A small village takes view. The night is black while a large group encircles it with torches. As the first person with a torch walks up to a hut and puts the straw to the fire- an arrow suddenly pierces the hand dead center and the torch falls.

“Leave.” a lone elf stands in the town's path with a cold stare.

“Ah, so one lone- elf plans to stop us!” a large man- leading the charge responds- bellows out a laugh as he motions to the massive group behind him. A hundred others stand behind him- glowing read with malicious intent. The man’s form begins to emit a black mist and change color.

A young Aarock maintained his steadfast stance in front of him at the scene.

“You’re no match for us- little elf," the man speaks, as his voice gets lower- matching his growing size, "We’ve aligned with the most powerful of the demonos- Thanos.”

By the end of the sentence- his transformation is complete. Three horns, claws, even wings- protrude from what was a man- he now has grown to ten feet tall- the short leggings being the only remainder as his shirt and shoes rip apart.

True to his growing size- the force he emits with a stomp of his feet and a battlecry have grown too.

“Chargeeee!!!” the man speaks holding out a giant demonlike blade- leading the assault.

Aarock dashes forward- a hundred elfa rush out of a mist behind him.

A disgusted look at the change of events fills the man's face. Aarock is upon him before he can retreat. Aarock knocks the sword in an instant- In the next instant he takes a swing towards the man himself. The man sweeps clawlike fingers at Aarock as a fearsome gaze takes form on the man's face. Aarock dodges the strike by a hair's width as he backflips over the man.

A vicious look of pure hatred and murder fills the man's face- the last look before his head is separated from his body.

Aarock rushes towards the next in line among the demon-kin warriors- leading on the assault of the attacking elves into battle.

Elven steel clashes against sturdy blunt objects of demon-kin warriors. The men are feriocious and beastlike- no longer resembling men at all. However- the elves are the elites and in the end- the inexperienced are slaughtered.

It ends quickly. Aarock and his team made sure to check the bodies- Even one living demon-kin could contaminate the environment with its dark magic and threaten the safety of the village behind.

—

“Found one!” Alowan speaks as he flips over a body.

“Watch out!” Aarock yells to him. The demon-kin's glazed look takes on a strange smile before he bites directly into the Elfa.

“Good-bye,” he whispers as Alowan responds by stabbing the body- killing the demon-kin. A grey ooze begins to seep from the leg into where the teeth mark have taken hold. It's a death mark.

Aarock rushes towards the Elfa.

"Tell Koran i'm sorry," Alowan gave a resigned smile. Both of them know what it means to be bitten by a demon-kin.

Aarock nods silently as he holds the dying elf in his arms. A moment later- Aarock closes the Elfa's eyes. He sighs - Alowan was one of the youngest - a promising new recruit into the Elven forces- recently married.

—

"Elfa were the first guardians..." Aarock interjects to the group at the table, "during this period- it wasn't easy... but it was our duty... that is until..."

---

The Commander's room: a circular table filled with all the captains across the territory.

“Reports!” the chief captain speaks. They were inside of a temporary shelter- the walls were rock.

“Sir,” Ello spoke, “Five of my men are lost, the human camp has been pushed back to the Andigo Range.”

“Good. next?”

They went in order- eldest to youngest. Aarock would be last.

“Sir,” Sanju spoke, “Seventeen Elfa were slain. We are in need of support in the west.”

The chief looked at the second captain’s downhearted face, “We’ll get it for you. I’m sorry Sanju... Raldo?”

“Zero Elfa,” the face of a proud elf- Raldo. He was perhaps the most tactical and successful of the group.

“Good!” the captain.

Aarock looked around. Perhaps it was his youth causing his unrest- but something was wrong about the recent meetings. They no longer reported the human casualties- the ones they were dutied to protect.

—

“Aarock?”

“Two Elfa…” Aarock spoke. He paused for a moment. Regardless of current status quo he added in the report, “and zero humans!” he spoke proudly- holding his hand to his eye.

It had always been his custom to add the human count. After all- what was the point of the sacrifice his two men gave if it wasn’t shown what they fight for?

Even still – he would be frowned upon or laughed at by the others

The chief was the only one who remained responsive to statement. Every other Elfa looked at his statement with an eyeroll or otherwise. They no longer saw their duty with pride.

“Good work- Aarock,” the chief spoke with a nod.

"Okay, next on the agenda," the chief speaks.

“Sir!” Ello spoke.

“Yes- Alden?”

“The humans from Kalota wish to help us and defend themselves.”

"Hm?"

"They suggest that we give them some of our magic- so they can defend their village themself..."

--

Aarock replied, "For the Elfa...that was the beginning of the end."