The Elf, Drakent Arrow [top 100 books of all time checklist .txt] 📗

elp, please, Ankris could say. I'm hurt ...

The man's eyes showed no emotion. Ankris not

know then, but that face long populate their

worst nightmares.

His vision of Elf, which allowed him to see better than humans at the

dark, saved her life this time. Because he saw clearly how the

Man shot crossbow, and only had just a second to roll

on the floor and dodge the arrow, which is stuck in the muddy ground,

dangerously close to his face.

Ankris horror, felt that many questions came to his

mind. But instinct and desire for survival forced to jump

hiding in the bushes. He heard the man growl behind him and, by

gathering his last strength, stood up and ran in the rain.

The chase was brief but horrible for the elf, who, without strength,

mortally wounded, he crawled as he could through the woods, looking

desperately shelter. No one knew who he was human in

relentlessly pursued, but did not want to stay and find out.

Panting, feeling his life slip away drop by drop and weak

to stand up and fight, the only advantage he had over his pursuer

Elven was his vision that allowed him to orientate better at night. Was the

the only reason why some arrows dodged more. But

finally one stuck painfully in his right leg and

brought down, full length, in a puddle.

Exhausted, Ankris no longer had the strength to move. He was face down

on the floor, bleeding, holding the knife in his hand, but he knew that

silver dagger that would not save him from his ruthless persecutor, and

that, feeling defeated, and did not move.

- At last I have you, vermin growled the man.

Ankris heard above the murmur of the rain that was still falling

without mercy on the two, how human carrying his crossbow. Closed

eyes and waited.

But death did not come.

There was a sound like a hiss, and a cry of pain. Ankris opened

eyes and saw a shadow over it, and also the night lit up with a

strange greenish light seemed supernatural.

- Come on, 'said a dry voice in his ear.

And Ankris and saw and heard nothing more.

The following days were spent consumed by fever, riding

between nightmares that mingled farmer, Shi-Mae, the wise,

Aonia, the sorcerer, the king's soldiers and, above all, the face of eyes

man stone heartless enough to

chase a wounded and helpless elf throughout the forest, as if

was an animal.

It took a while to open his eyes, and when he did, he found himself in a

messy but warm hut, lying on a bed of herbs. A

cheerful fire burned in one corner and thought he saw elf projected

on the wall the shadow of a wolf. But he quickly fell back into her

delirium and quickly forgot what he had seen, likening it to the images

that appeared in his dreams.

Once he opened his eyes and found himself in the cabin that had believed

see in dreams. Only this time I was aware of being awake.

It was daylight and sunlight filtered through the small window. Beside

him, preparing something in a cauldron, was a man of hair

gray, brown robes and wearing a hat that covered almost

whole head.

- Where ... I? -Did mutter Ankris.

The man turned to him and looked at him, and felt a strange elf

sense of familiarity, of empathy, although it was

fully convinced that he had not seen before.

- You're in my house, 'he said. Safe.

- I ... pursued.

- Do not worry about the Hunter. I took care of him.

The Hunter ... the face of the man who had been about to

murder came back to his mind, and the elf could not help

shudder.

- Have you ... killed?

- No. And not for want of trying, believe me. But for now you're

safe, so rest, you need it.

Ankris wanted to thank you, but fatigue overcame him and returned to

fell into a troubled sleep.

The next time I woke up, the man was still there and was

changing shoulder bands.

- Fea wound about said saw with open eyes. Very ugly.

Silver, huh? Poor thing. You were lucky to find you.

- Who are you?

- A friend. But, if you prefer, you can call Novan.

- I am Ankris.

- Ankris, huh?

- No, Ankris.

- That's what I said: Ankris.

The elf did not insist. I had noticed, for some time, that the

pronounced human music very rudely the Elvish words.

One in particular did not seem to be an exception.

Ankris spent the following days between sleep and wakefulness. During

times when he lay awake, he learned more.

Novan was a magician, but not wearing the red tunic with which they used

adorn their kind. The cabin that was home stood on a

inaccessible place on the other side of the mountains. By intervening to save

the elf had used a spell to attack, but, although it had achieved

hurt the Hunter, his magic did not cause as much damage as expected.

- I could not entertain more, so I quickly pulled away,

using the teleportation spell, which allows travel

instantly ...

- ... to a place you've seen before Ankris nodded. Yes, I know.

Donovan gave him a strange glow in his eyes.

- What are you, a wizard?

- No. But it was someone who was very close to me.

He smiled sadly, remembering how he had seen practicing Mae Shi

that spell. It was a very useful spell, but only skilled magicians

managed to do it in any situation required a lot of concentration

send the mind to the destination, and if the magician was scared, nerves

or anxiety, the spell did not work.

So Ankris Novan looked with new respect. Or was a wizard

very experienced or had nerves of steel ... or simply not

Hunter feared.

- The teleport far Novan he continued, 'I have made the

Hunter lost your trail. Take long to find you.

Ankris asked the Hunter, but the wizard did not want to talk about

until the young man felt better. When it looked like the wounds

Ankris would heal well and regained some of its lost strength, both

remained a serious conversation on the porch, in the light of sunset.

- Look at this, 'said the wizard, showing an arrow.

The elf took it with caution.

- Is the Hunter?

- Yes. Look at the tip.

Ankris watched closely.

- Silver.

- For the best quality Novan nodded. That guy is a professional.

- What do you mean?

- Somebody hired him to kill you, boy. No Hunter

wasting their arrows for nothing. While this is especially sadistic. Me

mean about chasing through the woods and all. Most

Hunters kill werewolves only the full moon. It is like

a kind of code of honor, you know? Although, all things considered, is a

nonsense, because killing the wolf killed the man anyway. But

abatirían not in principle a werewolf in human form. Or Elvish, in your

case.

Ankris had been watching him with his mouth open.

- You do?

The magician laughed softly.

- Chico, of course I do. At another time we'll talk about that. Now

I want to know who has hired a hunter to kill.

Ankris shuddered.

- Not looking for me.

- Of course, came to the region shortly after you did. In fact, in

people already knew of his presence when you called to the door of that

farm. They went to look for as you got caught.

- How do you know ...?

- I have made inquiries. Tell me, have not you seen it before?

- No. And, to my knowledge, no one knew human lands so far

I'm ... I am. So it is possible that I'm chasing

Me. There can be following from the Kingdom of the Elves.

- Why not? Nobody hates you there?

Ankris squinted, the Mae Shi's words in court yet

echoed in his mind. But ... Do you hate her so much as to send a

murderer on his trail?

- I understand, 'said the magician to see his expression. You and I have

much to talk about. You have much to learn, Ankris.

- You say bad-elf repeated for the umpteenth time: it Ankris ... you should

vibrating the 'n' ... and «s» more whistling ... and do not pronounce the 'k' as

strong ... and ... I do not know, it also has to do with the tone, you say all the same,

when in fact a syllable has a higher pitch than the other ...

Do you understand? Ankris.

- Rectified: you have much to learn, elf.

That day did not tell her more, but soon found out Ankris more

things. Days later, the magician returned to the cabin after an evening

in the forest and threw at the feet of a deer bloody elf.

- What is this?

- Dinner.

Ankris bent to examine it. Something had driven large

its huge, sharp fangs in the throat of the animal.

- What killed him?

- I said with a crooked smile Novan.

Ankris thought it was a joke. Still not quite capture the

quirky humor of humans, let alone the wizard with which

shared the cabin. But just two days later, again sitting

on the porch, watching the sunset, they maintained other

important conversation, and then realized that the elf was not

a joke, much less.

- Soon it will be full moon Ankris explained.

- So what?

- That I will transform. And I have not my potion. I'd better

I walk away, to make sure you do not harm.

- Do you? Me? Novan scoffed. I want to see you trying,

boy.

Ankris felt anger filled him inside.

- You do not understand, magician. I am a murderer. I am a wild beast

every full moon. I you do not joke about that.

Donovan gave him a sinister smile.

- I do not joke about such things, elf. And it scares me anything

you could do. Because I assure you, my friend ... I'm hundred

times worse.

And, still with that smile, and rose Novan

stepped back.

And then was transformed.

Ankris is jumped, startled, as the body of the magician

was covered with black hair, his face transformed into a snout and

hands into claws. And when, in the form of an enormous wolf turned Novan

to look at the elf, seemed almost as if he laughed.

- Surprised? He growled.

- I am a Lord of the Wolves, he explained later, and

metamorphosed into man, when both sat back in the

porch, staring at the stars. That means that I am a

werewolf able to control my changes.

Ankris remembered what his friend had told the witch about it.

- But it takes centuries to achieve self-control both said.

- Well, I needed only one hundred and twenty years-to see that it Ankris

looked with surprise, Novan smiled. And now I have two hundred and fifty

three years. You see, I'm older than you, despite being human. What is your

age? Just over a century, right? Do not look at me like elf: I'm a wizard

and I know spells rejuvenating prolong life. Even so, I am

immortal, and you see that I'm not just a boy. Instead you,

when you're my age, you will still be young, am I right?

Ankris was silent for a moment, taking in the information.

Then he said:

- Does that mean that you can turn when you want it?

- That's right.

- Then, why do you become? If I had done what you,

would never be a wolf.

- You think so? -Novan chuckled softly. Well you're wrong. The wolf

is our power and our strength, boy. Licantropía not a

curse, but a gift.

Ankris looked horrified.

- But you do not kill, right? I mean ... killer not to

other human.

Novan laughed again.

- What fun you are, my dear elf. What makes you think that?

- But you can control your changes! Ankris almost shouted. You

choose to stop being a murderer!

- I can choose ... Like have you done? He sneered. Yeah, boy,

You are not a murderer and everyone will be convinced that you have

good intentions. Like those farmers who attempted to assassinate

Even though you made sure they were not dangerous, and you killed the

village boy, right?

Ankris realized suddenly.

- It was you. You killed him.

Novan shrugged.

- I went hunting. And if I had not, you'd be dead now.

Did not you think? Hunter came looking and went into the forest the

full moon last night. And he spent hours chasing my tracks,

thinking they were yours. Thanks to that found you not sleeping in

your cave, absolutely helpless. What would have happened then, eh? And

Make no mistake: though I hate the Hunters, do not blame them: they exist

because there are people who hire them. No matter what fight the

beast and the master, for they will always be a monster.

- Not true Ankris muttered, pale. You horrible, Novan.

The magician laughed softly.

- I invite you to go hunting this full moon, what