Important Update for All Readers:
I have just received word that Book 2 will be stubbed (taken down) in the first week of August. To ensure you don't miss any part of the story, please make sure to reach Chapter 82 (the end of Book 2) by August 8th.
You'll find a special note in Chapter 83 to signify the beginning of Book 3. ❤️
----------------------------------------
Chapter 45
Hic Sunt Dracones
In the beginning, there were only the Ancients. The first sentient who roamed the boundless expanse of a world they later dubbed Aqua Terra. Birthed from the void, they maintained not one form but ever-changing ones as they devoured and consumed biomass.
As eras passed, they evolved in wisdom, and one among them was revered for her wisdom; she was called Mother.
Mother was the first to ascend into the boundless sky. Her form morphed into a creature resembling an incomplete, mutated, altered dragon. Towering as large as a small mountain, she bore multiple eyes, mouths, nostrils, wings, tails, and with limbs that morphed as necessary as it was closer to a monstrous abomination than a living entity.
The rest of the Ancients followed, and they embarked on a journey across the vast verdant world. They were virtually ageless, their lives stretching across eons.
They wandered the primal world alone or in small groups, resilient in the face of countless volcanic eruptions and ice ages, and adapting to a perpetually transforming world.
Despite their longevity, their number was small and finite, their presence merely leaving a faint imprint on their world. Their existence was a ceaseless odyssey of exploration, the hunt, challenges, and unending self-improvement.
Despite their intelligence and wisdom, the Ancients shied away from establishing a civilization. Given their staggering power and self-sustainability, they felt no need for such communal constructs.
Moreover, their inability to produce offspring inclined them towards solitude. This isolationist stance was also motivated by a desire to respect boundaries and avert conflicts, considering the immense power each wielded.
However, as time wore on, their numbers began to wane. After millions of years, the Ancients, in all their extraordinary vigor, were not truly immortal.
The death of the first Ancients marked the end of the First Age.
჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻
The Second Age began when Mother, the wisest, discovered a budding new race - the elves. Primitive woodland beings who were just beginning to use stone and sticks as tools.
So taken was she with these intelligent creatures that she shed her dragon form and adopted the refined shape of an elven goddess. In awe, the elves worshiped her and, to her surprise, she could bear offspring with them.
This joyful discovery led to the birth of a new lineage. From her womb, the high elves emerged, inheriting a fragment of her extraordinary longevity and achieving lifespans of up to 1200 years.
Under Mother’s guidance, the elves transitioned from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. Some among them even unlocked the secrets of magic and erected a sprawling metropolis - the world’s first in the old Progentia Continent.
Several Ancients joined, dwelling in a grand city fittingly named the Everlasting Glade. It was the golden age of the elves’ civilization, filled with wonder and magic. Yet, the shadow of mortality began to creep in.
Despite all the magic and wisdom they acquired, the first generation of high elves succumbed to death’s inevitable call.
Their passing of her children reminded Mother of her own mortality, and her vigor started to fade in earnest. Her fall marked the end of the Second Age and the decline of the elves.
჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻
The dawn of the Third Age was heralded by an extraordinary discovery: nestled deep within the mountains, the elves uncovered a previously unseen race, the dwarves.
The Ancients found a new fascination and transformed themselves into perfect embodiments of dwarves. This new alliance stirred envy among the elves, who perceived it as a threat to their own standing.
With most surviving Ancients taking up residence under the mountains, a significant shift in power dynamics occurred.
Under the Ancients’ patronage, the dwarves constructed grand citadels within the mountain range and forged the Gallery Road - a vast network of tunnels that spanned nearly the entire Old Continent of Progentia.
Unlike the elves, the dwarves were innate artisans, crafting wondrous tools, divine relics, and even sentient golems. With the magical prowess of the Ancients, coupled with the inherent skills of the dwarves, they ushered in an era of unprecedented innovation.
After hundreds of generations, they achieved the Ancients’ greatest aspiration - a portal to another world.
Initially, only the shape-shifting Ancients could traverse this inter-dimensional gateway. But with time, they perfected the art, maintaining a portal that allowed all beings to pass through.
Almost all of the dwarves’ population and a great number of elves accompanied the last of the Ancients in the Great Exodus to the new world.
For a quarter of a millennium, the remaining dwarves maintained the portal with the greatest of care until they were no longer able to do so. The portal eventually broke down, severing all contact with the new world.
Shortly after this, the dwarves met their inevitable extinction. No longer numbering in the millions, the current population, now only numbering in the thousands, was unable to maintain their advanced civilization. Their grand underground tunnels and vast citadels began to fall into decay, an invitation to fell beasts that thrived in the dark, subterranean world.
The conflict with these creatures greatly accelerated the dwarves' demise.
With the passing of the last dwarf, the Third Age drew to a close.
჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
The Fourth and current Age began amidst calamity. The magical amount required to maintain the dwarves’ ingenious creations and the high elves’ lavish lifestyle ultimately drained the continent of its magic.
Even the forest encircling the Everlasting Glade languished in a pitiful state. With the subterranean realms overrun by fell beasts and the forests in decay, many were compelled to venture forth into the plains, and a new race was born.
Historical accounts from this period are scant, clouded by the elves’ unwillingness to share and the First Humans’ penchant for self-aggrandizement. It was during this time, however, that the Great Progenitors, the first-generation humans, came into existence.
They claimed lineage from the last Ancient’s womb, but a millennium had elapsed since the last Ancients tread on Aqua Terra.
Royal Historians from the First and Third Imperiums dared to speculate that the Great Progenitors might have been a hybrid of elves and first-ancient-born dwarves, a plausible occurrence given the coexistence of these races.
The Great Progenitors exhibited remarkable martial prowess. Each was a hero in their own right, vanquishing numerous fell beasts to validate their might. They established multiple city-state and kingdoms on the Progentia plains adjacent to its many rivers.
However, despite their formidable strength, they were helpless in the face of the continent’s slow death.
Guided by tales handed down from the Ancients about a larger, more fertile continent to the west, the Great Progenitors took to the sea, honing their skills as seafarers. Many perished while trying to tame the waves. Despite these adversities, they eventually learned to navigate the oceans and set sail westward.
As foretold by the Ancients, after enduring months on the endless sea, they chanced upon the land of promise: the continent of Promissia. The majority of the Great Progenitors, along with the elves, embarked upon this verdant, pristine land.
This was the second Great Exodus, a singular epoch when Elves and Humans collaborated and journeyed in unison. These two races traversed the lush and vast continent from east to west.
As the years rolled by, more and more Great Progenitors and their kin chose to settle, founding kingdoms in locations they deemed fertile. They domesticated the land and its beasts, populated the regions, and kindled civilization wherever their feet touched.
Finally, after centuries, only the elves reached the western shores, where they ceased their odyssey and erected their first city. This milestone marked the start of the Elven Calendar.
Four millennia, three Imperiums, or four generations of high elves later, a handful of the Great Progenitors still draw breath. These first humans seemed unnaturally immune to the natural passage of time.
Renowned as warriors, their lives typically ended on battlefields, fighting against fell beasts or locked in conflicts amongst themselves. This immortality became a source of deep envy among the elves.
However, their kin and offspring did not inherit this trait. The current Emperor of the Third Imperium is the last of the Great Progenitors. Legend has it that the Ageless One was already four-thousand years old when he ascended to the throne.
***
Calub's House, Lansius
Lansius was so taken aback when Hannei stated that the emperor was dead that he responded with a nervous smile, whispering, “You’re jesting! The Emperor is a Great Progenitor. He’s immortal.”
Hannei cast a glance at Tia, who was quietly savoring a croissant before turning her sight back to Lansius. “You believe that?”
Lansius knitted his brows.
The pale blonde, garbed in a squire-like attire of a blue doublet and a broken white surcoat, gave a patronizing stare. “Back then in Toruna, you said you read about the Imperium's History, try to remember when the Ageless One took the throne?”
When the Emperor took the throne..?
“The Ageless One was the third one, right?” Lansius tried to recall the history of the Third Imperium.
Hannei nodded and spoke, “The current Emperor was an advisor to the first Emperor and a tutor to the second.”
“And then he finally took the throne to avert a succession crisis because the second Emperor has no child,” Lansius recited. “That happened around 1300 years ago, or so I read. Why ask that?”
Hannei glanced at the room, almost using her magic to conceal, but deciding against it for the sake of not startling Tia. So she leaned in closer. “Remember, how old are the high elves supposed to live?”
Twelve-hundred years...
A realization dawned in Lansius’ eyes. He met her golden-brown eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. “No way...”
“Lans, it could be a lie. You of all people, should have suspected it."
Lansius had nothing to retort.
Hannei continued, "The last of the Great Progenitor probably died before the Elven Calendar even began. Their legend and immortality likely a myth perpetuated by the Ageless One himself so he could rule the Imperium.”
Lansius shook his head. He had suspected something was amiss, but not to this degree.
For an elf to masquerade as a Grand Progenitor and rule humans as the Emperor, what a devious scheme. But how could Hannei know about this, she barely read the common text?
Hannei continued, “This is why Midlandia has been preparing to take action for three generations.”
“You mean they suspected this?” asked Lansius.
“They’re not stupid,” she murmured. “This is also why Baldy Gottfried rallied the North, conquered four provinces, and invaded Arvena. Like Midlandia, he too must have suspected that the Emperor is an elf and is finally dead.”
Lansius had his doubts, but before he could voice them, a commotion from downstairs drew their attention. Two women's voices echoed, "We’re here!"
Like a whirlwind of trouble, two women emerged from the stairs. "Rest assured, Felis is here! Everything is going to be all right," declared the newly arrived blonde, while Audrey, grinning behind her, waved at Hannei.
Hannei waved back at Audrey. Lansius looked at the pair, still in disbelief that Audrey and Hannei had become fast friends despite starting on the wrong foot in Toruna. One was the captive, and the other was the captor's enabler. But their relationship transcended that.
It was Hannei who had suggested to Sir Stan to purchase Audrey during their incognito visit to the black market around Feodosia. Hannei was also the one who had tended to Audrey on her way back to Toruna until more treatment could be arranged.
Despite Audrey's obliviousness to the situation due to her severe head injury, her sharp instincts led her to trust Hannei. However, the same couldn't be said about the relationship between Lansius and Hannei.
Despite the one-in-a-million chance of them both sharing the same origins, Hannei was reluctant to help. She rarely divulged any information, and when she did, it seemed to be more out of pity than trust.
Among the secrets she held was the reason why she and Sir Stan had chosen to purchase Audrey. Her tight lips constantly reminded Lansius that Hannei's loyalty lay firmly with Sir Stan and Lord Bengrieve.
Now, Hannei was eying Felis, anger flaring in her golden eyes. "Where have you been?"
“In the castle. I told you I was going to the castle,” Felis replied innocently.
“No. You said you’re going to get some fruit you just heard of from a peddler. Then you disappeared. I was worried, you know,” Hannei said in frustration.
“Oh, that too, hehe~ Sorry.” Felis approached Hannei and tried to hug her. However, Hannei was still annoyed. This made Felis walk toward Tia instead.
The little girl’s eyes were wide open.
“What’s the matter, child?” Felis asked sweetly.
“Pardon, my lady, but am I in the afterlife?” Tia responded.
Felis erupted into giggles.
“Why do you ask that?” Hannei questioned, a concerned look crossing her face.
“Well, I’m surrounded by people with golden hair and the Lord of Korelia is present. Am I dreaming?”
Hannei snorted laughter, which seemed to break the ice, and the rest of the evening was filled with warmth and camaraderie.
This was a rare reunion of the Toruna band, with Hannei, Calub, Lansius, Audrey, and now even Felis was onboard.
With Felis soon to be married into nobility, they all sensed this might be their last gathering. Perhaps it was this subconscious awareness that made them savor the evening despite the ongoing healing process.
Felis readily helped Hannei as Tia needed a change of clothes, while Calub busied himself with brewing herbal concoctions for Lansius and Audrey.
They kept Hannei company during the final stage of the treatment. With just one healer, it was the hardest due to sleep deprivation. However, the grueling night was made lighter by friendly faces. Conversation filled the air and stories were exchanged, as Hannei couldn’t afford to rest just yet.
At Lansius' suggestion, they dragged a bed up and put it next to Tia’s, allowing Hannei to recite the healing verses while lying down. It was a measure to conserve her dwindling strength.
Upon Calub’s insistence, Audrey and Sterling escorted a reluctant Lansius back to the castle after midnight while Felis stayed behind to assist Hannei.
***
At first light, Audrey returned. She had let Lansius oversleep due to his below-average constitution. Together with Calub and the rest of the household, she witnessed Tia’s recovery.
Now unbound and attempting to move her once limp leg, Tia’s first movement in bed was shaky, but gradually, her ankle began to display a full range of motion.
The little girl wept with joy.
Finally, Hannei could rest. After a light breakfast, she instructed Calub not to let Tia move from her bed. Then she retired to Calub’s room, where she soon fell asleep. Her slender form curled up in the fetal position, appearing both beautiful and fragile.
Margo and Timmy vigilantly guarded the house that day, ensuring peace and quiet. The only sound they tolerated was the soft snoring coming from Felis in the next room. Meanwhile, Calub kept himself busy by reading some scrolls while periodically checking on Tia.
Feeling satisfied with what she had witnessed, Audrey returned to the castle. On her way back, she noticed that the wind was blowing harder than usual, sweeping from the south toward the north. The season was changing.
***