Chapter Two
– Ash of the Green Folk
Arc 1 – Ash of the Green Folk
Location: The Forest of Menlo
Menlo, the abyss of elves. A forest where the leaves drinketh blood, and the earth spit air. Yet, an omen unveils; a war broke from love and foe, a world, Menlo, to destroy. The shadow-lights of Menlo shineth on a hut, a royal hut; the embodiment of power, a magical forest of hate.
Queen Velmira Althorin, ruler of all corners of Menlo, an elf with the smite of fire, fingers of enchantment, and the shade of ethereality.
Queen Velmira:
Ó mother nature! Land of Menlo begs!
Give to Menlo, fruitful lands and peace grounds; and to our warriors, a fire in the leg.
I hast seen the signs of war! I hast fingered my psalms in the forbidden twigs of Menlo.
And now our earth spith fire, not air,
My nose hath smelt through—and a war I have smelt.
But her Majesty speaketh to no one but to him, Kaelor Varn, Menlo’s finest.
Kaelor Varn:
Your Majesty! Thou hath spoken like a fox!
Howbeit? Howbeit that our foes show forth their steel to Menlo?
Hath the wailing Earth seen forth, our future? Hath the elves seen our crises?
But my Lady, I hast seen our lands.
My hands hath touched our earth, my ears hast heard our lands; like the earthworm, I hast crawled and put so the blanket of our lands.
Queen Velmira:
And our future, I have walked into.
But if thee, Kaelor, hath said the future hath not no war
what shall I do?
But to summon over a wise elf
Ravean Thomblood. Bring he to my face, so he canst show to us, a future clean or rough.
So did Kaelor leave forth, Velmira Althorin, alone to her palace. He searchth through Menlo for an elf-sorcerer who dabbles in the forbidden lines of Menlo. But a man and his woman did he come across—a man whose name was Naithra, and his begotten woman, Mirael.
Naithra:
What hast thou come to seek in the land of the forbidden Menlo?
Hast thou not seen the dead across the twigs and forest?
Kaelor Varn:
I hast been sent forth by Velmira Althorin, Queen of Menlo, to seek through the forbidden forest of Menlo
an elf who dwells in the forbidden lands of Menlo.
Mirael:
So thee charges from Velmira Althorin into the lands of the forbidden?
Velmira Althorin hath not a rule of power in the forbidden lands, so hast thee pray for good riddance?
For thy blood and head shalt we bring forth to Velmira Althorin of Menlo.
Naithra:
What a woe! Thou brought thyself to thy doom! And now thou wouldst die, a vain death.
But as Naithra paced forth his steel to Kaelor, a voice from the forest depths arose from the wailing Earth; an elf came forth, with the eyes of fire and the palm of enchantment.
Ravean Thomblood:
Shame on ye who chose to prey on an innocent! Woe to a man who hast decided to lay a fellow to the ground!
Naithra:
And to who hast thee spoken of?
If thy mouth chooses to woe I, Naithra,
Then to the wailing Earth shall I slay your head!
And like the wind, paced Naithra to the steel of Ravean; the blades struck one another. The fight grew fierce and thin. With a great smite, Ravean clashed forth his steel to the heart of Naithra, and to Mirael—a swoosh of blood; a strike of spell to her chest and lo, she perished to the skies in ashes and smoke.
Kaelor Varn:
Art that thee? The wise elf who dabbles in the forbidden?
Ravean Thomblood:
Why hast thee come to seek me forth?
Hast the horns of Artha stab ye elves of Menlo?
Kaelor Varn:
O wise elf! Artha’s horn art blunt and soft! Their wisdom as short as a gnome!
Thine presence hath been asked by her Majesty Velmira.
Ravean Thomblood:
Arrrgh, arrrgh! Now she beg!
I hast forged my tongue in the abyss of silence, and that I shalt never step a foot upon the forest of Menlo.
Leave forth, humble servant. Thy loyalty hath beenst seen by the Great Witches.
Kaelor Varn:
I beg of thee! Ó wise one! I bow my knees forth!
To thee, allowst not Menlo to crumble, and not our forest to stumble.
O wise elf, come with I to Menlo and to Velmira.
For this is my wish, and the plea of her Majesty.
Ravean Thomblood:
Very well! Now I saith to you—
Verily, verily, if thy Queen treats I like the royal blood she is,
Then I, Ravean, shall fight blood for blood for Menlo.
But if she taketh my sleeves and treats I like a slave,
Then a curse shall I give her; and victory over Menlo shalt enemies hast.
And so they progressed far—from the deep forest of the forbidden, to the rims of Menlo, and to the hut of Velmira. They arrived at the feet of the queen.
Queen Velmira:
My humble servant! Thou hast proven worthy; and brought to my feet, the elf who dabbles in the forbidden.
Kaelor Varn:
Thy Majesty, shalt thee praise me worthy? I am but a loyal servant; my blood shalt I give for Menlo, and my tongue shalt I use to keep Menlo.
Ravean:
Queen Velmira! Hast thou forgotten the words of the wailing Earth of Menlo?
Hast not thou seen signs of a tempest's arrival?
Shalt thou fight with fain? Or shalt thee accept the wyrd of Menlo, and perish ye shall?
Kaelor Varn:
Watch thy mouth, wise elf!
Thou speakth to thy queen with a mouth of vain and voice of wretchedness!
Speak not of wight to thy queen, or to the ground shalt I spill thy blood!
Ravean Thomblood:
Woe to you, Kaelor! A word of truth shalt always disgust the liar!
Menlo’s wyrd — a fickle of defeat.
Nothing shalt stop a man from dying of his time. Nothing shall stop Menlo from the brink of collapse!
Queen Velmira:
Ravean Thomblood, thou speaketh of collapse?
Howbeit Menlo shalt crumble?
Can a dog match a wasp in flight?
Prepare forth, elves of Menlo, for rumble!
For a wise elf never lies!
Art our enemies beest Artha?
Shall we rip out Artha’s spine; men by men?
A war they want — a war shalt we give!
Ravean Thomblood:
War and war! Artha hast already brought forth men of steel; their blades of victory wait for the blood of Menlo on their steel.
Whilst he spoke, came forth Prince Elandriel—fine and fierce, one with a lion’s heart, soft like a dove, and compassionate like a doe.
Prince Elandriel:
Mother! Sir Kaelor and the wise elf of Menlo,
If ye are preparing for a war, I shalt go with ye.
I shalt give to Menlo, my blood and soul
Untilst the bones of Artha are dried and fed to dogs.
Queen Velmira:
Very well, Elandriel. Thou art a brave prince, and thy bravery shalt be honored.
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