《The Legend of Forsance / The Great Journey eastward !》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    As the first light of dawn appeared, Forsance was still laying in his bed, still groggy from sleep, he opened his eyes. After a few stretches, he got up from his bed and began his daily routine. First, he made his bed, then he ate fruit he had picked the day before in the local forest, then he did some physical exercise and stretching to wake up, and finally, he went outside into his garden to meditate in silence, while passively admiring the beauties of the nearby forest.


    Forsance was a 25-year-old young adult. He was slightly shorter than average, with curly hair, piercing blue eyes, a slender figure, and an athletic body. Forsance surely had everything to pair with the female sex even if he himself didn''t know it.


    Forsance liked to bathe in the morning sun. Being there in total harmony with nature gave him immense happiness. And that feeling when the brain relaxes and there is no longer a need to torture the mind for trivial problems, giving it the certainty that it was going to have the best day possible.


    Forsance had understood the importance of meditation, a few years ago. Already at that time, he wanted to achieve wealth and be at least as abundant as the richest of the nobles. So he said to himself, "I have to behave like a nobleman if I want to be as powerful as them." And since in Forsance''s mind, the nobles were all extremely lazy, miserly, greedy, narcissistic and a little too sure of themselves. Forsance therefore concluded that in order to achieve his ambition, he had to become lazy, hence his practice of daily meditation.


    However, after years of experience, his financial situation had not improved, it had even deteriorated. Forsance did not give up his daily practice, only for the pleasure it gave him, but also because he had the hope that one day his life would change for the better if he continued this way. Maybe the right opportunity just hadn''t come yet and his only duty now was to be as ready as possible for this arrival. At least, that was what Forsance''s intuition whispered in his ears.


    Forsance lived there isolated from the rest of the world. He only had relations with a few of his neighbors. And the inhabitants of the village of Taunelr, for the most part, kept away from Forsance as much as Forsance kept away from them. Many called him the village idiot because his anti-social character, his bizarre activities and idleness were strange to the villagers. There was so much to do in the village, especially in this harvest season. And yet, Forsance only left his house to shop and to go on these forest hikes.


    It is also thanks to these forest hikes that Forsance was able to generate income and therefore live on her own. Most of the villagers were far too focused in the vicissitudes of their lives that the overwhelming majority of them left the village only for an imperative and to go to another nearby village. Like Forsance, the local herbalist, Mr. Quartin, frequently walked the winding paths of the Selvatic as part of his activity. Seeing that Forsance also spent much of his time in the open air, he offered him to become his apprentice, which Forsance accepted. After all, earn money for hiking, where medicinal herbs are harvested, what better way to do Forsance. Before, to ensure an income, he did much more physical work.


    Once his routine was accomplished as he was every day, Forsance left his house for the herbalist''s hut, where Mr. Quartin had prepared a list of the ingredients for him. But on the way, he came face to face with Lautrant, his neighbor who was obviously waiting for him. Lautrant was nearly a head taller than Forsance. He also had a much more impressive build than Forsance. Probably his father''s work at his forge had greatly helped him build his muscle armor. At that moment, Lautrant had a smirk plastered on his face, as he stared at Forsance.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Mhm, you still spend your time collecting flowers for that stupid old crouton, you''re really a loser Forsance."


    Forsance did not answer and continued on his way as if Lautrant did not exist.


    "Forsance, tomorrow I will leave this small village because tomorrow, I have an appointment with my destiny and we will probably never see each other again."


    "Oh, that''s fine." Forsance replied with a mocking smile on his lips as he stopped.


    "I am telling the truth, because tomorrow will be the day of the conscription for our village. It is even said that the best recruit will be rewarded with the sub-rank of sergeant immediately. You can already call me Sergeant Lautrant. He says of a sufficient area and mimicking his future authority.


    "It''s already tomorrow that this thing takes place," Forsance replied thoughtfully.


    "Ha ha ha, you don''t fool anyone into being the idiot Forsance. I''ve seen you in the last few weeks, you were training, punching. You obviously want to become a soldier like everyone else, and on top of that, it''s been since yesterday that the mayor started building the platform for the tournament. It''s not possible that you don''t know about it."


    "Well, let it go anyway talking to you is completely useless." Replied Lautrant. "I have come to tell you that you should not come and join the competition or else I will break your legs." Lautrant said while cracking his fingers.


    "As I told you before, I have no intention of becoming a soldier. I''d rather remain a beggar than become a slave." Forsance let go as he continued on his way. Forsance had no desire to have this conversation from the beginning.


    "Forsance how dare you insult me like that." And Lautrant sprang at Forsance with clenched fists and red with anger. But before he could lay his hand on Forsance, a breathless voice interrupted his tracks.


    "Mister Lautrant........"


    Lautrant turned and looked at the newcomer and said:


    "Phillipe told my father that today, I wouldn''t help him at the forge. I have to have my day off, if I want to be in perfect condition for tomorrow''s tournament," he said in a lazy manners, but with a voice energetic enough to seem to want to be charismatic.


    "Mister Lautrant, it is not your father who is sending me..." Phillipe caught his breath again before continuing. "It''s that lovely dancer you asked me to spy on, and well she''s gone. now"


    "How did she disappear?" interrupted Lautrant, clearly shocked by the news.


    "Yes, disappeared as I told you. She was not present for the rehearsal this morning. So I conducted my investigation, I questioned all those likely to have seen her. In the end, only the lumberjacks, have seen her entering the large forest east, but she still hasn''t come out. I''m afraid it''s already too late, after all she''s not from here and this forest is famous for having a wolf pack in its heart, the poor child must have already been torn to pieces." A sorry Phillipe replied.


    "And you are telling this right now ?!"


    "But I didn''t want to bother you." Phillipe replied while casting a furtive glance in the direction of Forsance.


    "There''s not a minute to lose, help me ask the hunters for help, we''re going to organize a hunt, right away." Already soaring like a white knight.


    "Wait!" Forsance exclaimed. "There are probably more in this story, since she went into the forest on her own, no one have forced her to."


    "Shut your fucking mouth Forsance, you don''t understand that my future wife is in danger, it''s not a coward like you who is going to lecture me." "Come on, Phillipe, let''s get out of here." Lautrant said very sharply, already far from Forsance.


    "Every time I see him, I want to hit him so bad, it''s stronger than me. How come he has the gift to upset me this much." Lautrant said, his teeth clenched with anger.


    "He''s very lucky that Margot is in danger, I would have already knock him off, I swear."

 Chapter 2

    At the same time, a carriage drawn by two old horses was returning to the outskirts of the village of Taunelr. The car in question had a most ordinary appearance for the Elysian bourgeoisie. The coach who drove it was an old man worn out by work and the jolts of his car had deeply damaged his body. Yet the interior of the carriage was anything but ordinary. First, the purple-red interior was adorned with various gilding, each more sophisticated and luxurious than the last. But the most memorable decoration remains the armory sculpted on the ceiling and invisible from the outside.


    One of the most beautiful women in Elysieum was sitting in this car. She seemed to be in her thirties, maybe younger and was dressed in a red dress, her left hand resting on the pommel of a curved sword, while her right hand held a glass filled with wine. A detail-paying viewer would have noticed that no waves were present on the surface of the wine despite the vibrations emitted by the car. As she looked out the window at the rustic peasants'' dwellings, one could read on those blue eyes an undeniable form of superiority.


    She turned her head slowly and looked at one after the other at the two men dressed like beggars sitting in fact of her.


    "I hope you are aware that we have can''t make any mistakes, . . . it''s especially true for the two of you" she added. She took a small sip of wine and continued. "This moment is the best time to act, my divination is infallible, if there is the slightest problem, you will be the only ones responsible." She looked at the horizon in the distance and resumed. "The maggot must have come out of its apple, a very short time ago, and you have mmh .... I would say 4 hours before he returns."


    "Don''t worry, young mistress, we will do our best to preserve the painting as well as possible," he said while looking at the painting covered with a cloth he was holding in his hands.


    Only a few moments after pronouncing these words, the coachman warned them that they had arrived safely in front of Forsance''s house. The two men got out of the car, one of whom was carrying the picture on his back. And they both went back to Forsance''s house, as if nothing had happened.


    At that time, Forsance was still on his way to the herbalist''s hut. A multitude of thoughts jostled in his mind. "Why do people hate me?" "I hate this world!" "What''s the point of getting out of bed, and doing the same things every day without any difference?" "I hate people." "How do they manage to have so much confidence in themselves?" "Maybe I could go back home, just to check that there is no thief."


    Forsance stopped short. "Why did I just think that?" A shiver ran through her body. The more he thought about it, the more his bad feeling increased. What to do, should he continue his journey or go back home to make sure everything was fine. Indecision.... Although this reason told him to continue, his intuition told him otherwise.


    In the end, he chooses to continue on his way, towards the old Quartin hut. His reason was simple, even if the worst of circumstances happened, what could he do about it. It was simply wiser to be away from problems.


    Forsance hurried a little, and once he reached the herbalist''s hut, he opened the door and saw that Mister Quartin had prepared to undertake a long journey. This disturbed Forsance somewhat because it was not at this time that the herbalist was accustomed to collect plants for these remedies. So he asked him:


    "Mr. Quartin, could it be that you have heard that young Margot is in danger and that now you are preparing to help her?"


    "But what are you talking to me about there, youngster, do you think that at my age you can just go on an adventure like this and save a young lady in distress and without repercussions. Alas, I''m way too old for all this nonsense. No, in fact, I just have an important meeting, that''s why I have to leave the village." He explained.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "What do you mean, you''re leaving?" reacts Forsance.


    "Come on, come on, don''t make that face, it''s only a review, I''ll be back soon." Monsieur Quartin promised.


    "But where are you going?" Forsance actively asked.


    "Uh... In a kind of meeting for herbalists. In the south of Elysium. It''s quite far from here, on foot I''ll take several weeks, at least." The master herbalist replied.


    "Ha! It must be one of those meetings of the Confederation of Herbalists that you have already told me about?"


    "Yes, yes, that''s it!" The herbalist hastened to answer.


    "But in that case, why hurry to pack your bags, at this point. You could leave tomorrow or the day after. Recruiters will surely need you and you will certainly have a lot of clients by staying here for two more days." There was a hint of suspicion in Forsance''s eyes.


    "Ha, Ha, Ha, okay, okay, actually Forsance, I''m already really in a hurry. If I decided to stay until today, it was to make sure that you were able to provide for yourself. That''s why I showed you my recipes and my concoction method last week. But now I don''t have time to stay and I have to pack up."


    "Come, come in, before I leave, I want to offer you something." He continued. When he returned, Forsance discovered that the cabin seemed emptier than usual and the old man''s suitcase was already ready. Maybe he had waited for it before leaving.


    Monsieur Quartin went to his library and took out an old manuscript. On the front cover, it simply read "The Harmonious Recipe". "I give it to you," said Quartin. "You will find useful information there. And here, take my big basket, and my tools, anyway I don''t have enough room to take them with me."


    Forsance said nothing, for him it was not really gifts but rather a way for him to continue his work in his absence.


    "When I''m gone, you won''t have to worry about the state of my cabin. Sometimes you have to let go of the old things that clutter you up to be able to welcome the new ones.


    "Does that mean you''ll never be back here?" asked Forsance aloud.


    "Yes, after this meeting, I would not go back to this village." replied the herbalist. "But I''m sure that one day we''ll see each other again. In the meantime, I know you''ll do your best to survive." He continued, staring at the old book that Forsance was holding in his hands.


    "That being said, it''s so much for me to leave."


    Forsance and Quartin went out and the herbalist locked the door and took the road leading to the centre of the village, from there he would surely take the road leading south.


    Forsance stood there for a few moments, then put the book in his new basket which he carried on his back. He then left for the eastern forest. Even without his work, he found it difficult to see how to spend his time other than in the middle of nature and tried to come stronger.


    As he walked, Forsance thought back to the old man''s words, "leave behind the old to welcome the new" and he wondered how true those words were.


    At the same moment, Lautrant found himself clad in his armor and armed to the teeth, on the outskirts of the western wood. He was accompanied by one of these friends, Gentin, the son of one of the hunters of the village. Gentin was a little chubby here and there, one of the favorites of tomorrow''s tournament for all the villagers, because he was one of the most vigorous young men in the area.


    "It''s very strange." Gentin was alarmed. "From here we should have heard the barking of wolves and yet. "


    Gentin was an experienced hunter himself, and this remark only increased Lautrant''s nervousness. All kinds of probabilities are jostling in his mind. When suddenly the noise of someone breaking a branche by stepping on it in the distance.


    "Gentin! There at 10 o''clock, There''s something ready for your bow!" whispered Lautrant as he faced.

 Chapter 3 : In the forest

    The sound of footsteps continued to advance, and then a female voice could be heard in the distance: "Is anyone there?" "Have I heard something?"


    As soon as Lautrant heard this voice, he ran in her direction, after a few strides, He saw a frightened but unharmed Margot.


    Margot was a very pretty young woman. Her face possessed elegant and feminine features, as well as a small aquiline nose. Her black ebony hair fell to her shoulders. And her face had the muscles and grace of a professional dancer. In short, it was a dream come true for a villager like Lautrant.


    Seeing her, Lautrant could not resist throwing himself on her, visibly relieved. Gentin followed Lautrant but still kept his distances. He was so to says less close to Margot and less tactile than his friend.


    Margot was obviously already used to this kind of behavior and was not protesting. But he still asked them what they were doing here at that time. Shouldn''t they be preparing for their tournaments?


    "Ha! Alas! When I knew you were in danger, I rushed to your rescue! For me, you are much more important than this little tournament of nothing at all!" He said passionately, staring at her very closely.


    "Ma! You''re so romantic, Lautrant. Yes, it''s true, I accidentally got a little lost in this forest. Fortunately a gallant man like you came to show me the way to the village." She said with her hand on her heart.


    "I''m here now, you have nothing to worry about! I''ll escort you to safety!" Lautrant said triumphantly and as he parted ways with Margot.


    But while all this was going on, Gentin had not sat idly by. On the contrary, he scanned the surroundings for any danger, his bow still bandaged, while the two lovebirds continued to frolic happily. And that''s when he saw a dead wolf, only a few dozen meters from him. Gentin interrupted Lautrant who was about to move aside and pointed to the wolf. The wolf was lying there, on its side, absolutely no wounds were apparent. In fact, the wolf seemed to be just taking a nap and there was nothing to indicate that he was dead, except that he was no longer breathing and that insects could come and go without fear on his body.


    "Margot, did you see what happened?" asked an intrigued Lautrant.


    "No, darling, he was already like that when I arrived, but you know he''s far from being the only one, there''s a whole pack of them like him further down there!" Margot said casually, pointing to the direction she was coming from.


    Gentin and Lautrant both ran to the place indicated by Margot, while abandoning the latter where she was. And they discovered the same scene described by Margot, a whole pack of wolves dead without any wounds, missing limbs or scratches on all the corpses. The scene seemed surreal, especially since they would not have heard the slightest sound of fighting or wrestling.


    "It must be a blunt weapon, that''s all I can see!" Gentin suddenly declared as he crouched in front of the remains of one of the wolves. "No matter how hard I look, I can''t see where the blow could have been delivered." He continued, as he scrupulously examined the corpse.


    Lautrant crouched down right next to his friend Gentin and began to whisper in his ear. "Says Gentin, if we come back to the village like this empty-handed and say that Margot was just lost in the forest, we''ll have the air of two stupid people. In addition, the village chief could be angry with us for having asked for a beaten as there were not that many free people today. Whereas on the contrary if we say that we saved the beautiful Margot from a pack of wolves, not only will we be the hero of the day, but we will also make a lot of cash just for their furs!" There was a form of Eureka in the young Blacksmith''s eyes as he uttered these words with a small grin.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Besides," he continued, "if all goes well, we''ll leave this village tomorrow, so even if the truth comes out, we''ll already be far away by then." Lautrant added.


    As for Gentin, he was smiling more than dazed, easy money was far too tempting a bait for a poor hunter to refuse. Gentin nodded, "Okay!"


    Satisfied, Lautrant returned to Margot''s side and personally escorted her to the village while Gentin stuck arrows into the dead wolves and cut off their limbs as well as numerous wounds and scratches to make it appear that a brutal fight had taken place here, in order to recover the credit.


    By this time, Forsance had already reached the edge of the eastern woods of the village of Taunelr. Forsance felt that time and space took on more sacred dimensions when he was in the middle of the trees, as if the only time that mattered was the present moment and the only space that mattered where he was now. The forest was sumptuous, the beeches and oaks that made it up were similar to pillars that held at arm''s length the roof of the building made of copper and gold leaf, so emblematic of this autumn season. Similarly, the dirt road on which Forsance walked was carpeted with dead leaves, and the song of the birds, although discreet, enriched this harmony. This landscape was sublime enough to amaze Forsance every time he took this path.


    In spite of all these distractions, Forsance was easily able to return to one of his favorite hiding places. The site was simply an old stump that lay there on the ground and whose insects swarmed under its scots. Around the stump, the void, at least enough emptiness for one to feel at ease, because for a certain reason the brambles and boxwoods have seen fit not to grow in this precise place but all around.


    Forsance had settled there, or rather lying on the stump, and was making himself comfortable removing these shoes. After a short meditation, he chooses to take his new book out of his basket. "The harmonization of being" Forsance read the title of the book aloud. Then, after reading the summary, he understood that the book was divided into two large parts. The first part was, in fact, a collection of potions and recipes, using various rare plants that Forsance had mostly never heard of. There were as many gastronomic recipes as there were medicinal potions, and these gastronomic recipes were adorned with various of the most flattering determinants. According to the book, consumed these treats were enough to extend his life expectancy and be filled with energy. As for medicinal potions, some even had the reputation of being able to cure everything. In addition, the collection pointed out that each of these potions could be poisonous in the event of an overdose.


    "It doesn''t surprise me that this old book was gathering dust in old Quentin''s library. All these recipes are simply useless, if you don''t have the ingredients to prepare them." He thought in his head. Thus, Forsance put all this information in the back of his mind to focus on the second part of the book.


    This part spoke exclusively of physical exercises to be practiced daily to return to harmony with one''s body, and thus, to stop conflicts inside the body, and to increase the longevity of one''s existence. These exercises were organized in stages to be done one after the other. Only, once we had mastered the first point, this method allowed us to continue to the second point. And that first point in this case was conscious breathing. The Method of the manual wrote several types of conscious breathing including alkaline breathing and fire breathing to be practiced daily.


    Forsance was both radiant and inwardly delighted with this discovery because yes, Forsance was the kind of man who rarely expressed these emotions in any way. "Great, a new string to my bow" he said to himself. Without further ado, Forsance began to practice conscious breathing exactly as the text instructed him to do. And in just 10 minutes of practice, Forsance could already feel his face and his hands were shaking with vitality. "This power, this magic, so it was true, oxygen rhymes with energy, it means that by increasing the air capacity of my lungs, I can become stronger!" "I''ll continue practicing tomorrow!" said Forsance to himself.


    Before going to the forest to look for seeds, such as chestnuts or acorns, Forsance liked to practice boxing and fencing. In fact, because of these past traumas, Forsance developed an obsession with survival. For him, a catastrophe could occur at any moment. That''s why he had to be ready at any moment to face anything. Once his exercise was over, which was in all a series of point shots in the void and costs of branches that beat the area. Forsance put these things back in his basket and went back on the road of dead leaves.


    But soon enough, on the way, he caught a glimpse of someone else he had never met before, a woman.

 Chapitre 4

    Chapter 4


    She was off the muddy track and among the thickets and trees, her body leaning forward as if she were searching for something. ¡°Maybe she''s misplaced some jewelry or something?¡± Forsance thought. As she was standing with her back to Forsance, he hadn''t yet seen her face, let alone understood what she was looking for. But the moment Forsance laid eyes on her, she first interrupted these movements, then straightened up and turned to stare at Forsance.


    She was older than him, at least in her thirties, although Forsance would have been unable to be more precise in this estimation. Her long brown hair was combed into a long ponytail that reached all the way to her posterior. She was dressed in a dark green-brown scout''s outfit, undeniably designed to be worn in all terrain and conditions. The combination of her choice of hairstyle and the fact that she was wearing pants, a rare occurrence in the Elysian Emoihrape, gave her a surly, tomboyish look, especially with those piercing eyes actively staring at Forsance.


    Forsance''s first thoughts were that she was clearly not from around here, given her clothes and manner, and that perhaps she''d come all this way to attend tomorrow''s tournament, even if he didn''t understand why such banality could attract people from afar. ¡°She''ll probably go back to her work and leave me alone.¡± he mused. But against all odds, she raised her hand to wave at him and a big smile lit up her radiant face.


    At this sight, Forsance looked away and went off on a tangent. He took to the muddy path, not daring to look at her again. He wasn''t a coward, but the fear of confrontation with a stranger got the best of him, especially if it was a woman, in which case any interaction was unthinkable.


    On the strength of his experience, Forsance had invented his own technique for keeping a cool head in all circumstances, which he called the serene mind. The technique was easy to understand but complex to execute. The idea was to block out all thoughts, and then feel no emotion whatsoever. For Forsance had noticed that emotions needed thoughts to manifest themselves. Thanks to the serene mind, his stress and fears disappeared.


    Once he''d moved far enough away from her, he turned around to see if she was chasing him, and fortunately she wasn''t. He breathed a sigh of relief. He breathed a sigh of relief. Another 20 minutes'' walk, and he''d have reached a place where oak acorns are easily replaced fresh and in plentiful supply. Tonight, he knew what he''d be eating.


    A few dozen minutes later, Lautrant and Margot had reached the village of Taunelr.


    ¡°We''re safe now, Margot, you have nothing to fear.¡± Lautrant proclaimed in the main alley of the small village.


    ¡°Thanks for everything, Lautrant, you''re my savior!¡± she said, moving closer to him to place an innocent kiss on his cheek.


    Lautrant blushed slightly at the gesture. He nevertheless allowed himself a remark towards her that sounded more like an order. ¡°What you did today was far too dangerous, so from now on, you''re staying here and you''re not going outside the village, at least for the next few days.¡± Lautrant incensed, trying to be as paternalistic as possible. Which had virtually no effect on the young woman.


    ¡°Come on Lautrant, no, I''m not going to sit here in my hotel room twiddling my thumbs and staring at my [lost mirror] just to make you feel a little better!¡± Margot retorted, pouting.


    ¡°Okay, fine, you''ve won, but I wouldn''t let you go off on your own - it''s too dangerous.¡± Pressed the young man firmly.


    ¡°No, not even that, what''s going to happen is that tomorrow after the tournament opens, I''m going to go for a walk in the forest on my own, and I''ll be waiting for you...¡± She paused briefly. ¡°I''ll only wait for you there if you''ve managed to reach first place, I''ll have something to tell you otherwise don''t even think of seeing me again.¡± She said in a voice that was soft and slow, but left no room for contradiction.


    At first, Lautrant felt embarrassed and humiliated to be put in his place by half a woman in this way, but when she began the second part of her speech, his emotions changed completely. ¡°Could it be love!¡± he thought. ¡°She wants to show me her love, but only in a romantic t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte, and only if I''m worthy and strong enough to be by her side.¡± He thought to himself as a huge smile, a little blissful and lacking in intelligence, flashed across his face. ¡°So easy!¡± Margot thought to herself.


    The two lovebirds continued on their way to the young lady''s hotel near the center of town. Suddenly, an older-looking man came up behind them. The middle-aged man had the stature of a real colossus.


    He grabbed Margot by the hips without her seeing anything coming and declared in an imposing voice. ¡°I''m going to give you the time of your life.¡± While forcibly tackling her on those powerful abs.


    ¡°Let her go! She''s not yours!¡± Lautrant roared.


    ¡°She''s not yours either!¡± Ranched the giant.


    ¡°Yes, he''s right, beat it you thick brute!¡± Margot asserted.


    ¡°You see, the rascal, she doesn''t want you, get the hell out of here before I break something!¡± Lautrant vociferated as he began to unsheathe his sword.


    ¡°Ha, Ha, Ha!¡± The colossus was so confused by Lautrant''s threat that he burst out laughing as he tightened his grip on poor Margot. ¡°They all say that at first, it''s just a game, they say no, because they''re too ashamed to say yes, that''s all. If you don''t even know that, it just shows you''re a particularly backward twerp.¡± he declared, pointing at him.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°It''s more like you don''t understand conjugal relationships!¡±


    ¡°I rather think you''re the one who doesn''t get it, fartzouille. The number 1 rule in love relationships is to remain completely independent and sovereign no matter what, so as not to fall into a dependent relationship like you. Love isn''t dependence.¡± Asserted the colossus.


    ¡°And that goes for you too, in a way.¡± continued the giant, all the while refocusing on his captive, who was still totally powerless to free herself from his grip despite his many unsuccessful attempts. ¡°You don''t know anything about me, you big lump of muscle.¡± Margot replied.


    Realizing that mere words wouldn''t be enough to reduce his beloved''s discomfort, Lautrant opted for an assault. With his sword already drawn, he leapt at his adversary, opting for a horizontal thrust deeming the estoc too dangerous for Margot.But just before the moment when Lautrant''s sword was supposed to wound the lout, the latter leapt backwards with incredible celerity for his body mass. The Blacksmith had all the trouble in the world to slow down his sword, which ultimately wounded Margot in the waist.


    The villain left the scene as quickly as he had arrived. Only a confused and guilty Lautrant and an injured Margot remained in the deserted street.


    Lautrant, not knowing what to say in his defense, could only stammer out ¡°I''m sorry Margot, it''s all my fault!¡± as he created a bandage with the sleeve of his suit and applied it to Margot''s waist.


    ¡°Of course it''s all my fault! That''s why you''re going to help me walk to my room!¡± Margot mimed the caprice.


    Lautrant''s rustic bandage worked quickly and in a few minutes the bleeding stopped. Afterwards, Lautrant helped Margot to walk exactly as she had ordered, until they arrived in front of Margot''s hotel. There they met the village chief, Monsieur Trap¨¨ze.


    ¡°Ah Lautrant and Margot, it makes me so happy to see you both alive. I''m so sorry I couldn''t send more people, you see our hands were full.¡± He said, pointing to the almost-finished construction site in the main square.¡°Without you, we wouldn''t have had the morals to party tomorrow.¡± he recalls.


    ¡°Yes, that''s right, you care more about your reputation than our lives.¡± Lautrant thought.


    ¡°We''re safe and sound, Monsieur Trap¨¨ze, but I''ve still earned a horrible wound on my waist.¡± She said, pointing to her wound. ¡°I owe this vicious gash to a very vigorous wolf, so much so that Lautrant, despite his valour, couldn''t stop him.¡± After a sigh, she continued. ¡°I''m afraid I won''t be able to take part in tomorrow''s show, Monsieur le Chef du Village.


    ¡°The opposite would have been far more improbable.¡± remarked the old village chief. ¡°What I still don''t understand is why you put yourself in so much danger, and on your own to boot. It''s so much fun walking in the woods.¡± Martella Monsieur Trap¨¨ze.


    ¡°Yes, I''d rather be outside than cooped up in my hotel room, and I had no idea about the wolf pack in the west woods. They were probably busy with another hunt, and once they''d finished their business, they ambushed me. They''re truly abominable beasts. But it''s a good thing the valiant Lautrant and Gentin were there for me! ¡°Margot declared in trapeze. Then she reached into her handbag for her [lost mirror] and took it out. ¡°And I recorded everything in my mirror, by the way! ¡±


    Then she showed the fictional scene of Lautrant and Gentin bravely battling against the wolf pack, and even the moment when a massive wolf managed to deliver a vicious blow to Margot through her Lost Mirror in front of a village chief dumbstruck by the tableau.


    In reality, a lost mirror was a mirror that had the ability to record absolutely everything reflected on its surface. It was even said that some of these mirrors also had the ability to record sound, as well as to modify image and sound, according to the owner''s wishes. But it would never have occurred to Monsieur Trapeze or Lautrant that Margot might be in possession of such a lost mirror.


    ¡°I never imagined you could be as brave as that. In my mind, you were still the spoiled brat I once knew. Everyone changes eventually, as they say! ¡°Pronounced the chief admiringly.


    ¡°In the end, you''ll surely make a great military officer.¡± he added.


    As for Lautrant, he was completely taken by surprise. He''d never imagined that Margot would go so far to defend him and give credence to his version of events, but his mind was sharp enough to pull himself together in time when attention turned back to him, and so he asserted: ¡°Of course, Chief, I''ve become the most mature I''ve ever been, thanks to my training and dedication to becoming the best I can be for my homeland. I have enough faith to join the army and take on the U.E.S.S. Compared to the enemies of all of us, a simple wolf pack is simply insignificant.¡° Lautrant proclaimed.


    ¡°Ah yes! And Gentin and the other participants in the battle should be back in the village shortly with the carcasses.¡± Lautrant predicated.


    ¡°Formidable, you and Gentin, you really are the saviors of us all, and I promise you now that you will be rewarded for your efforts. As for you, young lady, no more unannounced excursions into the wilderness, it''s far too dangerous for you.¡± He said with the air of a spoiled dad who wants to teach a lesson.


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Margot stammered with a bored expression. No longer wishing to be part of this conversation, she hobbled the few meters to her hotel on her own. Lautrant tried to catch up with her, but the old village chief stopped him: ¡°There''s no point in rushing,¡± he said, ¡°Time heals all wounds, believe me. ¡°Professed Trap¨¨ze.


    ¡°The sun will soon be setting,¡± continued Monsieur Trap¨¨ze. ¡°You''ll have to go home and get to bed early if you want to be in shape for tomorrow.¡± He advised him, turning his back on him to get back to running the business.


    Lautrant heeded the village chief''s advice and set off for his father''s forge. On the way, he thought about everything that had happened that day. How could a simple dancer like Margot have come into possession of a lost mirror capable of falsifying her reflection? And why did she use it to support her version of events? Is this what true love is all about? ¡°Tomorrow I''ll know more.¡± he said to himself, putting these fears and questions in a corner of his mind.


    The sun, in the distance, formed a semicircle on the horizon, when a man, the same man who had behaved like a boor, emerged from one of the smallest alleys in the village of Taunelr, for this alley led to just one house, the house of Forsance.


    At the house''s entrance, the carriage was always present.

 Chapitre 5

    Chapter 5


    The coloss strode fearlessly and unashamedly towards Forsance''s house, as if he owned the place. As he passed, he saluted the old coachman who was looking after his horses before setting off again. The coachman returned a disillusioned glance with a sigh, as if the old man already knew how it would all end. Then he turned his attention back to the horses. The colossus, as if oblivious to the outside world, continued on his way as if nothing had happened.


    Once he reached the entrance to Forsance''s house, the coloss saw an old house, made entirely of wood, very modest in size. Forsance''s house was also surrounded by a small garden overlooking the forest beyond. Without saying a word, he entered the house, in the large room at the heart of the house, where Alice''s two men were hard at work reassembling to perfection the wooden wall they had previously dismantled themselves. Caught by the sound of the door, they both turned and greeted the colossus with a heartfelt ¡°My g¨¦n¨¦ral¡±, before continuing their work. As for the coloss, he simply waved them off, and proceeded to scrutinize every nook and cranny of the great hall for a few minutes, until he concluded that the object of his search was not to be found here.


    Then he chose the door closest to him, which led into the kitchen. But shortly afterwards, he closed the door and left the kitchen, visibly disappointed that he hadn''t yet found what he''d come for. He took a new door, this time leading him to Forsance''s bedroom, where he once again searched the room from top to bottom, taking care to keep the room as it was. That is, until he heard a female voice behind him.


    ¡°Well, well , what is the great general ''Raymond'' doing, in the middle of nowhere in a poorly built little house.¡± The great general Raymond was absolutely certain that he was alone in the room when he entered, and since then the door and windows had always been closed, yet when he turned around he saw Alice, looking straight at him. ¡°I could ask you the same question, Your Majesty,¡± the colossus replied in his deep voice. ¡°Well, since I''m the weakest of the clan, I''m the one who gets delegated to do this kind of boring work¡±, Alice explained nonchalantly, waiting for the colossus to reply.


    ¡°As it happens, I''ve granted myself my own leave since there''s not much happening on the front line at the moment anyway. And while I was lounging in my SPA in Bleincort, I heard from my subordinates that Your Highness was passing through. I was very curious to know what your highness was doing in the area, so I hastened to find out more, but now I have even more questions. What is your majesty doing in such a picturesque dwelling?¡± The general asked aloud with a falsely curious and innocent air.


    As soon as these words were out of her mouth, a new Alice on the general''s right emerged with an even colder and blacker facial expression, and eyes capable of killing at first sight. ¡°Cut the crap, Hellenna, do you really think I don''t know that you''ve been following us from the very beginning. If you really want the ''lost mirror'' of Forsance, then meet me in my car! This instant!!!¡± Alice warned poor Hellenna. And with that, the two images of Alice disappeared in an instant before Hellenna even had time to reply.


    Alice was the niece of the current matriarch of the ''de dan'' clan and the granddaughter of the former matriarch. For this reason alone, Hellenna didn''t dare raise her voice against her, but she did have enough courage to try to conceal her true objectives. Even if untruths and misinformation were ineffective against Alice in this case. Since Alice possessed great intuition, intuition enough to make her a disciple of the Oracle of the Thuathas.


    Of course, knowing this, the chances of tricking Alice to swallow anything were slim to none, but if you try nothing you get nothing, as they say. Now that her intentions were out in the open, all she could do was to face her and hope to find some common ground with Alice.


    After all, Hellenna wasn''t just anyone, she was seen as the most powerful of the de dan servants, which had enabled her to attain the position of general of the armies of the de dan duchy. For propaganda purposes, but also to gain acceptance as a public figure in the eyes of the Elysians, she had created her cover as Raymond. Hellenna was so used to playing Raymond ¡°the thick brute¡±, that she felt a little bewildered when someone like Alice easily exposed him in broad daylight. But as she left the Forsance house to get into Alice''s car, her face remained impassive.


    ¡°Your Highness, it''s me, Hellenna.¡± She said, knocking on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Alice replied simply. Hellenna opened the door and took a seat opposite Alice. The two women faced each other in silence for a few moments, their eyes riveted on each other. It was Alice who broke the aphonia first. ¡°You don''t have to face me Hellenna, just come and sit by my side¡± she said, indicating the empty seat next to her. ¡°And stop using that illusion in my presence, it''s against etiquette!!!¡± she resumed.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Hellenna complied and came to sit beside Alice, and at the same moment the image of the colossus dissipated like fog in the sunlight and Hellenna''s true appearance took its place. The present form Hellenna wore was exactly the same as the woman Forsance had glimpsed earlier in the forest.


    ¡°Now that''s more like it! Alice exclaimed. ¡°To return, to our conversation earlier, I''m quite willing to exchange Forsance''s ''lost mirror'' for just a few precious crystals. I hear your army recently got their hands on a rather special gemstone in southern Elysium. I''m sure you''ve come across some specimens that might suit me. What do you think?¡± Alice offered with a smirk.


    ¡°It''s too easy, there must be something fishy going on,¡± Hellenna thought instantly. ¡°Is it true?¡± Hellenna assured herself. ¡°Of course it is. I have only one word. You can trust me.¡± Alice declared, without batting an eyelid and with a very serious air.


    ¡°But why, you''d give me the ''lost mirror'' for just a few pebbles, I don''t understand! You at least know what I''m going to do with it, don''t you?¡± Hellenna insisted. The sneer on Alice''s lips widened: ¡°Ha! so you''re worried about that, don''t worry, I know exactly what you''re going to do with it. There''s only one reason why a woman like you would want that mirror. So, from your point of view, if I''m willing to proceed with this exchange, I must be a traitor, and the goddess knows that the price of betrayal is very high, but in reality, it''s nothing of the sort, since you''ll fail in the end.¡± Alice replied. ¡°Did you see my defeat in one of your visions?¡± Hellenna asked. ¡°No, of course not, it''s impossible for me to see that far into the future, but even if Forsance manages to reach Ciel-Faitar in one piece, you''ll still have to face that human-looking monster, one day or another. Even 100 years from now, you''ll still be no match for her, so right now... And so your ambitions end here.¡± Alice reasoned, running her fingers through her hair.


    ¡°That''s why I won''t betray anyone, all I do is using you, nothing more!¡± she resumed. ¡°And besides, I really need those crystals, fast. The council has seen fit to send me undercover to the U.E.S.S. in a few weeks, in preparation for the next war. So I need to be as prepared as possible without arousing the curiosity of any spies.¡± Alice explained.


    At this point, Hellenna''s eyes were fixed on nowhere, and her posture indicated that she was in a state of inner reflection. Was what Alice had just said a threat or a show of good faith? Did she mean that if they didn''t come to an agreement, she''d never get the ¡°lost mirror¡± of Forsance, since she''d be far behind enemy lines by then? Or did she mean that she had no interest in making her sing, since they''d be too close to each other. While Hellenna pondered her decision, Alice maintained the same attitude, as if she already knew Hellenna''s answer.


    After a moment, Hellenna lifted her head, turned it to look at the princess and said, ¡°It''s agreed!¡± Whatever happened, Hellenna wouldn''t give up her dreams for so little. Besides, whether she meant it or not, ¡°Alice will regret underestimating me.¡± That''s what Hellenna thought inside.


    At these words, Alice nodded, without showing any emotional change by the features of her face. ¡°That''s great, we''ll be leaving soon, once my men have finished their work.¡± Alice declared, in a slightly more cheerful tone, until the end of her sentence, when a question came to mind. ¡°That''s right, how did you know that someone like me had to go to Forsance to get the painting?¡± ¡°When you ask the right question to the right person, it''s easy to know.¡± Hellenna replied laconically, without revealing any more. ¡°Very well, you can keep your little secret for now, anyway no cabal lasts forever, one day or another I''ll find out.¡± Alice promised. After which, the two women continued to exchange views on the internal affairs of the various clans ruling the Elys¨¦e , in particular their own clan, and gradually the palpable tension that had been present at the start of their discussions faded.


    Then, in the middle of their conversation, a knock on the car door interrupted them. It was Alice''s two faithful bodyguards who had finished their work. Naturally, Alice allowed them to get in, and soon the two men were facing the two women. They had brought with them another painting, carefully wrapped lest it be damaged in any way, which they placed between them on the bench. The painting in question was not very bulky, although its exact size remains a mystery to Hellenna as it was completely wrapped in a wooden container. So one could only guess that it was a painting by its shape.


    The two men hastened to assure Alice that everything had gone according to plan and that the operation had been a success. Alice then ordered the coachman to leave immediately, taking the same route by which they had arrived. On the way, neither of the two men spoke up to ask why Hellenna was there - after all, soldiers aren''t supposed to ask questions.


    Mission accomplished, Alice wore a rare smile of contentment. Now that they were a long way from the village of Taunelr, Alice asked Hellenna about any unusual things she had observed in the village, just in case. She replied that she hadn''t seen or heard anything unusual in Taunelr apart from an absolutely adorable little fairy she''d met before arriving.


    It was already dark when Forsance returned to his village. His basket loaded with victuals and medicinal plants left him breathless. As he turned down an alleyway to return home after a hard day''s work, he felt a sudden chill run through his body. He turned around in fright, but nothing, not even a cat, was in the way. Forsance didn''t dare ask if anyone was there. He simply hurried on his way. Back home, a feeling of accomplishment swept through him, ¡°another day of hard work accomplished¡± he thought. Although that night he strangely failed to find his ¡°lost mirror¡± before bed.


    Early the next morning, Cemitaire, the master recruiter was already at Taunelr''s doorstep.