Story of Kings

Chapter 10

"You know much on the way of elven names?" Ruhden asked as he leaned in, brow raised. "How did you become familiar with Nox? Elves don't share their names lightly."

"I'm aware," Kane said as he thought of how to answer the other man. "Truth be told, I've spent some time with elves, even saved the life of a few."

Ruhden sat up straight. "They offered you a El-Sei?"

Kane's brow furrowed. "They did, though I didn't accept. I asked for their name instead."

Ruhden let out a bark of laughter. "An elf offered you a soul bond and all you asked for was their name?"

"A few, actually," Kane muttered. "I did not have need or want of a soul bond, knowing their names was enough." Kane then waved away the issue. "That's not important though. However, I am curious to know; You play a convincing human, but why?" Kane was more than a little surprised that the Black Underground had more than one non-humans hiding out amongst them but he supposed that's what made them so successful.

"The ears made it very difficult to take a hand in field work," the elf said with a grizzled smile. "I'm certain the men would accept me, the Sentry certainly did, but angels tend to have a problem with anyone that can stand up to them." He worked with the Sentry; Kane knew as much seeing as he had the report. "In the end it's simply easier to hide, as ironic as that is. But I'm curious, how did you know the importance of an elven name?"

Kane nodded, Ruhden was referencing the rest of his kind. An elf could go toe-to-toe with an angel, but their race had no equivalent to a god-king and so when the god-kings started their tyrannical reign the elves decided to hide deep in their ancient forests where they were protected by primal magic. "I'm familiar with where elves believe their sir names originated. When I spent time with the elves, it wasn't on the road, it was in one of their cities."

Ruhden's brow furrowed. "An elf guided you to one of our cities? I find that very hard to believe. Even before the angels, us elves shared that with no one."

"Not guided, exactly," Kane said with a chuckle. "It was a long time ago when I was still discovering my abilities. I sort of- stumbled in. It caused quite the stir."

Ruhden barked with laughter. "I'm sure you did; I can only imagine what sort of scene that would've caused."

Kane smiled faintly. "Anyways, it's all fine and good that you've decided to stand up to the god-kings, but you seem to be going against your secretive and untrusting nature coming to me like this. An old journal mentions a name and I tell a good story, but what prompts you to believe that I am who I say I am?"

"I know more than you think," he explained. "My sense of someone's scent may not be as good as an angel's, I lack that type of magic, but being around for as long as I have, I've collected a few tricks up my sleeve." He then pulled open a drawer, taking out another old, leather-bound journal. Flipping open to a page he had bookmarked he read;

"Interesting note, we had a promotion today. Not totally out of the ordinary but the man certainly was. He was being recognized for his excellent scouting reports, how he never failed and went to great lengths to secure the information needed and more than what was asked for. The man has also survived multiple brush-ins with angels. I'm not sure what I expected but I was surprised nonetheless. I wouldn't call the man rude, but polite isn't a word I'd use to describe him either. Blatant and straightforward, he asked each and every person who talked to him their name yet never gave his own in response. I'll have to keep track of this scout's progress, Kane (No sir name)."

Ruhden glanced up at Kane, flipping through a few more pages before reading another entry.

"I've received another request to promote Kane, third submittal from a second officer. Having watched his progress these past few weeks I can only agree, as soon as it might be, it's clear Kane is cut from a different cloth. Works relentlessly and seems to have more skills than he is letting on. There are unconfirmed reports that he managed to assassinate an angel who was tracking another scout back to their camp but Kane himself admits nothing. A curious thing to do, one that makes me suspicious of him, it's as if he is trying to hide his abilities. I think I'll have one of our rouge angels investigate him and masquerade as a normal rebel."