Friend or foe

As the clashing of steel could be heard echoing throughout the cavern, many were on the edge of their seats in disbelief. Many soldiers from around the continent could be heard saying, "How can a minotaur possibly be as agile as an elf?"

Jack was in his main hall of the dark tower watching the action with stoic contemplation, taking the fight as much more than just the banging and clashing of steel it seemed to be. After more than ten minutes of back and forth between the elf and minotaur both were breathing hard, neither wanting to give an inch.

"You're pretty good for a science experiment." the elf said grinning. No one thought much of what the elf just said –except Jack. The elf's words put Jack in total shock. Trying to figure out exactly who the elf was took on a new urgency in Jack's mind.

Just then, the elf's hands started glowing bright… so bright that it forced Violet to squint. Suddenly, she lost vision to a mass of flames shot out from the elf's hands. The flames gathered above the elf in an ominous swirling ball of fiery death. As the swirling mass of flames quickly grew exponentially in front of him, Violet knew in an instant she would be unable to dodge it. Violet braced herself in position. She took in a deep breath and summoned all her strength to her core. As the swirling mass of flames were shot at her, she gave a mighty yell as she released all her strength and swung her hammer. The ball of flames exploded on impact- blowing them both off their feet in its wake.

The arena was dead silent as the smoke and dust settled around them. Both, Violet and the elf lay unconscious on the smoldering floor. A moment later upon realizing this, goblins flooded the arena to check on the contestants. After assessing the limp bodies, the first goblin on scene turned and waved back to signal that they were both still alive. As the goblins began dragging their unconscious bodies into the tunnel's depths and darkness, the announcer's voice suddenly ripped through the stunned silence.

"Ladies and gentlemen, goblins and ghouls, we have found ourselves in unprecedented times, both fighters are unable to fight –it's a draw!"

The crowds could be heard roaring from every inch of the caverns and even the forest outside, all of them excited after witnessing such a terrific fight. Jack walked into the cavern's infirmary to see the fighters who were still unconscious. Thankfully, Violet was just knocked out from the blow. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises her condition was not too serious.

"Phew!" Jack sighed with relief, "I almost thought I'd have to drain my energy again making another one."

As he turned to the elf, he noticed something emitting great magical power, a gemstone around his neck. Jack went to grab it and suddenly his wrist was grabbed by the elf.

"Not so fast demon lord…" He said with a stern look on his face.

"How did you know that?"

"The fact that you don't know yet shows just how far you've fallen, almighty Jack."

"Hmm… you know my name as well. In that case, you four, end him" Jack said pointing at the goblins in nursing outfits.

Grabbing their surgical mallets, they eagerly ran at the elf with glee. Nothing quite fills a goblin's little heart with so much joy as when smashing things.

"STOP!" the elf bellowed. "That's quite enough! Clearly you're as clueless as you were the day I left you." The elf continued.

With the biggest clueless expression on his face, Jack didn't budge or say a word, it was as if his mind wasn't there at all.

"AHA!" Jack yelled, "I knew the whole time you weren't really an elf… are you?" Jack questioned.

"Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner." The elf said.

He tore off the gemstone necklace filled to the brim with magic, as he threw the stone toward Jack, his flesh started to slough off and disappear.

"I told you I knew" Jack said, smirking.

"Drop the act Jack. What happened to you? Why did you disappear from the world?" The skeleton asked.

"Ah, yes. Before we get to that… do I know you?" Jack asked. Hurt by the question, the skeleton dropped to the floor whimpering.

"Remember, you made me over three hundred years ago!" The skeleton wailed.

"Oh…wait, I do remember something like that…nope, I lost it." Jack mused.

"Well sir, you were being harassed by a group of humans right after you were born into the world. You didn't even have a lair yet. You created me to stay there and scare the village's children at night for revenge." The skeleton retold.

"I barely had any magic when I made you, how did you even survive all this time?" Jack said, stunned he was so strong.

"Well, the village got labeled as cursed shortly after that. Everyone moved away and the town was left abandoned. As I was shifting through all the old houses, I found a gemstone and was granted power from it. It wasn't until a few hundred years ago that I realized it was created by you and stolen during the Great Purge of Evil in the world." The skeleton explained.

"Ahh, yes, that was quite a setback. But we're back together and better than ever." Jack said and turning to the window, "Anyway, who is that army outside my forest?"

"They are my army with the forces of good, I'm disguised as a high-elf mage to them. I have quite the insider knowledge of their kingdom." The skeleton said smiling waiting for praise.

"Well, that's good news! I'll tell them you died" Jack said laughing. "Meet me at the top of the tower in a moment" Jack said walking away. "Gar! Quit slacking and have someone take him there immediately!". Gar grabbed the skeleton and scurried away as fast as his fragile little body could run.

After a group of human slaves told the army the news of the elf's death, they split off in two ways. Some soldiers headed toward the caverns to fight to try and avenge their leader, while others headed back to their homes to find new work. Meanwhile, as operations of the arena were going smoothly, Jack set back to working on his next plan. He knew that this skeleton held many secrets that he could use to his advantage against the do-gooders. Jack headed towards the tower with his next goal in mind.

"Gar! Go tend to the arena while I talk to this bag of bones." Jack commanded. Gar, still tired from his run up, sighed and began walking back down from the top of the massive tower's stairs. "Now who exactly do you work for?" Jack asked turning toward the skeleton.

"I was High-Elf for the descendants of the heroes that destroyed all the evil strongholds 300 years ago." The skeleton replied.

"Where are they now?" Jack asked.

"Across the world on the other continent. But one of their kin run an old, rundown castle on the other side of this continent." The skeleton answered.

"Do you know where the Dark Heart is located?" Jack continued to press questions.

"Yes! Yes! It's actually at that castle! It was deemed too dangerous to bring across the ocean." The skeleton eagerly revealed the information sure he'd be praised this time from his long-lost beloved master.

"Final question, does this hurt?" Jack said as he swung a club he had picked up across the face of the skeleton. His skull popped right off and began flying off the tower.

"Of course, it does!" the skull of the skeleton yelled as it soared through the air.

"Great. That's for taking too long to find me again. Now it's time we get ready to embark on our first truly evil mission –to recapture the Dark Heart." Jack said, grinning from ear to ear. Looking down from the tower he said.

"From now on you'll be known as Anak!" Jack then turned, and seeing as his right hand goblin wasn't there, he caused a magical orb to appear to him projecting himself in front of him.

"Gar! Go fetch his head!" Jack yelled from atop the obsidian tower. Gar, startled to see his master appear so suddenly before him, began crying as he had just got to the arena. Breathing heavily and clutching his side, he ran back toward the surface.

Anak's head fell on a man's sandwich who was having a nice picnic lunch outside before going in to battle. The man was confused and was looking at the skull very closely when Anak spoke,

"Hi! Yeah, sorry about that…"

"It… It talked!" The man jumped up and threw Anak's skull back into the air squealing and running away.

"And I was so polite, too" Anak said as he questioned what he could've possibly said to scare the man so badly.