The Second Age of Dark

Prologue

"Grandpa, Mom says I have to go to bed!" I whined as I ran into his lap, nearly knocking out the clay teacup that was in his hands. "Well we can't have that" he said, putting down his teacup "How about I tell you a story instead?" "Ok" I said as he picked me and put me onto his lap as I wasn't making much progress in my climb.

I pointed to a shelf near my grandpa's bed, that had six figurines on it "Grandpa, what are those?" I asked as I don't recall ever seeing them before. He smiled and reach for them as they were in his arm's reach. "This is Elune" he said, holding the statue of what appeared to be teenage boy laying on the crescent moon as if it was a bed or something. "He is the God of our people, like how the Humans have the Sun, Gwyn, we have the Moon. However we didn't worship the Son of Cinder, our monarch, as a living god or a god reborn or whatever Humans think Lord Gwyn is."

"What's a 'Moon'" I asked. Grandpa furrowed his eyebrows "I'm not entirely sure, my grandma said...well you know the little white circle you can sometimes see in the sky, away from the Sun?" I nodded and he went on "Well thats the Moon, it ruled over a thing called 'Dark' as the Sun wasn't around before the Humans came." I stared at him confused, "But the Sun never goes away, the Sun is always in the sky. The Sun never sets in Anor Londo" I repeated the old saying. "The Moon used to be the same way" my grandpa repiled.

Still confused I changed the subject. "And what about these?" I asked, looking at the five other statues whom were creatures with four legs, two pairs of wings and looked vaguely like lizards. "They are the Wardens, chosen by Elune to protect our land, although the Humans call Wardens, Dragons; although not all Dragons are Wardens, just the most powerful" he said as he picked them up one by one. "This is Alexstrasza the Red, Warden of Life, she protects us from disease, famine and untimely deaths. This is her sister Ysera the Green, Warden of Nature. Next is Malygos the Blue, Warden of Knowledge and Magic...back when our people could use magic."

"Our people could use magic?" I asked. "A long, long time ago, before the Humans came. We built entire cities using magic instead of workers, we could heal diseases, we could do anything we put our minds too" he said with a sigh of regret "But magic has been lost to us."

"What about this one?" I asked, picking up one of the two left over. "Nozdormu the Bronze is the longest lived of all the Wardens and is the Warden of Wisdom and Time. When scholars had a problem they needed to solve they would pray and give offerings to Malygos, but when they needed advice they turned to Nozdormu; it was said the all of the Sons of Cinders turned to Nozdormu for guidance and advice."

He picked up the last one "And this one is Neltharion the Black, Warden of Earth but it's really everything that isn't alive, the water, the wind, the earth and fire...he was a powerful and angry Warden who would flood entire towns if they misbehaved; he earned a second title due to his fury: Warden of Death. Together they watched over our old home of Elve'heim and made sure our ancestors prospered."

Seeing my face he went on "Elve'heim once covered this entire land, something even the Humans haven't been able to do. Instead of armies and castles our land was protected by the Wall which nothing could penetrate as it was a gift from the Wardens." "Then how did the Humans invade?" I asked.

"Our ancestors found their ships drifting in the ocean and they brought them here as the Humans were near death but over time the Humans forgot to be thankful and they eventually attacked and took our lands. Since we were always protected by the Wall our ancestors didn't know how to defend themselves and...well...now we live as slaves in the lands we once ruled" Grandpa sighed.

"Dad you shouldn't fill his head with such nonsense" Mom said as she popped in the door frame "it might get him in trouble one day." "A lad deserves to know his history, because if not then he'd believe that Humans have always lived here and Elves' natural place is a slave" Grandpa scoffed before he sighed "But c'mon little lad it's time for bed."

As grandpa tucked me and gave me Fuzzy Wuzzy, my stuffed hedgehog doll, I said "Can I have a bedtime song?" Grandpa chuckled "I'll sing you a song my own Grandma, Meagan, sang to me when I was your age" he cleared his throat and started to sing:

I know a place

Where the Dragons used to roam

Where the Moon kissed your face

And we called it home

Listen here my child

I'll tell you of the place

That you've never saw with your own eyes

Because our nation was erased

From the mountains to the sea

We were proud Elves, all

Until the day the Humans came

And our nation was soon to fall

When the children cried

And so many died

We had no time for graves

Although we're here as slaves my dear

Keep one thing clear

Be proud of your pointed ears

So never forget

Although you never saw

Our home that was taken away

That was once behind the Wall

Don't lose pride my love

We'll rise above

Elves never fall

By the time you're grown

We'll regain back home

Where you'll see the Moon's glow

The next morning I was woken up to a loud voice saying "Marcus Tomlinson you're under arrest for speaking ill against Humanity and spreading lies with the intent to cause mischief among youth." I ran out of bed and saw my mom in the corner crying, holding my baby sister as my dad just sat at the dinner table while Grandpa was taken out of the house by some Human guards.

I tried to run to my grandfather but was grabbed by my mom, before he was taken outside though he saw me and said "Louis, never forget who you are. They will try to break you but you can't let them win. Hold your head high and be proud of your ears. Never give up and never surrender,"

That was the last I ever saw of my grandpa.