Chapter 1
            A New Beginning

   Quickly dashing through the dense forest, not knowing where to turn. Barely able to see a shadow that is darting from tree to tree behind him. Thinking that he could lose the creature if he changes course. He turns towards the direction that he believes to be East, not realizing he turned too far and did almost a complete one-eighty. Without any warning he collided into an object which seemed to be much like his own size. He quickly gets up to attempt at defending himself. But before he could shank an arrow, he is thrown against the tree behind him; he soon realized that he was pinned tightly against the tree by an arrow. Defenseless with his bow being strewn on the ground in front of him and nothing but a useless obsidian dagger at his side. After he realized it was an arrow that tightly pinned him against the tree, he figured that this creature had to be another elf because there were very few races throughout the land that could pull off this feat of attack.

   "Stop, please don't shoot, I am just a peaceful wood elf trying to find my way out of this forest," the panicked elf pleas with the attacker. "I promise on my honor as an elf that I will go quietly if you let me go."

   The attacker stopped and contemplated what he had just said. Wondering if he was telling the truth, but in the end, being an elf herself, knew that only an elf would say an oath as this. Since they were both elves, she figured that he would not try to attack her because of the alliance of elves throughout the lands.

   "I am Desiara, daughter of Ferarda, wood elf of the west. I suppose that because your honor is at stake, I will let you go. But only if you also tell me your name and why you are alone in the dead of night?" retorts the authoritative elf, Desiara.

   "I am Touric, son of Mehar, wood elf of the East," says a no longer afraid Touric, "And if I am not mistaken you are also alone. Why is that?"

   Desiara wanted to possibly travel with this lone elf, but she was not keen to let him in on the reason she was alone. She figured that they were both on the same page and needed to go somewhere new. She had run away from her own clan many days ago and was trying to find a better life for herself. She did not want to reveal this little piece of information until she was more comfortable with this stranger.

   "Listen, if you tell me why you are running through the woods alone, than I will free you. And I might even reveal the fact why I am alone."

   "Fine," says Touric, "I will tell you the reason I am alone. And then I will be on my way."

   Touric remembers back to two days ago when he was comfortably in his home. He began to tell of how it all started. How he had grown up as a young child listening to the stories about the brave and honorable tribes of men.

   The men and elves had always gotten along and had a strong alliance against the creatures of the South, until one day when the men elected a new king to govern their land. For years he remained peaceful with the elves and then within a moments notice he was changed. Changed into and evil king which in turn led to him having evil intentions. The plain elves were rather powerful, and much of their power over the land came from an orb inside the inner temple of their grand city. The new king saw this as more power for himself and wanted it in is possession. He sent his loyal army to advance and conquer the elves. The brave plain elves had been fighting for two years against the men but the men greatly outnumbered the elves.

   Being not of age to be a warrior, Touric knew very little about the army of the wood elves and their whereabouts. After a couple years of training, Touric was finally able to fulfill his dream of becoming a warrior. Throughout his training, he had become one of the greatest archers the clan has ever seen. They had named him a bow master which was very uncommon to happen at such a young age because it was usually only given to elders of the clan. Thinking all along that his clan had been helping the plain elves, but he then found out that they had not helped at all. He thought that this was very wrong and they should be helping their brethren of the plains. He approached the high council of his clan and told them what he thought. They all listened quietly until he was done, but then they turned to anger. Touric then realized that it was against the law to speak to the council and try to change their mind. The council was outraged that he had done this and banished him from the clan with dishonor and told him never to return. Although he loved his clan and family very much, he wanted to help the cause of the elves and left to go fight among the ranks of the plains elves. This was when he started on his trek to the North of the woods to get to the territory where the war was happening. It should have only taken a trip of two days to get there. But it was the third day and he was not sure where he was any longer.

   "And then I ran into you," says Touric, "And here I am trapped to a tree talking to you. So what about you, how did you wind up alone from your tribe?"