The Alfheim Archives

The Village Of Sescheron

  As I stood up, with the two kids holding my hands, I felt like I was truly doing something good. I thought about my mother and how she would feel about this. I could imagine her smiling at me and saying, "That's my boy. You go Leviathan.'" I felt the hole in my heart pulsating as I truly noticed the emptiness in my life. I felt a tug on my arm, bringing me back to reality. The kids were looking at me with hope. "Let's go find your Mom and Dad. I'm sure they are looking for you." As we made the trip to Sescheron, the kids chattered my ears off. They told me about their mom and dad, their dog Zazzles. Their friends in school. I replied and answered every question they asked. But, as I answered another question, I trailed off because I could've sworn, I felt a pair of eyes burning holes through my back. I looked around, curious about what was causing it but I couldn't see anything nor no one. But then, a question was thrown out that returned my attention to the children as it caught me off guard. "Where are your mom and dad?", asked the younger of the two." I hesitated. "My mom is in a place where she can't be terrorized by the Dark Elves. My dad, however, was taken hostage by the Darks. They are still with me though."

 They asked me another question that was hard to answer. "What are they like?" asked the older one. "They were wonderful. They were both naturalists. My mom was beautiful, with a voice like silk. My dad looked like a prince ( more like a male model but I wasn't going to say that out loud) but had the heart of a pacifist. Neither of them liked to fight. But they had to go away because of the Darks. I know they loved me though." I struggled to keep the tears out of my voice and eyes. They smiled at me and ran forward. "Let's play a game of Tag! It will make this walk more funner!"  the younger one exclaimed. I couldn't help but laugh at the youngest's way of speaking as the older one ran up and yelled, "You're it." She tapped my arm and ran off. I started to run after them, pretending that they were too fast for me. 

After we had run a couple of yards, I stopped dramatically, fake wheezing. "You guys are too good at this. I can't tag you. Either of you. How are you so fast?" They both laughed and ran up next to me. They held out their hands and struggling to be heard over the other,  they both said, "You can tag me." I smiled and decided to tag them both. "How about we play some I-Spy? I spy with my little eye, a pair of kids who are too fast for me." They looked around and then realization crossed their faces. "Wait, that's us!", they both cried. "Aww, you guys are too good at this too. How about you try to spy something?" I asked, chuckling. "I spy with my little eye, big blue hills that are everywhere.", said the younger one. "Hmmm. I don't know. I can't seem to find any blue hills. What are they?" I replied, making sure to act oblivious but not too oblivious. "It's the mountains. They are everywhere." They were adorable. "Oh, so that is what you spied, well you are just too good at this." The older of the two screamed in delight. "It's Sescheron. We're home!"

 I looked up to see she was correct. On the horizon, there was the outline of Sescheron. "Momma! Daddy! Where are you?!", yelled the little boy. As we walked into the village, all of the villagers flocked to us. "They're back!", yelled the villagers. Two elves ran to the front. A homely looking woman and a burly, happy-looking man. "Brecken! Liza! You're home!", cried the pair of elves, as they pushed their way through the crowd. They dove to their knees and embraced the two children, as tears flowed freely down their faces. They looked at me with relief and silent thank yous. The one named Brecken said, "This guy saved us. When the mean elves were bullying us, he walked up and whooped their butt!" Liza squealed and started telling a glorified version of my battle with the elves, with Brecken chiming in every other sentence. Surprise rippled in all of their faces, as the children told their story, explaining our game of tag and I-Spy I played with them afterward. They laughed at how they were too fast for me and I couldn't tell what they had spied. I merely shrugged when they finished, not sure what to say.

 The parents stood up and came to stand in front of me. "How can we ever repay you for bringing our beloved Brecken and Liza back to us. We have few things of value since the Dark Elves came and took our stuff away, but we have a little food we could offer." I just looked around, seeing the state of desperation the village was in. As I returned my glance to the faces of the parents, I made up my mind. "I will take nothing for doing a deed that was the right thing to do. I saw a pair of children taken from their parents by force, and being terrorized. The only proper action was to save them and return them to their family. I am thankful for your offer of food but I am able to survive off what I hunt. That and I hate to say it, but it is quite obvious you villagers need the food more than me." I watched as relief flooded their faces, and I knew that I had made the right decision. The father spoke and made another offer. "You may not take our food, but I insist on you taking one of my few horses I have. You are more than welcome to look at what I have and take whatever one you wish." I considered refusing but I noted how long the trek to Farandar was and how long it would take on foot to get there. "I believe I will take up that offer sir. I must get to Farandar to sign up for the military and I have a long way to go."

 The father's face suddenly became serious. "You're joining the military? You have such a kind heart. How are you going to deal with all the Dark Elves you will have to kill? How are you going to deal with the responsibility of their deaths?", asked the father. I merely glanced at him as I replied. "The elves took my mother's life in front of me and took my dad hostage. I have seen nothing but destruction since I walked away from my home in Adasqueil. And every bit of it was because of those damn Dark Elves. They take humor from watching terror and tears in the eyes of children. I have seen enough of their destruction, and I swear on my life I will do what I can to make it end so no more Darks can take pleasure in watching the terror in children's eyes and no family will have to go through what I have." I swore to him. The father's reaction told me he knew the feeling. "Well please, take a horse and go on your journey. But first, follow me."