Young Writers Society

Note: This storybook is based on the now defunct 1000 Monkeys Project, which was an attempt at a massive collaborative work.



The map is originally by RayquazaKid. It shows the ocean to the west, the desert in the south, and the mountains and grasslands in the North-East. The green area is the land of Airavel. The yellow dot marks the city of Sanctum.


Story

The story begins in a world that is largely at peace; an Eden if you will. The gods (Oberon, Puck and Titania) though are in conflict. Oberon has learned that Titania has been going down to the world as a human female and is Caesar's, who is the ruler of Airavel, lover. When Oberon demands that Titania hand over Caesar (a human) for punishment, Titania refuses. Oberon subsequently orders Puck, the trickster god, to turn Caesar's allies against him.

After Caesar is killed, there is a brief moment of peace. But this soon ends as Titania causes havoc across the land due to her foul mood (the environment changes according to what mood she is in). Crops wither and die, and the skies turn black with ash. Meanwhile, Oberon becomes determined that all humans must die since one of them seduced his wife. Thus, he has Puck force the leaders of the world into ever-shifting alliances. At the same time, Oberon lets loose a ravaging disease that kills one in every three people.

During this time of chaos, several groups are vying for supremacy.


Rules

This is an open-ended storybook. As such, the focus is not on creating characters, but on creating stories. Act is if we're writing a novel together.

Each post does not necessarily need to be connected to each other. One post could be about a small group of humans struggling in the grasslands, and then the next could be about the Merpeople organizing for an attack on coastal villages. The idea is to bring the land of Airavel to life. If you want to, you can concentrate on just one person or a small band of people, or you could shift your attention all over the place. You can also pick up a storyline where another person left off, although try to respect another person's intentions as much as possible.

All content should be appropriate for anyone 12+.


Races
- Phoenixes
These are large birds, burst into flame when they are killed. They have no large organization, they just congregate every year to make huge decisions. This means that they are internally fractured at times. They live in the desert, and have sandy plumage to blend in.

- Shamans
These people (if you can still call them that) live in the forest, in temples on top of huge spires. They are more than a little insane after being exiled from Sanctum. Inbreeding and the like. They're lead by a chief who is the craziest of them all.

- Merpeople
They live in the sea. That's about all anyone knows.

- Spirit-People Of The Forest
The other races can only see these people by their reflections in the water or off a mirror. However, they were once the rulers of Airavel, but were corrupted by greed. The gods punished them long ago, and they seek vengeance against the other races.

- Oliphant People
These people spend their entire lives in villages mounted to the backs of elephants, roaming through the forest. Ivory, a popular commodity, is lowering the population of their elephants.

- Gods
"Oberon" is their ruler. They're very free folk; they love a good time and often forget that their actions have consequences (and, since they're gods, those consequences tend to be on a large scale).

- Humans
They were once ruled by Ceaser from Sanctum, and were once the most prosperous of all the races. But Puck's trickery and Titania's mood has reduced them to poverty. Oberon's disease hit the humans the worst, and they have now splintered off into various factions.

Friar Samheil had lived almost his entire life in isolation in the deep forests of the east. His life consisted entirely of tending to a small garden, from which he grew all the food he needed, and of preserving the literary works of the spirit people. Inside his home were vats of ink, large scrolls of papyrus, and ancient works so fragile that a wayward touch could turn them into dust.

Yet, times were changing. His crops refused to grow, and the leaves on the trees were brown and wrinkled despite it being the middle of spring. How much things had changed, though, he had not known until one of the spirit people visited him last night.

"Friar Samheil," the voice said in the sing-song tone of the spirit people.

He had awoken groggily, but slowly his eyes focused on the reflection in the mirror. "What brings you here?"

"The city of Sanctum has fallen, over-run by the dueling hordes of man. New kingdoms now rise and fall across Airavel, while the gods play games with the lots of all. The Shamans and the Merpeople will seize their chance to capture what has long been denied to them. My people will rise again to re-take Sanctum and all that which is ours by right."

Samheil nodded. The message was clear: he was no longer safe here. He must journey out of the deep forests of the east and return to his people.

But for the first time in his life, he felt a deep seated unease rise inside him. What would he find?

Mother shook the tree trunk. If she wasn't such an ogre, there was no way it would have moved. As it stood, she shook it violently. Gelo clung on for dear life.
"It's dinner time. Get down this instant!" Mother said.
"I told you. I don't like rabbit stew," said Gelo. "Especially when you pollute it with those dung-berries."
"They're called bumble-berries and they are very good for you."
"I told you, I'm not coming down," Gelo said.

Mother shook the tree harder if and Gelo felt himself getting tossed off.
"I won't be able to eat dinner with a broken spine anyway," Gelo said. "Knock it off."

Mother shook the tree back and forth, but Gelo held on. How, he still did not know. Once he was down, though, there was no telling what Mother would do to him. He would stay in the tree until Mother was asleep, if it was the last thing he ever did.

Then Mother stopped suddenly. Gelo heard it too. Hooves in the distance. Nobody ever came through this part of the forest. Something was wrong in the outer cities.

The news filtered through the cities of Mer like a wave.

Caesar's dead, said the whispers from mouth to ear, the words encapsulated in perfect bubbles. Airavel is ours for the taking.

Merli finished loading the mussels in her bag, nodded to the merchant who had sold them and then sped through the crowded marketplace. Queen Ishka would no doubt want to know about this.

"Merli!" Her name rippled through the water and she tried forcibly to ignore it. "Merli!" it came again. She swam harder- she knew that voice, but more importantly, she knew what Queen Ishka would do if she was late with her breakfast.

He was gaining on her. "Merli!" he said, and a fist closed on her long red hair. She spun round to face Lune, the captain of Queen Ishka's guard.

"Listen, I really can't talk- I'm already late as it is-"

"Did you hear the news?" he asked earnestly, black eyes huge. "What does the queen think?"

"She doesn't think anything, seeing as she's not awake yet- that's why I have to go-"

"Merli." His voice always had that calming effect, she knew she wasn't the only one who felt it, it was the reason Lune had risen to be the youngest captain of the Royal Guard in history. "Do you think she's going to make a move?"

Merli sighed, not having any idea. "How could we? We couldn't get off the shores-"

"We could if we used the rivers," he said firmly. "We could do it."

"Why are you trying to convince me?" she demanded. "It's the Queen who holds the power, not me- I'm just a maid-"

"The maid that the queen trusts unquestioiningly." He shrugged, looked around them at the pillars of the city. "There's a possibility you're the most powerful person in the entire city."

Flattery. Merli frowned. "I'll talk to the Queen, and see what she thinks. But under no circumstances am I about to try and convince her to start a war. We don't need land, Lune. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late. If I lose my job I won't be much use to anyone."

Lune sighed and moved back, a sign he was letting her go. Merli reshouldered her bag of mussels, and sped towards the palace.

A loud shriek escaped his open beak, the sound piercing through the silence that lay heavy across the desert plains. The mighty bird launched himself from the branch of a lone cactus and with a powerful stroke of his sadny colored wings he was held aloft in the evening air. Trax relished the feeling of the air running across and through his feathers but something about the silence began to warn him of something that felt a tad un-right. Movement in his peripheral vision made him swivel his head around to see it, and he visibly relaxed when he realized that it was only Isha, a childhood friend.
"Something's wrong," she began, her black eyes staring straight ahead.
"No, I'm fine," he answered but she barked a growl,
"I meant in the capital city," she cast him a sideways glance, "You know, Airavel,"
"Yes, I know what the capital city is, but where'd you find this out?" he asked of her, frowning as he extended his wings and soared a slight bit closer to her.
"Can't you feel the tension?" she asked, "All the kingdoms will be taking action against Airavel,"
"Well, maybe we should join them?" he suggested airily, giving a heavy stroke of his wings downwards as he alighted on the ground nearest the boundary.
"Why? We'd be shot out of the sky, their arrows would kill us in a breath of flame!" she exclaimed, her feathers ruffled until finally she shook them out and lowered her head to preen.
Trax lifted a foot, and plucked at the small amount of flesh to remove the cactus thorn embedded there, "Yes," he said between attempts, "but I do believe that we'd be a great advantage," he murmured, "should we alliance with one of the merpeople or other," he answered.
"No, it's out of the question!" she exclaimed, but Trax cast a look over at Isha that made her take a step back.
"I'm off to go see what's going on," and before she could open her beak to protest, he leapt into the warm air and with four powerful strokes he was off to survey the world the way no man or beast could ever do.

The courts had never seen such a mob as today’s. Between the swish of blue-scaled tails and the bang of iron spears against the pearl floors, Soleil feared for his gills. That’s why he shrunk into the shadows of the coral pillars, hiding his face away as others sought the queen’s attention.

He would have his chance; of that, he was certain. The riots had begun nearly an hour ago in the inner city, but there was something very unsettling about the word he kept hearing.

War.

It was Soleil’s greatest regret that he had brought such news to the beautiful city. But when his father had received a premonition and told his brother of the forthcoming changing waters, the courts sent him as a scout to the rivers of Sanctum. And the world he found terrified the young Merman greater than any fright he’d ever felt before.

It was only a matter of time before his brother prepared his troops for an assault. All he wanted was the word from the queen. But the queen wasn’t who Soleil wanted—no, there was someone more strategic, more persuasive of the court, and even the queen, who he’d wait upon.

And he could see her already.

Merli.

The frail merman sped around the coral pillars, weaving between swishing tails and long, flowing strands of hair. And he stretched his arms out, pulling his oldest friend into the shadows.

She nearly screamed, but Soleil pressed a calm hand to her lips, letting her see his pale, silver eyes. They were unmistakable, she had told him. Unmistakably Soleil, and quite the opposite of his brother’s.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that my brother has spoken to you already…but you must talk to the queen on my behalf,” he rushed, “and tell her that an assault would surely be the end of us all.”

“Soleil, you should know me well enough that your fears wouldn’t get the best of you.” Her head turned to the side and her bright, silken hair rose with the soft current. “But tell me, the queen has not awoken yet, has she?”

“She has not emerged from her chambers yet,” he replied. There was a roar deeper into the court as an elder demanded the queen’s presence. The man was an old veteran—the precursor to Lune’s armada.

“She will no doubt ask for your personal word when she does awaken,” Merli said. “Surely you won’t let anxiety keep you from such a divine appointment.”

“I fear that the divine will soon become the demise of our people.”

Merli looked around at the gathering crowds outside Queen Ishka's chambers. Every single one of them would demand an audience with the queen. Getting in there by itself would prove a challenge, let alone delivering her a message from either of Ciel's sons. Of course Lune would want a fight. Merli had grown up with the boys and had never known Lune to back down from a challenge- or to resist challenging someone else. It was no mistake that she had always been closer to Soleil the silver eyed, less charming, weaker and considerably pleasanter one of the pair.

"I'll see what I can do to get you in there first, and to turn her mind towards your cause. But with the whole armada hankering for a war, for any war..." she sighed. "It may be too late. But I'll try," she said, staring hard at Soleil and imploring him to understand how deeply she meant that.

The guards outside the queen's doors looked prepared to stop a riot. Merli mustered her courage and swam straight towards the doors.

"I have the Queen's breakfast," she said rather simply to the guards, who glanced at each other, then nodded and cracked open the door. She could hear cries of protest as she slipped through the gap, hearing it slam behind her.

"Merli? Is that you? What on earth is going on out there?"

The queen was sitting up in her bed- the ancestral bed made out of the shell of a single giant pearl oyster, stuffed with the softest anemones and lichens the reef had.

"News from Sanctum. I brought you mussels." Merli set the bag down and turned to look at the Queen. Even though there were lines about her eyes and mouth, Queen Ishka retained the mesmerising beauty queens were gifted with. Hair as bright and blonde as moonlight and eyes as dark as the sea at night.

"What news?"

"Caesar's dead. Betrayal. Bloody, or so the rumours say."

"So why does that have people banging at my door?"

Merli paused, and considered how exactly to play this, and just where to place her loyalties. The answer to the second question, after a few moments' consideration, was obvious. "Apparently," she said as jovially as she could, emptying the mussels onto one of Ishka's coral-made plates, "they want to invade Airavel. Isn't that ridiculous?"

The queen frowned. Merli shoved the mussels into her hands. "You don't agree?" the queen asked carefully.

"Well, I think it would be a total waste. Your Majesty. Would you consider it?"

Queen Ishka reached for a mussel with her long white fingers and cracked it open. "Why not?" She gave a clear, high laugh. "We've never been defeated."

"But what use would we have of Airavel, milady?" Merli's heart was now pounding, that the queen did not seem opposed to the idea.

"Oh, I'm sure we could find some. So who's outside my door?"

It was time, Merli thought, for some creative truth-telling. Oberon forgive her, but if she was to aid her country in anyway. "The prophet Ciel has sent his son with his opinions."

"Which son?"

"Soleil."

Ishka sighed. "And here I was hoping for something pretty to look at in the morning. I don't know why you spend so much time with the younger one, Merli. Very well. Send him in."

"You're still in bed, Your Majesty."

"And I don't feel like getting out of it. Go and fetch him. These mussels are simply divine, by the way."

Trax raised his left wing, banking a hard turn as he soared through one of the hot air drafts of the desert. He was nearing the sea where the mer people dwelled and he could vaguely distinguish the faint bluish tinge that meant water. He had for so long forgotten what it was the beauty of the ocean, and the crisp salty breeze that was carried on the wind promised him the relief of a drink.

The large bird gave a powerful stroke of his wings and then settled to glide, his feathers rippling in the wind that carried him forward. He wondered if the mer people would welcome the Pheonix's alliance to overcome their limited battle in the waters whilst he and his comrades could attack on both land and air. The mighty bird let a cry loose from his beak, a warning to all his enemy before swooping low towards where the water met the land.

He spotted one of the guards, and he idly wondered why they were so close to the surface- perhaps hoping that no harm would come to their undersea land. He banked again, circling overhead before tucking his wings in and diving down towards the water.

Trax was gaining speed, the wind passing over his dynamic form. His eyes narrowed to pinpricks as at the final moment before he would hit the ground his wings spread out, catching him and pulling him upwards as he alighted to the ground. The merman before him was armed, spear in hand as he aimed for Trax's chest.

"Peace," he squawked in alarm, pressing his neck into his chest and tucking in his wings.

"What business do you have near Mer?" he demanded, his voice like the babble of a brook.

Trax shook out his feathers, "I've come to seek an audience with the Queen, Queen Ishka," he answered, his own voice sounding rather confident to his own ears.

The merman growled, the spear glinting in the sunlight. "Why?"

"That is for Queen Ishka's own ears, merman," the bird narrowed his eyes, his red and brown feather's ruffling as he lowered his beak towards the fish-like creature.

He watched as the merman visibly backed down from the challenge, "Very well, I shall send a messenger,"

Trax's beak opened and snapped shut as the merman dove underwater, speaking to one of his kind and sending him away in search for the queen. When the man returned to the surface Trax dipped his head, "I hope the Queen takes my appearance as one of peace," he murmured to himself.

He was, afterall, the leader of the counsil of Pheonix.

Kai Un'kari

Kai arrived in the town of Bahn in the afternoon. The town was located somewhere between the city of Sanctum and the mountains, situated on the side of the river. He had been living in Sanctum until the riots started, at which point he left to find someplace safe. There was nothing left for him back in the city anyway, not after his wife and daughter died from a terrible illness which had taken the lives of thousands already.

He had been working as one of Caesar's royal guardsmen, but when his so-called allies turned on the king Kai and the rest of the guards fought with their lives to protect their liege. But it was all for naught, because the killing blow was struck by Caesar's advisor, the man he trusted the most. Once the king was dead the Royal Guard was disbanded. With no job and no family, Kai left the city and began to wander Airavel.

First place he went when he arrived in Bahn was the tavern. He needed something to drink to help get his mind off of things.

Elpis - Spirit-people of the Forest

Elpis had never been to the city of Sanctum before; now he was running to it with all the speed he could muster. The whole forest was alive with the sounds of singing and people rushing around, making preparations. Some noticed that even the trees were shaking and groaning in anticipation of the coming battles.

"The time has come for us to rise again!"

Elpis thought back to the Father's words. How glorious they had been! He, Elpis, had been sent out to Sanctum immediately after Caesar's death. His pride glowed inside of him as he remembered his mentor's words:

"Elpis! Caesar's death will have weakened the humans' defense. You have been chosen to walk among them and seek to further increase their confusion and turmoil."

"How am I to accomplish this Teacher?"

"Another ruler has been set up among them, but there are many others who wish to take his place. Prey on their greed, Elpis. Destroy what unity they have left."

Elpis quickened his pace; soon the land of Airavel would once again belong to its rightful rulers.

(Hey Nate, I finished that map we were talking about a few days ago. I sent you a PM a while back but I don't know if you recieved it or not.)

Kai Un'kari

The tavern was full of people, both men and women. They all had looks of despair strewn about their faces. They too must have been forced to flee the riots in Sanctum. The building was filled with the low rumble of people talking to each other.

He found an open spot at the bar. Upon sitting down he said to the bartender, "Ale, please."

"That'll be fifteen copper."

Kai nodded and handed him the money and waited for his drink to be poured. As he waited, thoughts of his final days spent with his family wandered into his head. He loved his wife and daughter with all his heart, and hated himself for not being able to do anything for them as desease slowly took them. All he could do was sit at their bedside and watch their lives slowly drain away. No wound or injury he sustained during his service to Caesar could ever compair to the pain he felt when he convinced his daughter she would wake up the next morning knowing full well that she wouldn't survive the night.

"Why so glum?" the man sitting beside Kai asked.

Kai took a swig of his ale before saying, "None of your business."

The man smiled solemnly. "Another refugee from Sanctum, huh? We've been getting a lot of those lately. With Caesar dead and the riots ravaging the streets you'd think there was a civil war going on. And now news is spreading that the Mers and Shamans prepairing to invade Airavel. It's not surprising that a lot of people are trying to flee to the grasslands across the mountains. The plaegue Oberon let loose on the world isn't making things easy for anyone either."

That caught Kai's attention. "What makes you think Oberon is behind the plague?"

"Think about it. Titania was having an affair with Caesar and Oberon found out about it, so he decides to punish the rest of us. It can't be a coincidence that this plague came out of nowhere mere days after Caesar was killed. I tell you, the Gods are way out of control. Oberon is trying to kill every human in Airavel, Titania's foul mood is killing crops and turning the skies black, and who knows what Puck is up to? If the Demiblade was still around the Gods would think twice before trying to mess with us."

"Demiblade? What's that?"

The man gave a surprised look. "You've never heard of the Demiblade? What do they teach you in those fancy schools in Sanctum? The legend of the Demiblade is older than mankind's rule in Airavel. It's a sword that was forged by the Spirit-People after the Gods punished them for their greed. It's the only weapon in the world that can kill a God, and the Spirit-People planned to use it against Oberon, Titania, and Puck."

"Where is this sword?" Kai asked.

The man shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, buddy. As soon as the Spirit-People completed the sword Puck stole it from them and hid it somewhere no one would ever find it. The only place that might have some clue on its whereabouts would be the Sanctum's archives, but with all the riots going on I doubt anyone would be able to get in there in one piece." He seemed to think for a moment. "You know, I think I recall hearing about a Friar who lives somewhere in the eastern forests who looks after ancient scrolls and documents. There might be information about the sword somewhere in one of those scrolls."

Kai Un'kari

A sword that could kill a God? Could such a thing even exsist? If so, then maybe, just maybe it was the key to stop the Gods' senseless rampaging. If what this man said was true, that Oberon was the one who started the plague, then it was his fault Kai's wife and daughter were dead. Oberon had killed his family. He had taken the one thing Kai cared most about in this world and destroyed it, and he would pay for it if even if it cost Kai his life. He needed to find this sword, where ever it may be hiding.

Kai was about to ask the man where exactly this friar was, but when he turned to face him the man was gone. Kai scanned the rest of the tavern with his eyes, but found no trace of him.

It doesn't matter, he thought. I know where to start looking. He finished the rest of his ale, then got up and exited the tavern. He left Bahn and began to make his way eastward toward Airavel's thick forests.

Kai Un'kari

Kai hitched a ride with a trading caravan that was heading east. While travelling with the caravan he asked the various merchants about any information they may have on the friar who lived in the forest. The only reliable tip he got was from a tubby man who sold general goods like parchment and tools. On his travels he once came across the old friar on the edge of the closest forest to Sanctum. He had approached the old man in hopes of making a sale, but soon discovered the friar had no money. But the friar needed new writing ink and quills, so he offered some of his home-grown vegetables instead. It wasn't a profitable sale, but it gave the merchant something to eat until he reached the next town. Though it didn't tell him exactly where the friar was, it narrowed his search down to only one patch of forest in Airavel.

He partted ways with the caravan once they were as close to the forest as the roads would take them. Kai had heard stories about the forests of Airavel, and not all of them were pleasant. The savage race of shamen lived deep in the forests, and there were also stories of ghosts that lived among the trees. Lots of men had ventured into these forests over the years, and only a few had ever returned. The stories didn't frighten Kai, though. Whether they were true or not didn't matter, because this friar was the only chance he had at finding the Demiblade and avenging his family. Even so, as he walked from tree to tree he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched...

Elpis - Spirit-people of the Forest

Elpis slowed his pace as he neared the edge of the forest. A human male was passing by, followed by a border sentry. After signalling a formal greeting to the sentry, Elpis quickened his pace and began to pass the human. Elpis almost gave a yelp of shock as he was suddenly pulled off of his feet to land straight on his face; his vigilant training won out and he instead bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood.

Elpis looked up in fury at the sentry who was still holding him down to the ground, but the sentry wasn't looking at him. He was staring anxiously at the human, who had stopped dead in his tracks right before the sentry had pulled Elpis to the ground. The human was staring at a sword, which had been partially drawn as Elpis had passed him. Rigid as a board, he realized what he had done. Elpis had unintentionally revealed his presence to the human.

The sentry scowled at Elpis and stepped over him toward the human, sword raised. The fun of spooking a human had been spoiled, so there was now no point in letting him live.

Kai Un'kari

Kai had heard many stories about the Spirit-People, mostly their invisibility to other races. It is said that they can only be seen through a reflection. Kai wasn't much for believing old wive's tales, but as he walked through the quiet forest he didn't want to take any chances. He pulled his sword out a bit, just enough that he could see any reflections off its smooth surface. As he travelled he occasionally looked down at his sword to check his surroundings.

After a while he could hear the soft patter of footsteps ahead. Any other person would have missed it, as the sound was almost drowned out by the constant rustle of leafs in the breeze and birds chirping. But Kai had been listening for it, straining his ears to catch even the slightest noise that he believed to be out of place. He glanced down at his sword, and to his surprise there was a person running toward him in the reflection. So the tales were true...

The Spirit-Person seemed to pick up his pace, heading straight for Kai. Taking the action as a sign of hostility, Kai reached out to where he believed the person was. For a split second he felt the rustle of clothes against his hands where there should have been nothing but air. Without thinking, he clenched his hands into fists around the cloth and pulled the entity off its feet, throwing it to the ground. There was a thud on the ground, and the leafs on the forest floor seemed to part from the impact. Kai took a step back and begun to pull his sword from his sheath, preparing himself for whatever came next.

He watched the ground where the entity supposedly fell, straining his eyes to catch any movement around it. He saw the leafs dampen a little into the ground; a footstep. It was so quiet, he couldn't even hear the sound of the leafs crinkling underneath. But he could see where the entity's foot was, though he kept his eyes trained on the ground where it had fallen to fool it into thinking otherwise. The entity took another step forward, then another. Kai kept its steps in his line of sight, keeping an eye on it through his peripheral vision. Surprise was his greatest chance of survival at this point, and Kai didn't want to strike until he knew his enemy was close enough for him to hit. The only question was who would attack first, Kai or the Spirit-Person?

The footsteps stopped in front of him. The entity seemed to pause for a moment, Kai could only assume it was to raise whatever weapon it possessed to strike him down. He chose that moment to strike first, and lunged his sword forward as fast as he could. He felt the blade sink into something, and there was a small grunt of pain. Moments later blood began to dribble down the sword to the hilt. Kai lifted his leg and pushed his enemy with his foot off his sword before it could use the last of its strength to lash out.

His next attack would be the finishing blow. Kai swung his sword with all his might, higher than where it had hit before. He felt his blade falter a bit in mid-swing as it caught on bone for a split second, but it still managed to go all the way through. There was a thud where something round hit the ground and rolled for a bit, before the entity's body fell moments later.

Kai took a moment to wipe his sword clean before sheathing it. He didn't want the blood to dry onto the blade while it was sheathed, it would ruin the sword and get it stuck inside the sheath. The way things were starting out he felt he would need to draw it again before he left this forest. He would feel proud of himself for slaying one of the Spirit-People later, when his job here was done. For now he continued through the forest as he had before, except this time he moved with a quicker pace. One thing was for sure, if the Spirit-People weren't hostile before, they would be now, and he wanted to be gone from this place before another of their people found the body.

(Just to make things clear so there's no misunderstanding, Kai killed the sentry, not Elpis.)