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Chapter 3 by BlindSeer BlindSeer

Who Was It?

The Elf

An elf steps forward, without a doubt the single most beautiful woman Yelane had ever laid eyes upon with hair as yellow as the sun and eyes like a pair of matching sapphires that speak to something deep in his mind.

Much of her body is visible, revealing her to be a dainty thing, like a flower. The very image of what Yelane had always thought Elven woman to look like.

She is wrapped in strange attire, seemingly hand woven from a variety of plant life, a cloak made from hundreds of tiny leaves, the skirt of her dress appears to be made from several layers of large palm fronds and all of which being tied together with a thick bramble of vines.

Along her golden locks are flowers ranging in shape and color that Yelane couldn’t even hope to recognize, painting the picture of a fair maiden who’s one with the forest she inhabits.

Gently she bows her head, hand outstretched in offering as she speaks, her voice like a choir of angels.

“Good day, fair lady… might I have this dance…?” Her offer is cordial, even diplomatic in the way each syllable rides her tongue, making it clear she’s asking in an official capacity as well as a social one.

Yelane cannot help but take her hand in his as he gently rises from his chair, heart racing as he’s led out to the dance floor in a daze, utterly enraptured by her beauty.

The elf’ stands 3 feet taller then Yelane, gently resting one hand on his shoulder and taking his hand in the other.

She leads the waltz, her sky blue eyes remaining on Yelanes as she breaks the small silence.

“I am dreadfully sorry… I’ve just now realized I never formally introduced myself… My name is Felicity, daughter of Queen Fay and junior member of the Court Of Petals”

Yelane is taken aback, almost failing to maintain his prim and proper demeanor as the young elf reveals her identity as the daughter of the Elven Queen.

Though his research on the ever elusive elves were surface level, he knows the name; Fay Of The Flowers. She’s said to be the single most beautiful mortal in all of creation while others suggest she’s not a mortal at all, with her enchanting beauty and unparalleled connection to the natural world, the name strikes fear and awe into the hearts of all who hear it.

Felicity giggles softly, her lips curling into a small smile as she takes in the micro expressions upon Yelanes face, no doubt telling her all that needs to be said.

“Indeed, it was her who informed me of my participation at this party…” she trails off, caught in thought before her eyes close a moment and she clears her throat before establishing eye contact once more.

“I must admit this may have been a poor choice of attire given the climate of the region…” she says trying to change the subject which Yelane is more than happy to do.

“Yes, the weather can be cruel here but between us? I’ve always been partial to the cold… it’s easier to deal with”

“Ah, I fear we must differ in our opinions on the subject, I could never live up here, snow and ice as far as the eye can see, not a flower in sight..!” She says with a small chuckle.

“I take great offense to that, dear lady, we DO have flowers here, many of which thrive in boreal conditions!” Yelane retorts, defending his arctic wasteland with a knowing smile, one that’s matched by the elf as she leans in a little.

“Oh…? Mayhap's you’ll need to show me them some time… I do have a soft spot for beautiful, delicate things…” she says, her voice still friendly and diplomatic but the way her lips curl and her eyes stare into his leave no doubt that she speaks in code, no doubt that she’s already taken with one such arctic flower.

“T… tell me of your homeland… I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting unfortunately…” says Yelane, clumsily attempting to transition to a new subject.

“Hm… well as you no doubt know elven kind do not originate from this plane, we come from the first world… or as you’d call it, the feywild… as such we’ve always fostered a special connection with the natural world… we do not eat meat, or vegetation, we instead draw energy from the natural forces that run through all things… plants, animals, storms and the earth beneath us, without harming the natural order of things.” She explains, her words filled with vibrant enthusiasm as she speaks of the storied past and the ways of her people.

“Is it true your people can summon storm or speak with animals…?” Though he desperately wants to know, it’s hard to know what questions are insensitive, what’s taboo.

“Hehe, yes, while not all of us are capable of it, there are those among us who have been granted the ability to influence the natural world, but only because the natural world allows it….” She says with a small chuckle.

“…I’m of the understanding that human clerics operate on a similar principle…” She continues, allowing Yelane to at last speak on something he’s knowledgeable of.

“Well… yes I suppose they would, the gods grant their clerics a portion of their power but they must first earn it through preyer or acts of faith… does that mean this natural world is like a god…?”

“Not quite… while it’s granted us much, most elves don’t see it as a divine ****… but rather as a neutral entity in possession of great power… the forests do not demand reverence, only respect.” Felicity explains.

The talk is interrupted as the music reaches a lull, signifying that this dance has reached its conclusion.

“Ah… I’ve enjoyed out talk, good lady… I do so hope that we’ll share many of them in due time… but alas I must leave you, it would be the height of churlishness to take up so much of your time when you have so many vying for your attention…” her words are polite, stately even but there’s a look in her eyes as she pulls away from Yelane, this will not be the last dance they share.

———————————————————————

The night progresses, drinks are drunk, food eaten and songs danced to but nothing quite matches that same energy as when it was just Yelane and Felicity, the world a distant memory.

The cheerful atmosphere of the ballroom is shattered by a rumble that shakes the room and sends more than a few guests and servants to their knees.

Guests look amongst each other, confusion, fear, and anger can be found on more then a few guests, the music has died filling the room with silence, allowing the noises of the hall to filter in through the door.

The clash of metal on metal, screams both fearful and guttural paint a clear picture of what lay beyond the door. All but 4 guards rush over, swords raises as they put themselves between the door and the guests creating a small line as the room waits with bated breath for whatever it is behind that door to reveal itself.

The noise dies down outside when suddenly the great doors fly open, and pouring through comes demons, vile beasts of chaos and destruction.

They are as varied as the sins themselves, some are gangly and rail thin, giving their limbs a sickly almost skeletal appearance, others are hulking brutes, likely composed of more muscle than bone, with hides covered in ritual scars.

The tides of the abyss fall upon the royal guard like a meteor, bones shatter, flesh torn and armor caved inwards, leaving the guests at their mercy but they do not advance, not yet at least.

Stepping into the room not far behind the horde is a figure that falls outside the standards set by the foot soldiers, this individual at least bares some amount of humanoid features.

She’s humanoid in shape yet she towers over the ballroom guests at over 9ft. in height, her skin is a bloody crimson, horns resting atop her head and curled backwards, she wears fine silks, that grow transparent should one focus on them enough.

“What a lovely party… a bit stuffy though… hmmm… wouldn’t you all be happier without all this pretense..? All these rules and social norms…~?” Her eyes scan the crowd, with each step she takes into the room, the ice sizzles and thaws beneath the clacking over her heels.

“I will say this but once… leave this place and return to the hole from which you dragged yourself or you will be sent back by the blade!” Says Yelane’s mother as she rises from her seat, her hand resting upon the pommel of her blade that remains on her waist.

“Hmm… no… no I don’t think I will… in fact… I think I’ll be staying awhile, your poor guests must be bored to tears… especially you…~” she says, a razor toothed smile spreading across her face like a hideous scar as she sets her blazing eyes on one such man.

“You’ve been eying the waiter for some time Lord Carden… I know what you desire just as well as you do…~ such a strapping young man should be serviced.. shouldn’t he…~?” She says, staring at the older gentleman like a lion staring at a gazelle.

“Y… yes… yes of course you’re right…” he says, his voice indicating that he’s just come to an obvious conclusion.

Gasps are pulled from the crowd as Lord Carden shuffles across the floor and sinks to his knees before a shocked but equally entranced waiter, Carden sinks out of view to at least Yelane but the noises that follow paint too clear a picture to Yelane.

Similar scenes play out across the ballroom as the demoness sweeps her gaze across the floor, banishing inhibitions and giving rise to the most debauched of fantasies.

Only 4 guards as well as Lady Dunwall remain at the queen’s disposal, she stops in her tracks, looking back to Yelane deep in thought before she looks up towards Lady Dunwall.

“Take my child from here… far as you can… should I survive I shall send one of my agents… I put her in your charge…” she says before marching towards her opponent, the remaining guards close at heel.

“N.. no…! Mother…!” Cries Yelane as he’s dragged from the room by his caretaker, Lady Dunwall presses her hand into an otherwise innocuous wall near the twin thrones until there’s the sound of a click, the walls pressing open to form a gap just wide enough to fit them both before the wall closes once more.

The last Yelane sees of his mother is her staring defiantly up at the demon, raising her sword, meaning to chop the foul creature in the legs before Yelane is pulled from the room.

Yelane and Lady Dunwall stand in only one of the winding hallways of the keep, gently she pulls Yelane along.

“We must get to the dungeon… there’s a secret path there… we just need to-“ shes cut short as they turn the corner, where they spot struggle blocking their path forward.

It’s Felicity! At present she’s penned in between two groups of demons that chitter and taunt her, both of her guards lay dead in red puddles.

She won’t last long once the beasts choose to stop toying with her, something must be done!

“We have to help her! She won’t last much longer!” Shouts Yelane, causing Dunwall to sigh, eyes closed as she tries to weigh up the pros and cons of interference in her head before hefting her oversized weapon and rushing to the elf’s aid.

Together they make short work of the demons who were unprepared for the hulking Goliath of a woman to fall upon them.

Felicity pushes a few stray locks out of her face and behind her ear, looking over to spot Yelane she regains her gentle smile once more. “Your help is much appreciated… I’ll not forget this.”

“O.. of course… we couldn’t just… leave you like that…” explains Yelane, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I’ll need to report this to my mother… for demons to invade the material plane like this… it brings to mind bad memories for my people… with luck I’ll be able to move the court to act… …but I can make no promises..” Felicity explains, staring at the pile of bodies.

She turns to take off but she spares a moment to look back upon Yelane before she steels herself and rushes off down a branching corridor before Lady Dunwall leads Yelane continue on down their path.

“If we’re leaving the castle we need to collect what we can…!” States Yelane as the pair travel down the corridors to the escape route.

“Out of the question, we need to make as much space between us and our pursuers as we can manage.” Her words are filled with a stoic determination.

“Without coin or supplies, we’ll just die out there instead of in here, this is our only chance to prepare before we head out into The White..!” Replies Yelane, emphasizing the importance of what she’s saying.

There’s a long pause, Yelane can see the look in Dunwalls eyes as she tries to divine a perfect path through all this strife and yet she can’t, finally she must accept Yelane’s point.

“By the gods.. fine..! What would you have us do then..?” She says exasperated as she turns to the princess.

(Authors Note: You may pick two options before you must depart.)

Where Does Yelane Go First?

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