The Hero's Journey

A breeze blew across the grass, making it wave in the wind. Sitting under a tree was a young, dark haired elf picking at her nails with a knife. Elon was simply bored. Her gray eyes were flitting across the field at the edge of the wood, watching and waiting for something, anything. It was a calm afternoon in the elven kingdom of Onfrey. Elves by nature were a diligent people. The jobs of the kingdom were always done in a timely matter and plenty of time was left over. Elon was the apprentice to a swordsmith, thanks to her uncle, the King letting her choose what area she wanted to work in. But today, when the old swordsmith had released her early, Elon was disappointed. She enjoyed working with the various metals and forging great weapons, an afternoon of doing nothing under the trees was decidedly less interesting.

Suddenly the wind shifted and a strange smell was in the breeze. A human was coming. Elon scanned the horizon, looking for the tell tale shapes of the human that would be coming to speak to Onfrey's king. She spotted them, but instead of a a single rider like she was expecting, there was a group, several men on horses bearing flags coming from the west. Standing, and brushing the grass from her body, Elon made her way back towards the city in the woods.

Arriving there she sought out her Master, the swordsmith, Thoramir to tell him of the impending arrival of the humans. They were maybe a day's ride out, she explained to him when she found him stoking the fires in his shop. He listened to her as she told of how many humans there were, what direction they were coming from, and even the symbol of a dragon on their flags. Thoramir listened to all this and told her that he would bring the information to the King.

The King, Elon's uncle who trusted the old swordsmith with her training and daily well being, listened to the tale the two metal workers told him. He nodded along, agreeing that something big was on the horizon, but until the humans arrived there would be no need to worry. For all they knew, the humans might only be passing through. Thoramir and Elon could only wait patiently for the next day to come.

When the human riders did arrive, they requested an audience with the King, who invited his niece and her Master to sit in on it, because they had brought him the information of the humans. The humans explained that they were in dire need of a swordsmith, and perhaps any warriors the King could spare as well. The King, didn't understand why the humans thought they even deserved the help of the elves. The humans had done nothing to prove their allegiance, had offered no gifts, and were making demands that he send his people into the thick of their battle. Eventually though, the King conceded, declaring that one of his swordsmiths would go, but he would need to discuss with them for a while to figure out which one he would send. The hall was cleared of humans, leaving only the King, his niece and Thoramir. The King and Thoramir both looked thoughtfully at Elon for a few moments in silence, both understanding that she would be the one to go.

Elon said nothing, waiting with baited breath, hoping that she would not be sent. She did not want to go to war, especially for humans. Thoramir and the King however, had decided that it would be her. When they announced it to her, she protested. Elon claimed she would rather cut off her ears and run away to live in the realm of humans that fight in their foolish war. The King however, put his foot down. She would go, she would learn what it was like to work under pressure, and it would be the completion to her hundred year apprenticeship.

That night, before she had the opportunity to pack, Thoramir sat her down over a skin of elderwine and discussed the upcoming challenges for her. He explained to her that many years ago, when he'd been a swordsmith apprentice, his Master had made him go to a war in order to prove his skill and end his apprenticeship. She was lucky that the war had come to her, for he'd had to spend many years searching for a war to join. Elon would soon be a master in her craft and she would return to Onfrey to forge the arrows the elves used to hut and the knives they used to skin and divide the animals. She would make all the ceremonial swords and the swords for battle, the axes for firewood, the spears for the guards, and any other weapons needs that the kingdom may have. Elon knew how much of an honor this was. It was why she had chosen to apprentice under Thoramir when the King had asked her what she wanted to do. She was still hesitant about going into this war, by elf standards she was young at 150 years old. She was the youngest apprentice in the kingdom, and she would soon be the youngest master any of them had ever seen. As she sipped the sweet wine made from the berries that grew all around the kingdom, Thoramir held her hand and eased her fears.

The next morning Elon stood in the stables packing her saddlebags on to the large black stallion she'd raised from a foal. Lithol stood patiently as she saddled him and weighed him down with the clothes and supplies that she would need for the journey to the battlefront. When he was fully saddled and everything was packed she mounted the stallion and flicked the reigns, urging him forward through the woods. Waiting on the edge of the wood where she had first seen the humans several days ago was the King and Thoramir. The humans were also there, still packing up from the night before. The King was watching, waiting for her before she even approached and offered her a gentle smile as she did.

“Elon,” he started. “I know you will do Onfrey proud in your work, your years under Thoramir's tutelage have served you well. When you return, you will be renowned among our people as a Master in your craft. I have little to offer you in the ways of advice, but let me send you with a gift.” He reached behind him to present her with a fine wineskin that had been made from the skin of a buck. It was a great honor to be given a skin of this quality as Elon knew well, very few elves had been presented with one in her lifetime. It was a show of who she was, who she would become, and her place in the kingdom. “I have filled it with elderberry wine that has matured for the entirety of your apprenticeship, as is customary when you begin the final stage of it, you know not to drink it until you are ready to return. I hope to see you return and bring glory to Onfrey.”

“Uncle...”

“My niece, I will have you know that as my current heir it is your responsibility to keep yourself alive. Do not fail in this.”

“Of course not Uncle. I will return here.” With this she turned to Thoramir. “Master, I hope to make you proud.”

“I have no doubt that you will. Try to enjoy this stage of your learning. You have a great skill, use it wisely.” Thoramir told her. With one last look at the King and Thoramir, Elon nodded with a firm resolve and flicked the reigns once again, steering Lithol into the field outside the wood to take her place among the humans.

The journey was long. It took almost a fortnight for the party to rejoin the main battlefield. There, Elon met the King of the humans that she would be making weapons for. He was a man that didn't quite hold the same majestic stature of her uncle and Elon couldn't help but wonder if it was simply the difference in lifespans. In the camp, Elon met several other smiths. Some of them were specialists in armor where others were there to help with structures, but from all of the ones Elon met, it seemed that she was the only one who was proficient with weapons. There was only one other elf in the camp and he didn't come from her kingdom. He was fair haired, unlike any of her people, and his eyes were a clear blue. His name was Kadomir and he too carried a wineskin of elderberry wine that had been maturing since the beginning of his apprenticeship. He was older than her, by at least a hundred years, but he was the only person who would sit with her at night. Kadomir and Lithol were her only friends in the camp. The two smiths had set up next to each other so that on days when things were going slowly, they could chat and exchange stories of their homes. Lithol was a constant companion as well, since they didn't want the horse of the elf picketed with the horses of humans. He would remain tied, because she was under orders to do so, behind the tent she worked in.

Elon forged many weapons, from greatswords to battle axes all waiting to be used. She took commissions and was given the supplies she requested, but everyone who received one of her weapons said the same thing, no one had ever crafted a better one. Of course, this didn't mean they wanted to be her friend, but they all appreciated her handy work. Years passed in much the same manner, everyday Elon made weapons for people who may or may not be seen again. Kadomir and Elon grew closer, exchanging hundreds of years of stories. Their experiences in different elf cultures weren't all that different, and it helped that they were both being ostracized amongst the camp. One night, after ten years had gone by they discussed perhaps marrying when the war was finally over. Elon had professed that she wished it could be that way, but she wasn't sure if the King would have a match for her waiting when she returned to Onfrey.

The day came though, where the king decided that her skills as a swordsmith were not all that he wanted her for. Elon was to ride in to battle. The king of the humans, who was a different king than the one she'd met on her first day, thought that since she was so proficient at making swords that she must know how to wield one as well. It was a poor assumption to make, even if she was skilled with a sword. She wasn't skilled because she could make the swords, she was skilled because all of the elves in her kingdom were trained from a young age how to use various weapons, in case the need ever arose. Most continued this training for several centuries, but she had decided to take an apprenticeship instead.

Once on the battlefield she took down more than any other soldier. Elon was quicker and more efficient and the heightened senses of being an elf helped her greatly. Her lithe body almost took out a larger chunk of the opposing side's army. For days, months even, once all the commissions had been filled she would go into battle and take out as many of the enemy as she could. Each night she would return exhausted, wishing for the cool sweetness of the elderberry wine that was still in the buckskin wineskin in one of her saddlebags. She knew better than to drink it now though, the tradition stated that she could only drink it at the beginning of her return. The more days that passed in this fashion the more Elon missed home. She missed working the forge under Thoramir's watchful eye and careful instruction, the nightly dinners with her uncle as he watched her, studying her, trying to learn how much progress she was making. Elon even missed the lazy afternoons where she had nothing to do. Eventually, Kadomir began to join her in battle as well. They fought side by side, taking out many adversaries and practically winning the war for this new king. Finally, after spending a year on the battlefield, Elon had helped to win the war. Eleven years had been spent with Elon working on swords for a foolish king's army, and a year of that time had been spent with her spilling blood. But she'd earned her Mastery. No longer could she be called an apprentice. Now, she could teach others her craft. The thought made her smile softly as she was returning things to her saddlebags, Lithol standing patient as ever. Elon came across the wineskin and her heart warmed by the sight of it. Tonight, as she sat by a fire with Lithol and Kadomir, who was returning to Onfrey with her, she would take the first sip from the wine that had been maturing for one hundred and eleven years, waiting for her.

Elon reflected on what the last eleven years had taught her. She had learned that the wars of mortals were foolish, the battle between these armies had been over a particular patch of land. She had also learned that mortal kings were far easier to replace than those of the elves. She also learned that the opinions of mortals were easily swayed. From wanting a few elven smiths for their craftsmanship to wanting them to essentially win the war, the opinions of mortal men were easily swayed by their false assumptions. Elon mostly learned not to trust the mortals when their thoughts were focused on war. She also discovered how skilled she really was at her craft and it made her proud.

Finally the bags were packed and Lithol was saddled. She led him through the camp for the last time looking for Kadomir. He was waiting just outside the camp already atop his horse. She grinned at him upon finding him and mounted Lithol. Together they began the journey to the woods she had grown up in. Each night they stopped before the sun was fully set so that they could make a camp and a fire. They would sit and enjoy the sunset while letting the horses roam and eat grass as they wished. They themselves would eat and regale with stories from their apprenticeships. Each night they would sip gently from the wineskins, taking only enough for one night until they returned. On the last night of their journey they would finish all but one sip, returning to show her uncle the success of their missions. It took longer for Elon to return home than it took to arrive at the battlefield. Three weeks had passed before she spotted the familiar woods of home. And once she spotted them she spurred Lithol into a gallop, running full speed toward the land she had called home.

Elon was racing through the wood, leaving Kadomir far behind her. She was searching for Thoramir's familiar warm face, for her uncle's approval in her Mastery. Thoramir was found first, sitting in his smithy sipping at the beloved wine of the elves. Elon jumped from Lithol and ran to hug the old elf that had once been her Master. She wrapped him in her arms and told him an abridged version of all her adventures, before asking him to bring her to see the King.

The King looked over his niece, the young elf he had raised after his sister's death. He saw what the war had done to her, how it had changed her and aged her. He met the elf that asked for her hand and granted it with a loving smile.

“You have done well, Elon. I am very proud.”