Chapter 10: Misunderstandings
Irilos and his friends headed out from Ketto. Their feet crushed the lush green grass, and the wind gently brushed against their hair. While it was still early morning, the sun was still bright and guiding their way. The day had appeared peaceful, but Irilos stopped and notice something in the ocean in the distance. Orison stopped a few moments later and looked out into the distance. A few moments later, Arelis and Shania stopped and asked what Irilos and Orison were looking at oddly.
"It appears that there is a elf training their sword technique on the beach, without their clothing on," Orison replied.
"We are questioning why?" Irilos stated. "It doesn't really help you train your techniques because when you wear armor you have the extra weight and less mobility then when you're without clothing. It's just a waste of effort."
Arelis looked over at the beach, but also saw nothing of interest. Shania just shook her head.
"You two sure you like women?" she asked.
"We don't strip elves for a living. We aren't perverts," Orison replied.
"That's a girl?" Irilos asked.
He squinted at the tiny figure on the beach, for a moment. Everyone else looked oddly at Irilos.
"She must be pretty flat," he concluded.
Shania sighed before pointing out that no girl had ever caught Irilos or Orison's eyes. Even when they were young the two boys had never had any crushes that she knew of.
"In all honesty, how can a woman with long flowing hair twirling her sword with the sunlight gleaming on her bare skin not make your heart race?" she questioned.
"I prefer large maces," Orison stated.
Everyone stared at Orison oddly for a moment, then continued their travels.
A small stone hit Arelis in the back of the head. Everyone turned to the beach and saw the elfish figure glaring at them.
"You're supposed to be infatuated by me!" she yelled in a whinny voice.
"I vote we burn her," Arelis suggest with rage twisted in his voice.
His hair started to turn a bright flame red.
"We can't just burn a love sick elf," Irilos stated.
"She threw a rock at me because I thought she was a flat ugly twit!" Arelis argued.
His hair started to smoke as small flames formed at the tips of his hair.
"I have to agree with Arelis on this one," Shania said. "She's probably secretly a fish thing that puts her eggs into males so she can have an army to kill mermaids."
"I can hear you!" the elf yelled.
"We could always just yell more insults at her and see what happens," Orison suggested.
When the elf threw another rock that hit Arelis, he had enough of the silly woman and launched a fireball at her. Now his hair had been engulfed in flames, and his anger seemed to only be fueled by the wind. He started to stomp towards the elf. Each step caused the grass to magically form into giant vines with red thorns getting out from the sides.
"I'll take the guess this is why we were told not to make Arelis angry when we were little," Irilos stated.
The others just stared at Arelis shocked. They had never seen their friend so angry before. It was a strange sight when the wind had started to flux and push the ocean's tiny waves into one giant storm.
On Arelis' orders, the vines launched themselves at the elf. She dodged two of the spiked vines, but the third one pierced through her left leg. The vine threw her into the watery storm and lightning crashed into the storm. A few moments later the vine pulled the elf out of the storm. She had charred patches of skin, but alive enough to swing her sword and cut herself loose from the vine. The elf crashed into the beach below, breaking the bones in her legs on impact.
"Arelis!" Irilos called. "Something isn't right about the elf! She might be preparing a spell!"
Arelis stared at the elf, and watched her tanned skin turn to green scales. Her face stretched out into a more reptilian like face, as the elf turned into a lizardwoman.
"Ahariali will never forgive my failure," the lizardwoman hissed.
"I wouldn't worry about that wench," Arelis replied.
His eyes turned a flame orange colour as he summoned a dragon made of flames behind him.
"You wont live to see the next hour, let alone her!"
The dragon launched itself at the lizardwoman, instantly turning her to a pile of ash. A few moments after the lizardwoman's death, everything returned to normal with the exception of the small patch of blackened sand surrounding Arelis. He still stood but was tired and had shaky legs. Irilos was the first to reach Arelis, and luckily caught his friend as he started to fall back.
"You shouldn't have used so much power," Irilos scolded.
"But we have one less enemy to deal with later," Arelis replied.
Irilos smiled and was at least happy that his friend was just weak and not hurt again. Orison and Shania came a few moments later also glad that their friend was unharmed. The loud echoing hooves galloping made their smile vanish. While it was possible that it was just the sound of knights riding by - but it was highly doubtful after Arelis' outburst. In a matter of moments, centaur knights surrounded the group with their lances pointed at their throats.
"Surrender now and those that are not demonic will be unharmed," one of the knights ordered.