Shavik and Arkum were left behind in the temporary camp. Kavo was the one who escorted the elves back along with a group mix of Hunters and Warriors. The elves couldn't help but chuckle at Kavo because he kept glancing at the dogs. Yes, they're fluffy but they shouldn't be distracted by that!

“Kavo, there is a dog back in our settlement that has just given birth to puppies, if we build a more desirable path between our settlements then maybe, you can have a puppy of your own.”

Kavo wholeheartedly listened to every word, the words “have a puppy of your own” really made him happy, and his family probably would like it. He nodded and continued walking, each to a different marked tree. Their journey isn't that bad, most of the monsters are manageable by the group of warriors, though it is a shame they cannot grab the carcass back to the Village Kavo would at least keep some samples for himself in a satchel.

It took them a few hours to walk back to their Home, once they did, the Elves looked at the wooden houses they had, with a significant clearing away from the forest.

“I smell something burning,” Alfeth commented.

“That's the smiths. They're probably making spear tips.”

Alfeth nodded in understanding. It's not like they don't have a way to smelt their metals. Most of their arrow tips require skill to form. As they mostly eat what they can. From birds to monsters that look like beasts.

The Elves were introduced around the Village. First was visiting the High chief that governs the land. The elves gave their greetings.

***

A rodent passes by the shrubs, enticed by the smell of meat is what led it here. The rodent, which is a rat, sniffed with vigour. Its beady eyes glanced at a carcass, quite fresh. It ran towards the meat with few competitors, devouring chunks in a hearty bite.

As it eats with vigour it hears other sounds, relating to its own Kin. the moment it saw fur same with itself it started eating greedily, instincts prevailed in its mind.

“Sreech-”

As new rodents started coming in, be they monsters or just beasts. It screeched defending its part of the corpse. However, it didn't notice the larger beast that had come.

The rodents that saw the beast scattered, avoiding the maw that could very well swallow it whole. The beast chomped down on the carcass, each bite taking a large chunk out of it.

It chewed its food, its irregular teeth visible. It's no mere beast, as its body closely resembles that of a monster. Claws, sharp teeth, multiple eyes and of course the bluish hue on its fur.

It kept eating till it finally had its fill. Strutting away where it intended to be, it sniffed the air, trying to catch some sort of scent. Then a few moments later it catches up to something.

Something filled with energy, this time, a dense form of it, appetising for a monster that consumes both soul energy and meat. It dashed, its instincts flaring.

***

The elders of the elves used to be a stubborn bunch. Those who lived for a thousand years at least, thankfully their offspring didn't catch that attitude and after their passing, a new set of elders were to replace them.

Since they mark their records in leaves, boiled and trimmed, they have recorded knowledge and stories of the ancient past.

Since their forefathers were a prideful and stubborn bunch, they couldn't believe that they were evil in every story, and the current elders censored this to children.

But the fact that censoring things made them realise that they're also slowly becoming their forefathers, they decided that at a specific range of age, they would be allowed to know the whole story.

This has multiple results, one being the young adults becoming shocked and guilty that they came from the same bloodline and the second, is pure denial and rejection, saying they wouldn't be the same and vow to do better.

In the stories left by their forefathers, however, there lies a consistent foe. Humans, and Orcs. Since the elves of the ninth continent have passed a couple of generations in peace and the occasional violence of an overloaded dungeon, they don't know if the humans and Orcs in their stories were ever actually the villains or not.

And here lies the problem as well, they only brought descriptions, no images to refer to. So even if they do encounter one they will never be confirmed as to be one.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

So when Alfeth did encounter the entire Village of Foreline, the idea of Humans and Orcs being the enemy of elves just didn't exist at all. No, it didn't even cross his mind nor even exist in the first place.

All he saw were people trying to live their lives, free of manipulation, extortion and deceit. Not that it existed in their settlement. The only problem with elves is their nagging to pick who to marry, both men and women.

"What is the main profession here?"

"A few, a Scholar, a Medic, a Warrior or a Hunter, A butcher since there's a lot of meat lately, a farmer."

"A medic…?"

"That would be me."

"You're a medic? Yes, title-wise and main Skill."

"Main skill, how high is your skill in…"

"My [Medicare], which is my main skill, is over B+ right now. It's high in the grading. Thankfully, I don't need to only shut wounds, if I study living things and theorise how to heal them my Skill will get better."

"Ah, it was taught to us elves that Skills in particular could gain experience as its holder."

"Experience?"

"Yes, you see there are these hidden attributes that the system doesn't count. Experience is one of them, you experience how to heal? Your Skill would remember that experience and overall, would get better."

Kavo fell into contemplation. He then asked an important question.

"Repetition…"

"Hmm?"

"Is that how actual Skills become one? If we repeatedly experience things it actualizes?"

"Yes… yes, that's right." Alfeth answered with certainty

"So if we just repeat our daily activity, with the same pattern. Would the Skill become better?"

"No, it is taught to us that while you still gain Experience repeating the same action, one day this repeating action would become perfect, that there is no more experience to gain."

"So the only way to gain Experience is to experience new things relating to the skill."

"Yes, that would be right."

"That confirms Kasha's theory then…"

Kavo and Alfeth had conversations within the chief's house. It's large enough for reception. While they were talking peacefully they would share stories and even delve into topics of their patron God.

When it came to that topic, the story of elves when it came to Gods, was told. The gods that used to govern them abandoned them because they were not perfect, as told by their forefathers.

Afraid of forever being abandoned, they started going after their perfection leading their forefathers to be exiled. There are no stories of what they did, only the effect of what they did.

But then Kavo found repulsion to their god, the god was described to be such a bumhole that Kavo was astonished that they mourn the fact that they were abandoned. Though, Alfeth made it clear that he does not share the same sentiment as his forefathers.

“Your forefather’s god is a tyrant.”

“It is, thankfully our new god is not the same, I felt warmth in his guidance.”

“Our patron god feels like a parent, one that teaches us out of our ignorance.”

“Why do you say so?”

“I was an ignorant boy, all I did back then was to study plants and see which is which, then I was blessed by a skill, one that heals.” Kavo reminisced, “That was the start of my passion. A physician, as Hadro called it.”

“You have met your patron God?” Alfeth asked, astonished and amused.

“Yes, twice, in my dreams. Taught me a lot of things I knew.”

Alfeth was in disbelief, in stories of his forefathers, most of the time Gods would use proxies to tell their will. But for the god itself to present to him, even in a dream, is such an astonishing thing, why would a higher being ever go to the trouble of teaching a mortal? But Alfeth didn't question it, he was just grateful to be within God’s grace.

Their conversation ran short as they reached the Foreline village. The elves would get some looks thanks to their unique trait, but the children were much more straightforward at pointing it out.

“This is my home, the Foreline Village. Let's go to the Village chief.”

The elves nodded and headed to the Village Chief’s abode, but it was a small house and the largest place he had was the bonfire running behind the wooden house. It has two wooden benches. The wooden trunk was sliced in half so it could be accommodating.

“You came from Archwood?” Said the village chief. “By your story, it is quite far.”

Alfeth nodded. “Yes, we came here to be introduced, our Elder might be more interested in going here though.”

“I see, While you're here, might I interest you in some of our snacks?”

“It would be a pleasure.”

The Village chief went back home and grabbed a few bars of pemmican, distributing it to the elves.

“What is this?”

“It's a snack most of us eat when we're peckish.”

The portion of the pemmican was small, fitting inside of one’s fist. They all ate it in one go, it tastes like meat and a bit dry. Nonetheless, it was a nice snack to chew on.

“That won't make you hungry for a while. Anyways, if your elder would take an interest in our Village I’d like to introduce you to our people, the foundation of it today if you will.”

The squad of elves followed the Village chief as he walked towards a few houses, one of the wooden buildings, larger than the rest. The noise of children was heard inside, they were all talking after following a word from another older voice of a woman.

“It seems she still teaching.”

“Who is?”

“Kasha, our Village Scholar. She is the inventor of our alphabet guided by our Patron God.”

“Oh… our Patron god didn't just give it?”

“No, he saw her potential and decided to guide her to it, not even long ago he gave us the book of beginnings.”

“The book of beginnings?” Alfeth was curious.

“It's the language of magic bestowed upon us, Kasha has been learning it and is already seeing the possible benefits of other children learning it.”

“May I see this book?”

“Sure, let me grab it.”

The Village chief went inside the wooden building, it had two rooms, one was used as a storage for books and scrolls and one for a classroom yet it was wide enough to accommodate a lot of children. The Village chief went to the storage room of texts and grabbed the book of beginnings after making his presence known to Kasha.

“Here it is.”

The elves huddled together expectantly looking at the contents of the book to find themselves disappointed that they couldn't read it, though they were fascinated by the illustrations inside.

“Do you think Elder Armin would find this fascinating?”

“He should…”

Alfeth studied the illustrations inside, he was almost done skimming the book just by looking at the illustrations until he was at 3/4th of the book where it illustrated how yellow cloud in the rough shape of a mushroom. Then he realized, that the dots on the illustration are birds and those rough sketches below it are houses.

“...”

Alfeth doesn't know what he’s looking at but he is sure that whatever it is, it's an apocalypse.

“Let's go back first.”

Once they were done with their business, they thanked the village chief, said their goodbyes to Kavo and left the Village. However, they were unaware of the looming threat behind the trees.