by Chris Cranny
"AAauuugh, why does everything have to be so complicated?" wondered
Luse. Why can't I just go back to the days when killing was sooo simple,
without having any strings attached? I can't even turn around without having
some purple, silly, friggin' idiot or some other pyscho pop up on me. What do
I have left? After all I've been through? Nothing! Nothing except the cold
steel of my knife...that is. Heh, heh, you've always been there for me,
haven't you buddy?
Luse was sitting down on top of a hill, which was surrounded by a small clump
of trees, and a valley down below. "Hey, I'm an Elf, Elves are supposed to be
lucky!" yelled Luse aloud to no one in particular.
To his surprise, someone answered him! "Ahhh... but you are lucky my friend,"
said an old man with a silky white beard, who was dressed in a deep violet
cloak and was carrying a staff.
"Who...who... are you?" said Luse.
"Who...me?" said the old man. "Why, I'm just an ordinary human...just as you
are an ordinary Elf."
"But, I'm not an ordinary Elf," said Luse.
"Exactly," said the old man. "Lusiphur, you're lucky that you survived all of
the things that happened to you; you should be thankful that you're even
alive."
"Crow! how do you know my name, old man?"
"Lusiphur...do you remember the warlock who used your eye to summon Six-Tell
Amlah?"
"Yes...but I don't see how..."
"Lusiphur, I am the wizard who was the sworn nemesis of that warlock."
"Well then, why didn't you stop him when he ripped out my eye!"
"Because I was away on business...very important business," countered the
wizard.
"Oh really, what did you have to do...heal some other stupid human?"
"Oh, I think you'll agree that it was more important than that, when I tell
you that I was asked to kill a Dark Troll!"
"A...a...what?!!!?"
"A Dark Troll!"
"But, they were supposed to have died out!"
"Yes, supposed to! But, did anyone ever really know for sure?"
"Well...no, I guess no one was sure. If there are still Dark Trolls, though,
that does raise some serious questions!"
"Yes, it does," said the Wizard, "and even though I killed one of them, I'm
pretty sure that there are more. Anyway, I've been watching you, Lusiphur, and
I'd like you to accompany me on my quest to find out where they're hiding out
at, since we couldn't hope to kill all of them."
"What makes you think I'll agree to this?"
"Well, I'll admit that there won't be any busty Elf chicks for you to shack up
with, but I will guarantee you a lot of gold and I am a very powerful wizard,
and I have learned how to bring the dead back to life...if that would assist
you in any way." At this the wizard grinned wryly.
"Hmmm...this seems too convenient, Wizard. I've had more than a few bad run-
ins with humans in the past and I don't trust them."
"So what's your answer Elf? Be it nay, or yay?"
"Nay..." said Lusiphur, "and don't call me Elf!"
"Okay...suit yourself," said the wizard, and he began to walk down into the
valley. When Lusiphur was out of ear shot, the wizard muttered to himself,
"You'll be sorry."
After the wizard left, Lusiphur sat down by a tree at the edge of the valley
and began to take a nap. When he awoke he was still angry at the wizard,
what a weird old bird, he thought to himself.
Earlier it had been foggy, and now the fog parted, revealing two huge
mountains beyond the valley, and a series of caves far up in the mountains.
Hey, that kind of looks like someplace I've seen before, thought
Luse. Suddenly, the children's fairy and pixie tales, that his dear mom had
read him became fresh in his mind. He was staring right at the mountains where numerous
trolls were said to live. It was said that in the valley that he looked at,
the very first 1/3 of the Dark Trolls were cast into the pit and became Elves. Now, the pit was a gigantic valley with a lot of big old
trees that creaked in the wind. Somehow, he hadn't noticed all of this before
he had gone to sleep. That's it! thought Luse. That weird Wizard
must've been hiding this place from view, or maybe just blocking my mind. I
did feel a strange pressure at the back of my brain when he was around.
Well...no matter, I'll just walk back to town (Luse's hometown, he had
been feeling nostalgic).
Suddenly, Luse realized that he couldn't even see his town.
"Shit on a Pixie! Now what am I gonna do?"
As if in answer, Luse thought he saw a wisp of smoke coming up from the
treetops on the far left side of the valley. As tough as Lusiphur was, right
now he couldn't help but feel scared. "Well, this time, I'll be damned if they
get any of my body parts!" And with that he began to walk down into the
valley. As he walked down into it, a peculiar feeling came over him, and he
felt as if he was one of the first living souls to have set foot in it in a
long time. He eventually came to a small dirt path which seemed to be leading
toward the smoke. He knew that Dark Trolls didn't build fires, so he at least
knew that he wouldn't have to deal with them; if he COULD even deal with them,
that is. Now, there was a house in sight, the path that he was on spiraled
around the house and went further to the left, probably led out of the valley,
he thought to himself. But the house was Elvin size, so he decided to stop
there. The house itself, was carefully carved out of oak and looked very
sturdy, as if to withstand a giant's fist. Lusiphur breathed in deeply, and
knocked on the door, using a knock that signified to other Elves that he was
an Elf. A limber young Elvin girl with a bow in one hand and a dagger in the
other answered the door.
"Hello. We don't get many travelers around here."
"Actually, I'm not a traveler, I'm just trying to find my way home."
"Well, the nearest town's about thirty-some miles away."
"Really? I don't know what I'll do then."
"I guess you'll have to stay," smiled the girl.
Sure, why not? thought Lusiphur, I could stand to meet some more
girls. The girl showed him inside, and soon after a couple of mugs of
ale, the two were heavily talking.
"So...what's your name?" asked Luse.
"My name is Minera," said the girl. "What brings you here?" she asked.
Luse explained what had happened and she shuddered. "What's wrong?" said Luse.
"Oh...this is bad," said Minera. "I must tell Sanctuary at once!"
"Waitaminute!" said Luse, "you know about Sanctuary?"
"Yes, I just joined a week ago."
"I used to be an Assassin for them," said Luse.
"I joined them to watch over the valley of the trolls, and make sure that
everything is ok. They don't just kill people, you know," said Minera.
"Oh...no!" screamed Luse. "This is the valley of the trolls? That's just what
I need!"
"Calm down, said Minera. I'll just send a messenger to Sanctuary and they'll
send some reinforcements."
"NO! don't do that either," said Luse. "I'm not on good terms with them."
"Hey, what's YOUR name?" asked Minera.
"I, am, Lusiphur Amerillis Malache."
"Oh, I've heard of you, wow you've been through a lot."
"You can say that again," said Luse.
END CHAPTER ONE
Chapter One
E-mail Chris Cranny at alienwks@pionet.net