The Story of the First Elf

[Jennalaia]

The Story of the First Elf
Dictated by Carrmin Okiri



Table of Contents

Chapter One - Winter, "Cathmor"
Chapter Two - Spring, "Caelian"
Chapter Three - Summer, "Collyn"
Chapter Four - Autumn, "The Unknown"

(Note: Images will be brightened as the story continues. When all the parts of the story are told, perhaps even the Deity will show their face.)

 

[Jennalaia]

Chapter One - Winter, "Cathmor"

Once upon a time, in the first age of humans, in a time where it was common to stay in a pack...

There was a man that was alone.

He hunted alone, he lived alone, and he slept alone. How the man survived those dark, difficult days was anyone's guess, but he did. A single figure on the plains, slaying great beasts that were hundreds of times his size. It was said he was the most powerful human, and thus he was also the most ruthless one. Men, women, and those that did not conform to the social construct we call the gender binary quaked in fear at the mere mention of his name. For this part of the story, he will be known as Cathmor.

Cathmor was a handsome fellow, with impressive skill in the hunt. Men, women, and those that did not conform to the gender binary, despite quaking in fear, also frequently swooned when he walked past, as he had a jaw that could make chiseled marble weep and dark, silken hair that flowed in the wind despite there not being shampoo because it hadn't been invented yet. He was solidly built, with sinewy muscles like cords of steel beneath flawless, smooth skin. It is also said he was quite fashionable with how he dressed in animal skins and set forward many trends that archaeologists would later accept as the only way anyone dressed, because how could you even think to dress any other way?

One day, Cathmor passed through a settlement on the way to his next hunt. He had heard of a powerful beast in a nearby forest, and passed through with the intent to slay it. However, the people at the settlement were particularly adamant. "Do not go into the forest," they said. "It is protected by a powerful Deity. If you kill anything in there, you will suffer a terrible fate."

Cathmor did not listen to them and continued on his way. Soon, he came to the forest. This forest was very thick, and as soon as he entered the light all but disappeared, and he navigated by skill alone. The roots at his feet wrapped around his calves like ropes, trying to stop him from going further, but Cathmor could and had already experienced crushing a man's head between his thighs, so he simply kicked the vines off and kept going. He had been told the beast spent most of its time in a glade in the center of the forest, so that glade was his destination.

Quite suddenly, Cathmor was afflicted with sunlight as the forest opened up and he reached the glade. It was a beautifully peaceful place in the middle of the forest. A thin creek ran through one corner of the glade, providing a place for the creatures to come and drink. A soft breeze rustled the wildflowers, whispering secrets in the petals that only the forest knows. A few butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, drinking their fill of nectar. The clearing was the picture of the wild, untouched by humans.

And in the very center of the glade, there lay an infant dragon, snoozing in the sun.

Cathmor knew this species of dragon. This species of dragon would grow up to be bloodthirsty, a true bane to the existence of man. Once it reached adulthood, this small dragon laying in front of him would raze countless villages and have scores of bounties laid upon its head by those demanding its death.

But for now, its talons were bloodless. Its heart was pure. It had yet to harm a living creature, for it had come into existence but a few days beforehand. This dragon was nothing but an infant, and for now it dozed in the sun.

Cathmor, however, did not care of the dragon was a baby or not. If it was not killed now, in a decade or so it would be razing the countryside and threatening young maidens. If it was not killed now, it would spread untold chaos and carnage. And so, he drew his blade and beheaded the beastling.

Immediately, the sky darkened. The breeze died. The brush behind Cathmor thickened, sealing him within the clearing. And a voice echoed through the glade.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

The breeze picked back up, and transformed into a freezing gale that tore Cathmor's bloody sword from his hands and carried it far into the woods. A flurry of leaves blew into the glade, swirling about each other. When they blew away, Cathmor's breath hitched in his throat. Before him stood a humanoid figure, but Cathmor knew immediately that they were anything but human. The being was tall, with dark skin, and wore grass-green robes that flowed in the wind. Their hair, cascading down their shoulders in golden waves and curling around their feet, looked soft as a cloud, and Cathmor's fingers curled inward at the sight of it. The man's eyes traced every line of the being's angular face, along with the antlers sprouting from either side of their head and the beautiful golden markings that seemed tattooed on their skin. The being had narrow, piercing forest green eyes, and they wore an expression of total fury.

The figure spoke, and Cathmor recognized the voice as the one that had spoken a moment earlier. "You have slain an infant," they said, shaking in anger. "A child. What could you possibly say to justify the murder of such an innocent creature?"

"It would have grown up to kill my kind," Cathmor replied. "Hundreds of my people would have died for its meals."

"And what of it?" the being snapped. "Do you think there are hundreds of dragons in this world? There are millions upon millions of you filthy humans. A few hundred of you can die and it will hardly dent the population. What of the dragon's mother, who will mourn the passing of her child?" The being took a step towards Cathmor, who tried to step back but found his legs fast bound by roots of nearby trees. "Do you know how many dragons your race kills in a year? Simply because a handful of you are eaten? You are the only creatures that try to lead genocides against such creatures simply because some of you die! That is the order of nature!"

"Do you expect us to stand idly by as our family and friends are eaten?" Cathmor shouted. "As they're killed to be a flying lizard's food supply?"

"Do you expect dragons to do the same?" the being countered, stopping directly in front of Cathmor. "As they are killed to sate the bloodlust of humans? Your actions will only lead to more useless carnage. Do you understand what you have done, human? You killed a child. An infant. And you attempt to justify it with what it might have done. Should I kill you, and justify it with what you have already done?" Cathmor opened his mouth to speak, but the being continued. "But death would be too simple a consequence for such a deed. You have killed something innocent and helpless." A cruel smile twisted the being's pretty features, and for the first time true fear chilled Cathmor to the bone. "Perhaps you should see how cruel the world is when you are also innocent and helpless."

The being put a hand to Cathmor's head and murmured something, and the world began to change. Cathmor's clothes grew, the trees grew, everything grew. And then Cathmor realized that it was not the world that was growing. Instead, it was he who was getting smaller.

Within moments, Cathmor had regressed into the body of an eight-year-old child, and the being released him. The once-fearsome warrior, now hardly much more than an infant himself, collapsed as the roots that had been holding him tightly unwound from his legs and sank back into the ground. "What have you done to me?" he growled.

The being above Cathmor looked triumphant, a cruel gleam in their eyes. "I have cursed you into childhood," they declared. "Experience the world as a child once more, human, and perhaps you will see how truly terrifying the world can be."

Cathmor looked at the being looming above him, at the cold cruelness reflecting back at him in those bright emerald eyes, and realized that this being was far more ancient and far more powerful than he could ever comprehend. Over the years, Cathmor had learned to undo several kinds of spells, but never something like this. He didn't even know if it was possible to undo. Would he be stuck like this forever?

No. Cathmor was not a man that would be defeated as easily as a simple aging spell. There had to be a magick somewhere that could undo such a curse. Or he could wait it out, into adulthood once more. Adolescence would be bothersome, but Cathmor did not think of it as much more than a bump in the road. There was always a way out of even the most impossible situations. This being could not keep him young forever.

The being must have seen the defiance in Cathmor's dark eyes, because their triumphant smile faded. "What are you thinking?" they said softly. "That you will find a way out of this? That I am the evil one, because I have punished you for your actions?" They crouched down so they were level with the now-tiny Cathmor, and Cathmor held his breath. Those eyes seemed impossibly old. "Do you think you will find a way out of this?"

Despite the situation, Cathmor's defiance could not be held. He looked the being in the eye and said, with his small head held high, "There is always a way out."

The being's expression twisted in anger, and once again Cathmor felt that primal fear in the pit of his stomach. "You humans," they said, spitting the word as if it were a curse. "You humans always think you're the cleverest! That you'll always discover a way to circumvent the laws of nature! Do you think I will stand idly by as you find a warlock to undo my enchantment? Do you think you can simply outgrow your curse!?" The being drew themselves up to their full height, fury flashing in their eyes. Cathmor tried to shuffle away, but the roots of the trees snaked up once again from the ground and held him fast.

"No," the being snarled, beginning to crackle with green energy. "I will not let another human's arrogance defy my laws. I will not be thwarted by your ridiculous, stubborn nature." Their eyes gleamed with a sort of madness. "You will NEVER rid yourself of this burden, and I SHALL MAKE IT SO!"

The being launched themselves at Cathmor, and the world went dark.

When Cathmor came to, there was a great pounding in his head. His entire body ached and steamed as if it was moments away from spontaneously combusting, and he felt quite sick. After some time, the pain finally began to fade and Cathmor could move again. He slowly got to his feet, clumsy in his new, smaller form, and looked around. The green-robed being was gone, and the forest was once again bright. Cathmor's clothing was quite baggy and difficult to move around in now, but fortunately he was able to improvise with a small dagger he still had and made them fit again.

Cathmor did not know where the being had gone, but he did not want to stay too long to find out. His throat was very dry, so he made his way towards the creek in the corner of the glade. Cathmor knelt to drink from the creek.

And then he froze. For the person that stared back at him from the water was unrecognizable.

The person was a child, which was somewhat expected. A child with dark skin and short, silky black hair. A child dressed messily in ragged fabric that had been altered to fit his new, smaller form. All this Cathmor had already expected. But the child staring back at him had long, pointed ears, though not as long as the being's. And, most strikingly, the child's large eyes were the same vibrant emerald green as the eyes that had looked at Cathmor with such utter contempt earlier.

As Cathmor tried to let these new strange features sink in, a voice spoke from within his head.

Pitiful brat, it said. Cathmor yelped and pitched headfirst into the stream, shocked, for it was the voice of the inhuman being that had attacked him. The voice snickered. Did I surprise you that much?

Cathmor spat out water and climbed out of the creek, which was fortunately not that deep. "What have you done to me, spirit?" he demanded.

How rude, the voice sniffed. I am far more than a simple forest spirit, ignorant human. And it is not so much what I have done to you, as I have done to us.

"What?"

Cathmor could almost hear the triumphant smile in the voice. I have used your own power to fuse with you - permanently. So long as we are like this, you will not age past adolescence. The voice paused. I suppose that also accounts for the physical changes on your body. I have certainly never done this before. It seems I've been absorbed by you - you humans are naturally more corporeal than beings such as myself. I expect I'll be able to manifest on the physical plane soon enough - likely only to you, though. Cathmor could definitely hear a smirk in the voice's tone now. If you speak to me too much, other humans may think you've lost your mind.

"Who are you?" Cathmor asked, squeezing water out of his waterlogged cape. His metal greaves were now useless in this small body, so he simply left them on the bank.

Ah? The voice sounded amused. Cathmor swore he could see the being's figure from the corner of his eye, just barely there. You wish to know who I am? Very well, since it seems we are going to be stuck like this for a long time, I will tell you my name.

The forest rustled as the breeze picked up. Cathmor, for the first time, noticed that the forest was somehow much more... welcoming than before. No, it wasn't that. He felt more at ease, more at home, as if the forest were his natural habitat.

My name is Eryl Lexi Fenna, the voice said, and this time Cathmor definitely saw them out of the corner of his eye. But when he turned, they were not there. I am the Deity of the Forest. And now that you and I are one, I expect you'll live to my lifespan.

Death, Cathmor realized. Death will release me from this curse. "And when do you die?" he asked warily.

Eryl Lexi Fenna, on the edge of Cathmor's vision, smiled cruelly.

I do not.

And thus we end the Winter Chapter.  

[Jennalaia]

Chapter Two - Spring, "Caelian"

This part of the story has not yet been told.  

[Jennalaia]

Chapter Three - Summer, "Collyn"

This part of the story has not yet been told.  

[Jennalaia]

Chapter Four - Autumn, "The Unknown"

This part of the story has not yet been told.