The mangled mess that was the result of Me’s downfall sighed irritably. Having broken his several of his bones once again, he had accepted the pain as normality and even had begun to ignore it to a larger degree.

Accepting and ignoring pain did nothing to solve his current predicament, however. With too much energy and too little to do Me lay in an awkward position as he waited to fall asleep under the rising sun. Closing his eyes, Me began to spread his senses out for something to relieve his boredom.

“Clip.”

The weakest echo of an alien sound rang out, causing Me’s ears to twitch

“Clop Clip”

Again the phantom sound rang out clashing harshly against the natural noises of the forest.

“Clop clop clip clip clop.”

The noise grew louder rising slowly in intensity. A budding fear rose in Me’s chest, the noise was unfamiliar yet familiar, touching upon something as yet unrealized in his mind.

“Cloppety clip clop clop”

The fear rose from its nesting point in his chest and started to attack his brain.

“CRACK, SNAP, CRUNCH.”

Me’s bones started a symphony of noises as they painfully yet quickly reassembled. Heaving himself up stark fear causing him to ignore the consequences of straining his still healing bones he looked the closest place to run to, before suddenly climbing a nearby tree.

“Clippety Cloppety clip clop clop clip.”

The noises intensified as dozens of beasts could now be heard as Me reached more than halfway up the tree he suddenly stopped moving as if petrified, his green skin appearing to meld into the tree itself as he hid.

A few dozen of the creatures Me would later recognize as horses broke from the foliage and entered into his sight, nearby some of these horses were humanoid figures marching, one of them stopped suddenly and looked around, their pointed ears flicked as they stretched their senses.

One of the men astride their horse shot the walker a questioning glance while sneering a question.

“What is it? Elf.”

The elf stopped looking around for a moment to shoot a glare at the man who had spoken. “A while ago the birds left from this place and still have yet to return.”

“Ugly fucking tree talker who said you could make that expression!” the man spoke angrily

“Silence!” echoed the commanding voice of a crowned man astride a great white horse. “Elf, if the birds are gone from the trees, why haven’t you been looking up?”

“What kind of demon hides in a tree?” the elf quietly commented before raising his eyes upwards.

As the elf looked upwards, it met Azure eyes, causing the elf to blink in surprise switching his gaze from ground to sky just to make sure he had seen the oddly out of place blue eyes. Meanwhile, Me felt his fear peak; the shock of being spotted making him momentarily lose control of his body.

“Crash!”

A humanoid figure fell from the trees before landing on the ground, the sudden surprise causing every single soldier to ready their weapons, bow, sword, spear, or stave. The elf cautiously approached the unmoving body, his bow at the ready.

A look of study appeared on the elf’s face as he stared, the body’s eyes were open, yet glassed over. Putting bow aside, he knelt to feel its heartbeat.

“Lub-dub” … “Lub-dub.”

The internal rhythm of the body beat strongly against its chest. Standing up, the Elf began speaking to crowned man.

“It’s alive but… I’m not sure what IT is.”

“Human, Beast, tell us what it is you’re supposed to be ever so sensitive, tree hugger.” sneered the first knight, dismounting and brushing the elf aside before his lips curled in an expression of disgust. “Half-breed… Some disgusting wench must’ve mated with a goblin.” the man began to raise his sword.

“Stop!” “What're you doing?” questioned the King.

“Ending a miserable half-breed’s existence, such scum shouldn’t corrupt our human line.” the man pridefully said.

The simple mention of ending something’s life caused a spark of anger to materialize in the King’s eye. “You dare speak so casually in front of me? You know little of what those words mean.”

The knight's eyes showed his wounded pride for only a few moments before it was quickly and skillfully disguised with layers of submissiveness and apology. “I’m sorry my king. I was not aware that you were so against such a matter.”

The King’s expression calmed down after a few moments, to hide his ugly display of emotion he gazed at the prone body before him. “Stange; seems to be entirely human except for the hue of green he has for his skin.”

“Now you see why I was reluctant to say I knew what his race was?” the Elf said somewhat irritably.

“Cage it.” the king commanded, “Perhaps this beast will prove useful for the good of Vonai.”

A carriage drawn by some horses was pulled up, a servant quickly pulled out a metal collar and clasped it around the lying body’s neck. After checking that it had been securely collared the Man picked up the body and roughly threw into the cage.

“Lord Harken…” The knight began

“Yes?” The king turned as his met with the knight.

“What need have you of this… creature? Haven’t we many other, better candidates?” The knight questioned.

The King shrugged. “Whimsicality, this creature isn’t normal.”

“That… is unlike you Lord Harken.” the Knight spoke quietly.

The King raised an eyebrow as he stared at the knight “and who decides what is like or unlike me?”

“You, my lord.” the knight said as he lowered his head.

“Yes, me.” The King affirmed, “Quickly now, we must check the mountaintop for that demon, lest it escapes.”

“My lord, it is unlikely that the demon would still be there for so long.” the elf servant commented.

King Harken responded angrily to the servant “Do you take me for a fool that hasn’t considered the options? The sooner we get there, the sooner we can find his path. That beast will do only evil; we must kill it before it reaches the hands of those who would let its evil grow.”

Meanwhile in the cage nearby, lay Me who was still lying limply with his eyes still wide open and glassed over, staring avidly at something only he could see.