Elia snuck through the forest, keeping his eyes open for any game that might be lurking around. If he went back to the farm empty handed again, he knew he wouldn’t hear the end of it from Jaimz. Just one. That was all he needed, something that would show them he wasn’t a lousy hunter. Crouching low, he crept through some bushes hoping to get a glimpse of something by the stream.
His foot made a small splashing noise as it entered the water, he silently cursed himself and hoped nothing was scared away. He looked down at his submerged foot; the water only went up to his ankle but the farther he went the deeper it would go. He took a deep breath and waded further into the water.
He only took a few steps before he stopped; a thick dark red vein ran across the water. Blood.  His eyes narrowed, was someone else out hunting? Taking his game? He had to move quick before whoever it was, probably Jaimz taking all his game just to show him up, cleared out the area. He moved forward, now trudging through Blood-Water.
The red shade became far more distinct as he waded farther into the stream. It wasn’t unusual for someone to kill prey while it was drinking in the stream, but they would usually take the game out before too much blood spilled into the stream. Someone didn’t do that, for this much blood to enter the stream the animal must’ve been in the stream for quite some time. He became worried, no hunter would let this much blood enter the stream. The stream flowed through the farm grounds, if it was contaminated with anything then all the animals were in danger. Along with anyone living on the farm.
  Elia felt the hairs on the back if his neck stand up on end, someone was watching him. Where? A low rustling sound came from the bushes behind him. He quickly jumped out of the way; expecting something to come towards him. Nothing came. The low rustling came again, something was there but it didn’t seem to be doing anything other then moving little by little.
Slowly, Elia prepared his bow, hoping that whatever was behind the bush was good game. He quickly took out an arrow and was prepared to attack anything that might come at him. He crept towards the bush, bow in hand. Again the rustling sound came from behind it. He decided to go around it, try to sneak up on whatever was there. There was far too much blood in the stream now, the red hue now overcoming the water’s natural blue.
Elia opened his ear up, if something was behind there he was going to hear it before he sees it. A low whisper entered the air, a heartrending harmony that filled Elia’s heart with feelings of sorrow and pain. His breathing became ragged, his vision started to blur, tears ran down his face. He lost himself in the song’s slow melody.
He looked down at the bush; blood covered the roots and most of the leaves. His heart pounded in his chest as the song grew louder. Walking passed the blood stained leaves, his heart almost stopped. Lying behind the bloody bush was a man pierced with arrows.
His golden hair stained red from the blood that ran from his wounded body. His slanted eyes closed while from his lips came the beautifully heartbreaking song. Dropping his bow, Elia rushed to the side of the wounded man. The man opened his eyes and watched him approach, still singing.
Broken arrows thrust through silken clothes; this was no place for someone who would walk wearing silk clothing. As Elia bent down to help the man, he noticed the man’s ears were pointed, he was no man, he was an elf. What was an elf doing out in the forest so far from his home? No sooner had Elia thought the question that the elf stopped singing. The sense of sorrow fled from Elia’s heart, leaving only worry and fear for the elf. And himself. What if whoever did this came back? The elf spoke softly to Elia in a musical voice he would expect from an elf.
“Poor boy, you need not worry for me. I am passed the state of pain, leaving only bliss.” The elf’s voice didn’t have any sense of sorrow in it, it merely sounded like he was on the verge of sleep.
“Don’t worry, okay? I’m here, I can help you.” Elia tried to make his voice sound hopeful, but he knew he failed. The elf merely smiled at him.
“My life has been a journey, and my story will continue through death. There is no need to shed tears for me. I gave my life to protect my people, that is a death no elf or man should mourn but be proud. You, poor boy, must also be proud to be with a fallen warrior as he departs. Although the Fallen would laugh, saying I have failed in my duties. They are wrong. I can depart peacefully knowing this.”
Elia tried to make sense of what he was being told, but couldn’t. Here was an elf on the verge of death, and he was actually happy he was dying. A year before he had visited his grandfather, whose age was getting to high, he had told Elia that he was scared of what lay beyond the veil of life and any man in their right mind would be as well. Was this elf driven insane by what had happened? Did what his grandfather say not apply to elves but only to men?
“Poor boy,” the elf’s golden voice brought Elia back from his thoughts. “What is your name?”
Elia was caught off guard by the question, of all the thing to ask while dying, the elf wanted to know his name?
“My name?” The elf nodded slowly, “Elia.”
The elf smiled, “It is fate then.”
Elia’s confusion grew, “Fate?”
“It is fate that here by my side is a boy named after the great Elia, the great elven hero who brought peace between the dwarves and elves. Fate that by my side a hero kneels to see my off on my journey. The Great Mother has truly blessed me.”
Elia knew the elf must be having delusions. He was named after his father not some great elven hero; he doubted that there even was a great eleven hero that did what the elf had said. The elf closed his eyes; his breathing became softer and less frequent. Elia quickly bent down to try to help the poor elf up. The elf merely pushed him away; even an inch from death the elf had extraordinary strength.
“Do not waste your strength, dear Elia, I am departing nothing you can do can stop my journey.” The elf smiled again, “Dear Elia, you are the only witness to the beginning of my next great adventure. You are the only one who can deliver a message for me.”
“A message?” The elf probably had family in his homeland.
“Yes, dear Elia, on my travels I came across many different people and the ways of the people, although strange, are not to be feared. Free yourselves from hiding and begin anew. That is my message, dear Elia, please deliver my message to all in Tondria.”
Tondria? Elia had never heard of any land by that name. Did it even exist? Or was this elf truly delusional? The elf laughed and, as if knowing Elia’s thought, said “Tondria truly exist and you will find extraordinary things within Tondria. Will you go and deliver my message, dear Elia?”
Elia hesitated before answering. The elf’s eyes were not pleading him to accept, they merely showed a man at peace. Could he deny a man his dying wish? How could he be sure this elf wasn’t merely mad? He couldn’t just up and leave the farm to go on what could be a wild goose chase? Could he?
The elf smiled again, “You think me mad, dear Elia? Think not with your mind but with your heart, dear Elia, only then will you see the truth. I see death as an adventure, I welcome it. You do not. I say you bear the name of a hero, you think me delusional. I ask you to deliver a message, you crawl away. Your mind tells you lies; listen to your heart for the truth.”
Elia stared at the dying elf; he should going for help or something. But there he was just watching him die. Listen to his heart? How does someone do that? Elia took a deep breath, his breath steadied, his mind emptied. Only his feelings remained, a small glow in the back of his soul shone brightly. ‘Trust him’ it said. Could he even trust it? He shook the thought form his mind, he needed a clear mind.
The glow grew into a brilliant light; a warm sensation entered his heart. He knew. This elf was telling the truth. He felt tears run freely down his face. He looked down at the dying elf, and gasped. Where the elf was grew a small white flower, far more beautiful than any he had seen in his lifetime. The water, no longer drenched in the blood of the elf, glowed with blue passion lighting the entire forest as if as star lay beneath the surface. A small book lay on top of the blue water; Elia bent down and pick it up. It was completely dry.
Elia looked inside the small book, stories and dates filled the pages. It was the elf’s journal. All his adventures and stories he had written down for others to read. Did the elf know he would die before reaching his homeland? Elia didn’t have the answer to that, only the elf did; now he was off on his next adventure.
Elia smiled, turned away from the flower and walked away from the strange scene. Although he didn’t say he was going to deliver the elf’s message out loud, he made the promise in his heart. The elf must’ve known that and felt he was no longer needed in this world. Elia picked up his bow, his entire body soaked to the bone, heart filled with ecstasy. Elia waded out of the glowing stream and headed home, he needed supplies he was going to go off on his own adventure.