Hey everyone ^~^ I decided to redo this. I changed some things, added a little more, and tried to make it better. I doubt anyone wants to read it, but, hey, why not? Here you are, my story ___________________________________ Chapter 1 Giest shivered. The wind was ever cold in this part of the mountains, but this didn't affect him, being a frost giant. It was his companion that scared him. It's not like it was huge and terrifying, but rather the fact that it wasn't, and yet still felt as though Geist was dwarfed by the thing. The monster was less than half the height of Giest himself. Hearing it's voice, if it could be called such, chilled the giant to his core. It did not come from a mouth, though it had had one, rather it emanated in the minds of everyone it wished to hear. The thing had no real body, it seemed, only wisps of shadow and smoke curling in one spot, creating a robust looking creature with fearsome horns, and glowing red eyes pierced the darkness of the thing. Power seemed to radiate from him, and the world was darker when you looked at him. It was only obvious to everyone who saw him that he was a Deminus...
A choking gurgle bubbled up from the now severed head of the goblin. Vielni shuddered in disgust. Why must creatures such as this exist? He wondered to himself. At half the height of the elf, the goblins used crude stone and wood tools, and spoke in a guttural, harsh language. Their ugly, scaly green hide offered protection from cold and little more. The fight had lasted about ten seconds, Vielni against twelve goblins. Of course, their natural cowardliness prevented them from being worthy foes, so Vielni simply carved them up with his twin long knives, found after killing an assassin with his bare hands. After cleaning his blades, he swiftly looted the little encampment with the speed and efficiency of one who had done this many times before. A little lizard the goblins had been cooking - Vielni didn't know how they would split it between the twelve of them - made for a quick snack, and he was swiftly on his way, navigating the Hellion Forest with ease, having been born and raised here. He was not taking is exile lightly, being angry enough to slaughter anyone he encountered. As he just did.
The elf's handsome face was carved into a scowl, sharp teeth bared. Narrow yellow eyes, not unlike a cats, peered into the darkness, scouring for life or a place to rest. His long, unkempt white hair fell about his shoulders, horrifically contrasting to the dark night. A quick pat to his pocket reassured him of the sacred possession he kept there. Suddenly a bush shuddered, and Vielni, without a second thought, pounced, blades bare. In moments he held a little gnome by his neck, panting with the small tussle. Gnomes were not big, but their muscle were compacted into the small body, giving them strength unimaginable to a such a tiny man. Vielni knew this, though, so was wary when holding this almost child-sized person, and kept his blade up against the gnomes belly. "Who-are-you?" Vielni stuttered out in his small knowledge of the gnomes language. What came in response was beyond his small vocabulary, so he switched to Common Tongue and repeated the question. "I-I a-am G-Gusha!" He squeaked out, then passed out in terror. Vielni spat in disgust. This being was so filled with fear he wanted to eat it right there. But he needed to know why a gnome had come so far into the elves territory, and questions such as that gave him much pleasure to ask. ~•~ About ten minutes later, the gnome, Gusha, awoke, looking around for a moment with unrecognizing eyes, before seeing Vielni and uttering a small whimper of fear. Hearing the noise, the elf turned and smiled, and with his naturally narrow eyes and sharp teeth, it was extremely unpleasant to behold. "So, little man, care to tell me why you're in my forest?" Vielni chuckled at his own joke (sadly, the best he had ever made) then stared across at Gusha, who flinched, then sat up with feigned calm on his face, betrayed by his shaking legs. "I-I was lost..." He began when Vielni uttered a bark of laughter. "How do you not know that you are wandering into this particular forest, hmm? I'm sure your friends have told you all about it..." Vielni uttered with obvious scorn. Idiots were not people he liked to interrogate. Gusha shook is head, trembling. "N-No, Gusha is very much lost, Gusha has no friends to tell him anything!" Vielni was about to laugh, when he noticed the gnomes looks. Ragged pants, faded from a green to a brown in patches, a cheap cloak over a simple tunic. His hair was quite dirty, and longer than gnomes tend to keep it. This one's was long enough to cover the eyes of the gnome and brush his nose, but was held back by a small band around his head. Obviously he had been traveling for quite a while. Vielni also snorted in obvious dislike at the memory that gnomes often referred to themselves in the third person while speaking Common Tongue. "Well then, lonely Gusha, why are you here, hmm? You wouldn't get lost doing nothing, correct?" Vielni inquired. He was getting hungry, lizards usually don't fill the belly that well. "I, um, am looking for a-a gnomish invention, eons lost in this country, and Gusha's family needs it to regain it's reputation among the Gnomic Counsel!" This outburst was not what Vielni expected. He, too, had suffered the wrath for not recovering an Elvish artifact on time. Punishment, was usually death, for betraying your families honor and failing to become a full fledged elf, but as his father was the King, he was merely banished from all Elven cities. Vielni was struck with conflicting emotions, which was odd. The first was the desire to help this gnome find the invention and return it, helping him regain his stature. This in itself was disturbing to the former elf prince, as he never found himself wanting to help anyone, least of all someone who wasn't part of his race. The second was simply to eat the tiny gnome. Then again, gnome muscle was very dense and chewy, hardly appetizing. "Well, Gusha, you're in luck. For I have decided to help you reclaim this invention, and restore your family's pride." Vielni smirked at the offer, expecting the gnome to break out in hapless strings of admiration for the selfless offer. The gnome, instead, decided to shake his head and burst into tears. "G-Gusha cannot accept the offer... Gusha's luck has been rotten even without the presence of an evil one!" Gusha buried his face in his hands with a loud sob. Vielni wasn't happy. His once-in-a-lifetime offer of help had been refused, and the gnome wasn't even afraid of him. At least he recognized evil. Vielni stood up and brushed off his shadow-cloth breeches. "Well, then I'll leave you here for the elf hunt parties and other nasty monsters. Bye now!" Vielni gave a cheery wave, walking out towards nowhere, waiting for it... "WAIT!" The squeaky voices called out behind him. Gusha looked torn, grimacing and smiling at the same time, "G-Gusha will take evil one... If evil one promises not to eat anyone on the way..." "Wait, no eating anyone? That's it?" Vielni laughed at the simplicity of the demand, agreeing without thinking. "Deal!" The two shook hands, the gnomes callused and tiny hand in the princeling elf's slender one. A momentous moment for history, without anyone but them to know about it.