"Well…" Ridge muttered as the two friends trekked home, "That was anticlimactic."

Martyn shot him a glare. "Be grateful we didn't have to fight anyone," he snapped.

"I know… but it's odd, isn't it? If you have been trying to get their attention for so long, why hasn't this happened already?" It was odd, now that he thought about it.

"It doesn't matter anymore. We can work this out." Martyn did an improvised jig in the air. "It's finally going to end!"

Ridge imitated his jig, and the two carefree keepers of the forest danced home.

xxXxxXxx

"Holmes, I'm telling you—"

"NO." The old man said stubbornly, his face stern. "I won't allow it. That Elf doesn't know what he's up against. I don't care if you were there, no is no."

"I told them that I would meet them in the forest with my answer. Please say yes," Toby begged him.

"You told that Elf that you would meet him in the forest?"

Toby gulped silently. He could already see the gears turning in the cunning elder's head. "Holmes, what are you—"

"Silence!" He roared.

Toby stayed in a fearful silence as the old toot muttered to himself, "Yes… yes that would work… We can… be rid… once and for all…"

"Holmes, what are you planning? I don't like the sound of this."

"Let me tell you what we're going to do," Holmes said in a silky tone. "We are going to get rid of that Elf once and for all. We're going to get you to go down into the forest, and once you're there, we'll ambush them and kill them quickly. Then we can claim the wood for ourselves. How does that sound?"

"What?" Toby exclaimed. He couldn't believe his ears. The man that he revered as wise and kind, plotting a slaughter for two innocent people? "Why can't we just comply with them?"

"Because," Holmes said in a cold anger, "they are meddling little fools that will doom us all if we do not get rid of them. Let me ask you again: How does that sound?" His voice sounded deadly calm. Toby shuddered, but stood his ground.

"No," He replied in a calm pretense. "I won't do it. It isn't right."

Holmes smiled, but it wasn't his warm, inviting smile anymore. "So be it," he said. In a commanding tone, he said, "Evan! Take this rebellious teenager to the dungeons. Make sure that he does NOT escape. We can tweak the original plan, don't worry. We don't need your cooperation anyways." He aimed the last words to Toby.

The door slammed open, and a tall, muscled man walked in. Toby spun around to face the man. However, he was outmatched; the man had a sword, and Toby did not.

"Come on, Evan," he pleaded quickly. "Listen to some sense. You can't follow this madman's orders! Don't—"

Evan reached out with his sword and brought the flat of the blade down on Toby's head. There was a sickening crack, and Toby crumpled to the ground, knowing no more.

But before he closed his eyes, he swore he saw Holmes' eyes flash red for a second.

xxXxxXxx

"Where is Toby?" Martyn muttered. "Does a decision really take that long?"

Ridge sat in the arm crook of the tree, his arms tucked lazily behind his head. "Should we go check? Maybe he's lost," he joked. "Or eaten by the pigs."

"Maybe we should go look for him," Martyn said uneasily. "I would hate for anything to happen to him. That boy's starting to grow on me."

"Ooh, falling in love?" Ridge teased. He smirked as Martyn's face grew red.

"No! No, it's not that! I mean I like the boy because he listened to us! Goddammit Ridge, do you have to make everything so awkward?"

Ridge smirked again. "Yes."

Martyn groaned. "Let's go look for him." He stood up and shouldered his backpack. "Come on!"

Ridge jumped out of the tree and followed Martyn out of the camp.

After a few minutes of walking, Martyn's Elf senses picked up a queer smell.

"Do you smell that?" he asked Ridge. Ridge took a big whiff but didn't smell anything except nature.

"No, what is it?" He replied. Martyn shook his head.

"I don't know, but it's weird. It has my skin all tingly. Let's go see what it is!" Martyn set off at a sprint, and Ridge had to move quickly to avoid being left behind. As they drew closer, Ridge smelled it too, but he knew what it was.

"Fire!" He shouted urgently. Martyn stopped dead in his tracks, and Ridge bumped into him, sending them both effectively to the ground.

"No…. nonononononono…" Martyn gasped. He leapt up, pushing Ridge aside. Fear trembled inside his innocent blue eyes. "NO!"

The forest was on fire.

Flames licked up trees and withered their once-green leaves. Grey, menacing smoke billowed up from the furious fire and filled Ridgedog's lungs with ash and stung their eyes. The fire spread quickly throughout the forest, leaving little behind. The pigs and cows, birds and rodents, all fled in a wild hurry. As Ridge watched, they were soon trapped by a large stream, and the inferno caught up with them. He winced as squeals of terror erupted into the air as the fire hungrily consumed them as well. The flames jumped over the stream and set the treetops on the other side on fire.

"Martyn!" Ridge grabbed his shoulder, but his hand passed straight through. The forest spirit kneeled onto the ground, helpless to stop it all. His eyes were dead with emotion, and his face was slack.

"Ridge, this is the end," He whispered. "My life is draining, and I can't go on." He reached out to touch Ridge's mourning face, but couldn't. "Don't be sad. I knew this would've happened one day."

"Martyn…" Ridge's eyes watered. "Don't give up! We can still make it!" He knew it was impossible. The flames have already consumed over half of the forest, and Martyn was fading already. He didn't want to believe it.

"RIDGEDOG!" Martyn roared with great difficulty. "With the last of my energy, I will give you the protection of the forest! Go, Elf-friend, and avenge me!" In a much softer voice, he said gently, "Go, my apprentice. My friend. My child." Martyn's aura began to fade even faster. Before he truly disappeared, he leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ridgedog's head. With one last smile, Martyn vanished into nothing.

Ridge moaned and sobbed miserably as he stumbled out of the fiery ruins of the forest. The flames laughed and jeered at his loss behind him, and he sobbed even more.

A/N: That was a fun chapter to write. I decided to tweak my original story plot to fit this in, and now I think that the story might (or might not) get a bit darker later on. But don't worry about anyone else dying for a while... Review!

Havs, out!