An Elf maiden must travel around, fighting in tournaments to find allies that will help her take back her homelands, which have been taken over by an evil mage. But she’s also the heir to the throne, which must be kept secret.

An Elf’s Quest

Chapter 1

Two figures made their way to a popular bar just as the sun set and entered. One was cautious, but the other had a wide grin on their face when they spotted all the people, particularly the men. Of course the two travelers were women.

“Hey, more women!” one of the men sitting at the bar exclaimed. He was already a little drunk, but enthusiastic at the night activities, and that there were now more women with which to flirt.

One of the women glowered the tiniest bit at the one who had announced their presence. The other woman though just grinned and giggled. She nudged her companion whispering, “Come on May. The rumor was that the tournament was being planned here.”

The one named May sighed. “Fine Moonlight. Just as long as I don’t have to fight then I’ll be happy,” she replied.

Moonlight smiled. “Of course May,” she said innocently.

May sighed and rolled her eyes at her friend. Then she walked over to the bar. “Can I have a shot of vodka?” she asked.

The bartender looked over at the woman and smiled. “Of course. Coming right up.”

May watched as the bartender reached for a glass and bottle of vodka and then with a flourish pour some of the liquid into the glass. She suppressed a sigh. People were always hitting on her. It never failed. May had long red hair held up in a ponytail and her gray-green eyes were expressive—though she tended to keep her emotions to herself most of the time. Her pale complexion made her look delicate, and she was, in a way. But she knew how to fight, she just didn’t like to if she could help it. She silently accepted her glass and then sipped at it while turning in her chair to see what mischief her friend would get into this night.

Moonlight walked around the room, gazing curiously at some of the people. She spotted one figure dressed in a black ninja ensemble, but it wasn’t all black. The edgings were done in white but over his heart there was a symbol of a flame but it was also outlined in white. “A ninja from the FireLight Clan?” she thought, “Probably for the tournament, which means this will be a very exciting, if not amusing tournament time.” She emerged from her thoughts to find a few of the other men looking at her curiously.

“Hi,” she said cheerfully. Her long brown hair was held back in a braid and it swung around to hang over one shoulder as she walked to find a table. Her almond-shaped blue/green hazel eyes danced merrily as she realized she had the attention of several men. They were all drinking, a couple of them already drunk, but some were eyeing her with a firm look, even one or two with disapproval in their eyes. She frowned briefly and she looked down at herself. She saw nothing out of place: her slightly dusty soft leather dark brown ankle high boots, her tan leggings molding her thin, shapely legs. The slim silver chain belt still hung lightly around her waist, more for decoration than beneficial purposes—she had a different belt for her daggers. Her green long-sleeved shirt was also still in order. She felt her arm sheaths under her sleeves and ever so slightly flexed them to make sure the daggers would come out if needed. Her skin color was lightly tanned and she couldn’t find fault with anything on her person. Though she was barely 5’2, they could somehow in a very odd way find fault with that. They could be men who like to flirt with women who weren’t as vertically challenged as she, but she didn’t care about that, it never stopped her from doing her own flirting.

Moonlight looked to May and saw her redheaded friend give the slightest of shrugs. She turned her gaze back to the men. One saluted her with his drink and said, “Hi. Come join me and tell me your name.”

Moonlight grinned as she took a seat beside the man. He had short dark brown hair with merry green-gray eyes. If he stood he looked to be about 5’7 or so. He was slightly built, and he was lean. Overall, he was nice to look at.

“I’m Moonlight,” she said clearly for the majority of the people to hear. At that, some of them looked away, but she intrigued the one at the same table and a couple of the others.

“I’m Mystic. And I would have never thought that an elf would come out from where they live. ‘Tis rare,” he said.

So that was what was bothering people! Moonlight thought to herself. She never would have guessed that being an elf would offend anybody. She had to resist the urge to run her fingers over her delicately pointed ears.

“Yes, well, here I am!” she grinned brightly.

May ordered another shot of vodka and with both of them made her way over to her flirtatious friend. Silently handing the other girl the glass she asked, “May I have this seat?”

Mystic looked up at her and smiled, “Of course May.” They both knew each other for almost all of his life and from recent travels they had occasionally crossed each other on.

“So Mystic how have your travels been?” May asked, noticing that everyone else was returning to their own conversations and drinks.

“Bountiful.” Mystic replied, “And yours?”

“Just so. I am now traveling with Moonlight here. She is in search for a tournament we heard rumors of,” May replied casually.

“Well,” the bartender had been listening in unintentionally, “You’ve come to the right place. We’re holding a tournament tonight. Prize is a thousand arxes and a magical artifact granted from the Tournament Council,” he said with a grin. People perked up at the prize, obviously nobody had heard there was a prize until just now.

“Great!” Moonlight said enthusiastically. She clapped her hands together but at one or two pointed stares she sheepishly lowered her head and then sipped at her vodka. But then she downed the rest of it quickly.

“Tournament will begin in two hours. Start signing up people!” the bartender announced loudly over the buzz of the tavern. He produced a large sheet of paper and a few pens and set them down on the bar. People started rising from their chairs and began to surround the large piece of parchment. As Moonlight rose from her chair she also noticed the ninja rising too. After just a curious glance his way, Moonlight turned back to May and Mystic.

“Well May, do you wanna sign up too?” she asked.

“You know how I feel about these kinds of things,” May sighed. “I’ll be here to help heal you, that’s all.”

Mystic looked from one woman to the other until his gaze remained on the elf. “I’m signing up. Maybe we’ll be lucky and get one of the first fights together. I have always wondered how elves fight.” He said, rising from his chair too.

Moonlight looked into his eyes and nodded. Without another word they joined the line and signed their names to the list. As Mystic went back to the table Moonlight hung back at the bar and noticed that a couple of other men, one of them in their late teens, approached May and Mystic, though their undivided attention was set on the redhead. Moonlight smiled evilly when her attention was caught by May and then turned away towards the bar. She slid onto one of the seats and ordered another vodka.

“By any chance could I just order the whole bottle?” Moonlight asked curiously. When the bartender just stared at her she put on one of her attention-winning smiles. He arched an eyebrow at her.

“I have a high tolerance for alcohol. Trust me,” she said sweetly. He sighed and then gave her the whole vodka bottle. “Thank you sir!”

“Please, my name is Akito Shishmouri. We don’t use any kind of formalities around here.” He said, his expression changing to one of slight protest.

“Well, okay Akito. I’m Moonlight.” She said, her smile still in place. She turned away as she took a drink from the bottle and then grinned at her friend when she lowered it. May rolled her eyes and once again and turned her attention elsewhere.

A few minutes later a fight broke out between two drunks. One man, a sword strapped to his back, stepped in and tried to break it. But he was pushed away so he was reduced to use force. He kicked the drunk in the shin, and directed a punch at his mid section. With surprising sudden sobriety the drunk dodged it and launched his own punch.

The man with the sword on his back was able to dodge away from the other man’s fist, but not before the other drunk that had started the brawl came up behind him and hit him over the head. The swordsman looked dazed, but wasn’t unconscious. In fact, it was then that he looked around, spotting that he had taken them all the more closer to the door. But before he could do anything both of them came at him. Meanwhile, Moonlight had been moving away from the bar, her vodka bottle momentarily forgotten in the excitement of the brawl. She was moving to get out of the way, but instead of what she had intended, she just got in the way. And there was no time to move, despite her excellent agility.

The swordsman was forced to grab the elf and toss her out the door before turning back to the drunks.

Moonlight let out indignant sounds as she felt herself being grabbed and then thrown out of the door. It was humiliating!! Picking herself up she dusted off her clothes and then swiftly made her way back in. She wanted to give that man a piece of her mind! She made her way to his side, dodging all the punches and kicks with her elven agility. She punched the swordsman, but before it could actually make contact with his jaw he dodged and kicked at her. That time the kick connected with Moonlight’s stomach and she doubled over. But ignoring the pain she straightened and swung her leg out to catch the swordsman’s. This time it connected, but it didn’t have enough force behind it to do much damage.

The swordsman only grunted and then punched at the drunks before turning back to the elf. He grabbed her, picked her up until she no longer touched the ground and then firmly put her outside before turning his whole attention back to the bar brawl.

All too soon, the drunks were thrown out forcefully from the bar into the street. “And don’t come back tonight or you’ll be banned,” the swordsman said.

Moonlight had waited outside one of the windows and then walked around to the door and went back inside. She reclaimed her vodka bottle and sat down to nurse her hurt pride. But she smiled privately when she heard Akito ask the swordsman, “Who the hell are you?”

“Trak Smot, your bouncer,” the swordsman replied simply in a monotone.

“When did I hire you??” Akito inquired.

“You didn’t, I hired myself,” Trak, the swordsman replied.

Akito didn’t say anything. Actually he couldn’t think of anything to say.

Moonlight, bottle in hand, walked up to the self-employed bouncer and slapped his cheek, leaving a very red handprint behind. “Why the HELL did you throw me out of the door?!” she demanded in a vexed voice.

Trak calmly, despite a stinging cheek, turned his darkened crystal blue eyes back to meet the elf’s green-blue gaze. She took an involuntary step back when she stared into his eyes. They were void of emotion at the moment and that scared Moonlight. She gulped and lowered her gaze.

The self-employed bouncer was 5’9, with a hard, lean body. He was built like a warrior, his skin tone a light bronze. His dark blond hair hung straight down to his shoulders, just barely brushing his broad shoulder line. His simple tank top stretched across his torso and tucked into a pair of baggy pants. His said pants were black and tucked into hiking boots. And the sword across his back was easily three feet long and at least three or so inches wide; a deadly broadsword and Moonlight had no doubt he could wield it well.

“I put you outside for my and your own protection. I don’t want an elf’s death on my head. Elves are merciless bounty hunters,” he added, his voice never changing tone.

Moonlight just stared at him, unable to say anything. He was relentless, she could give him that. But some of his words confused her. She wanted to know why he seemed so confident to know of what her people would do if an elf was killed. She knew her people wouldn’t just go out and kill someone just because one of their own kind was killed. Though if they had a good reason and it was revenge, then she could see it happening. But then again, the Dark Clan was known for merciless killing.

“Well next time just bloody tell me to get out of the gods damned way!” she retorted, turning away from him as he turned towards the bar itself, giving Akito his order. She turned her gaze to settle on her friend and instantly her anger disappeared. May was in the middle of a group of young men, all flirting, or at least trying to flirt, with her.

Currently she had a very small person sitting on her head. Moonlight couldn’t make out what he looked like from where she was, but she knew he liked where he was. She took a sip from her bottle and then sat back against the bar on a stool, her eyes never wavering from her friend and her admirers.

May rolled her eyes, wishing she could see that little person sitting on her head. As it was he hadn’t made any suggestive or flirtatious remarks, but one could never know.

“Xero, why exactly are you perched upon my head?” May asked with a touch of exasperation.

Xero Cordaz, the little person braced on top of the mass of red hair, dropped his gaze to the head he sat upon replying, “Your hair is soft and from here I can see the people around you.”

“But if you shift back into your true height, then you’d be able to see them just as well,” May pointed out with a sigh.

“Not true,” he retorted. “In truth I’m may be 5’11, but some of these people here are way taller than I. Besides, I like where I am thank you!” he added.

Her shoulders sagged ever so slightly as May let out another sigh and rolled her eyes. Her attention was then caught by Mystic, who smirked at her after gazing around all the young men his friend had attracted. May sent a glare at him and pointedly averted her gaze. Mystic chuckled as he lifted his glass to his lips and took a long drink.

Just then one particular admirer became a bit too bold and came up behind May, who stood within her circle of admirers and Mystic, lightly put his hand against her ass. Then said suggestively, “How about me and you go out somewhere? I heard the inn down the street has featherbeds.”

May whirled around to face him, but to also change her vulnerable position. Though Xero almost flew across the room when she turned without warning, he managed to hold on and resettled himself when she faced the new one.

“How dare you!” May seethed at him. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying not to use her magic against him. Her eyes turned a steel gray in her anger. You couldn’t even tell there had been green in her eyes a few moments before.

The young man looked taken back. He almost took a step backward but stopped before he could do so. His eyes widened the littlest bit, but since she turned he took advantage of it.

“Dare that I make an offer to an enticing piece of woman?” he countered, an eyebrow arching ever so slightly.

Mystic smirked, knowing that this bold person just overstepped the boundaries with May. Things would get extremely interesting if May became angry enough to use her powers.

May’s temper rose and it became harder to restrain her powers. Her eyes were the color of steel and they flashed as they locked gaze with the young man.

“How. DARE. You.” she punctuated each word. “How DARE you assume I am some mere lightskirted airhead.” The air around her began to hum, causing most of her admirers to step back. Mystic remained where he had been standing, leaning against a support beam. Xero on the other hand was not certain if he should move, or claim his original size and beat the offender to a pulp, or remain on May’s head. He finally decided that he’d stay, but remained silent so May’s rage wouldn’t turn on him.

Moonlight was watching her friend and restrained herself from cracking up. Scenes like this one weren’t very often, but then it wasn’t often that May would use her magic. She knew May would resort to something magical to discourage bold admirers. Her whole attention was on her friend and didn’t even notice that a few others, including Akito and the mysterious ninja also paid close attention to the redhead.

“I am no more lightskirted than my over-enthusiastic flirtatious elf friend,” May spat out. She clenched her fists tighter, but the hum around her intensified. The air around her also started to shimmer.

The young man was speechless and couldn’t think of anything to say. Though it wouldn’t have mattered, his voice wouldn’t work and it wouldn’t change the woman’s mind. He took an involuntary step back but didn’t get any farther. He was caught in the trap of her eyes and knew in that instant that no one in the bar would help him.

May’s unclenched her hands and then they twitched. With that twitch flames burst into existence on his hair.

It took a minute for everyone to realize what had just occurred, but when it firmly settled in their minds they just stared. The young man’s hair was like a flickering candle, but it didn’t take long before it became a flaming torch. He ran from the girl towards the door to the bar. Throwing it open he ran out into the afternoon light.

Nobody ever saw him after that.

May’s rage cooled and she looked the tiniest bit sheepish—she had let her magic and rage get to her. Moonlight cracked up and had to double over and hold her sides. May glared at her friend, but claimed her seat once more. Mystic joined her, but her group of admirers decided it was a good time to do something else for awhile. It didn’t matter that she was extremely attractive or that she was single, they just didn’t want to be subject to fire or anything else magical if they could help it.

“Feel better?” Xero asked, still perched atop the redhead.

May was surprised he was still there but replied, “Actually, yes.”

“Good.” Xero said. “And next time this happens, I’ll just resize and beat the offender or offenders to a pulp.” He flexed an arm. Mystic smirked up at him but otherwise said nothing.

“What? So you’re going to travel with me and Moonlight?” she asked with a slight snappish tone.

“Seems that way,” Xero shrugged his small shoulders.

May rolled her eyes skyward as if saying, “Why me?” then rubbed at her temple before reaching for the remaining of her vodka. Gulping down the last little bit she said to Xero, “Could you please get off my head now? It’s starting to hurt.”

“Oh, okay,” Xero said as he floated upward. He flew and hovered about a foot away from May. Closing his eyes, people around him curiously looked at him. As they watched Xero, who was only about a foot tall at the moment, began to glow a faint black and then he was suddenly a well-proportioned, muscular nineteen-year-old that stood five feet 11 inches. With his black hair and extremely dark brown eyes that bordered on black, they matched his bronze complexion. Sure he was friendly and all, but they could and occasionally would go cold and hard. For he was also a fighter, and not just the physical fights. Usually he’d use his magic, but he was always happy when he got to use physical means. He liked the occasional beating other people till they were seriously black and blue and bloody.

Xero, now at his true size opened his eyes and grinned at May. The redhead just stared for a moment more and then said, “I’m gonna get more vodka.” Mystic smirked at her and Xero’s grin remained.