The Eldars

20

It was only after her words that the others notice that the controller's body wasn't solid but nebulous and only vaguely in the shape of a human. His words were soft and sibillous. He asks once more why she hunted him like she did.

"The elf answered you already. Taking away the right of the person to do or not do is wrong. What you will do to one you will do to others, that is why I hunted you." Montani says as she and Mant step out of the protective circle the elves had made.

"I just don't understand. I only do what you are doing, hunting the evil ones the only way that I can. They prey on my people as much as they do yours."

"Yes, that brings us back to my question now doesn't it? What are you?" The confusion is obvious to them. "My race is dedicated to eradicating the evil ones. We have or thought we have nearly destroyed them. We thought there were only a few stragglers left, yet it appears that we were wrong."

"Why are you not answering my wife's question?" Mant demands.

"Pardon, Eldar, my name is Teondae and I am a Vacar." Montani gasps and the elves mutter among themselves. Mant and Montani look at each other in disbelief. The Vacar are a myth, a child's tale to get them to behave. The Vacar are the creatures of horror, and unlike the evil ones they were thought to be just stories. And in not one story were they considered anything other than evil.

Mant and Montani look at Teondae in disbelief and as they watch his form solidifies. He now looks like an elf, except instead of fair looks his are dark and his eyebrows are upswept and his eyes were less almond shaped. Then they see his teeth and all similarities end, his teeth at least some of them are pointed, the canines.

He walks further in the light, mental light Montani is projecting, and they all unconsciously take a step back. Mant and the elves are nervously fingering their weapons. Mant has to focus to pull his hand away from his weapons. Montani strangely enough just sits there and watches him. She's fascinated with all the potential horror that his people are supposedly able to visit upon  people.

Teondae smiles bitterly, "I see that stories about my people are still thriving among the races. How is it that the female is the one to stand firm?"

At his words the elves and Mant stiffen and give him evil looks. Montani ignores the words and just keeps her eyes on the person in front of her. He continues speaking, directing most of his words to her.

"The stories you heard of my people are more than likely true," he makes a face of indecision. "Well, at least the basis of the stories were true, unfortunately. There was a small rebellious group of my people, they decided to go on a bloody rampage. By the time we were able to hunt and kill the rebels the damage had been done.

"The other races had risen up against us in their anger, for good reason. We were forced to flee and leave our homes behind. We were forbidden to return to them until such a time as the other races asked for our aid in their need. We are forbidden to leave our location of safety and that is why I used the elves to hunt the evil ones."

Teondae turns his attention to the elves and bows to them in apology, "Truly, I meant no harm to you or yours. This is the only way we are able to fight the evil that is encroaching on the land."

Mant gets up the nerve to speak, "You say you fled from these lands and were forbidden to return, who forbade you?"

Teondae gives him a small sad smile, "Our elders. Many of us remember our homes and wish nothing more than to return to them. We have new homes where we are, of course, but still we yearn for what was lost to us." Teondae's tone is wistful and full of regret.

"The great forests, mountains and beautiful plains, our homes were built to  last through the ages. Our treasures that would mean little to any other than ourselves, the memories of a millennia." The longing in his voice is hard for Montani to hear, it reminds her too much of her human family and her loss.