Lef: Chapter 1

Once upon a time there was a young elf named Lef. He enjoyed life just as it was until the day his whole village, Trigone, sank. Curious, young Lef was oblivious to the fact that his home was lost forever. He was simply collecting bark from the uncommon Rucknut Tree that was only found in the Sycklet Forest. While Lef was scraping bark from the rare treasure, he caught a glimpse of a blinding red beam of light. He ceased all work and stood in awe of what was before him. He cautiously stepped towards the weird items in the Sycklet Meadow, which were a small fire, log seat, and dead bunny. Lef snatched up the fresh meat and took his Windle-skinned dagger off his Grandfather’s leather belt. He skinned the tiny mammal, fried it over the newly lit fire, and gobbled it down his puny throat.

After his small lunch, Lef fell asleep next to the warm fire. He awoke to the sound of leaves crunching beneath human moccasins and howling from what sounded like a werewolf. A werewolf!?! Lef thought frantically as the howling continued, I thought those where only in myths! Where am I? After a few moments, Lef realized he was trapped in a small bag. Humans were talking to his captor and Lef found this to be his only chance of escape. His hands and feet were bound by strong rope but Lef was not an ordinary elf and he knew what had to be done.

Lef carefully, attempting not to squirm, pulled his knife from his belt and sliced the tough rope. Apparently, Lef moved around a smidgen too much and his captor checked inside. This frightened the young elf and Lef stabbed his captor in the eye. The man shouted several things while wildly slicing the thin air. In the process, he cut open the bag, freeing Lef from his prison. Lef hopped out and sprinted across the human land. He recognized it as Haffle Market in Symee Country, a place to sell different elves and other mythical creatures as slaves.

Elves are known for their speed, so it was no surprise that Lef was zooming throughout the Market. He was going a little too fast and bumped a small girl his height. Lef’s glowing orange eyes grew wide and spoke to her as fluently as possible for a Finkledab elf, "Sorry! Please excuse!" But the brown-haired girl grabbed Lef’s hand and refused to let it go. Lef was afraid for himself, What if she turns me in!?! The small girl smiled and ran, dragging Lef behind her. "I’ll help you out!" She shouted.

They ran together into Sycklet Forest, where she showed him a cozy cave that looked like a hideout. "Name?" Lef asked as best as he could. "Jypsie! And yours?" Jypsie answered cheerfully. "Lef. Why do you save Lef?" The small elf said. Jypsie ignored her new friend and set up two small beds. She motioned for Lef to try it out while she took her own seat. As soon as Lef’s head hit the uncomfortable pillow-like rock, he passed out from exhaustion.

When Lef awoke from the best sleep he had had in ages, a small breakfast was at his feet. After finishing the slightly undercooked meal, he packed his satchel of stuff he was in need of. "Where are you going?" A worried voice said from behind Lef. Lef checked to see who it was as he stood up. Jypsie had tears streaming down her face, standing at the entrance of the cave. "Won’t you take me with you!?!" Jypsie cried. Lef hugged her and replied, "Too dangerous. Thank you for food and shelter."

Lef set out through Sycklet Forest in the direction of his home, leaving Jypsie wailing for him to come back. He felt terrible for leaving her by herself but he couldn’t risk the kind girl’s life. After hours of trekking through the harsh forest’s grounds, the moon arose, symbolizing Lef needed to set up camp. Once Lef was comfortable, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Lef heard the unnatural rustling of fallen leaves and sat up. The dark night would normally make it difficult for your average person to see but, once again, Lef was an elf with incredible abilities. Lef stood up against a tall tree and surveyed his surroundings. Lef spotted a small human and he cautiously walked towards it. "Lef!!!" Jypsie shouted, "It is you!" Lef jumped back before realizing it was his human friend, Jypsie. He was displeased that she had stubbornly disobeyed him. "Jypsie, you don’t listen," Lef shook his head to show her his disappointment in her. Jypsie looked ashamed but she became cheerful within minutes. She made herself a bed inside Lef’s tent and they both fell back asleep.

When the sun arose, Lef packed his things and woke Jypsie. Jypsie prepared her famous Eggs and Biscuits dish, which was rather tasty in Lef’s opinion. Once they were packed and fed, they began their long journey to the Castron River. Lef walked silently for hours on end while Jypsie blabbered on about how tired her feet were. "Be there soon," Lef reassured her. But when they reached the end of the Sycklet Forest, Lef noticed it wasn’t near as long as it normally took. He ignored the fact and sat at the river bank with Jypsie next to him. "Different color water…" Jypsie looked at Lef as he said this. ‘He seems concerned.’ Jypsie thought worriedly. "Maybe it was a bad storm," Jypsie suggested. "Maybe…"