Chapter 2

The Elven Version

Arrows shot at the human statues at night was of course a tradition at the elven kingdom, they couldn’t forget the past associated with the humans nor couldn’t they remember it, about how they fought with humans side by side, at the time of peril. The land was divided between humans, elves, beasts, drow, orcs and other living beings which fed on forces of nature and this being the elven kingdom.

A single elf did not shoot at any of the human statues, she walked through the wood on the wood shooting fruits and flowers, cutting it by apex, she being one among the trained elves, hence free to decide her own method of practice up to many extend.

She approached her foster mother, Colson, who currently had taken the control over the elven gems and had decided to reside there, in the elf care-dom. She did not have any grudge against humans having had the chance to know humans more nearly and because of sacrifices, the same was reflected by her foster child, Amnophia.

Amnophia said to her mother.

“I doubt when they will forget all enmity Colson, when they will start remembering things and form a better world.”

“When they forget the old story residing in the minds of elves of this realm, when they are ready to leave power for the sake of peace.”

“Isn’t it time to…”

“Not now Amnophia, you have to meditate first.”

“I have already did it as was required.”

“Well then, lets’ move.”

The two elves began to move, Colson now being the one who controlled elf gems have taken control over her brethren and was free to move from here to there and to train a child of her choice without any interruption, in the way she liked. Colson though old her skin reflected youth, her body was as strong as it was always been, her child was nothing less and was the one about whom her mother had a lot of hope, cause she was powerful and witty.

They moved from one tree to another, sometimes on to the ground and away from it, finally they reached where they wanted to reach, a lone ground far away from the hub, some elves were waiting over there to see over the posture of Amnophia.

It was time for practice for Amnophia. The both elves went to the ground of practice where energy was released and of course reconverted and reused. Amnophia could feel the energy rising through her veins, the energy from the surrounding, her body was skinny yet was it strong, her golden hair started to shine in the moonlight, her dark eyebrows became rigid for the approaching practice.

“Take your bow and arrow” commanded Colson.

Amnophia took her bow and an arrow with it and in no time it was attached to the string.

“Concentrate your energy.”

Amnophia’s face started turning pale, her energy being concentrated at the end of the tip of the arrow. A red spark started to glow at the end of the arrow, this being full of energy.

“You have done well so far, now turn it green, it’s the second last level of the stage to matron-ship, you are early to do it, one among the few,” said Colson, “now do it.”

The arrow end turned green then it started to blink, then it turned red, then slightly yellow.

“Not yellow, let it not deplete, try to maintain it.”

Amnophia’s face started turning yellow, it was as if she was about to be knocked out, the energy being drained away from her. Then she had her colors back, having maintained through the upsurge, the arrow end turned red, then a slight colour of green, then it started to blink again, but this time Colson didn’t say a word, the arrow again turned green, it was stable, it started to fill the night full of light.

“Now release.”

The arrow left the bow, the arrow travelled through the region of energy meant to stop it and also through the field which also absorbed its energy, the arrow still remained green, travelling in between the trees, it reached its target, a rock had been carved for Amnophia’s practice which exploded sending sparks of the rock towards everywhere just in the touch of the tip.

“Well done Amnophia, you can now be allowed to be on the hunt, it is a great honor for us to protect the brethren. You may choose your first day or night of your hunt.”

The news that Amnophia had exceeded in her training and had been selected as an arrowcast, that her prowess in fighting has excelled much and had given way to a fighter, spread through the community, which was expectant about her. Colson, of course at the ceremony gave her a new bow as was the custom, but on Amnophia’s request her old bow was retained and had been given which she used to practice, with which she had learned.

Colson further decided to not to be a wean mother for some time, to be away from the responsibilities and see to it that what she had created be not destroyed, she could sense the times were rough and the journey of her people had to be long.

The time came for Amnophia to go for the hunt, her first hunt and satisfy her pleads Colson herself had decided to accompany the group. The gems were transferred to the previous holder of the, who was the main one, who could control them and more. The group went out of the gate, which was just a tree which could only be seen by a elf or a powerful being indulged in mystical arts, it always appeared as though it was just dense forest, not a path, they were at the usual time, what was unusual was about the new cadet Amnophia.

“So you are going to be with us huh.” said the elf Mayona who suddenly became friends with her as she became part of the team, Mayona was of course the talkative type.

“Well yeah.”

“You will not get to kill much before a long time, a beast or two once a fortnight, that too we all attack in pairs if they seem dangerous and is intently standing at our entrance path.”

“Aren’t we just supposed to protect our people than kill everyone, anything? I suppose saving is better than killing.”

“Huh, you would change that in just a while”

“Mayona”

“Yes”

“Have you ever seen a warrior or a human soldier?”

“Well, I always wanted to kill one at least have a fight but Colson will always speak for them, hum, but you are interested in killing them, well humans are better prey than beasts.”

“No, no, it is actually that I just wanted to talk to one but nothing with killing,”

“After all the harm they have done to us”

“What, well I don’t see any harm in them”

“Of course, fostered by Colson, she is a powerful elf and Betristy supports her, you were always fostered in an illusion child, almost everyone despises Colson as much as they respect her, don’t you know how elves were thrown out of their own lands.”

“No” said Amnophia. Her eyes showed a positive response, a good mood in being ready to hear the fantasy, the story which most elves keep at their hearts and Amnophia wanted to hear it from them, unhindered, unbiased.

“Well then, listen” Mayona turned to her usual story telling mood, which was usually used when she was to spread gossips, she also decided to use the same when she was to say the story of humans assassinating elves, how elves were innocent at that time, how they were powerful now and could wipe out the whole human settlement alone. “There was a time when only elves ruled the land of Ephrias, we were happy, peaceful and cared about only ourselves. The dark elves, the drow, escaped the surface to the underground. The monsters were locked at the heart of Ephrias. One day a man came, our ancestors thought he might be a degenerated elf, a sick one. But we turned to be wrong and later he turned out with an army. The humans killed all the elves. The warriors, the warhammerlamperers, they all cut our trees, the sole purpose of our existence. We had our weapons of arrow so our Matron used her tree gems power. But their leader had his own powers.”

“Finally the humans and elves decided to divide the land between them; there was a neutral barrier, the Reverill forest, so we took either sides of the forest. Their King still rules over us as the covenant. We elves are a peaceful sort hence do not care about obligations as long as we have our own part of land and do not have to endorse the limits.”

“If it really is our lands, that is supposed to ruled by us and not any humans, why don’t we train ourselves the more and get more energy the same, fight back, take what was stolen.” put forth Amnophia with a sly smile on her face.

The wean mother of Amnophia crossed towards Mayona, giving her threatening look and not giving any efforts to hide her anger.

“I wouldn’t support the notion of you telling her some old folk rubbish and taint her mind; you are reassigned to another time Mayona.”

Colson looked at Amnophia with straight forward eyes and started treading forward. Amnophia followed her closely.

The patrol ended as usual, they came back from the patrol to their guarded territory, their home. After four hours of work it was nothing like usual. The next patrol group was ready to go.

Colson and Amnophia returned to their respective sectors for resting, the part of the tree house. Of course, elves never did own their own private houses as they moved from one place to another.