The Kingdom of the Emerald Hills

"Tobias," the vioce chuckled, "Many who would have you ousted have begun to spread rumors, the others do not trust you, as well the king."

"What?!?!? who? tell us... erm... me! The elves have nothing to fear from me. lest they face me amidst my brethren and the humans. and from what i understand of their culture i do not see such an occurance."

"So be it. Also, tobias, they misunderstand your willingness to join the Bugbear may be misconstrued by some. namely the one who speaks like a bird."

Tobias grunted and slammed his fist on the ground. "Voice! send me a messenger, for my work here is not done and yet i must send word to the king of my intent."

A moment later a kistrel landed and took perch on a low lying limb as tobias wrote out his intent on a scrap of parchment, reading:

"Lord Sutra,

I have heard that some would question my loyalty and intent. the elves have not to fear my blade, nor this ensuing campaign. Even your highness himself cannot deny the arrogance of the humans is frustrating and like a mouthy child must be corrected. they tear down our trees and make absurd confines of stone and steel without caution to who or what lives there. This must cease. I only campaign against the humans. You have my sword if you ever need it, and you know that. We will hopefully see you soon, the bard sings of it. May the forest protect you.

Tobias"

Tobias then affixed the note on the bird's leg. At that the bird flew off southeast twards the land of stone and steel.

"The messenger will wait for a reply tobias, fret not, it can find you again."

"Aye" Tobias responded looking down at his slowly but surely changing hands; turning leathery and browning yellow, he heven noticed his body hair becomming more coarse and thick as well as frequent. "They are helping me, Voice, I will be weak no longer, their shaman are wise beyond the tales of the humans. I do believe this can work. We shall prevail. I just hope that the elves see them akin to my eyes, they were better to me than the humans, and i like most of them."

"Aye, Tobias, go now, continue your training. Your brethren are mighty but uncoordinated. Teach them to fight as one and you will surely strike down these vermin who plague me. utvungen skoget."

"Untvungen skoget."

The unornate bird reached the outside edges of Tanglewood forest, stopping for a moment; resting it's spent wings.

The chirping was short and unobtuse. The little head tilted left and right at a unique angle only birds and lizards could manipulate.

With a swift swat, a withered bow caught the bird in mid song. It fell dead to the ground, twitching unfettered by life.

The rotting tree turned it's slow gaze down to the messenger bird, reaching down with sinewy finger-like projections from one of it's main limbs.

Pulling the little corpse up, a large gnarled opening exposed itself in the center of the great body of the tree. Apparently, bird had become a delicacy in some parts of the woods.

The tree bellowed before swallowing the brown bird, releasing it's grasp on the message laden ave.

"Strap down the main limbs and make sure to get the fire hotter...make ready the axe's..."

The voices broke the deep silence.

A figure leapt down from a neighboring tree's protective foliage. An elf.

The corrupted wood angrily resisted against the strong restraints binding it incapacitated. It never noticed that the strong ropes were supported by the verdant oakens that inhabited the forest.

"You cannot do this, I am on sacred ground. I am a royal tree. You will answer to the qu...king for this!"

The elf shook his head and confidently replied.

"No, by Grand Inquisitor's decree, all tainted and traitorous folk of the woods must be cleansed and reinstated.....or purged."

"And by the looks of it..." the lithe elven figure squatted down, picking up the warm bird, before removing the note and reading the name on it; said.

"You have lost your faith."

"I am loyal to the Court of HeeeARRRRGGGHHHH!" The sound of working axes echoed through the woods.

The screams of the turned tree echoed through the valley. Proof that the king was indeed bent on cleansing the lands of the corruption Alice had sown.

-----------------

The message traveled to the kingdom halls and found its way to the monarch's desk.

There Sutra would eagerly pen a reply to the one he knew as Tobias.

S
[con't]

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The general who advances without seeking fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do service for his sovereign, is the jewel of his kingdom. -Sun Wu