The Dry Lands ✔️ [TSS#1][BXB]

XXVII

"I'm an elf too." I state quietly and I can feel Bow tense at this but he didn't say anything and kept running forward behind tents and trying to avoid the battle in the centre as much as possible.

We were yet to meet the first live elf. I wondered would I recognise him? Would he recognise me? What would he do?

It was forbidden to cross sectors. Why would they cross for me? They hated me...

My grandfather.

Corrin?

A yell startled me from my thoughts and I immediately stop in my tracks at the familiar scream. Bow turns to me wide eyed as he pulls me forward.

"We have to go-"

"Malakei's in trouble."

"Keylin no!"

I clutch the bow and arrows tight around my arm as I run through tents, following the scream of my best friend who could be being tortured right now because of me.

The attack reminded me so much of when the Dry Landers were raiding the elves that dark night in the High Peaks. It was dreary and filled with screams and fire, much like it was tonight. This made me realise that the Dry Landers, known for their brutality and murders, were not as bad as everyone made out to be. The elves were doing the same thing, killing, terrorising...all because of me. The two nations were much the same.

I finally stopped at the scene in front of me. My eyes widening as my hands shook at the sight. Bringing my bow and arrow up to my eye level, I aimed but didn't fire at the elven soldier dressed in plaid gold, his silver hair shining in the darkness. His gold riding boots on Malakei's neck squeezing him and pushing him deeper into the dirt.

I grip my bow, palms sweaty as I draw attention from the elf.

"Get off of him."

The elf turns and is shocked for a moment, thinking I was a Dry Lander in my dark brown clothing if it weren't for my blazing hair colour and sharp tipped ears.

"My prince.."

The elf began, ignoring his mistake of loosening his grip around Malakei under him, Malakei quickly reached up and pulled his leg down, bending it in an awkward and painful angle that caused a shrill cry to erupt from the solider.

"Deorum-"

That was all that the elf could cry out before Malakei is twisting his head at an awkward angle, snapping his head in the process.

My bow and arrow fall to the ground as my mouth forms an 'o' shape, my hand immediately flying up to cover it as I try not to scream in horror at the sight of an immortal dying before me. Being killed before me. The sight was ungodly.

Baja puffs from beside me when Malakei is shoving the body of the elf away from him so that he could get up. Once in a sitting position however he looks up and notices my expression and something washes over his face resembling a mixture of emotions.

Regret? Surprise? Worry?

"Keylin.." He immediately scrambles over to me and I can't train my eyes from the dead elf.