The Nine Guilds of Azerma

The Ninth Guild: Makaru

"Kavod, I'm not Branchstorm. I'm Storm Windwalker, Branchstorm's father," the other elf said.

Kavod felt his pointed ears warm up as he walked backwards awkwardly. Moonslay gave a small chuckle and turned her head towards the entrance, as if waiting for Branchstorm herself.

"M-Mom, D-Dad, S-Storm...I have to tell you something," Kavod gulped, feeling as guilty as he did when he last saw Branchstorm.

"Kavod, it's nothing to worry about right now. We have a gift for you," Flamebrood ruffled Kavod's hair, making Kavod fix it as it was before because Giants forbid his hair be messy.

"I'm serious! Branchstorm is–"

"Right here," a familiar voice answered.

Kavod turned to the entrance again. This elf was almost an exact duplicate of his father, just as Kavod remembered.

"Is it truly you, Branchstorm?" Kavod questioned.

"Yes," the elf answered.

"What's my favorite adventure we went on?" Kavod quizzed the elf to make sure it was really Branchstorm.

"The one to the Realm of the Goblins, of course. You said you wanted to go back when we were leaving because you wanted to get another sword," the other elf responded.

Kavod thought back for some time.

The adventure of the Realm of the Goblins was when we flew on Beastly Lightbeak and Slayer Clawbrood to go to that exact place.

We got stuck in a Talonshoot tree and ended up attacking the goblins with our dragons. We avoided the rocks they threw at us, but then a goblin told us to go with him.

Then we were almost attacked by him, except a giant stepped on him. I remember getting Branchstorm the sword that the goblins made that day: an orange-hilted emerald sword.

I remember flying back on my dragon with Branchstorm and we agreed that it was "some adventure".

Then we got back and I thought about going back. I never said it.

I never told Branchstorm about my idea of going back and I don't think he can read minds because that's unreal.

So how does this elf know that I thought about it? He lied about me saying it, so that proves that this elf is a fake.

Who is this elf?

Kavod finally came to the conclusion of the elf who posed as Branchstorm was a fake, but he decided to play dumb in order to break their cover.

"I don't remember going to the Realm of the Goblins. I thought we went to the mountain with the Giants," Kavod fibbed.

The elf stared at Kavod in disbelief.

"You don't remember going to the Realm of the Goblins? We went there with Blayer and Seastly! The dragons! The Clawbeak and the Lightbrood! Can't you remember, Kavod?" the other elf was mixed up in what actually happened and names were wrong.

"First of all, it's Slayer and Beasty. Second, it's Lightbeak and Clawbrood. Has getting killed messed up your memories?" Kavod smirked at the faker in confidence.

"What? I didn't die! You just had a bad dream and left me! I had to help my parents find you so we could get together and be like before!" they responded.

"Hold up. Dream? Your parents? We? Like before? Oh, and 'Branchstorm', you have something on your nose," Kavod said, pointing at the elf's nose.