“My name is Melingor. And you must be Eldi Hnefa,” he presented himself with a kind tone that seemed somewhat forced. As if he wanted to get along with the newcomer, but he didn’t know well how to do it.
“That’s right. I guess Lidia has spoken with you.”
The elf nodded, with a strange expression on his face, confirming certain suspicions of Eldi.
“Ehmm… yes. She said her father would come to fight the lost. You are more than welcome, we appreciate all the help. Let me explain what we know about them.”
His face became much more serious when the explanation began, being part of the information already known, while another was new to him.
The lost, plants or animals, are previous inhabitants of the forest that have been transformed, it is said that they have been corrupted. Such corruption doesn’t occur as is, but when the living being is defeated, when his will and strength is surpassed by other losts.
The wounds produced by the lost are more dangerous than usual, because they also damage the soul, gradually weakening its victim as they accumulate. While it is possible to recover from them with rest and care, if it isn’t done, the will itself is in danger of being subdued and the soul corrupted, becoming one of them.
One of the characteristics that most surprised him about the lost is that they can’t evolve, but, in return, they are stronger than the original being, and even plants can attack and absorb the energy of other living beings. In a way, it reminded Eldi of a zombie apocalypse, despite the clear differences.
As a precaution, all those who enter inside do so in a group, or at least have a group in sight. It is essential to avoid in any way that they become one of them, making them stronger, even if that means incinerating the body that is being transformed. It is even common to carry a kind of incendiary bombs that are activated when they can no longer absorb mana from their hosts, which means they are being corrupted.
The lost can’t control mana, but a kind of miasma that covers the corrupted area, like a dark fog, like a thin layer of pollution. With this, they manage to use something similar to the spells they knew when they were alive, although they are more powerful and indiscriminate.
Even more disturbing is the existence of a kind of half-invisible generals, who can’t attack or be attacked. These coordinate the lost, making them more dangerous, creating traps and ambushes for those who venture into their territories.
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However, all those generals had been eliminated up to level 67. The how or by whom was information that even Melingor didn’t know, or couldn’t share with him. But it was good news that they weren’t going to be in that area, that, for now, he wasn’t going to meet them.
“And that’s it. Information about the lost and their skills can be found them in the archives. If you need anything or have any questions, I’ll be here a few more days,” the elf offered.
Eldi looked at him, nodding and assimilating in silence what he had heard. Only when the elf was leaving, did he speak again, smiling with some mischief.
“There is one more issue that I would like to address. Tell me, what is your relationship with Lidia?”
That caused a chill in Melingor, which was paralyzed for a few seconds. Finally, he sighed and turned, wearing a bitter smile.
“So you know it. I thought she hadn’t told you anything.”
“And she hadn’t. But the way she talked about you, in which you talk about her, your attitude, the fact you know that I’m her father. And, above all, the fact that you’ve just confessed,” laughed the high human.
The elf looked at him incredulously, and then lowered his head, completely defeated as he had rarely been. Only Lidia, his parents and his younger sister had achieved it before.
“Because of you, Lidia is going to laugh at me,” Melingor sighed again. “I hope it’s not a problem that she’s married an elf like me.”
There was some shyness and concern in his words. He didn’t want to have problems with his father-in-law, who his wife loved.
“I’ve been out a long time. If Lidia’s chosen you, I can only accept her decision. Although I’d like to know more about my son-in-law.”
That relieved the elf, who also understood he had no escape. So he told him about himself, about his family, about his situation, about the reasons he and Lidia were far away, and could only see each other very occasionally.
The main problem was that Lidia was needed in Engenak, and he in Narzerlak, the elven kingdom. Since those kingdoms don’t have common borders, it isn’t easy to see each other, and magic like portals is very scarce. Only a few beings are able to master it, beings that normally have more important things to do than help a couple to meet.
Eldi knew Lidia’s work in the resistance perfectly, as she had detailed it to him, in addition to her sense of duty and loyalty for her father’s legacy. In a way, he felt guilty, and he perfectly understood that she couldn’t afford to reside in Narzerlak.
On the other hand, Melingor was one of the most powerful warriors among the elves, and he couldn’t leave his post just like that. The forest, his home, was being attacked by the lost, an especially arduous war in the highest level areas, where generals and the most dangerous monsters are found.
It is true that elves aren’t the only guardians of the forest, and don’t fight alone, but each of the most powerful warriors, like him, are irreplaceable. He couldn’t afford to go on a trip through Engenak and leave his people behind.
Therefore, both could barely see each other no more than once in a while, the last one two years ago. Magic allowed them to speak from the distance, but it wasn’t enough to alleviate the desire to be together. At the very least, it was easier to see Ted, their son, who was a merchant, and often traveled to the elven kingdom.