CHAPTER - 6

THOUGHTLESS LIKE A HUMAN

This has been more disappointing than I thought it would be. After waking from leveling up, I tried searching for the tree which I was going to use as a landmark to travel further, but as soon as I pin-point it out I find another green tree similar to it, resembling it perfectly in height and shape. Shouldn’t the forest have been filled with diversity of flora and fauna, so how there can be an identical tree just like it everywhere I look.

It was all the fault of that ungrateful bird that left me alone, but I won’t blame it since it intently listened to my conversation and I am looking forward to another one of those. But I also cannot blame myself for bringing an outdated world map only to forget that I cannot zoom in or out of the map like I would do in the previous world and having zero experience with trekking is making this travel unbearable.

So, I came up with a hundred percent working psychological decision making method which I used even in my previous life to choose between options when I didn’t have a preferable choice of my own.

I just can’t leave everything to fate and do nothing.

So, I let the vertical wooden stick freely fall under gravity, as it would point in the direction I have to move next. Though it’s a crude method but this way I can at least have a path to follow than wander around like a vagabond. I cheerfully followed it whenever I came across two or more junctions and within no time I had a huge realization.

That… now I just don’t know anymore, how t worked for me previously.

I kicked the stone with a slight force with my legs as it fell into the depths of the cliff I was standing upon as the vastness of a new layer of greenery presented below me. I still couldn’t hear the hitting of the rock on the ground, but something more interesting caught my eyes as I carefully scanned the massive forest from the top and realized the trees at several junction and paths had been cleared only to form a huge inspection magic circle as if someone was intently keeping an eye over it.

I was overjoyed over the prospect that this would surely help me in meeting someone and then I can move with my next plan of action, which is one of the skills I mastered to my fullest even in my previous life ─ to ask for directions whenever I get lost. Usually there were instances where I end up in a wrong place, to the point of admitting that was normal for me and I started avoiding travelling altogether.

But seeing that it is a necessity now, I need to start believing on the decisions made by the sti…kk… I mean made totally by me and wherever my heart will take me to.

I started walking vertically on the steep cliff, quite easy for a born spider like me. I just had to maintain a synergy between the magic in the soles of my feet and the magic energy flowing inside through the rocks to maintain a proper balance and body posture. If the magic is insufficient I would lose my footing and if I apply too much then that would lead to...

I drastically increased the magic on my soles as the rocks underneath cracked and burst outwards; I jumped and flawlessly landed on the ground without a single scratch.

That brings me to the present scenario where I am being followed by several pair of gazes from all around me.

Maybe I should be thankful for the attention, but is it really the kind I should appreciate because I have never been in the spotlight. But even if they have to stalk me at least they should have followed the three golden rules which I read once on an internet blog about ─ ‘mastering the principles to be a successful ethical stalker’, when I thought I should become a detective and try joining the detective club.

A successful stalker perfectly mingles in the crowd, they cannot let the target know that they are being pursued and yet make them feel uncomfortable with the uncanny vibe that their every action is being watched. They have to deceive everyone including themselves that they are a part of the dark side of the shadows and no one can know their true form and intentions. And last but the most important is that to maintain a thorough log book of the activities of the target no matter what difficulties the observer has to go through to collect information and bring success to the mission.

Internet sure is a powerful thing, but now it has become a thing of my past.

I am sure I wrote these golden rules on the joining form for the detective club, but I had to drop out because they rejected my joining form on the pretext that I would fit much better in the ‘chasing bingo birds’ club, but I had no plans of joining a weird club that chases birds around all day in the zoo.

Being not sure was another problem as I couldn’t tell whether my pursuers were just some watchers, hunters or stray bandits. But they sure are doing everything for letting me know that I am being followed – by carelessly using search magic and that too with material attribute.

Did they forget to take into account that even if it reveals my location but on the contrary if I have a master over magic control then I can easily trace back their location too. I have been taking care of monsters by using my web magic, which are dipped again in my poison magic. A single touch of these sharp webs and the monster won’t even realise when the poison paralyzed its brain and killed it.

But then again I might be led into thinking that I have outwitted them, while they are outwitting me, to make me drop my guard and attack at the most opportune moment. But if I again outwit them by thinking that they think they have outwitted me, while I pretend to not notice and outwit them….Hmmmm…. I felt a crushing pain in my head. Why this endless cycle of outwitting others has to exist in the first place.

Either one is a problem for me if they are hostile, but if I am able to explain them properly my situation then I can only be at an advantage.

But if I try to face my problems head on then… this should totally work and it’s not like I have anything precious on me to be stolen and following me around is going to lead us nowhere since I am myself lost.

So, there is only one way to bring this loop to an end and that is….

***

REGIS ASCALON

Presently I am pursuing the invader along with ten other knights from the elite corps that serves directly under father. Leaping from tree to tree, the forest was our territory and we were confident with our ability to hide in it and use it to our advantage. While they are following the person in question, they are also keeping an eye on me. It could be that they might have been ordered by father, to bring me back if anything goes wrong with this mission.

But I don’t care with whatever orders they have been given, I simply need to focus on the task at hand and successfully complete it. Only then I can prove that I am not useless and it would also serve as a test of my capabilities whether I can survive in the outside world or not. I am going to bring back the intruder and present them in front of my father… and if they are aggressive then I will take them down without any hesitation.

Feeling a bit at odd as the other soldiers stared at me, I knew I was regarded as a malfunction from whom nothing could be expected. I had to show results of my hard work no matter what I have to go through and how much pain I have to endure.

Pulling the hood of the green cape down on my face, stealing myself from their eyes, I pushed further to take a closer look on our intruder.

Only to be surprised to find a human girl by her body features ─ about my height with medium size straight black hairs going down to her shoulders, I could not take a proper look at her appearance because of the white mask which covered the top-half of her face.

It was rather strange to see someone in such bright exclusive-special-looking clothes I had never seen before and to wander alone. Or, could be that she might be just a diversion and the real culprit is hiding nearby. I used my wind detection magic only to find nothing. For another point, I cannot seem to feel any strong kind of magic presence from her which would mean that she might not be tough to handle. Strangely there are no strong monsters in the vicinity which would usually be the case and I would take that as a good luck sign for me.

Furthermore, I have a strange feeling that this human might already know that we have been following them, since she has been at times looking straight in our direction and maybe I even made an eye-contact for once. But the elven knight’s are too proud to take that into account and consider it only a coincidence.

I also cannot get a read on her movements that are quite strange, seeing that she has circled around the same route for a third time… could it be that she is lost in this forest. But what business does a girl alone would have in the deepest parts of the Demon Continent.

Humans are a species which we elves are mindful of; seeing that when some elves return to our homeland who have been freed from slavery. They are detestable species that make slaves out of their own people and even force and abduct others species and drag them into the bottom. Even the humans who live in the elven kingdom have to strictly abide by the elven laws and they are cut off from the outside till they decide to stay here. But even then I can’t bring myself to accept that everyone is the same, not at least in my position.

I can’t rely on the knights help and also because this is my personal mission which I will handle alone. Not that they would let me join in their plan because I can’t use elven telepathy which should come naturally to all elves. But because of my strong affinity to destructive wind magic I have been an outcast and ostracized by most of them while they bad-talk about me and I wouldn’t even know about it.

But that doesn’t make a difference of what my priorities are and what must I do to become strong, that I wouldn’t have to lose anything again or feel inadequate.

Suddenly, the human stopped moving and the elven knights at the back including me were on guard, but instead they had already readied their bows, on the contrary I decided to only carefully observe the target for now.

“Is she insane…” I hissed to myself in utter shock. Out of all of my expectations she was waving her hands freely in the air, maybe as a gesture of greetings as she walked towards us.

But that would be apparent only to me ─ since the knights on the rear might consider it as a sign of releasing some kind of magical attack. Before I could warn them, bunch of magically enhanced arrows were launched from their bows.

Tcch.

I had to do something… something and somehow prevent it, before she could have gotten hurt. But there was no escaping and if she might be innocent then… I would only be able to blame myself. Not knowing when to act and realizing that it has already been too late has always been one of the biggest regrets of my life and it is just repeating itself in front of me again.

Unexpectedly my mind went blank…

“Huhhh…” before I could think of anything further, my footing seemed to be off, as I seemed to have missed to inhale a single breath. I tried to curve my legs only to feel thin air as I was about to fall on the ground. In that moment I saw a black shine that made all the arrows disappear while the trees were cut down in half and the other soldiers met the same fate.

But I was not done yet… I won’t lose without knowing what actually struck me…. And if I know that then I can absolutely win by forming a battle tactic. I tried to use wind magic forcefully to maintain the speed of my fall and at the last moment to turn around and hover over the ground.

“Impressive. You are still standing.” I was dumbfounded to hear a voice that would have belonged to a young girl as I turned back to the source of sound.

“Should you really be impressed by your enemy who is going to capture you?” I asked a quick question as I loaded my arrow on the bow, trying to take aim I fired at the hazy figure.

“How could I miss this close?” I jeered. But the girl vanished right in front of me, too fast for me to even follow around with my eye. But something still did not fit right with the situation. I looked around and the soldiers were pinned to the ground unable to move, their bows and strings slashed in halves.

While a strong sense of numbness clouded my body’s movement. My arrows and bow almost felt weightless as I at least understood that using them further had no meaning.

“Who are you?“ I shouted. Trying to pinpoint where she actually went into hiding.

“Me. I am Alicia.” That voice this time came from upfront. Astonishingly, she again appeared in front of me, even knowing that I would attack her with the slightest chance appearing… but then something in me went berserk when she came close. Her face lowered down, trying to see mine hidden under the hood.

“Get away from me.” I screamed at her. Pushing my right leg forcibly backward, I tried to manage and form a proper support for myself, as I thrust my bow forward to put a suitable distance between us. I wanted to push her away, thinking that I would hurt someone again with this power if she touched me.

But instead of making distance, she straightened up, a white closed fan in her hands, blocking my full powered bow swing mid-way like it had just been a gentle push.

Out of frustration as a final warning I again led out a war cry, as I turned the direction of the bow and made it accelerate upwards, but it was dodged this time as she shifted to my right.

“I just want to talk. So, if you would please put that bow away.”

Even though I heard her words clearly, but I refused to understand the meaning of them maybe because of my own personal agenda, as I spinned the bow in my hands to use it like a long pole in close quarter combat. I was about to land a menacing blow on her head but then the blades of the fan opened up with a metallic crackle and a gust of strong wind threw me backwards.

Before I could stand up again to fight back, the sharp blades of the fan were close to my neck, without realizing that my hood was off and my identity exposed.

In that moment I took a proper look at her face, probably resembling to a age close to mine, a faint smile surfaced on her cheeks, her mouth slightly open as if in surprise, but her red glowing eyes beneath that mask spoke otherwise ─ the only thing I could think of was that my life was at her mercy.

***

ALICIA ASCALON ASHBORN

I always heard from great people speaking in books about how we need to face our problems head on and only then we can achieve our goals. And when I tried to do just that, even waving my hands in appreciation for coming to look after me themselves and saving me the hard work to find for them instead.

I am ultimately rained by arrows that would have killed me on a first hit, right. If only those great men were still alive I would have probably stormed their houses and sued them for their misguided teaching and for planning an attempt on my life.

But now I have to even take care of this mess. That would make ten and another one close by… as I applied gravitational magic to restrain them and wind magic to break any harmful sharp objects they wanted to play around with.

We can’t have a peaceful talk with knives in our hand, now can we.

But it seems that one of them is still able to resist as I saw a figure of almost same height as me still standing. I drew in closer to exchange a word of pleasantries and curious to see the face beneath that hood which covered only half of it. And if she turned out to be a girl it would make conversing easy for me.

But things went quite differently as she got upset with me prying. I knew I was bad at socializing but not to that extent that they would try to kill me just for coming close. As if I had touched a special part of her that should not have been struck even under any special circumstance.

I already knew being hammered around by a bow was not going to be a pleasant feeling so I decided to knock her unconscious too.

‘STOP….’ A gentle and loud voice screamed inside of my head as the blades of my weapon fan stopped midway.

‘Al… who was the one who called out to me just now.’ I was sure it was not one of those restrained people or her and I also cannot sense any other presence around.

{UNSUCCESSFUL TO TRACE OUTSIDE INTERVENTION.]

So, someone tried to contact me telepathically from the outside. Suddenly my eyes dropped lower as I saw long red hairs fluttering openly in the wind; belonging to the girl I knocked down on the ground. She was had a tall figure while she wore a red cloth outfit with a lather girdle and long boots. Her slender yet fit figure was a sight for green-eyed jealous people, while I focused on the part which the hood covered before it fell off.

She had long ears and a pretty face. Did I mention long ears, pointing outwards, though not to an extent I was expecting and yet they were long unlike mine.

Which no doubt implied she was one of the another world races – an elf. I was sure to meet them at some point but this is more than to call myself just lucky to just chance upon them. I took a closer look and realized that even the other pursuers under their hood were elves as I playfully pushed their hoods down with a little bit of wind magic.

Why didn’t I think of this before, a large forest with a large scale magic engraved over it. Such a master-piece work could only have been owned up by none other than elves.

I had just so many questions to ask. If I had to begin from somewhere then how about telling me that do they have problem while making their twirls straight. Doesn’t their comb get stuck every time while combing their hairs in between the ears? Would they have preferred to use toothpaste or a chew stick twig to brush their teeth to propagate their close relationship with the nature propaganda?

But then I processed the telepathic communication one of the pinned men received and understanding the merits of following them I finally decided to lift up the gravitational field magic.

As I thought they were no more hostile against me anymore though they were passing unusual nevertheless suspicious looks at me.

The elf girl had already pulled back by now, while the others had made a defensive formation again. While one of them filled in the information to the elf girl and by his manners it made me think that it was possible for her to be a higher ranking person.

“Princess Regis, we have received direct orders from the Forest Sylva Maiden, to bring this human back to the royal palace.”

“Wait! Mother did that. But what has she to do with an unknown person like her. I can’t think of anything.” The elf girl harshly stomps on the ground and after crunching her teeth she started staring at me.

Does she even realize that I can hear the whole conversation and why is she glaring at me so angrily. With the only option left for me to look the other way, even when I wanted to look at those long ears for much longer.

The elf girl quietly walks towards me and without looking at me she spoke in a harsh tone, “The elven kingdom will be taking you into custody now, do you accept your crime of unlawfully entering the borders of this kingdom.”

“But… as I said before, I am just lost, so I don’t think any of those charges are valid on me.” I didn’t wanted to become an unlawfully border crossing criminal without no good reason. This would have probably left a bad impression and then I wouldn’t be able to learn much about these elves.

“Anyways, what was your name again? You can just call me Regis. I presume we are of almost same age.”

Did she really intentionally ignore what I had to say; on the contrary I was quite okay with knowing names as a start.

After introductions, the guards and the girl called Regis escorted me to the royal castle, or as they described it to be. We walked almost for thirty minutes and the remaining time on a carriage we got on at the border gates, which was akin to a long, gigantic wall carved out of giant trees.

During this whole time it was made sure that I did not realise the way to the royal castle from the border gate by covering the windows, not that it would have helped me either way. But since it was their job, I did not object, but would have appreciated the chance of sigh-seeing the kingdom. It seems that they use some kind of large terrestrial bird for man-powering the carriage.

But just putting up a small perception blocking barrier was not enough to block my analyse skill. How could I even miss to watch a supposedly another world kingdom for the first time when cramped in a small carriage with a bunch of soldier, and being taken to a castle on the pretext of being charged for infiltrating the kingdom’s border.

Beautiful houses in the shape of a tree, giant mushrooms with hanging rooms of peach-shape, elves in leaves clothes, a landscape with a waterfall and a pristine blue river and long leaf shaped boats floating over them.

But on the contrary things did not look quite that right and that would also explain why the guards looked so frustrated. The lands seemed to be mostly dry; there was nothing exciting about the place I was passing through, even the cluster of houses built around the trees most probably resembled like giant tree houses which I would have found either way in my previous world.

I expanded my senses and realized that most part of the kingdom might have been going through a dark phase because of the lack of magic in the nature and the land. For a moment I wondered what the reason could be because only this specific part of the kingdom looked to be devastatingly affected, while the forests surrounding it far away were still brimming with life.

Obviously they wouldn’t welcome an outsider like me during this kind of difficult situation. Either way if things become difficult for me to stay, I can just use teleportation magic and run far away. But for now it is the best choice to go with the flow, in order to learn more about the working of this world and to gather information about the whereabouts of Athena.

I disconnected myself again and wondered why Regis had to alone board another carriage. I would have liked to know the reason from her, because she seemed to be easy-going on me as well as kind. Also she had quite a special skill which caught my eye; I wonder why she didn’t use it on me to attack. I will also ask for her forgiveness for attacking her respectively and I will do everything to know more about that skill and make it mine at the same time.

I stared at the guards, who kept gawking at my mask, for a moment I thought whether they will brandish me as a traitor if I tried asking them about more information on this place.

If I have to meet someone from the royal castle, then surely they can help me find a way to the human continent if I clear my name. It is also possible that if the person comes out to be a highly respected and resourceful individual then I can seek help to find out about Athena. But no one helps another without something to pay first. So what if I am able to fix the condition of this place and solve its problem.

But that would mean first I have to find the source of the problem and even Al cannot process any conclusion without more information except for the decreasing magic particles in the nature.

But a huge source of this magic aura I can still feel coming from underground, but it’s very unstable now. That could also prove to be the part of the reason of this entire predicament or more like an after effect.

The carriage finally came to a halt, I felt tired more than I ever felt while finding my way through the forest. The castle was befitting of the title as the main centre of an entire kingdom and the royal capital. Carved out of the hill’s top and situated in the middle, I could have gotten a full view of the kingdom but a white dense fog prevented me from doing so naturally. The wind felt so fresh and the soothing smell of the flowers that grew around the perimeter surrounding walls caught my attention. We came across another castle gate, where the guards were surprised to look at me but they have somewhat their eyes tensed up to see Regis coming along too. And those were the eyes that I understood the best, when people start doubting your existence.

For some reason I felt a bit frustrated and sad to see this happen all the time, until in the hallway I was suddenly greeted by a young woman who still looked in the bloom of her youth. The guards suddenly stood straight, with their hands in some form of a symbol tucked to the middle of their chest they held their heads tight but tilted down a bit.

Her green-hued eyes had a special charm to it and contrasted well with her lush pink lips, while her blonde hairs fell in curls down her back. Wearing a green straight gown and followed by two other elf attendants she first looked at Regis and then glanced at me.

“I am glad Regis you are back home safe.” She said in a delightful voice.

“So, you were worried about me... Mother.” Regis replied in a tone as if she did not care, but I could tell that it’s not what she really wanted to tell by looking at her. She had a sad expression and did not try to speak facing her supposedly mother, directly.

“Why is it that we have to bring her, a human to the castle instead of being questioned and for initiating an investigation?” Regis continued but was interrupted.

“I am sorry for my daughter’s rudeness. You all may leave now. Can I please inquire your name, the one who comes from a faraway land and whose path is guided by the forest’s spirits.” The lady spoke in a gentle manner, while the guards soon left after bowing to her. And she was totally playing the part of being mysterious and her words pronounced of being a believer in occultism which made me excited for a bit. Though I already knew spirits and fairies existed because I had already made contact with them in the divine realm when Athena introduced them to me when we together visited the Spirit Lake in the Eleanora forest.

“I am Alicia.” At least that’s only what I can tell to people right now, since I have no other identity or meaning attached to it. I can’t even give out my full name. But if I do remember, mother is actually a half-elf by origin, so maybe I can find her relatives as well. And if they are hers’ relatives then they are mine too, but the fact remains that I still have to keep their identity a secret and so it’s a no go from my side.

“Miss Alicia. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Please allow me to escort you to the king’s chambers. He will explain to you the situation well.”

“Wait, now father wants to meet her. Why doesn’t anyone ever tells me what is happening here. It was supposed to be my job and yet everyone seems to be only interfering in what I am doing and leaves me out alone….nothing seems to be going right anymore.” Saying that aloud Regis turned around and left quickly.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

No, one moved or spoke unless the loud footsteps had finally stopped. I too somewhat regretted for being inefficient in doing something but it was not my place to speak in between a family’s issues.

“Hahhhh… that girl is still in her rebellious stages. I would better have a proper talk with her later. I again apologize in turn for such a rude display of our daughter. Now if you would kindly follow me.”

I was for a moment dumbfounded by the fact that the king of this country was in fact Regis’s father but her outburst almost seemed natural to me. In that order, the women in front of me, Regis’s mother would be the Queen of this kingdom.

Wait…. Were my introduction even right. Did I properly address her and not break any taboo laws. Should I already plan my escape? But they seem to be so easy-going people that I couldn’t realise that until now. The fact that I was going to meet the king already sounded difficult enough but now things have become much awkward for me.

Regis who is the princess of this kingdom, I couldn’t begin to imagine with her being a part of royalty. Sure she is beautiful and has an endearing appearance, but for me she never fits in that role. And I even called her by her name. But she asked me to do it… so it’s totally normal.

It was now that I was noticing a wooden tiara encircling on Regis mother’s head that almost looked petrified into white colour and glimmered in the light which the light orbs hanging on the walls showered on it. I quietly followed her through long hallways each decorated beautifully by flower ornaments as I wondered whether a plant which bears pearl flowers would exist in their knowledge.

But my thoughts were more constrained by the fact of how I should behave in front of the king and now I know that the woman in front of me is in fact the queen of this kingdom, should I start speaking to her more respectfully or keep up with the same tone. Is it even in permissible value?

What if the king is short-tempered unlike her and would brandish me as a criminal or worst of all pass capital punishment and behead me. For a kid like me born and grew up in a democratic world, how would I ever know of social etiquettes in a king’s palace.

Beyond a huge gate with a circular arc, two guards pushed it open as soon as they saw the Queen coming. She nodded her head and the guards closed the gate and left. Bit by bit I was beginning to understand that what I was going to go through should be of confidential nature and I would be expected to maintain secrecy too… otherwise for a second I felt my own hand on my neck out of fear.

The king stood beside a golden chair with curled armrest and an adjustable back side, which can be lowered to an extent of being completely horizontal. He was looking through the window and I think you could get a plentiful look of the kingdom if someone with a maxed out appraisal skill tried to.

The king finally turned around, carrying himself with an air of dignity despite the contracted muscles on his cheeks depicting anxiety and worldly worries of maybe growing old. No, that can’t be royal elves are supposedly high elves who are known to be the one of the longest living race in this world.

The king had a gentle expression which reflected in how peaceful and sober it looked at the same time. The light reflected on the walls and the beautiful ceiling, the pleasant smell that the wind brought from the outside growing flowers ─ all were in harmony.

His tall build, and yet how thin he appeared to be with loose and decorated robe did not hide the fact that I should be wary of him. Not because he possesses brilliant magic or some kind of exceptional physical augmentation skill, but this is the first time I am seeing someone with a maxed out analysis skill and another rare skill investigation at its peak.

At present though this mask might have succeeded in hiding my real appearance but there is no doubt that this high elf can probably see my capabilities and my magical aura.

“As the king of Ascalon, I apologize for bringing you here human girl without passing onto you any information. But I am sure you understand that it is the nature of the information that demands me to use such makeshift methods to deal with it.” His tone was gentle and yet he tried to be on guard against any kind of mental attack I should have been capable of exerting on others.

“Miss Alicia please be at ease. We already know that you harbor no ill intention against us and our kingdom. It would be an honour to tend to the one guided by the forest’s spirits as our guest.” Said the queen.

Well I did feel a bit relaxed after hearing that, but still her words had made me curious. As far as I remember I was guided by the stick… I mean by my own deductive reasoning. So, what is the story or should I say the catch behind it?

“I am sure you must be aware of the situation by now and the danger the kingdom is in.” Said the king sounding a bit hoarse as if he blamed himself for it about what was going on or he considered himself insufficient to relieve the situation.

And I could surely see that concern, not because I had experience with it, but since father taught me everything to know about resolving political issues in this world since I inherited the royal demon’s family crest.

But before I could say anything, another man in the room who wore thick robes and a heavy long white cloth around his neck, his age almost reaching the limits of hitting old age – probably some kind of high-post minister of the court.

“I am sorry I don’t follow your highness, but you would be mistaken since we made sure nothing was revealed. And it would be wise to rethink before revealing the internal affairs of the kingdom to an outsider.” He sounded a bit despondent himself.

“It’s alright I am sure our little guest already knows half of what is going on. It would be foolish to underestimate her at this point of time, with how things are standing.” The minister was surely taken aback with such a high remark for me. But me who was instead of being happy still felt that he saw me only as a kid.

“I am not sure what exactly are you telling, but even if I did… what has anything of that to do with me.” I said confidently. But in actual I was scared from inside because, if I accepted of what I did by breaking rules then I will be declared a criminal. So I tried to look confident and throw back the question at him. Quite intelligent of me if I say so myself.

“Pardon me, Miss Alicia, but let me explain the full situation to you.”

I looked at the queen who was now intently looking at me but she had eyes filled with that of being specifically attracted towards me, like how I used to be when I saw a newly launched game on sale.

“Has it to do something with your title Sylva Maiden?” I said casually in the flow of the conversation.

“Impressive.” The queen was amazed and so did the king to the extent he seemed as if he was expecting this.

On the other hand the minister whispered to himself, “But how…” as if this was another of their kingdom’s secret. Now I could hear my own teeth clattering against each other, as I repeated the word in my mind again. A secret – probably a top level state secret, to be protected at any cost. Even on the outside I tried to show myself as relaxed as I could be to maintain that strong position in the room, but from the inside I was screaming upon myself for opening my mouth unnecessarily and raising flags for myself.

I already knew I was bad at playing minesweeper from the first time I was introduced to the game because I would set off the bomb every time on my first try. But I still hadn’t learnt my lesson and went and stepped on it anyway.

If I ended up knowing too much then they would surely not let me go off easy. I chuckled uncomfortably and scratching the side of my head showed that I was ready to hear.

“It all started a year ago, when suddenly our harvests dropped, the rivers flowing into our kingdoms started losing water level to the extent that they are almost getting dry now. Magic from the Codra veins flowing below the ground that supplies the world with its raw magic supply has been unstable and drastically decreasing since then. Soon dragon attacks on our kingdom increased at an alarming rate, leaving our resources and manpower unsatisfactory. With only handful of soldiers left to mobilized we send them to the dragon island for further investigation, but no reply has came since then. I am afraid to say but the unspeakable might have brought down our soldiers.” The king stopped speaking as if he didn’t wanted to continue any further after speaking about how he lost a great number of his people on a military scout mission. He glanced at his wife who then continued with his narration.

“Slowly losing all the magic from the land, the forest was harshly struck. The forest spirits did everything to maintain the ecosystem but ultimately all of them failed to stop the change. Below the kingdom of Elves lies the world’s largest tree – the Tree of Genesis and as its sole mediator who hears the revelation of the Great Spirits. But I couldn’t contact them because the Dryads and fairies that guards her closed the gates of leading to the Genesis Tree. But today I finally heard the voice of the Great Spirit and it said to me to guide the human to the dragon island. And just then you appeared and now we definitely know that the revelation is about you.”

I was left in awe and with so many questions. Why send the human to the dragon island? And how someone knows that human must be me. Is someone keeping an eye on me and then I suddenly remembered hearing that voice which asked me to stop. It might have to do something with that or I can be entirely wrong.

It was like a quest on an adventure mission, and the more the plain the mission looked the more twisted the results would prove to be. On the other hand I was already on a quest to the human continent with my personal mission. But even though I have not been making any progress rather than landing at random places but its not like I disliked that either. But I needed a definite plan. What I really needed at this point of time is….

“So, in return I would be needing a guide to show me the way to the dragon island, if you really think I am the person you need.” I said profoundly, imagining who my partner could be. Maybe an elf who specializes in archaeology wearing a brown outfit with a sand chrome hat and always holding a shovel in his hand with maps tucked under his arms, or an elf who specializes in astronomy reading stars under a full moon night sky and could tell the right direction of the place just by looking. How amazing that is.

The king and the queen were deep in thought, while the minster seemed to be going through the records in search for an appropriate companion to take me to the dragon island. But before their search could finish our meeting was interrupted by a sudden - bang sound, as the door was shoved away from its place and knocked down to the ground over which Regis lied flat. Her face stuck on the door as she had hit her nose hard, evident from the puffed up redness that had surfaced.

But she did not seem to mind the pain as she stood up fast and pretending nothing had happened she casually walked to the king but stood at a later distance away from him. Her eyes staring directly into his pupils.

“Father, I will be the one to take her to the dragon island.”Regis said proudly and almost incessantly as if not understanding the gravity of what she did or what she was asking for. Rather I already knew that she was at the door, eavesdropping, but I didn’t say anything because I did not mind letting her listen to us. But for her to volunteer herself, I was overjoyed for some reason. As if I wanted to be in her company.

But then looking at the troubled looks on the king’s and queen’s or rather the worried look on her father’s and mother’s face made me rethink my choice. I stayed quite with my head down unable to muster the appropriate words for the situation.

Regis on the other hand understood the meaning of the silence in the room. Her head dropped down, I could feel her magic going out of hand as the door under her feet which had already been crunched into circles to some extent because of her touch and skill was now decimated to pieces.

“Why do you both always choose to stay quiet?” Regis screamed, pushing her hand in frustration a strong wind broke the glass window and turned the room into topsy-turvy. She paused for a second there realizing what she had done, but instead of going for a breath to calm herself she yelled again, “All I ever wanted was for you two to share your troubles with me. Even when everyone doesn’t want me around or doesn’t want to associate with me, you two always showed up whenever I needed you. I was fine with that much, I didn’t need anyone else. But as time passes by seeing you so much worried, you refuse to share it with me even when I asked. So I worked hard thinking that one day I will get a chance when you would be proud of me… and now when I learn the reason. You still don’t allow me to be the part of it. And even if I fail right now or something would happen to me…. No one would really mind now, would they?”

“Regis, how can you say that to your mother?” Regis’s mother words got tangled up in the end overwhelmed by her daughter’s proclamation she broke in tears.

The king holding the queen’s shoulders sternly looked at Regis. His face was hardened, unlike the one I had met a while ago as a gentleman.

“Little girl I have heard enough of your arrogant demands. This not your place to decide right now what you should be doing with your life. Your parents care about you that’s why we keep you out of trouble. Regis go back to your room and think what about you have done and what you are going to do after this, for now you are not to leave the castle no matter what circumstance comes up until I grant you permission.”

Creakkkk….

Regis without putting much force on the broken door tried to step down, but could not avoid the creaking voice that had disbanded the pin-drop silence in the room. Without uttering another word she left the room, while I just stood as a bystander again in all of this as I saw her tears moisten the floor.

This time I had a new realization. A thought that had never crossed my mind. And in the moment it did, no matter what, I wanted to achieve it. With no one to judge me or look after me I still wanted to do it even if I am left alone. For a moment, I wondered what kind of relationship I would have had if my parents were still alive in the previous world.

Would they have been proud of me, with what I was doing now and hesitating to help. Or would they have been okay with me seeing a friend cry. A fried… is she my friend. We haven’t really talked that much except for names. But we did fight, without any one getting hurt and because of that I know her better than anyone else I know around.

I think I failed to realize again such a simple thing…. That the moment we met I wanted to be friends with her. I just cannot ask for people to come to me and make me their friend, maybe sometimes I have to start things on my own.

“It seems that you again had to witness an embarrassing situation of our family squabbles. So, why don’t we put off this discussion for now, the maids outside will show you the room we have prepared for you. I hope that you will find our elven tradition hospitality to your liking.”

“I will give you my reply on the decision soon, the next time we meet.” Saying that I quickly left the room. I think at least with this I am getting pretty good at reading a room now.

The only people that remained in the room were now the King, the Queen and the personal advisory minister. After a moment of silence the minster spoke of his doubts.

“Your majesty is it alright to put the future of our kingdom in that young human girl’s hands. She has whatsoever no relation to the human continent and by looks of it seemed to be aloof of this world’s common sense. I think we should still consider other options first as a precaution, even if it was a revelation from the Great Spirit.”

His voices did not have any distortion and he had placed all his evaluation in determining the optimal solution for the crisis. If the kingdom was still holding well and not largely affected by this pandemic then it was due to the wits of this old man who had dedicated his body and soul to the betterment of this kingdom. No other was befit of the position he was holding and his doubts were most viable.

But that’s where the king’s love for his country rises above his subjects and his decision binds the prosperous future of the country to the present by learning from the past.

“Tell me do you even know what it means when a strange person knocks at your door at the most wrong time and you don’t even have a clue who that person is or where they are from. I have a fair share of dealing with the world’s strongest people myself and now I am more than experienced enough to just look and tell when a powerhouse crawls into my home. It is imperative at this time that we decide whether this person is a foe or an ally, well either one is a problem. The appearance of strong and powerful is always a forewarning of a bigger looming danger in the future and no one can escape that fate. As a survivor of the Great War myself no one would better understand than me. In this time, we must do everything to maintain peace and order in this country by establishing connections with people who can upturn the worst tides by a flick of finger.”

“I may not understand well, but now that I remember you were rather close to your elder sister.” The minister said while pulling his beard.

“Don’t remind me of that time, all I have is bad memories of her when in the name of playing with me she would take us to the forest and use me as a bait to bring out monsters and practice her swordsmanship.”

“Either way this world is finally safe because of the great sacrifice the true hero, your elder sister made during the Great War and we will be ever grateful to her.”

“Well if only that were true.” The king stopped before he could finish his sentence and choked on his own words “….why don’t we just forget we ever had this chat.”

“Allow me to take my leave your majesty.”

The king nodded and the minster left for making preparations to get the room fixed which Regis destroyed a while ago.

Regis’s father, the king putting the hand on his table while resting his whole body weight over it, took a deep breath. Taking off his crown from the head, he took a quick look at his crown and lightly threw it on the chair as it willfully landed on the soft cushion that covered the stiff wooden seat. The weight of the crown did not even disfigure the fluffiness of the cushion a bit and yet it weighed so heavy on the head of the person who wore it.

“That’s not what I really wanted to say to her.” The King tiredly spoke.

The queen got closer to him while rubbing his back and shoulder she smiled at him, while wiping off her own tears which had again welled up. “It’s alright dear. Regis is young and our child. She will one day surely understand.”

“Is this position of a king really that difficult to put the family on one side and the kingdom’s people and future on the other? I wanted to hug her and say that it wasn’t true and that she was precious to us more than anything in this world. Is it really difficult to communicate such feelings today, that we both end up suffering?”

“For me at least you are my husband first and then my king and the same is true for Regis and the fact you are his ever doting father would never change. Just so you know your family loves you and no matter how difficult the situation we find ourselves in we can easily overcome it together.”

“I am sure you are right.” The king finally found comfort in the embrace of his queen.

“By the way, I never thought you were going to blurt out the secret of the Ascalon family so easily. Well I might just be the lucky one to end up knowing about it.”

“I still remember the day, when elder sister contacted me over the transmission magic amulet out of the blue when she gave birth to her daughter, she was so happy. And you just happen to walk in the communication chamber that day.”

“And she is such a wonderful person, to think that she had to go through so much and live in isolation just for the peace of this world and for the war to finally come to an end.”

“Damn you elder sister, always showing your charming and heroic personality to others and now we have another victim here now.”

“Either way I would like to hear from her soon.” The queen grinned.

“I am sure she is doing just fine even right now wherever she is, because she too has got her own family to look after all.”

***

REGIS ASCALON

Taking a deep breath my back slowly slid downwards on the pillar only to fall down after my legs gave way and pain took over my body when the skill activated on itself and I had to forcefully suppress it. I stormed in father’s work and said such horrible things.

“That’s not what I really wanted to say? Not at all.” I whispered to myself.

All I wanted was a chance for them to trust me. The one with whom the entire fault lies is me…to think that I would even make my own mother cry. I ruined everything, how am I ever going to face them again. Is there even a way to fix things and turn it back to how it was before?

What would that human girl think of me…. What was her name again? Alicia, she herself said. Even though she might be strong or whatever revelation might have brought her here, the one who should really be helping out my parents is me. I will be the one to lessen their burden and finally they will see me as their equal…. And we can be finally again together.

Why am I worrying about what she thinks of me? Her perspective is none of my concern… at least for now.

I will also set out to adventure the outside world and learn how to use this power at my own will and then help my family and kingdom in every possible way I can.

I took notice of a figure passing me a stare eye from behind the pillar. Is she really an idiot or just that oblivious?

I rose up from the place and started walking, because I had enough of her.

Step….Step…..Step.

But I heard another set of footsteps repeating again. Step….Step….Step.

I quickened my pace. step.step.step.

And so did the footsteps following behind me. step.step.step.

This time I pretended to. step. step…. Stop suddenly.

While behind me followed. step.step.step.

“Caught you. So you really were following me.” I said turning back around to the human girl, Alicia whom I recently brought to the palace.

“Huhhhh…” Her late response and startled face made it look to me like, how could I have spotted her so easily.

“Out with it, why are you following me.” I asked her.

She stared at the blank air for a moment as if intentionally trying to come up with an excuse,”You see, we just happen to go along the same way.”

Well that’s an excuse which works for your first time, alone.

“Fine then, now go back to where you are supposed to be.” saying that I started walking again. Step. Step. Step. step.step.step….

Step. Step. Step. step.step.step. She followed.

“Is there something you want with me?” I said without turning back.

“Nothing, I am just sight-seeing.”

“Then you are in the wrong part of the castle to look because this place has nothing good to see. Ask any of the servants and they would be happy to be your guide.”

“But I want you to be the one.” She whispered.

What did you say, again?”

“Just that the plant growing on the walls looks great.”

“Just so you know that’s not an art, it’s just simple grass. This part of the palace is not regularly renovated and so plants might grow sometime if you leave it neglected. Usually I take care of the cleaning myself, but recently…” Why am I the one telling her all of this, I thought to myself?!

“Oh is that so, then how about…” Alicia started turned her head around the hallway, but this part of the castle was really dull indeed as she had described.

“Could it be that you are lost again?”

“No,…. Not exactly.” Alicia’s face started sweating as her cheeks became red with embarrassment.

“Haahaaa….” For a moment there I could not help but laugh.

And when I looked at her she started laughing with a faint smile too. I found it so charming and wondered how she looked under that mask. Why is she hiding it? Well travelers do usually tend to keep their identity a secret, but a mask is quite an outdated means now.

“Is there something funny about you getting lost every time?” I asked her with a serious face. If she is in a foreign place, then she should just ask someone.

Wait, could it be that she came to ask from me…. But after watching me like that and my power going berserk on its own. Why would she still approach me? I am dangerous and that’s all to it, no one would like to associate with someone like me anyways.

“Come with me. I will take you back to your room after some time.”

“Umu.” She gladly said, with a childish voice. Now I was feeling a bit awkward for being so harsh, when all she has been was nice to me, even when I was the one to attack her first.

We went straight and after taking a right, came to the only room in that hallway, and beyond the door was my huge extra spacious room. I passed her an entry and she did not seemed to be surprised by how huge my room was or otherwise people would usually be amazed to see how huge the royal palace is. Could it be that she is someone who has experienced these things before.

It was already getting dark outside, and I didn’t know why I even brought her to my room, while I was supposed to escort her to her own. Since she is here, why don’t I have a talk and try to get some information out from her? She would have surely got something special to tell me if she has been travelling, and maybe I can learn something from her experience… except for her navigation issues.

“It’s getting late, do you want me to get us something to eat.”

“I am fine by it if you join me too.”

“Alright I will do. But I am going to decide the menu and get you the best dish the chef can cook for us.” I was delighted to share my meal finally with someone other than my family.

I went to the door to ask the workers of the palace, to get the food ready. But soon, things became quite again, as I realized she is not a smooth-talker herself. I would find her sometimes gazing at my ears and I felt a bit insecure.

But I was saved when the food came in, and we had a table set up for the two of us in the room itself. I asked the maids to leave and they did so gladly. No, surprise there.

“Did you like the food?” I asked after we have started with the dinner.

“Yes, it’s great. I have never known of the ingredients used in this food before.”

“Well, they are only exclusively available in the elf kingdom and you will find them nowhere else on the entire continent.” I said proudly. I was having fun talking to her.

“So, why won’t you help me later to get some of these ingredients… princess?” Alicia’s words stuttered in the end.

“Just call me Regis as I said before.”

“Okay Regis.” She said with a bright smile on her face, as if the whole point of saying something like that was to make me say this in turn.

It made me feel uncomfortable, because this was my first time when I was having fun with a person I have never known before.

“Alicia why don’t you tell me more about yourself.”

“Well there is nothing more I can tell except that that is my name.” she said casually.

“Then tell me why do you wear that mask?” I was interested to know at least that much. Does she even take it off or not? Well it was conveniently made that anyone could eat food without worrying of wearing the mask or not.

“I do it because this was a gift from my mother and I need to keep my identity a secret, so that I don’t end up in a problem.”

“Well, I can already see it happening, so I will stop asking about that. But do you really plan to go to the dragon island.” I was now getting serious and wanted to know firsthand of her intentions.

“I haven’t decided yet, but if you accompany me as you willingly offered, then surely I can think of something.” Alicia smiled pointing her spoon up in the air.

“Tell me; don’t you want to know why everyone avoids me?” I said in a saddened tone. I could not understand how she could even say that after what she saw and heard.

“Is it because you cannot control your skill. Well I saw you destroying the door before. I wanted you to use that skill against me during the small exchange we had for the first meeting.”

“Are you even in your right mind?” I said standing up from the chair. ”How can you even say that.” Suddenly the table started vibrating, and without me realizing the wind in the room had already formed a destructive current as the things inside it started shaking devastatingly.

“Regis calm down.” I heard a deep voice from Alicia which was her own voice but it did not carry the same childish attitude from before. The red colour in her eyes was glowing and the strong wind currents in the room dispersed in a second and the table stopped shaking.

“You saw that now, whatever I touch gets destroyed. Even you aren’t safe around me. So you shouldn’t be with someone like me.”

I wanted to know how she sought to me and even if the answer was a negative, I was prepared to face it.

“Regis do you in any way feel like hurting me?”

“No, not at all. Why would I ever do that?”

“Then, it’s that simple. There is nothing for me to be afraid of, is there. You weren’t even trying to harm me for the first time we met.” Alicia put another bite of the stew as she chewed on it later for some time and overjoyed by the outburst of tastes she felt in her mouth.

“I see that now, you are a very good person. So, why don’t we go together to the dragon island as you said and even if it is going to be a difficult journey, I am sure we both will be doing just great.” But I think my face receded to a grim expression, no matter what good things I say.

“Yes. So you finally understand.” Alicia cheerfully said and we were almost finished with the dinner.

“Alicia why don’t you stay the night here, the room’s big enough for the two of us and if you are fine with sleeping on the ends of the bed.”

“I am alright with it.” Alicia sat on one side of the bed after I brought out another pair of bed sheet and pillow for her from the drawer.

“Before going to sleep why don’t you try the milkshake I recently learned to make? It’s quite refreshing.”

“I will, but will you really make one for me.” Alicia gave a yes to my offer.

“Why don’t you just wait here while I get the glass ready.” I walked to the other corner of the room where under the table drawer I was sure to find a set of glasses. I brought out a cold bottle of milk and other ingredients that I had prepared beforehand to add. Specifically the one I wanted to use, but I needed to do it discreetly from her as I hid the sachet properly after emptying it.

“Here is yours.”

Alicia took the glass from my hand and I made sure that she emptied the glass. After making sure she went to rest, I made an excuse to go outside.

After five minutes, I returned back to the room, only to find her deep in sleep.

“Sorry Alicia, it seems that you are too good a person to be with me. I said that you shouldn’t stay with me but honestly it’s because I already know that it’s me who has no right to. I need to take care of this myself and I don’t want you to risk your life in my meaningless endeavour. But it’s something I will do and not rest until it’s done. Because otherwise there would be no point of the life I have lived. Thank you for saying what you said before.”

I looked at the face of Alicia trying to imagine the kind of face that could hold such beautiful smile that would even make my heart open to her. I brought my hands almost close to her mask, but I could not feel like betraying her anymore, after what I have done. I was not worthy of her trust.

I left the room quickly, because I wouldn’t have been able to restrain myself. Those strong sleeping drug in high dose would be more than enough to put her to sleep for an entire week and no magic would work, because this drug repels magic. I would usually take it in very small doses if I fail to control my power during training.

It was time for me to leave the castle; I did not want to back down from what I had decided no matter….even if the people who cared about me would start hating me. I wouldn’t mind. But now I don’t want to live in the protective shadow of my parents anymore even if it means clashing with the tsunami itself. Even if it destroys me.

***

DRAGON ISLAND [ 1 YEAR AGO]

It was close to midnight : a white moon floated high in the sky, but the sea that enveloped the landmass below reflected a cold light.

“GWahhhhaahhhhh…..” A huge roar shearing through the atmosphere as if proclaiming the beginning of the end of the world itself echoed in the pacific vastness of the water bodies surrounding it.

Brown, black, purple; a change of colors one didn’t usually see. The color of the sky strangely but surely kept on changing. The only thing was clear that it was not a natural phenomenon.

No one for sure could know what this abnormal sky heralded unless lightning froze the sky and two figures squaring off against each other decimated the blue.

A monster with green spikes and almost akin to an alligator’s skin sprawled in the sky with its huge bony wings spread far, wearing a black armour around its long neck and abdomen, with sharp covering spikes and bolts penetrating its skin down from its spine to its long tail’s very end. This was…

The Ruler of the Cursed Night Sky ─ Ouroboros.

On the other side, where magic in vast quantity pooled in itself, a wide mouth breathed it in and the next second releasing it out with full force massive flames of fire almost burning the emptiness of the sky to oblivion – a power and fire force that could rival even the depths of the sun. A huge black body with wide outspread wings that blotted the entire sky, a culmination of power, fire, pride and madness. That being was an existence that was born from outside the rules of this world.

The Ruler of Dragons ─ The Black Emperor Dragon

The black dragon repeatedly warded off the huge green dragon’s blows, repelled its blows and occasionally blocked its blows but no harm ever came to it or the island below which was its home, while the green dragon seemed to have been reaching its limit both on magic and the wounds it has received.

The war cries of these two heavenly beasts fighting only brought disaster as massive tides flooded the small islands to disappearance; the land was hit with earthquakes and cyclones.

The green dragon – Ouroboros flew to a distant height in the sky while the Black Emperor watched it from below with a menacing glare from its golden eyes.

“Wahaaaahhhh….” The green dragon opened its mouth broad in rage.

A huge purple cube materialized and floated in front of it. Broken into even smaller cubes they started rotating in a circular fashion, which even created its own wind daft. The area it encircled turned purple and a humongous finger of light sped towards the ground enveloping it in its cruel impression. Everything annihilated the moment the light touched.

Swallowing everything as it expanded and ultimately the Black Emperor too couldn’t escape the light, a single hit and its wings got severed. The mightiest dragon that walked this world was brought down to the bottom of the land from the zenith of the skies and submerged in its depths.

***

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