The Elves of Trelis

The Promise

The pain that Razu felt from losing his claw created a thunderstorm that the elves would never forget. Holding onto the harpy's leg hurt Tarli's arms so badly that after the others left with that monster, Razu tried to shake him off for the last time he finally gave up and let himself fall hard in a bush.

"I'll never forget this elf!" Razu yelled as the clouds started to dissipate. "Someday I'll do more than just make you fly." His last words before he flew away with the grey clouds.

When Tarli fell on his back, he got the wind knocked out of him and he gasped when he lifted his head and torso. He had been forced to hold onto a bird in the sky for over an hour while thunder and lightning struck around him and now he had bruises on his back and scratches on his arms. And what did he get? A tiny silver claw from a harpy who despised him now. And the worst part was, it was all his idea. So he couldn't even yell at Carlo for it. He tried to stand up but doing it on his own was painful. So when his brother returned he found him laying on the ground and grumbling like a wounded dog. Carlo knelt over him and Tarli was cross that he was too weak to slap his twin in the face. For what was he smiling for anyway?

Carlo's bright red eyes had traces of tears in them and he had a huge smile that he only ever got when he was teasing but this time he gave Tarli a hug and a kiss. "You're so brave," he whispered in his ear.

Phadia came through the trees next, still a little shaken up about being launched off Cynthia's back but she was smiling on the inside. Lastly, Joshua arrived and he ran up to his cousins and told them they did an excellent job. "Thank you," he said quietly. And neither could be happier.

"It's time," Phadia said.

The boys all turned to her and nodded.

*** ***

The goblins were still a little unnerving to Carlo but he still volunteered to be the one to show them Cynthia's claw. Carrying his brother's lantern in one hand and the claw in the other he sunk into the goblins tunnel for the last time.

When the iron gate was smack in front of him, he called out to the other side.

"Is that you again? Are you the reason it rained?"

"Yes. I forced the hand of a harpy and he made a storm."

"Oh... and that's why she came out... Yes, I saw Cynthia come out of the ground. And you... you killed her? Just like that?"

"Yes. Open the gate and I'll show you the claw I took."

Carlo could hear a key twist the lock on the door and the gate creaked as it opened wide. The gatekeeper goblin was small and scaly. His eyes were black and beady. All goblins had pointed ears but they were much shorter than the elven kind. He brought a clawed foot forward and peered at the silver claw.

Sharp teeth jutted out of his toothy smile. "You did it and you know what, it's time we made a promise."

"What... what kind of promise?" Carlo said.

"Well little elf, I solemnly swear that I will never eat another elf as long as I live. Any elf that gets lost in the tunnels will be brought back up again. I shall tell the Chief about what you've done and he will make the others to do the same."

The gatekeeper took the claw and scrambled happily back home.

*** ***

Empress Destiny had heard from a fast pixie that a single harpy had created the unexpected storm she heard while standing outside her great tree. There were only three things that could cause that: rage, fear and absolute pain.