Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Clar Karond, a city full of fear and despair, is filled with gloom and evil from the ground to the sky.

A towering black spire stands proudly in the center of the city, like a sharp blade piercing the sky, announcing the city's power and majesty. Around the spire, jagged buildings scramble to occupy the limited space, as if trying to grab every inch of the sky, reflecting the tension and crowding within the city, but no spire dares to compete with the towering spire.

A thick high wall surrounded the city, and the wall was covered with cold and gleaming blades, crossbows and spikes. The weak sunlight reflected on the guards' spears, forming a slightly dazzling light, warning outsiders of the ruthlessness and danger here. But even this layer of fortifications and physical barriers could not completely block the dark aura that kept surging in the city.

Outside the high walls is the outskirts of the city, which is no different from other cities in layout, with markets, temples, civilian residences and military camps arranged closely to the point of being crowded. On the surface, Clar Karond seems to have all the elements of a civilized city, but upon closer inspection, the cobblestone streets and black roofs of this city are always shrouded in an indescribable sense of evil, and the smell of impending violence and blood spreads in the air.

Eldan felt a chill deep in his soul. The city was filled with an unnatural evil, as if every inch of land was nurturing destruction and conspiracy. Under the gloomy sun, the city was like a huge shadow, quietly plotting a plan of destruction.

Outside the city, a large area of ​​vineyards came into his sight, with deep red grapes covering the vines, like coagulated blood. He knew that these grapes were not used to make ordinary fine wine, but to make blood wine, the symbol of Duruchi's cruelty.

Groups of human slaves were driven between vineyards, bending over and picking grapes numbly. Beside them, the Duruchi soldiers held swords and whips, coldly ensuring that every slave was working to the best of his ability. With cruel smiles, the soldiers were ready to use violence to maintain their rule at any time.

He turned his gaze to the distance and saw that large tracts of land were being ruthlessly plundered and destroyed. The sounds of axes and saws continued to echo and vibrate, and large tracts of trees fell down, as if the earth was groaning in pain. Broken wood piles were like silent sentinels, witnessing the large-scale logging operations of Druki. The fallen wood was continuously transported to the city or pushed into the river to provide new ships for Druki's plundering fleet.

Further away, endless plantations stretched as far as the eye could see, with large fields of wheat and other crops covering the ground. These plantations were not meant to make the city prosperous, but to provide a steady supply of food for the war and support Duruchi's war machine. He knew that war and destruction were growing from this land, and as time went on, the power of this city would grow stronger until it devoured everything.

"Northeast direction." The shadow warrior whispered.

Eldan's eyes followed the direction of the shadow warrior's finger, and soon he saw the target of the raid - the docks and shipyards of Clar Karonde. Clar Karonde was famous for its notorious docks and shipyards. The dock area slowly extended to the Sea of ​​Evil, and the entire coastline seemed to be swallowed up by the maze-like structure of endless ships and docks.

The masts of the ships are like dense forests, groaning in the breeze, and the sails sway slowly under the gloomy sky. Most of these ships are built for war. Duruchi uses them for plunder and attack. They wander around the waters like dark shadows, bringing destruction and fear.

The sounds coming from the docks were one after another. The boatmen and slaves were either dragging heavy wood and iron tools to repair the ships that were about to depart, or carrying goods on their shoulders to transport the supplies to the ships. The entire dock was shrouded in a solemn and oppressive atmosphere.

"What do you see?"

"Ships, lots of ships, seem to be making final preparations before setting sail? And... there's something behind that ridge, but I can't see it clearly."

"Look more carefully, that's not a ridge!"

"Asuryan!" Eldan held his breath and observed again. Soon, he realized the problem. What he initially mistook for the Bay Ridge was actually something else entirely. With a breath of cold air, his pupils suddenly expanded.

That's not a ridge! That huge thing is the terrible Black Ark.

The mountain-like castle floats upon the sea, sustained by the mightiest of magics, a sinister floating fortress of tower upon tower, spire upon spire, constructed of stone torn from Ulthuan millennia ago. An entire army is garrisoned within it, and thousands of slaves are imprisoned within its shadowy depths.

The Black Ark was the most terrifying and powerful ship in the world. Some said that the volume they showed on the water was only a small part of their true size. There were huge arched caves hidden below the waterline, inhabited by terrible monsters, slaves, and all kinds of evil witchcraft. He was not sure whether these rumors were true or not, but what he knew was that wherever the Black Ark went, it must be full of unimaginable horror and death.

"Only the Nagor of the Barer family could be so large."

Eldan nodded, but soon he realized something was wrong. The moment he realized it, he stopped observing and turned to look at the shadow warrior.

"you……"

Just as he was about to ask, he heard a noise behind him, and he turned to see Kelliel crawling closer. His brother was almost at his side when he noticed the noise. He hid his jealousy of Kelliel's talent with anger at the disobedience.

"Kane's blood! Is that the Black Ark?" Kelly cursed.

"What are you doing here? I told you to stay with the other warriors!" Eldan questioned, ignoring his brother's question.

"Our warriors don't need me to tell them how to prepare for battle. I want to see the enemy with my own eyes." Kelly waved his scarred hand and said disapprovingly.

"You'll be seeing them soon, be careful what you wish for."

"Revenge for my father is a good thing. I have a lot of hatred to avenge." Kelly said, his eyes fixed on the Tower of Destruction and the Dark Ark.

"We all have it!"

"There is no forgetting, no forgiveness."

The brothers' conversation was interrupted by the shadow warrior's words, which Eldan knew came from Aris Anar, the Shadow Lord and cruel ruler of the Broken Kingdom of Nagarythe.

"How do we get close to them?" Kelly, who didn't understand the meaning of the shadow warrior's words, continued to ask.

"Face them, raid there, or burn down their manor." The shadow warrior pointed his finger at the newly built shipyard on the south bank nearby, then pointed at the plantation in the distance and said bitterly.

"What about the northeast direction?"

"We came at the wrong time, and we came from the wrong direction. The Sea of ​​Evil and Resentment is not frozen now, and we can't pass through the ice." The shadow warrior shook his head bitterly.

"Can't we cross the river?" Kelly continued to ask, somewhat dissatisfied with the result.

"You can think of that river as the Ariel."

"You..." Kelly frowned and looked at the Shadow Warrior. He was very dissatisfied with the Shadow Warrior's words, but he also understood what the Shadow Warrior meant.

They came at the wrong time and in the wrong direction. To get to the northeast, which is the other side of the river, they need to go through the city. This is impossible for them, so the only option left is to cross the ice, but the Sea of ​​Malice has not frozen yet.

That left them with one last option, to go upstream and find a chance to reach the other side of the river, which might require going deeper into the mountains. But that was not feasible at all. The team might be able to move forward through the forest to avoid being discovered by the guards of the plantation. But they did not have that much supplies, and returning after the raid was also a big problem. Their team had only a hundred people, and they could not face the net set by Duruchi.

"Under cover of darkness, enter the harbor on the south shore, burn as many ships as possible, create bloody chaos, and then retreat." Eldan set the tone for the raid, and he abandoned the option of burning the plantations.

"Druchi will pay in blood for what they took from me." Kelliel nodded in agreement, rubbing his burned hands unconsciously.

Looking at Kelil's charred hand, Eldan was plunged into bitter memories, and he couldn't help but think back to the day when Kelil and Rianna had galloped through the gates of the family villa on horseback. Both of them were seriously injured, but Kelil still carried Rianna to a place of safety and issued a warning about the impending raid by Duruchi before collapsing.

Word of Kelir's heroic deeds in protecting Rianna spread quickly throughout Tal Ariel's court, and Kelir's reputation as a hero was established.

No one mentioned why Kelil had taken Rianna high up in the crater, no one discussed how foolish it was to approach the Eagle Gate, no one cared, they only cared about Kelil's heroic deeds. In the following weeks, he watched Kelil and Rianna grow closer and closer, and he was powerless to stop Kelil's unruly charm from stealing the heart of the person he loved.

"Let's go, it's time for us to go back." Eldan, who had broken free from the bitter memories, said suddenly, then turned around and crawled, ready to meet up with other warriors.

When he returned to the team and looked at the proud and elegant faces of the warriors, he became excited again. He knew that the warriors were ready for the upcoming battle. Being able to penetrate deep into the territory of Duruchi was already an achievement enough, but soon they would accomplish another feat that would allow Duruchi to experience an attack from across the sea.

He issued orders quickly and efficiently, and within minutes the warriors were in the final stages of preparation. The warriors braided iron rings into their long hair, a symbol of strength, power and nobility, and a mark of true warriors, ensuring that the enemy's blade could not cut their hair in the frenzy of battle.

As the day faded and the sun sank, he thought about the coming assault, and he recalled Kellir's warning that he had not seen battle in too long. It was true that he had not wielded a sword in years, but he had been taught by the best of teachers, and he knew that when the blood flowed and the passion of battle washed over him, he was as deadly as ever.

As the dusk faded, the shadow warriors returned and told Eldan that he could set out, but instead of moving immediately, Eldan dismounted, drew his sword, knelt, and recited his oath.

"I wept for you in the darkness, and the tears you shed for us were the blood of the Elves. I stand here, Aisha, with sword in hand, and Ulthuan shall never fall!"

Although he was not the legendary guardian of knowledge and wisdom, the master of martial arts, the Swordmaster of Hoeth, these words gave him comfort and allowed him to focus on the killing that was about to unfold.

As the sun continued to set and the terrible darkness of Naggaroth began to encroach on the world, the raiding party was mobilized.

Kellil prayed to Kurnos, asking him to guide his sword and keep him safe for the night, and though he knew his hands would soon be stained with blood, he still asked for forgiveness. In the darkness, his prayers went unanswered, but he felt a peace in his heart, knowing that his soul was ready for battle. His senses began to expand, and he could feel the breathing of the warriors, the tense anticipation, and the urgent neighing of the horses.

Eldan, at the head of the group, had no second sight, but he could feel the intensity of Kaelir's spirit, the blessing of Kurnos burning in his brother's chest. The Asur of the Kingdom of Arion worshipped Kurnos, but in his brother the fire of the hunt was stronger than he had ever felt in anyone before.

Yet he felt something more than his brother's desire for revenge. Rough as these feelings were, they had a strong fire of fear and despair in them.

This force was rushing straight towards the team.

Eldan waved his arms, giving silent orders. As the Arion Reavers disappeared into the forest again, he crouched beside a tall tree and peered out of the dark forest. With his good night vision, he easily penetrated the shadows and saw six skinny humans with bruises and scars on their skin running towards the forest.

Farther away, a group of dark riders on black warhorses were chasing the fleeing slaves. One rider fired a hail of arrows with a crossbow, killing one of the fugitives. The slave had almost reached the edge of the forest, but he knew that the slave could not escape into the forest before the dark riders caught up. Soon, he stopped looking at the hunting scene, because he caught a glimpse of a shadow warrior not far away raising his bow and aiming at the crossbow arrow shot by Druzy.

"No, stop! If we are discovered now, all our efforts so far will be wasted."

After hesitating for a moment, the shadow warrior nodded, released the bowstring, and then used some invisible and inaudible signal to order the other shadow warriors to do the same.

In the distance, the hunt was still going on. Instead of driving the escaped slaves back to the work team, the Druki chose to surround them and then slaughter them. The cruel laughter of the Druki as they killed rang out. They cut off the heads of the slaves and hung them on their saddles. After a few minutes, everything was over. The Druki returned to the dark city in the distance with the bloody spoils.

Eldan breathed a sigh of relief. The Duruchi were too focused on the bloody killing to notice them hiding within a hundred meters.

"This is too dangerous." When Drucci left, Kelly came to Eldan's side.

"really."

“We should have helped them.”

"Help them? For what? Do you intend to bring them back to Tal Ailir as your servants? No, it might be better for them to die here than to continue living."

"Maybe, but I don't feel comfortable watching them die like this." Kelly's words were full of bitterness.

"They're nothing but humans, a bunch of monkeys, Keliel!"

Eldan leaned against the tree and watched Kelly leave, all kinds of emotions intertwined in his heart. In order to calm himself before entering the battle, he chose to close his eyes, but the last conversation with Rianna kept appearing in his mind.

Two months ago, Ulthuan.

Guarding the entrance to the Inner Sea of ​​Ulthuan, Lothern is the capital of the Kingdom of Etain. It is a vast city, a thriving city of culture, art, poetry, and trade, the heart of Ulthuan. Built around a shimmering lagoon, with soaring spires ringing the shore, great palaces and elegant villas rising from the coast, and white towers climbing gracefully to the foot of the mountains in the distance.

Eldan and Kelil had set out from Tor Ailir a week ago, and three days earlier had passed through the golden gates, studded with rubies, that separated Lothern from the Inner Sea. Though Eldan had been to this city more than once, the glory of Lothern still filled his heart. They walked along the Phoenix Avenue, which ran through the commercial district of the city, filled with the busy figures of merchants and shopkeepers, who traded pleasant bargains with their customers.

"We have important things to do now, brother. We don't have time to dawdle." Eldan saw that Kelir had stopped to trade with the merchant and buy wine. He frowned, and he was very dissatisfied with Kelir's behavior. "There is always time to enjoy good wine, Eldan."

“Is that really a good wine?”

"I heard it's a wine from Athel Loren? Not bad, it's always good to try new things."

"Athel Loren? The wine of our tree-dwelling cousins?"

"Hiccup... Even though they live in trees, their wine is really good. If I have the chance, I really want to go over and take a look." Kelly raised the wine bag and took a big gulp. After a contented burp, he handed the wine bag to Eldan while speaking.

"I don't need it. Have you forgotten why we are here?" Eldan shook his head and refused.

"I don't, brother, but we still have three weeks before we set sail for Naggaroth, can't we enjoy the city for a while?" Kelly shrugged as he took back the wineskin.

"Maybe, but I want to make sure we have all the supplies we need before then. We have a lot of things to prepare. Food and water need to be prepared, weapons, armor and arrows need to be purchased and loaded onto our ship. The Emerald Sea Family refused to provide a loan, and I need to find another way to get funds. All of this will take time. Who will be responsible? Is it you? Huh? My brother?" Eldan's words were full of dissatisfaction and resentment.

"Where's Ms. Marlene? I remember..."

"She's not in Lothern, she went to Elsin Arwen with Finnubar! Are you drunk?" Eldan interrupted Kelly's irrelevant words with some impatience.

"Okay, okay. Then we'll do as you say, brother. Shouldn't we split up and complete our respective tasks?" Kelly raised his hands in surrender.

"Okay, then, go buy some food. Make sure it's enough for us to travel to and from Naggaroth, and prepare enough for two weeks on land. Don't forget the food for the warhorses. You know how much food a warhorse needs in a day." Realizing that he was a little out of control, Eldan tried to calm down. He also knew that Kellyl just wanted to stay away from him, but he didn't mind it.

"Horse feed? What a glorious task." Kelly exclaimed.

"It is necessary! Go quickly, I don't want to see you before the sun goes down, and you must remember that our funds are not unlimited until we get the loan."

"I know, I know, I'm not a fool." Kelly took a step back and made a funny farewell gesture.

"Then I'll meet you at our place at sunset, okay?" Eldan, who had calmed down, was once again provoked by Kelly's childish behavior. His body trembled, and he took a deep breath, trying to control himself.

He did not hear Kelil's answer, because when he calmed down, Kelil had already walked through the crowd and left. He let out a long breath and felt calm. He knew that Kelil would definitely squeeze out some money from the limited funds to spend on food or the tailor shop, but he didn't care, because he could get a loan, as long as Kelil's departure could give him a moment of peace, it would be enough.

He closed his eyes, trying to let the hustle and bustle of Lothern soothe his soul. Although he knew that standing with his eyes closed like an idiot on a busy road would surely attract a lot of strange looks, he didn't care.

"Eldan? Eldan, is that you?"

Eldan opened his eyes and saw Rhianna standing before him, holding a basket wrapped in linen. His heart leaped. Rhianna was wearing a simple green gown with a high collar, and curling patterns of gold thread woven into the hem and cuffs. He glanced at Rhianna's injured shoulder, but the skin was hidden by the clothing. He remembered that Kelliel had told him that the fashion in Lothern this season was bold dresses that exposed shoulders and a lot of chest, but Rhianna's dress did not reveal an inch of unnecessary skin.

"It still hurts sometimes," Rianna said somewhat sadly, after feeling Eldan's scrutinizing gaze.

“I’m sorry, Rianna, I didn’t mean to…” Eldan apologized.

"Don't worry, Kelly removed the arrow quickly, but Duruchi left me with an ugly scar and I don't like to show it." Ryanna said it calmly, very calmly, but her expression betrayed her.

"It is good to see you again, my lady. It has been too long since your last visit to Tal Ariel." Eldan tried to change the subject, knowing that Rianna did not want to mention the wound.

"I know, I wanted to come to your father's funeral, but...well..."

"I understand. Your father brought your condolences, and we are very grateful."

The conversation stopped abruptly and the two fell into an awkward silence.

"Have you eaten?" Ruianna broke the silence first.

"No, not yet. I have a lot of things to deal with today and no time to eat." Eldan shook his head.

"Me too. Would you like to have something to eat and drink with me? You're right, we haven't had a good talk for a long time." Ryanna made an invitation.

"It would be an honor to have you dine with me, my lady." Eldan wanted to refuse, but before he did, he thought of Kelly's advice that one could always find time to enjoy a good drink, especially with a beautiful lady. So, he extended his hand in response.

Rianna smiled and accepted Eldan's outstretched arm, and the two of them strolled arm in arm along Phoenix Avenue, like a couple taking an afternoon stroll.

Being with Rianna made Eldan feel calmer than ever before. As they walked, he stole glances at Rianna's face, recalling a time that seemed so long ago when he had touched Rianna's skin and whispered a vow of love into Rianna's long, pointed ears...

They walked in harmonious silence, turning down a narrow alleyway with colorful awnings that provided cool shade for diners, and Rianna led him to a glittering restaurant with a facade made of polished stained glass panels depicting a beautiful pastoral scene.

"I know the owner of this shop. He only sells the best honey cakes and the freshest sweets. Also, he has a friend who brought him Lauren Lauren's Dream Wine..." After arriving at the entrance of the restaurant, Ruianna broke the silence and explained.

"Lauren Lauren? No wonder." Eldan showed a look of enlightenment. He seemed to know why the Emerald Sea Family was unwilling to provide a loan. Soon, he responded, "I haven't tasted it before, but I heard it is really good."

"Then let's each have a small cup. You go find a seat and I'll go take the order."

As a proud male with a strong sense of self-respect, Eldan should have ordered the food and wine himself, but he knew that as an Asur who was clearly not from Lothern, he looked like a country bumpkin in front of the city's vendors.

He found an empty table against the wall, and then carefully observed the mosaic on the wall. He admitted that the mosaic was a magnificent work, but he felt that such decoration was a bit too exaggerated for an ordinary store. However, as he had lived on horseback for many years, he did not know much about the lifestyle in the city, so he could not comment too much.

Rianna returned soon, bearing a silver tray with delicious cakes that smelled of honey, and two tall, slender goblets filled with sparkling wine.

"Dream wine?"

"Yes, dream wine. It is said to be made from the water of the River Dermster and the honeysuckle and jasmine that grow there. It is magical. Be careful and only drink it in small sips."

Eldan nodded and sniffed the ethereal wine. The wine flowed in his glass like smoke, exuding the fragrance of ancient forests. It was sweet like cream, but light and ethereal. Seeing Rianna's inviting expression, he took a sip. The taste was so sweet that it was almost unbearable. When he put down the glass and was about to say something, a picture suddenly appeared in his mind.

It was a land of beautiful oaks, populated by ancient tree-people, and sunlit glades, where unicorns and stags roamed the woods. He could smell the honeysuckle and jasmine, taste the salt of the sea air, feel the breeze blowing across the hills.

"That's great, right?" Rianna said with a smile.

"Yes...very good. I understand why I can only drink it in small sips." Eldan responded with a satisfied smile.

The dream wine successfully aroused his appetite. He quickly ate two pieces of honey cakes and then took another sip of the dream wine. This time he was prepared, but he was still attracted by its wonderful beauty. Tears gathered in his eyes. In a trance, he saw a beautiful face, but soon the face gradually disappeared and was replaced by Rui Anna's face. When he woke up, he pushed away the glass of remaining dream wine, and the wine spilled on the table and evaporated like mist in an instant.

"Eldan? What's wrong?" Rianna asked with concern, reaching out to touch Eldan's hand.

"Nothing, it was a mistake!" Eldan said as he retracted his arm.

"Error? What is a mistake?"

"Come here! Old wounds that should have been forgotten are reopened." Eldan pushed his chair away and stood up.

"No, Eldan, don't go, please. We should talk, we have to talk," Rianna pleaded.

"why?"

"Because there are some things that must be made clear before you depart for Naggaroth."

"You know my itinerary?" Eldan looked surprised.

"Kellyel sent someone to my house and told me that you swore a blood oath to avenge Druch beside your father's coffin. He told me that you would come to Lothern and asked me to come." Rianna nodded.

"Kelir asked you to come to Lothern. Why? He didn't tell me about this."

"I saw him yesterday morning..." Rianna said, reaching her hand onto the table.

Eldan swallowed his saliva. He saw a silver ring on Rianna's middle finger, engraved with two intertwined hearts. He couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed it before. At this moment, the silver light hurt his eyes. He tried to control his emotions, but the anger and unwillingness in his chest surged like hot magma.

"An engagement ring? The one Kelly gave it to you?" He spoke with difficulty, his tone revealing endless loss and powerlessness.

"Yes, we exchanged engagement rings, and we will be engaged when he returns from Naggaroth. I will make a pilgrimage to Avalon, and we will be married next year in Tal Ailir."

"Wedding? You're going to marry Kelly?" Eldan laughed, but his laughter was devoid of humor and joy, only pale and weak.

"Yes, I love him, and I'm sorry I hurt you, but I can't change my feelings."

"You don't love Kelly! You are just fascinated by him. He saved your life and you think you should fall in love with him. Your heart is bewitched by his charm and recklessness. Listen to the voice of your reason. Think about it carefully, why do you have a scar on your shoulder? Why did you appear near the Eagle Gate at that time? Was it your choice to go there?" Eldan shouted angrily, a little crazy.

"Maybe you're right, but my mind doesn't matter now. My heart speaks louder."

Eldan's body was drained of strength in an instant, and he could no longer support himself to stand. His shaking hands frantically searched for the back of the chair, as he did not want to fall in front of Rianna and lose his last bit of face.

As he sat back in his chair weakly, the bitterness that had been growing in his heart since his father was poisoned suddenly came to his mind. He wanted to vent, to hurt Ryana, to make Ryana feel the pain he was feeling now, but his strong self-control took over again and prevented him from saying things that he might regret later.

He sighed. He had sacrificed everything, even his own happiness and love, to protect his territory and family, and this was his reward? But he still couldn't hurt Rianna. To do so would be degrading to himself.

"I loved you, Rhianna."

"I know you loved me, Eldan, and I will always love you, but when Kelil returns from the land of Duruchi, I will belong to him. If...if...I believe you will be a good husband, and I will be a good wife, but life often goes beyond our expectations. I'm sorry, but please...for my sake, don't hate Kelil for this."

"I love you, and I will never love anyone else while I am alive." Eldan nodded, stood up, and scattered the few gold dragons on the table. Then he bowed stiffly to Rianna.

"Eldan, wait..."

As Eldan turned to leave, Rianna called out, but he did not look back. (End of chapter)