Even though the elf had no break so far, the vast forest surrounding him seemed to have no end; an endless leafy labyrinth that was supposed to test his tracking skills. Even though the southern forests were not so dense compared to the northern ones, the mass of birches and locust trees were enough to trick the young hunter's senses, eluding him from the right path.
This elf was no different compared to the other young ones, for he was heading to the same place where each hunter had the chance to prove himself to the others: The village of Taelmarlis, situated in a forest near the Iserion Lake. With those reference points alone, Eraniel had to make his way to the village or he would miss one of the grand celebrations that takes place in the spring: The Festival of Hunt. Armed with patience and a burning desire to take a place among the experienced hunters, Eraniel had no intention to be late.
Tiredness had finally taken its hold on Eraniel. The young elf stopped, admiring the vast forest around him. Even though a few clouds were noticeable on the horizon, the sun still managed to sneak itself through them, warming the forest that was just waking up. The magnificent view put a smile on the elf's face, as he was lay on a boulder in a clearing. This beautiful spring day had brought a warm feeling to him, despite the painful past that has left its inerasable marks on his soul.
These forests are totally different compared to the ones I am used to, thought the elf, remembering the vast and luxuriant area of trees that seemed to have no end. A bit of nostalgia sneaked inside him, his thoughts drifting to his village and the forest surrounding it.
Eraniel was quite young for an elf that was already roaming around the world, but the experience of traveling was remarkable for one like him. The environment in which he grew up forced him to adapt to a new way of living or suffer the same tragic end of his parents. His long, light brown hair was hanging loose, and his two black eyes seemed like they were reading you like an open book.
He wore a green tunic and a pair of black leggings, resembling the image of a young hunter. His clothes were rugged and torn in some places, but Eraniel seemed to pay little attention to those details. Somewhere in his heart though, a feeling of regret was devouring him from the inside, but only those acquainted with his personality could truly comprehend his true feelings. Every time he saw an elf with clean clothes, he cursed fate itself in his mind for forsaking him.
Meanwhile, the elf withdrew his water skin from the knapsack and shook it slightly before taking a sip. The cool liquid that ran down his parched throat refreshed him instantly. I should keep moving. My water supply is running short and I do not have the time to linger for so long, considering this journey has yet to come to an end. This thought troubled him somehow, but his objectives sounded loud and clear in his mind.
After a while, the forest started to thin out. It opened into a vast plain, stretching far and wide, confusing the traveler with its size. Spotting this rich earth were tall grasses and shrubs that dominated the rolling terrain. They threw no shade around their base, thus the hot sun pounded down on his back.
This was a good morning exercise, laughed the young elf, almost sarcastically.
A cool breeze was just making itself noticeable, spreading the smell of grass and wild flowers. It was the only relief he had from the blazing sun.
Various thoughts began to roam through the elf's mind, none of them of any importance. These journeys were not unusual to him, having been forced to quickly become familiar with them since childhood. Having been orphaned from an early age, Eraniel was forced to cope with the hardships of life on his own. Because of his suffering, the elf never managed to fully integrate into the society, being a more lonely person.
To survive, he sometimes ventured into the forest that was situated at the edge of the village to gather fruits and whatever goods he could find. Then, he traded these goods in exchange for a roof to sleep under when the nights were getting too cold.
However, his gamble didn't always work and he was forced to sleep under the night sky multiple times, lost in his grief. This harsh lesson of life has stretched over multiple years, but Eraniel never gave up. He wanted to prove something to the world, and nothing could stop him from achieving his goal.
A ray of light penetrated the darkness from within his grim life once he reached the proper age to begin his military training. The orphaned children that had nowhere to go were trained to fight as soldiers to defend the elven people from various threats like occasional Urgal attacks and fend off dangerous beasts that became a threat for the village.
The elf jerked at the sound of a sudden roar that broke the silence. Troubled and confused, Eraniel looked from side to side, searching for the source of that unusual noise, but to no avail. Lifting his shoulders, he realized that someone had probably been eaten and continued his journey like nothing had happened.
After a long while, before the sun was starting to set, the elf stopped and looked at his surroundings. He then proceeded to lay on the soft green grass, being careful not to disturb the ants that had made their home into something that was probably used to be a mole hill.
After that, Eraniel reached for his knapsack and took out a couple of fruits and started to eat, formulating plans in his mind about what he should do on the other half of his journey.
Well, taking into consideration the distance I covered so far, I should be able to reach the outskirts of Iserion Lake by the time night settles in. If I hasten my pace, that is, thought the elf, making a gesture with the piece of fruit in his hand.
After he finished eating, new found strength built up in his body.
I will keep running for as long as my strength allows! chuckled the elf, filled with determination. And with that, he began striding across the vast plains, gradually increasing in speed as his strides turned in a run.
Even though he moved incredibly fast, his footsteps barely made a sound. Elves were the most graceful beings in this land.
With the coming of the evening, clouds began spreading across the orange colored sky. The setting sun cast its dying rays over them, illuminating their pure white bosoms into an array of many shades of pink, purple, blue, and orange. With this, crickets started to emerge from their shelters, alerted by the dying light to begin their soft chorus. This created a pleasant buzz that filled the still evening air. After a little while, though, the sun slowly disappeared, leaving room for deeper darkness. However, the silver light of stars began to rise into the sky, flinging their searching tendrils upon the sluggish earth.
Panting, Eraniel's run came to a stop. He was pleased with his progress. Iserion Lake shouldn't be that far, thought the elf as he swallowed the last droplets of water. Even if this extended effort wasn't what the elf would have liked, it was more than necessary for him to travel at this pace. If he did not, his dream would not happen.
A cool breeze signaled the presence of the lake. Heartened by the pleasant blow, Eraniel quickened his pace in hope of reaching the shore before the last ray of light faded away. Soon enough, the image of the lake appeared before him, its crystalline water reflecting the thick silvery clouds that covered the sky.
This doesn't look like a bad place to spend the night, thought Eraniel while he was filling his water skin. The elf then proceeded to pile up a bunch of dry branches and other kindling that he had found in the forest. When he was pleased with their position, the elf shouted, "Fire!"
Out of nowhere, a flame pierced through the surrounding darkness, the high temperature setting the branches of fire without much trouble. Placing his knapsack under his head, Eraniel lay down on the cool grass, gazing at the warm fire as messy tendrils danced above the red, crackling wood.
*
The training area contained different tools and accessories. These objects ranged from training dummies that were made from different materials to serve whatever purpose intend for them, to wooden circles that lacked any important significance from the elf's point of view.
"I didn't expect to find someone here so early," said a deep voice that came from behind him. Turning around, the elf was surprised to find a tall, impeding person who wore a brown tunic and a pair of black leggings. Judging by his face, this elf seemed to be a formidable warrior. He had an impressive build, but his almond eyes were gentle.
"Well, since you arrived here so early, would you mind practicing a bit? The others will be here when the sun is high in the sky," the elf said with authority.
Not wanting to be disrespectful, Eraniel asked with a hint of curiosity, "Are you the one that will train us how to fight?" The innocence of the elven child put a smile on the warrior's face.
"That is right. Moreover, from this moment on, you will address me as Ebrithil. Now, come to my side and I will show you the warm up exercise."
Full of enthusiasm, Eraniel ran towards his new master's side, unable to cover his
emotions. The master chuckled when Eraniel almost tripped over a loose stone in his hurry.
Speaking in a serious tone, the elder elf told him, "These kind of moves that I'm going to show you are part of an exercise named Rimgar. If you are not going to take this seriously, then you have no place here. Did I make myself clear?" The harshness in his voice intimidated Eraniel a bit, but he cast out this uneasy feeling from his mind and nodded in approval.
"All right, pay attention to how my body moves. If you miss anything, you won't be able to do it," he said sharply. "Now, let us begin…"
Eraniel couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight before him. The elder elf looked somewhat funny due to the strange, body-twisting stance he had put himself in. Fortunately for him, his mentor was too focused on the task to discipline him with a slap. The master's exercise suddenly stopped, taking Eraniel by surprise. Catching his breath, the master signaled Eraniel to repeat what he has just seen. With a bit of a doubt creeping into his consciousness, Eraniel tried to smile, but his muscles refused to obey. Trying to build up the courage needed to start, Eraniel said to himself: If I cannot succeed in doing this ridiculous thing, I will never become a warrior!
"Alright! Watch me Ebrithil."