Prologue

Prologue

The wind tore at his back, whipping through his brown locks. With a single hand, he brushed the thick bangs from his eyes. He stared out over the landscape, ignoring the threats of the inevitable storm and the cliff at his feet. He was still even as his archenemy’s men moved out of the brush to form an arch behind him. He scoffed to himself; not even eight men could stop him.

“Where will you run now, Lord Cypre?” a man called at him.

“If you know what’s good for you, you won’t keep pursuing me,” he responded emotionlessly.

“We’re not afraid of you, elf! We’ve already wounded you, and we can do it again!”

The elf grimaced when his side seared again. He fought the urge to put a hand against the wound. (That General has a strong arm if he can wound me so severely with a dull scimitar!) He tensed when he remembered that blow…It had not only split his side cleanly to the bone, but it had sent him rolling quite a few feet across the ground.

“Now, will you come with us peacefully, or are we going to have to drag you to Goron?” the man spoke again, stepping closer.

The elf looked over his shoulder, green eyes flashing dangerously. “What makes you think you fools can take me to him?”

The man halted, growing uneasy. He had seen that look before, and he knew what came afterwards. “Men…”

The elf smirked, partially opening his fist. His first two fingers he stretched completely out, keeping them touching. “Stop this.”

“Men, attack!” The man in charge ran forward, raising his dull sword above his head. The elf whipped completely around, drawing his straight sword from its sheath at his left hip. He kept spinning, that dread of what he was about to do filling his every being. He hated fighting; it proved nothing, and always ended with someone getting hurt or killed. He felt his mind scream as he and the soldier met…

He cried out when that heavy blow struck again, this time coming down on the top of his left shoulder, splitting his collarbone. He felt the guilt return to his heart as he drove his long blade deep into his attacker, killing the man instantly. He groaned when he removed the blade from the General’s body, staggering from the pain that coursed through him. (I have to finish this quickly…My magic is impaired by my health…Soon, I won’t be able to fight them!)

“If I’m not seeing things, I’d say our friend is getting weak,” a cool, young man’s voice rang out teasingly from the trees.

The elf gasped. (No! Anyone but him!)

“It’s good to see you again, Kai.” A tall, fair skinned man strode from out of the woods. His bright red hair, tied back in a horsetail, poorly concealed the pointed ears typically sported by those of the elvish race.

Kai gulped. In his condition, he was no match against this elf, nor could he transform and fly away. “Maroh…”

“Now, shall we?” Maroh smirked, putting a hand around his sword’s hilt.

Kai charged, despite the pain, hand wrapped firmly around the handle of his sword. The two elves met, and the ring of clashing blades reached high over the cheers of the soldiers and the roll of thunder. The wind howled as their ferocious battle roars grew louder with their effort. Kai could feel his strength waning with his loss of blood, just as he felt his movements grow clumsy and slow. Maroh towered over him, as quick as ever and stronger than their last encounter. Kai knew one thing about this battle: it was over before it started, Maroh the victor.

With a careless swing, Maroh knocked the sword cleanly from Kai’s hands, sending it flying over the cliff. He turned, tucking his foot beneath Kai’s, and easily tripped him. Kai landed heavily on his back, yelping involuntarily when he jarred his shoulder. He cried out again when Maroh drove his own blade into the ground, grazing Kai’s side enough to pin him down. Maroh knelt beside his opponent, evil smirk curling his lip.

“You give up, yet?” he remarked. “I know you’re out of magic.”

Kai coughed. “Over my dead body. You’ll never catch me negotiating with Goron!”

Maroh sighed. “You know that means war, don’t you? So next time we meet, one of us will have to die.”

“Not if I end it here…and now.”

Maroh raised his eyebrows, puzzled. His jaw dropped when he saw that eerie glow emanate from Kai’s right hand, the dark green magic flooding the area. Before he could jump to his feet, bands of that magic had surrounded him and wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his sides and tying his ankles. He thrashed against a force he couldn’t control as Kai tore away from the sword, worsening the gash on his side as he shot to his feet. A wave of the green flame blocked the other men’s advance, keeping the elves to themselves.

Maroh glared at Kai, amber eyes shining in rage. “Why, you – ”

Kai stared back just as haughtily. “Maroh, I won’t tell you again: get out of this war, else you will regret it. There is no point in two of the same family fighting each other.”

“Ah, save it! I made my choice thirty years ago, just as you’ve made yours!” Maroh’s eyes glazed bronze as his own magic poured from his left hand. He focused especially on the earth Kai stood on. Kai staggered, spreading his feet to maintain his balance, as the rocks shook, breaking free of the cliff itself. The rocks shuddered, moving at Maroh’s mental command, and fell.

Kai had no chance to grab the ledge; he plummeted with the boulders. He fell seemingly forever, the rocks falling faster around him. He thought he might die from a hard landing when he felt the sharp, cutting tug of limbs around him. They tore through him, ripping into him through his long sleeved tunic and pants, the larger ones slicing his hands when he latched onto them to break his fall; they, too, gave way due to the velocity he was traveling. He felt several more thick branches break against his back and shoulders, but he still fell.

The trees may have slowed his fall, but he still landed heavily on the ground. He laid still, the shock of his sudden stop setting into him. He tried to move, but he was far too sore and weak to shift completely. His eyesight began to blacken as his gaze fell on the startled figure of a young woman…He blinked as she rose, golden hair brushing her hips…He fainted as she approached him hastily, purple magic shielding them as more boulders fell from the sky…

(This is the third time you’ve done far too much, Kai…I cannot keep protecting you from the fate you are setting yourself!) a deep, booming voice echoed in the back of his mind as a soft but warm power flowed through his weakened form…