…”

Gevien noted as the female snorted

“Bah! Stupid smelly humans don’t think Burrowers go so far. Wait till numbers explode! Then they see.”

“Explode?”

“When Moon kiss first star.”

Gevien turned to Kodriel who seemed to be following.

“Some astronomical date… That only happens once every few thousand years so I guess the humans haven’t been around long enough to know the dangers.”

“It be coming soon, thousand or so more years to come, Ehdel Mereth crawl everywhere before you know it!”

“Ehdel Mereth?”

Gevien asked as Kodriel replied

“What the black burrowers grow into… What those humans called ‘Salamanders’ Beathyn’s guide has a picture.”

She flipped through the book and showed him a rough sketch which looked like a children’s drawing, signed Elvara at the bottom.

“That doesn’t look very threatening.”

“Hope you don’t see one later in hunt, you can watch but only we hunt.”


As the female gave them a tour of the village he saw human males talking in the same dialect as male elves, smoking Poguli herbs and laughing like crazy people… Only like happy crazy people.

He saw Female elves polishing their spears, their tips were the scales of black burrower scales, only tougher and sharper. He also saw that most of the women had huge teeth strung up in a necklace around their necks, others had a ivory carved creature which was probably the Ehdel Mereth she was talking about earlier.

“They be awarded teeth for helping kill Ehdel Mereth. Those with Ehdel Mereth on their ears or necks mean they be the ones killing them.”

Their guide told them as one of them with her ivory pendant stared Gevien down.

“Girls be nothing unless they got least 1 tooth.”

They continued their tour of the village and stopped at a group of Female warriors preparing for an expedition out into the desert.

“So you guests, how you like Keridesrana?”

Gevien and Kodriel looked around, eyeing the only thing they ate around here, Black burrower meat.

“Scruff would love this place.”





They journeyed out into the desert, away from the rock foundations.

“So Kodriel why did you pass out?”

Gevien asked as Kodriel followed the female elves.

“According to what our guide told us it was because I was not properly dressed… Also I think I didn’t get enough sleep last night and the heat had drained me…”

She was referring to the elf ability to regulate heat through the passive use of magic, one of the main reasons why they didn’t sweat and didn’t smell like rotten meat when traveling in Fleydara.

“Why didn’t I feel lightheaded and you did?”

He asked as Kodriel chuckled,

“Because you are young Gevien! I am too, but not quite as energetic as you are… My do I miss my early youth.”

She commented as twilight began to fall, watching in the fading light as the females stopped and began to assemble. Inspecting them he saw that they were mostly darker skinned than he and Kodriel were, perhaps even darker than Kressens that he used to know.

Most of these Elves had Ehdel Mereth crawling up their ear lobes, made in white pristine ivory.

“Azeela must ask of you to watch only, we allow not for you to take part.”

The two of them nodded as Gevien pointed to one of the females, pointing to one of the group whose ears were covered in Ehdel Mereth and wore a necklace of teeth.

“Who is that?”

“Lei’la, she be one of our elders, she seen many Ehdel Mereth in her name, help Que’denians hunt them down, killed many too did she.”

Lei’la looked at Gevien and winked at him, before preparing a ceramic pot of some sort. He wondered at her experience, and how exactly to kill an Ehdel Mereth but Aleeza tugged him forward.

“The hunt begin, we shall go.”


Gevien and Kodriel sat on the sand and watched the females go to work, Lei’la flinging the pot she was preparing earlier at a stone in the middle of a sandy pit spraying steaming rotten entrails of Black Burrowers onto the sand, the smell of it rotting caused the two to hold their mouths in disgust.

They yelled something in their own language as they prepared for an attack, readying their spears as the sands around them began to shift. Then like a swarm a bunch of them appeared in the pit jumping at the bait as the females split into two’s and began to slice and spear them, crying out in their dialect to activate runes on their spear tips, they had similar runes to Hith, Kodriel’s sword as they smashed the swarm away.

With one of them distracting them, the other stealthily snuck behind it and ended it’s life by slitting it’s throat or by more gruesome means all gracefully with the flicks of their wrists or thrusting of their spears. Gevien marveled at their coordination and agility, who performed their practiced art that they had perfected over many years.

Lei’la went about spearing black burrowers with her spear’s runes activated causing them to explode as her spear plunged into them bursting into meat and entrails everywhere. The black burrowers kept coming and they kept slicing and killing them until there the pit was almost full as less and less began to appear.

Watching as the females picked up scraps of meat and placing it into a pot for washing when they got back; they picked up entrails and dumped it into another pot.

The hunting party headed back to the village where the men were waiting, drawing water from the various rock walled wells to help wash the meat with as other males lazed about watching the night sky in all its beauty while stoned.

Gevien and Kodriel joined in the feast which came later, as they built a fire using wood from their herb garden near by the village… Where they grew Phris trees which attracted the growth for Poguli weeds, not to mention these Phris trees were suited for arid landscapes, growing in semi-arid landscapes closer to the plains of Altterdor.

They watched as the villagers danced, nothing was eventful until Kodriel began to dance and Lei’la approached Gevien.

“You’re Que’denian yes?”

“Yes, we both are.”

Gevien replied as he drank water, watching the other Kodriel dance with the other villagers.

“You and your beloved?”

She asked as she sat next to him.

“No… My friend Kodriel, my beloved is back at home.”

Lei’la nodded, a smile growing across her face.

“I knew your kind, a long time ago when you used to rule an Empire. I fought by their side. You people are brave… Foolish perhaps but brave.”

Gevien looked to Lei’la the elder did not look any older than he did… Age did not show in Elven faces, lest they be tens of thousands of years old… Rather age was shown in their eyes, how innocent or wise they were. Lei’la had eyes of wisdom, memory and a tinge of sadness.

“Many of our warriors were like that… Or so I heard, the reason why they all died.”

Lei’la nodded but looked at Gevien’s sword, and features.

“Not all of them, I see warrior’s blood in your face and in your body.”

She nodded as Gevien eyed her, Lei’la holding her knees as music began to play for the dancers who cheered.

“I never knew my mother, or father. Why would it matter if I have warrior’s blood or not? I’m a soldier, and so is my friend.”

Lei’la smiled and uttered a single clear word.
“Destiny.”

“Destiny?”

“Purpose, young Que’denian, destiny, purpose, why you live as you do live now.”

Gevien shook his head in confusion of this ‘destiny’ talk.

“What are you talking about?”

“You were born to fight, it is what your ancestors lived and died for; battle in its purest form. It is why you were born Gevien, to do as your father did, as he was born to do as his father did before him.”

“You still make no sense; I was born into a world upside down, where my mother sent me to live with a family of hunter gatherers to live their life in order not to end mine fighting.”

Lei’la looked at Gevien

“Yet you find yourself in battle.”

“So did Kodriel, a craftsman’s daughter. So did many other elves for a hundred years of service.”

“Indeed others are caught up in this scheme of humans… But it was you, your blood they were trying to employ. Warriors, through and through, it was you they remembered in battles long past, you who slaughtered their armies. They were looking for you, not your friend, not all the others who aren’t of your blood.”

“They were looking for me?”

“Your blood, you, who are in their legends, they wouldn’t not ask a crafter to for a hundred years of crafting. But a warrior for a hundred years of victory… Young elf, you will find battle everywhere you go.”

“I don’t want battle.”

Lei’la’s eyes widened in shock,

“A warrior’s son who wants not battle?”

“I want to live a quiet life, back home with my beloved, raise sons or daughters. I want not battle, and after my hundred years are up that is what I’m going to do.”

Lei’la nodded,

“That is your choice then…”
She rose to her feet, giving him a Que’denian bow as she had learnt thousands of years ago.

“But always remember your heritage, especially when the quiet life appeals to you no more.”

“My heritage?”

“That you are born a warrior, and a warrior you shall always be. Choose as you might, your choices, one way or another will follow battle… Till the day you find battle in its purest form.”

“What is battle in its purest form?”

She paused looking around her then looking to the eternal skies which forever will be overhead as if the Que’denians she used to know watched from overhead.

“Death.”





The morning after Lei’la had requested them be sent back to the closet army presence, a village not far from where they were. Kodriel bid the dancing partners she had had last night goodbye as Gevien looked at Lei’la, who nodded at him.

“As wise as you are I believe you are wrong. I rather seek life, life with my family to be.”

Gevien had been thinking of what she had said the night before, thinking of Anira and all the plans they had made for a family together, just 99 years to go before they can carry them out.

“I hope you find what you seek Que’denian.”

She did a Que’denian bow again as he returned it in kind, before they set off towards the village. They arrived just as they were planning to move out from the village after a night’s lodging, most of the villages out in this desert were built upon rock foundations protecting them from the Black Burrowers. However some of the other villages weren’t as they’d soon discover.

“My ward! They be back!”

Gwlafinhgol was the first to spot the duo moving towards the village as females moved back to their own.

“The two youngsters? Thank my ancestors! I should’ve warned them about the effects of the sun on us… I’m sure they’re not quite as used to the weather as we are.”

Scruff ran towards the two elves

“My two most interesting friends of the section!”

He yelled as he hugged both of them, as they laughed.

“And they two most friendly elves in the section…”

He peered back at Fin’dae who was making faces at Scruff, and stuck his tongue out at Fin’dae.

“Are you done smothering them like an O’lva!?”

Fin’dae shouted at him in the distance

“Are you done commenting on everything like a finicky elf noble!?”

He shouted back causing Fin’dae to chuckle… Gevien watched in amazement how much had changed between the two since he was gone for two days. They made their way back to their friends who greeted them with embraces.

“Thought we lost you out in the desert young ones… And eaten by those oversized black pieces of defecation!”

Went Fin’dae

“Should’ve watched over you better.”

Urak’detil said apologetically

“It’s no problem at all, we shouldn’t make that mistake again, knowing that heat can sap us.”

Said Kodriel, pointing to her new outfit

“Just nid to ged used to it.”

Gwlafinhgol said as he climbed down from a roof, preparing to leave the village.

They set off away from the sun, heading west towards the pass of Kleriva where a fortress lay to destroy. Conversation ensured a less boring journey, which would take 4 more days. Fin’dae talked more of how things were back in his time and of the Imperial Capitol which had been a beauty, with it’s gardens which had every plant in the Empire and species of animal, maintained in a isolated environment by magic… How one could move from desert life and plants to a display of the vegetation of the Tundra.

Kodriel began to speak of her days when she used to live in Altterdor near the mystic forest and the many stories which came from that area, of how once an elven girl disappeared into the forest never to return, search parties from the best Kressen trackers finding not a trace of her.

Gevien told stories of his childhood, his short time in Emyn with his mother and his life in Fleydara, and of his family including his sister Melda, also of Anira… Which Fin’dae began to ask him to stop after awhile, reminding him of his own beloved calling for a Poguli stick break.

Gwlafinhgol spoke about his time in the Kressen capitol long ago, deep within the forests of Fleydara where the jungle touched the sea in a mix of vegetation and mangroves, and told about how it fell into disrepair and eventually abandoned as the sea continued to rise and the city continued to sink. Moving into the jungles and setting up numerous stone structures… Only to move again to the City of the Sun after an Alliance was made to fight off the humans.

Urak’detil spoke of how she used to be a cook in the various villages in Altterdor and even the Imperial Capitol and how she was forever trying to perfect her recipe for Animal Powder… A Powder used to make instant soup by just pouring and stirring it in hot water. She experimented with it later with permission with the section chef, the men after having it for dinner singing her praises until sleep claimed them all. Improving the reputation of their resident elves amongst the men of the section, so much so that Scruff was beginning to send messages from his friends in how attractive Kodriel was… That was usually directly quoted with all of human perversion

Otherwise the trip into the desert was uneventful, until they reached the last village closest to the fortress on Kleriva pass.








Before long they found themselves in the shadows of the mountains, towering over them and blocking the harsh sun from them leaving them out of the sun for the first time since day break.

“That’s our target men!”

The leader pointed towards a fortress built into the mountain, they had been seen and Gwlafinhgol could see they had already prepared defenses, ready to face off a siege from the long arm of the Imperials from the City of the Sun.

A cheer went up from the men there, they had finally reached their destination… They were eager for battle unlike Gevien and the other elves, human impulses confused them.

They made their way closer to the pass before Gwlafinhgol yelled
“Haght!”

Fin’dae looked at Gwlafinhgol and repeated it again in human common

“They be hiding in the rocks!”

Gwlafinhgol knocked an arrow into his bow and took aim as the Soldiers started to get into a defensive formation, shields up front and swords behind.

Gevien looked about not seeing anything till a human foot caught his eye, it was true.

“Men prepare for an ambush!”

The human leader yelled and his translator translated it in human common.

“Gwlafinhgol put a arrow into someone and get this over with!”

His friend nodded and he fired an explosive arrow, impaling a foot of one of the would be ambushers who screamed in pain as it exploded throwing him from his hiding spot. They screamed in their own language as they appeared from their hiding spots, Gwlafinhgol firing arrows as fast as he could at any target he could see

“Advance!”

The human leader announced as they slowly made their way up the pass, few men taking well aimed arrows, dropping them

“They’ll never get up those rock faces with carrying all that rubbish with human strength, Gevien Kodriel, Urak’detil follow me up!”

They sprinted to the rock faces and started their accent to the top of them as the human Imperials made their way down the pass.

“Surprise Runéan!”

Fin’dae yelled as the human enemy backed up in shock, as he appeared from the edge of a cliff. Fin’dae striking him down with his sword as Urak’detil followed, Fin’dae charging off to the next Runéan Son archer, Urak’detil flinging inscribed stones from her pouch bursting into flames as they ignited on impact, Gevien and Kodriel were on the other side and danced through the ridge, cutting down humans and sending some tumbling down the cliffs which flanked the advancing Imperials who cheered at them.

“Lord O’lva move your men up the pass we’ve got you covered on your flanks!”

Fin’dae yelled into the pass as he continued hacking through Runéans who came at him with distant hopes of doing anything. Arrows fired at him were deflected by a spell or two. Demoralized by their failed ambush, not realizing the Imperials had elves with them they retreated towards the fortress, the gates closing and the sounds of it being barricaded were heard.

“How many are hit?”

The leader asked his translator who relayed information to him, which added up to 14 wounded by well placed arrows and 3 killed, a small price to pay for an ambush.

“I must thank you elf, you saved many lives today.”

The human Lord thanked Fin’dae and his friends as they drank Urak’detil’s animal powder.

“With my experience… If you die, we die, so I’m trying to keep as many of you alive as I can.”

Fin’dae replied slurping down his soup as the human nodded.

“The men have gained new respect for you as well, they’ve asked me to thank you on behalf of them as well.”

Gevien smiled to himself, though he was killing… He was still saving lives, hopefully the right ones.

That evening they began to set up tents and build their siege ladders from parts they had been carrying separately though the journey, and as the night settled in and the men began to sleep Fin’dae made his way to the Lord’s tent.

“Hello Fin or so one of my men calls you.”

“Would that man be one they call Scruff?”

Fin’dae asked as the Lord poured some wine from his stash, carried by the Banthi cows he had hired.

“You mean Soldier Bennvic Trajildrad?”

“Who?”

Fin’dae raised his eyebrows at the name, wondering why on earth would Scruff have such a elaborate name.

“The one my men call Scruff.”

The lord replied, confirming his confusion. Shaking the question out of his head he moved towards the table.

“I meant it when I said I’m trying to keep your men alive.”
The Lord nodded.

“Then I suggest you keep your forces from assaulting the fortress.”

He choked on his wine for a minute, coughing.

“And what would suggest then? Use your magic to blow up the wall?”

Fin’dae held his palm to his face and sighed.

“No I was suggesting a more stealthy approach. I’ve been in many wars Lord O’lva… I know that every defense has a flaw somehow.”

“But even if we are to find a flaw in the fortress’s defenses how do you suggest we kill the leader without attracting attention to ourselves?”

Fin’dae pointed to himself

“We’ll do it.”

“Oh in that case why do I even need to bother sending my own troops in?”

Fin’dae leaned onto his desk where he kept a map of the fortress

“We’re going against Ehdel Mereth no?”

The lord eyed Fin’dae who rephrased himself

“Salamanders I mean… In that case we’re going to need your men to kill their main source of food, Banthi cows.”

“Cows?”

“If your salamanders get hungry enough they’ll turn on their masters, as they already keep the salamanders hungry to make them combat ready, starve them for just a bit more and they’ll go into a frenzy.”







The darkness of sleep surrounded Gevien, dreams were nowhere in sight of his mind’s eye until the blackness gave way to light, washing over Gevein’s face.


He was seated comfortably, as his mind entered a new state of paradise. He rose from the stone bed of the water fall, looking for his beloved but saw naught but the scenery of beauty, forever captured in his memory.

“Anira?”

He asked looking for his Beloved, who’d usually be with him in his dreams, where their minds would communicate through dreams as elves usually do, especially beloveds. But something was wrong, Anira was nowhere in sight.

“Anira!”

He bellowed into the forest behind him towards the direction he knew was home, perhaps she was on the way here?

“GEVEIN!”

A scream shot through the trees of the forest and Cidas birds fluttered about in panic to the sound which pierced Gevein’s ears.

“Anira!”

It was the only word which left his mouth as he ran into the forest as the bright world filled with light suddenly began to turn into darkness setting down upon his paradise. Gevien ran running in blood curdling panic.

“Anyone… help…”

Her cries haunted him, as the darkness soon consumed the forest and surrounded him as the stars above turned to a black so dark even he with his elven eyes couldn’t not see the sky or clouds above.

“I’m coming beloved!”

He yelled as Anira began to sob, and wailed like a mourning ghost. He stumbled over a boulder he did not see, badly bruising his shin but rolled to his feet and just kept running.

“Gevein… why? Where did you go? Where were you when I needed you?”

Chills washed over his back as he heard her call his name with such regret, such pain which nothing could remove.

“Hold on!”

Gevien yelled again but his voice seemed to be trapped by the jungle as he ran as hard and as fast as he could towards her voice… But the forest never seemed to give way to him, like it was never ending; torturing him each moment he couldn’t seem to see his house.

“Anira wait!”

He yelled as she sobbed, as a figured appeared in front of him, dressed in white like Anira would dress.

“Beloved?”

Her eyes bled red like the ghost Pravisuir, and Anira chuckled. Gevien froze in shock, this wasn’t Anira, it couldn’t be.

“Gevien…”

She muttered between her chuckles.

“Pravisuir.”

He spoke before she fell onto her knees, and wailing like a child.

“Don’t you know me beloved?”

Gevien ran towards her in confusion, had he really hurt her feelings?

“I’m sorry it’s just that-“

He took her chin and raised it to his face only to see her face distorted and bloodied with gore as she chuckled.

“You know me… As I know you.”

The gore faced creature which resembled Anira spoke, sending chills down his spine as it forced him to the ground, and clawed at his face.



Suddenly awakened, he jumped out of bed from his dream, just as Fin’dae was returning from talking to the Lord.

“Gevein what in the name of my grand aunt is going on?”

Fin’dae asked as Gevein grabbed him by the collar of his white noble shirt,

“My Beloved! She’s not safe! There’s that woman in the jungle! She’s not safe!”

“What on Ru-“

Kodriel awakened by his cries went to him and hugged him, hushing him.

“Kodriel, Kodriel Pravisuir was there, she was Anira! Or she is planning to harm her!”

“Pravisuir?”

“The spirit who visited me and Melda!”


“What did you dream of; tell me I might help…”

Urak’detil, said as Gwlafinhgol drew his Kressen Paran in reflex.

“So you’re a dream reader now?”

Fin’dae asked, annoyed with the sudden drama without understanding what in the name of his grand aunt had caused it.

“No, but I can read dreams, now move aside and leave them some time to speak.”

Gevien told his dream to Urak’detil, who had never heard a nightmare like it in her experience interpreting dreams.

“Doesn’t sound like any dream I have heard of.”

She commented as Gevien retorted

“It’s more of a message, a message that Anira is in danger!”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions boy.”

Fin’dae commented

“Pravisuir, do any of you know any legends of Pravisuir?!”

They shook their heads, only Kodriel replied

“Only what the story teller told us.”

Gevien held his brow, confused and afraid of losing his beloved, traumatized by the nightmare. He would let it rest tonight, for his trip into the fortress would keep it from his mind. But he knew something was not right, and he knew that it would be soon.