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Maige snapped her fingers and a bright ball of light appeared over her hand. The room flooded with the sharp light, making the jars of ink and piles of maps casting omunest shadows on the tent’s walls. 

        She studied the light as she made it dance across her fingers. Being an elf, she was able to control and manipulate light in many forms, from lighting a room to using it as a weapon in battle. Sometimes Maige would conjure up it to watch while letting her thoughts wander. 

        So many things were happening right now, and it was hard for Maige to keep her mind focused on the important tasks. Everything was on the edge, one small breeze away from going over the cliff. But all of that didn’t matter until she found a way to fix her most pressing problem. 

        Maige moved the light over a map laid in front of her of the realms and each portal entrance point, including the secret and the government regulated ones. She scanned the Elven realm, trying to find a new place where a portal might be hidden. The blob representing the Elven realm was covered with red markings of the spots that didn’t have any portals. It made Maige want to explode every time she crossed off a spot, but she had to keep searching. The future of the realms depends on it. 

        “Queen Elanor?” a small voice interrupted her thoughts. 

Maige turned to find her out of breath lieutenant standing in the opening of the tent. 

She waved her hand to put out the light. “What is it, Lieutenant Samwise?” Maige asked. 

Lieutenant Samwise curtly bowed, almost tripping over his cape. He fumbled for a moment before regaining his balance. “High Commander Elanor, so sorry for interrupting you, but we found something.” 

Maige jumped to her feet. “Are you serious?” 

“Yes, High Commander,” the lieutenant assured her, “A group of soldiers were patrolling, and a troll appeared out of the air. It looked like it had used an unknown portal to get here.”  

Maige started pacing. This was amazing news! After years of searching the land for a portal to another realm, she had finally found it. Everything was coming together for once. The last several decades, with starting the War of the Realms and having her kingdom cut off from the other realms as punishment, had been hard. But now she has a fixed to all of her past mistakes and regrets. For her people, the world, and most of all, herself. 

Maige brushed her ash-coloured hair out of her face and strolled over to the map on her desk. They were in the Forest of Silva, one of the last places Maige would’ve thought a secret portal would be. It seemed too obvious, almost. Why hide in the shadows where people look when you could stand in the light where everyone thinks we’re all innocent. 

She guessed that she would’ve thought differently if she was a shadow elf, but Maige would have to dwell on that later. 

“Okay, let’s go see this prisoner and portal.” She said, grabbing her sword and cloak from a chair. Maige also reached for her crown, sliding it over her ashey curls and letting the smooth opal stone hang just between her eyebrows,symbolizing her as a light elf and High Commander.  

She handed Samwise a large leather bag. “Lieutenant, grab those maps and put them in here,”

Lieutenant Samwise nodded and stuffed the maps inside. 

“All done, High Commander.” He said once he had finished. “What do you need next?” 

 Maige looked up from packing severals into another bag and searched the room. 

“That should be good, Lieutenant.” She said, “Go stand outside. I’ll be done in a minute.” 

Lieutenant Samwise bowed and backed away out of the tent. 

        Maige grabbed a few more things and was about to leave when she remembered something.  

She glanced at a small satchel lying under her desk. Should she bring it? No, that would be stupid. It wouldn’t do any good. But what if she ended up needing it. Maige didn’t know what was coming her way in the next few hours. Maybe. . .?

She bit her lip, thinking. It wouldn’t hurt to have it, just in case. 

Maige hesitated for one last second before reaching for the satchel and slipping it over her shoulder. 

* * *

Maige and Lieutenant Samwise weaved through the crowds of soldiers, cooks, and nurses coming in and out of tents. Yells of army officers ringed through the air telling the slower soldiers to get their butts moving. 

Maige sighed wistfully. She couldn’t help remembering her days as a young soldier, training in the mud and rain, practicing sword fighting, and honing her power over light. It had been years since Maige was in the academy, but she still remembered every moment, from her first assignment as an officer, to getting appointed to Lieutenant, to eventually proceeding to the old High Commander. Those were the golden days.

Yells that weren’t of officers shouting orders broke Maige out of her memories. She turned, scanning the chaotic bundles of tents and people, before finding the source of the commotion. 

 Near an artillery room, a group of soldiers were pushing around a scrawny boy, yelling, and calling him offensive names.  

“Aw, is the little shadowling too weak to get up?” A blonde girl taunted as she shoved him to the muddy ground. 

A shorter boy made a large ball of light appear and shoved it close to the boy's face. He laughed as the boy flinched. “What, is the light too bright? Why don’t you use your shady powers and fight back?” 

“Leave me alone!” the boy shouted. His dark blue, almost black eyes were wide with fear as the group pressed closer.

`   They laughed in unison and a girl kicked him back down. They kept on kicking and pushing the boy, forming a tight circle. 

        That was too much for Maige. She stomped over and yelled, “Hey! Get off him!”

        They stopped and turned to find their High Commander glaring with a hand on her sword. 

        “High Commander Elanor! We didn’t see you there!” The blonde girl acclaimed as they bowed. 

“Sure, you didn’t,” Maige snapped. She walked over to the boy and pulled him off the ground.

“Are you okay?” She asked, brushing the mud off his uniform.  

“Yeah,” He stared at Maige in shock. 

Maige smiled sadly. “That’s good. What’s your name?”

“Rohan, High Commander Elanor.” 

“Please, call me Elanor.” She scanned him to see if there was any more mud on him. “Now, Rohan, are you all right to go back to your bunks? 

“Yes, High Commander - I mean Elanor.” Rohan corrected himself. 

“Great. You’re free to go then.”

The grin on Rohan’s face shone so brightly it could have powered a light bulb. “Thank you, Elanor, thank you.” He bowed quickly and ran off, disappearing into a crowd of soldiers coming back from archery practice. 

Maige let out a breath. Now to deal with the snobs who had assaulted the poor boy. 

“What are your names?” She demanded, turning to them. 

“I’m Leala Garcia, High Commander.” The blonde girl said, not quite meeting Maige’s gaze. “This is Kelia Comall, Wade Acker, Joran Bello, and Cygnus Black.” She gestured to a tall tan girl, the short boy, a larger lad with a bow slung across his back, and another soldier whose face was covered by a sheet of green hair, making it impossible to assume their gender. 

        “Okay, Ms. Garcia, why were you and your friends beating up a fellow cadet?”

        “Isn’t it obvious?” Leala said, gaining her confidence back. “He’s a shadow elf. He can’t be trusted and shouldn’t be here.” 

        Her friends nodded and backed her up with comments like, “Yeah!” and “She’s right!”

        “What part of him being a shadow elf makes him untrustworthy?” Maige questioned. “Some of the best warriors I’ve ever trained and fought with were shadow elves. Even to this day I would still trust them with my life. Like Lieutenant Samwise for example.” She pointed to Samwise, who was still standing with his arms full of bags and maps. “He’s a shadow elf and my most trusted adviser. He’s my right-hand man and I can count on him for anything.” 

Leala was taken aback by Maige’s words. “But, but” She stumbled, “Dark magic is bad! Always has been, always will. You’re a light elf, you know what I’m talking about.” 

Maige rolled her eyes. “Yes. I am a light elf, but no, I don’t know what you’re ‘talking’ about. Shadow elves are like any light elf minus eye colour and abilities. We’re all elves and all live in the same world. We shouldn’t treat each other differently and hurt them just because they control shadows. One day someone will make our world realize that.” 

“Like whom? You?” 

“No,” Maige said, “Not me. Someone. . . different. . . someone. . . special.” 

        She took a deep breath of the rain scented air and let it out slowly, regaining focus. “Until then I am going to do my best to stop this hate and fear. Now, I’m letting you off easy because you’re still kids and have been raised to act like this, but I swear on the future of the realm if I find you harassing anyone like this again, no matter if it’s a shadow or light elf, I will personally see that you are punished, like spending a month in prison.” Maige made eye contact with each soldier, making sure they were listening. “Do I make myself clear?” 

        When they didn’t answer, Maige stalked closer and unsheathed her sword slightly. “Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear.” 

        “Yes, High Commander.” They rushed in unison. 

        Maige pressed a wrinkle on her indigo tunic and re-centered her circlit. “Great. Glad we’re at an understanding now.” She turned on her heel and went back to walking to her destination. Maige heard Lieutenant Samwise stumble after her, but she didn’t slow down. 

        Okay, Maige, you hopefully change the minds of the youth who will take over after you, she thought to herself, avoiding stepping on a run-away chicken. But now you have to focus on finding out about the portal.

        She picked up the pace, turning her fast walk into a jog to a full-on sprint. In time, Maige arrived at the “The War Tent”, dubbed so because of the many wars and battles planned out in it’s cloth walls.

        She paused to catch her breath, admiring the gold and black fabric it was made of. Lieutenant Samwise caught up to Maige, panting and huffing. 

        “Ready. . .to. . .go. . .in?” He asked between wheezes. 

“Of course.” She scoffed. 

Maige strolled through the opening and found herself in a room with a wooden table, covered with a larger version of the map in Magie’s. Five officers stood around, two of them guarding a lump in a corner and the others playing Schacheall, a war type strategy game involving mini armies and life like terrain.

“Where’s the prisoner?” Maige said, startling the game board to the floor. 

A tall muscular officer pointed at the lump in the corner. “Over there, High Commander. She had this with her.” They handed her a small round object surrounded by swirling metal rings. A portal maker. Something Maige hadn’t seen in a very long time. 

She twirled it in her fingers. Old model, by the looks of it, with bulky copper rings instead of the gold thin ones used now-a-days. Maige had only seen that design in paintings of her grandfather back when he was in the academy. 

“She hasn’t been talking much. The prisoner, I mean,” clarified the officer. “Maybe you can get her to start chatting.” 

Maige smiled, giving her the impression of a cat just about to pounce. “Lead the way.” 

They showed her to the tied-up prisoner. Her face was covered by a hood and was shaking so violently Maige thought she was going to vibrate into another dimension. 

Maige nodded at the guards, signaling for them to take the prisoner's hood off. It revealed a mousy woman with light green skin, a thin pink mouth, and a humougsy nose. Her thick long hair was twisted up into an enormous bun, adding an extra foot and a half to her height. 

Her dark green beaded eyes blinked in the light and darted around the tent before landing on Maige. A stifled shriek escaped the troll's mouth and she curled away, looking like an antisocial tortoise. 

“I assume you know who I am.” Maige said, walking slow circles around the troll. 

“Ye-ye-yeah,” she stuttered, “You’re the High Commander, t-the lady who tried to take over all the realms.” 

Maige started slow clapping. “Good job! I can see that someone knows their history.” She flashed a bemused smile. “You're very smart, Ms. . .? ” 

“Ver-vertilla.” 

“Well, Ms. Vertilla, now that we have been acquainted, do you mind telling me how you got a hold of this?” She held up the portal maker.

“Uhhh. . .” Vertilla mumbled. When she didn’t elaborate, Maige knew that she had to use a new tactic. 

With a swish of her hooded cloak, Maige unsheathed her long, magnificent diamond encrusted sword and pressed it against Vertilla’s throat. 

“You have five seconds to start talking before I show you what sword training since age six looks like.” Maige warned, pushing the tip harder against her esophagus.

Vertilla looked down at the sword and gulped. “I-I was, um, searching the woods for some mushmoons and I, uh, same across that,” she nodded her head at the portal maker, “And started messing around with it. I must have turned it on and accidentally pressed the button in the middle.” 

        “And you just happened to be near a portal?” Maige inquired. 

        “Well, not exactly. I wanted to, uh, test a spot.”

        “And you didn’t alert the authorities?” 

        Vertilla’s face flushed a sickening colour of reddish green as she stared at her feet. “Ye-yes.” 

        Maige's smile grew even bigger. “Perfect. Thank you, Ms. Vertilla, for being such a great help!” 

        “Wait, are you letting me go?” 

        Maige laughed. Ah, how idiotic people can be. 

        “Of course not. You’re a liability. Can't have you walking around, telling everyone that the scary leader of the elves is back.” She bopped Vertilla on the nose. “That wouldn’t be very good, would it?” 

“No, I guess,” Maige noticed tears of sweat, dirt, and desperation begin to fall as Vertilla spoke. “But where am I going to go then?” 

“Well, I could let you live here peacefully as a maid or something,” Maige said, amused by how Vertilla’s eyes widened with the statement. “Or. . .” 

“What?” Vertilla asked when Maige didn’t continue. 

Maige beckoned her closer, keeping her face neutral as she leaned in and whispered, “Or, I can just, you know, kill you.” 

Before Vertilla could react, Maige flashed a wicked smile and the last thing she saw was a blinding flicker of silver before everything went black. 

Maige stood there, sword in hand, staring as Vertilla’s severed head fell to the floor. Blood splashed, staining her boots and the edge of her cloak an earthy brownish green. Maige cursed. She had just gotten the stains out from last time. 

Nobody made a comment as their Commander wiped the blood of her sword with a satin cloth. They knew what Maige had to do, and they respected her decision. All except a small, skinny crow perched on a shelf. 

It squawked at Maige, cold eyes glinting with intelligence and shiny onyx wings flapping. 

Maige rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up, Corbin. Like your kind is known for keeping their hands clean.” 

The bird shook its head and jumped off the shelf. As it fell its wing morphed into hands, beak into a sharp nose, and feathers into a classy suit until there was a young, well dressed man standing in place of the crow.

“Fair, but we don’t kill someone in cold blood without any reason. That’s the Fox Mafia.” The ex-crow Corbin said. He straightened his suit jacket and ran a hand through his long jet back hair. “And besides, they aren’t my kind anymore.” 

“Ah, yes, the heartbreaking story of the young Corbin betraying his own irmandade and clan for some extra cash and favours, causing him to get kicked out. Now you work for me.” She grinned, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

Corbin sighed and removed Maige’s hand, hoping she hadn't gotten any blood on his suit. “Yes, and it’s a pleasure to be constantly in your magnificent present, but instead of diving into my life story, why don’t we focus on what you're going to do now that you have an open portal?” 

        “Fine. I’ll be professional.” Maige let out an over dramatic sigh. “If you must know, I'm going to use it to collect some items for a pet project of mine.” 

        Corbin arched an eyebrow. “What kind of pet ‘project’?” He wondered, framing air quotes around “project”. 

        “Sadly, if you knew that, I would have to add your body to the pile.” She gestured to Vertilla’s body, who the guards had placed a blanket over. “And you’re my errand boy so I wouldn’t want to do that. Speaking of which, I have a job for you.” 

        “What?” 

Maige inspected her sword, chipping off pieces of dried blood absentmindedly. “I need someone to be my eyes and ears again. I have to stay low while I’m traveling. But you,” She jabbed Corbin in the chest, “You can do some snooping around. See what's new with the Realms.” 

        “Great. When do I leave?” 

        “Ten minutes.” 

        “Ten minutes?” Corbin repeated. “What about you?”

        “Same.” Replied Maige. “Someone is going to come looking for Ms. Vertilla and wonder where she's gone. We can’t risk the PTC finding out about this. The sooner we leave, the better.”

        “Can’t argue with that.” Corbin agreed and reached into his jacket, pulling out a small coin. He tossed it over to Maige. 

        “Just flip it into the air if you need to find me.” He explained as Maige studied the coin. It was made of weather stone and was heavy, despite its size. A picture of a crow carrying a message in its feet was engraved on both sides. “I’ll be there before it lands back in your hand.” 

        Maige smiled and slipped the coin into a small secret pocket she had sewn under a fold of her wispy cloak. 

        “Now that that’s all worked out, let's go.” Maige said, ignoring Cobin’s protests that it hadn’t been ten minutes yet, and turned to Lieutenant Samwise, “Lieutenant, take us to the portal. Also, while I’m gone, you’re in charge.” Maige looked around at the other guards. “You guys got that? Lieutenant Samwise is acting High Commander until I return.” 

“Are you sure you want to do this, Commander?” Lieutenant Samwise whispered. “I mean, I’m fine to stand in for you while you're gone, but still,” He gave her a look that was a cross between “You're making a huge mistake” and “Please don’t leave me here alone.” 

Maige sighed and whispered back, “Lieutenant, I wouldn’t be leaving you in charge if I didn’t really trust you. I have the utmost faith that you’ll do great.” She offered him a smile and her circlet. 

He hesitated slightly before taking it and setting it slowly on his head. “Okay,” Lieutenant Samwise said, glowing with newfound confidence. “Follow me, please.”    

* * * 

Maige fiddled with the portal maker, bouncing it from hand to hand. They were standing in a dark forest, Corbin leaning against a tree on her right and Samwise studying a map on her left. 

“So, you guys should come out in Tero. Mr. Corbin, you’ll be able to find a portal maker somewhere and High Commander you’ll use the one you have.” Samwise told them. He glanced up, eyebrows narrowed in confusion at why they were standing in the forest. “You can go now, you know.” 

“Yeah, yeah, we know, Lieutenant.” Maige snapped. She ignored the fast pulse of her heart and the sinking feeling in her gut. She wasn’t nervous. She had commanded wars and fought for her life hundreds of times. This? This was nothing. A little trip. To help her people. No problem for the ruler of the elves. 

Right? 

Not the time to get cold feet, she thought, turning the rings on the sphere until they lined up the right way and tied it around her neck. 

“Time to go, Corbin.” Maige said and held out her arm. “Grab on.” 

Corbin transformed back into a crow and flew over to her arm. He pecked her in the ear, telling her to get going already. 

Maige took one last breath, drew her hood so it left only her black painted lips visible, and pressed the jeweled button in the center of the sphere. 

“Good luck, Lieutenant.” She called before she disappeared. “I’ll be back soon!”