Connor: The Elven Chronicles: Volume 1: To Slay A Murderer: Chapter 4: Revival

   I was dreary and yet almost fully awake.  "Are you okay?" I heard a voice say.  The voice was indistinguishable for I had never heard such a soft voice.  I murmured, although I have a feeling my response wasn't coherent enough for the voice to tell what I said.  The world looked bright and blurry, an obvious after effect of dying and being revived.  I saw a person in front of me, but I couldn't tell if it was the princess or not.  Suddenly I could see better.
  Princess Amy sat in front of me looking into my eyes.  I smiled a bit when I saw her and then thought is she a cleric?  She looked at me and nodded as though she knew the exact words that came to mind.  She said "That was a brave thing you did, elf.  It may not seem like much, but having the courage to speak the truth to my mum is scary.  Most people don't know how she would react."  I was dumbfounded, my simple act of telling the truth was brave!  Amy continued "Just, don't risk your life again please.  I can only use this spell once every week.  That and I don't want to see you die"  The moment she said that she blushed.
   I said "Princess, you  shouldn't be worrying about me.  Worry about what that racist little jerk and his evil plans.  Besides, you're royalty and I'm a peasant."  I paused thinking maybe I should try convincing her to join my group.  However it is quite un-gentleman-like to put a princess in danger.
  As I kept thinking she said "Well you need someone with you at all times if you want to recover.  I could go get mum, after all she "loves" elves."  I was now in a strange predicament, risk the princess' life or be followed around all day by the witch.  I made a grimace at the mention of the witch, which caused the princess to continue healing me.  After a few days of recovery I went to the castle garden to train my combat skills alone, if I tried my hand against my two companions I would have needed more healing.
  As it turned out Amy had wandered over to me while I was training one day.  I turned to her and offered to let her join the group.  She giggled and then said "I thought that was dangerous for a young noble."  Great she's taken to mocking me now I thought.  She said "Oh relax, I'm just kidding.  After all you aren't completely healed and with you swinging that sword around like an idiot then I should come along to keep you in good health."  I wish she would stop acting like I'm no good in combat situations! I thought again.  She walked away and left me to my training.
    After training I walked back into the castle's throne room.  The queen was sitting on the massive throne and barked at me "My daughter can only follow you if you don't allow her to get injured in anyway, shape, or form!"  I agreed to these rules on Amy's safety and then thought Oh great the other reason I wanted to leave her here.

Connor: The Elven Chronicles: Volume 1: To Slay a Murderer: Chapter 3: Is This Meant To Be

       As we stood there the witch glared at me.  She said "You wretched creature! I will make you depart from this plane of existence!"  She ran at me, but fortunately she missed.  I turned toward her lovely daughter and thought of the conflict being solved.  Is it really that simple I thought to myself.   Can this entire thing be solved by love, no we barely know each other.  As I was fading between the conflict and the lovely woman on the throne I noticed a book on the table next to where I was standing.
    The book simply titled "Music: Lesson 2: How to Compose a Sonata."  It occurred to me that her husband must have been a bard.  The elderly half-dragon was nearing me a sword nearing my throat.  I looked to my left and saw K. I.  He was holding one sword to my throat and saying "Your Highness.  I have returned to serve you.  If I shall slit this elf's ugly, stupid throat, will you welcome me back?"  His face went from no expression to a small, and quite cocky smirk.  He said "I, Kerberus J. Icarus, your faithful assassin, am ready to slit the elf's scrawny throat."  Mr. Icarus, the puzzle started coming together.  The legends told of a dwarf who had possibly killed the dragon king yet I thought these to be merely rumors for no dwarf could live that long.
  He said "I who lived ten centuries due to the power given to me by the original dragon king, whom thy father had slain for this Democracy to come about."  I understood now that Mr. Icarus was the one who killed the dragon king and my parents.  I thought about everything that lead to this point.  My entire hundred and sixteen year old life flashed before my eyes.  My memories of my family, my plans for revenge, my first girlfriend, who was killed in the vile human hero raids on our country.  Everyone I knew and loved was dead and I thought I would soon be with them.  With what felt to be my last moments on Midguard I cast one last glance at the woman on the throne and a scornful glare at the witch along with a hateful glare at Mr. Icarus.  He moved the sword closer to my neck.  The blade now touched my throat and I knew my end would come soon.
  When the dwarf asked me for my last words I said to the witch "The dwarf killed your father.  The diminutive psychopath  slew my family.  This grudge between us has been a misunderstanding.  Also if there's a cleric in the room I may need to be revived after this."  Before my head was sliced off my body I saw the effect of my words on Icarus' face.  He decapitated me and so I passed on.
   For a while I had gotten a view of the entire situation, but it was fleeting as I floated upward to heaven.  Soon I could see nothing but clouds in all directions.  The gates of gold awaiting me, beyond them the Patron god of elves and my parents were looking at me.  My god said "You have been deemed worthy of heaven you may ente........."
   However he didn't finish the sentence and started a new one quickly.  "I have news from Midguard.  A cleric is trying to reincarnate you.  It's a die twenty to be fully restored please stand by."  There was a beep and the god started saying "chant 4 to bring back a dead elf now."  As I floated back down to earth I thought Well that was convenient.  Unfortunately without me there to help out Icarus escaped the Tyrannical Democracy and was on his way to the Forbidden Mountains, where there is absolutely nothing.  Unfortunately the mountains were far from the Democracy.  Will I ever finally get my revenge?

Connor: The Elven Chronicles: Volume 1: To Slay A Murderer: Chapter 2: The Journey Onward

   The man with several heads told us to ask him a question.  We had a group discussion before questioning the strange man.  Heinrich wanted to question him about the strength of various swords, which only he knew.  K. I. wanted to question the man by inquiring of the power of several spells.  Leo had wanted to ask what the color of a typical steed was, but since steeds can have coats of several colors we decided not to ask this.  Finally I asked who the dwarf was in our four person group. One head said "That's the guy with the sword." which was incorrect because K I used magic not swords.  Another head said "Well I'll be darned if it ain't you."  Which was obviously incorrect.  The heads kept spewing incorrect answers until one did use the right one.  The head said "Well it most certainly isn't not the small man with the spell book."  Because the head used a double negative it was technically correct as far as the answer, however by way of grammar he we terribly wrong.
         I said "The head in the center speaks truths, although he does so in bad grammar.  Thus I and my allies must know be allowed to pass."  The man allowed us to pass forward toward the Tyrannical Democracy.  Unfortunately we stumbled across a couple of law enforcement officers from the Never Agreeing Kingdoms.  One officer was a man and the other was a centaur.  I said nonchalantly "What seems to be the problem officers?"  To this they responded by looking back at me as if they didn't comprehend. I said "I mean why did you stop us? Did we do something wrong?"
    The centaur cop said "We got word of someone trying to leave the kingdoms."  I told him that we were going to dethrone the tyrant leader of the Tyrannical Democracy.  The centaur responded with "No.  I mean a fugitive about the size of your dwarf friend broke out of jail.  Last seen inside a tavern talking to a few guys that bear a resemblance to your description."  I asked if we could hear about what this fugitive was arrested for and if he knew any magic.  The centaur said "It was proven that he had been a spy for the Tyrant Witch and knew a large amount of outlawed spells, stuff you wouldn't be taught in any conventional wizards school in the Kingdoms."  Just after that K I attacked the guard with a dagger most likely hidden in his robe pocket.
        After a long and drawn out battle against the cops, caused by K I resisting arrest again.  We discussed the possibility of turning K I over to the police force again.  K I spoke to me for the first time since the journey began.  He said "If you turn me over to the cops I'll kill you.  I'll kill you and everyone in the group if you turn me over!  Just be aware of the consequences of your actions, Elven scumbag."  I stared at the little racist and thought of all the possible ways the town guards might punish him, most satisfying was the possibility of K I's execution.  This was also the most likely punishment for a dual offender, as I know from talking with cops in my hometown.
       My mind started turning over the facts.  K I originally entered the Kingdoms sixty years ago and was arrested forty years ago.  Only ten years after my parents' deaths.  We continued on the path toward the Democracy.  Eventually reaching the first town in the kingdom we learned that the townspeople have it out for the empress as well.
    We traveled on until we reached the castle.  I knocked on the door and was eventually let in by an elf, a slave to the tyrant.  I looked over my fellow elf and saw that he wasn't being treated well.  He had whip marks on his body and cuts on his arms and legs.  This cruelty had to end I swore to myself and to the elf slave.  I walked down the hall, it was covered in elf skulls and elf heads mounted on walls.  I saw a portrait of her.  She was a part dragon and part human.  It was said her parents were the king of the dragons and a human woman.  Her parents were kind to elves, but they were murdered by an elf from my village.  The elf was my ancestor who had founded the town.  He slew the girl's father right before her eyes, ever since she has hated my family and my race.
     We entered the throne room and I saw a beautiful half-dragon sitting on a throne.  She was the empress' daughter.  Her name was Amy and she was kindhearted unlike her cruel witch of a mother.  That was when the Tyrant walked into the room.  The tyrant had a stone cold expression almost the type you'd see on a statue.  I said to her "So we meet at last, murderer.  We both know you had my parents slain for what my great grandfather did.  I don't want this chain of murders to continue, you hear me witch!  We shall end this in a peaceful manner."
   She said "An elf being civil, what an odd sight I might just have your head decorating the mantle above my fireplace.  I trust you're fully aware of my spy/assassin"  I looked back at K I and noticed him smiling.  I told her that I would strike her down if need be.  The fight that would break out would be a deadly one.  One of us would move to the realm beyond.  This concludes my tale for now.

Connor: The Elven Chronicles: Volume 1: To Slay A Murderer: Chapter 1: The Quest Begins

          I was standing in the monster's lair.  It was dank, disgusting, dreary, and smelled like the dead.  It all started mere decades ago.  Fifty years ago I witnessed my entire family's death.  It was caused by something out side, something beyond our control.  Up until that point I was just an average Elf who ran a mystical item shop.  My parents thought it would be a good idea to give an elf of the age of one hundred the ability to run the family business.  For us elves one hundred years old is equal to seventeen years old for humans.  I had wanted to be a wizard, but my parents couldn't afford to send me to the special schools required.
   I was unable to assume the role I had wanted.  I almost ended up with the job of town fool as well, to make matters worse.  After my family died I had no connection to the other elves.  As any one in my position would, I ran away from town leaving behind my previous education and childhood.  I swore I would slay the beast that murdered my family.  It was no dragon attack that did it, no matter what the stupid politicians said.  Someone wanted my parents out of the picture and I wouldn't rest until I had my revenge.  I started my quest by leaving the forest in which the village was built.  I ventured toward the nearest human town and started inquiring at the bars.
   I soon had myself an adventuring party ready to help me smite my sworn enemy.  At the time I didn't know her identity or gender, but I had found some allies who had a bone to pick with her as well.  My partners in this were a human fighter, a Dwarf who was adept in alchemy, and a kobold ranger.  The human was named Heinrich, the Dwarf preferred to be called K I, we had no ability to pronounce either of his names so we called him by his initials.  The kobold was named Leo, most likely after the animal.  We started off sharing stories of why we were seeking revenge.  Mine actually seemed to make the most sense, ironically Heinrich was only trying to get revenge for the destruction of the public library.  It was ironic because Heinrich could barely write his own name, I was surprised he could even read in basic, Elven, and Draconic.  Leo was after some kidnapped hounds and slaughtered lions, how appropriate.  K I however wouldn't say what his quest was.
    Meanwhile she was planing her next attack on the Never Agreeing Kingdoms.  One would think that with all these peaceful groups the kingdoms would at least agree on something!  She was waiting for my arrival in general.  She had been planning a war with my race for sixty years, we found this out later.  The group stocked up on some much needed supplies and then we headed off for her Democracy.  The only thing that confused me was she was a tyrant and it was still a democracy which is almost as weird as kingdoms having a council meeting together in a civilized, nonviolent manor.  The first task was to get past a strange and unusual guardian being, a man with his five heads.  He at least told us that one head speaks truth the rest speak lies, quite ironic considering he could have been lying when he said that!  This concludes the tales of my exploits for tonight.