Moon Elves

La Sangre Forest Deep West, Daca Kingdom

The Moon Elves Tribe

As night descends, a trio of resplendent moons graces the sky, casting their celestial glow upon the world below. One of these celestial bodies shines with a brilliant red hue, while another is revered as the embodiment of the Moon Goddess, whom the Moon Elves lovingly refer to as Luna.

These ethereal beings were known for their silver hair, pale skin, and eyes that shimmered like the night sky. They were a peaceful and wise race, deeply connected to the natural world and the celestial bodies above.

They adorned their forest with silver and white decorations, creating a breathtaking scene that mirrored the beauty of the moonlit night.

The elves crafted intricate lunar symbols and hung them from the trees, while the ground was covered in a carpet of moonflowers, their petals glowing softly in the darkness.

The newly awakeners performing gracefully executed their Moonlight Arts in a grove encircled by ancient trees. Within this mystical setting, eight statues resembling elves stood, each representing a distinct phase of the moon.

As the performers danced, their translucent and lustrous mana shimmered, accentuating the elegant swaying of their Swords of Sangre - the revered weapons of the Moon Elves.

The Elders raised their staff it adorned in in gray texture as they chanted ancient languange of the moon elves. Their voice was melodic and haunting, echoing through the grove and captivating the hearts of all who heard it.

Shalanta, the tribe's second princess, gazed in awe as her eyes shimmered with emotion. She turned to her sister and exclaimed with joy, "It's truly beautiful!"

A stunning woman with long silver hair and delicate, vesperine pointy ears stood beside her. She subtly nodded and beamed a warm smile, patting Shalanta's head as she said, "Indeed. In just one year, you too will experience your own awakening."

Shalanta grasped her sister's hand, playfully protesting, "Don't pat my head! I'm already 17!" She cutely harrumphed.

The first princess simply smiled further as Shalanta pouted, gently touching her cheeks.

Curiosity piqued, Shalanta asked, "What did you wish for during your awakening, Sister Filauria?"

Filauria's eyes shifted sideways, seemingly avoiding her sister's gaze.

A vein bulged on Shalanta's forehead as she insisted, "Don't avoid my question, Sister!"

"Fine," Filauria relented. Her eyes filled with affection and tenderness as she confessed, "I wished to find a hero… someone handsome, strong, and most importantly, fun to be with."

"Gheeek, how sim–" Shalanta's words were abruptly silenced as the village became shrouded in impenetrable darkness. They looked up to see a crimson moon looming overhead, as if devouring its celestial counterpart.

*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*

The air reverberated with the cacophony of multiple magical spells raining down upon the village. The protective enchantments that had guarded the village for decades were torn asunder in an instant.

"An enemy attack!" cried one of the Elders, as he swiftly cast a spell of illumination.

"Demons and humans!" an elf exclaimed, his voice laced with fury. He bit his lower lip until it bled, his eyes bloodshot with unbridled anger.

"Begin the evacuation of the children and elderly," another Elder calmly instructed.

"Take your positions and prepare for battle!" commanded the Moon Elf King, fearlessly leading from the front. The elves quickly fell into formation.

As the barriers crumbled, the air crackled with raw energy, and the village was plunged into chaos.

Blood splattered indiscriminately, painting the scene of carnage in gruesome detail. The darkness was intermittently illuminated by the magical attacks from both sides.

An elf with a disfigured half-face was violently thrown backward, his lower half severed from his body. Others met their demise in a gruesome explosion, while some were drained of life. The air grew thick with a malevolent aura, suffocating the elves as they were mauled, clawed, and devoured by grotesque and terrifying creatures.

Shalanta's eyes widened in shock and fear as she witnessed the brutality unfolding before her. Filauria instinctively moved in front of her sister, shielding her from the carnage. Shalanta shivered, realizing that hearing tales of war paled in comparison to experiencing its horrors firsthand.

"Filauria, take your sister and leave immediately. We are outnumbered," the Queen said, her voice strained with exhaustion. "You are a wise and cherished daughter of mine," she added, her tone filled with affection and tenderness.

"Now, go! That's an order!" The Queen's eyes blazed with determination and fury as she returned to the battlefield.

The first princess closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, they were filled with resolve and composure. She lifted Shalanta into her arms, embracing her tightly as they made their escape from the blood-soaked battlefield.

In the distance, a sinister figure emerged, its demonic visage marked by four menacing horns that jutted out from its skull.

The creature's skin, a deep shade of purple, seemed to radiate an aura of death and malice. Clutched in its malevolent grasp was the decapitated head of the Moon Elf King. "My job is done here," he declared, before vanishing into the darkness.

***

Clutching Shalanta tightly in her arms, Filaura raced towards the evacuation point. As she surveyed the gruesome scene, she saw countless corpses strewn about, victims of brutal violence.

The bodies had been beaten, cleaved in half, and the women elves had chains wrapped around their necks. A hulking figure with two menacing horns and a four-bladed axe caught sight of them.

In an instant, the monstrous man appeared before Filaura, and shows his sinister smile. "Where do you think you're going, First Princess?" he taunted.

Gently lowering Shalanta to the ground, Filaura brandished her twin daggers, their blades shimmering with a resplendent gray mana. As she focused her killing intent on the horned man, the ground beneath her feet cracked, and her eyes turned a ghostly white.

The demon chuckled, unfazed. "Ohhh~… how terrifying, Princess"

"Run, Shalanta, and don't look back," Filaura commanded, her voice steady as she lunged at the demon with breathtaking speed and overwhelming force.

Tears blurred Shalanta's vision as she struggled to comprehend the nightmare unfolding before her. Just hours earlier, they had been celebrating at the awakening ceremony, but now, the scene was marred by the barbarity and carnage wrought by the insatiable greed of demons and humans alike. Her heart swelled with a potent mix of vengeance and resentment. They had done nothing to deserve this brutal assault.

*Chop!*

A demon with chiseled features struck Shalanta's neck, rendering her unconscious before hoisting her limp body into his arm.

"Unfortunately, we can't allow that, First Princess," the demon said coolly, his thumb tracing a line across his throat. "The Archdemon Prince would have our heads if we let even one of you escape."

"Let her go!" Filaura demanded, her eyes blazing with fury as she aimed her dagger at the demon.

The massive demon, wielding a formidable four-bladed axe, forcefully cast the collar onto the dusty ground.

The demon's sharp nails pierced Shalanta's neck, drawing a trickle of blood. "It's futile," he sneered. "Put on your collar now, Princess."