Chapter 3

Though the dark fire moutain in the distance was now beginning its rhythmic rumblings threateningly, some of those who called the green forests home paid absolutely no attention to the evil plots of invasion and the unending power struggle between good and evil.

Why bother of such silly worries? Life was made for having fun!

"48...49...50! Ready or not, here I come!" A high-pitched little voice sings out the chant of her favorite game. What enjoyment would there be without a friendly tournament of "Hide, go seek and tickle a magic apple" out of your partner? Hilde the elf never wanted to find out.

Taking to her soft-booted feet, she races to and fro. The dark, short-cropped hair elf girl gives her speeded up count a flourished finish and dashes into the depths of the shady, green leafed forest.

Elfland was always such a giddy place. Even under its sheltered cover of thick trees elves were much famed for their mischievous behavior--that and an insatiable curiosity. Both were characteristics which landed many a woodland elf into trouble and often worse in this dangerous and treacherous world where evil creatures (such as trolls, dwarves and centaurs) and magic monsters (like harpies, goblins and dragons) held much power and sway.

But they'll never catch you, will they, Duo? Hilde can't help the smile at the thought of her best friend. They had grown up together (if you ever could call this rambunctious pair "grown up") in a childhood filled with mischief and laughter and games such as this.

Day in and day out, the two were inseparable since they were little things. Play and fun, and that wonderment and curiosity, bound these two happy souls in a friendship that went way beyond anything. There was nothing Hilde wouldn't do for Duo and she knew inside that Duo would cross Heaven and Hell for her.

Theirs was a beautiful relationship that only two soulmates could share and---

"There you are, you cheating goblin!!! The village rules say you can't step foot out of the glen! And you stepped your whole body out!" She screams in angry justification.

"Not yet!" The elven boy freezes for half a second when Hilde calls out that he was spotted. But the hunt was not officially over until you were actually caught.

"There! I'm all out now! Ya happy?!" Elfy Duo was even more wild than his female counterpart. There was something afire in those big blue-violet eyes that seemed to set the whole boy off into mischievous pranks. The next prank was sure to be bigger and better than the last. Never before was there a rebellious elf such as this one, who dared to challenge the world with every laughed breath. And that was the part about him that excited Hilde.

"Not until I get you down to the ground and tickled!" Hilde squeals in delight at the challenge. She too was absconding from the strict elven code and stepped (more like ran) out of the glen's perimeters after her sprinting, pointy eared compatriot.

"Fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me!! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!" His long braid is given a long tug downward and Duo's yell could be heard back in the glen they had broken all the rules and strayed out from, well into the eves of Eixip's up to now quiet enchantment.

His torrents of uncontrollable, ticked out laughter ring over the river, catching the interest of its tiniest, adventure seeker inside...