Seo Jiwoo
My eyes snapped open to a stygian expanse stretching endlessly above and around me. My heart thundered uncontrollably, the oppressive darkness pressing against my skin like a suffocating veil, devouring both sound and light like some nightmarish scene.
Everything felt numb, scattered—alien. I was stripped of something fundamental, something that made me whole, ‘me’. I wasn’t just hollow; I was incomplete. A part of my humanity felt...missing. A surge in my heart, it was...monotonous. But similarly, I felt something that reached the point of ineffable, but couldn’t find the right words to describe it, no matter how hard I tried.
Emotions drifted, distant and unmoored, while a storm of tangled thoughts churned within me, searching, clawing for a reason behind this emptiness—trying to find a reason to feel alive. My chest ached with an unshakable void, a chasm carved into my soul—a silent reminder of something I’d lost.
I turned my gaze to the abyss around me, expressionless, hollow. The cold quiet embraced me, unsettling yet oddly comforting, like the weight of all my worries had been stripped away for this confined moment. For a fleeting heartbeat, it felt liberating, almost peaceful.
The feeling so intoxicating...as if it was my first experiencing it.
But there was something else—an incessant nudge, a truth lurking just out of reach, whispering that I was turning my back on reality.
The rhythm of my heartbeat slowed, the chaotic pounding fading into a stillness that matched the lifeless void around me. Yet, as that stillness threatened to consume me, fragments of memory began to surface, fragile and fleeting.
Piece by piece, I rediscovered myself. Each fragment was a page in a sorrowful yet captivating story, slowly unfolding before me—love, heartbreak, death, loss and so much more fall over me all at once.
Faces and names returned—Master, Jihye, Gabriel, Han, Rachael...Mordian. They were vivid, etched into my mind, stirring warmth within me as the cold apathy was slightly pushed away. But there was still something missing. A vital piece lost in the fog—a piece that left me restless and uneasy.
I searched for it, the desperation clawing at my chest. And then it came—a jolt that surged through me, sharp and unforgiving. My eyes widened, my breath hitched, mouth agape, and I glanced down at my arms.
The moment I did, a jagged, searing pain tore through me, forcing me to my knees in a silent scream. Flames erupted across my skin, ravenous and unrelenting, consuming flesh, bone, and soul alike in their relentless march. They didn’t simply burn—they devoured, tearing me apart to sustain their own merciless existence, their cold essence seeping into me.
And somehow, through the agony, I recognized them. These flames... I knew them.
These flames...I‐I
I tried to scream, but my voice choked and died in my throat—my strength gathering and dispersing as I felt powerless against this relentless force. Blood ran down my arms, clouding my vision as the agony crushed me, the urge to collapse overpowering. The flames licked the flowing blood and vanished before it could land on the floor.
Every cell in my body shrieked, every muscle burned in unrelenting torment. Then, a twisted, guttural wail rang out ahead, and I dragged my gaze from my mangled arms to the horror unfolding before me.
The flames—merciless and all-consuming—swallowed the figures standing in front of me.
Master, Rachael, Han, Jiyoung, Jihye—all faces I knew, twisted in anguish, their features contorted in despair so thick which clawed at my heart. My stomach sank, despair swelling within me, yet no sound escaped my lips. Only tears streaked down my face.
Please...not them. Not them!
Nooooooooo!!!!!!
I begged, pleaded with the flames, willing them to release the others, to turn their deadly hunger elsewhere or either to unleash all of it over me. I tried to reach for them, to shake the flames from their bodies, somehow—anything to save them.
My mangled arms reached out and all of them fixed their gaze over me. Their feet moved and they circled around me, I focused through my blurred eyes, and saw the damage the flames exacted on them, Master had half of his face burned, his skeleton visible, tears welled down my face, as he looked at me so ruthlessly and full of hatred.
Everyone else was in a similar situation, their faces, arms, torso or either any other part devoured completely. Their dark and despaired eyes glared down at me.
“It’s all your fault!!!"
A wail of accusations filled the air, the words like cold iron which stabbed at my heart.
I trembled, blood running down my face, my body and heart both breaking down. The iridescent flames consumed me, leaving nothing behind, only the despaired faces and cries of the people I cared about.
The power I'd relied on to defeat my enemies, had done the one thing I feared most.
I screamed and finally my voice tore through, and I felt a tremor run through the void as everything cracked and shattered. I sprung up on the bed I laid in as I screamed, my voice felt strained and extremely hoarse, like I had swallowed a cactus, as I reached my arms out, covered in thick bandages as tears streamed down my face.
I couldn’t process what was happening, holding even the simplest thought left me with an unbearable strain. I realized I was in a room filled with dim light, as I brought my hands back and each breath felt like a burden.
“Shun,” a soft voice echoed from the corner of the room, I realized, as my blurry eyes focused on the figure, locks of gunmetal silver hair came into my vision as I saw two teal eyes looking at me with concern and fear.
I felt my voice drown, my wails turned more desperate, as I reached for Aurora, tears welled in my eyes as I started to remember everything.
I clutched Aurora's arms with what little strength and effort I could muster, my face a mask of pure desperation.
“Please…” The word left me coughing, my throat felt so hoarse that speaking seemed unbearable.
“Where is he?...Where is Mordian? Is he safe?” I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper as a fresh wave of pain clawed up my throat.
My body shook in spasms, the pain pulsing through my wrists like a bitter reminder of everything that had happened. My expression was wild, eyes haunted, trapped between fear and despair as fragmented memories flared to life, each a cruel reminder. As if I'd woken up from a horrible nightmare.
My battle against the demons, against Mordian, against myself. I quivered as my grip on Aurora weakened, her expression loosening, as if afraid that something might happen to me.
I felt my grip on reality slipping, as my eyes dimmed, my breathing turned shallow and weak.
I stumbled forward, but my legs gave way, and I crumpled to the floor, breathless. Pain still coursed through me, feeling so fresh, but before I could gather my bearings, a steady hand gripped my shoulder, it was firm yet gentle.
“Shun.” Aurora’s voice broke through the fog, calm yet firm. “Stay with me. Breathe. Try to calm down.” Her hand pressed gently but insistently, guiding me back from the edge of panic. I drew in a ragged breath, the heat and ache still simmering beneath my skin, but her voice kept me grounded, easing the storm within me.
My arms felt like they were still burning, the impression the flames left still etched strongly in my mind.
She crouched beside me, helping me rise to my feet with a gentle grip under my arm. I could feel her hands steadying me, her touch warm amidst the lingering coldness of pain.
“What…what happened?” I asked, my voice still strained, appearing confused and anxious.
Aurora hesitated, her gaze dropping slightly. “Mordian flew in and brought you…” She trailed off, her eyes flickering with an emotion I couldn’t quite read.
My brows knitted, and I searched her face. “Aurora?” I urged softly, probing, feeling a tightness in my chest. The memories of that battle were splintered, fragments flickering through my mind like flashes of lightning—faces in pain, flames, destruction. But the whole picture eluded me, a puzzle half-forgotten.
She swallowed, then gently led me to the bed. “Come, sit,” she said, guiding me, her touch still reassuring. I sank onto the edge of the bed, my limbs heavy as she settled beside me. Her gaze was steady but filled with a quiet concern.
“You both looked like you’d been chewed up and spat out by some beast,” she murmured, her eyes searching mine. “I’ve never seen either of you like that…as if something tried to tear you both apart. Even when we'd fought the Eldergrove you weren’t as injured as you were this time, and so was Mordian. When you were brought in, your condition was severe, so much so that all of the emitters at hand had to work on you at once, your condition destabilised several times, your body refusing to fully heal—your power to regenerate resisted several times, before settling.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, flashes of flames, cries of agony, and the dark, jagged figures twisted in the haze of my mind. But when I opened them, Aurora’s face was still there, grounding me in the present. Making me feel a sense of relief that, that moment had long past.
Everything just felt like a bad nightmare.
“What happened out there?” She asked softly, though a hint of fear lingered in her voice, her eyes widening just slightly as if wary of what I might say.
I stayed silent, memories flickering through my mind, too raw, too twisted to put into words. Her question hung in the air, heavy with worry and dread. I could see she wanted answers, but I was still reeling, caught between the echoes of that battle and the safety of here and now—the quiet safety which this room and her presence brought.
After a moment, Aurora exhaled and patted my shoulder, her lips pressing into a thin line of understanding. “Alright…let’s not push it now. You can tell me when you’re ready. For now, let’s find Mordian.”
She said, and I felt almost relieved, she didn’t press me any further. I had come to rely on Aurora even if I didn’t wanted to admit it, her presence and kind words were like a balm to a wound—which I really needed right now.
I nodded, and with her help, we ventured into the fortress’s dimly lit corridors. Aurora told me that we were in the Tseige fortress for clarification, filling me on what had conspired so far. I gasped on the realization that I'd been in a coma for more than a week, my mana reserves lacking, which only added more clarity to her words.
But even when I didn’t fully focus, I could already feel it, the purity of my mana, the strength of my channels, they had evolved, the assimilation more stronger and pure, to the point that I felt the connection with the atmospheric mana, as if I could command it to my will even without a thought. After so many months, I had finally reached it, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel the exhilaration of my breakthrough.
For some reason, I felt conflicted about this...the memories of the battle against Ankewelt and his team so vivid that I couldn’t bring myself to focus on something else.
So instead, I focused on Aurora's voice to distract myself as I continued listening to her explanation as we ventured deeper.
Each step seemed to scrape at the edges of my memory, fragments of battle and chaos swirling with every echo of our footsteps. The air was cool, laced with the faint scent of metal and ash, as though the fortress itself bore the lingering traces of war.
Finally, we reached an open terrace. The night breeze swept over us, cool and refreshing, carrying the distant hum of the land. And there, seated on a wooden chair near the edge of the terrace, was Mordian.
He was gazing out into the night, a bottle resting on a low table before him. With one hand, he lifted a glass and took a sip, his gaze thoughtful and heavy, as if his mind was under some deep contemplation.
I felt my chest tighten at the sight of him, battered yet calm. I swallowed hard, feeling almost afraid to open our mental link, as I remembered what I’d done to him, that one memory still raw and clear in my mind—and what he had done for me, willing to sacrifice himself just to bring me back from the clutches of the destruction encompassing my mind. The words, the curses and how I'd almost tried to kill my own bond under my mania.
Aurora released my arm, allowing me to step forward on my own, each step a burden and struggle but I somehow carried my own weight,—Aurora tried to help, but I pushed her away with a shook of my head. Mordian’s gaze drifted to us, and he inclined his head slightly, acknowledging our approach.
“Mordian,” I called softly, feeling a surge of relief at seeing him here, alive. Finding the word almost...painful.
His eyes softened slightly, and I felt my face turn in confusion. Such an expression felt almost alien on my bond, yet I felt like something about him had changed after our battle. After we both had opened our hearts to one another.
I was afraid to meet him right now, but I was more afraid of the fact that I’d almost lost my friend. I’d swore to protect everyone I cared about, but I'd failed yet again.
The things I'd made Mordian go through...
Hesitantly, I reached for our mental link, the layers of protection I had placed slowly peeled away, and I tried to say something, but even when I mustered up the courage to, my heart tightened from guilt, the words sank.
‘It’s alright. You don’t have to feel guilty.’ Instead my bond said, his voice left me reassured, as he signalled from his eyes for me to sit down. ‘I'm glad you’re safe.’ He said as I felt complex, unable to deliver any reply in return.
‘And congratulations on reaching the mystic stage. You have come yet another step closer to your old strength.'
But his words left me with a weird sense of relief. His tone wasn’t angry, but relieved and kind.
I approached him and took a seat beside him, below us, the burned and destroyed courtyard was visible—the damage done looked somewhat exaggerated.
Many orcs, dwarfs and elves walking and enjoying their time, speaking with bright expressions, as if the war was simply just a bad dream and we all had finally woken up.
Soon, everyone looked up and noticed me, and their faces bloomed in surprise as I heard footsteps approach from behind us.
The figure of Zalar, Huŕum and another orc came to a halt in front of us. Aurora walked to our side, as I looked at the unfamiliar orc, who held a resemblance to Huŕum, but I felt like I’d seen him. But where?
“Jiwoo, thank goodness you are awake. We were all worried.” Zalar said as he took another few steps forward and came closer to us.
“It’s a relief to see you.” His arms moved and he took my bandaged arm in his hands, his grip firm yet gentle, his eyes turned to me and I saw genuine tears of joy welling in them.
“Thank you. Thank you so much. You did what you promised me—our people.” His voice sounded low, but each word spoken held the weight of his gratitude, and I felt a thin smile pull at my lips.
I allowed myself to straighten, as I tried to push the memories of my battle at the back of my mind for the time being as I returned his gaze and spoke. “I'm just glad that things went according to how we had imagined—with a few mishps here and there.”
Zalar returned my words with a few more words of gratitude, as I saw Huŕum walk closer to me, his face expressionless, as I inclined my head in question, not sure what the young orc needed.
To my surprise, he bent to his knees and bowed his head. Zalar, Aurora and I gasped in surprise and confusion as I looked at Huŕum, trying to figure out what he was trying to do.
But before I could ask, his voice shook the air, the heavy and hoarse voice echoed in my ears.
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
“Forgive me, Jiwoo. I put you and all the others’ in danger, sending Surter—that traitor with you.” His last words had venom laced to them, his tone grew sharper as he took his late friend’s name. “I hope you can forgive me for my mistake. My mistake for sending that traitor with you could have allowed all of our efforts to go to waste, if not for you, fighting an entire battlegroup of those demons.”
His last words put an expression of awe on Zalar, Aurora and the unknown orc's face, as they all turned to look at me with admiration, Mordian continued to savour his beverage as he silently listened from the side, his expression returning to his usual solemnity.
“You don’t have to apologise, what’s done is already in the past, what we can do is look forward to the result that we brought through our efforts.“ I said with a tone of understanding, patting the orc on his muscular shoulder, as I turned to Zalar.
“Were there any survivors from the ones that went with me?” I said, hesitant, that I wouldn’t get an answer I wanted.
“When I escaped from the dungeon with the others, I found their dead bodies not far from the fortress, as we made our way to Tseige,” the third orc said, and I finally seem to remember who he was through the fragments of my hazy and splintered memories. “But,” he suddenly added, as I held a semblance of hope that at least one of them had survived.
“I found an elven woman amongst the wreckage, she was still breathing, but severely injured and close to her end. We brought her along with us, she must be resting and recuperating from her injuries in one of the quarters of the fortress.”
I took a breath of relief as I heard Karam end his words, his expression remained solemn, but there was a certain emotion in his eyes that made it seem that he was avoiding my gaze deliberately, which I found odd at first but certainly had a guess for why.
But it was no doubt that I felt sorrow grip my insides on the loss of those young warriors who had accompanied me. They knew that death was inevitable when they decided to accompany me, and they had still went along, because they wanted a chance to protect what they deemed precious.
I spoke a small prayer for them in my heart as I turned to Zalar for the question festering my mind since long.
He seem to turn attentive seeing the change in my demeanour. “Have you already opened the connection using the compass?” I asked calmly, and the orcen elder nodded, as his body shifted and he spoke.
“We swiftly deactivated the mana distortion device and used the compass to call for reinforcements, wasting no time,” Zalar said as I felt pangs of pain rise in my thighs and arms, the elder noticed the slight change and gestured for me to take a seat.
After I sat, he continued. “We first reached to the elven world and they immediately sent two of their strongest mages as reinforcements with several more soldiers as backup. The two mages they sent are from the Brigade: Zero. The strongest team of elves—they are selective individuals who represent the elven race and their collective efforts and power.” Zalar added as if to clarify whom those two mages were and what level of rank and power they held in their respective world.
And something was telling me that I'll get to meet them sooner than I thought.
“This team of mages is directly under the command of the war-goddess; Beatrix. The highest ranked mage and individual in the elven world after the royalty.”
I nodded in understanding as I tried to make an image of those two in my head, fitting according to their rank and authority. And this Beatrix sounded intriguing, even her title oozed her achievements on the battlefield.
Perhaps I’ll have the pleasure of meeting her one day.
Zalar looked at me for clarification, and seeing that I followed along each of his words, he added. “And from the dwarven world, they sent their strongest mage too.”
“Jiwoo, I know you've just woken up, but could you please follow us to the chamber, the other elders are awaiting your presence.” The orc elder said with an almost apologetic tone, his brows creased slightly as he appeared formal. “I apologise that you must still be recovering, but the aftermath must also be taken care of in a timelymanner. It isn’t easy to fight a war.” He said with an almost exaggerated sigh, and I almost stifled a chuckle.
I smiled on his words, feeling slightly alleviated from the burdens encompassing my mind. “Well the soldiers’ part in the war is somewhat done, we are the ones who have to deal with the aftermath of the wreckage.” I returned with a raise of my brow. “It’s their job that’s done, not ours.”
Zalar’s expression shifted to a silent smirk, and he added after a few seconds. “Rest is a privilege people like us lack. But we will eventually get our turn.”
We all shared a silent moment before Zalar said something out of no where. “And I heard a title which has been circulating amongst the population. They're calling you their liberator. The one who brought back the compass and released us from the nightmare of our imprisonment.”
I raised a brow with a complicated expression. “Liberator, huh?”
We spoke about a few more things and shortly after we bid farewell, as we decided to rendezvous in the chamber later. Aurora pursed from the side that she will bring me later along Mordian, as the others went on ahead, giving me more time to recover and get my thoughts together before the trial which awaited us.
I smiled—for the first time in a while, I felt the expression appear fresh on my face, easing the burden from my chest.
I continued watch of the night sky, the stars twinkling in the expansive canvas. As the night breeze fluttered past, the people walking and working as they went back and forth.
Indeed their work was done, it was now our turn to take care of the aftermath.
Then suddenly from the side, I watched Aurora glancing at me with a gaze full of scrutiny, her teal eyes taking in my form as I felt weird from her staring at me.
“What?” I asked, curious why she was looking at me so intently.
She smiled, her face full of vigour. “It’s just your hair...”
I inclined my head in question, brushing my bandaged hand through my long locks, as I questioned. “What about my hair?”
She continued staring as if amused. “The extensions of your hair, they have turned white at the edges, and a few strands from the scalp.”
“Huh?” I murmured in surprise as I grabbed my hair and looked at the extensions with curiosity and shock palpable across my face.
"Wow, they sure have turned white. Yikes!” I said in a humours tone with an exaggerated pull of my face, as I saw Aurora laugh, her face looked genuinely smiling and laughing, as I chuckled myself.
“Awesome. Now Mordian got his wheat-blonde hair, you, your silvery gunmetal locks, and now I'm getting a head full of white hair from all the stress. Hopefully, this isn’t the start of my hair loss journey. I guess hair loss from stress wasn’t just a myth.” I joked and I saw Aurora's chuckles fill the air from the side.
“Don’t worry Mr. Liberator. Hair loss should be the least of your worries right now.” Aurora said, as she wiped her eyes.
“Huam, that title does have a ring to it.” I said as I brought my hand to my chin and said jokingly.
We spoke a little bit more about the things that had happened in the week and a half which had passed. Afterward, time ticked by as my mind went to what to tell the others and what not to.
I couldn’t just tell them that I went half-mad after my fight when I unlocked some all destroying flame. And I don’t think Karam would be that eager to tell them either.
***
After returning to the quarter where I’d woken up, I washed up, wiping my body with a towel, warm water resting still in a small tub, placed over a table in the room.
I changed into a more comfortable attire, a simple grey shirt with pants.
I took a breath, as I sat on the edge of the bed, my hand moved and I slowly loosened the bandages wrapped around my left arm, as my eyes focused on the scars left on my forearm and hand—while these old scars appeared quite faded already, the thing which caught my attention were the burn marks, which still left a hollow stinging over my skin, as if when I closed my eyes, I could feel the flames burning away my arms.
My body had already fully healed, but the burn marks appeared to be a reminder of the destruction which I'd wrought.
I wrapped the bandages around my arm again, after I checked my other arm as well—it was in a similar state. With a more resolute expression, I stood and walked closer to the door, and soon exited, I hadn’t checked the system rewards I’d accumulated yet with so much happening the moment I’d woken up, I had thought of viewing the rewards and achievement later when I had some peace of mind. After a short walk, I found Mordian and Aurora waiting for me at the end of the corridor.
Aurora’s expression lit up, watching me as I approached. She brought her hand forward and I saw a hair tie resting in her palm. I accepted it and took my hair from the crown of my head and tied it into a ponytail.
“Thanks,” I said, and she nodded with a genuine smile as she took a step closer and fixed a few strands of my hair which were poking out.
Afterword, we silently approached the chamber where everyone was waiting for us.
My mind was under deep contemplation, jumping from one scenario after another. When we were conversing earlier in the terrace, Mordian had briefed me on the individuals who had arrived here as reinforcements from the alliance races.
Mordian had been taking care of the many matters alongside the elders since we got back, and the three newcomers had been assisting in such assignments. And through Mordian, I'd learned their names.
The two elves sent by the elven race were, Lance Morvalis, and the other one was Lyressa Amethien. And Thargrim Ironstride was sent by the high-magistrate of the dwarfs.
All of them were strong enlightenment stage mages, so I was informed, close to reaching the mystic stage, but not just yet.
It didn’t take us long to reach the chamber, where two guards stood station outside, they saw us approaching and without a word moved aside and opened the doors as we entered.
The inside was lit by the light projection of artifacts, as I saw a long table, and many seats which the participants filled. Many of them were people I was already familiar with—Zalar, Durin, Grimni Vaerin, Serven, Karam, Huŕum— but there were a few new faces, including the three I’d already heard about. Everyone stopped talking as we approached, their silence echoed louder than their words, taking the empty seats at the edge of the right side.
I sat closest to Zalar, the orcen elder welcomed me with open arms and a friendly disposition, as I saw several eyes lock on to me, Mordian taking the seat next to me and Aurora sat beside him.
A deafening silence shrouded the entire chamber, the windows allowed the moonlight to spill inside, a soft and soothing breeze blew inside the chamber through the opened oriel windows, as I focused on the additional participants.
The first to catch my eye was the male elf, sitting opposite to me on the other side with an air of unshakable composure. His sharp, handsome features matched his rigid posture, and his straight dull blonde hair barely shifted despite the gentle breeze. His eyes remained unbothered, the emerald gems almost piercing, as I looked at his pointy ears. But as I focused, I found an almost faded scar on his left brow.
He wore what looked like a military uniform, pristine and almost ceremonial—a white tunic shirt paired with matching pants, and a golden-red scarf that stretched from his shoulder to his waist like some kind of honour badge.
Everything about him screamed ‘strict and proper’, from his piercing gaze to the way his hands stayed firmly at his sides, like he was too disciplined to let them rest naturally.
In stark contrast, his companion a female elf, sat beside him with an easy, almost mischievous air. Her black hair was tied back neatly, but there was a carefree looseness to her stance, her chestnut eyes sparkling with an energy that made her stand out. She wore the same uniform as the guy, but on her, it seemed less formal, as if she didn’t take the weight of it too seriously.
There was a playful smirk on her face that made you want to drop your guard in her presence. And occasionally, she nudged Lance's arm, only to get a stiff frown in return.
Then there was the dwarf. His height looked to be around four feet, just by seeing him sit, but he had a presence that more than made up for his height.
His mustard-coloured robe wasn’t exactly what I’d call stylish, but it suited him—practical and no-nonsense, like the man himself. A thick, dark beard covered most of his face, save for the mole on his left cheek, which seemed to stand out even more because of it.
He looked stern at first glance, but his eyes held a kind of understanding that made you feel like he’d seen it all and wouldn’t judge you for whatever mess you were bringing his way. Still, I had a feeling he wasn’t one to tolerate fools.
Together, they looked like the setup for some grand joke I’d never heard: a solemn elf, a playful elf, and a dwarf with a mustard robe walk into a room… and somehow, I’m the punchline.
“So, you are the human we have heard so much about in the meantime?” Lance said from the side, his eyes remained fixed on me, his face expressionless and words as solemn and sharp as his demeanour.
“Since you were in a coma, we have heard about your achievements from the mouths of others.” He added, his tone sharp and levelled. “But I must say, when I heard that a human was the one who had contributed the most in liberating the orcs, I was genuinely surprised. But, being able to dismantle an entire battlegroup consisting of several high-ranked demons is no small achievement—I was skeptical at first that how could a human do such a thing alone, until I went and saw the wreckage and aftermath of your battle.” Somehow his words appeared taunting, his lips curving with a scoff.
I met his gaze with the same calm demeanour. “True. But maybe it's one of those things you can’t quite grasp until you’ve faced it yourself. Stories and reality rarely align, as you maybe aware, after all. So, I’d say your skepticism has run its course. I don’t blame you for it.” My tone was smooth, but the slight curve of my lips made the barb unmistakable. The elf’s sneer deepened as our eyes clashed for a moment.
But before he had a chance to retort, I saw the female elf, Lyressa, burst with laughter, her mischievous smirk replaced with an exaggerated pull of her lips, as she held on to her stomach and only stopped after a few more seconds.
The others watched her in silence, Durin, Grimnir, Vaerin, all of them just looked, but didn’t say a word.
She patted her companion's shoulder, as she turned to me and spoke. “I apologise if you felt offended by his poor choice of words, but that wasn’t his intentions—maybe.” Lyressa said, her soft words echoed in my ears, as if like a sweet lullaby, making my head slightly spin, before I recollected my thoughts. “That’s just how this guy is—but honestly, even I was surprised to learn about your achievements. It’s rather impressive to know that the human race has come so far in such a start time.”
“We all have heard about one another, but I believe it is much better to be introduced first-hand.” Thargrim the dwarf, said from the side, and everyone nodded, as Lyressa’s head moved, preparing for an introduction.
She placed a hand on her chest as she straightened, the mischievous air around her turned stiff for a moment, as a more serious one replaced it. “Lyressa Amethien. A member of Brigade: Zero—directly under the command of Lady Beatrix Runao.” But she brought her hand toward her eye and made a peace sign, sticking her tongue out slightly and mischievously, as she continued. “It’s great to make your acquaintance. Let’s hope to be more casual in the future.” She winked at me.
Lance shrugged off, as he clicked his tongue in annoyance—due to the childish act of his companion.
He avoided his gaze from me on purpose, as he said, simple and short. “Likewise from the same Brigade; Lance Morvalis.”
Everyone remained silent until the introductions were completed, and then came the turn of Thargrim Ironstride.
“Thargrim Ironstride,” that’s all he said as he crossed his arms and eased into his seat.
I took a breath as the eyes in the chamber focused on to me.
“Seo Jiwoo—recently better know as the ‘Liberator’.” I said, tone half joking and teasing.
I saw Lyressa's lips pull into a smirk, and so the other elders, except Serven as we all shared a silent moment and then went straight to the point of why we had been summoned.
I recited everything from the start, telling them every detail coherently, not missing a single detail, of how I'd entered the underground basement through the hidden passage and then found my way through the basement into the upper levels of the fortress, before stealthy reaching the throne room where I found the compass and was caught by their leader, Ankewelt of the Noros descent.
Everyone asked a few questions here and there, finding intriguing parts in my explanation, as I answered each of them slowly.
“After I'd been caught, due to my strength lacking in comparison to Ankewelt at that time, he'd underestimated me, allowing me to deal him a critical blow and cripple his core by chance which gave me a better advantage in the battle which ensued later.” I mused as I placed my back against the seat, everyone tried to absorb the information I provided, as if they were trying to picture themselves the scenario of how the battle went.
“Afterward, I was trapped by his team which appeared only a few seconds late to Ankewelt’s arrival, amongst them was also Surter.” I saw Huŕum’s face darken considerably on his mention, as I shrugged and continued. “And due to the arsenal of spells I had at my disposal and my other abilities, I was somehow able to put a good resistance against them, giving me enough time to hold them back until Mordian arrived to help me.”
Karam's gaze remained complicated the entire time I spoke, while I had distorted the truth at the end, not disclosing the power I'd relied on to actually defeat the demons—I didn’t want to tell them to throw them off by letting them know I could now manipulate demonic energy to a certain extent, which only demons from the exciduim race could—but alas only through rhe extensive reach of Ruler’s Authority.
“But according to some witnesses, they said, that they saw a rise to an iridescent flame which had consumed a part of the fortress, you didn’t mention that?"Lance objected as his sharp eyes scrutinized me.
I matched his gaze, showing no more hesitation than I wanted him to, as I deliberated for a moment, keeping him at arms length as I clarified.
“It was a new form of deviant fire magic I unlocked mid-fight—” Lance's brows knitted for a brief instance, as if he needed a more profound reason to believe me, so I gave him one he would. “Because I'm a quadra-elemental mage—giving me a more diverse scale of choice to use spells and achieve more results in the manipulation of all four elements—sequentially, allowing me to unlock more intricate forms of magic in my pursuit of power.”
Lance's face distorted slightly, as if finding my statement incoherent and almost mocking.
“I can vouch for him. That he is telling the truth.” Mordian said from my side, as Lance backed away, his face slacked, but the crease didn’t disappear as he still appeared skeptical.
“If Lord Astrionyx is the one vouching, then I shall take it as the truth.” Lance pursed, his words respectful and head slightly bowed.
My eyes jumped from one face to another, looking at them before I spoke. “Anything else any of you want to ask?”
But no reply came as I eased into my seat, finally taking a breath of relief. But from the side, I heard Lyressa say something.
“It’s so cool that you’re a quadra-elemental mage, how does it feel like to manipulate all four of the elements freely? How many deviant magic can you use and what is your strongest spell amongst all the elements?”
She threw a barrage of questions at once, not giving me time to answer. But a nudge from Lance held Lyressa back.
“That is a sensitive topic for a mage, you of all people should know better, being a mage yourself, to not ask such a question to another mage.” Lance sternly pursed, his face expressionless, but his words were something even I couldn’t deny.
“Oops, sorry,” Lyressa said with an apologetic tone, seemingly acting childishly. “Right, you wouldn’t wanna tell us your secret moves. I won’t probe any further.”
Just like that the meeting continued on, we shared different agendas with one another, the voices of disapproval for a certain task, and approval for one rose inside the chamber, as I also brought up the question for considering to bring the human race into the tri-union alliance—to finally give them a chance.
With my performance in the war, helping the orcs out by putting my life on the line, it should give them a more favourable stance toward the human race. Because the orcs held an opposition vote within the alliance and if they sided with the humans, our chances of being invited into the alliance’ circle would increase.
And the reason I'd brought this up right now was because, the people sitting here were selected by the highest authorities of their world, so if I stem this seed in their mind now, they might help us out later by convincing them on our behalf.
All of them nodded in acknowledgement, as Zalar was the first to speak.
“I myself will bring the topic up in the next tri-union gathering, whenever it would be scheduled next time.” Zalar said, his hunched back slightly straightened, as he rose slowly. “With the risk, Jiwoo and his companions took for us and our people, it is only right that we may help him and his kind, if need be—as we remember this debt for the future. If not for him, Lord Mordian and Lady Aurora’s help, we wouldn’t have able to escape our circumstances of this hopeless situation brought upon us. For that, I sincerely thank you.”
Zalar moved and slightly bowed his head—to show his sincerity—, Huŕum and Karam did the same and followed him, as they unbent and we heard a knock come from the doors.
We turned to the entrance and I saw an elven woman enter through the gap of the arched entrance, as her blonde hair were tied into a bun behind her head. Her robes fluttered slightly as she came to a halt at the tail of the table.
Zalar noticed her and spoke. “How are the preparations coming along, Giselle?”
The elven woman, Giselle, gracefully replied, bowing her head slightly as she acknowledged his words. “Yes, Elder Zalar, the preparations are almost complete and the ceremony is about to be underway, if you could follow me for the final preparations for the celebration.”
I turned to Zalar, confused. “Is something happening?”
“Yes, just a small celebration we all put together to celebrate our victory against the demons—for retaking our lands back from them. That is the least we can do for the harwork of the soldiers who fought in this war.” He mused with a smile, as everyone started to rise one after another, Zalar reached for the entrance as he bade farewell to the others and went along his way with Giselle.
The two elves from the Brigade: Zero mentioned to go survey the area before returning and rejoining later, as Vaerin nodded and told them to be careful as he followed out of the chamber alongside his companion and the orcs.
Aurora, Mordian and I stepped out, taking a detour as we waited for the preparations to be fully complete.
“So, are you going?” Aurora asked with an expectant smile.
A smirk replaced my lips as I replied. “Do we have a choice? And I'm actually curious what kind of cuisine they are serving. I've gotten hungry.”