Forged

Chapter Four: Traveling the depths

They took the road west, traveling through the lands which had once belonged to Rezalax. The scenery was wild, uncared for, sand and rocks littering the terrain, in some parts, a tent camp arising from the quivering desert air. Rendal had a thirst, but dared not to ask for water, as the ones that had fled the battle would no doubt have told of the warrior who had slain their lord.

He was unsure as to what to do, Eltharan holding out rather well, her face showing concern, whenever night fell, as they trudged along the beaten road, until a cart appeared into tview. His face showed mild surprise as the farmer seemed to be cussing up a storm, comparing his Ox to the mother that never loved him. “Greetings, once more. What way are you going, farmer?”

The man gave a smack to the oxen’s behind with the reed, then regarded Rendal. “To th’ coast. Such a spry lad like ya’d be willin to comalong righta?” Rendal nodded, finding the fortune of meeting this well-traveled farmer/merchant/whatever to be extremely lucky. Perhaps someone was looking out for him up high? Perhaps some god? “That’d be wonderful.”

As she looked at the farmer, a tingle seemed to work through her whole body, the blood within her veins almost freezing, the tanned skin of the farmer giving her the chills. There was something off about the man’s way of travel, of how he had always appeared just at the right moment to come help them out.

She made no illusions that Rendal would be able to survive the rest of the trek out of the desert, as he was nearly on the verge of collapse, sweat having made his skin shiny, the salty liquid dripping into the cracks of his armor. He would’ve fallen to the ground and passed out and then she’d have to carry him.  Which was not going to happen. She was an elf, she did not carry humans.

“So whassa you be, miss?” Her musings were cut short as the farmer spoke to her, the lands around them having changed little, the sandy dunes still standing, sparse, dead brushes dotting the landscape. “I’m an elf.” She answered curtly, her voice proud, the farmer putting his hand to his chin and rubbing it a little. “I’dda heard about yoose guys. The lass up north’s got a few o ya captive n sommat. She’s been a right lil sow about it, proclaimin she’s purdier dan them elves.”  There was a sudden rush of blood that went through her as she heard those words, her features carefully schooling themselves behind the helm that she wore. “Oh really?”  Her voice was slightly incredulous, her mouth curved into an almost amused glint

If there were elves alive, she would have a duty to search them out. Why? Because she wanted to see whether it was the truth, whether more of her kind still lived. She had thought every one of them dead, but live elves… their culture would not be lost. Her eyes seemed to glow lightly, a bright green tint coming through the red, as ancestral magics seemed to activate. Her breath came in short breaths, as if she had been traveling, magic working through her body, the thirst growing heavy as she could feel the bodies beside her. “rendaL?” Her voice was almost a throaty gasp, her mouth opening, showing the sharp fangs that were hers since the transformation.

“Yes?” He said, turning to see that the vampire elf was looking at him with a look that would not be amiss upon a lion searching for food, as her mouth was somewhat opened, showing the sharp fangs that were within her mouth, her breath slightly fetid, the scent of death wafting off her body, making her look like a starved corpse in need of sustenance. Which she was, of course.

There was a shiver that seemed to tremble the air around it, someone’s form pulled from the ripple, materializing in front of the cart, Rendal’s attention diverted to it, as he could feel the tingle of magical energy tickle his spine, forgetting about Eltharan for a moment. What seemed to be a woman appeared before the cart, dressed within a dark gown of strange make, red hair almost shrouding her form underneath it, long and untamed, though seemingly well-cared for, a pair of red eyes looking at the riders of the cart and a smile stretching along pale lips. “Well hello there.”