The morning after the battle was quiet.
The elven village was still recovering.
Broken houses were being repaired.
The wounded were being carried between the temporary medical stations.
Families searched through the remains of their homes for anything that could still be saved.
The dead were being prepared for burial.
Drek stood near the edge of the village, looking across the damaged streets.
Ushu stood beside him.
Neither spoke for a while.
Then Ushu looked toward the villagers.
"Drek..."
"Hmm?"
"They're trying to help."
Drek nodded.
The elves were exhausted.
Some were carrying pieces of wood.
Others were helping the healers.
Even those who had barely survived the battle were trying to contribute.
Drek watched them carefully.
Then he noticed something.
Several elves had gathered in an open area.
They were talking about the battle.
Some were frightened.
Others were angry.
But there was something different in their voices.
Courage.
They had finally realized that they couldn't continue depending entirely on the orcs.
The orcs had once protected them.
But now the orcs had become the enemy.
And if something worse came—
The elves would have to protect themselves.
Drek crossed his arms.
"They've got courage."
Ushu looked at him.
"Isn't that good?"
Drek nodded.
"It is."
He looked at the villagers.
"But courage isn't enough."
THE ELVEN TRAINING
Drek remembered the previous day.
Before the battle.
Before the undead army arrived.
The elves had gathered around him.
There were no weapons.
No armor.
No shields.
Nothing.
They simply stood there in ordinary clothing.
Farmers.
Hunters.
Healers.
Craftsmen.
Children of families who had never expected to become soldiers.
Drek looked at them.
"Where are your weapons?"
The elves looked at each other.
Nobody answered.
Finally, Calthain stepped forward.
"We don't have any."
Drek stared at him.
"None?"
Calthain shook his head.
"Our warriors used weapons made by the orcs."
Drek became silent.
That explained everything.
The elves hadn't lost only their allies.
They had lost the people who supplied much of their protection.
Drek looked over the group again.
"Then we're starting from zero."
One elf raised his hand.
"But how can we fight without weapons?"
Drek smiled slightly.
"You don't."
The elves looked confused.
Drek stepped into the center of the group.
"First, I'm going to teach you how to survive without one."
THE FIRST LESSON
Drek drew a line in the dirt.
"Everyone, stand behind this line."
The elves obeyed.
Some were confused.
Others looked nervous.
Drek pointed toward the ground.
"This is your defensive position."
He demonstrated how to stand.
Feet apart.
Body balanced.
Hands ready.
Eyes forward.
"If something attacks you, don't freeze."
One elf nervously raised his hands.
Drek nodded.
"Move backward."
The elf moved.
"Again."
He moved again.
"Now move sideways."
The elf tried.
He nearly fell.
Drek caught him.
"Balance."
The elf nodded.
"Sorry."
"Don't apologize. Try again."
The elf did.
This time he stayed standing.
Drek smiled.
"Better."
LEARNING TO MOVE
For hours, Drek taught them simple movements.
Run.
Stop.
Turn.
Dodge.
Fall safely.
Get back up.
Stay together.
The elves struggled.
Some were slow.
Some were physically weak.
Others became tired quickly.
Drek didn't criticize them.
He understood that they had never trained like soldiers.
At one point, several elves collapsed onto the ground.
"I can't..."
Drek looked at them.
"You can."
The elf shook his head.
"I'm too tired."
Drek crouched beside him.
"Then rest."
The elf looked surprised.
"What?"
"Rest for a minute."
Drek stood up.
"Then get back up."
The elf nodded.
After a short break, he stood again.
Drek smiled.
"That's it."
THEY WERE NOT SOLDIERS
Drek eventually gathered everyone together.
They were exhausted.
Sweat covered their faces.
Their legs were shaking.
Some were sitting on the ground.
Others were leaning against one another.
Drek looked at them.
"You aren't soldiers."
Nobody argued.
"You're not warriors."
Silence.
"And I'm not going to pretend one day of training will change that."
Drek pointed toward the forest.
"But tomorrow, you're going to face something that doesn't care whether you've trained for ten years or ten minutes."
The elves looked toward the trees.
"So I'm going to teach you one thing."
Drek raised his hand.
"Stay together."
He pointed toward the strongest elf.
"If he's attacked, help him."
He pointed toward a weaker elf.
"If she's attacked, protect her."
He pointed toward the healers.
"If someone is wounded, get them out."
Then Drek looked at all of them.
"Nobody fights alone."
The elves slowly nodded.
USHU
Ushu had been watching from the side.
Unlike the others, she wasn't exhausted.
She stood quietly beneath a tree.
Drek noticed.
"Ushu."
She looked at him.
"Yes?"
"Come here."
She walked toward him.
Drek studied her movements.
She was different.
Her posture was naturally light.
Her footsteps were almost silent.
She constantly watched her surroundings.
Even when she wasn't trying to hide, she moved like someone trained to disappear.
Drek narrowed his eyes.
"How long have you been moving like that?"
Ushu tilted her head.
"Like what?"
"Like an assassin."
Ushu blinked.
"Assassin?"
Drek nodded.
"You don't walk normally."
She looked down at her feet.
"I don't?"
Drek shook his head.
"You naturally control your movement, balance, and breathing."
Ushu smiled.
"I guess I just learned it growing up."
Drek studied her again.
He had seen trained soldiers before.
But Ushu wasn't trained like them.
Her abilities were natural.
Something else was inside her.
Something he didn't completely understand yet.
Then Drek remembered something.
His fighter.
The alien technology aboard it could analyze far more than ordinary scanners.
It could determine physical traits.
Combat compatibility.
Magical energy.
Potential abilities.
And even weaknesses.
Drek looked toward the aircraft.
"Maybe the fighter can tell me exactly what you are capable of."
Ushu's eyes widened.
"Your aircraft can do that?"
Drek smiled.
"Let's find out."
THE FIGHTER'S ANALYSIS
Drek walked toward the alien fighter.
The aircraft responded to his approach.
Its systems activated.
Blue light illuminated the ground.
Drek raised his wrist.
"System."
"Yes, Major Drek."
"Can you scan the elves?"
"Affirmative."
Drek looked toward the villagers.
"I want their physical traits, magical capabilities, combat potential, and compatibility with weapons."
"Beginning analysis."
A scanning wave passed over the village.
The elves became nervous.
One stepped backward.
"What is that?"
Drek reassured him.
"Don't worry. It's only scanning you."
The system continued processing.
"Analysis complete."
A massive holographic display appeared.
Drek stared at it.
Then his eyes widened.
There were differences between every elf.
Some had stronger physical abilities.
Others had better reflexes.
Some possessed magical energy.
Others had almost none.
Some were naturally suited for ranged combat.
Some were better suited for defense.
And some had unusual magical affinities.
Drek slowly smiled.
"Interesting."
Calthain approached.
"What did you find?"
Drek looked at the display.
"Potential."
Calthain looked confused.
"Potential?"
Drek nodded.
"You don't have weapons."
He looked at the elves.
"But you do have abilities."
CREATING THEIR FIRST WEAPONS
Drek returned to the fighter.
The aircraft opened a manufacturing compartment.
Inside was technology the elves had never seen.
The system began constructing equipment.
Metal formed.
Energy flowed through the machinery.
Components assembled themselves.
The elves watched in complete silence.
A weapon emerged.
Then another.
Then another.
Drek looked at the system.
"Create equipment according to each individual's compatibility."
"Confirmed."
The manufacturing system began working.
The first weapons were simple.
Lightweight.
Easy to use.
Designed around the elves' capabilities.
Not powerful enough to turn them into unstoppable warriors.
But enough to give them a chance.
Drek looked at the equipment.
"These aren't going to make you strong."
He turned toward the elves.
"They're going to make your natural abilities easier to use."
The elves slowly approached.
For many of them, it was the first weapon they had ever personally owned.
They touched the unfamiliar equipment carefully.
One elf whispered,
"It's beautiful..."
Another held a weapon with trembling hands.
"I've never held something like this before."
Drek nodded.
"Then learn."
THE LAST HOURS
The training continued until sunset.
The elves learned how to use their new equipment.
They were still clumsy.
They still made mistakes.
Some couldn't aim properly.
Some struggled with the weight.
Some were frightened when the weapons activated.
But they improved.
Not enough to become elite warriors.
Not enough to defeat the undead alone.
But enough to stand together.
Ushu was different.
Once she received her twin blades, her natural abilities immediately synchronized with them.
She moved through the training area almost silently.
Drek watched her carefully.
"System."
"Yes, Major."
"Ushu's analysis."
The display appeared.
COMBAT TYPE: ASSASSIN
AGILITY: EXCEPTIONAL
REFLEXES: EXCEPTIONAL
STEALTH: EXTREME
CLOSE COMBAT: HIGH
MAGICAL AFFINITY: DETECTED
Drek stared at the final reading.
"Magic..."
Ushu looked at him.
"What does it say?"
Drek looked toward her.
"It says you have something the others don't."
Ushu smiled.
"Is that good?"
Drek smiled back.
"We'll find out."
BACK TO THE PRESENT
The memory faded.
Drek stood once again in the recovering village.
The elves were still working.
They still had a long way to go.
But now they had something they didn't have before.
The ability to defend themselves.
Drek looked toward Ushu.
"Remember yesterday?"
Ushu nodded.
"The training?"
"Yeah."
She smiled.
"They were really bad at it."
Drek laughed.
"They still are."
Ushu giggled.
Then her expression became serious.
"But they'll get better."
Drek nodded.
"Eventually."
He looked toward the horizon.
The world beyond the village was enormous.
And neither of them knew what was waiting for them.
But before they could leave, there was something they still needed to do.
Understand this world.
Understand the Unknown.
And discover why the same enemy that destroyed Earth had appeared here.
Drek looked toward the mountains.
Ushu stood beside him.
Their journey had not truly begun yet.
But soon...
It would.