The Lost Elves of Elfia

Chapter 8: Friend or Foe?

My eyesight began to dim.

'No!' I thought, thrashing in the water, ' I won't die! I refuse!'

I stopped thrashing, I could no longer control my body. I opened my mouth and a high pitched scream filled the void around me. My scream. Surprisingly, the water didn't muffle the cry into gurgles. Heat engulfed my body, it didn't burn me. In fact, it felt warm, yet it still vaporized the water.

I fell to the ground in a coughing fit, clothes steaming. The only evidence of whatever happened was the scorch marks on the trees around the clearing. I layed still, trying to catch my breath, the pegasus nudging me with its muzzle.

"Well then." Said a voice.

I shot up, causing my head to spin. Slowly scanning to trees, my elbows dug themselves into dirt under me.

"Who's there?" I demanded.

"Umm... me?" the voice said in a confused tone.

I glanced around.

"W-where are you?"

Cursing myself for stuttering, I turned to face the trees behind me. With the pegasus staring at me, I leaned to one side, glancing behind it, cautious to not startle it again. I scanned the trees, waiting for the mysterious voice to answer me but, everything was silent. Not even the birds chirped.

"H-hello? Where are you?" I asked quietly.

"Right in front of you, ya idiot of an elf." The voice answered.

I looked up at the pegasus, confusion washing over me.

"Y-you're talking to me?" I asked, inching away from the pegasus.

"No," It said, "you're talking to me."

It then dawned on me that the pegasus was a sarcastic butt. Shaking my head, I stood, dusting the dirt from my clothes.

"I-I'm talking to you?" I asked in awe.

"Sheesh, you sure are dense." It whinnied.

"Hey!"

"Anyway, I'm Acyan, I've been sent to protect you."

"You just tried to kill me!" I argued.

"I had to make sure you were the right elf!"

"What?!"

"You see, I'm a water pegasus, if you were the wrong elf, I could put my herd in danger!"

"So, you're a water elf's pegasus?" I asked.

"Was." He stated, "You have proved yourself to be the changeling! You and only you can save us!"

He stared at me expectantly.

"Erm.. What do you mean?"

He shook his mane, pawing at the ground.

"Everything will be explained shortly." He sighed, kneeling, "Climb aboard."

Not thinking, I climbed up and sat on his back. He stood, stretching his wings and trotted into the lake. I wrapped my hands in his mane to keep my balance.

Right before the water went over my head, I asked, "Are you seriously trying to kill me again?"

I glanced up and my breath hitched. No longer, were we in the water. We were flying through the blue sky over green plains.