Encounter

Two Years Later

It took only half a day to travel from Marius Farm to Stratholme. Going farther east would bring him to the entrance of Quel'Thalas. Nathanos had prepared for this day for two full years. Because the elven kingdom kept its territory under absolute secrecy, there was hardly a single map of Quel'Thalas to be found in the human kingdoms. By reading every book about the north and asking people about what they had seen and heard, Nathanos had sketched out a rough map. But what exactly lay hidden within those jungles was something he had to see for himself. He had specially made himself a green cloak, along with some light leather armor. Nathanos had only two goals in Quel'Thalas: gather the materials he needed to make the Bloodwood Hunting Bow, and master the skills needed to survive in the jungle.

He arrived at the border of Quel'Thalas, where the forest before him stood like a city wall blocking his path. Beyond that wall were not only wild beasts, but Elves and Trolls as well. The undergrowth even concealed all kinds of traps. Nathanos calmed himself and stepped into the land of the Elves.

"Catch her!" Deep in the jungle, a small group of Trolls was pursuing something along a rugged mountain path. They stood a full two meters tall, each holding a one-handed axe reeking of blood. Their towering frames did not seem to hinder their agility. They were even more adept than Elves at moving through the jungle with ease. After all, this had once been their homeland.

"She disappeared," a Troll soldier said to the squad leader. The leading Troll was not blind. He could see that they had lost her. That Elf was cunning.

"But she's still here. Proceed carefully." The Troll captain held his weapon across his chest and spoke in standard Troll tongue. In the jungle, the relationship between hunter and prey could change at any moment. Elves understood Trolls, and likewise, Trolls understood Elves. She would not flee. The key was who held the initiative. Now, the prey and hunter had switched roles.

"Watch out for that pale one. She's a tough bone to chew."

"Watch out for her bow and arrows. Protect your heads."

From a tree twenty yards away, an arrow shot out from the dense foliage toward the Troll squad searching for its prey. The next second, one of them clutched his eye and screamed. The arrow had pierced straight through it.

"Over there!" The Troll captain charged over, with the other Trolls following behind. They did not tend to their wounded companion, because he was as good as dead. The Elf's arrows were poisoned, specially made to counter the Trolls' powerful regeneration.

The chase began once more. Yes, for the attacking Elf, this was a pleasant game. She greatly enjoyed the thrill of hunting Trolls.

"Is this a Poplar Tree?" Nathanos looked up at the enormous tree before him, just as the books High Elves had circulated in the human kingdoms described:

In Quel'Thalas, some trees towered far higher than those in the human kingdoms. Their bark was clean, pure white, and their leaves a dazzling gold. When the night wind blew, they sang aloud.

Nathanos did not know whether that last part was true, but the first part was completely accurate. It really was enormous, and its bark looked as though it had been scrubbed with bleach. With his skilled climbing techniques, Nathanos reached the branches. He intended to select a section that would be easiest to shape and take it back with him.

"You'll do." Smiling, Nathanos took out a small knife and cut a small notch at the joint, making it easier to snap off the branch.

"Keep up, you idiots!"

"Who's there?" Nathanos immediately stopped what he was doing. His hearing was excellent. The voice had come from a hundred meters away, carrying anger and murderous intent. Birds startled into flight in the distance told him the direction it had come from.

"A battle?"

"She's up ahead. Catch her!" As the Troll captain spoke, he hurled an axe forward. It smashed into a large boulder. It was Nathanos's first time seeing Trolls, and they were much like the books described. But what caught his attention more was the figure that had flashed past just before the axe struck the stone. It had missed by only a little.

"She's hiding."

"I know!" the Troll captain snapped at his companion behind him. He had already lost two men. He swore he would catch the Elf who had ambushed them. "Careful. That pale one is nearby."

Nathanos did not understand Troll tongue, so he had no idea what the Troll captain was saying. If he had known, he would certainly have agreed with the captain's guess. She really was nearby—right beneath Nathanos's eyes. Through the leaves, he saw a Ranger for the first time. She held an ornate longbow, and a quiver with few arrows hung on her back. A Shortsword dangled at one side of her hip. Nathanos could not make out the face hidden beneath her hood. He could only see the long ears protruding from her light blue cloak and the pale golden hair spilling over her shoulders.

She was clearly a lovely young woman, like most Female Elves, but more agile than most. She was alone, while there were three of them. Nathanos noticed that she had only three arrows left as well. He watched her every movement as she skillfully drew out her remaining Bow and Arrows, nocked them all, and aimed at the searching Trolls.

Was she going to take out three Trolls at once? Nathanos was somewhat surprised, but she truly did it. The Female Elf aimed for roughly three seconds, then fired all three arrows at once.

"Bastard!" The Troll captain blocked the arrow aimed at him, but his two companions were not so fortunate. Their heads were pierced through, and they died on the spot.

Seeing that one had slipped through the net, the Female Elf frowned, drew her Shortsword, and walked out.

"It's time to end this game of cat and mouse."

Watching the two figures with their vastly different builds, Nathanos broke into a cold sweat for the Elf. If that three-fingered hand caught her by the neck, those thick arms could snap it without any difficulty. Yes, just once would be enough.

The Troll captain gripped his remaining axe and rushed forward, swinging sideways in an attempt to sever her head. Seizing the moment, the Female Elf bent backward from the waist to evade the deadly strike, then thrust her Shortsword into the Troll's abdomen with her right hand. The outcome was decided in a single exchange. The Female Elf slowly walked behind the Troll, leaned down, and whispered, "bash'a no falor talah."

Standard Elven, and a pleasant voice, even with anger and menace in its tone. It meant: "Enjoy the icy realm of true death."

The Troll captain watched blood gush from his abdomen and pool on the ground. He knew he would not leave alive today, but the Female Elf's words enraged him. Even if he died, he would take her with him. He suddenly yanked the Shortsword from his abdomen, turned and swung it behind him, launching a surprise attack at the unguarded Female Elf. Her eyes widened, and she immediately retreated to avoid it. Seizing the chance, the Troll grabbed the Female Elf by the neck with his bloodstained hand and slammed her to the ground, driving the Shortsword toward her eye. At the critical moment, she caught his arm. The tip of the blade had already reached her eye; one inch farther, and she would be dead. The Troll's face twisted with rage, his eyes bloodshot. He wanted to use his last strength to kill this Elf. The two struggled, locked in a contest of strength. The Female Elf was clearly at a disadvantage. She felt that she was about to die, and the Troll thought so too. But in the next instant, the Troll's furious eyes suddenly widened. Surprise and confusion replaced his anger. He let out a scream, and the Female Elf realized his strength was weakening. Seizing the opportunity, she kicked him away. After the narrow escape, she breathed heavily, rose to her feet, and walked over to the completely dead Troll. She found a small knife embedded in the back of his head. Following the direction it had come from, she looked up at the Poplar Tree in surprise and called out, "Who's there?"

No one answered her, leaving her puzzled. Someone had saved her, yet refused to show himself.

"Did you leave?" the Female Elf asked, but her gaze never left the Poplar Tree.

Of course Nathanos had not left. He was still in the tree, hiding among the interwoven branches, holding his breath with one hand. Elves did not consider humans mortal enemies, but neither would they tolerate humans entering their territory. The Female Elf remained where she was for more than ten minutes, yet still found nothing. At last, she picked up the Shortsword and longbow that had fallen to the ground and turned to leave. Before departing, however, she also took the small knife that had saved her life. Every few steps, she looked back, until she disappeared into the depths of the jungle.

"Suspicious little thing." Nathanos let out a long breath. Elven ears were sharp. Judging from that Elf's fighting style, she was certainly no ordinary Ranger—perhaps even a Ranger-Lord. Nathanos had once learned about the Ranger ranks. There were seven levels: Ranger at the entry level, followed by Farstrider, Lieutenant, Ranger-Captain, Ranger-Captain, Ranger-Lord, and Ranger-General.

A Ranger-Lord was second only to a Ranger-General. If he had been discovered just now, he might not have been executed, but he would certainly have been driven out. The materials he had painstakingly gathered might even have been confiscated.

After watching the Female Elf disappear, Nathanos snapped off the branch he had selected and jumped down. He had saved the Female Elf's life just now. Though he did not like Elves, they were not humanity's enemies. Trolls were.

Nathanos examined the traces of the battle. He had to admire that Elf's skill with a bow, but fortunately, she had left him an unexpected gift. Nathanos pulled the Bow and Arrows from the Troll corpses.

"These aren't ordinary Bow and Arrows," Nathanos muttered to himself. Both their craftsmanship and refinement far surpassed anything from the human kingdoms. That meant their owner was no ordinary person.