It was early in the morning, Moirae couldn't tell the exact time, and a faint strap of light was entering her room from the closed windows. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't have a quiet and calm sleep. How could she? She was able to hear the beat of the hearts of all living creatures around her, even the smallest ones. That was a barrier to her rest. Her senses were so sharp, especially her hearing. But of course, she belonged to the Dark Elven Race, she was a pure beautiful Dark Elf. It was her nature to hear, see, smell, touch and taste with greater intensity than the people who belonged in other races. Except of Elves of course, they were almost the same, except of the appearence and beliefs.
She sat at the side of her bed, with her feet on the cold ground, watching her legs. She wasn't thinking anything particular, just random thoughts. "Another one usual day" she said out loud and decided to dress and go downstairs to help her cousin.
They were both living in a wooden house in the heart of the Dark Elven Forest. The Village wasn't too far from there. Moirae had been there a few times but it was too dark for her to live inside. It was almost like living in sewers. Except the Hand of Shilien that was located in the centre of the Village. It produced a dim light, enough to illuminate the dark place.
"Good morning, Meliaduel." she shouted while she was descending the stairs. But, she got no reply."She might have gone to the village." Moirae thought.
She went outside. The wind was blowing and although the heat that was about to follow at the rest of the day, the fallen leaves were announcing the arrival of autumn. Moirae took a careful look at the herbs which she had planted a week ago. They were growing steadily as she wished for. Both her cousin and her used them in cooking. But, Meliaduel used to use them for healing purposes. She was a Shilien Elder, but not so famous because travelling didn't belong to her tastes. Moirae didn't have a profession. She was exercising in the use of daggers, but only for fun. She didn't intend and want to join the upcoming war. She just wanted to be neutral.
But a cold voice inside her told her silently that this couldn't happen...
The time was flowing. Meliaduel hadn't returned home, yet. Moirae started worrying." Where has she gone? She's too late. She would have been back by now." Moirae's stomach was empty so she decided to make something to eat. She wouldn't wait for her cousin. Some milk and a loaf of bread with home-made cherry marmelade was the best breakfast for her.
After she finished her meal, Moirae decided to go for a walk. She took the dagger with her in case of attack. It was true that the Dark Forest wasn't the safest place to live although that guards were patrolling the area. And that was because of the gangs of thieves who were around, ambushing travellers and caravans. She came out of the house. The weather was hot but the blowing wind made it the perfect day for a walk.
The forest was silent. Moirae was used to it but didn't like it at all. The only thing that was heard was the wind and some birds singing in the trees. Moirae stood for a while and stared at a bush of flowers. Their smell was intense and their colour was dark blue, purple or even black. Another one bush right next to her attracted her attention. But those flowers didn't smell at all. The colour of all the plants that existed in the Forest was a proof of how much the Dark Elven Magic affected the land.
Suddenly, a sound disrupted Moirae's attention to the flowers. Someone was running past her. She could hear the steps but when she turned around, she saw no one. She heard them again but they were fading away slowly. She touched the cold rise of her dagger which was at the side of her thigh. She calmed down. The event didn't affect her and kept on walking
As she was approaching the Village, Moirae smelt burnt flesh and blood. She ran at the source of the disgusting smell. The image that appeared in front of her made her stay breathless. She couldn't believe in her eyes. The awful smell was coming from the burnt body of a woman. Moirae couldn't identify the person at first, but when she did, tears gushed from her eyes.
The murdered and burnt woman was her cousin. Her eyes opened widely. She was filled with different emotions. Anger...Sadness...Rage...She was crying but demanded vengeance. Meliaduel was her only relative and close friend. She was the only person that Moirae could trust. And now, her only friend was lying dead at her legs.
Now Moirae was alone. Truly alone...
“ No! Don’t do this to me!”, Moirae screamed her lungs out. Her closest friend and relative was lying dead at her legs.
Suddenly, she heard steps again but saw nothing. She was upset and terrified. She didn’t know what to do , her mind was blank. The dagger at her thigh couldn’t help her a lot. Although her practice, Moirae didn’t know how to use it properly so she just waited.
After a few minutes, a team of five bold men surrounded her. Their race couldn’t be told exactly because they all worn black clothes and hoods. They approached her aggressively. Her hand went automatically to her thigh. She touched the cold blade of the dagger. Two men leant forward like preparing for battle. And with one step, they got right in front of her. Another one well-built man got behind her and seized her from the neck. Moirae thought she’d die, but remembered the dagger. She stabbed him at the stomach; it was clearly a blind shot. At the sight of their injured partner, the other men attacked her. She wasn’t able to avoid their attacks, but she could injure them seriously. After some time, one of them fell on the ground. Moirae couldn’t do something to suppress the pain that she felt and started losing her concentration. The pain became unbearable.
Suddenly, she heard the whistle of an arrow. She was weak to keep on fighting and fell thick-skinned on the ground. The last things that she heard were war cries and taunts. The only thing she could see was deep red blood….
She woke up on a soft bed. She opened her eyes slowly. The room was dark. No one was there. The wounds on her body had been healed. She felt no pain at all. In fact, the real pain existed in her heart. She thought her cousin. Moirae burst out crying. The image of her cousin’s mangled body haunted her.
-Was she a friend of yours?, a soft male voice told her.
Moirae turned her head and saw a handsome tall dark elf. He had black hair and deep blue eyes like the ocean. His beauty produced a wild aura around him, something that made her feel uncomfortable but she somehow liked it.
-Meliaduel was something more than a friend, Moirae told. She was my cousin but she was like a mother to me. The only friend that I had in life.
The dark elf remained silent at the corner of the room.
-Can I just at least bury her body?
He nodded yes.
-The body is already prepared for the funeral, he continued. You can decide the location and the date.
-It will be better to be buried today in the evening. I don’t want my cousin’s soul to be tortured,
-As you wish. My name is Velg’larn.
“His name is assassin?”, Moirae thought.
-My name is Moirae, she replied gently. Can you please leave the room because I want to prepare myself for the funeral? After this, I want you to tell me what happened and how I was brought there.
Velg’larn stared her directly in the eyes and left.
“How weird”, she thought. She dressed herself with the appropriate clothes for the funeral. A long black dress covered completely her body. She furled her hair in a ponytail and wore a hood. Her dagger was right next to her. She placed it in her right thigh again in case of danger. She didn’t feel safe, yet. Moirae formed her palms in punches and put them against the table. She was ready to cry but she remembered the revenge that wanted to take.
When she got out of the house, she realized that she was in the Dark Elven Village. Everyone was looking at her, it was such a discomfort that she ran away at the exit of the village. Moirae started looking for Velg’larn to tell him about the location of the funeral. She found him outside of the village, admiring the sunset.
-May I interrupt you for a while, please? She asked him gently.
-Of course, tell me, he answered.
-I want Meliaduel to be buried near the house we lived together.
-If that is your wish. Were you her only relative?
-Yes, I was.
-Tragic. Now, shoe me your house.
Moirae went first and Velg’larn followed. They went through the forest. After 10 minutes of walking, they arrived.
-Here, Moirae said and pointed a place near a bush of black roses.
At this moment, Velg’larn told a spell in a weird and foreign language for Moirae and a hole appeared in the ground.
-Let’s go back to the Village, Velg’larn said.
After they got back, four male dark elves were already next to Meliaduel’s body. Velg’larn nodded his head and the four men lifted her body and placed it on their arms. Another two women followed and started singing a depressing song. They were moving so slow. The time was flowing slowly…
And finally, they reached the indicated spot that Moirae had shown. The women stopped singing. The carriers of Meliaduel’s body placed it softly in the hole that Velg’larn had created a few moments ago.
At this moment, Moirae started singing a soft tone. At the beginning, the song had no lyrics, but the song itself seemed to say something about Meliaduel. When the lyrics got into, the song became a deep, nostalgic mourn which made all the spirits and the wind itself to calm down.
The earth had closed Meliaduel in her eternal hug and the Shilien Elder was about to find the Goddess that she was praying at.
And the endless sky became night and the shining moon appeared…
After I've found some time to "escape" from school things, I decided at last to post another one part of my story. Enjoy it :)
Chapter 3. "A proposal and a revenge.''
Moirae returned to the Village. Her heart was going to break like a glass. She knew she was alone from now on. She wanted to relax and calm down, so she took a walk around the Village to learn it better, that would be her permanent residence from now on.
"Excuse me; a gentle voice told.
Moirae turn her head suddenly. It was Velg'larn.
- May I accompany you to your walk? I've got something to tell you. Actually, I'll answer your questions before the funeral. Furthermore, I've got to offer you a proposal.
- Can you tell me what happened while I had fainted? Moirae asked.
Velg'larn breathed deeply and started.
- I was patrolling the area as I was commanded, when I smelt fire. I ran to the source of it. While I was approaching, I heard people fighting so I rushed. This is when I saw you fighting with all these elves.
- Elves? All those were light elves? Moirae was shocked.
- Yes. I killed some of them but the others ran away. I saw you lying on the ground so I hoped that you had chances to stay alive and brought you here. A Shilien Elder took care of your wounds and now you have fully recovered.Now, let me tell you about the offer that I have to give you. I saw that you were able to injure the elves with your dagger, so I supposed that you can use it properly. Concluding, I would like to ask you if you are willing to use your dagger "officially" with training and knowledge from our race's ancient warriors.
Moirae seemed to be filled with boubt. A creepy silence existed for a moment in the room.
-Let me think about this please.
-You can answer whenever you want. May I accompany you to your walk?
-No sorry. Many things happened these days.
- As you wish, Velg'larn answered and saluted her.
She walked a bit around the village. It was dark whether it was night outside or not. The habitants of the village were dark, too. A hair-raising silence was spreading around her until she reached the centre of the Village. The hand of Shilen was located there. Moirae approached and took a look at what was under her feet. The statue of Shilen which was more likely to come out and bring chaos to the world again. With her hand on the surface, it seemed that she wanted to be released from her chains. Moirae pierced the hand made of rock with her dagger and let it in there. "This, she said, for taking away my only friend."