As the group neared a forest, Nury and Arland both stiffened.

"What's up?" Alryc asked.

"We're being watched..." Arland said, his voice growing quiet.

Lyn turned and began scanning the horizon, "Where?"

"Forward. Left of the path ten feet. Thirty up the tree. Don't look directly," Arland said.

Lyn swept her gaze across the edge of the forest, sure to run her eyes over the spot he'd pointed out, "I see."

"There's two. One above the other. Can't tell if there's more."

"Probably are," Nury added.

"They're armed. Bows. I think we're in trouble."

Lyn looked at the trio, "How do we know they're not just protecting their forest?"

Alryc grunted, "They could be. But they haven't come out or said anything."

Nury shrugged, "We could turn and leave?"

Arland sighed, "No, we need to know if the vardor are here."

"I guess we have to take the risk, then," Alryc said, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Arland stepped forward and took a deep breath, before calling out, "Hello! We are just passing through!"

A voice called out, "What's your business in these woods?"

"We're searching for the various elves."

There was a drawn-out silence before a different voice called out, "The vardor are long gone from this world."

Arland held up his hands in a peaceful gesture, "I know they're not. My mentor met them herself."

Another long moment of silence before the first voice replied, "Name?"

"I'm Arland, a student of Leera of the lumier elves."

"Leera? how fares she?"

Arland shook his head, "She is indeed gone from this world."

"Then how do we know you are who you say you are?"

"I cannot prove myself, but I can promise this: Disarm us, keep us under threat, and hear what we've to say."

There was another long moment of silence before the voice responded, "Very well. We'll be watching you, and if any of you so much as twitch wrong, we will put an arrow in you. We'll send someone to lead you in. Leave your weapons here. They'll be brought along behind you."

The group shared a look before they removed their weapons, setting them down on the ground, and waiting.

After a couple of minutes, a figure stepped out of the brush. An elf with dark skin, long white hair, and red eyes.

"I'm Kamen, the guard who will be escorting you. Please, follow me. You're going to be taken to our leader. I assure you won't be harmed so long as you don't give us reason."

Arland nodded and fell into step behind Kamen. Nury, Lyn, and Alryc followed along.

They were led through the forest, through trees, and under boughs. Over logs and through streams. After nearly an hour of travel, the group entered a village and came to a stop before a large building at the end.

"Wait here," Kamen said as he entered the doorway.

Moments later, Kamen stepped out, followed by a woman. She also had white hair, though her eyes were violet.

"You claim to know Leera?"

"She taught me swordsmanship, love, and morals. I trained with her from the time I was eight," Arland explained to the woman. "She basically raised me."

The woman held his gaze with a long moment of silence before she spoke, "Very well." She turned to head back into the door, "Come long. Your companions will be taken to lodging while we speak."

Arland nodded and followed the woman. Inside, the walls were covered with carvings and paintings. There were a pair of sofas on each side of a coffee table. A window let light in, showing a small herb garden on the windowsill.

"Please, sit," The woman motioned towards the sofa and sat across from him.

"Thank you. I am Arland. May I know my host's name?"

The woman smiled, "You've been taught well. My name is Urlir. I'm the head of the hunters here."

Arland went to respond when another elf burst in - this one the spitting image of Leera, though her hair was longer and blonde rather than strawberry.

"Is it true Ur?! Is there a traveler here that knew my sister?!"

Urlir smiled, "Yes, Lyriel this gentleman here."

Lyriel looked at him with wide eyes, "You... You're a human."

"That I am."

"How did you know my sister?!"

Arland took a deep breath and began his story, telling them everything about his time spent with Leera. Her training him, raising him, and loving him shortly before she passed away.

"You're like a brother to me..."

"What? No, Lyriel. I'm nothing like a brother to you."

"You are! You've known her since you were eight, and she was your mentor and lover! She was my blood sister so you're like my brother, Arland!"

She came around the couch and sat next to him, "Oohh... I've never had a brother before... Can I... Touch you...?"

Arland gave a soft laugh, "Go ahead. I'm not gonna bite."

Lyriel nodded and touched her fingertips to his cheek, "You're so warm... and your scruff is rough but it feels kinda good. I can see why Leera liked you."

Arland looked into her eyes, "You look just like her. Her hair was a little more red-tinted, but your eyes especially... They're just as kind."

Lyriel smiled up at him as her hand wandered down to his neck, "Thank you. I'm glad for that. She was always so beautiful."

Urlir cleared her throat causing Lyriel to jump back, "SORRY! I didn't mean to get carried away!"

Arland chuckled, "It's fine. Your village has been hidden from human eyes for a century, so it's not surprising that you're curious."

"Nn-mm," Lyriel shook her head, "It's not that you're human. It's that my sister spent so much time with you. You look human, but... Well, your soul feels elven." She looked over at Urlir, "We should hear him out, Love."

Urlir nodded, "Agreed. So why'd you come, Arland? You've sought out the Vardor. You've found us. And with weapons no less."

"I was told of the Vardor by Leera. That she stayed here with you rather than her people for much of her life, learning swordplay from your people."

Urlir nodded, "Indeed. I'm the one that trained her. She was good, but I fear she had a long way to go when she left."

Arland took a deep breath, "If that's the case, I suppose I should thank you as well. But she had planned to rescue her people from the demons. She suggested that we come back and plead our case to you, despite you refusing before."

Urlir took a deep breath, "I didn't refuse. I'm not an elder. I only manage the hunters. It was their decision. If it were up to me, I would've joined her in a heartbeat."

"Then I should like to meet with these elders. The situation has changed."

"I'll request a meeting in your stead. How has it changed, precisely?"

Arland met her gaze, "My lover is a dragoness. One of my companions is a goblina. The dragoness is more than capable in combat and the goblina has plans to imprint goblins to aid in our fight."

"And what of the other?"

"Alryc? He's a fair sword. Former knight and guard captain."

Urlir took a breath, "Understood. But you haven't mentioned yourself."

"I'm decent with a sword and I can use fire magic."

"Tell you what... Dual me. If I see your skills are satisfactory, it'll go a long way in proving that you're capable of this quest of yours."

"It's not my quest. It's Leera's."

Urlir stood, "Just the same. If the one arranging the fighting force can't hold his own against a single foe, what use would he be on a battlefield?"

"There's a big difference in tactics between a mass-scale battle and a singles match."

"That there is, Arland. But I doubt anything less than stellar performance will change their minds."

Arland stood and held his hand out, "Then I trust you'll arrange for it?"

"Indeed I will. Lyriel, escort our warrior here to his friends. Arland, I'll meet you tomorrow. Come with a bloodlust or die to mine."

Arland nodded his understanding to her before turning to follow Lyriel. She led him out of the room and down a winding pathway, before coming to a block of cells.

She turned to him, "Sorry... When we moved, we didn't bother setting up guest houses..."

"But you set up a jail?"

"The vardor are a warrior species. without war, conflicts break out. We've got a few that have spent more time in these than at their houses over these past hundred years."

Arland nodded, "Then perhaps it's a good thing I arrived to offer a chance at war. Even if it is half a continent away."

Lyriel turned and wrapped her arms around him, "Thank you, Arland. Not for the chance for the vardor to regain some of their lost glory, but for giving me peace of mine about Leera. Dead or not, I'm just glad I finally have some peace of mind."

Arland patted her back, "I'm glad the news was able to bring you some peace. I'm sorry I wasn't able to come here with her."

Lyriel released him and took a step back. She opened her mouth to speak when the hunter that had brought them here approached, "What is he doing here? They're to be in the guest house!"

Lyriel turned, "There isn't one, Kamen."

Kamen turned and pointed, "There. The elders decided he should stay there since Shii'leath passed away last month. It's better than it just sitting empty. Granted, there's still an armed guard, but the prison is no place for guests of the tribe, Lyriel."

"Fine. Take him to the guest house. And I want to know immediately when the elders gather to hear him."

Kamen nodded and turned, "Follow me, Sir."

Arland gave a small smile, "I'd rather not have the 'sir' business. Just call me Arland."

"Understood."

He led Arland along a winding path through the town. Once they were far enough away from the prison, Arland asked, "So, tell me about Lyriel."

Kamen turned his head as they climbed some stairs to the second layer of the village, "Why? You looking to add to your harem?"

Arland shook his head vigorously, "No! Sorry if it seemed that way. I'm only with Nury, the dragoness. Lyn and Alryc aren't seeing anyone at the moment to the best of my knowledge."

Kamen grinned and continued his way up, eventually stopping at a house, "Here we are. Make yourself at home. Dinner will be brought in an hour. For tonight, you'll be confined to this house. Tomorrow, the elders will have their say. We'll go from there. Don't try to leave. You don't see them, but you are still under guard. They're under strict orders - should you leave before I come for you tomorrow, you'll be shot on the spot."

Arland took a deep breath and bowed his head, "Very well."

"Good night, then, Arland."

With that, Kamen turned and left. Arland entered the house and saw the trio waiting.

"So... What's the verdict?" Alryc asked, leaning back in a chair.

"I'm to stay here for the night, and then tomorrow, Urlir is going to duel me to see if I'm good enough for them."

Lyn raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?! You're the best swordsman I've seen!"

Arland sat at the table with them, "I'm good, but Urlir was Leera's original trainer. I think she wants to duel me as a means of gauging her former student."

Nury stood and walked over, wrapping her arms around Arland from behind, "Well, let's rest and get some sleep. We can deal with that tomorrow."

Arland nodded and stretched, before turning his head and planting a soft kiss on Nury's cheek, "Yeah, that sounds like a plan."