Nibbler the Elf

By The Ranting Fool

Prologue: A Word about Truth

To my shame I am forced to reveal the truth which only a few know, if only to know that the truth has come out and in the fragile hope that I may someday make peace before I pass away from this world and travel onto the next. To do this I have decided to have a slight career change to something rather less violent then what I am world renowned for so I have become a historian for what remains of my life. I've decided to do this not because I wish to write of my own glory or enshrine my life within the pages of the past for what ever I have or have not done I leave to others and simply hope they will look kindly upon me. I seek to write only the truth and nothing more.

Sadly the truth is that I am not the great and powerful slayer of evil that the bards have sung so offten of and while even though I have battled throughout my life against evil that would burn away your very soul if you could but name it! Even the greatest of my recorded triumphs that you are sure to have heard the death of the Darkest Lord (A title which I always thought defeated itself, just my not so humble opinion) was not even mine for that honour belongs to another.

Strange how I still remember the first thing he said to me. That first utterance if you will, proof of intelligence and profound statement from arguably one if the most important figures of his time and without a doubt the most under acknowledged and ignored one. Yes the first thing he said to me way back when, even before he decided (And this was after extensive thought and consideration) that he wanted to kill me, was, "Don't ask! You know It's a hard life being an Elf, even more so when you aren't one" that was before long before the war and the bloodshed that ensued it was before the blacked sky and the legion of the damned, even before I met that murderous vampire chicken that gave me the scars I bare to this day. But that's getting a little ahead of ourselves which is never very good for a historian to do.. sigh Well if I claim to want to record only the truth and be a historian for real then I'm afraid I'll have to stick to the truth, however idiotic.

That wasn't exactly the first thing he said to me the very first thing he said to me went something along the lines of, "If you don't stop pointing that thing at me I'll take it off you and shove it someplace you really wouldn't like it to go" which I always thought lacked a certain…. Something when you consider the circumstances. See now I've gone and started this thing all wrong. This is as far as I can ascertain the fullest account of the life and rather gruesome death of Nibbler the Elf.

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As I'm sure you are all aware by the countless tales and sagas concerning His death that the deed happened during the final hours of the siege of the broken towers after the walls were breached and the defenders had fled or were cornered but before the tolling of the bell that I first came upon him. That bloody day will haunt me to the end of my days and beyond, I still don't know why I decided to leave the last tattered band of warriors at the foot of the stairwell or order my apprentices to stay behind, maybe I had just seen to many others die that day or maybe in my arrogance I really wanted the fame and glory that did indeed come to be mine and mine alone though whatever the reason I now feel that it was for the best.

I remember the thought suddenly stuck me as I ascended that finial stairwell towards the towers inner sanctum with the muted sounds of battle floating upwards that going up against the most deadly sorcerer that has ever lived without any aid was perhaps not the smartest course of action to have taken but I was so stubborn back then, so sure of my own power and skill that I could not and would not descend and ask for assistance.

Odd how I was decidedly unimpressed when I finally reached the summit of this the tallested of towers in the west only to find a simply plain black door with the most basic of wards upon it. It was insulting since even the most simplistic of apprentices could remove without effort. I steadied myself before the final battle which I had worked so tirelessly for the past three years to reach and so with one final prayer I clutched my staff with both hands shattered the foot thick oak door like so many matchsticks and leapt forward to do battle with the a power unknown… Or at least that is what I have told everyone in the past the truth of the matter is that the door was unlocked and a simple kick open it easily enough a small omission but you have to admit it lacks the same sense of... well something.

I would tell you off the many strange things found within but at the time I took no notice as my gaze was locked upon the scene before me. On the figure sitting by the balcony carmly reading to himself in the gloom and of course the crumpled body of the one whos name is not written nor ever spoken.

Shocked unable to move I simply stood there staring in disbelief for what seemed like an age and the stranger simply kept reading without the slightest glance in my direction. Finally the shock subsided and I muttered a quick spell of light illuminating the chamber allowing a better look at the Stranger, his dark clothes tattered soaked in what I asumed to be blood, his dark hair matched by the dark look upon his face as he read on ignoring me still. Rasing my staff I managed to speak "Stranger! Be thee a friend of the Free People or do you side with darkness?"

The stranger didn't even bother to move his head as he looked up and spoke, "If you don't stop pointing that thing at me I'll take it off you and shove it someplace you really wouldn't like it to go" he seemed to think that was sufficient and returned to his reading. I started to speak but before I could voice my outrage he spoke softly again, "I'll just asume you came in and polietly asked my name and if that were true I would naturally answer you and tell you that my name is Nibbler the Elf and I doubt our host would consider me an ally due to the circumstances of his rather sudden but well deserved demise" he gave the body a slight nudge with his foot as if to emphasise it's presences.

Of all the things I could have said rushing to the for front of my mind the most irrelevant won out, "But you're Hum.."

He cut me off quickly "Don't ask! You know It's a hard life being an Elf, even more so when you aren't one" with that he closed his book with a sound thump and turned to me saying "Sadly it seems I've worn out my welcome here, a word of advice for you. White. It really isn't the best colour for a battle. Ruins easly and bloody stains arn't very nice" with that he moved and before I could unleash a holding spell he lept head first over the edge of the balcony just a moment before members of the council ran through the door proclaiming me savour and champion of light.

Well that is the turth of our first meeting but again I've gotten ahead of myself again for this is his tale and not mine so we must start two years earlier...

Note: Please Review! It will get better!

While my grammar has never really been what it should a large section of this is intended to by written the way it is. Don't ask why, just accept. Thank you.

Oh and sorry about any misspellings as I am currently without a working spell checker on my computer and I may have missed something while re-reading and I'm sadly don't want to wait for someone else to read it for me, hopefully other chapters will be better.