Chapter 6 An Elf
Xerah had been walking through the forest for some time, taking in the various plants and animals that called it home. The flora was vibrant and colorful, while the fauna scampered happily through the trees. Suddenly, however, the creatures all scattered, leaving Xerah alone and vulnerable.
That was when she heard a chilling laugh echo through the forest. “Little girl, have you come to be my dinner?” the voice taunted. Following the sound, Xerah spotted an ugly elf perched on a tree branch. It had long ears, gray-black wings folded behind its back, and clawed feet gripping tightly onto the bark. Its fingers were also long and sharp, with traces of blood still clinging to them. It waggled those fingers at Xerah and pointed accusingly. “I think I’ll tear you apart and add you to my belly, so that you can become a part of me,” it hissed.
Before Xerah could react, the elf lunged towards her with outstretched wings, ready to strike.
Xerah quickly dodged the elf’s attack, but she had underestimated the elf’s speed and power. Xerah found that her hand had been scratched by the elf’s sharp claws, leaving several long gashes. The pain jolted Xerah awake, and she licked her wound, deciding to fight back. She looked around, but there were no suitable weapons on the ground other than tree branches. At that moment, the elf attacked again. Xerah rolled out of the way, evading the attack once more. The elf flapped its wings overhead, letting out a shrill laugh, and said, “Don’t bother resisting. Just wait for death obediently. Otherwise, I’ll use my claws to make you wish you were dead.”
Xerah glared at the elf and said, “Why do you want to eat me? I don’t even know where I am, and I have no ill intentions towards you!” The elf laughed and replied, “It’s unfortunate that you’ve encountered me, but you’ll soon be free of pain. Let me eat you and make you a part of my body!” The elf then launched another attack on Xerah. As Xerah dodged the attack, she continued to search for a weapon to fight back. Although she was agile, her body was still covered in many claw marks and wounds. “It hurts so much! What kind of place is this?” Xerah cried, enduring the pain from her injuries. Suddenly, the elf swooped down and unexpectedly grabbed Xerah’s arm with its claws, lifting her off the ground. Xerah used her left hand to grab the elf’s leg and viciously drove her long nails into the elf’s thigh, forcing it to release her. Xerah fell heavily to the ground. The elf flew above her, looking at its bleeding leg, and said angrily, “You’ve successfully enraged me. Now you’ll taste the sharpness of my claws. I’ll tear you to pieces as revenge for the damage you’ve done to me.”
The elf vigorously flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind that sent dust and leaves flying towards Xerah. As Xerah shielded her eyes, the elf suddenly swooped down and lunged at her with both hands and its sharp claws. It was clear that the elf intended to shred Xerah’s body with its razor-sharp talons. At that moment, a mysterious force surged within Xerah, spreading from her abdomen throughout her entire body and into her arms and fingers. She felt her nails grow longer, sharper, and more powerful. Xerah’s eyes turned red, and she suddenly could see the elf’s movements clearly, which now appeared to slow down. Xerah grabbed the elf’s incoming claws, spun around, and forcefully threw the elf to the ground. Simultaneously, her left hand swiped at the elf’s wings with her razor-sharp nails. Xerah’s nails sliced through the elf’s wings like a sharp blade, cutting them off. The elf let out a pained scream, rolled on the ground, and was unable to get back up.
Xerah trembled all over as she incredulously looked at her hands. Her nails were now 8 centimeters long and shimmered with light. “What kind of power is this?” Xerah pondered, feeling the energy coursing through her fingertips. She felt her strength growing and her speed increasing. Excitedly, she reveled in this newfound power. However, the groaning elf nearby drew Xerah’s attention back to the present. Slowly, Xerah approached the elf, who fearfully looked at her and shouted, “Don’t hurt me!” Xerah sternly replied, “I was almost your dinner; you’d better behave, or my nails will shred you.” The elf sat on the ground, with half of her wing cut off, likely unable to fly. Her claws and nails were also shattered from the earlier blow. She pleaded, “Please spare me; I’ll do anything for you.” As Xerah walked up to the elf, her right hand suddenly shot out towards the elf’s neck. A flash of red light followed, and Xerah’s sharp 8-centimeter-long nails slashed five gashes across the elf’s throat. The elf tried to protect her neck, but it was too late. Her life force quickly faded from her eyes. Xerah stood in astonishment, not realizing that she had dealt the fatal blow, and that her right hand had attacked the elf uncontrollably. Stunned, she stared at the elf’s lifeless body. Her eyes gradually turned brown, and her nails shrank back to 2 centimeters.
After staring blankly for a while, Xerah decided to continue walking forward, leaving the elf’s body behind her and heading towards the castle outside the forest. Step by step, she moved on. The small animals of the forest had fled, leaving the area eerily silent except for the sounds of Xerah’s footsteps on the leaves and the damp soil.
To be continued…
