The Azimar Archives Book One- The Book of Death

Mothlenor

Mothlenor's demons pulled up just shy of the clearing. He could see Hasani, fallen and probably close to death. The man had put up a good fight, evading the demons for several hours. But Mothlenor had known all along that he would fall eventually. The elf had been a surprise though, Mothlenor had to admit. Through the eyes of his demons, he looked down on the elf as he struggled to stem the flow of blood coming from Hasani's chest.

"Leave him, this does not concern you, elf." He spoke through all five demons at once, their unnatural voices blending into one.

"He asked for help. It is my concern now." The elf ignored the demons, seemingly unconcerned with their presence. He tore at the front of Hasani's tunic, placing a hand over the hole in the man's chest.

His lack of fear irked Mothlenor. "Do you know who I am, elf?"

Still, he did not look up. "You are a fool, to delve into necromancy. That much I know."

Mothlenor bristled. "I am the King of men, lord of the Free Cities, and protector of the known world. And you are in my way." He summoned up his energy, sending a fiery barrage down onto the elf from his demons.

But his attacks missed, fizzling out into nothing several feet away from the elf. Mothlenor hissed in frustration.

The elf finally looked up, scrutinizing the demons with disgust. "You are well out of your realm, King." His voice was laced with disdain. "Your powers are not so effective so far away from your castle walls." He frowned, turning back to help Hasani. But something glinting on the ground caught his eye, and he turned towards it. Picking it up in his hands, he eyed the golden egg in awe, his fingers tracing the whorls and ridges of the surface. Blood stained the egg where his fingertips touched.

"Give it to me" Mothlenor demanded. He could sense the frustration of his demons growing as his own anger mounted.

The elf tilted his head to look at the demons. "It does not belong to you."

"It doesn't belong to you, either, elf. Now give it to me!"

"It does not belong to me," The elf replied. "Yet I sense that it belongs more to me than it does to you." He paused, staring at the egg in his hands, a puzzled expression on his face. He suddenly blinked, shook his head forcefully, and tucked the egg back into Hasani's bag, which he then slung over his own shoulder. "At any rate, this man had it. And he requested my aid." He stood, lifting Hasani up off the ground and slung him over one shoulder effortlessly. "You can find your own way back, I'm sure." He turned, walking out through the clearing and disappearing through the trees on the other side.

Mothlenor growled, furious. He tried to send his demons further into the woods, but they protested, too weak to continue through elven lands without being destroyed. Mothlenor howled in frustration, the unearthly sound emitted from the demons echoing through the woods all around them.