Gifted [UNEDITED]

Chapter Eight

    "Are you sure you want to come with us?", Kamirel asked. He was tightening the last buckle on his armor.
   
    "I said I wanted to come, and I mean it. You asked me this question five minutes ago. Ask me again, and you'll regret it," Aora warned him. She was also wearing leather armor, she had taken her mother's. She had a small knife by her side, the hilt was made of gold. It was also her mother's.
   
    Domrath and Gnorath burst into laughter. They laughed so hard that they had to hold their sides. Kamirel looked at them sharply, but they didn't desist.
   
    Eznarim just sat by the corner, sharpening his spear. He would sharpen twice then bring the sharp end close to his eyes to examine.
   
    Domrath after laughing noticed his friend's silence. He left his quiver on the table and went to him. Eznarim didn't notice his presence till he spoke.
   
    "Hey kid. What are you thinking about?"
   
    Eznarim looked up and smiled, his grey eyes were shining. "Nothing, I'm just really into my spear."
   
    "Come on. I know something's up,"
   
    Eznarim couldn't hide his feelings anymore. Slowly the smile faded, and one long tear dripped from his right eye.
   
    "It's my parents," he started. "I just really want to make them proud. Brown skinned elves are usually treated with contempt, and I want to change that for my parents. They've given me so much, I want to make them happy. But... Ah, I just can't bear the pressure. It's just too much."
   
    Domrath looked at the young elf. He noticed another tear rolling from his eye. "Come on now. You have made them proud. You graduated from the academy, you were one of the best. You're now under one of the great Councillors, you're on the right path. Don't be so hard on yourself."
   
    "I know. But I want so much more than this. I want so much more for them. My father struggles to get a day's meal, my mother does menial jobs in the markets. I want to change this, I really want to."
   
    "You can, and you will. You just have to believe in yourself. Now get up, don't be sad anymore. You're a good kid. You deserve happiness. Everybody deserves happiness."
   
    Kamirel and the others had gone outside already and were waiting. By the time Eznarim and Domrath were outside with them, Borath had said his goodbyes to his daughter and told Kamirel to take care of her.
   
    "The borders can be a dangerous place. The roads may be full of robbers, or anything. Just please be careful," he had told him.
   
    "It's about time. What were you doing anyways?", Gnorath said to the two elves when they arrived.
   
    "We were talking," Domrath replied, mounting his elk. Eznarim mounted his too, and the troop set out.
   
    Kamirel took the lead with Aora beside him. Domrath and Gnorath were in the middle. Eznarim was behind, he had one hand on the reins, and one hand on his spear.
   
    Before the fourteenth hour of the day they reached the borders. The commanders of both borders were present in the tent when they arrived.
   
    "The Council has ordered your withdrawal from the borders. All soldiers are now to converge to the festival tonight. We shall wait till you have gathered the troops, and we will leave by nightfall," Kamirel explained.
   
    The commanders left the tent to go prepare the men, and the supplies. Aora left too, she wanted to be alone. At first Kamirel wouldn't let her, but after much pressuring he did. But secretly told Eznarim to follow her closely.
   
    Aora overjoyed mounted her elk and set out into the green forest. In the forest she could see robust and vine covered trees. With long and sturdy branches, the trees were tall. Elves sometimes swing from trees to trees in these kinds of forests.
   
    Aora rode deep into the forest. She strutted slowly, taking one step at a time. She could hear some blue birds chirping. High in the sky she saw falcons flying in different directions with intense speed. Sometimes they would swoop to the forest grounds and scoop up a lizard, squirrel, rat, or any other small animal.
   
    Suddenly she noticed a red rock in a tree. It was shaped and looked like a gem. She reached into the three and when she touched it, it glowed. Almost too quickly she dropped it, then picked it up after a minute or two gazing at the beautiful piece of rock, as it glowed.
   
    The gem's glow grew stronger and stronger. Then it became a very bright light, Aora's other hand caught old fire again, and her sleeves burnt up. She shook her hand frantically hoping to put it out, but it only grew. Spreading to her other hand, then to her neck, her back even.
   
    The gem's glow after a while seem to spread to Aora's body. And the color of the old fire changed to a pure red fire. Slowly the fire started forming the shape of an elk on one hand and the shape of a sword on the other. Then slowly other shapes started to form. They were ancient writings of the elves.
   
    After five minutes when the fire had burned out. There were red tattoos all over her body. The shapes were still there, and the rock had disappeared and taken a shape in her tattoo right beside her wrist bone.
   
    Aora looked at her new tattoos astonished at their beauty and complex simplicity. She was also astonished how they came on her. She reached for Erikath's sides and pulled a new leather armor. She wore it quickly, and looked around if any one saw what happened. She noticed Eznarim looking in awe from a fair distance.
   
    "That was amazing... So amazing!", he exclaimed as he rode towards her. "It's like, it's like old fire, but way more powerful! Where'd you learn to do that!".
   
    "Eznarim you can't tell anyone, please!", she begged. Her sobbing mixed in with her voice. She had her hands clasped together so that she was like a praying mother.
   
    "It's okay. It's fine. I'm like you too. Here... I'll show you," he told her. He stretched his left hand towards her and slowly a blink of red light formed, slowly it got bigger and bigger. "This, this is your energy. I can harness it and use it, I can harness mine too," he said to her.
   
    "Wow, that is amazing. How'd you learn?"
   
    "It's pretty cool. I could use your energy to kill you from the inside," he answered, smiling. "But don't worry, I won't. And, I learn from books. I used to have to say spells, but now I've mastered my powers without spells."
   
    "That's amazing. I'm still learning, so I use spells.  I don't have enough books, there's not enough on using old fire."
   
    "Oh. There is, a lot of them. In the Ancient Library. Every book on Miaddrian culture is there. We could go there tonight, I could show you some books."
   
    "That would be great. Please don't tell anyone about this."
   
    "It's fine. I won't. We should get going, the troops would be ready in a few minutes from now," Eznarim said as he rounded his elk and rode towards camp. Aora followed him closely behind.
   
    When they reached camp, the last of the soldiers were already marching in. The supply wagons and elks were stationed in front, but riders were stationed in front of them. Behind them the foot soldiers followed. Some of them holding up the Miaddrian flag.
   
    Eznarim and Aora joined the others upfront. Kamirel and the others were leading the soldiers in a four column formation.
   
    "She get in any trouble?", Kamirel asked Eznarim. The latter shook his head lightly, and the former nodded. "Let's speed up a little, we need to be back in the city before nightfall," he continued, kicking his elk into a light run. The others behind followed.
   
    The hour after the sun came down. The troops were in the city. It was lit with different color lights, the long streets shone beautifully with bright dots about them. The statue was also decorated. Every house had the banner of the sun, the summer festival symbol.
   
    There was music in The Den already. All the elves from all the clans and small villages were already in The Den. All the soldiers were in too, they were stationed and were patrolling the place. The place was filled with them.
   
    The elves were getting to merry and dancing, drinking, and chatting. The children were playing around, and throwing fresh fruits at each other. Other elves were exchanging fresh fruits, as a sign of acceptance in this summer festival.
   
    The new troops joined the others, Kamirel, Domrath, and Gnorath went to report to the general. Aora went to her father and Eznarim went in search of his parents.
   
    "Mother!", he shouted when he saw her. He dismounted his elk, and gave her a hug. His father was there too, he hugged him too.
   
    "My son! You're a soldier now. So now you will fulfill your dreams?", his mother asked him.
   
    "Yes mother. Yes, I will. I promise, I won't let you down."
   
    Whilst the family was talking, a tall elf walked towards them. He tapped Eznarim's father, and whispered some words. The latter nodded, and followed.
   
    Eznarim was talking with his mother, when he heard a slap from the direction his father and the stranger went. The young elf left his mother and rushed to the pair. He met the stranger hitting his father again.
   
    "Hey you! Who do you think you are? Hitting my father like that," he thundered.
   
    "Stay out of this boy. Your father works for me, I'll do whatever I want with him."
   
    Eznarim's face squeezed, and his brows lowered forming two arcs on his forehead. He grit his teeth, while his nose twitched. He clenched his fists, as he watched the elf hit his father.
   
    It was in a corner, away from the festivities. Outside the alley, there was very loud music, and fervent festivities.
   
    "For the last time. Let my father go," Eznarim warned. His breathing was now fast and he took very short breaths at intervals.
   
    The elf would not listen and when Eznarim had had enough, he pushed the air towards the elf with his clenched fist. The elf started shouting in pain, Eznarim moved close enough to be a few feet away from him.
   
    The young elf raised his hand, and the shouting got worse. Eznarim was fuming, he was even sweaty from the anger. The tall elf could only bear so much, after a while he gave up the ghost, and a green beam of light came from his mouth, Eznarim held the light in his hand, and put it in his heart.
   
    "Let's go father. Nothing happened here," Eznarim urged. His father was still bleeding from the wounds.
   
    When they got to his mother, Domrath was waiting there. When Eznarim arrived he gave him a big smile.
   
    "We gotta go kid. They waiting for us," he told him.
   
    "Mother. I have to go, will see you again before the festival ends," he said to his mom.
   
    The two soldiers mounted their elks and joined the others. There was merry amongst the Miaddrian soldiers, all of them were drinking and dancing.
   
    Some would dance around fires, others would gather around having drinks and talking. Aora, Gnorath, and Kamirel were gathered around a small fire.
   
    "Thought you'd never make it?", Gnorath said to them.
   
    "I had a little problem, but it's solved now. Nothing to worry about," Eznarim explained.
   
    "So, what are we talking about?", Domrath asked, gesturing at Kamirel to hand him the drink and a cup.
   
    "I think we should just drink and talk", Gnorath suggested, giving out a big laugh. He filled his cup, and gestured at the others to cheer. They did, and they set about filling their cups.
   
    At the first hour of the day, when all had had much to drink, and most of the lights had gone out. Almost everyone was asleep, those that were awake were half asleep or fully drunk.
   
    Eznarim and Aora were still awake, the former couldn't sleep and the latter thought she'd keep him company.
   
    "When did you discover your powers?", Eznarim asked her.
   
    "Only early this year. Since then I've been reading books I could find on spells from my father's library. What about you?", Aora answered him.
   
    "Well ever since I was young I had always known. My powers bloomed early, so I was able to soar in the academy", the young elf said. Suddenly he stopped talking and listened. "Listen," he told her.
   
    Aora listened for a few seconds, she didn't hear anything. "There's nothing. It's silent."
   
    "Yes, too silent. Wake the others. Something's up, I can sense dark energy."
   
    Aora woke Kamirel first, then the others. They reached for their weapons, and went to the other soldiers. Before they could wake a good number of them up. An arrow swiftly pierced a soldier's neck. The next moment everybody was on guard, unsheathing their weapons. More arrows flew in, and more soldiers were dying. Some soldiers were being killed in their sleep with a knife to their necks.
   
    "Sound the alarm!", Kamirel thundered. Eznarim and Domrath quickly went into the tower where the bell was. Kamirel took a wood with fire on it and said, "wake as many people as possible!".
   
    In a few more moments, the very loud alarm started sounding. Lights were beaming from the tower, but it was already too late. Dark elves were everywhere.
   
    "The Councillors! Protect them from harm!", Kamirel was shouting. But there was quite a small number of soldiers to take the orders. But after a few minutes, the number grew and the orders could be executed.
   
    Irial himself was leading the raid. He took dark elves and killed each member of The Council, save for the High Councillor. The general was killed too, Gnarim ordered his death. Even Councillor Borath was killed.
   
    The dark elves killed the soldiers that were with these Councillors. Then proceeded to behead them. Before calvary arrived, the dark elves had left.
   
    When Aora and Kamirel got to her father, he was already dead. She moved slowly towards his body, then touched his cold skin. She cried as she felt his skin for the last time. She held his head in her hand, and saw the bloody neck. She cried bitterly squeezing her eyes to the very last tear.
   
    Slowly, the tattoos started to glow. Her sleeve got burnt again, and by now her whole body was glowing. She clenched her fists, and a ball of fire formed. She looked at Kamirel, she was breathing heavily. "Let's go kill some dark elves, shall we?", she said, twitching with every word. The latter nodded and led her out.
   
    There was chaos outside. Everyone was running in different directions. Dark elves were killing elves, and burning houses. Aora threw a ball of fire at one dark elf that was about to stab a young elf. She threw another one at another dark elf who was aiming an arrow at them.
   
    Soon the others joined. Eznarim clenched his fist, and a purple beam suddenly appeared. He held his spear with the hand, and the light began to take the form of the spear. The spear was now a purple beam of light.
   
    Eznarim was the first to charge. He ran towards one dark elf and threw the air towards him with his spear. In split seconds, a beam of purple light struck the dark elf. Eznarim threw the spear at another elf, and the purple beam flew into his head. When Eznarim stretched out his hand, the spear came right back.
   
    Domrath and Gnorath were swift with their arrows, not letting a second pass before they land one shot after another. They would sometimes switch direction, Domrath was very quick with his movement from his quiver to his string.
   
    Gnorath pulled two arrows, when he shot them, one caught a dark elf in the eye, and the other in the neck. Domrath was doing just as good, sometimes even using threr arrows.
   
    Kamirel was beautiful wuth a sword. The way he cut down the enemy with effortlessness and speed, was amazing to watch. He would swing to the left, and cut one down, swing to the right whilst changing his stance to and cut another. He swung his sword in an outward ark and cut one dark elf in his abdomen.
   
    He swung his sword in a straight horizontal line, and cut down four dark elves. The numbers kept increasing. The soldiers were tiring out.
   
    Aora's body was still glowing, and she was still throwing fireballs at dark elves. Soon she stopped, when she noticed the sword shape on her arm glowing brighter than the other shapes. She reached for it, and her hand sank in her skin. When she pulled her hand out, she was holding fire shaped like a sword.
   
    She threw the air towards the enemy with her new weapon, and a big line of fire caught them all. She threw the air again multiple times, and fire kept burning the enemy.
   
    Irial who was fighting in another corner noticed her, he was holding  a Miaddrian above the ground. He looked at her for a while, he stabbed the High elf, and ran towards Aora.
   
    He used his lighting speed to punch her multiple times. She couldn't see him, because he was too fast, all she could see was a blur of him every time he ran.
   
    When he had beaten Aora to a pulp, he looked at her with contempt. He spat on her face, and called the others for a retreat. "Come on! Let's leave! We have caused enough damage!", he commanded.
   
    One by one the dark elves disappeared into the darkness. Leaving behind them, damage and overwhelming casualties. There were burnt house everywhere, dead bodies were littered, mothers with children, husbands with wives. There was darkness around, and only a little light. So it was hard for them to completely see the damage that had been done.