In a lush and mysterious forest, located in the heart of the vast and diverse world of Krymorian, the era of swords and sorcery establishes itself as the driving force behind interactions between races and nations. In this enchanted realm, humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and many other creatures live together in relative harmony, sharing knowledge, traditions, and skills. However, although there is a shared sense of cooperation among the different living beings of Krymorian, conflicts and disputes are still common, arising around issues related to land ownership, access to precious resources, and struggles for political and magical power.
Among other things, there is a divergence in which elves believe that nature is sacred and that humans, with their incessant reproductive growth and ambition, represent a direct threat to the survival of the natural elements and sanctuaries they hold so dear. In another sphere are the dwarves, known for their unmatched skill in forging and engineering, but who often face prejudice and discrimination due to their size and robust appearance. And so on...
Kingdoms such as Krymorian are called wonderful, not exactly for their beauty, but for being enveloped by a supernatural aura. In fact, Krymorian is a fascinating world due to its mysteries, full of hidden secrets, lost treasures, and exciting adventures waiting to be discovered. Magic permeates the air as much as oxygen. It grants extraordinary abilities and mystical powers to individuals, the land, and creatures. Hybrid beings, monsters, entities, fantastic and legendary creatures roam the forests, mountains, caves, streams, and swamps of this evolving world. In Krymorian, diverse races coexist and form a vibrant, rich, and complex society, yet one that is in turmoil.
Despite having achieved some degree of evolutionary progress toward rational harmony in their relationships, the brave and curious who venture into this magical world are never disappointed by the constant alternation between good and evil, human and beast, real and imaginary, loyalty and betrayal, courage and fear. If, on the one hand, Krymorian offers countless opportunities to explore unknown places, unravel ancient mysteries, and forge lasting alliances with loyal partners, on the other hand, it seethes in a dangerous state of nature, where each group or race seeks to advance its interests in relation to survival, regardless of whether exterminating the others is necessary. And in the midst of it all, the heroes and heroines of Krymorian face the most difficult challenges and trials.
One day, the sun shone brightly through the treetops, creating a mosaic of dancing shadows and light on the floor of the Lunathys Forest. The light provided warmth to the creatures and created sparkling reflections on the water of the small lakes there. Tiny creatures ran and fluttered over the protruding roots of giant redwoods and the green foliage of slender pine trees. Amidst this natural balance, on the edge of a crystal clear lake, stands a modest and picturesque cabin, surrounded by a lush garden of colorful flowers and medicinal plants.
A mixed-race girl—as those born of different races were called—half elf and half human, with silver hair and green eyes, named Auri Dragomir, played happily on the banks of the small lake. She was only ten years old, but thanks to the education she had received from her parents, combined with her innate curiosity, she often displayed the wisdom of someone much older. Her long hair fluttered in the wind and her eyes sparkled with joy. She was dressed in a green tunic embroidered with gold thread that her mother had woven, while around her neck hung a necklace of precious stones, a gift from her father.
Edward Dragomir, the human father of the lovely girl, was a former mercenary descended from a family of nobles. He was athletic, with dark hair, green eyes, and a well-groomed beard. He usually wore linen shirts and leather pants. He considered himself an adventurer as a euphemism for his past, but he was in fact a fighter, a true warrior. At one point, he abandoned his privileged position to live a life of simplicity and love. He ran after his daughter, playing tag with her.
"Auri, watch out for the rocks!" he shouted, smiling and panting.
The girl laughed and stopped abruptly near the lake, looking at the calm water. She reached out and touched the wet surface, feeling the cool temperature and watching the circles form around her fingers.
Edward caught up with his daughter, stopping beside her, panting but beaming. He put his hand on her shoulder and asked:
"Are you having fun, my daughter?"
Auri looked up at him happily and replied:
"Yes, Father! I love playing here. It's so beautiful and peaceful."
Edward smiled, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the place.
Auri was the fruit of a forbidden love between Edward and Luthien Aredhel, an elf with long silver hair and blue eyes. Her beauty was compared to that of a fairy, which was typical of an elf of light. They met when he was still fighting on one of his missions. However, when he kissed her for the first time, she became his beloved, and since then they have been together, living happily in that rustic cabin by the lake.
It was a forbidden love because not everyone accepted the fact that humans could have relationships with other species of non-human beings, such as elves. Society, in general, pretended to take it, as long as it was out of sight. That is why Edward and his family lived in isolation, to avoid conflict.
Luthien had all the characteristics of a true elf: a perfect being in form, unparalleled beauty, a strong connection with nature, the ability to regenerate animals, five senses heightened to a supernatural level, protective skills, a green spiritual aura, mastery of light, and many others. However, despite the peace with which she lived in that place, she felt the need to use the most extraordinary magical power of an elf: the ability to create weapons, shields, fires, or even animals to protect herself and attack. Naturally, one day her little Auri would become an initiate, since she possessed the mythical blood of her mother.
The cabin they lived in was simple but cozy. It had a single room, a kitchen, and two bedrooms. The walls were made of tree trunks covered with soft moss. There was a fireplace in the corner of the room, with carefully arranged stones and a pile of firewood stacked next to it.
That day, Luthien wore a long, flowing dress, woven from silk threads and decorated with patterns of leaves and flowers. On her head, a flower tiara held her beautiful hair in place. Even back then, a flower tiara symbolized peace and love, everything she wanted for herself and her beloved family. She watched the scene leaning against the door of the hut, smiling inside. Seeing them from a distance and realizing how happy they were playing in the lake, her eyes sparkled with tenderness. As they approached the house, Luthien said:
"You look like two little children, playing so much..."
Auri jumped into her mother's arms, hugging her tightly. Luthien kissed her daughter's forehead in return.
"I'm running and jumping a lot, Mom! Dad is trying to catch me, but I'm too fast for him."
Luthien laughed, looking at Edward mockingly, and teased:
"It seems you don't have the agility you used to have, my love..."
Edward made a twisted face, pretending to be offended:
"Oh, really? I'll show you that I still have skills."
He ran back to the lake and jumped into the water. Mother and daughter followed him to the edge, laughing. Edward swam to the shore and splashed water at them. He came out of the lake all wet and challenged himself, teasing his daughter:
"I saw a huge trout at the bottom of the lake," he said excitedly. "Let's see if I can still catch it."
Auri and Luthien followed him to the tree where he hid a fishing rod. Made of sturdy but flexible bamboo, measuring about five meters and with a line made of vegetable fibers tightly wound and tied to the end, the rod was ideal for fishing there and in other streams in the area. His father began to prepare it. Auri watched with fascination. Luthien, focused, helped by weaving a protective spell on the line of the rod to ensure that nothing bad would happen during the fishing trip.
Back at the lake, the three sat on the bank, on a higher part of the ground, watching Edward cast his line into the water. While they waited patiently for the trout to bite the bait, Auri gathered flowers and stones, and Luthien, leaning back on her elbow, began to tell stories about fairies and other magical creatures that lived in the forests.
Suddenly, the line on the rod trembled, and Edward signaled to the two that the trout had taken the bait. He stood up quickly and, with experience, let the fish struggle until he felt the right time to pull the line. He couldn't lose it and disappoint his daughter, who was cheering beside him. He slowly raised the rod until it was visible. Then he brought it to the shore, leaving it there, glistening in the sun, until it stopped moving. Auri and Luthien applauded happily. Their father wasted no time in responding with a joke:
"See! You doubted me, but I'm still a hunter, or rather, a fisherman."
"Congratulations, my love!" said Luthien, hugging her beloved.
Auri also hugged her father and, while admiring the trout on the ground, exclaimed:
"It's so big, Dad!"
Edward smiled, stroking his daughter's hair, and replied:
"It sure is, my dear! And it will be our dinner tonight."
His daughter jumped for joy, kissing her father on the cheek.
They spent the rest of the afternoon fishing, playing, and telling stories. When the sun began to set among the trees, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, it was time to return to the cabin.
Even though the little house wasn't big, the kitchen was spacious, and that's where Luthien was carefully preparing dinner with the trout Edward had caught. Auri, meanwhile, was learning all sorts of things, and helping her mother chop the fresh vegetables from the garden was just one more. The delicious aroma of fresh grilled fish, mixed with aromatic herbs from their own garden, filled the house, creating a comforting and welcoming atmosphere, warming not only their hearts, but also their appetite.
Auri, eager to help, took the plates and cutlery and placed them lovingly on the wooden table. She was particularly excited for that dinner. In addition to the genuine pleasure of fishing with her loving father, now the fruit of her labor was being served as the main course.
Luthien finished preparing the colorful vegetables and skillfully arranged them on a beautiful ceramic platter. At the same time, Edward, with a lighthearted expression, removed the golden trout from the oven and brought them to the table.
With dinner ready and the table set, the family gathered around and, holding hands, closed their eyes to say a short prayer of thanks. For them, life seemed like a dream at that moment. The blessing of being together, having healthy food, and being far from enemies and the criticism of others was something better understood by her parents than by Auri. For them, peace came from the various gods they believed in. For the girl, however, being with her family was what made her complete. After all, the world she knew was still the one she had heard about in stories.
With kind management, Edward served generous portions of trout and vegetables on each of their plates and on his own, and they began to eat. Auri tried the fish, tasting its mild and delicate flavor, perfectly complemented by the aromatic herbs. She chewed slowly, savoring every bite and not forgetting the work her father and mother had put into preparing the meal.
"This trout is delicious, Dad!" she said between bites.
"I knew you'd like it, my daughter, but tell that to your mother, she's the one who prepared it," replied Edward, looking proudly at his beautiful wife.
Throughout dinner, the conversation flowed happily. Edward took the opportunity to share some of his fascinating past adventures — he called many of his battles and wanderings through that fantastic world adventures, in order to romanticize episodes for his daughter that she was not yet old enough to understand in their entirety —, while Auri was not to be outdone, narrating innocent moments of her own adventures in what was sometimes her backyard, the Forest of Lunathys.
Luthien listened attentively, savoring the food and interjecting comments and advice when she thought it appropriate. She understood that she had achieved the goal of the elves in this life, which is the tranquility of an existence close to nature and, in her case, close to her family as well.