Crisp of Ruben

Elsa. Elsword's crimson eyes stared at the blank sky over him, watching the wispy white clouds drift across the pale blue horizon. A gentle wind breezed past, ruffling his red-colored hair as he slowly sat up. Memories of his sister, Elsa, haunted him each day. She had gone on a mission one day, tracking down a league of bandits, never to return. As if that wasn't enough, his own training came to a halt, no one else able to fill her shoes. Even as a full knight, it frustrated him that he wasn't able to do anything. Letting out a small sigh, Elsword stood up, stretching his arms out, a stark expression cast onto his face. "What am I supposed to do…?" he muttered to himself. Shaking his head slightly, he returned to Ruben, the little hamlet situated in the northern region of Rurensia. It was home to the great El-Tree, the source of power that fuels the entire kingdom with raw energy.

The lush green grass and assorted houses greeted his arrival, the laughter of children emit in the air as Elsword watched a group of kids rush past him. Walking across the bridge, he took a moment to stare at his own reflection in the blue water underneath it, observing his own features. Damn it Lowe. When will you let me leave town and let me look for my sister? As if on cue, the gray-haired knight stepped up to him. "Elsword, I've been looking everywhere for you. There's an issue that I need to address," Lowe said to him, a not amused expression cast onto his face.

Elsword shifted his weight, mostly so that he could stare Lowe directly into his eyes. "Hurry up and tell me. I need to go resume doing whatever training that knight of yours' can give me," he replied in a monotone voice. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate Lowe's help and what not, but he wanted to get out there, and all this useless blubbering around was doing nothing at all.

Lowe scratched his head, tilting it slightly to the side. "I don't think you understand. This isn't regarding your training or anything. There have been traces…of Elsa."

When the word Elsa came up, Elsword's attention immediately was caught. "What…? You actually found her? Where is she? I'll head out right now-"he started, almost flailing his arms around in a sudden rush of excitement and apprehension.

"Remain calm. The Red Knights are not entirely sure whether or not if it was your sister. Even if it was, I'm not sending you. The journey would be too long and difficult for someone your age. The traces were found all the way near Velder village," Lowe responded, still seeming uncomfortable discussing this topic.

Elsword let out an irritated sigh, almost stomping his foot in anger. "What? You think I'm too young to do something as simple as that? I'm a knight and I can find her alone, if you would let me go," he retorted to the older knight.

Lowe blinked, shrugging slightly. "You may be a knight, but you're nowhere near Elsa's level, and she disappeared for this long. I just wanted to inform you of this. You can carry on with your training now," the older knight said and then stalked off back to the Red Knight's cabin.

Elsword clenched his fists together, gritting his teeth against each other. "What was the point in telling me if you were just going to forbid me from going?" he questioned himself. Punching the wall of brick next to him, a few cracks were indented around his fist, a small drop of blood seeping out of a small cut, the red liquid falling to the grass. Taking a step back from the bridge, he walked back into the forest from where he had come from, pulling his sword out of his sheath. In a fit of anger, Elsword started to slash down the trees surrounding him, the trunks sliding, leaving small stubs. The ground shook slightly as each trunk hit the grass and he stabbed the ground with his sword, leaning his weight onto the massive blade. Staring into the sword, his reflection shifted slightly, a taller figure now appearing, with longer red hair and feminine features, his sister Elsa now materializing. Shaking his head from side to side, Elsword let out a small sigh, pulling the sword out of the ground and balanced the flat of the blade onto his shoulder. "This is useless. I'm going to go talk to Lowe again," he said to himself.

Striding back to the town, Elsword saw both Lowe and Hagus, the chief of Ruben. However, their conversation stopped him dead in his tracks. Narrowing his eyes, he slid to the right, hiding behind a tree and poked his head over the large trunk, acting all "assassin-like."

"Wait. That should not be possible. The wavelength and radiation of the El is still here. How are you suggesting that it was taken?" Lowe asked, a form of desperation in his voice now as he interrogated the chief.

Hagus stroked his brown beard, shaking his head from side to side. "Have you not felt it? The prominence and energy of the El is vanishing. There is no doubt that someone had taken it. I would send someone to check on it, but then we would have very little defense for ourselves, if someone were to attack us. But, if I am correct, and we do not retrieve it soon, it is possible that almost all forms of life in this area would die."

Lowe leaned against the arc of the building, placing his hand onto the brick wall. "I cannot go myself. The rest of the Knights here are too old to make such a journey or are still too undertrained. We may have to contact the elves for assistance. Do you have any idea who may have taken the El?" he asked Hagus.

Hagus shook his head, a faint frown now etching itself across his face. "The only reasonable idea that would come to my head would be bandits, but what type of bandit would want to take the El?"

"Not a very smart one. I would assume it would be a hired mercenary or bandit group for that matter. I'll contact the elves and see if they can send someone as soon as possible," Lowe replied, turning around to move back to his house when a hand stopped him. Looking back, he saw that Hagus had grabbed his arm.

"Do you not have Elsa's brother? Elsword may be able to handle the task," Hagus said, his eyes unwavering as he looked at Lowe, who shuffled uncomfortable at the mention of both Elsa and Elsword.

"I don't think that would be a good idea. He's only a child and is too intent on finding his sister. He would only rush out there to die and never come back."

Hagus nodded, letting go of Lowe now. "Then make it quick. We don't have much time. See if they can send the Wind Sneaker…" he said to the knight, who was already in the process of leaving the village.

Elsword smiled slightly to himself, his excitement starting to rise. So they think that I'm too young for this mission…? I'll show them what I can do. I'm a Knight and I'll make Sis proud. Straightening himself up, he broke into a run, passing Hagus without the chief noticing him and into the threshold of the forest.

The forest was different from the one that Elsword trained in, having far less vegetation and trees. A small squeak drew his attention to a small cream-colored creature, almost looking like a very small cute rodent…with a spear. Blinking in surprise, he stepped to the left, narrowly avoiding the sudden jab the little creature did. What the heck…His own hand stretched backwards and grabbed the hilt of his blade and in one smooth motion, he pulled it out of the sheath and slashed down at the Phoru, feeling the connection of metal to bone, and added more pressure. The rodent squealed and dropped to the ground. Elsword smiled in victory, but only for a few moments. The sudden squeak had drawn the attention of at least another ten of the small things to him. "You've got to be kidding me…" he muttered to himself, pulling the blade up and rested it on his shoulder, ready for the assault of another ten rat things.

Swerving to the side, Elsword jumped into the air, planting his boot onto the face of one of the Phoru's, heaving himself off of it and twisted around, bringing his blade down into a forward slash. It connected with two of the rodents and sent them packing, a small amount of red liquid drenching the very tip of his blade. Landing onto the ground, his knees tensed slightly, and he suddenly lurched forward, launching one heavy strike onto the ground in front of him, a crater appearing as the remaining Phoru slid onto the ground from the force of the impact. A red aura started to envelop around him and he suddenly felt a sudden surge of power. Within an instant, his movements started to become very fluid, almost as if he was dancing, as awkward as it sounded. The remaining Phoru were dead or unconscious at his feet. He didn't stop to check and continued forward, now moving the blade into a downward position so that he could carry it better.

Lowe had always said something about aggressive creatures in the forest, but if this is the strongest thing there is, then Lowe really is stupid. Elsword came to a small barricade of wood, the aroma and smell of it revolting. Planting one foot behind him, he raised his sword upward and brought it down, the sound of cracking wood echoing throughout the empty forest. Walking into the barricade, he felt the branches gaze his exposed skin, but he didn't care. He had to keep moving, to find Elsa and check on the El.

A gigantic tree stood in front of him, with no indication of the presence of the El. Elsword narrowed his eyes, kneeling down beside the tree, his fingers digging at a large footprint next to it. "It's obviously not here. I can follow these footsteps and then knock out whoever stole the El," he said. Nodding to himself as if that was an excellent plan, he stood up and started to follow the footprints until a loud screech bellowed beside him. What now…?

Tilting his head to the side, Elsword examined the much larger Phoru that had suddenly appeared. "You're much bigger than the rest, aren't you? Size won't help you…I'll just take you down!" he exclaimed. Rushing at the gigantic creature, he slashed his sword down at it, only inflicting a small cut onto the Phoru. Well. That didn't work. The Phoru swatted its' arm forward, flinging backwards a few feet. Spinning midair, he slid across the ground, slamming the sword into the ground to start himself from being rammed into the trunk of the El tree. "Move giant rat! I don't have time for this," he said to the creature, not caring that it wouldn't be able to understand him.

Ready to try again, Elsword readied his sword and started to rush it again, before a large fireball slammed into the Phoru, burning it to a crisp. Blinking at the sudden slaughter of the rat, Elsword started to look around, his eyes narrowing. "Who did that? Show yourself!" he exclaimed, waving his sword around in the aspect of another person to fight.

A small laugh, one belonging to a girl, came out as a response. "You aren't very thankful, are you? I just did save your life from that creature," the girl said, still not showing herself to the red-haired and crude boy.

Elsword's eyes twitched slightly and his grip tightened on the hilt of his blade. "I was perfectly fine. I did not need your help, especially from little girly runts like yourself," he retorted to the voice, starting to walk away now, only to stop in his tracks as a petite purple-haired girl suddenly materialized in front of him. "Uh…who are you?" he asked the girl.

The girl scrunched up her eyebrows, holding the purple wand with both of her hands. "You have a terrible memory. I'm the person who just saved your life," she said to Elsword, a faint smile on her face.

Elsword shook his head, his irritation level starting to rise. Oh hell no. This little girl did not just kill this thing before I could. "Sorry, little girl, but I don't think you understand what you're saying. You should go home before you get hurt out here," he said to her, stepping to the side to move forward again.

"Little girl? I'm 15. And I have a name, you know," the purple-haired girl said to Elsword, moving to that she was now in his way one again, a somewhat irritated look on both of their faces now.

"I could honestly care less. What are you even doing out here and hat is your name?" Elsword asked, almost ready to just slam his sword into this little girl's face and just go to the next section of the forest.

"I'm just traveling. The chief in Ruben asked me for help and now I'm searching for this missing El that was just stolen. As for my name…I'm Aisha."