Two and One: Chapter One

 The carriage lay on its side, and she could hear the sounds of battle around them. She pulled on the arm of her sister and shook her awake. "We have to go. We have to run!"

"What's happening?" she said, rubbing her head.

"Orcs! We have to run. It is too dangerous to stay."

Her elven sister's name was Laira, and she was a young spring flower in elf years. Her name meant spring because she was the youngest daughter, and the elder seers prophesized that she would bring a new age for their people, the High Elves. Her name was Hope, and the two sisters were princesses of the Elven realm of Highwind.

Hope pulled on Laira's dress, helping her stand in the carriage, and she peeked out of the door above her. The orcs were not attacking; they were running past. She saw them as little more than flashes of grey-green as they moved quickly down the road, fleeing the battle. She wondered why they were running away if they were fighting someone else, but that was no concern. She was concerned only with her own life and that of her sister.

She looked at her sister and nodded, and together, the two elven princesses climbed out of the overturned carriage and began to flee the crash scene.

As they ran, Laira turned back and looked at their driver. She saw that the Orcs had killed him, and his blood stained the road. But it did not look like he had been killed by Orcs, though. Something came down from above.

Hope tugged at her sister's arm. "No, you must not look. You must keep running."

"Why did they do this?"

"Because they are Orcs. They kill for pleasure and steal the wealth of others. You must not stop, or we will be next."

Hope's name meant wisdom, and her golden hair was braided behind her head. Her hair was the color of the sun, and her dress was the color of the sky. Laira's dress was the color of the leaves as the world transitioned from spring to summer. They were not warriors and did not wear armor or carry weapons, but they were quick and agile, and it was not challenging to outpace the orcs.

Laira found fallen trees, and the two dashed behind them, hiding in the darkness. There they rested, and she heard the battle. She heard the beasts roar, the shouts of orcs, and the metal clashing upon metal. She listened to it all and knew these men and their beasts were not running away from the orcs but towards them.

She heard the cries of orcs, other orcs, and finally, the roar of the fantastic beasts. Then, there was silence.

"Is it safe now?" Laira asked.

Hope peeked her head around the corner. She could see the road, but no orcs or monsters were moving.

"I think so."

"Where did those Orcs go?"

"To the under realms, I hope."

A gruff voice in the darkness shocked them both. "Keep your heads down. Stupid elven girls. They will find you."

They both ducked their heads down behind the log.

"Who is there?" Hope demanded.

The gruff voice answered. "I'm the one that is going to keep you alive. So, be quiet and listen."

The two elven princesses looked at each other and then back towards the voice.

"I know not who you are or where you are, but we require help," Hope said. "Our family is rich, and we can pay."

"I don't need no pay. You girls do what I say, and we'll get through this."

"Where are the orcs?" Laira asked.

"Dead," he replied as he leaned from the darkness, his bow held firmly in his hands. This was no man or dwarf; this man was an orc! Laira screamed as he grabbed her. "But more will come. Get moving, or you'll join them."

"Please don't hurt her," Hope begged, and she followed along.

He held her in his strong hands, and she could feel his breath against her neck.

"Do not shout or speak!" the orc said, pulling them along.

"I shall not," she said. "I'll do whatever you want. Please just don't hurt her."

The orc led them deeper into the forest and away from the road. Hope watched and saw the dead orcs littering the ground. "What is happening? Where are you taking us?"

"To safety," the orc replied, dragging them into the woods.

The two sisters were scared, but the orc was right, and the things were hunting them. They had traveled so far from the road that the sounds of battle faded into nothing.

The orc pushed the elf up against a tree. "Now, I don't want to hear no screaming, and I don't want to have to gag you. Be good and be quiet, or you will regret it."

"Yes," she said, her heart pounding, her legs trembling.

The orc looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on her breasts, which were visible through the fabric of her dress. He grunted. "Why did I save you? I should have let you two die. But that is dying without honor."

Hope did not understand what the orc was talking about, but he seemed to be saying that he would not harm them. She took her sister's hand. "We thank you for saving us and are glad to be alive. But elves hate your kind, and we should be leaving!"

"You won't get far," the orc said, adjusting his bow. Hope saw his equipment: leather armor, a heavy longbow and arrows, axes and blades, and a large pack covered with skins and hides. The orc was a hunter by trade.

"Please, just let us go, and we won't tell anyone about you," she pleaded.

"It is too late for that. I can already smell them coming. I'll deal with the demons."

Laira gasped. "Demons! What do you mean demons?"

"The creatures, the ones who are attacking. They are demons. And they will kill you."

Hope's eyes widened. "They will kill us?"

The orc snorted. "Yeah, if they catch you. And if they kill you, they will torture you or turn you into one of them. Less dead means fewer demons. You two are much less of a threat to me alive than dead and with them."

"How many are coming?" Laira asked, trying to peer through the darkness.

"Too many. But I can handle a few. And if I can't, you are going to die anyway." He snorted past his nose ring. The name is Grakdar. Remember it."

"I am Laira, and this is my sister, Hope," Laira said, bowing slightly.

Grakdar snorted. "Well, I don't care what your names are. And don't bow. I am not an elf."

"I will not bow," she said.

"Good," Grakdar said, and then he sniffed the air. "They're here. Get back and get quiet."

Grakdar's massive green body stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing armor made from the hide of some beast. The black-and-white fur was thick and had many rows of sharp teeth. His boots were made from the same material, and his axe was made of black iron. His weapons were heavy, and he was a giant compared to the two.

As Grakdar stepped into the light, the two elf sisters were astonished to see how tall and muscular he was. Grakdar's muscles were like mountains, and his arms and legs were like boulders. He had a massive belly, and his skin was green.

"Don't be scared," Grakdar said. "These bastards won't be bothering you anymore. But I'll have to deal with the rest of them first."

Grakdar stood with his axe in his hand and waited. The two sisters hid behind him and watched. The forest was dark, and the trees were thick, but the demons were close. The elves could hear their snarls and the sound of their claws scraping against the earth.

Suddenly, a group of demons leaped from the darkness, and Grakdar charged forward to meet them.

"Stay close," he commanded.

Grakdar was not just any orc; he was a mighty warrior and fought like a demon. He swung his axe, and it sliced through the first demon's neck. It fell to the ground, dead, and the second demon attacked, but he was too slow. Grakdar dodged and then brought his axe down in a deadly arc. The demon was cleaved in two, and the pieces fell.

The third and fourth demons came at him together. He ducked, and they hit each other, their bodies slamming together, and then he swung his axe, and his blade cut through both of their chests. The demons screamed, and then they fell dead.

The fifth demon was faster, jumped, and slashed at him. Grakdar blocked the blow with his axe, but the demon's claws tore through his armor and flesh.

Grakdar roared in pain and swung his axe. The demon dodged, swiped, slashed, and struck, and kept swinging, but the demon was fast and kept dodging, attacking, hitting, and biting, and Grakdar couldn't get a hit in.

Hope stood, remembering her magical teachings, and brought the ancient magic power to her hand, surrounding it in blue light. She pointed her finger at the demon and summoned a powerful mana missile.

Something strange happened. The area felt incredibly powerful as the demons brought dark magic to the forest; her powers somehow tapped into the primal energies fueling this invasion. Her hand glowed, and one after another, blue flashes of crackling light erupted from her fingertips, and glowing missile after missile erupted from her fingers in a blast of light.

Each missile tore through the demon's flesh like a bolt from a heavy crossbow, spraying flesh and bone with each impact, and by the third missile, the demon's upper torso was pulverized into ground meat, and the final three missiles blasted into the pile of demon flesh while it still hung in the air, blowing the infernal creature into thousands of tiny bits.

Hope blinked as glowing blue mana smoke floated away from her hand, too shocked to speak.

Laira's eyes were wide. "What did you do?"

Grakdar smiled and wiped the demon chum from his armor. "Not bad, elf."

"What happened?" Hope asked.

Grakdar walked over to her, and took her hand, examining it. "You used the demon's own dark magic against them. I didn't know elves had that kind of power. Are you a mage?"

She nodded.

He snorted. "They are breaking the veil between the worlds. Magic will be a little unpredictable. You are tapping into this. I suggest you be careful."

"I will."

"Come," he said. "More will come."

"I will heal you," Laira offered as they left the battle site.

Grakdar shook his head as he bandaged himself. "No elf is healing me with elf magic. You are a priest, right? Worship the Great Tree?"

She nodded.

"Figures. I don't want your elf magic."

"You saved us. It is only right."

"I'm a warrior. I don't need elf magic. I fight my battles the old way with steel and blood. Besides, I got the healing salves. I'm fine."

Laira looked at her sister and shrugged. She could see the wounds were bleeding badly, but if the orc was going to be stubborn, she wouldn’t argue with him.

"I can't believe I killed a demon," Hope said.

Grakdar snorted. "Don't get cocky. There will be more. Lots more."

The two elves followed the orc through the forest, and the two were surprised at how far he could move without making any noise. His footfalls were soft, and his breathing was barely noticeable.

Grakdar knew the area well and soon arrived at a cave entrance.

"This is where I come to hunt," Grakdar said. "They won't look for you here. There are no elves. The animals here are tough and will feed you well."

"Are you sure we will be safe here?" Laira asked.

Grakdar shook his head. "No. But there will be more demons soon, and we must hide so I can heal."

Laira glanced at Hope, and the two nodded. "We'll do what we can."

Grakdar grunted. "I need to tend to my wounds. We'll talk in the morning. You two keep watch on the cave entrance. Scream if demons come to kill you."

"We'll be okay," Hope said.

Grakdar didn't reply. He turned and walked into the cave.

The two elves sat near the entrance and watched as the night passed.

Hope stared at her hand, which she used to summon unimaginable power.

Laira stared into the cave as the orc tried to sleep his wounds off.

And the following day, the sun did not rise.