How I come up with stuff like this I'll never know.

Chapter 21

The Tale of the Elf Lover

The village was quite as Will, Elina, and Nyx walked to its heart with the only sign of life was the locals closing their doors and windows out of fear that they might be a threat to them. They reached the home of the village mayor and was standing outside the door when Will said, "Wait here". He knocked on the door saying who he was hoping they would remember him and Nyx from the last time they came here. The door opened slowly to reveal an old man in his early sixties with the look of being in his early fifties as Will said, "Nice to see someone is actually answering their door around here".

His basil colored eyes gave will a cold glare as he said "You came here at a bad time for us William especially that you lied to us about what you are… majin".

"And yet here you are answering the door while everyone else and their aunts gave us the cold shoulder. Besides you gave me such a warm welcome after my victory in the Swamplands over a year ago that I never brought myself to tell anyone about. You also didn't ask Denarius or would you prefer gramps".

He asked Will and the others to come inside to continue their discussion over some tea he made shortly before they knocked the door. Will removed his helmet as he and Nyx sat down the fireplace while Elina decided to just stand nearby for her usual reasons. Denarius continued where they left off as he said, "To think that I would actually mistake you for a half-elf seeking acceptance all because you didn't act like some feral beast".

"I'm just surprised that you would tolerate half-elves since almost everyone else here seems to still hold on to that old prejudice about non-humans".

There was the sound of grief in his voice as he answered, "It used to be the entire village but they never had the chance to know how they can be more like us until after…"

Will knew something was bothering him but he put his curiosity aside to get them back on topic, "Gomenesai, I didn't know that was a sensitive topic for you. And don't worry, I'm not planning on staying here for the rest of my life. I'm just here looking for someone".

"You mean that demon that has secluded itself at the hot springs".

"That's the one"

"He's forcing most of the men to work for him. If you're here to get rid of him…"

"My job was to find a girl that supposed to be with him and what his intentions are but since he's doing this… tell me what your stake is with half-elves as an advance and I'll make sure he doesn't even think about setting a foot in this village". He agreed and explained how Knight had managed to keep the entire village hostage with a platoon of undead soldiers ready to slaughter everyone on his command. His only demand so far was that the girl along with himself were to be provided with a house near the hot springs. Will was confused as he asked, "All of this to build a house. Just what the hell is Knight trying to do?"

"You know this demon?"

"He's a pain in my ass and a bit of a cliché with his methods. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with him though lately; usually he tricks cutthroats into making a deal with him, these deals makes them go crazy with bloodlust most of the time, he sends them after me, I beat them, and he kills them no matter what happens".

"Then I wish you the best of luck in avenging the victims of that hell spawn".

"I'll get him first don't forget what I get in advance".

He had grief in the sound of his voice again as he said, "My son was different from most of the villagers. He thought of this old prejudice of ours as nothing more than a grudge that has lasted since the Great War over a millennia ago and it only made his standing worse when she entered the village. She was a Forest Elf that was branded a traitor to her kind simply for helping a human that was trying to get away from bandits and some of her own kind went so far as to break one of her arms simply before she left because she had the same ideals" he looked back towards the door as he continued, "She passed out from exhaustion and starvation right in front of that door. He helped her recover, acted as her arms until she could use her own again, and even offered her a spare room here. Weeks passed as she had to deal with the prejudice that the other villagers with him as the only one who would stand alongside her and eventually that alone led to how…" it became harder for him to say but he was to say, "they ended up falling in love with each other".

"Almost sounds like a romance novel. A man and woman whose love is looked down on but despite how they would be treated they chose their love and were able to enjoy their lives together. Right gramps?"

"No, it wasn't. She eventually became pregnant but when she was in labor the healer refused to help what he called a filthy knife-ear and she ended dying giving birth to my granddaughter" Will's grip tightened on his cup over how someone like that would choose their racism over their duties as he continued, "I didn't think of elves with much respect but holding that child in my arms while her mother used what little time was left to name her was something that I would never forget about both my kind and hers. My son's heart weighted down with despair and hatred as he confronted the healer who was with some of the villagers that were actually praising his decision".

"What happened to him?"

He started to cry and it only got worse as continued, "She was no older than a year old when he became ill. No one would help him even with my authority they would watch me suffer the loss of my own son then to just kill me or make leave my position. And to make matters even worse some of the children picked on her and their parents would encourage them. She was about six years-old when they practically drove her away from the village towards Elven Forest… I couldn't even help the one greatest thing that my own flesh and blood had done for me… I'm sorry Malcom… I couldn't do anything to help Nowa". He stopped when Will started to have what looked like black steam seeping through parts of his armor as he said, "Thanks for telling me and I'm sure she'll be fine after surviving the Queen's Blade gramps" he finished his tea, put his helmet back on, and headed to the hot springs with Nyx and Elina to deal with Knight. On the way their Nyx noticed a young woman carrying a staff in the distance that seemed familiar to her and ran toward her when she was finally recognized her. Seeing who it was Will was able to come up with a plan.

Hollow: So much for protection from that guy.

Will: *black smoke pouring out of his armor*

Hollow: Will are you... *takes a closer look at his eyes* oh shit. Well everyone hope you enjoy this chapter of Where's Anne? leave your thoughts, review, etc. and hope to see you next time and now I think its time to... RUN LIKE A LITTLE BITCH!