129This is a prequel if you will to give you more background on Astald. Hope you enjoy.
Astald's Story
The young dark-skinned elf emerged from the trees into a sort of secret grotto. Before him was a small lake. He stared out at the lake and was startled when he heard a sound. He slowly crept towards the lake and hid behind one of the rocks. What he saw before him made his eyes widen.
In the water was a young olive-skinned elf with orange hair, swimming around in the lake, absolutely naked. He blushed and looked away, his breath coming in rapid succession. He was scared, but his mind was like YEEEEAAAHHH! I just totally seen a naked chick!
Once he got his breathing back under control, he turned back towards the lake, only to find the girl staring right back at him. He turned to run.
"Wait," she called out. He turned back. "You're quite the pervert, aren't you? Spying on naked girls." She stood up out of the water and he couldn't help but gasp. She was extremely voluptuous and busty, real thin waist, and the water trickling down her skin did not improve matters. She waded over to the bank, grabbed her clothes, and proceeded to put them on.
"Y-You're not embarrassed?" he asked.
"Not really. I live in a place where there's not a lot of privacy, and someone is almost always walking in on you. Especially my little sister. My other sister is too little to walk yet. You might as well come out where I can see you fully."
He stood up and stepped out from behind the rocks. She looked over him, at his dark skin and blonde hair. "So you're a Drow," she commented, as if confirming something. "By the way, where are my manners? I'm Alasse. And you are?"
"As-Astald," he replied back. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Well mannered, too. I was always under the impression that Drows were vicious and murderous."
"Only because of what we endure."
They continued to talk. Day after day, they met up at the same lake, laughing, swimming, playing, and chatting. After a while, he realized he was in love with her.
One summer day, they shared their first kiss. It had been two years since they had met. Astald was in high spirits after that. But, a few months later, when he went back to the lake and was chatting with her, a bunch of olive-skinned guards emerged out of the jungle. At their front, was a red-haired elf, his head held high, his demeanor regal, and a gaze of death in his eyes.
"ALASSE!" he shouted. "So the rumors are true! You have been cavorting with a Drow."
"Father!" Alasse exclaimed. "Astald isn't like other Drow, he's-"
"I don't have to know him. They're all the same! Vicious, murderous, flesh-eating-"
"Daddy, I love him!" She gasped as she let out that last part and looked at Astald. "I do."
He was overjoyed.
"No," her father growled. "You are the Crown Princess, heir to the throne of Eldamar! He is a Drow. What will the people say?! What would your mother say?!"
"Which one?" she said, standing up to him. "My mother? Or the second wife you took?"
"Watch your tone, young lady. You cannot be with him. It's against nature itself."
"I don't care. I'll run away with him. We can be together. Live our life the way we-"
"I'LL BE DAMNED! I WILL NOT BE THE GRANDFATHER TO SOME HALF-BREED MONGREL! Guards, take her back to the castle. I'll deal with her later!" He turned to Astald as the guards opened a portal and escorted Alasse through it. Astald scrambled back against the rocks. "As for you. These are Elven lands. You are trespassing. I could kill you where you are. But, I am not without mercy. For my daughter's sake, I shall let you live. Now leave. Leave and never RETURN!"
With that, Astald scrambled to his feet and bolted through the trees. It seemed like he had been running for hours when he finally reached the Great Beyonds. That's when the tears began to flow from his eyes. He was sad, angry, vengeful, confused. He ran past the village entrance and past the elder's tent to his own.
Greivor stood in the entrance of the elder's tent, looking out after Astald's passage. Maybe, he thought to himself. He could be the one.
It had been ten years, and he had never heard one thing back from Alasse. He had trained himself to physical perfection, mastered all three forms of sword fighting, and had been taking lessons from his father on how to protect the clan when he took over as chief.
The day had started out as any other. He had just finished his sword practice for the day, when he heard the Great Horn reverberate through the camp. "STONERS!" came the cry.
Stoners were giant rock worms that lived under the ground in the Great Beyonds. Their favorite food, currently, was the Drow.
Two of them came burrowing into the camp, erupting from the ground in a giant spray of dirt and dust. All Drow warriors rushed to get their weapons. The Stone Worms thrashed around, downing a few of the Drow down their throats as they ran. All warriors who had weapons charged the worms, slashing at them. The worms ignored the Drow as if they were gnats, destroying tents, and gorging themselves on more Drow.
Greivor stepped into the middle of the camp, raised his arms, and shouted. "GREAT HUINE! PROTECT YOUR CHOSEN!"
There was a slight rumbling, then scores of demons appeared overhead, picked up the worms, and carried them off into the desert.
Astald looked around at the devastation. There were pieces of Drow everywhere. Tents were wrecked and mangled. Astald went looking for his parents. He searched for hours and could not find them. He collapsed on his knees where their tent used to be and cried. He dried his eyes and looked up as he felt a hand touch his shoulder.
"This is how we live," Greivor commented, looking around the village. "You are now chief. How do you plan to lead us?"
"By any means necessary."
"Do you know why we live like this?"
"Yes. My father has instructed me. He has told me how the light skins banished us out here, to suffer and die, while they live comfortably in their houses and palaces." He slammed his fist in the ground. "I must help my people."
"Are you willing to do whatever is necessary?"
Astald mulled the question over in his mind. "Yes. Even if it costs me my soul."
Greivor laughed. "Ever heard of Huine?"
"Not really."
"He is a great God. He watches over and protects us. If you would be willing to forge a pact with him, he will lend you his power, and you would finally be able to help us."
"Yes," Astald said. "I agree."
Greivor chuckled. Silly boy has signed his death warrant. Sure Huine will give him his power, but the contract will slowly corrupt his soul. Once his soul is fully corrupted, Huine will consume it, and finally be reborn! "Right this way."
He led Astald into his tent and moved a rock inside, uncovering a giant hole. He led Astald down into the hall, through a dark tunnel, and into a cavern. In the middle of a cavern, was an altar, surrounded by candles. Greivor picked up a knife and a cup. "You must fill this halfway with your blood."
Astald nodded, slit his hand with the knife, and filled the cup halfway. "Thank you, Greivor. For allowing me a chance to help our people. Huine must be a benevolent God indeed to give his power so freely."
Greivor chuckled. "Oh, he is." Greivor took the cup and began mumbling an incoherent chant as he added stuff to the cup. Once he was done, he turned to Astald. "Now, when you drink this. You must say these words, exactly. Huine, thy servant calls you to form a pact. I ask for thine power in exchange my soul is yours to command."
Astald nodded, drank the contents of the cup, and repeated the words. Before he could say the last two words, he felt an intense pain blossom from inside of him. "Wh-What's going on?"
"It is okay, my child. A mortal cannot receive the power of a god without some discomfort."
Astald cried out in agony. His blood felt like it was on fire, his head felt like it would explode. Every fiber of his being felt like it was being ripped apart. Then suddenly, the pain subsided, and he felt strength like never before pulsing through him.
"Ready?" Greivor asked.
"Oh, yeah," Astald said. "And I know just what to do." His eyes glowed slightly crimson as he turned and headed for the door. He had a lot of work to do. First he had to approach the goblins, then the demons, then the ogres. First, came an army. Then he was going to infiltrate Eldamar itself.
A few weeks later, he raided the mansion that was at the edge of the forests, near the Great Beyonds, and killed the elves there. Then he cast a spell that covered up his black skin, and finally, he put a spell on himself that would make others think he had been around them for a long time.
His work was just beginning.
THE END