[ON HOLD] The Empress

I. A 1000-Year War

Humans had breached the border again.

It was two dozen of them, all carrying bows, arrows, and spears; some even carried a sword. They all moved stiffly, nervously through the thick forests, their weapons drawn and ready.

"We shouldn't be here," whispered One. "You know the rumors..."

"Will you shut your mouth?" snapped a Second. "Do you want us to get caught?"

The First Human huffed. "Well, we wouldn't get caught if we weren't here! I don't want to get my head placed on The Wall."

A shudder went through the group as they fell silent, the thought of their heads resting within the infernal place was terrifying.

Their job was simple. Enter the forbidden lands of Erera and collect as many Moon peaches as they could. It was stupid, so, so stupid, but the newly crowned emperor of their lands loved the fruit. Moon peaches didn't grow back home in Paefon, the closest thing they had were regular peaches; only Erera had them. By entering the lands of Erera was dangerous, and every man knew that these days might be their last.

A Third Man stopped to look at the crudely drawn map in his hands, frowning as he tried to make his barings. No real map existed of Erera, none that existed for humans anyway.

"The grove should be right... there!" he said, pointing to a clearing up ahead.

The group got excited, quickening their steps as they entered what had to be the most beautiful fruit grove they had ever seen. Mango, lychee nuts, apples, Sugar oranges, and more hung from massive, uncultivated trees.

"Seems like this map worked after all," remarked the Third Man, chuckling as he tucked it into the back of his boot. "Come on, let's get to work."

The tree they were looking for had dark-blue leaves, that was there the Moon peaches could be found. It didn't take them long to see one of the trees, and they quickly got to work. Three stayed on the ground, arrows knocked and ready, while the others climbed the tree to pick the fruits.

"Should we get some of the other fruit as well?" asked the Fourth man. "There's so much. The Hornheads couldn't eat it all."

"Shut your fucking mouth!" hissed the First Man. "Do you want us to get caught?"

The Fifth man rolled his eyes. "Will you calm down? They aren't here, or they would have attacked us by now."

"Stop trying to push our luck. We haven't seen any of Them yet... what's to say they aren't watching us now?"

"Or, and here's more valid reasoning, they're not patrolling this small little fruit grove? I'm sure Hornheads have better things to do."

The First Man pursed his lips together, yet kept his eyes forward. Something was wrong. He could fell it. This was all way to easy. No way in the two Hells would Sídhe allow their land to be trodden upon by humans. Everything was too silent. Not a bird chirping, and there wasn't even a rustle in the trees by the wind.

'This must be a trap,' thought the First Man. 'They're watching us...they have to be watching us...'

His hands tightened around his bow as he held it closer to himself. The First man wanted to protect everyone here, but if the choice came then, he'd abandon them. It was every man for himself when the Sídhe arrived.

Fifteen minutes later, their bags were filled to bursting with almost every fruit found in the grove, with, of course, Moon peaches being the main prize. They walked slowly back to the border. Some were casually talking while others munched on the sweet fruit that they had picked along the way.