Hello, my dear Steemians!
A weak has gone by us since I started my small contest and now is time to announce the winner but let me first present to you all the entries:
- by @ahmedmanga - A hint of mercy
- by @spalatino - Light in the dark - Dakkara
- by @incomprehensibl3 - Intro for a main character// snarky female dark elf tracker
- by @dreambridge - Shraelin's Stand
I had a lot of fun reading all the entries! Great work everybody!
For me to chose a winner was a tough assignment. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to decide between Dakkara and Shraelin. In the end, I decided that Dakkara better falls in the given framework!
@spalatino, congrats! The prize is sent your way!
@dreambridge, Shraelin's Stand is an awesome seed with a lot of potentials to grow into an excellent story. Please, don't let it stop here! Also, I have sponsored you one share on @steembasicincome.
Tomorrow, part #2 of this contest is coming out. So everybody stay tuned for new prizes!
And for the end here is winner entry. Happy steeming everybody!
Light in the dark - Dakkara
Dark elves
After a century of battles, sieges, bloodsheds and millions of slained, it was all over. Fires of war had been extinguished. Smoke has been blown away by the wind.
Aftermath of the Light War was the complete destruction of an entire civilisation. Humans have seen to it. All book written by Schiurrians were burned, all buildings erected by the Schiurrians destroyed, every mention of the Schiurrian name forbidden. What survivors were left they branded as Dark elves.
Schiurrians, once the most powerful of three elven nations were reduced to slaves, beggars, criminals and mercenaries. They struggled to find a new purpose in a harsh world, at the same time they were forgetting who they once were.
the Kuidar Family
Kuidar family were once farmers, but that was in an another life. Life long gone now.
Their village was among the last villages that got destroyed in the Light War. Kurilla was pregnant when hill slopes that surrounded the village were swarmed by human soldiers in white armors. Pavlos and Kurilla knew there was no other solution but to flee for their lives. Luckily Pavlos had been preparing for this, for some time. Times were dangerous, so he had to be extra vigilante to ensure safety of his wife and their unborn child.
When human flags were first noticed, Pavlos didn't waste a second. Carriage was already filled with rations and warm clothes. Pavlos harnessed a horse and grabbed his wife. In few minutes they were already on their way to Anduvian kingdom, only human kingdom that was neutral in the war. They left their old village to its grim fate.
2 months later, Dakkara was born in a small, stinky cave in the fothill of the Green Dragon mountain. Unlike her parents, she was not born as a Schurrian, but as a Dark elf. Afraid for their lives, they were constantly on the run, roaming the Anduvian kingdom. Although Anduvians were neutral in the war, they were humans meaning they had no sympathies for the Dark elves. Killing or enslaving Dark elves was hardly considered a crime.
Dakkara the Dark elf
17 years passed since the Light War ended. In all that period Kuidars have adapted to the life on the road. They lived of hunting, fishing, and sometimes they did some "shady" dealings with humans willing to deal with them.
During this period Dakkara grew into a beautiful young lady. She was as tall as her father, but inherited her mother's beauty.
Her silver- white hair stood out in perfect contrast to her dark blue complexion. She looked like reincarnation of an old moon goddess.
What was truly divine about Dakkara were her eyes. Despite all the hardships there was no self-pity or weakness in her look. Like old Schurrian depictions of moon goddess she always boldly looked forward with a spark in her eyes capable of setting ablaze the entire world.
Her slim body was sculpted by the harsh conditions and extreme physicaly strain she endured day in and day out.
Dakkara was a daughter to her parents, but also their student.
Kurilla taught her about the old religion and the old ways, while Pavlos taught her how to survive. Dakkara paid much more attention to her father's lessons.
Thanks to her father she became quite proficient with a fishing rod, bow, but also with a sword. She also learned how to interpret the weather, orientate by the stars and how to track animals. Her father also taught her how to talk to humans. Secret in dealing with humans is that scared human is willing to pay more for the services of a Dark elf.
She was now old enough to hunt alone. This time her family camped on the western border of the Anduvia kingdoms so she chose to hunt in the Strobia forest.
Strange marks - she tought, when she noticed multiple set of footprints and some blood drops on the leafs.
It seems like 5 humans are fighting but are still travelling together.
She knew it would probably be best if she had forgetten what she saw, but Dakkara was curious, too curious. She decide to track the humans, besides more she learns about them will maybe help her in the future dealings with their kind.
She moved through the forest quickly and silently, like a cat until she reached the edge of a small clearing. But on that clearing there were no 5 humans, but 2 humans and 3 Dark elves, and allo of the Schurrians were covered with cuts and bruises, their wrists and ankles shackled.
Struck by suprise with what she saw, she ran out of her cover without thinking. In the first step she unsheathed her sword, and three steps afterwards she was standing face to face with a big bald slave runner. Her brain started to process the information and she immediately regreted her rash decision. Pavlos always taught her to lay low, and this was, by no means, laying low.
She knew this wasn't the right approach to the problem, but anger was filling her chest, almost like a drowning sensation. Maybe it wasn't the best way, but she had to do something. Too late to back down anyway.
So you boys are having some fun? - it was the first thing that came to her mind
None of your bussiness, little one - replied skinny guy with a dirty long beard that was standing behind the bald guy.
By this time both of the slavers had already sheathed out their swords and were weighing their options.
Well, I am nosy and greedy by nature so indulge me, can a lady make a dishonest day of work with you guys?
Bearded one stepped forward and just when he was about to say something, fast as a lighting Dakkara reached to her back with her left hand and threw a dagger straight to his throat. Big guy in front of her sure didn't see this coming. While he was figuring out what was going on, Dakkara made two quick slashes with her sword. First she slashed his thighs, and then his throat.
It was all over in under two seconds.
My first kill, and a double one, I really am an advanced student. I guess I failed at negotationing here. Got to work on that - she said it louder than she intended.
She was now able to focus on the three chained Dark elves. They layed on the floor with their jaws open, speechless.
Stupid girl, you killed us all. What were you thinking? Eldest in the group asked Dakkara, with a clear and unmistakable anger in his voice.
You're welcome she replied.
She was now both mad at her self and at them. She was mad, and scared.
by @spalatino