Argos the Elven Knight

A Sudden Encounter

Deep inside a cave, a battle ensured. There was nothing but the sounds of metal swords clanging. Men grunting with effort in order to parry the strikes meant to overwhelm, to dominate, to kill. Currently one swordsman was succeeding. Each strike was fast, precise, and always ended in its victim crying out in pain.

"HE'S A MONSTER!!" Screamed the bandit, tone laced in terror as he stared at the demon incarnate in front of him.

"You have committed unspeakable crimes beyond comprehension. Kidnapping elven children and branding them into slavery so they could be sold to the black market. You who continually mistreat other races and use them for your twisted pleasures. I come here because I seek to liberate those who cannot save themselves. For that I offer them the light at the end of the road, the lantern in the path of darkness." The swordsman raised his hard high as a torrent of fire surrounded his weapon.

"Boss forget the elf kids let's get out of here!!" One of the bandits cried.

"Wrong move." The swordsman said before chanting a set of random phrases before he incinerated his fleeing victim alive. The sounds of pained scream echoed the entire cavern. The terrified bandits could only look in horror as there remains left nothing but ash.

"It's fruitless to escape me you fiends. I find it humorous that now you men are afraid of me. Did you ever think of the children you kidnap? Did you ever think about their cries for mercy before you silenced them? Did you ever think about those elven children whom you molested? This broken world that seeks only place mankind at the top while other humanoids are treated like second class..." He glared at his enemy with burning hatred.

"I will change this world one way or another..." He disappeared before teleporting behind them severing the head of one bandit while slicing the last one in half. They were long dead before it even registered what happened.

The swordsman glared at the carnage. Mutilated corpses of the bandits responsible for enslavement of elven children. Unsheathing his sword he investigated the empty cages. They were open, as if the captives were attempting to flee. There was a small bowl of water placed on ground meant for animals to consume.

"Humanity never ceased to disappoint me. Even in this virtual world such heinous crimes are still practiced. I promise I will find you." He placed the bodies in a bag along with whatever loot he found.

"It's not much but it will earn generous money for a nice feast and some place to stay for the knight." The swordsman instantly felt a presence approach him fast. He barely had time to take out his sword to block.

"Who are young lady?" The man asked. His eyes observed a swordswoman covered in a robe. Her dark yellow eyes glare at him with hatred as she attempted another swing. The swordsman turned his body to avoid the blow. This left the swordswoman exposed. She narrowly dodged the knight's swing before she jumped back.

"You're quite fast." The swordsman commented.

"Save it human! Just what have you done with the children. Answer!!" The woman demanded.

"I believe you misunderstanding some things. If you just give me a second to-" The man parried a series of rapid swings from the swordswoman. The woman then aimed her sword towards the man's vital before rapidly charging. The swordsman now sensing danger quickly moved sidestepped allowing him to position behind her.

"Shit!" The woman cursed her robe now exposing her concealed identity. Her pointy ears now exposed for the man to see. The man's eyes widen in shock. The swordswoman used this moment to strike again but the man blocked it creating a loud clang.

The knight and elf warrior stared at each other, the former clearly having the superior in strength. The latter seemed to be struggling with everything she has.

"You are strong elf woman. You managed to slip through my guard a few times but now I have you." The man said. His tone spoken of finality.

"You won't have me you depraved human!! Return the children you've taken and your death will be quick and painless." The woman warned. She was instantly hit with a wave of killer aura.

"That's quite bold of you to assume you could harm me. It's clear we are getting nowhere but let me make it clear. I AM NOT THE KIDNAPPER OF THOSE CHILDREN! A swordswoman of your caliber should know better than to attack an unsuspecting knight. What if the target you are seeking is that the person? In pursuit of your vengeance you potentially could have committed murder. Is that how an elven warrior fights?" The man lectured.

She grits her teeth. "Spare me the lectures human! I have nothing to say to your kind!!"

"And yet all you have done is assume that I am human when you did not let me have a chance to explain myself."

"What?" she snarled.

The swordsman shoved her away causing her to stumble. Before she could throw another accusatory insult the man placed his sword back into its sheath. What the man did next shook the elven woman to her core. The man took off his helmet revealing a handsome young man with snow white hair. What surprised the swordswoman was not his charming looks but his pointed ears

"Y-Y-You're an e-elf?" She fell to her rear end in shock.

"I am." The man stated as a matter of fact.

"But why? W-Why didn't you tell m-me!?" She stammered.

"I was planning to explain it to you, but you already aimed your sword at me without letting me speak."

The woman's resolve finally wavered as the full gravity of her actions weighed in on her.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry for attacking you! I-I just w-wanted to help! T-Those girls..." She began to tear up.

"It's alright. You probably couldn't have known a fellow elven knight was doing this quest. The bandits were promptly dealt with but I'm afraid there is no sign of the children. It's likely they either escaped or were taken somewhere else." The knight informed her.

"I should expected as such. Humans do nothing but enslave our kind. My entire life has been dedicated to rescue vulnerable elves. I've seen many deplorable acts done to them at the hands of humans. I don't want it to happen again, especially ones too young. Please sir elven knight I need your assistance! Just one elven swordsman is not enough. Normally I wouldn't request assistance but since you're also an elf this is essential for us to cooperate. Our kind continues to be hunted down like animals and sold to the slave market. The more elves we save, the closer we are to true liberation. We must act fast before anymore of our kind continues to suffer. I, Ariane Glendy Maple have pledged my duty to save all of elven kind!" The woman pledged her sword towards me.

"Very well young lady, I will accompany you. I am as a matter of fact interested in freeing our kind. I was just a wandering adventurer but with your strength and prowess, I think we could complete this task. I, Argos Gwendolyn shall join this woman in the task to save our brethren from the shackles of oppression!" The swordsman pledged his sword creating a resounding clang before we officially shook hands.

The tale of how the Elven Pair brought salvation towards their race was just beginning.