Year 734 of the Age of Kings.
This world is known as Wysterian, a place where martial artists absorb the essence of the world, known as Spirit to strengthen themselves beyond the natural capacity, and where Magicians absorb the breathe of the world also known as Mana to strengthen their minds to perceive the matrices of magic. My name is Jax'in Gail'Toren, and as far as I know I'm the last Moon Elf in the world, we used to be hailed as the pale flowers of peace, until the Humans started their war. It's been 5 years since the human Kingdoms started this bloody war. They've finally pushed us Demi-humans near extinction. We have been fleeing them ever since they bombarded the High Elven Capitol of Wyn'seri. While there have been a few groups of people that have tried helping the demi-humans escape, the Kingdom of Halcion has hunted the down and killed nearly everyone involved. I don't think King Haizil has realized the who the members of the last group are, I hope they are safe. If what they said is true we might be able to make it out of this country...
"Jax'in, there's movement to our west." whispered a dog-eared demi-human to my left.
"Whatever happens don't strike first, we don't know if they're friendly or not," I caution as we travel along the road. "put your hat on Gaish, your ears are standing out again."
"Fucking humans, bunch of xenophobic pricks," Gaish snorts in anger "are you sure we can trust them, I mean come on, the last group sold us out only to die with those of us that were captured?"
Before Gaish could even finish his sentence I was already glaring daggers at him. How could he say that, knowing that these men and women were risking their very lives, and bloodline, to help us. It made my blood boil knowing that Gaish was becoming just as intolerant of humans, as they were of us. But. At the same time I couldn't blame him, watching your wife and child be murdered right in front of you would make even the nicest person become cruel.
"Look Gaish, I understand why you don't like humans, but not all of them hate us." I reply calmly, hoping that maybe he'll curb his anger enough before we get to the rendezvous point.
We didn't know it at the time, but those people that Gaish noticed off to our west, were hunters with magic tracking bracelets to hunt us down. Or that King Haizil already knew who was helping us escape. But, we were about to find out just how cruel he really was.
It was late at night when we finally arrived at the rendezvous point. It was a small copse of trees just big enough to house a couple of tents. I nodded to Gaish and we both hopped into a tree on either side of the copse and waited for our friends to show up. It felt like hours before we heard the steady rumbling of horses galloping through the forest. I let out a shrill whistle imitating a Moon Hawk to let Gaish know they were heading in our direction.
After he gave his reply we unsheathed the swords hidden below our cloaks and waited with bated breathe in anticipation of the possible battle on our hands. It only took a few more minutes before five horse with cloaked and hooded figures riding atop them. As they get closer I notice the familiar blue and white cloak of the leader of the group. I let out another whistle to let Gaish know they were friendly and we both dropped down from the tree's as we prepared to greet our guests.
"May the moon shine bright." I say in a raised voice in greetings to our guests.
"Vanish'aye lin katura lune," Replied the rider in the blue and white cloak with a soft feminine voice "may the moon shine forevermore."
"It's good to see you again Princess Zarita, it has been to long since we last met." I reply with a smirk at her improved moonspeak.
"Much too long indeed, Prince Jax'in Gail'Toren," She replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes and pouty expression on her face "has it been so long that you won't comment on how beautiful I've become?"
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I am the only son of the royal family of Moon Elves. At that remark Gaish lets out a low growl, and slowly moves his hands to his sheathed saber at his waist and looked at the princess with murder in his eyes. It didn't take him long to notice that there was a smile on my face, the likes of which hadn't been seen on anyone's faces since we were forced out of our homes, a handful of long years ago, as I raised my hand to help her down from her steed.
"It's good to see you still haven't lost your charming sense of humor." I whisper in her ear as I lower her to the ground before planting a kiss on her cheek.
"S..stop it Jax'in, w..what if Gaish see's you kiss me?" she stammers in embarrassment.
"It was only a kiss on the cheek My Lady, between royals, even fallen royals, it should be normal. However what isn't normal is to be wearing armor underneath that cloak."
"I-"
"Has your father figured out you've been helping us to evade his patrols?"
"I... I don't think so, but I overheard him talking to his Head Warrior about sending out Hunters with the magic tracking bracelets."
"He sent Hounder's after us?!"
"Yes, I didn't hear when he was going to send them so I came prepared. So quickly, take this." she quickly reaches behind her saddle and fishes out a small bundle and hands it to me.
After taking the bundle from her I notice a moonpearl ring with the seal of the royal moon elves on it and a black book with a silver clasp holding it closed. I smile at seeing the ring and slip it into the pouch I always carry at my waist. After putting the ring inside the pouch I turn back to the bundle and pull the black book out and start curiously examining it. But before I could examine it for too long I hear Zarita clear her throat.
"ahem... As far as any of the scholars in the castle can tell its a skill book. we don't know how to read it though, we can open the book just fine. But no amount of Mana or Spirit can reveal what it says." she sighs, looking down at her feet in disappointment.
I smile before speaking. "It's ok, I'll figure it out, and maybe one day it'll help us reclaim our lost homelands..."
As I look back at her I notice that she is looking down at her feet with a crestfallen expression, I put the book in between my chainmail. I smile to myself as I slowly walk up to her and stroke her hair. She jumps a little, startled at my touch and starts raising her head with a stern expression and her mouth open with some choice words, only to have them be cut short by my lips encasing hers. I feel her stiffen up a little, only to relax a moment later and start kissing me back with unmasked want.
"I think that should be a proper expression of my gratitude." I whisper as I break the kiss and wink at her now extremely red face.
"C..can't I come with you? Please I promi..." She pleads with embarrassment on her face as my hand quickly covers her mouth.
I start quickly scanning the surrounding forest with my eyes and motion for Gaish to uncover his ears and listen to the surrounding forest as well. As we continue scanning I put Zarita's hood up over her again and give a quick nod to the others with her, signaling for them to leave. Just before I move Zarita back into her saddle I give her one last kiss, not knowing that this would be the last kiss she would believe I gave her.
SNAP!
"Run go!" I yell as Gaish and I draw our weapons.
"Gaish, light up the forest behind us!"
"But that will leave us trapped!"
"Then start burning it all God's damnit!"
A wicked smile grows on Gaish's lips as he sheathes his saber and stretches out his arms, breathing a steady rhythm, drawing the ambient mana of the forest to his core. His hands start flashing different signs as his arms start moving in a circle around his chest. It wasn't until the Mana started becoming a palpable thing in the air before Gaish chanted the words of power,
"Vulcana, aspect of fire. Give unto me your unbridled fury, let my enemies bear witness to your hellish flames!" As he chanted the words a massive ball of blue flames started appearing in front of him before finishing the incantation "Flame Rush!"
Upon completing the incantation Gaish quickly turned around and set the forest behind himself and Jax'in, whipping it back around in the last few seconds to catch the first Hounder in the intense flames, leaving nothing behind but ash blowing away in the hot winds created by the flames.
I look over at Gaish and we smile at each other expecting this to be the end of our journey. As Gaish begins drawing his saber once again we here the war cries of at least twelve human Hounders closing in on us.
"If today is the day, let it come while the moon still graces me with her beauty!" I bellow as I rush forward into the group of humans appearing out of the forest.
"Yes, and we shall take a few of the bastards with us!" roars Gaish as he charges in right after me.
As we charged into the trees we slashed at any opponent that got in the way of our mad dash. Some of the Hounders stopped in their tracks seeing us cutting down their comrades and pulled bows off their backs, each nocking an arrow and firing at us. It wasn't until the first arrow punched through my shoulder that I noticed the archers sitting back behind the frontline fighters and before I could warn Gaish I could feel three more arrows punching into my torso, and with the last of my breath I let out one last bloodcurdling scream.
"RUN!"
As my eyes closed for the what I thought would be the last time a silver blue screen popped up in my view with only one sentence before I finally lost consciousness.
*Codex of the Firstborn used, System initiated.*