Elves of Wood and Storm (Book one of The Guardians series)

Dashing Through the Mud

Lucas pranced forward and back, twirling on his heels lunging forward and pulling back again. A feat that he was quiet proud of as he could see nothing of himself, the only evidence of his existence was the ever increasing number of footprints in the damp mud. Breathing lightly Lucas  turned around while jumping forward impaling his knife into an imaginary foe. Success.

As he continued his dance against invisible foes Lucas found himself becoming more comfortable with moving about. He was less apt to run into things, such as stumps or trees, and was much more coordinated now then when he first put on the cloak. Stabbing one last imaginary elf Lucas sheathed his knife and turned towards the village, he would jog there and as long as he didn't run into any trees he would be satisfied. Lucas set off into the woods, excited for the slaughter he would soon create.

The distance was not far, and Lucas moved swiftly. In less than an hour he hovered at the tree line looking in surprise at the sight that lay before him. Half the village was burned and abandoned, this did not shock him, the other half however was fortified. Elves were scurrying into the forest and back carrying supplies such as: wood, water, and various edible and medicinal herbs. Or at least that's what Lucas assumed the leafy greens were.

The wood collected was piled into large stacks, ivy interweaving amount the large trunks that had been brought down to create the shelter. Lucas was sure he could slip in the village with no difficulty, especially with his new toy, given the gaps left in the fortifications. But he thought it would be much more fun to prey on those risking the trip into the trees.

Lucas began to circle around the clearing that surrounded his former village, edging closer to those working to defend it. X had surely returned and organized some sort of guard to go  along with the wall so Lucas figured he'd best kill the men before they gained the confidence needed to adequately defend their homes. The women and children were no threat to him, they would provide only minor distractions in his quest to cleanse the village.

Lucas spotted a small group of three men leaving the fortifications. They headed towards him carrying hatchets that were too small to chop anything other than saplings down. Surmising they were after more ivy to tie wood into the blockade Lucas crouched and began to position himself. Cutting vines just right was a task that took some time, the other elves would not miss these three until he had time to get away.

As the men entered the trees Lucas sidled to the right around a holly bush. Soon he was between them and the supposed safety of their homes. He could hear them whispering to each other and nearly laughed at their carelessness.

"Do you think he's still out here?" One man asked his companions. Another laughed, but it was a nervous shaky laugh, "X wouldn't send us out here if we were in danger." His words weren't comforting to the other two as fear and uncertainty leaked through. The third leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "I heard Megan is replacing him as a gaurdian, because he failed to catch Lucas." Now Lucas parked up listening more closely, X was being replaced because of him? How unfortunate for his former friend. Lucas nearly laughed.

The three nameless elves ventured deeper into the forest searching for vines, or whatever it was they were looking for. Lucas followed them silently, hoping that they would reveal some more interesting tibets of information but none were forthcoming. At last when boredom was overcoming him Lucas stood straight and walked up behind the men. One of them froze and looked back, "Did you hear something?" 

"That's not funny Marco, we're jumpy enough without you adding fuel to the fire!" The man named Marco looked annoyed, "I'm not kidding guys I thought I heard steps!" Lucas hung back enjoying the events as they unfolded. "Give it a rest Marco! We don't appreciate your jokes. Now help us find some ivy." Before Marco could give up and join the others Lucas flipped his hood off, "You know," he said, "Marco wasn't joking."

Lucas relished in the looks of pure terror in the faces of the three men as he appeared from no where. Though he did have to give them some credit as they all three quickly brandished their tiny hatchets. Lucas had to laugh at the small weapons in the hands of slight men. Then he pulled his hold back up and disappeared again. "Where did he go?" The three stood back to back trying to see movement. Lucas was surprised none of them had broken for home. He circled the small band wondering which he should stab first.

The whites of their eyes gleamed in the shadows, pupils darting this way and that hoping to spot, and avoid, their impending doom. Lucas finally came to a rest standing before the tallest of them, as the possessor of the longest legs he would get the farthest should he run. Laughing like some demon of the underworld Lucas dashed forward ducking under the outstretched hatchet and plunging his knife into the stomach before him.

With a gurgling cry the man collapsed, the weight of his falling body pulling the knife out of Lucas's hand. Cursing Lucas ducked back as twin blades swung over his head and watched as Marco pulled his knife from the body of his now dead companion. What to do, what to do? Lucas stepped back slightly eyeing the necks of the two. Mentally slapping himself for even considering the idea Lucas circled again, trying to get behind the two. Now weaponless, or rather derived of weapons he felt like using, he decided to try and snap a neck or two.

Marco, though shorter than average and seemed rather muscular so Lucas decided to target the other elf. He crept up behind him reaching for the back of his neck when suddenly out of the corner of his eye Lucas saw a swift movment. Silently he pulled back looking over to his right, Marco was waving his knife around hoping to get lucky. Lucas could have cried when he saw how clumsy the movement was, until he saw the sun reflecting off the blade.

Marco took a step away from his partner to catch a better gleam of sun providing the opportunity Lucas needed. Swiftly he jumped forward and yanked on the elves neck, twisting it with all his might. When the bone didn't break immediately  Lucas drew the elf closer wrapping his arms around the neck and torso of his struggling quarry. Marco tried to get around the flailing elf to stab at the air where Lucas should be, but he didn't let him. "Please let him go! What have we ever done?"

Lucas flipped his head knocking the hood of his cloak off. "What have you done? You banished me from the village!" No longer trying to break the neck of his captive Lucas simply squeezed, closing the windpipe and choking the victim. "That wasn't us, please let him go!" Lucas examined the slowly bluing skin, feeling it as it got colder then he looked at the knife on Marco's hand and his clear path to the village. "Throw me the knife and I'll let both of you go to explain why I'm doing this." Marco hesitated, " How do I know you aren't lying to me?"

Lucas laughed, "I guess you'll just have to trust me," seeing the doubtful expression on the other elf's face Lucas jerked on the throat he was holding eliciting a pained groan, "and soon." Marco threw the knife at Lucas's feet, grimacing as he did so. "You may be a murderer but release Guile and you will still have your honor." Lucas glanced at the limp body he held, in one motion he twisted agin, this time without there's resistance he had met earlier, and let the body go. He ignored the shocked yell emanating from Marco as he scooped up his knife. "Honor? What honor? I let him go, though I didn't say whether he would be alive or dead when I did."

Lucas shrugged nonchalantly at Marco's enraged expression, "Now, my dear friend, you have two options. Rung along home and tell your tale. Or I kill you."   Lucas could tell the other elf wanted to attack him, kill him for what he had just done. But common sense won out and disappointed Lucas watched as Marco fled back to where he came. He himself started running through the trees, not home, or to hide, but to find another victim. To kill again before the hunting party was organized and the elves were called back in. A horn sounded and Lucas redoubled his speed, the blasted elves sounded the alarm already.

He would need to hurry if he wanted to take another life.