The chief spoke as they began walking down a path away from the village square.

“I had heard of Ka’atra one time before we were sealed from the outside…" the chief paused.

Narice listened intently- certainly interested in his enemy's weakness.. if it were true that the chief were alive during Ka’atra’s rule- it was possible that he could gain some insights in how to defeat him, “at the time his influence had just begun - i thought it nothing."

"Is there anything you remember?"

“If i can recall..." the chief thought, "K’atra had an extrodinary ability. He served as guardian with overwhelming success."

“He was a guardian?” Narice replied.

As they walked, Narice noticed that the path became more sparse, until eventually, there was no path at all. However it seemed that the Chief was familiar with this location as well as Romani who was walking a step behind.

“From what i’d heard- he was a great guardian who became corrupted…I’d also heard a tale about his past- although it was just a rumor.”

They approached a tree in the middle of the wood. Unlike the other trees however, It was giant and an opening appeared as they approached.

“Although his mother was Aqayan- his father may have been a demon.” the chief replied.

This was the first Narice had heard about that. Was that even possible? Narice wondered. His attention shifted to the chief as he focused the opening inside.

Inside of the tree a sort of jewel resided. However Narice could tell that a giant protective force seemed to protect it.

“Diffusion!”

Narice watched the barrier protecting the round gem vanish.

“If Ka’atra is immortal like i presume- To defeat Ka’atra, you must use this…” the old man picked up the gem.

"What does it do?" Narice spoke.

“This is a seal." the man spoke. 

"Oh?" Narice spoke 

"It gives the ability to separate magic from an entity. If you are able to hold K'atra in place for the span of a minute - the seal should drain away his magic- and from there you can seal him away."

The old man wasted no time as a flow of energy trasmitted from him to the jewel.

Narice watched on at a transformation appeared.

The jewel began to glow faintly as it pulsed energy around itself. When he turned his attention back to the chief- he saw a young man- a fierce looking warrior with bright green wings of energy flowing from him.

“Wait!” Romani said.. He tried to put his hands on the old elf to break the enchantment, but the warrior elf easily pushed him away with a burst of energy from his hand... and then. A final spark burst out from the circular ball and instead of a clear vessel it appeared as a swirling blue and white mist inside.

The aura surrounding the warrior vanished as the old man transformed.

Narice watched as the old elf fell to the ground -the seal remaining in place.

“No!” Romani said rushing towards the old elf.

Narice picked up the glowing sphere from the fallen elf’s hands. He bowed his head.

Suddenly the old man got up from the ground.

“I’m not dead yet young elf…you’d think I’d die from a simple recharge spell?” he said.

“Recharge?”

“Yes… this was enchanted to be a seal, i just had to recharge the energy it’s lost since it was made. Anyway…” he noticed that Narice was holding the sphere. “Let us return to the festival now.”

With Narice’s and Romani’s help supporting the old man- they walked back. Along the way they talked a bit more.

“It seems that i have not the grace of youth…” he sighed, “I will make you a Finder for artifacts,” the man spoke while breathing heavily. "It may take me up to a week to craft.

“That’s okay” Narice spoke, “i needed some time to hide from Ka'atra anyway."

“Very good!" the man clapped, "we'll be happy to have you here."

He then directed his attention towards Romani

"Do you have a place Narice can stay?"

"Ah..." Romani thought for a bit, "yes- he can stay with Isolde..."

"very good- In the meantime you should hone your magic… If they aren’t too busy Romani and Tala should be able to help you with that.”

“Well, yeah, that’d be good, but I really don’t have any magic.”

The old man stopped in place, “Even if you do not have an element like other Aqayans i certainly sense magic in you. You may be able to draw it out with a channel or weapon.”

“Well… okay…” Narice replied acquiesing. He'd lived fourteen years without magic so he didn't have high hopes but he gave the chief the benfit of the doubt.

----------------------------------------

Despite being the head protector of the village – Talaena was all too quick to volunteer to ‘help’ Narice learn magic. Narice was quite suspicious.

After having led him to a clearing in the woods- it seemed like the common place to train the elves he guessed- Talaena threw him one of th training swords from among the edge.

“It looks like we’ll have to give you a crash course in magic defense.”

Narice readied himself as Talaena smiled slightly before dashing toward Narice quickly.

Talaena began by swinging a rapier quickly at Narice. Narice blocked and parried a few times- showing a sort of expertise with his weapon - if not on par, at least able to defend himself.

That was until Talaena's hand glowed for an instant before their swords struck. This time- Narice was knocked back so fast he tumbled into a tree.

He shook it off- meanwhile however- Talaena didn't let loose for an instant- as he charged at Narice with boosted speed.

Narice put his guard up blocking as well as he could- but he barely was able to life up his sword in defense. It was a crash course for sure.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Narice got up and fell down just as quickly with the bombardment coming from Talaena's magical attacks.  While he was fighting a crowd gathered around the two- if it wasn't embarrassing enough - it seemed that the entire tribe of warriors was there to watch him get beaten.

Rome was there too watching quietly.

After getting up for an eighth time. Talaena sighed and put up his sword. 

"heyyy," Narice replied, "i'm still up."

Talaena drew his sword again and with a couple magically enhanced strikes - Narice fell- this time Talaena had pushed enough force into the attacks that Narice fell unconscious.

"At this point it's useless to fight you," Talaena replied.

---

"How do i defeat him?" Narice asked Rome.

Training was finished and now he was sitting with Rome and Isolde, eating supper at their house.

"hmm... Where does elven magic come from?" Rome asked a question in response.

On a side note- Narice noticed that Isolde and Rome seemed to have a good rapport, but Narice didn't want to intrude with a bunch of questions. He, Romani, and the woman were currently sitting together - eating a meal made by Isolde.

"Uh... what?"

"Elven magic is tied to lifeforce- we have to use our own energy to use magic..."

"So you're saying that if i force him to use more magic- then he'll be exhausted..."

"pretty much," Rome replied, "if you can dodge more - or divert the attack- it may be easier to exhaust his energy..."

"How much magic did he use against me?" Narice asked hoping that perhaps if he could double or triple the defense of  what he did today he'd be able to counterattack.

"Hm..." Rome replied, "maybe 3%?"

"Oh..." Narice spoke, so would he really have to multiply his strength 33 times to compete? 

 "We will have to study how to channel your magic," Rome spoke, "i'll throw out some magical attacks and it'll be your goal to stop it."

Narice remembered that Rome was the best fighter... If he got so thrashed by Talaena, then what about Romani?

"Also.." Rome spoke looking at Narice's bag of things in the corner, "make sure to bring that with you..." he pointed at the sword, "i have an idea."

Narice sighed. Once again he remembered the past beatings from his father. Narice ended up going to sleep early- and readied himself for training the next day. It seemed Romani had somewhere to be by the start of the day- so they trained beforehand.

Rome readied his stance with an average looking blade as Narice held up another training sword from the edge. He had brought his own and it layed on the side for now.

Narice waited for Rome.

"Begin!" Rome spoke and threw out a wave of magical wind in his direction. Narice held up his weapon to the wind- but was struck by the wind which cut his cheek slightly. 

"Hmm..." Rome replied as he repeated himself. Narice did the same again- but didn't have any success as he was cut. After a third try - Rome made a suggestion.

"Try to focus your energy into your hand and hold it up to the strikes,"

Rome waited as Narice tried to properly prepare himself - he closed his eyes and imagined energy from inside- flowing into his arm.

Rome threw out another attack - the force of the wind seemed less than before- but perhaps he was imagining it as he still recieved a cut- not to mention without the sword to take the brunt of the strike in the first place- he'd probably do more harm then good at this rate.

"Try that..." Rome spoke pointing to the other sword that Narice had brought with him.

Narice set down the training sword and picked up his own.

Bout time. came a word from the sword. Narice didn't reply- instead holding it up to Rome's attack.

Rome threw out another strike- but this time the sword seemed to absorb the attack as Narice held it up to the strike.

"Good," Rome spoke and dove forward with his own sword. Narice watched as Rome rushed at him and held up his own sword in defense.

---

 After training with Romani - he decided to go for a walk through the village. Simple paths stretched throughout the roads. He came across one elf having difficulty with something. It seemed to be an older gentleman trying to cut some wood in pieces.

Narice went over with a wave.

"Oh," the old man spoke, " the Aqayan boy?" 

"Let me help you with that..."

"Sorry, can you speak a bit louder?"

"Let me help you with that!"

"Oh! most certainly!" the man responded and handed Narice the axe.

Narice started chopping wood. He realized this was a good opportunity to train physically again- since he hadn't done so in a couple years in the human world.

"Any other tasks that i can do?"

"Sorry, What?"

Any other tasks that i can do?!"

"Oh! certainly!"

Narice ended up being able to do a few different physical labor projects- moving furniture - helping neighbors chop wood. helping neighbors move their furniture- It seemed there still was a use for physically ability even in elven culture. Of course there were other things they wanted him to do- but since it was for free he told them he had do train. Considering he wasn't asking anything from them beforehand it was a fair thing to say.

Before he did - the older elf invited him for a tea- which Narice took him up on.

---

Narice thought about how to face Talaena in his spare time- and when he took off lunch his mind was absorbed in how to train himself and his sword to block attacks.

Narice had thought long and hard about how to face Talaena - in the morning when he practiced with  Romani - he'd learned how to at least hold up his sword to absorb the magical attack. 

Narice held up his sword - ready for Talaena to attack.

However- Talaena had a different weapon this time. A small sack with some marblelike rocks.

Since Talaena didn't have a close ranged weapon. Narice figured his best strategy would be to get in close and deflect the rocks.

However- Talaena seemed intent on not allowing that to happen. A barrage of flaming leaves was thrown at Narice- both disrupiting his advance and attacking him. Narice attempted to repel flaming vortex with the sword but it was almost no different then not having a weapon. 

Talaena followed up by throwing out rocks from a location where Narice couldn't see. Then they would burst -causing a giant shockwave before hitting Narice and blowing him backwards. Narice tried to imagine magic holding him to the ground- and it actually worked for the first attack- but the second knocked him off balance and as soon as he was knocked to the side-  Talaena followed in by diving with a melee weapon that was attached to his back.

It seemed to be a wooden staff. Narice did his best to take the pain from the vortex as he tried to focus on the attack. Narice figured knew how to dodge this- he held his sword up against the attack. In fact- the sword was able to cut the brunt of the magical part of the attack- and the pole was cut - but Talaena predicted this - the other half of the pole then knocked the sword away and the staff actually disarmed Narice's sword. 

Talaena followed up with attacking Narice with blows from the stick- once again forcing him to partially fall- Talaena didn't stop here- he followed by enhancing both his weapon and the surrounding air and leaves all in one strike to finish the job. The only thing Narice could picture was a wall as he held out two hands to hold back the attack. The strike came towards him.

Surprisingly however the entire force of the magic exploded around both of them and Talaena's stick alone came down on Narice hitting him hard and causing him to fall down and blackout.

---

"You were training him..." Talaena spoke to Romani.

"Of course- i want him to win," Romani replied

"I want the match you owe me,"

"Now?" Romani replied.

Talaena- replied hesitantly, "Let me catch my breath for but a moment...'

"Ah- the boy made you have to catch your breath at least,"

"Psh- i'll admit he has something," Talaena responded. This time with a little more respect for Narice, "but he has a long way."

"If i win," Talaena spoke, "then i dont have to train the boy anymore."

"Haha, okay."

"What do you want if you win?"

"Nothing."

Talaena threw out two waves of energy from his palms- to which Romani quickly parried the attacks swiftly with his sword- completely negating them." 

----

"Interesting..." the chief spoke upon hearing the news from Talaena.

"What does this mean?" Talaena replied..

"It seems that this i was right to trust in him."

---

Two weeks passed before Narice was called up by the chief. By now he'd certainly built a good rapport with the elderly helping them with their chores. He also built a good rapport with the rest of the village with his dutiful and good nature.

However- the passage of time was slower here -  and over two months had passed by in the real world.

Narice figured that if K'atra hadn't found him yet- that he most likely didn't have access to him- and had no idea where Narice was. With this Narice had a chance to counterattack..

 ---

"You're probably ready as much as you can be..." the old elf sighed as he handed him a sort of compass with a pointer on top.

"This will help you find powerful artifacts and jewels-you can use a finder spell by naming the item- to locate a specific artifact- but otherwise it will point you to the nearest one. I added an extra spell- It won't always point to an item specifically- but the quickest route to the item. For example- if an item is inside a cage- it will try to guide you to an entrance or through any maze."

Narica bowed as the old man transferred it to him. He put it in a sack and handed it over to Rome. On a side note - the meeting also had another individual- Talaena- who seemed at a loss as to why he was there... until.

"I'm sorry..." the chief spoke, "there's one more thing-" 

Narice looked up as the chief looked like he had something important to say.

"Romani won't be going with you."

"But why?!"

The chief responded, "I've realized that i'm too old to lead the Elfa here - it's time for me to pass down the duties to the next candidate..."

Before Narice or Rome could process the news or make a new plan.

"Talaena will replace Romani."

The faces of the group showed a range of emotions,

Pure surprise on Narice- Quiet disappointment and resolve on Romani- and shock on Talaena.

"Sir?!" Talaena responded.