I started out as a younger tracker in the Tsarven Army. You see, that was our proving ground, our testing ground. All young Elven males who are born into the service of Tempus must serve time with the Tsarven's Peace Keepers. I never understood exactly why, but it had something to do with improving relations between the Elven nation and the Tsarven Empire. Plus, it gave us valuable military experience.

I was not too happy with this. Serving with a bunch of hotheaded humans? Tracking for them, taking orders from them. The running joke with all of us who were leaving for service was that the Humans could not even track themselves, that is why they had to get outside help. Thankfully, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, a close childhood friend of mine was going with me. Same regiment and everything!

We joked, and we had fun, the whole way there. Perhaps we would teach the Tsarven Empire a thing or two about military matters! After all, we had been to the Temple of Tempus, and had learned from the great scholars there about all sorts of matters. Our favorite had been when the Elves fooled the Orc armies, leaving them fighting each other.

For a moment, let me step back. I realize that Elves and Tempus just do not go together.  All our brothers say so, but they do not live in the border lands. You see, we have the Orc nation to the south, the Goblins to the north and to the East are the caves. From which, every evil you can imagine comes from. Every single Elven tribe, in our Nation, has a certain pattern to follow. Depending on your birth rank and order, you will be put with a certain God and following. Tempus, Mielikki, Eldath and Silvanus are the normal ones. Most of us are born into Mielikki and Tempus.

We follow the God of War because we are constantly at War. As soon as we can pick up a sword, we are trained. Not to do so, would result in death for all of us, and our beloved Trees. So, we do it. And we do it well.

Anyways, back to my story. Our first day in the Army was...well...horrible. They made us do all sorts of training, alongside the humans. Pushups, sit-ups, and everything else. As if we were not in good enough shape. Any two humans, we could run into the ground. Granted, they had more physical strength than us on average. But still, an intelligent mind does not need brute force!

So that is how it was, for six weeks. Physical training, day in and day out. By the end, we were both a great deal stronger than anyone in our tribe. Then, we were graduated. Both of us were assigned to the Golden Edge. So named because it is the most beautiful and most dangerous area around.

Our first mission was to scout out a newly found cave entrance. It was about an eight-day ride from where we were. Our grouped got ready, and we went out. My friend and I were always on point. Made life better for us. Did not have to deal with the humans all that much, except to keep them going in the right direction. A good thing they had us, or they would have been lost in a few minutes.

The days were long and boring. The most dangerous thing we saw was a rabbit. Of course, we alerted our leader to this, so that they might not be startled or get routed early on. This earned us both clean up duty that night. Such is life, when dealing with the Tsarven, no sense of humor.

Finally, we arrived. The cave entrance was huge, tracks littered the ground. Goblins, ogres, and all sorts of footprints littered the ground. Even some that looked almost like elven feet. Of course, this could not be. We had no tribes anywhere close to this area. As it was getting dark, our leader had us make a camp off to the side of the cave, in some fairly decent cover. Of course, it is hard to hide 20+ warriors, but we did our best.

That night, it started. Blood wrenching screams. Demonic cackling. It was enough to make any seasoned warrior turn pale with fear. Suddenly, a bright light poured out of the cave entrance. It lit up the whole forest around us, as though it was high noon. That is when they poured out.

Demons, hell spawn and Drow. A great number of them. The demons sniffed the air and smelled our fear upon it. Then the attack came. The swarmed over us. My friend and I were engulfed in a wave of Drow. We did our best to fend them off. Parrying, fainting, going through the motions as we had been taught. The rest of the troop was busy holding off a small horde of demons

Greatly outnumbered, and severely out maneuvered, our leader called for the retreat. My friend and I, both having been wounded severely, tried our best to run. It must have been by the grace of Tempus that we made it past the initial battle alive. No one else was so lucky. The main force of our group was quickly surrounded, and killed, just as the order was given.

And so, we ran. Trying our best to stop the bleeding from our multiple wounds, and still be able to head in a direction that would take us away from that little place of hell. My friend fell first. He had taken a sword in his side. Perhaps not fatal, if tended to quickly. But when on the run, it was lethal. I heard him fall. And I spun to help him. Whatever I could do. That is when two drow leapt from the shadows, and pounced upon him. They tore him limb from limb. Ripped his throat out and began to feast upon his bowels.

There was nothing I could do. I saw them, and I heard more coming. Perhaps, I thought to myself, if I run and live, I can avenge him. As I ran back, I cried, and I cursed the drow, every single living drow. They would all fall beneath my sword, no matter what the cost.

When I returned to my tribe, I was ordered out again. This time, with a holy mission. It seems Evil has been overwhelming the lands to the west of us, and I must find out why, and put a stop to it. If not, our whole nation will fall. Other villages have been sending out people as well, as many as they can spare. My tribe could only spare me.

So now I go. Tending my thoughts of revenge and hoping to save my nation. Perhaps then, my friend will be able to rest.