Chp. 11 Feeling a little unwelcome

  Ava and I had been traveling for days through the forest, following the map that Ava's mother had given her in case she wanted to return. She was the leader of an elf village hidden deep in the woods. We finally reached the edge of the village, which was surrounded by a high wooden fence. We could see the tops of the houses and the trees inside, but no sign of any elves. Ava knocked on the gate, hoping to get someone's attention.

  "Hello? Is anyone there?" she called out.

  There was no answer. She knocked again, louder this time.

  "Please, we need to speak to the leader. It's very important."

  Suddenly, a dozen arrows flew out of the fence, barely missing us. We ducked and ran back to the cover of the trees.

  "Whoa! What was that? I’m feeling a little unwelcome here" I exclaimed.

  "They're trying to kill us!" Ava said.

  "Why? We didn't do anything wrong!"

  "I don't know. Maybe they don't recognize us?" I asked.

  "You're half-elf. And you're their leader's daughter." I continued "They don't know that. Or maybe they don't care."

  We heard a horn blow from inside the village, followed by shouts and footsteps. We realized we were surrounded by armed elves, who pointed their bows and swords at us.

  "Stay where you are! Don't move!" one of them commanded.

  "Who are you? What do you want?" another one asked.

  "We're here to see the Eleandora. She’s, my mother." Ava said.

  The elves laughed mockingly.

  "Your mother? Don't make us laugh. The leader has no children. Especially not with a human."

  "It's true. She left when she was 8. Tricked by a village elder." I told them.

  We showed them the ring she had given us, which had symbols for the elements on the bottom of it. The elves looked at it with curiosity and suspicion.

  "That's one of our rare elemental rings. But how did you get it?"

  "Her mother gave it to us” I said.

  The elves whispered among themselves, unsure what to do. They decided to take them to Eleandora and let her decide their fate.

  They tied our hands and led us through the gate, into the village. Ava and I saw many elves staring at them with curiosity and hostility. They felt scared and alone.

  They were brought to a large house in the center of the village, where they were pushed inside a room. They saw a woman sitting on a throne, wearing a green dress and a crown of flowers. She had long blonde hair, green eyes and pointed ears, just like Ava.

  She looked at them with surprise and recognition.

  "Ava? Jensen?" she whispered.

  She stood up and walked towards them, tears in her eyes.

  "Hi mom, we are back again" Ava said.

  She hugged Ava tightly, as if she never wanted to let her go.

  She kissed her cheeks, then turned to the elves who had brought them.

  "Untie them. Now." she ordered.

  The elves obeyed quickly, apologizing for their mistake.

  "Who are these children?" one of them asked.

  "She is Ava my daughter, and this human may be the savior of our entire world." she said.

  "Sorry about the harsh treatment” she said.

  “Last time you where hear we kept it as more of a secret only allowing you to go to certain parts of the village. After you left, I was going to inform the guards of your existence and inform them that the two of you are allowed in the village at any time. Suddenly we have started to have a lot more attempts to enter our village. At first it was as simple as a figure in a dark cloak asking if they could enter, after they were denied, Trolls have attacked to try to break our defenses. We have not had an attack for several days now. The guards were just trying to do their job, and since I had not had time to inform the guards of you, they did not know what to do. They have been on edge several elves have died recently, and death is something elves do not normally worry about. We are not sure what they are after. We never let out siders in, but we have also never really had someone one tries to break in. So, we have tightened our security.” she continued.

  “But anyway, what has brought you back so soon? “She finished.

  “Not that my daughter needs a reason to visit our mother.” She added with a smile.

  She took their hands and led out of the throne room. As they walked out of the throne room Ava, and I looked around the village as we had never gotten to look at it the first time we were here.

  The elves' village, Elvira, was a hidden and peaceful place in the forest. It was built with harmony and respect for nature. It had houses made of wood and stone, gardens full of flowers and fruits, fountains of clear water and streams of sparkling light. It had a library full of books and scrolls, a workshop full of tools and crafts, a temple full of statues and prayers. It had a council hall where the elders met and discussed important matters, a training ground where the warriors practiced and honed their skills, a marketplace where the merchants traded and sold their goods.

  The elves were a proud and noble race that valued wisdom and beauty. They had long lives and graceful appearances. They had pointed ears and fair skin. They had different colors of hair and eyes. They had different talents and abilities. Some were skilled in magic and healing, some were skilled in archery and swordsmanship, some were skilled in music and art.

  The elves were also a secretive and isolated race that distrusted outsiders and avoided conflicts. They had few allies and many enemies. They had suffered from wars and persecutions. They had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations. They had seen the corruption and destruction of the world.

  The elves were led by their queen, who was also their high priestess and their oracle. She was the most powerful and respected among them. She was the one who communicated with the gods and the spirits. She was the one who made the laws and the decisions. She was the one who protected and guided them. She was Ava's mother Eleandora.

  We were greeted by the other elves, who were curious and amazed by our presence. We were taken to the Eleandora's house, where we were offered food and drink. We were also given a chance to rest and recover from their journey.

  The next day, we went to the council hall, where we met with the elders and the warriors. We told them their story and their mission. They told them about the training and preparing for something even darker that was on the way. The reason as they believed I was in this world. We asked for their help and for their weapons, armor, and support.

  The elves listened to them with interest and concern. They were impressed by their courage and determination. They were moved by their loyalty and love. They were touched by their sorrow and hope.

  They agreed to help us. But they could not agree to give them weapons and armor.

  Eleandora explained “We will be more than happy to help you, my daughter. But Elven tradition says we cannot just give you armor and weapons. Those items are only given to elven warriors.”

  She sees the look of discouragement on both Ava and my face.

  “Why so sad? I told you we would help” she continued. “While we can’t give you the items you requested you can earn the items. If each of you become Elven warriors, then you will be given your own set of armor and weapons.”

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  “But let me tell you this is no easy task” she warned.

  Ava and I looked at each other at the same time, we knew that this was the only way forward, and we had to get stronger.

  “How soon can we get started?” I asked.

  “You could take the test as soon as you want, but I would suggest taking a little time, even though I feel you don’t have much, to train first. This will not be an easy challenge and you will learn that fighting an elf is not the same as a monster out in the wild.” She finished.

  “Tomorrow, I will introduce you both to some of the best elven warriors we have, I will instruct them to train you, when both them and you feel like you’re ready, we can run you through the test. How does that sound? Eleandora asked.

  “I think that sounds like a great plain” I responded. Ava agreed immediately.

  The next day she led us to the elven training grounds, where they saw dozens of elves practicing various forms of combat. Some were sparring with swords or daggers, others were wrestling or throwing punches and kicks, and others were shooting arrows or throwing knives at targets.

  The Eleandora introduced us to Polemistis she said he was the general of the elven warriors. She told Polemistis to introduce us to his comrades as his new recruits, and assigned them a tent to sleep in. That we are to be treated like any other new recruits. Polemistis told us that we would start our training the next day at dawn, and that we should rest well.

  Ava and I were both excited and nervous about our challenge. We knew it would not be easy, but we were determined to prove ourselves worthy of the elven training.

  The next day, we woke up before sunrise and joined the other trainees at the training field. The elf leader greeted them and explained the rules of the course.

  "You will have to complete five tasks in order to pass," he said. "Each task will test your physical and mental abilities in different ways. You will have to work together as a team, but also compete against each other for the best score. The tasks are as follows:

  - The obstacle course: You will have to run through a series of obstacles, such as ropes, nets, walls, pits and traps, as fast as possible.

  - The sword fight: You will have to duel each other with wooden swords until one of you yields or is disarmed.

  - The archery contest: You will have to shoot as many arrows as possible at moving targets within a limited time.

  - The stealth mission: You will have to sneak into an enemy camp and retrieve a flag without being detected or captured.

  - The final test: You will have to face me in hand-to-hand combat."

  He paused and looked at them with a serious expression.

  "Are you ready?" he asked.

  Ava and I nodded nervously.

  "Then let the training begin!" he shouted.

  The first task was the obstacle course. Ava and I sprinted through the course, dodging swinging logs, crawling under barbed wires, climbing over walls, and jumping over pits. We worked as a team, boosting each other up and pulling each other out of trouble. We were both agile and quick, but Ava had an edge over me in balance and coordination. She leaped over the last obstacle, a row of spikes, and crossed the finish line with a triumphant smile. I followed her a second later, panting and sweating.

  The second task was the sword fight. Ava and I picked up pit wooden swords and faced each other in a circle marked on the ground. We bowed respectfully, then began our duel. We exchanged blows, parrying and counterattacking with skill and speed. Ava was more aggressive, trying to push me back with her strength and reach. I was more defensive, waiting for an opening to strike with my precision and agility. We matched each other move for move, neither gaining an advantage over the other.

  The sword fight lasted for several minutes, until Polemistis called a halt. He looked at Ava and me with approval and said, "You both fought well. You have good technique and spirit. But you also have room for improvement. You need to work on your stamina and your strategy. You rely too much on your natural abilities and not enough on your mind. Remember, a sword is only as good as the hand that wields it."

  He then declared the fight a draw and told us to move on to the next task.

  The third task was the archery contest. Ava and I picked up their bows and arrows and stood in front of a row of targets. The targets were wooden boards with circles painted on them, each circle representing a different score. The targets also moved back and forth, making them harder to hit.

  The elf leader explained the rules of the contest. "You will have to shoot as many arrows as possible at the targets within a limited time. The higher the score, the better. But be careful, if you miss the target or hit the wrong one, you will lose points. Are you ready?"

  Ava and I nodded and drew their bows. The elf leader blew a whistle, and the contest began.

  Ava and I shot our arrows with accuracy and speed, aiming for the center of the targets. we both had good eyesight and hand-eye coordination, but I had an edge over Ava in concentration and calmness. I ignored the distractions around me and focused on my breathing and my aim. I hit more targets than Ava and scored higher points. Did I forget to tell someone I went to state in archery back in high school oops ha ha Ava had no idea I knew how to shoot a bow let alone that I was good.

  The contest ended when the elf leader blew his whistle again. He looked at Ava and my scores and announced, "Jensen won this round. He has shown more skill and consistency in archery. But Ava has also done well. She has shown more courage and enthusiasm in archery. You both have strengths and weaknesses in this task. You need to work on your balance and you’re timing. Remember, an arrow is only as good as the eye that sees it."

  He then congratulated us and told us to move on to the next task.

  “I can’t believe you never told me you could use a bow” Ava said with a mischievous look on her face.

  The fourth task was the stealth mission. Ava and I were given a map of an enemy camp and a flag to retrieve. The camp was guarded by several elves dressed in black, who acted as enemies. The elf leader explained the rules of the mission.

  "You will have to sneak into the enemy camp and retrieve the flag without being detected or captured. The flag is located in a tent at the center of the camp. You can use any means necessary to complete your mission, but you must not harm or kill any of the guards. If you are spotted or caught, you will fail the mission. Are you ready?"

  Ava and I nodded and put on our cloaks. The elf leader gave us a signal and we left for their mission.

  Ava and I approached the enemy camp from different directions, using the cover of trees and bushes to hide our presence. We observed the movements of the guards and waited for an opportunity to slip past them.

  Ava was more daring, taking more risks and using more tricks to distract or evade the guards. She threw stones, whistled, made animal noises, or used her cloak to blend in with the surroundings.

  I was more cautious, taking fewer risks and using more stealth to avoid the guards. I moved slowly and quietly, staying in the shadows and out of sight.

  We both reached the tent where the flag was, but from opposite sides. We saw each other and nodded, then entered the tent together. WE found the flag on a pole and grabbed it.

  We were about to leave when we heard a voice behind us.

  "Stop right there!"

  We turned and saw a guard standing at the entrance of the tent, holding a sword. He had seen us enter and followed us.

  Ava and I dropped the flag and raised our hands.

  "We're sorry, we didn't mean to cause any trouble," Ava said.

  "We're just doing a training exercise," I added.

  The guard looked at them with disbelief and anger.

  "A training exercises. Do you think this is a game? You have trespassed into our camp and stolen our flag. You are spies and traitors!"

  He raised his sword and charged at them.

  Ava and I dodged his attack and ran out of the tent. We saw more guards coming their way. We realized we had failed the mission. But the guards were supposed to be in on it, they were supposed to know this was a training exercise why are they trying to kill us. Were we setup to be killed?

  We ran for their lives, hoping to reach the edge of the camp and escape.

  The elf leader watched them from a distance, shaking his head.

  "They have failed this round," he said. "They have shown more recklessness and foolishness in stealth. But they have also shown more bravery and teamwork in stealth. They both have strengths and weaknesses in this task. They need to work on their awareness and their judgment. Remember, a spy is only as good as the mind that guides it."

  He then sighed and told his men to capture us and bring us back.

  The fifth and final task was the hand-to-hand combat. Ava and I were brought back to the training field, where they faced the elf leader. He looked at us with a stern expression and said, "You have reached the final test. You will have to face me in hand-to-hand combat. You can use any moves or techniques you know, but you must not use any weapons or magic. If you can land a hit on me or make me yield, you will pass. If you cannot, you will fail. Are you ready?"

  Ava and I nodded nervously. We knew this would be the hardest task of all. The elf leader was a master of martial arts and had years of experience and training. We had only learned a few basic moves from Enzo and from watching other hunters.

  The elf leader took off his cloak and sword and stood in front of us. He bowed respectfully, then assumed a fighting stance.

  He said, "Let the final test begin."

  He attacked them with a flurry of punches and kicks, testing our defenses and reactions. Ava and I tried to block or dodge his strikes, but they were too fast and powerful. We felt his fists and feet hit our bodies, causing pain and bruises.

  We also tried to counterattack, but we were too slow and weak. We could not break through his guard or reach his vital spots. He easily parried or evaded our blows, causing frustration and exhaustion.

  We fought for several minutes, but we could not land a single hit on him. He was too skilled and experienced for us.

  He finally stopped and looked at us with pity and respect.

  He said, "You have failed this round. You have shown more weakness and ignorance in combat. But you have also shown more courage and perseverance in combat. You both have strengths and weaknesses in this task. You need to work on your strength and your knowledge. Remember, a warrior is only as good as the heart that drives it."

  He then helped us up and gave us a small smile of encouragement.

  He said, "You have completed the training course. You have not passed all the tasks, but you have not failed all of them either. You have shown potential and promise as warriors, but you also have much to learn and improve. I am proud of you for trying your best and never giving up."

  “That’s my moto Never Give up, Hustle, Loyalty, respect. Go John Cena” I said out loud without meaning to.

  Thy both looked at me like I was crazy. Ava just shook her head.

  Polemistis then announced our results to the other elves, who applauded and cheered for us.

  He said, "You are now eligible to learn some of our techniques. We will teach you what we can, but you must also practice on your own and with each other. You must also respect our rules and traditions, and never use our skills for evil or selfish purposes."

  Ava and I nodded gratefully. We were happy to have completed the course and earned the elven training. We knew it would not be easy, but we were determined to become great warriors.

  We thanked the elf leader and his comrades for their kindness and generosity.

  They said, "We are honored to learn from you. We will do our best to honor your teachings."

  The elf leader smiled and said, "You are welcome among us. We will do our best to help you grow."

  He then invited us to join them for a feast to celebrate their achievement.

  Ava and I accepted gladly. We followed him to the dining hall, where we enjoyed a delicious meal and a lively conversation with the elves.

  We felt a bond of friendship and respect with them.

  We felt like we had found a new family.