A big thank you to Nawel-chan for all her hard work!
Over the last two years the army had grown. Tripling it's already large size. The Dark Elfs had formed an army and were attaking villiages in droves. They left no race untouched but for those pledging allegence to them. The violent attacks had kings and queens all over, in a panic. Stricken with fear, the kings and queens began drafting any and all able persons into their armies and sending them off to battle. These new soldiers received little to no training. Many were far too young to be going off to battle and the rate of deaths for these soldiers were numbering far too high. Concerned for these soldiers, the Elven Prince, Asami Ryuichi called for an audiance of all the races unallied with the Dark Elfs. It didn't take long for the prince to convince the rulers of these races to form an alliance. The drafting stopped and recrutment centers were set up so that persons of age could sign up and join the fight against the Dark Elfs and their allies. The new recruits were sent off to training camps run by the Minatore Millitary Acadamy.
Elfling
A few months ago, their camp moved. Soon after arriving at their new location, Akihito had discoverd the beautiful lake. He loved to go down there to swim and pick flowers. Asami often watched his tiny wife from the hill that over looked the lake. Today like so many other days, had the small Sun Elf picking flowers down by the lake. A giggle filled Asami's mind as a pretty blue butterfly landed on Akihito's nose. A croak sounded and the little elf turned to see a frog sitting on a lilly pad. Silent laughter left Akihito as he watched the colorful fish play in the lake, putting on a special show just for him. When a bell sounded, Akihito ran up the hill as fast as he could. It was time to make dinner. The pretty blue butterfly was still sitting on his nose.
Elfling
Akihito poured the buckets of hot water into the giant bathing tub. Next he poured a generous amount of his favorite soap in. This was a very special soap. It smelled of cherry blossoms and lavander. His husband had made the soap just for him. A sweet smile formed on his rosy lips as the soap began to form bubbles that filled the tub. Akihito stripped himself of his clothing and hopped into the water, splashing and playing with the bubbles.
When he heard footsteps entering the tent, he ducked beneath the water. He held his breath and waited. The footsteps drew nearer. He heard the rustling sound of clothing being removed and falling to the floor. The footsteps trailed around the tub.
"Where oh where can my little Akihito be?"
Akihito sprang from the water, giggling silently. He launched himself at the other elf and landed right in the loving arms of his husband. Elven Prince, Asami Ryuichi. Asami pressed kisses to his tiny wife's face, neck and chest. Making the little Sun Elf giggle and squrem. Smilling, Asami climbed into the awaiting water, settling Akihito on his lap, facing each other. Akihito rested his head against Asami's chest and relaxed. However, he didn't stay that way for long. His little hands soon began to play with the soft length resting against his husband's thigh. Asami smiled. His wife was such a lusty thing. Which suited him just fine because he was a lusty thing too.
Elfling
The lake looked different than it usually did. Instead of the beautiful crystal blue, it looked almost like liquid silver. Curious, Akihito approached the lake. Steatching one hand out, he reached for the water's surface. Only to jump back when he was met, not with the water's surface but instead another hand. Akihito's wide hazel eyes took in the sight of the boy that now revealed himself. He was pretty with dark hair and cheerful, laughing brown eyes. The boy swam to the edge of the lake. He was soon joined by another boy, this one with blond hair and green eyes.
"Hi! My name is Kou and this is my brother, Takato. Would you like to play with us?"
Akihito nodded his head eagerly. Grateful for someone to play with. He stripped down to his underthings and ran head long for the lake and jumped in. The three boys laughed and played, never paying any attention to the fact that there were no fish, or frogs. Not even a single bird or butterfly could be seen for miles.
The bell for the evening chores rang and reluctantly, Akihito climbed from the lake. He had so much fun today that he was reluctant to return to the camp. He nodded his head, agreeing to meet his two new friends at the lake the following day.
"Now you can't tell anyone about us. Okay?"
Akihito agreed, not giving another thought about the strange request. He ran up the hill to begin the evening meal.
Elfling
Akihito loved his two new best friends. They were so much fun and they never complained about the fact that he never spoke. He'd been beyond amazed when he discovered that the two boys had long shimmering tails. They were mermaids! Well actually, meremen. Akihito was so happy that he never paid any attention to all the times he blacked out while playing with Kou and Takato. He paid no mind to the bruises and the strange wounds littering his body. All he knew was that Kou and Takato were the bestest friends in the whole world. Far better than that stupid Ryuichi and his two idiot pails, Kei and Kazumi.
Elfling
There was something wrong with Akihito. He had been acting strange for the last few months. He would disappear for hours at a time. He no longer did any of his camp chores. Not even the cooking, which he loved so much. He took to wearing long sleeved tunics even though it was the middle of the summer. At one point Akihito had given Kazumi a note that told the giant Earth Elf that he was good for nothing and that he was just a dumb giant. Things had really taken a turn for the worse when Akihito attacked Kei, beating the older elf bloody. It had taken four men to pull the tiny elf off of Kei. Thinking that this was a late blooming rebelious stage, Asami had taken Akihito back to their tent. He took the leather riding crop to the boy's backside. When the punishment was over, Akihito had given Asami a dirty glare and then the eighteen year old elf had run from the tent.
Three days later they still could not find Akihito. Asami was scared and nearly losing his mind in his fear and worry. His little wife was out there on his own and unprotected. Unable to communicate with others. He could be hurt or dying. For what had to be the hundredth time, Asami searched the lake that Akihito loved so much. Like all the times before, Akihito was nowhere to be found. Kazumi wrapped an arm around his shoulders and took him back to his tent. Staying with him until he fell asleep.
Elfling
Akihito was so tired but he could not sleep. They wouldn't let him. His bleary hazel eyes blinked up at his friends Takato and Kou. They looked different from before. Their skin was a sickly silver color now and their teeth were razor sharp. The way they treated him was different than before as well. They gripped him painfully, their fingers sinking deeply into his skin. They would hit him so hard that he would scream. That was when they would sink their razor sharp teeth into his flesh. Sometimes tearing it away from his body. Akihito flinched away when Kou swam over to him.
"Don't worry little elf. You won't remember this." Kou's teeth sank deeply into the side of Akihito's neck. He pulled his head back, tearing the elf's flesh away. Blood floated out into the water, surrounding Akihito. The tiny elf let out a terrified whimper.
Elfling
Shouts woke Asami from his restliss sleep. The Fire Elf rushed from his tent and down to the lake where the shouting had come from. There, laying at the edge of the lake was Akihito. Asami rushed to his unconsious wife's side. His heart beat heavily in his chest as he picked up Akihito and carried him back to the camp and their tent. Kei and Kazumi right on his heals. Asami stripped Akihito of his wet clothing and swore at the sight that greeted him. Gently, he laid his injured wife down on their bed. Kei knelt down next to Akihito and examined his wounds.
"Ryuichi, these are Merefolk bites."
"But why would they attack one of us? They are a part of the alliance." Kazumi pointed out.
"Look here." Kei pointed to one of the bites, along its edge were traces of sick looking silver liquid.
"Fuck! Kazumi, take some men and secure the lake. Kei, send spies to the Merefolk kingdom. I want to know if they have betrayed us or if these were rogue Merefolk."
The two elf's nodded and left the tent. Asami filled the giant bathing tub with warm water and stripped from his clothing. He picked Akihito up and settled into the water. Pressing a kiss to the top of Akihito's head, Asami sent his Fire Magic into the small Sun Elf's body. These Merefolk had allied themselves with the Dark and that meant that they had infected Akihito. For a Sun Elf, that meant death if it wasn't taken care of. Akihito's body jerked as the poison was burned away.
Hazel eyes blinked open and looked up at Asami. Asami smiled down at his wife. Akihito turned in his arms and sobbed into his chest. Asami wrapped his arms around Akihito and held him tightly, whispering soothing words into their mental connection. Flashes of what had been happening to Akihito over the last few months filtered into their connection. His baby had been through hell.
Elfling
The water was a sickly silver. The Dark had infected it and the surrounding land. Asami waved a hand towards the water, setting it ablaze. The water burned for hours and Kei, Kazumi, Asami and Akihito stood by, watching it. When the Dark had been burned out of the lake, all the water was gone, having been destroyed by the Dark's poison. Looking down into the now empty lake, they found two Meremen. Asami cast a wall of fire around the two Meremen. They withered and screamed in pain as their bodies began to dry out. Akihito barried his head into Asami's side. After all that had been done to him, he was still fond of Kou and Takato. Asami held Akihito close. He would rather that he did not witness this but he'd be damned if he ever let his mate out of his line of sight ever again. When the two Meremen were dead, Asami had a couple of soldiers take the bodies away so that they could be cremated and cast to the wind.
A fluttering caught their attention. A pretty blue butterfly doing it's very best to fly. It landed on Akihito's nose, much like it had so many days before. The butterfly, like the land and the lake and so many other creatures in the area, was dying of the Dark's poison. Akihito began to sob, his little body shaking with each tear. A golden glow began to emit from his tiny body. Kazumi and Kei surrounded the Sun Elf from prying eyes while Asami dismissed the other men from the area. Steams of sickly silver poison shot from the ground and all the living beings that had been infected. Once the poison was gone, rain began to fall. Clensing the land and filling the empty lake. Fish began to swim and play. Frogs sat on lilly pads, birds sang and bugs buzzed by. A rainbow appeared in the sky as life returned to the lake. Akihito had done it. Healing the land and its inhabitants with his Sun Elf Magic.
The blue butterfly, sitting on Akihito's nose took a deep breath and fluttered its wings as its health returned. As its wings continued to flutter, the blue coloring faded. Becoming a beautiful gold color with golden flames flowing from the tips of the wings. The butterfly had never been a pretty blue butterfly but a Sun Butterfly in desguise. Sun Butterflys had not been seen in thousands of years. Having died off when with the Sun Elfs. The butterfly pressed a kiss to Akihito's forehead, pledging itself as his companion forever. The gold and flames faded as the butterfly reclamed its desguise as a blue butterfly.
"So what are you going to name your new companion, Akihito?"
Akihito looked up at Asami, a smile on his face. The butterfly still sitting on his nose.
"Nikki"
