Young Writers Society

Why...do I keep...having to...run!

Other than shouting ‘hey’ at me, the group of humans from before didn’t chase me. I was tempted to follow them for awhile and see what I could learn. After all, I have no idea how this world works, other than those general summaries given to me before I was dragged in here. I don’t even know if any of that stuff is true. I mean, I look like the character I designed, but I cannot use the gravity magic I picked.

Womp!

Pain coursed through my body. I ran headlong into a tree while lost in my thoughts. Stupid tears, can’t get distracted. After my amazing escape from the doom kittens and those human adventurers only moments ago, I ran into a group of evil looking monkeys. They truly were monkeys in every sense of the word, but their fur was lined with metal spikes. There was an odd purple light surrounding their bodies. I run between the trees as best I can, ducking every time they grab at me from above. I have no idea what they want from me. But I would rather not find out.

I hear the wind around me shift, so I dive to the floor, a monkey's hand just barely missing me. I don’t know why but I could hear the wind move when anything got to close. My ears picking up on things enough to allow me to avoid these monkeys without looking.

As soon as I slam into the forest floor, I quickly roll to the left, a evil monkey slamming his fist into the spot I was only seconds ago, the force of the punch knocking dirt into the air.

That would have instantly killed me.

I force myself up, grabbing a stick from the ground as I quickly run, throwing it at the monkey as he starts moving towards me. The stick bounces harmlessly off it, yet It screeched before jumping back into the trees. Scary. This world is just too scary for someone as weak as me. Unable to do anything to them, I am just forced to run. I’ve seen no caves, no lakes, no signs of a town, without some shelter I’m going to die.

I quickly turn, shifting my weight to the right as another hand reaches for me, turning around and sprinting in the direction I just ran, a group of familiar voices arguing in that direction. The adventurers from earlier, they were arguing about me from the sounds of it.

“Look, we’ll just follow her for a bit and make sure she’s okay.” I heard Lore say. “No buts.”

“My plan would have been easier.” A hurt sounding Crux muttered, in a oddly booming voice.

I don’t know what you guys are planning, but I hope screaming monkeys were involved. I cry out, making sure they can hear me before I jump to the right, a monkey dive bombing my previous location.

“Already?! She just left.” Lore said as I rushed past her.

I lasted a whole three minutes, at least give me credit. It’s not my fault that everything wants to eat me.

I was tempted to run right through them, hoping they can handle the monkeys on their own, but then that Quill grabbed my arm, stopping as I was passing him by.

“You’re going to kill yourself if you keep running,” He muttered, after that he let go of my arm, a jewel encrusted bow staff appearing in his hands. “Just so you know, my plan was to knock you out. Don’t tempt me.”

I feel like he is joking, but, I don’t like this man.

Since I can’t escape I shift my eyes to Crux and Lore who both pull out swords, stabbing into the swarm of monkeys that had been dive bombing me in the trees only moments ago.

Why aren't they hiding in the trees?

Unable to think of an answer, I can only appreciate their fighting skills. Crux was like the wall I imagined him to be; his targets almost gravitating towards that shield of his, letting him slam into them before he cut them into two.

Lore was like a acrobatic dancer, she jumped in between the trees like gravity held no sway over her, carving up each of her targets with so many rapid slashes that they disintegrated under her barrage.

If they really wanted to stop me, I wouldn’t have gotten away. Was there even a point to me running?

The seemingly endless swarm that had been trying to kill me were gone in seconds, giving away their lives without even showing the tactics they had used only moments ago.

“Now then,” The black haired giant girl said, fire flowing out of her hands. She pointed them at the various corpses, fire quickly incinerating the remains. “Avery.”

I take a deep breath. “Yes?” I don’t know what they might do to me. Not only am I a Half-Alvear, the race most hated in this world, but after they let me go I led a bunch of-

The giant lady is hugging me again!

“*In public I’m* Curse, *with friends I’m, Maeve.*” She whispered, still hugging me into her chest, but it sounded like she was whispering gently in my ear. I could understand it, like English, yet I knew it was different. She was talking another language, probably, the language of the Alvear. She let me go, setting me on the ground before pulling back her hair, exposing her ears. Almost the same as a normal humans, just slightly elongated with a pointed top. Hardly worth mentioning, and any one can learn a new language, but I could see her point. She’s the same as me.

Nervous I decided to share my own ears, I don’t know why, but it feels like the right thing to do. When I designed this character, I didn’t really think about the ears much, I made them as long as I could possible make them while still being able to hide them behind hair. Perfect secret elf ears.

As I pulled back some hair, I found myself suddenly hugged again. "A first generation." I guess second generation means I'm a proper half-Alvear, while she might have a few more human ancestors? Curse was squeezing me into her chest tightly enough that it started hurting. “You must have had it so hard.” She whispered, letting me go again.

Not in this world, but I should probably play along to some extent. If I can paint the right picture, I can probably get away with my ignorance of the world.

“Well? Is she willing to stick around now?” Crux yelled, before running over to us, smiling, his oddly picturesque face painted with monster blood somehow didn’t scare me.

Now to start the painting. “I-I’m sorry,” I nervously mutter, the fear of failure making my speech all the more realistic in my mind. “I only escaped recently, and figured you guys were here to capture me again.” Since I read that most Alvear are slaves, let's start with the obvious.

“Of course not dear,” Lore pipped in. “We were just surprised, most escaped Alvear slaves make up a new name if they have enough sense to hid their ears.” That's a good point.

“W-well, before escaping,” I stop for dramatic effect. “I lived most of my life locked up in a room. I didn’t know any names, until you mentioned yours.” There, problems explained away.

Curse suddenly hugged me again. Whats with all the hugging?!

“Don’t worry, we’d never let you suffer like that again.” Curse whispered in my ear, I could feel her tears.

Hey, how tragic do you think my story is? I want to mellow it down, but there might be some magic truth reader that I don’t know about; Half truths are all I have. Maybe I could claim I spent most of my time studying?

“Quill, do you have a spare robe?” Lore said, while digging through a bag I didn’t see moments ago. Oh right, I’m almost naked aren't I? The rags I’m wearing aren’t all that appropriate.

“Of course I do, but why don’t you offer some of your clothes?”

“You know why.” Lore said, a few seconds later, Curse finally let me go, a massive robe quickly wrapped around me. Well, massive given how short I am now.

After that, they quickly set up a camp, tents, cooking wear, and all sorts of tools appearing from thin air around me, building a camp on the spot before I could process everything that was happening. After setting everything up Curse threw a fireball in the middle of the camp, the burning orb hovering there without any fuel as Crux walked over with the corpse of one of those evil monkeys. He quickly carved, cooked and served it like they had lived off of these monsters for years. I would have hesitated, but an overpowering sense of hunger filled me as soon as a plate of the meat was set in front of me.

Goodbye evil monkey, your flesh was delicious.

"Sorry about the robe, we'll start heading to town tomorrow," Lore said, offering me another plate as soon as I finished the first. "We'll get you some cute clothes then." 

Huh, "What are you planning to do with me?" I ask. 

"Don't worry dear, I would never abandon you." Lore said, patting my head. 

Eugh! Don't touch the head! I'm not a two year old. 

"Oh! That reminds me, we're going to have to give you a human name." Good idea Lore, but lets play ignorant. 

"Why?"

"Well, you're going to have to blend-" 

"Snow!" Crux suddenly yelled, "She's pale enough for it." 

"Why not Bait?" Quill pipped in, laughing "She draws monsters in easily enough." 

"Wouldn't Jinx fit better then?" Crux asked. 

"A birth name shouldn't fit anyway." Lore pipped in. "What about Echo?" 

They're just talking about me now. I want to name myself, but I don't know how naming works here. It seems like it's just words, but that's probably not all.

"My name's Quill and that fits me just fine," Quill argued, pointing dramatically at himself, before turning to me. "How about silver?" 

"I don't know?" What else can I say? 

"Mist then?" Crux offered while looking at me, "I mean that doesn't fit, but should sound nice." Good enough, I nod. "Ha, I win!" Crux half shouted. As if the whole process of naming me was a minor distraction they quickly shifted into another topic. Talking about the route back, gossip, new weapons, what they're going to do with their money. Since I didn't really have much context to work off of, it was all non-sense to me, just boring white noise that sent me gently to sleep. 

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Authors Note: Finally time to leave the forest of whats-its-name! 

David, Avery, Mist. I hope I don't confuse anyone with all the names I gave him/her! 

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!  \ ^.^ /