Hey all! While I was writing my Boundaries update, I was struck with inspiration for a new story for my Elrios project! I suggest looking up "Sword of the Stranger Theme" on Youtube to set the tone of this story. Enjoy!

In ancient times, a people lived in what is called "The Heart" of Elrios by them. Within this land there were man and beast. Man feared beast, and beast craved man. Man killed beast, and beast killed man. From the bloodsoaked soil sprang vibrant life that swallowed the rampant death.

Among the terrible beasts was a great serpent. The beast's body stretched across mountains, its mind sharp as a spear, its scales luminous like the moon, and its fangs as large as a man. But the serpent held not the bloodlust of its kin. Rather, in it resided a kind, compassionate spirit that could not bear to strike man or beast first. Thus, the beast slowly starved.

One night the great serpent, on the verge of death, found a child wandering the forest it called home. It could feel its hunger compel it to kill. But its spirit stood ever strong, so its sharp mind said, "I need not strike to kill. I need only to starve to kill." Though the thought of killing the child brought it pain, if it was to survive it had to starve the child.

So it chased the child into a ravine and coiled its great body overhead, trapping the child inside. Then a great storm swept the land. Lightning cut the the sky, cold rain pelted the earth, and the howling wind was only interrupted by the head-splitting thunder. Man and beast alike died to nature's fury, but the child was spared because of the beast's ploy. As the child cried in terror from the storm, the serpent took some pity on the little one. It lowered its head into the ravine to comfort the child, not desiring the child to die in fear.

And then, the child looked to its body above. Not in fear, but in awe. After the storm passed, the child offered two El fruits to the serpent in gratitude. The beast was touched so by this gesture that it permitted the child to leave the ravine and return home. Back home, the child spoke of how a great serpent protected him from the terrible storm. He told his elders that was if the moon itself had descended from the sky to shield him. Awestruck, the people gathered what food they could spare and ventured into the forest.

They found the serpent coiled around the nearby mountain and called out to it. Fearing they had come to slay it the serpent hissed and bared its great fangs. The people nearly ran, but the child the serpent protected stepped forward and laid another El fruit before it. Wary, the serpent kept its distance. Soon, the other villagers stepped forward to present their offerings. The beast was again touched by this gracious gesture, and gladly accepted their tribute.

And thus, a beast became a god…

Word of the Moon Serpent spread quickly through "The Heart." People from all corners of the land ventured to the mountain forest it resided in to see the great beast with their own eyes. Never had they beheld a monster that held not violence in its heart, but benevolence. And for each new meeting earned the great serpent a new devotee who would leave tribute before it and spread word of its existence. This brought the serpent much relief as the many tributes filled its once empty stomach.

However, it could not understand the words of praise and adulation the people showered it with. But it could see the fear in their eyes. Fear of the hungry beasts and their fellow man. It knew they needed protection; its protection, just like it did for that child during the storm. But it could not protect their scattered homes from its perch in the mountains. It needed them near; all of them near, or as many as possible. So one day it beckoned to a group of visitors and bade them to follow it down the mountain into the valley below. Their descent was harsh and fraught with danger, as feral beasts and violent men hid amongst the rocks. But the serpent protected each and every one of its followers.

And it was during this descent the finally serpent struck first. A deprived man, greedy and hungry for blood, attacked one of the women in the serpent's thrall. He never raised a hand against the serpent, but when the beast heard the woman's cries for help it struck without pause. The man swiftly died, crushed by the serpent's maw and impaled on its fangs. The serpent was stricken by horror at its deadly attack, and fell into a depressed lethargy. The serpent wept for the evil man, and its followers tried to reassure the beast. But it could not understand their words of comfort, unsure of whether they cursed or praised it. The serpent weeped for one day and one night.

On the second day, they began their descent once again. And again, one of its devotees was attacked, this time by a crazed beast. The monster sprang from the rocks and the people screamed for aid. But the serpent, still shaken, hesitated. And the man died. The monster fled with his corpse to feast on his flesh. Again, the serpent despaired, this time over the consequences of its inaction. For another day and night the serpent wept, lamenting over the consequences of action and inaction. Its followers, their water skins dry, drank its tears to quench their thirst.

On the third day, they continued their descent. The serpent, shaken still, was only spurred on by knowing it could better protect these people in the valley below. Finally, after four days and nights they arrived in the valley. The soil was rich, the water clean and plentiful, and hungry beasts and greedy men were scarce. Here the serpent made its new home, and the people it brought with it began building a new home. Some left to bring word of the new sanctuary, now calling themselves the Xuanze, having drank the tears of the Moon Serpent. These people were gifted with the power to sense imminent danger from the El that resided in those tears, making them excellent guides to the sanctuary.

Years passed and the community in the valley grew and grew. With the aid of the serpent and the Xuanze, safe paths were paved to the valley from the far flung villages scattered through the mountains. The people would call this place…

Xin…

Xin quickly grew under the watchful eye of the serpent. The people smiled and Xuanze continued to bring more and more to the safety of the valley. Here, the serpent would protect them from ferocious storms with its body and hungry beasts and greedy men with its fangs. Since the descent from the mountain, the serpent had begun acclimating itself to the idea of killing. If it was to protect the people that it cared for, it had to be prepared to kill. Still, it lamented for each wicked man it put down.

The beasts were a simple matter; most fled before it, and those that did not would always strike it first. It had no qualms killing creatures that attacked it first. But men were clever. They knew it resented being the first to strike, and would thus avoid direct confrontation, only revealing themselves when it was almost too late. But the serpent struck them down, if only to prevent more wicked men from coming to the valley.

In thanks, the people of Xin would bring the serpent tribute. Food, water and small shards of El would be left at small shrines that dotted the valley. And they would pray to their great protector daily, showering it with words of praise and adulation.

But the serpent could not understand their words. It never could. It was still a beast, and they men. Man and beast were never meant to understand one another, and the serpent began to lament. "If only I could understand their words…" It would whisper to itself at night, staring longingly at the moon. Even its sharp mind could not comprehend the words of man.

But then a beast, a dire fox with nine tails, infiltrated the valley beneath its watchful gaze. The people saw their tributes for their protector stolen or misplaced. Some found their prized possessions in the hands of their neighbors, and others would hear a whisper in their dreams, beckoning them to come and play. A trickster was in their midst, and it laughed as it watched the people scurry helplessly into its pranks.

But it never killed, nor did its deceptions cause great harm to its victims. But the people still cried in fear and surprise. The beast found joy in causing chaos, and soon turned its attention the serpent. Revealing itself to the great beast it said, "Would you like to play a game?"

The serpent bared its fangs. "Begone, beast. Lest my fangs end you like so many others."

The fox laughed. "Then let us play a game. If you can catch me, I shall leave this valley. Until then, I will steal your tributes for myself. Perhaps you may starve!" And the chase began in earnest. The fox moved swiftly, confidently knowing the serpent would not dare to strike first. The serpent would try to trap the fox, but it would always fail. For four days and three nights the fox elluded the serpent, laughing all the while and stealing its tributes.

The people cursed the fox, throwing rocks at the monster and chasing it away with their weapons when they laid eyes on it. On the fourth night, the fox taunted the serpent. "See how they curse me? See how they cheer you on? But you shall never have me."

The serpent halted its pursuit. "Wait!" It cried. "You can understand the words of man?"

Again the fox laughed. "You don't? Men despise us beasts. They curse our existence. I learned their words from years surviving in this world as they cursed me."

The serpent thought deeply. "Let us change the game, fox. Should I catch you, you will teach me their words. I wish to understand them, to speak to them as they do to me."

The fox stopped laughing. "Why? They are men. We are beasts. We do not need to understand one another."

The serpent did not hesitate with its answer. "No. But I do."

The fox paused, baffled. Never before had it seen a fellow beast desire to understand man. Man feared beast, and beast craved man. Man killed beast, and beast killed man. That was the way of the world. To understand was impossible. But still, the serpent desired to play a game, and it loved games.

So the fox smiled and said, "Very well, serpent. If you catch me, I shall teach you the words of man."

The serpent rushed forward at blistering speed and bared its great fangs to the fox. Stunned at the sudden attack, the fox hesitated and was scooped up in the serpent's mouth. But the fangs did not pierce its hide, nor did the jaw crush it. But it was caught. The serpent had won.

When the serpent released the fox it said. "I have won, fox. Teach me the words of man."

The fox laughed. "Ha! Very well, serpent! I shall teach you the words of man, but only so you can understand their curses!"

The serpent shook its head. "Then I shall give them words of thanks for their gifts. What shall I call you, fox?"

"Asking a lady her name before giving your own? How rude." The fox balked.

The serpent lowered its head in shame. "I… do not have a name…"

The fox was surprised. "No name? Well, that won't do! We must give you a name!"

The serpent shook its head. "I shall take a name when I learn the words of man as you have."

The fox laughed again."Very well! I am Eun, and I shall teach you the words of man!"

Thus, the trickster fox came to remain in Xin, teaching the great serpent the language of man...

This story will have two formats: folklore and narrative. The early chapters will be written as folklore and the later chapters will be written as narratives. This first chapter is basically three chapters in one because each piece was so small! Please Read and Review!

Until next time!