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Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: A Life of an Elf

Lira stepped into her small cabin, perched high in the branches of one of the tallest trees in the settlement. The wind whispered through the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and earth. Sunlight streamed through the open windows, casting golden rays across the wooden floor. The cabin was simple but cozy, filled with trinkets and mementos from her life—a carved wooden figurine, a collection of feathers, a small shelf of books.

She sat on the edge of her bed, the green robe her mother had worn draped across her lap. The fabric felt heavy, not just in weight but in meaning. She ran her fingers over the intricate embroidery, her mind drifting back to a time when her mother was still alive.

Memory:

Young Lira, no more than six or seven, sat cross-legged on the floor of their home, a book open in her lap. Her mother, Eloira, sat behind her, gently combing her hair with a wooden brush. The room was warm, filled with the soft glow of lanterns and the scent of herbs.

"Mother, mother," Lira said, her voice bright with curiosity. "What lies beyond the Forbidden Ring?"

Eloira paused, her hands stilling for a moment before she resumed brushing. "Monsters," she said, her tone playful but with an undercurrent of seriousness. "Big, bad monsters. These monsters came and destroyed homes, ate bad children, and caused chaos wherever they went."

Lira's eyes widened, and she turned to look at her mother. "Really? They ate children?"

Eloira chuckled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Only the naughty ones. But don't worry, my little one. The mothers and fathers of the children built a ring—an ancient dome shield—to stop these monsters. For hundreds of years, it has kept them at bay."

Lira turned back around, her small hands clutching the book tightly. "But what happened after that? Did the monsters go away?"

Eloira's expression softened, and she set the brush aside, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "Not exactly. Over time, the mothers and fathers who built the shield began to argue. They fought over who owned what, who was responsible for guarding the ring, and who should make the decisions. That's when the Forbidden Ring was divided into four regions."

Lira tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Four regions?"

"Yes," Eloira said, her voice taking on a storytelling cadence. "The North Forbidden Region, which is near our home. The West Forbidden Region, near the homes of humans. The South Forbidden Region, near the homes of the Little Men. And the East Forbidden Region, near the homes of the Green Big Men and the Men from the Sea. Each region is guarded by different peoples, each with their own ways and traditions."

Lira's eyes sparkled with wonder. "But what would happen if these men forgot to guard the ring and started fighting amongst themselves?"

Eloira smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "What do you think would happen, little one?"

Lira thought for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. "I know, I know! The monsters would break through and come out!"

Eloira nodded, brushing a strand of hair from Lira's face. "That's right. But don't worry, the monsters haven't broken through yet. Not yet." She leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of Lira's head. "And hopefully, they never will."

Present:

Lira blinked, the memory fading as she returned to the present. Her fingers tightened around the robe, her chest aching with a grief she had long tried to bury. Her mother's smile, her laughter, her warmth—it all felt so far away now.

Eloira had been more than just a mother; she had been a protector, a teacher, a guiding light. But her light had been extinguished too soon, taken by the very beings she had warned Lira about: humans.

Lira's jaw tightened as she recalled the day her mother died. It had been a routine scouting mission, or so they had thought. Eloira had ventured too close to the West Forbidden Region, near the human settlements. What happened next was a blur—a clash, an ambush, a betrayal. The details were hazy, but the outcome was clear. Eloira had never returned.

The elders had told Lira that her mother had died bravely, protecting their people. But to Lira, it felt like a failure—a failure of the elders, of the system, of the world itself. And now, years later, the memory of that loss still burned like a fresh wound.

Lira stood, the robe clutched tightly in her hands. She walked to the small window, gazing out at the forest below. The trees stretched endlessly, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. Somewhere out there, beyond the shield, was the human she had seen earlier. A human, in the Forbidden Region. Alone.

Her mother's words echoed in her mind: "The monsters haven't broken through yet. Not yet."

But what if they had? What if the human was just the beginning?

Lira's grip on the robe tightened, her resolve hardening. She would find out the truth—about the disturbance, about the human, about everything. And if the monsters were coming, she would be ready.

For her mother. For herself. For the world she had sworn to protect.

After a brief moment of contemplation, a voice from below broke the silence. "Lira! Lira!"

Lira stepped outside her cabin and peered over the edge of the platform. Below, a young female elf—no older than a teenager—was waving enthusiastically. Her long ears twitched with excitement, and her green eyes sparkled with admiration.

"What is it, Mal?" Lira called down, her voice carrying easily through the trees.

Mal grinned, her hands cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice. "The ranger captain has called for the volunteers to gather at the training grounds! Don't be late!"

Lira sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'll follow soon," she replied.

"Okay!" Mal shouted back before darting off, her movements quick and energetic.

Lira stepped back inside her cabin, her mind already shifting to the task at hand. She carefully folded her mother's robe and placed it in a drawer, her fingers lingering on the fabric for a moment longer than necessary. The necklace, now hidden beneath her clothes, felt warm against her skin, a comforting reminder of her mother's presence.

She strapped her dual curved swords to her back, the familiar weight grounding her. The blades were a gift from her mother, their edges honed to perfection and their hilts engraved with elven runes. They were more than weapons; they were a part of her.

With one last glance around her cabin, Lira stepped outside and leaped from the platform. The ground rushed up to meet her, but she moved with the grace of a seasoned ranger. She grabbed a branch mid-fall, using the momentum to flip and land lightly on her feet. Without missing a beat, she leaped again, her movements fluid and precise as she navigated the tree branches with ease.

Below, younger elves watched in awe, their voices rising in excitement as they shouted her name. "Lira! Lira!" they called, their admiration evident. To them, she was a legend—a rogue ranger who defied the elders but always got the job done. She ignored their cheers, her focus solely on reaching the training grounds.

The clearing came into view, a small open space surrounded by towering trees. At its center stood a large elven structure, its wooden beams intricately carved with symbols of protection and strength. The training grounds were already bustling with activity. Twenty elves stood in a neat line, their bows, arrows, and swords at the ready. They were the Elites, the best of the best, their expressions serious and their postures rigid.

In front of them stood the ranger captain, a tall elf with silver-streaked hair and a face etched with the lines of age and experience. His cold, piercing gaze swept over the volunteers as they gathered, his presence commanding respect and obedience.

Lira landed on the edge of the clearing, her arrival drawing the attention of the others. The younger elves who had followed her from the trees quickly dispersed, joining the growing crowd of onlookers. She straightened, her dual swords glinting in the sunlight as she approached the line of volunteers.

The ranger captain's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. "Lira," he said, his voice low and gravelly. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Lira met his gaze, her own steady and unwavering. "I volunteered," she said simply.

A murmur rippled through the crowd, but the captain silenced it with a sharp look. "Very well," he said, his tone neutral. "Take your place."

Lira nodded and stepped into line, her presence causing a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The other volunteers glanced at her, their expressions a mix of curiosity, respect, and unease. She was an enigma, a ranger who operated outside the norms of their society. Yet, there was no denying her skill.

The captain turned to address the group, his voice carrying across the clearing. "You have all volunteered for a mission of great importance. The disturbance in the North Forbidden Region cannot be ignored. We do not know what awaits us beyond the shield, but we must be prepared for anything. Dark Beasts, rogue humans, or something far worse—we face it together."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the volunteers. "You will be divided into teams. Each team will have an Elite to lead them. Follow their orders, and you may just survive this."

Lira's jaw tightened at the mention of humans, but she said nothing. Her mind was already racing, planning her next steps. She would find out what was causing the disturbance—and if the human she had seen was involved, she would deal with him herself.

The captain's voice pulled her back to the present. "Prepare yourselves. We leave at dawn."

As the group of volunteers and Elites began to disperse, Lira lingered for a moment, her sharp eyes scanning the clearing. The Elites stood apart from the rest, their posture rigid and their expressions unyielding. She could have been one of them—should have been, by all accounts. Her skills were unmatched, her instincts razor-sharp. But the rigid structure, the endless rules, the constant orders—it had all felt like a cage. And Lira was not one to be caged.

She had quit the rangers not out of spite, but out of a desire for freedom. The forest was her home, and she refused to let anyone dictate how she navigated it. The elders had called her reckless, a rogue. But to Lira, it was simply living on her own terms.

Her gaze fell on one of the Elites—a tall, muscular female elf with a commanding presence. Tifanica. Her burly physique and stern expression made her seem more like a warrior from legend than a ranger. She was staring directly at Lira, her piercing eyes narrowing as she gestured sharply with her hand. The message was clear: "You. With me."

Lira's lips twitched into a faint smirk. Tifanica had always been… intense. When they were trainees together, Tifanica had been fiercely competitive, always pushing herself to be the best. But no matter how hard she tried, she always seemed to be just one step behind Lira. It had driven her mad.

Lira, on the other hand, had approached the training with a sense of fun. She didn't care about rankings or titles; she just loved the thrill of the hunt, the rush of the chase. Their differing approaches had made it impossible for them to understand each other. Tifanica saw Lira as irresponsible. Lira saw Tifanica as rigid. And neither had bothered to bridge the gap.

Now, Tifanica was an Elite, a respected leader among the rangers. And Lira? She was the rogue, the outsider. The one who didn't follow the rules.

Lira ignored Tifanica's gesture, turning her attention back to the forest. Her mind was already elsewhere—on the human she had seen earlier. The disturbance in the North Forbidden Region was concerning, but the presence of a human in the Forbidden Region was equally puzzling. If the shield was weakening, if the Dark Beasts were stirring, then the human could be a sign of something bigger. Or he could be a fool who had wandered too far. Either way, Lira needed to find out.

"Might as well… check him out," she muttered to herself, a sly grin spreading across her face.

Without a second thought, she leaped into the trees, her movements swift and silent. The branches swayed under her weight, but she was gone before anyone could react. The younger elves who had been watching her let out gasps of awe, their voices carrying through the clearing.

"Did you see that? She's so fast!"

"I heard she once took down a Dark Beast by herself!"

"Why isn't she an Elite? She's amazing!"

Tifanica's voice cut through the chatter like a blade. "Enough!" she barked, her tone sharp enough to silence the onlookers. She glared in the direction Lira had disappeared, her jaw clenched. "That woman is a liability. She doesn't follow orders, doesn't work with the team. She's a danger to herself and everyone around her."

The volunteers exchanged uneasy glances, but no one dared to argue. Tifanica's reputation was well-known. She was ruthless in training, punishing anyone who failed to meet her standards. To her, discipline was everything. And Lira was the embodiment of everything she despised.

Meanwhile, Lira was already deep in the forest, her movements a blur as she navigated the trees with ease. The human's cabin wasn't far, and she wanted to observe him before the mission began. If he was a threat, she needed to know. If he wasn't… well, she'd figure that out too.

As she moved, her mind wandered back to Tifanica's glare. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Still as uptight as ever," she muttered. "Some things never change."

But Lira didn't have time to dwell on the past. The forest was alive with possibilities, and she had a human to investigate. Whatever she found, one thing was certain: things were about to get interesting.