The Von Weise main island was surrounded by a thick veil of black fog. Nothing could be seen from the inside, except for dark shadows and black thunder flashing every once in a while.
That’s what Rita, who followed Lily’s instructions, first saw when she took an inflatable boat and headed there, sneaking past the family’s emergency guards who established a closed zone around it.
Thankfully without a clear chain of command, those guards were in a mess, and their siege had many holes in it.
“A dungeon…” she sighed. Who would have guessed that her first dungeon would be her family's island!
Grasping the map in her hand she jumped from the inflatable boat, activating her levitation necklace as he headed toward it.
----------------------------------------
"It seems like my master has decided not to return today…" Victor sighed looking at Macil who was stretching his hands after a night's sleep. "We will have to go by ourselves…"
"I am telling you! You will definitely be found out!" Macil said as he slowly stood up. He couldn’t believe Victor proposed his stupid plan last night! They had been arguing about it ever since.
"And I keep telling you, we will see about that!" Victor said as he began to roll his sleeping bag.
"What kind of fabric does this sleeping bag use?" Macil asked to change the subject as he also began mimicking Victor by rolling his sleeping bag. Those bags were very soft, thin, and warm in the cold desert night.
"It is synthetic…They are from my original world! I usually let one of my girls warm it for me for a quality sleep!" Victor sighed. "You can have the one you used! "
"Thanks," Macil simply said as he stuck the bag in his storage ring. It would be nice to have a girl like Meril warm it for him, she had a habit of always crawling into his bed whenever he was not there… No… Absolutely not….WHAT WAS HE THINKING? He was a straight elf!
“You seem hesitant…” Victor said as he handed him some dried meat from last night. This was their breakfast.
“Ah… Yes…” Macil said as he ate.
“Don’t worry, my master will definitely come to save us if anything goes wrong!” Victor said as he helped himself to some meat too.
“That’s if he can make it before the guardians cut your head…” Macil sighed. “Impersonating a higher race is a capital crime you know!”
“... Donkeys…. Ehm... Elven horses are considered higher than humans?” Victor asked with a strange look on his face.
“Duh! That’s common sense!” Macil replied. “Are you sure that pill would work on Meril?” he asked, changing the subject. He had long learned that trying to educate lower races on matters of racial superiority was a futile cause!
“Ah… If she is truly my sister then Yes, My ancestor’s blood was used to make it!” Victor replied, seemingly forgetting the past subject. “Originally made it to cure my little sister who was suffering from bloodline depletion, and it pushed her bloodline so much that she is now stronger than me!… Ah! That reminded me!” he quickly said as he took a brown paper bag from his ring and threw it to Macil.
“What are those?” Macil asked as he finished his meal and wiped his hand with a gilded handkerchief. Inside the bag, there were a few brown sticks that seemed to be some kind of food.
“Energy bars… Think of them as very nutritious food, and give them to Meril to eat before she takes the blood purifying pill, the bloodline upgrades need a lot of energy.
“Oh…” Macil said as he broke one of the bars and ate it he frowned and then spat everything in his mouth followed by everything in his stomach.
He was not sure, but 30% of his noble elven taste buds had probably just died. “WHAT THE FUCK IT THIS?” he asked.
“It tastes a little bad… But it is very energy dense…” Victor said as he casually threw his wine flask toward Macil who grabbed it and then began to wash his mouth with wine to erase the taste.
“A little?” Macil finally said. “You want Meril to eat this?”
“You have to convince her… The energy needed for the bloodline upgrade is huge!” Victor said. “Unless you can prepare a herbal path for her, this is the best choice!”
“I see…”
“Now… Let’s get to business… How long would it take to reach the sun elf's land?" Victor asked.
"3 weeks if we travel by normal means," Macil said, looking in a certain direction.
"And I believe you are not planning to do that!" Victor said.
"That's obvious! I will be using this," Macil took out one golden talisman from his ring.
"A teleportation talisman?" Victor asked.
SUN ELF FAST TRAVEL TALISMAN, B
SPEED = DOUBLE THE SPEED OF SOUND
ACTIVATION CONDITION
* THE TARGET LOCATION MUST HAVE A SUNSTONE!
* LUGGAGE WEIGHT CANNOT EXCEED 70 ELEVEN STONES!
* ACTIVATOR MUST BE A SUN ELF!
"It is called fast travel, it is not instantaneous, but very fast!" Macil said, "Sadly, only elves can use this, and that's why I am asking you to just give me the pill! You would never make it in time!" He added he was still very reluctant to take Victor with him, but with his master not returning, this was the only way to save Meril!
“Wouldn’t your ride also teleport with you?” Victor said.
“It would if it was light enough! But If you really shapeshift into an elven horse, I will have to ride you!” Macil said. Getting ridden was something so humiliating for an elf.
"I don't mind!" Victor said.
“After that, you are not allowed to shift back until we leave the elven lands!” Macil said. “In the palace, I am surrounded by spies all the time,” he sighed.
“I am prepared for that!”
“...”
“...”
“Fine! But If you get caught, I will act as If I had no idea you were a human!” Macil finally spat.
“I know…I know !” Victorn nodded.
"Let;s go then…” Macil sighed.
“Ok!” Victor said. “Remember, I will not be able to speak as a don… An elven horse, So if you need anything you better ask me now!" he added.
"Just one thing… How are you going to give me the pill without transforming back into a human?" Macil asked, realizing that Victor might not be able to enter the prison in the first place.
"Don't worry, after transforming I can store things in my mouth!" Victor said.
"Oh… Coming with me is completely unnecessary you know," Macil repeated for the 20th time. He was really reluctant to take Victor with him.
"IT IS… I don't trust you," Victor said.
“You are already trusting me to bring you in!” Mecil spat.
“I am not talking about you betraying me, you seem like a decent elf… “ Victor said. “What I don’t trust is your ability to sneak my sister out!” Victor explained. “You are the one who said you are always surrounded by spies!”
“...I can do it!”
"Don’t worry, If we needed to escape my ability would come in handy!" Victor said encouraging him.
“If things go as planned, we will never need to escape!” Macil said. ”Wait… why are you taking off your clothes?” he asked as he turned to look away in a hurry like any gentle elf would do.
“Do you expect me to shapeshift while still dressed!” Victor who slowly took off his garments said.
“Oh…. Good point…” Maci frowned, thinking that Victor would be walking naked through the elven lands… It was a very disturbing thought.
“...”
“Did you finish?” Macil turned and looked back after five minutes. Victor was no longer there, in his place was a majestic elven horse with a purple mane and a golden chain around his neck.
“Heeeee HAWwwwwwwwww….”
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“Whatever…” Macil sighed as he walked toward ‘Victor’. “you better behave…” he said as he slowly climbed onto him. Victor shook at first as Macil was heavy, but after a few minutes, he seemed to have adjusted.
“Let’s go…” Macil said, making ‘Victor’ start to move forward.
“What the hell am I doing…” Macil asked himself as he held the chain Victor conveniently left around his neck, and activated his talisman.
The next moment all around him a sphere of light began to form, forcing him to lower his head a bit to fit inside with Victor. As soon as it was completed they were catapulted into the air toward the Sun City!
----------------------------------------
“I don’t like this…” Zed said as he and his group walked through the dark evil jungle. They had been here for more than 5 hours and they were getting weary due to the constant attacks from the ghouls who sprang out of the ground every hour or so. “We need some rest, I am beginning to hallucinate you know…. It is like the trees are looking at me…” he complained as he began looking around.
“Stop being a coward! Big sister Alice already said that we will take a rest as soon as we find a safe zone!” Zola spat at him, making Kuu look at him with disdain too! They were tired, but the sight of Alice and Zoe pressing forward filled them with energy.
“I didn’t mean it…”
“Wait… Stop… Did you see a tree looking at you?” The one who interrupted was Alice.
“Yes… That one… Its bark resembles a face in the dark…” Zed said pointing to a tree a few feet ahead of them “I am just a little tired so…” before he could continue, Alice was next to the tree with her sword penetrating it.
“KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA….”
The tree screamed as it slowly transformed from wood to bones that collapsed into the ground.
“Kyaaaaa….” Zola shrieked as she watched in horror.
“What the fuck was that!” Zed asked in shock.
“Not sure, some kind of a mimic…” Alice said, grabbing the large gem left on the ground. “Remember, in a dungeon always be wary, and investigate!”
“I know…” Zed sighed. They shouldn’t be here. DAMN IT!
“Wait, What is that?” Zoe suddenly said, making everyone look where she was pointing. It was a wooden building that seemed to be some kind of a shrine.
“Is this a trap too?” Zed asked.
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem like it. Let's check it out…” Alice, who had experience in dungeons, said as she inspected it and the inscriptions on the shrine’s pillars. “Be careful though and don’t touch a thing…”
----------------------------------------
It was two hours later when a shiny ball decelerated as it fell from the sky and as it broke, Macil appeared in the plaza of the elven capital, the SUN city. A majestic city with golden buildings built on tall silvery metallic trees that had no leaves to block the sun.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzz
All around him, the sound of buzzing could be heard as the large jewels placed around the plaza began to vibrate.
This was the first time Macil saw them react like this. Those things were the demon defense mechanism that shot death rays at any demon who managed to sneak into the travel plaza! Could it be that Victor was a demon? SHIT!
Macil quickly jumped from the elven horse's back as an entire platoon of armored men in silver surrounded them.
Bzzzt..zzz..zzz… z. .z. ……..
The jewels stopped buzzing and everything became peaceful.
A false alarm?
“YOUR HIGHNESS!” The guards who were on high alert earlier all relaxed and saluted after making sure who the newcomer was.
Those guys were not elves, but mixed races. They were the slaves his father’s project produced during the last 30 years. One can tell by the obsidian obedience collars around their necks.
“You may raise your heads!” Macil said, acting like a prince.
“PRINCE MACIL…” Someone said, this time it was an elderly elf in golden armor who only bowed slightly then stood right up, “How was your task?”
“Don’t ask….” Macil sighed. This guy was one of the guardians who were responsible for checking for demons and enemies at the plaza. Macil was not sure about his allegiance. "What's wrong with the array?"
"If I had to guess I would say that it is you, your highness…” the guardian said, “Did you have a fight with a high-ranked demon?"
"Yah… that bastard almost killed me!" he told the truth!
"Then that is the reason, the jewels are very sensitive to demonic energy and sometimes they might overreact!" he said. “Someone might have left a demonic tracer at you… “
“WHAT?”
“Don’t worry, all demonic energy was erased when you stepped into the Plaza!” the guardian reassured him.
“I see…" Macil sighed in relief. Thankfully Victor was not a demon… It was one of the things he was considering all night!
"Now, Your Highness, although the jewels didn't indicate anything, I will have to inspect you as per protocol!” the guardian said politely.
“Ahh… Yes… Please do…"Macil nodded nervously.
The guardian sighed as he inspected him then turned and looked at the elven horse.
“Is this guy yours, Your Highness?” the guardian asked pointing to Victor as he began to move a golden cube object around.
“... I think so… I met it by chance and it began to follow me around…” he said nervously, making sure not to lie, and to leave a leeway in case Victor was found out. WHY THE FUCK DID HE AGREE TO THIS?
“Oh…” the guardian after moving the artifact a few times frowned and approached the elven horse and began to inspect it. “It is a little malnourished…” he said, opening his mouth and looking inside. Thankfully, Victor played along perfectly. If Macil didn't know any better, he would have really believed that Victor was an elven horse!
“Ah… You know those filthy humans… They don’t know how to take care of noble creatures…” Macil said nervously.
“Yes… You better have some vet take a look at him…” the Guardian said as he stepped back. He obviously smelled something very fishy from the way Macil was looking around like a little thief, but couldn’t find anything wrong.
“I will… “ Macil said as he grabbed Victor’s rope and dragged him away in a hurry, making sure not to look back. FUCK! THIS WAS HIS FIRST TIME BREAKING THE RULES! WHY! WHY DID HE DO IT?
After leaving the central plaza, Maacil turned into the main street and began heading in a certain direction, before suddenly he grabbed Victor, chain, and dragged him to a nearby abandoned ally.
“Now quick, give me the pill…” he whispered.
“HEEE HAW….”
“Look, I brought you in as promised!” he said, looking back and making sure no one was watching, “It will be harder and harder to give it to me later and I need to have an appraiser look at it first!” he told the truth.
“...”
“Look… I have to make sure… I can’t just trust you with Meril’s life!” he said sternly.
Victor sighed.
“HEHaWWWW….” the elven horse coughed and a golden storage ring fell into Macil’s hand.
“Thanks… Let’s go…” Macil said as he dragged Victor out of the alley and through the main street.
One has to say, the elven capital was very prosperous, with pretty elves walking everywhere doing their daily business. Some on elven horses, others on palanquins carried by moon elf slaves.
Along the way, Macil was hailed by many elves who respectfully bowed as soon as they saw him.
He was pretty popular as he was the only male prince and many elf girls and their mothers were already scheming how to make him theirs.
It was 5 minutes later when Macil finally reached his destination. A grand building on top of a rare wooden tree!
“Wait here for a second!” Macil told Victor, tying his chain to a column to the side of the road as he climbed the winding stairs and entered the building.
…
“YOUR HIGHNESS! WELCOME TO THE ALCHEMIST GUILD!” The receptionist bowed as soon as Macil entered.
“Take me to see my master…”
“This way please!” the receptionist said as she quickly guided Macil to the top of the buildings.
Meeting the head alchemist was usually very hard even for the royal family, but Macil who had a special status was quickly guided into a lavish wooden office where an elderly elf was busy doing some paperwork.
“MACIL!” the elderly elven said with a smile as soon as he watched Macil go in.
“Master!” Macil bowed. Not as a servant bowing to his master, built as an apprentice would bow to his teacher.
“Did you get the bone?” the master asked as his eyes twinkled.
“Sadly, no… But I found something better!” Macil said, taking the pill and failing to notice the slight frown in his master’s eyes.
“This is?” the master asked.
“According to the man who sold it to me, it is A blood purification pill made especially for those with dragon bloodline!” Macil said. “I want Master to appraise it for me!”
“...” the master sighed. “Are you sure you were not scammed?” the elderly elf asked as he took the pill and began inspecting it.
“... I am pretty confident!” Macil said nervously.
“This does smell like a blood-purifying pill… Wait here a second! I will appraise it using my private artifact!” the master said as he hurried into a side room.
He returned after 3 minutes.
“What?” Macil asked.
“This thing is real!” The master said he gave Macil the pill back. “It might really work on your girl! And we will not have to forcefully use blood extraction…”
“Really!” Macil finally let go of his final defenses. Victor didn’t lie to him!
“Yes… Where did you get it from?”
“Ah… At the auction at the border town… The one who was selling the dragon ball was selling this too!” Macil said. Now that he knew that Victor was in his ally, he needed to protect him! Although his master was trustworthy, some things couldn’t just be revealed. “There were many precious things, too bad the demons attacked and I could only snatch a few things!”
“Oh… Demons?”
“Yes, they were after the bone too… That auction made a huge mistake by broadcasting its existence!”
“Well, if he didn’t I would have heard of it and told you…” the elderly elf sighed. “Did you get anything else?”
“Ah… Yes… He also had those energy bars!” Macil said, taking one energy bar.
“Energy bars?”
“They are some kind of food that humans seem to like, and I thought I would buy some for my girl…..”
“Oh…” the master casually took a piece of the bar and tasted it before Macil could warn him
“BRAhhhhhhhhhhhh…. WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS? WHY DID YOU BUY IT?” after he spat it out.
“Ah…. I told you humans liked it!” Macil said nervously, he wanted his master to taste it for poison.
“Damn… Why does this taste like human shit?”
“Really?” Macil asked, why did his master know something this specific?
“Ah… Probably…. Humans have some very weird tastes… You can go now…. Your girl should be waiting for you.
“Ah yes!” Macil bowed. “Thank you master!” he said as he darted out.
“You are welcome…” the elderly elf said as he took a napkin and began wiping his tongue.
…
As soon as Macil walked out of the Alchemy guild with a smile, his mood soured again.
Right in front of him inspecting Victor was a pretty blond girl in a red dress. One of his bitch sisters!
“YOUR HIGHNESS!” The elven guards who surrounded the princess bowed as soon as they saw him. He ignored them.
“Macil! I heard you are back!” his sister said.
“I am…”
“Did you find what you are searching for?” she asked. “You only have a few days left, and If you fail to upgrade Meril’s bloodline you will lose the bet…”
“I know!” Macil said, shooting Victor an apologetic look. He hid this from him, but in fact, he had bet his position on the royal family in order to save Meril.
If he was able to upgrade her bloodline, his father would spare her, otherwise, he would have to give up his position as a prince!
Meril meant a lot to him. She was the only one who was ready to sacrifice her life to save him. And he was not really a fool, he was 90% sure he would win his bet, as his master, the top elven alchemist had many ways to upgrade a human’s bloodline. It was just that most of them were very dangerous!
“Is this yours?” his sister smirked and asked.
“...”
“It is nice… How about you sell it to me?” she asked as he reached her hand and began to move it around Victor's body. Thankfully, Victor again, displayed some superb acting skill, even when the elven princess poked at his private parts to check how good it was!
“No…” Macil refused. “Don’t you have anything better to do than walking around and touching other people’s property?” he asked, wondering what would be his sister’s reaction if she knew she was touching a naked human.
“... True… I have an appointment for a tea party at the northern palace,” she said as she let go of Victor. “See you later brother….” she said as she turned and left.
“...” Macil frowned as he watched her leave with her entourage. What did she want from him? Strange…. Never mind, he needed to hurry and check on Meril!
With that thought, he grabbed Victor's chain and dragged him away.
…
Watching this exchange up from the building to the side was none other than Macil’s master.
He smirked as he watched his supposed disciple leave in a hurry with his elven horse.
“What a fool…” he said as he lifted his hand, revealing the real blood purification pill. The one he gave Macil was a poison pill that he made to mimic this one with his secret artifact!
Once that human bitch, Meril, died, that fool would lose the bet and his right to the throne!
“He…. Everything is going according to the plan…” he smiled.
“Oh… Does that plan include stealing this seat’s property?”
“Yes... Wait? What….” the master looked to the side. Right beside him, there was a huge demon with two long horns looking at him with fiery eyes.
“...”
“...”