The Thoughts of K'Pra

Third Day, Seventh Month, Ninth Year of the Reign of B’Nor

O Mighty La,

They told me at the temple that I should write down my prayers to you in a book, and in this way I might resolve some of my doubts about our calling. I confess, since this is for your eyes alone, that I do indeed have doubts. My brothers don’t know even the half of it. If they did, rather than writing these lines by the moon’s light I might be scratching them on the walls of a cell, or worse. Only you know, La.

But I must say it, I do have doubts. I see the calendar, and I know, as all my brothers, that the time of the Culling is near. I know, O my Mother, that soon we will go down into the caves where the elves toil for us, and we will choose from among them those who will be given life eternal. I have looked into the records on my rest hours. I know that this usually works out to about half of the elven peoples. As for the rest… well, I can hardly bear to write it. But you know, La. You know.

And, O La, you know that one of them also knows, and knows even more than that. My superior spoke with me today. I was told that an elf somehow managed to sneak away from its place in the mining and get out into the wider world. I don’t know how far it got, but it was far enough. So now my superior tells me I must go tomorrow and deal with the elf who escaped, before it tells the others…what? The truth?

What is the truth, O my Mother?

You know, of course. You know everything, after all. You know that the gift of eternal life is a lie. You know that the ones who receive the so-called gift do live a longer lifespan with greater health, but eventually their memories fade, they lose their sense of self, and then…then they’re simply added back into the group for the Culling along with everyone else. You know that the king’s wise men, so-called, work it all out so that the number of the elves as a whole never grows, never diminishes, but stays the same, just as much as is necessary to mine the metal. The precious metal which we use to make ourselves truly immortal.

You know all of this. And now tomorrow I must go to an elf who knows all of this also and…

This I do not know, La. My superior has told me what to do. If I do not, I know there are penalties. Even for immortals like us, there are penalties. But, O my Mother… can I do this thing? Must I, truly?

I write all this, in hopes that somehow you will answer.

K’Pra, Brother, Servant to La

Fourth Day, Seventh Month, Ninth Year of the Reign of B’Nor

This material has been confiscated and placed under seal as heretical to La and to the realm by direct order of B’Nor, king, herald of La (Flame of Vengeance, She Who Is the Light, etc.). Long live the King.

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Note: this was written for Brian Reindel 👾⚔️ ‘s Prompt Quest #2, as seen below:

Prompt Quest #2