The Departure

**FROM NOW ON CHAPTERS WILL BE RELEASED BI-MONTHLY DURING THE LAST WEEK OF EACH MONTH. CH. 2 RELEASED END OF JANUARY!!! (Supposedly…)

Prologue

          The sound of hooves galloping on the dirt path broke the silence in the camp. Alerted by it, a young, male guard elf looked over the spiked timber wall to see what was disturbing the peace. What he saw, in the center of the kicked up dust, was a lone, white stag carrying a female elf in silver-white armor. Immediantly, the guard called for the doors to be opened. His call was perfectly on time; the doors had fully creaked open just as the the stag approached the door. The rider urged its mount forward and the stag continued its graceful gallop on the paved stone roads of the camp.

Inside the main building of the camp, a female elf was reclined in a chair, legs crossed, and was studying the contents of a military handbook. She, like many elves, was beautiful; her face and body were of perfect symettry. Her eyes were not at fault either, both sparkling emerald, and her blonde hair was long and lush. Her other features were sharp and she was fairly tall. At the moment, she had donned on her short emerald green armaments.

Suddenly, the doors burst open. Startled by the disturbance, the female elf dropped the book, jumped up, and instantly placed her left hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword that lied on table in front of her. The intruder, however, was not an adversary; he was a courier.

“Lieutenant Niadora,” the male elf panted, “Commander Tydana has just passed the gates. She sent me to remind you that you were to assemble every member of her pack at the training grounds before she gets there.”

“Oh damn, I forgot all about that!” Niadora exclaimed as she sped out of the building. “Hopefully, I’m not too late late.” Arriving at the training grounds shortly after, Niadora found that the pack already present and called to them to form ordered lines.

Before long, Tydana arrived at the grounds. Elegantly, she dismounted her stag and then, with a gentle flick of her hand, she sent the stag away in the general direction of the stable, where she would pick him up later.

Immediately, the lined-up elves saluted and bowed as taught by the Academy of Elvish Martial Disciplines. Tydana gently brushed back a few silky strands of hair that were in her eye and sighed. “Seriously, my packmembers, I really find no point in saluting and all these useless and time-consuming formalities. How much times have I told you guys my disdain toward these such activities?” Then Tydana said,”Now I want you to reform your lines like you always have done,” eyeing Niadora, who forgot to organize them the way her commander wanted. “Thirty moons or more here,” indicating to her right, “move to the right line. Otherwise, go to the left one,” indicating to her left.  ”Niadora, take the right line to the dojo, and practice close combat techniques. The left line will follow me.”

“Yes ma’am,” the elves repliedin unison as they split themselves into the two separate groups. Niadora then led the group of more practiced elves into a building. The remaining elves lined up and faced Tydana.

“Today, I will be showing you my pack’s special features. I need to fetch items that we will be using today. Meet me in front of the archery range in five minutes.” Tydana said and then departed towards the main building.

A few minutes later, Tydana appeared in front of the range lugging several gold plated boxes stacked on a cart.
“Gather around, my hunters and huntresses. These boxes are passed down from commander to commander. They hold our pack’s unique abilities that differ us from the other packs in Crystadell. In these chest, there are…”

The elves huddled in suspense as Tydana began to unlock the chest, but the tense air that pervaded the archery range was rudely shattered when a young elf rushed into training grounds.

“Commander Tydana,” the scout reported while breathing heavily, “an army of goblins have been sighted on the outskirts of Erygor, carrying an assortment of siege weapons. Please send help immediately or the city may be taken”

“Another invasion? When will these insolent maggots stop?” Tydana said, annoyed.  Then, the commander turned to the standing scout, “Summon my elite hunters and then return to your post to continue scouting.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After the scout had gone, Tydana to her students. “I have business to attend to,” she told them. “You are all dismissed. Head to your cabins and enjoy the rest of the day.” As she had hoped, the prospect of a day off was enough to drive any potential suspicious questions from the pupils’ minds.

Walking out of the archery range, Tydana hurried to the center of the camp. The scout had been exceptionally efficient in performing Tydana’s assigned task. He had succeeded in locating Tydana’s entire elite pack; informing them of the situation and pulling them away from their activities. All of them had already dressed into their armors, equipped their weapons and accessories, and prepared the mounts. Tydana whitsled euphoniously and within a few seconds, her white stag could be seen, galloping towards its master. Mounting the stag, she called out, “To Erygor and to battle!” and urged her mount forward. Niadora, as lieutenant and, thus, second-in-command after Tydana, then mounted her steed and followed her superior. The rest of the pack mounted and followed soon after Niadora had.

In no time, mainly due to the fast-paced speed at which the elves traveled by, they could see the flames coming from the besieged city.
“Are we too late?” Tydana questioned, but then soon realized that she had been worrying for nothing, as the dreadful screeches and chants of the goblin folk could be heard.

Finally, they arrived at Erygor. The goblins had broken through the outer walls and were headed to destroy the inner one surrounding the crux of the city. Erygor’s internal walls were already in horrible shape. Previous goblin forces had battered the south western part into a critical state. Though a concentrated assault could have breached Erygor’s perimeter fortifications, the goblins seemed either too stupid or too psychopathic to realize this fact. In any case, the goblin berserkers were as violent as ever, wielding butcher knives, rusty pikes, and battering rams, all crudely fashioned, but shockingly effective at their principal objective of killing and destroying.
“Their forces are insubstantial,” Tydana remarked. “Surely they wouldn’t have thought of attacking  one of our cities with these numbers if they knew reinforcements would be at hand.”

“I’m pretty sure that they didn’t have enough brains to be able to realize that,” Niadora reasoned, “What are your orders, commander?”

“The regular formation. I will take a group of elves and head down towards the main gate. You should lead the rest of the pack up to the top of the walls. I want you to get them ready so that they are able to fire at my command.”

Moments later, the commander signaled her archers and a barrage of arrows zipped through the air. At the same time, the gates of Erygor flew open, and Tydana, with a small army of elves rode through, brandishing their swords and twirling their glaives.

“This is pathetic.” Tydana said as she saw the remaining survivors after a few more volleys of arrows. She decided not to even bother with a strategy. “Kill them all,” she ordered. “Don’t let a single one escape. They may scare you with their looks, but what you see in front of you are just a bunch of untrained berserkers and too many mugs of ale. If a single soldier escapes and informs the other goblins the tale of our slaughter, there’s a chance they might try to have revenge. And,” she added, realizing that the previous reason was not particularly convincing, “I will take it as a personal offense if a unit as well-trained as my own allows any one of these pathetic red-skinned imbeciles to leave this battlefield unscathed. Is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am!” her soldier cried in unison.

          Witnesses from inside the city later described it as a massacre. Outmaneuvering their slow-witted enemies, each elf easily took on two or three foes at a time. When the battle was over, Tydana’s pack kept true to their pledge – not a single ugly, red, dwarf-like insect was left to report the casualties to their officers. Tydana was lauded afterward for her use of tactics and shock-and-awe warfare, when, in reality, her strategy was nothing more than “kill indiscriminately.” Far from being proud of the victory, Tydana was concerned. Though she had lost no more than ten huntresses in the battle, it was the eighteenth such skirmish this week. The thought of losing around a hundred warriors a week was a sobering prospect, and Tydana knew that if the goblins persisted with their wild rampage, the elves would be unable to keep their winning streak.

1

For as long as history was chronicled, and perhaps even longer yet, the continent of Lyrenver was the only place to have recorded either civilization or anarchy. It was home to prosperity and destitution, and to education and catastrophe. Uniquely dynamic in its geography, due to it being a large continent, many kinds of environment could be found in it, from wide, bone-dry deserts to the writhingly, humid jungles.

In one of the temperate zones, east of Lyrenver’s geographical center, lay Crystadell, the biggest elvish kingdom of the land. It was as unique as the continent upon which it was situated. As the richest and strongest kingdom in the area, it naturally reigned over seemingly limitless amounts of land. Sunlight bathed the rolling plains of the kingdom, giving it a heartening feeling. The long stalks of white and silky grass swayed in the wind providing a beautiful scenery. Many could find the children of the kingdom rolling in the grass and doing other activities a child would do. Countless coniferous and deciduous trees covered the sylvan middle of the kingdom. Filled with endless greens, chirping birds, and earthly air, this part of the land gave the kingdom a natural sense.

To the west of Crystadell were the bloody fields of Gorian. Since the beginning of recorded history, the once white fields of this land had been dyed red from the blood of many hordes of goblins that had been spilled from constant fighting over territory. This land was home to the most mischievous tribe of this land, the goblins. Known for their short temper and stupidity, these creatures would rendezvous at random places, chug some ale, and get into pointless fights after losing sobriety.  Sayings such as “I swear to drunk, I’m not god,” and quotes like that were commonly heard from these lands. Though the goblins, with their grotesque faces and demented grins, were terrifying enough to be used in bedtime stories to scare little elves from venturing into these lands, the most dangerous species of this continent has yet to be mentioned. Making thrones on the scarce jagged rocks on the very flat plains and soaring through the skies of Gorian making fiery decrees, are the red dragons. With burning stares from their fierce, topaz eyes, and drool dripping from their jaws, these beings roamed the land like tyrants, picking off those they deemed unworthy of living. With magma hot breaths and claws as sharp as swords, these creatures would either engulf you in their flames or rip your limbs off one by one with their fine utensils.

Surrounding the magnificent elven kingdom to the north lay the Arctice Mountains. With endless chains of snow capped peaks and icicles dangling over every edge, this icy territory was the second largest in the continent, though definitely not the second most populated. Wind sounds would be heard as the roaring bone-chilling winds of the north swept past the ill-fated travelers who were already hugging themselves to prevent the little warmth they had from being blown away. Thriving in the dimly lighted caves at the bottom of the mountain were the dwarves. Short as a tree trunk and probably just as old, this ingenious race lived by hammering useless pieces of metal into sharp edges used to spilling blood when needed. Also living in this barren place were the venerable, white as snow, ice dragons. These, unlike, their red counterparts, loved the cold and froliced in the winter breezes, practicing their flying, fighting, and hunting skills. However, when disturbed, these normally peaceful creatures will transform into the most terrifying beasts; in fact, only one elf has ever been recorded in history to have ever returned from their encounter with these beings.

Several millenniums ago, after scouring the oceans for many years, a few merfolk wizards, fleeing from prosecution, had finally found a haven to the east side of Lyrenver. Now their posterity rule over the body of water known as the Sea of Merwine. As outstanding at magic as those from before, the merfolk, today, are equally feared and respected. During times of peace, fishers notice how calm the seas become and some even claim to see mermaids appear, helping them with their catches. Though, whenever the merfolk are enraged, floods, storms, and violent waves appear and devastate the east coast of the continent. This tribe of wizards are ruled by Merissine, a direct descendent of the leader of the founding fathers and the queen of present day Merwine. Other than having stronger powers than the rest of the merfolk and a few tiers higher in beauty, nothing else is known about the queen. In fact, nothing really is known about the entire race at all, as the researcher spent only a few minutes researching and the rest of his time there ogling at the queen before getting thrown out of the palace.

Plotted within the realm lay several other elf kingdoms. Each of these kingdoms owned little land. Its inhabitants were poverty-stricken, having to hunt and fight for food. None of these kingdoms were comparable to the dominating kingdom of Crystadell.

Crystadell had many different regions and type of structures. Starting from the outskirts of the kingdom, farmers would claim that the grass was always greener in Crystadell territory, and that the waters were always clearer purer. Buildings, even in the most rural areas, were fortified, and made, so that even the poorest elf in the kingdom would have a house that was comfortable and could provide shelter from the harshest weather. As the area moves in towards the capital, the scenery becomes better, roads become very well-paved, and buildings become skillfully constructed. The population of hunters, warriors and magistrates increase as well. On the lands surrounding the capital, elegantly constructed military camps could be found, continually training young elves into hunters and huntresses.

A bit westward of the geographic center of the kingdom, sits the capital, Crysthaven. True to the kingdom’s name, the entire city’s buildings were sculpted from the finest crystal, giving the city a sparkling look. Many of the capital’s buildings housed aristocrats, and hunters and huntresses of high tier. Thus, not only did the buildings glow with a crystal-like shine, they were artistically crafted into monumental structures by the best architects in the land, the mountain dwarves.

But a kingdom is not real without problems. Several years ago, the thirty-third ruler of the kingdom had passed away, leaving his inexperienced, lazy, and two hundred forty-five year old son, Eidias, the throne. Transitions often, no matter how peaceful, lead to trouble, especially so when an inexperienced young elf is involved.

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1

 

“Court dismissed!” ordered Eidias.

A bunch of worried advisors stood up hoping the king was just playing around with them. They had just started the assembly a few minutes ago and had just barely begun talking about last month’s agricultural reports when the king boomed his command. Though relatively short court sessions had been held for a few years already, the wise and venerable advisors of the deceased king still had not been used to them.

“My king, you shouldn’t dismiss the court right now. We’re in a middle of a discussion. Please hold the meeting until we are done with the topic,” pleaded one of the officials who wanted the kingdom to thrive and prosper like it always had.

“The king can do whatever he wants to do and if he wants to end the court now, he has the power to do so,” replied one of the officials who only wanted to have an official title, but didn’t want to help the kingdom.

“This advisor is correct,” the king said, pointing at the official who had just sucked up to him by going with his idea. “If you are unable to take orders from me, I do not want to see you in the court any longer. Now, do not make me repeat myself. The court is dismissed!”

The good advisors, knowing that they would either be beheaded or dismissed from the court permanently, bowed to the king, and, with the lazy and greedy advisors, they left the court. The king yawned and then sent for a servant to escort him to his chambers. When he got there, he ordered the elf to send the activities coordinator to him.

“Right away,” the eunuch answered and set off to do his king’s orders.

Fifteen minutes later, the activities coordinator had arrived at Eidias’s resting chamber.

“My lord, what do you wish to add to your activities list? You have a banquet two days from now, a hunting party the day after that, two fairs to go to by the day after the day after tomorrow, and the rest of the month is pretty much entirely booked.”

“Well, I want to have a ball, in this month. Probably next week since you said it was pretty,” snapped the king who had not listened to a single word the coordinator had said except “What do you wish to add to your activities list?” and “The rest of the month is pretty.”

“But my lord, the rest of the month is booked,” repeated the activities coordinator. “And anyways, you just had a ball two days ago, remember? Your royal relatives arrived to see you and you hosted one. We don’t have infinite gold for you to spend, you know.”

“You’re the freaking activities coordinator, so you’re supposed to coordinate the activities I want, and if I want a ball, you’ll coordinate it. I’ll handle the money issue.”

“It’s not another tax raise, is it? The peasants had their taxes raised seven times this year. If it wasn’t for the good deeds that your father had done as he was king, they might have already revolted,” the activities coordinator said. “And I’m surprised they haven’t,” he thought.

Eidias boomed, “You are my activities coordinator, not my treasurer. You have no say in what I do with taxes. Anyways, I’m ten times the king my father was and if you say anymore of this nonsense, I will have you executed. The kings before me were always too passive and protective about everything. I am not the same.”

“I’ll find a time for your ball, my lord,” sighed the coordinator.

“Good, then you are dismissed. When you arrange it, tell me the date of the ball and then pass word to the messengers so that they can inform the hunters and huntresses about the party. I’m sure they need some relaxing time after guarding the borders for so long.”

With that order, the coordinator dismissed himself and the king then headed to his fourteenth consort.

“Tydana, there are a horde of goblins heading toward a city fifty leagues west of this city,” reported an archer.

“Archer, my Aurabow pack had received a message from a scout earlier about a siege on another city. Send the message you carry to my dear friend and commander of the Shadowlance pack, Faidar. His pack should be available right now. Oh, please tell him to meet me at Glen’s Wood when he’s done slaughtering fighting off the horde,” Tydana answered.

With a salute to the commander, the archer took off to the Shadowlance camp. Tydana took off her dressy garments and donned the official female commander’s armor; a silver, dragonhide breastplate with shoulder plates that had the commander’s insignia, a fist inside a diamond, imprinted on it, and the same silver-white colored dragonhide leggings. Then she took her yew bow off the wall and sheathed her magnificent short sword, which had slain many enemies of Crystadell. After gathering the rest of the pack, the Aurabow pack mounted on their steeds and took off for the besieged city.

As they arrived and dismounted from their tired steeds, they were shocked to see that the goblins had overwhelmed the defending sentries and had already leveled many of the poorest elves’ buildings.

“Tydana, thank the stars that you have arrived. The horde is more bloodthirsty than ever. Our bows could not stop them from coming over the wall.”

“Curses. What had given these eye-blights the surge? You,” Tydana ordered, pointing at a hunter in her pack, “Take a third of my pack and guard the interior wall. Don’t let these… these animals into the heart of the city. The rest of the pack, follow me, we have some goblin lives to end.”

With that, Tydana led her group to the walls surrounding the internal city.

“ Gather my tribesmen,” ordered a shaman-like goblin. Then, after they had assembled into a messy formation, she cackled, “Charge! Slash-n-burn them elves!”

The goblins, with their swords, already dripping with elvish blood, began advancing towards the small pack of elves.

“Line up into bow formation and prepare your bows,” Tydana instructed. “Hold your fire until I order you to. Hold, hold…”

The goblins were getting closer to their enemies, and with a decisive “Fire!” the elves let their arrows fly, stopping the front line. But many more goblins took their dead kin’s position and they continued to advance, as bloodthirsty as before.

“Okay, never mind commands, archers. Fire at will. Hunters and huntresses draw your elven swords and show them the elegance of our swordplay.”

With that, Tydana fired a few more arrows, called the archers for retreat and with the enemy within a few feet from the pack, she unsheathed her sword and commanded, “Strike them down!” and raced forward to face the opponents.

Tydana lifted her short sword as three goblins aimed their swords at her neck. With a casual flick of her sword to the left, a goblin lay dead on the ground. The other two watched for a second, decided that they didn’t care if they were going to be turned into goblin meat, and charged. Tydana flipped her sword’s sheath and unhooked it. One goblin, from her left, leapt and aimed a blow at her throat. Unfortunately for him, the blade was stopped halfway from its path by the sheath. The other goblin followed through with a few thrusts at Tydana’s torso and a slash at her legs. All the trusts were expertly parried, though she had to jump over the slash. The two goblins began to circle the elf each wanting to draw blood out of her before the other. The one who did the thrusts broke the circle first. He ran unpredictably before finally bringing his sword down to her left. The other goblin, rushed ahead with the intent of getting there first. Tydana whipped her sheath to the left, catching the sword strike. Dodging a strike from the goblin from the right, she clubbed the sword out of the other one. Leaving him unarmed, she turned to face the remaining armed goblin. Blocking another useless cut with her sheath, she decapitated the goblin. Then she leapt and did a back mid-air flip and cut down the remaining enemy.

Tydana watched six goblins swarm a fellow elf. Four were cut down, but before Tydana could help the outnumbered elf, two goblin swords, belonging to the last two surviving goblins, had impaled him. But Tydana couldn’t take the time to acknowledge the soldier’s handwork and service, as she was surrounded by eight goblins herself. She fought hard, disarming all of them. But doing that was not enough. A goblin rushed forward with his fist flying forcing Tydana to impale him with her sword. Allowing the other goblins to bring her down the goblin held the sword that was in him until his last breath. By then, it was too late for Tydana. Six of the goblins had already knocked aside her sword and had held her against a wall of a building. The last goblin was brandishing a sword that he had picked up from the ground. He stood up, walked over to Tydana, raised the sword, and brought it down to kill Tydana, who closed her eyes, awaiting death to come.