Chapter 5: Scare Tactics

I awoke to dawn sunshine in my eyes, in hopes of speaking with my new friend. When I opened my eyes however, there was a rabbit on the fire and she was gone without a trace. I stood and walked around the edge of the clearing, trying to sense if she was in any of the nearby trees or bushes. After a thorough search, I decided she was not there and went to tend to the rabbit she had left me. After I had eaten, I gathered water in my canteen and cooked the rest of the rabbit into jerky. I then gathered my sleeping bag and stuffed it in my bag. Once I had put out my fire and was sure I had everything, I headed back to the road and continued my trek to Farandar. I remember passing families trying to salvage food rom a burnt crop, children playing and then cowering at the sound of footsteps. Not long after I had returned to walking the path to Farandar, I came across a pair of dark elves terrorizing a pair of white elf children. They had been telling them that they would kill their parents and take them hostage. Make them work as slaves. Burn their house. The list of things they threatened the poor kids with was horrendous. They watched as the children teared up and called for their mom and dad. They then had the nerve to laugh harder when both children trembled as one elf raised his hand to smack the younger kid. I couldn't take anymore of it and I strode up. But before I got close, I fixed my face into what I hoped looked like a furious, go to hell look. One that made me look confident, capable and ready to kick ass. "Sorry to interrupt but I do believe these kids are innocent. Am I right?" The first elf looked at me with a sneer on his face. " Oh, their innocent alright. That don't mean we have to leave them alone." His friend loosed a laugh. "I do believe it would be in your best interest to let the kids go and move on. Don't make me fight you.You will regret it in the end, I can promise you that." I stared them down. "Think you can hurt us huh? Have fun getting to us before we tear you to shreds." They smirked and lunged at me. Anticipating such an attack, I merely rolled out of the way and turned around. "Too slow. You might want to hurry up if you're going to tear me to shreds before I can hit you. You will never even touch a hair on my head if you continue fighting at such an apprentice level. Don't go easy on me, I can take anything you throw at me. I insist." I challenged with a serious dose of sarcasm, laying it on extra thick. It was hard for me to not laugh as both of their faces twisted with anger and aggravation. They both spun on me and yelled in unison as they lunged. I grabbed their collars and shoved them face first into the nearby mudpit. Neatly of course. Couldn't ruin my clothes. I then grabbed the both of them up and cracked their heads against one another. As they tried to gather their bearings, I shoved them both forwards with a slight push on their backs. As they lay face first in the mud, utterly embarrassed, I flipped so that I was standing on their backs. And with a exaggerated flourish, I then recited a spell making an orb of fire develop on both hands. I crouched beside them, and held a flaming hand in front of each of their faces. "How about a burn scar? I hear they are quite gruesome. I think it would look great on your faces though. Greatly accentuate your asshole personalities, mhmmm. Indeed. Then you can actually say that you had fought and earned that scar, however pathetically you both fought just now. Oh and of course, your partners may not be able to stand you in the future. Or your smell at least. So, how about a new battle scar, gentlemen?" I watched as fear clouded their eyes and rippled across their faces. "No sir, We will leave these kids alone and go on our way. I swear! I am pretty sure we are needed up the road anyways.", replied the first. The other was a little less composed as he cried out. "No sir, please don't burn my face. I promise I will leave the kids alone. Just don't burn my face!" As I watched tears gather in his eyes, I flipped back and grabbed them both by the collar. Pulling them onto their feet in a quick, swift movement, I kindly sent them on their way. Once they were a few feet from me however, I casually started chucking fireballs at their feet anytime that they tried to look back at me. I kept throwing them until they were a good yard or two away. As they stopped to look back a final time I made sure to yell at them. "Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I suggest that you don't forget though. The name is Nicholas Rune, and I am very sure that your superiors would love to hear of our encounter. Have a nice trip." As I finished my statement, I made a mountain of water hit them in the back, taking out their legs, and wash them down the road until I could see no hide nor hair of either of them. I turned to the kids and seen shock and terror on their small, fragile features. Walking up, I smiled and crouched. "I think those mean elves are going to leave you alone now. They probably won't come back anytime soon. Where is your mom and dad? Are they nearby?" The younger one looked at me, confused about what to say. The older one was the one who answered me in the end. "Momma and Daddy are in the next village over, Sescheron. Those nasty elves took us away." Figured as much, I had thought to myself. "We haven't seen mom or dad in days", said the younger one. The older one looked at me with a small smile and corrected him. "It has only been a few hours. But it seems like days." I decided immediately, right then and there. I would take the kids home to the village of Sescheron.