First fantasy story.

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mbrake2311
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First fantasy story.

Post by mbrake2311 »

The cloaked figure walked slowly down the muddy road. His threadbare knee high leather boots slipping ever so slightly in the mud as he moved forward, ever closer to his destination. His hood slid back as he looked up at the sky, brow furrowed at what looked like more rain.
“This is the wettest damn place I have ever been” He said out-loud to no one. Long days by himself on the road forced him into the habit of talking to himself. He rested his hand on the hilt of his long sword, his father’s longsword. “Fools errand I’m on I just can’t imagine they ended up this far south.” He started as he heard the roll of wagons some distance behind him he quickly left the road and hid in the trees. This part of the world isn’t friendly to his kind, not that anywhere is particularly kind to elves outside of their ancient homeland the forest of Da’kari. The figure pulled his hood up to hide his shoulder length blonde hair and pointed ears that all Elves have.
The two horse wagon pulled closer and he realized it was a prisoner transport. One guard driving it and two more walking next to it covered in mud from the many times it had floundered on the nearly impassable muddy roads. He slid further into the shadows of the tree as the wagon got closer, the voices of the guards drifting to his keen ears.
“How much further? I hate prisoner transport!” The younger and much dirtier of the two walking exclaimed.
“Not much farther and we will make camp soon. Quit your whining! You know who we have in there?” The driver who was clearly in charge asked as he motioned to the cage with a thumb.
“No, like anyone tells me anything I’m just a lowly training recruit.”
The driver pulled the wagon to stop and leaned forward conspiratorially. “That’s the second in command of the Kannan Brotherhood.”
“What!?” He yelled throwing nervous glances at the cage. “Why in the nine hells would the high council only send the three of us to guard him all this way?”
“Think you fool! This way there is less commotion around his move. This way we just look like some unimportant prisoner wagon less likely to get attacked that way.”
The figure perked up at the sound of “Kannan Brotherhood”. He shifted his position in the tree to get a better look at the figure in the cage. The guards continuing to argue about the efficacy of the plan. The prisoner sat cross-legged in the back. His stained and dirty prisoner tunic strained against his massive frame. The figure moved closer getting excited. He hadn’t Imagined that he could have ended up this far south. How had the old magi known he should travel this road and head for the human city of Rocksteady? Questions for another time the old man was always full of surprises. He had to talk to that prisoner. A difficult task as these humans were very unlikely just to hand over their prized prisoner to an Elf.
“Rocksteady is at least another day’s journey from here so they must stop and make camp I could try and talk to him then and if need be break him out then sparing the humans lives.” He thought to himself. “Yes that is the best way to avoid any pointless killing.” Elves detest killing and avoid it when able but he is a very effective warrior when called upon to be one.
With a start the wagon jolted forward and started again down the road. The elf followed closely from the woods. Not fearing discovery as nothing he knew existed was a quiet as an elf in the woods. His leather armor under his cloak barely creaking as he moved, nothing compared to the loud humans in there medal armor stomping on the road.
As the sun finished going down the humans stopped and pulled the wagon off the road in a large clearing that was surprisingly dry. They set up camp quickly and efficiently as expected for military men. Once they started the fire and were gathered around it with their backs to the cage. The elf made his move he crept to the edge of clearing and looked at the cage, as with all living things the elf could see a light red outline surrounding the prisoner. He was in the same position as earlier! He crept forward cautiously not sure if the prisoner was awake or asleep not wanting to startle him and alert the humans. He got alongside the cage the bottom being about to his waist. The figure suddenly moved his head to look directly at the elf.
“He can’t see me he has a bag over his head!” He thought as he took a silent involuntary step back. After a moment of the figure staring at him through the bag and realizing if he did know he was standing here he wasn’t interested in alerting the guards.
“Are you really Kannan?” He asked barely audible in a crude form of basic trying to not give away his elvish heritage.
“Yes”
“Second in command?” The prisoner seemed a little taken back but declined to answer.
Leaning forward he asked. “Rescue?” The elf quickly reached between the bars and pulled the sack from his head and was met with a bald human in his 40’s with weathered skin. The man did not look scared of the elf rather intrigued. “Elf?”
“I am, can you take me to the Kannan outpost in the north?”
“Yes, why would a elf want to visit Haast Castle? I’m sure your aware we don’t have any love for elves.” His eyes narrowing in distrust.
“I have heard you accept elves who prove themselves useful.”
“Ahh, Dark elf.” He sighed in understanding. Elves not being afraid of death thinking it’s just the next phase of your spirts journey, are punished for the most heinous crimes with exile and the brand dark elf. Forced to leave their precious homeland and never allowed to return many turn to crime or mercenary work, or even worse join bandit camps where their stealth skills and special vision come in handy. “Yes sometimes the boss will take in a dark elf. A really useful one anyway.”
“Good, Lets get you out of here.” He said turning to walk to the lock at the back of the cage. As he was examining the lock to decide what picks to use the prisoner stood up in the cage showing off his massive size and boomed.
“If you want to join the Brotherhood little elf you will have to prove yourself!” He laughed as he spread his massive arms apart and yelled “Guards! This elf is trying to free me!”
“Damnit!” He swore as he turned to face the guards who had jumped up. Weapons drawn they advanced towards the elf.
“Elf step away from the prisoner by order of the king!” The older one, who was driving the cart said sternly. “Disarm yourself, you are under arrest!”
“No human, I do not think I am under arrest” He said softly as he drew his longsword. “Take the horses and go home.”
The youngest one of the three jumped forward “You filthy elf! You can’t talk to the captain like that!” with that he charged the elf, who batted the clumsy stab away with his longsword. The recruit’s momentum carrying him towards the elf haphazardly. He sidestepped and pushed him to the ground.
“Stay down pup.” The elf said turning his back on the recruit spitting up mud and coughing loudly.
“We can’t allow you to take the prisoner. You will have to kill us, but I warn you I do not plan on dying here today.” With that the one who had yet to speak advanced towards the elf. He was obviously more skilled than the recruit, who was now getting back on his feet his face twisted in rage. They attacked from both front and back. The elf dove to the middle of clearing away from the cage to create space to fight in as he rolled to his feet he drew a small throwing knife from his belt and with a movement born of a thousand repetitions he threw it. The knife struck the more skilled warrior in neck who fell the ground gurgling as the wound sprayed blood in an arc in the air.
He turned to the other two humans. Staring at their fallen comrade “Last chance take the horses and go home.”
“YOU BASTARD!!” The recruit cried out and lept towards the elf with a heavy handed overhead strike. He brought his longsword up to meet the strike but instead of taking the brunt of the heavier humans strike as the blades met he stepped to the left again allowing the brash young man’s momentum to carry him to the ground, but now he was deadly serious. He quickly stepped forward and put his boot on the young man’s blade and brought his sword down to sever his arm. The human screamed as the blade bit deep. He brought the sword up to end the recruit’s life. The old man rushed in and took a wild swing trying to save the young one’s life. The elf brought his sword up to block It, the swords clanging loudly as the met. The elf stepped clear of the young man and brought his blade up, a violent flare in his eyes. He quickly rushed the old man raining down blows with deadly precision. When he stepped back from the old man he was alive but cut in no less than three places bleeding profusely. The old man knowing he was no match for this war elf rushed in hoping to catch him by surprise. The elf stepped forward and met his assault head on quickly disarming the human and with one final swipe of his sword across the neck ending his life. The young man was trying to crawl away as the elf stepped over him and drove his sword through his back.
The battle over, the prisoner boomed with laughter “So, the tiny elf can fight!” He shook the cage which swayed alarmingly “Now free me! We will go see the boss and maybe he will find a use for a tiny elf.”
“And if he doesn’t?” the elf said as he rolled the leaders body over searching for the key.
“Then he will kill you.” He laughed “You have name tiny elf?”
“I’m counting on him trying!” He thought as he unlocked the cage and the massive man jumped down. “My name is Kitharas.”
“Kitharas? Funny name! Names Alex.” He said as he picked up one of the fallen’s sword. The longsword looked like a toothpick when carried by the giant man. “Let’s get going. I heard the guards saying they were expected in Rocksteady tomorrow. We don’t want to be here when they come to find out what happened.” The two quickly unhitched the horses from the wagon and gathered what supplies the guards had. Once everything was gathered and loaded away the started down the road north towards Haast Castle.
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Uche Balogun
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Post by Uche Balogun »

Bravo! It's not easy to write a believable fantasy story, you did okay.
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