By the Will of the Gods Pt. 01

BY THE WILL OF THE GODS

It was the height of summer in the middle of the month of Brightree, yet the air still contained a chill that was uncharacteristic for the time of year it was. The dark elf traveling alone knew it wasn't the best place to make camp in the dense, crisp forest, but she needed a rest after all the walking she had done. The sun had departed hours earlier, and the moon now hung like a specter watching over all.

Tempest threw another stick on the fire as her celadon eyes darted from left to right. The noises of the forest kept her on edge since she was out on her own for the first time in her life, and the stories of the woods surrounding her home weren't the friendliest of tales.

The dark elf stood and raised her hands so she could stretch. The flames danced before her as she tried to calm her nerves. She kept telling herself the sounds were in her mind and that the stories she had heard back home were nothing more than fairy tales used to keep the children from wandering outside of the village. Still, she was alone in a dark and unfamiliar place, and that was enough to unnerve her.

Turning her back to the campfire, the dark elf crept over to the blanket she had spread out on the forest floor. Tugging on the cloth to straighten it out, she patted the surface down in a few places so it would be comfortable to sleep on. After doing so, she reached over to her leather traveling sack and pulled out a smaller blanket to place over her body. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

Even though it was a cold night, Tempest couldn't help but pull her cloth top off. She threw the shirt down as her nipples grew hard from the frigid weather. She didn't stop at the shirt, either. In the semidarkness, the young woman pulled down her pants and undergarments at the same time, and once they were around her ankles, she pulled her leather boots off so the rest would easily come off. Within moments, she stood naked with the exception of the leg garter around her right thigh that held a knife.

Grabbing a small piece of string from her leather pouch, the young woman took her long, beautiful white hair in her hands and pulled it back. Putting it in a ponytail, the girl sat down and prepared to go to sleep. She then rubbed her hands together briskly before holding them out in front of the fire to warm them. Without a pillow, she knew she would have a hard time nodding off, but being naked made her much more comfortable.

Lying back, the dark elf grabbed her smaller blanket and pulled it over her brown skin. She wanted morning to hurry and arrive since she felt vulnerable in the dark forest, but she knew she had to be brave. She was alone out in a world unknown to her due to actions she had taken, and she would need to swiftly learn how to survive on her own.

And then she heard it.

Tempest sat straight up as her ears became alert to the sound of growling from nearby. At first, the girl thought her panic would overtake her, but then she remembered the weapon she had brought along. Climbing to her feet while remaining in a crouched position, the dark elf reached down to her right thigh where the black leg garter was. Abruptly trying to pull the dagger free, the young woman saw that the danger was going to strike quickly. It wouldn't allow her the opportunity to draw out her small knife.

Tempest rolled over with great haste. She had just barely saved herself from a vicious strike, and when her head turned so she could look upon her attacker, she saw just how slim her chances of survival had become. From the light of the fire, a hungry, gray wolf was stalking ever closer to her. Its yellow teeth had become visible, and the snarl that accompanied them proved that the carnivore was hungry.

The dark elf knew just how fast the nasty animal could be, and even if she was able to procure her dirk, she would never be given the time to properly use it. Her life was about to end in a cruel twist of fate, and the young woman realized there were so many things she would never be able to do if she died here and now.

And then another sound became audible.

Both Tempest and the wolf were caught by surprise. The distraction would have given the young woman the sufficient amount of time needed to pull her weapon out, but she didn't even think to do so.

Another figure could be seen in the trees and bushes behind the fire, and suddenly a black cloak flashed by. As Tempest simply lay on the dirt, the wolf switched its interest to the new arrival. Unfortunately for the mangy animal, it made a mistake that cost it its life.

Tempest shuddered when two gloved hands reached out in the darkness and snapped the mammal's neck with relative ease. The wolf slumped to the ground in a lifeless pile of gray fur instantly. For a moment, there was silence.

And then he emerged.

Tempest felt her breath catch in her throat for a moment as the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes upon stepped forward from the shadows. He was a cleanly shaven, blond-haired man with dark hazel eyes and perfectly lined teeth. His lack of height showed that he wasn't an elf, but he was also not short and stocky enough to be a dwarf. The hero before her was just a normal, fair-skinned human. To most, he would have appeared to be just another face in the crowd, but Tempest knew that wasn't true since she was unable to break her gaze and look away from his eyes.

"Are you all right, milady?" The deep voice queried with genuine concern.

At first, Tempest couldn't find the words to answer. She was so taken by the mysterious man's appearance that she couldn't speak. An innate intelligence in his eyes accompanied by his sophisticated voice sent a warm shiver through her body.

"The animal didn't harm you, did it?"

Tempest felt her heart skip a beat after hearing the voice a second time. For some reason, the sound was almost entrancing to her.

When the dark elf didn't answer a second time, the cloaked man took a step closer and extended a hand. "May I help you up?"

Tempest took the hand in one of hers and let the man pull her up. She was finally able to form a small sentence when she spoke the simple words, "Thank you."

The cloaked figure smiled. "No problem." And then, as quickly as the smile had formed, it faded when the man covered his eyes while spinning around. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize..."

At first, Tempest didn't know what the problem was. It took her a few seconds to finally realize what was going on when she looked down and remembered she was naked. Apparently, it had been too dark for her rescuer to notice sooner, and with the way he was averting his eyes, she assumed he was a gentleman for not wanting to invade her privacy. Normally, she wouldn't have wanted a man to see her without her clothes on, but strangely enough, the fact that her rescuer had at least seen her moderate-sized breasts didn't bother her. "It is okay," she tried to reassure the fair-skinned man as she used one arm to cover her chest. She placed her other hand on one of his shoulders as she told him, "Everything is all right."

The cloaked figure slowly began to turn back around. He felt wrong seeing the female without her clothes on, so the heavy weight looming over him lifted when he noticed her pulling some leather shorts on. "I'm sorry," he apologized again. "It wasn't my intention to come barging..."

"You saved my life," Tempest cut her rescuer short. "Had it not been for you, that rabid animal would have had me for a midnight snack!" In response to her words, both travelers laughed. As they did so, Tempest's perky breasts reflected some of the dim moonlight while she reached for her top.

With a smile still on his face, the cloaked man questioned, "If you don't mind my asking, what's your name?"

The girl smiled and her eyes sparkled as she answered, "Tempest. My name is Tempest."

"That's a wonderful name!" The man responded.

Feeling giddy, the dark elf giggled. She pulled her shirt on as she decided it was her turn to ask the same question. "What is your name?"

"I'm Zofiel," the mysterious traveler told the young woman.

"What are you doing in these woods at this hour?" Tempest pressed further.

"I should ask you the same thing!"

The girl frowned and took a seat on her blanket. Placing her left hand on her neck, she muttered, "I was forced to leave my village."

Zofiel's eyebrows rose. "Forced to leave? Why?"

Tempest avoided eye contact with the attractive man as she stared at a rock on the ground in a different direction. "A day ago, an injured girl arrived at the gate of our village. I took her in and treated her wounds, and for doing so, I was exiled from Darkwood."

"You were kicked out of your home for aiding someone who was hurt?" Zofiel asked in disgusted shock.

The dark elf gazed into the hazel eyes of her rescuer as she answered, "I was banished from my home because the girl whom I helped was a human!" A tear formed in Tempest's right eye and ran down her cheek before she wiped it away.

Zofiel took a step back. In that instant, his knowledge about the race of the dark elves came back to him. He didn't know much about them since they were a secluded people, but he recalled that they were very strict about who they associated with. "I'm sorry. I should go. I don't want to get you in further trouble with your people."

Tempest watched the man of her dreams turn to leave. Race had never been an issue to her, and now, more than ever, she didn't want it to come between her and her happiness. "No! Please, wait!"

Zofiel stopped dead in his tracks and turned back around to face the damsel he had rescued. In the light of the campfire, he could see her reaching out for him.

"Please, do not go!" She begged. "I did not mean anything by what I said, and I cannot bear being alone any longer!"

Zofiel jogged back over to the dark elf, took her outstretched hand, and leaned down close to her. "Of course I'll stay with you, Tempest! I just didn't want to get you in any more trouble! I mean, if there was ever a chance of your people allowing you back into your village..."

"There is no place for me there anymore," the young woman sniveled as she leaned closer to Zofiel. "My people have abandoned me, and I am more alone now than I have ever been...unless you stay with me."

Zofiel wrapped an arm around the young woman and pulled her close. Her words had really touched him, and the way she had emphasized the word "you" had gone straight to his heart. He suddenly felt that letting the dark elf down would be worse than death itself. "I'll do anything for you, Tempest."

The dark elf forced herself to smile, and then she buried her face in the chest of the man holding her. She remained in his warm embrace for quite a few minutes until he gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back a step. She gazed into his eyes as if to ask why he was breaking up their tender moment.

"I think you should get some rest," Zofiel told the young woman. "I'll keep watch in case there are any more wolves on the prowl."

"But..."

There was another sound from a bush nearby that caused both travelers to turn and look, but it had apparently been the wind or a small animal. Both Tempest and her protector laughed for a moment before the blond-haired man informed her, "No buts, Tempest. I'll get rid of this wolf's body while you get some rest."

* * *

The dark elf awakened to the typical sounds of the forest. She heard the leaves rustling in the trees due to the wind, and she heard the birds above calling out as they flew by. With her eyes only partially open as she tried to get used to the light creeping through the canopy of trees, she knew nothing would keep her from greeting Zofiel.

Pushing herself up off her belly, the young woman climbed to her knees and stretched as she yawned. After doing so, she turned around and saw that the fire had burned itself out during the night. She also noticed that her rescuer was nowhere to be seen.

Frantically gazing about, the girl was afraid that Zofiel had decided he wanted nothing to do with her and took off during the night. Once that crossed her mind, she thought she'd break down and cry, but then she wondered if something unsavory might have happened to the handsome man. Perhaps he had been protecting her from some unknown predator and she had slept through a battle. Whatever the case, she knew she needed him back.

"Zofiel! Zofiel, are you there?"

When she didn't receive an answer after a few seconds, she began to panic. She prayed for the man's safety, and even though it would pain her, she hoped he had simply left her instead of being hurt by some forest creature.

"Zofiel?"

Suddenly, her head darted around and her silvery green eyes focused on a rustling bush. She was afraid at first that another predator was about to rear its unwanted head, but relief rushed over her in a wave when a familiar black cloak became visible. Tempest whispered her hero's name when she saw him.

"Good morning," Zofiel greeted the dark elf as he carried something toward where the campfire had been. "I didn't want to wake you, so I went hunting alone."

Tempest smiled. Her pearly white teeth became visible as she did so, and her mouth watered when she realized just how hungry she actually was. She licked her pecan-colored lips just at the thought of food. "What did you find?"

"Not the greatest of meals," the cloaked man answered as he started a new fire. "Rabbit meat definitely isn't my first choice to start out the day, but it was the only thing I could find." Zofiel then glanced back at the girl and smiled. "Besides, it will keep us going for a while."

Tempest smiled in return until something dawned on her. Somewhat bewildered, she decided to ask, "How did you catch that rabbit without a bow or sling?"

"With my hands," the mysterious man simply answered as he placed some sticks on the fire.

The dark elf didn't know what to say. How could a man catch such a fast creature without the advantage of a bow and arrow? Or for that matter, how had he so easily dispatched the wolf the night before with just his hands?

"I found a small clearing about half a mile up ahead when I was hunting this morning," the cloaked man interrupted Tempest's thoughts. "There's clean water there that we can use to drink. If you happen to have any canteens or bottles, we should stock up for the road ahead."

While listening to her rescuer speak, Tempest crossed her arms under her breasts and asked for the first time, "Where are you off to, Zofiel?"

The mysterious man looked at the dark elf and chuckled before going back to what he was doing with the rabbit. "Wherever fate takes me, I guess." He grew quiet for a moment before asking, "What about you, Tempest? You must've had some destination in mind after setting out from Darkwood."

The girl picked a blade of grass and played with it for a moment before saying, "I have heard rumor of a beautiful, enchanted glade in this very wood. There, a unicorn pure of heart is said to live in peace. I must find this legendary creature if I wish to survive away from my home."

Zofiel nodded his understanding. "I see. The unicorn is said to be able to bestow a magickal spell of healing onto most people. That would definitely be a nice enchantment for someone capable of magic to know if he or she has to brave the dangers of the world alone."

Tempest stared at the fair-skinned man as he continued to go about his business of preparing their food. As she beheld the handsome man, she couldn't get over how intelligent he seemed to be. Just his aura gave the hint that he had traveled the world and seen much, yet he couldn't have been much older than twenty-five.

"Well," the cloaked man said as he stood up and brushed himself off, "I should have this ready in just a little bit. In the meantime, is there anything else I can do for you?"

The young woman shook her head. "No, you have already done more than enough for me. In fact, I think I will go a little further down the path there and wash up a bit." The girl pointed through some brush and toward the trail she had been traveling on. "I need to clean some of my clothes, too, and I know there is some clean, fresh water up ahead just as you said. I saw it yesterday before backtracking here and calling it a night."

Zofiel nodded. "That sounds good. Why don't you go ahead and do that while I make sure that everything's prepared to satisfaction."

Tempest nodded in return. Gathering her belongings, she grabbed as much as she could take with her. Leaning down, she picked up a handful and hugged the soft clothes close before standing again and taking a glimpse at the man who had saved her life. When she did so, she beheld him staring in her direction...and she smiled and giggled before hurrying off.

* * *

Standing in the soft sand that surrounded the eastern edge of the small pond, Tempest began hanging her garments on some of the low-hanging tree branches in the area. She had cleaned all of the clothes she had brought with her with the exception of the ones she was currently wearing. As she hung the last pieces of wet cloth up to dry, she decided it was her turn to clean up.

Turning her head and glancing over her left shoulder, the young woman made sure she was alone. She knew it was silly to look since Zofiel was the only other person in the immediate vicinity, but habit forced her to be careful. After then looking over her other shoulder, she knew she was secluded from peeping eyes.

Taking a step toward the calm, sparkling water, Tempest let her eyes wander as she gazed across her tranquil surroundings. The canopy of trees above shielded her from much of the sunlight, and the dense bushes bordering the pond on the opposite side seemed to keep most of the forest wildlife away. The girl knew she was totally at peace.

Tempest listened to the cries of distant birds flying high above the trees as she pulled her shirt off. She lifted the article of clothing up over her chiseled abdomen and then tugged it over her protruding breasts. She closed her eyes while pulling the piece of cloth over her face, and when she had the shirt completely off, she draped it over the greenery of a nearby bush.

The dark elf took a few more steps toward the glistening water as she shook her head in order to straighten her long, white hair. She then combed her hands through the softness on her head as she leaned back and stretched her body out. Her dark skin glimmered as a bit of sunlight snuck through the roof of leaves, and the adventuring girl let her head fall back as she breathed in the fresh morning air.

Lowering her eyes once more, Tempest knew it was time to discard her leather shorts for the time being. Getting her thumbs under the top of the shorts, she moved her body in synch with her actions so she could easily get the piece of clothing down past her hips. She continued to disrobe by taking the leather past her knees, and when the shorts were around her ankles, she stood up straight before stepping out of them. With the exception of the leg garter holding her knife, the young woman was completely nude. Free from the constriction of her clothing, the dark elf bent down, picked up the shorts, and tossed them over to the same bush her top was on.

Tempest placed her hands on her buttocks and lifted her right foot when she was only inches from the water. Slowly sticking her toes into the liquid, she checked to see how cool the water was. She pulled her foot back from the initial shock of the cold, but she knew the temperature of the water wasn't too bad for how early in the morning it was. Gritting her pearly white teeth and closing her celadon eyes tightly, the dark elf took her first step into the pond.