1. The little boxes are stopping points...they were cooler on my computer
.2. Sometimes I have ()'s with an explanation in them following the intruduction of a new creature or after many various things. This isn't because I don't know how to describe
, it's just that I can't do footnotes on here, so I use ()'s instead.
Chapter 1
Hyril
The two colossal spires showed above the canopy of green leaves. They were the symbol and the landmark for the City of Trees and were a natural wonder. Many different buildings surrounded the hard rock, cutting into the pinnacle and spiraling their way gradually around it. Such a thing was strange for a land of everpresent trees and ferns, where streams bubbled their way through their stony beds; but the people of the land took pride in them.
Five riders approached the city, staring aghast at the colossal giants. The silence of the forest and the beauty of the land filled them with wonder. As they came closer to the city, the silence was broken by the noise of a swift little stream, bubbling over its bed.
“It is so very peaceful here,” said the young woman, eyes shining with wonder.
“Aye it is Elyan, but not for long,” replied the blond male elf riding beside her.
“Let us enjoy its beauty while we can, children, for this is supposed to be a time of rest for us; a vacation,” reminded Lady Elandril, the mother of the two.
The regal elf who rode beside her was her husband, the High Elder Tharassil. He now spoke up.
“Children, I had to make this visit to the City of Trees. This, as you well know, is a council of war and is extremely important. If war indeed is in order, then I want to spend some time with you while I can. Enjoy this land while we are here for it is a beautiful land of strange but friendly people.”
The fifth rider, though, was not looking at the scenery but instead at the path.
“Sir, look at those strange tracks!” exclaimed the armored elf suddenly.
“They seem to belong to some type of wolf, a very big one,” commented the tall elf, Colan. A stifled scream from the girl jerked the elves' heads from the path. There on the road in front of them was a big Dugon (evil, beardless dwarves who are said to have goblin blood.) scout on a giant wolf. The wolf of the south growled deep in its cavernous chest and leapt forward. An arrow came slamming into the creature’s neck and almost simultaneously another hit the Dugon rider in the same spot and he fell to the dirt, gurgling.
A creature emerged from the trees with his bowstring still vibrating from the quick shots. He was smaller than an average man, for he was a Tor, the people of the City of Trees and the surrounding forest. His ears were stuck out and back on either side of his head, looking like those of a fox. He pushed his wavy brown bangs out of his piercing green eyes as he survayed his dead enemies. His long hide boots were drawn up to right below his knees, and a brown tunic covered his torso and thighs. A long forest green cloak was on his back, blending him in with the ferns and leaves. On his forearms he wore tough leather bracers and he had a sword strapped onto his back.
“Please continue friends, I am sorry about this misfortune,” said the Tor, his bright eyes sparkling as he saw the beautiful elf girl.
“Then the trouble is worse than I thought,” murmured the High Elder Tharassil as they rode on. Elyan glanced back but the Tor, Dugon, and wolf had disappeared.
Elyan was startled when a young boy appeared suddenly beside her horse. He was a Tor and looked quite like the person she had seen earlier. The boy smiled at her.
“Are you an elf?” he asked loudly.
“Yes I am, a high elf to be exact,” Elyan responded.
“Ahhh!” he mused, suddenly slipping under Elyan’s horse and popping out on the other side next to Colan. “You have a wonderful sword! Are you a Captain? My brother’s a Captain! His sword is much better.”
“No I am a commander in the army of High Elves,” stated Colan brusquely with a bit of a surprised stutter.
“Oh…” said the boy. He wrinkled his nose and slipped over beside Elyan again.
“Oh, I’m Johnny Taer by the way. Who are you? Are you the elves that are going to stay with us?”
“Yes, young one, we are staying with your family. Would you mind leading us to your house,” requested Lady Elandril.
“Oh no! I don’t live in a boring old house. I live in a tree,” stated the boy, “but I can take you there.”
“That will be fine for now,” said Elyan trying to stifle a laugh. Johnny opened his mouth to say something else but saw the High Elder Tharassil’s stern look and quickly clamped it back shut.
The high elf family dismounted and looked at the large tree in front of them. A staircase led down through a gap in the roots and stopped at the large wooden door. A man and woman stepped out, their faces smiling at the elves. Quickly the two older women walked toward each other and into a warm embrace. The men shook hands, and so the old friends were reunited.
“Please come in, you must be cold. The spring breeze cools you to the bone does it not? Do not worry, Johnny will take care of the horses,” said Mrs. Taer as she scurried off, “Oh! I dare not let the eggs become overdone.”
“So, Mr. Taer do you not have an older son also?” asked the High Elder Tharassil.
“Oh yes. He should be around soon. He’s been doing a lot of extra work lately,” answered Mr. Taer.
“I heard that he is a Captain, is that right?”
“He is. But let’s go inside and get a fire started. It is cold out tonight.”
Quickly Mr. Taer put some logs on the fire and prodded it into a cheerful blaze.
“So what does your son do exactly, if you don’t mind me asking of course?”
“Well, like I said, he does a lot of work and usually doesn’t get home until very late. He is the captain of the Forest Guard, or the Bow as they are officially called. Phil can tell you more if he ever gets here,” at this point Mr. Taer began to speak loudly, “and I’m sure Johnny is waiting right around the corner for a chance to tell one of his stories.”
“Yes!” said Johnny as he popped into the living room. “So Phil was going hunting once when he heard two trolls coming. He was out in the open yet still could have gotten away, but he wanted to see the trolls. So he climbed up a tree to hide.”
“He didn’t tell me that part!” mumbled Mr. Taer.
“Anyway, the two trolls started searching the tree, for they had seen him climb up. Phil was at the top of the tree, but could not jump to a nearby tree, for there were none nearby. So he waited until the troll had turned around just right and jumped onto its head and then jumped from there into the tree tops!”
“How did he get back safely from there?” asked Colan incredulously.
“Simple really, I just climbed from branch to branch and the trolls couldn’t hear me over their mad stomping and bellowing,” said Philip suddenly, for he had surprised them all by coming in from the veranda.
“But that isn’t all!” exclaimed Johnny. “While the trolls were busy he went to their lair and stole a sword and many other things!”
“What did you do about the trolls then?” asked High Elder Tharassil.
“We ran them off…” said Phil. Mrs. Taer walked in from the kitchen and looked troubled at the last remark.
“Let’s not talk about this now, okay?” she said. “Philip, please show Elyan up to her room.” He walked out onto the veranda and Elyan followed.
“You are the one who saved us from the hideous wolf!” said Elyan with her large violet eyes sparkling.
“Yes,” Phil said embarrassedly. “I had been following him for some time.”
“Do you hunt them often?”
“Sadly more often as of late…So, what are you doing tomorrow?”
“Well, my father has many meetings being an Elder, and my brother is being shown around by a man named Captain Michel Hasage, I believe. You know him, do you not?”
“Yes, he is a great friend of mine; but what about you? What are you going to do?”
“I do not really know…I could stay with Colan. I have gotten used to listening to facts about war, swords, and the sort.”
“Well, there is something…a sight that you must see, yet not many have seen. It is a ways from here, and down a dangerous path, but it is not too unsafe. Would you like to see it?”
“Yes, I would like that very much, thank you! What is it exactly?” asked the girl with her brown hair blowing against her face.
“You shall see!” said Philip Taer smiling.
-the green one
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...I forgot to add in the footnotes...Now you can figure out what on earth a Dugon is 
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. Thanks for the crits! More are welcome, of course 
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