No Man's Land

Atlas woke up, his heart beating quickly. His hair was covered in sweat. He had had the worst nightmare ever. He felt something soft underneath him and when he turned around, he noticed his head rested quietly on the princess' leg. She hadn't seemed to wake up yet and the smell of dirt filled Atlas' nose from Primrose' boot sitting in front of his face.

The elf sat up and stretched himself. He retrieved his staff and looked around his surroundings. He decided he would make some coffee while he waited for Primrose to wake up. If she slept long enough, he'd be able to enjoy it.

"Mmmmm," Primrose said as she sat up and yawned. "It smells like horse crap!"

Atlas tilted his head.

"It does? I only smell coffee."

Primrose fully awoke after hearing the word "coffee". It was as if the word itself had given her her necessary dose of caffeine.

"Why are you making that disgusting stuff again?" she said as she pinched her nose.

"You're such a child," Atlas quipped with a smile.

"Am not!" Primrose barked back.

The two continued bickering until a snap of a twig caught their attention. Atlas pointed his staff towards the source of the sound and Primrose unsheathed her sword. An elf walked out of the shadows and as soon as Atlas spotted him, he lowered his staff immediately.

"M-Mr. Goodspeed?"

The old timer turned his attention to the duo; as if he hadn't seen them when he walked into the clearing.

"Ah! What a coinkydink that we meet again, young one!"

Primrose turned suspiciously at Atlas.

"You know him?"

"Yeah, he's Raven Goodspeed. The Raven Goodspeed!"

"Who?"

"Ummm…Famous archer."

"I see."

Raven's face showed a flicker of hurt, but it returned to its regular smile.

"Mr. Goodspeed…may I ask what you're doing all the way out here?"

"Well, I live around these parts, young one."

"Really? I thought you lived in the elven kingdom-"

"I did," he said, cutting Atlas off, "but you came across my home. Which forced me to move. I didn't want any fans to spot me, you know?"

Atlas bowed his head many times.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he said.

"I don't like this guy's ego," Primrose murmured.

"Don't take it that way," Raven said while consoling Atlas, "I was just taking safety precautions. I did let you in because I wanted to help you."

Atlas smiled.

"Oh I'm glad you're not mad at me!"

Atlas trotted over to Raven.

"Hey! I'm glad you're here! You won't believe the journey we've had. Let me tell you-"

A hand grabbed Atlas' wrist and tightened itself. The elf turned his attention over to Primrose who had a serious expression on her face. She clearly wasn't comfortable with Raven.

"I-I'll tell you another time," Atlas said with a frown.

"Sure. By the way," Raven said as his eyes fluttered over to Primrose, "You don't look so hot, do you? Let's go to my home and I'll treat you."

"No way-"

"We mustn't," Atlas cried; interrupting Primrose, "We don't want you to move again!"

"Really, it's no bother," the older timer said.

"Well, if you insist!"

"Atlas, no…"

Atlas turned his attention to Primrose and then returned it to Raven.

"Will you give us a moment?" he asked.

"Sure," Raven said blankly.

Atlas pulled Primrose away from the clearing.

"Hey, what's the big deal?"

"I don't trust him."

"Well, I do! He's a good guy!"

"Are you sure?"

"Just trust me, okay?"

Primrose nodded.

"Very well. I had you trust me and now I will trust you."

Atlas smiled.

"Thank you."

The duo led Hungus by the reins and followed Raven to his home. It seemed that Raven had upgraded his house from the last one because the change was drastic. Instead of a small hut, his house was a large cabin.

The trio entered the home of the old elf and Primrose was immediately put on the bed for examination. Since the old timer had so many experiences with wounds, probably from giving them to receiving them, he knew how to analyze them and tell if they were problematic or not.

Most of the injuries Primrose had faced were superficial and had targeted the spots on her body that gave her mobility in order to slow her down. They were only trying to capture her. Primrose fell asleep and so the two elves sat at a table in front of a fire to discuss.

"You are looking for a way…where?"

"Well, we're looking for anywhere that isn't the human realm."

Atlas stared at his second cup of coffee of the day.

"Then I suggest the dark elf division."

"Why that one specifically?" Atlas asked.

"Because there's a way to sneak through."

Atlas' eyes widened.

"Don't tell me…"

"Yes, No Man's Land."

"We can't. It's too dangerous!"

"From what you've told me…you've somehow caused a misunderstanding between the humans and this girl. They think this girl is…what?"

"Well, she was…a slave for the royalty and I broke her out."

"You did?"

The old elf laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just-" he stopped because his laughing fit resumed, "You remind me of me when I was younger. A moral hunting junkie looking for his next fix."

"Hey!" Atlas complained.

"That was a compliment, kiddo. Anyways, back to the topic. Border patrol will immediately take her back to the Kingdom of Krat. That's where she's from, right?"

Atlas nodded.

"Well, then, you have to sneak her through somewhere nobody would suspect… No Man's Land. It'll be dangerous, but…" Raven stood up and gripped Atlas' shoulders, "I'll be going with you, so don't sweat it too much."

"Why?" Atlas blurted out.

"Well, I have a need for adventure right now. I'm itching for it. By the way…"

Raven leaned into Atlas' ear and whispered, "I know the self-righteous thing damn well, but don't get yourself killed over it. Ask yourself why you're doing all this for some slave. Do you really know her?"

Raven pulled away and walked to the kitchen, leaving behind a trace of bourbon.

Raven Goodspeed stood over the Minotaur Division. He carried a bow and arrow. His commander walked over to him and patted him on the back.

"Goodspeed. For the sake of our division, we must be the first to take over this kingdom. We need a passage to the Dark Elf kingdom."

"I understand."

"Okay, Goodspeed! You will lead the archers and I'll lead the knights. The mages will stay back in case the minotaurs decide to escape."

Raven nodded and headed down the mountain they were settled upon. He could hit any targets from there, but he knew his fellow archers could not, so he would need to get closer to the city.

The Minotaur Division was a fairly new division that had gotten independence from the humans a few years earlier. Therefore, they hadn't developed fully yet and only had one city built: the capital.

There was a rustle in the bushes behind Raven. He instantly turned around and drew his bow only to find one of the apprentice mages…Kurgo.

"Kurgo? What are you doing here?"

"Uncle! Let me get closer, please! I want to fight!"

Kurgo had silver long hair and long thin ears. He was an elven boy with curious blue eyes that emitted a powerful energy.

"Kurgo…you're not an archer, you're best staying back and obeying orders-"

"They won't let me fight, uncle!"

"Well, maybe they have a good reason-"

"But I'm ready!"

Raven paused and sighed. He knew the reason Kurgo was there in the first place. He was one of the strongest mages out there. His ability to grab mana from the atmosphere was amazing. It was unique and skillful.

"Why do I give a damn? Sure, come with."

Kurgo's eyes sparkled as he trotted next to Raven. Together, the odd squadron headed down the mountain and towards the stream of Min. Once there, they spotted two minotaurs. They drank from the fresh spring in front of them.

"Okay, let's take them out," Raven whispered.

He took aim at one and motioned for one of the other archers to take aim as well.

"One, two, three!"

Two arrows soared at the minotaurs and struck them in the back of the head causing them to fall onto the floor. A pool of blood formed around the bodies.

"Move up."

The elves took point and stood over the river, facing the entrance of the city.

"Take aim!"

"Fi-"

A light sparkled in the distance and suddenly flew towards the group. It shone brighter and brighter as it got closer.

"Get down!" Raven yelled.

All of the archers dropped down except a lone mage… Kurgo. He stood confidently in front of the incoming bullet.

"Get down, damn it!" Raven commanded.

Kurgo turned to Raven and smiled.

"It's a mage attack! I can counter it!"

"No!"

Raven got up and dashed towards Kurgo. Kurgo stood before the bullet, about to make impact.

"Lirk!"

A beam of light emitted from Kurgo's staff and wrapped around the bullet. This, however, was no regular magical attack and it seemed that this alleged "bullet" was more complicated than it seemed.

The mage attack slammed into Kurgo's chest and caused him to double over. It was an earth rock, infused with mana, shot by the world's most powerful mage. The light mage, Leo.

"AHHHH!" Kurgo screamed.

He fell backwards and began to convulse. Raven ran to the young elf and shook him.

"What's wrong, Kurgo?"

Kurgo continued to shake and out of his chest emitted a strange dark matter. It flew into the sky and covered it. The bullet that had been shot at them had been meant to kill anyone with capabilities of a mage, but what Leo hadn't counted on was that the unfortunate person that had been struck was Kurgo, a mage with a strong connection with the mana around him.

When he was struck, his pain was so great it affected the mana around him and consumed the entire division. First killing all minotaurs and causing them to go extinct and then anyone left. Raven was lucky to get away. That was the strongest darkness spell casted in the history of the planet. The land lay destroyed and all that remained was a desolate land. One without mana and a mages' worst nightmare.

With no mana, there was no way one could conjure a spell. Without mana, a knight would be heavily weakened.