Chapter Three

A blistering backache seized the demon’s senses as his eyes creaked open. The first thing that appeared in his sight was silver hair that rested on a face covered with the hood of a cloak. He immediately shot up in alarm, resting his weight on one arm against the damp grass. His heart raced while his memories were flooded with the panic of the hundreds of falling arrows towards him.

His head dashed side to side, observing nothing but open plains and the elf who had been resting on his stomach beside him. No guards. No magic arrows.

“Hey,” he called towards the elf. There was no response. Is he dead? he thought just as he noticed the elf’s back move up and down in rhythm. “For now…,” he whispered to himself and went over to the elf to clasp the elf’s arms together behind his small back. A purple-black cloud formed around the elf’s forearms. The demon performed the same magic on the elf’s legs, immobilizing him.

With the elf restrained, the demon finally felt at ease enough to think. He could tell he was safe and no longer in the prison. No one else seemed to be present in this area, or anywhere near. The searing back ache reminded him of the elf who had whipped him, which only added to his confusion. At that moment, he thought of the elf’s betrayal, but the present circumstances proved otherwise. Why had he done that? Who brought them here? Why are we safe?

Slowly awoke the elf, whose attention has been brought to by the shuffling of the demon’s feet on grass. He groaned in weariness as he tried to prop himself up, only to find his arms and legs stuck in position.

“So, you’re awake? Tell me, how did we get here?” The demon walked over to the elf and looked down, without caring of the panic washing over his face.

“Could you… take these off?” asked the elf in a calm voice despite his emotions that displayed the opposite.

“Answer me.”

Eial was too distracted by the restraints to care about the demon’s words. In quick motion, the elf rolled himself towards the demon and the demon instinctively jumped back. In successive movements, the elf had enough time to stomp the ground with both feet and chuck a large mound of soil at the demon’s shins, causing him to topple forward.

“Fuckin earth user too, right.” The demon shot a wave of dark energy forward to soften his landing. Unfortunately for him, also revealing his back.

With another stomp to the ground, the elf hurled another piece of the earth to the demon’s broken wing.

“AURGH!” the demon shrieked in agony and anger. The moment of pain had been just enough distraction for the demon to lose control of his magic, including the shackles binding the elf.

Eial, now free, sat up while using the water from the damp ground to encapsulate all of the demon like a mummy except for his face and where his wings attached on his back.

“Fucking cheap move, bastard,” he swore in demon’s tongue.

“Sorry, but…,” he apologized. “Sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, get me the fuck out of here,” bit the demon, squirming, his dignity shattering by the second.

“Only if you don’t do that again.”

“Fine!”

The elf let go of his magic and the second he did, the demon was immensely tempted to betray his words. But at the last moment, he decided otherwise. He needed information and playing by the elf’s wants would be the easiest way to get it. Especially considering the weakness the broken wing brought.

The demon moved himself to sit crossed-legged, leaning forward, and ignored the obvious caution surrounding the elf.

“So, tell me now. How did we get out? Are the guards still after us?”

“The guards are probably looking, but this place should be safe for now.”

“Where are we?”

“Halsborow. South of Leinthen.”

“How did we get out?”

Eial paused and thought for a moment, his eyes glancing to the left.

“How did we get out?” impatience enveloped the demon’s speech.

After biting his lower lip, he breathed in and reached a conclusion. “I found a corner less guarded than the rest and jumped off and used wind to carry us down.”

“The guards didn’t follow?”

“No, I made a huge dust cloud to hide us.”

The story seemed to make sense, yet also seemed extremely off. Or rather, too easy.

“That’s it? And we’re here? Completely safe?”

“That’s it.”

The demon decided to not push further, realizing he wasn’t going to get more information from the elf. Though, he thought that perhaps more questions would help fill in the holes to the story the elf had made. One of the most important questions being—

“And why the fuck did you knock me out?”

“I—,” started Eial, visibly apologetic. Then continued, “I’m sorry, it was easier for me if you weren’t moving.” These words held more truth than anything else said by the elf so far.

A fire started to gain oil inside the demon. The puny elf had thought this grand demon was useless enough that he’d be better off unconscious. How arrogant was this elf?

Eial felt a sort of uncertainty welling up in him, wondering if he should have mentioned that at all. Noticing the demon’s speechlessness, he assured the demon, “I just- it’s just- your wing was broken. If you were awake, it may hurt more trying to balance on wind. So if you were out, you wouldn’t feel it. I didn’t want to see you in pain.”

“Sure,” the demon responded blankly, burying his rage within. You don’t know the extent of my power. I could have wiped out a whole row if I decided to kill. And wiped you out, too, he thought, as if talking to the elf. His internal monologue restored some of his dignity. Enough at least, that he was able to go back to investigating the little being.

“Elves. By definition, they can be attuned to one of four elements: earth, water, fire, air. Or they can be energy users— light users or healers.” The demon took a moment to observe the elf, looking him straight in the eye. “So what the hell are you?”

“I’m an elf…”

“Mhmm. And I’m an elf, too,” the demon said sarcastically with the most disbelieving eyes.

“You are?” wondered the elf for a brief moment until he caught on to the demon’s tone. “Wait, no, I really am an elf! I just… I was just born like this.”

“Like what?”

“Like this.” The elf made a movement with his hands jestering to himself. “You know, like a user of all four elements.”

That part was obvious to the demon. But an elf being able to control all four? He’s never heard of a case. Granted, he’s never heard of any other creature being able to control elements, either. “You sure you're an elf?”

“Yeah.”

“Are there others like you?”

“I don’t think so…”

“How about your parents? They’re both elves?”

“Yeah…” there was slight hesitation in the elf’s voice.

“Where are they?”

Eial’s lips pursed, and he looked down. His voice trapped inside.

“Well?”

Eventually he let out in a soft whisper, “they abandoned me as a baby.” His voice cracked in the middle, which surprised even him.

“Well then how do you know they were elves?” The demon prodded further, disregarding the discomfort from the little elf.

Eial brought his knees to his chest and hugged them, tucking his face to hide it. “No more…”

“Huh?”

“No more, please.”

The demon finally decided to have enough courtesy to let the subject pass for now and went onto a more pressing issue: “How long until the guards find us?”

Head still tucked, the elf answered, “They probably won’t find us for now. I can hide us in a barrier… in a little bit.”

“Hmm,” the demon responded and joined the elf in silence.