Vampiris Sancti: The Elf

Vampiris Sancti:

The Elf

Book 1

Katri Cardew

Copyright Katri Cardew 2011

Published by Breedles Publishing at Smashwords

http://www.breedlespublishing.com

Cover by Padraig Designs

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Contents:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 1

Look, there's no metaphysics on earth like chocolates.

Fernando Pessoa

It was Beb who warned her and the unexpected intervention of a Pixie was as contradictory as the drunken slur of his voice against the perfection of features that suggested sobriety.

I am the weep for dreams lost in the foolish while my tears are visions and we are abandoned until known no more.

If the Elf was affected by the drunk rambling she revealed nothing. She had been aware of the askew wanderings of the Pixie who, if she had not known better, appeared to be stalking her. Zyre was trying to keep a low profile, an unusual attitude for an Elf, but she had felt the hum of interest following her about. It had been her experience that attention tended to follow those that the Elders were about to honour. This would be either, an impossible task or an impossible situation, and she would care to discover neither because she was certain if the Elders were involved it would bode well for no one.

She’d been slipping between the worlds of the Reveal effortlessly—well except for a few demon worlds—as it would be a very foolish Elf who wandered into a Martyc world. Those able to travel the various worlds without fracturing into paranoia found themselves borrowed by the Elders to perform tasks that could be dangerous or even worse—boring. Zyre didn’t want to become a prisoner of the institution—she wasn’t civic-minded nor had any inclination to serve her community, so she kept herself out of the way of those around her. The Pixie had noticed her even in his drunk ramblings and he had fluttered lopsidedly between the tables until landing in a manner anything except graceful while his ruby eyes offered Zyre a stare best described as glazed.

He speaks of death from the Outerworlds, the scourge who speaks of death.

Pixies could enter any tavern aware that they would never foot the bill for their drinks as there was always a bounty of those willing to ply the mercurial creature with gin. Those doing so were hoping the drunken ramblings of the Pixie would contain gossip of a titillating, amusing, or shocking nature. If the Elders worried about the drinking habits of their chatty messengers they took no action, but then it did take a keen mind to decipher the rancid prose they tended to use as conversation. Beb was no exception and Zyre poured him another beer in the hope he would spew out what he was trying to share or leave her in peace. He was in no hurry and managed the impossible feat of fluttering while sitting in a chair at the same time while regaling Zyre with muddled phrases of eloquent nonsense. In normal circumstances, she wouldn’t bother to stick around to watch a Pixie get drunk, but he had singled her out which meant the information concerned her.

The eye of the flower weeps for evil has no home.

She did her best not to pinch him for the musings of a Pixie was never the best entertainment. In general, the natures of Elves and Pixies didn’t lend to friendship since an aloof existence was the safest avenue for survival—except that she almost knew him. A while back she had tipped him off when a Perhk demon, the thief of the Reveal, was about to cheat him in a deal involving the precious juniper spirit called gin. It wasn’t that she cared a great deal about Pixies since they tended to vomit on your shoes and sing horrid dirges for hours. Her interest was bound to that particular demon who had managed to annoy her with his usual demon stupidity and one didn’t annoy an Elf without consequence. The disrespect of the demon that caused her anger was more attached to his ill-conceived arrogance than his actions because the offensive creature had tried to relieve her of some shalurs. The shiny marbles of iridescent colours were poor cousins to the highly prized cerilort, yet still highly valued. While Perhks were good, he wasn’t that good, and the shiny gems—currency in some worlds—child’s plaything in another—remained safely in her possession.

Aruuuuugh. The Pixie made a sound between a burp and a yelp, his breath stinking in her face.

Months later she discovered the selfsame demon attempting to cheat a magical creature out of the rare delicacy—human gin. In the magical world, the only alliance was against outside forces and even then Elves were well known for their lack of observable empathy. They were not cruel, uncaring creatures; they simply couldn’t cope with the intense demands of an emotional interior. Elves preferred to remain the observer, unapproachable, uncontrollable, and sometimes instigator of the tragedies of the Reveal. In this instance the lure of gin from the human realm, using that special flavour of juniper, had set the Pixie into paroxysms of delight. Anything from the human realm usually came from the extremely expensive and highly regulated Martyc Empire, and the only thing an Elf loved more than upsetting a demon was upsetting a Martyc demon. The deal with the Perhk was thwarted, and the Pixie despite being confused by unusual Elf kindness never forgot the favour.

She endured an hour of something resembling mangled poetry. Pixies couldn’t speak in a straightforward manner and it took a rather determined soul to suffer their doggerel. Zyre found herself reaching her limit of universal pondering as she tugged at her copper hair with her small fingers while her kaleidoscope eyes merged seamlessly between blue and green. Elves were deceptive, not only in spirit but also in body, so her delicate features and fine-boned structure gave her a fragile appearance of one requiring protection. Lulled by the non-threatening aspect of her appearance the victims of her pranks or wrath were always surprised that such beauty could conceal great mayhem. The Pixie was of a sturdier frame, with ruby eyes and beauty to rival hers. All magical creatures, except Gnomes and Goblins, were possessed of exceptional beauty that entranced the demon worlds that shared their multiverse—the Reveal. After muddling her head with his nonsensical musings the Pixie spewed forth what kept him tied to the Elf.

Reeking of Gnomes’ beer and a heartbeat away from starting a dirge his leer approximated the link of friendship as he tapped his forehead to make a point.

I know of a missive, he said cryptically.

The Elf refilled his glass since it was best to keep Pixies lubricated as their coherence was linked to sobriety and the more sober a Pixie the less coherent their conversation.

So you say, she replied.

The uninterested tone of her response was no more than façade as Pixies were the messengers delivering information to and from the Elders. If the Pixie had information that was important enough to seek her out then it was serious enough to garner something she rarely gave—her full attention.

Beb continued. They have plans, wanting friendship with this Martyc, a most powerful Xatn on many worlds.

Blinkity bah, when demons learn not to bother us with politics? her annoyance crackled.

He rolled his eyes as if attempting to sort this information from the many other messages crammed in his mind. Then he spoke in the shortcut magical beings used as they sensed via the atmosphere rather than listened to words.

There be renegade, the Martyc who attacks the Empire. Elders like peace of current Xatn for with this prince there be no more wars for anyone.

Their eyes became opaque with memories of the last demon war for while the magical realm had never lost a war against demons, and probably never would, it was the aftermath that was far more brutal than the actual battles. Magical—the most powerful of the Reveal were also the most fractured schizoid beings that barely coped with the brutality of truth. Battles might be won, invaders expelled, entire demon worlds demolished, but there was no celebration of victory when entire Fairy Cartocs committed suicide, Gnomes hid underground for a generation, Pixies ceased to function, and Elves absconded to farthest recesses of the multiverse. Of all the worlds within the Reveal, it was a contradiction that the creatures profuse with talents were also the least stable in their psychological makeup. The Martyc rule had brought peace to most of the Reveal, so while an attack from other demon races was unlikely those wishing to harm a Martyc would consider attacking the world they valued the most. It was well known that Martycs loved Elves for they were the women sought in the union of marriage and sometimes if they were lucky, Elves would love them back.

Martyc Xatn has asked for alliance—he wants Elf and the Elders are to give you.

Blue seeped into green as her kaleidoscope eyes became a stormy teal. He asked for an Elf or for me?

Beb let out a huge belch that scented the air with an alcoholic haze and Zyre fanned the space between them as he replied, Vryn Dhaigre knows of an Elf who lost him a great deal of money on Heristrah.

He stopped for a minute as his face wrinkled with amusement, That be you Zyre!

Zyre sighed as she searched a mind filled with memories of transgressions too numerous to account. She had visited the pleasure world of Heristrah years ago, a place where rich demons sought expensive pursuits such as gambling. The local Martyc was the usual arrogant demon, strong, compelling, and annoying as all Martycs tended to be, but not a Xatn yet. Once he had known of her presence he chased until she let him find her for the game was not fun unless he was witness to her mischief. She might have enjoyed his fascination if she had not been so busy avoiding entanglement, as what a Martyc desired was rarely what an Elf offered. The Elders wanted to align themselves with an immensely rich and powerful demon, so an Elf marriage would cement a strong treaty. Zyre was no fool because if the Elders wished for an alliance, and if marriage was the seal with her name mentioned, then she would be the one offered up as a sacrifice. Politicians happily tossed their unsuspecting citizens into any fire if it was a means to their goals, and her world was no different in its political machinations.

Zyre smiled at him because, despite the threat of being dumped into marriage, her Elf nature couldn’t resist challenging the Elders.

They can’t give me if they can’t find me!

Beb hiccupped. Don’t go to Outerworlds, they be dirty there full of Raiders and dead mice.

His advice fell into empty space for the Elf had already dissolved as Elves tended to when they were done with conversation. Zyre, aware that the Elders would pressure her into this hell for the so-called good of the majority, decided that the only path available to her was obvious. If she absconded across the Reveal before official contact was made then she couldn’t be forced to serve their purpose. She briefly considered going to her Maz, the one who raised her, as she had never known her parents. Their own mothers rarely brought up Elves and they sent their daughters home to be raised by surrogates. Elf mothers believed their demon sons required their presence more than their daughters and so sacrificed keeping their family intact. She had a brother somewhere once but her entire family died, which was a very unusual occurrence in the magical world. This left Zyre an orphan without ties. She sighed because she knew her Maz would tell her to obey the edicts of her government, something the wayward Elf had no interest in at the best of times.

She dissolved before the doorway into the multiverse, which was poorly guarded by two surly Gnomes. Sturdy creatures of bad tempers and voracious appetites they were—despite their small stature—almost impossible to overpower. Their faces were gnarled like walnuts and covered with impressive beards that were grown for both the prestige and the useful ability of strangling an opponent in battle. They had the usual conversation of sharing stale jokes since they weren’t the most imaginative of magical creatures.

You—Gnome, said one.

Yes Gnome, responded his comrade.

How many rocks can I fit in my hand?

More than a Viznix.

The pair fell about laughing at the well worn joke as everyone knew Viznix had no arms and did all the famous metalwork from their world with their feet. Zyre took a shalur from her pocket and gave the beautiful marble of iridescent colours one last look, yet had no regrets as she heaved it away from the doorway. Young Elves such as Zyre were attached to remarkably little, whether it was objects, people, or places. This gave them the opportunity to mature without baggage before facing the emotional upheaval of bonding. She watched the greedy Gnomes push at each other as they chased after the glowing gem. Their attention was distracted for only a few seconds, but for an Elf that was all she ever needed.

Travelling the corridor between worlds was an uncomfortably tight squeeze between walls made from a wave of energy. It passed around and through the traveller until bones ached and heads pounding from stress threatened to burst from the force. It could be a dangerous process and those of a feeble physical structure were often unable to survive the journey. Magical beings with their ability to become an ethereal presence found the passage mildly annoying, and sturdy demons noticed nothing at all. Vampires couldn’t go until Ancient since their survival depended upon the strength of their age, and humans were not known to survive passage through to multiverse.

It was the stench—it slammed her, left her breathless. This first venture into the world of humans was a sortie into filth as unfamiliar as it was disturbing. Zyre had left her pristine magical world the second the Pixie spilled his news, knowing that soon the Elders would be on her trail. She departed swiftly, and arrived hoping that none would notice a strange new visitor suddenly appearing. The Elf had planned to visit this world and tried many times, but was always distracted by the promise of mischief elsewhere. She had been told that the human world housed the demon mutation called Vampire and a strange breed called humans. These short lived creatures, whilst not magical or strong, were amazing in their innovation and remarkable in their ability to ignore their own environment. All manner of beings floated in and out of this world, however, for the humans only an esoteric few had been graced with the truth. A confident Zyre slipped into the gaps between pedestrians while her graceful entrance matched the flow of traffic and she believed no one was the wiser to her entrance.

Reeling from her overloaded senses she quickly turned into an opening from the street as doors across from her invited entrance into a mall. The large glass windows of the shops shone with the reflected glory of world crammed with consumer durables and her eyes hurt from the sharp lines of their shape. She required respite from the relentless noise of this world, zooming carriages, shouting into little boxes, the complaints of disgruntled pedestrians—these humans must be deaf! Offensive scents seeped into the pores of her being, the fumes of industry, transport, and filth clogged her mind leaving her overwhelmed by the shiny new of everything. She sat down on a bench reflecting that even the most vicious of demons were known to clean the blood from their streets. So why was it too much for these creatures to clean the filth from theirs?

She watched the closed, tired faces of those who scurried past seeing only prisoners of ambition and woe as snatches of conversation echoed, more, not enough, too much. She couldn’t understand their words as most travellers through the Reveal spoke Giryg, the language of nomadic demons, but she did understand the emotion enveloping them. She wondered if their survival depended upon never seeing more than the span of a foot before them as an entire world was calling out, yet none appeared to heed the song. A man caught the corner of her eye. He was a pale, dormant creature that sat reading a large paper while sipping a drink. The wan face with burning eyes told the Elf this creature only looked human as she did, yet this being was not strongly demon. She stared at her first non-ancient Vampire and wondered how such a weak mutation survived against the comparably robust humans.

He might have noticed the presence of the Elf watching him for she gave off an unmistakeable floral scent caused by her frequent munching on flowers. However, Elves were masters at hiding in plain sight, so while he could have perceived something he wouldn’t have been able to locate her. She could have sat there for hours in her silent observation if something so wonderful, it was almost magical in quality had not wafted through the air. The door of one of the shops swung open briefly as a customer exited and the most amazing fragrance floated into the corridor. Zyre was entranced by the smell—what heavenly concoction had the beasts that resided in their own filth manage to create? Zyre abandoned the Vampire, because if there were one in clear view then there would be others and instead she followed the seduction of a new sensation. She entered the store to find herself consumed with the aroma of paradise because Elves relied upon sugar of all sorts as the base to their energy. She could exist by eating fruit, vegetables and she could absorb energy from living plants, but sugar would give the Elf the zap of extra strength. Relishing the wall-to-wall glory of delight an unobserved Elf carefully opened one of the packets to taste the human creation.

Able to hide at will and rarely noticed by those busy with life, busy with thoughts, too busy to care, she wandered about the empty store. Two employees stood gossiping behind the counter and while she couldn’t understand their conversation, she knew vicious when she smelled it.

...oh I know and did you see the dress she wore to dinner? She looked so bloated!

What do you expect—she buys bargain off the rack, no style at all. She embarrasses everyone—I had to pretend I didn’t know her.

The heady delight of this discovery was the excellence of chocolate and Zyre ignored the snatches of a conversation as she was too busy slipping bars into every pocket she possessed. Mindful of being a first time visitor she didn’t steal the chocolate outright as she was unusually flush with shalurs. Leaving one in place of the missing bars, she believed it was more than a fair trade considering the value it had within the Reveal. Returning to the street she crammed the joy of joys into her mouth as this unexpected discovery changed her perspective of this strange world of contradictions.

The mutation Vampire intrigued because he had not found her presence, but then again it usually took an observant demon like Varkja or Poqir to do that. She wondered how many demons currently were on world, and hoped she could stay off their radar since they usually served the Martyc Empire. Elves in general were more inquisitive than friendly and though they never sought association with others they were the obsession of many a demon. Those of the Reveal either loved or hated Elves, depending if they had been the victim or had the pleasure of watching one in action. If she had bothered to examine her sudden interest in Vampires, she might have noted it was bound to the potential of sanctuary from the Empire. While she didn’t concern herself with the economics of the Reveal it was an acknowledged fact the human world was a rich varied cosmos of untold opportunity and somehow the Vampire was an important factor.

High from sugar and satisfied by the excellence of chocolate Zyre hummed a little tune causing those near to her to smile unaware they had heard the song of the Elf. She skipped lightly as she sang deciding she would stay for a bit because this world definitely had possibilities worth exploring.

Chapter 2

The Magical World

The realm of the magical creature containing beings such as the Elf, Fairy, Pixie, Gnome and Goblin, was a coterie of mischief and mayhem without direction or form. The magical nature was so disinclined to involve themselves in anything that even their own world lacked a name and when spoken of was merely called home. This chaos of spirit within the peoples was generally ignored since the magical realm appeared to cope with their dysfunctional society with surprising ease. Every aspect of their world was beautiful as the fundamental truth of their existence was the necessity to remain in harmony with nature. The magical employed little in the way of industry and whatever was created was done without disturbing any natural processes. Their power came from absorbing the organic vibration of the energy surrounding them and so a magical being was as infinitely formidable as the life that enveloped their world. This realm of lush forests with exotic flowering plants, trees so tall they could rival mountains, crystal waters and crisp air, to new arrivals from the Reveal—this was indeed a jewel of a world.

This seemingly unorganised society was not the violent anarchy of some demon worlds, but more the misdirection of energy into agendas that had no logical conclusion. The ruling Elders did little to inform their citizens of rules or policy since there was no point educating a population unlikely to bother adhering to them. Travellers encountering the magical realm perceived it to be a chaotic, unsupported world, with no discernable defences. Demons upon arrival were not greeted with friendship as the magical couldn’t open themselves to the burden of reciprocation. Soon their unexpected, not so welcome, guests cast covetous eyes upon a domain rich with resource and potential. The lure of exploiting these beautiful creatures, including the possibility of sexual liaisons—provided they could work out the gender—was too great for the jealous beasts from ugly barren worlds. Demons did what they do best and attacked what they couldn’t comprehend nor own, but what they didn’t anticipate was the response they encountered.

The view of those attacking was that this society lacked proper form and therefore would fall easily to the rigidly organised demon ranks. The invaders flooded the world and their troops met with no resistance at all. When attempting to move forward what they did find were abandoned streets covered with sticky ivy that enveloped buildings and hindered progress. The air was suddenly so moist as to make breathing uncomfortable and there was the strange absence of an authority to threaten. The magical realm was not ignoring the invasion as much as floundering within an internal bedlam, because none of the Elders could agree upon how to proceed. Their discord was reflected in nature, and the demons found themselves impeded by something they had not foreseen—a physical reaction to their presence. The magical realm was not opposed to defending their own world for they could rival and often surpass the brutality of demons. Their issue was how to organise such action after centuries of living out of sync with the others sharing their world.

It fell to their most powerful and least reliable of citizens to bring order to the disorder of the magical realm. The wayward and aloof Elf caring enough to be present, but not enough to be active in solution found herself at the crux of the decision process. Fairies had dissolved into hysteria, Pixies were drunk, Gnomes buried themselves deep underground and Goblins—well no one wanted them. Elves knew several truths of their world, the most important being that unity above all determined their survival. A magical being on their own was a formidable creature with limited potential, but an entire dominion could decimate a species into a dust upon a whim. Elves were appointed the new Elders, and in turn organised the ranks into a credible and effective defence. This appointment remained long after the wars and those Elves who returned home after raising families off world were most often the chosen Elders. They served until boredom had them disappear back into the mists of the Reveal.

The interlopers were ejected, but this didn’t end the attempts of demons to encroach upon the magical realm. So centuries of skirmishes passed, some were on world, most off world, with disaster befalling those caught in the crossfire. Once both sides realised there would never be a victory without complete destruction of the other they approached mystical sorcerers called the Mages of Sor. These beings though did not appear magical in the same sense of the magical world, did employ the magic of incantation and at the request of both parties cast the unbreakable spell of the Seal of Sere. This was only possible because both parties were completely in accord. With such a rare unity of spirit present the sorcerers were able to cast a binding enchantment unaffected by the motivations of future generations.

Signed in blood and magic the Seal removed the ability of each being to harm the other only leaving the ability to obstruct. It was because of this Seal that Vampires sometimes became the tool of both for in their attempts to outwit the other they had forgotten the mutation who lived amongst them. The ancient Vampire, having left the human domain, was now as powerful as their demon counterpart was and far more adept at handling the mischief of the magical. There were a few ways to circumvent the magical binding of the Seal, such as straying into the path of harm, or creating a situation of being forced into defence. The Seal didn’t protect demon from demon, or magical from magical as those disputes were internal matters. Unlike the resolve of the worlds that instigated it, despite skirmishes involving it, the Seal remained eternally and forcefully intact.

**********

A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.

Jean de la Fontaine.

A magical creature from an enchanted life the Elf would appear to lead an existence devoid of troublesome issues, but even she had her problems. Zyre wandered through the Reveal to escape the bubbles of irritable discontent bursting in pockets of her world. It had been like this since the Seal of Sere for despite the treaty giving them peace with the demons unity didn’t sit well with a group of magical creatures more suited to local squabbles than inter-world diplomacy.

Her proper name was Elfzyre, for all Elves had Elf in their name, which often led to some strange appendages added in search of a wider name base. Of all their populace the Elf dealt with the confusing aspects of new worlds with relative ease. So it was the young Elf who was encouraged to travel extensively and, unfortunately, often not harmoniously throughout the Reveal. Elfzyre, known as Zyre to family, and whatever creatures finding out her name, had promptly absconded the moment she was able. True to her nature she was searching for nothing and everything because the Elf remained ever aware of how obsession, external or internal, could affect her wellbeing.

Zyre knew of the strange structure of the human realm, the surreptitious world within a world, where those on the surface had no clue of others protecting the veil of secrecy. She sat watching the humans as she learned the local language in days, a very handy Elf talent, while wondering how they could be so oblivious about those that lived amongst them.

Sensitive to the shifting nuances of life around her she felt the impact of the energy of the mutants of the night even before dusk had touched the edges of the sky. Their urgency added to the vibrancy of life dancing upon the atmosphere and announced itself to her long before they started to arrive. From a careful distance, she watched the influx of Vampires unnoticed by the commuters who brushed past them in their hurried departure. Their figures and faces were beautiful examples of the human form as they glided without effort between the gaps, a contrast to the wall of disparate humanity set on their determined path.

Zyre usually hid in plain sight because she liked inspecting the strange lives of those around her and then again, there was always a demon waiting to profit on something. In this case it would be her presence, for knowledge of an Elf on world would be worth something to someone. Curiosity, the mainstay of cats and Elves, had her watch with interest the altered humans called Vampire. If they truly were of demon roots, then they behaved like higher caste ones as their civilised behaviour had them blend into the human landscape without effort. She wanted a closer look since her experience was only of the Aunsin, the ancient Vampire who lived off this world, and were as boring as any old demon. It had taken several days before opportunity arose when she found two Vampires wandering about in a manner less discreet than their comrades. Both blonde replicas of each other, their pale blue eyes echoed with silver glints as their smooth hair shone under the city lights. They moved with the grace of accomplished predators while their cheerful faces belied the danger of their heritage. Jaunty and obvious with their noisy conversation their voices echoed down the narrow street.

Where to play tonight? asked one.

Let’s go to C of V, I heard Ribeni is giving style advice again, suggested the other while his friend rolled his eyes.

As they sniggered at their thoughts she was led down the twisted paths of inner city lanes towards their secret destination. Unused to an uninformed society, especially concerning the importance of leaving an Elf alone, she did little to hide her presence. It didn’t occur to Zyre that such an action could put her in jeopardy as little tended to harm magical beings and so the inquisitive Elf followed the two into the dark. If she had more knowledge of Vampires and their Council she would have known it was forbidden for them to attack anyone in public. As with any group within a society, there were always the few deviants who believed themselves not subject to the laws. Those who abused their power, those who no longer cared, those who murdered for the fun of it, and Zyre soon discovered she was in the midst of two such beings.

They led her deeper into the crevices of the city until she found herself not only at a dead end, but also suddenly face to face with eyes that glowed eerily from faces lost to the shadows. She felt the Vampires on each side of her and their movements, synchronized in silence, had her assume that like the magical creature they could feel thoughts in the air about them. Both their appearance and attitude fascinated her for the gild of demon had taken the human beyond their mortal façade into a physical perfection reminiscent of her own realm. They carried themselves with arrogance that she knew well for she had often removed the conviction of superiority from many a demon.

So, what’s this following us about? Come for a closer look, have we darling? one of them asked as his eyes glittered in anticipation.

Yes, no, don’t know, might be, could, should, would, maybe. Zyre replied as she scrolled through her new list of human words.

So many choices, your head must be spinning, added his friend.

Intrigued by the ballet of their movement she didn’t answer or dissolve when the Vampires grabbed her. If she had perhaps they wouldn’t have progressed to their sudden demise, but then again with an Elf any outcome was possible.

Maybe we should introduce ourselves, said the first one.

There was no warmth in their being to warn her, no hot breath on her neck, and though she knew they were coming she wasn’t worried. Not even when the sharp cut of their fangs were on her neck, and curious to their motive she didn’t dissolve while allowing her blood to flow. If the Vampires had realised she was an Elf who could kill them in a blink and if they saw her kaleidoscope eyes change from emerald into the stormy teal of danger—they might have left her alone. None of this mattered for fate had them suddenly explode into balls of dust, to be carried away on the stink of an industrial wind. At first she was perplexed because she had not employed the Salvae against them, as the Seal didn’t include Vampires—not even when Ancient. If Zyre had bothered to pay attention to the warnings of the Elders, instead of relegating them to an annoying drone in the background, she would have known that Elf blood was poison to Vampires.

Blinkity bah! She shrugged at the dust swirling at her feet.

She wondered at the motives of strange creatures that attacked for no reason as even demons tended to have an agenda of sorts. Returning to the main street she was as unconcerned about their death as she was of informing anyone of their sudden absence. The Elf had never been an involved creature and to her there was no reason to start bothering.

The episode had her ignore the blood-drinking mutants for a while as she had discovered the even greater pleasure of human children. With their combination of wisdom and innocence, she surveyed them from a distance until curiosity got the better of her. It could have been the sun shining through the rustling leaves of the trees, the noise of simple joy, or the fact that she simply could, that had Zyre hide in her favourite place—plain sight.

She sat in a park under the green canopy of a shrub happily watching the mad gallop of unrestrained children until one stopped playing to stare directly at her.

You’re sitting in dirt.

The little girl’s statement was nothing more than an observance of reality and Zyre gave her a dazzling smile.

So I be, she replied in her best human before opening her hand to reveal a small leaf beetle.

The girl squealed before running away, leaving a puzzled Elf to examine the mosaic of colours on the back of the beetle.

She not see you be pretty, she comforted before carefully putting the insect back onto a shrub.

Zyre scrutinised the park inhabitants for several hours before deciding that young humans seemed to be born knowing everything about the universe because they knew she was an Elf without introduction. As she observed the difference in ages she worked out that the constant assertion by their elders that their youth knew nothing had them forget their knowledge. It was only returned to them once they became elderly and remembered what had been forced out of them. This left her visible to the very young, the very old, and imperceptible, unless preoccupied or wishing to be seen, to everyone in between. She would have stayed in her leafy den if an enticing scent had not distracted her and the Elf dissolved to reappear within an open-air fruit market. The street was filled with trestle tables canopied by barely functioning tarps while vendors hawked their wares with brisk shouts. People pushed by each other as they sought the finest produce for the cheapest prices.

BEST NEW SEASON POTATOES. Shouted a bulbous man his round face glistening with sweat as he heaved bags onto the table causing it to wobble in an alarming fashion.

CARROTS! GET YOUR CARROTS HERE! His competition bellowed next door.

Zyre stood still for a moment as she ignored the cacophony of sounds, the offensive artificial scents of the consumers while she embraced the wonderful mix of fresh food. It was a table chock full of apples that begged her attention as they glowed under the sun, red, green, yellow, pink, their irresistible smell suggesting something delicious. She wandered unnoticed within the throng for it was easy for a magical being to exploit the human lack of attention. This seller was not shouting like the others and the downturn of his mouth told Zyre everything she needed to know. Here was the soul of a malcontent, because she had seen enough of them on demon worlds to understand the mindset of one convinced the universe was out to cheat them. He sold his tasty wares with a disagreeable frown pausing only to bark orders.

Get more delicious, he snarled at his unhappy assistant who dashed off to return with a box.

Not those idiot—the golden ones.

Zyre contemplated the table before her without empathy for the abused employee because she wanted apples, and a disagreeable creature stood between her and them.

What the!!! Shouted the angry man as his table collapsed sending his wares rolling into the dirty lane.

Zyre quickly stuffed her pockets with the gorgeous smelling fruit before looking up to discover her glee was shared by the assistant, who could now see her. It was always the way of Elves, invisible until they found a partner in crime.

She dissolved to a