Before they could respond, the other elves began to wake. They coughed and hacked, shaking their entire bodies each time. Each one woke up similarly, for a moment they forgot where they were only for it to hit them without remorse. Without the first elf’s, who they had yet to learn his name, help they would have kept thinking they were still imprisoned. 

In their light tongue, he explained the situation to them, how Alastair had helped them and given them healing potions to give them a chance at life again. He eventually told them about the promise on the Mother’s and Father’s name. That left them gasping. 

One who looked older started to yell at him. But he fell silent as the first elf said one thing. With wide eyes and tremors overcoming the older elf, he raised his hand touching his scarred ears. 

In a moment that brought even tears to Kendo, the elf fell backwards. He was caught by the others, but they noticed how faraway his eyes looked. That elf knew what that meant the most, so most had to agree. 

They cared for the elderly as the first elf and another who had completely grey hair and a million wrinkles on his face approached Alastair. The grey haired elf walked with his back straight and chin raised, even in his haggard state, he looked noble. 

“Greetings, Human,” the elf said nodding towards Alastair his face emotionless. “I have heard of your deeds from this young one. Not many of Adar’s children would show kindness to our kind these past centuries. I am the one they call Ulirivaka, an ambassador to--no. A once ambassador to the council of Orcs.”

“I am Alastair,” after a second pause he asked, “You crossed the Human realm? Without being caught once?”

The elf raised an eyebrow. “If that was possible, we wouldn’t be here now would we.” For a moment, Alastair noticed a hint of a smile on Ulirivaka’s face. “We rode on my family's greatest sea-voyagers. The greatest the oceans have seen, rivaling the ancients great behemoths of water.”

Alastair frowned. Did they mean ships? Since when could elves command them? Everyone knows that elves wouldn’t set foot in one even if they were threatened with death. 

Ulirivaka took Alastair’s hesitation and frown as disbelief. That had the dignified elf snarl and scrunch up his nose. 

“It is true. From the Haven at Vivili we voyaged around the entire continent. We docked thrice at the deserts of Aribana...you should have seen quite a few land dragon eggs and even a fire drakes egg between them if you’ve fully explored this heinous cave. The Golden Spiked Land Dragon was meant as a gift for my wife back in our home. 

The rest were supposed to be given as gifts to the Royal families. Imagine it, the honor and blessing we would have received! These most precious eggs haven’t been seen in ages! Alas, it was not meant to happen.

From Aribana we followed the currents of the wind and water farther east. But on the day we were meant to enter the waters of the Orcish navy, we were caught in the Father’s anger! I must have done something to receive such punishment!”

Alastair could shake his head. “You mean a storm? You were caught in the middle of the sea in a massive storm? Like Katrina-”

He cut himself off. Katrina? What was that supposed to mean? All he could understand was that it was a massive storm. Or something. But why would a storm be named after a human? Was this Katrina an evil mage hellbent on destroying everyone?

“Yes, Human. So good of you to show how attentive you’ve been.” the sarcasm was so thick the elf behind Ulirivaka flinched. “For over six months, if not longer, we voyaged forward hoping the Mother would lead us. In her great mercy we found land, but none of it was suitable for us to make landing.

 That is a testament to how great my family’s sea-voyagers are. Not once did we have a single drop of water enter our abode! That was until the remnants of the Father’s wrath reached us. We crashed into sharp rocks jutting out of the sea like the teeth of a monster as large as a country. Even our greatness could not match to such brutality. 

In the end we found ourselves waking in complete ruin. Chained and bound by cold metal made to disconnect us from the Mother and her children. We were helpless as that roll of fat of a Human--three times bigger than you--tortured us for something about a map to Hunter’s Treasure. He thought we were thievers and grave robbers!” 

The amount of indignation in the elf’s voice hurt Alastair ears, but that was to be expected with someone who spoke so much. He took every moment to praise his family’s greatness and the ships and how they have been wronged. For a second, Alastair regretted helping, but that was only for a second. 

Shaking his head, he sighed deeply. “Now, we know how you got here. But what will you guys do now? Your deep in human lands neighboring The Dark. If caught you would be executed without a second's hesitation.” 

Ulirivaka’s eyes began to shine a silvery light. A feeling of fortitude and strength came out of him in visible waves. It made all those around him shake  uncontrollably, except Alastair. For some reason he felt nothing, it was like the aura split to get around him instead of crashing into him like everyone else. 

The old elf, looked Alastair up and down with a frown and a healthy dose of surprise. But it only took a few seconds for him to school his expression, returning to an apathetic look. His eyes then  drifted to Kendo and Jacob, who were standing behind Alastair shivering in their spots, and then to the elves behind himself. 

Each of the elves looked haggard and weak, their clothes were torn and ragged. Some were too old to make it through constant attacks, even if they were more than powerful enough to fight back. Others needed much time to get over the horrors they had seen for the past fortnight if not longer.

In the end, Ulirivaka sighed and let his aura drop. The old elf for a brief moment looked his age, his eyes seemed to sink and crow feet looked more prominent. His shoulders looked to have carried a century of burdens if not more and his chin no longer pointed upwards. 

“You are correct. We would not survive...and...even if we had enough strength to return, we would never be accepted by our people. We would be shunned and left to rot in waste and death. That would be the best outcome possible for we are a shameful blot on the elven races. An earless group of elves now swearing loyalty to a Human. A good human, but never the less, a human.”

Ulirivaka waved at the others, they all got up unwillingly and stood behind the wrinkly elf. They grumbled to themselves just quiet enough for Alastair to not hear their words just a whisper of what it might be. But then they stood stock frozen.

Jacob jumped in his spot when they froze like statues before Alastair. But when they moved, he could do nothing but curse in a long none repetitive string. This made it official, completely and utterly official. 

“We’re so getting executed now,” he whispered to Kendo.