The Blackened Elf

[Pyewacket]

Short story submission - stage one of the approval procedure:-

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Never fear the dark.

 

It was there before you and it will outlive you.

 

This is what I learned in my long and weary lifetime, toiling endlessly within its silky grasp.

 

It can perhaps be forgiven of the casual observer to expect that I know nothing of the darkness or its mysteries. After all, what Elf does? Creatures of light and music, renowned for song and sun, leaf and laughter, we are not associated with caves and mines, hewing the blackstone til our hands bleed and our lungs burst for air. That is the natural province of the Dwarf, and rightly so, for he is build for such things.

 

Why then am I so well versed in such matters? Ah why indeed...

 

Time was, long ago, that I too once looked upon starlight and blue skies as my roof, at bark and branch as my walls, and goodly earth as my carpet. Much has changed since then.

 

An oath made in the dark is binding beyond all oaths, beyond all needs, desires or cares.

 

I made such an oath.

 

Long years ago, when the Dwarves first ventured out of Mynadar and their ancestral homes, they came surveying the hills and mountains thoughout Nordcarn and as far south as the mountains and valleys around Whitestone. Endlessly searchin for the Blackstone, they struck forth vein after vein of lesser ores and minerals but no great Blackstone mine was struck, despite their tireless efforts.

 

One amongst their number, known well by his kinfolk as Wlfraven, came into Tirnwood, seeking trade with my people. Needing timbers in great quantity for supports of their mines, good trade agreements were soon settled and the Dwarves hired a number of us as guides to lead them and their stocks of wood back to the northern range of mountains encircling the ancient Forest of the Fall. I soon got to know Wlfraven well, his quick tongue and ready wit were endearing to me, despite his uncouth dwarven manner, and we fast became friends. After we led the trade party back safely to their mining camp, I promised to show Wlfraven the Forest, taking him by the safe Elven pathways and avoiding the more dangerous wildlife. He was amazed at the ancient beauty of the Forest and commented that he had not known such beauty could exist outside of a cave. He then offered to take me within the cave system they had discovered on the northenmost edge of the Whitestone range leading to Nordcarn.

 

A heavy downpour from the late autumnal storms forced us quickly within the cavernous mouth of the system, I moving fast to shelter from the winds and he in glee at seeing something which my eyes have never yet found enchanting. He was polite, I remember, as he showed me around the natural formations of stalactite and stalagmite, explaining in his gruff manner how "mites grow up, see? and tites...they come down if you play ya dice aright", this followed by a raucous bellow of Dwarfish laughter from him.

 

That was the last laugh he ever uttered.

 

The excessive floods aboveground and the vibrations of echo from his laugh unsettled stone and rock that had slowly corroded over eons of floodwater. The cavern roof collapsed, cutting off his laugh midway, as he fell, crushed under the sheer weight of falling debris. The very ground shook beneath me as I heard the earth around being split asunder and saw, in the fading torchlight as a torrent of floodwater decended through the cavern.

 

Using what strength I had, I heaved aside the debris and silt that lay on and around the fallen dwarf, heaving aside rock and stone weighing far more than I would be able to move in less desparate circumstances. But as I dragged his head clear of the rising water, I could see in his eyes that it was for naught, the dwarf was dying. I carefully pulled him clear of the water and carried him to safety at the side of the cave, where the rock floor rose high enough to remain above the floodtide now coursing its way though the cavern.

 

It was then he told me of his family, as he lay dying with his head on my lap. How he had hoped to bring fame and glory back to his homeland, by being the one to find the blackstone. How the darkness was not a thing of fear but a thing of tranquility, to be enjoyed as a comfort and friend when the eye grows weary of the light. In short rasps, he told me how it was vital to his people that the blackstone be found, that without it they would soon be unable to make a living on their trading with other races around Seridia, and that the veins of Mynadar had all but been depleted of this precious mineral. As his end neared, he bade me make the Oath then, that I would do all in my power to help the Dwarven people to find the blackstone, to help rebuild what had been diminished by time and greed.

 

And so I vowed. I alone of my people. An elf of the Tirnwood Vale now sits in the mines here, in the very cave where Wlfraven breathed his last. I alone weep in the dark, as I wept then, for the floodtide had swept away a part of the cavern across from the poor Dwarfs body, revealing dark gleaming glint of the very thing he had searched for so hard; and died without ever knowing he had at last been the one who had caused it to be found.

 

The Blackstone.

[Terrorgrim]

Wow! That is fantastic! You really capture the mood well, I could just imagine the elf sat in mourning of his friend. Inspired!

[Pyewacket]

Thanx, this was a 10 minute knockup of a longwinded market advert for coal, think it works? (joking)

[Terrorgrim]

Thanx, this was a 10 minute knockup of a longwinded market advert for coal, think it works? (joking)

 

I think it could start a miners strike lol *ducks for cover*

[Lyanna]

This was lovely. I like your writing style... probably because it's so similar to my own. Only found one error: "Endlessly searchin for the Blackstone, they struck forth..." Other than that, it's brilliantly done. Not sure if the coal advertisement came through, since I imagined Blackstone to be more jewel-like than coal-like (coal doesn't glint in the dark, does it? ). But nevertheless, this is really good.

 

-Lyn-

Edited March 21, 2007 by Lyanna

[Pyewacket]

Thanks but I found the other error anyway. Built instead of build:-

 

"for he is build for such things."

 

and coal has a tendancy to throw out the odd glint if the light catches it when it is newly struck, this is usually dulled by coaldust though when you see coal in a bag ready to put on the barbeque. And since the whitestone diamonds/gargoyle cave has coal in it, (I been mining that for the past week lol) I kinda wrote that location in as the spot in the story where it all happened. As for Wlfraven, he was the guy that made contact with me many moons ago and introduced me not only to EL but also to ACE guild, but now sadly no longer plays. And yes..he was a "Dorf"

Edited March 21, 2007 by Pyewacket

[Sistema]

That's real nice! I really felt those things happening.

Not much more to say. Great job =]

[Roja]

Hey this is very good, nice job

 

Only thing I have to crit is the name "Wlfraven"..looks like there should be a vowel in the first part of the name, like Wolfraven or something. I don't know if this is a player name, if it is we generally say for official stories they have to be fully pronouncable(and of course no numbers )

 

Anyway, you can pick an official story to write if you'd like! Please see the story list thread: http://www.eternal-lands.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=32191

 

and also the rules which you must follow:

http://www.eternal-lands.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31901

[Pyewacket]

Yes it was a playername, and thankyou Roja, i read the rules list prior to this story...will go peruse the storylist now. much obliged

[SweetThang]

awesome job n00bster!!!!!!!!!! Great story I enjoyed it very much.And agree you got talent there.

 

do as roja says try there stories!

 

best of luck your shortarse