This article is the prologue of "Dark Elves", due to the National Day, I can't work normally to write the article, so I have to ensure that it will continue to be updated in this way, thank you readers for your support and understanding!

The Dark Elf sat on the mountainside, staring eagerly at the red lines rising from the eastern plane. It was probably the hundredth dawn he had ever seen, and he knew that the scorching light would sting his lilac eyes, which he had only seen in the past forty years.

When the scorching upper edge of the sun rose from the horizon, the dark elves did not turn away. He accepted the light as if he were cleansed, and it was a necessary pain—for the path he had chosen, for the sake of being part of the inhabitants of the earth.

Gray smoke rose in front of the dark elf's dark face, and he didn't need to look down to know what was going on. His magic cloak, a magical item made from the Dark Elves, has kept him out of the eyes of his enemies many times in the Dark Regions, but it will eventually run out in the sun. A few weeks ago, the magic of the cloak began to fade, and the fibers were melted away. As the fabric melted down, large holes appeared in the cloak, and the dark elf clasped his arms tightly, trying to salvage his robes as best he could.

But he knew it was useless. The cloak is located in a very different place from the environment in which it was produced, and is destined to be destroyed. He clings to his cloak in despair, seeming to see it as a projection of his own fate.

The sun rose higher, and tears slipped from his lilac eyes. He could no longer see the gray smoke, he could see anything but the dazzling sparkle of the terrible fireball. But he sat and watched, until dawn broke.

To survive, you have to adapt.

The dark elves painfully put their feet on the sharp rocks, distracting their eyes from being defeated by the dizziness. He found that his well-made boots had also become thinner, and would soon be in disarray.

And then maybe it's a scimitar? This pair of beautiful dark elven weapons has accompanied him through many hardships, but they are also about to disappear? And what about his demon leopard companion, Guan Haifa? He unconsciously put his hand in his pocket and touched the figurine, which was used to summon Guan Haifa, still so delicate and perfect. The solid touch of the statue reassured him, but if it was also made of the special magic of the dark elves and infused with their territory, would Guan Haifa disappear?

"I'm such a wretched fellow--" The Dark Elf said sadly in her native language. It wasn't the first time, and it wasn't the last, he wondered if it was a wise decision to leave the Shadows and abandon his evil kindred.

He had a splitting headache, and the sweat that slipped into his eyes deepened the tingling sensation. The sun continued to rise, and the dark elves couldn't take it anymore. He turned into the small cave where he had been sheltered for the past few days and gently grasped the leopard-shaped statue.

The tattered magic cloak hung on him in all directions, not enough to withstand the icy mountain wind. Except for the faint air currents rising from the lava pool, except for the touch of undead monsters, there was no wind or chill in the dark region. The surface world, as far as he'd known in the last few months, had shown many unique features, many variations, but he often felt that there were too many.

Trist Duchden will not throw in the towel. The dark region was the home of his people and his family, and in that darkness he could not find peace. Sticking to his principles is tantamount to opposing the Spider God Queen Rose, the evil god revered by the people, and the Dark Elves and Trist's family will not forgive him for blasphemy against the gods, and there is no hiding place in the Dark Lands that they cannot reach.

Although Trist believed that the sun would burn him away, like his boots and his precious magic cloak, even if it turned into a wisp of gray smoke and the cold mountain wind dissipated, he had to hold on to his faith and dignity, because life is worth living.

Trist ripped off the remnants of his cloak and threw them into the ravine. The cold wind bit his sweaty brow, but the dark elf straightened up and walked proudly, gritting his teeth and opening his eyes.

It was the fate he chose.

???

On another hill not far away, another creature is also watching the sunrise. Uguru, too, has left his homeland, the filthy, smoky Burning Realm. But this monster didn't come here out of will. This is his fate and his trial. He must grow up in this world until he gains enough strength before he can return to his homeland.

The Uguru clan are murderers, and they feed on the weak, ordinary people around them. Now Uguru is nearing maturity, and he is of great size and terrifying appearance.

And with each killing, he grew stronger and stronger.

The first part of the sunrise

The morning sun stung my eyes and burned every inch of my skin. In the light of the sun, the cloaks and boots were reduced to ashes, the magic attached to the armor was rendered useless, and the twin knives, my trust, were diminished. But day after day, without interruption, I still sat there, on my judgment seat, for every sunrise.

For me, sunlight is a treacherous existence. It pains me, but it's breathtakingly beautiful. The change of color in the moment before sunrise moves me like any heat source in a dark area. I thought I was just drawn to the strangeness of the vision. However, many years later, every time the dawn breaks through the darkness, there is still an inexplicable throbbing in my heart.

Nowadays, practicing in the sun is no longer about adapting to life on the ground. The sun became a symbol that distinguished the dark realm from the terrestrial world. The place I fled, the world of secrets, intrigues, and betrayals, could not exist in the sun.

Despite the physical pain of the sunrise, I still don't want to live in a world without sunlight. The dawn makes the objects made by the drow fragile but strengthens my faith. In the light of the sun, the cloak, the outfit of thieves and assassins hiding their whereabouts, turned into a useless pile of rags.

--Trist Duchden

Chapter 1: A Profound Lesson

Trist silently made his way through the thick bushes, stopping in front of the exposed flat stones that led to his makeshift home. He noticed that not long ago, someone had passed by. Although there were no traces, a strong smell was left all around.

Guan Haifa wandered among the rubble piles near the cave, and seeing it reassured the dark elves. Trist has absolute trust in the Panther, and he knows that it will find all the enemies that lurk in the shadows. The form of the dark elf disappeared into the darkness of the cave entrance. As soon as he heard the panther follow up to cover himself, a smile appeared on Trist's face.

Trist stopped behind a large rock at the edge of the cave to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The sun was rapidly sinking in the west, and although it was still bright outside, it was pitch black in the cave. Trist had to use the elves' gifted night vision. It didn't take long for him to see the intruder. Behind the rocks deep in the cavern, a creature emits a noticeable source of heat. Judging by the size of the rock, the intruder should not be large. What's more, Guan Haifa is by his side, ready to help himself, and the dark elves seem to be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

However, Trist grew up in a dark region after all. There, creatures of any size can pose a deadly danger. He told Guan Haifa to stay near the entrance of the cave, and he quietly went around to the other side, preparing to make further observations of the uninvited guest.

Trist had never seen such an animal. It resembles a cat, but has a smaller, more pointed head. It weighs only a few pounds, and its tail and body are covered with thick long hair. From the above observations, Trist can conclude that this is a herbivorous animal. It was rummaging through the bag of food, completely oblivious to the presence of the dark elves.

"Don't be nervous, Kanhaifa." Trist lowered his voice and gently tucked the cutlass into its scabbard. He slowed down to approach the uninvited guest, but was careful not to disturb it. If you can earn its trust, maybe you can have one more companion...

The creature heard Trist's voice, and it suddenly turned around and quickly retreated to the stone wall.

"Don't be nervous," Trist said again, this time to the intruder. "I won't hurt you." The Dark Elf tried to take a few more steps forward. However, the creature hissed and turned to the stone wall, its small hind legs kicking the floor hard.

Trist thought it was funny, he thought, this uninvited guest must not want to escape through the stone wall, right? Guan Haifa jumped forward, but the panther's mournful scream made the dark elves unable to laugh anymore.

The intruder's tail was raised high, and by the faint light, Trist noticed that the opponent's tail had distinct stripes that extended to their backs. Guan Haifa whined and turned to flee, but it was too late...

About an hour later, Trist and Guan walked the trail to the base of the mountain, looking for their new home. They had just finished salvaging what few belongings they had. The dark elves and the panther kept their distance, otherwise they would stink too much to bear.

Trist silently endured the smell emanating from his body. He learned a lesson. Of course, he had no way of knowing the name of the uninvited guest, but its appearance was deeply ingrained in the dark elves' minds. The next time he encounters a skunk, he knows what to do.

"I don't know what other creatures in this strange world will look like." Trist muttered to himself. The Dark Elves pondered this question more than once. He is unfamiliar with the terrestrial world, and has limited knowledge of the creatures that live in it. For months, Trist's range of activities was confined to the vicinity of the cave. He would occasionally descend the mountain in search of food, where the Dark Elves had seen some animals from afar, as well as humans. However, he did not have the courage to step out of his hiding place and say hello to his neighbors. Trist was afraid of rejection because this time, he had nowhere else to go.

Following the sound of the murmuring water, the stinking dark elves and the panther came to a rushing stream. Trist soon found a secret hiding place and began to take off his armor and clothes, while Guan Haifa jumped into the creek to catch fish. The sound of the panther fluttering in the water brought a smile to the dark elf's serious face. They should be able to have a good meal tonight.

Trist carefully unfastened the belt clasp and placed the cutlass next to the chainmail. While the lack of weapons and armor would make the Dark Elves uncomfortable, Trist has not been able to find any chance to use force for months. Before, in the dark region, he would never let his equipment go. Trist stared at the twin knives in a daze, and the bitter memories of the last battle suddenly flooded back to his heart.

It was a battle with Zaknavan. Zaknavan, his father, mentor and close friend. Although only Trist survived, the victory belonged to both of them. Many years ago, Zaknavan's life was sacrificed to the spider god Queen Rose by Trist's evil mother, Mistress Mareth. In order to punish her son for his desecration of Rose and the entire Drow, Mistress Mareth forcibly summoned the spirit of Zaknavan and ordered the undead to capture Trist. It was on the bridge across the underground sour lake that Zaknavan caught up with his son. However, Mareth miscalculated, and Zaknavan's residual consciousness caused him to refuse to attack Trist. At the moment when he successfully broke free from Mareth's grasp, Zaknavi let out a cry of victory and leaped into the sour lake. Now, the soul of the legendary martial arts master can finally rest in peace.

Trist has lived in Morsoblay for more than thirty years, and has never been assimilated by the cruel and evil customs of the Drow. Martial arts aside, the Dark Elves all consider him a disgrace to the Duchaden family. When Trist fled the city and self-exiled in the wilderness of the Dark Regions, he deprived his mother, who was a high priest, of Rose's favor.

"Father--" Trist whispered, drawing strength from the simple word. He succeeded in doing what Zaknavan could not, and that was to abandon the evil way of life of the Drow. For hundreds of years, his father was involuntarily caught up in it, playing a pawn in Mareth's power struggle. Zaknavan's defeat and death gave young Trist strength, and Zaknavan's victory on the Sour Lake gave him determination. The academy teachers in Morsoblay tried to trap Trist with a web of lies, but he broke through and started a new life in the surface world.

Trist walked into the icy stream, and his body trembled involuntarily. The Dark Lands are a world occupied by eternal darkness, where the temperature barely changes. As a result, Trist is amazed every time the environment changes on the ground. He noticed that the length of the night and day would change gradually. Sunsets are getting earlier and earlier, and temperatures have been dropping in recent weeks. Sometimes, even the rotation of night and day can be chaotic. On some days, a silvery white body of light appears in the night sky to illuminate the earth, while the daytime sky is shrouded in a layer of gray instead of a blue one.

Still, Trist enjoys his life now. Look at his weapons and armor, a dozen feet away from where he bathed. The Dark Elves had to admit that this eerie terrestrial world was much more peaceful than anywhere else in the Dark Realm.

Trist almost forgot that he was in the middle of a wilderness. It's been four months since he came to the surface world, however, Trist has no other companions other than Guan Haifa. Now, he was wearing only a pair of torn trousers, his skunk-smoked eyes aching, his sense of smell was useless by the stench on his body, and his keen hearing was disturbed by the sound of running water. The dark elves were not alert at all.

"I must look terrible," Trist thought as he combed his stray gray hair with his slender fingers. When he caught a glimpse of the equipment, the idea of comfort in his head vanished in an instant. Five clumsy figures were rudely rummaging through his belongings, no doubt that they didn't care if the dark elves looked bad or not.

Triss took a closer look at the seven-foot-tall humanoids. Their skin is slightly gray, their noses are black, and their faces look like dogs. However, what the dark elves cared about were the spears and swords in their hands that stood in their way. Trist recognized the creature, which he had seen in the slave herd of Morsoblay. In this case, Gnoll: Gnolls are large, vicious, coyote-like humanoid creatures that move in packs but are loosely organized. Although the gnoll body looks like a tall human, a closer look reveals that it has the genetic characteristics of a coyote. They stand upright on two feet, and their hands are the same as those of normal humans, and they can use a variety of tools. Their skin is blackish-green, darker near their snout, and their yellow fur has a tinge of grayish-red. Gnolls have their own language, but will also typically speak troll, orc, or goblin language. But it was more threatening than Trist remembered.

At one point, Trist considered rushing forward to get his weapon. But before he could get close to the twin blades, the spear would pierce through his body. Among the gnolls, there was a tall guy with bright red hair on his head, who had been staring at Trist for a long time. He looked at the equipment on the ground, and then at the dark elves.

"What are you thinking?" Trist asked quietly. He doesn't know about gnolls. According to what is taught at the Academy of Morsoblay, the gnolls are similar to goblins, evil, capricious, and very dangerous. However, the elves and humans in the teachers' mouths also possess the same qualities, and almost all creatures outside of the Drow have received the same comments. Thinking of this, despite the danger, Trist almost laughed. Ironically, the creature that best fits these words is the Dark Elves themselves!

The gnolls did not move, nor did they make a sound. Trist knew that seeing the dark elves made them hesitate. If you want to survive, you must take advantage of the fear of the gnolls. Trist unleashed his natural magical abilities, and with a wave of his hand, harmless lilac flames appeared around the gnolls.

As he wished, one of the gnolls immediately fell to the ground in fright. But the rest were silenced by the gestures of the sophisticated chieftain, who looked around uneasily, not knowing what to do. The leader of the gnoll had fought an unfortunate ranger and had seen demon fire, so he would not be easily fooled.

Trist tensed and thought about what to do next.

The gnoll leader looked back at his companions, as if estimating the power of the flames. Judging by the spell effects, the dark elf in the stream probably has a considerable status - this is exactly what Trist hopes to achieve.

The gnoll leader lowered his spear and motioned for his companions to do the same. Trist couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Then, the gnoll leader murmured for a while in a language that the dark elves didn't understand, and after seeing Trist's puzzled expression, he repeated it again with the goblins.

Trist knew goblin language, but the gnoll had a strange accent, and he could only make out a few words intermittently, such as "friend" and "leader". Trist cautiously took a step towards the shore. The gnolls scattered, making a way between the dark elves and their equipment. Trist took a few more tentative steps forward and found the panther hiding in the bushes on the sidelines. This made him even more reassured that with just a greeting, Guan Haifa could crush any bad intentions of the jackals in an instant.

"Shall I go with you?" Trist tried to mimic the goblin language with that strange accent.

The gnoll leader roared a few times, and the dark elves could only understand the last word: "... Ally? ”

Trist nodded slowly, hoping he really understood what the other person was talking about.

"Allies!" The gnoll leader shouted. The other gnolls smiled in relief and patted each other on the back. Trist quickly picked up his equipment, equipped his knife, and took advantage of the gnolls' distraction to glance at Guan Haifa and signal it to go to the trail down the mountain to ambush first. The panther carried out the order with agility and speed. Before he knew the true intentions of his new partner, Trist thought he should have some reservations.

The Dark Elves and Gnolls follow the winding path down the mountain. The gnolls kept a distance from him, not side by side. Trist didn't know if it was out of respect for himself and the Drow, or if there was something else. However, he guessed that it might be because of the strong stench that he couldn't get rid of even after taking a shower.

The leader of the gnolls would occasionally come over to talk, occasionally blinking playfully and rubbing his thick fleshy palms to express his excitement. Trist couldn't understand what was being said, but the gnolls kept smacking their lips, making the dark elves guess they were going to a banquet.

Trist quickly guessed the destination of the trip, a small human village in the valley. He often sits on the top of the hill and looks out at the lights of the village alone. The Dark Elf didn't know the relationship between the gnolls and humans, but he could sense that the two sides weren't getting along very well. As they approached the village, the gnolls formed battle formations and advanced under the cover of trees and shadowy places. The group bypassed the densely populated area and stopped at a remote farmhouse on the west side of the village. At this time, the sun was rapidly sinking in the west

"Family," the gnoll leader whispered in Trist's ear. This time, he deliberately slowed down his speech to make sure the dark elves could fully understand. "Three men, two women..."

"A young woman," the other added eagerly.

The gnoll leader summed up with a low roar. "And three young men."

Trist finally understood the purpose of his trip, and the look of surprise and confusion on his face prompted the gnolls to speak again.

"Enemy." The chief said.

The Dark Elves don't know much about either race, and he finds himself in a dilemma. It is clear that the gnolls are marauders, intending to attack the farmhouse once it is completely dark. Trist was not willing to join the fight without knowing the cause of the conflict.

"Enemies?" He asked.

The gnoll leader frowned in surprise and began to chatter. Trist could only intermittently understand the phrase "Human... Weakling... Slave. The rest of the gnolls noticed the dark elves' change of attitude, fiddling with their weapons restlessly, and looking at each other.

"Three men," Trist said.

The gnoll slammed his spear into the ground with his jaw. "Kill the old man! Take away the young! ”

"Women?"

An evil grin on the gnoll's face took the place of answer. Trist came to understand what role he had in this conflict.

"What about the kid?" Trist stared at the gnoll's jaw and said it clearly. There can be no more misunderstandings. His skepticism illustrates his position. Trist can deal with deadly enemies with brutal means, but he cannot stand the slaughter of innocent children. He once rescued an elven girl during a raid by the Drow. Trist hid her in her mother's arms to escape the atrocities of the Dark Elves.

The gnoll made a probing motion with his spear, his face distorted with excitement.

"I don't agree." Trist's answer was simple, anger burning in his lilac eyes. Before the gnolls could react, the twin knives were already unsheathed.

The gnolls wrinkled their noses in confusion, completely unaware of what the strange dark elf was going to do next. He tried to raise his spear in defense, but it was too slow.

Trist rushed forward at lightning speed. Before the spear could move, the Dark Elf approached with a sword. The other four gnolls could only watch in amazement as the twin knives flashed twice, ripping their leader's throat. The tall gnoll man clutched his wounds in his hands and fell silently.

A gnoll on the side was the first to come to his senses, spear raised and charged at the dark elf. Trist deliberately waited until the last minute to dodge. Just as the gnolls braking awkwardly past him, the dark elf tripped over the other's ankle. The unbalanced gnolls lunged forward uncontrollably, spear in their hands stabbing deeply into the chests of their stunned companions.

The gnoll tried to pull out his weapon, but the barbs of the spear point gripped his spine and embedded it firmly in the body of his poor companion. However, the gnolls don't care at all, and are just bent on retrieving their weapons. Expressing disdain for his companion's pained expression, he continued to pull and twist the hilt of his spear until Trist's twin knives shattered his skull.

Another gnoll thinks melee is disadvantageous and intends to throw a spear to attack while Trist is not looking. However, only halfway through the spear, he was thrown to the ground by Guan Haifa, who rushed out from the side, and the two sides scuffled. Although the gnolls kept swinging their fists and pounding Guan Haifa, they were clearly no match for the claws of the black panther. In less than a few seconds, Trist had already eliminated three gnolls, the fourth one fell at Guan Haifa's feet, and the fifth was running for his life.

Guan Haifa broke free from the entanglement of the dying gnolls and stared at Trist with bright eyes. Its muscles continued to rise and fall, just waiting for an order. The dark elves looked at the slaughter around them, the blood stains on the knives, and the horrified look on the faces of the dead. He had to make a decision. Although he had never been in a situation like this before, and knew little about humans and gnolls, he had become embroiled in the conflict between the two races. Trist fell into deep thought. Eventually, the gnoll's excitement at the mention of the slaughter of young children came to mind, and he couldn't afford to take that risk.

Trist turned to Guan Haifa, his tone revealing determination, not helplessness. "Go ahead."

???

The gnolls ran along the mountain road in panic, looking from time to time for fear that the black figure was hiding behind some rock.

"Dark Elves!" The gnolls murmured incessantly. The fear of the Drow gave him the strength to run faster and faster. "Dark Elves! Dark Elves! ”

The jackals panted and ran into a low wood, lined with bare rock walls. He tripped over rotting wood and ran headfirst into a mossy stone, but fear made the gnolls forget the pain and immediately got up and continued to flee for their lives. He knew someone was chasing, and a shadow was rapidly approaching out of sight.

Night fell as the gnolls approached the end of the woods, and a thick darkness enveloped the land. Suddenly, a pair of yellow eyes blocked the way. The Gnoll didn't fail to see his companion suffer from the Panther, and he knew what kind of enemy he was about to face.

Despite their cowardly nature, the Jackals are also capable of fighting in the face of life and death. And now, he has no way back, and when he turns back, he will meet the dark elves. The gnoll roared, swinging his spear and fighting.

The gnoll heard the sound of footsteps shuffling, then a thump, and finally a whimper of pain. The yellow eyes vanished, and a dark shadow clinged to the ground and fled towards a tree. The animal blocking the way is much like a cat, but not a panther. The moment the injured animal reached the bottom of the tree, the gnoll recognized it.

"Raccoon," he blurted out, laughing. "I'm afraid of a raccoon!" The gnolls shook their heads and took deep breaths to adjust their emotions. Although the encounter with the raccoon eased his tense nerves a lot, he couldn't forget what happened down the mountain. He had to get back to the lair as soon as possible and report to the great Uguru about his encounter with the Dark Elves.

The gnoll man picked up his spear forward, and suddenly, there seemed to be movement behind him. He turned his head slowly. However, there was nothing but their own shoulders and moss-covered stones.

The gnoll shuddered. There was no shadow in the woods, no sound, but he knew something was behind him. The gnolls' breathing became rapid, and they relaxed uneasily, clenching their fists.

The gnoll roared and turned, but when the six-hundred-pound panther leapt from the tree, the angry roar turned to a wail of fear.

The impact of the downleap knocked the gnolls to the ground, but the gnolls still resisted. He endured the claw onslaught, his hands desperately fending off the fangs that were about to make holes in his neck.

The gnoll resisted for nearly a minute, his hands trembling and retreating under the pressure of the leopard's head. Finally, the panther's powerful jaws found its target, its teeth digging deep into the enemy's neck, and the gnoll didn't even get a chance to take his last breath.

The dying gnolls struggle frantically to escape the panther's grasp. However, Guan Haifa clung to the opponent's vital point and did not relax.

It didn't take long for everything to calm again.

This book was first published from 17K, the first time to see the genuine content!