Summer's Envoy [On Temporary Hiatus]

Ferrum

Ogres. Battle. ~1690.

Elves.
And Humans. Flesh worms.
Pathetic.

We hunt.
The Ravens are weak.
They cannot even catch a worm.
It is our time.
They'll know an Ogre's strength.

We charged from the trees. From the bushes. Through the smoke. They see an Ogre's cunning.

They run.
We chase.
They fight.
We kill.

Humans are weak. They see an Ogre's might.

Slice.
Skewer.
Slash.
Slaughter.

Iron is nothing. Magic is worthless. We use iron. Faerie weakness, our strength. They see an Ogre's power.

Crush.
Squeeze.
Rend.
Rip.

Flesh worms. Frail and small. They fear an Ogre's height.

We smash.
We pillage.
They burn.
They scream.

We raid the village. To destroy insects you must destroy the nest. They find no pity from an Ogre.

We keep the ones we like.
We kill the rest.
They kick and scream.
They die.

Our job is done. "Take the survivors to camp," I say. The Elves are recovering. They will see Ogre superiority.

I greet the waking Ravens. Our meeting is unwelcome. I had hoped they were dead. A paltry flock compared to my mercenaries. They would be dead if not for their queen.

I recognized the leader. We have crossed paths before. He tried waking his unconscious friend. I never bothered with faces. They all look the same to me. 

Hypocrites. Fools.

The Elves share power. Thus they fail. Ogres respect the strongest. Respect my might. I kill those who challenge me. To kill gives us power. A way of life thrust upon us. A way of life that keeps us alive. Useful. Strong. Elves... Faeries... All of those in the courts... They share power. Delegate ranks. But they mask avarice. Ogres. Changelings. And others... Forsaken wretches vomited on by Faerie society. No magic, no power. Only now do elves see their folly. They see an Ogre's worth.

"Heh. The Scarlet Wolf pup. It seems battle makes Ravens pass out," I mocked.

A necklace wearing Elf scowled at me as he came to. The leader sighed at me. I annoyed him. Good.

"Chieftain Grimvolk... Why have you come?" he said.

I grinned. Revealed my crooked incisors. Their discomfort was noticeable. Delightful.

"To save you whelps. Sent by your queen. She was tired of your failure. You need strength to win a war, pup. Ravens lack strength. Ogres do not," I told him.

Necklace looked around, then at me. His piss-gold eyes met my own. His were tired and disoriented. Blood dripped from his face. From those knives he called ears. The drawbacks of magic. Foolish Fae. Know magic, no power.

His words were slow and his voice raspy.

"You... killed...them..."

Elves were dumber than I thought.

"Because you could not. We killed them. All of them. Well. Not all... We kept some. For research," I spoke even slower than he, so his simple mind would understand.

The lethargy in his eyes became rage. Ha! This one had spirit to him. It would bring me delight to crush his head. But I am honorable. His queen hired me. I won't kill him. Crushing his spirit would suffice. For now.

"You killed the villagers, too?"

He was softhearted. Pitiful.

"I did as commanded. Exterminate the parasites. You can't end an infestation without disposing of the nest."

It seems I was magic after all. My words gave him the energy he needed to stand. His fist struck my nose. I bled from both nostrils. Probably broken. Did not care. Misshapen nose anyway. His strength paled in comparison to mine. Little more than a petulant peck from a pesky Raven.

I laughed in response. This only enraged him more. Perfect.

"Ferrum! Meeting a man in the field of battle is one thing, but if you slaughter the innocent, you are no better than humans! You only make this war worse! If killing villagers is the way to save me, then I would rather have died!" he shouted, swinging his fist again.

He said it.
He said it!
Ferrum.
Ferrum!
I hate that word
Ferrum!
I hate them!
Ferrum!
A Fae word for iron.
Ferrum!
A Fae word for the outcasts, courtless, and dejected of their society.
Ferrum!
A Fae word for those deemed as terrible as iron.
Ferrum!
A Fae word for Ogres.

Ferrum.

I caught his fist this time. Without his precious magic, his bones shattered. A twig in my grasp. His crying pleased me. I raised my gauntlet blade to his neck. Still dripping with the fresh blood of slaughtered flesh worms. Its iron touch burned his skin.

Our gazes met again. His anger, his pain. Invigorating. Roused my strength. I put forth the effort to speak as he did. Raven speech tastes of poison. A bile in my mouth.

"This is Ferrum, Dark Elf. My Ferrum, scarred from a hundred battles, bathed in the blood of a thousand flesh worms. It thirsts for the sweet sap of Elf blood once more. Human sympathizer. Hypocrite. Traitor. I should quench my Ferrum's thirst and remove your head now!" I threatened.

A sharp sensation pressed into my own neck. In my fury, I failed to notice the obsidian daggers poised on my throat. That damned Wolf pup. He could end me any moment. Elves...weak, yet swift.

"Drop him. Now!" the Wolf pup growled.

I was angry.
But I was not a fool.
I was not ready to die by Elf hands.
I threw the Elf to the ground. The Scarlet Wolf pup then lowered his fangs.

I spat at the one who insulted me.

"Your queen's ordered a summit. You two are required to go. I'm to be your escort to make sure you don't die along the way." I grunted.

Necklace Elf glared at my blades, then at me. Hatred seeped from his eyes. I grinned at him once more.

"Duel me sometime, if you wish for a rematch, Kinsever Elf." I taunted emphatically.

There were insults for his kind as well. He twitched at the sound of it. He wanted to attack me again. Delightful. The wolf pup immediately had to calm him.

"Seros... Let's go. Queen Regalia summons us. The sooner we get away from the Ogres, the better," the Wolf pup said as he helped his friend up to leave.

Seros, eh? I'd remember that Elf.

"Fly away, Ravens," I mocked.

I wished to kill them.
But not today.
I'd keep my word to their queen.
If I did, the Winter Court would see us as equals.
No longer would they call us Ferrum.