Phoenix

Chapter 1

   Wind blew across land. As always at springtime it enjoyed its playful rush. It hit in face a little figure almost as if laughing. But the walker simply wrapped tighter in black cloak and continued the long and slow way down road made from a dark stone. At least it was good change for dust and mud that were under shoes of the traveler earlier. Somewhere far away there was a silhouette of city showing, it cut skies sharply. But that was way too far away to say which race lived in this distant place, though from smaller distances it was usually obvious.

   Elves never build their cities in places that are easy to find or get to. Dark and gloomy in day they are meant to shine and glitter at night. Elves are very suspicious folk. You can never trust them and they will never trust you. They are always acting arrogant and always wanting to hide their secrets.

   Humans build cities in beneficial places. Those are either politic, magic or in rare cases even technology metropolitans. Humans love to be center of something and they are good in doing almost anything, except getting along with other races so they have many fortresses with clearly "political" meaning.

   And speaking about shape shifters they love making all with their own hands. Their cities are very complicated but highly practical. They love to trade and always make their cities on trade ways whenever they go.

   But lets return to our little walker. The figure continued to walk forward with long cloak hiding all signs that could tell something about gender of traveler. Still there was something that could be seen. This person was very tall and walked very fast with light steps that barely touched ground and didn't make a sound in morning air. But it was filled enough with bird chirping and wind moaning between trees.

   When the sun was already starting to go on day side the walker finally showed some more interest in places around. There were a deep woods at one side and few trees at other slowly letting large plains take their place in here. That what draw walkers gaze away from black stone was little even tiny path that appeared between forest trees. It was surprisingly clear for this wild place. There was little wooden sign at it with two inscriptions. One had a little arrow pointing somewhere at city's direction and had big, golden letters. It said "Ellass 2 miles". Other wasn't so abundant, those were three letters written on a piece of wood. It looked like this "A.A.A."

   Maybe it's time to explain something. The city in distance, Ellass was small city of elves near borders of their lands and lands of shape shifters, there weren't anything important situated there because the elves are forever ready for wars. They are most suspicious of all folk. Walker was Nyx, an elf. Once student of Awe An Alive (" A.A.A." as you could guess, one of many strange elvish names), now assasin. Not rare being for elves. But now I will stop to spoil you. There is still much to tell.

   Nyx looked around with her gaze traveling around trees while her face was hidden under hood. She hesitated for a moment suddenly lines of her figure lost all of they firmness. Long way pushed down the she elf. But then this moment ended. Female walked forward again stepping into grey shadows of trees without even a reflection of sunlight falling on path. This sudden darkness in middle of day made her clothing purely black.

   She walked forward now much slower than before like if trying to test silence. Silence didn't step away. Her feet touched ground laughing at thought about sound. It happened again and again till something showed in front of she elf.

   It was mansion or even castle from same black stone as road. Its windows were full with unnatural greenish light that made it look fearsome. Rare person would step in place like this while being in full mind. But only rare persons came here.

   And this dark impression had a reason. It could be said in same moment as Nyx walked in meadow where building was. Black cloud appeared in skies. But soon it changed appearance to hundreds of black crows. The birds stayed in air for a moment, unnaturally silent. Then they all flied down. Right to the elf.