City of Fate

Thousands of years ago

General McDaniels stood at the top of the ridge overlooking the devastation below. The battle had been hard, wisps of smoke rose from fires dispersed around the massacre and mingled with the grey clouds that filled the sky. The bloody bodies of the goblin horde were strewn across the battlefield, limbs separated from bodies, groans of pain and anguish could be heard between the bellowing screams of the dying. Spears and arrows stuck up at all angles and a few singed banners still flapped in the slight breeze that did little to cool the the sweat of exertion or to quell the stench of war. 

McDaniels attempted to wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, smudging soot and blood instead. His armour was dented and scuffed and blood seeped from a wound on his arm inflicted during the fight. He held his sword, short but broad, in his right hand, blood dripped from the edge. He had lost his dagger at some point, its sheath hung empty at his hip. 

"Thank you my friend, you saved us from certain disaster." He said as the elf walked up from behind him.

The elf was tall, a good head taller than McDaniels. His face was impossibly handsome, almost beautiful. His dark hair was long and tied up in a horse tail at the back of his head, a single breaded piece of light brown leather encircled his brow. The elven leather armour was segmented on the abdomen to facilitate movement and tooled with ornate patterns that stood out, leafed with gold. He stood proud and tall despite the dirty and disheveled appearance of the armour. "I did not do this for you, human, I have come to win the battle for you to claim what was promised." He stated without emotion, his voice deep but melodic.

"The King, his majesty Albert the Brave, promised you the dragon scale." He pulled a folded piece of velvet from a pouch at his hip. He smiled a crooked smile. "I, however do not want to hand such a powerful item to the likes of you." He slid the packet back into his satchel. He turned and spoke without looking back. "Thank you, Eldridge, but I will be keeping the dragon scale and you can take your pointy ears and girlish face and burn in hell."

The elf was on him in an instant, his slim dagger flashed as it slid between the scales of the general's armour and between his ribs. "I however will be taking what was promised, what was taken from us by you, McDaniels. Your arrogance and your complete lack of decorum is appalling." Eldridge cradled the general as he died, his eyes wide with surprise and more then a little indignation. The elf twisted the dagger and slid it out as he set the general carefully to the ground. "Thank you my friend" The last word was rife with venom. He cut the strap on the satchel at the generals hip and wiped the blood for the dagger on McDaniels tunic. He stood and turned his back on the battlefield. A large red dragon landed gracefully near Eldridge. The elf leapt onto the sparkling dragons back, the dragon spat a gout of flames and took off, her rider unsheathed his sword and raised it to the sky, the two flew away and out of sight. 

The pair flew toward the east and the Elf patted the neck of the dragon. "We have it Rodana, the Queen will be pleased, I hope the prize is worth the price, my love. I hope the prophecy will be fulfilled and mother earth will once again be at peace."