The shade casted by surrounding trees was a stark contrast to the brightness before he entered the woodlands. The air was different too, he could feel the wind caress his newly donned robes as he kept moving deeper into the forest. Soon, he was blasted by the sudden gust of wind. His robe fluttered and he was greeted by the imperative tone of a voice bouncing off the trees.

"Traveler, state your reason for entering the Evergreen Woodlands! Or is the traveler perhaps lost?"

Bones looked around but couldn't detect where the voice was coming from. He then faintly sensed a presence bearing down on him from somewhere high in the trees. He looked up and saw two figures standing atop of a branch of the tree, looking down at him. One figure was smaller, had a slimmer figure and was giving him a nasty look while the other one was taller and more composed. Both figures wore leather armor in shades of green and brown, had bright green eyes, long ears ending in a point and long blonde hair reaching down their waist.

"You got balls entering the sacred grounds of the Forest Elves!" The female shouted in disdain.

So these are the elves…Bones was of two minds if he should go ahead and use Identify but decided not to. It was considered rude and against one's privacy to blatantly use Identify on someone. Didn't stop him before though. Besides, he could feel the suppressed power of a gold ranker emanating from the male elf.

"I really don't!" Bones shouted back, then murmured quietly, "Not anymore…"

"I suppose not. Your kind isn't exactly welcome here so we'll do you a service and escort you out. Where are you headed, traveler?" The male elf spoke again.

He noticed? Quite perceptive. Explains the little one staring at me like that.

"I'm heading northeast, towards Quntis and would appreciate guidance of course. By the way little one, if you keep staring at me so intensely, your face will stay like that."

The male elf glanced at his companion and laughed out loud while the female pouted. The two didn't climb down the tree, but followed warily from behind, observing Bones' movements closely. When he would slightly swerve off the dirt path, the male elf would stop him and correct his course, explaining that the woods are treacherous to the outsiders and that they couldn't guarantee his safety.

The two escorting him seemed to be experienced in this sort of thing, escorting outsiders. Bones wasn't happy about the restrictions placed upon him but this was the shortest path to his destination and voicing complaints wouldn't serve him any good.

When they reached the first settlement sometime midday, the elf had him stay outside of what would be called an elven village. Bones didn't know what would be a correct term to call a community living high in the hollowed out trees connected by bridges.

They sure are taking their time. This could end up badly for me. The two that led me here clearly recognized what I am, and while they didn't really show much hostility toward me, doesn't mean others wouldn't.

While he waited, Bones admired the simple and humble abode at the root of a tree. On the inside he could make out chairs, tables and shelves, all made of wood and decorated by exquisite woodworking.

The way their furniture is made couldn't be called woodworking. They manipulate roots and branches to grow in the shape they wanted. The bridges high up connecting different abodes were made of intertwined branches of opposite trees. I wonder what the rest looks like from the inside.

Just as Bones made a step forward to get a better look, an Elf landed a few meters in front of him and blocked his path. Bones looked up, wondering where that one jumped down from, then back at the Elf in the front. It was a different Elf than the one escorting him previously but shared a very similar appearance. The Elf approached, greeted him with a slight nod and explained he would be the one to escort him the rest of the way. Bones' didn't care either way and motioned the Elf to lead the way. After just two hours, his escort was adamant in making camp as the sun was beginning to set.

"I thought you Elves had no problems traveling during the night?" Bones asked as he didn't really want to camp overnight.

"We don’t and we could."

"Then why?"

"Because I don’t want to." The Elf briskly replied.

Bones was a bit taken by the short and brusquely way the Elf responded, but didn't intend to argue with his guide and settled for the night.

Early in the morning, they continued their journey and as they traveled deeper, different animals crossed their path. Bones saw wolves hunting small rodents, big birds of prey hunting small rodents and slightly bigger rodents hunting smaller rodents. What drew his attention the most were the tiny elf-like creatures dancing in the distance. Bones watched them play and beckoned him to come over. He turned to his escort but the Elf remained silent and smirking.

Bones shrugged and started walking in the direction of the playful creatures, but they kept pulling away, making him chase after them. They giggled, chased one another and circled Bones as if he was the most interesting thing in the world. He identified the small creatures as pixies and followed them until they reached an undergrowth with a small creek and a field of colorful flowers wherever his eyes could perceive. The place seemed magical, serene and -

"Careful now." The Elf warned, following from behind and keeping distance. Bones reflexively turned to look at the Elf and felt a prickling sensation. He lifted his arm and saw a pixie with its small row of sharp teeth penetrating the sleeves of his robe, and latching onto his bones. He shook his arm, trying to shake the little thing off but the tiny pixie hung on tightly.

"Oy Elf." Bones called out. The Elf tilted his head and Bones pointed toward the pixie on his arm. Elf raised an eyebrow as if wondering what about it and pointed behind Bones. Bones turned around and saw a swarm of pixies in hundreds rushing out the field of flowers and coming straight at him.

Uh, w-what am I supposed…

With an Elf at his back, Bones wasn’t sure how to deal with the situation and so he stood there frozen. The pixies flooded his body in droves and started nibbling at his robe and bones.

[Mana Blast]

The pixies, while small in size and low in level, were numerous and the numerous bites actually chipped his bones. Well, Bones wouldn't have it! One controlled, suppressed Mana Blast later and he was clear of the tiny rascals. The rest of the pixies backed away and shouted in high pitch, what he could only perceive as profanities in a language he couldn't decipher. Bones addressed the Elf again and asked.

"The pixies seem very elf-like. Any relations?"

"Yes. They are our distant cousins and you've just killed dozens of them." The elf replied with a straight face.

"Really?" Bones asked in astonishment. The Elf’s answer confounded him.

"Of course not. You're an odd one!" The Elf remarked, then added. "The pixies are mischievous sprites and the only relation we share is our appearance. Now that your curiosity is sated, we should get back to the path."

I'm the odd one? This Elf might be a bit too much in tune with nature.

"Maybe you should lead the way from now on?" Bones asked.

The Elf exhaled in annoyance. "Fine! Follow and try to keep up!"

The Elf made his way back to the dirt path, turned around and saw Bones wasn't there. His shoulders slumped and he pinched the bridge of his nose, then started running after Bones. The forest truly was magical. The sequoia trees were enormous, at least a hundred meters high and fifteen wide. Bones was an excellent climber, proven by his previous utilization of trees for hiding, sneaking and ambushing purposes, but these trees? His fingers couldn’t penetrate the tree bark.

Marvelous. No wonder the Elves use them as a place of residence. Being so high up provides a certain amount of defense against…well anyone. How did they hollow out the trees? Were they like that before? No, I didn't see any hollowed trees outside their little village.

"Y-you! You got balls ditching me like that!" The angry Elf spat out. Bones didn't turn around, just turned his head slightly to the side and mumbled under his chin: "Not anymore - I wish everybody would stop saying that."

"What? Nevermind that, we should really -"

*growl*

"get back on the track…See what you did now?!"

Bones turned around and the Elf was gone. He snorted, thinking it was payback for ditching him first, then heard a sound of huffing, jaw-popping, low growl. He took a few steps around the tree and saw the giant body of a bear, but unlike any bear he ever saw. Quick Identify revealed he was looking at a Dire Ursus. It had pitch black pelt, long claws and salivating canines that made Bones turn and flee immediately.

The Dire Ursus chased after him but gave up the pursuit after a few hundred meters. Bones' every attempt at hindering the monster's movements using Boneyard failed and he didn't stop running until he saw the dirt path and Elf slightly puffing.

"I thought you were going to deal with it! Aren't you in tune with nature and all that?" Bones said while approaching. The Elf scoffed and said that he IS in tune with nature, then pointed in the direction of Dire Ursus and added: "And that WAS a force of nature!"

"Still, that bear was second tier, same as you from what I can tell."

"So? Why would I go out of my way to fight and kill, when I could choose to leave, which I did. Besides, you underestimate just how strong Dire Ursus is. For an undead, you seem rather naive. You haven't been dead for a long time, have you?"

"I suppose not. How often do the undead cross your path…Elf?"

The Elf shared a look with Bones before exhaling and "properly" introducing himself.

"Stop calling me Elf, my name is Ruvyn. And it's been a while since I last saw an enlightened undead. You should count yourself lucky that the Elders didn't see you as a threat. A few days ago refugees started entering the woodlands and just a day before you appeared, a group of soldiers tried to force their way in. They didn't make it out alive."

"Of course. I'm grateful for the Elders, whomever they be, patience and tolerance toward an undead such as me, and you can call me Bo-"

"Let's go undead! We've wasted enough time as is." Ruvyn interrupted and started walking. Bones watched him leave, but didn't comment nor let his annoyance show. He bottled it all down and deep within. He had to admit, he expected elves to behave with more restraint. The feelings he was getting from Ruvyn were pretentious, asshole vibes.

At least they didn't attack me because I was an undead…

"What's your stance on summons?" Bones suddenly asked. Ruvyn didn't reply immediately. He remained silent, mulling over the question before answering: "Even if you can summon minions, don't! You don't want to cast more suspicion on yourself. One undead is enough. We'll stop briefly by the next village along the way and the village after that, Maaldell, will be where we will part ways."

"Alright, fair enough. When can we expect to arrive at the last village?"

"At this pace, we will reach the next village tomorrow afternoon and then we have a three day walk to Maaldell. If you do more walking and less talking, maybe two and a half days. Now, is that all or do you have any other questions?”

Bones stroked his chin. “Not sure…If I do think of something, I’ll be sure to let you know!”

“That’s just great.” Ruvyn mumbled sarcastically.

The two occasionally bickered while traveling and set up camp overnight. Ruvyn made a simple fire and Bones watched him prepare a pot of soup made of suspicious looking mushrooms.

"You're eating that? They don't look very edible…"

"What's it to you? They might not be to others, but I am an Elf and we've been eating soup made of Polyozellus mushrooms since ages ago. They're considered a delicacy here, but what would you know?!

"I'm just saying they look just as they sound, and they sound like they may be poisonous or have hallucinogenic properties." Bones commented on the look and the name of the mushroom.

"They do have a hallucinogenic effect."

"Then why are you eating it?"

"One with nature, live by nature." Ruvyn chanted like it was a mantra to stick by.

One with nature my ass. They're all high on mushrooms…

The rest of the journey wasn't as exciting as the first few days. Bones played nice for a change and two days later, they reached Maaldell. What welcomed Bones was a similar village to the first one he saw and he couldn't help but shower Ruvyn with more questions.

"Do elves not have cities? And do all villages have residences high up on the trees?"

"Of course we have cities. Maybe one day you'll get to see one too. This is where we part ways." Ruvyn ignored the other question and laid it out plainly.

"Well, don't shed a tear for me."

"Tear? Of joy? You have around four hours of walking until you're out of the Woodlands, maybe a bit more at your walking pace. You should be in Quntis by evening. I advise you not to stray from the path. It's easy to get lost and after you leave Maaldell, you will lose the Elders protection."

"And who are the Elders?"

*whistle*

Bones watched as Ruvyn completely ignored him and waited until a white stag with green patterns came running and stopped next to him.

"Wait, wait, wait! Is that a mount?" Bones asked in surprise and a bit of anger in his voice.

"Not a mount! A companion!" Ruvyn briskly replied.

"No, that's a mount! Why couldn't we ride here??"

"The Evergreen Stag is a sacred animal and a companion to the Forest Elves, not a pet an outsider like you can ride on a whim! Given the situation between the Wezar and Aphiton Kingdom, we provide passage to the refugees through the Woodlands but I'd advise you not to take the same path if you plan to go back."

"Namárië." With the word of farewell, Ruvyn said all he had to say and left.

While Bones was calming his nerves after traveling with Ruvyn, the war between the two kingdoms abruptly came to an end.