An Impish Encounter
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Reign of Ghrelys Year 14 Day 264
Our kind has long known of the human realm. Our ancestors observed the humans quite frequently, though they could never develop a way to traverse the divide between our worlds. It wasn’t until a century ago, in the forty-third year of the reign of the great Olvar Gadlonig, that Master Boguur Yeilein first discovered the series of enchantments to allow us to cross over and visit the land of humankind. It was a day of great triumph for our kind.
It was also a day of tragedy, but that part is often left out of the historical records.
We learned many things from the humans over the years of visits. We learned about the technological marvels that could be achieved through computers, the trills of driving combustion vehicles, and even about the wonders of public sporting events. We learned to be careful to hide our presence after one of our mounts was discovered roaming through the forest along the western coast of one of their major land masses while we were visiting on a scouting mission. That one misstep turned into an entire mythology of its own. It was a mess, and our Elders nearly voted to cease our Earth visitations altogether. But, ultimately, they decided there was too much to learn by observing human ingenuity.
Beyond all of those good things, however, lied a darker truth. We learned that, apart from all of the great advancements and monumental discoveries, humans are cruel, wicked beings. The majority of them seek only their own benefit and gratification, rarely envisioning the best course of action for the species itself, likely due to the relative dominance they have over the other inhabitants of their world.
Despite that, the generations of Elders continued to approve quest after quest through the void and into human territory, always looking for something that would “better the lives of imps for millennia to come.” That very mission was what led to me being sanctioned for a trip to the land once thought by some to be a fabricated, conspiratorial tale (yes, imps have conspiracies just like humans).
I remember the day I received my orders from Master Heurkzeg. She pulled me aside after my training and informed me that my instructors had mentioned my name as someone suited for observatory quests due to my skills in adaptation, detection evasion, and memorization. She sent me to specified training to ready me for my upcoming mission, during which I underwent preparation even more intense than that of impish primary education and evaluation camps. They tested me through scenario after scenario, attempting to prepare me for every possible situation I would encounter among the people.
When the time came, I was not scared as I had expected, only thrilled to finally begin my journey. They told me I would emerge in the depths of one of the largest cities in the world, in the dark of night, with plenty of cover and no one but intoxicated addicts around to discover me. I prepped all of my gear and filled all of my canteens. My task was to observe human interactions among the wealthy and elite upper class, those who controlled most of the money, and I was going to do it from inside their own offices. Using that, I was to report back to our home world with a plan for the advancement of the imp economy in order to rival the pixies and gnomes, who still rely on antiquated human strategies learned from their own travels many years ago. It was up to me to help the imps update our methods based on modern business.
I said good bye to my friends and family, took a deep breath, and waited for Master Juy to complete the traversal enchantment. I pictured the moonlight reflecting off the tall structures that reached up to the sky, the sounds of cars honking, the smell of human food cooking in the storefronts.
But something went wrong with the enchantments.
I couldn’t see, as I was trapped in the void between worlds, but something had to have happened.
I did not emerge at the predicted location, near what the humans call Wall Street. I didn’t even arrive under the cover of night.
When I broke through the veil into the human realm, I found myself in the middle of a wet piece of asphalt, surrounded by trees on two sides, the gray sky stretching above me. I heard the honk of a car horn I had so anticipated, but it was way too close. I spun around and came face to face with the headlights of a… I believe they call them trucks, one of the vehicles that our kind never adopted due to their sheer size.
So I dove out of the way just in time. I had been warned that the effects of gravity on Earth were much lower, but I was not prepared for how quickly I was able to move. It must have appeared as only a blur to the driver. I darted into the cover of the underbrush and assessed the situation. Clearly, I was not where I was meant to be. I needed to figure out a way to get to Wall Street and complete my mission. The Elders only approved a trip of eight Earth days, and I couldn’t waste any of them fumbling around in the forest.
Far enough removed from the road and the endless stream of curious eyes, I bounded up the tallest tree in my vicinity. Perched atop the highest branch, I got a good view of, well, not much. The windowed buildings were nowhere in sight. The only break in the trees came a good fourteen helcs to the left, where it appeared a small town had risen within a clearing in the forest. It was as good of a place to start as any. I thought I could maybe have examined some smaller business practices and used those to inform parts of my plan while I looked for a way to reach the city.
I felt so light, the height of the tree was of no matter. I could easily land on my feet without issue. I let go of the branch and dropped without even looking down.
Big mistake.
I collided with the back of something, sending us both rolling on the ground before falling to rest in a crumpled heap. I sprung to my feet and discovered the source of my interrupted fall: a human. His eyes locked on mine, widened in fear, and a scream escaped his throat as he scrambled backward.
I lunged forward to cover his mouth, but he held me off with his leg. “Get away from me,” he wailed.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said to him in as soothing a voice as I could muster through my panic. “Pleas, you must be quiet. You are putting me in grave danger.”
“There is no way you can talk.” The human rubbed his eyes and slapped his own face in a most curious manner. “I’m dreaming. I have to be. Or going insane, that could be it. But there is no way this is actually real. It’s just a dog. That’s it. Just a stray dog. Go away, doggie.”
That was one too far. “A dog? A dog? I am not some flea-brained dog here to cower to your every desire and humiliate myself for just a small ounce of your affection. Do not speak down to me, human.”
I could sense his fear rising even higher. With a quick wiggle, I circumvented his defenses and clasped my hand over his mouth, pulling him close. He fought, but he wasn’t nearly as strong as his size advantage would lead me to believe. I held him tight, trying with everything I had to calm his nerves through soothing sounds and light pats on his back. When at last his mind caught up and he ceased fighting, his eyes narrowed with confusion, I released him, holding my hands up to show him I meant no harm.
“What are you?” he said, his trembling voice nearly a whisper.
“What am I? Well, I’m no dog, I’ll tell you that right now,” I said, still annoyed at the comment. “I am what is known as an imp.”
That set him off again. “An imp? Like one of those messed up mythical creatures? You’re evil. What do you want from me? I didn’t do anything wrong. Please don’t torture me or make me lose my mind.”
“Whatever do you mean?” I asked, genuinely surprised. “We imps are, for the most part, gentle and curious, not evil or mean-spirited. Tell me, why do you believe this about me?”
The boy’s curiosity won out over his fear. He stared at me as if trying to judge my sincerity. “W-well, imps are said to be creatures of the devil who play tricks on humans using their magic. You are supposed to cause people to question their own minds because of your tricks, never actually harming people outright but instead causing them psychological distress that can sometimes lead to them harming themselves.”
That caught me by surprise. As far as I had been told, humans did not know of our existence. They had likely spotted one of us at one point or another for a brief instant, but I was told nothing had ever materialized from our visits, other than of course our mount being seen and turned into a legend. “Tell me more. Do I look like one of these imps you so describe?”
“No, not really,” the boy said earnestly. “You don’t have the the wings or the long horns. Your tail is pointed, but you aren’t pitch black like the imps are said to be. You look more like a small human crossed with some animal, I guess. Not like a mini devil.”
“You keep saying that word. Tell me, does you kind have stories of devils, as well? And are they as negative as the ones you have of imps?”
The boy shook his head quickly back and forth. “Worse. Devils are awful.”
“I know devils. This is not right. Something is wrong. Who told you of this?”
“No one told me, really. It’s just in the stories.”
“Stories?”
He nodded. “Sure, like books and stuff.”
“With pictures?”
“Sometimes.”
“Show me.”
“What do you mean?”
I stood up to my full height, only to the boy’s midsection, and leaned close. “Show me. You can trust me.”
#
Reign of Ghrelys Year 14 Day 266
I have just six Earth days left to accomplish my task, but a more pressing matter has come up. The boy, Griff, has been a great help to me. He first showed me the stories of humans, many of which have been fabricated to paint certain beings in a negative light while idolizing others. The idea of “devils” was taken from somewhere and morphed into the horrific creatures said to terrorize and haunt unsuspecting humans. In reality, devils are large, harmless beings who roam through the forests and gather nuts and fruits for their villages while acting as mounts for the smaller races in exchange for honey and sugarcane. They are among the most peaceful species in my realm, yet somehow they have been vilified by the humans.
Somehow, true devils were given a new name (several, actually, including the extremely insulting moniker of “Bigfoot”) while things that actually more closely resemble the pixies of my realm have been called devils and made into something meant to evoke fear. Everything is twisted and strange, and I cannot fathom as to how these descriptions came to be accepted when they are so far from the truth.
As for my main quest, I will not have much time. We are hundreds of “miles” from my intended destination. Luckily for me, Griff was already planning a trip to the city, but that won’t happen for a few more days. He offered to take me along in his luggage, since I’m small enough to fit, but I had to decline. I will accompany him, but I will not be insulted by riding in a bag. After all, sneaking is my specialty. So I will find my way on to the plane, which is a flying contraption that will apparently take us to the city. From there, Griff offered to show me to the famed Wall Street and leave me to finish my task.
It is nice to have a plan, but I will only have three days remaining to complete my quest, meaning the pressure to observe and discover a technique that will prove useful is higher than ever. On the bright side, it leaves me with a few more days to continue investigating the reports of “mythical creatures” and their sightings among humans.
“Gfonelg?” Griff called as he burst through the door to his home, having just returned from the town library, where he says thousands of books are held. He has mastered the pronunciation of my name surprisingly well.
“Hello, Griff. What did you find?”
“A few things, actually. I did have a thought, though.” He plopped down on the couch beside me and opened a can of what he calls soda. Soda appears quite dark and bubbly, like a poison, but he maintains that it is delicious. I, for one, will not be risking his assessment.
“What is it?”
“It’s just something weird that I hadn’t even thought about until today,” he said between bites of his turkey and cheese sandwich. “Why is it that you speak English? I know imps have visited before, but it sounds like they have gone all over the world and never stayed more than a few days at a time. How did you learn our language and why did you take it back to your home?”
“A valid question, and one I am surprised has only just come up,” I said. “One whose answer lies in the art of our enchantments. Long ago, after first reaching Earth, we discovered that it wasn’t enough to merely make it here if we couldn’t decipher anything going on around us. If we truly wanted to observe and learn from your kind, we had to understand your language. Well, many languages. So Master Yeilein, the imp who originally crossed the threshold, added to her enchantments. It took her years, but she finally discovered the right sequence that allowed for our languages to be instantaneously translated, allowing us to understand one another through both written and verbal language.”
“Wow, Master Yeilein sounds amazing.”
“She truly was. I hope to one day be remembered as someone as influential to our kind as Master Yeilein.” I snapped out of my daydream and took the books and papers from Griff’s hands. “So, what did you find?”
“Stories. Tons of stories,” he said, his excitement growing with every word. “Myths and references to mythological creatures dating back centuries, from all over the world.”
I scanned through the pages, the words reading as naturally to me as if they had been written by an imp hand. He was right, the enchantments that make this possible are incredible. “It seems there is more to the history of travels to this land than the Elders let on. Based on these stories, there have been hundreds of quests, if not more, by all different kinds of beings. And it seems some of them have attempted to manipulate the truth to their own whims, for whatever reason.”
I sat hunched over the piles of books for hours, until the candlelight had dimmed low enough to render the words unreadable to even my eyes. Griff fell asleep long ago. He has proven himself trustworthy. His enthusiasm to help is truly inspiring, and he pushes me to discover the truth so that I may somehow help clear the names of imps in this world.
If at all possible, I shall speak to the Elders and find some way to reward Griff for his help.
#
Reign of Ghrelys Year 14 Day 267
Five days left on Earth. Two more days until we fly.
Griff seemed nervous when he arrived home today. He didn’t come in running and throw himself down next to me, as he did yesterday and the day before. He was much more skittish, as if he felt something were following him and he was afraid to look over his own shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I asked him,
“Fine,” he said. “Just my mom. I saw her today.”
“Is seeing your mother not a happy occasion?”
“Not for me.” A tear fell from his eye. He wiped it away quickly, probably hoping I hadn’t noticed. “I thought today would be good, but it wasn’t. She’s always so judgmental and demanding, like she is the only one who knows anything at all. I swear she thinks I’m some worthless loser who will never amount to anything.”
“Your mother is wrong if she thinks that,” I said. “I know you. No matter what else happens in your life, you have already done a great service to help so, so many beings. More than your mother ever will. I would like to consider us friends.”
That earned a small smile from him, then. “I think so, too.”
After that, he was his usual self, helping me go through book after book and page after page of stories, accounts, descriptions, rumors, and reports, ranging in sources from institutionalized patients claiming to have seen a monster in their home to official government statements regarding classified information. He maybe worked a little slower than usual, but he was tired, and this is a monumental task. We are trying to unravel centuries of lies and discrepancies.
I am growing weary, myself. The long days are taking a toll on my eyes and my mind. Just today I thought I saw Griff holding his cell phone up to the mirror as I worked, but when I looked over, it was only a hair brush. I need sleep, yes. But more than that, I need to discover something valuable, something I can take back to prove my worth and show my quest wasn’t a complete waste of time and energy. I will be reprimanded for making contact with a human (as far as I know, the first true imp-human interaction in history) and revealing our species to them. But if what I suspect is true, then perhaps this meeting was for the best.
At the very least, I have learned that, despite what we were taught, not all humans are completely cruel.
#
Reign of Ghrelys Year 14 Day 268
Another day, another fourteen hours pouring through the evidence, searching for any connection that would link these lies back to someone, or some group. I have theories, sure, but no concrete proof. I cannot return to the Elders empty-handed. Without proof of interference from another species, this quest will be deemed a complete and utter failure, likely leading to my dismissal and banishment to work in the fields or caves. It is unlikely at this point that I am able to discover any business secrets to bring home, if due to my own exhaustion and preoccupation, so this quest depends entirely on what I can discover among these stories.
Griff was even more down today when he returned than he was yesterday. I asked him if it was his mother again, but he said he didn’t want to talk about it. For the first time since I arrived, he went straight to his room and did not reemerge for a few hours. When he did, he was slightly more relaxed, though he did not try to make conversation. Gone were the questions of my homeland, of the other creatures, or even of myself. He merely sat and worked in silence alongside me, glancing over to examine me every few minutes.
It was a somewhat uncomfortable feeling, to be studied so. But I left it alone. He seems to have had a difficult day and he has given me no reason to suspect I am the cause of his sudden shift in mood. I have elected to leave him to his own thoughts and pore all of my energy into this last day of study before leaving in the morning.
I will end this entry here, for the candle is once again burning low and I have a dozen more stories to get through before turning in for the night. I can only hope I find something of worth within these stained and faded pages.
#
Reign of Ghrelys Year 14 Day 269
I may have known him only a brief time, but it was obvious that Griff was off this morning. He was nowhere near his usual self. Even when I tried to talk with him, I was greeted with nothing more than a word or two in reply. He shrugged off any attempt I made at easing his nerves or distracting his attention. He didn’t even seem to want to hear about my discovery, so I left it alone.
And that discovery is the reason I am able to smile even with Griff’s sour mood. As I sit huddled among the luggage riding along in storage in the back of the plane, I can’t help but feel accomplished. I finally have it, the proof I need to show the Elders that other species, specifically gnomes and pixies, have been manipulating humans into distrust of imps, devils, and countless other creatures in the event that we are all one day forced into contact with one another. Using their manipulation, they have attempted to convince the humans that other creatures are not to be trusted, fostering an alliance among the humans that would not be extended to my kind.
I am thinking of asking Griff to forget taking my to Wall Street. I have everything I need to consider this quest a success beyond even what we had envisioned, so I might as well enjoy what could be my final trip to Earth. Most imps make this journey alone, with only themselves for company amidst a sea of humans they must hide from. I am the first imp in history to have made a friend while visiting this realm.
And right now, my friend is in distress.
The plane will land soon. Maybe, once I tell him, we’ll be able to explore the city together and cheer him up.
I hope so. I don’t want his final memories of me to be tainted by these negative emotions.
#
March 31, 2024
Thank God it’s over. That disgusting little creature has been turned over to the US government, in exchange for an exorbitant amount of money and a signed document guaranteeing my silence. They don’t know about my mother, though. When she leaks the story and the photographs to the press, we’ll get even more. And my hands will be clean.
The last four days have been torture. I needed definitive evidence to even get someone to answer my call, and then I needed to get this information to the right people, the people who had the authority to actually make a deal with me. I thought it was never going to get done, but when the Secretary of Defense himself called to set up a flight to New York, I knew I had to jump at the opportunity.
I don’t know if I could take another day of that annoying little… thing. For one, the smell. It was awful. I don’t even like soda, but I had to keep chugging it and using the carbonation as an excuse for the tears running from my eyes. The closer it got, the worse it was.
On top of that, the constant obsession with myths and stories, like any of them mean anything. I don’t know what was going on, if it was some kind of little alien or what, but whatever it was, it was obsessive. It stayed awake all hours of the night and never gave me any privacy. It woke me to tell me the most minute little detail in some story that didn’t quite match up with another, as if that does anything to help whatever the hell it is it was trying to do.
I don’t even know. Most of my time was just spent trying to appease it until I could get someone to take it. Now that I have, though, it’s out of my hands. I don’t care what they do with it. I’m set for life. Finally, maybe Mom will see me as something other than a failure. When I pay for new house, she had better.
Don’t know why I’m even writing in here. Even this journal smells. Without the thing around, I can’t seem to read its writing anymore. It looks like a bunch of random lines to me. Oh well, not my problem.
I wonder if they killed it, if they’re cutting it open to study it. Or if they’re just running experiment after experiment on it. Like I said, not my problem. As long as that check clears, I’m all good.
Welp, time to sleep. Hopefully this is my last night sleeping in cheap hotels. This time tomorrow night, I’ll be drinking Dom and falling into my satin sheets in some penthouse.
Bye bye, Gfonelg. See you never.
#
Reign of Ghrelys Year 14 Day 281
Gfonelg’s return brought with it a swarm of anger, resentment, and unanswered questions. He arrived on the set date, Day 271, with much attention. When the Masters pulled him back through with their enchantments, we were all anticipating hearing of his trip, hoping he had learned something to help enhance our kind’s financial prospects on this world.
What we pulled through, though, was horrifying.
It looked as if he had been dissected. He was still alive, though barely. I’m not sure how. The torture and the pain he endured must have been immense. The fact that he held on as long as he did is a miracle.
It took two days for him to wake from his sleep-riddle delusion and share what he needed to share. His final words before passing were warning us of the cruelty of humans. Just before his last breath, he handed us a slip of paper detailing the lies told to the humans by members of our own world. He had it all laid out for us and, somehow, he managed to keep that information safe and hidden throughout the experimentation at the hands of human doctors and scientists.
The Masters went through the log of his belongings and ended up having to develop new enchantments to pull his journal back through the void. That gave us even more insight into his work on Earth and the human who helped harm him.
After hearing of this, it took the Elders less than a day to decide our course of action. I was called in, along with thousands more, to begin preparations. I didn’t even get time to grieve.
We are going to war with the humans. And, after we defeat them all, we will use their technology and resources and turn our attention to the enemies within our own realm. Today marks the day that imps get revenge, and the beginning of a new time of prosperity for our kind.
“Glenofg, are you ready to go avenge your brother?”
“Yes, sir. Let’s go show them just what mischief we are capable of.”
Griff, I’m coming for you.
End.