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Everyone knew the beginning of the end started with him. His name was Galen Dorvrerra, an elf of a lineage stretching back through the annals of time. Having grown restless within the confines of the elven realm and its strictures, with a growing desire to explore beyond ancient traditions and secluded glades, towards something that called to his very soul, he defied all elven laws and transported himself to the human realm, a place they now called Earth.
It was in the midst of an early Autumn rain on the surface of Earth, where Galen moved gracefully down a dimly lit street, cloaked in a hooded shawl in an unknown city where he dared not ask its name. It had only been hours since his arrival and he was making his way back to the inn where he had procured a room for the night, a place called Best Western. His silver-touched hair glistened with raindrops as he walked, his steps quiet and deliberate, as if each footfall was a note in a symphony of secrecy. The mortal world was both unfamiliar and fascinating, with its bustling streets, towering skyscrapers, and the harmonious melodies of humanity's existence. He spent his first hours walking the city, listening to peculiar conversations and sampling food from various taverns.
Galen navigated the labyrinthine streets towards the inn, trying to figure out was was so important about this particular city, when his concealed ears caught a faint sound, a discordant note hidden in the rhythm of the rain. He followed the sound, drawn toward an alley where shadows loomed like conspirators. There, he witnessed a scene of human desperation—a young woman, named Elara Lefolie, backed against a stone wall, her eyes wide with fear as she faced the threat of thieves or cutthroats, Galen wasn't sure which.
Without hesitation, Galen stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. He was attuned to the danger that simmered in the air, but his instincts whispered for him to stop, to intervene in the lives of mortals could threaten the safety of his realm.
Elara's screams were muffled as one of the assailants grabbed her and squeezed her from behind, placing one dirty hand over her mouth so she could barely breathe, while his other arm wrapped around her waist. She flailed, hit and kicked at the other two muggers who went through her pockets, grabbing her phone, holding her arms back and ripping her jacket in the process.
"I see too much." Galen's loud voice startled the attackers as he appeared behind them. "Go away from her now, or there be consequences." English still felt very foreign coming from his lips which he now snarled.
The three men looked over to Galen, puzzled by his choice of words and odd clothes. One laughed outright. "Shall we make it a double, boys? This one looks lost."
One man laughed back, the other, holding on to Elara, only held her tighter, sniffing her neck while he goaded "Oh, but we're just getting started with this one."
Elara went frantic. She struggled against the musty smell of the man that held her, trying to break free, she inadvertently scratched at his face. The man howled "you bitch!" but did not let go, he only put her into more of a headlock at his waist where her arms could not reach his face.
