Ruora stepped onto the bank of the river that flowed not far from the small cabin she had made her home. It had been nearly a year since she settled in this quiet spot.
Exhausted by the conflict between two once-brotherly peoples, she had fled to the borderlands near the troll territories, in the eastern reaches of her native Adar.
Ruora hailed from the lineage of Dark Elves, though her close kin included Light Elves, and among her distant relatives, there were even a few trolls.
She was a tall, sturdy young woman with long, dark hair and eyes of a deep emerald green. Her usual attire consisted of loose-fitting shirts and pants, high boots, and a red bandana tied around her head. Only on rare occasions did she opt for dresses, disregarding the etiquette of high nobility. Life far from the comforts of her parents’ estate demanded practical clothing. Besides, society had long since evolved, and old customs and prejudices about style had faded. No one paid much attention to how she looked anymore.
Ruora had a strong, independent spirit, inherited from her father. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, sometimes with a sharp tongue, but she remained kind and warm to those she trusted. She believed any dispute could be settled through dialogue. It baffled her why the neighboring Light Elves, with whom every family shared close ties, couldn’t be satisfied. Trade and political agreements had been in place for ages, yet something was still missing for them.
It had been a year since the Light Elves broke the peace treaty and attempted to seize power, which had belonged to the Dark Lord for centuries. This wasn’t the first coup in Adar’s history, but it had caused immense pain and suffering to both Dark and Light Elves alike. Families were torn apart, and the best warriors perished at the borders of the two lands. The Lord of the Light Elves, however, gave no peace to either people, dreaming of becoming the New Lord of Adar. He stopped at nothing, even sacrificing those closest to him.
Trolls and dwarves eagerly aided the Dark Elves, sending their warriors to help and offering refuge to those displaced by the conflict. They had no desire for a shift in global power. The Dark Lord, Mirovald the Second, was a good ruler: fair, peaceful, and dedicated to the growth and prosperity of the entire realm. Rumors even circulated that he knew how to open portals to other worlds! This was often used to explain the appearance of new technologies, comfortable clothing, and other curious innovations in Adar.
Only the dragons, free creatures who dwelled among the Mountain Range with its impenetrable cliffs, beautiful blue-water lakes, dense pine forests, and magical beings like forest fairies, maintained their neutrality and independence.
The river today was remarkably clear. The emerald water sparkled in the sunlight, revealing every pebble and fish beneath its surface.
Shedding her clothes, Ruora slipped into the cool water. What a relief! The hot day and the labor in her small garden had worn her out.
Ruora wasn’t afraid of hard work. She grew her own vegetables and was skilled with a bow and arrow.
Her father had always believed that children should be self-reliant, capable of handling any challenge life threw at them. So, Ruora could easily fend for herself without help or servants.
She also had a fondness for herbs. Since arriving in the troll lands, home to some of Adar’s finest fields and meadows, she hadn’t wasted a moment. Ruora gathered herbs—some she dried, others she turned into tinctures or potions.
The secrets of potion-making had been taught to her by an old troll healer named Sara, the best in the village. Sara’s talent and reputation preceded her. It was Sara who took Ruora under her wing when she first arrived in the settlement. Still, Ruora couldn’t bear to be a burden on the kind woman for long. On the outskirts of the village, near the river where a beech forest began, she found a dilapidated cabin and made it her home.
After swimming to her heart’s content, Ruora stepped onto the bank, dried herself with a towel, got dressed, and started up the hill toward her cabin, whistling a tune under her breath.
Suddenly, a dull thud caught her attention. It sounded like something had fallen.
“What was that?” Ruora muttered, glancing around. She couldn’t spot the source of the noise. “Maybe hunters took down some game? Nah, probably not,” she reasoned aloud. “It’s getting dark soon—too late for hunting.”
As she neared her cabin, she heard a faint groan coming from the direction of the small forest.
“Strange. What could’ve happened over there? Maybe someone got hurt on our lands and wandered here? I’d better check it out.”
Ruora ignited a torch with a burst of energy and carefully tread over the soft moss, listening to the rustling and sounds of the beech forest.
Suddenly, someone shouted:
“Hey, anybody out there? Is someone there?”
“Who’s there?” Ruora called back.
“I’m down here, in a pit!” the same voice replied.
Ruora realized someone had fallen into one of her traps, a small pit she’d set for unsuspecting game. At the bottom was bait and a snare for catching wild animals.
A few moments later, she pushed aside the branches covering the pit and stared in surprise at a young man lying at the bottom.
“Where’d you come from? And why are you dressed like that? It’s way too hot for all those layers!” She eyed the guy, who was wearing oddly cut pants and some kind of heavy coat or jacket—she couldn’t quite make out the strange style of his clothes.
“How about you help me out first, then ask questions?” he shot back in the same tone.
“Can you stand?” Ruora asked, peering at him closely again.
“I think so.” Carefully sitting up, the man got to his feet, but the pit was still too deep for him to climb out on his own. Darkness had fully settled in, and only her torch illuminated the pit where he was trapped.
“What’s your name?” Ruora asked, satisfied that he seemed unharmed.
“Alexei.”
“That’s an unusual name. But we’ll figure that out later. For now, step three paces to your left. There’s a set of rough steps carved into the side there. I’ll shine the light so you don’t fall again,” she said with a chuckle.
Alexei did as she instructed, and within moments, he was standing beside her.
“Thanks for the help…” He hesitated, realizing he didn’t yet know the name of his rescuer.
“Ruora,” she said, extending her hand.
“Nice to meet you. Your name’s pretty unique too.”
Ruora just smirked.
“Come on, I’m not leaving you to spend the night in the woods. Truth be told, there aren’t any big predators around here, but we’ve got snakes and spiders, and they’re pretty venomous.”
Alexei had no desire to tangle with reptiles, so he hurried after her. He shrugged off his heavy jacket and sweater, leaving just a black T-shirt on. It really was hot here. Without asking how there could be venomous snakes in a place like this—since there weren’t any where he came from—he glanced around. The forest looked completely different, and the mountains he’d been in just minutes ago were nowhere to be seen. And it was already evening. This was all very strange.