<em>First Meeting with the Elves</em>


    "How much longer?"


    Perhaps it was alreadyte at night. I made the assumption, for I couldn''t see anything. All I could see was the bright decoration on Lucia''s waist dancing around. Of course, if the bright triangle green mark was moving on my waist, I''d feel a bit morefortable. However, the result might be very frightening. I was felt a little poor, though, due to the rocking. The wind induced a headache.


    Lucia, who was in front, turned her had around and yelled, "We''ve arrived."


    It was still pitch ck in front of me. Lucia tugged her horse reins. I couldn''t react in time; fortunately, Lucia was quick enough to grab my cloak, thereby pulling me off my horse. Hence, it continued running forward. I heard something sharp stab into flesh. The next thing that I heard was the horse falling to the ground heavily and itsst groan.


    Lucia threw me onto the ground. I almost yelled as a result. To be fair, though, Lucia, being as small in stature as she was, couldn''t hold up a grown man with one arm. She massaged her arm then yelled out inint toward to the darkness, "Can''t you be a little nicer to your own kind and guests?"


    Someone in the darkness replied, "Our own kind would know of our existence, while guests would see the sign ''Do not enter, Strangers'', on the threes up ahead."


    I heard rustling from both sides of the bushes. I rubbed my eyes. I didn''tck vitamin A, but I still couldn''t see how the elves, who appeared in the darkness, looked. Perhaps it was too dark. Suddenly, a few sparks appeared followed by a lit up torch. I saw a group of elves dressed in uniform armour with identical triangr sailor caps. They all had long swords hanging at their waists and a timber bow in their hand. Their long ears were the same as Lucia''s, except that they didn''t wear expressions simr to the elves I imagined. Their gazes didn''t contain a tinge of friendliness, and neither were their actions.


    <em>''What happened to the stories of elves being friendly and peaceful? I''ve never seen a friendly race shoot down someone''s horse and them before they even met.''</em>


    "Human, you should be aware that we elves don''t wee any humans in our forest."


    The male elf drew his long sword as he approached me. I quickly raised my hands to indicate that I wasn''t hostile as I slowly backed down. I lingered for a moment before speaking: "I wasn''t aware. I don''t know much about you elves… I''ve only just arrived here…"


    "Hah!" The male elf broke out into hystericalughter. He aimed his sword up to my neck and coldly said, "We don''t like you humans and your glib tongues. You humans'' have been proven yourselves to be liars with elven blood too many times. Either you get lost now, or you can join your horse."


    <strong>*ng!*</strong>


    Lucia knocked the sword away and dashed out in front of me. She coldly looked at the elf in front and sternly eximed, "I wrote a letter to you already. This human is my friend; he''s our friend who''s here to help us. We don''t wee humans, but we''ve always trusted our friends andrades. Is this how you treat my friend!"


    The elf immediately bowed his head as a sign of apology, "I am very sorry, Madam Lucia. I am very sorry."


    The other elves behind also immediately bowed and loudly apologised to me: "We are very sorry, esteemed friend. Please forgive our rudeness."


    "No, it''s nothing… I don''t mind it. More important, have you prepared the vouring?"


    "Yes."


    The elf in front of me immediately handed me a small bag. I took it. I was truly grateful for the gold that was light as a feather. The product was worth thousands of gold coins, yet was just this small bag in front of me. I opened it. The elf passed me a torch. I took out a few grains of the vouring and held it up to the me to take a look. The sad part was that I couldn''t get a clear visual of the vouring underneath the me. Plus, I didn''t have a scale to measure the weight.


    "Rest assured. We elves are honest andpetent. We provided the right volume. We can stake our integrity on it. As for the quality, you will be satisfied."


    Lucia leaned over to me and took a look at the vouring. I could tell that Lucia nned to rush back. Indeed, a long night meant more chances of nightmares; therefore, it was best for us to hurry back. I was sure that the elves wouldn''t reduce the volume. If there hypothetically was less, it didn''t matter as long as I was paid. It was that simple.


    I said, "All right. We''ve obtained your vouring and shall return now."


    I fastened the bag up. As an insurance measure, I tied it to my belt with two loops. The elves nodded, and Lucia reciprocated it. She stretched her hand out: "Hand me your sword, bow and arrows. We might run into trouble on the way back."


    "We shall fight by your sides, then!"


    I immediately protested to end the elves desire: "You mustn''t do that!"


    The elves were totally different to how I imagined them. They were ecstatic as soon as they heard there''d be fighting. They seemed incredibly keen to rip the enemies up. I sternly said to the elf in front, "The people chasing us are humans. If you kill humans, humanity and elves may be faced with a hostile standoff. You''re allies that fought the demon race together. Do you really want to ignite another war over this after the war ended?"


    "If your humans attack our hero, then that is a deration of war against us, as well. We elves are not afraid ofbat. If you humans want another war, we will not hesitate to ept your challenge!"


    "Stop. I know that you''re all brave, but war is never a good thing."


    <em>''No shit, Sherlock!'' </em>


    The first one to cop the bullet if a war broke out was Veirya. Our territory was on the border of humanity and elves'' territories, so she''d be the first one to be attacked. That was why I couldn''t allow the war to happen.


    Lucia strapped on a bow, arrows and her long sword: "I''m fine either way, but let''s put aside a war with humanity for now. We have another war, one that belongs to us. Pretend as though you knew nothing about this. I will deal with this. I won''t let anyone hurt me; however, I don''t want for this to lead to a bigger conflict."


    "We shall follow yourmand, Madam Lucilia."


    The elf in front bowed to her. Lucia dismounted: "I can''t ride with somebody on one horse anyway. Walking at night is pretty much the same as riding a horse. We''re heading back now. Go back and inform my brother. Tell him to prepare to fight. This time, we must save our forest!!"