urbanhermit

For Haran, life was good.

The weather in the great forest where he lived was always beautiful. The voices of the trees and the sprites were happy and playful. Even the turning of the sky seemed to add texture to the brilliance of the world he now explored.

What more could a young Elf hope for. His family warned him that he was reaching 'The Age'. They always smiled when they talked about it though, as if some fantastic secret was there to discover, but could only be understood once he was old enough. Well he understood now... at least he thought so.

Haran didn't bother to keep track of how far he had walked, or how many days had passed as he wandered. He simply awoke one morning to the sound of Light Fey polishing some leaves and he started to walk. This was their great secret. This fantastic wandering, this grand exploration.

He was always told that the forest was eternal, but no one mentioned just how big it was. He had walked past countless trees that he had never met, and reveled in the fact that he didn't even stop to say hello. The wandering was all that he had, and he fed on it as if it was his first meal.

He noticed many new things. So much wonder in the world. He saw that this far out few fey tended the forest, and it grew wild and vibrant. So much life and no one here to enjoy it save him.

Then... came the scream. Haran heard it rip through the trees, and all the wonderful sounds stopped in an instant. Haran heard birds fleeing, and nothing else.

His heart sped as he contemplated what horror could have caused such a sound. Tales of savage beasts rolled through his head, creatures that feasted not on emotion or gifts from the plants, but on the flesh of animals, or worse... of Elves.

Then the scream repeated.. only longer, and somehow less friegtening. This wasn't a scream of anger or hunger, this was anguish. No beast could have made that sound, this sound had emotion. This screamer had a soul.

Fear was replaced by a bizarre curiosity as Haran silently crept towards the scream. He heard a sound he had never known before, some form of... laughing? It was subdued, and not too far off.

Then he came upon the sight that would forever change his entire life. There crouched on hand and knee surrounded by short grasses and six legs. A being somewhat like an elf shook and caused this strange noise.

He was massive, clearly stronger than all of Haran's sibblings combined. He wore blackened plates of metal lashed to his body in a way that looked most menacing, but also very durable. He was adorned by the strangest of cloth. Coarse looking, dark, and in some places smooth but thick. A huge curved blade, unlike any Haran had ever seen hung from his back. It must have weighed three times Haran himself and appeared to be entirely fashioned of metal. No elven smith made that.

The most disturbing thing about this figure however, was it's skin. Arms, legs, and head were uncovered. The skin was not pale or soft the way a respectable elf would keep it. His skin was ruff, and hardened by scars from many battles. The color was unatural in Haran's eyes. Red, not red from being in too much sun, but red as if he was made of deep flower petals. A sinister red, not just in places, all of his skin took on this demonic hue.

Haran moved, still as silent as only an Elf could be, to gain a better look at this strange being. Never before had he seen someone move like this. Almost as if this being had collapsed where he was, unable to go on. Baffling to say the least, with such obvious strength in those legs Haran imagined one could stand forever. The being continued to shake with the sound unlike any laughter Haran had ever witnessed. It sounded like laughter, somewhat, like a laugh you could not stop. A laugh you didn't enjoy.

Then the being moved, fast and the scream came again. His arms raised, fists clenched, muscles tightened, and all his soul roared from his mouth to the sky above. Every ounce of this being was poured into this anquished cry.

Haran watched frozen in amazement. He saw the face of this red skinned being, and finally recongnized what was happening. Despite the long dark black hair that topped his head, and well trimmed deliberate pointed beard which adorned his hard face. Despite the overwhelming fear that his muscular form inspired in Haran. Despite the small yet undeniably demonic horns which topped this battle hardened beings brow. This being was sad. More sad than Haran had ever seen any thing.

Crumpling down again from the exertion of his anquished scream the red being went back to the strange laughter than Haran now recognized for what it was. Haran could see the sobbing course through all of this beings body. Haran could hear the sound of tears falling from his face to the short grass below.

All this time Haran had been slowly moving closer. Slowly, silently trying to better percieve this new and baffling display. He was very close now. He could touch the red skinned one if he wanted to, and was amazed that his presence had yet gone un-noticed. This grief was so complete, that it struck the Red One oblivious.

Then, amidst his sobs, the Red One spoke. "How could you leave me now? How could you leave me alone?"

Haran didn't understand the words. He had never heard that speach before, but hearing the Red One talk to himself, or perhaps to whatever had caused this state, filled Haran with a new sense of resolve.

Whatever it took, however long he had to work at it, Haran would see this Red One smile. Haran silently promised himself, and the short grass and trees, and even the mother goddess, that he would help this Red One find peace.