Chapter 10: dark elves

The sun peeked through the thick branches of the forest, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Jaxon woke up, pushing the dry leafy covers off of him.

He stretched his arms and yawned, feeling the stiffness in his back from sleeping on the hard bed. He made his way outside, blinking in the bright sunlight.

As he emerged from the thicket, he heard sapphire's voice.

"What are you doing?"

Sapphire turned to face him.

"Oh Jaxon, you're awake!"

Jaxon looked around, taking in the gathering. Haze, sapphire, and Orion were seated in a circle.

"What is all….this?" he gestured towards the gathering, confusion etched on his face.

Sapphire exhaled deeply.

"We are in a world where everything is out to destroy us. It's either we stay ready or we prepare to die.

And I am very sure none of you want to die.

The first step to survival is understanding our avatars. We need to know everything about them. What we are capable of and what circumstances would crush us.

Care to join us?"

Jaxon shrugged his shoulders, a hint of a grin on his face. "Why not?".

He walked over to the group and sat beside Haze, who nodded at him in greeting.

Sapphire clapped her hands together, a bright smile on her face. "Alright, let's begin! Haze please come stand by my side."

Haze nodded and rose from his seat, joining Sapphire at the center of the gathering. Sapphire tapped on Haze's chest, and a square box materialized in front of him, filled with lines of text and symbols.

"Okay, let's take a look at your avatars information," sapphire said, her eyes scanning through the box.

"Ah, yes! This bar filled with red ink" - she pointed to the horizontal bar - "this is your health meter. The health meter reflects your life force. As you sustain damage, this meter will deplete. And when it empties…."

Sapphire's expression turned grave, "your physical form will collapse, leaving you extremely vulnerable. Beware, for healing items are scarce, and only through certain abilities can you restore your health."

Haze's eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the health meter.

Sapphire moved her finger to a pentagon-shaped symbol adorned with air-like wisps.

"And this represents your power type. Each power has different symbols. These powers define the role you play in the game world.

Master them and you will find strength even in darkest times."

Jaxon's curiosity got the better of him.

"What about those of us who don't have any powers? Do we have any power symbols?"

Sapphire's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"One way to find out!" She tapped on Jaxon's chest, and a square box materialized infront of him.

As she scanned the box, her expression changed from excitement to confusion. "This is very odd. You…don't have…one. Quite interesting."

Jaxon's eyes widened in awe as he stared at his box. Sapphire's thoughts raced with questions.

Why would they be sucked into this game without special abilities to defend themselves, knowing the dire situations that lay ahead?

Jaxon's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Sapphire, what is this white ink filled meter bar at the bottom of the box."

Sapphire's gaze shifted to the meter.

"That is your XP meter. The XP Meter tracks your progress and growth. By defeating enemies, overcoming challenges, and completing tasks, you will gain experience.

As you level up, your powers will strengthen, new abilities will unlock, and your capacity to endure this journey will increase."

Jaxon nodded, comprehension dawning on his face.

"So, even if I don't have powers, I can still grow stronger?"

Sapphire smiled, "exactly, Jaxon!"

As they discussed their XP meters and health bars, the giant rats stood on their hind legs, their ears twitching as if sensing something.

One rat scurried to Sapphire and squealed, trying to convey a message. Sapphire focused her powers, and her eyes lit up with understanding.

"Don't worry, we will be fine," she replied petting the rat, which scurried inside with a rush.

Orion groaned, "don't tell me another trouble."

Sapphire's expression turned serious.

"Well trouble seems to run the day for us. Apparently, at noon, the birds of prey come out to haunt. Giant ones, at that, with the force of a boulder. We can't outrun or outmatch them, so we need to take off now!"

The group nodded, and quickly gathered their belongings. After packing, they turned to the giant rats, expressing their gratitude.

"Thank you for your help and hospitality. Even though I made you do it reluctantly."

Sapphire said, scratching the ears of the giant rats.

The rats squeaked and chirped, as if wishing them luck. With a final farewell, the group set off, leaving the safety of the rat's lair behind.

They walked through the quiet forest, the sound of the soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet. Haze couldn't help but marvel at the way the branches above seemed to hug each other in a canopy of green, creating a serene tunnel through the woods.

Orion and Jaxon walked ahead, their usual banter replaced by an uneasy silence. Sapphire's eyes narrowed with concern.

She nudged haze, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm worried about them."

Haze sighed, still gazing at the trees. "I am too… but there is nothing we can do."

Sapphire's eyes sparked with determination.

"Actually, I could use my powers to pacify his anger."

Haze shook her head, her expression resolute.

"No, that's just postponing the inevitable. It'll only make things worse. They need to work through this themselves. They're good friends… they'll figure it out."

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the air startling the squad, followed by a shout.

"Give me everything you have, you old hag!"

Sapphire's eyes rolled heavenward. "That voice… t-that voice. I am going to kill him."

Sapphire strode towards the river, her fists clenched, a fierce glint in her eyes. The others hurried after her, hearts racing with anticipation.

*******

The path led to a small town built around the banks of the river, its inhabitants cowering in fear. Sapphire followed the voice to the mouth of the river, where a group of dark elves had gathered. An old mushroom-like creature trembled before them, offering a meager handful of belongings.

"This is all I have….my lord," the mushroom shivered.

The leader, Gregory, sneered and kicked the mushroom onto the wet ground, stepping on her.

"Liar! When I say everything, I mean everything.

Search the town and bring me all they have. Each and every single one. Do not leave a thing behind. Go now!"

Sapphire emerged from the trees, her eyes blazing with fury. "You will do no such thing."

The dark elves turned, recognizing that voice all too well.

Jaxon whispered, "what are those?"

Sapphire's voice dripped with venom.

"They are dark elves. Elves corrupted by evil. Elves who think they are owed everything. Elves with a stupid sense of entitlement."

Gregory smiled, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Sapphire…"

Sapphire's smile was fierce. "I would say nice to meet you, Gregory, but it's going to be one-sided after the beating I give you!"

Gregory and Sapphire engaged in a fierce stare-down, the tension between them growing thicker than the river fog. The air seemed to vibrate with their mutual hatred.

Sapphire broke the silence, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I thought you'd change, considering the beating I gave you last time."

Gregory's smile faltered, his tongue instinctively probing the gap where his missing tooth used to be. The memory of their previous encounter still lingered, a painful reminder of Sapphire's prowess.

Sapphire noticed his momentary lapse and pounced on it. " what? Did I knock out your precious teeth? Aww, you poor little thing. I almost feel sorry for you!"

Gregory's face contorted in rage, his eyes blazing with fury.He let out a thunderous roar, his voice echoing off the riverbanks.

"Kill them! Kill them all!"

The dark elves surged forward, their twisted faces alight with bloodlust. They charged towards Sapphire and her companions, their weapons at the ready.

The air crackled with tension as the dark elves surged forward. Sapphire's eyes narrowed, her focus sharp as she summoned her power.

Her hands glowed with a soft, pink light that suddenly intensified, shooting out in powerful blasts. Each burst of energy surged with a force driven by her emotions, sending dark elves flying back as they tried to close in.

Haze, with a grin of her own, summoned the fog from the river, thickening it until it became almost blinding. The dark elves stumbled, swinging their weapons wildly in the disorienting mist.

Then, with a snap of her fingers, Haze infused the fog with bright flashes of light, turning the world into a strobe-lit dance party—except the elves had no rhythm and no idea where they were anymore.

Two of the dark elves chased Jaxon and Orion, their eyes locked in on them like predators hunting prey.

Before they could react, one of the elves snatched Orion by the arm.

"Help meeeee!"

Orion's voice rang out in panic as the elf tried to drag him away.

Sapphire's head whipped around at his cry, her heart racing. She moved to help, but Gregory intercepted her, his grip iron-tight around her wrist. He smirked, but Sapphire's eyes flared with defiance.

Her entire body began to glow with an intense light, her energy surging in response to her friends' peril. The energy she unleashed rippled through the air, pulsing into Jaxon and Orion like a shockwave.

Orion, still struggling, suddenly felt a jolt of power. He grinned as he ripped his arm free from the elf's grasp with newfound strength.

His fist connected with the elf's jaw in a single, powerful blow that sent the creature sprawling into the mud.

"Damn, I am like One Punch Man."

Jaxon, who had been caught in a dark elf's grip, felt the same surge of energy. The elf tried to swing him around like a ragdoll, but Jaxon's reflexes kicked in. With a fluid movement, he twisted his body, locking arms with the elf. Using the momentum, he flipped the dark elf into a perfect suplex, slamming the creature down with a bone-rattling thud.

"And stay down!"

Jaxon yelled, unable to resist a grin of triumph.

Sapphire, still glowing with energy, turned her attention back to Gregory. With a burst of strength, she threw him off balance, her fist connecting with his jaw in a flash.

Gregory sailed through the air and landed in a nearby boat with a resounding crash. As he sat up, dazed, a few of his teeth clattered onto the wooden deck.

"M-My teeth!" he mumbled, eyes wide with disbelief.

Sapphire dusted off her hands, smirking down at him. "You look better without them anyway," she teased, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

With the dark elves crammed into the boat, some nursing bruises and others still dazed from the fight, Sapphire's eyes flicked to Haze. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips.

"You mind doing the honors?"

Haze raised an eyebrow, feigning modesty, before shrugging nonchalantly. "My pleasure!"

With a fluid motion, she lifted her hand, and the mist that had been lingering over the water began to swirl. The mist thickened, coiling like a serpent, and the water beneath it responded in kind, rising and churning as if alive.

The dark elves in the boat exchanged nervous glances, sensing that their bad day was about to get worse.

Haze's grin widened as she flicked her wrist. The mist and water combined into a powerful current that wrapped around the boat, lifting it effortlessly. The elves scrambled for balance, clinging to the sides as the boat began to spin and accelerate.

"Hold on tight, boys!" Haze called out with a mock concern.

And then, with a final wave of her hand, the boat shot forward like a cannonball. The dark elves barely had time to scream before they were zooming away, the boat skipping across the water at breakneck speed.

It flew past the riverbanks, the town, and eventually disappeared into the distance, becoming a mere dot on the horizon.

Sapphire watched the spectacle with satisfaction, crossing her arms over her chest. "Nice work, haze. I think that's the last we'll see of them for a while."