Last Time on Dx4...
Luka, David, Saia, Ren and wistas went together along Loran side to reach the Dark Forest, The home land of all Elves, which is forbidden to all other races since 200 years ago, what fate awaits them within the trees and mist of the Elves Forest?
.....
On the way the way to the forest, Luka suddenly take a stop.
Luka: …
David: Hey, move it.
Ren: Luka? Something wrong?
Luka: ... If my eyes are not wrong, that thing lying on the road there is...
Ren: Huh?! Something wrong on the road?? I-I don’t see anything wrong... (She starts to look around nervously)
David: Tch, god damn it, is that why you stopped us? (David looks rather careless, and in a hurry too as he started walking again)
Wistas: Luka, is it enemies you see? (He slowly rest his hands ready on his twin daggers, while carefully looking around with his eyes)
(Suddenly Luka rushes forward without answering any of them)
Lora: hey David, what’s wrong with that idiot?
David: nothing wrong in him especially, they are all like that, Dwarves I mean.
Lora: All like what?
David: Take a look. (He points at Luka)
(As Luka reach some point he stops and reaches something lying on the ground)
Luka: I am blazing lucky today WOHOOO!!!
(As he shouted these words he started jumping happily around holding something in his hand)
Ren: L-Luka?? What’s going on, what did you find there?
Luka: See here, I just found a pouch full of gold!!! I am totally blessed today WOHOOO!!!
Ren: G-gold eh? I was too worried that I thought something is off, I feel awkward...ahahah.
Wistas: I feel the same.
Luka: Wist my man! Can you look at this!! There is just too much in it! I bet we can--
Lora: Would you stop this already?! We have to keep going idiot, the sun already about to set!
Luka: I am not gonna share you any of my gold with you.
Lora: Say what you old greedy Dwarf?!
Ren: now now, we really should get going, shall we?
Lora: He started it!!
Luka: Heh, children these days.
Lora: I am no child!
Saia: And I thought I look like a child... [PS: she is 19y.o. but looks as she is 12 or 11]
...... As this keep going for a short while, they finally stop messing around and start heading to the Elf Forest once again, this time without stopping for any silly reasons.....
Lora: Here it is, Welcome to Thee Dark forest, my home.
David: (Takes a deep breath and then sighs)
Lora: Hm? (She noticed him)
The trees are so tall that it completely block the light of sun inside of the forest, it’s as if its night inside the forest without a moon, yet, its full of life, all kinds of creatures live within these trees, and that’s why it’s called the dark forest.
Luka: Allriiight!! We are finally here, let’s go in already! Why are we standing and staring at the mist anyway?
Ren: (Hearing Luka words, she giggles a bit) Always in a rush as usual Luka, but you got a point, lets head in.
Wistas: Agreed.
Saia: I am kinda nervous, they say no one entered this part of Yarsel land except elves since 200 years... and most of us are not elves.
Luka: no worries there! I heard it as well but it’s just a rumor, also I am sure Lora will explain the situation to her friends there and things will go smoothly!
Lora: You bet!
David: Actually Luka, the 200 years story is just a myth to scare off the other unwanted races like yours from entering without a proper reason and invitation or letting the elves know beforehand... anyways lets go.
As they go in, further and further they go, behind Loran lead, the mist becomes thicker and ticker that it started to be hard to tell who is next to you, the group decides to stick together so no one get lost...
Luka: hey David, why don’t you cast some magic to light up the way or to do something to this thick fog, it started to get annoying.
David: First of all I am here, you are looking at Wistas, secondly I do not have the ability to cast something remove the legendary mist of the dark forest, it’s not ordinary mist as you can see, its magical, made by our ancestors to keep outsiders from reaching our home.
Luka: I see... but won’t you guys get lost too?
David: uh, such a stupid question, we elves can tell the smallest of small changes in any forest, we can easily find our way just by the dirt or the trees.
Lora: silence! Something is off with the mana flow in the fog...
(As everyone raised their guards, the birds fly away, the air stops, and the silent fills the place... some shadowy figure appear in front of them and its getting closer as well, its tall, but not necessarily big sized, Loran and David aren’t surprised at all.)
Luka: WH-who in the name of hell is that?!
Saia: (As she freaked out she runs and hid behind Luka who is, well, freaked out too . . .)
(Luka, Saia, Ren and wistas notices that they are surrounded by monster-like mist...)
David: "Mist spirits" huh? Looks like there is a decent magician within this forest, I didn’t see THAT coming.
And while they were occupied with the mist spirits [an eerie looking monsters that get stronger with misty environment, also known as the Dark forest guardians] two elves appeared in the front, a mighty looking male with a set of armor that shows high rank, and a female with a weird smirk on her face, with a less, well, less armor... behind her floats one of the mist spirits, Loran steps forward.
Male: Bow now before the mighty guardian of the elf forest -Me- Great Zora if you want to live.
Female: . . .
Lora: (Bows in respect) I see that you are trying to replace me with Ely, leader.
Zora: Lora? Well even I prefer your help instead of Ely, but you and your team went missing... care to tell me what happened and who are those infidels? You better not have changed your alliance...
Lora: For sure I didn’t, this team have saved me from a human gang that uses monsters... ofc I am the one who killed their leaders as... as a revenge for my team...
Zora: Revenge for your, don’t tell me your team died?
Lora: (Lowers her head silently)
Zora: ... I thought you and Kai are stronger than this, I can’t believe that you needed to be saved, Kai had alot of potential in him too, such a lost, but I am happy that I didn’t lost you as well, our next watcher. You did good revenging for them so their souls may rest in peace now, Lisa, Kai, Hirako, Aluri and Aylin. (Sigh’s deeply) It was my fault; I should've trained you better.
Ely: Ahem, Zora, may I play a little with our guests? I am curious to see the kind of power that saved our precious Loran.
Zora: ... Alright, I am curious about that as well, but first, I will speak with them myself. (He gets closer to them) Savers of Loran, I am thankful for your help to us and I will reward you greatly, however, I see that your looks doesn’t show your strength you used to help Loran, thus Elenora well test you, after that meet me, Ely will show you the way to find me once you succeed -and I have faith that you will- (Looks at Elenora) Ely, don’t kill any, got it?
Ely: How many times I have to tell you dear, you must say important things like this earlier! I was seconds away from killing that little Dwarf...
Luka: ...!!! (As he looks, one of the mist spirits from behind him is putting their sythe-like claw millimeters away from his neck!)
Zora: oh right, I forgot that. Lora, follow me.
Lora: Understood, but to where?
Zora: Alot of places, you will know on the way.
~Elenora mistress of mist~
Ely: Be grateful darlings, you are going to experience a fight against Elenora Korvex herself, the strongest summoner ever!
David: tch, fighting a summoner can be such a headache.
Ely: I will fight you hand to hand actually, I won’t use my spirits. (Suddenly all the spirits turn into a gray smoke and get absorbed by Ely's dual katanas) Here we go!! (She lungs at Luka directly)
Luka: Eh?!! (He block her cross slash with his shield) This woman is a nut job, aiming directly at the most durable enemy like that!!
Saia: I got your back Luka!!
MERCY SHEILD!!
Ren: I will take her on! (She dashes right in front of Ely and they start trading steel)
David: ... I am the one who will finish this, MULTI-PERFECT SHOCK!!(Many lightning bolts go forth from David's staff reaching for Ely)
Ely: that’s kind of cute to think cheap magic like this can affect me.
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With smooth moves Elenora block Ren attacks and dodge David’s electric balls at the same time, but suddenly David smirks and quickly move his staff, and with those moves the magic bolts move strangely and then they come back chasing Elenora who smoothly keep dodging them and moving away from Ren, but at a brief moment, Luka get to do the next move.
Luka: Hehe GUIDED STRIKE!!
Ely: From the back again?!
David: And again!
David led Ely in a tight spot with Luka and his magic from behind her, and Ren blocking the front as usual, as Luka manage to hit her, she move with the force of his hit to turn and then hit David's magic with her Katana which absorbed all of the bolts in second.
Ely: How is that sweetie?
David: Tch! Then how do you like Fire?! Haaaa (He rises his magic orb into the sky and then) RAIN OF HELL! (Alot of fire balls start falling from the magic orb and as David moves his staff they move with it)
Ely: Not a bad spell you got their sweetie, at the start you made me think you are a weak mage.
David: Not bad huh? I just tend to be humble at the start, but I got even better cards to play for later, and stop calling me sweetie.
Elenora jumps away of both Ren and Luka and starts hitting David’s Fire balls with her katanas, thus absorbing it within the katanas.
Ely: Hahaha, alright then, I will stop calling you that, Darling.
David: (A very disgust Look is visible at his face)
Ely: it’s my turn to cast some spells, I hope you will like my mist Katana sweethearts!
Suddenly it looks just as Elenora is holding 4 Katanas instead of 2, but before anyone understand what is happening she dashes at them, cutting whatever is in her way, but out of nowhere, Wistas jump from the darkness of the mist behind Elenora!!
Ely: [HUH?! there was another one of them?!! he was hiding all that time?!]
Wistas: You are not the only one who uses the mist for their own good! And now, DEATH CURSE & SHADOW BETRAYAL!!!
Ely: Gaah!
Ren: yaaaah! DEVOURING STRIKE!!
Ely: Don’t think you can easily beat me with this moves!! Here take back you Fire and Lightning balls!
As she release David's magic at Ren, Wistas disappear into the darkness once again, and Luka hurries to block the hits for Ren! But then...
David: (With a smirk on his face) I was waiting for you to do this...
Ely: WH-what?!
David: why do you think I kept throwing those fire balls at you while you were easily absorbing them?
Ely: No way!
David: Now Rise from hell!
The fire balls all fly together and combine in one blaze tornado.
Ely: I-I didn’t thought he can cast such a spell!! He just summoned the flame spirit! I have to admit it, that’s hot. (Not metaphorically)
David: Usually I can’t just go and summon him, I need alot of fire before summoning and you gave me this chance.
Ely: You mean you have other things to use??
David: A great magician never tell his secrets, “sweetie”.
Flame spirit: Have you actually summoned me just to take down this girl while there are 5 of you? How despicable.
David: Just do it.
Flame spirit: don’t dare and go order me around, but I do want to see how she will do with the might of my fire, let’s start with this.
Flame spirit rises his mythical flame sword and then it started to rain blazes, the hell have started.
Ely: [If this keeps up, the whole forest will burn, I guess I have to go for real.] FOG SKIN!!
Ren, Saia and Luka step back as Flame spirit flames don’t know ally or enemy, Elenora's Fog skin ability lets her be one with mist, letting her go straight into the flames of Flame spirit unharmed.
Ely: Katana magic skin: CRYSTAL ICE!
Elenora's dual katanas steel turned into crystal clear ice, and then she jumps attempting to attack Flame spirit.
Flame spirit: such weak magic won’t do a thing for me.
Flame spirit somehow manage to grab Elenora though her fog skin ability, and then slam her to the ground with his flame sword, but she fade into mist!
Ely: But I know tricks like this will work! CRYSTAL ICE SPIKES!!
Elenora appeared in midair behind Flame spirit and launched those ice spikes at him, managing to deal great amount of damage to him.
Ely: And for the finally, (She vanishes) RAIN OF BLADES!!
The mist gathers above, and then it turn to clouds and it rains down swords made of water, indeed Elenora is a great magician, David and Ren Barely dodged them, wistas also is having a bad time, Saia is hiding beneath Luka's raised shield which is gracefully blocking it as its nothing, But Flame spirit is the one who was damaged the most as he is made out of fire.
Flame spirit: Heh, not bad kid, I underestimated you, David; make a good use of my last flames.
David: Sure thing!
Flame spirit Body burns down and disappear a bit by bit, and the last flames of him explodes to a barrage of fire balls, with swift moves of David staff, it’s just as if the fire is dancing around Elenora rain of blades, But Elenora doesn’t stand still and watch, this time she is aiming at David himself, Luka, Ren, Saia and wistas are standing in her way.
Saia: Go at her Luka! Don’t worry I will take care of your wounds! HEALING LIGHT!!
Luka: Allriiight! Thanks Saia.
Ren: Luka, I have some kind of plan, could you hear me out?
Luka: Sure thing!
While Luka and Ren talk their plan into reality, wistas is having his own plans; as usual he works kind of alone.
Ely: Huh? (A shade is visible in front of her.) Hah! It’s you wistas, isn’t it? Yaaaah!
She swiftly multi-slash wistas.
Ely: I hope that didn’t kill him...
Wistas: why would it kill me? It didn’t hit me at the first place.
Ely: WH-what?!!
Wistas appear right above her back, and what she hit appears to be a shadow of wistas made out by his magic, then he delivers her a deadly cross slash on her back and three fire balls Joined the hit as well.
Ely: Gyaah!! Illusion magic?! How??
Wistas: there is no illusion, I used my dark shadow that I usually attack with to shape a copy of myself in front of you to distract your attention and make an opening in your swift defenses.
Luka: Let us join as well!!
Ren: Here we go!
Ren jumps into the air spinning her deadly axe preparing for a fatal attack, but Elenora kicks wistas out of the way and then rise her katanas in ready to take Ren’s attack, but the moment Ren gets close, Elenora jumps back as she noticed that there is no way to block that devouring axe.
Ren: ..!! Luka NOW!!
Just before Ren hit the ground, Luka slides beneath her raising his shield and then she hit the shield, the recoil of the hit sends Ren flying right in front of Elenora!
Ren: Heheh, Finally I got you in air!
Ely: ..!! [She knew I would jump instead of dodging sideways or block?!]
Ren: DEVOURING AXE: MANA DINNER!!
Elenora tries to block the hit at the last moment but there is no use, Ren throws her far away with that a slash, and taking that as a chance, David surrounds Ely with his fire balls.
David: I did say before I will be the one ending this, didn’t I?
Ely: [I have to cast a water or ice shield now... huh? WH-why it’s not working?!]
Ren: There is no use.
Ely: What?!
Ren: You are trying to cast water based spell right? that what any magician will do in your case, my last attack: mana dinner, lets my axe eat one of your magic elements, which binds you to be enable to use it until I give you it back, good luck with David fire!
Ely: huh, Hahaha, not bad sweetheart, you are way better than what I thought, but you shouldn’t underestimate your enemy...
Ren’s axe's blade tip is glowing with blue color, which is where Elenora's water element magic-core is.
David's fire closes to Elenora, she giggles once more, and then all of a sudden, the fire balls are not heading to Elenora, but spinning around her instead!!
David: what? (He tries to move them with his staff again and again but nothing changed) why...? Huh!
Ely: Making me unable to use my beloved water spells doesn’t mean I will lose, as you know, I am an expert magician, in other words, I can use way more than just water, ice and mist! Controlling wind by itself is way more useful at this moment than water; it’s just that I don’t like casting them.
Elenora is casting winds to control the movement of the fire balls as well as keeping herself in midair; as a result she now can hit anyone she wants with David's fire balls!! All of them rising up their guard for Elenora's next move, however...
Ely: I think that’s it... you all have passed my test darlings!!
Luka: uhhh, aren’t we supposed to beat you up to pass?
David: Idiot! "If your enemy makes a mistake never tell them"!!
Ren: hmmm, I think she just made us pass because she doesn’t want to use spells not related to water element, and without spells she is going to lose to us to say at least.
Ely: Totally right sweetheart!!
David: you could have denied it at least...
Luka: Hahaha we win, that’s all what matters!
Saia: you did very well as usual guys!
Wistas: thank you for healing.
Saia: That kick broke your ribs badly... good thing that the others make Elenora busy while I heal you.
Ely: now now darlings, follow my lead.
She makes all of the fire balls disappear with her katanas and then she smoothly flew all the way to in front of them and lands.
Ely: hurry up now, we don’t want to keep Zora waiting.
Elenora takes them deeper into the forest until they started to see houses and shops of the elves, in other words they have reached the center of the Dark forest, people stare to them but when Elenora looks they pretend that they have not notice them.
A female elf comes to Elenora and greet her with a cheerful smile, they talk a bit and then she give Elenora the lantern she was holding, before she leave she gave David a death stare for half a second before she turns again to Elenora and says goodbye.
Ely: Davy, take this Lantern, it’s always night here so take caution ok?
David: uhh, why me?
Ely: Aren’t you the leader? You will light the way for them won’t you?
David: Alright give me that. (He snatches the lantern)
The fog gets thicker as they head deeper, they keep following Ely, until…
Luka: huh? Where did Ren and Saia go?
Ely: Don’t worry about them, just keep moving forward.
David: I don’t like the looks of this… but we don’t have any other choice, let’s keep moving Luka, Wistas.
They keep moving, and so the fog keeps getting thicker, until Ely stops in front of what looks like a wall of fog that is way thicker than any fog around here, it looks just like clouds.
Ely: this is as far as I can take you darlings, you three have to go on your own from here.
David: And why is that?
Ely: The area behind that fog wall… Zora’s area, even I are not allowed in there, but he is waiting for you, who managed to not get lost in the fog of Lost, you three didn’t get lost unlike Ren and Saia, don’t worry though, they will be fine.
David: I see, we will head in then.
David followed by Luka and wistas head into the fog wall.
Zora: I see you made it.
As they enter, they find them self at a lush green grass filled area, with a lake in the mid which has some stones and statues around it, some energy ball like things float around as well, Zora is facing the lake, Luka and the others are facing his back, he dramatically turned his head to look at them after he said his words.
Zora: David… Luka and Wistas.
He seemed to give priority to David over the Others, Everything have a first time the say~
David: Uh… this place… (He holds his head with one hand)
Zora: You can feel it can’t you?
David: This place is… weird to say at least, everything here is off, its making me feel kinda dizzy, the lights, the shades, the reflections on the lake, all of those are way too weird… Lights and shadows and reflections don’t look this way normally… what is wrong with this place exactly?!
Zora: So you did noticed, you have sharp eyes there, no, sharp mind it is.
Zora steps forward closer to them, he stops in front of David and the others, he open his arms wide and smile.
Zora: Welcome to the Lake Of Destiny!!
Luka: Uh, so, um, what does this have to do with the prize you promised us with?
Zora: Everything… I see you have beat Ely… that’s a rare; Ely is one of our strongest, maybe she was leaning on those mist spirits way to much? Anyway, you three have my respect and trust in the battlefield from now and on. Now come in closer, let me tell you more about this Lake.
They get near the lake all of them, Zora start telling them about the lake of destiny.
This lake is here since ages, one Elf guards it until he is dead or in death bed, when the lake guardian feels that his time is close, he starts teaching a new guardian, however, none of the other elves know about the lake, only the leader of elves and the guardian of the lake and the next guardian knows about it, it was such a coincidence that I –Great Zora- was voted to be the leader while at the same time being the lake guardian, I ended having both roles, those weird magical flying balls you see there are the spirits of our ancestors and the spirits of the past guardians as well, you can call this place as a resting grounds, but the lake itself have another purpose, as the name goes, it shows DESTINY.
Once a Worthy person take a sip of its water, they will fall asleep soon, then they will be tested by the elves ancestors spirits, after that, they will see a glimpse of their destiny, or maybe they will see it clearly, sometimes they see nothing, it all depends on what our ancestors decide after the test, we call this TRAIL OF FATE.
After the trail of fate, whatever it result was, the person awakes from their slumber.
Now I know you all want to ask how the person gets worthy and what if an unworthy person drinks from the lake…
Your answers are pretty simple, the lake guardian –Me- Decide who is worthy or not and allow them to enter the lake, only worthy people can enter the lake, this is why Ely didn’t follow you here, unworthy people can’t drink from the lake water because they have no access to it, and even if they did drink it, it will be just like normal water to them, it may test a little different though.
Now you three have reached this far which means I –Great Zora- have decided you are worthy, and now, I want you to take a sip from the lake water, I am want to hear your results, to see if you are worthy for something even more important, oh by the way Ren and Saia will be fine, no need to worry, just go on and take a sip.
The three find themselves have nothing to do except to go and do what Zora said, he really answered all of their questions before they ask it, they head to the lake and take a sip, David first then Wistas and lastly Luka.
And so, the three start their Trail of Fate.
TO BE CONTINUED…