Elves?

"HOW DID I DO THAT?! I TURNED BIG AND POWERFUL! LIKE IN THE MOVIES ME AND HANA WATCHED!"

Kaede sniffed around, saying, "Is that..cake? My senses..they're higher than before. I can hear a lot further too. I hear farm animals and people, other people! If there was anyone left this around dump I'd be able to talk to them, but they ran way."

Kaede's stomach growled, and he said to himself, "That's not good."

He began to casually stroll along the town, seeing the destruction he and Elara had made.

'Damn. I hope no one was harmed or anything.'

Kaede was sniffing through all of the houses, finding food everywhere. Over and over, he would be eating, eating, and eating.

"FOOD! FOOD!" He would ravage the food like he hasn't eaten in years.

He laid in the middle of a house, surrounded by food he couldn't finish due to the fact that he was full.

Kaede let out a small burp, his paws reaching into the air, "Yeahh. That's the stuff. I don't know what this stuff is, but it smelled edible."

He kept thinking about those horses that were fully covered in flaming shadows. Then he thought about Elara and his battle with her.

'There wasn't any of this bright color fantasy magic stuff back at home. What happened after Hana…was…she's not dead. I'll see her again. I'm dreaming. Haha. Haha. HAHA. I'm definitely dreaming. Just gotta play this dream out and get home.'

Kaede started to walk away from the house, and as soon as he stepped out onto the middle of the town, he turned to the right, and he saw something that made his heart skip a beat.

"Whoaa…"

There were dozens of shadow horses, holding dead villagers by their necks, with blood trickling down fast.

Kaede remembered seeing Hana like that on the road, the same exact way.

Then remembered when Elara said, "Death means you don't ever see them again."

Kaede said, "Are you guys..dead?"

There was no response from the corpses, and the horses continued to walk forward, devouring the rest of the lifeless bodies.

Kaede noticed there were shadow flames piling up around the houses and stock, with some people burning to death from it in the distance.

One of the horses said, "A normal cat?"

Another shadow horse replied, "Its cute. Can we eat that?"

"It seems powerful…"

"What's that mark on its head..?"

"Let's kill it…"

Kaede stepped back, "No..no…are they dead?"

The shadow horses responded, "Yessss. Your next, talking cat. Once you die, you won't come back to live anymore. Everything will be…dark…forever."

Kaede's whiskers started to vibrate, and a shiver went down his spine. He said, "They're going to try and eat me.."

'Wait how did I know that? What just happened? Was that like, spider senses?'

The shadow horses charged towards Kaede, and Kaede thought, 'Use that move I did before!'

Kaede chanted, "Crimson Obsidian Inferno…"

'Oh yeah they're dead now! Still don't know why I know that move at all…'

Nothing happened, he didn't change forms.

"Huhhh?!"

'Why aren't I transforming into a giant flaming lion?!!! What's up with that?!'

A shadow flaming horse dashed to the right of Kaede, and chomped at him, but Kaede jumped above him, but was kicked with the shadow hooves of the horse, and he went flying and crashing through buildings, bleeding already.

'Dammit!'

Kaede's red eyes widened as he spotted more of the shadow horses galloping towards him. "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" he muttered, tail puffed up in alarm. He darted forward, barely avoiding a shadow horse that lunged at him. His side grazed against a sharp edge of a broken cart, scratching his fur. Kaede sprinted around a corner, panting heavily. "Need to find somewhere to hide!" he gasped. But just as he thought he'd found a safe spot, another shadow horse appeared, its hooves crashing down where he'd been just a heartbeat before. Kaede yelped as a small piece of debris grazed his ear.

Kaede scrambled up a stack of crates, desperately trying to gain some height. "Can they climb?" he wondered aloud, wincing as his scratched side made contact with the rough wood. But as a shadow horse reared up, he realized they didn't need to climb to reach him. Kaede leaped from the crates, landing awkwardly and twisting his paw. He hissed in pain, but forced himself to keep moving. "Just keep running, Kaede!" he told himself, narrowly darting past another lunging shadow horse. Kaede dashed into a narrow alley, hoping the shadow horses wouldn't follow. But they did. "Why won't they give up?" he cried, narrowly avoiding a shadow horse that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. His tail got caught in the encounter, causing him to yowl in pain.

Kaede zigzagged between buildings, his heart pounding in his chest. "I can't outrun them!" he gasped, darting under a fallen beam just as a shadow horse crashed into it. Splinters flew, some embedding into his flank. Kaede darted into a crowd of panicked people, hoping to lose the shadow horses. "Please, please, please," he begged. A horse lunged at him, and he felt a cold rush of air as it barely missed him. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder where it had grazed him.

Kaede jumped onto a moving cart, hoping to put some distance between him and the shadow horses. "I need a plan!" he yowled, as a shadow horse jumped onto the cart too. He jumped off just in time, but not without scraping his paw. Kaede ran towards the river, intending to swim across. But as he reached the edge, a shadow horse cut him off. "Not fair!" he cried, barely dodging its attack but tumbling onto the rocky bank, bruising his side. Kaede darted towards a thick crowd, hoping to lose the shadow horses. "Come on, Kaede, think!" he muttered. A shadow horse lunged at him, and he felt a cold rush of air as it barely missed him. His ear got clipped in the encounter, causing him to yelp in pain.

Kaede sprinted towards the town square, hoping to find some help. "I can't do this alone!" he cried, dodging another shadow horse that seemed to appear out of nowhere. He felt a sharp pain in his tail where it had grazed him. Kaede dashed around a fountain, trying to put some distance between him and the shadow horses. "Why are they so fast?" he panted, barely avoiding a horse that tried to corner him. His leg got caught in the encounter, causing him to wince in pain. Kaede scrambled up a statue, trying to gain some height. "Can they climb this?" he wondered aloud, wincing as his scratched side made contact with the rough stone. But as a shadow horse reared up, he realized they didn't need to climb to reach him. Kaede leaped from the statue, landing awkwardly and twisting his paw. He hissed in pain, but forced himself to keep moving. "Just keep running, Kaede!" he told himself, narrowly darting past another lunging shadow horse.

Kaede dashed into a narrow alley, hoping the shadow horses wouldn't follow. But they did. "Why won't they give up?" he cried, narrowly avoiding a shadow horse that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. His flank got caught in the encounter, causing him to yowl in pain. Kaede zigzagged between buildings, his heart pounding in his chest. "I can't outrun them!" he gasped, darting under a fallen beam just as a shadow horse crashed into it. Splinters flew,some embedding into his fur. Kaede darted into a blacksmith's shop, hoping the fire would deter the shadow horses. "Hot hooves, hot hooves," he muttered to himself. But a shadow horse charged in after him, and he barely avoided its lunging attack, feeling the heat of the forge singe his tail. Kaede raced up the stairs of a tower, the shadow horses hot on his heels. "Don't look down, don't look down," he chanted, barely avoiding a shadow horse that tried to corner him. His paw slipped on the edge of a step, scraping his pads and causing him to wince.

Kaede reached the top of the tower and leaped onto the roof of an adjacent building. "One more jump, just one more," he panted, as a shadow horse followed him onto the roof. He jumped just in time, but landed awkwardly, straining his leg muscle. Kaede made a final desperate dash towards a brightly lit house, hoping the light would scare away the shadow horses. "This is it, this is it," he cried, narrowly escaping a shadow horse that lunged at him. He felt a cold gust of wind as it barely missed him, but a loose tile on the roof slipped under his paw, causing him to skid and scrape his chin. As he tumbled into the safety of the house, the door slammed behind him, cutting off the pursuing shadow horses. He lay panting, battered and bruised, but the house exploded due to Seven shadow horses crashing through it, and Kaede went flying out of it, right in the middle of the town.

He was surrounded by more shadow horses, and he thought, 'Damn horses. Always following me. The shadow fire stuff is spreading, more and more things are getting destroyed…will I end up dead?

All of the shadow horses said at the same time, "Timessss uppppp…"

"Damn all of you! Maybe I'll wake up and see Hana again!"

Suddenly, 5 elves leaped over Kaede, and Kaede was laying on the ground, looking up at them, saying, "Huhh..?"

Those elves were:

Yalla

Yalla is an elf of average height with an athletic build. Her emerald-green eyes are sharp and observant, always twinkling with mischief. She has long, wavy hair that is the color of the twilight sky and falls down to her waist. Her skin is a warm golden-brown, like a perfectly toasted marshmallow. Her ears are sharply pointed, more so than most elves, marking her distinct heritage. She is usually dressed in elegant green and silver robes adorned with complex patterns representing her magical prowess.

Yalla is a trickster at heart, always looking for a laugh in even the most dire of circumstances. She is clever and quick-witted, able to think on her feet and adapt to changing situations with ease. However, she is also deeply loyal to her friends and would do anything to protect them.

Thalion

Thalion is tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and a commanding presence. His eyes are a striking emerald-green, reflecting his connection to the emerald light. His hair is a rich chestnut brown, kept short and neat. His skin is a cool shade of taupe, contrasting sharply with his vibrant eyes and hair. He usually wears heavy armor in shades of green and gold, the design reflecting his status and strength.

Thalion is stern and disciplined, a born leader. He is not one for jokes, focusing on the task at hand with unwavering determination. However, beneath his stern exterior lies a heart of gold. He cares deeply for his team and will go to great lengths to ensure their safety.

Caelan

Caelan is of medium height with an agile build, built more for speed than brute strength. He has light blue eyes that contrast beautifully with his golden-blonde hair. His skin is a pale ivory, almost ethereal in its lightness. He is usually dressed in lighter armor, designed for mobility, in shades of green and white.

Caelan is reserved and thoughtful, preferring to think before he acts. He is incredibly patient, a trait that serves him well when he needs to slow down time. Despite his reserved nature, he cares deeply for his friends and will not hesitate to step into the fray to protect them.

Lirael

Lirael is petite with an elegant and graceful build. Her deep violet eyes are mysterious and enchanting, as is her long silver hair that falls in soft waves down her back. Her skin is a soft peach, providing a beautiful contrast to her striking eyes and hair. She is usually dressed in flowing robes of green and purple, symbolizing her mastery over space.

Lirael is quiet and introspective, always lost in her thoughts. She is incredibly intelligent and has a deep understanding of the world around her. However, when the situation calls for it, she can be decisive and commanding, stepping up to lead when necessary.

Alaric

Alaric is tall and brawny, with a physique that speaks of strength and endurance. His eyes are a vibrant green, mirroring the emerald light he wields. His hair is jet black, cut short to keep it out of his way in battle. His skin is a rich tan, weathered from many battles. He is usually dressed in heavy, robust armor in shades of green and black.

Alaric is brave and bold, never one to shy away from a fight. He is straightforward and honest, always speaking his mind. Despite his tough exterior, he has a soft spot for his teammates and would go to any length to protect them.

Yalla looked at Kaede, saying, "Awwww! A kitty! I'm taking him with us!"

Alaric replied, "No, dumbass! That thing has a weird symbol on its head! It may be a trap!"

Lirael said, "…."

Caelan said with a confident but intelligent attitude, "Hmph. Definitely seems suspicious. We shall deal with the resistance first. According to my strategies, we shall win."

Yalla responded, "Ugh. You and those nerdy strategies. Let's just wing it!"

"Foolish plans."

Thalion said, "Enough chatter. Destroy the shadow horses, leave the weird cat be. It's a distraction. We were assigned this mission to Eldranfield to clear the shadow horses and save townspeople, nothing more. No one mentioned saving a cat."

Alaric replied, "Exactly. Enough time's been wasted."

Kaede said, "Oi..why are all your ears so damn pointy?"

Alaric replied, "The hell did you just say?!"

Kaede thought, 'Elves..?! This dream is nuts!'

Thalion exclaimed, "Shadow horses incoming. Take them down!"