EARTH 2546
Northern Utah Mountains
Utah
The man stood beside the huge tree staring into the night sky, the full moon illuminating the entire area all around him. He wore a dark gray jumpsuit on his six foot frame with a flowing cloak over his shoulders, his long white hair falling around his shoulders. He held the six foot length of polished oak in his hand for support, his wrinkled skin pale even in the moon light. His deep blue eyes though were extremely bright and very alert, and belied his age. The old man turned slowly when he heard the soft footsteps behind him.
"Holy One, it is I?" The soft feminine voice reached out from the darkness.
"Come forward Tarifa". The man spoke. "You need not ask my permission."
He watched as the two figures appeared from the darkness of the forest around them, walking as if they were ghosts. He watched as they stopped in front of him and slowly dropped to their knees. They were both female and both looked to be in their mid twenties. The one on the right was the one who had spoken and was the taller of the two. Her name was Tarifa, and she was among the tallest of her people at five foot nine. Her flowing, shiny black hair fell almost to the top of her buttocks, framing an absolutely perfect face with high cheekbones and soft pouty full lips. Her face was oval in shape, and her flawless skin was evenly tanned from years of living in the sun and it gave her a distinctly exotic look.
Each of them wore tight, coal black jumpsuit like uniforms that allowed them to blend seamlessly into the night. The jumpsuits were of a design that added flexible body armor to their uniforms in critical areas, but did not hinder physical movement in the least. The uniforms fastened around their slim necks but split open in a V shape, and as you looked further down their enticing torsos, the tanned skin of their cleavages and abdomens was exposed for all to see as the uniforms strained against their high full breasts. The V ended just below their navels, and became normal again. The fabric that encased their legs was also very much skin tight, almost as if painted on, and both wore elaborate combat boots that extended up almost to their knees. The uniforms had no sleeves, and their tanned arms were exposed to the elements, but both wore fingerless black gloves and armored gauntlets that covered their skin, the gauntlets ending just below the elbows with wicked looking edges to them that could slice flesh as easily as butter.
The old man stepped closer to them and reached out with a wrinkled hand to push aside the soft satiny black hair on the side of Tarifa's head to reveal the slightly larger and three inch long pointed ears. He smiled gently.
They were elfin ears.
"Never be ashamed of what you are child". He spoke softly.
Tarifa lifted her delicate face to look at him with her dazzling sapphire blue eyes and used her hand to pull her hair around her other matching ear. She could see her Lieutenant Endith doing the same. She settled her sapphire blue eyes on the old man.
The Holy One had designed the uniforms and all of the High Elf female warriors now wore them, and had for centuries. The males wore similar uniforms, but since Elf society was not as concerned with modesty, nearly every female had modified their uniforms and clothes to enhance their near perfect figures, and they did so shamelessly. Tarifa however had altered her uniform to be unique, and her personal guard had copied her alterations in honor of their positions. The uniform did nothing to hide the perfect shape of her hips and the fullness of her high firm 34C breasts. The flowing black cape around her shoulders hid the view of a muscular and exceptionally formed tight ass. The female who knelt next to Tarifa was her Senior Lieutenant, and matched Tarifa's beauty in almost every way, the only difference being the long shiny red hair that fell to her shoulders, and the absence of the strangely exotic aura that surrounded Tarifa.
Tarifa carried herself with an almost regal air, as well she should. Tarifa may have looked to be only in her mid twenties, but she was in fact over a hundred years old, and had been Queen of the High Elves for nearly half that time. As with all elves, she was blessed with exceptional reflexes and strength, as well as heightened senses. Though she was the product of a mother and father, as were her three younger siblings, she could trace her heritage back to great-grandparents that were created by the man she knelt before now.
A man all Elves referred to as the Holy One.
"It is almost time Holy One." She spoke softly." Marcus's forces are getting closer."
The old man nodded and settled to the large stone beside the tree, resting his frail form before looking at her again. "I am sorry Tarifa, Endith. Im sorry for so many things."
Tarifa looked at him oddly and stole a quick glance at her equally confused lieutenant. "Forgive me Holy One, but sorry for what?"
" I'm sorry for bringing this upon you and the others." He told her. "As with so many of my creations, they have been misused and abused over the years. My only thoughts were to try and make things better."
"Holy One you created us all those years ago. "Tarifa spoke". If not for you, none of us would exist. It was you who allowed us to prosper and grow. Make homes for ourselves, and have families."
The old man nodded." And look what it has wrought?" He continued softly, almost as if he was ignoring her. "My attempts at helping others has wrought endless war and fighting. I sought to create perfection in the elves by making all of you so desirable to man that they couldn't resist you. I sought to bury deep the century's old notions of hiding your sexuality by making the elves perhaps the most sexually free species to ever inhabit this planet. Now so many of your sisters and brothers are dead at the hands of those I wanted to help, and oppressed by those I thought long dead. So many more turned into slaves and pleasure toys for men and others. I meant for all of you to live free and be happy, not be slaves and toys to power hungry animals and beasts."
"The High Elves are free Holy One". Tarifa said." We live free every day."
The old man smiled. "Events are coming to a close Tarifa my child." He spoke sadly. "You can not win this war you fight; not alone. You must seek help from those you shun."
"You have said this before Holy One." Tarifa spoke. "I know what you mean, and I agree with you, but the Council of Elders does not. They believe an alliance with the Wood Elves would be disastrous. The Wood Elves have betrayed us in the past."
"You are their Queen Tarifa." The old man spoke. "You must make them see that events are happening differently. The Wood Elves chose a new Queen over a century ago and the Elders still refuse to reach out to her."
"Holy One she has allowed her warriors to raid several of our camps and murder innocents". Tarifa spoke, her voice holding distrust and anger in it. "How can she be trusted? Rumor has it she is even working with Marcus and the Alliance to us out."
"Do you believe this Tarifa?" The man asked.
"I do not want to Holy One, but the evidence is very nearly overwhelming". Tarifa replied. "Just yesterday I received word that one of our border towns was massacred by the Cadres Sweeper Assassins. They struck like creatures from the night, slaughtering everything in their path. And it was said they were led to the town by a Wood Elf assassin."
The old man sighed heavily. "Yes I know. He reached out and placed his hand gently on her shoulder." I created the Elves in the image of myths and legends from my time Tarifa. I took from those legends and stories and gave you your strength and speed your other abilities. I wanted to ease the burden of mankind by giving them a race of men and women that could help them to rebuild. They took my work and twisted it into darkness, creating all manner of monsters and beasts. They turned you into slaves and beasts of burden to satisfy their sadistic pleasures. I created all of you to be beautiful and nearly perfect female physical specimens, but in my desire to do good I did not realize they would take advantage of your beauty in the ways they have done. So many of your sisters have been lost to slavery, transformed into nothing but drug addicted pleasure slaves that serve the whims of those in power. Having that knowledge within me these past four hundred years has been the bane of my existence."
"You did not know that would happen Holy One. Tarifa spoke. No one could have predicted the depths to which humanity would fall after the Great Fire. And there have been some humans who we regard as friends."
The man looked at her. "You speak of the ones in the mountains? You have not had contact with them in nearly three decades."
Tarifa nodded. "This is true, but we have maintained good relations with those humans who live in the mountains Holy One". Tarifa said." But the Alliance has herded many of them to the cities now as they expand their empire. We can no longer rely on them for help."
The old man nodded." Those humans that live in the mountains are exceptions Tarifa. All Elves, High Elves and Wood Elves alike, were unique. Even the minor clans of elves that have been established over the years are unique. And over the years you have made them even more unique. You are warriors of the finest caliber, never doubt that."
"Even still Holy One, we can not stand against the Alliance Cadre Assassins". Tarifa spoke. "They are stronger and faster and crueler than we could ever be."
The man nodded. "Yes that is true." He said. "Have faith though. Help is coming."
Tarifa looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean Holy One? Help from whom?"
The old man smiled." I created your ancestors, yes. However they were not my first creations". He told her, seeing the look of surprise on her face. "Before the Great Fire that plunged us into darkness I created others. They were the absolute personification of terror. " Tarifa watched with large eyes as he gazed into the stars for a moment and continued speaking. "They were bigger, stronger, faster and far more intelligent than the apes that exist now. They were human in a way, inhuman in others."
"They were human?" Tarifa blurted out with undisguised astonishment." Holy One please, I ask you to forgive my ignorance, but no human alive could match our prowess and strength."
The old man smiled." You are proud Tarifa". He spoke kindly. "But do not let your pride cloud your judgment or what your eyes will show you. Time has come full circle now, and soon you will see for yourself what I speak of when I speak of them. Their leader will bear the same mark as you do on your neck Tarifa."
Tarifa reached up slowly and traced the small tattoo on the side of her slim neck, the edges of it just poking above the collar of her uniform. She was given the tattoo at her birth and in the elfin language the symbol meant Arfanyarasse Cundo or High Guardian.
"Search them out. Search him out. I believe he is the one you are meant for."
Tarifa's sapphire eyes grew wide as she looked at him." Meant for Holy One?" She spoke with a somewhat arrogant tone." I am Queen of my people Holy One, and only I say who shares my bed."
The old man smiled at her. "He is the one that will open your eyes to new things Tarifa, open your very soul to what you can not now fathom." He told her softly. "You think I cant see that of all the partners that have shared your bed, none of them have stirred your true passion. He will open your eyes to what it is to love. And you will return to him what he has sought for so long, but neither of you will be complete. By coming together you will set each other free. Go to the sacred site Tarifa my child. He will come there first."
"Where will he come from Holy One?" Tarifa asked softly, this information stimulating her sense of curiosity a great deal.
Walter Carson got to his feet with a great deal of effort as an explosion in the distance announced that a battle had begun. Tarifa and Endith sprang quickly to their feet in response the echo of gunfire.
"They will come from the heavens. And he will be with them. It is almost time for the end game to begin". Walter said softly.
Tarifa looked at Endith." Take the Holy One to the rendezvous! I will hold off Marcus's forces while you escape."
"My Queen you cant! If you are captured!"
"Do as I instruct you Endith!" Tarifa snapped. "You must get the Holy One to safety!"
Endith nodded as she bowed her head." I will do as you order my Queen."
"Go now! And move quickly!" Tarifa told her.
Endith moved forward and took Walters arm. She turned back to her Queen." I will wait for you at the entrance to the forest." She spoke.
Tarifa nodded." I will join you there."