The following is a story using my characters of Shani Wennemein, Pania Alow, Wren Wennemein, Abisayo Temi Lilu and Unia Wennemein, who appear in the book The Adventures of Black Mask & Pale Rider. That book, set in the 1860s of the American Civil War, showcases two elves who can tap into magic, and how they face the gunslinger culture of the American Mid West. They’ve also appeared in the video games Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, but had to be made as human. This story examines what if elves did cross the planar gates and find Tyria.
Your hands upon
A deadman’s gun and you’re
Looking down the sights
Your heart is worn,
And the seams are torn
And they’ve given you reason to fight
Dead Man’s Gun, written by Ashtar Command
1076 AE, Mouvelian calendar; 1586 CC, Canthan calendar; 1276 DR, Dynastic Reckoning
Battles end against the Shaman Cast
The Planet; Tyria
Pyre Fierceshot gave a snort as he watched Gwen Thackery lead her now free Ebon Vanguard troops out of the area and back to the Eye of the North. Not even a thank you. Then again, he didn’t exactly thank the mouse for her help in defeating the Shamans and their false gods. Soon, Pyre was left with his warband. Ogden, Jora, the Elonian human Koss, and a Krytan woman named Villith had left.
But two remained. Two mice, though they didn’t smell like mice. Both wore hoods, covering much of their heads. They never took them down. Both were smaller than Gwen, but seemed extremely capable. One was an expert with a sword and had the ability to manipulate illusions. The other could walk in the shadows, could spin her daggers and use a bow with ease. Pyre had his suspicions about the two.
“You two mice haven’t left yet,” Pyre snorted as he approached them. “But then, I doubt you have any affiliations with any of the humans who helped.” The two remained quiet. “You don’t talk much. That would be an endearing quality. If you were human.” The two looked to each other a moment and Pyre continued. “I’m not an idiot, mice. I am well aware you two aren’t who you say you are. My warband knows, they just don’t care. But now that the battle’s over…” he reached out a claw to the green clad woman, moving to her hood. The other one, dress in brown and black leathers moved to stand in front of her friend. “Allies will to protect,” Pyre said with a smirk.
“One dunna ask fer an elf’s name,” the one in the green hood said, her voice muffled through the scarf. Pyre furrowed his brow as he heard the term. It was rather foreign to him. The one in black turn and whispered to the other. The one in green whispered back as there was a momentary argument, finally ended as the green hooded elf pulled back her hood. Pyre took a deep breath and scowled as he studied the woman’s fine features. She looked human, but there were subtle differences that were most apparent. “Ye may call me Pania. An’ this is me friend…”
“Shani,” the other said as she pulled back her own hood. “Shani’s jist fine.” Her features were more stark, angular and sharp than Pania’s soft and fine face. But they were of the same race, that was certain.
“Elf,” Pyre tested the word as he looked at the pair.
“Elves, fae folk, the stuff o’ legend from a world we come from,” Pania stated with a nod. “Protectors o’ the wood, guardians o’ lore.”
“There’s no record of your kind,” Pyre said as he spat in the dirt. “From any race in Tyria.”
“We ain’t from Tyria,” Shani stated. “The world we come from borders on the gateways betwix worlds. We walk the planes as we see fit, explorin’ with hope ta make friends an’ allies.”
“We had fer a time,” Pania continued. “Until an event called the Crusades. At least, that’s what the humans called it.”
“And what do you call it?”
“The Great Betrayal,” Shani said with a mouthful of scorn. “A human king made a promise ta an elven queen thet no elf would be harmed in his war. But he lied, as he took an Arabia elf captive, an’ near tortured her fer information.”
“After that, the elves left that plane,” Pania continued. “But, the curious nature within us always beckons us ta travel.”
“So you came here,” Pyre said. By this time many from his warband had joined the small group. They weren’t letting them go until such time as they felt the pair were not a threat. “For what purpose.”
“Godsdammit, man,” Shani spat back. “She already done tol’ ya. We’re curious. We record the story we see an’ keep it alive fer history. What happen here won’t die b’cause we intend ta go back ta The House o’ Wisdom in the sands o’ Sehmerkhet ta store it once it’s written.”
“House of Wisdom,” Pyre repeated.
“It’s a grand library in our world,” Pania explained. “Texts, documents, recorded history, all kept within it’s halls. All of it truth.”
Pyre considered this for a moment. The history of this battle would forever be recorded. And these elves would be an impartial enough third party to ensure the truth be told. He waved off his bandmates, satisfied with the explanation. Carefully, he reached into his quiver and took out two arrows, snapped off the arrowheads and handed one to Pania and the other to Shani. “Keep those with you. Use them as symbols to other charr that you are a friend. They will know, I’ll make certain of it.”
“We’d prefer it ifn ya didn’t spread word o’ our existence,” Shani cautioned. “There ‘re them who are jealous o’ our long lived lives.”
Pyre considered this and nodded. “It shall be kept within my closest circle. But know that your actions here have made a friend today. I watched as you defended my bandmates. We do not forget those that are willing to put their lives on the line to help other charr.”
The two elves nodded, put their hoods back into place and moved back to the edge of the forest. It was time to leave.
Turn the Page 