The real challenge is - can you guess who from just the first line? Yeah, it's probably actually easy. Silliness aside, hope you enjoy!


Chapter 4 - To Search for One's Own Tale


The Elf.

Elves were one of the more ancient races of Azeroth, dividing into sub-races such as the high elves and night elves.

High elves, like most elves as a whole, were tall and lean, standing slightly higher than most humans, coupled with long, thin upward pointing ears and with eyes that most would describe as having a soft glow to them.

They also usually had both a love for the light and sun that their priest and paladin orders revered, as well as an affinity for the magic. The latter was something that was disliked among their cousins, the night elves, being found as akin to them playing with fire, magic being too unpredictable and dangerous in their eyes.

However, with time and the more prominent spread of magic arts among many races alike came a consensus to the feud, leaving it at a point where they were simply both ignoring each other.

Though with that being said, the high elves had come to eventually inhabit a different continent as a whole from their brethren. Namely, the one known as the Eastern Kingdoms, having taken residence in its northernmost regions and bordering the lands of the kingdom of Lordaeron.

While variable, the elves have had fairly acceptable relationships with many of the other inhabitants of the continent, including their human neighbors.

There have been different diplomatic endeavors over the ages, all with the intent to exchange culture and better their relationships, especially with Lordaeron.

One such scenario was the founding of small villages within each other's territories. Places where the populace of both could unite and see all the other could offer.

One among these examples was a certain village not far into the borders of Lordaeron. Menagerie.


Her hand slowly and quietly drew an arrow from the quiver at her hip, bow steady as she carefully nocked it while taking aim.

As the boar moved so did she, adjusting and re-adjusting herself as she waited for it to still, that one moment where it would stop to graze… Now!

"Pch-Pchew!"

The arrow flew off mark, impressively so, quickly finding itself embed within a tree meters away from the now fleeing target.

"Ilia, that's the third one already…", said the archer with a sigh, sounding rather tired than irritated, her ears seeming to visibly slump despite the physical impossibility of it.

"Sorry, Blake! You know how I am with hay fever during this season. I guess I shouldn't have joined you for hunting today. I'm just being a nuisance…", said her companion, Ilia, visibly deflating from the matter.

"It's fine. We have enough left over from yesterday anyway. Besides, you're good company. The Light knows I'll go stir-crazy if I had to spend every hunt alone.", said Blake, giving her a small smile, wisely leaving out the point that a book would've been a fine alternative too.

Ilia cheered up at her reassurance, quick to give her own in turn, "The moment I get back in shape, I'll hunt down enough to refill half the village's stocks.", she said excitedly with a grin plastered on her face.

"I'm sure. Just make sure you don't bring the surrounding wildlife to extinction.", Blake jokingly chided.

The two huntresses continued in their sarcastic and playful banter as they made their way to their village. Both garbed in in dark leather from toe to neck, each with a bow on their back and quiver at their waist.

Both of them also had long slender ears that pointed upwards. A trait of the region's native high elves.

Both were tall and with slender builds. Ilia had light gray eyes not far from bordering light blue, a common color among her people, while Blake's were amber yellow, a very rare one in turn. Both's eyes seemed to let out a faint glow whenever they passed a slightly dimmer area of the forest due to the foliage's obstruction.

Both had long hair, also of fairly common colors, though most to any hair color would count as common when considering the literal rainbow of variety elves had when it came to them. Blake's was black, and Ilia's dark brown, and held in a ponytail.

Soon enough, they arrived back at their village, Menagerie.

It had been built a good fifty or so years ago, founded by elves that had passed through their homeland's borders and entered into Lordaeron's territories when this cultural exchange project had been decided by both nations. The village's name itself had been chosen such so as to promote the mixture and mingling of their people.

Over time, it did indeed show success in its endeavor, as now it boasted a relatively equal number of elven and human inhabitants alike, having become larger than the average village over the course of its existence. An improvement in comparison to the small settlement it once was.

As Blake and Ilia were making their way back, they passed the training grounds. A small divided area with several training dummies as well as an equally small archery range with several targets, mainly for the use of guards, hunters, and a certain exception. Others would usually be allowed use of it only when the aforementioned ones were not already taking it up.

Said exception was quite famed around the village and could even now be found by the two girls partaking in one of his favorite of pass times.

"Adam, diligent as always, I see. Did you remember to sleep beforehand this time? It wouldn't do if we had to carry you off to the doctor twice now, would it?"

"A comedian as always I see, right Ilia? I guess it's good to try different things, since hunting really doesn't seem to be your tally.", It was one time, and she wouldn't let him forget it. One time!

Came the sarcastic tone of the exception, otherwise known as Adam.

Lean and standing quite tall even by elven standards. Ears much like the two girls, with crimson red hair and bright blue eyes.

He was garbed in light leather armor, along with several metal plates attached to some vital points, allowing for better protection while not restricting mobility. He had one sword sheathed at his waist, and another drawn, it being a long red katana, a rather uncommon type of sword among elves and humans alike.

"I'd ask if you two would ever manage being in one room together, but it doesn't seem to get any better even without the room." , said Blake with a sigh, though she was quick to ignore it along with her own faulty attempt at a tease, having gotten used to her two childhood friends' eternal bickering long ago.

"In one room? I'd rather be conscripted to some war.", said Adam.

"Saying it like that so you don't give away that you willingly want to be in one?", countered Ilia in turn as they resumed their ever present routine.

Quick to ignore them as she usually would, Blake continued on towards her home while they were busily partaking in their ever heated exchange, too distracted to notice her departure till much later.

Blake loved them. She really did. They'd been with her since she could remember. But with how short-tempered and heated Adam was and how sarcastic Ilia could be in turn, she just couldn't find the energy to deal with their squabbles on a daily basis. Especially if it was for an actual whole day.

Entering her home, she gave a quick greeting to her father who in turn gave her a smile and a nod. Trying to follow it up with the same towards her mother but failing as per usual, engulfed in her hug and finding it hard to achieve much of any movement. She would always be like that after Blake returned from a hunt.

Prying herself free before the complete depletion of all the oxygen in her lungs, Blake went upstairs and entered her room, putting aside her bow, quiver and pouch, removing her dagger and skinning knife from said pouch.

Her room was fairly big. Bigger than the average villager's for sure. It came with being the mayor's daughter, a position her father had been in charge of for the past seven years.

It was a mostly simple room. Fairly focused on necessities as well as a few luxuries such as its large wardrobe and table. Most noticeable, however, was one of its walls, lined up with bookshelves from one end to the other, each nearly filled to the brim. Yes, she'd need to expand it again soon.

Not bothering to change her attire, she moved to the wall and looked through said books, quickly finding a certain one of interest and taking it as she jumped on her bed.

'Treasures of the East Continent' read its title. A book of archeology and wonder, one of the two kinds she so loved along with romance, even if Adam and Ilia would often disagree on the latter's classification.

It was one of her limited ones. The venture of archeology was not the most prominent of ones within either Lordaeron or her homeland kingdom to the north, Quel'thalas. Thus, it was not easy to find much material on the subject.

Blake had lucked upon a number of such books many years back. Back when a renowned archeologist had passed through their village while on one of his expeditions. The man who went by the name Oobleck.

Dr. Oobleck was famous within his field. Having begun his career from a young age and having achieved much in said field. he had made a name for himself in many ways. He had found many ancient scriptures and writings, treasures and armaments, and even then, so much more.

He had even become a member of the Explorer's League, a gathering of the finest archeologists across the continent. Something even grander when one would consider that he was a human.

The Explorer's League was founded and situated in the dwarven city of Ironforge. Dwarves were not known to be particularly racist, but were not easy to convince when it came to taking anyone who wasn't a dwarf into the Explorer's League, leaving it with only a handful of non-dwarven explorers within its ranks.

Despite that and his young age at the time, he had manged to be accepted by them, and Blake herself had a chance to meet and learn from him during his short stay in their village. He was a nice man with a love of history, even if he would ever only stop talking while drinking his nearly equally beloved coffee.

But Blake hadn't been bothered by his long tales in the slightest. This wasn't like the lover's quarrels that Adam and Ilia always had, and oh how she loved to fluster them with that. But no, this was something she could listen to all day, and did whenever he was around back then.

The man had taken his leave after about two weeks, though not before saying his farewell to Blake, telling her of how he felt both impressed and proud of her interest in history, and leaving her several books on the subject.

Ever since then, Blake had acquired any archeological book she'd get the chance to, having been enraptured by it as much as her short-term teacher.

However, the final push in her motivation to follow her dream came to her that faithful day. The day she made her first and so far only ever of finds.


Adam and Ilia both loved Blake. Both of them would call her their best of friends, and while they didn't quite truly hate each other, they definitely wouldn't have tolerated each other quite as much if not for her.

At rarest of times, however, the both of them could see eye to eye and even quite pleasantly agree on some things. Such as that the machinations that they both had once seen, those which Blake called her romance books and had left them both in blushing flusters, were far from it.

One other such scenario was when she'd show that glint in her eye, not the kind that was the common faint glow of their elven kind. No. The kind a predator had when it found a favorite of pray, seemingly at its finest quality, trapped and waiting at said predator's leisure. The times in which she had a lead on her latest archeological 'find'.

At those times, both of them could solemnly say, "Blake, I hate you so much right now."

"Oh shush, you two. Why can't you be in sync like that outside of our little expeditions.", replied Blake while rolling her eyes.

"As little as three days out in the wilderness at minimum.", drawled Adam.

"Desperation can make even enemies unite.", added Ilia in an equally lackluster tone.

"You both always love to over-exaggerate things. On top of that, it's been two weeks since our last one.", said Blake as she paid them little attention while looking at the map currently in her hands.

"The last one lasted one week!", said Adam in a tone usually reserved for Ilia, and equally banned for use against Blake, aside from now.

"And it began two weeks ago. We finished it just last Sunday!", added Ilia in her own 'reserved for Adam only mean tone'.

"I'm hot on the tracks of something big here. When we make our find, it'll be more than just worth its time!"

"You said that last time.", said Ilia.

"And the time before that.", Adam followed up.

"Every time's a big find.", said Ilia in exasperation, while spreading her hands in a mocking gesture of grandeur.

"I can't deny that I always say that, but this time I'm certain of it. Trust me on this, I've never been more sure in my life."

They were both ready to speak up again, but Blake was quick to motion them to stop.

"Yes, I know. I've said that before too. Just trust me on this… again."

With tired huffs, the both of them nodded, following her as she resumed her lead.

"So… Do we have any idea what we're looking for this time?", asked Ilia

"Or exactly where?", added Adam

"Actually, yes. While I'm not sure exactly what, if I'm correct, we'll find armaments, namely weaponry from quite a ways back. Just think of the history they could hold. And as for the location, while it's never exact, this is the closest I've been to pinpointing one before. Thus, I have great expectations this time."

Ilia and Adam looked at each other, taking a moment, they turned back to Blake.

"Would it demoralize you if we told you that you've said the literal same thing before?", asked Ilia with a smirk.

"Would it make it better if we said you didn't use the words armaments or weaponry though?", asked Adam, mirroring said smirk.

"Oh just can it and get moving you two.", said Blake in an irritated tone, though not being able to help but smile at their shenanigans.

The expedition had proceeded in its usual manner after that, traversing through the forest and even hiking upon the nearby mountain, continuing on for four days in total, with nothing to show for it.

That, however, had changed during the evening of said fourth day, within the confines of a small mountainside cave.

"We're so close. Come on!", said Blake, unable to hold back the excitement or equally excited expression having taken residence on her face.

"Yeah, we're on it.", cheerily said Ilia.

"We should be able to break through within the hour", added Adam, with a tinge of excitement that was rare to find in his voice.

The two usually weren't at their most excited when on these expeditions, but even they couldn't hold back the tingle they felt as the three of them gathered up, doing their best to dig and break through the small opening at the back of the cave, obviously seeming to lead into something quite bigger.

And as foreseen, they had made it through within said hour, entering what seemed to be more of a corridor of sorts rather than any secondary cave.

"Ha! It's real. I told you both so.", said Blake, trying to keep her voice down but failing due to her underlying excitement.

Adam and Ilia could only smile warmly at her rare and somewhat childlike behavior. Strange and uncommon as it was, it most definitely wasn't something that didn't suit her.

The three resumed course, slowly traversing the corridors while inspecting anything the eye could see.

Within, they had found a few minor traps. For hunters and trappers like Ilia and Blake, it wasn't too hard to disable a number of them, many already having deteriorated due to the passing of time.

They quickly found out it wasn't the largest of enclosures, having several passages lead to rubble, buried and lost, containing a number of empty or mostly empty rooms, some with semblances of daily commodities such as beds, others with destroyed weapon and armor racks.

For a while, they believed they'd found something, but nothing more than that. Without anything truly left from its days past the wreckage that remained to still verify its existence.

However, within some of the final rooms they'd checked, they found a crumbled weapon rack. Though in its debris lied two objects to have seemingly survived what all else there had not.

One was a sheathed blade. A long black sheath holding an equally unnaturally long sword even for its type, it being a katana. Its handle as pitch black as its sheathe, its blade a crimson red. Upon its sheath was engraved the word Wilt in common tongue, otherwise known as the human tongue.

The other was a thin single-edged short sword. Pure white within an equally white sheathe that lacked any writings or markings. The blade having a sort of lightning based enchantment as they would later find out.

They found little to nothing else after. But there were no real dangers to be found either, and they had made their way back home, for the first time, victoriously so.

Blake had decided that the two of them should each take one of the artifacts after they'd returned. Something they were reluctant about for quite a while, but she had eventually convinced them to accept them as both gifts from a friend and a show of her gratitude for always joining her.


Blake sighed. That was a grand time for all of them, but it had been three years ago, and there was nothing new ever since then.

At least it did quell their complaints for a while, until she decided her luck was up and started going at it double, triple and quadruple. At quintuple the effort, they couldn't last and had seemingly reached their limit. Yes… she may have been a bit too overzealous when it came to her passion of treasure hunt-er, archeology.

As she was about to immerse herself in her book after finally finishing her trip down memory lane, she heard several voices from outside her room's window.

Looking through it, she could see them. Garithos' men.

Their region's lord, Lord Othmar Garithos. Also known as Grand Marshal Garithos, a title he'd inherited from his late father that Blake doubted he'd really earned.

It had all begun around four years ago, when Garithos became the new regional lord.

He had shown extreme bias against the elves, even going as far as showing open hostility not just to them but also to humans that would side with them in any argument or discourse.

Things had taken a turn for the worst, however, when he had found out her father, Ghira Belladonna, an elf, was the mayor of said town within his new territory.

While he couldn't take any too drastic actions since he had only recently come to lordship and her own father was respected and liked by the people, he had kept undermining him in an attempt to run him out of office ever since, and while doing so, kept making the lives of any and all elven residents as hard as possible.

Her father had considered stepping down so he'd let the villagers be spared Garithos' wrath, but sadly, it had become all too evident that he'd not let it go unless they were run out of the village as a whole, and chased back into their homelands. She doubted that even then that would be enough for that man.

Her father could only remain in office and try to minimize their lord's damage.

But with little choice left from said lord, most of the humans started giving in and either leaving the village or condemning the elves, and few people were nice enough to abandon their long time family homes, even less so to be able to afford such actions.

There were still some who would side with the elves, but in exchange they were also isolated and hated, to the point where they'd break and join in the cycle of hatred Garithos had started.

Blake didn't know if Garithos had his reasons or circumstances, but had long ago lost any concern or desire to attempt and show understanding towards such.

Even if he had the most justifiable reason in the world, he had been destroying the lives of everyone in their village. All on a crusade of revenge against innocents who had simply been living their lives and had never wronged him in any way. There was no justification to that.

And now the small force of soldiers he'd sent yet again came to her home's doorstep, bent on causing more grievances for her father as they always would.

As they disappeared from her view, entering her house, she could already hear the slightly louder voices from downstairs.

Her father was a composed man at most times, only truly enraged when any injustice was done upon his family or his people. Thus, they were always capable of riling him up, regardless of how much he tried to withhold himself.

Blake was quick to throw aside her book and equip herself, already downstairs before the next twenty seconds had passed.

The soldiers were three, and while they had not drawn their weapons, she never did trust anyone who'd serve under Garithos.

Her father shared the same common hair color and extremely uncommon eye color she had. Though those paled in how un-elflike his figure was. He was likely the burliest elf anyone would ever see, far from their common, almost given, slender frames.

He was limber like one, but he had strength far surpassing any other elf. He had been the one to teach her how to hunt as well as fight, something Adam would later help her refine with a bit more grace.

Despite that, she didn't feel at ease with him being surrounded, even with her confidence in her father's ability. Her mother, Kali Belladonna whom Blake resembled much to a T, bar, of course, her mother being older, and also choosing to keep her hair shorter, was also here, behind her father, and while she could fire a bow and could hunt quite proficiently, she was no fighter.

Blake kept vigilant as her gaze remained on the soldiers all throughout the heated argument they lead with her father. Finally finishing after some time, they left their home in their usual rage, the first one kicking open the door and the last slamming it shut.

Blake let out a breath as she relaxed herself, lowering her guard. This had been becoming increasingly too common as of recent. At this point she was honestly afraid he'd outright just attack them. Her unease had become a commodity in these past four years.

"It's alright, Dear.", came the soft and chipper tone of her mother, reassuring and warm smile on her face as always. It always did much to calm her, but as of recent, even it was seemingly not enough.


The evening had come and passed. Night descended, and with it came the moon, taking its rightful place within the star-lit skies.

There was little to be heard throughout the village at this time, gracing it with a certain serenity, disturbed only by the few guards on watch when they'd swap shifts or move about to alleviate the stiffness that came with standing at guard for hours on end.

All was indeed quiet and serene like would be any other night.

Blake, too, was slumbering in her abode. Hall-covered by her blanket and still halfway in her hunting attire, book lightly held by her hand atop her chest, seemingly dreaming and reciting of the wonders she had read.

However, she was pulled out of her dreams by some sound, groggily getting up and blinking away her drowsiness.

Having woken up, she focused on that sound, that of a horn, quickly making her way to gaze out of her window towards the moonlit streets.

She knew the signal that that horn was meant to transfer, and she could see it now too. For the first time ever, bandits and raiders had made their way to her village.


In under a minute she had already been dressed and armed, at the same time her mother having entered her room. A calm and kind woman. She hadn't ever seen her with such a terrified expression.

Her mother hugged her in an attempt to calm down, be it herself or Blake, Blake didn't quite know. Blake did, however, notice her mother also having been armed with her hunting gear.

They both rushed downstairs, her father waiting there, already in his own hunter gear, as well as his sword sheathed at his waist.

"Dear, Blake, stay here. Lock the door and don't go out. I'll join with the guards."

Blake was ready to protest, motioning to speak before her father beat her to it.

"Look after each other and keep each other safe. I'm counting on you.", He didn't wait for a reply, not helped by the fact that Blake couldn't find any words to say. He rushed out after hugging them both, kissing his wife, and then Blake on her forehead.

Blake stood beside her mother, both unsure of what to say. It had probably been no more than a few minutes, yet she felt like it was an eternity as she worried over her father, her mother looking no better off than her.

The silence was broken when a light knock was heard on the door. Arrows were quickly nocked and steadied in preparation, though lowered even quicker when they heard the voice of the one on its other side.

"Blake? Mr. and Mrs. Belladonna?", called out Ilia, and Blake was quick to let her in.

"Ilia! I'm glad you're safe.", Blake hugged her, her mother Kali following up with the same.

Ilia had lost her parents in an accident a long time ago. She had managed to live on her own, though to no little amount due to Blake and her parents, Blake's parents becoming the closest thing to after her own real ones. She still couldn't get used to calling them in a more casual manner though.

"I'm glad you're safe too, Blake, Mrs. Belladonna. Where is Mr. Belladonna?"

"Dad went to help the guards.", Blake said, her expression mirroring the anxiety and worry she felt.

Ilia herself showed such too, going quiet and uncertain as to what to say.

"Ilia."

"Yes, Blake?"

"Can I ask you to stay with Mom and keep both of yourselves safe. I need to go. I can't leave Dad alone. We don't know if Adam is safe either. He's probably already jumped in the bandits ranks without a single thought."

"Blake, you can't! I can go instead. With my weapon, I'll have a far better advantage."

"Ilia, I need you to stay here. Your illusion magic can help keep you both safe. Camouflaged and out of their sights. Please, I'm trusting you with this."

Blake was about to leave when she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder.

She felt she couldn't argue with her if she tried, that she'd relent and agree to stand down, so she abruptly pushed out of her grasp instead, "Mother, Ilia, I'm sorry!", being the only reply Blake could give as she freed her shoulder and rushed out the door.

"Blake!", both of them called out as she rushed away past the door towards the sounds of chaos and fighting.


Elves were beings of grace. Nimble rogues and rangers, having the presence of mages and paladins within their ranks as well. They did not often quite match the raw power of warriors, as the few fighters among them who followed in that path were often not of the most capable in the regard of raw strength, not that there were never any strong elves. They just were a rarity in comparison to how much more common they could be among, for example, humans.

Within this village, there were few which truly went past the point of being civilians when it came to combat. Having some trained humans and elves alike who were hunters or normal everyday guards and soldiers was all that ever really seemed necessary. As well as having two or three people in the entirety of the village that could also classify as proper physicians.

However, two elven warriors, two exceptions danced among the currently chaotic and burning scenery of the village, cutting swaths through the raiders' ranks.

One such individual was Ghira Belladonna. Large and intimidating, he boasted strength surpassing that of what most elves could achieve with even years of training. Despite that, he didn't lack the racial dexterity of his kind, slashing through the surrounding bandits, deflecting and overpowering them one after the other, a testament to his unparalleled strength and swordsmanship that had been passed down his family line that had been renowned as elven war heroes. A line he'd preferred to turn to more peaceful paths and end with him.

Not far from him was the second one. Adam Taurus. Befitting of his name, he did not match the common elf's calmer demeanor. Wielding his blade, Wilt, he carved through the bandits' ranks, like an unstoppable force with a grace surpassing even that of his people. Like a force of nature not to be reckoned with. He also came fro ma warrior line, much alike Ghira.

Spread about around them were the village's guards. Some human. some elves, some showing their veteran years and experience in their own defiance against the raiders, some showing their inexperience and fear. Some wounded, still fighting or retreating, and some no longer among them.

The bandits themselves weren't the most well trained, lacking in formation and command, most lacking in experience, though few showing that they could do more than just hold a sword. Most dangerous, however, were their numbers, greatly more so than that of the village's defenders.

As the fight carried on, both sides sustained heavy casualties, to the point where the remaining defenders still able to fight were but a handful, the remaining bandits themselves numbering no more than 20.

"Mr. Belladonna, fall back. You can't keep fighting with that wound anymore.", said Adam, concern lacing his voice, but his eyes unmoving from their invaders.

Ghira stood with one hand on his shoulder, a large cut quite easily visible beneath it. Luckily enough, it didn't seem to run too deep or far to be a fatality, as long as it was tended too soon, not to mention it left him in quite the weakened and vexed state.

Ghira motioned to speak, taking a moment to first look at his own shoulder, then at the many men around him, friend and foe, standing and fallen, wounded and dead.

"I'm sorry, Adam. It wouldn't do for the mayor himself to fall back, even less so if I were to leave you all like this. I wouldn't forgive myself if I left you here, and Blake would forgive me even less so if I left You."

Before they could speak any further, the sound of clacking of hooves rang throughout the area, garnering both sides' attention.

There he rode, Othmar Garithos. Fully armored and on his steed, it covered in no less steel than himself. Surrounded by his ten most elite of guards, knights, they in turn boasting the same heavy armaments.

"Reinforcements!", exclaimed Ghira, a smile finding itself on his face despite the unlikely reason for it being Garithos out of all people. Hateful as he was, he had been exceedingly quick to react and come to his territory's defense.

Garithos motioned to one of his knights, everyone still dead still, the knight slowly dismounting off his steed with a first aid pouch hoisted across his shoulder. Walking in a quick pace and making his way towards Ghira.

And as he came beside him, he unsheathed his blade, aiming for his head. Ghira was quick to deflect the blow, though in between it and the throbs of pain coming from his shoulder, his blade was sent flying to the side.

Adam motioned to run in, though still several meters too far, the soldier already taking his second slash, one Ghira had no chance to defend against.

And then it whistled through the air. The knight's cry reverberated in the night as he lost hold of his blade and fell to the ground, spasming before ceasing all movement.

Everyone made to turn their heads.

There she stood. Bow string released and one hand now empty, legs shaking - nay, her entire body trembling - and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

There stood Blake Belladonna.


Blake ran. She ran through the streets, towards the flames that could be seen at the edge of the village.

She wasn't sure how to feel about leaving her mother and Ilia. But she knew they'd be safe. They both were huntresses, and Ilia was a strong fighter who had trained with her father and sparred with Adam more than once, not to mention that the bandits were seemingly preoccupied with a different section of their village altogether.

Whatever few got through, they'd be able to handle.

And now she needed to make sure They were alright. They were definitely in the middle of the enemy's forces already. They were strong, but that didn't matter. For all she cared, they could be the strongest in the world, it would still not be enough to stop her from worrying for two among her four most precious of people.

She reached them. Her father was wounded and she was already terrified. She could see the dead all around, many more wounded and some crying. It wasn't something she'd seen or been used to, neither was it something she'd ever want to get used to.

Then he came, and for a moment, she believed.

Garithos had come with his men. She could recognize one or two of them from former 'visits' to the village, their helmets open at their faces. Those were his elites. He had actually come rushing to the village in its defense, despite every bit of his bias.

For a moment, Blake had thought that maybe the man had been fighting his bias, fighting to overcome trauma perhaps. And she felt a smile come as she saw one of his men rush to her father with a medical kit strapped around his person.

That all changed when he motioned for his blade. She wasn't sure when, but she was already nocking an arrow, aiming and preparing it faster than ever before, than she'd ever believed she could manage.

The man was pushed back for a moment by her father, but had managed to disarm him. Adam had rushed in, but was still too far. The knight was about to take another swing with his sword.

Blake had never killed before. Never needed to. Never wanted to.

She let the arrow fly. She didn't hesitate for a moment.

The moment it reached him, it pierced through his eye, making him release a scream Blake had never heard any beast make, making her realize at that point how much her legs were shaking. He fell nearly instantly after, twitching for a few moments before stilling, seemingly not to move. Not now. Not ever again.

At that point, Blake's vision was slightly blurry, feeling something trickle down her cheeks. She could feel her entire body trembling, heavily so. She, however, didn't feel a tinge of regret. Only relief that her father was fine.

"How dare you!", came his yell. Garithos… no. The Monster. It turned towards her with a scowl that made his formerly ever present one pale into nothingness.

This thing never should have come here. Reasons or not, all this monster deserved was to be hunted down like the beast it was.

"Enough of this, just kill them all!", it said, no longer showing a shred of the faulty façade it didn't even try to keep up.

"Wa-wait! This isn't our deal! You-", began saying one of the bandits, not able to finish as another knight had already dismounted, beheading him on the spot to the horror of the other raiders and the townspeople alike.

"Your incompetence has already displeased me enough. Besides, I wouldn't allow bandits and raiders on my lands now, would I? The deal's off.", it spoke condescendingly once again.

She didn't wait after that. Through blurred vision and trembling hands, she prepared her next arrow. She wouldn't let this monster and the beasts that followed it take away her home. Her people.

She let yet another arrow fly.


The bandits were quick to run, though half of Garithos' men gave pursuit. The other four and their lord himself remaining within the village.

However, before any of them could react, Adam had already dashed in while shoving back Ghira into several of their soldiers, yelling at them to retreat with the wounded.

With a speed to contest that of their very steeds, he cut at one of the knights, striking at his unarmored joints and quickly leaving him on the ground to a death that came only mere moments after.

Another of the knights tried to charge him while still mounted, though a quick arrow perforated through his neck, leaving him to tumble with his horse and be crushed in his already final moments.

Garithos and one of the other knights dismounted, making their way towards Adam. The third and last remaining, still mounted, taking charge at Blake with a raised shield.

"Blake!", Adam yelled, turning to her.

"Adam… Trust me!", was all she replied as she began to move, the knight quickly making his way after her.

"As expected of an elf. No understanding of keeping one's focus on combat whatsoever.", came the condescending voice of Garithos as Adam hardly dodged his blade, only made more difficult with the knight slashing from his other side.

"Coming from a fool who'd waste words in combat and riding on his family's glory. Isn't that quite pertinent? ", Adam growled as he retreated several meters. Readying Wilt and taking his stance once again.


Blake ran. Dashing through the narrow passages between houses. She was surprised at how well a horse could maneuver. This was an imperial steed. One of Lordaeron's army's greatest shows of grandeur. She could see they were indeed bred for war.

She could fire while on the run, and she had tried several times. But with a foe so heavily armored, she couldn't manage to strike at any vitals without focusing. Perhaps if she'd get really lucky, but she didn't know when or even if that would happen, or if it would be before she was impaled or beheaded by the lance that nearly reached her two corners back.

She was a survivalist. She could run. She could survive in the confines of nature. But she couldn't manage a marathon or a speed on par with a horse, regardless of how slowed it was due to the tremendous amount of armor adorning both it and its rider or the narrow turns it had to take.

She was tiring out and only one slip up would be enough to finish her.

Readying another arrow, she quickly turned to fire.

It bounced off the horse's armored hide even if it warranted a slight yelp from it. It did little past slowing it down for an instant, as it was already back at its charge, Blake having lost more ground due to taking the shot rather than gaining any.

As he neared once again, dangerously so, another arrow whistled through the air as it found itself in his shoulder. Shock and force coupled to push even the experienced veteran off his steed, him handling it enough so as to not take his horse with and atop him, quickly scrambling back to his feet despite both pain and the weight of his armor.

Ilia jumped from the shadows behind one of the houses, her mother now being visible there as well.

Both with worried expressions, but also ones of determination.

"I-Ilia? Mom?", Blake blurted out in shock.

"Honey. You did say to use Ilia's illusion magic, and so we did. If you think I'm letting your father just go off like that then you're wrong, and even more wrong if you think I'll let you."

The knight wasn't keen on waiting for their reunion and was quick to charge, sword now at the ready in the steed of his former lance.

Ilia nimbly dodged away, parrying a few blows and activating her blade with it, sending jolts that forced back the knight. Slightly spasming as he tried to regain himself in his confusion.

Ilia wielded the second relic they had found. A one-edged sword with a unique lightning based enchantment.

She jostled with the knight for a bit, disorientating him in her exchanges through the pulses her blade sent, its enchantment and her mobility managing to make up for the experience and strength he held over her.

However, she didn't attempt to finish him, and Blake was quick to realize it.

As he was attempting to regain himself after the most recent light jolt of electricity sent his way, an arrow struck him at his neck.

His eyes widened, though just as quickly dimmed, leaving him on the ground to release few sounds and gurgles, ending within no more than ten seconds.

"Blake?!", came Ilia's shocked and seemingly trembling voice.

"Blake…You…", and at the same time so did her mothers, even more so at the scene before her.

"I'm sorry… I need to go back for Dad and Adam!", and with that Blake ran again, disregarding their yells.


The last of Garithos' knights was dead.

Adam stood there, above his fallen body. A number of cuts adoring him, breathing heavily and standing before an equally tired Garithos.

The knight himself was no different from his other ones. Though fighting him along with Garithos was a whole different matter.

They had coordination. And Garithos himself was far from what Adam had expected. If nothing else, his title wasn't as seemingly empty as he first had thought.

Garithos charged him again.

They kept clashing, blow for blow. Neither quite willing to give the other an edge.

This did not go on for long, however, as an arrow soared through the night skies.

Garithos was quick to deflect it, but Adam was even quicker to use the opening, slashing open a large wound on his torso as Garithos pushed him back and retreated a few steps.

"You Damn Mongrels!", he cursed.

"Blake!", said Adam in relief.

Feet still slightly trembling, but eyes showing a strong determination, Blake readied her next arrow.

"Enough of this!", yelled Garithos in a rage. His visage growing as he did so. He seemed to grow in scale to nearly twice his size, as his skin and armor changed color until it seemed to be that he was completely made of carved stone.

"You wretches have been a thorn in my side for far too long, and now it's time I got rid of you for good. Feel yourselves graced. To waste something requiring of so much time to recharge such as my avatar form on you. At least I'll give you the fact that you managed to give me a proper challenge."

Another arrow flew, though this time he didn't motion to defend, it bouncing off his unarmored face with nothing more than a chip left at his cheek.

Seeing this, Adam rushed in, slashing at his body, Wilt bouncing off the now petrified armor he wore, leaving little past the tinniest of dents.

As if an immovable object had come to denounce that which once was hailed as an unstoppable force.

Garithos was quick to use this opening, slashing at Adam, a blow he dodged, though a trail of blood followed his retreating form, having originated from his shoulder.

"Damn it!", Adam growled out, all while hearing Blake scream his name.

"It's no use, elf. I'm done playing around. This is an ancient technique. While in this form, I am impervious to magic and near such to physical damage. What little hope you had is gone.", Garithos said, his tone a mixture of condescendence and satisfaction.

Before he noticed, Blake was already at his side, bandage taken out of her pouch and readied as she tended to him. Garithos just kept his sights on them, taking in their despair.

"Blake, get out of here. Run!"

"I won't leave you here!"

"You can't fight him!"

"And you can't fight him alone!"

"Well. I can't say I hate a good love story. What would you both say if I was nice enough and buried you both together.", was all Garithos said with a grin as he dashed at them.

Blake and Adam both jumped back, dodging his initial strike.

Turning his sights, Garithos lunged at Blake.

As his Blade flew at her, it cut, slashing her in half, her form almost instantly dispersing into black particles. A shadow spell. The only one Blake had ever learned. Spectral Guise.

As the image shattered, Blake appeared as if from thin air, taking advantage of his distraction, her now drawn dagger rushed at his abdomen. With a loud clang, it bounced off, breaking her balance for a few moments as Garithos turned around, ready for another swing.

Before the blade could come down, Adam had already tackled her out of the way and to the side.

He looked at Blake, seeing her frightened expression. And even behind it, he could see the concerned one that was asking what would happen to their home.

Adam stood up and charged.

Garithos sent a downwards slash.

Catching it with his own blade in a two-handed block, Adam felt his legs buckle under the sheer force as he fell to his knees. His wounded shoulder starting to pop under the force of the blow.

As Garithos kept pushing down with all of his strength, Wilt had begun to faintly glow, quickly taking in darker shades.

At that time, Blake attacked, garnering his attention as he used one of his stone fists to swat her back several meters.

Adam used that opening.

Roaring, he pushed forward with all his might at the same time as Wilt reached a deeper crimson color than it ever had before, shining brighter than any gold, pushing back Garithos' single-handed grip and breaking his balance for a mere moment.

That moment was all he needed as he raised his blade high, slashing Wilt downwards and through the now petrified wound Adam had inflicted on him earlier. It broke though.

As he carved through Garithos' stone body, it released a much appropriate sound like that of crumbling granite, blood gushing from the now reopened wound.

Garithos fell on the ground, shrinking to his normal size as his body turned to that of a human once again.

"I-Impossible… How was it broken… Someone like me can't die here… To a lowly elf…", and like that, without even waiting for their retorts, his eyes lost their color as his body stilled, signaling his end.

At the same time, a horn rang throughout the area. One only known to the elves. The one to be used to signify their retreat to their homelands.

"Adam, are you alright?", Blake rushed to him, not waiting for an answer and inspecting him, quickly turning to his shoulder after finding nothing else wrong enough to warrant immediate concern, and doing her best to mend it with what she had on hand.

"I'm fine. My shoulder is quite bad, but it'll heal. I'm fine."

"I'm glad.", said Blake with the first semblance of a smile ever since this all had begun, leaving Adam in an ever slight fluster.

"In-In any case. It seems Wilt did have some kind of enchantment in the end. At least that's my best guess. It felt like there was a certain energy seeping from it."

They stood quiet for a few minutes after that. Both's minds resting from what was the most frightening and likely traumatizing day they'd ever experienced.

"How's your shoulder feeling now?"

"Still bad, but a lot better. Thanks.", he gave her a warm smile in turn.

"Well, we better get going. Things are going to be more than just complicated soon, and we don't know when the remaining five knights will be back. We need to regroup.", Adam then said as he got up to his feet.

Blake, however, was already a good ten meters away from him, though in the opposite direction.

"Blake?"

"Adam, with what happened today, both kingdoms' relation's would be strained at best."

"I'd assume so. Where are you going with this, Blake?"

"We're going to be retreating to our home. The northernmost kingdom. All our territories are bordered and thus blocked by Lordaeron's lands. We'll likely be blocked off from the entirety of the rest of the continent."

"It's unlikely this'll lead to a war, Blake. The bastard hired bandits. It'll be dealt with soon enough and our people will be able to peacefully pass through Lordaeron again without inciting anything."

"We're just a small village that's not even on most maps, Adam, even if we're among the older ones. Now we're not even that since we'll be retreating back home… you'll be retreating back home."

"Garithos will be-", Adam began.

"Condemned for his crimes?", Blake finished, "Unlikely. We have as good as no proof. Any and all of us saw it, yet it's still not in the slightest enough to match the word of a regional lord. Even if they eventually agreed upon believing him guilty, it would be likely many years from now."

"We can go through the boarder even now. We can make a small group and travel through, pass unnoticed."

"And you, Ilia and my parents would be fine with that rather than just dragging me back and having me there where you'd know I'm safe?", Adam could only look down, unable to deny Blake's words.

"Adam, you know why I want to do this, right?"

"How couldn't I? To see the world, to discover what its secrets can offer, you dragged both me and Ilia for it every time, after all."

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect today would be my last chance for who knows how long. I'm not sure how long I'll have to wait if I don't take this chance."

"Then let me come with you!"

"Adam. Please go back with the others."

"What?", Adam gritted his teeth as he yelled out.

"We don't know when those other five knights would come back. The others will need you there. You'll need them too. Your shoulder needs to be properly checked."

"And you? Just let you go like that? On your own?"

"I'm a huntress and survivalist. You know I've lasted weeks on end. After all, I was the one to look after you two on our journeys."

"Do you think we'd accept that excuse? We'd accept this?", his tone became more heated.

"I'm sorry,", Blake looked down, not at the ground, but her hands. They lacked literal blood on them, but that didn't change what she'd done. She closed her eyes for a moment and though of her parents before her, of her mother's shock after witnessing her own daughter murder someone in cold blood before her, "I'm sorry.", she repeated.

Adam managed to grab her hand then, having run up to her in her distraction, though moments later, it had dissipated, another image left by her spectral guise. Magic of the shadow element, while not absolutely hated, was still not too fondly accepted by people who revered the sun out of all things. Regardless, she'd simply accepted it when she'd found her affinity for darkness, seeing it as but an element. She'd even read managed to learn this specific - and only - spell she knew from one of the archeological books that spoke of more in depth of an ancient branch of mages.

She appeared yet again as far from him as she was before. It was simple when you knew its basis. A spell that bent the light into your image where you stood, all while shrouding you for a few seconds to allow you to effectively be invisible for this very short while.

"Can't I dissuade you you in any way?"

Blake simply gave him a sorrowful expression.

"Can't I... I can't, can I?", his own turned complicated and forlorn.

"I'm sorry."

She turned to leave- "At least take this!", she turned at the words, barely managing to grab what was thrown her way so abruptly. It was his sword. The one he'd always use before she'd given him Wilt, the one that was passed down his family. The one he'd always give her when they'd spar and train together.

"You'll need more than just a dagger if you're going anywhere. If I can't stop you, then you're going to at least take that!"

"Thank you.", Blake felt a sting in her eyes, though held back her tears, "Tell the others goodbye, and... that I'm sorry.", she turned to move once again.

"I'll get Illia and we'll find and drag you back, be sure. Our expeditions will resume then, but be sure you'll be apologizing yourself first, to all of us, and well more than once!"

Blake felt a slight smile grace her lips, not turning or speaking, instead she simply gave him a nod.

She ran after that.

Blake took to the south.


6/8. This one came an hour late, but heya, we still managed the date (this is about the pre-rewrite, where the first five chapters were released with a week, and within a day of each other each. After that came the... slow down). If all else is as should be, the next one will be on the 17th of July at about this time(last bracket addressed it, so yeah. :D).

I didn't quite come prepared with too much of a speech this time.

Hope you enjoyed!