Toto Fellethar, sometimes called Little, was walking through the elven forest to perform his daily ritual in honor of the god Tes, patron of druids. As he passed the Old Oak, a place of elven worship, he heard whispers and laughter behind him. As a respected citizen of Erythia, he had never had anyone mock him. Offended and humiliated, he decided, immediately after returning from the temple where the ritual was to take place, to complain to the Council of Elders, which ruled their land and consisted of representatives of every tribe inhabiting Erythia. Toto knew that the forest was inhabited by various mischievous elves, but since the pact of mutual respect had been signed by all citizens of Erythia, mocking someone meant only one thing: breaking it.
The little one ran to the banks of the sacred river Tessa, where the temple of the god Tes was located, and together with other druids performed a thanksgiving dance to the patron saint for his kindness and protection over their people. After performing the ritual, the little one quickly ran to the city on his short but agile legs.
Toto was a short but exceptionally agile druid, possessing a long, dark beard that many a dwarf envied. His tanned skin and dark beard contrasted with his fair hair, which, despite Toto's youth, had turned from dark to white shortly after his father's death. In accordance with druidic tradition, the little one wore a dark green robe topped with a hood, which was usually kept on his head. Only when he wanted to show respect to another person would he remove it and bow very deeply. He always tried to follow the rules of good behavior, but he didn't always succeed. Toto was a very wise druid, but he was extremely impulsive, which often got him into trouble. For his thirty-three years, he was very serious. This was likely a result of the life experiences he endured in his youth. However, he never lost his cheerfulness and always emerged victorious from every adversity, always with his head held high.
The little one was born in Aldrenia, a land located in the northwest of the Bargadian continent. However, when he was five, his parents emigrated with him to Erythia in search of work. He spent most of his childhood playing with other druids and elves who inhabited the nearby forests. However, his fondest memories were of his father's stories about distant lands—Old and New Gotheia, Vanleia, the permafrost regions of Southern and Northern Icemenia, and the perfect nation of Utopia. Thanks to these stories, Toto could imagine other countries, the peoples who inhabited them, and their cultures and customs. The little one often boasted to his friends that he had traveled to these lands with his father, which, of course, was a lie. He had always dreamed of going to Northern Icemenia to see the snow elves.
Thoth's fascinations and his father's encouragement led him to study cultural and folk studies at the Higher University of Erythia. After graduation, he planned to travel to Vanleia to study the behavior of wild pegasi. However, his father's sudden death, still unexplained, prevented him from doing so. It left a significant mark on his psyche. He could never come to terms with it. He always imagined his father had departed for some distant land and that he would surely return someday. His mother's illness also brought him no joy in life.
Forced by his difficult circumstances, Toto remained in his homeland and took a job as a caretaker at a centaur stable. He later worked as a culture teacher for the aristocratic Gryphoneart family. However, thanks to the help of one of his father's friends, Little One landed a well-paid position as a lecturer at the university he had previously attended. This new job allowed him to hire a nanny for his mother and renovate the dilapidated cottage they lived in, transforming it into a small palace.
As an activist for the tolerance movement for all peoples inhabiting Erythia, Toto secured the signing of a pact of mutual respect, for which he received a medal from the council of elders. Thanks to his pact, his homeland had been free from civil wars for a long time, and even wars between other lands. The laughter he heard on the way to the temple deeply disturbed him, for someone was breaking the pact that had kept Erythia and the entire continent peaceful since the end of the Second Intercontinental War.
Reaching the Capitol, the seat of the Council of Elders, Toto entered with a quick and decisive step. Once inside, he passed through a grand hall, filled with ornaments and works by Erythian painters and sculptors. Quietly, so as not to disturb the others, he climbed the grand marble staircase, clinging to the slippery banister and climbing the slick marble staircase, where one could see his own reflection. When he reached the second floor, he found himself standing before a long corridor, on the floor of which lay an old but well-cared-for burgundy carpet with an ingenious blue pattern. It probably came from Sargonia, which was famous for its beautiful carpets. The walls were lined with portraits of Erythia's previous rulers.
Toto stepped across the carpet and without hesitation entered the room of Theodorus, one of the council members, opening a large brass door adorned with gold paintings depicting Erythian history—the work of Clancy, a distinguished sculptor from Yeris. The boy knew he could visit him at any time of day or night, for Theodorus was his father's closest friend. He had helped Toto recover from his father's death and, in a way, even acted as his father's replacement.
Little One's adoptive father was an old elf, but for his eighty-six years, he held himself in remarkably good shape; he still looked like many an elf at fifty. He also possessed a high level of fitness and physical strength, phenomenal at such an advanced age. Toto always believed this was the work of some kind of magic. Theodorus wore a long red robe, with a golden ribbon crisscrossing his body—the mark of a council member. As befits a traditional elf, he had long, still golden hair and pointed ears that always peeked out from under the large hat given to him by the mage Astral in exchange for saving his life during the Second Intercontinental War. Therefore, from a distance, he often looked more like a wizard than an elf. His blue eyes always expressed concentration, accentuated by the long wrinkle on his forehead, which he already had few of. The only wrinkles still visible were those between the corners of his mouth and cheeks, which were formed from his constant smiling.
Theodorus was a very cheerful and just elf. If any of the citizens of Erythia had a problem, they could always come to him, as he always listened and advised them on how to proceed. Two nymphs even came to Theodorus, arguing over whose child they should have. Both believed it was theirs, and neither would budge. After much deliberation, Theodorus ordered the child to be cut in half, so that each nymph would have half. Then one of them said she didn't want him killed and that the other could keep him. Of course, Theodorus, satisfied with the results of his trick, ordered the child to be given to the first, as only a true mother would not allow her child to be harmed. Since then, every citizen of Erythia, regardless of whether they were nymphs, Cyclops, druids, elf, or anyone else, has respected Theodorus and followed his advice.
This elf had once had a wife, but when she became pregnant, she died with the child, so when Thoth's father died
, he happily became a second father to him. He also called Thoth "Little," which his adoptive son didn't like at first. Over time, however, the druid grew accustomed to his middle name, and almost everyone called him that. When Theodorus heard the door open abruptly, he instinctively grabbed the bell to call the Titans, who were protecting the safety of the Council of Elders. But when he saw it was Toto, he smiled and, without pausing, said,
"Hello, my son. What brings you here? Has an orc army attacked Erythia?" Theodorus laughed and continued reading the proposed laws submitted by the other council members.
Toto, who liked his peculiar humor, became irritated this time and replied indignantly,
"You're joking here, and a terrible thing has happened to me!" Theodorus exclaimed.
"Hmm," Theodorus mused. "What could be more terrifying than an army of orcs? An army of golems?" The elf laughed again, proud of his wit.
"I told you not to joke!" Toto was growing increasingly irritated. He knew that orcs and golems hadn't been attacking Erythian territories for a long time. "I was walking through the forest today, and I heard whispers and giggles behind me! Can you imagine that? Such an insult!"
The elf adjusted his glasses on his nose and scratched his ear before replying,
"Toto, calm down. Don't get so irritated. I understand it might have hurt you. You know, a few gargoyles and centaurs complained today that someone was breaking the pact."
Toto, surprised by Theodorus's response, thought that when he went to the temple tomorrow morning and heard the whispers again, he would hide behind a tree and perhaps see who was causing all the trouble.
"Thanks, Theodorus," said the little one, as if his mind were elsewhere.
The elf knew Toto well and therefore suspected that his adopted son was plotting something. In a protective but firm tone, he said,
"I hope you won't go to find out whose doings this is. You know that besides the friendly elves, the forest also contains harpies, who were most opposed to the pact, and that we had to practically force them to sign it."
Toto, roused from his deep thought and planning to catch the villains, quickly replied,
"Fine, fine. You don't have to worry about me," and then ran out of the room without even saying goodbye to Theodorus.
Toto realized how dangerous harpies could be, but his curiosity outweighed the danger he might face. These birds with the heads of human women were the only people who disliked the pact. After all, they were notorious for constant pillaging and kidnapping. However, since the signing of the agreement, nothing had been heard from them. All the other citizens of Erythia even believed that they might have migrated to other lands, perhaps even another continent. But how wrong they all were...
As he ran out of the capital, Tiny passed Dyremith, a harpy who was one of the Council of Elders and a representative of his people. Toto had always disliked her, as she exuded a cold air, and looking into her eyes, which Tiny often did when he was still young, revealed only an empty void. However, out of respect for her, he bowed low and removed his hood, to which she responded with an icy glare. Toto, ignoring this, ran quickly down the main street, passing the forge and the inn he often frequented. He even wanted to stop by now, to feel the bitter taste of golden ale from the nearby brewery in his mouth after such an exhausting day, but he remembered his mother, who would surely be waiting for him with dinner. Turning past the statue of Hallon, the first ruler of Erythia, he bowed and followed the path through the clearing, finally finding himself in a grove of trees.
The little one didn't like running through the grove because whenever he leaned against a tree, he wasn't sure if he was leaning against the trees. Once, when he was younger and still at university, a tired Toto decided to take a nap under a tree. While sleeping soundly, the little one felt something prick his shoulder. Startled, he quickly woke up and began running as fast as he could towards home. It turned out that Toto had fallen onto the roots of one of the trees, preventing it from moving. Now, when the little one traversed the grove, he only stopped when he was truly tired, leaning against the tree to examine it more closely.
Finally, crossing the unfamiliar spot, Toto found himself on a wide plain, crossed by a sandy road, at the end of which was his home. At the very end of the road lay a forest, home to elven settlements and harpy nests.
Toto was a frequent visitor to the elves. Childish games often ended with the elves and Tiny becoming eternal friends. His closest friends were Methaila and Kyerion. They shared a special bond of friendship. They even attended the same university together. However, neither had yet managed to travel to another country to study the customs of the peoples living there.
Methaila was a very beautiful elf. She had long golden hair and delicate skin. Her slender figure and beauty were the envy of other elven women. Methaila had a beautiful voice that echoed throughout the forest every day, especially around the bonfires where all the elves gathered. Toto often liked to sit outside just to listen to the singing coming from the forest. Methaila was the daughter of the settlement's king, which meant all three friends always had numerous privileges. She had two sisters, Sephinoria and Melodia, but as the eldest, she was destined to become queen after their father's death, so she was prepared for this role from a young age. The most beautiful of the elves didn't particularly like the idea of being a ruler, as then she wouldn't be able to fool around with her friends and go hunting with them, as she had been doing until now. Most of all, she would miss the freedom and liberty she had become so accustomed to. She deeply disliked preparing for her throne, and she especially disliked wearing gowns and dresses. Her mother often had to force her to wear them when they went to balls or other celebrations. Methailia was greatly impressed by Toto, but she never told him so. However, she always cozied up to him and complimented him, which always made Kyerion jealous.
Kyerion was the complete opposite of Toto, and as we know, opposites attract, which is why the two were best friends. Kyerion's mother was the sister of Methailia's father, which is why he, his father, and his mother lived in the castle. Kyerion was a tall and slender elf. He always dressed in the most fashionable clothes and styled his hair in fashionable styles, breaking the age-old tradition of wearing long, straight hair. This often led to arguments between him and his father, but he always got his way. He especially enjoyed archery, which he perfected. No other elf could beat him in the annual championships. His cunning often helped Toto get out of the most difficult situations. Together with Tiny and Methaila, they often went to the Tessa River to fish, which was Kyerion's second favorite pastime after archery.
When Toto arrived home, he saw an incomprehensible inscription on the southern wall facing the forest: GRETHORIES. At first, Tiny thought it might have been written by one of the elves. However, after some thought, he concluded that the inscription was in another language, albeit one derived from elven. He decided to deal with it later, but now he had to run for dinner, as he was already late. Concerned, he ran into the house, startling his mother.
"Toto, is that you?" his terrified mother shouted.
"Yes, Mom, it's me," Toto replied, and quickly headed to the kitchen to eat the dinner already waiting on the table.
"Could you please not come in so abruptly next time? You're always in a hurry. You need to slow down, or this pace will eventually kill you, and you know I only have you," Toto scolded, not moving from the living room.
"Okay, Mom. I'm sorry," Toto replied, embarrassed. "I won't do it again," he said, then went back to eating dinner.
When he finished, he washed the dishes and went to his mother.
"How are you feeling today?" Little One asked protectively. He knew she would surely hear the usual answer: not well. However, he always asked so she knew he cared about her recovery.
"Not well, as usual. The elven healer was here today and said my condition was slightly, but improving." Toto's mother adjusted her pillow and shifted slightly in bed. "You must thank Mama Methailia for sending him to me."
"But Mom, you know it's no trouble for them." "It's important to them, just as it is to me, that you get well," Toto said, and went to
get his mother's medicines, which were in a wooden cabinet in the bathroom. The little one debated whether to tell his mother about what had happened to him today and about the inscription on the wall. However, seeing his mother struggling to cope with her problems, he decided not to burden her with more. He took the medicines to his mother and told her that he had to go to Kyerion, as she had an important message to deliver. His mother replied that he should be careful and not forget to thank the elven queen for her help. Toto examined the inscription again and ran into the forest to meet his friends.
As always, the forest was profoundly silent. Only the murmur of the stream flowing there was a sign of life, as elves only settled in such places and near water sources. Toto walked along the road, admiring the large ferns and pine trees that towered overhead. Usually, when they were little, he and his friends would pick these enormous leaves and make a shelter out of them, where they hid from their parents, pretending they were on some kind of research expedition. This time, however, when Little One went to the elves, something prevented him from going in peace. It seemed to him as if someone was watching him, as if he heard laughter. When he reached the Old Oak, he turned into the forest and, following the memorized path, headed for the elven settlement.
Finding them was truly no easy feat. However, for Tot, who knew the area intimately, finding the elven farms was no problem at all. Imagine his surprise when he arrived and saw a huge mess in the main square and not a single elf. The frightened druid was about to return home when suddenly someone put something over his head and saw impenetrable darkness...
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