December 20th 2022 4:00 P.M.

I was walking through the forest whenever I heard something.  I looked back to see what it was but saw nothing except for my reflection showing in a puddle of water.  I had bright blue eyes and a white face.  My long white hair flowed out behind me in the breeze and my ears were pointed.  After all, I am a Midnight Elf.

I continued walking through the woods.  I didn’t exactly walk though so much as I glided over the path.  I forced myself to move quickly for the time of the end was upon us.  If I didn’t get to my wife Sabrina in time then both our lives would end.  We had to be together in order to protect each other from death.  Such is the way of the Midnight Elves.

The path was covered in plants.  It was almost overgrown to the point where the path was really hard to see.  The trees had grown so close together that almost no sun showed through the tops of the trees.  The leaves were so green and the bark was dark brown.  The forest was thriving.

I couldn’t understand how my people could possibly be under attack and I still can’t figure out why.  All I know is that I am having a hard time returning home.

I am moving so fast.  Everything becomes a blur as I speed around a tree and enter a huge clearing.  At first, everything looked normal.  As I looked around, however, I realized that no one was there.  It was just me.  I began to run around in a panic, looking through the houses, sheds, the meeting hall, and even the trees.  I found no sign of anyone anywhere.

I was beginning to worry whenever I reached my house and threw the door open.  My worries were true.  My wife was gone.  She and the rest of my family had completely disappeared.  It was those cursed humans again, they would never leave us alone!

“I will eliminate those humans if it is the last thing I do.” I muttered to myself before rushing inside the house.

I looked from room to room and there were no signs of what had happened.  I got into my bedroom and saw a wooden scroll on the bed.  I hurried over to the bed and opened the scroll:

Had to hurry out.  Humans came to destroy village.  We weren’t safe here.  We aren’t safe here.  We need to move.  We need to keep our family safe or else our family line ends with us.  Follow me to the city of  Erlander, the most peaceful city on all of the earth.  We will be able to live there in peace and Tarik lives there so at least we will know someone who can help us out.  I took the kids so don’t worry about them.

Stay safe, my love,

Sabrina, Brianna, and Claire

I closed my eyes.  I couldn’t think about what my family had gone through to escape the awful humans.  They will be the death of us all!

I eventually managed to calm down as I moved to the other room to look through the pile of papers on my desk.  I searched and searched until I found just the one that I needed:  A map that would lead me to Erlander.

I hurried and grabbed a few essential items before escaping the empty clearing that was once a rowdy village.  I hurried through the woods to the west which the map said would take me to Erlander. I thought to myself, “What did I do to deserve this, Mother Nature?  We have all been but your servants in this life.  Doing not but everything you have asked of us.”

“How could this happen?” I asked out loud.

In response, one of the trees shifted and a young woman formed in front of me.  I recognized her as one of the Woodland Elves.  Not just one of the Woodland Elves but the queen.  The Midnight Elves and Woodland Elves have never gotten along so I tried to go around her to avoid a confrontation.

I started to glide around her before she intentionally moved back into my path. Her voice floated towards me in the wind, “You are not allowed here, turn back and go to whence you came.”

I continued forward but I was worried at this point.  It was punishable by death in both tribes if you even spoke to one from the other.

“Go back from whence you came.” She repeated.

I stopped a few feet from her, looked her in the eye, and whispered, “No.”

Her eyes widened in shock as she asked, “You dare to defy my warnings?”

“I do.  I have to get to my family.  I will not have you blocking my way, queen or not.” I said forcefully.

“Well, Marcellus, you cannot always have what you want.” The queen said.

I exploded on her. “I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK.  I NEED TO GET TO MY FAMILY!”

“Now now Marcellus, we mustn't act like foolish children.” The elf told him.

“I can’t even believe you, Seirra.” I said as I looked at her in absolute disgust. “My family is in danger!  Just because you are safe here doesn’t mean my family is safe either.  As king of the Midnight Elves, I order you to step aside.”

“They will survive without you.” Seirra said as she reached out towards me and rested her hand on my shoulder, “They are a smart batch, those three.  I will stay right here and prevent you from going after them if it is the last thing I do, Marcellus.”

“That’s just the thing, Seirra.” I said, “There aren’t just three of them.”

Seirra looks at me in disbelief.  “W-what?  There were three the last time I saw them.”

“There will be four in not that much time.  Sabrina is with child.  I have to get to them.  I know that we set that rule in place for a reason but unless you want to let me pass to Erlander then I must force my way through and bend the law.” I said.

Seirra once again looks at me in disbelief as she says, “Then maybe I should let you pass.  I will give you my blessing to bend the law.”

I nodded as she stepped aside and said, “Safe travels….Marcellus.” She faded back into a beautiful Oak tree as I continued on.

I continued on through the forest and left the land of the Woodland Elves.  I no longer had to worry about Seirra or the Woodland Elves thanks to her.

I continued to worry about my family and what was going to happen to them.  Would they be okay once everything was said and done?  Or would they be injured or dead by the end of the war?  Only time would tell.

I was so scared as I moved through those woods.  I couldn’t stop thinking about my family.  If I lost them, I couldn’t live with myself  knowing that I haven’t been able to help them.  I have enough problems with my extended family as it is, I don’t need to be blamed for my family's deaths.

All I need is to hurry, so I do.  I make it out of the woods and into a beautiful city.  There was a smoking building right in front of me but I just glided around it.  I moved into the town and found a beautiful house that was really attracting me.  I looked in the window and saw an elf looking out at me.  I looked at her and realized that it was Sabrina.

I ran up the path, so happy that my family was safe whenever I came to a quick stop.  I saw that there was a package on the front porch; someone knew we were there.  I looked around apprehensively but could see nothing other than shadows from plants and houses.  I leaned forward to pick up the package before opening the door and walking inside.

***

I looked out the window and saw my husband  coming up the walk.  I was overjoyed but I knew that we couldn’t give ourselves away.  I still hurried downstairs and opened the door for him anyway.  He walked in holding a package and I asked him, “What is that?”

Marcellus shook his head as he wrapped his arms around me and whispered, “Thank the Lord, you’re safe.”

“We tried to find you.  We really did, but we couldn’t.” I said. “We should open the package, maybe it will show some of what happened.”

“Agreed.” Marcellus replied.

I watched as Marcellus opened the package and pulled out a note and a beautiful blue seashell.  Marcellus trembled as he gently set the seashell on the table before his eyes quickly scanned the note.  As soon as he started to read it, he looked more and more alarmed before he just became sad.  He read the note allowed, it read,

Brianna and family,

I wish you well as you settle into your new home.  As you can see, I already know that you are here.  I can’t tell you how I know except that the last 12 hours have been insane.  Honestly, I thought the world was ending.  Well, at least my world.  The school as you can see is no longer here.  Some people died and others lost their minds.  I don’t know how to help them and I really need your family's help.  If you can help us we would be forever in debt to you and your family, Brianna.  Your world would have been fine because The Midnight Elves live for many hundreds of years.  Humans only live to at most 120 and that is very few of them.  The average life expectancy for humanity as a whole is around 74 years old.  I really respect you and your family.  Not just for being able to live longer but because I genuinely love you guys.  I have always known and loved your family.  I respect you and your choices so I wish to tell you:  we need you.

Love you all,

Tarik

Marcellus looked at me with surprise in his eyes.  He couldn’t believe all that had happened to Tarik to change him.  This letter didn’t even sound to him as though he had written it.

I looked at the letter and Tarik’s pretty handwriting, as I said, “we need to help them.  Tarik has been a blessing to us so the least we can do is help them.”

Marcellus quickly agreed.  I quickly went into the other room and grabbed a small bag off of the table before sliding my dark purple shoes on and getting ready to leave the house.  I opened my purse and gently set it on the floor before jumping in and falling into a large room filled with all of my potions and Magyk items.

I looked around for one in particular, my Tyme potion.  In my world, Tyme is one of the most important things to an elf other than family.  Tyme gives us life.  If we had no Tyme, then there would be no life and we would all just cease to exist.

I picked up all twelve of them before putting them back in their place.  I had to make sure that they were all there.  I had to make sure or else we could be rather at a bad disadvantage.  Nobody would want that so therefore, I would have to take charge.

I grabbed the side of the room and started to climb with hand and footholds appearing wherever I put them.  I had made the room myself with my Magyk and it was connected to my life force.  If I die then so does the room.  If the room dies, however, I do not.

I finally managed to get out of the room and grab the bag.  I call out to my family and look at Tarik’s note.  I look at the address and realize that his house is right next to ours so I hurry down our path and down the sidewalk to the house next door before gently knocking on the door.

I saw a light turn on within the house and heard someone yell, “Hold on!”

I waited patiently but was so impatient at the same time, Tarik was taking forever!  I couldn’t wait to see him again but he is taking so long that I don’t know if I can wait any longer!  I looked up as I heard the door handle move and saw the door open slightly, a chain connecting the door to the wall.

I watched him with a small smile on my face as he realized who was on his front porch.  He hurriedly shut the door and struggled to remove the chain before opening the door and running to me.  He started talking so fast as he embraced me that I couldn’t even keep up.

“I can’t believe you are here.  Did you get my note?  Where is Brianna?  Can I see her?  I have really missed her and all of you.  Why are you here?  It might not be safe for you, Sabrina.  You have a very unique face.”

“Brianna will be over momentarily.” I said. “I understand that you have many questions but may I please come in?  I’m getting a little cold out here.”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Tarik said.

“I’m sure you have many questions,” I said as I walked inside and turned around to face him, “I will answer them all, right here, right now.” I glanced out the window, “Well, as soon as the rest of my family gets here.  Whatever is taking them all so long?”

“I don’t know.  Come on, let’s go into the living room.  We can talk there.” Tarik said, his raised eyebrow giving the impression he knew something that I did not.

I nodded serenely as I glided after him.  We went through room after room after room and I started to wonder if the house never ends.  I was about to ask before I glanced out the window of the bedroom we were currently in, and could see over the top of the tree.  “What happened!?” I exclaimed.  “We never left the first floor?!”

“We did.” Tarik said. “The house has a spell on it.  The rooms switch every time we go through one.  We are now,” He looked out the window, “On the fifth floor.” He finished.

I started to shake because I wasn’t used to human Magyk.  Now I know why my energy keeps disappearing, it’s because of human Magyk.  My normally bright white face was now pink as all my blood went up to my head as I started to freak out.  How were we moving from the first story to the fifth without even using any stairs?

“Okay.” I said as I calmed down and my face returned to normal. “Let’s continue on.”

“Actually,” Tarik smiled, “We are already here!”

He opened the door and stepped into a large room that spanned for several hundred feet in each direction.  I stepped in and instantly stood still as I couldn’t comprehend what was going on.  The room was far too big to fit in their tiny house but then again, their tiny house was a mansion on a hill.  It wasn’t the biggest one around but it was still huge.  However, there was no way that this room could fit inside of the mansion.  It was way too big!

“Wonderful!” I said as I sat on a couch across from Tarik, “Now, how can my family help you?”

“We need the support of the Midnight and the Woodland Elves.  Your family and queen Seirra’s family.”

“What for?” I asked. “What can we all do to help you?”

“We need to open the entrance to the goddess Eva’s tomb.  We need to resurrect her from the dead.”

“No.  No.  No.” I calmly kept repeating myself.  I stood up and walked over to the window just in time to see my family coming up the walk. “We will continue this conversation momentarily, my family is coming up the walk.”

“Okay.” Tarik said simply as he held up his hand and said, “Hold on though, I have to take you through the house first.”

“Okay.” I said. “Please hurry.”

“Of course!” Tarik waved his hand and opened the door to see the front porch.  Marcellus, Brianna, and Claire were all coming up the stairs and they didn’t even notice the door was open.  Brianna looked up and ran towards Tarik and gave him the biggest hug I had ever seen.

“Tarik!” She exclaimed.

I looked at my husband and smiled.  We both watched Tarik and Brianna reunite with smiles before we looked at each other again and decided it was time to get down to business.  I said, “So, we need to figure out what to do.  Apparently we have to reawaken the goddess Eva.”

“EVA!” Marcellus exclaimed as Brianna turned towards me in horror.

“Whose brilliant idea was it to reawaken the goddess?” Brianna asked, her voice trembling.

“Tarik’s.” I replied. “He needs us and Seirra’s family to help him reawaken her for some reason.  I don’t know exactly what reason yet but I hope to figure that out soon.” I said pointedly at Tarik.

“She is the only one that can keep us alive once we open the gate to the realm of the gods.  That is why I need not only a master of water and air but also a master of fire and earth.  We have to open the gate and cross over in order to bring peace to our worlds.” Tarik said solemnly.

“Do we have to?  I really don’t want to wake up a goddess or open the gate to the realm of the gods either, Tarik!” Brianna said.

“Yes we do.” Tarik said, “I am sorry, but it is the only way.”