Chapter I - Friends...

-Shssst! Lemalian whispered to his friend. You’re gonna get us killed! But Roun continued his low voiced mutter like he didn’t hear at all his friend’s gurgle. Lemalian was accustomed with this kind of behavior as Roun was totally inaccessible while casting his spells. He was entering some kind of trance, ignoring everything around and softly spelling the complicated words of magic.
But this time Lemalian insisted. The two orcs were already under the tree they were hiding into, they were furious to have discovered their mischief and willing to find and punish the guilty ones. And orcs were not famous for their kindness at all…
-Roun! Whispered Lemalian again… but it was already too late. One of the orcs raised his eyes and saw the two elf kids hidden in the foliage of the old oak tree. Lemalian had enough time to see the sharp blade of the orc k’thor turning towards them, when a glittering light exploded somewhere near him. He heard the terrible cries of the orcs and the voice of his companion: -Jump, my friend!
The two elf kids jumped off the oak tree and started to run, trying to get as far as they could from the orc camp. Another orc was already right behind them and they could feel the ground vibrations from his heavy steps. They knew the orc would probably kill them with one hit if he could only lay his hand on them. They were running for their lives. In front of them there was a crossroad. The tiny road to the left led to the forest and that seemed to be their best chance to stay alive. The other one led to a huge waterfall boarded by sharp, hidden rocks. Dark mists were rising from the boiling waters and it was said that there were evil spirits haunting the place.
-Take it to the right, Roun! Shouted Lemalian. We have to split up.
-But it’s a dead end!
-Just do it! And for once in your lifetime, just listen to somebody else but yourself. .. The right one!
It was no time for fighting…Roun knew that the waterfall meant sure death but there was some kind of determination in Lemalian’s voice that made his friend go with his plan. Lemalian turned to the left and disappeared in the shadows of the forest while Roun took the road to the waterfall. The orc hesitated for a moment then followed Roun who seemed now to be an easy catch.
They were getting closer and closer to the edge of the cliff beyond which furious water were melting shadow and dust. Roun couldn’t get any further without falling into the depth. He turned around and saw the hideous face of the orc, contorting into a smile of satisfaction. He came slowly, an axe in his right hand, enjoying the horror in the kid’s eyes and starving for the smell of elven blood.
Roun threw a glance at the dark waters.
-By abyss, he whispered, pondering in his mind whether he’d rather die by the orc’s axe or scrambled in the terrifying grinder behind.
But suddenly, with a great cry, the orc turned around. Roun noticed the Elven arrow thrusted in his back; with a sharp whisper, once again in the orc’s neck. And then another in his left shoulder. The beast was bleeding and spitting some kind of bloddy foam, but he didn’t fall. Full of hatred, the orc started to look for his mysterious aggressor.


-Lem…whispered Roun, smiling to himself, he used the orc’s distraction to shelter in the cranny of the stonewall to his left and searched his mind for the right words of magic. He knew a low level petrifying spell, but he only used it for birds in their hunting expeditions. Yet it was the only combat spell he knew how to perform, so he started the soft incantation. Right before going into the trance, he heard as in a dream, Lem’s cry and knew the orc found him and hit him. How bad it was, he didn’t know, nor if his spell was going to work or not. He finished casting it and followed in his mind the blue shade of light hitting the orc. He opened his eyes and saw the huge body of the orc fall into the ground, very much alike the great stones rising from the mists of the waterfall. But he was looking for something else. He was trying to find another body, smaller and thinner, he was looking for his friend.
-Lem, Lem!!!
But there was no other answer than the cold echo climbing the cliffs. Then a soft cry came and hope flourished in Roun’s heart. His friend was alive!
-Are you allright, my friend?
-Well, I had better moments…the orc…is he dead?
-I don’t think so, but you hit him badly, he’ll bleed to death, I’m sure. Can you walk?
-I guess I tried to avoid his ax and he hit me with the iron glove. I lost consciousness. I thought I died. You saved my life!
-And you saved mine! We’re even now. Let’s go. I never used this spell on such big creatures. Let’s get out of here!
The two kids disappeared into the mists. Lem was resting on Roun’s shoulder. His whole body ached, but he fell brave and heroic and he was happy. Roun didn’t share much of his spirits. He knew his first spell uncovered their hiding place in the oak tree. He put their lives in danger for his desire to test the new spell and they almost died both. But on the other hand, the orcs might have discovered them as well without the help of his noisy incantation. And then they would have stood no chance at all. In the end, everything turned allright. Yet something was keeping him from sharing Lem’s exhuberance. The magic sang in his veins a song of power, a song of war and domination. It was a new feeling for Roun-the delicate and seductive dance of well-done magic. A feeling that asked for meditation and analyse, as his master would have said. Yet Lem’s smile and joyful attitude were so catchy, Roun let it go and joined his friend in the sweet caress of victory. They faced an orc and they won! They weren’t ordinary elf-kids anymore. They were heroes!

-what are you thinking of? Astara asked in her soft, velvet voice. She had a way of asking this question that seemed to oblige to an answer. Roun always felt uncomfortable and a little tensed when she was doing this, because he felt like he should have a smart and profound answer to her, and somehow, it never came.
-Just dreaming away..
-Roun, the dreamer! When did you grow soft?
-Since I changed my heart of stone with one of steel, young lady! The merchant said it’s faster, it weights less and it’s gonna work better. But it turned it also has some side-effects, as you can see.
-Ha!Ha! So you also grew funny! Tell me, what were you thinking at?
-I was thiking of the old times when we were kids, me and Lem.
-You’re still kids! But you love playing adults, both of you.
-Well, young lady, there’s a sharp tongue you’ve got there! I believe it’s the bad influence of the katara lessons. But you too…you love playing, don’t you? You just love pretending you’re a boy.
-I’m more of a man than many of your wizard friends, Roun, and you know it! I prefer to hold a sword rather than spend my days learning by heart that bird language of yours.
-Hey! Don’t insult the magic! It’s gonna get angry and maybe turn you into a frog.
-You wish!
-Actually, I wouldn’t…You couldn’t practice your katara anymore and I wouldn’t have so much fun.
-You’re turning evil, you know that? I miss Lem…he was cute and you laughed a lot together. Now you only make mean jokes like these. He was taking me seriously.
-He was well educated and polite.
-You!!! And she hit gently his shoulder with a scheme of katara punch but with no intention to hurt.
-Yes, Astara, I miss him, as well, and soon I’ll have to leave, too.
-But you’ll both be back by the end of the year, won’t you?
-Yes, but, still…it’s hard for me o leave Qualinesti and live among humans. I heard they are much alike orcs, only they don’t have their phisycal power, but they are rude and dirty, they enjoy violence and they have little respect for others.
-So, why are you leaving, after all?
-They have the best masters of magic.
-Better than Tartas?
-Yes, even better than Tartas!