《Elven Lies II : The Solar Mage [A Progression Fantasy]》 Elven Lies I : RECAP ELVEN LIES I : BOOKS OF FATE SUMMARY STORY PROGRESSION Amid the power struggle and the ongoing war, Hans, the last descendant of the Imperial bloodline of Parv, was born. After losing his father due to the betrayal of his confidante and commander, Hans was raised by Sierra and Rudolf, his father''s adoptive parents, who became his grandparents. He lived a carefree life with them in the Ghost Isles, one of the most dangerous places in the world. Aspiring to be a knight like his grandfather, Hans showed talent with the sword, but he longed to be in civilization, which both his grandparents opposed. With almost eight years gone, he saw the first humans in the Ghost Isles, who came to fulfill his wish. When he turned ten, they finally left the Ghost Isles, but in those two years, his dream of being a knight was shattered. However, another dream took its place: to be a world-renowned mage. Following his dream and primarily for his safety, the three joined Concordia, the most gifted and powerful school for mages and knights, with him as a student and his grandparents as deans. He befriended two peers: Chris, an aspiring knight, and a cocky rich girl whose mother taught at Concordia as a professor. Their friendship was a bumpy ride, but the three became close through several incidents: mis-teleportation into a beast zone, participating in glory wars, Hans realizing his lineage, and finally facing the most powerful knight of the past as an undead¡ªhis own father. Hans always ran away from who he was, but in the end, he was forced to accept the title of Prince of Parv and the responsibility that came with it as the last imperial. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. WORLD PROGRESSION This world of Genas has a single huge continent dominated by three races: Humans, Elves, and Dwarves. Elves rule the northeastern lands, while Dwarves control the west. The rest of the land is inhabited by five human nations: Parv in the east, Indu in the south, Utar in the north, Sunfall in the central west, and Grimgar, the most powerful human nation, in the center. Each of these nations holds unique cultures but shares two primary professions: Knights, the aura masters, and Mages, the spell masters. Knights are regulated by a body called the Knight Association, while Mages are overseen by the Mage Tower, a distributed organization of 24 magic towers. While Knights are ranked globally, Mages live reclusive and hidden lives. Float Lands, as they are called, are a collection of levitating islands above the shared sea of four nations.
Life in Genas was good, filled with genuine happiness and the normal struggles of daily life, until their world was invaded by a cannibalistic race they called Red Demons. The united powerhouses managed to seal these invaders inside a huge barrier but lost half of Utar in the process. Now, the barrier shakes, foretelling that it won''t hold them for much longer. MAGIC SYSTEM Mana in Genas is a mixed energy of several elements, and each individual is born with the capability to use one or more elements by purifying it. Those born with a single element usually become Knights, while the more talented ones become Mages. Knights absorb mana, extract their respective element, and store it in their muscles, bones, and body, calling it aura. Mages create a rotating circle in their heart and store their purified elements as pure elemental mana. Everyone is capable of using these elements, but only those who cross the aura of grade ten or create the first circle are called Knights and Mages. There are four families of mana: 1. Elemental: - Fire - Water - Ground - Wind 2. Advanced: - Lightning / Thunder - Magma / Lava - Wood / Life - Ice / Frost 3. Rare: - Light - Dark 4. Unrecorded: - Divine - Space - Time QUICK CHANGES 5 House of Concordia are now 5 castles of Concordia and instead of Housemasters the leader is called Castle master Elven Lies II : PROLOGUE PROLOGUE .However, the victory resulted in Hans accepting himself as the Parvian prince. We have to bear the burden of our words. And now it was Hans''s turn. He was still unconscious, yet he found his back hugging the snow, his hands as cold as the frozen lake. "Damn." He realised, he was dreaming. Suddenly, his hand moved and he raised his back. Looking at himself he found himself in tattered armour. "Was this man fighting?" A thought occurred in Hans''s head, but as usual, he was in someone else''s body and wasn''t in control. He turned, or his body did as the owner wished, and Hans had no choice to follow along. As the body raised his head, he found a creature, a man, a lizardian or a winged lizardian...he couldn''t make sense what he was seeing. "Puck!" Suddenly he vomited the blood, and his hand instinctively covered his mouth. Hans could feel the warmth of the blood and his vision going hazy. "Just where the heck I''m?" He asked himself, but none answered. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. After some struggling, the body managed to stand and began to stagger towards the fallen creature. The body was gasping and it was evident from his condition that he was in a battle for life, but since he was moving, it was also clear that he won in the end. As the body reached the fallen enemy, Hans''s vision became clear. It was a bipedal reptile, he had seen a Lizardian before, but the ferocity this fallen creature showed could easily put anything he had seen before to shame. The cold that gaze brought was superiror to what the weather was but the bold voice of his body snapped him out of fear. "You have desecrated the body given by our gods by mixing the blood of Devourer, for this blasphemy, I the king of Parv, Armin the last imperial order you to die." The body spoke and finally cleared up the question in Hans''s mind. "So I was in Tyrant king Armin''s body." He thought, but the ravening gaze of the fallen enemy returned and broke his thoughts. With the final cry of his, the creature called devourer, shouted before the blade of Armin, "You who killed your all kin for the throne. I curse you Armin parv. I curse the empire you built upon the blood of ours. It will end, your blood will grow weak and others would ate your nation as you did mine -- Shook! thud! thud!" With a swift swing the long reptilian head rolled down the snowy hills. "My blood is not that weak to crumble upon your petty words, devourer." Armin rebuked and shouted at the skies, "You who sees this in the future. You are an Imperial descendant. Recall your roots that are far deeper than any and rise above all as it''s your right to do so." Elven Lies II Chapter 1 : The Hero of Grimgar CHAPTER 1 THE HERO OF GRIMGAR "Do you really wish to go?" Arat answered Hans with a question of his own. He was momentarily puzzled when Hans asked him when they were going back to Parv. However, when Hans remained silent, hesitating to answer Arat. The old man, stressed, asking again, ¡°Do you really want to return to Parv?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about what I want,¡± Hans answered, irritated, ¡°It¡¯s about what the situation demands. A prince must remain in his nation, not goof around in some foreign place.¡± ¡°But, what¡¯s stopping you from goofing around a bit more?¡± Arat asked, smiling. "A forced sense of duty,¡± said Hans, puzzled by the expression of the smiling old man. And when he found Arat¡¯s gaze inquiring, he explained, ¡°Being a prince is not a privilege but a job, a tiring one at that.¡± Hans said those words as if something inside forced him to act this way. ¡°It was a point of no return. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been avoiding it.¡± He sighed and looked up, ¡°Why do you think I was so persistent about it? You don¡¯t understand. The moment I accepted it, something changed¡­ in me¡­look¡­I can¡¯t explain¡ª¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not wrong for you to train in some foreign place to be a good ruler, right? Many of our ancestors were taught there. You¡¯re not avoiding your duties, just postponing them.¡± Hans didn¡¯t know what magic Arat whispered through those words, but the pressure from his inner thoughts was almost gone. ¡°What the heck? You¡¯ve been insisting I should return. I thought you wanted me there,¡± Hans asked, confused. ¡°I still do,¡± Arat answered. ¡°But I never said immediately. It¡¯s a political den I wish you could avoid. You see, Parv is a complex place. Monarchy is dead, and while many wish for it to return, the rest... let¡¯s just say we are doing better in some areas than before. Now, we elect our rulers on a tenure basis; whoever the people deem worthy gets a chance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s lunacy,¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°Who would you rather have fight a war? Some likeable soldier, or a well-trained, educated, and experienced General?¡± ¡°Believe it or not, that lunacy is successful, and half of our country is doing fine by some marvel,¡± Arat, who shared the same belief as Hans, scorned. ¡°Haa! So these lunatics won¡¯t accept me.¡± Hans asked, puzzled, ¡°Is that what you are saying¡ª¡± ¡°Hell no,¡± Arat interrupted. ¡°If they don¡¯t want their heads to explode, they won¡¯t.¡± Hans and Delimira thought his words were some kind of metaphor, unaware that it was the literal truth. Arat glanced at their confused faces and explained, ¡°Parv is a very disciplined place. The rules¡ªpeople strictly follow them. The law is ironclad for all since we could be judged by God anytime.¡± ¡°Sounds like a ¡®NICE¡¯ place to live,¡± Delimira commented, her sarcasm apparent. "It''s tough everywhere, Little Winters," Arat was wise in his tone, his experience and understanding were showing off in the face. He continued, ¡°This freedom you are feeling is the privilege of being a child. Living is actually ¡®HARD¡¯.¡± All remained silent, lost in their own thoughts until Delimira broke the silence. ¡°Whatever!¡± She scoffed and intrigued by her earlier thoughts, she asked, ¡°Well, I was always curious. Why do you refer to your royalties as Imperials¡ª" "You didn''t know?" Hans asked in doubt. What? The fable of Parv being the human empire and all the other human nations as its vassals? Get real, will ya!¡± "It''s the truth," Hans defended. He had already met Dietrich, the one who united all humans and the same one who allowed the Parvian empire to be dismantled. However, he couldn¡¯t convince Delimira with only his words, but Arat had his own answer. "Parv wasn''t just the empire of the past, but still is,¡± Arat responded. ¡°There are forty vassal states, comprised of many races, including elves like yours.¡± "Okay," Delimira nodded, acknowledging. Her act, on the other hand, rubbed off on Hans. ¡°Hey! When I said it, you didn''t believe me," he pouted. "You lost your credibility when you handed that sword to Xandor," she rebuked, but Hans had no words to fight back. Seeing him down, Delimira cheered him on, ¡°Oh come on Hans,¡± she nudged, ¡°I''m just messing with you. Don¡¯t go sullen on me.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°It''s not you.¡± Hans continued to look down, muttering, ¡°At that time, I only saw what was best for me, not the consequences it would bring.¡± He was apologetic, then his tone changed like the skin of a chameleon. He aimed at Arat, ¡°You should''ve stopped me. What I did was foolish¡ª¡± "Would you have stopped if I asked you?" Arat questioned, and everyone in the room knew the answer to that. So, Arat came close, gently holding Hans by the shoulders. With a pleading voice, he said, ¡°I can only offer counsel. It will be your decision in the end. So, please start being careful.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll try,¡± Hans scoffed. ¡°The duty of a prince is already a shackle big enough. Don¡¯t pressure me more¡ª¡± ¡°Haven''t you heard the words,¡± Arat interjected, taking the context elsewhere, ¡°When the blood soils the skies and Rain paints the land red. A Parvian sun shall rise, filling the world with dread.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°First time hearing it¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it,¡± Delimira mumbled, her mind still piecing together the words. ¡°In my mother¡¯s collection, there were records of previous Clairvoyants. ¡°Hmm... maybe they were from the Amarathiel high elves. These words were definitely from a prophecy made hundreds of years ago¡­¡± She halted, realising why Arat changed the context. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± she looked at Hans with a strange expression, and then, sneering, she spoke, ¡°When you use the VoidZone, a red hue covers the sky like a dome, and sometimes the moisture condenses like rain droplets. And¡­ for dread... your opponent definitely feels it.¡± She chuckled and, patting his shoulders, exclaimed, ¡°Congratulations, Hans, you are the frickin¡¯ calamity.¡± ¡°Woah, Deli. Why don¡¯t you become a writer?¡± Hans shrugged her hands off, continuing with a frown, ¡°If you aimed to annoy me, Winters, you did a damn good job.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, Hans. It''s not like you are some sort of psycho, killing people right and left¡­ well, you actually are¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, Winters.¡± Hans stretched his hand to cover her mouth but slipped and fell right into her clutches. Shaking him, she chuckled, ¡°Oh! How I missed teasing you.¡± Arat interrupted their childish antics and said seriously, ¡°Whether that prophecy is true or not, I don¡¯t give a damn. I must admit, though, it¡¯s fun to rub it on the smug faces of our dear Clandorians. But that prophecy is the sole reason why there are no imperials left. It¡¯s easier to hunt a cuck than a full-grown gryphon they say.¡± ¡°You serious?¡± Delimira exclaimed, releasing her grasp.¡°So people killed that many young imperials because of what? some words?¡± For some time she had known that very few imperial children survived their childhood and reached adulthood. But she didn¡¯t know this was the reason. People feared them because they were different, powerful, and capable. She had received similar treatment, and abhorrent looks from others because she too was different from them. As she delved into the past, Arat admitted her words and affirmed, ¡°Yes, the elves, the other humans, all feared that prophecy. It became the reason so many heirs died before they could even drink their first milk.¡± As none said anything, Arat resumed, ¡°Princess Sierra¡­ she had a little brother. He was a toddler when someone assassinated him. Her father, King Yishan, was regularly poisoned, so when the opportunity arose to send one of his children to Indu, he took it without thinking. But attempts on her sister, Princess Arahan¡¯s life continued.¡± Arat looked sad and his voice was breaking, ¡°So he later married his remaining daughter to Norwin. He didn¡¯t care if someone succeeded to the Parvian throne or not. His only wish was for Arahan and Ira¡¯s safety. He was truly a weak king and a compelled father. Our gods remained silent, but they finally spoke when Samson was born, and that¡¯s how Parv rose to power again.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hans was confused. Despite being the last descendant, all he knew about Parv was the glory of the past, not its recent struggles. ¡°I always thought Parv was invincible¡ª¡± ¡°Everyone loses at some point. If a dynasty is in reign now, it will fall, and someone else¡¯s will rise.¡± Arat patted him. ¡°The whole point of the story was to give you an idea of how helpless one can become. You could dodge a spear in broad daylight, but can¡¯t avoid an arrow in the dark.¡± He stressed, ¡°So beware of whom you trust from this point on. You are in the light now.¡± Hans nodded, but a sudden thought pricked him. ¡°Wait a minute¡­ You did something behind my back, didn¡¯t you?¡± He asked, as the words of precaution, especially the last part where Arat emphasised ¡®from this point on,¡¯ became more suspicious. ¡°Yay! Hans¡¯s head is working again.¡± Delimira clapped, teasing. ¡°What did he do?¡± Hans asked with a big frown. She chuckled as Arat remained stoic and embarrassed. ¡°You see, Hans,¡± she spoke, ¡°You are a pretty big deal now. Your Prime Minister here left no stone unturned in spreading your heroic tale. He even acknowledged that you saved a lot of people in the capital. Well, you painted the whole city green, so it was pretty much irrefutable.¡± Hans turned to Arat, infuriated, ¡°Why are you hell-bent on making my life tougher, Mr. Arat?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was kinda excited, and one thing led to another, and everybody knew¡ª¡± ¡°Ooh! Ooh! Tell him about the Gryphon Knights.¡± Delimira fanned the flames. ¡°What Gryphon knights?¡± Hans asked frantically. ¡°Wait a minute, where am I? This is not Concordia¡¯s allotted mansion.¡± ¡°No, we are in Parv¡¯s mansion.¡± Instead of Arat Delimira responded, amused as she explained further, ¡°And there are fifty Gryphon knights standing guard. Now, everyone knows you are the Prince of Parv.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even have words,¡± Hans said as his face lost colour, but seeing her that excited, Hans felt ominous, ¡°What else are you itching to rub in? Go ahead, Winters, do your worst.¡± He asked wishing his gut feeling to be wrong but it was pretty much confirmed when he looked at her shining eyes. ¡°Hihi!¡± She smirked. ¡°Ahem..¡± Clearing her throat she spoke, ¡°There is even a rumour about how you stood equally against an undead, so powerful that even the hero king had problems subduing him¡ª¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Hans cursed. ¡°And I thought I could just sneak back to Concordia.¡± ¡°Good luck, princess,¡± Delimira taunted. ¡°What now? Why am I a princess instead of a prince? Did something else happen in those rumours¡ª¡± ¡°Naah!, because you¡¯re whining like one.¡± ¡°Oh, man. I can¡¯t even cry. It wasn¡¯t me; I couldn¡¯t stop him without the gems. I was practically powerless. If my father hadn¡¯t regained consciousness back¡ª Screw that.¡± Hans turned to Arat, his face serious, ¡°What happened back there?¡± His voice demanded an explanation from the prime minister of Parv. Elven Lies II Chapter 2 : A Hollow Victory CHAPTER 2 A HOLLOW VICTORY "You remember him talking to you at the end, don''t you?" Arat asked, locking eyes with Hans. When Hans first woke up, Arat wanted to tell him, but their guest, Delimira Winters, had been quite persistent in not leaving. So, they discussed other things. Finally, the cat was out of the bag, and seeing Hans''s blank expression, he asked again, "Samson talking to you¡ª" "Yeah. I remember." Hans nodded. "You''ve seen what a Celestial Weapon does, right?¡± Arat had a gleam throughout his eyes as if he wanted to show off. However, Hans didn¡¯t have patience for his games, ¡°Don¡¯t talk in circles please.¡± He scoffed. "As you wish." Arat nodded respectfully. "Just think about it¡ªif someone like Xandor got his hands on that weapon, he could destroy an entire nation." "That''s a terrifying thought, Mr. PM," Hans said, hugging himself and pretending to shiver. "So, if I''m right," Arat turned serious, "when your father briefly regained consciousness, he must''ve known he was being used as an undead, completely at the mercy of the caster. So he summoned that weapon, knowing you could disarm it. Even if Xandor manages to control him, he can''t use the weapon." Hans and Delimira looked at him, confused. Arat sighed, another regret clouding his face. "We lost our strongest advantage, but it''s better than letting a madman have it." "Rebellion and now the celestial weapon¡ªjust how much does he want from us?" Hans clenched his fists, furious. "He''s really at the end of his days. Attacking Grimgar, fine, it wouldn¡¯t have bothered me much. But trying to use my father? That just crossed the line. It''s better Father perished in the blast¡ª¡° "Oh, about that." Arat interrupted, his tone even grimmer. "We discovered a portable space door had opened right at the explosion.¡± ¡°What?¡± The daylight vanished from Hans¡¯s face as he mumbled, ¡°No. No.¡± Shaking his head in denial, he tried to reject the harsh reality. Arat¡¯s voice broke through his resistance, ¡°I believe Xandor took Samson¡¯s body before the blast could do much damage to him.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t believe it. He had fought tooth and nail to avoid this scenario, and yet when he thought he had won, it turned out to be a hollow victory. ¡°Xandor needs to¡ªno, he must die.¡± His whisper carried a renewed resolve. The old Hans, who feared nothing and cared nothing, was clearly returning. Rage filled his eyes. He hadn''t been truly angry with Xandor before, but now, his fury was unmistakable. ¡°Just when are you planning to kill that man?¡± Hans asked Arat. ¡°Soon.¡± Arat''s eyes narrowed, his tone carrying a repressed anger. ¡°His attack was the perfect motivation needed for those laid-back Allied Nations.¡± He paused, his voice dropping even lower. ¡°Xandor must pay for making Samson a pawn in his game. There will be no forgiveness.¡± ¡°Why wait?¡± In a swift motion, Hans swung his legs off the bed and planted them firmly on the ground. ¡°He must still be near¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the Gryphon Knights are here,¡± Arat finally answered the question Hans had asked earlier. ¡°They are the protectors of the crown, arguably the best knight order in the world. And,¡± he paused, emphasising, ¡°I¡¯ve also called him?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Hans asked, curiosity mingling in his voice. ¡°A genius, he¡¯d been the best if he wasn¡¯t born in the ¡®Era of the monsters¡¯; Homar Garuda.¡± Hans momentarily forgot that he was angry and infuriated. Homar Garuda was the evidence that one need not follow a paved path, but can succeed in making one for himself. He asked jolting, ¡°You mean ¡®The Eagle Eye¡¯.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve heard the name¡ª¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve heard. He is the third rank holder. The youngest in the ¡®Top Ten¡¯ after my father. The only Warlord who uses a bow instead of a sword, right?¡± Hans¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, searching the room. ¡°Is he here?¡± he asked, sounding like a fan about to meet his hero. ¡°See, it¡¯s really easy to change his mood,¡± Delimira whispered to Arat, prompting him to reply in the same fashion. ¡°It¡¯s scary how well you know him,¡± Arat whispered back. ¡°He¡¯s a kid after all. They always become jolly when you give them something they like,¡± she responded as Hans continued to hop in anticipation. ¡°Prince, just a word of caution,¡± Arat said, calming him down. ¡°I don¡¯t want to burst your bubble, but he might not be what you expect him to be¡ª¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hans asked, confused. ¡°He might not like you. You see, he was your father¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Thud!¡± The door swung open, revealing a figure bathed in light. A handsome archer entered with an air of confidence. His hair was as dark as obsidian, framing unshakable emerald-green eyes that sparkled with discipline. But, that was not all, Hans noticed at first glance, that the man was wearing a slim-fit armour, gleaming in gold, with a faded white cloak trailing behind him and folded within the cloak was an insignia, unmistakably a golden gryphon. Hans''s eyes widened as he took in the sight of the weapon known for its precision. A finely crafted bow rested on the back of the man, and a quiver of vibrant arrows adorned his side. Hans hushed in awe as the archer, marked by callused hands and a subtle smirk, moved in with grace. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°So, you are the prince. It seems the heavens haven¡¯t forsaken me after all,¡± the archer, the third-ranked knight, said with relief. ¡°I can finally shake off this stigma of being second best.¡± Confused, Hans turned to Arat with a questioning gaze, silently asking what this tall and impressive man meant. ¡°I told you, Prince,¡± Arat whispered back, ¡°Your father and he were rivals. At least, that''s how he sees it.¡± ¡°What does he want from me?¡± Hans asked, still admiring the bow knight. But before Arat could respond, the third-ranked knight spoke again, ¡°Being the king¡¯s son won¡¯t earn you my respect. You want it, you have to beat that into me.¡± "So¡­ you are a masochist?" Hans couldn¡¯t help but quip. "Yeah. If you say so," Homar said indifferently, troubling Hans, who was expecting a sharp comeback. In response to his baffled face, Homar commented, "You got a problem with it? Beat me." "Just what is your problem? I respected you¡ª" "Yes, because I earned it. My name carries weight in the world. What have you accomplished till now? You''re just riding on your father¡¯s name. Look at this senile man," Homar pointed to Arat and added, "he''s only here because the king¡¯s blood flows through you, not because you are Hans¡ª" "I¡¯m just twelve," Hans refuted, playing his age card, but it only infuriated Homar. "How dare you whine about your age." The building shook, and the pressure of grade 98 fell on Hans. "By your age, your father was strong enough to fight Rudolf and survive to tell the tale." "I''m not him," Hans rebuked. "Blame your father, then. He set the bar so high, and that is the problem," Homar continued grimly, "and, the moment you set foot on Parvian soil, everyone will expect you to be Samson¡­ no, they will expect you to be better than him." Homar scanned Hans from top to bottom and shook his head in denial. "And, you are going to trample their hopes¡ª" "Stop it, Garuda," Arat interrupted, shutting him up. However, while Homar¡¯s mouth might have been shut, his intent still pressured Hans. "Hey, back off," Delimira, who had been silent until now, jumped in between them. "He just fought your king. He saved a lot of lives here. You don¡¯t get to judge him." However, Delimira¡¯s words fell on Homar¡¯s deaf ears. "No, the king lost because he willed it, not because you won over him." He flicked Delimira away. Coming close to Hans, he asked, "You know it too, don¡¯t you? I heard you begged him to spare you, and the only reason you are alive is that he did. You were no help without your mana gems¡ª" "I said, back off," Delimira shouted, her iridescent scales covering her cheeks. She objected, "Using every resource at your bay is a skill¡ª" "No, it''s a dependency. My king must not have it. I want to serve the one who can confidently say - I¡¯m enough. After so much wait, I don¡¯t want my people to be disappointed. They waited for a decade and what did they get? A kid who is not even half of his father." All of Hans¡¯s excitement to meet the ¡®Eagle Eye¡¯ died down. He couldn¡¯t even refute it because deep down, he knew every word of Homar was right. Samson had set a bar so high that he could only gaze at it from below. Now, he understood why Arat was reluctant to take him back this soon- He wasn¡¯t ready for Parv. He raised his head a little and saw Homar leaving the room, Arat trailing behind him, chiding. When they exited, Arat broke the dams he was holding and grabbed Homar by the hand, ¡°Hey, stop it, you buffoon! Weren¡¯t you too harsh on the kid?¡± ¡°It''s better than shattering countless hopes and dreams,¡± Homar retorted. ¡°They expect a ¡®god,¡¯ Arat. A goddamn god, not a child. I''m not going to coddle him like you and Dijkstra. He needs to realise the weight of the Parvian crown.¡± ¡°That''s why we''re here, isn¡¯t it? We can teach him together, prepare him¡ª¡± ¡°No. He''s an imperial, they''re different, and he has to understand that,¡± Homar patted Arat''s shoulder and left. ¡°Until then, he''s not my prince.¡± Meanwhile, back where Hans was, Delimira kept fussing over Homar. ¡°So, he sure is great as you thought, isn¡¯t he?¡± Delimira frowned sarcastically. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to you, Hans¡ª¡± ¡°But he was right, Deli. I¡¯m nothing compared to my father. He was the real deal, you saw it yourself. He took on so many and even together they couldn¡¯t beat him. How am I supposed to fill those shoes.¡± ¡°Listen Hans. I can¡¯t give you that answer. You have to find it yourself. I have a pretty big goal too. You don¡¯t see me mulling about. When I fail, I at least wanna say, I gave my everything.¡± She questioned, ¡°Can you say it now? Can you say you gave your everything and failed to live up to the expectations?¡± Hans remained silent, So Delimira quoted his own words back to him, ¡°Your story hasn¡¯t ended, you can¡¯t undo what¡¯s already happened but you can always write a new chapter, right?¡± Hans stared at her, confused. ¡°See, I can too speak good things.¡±Delimira teased. ¡°Stop gloating, Winters. But you know, you are right. What I do in the future is still in my hands. If Homar wants me to be better than my father. I still can¡¯t say I can, but I barely started my story.¡± He clenched, determined, the solar mage was still in his hands. Heaving, He looked at Delimira oddly and whispered, ¡°Thanks¡ª¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± She asked quickly ¡°I said, I would satisfy the Eagle eye''s wish to get pummelled by me.¡± Hans averted her gaze, However, now he had a question for her, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your ¡®pretty big goal¡¯? You never mentioned it before.¡± ¡°Cause¡¯ you never asked.¡± She cynically said and stressed, ¡° You really don¡¯t wanna know Hans.¡± But it did not affect Hans, "Oh, come on. I don¡¯t see anyone coming. You know everything about me. I wanna know some secrets too. Let¡¯s make things even.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Delimira sighed. She delved into her past, ¡°I told you that you''ll end up killing my dad in DeadLands, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, and I''m sorry about that..wait, it still hasn¡¯t happened yet, so why am I apologising?¡± Hans questioned himself. ¡°Focus, idiot! Do you know why he''s not with us or why I was born in Edenberg, not Clandor?¡± She asked, and when Hans shook his head, she explained, ¡°Elves are in a delusion that they are the perfect race, a hand-crafted species of the god, so a child between them and others is not possible. But what if a child is born between them and some other race ?¡± ¡°That only means your father belongs to the same race or of something of similar level,¡± Hans interjected. ¡°Yes, and elves are too proud to accept that their god created something else of their level. But, they couldn¡¯t openly oppose him since he was ¡®Really strong¡¯.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard.¡± Hans nodded, ¡°People call him the Northern sea monster. It''s a pretty cool name, though. Your reappearing scales are from him, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Delimira confirmed, ¡°My mother said she didn¡¯t need the elves'' acknowledgement of their union, but my dad was adamant about it. He believed a union would last longer with more blessings¡­ He was delusional.¡± ¡°Delus¡­I think I shouldn¡¯t comment on that. Please, go on,¡± Hans encouraged her to continue. ¡°So, to accept my father in the Elven community and bless their union, the elves asked an Ancient to perform a rite of passage - giving him the impossible task of killing five red demon commanders. I don¡¯t know what happened there. Maybe my father killed them, and then the Ancient betrayed him. Or maybe he didn¡¯t and was betrayed anyway. All I know is that man took my father away from me, and he''s responsible for all the things I¡¯ve endured in Clandor¡ª¡± ¡°What things?¡± Hans asked. ¡°You¡¯ll never know,¡± Delimira said firmly. ¡°Be satisfied that I shared this much. I¡¯ll find my closure when I¡¯m strong enough to beat that ancient piece of trash.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 3 : The Aftermath CHAPTER 3 THE AFTERMATH After saying their pieces, Arat and Delimira remained silent, forcing Hans to break the awkward tension, ¡°So we are inParv¡¯s place, right?¡± ¡°Mhm¡± ¡°What happens now?¡± He asked nudging her. ¡°I ain''t have the faintest clue." She sighed, "You are surrounded by fifty Dominion knights. Your gryphon knight order¡ª¡± ¡°...They are mine?¡± He questioned, flustered. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other imperial here.¡± She stood up, prompting Hans to ask quickly, ¡°Where are you goin¡¯ now?¡± ¡°You wanna spend your whole day in that bed with Mr Arat, be my guest?¡± She countered. ¡°Heck no.¡± Hans jumped out, jolted quickly to her side, and both stepped out of the room. A lavish hall, similar to where he was staying in Grimgar. However, there were far more people staring at him. Some he knew and some he didn¡¯t. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± He whispered to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, you are the hero of Grimgar and thanks to your PM, everyone knows you as Prince Hans Parv.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t this going overboard.¡± Hans was flustered, he was glancing at his so-called Gryphon knights who were locked in a staring contest with the knight association''s people and Concordia not far in joining them. While Elves were looking at them from a distance they had their own agenda written all over their faces. ¡°I really wanna go back to the bed.¡± He cried inside. ¡°So you woke up dear nephew.¡± Samwell addressed him quickly. ¡°Dear nephew? Did he forget how I chased him out of Edenberg? Politicians really don¡¯t have a spine.¡± Hans showed a polite gesture and responded, ¡°Dear uncle. How have you been?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m not facing much criticism¡ª¡± ¡°Is that sarcasm I¡¯m smelling." Hans whispered then said loudly, "You should¡¯ve done your job in saving your citizens. There is so much a foreign prince can do.¡± He saw Samwell coming up with a jab so he quickly continued, ¡°But I didn¡¯t do much. It''s all your Knight Association chairman who provided me with the means to act upon. You should thank him not me.¡± Kansas saw Hans weaselling out, in the chaos. He lost almost half of his wealth and wanted to recover it through Arat. But Hans mentioning his name in front of these people had significantly reduced the chance. Arat came running to his side and whispered. ¡°We can pay, Prince Hans¡ª¡± ¡°Why would we empty our coffers for them.¡± Hans said indifferently, ¡°If you have that much to spare. Shouldn¡¯t you help our people live better lives?¡± ¡°It''s good to see you thinking of your people, but we shouldn¡¯t be shameless here. We need to hold the dignity here¡ª¡± ¡°Shove that dignity back to your throat, Mr PM. It was you who exploded this situation. I don¡¯t want to waste the hard-earned taxes to fill these joker¡¯s pockets.¡± Hans said shaking his head and asked, ¡°But what is happening here.¡± Arat nodded in response, ¡°Elves are here because they want to ask something. Knight Association is here to be on the lookout because of Gryphon knights. Concordia people are here to take you back and Bernard is here because he has huge balls.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want any more bloodshed because of the past. Can¡¯t you do something?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already proposed a solution. In Parv, the merits and sins, both pass down. He is beyond redemption but his son can buy his pardon by his servitude.¡± ¡°You were serious?¡± Hans raised his brows. ¡°I''m always serious, Prince Hans.¡± ¡°Then let''s get this over with,¡± Hans said as he marched towards Chris who was standing beside Rudolf and others. ¡°Shook! Shook! Shook!¡± Within a moment several Gryphon knights surrounded him, moving in union to protect him.¡°Do I need to get accustomed to this? Man!¡± He sighed and asked Arat who followed him, ¡°What do I do now?¡± ¡°Not here." Arat shook and explained, "It must be back in Parv, he needs to take the vow in ¡®Sunspark¡¯, the highest peak of this world,¡± Hans doubted. ¡°I thought your Bow knight doesn¡¯t want me there¡ª¡± ¡°Yet he can¡¯t stop you if you want to,¡± Arat said, amused. However, Hans had his own thoughts. He whispered, ¡°No, I can deny all I want, but he is right. People are pinning their hopes in me, I can¡¯t just blow them up can I?¡± As they were inaudible to others, they tried to make sense of what these two were talking about. ¡°Ahem, ahem!¡± Arat broke the stillness when they reached Chris, ¡°You know the merits and sins of your ancestors follow its descendants in Parv, right?" He asked Chris point blank, adding, "I won¡¯t force you but there is only one way Bernard and your family could survive¡ª¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡ª¡± ¡°Chris!!¡± Reina who was silently watching this facade of Arat¡¯s spoke, interrupting them. ¡°No one can touch your family in Clandor¡ª¡± ¡°I''m tired of this, Queen Reina,¡± Chris spoke as he glanced at Hans and recalled his words. Just as he heard those, he repeated them, ¡°I can¡¯t run from what I am, a Parvian born. I¡¯ve to embrace it.¡± Arat heard those resolute words and declared, ¡°Then you¡¯ll take oath tomorrow first light, as have the knights before you. You¡¯ll be serving as Prince Hans''s first knight.¡± Arat didn''t want to hear any objection, but there was one who interrupted with enthusiasm, ¡°No, No. That''s not right. I¡¯m the first one.¡± Vanir who was god knows where throughout the attack and drama, finally showed up. He passed through everyone and came to Hans. However, seeing an unidentified elf boy, the Gryphon knights unsheathed their swords spooking Vanir. ¡°I...I said I¡¯m the first¡ª¡± ¡°Where the heck were you till now then, Vanir.¡± Hans frowned, scanning him from top to bottom. He breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately, Vanir wasn¡¯t harmed in any way. ¡°Winters,¡± Hans said turning to her. ¡°Can you take that punk outside?¡± ¡°Hell no, this is fun. Two boys fighting for your FIRST. I should¡¯ve brought popcorn¡± Delimira said amused. ¡°Winters, there is time for everythin¡ª¡± ¡°Fine. Fine cranky prince.¡± Delimira lunged at Vanir and dragged him out saying, ¡°They are talking about the knight, Junior. You are not a knight so you don¡¯t count.¡± While she dragged the whining elf out. Several people who are well versed in mana circles were baffled to see a first-year elf boy with three big circles inside him. ¡°What kind of a monster is he?¡± Eleanor couldn¡¯t hold and said. ¡°The kind who serves me,¡± Hans responded, his head high proud while the elves contemplated why they weren¡¯t aware of Vanir¡¯s existence. But Hans had no luxury to relish those faces, he scoffed and turned to Arat, ¡°We have some time till tomorrow morning. So what are you going to do?¡± ¡°There is much to discuss." Arat shone with wisdom, "As the prince of Parv, you are obliged to be a part of this discussion.¡± ¡°What is it about?¡± Hans asked, giving off a calm and collected vibe. ¡°Xandor¡ª¡± ¡°When are we taking his head off?¡± Hans interrupted, his calm and collected demeanour turned edgy. ¡°Where is he?¡± He asked. Arat nodded to Hans with respect and asked irrelevant people to go back. Concordia always stayed away from politics so they all left Hans with Parvians and when only the decision-makers remained, he addressed them solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ve summoned you all for one reason. Xandor has King Samson¡¯s body, fortunately, he didn¡¯t have the celestial weapon, but with Rebellion, I doubt he could harness King Samson¡¯s ability of sharing his infinite aura. He will have an army with buffed-up aura grades.¡± He stressed the latter part. ¡°It''s always a Parvian mess.¡± Norwin said, infuriated, ¡°Name it once when a catastrophe wasn¡¯t because of a Parvian¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment.¡± Hans said with a huge smile as he commented further, ¡°Blaming others for your own incompetence is human nature. I thought you were better than this.¡± ¡°How dare a toddler ¡ª¡± ¡°This toddler is at least thinking of a solution instead of whining, hero King Norwin." Hans pointed out, "I wasn¡¯t taught to mind my dignity, Was the case the same for you?¡± Hans spoke with an irrefutable tone. The imperial blood in him was showing colours. However, before Hans could turn it into a battlefield, Arat interrupted, ¡°We have found Xandor¡¯s possible location. So please both of you calm down.¡± ¡°What''s with you, prince,¡± Arat whispered. ¡°Fifty dominion knights are watching me. It would be bad if I let someone walk over me.¡± Hans whispered back and Arat, amused, turned to the audience and continued. ¡°It''s somewhere in Sleeping Giant Mountain Range.¡± ¡°The border,¡± Samwell commented. ¡°Yes,¡± Arat nodded, ¡°The mountain range serves as a natural border between Clandor and Parv.¡± ¡°That''s a lot of areas to cover,¡± Eleanor spoke and since both Parv and Clandor won¡¯t allow others in their soil. It was up to them to pinpoint their hideout. He turned to Arat and asked, ¡°Since you are telling this, he is not on your side of the mountain, right?¡± Arat nodded with a grin, ¡°Yes, he is definitely on the Elven side of the mountain, and has his own army of elves and humans.¡± ¡°I need a number, how many living people are with him?¡±Norwin jumped into the conversation. ¡°Thousands or even more." Arat shook his head as he had no definite answers, "He has been rescuing people from traffickers, from injustice and even from poverty. They are innocent people, but to them, he is their saviour and they will do everything to stop us. ¡°They are not innocent. They¡¯ve made their choice.¡± Norwin prompted. ¡°And that is because of who?¡± Hans who remained silent, interrupted the adults. ¡°You are the very people who forced those innocent to choose Xandor. It was all your fault.¡± Hans pointed. ¡°It''s easier to criticise than run a kingdom, parvian prince,¡± Eleanor said, firm. ¡°Yeah, I have no clue how to run the kingdom. But it doesn¡¯t wash away that you people are the ones who allowed this to happen. What would those elves be thinking, choosing a human over their king? Haven¡¯t you thought about it? You asked about Vanir, didn¡¯t you? Learn his story and you¡¯ll understand that how many people you¡¯ve pushed towards Xandor.¡± Eleanor had no words to refute, he already knew how corrupt the elven lords had become because of the power struggle between the new council and royals. Hans''s words had stung him. ¡°I will, but that is not the agenda here.¡± He turned to Norwin, ¡°Even if we allow you to enter, the Council won¡¯t.¡± ¡°I know you want us to handle them¡­¡± Norwin replied, glancing at Parvians, ¡°We should discuss this more privately.¡± ¡°Let''s do that.¡± Eleanor accepted. It didn''t take a genius to figure out what Norwin wanted so Arat resumed, ¡°Since we are not welcome to listen. I hope you can give us back some peace and take your business elsewhere. This castle is still ours till tomorrow, right?¡± Arat''s words made them realise they were discussing things in the Parvian allotted mansion. ¡°I¡¯ve no qualms with it. But I''ve yet to ask what I came here for?¡± The silent Reina spoke, yet her mind and gaze darted on Hans. She asked him, ¡°How much do you know about Seed of Night?¡± ¡°I was wondering that too. What is it?¡± Hans had heard Samson speak and even his baffled expressions weren¡¯t shy in his undead face. Hans was eager to know so he got a bit excited. ¡°An ominous thing,¡± Reina answered, ¡°It once had destroyed the whole world¡ª¡± ¡°Sweet. Now it''s in my hand." Hans glanced at everyone in the room, a smug smile etching all over his face. He snickered, adding, "Another reason why others should back off.¡± ¡°Cocky as your bastard father." Reina said, infuriated, her eyes looking him with an unreasonable abhorrence, "That thing is not just dangerous¡ª¡± "Listen, lady." Hans gestured his hand to stop her speaking, "I''m not him and I¡¯ve no bone to pick you with, yet. And quite frankly you are not that pretty. For the first time, I¡¯m thinking of my father as an idiot to throw away his life in vanity... I¡¯ve already got enough on my plate. What happened with you and him is your frickin'' business. So I¡¯m asking you, very nicely don¡¯t make it mine. PLEASE.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 4 : The Second book CHAPTER 4 THE SECOND BOOK It was a rare sight, Queen Reina¡¯s bafflement was something everyone wanted to see at least once. Yet Hans ignored the incident and turned to Samwell, with whom he had a bone to pick. ¡°My dear uncle.¡± Samwell had an ominous feeling scratching his back but he lifted his chin enough to signal openness, so Hans asked with a stark tone, ¡°Care to tell me which idiot came up with the great idea of banning flying in the capital?¡± This was going overboard, even Arat lunged to stop Hans from damaging things further but it was too late. ¡°MY FATHER.¡± Norwin shouted, ¡°And you¡¯ll show some respect.¡± Norwin wasn¡¯t asking but telling Hans but the young Parvian was riding his momentum. Accepting his identity changed something fundamental within him, as if he knew, he could get away with anything. So, with a smirk, he quipped, ¡°I heard you blew your own respectable father¡¯s head off in the fight.¡± And surprisingly, Norwin¡¯s short fuse was still intact as he returned those words. ¡°It¡¯s still better than dropping a celestial bomb in his head. Don¡¯t you think, Prince Parv.¡± Instead of agitating on each other, both were managing their composure. But it was a matter of moments for this situation to remain in stalemate. But, Hans wasn¡¯t the one going to turn this verbal charade into something else first. Continuing his smirk, he fanned Norwin¡¯s flame, "See, we''re cut from the same cloth, but why don''t you use your head." He tapped his forehead with his index finger, pushing Norwin''s irritation past its limit. ¡°This annoying¡ª¡± Hans got the reaction he wanted. ¡°Tsk! Tsk! Anger, if not channelled, becomes a shackle, hero King Norwin,¡± he mused, imparting life lessons to someone more than five times his age. ¡°Ooh! That red face of yours, you must be holding a lot in. Breathe in and out, slowly. One two, one two one¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Norwin snapped, ¡°You¡¯ll die because of your damn mouth.¡± ¡°They couldn¡¯t kill me when I wasn¡¯t a prince. I¡¯ve turned into an even bigger asshole after becoming one. So, I¡¯ll wait and see. Bye-bye.¡± Hans waved as Norwin stomped out of the room. ¡°You¡¯re walking on thin ice,¡± Arat said, patting Hans on the shoulder. ¡°Norwin is a petty person and a very strong petty person. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s holding back¡­ he should¡¯ve blown everything away.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was bothering me too. That¡¯s why I was ruffling his feathers, but he seemed more disciplined than I expected.¡± ¡°For some reason, he doesn¡¯t want to sour his relationship with Parv further,¡± Arat confirmed. ¡°Yeah, figures. But Dijkstra was right, annoying him is a lot of fun. Now I know how Deli feels, this is exhilarating,¡± Hans mused. ¡°But back to my earlier question.¡± He pointed to Samwell and asked again, ¡°Why the flying ban?¡± ¡°It is a policy to prevent the invaders from escaping¡ª¡± ¡°Well, your policy was doing a great job when our dear undead king was whooping our assess from sky high.¡± Hans rebuked. ¡°It''s none of my business, but a lock doesn¡¯t guarantee a theft won¡¯t occur; it just makes thieves more creative. Nasty people find ways around the ban, and you¡¯re only crippling your own army.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s none of your business, dear nephew¡ª¡± ¡°But, I¡¯m not wrong, am I?¡± Hans persisted. ¡°Let it go,¡± Samwell said, trying to suppress his anger. ¡°Fine.¡± Hans acknowledged and then turned to Arat, ¡°I want to go back to Concordia¡¯s accommodation.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Arat signalled, and all fifty knights took their positions. When Hans stepped outside, he saw many of them flying on top of Gryphons, the symbol of Parv. He had never seen one before. ¡°Flying ban, I guess it doesn¡¯t affect beasts. Can I get one of mine?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask as he climbed into the carriage. ¡°It is customary to choose a Gryphon at the coronation ceremony,¡± Arat said, helping him up and sitting opposite him. ¡°So did my father have one too?¡± Hans asked as the Parvian carriage moved. ¡°He never cared; it was just a formality,¡± Arat explained. ¡°He was way faster than a Gryphon anyway. And you are probably too.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that, but I want one,¡± Hans said, like a kid demanding a new toy, with starry eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll have one when you officially return.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± Hans clicked his tongue and glanced outside. People with their mouths agape greeted him, looking baffled. ¡°Oh god! Is this necessary?¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Arat said proudly. ¡°It¡¯s your debut. What¡¯s better than a victory parade on foreign soil?¡± ¡°Screw the debut. Geez! I want to hide in a hole. This is so embarrassing,¡± Hans complained. But they weren¡¯t far from Concordia¡¯s accommodations and soon arrived. Hans jolted out and ran inside quickly, not knowing that many curious faces were eager to ask him a lot of things. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Vanir, in particular, was pouting, and as soon as Hans came in, he ran over like a girl who was about to get dumped. ¡°I thought we had a thing going on,¡± he cried holding him. Flustered, Hans pushed him. ¡°Speak clearly, you idiot. They¡¯re enjoying this,¡± he said, pointing at the stunned audience But Vanir didn¡¯t care. He was feeling his position slipping away. ¡°I told you,¡± he pleaded, ¡°I¡¯ll follow you for life, and you chose your friend as your first knight. I was your first subordinate. I asked you to make sure I only bow to you and no one else. So I must be second to you,¡± he insisted ¡°Haa! Can we talk about this later? I''m tired¡ª¡± ¡°No, make this clear first,¡± Vanir insisted again. ¡°You stupid moron,¡± Hans got annoyed and shouted, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you become the Tower Master of Parv or something? They don¡¯t even bow to their kings.¡± Vanir stood up instantly. ¡°You said it, senior.¡± His tears vanished, and he resolved to become the Tower Master of Parv, not realising that Parv didn¡¯t have a magic tower to begin with. This was the day a far-reaching obsession was born in Vanir. Sighing, Hans asked, ¡°Now can I please go?¡± He shooed him off, and before the curious people could turn their gaze into voices, he ran into a separate room. ¡°These frickin¡¯ idiots... I have no time for this... Now, where is my Solar Mage?¡± ¡°Tak! Tak!¡± A knock on the door disturbed him, but before he could shout, he heard a soothing voice. ¡°Hans, got a minute?¡± It was Sierra, so he politely answered, ¡°Come in, Grandma.¡± ¡°Here is your precious book.¡± She handed him the first book he had left in her care. ¡°Now you have two, and... the thing with Parv too. You must be feeling overwhelmed.¡± ¡°It was eventually going to happen,¡± Hans sighed. ¡°I thought I was ready, but I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t wanna disappoint those who are waiting for something much more than me. So I¡¯ve decided,¡± Hans patted his chest, ¡°I¡¯ll only go when I¡¯m strong enough to be worthy and, of course, strong enough to not make you worry.¡± With nothing a but warm smile, Sierra replied to Hans¡¯s pleading eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Arat. But, my child, even when you become the strongest in the world, I¡¯ll still worry.¡± She caressed his cheek and said, ¡°We¡¯re already late. So when you come back from Sunspark, I want to put this incident behind us and leave for Concordia.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that too,¡± Hans agreed promptly. She kissed him on the forehead. ¡°Be good, don¡¯t create more trouble.¡± Then she left him alone, knowing what was on his mind and asking everyone not to disturb his quality time with the books. Hans, on the other hand, was staring at the two priceless possessions he had. The moment he had been waiting for finally arrived. He placed both books side by side on the bed and said, ¡°Command Centre: SCAN.¡±
Discovered two sentient objects- Book of Spells: Limitless (Expand) Book of Day: The Solar Mage (Expand)
Hans had noticed the changes in his augmented display, it was more informative than before and had a significant change. His clearance level, which had previously been marked as ¡®Interim,¡¯ was now simply ¡®Administrator.¡¯ Hans had a feeling that his SCAN might yield unexpected results, and it did. ¡°Expand second,¡± Hans commanded. Book of Day: The Solar Mage is the second book in the anthology Books of Fate, authored by Samson Parv. Please open the book. ¡°Nice.¡± Hans frantically opened the book, and the weird, unrecognisable characters greeted him again. However, in his augmented view, they changed.
Decrypting¡­ Key exchange successful Parameters: Clearance level: matched Genetic sequence: matched Showing result in 3... 2... 1
The erratic patterns moved, transforming into readable words, but only in the augmented display. ¡°Whatever, as long as I can read,¡± Hans said and started reading the displayed information.
Son, It''s good to know that you¡¯ve found the final book meant for you. You must¡¯ve heard about the ruse of the Book of Power, and maybe, if you¡¯ve investigated enough, you¡¯d have discovered it to be a hoax¡ªa secret boasting of unimaginable power. It would have been a perfect bait to keep others away from you. However, the book does exist. Now, about the Solar Mage. It offers you a new kind of power, vastly different from control over mana. Having unlimited mana is nice, but you¡¯d eventually hit a roadblock: high dependency on mana stones and gems. The wood element and control over nature¡¯s mana are impressive but only effective in supporting others. You could restrict Warlords and Warlocks, but if you don¡¯t possess the ability to take them down, it will be meaningless.
¡°Yeah, that''s what I was thinking. I¡¯ll go bankrupt every time I fight a stronger foe. Heck, I might have to run with my imaginary tail between my legs.¡±
The Solar Mage offers a solution¡ªa destructive power with a great flaw. Repeat the book¡¯s name, and you might learn before I can explain.
¡°Book of the Day: The Solar Mage¡ª Crap! It''s not like this will be useless at night, is it?¡± Hans hoped not, yet the next words of his father proved his speculation right.
Yes, these powerful attacks will be useless at night, because they need the sun to function.
¡°Dang it, so is there a Book of Night? And what about the Seed of Night that you mentioned? You recognised it, does it mean you know about it too?¡± Hans asked, but the book remained indifferent, and Hans turned the page.
Decrypting¡­ 3¡­ 2¡­ 1 To understand this power, you have to explore Elven history, known to only a few. During my time in Clandor, my search for power brought me to the forbidden lands of the Elves. As usual, I was denied passage, and as usual, I didn¡¯t care. It wasn¡¯t easy, as the Shadow family governs those lands, but I unearthed the knowledge they were keeping. It is said that, in the dawn of time, two trees existed, dividing the world in two: the Tree of Night and the Tree of Day. We humans, elves, dwarves¡ªeverything you see now¡ªare descendants from the Tree of Day which Elves refer to as their god of creation.
¡°So, what happened to the Seed of Night?¡± Hans pondered, recalling its ominous nature, ¡°A single seed is capable of drowning many in their own blood. A tree of that thing would be a dire threat to living. Perhaps that''s why it was eradicated... Then again, as Dietrich said, history is often shaped by those who emerge victorious. There is no knowing who is right and wrong in the war¡ª it happens because greed exists in every form and shape.¡± He stared down the book and resumed. Elven lies II Chapter 5 : Sunspark, The highest Peak CHAPTER 5 SUNSPARK, THE HIGHEST PEAK Seed of Night was already fascinating for Hans and when Queen Reina mentioned them again. He wanted to know more. And by some coincidence that smelled more of a scheme, so it intrigued him further. Hans read the flashing lines again, ¡°You might be curious why no one knows about the Tree of night, right?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a knowledge that was kept secret. In the dawn of time, the God created the two entities, responsible to populate this world in harmony. One commanded the day and other the night. Yet we the descended of the day tree sought over the domain of night and massacred everything belonging to It. Yeah, we were the cutthroats from the beginning.¡± ¡°But, I couldn¡¯t find what happened after it. No matter how much I researched, no matter how many have I interrogated. No one seems to know about how the Tree of Night and its descendants disappeared. Our history starts from imperial calendar following the defeat of the Mage king while elves¡¯s history starts with the Tree of day dying, taking their longevity blessing away. Before it happened, an elf was supposed to live hundreds of years and high ones could easily cross thousands, but now, they are quite similar to us.¡± ¡°Elves also have different customs than us. It was decreed in their doctrine that the throne must pass to the daughter of ruling family who was born with light element and others who weren¡¯t eligible must seek the ways of Shadow family, guarding the royals and the remnants of Tree of Day.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure about this myth of Elves till I saw this incredible tree of day¡ªit was even more amazing than Osiris temple. It reached the sky, and its light was so bright that night never seemed to arrive. But, surprisingly, it wasn''t perfect. The branches were torn, and the bark was broken from some big disaster. It was clear that something devastating happened to it. The magical energy leaked out of it, like some faint ghostly wisps. The trunk had deep wounds, and the roots, usually protected, were exposed and seemed to be losing the life from them.¡± ¡°Come on father, don¡¯t write a novel, just get to the point.¡± Hans mumbled and continued to read. ¡°Even though it looked so damaged, the tree still glowed from the cracks, showing that the old magic inside it was still strong. Small shoots were hanging on to the withered branches, showing that the tree was trying hard to survive.¡± ¡°I wanted to explore more but I wasn¡¯t an elf and the tree saw it as a thorn tearing its wound. It put up a fight and I had to run, but it was not a loss, since I robbed its priced seed. I don¡¯t know how many were left there but I took the oldest one. They should¡¯ve allowed me first, now they could only regret. But, for some reasons, humans aren¡¯t allowed to possess them, it had its own will and I seem to lose it again and again. So, I sealed it inside one of my favourite thing, a Book. Now you are holding that very book and the ¡®Seed of Day¡¯. Through which you¡¯ll inherit those powers. I¡¯m not exaggerating when I say, the power packs mean punches. ¡°So how do I unseal that seed?¡± Hans shook the book, flipping its pages, but neither the book, nor the augmented display said anything. ¡°Oh come on, don¡¯t leave me hanging.¡± He whined and continued his vain search till the sleep fairy lulled him to slumber. ¡°Tak! Tak! Wake up princess. Tak! Tak! Rise and shine, princess¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up Winters. Stop annoying me.¡± Hans threw something at his door. Yet the giggles from the outside continued. After a while, she spoke, ¡°The Parvians are here¡ª¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Its not even morning¡­Haa! They said first light. Damn it!¡± Hans cursed, ¡°Tell them I¡¯m coming.¡± Hans dragged himself out of his bed and came out with minimal effort into his appearance. Not many had woken up, but all the important people were there. Hans peeked and found several familiar faces, Aredhel, Rudolf, Sierra, Walter and apart from Delimira and Chris, his little minion was also present. ¡°Haa! This moron.¡± Hans sighed and move towards Parvians. ¡°Lets go.¡± He said, his voice tired. ¡°He will come back, right?¡± Rudolf asked Arat for confirmation. ¡°I won¡¯t do a thing that Prince does not desire¡ª¡± ¡°Thats not the answer he wants to hear.¡± Homar, from behind interrupted and assured Rudolf, ¡°He¡¯ll be in Concordia in a jiffy. So leave too and don¡¯t whine old man.¡± ¡°You wanna taste my fist Homar.¡± Rudolf thinned his eyes. ¡°You wanna experience your head exploding again. Sir Alastor.¡± Homar rebuked. The sudden increase in tension woke Hans up completely. ¡°Wow, so they did fight. I wonder how it was?¡± However, Arat interrupted before this could escalate. ¡°We have been in foreign soil for too long, Garuda. I don¡¯t want to be here anymore. So, move it.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± Homar clicked his tongue and backed off. ¡°Shall we go Prince Hans?¡± Arat asked showing him the way out, and Hans responded with a nod and moved out with a grace. The old man following from close behind him, glanced at Bernard with malice and commented, ¡°You are really born with the devil¡¯s luck. I never saw any traitor getting a pardon in my three generations of serving the imperials.¡± Bernard didn¡¯t rebuke. He just took every scorn of Arat and when Arat had his fill, he pushed the apologetic Chris forward, ¡°Go, fulfil your destiny, son.¡± ¡°Destiny as if.¡± Hans interrupted the father and son moment and added pointing towards Arat, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want the imperial bloodline power to fall on someone else¡¯s hands and you want the same. This is a frickin¡¯ deal where Chris had no say in it¡ª¡± ¡°You are wrong Hans. I need¡­no I want this.¡± Chris said, his eyes showing lustre of confidence confusing Hans more. He added further, ¡°This will not only pardon my father, but the Holger family living as commoners in Parv too.¡± ¡°Fine. Fine.whatever. Lets get this over with.¡± Hans looked at Arat, prompting him to call the INGRESS and the shining pillar of light fell upon them and they disappeared in the majestic ways of Parv. Upon opening his eyes, Hans saw himself atop of an awe-inspiring precipice, veiled in a unending shroud of glistening snow and ice. ¡°So this is the place where Parvian knights took their oath¡±, He muttered. Suddenly the wind whistles through the towering peak, carrying with it the biting chill of the high-altitude air. ¡°Is this the place?¡± Hans asked, shivering. Arat answered, as he put a thick white cloak of imperials around Hans. ¡°Yes, this is Sunspark. The highest peak of Sleeping giant mountains. The closest place to the sky.¡± Hans looked forward, to the edge of the cliff. A carved stone platform adorned with intricate symbols and magic runes which marked the hallowed spot. ¡°That must be where the oath is taken, right?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes, that is the place.¡± Arat affirmed gazing the stone, weathered by countless storms and the passage of time. He spoke further, ¡°It bears witness to the echoes of centuries past.¡± He then pointed towards a ceremonial brazier, perpetually lit with the purest orange flames, ¡°This symbolises the enduring spirit of the Parvian knights and their unyielding commitment¡± Arat felt proud introducing this sacred place to Hans and the young prince felt how much pride this old man had regarding his nation. He looked around and asked Arat, ¡°This seems like an important place. I¡¯m not seeing any guards or protection here?¡± ¡°Its not needed. This peak is impossible to climb. Only through INGRESS one can come here.¡± Arat explained and pointed towards the endless forest down the peak, ¡°this is another reason. The forbidden ground of Parv, Frostspire. Even you aren¡¯t allowed to go there unless called upon.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Hans asked, now more curious. ¡°Because that¡¯s where OSIRIS temple is.¡± Arat answered and Hans recalled what he read yesterday, his father had mentioned how Elven forbidden lands were much more majestic than Osiris¡¯s temple. ¡°Now, I wanna see¡ª¡± As if Arat had heard his thoughts, he interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I, neither any other Parvian has power there. You won¡¯t even live to tell the tale.¡± He cautioned. ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± Hans gestured Arat to stop nagging and continued with a sulking tone, ¡°Whats the point of being the one in power. If I Can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t do that¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±Arat stressed, his tone almost begging. ¡°You really don¡¯t wanna go there.¡± Elven Lies II Chapter 6 : The Oath of Servitude Chapter 6 THE OATH OF SERVITUDE As Hans marvelled the pledging platform, Arat asked Chris with a condescending attitude, ¡°Your father must¡¯ve told you what to do?¡± Chris nodded politely and moved to the platform. As he stepped on, the magic runes lit up like they were welcoming him. ¡°Wow, so much theatrics.¡± Hans commented but Homar was giving him a stare that if he disrespected this sacred ceremony once more, he¡¯d make him regret, so Hans shut up and focused on Chris, unsheathing his Incarna Sword. The one he got from Alliance treasury on behest of Rudolf. He stabbed the centre of the pledging platform and the surrounding lit runes found their way to where his sword was stabbed. And through that the wisp of lights climbed all over Chris¡¯s body like ants on sugar. Chris cried Hard, his voice determined, echoing, ¡°I¡¯m Christopher Holger, first born of the Holger family of Parv, here I swear my oath of servitude to my lord, Prince Hans Parv. May his reign be long and prosperous. May he find wisdom, justice and my sword always supporting him as his first knight. I vow to offer my knowledge, strength and my life if it ever needed. I pray to the god Osiris to give me strength so I could be true to my vows. Let me reborn as the Knight of Parv.¡± Chris¡¯s aura surged and the platform swallowed it up like a hungry beast. ¡°Thud! thud! thud!¡± His heart began the rhythmic beating and the imperial bloodline activated, increasing his depleted aura. The tug of war continued between stone platform and Chris for a while and so does his agonising cry. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we do something about it?¡± Hans asked worried. ¡°There are battles that one must fight themselves. Don¡¯t tarnish his resolve by some pity.¡± Homar whom Hans thought as a man who could never praise anyone, proved him wrong as he, the third strongest knight in the world, there was nothing but pride in his eyes as he marvelled the young knight on a path to prove himself. Confused, Hans whispered to Arat, ¡°What got him so excited?¡± ¡°People call everyone who can use aura as knight but not in Parv, prince.¡± Arat responded, ¡°This is the land of knights and you can¡¯t be called one unless you receive the God¡¯s acknowledgement.¡± He then pointed to Chris, even his condescending tone was gone, ¡°You see, that is the trial for knights. One needs to endure a minute or two to get acknowledged, but your friend is still fighting it for approximately ten minutes. The longer he endures, the higher blessing he¡¯ll receive.¡± Hans turned toward Chris and cheered him on inside. Soon, half an hour went poof, but Chris¡¯s cries never ceased not his will showed any signs of backing down. All the Gryphon knights, Arat and Homar showed respect towards the young knight¡¯s resolve. A popular saying of Genas was that the sins are not inherited, but it was rather opposite in Parv. However, it wasn¡¯t impossible to wash them and to do this one, Chris has to get acknowledged by their God. One more hour was passed and then, Chris started showing signs of fatigue, gasping, but it wasn¡¯t enough to make him back down. His father had told him not to unless the god spoke himself. After some more enduring, Chris was on his last straws so he gathered all of his strength and bellowed, ¡°I pray to the god Osiris to give me strength, so I could be true to my vows. Let me reborn as the Knight of Parv¡± Suddenly the wind picked up and the voice, echoed from the Frostspire below. ¡°Christopher Holger, the first born of Holger noble family of Parv. Your resolve has been acknowledged, I grant you the blessing of Heaven strike. You shall be reborn as the first knight, only answering to Your lord Hans Parv from this day until his last.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The aura which platform swallowed before , returned with twice the vigour to Chris, giving him the sweet pain of achievement. He could feel his base aura increasing permanently, 28..29¡­31¡­36 and finally it stopped in 38. Chris looked his hands several traces of lines disappearing as his breathing stabilised. ¡°I want this too.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t help but say as he saw Chris powering up. ¡°He was already a pain to beat. How am I suppose to defeat him now. If the base aura increases so does the ability of Imperial bloodline. His limit was sixty before, its should¡¯ve been increased now.¡± Hans thought, jealous. ¡°Why do you wish to defeat your own knight. His strength is yours to wield.¡± Arat, who has heard the inner thoughts of Hans, responded. ¡°I have a face to maintain, old man.¡± Hans whined, ¡°you know, I¡¯ve read somewhere, the ascent of adversaries may not evoke profound distress, but the elevation of a friend to power can stir the nerves with a lifetime of jitters.¡± He scowled, ¡°and Im feeling too jittery.¡± ¡°Then you need to work harder.¡± Homar, from the background spoke, ¡°Everyone till now had only received passive blessings, even me and your father. But your first knight received the active one.¡± ¡°What is the heaven strike?¡± Hans asked, but none had a clue there, as Homar said this was the first time they were seeing it. So Hans asked Homar something else, ¡°What is yours then?¡± ¡°Death from beyond¡± Homar answered without any qualms. ¡°If I can mark someone, I can strike them down from here. Even if they are the other side of this land.¡± ¡°Can¡¯¡¯t I get those?¡± Hans asked his eyes almost pleading them to say yes, but both Arat and Homar said in unison. ¡°To activate the pledging platform, you need to feed it aura.¡± The statement was enough to sullen Hans¡¯s mood. So he asked another question he was curious of, ¡°Just saying hypothetically, if Chris is just lying in his oath of servitude or whatever just to get you all to back off¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Homar denied outright, ¡°If you lie in the pledging platform. Your head will explode without question, so I¡¯m sure that his thoughts are genuine. At least in present. Now do your job.¡± Hans, puzzled, stared at Homar, his eyes asking what he wanted him to do now. So Arat, interjected, ¡°Oh my. I¡¯ve became old." He pulled a black cloak with a Griffin insignia of Parv embroiled with silver strings. ¡°You must honour your knight, bestow these robes to your First knight.¡± Hans moved with grace and with a perfect motion above kneeling Chris, he tied the jet black cloak on him. ¡°Stand up my friend. You are the knight of Parv now.¡± Hans patted his shoulder and dragged him out of the pledging platform. ¡°Speaking of first knight, who was my father¡¯s?¡± Hans asked at immediately and his question wasn¡¯t addressed to someone particular but any who could answer. ¡°Reina Clandor.¡± Homar answered with an irritating tone. ¡°She wanted the Osiris blessing and your father was batshit crazy." ¡°Then how could she attack him. She was his first knight¡ª¡± ¡°What you say in those wows matters. Her oath of becoming first knight would¡¯ve something different. We weren¡¯t there when he allowed her so we don¡¯t know what she swear upon.¡± Hans showed a contorted face, he had hard time understanding his father¡¯s decisions many times, but this really felt like he was out of his mind. He tried to come up with some conclusion and defended his father¡¯s sanity by saying, ¡°Maybe he thought he never needed a first knight. He was quite arrogant, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I bet you are right. That prick really had the audacity...¡± Homar stopped as he felt Hans¡¯s stare and changed his attitude from disgust to amusement, ¡°You¡¯ve a problem with me, then beat some sense into me.¡± He turned the conversation to something else, rubbing on Hans. ¡°How I can¡¯t fulfil my loyal vassal¡¯s wishes. Just wait a while, I¡¯ll do it sooner than later.¡± Hans smirked back and asked, ¡°So what blessing she got?¡± Hans asked indifferent, but curious from inside. ¡°Don¡¯t know. But you haven¡¯t seen your father¡¯s cruel side yet boy. You can¡¯t fathom how ruthless he could be. In the fight with Elves, he butchered Reina¡¯s connection with the spirit world and robbed her from her chance to ever become a Warlord. His anger had no bounds, a prodigy lost his chance because she resisted his wishes. I don¡¯t know what fantasies you concocted about your father, but let me tell you. If one wasn¡¯t a Parvian then it was just a bug for him to squash upon.¡± ¡°You are just saying it because you are jealous of him. Because you can¡¯t be his equal ever.¡± Hans had never defended his father when he heard others talking bad about him but ever since he heard him spoke, he felt a prickling pain in his heart. So he vented when Homar was criticising him. ¡°I told you, if you want me to shut up. Get my acknowledgement and then I¡¯ll even rub my nose at your father¡¯s name¡ª¡± ¡°What will it take?¡± Hans asked, full of resolve. ¡°I give you four years, defeat any top ten ranked knight then I¡¯ll be at your disposal.¡± ¡°I accept.¡± Hans stomped and came to Chris. He inhaled strong and declared, ¡°I¡¯ll be back so be ready to eat your words, Sir Homar Garuda.¡± He raised his sight, looking at clear sky and called, ¡°INGRESS.¡± Elven Lies II Chapter 7 : I Died, No I Did Not CHAPTER 7 I DIED, NO I DID NOT Hans had finished what he came for, and it was time for him to depart. He nodded to Arat and to the kneeling Gryphon knights. He looked above and called his own beam, INGRESS, he shouted. ¡°Zwoom!¡± The pillar of light fell on him, and he vanished. ¡°We¡¯re leaving too, it¡¯s a sacred place, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling of dread every time I¡¯m here.¡± Arat said, and another pillar of light enveloped them, transporting them back to the Parvin capital. As the magnificent capital came into view, Arat turned to the current knight commander, ¡°Garuda, Its a very difficult task you¡¯ve given to the prince. Do you wish him to fail that badly?¡± ¡°Its an impossible thing, yet you called it a ¡®very difficult challenge¡¯ Arat.¡± Homar smirked. ¡°You have a strange confidence in the kid, and so do I. He is an imperial, its unfair but that blood flowing in his veins¡­it means something.¡± Meanwhile, at the Sunspark, Hans and Chris burst out of the ground. ¡°They all went back, right?¡± Hans asked, frantically searching the area. ¡°Hans! We shouldn¡¯t be here¡ª¡° ¡°Whose country are we in, Chris?¡± Hans interrupted, a huge smirk on his face. ¡°Mine, so what¡¯s the big deal if I want to do something else¡ª¡° ¡°The big deal is you wanting to go to that that dreadful place.¡± Chris answered, pointing to the frozen ground downhill. ¡°Wow, I thought Delimira was one with the insight¡ª¡° ¡°It¡¯s not an insight,¡± Chris pointed again, now, at him. ¡°It¡¯s practically written all over your face, Hans.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m that easy to read, haan! I need to do something about it.¡± Hans nodded, muttering, ¡°A ruler must have a deadpan face. And I¡¯m failing with the top scores. Tsk!¡± He looked down the burrow where they both sprouted from and recalled how similarly he escaped from Arat in Frozen Tooth. ¡°This brings back some memories,¡± he said, looking down at the snowy forest below. He had planned this moment when he heard about Frostspire. His VeganBind had started digging a hole beneath him, and when the INGRESS light fell, Hans and Chris were sucked in instead of being sent above. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they didn¡¯t find us. They were some pretty powerful people, weren¡¯t they?¡± Chris asked, confused.. ¡°When they see the INGRESS light, the first thing they think is traveling,¡± Hans explained. ¡°Their unwavering belief is why I succeeded, and the INGRESS light¡¯s protection doesn¡¯t let others peek, it helps.¡± Looking the flustered face of Chris, Hans chuckled, ¡°Well, I wanted to visit the forbidden lands before I went back. So we¡¯re going down.¡± He looked the unteaching ground below, but Chris grabbed his hand quickly before Hans could perform his signature reckless move of doing whatever he wanted. ¡°No, Hans.¡± Chris screamed, ¡°We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to face there¡ª¡± ¡°You are my first knight, so act like one.¡± Hans said, shrugging off his hand. ¡°Im acting like one. I¡¯ve heard from my father¡ª¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯d have heard it too, if I had one.¡± Hans¡¯s words caught Chris off guard, and he felt regretful. Looking at him downcast, Hans burst into laughter, saying, ¡°I was just messing with you! Look at your face, you silly goose. Get a thicker skin, or you¡¯ll get chewed out in this world.¡± Before Chris could think, Hans jumped down the mountain, shouting, ¡°Come on, my brave knight!¡± Snapping quickly, Chris followed Hans, sliding down the VeganBind right behind him. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. As they both continued down, the cool mountain air rushed past them. It smelled like pine, and Chris could hear faint whispers. It was creeping up his spine. ¡°Hans, this is a bad idea,¡± Chris mumbled, but as usual, when Hans was curious about something, nothing was going to stop him, certainly not some whispers. ¡°I know,¡± He shouted back. Ignoring the plight of his new knight. As they descended, the snow-covered landscape changed like magic. They went from the bright snowy top to the mysterious Frostspire Forest. It didn¡¯t take them long to travel thousands of kilometers down. ¡°It looked small¡­way small from up there.¡± Hans said, amazed. The forest looked calm and peaceful, yet there was muffled bustling, like the trees were trying to tell something. It was enough to scare someone out, but not Hans. He looked above, big pine trees, covered in shiny snow, made a fancy roof that let the soft sunlight come through, making the forest floor look magical. ¡°Snap!¡± Suddenly a sound came from within, as if someone had accidentally stepped on a broken branch while stalking them. Both turned to the sound, but their eyes could only catch a silhouette running deeper. ¡°Hans, buddy! Do we really have to go there?¡± Chris almost begged Hans to say no. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you wanna know what it was?¡± ¡°NO!¡± Chris yelled, but Hans just made him follow deeper. As they ventured deeper, blue lights, resembling magical fireflies, illuminated the path ahead, casting a soft glow. ¡°See they are welcoming us.¡± Hans remarked, capturing the odd firefly, ¡°Zapp! Ouch!¡± But he had to let it go because it suddenly shocked him. ¡°Nasty little vermin,¡± Hans cursed and continued his steps further, the air seemed to vibrate with mana and it was not in a good way, as if the very essence of the Frostspire was conveying contradictory of what Hans thinking, a final warning. ¡°You sure that they are welcoming us.¡± Chris doubted. ¡°How¡¯d I know?¡± Hans retorted. ¡°Whose country are we in, yours.¡± Chris rebuked. ¡°Tsk, Delimira is a bad influence.¡± Hans muttered and stepped further in, with Chris closely following behind. As they walked, the snow began to crunch beneath their boots, each moment was showing them something new. ¡°Man this is fascinating! Suddenly the snow increased in the ground or we are on something.¡± He stomped, and as he doubted, something was hollow beneath his feet. ¡°Hey, stop doing that.¡± Chris complained. The sudden silence was already gnawing on him and he didn¡¯t want Hans to do something stupid on top of it. ¡°This is becoming spooky.¡± Hans said to himself. However, he had his own agenda coming down. Before Chris got that Heaven strike, he only wanted to take a look, but now he desired his own blessing from Osiris. ¡°Hiss!¡± They both quickly turned towards the sound. ¡°What is this?¡± Hans asked himself as he saw the source of noise. An arc made of some kind of white metal with strips of light going underground.It was covered in frost and draped with ivy. Hans reached, but just as he touched the object, the blue strips turn red. ¡°Aah, O! Red is an universal sign for bad, right Chris?¡± He was startled, and Chris finally paid attention to what his new lord was messing with. But before he could offer him his obvious council to run. A feminine voice filled with rage echoed. It was far different from what blessed Chris, ¡°How dare you mortals to step in Frostspire?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Prince of Parv. I came here¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a knight, you¡¯re not worthy. Get out!¡± The voice roared with fury ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving¡± Hans denied authoritatively. ¡°just give me the damn blessing.¡± ¡°Pathetic mortals.¡± A gust of wind swept through them, and Hans felt a cold chill run down his spine. He hesitated and turned to find Chris, lifeless like a boulder had crushed him. He couldn¡¯t even feel anger, ¡°Shack!¡± His lower half was torn from him. Finally, the pain pierced his mind, and he let out a heart-wrenching cry. ¡°This is a forbidden place. You must pay the price for disturbing my slumber. And how dare you demand something?¡± Hans couldn¡¯t even hear those words. He stood on his two legs, as if the previous incident had never happened. He turned to face Chris, who was standing with a defeated stance. ¡°That wasn¡¯t an illusion, Hans. This is not something ¡ª¡± ¡°Shack!¡± The scene of Chris crushing from an invisible boulder and his lower body dismembering repeated. Hans cried out in anger once more. But this time, the voice spoke something different. ¡°You need to learn the consequences, AGAIN.¡± Hans opened his eyes, and he was standing. He turned to Chris to warn him, but the scene repeated again. However, this much was clear: it wasn¡¯t some illusion. The pain they were both feeling was real, and so did the awkward feeling of coming back to life. ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Again¡­¡± ¡°Again¡­¡± ¡­ . . It continued for a long time, like someone was rewinding the time again and again. ¡°Do you have your fill of arrogance, or should I continue ¡­?¡± In that split second, Hans and Chris both died and came back to life multiple times. But Hans wasn¡¯t just sitting there doing nothing. Each time they got back to life, he pushed Chris and himself a bit further away from where they were. And finally, they stopped hearing that terrifying voice. ¡°Chris grabbed Hans by the collar, gasping, ¡°How many times do I have to tell you not to do something so stupid? That was a god, you idiot. Your position as prince means shit to them.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry. I won¡¯t do again.¡± Hans apologised his heart beats almost reaching his ears, It was his first time experiencing something like this. He was confident after facing his father, but he couldn¡¯t even react to those attacks. ¡°INGRESS¡± he called out, and the pillar of light carried them back to Concordia, for real this time. ¡°Zwoom!¡± They landed right outside of Concordia¡¯s main gate, in the Midlands. Both were panting, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna touch any forbidden things from now on.¡± Chris whined. Hans couldn¡¯t argue; dying and coming back to life was one experience he was really not looking forward to seeing again. ¡°What happened? Why are you late?¡± Rudolf frantically questioned as he saw the terrified looks on the children¡¯s faces. ¡°We just greeted a god.¡± Hans said chuckling, masking how terrified the experience was. Meanwhile, Delimira came near Chris and unhooked his jet black cloak. It was made from a very dark fur, enchanted with magic for wear and tear. ¡°Can I keep this?¡± She asked, but Chris snatched it back. He pointed to Hans, ¡°Take his, I only have one.¡± ¡°I already got the white one. So how much for this?¡± She teased. ¡°You still have that?¡± Hans asked, recalling Arat had handed them these cloaks when they met him in the Frozen Thoth. ¡°Of course,¡± she responded. ¡°When do I get to wear the Imperial robes again? No money can buy that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not selling Deli,¡± Chris interjected. ¡°Arat already doesn¡¯t like me. I don¡¯t want to hear that I wasn¡¯t even fit to protect my clothes.¡± Hans chuckled at the thought and added, ¡°Oh! Arat will really say that.¡± Amid the giggling, Hans had forgotten for a moment that he had become the object of everyone¡¯s interest after the huge incident at Grimgar, and now many uninterested eyes have turned interested, even in Concordia. Elven Lies II Chapter 8 : Back in Business CHAPTER 8 BACK IN BUSINESS Hans found many contemptuous gazes, not only from students, but some of the professors were showing their unlikability towards him. He had just come back a few hours ago and was on his way towards his class, but many people were looking at him like he had ran a carriage over their dogs. ¡°Wow, I know I was not that likable, but isn¡¯t this going overboard?¡± he thought and entered the class. Hans reunited with his old teammates. There was Thedas, the attacker, and Nicolas, the quiet guardian who looked at him with disgust. ¡°What the?¡± Hans frowned. ¡°Well, it was great getting to know you too.¡± Garen Ironborn, who Hans shared the castle name Prophet with, stormed everyone out, clapping the table. He asked Hans, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re a Parvian.¡± ¡°Do we have a problem?¡± Hans asked, staying calm. ¡°You people are evil!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing evil in this world, just people trying to do what they want,¡± Hans replied calmly. ¡°No¡­no, sugarcoat it all you want. You know deep down, you people are wrong, evil, the worst of the worst.¡± ¡°Is your life so boring that you need a thrill?¡± Hans stood up, but Chris rushed in between them. ¡°Hey, hey, back off you two. I really don¡¯t want Professor Aredhel lecturing us about ethics and morals¡ª¡° ¡°I don¡¯t nag if I have a choice,¡± Aredhel interrupted them through the door, and staring at Garen and Hans, she asked, ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± Her leering eyes made Hans and Garen both shake their heads, denying her. However, Hans couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Garen was acting that way. He figured the elves wouldn¡¯t like him just as he thought, but Garen was a dwarf. ¡°What¡¯s up with his ass?¡± Hans whispered, sitting next to Delimira. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Delimira asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Delimira asked, surprised. In reply, Hans shook his head and said no. So she told him, ¡°Amid the Elven War, a whole clan of dwarves disappeared¡ª¡± ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Hans frowned. ¡°That clan had forged the greatest cursed sword known to man.¡± She paused, taking a breath in and finally said the familiar name, ¡°Rebellion.¡± ¡°Ah Shit!¡± Hans connected the dots quickly. Delimira continued, ¡°It is said that Parvians abducted the whole clan to silence them or to work them on making more weapons like that. But it is what only the Ironborn clan¡¯s accusation is.¡± ¡°Ah, come on, Father. Life is already troublesome. How many more have you pissed off?¡± Hans cried lamenting. His frustrating moment was interrupted as Cassidy, his other Castle mate, joined him. ¡°So, Prince Hans, nice.¡± ¡°Did Parvians do something to Sunfall too?¡± Hans asked to confirm. ¡°Who knows, captain¡ª¡± ¡°Why am I a captain now?¡± ¡°It just felt right to call you that,¡± Cassidy said with a playful smile, continuing to pester him with strange and outlandish things that didn¡¯t make any sense to Hans. ¡°Oh come on, why are you spooking me.¡± Troubled, he turned to his only wise council and whispered, ¡°Now, what is wrong with her? She¡¯s acting strange.¡± ¡°Maybe she is interested or there is really something up her ass, who knows. Focus ¡± Delimira pointed at the Aredhel, but Cassidy kept bugging Hans causing Hans to do the same to Delimira. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± She rebuked in hushed tone and Hans pointed to his side, Cassidy, zealously poking him. ¡°Tsk!¡± Delimira frowned, ¡°Hans asking me should be your last resort. Do you really want me to stop her?¡± she said, and Hans nodded eagerly. So, she raised her voice and irritatingly said to Cassidy, ¡°Hey, get a hint. He said no. Why do you keep hitting on him? Geez, have some dignity of princess.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The whole class which was buzzing in soft noises of Aredhel¡¯s discussion about spell-breaking, became dead pan silent. All were looking at Cassidy¡¯s embarrassed face while she gave Delimira a death stare. Delimira on the other hand, wore an amused smile. She whispered to her, ¡°I¡¯m a bitch, deal with it.¡± Cassidy was about to start a fire but got interrupted by Aredhel, ¡°Miss Cassidy. Please change your seats. Don¡¯t disturb the class.¡± She responded, and turning to her daughter, she scolded, ¡°You¡¯ll get a penalty for disturbing the class, Miss Delimira, and since I¡¯m your mother, your penalty will be doubled. Understood?¡± Delimira nodded and class continued. Hans didn¡¯t dare disturb her and everything ended peacefully. But the peace was short lived, Cassidy came fuming towards them. ¡°What is your problem?¡± She yelled at her source of trouble. ¡°I told you I can be a bitch,¡± Delimira said organising her books. She warned her in low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t want rumours of you getting rejected by Hans all over the place, right?¡± ¡°Do you think, I will take it lying. I can spread rumours too.¡± Cassidy defended. ¡°Then lets compete. Lets see who will go home crying. I dare you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret this Delimira Winters.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever.¡± Delimira turned towards Hans, ¡°see, she won¡¯t bother you no more.¡± ¡°You are scary, Deli,¡± Hans shivered, imagining what she could do if he really pissed her off and also wondered why she didn¡¯t go this far when she was really pissed at him before. But his thoughts were broken by Chris, who whispered, ¡°Hey, I told you. You don¡¯t want her as your enemy, not even as a friend, but we already crossed that bridge, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I like her as a friend, man, but being on her bad side will probably¡­no, definitely be bad news.¡± Hans collected his things and stood up too. ¡°But what was Cassidy bugging you so much that you had to use the ninth circle spell called Delimira on her?¡± Chris asked Hans, pointing to Delimira. ¡°For some reason, she kept acting coy in very uncomfortable manners.¡± Hans shivered recalling her masked giggles. ¡°You should stay vigilant.¡± Chris said, closing his books. ¡°You are not a normal student now¡­well, you weren¡¯t even normal before, but now everyone knows you are the prince of Parv. They will either approach you with some benefit in mind or some hidden dangers. And especially stay away from people like Cassidy.¡± ¡°Yeah, beauty with a brain is a horrendous creature.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Whoever told you that must be a genius.¡± Chris also nodded. ¡°Yeah, he is, so let¡¯s not piss anyone off and get the heck out of here¡ª¡± ¡°But we still have two more lectures on mana expressions and swordsmanship.¡± Chris shook off his hand. So Hans, imitating Delimira shouted, ¡°Chris, you¡¯ve already reached grade 38. What more can you learn in your second year?¡± Chris was late to cover Hans¡¯s mouth and now the cat was already out of the bag. Hans was loud, everyone heard him. Some were fascinated, while others were jealous. Their close friend Delimira fell into both categories. Stomping, she came close to them, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. We¡¯re already set to pass this year just by participating in Glory Wars. So the classes seems redundant.¡± Chris was feeling embarrassed by the sudden attention, so he had no choice but to follow Hans out. ¡°You should not learn from her,¡± he grumbled, but Hans was looking ahead, his attention somewhere else. So Chris asked, looking in the same direction, ¡°What? Where is she going?¡± ¡°Apparently, me mentioning your grade rubbed her the wrong way. She is going to find Grandma to train.¡± Hans mumbled and clenched his fists. He said, ¡°Yeah, you bastard.¡± Hans turned to him, annoyed. ¡°You are already ahead of me, now with the blessing¡­and what is the Heaven Strike exactly? Even Homar was infatuated with it.¡± ¡°You saw the Celestial Weapon, right?¡± Chris pointed to the sky and explained, ¡°It¡¯s similar, but on a much smaller scale.¡± ¡°There is nothing smaller-scale about that huge calamity. I¡¯m leaving too.¡± Hans stomped, complaining, ¡°You idiots will both improve. I can¡¯t be the only one left behind, and I sure be not the number three¡ª¡± ¡°Buddy, you fought against the former first-ranked. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed to say you are number three?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the glory wars records anyway.¡± Hans quickly ran towards the SpaceDoor and moved to Agrilands with his books, Limitless and the Solar Mage. However, the moment he stepped into Agrilands, he found himself falling through the sky. ¡°Ha.Ha. Very funny, dear ancestor.¡± He nonchalantly said and started levitating with his wind gem. Amused, Dietrich responded, appearing by his side,¡°Its like my own custom greeting to you, foolish descendant.¡± Hans chuckled in response. There was a lot he wanted to tell Dietrich, and surely a lot he wanted answered. He shot first before Dietrich could settle himself to the ground. ¡°So, great-great-grandfather, have you ever visited Frostspire¡ª¡± ¡°You went there? Are you out of your mind?¡± Dietrich scolded him outright. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t meddle with the forces we don¡¯t understand. That is called forbidden for a reason, you idiot. You could¡¯ve died, and no one would hear a squeak about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned that a hard way¡ª¡± ¡°What? What did that prickly girl of a goddess do?¡± Dietrich asked, annoyed. ¡°So you do know her?¡± Hans asked, stunned not because Dietrich was acquainted with the one who could kill him and resurrect several times, but it was the first time he saw him annoyed. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t met her, only heard from her.¡± Dietrich kept his annoyed tone, answering, ¡°She sounded like a high-maintenance individual.¡± ¡°But you are a Parvian, the first Parvian. Isn¡¯t she our god¡ª¡± ¡°Heck no. Yours might be, but not mine. The Osiris religion is quite new. It only started a few hundred years back. And the one living in Frostspire is someone you already saw once.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Hans asked puzzled. If he saw someone that capable, he should¡¯ve remembered her. ¡°In your dream. That was the bearer of Power: Aadya. The black-haired elf.¡± Elven Lies II Chapter 9 : Recalling the roots CHAPTER 9 RECALLING THE ROOTS The mention of the black-haired elf made Hans recall the two incidents: when he was crushing one in dreams and when he saw a girl called Goddess Aadya, reminiscing before a grave. ¡°So Osiris didn¡¯t exist in your time?¡± He asked him promptly. ¡°Yes. I told you, the religion is quite new. It emerged around year six¡­no, maybe seven hundred, and only nobles of Parv were allowed to follow the teachings. It was your father who broke that restriction and made Osiris¡¯ teachings available to commoners. Hence, come his popularity as the king who thought of his people. I¡¯ve heard you fought his husk and lived to tell the tale.¡± ¡°Fought as if,¡± Hans scoffed, ¡°I had to beg for my life, and it somehow touched his undead heart, I guess? That¡¯s what happened.¡± Hans paused, ¡°My blunder gave Xandor a very powerful weapon. Tsk!¡± ¡°So how do you feel about it?¡± Dietrich asked. ¡°Annoyed. Angry. Deli said something, and it helped that time, but I still feel pissed. That bastard desecrated my father and made him his pawn.¡± Hans tightened his fist, emitting a frustrated groan, prompting Dietrich to offer his words of wisdom. ¡°Anger is an ugly emotion, unbridled rage even more so.¡± Dietrich gently patted Hans¡¯s chest, his beating heart racing and continued in a soothing voice, ¡°Channel it before it brings harm to yourself.¡± ¡°How?¡± Hans asked, confused. ¡°You gave him that cursed sword, and you¡¯ve received something back, didn''t you?¡± Dietrich pointed at Hans¡¯s waist bag. Hans took out the second book and retold everything he had read. ¡°Tree of the day¡­¡±Dietrich was surprised, ¡°I didn¡¯t know someone could find that buried history¡­¡± He asked Hans to open it, and it began. Decrypting¡­ ¡°After the fall of the Tree of Day,¡± Hans resumed, ¡°the seed it yielded in hopes of revitalising it was all for naught. I made a deal with Reina and got one for you, the best they had. Turn the page and feed it your blood. The secret shall reveal itself.¡± Hans turned to Dietrich, and the Chairman of Concordia asked him to proceed. With a small prick in his finger, he signed the next page in red. The page drank it and expelled a tiny black-brown sphere with a distinctive texture of multiple facets on its surface. It felt rough in his hand, but Dietrich confirmed it as the real one. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many, but not even one of them was this pure.¡± ¡°We got it out, now what?¡± Hans asked, puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Dietrich immediately responded. ¡°I ain''t the one reading.¡± ¡°Ooh, right?¡± Hans saw some more patterns emerging from where the facet seed ejected. ¡°Eat it.¡± He read aloud and shared the puzzled expression with Dietrich. After a brief, awkward pause between them, Dietrich urged him to follow. Hans closed his eyes and gulped the textured seed. It tasted bad, so his face was contorted. However, when he opened his eyes, he saw the once-vibrant grassland lay in desolation, transformed into a haunting landscape. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, confused. The grass, once a lush carpet that swayed in the breeze, now bore the scars of someone¡¯s rampage. It was like a monster had stepped on everything and left a lot of mess in its wake. Dietrich, not too far from him, came zapping,¡°So you finally came to your senses?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Hans asked, still confused. Dietrich threw the book in his hand and asked, ¡°You ran here destroying everything for almost two hours.¡± ¡°Two hours, don¡¯t joke¡­¡± He looked at the sky, the sun, which should¡¯ve been high in the sky, was not too far from the horizon. ¡°I really did this? How?¡± He asked, still in doubt. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°The moment you ate the day seed, you transformed into a complete Elderwood. You have no idea, how hard it is for me to hold back, so I won¡¯t accidentally kill something.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t remember.¡± Hans looked the book again and murmured, ¡°Maybe, from the next time, before doing it first, I should read it completely.¡± He then opened the page and read it silently. Decrypting¡­ ¡°Make sure you are isolated and have someone powerful watching over you. You might show some erratic behaviour for a few hours until the seed settles inside you. It is a powerful thing, don¡¯t take it lightly.¡± Seeing Hans murmuring to himself, Dietrich asked,¡°So what does it say?¡± ¡°Nothing, just some trivial stuff.¡± Hans rolled his eyes and the page in sync. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to hear him nag. Thats all, this is not lying.¡± Hans convinced himself and focussed on the words. Decrypting¡­ The purpose of this book was to hand you this seed of the day. It was possible that if I subjected the infant you to the day seed, the remnants of the elderwood could come back into you. So, I have waited until now for when you¡¯ll have good control over your will. Hopefully Walter didn''t give you too much trouble in the handover. ¡°No shit father. You really trusted the wrong person. That bastard of a professor sold it to Xandor.¡± Hans grumbled and turning to Dietrich, he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do something when Xandor was making a deal with Walter. You obviously knew, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I did.¡± Dietrich said with the confidence, masking his expressions that he really didn¡¯t know about it. There was close to nothing that escaped his eyes in Concordia but just like Hans, Dietrich had the habit of not loosing the face. So he gloss over saying, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you. I like to play god. If I do everything for you, then what is the use of your own will. One has to make his own decision to grow up.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes. My dear ancestor.¡± Hans said insincerely and focussed on the book again. Decrypting¡­ Just as I¡¯ve said, handing over the seed, the book did its job. Now what comes next is, you¡¯ll have to find book of power. As I¡¯ve written- others might¡¯ve told you that it doesn¡¯t exist and it doesn¡¯t yet. Bring out the first book and place them side by side. Hans did what he was told and Dietrich stayed by his side, doing nothing but observe carefully. He didn¡¯t want any more incident like Hans rampaging in the Elderwood form. As the both book came close, Hans¡¯s augmented display changed Permission to Deploy Chrono Confluence integrator ¡°Yeah, I guess¡± Hans hesitatingly answered. As those words left Hans¡¯s mouth, the cover of Solar mage book detached itself and transformed into a prism, showering its light on both the books. Then in a fantasy like moment, the mysterious light caused the pages of second book to gracefully detach, suspended in the air. Simultaneously, the first book Limitless¡¯s pages followed suit. As if drawn by an unseen force, the pages seamlessly intertwined, creating a dance of literature. Words and worlds collided, forming a singular entity and the cover of limitless transformed into something much older. The tanning of leather became darker and the words etched in them changed. Hans read aloud as the unified book fell on his hands, ¡°Book of Power: Dominance.¡± As he read the title, a smirk etched on his face and he said, ¡°All the world is searching for you. And here you are falling into my lap.¡± ¡°Whats with your expressions?¡± Dietrich literally poured cold water into Hans and added, ¡°You are creeping me out you know. It looked liked you got a lady you¡¯ve been chasing all your life.¡± Wiping off the water, Hans pouted, ¡°You are just jealous.¡± And opened the first page. Decrypting¡­ To Master the Solar power, you¡¯ve to learn how to Assimilate the sun energy. According to the Godland archives, its what a plant do to sustain its life. The process called Photosynthesis. I¡¯ve confirmed the Elderwood doing it so you can too. Photocharge With the seed inside, aiding you. The traits of Elderwood will become prominent. Just as the foundation of Limitless, you learnt to create a seed out of surrounding mana. The Photocharge is also the foundation to become a solar mage. If you learn it well, you could survive without food for days. We learned it the hard way on subduing the Elderwood; this trait is really a pain to fight against. Hans was jumping in joy. ¡°So tell me, how?¡± He asked and read the next paragraph. And the best thing about it is that you don¡¯t have to learn this. Just as we humans breath. The plant life does this without practice. You can only increase the process. Connect yourself with the ground, and it will greatly increase. Hans wasted no time, and small microscopic roots came out of his legs and connected to the ground. ¡°Woah, woah!¡± Surprised, Hans shouted in ecstasy, ¡°What is this? I feel¡­different¡­energised¡ª¡± ¡°You look different too. Foolish descendant, what did you do? You are glowing like a lamp.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel hot, but it doesn¡¯t hurt or anything¡ª¡± ¡°Try hitting me.¡± Dietrich offered his right palm. ¡°Come on, what are you waiting for? Punch.¡± He stressed, and Hans did. ¡°Boom!¡± With a swift punch, the stored power surged forth, creating a visible shockwave upon impact, pushing Dietrich¡¯s hand back and leaving him to say in wonder, ¡°This is sunstone power.¡± Hans felt familiar with this power, but wasn¡¯t able to point it out until Dietrich mentioned it. He did collide two sunstones against Samson during the fight. ¡°Parv, use these in your magic weapons.¡± Hans muttered, making Dietrich laugh to his fill. ¡°People are madly gathering the sunstones because of its devastating energy, and now my foolish descendant can create it like nothing. I don¡¯t even have words. I¡¯m ecstatic right now.¡± He turned to Hans, raising both of his hands for some boxing practice and asked, ¡°What are you waiting for? Keep them coming.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 10 : The Sunstone Era CHAPTER 10 THE SUNSTONE ERA ¡°Smack! Smack! Smack!¡± After raining a lot of punches on Dietrich¡¯s mitt like hands, Hans realised he was holding this new power inside him. This was a temporary charge he could hold for a while, but sadly couldn¡¯t store. However, he found an equilibrium, a sweet spot where the input and output equal. Making him run on solar power indefinitely while in battle. ¡°This is nuts!¡± Hans exclaimed as he put his everything in his right hook. Dietrich defended as he was pushed back, ¡°You are acting like a drunk, foolish descendant. ¡± ¡°Don''t know how that feels. But this is awesome.¡± Hans clenched his both fist and, bathing in sunlight, he regained the solar energy he had lost. ¡°Quick recovery too.¡± He laughed like a second-grade villain until his voice became coarse. Dietrich too was chuckling inside. The people of this era were fanatical for the sunstone, and the kid before him was making that very energy as easy as breathing. ¡°You are a rolling ball of envy.¡± He commented, tousling his hair. He added, ¡°You kind of have unlimited mana and now also the power that the whole world covets. ''Book of Power¡¯ was an excellent name choice by your idiotic father.¡± Hans would¡¯ve taken an offence if someone else said that about Samson, but Dietrich was different. He was the oldest person whom he and his father was related by blood. It was a different kind of bond. A type that can not be described by words, true to the old saying of Blood is thicker than wood. ¡°Speaking of sunstones.¡± Hans asked him, ¡°Do you know how to make one¡ª¡± ¡°No. I do not. Neither anyone else in this world. These little marvel of energy just appeared out of nowhere, specifically, when Osiris descended from the skies.¡± ¡°So there is really no way one can make these?¡± Hans asked, curious. The information he gathered from torturing Kerym and Jonik was that Anfaleen, the node master of Clandor was conducting experiments to make one and Vanessa was victim of one of those. Whenever he thought of her, an indescribable pain clenched his heart. It was something from deep inside, it was craving revenge. He wanted to know if Dietrich knew about it, but his old ancestor was mumbling something else. So, he focussed and listen in. ¡°Many senior mages are researching how to make one, yet none succeed till this point.¡± Dietrich explained, ¡°The only living source of sunstones are Red demons, those stones naturally form it inside their bodies. Hence the reason why the superpowers are not keen in exterminating them.¡± ¡°So we are keeping the ticking bombs even with many breaches in the barrier?¡± Hans asked puzzled. ¡°Yes. In today¡¯s era, having sunstones are proportional to having more strength. Just the two of them was enough to stop the former first rank. You¡¯ve experience it by yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡± Hans couldn¡¯t deny the power he felt when he collided two sunstones. So he understood what Anfaleen was trying to accomplish. An artificial way of making that powerful resource would surely put him on top. Infuriating, Hans disclosed what Vanessa had gone through and how she was subjected as an experiment in forming Sunstones and Dietrich shared Hans¡¯s sentiment but there was reluctance in his eyes. He suppressed his rage, saying, ¡°I¡¯m bound by oath to not interfere with worldly affairs, but touching one of mine is something I can''t let go. We¡¯ve sent many to investigate, but none brought any meaningful news.¡± Hans wanted Dietrich to pummel Anfaleen. As he had already said to Dijkstra, he did not need to be on the same level to deal with the powerful foes; there were many ways to kill someone who was stronger than you. He could just use someone¡¯s hand. While he was becoming happy inside, Dietrich continued, ¡°These incorrigible bastards.¡± He fumed, giving Hans hope which soon turned false as his next words stunned him. ¡°But I can¡¯t get involved. If I break the oath, other Ancients wouldn¡¯t stay still.¡± Hans clicked his tongue, annoyed, and thought, ¡°Yeah, if it were this easy, I wouldn¡¯t be the trouble magnet Hans Parv.¡± However, Dietrich wasn¡¯t totally denying helping, ¡°I can¡¯t get directly involved, but I sure do want to see that elven prick¡¯s demise. So what do you need?¡± He asked. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Money. A lot of it.¡± Hans gestured, stretching out his hand. That made Dietrich¡¯s face contorted. ¡°You are a prince,¡± He rebuked, ¡°Have some dignity¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking my elder for some money. Where does dignity play in this? And I¡¯m aiming at a Warlock. It will take me a lot of time to grow my strength, and Anfaleen and his goons won¡¯t stay still. What if they perfected their experiments? I can¡¯t just ask the Parvian army for help. It will result in another bloody war.¡± Shaking his head, Dietrich responded, ¡°I think you haven¡¯t heard me clearly. YOU. ARE. PRINCE. OF. PARV. Your coffers have a lot of money waiting for you to use.¡± ¡°Thats not mine.¡± Hans retorted, ¡°It is hard earned sweat and blood of Parvians. It should be used for their benefits, not to satisfy my whims.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t knew you better, I¡¯d said, I was proud of you thinking that way, but you are just trying to manipulate me coughing up some gold. But just as you¡¯ve said, Its my hard earned blood and sweat, why do you think I¡¯ll let your burn it. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a use for it.¡± Hans rebuked. ¡°How am I suppose to hoard mana stones and gems. I can¡¯t even sell those mana enhancing fruits and herbs that I make. My creations dies after a while.¡± Dietrich thought deep, ¡°Yeah, its not like the olden times, when you could just raid a dungeon and take everything¡ª¡± ¡°Hold it right there,¡± Hans gestured him to stop and asked, ¡°What is a dungeon?¡± Dietrich puzzled, realised he was talking about some forgotten history, so imitating a coughing sound, he explained by going around the bushes, ¡°Before the mage towers, there was no unity among the mages. So they secretly lived in their own spaces, conducting research and experiments. Their laboratory or facility was prone to attacks by others seeking their knowledge and wealth. So they deployed a lot of security measures to prevent an invasion. Yet the reward was so enticing that people risked their lives to get it. ¡°Now that is some idea, great grandfather.¡± Hans showed a wicked expression, and nodding, he continued, ¡°It could work¡ª¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear me. There are no dungeons to raid. Now, all mages belong to towers.¡± Dietrich explained, confused. ¡°Oh, Im not planning to raid, but to make one.¡± Hans said as a sinister grin etched on his face. ¡°Do you have any land that I can borrow, outside Concordia. I¡¯ll even pay you rent.¡± Dietrich thought for a while and eventually spoke up, ¡°There is a disputed land between Indu and Grimgar. I acquired it few years back. But how are you planning to use.¡± ¡°I have a killing idea¡ª¡± ¡°So lets talk about how are you going to pay me.¡± Dietrich imitated Hans and pointed opening the map, ¡°See this area.¡± He circled the place and said, ¡°Its is significantly large piece¡ª¡± ¡°Where is your dignity,¡± Hans rebuked, he was stunned when Dietrich asked him to pay. He continued to whine, ¡°You are asking your last descendant to pay you.¡± ¡°You are the one who put that thought.¡± ¡°And like a kind elder, you are supposed to say. Just take it.¡± ¡°Fine, foolish descendant just take it. But I¡¯m only giving you that. Don¡¯t ask me anything else, understood?¡± Hans nodded politely and Dietrich added, ¡° One more thing, Don¡¯t ever kill anyone there. Its a disputed place so any death there would spike tension between Indu and Grimgar and a lot for this man here.¡± He pointed at himself. Hans ignored his ramblings, and mumbled, ¡°I need initial investment. Ooh! I just have the right person.¡± He turned to Dietrich and the chairman passed the unlock rune of the disputed land.¡°Its called Mystic Glades. Remember its location.¡± Hans¡¯s didn¡¯t have to memorise since the moment Dietrich showed it on the map, his new augmented display had recorded it. ¡°Sweet.¡± Hans jumped in excitement, I¡¯ll find you with a plan. So, lets earn some money, dear ancestor.¡± MIDLANDS, CONCORDIA ¡°I just need a little.¡± Hans pleaded again. ¡°You know no shit about investing, Hans. Stop bothering me.¡± Delmira rejected him again. She was supposed to meet with Allynna, but as Hans found her first, which resulted in the elven princess avoiding the group. ¡°Oh come on, Deli. I¡¯m not asking much¡ª¡± ¡°Asking much? You¡¯ve lost your mind, aren¡¯t you? 100,000 gold is not much! You dumb fool. I¡¯m not giving you any.¡± It was the third time, and Chris was enjoying this show with Vanir. On the other hand, Hans didn¡¯t see Delimira changing her thoughts so he used his last card. He declared, clenching his chest, ¡°I¡¯ll return you twice.¡± ¡°Oh really. But what if you can¡¯t?¡± She stared him like a vulture before a fresh kill. ¡°Im gonna regret this¡­heck no! Why would I regret. I¡¯ve a fool proofed plan.¡± He convinced himself and asked her, ¡°What are your terms?¡± ¡°All of your life, you¡¯ll address me as someone above you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll succeed anyway¡­ I¡¯ve to succeed.¡± He resolved and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I fork some more. If I can become frugal for a while, I can spare 500,000 gold. But you¡¯ve to return 1,000,000 back in one year. Take it or leave it.¡± Vanir and Chris almost jumped in to stop Hans, but Hans was already adamant on taking it. ¡°Fine, Winters. You¡¯ll have a million back same day, next year.¡± ¡°Buddy, that is a 100% interest, even loan sharks won¡¯t charge that much.¡± Chris frantically turned to Delimira, scolding her, ¡°And what is wrong with you, who charges that much interest among friends. You could¡¯ve just not give him any. What if he blows every last bit of it. You¡¯ll looses all of your savings.¡± ¡°Listen Chris, I¡¯d never make a loosing deal, If Hans succeed in whatever shenanigans he is planning. I¡¯ll received twice the money and if not, the next King of Parv will show me respect all of his life. Its worth it.¡± Hans felt a cold sweat, ¡°Naah!, Even if it kills me. I¡¯ll succeed.¡± He glanced at his glistening bank card. The value changed to whopping 500,000 G. ¡°So what are you planning with it¡± She asked. ¡°None of your damn business, Winters.¡± ¡°You are quite rude to your creditor.¡± ¡°I don''t feel the necessity to be polite to someone who is seeking to undermine me throughout her life.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 11 : The Dungeon Plan CHAPTER 11 THE DUNGEON PLAN Hans answered with well-formed words and left his friends, except for dragging Vanir along with him. Dumbfounded, Vanir asked, ¡°So, am I in your money plan, senior¡ª¡± ¡°Of course, you are my minion,¡± said Hans. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good¡­but okay.¡± Vanir paused, and after a brief moment, he asked, ¡°So what are we going to do¡­500,000 G is heck a lot of money.¡± ¡°I know, too, Vanir. But it¡¯s what we need it to entice people.¡± Hans answered. ¡°What are we selling then?¡± Vanir questioned. ¡°Hope.¡± Hans stressed. ¡°We are going to scam others blind, and they will happily get robbed.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you little too young to run a gambling den?¡± ¡°Gambling den? Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Hans said puzzled, and then corrected Vanir¡¯s far off thinking, ¡°I¡¯ll explain later, but first we need to rent a lot of Golem creation books from the Task hall.¡± However, there was a major flaw in his plan, and he was starting to realize it now. He wasn¡¯t allowed in that area as a second-year student. But since everyone knew who he was, he did not shy away from using Rudolf. ¡°Grandpa, just for a month. I need these for a month.¡± He pleaded to refusing Rudolf, ¡°I have the money, just bring it to me¡ª¡± ¡°Not before you tell me where the money is from.¡± Rudolf shook his head, continuing, ¡°Arat said he didn¡¯t give you any. So where is it from? Don¡¯t tell me you manipulated Aredhel¡¯s daughter¡ª¡± ¡°Gramps, she is not someone I can manipulate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Then who gave it to you?¡± ¡°Just trust me on this. I didn¡¯t do any shady thing to acquire this and I¡¯m going to return it back so just bring those books for me. Please.¡± Rudolf glanced at Vanir, and intimidated him, but Hans¡¯s minion replied like a loyal subordinate. ¡°I¡¯m not snitching.¡± If Rudolf wanted, he could easily find the source, but he thought, even if Hans causes trouble, it was not his damn business from now on. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s Arat¡¯s mess to solve anyway.¡± He mumbled and asked, ¡°Give me that damn list and the money.¡± Rudolf quickly delivered the stack of books to Hans¡¯s quarters in Prophets Castle. Hans and Vanir were eagerly waiting for him. ¡°You have a month, so take your time and do whatever you need to do within that time. If you don¡¯t want to make any recurring payments, stick to the deadline.¡± Vanir didn¡¯t questioned much and did whatever Hans pointed. His job was to figure out how to turn the entire land into a giant Golem and design a power source so it can sustain on its own. It was a task only doable by several high ranking mages, but Hans knew it fell well on Vanir¡¯s capabilities. His minion was a genius and he planned to use him thoroughly. Whereas he dwelled deep in his book of Power. The previous spells of Limitless was still present in them with some additional text. Quickly skimming to the WoodGolem page, he found out that if he replicated the seed of Day to some extent and used as the core for his wood Golems. He could create an entity similar to Treants. And the best part? These golems could handle complex commands, unlike the ones he made during Xandor¡¯s attack on Grimgar. With Vanir¡¯s creativity in tweaking spells and magic formula, on top of Hans¡¯s recreation ability. They came up with an undying army capable of sustaining by themselves. Since half of the Grimgar could recognise these green heroes who saved them from undead. Vanir devised a way of mixing various elements like ground and fire to mutate the woodGolems so none can say these were Hans¡¯s iconic creations. ¡°You are really something, junior.¡± Hans praised Vanir for his extra modifications, not knowing that Vanir was declining the apprenticeship invitations from several units of Concordia, and even from Clandor royalty so he could stick to Hans. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Senior, you better not discard me. EVER.¡± He stressed as he finished the modification of Space connectors. ¡°Of course. As long as you don¡¯t backstab me. EVER.¡± Hans responded imitating him. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. We¡¯ll be together for a very very long time.¡± ¡°Quit yapping and lets construct this.¡± Hans pointed to the several space generation artefacts. ¡°But senior, you do have the permission to conduct this experiment here. Don¡¯t you? If things went wrong. We might end up opening a space hole here and this whole man-eating forest¡­ no whole Agrilands would be sent to god knows where.¡± ¡°Have your modifications failed, ever, junior¡ª¡± ¡°No, but.¡± Vanir interrupted. ¡°Then have faith in yourself.¡± Hans said, imitating a tone of a confident leader. Vanir sighed; he was confident, but the stakes were very high. He turned to look at the other person beside them. ¡°Then who is he? He is just staring at us for a while. He won¡¯t report us, is he?¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s the chairman of Concordia. He is just here because he was curious.¡± ¡°Holy shit!¡± Vanir fell to his bottoms and flustered. He grumbled, ¡°Not even directors know him. Just how high is your reach?¡± Vanir started speaking nonsense as he always did when he couldn¡¯t grasp the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s not tell him we are related. Or else his mumbling won¡¯t stop.¡± Hans laughed inside and smacked Vanir¡¯s head, ¡°Get your mouth together, junior.¡± ¡°But why is he here?¡± Vanir whispered, stealing glances at Dietrich. A young and lean man with fluttering black hair, he didn¡¯t give the feeling of a chairman. ¡°Didn¡¯t someone dupe you?¡± ¡°Shut up, Vanir.¡± Hans smacked his head again, ¡°He is the real deal.¡± ¡°Then why is he here?¡± Vanir continued whispering. Sighing Hans pointed at the space creation equipment, ¡°The manual says, not for children and what we are?¡± ¡°Children!¡± Vanir answered promptly. ¡°So who do you think brought this here.¡± Hans pointed at Dietrich. ¡°Chairman¡­¡± Vanir answered, puzzled. ¡°See, you understand everything.¡± Hans smiled. ¡°But why?¡± Vanir whined. ¡°Cause I had no adult around who would support this madness.¡± Hans said covering Vanir¡¯s mouth and continued, ¡°Just show him that it works so he can declare this area as forbidden region.¡± Vanir had a lot of questions, but he followed Hans¡¯s words and set up the artefact. ¡°Coordinate senior?¡± He asked for input and Hans filled the numbers. ¡°Cross your fingers, senior¡ª¡± ¡°Heck, just press it you coward.¡± Hans pushed him ahead and confidently said, ¡°You won¡¯t fail anyways and he is here to take care if anything went wrong.¡± ¡°Here we go then.¡± Vanir connected the power source and flipped the switch. ¡°Tak! Tak! Tak!¡± The metallic ring, which was lay horizontal before, began to rise by the side hinges and stabilised itself vertically. Soon it began to power up and the smokey lights started to shine inside. ¡°It looks stable.¡± Vanir rejoiced and asked, ¡°The area is locked of space¡­no for any type of trespassing¡­.woah. The lock runes are no joke, senior. It would take me¡­hmm¡­ at least a month to crack. Or two ¡ª¡± ¡°How sure are you?¡± Instead of Hans, the lean man from behind asked Vanir. He was curious as to how a brat wet behind his ears are going to break his lock. But Vanir came to several theories that could break his runes with chain reactions. He just needed time to optimise it. Surprised by Vanir, Dietrich whispered to Hans, ¡°He is one heck of a treasure. Keep him well.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Hans said, proud and threw Vanir the runes to unlock the Mystic Glades. ¡° I have the key. Lets go.¡± Hans dragged Vanir by the collar and jumped inside the ring. He and Vanir materialised in a blink, finding themselves in a moist, cold forest. The air was thick with a damp chill, and the density of the foliage blocked even the sun''s attempts to penetrate the canopy. It was a two-star beast zone, but an eerie silence prevailed, as if the usual hum of fauna had been erased. ¡°Aren¡¯t the Chairman going to follow us in?¡± Vanir asked as he surveyed the new environment. ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± Hans replied indifferently. Hans knew how laidback Dietrich was so he wasn¡¯t surprised to not see him here. ¡°Hmm. Okay.¡± Vanir hushed in the stillness, ¡°There are no beasts or even normal animals here.¡± "Explains why the trees are overgrowing without any natural checks." Hans said in response. The towering trees loomed above, their branches twisted in a chaotic forms as if reclaiming the land, yet the absence of the usual sounds of wildlife left an unsettling void there. ¡°Well, it works in our favour, Vanir.¡± Hans continued, looking right and left. ¡°Senior¡­¡± Vanir responded in a hushed voice, and asked, ¡°Mind telling me, how this would earn you money.¡± ¡°Listen closely then, my minion. We will..not we particular, but our Golems would rob others here¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it will work, senior. Why would anyone come here to get robbed?¡± Vanir questioned, and he had a point, so Hans explained by emptying out his coffers. He had made Rudolf exchange the rest of his money into Mana stones and gems and pointed out, ¡°This is the bait.¡± Vanir understood the gist, ¡°So your plan is to attract people by giving them illusion of wealth they can claim if they explore this forest, right?¡± ¡°See, you are smart. Then shall we¡ª¡± ¡°But we have a tiny problem, senior.¡± Vanir mentioned, ¡°The Golems I have modified, fortunately they doesn¡¯t look like yours and good at combat, but they aren¡¯t that intelligent to make swift decisions. If somehow they killed anyone here. More powerful people will come and destroy this, watchamcallit, dungeon.¡± ¡°We need Cognitive cores for that, and your savings won¡¯t even come close to buying one¡ª¡° ¡°Leave the Cognitive part to me, junior. Just make sure to design them as tough as nails.¡± Hans said, and Vanir got to work setting up the gems and stone for Hans to create the army. Hans combined the mana gems with the copied seed of Day. Soon, a bunch of Golems made of stone and plants appeared. The copied seed of Day wasn¡¯t exactly like what Hans had eaten, but it was enough for the Golems to survive and make decisions based on Hans¡¯s wishes. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s bring in some guests, shall we?¡± He grinned wickedly. It was time to kick off the second part of his scheme.
Elven Lies II Chapter 12 : A Successful Start up CHAPTER 12 A SUCCESSFUL STARTUP Vanir thought he had seen it all when it came to Hans¡¯ surprises, but he was blown away again by how clever these golems were acting. Arming them up with different mana stones sure gave them those elemental capabilities, but they were using it so creatively. One was even using fire with wind to increase its flame, while the other was using fire and water for producing mist for camouflage. ¡°Are they alive, senior?¡± He asked, wondering. ¡°Not yet, but aren¡¯t they different from the hard-coded golems?¡± Hans asked, amused. ¡°Yes, they indeed are.¡± Vanir smiled aghast. ¡°Do you know how much of a recognition one can receive for creating this with just scraps?¡± He asked Hans, feeling their creation with his hands. ¡°Scraps?¡± Hans shouted, hard. ¡°Are you out of your mind? This costs us hundreds of thousands of gold¡ª¡± ¡°That is just scraps in alchemy, senior.¡± Vanir said indifferently, but he was proud inside to be a part of this. They set up everything and returned back to the Man-Eating Forest. ¡°So is everything ready?¡± Dietrich asked, nonchalant. ¡°You sure, don¡¯t want to see more?¡± Seeing the departing look of Dietrich, Hans offered him to check his work in the Mystic Glades, now his dungeon. ¡°I thoroughly recreated the place with SilvaOrtus, even the grass is in my control¡­ or rather the core, my minion designed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather impressive. A thirteen-year-old is designing a core for a dungeon. Back in my day, he¡¯d be killed at first sight.¡± Dietrich said, complimenting. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡± Vanir, unaccustomed to such praise from someone of Dietrich''s stature, felt a warmth rise to his cheeks. Maybe it was the compliment or maybe the fear which came from the later part of his words. ¡°It¡¯s just a relay core to extend, Senior¡¯s control. You can call it a core of a very big dungeon¡­Senior made the whole Mystic Glade a Golem.¡± He passed the credit swiftly. ¡°Modesty in words but pride in the heart. You really would have been killed at first sight, ¡± Dietrich chuckled. ¡°Want me to recommend you to Alchemists?¡± The fear disappeared as he heard the last words. ¡°Can you?¡± Vanir spoke, surprised.This would instantly put him on the road to success where his talent for spell optimisation and crafting could be recognised. ¡°Heck no.¡± Hans chimed in quickly, raparade.n his parade. ¡°He is mine. Hans interrupted, shouting as he was marking a line.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get possessive with me. ¡°Don¡¯t get possessive with me.¡± ¡°I was just offering him something worth his intellect. ¡°No, he is happy where he is, right now?¡± Hans calmed down and suggested, ¡°If you really want to do something worth his intellect. Have his intellect, have his parents move to a residential island. His father is a knight, so he could help out somewhere, I guess.¡± ¡°Hmmm!¡± Dietrich thought while Vanir clenched his fist. Before he met Hans, his initial plan was to somehow get an apprenticeship in the Alchemists department and bring his parents out of the slums. Meanwhile, Dietrich was proud of Hans. His foolish descendant was fulfilling the ambitions of his subordinate before Vanir could even ask. ¡°Keep doing this, and you won¡¯t get betrayed, child.¡± He turned to Vanir. ¡°A traitor of this calibre could become quite a nuisance. So I¡¯ll help you out this time.¡± Dietrich nodded. ¡°Bring them in for this annual holiday. I¡¯ll see that they settle down.¡± Vanir almost jumped out of happiness but controlled his composure; yet his eyes couldn¡¯t lie. Meanwhile, Hans gloated, ¡°See, I take care of my people.¡± He then grabbed Vanir, ¡°Quit giddying. Let¡¯s find our first sucker.¡± Their search wasn¡¯t that wide because Hans already had someone in mind. ¡°Aren¡¯t we not allowed here, Senior?¡± Vanir pointed out as he found himself with Hans in the way to the task hall. ¡°Yes, we are, but someone we know dabbles here.¡± Vanir understood whom Hans was talking about. He reluctantly confirmed. ¡°The one whom we brought the Great Mamba for. Senior, I¡¯m telling you he is not someone we should conduct our business with. He scammed us. You should¡¯ve received twice the credits¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we are here to return the favour.¡± Hans whispered and sent a message inside. The elf Alchemist, their old friend, came out in a cheerful mood. ¡°Oh, Prince of Parv! What can I do for my country¡¯s enemy?¡± ¡°Your words don¡¯t match your happy tone, ¡± Hans piqued. ¡°Of course, and it shouldn¡¯t. You brought anything to sell?¡± The elf Alchemistpointed at the task hall. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed there. But I¡¯ll try to buy it from you.¡± His eyes were practically drooling with greed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Hans quickly put on his acting face and started acting secretive. He called the greedy elf close, intentionally attracting other passersby. ¡°Senior,¡± Hans whispered to elf Alchemistin his ear, ¡°I¡¯ve very good news, but I¡¯ll only share it with you if you promise to give me half the reward.¡± ¡°How big is it?¡± Elf Alchemistasked. ¡°But I need your name before that? For trust and other things¡­¡± ¡°Oh! Didn¡¯t I didn¡¯t tell you before? My bad. I¡¯m Aron, junior apprentice. ¡± ¡°Okay, senior Aron. This is secret, so please keep it your confidant, if you can¡ª¡± ¡°Just tell me.¡± Aron hurried, adding, ¡°Coming from the Prince of Parv should be something.¡± ¡°Of course, it is.¡± Hans put some confidence in his voice and said, ¡°When I was in Grimgar. I¡¯ve heard some high knights talking that they found a dead mage¡¯s hideout. His whole treasure was waiting to be just taken, but there were many traps there, so they failed. But even in their failure, they managed to grab around fifty thousand gold-worth resources¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, 50,000 G should be¡ª¡± ¡°Around 500 credits. Almost the same as your annual savings. Aren¡¯t you broke? I¡¯ll tell you the location, but I need half.¡± Hans remained calm and confident, and his eyes told Aron that he wasn¡¯t up for haggling. ¡°I¡¯ll check it first. If it is the same as you¡¯ve said. Then I¡¯ll arrange for some of my colleagues to explore.¡± Aron said, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll promise I will share half of my profits.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hans nodded like a naive child and opened his folded map. He pointed to the Mystic Glades, emphasising again that he shouldn¡¯t tell anyone. Aron affirmed and went inside the task hall like a spy on the run, attracting even more attention. Meanwhile, Hans had another job for Vanir. ¡°Dear junior,¡± Hans patted his shoulder while studying the gazes on him quietly. ¡°Now, our kind observers will come to you for information¡ª¡± Vanir quickly and on purpose, gently tapped his chest with his closed hand, making a sound that felt like they were in it together. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won''t say a word.¡± He said confidently. ¡°No, no, my stupid minion. Tell everyone who comes asking and charge them a hefty fee.¡± ¡°Ooh! I got it.¡± Vanir nodded while Hans sighed, thinking, ¡°Maybe god only gave you the theoretical mind but left common sense¡ª¡± ¡°Senior.¡± Vanir said in a hushed voice, prompting Hans to pique his attention and added, ¡°Thank you for moving my parents out of Clandor.¡± ¡°What? You better utilise this time to leak some information rather than wasting it on stupid things like gratitude.¡± Hans bid him farewell, and it didn¡¯t take others long to corner Vanir into some isolated places. Vanir tried resisting, but soon it spread that this little elf was a money grub along with the secret location of Dungeon and its hidden entrance that Hans and Vanir planned. They made it look like the protection runes were broken, allowing a small hole to form. The breaching point where now, Aron and his close people were looking. ¡°Aron.¡± One of the female knights of the group asked the apprentice alchemist, ¡°just how sure is your information? This looks like a little big thing for us.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be a chicken; that¡¯s why you get dumped by men again and again. You have to be a little adventurous, take some risks. That¡¯s how you are going to make a name for yourself and have some money too.¡± ¡°How much money did you pay for this information? It looks expensive.¡± Another person from the rear, their guardian knight, spoke as he spread his aura to detect the enemies inside. ¡°Nothing; that idiot trusted me to hand over half of the profit.¡± He chuckled, ¡°As if I¡¯m going to give it to him. I¡¯d just say, I got two or three mana stones and hand him over some crumbs and change.¡± ¡°Yeah, which idiot trusted you?¡± The group laughed aloud and entered inside. Quickly followed by one and another. Aron¡¯s group was unaware of their followers, two separate groups were on their tails. Aron and his ragtags soon met a wooden plank with writing: This is private property. Leave before losing your life. ¡°This is jack shit!¡± A mage from the group launched a fireballer at the sign, but suddenly sharp spikes impaled his left foot. A painful shriek echoed in the group. The mage cried as Aron pulled him out and nursed him back with his recovery potion. But this even solidified his greed. ¡°See, no one wastes this many resources to protect nothing. I¡¯m sure this place has treasure.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± The scout of the group picked up the movement and shouted, ¡°Get ready.¡± Soon a rumbling reached them and they got ready. Hans and Vanir were observing their first harvest from a distance, undetected by the three groups, who were facing the intelligent Golems, the same as their numbers. ¡°Senior, who are you going to give honey to?¡± Asked Vanir, curious. ¡°Of course it should be to our greedy Aron, but I won¡¯t just hand it out to him. It¡¯s nigh time we test our Golems. These people should at least spend every life-saving item they brought.¡± Hans said grinning, while the other two groups were swallowed by the forest one after another. The mystic glade spat them out in different locations, sparing only their clothes, their equipment, potions, and artefacts, all of which remained inside the Mystic glade. These valuables appeared beside the core and small treants like golems, which transferred them back to the ManEating forest. The passage Hans and Vanir had set connected the two places. ¡°Ooh! I never thought stealing was this fun,¡± Vanir commented, giddy while Hans quickly interrupted. ¡°This is not stealing; they are trespassers on someone else¡¯s lands. I¡¯m showing mercy by not killing them and teaching them a valuable lesson with a little fee, of course.¡± ¡°Whatever helps you sleep, senior, but it¡¯s quite fun,¡± Vanir pointed out, the Aron¡¯s group almost out of items. ¡°We should give them a little more of what they spend so they will come back to claim more,¡± Hans¡¯s will was heard by the golem whom Aron was fighting. It showed a flaw which Aron exploited quickly with the girl knight they brought. However, before a decisive blow, the golem quickly transferred its core to the ground beneath. The remaining husk disintegrated and offered a mid-quality sound gem, worth around twenty thousand gold. ¡°Now this is a good find¡­ha..ha..¡± Aron said, gasping, and asked, ¡°Shall we go deeper or should we end here?¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 13 : The Annual Holidays CHAPTER 13 THE ANNUAL HOLIDAYS Aron¡¯s group had two choices before them: Be satisfied with a mid-quality gem and leave the Mystic Glades, or take a risk and explore some more. ¡°Aron, this is just the start of the forest, and we almost got our asses handed to us. We are ill-prepared, but, ¡± the female knight paused as she glanced at the gem she was holding, ¡° This is really something. I dare say some more valuables are inside with some more deadly traps and threats.¡± She pressed on the idea of leaving. While the guardian of the group added, ¡°Let¡¯s just take a peek further and return. It doesn¡¯t hurt to check what we¡¯ll be facing later.¡± The scout and the other two nodded, and the group of four ventured deeper. Only to get swallowed and thrown out without their haul. ¡°You bastard,¡± the female knight clenched the guardian by the collar, she was furious. ¡°You should¡¯ve listened to me, my family sword is gone now.¡± ¡°Damn woman, I didn¡¯t forced you to come, its was your now damn choice. So take accountability. We can just retrieve it after stocking up on supplies. There is a town nearby.¡± Aron on the other hand was silently muttering, cursing, ¡°We had the gem, damn it. We had it just..tsk.¡± He couldn¡¯t let his group be destroyed with senseless argument, he was their captain after all. ¡°He is right lets go to the town and get our things back.¡± But, they weren¡¯t the only ones with the same idea; the two groups which were swallowed before had regrouped in the same town. Meanwhile, the three groups were planning their raid; Hans and Vanir were counting their haul which they just got from Mystic glades. It was transported to the Man-eating Forest, their temporary hideout. ¡°This would be around 12,000 G. Senior, we made a profit.¡± Vanir cried in happiness. ¡°Yeah, but we need to lose some to gain more.¡± Hans said, pointing at a golem carrying the fire gem and stones, ¡°This would be perfect for the bait. How much is it, Vanir?¡± This is our most expensive golem, ¡°Around thirty thousand G.¡± ¡°Good. Lets send this one to the Mystic Glades.¡± Hans said as they both jumped in the their transportation device. ¡°Ha! This nauseating feeling.¡± As always he wasn¡¯t feeling well after a travel. He took a deep breath, stabilising himself as they for the groups to infiltrate again. But this time the lucky ones weren¡¯t Aron¡¯s group but some other. With a lot of effort the biggest group, around seven people, managed to take down the fire golem and claimed the stones and gems. However, Hans wasn¡¯t keen on letting them leave. He shifted the forest in such a way that all three groups crossed each other. The treasure which group of seven carried was easy to detect, so Aron and the other group attacked them. They were all from Concordia, but it didn¡¯t matter here. And Aron¡¯s group, being the less tired and stronger, managed to rob the seven while chasing the other away. As expected, Hans got the small amount of money from Aron. But it wasn¡¯t what he wanted, so he was still happy. But word spread quickly that Aron had haul a lot of mana resources, and rumors kept getting bigger and bigger. This made the real haul worth more, and from then on, different groups started competing more and more. Hans was following a basic strategy. If the ten groups went to raid, almost nine got looted, and one came out becoming rich. He wasn¡¯t just robbing them, but he was selling them hope. Because he returned thirty percent of whatever he looted to the single party. That made sure everyone¡¯s interest and his wealth kept soaring. Another month had passed from the dungeon opening, and their annual exams were starting, so neither Vanir nor the raiders were keen on going on a raid. It was a peaceful time for the dungeon master and raiders. However, Hans¡¯s growth in wealth didn¡¯t stop there. The news of the dungeon was also leaked outside, and he had opened three more entrances, making a total of four enticing doors to wealth. Concordia was busy but no the rest of the world. On the last day of the second year, when everyone was preparing for their holidays, Hans was putting his haul inside the space pouch. He was going to sell these in Edenberg¡¯s black market through dwarves. He was giddy all on his own, but suddenly a shadow materialised, startling him. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°So how much have you earned till now?¡± The chairman lurking from his side asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but it should be more than a hundred thousand¡ª¡± ¡°Clink! Clank!¡± Another haul came bearing potions and even an artefact too. ¡°See,¡± Hans pointed out, ¡°Human greed has no bounds.¡± He chuckled, and began to estimate their prices. After confirming, he said to Dietrich, ¡°It was a good idea to spread rumours of a treasure trove in that nearby town. Now local mercenaries are also making me rich.¡± Hans chuckled and stuffed the latest haul into his space pouch until it was full. ¡°Dear ancestor,¡± he said, pointing to the endless money and items, ¡°May I leave the rest here?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the chairman said, confident. The sole purpose of Hans for acquiring wealth was for two reasons. He wanted to fight Anfaleen and Xandor, and both were some of the strongest in this world. Not to forget, both also had a significant number of people. ¡°After this holiday,¡± he mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll get serious. Both of these bastards have to pay.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Dietrich had thought a lot how he can meddle in Anfaleen¡¯s affairs after all Vanessa was still student of Concordia, his responsibility, when it happened to her. He paused and finally said, ¡°Get me some hard evidence of what you say about Anfaleen and I¡¯ll do justice¡ª¡± ¡°No, I was too frustrated back. I¡¯ll do it in my own way. A trial or whatever you are planning will make Vanessa relive those moments. I don¡¯t want it to happen.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Dietrich disappeared after saying those words. Soon, Hans too left Agrilands for holiday packing. Upon returning back to the Concordia, he found Vanir. ¡°Hey, Minion, wanna come to my home during this annual break?¡± He offered, saying, ¡°It will be a lot of fun¡ª¡± ¡°For you, PRINCE.HANS.¡± Vanir emphasised, interrupting, ¡°but, I need to settle my parents on the residential islands, remember?¡± ¡°Hmm. Okay. But what will you be doing after that. Its frickin¡¯ three-month break?¡± Hans asked. ¡°I¡¯ll try my luck in some menial work around the Alchemist. Or perfect our golem formulas.¡± ¡°Good. Work hard then.¡± Hans patted and turned to leave, but Vanir stopped him and offered, ¡°Senior, this is what I earned from selling the news of Mystic Glades¡ª¡± ¡°So? What do you want me to do about it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s money!¡± Vanir said, astounded. ¡°And a lot of it. Don¡¯t you want it?¡± ¡°Of course I want it. But you said it ¡®YOU.EARNED.IT.¡¯ Have you seen me sharing anything that I.EARNED? So why do you think I¡¯ll ask yours?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s around 4000 G!¡± Vanir stressed. ¡°Then you are a rich man, Vanir Dorfeil. Why don¡¯t you treat your family?¡± Hans remarked before departing, casually waving his hand and turning away. He soon reached the Prophets¡¯ Castle and in a jiffy got his things together. ¡°So you are leaving?¡± Walter chimed in from behind, giving the poor guy a start, yet Hans¡¯s facade of serenity stood firm. He quipped, sharp "You must have developed a special bond with that wheelchair of yours.¡± Walter, caressing the palm rest of his convenience-crafted throne, shot back, "Blame your dear old dad for this masterpiece.¡± "Who asked you to be a show-off?¡± Hans retorted with a smirk, continuing, ¡°Snatching arrows from the sky and pointing them at your own rear end ¨C that was all on you, professor. Don''t go blaming me for your acrobatics.¡± ¡°Just get the hell out of here.¡± Walter gestured him to leave quickly. However, Hans, glancing at Walter¡¯s situation, couldn¡¯t help ask, ¡°It¡¯s been months. Didn¡¯t Grandma heal you alright? Why are you still riding that thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, try taking on ¡®The Big Dipper¡¯ yourself,¡± chastised Walter. Hans wanted to rebuke that he did and survived too, but he successfully had put a leash on his scissored mouth. Instead of gloating, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll be searching for Xandor, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, this wound will heal. But not the humiliation that son of a bitch had put me in. He¡¯ll answer for everything.¡± ¡°Do contact me. I¡¯ll even call Parvian knights.¡± Hans nodded and left the castle for his grandparents¡¯ quarters, where he faced another news. ¡°What, Gramps took Chris to Sunfall?¡± He whined, hearing their departure. Hans wanted to test his new solar powers with Rudolf. He might¡¯ve acquired the book of power and become the solar mage, but he was still far from reaching the true potential or even discovering the beginning of solar powers. Irked, he glanced at another friend who just didn¡¯t seem to detach herself from his family. He asked, raising his chin, ¡°Deli, you are going back to Clandor or what?¡± ¡°And miss annoying you? Fat chance.¡± Delimira instantly responded. ¡°Aren¡¯t you literally taking ¡®my home, your home¡¯ saying?¡± Irritation was evident on his face, and that left her giggling. He urged Sierra to hasten, since the sooner he arrived in Edenberg, the sooner his plans would set into motion. ¡°You guys are ready?¡± Vanessa entered the quarters, asking, and before Sierra could affirm, she double-checked everything. ¡°It¡¯s all set now.¡± She said and locked the doors on her way out. Glancing at the three, she said eagerly, ¡°Let¡¯s move to the SpaceDoor¡ª¡± ¡°Heck no. we are going my way: INGRESS.¡± Hans retorted, rolling his eyes dramatically. As if on cue, a pillar of light descended upon them, casting an epic glow on the entire spectacle. In the blink of an eye, they found themselves standing in front of the grand Edenberg mansion back in the county. ¡°Home sweet home.¡± Hans said, ¡°Lets get started.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 14 : A fishbone in throat CHAPTER 14 A FISHBONE IN THROAT "Zwoom!" Right at the entrance of the Edenberg mansion, the familiar yet strangely extraordinary phenomenon unfolded. The light pillar, a trademark method of travel exclusive to Parvians, shimmered to life. The servants, already prepared to greet, awaited the arrival of their masters and the youngest of their house, now known as the Parvian prince. However, they weren''t the sole anticipators for the Edenberg couple; one so formidable that none in Edenberg dared to oppose him waited for Hans to arrive. They stepped in and noticed the awaiting guest. Hans grinned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you too far away from your natural habitat, Knight Association Chairman? Or is Uncle still running you on errands?¡± His teasing tone echoed, though the Warlord of the fifth rank managed to contain any visible reaction. ¡°Believe me, this is as charming to me as it is to you,¡± Kansas bit back, bringing out his communication orb, already connected to Hans¡¯s so-called Uncle, the king of Grimgar, Samwell. ¡°Well, hello there, Uncle. What can I do for you?¡± Hans greeted Samwell, stretching his lips into a mocking smile. However, just like Kansas, Samwell too showed no hint of agitation. Instead, he spoke in a solemn tone, ¡°You are on foreign soil, Prince Parv. So before some idiot goes messing around with you and your dear Parv has any excuse to point the fingers at me, I sent Kansas to guard you¡ª¡± ¡°Screw guarding, he¡¯s just here to keep tabs on me. Isn¡¯t he?¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°You are a smart boy, nephew. Believe whatever floats your boat, but Kansas has officially planted roots there.¡± Samwell pleaded with a weary sigh. ¡°Just don''t stir up a storm, or we might find ourselves in the midst of an unexpected international drama.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Hans nodded sagely, adding with a smirk, ¡°But do I have to endure his face? He''s looking at me like I raided his family vault and made a clean getaway¡­ oh wait.¡± Hans paused, gloating and aimed his words at fuming Kansas, who was finally showing some reactions. He teased again, ¡°Do you want the International Drama!¡± Annoyed yet still somehow keeping his cool, Kansas turned the communication orb toward him and asked, almost pleading, ¡°Do I really have to be here? I¡¯ve many people¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t trust that ticking bomb with anyone. Kansas, it¡¯s just for three months.¡± ¡°With the way he''s talking,¡± Kansas breathed deeply, ¡°I ain''t sure who will cause trouble first, me or him?¡± ¡°Deal with it. You are the adult; he is not. Shack!¡± Samwell closed the communication, leaving Kansas with a sour taste in his mouth. Before Hans could cause any further damage, Hodges, the trusted butler, rushed to welcome them and formally invited them inside as Kansas vanished somewhere. Hans gestured where Kansas stood before and asked Hodges, ¡°Since when is he here?¡± ¡°Three days.¡± Hodges promptly shook his head, sighing. ¡°Tsk!¡± Clicking his tongue, Hans kicked the air, ¡°So, I¡¯ve restraints here? Big deal. I¡¯ll manage.¡± He was cranky, and the kitchen knew a lot of ways to shoo away their young lord¡¯s bad temper. One after another, they offered several desserts, and as usual, Hans forgot that there was another existence lurking somewhere around their mansion. After some time, when everyone was settled down, Hodges came disturbing Hans¡¯s lazy session with the couch. ¡°What, Mr. Hodges?¡± ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just¡­ I wanted to ask. If there is some place you wanted to go today?¡± Hodges asked hesitantly. ¡°Why the sudden interest?¡± Hans rolled his eyes. ¡°You see. I need to inform your diplomatic escort. You might be the prince of Parv, but here we are still the citizens of Grimgar. We can¡¯t just oppose a royal command. Sir Kansas will follow you¡­ everywhere.¡± ¡°Agh. The hell is wrong with these people. It¡¯s not like I will just go and blow something up¡ª¡± ¡°You might.¡± Hodges interrupted and reasoned, ¡°But that is not the point. Even if it seems troublesome. It is for your own good. There are many who might use you to light some of the sparks that have dimmed. The last thing you want is to be used by these cowards.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Hodges¡¯ words touched Hans¡¯s sore spot and eventually got him to agree. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± He clicked his tongue and pointed, ¡°I¡¯ll be going to the Dwarves¡­ so tell that diplomatic escort to get ready.¡± Hodges didn¡¯t ask further and relayed Hans¡¯s wishes to Kansas. The good thing was that neither Kansas nor Hans had to face each other. The knight association chairman was quietly shadowing him. There was only one settlement of dwarves in Grimgar, and that was in Edenberg. The sole producers of dwarven technology had agreed to settle there with the one condition that no one from Grimgar would disturb them, so when Hans entered the dwarven community, Kansas had to stop his snooping. However, he was surprised to see the shortlings were happy to see the Parvian prince. With Kansas finally out of his hair, Hans quickly paced towards the familiar bar. ¡°Creek!¡± He pushed the small door, which was a bit tall before, but now Hans was almost reaching its top casing. ¡°Hmm! I¡¯ve grown¡ª¡± ¡°What sorry excuse brought you here, kid? You carrying anything fascinating?¡± The bar owner greeted Hans in his usual condescending tone, interrupting his happy thought of becoming a bit taller. ¡°Business.¡± Hans declared, patting his fat space pouch. ¡°What? You robbed your house¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to your drunken thoughts.¡± Hans stopped him and said, ¡°I need to sell something discreetly.¡± ¡°How discreet?¡± ¡°Very.¡± Hans stretched his tone, and both dwarves and his words turned to whispers. ¡°You really didn¡¯t rob it, right? Even in the black market, if that comes to bite our assess¡­¡± The bar owner hushed. ¡°No,¡± Hans patted his fat pouch once more. ¡°But for assurance, it¡¯s better if you dismantle and sell them as resources.¡± The bar owner hushed as he searched for peeking eyes in the bar. ¡°Follow me.¡± He led Hans deeper inside the bar. As Hans followed, he smelled the strong, earthy scent of ale right away. He looked around in amazement at all the barrels stacked up against the walls. Each barrel was made of sturdy oak and had beautiful carvings showing how skilled the dwarves were. Some barrels were small and easy to hold, while others were big and looked powerful, like they were protecting something important inside. Seeing the huge collections, Hans stressed, ¡°Booze must really be important.¡± ¡°Enough with the nonsense.¡± The bar owner cleaned a huge table and prompted. ¡°Show me the goods.¡± His moustache twitched slightly, a subtle gesture that betrayed his growing impatience. Yet, despite his outward demeanour, there was a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes, as if he was enjoying the moment. ¡°Hmm.. whatever.¡± Hans unloaded everything he had fitted inside the space pouch, a plethora of potions, weapons, mana stones, and even the torn cloths of the dungeon raiders. ¡°Hmm..¡± The bar owner raised his eyes in doubt and said, ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck where it came from. I¡¯ll sell it so none can trace it, but it will come with a price tag, Parvian Prince.¡± ¡°How much of a cut do you want?¡± Hans asked, frowning. ¡°You think I¡¯m crazy to let go of this opportunity for a mere cut? I need your favour¡­more exactly, the favour of the last imperial. ¡°Oh, man. First Deli and now this midget. It was easy before when everything just got settled with money.¡± Hans thought deeply, ¡°I¡¯ll cross the bridge when I¡¯m there. But I need to sack the Eclipse for good. Only with my own treant army can I face his undeads.¡± He nodded, gesturing his agreement. In response, the Dwarf laughed like a maniac, but it didn¡¯t take him long to calm down. ¡°Come here, little prince,¡± he asked Hans to come closer and pointed, ¡°You really have big galls robbing the alchemist of Concordia; almost half of your potions are marked with tracking spells.¡± ¡°Really!¡± Hans breathed in relief; it was really a good decision to not sell these outside. He cursed inside, ¡°damn it, why didn¡¯t my great-grandfather mention it?¡± ¡°Oye, Parvian prince.¡± The bar owner dragged him back to reality and pointed, ¡°A word of advice, always check everything for tracking spells.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, just sell it for mana stones, gems if feasible¡ª¡± ¡°Do you plan to carry it in that film pouch?¡± The dwarf interrupted, pointing at Hans¡¯s waist pouch. ¡°Yeah.¡± Hans nodded, asking, ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°First, it¡¯s small and second¡ª¡± The dwarf frantically turned Hans and closed his face to Hans¡¯s butt, ¡°One crafty son of a bitch. I just told you to check everything for tracking spells. This is transmitting your real-time location to its original owner.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe my own stupidity.¡± Hans cursed and pulled the pouch which Xandor had given him. His vines sprouted instantly, ready to tear apart the space, but the dwarf stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t ya wanna know where this son of a bitch is?¡± The midget pointed at the pouch, ¡°I can¡¯t, but there is someone who can reverse the spell for you.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Hans gestured, asking, ¡°So I can find this person¡ª¡± ¡°Not me, but someone who owes me a little.¡± The bar owner sighed saying, ¡°She is in Sunfall.¡± ¡°So¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, you need to visit her personally. This spell is no joke; if not a dwarf, you can¡¯t even detect it. This is a dwarven trick. Only a very capable dwarf could have merged a tracking spell this beautifully.¡± ¡°Figures, Xandor has dwarves working for him too. Just what I needed.¡± Hans frowned, thinking.¡°Now I know he is tracking me. But why?¡­no, it¡¯s easy. He called me a variable. But Xandor, I¡¯m a constant. I¡¯ll bash your head real good, just wait a while.¡± Hans shook off the thoughts and said to the bar owner, ¡°Fine by me. But now, just sell these. I have something else to handle now.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 15 : I Wanna Be A Lizard CHAPTER 15 I WANNA BE A LIZARD Hans came back sniggering. The bar owner of the bar had assured him that he would tear down everything and sell it as high as possible. On his journey back to the mansion, only two things lingered in Hans¡¯s mind: he would have to wait for a week so the dwarf could trade his things, and sell it as high as possible and second was Kansas. Shaking his thoughts, Hans settled in his mana control to stretch as far as it could go and found Kansas still breathing down his neck. ¡°Tsk! Come on,¡± he vented and thought, ¡°Tsk! I really need to cut him off. The merged book has the title written in bold and big words. If it is known that book of power is in my hands, it will do nothing but bring me a catastrophe. So for precaution, Hans only followed Sierra like a duckling and did nothing. He felt as if someone had clipped his wings, and his dam of tolerance was about to break. He entered the Dwarven community in an irritable mood, but soon his crankiness faded away as he glanced at the sheer amount of mana gems and stones back at the alcohol storage. He entered the Dwarven community in gold was it?¡± He asked the dwarf. ¡°Around 130,000 gold. the bar owner answered, pushing the pile of resources into a belt and pointed out, ¡°This is on me.¡± He flashed the beige belt laced with several small pockets. ¡°Is it similar to the space storage I have?¡± Hans questioned. ¡°As if!¡± Dwarf immediately retorted and pointed out, ¡°This is several times advanced than what you had, and,¡± he stressed, ¡°it comes with no tracking runes or spells.¡± ¡°How much is the capacity¡ª¡± ¡°Five times than your waist bag.¡± ¡°You outdid yourself, Mr. dwarf¡ª¡± ¡°I told you to call me by my name. Why are you calling me dwarf? How would you feel if I addressed you as the puny human?¡± How would you feel ifI can¡¯t just say I forgot his name,¡± Hans thought, perplexed, but the dwarf caught on and shouted to confirm, ¡°You dare forget my name¡ª¡± ¡°Humans are far inferior in many things than dwarves. Recalling names is one of them.¡± Hans buttered the dwarf, and like any other dwarf, the bar owner who took pride in thinking dwarves were better than humans, got pleased. ¡°Yes, you are right? You humans tend to be forgetful. Listen again, my name is Higrid Smithmason¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, Smithmason, I remember the name now. How can I forget, tsk! tsk!¡± Hans shook his head, and his actions somehow pleased the giggling dwarf. But before he could sway away in the pleasing feelings, the Dwarf pointed to the space belt. ¡°Everything a dwarf makes has a name. This little beauty is called Knapbinder. See these eight pockets.¡± Higrid rotated the belt, pointing the stitched pockets, and continued, ¡°Each of these pockets is special. One can even store a living thing¡­just do not put something big.¡± The dwarf sighed, adding, ¡°I¡¯ll leave for you to explore the rest of them. Take care of the knapbinder, and it will return the favour.¡± ¡°Speaking of Favour¡­can I ask you one?¡± Hans asked shamelessly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You see, a fly is chasing me everywhere I go. I need a quiet place where it can¡¯t reach.¡± Hans pointed towards the estimated location where Kansas was lurking, prompting Higrid to say, ¡°That is some fucking dangerous fly.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hans agreed, nodding, and asked, ¡°So, can I get some quiet place in the Dwarven community?¡± ¡°You can get a place, but it won¡¯t be quiet. We are a noisy bunch.¡± Higrid mentioned. ¡°As long as that ¡®Big Fly¡¯ won¡¯t bother me. I¡¯m good.¡± Hans nodded. ¡°Then come tomorrow. I¡¯ll have a place ready.¡± ¡°Thanks, Higrid.¡± Hans waved his hand and left for home. Since that day, it was Hans¡¯s daily routine to visit the dwarves. The book of power brought major upgrades to Hans¡¯s existing arsenal. His VeganBind didn¡¯t grow stronger, but mixing the replica of day seed into it brought an impactful change. The moment someone rended the vines, it released the solar energy in the form of an explosion. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Seeing him doing extraordinary things, dwarves keep challenging him for inspirations. And it was the day he perfected mixing the day seed with his projectile attack - SeedBullet. ¡°Hey, Zukko.¡± Hans shouted at his sparring partner, ¡°Your armour better be sturdy, I don¡¯t know jack what this attack would do¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look down on Dwarven armour, human brat.¡± The dwarf named, Zukko rebuked, ¡°This is a masterpiece. I won¡¯t even feel it¡ª Swoosh!¡± He wasn¡¯t finished yet. Hans let the improved SeedBullet go. His control over mana wasn¡¯t much improved, but his regular practice had brought significant changes. He could now attack five simultaneous shots, but only one needed to test out both: Zukko¡¯s armour and his new SeedBullet. ¡°Boom!¡± The SeedBullet met the shining armour, and an explosive impact reached everyone¡¯s ears. The dust cloud around Zukko finally settled, and as he had said before, a dwarven armour was very much proven its worth, but Zukko wasn¡¯t scathed completely. He was knocked out cold. Hans was also surprised. It was like he had finally overcome the flaw of his BlastSeed spell, which needed a ridiculous amount to prepare and had a short range and expiration window. He smirked and said to himself, ¡°Now this is what you call a BlastSeed.¡± ¡°Ha! Ha! Ha!..¡± Gasping, Zukko regained consciousness. It was all due to the dirty socks of Higrid stuffed inside his nostrils. But instead of venting on Higrid for his vexing action, he quickly disarmed himself and checked his shining armour, still dent-less. He breathed in relief but soon found a big problem, ¡°No! No! No! Son of a bitch, he broke my protection runes!¡± Before Hans could relish in the joy of what he was thinking, he asked his new dwarven friends to bring out more testing armours, and like an excited bunch, eager to prove their armour was better than the peers. They soon brought their best works, but one after another, Hans¡¯s SeedBullet, which he now called BlastSeed, broke the runes. It was a tight slap on Dwarves¡¯ faces since the advantage of having dwarven armour was that it came with several abilities infused in them by dwarven runes, but now someone was capable of breaking them permanently. However, unlike humans, dwarves were a race driven by the pursuit of challenges. They all set out to refine their armours to withstand any damage Hans could inflict. From that day forward, in the bustling community of dwarves, a cycle ensued: the dwarves continuously crafted new armor, only for Hans to break through them again. Several days had passed since, and Hans had just dismissed the last dwarf. "Return with an upgraded version, Kronof," he called out to the disheartened dwarf. And when the coast was clear of prying eyes, he took out his little notebook, which he was using to keep tabs on things. VeganBind - Explodes when someone tears it down SeedBullet - explodes on impact and destroys the magic runes (not all) SharpDeath - turns into a land mine (uncontrollable ). As a shrapnel mine of dwarves. ¡°There was something else in SeedBullets¡¯ section¡­¡± Hans mumbled and pulled out his Book of Power from the space belt called Knapbinder. ¡°Hmm¡­let¡¯s see.¡± He skimmed pages and stopped at the SeedBullet. Decrypting¡­ LongShot As your understanding of day seed increases, you can use its special property to strengthen the attributes of the plants you create. You¡¯ve noticed the VeganBind becoming stronger and your seed Bullets casings turning unbreakable. With that in mind, I want you to test something. The mana path for seed Bullet you usually stretch, make it so the solar energy absorbs into it. Hans tried, he concentrated, and quickly aligned the environmental mana and stretched it like rubber. ¡°Phew, now focus.¡± He sighed and started directing his absorbed solar energy in the path. ¡°What!¡± Surprised by the sudden accomplishment, he said, ¡°This was easier than I thought.¡± The mana path before him was conjured and was exuding a ravaging energy about to lose. ¡°Now I should put the metallic seed¡ªswoosh¡ªpierce!¡± ¡°The hell you doing, human?¡± Kronof, the dwarf whom Hans dealt the last blow to, was shouting at him from two walls behind. His seedBullet had penetrated the two thick walls of dwarven architecture like a hot knife through butter and hit Kronof¡¯s smithy. ¡°My bad. Sorry.¡±Hans quickly apologised. ¡°Geez, I really need to read before I act.¡± He looked at his book of power and continued. Decrypting¡­ Try to make the seeds more like your fingers, not to forget pointed at the end. The sun¡¯s power inside the mana path provides an explosive momentum, so make sure you point it at your enemies, not friends. ¡°Yeah, I really should¡¯ve read it.¡± Hans nodded shamelessly and continued his reading while resisting his itch to try it again. Decrypting¡­ Also, see how far you can hit the target. It¡¯s very long range and will take time to set up. But its power will be worth the effort, I¡¯m sure of it. Hence, its name, LongShot. ¡°Nice!¡± Hans stood up energetically and called his dwarven friends for a new experiment. And as usual, the curious dwarves came running to see something new. They followed whatever Hans was suggesting and cleared up a straight path over six hundred metres. ¡°This is as far as we can clear up, human.¡± The bar owner, who was practically the middleman between Hans and others, hailed from a distance. ¡°Yeah, that is enough for a trial.¡± Hans yelled and gestured for Higrid to move away. He breathed out and with a graceful movement, his hand stretched and his finger moved as he called forth the feeling of his new SeedBullet, now Longshot.
Elven Lies II Chapter 16 : Peace And Quiet Was A Hard Thing To Ask CHAPTER 16 PEACE AND QUIET WAS A HARD THING TO ASK. ¡°Shweek!¡± with a whisper-like release, the shot was fired. The finger-sized seed streaked through the air, a metallic glint amidst the vast distance. It followed the supercharged mana path, until it met its mark with an explosive resonance. ¡°Clank!¡± A resounding clang reverberated through the air as the SedBullet shattered the silence, leaving behind horrendous faces of the dwarves and a grin on Hans. The dwarven metal, once called a formidable obstacle in the path of projectiles, succumbed to the force of the impact. ¡°Now this is what you call power,¡± Hans yelled excitedly. Meanwhile, the onlookers stayed aghast. ¡°Fuck the fire, what just happened?¡± Kronof cursed aloud. This was the same thing that flew at him before. He was both startled and terrified. ¡°If it was a little lower, my head would be a minced pile of shit.¡± He mumbled beside Hans, but the aggressor had no time to listen to his dwarf friend. ¡°Hey, you human child. Do it in moderation, will ya?¡± He repeated while others ran to see the penetration power of Hans¡¯s attack on their cherished metal alloy. And just like any other time, instead of despair, Hans¡¯s attack instilled inspiration in Dwarves, and they began researching a way to imitate it. A month had passed since that incident, and Hans found himself spending more time with dwarves than at home. He only returned mansion to sleep, and sometimes Aldrich had to coax him back. This was one of those days. Aldrich was practically begging Hans to return. And it had been quite some time since he saw the familiar faces, so taking pity on Aldrich, Hans returned to the mansion. However, he found the welcoming scene quite contrasting. Delimira and Aredhel were locked in some sort of argument, but mostly the daughter was getting schooled by her mother. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± He hushed to Aldrich. ¡°Well, young lord. Your friend there sold her father¡¯s keepsake,¡± Aldrich pointed out. ¡°Why?¡± Hans asked back. ¡°For some money¡ª¡± Before Hans could ask more, the argument there got heated, and Deli raised her voice, ¡°It was just a useless thing of the past.¡± She scoffed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe people still buy things which have sea monsters¡¯ names attached to them¡ª¡± ¡°Show some respect. He is your father, Delimira Winters¡ª¡± ¡°Then ask him to come here and correct me himself.¡± Delimira fumed. ¡°Slap!¡± Aredhel¡¯s hand met Delimira¡¯s cheek strongly. ¡°It was what your father left you. How dare¡ª¡± ¡°It was mine.¡± Delimira bit back, caressing her cheek and reasoned, ¡°Whether I sell it or keep. It doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your mother, you stupid¡ª¡± ¡°Finally, Aredhel Winters remembered having a daughter.¡± Delimira scoffed, her eyes laced with moisture. ¡°Humph! Mother? Don¡¯t joke, a mother never abandons her child to get devoured. Where were you¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, Deli.¡± Hans quickly came and closed her running mouth and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t say something you¡¯ll regret.¡± He then turned to the fuming Aredhel and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°And you.¡± Hans turned back to Delimira, ¡°You are coming with me.¡± He then dragged her out of the hall, straight to his backyard garden. He finally let go of her mouth and said, ¡°Damn it, Winters. You really shouldn¡¯t have sold that. It was from your father. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to avenge him? You should¡¯ve kept it.¡± ¡°Me avenging him¡­ Listen, Hans, people do not avenge others. We are selfish by nature. Do you think ¡®the gone¡¯ would want their loved ones to burn in revenge and hate? NO. We do it because their absence haunts us.¡± Hans had no response for her. He didn¡¯t hear what happened to escalate this between mother and daughter, so it was not his place to offer her advice. But he knew he had to say something, and he did, ¡°Take it from someone who also never saw his father, Deli.¡± The sentiment behind the left objects is what keeps them alive in our hearts.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Humph! Father.¡± She scoffed, ¡°Mine is not like yours, Hans. Yours made sure that you¡¯ll live without bowing to anyone, even if he is gone. Meanwhile, mine saw receiving acknowledgement of the elders more important than keeping her infant daughter safe¡­ and my mother encouraged him.¡± She paused staring right at his eyes, ¡°You¡¯d never know.. Don¡¯t ever take their sides.¡± ¡°Woah! Woah!¡± Hans gestured. ¡°I ain''t saying nothing, Winters.¡± She remained quiet for a while as if her mind was sorting things inside and after a dejected look, she said with a lost smile, ¡°I want to leave the past behind. It held me back, but now I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± ¡°So, what is turning your gears now?¡± Hans asked with a faint smile. ¡°For starters,¡± She smiled, wiping her eyes, and pointed at him, ¡°Your million-gold debt¡ª¡± ¡°Haa! And here I thought you grew a heart or something, ¡± Hans sighed and asked, ¡°So whom did you sell?¡± ¡°Someone I know in Concordia Node.¡± ¡°You mean in the Deadlands?¡± Hans asked, confused. ¡°Mhm.¡± She nodded in response, prompting Hans to ask, ¡°You got contacts there?¡± Delimira nodded again and answered, ¡°If we are talking specifics, it¡¯s your Professor Aredhel¡¯s.¡± ¡°So,¡± Hans rolled his eyes, ¡°you aren¡¯t calling her mother now¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, Hans.¡± ¡°Already did.¡± Hans gestured. He really didn¡¯t want her to turn angry for some reason. ¡°So who is this buyer of yours?¡± He asked, nudging. ¡°Why? You plan to buyback?¡±she asked, maintaining her furrowed brows. ¡°I think so.¡± Hans rolled his eyes again. Delimira mused and asked, ¡°So, you are going to pay me back double of what you owe me and buy that junk back too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s nasty, Winters.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a bad bitch. So don¡¯t do anything foolish and focus on the return you promised ¡®cause even if you buyback that thing, I won¡¯t clear up your debt.¡± ¡°Yeah! Yeah!¡± Hans gestured and asked what he was curious of, ¡°But why did you sell it anyways¡ª¡± ¡°You asked for 500,000 gold. Where did you think I got it¡ª¡± ¡°What? I thought you had it with you.¡± Hans startled. ¡°What kind of a girl has that amount of money?¡± Delimira asked, frowning. ¡°The rich bitc¡­type.¡± Hans corrected him before he could do some damage to himself. ¡°It¡¯s not my money. It¡¯s¡­mother¡¯s. She just gave me a lot to elevate her guilty conscience.¡± ¡°Ah! Man.¡± Hans almost brooded. This was turning into a burden since now he knew where the money came from. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem alright.¡± He mumbled, ¡°What about my guilty conscience now? You sold something precious just to satisfy my whim¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. I just found a better opportunity. I might start living independently after you pay it off. And even if you can¡¯t,¡± She chuckled, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll live reminding you that I lent you the money when you needed it so desperately.¡± ¡°Screw the guilty conscience, let¡¯s just pay her off first and get done with it. Arat was right, an imperial must have no mercy, sympathy, or sense of guilt.¡± Clenching his fist, he resolved, but soon his thoughts broke as Delimira asked him, ¡°Enough about me, what were you working on with dwarves¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, that.¡± Hans interrupted, ¡°Something to blow you off.¡± ¡°I reached the third circle yesterday. You sure¡ª¡± ¡°The fu.. I¡¯m not doing nothing, you know.¡± Hans rebuked, but his obvious jealousy made her smile back. ¡°So what can I expect to see?¡± She teased. ¡°Even you weirding out won¡¯t save you this time.¡± Hans said, proud. ¡°It¡¯s not weirding out.¡± Delimira defended, ¡°I just changed into¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, give it a rest, Deli.¡± Hans shook his head and continued, ¡°Growing scales, serpentine eyes. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called morphing, genius! Not weirding out, and I¡¯m not the only one. I know an idiot that turned into a walking forest monster¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans shook his head instantly, ¡°Elderform is a spell. W.E.I.R.D.O.¡± And before she could come up with a response, Hans added, ¡°Sir Aldrich mentioned you were looking for me. I hope it wasn¡¯t just so you can rub reaching third circle on my face, right?¡± ¡°You got half right. Another reason is that there are some fascinating things going on in the western Duchy of Grimgar.¡± ¡°Sylvetor Duchy?¡± Hans prompted, and Delimira confirmed it, so he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Their second son was robbed blind, and the rumours are that some classified documents that can shake up the Western stronghold were also lost.¡± ¡°I like to laugh at them, but why does it concern me?¡±Hans was puzzled. ¡°Because they chased the thieves to Edenberg Duchy. Now everyone wants the piece of pie called ¡®leverage over Sylvetor family,¡¯ so we have a lot of guests in this county.¡± ¡°So, where are you going with this¡ª¡± Has was still not getting her point. But, Delimira only smiled back in return, throwing him into further suspense. ¡°Oh, just spill it, Winters.¡± he said, annoyed. ¡°A familiar face reached out to me yesterday. You remembered the fire Warlock that helped us in the Capital.¡± ¡°The school with a ominous name¡­ D..Devildom?¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 17 : Getting Rid of Fifth Ranked Pain CHAPTER 17 GETTING RID OF FIFTH RANKED PAIN ¡°Guess who reached me yesterday?¡± Delimira teased Hans, breaking the silence. She twirled her hair and asked, ¡°Remember that fire Warlock who we met in Capital?¡± ¡°That Devildom mage,¡± Hans replied. ¡°Yeah, he reached out to us. The Sylvetor family is offering a million gold, you know¡ª¡° ¡°Leave me out of this, Winters. I already have a headache named Kansas looming over my head¡­ and I¡¯m busy.¡± Hans outright rejected. ¡°But you know.¡± He continued before Delimira could protest further, ¡°You can probably do this on your own. No need to cancel it on my behalf. You got this. So go¡ª¡± ¡°You sure, you don¡¯t want to join?¡± Delimira stressed anyway, ¡°These guys are pretty powerful, you really don¡¯t want to compete with them.¡± ¡°To catch some thieves.. It sounds tempting, but... enjoy yourself, Winters,¡± He replied, waving off the conversation as he made his way to his room, a quiet chuckle escaping him. "Pft! Why split the loot? I''ll keep it all for myself. Thanks, Deli.¡± After a while, a gentle knock roused the lazing Hans from his bed, prompting him to sit up straight, eyes fixed on the door and he heard. ¡°You there, little brother?¡± ¡°Yes, come in, sis.¡± He responded eagerly and as the door creaked open, a smile spread across his face, welcoming Vanessa into the room. ¡°Come on in,¡± he waved, making space on the bed beside him. ¡°Father said you were looking for me.¡± Vanessa asked innocently. ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s exactly going on with the western duchy?¡± Hans asked at point-blank range. ¡°I¡¯m seeing for you after a while, and the first thing you ask is what is happening in someone else¡¯s home. I¡¯m a little hurt, little brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you later, sis.¡± Hans shot stars from his eyes and asked her again, ¡°Western duchy, please?¡± ¡°Fine, fine. Don¡¯t pout, you are not just a kid anymore. It doesn¡¯t suit your stature now¡ª¡± ¡°Haa! Another reason,¡± Hans shook his head mumbling, ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to be the prince. I can¡¯t do this, I can¡¯t do that. Tsk! Tsk!¡ª¡± Vanessa interrupted his train of thoughts. ¡°A few weeks ago, someone broke into the Sylvetor mansion and robbed¡ª¡± ¡°I know what others know, sis.¡± Hans interrupted her, ¡°I want to know what others don¡¯t know?¡± Vanessa remained silent, pondering whether it¡¯s right to tell this troublemaker brother the truth. ¡°I¡¯m still debating whether to tell you or not¡­just promise me, you won¡¯t cause any trouble¡ª¡± ¡°Since when do I cause trouble¡ª¡± ¡°A¡­Every time.¡± She paused, ¡°So do I have your word?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not causing any trouble if no one finds me, right?¡± He asked with a mischievous smile, and after a brief pause, Vanessa responded, ¡°Mmm¡­Kind ah!¡± Hans asked further excitedly, so she continued, ¡°There was something in the bunch that was robbed. A document so scandalous that could destroy the house Sylvetor. So both the Sylvetor family and the Grimgar royals are paying a hefty amount for its retrieval.¡± ¡°But why are these jackasses of thieves doing their deeds here,¡± asked Hans. It was better to flee in Sunfall, since it was near and had some complicated relationship with Grimgar. It would have provided them with safe passage, so he was wondering why they were here, far east. However, Vanessa had the answer for his doubts. ¡°It¡¯s all because those foolish people reached out to the royals, obviously trying to pass this dangerous situation onto them.¡± She said, shaking her head. ¡°And your dear uncle chose Edenberg County for the exchange because no one dares to cause trouble here. It¡¯s the lands of Rudolf and Sierra Edenberg, and now even the foreign Parvian prince is here with the knight association Chairman this is the safest place to be in Grimgar.¡± Hans chuckled in response, thinking, ¡°Since my dear uncle is using me as his shield, shouldn¡¯t he pay an appropriate price?¡± He continued grinning for a while as his mind gears were moving with full speed. ¡°Oh!¡± He said, amazed like an epiphany had hit him. ¡°Sis, I want Kansas gone, real bad. Can you do something?¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°If it were a week before, my answer would¡¯ve been a NO. But now even you can convince him. Since the king is coming himself, shouldn¡¯t he protect him instead of watchdogging you?¡± She mused. Vanessa thought it was good for Hans to learn the art of negotiating with words, but Hans¡¯s head was cooking something else. He was still grinning ear to ear, thinking, ¡°If the king¡¯s envoy suddenly got attacked by someone, Kansas eventually has to go there¡­¡± Both of them were content thinking quite contrasting things. Hans soon discovered the date of the King''s arrival thanks to Vanessa, and he devised a plan to rid himself of Kansas once and for all. Meanwhile, Delimira formed an awkward alliance with Devildom under the pretence of observing them on behalf of the current acting lord, Sierra. The days were passing like flashes, and almost every day new faces showed up at the Edenberg mansion, all aiming to gain the cooperation of Edenberg forces. Sylvetor wanted to hide something and Grimgar Royals wanted something that can teeth down their influence on Sylvetor. Knowing this well, Sierra remained neutral in this power struggle. However, Hans didn¡¯t care who was coming or going from the mansion since he maintained his daily visits to the dwarven community without interruption to avoid raising any suspicions. Fortunately, the dwarves¡¯ likability towards Hans had soared high since he was actively participating in their testing and was sort of a muse to many of them. They agreed to help him evade Kansas¡¯s watchful eye without being detected. ¡°Zzzz¡­Zing!¡± Hans stumbled out of a rift, a prototype of one of his dwarven friends for short-distance teleportation. His head throbbed like crazy. ¡°Hey, Kronof. You sure you tested this before? I¡¯m not the first one to try this, am I?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Kronof chuckled from the other side of the small rift, running his fingers through his thick beard. Hans gagged, spewing out his breakfast. ¡°Jeez, what''s wrong with the space jump and me?¡± He shook his head, relieved that his headache had vanished along with his undigested meal. Wiping his mouth, Hans gestured to his new worn bracer, and asked Kronof, ¡°If I just turn this dial, I''ll be back, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, human. It will work, don¡¯t worry,¡± Kronof reassured him, dismissing his concerns. ¡°How sure are you?¡± Hans asked skeptically. ¡°Around... 80%.¡± ¡°You''re messing with me!¡± Hans exclaimed. ¡°Yeah, I was, human. Just return before two hours. That knight can¡¯t come to the dwarven community without permission, but he can still sense your presence there. We can only mask it for three hours at best.¡± ¡°Then why is my window only two hours¡ª¡± ¡°Precaution, you fool. A dwarf always takes precautions. It''s the nature of our work. Just come back before the two hours are up.¡± Kronof cautioned Hans before the temporary rift closed down. ¡°Fine, you persistent midget,¡± Hans grumbled, activating his wind gem. Flying close to the ground at remarkable speed, he pondered why the King of Grimgar chose the road instead of utilising a space door for teleportation. Upon reaching the passage, he scrutinised the place, noting, "Strange, I still see mana being channeled from miles away. They must be investigating this place beforehand from distance¡­ Thank god I lack mana within me.¡± He scoffed, proud, ¡°They¡­ even their forefathers can''t trace my presence.¡± He was overjoyed, chuckling at the scouts¡¯ reliance on magic instead of physical scouting. ¡°I can¡¯t blame them,¡± he said, ¡°everyone in this world has mana, just not me¡­ stop arguing with yourself, Hans, and do your job.¡± Shaking off his thoughts, he began to devise his master plan and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°You¡¯re in for a wild surprise, Uncle.¡± AFTER A WHILE Hans returned just in time, emerging from the dwarven community precisely as the king was expected to arrive on his planned route. All was left was to wait for the ambush to happen as he talked to Kansas, solidifying his alibi. ¡°Mr. Chairman of the Knight Association.¡± He yelled at the skies, and the bulky knight, the fifth rank holder, appeared behind him. Hans didn¡¯t get spook as the knight had planned, but grinned sideways and turned to him. Meanwhile, at the king¡¯s road, Samwell¡¯s company triggered the first ¡®Landmine¡¯, his newly built version of the SharpDeath spell. ¡°Boom!¡± As the shrapnel-like structures flew like a shower, the unexpected entourage failed to counter since their blind trust in their senses told the area was clear and safe to enter. So these superpowers failing to detect a meager trap was insulting. They spanned their senses yet there was no magic weapon in the vicinity. ¡°Boom!Boom! Boom!¡± Blasts happened in quick succession. They were confused as to how the attacks were happening. But they were the elites of Grimgar, the royal force, so it was not near enough to create panic among them. In a moment, they came encircling their king. ¡°Your Majesty, are you hurt anywhere?¡± A healer mage rushed toward their king. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The run of the healer¡¯s to their king in concern did nothing helpful but triggered the chain reaction. One after another, explosions began, and shrapnel rained like a hailstorm from the above. Since the land mine of Hans was the product of the photon energy which finally breached their armour, taking down their several defensive ruins. ¡°Agh! Ugh! No, my eyes! My legs¡­My groin..¡± The entourage began to cry in agony. The attack wasn¡¯t enough to damage anyone in significance, but dealing with the explosive shrapnel was an annoying task. But Hans wasn¡¯t just planning a harmless prank. He had secretly sprinkled the shrapnels with his ¡®SchizoMania¡¯ spell, which he had first used against the candidates of Knight association in Glory wars and hadn¡¯t used since then. No one knew about his special plants, so it was a perfect plan for Hans to cause a major mental breakdown for the entourage. That¡¯s why Samwell had to rush to Kansas. And as that happened, Hans turned his face towards Kansas. The Chairman¡¯s face showed many colors as his communication orb lit up red, confirming Hans¡¯s plans had borne him fruits. Hans teased, ¡°Why the ugly face¡ª¡± He was interrupted as Kansas jumped high in the sky, reminding Hans that this fellow couldn¡¯t fly too like Rudolf. ¡°This nonsense is finally gone from my neck¡­ ah, this is freedom.¡± He cried in joy. Elven Lies II Chapter 18 : Guests at Home CHAPTER 18 GUESTS AT HOME ¡°What happened here?¡± Kansas was scanning his senses. He came here instantly when his communication orb lit red, a distress signal signifying an emergency. However, the scene of the king¡¯s escorts going berserk, infighting, a madness he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Just what happened here?¡± He turned to the group¡¯s powerhouses, the three Dominion Knights, exclusive to the royalty. ¡°It happened so fast¡­we didn¡¯t have time to prepare¡­ agh this headache¡­¡± Kansas turned around hearing their reply, grasping there were traces of explosions and burst his frustration toward the sane crowd, ¡°How you fools couldn¡¯t stop mere mana bombs? Have you sold your senses¡ª¡± ¡°Pardon me, sir..¡± The mage, scout of the escorts answered, ¡°They weren¡¯t mana bombs¡­I know¡­no one couldn¡¯t have detected them¡­they weren¡¯t responding to mana.¡± ¡°Useless shit heads.¡± He frantically asked the mages, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you couldn¡¯t even procure the evidence, too?¡± The mage lowered his head and didn¡¯t respond, suggesting the obvious answer leaving Kansas to grumble. Frustrated but at last, Kansas finally took notice of the hypnotised knight and mages of the escorts. ¡°What the hell is wrong with these fools?¡± Kansas¡¯s eyes searched for traces of magic but couldn¡¯t find anything. Some were loitering here and there. Some were frantically attacking others, and some were even crying like they were high in depression. ¡°This is not magic but alchemy¡­¡± Kansas reached the conclusion, ¡°It¡¯s a fuckin¡¯ poison you fools.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The mage who had lowered his head in disappointment once again responded like a meerkat. He reasoned further, ¡°But it¡¯s too late, our healer¡¯s spell isn¡¯t working. The poison is deep in the system. The bombs had small, piercing objects, laced with poison. Some¡­some sort of hypnotic drug.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Kansas roared in response, ¡°How the fuck did three Dominion knights could not stop mere bombs? Even if you are useless, your armours should¡¯ve prevented this shitty attack.¡± The sane knights lowered their heads in shame. Kansas was talking jabs one after another, so one of the more courageous escorts showed his damaged armour to Kansas. Frowning his brows, Kansas focussed, ¡°Hmm¡­ so it was not just a mere mana bomb. Something that can damage the dwarven runes¡­maybe elven craftsmanship or even some unknown alchemy?¡± Kansas had no definite answers but a lot of questions. However, it wasn¡¯t important for now. He roared again and the effects of Hans¡¯s little assault wore off like it was a lie. Then Kansas focussed his sight at the king¡¯s road and his aura traced the whole path like a serpent on hunt. The whole road turned upside down, like a massive plough had ran rampant there. In the process, several more similar explosion happened. ¡°I was right,¡± Kansas mumbled, ¡°This is some insane bastard¡¯s handiwork. He doesn¡¯t want to kill but stall or chase you away¡­¡± Seeing the spectacle, Samwell came beside the enraged Warlord, ¡°You are right Kansas, my friend.¡± Samwell tousled his well shaved chin and asked, ¡°Is this the doing of Sylvetor family¡ª¡± ¡°I told you to let go of this, you bas..your majesty.¡± Kansas almost let out his inner feelings but calmed down with the same pace he got enraged. He continued in a hushed voice, ¡°Just what will you get by poking around your wife¡¯s family? They are a ducal family of Sylvetor, one of the founding fathers. You need them¡ª¡± ¡°They are cancer to my reign. As long as they stay strong, my hands will be tied. I¡¯m not like my Parvian brother or my destroy-everything-father.¡± Samwell shook his head and continued in a sombre tone, ¡°I¡¯m a politician. And a politician needs to cut off the rotten part to move forward, Kansas.¡± ¡°You both literally and figuratively made your bed with Sylvetor, Samwell. You need to lie in it and let go¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Samwell quickly rejected, ¡°That document is key to controlling the Sylvetor family for good. I need it badly, Kansas.¡± ¡°Then its fortunate since I was commissioned here before this nonsense happened.¡± Kansas sighed in relief and continued,¡°Edenberg is declared a no Warlord zone now. No new can enter it now or else Rudolf will return and you know what will happen then.¡± ¡°Initially I didn¡¯t want you to help me in this but, yes, its good you were here before this ban could start. Its like the gods are shining upon me.¡± Samwell chuckled in sarcasm as he looked his half-gone mad royal escorts. Kansas hummed and asked doubting, ¡°Assuming, hypothetically if it was your in-laws who attacked you¡­ It fits the bill that they didn¡¯t want to injure you, yet this isn¡¯t enough to scare you away. Something feels wrong here.¡± ¡°It could¡¯ve been retaliation¡± Samwell thought deep. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Did you do something¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡± Samwell chuckled, ¡°I sent their mages to afterlife.¡± ¡°You do shitty things when I¡¯m not around, your majesty.¡± Kansas pointed to the maddened soldiers on the ground, still sniggering even when Kansas¡¯s aura washed them of poison. He grunted and rushed others,¡°Knock these bastards out and do something about the injured. We need to enter Edenberg¡¯s borders now.¡± Meanwhile, with the glee of a child skipping, Hans entered the mansions in joy. However, he met with an eerie atmosphere. Everyone was running around anxiously. Hans found his way to Vanessa. "What''s going on?" he asked, his voice imitating innocence. Vanessa motioned for him to follow her to a more secluded spot ¡°Was your hand in this madness?¡± She asked almost certain. ¡°You said to convince Kansas,¡± Hans answered, innocent, ¡°I¡¯m not seeing so it was a job well done. Don¡¯t you think, sis?¡± ¡°Ah! Dear brother, there is a limit of how much they can tolerate you.¡±she said, gripping his shoulders firmly, ¡°You are in foreign soil, this is not your home as before.¡± ¡°It was foolproof¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing is foolproof. Only fool and proof, dear brother. It was good that lady Sierra banned any warlord from entering the territory.¡± ¡°That was in my calculations too, you know¡ª ¡°You are bad in math.¡± Vanessa pointed immediately. ¡°Lets see how much damage you¡¯ve done. We received news of emergency. The king was ambushed just at the borders of Edenberg. They have injured and are in the way here.¡± Hans, Vanessa and others waited for the royal escort to arrive. And after an hour or so, the trumpets around the Edenberg mansion signalled the king¡¯s arrival in chorus. The group of around thirty people entered through gates. The emergency medical ward was established in the garden and Hans slowly approached, observing their guests. ¡°Who did you pissed off this time uncle?¡± He popped out beside Samwell, almost surprising the king of Grimgar. And as if he prepared his dialogues, he teased, ¡°And people call me troublemaker. Even sending their best knight to reign me down. Tsk! Tsk!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rub it, nephew. I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Come on, they all look fine.¡± Hans pointed his healing Soldiers. He was not even surprised by their rate of detoxification and recovery under Sierra¡¯s spell. ¡°They were just attacking each other¡ª¡± ¡°Ooh! Why is that?¡± Hans piqued interest. ¡°You know, Im a curious cat.¡± Samwell stared at Hans in doubt, almost giving him the cold sweat. ¡°Come on tell me what happened?¡± Hans nudged him sneakily. ¡°Here.¡± Samwell, hesitatingly pulled out a sphere of light that held one of Hans¡¯s shrapnel. ¡°The heck they captured it. This should have turned to dust the minute it exploded. How is it in his hands?¡± Hans couldn¡¯t let his inner thoughts come onto his face so maintaining his composure like a wise sage, he asked Samwell, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The culprit.¡± Samwell answered with suspicion. ¡°Do you know where it comes from. Looks elven craftsmanship to me.¡± Hans let the words fly since he knew, at least one person from the group would¡¯ve thought that. Since Dwarf were famous for building machinery and structures while elves stood high in fine and intricate craftsmanship. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Sierra came ruining Hans¡¯s parade and contradicted him, ¡°This is not elven, everything they do reeks of mana, but this little thing is just¡­plain.¡± Hans began to be troubled after hearing her words, ¡°Stop it, Grandma, don¡¯t throw your lovely grandson to the guillotine.¡± Thinking hard about how to divert this, he came up with a way. ¡°But who is so pissed at you to use this childish trick?¡± Hans said nonchalantly and made everyone turn to him. When Hans was sweating bullets, thinking he was caught. The people staring at him were thinking, ¡°Talking too much about this with Hans will do nothing good.¡± ¡°Why do you think we are here, nephew?¡± Samwell probed him. ¡°Who knows?¡± Hans quipped, ¡°Maybe you are preparing for divorce and needed some shady things about your wife¡¯s family.¡± ¡°So you do know something¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not deaf and definitely not an idiot. The Sylvetor is a hot potato in Edenberg nowadays. Everyone talks about how you and they both were giving around a million gold to procure some documents. It¡¯s an open secret, Uncle.¡± Samwell remained composed so Hans grinned, ¡°You really out lucked yourself by sending Mr Kansas before. No other warlord can enter now and with his help it¡¯s not some complex math to know. You¡¯ll be the winner in the end.¡± ¡°You are right about one thing. I¡¯ll take that hot potato in the end¡ª¡± ¡°Just make sure you won¡¯t explode anything like that in the county.¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°This place might not be mine, but it still is my home.¡± ¡°Hey, cheeky brat. This is my country, and you are asking me to not damage it. Isn¡¯t this the other way around?¡± ¡°All I do is wake up, eat, and loiter around and sleep. I ain''t the one looking around my wife¡¯s family, sir.¡± Hans¡¯ words left Samwell speechless, and when he found the atmosphere getting tense, he nailed the coffin by saying, ¡°You should hurry. I saw several shady people in the way back.¡± He pointed at his glowing eyes, ¡°You know I can see how powerful they are, right? You should be concerned.¡± Hans warned them with a total lie, but it worked like a charm on Samwell. He was blinded by the idea of getting free from his in-laws¡¯ influence and commanded Kansas to follow him in his goose chase. The idea of getting free from Kansas by Samwell¡¯s mouth sounded like a sweet melody to Hans, and he unknowingly blurted out, ¡°Finally, that scary knight is off my back!¡± Everyone turned to him, and he quickly mumbled an excuse, ¡°I was getting tired of visiting dwarves. They drink, curse, and talk a lot, and when they¡¯re not doing that, they just bang on metal. My ears are still ringing.¡± ¡°Just what do you want to do this privately so you can¡¯t even allow Kansas to watch? He was there to protect you from unwanted troubles.¡± Samwell defended. "Yeah, playing the spy for you? Hard pass." Hans coughed, his hand forming a fist over his mouth, as if to stifle further words. "I''m still growing, you know. Got my own secrets to keep. Take a hint and drop it." With that, Hans let Samwell''s imagination wander, leaving him to find his own conclusion. And just like that, the shrapnel incident was put on hold indefinitely. Samwell was convinced it was Sylvetor''s doing. After all, there was a wild card in the Sylvetor family: his brother-in-law, known for antics far beyond planting a mere mine in someone''s path.
Elven Lies II Chapter 19 : Paradise Garden CHAPTER 19 PARADISE GARDEN When these uninvited guests had welcomed themselves into the county¡¯s mansion, Delimira and Ezekiel were searching for the alleged thieves like madmen. All eyes were on the royal escorts who now moved to a high-class inn in the market area of Edenberg. And as Vanessa had told Hans, they were waiting for the thieves to come clean and even take the reward for handing over the document to them. Similarly, not far from them, the Sylvetor family had made their temporary home in some merchant¡¯s mansion. They were also waiting for the thieves to choose them. The reward for the stolen document was increasing like an ongoing bid, going from 1 million to now three million gold. It pulled many known and unknown faces into the goose chase. However, Hans was living his life in quiet. No one was there to disturb him. He didn¡¯t have to go to the dwarves and bear their nonsense anymore. He only needed one companion, his new Book of Power. He was reading it again to see if he missed something. The first page still had the method for gaining solar energy. ¡°Photonise - A way for charging myself and my spells with the sun¡¯s power.¡± ¡°VeganBind upgrade - making explosions on break. It¡¯s even stronger after fusing with day seed.¡± ¡°SeedBullet, or should I say Blastbullets now. SeedBullets with explosive damage. I needed this.¡± ¡°I even have a brand-new version called LongShot, just like its name, a long-range penetrative spell. I still need to test its range, but it¡¯s confirmed to have 500m for now.¡± ¡°Landmine - I need to be careful using this since the royal escort experienced this firsthand.¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± He grinned, thinking about his new attacks and looking at the bright sun. He absorbed those rays as if he was breathing air. His entire body encompassed a sunny hue, and he lifted himself with the ¡®Blessing of Wind¡¯ pendant. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy a little,¡± he yelled and began to encircle their mansion with top speed. He wasn¡¯t just enjoying the exhilaration but was finding a sweet spot in equalising his absorption and exhaustion of the sun¡¯s energy. ¡°Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!¡± He continued his playful act until he got the result and happily sat down. He also found a downside to his new solar power apart from the obvious that it became dud after sunset. He needed water and a lot of it. The use of Solar energy left him dehydrated so he was carrying several water pouches in his space belt named Knapbinder. Hans¡¯s eyes were searching for anyone whom he could test his progress, but Aldrich was away monitoring the tense situation between the royal and ducal households. Sierra was busy in the office with Vanessa, and Delimira was searching for thieves with the Devildom people. ¡°Hmmm¡­ fine. I¡¯ll learn something extra then.¡± He skimmed the pages and found a new chapter titled ParadiseGarden. ¡°Interesting.¡± He mumbled and began to read. Decrypting¡­ Ever seen Lady Sierra¡¯s Immortal Sanctuary? A place, as long as you are there, you can¡¯t die. Sounds overpowered, right? Because it is. If she wants to save someone, even ancients will have a hard time killing them. Similar to that, you can create a sanctuary of your own. I called it Paradise Garden. As long as you keep it steady, the surrounding of yours will turn into a holy land of no exhaustion, neither mana nor stamina. It could even close the wounds. Sure, Lady Sierra''s Immortal Sanctuary is a very powerful support spell, but hers only provides infinite health regeneration. Yours, on the other hand, not only heals but also restores lost aura/mana and energy in a snap. Sounds intimidating, right? But it''s actually pretty straightforward. Picture it like an upgraded SilvaOrtus. You soak up solar energy, which then flows through you, revitalising anyone nearby. You''ve felt that energy surge when you photonise. However, others can''t handle it directly. By channeling it through you, it transforms into vitality, supercharging stamina and natural healing. Its not mana you are using, its sheer life force. There''s this rare, five-star herb called ¡®Inception-Rega.'' When keep close to heart, It absorbs nature''s mana and transfers compatible elements to the heart. Like an artificial mana heart for both mages and knights. Powerful mana users use this to boost their disciples, but finding it isn''t easy as this is a five star magic herb. However, including it in your ¡®Paradise garden¡¯ will give it mana-regeneration powers, fulfilling my spell''s vision." Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Hans read how to perform this spell in detail and closed the book. ¡°Yeah its quite easy. I just¡¯ve to be a sitting duck, waiting to be slaughtered¡­But it will help if I have allies around me¡­ I¡¯m a prince so it could happen¡­ at least lets try it.¡± As mentioned in the method, Hans had a perfect vine variant for transference purpose. He remembered how Chris called him a mosquito because he sucked all of his energy out. ¡°Lets start.¡± Few Hours has passed since he started. ¡°The heck this is straightforward father. Try doing this.¡± Hans gasped, he was almost spent and charred by keep photonising himself. Since the dusk was approaching he had mere half an hour to finish it. However, his madness didn¡¯t gone unnoticed since many of the house servant¡¯s had encircled him to see what their young lord, no Prince Parv now, was going to pull. Breathing in deep, Hans stood determined, ¡°Its now or never¡± he said to himself and rooted his legs firmly into the earth, connecting with the rich soil beneath him. As he did, tiny tendrils of verdant green begin to unfurl from the ground, weaving and winding their way around his feet. These delicate vines as fine as threads, pulse with a subtle energy, drawing power from the glowing Hans himself. With each passing moment, they grew stronger, branching outwards in a dance of vitality. The servant¡¯s had seen a lot of things by just being the part of Edenberg household but Hans was never the one who ran out of surprises. The whole backyard now was glowing with the same light as Hans, like a dawning sun has appeared before them. Soon that tendrils approached them like a slithering snakes and gently touched their skins. They felt an electrifying, as a surge of vitality coursed through their veins. Hans could feel it too, as he was absorbing the sun¡¯s energy, the energy was also sucked away as it was transforming into vitality and transmuting into the servants. He felt as conduit, a power pack for anyone around him. ¡°This is not bad.¡± Hans mumbled as he closed the spell. He found the spell irrelevant because he always fought alone not knowing this spell will become his goto signature in the future. He quickly left the backyard and it turned normal. The servant¡¯s were so surprised that they even forgot to greet him. They all stood stunned and Hans thought it was some side effect so he hurried inside and so no one could blame him. But when he left, some one spoke, my legs, my limp is gone. What happened?¡± ¡°Another responded, my scar is gone.¡± ¡°I worked whole day. I felt I could die any moment but now, I think, I can work whole night too¡ª¡± ¡°Look at this bastard. After whole day of slaving away. He still wants to work.¡± They all bickered comparing what changed in them, but all nodded when someone mentioned a point, ¡°Imperials are not ordinary humans but descendants of god itself.¡± Unaware of the amazed feeling of servants, Hans came to his dining room, which was devoid of house members. No one was here to break bread with him. He wanted to ask about a five-star herb. But only Hodges was there for him to listen. But Hans knew what sort of expression this old butler would make if he mentioned a five-star herb, which could tantamount to a few hundred thousand gold easily. A few more days passed since he began to use ParadiseGarden. The servants kept requesting him daily for the spell, and he found no cause to reject them. They were offering themselves as test subjects; how could he deny them? Finally, his regular summoning of ParadiseGarden spell caught Sierra¡¯s attention as Hodges kept pestering her to take a look once. He was proud at his young lord helping the house servants reliving their stress and exhaustion. He wanted to show off and had practically dragged her ladyship out of the office. As she saw the exhaustion evaporating from others, she touched the wavy glowing tendrils and it stuck to her hand, gently circling around her beautiful white hand. Hans was quite relaxed at this point but soon he found his energy pouring into a broken vase. No matter how much he absorbed from sun, all went like a poof. He turned to look at the source of his troubles and found his grandma softly chuckling at him. ¡°Grandma!¡± Hans said confused. ¡°Vitality. Its quite nice to be on receiving end for once. Well done Hans.¡± It was the first time Hans heard her praise like this. It wasn¡¯t like she never praised him, but he never found her so surprised like this. It was like everything he did before was something she expected him to do, but not this. He wanted to relish in the moment, but his equivalency with input and output was quite disturbed. If that continued, soon he¡¯d look like a skeleton. ¡°Grandma¡­ can you let go¡­I might die¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, child. It¡¯s just felt so good. My exhaustion is almost gone. Thank you.¡± She kept chuckling, but Hans felt like he was on his last straws. Taking a deep breath, he began photonising again, and his vigour returned in a few minutes. ¡°Damn it. I think I might really die if I use ParadiseGarden on a few powerful people.¡± Hans was deep in thought, forgetting that Sierra ran on divine mana, which was another term for vitality. So she naturally needed far more to refill herself. He was in deep thought and didn¡¯t sense her coming beside him. ¡°Hans, my dear. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I need practice. Next time, I can re-energise you completely.¡± He nodded confidently. Before he thought of this spell as something he¡¯d not master completely. However, just seeing Sierra that happy resolved him to focus on this spell more than anything. ¡°How amazed she¡¯d be if I can regenerate mana too. I should let it be a surprise.¡± Hans threw out the idea of asking for inception-rega plant. He thought it would be more meaningful if he could procure it himself and amaze her even more. After that, Hans discovered the ideal candidate for ParadiseGarden. Daily as the dusk approached, Sierra descended, and he put all his effort into energising her completely. Yet, there was always a bit left undone. Still, bit by bit, he was closing the gap. Just like this his holidays were coming to the end but the nonsensical cold war between Grimgar royals and Sylvetor remained in Edenberg. It was time it became irritating to Hans and now he was set to do something about it.
Elven Lies II Chapter 20 : The Outing CHAPTER 20 THE OUTING Two whole months of their precious holidays vanished in the blink of an eye! Hans, relying on intel from his goto spy Vanessa, learned that the thieves were finally about to seal the deal with the royals. Despite the efforts of the Delimira and many working as bounty hunters to reclaim stolen goods, the crucial documents everyone sought remained elusive. ¡°So where is the exchange?¡± Hans raised his eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know dear brother. The royals are not that big morons¡± Hans thought a little, ¡°Why do I even care?¡± Puzzled by his own thinking, Hans sighed, saying ¡°It looks like Kansas will come soon breathing down my neck.¡± ¡°Unless. The royals fail to claim the prize¡ª don¡¯t get any ideas, dear brother.¡± She interrupted herself but it was too late. ¡°So thats why I cared.¡± Hans was grinning inside. He left Vanessas troubled. However, he didn¡¯t had any means to find out the agreed location of exchange. ¡°How can I find it? Think Hans, think!¡± He pressed his temples but not a single idea popped but Delimira, similar to a crescent moon nowadays, showed up. ¡°So you are home?¡± She asked surprised. ¡°Yeah. How are your pervert friend.¡± Hans rolled his eyes to see if Delimira¡¯s new friends followed her to mansion, but no one was behind her. He tilted his head toward her, his eyes seems to asking the same questions. ¡°First, they aren¡¯t my friends and second, I don¡¯t know about pervert part, but you should¡¯ve joined us Hans. It was good opportunity to measure their capability¡ª¡± ¡°They were thinking the same. Thats why they invited us Deli.¡± Hans said nonchalant. ¡°So, our Hans is using head for the change¡ª¡± ¡°I always use my head Winters.¡± ¡°Yeah, for head butting. So what you are up to these days. You still want to keep it as secrets¡ª¡± ¡°What about you? How far you progressed.¡± Hans asked curious. ¡°Hmm..¡± Delimira poised thinking and answered, ¡°I reached third circle and in Krosh spirit¡­ I don¡¯t wanna tell you.¡± ¡°Acting cheeky. Hahn!¡± Hans mused and asked her, ¡°So you also know that royals won the negotiation right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Delimira nodded in agreement, continuing, ¡°Thats why I came back. Going against a warlord is not some sane business.¡± Hans readily agreed, attacking in the presence of Warlord was a crazy talk unless one was in the same league. The possibility of Kansas leaving him alone narrowed further after the wake up call by Delimira, but a spark also came to his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t have to know where is the exchange. I just need to follow the Sylvetor people since they don¡¯t have Warlord with them, as long as I''m very careful they wont find me.¡± ¡°So Deli, why were these Devildom people outside their natural habitat? I thought they lived inside the barrier!¡± ¡°They were training with Knight Association members in the capital and were on their way back through Sylvetor duchy. Then the heist happened, and Sylvetors employed them to find their stolen goods.¡± ¡°So, you were on the opposite side of Grimgar.¡± Hans concluded. ¡°Mhm,¡± she nodded, adding, ¡°That¡¯s why I bailed out when Kansas got involved.¡± Hans thought a little and asked after deep contemplation, ¡°Wanna rob these fools blind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± She leaned in, a soft smile played on her lips, her eyes sparkling with excitement. And with a gentle sweep of her hand, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the gesture so natural and fluid it seemed to mesmerise even Hans. ¡°Woah! Not this close Winters.¡± He pushed her gently, his face flushed and his voice startling. ¡°You wanna talk about robbing royalty this openly?¡± Her canned eyes asking the same. ¡°Who said about robbing royalty. I¡¯m talking about those thieves. That document or whatever is still in those fools possession, right?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Yeah and they are neatly hidden, we can¡¯t find them¡ª¡± ¡°Leave that to me.¡± Hans¡¯s tone carried confidence and he continued, ¡°First tell me where are the Sylvetor family stationed.¡± ¡°East to the central market. The merchant called Moman.¡± She wasn¡¯t even finished and Hans dragged her to his room. Shutting his door tight he brought out the map of county. ¡°I¡¯m not good with direction. Just point it.¡± Delimira circled a place and Hans find three towers near the location and chose the tallest one that was far outer from the city. He asked her, ¡°Can you guess the general location of exchange?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be somewhere out. They must conduct the exchange in some populated place so a fight won¡¯t escalate. After all, if a fight occurred, the usual culprit would be royal family or Sylvetor.¡± ¡°So they won¡¯t leave the city. This makes it easier.¡± Hans opened the door sending the map in his knapbinder belt. ¡°Come along, lets find these idiots.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I told you, they are well hidden? Even Kansas couldn¡¯t find it.¡± ¡°That only means one thing, Delimira Winters. They are using an artefact.¡± Hans pointed to his head, ¡°I have a cheat in finding artefact. Remember, I¡¯m Hans of Parv from a nation also known for its intricate artisan capabilities, lets go.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t interested in finding Sylvetor¡¯s stuff before. What happened?¡± She asked puzzled as they came down the stairs. ¡°A crisis, winters. A big bad crisis.¡± Hans answered and ran to inform Sierra. After a while he returned and ran outside where Delimira was waiting for him near their ride. He quickly jumped inside and offered her a hand as he half leaned out from the carriage. They both sat and the driver rode off to the out of the city. Near the gates they were halted by the guards and after checking the legit papers of leaving the city. The guards asked, why are you leaving the city sire. ¡°Its so tense here. We are going to border watch tower to the east Mr. Knight.¡± The guards didn¡¯t questioned further, since this was the very excuse many had given them since the morning. The ducal house and royalty locking their fangs was bad news for residents. Their lord, currently Sierra was doing her best to manage but everyone knew a fight could break any moment. After passing through the gates, Hans finally took a long breather. He was out of the city and it wasn¡¯t as if he left without any purpose. Both were gone with the excuse of training and Hans assured Sierra that even if something happens he could just use INGRESS and come back in a jiffy. Under normal circumstances, Sierra wouldn¡¯t have permitted their outing, but Hans was alot stronger now, and Delimira was a third circle mage. With the tense atmosphere of the city she thought the quiet time in border watchtower would be good for kids. As the carriage got some distance, Hans knocked from inside. ¡°Stop there.¡± He ordered to halt and when the carriage stopped, he quickly jumped out. The driver was startled, he quickly jumped out too. He pleaded, ¡°Pardon me young lord, but this is middle of nowhere. I promised the lady to safely bring you to the watch tower.¡± ¡°We will come later, you go ahead.¡± Hans hushed him. ¡°I can¡¯t, young lord¡ª¡± ¡°Take a hint old man.¡± Hans reached out and gently grasped Deli''s shoulder, his touch both firm and affectionate. With a warm smile lighting up his face, he leaned in slightly, his eyes shining with affection. ¡°You understand, now.¡± The driver wanted to shout, you are only twelve you punk but couldn¡¯t. The world of noble was far more lecherous than the commoners so he didn¡¯t questioned and followed the order. ¡°Take your hands off of me. I¡¯ll kill you if you do it again Hans Parvert.¡± Delimira shrugged off his hand as something bad had touched her. It wasn¡¯t that she was unfamiliar with Hans¡¯s touch, but the way he acted gave her goosebumps of lifetime. Meanwhile Hans broke into laughter and kept laughing for a long time. ¡°You done?¡± She asked as he slowed down. ¡°Yeah, Winters. You should¡¯ve saw your face. Ah, man, I never laughed this bad¡ª¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Hans offered her a hand while she looked confused. ¡°Take my Hand winters, we are going to fly.¡± He urged and pulled her close. ¡°Hold tight.¡± He yelled and as her grip increased, he gently levitated gaining altitude. ¡°Woah, this is fun.¡± She said as the mesmerising view of dusk in the city welcomed her eyes. ¡°Its not the time for enjoyment Winters. Activate your Krosh arts, the one where you disappears.¡± Delimira sensed the inkling of Hans¡¯s plan. He wanted to be hidden from every eyes at the skies. So surrounding him with dead Mana. She activated her krosh art¡¯s mirage form while Hans commanded in an authoritative tone: SCAN All of his view turned in various colours. ¡°Since they are using the artefact for hiding from Kansas. They are either imitating their surrounding or subtracting their presence with magic.¡± He mumbled and found several patches off lands without any colour. He marked those places in his mind but found an oddity. ¡°Look at this bastards. Found them.¡± Hans grinned and slowly come down the ground. While most people could only discern the presence or absence of mana, but Hans had a special gift. He had the SCAN Privilege from OSIRIS, which allowed him to detect artifacts by sensing their unique mana flow. The empty, colorless patches were the people of Sylvetor and royalty. However, the place with constant color was an artifact trying to blend in, but since these thieves weren¡¯t very wealthy and weren¡¯t needed to be right now, since only a warlord capable of great senses could detect them which wasn¡¯t present there since the Ban. The sun was already beneath the horizon and Hans and Delimira were just half an hour behind the carriage. He was flying with top speed but since he was carrying a heavy baggage named Delmira Winters. His speed was significantly reduced. ¡°And she said, not to touch me. Now who is back hugging me, tsk!¡± Hans mumbled. ¡°Hey, did you say something? I can''t hear a thing over this gusty wind!¡± Delimira shouted, leaning close to Hans¡¯s ears. Hans shook his head right and left. ¡°There is no point for you to know, Winters.¡± They hurried towards their carriage just as it was about to enter the Watchtower area, narrowly catching up with it before it rolled any further. ¡°Now Shall we start?¡± He grinned looking at the thieves¡¯ direction.
Elven Lies II Chapter 21 : The Interception CHAPTER 21 THE INTERCEPTION As the carriage rattled to a halt, Hans and Delimira peered eagerly through the clear windows. Beyond the swaying trees and rustling path, the tall Watchtower of Edenberg¡¯s border loomed into view, its towering silhouette commanding the horizon. ¡°Woah! Winters, did you know it was this big?¡± Delimira remained quiet, the words weren¡¯t coming out of her mouth. She didn¡¯t expect the watchtower of a mere county to be this magnificent. The illuminating top that almost touched clouds while the girth of almost an entire field. With a sense of awe and reverence, they stepped out of the carriage, their footsteps muffled by the moist ground. If it was something this big, it would have been seen from far away, but it just popped up when they came near. She turned to the carriage driver, ¡°Are you sure we aren¡¯t in a mage tower?¡± The driver smiled, almost proud, ¡°You catch on quickly, Ms. Winters.¡± He glanced at the tower, ¡°This used to be a mage tower in the past.¡± ¡°That explains the magic here!¡± Hans mumbled. As they approached the base of the tower, the fine carvings of the old runes shimmered in the pale glow. Hand in hand, they gazed upwards, craning their necks to take in the view. ¡°Lets enter, Deli.¡± Hans called as he reached the entrance in no time. The personnel there were already informed. So their entry was just like a breeze. As soon as they settled, they were invited by the commander for dinner. Hans knocked on the door and entered the dining hall. A brute, the first thought which came to Hans¡¯s mind as he saw the commander. ¡°I almost thought he was a knight,¡± Hans almost said aloud. The bulky muscles, heavy and long moustache which had turned white quite contrasted with his black, dark hair. His every feature screamed of him being a warrior, but Hans knew this man was the sole Warlock of Edenberg County. ¡°Its nice to meet you, Warlock Khitan.¡± ¡°The feeling is mutual prince Parv,¡±Khitan mused, ¡°Or should I stick to young lord?¡± ¡°The later, please.¡±Hans replied. ¡°Fine, young lord.¡± He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and turned serious, ¡° Lets get down to business. I received the Countess¡¯s words, but I want to hear from you. Why are you here? Do I have to prepare some measures¡­you see, your reputation of being the trouble magnet¡ª¡± ¡°Did Grandma say something?¡± Hans furrowed his brows. ¡°No.No.¡± Khitan rolled his eyes at the Delimira beside him, ¡°Its a pleasure to meet you too, the heiress of the Winter Company.¡± ¡°Pft.. heiress.¡± Hans covered his mouth and after correcting his posture as a dignified person, he said, ¡°Pay no mind to her. You can¡¯t know what happens in rich families.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Khitan laughed hard, ¡°I¡¯d have raised you a glass if you were the age, young lord.¡± As the both men chuckled, Delimira silently ran her knife on the piece of meat and savoured its flavour as her stupid companions continued their idiotic talk. After downing his wine, the burly knight looking mage, slammed the glass onto the table, surprising the guests with his strength, yet miraculously the thin glass survived. He then turned to Hans, his voice gruff, and demanded, ¡°But, seriously. Why are you here?¡± ¡°The city is quite noisy since king Samwell graced us with his presence.¡± Hans said chugging down his juice. ¡°Thats not the reason to come here. Its dreary here¡­¡± "You know," Hans scoffed, his eyes rolling in exasperation, "if things go south, its a good chance that somehow will take the fall. So, I figured it''s best to steer clear of the chaos. Pretty smart move, don''t you think?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Khitan tensed his brows. ¡°Its safer than sorry.¡± Hans reiterated how Xandor framed him and how the Clandorians wanted to take advantage of the situation. ¡°There is no telling what these bastards would do. Its better if I¡¯m away. So, Warlock Khitan, bear with me until the matter with Sylvetor settles.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I¡¯ve no problems with you. Until you cross the border and do some shit in Reinhardt duchy.¡± He sighed, almost frustrated, ¡°Our dear count already caused a lot of trouble last year inthe neighbourhood, so alert level is quite high.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Hans nodded and they finished their dinner with peace. He even asked to go to the battlement, the top. Soon both Hans and Delimira found themselves in a lift, slowly going up. The door opened and after a quick staircase, they reached the battlement. ¡°You¡¯ve become quite the cautious, Hans.¡± Delimira nudged him giggling. ¡°I don''t want another Xandor blunder Deli. Just precautions.¡± He replied in a sage like manner. ¡°Yeah, Yeah, Prince Parv.¡± Delimira said focussing at the direction where Hans had pointed her before when he was carrying her on back. She pointed, ¡°Are you certain, the thieves are hiding there.¡± ¡°Yes, Winters, my senses are similar to a warlock. The very thing that neither party has brought to the city.¡± Hans grinned as he lowered her hand to avoid any unnecessary eyes to pry. He once again scanned his environment but Khitan was a laid back person. He was only concerned that no one breached the border from any side. Whatever Hans was doing was none of his business. Wearing a wicked grin Hans commented, ¡°We¡¯ll rob them all, just you wait.¡± Delimira and Hans begin their stakeout. Her vision was even more precise than Hans. If she enhanced it with mana, her unique lineage added a super magnification to her eyes. However, she soon gave up and went downstairs. While Hans, maintained the tension of his twisted mana path for his long shot. ¡°I should¡¯ve listened to my guts. I doubt they would use the broad day light to avoid any fights..Yawn!¡± He gasped air as there was still no movement and change in the SCAN result. ¡°Thats some determination.¡± A sweet yet sarcastic voice came from the back and he turned. ¡°You are here. yawn!¡± Hans said, his blacks hanging beneath his eyes. ¡°Can you check if there is movement¡± Hans pinched his eyes in weariness. She focussed, but there was no change around the warehouse which Hans was stalking. Another thought hit her, ¡°Hey, why did you drag me into this. You could¡¯ve just did this deed by yourself¡ª¡± ¡°You are my alibi as always, Deli.¡± Hans said and quickly added after seeing her frowning face, ¡°I thought you wanted to know what kind of document can drag two powerhouses¡ª¡± ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that? But how are you gonna pull this off?¡± She glanced at distance, ¡°In your words, its too frickin far.¡± ¡°You let me worry about it.¡± Hans showed off. ¡°Getting smug, aren¡¯t you.¡± Delimira focussed her gaze to the ware house, and as she expected it was several kilometres away. With everything she knew about Hans, it was not something he could pull off without getting any notice from Kansas. Him being confident meant only one thing, he had new tricks. Few hours has passed since then. Hans satiated himself from what he stored in his space belt. He gestured Delimira to take one too, but she suddenly spoke. ¡°Hey someone is coming out of the warehouse¡ª¡± ¡°Not someone but some people, Deli.¡± Hans interrupted counting four people, leisurely walking like it was another Sunday morning, all leaving for different directions. ¡°They have something on them,¡± Delimira focussed further, a small cylindrical container that is used to carry documents caught her attention. ¡°Why is this stupid advertising it¡­ Wait! I can¡¯t see a single strand of mana in them. Just like you¡ª¡± ¡°That is the artefact, my friend.¡± Hans grinned and tightened his twisted mana path. The advantage of long shot was that it was easy to reposition his aim. With a slightest move, he covered a significant distance and quickly grasped where to put his aim. His new aim was going hit the thief leaving for east. ¡°Swoosh!¡± A fast paced projectile whistled through the air and drilled though the thief¡¯s head. ¡°Bullseye.¡± Hans rejoiced adding a comment, ¡°using a negating artefact means you can¡¯t use anything else you fool. Your defence was jackshit. Or was you that confident you won¡¯t get caught?¡± Hans was also surprised to meet no resistance. The range, power everything was praiseworthy but he didn¡¯t let it get in his head and quickly shifted to take a new aim. The cylindrical container that fell from beheaded thief was the new target. But instead of push, the mana path twirl in reverse, pulling the container Delimira mentioned before andwith the same speed as his longshot, the container returned to Hans. Or at least that was Hans aimed at, but the object couldn¡¯t bear the ridiculous speed and got burnt halfway. ¡°It was fake. If they are rich enough to bought four negating artefacts. They sure had invested in the container no one can peek.¡± Hans mumbled and with a tremendous effort he moved his twisted mana path to the south. ¡°Ha!¡± He gasped, ¡°This is becoming hard..come on lady luck. Help me here.¡± He did same as before, predicted an isolate path that the south moving thief would take and Swoosh. But same thing happened as the eastern thief. ¡°He is also carrying fake.¡± Hans mumbled and moved to the western thief. He was about to sentence him to death, but Delimira stopped him. ¡°Hey what if you are wrong and these idiots forgot to use something protective against that document¡ª¡± "Deli, that document? It''s meaningless to us unless we know what it is. Even if we burn it down, what will we lose?¡± Hans chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I''m just doing what I do best¡ªcreating chaos for others. They should''ve left Edenberg be, quiet and undisturbed. I''ve only had three months, and these jackasses have already spoiled it all.¡± ¡°I thought you also wanted that document. Wasn¡¯t that your selling pitch to made me include in this blunder?¡± She asked as Hans directed his focus. ¡°It was just bonus.¡± Hans pinpointed the western thief and didn¡¯t hesitate to put him down in the crowded place. As his body fell the container flew towards Hans with an astonishing speed. And like others it caught flame due to the drag, but the inside delivered to Hans safely. ¡°Jackpot. Now show me what the kinky things Sylvetor does, my treasure!¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 22 : An unexpected haul CHAPTER 22 AN UNEXPECTED HAUL With twice the speed of his longshot, the charred container''s contents followed a serpentine path and landed in Hans''s hand. ¡°Good thing I did my target practice with Khitan, it was damn tricky to avoid all those people.¡± Hans thought as he looked at the object, a thick fountain pen like structure. "Here, catch!" Hans tossed it to Delimira, surprisingly intact despite the melted container from which it emerged. ¡°You are letting me discover this first?¡± ¡°You or me, it''s all the same. Besides, you''re the one who''s been scouring the county for this little thing, aren¡¯t ya?¡± ¡°You are only doing this because you know you won''t understand it?" Delimira questioned, her eyes narrowed like paper-thin slits, startling him. Hans¡¯s sudden silence made her chuckle. It appeared she had hit the bullseye, but she didn¡¯t want to make fun of Hans right now. She twisted half of the pen and opened it up, a rolled document was in there, sealed with a rune.However, she was also from the elven lineage and being Sierra¡¯s disciple had perks. She learned magic runes far more exceptionally as Sierra had taught her the basics. ¡°Can¡¯t you open it?¡± Hans peeked through her shoulder. ¡°But Hans, once we see it, we can¡¯t unsee it. You sure you want to be in centre of events again. Xandor, your undead father, Clandor and now this. Don¡¯t you think your plate is already overloaded?¡± She asked genuinely concerned. Hans was surprised for a moment but it only lasted for fraction, ¡°So, what do you want me to do when its already on my hand. I just have to wing this one too, now open it up.¡± ¡°Just a moment then, Prince Parv,¡± she responded, concentrating on the seal, delving into the intricate mana equations to unravel the seal. If it was someone else, they¡¯d have consumed a lot of time to lift the seal, but Delimira was top of her class and had broken seals of many possessions because her mother had asked her not to, and Sierra had given her wings in that department by teaching her personally. ¡°Buzz!¡± A hissing sound filled the air as the patterned seal markings burned away, revealing the opened document before the. ¡°What is this?¡±Hans squinted at the writing, unable to decipher its meaning. ¡°A receipt of purchase.¡± Delimira mumbled, but Hans was close enough to hear and guess this time. ¡°But what? Does it make any sense to you?¡± All he was seeing were abbreviations and numbers. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Hans.¡± Delimira was not knowledgeable enough to understand what exactly these acronyms were referring to. But if the king of Grimgar was looking for it, then it has to be of some grave importance, and both Hans and Delimira knew it very well. Samwell never wanted that document to become public; he only wanted to possess it to bend his in-laws to his wishes, but that chance disappeared. Upon the hit of the third thief, Kansas and the territory knight had sensed something was going on and were on high alert. They soon pinpointed the three locations and were late to extract any information. Now both Sylvetor and the royal family were perplexed, asking themselves what to do. Since their intel said it was a group of four and three thieves were found with exploded heads, they all thought that the one escaped had betrayed them. Meanwhile, Deli wasn¡¯t in the mood for giving up, a problem which she can¡¯t solve was not suited for her personality So Hans left her alone with the new toy she found.And knowing what exactly this document signified and Delimira kept checking it for hours. Finally in the evening, she came running to Hans. ¡°I found it.¡± She exhaled hard. ¡°Spill it then.¡± Hans jumped out of his laziness. ¡°See here.¡± She pointed at the first letter, ¡°These are short for elven nobles. A lot of Sylvetor will die after this¡ª¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Look at the seals. The snake symbol is for the Sylvetor family, and the libra¡­ for the Hearthwine family of Clandor¡­it¡¯s my mother¡¯s maiden family.¡± ¡°So?¡± Hans motioned his hand asking to elaborate. ¡°Look closely,¡± she pointed out, ¡°Since the elven king and my mother are siblings¡­ So, Clandor¡¯s king might be in bed with Sylvetor or worse; the Hearthwine family is doing this behind his back.¡± ¡°So, what are they buying from Sylvetor?¡± Hans asked, his eyes piqued, there was practically nothing elves were interested in from humans. ¡°It doesn''t matter what they were buying. Every Sylvetor involved is going down. The Hearthwine family means business ¡ª Shit." She abruptly stopped mid-sentence, falling silent. Her mind raced with theories, and she concocted a story that fit the situation perfectly. Suddenly alarmed, she turned to Hans and asked, "Do you know what I did together with those Devildom folks?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Hans said puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to find this¡ª¡± ¡°It wasn''t just this Hans,¡± her tone turned emphatic. ¡°We rescued people. From a range of arrogant nobles to ordinary folk, all ages from young to old. But we were hushed up because the youngest Sylvetor, a sixteen-year-old, was among the abducted¡ªor so I believed at the time! What kind of idiot I was?¡± ¡°A very big¡ª ¡­.pretty idiot.¡± ¡°Tsk.. focus Hans, the Sylvetor¡¯s youngest wasn¡¯t an abductee, but I think he was the one making the deals. Hearthwine is purchasing humans from the Sylvetor.¡± "Isn''t it supposed to be the other way around? Since when do elves start snatching up humans?¡± ¡°Who knows. Hearthwine are always good at hiding, but humans are just braggarts by nature.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t refute her reasoning, neither did he plan to put his finger on this unknown pie. But it didn''t take much thought to realise that the document in his hand spelled trouble for many people. "I could have leverage over Grimgar, Sylvetor, and Hearthwine. Not a bad deal¡ª" "Or make yourself a target for those three powerful families to practice their archery on, you idiot.¡± Hans smirked. "Who says I''d be the one applying pressure, Winters? Don''t we have our cunning old man?¡± The tiring day passed one, both Hans and Delimira were living in the tranquility of the Watchtower. No one was paying any mind to what they were doing. Delimira was experimenting with what she could achieve as a third circle mage, and Hans was coming up with every possible way to counterattack her in his mind. Neither he nor she exposed their hidden secrets and were walking on eggshells when it came to showing what they could do to each other. They lived like this for a few more days. Hans had expected things to calm down in a that time, but his recent talk with Aldrich said otherwise. Both the king and Sylvetor had come to some sort of agreement and were searching for the missing documents together. Their rowdy works even forced Rudolf to come back, and he was pissed. The tension between the three factions was on the verge of exploding. And today, he was waiting for Sierra to contact him as usual. The orb lit, and Sierra¡¯s face projected out. ¡°Hans, you should hurry back to the estate now.¡± ¡°What happened, Granny? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± Hans noticed Sierra¡¯s troubled expressions. ¡°Nothing¡­ just hurry back.¡± She cut off the connection after demanding his presence, and Hans agreed to it nonchalantly. He didn¡¯t know what was happening, but if there was something bad happening around his family, he wanted to be there to help. Hans came to Deli and hollered, ¡°We are flying right away. Get your things¡ª¡± ¡°What things? The driver will bring it back.¡± Delimira noticed that Hans was anxious, so she didn¡¯t pry much and agreed to it quickly. Piggybacking her, Hans activated the wind gem and flew with his maximum speed to the Edenberg mansion. The distance was around a hundred kilometres, and he reached the place in mere minutes. He landed, gasping, and saw Hodges coming to assist. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked, continuing his rough breathing. The mansion didn¡¯t look as great as he had left it. Some structures were cracked, some towers destroyed, and some rubble was still smoking. There weren¡¯t many who could turn Rudolf¡¯s home into this mess. So the answer was clear as a day. Kansas and Rudolf fought there. With his anxiety rising, he asked Hodges, ¡°Is¡­ is Grandpa alright?¡± However, Hodges had a blank expression. Not for some sad reasons, but he was startled at why Hans was asking this. ¡°You think anything can happen to the Count when the Countess is present?¡± He glanced around and added, ¡°Kansas and Rudolf just had some argument.¡± ¡°This is just an argument?¡± Hans asked, dumbfounded. ¡°They are both warlords. Their aura is enough to put down buildings, young lord.¡± Hodges coughed. ¡°Then everyone is alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why the¡ª why did she ask me to hurry back?¡± Hans asked with a tinge of frustration. ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s probably because the whole Sylvetor people vanished without a trace. Hence the argument between Count and Sir Kansas¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, so were they blaming Grandpa for the Sylvetor people¡¯s mysterious disappearance? Are they idiots? Grandpa doesn¡¯t have the brain to do this without messing up¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, but you do.¡± Hodges pointed out, prompting Hans¡¯s face to distort. ¡°These bastards. All of their fuck-ups are because of me. I only thought they¡¯d put the blame on me for their blunder, but these morons did one up and are blaming me for the Sylvetor people¡¯s disappearance¡ª¡± Hans¡¯s thoughts were broken as Hodges interrupted, ¡°You weren¡¯t even here. So I thought it was nonsense too, but your uncle was adamantly blaming you.¡± Suddenly, Hodges¡¯s face shifted from concern to pride and declared, ¡°So, our Count saw nothing and wreaked havoc amongst their ranks.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t kill anyone, did he?¡± Hans was puzzled. ¡°No,¡± Hodges firmly denied, his expressions turning grim in haste, ¡°Since the situation became quite tense, when another news came from the Sylvetor duchy. First, their knights and mages disappeared from our lands, and then their sons were found dead in their domain, killed by a thorough torture.¡± Hodges wasn¡¯t finished yet. Hans¡¯s sight turned to Delimira, who wore an expression screaming, ¡°I told you so.¡± Sylvetor duchy was the westernmost region of Grimgar, a place guarded by Warlocks and Warlords. To torture the children of such a family and get away without a squeak to their names was on par with Xandor doing his wonders. Hans gulped, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t touch these people. Arat will see to it as he deems fit.¡± Whatever the hesitation he bore before of leveraging the rolled document in his space belt disappeared like the Sylvetor people in the county. ¡°So these guests of ours left, right?¡± Hans asked, hoping it to be right, and an affirmative response from Hodges relieved him. Feeling free of worries, he entered the mansion only to be stopped by Rudolf¡¯s furious gaze. ¡°What now?¡± He perplexed. Rudolf came stomping,¡°I know it¡¯s far-fetched, but nothing is far-fetched when you are involved. So I¡¯m going to ask once, were you involved in the killings of Young Sylvetors?¡± ¡°The heck! What do you take me for, a running killing machine¡ª¡± ¡°Hans, I¡¯m in no mood for your antics. Just answer truthfully.¡± Hans raised his right and said with firm resolve, ¡°I promise, I didn¡¯t do shit to any Sylvetor. Ask your Warlock. We were too noisy at the tower, he¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good then. Pack your things. Your holidays end here.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 23 : A full blown party CHAPTER 23 A FULL BLOWN PARTY Hans was gathering his things, but his mind was troubled. ¡° Hearthwine family of Clandor..these are some nasty work of pieces. I know human trafficking is bad, but aren¡¯t they going to extremes just for a cover-up? They frickin'' killed a ducal family in Grimgar soil..¡± He had no idea of how much reputation meant for the nobles from both the human and elven sides, or how much farther Sylvetors would fall just by exposing the contents he held. ¡°He dashed down the stairs, arriving in the hall ahead of everyone else. His belongings were snugly stowed in his knapbinder, leaving his hands free. Rudolf noticed the empty-handed gesture and glanced at the space belt Hans wore. ¡°Looks like you''ve really hit it off with those stingy drunkards,¡± he remarked. ¡°Of course, they have much to gain from being my acquaintance, the Parvian prince¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I find odd. A year before, and now this time too. These drunkards should not have any soft spots for you. Rumour has it Sam imprisoned a lot of them to build mana weapons.¡± He pointed above, ¡°Remember what fell upon us in Grimgar?¡± Rudolf¡¯s words brought back the horrendous memory of facing the celestial weapon as it fell on them in Grimgar. But he remained firm and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but a dwarf always honours a deal.¡± Rudolf was confused, he asked his cheeky grandson who was grinning ear to ear, ¡°Thats true. But what did you give them to receive a top tier spatial storage.¡± ¡°Grandpa. Like them, I also honours the deal¡ª¡± ¡°Fine! Fine! Don¡¯t tell me. ¡± Rudolf hushed, but his gaze stayed fixed on Hans''s waist. He couldn''t forget the trouble he went through to convince the dwarves to craft him a spatial storage device, not to mention the hefty price he paid for it. Yet, even then, it couldn''t match the efficiency of what Hans was wearing. ¡°Don¡¯t get jealous,¡± Hans covered the knapbinder and asked Rudolf something else, ¡°Hey old man, what did you do with Chris?¡± ¡°So, the third rank is scouting first.¡± Rudolf teased and Hans turned blue, satisfying the old man so much that he burst into laughter. After the Glory wars, it had become his habit to tease Hans this way since it always made Hans speechless. After a hearty laugh, Rudolf gazed deep in Hans¡¯s eyes and warned, ¡°It would be best if you remain vigilant the next time you fight with Chris.¡± He stressed further, ¡°The boy is natural and the imperial bloodline that you ¡®do-not-possess¡¯, adds exponential growth to anyone who does. I¡¯ve seen it firsthand before and the feeling is the same with your friend.¡± ¡°I also wasn¡¯t just grinding stones grandpa¡ª¡± ¡°He is right.¡± Delimira came interrupting their conversation and added, "He might outdo Chris, even with all your coaching, Dean Rudolf.¡± She grinned, then turned to Hans. ¡°But you can¡¯t beat me, Mr. Third Rank.¡± ¡°Oh Shut up already.¡±Hans grumbled, giving her a gentle shove in irritation. ¡°Then let''s spar. I''m curious to see what you were up to with those dwarves¡ª¡± ¡°A mage must keep their secrets,¡± Hans replied with a wise nod. ¡°Thats bull shit, Squeaky.¡± Rudolf interrupted, he was also curious as to how much Hans has developed, but no matter how strong Hans felt the urge to show off, he remained steadfast. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°You¡¯ll all see when its due.¡± He remarked. ¡°At least he''s learning some new words, huh, little Winters?¡± Rudolf chuckled, and Delimira agreed with a smile. They were both laughing when Sierra and Vanessa joined them downstairs. They all glanced at Hans, who suddenly realised what they were expecting. ¡°It seems I¡¯m the new goto transfer guy.¡± Hans remarked as they said goodbye to the Mansion''s staff. Rudolf and Sierra entrusted the county''s management to their loyal Hodges. Then, Hans exclaimed, "INGRESS!" and a beam of light whisked them away. It had been a few days since they had returned to their safe haven, Concordia. Rudolf was powerful, but as just one man, he knew there were many ways for someone to take lives even under his watch. When Hans assured him that he wasn¡¯t a part of any blunder in Sylvetor, he believed it to be true, but he also knew Hans was hiding something. That''s why returning early to Concordia was the best choice for Hans. Since whoever was responsible for killing the sons of Sylvetor wanted to stay hidden, making it unlikely they would attack in Concordia. Even Xandor needed to bring his full force here and barely got away. With only a week left of their holiday, guests were expected at the dean''s quarters today. Hans had arranged for Arat to visit, and Rudolf and Sierra agreed to host a small dinner for the Parvians. What started as a modest gathering soon snowballed into a full-blown party. Professors, some senior from the Concordia union, and even Vanir and his family were among the invitees. ¡°Hey, get up you lazy bum. We don''t have servants around here," Delimira nudged Hans, who was sprawled out on the sofa. He raised an eyebrow in response, and she continued, ¡°Parvians are your guests. The least you could do is lend a hand.¡± ¡°Yeah, they were until some lose lip announced all over the Concordia. And if you haven¡¯t seen Winters, I¡¯m helping too, you know,¡± Hans replied, gesturing towards the two humanoid figures made entirely of twisted tree branches and roots. Their eerie green eyes might have frightened others, but the people in the quarters had grown accustomed to them since their return. Delimira grew annoyed, and Hans glanced at her teasingly, adding with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m loaded, thanks to someone.¡± While they bicker as usual, the two poor tree golem did everything from cleaning to decorating their hall, the work both Delimira and Hans were assigned to. Soon the sun fell beyond the horizon and guest started coming in. Both Delimira and Hans were welcoming them. ¡°Can¡¯t you just wear normal. Or you wants to show off that you are an imperial.¡± Delimira argued glancing at his white robes with golden griffin insignia. ¡°You too have this, don¡¯t you¡ª¡± ¡°Zwoom!¡± His words were cut off when a light pillar of INGRESS fell near their doorsteps. ¡°Tsk! And she calls me the show-off. Someone tells this to this eighty-year-old man.¡± ¡°So, nice to see you, my prince¡ª¡± ¡°It gives me shivers whenever you say that to me, Mr. Prime Minister.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be, my prince.¡± Arat looked behind Hans. ¡°Was this a party? I was informed only for a small dinner¡­ Am I the last one?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Aren¡¯t you going to welcome me?¡± Arat smiled warmly, and Hans escorted him and his two knights inside. The moment the white robes came into sight, the people started whispering. Hans wore the golden insignia, while the others, including Arat, wore the silver. They had seen Hans welcoming them at the gates, but now reality was hitting them. With the cunning and mighty escort, he finally felt like the Parvian prince. However, with all eyes on him, Hans was trying to sneak away,sadly to be caught by Arat early on. ¡°Where are you hurrying to? Mingling with others is part of the job too¡ª¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you do it? You were doing this even before you conned me into this role?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t con you. You were the one shouting, ¡° I¡¯m the Prince of Parv¡ª¡± ¡°Oh! How I regret that day.¡± Hans grumbled. Arat suddenly became gentle and patted Hans¡¯s back. ¡°There is much resting in your tiny shoulders, Prince. I can¡¯t live forever. It¡¯s you who have to rise and take the reins¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s a serious death flag, Mr. Arat. Whoever says the mushy things like this dies first in the story.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad this isn¡¯t a story then¡ª¡± ¡°Who knows, maybe some crazy bastard is writing our fates with some pen or whatnot shit.¡± ¡°Thats a scary thought, my prince.¡± ¡°You never wonder, that someone is manipulating this scenario to just get a kick out of it.¡± Hans questioned and Arat only had a hushed laughter as the response. Soon, Arat brought Hans to the faces he knew and Hans did vice versa.
Elven Lies II Chapter 24 : Youve grown CHAPTER 24 YOU¡¯VE GROWN Hans took Arat to meet everyone he knew, and after the long introductions, he finally became free, managing to sneak out from Arat¡¯s grasp. He was avoiding any familiar faces and was sitting in some secluded corner. ¡°Want one?¡± Delimira offered him the custard he liked as she bit a big piece of tart. And when Hans took her up on the offer, she complained as she swallowed, ¡°How can you eat this thing? It¡¯s too damn sweet.¡± ¡°Leave it, Winters. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Hans sighed, sipping the sugary liquid and finally felt something hitting up in his head, ¡°I needed this¡ª¡± ¡°Senior, senior.¡± ¡°Ha, this dumb minion of mine¡ª What now Vanir?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Vanir gestured towards his parents, causing Hans to be so surprised that he accidentally spat out the custard he was eating. ¡°Vanir, my dear junior, I don''t recall us being on those terms where we introduce ourselves to each other¡¯s parents,¡± Hans remarked with a grin, hastily wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. He hoped his words, meant in jest, wouldn''t be taken seriously, especially considering the stunned expressions on Vanir''s parents'' faces. ¡°Pft..¡± Delimira chuckled at the awkward scene and raised her fruit glass at Vanir, ¡°That was worth it.¡± ¡°Shoo¡­shoo¡­ do your other thing, Winters.¡± Hans hushed her away and offered his greetings again, ¡°The name is Hans Parv. It¡¯s nice to meet you two.¡± Vanir¡¯s mother grew up in a rural area and wasn¡¯t exactly the most etiquette-savvy person, so she was totally taken aback by Hans¡¯s charm. Sure, she wasn¡¯t the most educated, but she had a knack for sensing when someone was worth their weight in gold. And every single thing about Hans exuded royalty. She felt like he had the whole package. Startling by his gaze, Vanir¡¯s father finally spoke, ¡°Its an honour to meet you prince Parv¡ª¡± ¡°Just Hans is fine, I¡¯m almost out of my mind after hearing ¡®that¡¯ from Arat nonstop. I¡¯m just your son¡¯s mentor right now.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± He gestured his hands, ¡°I can¡¯t do that¡­. Thank..thank you for healing my..legs. and thank you¡ª¡± ¡°Oye Vanir,¡± Hans scowled at his mentee, ¡°Just what did you tell for them to behave like this¡ª¡± ¡°Its not my fault that you are famous for quick fuse and beating people up.¡± Vanir pouted and Hans clenched his forehead. ¡°Haa¡­ See this,¡± Hans pointed out to make them relax, ¡°I¡¯m sorta punching bag here. Even my dear junior takes jabs at me, so relax and enjoy. Grandpa rarely throws parties; heck, it¡¯s even my first time being in one.¡± Vanir¡¯s parents, initially taken aback by Hans''s imperial status, were now astonished by his down-to-earth and goofy demeanor. Despite being the prince of a powerful nation and former enemy, he spoke with the humility of the commoners they were familiar with. Before they could utter a word, Hans gently inquired, "Have you eaten?" They both shook their heads in response. With a scowl directed at Vanir, Hans remarked, "You dumb minion, why haven''t you fed them yet? It''s getting late." Then, he turned to Dorfeil couple and wearing a gentle smile, he urged, ¡°Please eat your fill.¡± And bid them farewell, leaving the couple dumbfounded. "He''s quite different," Vanir''s mother, who had remained silent until then, finally remarked. "Yes," her husband agreed. "Even the backwater nobles from our region tend to be arrogant, but he''s remarkably friendly. Why do people spread false rumours about such a kind-hearted young man?¡± "You''ve both misunderstood. Remember, he killed twenty-six people in a single night during the Glory Wars," Vanir interjected. ¡°They must¡¯ve done him wrong,¡± his mother reasoned, ¡°he wouldn¡¯t go on a rampage just because someone disturbed his sleep.¡± ¡°He won you over instantly, but he might go on a rampage for reasons like that. I thought I¡¯d have to convince my parents he¡¯s not bad.¡± Hans¡¯s respect for his parents and not so haughty attitude deeply touched him. On the other hand, the worries which Vanir¡¯s father carried in private for his young child were alleviated by a significant margin. Hans¡¯s behaviour towards them conveyed a clear message: Vanir wasn''t wasting his life serving him but was in the right place. They were completely won over. Though Hans seldom used it to its full potential, his sincere expressions and warm demeanour, combined with his genuine face, easily won people over, even though he usually reserved them for moments of fury or eccentricity. He was moving away from the crowd, but his guest caught him sneaking out. ¡°It¡¯s rude to leave your guests alone, my prince.¡± ¡°You must start wearing glasses mr Arat. I¡¯m not leaving you alone. Can¡¯t you see a sea of people here?¡± Hans taunted. ¡°Enough with the small talk then. So tell me why I¡¯m summoned by my prince,¡± Arat asked, his voice carrying the significant weight. ¡°Follow me then.¡± Hans led him into a personal chamber and Arat as cautious as he was took out the artefact to seal the room from eavesdropping. And began first, pointing out about the incidence of County, ¡°I heard you were away when the Grimgar king was doing his goose chase. Smart move¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°I need to wise up, as I¡¯ve just said to someone, I¡¯m becoming a punching bag. I knew even if I don¡¯t get involved they¡¯d still find some crappy way to drag me with them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done well staying away from that mess. I still can¡¯t believe a powerful family like Sylvetor lost all of his heirs in a single night.¡± Hans agreed, ¡°Yeah the weight of entire nation is quite heavy to bear Mr Prime minister. I can¡¯t be as reckless as before. Whatever excuse I give. It was me who handed my own father to Xandor.¡± Arat only showed the apologetic face, as if he wanted Hans to avoid the rabbit hole of guilt again. ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t give me that face. Its not that I feel guilty or anything.¡± Arat sighed and let his wise words out. ¡°When people are given a choice they take one they believe they can profit more. You made a choice and now its upto you to make that choice is the correct choice. ¡°Even if it was a mistake?¡± Hans questioned. ¡°Yes, you must accept your mistake, learn from it, and never, ever repeat it again. That¡¯s how one could profit from it.¡± The wise old man paused, looking at Hans contemplating, and added, breathing deeply, ¡° The road you are going down is like a rope tightening around your neck. The sooner you rectify it, the sooner you can breathe free. So you must think of a way of doing it, and I¡¯ll do my job helping you.¡± ¡°So how far have you zeroed on Xandor?¡± ¡°As I told everyone. He is hiding somewhere in the the sleeping giant mountains. But that cursed man is very good at covering his tracks.¡± ¡°He uses Osiris¡¯ commands too. Can¡¯t you track him with that?¡± Hans asked. ¡°No.¡± Arat shook his head, adding,¡°Parv runs on meritocracy. He is the top dog in merits. Even you can¡¯t track him unless Osiris deems you worthy.¡± ¡°Thats a bummer.¡± ¡°So was the deal with Xandor worth the mess it followed? I hope you have gained something out of it¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say disturbing my father from his rest was worth anything, but I do gain something significant.¡± Hans smiled gently. ¡°So how far you are from fulfilling Homar¡¯s task of beating a top-ranked knight?¡± ¡°I accept I¡¯m a freak, but not that big of a freak. You are talking about beating people stronger than Dijkstra and Grandpa.¡± ¡°You are not a freak but singular, my prince, and who says being high-ranked means they are stronger than Rudolf and Dijkstra? These two blockheads are just not trying.¡± Before Arat could go with the flow, he stopped himself and asked, ¡°So, what was the thing that you said you couldn¡¯t talk over communication¡­don¡¯t get me wrong, I like that you invited me for a personal meeting¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said it was smart of me to not get involved in Grimgar¡¯s goose chase, but I kinda did, it''s for your eyes only. Take care of it.¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± Arat skimmed the document quickly and his experienced eyes soon made him realise what this document suggested. Annoyed he almost shouted, ¡°These fuckers are still doing it.¡± ¡°You know what it is?¡± Hans asked, curious. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve the general idea of these types of things. Back in the days of your father¡¯s reign, there was a human warlock who was around 250 years old. He had a breeding farm of elves and used the infants in alchemy to concoct the longevity potions.¡± ¡°But the elves are buying humans, not the other way arou¡ª¡± ¡°No, the Hearthwine is buying humans. Don¡¯t generalise the crime with a race. We all have bad eggs too. But this is too big, I understand that CLandor is a matriarchy, but the king¡¯s family is doing deeds that are banned all over the Genas.¡± ¡°But why are they buying humans. We don¡¯t become any longitivtiy potions do we?¡± Hans asked confused. ¡°The only place where slavery still persist is Clandor. The mark of an elven slave is their cute off pointed ears. So what is the difference if the humans are mixed with them with their ears grazed as the slaved elves.¡± Arat paused, and added, ¡°Slavery is quite lucrative business.¡± ¡°But why Slaves?¡± Hans couldn¡¯t understand the concept, if people wanted to, they could just hire servants like back in Edenberg County. Arat knew what was puzzling Hans, but before he could answer, Hans let out his inner thoughts. ¡°Can¡¯t they just hire servants like us?¡± He asked, curious. ¡°And respect them for a service that they feel entitled to by default. No, you haven¡¯t met the pricks of Clandor''s yet My prince. They are as shit as I made them sound as.¡± The way Vanir detested the high nobles of Clandor for their treatment of even the prodigy due to his lower class birth. Hans considered it was just a rare case but Arat¡¯s words were hinting more. ¡°So what are you going to do with this?¡± Hans asked, hinting he wanted to know details of his plans and when Arat still remained silent, Hans added, ¡°this will flip the entire Grimgar and Clandor if you reveal it¡ª¡± ¡°Since you are handing over this to me, you used your brain, didn¡¯t you?¡± Arat finally spoke and it was an old school taunt. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, you¡¯ve grown, but A Hearthwine getting into human trafficking just for slavery doesn¡¯t sound convincing.¡± ¡°So what are you going to do with this.¡± Hans urged again. ¡°Nothing. Its neither my monkeys nor my circus. Needlessly helping others is a job of a sucker spelled H.E.R.O. I thought you followed this principle so why are you getting involved in it.¡± ¡°I had to get something out of it.¡± Hans revealed his inner thoughts ¡°Your honesty is always appreciated and since you desired it. I must own these monkeys now, then the circus would have to come to the negotiation table, right?¡± ¡°So what are you planning to get from it¡ª¡± ¡°Betrayal. One of them must betray their nation to survive the wrath of entire continent, there will be no place for them to hide. Its not just a matter of reputation, now.¡± Hans didn¡¯t quite get what Arat was foreboding so Arat explained, ¡°You see, you are giving this document to the wrong person. When that 250 years old mage was exterminated, it became the ironclad rule that buying and selling of cross race is forbidden. And you know who made this rule?¡± ¡°No. But these people are nobles from both races. Won¡¯t they usually get scot free for doing this kinda a thing.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said, its not a matter of reputation but survival. All because they fear the kill order of Red monks. The one who slaughtered the 250 yrs old warlock was the the captain of Red monks, the Concordia union¡¯s strongest platoon. Currently she is the node master of Concordia.¡± ¡°So Shaerra Clandor is it? The Concordia¡¯s strongest crushed the mage who was slaving elves ¡ª¡± ¡°And elves who were slaving humans.¡± Arat completed his words as he thought Hans was getting in the wrong direction and his puzzled face proved him right. He continued, ¡°She is quite an oddball in Clandor royalty. Being first in line to the Clandor throne, she forfeited it, left Clandor and made her home in Concordia. She was strong enough to even make your father think twice before messing with her.¡± So, if I¡¯ve showed this document to her, then¡ª ¡°Then she¡¯d have crushed whoever responsible no matter the consequences. She is the only known disciple of chairman of this place,¡± Arat pointed down, ¡°and the next in line to be the boss of Concordia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to not like her.¡± ¡°Guess what, your father said the same thing. You two can¡¯t stand when someone outshines you. Can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It runs in the blood, I guess.¡± ¡°But since our prince desired to get something out of it,¡± Arat turned serious, ¡°I¡¯ll see through it.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 25 : The Decision CHAPTER 25 THE DECISION ¡°You sure have a thing for shiny stuff, huh?¡± Dietrich, who had been quietly watching Hans, finally spoke up as Hans began embracing his newfound treasures. They were both in the Man-eating Forest, declared off-limits in Concordia. "I''m getting close," Hans muttered, eyeing his haul with satisfaction. With the help of the dwarves'' delivery service, it was easy for him to conduct transactions with the dwarven community in Edenberg. He glanced at the puzzled Dietrich and continued, "Looks like the elf alchemist is still falling into my trap. Useless pride¡ª" "He''s not the only one though. You¡¯ll see in the task hall¡ªit¡¯s officially a request on the board. A hotshot of the alchemy department lost his treasured research there. Hans quickly foraged into his pile of random treasure. ¡°You mean this?¡± He pulled a thick book with many bookmarks and opened it. Before Dietrich could say something, Hans skimmed the contents and closed the book abruptly, ¡°I can¡¯t understand a thing¡ª¡± ¡°Of course you can¡¯t. It¡¯s a research of an alchemist. Only he can explain it to you.¡± ¡°So, my favourite ancestor.¡± Hans grinned mischievously, ¡°What is the reward he offered for the research retrieval?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d pay mind to these irrelevant things¡ª¡± ¡°Come on, you should pay attention to them. After all, it¡¯s your LAST DESCENDANT¡¯S business.¡± ¡°So you are bringing blood relations into robbing people¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not robbing them. I even put a sign there, in bold. Private property, no trespassers allowed. It¡¯s not my fault they keep invading my forest. I¡¯m giving them a valuable life lesson and receiving the fees for it.¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! Whatever sails your boat foolish descendant. I don¡¯t have much time since tomorrow is initiation of new first years.¡± Dietrich let out his watery aura and transformed it into a sword. Hans had seen it happen many times, but every time he was as surprised and jealous as the first. Dietrich could transform his aura into anything he desired and so does his father Samson Parv. That¡¯s why people said the imperial bloodline user need no swords, they were the living weapons themselves. ¡°Hey, Great grandfather¡± Hans said as he raised his hand and malleable metal surfaced in his hand. ¡°Can Chris will be able to produce that sword made of aura?¡± ¡°No.¡± Dietrich responded quickly. ¡°This is the privilege of pureblood.¡± He swung horizontally, aiming right at Hans¡¯s face, but Hans was quick to dodge and even found time to counterattack. They were sparring normally. Hans, despite not being able to use aura, practiced with Dietrich due to the reason of mastering his power of Inheritance. He had asked Dietrich to teach him, and the only way this old monster knew of was through sword fighting. So there were regular sparring sessions that began a few days ago, and the results were showing up. In quick movements, he was switching between spears, swords, javelins, and one time he unknowingly used a bow. After clashing for more than an hour, Hans finally asked Dietrich to stop. He was gasping, but Dietrich didn¡¯t even break a sweat. ¡°Just how strong are you, ancestor?¡± ¡°You are in need-to-know basis foolish descendant.¡±Dietrich dismissed his curiosity, ¡°So what are you choosing for your subjects? You are a third year student from tomorrow.¡± ¡°I just need to accumulate 1000 credits to pass the third year. I think this little thing can help me procure those.¡± Hans pointed at the messy book in his hand. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°So, if you only plan on getting passing grades again, then you are already done without even starting the year.¡± Dietrich said, puzzled, ¡°Then what are your plans for the year, foolish descendant?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to level this year¡¯s glory wars and wash my name from being the third rank,¡± Hans said determinedly. ¡°Winning glory wars as a third year is not bad, but I want you to do something else.¡± ¡°It really should be better?¡± Hans asked instantly. So Dietrich explained, ¡°You know, the third years volunteer in Deadlands, right?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Hans nodded, adding, ¡°those who aren¡¯t participating in Glory Wars, or incapable of earning thousand credits, the weakest bunch, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dietrich nodded in same fashion and continued, ¡°I want you to impress Hera there and join Red Monks¡ª¡± ¡°Not happening.¡± Hans quickly denied. ¡°Why not? She is my only student and you are kinda my student. That makes you disciple siblings.¡± ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t sound¡­. Comfortable¡ª¡± ¡°You never even meet her. Who knows, you might actually like her.¡± ¡°But if I go on volunteering then I¡¯d miss the glory wars.¡± Hans pouted. ¡°Answer me? What is important to you¡ªbeing the clown for others to enjoy or becoming strong enough to face Xandor on your own?¡± Seeing him puzzled, Dietrich tousled his hair gently and continued in a warm tone, ¡°There is a limit to what knights can teach a mage of your specialty, and your father is no exception either. But Hera, she is different¡ª an exceptional warlock for starters¡ª and I promise you, with her little guidance, you can really up your game by several folds.¡± Hans remained quiet, and Dietrich continued with an embarrassing smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but even if I¡¯m her teacher, she never listens to me. So, you have to garner her interest on your own.¡± Hans seriously pondered, if he prepare for Glory wars then he will automatically excluded from volunteering in Deadlands. All of his training of three months were focused on him performing his best in upcoming glory wars but now Dietrich has broken this bubble with an enticing offer of becoming stronger quickly through Shahera, the leader of Blood monks and the node master of Concordia. ¡°Can I sleep on it?¡± Hans asked, and Dietrich nodded before disappearing. Red monks were the name he was hearing quite frequently these days. After Arat had mentioned them, he began researching their deeds. If he could summarise them in short, they were the heroes of justice, the very kind he hated getting involved with. However, being the sucker for helping others had a very big advantage: people respected and loved them. Their words, even without any proof, carried the weight. One time, they accused the minister of Sunfall without any evidence and got him arrested, just because Shahera Clandor said so. Of course, they got proof after his arrest, but that was an entirely different thing. There way of doing things was quite contrast from how Hans operated but the thought of Xandor, kept pushing him to follow suggestion of Dietrich and he finally resolved. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll join the red monks and make him pay for disturbing my life.¡± And just like that next day came and Hans, donned with his white uniform of Concordia¡¯s mages, with three concentric circle badge, ran out from the Prophet¡¯s castle. Someone was already waiting for him near the gates. ¡°So did you get settled well, Vanir?¡± He asked him as Vanir joined him from behind. ¡°Yeah¡­ but you know, there wasn¡¯t any decent first years this time. I didn¡¯t get to choose any mentees.¡± ¡°So you wanted to vent on those poor souls after getting beaten up from me?¡± ¡°Kinda, but thats not all, I thought you wanted more people as you subordinates. I was even ready to create a faction around you.¡± ¡°Vanir, I do not collect trash. Anyone who is not at least your level, I do not need them.¡± ¡°Oh, you are making me blush senior¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s true sometimes you creep me out like this, but you have your uses.¡± Hans glanced at him, scrutinising and remarked, ¡°Your second circle is quite stable. We¡¯ll soon need to increase its volume, so clear up your schedule. We¡¯ll soon go for another hunt.¡± Remembering the painful method of forcefully increasing the mana capacity of a circle gave shivers down Vanir¡¯s spine, but the result was enticing enough to make him forget the struggle. ¡°Anything else, senior?¡± Vanir asked like a loyal subordinate ready to receive the orders. Hans stopped his quick march and contemplated before saying, ¡°Make sure to be included in Glory wars and win the damn thing. I have other plans. I¡¯m not joining this year¡ª¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Vanir asked instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve my reasons.¡± Hans dismissed Vanir¡¯s curiosity and added, ¡° It is an order. You have to let them know who Vanir Dorfeil serves.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 26 : The Third Year CHAPTER 26 THE THIRD YEAR Hans had dismissed Vanir and was on his way to his class. Soon he was joined by Chris, Delimira, and another face that he wasn¡¯t sure of meeting. Allynna, accompanied by Delimira, nodded a little on seeing Hans, a way the Clandor royalty greets their equal standings. ¡°Prince Parv,¡± she said confidently. ¡°Hey, there, Shrimp. Fancy seeing you near me.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to show respect? I¡¯m the princess of Clandor¡­ the next heir in line, and you are the prince of another nation¡ª¡± Hans lifted the thin chain from the nape of his neck, bringing the gem pendant to his lips in a swift motion. With a graceful touch, he kissed the gem, like he was rubbing salt on Allynna¡¯s loss of her precious gift. His smooth movement cut her words in mid-air as he boldly declared, "I don¡¯t give a shit." ¡°Hans, stop it.¡± Delimira pulled him from the back, and Chris¡¯s eyes were saying the same. ¡°Tsk! Guess your knights in shining armour are here, shrimp. Just go to your class, shoo¡­shoo.¡± Allynna, not responding to his provocation, left silently. While Hans faced Delimira¡¯s interrogative tone, ¡°Just what is your problem with her? You are meaner than usual to her. She never did you any wrong.¡± ¡°Dunno! It¡¯s just every time I see her, I want to irritate her. It comes naturally, I can¡¯t help it.¡± Both Chris and Delimira were startled by the answer. Whereas Delimira was speechless, Chris, laughing hard, suggested, ¡°Oh, so you are one of those. Who bullies the girl he likes¡ª¡± ¡°You out of your mind, Chris. Do you want me to repeat history?¡± Hans asked with a bone-chilling tone. ¡°Guess, I was. Buddy, calm down.¡± Chris gestured for him to breathe, and Hans let go of his abhorrent words. While both of them calmed down, Delimira, who had been left behind a little quickly to catch up to them, asked, ¡°So, Chris, are you taking any academics this year? I know Hans would ditch the class on the first chance¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m feeling like that too, Deli.¡± Chris glanced at Hans, ¡°My buddy here became my lord to serve for perpetuity¡ª¡± ¡°Let it go, Chris.¡± Hans interrupted, ¡°That whole thing was just a way to take Arat off your back. Don¡¯t take those words¡ª¡± ¡°It is you who are taking the oath of a knight lightly, my lord. I can¡¯t falsify my words.¡± Chris rejected it instantly and patting his chest confidently he said with an affirmative notion, ¡°Your life is my duty now.¡± ¡°Whatever sails your boat, man. People are just becoming obnoxious on every passing day.¡± Hans mumbled, first it was Dietrich who derailed his plan, Allynna approached him and now Chris started being formal. He turned to Delimira and sighed in relief as he caught her eyes as they were saying what are you looking at, punk. He chuckled, ¡°at least she never changes. I hate changes.¡± ¡°What are your plans, Deli?¡± He asked first. ¡°Academia, what else?¡± Delimira responded in an instant. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of theory classes?¡± Hans asked, frustrated. ¡°It¡¯s necessary this time.¡± She grinned, pointing, ¡°There¡¯s this place called Mystic Glade Dungeon that¡¯s crawling with super advanced Golems. I want to clear it out, so I need to learn more about these golems. Hans had lost her when she mentioned Mystic Glades. ¡°Shit! I need to upgrade that place. Ancestor was right. Someone will definitely find out my secrets soon.¡± He became a bit nervous because he wasn¡¯t sure if he could keep a poker face at Delimira. ¡°Hey Winters, why did you choose that particular place?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± she asked, her confusion evident. She had assumed Hans would be the first to join the raid. She had discussed this with Chris, and he was also considering doing the same. However, Hans shook his head innocently. So she explained, stretching her words, ¡° A pervert mage lives there. He tortures people by taking their clothes off and throwing them outside¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, wait. What?¡± Hans halted her, confused. ¡°What do you mean, people are getting stripped there?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she affirmed, ¡°Just a week before, some of our seniors attacked the place and were thrown out naked. That was really embarrassing.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°The hell is going on there. I guess my autonomous network is doing something weird. Screw the upgrading, I need to overhaul it.¡± Hans cursed inside. As they all left for their first gathering in their third year, Delimira tried to pursue Hans and ask him not to be so harsh on Allynna. So after taking in her sympathetic words, Hans finally asked her, ¡°Just why did the elven princess approach me? I thought after knowing who I am, she would be miles apart from me at the least!¡± Instead of Delimira, Chris answered, ¡°I was in Clandor for a few weeks, and the situation there is really bad. The administration is unstable, and for a temporary peace, I heard that both royals and the Council decided to exchange wards. Allynna is soon to leave for the Council in exchange for the Council¡¯s precious heir.¡± ¡°A peace bought through cowardice won¡¯t last long. But how come her approaching me had to do anything with this?¡± ¡°Who knows, maybe she wanted your sympathy. She is not well-versed in politics like her mother; she only knows sincerity.¡± ¡°And your point of telling me this nonsense?¡± Hans inquired. ¡°If you wish, you can tip this balanced scale. All you have to do is declare Parvian support towards the royals¡ª¡± ¡°Chris, be careful there. You are my first knight. I can¡¯t have you act like Clandorians¡¯ spokesperson.¡± ¡°Sorry, buddy,¡± Chris apologised honestly. ¡°It was my home, and I was treated well there. I just don¡¯t want to see it burn in flames.¡± Hans was silent for a while and after thinking, he gave a clear answer. ¡°An imperial has no mercy, sympathy, or sense of guilt. We are not built like others. Her sincerity is the wrong way to approach me. I¡¯m not my past self where I take decisions without thinking. There is a nation behind me, for god¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°Just forgot it,¡± Chris apologised again, ¡°it was wrong of me¡ª¡± ¡°You missed the point, Chris. I never said I can¡¯t get involved. I said the approach she is using is wrong.¡± Hans mused and went in first. Both of them shouted, surprised, and followed from behind. ¡°Tak! Tak!¡± A young woman in her late twenties entered the class. She had wavy dark green hair that swayed down her shoulders like a forest in motion. Her eyes sparkled with intelligence and kindness, framed by delicate glasses perched on her nose. A faint citrusy scent trailed behind her, leaving a refreshing trail in the otherwise stagnant air. With a confident stride, she made her way to the teacher''s desk, her presence commanding attention without a word spoken. The students'' curious gazes followed her every move until she spoke. ¡°Settle down, y¡¯all, and good morning,¡± she greeted in a voice that was both gentle and firm. "I''m your new homeroom teacher, and I''m looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you this year.¡± Her words were met with a chorus of greetings and curious glances exchanged among the students. One of them asked, ¡°Professor, I thought someone else was taking the homeroom¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, he abandoned you all, so I took over.¡± She smiled softly and addressed the class, ¡°Listen, you all know I¡¯m the Castle master of Seekers, Thelma. I¡¯m a very busy person, so I won¡¯t be your mother. You¡¯ve grown up and reached the third year.¡± She quickly counted the heads in the class. Clearing her voice, she continued, ¡°You¡¯re around sixty or something. Many of your friends failed the second year and are now somewhere else in Floatlands, either at home or in another castle. Don¡¯t mind them; this is the real beginning of your life as mana users, whether you¡¯re a knight or a mage. The real work starts now.¡± The class fell silent, but the students exchanged glances. ¡°Thak! Thak!¡± She clapped her desk with her books and spoke again. ¡°Look, let¡¯s get this over with quickly. You all belong to different castles with different facilities, but after the third year, there¡¯s a special perk for every castle.¡± The students looked at her, curious. She answered warmly, ¡°To pass the third year, you need to collect 1000 credits. The first option is to earn credits by taking courses. Regular classes reward you around 250 credits, and additional subjects carry different amounts. However, most students prefer the second option¡ª¡± ¡°TASK HALL!,¡± cutting her off in mid sentence, students collectively answered. ¡°Yes, I can feel the enthusiasm, but let me finish first, okay?¡± Students nodded in unison, and she continued, ¡°You are only allowed to take the meagre tasks offered for clearance level 1. The more credits you earn, the higher your clearance level shoots up. And now we are on the topic which I was talking about. The perks of your individual castle.¡± The silence hung in the balance. Many of the members were informed beforehand, but they all wanted to confirm through their homeroom. Thelma smiled gently and swiped her hair lock to the right. She said, ¡°For starters, the castle members of Seekers were offered secret information which cost a spicy price for you newbies.¡± ¡°Prophets pay no taxes. Sentinels are offered heavy discounts on potions, while their counterparts, Talons, could borrow an artefact with no charge. And lastly, Guardians are offered free healing after any mishaps.¡± ¡°Why the discrimination?¡± A girl with auburn hair asked, raising her hand. ¡°So you fools don¡¯t go solo and get yourselves in trouble. Believe me, you¡¯ll get in trouble even with a decent group.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t even leave Floatlands. What trouble we can get?¡± Hans quipped in silence, but his words were heard by Thelma. However, instead of getting angry, she just smiled politely and answered, ¡°There are a lot of ways you can get your ass handed to you, Prince of Parv. Do you want to experience it?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to try, but I don¡¯t want to drag these nice people into it. So No professor¡ª¡± ¡°Wise choice. Moving on. Fill out the forms if you want to opt in for classroom education since you can¡¯t change this after a week. You need to learn that you can¡¯t catch the ship after it sails. Think hard because the tasks you can take without licking your seniors¡¯ shoes only offer ten or twenty credits. You need to grind a lot if you opt out of the academics.¡± ¡°No taxes. Lucky me.¡± After Thelma said her piece, Hans rejoiced inside. He still remembered the horrendous price he had to pay in the name of taxes when he was suspended. The perks were made this way so no one attempts any task alone, but Hans had his own plans.
Elven Lies II Chapter 27 : Hans The Extortionist CHAPTER 27 HANS THE EXTORTIONIST As Thelma exited, a murmur of excitement rippled through the classroom. The talk was all about the roles up for grabs: a Prophet for tax evasion, a Sentinel for budget potions, and a Talon for borrowing crucial artefacts. Plus, the bonus of free healing and secret insights sweetened the deal. These benefits aimed to foster unity among the castles, but there were some strong idiots who ventured solo despite the risks, and Hans was thinking of doing just that. However, he wasn¡¯t going to deny it if Chris followed him since it was evident that Delimira was opting in for theories. And, he was still curious how Rudolf warned him to be serious when facing Chris. So he turned to Chris and asked straight forward. ¡°Hey Chris, wanna team up¡ª¡± ¡°Ah! Sorry buddy.¡± Chris cut him off without a thought, and explained instantly on seeing Hans¡¯s frown. ¡°You see, I got scouted ahead by my senior roommate. They are a pretty good team and they asked me first with an equal split. So, ¡­ sorry about that. But I¡¯ll, if I have time.¡± ¡°Hard no would¡¯ve been fine. I wasn¡¯t proposing you or something.¡± Hans said nonchalantly but anyone could see he was sulking. Soon, he forgot how Chris had rejected him since he had a high-class research laboratory that was just begging to return to his owner, of course with due credits. However, those were some tricky practices or so-called a noble¡¯s way of cheating. One can just simply buy 1000 credits from the seniors with higher exchange rate than task hall or just by selling them the thing they wanted. Hans lightly tapped his knapbinder, his fortune making item was resting inside. ¡°I need no hurry, its the first day after all and I¡¯ve heard volunteering in Deadlands will pass you automatically.¡± Hans mumbled and went to the Space door to Agrilands, where Dietrich was waiting for him as promised. ¡°So foolish descendant. Ready?¡± Dietrich pointed a sword conjured by his watery aura,and Hans replied with the same posture, pointing the sword made from his malleable organic-metal-seed from the SharpDeath spell. ¡°You are getting good at transforming your what-you-call thing into weapons. It still breaks, but it¡¯s not like you have a limited supply, right?¡± ¡°Stop chitchatting, ancestor. I¡¯m ready.¡± Hans gestured a smug wipe at his nose and charged at Dietrich with everything he had. It was nothing fancy but a regular spar between one more experienced and a toddler from his opponent¡¯s perspective. However, with each spar, Hans¡¯s ability to channel his past experiences as the Inheritor grew rapidly. The more he fought Dietrich, the more power he tapped into. His mind had the counter of every Dietrich¡¯s strike, but his body wasn¡¯t ready to follow. It seemed useless to Hans when he started sparring with Dietrich since no matter how good he was at swordsmanship, if he couldn¡¯t use aura, it was just another exercise. But now, he agreed to disagree; the ancestry experience which was waking up inside him was giving him the answers to how to handle such devastating moves. This was eventually making him the idle knight killer since he could see flaws in someone¡¯s swordsmanship with a glance. However, Dietrich was whole another story; his every move exerted elegance and flawlessness, which was triggering Hans¡¯s inheritor power to find answers deep within his conscience. Hence his improvement, which was clearly visible to Dietrich. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day, foolish descendant, or your brain might fry itself.¡± Dietrich stopped, his blade barely away from Hans¡¯s neck. It was no brainer that Dietrich had won like any other day, but Hans wasn¡¯t frustrated or whined this time. He always thought it was an honour to get to fight Dietrich without thinking of results. He was a godlike figure to him, so he just chuckled, and his temporary sword disintegrated. For several days, Hans followed his schedule to the point, and when he heard someone started earning credits. He began his plan for extortion, which he called aggressive negotiations. He left for the task hall, a buzzing place as always. When he entered, he recalled the first time he visited the place. ¡°I sure had everyone¡¯s attention, and now too.¡± He mumbled as he saw the bustling task hall turning silent on his arrival. The numerous tables were filled with scrolls and strategic plans of squads. The task parchment was in their hands, but everyone was just staring at Hans. He stepped in further, only to come in front of a senior. He remembered him from the glory wars. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Hans gestured for him to move. It wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t sidestep and pass through, but it was a matter of useless pride for both. Troubled, Hans said in a curt tone, ¡°What? Want me to pull a monkey out of your ass? Move.¡± He passed through like a bolder rolling down the hill, and the senior instinctively moved. ¡°Can¡¯t you just do quietly?¡± A giggling voice came from the side, and Hans¡¯s contorted face turned into a forced smile. ¡°I thought you were preparing for raiding that pervert mage, Deli?¡± Hans asked, chuckling inside. ¡°It needs time to prepare. I don¡¯t want to run naked around¡ª¡± ¡°That will be some sight to see.¡± Hans chuckled. Delimira only frowned in response. ¡°I thought it would be hilarious until I realised what I said. Sorry.¡± ¡°Yeah. Parvart.¡± ¡°I nailed my foot with this one, didn¡¯t I?¡± Hans asked, perplexed. ¡°Yeah, Parvart. You won¡¯t hear the end of this.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Hans tapped his mouth. ¡°Squeaky, princess, and now Parvart. Just how many nicknames was she going to give him?¡± The thought ran through his mind until she brought him back from the thinking lands. ¡°So what are you talking about? It¡¯s your first¡ªwait, you were punished here¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I beat shit out of someone, remember?¡± Hans wore a mocking smile. ¡°Do something about your potty mouth, Hans Parv. You are the prince, for god sake.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, mother, I¡¯ll try.¡± Hans shrugged her off and asked, ¡°But what brings you here? I thought you were busy with your Golem research. Vanir was helping you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Hans had cleverly included Vanir as a helping hand to Delimira, who was secretly slowing her down. But no matter how much he tried, Delimira was picking up things faster. She even came close to theorizing how the Mystic glades were working. It wasn¡¯t because she was extraordinary like Vanir, but she had direct contacts with Hans and his spells. So her hypotheses were sitting perfectly. As she explained how Golems could have their own intellect, and how they were inexhaustible as they are using artificial mana hearts, the same as his undying Army. Hans broke out in cold sweat. ¡°Me and my big mouth. I should¡¯ve never told how the Undying army functioned. She is this close¡­¡± ¡°You listening, Hans?¡± She jolted him gently. ¡°Yes, yes, smartass. You are planning to raid someone¡¯s house. Are you that happy to break his security measures?¡± Hans got irritated, ¡°It is private property. I heard there is a board hanging at the entrance to not enter. But greedy people still enter; they should be glad at least they can have their lives instead of clothes.¡± Hans vented so loudly that everyone was once again staring at him. He didn¡¯t say anything wrong either. When he created the Mystic glades dungeon, to entice raiders, he put numerous warning labels on it, labelling it private property, following the advice of his sage-like ancestor, a locked home robbed first than an open one. ¡°Geez, calm down. I guess Perverts had a union leader.¡± She teased him, seeing him flustered, and Hans became silent, realising he was overreacting. ¡°See ya, Winters.¡± Hans quickly bid her farewell, leaving her hanging, and went on his way deep inside. ¡°I need to get over this quickly,¡± he gently tapped his knapbinder, the research waning to be sold. He knew where he was going and without any trouble found his elf sucker. The elf, apprentice alchemist, was happy since, unlike others who lost their significant wealth in the Mystic glades, he was the only one who made a fortune there. So seeing the one who brought him this good news made him twice happy. ¡°What can I help you with, Prince Hans Parv?¡± He said, smiling. ¡°What senior? Just call me Hans, as usual. I thought we were closer than this.¡± Hans mused. ¡°Of course! Of course! Sit.¡± He offered Hans a seat. His teammates weren¡¯t there now, providing a perfect opportunity for Hans. ¡°Senior, how about making another fortune?¡± Hans snickered. ¡°My ears are long and sharp already. Just spill the beans, junior.¡± Hans looked around. This time, he wanted to keep the news a secret for real. ¡°Senior, about the task of retrieving some guy¡¯s research from Mystic Glades¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I tried because of the 1000 credits they offered, but it¡¯s like finding a needle in a haystack. It¡¯s no use taking it. The manpower and wealth needed¡ª¡± ¡°Senior, senior. Hold your horses for a second. I just want to ask, what will we get if we put that research for auction?¡± ¡°Haa!¡± The elf alchemist sighed, ¡°To tell you the truth, 1000 credits are not enough. Some of the contents in that research are original works of many authors. That idiot borrowed it from professors to understand how golems work there and lost it.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Hans stressed. ¡°He is one rich bastard, so if we inflate the price by ourselves. We could easily get around ten thousand credits¡ª¡± ¡°Say no more,¡± Hans gestured for him to stop. ¡°I have the research with me, just don¡¯t ask how. Buy from me, about 2000 credits, deal?¡± The elf alchemist¡¯s brain gears were turning in full swing, calculating the risk of offending his peers and some professors. But he had already undermined the value of research for Hans since he sensed another opportunity. ¡°I¡¯ll be making many enemies, but since we have such a good relationship, I¡¯ll take this hot potato from your hand. Give me your account card.¡± He was making it sound like he was doing Hans a favour, but Hans knew he was getting scammed. ¡°Laugh all you want, senior. I¡¯ll rob you blind in your next visit.¡± They both continued to laugh inside, thinking of the fortune they would make someday.
Elven Lies II Chapter 27 : One Man鈥檚 Misery, Another Man鈥檚 Fortune CHAPTER 28 ONE MAN¡¯S MISERY, ANOTHER MAN¡¯S FORTUNE. Hans wanted to sell the research himself, but he faced several hurdles. Firstly, he couldn''t take on the task of the Mystic Glades because third-year students like him needed their seniors'' assistance to venture outside the Floatlands which Delimira was counting on too. Secondly, the auction house was off-limits until he reached the fourth year. For third-year students like Hans, their role was primarily to assist their seniors and run errands for them to earn credits. This setup aimed to foster relationships with seniors and learn from their experiences. However, Hans wasn¡¯t the type of a team player unless he was leading them. But that didn¡¯t stop him contorting when he found out that the greedy Famur had made a fortune of twelve thousand credits in the auction. Hans, keeping the auction price in mind, cashed in the receipt of 2000 credits. However, the loud receptionist surprised everyone by announcing his achievement as the first person in years to pass the third year in half a month. Covering his face, Hans ran out of the task hall, where his friends were waiting outside. They showered him with questions. ¡°So whom do you conned?¡± Delimira asked and Chris gestured the same. ¡°Famur, that alchemist apprentice, remember him?¡± Hans asked nonchalantly. ¡°Hmf..he is a sick bastard.¡± Delimira scorned, ¡°Mystic glades wouldn¡¯t be a thing if he didn¡¯t discovered it¡ª¡± ¡°Just what is your problem with that place?¡± Hans asked, frustrated. No matter how much he thought, he couldn¡¯t come up with an answer as to why Delimira was so hell bent on this place. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me because they are stripping people.¡± He insisted the real reason this time. She sighed and finally gave in. ¡°That place is probably a phony scheme. The rewards it gives are the things they stole earlier. It wouldn¡¯t have worked if your dear Famur, hadn¡¯t ran wild with information.¡± ¡°Shit! She realised.¡± Hans cursed inside. Meanwhile She continued, ¡°There wasn¡¯t a single death. Like they want people to come back to retrieve their stolen goods and loose more¡ª¡± ¡°Come on Deli. Just stop using that head of yours for once.¡± Hans screamed inside, ¡°Wait, this is just her speculations.¡±Coughing a little, he said her with a serious tone, ¡°Maybe they just don¡¯t want powerful people coming after them¡ª¡± ¡°Do you think others don¡¯t know what is going on in Mystic glades?¡± She asked serious, ¡°They do, but they still go there in hope of becoming the one-tenth, claiming fortune themselves.¡± ¡°So, what is your beef with them.¡± Hans said, cautious. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She remained silent but turning red, she gave in, ¡°Fine, I¡¯m jealous. Its a great plan. I should¡¯ve done it, I just didn¡¯t have a golem army for myself.¡± ¡°Wait what?¡± Hans got flustered, and vented,¡°So you were up my ass, hounding me about golems because of it.¡± ¡°Of course, genius. The only one who is capable of using Golems of that quantity is you. But yours aren¡¯t capable of complex commands or real intelligence. I¡¯ve seen in recordings, they have quick thinking and decision making skills¡ª¡± ¡°What now? They have what. Decision making¡­ aren¡¯t they running in commands.¡± Hans was perplexed himself. He didn¡¯t circuit them that way since it was out of his scope. ¡°No, they definitely aren¡¯t running on commands. Do you know why they are stripping people?¡± She asked, and both Chris and Hans just stared at her curious. ¡°Because,¡± she answered, ¡°That way they could take everything, even something that one is hiding in his underwear.¡± ¡°That make sense.¡± Hans thought but another epiphany hit him, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, how they are behaving like that.¡± He was confused, but there was something more pressing he wanted to clear. ¡°Hey, Deli. Why didn¡¯t you doubted me. If their golems are similar to my Undying army. Maybe Mystic glades is my place¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, leave it Hans. If you were that capable, you wouldn¡¯t have come to me for gold.¡± She rejected his notion instantly. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Hans took a breath of relief as he said to himself. ¡°Its good that she thinks me as not capable. But man, I''m offended.¡± Taking another breather, he asked her, ¡°So what is your plan now?¡± ¡°Plan¡­¡± she chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m going to expose his ass off. Just you wait.¡± ¡°And she said, I had a potty mouth. Whatever Winters, challenge accepted.¡± Hans smiled at her gently and said, ¡°Good luck with that just don¡¯t go running naked around the forest¡­pft..¡± Hans left but instead of going to another place, he re-entered the task hall. Specifically made his way to the redemption board and said with a commanding tone, ¡°Give me your best stock of mana gems for thousand credits.¡± But even with thousand credits which were equivalent to hundred thousand of gold coins, he only could afford three mid tier mana gems. Fire, water, and ground. ¡°This will do.¡± He called Vanir and went to the Agrilands, their personal hideout. He wanted to create a single entity, that was capable of traumatising these raiders. A worthy challenge for Delimira so she would back off from her mindless pursuit. But it wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°First lets find out how are they getting intelligent.¡±He opened the connected space door to Mystic glades and stepped into his forest. In his brief walk, he did find various garments. ¡°Geez not even underwear were spared.¡± He called one of his golem and dismantled it. ¡°So this was giving them intelligence.¡± He picked a small ripple patterned seed, the imitation of day seed. ¡°Hmm.. I forgot, the crying¡­no, I should call it the night-seed now. It evolved, so there was also a possibility for day-seed to evolve.¡± He turned around, his golems were surrounding him but unlike crying seed, their behaviour suggested submission. ¡°Thats an unexpected development.¡± He chuckled and instead of reassembling the game he dismantled. He gave it to Vanir who was busy thinking about latest project of his lord ¡®a monster of Mystic Glades¡¯. Using the evolved day seed and his personal wood gem, Hans conjured a skeletal structure woven from the strongest branches he could mutate. But instead of taking a humanoid shape, he made it into a fearsome creature¡ªa blend of an aquatic reptile and a beast with a long, muscular body, a broad snout, and powerful jaws lined with sharp teeth. Fine creepers sprouted, weaving together to form powerful muscles. These creepers then embraced the fire gem, shaping it into the creature''s reptilian head. Below, the ground gem melded into the body, creating a rugged, rock-like skin that offered both protection and camouflage. The creature''s limbs grew strong, ending in clawed feet perfect for swift movement on both land and water, thanks to the water gem''s influence. It resembled Snapjaw, a beast known for their excellent swimming abilities and are ambush predators, using their stealth and speed to catch the prey. As its eyes glowed with a fiery red, the creature let out a thunderous roar from its newly fashioned throat. It stood ready to confront any intruders, a formidable boss monster in the dungeon that Hans eagerly awaited people like Delimira to challenge. ¡°You never ceases to amaze me, Senior.¡± Vanir complemented. ¡°This is nothing, we still need to create a habitat for it. Hmm.. let me think..¡± Hans mumbled as he saw the unfazed Dietrich amazed for the first time. ¡°Haa. We have our chairman with us too¡ª¡± ¡°I wanna have a swing at this thing. Can I?¡± Dietrich interrupted, his eyes lusting for battle, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be gentle¡ª¡± ¡°You break it you buy it, mr chairman. Its around ten million in gold. Do you have that kind a money¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, this is extortion, it just cost you around hundred thousand. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°One man¡¯s misery, another man¡¯s fortune, thats how the world works. Mr chairman.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t touch it, you miser. So what do you want me to do, your eyes are telling me something¡ª¡± ¡°Just fill the lake.¡± Hans pointed the centre of the forest, his core of the network and supply exporting point. ¡°What lake¡ª¡± ¡°Crumble!!¡± A suppressed explosion caved in a huge plot of land, making the centre as a small island surrounded by a huge cavity. ¡°That lake.¡± Hans pointed out. Without wasting anytime, Dietrich filled the lake with his watery aura and with several runes and formulas imbued in the Snapjaw by Vanir, the reptile golem rolled inside. Dietrich didn¡¯t mentioned it but the lake water made from his aura was strengthening SnapJaw beyond of what it was capable of. ¡°Now all we have to do is wait for a sucker to arrive here. But this time, some of them will be resting here permanently. Fighting a golem like this and survive to tell the tale. I only need one alive.¡± ¡°So what did you commanded it senior.¡± Vanir broke the stillness. ¡°Kill anyone who approaches the lake by any means necessary .¡± Hans said nonchalantly which was even creepier than his usual tone. Before Vanir could say more, Hans suddenly signalled him to be quiet. "You could sense that too, don''t you?" Dietrich asked him, sounding proud. "Yeah, I¡¯d be a bad host if I couldn¡¯t even detect the guests in my home, this is my territory after all.¡± Hans boasted arrogantly. He then cleared a path for the raiders to reach the centre without encountering any obstacles, and thanks to their advanced skills, they arrived at the centre right on time. But they were vigilant, encountering no golem till this point left them with a sense that something was amiss. So they proceeded cautiously, taking each step with care. "Hehehe..." Hans grinned wickedly as he spotted them near the lake. ¡°Come on, take the bait, you overly cautious bastards,¡± he urged them silently in his mind and the debut of Monster happened.
Elven Lies II Chapter 29 : Wake of Crocotian CHAPTER 29 WAKE OF CROCOTIAN ¡°Blug! Blug! Blug!¡±A girl with raven hair and fair skin spotted the surfacing bubbles from the lake and alerted others as she felt the sudden temperature rise. Hans finally get a good look at these invaders. It was a well balanced group of six. ¡°Now show me what you got.¡± And as if they¡¯d heard him, they took out a defensive artefact, conjuring a hemispherical forcefield around them. While the archer of the group ejected back, jumped several steps behind the forcefield. He stretched his bowstring, drawing his heavy arrow and took position aiming at the lake. ¡°Mh¡­ they sure aren¡¯t novice.¡± Hans perplexed, doubting wether his boss golem could win. ¡°Blug.Blug.Blug.Blug.¡± The popping of the bubble in the lake surface increased quickly and as the lake became the boiling body of water, the steam started eating up the visibility. With an eerie sound of bubbles popping, heightened the tension among the raiders. The raven haired girl felt a presence. ¡°Get ready¡ª¡± She wasn¡¯t even finished and her words were cut off half, same as her body. There forcefield couldn¡¯t even block the sharp cleaving tooth of the Snapjaw-golem as it lunged out of water in a predatory style. And the result was instant dismemberment. The boss golem, didn¡¯t stopped there, his orders were absolute and his will to please his greater prominent. With a swift motion, it turned and his long strong tail, whipped the remaining four. Two died instantly while two barely survived. The archer who was aiming at the the reptilian golem couldn¡¯t even let loose its mana imbued arrow. The fear off death had gripped his heart as he knew the moment he shoots the arrow, his fate will be sealed. With the deft stride, the Snapjaw-golem approached the two injured. It roared with all its might, that shook the whole Mystic Glades. Sending warning to the other raiders of the dangers. However, the two injured wasn¡¯t so lucky. It opened its maw, appearing to swallow them whole but instead it launched a very hot steam.Making their flesh to leave their bones, perfectly separating it from skeleton. ¡°Va..Vanir¡± Hans took in the horrifying scene and stammered. ¡°Just what did you include in formula you damn minion, this wasn¡¯t I wanted to make¡ª¡± ¡°You told me to make it strong, senior. Don¡¯t eat your own hat.¡± ¡°You damn over achiever, I wanted it to strong¡­ I was talking in terms of physical strength.¡± Hans shouted dumbfounded. It was true that he was fuelling the life in the golems but the structure and the characteristics all were designed from Vanir¡¯s ingenuity ¡°What?¡± Vanir shouted back, and defended himself, ¡°You should¡¯ve made it clear.¡± He began counting with his hands and added, ¡°I even included, several more combination of spells. Like flame-throw, aerial spikes, meteors fall¡­you said it to make powerful, its not my fault.¡± Hans clenched his fist, he couldn¡¯t get angry what Vanir¡¯s mind had birthed because it appeared so horrifyingly beautiful to him. He laughed at himself mumbling, ¡°Its not a guardian golem, its a hell-bent killing machine.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Dietrich sounded disappointed. He thought this wonderful creation was birthed from his descendant¡¯s mind, but the situation was something else. Once again, he wanted to recommend Vanir to the alchemist department but soon dropped the notion recalling what Hans responded to him before. So diverting their thoughts, Dietrich proposed, ¡°A mighty thing like this should¡¯ve a name, foolish descendant¡­hmm¡­ how about Crocotian.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Crocotian. Sounds nice. Now I have another powerful golem beside Hydra. I just hope I can convince Deli to not come here¡ª¡± ¡°I have to ban this place too.¡± Dietrich added, ¡°This has become far too dangerous for children. Concordia won¡¯t be raiding here from now on.¡± ¡°That helps too. Screw convincing her now. Let her be annoyed she couldn¡¯t find the truth here.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it put a burner to your earnings, senior.¡± Vanir, mumbled with caution and when both old and new Parvian stared at him, he threw his thoughts out, ¡°Most of our earnings come from robbin¡­ I mean from our visitors.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I already have more than enough and its not like others won¡¯t come.¡± Hans gestured at his collecting golems who were stripping down the bodies. ¡°Ha, these greenhorn are really perverted. Hey..hey..stop you morons, only collect what is valuable¡­not cloths.¡± Hans went scolding them, leaving Dietrich and Vanir to converse alone. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Hmm.. so you thought that.¡± Dietrich pointed at Crocotian. ¡°Yeah. I wanted to add more, but that¡¯s all I could do in this short time.¡± Vanir said thinking himself. ¡°You will be a real big name if you survive long enough, Vanir Dorfeil.¡± Dietrich mused, leaving Vanir to blush. These words coming from Dietrich, the chairman of Concordia was something else and he even used his name. Today couldn¡¯t have become better for Vanir. The trio, soon left the Mystic glades under the care of Crocotian. Not even few days has passed and a news broke out in Concordia. A story Dietrich had concocted without Hans¡¯s knowledge. ¡°Have you heard?¡± A girl in the task hall asked another, ¡°Mystic glades is a place where a mage sealed a monster. And Golems are preventing people to wake him up¡± ¡°Yes, the task hall banned the raiding at Mystic glades¡± The bustling discussion continued about Mystic glades and instead of becoming quiet, the dungeon became more lively as the strong individuals started raiding the forest to satiate the curiosity. Meanwhile Hans was counting zeroes in his dwarven bank account card. ¡°Its frickin¡¯ four million gold. I¡¯m not rich but a filthy rich now.¡± ¡°Thats good, but how are you going to break the news of your withdrawal from Glory Wars.¡± Vanir said, concerned, adding, ¡°Almost everyone is looking forward for your participation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not their monkey.¡± Hans mused, asking, ¡°Why should I entertain them¡ª¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± Vanir agreed, adding, ¡°I should withdraw ¡ª¡± ¡°But you are my monkey. So you¡¯ll have to participate Vanir. And win. Period.¡± Hans furrowed his brows, and asked in deep voice, ¡°Do we have an understanding?¡± Vanir wanted to scream out that Hans wasn¡¯t even the winner and now he was demanding the first place from him. But Hans¡¯s eyes had already caught his inner thoughts and his expressions were asking Vanir, to just dare and speak those words. Vanir remained silent and their mischief dungeon soon escalated into a murder den. This continued for few days and Mystic Glades earned its first danger ranking of three stars. ¡°Not bad for my first dungeon.¡± Hans said proud as he read the news paper which Vanir had brought in a hurry and was still gasping. ¡°Wha¡­Senio..r.. what do you mean, first.. do you plan to have more?¡± ¡°Not now.. but this is lucrative business.. just look at our haul!¡± Hans pointed the pile of potions and artefact. Even expensive armours that the golems had stripped along with cloths. ¡°So how much did you earned till now?¡± Vanir finally asked what he was curious for nearly two months. ¡°So, you can¡¯t hold it anymore?¡± Vanir nodded comically, ¡°just tell me already?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Hans shook his head in denial. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Vanir but Dietrich had forewarned him to not disclose how much he made and Hans agreed with the thought. The last thing he wanted to plant a greed and envy in Vanir. But reward should be given for excellent performance and it can¡¯t be monetary unless it was salary; words of his wise ancestor. ¡°Vanir.¡± Hans asked, ¡°How much does a magic tower cost?¡± The question even perplexed Dietrich and Vanir wasn¡¯t the exception. He was troubled, just how much had Hans accumulated, so he could ask this nonsensical question. He was stunned so the elder among them, Dietrich spoke, ¡°It can¡¯t be bought with money. Why do you think, Parv still don¡¯t have it?¡± Hans chuckled and turning to Vanir, he asked, ¡°Do you want a magic tower?¡± Both Dietrich and Vanir was gone beyond their senses. A magic tower was collection of knowledge and research. The life works of mages and their hidden legacies, in terms of power they are impenetrable body that could flatten the lands with their firepower. Parv as a country of knights never managed to make one while Clandor had eighteen towers itself. Several other counties somehow managed it obtain one or create one with ridiculous amount of money. Vanir wanted Hans to understand that he was talking nonsense but Hans¡¯s determined eyes was telling him to answer if he desired one. Gulping, Vanir asked him, ¡°What if I say yes?¡± ¡°Then you shall have it. When I chose you, I promised then, you will never bow before any but only me, right? A Magic tower masters have immunity to bow to any king, I heard.¡± ¡°Senior. I appreciate your thought. But you do know how ridiculous you sound?¡± Dietrich agreed, Hans was projecting an impossible dream to Vanir. He wanted to say something but Hans began to speak with confidence. ¡°Yeah, I know it is ridiculous thought. But a man must dream big, then he¡¯d be force to think and turn it into reality.¡± ¡°Yeah..yeah.. cut your nonsens¡ª¡± ¡°Vanir Dorfeil.¡± Hans¡¯s voice was deep, ¡°I¡¯m asking you as your master. Do you wish for a mage tower?¡± Vanir couldn¡¯t refute those determined eyes and like a bewitched person, he uttered, ¡°Every mage dreams of it. I had dreamed that too. Yes, I want a mage tower.¡± ¡°Then, you shall have it.¡± Hans mused. ¡°Ahem! Ahem!¡± Dietrich interrupted, ¡°Sorry to rain your parade, foolish one. There are 24 magic towers in Genas, at least that I know of, and had formed the organisation you know as the Mage tower, equivalent to Knight association.¡± ¡°I know, Mr chairman¡ª¡± ¡°Clandor has 18, Grimgar has 2, Utar has 1 while Sunfall has 3. Only Indu, Parv and Hellforge- the dwarven lands, have none.¡± Dietrich spoke further and Hans nodded that he was aware of. ¡°Then How do you plan to acquire one?¡± Dietrich asked with a tinge of annoyance. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Hans grinned, ¡°Clandor is having a civil war and a war is a lucrative business too, Ancestor.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 30 : Breaking the Ice CHAPTER 30 BREAKING THE ICE Hans didn¡¯t elaborate on how he planned to achieve his ridiculous dream, but Vanir was convinced since he knew Hans always followed through on everything he said. In their upcoming days, their schedule continued normally; Vanir got busy with his classes and devising ways for himself to get stronger with any means necessary. He was secretly working on how he could improve the monster sleeping in Mystic Glades. Meanwhile, Hans continued to practice the upgraded spells of Solar Mage Book. However, his special training to increase the power of Inheritance with Dietrich continued. It had been several days since their talk, and today marked the start of the fourth month of their third year in school. As they¡¯ve been told, to pass the third year, students had three options. The most talented were gearing up for glory wars. The middle-tier students were working on earning credits through tasks. Those who weren''t as skilled but still wanted to pass volunteered for the Deadlands, which guaranteed 1000 credits upon completion. However, It was only the volunteering in name since the trainees were treated as labours, or more accurately a high efficient labour force. But, going to Deadlands meant one must be ready to lose his life. That is why even if it was guaranteed way of passing, only compelled students chose this path. Hans being in the first category, forfeited his participation in Glory wars and was getting ready for Deadlands. But, now he was perplexed how to break this news to Delimira and Chris. ¡°You should tell them Senior¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up Vanir.¡± Hans chided him. They were at the two star regions of Concordia and freshly killed a class three beast, a Lava snail with much effort. Hans was increasing the capacity of Vanir¡¯s second circle just as he did for his first. The pain was unbearable, but Hans¡¯s mind being somewhere else helped negating the pain. His instinct were telling him that his withdrawal from Glory Wars won¡¯t be taken lightly by his friends. Since the third-year participants were soon to enter Sunfall¡¯s four star beast zone for special training. When he came to his senses, they were back to the midlands and he was standing at the doors with his friends in Delimira¡¯s personal cafe. ¡°Hey, what got your tongue, you pulled me out from mastering a new spell.¡± Delimira asked him, her expressions clearly mixed with annoyance and doubt. ¡°Ah Yes,¡± Hans snapped out, ¡°Give me your account card.¡± He asked her, stretching his hand. ¡°What for?¡± Delimira was confused, but before she could ask further, Hans hand ran over her, frisking and he pulled her card from his back pocket. ¡°You bast.. you can¡¯t just touch a lady.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hans perplexed, ¡°You¡¯re looking at me like I groped you something¡­wait¡­ I kinda did¡­sorry.¡± Quickly he realised where his hand ran all over and before she could grow angrier. Hans put his card over hers and shoved her card back. ¡°The deal is done, Miss Winters. Pleasure doing business with you.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Delimira was perplexed, but her account balance confirmed it. She read aloud, ¡°Six zeroes. How did you earn this much? You barely passed the half deadline.¡± Chris troubled hearing the amount, couldn¡¯t hold himself and asked holding Hans firmly, ¡°Parv.. Did you borrow¡ª¡± ¡°No, he couldn¡¯t.¡± Delimira intervened, ¡°If he wanted to borrow from Arat. He wouldn¡¯t have agreed to this double-back deal.¡± She turned to Hans and stressed, ¡°Did it come from that¡­ I told you it was dangerous you fool.¡± Hans realised she was pointing at the intercepted document in Edenberg that killed young Sylvetors. Before she could imagine more, he interrupted her, ¡°It¡¯s a business secret, Deli. And It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Wait! You two.¡± Chris objected, ¡°So you two are keeping a secret I¡¯m not aware of.. since when¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up Chris.¡± Delimira stopped him, and her questioning towards Hans continued, ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t dabbling in something you can¡¯t handle?¡± ¡°She is really perceptive.¡± Hans thought as he chuckled inside, ¡°Of course not, Winters. Its nothing I can¡¯t handle. At least for now¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah. Thats why I''m asking you dumbhead. I¡¯m pretty sure whatever you did for this much amount, would soon escalate even a bigger mess, remember Grimgar?¡± Hans interjected quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it Deli¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jinxing it, Prince of Parv. It is the truth. Just tell me once when your plan worked flawless. Frozen tooth, Glory wars, elven shadow family, Xandor, and then our beloved Dead king. Do I need to remind you once again¡± ¡°Stop being sarcastic, Winters.¡± Hans pouted as he recalled the events she mentioned. ¡°Oh, boy and I¡¯m son of a man with thousand plans. Quite pathetic, isn¡¯t it?¡± While Hans continued to mumble in his thoughts Chris mumbled in real, ¡°Just how many secrets you two are hiding?¡± However, both remained silent in their account and the manager came running to welcome them at doors as usual. Giving her one million gold was his first plan to make her delighted, but it doesn¡¯t bore any fruits. ¡°Yeah, so much for being Samson¡¯s child.¡± He smiled but soon got interrupted. ¡°Now, what did you do?¡± Delimira frowned, she was observing him for almost three years and now could practically read him like an open book. His overstretched smile meant he did something bad and was trying to cover up. ¡°Damn, she is sharp as ever¡± Hans shook his head in an instant denial, ¡°Nothing!¡± He said further, ¡°I was going to ask you two about your Glory Wars preparations.¡± ¡°Speaking of Glory wars. Just where were you when the old team members are gathered. I¡¯m positive, I told your minion to inform you.¡± ¡°Ah, that bastard tell me no tales as such. How irresponsible.¡± Hans threw Vanir under the carriage without hesitation. ¡°So how many are participating in prelims this year?¡± Hans asked them sipping his sugary drink. ¡°More than twenty. All are really improved this time.¡± Chris answered. ¡°So when are you guys leaving for Sunfall?¡± Hans asked whispering. ¡°What do you mean ¡®You guys¡¯?¡± Both Chris and Delimira asked in unison. ¡°Just when did Chris become so discerning.¡± Hans sweat bullets and once again threw Vanir under that carriage. ¡°Did that minion of mine never told you, I forfeited from the competition. How irresponsible¡ª¡± ¡°Irresponsible my foot.¡± Delimira stood up jolting. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Geez, Deli. I¡¯m not participating, thats it. Its not like¡ª¡± ¡°And you chose to tell us now when Sunfall training is just around the corner. Are we even friends or what? I thought you wanted to wash your name from being number three, ain''t I right?¡± ¡°She is really pushing the correct buttons.¡± Hans thought inside, he had earned more than eight million gold in just four months and Crocotian is still attracting strong crowds so his treasure chest would sure gonna soar. ¡°If I participate in Glory Wars, I might have to use some of the golems like Mystic Glades. Someone might start doubting me. Its good that I¡¯m volunteering in Deadlands.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to Deadlands. You guys will do fine without me. I wasn¡¯t even a good leader¡ª¡± ¡°Screw you.¡± Delimira fumed at his response. ¡°I guess, only I had thought us three as a team. We stick together, thick and through. If you wanted to go to the deadlands. You should¡¯ve told us earlier. We¡¯d have followed you, now if we back out from the Glory Wars team, it would weaken the whole team.¡± ¡°Deli, I¡¯m your friend not someone you follow. Sometime, we will have clash of opinions and we have to carve our own path, Ian¡¯t I right? But while climbing a mountain, no matter what path you chose, it evidently meets at the top¡ª¡± ¡°What kind of BS is this?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t get it! Why are you so angry at me for not taking part in glory wars.¡± ¡°She ain¡¯t angry at that buddy.¡± Chris, the silent observer till now finally spoke, ¡°She is angry at because you took your sweet time in telling this. Glory war contenders are leaving tomorrow for sunfall, I thought you were with us. I feel backstabbed¡± ¡°Sorry man. Its just not neede¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Delimira stomped strong, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. He and his BS can enjoy their solitude together in Deadlands.¡± She left the establishment furious. ¡°Ah, man¡ª¡± ¡°Buddy, you should¡¯ve told us sooner.¡± Chris also stood up, ¡°Whatever your reasons are, I understand. But I really should go after her, before she beat someone up¡­or worse.¡± Chris ran out waving bye and Hans made his way towards the dean quarters. It was late evening so Rudolf and Sierra were at home that time. Hans cleared his throat and got ready for a big explanation he prepared. ¡°Haa! This is never racking.¡± He knocked the door.
Elven Lies II Chapter 31 : To Deadlands CHAPTER 31 TO DEADLANDS Hans knocked on his grandparents¡¯ doors and bolted inside the quarters. ¡°Hey! Gramps. How are you doing?¡± His eyes searched for Rudolf since there was no response. But soon an answer came from further inside, and he turned his head. ¡°Spare me with your fake gestures, brat. I heard a pretty interesting nonsense. You forfeited from Glory Wars. Care to explain?¡± ¡°Hmm! For starters, it¡¯s not nonsense. I volunteered for Deadlands¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, that was the nonsense I was talking about, brat. Deadlands volunteering for third-years is just free labour. You don¡¯t get to do any exciting things. Possibly, you won¡¯t even be able to leave the Node perimeter.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Hans laced his words with sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯ll be safe inside the Node, right?¡± ¡°As if. You probably want to go to the Deadlands¡ª¡± ¡°Trang! You are wrong this time, Grandpa. Facing a red demon. I¡¯m not that crazy¡­ or strong for the matter.¡± Hans explained. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Red Monks. I¡¯m just scouting the group to see if they are worth their grand name¡ª¡± ¡°Hera¡¯s squad¡­ that¡¯s a pretty big name in Deadlands, Squeaky. But I wonder if she¡¯ll let you in. Your father and she had an intense rivalry¡­ And I¡¯m pretty sure the score between them wasn¡¯t a tie but in her favour.¡± ¡°I heard. She out did him many times¡ª¡± ¡°And which fancy bastard sing that to your ears.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve my sources. So, you have no problems me volunteering in Deadlands, right?¡± Hans asked, his tone earnest. ¡°If I object, will you not go?¡± Rudolf chuckled. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go anyway.¡± ¡°Then, what¡¯s the point of asking? You were just informing.¡± Rudolf sighed. ¡°For the fact that I know, you won¡¯t be facing any dangers around Hera, so I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°You have that much confidence in her¡ª¡± ¡°She can whip anyone¡¯s ass if she wants to. Unlike your father, who uses several techniques and his sharp wits, she is the definition of absolute power.¡± ¡°Have you fought her?¡±Hans inquired with curiosity, causing Rudolf to shake his head from side to side. "Nope, she only goes up against those who bug her," Rudolf elaborated, "She''s super chill unless someone pushes her buttons; then she''ll show you what she''s made of.¡± Rudolf warned, ¡°So, squeaky. Don''t even think about doing something silly, okay?" His gaze consistent on the little troublemaker, "I''m not just giving you a heads up; I''m practically begging you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m going there, Gramps, don¡¯t worry.¡± Hans tried to pacify his old man. He was going there for quite the opposite reasons. Dietrich asked him to make a good impression on her so she¡¯d want him to join Red monks and possibly teach him a thing or two. However, Rudolf was worried, Hera wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d get provoked easily, even with Hans¡¯s antics, and knowing her personality the chances of her doing something to his little boy were close to zero. But common sense doesn¡¯t work when his foolish grandson was involved so his worries were legitimate. Hans, on the other hand, was coaxing Sierra because Rudolf¡¯s word he could somehow ignore, but not hers. ¡°I respect your choices. I can¡¯t keep you under my wings forever. So take care of yourself, my child.¡± She hugged him tight and added, ¡°You should try talking to Vanessa too. She was most worried¡­ her experience with Deadlands was ¡­not good.¡± ¡°I think she¡¯d overreact¡­¡± ¡°That would be a reasonable reaction.¡± Sierra cuddled his back, and Hans left with good vibes to Vanessa¡¯s place. He knocked, and she swung open the door dressed in clean clothes. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Her brown hair was damp, droplets clinging to each strand, carrying the lingering fragrance. Having just finished her shower after the tasks as the dean¡¯s aide, she smiled at Hans. "Sure thing, come on in," she said, wrapping a towel around her head in a welcoming gesture. ¡°So, you are going to Deadlands?¡± She asked, her voice calm. ¡°Yeah.¡± Hans was ready to persuade her with everything he had. He even practiced before a mirror. ¡°Good luck then.¡± She responded with a warm smile, sending Hans¡¯s prepared reasons to the trash bin. ¡°I can¡¯t be the one holding my dear brother back. So don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a place with a lot of experience, but I personally think you won¡¯t be getting any as a third-year volunteer.¡± ¡°I want to go.¡± Hans said, his expressions free of any worries. ¡°Then, you must heed my words very carefully. Stick to the rules; they''re there for a reason. Don''t go questioning your superiors, and you''ll make it out fine. And most importantly, come back in one piece," she said, ruffling his hair affectionately. Feeling her hand in his head, Hans nodded. ¡°See, thats how one should react. She is supporting me even if she don¡¯t want me to go. Tsk! Tsk! And look at Deli, throwing tantrum.¡± Hans was comparing them, forgetting the reasons behind their actions were completely different. It was the fateful day when Glory wars contenders, a team of 25 people were scheduled to leave for the special training in Sunfall. Only ten was going to represent while the other fifteen was going to comeback with nothing in their names. But this was the risk they are willing to take. It was their last chance to get some fame and made their name known to the the world. ¡°So she¡¯s still grumpy.¡± Hans said to Chris while aiming his words at Delimira. She was listening but wasn¡¯t in the mood to reply to Hans, so he further added, ¡°Oh come on Winters, I¡¯ll bring your scale back¡­ didn¡¯t you say you sold it to someone in Concordia node¡ª¡± ¡°Chris.¡±Delimira finally spoke, ¡°tell the flapping-ugly-bastard to mind his own business.¡± ¡°Woah, I became ugly too. Tsk! Tsk!¡± Hans teased her and she stomped ahead without arguing back. Sighing, Hans turned to Chris, ¡°Take care, buddy.¡± He patted Chris¡¯s muscular arm. Chris was already taller than him before and now his growing features were showing too. He wassoon reaching adulthood, so his changes were quite noticeable. ¡°She¡¯ll come around, don¡¯t worry.¡± Chris patted back. ¡°I know. Its just fun annoying her.¡± ¡°Only you can think of this, buddy.¡± Chris remembered how curt she bit back when he tried teasing her. Bidding farewell, he ran towards the SpaceDoor. Thelma Ward, the youngest professor and the Seekers¡¯ castle master, was in charge of them this year. She was also responsible for their training in Sunfall. She was asking for a headcount and when everyone was present. They stepped through the SpaceDoor and vanished. ¡°Volunteers of Deadlands, third-years. Come here.¡± A skinny man, in his mid-twenties, shouted with a mana-enhanced voice. ¡°So that¡¯s my call,¡± Hans muttered and paced towards the calling man. Soon, he found out a total of eight lowest-ranking members of his class, and ironically, he was the last ranked according to grades of the previous year. If they¡¯ve gone accordingly, he deserved to be here. When everyone was present, the skinny man introduced himself. ¡°My name is Karl. I¡¯m one of the guards of the Concordia node. Before we depart, I need to tell you something. There are certain rules you need to follow. First, follow the rules like your life depends on it. This upcoming four months will test your pride.¡± He scanned the staring faces. ¡°It¡¯s good there is no noble among you¡­ha¡­my fucking luck.¡± He bit his tongue as he saw Hans, not some backwater noble but the Parvian imperial. Understanding his reaction, Hans asserted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m just a volunteer not whatever-bomb you are thinking.¡± ¡°¡­Ha¡­ it¡¯s not my headache.¡± Karl mutters and continued where he left off, ¡°So follow the rules and you¡¯ll return with your passing credits. And¡­under no circumstances, you¡¯ll leave the node. Grind that into your head because we were only responsible for you inside the node. Deadlands is a dangerous place¡­ a place you can die with a snap. So if you want to back out, this will be your last chance.¡± A hand raised among the eight. A sickly looking boy, who was head taller than Hans asked, ¡°How is the hierarchy of Node. We were told to follow hierarchy.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I thought you raised your hand for backing out. Hierarchy¡­ every node has similar structure. At the top we have Nodemaster, following down are commanders then captain and lastly the recruits. You¡¯ll be below them called Volunteers.¡± Hans raised his hand this time. ¡°What about Red monks?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ so you are trying to become one. Well, its good to dream big.¡± Karl answered politely but his tone was sarcastic. ¡°Red Monks is a separate unit of Concordia Node. It only answers to Nodemaster Hera.¡± ¡°Not even Captains or commanders¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, Red Monks members has power all over them, only Nodemaster sits above them.¡± Hans nodded, he wanted to confirm this. His aim was to interact with Hera and possible persuade her to teach him to be a proper mage as Dietrich wanted. He wasn¡¯t keen on becoming part of any faction or group since he was already Part of Parv. However, if meeting this Shaerra or Hera would somehow makes him stronger, that¡¯s a different story then. As Karl paused, expecting further inquiries which never came, he proceeded to request signed permission slips from the students, a necessary formality signed by both parents and guardians. The document clearly stated that any risks to their safety would be their own responsibility, absolving the Node of any blame¡ªa routine protocol for minors venturing into the dangerous Deadlands.
Elven Lies II Chapter 31 : The Concordia Node CHAPTER 32 THE CONCORDIA NODE ¡°Ugh¡­ this shitty feeling.¡± Hans exited the SpaceDoor and finally found himself breathing. ¡°They really sent us nowhere.¡± He took in the view of place where they appeared. A place which can neither be a forest nor plains. They were scheduled for Concordia Node, so he was flustered like the other volunteers. Hans was eager to see one of the eight outposts called Nodes, encircling Deadlands. The last line of defense against the invading Red-Demons. He couldn¡¯t see his surrounding with much clearly since his mind was focused on the augmented window flashing before eyes. The familiar box with unfamiliar text was in it. OFFLINE When he inquired further, he got a prompt ¡ª ¡®Outside the effective zone of Osiris terminal¡¯. He didn¡¯t quite grasp the exact meaning, but he got the main idea that he couldn¡¯t use commands like INGRESS and SCAN. ¡°That¡¯s some way of telling me I¡¯m in hot waters. INGRESS is my go-to escape, and you are telling me I can¡¯t use it! This is messed up. What if¡ª¡± ¡°Stop chitchatting.¡± Karl interrupted his mumblings and added, ¡°We are not far from the Node. The use of SpaceDoor is forbidden inside the perimeter, so we have to walk a little bit.¡± After a brief trek of the hill, the huge sky reaching wall greeted their eyes. ¡°Well, colour me impressed.¡± Hans chuckled, this was the by far a wonder of architecture he had seen. A circular fortress wall which seemed impregnable with a huge gate that looked it can¡¯t be sieged. But what more impressed Hans was the colorful barrier rising from those walls, ¡°So, this is Concordia¡¯s personal barrier.¡± He looked at his companions who had the same thing written all over their faces. ¡°Don¡¯t loiter around.¡± Karl pushed a brown-haired boy forward. ¡°We are running from this point. Your volunteering starts now. Reach the gates.¡± He ordered, looking at the distance. ¡°Hmm¡­it¡¯s only a few kilometres. It¡¯s your first order. Do not interfere with each other in any way. Neither help nor trouble is permitted. You just need to reach the gates in an hour. Good luck.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a few but several kilometres away. Hans and others looked at each other till the sickly-looking boy started his run with an unprecedented speed. ¡°Woah, I thought he¡¯d cough out of his life¡­you can¡¯t judge others easily.¡± Hans started levitating. ¡°He said though any means, right? Let¡¯s fly. Zwwoosh!¡± Hans flew past the sickly-looking boy in a jiffy and was the first to reach the gates where Karl was waiting for them. Hans never got the chance to understand how Karl was able to appear at the gates, but he knew Karl was not obligated to share that, so he buried his curiosity. One after another, all of the eight appeared. They might be the bottom of the barrel, but all of them passed the second year and were part of the Concordia. That automatically made them superior to many ordinary knights and mages. The one who came at last asked Karl, ¡°Sir, why not use a SpaceDoor inside the node? Why that far¡ª¡± ¡°You moron, haven¡¯t you studied a bit about the Deadlands¡ªtsk! That¡¯s why I hate the volunteer program. They all think it¡¯s a picnic.¡± Karl vented his suppressed frustration and answered the naive girl¡¯s question. ¡°Listen, you ignorant bunch. Red demons are the only living beings in Genas who can use space mana. They don¡¯t need space stones like us, so establishing a SpaceDoor inside a stronghold seems idiotic, doesn¡¯t it?¡± None questioned further, and after Karl flashed something at the massive doors.An ethereal light washed over the fortress gates and stretched all over the walls. The invisible runes and barriers that protected the place began to appear. ¡°Is this the Deadlands¡¯ barrier?¡± Hans involuntarily asked. ¡°Hmph¡­ these fools.¡± Karl chuckled. ¡°No, it¡¯s not the grand barrier, but the personal barrier of a node. Each node has a circular perimeter, and a personal barrier rises at its extremes. It¡¯s the second measure of protection. If the grand barrier fails, we don¡¯t want our people inside the node massacred, do we?¡± He pointed towards the gate and said with proudly, ¡°These nodes connect to form the Grand barrier, holding the deadlands within.¡± Hans was not offended even a little. It was true that the he didn¡¯t know anything about the Deadlands since everything about it was not in the books he possessed. So, he nodded without arguing and the doors began to creak, slowly but steadily they could see the inside through the slit gap. It took speed and the wide entrance welcomed them as the door finally swung opened. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. A bustling city which he had only heard before was actually there. Hans didn¡¯t thought a city full of life to bepresent near Deadlands but the reality was something else. ¡°Welcome to Concordia Node, third years¡± All eight students were agape, including Hans as they saw the massive castle ahead, way bigger then their own back in midlands. Hans had heard from Rudolf that the eight nodes are the key to keeping the Deadlands barrier in check. Each node has circular high walls that are evenly spaced and meet the grand barrier at a tangent point. The Castle was bisected by the Grand barrier, half of it was in the city while half was in Deadlands. That¡¯s where they¡¯re headed right now - the entrance to Deadlands. ¡°I thought it can¡¯t get crazier but man, look at those defence runes. They are not even trying to hide it.¡± Hans exclaimed, amazed at the castle''s extensive protection. Having never encountered a red demon before, he couldn''t grasp why such extreme measures were necessary. ¡°And they say, Concordia Node lacks in comparison to other Nodes.¡± He chuckled at absurdity. As they entered, Hans felt the overwhelming mana coming from the grand barrier. It felt like someone had collected all the mana of the world at this one single place. He tried to connect with it, and surprisingly, it happened far faster than what he was used to, since their was so much of it. ¡°So you felt it¡­Haan¡­ why is a talented individual like you here, Hans of Parv?¡± Karl finally asked. He couldn¡¯t believe Hans¡¯s grades since he knew how strong this Parvian was in last year¡¯s Glory wars and now this supposed-low-scorer felt the abundance of mana just by stepping inside the node. His act screamed how sensitive he was to mana. And the rule of thumb in Genas said, the more sensitive you are to mana, the more talented you are. ¡°I volunteered,¡± Hans answered nonchalantly. ¡°But why is this place so full of mana? We are practically breathing it¡ª¡± ¡°This is all the influence of the massive sunstone in the Node castle,¡± Karl explained. ¡°I never saw it firsthand, but some say it is several feet taller.¡± Hans knew that the sunstone he previously had could fetch millions of gold easily but now someone was telling him the sunstone in this place was several foot tall. Hans gulped in anticipation. ¡°Then.¡± He mumbled, ¡°These sunstones.. I mean all eight of them in every Node. So, they are connected with each other right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Karl nodded as he glanced at the magnificent barrier, ¡°As I¡¯ve told before, The nodes or specifically the sunstone inside them, their connectivity is what makes the Grand barrier.¡± ¡°So, what happens if one of the sunstones breaks or got stolen¡ª¡± ¡°That would be end of the world. Period. Thats why Node security is epitome of impenetrable.¡± As Karl kept answering the third-year students'' questions, their brief journey ended by the castle gates so did Karl¡¯s duty. Without saying goodbye, he vanished into the background as a new escort appeared¡ªa young woman in sleek black armour, her blonde hair tied up elegantly on top of her head. ¡°Listen up freshies, you¡¯ll soon be assigned to your respective duties. So follow me and not idle around.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, ahem!¡± Hans tried to converse but the woman in black stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in little kids.¡± She said with a confident expressions, leaving her listeners to baffle. Hans even forgot what he was going to ask and remained silent throughout the escort. It was a brief walk, and even though the castle was huge, there wasn''t much space for these irrelevant students. The eight of them were split by gender and given a shared common room. The six boys had to cram into a tight hall, while the two girls took the other one. They had half an hour to get ready and with a shared bathroom between six boys, they somehow managed to do it in time. Of course they all unanimously agreed to let Hans finish first, since his feisty personality was no stranger to them, no one there wanted to be on his bad side. The blond woman in black greeted them with an arrogant nod and began to spoke the assignments. ¡°Ruben - armoury¡± ¡°Albus - construction¡± ¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Hans - granary¡± ¡°Granary? Are they out of their minds. Why Granary..¡± Hans wanted to spoke his thoughts out loud but held it in. Since questioning the superior was forbidden there. During his first week, he tried his best to outshine everyone. His deliveries was before time, his quick thinking resolved tricky situations, in short he fed people in time. He was first to finish every task but instead of garnering him attention, he now became the threshold that his fellow classmate have to overcome. This isolated him since each one of them started to show their contempt towards him, not that he cared, but it wasn¡¯t a good feeling. ¡°So working well is not enough. Meeting Hera is one thing, I don¡¯t even get to see her. How the heck am I supposed to have her attention? Dear Ancestor, what a predicament you¡¯ve thrown me in.¡± Hans sighed, but his whole week wasn¡¯t just a waste. He had snooped around the fellow workers and heard many things about the Red monks. ¡°In short, these people are nosy, sticking their noses in everyone¡¯s mess.¡± Hans concluded as he recalled things about this unique squad. ¡°They jump in to rectify any situation from abduction or hostage situations and even unfair business practices. Calling them nosy is not enough; these people are busybodies on a whole different level.¡± ¡°Time for Plan B then.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 33 : Zephyr Winters CHAPTER 33 ZEPHYR WINTERS Red Monks sound meddlesome to Hans, and he really didn¡¯t want to associate with them if not needed. But to judge that, he needs to make contact with Nodemaster, which seems far-fetched now. ¡°At this rate, my four months will be over like poof.¡± He was sorting a list at his post when he asked an elderly man who was filling grains for the reserves, ¡°Mister, do you know how I can meet the Nodemaster?¡± ¡°Why, did someone bothered you?¡± The middle aged man stopped working as if it was a serious issue. ¡°NO! NO!¡± Hans gestured, ¡°it¡¯s just curiosity.¡± ¡°Do you have any management skills?¡± the middle-aged man asked back. ¡°No, people do that kind of thing for me.¡± ¡°You must be from a wealthy household then, but if you can¡¯t do that, then there is no way. Nodemaster sticks to the office and only managerial section got to meet her, she only leaves that place if there is a serious emergency. And you better not create one; you¡¯ll be thrown outside, and you need those passing credits, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I need those.¡± Hans sighed. He already had those credits, but if he couldn¡¯t meet her, then coming here was just a waste of time. Hans deeply sighed once more, his mind preoccupied with another matter he needed to address at Concordia Node. Before Samson¡¯s undead event in Grimgar, he wouldn''t have given it much thought. However, after sensing his father''s longing gaze, he had become more sensitive to issues involving fathers. ¡°I need to find a way to buy back that scale or whatever she sold here. It just doesn¡¯t sit right with me.¡± He murmured to himself and asked the fellow worker once again, ¡°So, another thing, do you know anyone here who is rich enough to cough up 500,000 gold and has a connection with Winters Company?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but if I had to guess, it would be a RED MONK. They¡¯re definitely rich, that¡¯s for sure!¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Hans politely nodded, ¡°Well, Red monks are rich, that¡¯s music¡ª¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this boy asking for Zephyr.¡± Another worker intruded their conversation. ¡°Hmm..¡± The middle aged man thought hard and agreed, ¡°Yes, he was sponsored from that wealthy company. but¡ª¡± ¡°Where can I find him?¡± Hans asked, interrupting him. ¡°In the north wing, I believe he is in charge there¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks, mister. I finished my work. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Hans bolted out without hearing what the middle-aged man had left to say. Hans searched for this Zephyr-named fellow and soon found himself in the heart of the Northern Wing. ¡°Just where is this man?¡± He was asking right and left, but people were giving him an eye like Hans was hitting his own head against the wall. However, a young man in his mid-twenties, flaunting his long shoulder-length hair, came to Hans¡¯s rescue. He perked up his round glasses and asked Hans, ¡°What do you need Zephyr for?¡± He looked like a typical guy who schemed a lot, so Hans was wary of getting involved with him, but he had no choice since none was answering him. ¡°I¡¯ve something to sort him with.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ interesting, are you some powerful noble?¡± The man with glasses asked. ¡°Something similar, why do you ask?¡± Hans questioned. ¡°Because the higher you are in the food chain the quicker you can handle the repercussions.¡± ¡°Did I break any rules asking about him¡ª¡± ¡°NO! NO!, Zephyr is kind of an asshole.¡± ¡°Then why would you help me¡ª¡± ¡°Thats why I asked if you have the standing of dragging that bastard down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Hans Parv. I don¡¯t know anyone higher than my standing¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± The man with glasses became extremely happy as he recalled Hans from last-year¡¯s broadcast. ¡°My apologies, for not recognising you. Follow me.¡± He showed Hans way in an elegant sway of his hand. ¡°So he is like weaker against powerful. The typical bootlicker¡­ not that I care.¡± Hans thought inside and followed him. On their way, the man with glasses introduced himself as Yamir, the second son of noble from Sunfall. Sunfall was the nation who shared enmity with Parv in the past, but since Grimgar was between them, there wasn¡¯t that much of a bad blood. Both of them came across a heavy door; it wasn¡¯t big, but anyone could tell there was only one room behind them. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Thud! Thud! Oye Zephyr. You have a guest. Open up.¡± Yamir knocked forcefully. It was evident from his tone that he thoroughly looked down on Zephyr. ¡°Did I chose the wrong guy?¡± Hans was puzzled, and before he could put a stop to Yamir¡¯s attitude, the door opened. A lean and tall elf, with crossfade blond hair and sharp nose and chin, stared him down. It was as if he was forced to do something he loathed. ¡°He is prince of Parv.¡± Yamir introduced Hans without even being asked. ¡°Man! He is making me sound snobbish.¡± Hans tried stopping him, but Yamir was having a field day. ¡°Where are you looking you bastard.¡± Yamir shouted, ¡°Greet him or do you forget how they whipped your asses in Elven war¡ª¡± ¡°Gee¡­man. Why are you fanning the flames when I didn¡¯t even sparked.¡± Hans stopped Yamir¡¯s ranting. Turning to Zephyr, Hans explained, ¡°I¡¯m not with this guy¡ª¡± ¡°I know, he is a noble of sunfall but can¡¯t outdo me. Thats why he is using you to suppress me.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who uses your head quite well.¡± Hans chuckled, ignoring Yamir¡¯s contorted face. He turned to Zephyr and said, ¡°I have a business with you, can I come in?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zephyr replied nonchalantly. Upon Hans¡¯s entry, he shut the doors at Yamir¡¯s face. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± Zephyr maintained his uninterested face and it was hard to read for Hans who actively relied on Delimira or his SCAN analysis. ¡°Ha..I¡¯ll cut to the chase. Did Deli sold you something?¡± ¡°Deli¡­haan.¡± Zephyr was startled hearing the shortened name, ¡°What if she did?¡± He asked, his eyes finally gaining some interest. ¡°I need to buy it back. I didn¡¯t know the funds were coming by leveraging her keepsake.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zephyr readily agreed and pulled out an iridescent palm size scale. ¡°That would be 5 million gold. Can you afford it?¡± ¡°She only got 500,000 for it. She told me she¡¯d buy it back with the same¡ª¡± ¡°That price is for her and hers only. Not for a wannabe like you. Deli¡­pft. You called her Deli..¡± Hans was confused, not only because he¡¯d raised the price by an astronomical multiplier, but even he could see his eyes filled with disgust towards Hans. ¡°I¡¯m telling you again, none of my intentions were aligned with what that glass-man had said. He was speaking nonsense¡ª¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m not fool. But this would be 50 million gold for you¡ª¡± ¡°You just asked for five million¡ª¡± ¡°I said 500 million.¡± Zephyr snickered, ¡°I thought you were clever¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve no intensions of selling that to me do you?¡± Hans asked him point blank. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t imagine a bug like you flying around her.¡± He came close, his eyes staring down right his. ¡°Fuck.off.my.room.¡± ¡°O¡­ okay¡­ that¡¯s a new.¡± Hans¡¯s mind went blank. He didn¡¯t want any conflict. He recalled all he had heard about rules and discipline, and how the superior used that as an advantage against lower level workers. But that was barely holding him from lashing out. ¡°I know you are trying to provoke me¡­ and its damn right working. Even if it cost me an arm and a leg, I¡¯ll break that mouth of yours so shut up and give that scale back to me. I can¡¯t have her selling that in my conscience¡ª¡± ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are demanding it.¡± Hans didn¡¯t realised but a quick jab entered his face proximity. He barely managed to reduce the force, but another entered out of nowehere and got connected with his lower jaw, sending him flying. ¡°You green horn of Parv, dare to think you can threaten me.¡± He pulled his knuckle and rushed towards the fallen Hans. He was quick, way quicker what Hans had fought till now. Quick punches came, some Hans blocked while the later sent him crashing the strong doors. ¡°Come here you fucker, I¡¯ll tell you the consequences of questioning me.¡± Zephyr was on full rage. ¡°Contact the commander, captain Zephyr is fighting a volunteer,¡± ¡°This is bad, usually he is kind and silent.¡± ¡°That volunteer must be provoking him.¡± ¡°Yeah, there is none kinder than captain Zephyr.¡± People were talking while some ran to call their commander. As Hans knew, commanders were just lower ranked than Nodemaster. He could make out something from those buzzing people, one of them said, captain Zephyr. ¡°That¡¯s bad news, Get it together man.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t believe why he was struggling to stand. Meanwhile, Zephyr lunged at Hans, his fist fitting with knuckle brace and imbued with aura. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready you trash.¡± Hans shouted as a SeedBullet quikly launched at Zephyr¡¯s face. ¡°Clang!¡± The metal pebble of Hans clashed with the metal knuckle of Zephyr. ¡°What is this? Petty tricks.¡± VeganBind Hans shouted. The SeedBullet had brought him enough time to claim this whole area as his. But it was a far narrower place that he was used to fighting. In any way, he was reluctant to go nuts in the place that was sensitive due to red demons. His opponent was way stronger, and he couldn¡¯t use his destructive spells. ¡°Tsk! I wanted to meet the Nodemaster anyway. This fucker hit me several times. This is an emergency enough. Let¡¯s call her here.¡± Zephyr overpowered the VeganBind easily, and the extended time which it had brought was over. But Hans was ready for another. Sunfield Sanctuary With the sun hung high and the influence of Sunstones around him, his solar powers reached their peak. What he lacked was control, but he didn¡¯t need it for the things his head was planning. The whole Northern wing lighted up from inside. Sunfield Sanctuary was the advanced version of his Voidzone. Apart from affixing the mana particles, it was said to create heat that could evaporate the rocks. But to reach that output, it was still out of Hans¡¯s capability. However, it was strong enough to dehydrate every living being under the influence of his field of control. ¡°Damn¡­ that kid is what thirteen-fourteen?¡± ¡°He created a SANCTUARY?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it only possible for the eighth circle or more!¡± ¡°Just what is happening?¡± ¡°I¡¯m boiling.¡± ¡°Ugh, save me¡­ I can¡¯t access mana.¡± ¡°My armour isn¡¯t responding.¡± Several defensive runes started to blink. Indicating the Node was under attack and an alarm was raised. ¡°You bought it upon yourself, prick.¡± Hans shouted, ¡°Now it¡¯s my time to show what the consequences of agitating me are.¡± ¡°Stop. This. Madness.¡± A wave of light swept away Hans¡¯s Sunflied sanctuary like a wind blowing husks, and Hans saw an elven woman in pure white with her hand stretched out. ¡°Finally, Plan B works.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 34 : Hera Clandor (1) CHAPTER 34 HERA CLANDOR (1) ¡°She is here,¡± Hans whispered to himself as he noticed her outstretched hand, glowing with a soft, radiant mana. The wisps of bright hues, a clear sign of her ¡®light¡¯ mana. But that wasn¡¯t what occupied his mind. Like swatting a fly, she had just dispelled his best spell, SunField sanctuary. ¡°As I thought, I don¡¯t like her.¡± He was pouting inside. Taking a closer look at her, a middle-aged appearance, typical of elves who always seemed perfect in every way, especially in their enchanting beauty. Her long, untied blond hair fluttered in the aftermath of her effortless dispel, while her face, though pretty, held the depth of a lifetime''s wisdom. Dressed in pure white, that accentuated her ageless beauty, she appeared both graceful and formidable. As for her expression which Hans could decipher, calm and mature, he can only put it into two words. She was neither angry nor confused of what happened. Then he heard her melodious voice. ¡°What is happening here?¡± Zephyr quickly came kneeling, ¡°It was all my fault. I couldn¡¯t hold myself when he attacked me out of nowhere.¡± ¡°The fuck¡­ oh so we are going with framing scheme. I¡¯ll dance at your tune, you pointy bastard.¡± Hans thought and before he could refute, people started whispering themselves. ¡°That boy came to sir Zephyr¡¯s room, I saw it.¡± ¡°Yes, we all know captain zephyr won¡¯t react this way.¡± ¡°He even ignored Yamir several times.¡± ¡°The boy must¡¯ve really provoked him¡± Hera heard them and then turning to Hans she gave him fare chance to explain which startled him. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the setting for me to get misunderstood and get kicked out. Will she believe me if I say this is all nonsense. NO, that won¡¯t happen, I¡¯m new here while this bastard had his sweet time to bury his roots here¡ª¡° ¡°I¡¯m asking you volunteer, is what these people are saying true.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hans clenched his fist showing others, ¡°I put a pretty mean hook right at his face. He was bleeding through his nostrils, nasty stuff¡± ¡°Why?¡± Hera asked, still nonchalant. Hans grinned at Zephyr, his lips moved with silence making the motion of saying thank you. Hans pointed out towards Hera, ¡°Its all so I could summon the nodemaster here. You are quite the busy person to meet Miss Hera Clandor.¡± Hans turned his crisis to an opportunity, meanwhile spraying the nonsense among the entire Node that he got the best out of Zephyr while in truth he couldn¡¯t touch that powerhouse of a knight. Even his half baked Sunfield Sanctuary was of no use against him. That only meant one thing, the Node captains were formidable existence who he can¡¯t match yet. But that doesn¡¯t stop him from using one. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m here then, what do you want from me?¡± ¡°I was asked to meet Red monks, but you sure live up to your reputation.¡± Hans laced his words with sarcasm as he glanced at Zephyr, who was biting his lips in fury. ¡°Hmm¡­ getting cocky after getting an upper hand against our youngest does not make us the object of your remarks.¡± Hera finally frowned a little. ¡°So, I was right, this pointy bastard is one of them.¡± Hans thought inside quickly and framed his words carefully, ¡°Is that so? Hmm¡­ I can be wrong then, so how can I join your ranks?¡± ¡°Pft¡­¡± she chuckled a little, startling a lot of people. Hera was an existence that had forgotten to smile. ¡°Who says I¡¯ll let you join¡ª¡± ¡°Your loss, not mine, Ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve said my piece, did the damage that I wanted. I¡¯ve pretty much achieved what I came here for. Now the die is in your hand and your chance to roll. Whether you get me in your team or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve quite the arrogance. Even your father knew decency.¡± ¡°The next generation is always better, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Hmpf¡­¡±her lips curved up slightly, ¡°so now what?¡± ¡°I wait for you to kick me out.¡± ¡°Kicked out? Do you think you¡¯d survive after attacking a Red Monk?¡± ¡°Survive¡­pft¡­¡± Hans chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m Hans Parv, the last of Imperial blood. Do any of you dare to touch me?¡± ¡°Poof!¡± She appeared right before Hans¡¯s face, it was similar to what Dijkstra uses. Her hand raised, her index finger pointing at his forehead. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Hans asked, resolute. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Touching you.¡± She said nonchalantly and then Hans was sent flying through several walls inside the castle. ¡°Summon the dwarves for repairs,¡± she commanded, ¡° and get that brat healed. He¡¯ll pay by becoming my personal punching bag from tomorrow on.¡± She left while her aide followed from behind. ¡°Lady Hera, will he be okay? You don¡¯t know how to hold back.¡± ¡°Pft¡­ hahaha¡­¡± Hera laughed to her content, but only her aide witnessed this rare scene. ¡°That stoic Samson fathered quite the cute brat.¡± She said to her aide, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t die that easily.¡± When Hans came to his senses, he found himself bandaged head to toe. ¡°Just what these maniacs had done to me¡± he mumbled. ¡°If I were you, I won¡¯t move.¡± The healer, an elven woman, probably in her forties warned, ¡°Your body is used to get healed with purer mana. Normal healing does not work well on you. Total of nine bones broke, including several ribs. When you are able, Nodemaster wishes to see you¡± ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± Hans asked the healer, a flick of hers sent him flying through several walls, he couldn¡¯t even sense her presence when she appeared before him. ¡°That bastard Zephyr is strong too. Just what the heck is this place, everyone is a monster here.¡± Hans sighed his eyes asking the answers from healer. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­but boy, how did you used Sanctuary. You don¡¯t even have a single circle inside you?¡± ¡°Thats private, Miss Healer.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded, when Hans was unconscious, the more she tried healing his body the more bizarre she found the situation. For starters her mana transfer wasn¡¯t healing him. Dwelling deep she found out Hans¡¯s body was filled with divine mana and it was rejecting hers since hers was inferior. Second the boy was thought of a mage but had not even speck of pure mana of any kind, not even the wood type he was famous for. However, she only kept the details to herself and only relayed them to Hera when she left Hans to rest. ¡°Then, how is he using magic, master.¡± The aide, a young man with blue distinctive hair and a sharp face, asked after the healer left. ¡°Cause he ain¡¯t human. He is an entirely new thing. You won¡¯t understand. That cruel bastard of Parvian has used a classless beast¡¯s heart in his creation. You know they are still mystery to us, don¡¯t you?¡± The aide nodded, he was a war orphan whom Hera rescued in one of her missions. So the trust between them was like of family. ¡°Is there anything more to him?¡± He asked curious, he was assessing wether Hans will become threat to them or not. Hera answered his question,¡° Of course there is more to him, Sierra, as usual went beyond and filled him with divine mana. Or god knows what potions. He is ridiculously robust. He only broke nine bones against a warlock like me. You know, I don¡¯t know to hold back, right?¡± ¡°Mhm..¡± The aide nodded again. ¡°Back when his father was alive, he told me, I¡¯ll never be able to beat his child when he reaches his full potential¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You are the strongest warlock. You can¡¯t be defeated by a mere brat. I asked around. He wasn¡¯t even able to land a single hit on Zephyr but used the fact that Zephyr couldn¡¯t admit it and hatched the ridiculous story of him beating him up.¡± ¡°So this was it. I too thought something was wrong in the story. Zephyr is the youngest dominion knight in the history, he broke Rudolf¡¯s record and is pride of what Concordia can make of from an orphaned elf.¡± ¡°Yes, he is good natured, kind and helpful person. Just what did that boy said to make him loose his cool.?¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± Hera tapped her lips, a habit of hers when she thinks, ¡°Guess there is only one way to find out. From involved party.¡± As night descended, Hans was served food by his fellow volunteers. They had been giving him cold shoulder for a while, but when they heard about his encounter with Zephyr, their enthusiasm soared. Hans was someone his peers both feared and admired. He never allowed anyone to push him around, and it seemed Node people weren¡¯t the exception. Hans didn''t really care about having company, and after a hectic night, he somehow made it to Hera''s office next day. "Hmm..." She peered over her glasses with a tilted face. "We have a visitor, Kai.¡± "Yes, master," Kai, the aide, nodded and motioned for Hans to enter. Hans on the other hand, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, grumbled, ¡°Is all this fuss really needed? Just throw me out; I don''t wanna join you weirdos.¡± ¡°So how long you plan to wear those bandages.¡± Hera ignored his whining. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hans glanced at himself, "I must have proof that Nodemaster Hera sent me to infirmary.¡± ¡°Its not my fault that you can¡¯t be healed with normal magic.¡± Hera complained, ¡°So, you¡¯ll be spending your time here, in this very room, right before my eyes until you can heal naturally¡ª¡± ¡°Thats easy then.¡± Hans interrupted, moving to a nearby window. It was late morning, and sunlight streamed through the glass. Hans focused, marking a small area in the office as his own and called out. ParadiseGarden Golden seeds sprouted around the window sills near his resting hand. Quickly it turned to delicate yellow flowers with thread-like tentacles and attached to Hans. They absorbed sunlight, transferring vitality to him. In moments, his bones began to mend, concussions faded, and dried blood vanished from scratches. "I''m all patched up now, so can I leave?" Hans asked, eyeing Hera''s changed expression, reminiscent of how he looked at the dessert. ¡°I was supposed to leave a good impression, so she can teach me a thing or two, that¡¯s what great-grandfather wanted and I think I''ve done that.¡± ¡°Indeed, quite impressive. You''re healed already,¡± Hera mused, ¡°That''s quite a development. Stay in the couch, I¡¯ll be there in a moment. Try the juice or anything you want.¡± She signalled Kai to bring him some beverage. ¡°Then please heat up some cocoa for me.¡± Hans requested Kal. ¡°Do you think this is a restaurant.¡± Hera paused her document reviewing. ¡°It sure is not take-your-kid-to-work day, ma¡¯am, why am I here.¡± Hans quipped. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you, your mouth will get you in some real trouble.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hans thought deep and answered, ¡°Yeah, Deli says all the time, Norwin said once. Grandpa, nah, he usually is the one to get in trouble because of my mouth.. ah there are many other too.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for the list.¡± Hera sighed, she wasn¡¯t the one who was blessed with scissory tongue like her queen sister or this brat in front of her. ¡°Come here,¡± She called Hans close, stretching her hand she pulled his cheek so hard that his tears welled up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Hans complained when she let go of her grip. ¡°Every time you act cheeky, your cheeks will get hurt.¡± She said smiling, ¡°So stay there in silence that is your punishment for now.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 35 : Hera Clandor (2) CHAPTER 35 HERA CLANDOR (2) Several days have passed since the troublesome event. Hans followed her arrangement for a while until he couldn¡¯t. ¡°That¡¯s it. I come here and sit like a statue and do nothing. This has gone on long enough¡ª¡± ¡°It took you three days to lose your patience. A mage must be patient¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, a mage should be patient, not stupid¡­. Ma¡¯am.¡± Hans added the last part because he saw a small frown on her face. ¡°Come here.¡± She motioned her hand to call him, and like an obedient puppy, he followed, not because he wanted to, but he learned in the past three days. The more he delayed her calls, the more his cheeks would regret it later. ¡°Ah! Ah!¡­ugh¡­sowwyy.¡± Hans rubbed his stinging cheeks. ¡°Just what do you want with me¡­ ma¡¯am,¡± he asked politely. She tilted her head up, her eyes peeking above her glasses. ¡°A minute,¡± she said, and the paperwork which had been holding her till now just came to an end. ¡°Now, Hans, you have my complete attention. Let¡¯s see how much you know about yourself.¡± She asked, ¡°For starters, do you know the meaning of your name?¡± ¡°A gift from the gods¡ª¡± ¡°No, not in human tongue but elvish.¡± ¡°Why would my name be in Elvish?¡± Hans thought hard, but his extensive knowledge had no recall of the meaning. So he just shook his head, and Hera answered, ¡°It¡¯s Inception, a starting point of something grander.¡± ¡°Sounds cool.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡±Her expression showed a hint of sadness as if there was something she couldn''t share. However, Hans chose not to pry; his cheeks were still stinging from before. She stood up and Hans involuntarily stepped back, instantly covering his cheeks. But her hand fell on his head and a warm smile etched on her face. She whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve grown this big in a couple of years.¡± Hans wasn¡¯t like Delimira who could read any person like a book. Neither did he have his SCAN command active, but he could feel genuine care in Hera¡¯s gaze that he usually saw in his family. Troubled by the sudden reaction of hers, he asked, ¡°Have you seen me before?¡± ¡°No, I''ve only heard a far-fetched, ridiculous story. You were the sacrificial hero in it,¡± she remarked, pulling his hand away from his cheeks and holding it gently as she guided him outside. Hans sensed that was as much as she wanted to reveal, so he didn''t resist and allowed her to lead him out. The awkward silence between them was broken when Hans silently followed her. ¡°Hmm¡­ I thought you were the curious one. Don¡¯t you want to ask me more?¡± she finally spoke, breaking the stiff silence. ¡°A mage must have patience,¡± Hans remarked, echoing her own words. She smiled back but didn¡¯t say anything else. Hans looked around and noticed that they had walked for a while, but he couldn¡¯t see a single person in the corridor. Finally, they reached a door and passed through it, entering Nodemaster¡¯s personal space, her training grounds. She finally let go of his hand. ¡°Listen, kid, I really don¡¯t want to share that particular story, but I will if you manage to hit me once¡ª¡° ¡°Not interested,¡± Hans bluntly denied. ¡°You¡¯re a tough kid to manipulate, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m quite easy. You¡¯re not just pushing the right buttons.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ kai.¡± She turned to her aide and said, ¡°Shed some lights here, will you?¡± Kai thought for a moment and responded, ¡°Propose to take him beyond barrier¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Hans swiftly leaped away from Hera. He positioned his hands in a fighting stance, left hand behind his right, both raised up to his chin, perfectly poised for hand-to-hand combat. This stance covered all his vital points. Cutting off Kai''s words, he declared, ¡°Now you''re pushing the right buttons. Ready or not, here I come.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ I haven¡¯t even confirmed.¡± Hera stretched her hand, gesturing Hans to stop, but he was shooting like a meteor at her using his wind gem. ¡°Boom!¡± An explosion occurred before Hans could even cover half the distance. ¡°I said, wait, you impatient child.¡± Hera remarked, sighing. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Tap! Tap! Tap!¡± Hans could hear her steps. He had focussed his every sense to see how Hera did her spell, but his eyes still couldn¡¯t pick out what happened in a moment. It was a flash of light, and he broke several of his bones again. She came near him, her eyes staring down at him with pity. Her hand reached his neck and pulled out the Blessing of Wind, his pendant that he allegedly won from Allynna. ¡°That¡¯s mine¡­¡± Hans struggled to stand, but the pendant was already in Hera¡¯s hands. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Hera questioned as she glanced at the wind gem. ¡°This used to be mine¡­ or more accurately, it¡¯s something that is passed down in my family, to the heirs of the Clandor throne¡­it was a jewel, but now it acts as a mana gem? How?¡± ¡°That¡¯s mine.¡± Hans finally stood up. ParadiseGarden He called on his vitality-transferring plants and got visibly healed. ¡°Give it back.¡± Hans put his unwavering will to take command of the surrounding mana and used his most powerful attack that he could use. ¡°ManaStorm.¡± He had no time to wait for the mana swirling to perfection, so he quickly took a step and sent a shockwave of ravaging mana at Hera in close range. There was no way anyone could dodge that attack within a hand¡¯s distance. But Hera did; she teleported behind Hans. ¡°You should listen to your elders.¡± She pulled his left cheek strongly. ¡°Ugh¡­ugh..agh.. tat¡¯s mine..¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s yours. I¡¯ll confiscate it for a while.¡± Hera tied the pendant around her neck, giving Hans a contorted face. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. You rely on external factors; that is why you still can¡¯t see through my spell.¡± ¡°How about this, during the remaining time, if you manage to hit me once, I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± She offered, waving her hand. ¡°No,¡±Hans outright rejected. ¡°Just give it back.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ you are really as stubborn¡ª then there is only one way for you to wear this¡­hang on¡­ why can¡¯t I use it¡ª¡± ¡°I told you it¡¯s mine.¡± Hans insisted, ¡°Only I can use it¡ª¡± ¡°Is it because the special way you control mana?¡± Hera asked, prompting Hans to startle for a moment. There was no one till now who could see how he uses mana but Hera was talking as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°How do you know?¡± He asked, perplexed. ¡°Cause that¡¯s how the Ancients use mana. You need to be a ten-circle mage to use surrounding mana as you wish¡­ but in front of me, is a boy not even fourteen who uses the mana the same way as theirs. I¡¯m surprised and this is astonishing in itself.¡± This wasn¡¯t new information for Hans. Dietrich had mentioned it before, but Hera¡¯s words were making a bold impression. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s similar to the Ancients?¡± He asked again. ¡°Because that is what I want to become. An eternal life with overwhelming power. Isn¡¯t this every mage¡¯s dream? Haven¡¯t you seen my un-aging teacher?¡± Hans¡¯s vision darted to the hanging gem. He wasn¡¯t even paying half the attention to what Hera was talking about. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose his Wind gem. He knew under no circumstances he could land an attack on Hera, at least not now. She was rumoured to be the strongest living mage, and even the rare mage of light. Mostly light element wielders opted for the Knight discipline. Even Clandor royalty, who was born with innate light element, all chose to become knights. It was all because light was easier to control as an aura rather than pure mana, but Hera managed to tame that light and become a warlock. This clearly stated she was beyond Hans¡¯s reach now. ¡°There is another way you could get this back,¡± She suddenly offered, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to know?¡±. ¡°Mhm¡­you might as well speak.¡± ¡°Since this is only meant to pass among the family. Want to become my son¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± He was startled. A jolt came out of these words inside him. He had no idea what she wanted. ¡°No, hard pass.¡± He rejected firmly. ¡°Call me mother, try it.¡± She encouraged as if his previous words fell on deaf ears. Troubled, Hans asked her, ¡°Did you have a thing for my father¡ª¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± Hera showed her disgusted expression for the first time, even Kai who was perplexed with the way things were progressing. The very thought of Hans¡¯ words sent shivers to her. ¡°I like older men, your father was ten years younger than me.¡± She explained. ¡°Then what gives? Why are you acting so pushy?¡± Hans complained. ¡°Because when I look at you, all I see is a boy burdened by others and none stepping in to help. If you continue like this, your fate will catch up with you. I don''t want you to meet the same end as in that story.¡± Hera¡¯s words were earnest. ¡°I just want to give you peace, a lap to put your head to rest.¡± Hans interjected, ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I''m not just me. My last name is Parv. My words must carry weight, and I must honour them no matter what. You''re of Clandorian royalty, and one day, our paths may cross against each other. I hate conflicts in my conscience, it ruins judgment.¡± ¡°That''s why I''m asking you, child. Your behaviour isn''t suitable for a kid your age. You should laugh, cry, and learn, but not carry the burdens of the world. Not this time at least, your father didn¡¯t want that for you.¡± Hans saw her earnest plight as if she was taking pity on him. However, he couldn¡¯t find the source of that pity, his life was as wonderful as it was eventful. Whatever she was pitying, it wasn¡¯t him. But the mention of Samson not wanting him that life, sparked something inside him, his eyes moistened, ¡°Then he should¡¯ve been here for me. What do you expect me to do now?¡± He didn¡¯t know what came over him, he was many things but not this emotional. ¡°There is no one¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll,¡± she caressed his face, wiping those tears. ¡°Be my child and live a carefree life. Experience childhood as it should be, grow up, and when you''re ready, I''ll let you spread your wings. Even Parv won¡¯t be able to claim you. I¡¯ll be your shield.¡± Hera offered, ¡°Words have power, just say it once and you won¡¯t ever have to care about things tying you down.¡± Her voice was so gentle that it almost convinced Hans. ¡°Thank you.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 36 : The Genuine Feelings CHAPTER 36 THE GENUINE FEELINGS Hans could feel how true she was to what she had just said. He doubted everyone, so he couldn¡¯t tell if someone was sincere. Her words stirred him. They didn¡¯t hint at any scheme. ¡°If you feel that strongly, do it in your own way. Why are you putting a label on this relationship?¡± Hans asked her, but inside he had an idea why she was saying that, the same reason he didn¡¯t say he was the Prince of Parv till it became necessary. On the other hand, it was evident in her eyes that she really wanted his best. A care that needed nothing in return. ¡°How can an elf like her exist¡­ no, I shouldn¡¯t judge someone by their origin, that only shows how poor my judgement is. But, for real, why is she being so nice to me? Everyone wants something from me while she¡­she¡­¡± ¡°Words have power.¡± She answered his question and it was the same Hans was thinking. But it didn¡¯t end there, she continued, ¡°I need a justification to interfere, Kiddo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an imperial..I¡¯m enemy of your¡­ home. What you offering¡­ there must be something more to it.¡± Even when Hans¡¯s heart was telling him she was genuine, his rational side regularly warn him not to get persuaded. She let out a forced chuckle, ¡°Oh spare me kiddo. Do you think, if I cared about Clandor, I would have stayed away from that sham war.¡± ¡°Sham..¡± Hans was puzzled, ¡°Elven war? What do you mean sham?¡± He asked her showing enthusiasm. ¡°A war where only elites of both nation fought, no army only powerful knights and Mages. Why do you think, your Xandor easily infiltrated Clandor and have that blood festival without much trouble, it was an inside job.¡± She was confused, she thought Hans was already briefed on this by Parvians. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? It was just a scheme of my little sister, she plays a real dirty politics. War needs justification too. It was to eliminate Council, but that backfired because your father had something else planned for her, not that I blame him, she kicked me out of Clandor heartlessly.¡± ¡°Details please. There was a lot to process in those small sentences.¡± Hans asked, curious. ¡°Call me mother, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard my reasoning?¡± Hans frowned. ¡°I only listen to what I want to listen to, kiddo.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Hans grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not asking.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s bond. I¡¯ll dodge, you attack.¡± She relaxed, flaws inviting Hans to exploit them, but he wasn¡¯t just a thirteen-year-old but a veteran in mind, honed by Inheritance through sparring with Dietrich. However, a mage was fundamentally different from a knight whom he was surrounded by. ¡°She is too fast for me to aim, even ManaStorm is slow to activate. I need to restrain her first, but VeganBind is slow too. Only if I had the wind gem, I could photonise and increase my sp¡ª no, she is right, I depend on external factors too much. Come on, Hans, focus, there has to be something.¡± Hans thought hard, ¡°yeah, there is.¡± Crackling his neck, he grinned as he called. Elderform He had tested it with Dietrich, this transformation of his had become several times stable and powerful after eating up the day seed. Soon a behemoth, made of entirely of green from the inside while armoured from some kind of organic black material, stood before Hera. He growled, his voice monstrous, ¡°Stay there.¡± With this transformation, his control over mana was an entirely in different level. The second effect of VoidZone, was on full swing. The mana particle touching Hera froze in their place. Hera could instantly feel like she was in some thick liquid which was tightening her every passing second. Her limbs were moving in the slow motion like the time had slowed around her. ¡°You changed the density of mana¡ª¡± ¡°How the hell are you moving, you should be rooted.¡± Hans growled, even Samson as the undead king was stuck for a moment when he used the same on him, and he wasn¡¯t even in perfect transformation like this. ¡°Oh, Sorry kiddo. You¡¯ll understand, all tricks are just facade in front of pure strength.¡± She clenched her fist and the intense mana surged out from her nine circles. ¡°You said, you¡¯ll only dodge.¡± Hans commented shamelessly. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± She stopped her mana surge and remarked, ¡°This is troublesome.¡± She motioned her hand slowly, enjoying the fluid motion despite Hans¡¯s efforts to restrain her. ¡°This sure put a dent in my pride.¡± Hans cried inside and call upon his most devastating move. ManaCanon If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. It was another improvisation of his. In Elderform, he spiralled mana pivoting around his hand, positioned into a punching stance. Just like he took few steps forward in ManaStorm phase, his hand moved forward in form of steps. ¡°Incredible.¡± She had saw him in Elderform during last year¡¯s broadcast so it was understood that he had grow in controlling it more accurately. But the ravaging mana around the punching hand of the monster was carrying immense power and she could feel it through her bones. She chuckled, excitement evident in her face. ¡°Good, good, let it rip kiddo.¡± She crossed her hand, taking a defensive form and welcomed the improvised ManaStorm ¡°Boom!¡± With the deafening sound, the mana canon was shot. Hera tried to dodge but at the very moment, Hans had put his all in restraining the mana around her. ¡°Haa¡­ Samson junior is trying to kill me.¡± She chuckled again, and called on.- Venyx "Shack!" Hans, confused by the sudden change in a flash, saw nine furry tails behind Hera. She vanished as his ravaging canon shot passed through the empty air. ¡°Aww man! This is ridiculous.!¡± He complained as his size shrunk, the green matter, branches and leaves all regressed back into his pores. He was staring at her, sulking. ¡°Oh, look at you, acting cute¡ª¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t fair. You summoned your spirit. I don¡¯t have anything like this.¡± ¡°You can turn into a classless beast, a master of a behemoth and still complains not having spirit. You really are greedy, child.¡± ¡°When you put it at that way¡­it feels¡­ya. But still you said you can only dodge¡ª¡± "I dodged," Hera remarked, pointing to where she had stood before. The impact had created a deep, elongated crater, revealing sharp walls underground as if something had carved them. Hera realised the danger if a weaker person had faced this attack head-on. "You''re becoming more impressive by the minute, son," Hera exclaimed, clenching her fist. "Show me more¡ª¡° ¡°S..son.. ¡ª whatever. That was my best. I give up,¡± A sigh left from him, readily admitting defeat. ¡°Thats odd. I thought you were competitive.¡± Hera teased. ¡°Being competitive and being an idiot are very different thing, Nodemaster. Sometime you need to step back to plan your next move¡ª¡± ¡°That is a weak mindset kiddo. You must never entertain such thoughts. Retreat should never be an option for you; that''s how you gain overwhelming power,¡± Hera advised, smiling warm as she gently caressed his head. ¡°Easy for you to say. I don''t have that kind of explosive power. Each of my attacks requires time and precision to succeed, while you can simply blast through anything.¡± Hans thought to himself but refrained from saying it aloud as it might sound childish. Instead, he chose his words carefully. ¡°I''ve heard that mages approach combat differently,¡± he said. ¡°A mage should prepare meticulously before engaging, always planning several moves ahead of the opponent and utilising every advantage to gain the upper hand.¡± ¡°Thats norm, but you are not normal are you?¡± She stressed,¡°Focus on your own fighting style. Let the instinct guide you not your head. Time is crucial in battle; the more you think, the more your enemy has time to plan against you.¡± "It''s easy for you to say.¡± Hans remarked, ¡°I''ve never seen anyone with that much mana in my life.¡± ¡°I was born talented?¡± Hera smirked. Hans got irritated instantly, ¡°So thats how people feel when I talk arrogantly. I should tone it down. Its not a good feeling.¡± He was convincing himself to be less egoistical. But Hera added, ¡°And you do too. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mana and other weird things.¡± Her hand finally left his head, ¡°So, stop copying others. As I¡¯ve said, you are different and that is good. You just have to find your own path. And when you do, attacking me once, heck, defeating me will also be possible.¡± Hans didn¡¯t had any words to say to her. She was more experienced than him and her words carried weight, heavy enough to convince him that his thinking before executing was flawed. ¡°So that¡¯s why Ancestor made me come here, she is different from others, personally and professionally both.¡± She didn¡¯t know what Hans was thinking inside, she just leaned forward slightly, bringing their eyes to the same level, and gently tapped his forehead. ¡°Won''t you show me your sanctuary? I thought it was your strongest move.¡± ¡°It''s not ready yet,¡± Hans replied, rolling his eyes to the side. She was too close, and he was starting to feel flustered. ¡°Come on, son, show me.¡± She pushed him gently. ¡°Fine, fine, and stop calling me that.¡± Hans said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, running it over his lips. With sun hung high, Hans started to absorb the solar energy, it started slow but now both Kai and Hera could see the pulsating golden energy which was coursing to the ground through the glowing Hans. SunField Sanctuary. Hans finally spoke, and a pulse spread across a radius of several meters. It was as if the entire training ground had been illuminated with mana. However, for Kai and Hera, this energy was all too familiar ¡°Gosh, he is producing the sunstone energy. Isn¡¯t this too over the top.¡± Hera commented. "Master, isn''t this too risky? We''re in Node; our crystals could be affected¡ª¡° "No, no, I want to see the full extent of it,¡± Hera dismissed Kal''s concerns, she was a mage too and curiosity was just occupational hazard. She darted her eyes at the golden boy in front and soon Hans finished setting up his sanctuary. "It''s so hot," Kai remarked, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°It feels like I''m in the desert, master.¡± ¡°Yeah, I''m sweating buckets. It''s ridiculous¡ª" ¡°No, master, you''re evaporating,¡± Kai pointed out as visible fumes rose from Hera. However, Hera was focused on something else. She had protective barriers around herself and Kal, making it bearable, but outside of their protection, the wooden structures that housed weapons were charred black, as if they had been in an oven. Metals were losing their solid forms, melting like candle wax. ¡°Stop it, kiddo. I think even the castle walls will melt if you keep this up,¡± Hera shouted, and Hans opened his eyes. He had never experienced this spell like this before; it was usually much harder to achieve such results. "Maybe it''s because the sunstone energy is so abundant here," he mused, chuckling as he looked at Hera and Kai''s drenched faces. ¡°This whole barrier empowers me, Haan!¡± Another idea was fostering in his mind, the one he would use so much that even calling him the ''king in the barrier¡¯ would be subpar of his feats.
Elven Lies II Chapter 37 : A Parvian Homework CHAPTER 37 A PARVIAN HOMEWORK After the incredible display of Hans¡¯s sanctuary-level spell, Hera was left scratching her head with more questions than answers. She sent Hans back to his duties and asked her trusted aide, ¡°Kai, did you finish what I asked you to?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± He quickly answered, ¡°It¡¯s good that you sent Zephyr to culling the Red demons. I don¡¯t know the guy well, but even a saint would turn into a devil if someone ran over their pride that badly.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Hera nodded, adding, ¡°Thats why I asked you to take care of it. Zephyr is a prodigy produced by Concordia after Rudolf. He even broke his records, and is almost a warlord. Adding his young age on top of it makes you quite prideful and arrogant. And arrogant people don¡¯t take it lightly when someone touches their pride. I hope it won¡¯t escalate much further..¡± She thought her teacher, the Chairman was right, ¡°The boy does not fear consequences.¡± ¡°I see there is reason for it master.¡± Kai once again glanced the death spread over what was Hans¡¯s sanctuary before, even soil died there. ¡°This is some ridiculous power he lords over. Generating sunstone energy in time when everyone is ready to kill over an ounce of it.¡± He forced a chuckle thinking of what Hans would become capable of when he tame this power fully. ¡°I thought that too at first.¡± Hera broke his wary thoughts, ¡°But I don¡¯t think he is generating sunstone energy, he too was surprised by the effect, as if it was his first time achieving this.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Hera lead Kai into the control chamber, their most secured facility in the fortress, it was located in deep underground, filled with dispellium so none can use mana or aura inside. The arrangement was like dual edge sword but until this time, it never fell on node people. ¡°Show me the records of energy production of last hour. ¡± She commanded and a hunchback old woman brought her a roll of paper, with a spiked graph and several values pointing a surge. ¡°See this kai.¡± She pointed at the spike in the chart. ¡°He is not generating the energy just extracting it in several folds. It was our sunstone crystal¡¯s energy doing his bidding.¡± ¡°Thank god. It would¡¯ve been a world defying concept if he could produce the sunstone energy¡ª¡± ¡°But what if he can do this when there is no sunstone. These orange crystals are what broke from the sun so evidently the sun is just a very big source of power, what if the kid can call upon that energy¡ª¡± ¡°Stop it master. That is ridiculous thinking even for you.¡± Kai quickly dismissed the idea, but a hint of doubt still remained in his psyche as Hera. Troubled, he quickly asked his master, ¡°Just what is he, a mage without circles, a behemoth of a monster or an artefact¡ª¡± ¡°None. He is just a man of prophecy.¡± A forced chuckle left from her, ¡°Our ancestors littered the world with a lot of nonsense, One of them mentions A PARVIAN SUN.¡± ¡°So its finally coming true: a parvian suns is set to rise, filling the world with dread¡± Kai quoted the long passed prophetic words, their ancestor¡¯s warning against the knight country Parv. ¡°Yes, he is the protagonist of that prophecy. His father did his best to change it but we all know. Elven words always turns true. Lets just see how much Samson¡¯s effort delayed it.¡± ¡°But master.¡± Kai interrupted her, ¡°Isn¡¯t there another prophecy where an elven demigod stops the ascend of the Parvian sun¡­¡± he thought hard, remembering the exact words, ¡°In shadow¡¯s keep a light is born. To quell the sun¡¯s ascension sworn¡­ bright saviour¡¯s destined fight. Stops the parvian sun with elven might.¡± ¡°You are well versed in our myths, Kai. Didn¡¯t expect you to be knowledgeable in folklore.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t blame me master. The elven demigod is coined as the hero of elf folks, his coming out of shadows signifies the elven utopia, where even commoners of Clandor like me live a graceful life.¡± ¡°Prophecies are harder to deduce kai. What they say might actually means something else entirely.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Maybe the elven demigod you mentioned, will unite our elven land and finally we can put away this internal struggle¡ª¡± ¡°But if the young prince is Parvian sun, where is ours the elven demigod?¡± Kai interrupted her, perplexed, but after a brief pause he assured himself, ¡°He must be present somewhere else, isn¡¯t he master? Light and darkness are born together after all.¡± ¡°Calling the Parvian sun as darkness, isn¡¯t it too conflicting Kai? Its light vs light. A battle destined for ages. But I hope it won¡¯t turn true.¡± She looked far, ¡°This world is in a great debt to Hans, the people just don¡¯t know it.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t understand Hera¡¯s words but he knew since Hera was also a high elf, a superior breed than he, she was loved by mana and had a special connection with it. So deciphering her thoughts was something no one can do. He sighed and lead Hera to her office to finish her task which were out on hold due to Hans, and the day passed without any events. In next day, Hans was called as usual to Hera¡¯s training ground. ¡°Now what did I do?¡± He asked, seriously recalling his every activity which could give him this familiar feeling of summoning to Walter¡¯s office after making a mess. ¡°Nothing, I just wanna see your cute face¡ª¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am you are giving me creeps.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t given up kiddo.¡± Hera grinned, ¡°You¡¯ll become my family one way or another. Its just a matter of time.¡± Hans could see, her words turning true since he could see how her words were affecting him. He would have jolted by the mere idea but he was just letting her say again and again. Seeing him quiet, Hera asked, ¡°You told me you wished to join Red Monks. You do know what kind of missions we carry, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I do not wish to but I have to. This is something I can¡¯t overrule.¡± Hans said, his words clearly meant just how much Dietrich had sway on him. ¡°You generally carry out rescue mission, from retrieval of objects to life, you do all sort of things similar to this, right?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Yes you are right. But is it what you see doing yourself in the future?¡± Hera genuinely asked. ¡°Frankly, I do not. Espionage, assassination, infiltration. That kind of things where I shine.¡± ¡°I agree, you are a canon ball not meant to blast away his foes, and frankly I like to keep it that way. Red Monks are the best but its not a place where you can grow.¡± ¡°Am I being rejected?¡± Hans asked, concerned. ¡°No, there are rules and test. Anyone clearing it is eligible to join our ranks. But I have to ask, why are you here Hans Parv and don¡¯t give me that teacher asked you to. There must be another reason¡ª¡± ¡°I need power. There is something I have to achieve. And I was told that there is only one person who can help me grow, you.¡± Hans pointed at Hera. ¡°Care to elaborate your ambition?¡± Hera asked. However, before answering, Hans glanced at Kai. So Hera told him trusting Kai was same as trusting her. But Hans wasn¡¯t convinced, ¡°I understand that he will never betray you. But he will backstab me if that endangers you, isn¡¯t that right, Mr Kai?¡± Hans asked turning to him. Kai nodded, ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think there will be ever a day when she is in danger but if it happens by some mishap, I¡¯ll not think once and betray you or any other person.¡± ¡°You have a good subordinate, Ma¡¯am. He reminds of mine.¡± Hans smiled at stunned Hera. Kai was also surprised seeing her startled. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it master. Just don¡¯t promise which I won¡¯t.¡± He left saying his piece. ¡°So, kiddo. Now you¡¯ve sent my Aide back. Care to elaborate?¡± Hera sat at the stool and urged Hans to spill the beans. ¡°Xandor has something of mine, I need it back. To which I need Parvian knight force and I can¡¯t access it even though I¡¯m their prince. I need Homar, the commander¡¯s acknowledgement to command them, it has always been like this in Parv.¡± ¡°So you need to prove yourself, am I understanding correctly?¡± Hera rested her chin into back of her palm while her elbow rested on her closed leg. ¡°Yes, the knight commander Homar asked me to best any ranked knight under top ten.¡± ¡°Thats it! He is being generous.¡± Hera responded nonchalantly as if her expectations were broken. Meanwhile, Hans was startled, he thought Hera would say it was impossible dream but she looked at ranked knights as if they were nothing. ¡°Truly, strong people think differently.¡± ¡°Then why are you dead set in joining Red monks? It has no relation to beat top ranked knight¡ª¡± ¡°Chairman said, there is only one way I can join Red monks and that is when I¡¯m truly strong and Ms Hera is the one who could teach me how to become one.¡± ¡°Pft..¡± She chuckled, ¡°Teacher overestimated me. I can¡¯t teach you something you don¡¯t have. See.¡± She pointed at herself, her mana surge out from her. It was a ridiculous amount. He had seen some warlocks till now, but none held a candle against her. ¡°This is something I was born with. I can¡¯t teach you this. I don¡¯t want sound arrogant but I was just born stronger.¡± ¡°Me, I was born different too.¡± Hans didn¡¯t give up, his control over mana stretched all over the node, taking control over every single particle of oscillating mana. A tremor felt when he let go of the mana. ¡°I was born strong too ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Then I guess you are due for some thorough teaching little one.¡± She stood up stretching, ¡°So tell me how much you know about the ranked knights?¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 38 : Setting A Higher Aim CHAPTER 38 SETTING A HIGHER AIM Hera¡¯s words of agreement sounded really encouraging to Hans. He got all excited and started talking about the knight rankings. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about all of them,¡± he counted his fingers. ¡°First is Alliance head and the former king of Grimgar, Norwin.¡± ¡°Second is the current king of Clandor, Eleanor.¡± ¡°Third is Homar Garuda, the knight commander of Parv.¡± ¡°Fourth¡­ I don¡¯t know who he¡ª¡± ¡°His name is Adrian and he is the youngest and only dominion knight in the top ranking. He uses imperial bloodline and is the second captain of Eclipse.¡± ¡°Darn, these shady people are keep charting top. Now a ranked knight is in them¡ª¡± ¡°Eclipse¡¯s strength lies not in individual kiddo. I¡¯ve told you, didn¡¯t I? Everything is useless in front of overwhelming power. But Xandor is an exception to that rule. You need to use your head if you want to take him down permanently. Sure, I can overpower him any chance I get, but killing him is an entirely different story.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll die. Believe me.¡± Hans was resolute, but there was no murderous rage around him. Xandor wasn¡¯t his enemy, so his emotions weren¡¯t enraging. He was only someone who played him, and Hans was just demanding his life as a payment, nothing more. ¡°So where were you, fifth¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Hans interrupted her, feeling like a student who knew the answer and was eager to shine. "The fifth is the Knight Association chairman, Kansas. A real annoying piece of work," Hans stressed, and Hera sensed his emotions, which were even muted when he mentioned Xandor. ¡°You really hate this guy, don¡¯t you?¡± She teased him. "Yes, he''s incredibly irritating," Hans replied, taking a deep breath as if releasing his anger and calming down. "Who are the sixth to eighth?" He asked Hera. ¡°Sixth is the templar knight of Indu, Manar. Seventh is the current king of Sunfall and¡­ eighth is my own twin brother.¡± She responded, and Hans sensed her feeling wasn¡¯t good when she talked about her brother. She didn¡¯t even say his name. ¡°She really must not like her brother.¡± Hans kept this thought inside. ¡°I know the rest.¡± He raised his hand instantly so Hera couldn¡¯t tell what he already knew. ¡°Ninth is Grandpa and tenth is Dijkstra¡­¡± Hans realised something, ¡°woah, there isn¡¯t a single woman in the ranking.¡± ¡°Knight is a barbaric discipline, women are more minded than men. All powerful mages are mostly women.¡± She said staring at Hans that made him flinch for a second. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t always like this. Rudolf was not in top-ranked knights several years back. He was promoted because of the vacancy.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Hans didn¡¯t know, he always thought Rudolf reached the ninth position by himself. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Every knight convention allows you to challenge any knight if you are deemed worthy. He challenged eleventh and beat him when he was just a dominion knight. He just chose not to climb higher.¡± ¡°Eleventh, that means there were two vacancies?¡± Hans asked to confirm. ¡°Yes. The only woman knight ranked in the top ten was Reina Clandor. She was at eighth position until my brother replaced her by using the same means as Rudolf. She was crippled in the elven War, and that little asshole used that chance to replace her.¡± It was the first time Hans heard her saying something foul. Till now, only good things had come from her sweet mouth. ¡°Guess profane words corrupted her too.¡± He laughed inside. He had met Reina Clandor, and he really never felt anything powerful from her. But the fact that she was the only one capable of injuring his undead father hammered home the fact that she would¡¯ve been really strong in her full power. ¡°So, what rank did she fall?¡± Hans asked carefully with his words. ¡°She is at 21.¡± Hera answered without any emotion. ¡°There was another, knight commander of Utar, who died in the red demon invasion, and your father who fell in the Elven war.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°So that¡¯s why Gramps is at ninth. Haan!¡± Hans thought a little, but her thoughts were broken by the anticipating stare of Hera. ¡°What?¡± He asked. ¡°I thought you¡¯d at least show anger when I mentioned your father¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Hans asked perplexed. ¡°When you point your blade at someone, you should be ready to get beheaded yourself. He died because of his actions, pursuing what he wanted.¡± ¡°Ooh! That¡¯s some cold heart you got there, kiddo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to be, or else, I¡¯d be enraged and might burn your home to ashes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Whatever, keeps you calm, son.¡± Hera gestured. ¡°So which one is your target?¡± She asked. ¡°You are more experienced. Whom do you suggest?¡± Hans asked, interrogative. ¡°Hmm.. you should avoid the faster one, Dijkstra. Your styles are just a bad match. You should also avoid the Rudolf and Norwin, their raw power will chew you down. Eleanor is also a bad match until you find a way to bring down his defences. Even I have to put my very best to break his turtle shell. Adrian, you can¡¯t fight him since he is not insane enough to participate in knight convention as a wanted man.¡± ¡°With that respect, everyone in the top ranking is a powerhouse, so whom should I target?¡± Hans didn¡¯t want to listen to whom he can¡¯t defeat. It hurt his pride as Hera kept speculating about it. ¡°Then your answer is Homar Garuda. The man who tasked you with this acknowledgement thing. Isn¡¯t beating him the best answer and you are both long-ranged fighters. He probably asked you thinking you¡¯d reach the same conclusion as I.¡± ¡°Then I should train with him in mind, right?¡± Hans asked to confirm. ¡°Yeah, you have around two years to prepare. You should beat that bow maniac in the knight convention which everyone watches. That would give Homar a lesson not to belittle you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a mage, how can I participate in knight convention¡ª¡± ¡°Easy. Every knight takes too much pride in their honour, so they will comply when you break that pride. So, go there and do that. You must¡¯ve better ideas in that department than I, right?¡± ¡°Woah, you are more reckless than I. Rubbing a ranked knight¡¯s pride for everyone to watch¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°What you do is reckless, but what I do is confident, kid. There¡¯s a difference.¡± Hera said confidently, and Hans couldn¡¯t refute her because he knew she was right. Suppressing himself, he asked her, ¡°Knight convention, how does it work?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard about it from Rudolf? His was very fun to watch.¡± Hera commented. ¡°Every five years, those honour-hungry knights call upon every knight in the world to test the new generation. And every unranked knight participates in a battle royale until ten strong survive.¡± ¡°Cool. I wish Mage had that ranking.¡± Hans said with disappointment. ¡°Then your Hera mother will be at first spot.¡± She shamelessly said. ¡°Don''t add title to your name, ma¡¯am. That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Hans sighed. He couldn¡¯t even show a relaxed expression around her. ¡°So ten survivors, what then?¡± He asked to hurry the answer. ¡°These ten knights are given tokens to challenge the ranking board and climb until defeated. The last portion where they won will be their ranks. Rudolf was the unique knight who challenged straight for eleventh position and won, followed by his close friend Dijkstra. But for some reason, they stopped at that place.¡± ¡°Aw man! This sounds exciting¡ª¡± ¡°It is.¡± Hera put salt in his wound when she confirmed it. ¡°It¡¯s a global event like Glory wars but on a very different scale because unranked knights are not noobs and children as it is in Glory wars. They are veterans who failed to beat their selected target and were forced to compete in the next convention.¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve said, it¡¯s the method for unranked knights. But how does ranking change for ranked knights?¡± Hans was curious about knight-ranked battles. ¡°You just need a noble witness, and you can challenge the higher-ranked knight whenever you wish. But both opponents were given time of one month to prepare for the battle, and every duel becomes a grand sport to watch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really excited to watch one myself.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t hold his excitement. After two years, Chris and Delimira probably will participate in the convention. He was somewhat jealous but wanted to see them climb the ranking board. Hera saw him with excitement and a mixed feeling, ¡°So you chose to make him a mage so he didn¡¯t fall on his destined path, Samson. He was the powerful knight, isn¡¯t he, you stoic bastard?¡± She kept staring at him and eventually embraced him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be several moments for you to shine. Being a knight is just useless. You can just go around beating one by one, and I¡¯ll broadcast it all over the world.¡± ¡°I appreciate the offer¡­ but can you lose your hold¡­ it¡¯s suffocating.¡± Hans was flustered, and even when she let him go, he could still feel her gentle warmth. Rolling his eyes sideways, he asked her, ¡°So, how can I become a Red monk? It¡¯s a test given to me by the chairman. I must fulfil it.¡± ¡°Okay. Okay, stubborn kid. Next year, when you come for the graduation test, hunt a half-god, and we will accept you in our team. That is the rule I set for recruitment.¡± ¡°A half-god?¡± Hans¡¯s extensive knowledge was pretty useless when it concerned red demon since their history was just a few decades older, and there were no books about them in the Ghost Isles. ¡°That is not your concern right now. You¡¯ll know in due time, but if you really wish to succeed. You have to be strong enough to beat Zephyr. He is the youngest prodigy of Concordia, and the same is true of the Red Monks. He hunted a half-demon god in the graduation ceremony too.¡± ¡°Hmmm. So my things are in order,¡± Hans mumbled his thoughts out loud.¡°First: become strong enough to defeat Zephyr. Second: hunt down a half-demon god. Third: achieve the status of a Red Monk. Fourth: defeat Homar. Fifth: raid Xandor''s base with the Parvian knight army.¡± Hans counted all five objectives on one hand. ¡°There are few business matters I need to take care of along the way.¡± He showed a confident smile, curving his lips up. He had his aim set; now what remained was gruesome grind. Elven Lies II Chapter 39 : A Wall To Climb CHAPTER 39 A WALL TO CLIMB Hans had been volunteering for a whole month, doing all sorts of small jobs.However, despite his efforts, successfully landing a blow on her remained a distant dream; he couldn''t even touch her once. She continued to tease him with the pendant resting on her neck. ¡°Put some effort, kiddo. Don¡¯t you want this back?¡± He grumbled. While he could manage without Osiris commands, flying had become second nature to him. He needed it desperately, as he was way slower compared to Hera''s incredible speed. To make matters worse, she had banned him from using the Sunfield sanctuary, so he couldn''t even practice with it. Gasping for breath, he fell to the ground. ¡°How are you so fast... ha... ha,¡± he whined, defeated once again. He could keep going with his stamina recovery from Paradise Garden, but it seemed pointless, except for proving the definition of insanity. ¡°Just give me the pendant, and I¡¯ll succeed.¡± He pouted. ¡°I''ve told you, there are no shortcuts to gaining overwhelming power.¡± Hera gently warned ¡°Tools may be useful, but relying on external factors will only hold you back.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t refute it. He understood what Hera was trying to teach him. She was taking time out of her busy schedule to give him the experience of a Warlock, so he couldn''t complain much. However, missing his wind gem was taking a toll on him. The regular defeats were starting to feel hopeless. ¡°Photonise¡± He called upon and got the energy from sunstone barrier in a moment. His whole body was glowing, crackling with power. ¡°SilvaOrtus¡± the training ground shook, and energised fauna covered the vision of Hera. ¡°This again! Don¡¯t be creative. Just attack me with your instinct¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not working.¡± Hans stressed as he became one with the jungle, his senses covering the whole area. ¡°VoidZone.¡± He put his ultimate move to the test. Searching for Hans¡¯s presence in the forest filled with solar energy was even a challenge for Hera. ¡°Putting mana regeneration to a halt is nothing for me, kiddo, but you are really good at hiding.¡± She said while her eyes still searched at the speed of light. ¡°You¡¯ll make a decent assassin.¡± As she stepped here and there, the whole forest woke up, his SharpDeath and landmines kept exploding one after another, guiding her to the place he prepared for an ambush with BlastBullets. He rained it over her, but her increased speed denied his efforts. ¡°Damn her agility, she was holding back before.¡± Hiding inside a trunk of a tree, Hans cursed. Somehow she cam into his sight, gracefully dodging his rain of blastbullets as if she was dancing amid chaos. ¡°This won¡¯t work.¡± Hans thought, ¡°I need to change this.¡± Suddenly the attacks stopped and the summoned forest became as quiet as a mouse. ¡°You out of juice, kiddo?¡± She teased, her demeanour hasn¡¯t changed but Hans could see several drops of sweat on her face. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s working. No one is better than me in a battle of attrition. It hurts my pride but this is the only way.¡± Hans took a breath in and his voice echoed through different places. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯ll outlast each other, Ma¡¯am. I could go on forever¡ª¡± ¡°Aerial rays.¡± Hera said, as the six concurrent circles of bright white encased her. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s a sixth circle spell. You said you¡¯ll only dodge.¡± Hans complained as he felt the spell¡¯s power, VoidZone was shaking, as the amount of mana suddenly spiked at an uncontrollable rate. She was pouring her mana out, transforming it into a tornado of light rays. ¡°I ain¡¯t targeting you, son. It¡¯s just your forest is growing on me. GO.¡± She commanded and the tornado of light and it uprooted the entire forest in a moment, leaving Hans to fend for himself. ¡°Damn, this is exhausting.¡± Hans exclaimed as he fell on his bottom once again. ¡°This is insanity,¡± he cried, gazing up at the sky. ¡°Just call me ''mother,'' and this madness will end,¡± Hera teased, playing with his cheeks. Surprisingly, Hans managed to escape this time without any pinching. ¡°I''m thirteen, for heaven''s sake. I''m not a kid.¡± He pointed towards his throat, ¡°Look, my Adam''s apple is showing¡ª" ¡°Ah no! That''s called a throat, silly,¡± she chuckled. ¡°You''re still just a cute kid to me.¡± ¡°But didn''t you dislike my father? We''re practically identical. How come you''re being so affectionate?¡± He asked, blurting out his thoughts without a filter. ¡°There''s a difference between you two. Firstly, you''re adorable, whereas he was simply annoying, and second¡ª¡± she appeared before him, drawing close and enveloping him in a tight embrace, ¡°Your defiance is so cute,¡± she said as Hans squirmed like a fish out of water before finally giving in. ¡°Ma''am, have you had enough? Please let me go,¡± he asked with dead eyes. He had a resigned expression, while Hera continued to playfully rub her face against his cheeks. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°You are still using your head, kiddo. I told you, give into your instinct. ¡®You aren¡¯t a mage, but something else entirely¡ªThis is a hint.¡± She stressed the last part and finally let him go. Hans was puzzled by Hera''s cryptic remark, so she dropped another clue. ¡°You are a monster, so be a monster. Why are you holding back? That Elderwood, you haven''t used his abilities once. Now figure out the rest yourself.¡± The words hit him like a thunder. He finally understood that his human spells were stronger in the Elderform, so he had only focused on using those enhanced spells. However, Elderwood was a classless beast, something powerful enough for Samson and his three commanders to fight for days. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± He exclaimed, feeling a glimmer of hope and hurried inside, but his supervisor caught him and gave him a stern scolding for neglecting his tasks. So, he became busy finishing his work. Finally, with every obstacle out of the way, he found solace in the node library. ¡°Rare creatures, rare creature... classless beast record... yes, found one.¡± He picked up an old book and blew off the dust, nearly coughing from the cloud. Fortunately, he found information dedicated to Elderwood in records of calamities. He sat cross-legged in a quiet corner and immersed himself in the knowledge about Elderwood. A formless and unclassified creature of nature, hard to flee from and even harder to kill. He read that sentence and was stayed puzzled for a second, ¡°Formless¡ª it¡¯s not humanoid?¡± ¡°Maybe it took the form of a human because I''m used to it. Then how about I transform into something similar to a snake golem?¡± Hans pondered to himself. He wanted to try it out, but it was dark outside. Ever since he absorbed the day seed, he started avoiding nights because he felt somewhat powerless without the sun shining overhead. ¡°Let''s check it out tomorrow,¡± he decided, sorting the papers back into the book and returning it to the shelf. He felt reluctant to leave the library. In his search for anything about Elderwood, he found many records of other interesting things, especially about red demons, sunstones, and nodes¡¯ information. One name that caught his attention was Anfaleen Torceran, the nodemaster of Clandor''s second node. But he couldn¡¯t find any more information on him. ¡°Damn it, I want to know more about him,¡± he muttered as he left, sighing. A short while later, Kai reported to Hera. ¡°He found the record you left there... why didn''t you give it to him yourself?¡± ¡°He enjoys finding answers on his own. The satisfaction of discovery is different when you find it yourself,¡± she explained, passing the signed document back to Kai. ¡°Have our node members finished scouting the graduation test area?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, there were several sightings of one or two six-hands. We''ll begin search for them soon. Meeting even one would mean death for fourth years,¡± Kai replied. ¡°Okay, proceed as usual,¡± she nodded. ¡°But master... that boy also showed interest in Nodemaster Anfaleen¡ª¡± ¡°Why?¡± Hera paused, her brows furrowing. ¡°I''m not sure, but his gaze was intense¡­ It''s not just a passing interest.¡± ¡°Move everything related to Anfaleen to the classified area immediately. I don¡¯t want him to poke a hornet¡¯s nest.¡± ¡°Understood, master,¡± Kai nodded and left, leaving Hera deep in thought. She wondered what could have caused Hans to harbour an animosity towards a man he had never met. Even after scouring through Hans''s information, she couldn''t find any clues. Sighing, she resigned herself, ¡°As long as he stays away from him, it''s for the best. Anfaleen has an ancient backing him up. The teacher warned me not to meddle with anything related to them until I become one myself. Just wait a bit, kiddo. I''ll settle your grudges in due time.¡± Life continued as usual in the node, although the fort suddenly felt empty, giving volunteers plenty of time to rest or explore. Hera was occupied with her own tasks, leaving Hans without a secluded place to train. He didn''t want to display his abilities to others, fearing he might lose control again, as he had when he first absorbed the day seed. Thankfully, Dietrich was there to intervene and calm him down. Reflecting on that incident, Hans realised he had made a mess of that man-eating forest in a matter of moments. ¡°Darn it. I should have asked for details from Great-grandfather. Where was my intelligence when I needed it?¡± he cursed, then decided to head to the library. ¡°Where did those records go?¡± He mumbled and complained to the librarian that he couldn''t find the book he had been reading last time. The librarian explained that few classified books were in the general section, so they were moved back. ¡°Great! Just what I needed.¡± He heaved a long sigh and began foraging the library for anything useful, but none interested him more than Anfaleen. ¡°I should just read about red demons¡¯ history.¡± He found the several stacked reports and sat in his yesterday¡¯s spot. ¡°Year 1036 marked a significant event in the history of Utar as a rift opened on its northern shore, unleashing creatures from the Red Demon race. These beings are characterised by their armoured exoskeletons and distinctive red, wrinkled skin. They possess formidable abilities, including the use of space magic, making them challenging adversaries without specialised gear. A hierarchical structure is observed among the Red Demon race: Infantry: Mindless humanoid figures standing at least 6 feet tall, varying in builds but generally formidable in combat. Captains: Four-handed humanoid figures with weaponised limbs and insect-like wings. They possess the same height as infantry but exhibit stronger physical attributes and inhibit leadershipqualities. They are capable of using tactics and planning. So when facing a red demon squad, the first priority is to kill the captain. Commanders: These entities have six hands, weaponised limbs, and larger builds, demonstrating otherworldly strength and speed comparable to class six or seven beasts, indicating high danger levels. These command several captains, and there have been rare sightings of this significant presence till now. Kings: Only four Kings have been observed so far, each stationed in one of the cardinal directions (east, west, south, and north). They possess gigantic bodies and impenetrable armour, making them extremely challenging to face. Efforts to neutralise them have failed in the past. Additionally, there is speculation about an entity above the Kings, ruling over them and controlling the four directions, although direct contact has not been established thus far. A noteworthy mention goes to the Halfgods, a special unit or champions within the Red Demon race. They are well versed in assassinations and are easier to distinguish with three heads and humanoid bodies. Their presence poses a significant obstacle to establishing settlements within the barrier, making them a top priority for elimination by collective forces.¡± He read quickly. ¡°This is some precise document. I don¡¯t need to read into details.¡± He rearranged the pages and put the file back. ¡°So Ms. Hera wants me to eliminate Assassins of red demons. These idiots termed them Halfgods. I thought they fell under king categories. Thank god they aren¡¯t?¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 40 : Jack Of All Trades CHAPTER 40 JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES Hans had finished reading the report and found it intriguing. ¡°Maybe there''s something else interesting too... how about nodes¡­¡± He began searching for more files to read when Kai interrupted him, ¡°Master Hera wants to see you.¡± ¡°Coming.¡± He knew Kai didn¡¯t like him very much, but his professional attitude was something he wanted in Vanir. But sadly, that minion of his was nowhere around to take an example. Knocking on the open door, Hans entered Hera¡¯s office. ¡°So, how have you been?¡± Hera asked without even glancing up from the reports she was reading. ¡°Unproductive but fine¡­¡± he responded, ¡°Can I ask what you''re reading? You seem really intense¡ª ¡°We were preparing for your seniors¡¯ graduation test when we were ambushed by some commander-grade red demons. Our forces took a hit, so they''re currently using healing potions. I was just approving their use,¡± Hera explained. ¡°Hmm!¡± Hans stood up instantly. ¡°Guess I should show off a bit. I can heal them quickly. Gather them in an open space.¡± ¡°Weren''t you more of an attack type?¡± Hera inquired, ¡°I thought your regeneration was limited to yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ¡®everytype¡¯, ma¡¯am,¡± He replied, confident. ¡°If you can save me money on potions, I''ll give you a nice gift,¡± Hera offered and Hans perked up at the mention of a freebie. He urged her to quickly summon everyone outside. Soon the castle''s training ground was filled with people. Several injured individuals awaited, broken limbs, bandaged wounds, and every imaginable injuries. ¡°Are you sure you can do this, kiddo?¡± Hera cautioned. ¡°My nose is on the line here,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Hans reassured ¡°My words are heavy as gold,¡± ¡°That''s an old proverb for someone so young,¡± Hera remarked with a smile. ¡°I hear that a lot. Is this everyone?¡± He asked, receiving a nod from Hera in return. ¡°Phew!¡± He exhaled, his eyes glancing at the bright sun above barrier.¡°This guy is doing me a favour too.¡± With his hand stretched high, he called. ¡°ParadiseGarden¡± A pulse of golden light emanated from him and enveloped the training ground. It resembled the Sunfield sanctuary he had used before, so Hera was concerned that it might impact their sunstone crystal, but instead of ravaging energy, it was soft and mild, so she didn¡¯t interrupt him. Small sprouts and fibrous flowers emerged all over the ground, their fibres slithering towards each injured person and infusing them with energy. The phenomenon worked wonders; bones mended, and injuries healed visibly, even faster than the effects of healing potions. Everyone looked on in awe at Hans; they were speechless, feeling as if they were in the presence of divine mana. ¡°He can use divine mana?¡± Kai flustered, asked what everyone doubted. ¡°It''s not divine mana that negates the injuries. He''s simply accelerating their healing processes... way too fast, even healers aren¡¯t that fast.¡± Hera explained, her concern still evident as she realised that Hans might be using the energy of their sunstone crystal. Soon Hans finished, and the staff in the control rooms told Hera that there wasn''t a significant increase in sunstone output. Getting this positive news finally calmed her, and she approached Hans, playfully ruffling his hair. ¡°At this rate, you might become a permanent resident here, little one. Look at their eyes; they are practically drooling.¡± She continued with a sincere smile, ¡°You don¡¯t know how often people get injured here.¡± ¡°I''ve heard that using potions too much can make them less effective over time?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Yes, that''s why we spend so much on healing potions in every node,¡± she confirmed. ¡°So, am I becoming more desirable for the ''Red Monks'' now?¡± Hans teased. ¡°Even better, I might just keep you here permanently,¡± Hera said with a serious tone that made Hans shudder. She kept hold of him firmly and finally broke the brief silence, with a mischievous tone, ¡°I promised you a reward¡ª" ¡°No thanks, please,¡± Hans interrupted, feeling omnious. ¡°What¡¯s with your eyes?¡± She asked, surprised. Hans was looking at her, almost like pleading for her to let him go. She grasped what Hans was hinting: ¡°Molest¡­what? Puhahaha¡­ never in my life did I think I¡¯d see¡­ Hera Clandor molested a kid.¡± She couldn''t contain her laughter, breaking the tension in the room. She laughed so hard that people who were stunned by her previous act snapped out of it. Meanwhile, Hans rubbed his flushed cheeks, ¡°She is crazy. I need to get out of here¡ª¡± His thoughts suddenly halted when he suddenly felt her hand holding his. It was a soft feeling, a hand that had never held a sword in her life. He was surrounded by knights all over, even Sierra sometimes used a rapier in practice, so everyone had calluses and rough hands. Hers was soft. She led him inside without resistance. ¡°Sit here, son. So, what else can you do? Fight and heal¡ªare there any surprises I should know about?¡± Hans sat down and chugged down the jug on the table. ¡°Healing makes me so thirsty¡­¡± he commented casually, knowing this would be enough to fulfil Dietrich¡¯s task. He had been waiting for something like this to happen and shine after all. However, when Hera asked if he could do more, he couldn¡¯t resist showing off a bit. ¡°I can provide food for an entire army. Defence is where I lack, but I can make up for it with traps,¡± he continued to boast. Then, remembering the thing he had missed, he added, ¡°I can even create a golem army if I have enough mana stones. That''s pretty much it.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°That''s practically everything! Offence, logistics, healing, support, and a little bit defence. You''re not just needed; you''re a treasure chest, kiddo. A treasure chest that''s making me feel greedy,¡± Hera admitted. ¡°You''re not going to keep me here forever, are you?¡± Hans finally asked what he had been thinking before as he felt her gaze, sensing for the first time her desire to keep him. If she decided, there would be hardly anyone who could convince her otherwise. ¡°Hmm... I really want to, but I can¡¯t. No, I won¡¯t exploit you. You''ve already done so much for others. I should let you live your own life, kiddo¡ª¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hans was puzzled. The more he talked with her, the more he lost control of his words. He shouldn¡¯t have told her everything, but it came out naturally. And now the one she needed for the betterment of people under her jurisdiction just came, and she holds the power over him, but she is letting him go this easily. ¡°Forget about what she feels for me. Letting me go is just a foolish act as the tactician.¡± Her deep gaze meant apologetic. She had always shown affection and never asked for anything in return. He had always felt her concern and her desire for his peace, as if she knew him well. ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯ve done so much for others?¡± Hans wanted answers now. ¡°It''s better for you not to know.¡± She answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it never happened.¡± ¡°This is getting more confusing, ma¡¯am,¡± Hans felt irritated. She was avoiding giving a straight answer, leaving him unsatisfied with his curiosity. Seeing his frown, Hera relented a bit. ¡°There was no way your father could have started a war against Clandor without facing me. He told me what happened in the distant past before this world was reset.¡± ¡°A reset?¡± ¡°Yes, this world is in a loop. The previous one perished, so your father convinced your Guardian God, Aadya, to turn back time. Your father planned to prevent¡ª" ¡°The world''s demise?¡± Hans finished her sentence. ¡°No,¡± she corrected him, ¡°it was to prevent your, his dear son''s death." ¡°He could plan saving the world, not only me. That¡¯s quite selfish,¡± Hans criticised immediately, but his words and actions did not match. He was feeling warm inside for some reason. He had only briefly met Samson and heard three words from him: ''good job, son.¡¯ But those words still echoed in his ears time to time when he achieved something. Recalling that incident and Samson¡¯s undead appearance gave a clenching ache to Hans¡¯s heart. The father whom he didn¡¯t get to meet was now getting exploited even after his death. His mood sank, and Hera caught it. ¡°What¡¯s with your vibe? It suddenly turned really bad.¡± ¡°Nothing. I just remembered I don''t have much time. Someone is waiting for me,¡± He said, lowering his head. But Hera pulled him into an embrace. ¡°Don''t push yourself too hard, kiddo, or you''ll lose yourself.¡± He didn¡¯t struggle, and Hera didn¡¯t let him go for a while until he started to act like before. Meanwhile, a burst of Hans''s fame swept through the Concordia node. His ability to heal severe injuries instantly caught the attention of influential figures in the node. Within days, not only the Nodemaster but also two commanders and several captains visited him personally, some to establish a friendly connection while others seeking favours. They were acting like what people usually do around him, unlike Hera, whose actions were a mystery to him. Despite their intentions, Hans gained significant popularity and was even invited to work in the medical ward, where his skills shone brightly. People started calling him "The Golden Boy" since Nodemaster had crowned him with this name. It suited him when he literally shone golden using Paradise Garden. For Hans, the node had become like a second home. People there respected and acknowledged him, and even Zephyr, who initially seemed like he might confront Hans aggressively, backed down. Their relationship even turned friendly, with Zephyr taking the initiative to apologise first. Seeing someone of his status and authority humble themselves was quite remarkable. Despite Hans initially hesitating, he eventually accepted out of respect for Zephyr''s sincerity, which was evident from his persistent efforts to mend their relationship. However, Zephyr remained firm about not selling the scale until Delimira specifically told him so. Over time, their interactions evolved, leading to their current camaraderie. ¡°So you''re really not going to watch the juniors?¡± Zephyr asked Hans. ¡°Nope, I already have the winners'' names in my head,¡± Hans replied, gulping down freshly squeezed juice. ¡°This year¡¯s Glory War is no joke; our Concordia is facing off against the last year''s dark horse, Devildom,¡± Zephyr mentioned. ¡°So what? Even the Mage Tower and the Knight Association don¡¯t have what it takes to stop my friends¡ª¡± ¡°You''re awfully confident,¡± a gentle voice came from behind, and both glanced back quickly. Zephyr patted Hans''s back and added, ¡°bye-bye, Junior. Your mother is here¡ª¡± ¡°For the love of God, she''s not,¡± Hans quickly interrupted, but Zephyr ignored him and left the chair for Hera to sit. ¡°You spread this, didn''t you?¡± Hans asked her, frowning. He had been hearing people tease him like Zephyr for some time. ¡°Oh, son, I don¡¯t have that much of a scheming mind. Only weak schemes; powerful people like me just bulldoze in,¡± she said, showing off her frail-looking fist. ¡°Haa¡­whatever, ma¡¯am. Why are you here?¡± Hans asked, sighing. ¡°To watch, of course.¡± Hera pointed at the broadcasting screen. ¡°Do you have time for that?¡± Hans asked, puzzled. It had been quite some time since he had seen her after his rampage in the elderwood form, almost as if she had been avoiding him for a few days. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Hera answered, ¡°I worked my butt off so I could see this today.¡± She asked for a glass of beer, and a recruit brought it in. ¡°So that¡¯s why she¡¯s been so busy. I thought she gave up.¡± Hans thought and seeing her overflowing glass he asked, ¡°Can I have some too¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Alcohol is bad for your health¡ª¡± ¡°But you are drinking it!¡± Hans quickly retorted. ¡°That''s because her mother is not breathing down her neck, but yours is, Golden boy¡± the common area manager chimed in, teasing Hans. ¡°Good words, Neemoy,¡± Hera clanked her glass with his and cheered. The mood, which had been quiet for a while, became bustling after Hera joined in. She wasn¡¯t one to shy away from a crowd, but before Hans joined in, she preferred not to involve herself with others. In some way, Hans was influencing her. Seeing them enjoy, Hans just held it in. It was wise not to argue when everyone had it out for you. He showed disinterest, but he was eager to see what changes that three-month training had brought in his friends and how his minion was doing on his own. He peeked at the screen and got flabbergasted. ¡°What? Chris got defeated? He is at third!¡± Hans stood from his seat, but his voice was too loud, so the people were startled for a second. ¡°Is Bernard¡¯s son your friend too? You sure are surprising. Your father would have offed him at first sight¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not my father. But that¡¯s not the point,¡± Hans clapped the table hard. ¡°How the heck that moron got his ass kicked¡ª¡± ¡°Hold your mouth, young man.¡± Hera warned him in a motherly tone while everyone snickered in silence. However, Hans was too busy to mind them. ¡°Chris is someone who could reach grade sixty last year. But now you are telling me he lost to third, not even second place?¡± Hans mumbled. Ah! You missed that fight, didn¡¯t you?¡± Hera asked and answered it herself. ¡°Yes, yes, you were busy in my training ground. I shouldn¡¯t have given you its access. But what can I do? My son asked me¡ª¡± ¡°Just give up already.¡± Hans said nonchalantly. He was looking at the scoreboard and found Chris was defeated by that pervert, Ezekiel.
Elven Lies II Chapter 41 : Glory Wars Senior League Finals CHAPTER 41 GLORY WARS SENIOR LEAGUE FINALS Amidst the announcement in the broadcast, Hans asked Hera, ¡°Zephyr said you even sent someone to scout the last year¡¯s Wildcard. Devildom school still won this year; there must be some other noteworthy schools too.¡± ¡°Yeah, there are, but Devildom school is inside the Grand Barrier; Sunstone¡¯s influence on mana sensitivity is no joke.¡± Pausing, she asked ¡°Don¡¯t you feel more powerful here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hans had realised this far sooner when his control became superior to what he was used to. ¡°What about the advanced league? I didn¡¯t hear who won first place.¡± Hans switched the topic. ¡°Mage Tower secured first,¡± Hera replied, ¡°and we were the runner-up¡ª¡± ¡°Kansas¡¯s pants must be on fire.¡± Hans chuckled wickedly. ¡°It has to be.¡± Hera agreed. ¡°Even in the senior league, the first place either goes to us or Devildom¡ª¡± ¡°It will be Concordia. Delimira won¡¯t lose.¡± Hans said confidently, as his eyes lit up. Hera caught on, ¡°You like that girl, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I''m the sane one here, kiddo. I can tell by the way you speak about her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a scary idea on its own. I just believe in her skills.¡± Hans spoke confidently but Hera wouldn¡¯t let it slide, so he changed the subject again. ¡°About Zephyr, is he as genuine as he seems¡ª¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you quite friendly with him last month¡ª¡± ¡°Friendly?¡± Hans laughed, ¡°I¡¯m not that trusting; I don¡¯t easily trust people¡ª¡± ¡°Then what about me?¡± Hera asked, startling him. Her face was a picture of fear and uncertainty about not gaining his trust. ¡°You are on probation period, ma¡¯am.¡± Hans slowly raised the juice glass and drank it calmly. ¡°Haa¡­ so when will you make me permanent, son?¡± Hera asked, almost pouting. ¡°We¡¯ll see. But, about Zephyr¡ª¡± ¡°Well, he has no reason to be your enemy. Your goals don¡¯t conflict, and you might even share the same enemy at times. Plus, considering how ¡®CLOSE¡¯ you are to Delimira Winters, I don¡¯t see any enmity between you. After all, Zephyr¡¯s guardian was Aredhel until he reached adulthood.¡± ¡°So, he was Ms Aredhel¡¯s special project¡ª¡± ¡°Not a project.¡± Hera shook her head, ¡°she devoted herself to raising him.¡± ¡°Maybe she wouldn¡¯t be so distant to Deli if she¡¯d spent half the time with her.¡± Hans thought sarcastically while Hera continued, ¡°you know Aredhel is a clairvoyant, right? She identified children with potential and nurtured them into power. Zephyr is one of her finest.¡± ¡°I can guess why.¡± Hans added. ¡°Revenge is a powerful motivator, kiddo.¡± Hera said sipping her drink, pointing, ¡°She¡¯s patient too. The ones who caused her husband¡¯s death, the ones who could have stopped it, and the man who forced him into it. Do you think she¡¯d just let them off? Nothing is more dangerous than a woman out for blood.¡± ¡°Hans couldn¡¯t shake off Hera¡¯s words; it seemed Delimira only knew part of the truth, blaming an ancient for their tragedy. ¡°So, there were more people involved, and Professor Aredhel was gearing up, not sitting idle.¡± He was a bit puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while. Isn¡¯t she ready yet?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone she¡¯s waiting for,¡± Hera replied cryptically. ¡°That Theodred?¡± Hans guessed, and this time, he hit the mark. ¡°How do you know that name?¡± Hera sounded a bit surprised. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a secret,¡± Hans shrugged. He had heard whispers about Theodred from Chris, a demigod among the elves who seemed to have a connection with Delimira. Aredhel¡¯s search for him was like an obsession well known to upper echelons. ¡°You¡¯re right. Theodred should¡¯ve been well-known if he existed. A man with the light element in an elven lineage is unheard of. If he¡¯s real, he should¡¯ve made himself known to the world,¡± Hera remarked. ¡°Is he that powerful?¡± Hans asked, his curiosity piqued. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Hera teased him. ¡°Nah, just excited,¡± Hans replied, feeling a rush of anticipation. It felt like fate was pushing them towards a clash. ¡°But won¡¯t you try to stop her? You mentioned those with the power to prevent her tragedy, likely the Clandor royal family.¡± Hera let out a forced chuckle. ¡°He was an outsider, not an elf, and she was a high elf noble. This was a tragedy waiting to happen. She has a score to settle, and I already left for similar reasons. So I won¡¯t intervene in her quest for vengeance. The poor woman has suffered enough.¡± ¡°You are really a weird person, ma¡¯am.¡± Hans smiled at the absurdity, right or wrong, he would have supported his family in any turmoil. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Then won¡¯t you fulfil this weird person¡¯s wish? I¡¯d be a really good mother to you.¡± Her tone didn¡¯t carry any mischief, it was all serious and sincere, unlike the other times. Hans was tempted to say yes. But as he pondered, he realised that a relationship like this could become nothing but a hindrance. Though he had spent only three months with Hera, he had come to understand her well. She had a kind heart, spoke her mind, and didn''t have a mind capable of scheming. Yet, for some reason, Hans felt that agreeing to her request could lead to trouble down the line. Not hearing his reply, she genuinely became sad. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kiddo. It¡¯s not like I can force you into this. I¡¯ll sincerely win you over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s troubling me, ma¡¯am, because there are quite the advantages of associating with you, but my mind can¡¯t think of any when you are this nice. Now I understand why no one made a fuss about me coming here. They knew your character well.¡± He shifted his focus to the broadcast as the final of the Senior League was about to begin. Delimira, the third-circle mage of Concordia, was facing off against Ezekiel from Devildom. Reading the names on the screen, Hans¡¯s expression shifted too. ¡°So he uses a spear, that¡¯s¡­ unique, I suppose.¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite skilled with it too¡­ they all are,¡± Hera remarked. ¡°He¡¯s nothing but a sick man,¡± Hans said with contempt. ¡°Wow,¡± Hera teased, ¡°Are you jealous, kiddo?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not reading the room, ma¡¯am. That pervert has a thing for me.¡± ¡°I know our Hans is cute, but that bastard dared¡ª¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± Hans gestured, thinking, ¡°Since when did I become ¡®our Hans.¡¯¡± He shook off those words and added, ¡°I already sent him to the infirmary last year, so I didn¡¯t get to see him fight. Deli will obviously beat him up.¡± However, he was in for a surprise. From the start, Ezekiel dominated the fight, pushing Delimira into a defensive stance. As the match progressed, Hans grew increasingly agitated. ¡°What is she doing? She should be attacking, not just defending!¡± But his words couldn¡¯t reach Delimira, who was feeling the full force of Ezekiel''s aggression that the spectators weren¡¯t aware of. ¡°Take out your rapier. I want to see the sword mage,¡± Ezekiel taunted, prompting Hans to urge, ¡°Yeah, take it out, Winters, and shove it down that bastard''s throat.¡± However, Delimira stood her ground, refusing to yield. ¡°I¡¯ll fight as a mage. I didn¡¯t learn this for you,¡± she declared, showcasing her impressive mana pool by enlarging the defending water barrier. This move gave her some much-needed breathing space against Ezekiel''s relentless attacks. But Ezekiel was undeterred. ¡°Do you think defeating me is that easy?¡± He channeled his aura into his spear, stepping forward while bending back, readying for a devastating strike. He aimed his spear at Delimira¡¯s AquaBarrier. ¡°Skill: TrueStrike,¡± he called out, unleashing the full force of his grade 51 aura as he lunged towards her like a drill. His attack pierced through the barrier, shattering the water and creating soft showers. ¡°GurgesDomitor¡± ¡°GurgesDomitor¡± Both Hans and Delimira exclaimed almost simultaneously. The water from the shattered AquaBarrier quickly formed a massive vortex, sweeping Ezekiel away and sending him on a dizzying trip through the rotating waters. Hans felt Hera¡¯s piercing gaze, so he turned and sensing her unspoken thoughts, he quickly explained,¡°She did that to me during our first sparring match. Don¡¯t read too much into it¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, kiddo,¡± Hera defended, barely concealing her amusement. While they were squabbling, Delimira was silently preparing another spell, one that Hans had never witnessed before. When she called out its name, it caught his attention, causing him to pause his conversation with Hera and focus on her. "WindFlower." Her hand pointed towards the sky, and the visible strands of pale green wind gathered in Delimira¡¯s palm, fusing into an eye of a tornado that began to draw everything towards it. Ezekiel, sensing the danger, covered himself with aura and anchored himself by stabbing his spear into the ground. After a moment of suction,Delimira¡¯s hand glowed with three concentric circles of pale green light. A lotus flower made of pale green mana floated above her palm. ¡°Take this,¡± she said, moving her hand from above to below, aiming at Ezekiel. The lotus shot forward with incredible speed, rotating like a tornado''s mouth, poised to consume anything in its path. However, unlike a suction force, Windflower was designed to shred. Ezekiel quickly realised this. Before the lotus could reach him, Ezekiel countered with his own powerful attack. Skill: Vortex Whirl Spinning his spear in an anti-circular motion against the oncoming Windflower, Ezekiel created a swirling vortex of dark mana. The two attacks collided, and now it was all about which one lasted longer. But Delimira had her hands free, unlike Ezekiel, and her incredible sense of her own mana pool told her she could try a few more spells before she ran out of steam. With both hands raised forward, Delimira summoned two different magics¡ªan arrangement of three red concentric circles on her left and brown circles on her right. ¡°She can merge the two different mana! Your taste is quite refined, kiddo.¡± Hera remarked, but Hans was too engrossed to engage in banter. This was a prime example of how a mage from the elemental-mana family could wield spells from the advanced-mana family. ¡°She''s attempting a magma spell,¡± He mumbled. ¡°No, look beneath her feet,¡± Hera pointed out, revealing a circle of pale green mana. ¡°She''s trying to combine three elements... not just two. The third is supporting her,¡± he explained. ¡°Shh¡ªfocus on this,¡± Hera urged, directing Hans''s attention back to the broadcast screen. The battle had mesmerised not only them but every member of the audience, from recruits to commanders, all watching with bated breath. ¡°Ha!¡± Delimira exclaimed as she merged her hands, deepening the red circles to a crimson hue. A wry smile and sweat-drenched locks hinted at her exhaustion but she succeeded and called out. MeteorFall A massive boulder engulfed in flames, with magma dripping down, appeared a distance away from her. The molten magma scorched the ground as it fell. This spell wasn¡¯t to be taken lightly¡ªit was the result of merging two three-circle spells, equivalent to at least a five-circle level magic. Meanwhile, her WindFlower¡¯s rampage hadn¡¯t subsided completely yet, and she launched the meteor with the help of the wind tunnel her previous spell had created. Every move of hers was calculated. However, the trajectory of the meteor changed in mid-air, suddenly deviating from the straight path to circling behind Ezekiel, appearing to take him down for good. ¡°Just get down already,¡± she shouted, her breaths heavy. "Wow!" Even Hera couldn''t help but praise her. The limit for a talented mage was boundless, but conjuring a higher-level spell forcefully and still standing afterward showcased Delimira''s exceptional skill. Ezekiel found himself in a predicament¡ªhe could only focus on defending against one attack. Trying to counter both spells simultaneously would inevitably lead to getting hit by both. Caught in this dilemma, the MeteorFall spell finally struck him. "Boom!" The entire Sunfall Arena trembled from the impact, and the spectators anxiously waited for the inevitable outcome.
Elven Lies II Chapter 42 : The Lineage CHAPTER 42 THE LINEAGE Delimira stood there, staring at the dust that had settled. She had cast a spell on Ezekiel that was almost as powerful as a fifth-circle spell. Even her Parvian friend wouldn¡¯t have been unscathed, or she thought. After everything was settled,not only her but others too saw the scene agape. Standing behind Ezekiel was a powerful black horse with a single horn protruding from its forehead. Its wings stretched out wide, covering Ezekiel like a protective shield. ¡°An Alicorn.¡± She gritted, in frustration. Meanwhile, in faraway Deadlands, Hans almost choked down on his drink. ¡° Since when does a mere grade 50 control an Alicorn?¡± he exclaimed, wiping his mouth. ¡°A knight always has a mount,¡± Hera answered, ¡°but owning one below grade seventy is really unheard of¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a mount.¡± Hans shouted, not believing. ¡°Being contracted with a knight, they aren¡¯t bound by the restriction of classes. They can grow even to classless. Norwin had two freaky birds.¡± He was clearly agitated, and it was definitely not that Ezekiel having a mount had rubbed on him. Understanding him, Hera caressed his back. ¡°Calm down. You aren¡¯t the only anomaly in this world, kiddo. People like Ezekiel are born from time to time. We call them gifted ones, and that¡¯s the scary part about these upstarts, Devildom. Each and every brat of theirs comes under that category.¡± ¡°So what happens now?¡± Hans asked, confused. ¡°That Alicorn is probably a class four. Even if he is gifted it will be impossible for a grade fifty aura user to control that thing. But she is facing a knight and his mount when she is almost out of mana.¡± Hera looked at Hans with concern. ¡°What do you think? Her odds aren¡¯t looking good.¡± She said in a low voice. ¡°Naah. She¡¯ll win.¡± Hans¡¯ eyes darted to the screen. ¡°She has to if she wants to gloat later.¡± He mused, but his eyes had doubts. However, in an instant the doubts were gone when he looked Delimira¡¯s movement. Seeing the sudden change in expression, Hera too, turned to the broadcast screen to see what Hans was looking at. Delimira¡¯s hand was clenching the hilt of the rapier. ¡°Ha, couldn¡¯t you have just given up? Do you have to push me this far?¡± Delimira asked, her voice clear in the broadcast. She then heaved long to stabilise her breathing. ¡°What the hell are you talking?¡± Ezekiel countered, his spear slowly raising, aiming at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit since the time I saw you in Edenberg. You still look down on me, don¡¯t you?¡± He demanded an answer. ¡°You have a misunderstanding.¡± Delimira calculated her remaining strength and answered, ¡°I don¡¯tlook down on you¡­I don¡¯t even look at you¡ª¡± ¡°Hmph¡­ taunt all you want. We¡¯ll see after¡ª¡± ¡°The only thing you¡¯ll be seeing is a wide blue sky.¡± Delimira taunted again, but it wasn¡¯t to provoke him or something. ¡°You can control a mount of class four. Do you think that is some sort of big deal¡ªwell, I guess, I can¡¯t lose either. There is a Parvart, who won¡¯t let me hear the end of it if it were to happen.¡± ¡°I guess she is talking about you, son.¡± Hera nudged Hans, teasing. But Hans didn¡¯t start a banter with Hera. He was focused on screen as such everyone in there. ¡°My sword is not for you.¡± Delimira loosened the grip on hilt disappointing the audience who wanted to see a sword mage in action. But she had a surprise in store for them. Closing her eyes, she cracked her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll show you something to remember.¡± As her declaration fell, the air around her changed, and her canned slit eyes opened, staring right at the broadcasting crystal. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you bastard.¡± ¡°She is definitely talking to you.¡± Hera teased, her eyes glued to the screen. Hans didn¡¯t refute this time too. He could also feel those words were addressed to him. Suddenly, a thunder crackled in the sky of sunfall, right above the arena, and the dark clouds began to gather in a spiral. She started levitating, and strong winds started to channel around her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Suddenly, she gained momentum and shot towards the eye of the rotating clouds. And as she disappeared in those, a deafening roar welcomed the crowd, like a distant cry from another world. There was something massive slithering in the sky above. Its shadow flashed as lightning crackled and quickly followed a heavy rain. The roar of the beast mixed with the sound of thunder shook the hearts of the onlookers. Finally, the massive body lowered itself and came out of those dark clouds. A long, serpentine body coiled and twisted, adorned with shimmering scales that reflected the lights of lightning in a myriad of colours. Till this point, Hans was thinking the creature was a sky serpent, a bit different but under the category of serpents, until he laid his eyes on her clawed feet, its sharp talons. However, that wasn¡¯t all. Its reptilian snout, almost the same as the crocotian he had made with the whiskers unlike he had seen before. As the creature¡¯s face became clearer, its long silver mane with crowned horns came into his sight. The whole figure looked majestic in its own right, and the command it had over nature was evident of its indomitable strength. ¡°Woah. This is beautiful.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t help but mutter those words, and Hera agreed. The nodemaster had seen this before many times, but every time, she was in awe. ¡°So, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree.¡± She remarked. ¡°Halfblood as if, she clearly inherited her father¡¯s blood.¡± Hans couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying since he was busy mesmerising the creature Delimira had become. ¡°A mount has to be at least of that calibre. I want to her.¡± He murmured. ¡°I understand your excitement, little Parvart.¡± Hera nonchalantly teased him, her eyes still glued at the majestic presence in the screen. However, her words snapped him out of his bewitched moment. Before Hera could add anything further, he intervened, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any other thing. I meant, I just wanted a mount like her.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t the knight, you can¡¯t feed your aura to a beast, kiddo¡ª¡± ¡°Damn it, I nearly forgot that.¡± He cursed and turn to the screen once again, adding, ¡°She looks so damn cool¡ª¡± ¡°You are too,¡± Hera assured him, ¡°When you become elderwood, you look cool too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just empty words¡ª¡± ¡°No, I swear I''m not lying.¡± Hera defended, her tone was so innocent that it was hard to distinguish her from a young girl to a forty-something woman she actually was. But it didn¡¯t take her much time to become serious. ¡°Aredhel did something clever with associating her daughter with Rudolf and Sierra, especially with you.¡± She emphasised the latter part and pointed at Delimira coiling around the clouds, ¡°With her showing off like that, there is probably half of the strong knights who would want to tame her.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Hans asked, perplexed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t you the same?¡± She questioned, point-blank. ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t want¡­ I wasn¡¯t talking about the beast bond¡­ well, me saying it, is different.¡± ¡°You sure you two aren¡¯t items?¡± She teased, but looking at Hans¡¯s distorted expressions. She let it go. ¡°But the fact that she is a student of Sierra, lives around Rudolf, and is friends with the Prince of Parv. That¡¯s a heck of aresume she has; it has warnings written all over the place. At that moment, Rudolf and Sierra were also watching the scene. Rudolf had recalled some past words of Aredhel, as they echoed in his head - she is the key of everything.Samson had said to Aredhel to use these words if she needed protection from Rudolf. ¡°Dear, I think that serpent¡¯s blood is passed to her perfectly. Isn¡¯t this creature able to resurrect the dead?¡± Rudolf asked, his words stammering. Sierra, however, didn¡¯t respond. What Rudolf was saying wasn¡¯t far-fetched; she had learned this from the man himself. But his resurrection ability came with a huge price that she contemplated if Delimira had to pay. She shook her head; there was no use counting chickens before they hatched, so she left everything on Samson¡¯s plan, if it was still running. There would come a time when they could see him again, especially alive this time. Meanwhile, after showing off her dangerous yet mesmerising form, Delimira leered at the stunned Ezekiel. ¡°This is an overkill, you scary elf. Unsheathing your sword would¡¯ve sufficed.¡± He muttered, his eyes losing any hope. ¡°I.TOLD.YOU.¡± Delimira said, her voice deepened. ¡°IT¡¯S.NOT.FOR.YOU.¡± She began her descent, her silver mane fluttering against the wind. Her ferocious dive brought immense pressure and tremor; the whole sunfall arena shook, and the artefact which allowed no interventions began to crack. The scene was nothing like a fight between a mage and a knight in the senior league of Glory wars, but a god teasing a mortal. She tackled Ezekiel¡¯s Alicorn head-on, but the class four beast had already lost its vigour in the face of fear. However, Ezekiel, even in the face of the evident result, maintained his composure. Skill: Transcended Strike Putting all of his aura into his next move, he turned his spear pitch black. He threw it with everything he had, and after leaving his hand, the spear disappeared only to appear stuck near Delimira¡¯s serpentine body¡¯s shoulder. The skill carried an immense power. Ezekiel never thought of using it in Glory Wars, but he had to use it against Delimira. It was his last resort, but it only made her angrier. She retracted her head a little, and then time seemed to slow as she harnessed the energy within its muscles, gathering momentum for the strike. Suddenly, with a lightning-fast motion, she lunged forward, her head accelerating with twice the speed as before. The sudden burst of speed caught the resigned Ezekiel, and she clashed with him, leaving a huge crater behind. Of course, Ezekiel was on his back, unconscious, while Delimira stood in her elf form, clenching her bleeding shoulder. ¡°You Loose.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 43 : High Expectations CHAPTER 43 HIGH EXPECTATIONS It¡¯s been a day, but Hans couldn¡¯t shake the memory of the incredible sight soaring through the clouds. ¡°Ugh, just go to sleep already,¡± he grumbled, trying to push aside the lingering awe. ¡°She must be hundreds of meters long. Elderwood looks cute next to her¡­ Stop it, focus on sleeping,¡± he scolded himself again before finally giving in to the exhaustion that crept in late at night. He got a much-needed break from his volunteer duties due to his healing efforts and providing mana recovery fruits. Due to which he enjoyed an undisturbed sleep until late afternoon.¡°Knock! Knock! It¡¯s Zephyr¡ª¡± ¡°Do you have to say the ''knock knock¡¯, man? It¡¯s an open hall.¡± Hans aroused from his bed with sleep still in his eyes. Zephyr grinned, ¡°Where is fun in that?¡± ¡°True.¡± Hans quickly jolted up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was a junior whom you were mentoring? It¡¯s the battle of junior league today. Don¡¯t you want to see it?¡± Zephyr asked in his friendly tone. ¡°Give me a second.¡± Hans ran towards the bathroom and came out as fast as he went. ¡°Done. Let¡¯s go.¡± While they walked towards the common hall, Zephyr said how there wasn¡¯t any mentorship program when he was at Concordia. ¡°You missed the fun then, senior.¡± Hans jested, ¡°it¡¯s real fun to beat your junior in the name of training.¡± Zephyr chuckled with Hans, and there she was, Hera, waiting for him in her usual spot. Before Zephyr could get his revenge on Hans for his earlier teasing, Hans quickly interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. She¡¯s not.¡± The youngest red monk chuckled and headed to his squad¡¯s table. Some were fortunate to enjoy glory wars, but some had to work, since they couldn¡¯t just let go of their duty and dwell in the entertainment. It was the last line of defence against red demons after all. ¡°So, kiddo, do you have any junior you want to cheer on¡ª¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯ll probably beat the life out of one if he loses.¡± Hans stared at the screen. ¡°Which one?¡± Hera focussed on the screen. ¡°The sneezy-looking one.¡± Hans pointed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look that strong?¡± Hera was puzzled, and so was Hans. ¡°How the heck does she know by just a glance?¡± He asked himself, but his inner thoughts must¡¯ve been heard by Hera, so she answered herself by asking a question to Hans. ¡°Why do you think they broadcast the whole event, son?¡± ¡°For fame.¡± It was an easy answer, but his answer was half correct according to Hera. She pointed out, ¡°The broadcasting artefact not only transmits the image, kiddo, but the wavelength of mana that these youngsters are emanating. This whole setup is for nobles and powerful people to pick out their choices early by sensing these competitors¡¯ potential early on. Didn¡¯t you know? That is the reason students do their very best to shine in glory wars.¡± It all made sense, but an artefact which was capable of transmitting the mana wavelength of each individual really surprised him since he wasn¡¯t aware of that last year. ¡°So, what¡¯s so special about that young elf?¡± Hera asked, confused since she still couldn¡¯t detect any anomaly in Vanir. ¡°You won¡¯t find it no matter how hard you focus, ma¡¯am. Vanir¡¯s strong suit isn¡¯t strength. He is a technical person. A brute like you won¡¯t be able to grasp his potential.¡± ¡°A brute. Aren¡¯t you taking liberty with me? I¡¯m the one in charge here.¡± She came close, scolding him. ¡°Sorry, my bad. So, whom are you pinning on?¡± Hans asked, and Hera¡¯s sullen face lit up instantly. ¡°My cute niece, Allynna.¡± Just as Hera said that name, Hans realised once again that Hera was the elder sister of the current queen of Clandor, making her the aunt of Allynna, whose birthday present he had stolen. ¡°I¡¯m still breathing; that¡¯s some bloody luck I have here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your face? It seems like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡± Hera inquired. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just I¡¯m not close to your niece, not at all¡ª¡± ¡°You are saying it after making her cry a river¡­ robbing her!¡± ¡°In my defence, I saved her life in doing so. That pendant is a payment I took.¡± Hans defended, and if Hera didn¡¯t know it as true, no matter who Hans was, he would¡¯ve at least been beaten badly and blue once, keeping the pendant was another story. Just like last year, the junior league only allowed three participants from each team, and Parv was absent in this time. Only Arat had made his appearance at the start and then left for home in the name of some exigency. Concordia, Mage Tower, Knight Association, and this league¡¯s wild card entry was the Royal Academy of Sunfall. With twelve participants total, there were ten matches scheduled. In Concordia, there was Vanir, Allynna, and Misty¡ª one knight, two mages. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Since the start, people glued their eyes to the arena. The yesterday¡¯s battle had left them in awe, and the first match of the junior league was between the next Clandorian queen, Allynna, and the Knight Association. Hans had seen Allynna, and he termed her as ¡®Failure with immense potential.¡¯ So he wasn¡¯t expecting much from her, but that wasn¡¯t the case with Hera. As Delimira said, the innocence that Allynna carried had the power to attract others towards her. Only he was immune to that. But what he saw in the arena the next moment was something far from an innocent princess. She was like a ravaging storm with fury of strike that put the Knight Association boy, her opponent, in shame in mere 50 seconds. It was the quickest win of this year¡¯s Glory wars and left Hans with a face that Delimira would have paid to see. ¡°Close your mouth, kiddo, that¡¯s my niece for you.¡± She raised a glass, and so did everyone watching. Hans was startled, ¡°Since when could she fight this good¡ª¡± ¡°Her mother was ranked eighth in the profession where men dominate with strength.¡± Hera pointed out, ¡°Don¡¯t you think something would¡¯ve passed down?¡± Hans kept his silence; he didn¡¯t want to say anything bad about her. The next match was what he had waited for: Vanir of Concordia vs. mage tower prodigy, an elf of clandor from the noble sides. With her shiny blond hair, she was adorned with blue mage robes and a pretty head on strong shoulders. Her figure was on the slightly muscular side. ¡°Damn, what are they feeding in Clandor?¡± Hans remarked. ¡°They are saying she is a mage, right?¡± ¡°Marise¡¯s daughter, they are from Count Marise¡¯s house, western Clandor. Their whole lineage is blessed with strong bodies.¡± Hera explained. ¡°She is a tough cookie, kiddo. Do you think your boy would beat her?¡± ¡°Dunno. As I¡¯ve told you, Vanir didn¡¯t shine in raw power¡ª¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see, ma¡¯am.¡± Hans mumbled and focused as the match started. Vanir and her opponent both were mages, so they both remained calm, observing others. However, after a brief staring contest, Vanir broke the silence by shooting a ThunderBall, a first-circle spell at Marise¡¯s girl. She easily dodged it using Wind Step. The spell Delimira had used many times in avoiding Hans in the past. ¡°Hmm¡­ that was rather slow for a ThunderBall. Are you sure you didn¡¯t take a rotten fruit, kiddo?¡± Hera remarked, but Hans remained calm. He already knew Vanir wasn¡¯t that good in combat to begin with. However, he had confidence in his ingenuity. ¡°Come on, Vanir, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±He mumbled, his fist clenching in nervousness and focussed on the screen. Vanir probed her with several ThunderBalls, but she kept dodging them effortlessly. ¡°Is that all you got, commoner? I¡¯ve heard you were a challenge. A brat who follows the prince of Parv amounts to this much¡ª¡± ¡°Pft¡­¡± Vanir chuckled. ¡°Finally, she talks.¡± He remarked. ¡°I thought you were mute?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to talk with a lowborn like you¡ª¡± ¡°I know. So, I¡¯d like to see how you would feel losing against a lowborn with a mere first-circle spell? I¡¯m looking forward to it, so don¡¯t lose easily, Noble¡ª¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± Marise¡¯s girl cut him off in the middle. She was a second-circle mage, and even with Vanir¡¯s expanded mana pool, he was fairly beaten in terms of the mana volume she held. ¡°How dare I, you ask?¡± Vanir taunted, ¡°I¡¯ll make it easy for you. I won¡¯t use any spell other than this Thunderball. What do you say? It¡¯s a mercy from me.¡± He grinned; it was obvious whom he picked this attitude from. And Hera easily caught the similarity, ¡°You seem to be a bad influence in your junior¡ª¡± ¡°I hope that idiot didn¡¯t only pick the way I irritate the others.¡± Hans remained composed, but he knew Vanir didn¡¯t have what it takes to back up his words. However, his determined eyes were screaming to trust him. ¡°ThunderBall¡± he cried, and a purple circle conjured above his palm, and it wasn¡¯t only his right but both hands. He began to barrage at her, but his newly conjured Thunderballs of quantity rather than quality. They were so weak that even if it hit, it would mostly sting a little. The mage girl was easily able to understand this, but she didn¡¯t underestimate her opponent and chose to waltz around the arena while dodging. Vanir, on the other hand, kept shooting in a frenzy. She even levitated and went above Vanir, yet he didn¡¯t stop firing. He was running out of mana and was nearing a mana exhaustion state. ¡°Are you an idiot? What can be expected from a commoner?¡± The girl mage quipped, seeing him gasping. But the confidence Vanir had before starting the match still remained in his unwavering eyes. ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll only use Thunderball Noble.¡± he said, wiping his mouth as he corrected his standing pose. ¡°Thunderball.¡± He conjured another purple circle in his right, but it was aiming above his head. This was the genuine Thunderball, carrying all his available mana and launched it high in the sky. This perplexed anyone until the lightning ball in the sky stopped its ascent and started levitating like a balloon. ¡°The thunderballs you dodged weren¡¯t meant to hit you. This whole area is now a huge electric field you illiterate moron of a noble.¡± Vanir pointed above, ¡°And that floating high is the conductor. Enjoy the path of least resistance¡ª Zap!¡± He wasn¡¯t even halfway done, and the floating ThunderBall got hit by a lightning bolt from the sky! It struck the arena right there. ¡°BOOM!¡± The whole place shook. It was like a fifth-circle thunder spell, but he was immune to lightning magic, so it just recharged him back and blackened his opponent. ¡°Uneducated Morons.¡± Vanir commented and stepped down from the arena. Even the proctor was shocked, and the winner announcement was delayed. Hans was grinning ear to ear, proudly showing off. And as everyone was baffled to see someone using natural lighting as the attack. He remarked to Hera, ¡°I told you, raw power is not where he shines, but using his head.¡± ¡°The¡­ that would¡¯ve been impossible. The calculation he set for generating an electric field, his Thunderball which is used to conduct the lighting and its own variable earthing, strong enough to attract a lightning bolt from the sky. These three had to remain the same throughout the channeling, even with an artefact, it¡¯s near impossible¡ª¡± Hans didn¡¯t respond to her since he didn¡¯t understand it either, but he wanted to gloat, so he nodded, ¡°yes, he is a born genius which Clandor just threw away. Our dear Chairman even offered him to refer to the Alchemist department when he was just in his first year.¡± ¡°You are a scary kid even in finding talents, kiddo.¡± ¡°I sure am.¡± Hans muttered. He just couldn¡¯t stop grinning. While Vanir went down the platform, his head held high as he looked down on others. He turned to the other participants and declared, ¡°I came here to win, so be prepared to die.¡± If he had not sent the mage girl to a critical situation, no one had believed his words. But the noble participant of the mage tower was barely breathing after taking on the lightning strike. So the remaining participant became cautious of Vanir the most. ¡°He acts like you.¡± Hera remarked. ¡°Of course he does. You¡¯ve got to slaughter your first opponent to gain a psychological advantage over others. It¡¯s the basic strategy.¡± Hans hadn¡¯t taught anything to Vanir. He was just smart enough to pick up his habits of overpowering others, whether it was getting under their skin or burning them.
Elven Lies II Chapter 44 : The Underground Prison CHAPTER 44 THE UNDERGROUND PRISON The remaining matches of the youngsters weren¡¯t noticeable, and Allynna, who showed promise earlier, began to struggle, barely winning her second round. Meanwhile, Vanir was facing a fire and water mana user. But unfortunately for Vanir¡¯s opponent, water was counterintuitive against lightning, so he could only use fire spells. However, the place where that fire and water mage belonged to was this year¡¯s wild card entry in the junior league. A human mage from Sunfall Royal Academy. He was showing his mastery over the fire element, but his every spell contained hesitation, all because of the raw display of ruthlessness which Vanir showed in the previous match. Yet, he was from Sunfall Royal Academy, a boy from their ducal household. Since his toddler days, he had received plenty of resources. And since the mana gems and stones come under the fighting aid category, he was using them to enhance his fire spells. Hans also used this in his previous year¡¯s matches, and Vanir had a plethora of them stored in his space pocket. The one marked by Xandor and handed down to Vanir by his so-called mentor. Seeing Sunfall¡¯s mage using aids, Vanir began to frolick, spreading his magma stones all over the place. However, it wasn¡¯t easy for him to do so; the ducal boy kept blowing him away from his path with his second circle firestorm. Yet, the placement of magma stones got completed, and Vanir stood in the centre of the arena. Connecting with a magma stone in his hand, he spread the deep red wisps of mana around, and one after another, the inlaid stones got connected. One¡­two¡­three¡­ and finally, four concentric deep red circles were lit in the arena while he stood in the centre. ¡°Give up, or you can try.¡± Vanir asked in a menacing tone. The boy was a noble of Sunfall; giving up was against his pride, but his instructor couldn¡¯t afford to have this high noble lying around incritical condition. The four lit-up circles beneath the ground meant a fourth circle spell would be shot. The instructors of Sunfall shouted, ¡°Sunfall Royal Academy gives up the match.¡± Since the accident of last year, a rule was amended in the glory wars that instructors have the power to give up the matches for junior leagues without consulting the contestants. Itwas so that they could avoid another Hans event in the arena. ¡°Tch.¡± Vanir clicked his tongue as he was declared the winner. Walking down the platform, he commented, ¡°What a pussy. It was just a light show.¡± He ridiculed the Sunfall Royal Academy for getting fooled by the mere facade of four circles he presented. People mocked Sunfall despite being fooled themselves while Hans chuckled within the node, feeling the rush of pride. ¡°See, that¡¯s what slaughtering your first opponent brings you. Fear.¡± he remarked confidently. Now, there wasn¡¯t even a shred of doubt in his eyes regarding Vanir. ¡°I don''t need to watch any further. Vanir will win this,¡± he declared, standing up and departing without another word. Hera, however, remained quiet. While she initially viewed Vanir as weak, the air he carried around him showed how confident he was with his minuscule ability. In the Sunfall arena, everyone''s attention was on Vanir.Last year, a boy, coined the hero of Grimgar and later the prince of Parv, shook the Glory wars, and Vanir''s attitude and presence were reminiscent of him, capturing the admiration of onlookers. After Hans left, the people continued to watch matches and, as he had said, Vanir emerged victorious. Allynna couldn¡¯t carry the momentum she showed in her first match and succumbed in thethird round. Even her growth spurt couldn¡¯t replace the experience these people had. The second position went to the Knight Association. There was a five-day festival after the Glory Wars in Sunfall, but unlike the previous year, there were no traces of Eclipse. They went silent after the assault on Grimgar and remained dormant for the past year. Soon, his friends were scheduled to return; however, there was still a month and a half remaining in Hans¡¯s volunteering service. So, when the Glory Wars ended, the people of Node just returned to their respective duties. Hans started to bug Zephyr for sneaking him into the underground prison where several of the red demon infantry were captured alive. But Zephyr kept avoiding him, putting Hans in a relentless pursuit. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Come on, man. I beg you, please spare me.¡± Zephyr pleaded. ¡°Then you should¡¯ve kept your mouth shut.¡± Hans quipped. ¡°Yeah, me and my damned mouth. I should¡¯ve never told you about the underground prison.¡± ¡°It¡¯s on you, senior Zephyr.¡± Hans grinned. ¡°Now your junior wants to see one.¡± ¡°Nodemaster will have my neck if something happens there.¡± Zephyr showed concern. ¡°What can happen?¡± Hans asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. ¡°That place is inside the barrier. What if some mishap happens to you?¡± Zephyr asked, ¡°People call you a trouble magnet. I¡¯m not taking chances, so it¡¯s a hard pass from me, junior Hans.¡± Hans grinned inside, ¡°So he is showing his true colours, man. He should take acting classes. Does he think fooling me is as easy as taking candy from a child? But man, it sure is exciting to see what he has planned for me.¡± ¡°Come on, senior Zephyr, just point me in the direction. I swear you won¡¯t have any hand if any mishap occurs.¡± ¡°Can I take your word for it?¡±Zephyr asked, his expressions hidden behind a mask of concern, but there was a scheme in motion, and Hans knew it very well. These kinds of people he always associated with, that¡¯s why he had a hard time understanding Hera. However, his excitement had overshadowed his concerns as always. ¡°Wanna scare me or humiliate? Just how far this elf bastard will go, let¡¯s see.¡± Hans thought inside and nodded at Zephyr¡¯s earlier question. ¡°Okay, junior, just follow me closely.¡±Zephyr sighed to show his reluctance, but his hidden excitement wasn¡¯t a stranger to Hans anymore. He led Hans on a narrow path, going underground. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Hans commented, halting Zephyr¡¯s step. ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone guarding this place? This is supposedly a path to an underground prison, right?¡± Zephyr, perplexed, answered, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d let anyone see me leading you?¡± He stuttered a little and continued with a provocative tone, ¡°If you are getting cold feet, shall we return?¡± ¡°That ain''t enough to rile me up, but I¡¯ll bite since you are trying so hard.¡± Hans almost let out his chuckle. ¡°No way.¡± He acted as if he was provoked, giving Zephyr¡¯s heart some calmness that his plan was still in motion. ¡°Go down and do not make any contact. You just have to see one and come back the same way.¡± Zephyr said, his tone commanding. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Hans nodded in agreement. His short journey down began through some narrow stairs and soon he came across a tunnel leading inside a barrier from the underground. As he moved further inside, he could feel the obscene amount of sunstone energy of the barrier. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m inside the barrier.¡± He mumbled and halted as he felt something clicked below his feet. He cursed crying, ¡°God damn stupid, you fell for something like this¡ª Swoosh!¡± He felt the space mana surrounding him, similar to what he used in connecting Mystic glades and Man-eating forest of Concordia. ¡°Ah Shit!¡± He said in frustration and opened his eyes under a red hue. ¡°The fuck! Where am I?¡± He mumbled as he saw his surroundings, everything was covered under a red light, even the green leaves of the nature appeared red, the water in the puddle was also red. ¡°Shit! Shit-shit-shit¡­ I¡¯m in the Deadlands,¡± Hans realised as he recalled the words from the node library book. Everything is covered in red light of the barrier and days and nights are irrelevant inside it. ¡°I thought that petty elf would try matching me up with a red demon but this bastard sent me to their home. This is beyond cute. He¡¯ll have to answer¡ª stop the threatening act. And let¡¯s just see how much deeper in the shit I am, first.¡± After looking everything with his mana-filled eyes, Hans fell on his bottom. ¡°Bananas. I forgot to look up anything on traversing deadlands. There are no stars, no sense of direction either. How am I supposed to find my way back¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± A voice from the sky above interrupted him, and he became cautious as his eyes searched for the hidden source. ¡°You¡¯ll die here,¡± the hidden voice echoed. Hans searched with all his senses but found no one. ¡°So who¡¯s my date today?¡± he shouted, ¡°Zephyr the matchmaker won¡¯t disappoint me, is he?¡ª¡± ¡°Shick!¡± A red line drew across Hans¡¯s cheek, and soon a trail of blood followed. He was startled; he couldn¡¯t even sense his foe yet his foe managed to attack him, and it even felt they could¡¯ve gone for his neck but chose not to. ¡°There is no way this is a red demon.¡± Hans got ready instantly; his strong defensive tendrils surrounded him, encasing him inside. But they weren¡¯t just taking defensive measures. They were slithering through the surroundings, making it Hans¡¯s jungle. ¡°Shick! Shick!¡± Two quick attacks bisected his metallic vines, but in place of two cuts, four emerged even stronger. ¡°I can do all this day. So, aren¡¯t you going to tell me who¡¯s my date? I¡¯m telling you first, I don¡¯t dig men.¡± ¡°Woosh-woosh-woosh..¡± A rotating sphere of light which he was oddly familiar with surfaced above his head. ¡°Oh dear lord. I¡¯m beyond fucked.¡± Hans mumbled as he realised who this person was. ¡°I don¡¯t do married either. Let¡¯s go our separate ways, Queen Reina.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to?¡± Her tone was as cold as he remembered. ¡°Coming after my life has serious consequences, elven queen¡ª¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that?¡± She halted him from speaking. ¡°Everyone has habits; hence, come their weaknesses. Yours apparently is over curiosity. That elf boy just had to plant a seed in your head, and you¡¯d have urged him non-stop to lead you to this trap. Am I right?¡± ¡°You want me to give you 100 out of 100? Yeah. It¡¯s yours¡ª but don¡¯t think I¡¯d fall this easily.¡± Hans started Photonising; the red demon barrier was made of pure sunstone energy; here it became relatively easy for Hans to collect that energy inside him. ¡°You chose the wrong place.¡± Hans lit up gold. ¡°This is my natural habitat.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 45 : An International Affair CHAPTER 45 AN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR The tension between the Elven queen and the Parvian prince reached its peak. They both knew they had to act fast. As the photonise grew stronger, a burst of energy erupted from Hans. Reina also raised her sword, her encasing sphere of light spinning wildly. With his energy reaching maximum, Hans asked her, ¡°Just tell me one thing, why Zephyr is following your orders? He¡¯s a member of Blood Monk. Even if he¡¯s an elf, those people have no ties to Clandor¡ª¡° ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care.¡± She straightened her sword, ready to attack at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s probably on you.¡± She added, ¡°You must¡¯ve upset him. That¡¯s just what you do. Your mere presence is a provocation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very nice way of bullshiting. What is the real reason you are doing this?¡± ¡°Your death is more meaningful than your life.¡± She pointed towards Hans¡¯s right, ¡°In that way is the Council node. What will happen if you die at their doorsteps?¡± ¡°That ain''t enough to frame them¡ª¡± ¡°Hope is a very dangerous thing.¡± Reina interrupted, ¡°You are synonymous with hope to the Parvians. A beacon whom they awaited for a decade. What happens if it¡¯s taken from them? They will charge blind against the council. Even if it is not¡­ I have ways to prove. So just die already.¡± Hans grunted, talking reason with a woman who came determined to kill him is insane enough as it was. His face contorted and infuriating, he shouted at her. ¡°Who do you think you are to use me for yourself¡ª¡± ¡°Have you never done it yourself?¡± She asked, her expressions dumbfounded. She reasoned her actions, ¡°The karma of ¡®killing¡¯ you carry is far heavy. It¡¯s your nature. I¡¯ll be doing the world a favour by getting rid of you.¡± ¡°You will be implicating your own sister. Don¡¯t you care what happens to her? I was volunteering. My life was her responsibility¡ª¡± ¡°I was the one who exiled her from Clandor,¡± Reina cut him off in mid-sentence again. She stated, almost proud, ¡°I was the one who took her crown. Do you think I care what happens to her? Parv vs Hera. That would be another sight to see.¡± Hans chuckled, ¡°Thank you.¡± He added with a smirk, ¡°Don¡¯t you know I carry memory stones every time?¡± Reina chuckled too. She responded with the same grin as his, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that artefacts, even the smallest ones like memory stones, don¡¯t work here?¡± Hans was embarrassed. He truly didn¡¯t know. He was out of options in wiggling out. There was only one thing that remained. Hans mustered all the solar energy within him. ¡°Guess, only one of us can come out alive from this. I can¡¯t die. My grandma will be very upset.¡± He blasted a huge explosion towards her. .. . . ¡°Idiot woman,¡± she pointed that side as the council¡¯s node that means far left to it is the west and at the edge of the western barrier is the Concordia node. ¡° I ain''t involving myself with her. God knows how she¡¯d exploit this if I hit her first. If you can¡¯t win, just run.¡± He convinced himself as he bolted far away from the explosion. However, Reina was cleverer than Hans. She had already pointed him to the opposite direction, and Hans was only increasing the distance between Concordia and him further. Living around Hera had made his vigilance deteriorate. But he wasn¡¯t completely oblivious to the fact that she used her head quite ingeniously. ¡°Always assume the worst, and you won¡¯t be surprised.¡± He quoted Dietrich and thought hard of a contingency as he sped up, absorbing more sunstone energy of the barrier. ¡°So what happens if I can¡¯t go back? Only a battle to death¡ª oh come on, I really don¡¯t want to fight her and even with Elder Form, I don¡¯t have confidence in beating her. She is too cunning and is a Dominion Knight. What can I do when I can¡¯t even fly?¡± Hans missed his Wind Gem more than anything. His sole weakness was his manoeuvrability and his Wind Gem was the solution. Frustratingly, he stressed, ¡°Think, man, think ¡ª Sunstones, yes, the book said, red demon have Sunstones in their hearts. If I can haul some¡­ Yes, that would work, it even worked on Father. I¡¯ll blow this damned hag off the map.¡± He ran and ran and ran, but he couldn¡¯t sense or see Reina following, ¡°hmm¡­ did I get away¡­No. She is not following¡ª did I really fall for her scheme?¡± He halted his boosted run. A small dust cloud formed with friction, evidence of how fast Hans¡¯s speed was. However, his sudden realisation wasn¡¯t the only thing for his halting, his target, a natural source of Sunstone, a red demon infantry¡ª commonly called Two-Hands¡ª was in his sight. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say, these red cockroaches snuggle together? Why the heck is this bastard alone.¡± He murmured, hiding atop a tree. With the red hue all over the place, it was a natural camouflage for these invaders but for Hans, they felt out of place since they reeked of a dark smoke that he could see, similar to what he spotted in Vanessa in their first encounter. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. VeganBind Hans wasted not a second and summoned his deadliest wines beneath the strolling Two-Hands. ¡°Swoosh!¡± It was a perfect spell with perfect timing but the target was imperfect and within a flash, it pulled a move similar to Dijkstra, disappearing right before his eyes. The restraining wines caught only air. ¡°The hell¡ª¡± ¡°Shriek!¡± A high-pitched scream deafened his ears and he involuntarily covered it with both hands. But his eyes were searching for the unique dark smoky signature of the infantry Two-Hands. He searched frantically, but there was no sign of the red demon appearing. ¡°Beneath and behind. Only way these bastards would resurface¡ª¡± ManaStorm ¡°Boom.¡± A deafening explosion countered the shrieking voice, and the red demon hidden in some spatial place exited, wounded, almost shredded. ¡°I was right to study the records in the node. These things are troublesome; they can use spatial magic and even hide inside invisible rifts.¡± He mumbled and dug inside the carcass¡¯s chest. ¡°Found it¡ª the heck. Why is this so small?¡± He looked at the sunstone, which wasn¡¯t even the size of a chickpea. He raised his head, looking afar with his ManaVision in full swing. ¡°Just how many of these bastards do I have to hunt to stand against this over-obsessed witch?¡± He found several of his marks, just stroking around his far sight. ¡°These are tricky to hunt, but all creatures have habits, hence their weaknesses. Just as that woman said.¡± He breathed in and launched himself against the targets. It wasn¡¯t easy, but it wasn¡¯t too tough for him either, since all of his prey were the lowest of ranks. Until he met his first formidable foe, a Four-hand, captain of an infantry. ¡°Shit! Man, I¡¯m not prepared for this.¡± The shrieking Four-hands dodged Hans¡¯s every move like a slippery eel. He rained down every possible attack, but nothing seemed to work. Hans was losing the battle of attrition, despite his boundless access to mana. The relentless assault from the fiery red-demon captain left him gasping for air, making any hope of recuperating his stamina through ParadiseGarden impossible. ¡°Damn it! He¡¯s everywhere.¡± Hans cursed as his tired eyes shut for a moment. His head almost rolled down, but he was saved by his quick deployment of a mana storm that pushed the four-handed captain away. ¡°Should I just run away?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even die without causing havoc.¡± The voice, full of arrogance, interrupted. ¡°Ah man! What a rotten luck. Did I not have enough on my plate?¡± He cursed inside as he raised his head to the levitating sphere of light. Inside it was the elven queen, looking down on the red demon and Hans alike. ¡°Shack!¡± A sword of light, almost as broad as a river and as high as the sky, fell on the red demon and annihilated it in a flash. It was so quick that the red demon captain couldn¡¯t even budge a little. ¡°Damn, will I get to see my ancestors today?¡± The attack was so powerful that Hans couldn¡¯t dodge it. Countering it was another story. Fortunately, the primary target for that attack was the Four-hands. He glared at her. Even in the heat of his anxious beating heart, he noticed for the first time that her glowing sphere of defense was finally down. ¡°Habits¡­yeah, habits. I wasn¡¯t just observing her enough. Every technique has flaws, and everyone has weaknesses.¡± He needed time to analyze her habits. ¡°You saved me. Why?¡± He asked her, hoping she would answer, and she did. ¡°Saved. Pft¡­¡± She chuckled, even her ridicule was dignified as she quickly covered her mouth. ¡°Me saving you will never happen. My plans will be ruined if you didn¡¯t die according to the scenario.¡± ¡°So, you think I¡¯ll die at the Council node? Well, Mrs. Reina Clandor, I¡¯m far from the Council node. Even if I do die, you won¡¯t be able to pin it on the Council node.¡± Hans smirked, and Reina smirked back. ¡°And what makes you think of that?¡± She asked him, adding her words of wisdom. ¡°Information must be verified from multiple sources to be legitimate. All this time, you were moving towards the Council node, and now you¡¯re in their territory.¡± She explained, hoping to startle Hans, but he wasn¡¯t even fazed. ¡°I guessed so. We have something in common, you know; we both never let our prey escape and giving false hope to the enemy while watching it crumble is satisfying¡ª¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Reina nodded, adding, ¡°I do admire your fearlessness¡­ Maybe it¡¯s the false confidence that everything will go your way, but that very thing is the reason you¡¯ll meet your end today, Prince of Parv.¡± ¡°So, she enjoys playing with her food. This confirms that I won¡¯t be facing any killing blows soon. Ah man, I have a very narrow window until she starts to get serious¡ª a ranked 21 knight, damn it! My resume is going off the charts here.¡± ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± She pointed her sword, indicating that she was done talking. However, Hans didn¡¯t respond. His mind was focused on something else¡ªher protective-rotating-sphere. The moment she pointed her aura-filled sword at him, the sphere flickered, as if it were about to disappear at her whim. ¡°If I¡¯m right¡­ no, I can¡¯t take risks. I need to confirm it.¡± He wrestled with his inner thoughts and finally tested his understanding. ¡°Hera will get into trouble.¡± He said, genuine concern in his eyes. He was right to be concerned; after all, she was still his responsibility, even if he had foolishly left the safety of the barrier. ¡°Hmm¡­ you seem concerned.¡± She lowered her aura, and the light sphere regained its strength. ¡°So, this is how it works. Got you.¡± He confirmed, the rotating sphere was passive. Whenever she let her guard down, as long as she kept channeling, the sphere intensified defence. ¡°Hera? I can¡¯t recall the last time I saw her. I¡¯ve told you, I expelled her from succession and Clandor as well. You won¡¯t find any sympathy for her, at least not from me¡ª¡± ¡°She is your sister.¡± Hans shouted, ¡°She would be blamed for this too.¡± Reina responded, her voice devoid of emotion, ¡°I will protect what is mine, regardless of the cost, and I need your life to do so. I suppose you won¡¯t offer it to me if I asked you politely, right?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we talk this out? You are doing this because you needed Parv¡¯s support on your side. Fine. I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Hans proposed, but Reina was quick to dismiss it. ¡°You aren¡¯t the type to bow down even if your head is on the line.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hans breathed deeply. ¡°I needed time. Hence the lies. If I can¡¯t confront you¡­¡± His fist was still tightly clenched, encasing a handful of pea-sized sunstones. ¡°Then I will outlast you.¡± ¡°Outrunning a light elemental knight¡ª¡± ¡°Who says running? It¡¯s me versus you, a battle to the death. You don¡¯t need to be on the same level to kill one. So don¡¯t resent me; you chose this fate, you damned queen.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 46 : A Bird with Clipped Wings CHAPTER 46 A BIRD WITH CLIPPED WINGS Hans and Reina locked eyes. She was floating high inside a swirling sphere of light, while he stood on the ground, looking up. The atmosphere was tense. It was Hans who broke the impasse first, and it was with his best supportive spell. VoidZone After merging with the Day seed, he not only gained the ability to absorb sun energy but his control over the wild mana of nature reached its peak. And the quick effect of VoidZone was undeniable. Within a hundred meters, every single mana particle was at his command, like a loyal dog. Yet it had no effect on Reina; she had been reduced to Dominion Knight and fell to rank twenty-first from eighth, but she was from a generation when Samson reigned supreme so she had developed a way to effectively avoid the effects of VoidZone. The passive rotating sphere was her domain skill; it was a joke comparing to the size of domain skills of other knights since it was barely two metres wide but inside it was her own little world, filled with her pure filtered light aura. He understood why his VoidZone wasn¡¯t effective in a glance. ¡° She is maintaining it for quite a while. Even with her huge capacity, she¡¯d eventually run out of it sooner or later. But I¡¯m not going to fudge around and wait for it.¡± He resolved and let out the energy he had absorbed from the barrier, turning the VoidZone into his own sanctuary, a sole privilege of eighth circle mage. Sun-field Sanctuary A pulse of heat emitted from Hans and took over his VoidZone easily. Everything was drying up, scorching the land without fire. Reina wasn¡¯t an exception either, since it was not some magical phenomenon that she could counter but rather a physical change in nature. Within a few moments, the place succumbed to drought devoid of any moisture. She could feel herself inside an oven, being baked like a bread. ¡°A sanctuary¡ª you gotta be kidding me.¡± She said as her body¡¯s fluids kept vaporising at a visible rate. However, like any other sanctuary, even when it was an overpowering mage technique, it shared the same flaw. The caster had to be still in one place. Hans was just a sitting duck if she could somehow get away from this. ¡°Quite the invitation you are giving me, scion of Parv.¡± She murmured, it was an obvious trap, yet she had no choice but to fall into it since Sun-field Sanctuary had to be stopped for her to succeed. She lunged ahead at the speed of a cannonball. To avoid her, even with abandoning his sanctuary, it was near impossible for Hans who shared the weakness of being slow. She was too fast for him. So, he did what he always did best¡ªrain everything he had on her. SeedBullets With his photonised state, his conjured seeds were filled with the explosive energy. They weren¡¯t just the imitation of dwarven muskets but a moniker of his nation which was several years ahead in magic technology. She was in range, he aimed at her but not in the centre. His target was her right and when the absolute rotary defence collided with Hans¡¯s explosive bullets, the impact shifted her forward path, slanting it so much that it automatically passed by Hans with quite some distance. He smirked, his sanctuary survived and he could see her gasping, the heat was finally showing some effect. It was clear to both parties that if she wanted to stop his sanctuary, she needed to turn off her rotatory sphere, toning down her defence quite a bit and put everything in a critical blow. ¡°If you hold your head that high. It¡¯ll be a matter of time before someone takes it off.¡± Reina grunted as her sphere vanished, finally giving in, but unlike what Hans had hoped, her demeanour only grew fiercer. ¡°Fuck!¡± Hans cursed as he looked into those menacing eyes of hers. He had only seen her one skill and didn¡¯t even know the name of it, and to stop that skill, he had to put his best spell in use. He pulsed through another photonised energy, making his already hot sanctuary hotter. ¡°This won¡¯t work.¡± Reina, who had come down after canceling her defensive shield, began to fly again.Her speed reached new heights that made Hans unable to even trace her blade. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Swoosh!¡± The blade almost kissed his neck as he barely avoided it by using another blast seed, but soon another came in. ¡°Zwoom!¡± With his photonised state, he quickly backed off, crashing behind an ashen tree, which became a dust cloud upon impact. His sanctuary was broken. ¡°Goddamn it.¡± Dusting off the ashes, he rose, feeling his neck intact. ¡°I almost lost my shit here¡ª ugh. She is aiming for my life now.¡± But there was a fine red line on his neck. ¡°She reached¡ª¡± he was almost sure that he had avoided it cleanly, but there was a very razor-sharp cut in his neck, and before he could realise anything else, Reina rained volleys of her high-speed attack, giving many superficial wounds to Hans. He looked like someone had drawn straight red lines all over his body. He needed breathing room and even more, some good old healing since there was a peculiarity in those superficial wounds. The blood clotting, which should have kicked in, was nowhere to be seen. His body never continued to bleed this long, even with grave wounds. ¡°Am I poisoned¡ª Slash! Slash!¡± He couldn¡¯t even complete his words, and Reina interrupted with her relentless volleys. He continued to dodge, but it was frustrating for both attacker and him. Even with perfect evasions, the injuries began to stack up, and he kept bleeding. Reina wasn¡¯t playing around either. She was putting her best effort into each of her attacks, aimed for Hans¡¯s vitals, yet Hans kept evading with minimum damage. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this ¡ª Elderform,¡± Hans shouted and like an explosion, the vegetation took over Hans¡¯s body, turning him into a humongous forest monster. ¡°You fool, you just made yourself a bigger target¡ª¡± ¡°Try me, you elven hag.¡± Hans shouted in his monstrous voice and the gigantic body exploded into thousands of wooden shards, all hanging in the air. There wasn¡¯t any trace of Hans; all she could see were the broken pieces of elderwood, scattered all over the place. Suddenly, like a tremor, all the hanging shards shook and as if every bit of them were being controlled. They all flew in a swirl at Reina. She swiftly dodged the barrage, but like a swarm of locusts, they preyed on Reina on her every appearance. No matter how many shards she shattered, they multiplied like parasites. She had no choice but to call upon her defensive sphere, but Hans was omnipotent in this form. As soon as she encased herself in the rotating sphere of light, he relaunched his Sunfield sanctuary. But this time the obvious weakness of sanctuary, a mage¡¯s immobility wasn¡¯t seen; he wasn¡¯t anywhere but everywhere. However, the Sunfield Sanctuary was a double-edged sword; with extreme heat, the plant life he conjured, even his own wooden shards, were drying soft bread in an oven, turning into ashes. ¡°There is no magic. You aren¡¯t conjuring anything with mana.¡± Reina, frustrated, growled with her dry mouth, ¡°These are all physical attacks. I¡¯ve had enough of this.¡± Her lips were already chapped, and her skin turned tanned, but her aura soared to what Hans had never seen before. He knew something dangerous was coming. ¡°ManaStorm¡± He prepared himself, swirling the nature¡¯s mana around him, stressing it further and further; the friction among the particles rose so high that they started emitting electric charges. It was Hans¡¯s biggest ManaStorm yet. He couldn¡¯t hold back against the ominous feeling he was getting. It was like he knew if he couldn¡¯t stop whatever Reina was planning, then he would die a dog¡¯s death. ¡°Hmm¡­ You are really a stupid brat. So much power wasted on you.¡± Reina tried to chuckle, but her expressions were affixed all thanks to her baked skin. Perfectly hidden in plain sight, among his remaining and fast-moving wooden shards, Hans saw her eyes glow the same as his. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± She disappeared from her location, ¡°Lumen Eyes - you aren¡¯t the only one who can see the natural flow of mana.¡± She whispered, right behind Hans. Feeling her creeping behind, Hans broke into a cold sweat in the high, intense heat; his exposed location became apparent, and she continued in a low and dry voice, ¡°You enjoy authority with no consequences attached to it. You¡¯ve killed so many, so don¡¯t resent me much, Scion of Parv¡ª Slash!¡± The ominous feeling that Hans had felt before turned true. Her attack chipped a wooden shard. And hidden inside, Hans paid the price by losing his right hand. The wound didn¡¯t even bleed; the final attack of Reina was so intense that it had already cauterised his upper arm. Instinctively, he blasted his energy down, shooting himself a little far. He was forced-transformed back into his human form, and was writhing in pain like a fish out of water. Despite his cries, Reina¡¯s cold, lifeless eyes showed no pity. Hans was like a thorn that pricked her;with just his existence, her whole world could fall apart as she was told. ¡°Blame your overconfident father. One can¡¯t ever fight his fate.¡± She took the calm steps towards him. ¡°What is written must happen at all costs, but it is the price we must pay for knowing our demise. Rest in peace, Hans Parv.¡± On the other hand, Hans wasn¡¯t in his right mind to concentrate and do anything else. He was tolerant to pain, but since the beginning, there was something else in her aura; he felt it before since his wounds weren¡¯t healing like usual. And it was true, Reina might have shifted to rank 21, but it was because her feather was clipped before she could take a flight. Her aura technique was the deadliest among the top rankers. ¡°Ugh, God damn it.¡± He conjured the bladed leaf creepers and cut off his remaining upper arm from his shoulder. The prickly pain somehow reduced, and stumbling, he darted at Reina, ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this ¡ª Carronade.¡± He shouted, as the pearl-sized sunstones converged at high speed at the close proximity of Hans and Reina. ¡°Let¡¯s die together, you old hag.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 47 : A Traitors Pledge CHAPTER 47 A TRAITOR¡¯S PLEDGE In this year¡¯s Glory wars, none from Clandor answered the invitation as guests. Their plate was already full with the fragile stability and civil war situation. Bernard among them was frantically searching for his queen who had disappeared again. This had been going on for quite some time, and his analytical brain was pointing to trouble ahead. ¡°Where did she go?¡± He murmured, but the answer came from someone unexpected. ¡°She¡¯s gone to kill your former king¡¯s son. What was his name again? The beginning of something¡­ ah, Hans.¡± Martys Clandor, the elder brother of Reina and now the second in command of Crows, the shadow family of Clandor, answered. ¡°Martys Clandor, you just had to say it, didn¡¯t you?¡± The elderly-looking woman, with blond hair neatly tied in a bun, reminded. Her wrinkly face was still full of vigour as she infuriatedly scolded her eldest child. ¡°Former queen. What did he say?¡± Bernard asked quickly. He was perspiring, concerned that if it were to happen, none of them could handle the consequences. ¡°It is as Martys says, we are getting rid of two thorns from our side¡ª¡± ¡°And you sent Reina to do this job. Have you lost your mind?¡± Bernard became furious but held it in and heard her reply. ¡°This is a nation ruled by matriarchy. I didn¡¯t abdicate my throne to a weak woman. It is Reina¡¯s responsibility to carry out anything necessary for our nation. Even killing that vermin.¡± ¡°And how does killing the last hope of Parv bring benefits?¡± Bernard was barely holding in. ¡°All I could see is their wrath without any filter¡ª¡± ¡°That is why you couldn¡¯t think ahead of your enemies, Bernard Holger.¡± The former queen changed her tone, akin to a wise sage. ¡°His death will bring many benefits. The way she planned it will bring us Parv as revenge-driven allies against the Council. We can finally eradicate that cancerous Council society once and for all¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± Bernard shouted, cutting her off in the middle, but after a while, his tone turned into a concerning one. ¡°You can¡¯t fathom the forces you are messing with. Move!¡± He shouted again but was quickly stopped by surrounding mages who had already cast several restrictive spells. Bernard pleaded, ¡°Let me go. I need to stop her. He will survive; there is no way he¡¯d die this easily, and when that happens, Parv will join the Council and eradicate us all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even better. I acknowledge the lives lost will be immense with this route since it won¡¯t be a civil but a world war.¡± She explained. ¡°The moment Parv joins the other side, the reluctant nations will join ours.¡± Martys, who looked like a spoiled prince, showed his brilliant strategic mind. And this was the scenario he was hoping for to unfold, even if it meant the death of his sister, their queen. ¡°But he¡¯ll die.¡± The former queen emphasised with confidence. ¡°It was Martys who was supposed to go, but she said it was her duty. She chose this, Bernard, so stand down.¡± ¡°No¡­No¡­it can¡¯t be.¡± Bernard¡¯s voice shook, pleading, ¡°He is but an irrelevant child in this game of power. You can¡¯t do this, we will all die if something happens to him. There must remain an imperial alive. His guardian god will butcher us all.¡± ¡°You believe that nonsense.¡± The former queen quickly rejected his notion, pointing, ¡°It is just a tale to brainwash civilians to fear and respect the ruling bloodline. I thought you were smarter than this, Bernard.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter of us living, you dumb idiots.¡± Bernard was done being polite, his words weren¡¯t getting through the hard skulls of Clandor¡¯s so-called royals. He continued, enraged, ¡°I believe this because I¡¯ve seen her. Few of us had the audacity of demanding to know of our future, and she showed it like a curse. The demise of what we care for most. You all are frogs living in a well.¡± He closed his eyes, collecting all his aura, but the spells stopping him were tightening instead of loosening. ¡°Please, OSIRIS. Please, I beg you. Please lift the restriction.¡± he pleaded silently, hoping his disconnected god to listen to his plight. However, the augmented window of his ¡®birthright¡¯ still showed - INACCESSIBLE. ¡°Please, Aadya. Give me a chance to save your Prince. Please ¡ª¡± He kept pleading, and after a brief pause, the voice he yearned to hear the most for the guidance spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve been heard.¡± The authoritative voice ran in his ears, and his augmented window showed several alerts, right after another. ¡°Osiris Terminal- online¡± ¡°Reestablishing connection¡± ¡°Restoring user data¡± ¡°User Bernard Holger: connected.¡± ¡°INGRESS¡± Bernard shouted and disappeared, severing all eighth and ninth circle spells. He had an idea of where Reina could be, but appearing inside the red demon barrier was not possible, so he had no choice but to come to the Clandor royal node. He didn¡¯t wait for any authorisation or check and barged inside the DeadLands. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not late.¡± He sped up towards the general direction of the Council node. As he was progressing, he could feel the tremors and soon he saw the traces of which had killed the flora and fauna alike. ¡°There is no life here¡ª¡± Suddenly he heard a child¡¯s cry¡ªlet¡¯s die together. ¡°No.¡± Bernard shouted his lungs out but the carronade that Hans had shown against the undead Samson resurfaced in close proximity to Hans and Reina. It was truly a suicidal attack. Skill: Seven Hells. The moment Sunstones converged, suddenly a volcano mouth erupted from the ground and swallowed the colliding energy. Then in quick succession another volcano grew like a plant, eating up the first one. It repeated five more times, finally completing Bernard¡¯s ultimate aura skill. But he knew beforehand, his unprepared ultimate was far weaker than the original, which needed quite a time to prepare. He appeared between Reina and Hans like a ghost and gripping Hans tight he swung him far. Reina shouted, she was this close, yet Hans was flying further away. ¡°Bernard¡ªBoom!¡± She couldn¡¯t even finish her words because the seven Hells of Bernard finally exploded, multiplying the strength of Hans¡¯s carronade to several folds. He quickly caught almost aura-less Reina and shot himself in the opposite direction with all his might. The explosion chased them for several hundred kilometres. The explosion of this magnitude was sure to attract the attention from both red demons and Council Node people. So he ran farther, exhausting his healing potions on lifeless Reina. Several hours later. The night had graced the world with her presence but inside the barrier the only change was the moon high in the sky. It was still as bright as day. ¡°You¡¯ve woken.¡± Bernard asked Reina, if it wasn¡¯t her serious condition, he¡¯d have at least gotten furious at her. He remained calm as she remained silent. But after a while, she murmured, ¡°He was really planning to die with me?¡± ¡°Yeah. He is a nutcase like his father and you¡­I thought you were smarter, Queen Reina. I told you to stay away from Parv¡¯s business. Chris serving him was supposed to be a bridge between both nations. I can¡¯t begin to express how furious I¡¯m now¡ª¡± ¡°The fate is correcting its path, Bernard. I wanted to know if it was still possible to avert the inevitable¡ª¡± ¡°You already did it.¡± Bernard shook her by the shoulders, stressing further, ¡°You succeeded once. Your husband, who shouldn¡¯t be alive, is alive; your children, who shouldn¡¯t exist, but they do. You have changed the fate while everyone else who tried is dead. So stop ruining the lives of people who were devoid of the things that helped you preserve Eleanor¡¯s life.¡± She was lifeless, yet she said, ¡°You still blame me for Samson¡¯s death, even after you know what he did to me¡ª¡± ¡°It was you who didn¡¯t honour our deal. I never wanted him dead. You promised me his life. I still regret taking your hand in that tower¡ª¡± ¡°You came to me, Bernard Holger, on your own. You freed me on your own. You wanted to change your son¡¯s death. You averted his fate too, so don¡¯t ever say you regret joining my side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I still stand by you. But if you ever, and I¡¯m emphasising, ¡®Ever¡¯ touch a hair on the child¡¯s head, I¡¯ll show you what it¡¯s like to be betrayed.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 48 : The Hidden Village CHAPTER 48 THE HIDDEN VILLAGE Hans cursed as he crashed into an unknown area. ¡°I¡¯ll burn that woman and melt the ashes into water to make ice¡­ and then crush it with a hammer. I¡¯ll make her pay for daring to mess with me¡­¡± He vented silently, unable to put his thoughts into words. Though conscious, his body felt as if in a deep slumber. For a moment during their battle, he feared the worst, until Bernard''s timely intervention spared him. He wondered why Chris''s father was in the Deadlands¡ªwas it to save him or the lady he served? Questions swirled in his mind, but all he wanted in that moment was rest. He could feel someone carrying him, his lone arm and legs dangling. He struggled opening his eyes to see his rescuer, but found his eyes imprisoned behind closed lids. In this fight with Reina, he had lost a lot of blood. When she destroyed his Elder form, it impacted him as a mental shock, and if that wasn¡¯t enough, he also lost his dominant hand. It was a total defeat. He tried cursing aloud, but his mouth joined the team with his eyelids; it was tight shut too. Deadlands was a dangerous place to be passed out, but as hard as he tried, the impact soon rendered him unconscious. After a while, he managed to open his eyes several times, but he felt like dreaming since all he could see were the red demons, walking around him leisurely all night. So, he kept sleeping, not believing the scenario. When he regained consciousness, he felt his body was still not listening to him, but his mind had rested enough. ¡°Paradise Garden.¡± He murmured, and as if the word was hard-coded for a command, fine-haired vines started slithering towards him, covering him like a fungus on food. His onlookers were startled and almost jumped out. They had seen many bizarre things in the Deadlands, but the regrowing of a severed hand was the weirdest. The cuts and nicks that had made Hans pale started to fill themselves. His skin started healing, and the red hue returned to his pale body. All of his wounds healed at a visible pace, like a thirsty man had found water after drifting in the desert. The people there surrounded him in curiosity, and Hans finally opened his eyes to see the red demons looking at him with expected eyes. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m still dreaming.¡± He muttered and closed his eyes again. He remained in this position and suddenly jumped out from the makeshift bed, only to hit his head on the cave ceiling. Grabbing the back of his head, he whimpered. ¡°Two¡­ four-hands. Darn, there are several captains among this horde.¡± He whined, activating his ManaVision in full swing. He started searching for anything other than the Red demons, but the place was filled with them, and there was only a single way of entering and exiting. ¡°Just what face I had seen waking up yesterday. Nothing is going right!¡± He fell on his bottom. All the hope in his eyes vanished like water in the hot oil as he saw a ten-feet-tall, six-handed Red demon looking at him with malevolent eyes. He kept cursing his luck but soon stopped since it became hard to breathe as the strong presence closed the distance. However, he was alive, that meant his life was of some value to these people, so with all his might, he lifted his head to see the enormous entity, a red demon commander. A bulky existence in which at least three Rudolf could fit. He laughed at himself, thinking, Reina did manage to kill him, even after he escaped. Someone spoke up, and the six-hand put down his hostility against the boy. Hans, even with linguistic mastery back at Genas, was not able to understand this race¡¯s language, but what he had heard was clearly the common tongue. And as the pressure vanished, the words became clearer. ¡°Leader, stop it, the kid might die.¡± The red demon commander responded with a heavy voice, ¡°If I wanted him dead, I wouldn¡¯t have rescued him.¡± One infantryman, a Two-hand, came to the panting boy, but Hans just pushed him away in fear. This race was the enemy, which he must eradicate. He didn¡¯t need their sympathy, but the compassion he felt from the woman who came to pick him up was genuine. Like a tamer taming the beast and calming him by showing his hand on his face. COMMAND CENTER Offline ¡°Shit!, not your day, Hans, you fucking idiot. The deli told you not to do something stupid, but no, you just have to save your pride; you shouldn¡¯t have bothered testing Zephyr.¡± He regretted it inside while the red demon woman remained patient and kept showing her will not to harm Hans. So he cautiously let the woman help him up, and as he stood, he heard the most ridiculous thing to date. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°WE ARE NOT BAKRANS.¡± Hans jumped back again, hearing the utter nonsense of a two-hand claiming that she was not a red demon. Sharing the same sentiments, the commander-grade red demon with six huge hands scoffed at the woman, ¡°Who would believe you if you looked like that?¡± He turned to the boy and said, ¡°We saved you, and in return, we only ask for your discretion.¡± Hans asked cautiously, ¡°So I''m allowed to leave?¡± ¡°You want to live here? We don¡¯t need your kind here, Parvian.¡± Hans was stunned by those words. The Six-hands referred to him as Parvian, not human. The only reason for someone to call him that meant they knew his father, but the idea made him even more confused. The woman who was checking Hans''s health from a distance said to the Six-hands, ¡°So there was a reason for you to bring him here? You know the lad, leader?¡± ¡°I owed a debt to his father, and with this, it is settled,¡± The Six-hands turned to Hans with the same menace he was emitting earlier and added, ¡°Even with your father''s backstabbing, I returned what I owed him. Now leave this place.¡± Those words made Hans forget the pressure commander grade red demon was emitting. ¡°Take that back. My father may have been many things, but backstabber wasn¡¯t one of them. As he spoke, he focussed all of his concentration into the day seed inside him. He only treated himself to physical condition, but he needed much more to face this behemoth in front of him. ¡°Photonise.¡± The little particles of energy came converging to Hans in many directions, and his whole body lit up in a second. He was at his peak once again, ready to open his sunfield sanctuary. But the female red demon who had been caring for Hans since he came to this place stopped the Six-hands from escalating things further. She raised her voice and spoke, ¡°Since you saved him first, take responsibility and send the boy back. It¡¯s no place for him.¡± However, the commander was stubborn and was affixed to his place. So, seeing him not moving from his stance, she turned to the boy and pointed him to the exit. Hans went there in a jiffy. He was just a few steps away from claiming his freedom, but his stubbornness stopped him. ¡°Fuck! I will regret this, ¡± he muttered. He could understand if someone called Samson a monster or reincarnation of evil, but he was not a betrayer. Taking a long breath, he asked the Six-hands, ¡°My father was arrogant in everything he did. Arrogant people do not need to lie. They see it is beneath them to use underhanded things. Hence, you are wrong.¡± ¡°Then call your father here, boy. I will show you what angering me can do to you.¡± Thinking about the recent events, Hans thought, if Samson was with him, no one in the world would have dared mess with him. The words spoken by that ugly red demon broke the bounds stopping him. He bellowed, ¡°How can I resurrect the dead, you bastard?¡± But the impact of those words was clear in the ugly face of commander-grade red demon. It was like he was surprised, even out cold. He asked, not believing the child, ¡°This is impossible. That man cannot die. He is the epitome of power.¡± ¡°Yeah, a man blinded by a woman is as idiotic as an ostrich that lives in water.¡± The Six-hand remained silent. All the words from this child¡¯s mouth felt utter nonsense, but he humoured him, ¡°So in the end, Reina was the reason for his downfall.¡± ¡°Yes, the same woman who sent me flying here. So what did my father do to you?¡± Hans asked, nodding up. The anger and rage had already vanished from the six-hand''s eyes, so Hans had regained some confidence. ¡°We made a deal, or more of a favour. I asked him.¡± The commander-grade sat cross-legged. Even then, he was way taller than an average human. ¡°I¡¯m not following.¡± Hans stared confused, so the red demon commander explained. ¡°I asked him if I couldn¡¯t return in two years. He had to come for me. Ehh¡­ so he ended up dead, fuck. This is all wrong. He shouldn¡¯t have died. I can take his betrayal over his death, shit!¡± The red demon commander looked like his world had been robbed from him by the news of Samson¡¯s death. He was even more depressed than Hans. Taking a brief pause, the commander said to Hans, ¡°Leave now, kid. There is no hope left for this forsaken world of yours.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hans asked. He just couldn¡¯t leave after hearing anything half. ¡°Ignorance is bliss, kid. Let it be and enjoy the remaining time this world has.¡± ¡°These are very big words. You expect me to just follow your advice. Its not in my nature.¡± Hans sat cross-legged too, showing that he wasn¡¯t going to leave until he heard the end of it. Everything this man or whatever was talking about was going way above his understanding levels, but he just couldn''t leave after hearing so much nonsense. So he asked, ¡°Then what are you? The two-han...the woman there said you were not red demons.¡± ¡°Can you handle the truth? I told you, ignorance is bliss.¡± ¡°I just don''t want to die without knowing why?¡± ¡°Fine. Since you are his child, I can at least tell you about us.¡± Taking a long breath, the commander continued, ¡°We were like you at some point, then got converted into this, a red demon for harvesting the sunstones. The people who caught and tortured us into becoming Bakrans found a way to harvest the sunstone without killing us. We were part of a farm, a farm of people.¡± Hans didn¡¯t even finish listening to him and started looking at the commander with more detailed ManaVision. He was searching for the similarities with his doubts. Since his defeat in his first year by some guy called Lux, he had toned down the ManaVision, only needed for combat. But as he let the ability loose, the result confirmed his doubts. He turned to look at the woman and said, ¡°This might hurt.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 49 : The Hidden Village CHAPTER 49 MISSING THE FATHER ¡°Agh¡­ugh¡­ stoop!!¡± The female red demon wailed, but Hans¡¯s control clenched the mana within her. ¡°Just come out already,¡± he growled. The authoritative Commander couldn¡¯t hold it in and lunged at Hans to stop him. But his steps froze as he saw the gooey substance in Hans¡¯s hand. ¡°Anfaleen Torceran.¡± Hans spoke the name with a deepening voice, his eyes filled with hatred mirroring the leader¡¯s expression. He turned his head to share his findings with these folks and saw them all infuriated and angry. ¡°Just hearing that name makes them react this way¡­ if I play this right, I¡¯ll have an army of my own.¡± Hans almost chuckled at his predicament. He was at a critical juncture in making a life-altering decision. And convincing these people that he could be their saviour would be the first step in making them his followers. He finally pulled the gooey stuff out, which caused the woman to turn into a weak, almost lifeless husk. He clenched his fist, turning the dark substance into nothing and summoned a breathtaking ParadiseGarden, showing off his magnificent spell. The fine creepers crawled in and began to transfer the vitally absorbed from barrier to her through Hans himself. In no time, she regained youth, her human flesh visible to others. The onlookers who had come to surround Hans upon hearing the screams of the sole healer of the village stared at the human-like figure of their healer. It wasn¡¯t a complete recovery; some features of Red demons were still lingering on their healer, but the thing that no one could reverse, Hans had done that. A flame of hope lit into their hearts. Maybe, they could be turned back to what they were; these were the thoughts clouding their heads. Hans wanted to test his doubts, ¡°This is Anfaleen Torceran¡¯s doing, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked, but no one spoke, only showed hostility towards the name. However, the leader of the village, the commander-grade red demon, approached Hans more politely than ever. ¡°Can you heal others¡ª¡° ¡°Heal? This isn¡¯t healing, man. This is sickening. That bastard did this to you and you¡ª ¡°Can you turn back others like you did to her?¡± The commander insisted for an answer, adding, ¡°I¡¯ll answer you anything you want, please, help these poor people first.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t run on sympathy, Mr. But I do pay back the help I received. You nursed me back so I¡¯ll do much more.¡± He nodded in affirmation. The man never asked to help him, but to help others first. He was kind and compassionate. Hans liked these kinds of people since it was easier to manipulate them than to deal with greedy ones. He nodded again and asked everyone to come out in line. It was like a festival in this hidden community of people turned red demons. First were the children, who showed a similar condition like Vanessa, this made him bitter but he held on. However, his mood was read by many others, they misunderstood his suppressing anger as the contempt he was showing on children¡¯s behalf. The people there looked at him as the god-sent angel and he did not see the need to clear this up, since the more these people trusted him the better it was. His mind was separately working on how he could put them to good use. The kids were around his age but there were some younger than him. He did not pull the gooey stuff aggressively but as slowly as he could to prevent the pain on them. This all took a whole day and even if the light never faded inside the barrier he could feel the sun was setting outside. He stopped the treatment since using the barrier¡¯s energy was only good in combat, he needed the sun¡¯s presence to heal them accurately. The people there were genuinely polite to him, and to show their sincerity, the warriors of the village brought as much food as they could gather despite the scarcity. It was a small feast there, but on the other side of the Barrier, Hera was unearthing everything to find traces of Hans. Two days had passed since he had gone missing, and only she knew about it. Zephyr had informed her to avoid bitter responsibility, all pinning it on Hans, that he had stepped into the barrier on his own. However soft Hera was, her aide was meticulous. On her behalf, he quickly dispatched the scouts to search any anomaly inside Deadlands.And after a day, they brought a concerning news only to her ears¡ª Her Sister was spotted in bad condition with her human companion, Bernard. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The Nodemaster was soft but not stupid. She didn¡¯t need to add those variables to figure out what had happened to Hans. Soon, an order was issued to her trusted ones ¡ªSearch wherever it needs to be and bring the boy to her in one piece. Several search parties were deployed; she even joined one herself. She could care less about what would happen between Clandor and Parv; all she cared about was that Hans must remain unharmed. While the search for missing Hans continued, Hans feasted on limited provisions available. However, the infected people, whom Hans had come to refer to as villagers, kept gathering whatever they could to express their appreciation to him. It was the third night Hans had been in Deadlands. With the moon hanging high in the red-lit sky, he found the leader of the village sitting in the corner. Hans¡¯s ManaVision was working with maximum output as he was scanning the calm yet terrifying-looking monster. The mutation of Red Demon had gotten worse in him to the point where he wasn¡¯t sure if he could remove it without killing him. His condition was perilous, yet that fool didn¡¯t even once ask Hans to treat him like he had accepted his fate. Hans had reached him by asking others about his whereabouts, and finding his gaze on him, he asked, ¡°I did what I could for today, now can you answer me?¡± ¡°You being here, right at this moment, me finding you in the vast lands. Do you think it¡¯s the coincidence?¡± The Commander, red demon, spoke in his reversing voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Hans answered, ¡°But I¡¯ll be really glad if you answer¡ª¡± ¡°You are really his son, the questions always come before anything, right?¡± The commander, grade red demon, grunted, ¡°Your father was the same.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s in the blood.¡± Hans smirked back. The commander showed a warm look that became even more terrifying on his red demon face. He spoke further, ¡°My name is¡­ I paused thinking and continued, ¡°was Zilong. I was tasked to kill some high-ranking Red demons here. ¡°Your name and objective are none of my concern, Mr. Zilong. All I¡¯m curious about is how did you and others end up like this? Did Anfaleen abducted you too?¡± ¡°Hm¡­it certainly looks like you met someone like us before?¡± ¡°Yes, someone dear to me suffered the same fate, and I¡¯ve got a name with no clue what to do.¡± ¡°My condolences¡ª ¡°She ain¡¯t dead, so spare me the sad eyes, you look deadly.¡± Looking at his own stature, Zilong let out a chuckle. It was the first time he had even cracked a smile since his arrival in the Deadlands. Hope was a wondrous thing as he would have said in his younger, more free years, but during his torment, he came to believe - Hope in reality was the worst of all evils because it had prolonged his Agony. He turned to look at the child who was rekindling the extinguished flames and answered what the child wanted to hear, ¡°Most of the people here are red demon trial candidates, but some were abducted from the nearby settlements outside the barrier¡ª ¡°For experiments?¡± Hans confirmed. ¡°All I know is that. You said something like creating¡­ no harvesting sunstones from people by turning them to red demons, right?¡± ¡°You have a good head. I¡¯ll give you that.¡± Zilong nodded, adding, ¡°It¡¯s all because of sunstones, since it can only be harvested from Red Demons.¡± ¡°In short, Anfaleen is making red demons so he could farm them, did I get that right?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Yes, sunstones are the object of great wealth and power.¡± Its influence can also increase the aura density or mana capacity of a circle.¡± Hans stopped, thinking an absurd theory and relayed, ¡°If I was powerful enough and had the ability to keep up its supply, then I would rather domesticate these red demons than exterminate them.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­Why do you think these vile creatures are still alive ? Do you think the Genas does not have enough power to eradicate Bakrans?¡± This was very new to Hans. What he was thinking, someone already had implemented. It was just a thought, but what if this man had told the truth? Then Genas'' powerhouses were allowing these filthy species to prey upon others so they could gain the sunstones. He got angry, and it was definitely not because someone else was doing this instead of him. Misunderstanding his emotions, Zilong added, ¡°Getting rid of them would have been impossible in the beginning, but since the making of this barrier, your people have advanced so much, and with the help of ancients, we just need a final push. Your diseased lands would be cured.¡± ¡°Then you are saying,¡± Hans¡¯ eyes became narrow, and he asked, ¡°Just for some profit, the alliance is stopping the eradication?¡± ¡°Yes, and it''s not just wealth!¡± Zilong emphasised. ¡°Sunstones are the very thing that made Samson Parv what he was at his prime, the strongest entity. Do you think others won¡¯t want to reach that stature? Even Ancients halted their attacks on red demons for the very same thing.¡± ¡°My father¡¯s kindness is what killed him. Having that much power and putting a restraint over himself with some moral shit. That is what got him killed. The more I long for his existence, the more I begin to hate his nature.¡± Hans laid out his inner thoughts. As someone had said, it was quite easy to share your inner thoughts with strangers than any acquaintances. He began to feel his father¡¯s absence nowadays. Reina almost killed him. Fighting her, he was putting on the strong front but was also scared. The moment he launched the suicidal attack, his whole life flashed before him. A chuckle from Zilong broke his thoughts. ¡°He¡­Kind¡­¡± Zilong shook his head, not believing Hans and added, ¡°Sure, he did put several restraints on himself, and I can¡¯t comment on that since I¡¯m not him. Only he knew how his mind worked. You should not judge him, kid.¡± Hans knew Zilong was right, yet he deeply yearned for his father''s protective presence. He craved that sense of security, longing for it so strongly that no one, not even Reina, would dare to point a finger at him. He didn¡¯t know when his eyes welled up, and both he and Zilong just sat there in the presence of the moon, reminiscing about the people whom they missed dearly.
Elven Lies II Chapter 50 : The Hidden Village CHAPTER 50 THE MAN FROM ANOTHER WORLD Hans and Zilong enjoyed each other¡¯s company, both lost in thought about the people they missed. He didn¡¯t know this man¡¯s story, but his actions till now clearly pointed out that he belonged to a kind which was opposite to his, the one who showed compassion for no reason. ¡°Great-grandfather always said, if you want to make someone closer, make them confide in you,¡± Hans broke the serenity, ¡°So Zil¡­Mr Zilong¡ª¡± ¡°You can call me Zilong,¡± The commander-grade red demon responded. ¡°People don¡¯t use honourifics here, and I¡¯m not that old.¡± ¡°But you look like you are,¡± Hans smiled, pointing to Zilong¡¯s appearance. Zilong followed Hans¡¯s finger, ¡°Ah, yes, I guess, I have lost my real physique in this mutation.¡± Both chuckled a little. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Hans hummed, nodding. He was trying to ease up the heaviness he was feeling from this man. He looked like a person who had lost everything. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you calling yourself Hans, is that right?¡±Zilong asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Hans nodded again. ¡°It''s a good name ¡®a gift from God¡¯ in your human language. The name suits you well.¡± Zilong pointed to the villagers, adding, ¡°And you indeed are, at least to them.¡± However, Hans ignored the words and asked something that was bothering him for quite a while, ¡°You sound like you are not one of us. Your kind, your world, your language¡­ are you not from around?¡± Hans motioned his finger vertically. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a l¨®ng.¡± Zilong said, his tone proud. ¡°No, you are tall, you used the wrong adjective, mister¡ª¡± ¡°Phaha.¡± Hearing Hans¡¯s words, Zilong burst into laughter, ¡°You are funny, little one.¡± He continued to laugh for a while and then explained, ¡°I¡¯m Zu¨¬h¨°u da l¨®ng, it¡¯s too wordy for you people, so they just called me Zilong. I came to your world among these Bakrans, these vile things you call Red demons.¡± ¡°Zee D Long Winters! Holy fuckin shit.¡± Hans was startled beyond his beliefs, he almost blurted out and he couldn¡¯t stop himself confirming, ¡°You mean, you can turn into that huge flying serpent with claws?¡± ¡°That is what you call a l¨®ng. It¡¯s a mythical being of my world. My lands worshipped us like gods, until we weren¡¯t¡ª You, it seems you¡¯ve seen someone like me?¡± Zilong got excited, his dead eyes finally showing some colours. ¡°Yeah, the whole fucking world saw that. She turned into one and levelled the arena. It was quite the envious thing, you know.¡± Hans elaborated on the whole incident and Zilong heard it like the story had meant the whole world to him. ¡°So, I have a daughter. I hope she looks like me¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, why are you cursing her? Look at the mirror, man. If she¡¯d look like you, then it¡¯s better to kill oneself.¡± Zilong looked at himself again and burst into a laughter that shook the whole village, scaring away the creatures from the vicinity. ¡°MAN! HE IS REALLY POWERFUL.¡± Hans thought inside, wondering what is stopping this walking disaster from levelling up the Council node and taking revenge. Ancient or not, his presence reminded him of his own father with a noticeable difference. Samson, even in the undead form, was oozing with unbreakable confidence that he¡¯d walk out unscathed in any situation, but Zilong was like a wounded beast who had seen his confidence broken several times. ¡°Just what happened to him?¡±Hans was genuinely curious. ¡°So is she pretty?¡± Zilong asked. ¡°Yes, very.¡± Hans nodded, but all of a sudden, he felt a chill. He stepped back. ¡°What happened? Why the hostility?¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°No reasons. I just didn¡¯t like you saying that¡ª¡± ¡°She is super ugly. In fact, she looks exactly like you.¡± Zilong chuckled at the flustered Hans, but the happiness on his hideous face turned to worry. ¡°This is bad. Knights would hunt her for submission.¡± He stressed, ¡°Even that crazy man Norwin asked me to serve him.¡± ¡°As if.¡± Hans scoffed, ¡°People don¡¯t get to walk away with their heads intact if they touch my thin¡­ friends. And she is the daughter of Director Aredhel. I don¡¯t see what you are thinking, hoping anytime sooner.¡± ¡°Aredhel¡­ so she went to Concordia¡ª¡± ¡°Okay, caveman. Here is a crash course for you.¡± Hans explained the whole story, from how an ass Delimira was till how they became close friends to her living in their home in Edenberg. He also included how Aredhel and she were mistreated by the same people whom he was trying to earn acknowledgement. The very same people who¡¯ve intentionally and unintentionally helped Anfaleen, trapping him here and turned him into this hideous monster. For the first time, Hans felt the pressure of the man from another world. His power brought the same effect as Delimira. Outside the barrier, right at the top, a swirl of clouds was crackling with lightning, hitting the sunstone barrier spontaneously. ¡°Stop this madness, geez. Don¡¯t be reckless¡ª I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this.¡± Hans halted as he felt the irony in his words. However, just mere words helped Zilong to snap out of his rage. He was living in hiding for a reason. He didn¡¯t want to attract unwanted attention. ¡°Deli does not show¡­ but if she has a father, why is he not showing up?¡± Hans nailed the most important question. ¡°I¡¯m a liability¡ª¡± ¡°You are their family.¡± Hans stressed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind my father returning back, even in this form.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, kid. I¡¯m not what I used to be. I died once, the ¡®L¨®ngs¡¯, my kind have something like resurrecting power, but it comes with a cost, going against the natural law of death. My powers are unstable, and this Bakran¡¯s essence is giving me ¡®Insanity¡¯ - the more I use my power, the harder they become to control. I don¡¯t want to meet them as a calamity. Hans recalled Aredhel¡¯s words, the future she saw of her husband¡¯s death by his hands, and this was on his graduation test. It means Zilong only had two years before he lost to his internal struggle with Bakran¡¯s essence. ¡°He must¡¯ve turned into a disaster and ended up dying by my hands, yikes!.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, I was caught up in the moment.¡± Zilong quickly became calm. ¡°Geez, his mood swings could kill somebody.¡± Hans didn¡¯t say that out loud, but he did ask, ¡°What if you could get your past self back? What would you do? ¡° Return. Let these people go home.¡± Zilong hinted. ¡°Their families must be waiting for them like mine. But¡ª¡± Hans cut him off in the middle, completing his sentence. ¡°But they are the evidence of Anfaleen¡¯s wrongdoings. They will all die when he learns of your¡­ no, this village¡¯s existence, and even if you could pin this on Anfaleen. A high elf with an Ancient¡¯s support is akin to an invincible existence. Did I get that right?¡± Hans now understood why Zilong was living his last days like this. And hearing his words, Zilong clenched his fist. He too knew what Hans was talking about. The hopelessness he felt came back, stealing the light from his eyes. ¡°Man, you are one depressed person.¡± Hans interrupted his brooding. ¡°Listen, a powerful person only backs an inferior existence because they are of use to them. You want to drag Anfaleen to justice? Be my guest and get your heads rolled.¡± ¡°You mean, we have to make Anfaleen useless for the Ancient so he won¡¯t take action, right? How?¡± Zilong asked, and Hans showed his true nature. ¡°A dead man is no use to anyone¡­ maybe exceptXandor. So we better burn him when we kill that son of a bitch.¡± ¡°That is a node, the last line of defence of Genas. Even with regular attacks from beings more powerful than your imagination failed to breach those fortresses.¡± ¡°They are not me.¡± Hans smirked wide and stated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be more powerful than your opponent to kill them. It¡¯s no honourable duel; we are not fighting fair to begin with.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get confused. I¡¯m not asking for your help. Anfaleen Torceran will die one way or another. It was decided long ago. Whether you help me or not will decide how quickly I¡¯ll reach that outcome.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem the kind who helped others with good in your heart.¡± Zilong carefully said. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ª¡± ¡°No. You are right.¡± Hans interrupted. ¡°I don¡¯t share compassion like you. This is personal for me. As I¡¯ve said earlier, people don¡¯t get to walk away with their heads held high when they mess with my people. I¡¯m just doing it so she¡¯ll have no fear remain in her heart.¡± Hans¡¯ feeling felt genuine to Zilong, unlike the fake smile he was showing while treating others. He hesitated a bit but asked anyway, ¡°Mind me asking whom Anfaleen hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you. I¡¯ve seen this black-gooey thing¡ª the Bakran''s essence, what you call it, inside someone. My sister, she was abducted, suffered the same as you, and I can¡¯t see her shivering whenever that cursed Anfaleen¡¯s name is mentioned.¡± Hans added, diverting the topic, ¡°A Parvian¡¯s words are as good as gold, Mr. Zilong. I said it, I¡¯d do it then, and it will happen one way or another. So answer me, I¡¯ll make you as good as you were before. So what will you do? Anfaleen must die so these people, including you, will live. After all, being alive and living are two different things.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 51 : A Scarred Man CHAPTER 51 A SCARRED MAN ¡°Hope can be a tricky thing, little one. I¡¯ve had enough to know how tragic it feels when your hopes turn to vanity.¡± Zilong reminded. ¡°Man, this is disappointing, just how negative this person is. I thought Deli¡¯s father would be more like¡­Deli. So much for expectations¡ª ah! He is right, the irony. Hope really is a stupid thing,¡± thought Hans. Sighing, he put a question before Zilong. ¡°So, you¡¯ll accept dying like a miserable existence these people have reduced you to?¡± ¡°Hmm¡± Zilong scoffed, ¡°you don¡¯t need to get me all riled up, little one. I¡¯m just taking some precautions. The thing you want¡­ no, the thing I have to do, to get rid of these invisible chains is exactly what you want¡ª ¡°I see a ¡®BUT¡¯ coming..¡± Hans gestured to elaborate. ¡°I could, no. Everyone here could die in the process.¡± Zilong felt sombre and it unusually influenced Hans too. However, Hans always had made a mission of getting whatever he laid his eyes on and he wasn¡¯t eager to change that norm. ¡°I¡¯ll do something about it. I can¡¯t promise everyone¡¯s life and it would be hypocrisy¡ª But I do promise, Anfaleen would die by our attack.¡± ¡°You seem confident. Do you have any plan¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s a work in progress.¡± Hans interrupted. Though Zilong was getting unrivalled confidence from Hans, he presented a proposal, ¡°Do not tell Aredhel or my daughter about me. As I¡¯ve told you¡ª¡± ¡°If you are so unsure of your victory then you¡¯ll die Mr Zilong. The attitude matters the most in any battles. You are diving with a mindset of losing then you better not involve yourself with me.¡± Warned Hans, ¡°It will be just a burden to your allies.¡± ¡°It seems you not only inherited the face but the same awful tongue too.¡± Zilong commented. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. For a man¡­ Long¡­ or Tall, whatever. With that much power is behaving like a scared cat¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m entertaining your words, that doesn¡¯t mean you have to keep mocking me, child. I¡¯ve lived long enough, far longer than your kind itself. And learned the hard way that arrogance always has a bad end. I¡¯ve lost my world because my kind was too arrogant to understand what was happening then. Here I¡¯m, the last of my kind, trying to survive like a rat in a gutter. So don¡¯t talk about behaving like a scared feline, because it is the situation to act like one. Red demons are just a precursor. You¡¯ve no idea what¡¯s in the store for your world.¡± Hans kept silent and listened carefully to Zilong¡¯s venting. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t understand Zilong¡¯s standing. All the stories he had heard about the northern sea monster were that he was an incredibly powerful entity that helped stabilise Genas in the red demon invasion and that his world succumbed to the very invasion before. However, he didn¡¯t need Zilong to fight Anfaleen. All he needed was the incredible number of people that the hidden village held. Almost everyone of them reached grade sixty or was a fifth-circle mage, but they weren¡¯t going to follow Hans even if he had saved them from turning red demons, but Zilong¡¯s words were different. ¡°Arat once said, to live in the past is a job for the senile, to worry about the future is for rulers. And warriors, people like us, we should live in the present. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± He paused, staring him right in the eye, ¡°But if it eases your mind, Professor and Deli had waited for a long time, two or three years won¡¯t matter much to them.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Thank you¡ª¡± ¡°But I do need a scale of yours.¡± Hans interrupted with a shameless grin, prompting Zilong to question him with his eyes. So he explained, ¡°Deli¡­ I kinda lost what you left for her because of me. One of the reasons I came here¡­ anyway, can you give me one too?¡± Zilong remained sceptical, giving away a scale would be proof of his existence and that is what he asked Hans to avoid. So, seeing him remain puzzled, Hans added, ¡°You have my discretion. I promised not to speak of you and I plan to follow. I swear on my Parvian name.¡± ¡°Fine, just keep your mouth shut or else this village will die before you can even hatch a plan on Anfaleen.¡± Zilong warned. Hans nodded and came closer to the 10-foot giant, surprising him further. ¡°Now what?¡± Zilong asked. ¡°Nothing, just trying to see how much of a goner you are.¡± Hans answered nonchalantly, his eyes glowing as he summoned a thin layer of nature¡¯s mana covering his pupils. His mana vision was like a layer above his eyes that saw what others could not. ¡°Can I try something on you?¡± He asked, but his body didn¡¯t wait for permission. His hand stretched, touching the hard exoskeleton of the mutated Zilong. ¡°Hmm..hmm.. you really aren¡¯t from this place¡­ and definitely different from Deli. She is more like an elf¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, little Parvian. I¡¯m starting to be bothered by you uttering my daughter¡¯s name that frequently.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even know you had a daughter a while ago, mister. Don¡¯t go ¡®DAD¡¯ on me¡ª found it.¡± Hans exclaimed. Zilong wanted to ask what he found but couldn¡¯t, since Hans quickly grasped the Bakran¡¯s essence inside Zilong with his surgical mana control. ¡°I¡¯m getting started¡ª¡± ¡°Wait..wait..¡ª ugh.¡± Zilong started screaming in agony, but Hans was full-on curious mode. An anatomy he had never seen and it was even mutated with a red demon. His pupil dilated and he spoke like he was some sort of sadist, ¡°This is fascinating¡ª¡± ¡°Fascinating my ass¡­.ugh¡­ stop you son of a¡­ugh¡­argh.¡± Zilong kept screaming, the people kept watching, and Hans kept grinning like a wicked man. This continued for quite a while, and after a bit, Hans let go of the control and finally took a good look at Zilong¡¯s much clearer face. ¡°Darn it. I hate handsome faces.¡± He cursed aloud, disturbing Zilong¡¯s struggle to stabilise. His face was much cleaner; the antler-like horns protruded from his forehead, similar to what Delimira had shown upon partial transformation. Even his height was shrunk to normal human stature, but the strong feeling he carried multiplied severalfold. Zilong, finally feeling himself again, clenched his hand to see if his motor reflexes were in his control, and they were. He was not totally a hundred percent but had regressed to the early condition of his mutations. He heaved a long breath, focusing his sight on Hans. He asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you needed the day¡­ you needed the sun¡ª¡± ¡°That is for healing, not for treatment. You obviously seem like a big boy who can handle pretty much everything.¡± Hans teased. ¡°I¡¯m feeling an itch to beat you.¡± Zilong held himself back and asked further, ¡°Is that how others feel around you?¡± ¡°Yeah, that means you are starting to like me, mister.¡± Hans didn¡¯t wait around for Zilong to come up with something and left him with his loneliness. There were many questions he needed answers to, but now the present mattered the most. Before the mishap with Reina, he thought of using the civil war as the means to end Anfaleen and his goons once and for all, but now he was pissed at Reina. He was never this close to dying before, even when Samson resurfaced as the undead king. He was in a dilemma about what to do, but one thing was clear: Reina rose to number one in his target list before Anfaleen and Xandor.Where Anfaleen was backed up with Ancient and the mighty force of a Node, the people who hunted these formidable red demons on a daily basis, Xandor had his rebel force, an undead army of previous powerhouses, not to mention his undead father. But his new or more of a destined enemy held a country of mages on her fingertips. ¡°Man, I sure love the turbulent waves; nothing is tranquil in my life.¡± Meanwhile, as Hans freely loitered among the infected people, Hera ravaged the Deadlands in her search for him. The matter itself was kept secret from Concordia since she heard the sighting of her sister in this forsaken place, and as she came to the battle site, she confirmed Hans¡¯s sunfield sanctuary and her sister¡¯s Maximacre Skill, which leftgrave wounds in the land itself. ¡°Fear the karma, Reina. What did you do to him?¡± She murmured while blasting off a four-hands Red demon¡¯s head effortlessly. The place was littered with the bodies, as if anyone who stood in her way would know why she was the leader of the most feared squad in the world, the Blood Monks.
Elven Lies II Chapter 52 : Farewell Otherworlder CHAPTER 52 FAREWELL OTHERWORLDER This was Hans¡¯s first night in the hidden village, at least when he was conscious. Yet, his regular guest visited him in the dream, jolting him to wake up. He complained, ¡°Come on Armin. I know you have a lot of regrets, but isn¡¯t reminding me is overdoing. I promise, I will not let Vanessa live in fear, so stop comparing her to your sister.¡± Hans sighed and stressed, ¡°And stop forcing me, man, I¡¯m doing my best here, Anfaleen is not some chump change I can just blast off, Geez!¡± This was a one way conversation, For quite sometime, the tyrant king, his ancestor and the first king who stabilised Parv after Dietrich kept showing up in his dreams. It wasn¡¯t totally because of these dreams he was so hell bent on avenging Vanessa but it was the majority of what motivated him in this path of vengeance. A sufferable scene that kept reminding him the loss of a caring sister. ¡°There is no way, I¡¯m going to get sleep now.¡± Hans stood up from his slumber. There was still time for sun to show its face but the illumination of barrier was comparable to bright day. ¡°I wonder if I take Anfaleen¡¯s head off I¡¯d stop dreaming his Regretful memories I¡ª it better be, this is too depressing.¡± He shook off his head and came out of the cavern. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep human?¡± Hans heard and turned, it was a dwarven woman. He had no time to converse with the dwarf before, so he greeted back. According to the infected people, this woman was the sole person who helped them to live in hiding. She wasn¡¯t one of the infected, so Hans wondered why she was still staying here but chose not to ask. His plate was already full and he didn¡¯t need anymore trouble on his way. ¡°The weather, the brightness, everything stays the same here.¡± The copper skinned dwarf said. Hans nodded, as he glanced her thick braided hair-tail which was even thicker than his legs. He didn¡¯t asked anything else, both just stood there in silence. Soon, sun too, rose from his slumber, adding a bit of more brightness to the already lit place, and people started coming out of their caves. This was the first time Hans took a good look to the place called the hidden village. a place hidden deep within the mountains, where this dwarf and her companions had crafted a secret hideout. A place which was synonymous to their last time in the world, a place where they waited for a merciful death. But since he came here, the air became jolly and occasional laughter could be heard. He looked far, to the place where these people were coming out¡ªA network of cavern. He soon came to his yesterday spot where he cured many. For the first time he noticed the obsidian stones, inlaid to the ground forming runes. ¡°So this makes the village invisible to the world above. The surface glows with a pulse like a heartbeat, shielding the village from the outside world.¡± He paused, ¡°I should really go back now.¡± He wasted no time and started using the sun¡¯s energy to aid him in curing with Paradise garden. He suffered the usual backlash of getting himself parched but Zilong and other didn¡¯t loitered around and helped him with his watery needs. And as the last batch got cured, Zilong who was sitting beside Hans, pointed out, ¡°Some are completely healed, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hans wiped his sweat, pointing, ¡°But many of them still show some mutation. Even you¡ª¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Zilong interrupted him, questioning, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, Your prowess will grow in due time?¡± ¡°Yes¡ª¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s enough. We had a lot of deaths because of high mutation, but since your treatment, the mutation has gone down.¡± Zilong patted Hans, aiming to cheer him up, however his hand carried quite a force and crashed Hans right on his face. ¡°Ugh, Hey, take it easy!¡± Hans complained as he rose dusting off his front, prompting Zilong to chuckle. He stared at the handsome face, this was contrast to what this huge man was a day ago. There was a lot of mutation left in his system, Hans couldn¡¯t grasp the complex Barkan essence which was fused with Zilong¡¯s body permanently. Yet, even that couldn¡¯t hide his sharp featured face, ¡°Jeez if jawlines could cut.¡± Zilong interrupted his thoughts, cheering him with a warm voice this time, ¡°if you feel that bad, then grow your abilities and come back to cure them. Simple.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Its not that I feel ¡ªWait a minute. You said you¡¯ve a lot of death? Then these people¡ª¡± ¡°Not all became successful specimen in Anfaleen¡¯s trials. I escaped, but these guys are the failed products he released inside the barrier. Just to keep his hands clean.¡± ¡°He is one sick bastard.¡± Hans added. ¡°Indeed he is¡ª ah! Before I forgot, here it is.¡± Zilong put an iridescent scale of his in Hans¡¯s hands. It was similar to what he left for his unborn child. He warned again, ¡°Don¡¯t tell them about me.¡± ¡°I promised, they won¡¯t hear a squeak about you from me. You have nothing to worry.¡± Hans patted his chest in confidence. He stood, dusting off his bottom. ¡°It seems, I should hurry back.¡± He felt the familiar presence as a tremor reached him, ¡°Someone is here to pick me up¡ª But before I go, please make sure these people are ready to take revenge and if possible break more infected out from the Council node.¡± Zilong nodded in affirmation, ¡°I don¡¯t want these people to get used by you. But as you¡¯ve said, being alive and living is quite a different thing. So, Please, make sure your plan has minimal casualty.¡± Zilong¡¯s voice was almost pleading, he could also sense the infuriated presence coming at their general direction and with quite the speed. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is but they¡¯d reach us in mere minutes¡± He hurried Hans but before he went, Hans quoted Zilong, ¡°Hope sure is worst of all evils because it prolongs our suffering ¡ªbut it is what kept you alive till now, Mister Zilong. See you again in two years.¡± Hans left leaving a warm smile in Zilong¡¯s face and like a mirage the hidden village disappeared. He kept going on further towards Hera, since he had a guidance tool crafted by the village¡¯s dwarven woman, it was quite easy to find Concordia node with that. Hans giggled, feeling the scale, ¡°I¡¯m bringing you quite the gift Del¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve a lot to explain, Hans.¡± A voice echoed just from his behind and he was captured with no efforts. ¡°Hehe, I got caught.¡± Hans showed a silly smile, ¡°I was just curious¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up. Since you like visiting the prison so much. I¡¯d gladly throw you inside.¡± Hera was furious. He never saw her this angry and her current temper wasn¡¯t something he could cool off with few words so he just let her scold him. However, he was really thrown into the underground prison. ¡°She wasn¡¯t kidding¡± he murmured, several days had already passed since his misadventure and adding few days in imprisonment, the day for volunteers to return came. Hera didn¡¯t allow anyone to visit Hans. She wasn¡¯t at node but out in Deadlands and had every route to Clandor Node surrounded. Stalking the place for days, waiting for her sister to show up. Reina albeit not wanting, eventually had to confront Hera. ¡°Your stubbornness is appalling sister.¡± She disdained. ¡°So does your stupidity, Reina.¡± Hera bit back but not only with words, she added a shot of an extreme pulse of light that flew past to Reina, burning her side locks. ¡°So, finally. My sister is angry.¡± Reina said, nonchalant. She didn¡¯t even flinched at Hera¡¯s attack, which unguarded, was capable of blowing any one¡¯s head, including hers. ¡°Why are you here Reina?¡± She asked or more like ordered her to tell. ¡°To tie up loose ends¡ª¡± ¡°It looks like you were the one tied up, Reina.¡± Hera glanced at her pitiful appearance, a wry smile on her face. Reina remained silent on her provocations but she had something else to ask from her sister, ¡°So, why are you here Shaerra? Are you really going to fight me this time¡ª¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t but my actions will change devastatingly if you do not stop bothering that child¡ª¡± ¡°Why. Just why are you all hell bent in defending him?¡± Reina fumed, she wanted one thing and every strong person kept adding a layer over layer of protection on that very thing. ¡°Just why?¡± She bellowed, her voice hoarse. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe its because people like you keep finding his father in him. He is different so don¡¯t push him to become another Samson Parv. I came to ask you a favour and I¡¯m asking it very nicely. LEAVE. HIM. ALONE. Tell each family member that I, Hera, will be protecting him. Touching him is like provoking the Hornet¡¯s nest, and this queen bee isn¡¯t one to forgive. Reina remained silent but her frustration was apparent in her face. However, Hera wasn¡¯t done, ¡°I had waited for you quite a while so answer me this Reina, which bastard was it? Who betrayed me?¡± ¡°Only a fool keeps a person who is eager to sell himself. Your Concordia¡¯s Prodigy, Zephyr. It seems your new toy is quite close to the girl he is crushing on. Jealousy, is a dangerous thing¡ª¡± ¡°Shut it! Now my next question is for you traitor, Was once not enough so you did it twice, a father wasn¡¯t enough so you came for the son too¡ª¡± ¡°Hey! Hold your horses. I came to stop them. They were bent on killing each other, Hell! They almost did. I saved them both. The child was injured too, so please find him, prioritise him,¡± explained Bernard. Hera chuckled at his words. ¡°I found him after two days, ¡®unscathed¡¯ he wasn¡¯t hurt a bit.¡± ¡°No, its not possible.¡± Reina finally got provoked, ¡°He lost his hand, my skill is not insignificant enough to heal that easily.¡± ¡°Stop it, Queen. I told you to not get involve with him. You don¡¯t understand Imperials, the less they are the stronger they will be. There is a higher power protecting them. How do you think, I got here this easily?¡± Bernard who avoided his sudden arrival story till now, spoke. ¡°I got connected with OSIRIS, with only one order, to send Hans on a designated Co-ordinate¡ª¡± ¡°Where?¡± Both sister spoke at the same time. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. It got erased from my head when I fulfilled the order.¡± Bernard responded, ¡°Only the child knows.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 53 : Not killing with a Borrowed Knife CHAPTER 53 NOT KILLING WITH A BORROWED KNIFE ¡°Woah! You really survived.¡± Hans raised his head. For days, he hadn¡¯t seen a soul. Even food was delivered by working golems. So hearing , even from a pricklike Zephyr, was music to his ears. However, he couldn¡¯t just let this man gloat. ¡°You sided with the Royal faction. Professor Aredhel would love to hear it.¡± ¡°Go ahead and tell her.¡± Zephyr offered. ¡°Nah! That wouldn¡¯t be fun. Snapping your neck¡­ no, tearing your chest up¡­no, that¡¯s not it either¡­ I¡¯ll come up with something much more entertaining for you, Zephyr.¡± Hans said, contemplating. ¡°Pft!¡± Zephyr chuckled. ¡°You, a pipsqueak like you, threatening me¡ª¡± ¡°This pipsqueak just fought to death with that woman and came back alive. Even if I lack power, I¡¯m a person of commitment and fucking sheer will. I¡¯ll always see through what I say. Don¡¯t ever step into the shadows. You might be greeted by ¡®the Sad Death.¡¯¡± Hans wickedly laughed as Zephyr turned back in silence. In all his life, Zephyr had always made rational choices, but when he stumbled upon Reina and heard her offer two months ago, he did something irrational for the first time. ¡°The Sad Death, then I should stop hiding my power. Maybe it¡¯s time for me to enter the top ranks.¡± He mumbled, inaudible, and went back upstairs. ¡°Are you going to keep hiding, Nodemaster?¡± Hans said when Zephyr was out of his vision. ¡°You knew I was here? Even Zephyr couldn¡¯t sense me. I stopped my mana¡ª¡± ¡°Mana this, mana that¡­ you people have forgotten that there are many more things that don¡¯t include mana. The sweet, citrusy smell you carry around. I have a nose of a hunter. Do you think I couldn¡¯t detect a change in this damp prison?¡± ¡°If you are this smart, then why did you fall for the trap, idiot?¡± Hera questioned. ¡°Because I wanted to.¡± Hans responded, embarrassed. ¡°I was genuinely curious.¡± His wordsleft Hera quite baffled. She was startled, didn¡¯t know how to respond, so Hans turned the conversation. ¡°You¡¯ve heard our talk. Are you going to protect Zephyr? He is the prodigy of Concordia, a member of the Blood Monk¡ª¡± ¡°He crossed the line when he thought of harming you,¡± Hera interjected. ¡°Aw, I¡¯m touched,¡± Hans gently touched his chest, bowing a little. ¡±You are no better either, son. Stop that grin.¡± Hera was serious. ¡°I apologised already,¡± Hans pouted, complaining, ¡°My apology is very costly, Nodemaster. Let me out of here; the silence here is killing me.¡± ¡°Then talk. What happened there? I want to hear from you. Who attacked you? Who saved you? Whom do you meet?¡± ¡°Over my dead body¡­¡± Hans said with all seriousness, but the next moment his expressions turned goofy. ¡°But dead don¡¯t talk, so I think this proverb is flawed¡ª¡± ¡°Hans, quit it¡ª¡± ¡°Ms. Hera, you are really a good person, and honestly, I like you quite a lot. That is why I¡¯m saying, ignorance is bliss. Just write in your darn report that Hans was so curious about red demons that he found a way with his dwarven tech and breached the barrier through transportation¡ª an opening underground. There was no Zephyr, no other person too. I bet my everything; everyone would believe it without a second thought. I¡¯m a reckless idiot after all.¡± ¡°But, I can punish them, trust me.¡± Hera pleaded, asking Hans to rely on her. ¡°Believe me, there is nothing cleaner than to use a borrowed knife to do the dirty deed, but I like getting my hands dirty, and this is quite personal.¡± He emphasised. ¡°So you don¡¯t want my help at all?¡± She was dejected. ¡°At least get this Zephyr bastard¡ª¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you weren¡¯t here, period. Now please get me out of here.¡± Hans requested, and Hera brought him to the upper floors. His classmates were already back in Concordia, and he was two days late. The three-month volunteering work was already over, and it was reported that Hans had broken rules of the node and was being punished there, so he couldn¡¯t go back on the designated date. She didn¡¯t give the exact details even when Concordia administration asked her to, but she couldn¡¯t keep going on forever. She reported back as Hans wanted, and then Hans got a call to Nodemaster¡¯s office. ¡°Well done, brat. You are so eager to die. Return right now, and I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡± The communication orb almost burst with Rudolf¡¯s furious voice, and the connection got disconnected. ¡°What¡ª what happened?¡± Hans questioned Hera, baffled. ¡°His communication orb must¡¯ve cracked¡ª¡± ¡°That geezer will really kill me this time.¡± Hans mumbled and turned to Hera. ¡°Maybe I should stay here for a couple of days.¡± ¡°You know what to call me if you want me to act¡ª¡± ¡°No, not gonna happen. When will you let this charade go, Ma¡¯am?¡± Hans scowled. ¡°Not gonna happen too.¡± Hera imitated Hans¡¯s tone. ¡°I need to think of something else. Even Grandma will be on his side this time.¡± Hans mumbled, and Hera informed him he would travel to Concordia the next morning. A brief farewell party was thrown in his departure from the Node to Concordia. He had remembered quite a few faces here and befriended many people in his healing and recovery sessions. Everyone cheered him on except his said-to-be close friend, Zephyr. It was the middle of the night, and Hans requested to see Hera. ¡°You weren¡¯t sleeping, nodemaster?¡± He asked her when he knocked on her open door. ¡°With a troublemaker like you around, sleep is the least of my worries, son.¡± ¡°Then can I return now instead of in the morning¡ª¡± ¡°This is the dead of night, Hans. Do you really want to disturb so many employees?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ yes. I¡¯m a jerk, that¡¯s what I do.¡± He stretched his smile narrow and pleaded. So Hera brought him to the transfer Spacedoor. ¡°Be healthy and stay out of trouble.¡± She patted his head warmly. ¡°What? I thought I¡¯d get a hug at least¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m still angry, you know.¡± She couldn¡¯t even finish her words, and Hans hugged her. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. You¡¯ve been really good to me.¡± Hera couldn¡¯t resist further and hugged him back. ¡°Always stay on your toes, child, and don¡¯t think. Just ask for me when you need something, right?¡± With a gentle touch, she unclasped her pendant and fastened it around Hans''s neck. ¡°This will keep you nimble.¡± Hans nodded and stepped inside the grey void of the spacedoor. He waved goodbye and disappeared. CONCORDIA, MIDLANDS ¡°Run, idiot, run! Who¡¯d have known? Grandpa got alerted the moment I stepped in here.¡± Hans flew as quickly as he could. There was only one person who could save him at this point. He stopped right at their doors and banged it hard, ¡°Wake up, you sleepy elves.¡± The doors opened without a creak, and Delimira came into his sight, still rubbing her eyes. ¡°The hell are you doing here in the middle of the night¡ª¡± ¡°Move it, winters. Or tomorrow you¡¯ll attend my funeral.¡± Hans barged in and shut the door behind him. Not a moment later, there was a roaring thunder in Concordia¡¯s sky. ¡°Phew, I¡¯m saved.¡± Hans mumbled and finally took a look at the two pairs of eyes staring him down, as if asking him what the heck he was doing here. ¡°I just need a place to lay low, at least till his temper goes down.¡± Hans asked, embarrassed. ¡°No, two women live here.¡± Delimira pointed to the door, ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°You cold-hearted witch! You just want to see me beaten black and blue, don¡¯t you?¡± Hans questioned. ¡°I can¡¯t deny that¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, Deli.¡± Hans interrupted, scanning what she wore from top to bottom, ¡°I thought you hated pink?¡± ¡°Get the hell out of here.¡± Delimira forced him to the door, flushed. ¡°Sorry, Zilong. I don¡¯t want to be beaten to death.¡± Hans flicked the scale in his pocket to the silent observing Aredhel, ¡°This is my rent for tonight.¡± Aredhel caught it and fell back on her seat. She was stunned to see what was in her hand. Her head tilted upward, as if asking for what she thought to be true, and Hans answered her with his eyes. Silence hung heavy in the room. Only Delimira shuffled her sight to and fro from her mother to Hans. However, before Aredhel could break this eerie silence, Hans widened his eyes and his finger pressed gently against his lips, ¡°You aren¡¯t in that future, so don¡¯t become a variable professor.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Aredhel nodded, her eyes welled up, but her lips didn¡¯t part any words other than he could stay the night here. As a clairvoyant, Aredhel knew that too much involvement in Hans¡¯s destiny would ruin the chances of her husband coming back. ¡°He¡­ that person is not well, Professor. But he will be soon.¡± ¡°Thank you. Thank you¡­¡± Aredhel kept mumbling the gratitude while Delimira grumbled, but she knew she had no say when her mother was acting that oddly. She didn¡¯t see what Hans threw at her but wasn¡¯t an idiot who couldn¡¯t understand whom they were talking about. ¡°So you met?¡± She looked disinterested, but her tone gave away how she actually felt. ¡°How was he?¡± She asked. ¡°Very ugly, just like you.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 54 : A Family Feud CHAPTER 54 A FAMILY FEUD Delimira dismissed a knight student who came knocking on her doors, asking about Hans. Rudolf, as the dean of knights, was abusing his authority on full swing to hunt down Hans. ¡°Geez! That geezer has gone senile.¡± Hans commented. Delimira turned to him. She now wore several layers so her pink pajamas weren¡¯t visible. ¡°You know, he is not going to cool off in the morning. So what¡¯s the difference in hiding here? Just get beaten and get over it.¡± ¡°There is a difference. I won¡¯t be as helpless as right now in the day. I won¡¯t just take it like always. Grandpa wants to beat me. He had to do his best then.¡± Hans was determined to struggle with everything he got. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Delimira sighed and sat down on the couch, opposite to what she had offered Hans to lie down and rest. ¡°You really don¡¯t want this?¡± She asked, sipping the tea. ¡°Naah! Don''t you have my kind of beverage?¡± Hans asked back. ¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t have kids around.¡± ¡°Haha, very funny, Winters.¡± Delimira took another sip and asked Hans at point-blank, ¡°So, Hans, what happened there?¡± ¡°What do you mean what happened?¡± Hans was perplexed. ¡°You in the Deadlands adventure,¡± she motioned her finger in a circle, adding,¡°Come on! You expect me to believe you are moron enough to get lost in that place?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hans stretched the word, doubting. ¡°Really?¡± Delimira widened her eyes, pointing, ¡°You are an idiot but not with a capital ¡®I¡¯. So, tell me what happened.¡± ¡°Ha, smartass¡­ Can¡¯t hide anything from you, can I?¡± Hans sighed, realising that no matter how much he tried to circle around, Delimira would eventually dig it out from him. ¡°Well, I need an extra pair of eyes in this weird situation too.¡±, so he told her firsthand, ¡°Your Frickin¡¯ aunt came to take my head off.¡± ¡°You survived? That¡¯s odd?¡± Delimira startled. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you have any faith in my abilities?¡± Hans rose from his seat. ¡°Shut it, princess.¡± Delimira glared, emphasising, ¡°You survived. What is the usual thing you¡¯d do after that?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll call Arat tomorrow and tell him that I got attacked by Clandor¡¯s queen. He¡¯ll take care of the rest. I¡¯ll show her how costly it was to mess with me.¡± ¡°You should stop.¡± Delimira asked him to keep calm, explaining, ¡°Queen Reina always has several contingencies prepared. I don¡¯t know what it is, but do not react¡ª¡± ¡°You want me to take her attempt on my life as it never happened. Do I seem that of a pushover?¡± ¡°No, but you have control over one thing, your reaction, and that is the reason you should not act. She expects you to explode this situation, so do not grant her this satisfaction.¡± ¡°Tsk, now that you¡¯ve put it this way, it seems legit. But how come she comes to kill me and leave her daughter here? Did she not fear me venting on her?¡± ¡°She knows you, your dignity won¡¯t allow you to harm an innocent¡ª¡± ¡°Screw dignity. I¡¯m going to make her life so miserable that it will hurt her right in the heart. Just you wait.¡± Delimira knew there was no stopping him and hoped her little cousin could survive somehow. ¡°Take a breather and sleep, Prince Parv. There is quite the show to watch tomorrow¡­ oh wait, pft¡­ you are the show of tomorrow.¡± She went to her room chuckling, and Hans covered himself with the sheet the two elves had provided. In the morning, Hans wasted no time and reached Dean¡¯s quarters, ¡°Grandpa, your prodigal grandson has returned.¡± He shouted, and the crowd turned towards him. There were several students gathered around the dean¡¯s quarters for any new orders, but Hans coming by himself was not what they expected. ¡°Senior run, he¡¯ll kill you.¡± Vanir came running, trying to drag Hans away. However, Hans was undeterred and quoted Rudolf, ¡°There is time in every man¡¯s life when he has to stand up no matter what,¡± and he unclasped Vanir¡¯s begging hands from his wrist. ¡°The hell you are mumbling,¡± Vanir jolted, pleading him to run, ¡°why didn¡¯t you ¡®stand up¡¯ yesterday night then?¡± He questioned. ¡°A man needs to sleep too, junior,¡± Hans said, embarrassed. Before Vanir could quip, a roaring thunder shook the sky, ¡°Get your ass up here, brat.¡± ¡°Naah, I¡¯m good here.¡± Hans outright rejected. ¡°The more you make me wait.¡± Rudolf opened the door and stepped out, ¡°The angrier I get.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be as easy as before, grandpa.¡± Hans stared right into his eyes, and people understood that these two were about to clash, so they quickly cleared the yard. ¡°So you wanted to do this the hard way?¡± Rudolf engulfed himself in the purple hue, his thunder aura crackling around. Photonise Hans cried out and lit up bright; many hadn¡¯t seen Hans in action after the past year¡¯s glory wars, and him shining like a light source was something new, even Rudolf only heard it from Sierra. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Hans, on the other hand, felt the surge of explosive power inside him. He raised his head only to see Rudolf appear before him in a flash, his fist filled with aura aimed at his face. ¡°Shush!¡± Hans ducked with lightning speed and kicked high above, right at Rudolf¡¯s chin. It even got connected, but Hans felt like he had hit some wall. ¡°Darn his monstrous build,¡± he cursed and released his stored energy in the form of explosions from his right, propelling him to the left. With the same way he kept avoiding Rudolf¡¯s assaults. He rained down photosied punches, kicks, tackles, everything, but Rudolf felt nothing. ¡°Is that all your shining thing could do, brat? And here I was wondering you might¡¯ve grown so much that stepping inside the barrier felt like a joke to you.¡± ¡°Everyone has weaknesses. You taught me that, and you aren¡¯t an exception.¡± Hans heaved a long breath before attacking again. ¡°Right, but you aren¡¯t capable of exploiting them, so just get beaten, brat.¡± Rudolf increased his speed, twice as fast as he was showing earlier. With the relentless assault, Hans had no window to attack; he could only focus on evasion. ¡°Shook! Shook! Shook!¡± Sometimes they were on the ground, sometimes in the sky, but even with increased speed, Rudolf failed to land a single hit on Hans, and this was quite frustrating for him. He wasn¡¯t using his full power, but it was sufficient enough to beat Hans. ¡°So you¡¯ve learned how to run like a rat. That still doesn¡¯t give you any right to step into the red demon territory.¡± Skill: Surge With the lightning flowing inside Rudolf¡¯s veins, his limits were off; he was at full speed, and Hans knew there was no way he could keep dodging him. ~Elderform~ Hans cried. ¡°You are making yourself a bigger target, stupid.¡± Rudolf lunged at him, but Hans suddenly turned all green and exploded into thousands of wooden shards. If that wasn¡¯t enough, all were photonised and carried the explosive power inside them. Quantity never beats quality unless it comes with overwhelming numbers. Rudolf¡¯s moves were restricted by sudden explosions. ¡°I admit, you¡¯ve become quite a nuisance, brat.¡± He stood firm on the ground, bouncing off the incoming shards. One after another, Hans was showing off the moves and spells none had seen, and there were many onlookers who were seeing it with curious eyes. ¡°He really became something else.¡± Delimira commented, and Vanir puffed his chest as if she was complimenting him. Others had the same reactions; they all knew Hans was odd, but he was doing pretty well against the ninth-ranked knight, even when Rudolf seemed not serious. Rudolf wasn¡¯t as perceptive as Reina and definitely not a knight who uses brains in a fight. He had faith in his strength that it could overcome anything, and he was right to do so since even with several hundred explosions one after another, he only suffered from minuscule bruises. ¡°Is that it, show me what you really got, kid?¡± Rudolf mocked, and Hans responded with all the shards merging together to realise his gigantic humanoid form that everyone was familiar with from past year glory wars, but something was different. As they remembered, it was a gigantic body, dismembered from the torso, but Hans stood firm on his legs, his features detailed. He was huge, more than tens of metres. ¡°YOU ASKED FOR THIS, GRANDPA. SO STOP GOING EASY. IT¡¯S DISRESPECTFUL.¡± Hans moved his gigantic hand. It was quite slow but carried immense force. Rudolf could¡¯ve easily avoided it, but just as he was about to jump, Hans shackled it with his VoidZone. He only needed him to be still, and to do so, he used the body of his elder form. Rudolf learned the difference between past Hans and current in a hard way as he was sent flying with quite the force. He used aura to shield himself, but VoidZone itself has three abilities: it gives an invincible armour to the user, second: Inectio¡ª which forced the natural mana into the target¡ª and third, the restriction of regeneration of aura or pure mana. ¡°You ask for my respect. So there you have it ¡ª Thunderclap.¡± Rudolf called his sky-hung sword down, and it came as its name suggested, with a thunderclap to his hands. As Hans saw Rudolf equipped with his sword, he understood the game was serious from this point. He focused his control on the nature¡¯s mana and guided it to the ground. ~SilvaOrtus~ He recalled his basic spell of turning the ground into the terrain of his like, a forest that listened to his commands. ¡°This isn¡¯t a child¡¯s play.¡± Rudolf lunged forward, slashing down his Thunderclap at Hans¡¯s gigantic body. The elderwood¡¯s eyes lit deep green, and his control over mana grew strong. So strong that Rudolf could feel himself in the deep waters; his movement became slow until it finally became so stiffed that he couldn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯M NOT PLAYING A CHILDREN¡¯S GAME EITHER. GRANDPA.¡± Hans stretched his hand towards affixed Rudolf and stopped right at his face. ~ManaCanon~ As ManaStorm used his whole body as a pivot, in Elderform, his hand acted like that so as ravagingmana swirled around Elderwood¡¯s hand, Hans stretched it back as far as he could and then let go of the mana he held tight. And like a rubber band, the ravaging mana hit Rudolf just after he released the control that fixed Rudolf in mid-air. The impact was quite the sight to see. It wasn¡¯t that Rudolf was weaker than Reina, but Reina had made her skills such that his VoidZone was useless against her. To do this kind of attack, Hans needed Reina to succumb to VoidZone, which she avoided swiftly with her rotating sphere. Rudolf crashed badly, trailing like a meteor that unearthed everything in its path. Fortunately, there was no property harm, and none was injured. ¡°Ugh.¡± Rudolf stood up, but he was finally wounded and not one but from several places. However, his head that bled profusely indicated that Hans had managed to hit Alastor. All students were baffled by the showcase of Hans¡¯s might. Chris and Delimira were not the exception either, so were Aredhel and Sierra. ¡°Since when did he grow so much?¡± Sierra mumbled. ¡°I am Hans Parv.¡± Hans roared in delight. ¡°Now tell me if I¡¯m ready for Deadlands or not?¡± ¡°Hey, minion.¡± Delimira nudged Vanir. ¡°What is happening? Is he using some trick?¡± All awaited Vanir¡¯s answer in anticipation, so he answered, ¡°This is not even the full extent of his power.¡± All remained silent after that. Some were jealous, some concerned that he was soon going to leave this nest, while some itched to fight him. Rudolf, on the other hand, was now seeing Hans not as his bratty grandson but as someone who demanded respect for his full capabilities. ¡°Sierra, be on standby.¡± He admitted, as he spat some blood to the side. With the sacrifice of half of the aura, a knight makes the surrounding of his liking. Norwin called it Ice Age, and every Dominion knight and above had the skill. So does Rudolf. Domain skill: Nimbus. In a flash, an absurd amount of aura got released from Rudolf and covered the whole forest of SilvaOrtus with a crackling light that charred anything that came into contact with it. Hans¡¯s elderform wasn¡¯t the exception either. Hans could feel the prickly jolt as he was connected to the Elderwood like an extension of himself. Transforming into shards would have been suicidal since the more he spread himself, the more he got shocked. So not to become disabled, Hans voluntarily canceled Elderform. The elderwood visibly turned into a small, dry wood statue, his green colour turned gray, and Hans launched out himself from his chest area. ¡°Tsk.¡± He clicked his tongue; Elderform with VoidZone was a dangerous combo from his first book. ¡°Get ready, Hans Parv.¡± This was the first time Rudolf had called his full name. Skill: Storm¡¯s Eye He turned into a source of quick lightning bolts that hit in close proximity, acting both defensively and offensively. ¡°So he wants to fight in close quarters?¡± Hans stretched his stiffed muscles, ¡°bring it on, Grandpa.¡± He couldn¡¯t risk using VoidZone without the exceptional control of Elderwood, at least not yet against a warlord. ¡°I¡¯ve shown the first book; now it¡¯s time for the second.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 55 : The wall between Clandor and Parv CHAPTER 55 THE WALL BETWEEN CLANDOR AND PARV ¡°So what would you do now, Hans Parv?¡± Rudolf asked, expanding his domain. ¡°Win, of course. You are still in my jungle, grandpa.¡± Hans remained confident. ¡°Your little pranks amount to nothing in my domain.¡± Rudolf said, as his nimbus skill kept striking everything that looked a little dubious or anything which had an odd amount of mana surrounding it. He strolled like he was in some sort of garden, not a killing forest summoned by Hans. ¡°You had a pretty great run. I admit you¡¯ve become quite strong too. But that¡¯s it. You are still far weaker than I, and I can¡¯t condemn you enough for risking your life.¡± Rudolf reached Hans, his sword pointing straight at his head. ¡°Gravity well.¡± Suddenly, the gravitational force around Hans increased severalfold and brought him down to kiss the ground. It was Rudolf¡¯s cursed sword¡¯s innate ability which increased the gravity of his sword or around his vicinity. Hans knew it too. It was just that he was feeling it for the first time. ¡°He could even change the weight of his sword as desired. That is one overpowered sword. But I have one too.¡± Hans struggled but couldn¡¯t even raise himself. ¡°Give up.¡± Rudolf suggested. He was quite proud of Hans internally. A brat whom he had to look after had grown into a fierce existence, but he needed to install some discipline in him because his life wasn¡¯t solely his. Neither he nor Sierra could survive losing him. However, Hans kept struggling. ¡°As I¡¯ve said,¡± he gritted his teeth and shouted his lungs out, ¡°this is my jungle.¡± ~SolarMine~ A zooming sound echoed as the light bubbles converged into the forest. ¡°Boom!¡± The whole forest lit up and exploded. The explosion was quite strong, many would have gotten injured if Aredhel and Walter didn¡¯t deploy their barriers and Sierra¡¯s sanctuary. As the dust settled, Rudolf stood firm, but he was quite far from his initial position. It was evident that he had lost quite the aura since his domain was canceled out, and he had to use quite an amount to defend himself, but he wasn¡¯t injured any further. However, since Hans was without any protection, he was bleeding from several places, his skin was burned, and his blood stains were dry as he had suffered third-degree burn. And several of his bones were broken. He looked critically injured, but there was a smile in his face. ¡°Reckless idiot.¡± Rudolf fumed and turned to call Sierra to heal him. ~ParadiseGarden~ He authoritatively said, and the ground around him got covered with lit-on flower fields that healed him with insane speed. ¡°See, I¡¯m unkillable. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything¡ª¡± ¡°Astrape.¡± Rudolf motioned his index finger from up to down, and a lightning bolt fell from the sky at Hans, and he finished calling Sierra. ¡°Patch him up.¡± The show was over; Hans was knocked, charred black. Rudolf had to use his ultimate; he was holding quite back since he didn¡¯t want to injure him, but Hans wanted to taste victory and sort of knew Rudolf could take his attack head-on, so he wasn¡¯t holding anything back. And when Astrape hit him from out of nowhere, he realised it was quite difficult to beat Rudolf, who was even fighting on eggshells. His aces didn¡¯t work against Reina, but it did on Rudolf, and even with that, he couldn¡¯t beat him. There were three enemies in front of him; he clashed with two and was about to with the last, in the graduation exam. He needed to know how far he was, so he fought against Rudolf and lost with pride; he forced the ninth-ranked knight to use his ultimate skill. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Wake up, Hans Parv ¡ª Bang¡± Rudolf knuckled the sleeping Hans in the head and roused him quite painfully. ¡°Till when are you going to refer to me with my full name?¡± Hans complained, rubbing his head. ¡°It was you who was blabbering your full name, Hans Parv.¡± ¡°Quit it, geezer¡ªBang!¡± Another hit his head, and another was incoming, but Sierra stopped him. She was silently checking for anything that she had missed in Hans. It took quite a few cutesy acts from him to coax Sierra and Vanessa, and eventually, they turned around and forgave him. However, a wave of Hans¡¯s prowess spread throughout Floatlands; another prodigy had risen from Concordia. It was afternoon, and Hans was completely healed from Astrape. His tactical fighting style brought satisfactory results against Rudolf, but the one who analyses their opponent for every possible move, like Reina and Xandor, he needed to become so strong that their analysis became useless. In Hera¡¯s words: in front of overwhelming strength, no plan works. He stood up and stretched his hands. There was something he had to do first. ¡°Wait! Where are you going, senior?¡± Vanir, the steadfast subordinate of Hans, asked, coming out from the shadows. ¡°Nowhere, just to bully someone ¡ª where is the elven princess?¡± Vanir didn¡¯t ask why Hans was asking and just led him to her. However, Hans was puzzled when he found her in the training ground. On the other hand, the second years were quite excited to see Hans, but none dared to flock around. Just as he was famed for being strong, he was also the crazy dog around. Allynna felt the steep gaze of Hans and turned towards him. ¡°Wha..what do you want? I don¡¯t care if you are the imperial or not. I will get that from you.¡± Allynna pointed her finger at Hans¡¯s pendant. ¡°I will become someone whom you can¡¯t look down on. Just you wait.¡± ¡°Tsk! Bold, stupid shrimp.¡± Hans clicked his tongue and returned, his mood ruined. As he disappeared from the second years¡¯ training ground, Allynna breathed in, relaxed. ¡°Just as you¡¯ve told me, he really left, but why was he here to torment me? Did I do something wrong?¡± Allynna was perplexed. ¡°It¡¯s not you, but someone else. However, if you really want him to remain backed off. Keep showing that you are committed to hard work. After all, he likes determined people and it¡¯s almost sacred for him to not disturb someone who is doing their best to improve themselves. Allynna nodded, and as Delimira began to move, she asked, ¡°So where are you going? ¡°To speak with the one responsible for this shitty situation.¡± Delimira responded without looking and moved back to her home. There she found her own communication orb, the artefact which was of no use to her till now. She drew a pattern and got connected to the other side. ¡­. .. . ¡°This is quite odd.¡± The person from the other side responded. ¡°I told you not to use him, didn¡¯t I?¡± Delimira quickly threatened. She was quite angry, and her tone was showing it perfectly. ¡°I¡¯ll never let you use him, aunt. So stay the fuck away from him. Parv will never join the war. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± ¡°You are quite good at using your pretty head as always. If you weren¡¯t half-blood, I¡¯d have taken you under my wing. But do you think that¡¯s all the scenarios I¡¯ve planned for him? No matter how much you think, I¡¯ll always be two steps ahead of you, niece.¡± ¡°You want to tell me you¡¯ve steps planned? Then how do you explain your miserable condition, Aunt? You want Parv to take the Council¡¯s side, so others won¡¯t have a choice but to support you. Dream on. I¡¯ll be the wall separating Clandor and Parv. Good luck, you¡¯ll need it.¡ª click!¡± The conversation got cut off, and Reina laughed like a mad woman for quite a while. She was scheduled for a meeting with the Royal faction of Clandor, so Bernard escorted her there. The people were bickering with each other, passing one agenda over another until the queen entered the room. ¡°You¡¯ve put it on for quite a while, Queen Reina. We want answers. Why is Parv not reacting to it? But first, how did you fail?¡± An old man, the high elf who had supported the faction from a young age, asked Reina. But Reina remained silent. So her own mother, the previous queen, asked, ¡°Why is that child alive? Did your human knight save him? That¡¯s why I wanted your brother to go, but no, it has to be you. Now see, for yourself, he is alive¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t kill him in the barrier, mother. That bastard Samson designed it like a playroom for his child. The whole barrier listens to him, empowering him with some explosive energy. Taking him out in the barrier would be impossible, even if my dear brother had attacked. I almost died. But that is not the problem. Now he has someone on his side who can influence his thinking so much that he can forget his revenge.¡± Reina paused as others stared at her and said, ¡°We need to separate them.¡± ¡°And who is this person?¡± The former queen asked. ¡°Our half-blood, Delimira Winters.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 56 : The Horns of War CHAPTER 56 THE HORNS OF THE WAR After the trip to Deadlands, a bit of a disagreement with Rudolf, and trying to figure out what Reina really wanted, Hans, who had already earned 1000 credits before volunteering, finally got to submit them and passed his third year with flying colours. To get ranked in the annual grades, you had to do well in academics. Since Delimira did well in studying and was the Glory Wars winner, it was clear that she would be the top-ranked third-year. But Hans didn¡¯t really care about being the top-ranked student, especially where powers didn¡¯t clash. He was happy with his result. There was still one month remaining for the official annual break, and some third years were still working to pass, accumulating the 1000 credits. Hans, on the other hand, was bothering the fated top-ranked student. ¡°Come on, Deli. Just once. Turn into that thing.¡± ¡°Stop bothering her, buddy.¡± Chris, as usual, was sandwiched between them. He sought Vanir''s aid, who always stuck by Hans despite having final exams approaching. However, Vanir, like a blind follower, supported Hans. He wasn''t too different from him and didn''t worry much about grades, yet surprisingly, he had ranked first last year. And it seemed he would repeat the same this year too, just like her, he also boasted a winning record in the Glory War. They were bickering as usual when suddenly a mage student, a fourth-year boy, entered their private room in Griffin¡¯s Nest. ¡°Delimira Winters, Professor Aredhel is asking for you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She asked, wondering why this senior of sentinels was gasping. ¡°It¡¯s urgent.¡± The fourth-year pleaded, ¡°Please¡ª¡± ¡°Hey! Winters, you know him.¡± Hans clasped Delimira¡¯s hand as she stood to follow the boy, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I have trust issues these days¡ª¡± ¡°I know him, Hans.¡± Delimira assured while unclasping her hand, ¡°Wanna come?¡± ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve something else to do.¡± Hans stood up and asked Chris to do the same, but he had his own opinion. ¡°I¡¯m not getting a good feeling about this. So I¡¯ll stay out of whatever mess you are going to make.¡± Vanir swiftly rose to his feet. ¡°No, you''re staying put, junior. Stick with your own crowd.¡± Hans matched Vanir''s speed, refusing to budge. They quickly reached Aredhel¡¯s quarters. Hans had slept there the past night and didn¡¯t know it would be this soon he¡¯d come back. ¡°Daughter¡­¡± Aredhel paused due to the uninviting guest. She wanted Hans to stay away, but at present, Hans had quite a pull on her life, so she let it pass and ignored him. ¡°You come in, but keep quiet.¡± In the lit hall of their quarters, Delimira and Aredhel sat on the long couch, and in front of them was an expensive communication orb. ¡°Oh gee, I think I shouldn¡¯t be here. This is making me nervous.¡± His thoughts suddenly halted as the orb lit up. ¡°How are you doing, sister?¡± Eleanor from the other side spoke first. ¡°Yikes! It¡¯s their family business. Now it¡¯s awkward¡­¡± Hans thought he should quickly sneak out from there, but after Aredhel greeted him back. He heard something that stopped his steps. ¡°I think this time you can return home with your head held high, sister. Father motioned for your pardon, and the royal faction accepted it. This is good news. They even agreed to accept your daughter,¡± said Eleanor. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Aredhel asked. ¡°Nothing. The royal faction needs every able hand. The situation is quite dire on both sides.¡± Eleanor explained. Aredhel ran a big corporation by herself. She was the director of economy in Concordia and a professor too. But it didn¡¯t need a brain like hers to understand what was going on. They wanted her wealth to fund their side. So in plain words, she now had the power to buy back everything that was denied her before. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. It wasn¡¯t a place for Hans to speak up, so he waited for Aredhel¡¯s response, and she finally spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s quite the offer. Can I sleep on it¡ª¡± ¡°What more do you need to think? You could return home. Mother misses you¡­ and father¡­well, he has always been stoic. But you could regain your name of Highborn. Your daughter will be Delimira Highborn. She could have her place in Clandor. No one would dare call her a half-blood.¡± ¡°What a hypocrite?¡± Hans murmured, but it was enough to transmit to the other side, and like him, many were listening to their conversation from there too. ¡°Who is it? Is someone else there, sister?¡± Both Delimira and Aredhel raised their heads towards Hans, and he cursed inside. ¡°Me and my mouth. It was not your place to speak up, damn it.¡± He rose and moved to their side so he could become visible to the other side. ¡°Fancy seeing you, King of Clandor.¡± Hans chuckled his way in. ¡°Oh, believe me, it is as awkward for me as it is for you. This reminds me. How¡¯s your wife doing? We had some heated moments of pure passion a few days ago. I apologise. I was quite rough. Is she listening too?¡± Hans knocked the orb, ¡°O Hello, hey, why don¡¯t you guys show yourselves too?¡± Hans gestured Delimira to make him some space to sit over. ¡°This is a family matter.¡± A man of a similar age as Rudolf turned the orb to his side and asked, ¡°Who are you to interfere?¡± ¡°Who me? I¡¯m just a busybody with time to kill. And who are you? Your mother didn¡¯t teach you to give your name first before asking someone else¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Father.¡± Before Hans could make a mess, Aredhel spoke up, ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Crap! He is the Highborn duke. The same who slaughtered the Sylvetors to keep them shut.¡± Hans once again cursed his stupid mouth while the Highborn Duke scoffed at Aredhel, ¡°You¡¯ve no right to call me father. At least not until you prove yourself and send that daughter of yours. If she wants to be recognised as Highborn, she had to learn it first.¡± Before Aredhel could respond, Hans jumped in, ¡°Hey! Duke. I don¡¯t care what your father and daughter cook. Keep Winters out of it, and I¡¯m not asking politely, this will be my final warning.¡± ¡°Aredhel, kick that bastard out of your place first.¡± The highborn duke demanded, ¡°It seems laying with commoners had turned you into a commoner too¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s still better than what you did at Grimgar, isn¡¯t it, Duke Highborn?¡± Hans interrupted, ¡°Who do you think holds you and your ragtag of royal faction by the nape? Should I just go crazy with what I have and hand it over to Hera? If you don¡¯t want to lose this civil war before it begins, DO.NOT.PROVOKE.ME.¡± There existed no one who could¡¯ve walked free after talking back to the Duke of Highborn, and everyone expected him to fume out as usual, but oddly enough, he was silent, perplexed even. He understood that with a flick of a finger, Hans could turn their ally Grimgar into their enemy and send Hera on the hunt. And when she gets involved, everyone would point their finger at them. ¡°See, it¡¯s not so hard to shut your yapping, right?¡± Hans mocked the Highborn duke, and he took it silently. The worst person to hold his bane already acquired the means. Hans breathed out and aimed his next words at Eleanor, ¡°So, King of Clandor, now shall we have a conversation among equals ¡ªScrew the conversation, just listen, it¡¯s Professor¡¯s own choice to go back being the ¡®Highborn¡¯ or not. It¡¯s not like I have something on her¡­¡± he smirked, clearly saying he did hold something, ¡°In plain words, you touch what¡¯s mine, I¡¯ll burn everything you hold dear.¡± Hans stood up, rubbing his stomach. ¡°Man! I get hungry after threatening someone. Deli, do you have something to eat here?¡± He gestured for her to follow, and she quietly did as they moved out of vision. Aredhel said in her nonchalant tone, ¡°Give me some time to think this over. Farewell ¡ª Click!¡± ¡°What was that about?¡± She questioned Hans. ¡°Which one? I don¡¯t quite remember the things I say in anger.¡± Hans asked back. ¡°The one where you threatened my father, and he just¡­ took it lying down.¡± Aredhel pointed. ¡°Ah, that!¡± Hans clapped. ¡°Sorry, Professor, you don¡¯t like me much, so you are on a need-to-know basis.¡± This genuinely baffled Aredhel, and it was shown in her face. Delimira, on the other hand, was thinking about what was discussed before Hans started threatening them right and left. She knew it was her mother¡¯s wish to be accepted back in Clandor. ¡°Mother, you should do what your heart wants. I¡¯m okay with anything, but Clandor is not my home, and it will never be so. I¡¯ll stay as Delimira Winters.¡± ¡°Winters, this name has quite a nice ring to it anyway, Deli,¡± Hans cheered on. ¡°And, you.¡± Delimira widened her eyes in annoyance. ¡°You¡¯ve quite the loose tongue¡ª follow me out.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m really hungry¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you. Just follow me.¡± ¡°Coming.¡± Hans gathered his overcoat in a hurry and ran out after her. Leaving a bitter taste in Aredhel¡¯s mouth. She also knew the family she was part of before was trying to use her daughter to bind her to the royal faction in the name of accepting her back. She was disappointed, and all she could do was rely on Hans¡¯s position to make them stay away from her daughter.
Elven Lies II Chapter 57 : Parvs Standing CHAPTER 57 PARV¡¯S STANDING ¡°Hey, what about food? Why are we back here?¡± Both Delimira and Hans were facing the dean¡¯s door. ¡°Grandpa is not quite fond of me these days,¡± Hans complained, but Delimira dragged him by the collars, and they were inside. ¡°Teacher,¡± she went straight to Sierra while Hans scanned for his missing grandpa. ¡°Any time, Deli!¡± He urged her to hurry, and she promptly returned with a communication orb in her hand. Hans pointed his hand forward, asking for the orb she held. ¡°What now?¡± he said, ¡°who do you want me to threaten?¡± ¡°No one,¡± she shook her head while passing the orb. ¡°I needed a secure line, so connect to Arat. I want to know his thoughts on something.¡±She asked. Hans didn¡¯t ask why, only just drew Arat¡¯s pattern in the orb, and the line got connected. ¡°Ah! My prince, what can I do for you?¡± Arat responded from the other side. They hadn¡¯t met for a while, and the old man seemed older to Hans. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good, Mr. PM,¡± he asked Arat. ¡°Just a bit of stress,¡± Arat assured, ¡°nothing this old man can¡¯t handle.¡± Hans nodded and pointed at Delimira. ¡°It¡¯s not me but her, who wants to talk to you.¡± ¡°Fine by me.¡± Arat politely nodded at her. So, miss Winters, how can this old man be of your help?¡± He asked. After she showed her monstrous form in glory wars. Everyone knew it wouldn¡¯t take her long to reach the same height of strength as her father. They all wanted her to be on their side, and Arat wasn¡¯t an exception. Zilong in the past dismissed Samson¡¯s invitation and chose Clandor, a nation that didn¡¯t want him, all because Aredhel wished for elves to accept him. Arat didn¡¯t want to lose another potential powerhouse to others, so he was willing to fulfil any requests Delimira had. ¡°Before anything else,¡± Delimira responded, ¡°Can you tell us about the situation in Clandor?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t asking your mother would give you answers, Miss Winters?¡± Arat questioned back. ¡°In situations like these, usually the enemy knows about the hidden workings rather than some distant relative. Sir Arat.¡± Arat chuckled a little, her response was irrefutable. ¡°You are right about that, Ms. Winters. Clandor is already divided by noble houses. The eastern nobles have submitted to the Council while the western Clandor is under the rule of royals. Light ambushes are common there, but a battle with some significant impact is yet to be seen. There was also some news about peace talks or the division of the nation into two, but Reina is quite opposed to it. She doesn¡¯t even want a civil war. As for the division of eighteen mage towers, ten are supporting the Council since they fall in the eastern part. But the royal side has more allies, including the Alliance and the rest of the western nations. Dwarves and Indu chose to be neutral, and we¡­ we haven¡¯t decided what to do. Taking the council side is out of the question, and the royal¡­mm.. Let¡¯s just say we are thinking.¡± ¡°See, you obviously know more,¡± Delimira pointed, prompting Arat to smile back. But then she uttered the words which robbed Arat¡¯s smug smile, ¡°Queen Reina attempted to kill Hans in the Deadlands¡ª ¡°That crazy bitch is out of her mind, isn¡¯t she?¡± Arat fumed. Earlier, he looked like he could die any moment, but the rage brought some lost vigour into his face. ¡°Are you okay, My Prince? You didn¡¯t get hurt or anything, right? Do you want me to stop¡­ send someone¡­ No! No!, I¡¯m coming there right ¡ª ¡°Easy there, mister PM, I¡¯m not that weak. There is no need to fret this much.¡± Hans tried calming him down as he whispered to Delimira, ¡°Hey! I thought we weren¡¯t supposed to report this.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Delimira whispered back, ¡°That changes because Clandor is inviting my mother back. And that proud duke of the Highborn family specifically asked for me. Something is not right, and I can¡¯t pinpoint it.¡± Arat ranted some more about Reina, some innovative curse words included. Hans and Delimira, on the other hand, just listened to him without interruption. Finally, when he calmed down, Delimira asked him, ¡°There is something I can¡¯t understand.¡± She described, ¡°Reina isn¡¯t someone who takes risky chances. If she wanted him dead, there was no need to explain what would follow after Hans¡¯s death.¡± She put her thoughts into words and asked what confused her, ¡°But on the other hand, if she followed through with what she said, then the Council node would be framed, and you¡ª¡± ¡°And we probably rain our hatred on the Council. It was somewhat a good plan, a mediocre one at best.¡± Arat completed her sentence, and Delimira agreed. ¡°So I was thinking, her real motive must be to let Hans escape and force Parv to take the side of the Council. This would¡¯ve motivated the rest of the world to take the royal faction, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Arat denied quickly and explained, ¡°You are still young, so I understand how you reached that conclusion. But I know that vile woman quite well; even her close confidante doesn¡¯t know her real intentions. Answer me this first.¡± Arat asked calmly, ¡°Who wins in a civil war?¡± ¡°The side with the most supporters.¡± She answered logically. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right¡ª ¡°No winters.¡± Hans interjected, ¡°No one wins in a civil war. Your nation just suffers while the crown changes.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Arat felt proud hearing Hans¡¯s answer. Controlling his emotions, he explained further. ¡°A woman as fickle as Reina will never start the civil war. Because ultimately her nation¡¯s power will diminish. But if war is inevitable, she would want to minimise the damage. Do you get it now?¡± ¡°Let me confirm then,¡± Delimira reasoned, ¡°what she wants is to take out Parv from this equation since Parv stepping in will increase the scale of this war.¡± ¡°You catch on quickly. But that is not the complete answer either.¡± Arat cleared his throat, ¡°Taking the council side is not an option for us, and we can¡¯t just step in as royal allies. After all, she killed our king before and now she preyed on our last imperial. She not only wants Parv out of her damned war but to make us enemies. If we attack them right now, she would exercise her right to stop the civil war to defend against a foreign nation. That war would be nothing but a failure of some old elves who got greedy for power.¡± ¡°So whether we fight or not. She had achieved her purpose.¡± Hans,who was silently observing the wits of the two, spoke. ¡°I hate to say it, but she is impressive.¡± ¡°Yeah, she is.¡±Delimira involuntarily nodded. She had never seen her get defeated in mind games, but Hans was thinking something else. ¡°There are no eternal enemies and allies.¡± He quoted, ¡°She wants Parv to stay out of it. I say let¡¯s bulldoze our way in. We should do what she least think. Shake hands with the council.¡± He suggested. ¡°Yes, there are no forever enemies. I said those words to you, and it is true for most cases, but not in this one. You see, our intelligence has found that there is a hidden support behind the council, our very own old friend Xandor, and I think Reina knows it too.¡± ¡°That bastard just has to meddle,¡± Hans cursed aloud. ¡°Yes,¡± Arat nodded, ¡°Dijkstra has cornered their location around the eastern Clandor, the area currently ruled by the majority of Council members. As I¡¯ve said, there are no eternal enemies. I guess Xandor and the Council think the same.¡± Delimira laughed at herself. She thought she had Reina figured out, but as her distant aunt once had said, she always thinks quite a step ahead of others. ¡°But, Mister PM, Eclipse is on the side of the council. It is hidden information, right? How many people know about this?¡± ¡°Some investigators of Parv, and as I¡¯ve said, Reina surely does it too. She must have known before attacking you. After all, she wants us to stay away from their mess or create a bigger one. But I don¡¯t think the rest of her allies know. We never heard a word from our spies.¡± ¡°So, just forget that we know about Eclipse. It¡¯s time for us to show we are not that competent, Mr. PM.¡± Hans¡¯s smile turned vicious, and he demanded, ¡°Sell every possible weapon to the council. They¡¯ll buy it quickly, thinking we didn¡¯t have the information about their silent partner.¡± ¡°What do you want in return? Our weapons are quite expensive¡ª¡± ¡°A mage tower. That is the condition.¡± Hans grinned while both Arat and Delimira stared at them blankly. ¡°It¡¯s quite a ridiculous bargain, Prince Parv. They won¡¯t agree to it¡ª¡± ¡°They will,¡± Hans was confident. ¡°Since we will offer the same to the royal faction. So whoever agrees first will be the sole possessor of our weapons.¡± He turned to Arat, his grin overstretched, ¡°And when you are forgetting about Eclipse on the council side, I¡¯ll momentarily forget that Queen Reina tried to assassinate me.¡± ¡°The royals will definitely not agree, and they¡¯ll try to break the deal between the council and us.¡± Arat affirmed. ¡°Yes, and that will pressure the council into selling their mage tower to us.¡± Hans turned shameless, ¡°We¡¯ll just apologise later that we didn¡¯t know about Eclipse being the partner of the council. As compensation, we will join the royal faction. Reina played with my life to stop the weakening of her nation. I¡¯ll show her that revenge is not about getting physical but about taking away what you hold precious.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 58 : The Deal Of the Century CHAPTER 58 THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY A brief silence stuck between the three, as if they were in a graveyard in an eerie night. ¡°We could try¡­¡± Arat broke the stalemate, giving Hans what he wanted to hear. He continued saying, ¡°No, we can mostly succeed if nothing troublesome happens.¡± Arat started turning his mind gears. Hans had provided a manuscripts and it was his job to turn it into a novel. ¡°I¡¯ll get it done quickly.¡± He assured as an idea flicker in his mind like a candle. Since that eventful day, several days have passed. That day brought about significant changes in Winters mother and daughter¡¯s lives, particularly in Aredhel¡¯s. She decided to temporarily resign from her position at Concordia and return home to support Eleanor. As a result, Delimira remained in Concordia as she had wished. However, the life on Concordia went as usual. It was quite bland compared to the outside world, especially compared to Clandor. The sparse ambushes have turned to frequent ones, espionages and assassinations attempts were like flies in the dung, and in the middle of it, a rumour rose among the elves ¡ª Parv was selling their weapons of mass destruction in the war and the price was a magic tower. Till now none succeeded in buying magic tower. These entities were akin to moving fortress, filled with legacies of mages from past. Their achievements, inventions and research still echoed in those walls. It was a relic itself and to acquire it, one needed to conquer the lands it was in. And since they were ridiculous source of power and heritage, the rulers protected it with their lives. At first, people thought both sides would reject the deal, but as Hans wished the council was showing interest and it increased several folds when they heard Reina was going to make their silent partner come to light. This rushed them and Parv succeeded in acquiring their first magic tower. Upon deal the tower was teleported to Frostspire, the forbidden grounds of Parv. It was quite hard to judge which tower was weaker and which one stronger so Council chose to sell the one which was strategically way far from the border that separated them and Royals. The deal made quite the buzz, even a child in the street had heard about it from someone¡¯s mouth. ¡°Clap!¡± Hans high-fived Delimira, ¡°Told you it would work.¡± He gloated. ¡°That was a fluke,¡± she teased, ¡°PRINCESS.¡± ¡°Hey! Guys I feel like an extra here, what are you two talking about?¡± Chris complained and so did Vanir, unaware that Hans had asked the tower for him as he promised before. But he had another question. ¡°Senior stop spouting about mage tower and answer me this. What makes this a big deal. Its just mana weapons, Clandor has it, so does others, right?¡± However, instead of Hans, Chris answered, ¡°Its because unlike other, Parv is the only nation that has the technology to employ sunstones in their weapons, making them small as a pebble but bringing destruction capable of levelling the towns.¡± Hans chuckled at Chris¡¯s response, he knew Chris didn¡¯t like Parvians. They had hunted his family even in Clandor but when he was explaining there was a hint of pride in his voice. But, the happiness didn¡¯t stayed in Hans¡¯s face for long. Rudolf directly came to pick him up. ¡°Brat, your country fucked up big time. There are several people demanding explanation, come with me.¡± He said and before his friends and minion included themselves, He grabbed Hans¡¯s shirt and lifted him up as he did when he was little, ¡°Only the ¡®Prince of Parv¡¯ is required, you all wait here.¡± He whisked out of the establishment like a flash and bending his knees, he jumped high. Like a lighting bolt, he landed right outside the board room. Hans didn¡¯t even had the time to ask what was happening and he was brought to confront, figures like Samwell, Kansas and some foreign faces he couldn¡¯t recognise.¡± ¡°What is the meaning of this uncle?¡± Hans addressed Samwell. ¡°You¡­ your country did something irredeemable nephew, now you have to clear this¡ª¡± ¡°Is buying a magic tower wrong? You all call yourself allies of Clandorian royals but you are in the civil war because of the gain, right?. Is selling weapons and gaining a magic tower in return this itchy for you people that you¡¯ve Dra..summoned me here?¡± Hans questioned without backing down, he wasn¡¯t intimidated for a moment and was glaring at the people facing him. Kansas, who found Hans annoying since day one, stood up beating the table, ¡°its not, but it is whom you sold them to. PRINCE PARV.¡± ¡°Council.¡± Hans feigned innocence. ¡°Its not just council. Contact your prime minister. He had made a fool of himself by selling the Parvian weapons to his nemesis, Eclipse.¡± Kansas stressed. ¡°Whaat!¡± Hans made a baffled face, he had tried rehearsing several time with Delimira and perfected it so much that even she could be fooled. He stretched his hand towards Rudolf, asking for a communication orb. ¡°Click!¡± ¡°Prime minister Arat. Are you out of your god damn mind.¡± He yelled without even greeting. It was as if he was scolding his subordinate for the mess he made. Arat tried to excuse, but Hans remained relentless with his words, ¡°You sold the mana weapons to Council. The eclipse is behind them, didn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I also got the news late. Who¡¯d have thought that Xandor who almost eradicated the old council would take the side of new one. These elves had no loyalty, how could they shake hands with the one who murdered their brethren in cold blood. I use to believe the pride Elves had, but it seems desperation undermined their resolves, My prince¡ª ¡°My prince, my foot, get them back.¡± Hans ordered, ¡°Xandor might already have my father as undead and now you¡¯ve handed our power to them too. Get them back this instant.¡± ¡°Do you think, if I ask to give refund they¡¯ll happily agree and return our goods?¡± Arat responded curt. ¡°Then rig those weapons somehow, can you control it or explode it.¡± Hans questioned, his face looking for any hope in the response. ¡°No we take pride in our inventions. Our weapons are without any flaws but I offered the same condition to Royals too, it was them who didn¡¯t accept it.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You disappoints me Arat. You fucked up bad, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility¡ª ¡°I¡¯ll resign myself,¡± Arat interrupted the charade, explaining, ¡°I think, my age is catching up to me. I¡¯m not as sharp as I was before¡ª ¡°You want to run away after throwing shit at my face, PM. No, I won¡¯t allow it.¡± Hans also cut him off. ¡°You¡¯ll join the royal side and fight for them to redeem yourself.¡± He commanded, and it was somewhat good news for the people who came here to corner Hans. Many of them wanted the same but their faces were baffled, and it was not because of Hans¡¯s terrific acting but what he said earlier about the undead Samson still being with Eclipse. ¡°Hey¡­ nephew¡­ what did you say about.. your father¡ª ¡°Arat believes Xandor still have my father¡¯s body.¡± Hans explained but Arat from the communication orb interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll explain to them. You weren¡¯t aware of the dealings, so just go back and do what you were doing.¡± Hans showed some reluctance but as the other nodded in agreement, he was forced to step outside the board room. ¡°Now we are in this War business. No matter which side wins, our weapons will rain on both, dwindling their power.¡± He was thinking, ¡°Planning an armistice would be fine but not before we dwindle their powers to nothing. How is my revenge queen Reina. I wish I could see your face right now.¡± He succeeded at the cost of Arat¡¯s plummeting reputation. The man known for not making mistakes became a joke but if it was for Parv, Arat was ready to bear any humiliation. A few days turned like the pages of an old book. Vanir was searching for Hans like a madman on Delimira¡¯s behest but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, he got the clue when someone said they saw him around task hall. ¡°Senior.. Senior.¡± He gasped, ¡°There is big problem. Senior Winters.. asked for you by the Spacedoor. Clandorians¡ª Hans didn¡¯t listen the rest and took off with full speed. He almost crashed by the Spacedoor as his eyes met Chris and Delimira arguing with some elves. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± He asked standing up. His eyes reached where Delimira was looking at. Several elves, probably from Clandor was in heated conversation with her. ¡°You can¡¯t take her.¡± She said to them, her voice loud. ¡°What are they talking about?¡± He looked ahead and finally spotted a little girl he knew standing behind those elves. They encircled her, their stances protective. ¡°We have orders, Concordia already verified. Stop getting in our way, half-blood.¡± A woman, mage of Clandor who looked like the leader of the group showed written permissions. Hans came by her side with long strides. ¡°What are you doing Winters?¡± ¡°These people wants to take Allynna back.¡± She answered in a hushed voice. ¡°So, let them be,¡± He darted his eyes at the letter that woman was showing, ¡°They have written permission.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand Hans. This is a trap, Reina would never call her there in these volatile times. I can¡¯t contact anyone in Clandor, some sort of jamming spells are restricting any communication.¡± ¡°Then how did Concordia verified?¡± Hans asked. ¡°They have the queen¡¯s seal.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Hans asked her in the same hushed fashion, ¡°So who are these jokers?¡± ¡°Probably from other¡­no..¡± she paused, ¡°probably from the Crows.¡± ¡°The shadow family?¡± Hans confirmed, ¡°The royalties who had no claim to the throne, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Delimira nodded. ¡°Then let her go,¡± Hans shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Reina should know how it feels to loose a child too. After what she did to me, I want her to feel that. These people would try to leverage something over queen.¡± ¡°No, save her¡ª ¡°Are you serious. You want me to save the child of the woman who tried to murder me.¡± Hans was bewildered, ¡°I¡¯m not that big of a pushover Deli.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t being pushover, Hans,¡± Delimira said, her eyes darting to Allynna. ¡°She¡¯ll be the next queen. Take this chance to make her indebted.¡± Her eyes turned to him, her face close to his. ¡°I know Allynna. On the account of saving her, she will become a roadblock for Reina to attack you. You are missing an opportunity to sow seeds of conflict between them.¡± ¡°That is far fetch Deli.¡± Hans shook his head, ¡°They are mother and daughter, its not something I can get between.¡± ¡°Then how about this, it would be a hard slap on Reina¡¯s face.¡± Delimira tried to reason with him, ¡°You could have taken advantage of this situation, but you¡¯re better than her, a coward who cornered you all by yourself.¡± ¡°I still need justification¡ª ¡°Just save her goddamnit.¡± She was furious at him for acting slow. ¡°Fine. Vanir, fetch my communication orb. Professor Walter, I¡¯m about to do something crazy. Deal with the aftermath. You can even undermine Professor Aredhel with this¡ªclick.¡± The message ended. He inhaled hard and shouted at the elves, especially Allynna. ¡°Hey shrimp, do you want to go back with them?¡± Delimira frustratingly interjected. ¡°Don''t dillydally Hans¡ª ¡°No i don''t want to¡± Unexpected, Allynna responded. ¡°What are you talking princess¡± the elf leader tried to convince her but before she could say more, Hans intervened, ¡°Then ask me. Ask me daughter of Reina Clandor to save you.¡± Hans addressed her not by name but as her mother¡¯s daughter. Allynna was naive but not the others who heard him. If she asks, it would be an example for world to remember that Reina couldn¡¯t protect her heir but Hans did. ¡°Yes please, I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Allynna responded, her voice pleading. The powerful onlookers who heard her pleading could have stopped this but stayed silent. The volatile relationship between Parv and Clandor in these chaotic times made everyone cautious. After all, to avoid getting caught up in these political dramas, they¡¯d moved to stay in Concordia. As long as the protocols were followed, they didn¡¯t care. However, since Hans had heard the plight, he was going to respond. ¡°Zwoom!¡± The area quickly turned to Void zone. He whispered to Delimira, ¡°I don¡¯t like to be used Deli, this is the last time.¡± He then turned to the crowd, ¡°You''ve heard her pointies, the shrimp wants to stay.¡± ¡°Its not her for decide.¡± The escort leader interrupted, ¡°The orders were to get her back, period. By what right you are stopping it. Even Concordia is not interfering.¡± She pointed at the many professors who were watching the scene. Nobody wanted to get involve when everything was going by the book. ¡°By what right you ask.¡± Hans grinned, ¡° The right of being strong, this is just kidnapping. You want her, ask Reina to settle her score with me and get her.¡± ¡°Woosh!¡± All of a sudden she was coiled in tendrils and pulled into Hans¡¯s hands. ¡°You wanna take her? Leave your heads here.¡± ¡°You¡¯d regret this Hans Parv¡ª ¡°Get in line. Many said the same and are six feets under.¡± ¡°Are you all going to watch?¡± The elven leader tried pleading support from onlookers. ¡°We brought all official paperwork. We did every tedious procedure. Are you, highly respected professors will let this brat of a prince rub his filthy actions in the pride of great Concordia.¡± The words were true and it was wrong of Hans to do this. He was breaking the law of Concordia. But before some wise person interruptedHans claimed his ground, ¡°The elven princess has officially asked the aid of Parvian prince. This is a matter between nations do not get involve.¡± Whatever the elven escort woman had said got negated instantly. He scoffed, ¡°Go back from whatever hole you crawled from, pointies.¡± Things started to heated up, Both Hans and the escorts were ready to collide but Walter came to save the day. ¡°Since her CastleMaster is not here, the sub-master had made the decision. Please go back and relay this to her guardian. Since this is troublesome time, if she wants her daughter to return come here herself. Till than, she will be safe here.¡± Walter showed them the direction of SpaceDoor. ¡°You are getting involved in politics of Clandor, Warlord Walter.¡± One of the elf countered. ¡°Please go back. That punk is not something I can control.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± regretting, the escorts stepped inside the Spacedoor, scheduled for Clandor but found themselves in a dense forest, where an eerie presence lied waiting for them.
Elven Lies II Chapter 59 : The War Assembly CHAPTER 59 THE WAR ASSEMBLY Hans pushed the baffled Allynna towards Vanir. ¡°Take her somewhere else. I need to have a serious talk. This is about to get bloody.¡± He turned to Delimira, his eyes narrowed. ¡°You do know, I don¡¯t leave loose ends.¡± ¡°I saw this coming when you gave in, and that¡¯s up to you, Hans, but I need to confirm something first. Follow me.¡± They both left, leaving the second-years alone. ¡°Wow,¡± Allynna just stood there stunned. Her own people who didn¡¯t bother to listen to her commands or rather plights succumbed to this easily by the words of an outsider. ¡°They just left like that! I was struggling, trying to convince them, but it didn¡¯t work. And all it did for the imperial¡­ senior Hans to say a few words, and they backed off.¡± ¡°He commanded unlike how you requested them.¡± Vanir answered, proud. ¡°There is a fundamental difference. The authority he carries with the strength to back it up helps too. That didn¡¯t come from his family background but within himself.¡± ¡°You admire him, don¡¯t you, Vanir?¡±Allynna asked, almost dejected. ¡°Of course, who wouldn¡¯t?¡± Vanir looked at her like she had asked a useless question. He reasoned, ¡°A person has to be at least in that calibre to rule a nation.¡± ¡°That sure makes me envious.¡± Her last words were so silent that they didn¡¯t even reach her ears, but she understood what she was feeling at that moment. Meanwhile, Hans was pacing at Delimira¡¯s home. ¡°Is it connected yet?¡± he asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t help when you breathe down my neck¡ª ¡°Click!¡± The orb got connected, and Delimira fired the question first at the recipient. ¡°What is your angle in this madness, aunt?¡± ¡°So, you succeeded, of course, you would¡¯ve. After all, you are still in my palms, niece.¡± Reina from the other side mocked. ¡°What did your people want with Allynna?¡± Delimira was relentless. She knew she was used by her. She questioned, ¡°Were they your people or not?¡± ¡°It was unanimously decided to trade my daughter and the council leader¡¯s son for peace. I had no say in it when it was about the peace in my war-torn country. But I didn¡¯t want that for my daughter. It seemed evident what would happen to her later. The peace would be temporary at best.¡± Delimira¡¯s eyes asked her to continue. Resigning Reina answered, ¡°So when the Crows send an escort to fetch her, I blocked every transmission and informed Ally to reach you.¡± ¡°So you just left her here.¡± Delimira became furious. She knew Hans helping her was a fluke. ¡°What if he hadn¡¯t stopped them? Do you understand the gravity of that situation? You used your daughter as a bargaining chip¡ª ¡°I had faith in your feelings, Delimira. I said someone has deep influence on the prince of Parv. You said not to use him. I didn¡¯t?¡± Reina scoffed. ¡°You did.¡± ¡°I acknowledge you got me pretty good, but there is a price to pay when you got Hans involved. The people, the very loyal people to the Crows, are lying dead somewhere. You won¡¯t be able to find their bodies.¡± ¡°They should have listened to me then.¡± Reina affirmed. ¡°You are a sick woman, Queen Reina. You handed the fate of your daughter to your enemy after what you did to him in the Deadlands. You should have known. You have charted top on his kill list. You are his enemy.¡± ¡°Listen well, Delimira Winters.¡± Reina looked like she was imparting wisdom on her, but the receiver was disgusted by those words. However, it didn¡¯t affect her to say, ¡°Sometimes your enemies are more reliable than allies, and I had trust in your affection for Allynna. You have a grip on the Parvian neck. ¡°You overestimated me. It could have cost Allynna¡¯s life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do things which I don¡¯t know for a fact, and the fact is, dear niece, you would have stopped her even at the cost of being summoned to Clandor for trial of opposing the royal decree.¡± ¡°But it was not your decree, neither your wish¡ª¡± ¡°That does not matter.¡± Reina denied. ¡°One must adapt to the situation which benefits you the most. I taught you this at the very first.¡± ¡°This is madness¡ª ¡°This is politics,¡± Reina¡¯s tone turned curt. ¡°You are listening, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± Hans came beside Delimira from behind. ¡°Let me just ask you. What do you have on highborns?¡± She asked, her face full of disgust. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°And why do you think I¡¯d just tell you?¡± Hans scoffed. ¡°Pft, I had doubts, but you just confirmed you have something on him. See, I¡¯m not the one underestimating you two. You overestimate yourself. ¡°Say that to my face when I smack you hard. See you there, you mad woman. You just made your war my business.¡± ¡°Then come here. You have a lot of people trying to protect you. That just shows how truly weak you are.¡± ¡°No,¡± Hans chuckled. ¡°It says I¡¯m more likable than you damned elf.¡± Click¡ª ¡°Ugh, she¡­. She really gets on my nerve.¡± Hans was serious; she was an itch that he couldn¡¯t scratch. He had convinced Arat to devise something for him to be in the epicenter of the civil war of Clandor, and he was waiting patiently, honing his skills. Several more days were gone peacefully, but this was calm before the storm, and it eventually came knocking, sweeping whole Genas with it when one of Clandor¡¯s royal faction¡¯s fortress was breached in the dividing borders. This was the first step of the Council in Western Clandor, and it was all due to the help of Mana bombs from Parv. In a single day, the Royals lost a fort, and it marked the beginning of an all-out war. Concordia declared a state of emergency, and the annual holidays began a week earlier. Students were free to choose whether they wanted to return home or to stay in the protection of Concordia, which continued to be neutral like Indu and HellForge, the dwarven nation. However, anyone who wished to be a part of the war was free to do so at the cost of giving up their positions they held in Concordia, like Aredhel. Many people had already taken on sides; the majority were supporting and providing their services to the royal faction like other nations. And, in the middle of that chaos, Norwin of Genas Alliance called the war assembly for their allies in the neutral ground of Concordia. And in the next morning, one after another, SpaceDoor lit up, and allies of Clandor¡¯s royal faction stepped in; their board hall, which only housed a few seats before, had magically expanded to house hundreds of people. ¡°Zwoom!¡± Arat and his escorts descended onto the floatlands, marked by a beam of light. They bowed respectfully to Hans, who awaited their arrival. ¡°So, did you make a plan for me?¡± Hans questioned, more like demanded the answer. Initially, Arat wanted to deny Hans¡¯s whims, but seeing his authoritative attitude, he resigned, ¡°Your wish is my command, my prince.¡± Hans nodded; he got an answer he aligned with. With a swing of motion, he put on the majestic white robe of Imperials, golden Gryphon shining on pure white attire. He looked like a full-fledged Imperial ready for going into the assembly. He led the way to the board hall, with Arat and his escort trailing behind him. ¡°Creek!¡± The doors of the board hall opened, and Hans stepped in with his escort and currently the common enemy of the world, Arat trailing from behind. The buzzing board hall, currently hosting the war assembly,went dead silent until someone from Sunfall commented, ¡°Man of no mistakes, finally did something, and it fucked us over.¡± Someone agreed, passing the similar mockery towards Arat, and this type of comments kept passing among these people. Hans knew he had tarnished Arat¡¯s reputation, but the man of getting criticism stayed as calm as stagnant water. ¡°Ahem! Ahem!¡± Norwin, who initiated this assembly, coughed, and the people got silenced. He addressed Arat, bypassing Hans, ¡°So tell me how are you going to redeem yourself, Arat?¡± There was no respect in his tone, but that didn¡¯t matter at this point to any men but Hans. However, he held it in as Arat patted on his shoulder, reminding him to stay calm. This was Hans''s inaugural meeting as Parv''s representative, and at just thirteen years old, he was the youngest among the world rulers assembled there. ¡°Your father would be proud.¡± He whispered. Focussing on the answer seekers, Arat responded, ¡°My apologies again; this happened due to my misguided belief and lack of intel.¡± He respectfully bowed and again whispered to Hans, ¡°Remember my prince ¡ª In the need of the hour, you have to bow to a donkey if it benefits you.¡± ¡°Quit the theatrics, Arat. Just tell us what was so important that you called me to assemble everyone here?¡± Asked Norwin. ¡°The weight of my word has become a joke nowadays, so I doubted my summoning power, but your words hold true. That¡¯s why I asked this favour, Alliance head Norwin.¡± Arat showed a short smile and continued, ¡°and now to address the giant in the room. As my Prince Hans has commanded, I have to redeem myself by helping your side, and this is my first step¡ª I¡¯ve found the location of Eclipse¡ª¡± ¡°Shut it, old man,¡± Norwin interjected, adding, ¡°don¡¯t you think you should tell these things more privately, not in front of hundreds of people?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t trust your allies?¡± Arat pointed out. ¡°I also know there must be some spies of the council or Eclipse among our friends.¡± He gestured to the crowd, adding, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t matter if Xandor knows that we know. Since it would be impossible for him to move. He could only brace himself in his hole, and the council power would be divided in two.¡± Norwin heaved, ¡°Can I trust you with the information¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, over my life.¡± Arat assured him with a confident gaze. Then a screen behind Norwin lit up, and Eleanor and Reina, who were listening to this from the frontline with a communication orb, joined them. ¡°Ha, finally the royals are gracing us with their presence.¡± Arat commented, but Reina¡¯s contorted face was showing off how discontent she was with the current situation. Arat had doubts as others, so he asked as Reina showed up on the screen, ¡°Greetings, I hope OSIRIS blesses you in the war. I have just one question, Queen Reina, will you allow me to indulge?¡± Reina was taken aback by the sudden show of respect, so she nodded. Arat then proceeded, ¡°The new council, your enemies, are descendants of the old Council. The influence of the other eight high elven families has shaped them into what they are now. Are you confident that the ninth family won''t interfere from behind?¡± ¡°No, Anfaleen rejected them. He has holed himself in the node, busy researching. He has given the word of oath that under no circumstances will any Torceran get involved with these matters. ¡°And you trust that?¡± Arat doubted. ¡°Arrogant people see lying beneath them, isn¡¯t it, Prince of Parv?¡± She sneered at Hans, and Hans smirked back the same.She continued to answer as this was a doubt many people wanted to clear: ¡°Trust him. I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. I¡¯ve made the Clandor node mark the Torceran¡¯s. He won¡¯t be able to pincer us. But there is another thing we all are curious about.¡± Her eyes shifted to Arat: ¡°Give me the exact numbers of weapons you¡¯ve sold to the Council.¡± Arat paused a little and responded, ¡°Too many.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 60 : The War Assembly CHAPTER 60 THE ORDER OF GOLDEN GRIFFINS Arat¡¯s response generated a buzz of murmured conversations in the expanded boardroom. Reina, her voice rising, demanded the information directly from Arat. ¡°Just give me the numbers, Old man.¡± ¡°50 artillery pieces with 1,000 shots. No barrier of yours will be able to stop them, the same as how they captured Galenhall Fort. The penetrable power is absolute; it can strike down any flying beast or warships from 30 km.¡± ¡°You sound proud,¡± Reina¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Our Galenhall family lost their ancestral home and was forced to flee; it¡¯s all your fault¡ª ¡°A blacksmith is not wrong in forging a sword that massacred the living.¡± Hans was silent, but he couldn¡¯t bear hearing more, so he bit back, ¡°The fault lies in the very nature of the possessor of that power. These are the words of your own progenitor, Clandor Queen. Will you refute that?¡± ¡°Yes, you are right, but you gave that power to the Council. Will you refute that too?¡± She questioned Hans, but Arat responded, chiming in. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. That¡¯s why when Parv had no desire to be siding with anyone, he was joining the royal faction.¡± He rubbed the salt on Reina¡¯s wounds, Parv staying out of this civil war was what she was after, and the fiasco she created in Deadlands aimed to do the very thing at least. She almost had achieved it. Yet somehow Parvians managed to get involved. Seeing the change in her facial expressions, Arat halted his spiced tongue and added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be sending our Griffin knights with Commander Homar to your aid, you know the current third-rank holder. With this, you¡¯ll have all three top knights in this world. This is our sincerity.¡± ¡°Hmm, I feel like I¡¯m in someone¡¯s game.¡± Reina reluctantly said. ¡°I can¡¯t help if you feel that way, Queen Reina, but you have no choice but to play.¡± Arat smiled a little, asking, ¡°So when are you going to open your borders for us? Our army is ready to ¡®AID¡¯ you.¡± However, Reina wanted more; she had borne the significant loss. ¡°Since this is the mess you made,¡± she pointed out, ¡°Your knights will represent our forces at the vanguard.¡± Arat nodded, ¡°Hmm, fine¡ª¡± ¡°No, not going to happen.¡± Hans cut off Arat, that startled him too, along with the others in the assembly. ¡°Prince, let me handle this.¡± Arat whispered to Hans, ¡°All is going well¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Hans undermined Arat in front of others, and his tone was filled with utter disrespect. He turned to others and addressed them, ¡°Let me make this clear to you all. Parv is taking part in this not because we feel guilty of what we did or have any pity for Clandorians. They aren¡¯t our people. We bear no responsibility for their lives, but we do for Eclipse¡­ So, stop bullshitting and let us do our job in eradicating them. Open your borders, and we¡¯ll take care of them in our way.¡± ¡°Your arrogance has no bounds, isn¡¯t it, Prince of Parv? Did you say you feel no guilt?¡± Reina questioned, her face furious, ¡°Why do you think these good people are supporting our side¡ªbecause they know if the council comes into power, the lives of commoner elves will become unbearable, they¡¯d even lose the basic rights. These people are with me to stop that tyranny before it happens. And you armed our enemies, the kind with the means to realise their ambitions, and you say you bear no responsibility?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­Do you know, Path of inner peace starts with four words?¡± Hans said with an innocent face that turned cold instantly as he continued, ¡°NOT MY FUCKING PROBLEM.¡± He added after the bewildered faces darting at him. ¡°And the last time I checked, I do not have ¡®Clandor¡¯ as my last name, but Parv, Queen Reina. The only people I¡¯m responsible for are from Parv. Call me cold-hearted, but that is the truth. So not a single Parvian will die following your commands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the assurance your country is bringing.¡± Reina laced her words with sarcasm. ¡°So you want me to open our nation to people whom I can¡¯t have authority over? That¡¯s just asking us to hand ourselves over.¡± ¡°Take it or leave it, your choice.¡± Hans gave an ultimatum. This wasn¡¯t discussed before, and Arat had no clue what was happening either. He was trying to make Hans understand that this could backfire on them very quickly. The moment they sold weapons to the Council, they had no choice but to align themselves with the Royals to not make them an enemy of the rest of the world, but Hans was adamant on getting things done his way. However, when Arat kept pressuring him, Hans revolted against him too. ¡°Mr. PM, Griffin knights are the shield of the imperial bloodline, that makes me the last person they vow to protect. Under no circumstances, I¡¯ll allow them to become collateral damage in someone else¡¯s war.¡± Hans pressed, and Arat halted his words. So, he continued addressing others. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, they vowed to protect me as my knights, so as their master, it is my duty to protect them from any unfair commands. I believe that is the knight¡¯s oath we take in Parv, right?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The mention of a lord¡¯s oath shut Arat up permanently. Hans was right by every word he said, and it reminded him there was much more than politics that mattered in Parv. He eventually forgot that the knights were not just soldiers but also the people. They were strong but not invincible, and Hans was protecting them. However, Hans¡¯s statement had thrown the whole war assembly into chaos,as it challenged the traditional structure of military authority. To build a strong army, there typically needed to be a single commanding authority, yet Hans was advocating for autonomy. This raised concerns about potential clashes within the army and the potential weakening of Queen Reina''s authority. Hans understood that too, so he offered, ¡°But I promise in my name that no harm will befall on your side from ours, at least not during this civil war. I¡¯ll personally be there, making sure of it.¡± Arat was dumbfounded by the sudden revelations. He had planned Hans to be in Clandor but not as the authority but an observer. He immediately objected, standing up fervently. ¡°This was not part of the discussion¡±, he strongly opposed Hans going as authority to Clandor, where he could be easily targeted for assassination. However, Hans''s intense gaze silenced Arat before he could speak further. Sierra and Rudolf, who were present there, didn¡¯t accept it either. ¡°Going to Clandor. My foot, brat.¡± Rudolf shouted, but Hans coldly responded. ¡°Sir Alastor.¡± He addressed him formally, ¡°This is not your place to speak up. An imperial must be present on the battlefield, not hiding in the safety of the walls. My father did that and so will I. It has been our ways since the beginning of our times and I¡¯ll not be breaking that tradition.¡± Hans¡¯s presence in Clandor was the self-assurance that Parvians won¡¯t be acting out, so after some heated discussions and concessions for hours among the royal allies, his condition was accepted. But, Hans was asked to confirm Parv¡¯s every move directly with Reina. She couldn¡¯t let go of the authority, and Hans had no problems in accepting those terms. All he wanted was to protect Parvian knights from hidden schemes. As the assembly was dismissed, a several-square-feet-wide light pillar fell on Concordia grounds. Arat had quickly called on the Griffin knights, and the order was here. The hundred knights of Parv stepped out from the light. Each possessed an elite and regal appearance, clad in armour that gleamed with enchantments and insignia of the golden griffin, clearly stating their sole allegiance and loyalty to the imperial blood. Some among them were seasoned veterans, ranked in the top hundred, while others were fresh, unranked due to the closure of the Parv in participating in the Knight convention. But, the immense aura they carried was not of a Dominion Knight. The sheer numbers of knights of grade eighty and above proved why Parv was called the nation of knights. Leading the procession in his impressive and sleekgreen armour, Homar removed his helm, revealing determined eyes fixed on Hans. With a booming voice, he declared, ¡°The Order of Golden Griffin salutes its master!¡± In perfect synchrony, the knights stamped their left feet in unison and assumed a posture of utmost attention. Their right hands transformed into fists, resting solemnly over their hearts. The ground seemed to echo with the weight of their collective might as they stood in disciplined formation, exuding the unwavering strength and unity. ¡°Long live the Imperials! Long live Prince Hans!¡± They thundered in unison, their words reverberating through the air like a battle cry. Hans was baffled but accepted their greetings with utmost respect. ¡°Since when did Homar think of me as the prince? Didn¡¯t he say, ¡® I need to prove myself by defeating a top ten¡¯?¡± He thought hard but didn¡¯t find any answer, so he focussed his gaze on Homar, who approached him, and with every step he took, a clanking sound followed. He stopped at a hand¡¯s distance and addressed Hans, ¡°Fighting in the frontline is not your place yet, mister Hans.¡± He hadn¡¯t called him prince, but his voice carried a great respect he never showed before. He bowed slightly, ¡°I appreciate you speaking for the order and your wish to be responsible for our lives. You treating us not as knights but citizens of Parv is commendable too, and trust me, everyone in the order is grateful for your stand. So I ask you to have some faith in our abilities; we are not fragile.¡± ¡°You want me out of this too? I gave my word; I won¡¯t be backing down.¡± Hans responded, resolute, continuing, ¡°It¡¯s an insult to my name¡ª¡± ¡°I said no such thing.¡± Homar interrupted, ¡°This is your decision to make, but I¡¯ll carry no dead weight in the order and quite frankly, you are the dead weight, Mister Hans. A fight and a war are different as night and day. You want to be in the war, find your own place.¡± Because of Homar¡¯s unwavering stand, Arat and Hans¡¯s well-wishers thought they would get what they wanted. There was no way Homar would stand down, but it was akin to slapping Hans¡¯s face and challenging his authority, so to save his pride, Arat inserted himself into the conversation, ¡°But since an Imperial had said it, it must be followed.¡± He came to Hans¡¯s defence, and his eyes searched Sierra to add something. The dean of mages, although reluctant for Hans to be in Clandor, couldn¡¯t bear him losing his pride, ¡°You¡¯ll join me in the logistics and support unit, Hans. Your grandpa already took leave of absence for us. With your regeneration and my healing, we will be contributing more compared to the frontline.¡± Hans realised what was going on. Arat was manipulating him, but it was for his safety. So, he gave in, only proposing a condition that must be satisfied, ¡°If we saw a glimpse of Xandor, I won¡¯t listen to anybody. Got it?¡± Everyone agreed, and Homar bid him farewell. The next day, the allies of Clandor royalty were arriving in Utar at dawn, at the western borders of Clandor. So, Golden Griffin set off early. Arat also needed to go back to Parv. The departure of the golden griffins had left a hole in his home that he needed to fill. So before his departure, he pleaded to Hans, ¡°Remember there is no shame in running, only in giving up. As long as you survive, you can bite back. So, please take care, my prince.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to drag your name into the mud, Mister PM¡ª¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, you never apologise to anyone, so don¡¯t jinx your luck by changing, my prince.¡± Aratpatted his shoulder warmly and went back to Parv. Homar and the order were to fight Eclipse, and with Sierra around, there should be no danger to Hans¡¯s life. At least that was what Arat was thinking, but he was getting an ominous feeling that he couldn¡¯t pinpoint. There was a hidden enemy siding with the Council that no one was aware of.
Elven Lies II Chapter 61 : The Army of Swans CHAPTER 61 THE ARMY OF SWANS The wind blew past his ears as he inhaled the grassy scent of the lush forest he stood proud. ¡°Yes. Now is the time. I¡¯ve poured everything on you guys, so don¡¯t disappoint me, you two.¡± He patted the knapbinder as he returned to Agrilands from the Mystic Glade, his own true dungeon. He was happy, and it was showing all over his face. An excitement unknown to him was making him intoxicated. ¡°Man, I can¡¯t calm my heart.¡± He muttered, trying to pace his beating heart. The time had come for him to meet his archenemy. As he resurfaced in Concordia, he found the three faces waiting for him. ¡°This makes things easier,¡± Chris was the one to speak first, and his voice sounded relieved as he explained, ¡°I was thinking how to ask you for permission to join my father in Clandor. It has been my home since childhood. I want to protect it, at least until your interests do not clash with theirs, buddy.¡± Before Hans could speak, Delimira sighed, ¡°You¡¯re quite irritating, Hans. We could¡¯ve enjoyed the war from afar, but you had to step in and make a mess¡­I thought you were just trying to get under Queen Reina¡¯s skin when you mentioned interfering¡­.But since the teacher and mother are already there, I guess, it¡¯s not bad to back them up. And someone has to put a tight leash on you so you don¡¯t take steps before discussing.¡± ¡°Keep telling yourself that, Deli.¡± Hans smirked, ¡°Let¡¯s wreak havoc there.¡± He and she gave some mean looks that Chris and Vanir didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Can I come too¡ª¡± ¡°Hell no, Vanir, I brought your entire family here. What do you want to do in Clandor?¡± Hans quickly answered before anyone more rained their thoughts on him. ¡°But senior, you are going there, aren¡¯t you?¡± Vanir persisted. ¡°You should prepare yourself.¡± Hans came close and whispered into his minion¡¯s ears, ¡°I bought the magic tower as I¡¯ve promised. But you are nowhere near strong enough to claim it. I leave the rest to you.¡± EASTERN CLANDOR, COUNCIL TERRITORY The Cold winds howled at the foot of the sleeping Giant mountain, and a hidden entrance of a cavern revealed itself. Inside it was a luxurious structure, all made from dwarven magic. A well-lit and insulated hall that none can dream of fitting inside, but it seated thirteen people. ¡°Hmm, Bryon, did they find us?¡± Xandor asked his first captain. ¡°I believe they did, but discussing it so openly as if they wanted us to hear them.¡± Bryon doubted their intentions. ¡°I guess Arat hasn¡¯t gone senile yet. But I never thought he¡¯d ruin his own reputation for a scheme. He sold those weapons to the council knowing well we were allying ourselves with them¡ª¡± ¡°Why?¡± Bryon inquired. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why go so much length to ally themselves with Royals? Did he forget what they did to HIM? I guess I lost the right to criticise.¡± Xandor halted his words as he looked the green-lit hollows staring right back at him from the corners. He shrugged off the eerie feeling his undead king was giving him and turned back to the conversation. ¡°Then why did they discuss our location without any caution?¡± Bryon asked. ¡°Because he knows very well we can¡¯t move. I¡¯m very skilled in siege warfare, and my spells are practically made for them. We are in a bind. If we abandon this place, we will be facing the order of golden griffins in open. The hundred dominion knights will be quite a challenge¡ª¡± ¡°But they are just dominion knights, right?¡± Onas, the latest and the twelfth captain of Eclipse, asked. ¡°Dominion knights? They aren¡¯t just that. I¡¯ve been on both sides, so I know very well. We will be facing Parv¡¯s pride, an entire order that is honed best for the best. They will be tactical, and I quite frankly do not want to face Homar.¡± ¡°Oh, our commander is getting scared?¡± Adrian interrupted, showing off his newly polished blade. ¡°He can¡¯t beat me. I¡¯ve his nemesis as the Death King, but he and his knights could very well stall me in stalemate. And while I¡¯ll be in stalemate, the Order of Golden Griffins will not spare you. I can promise we will lose half of our forces if we face Homar¡¯s legion in open.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we will face them in siege battle, my specialty. Arat knew my decision beforehand. That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t cautious of our knowing. It never mattered that we knew their plans since it was already decided what we would do.¡± ¡°But if we holed up here, then the new council will be jaded without our support. They only have one more magic tower than Clandor while they have almost the whole continent fighting Royal sides.¡± ¡°That is why Arat is a dangerous man, Onas. But we aren¡¯t the only allies of the new council. My old friend Anfaleen has sent quite the perverted force in silence.¡± In the early morning, a gentle shower persisted from the night before. Rudolf and the others had donned their rain capes as they waited for Hans on the soft showers outside. And Hans emerged from the doors, his yellow rain cape blending with theirs. Rudolf double-checked, ¡°So, are you fully prepared?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Hans patted his space belt confidently, ¡°Yes, I have everything I need.¡± Rudolf motioned for Hans to join him. ¡°Then let''s go.¡± As Hans glanced back, he caught Vanessa''s warm smile, and he returned the gesture. He was unsure of how long the war would last or when he would return. Dietrich''s visit the previous night had been comforting. He didn''t try to discuss strategy or to sway Hans''s emotions. Instead, he shared anecdotes and chatted about random things which Hans enjoyed. Hans also recounted his experiences of Node like an enthusiastic child telling tales of his adventure to an attentive elder. And Dietrich listened to everything, from Hera¡¯s obsession to adopt him, to his clashes with Reina. He kept silent about Zilong, deeming it his own issue to resolve. Feeling nostalgic, he moved towards Rudolf and commanded, ¡°INGRESS¡± Zwoom!" The light pillar descended upon Hans, engulfing him along with Rudolf, Sierra, Chris, and Delimira. In an instant, they were whisked away from the Floatlands, disappearing into thin air. EASTERN UTAR, THE RENDEZVOUS POINT Clandor and Utar were separated by a natural border, a strait that marked the boundary between them. Since Clandor strictly prohibited non-elves from entering their lands, their allies gathered in Utar, awaiting the Clandorian escort for their passage. Soldiers from allied nations began to materialise through space doors, one after another, while flying warships adorned with magical weaponry and artefacts soared through the skies. The Order of Golden Griffins had already established their camps and stood ready for action. They waited not for Clandorians but for Hans, and their anticipation was short-lived as he arrived, riding the majestic light of Osiris through the "INGRESS" beam. Regardless of others'' opinions about Parv, there was widespread envy for the swift travel capabilities of these southeastern people. Hans''s sudden arrival left them in awe, showcasing the impressive transportation methods of his homeland. While Homar might have displayed reluctance in accepting Hans as their prince, the knights held a different sentiment. Their faces lit up with joy as their future king descended through the shimmering light. Without hesitation, they organised into a formation, splitting into two lines with swords drawn and held aloft. Their formation created an archway, a passage to welcome Hans with honour and reverence. Hans didn¡¯t let their effort fail and marched through the passage to the commander¡¯s tent where Homar was waiting by the entrance. ¡°So this is Utar..¡± Hans murmured as his eyes tried to take the whole scenery in quickly. And he wasn¡¯t alone; Chris and Delimira shared the same sentiments. But before they could see the allied army, they reached Homar. ¡°Welcome.¡± Homar gestured them to come inside. There was a terrain map of Clandor resting on the wide table. He showed the red-hued line that separated the Elven land into east and west. ¡°This is the current border,¡± he said, pointing to a castle-like piece near the border. ¡°This was the Galenhall stronghold. Now, the Council occupies it. They were unprepared when the Council hit them with our weapons. Fortunately, they owned a magic tower and managed to escape the slaughter.¡± Homar was explaining the situation, speeding them up in current affairs. But when it came to the Clandor Hierarchy, Hans was a total newcomer. So, he asked, pointing to the castles on the western side. Homar explained them calmly. There was no disrespect or annoyance in his eyes. From north to south, he iterated, ¡°House Highborn. These are the strongest supporters of the royals, the king¡¯s paternal family. They own two of the eight remaining magic towers in the west.¡± Next, Homar pointed his finger a bit down, ¡°House Reverend. They don¡¯t own any magic towers and are the sole knight family of Clandor. They produced several knights till the age. Even Queen Reina and her brother Martys were trained by their masters.¡± ¡°A house of knights? Interesting. What about the rest?¡± Hans inquired. ¡°There are a total of six families that support the royal faction, Galenhall, Reverend, and Highborn included. The next family rivals the Highborn; they are distant relatives of royals, called the Shadow family or ¡®Crows¡¯ in general. They do not own any magic tower but were born with the blood of royals; they are strong individuals.¡± ¡°This makes four of six. What about the rest?¡± ¡°The next two are Ikrani and Stormad; they both own one magic tower each. And I think I don¡¯t have to tell you what a magic tower is, right? You made Arat purchase one for yourself.¡± Hans acknowledged without denying it; at this point, Rudolf and Sierra weren¡¯t surprised. After returning from the Deadlands, Hans seemed different; it was like he had donned himself with the princely attitude. ¡°Wait a minute¡­ that only makes five towers; who owns the remaining three?¡± Hans asked. ¡°The ¡®Swans¡¯ or specifically the royal palace owns three magic towers. Compared to the Council side, they are the sole powerful family with ownership of three towers, while the ten¡ªno, nine towers¡ª are owned by each of the nine families representing the council.¡± ¡°Then Torceran tower¡ª¡± ¡°No, oddly, he sold it to joint ownership of the council. Torcerans have made sure to show that there is no connection between them and the new council. They are preaching that they are dedicating themselves to the red demon cause.¡± ¡°As if.¡± Hans muttered, but before he could ask anything else, the war drums started to beat, and the escort from Clandor came. It wasn¡¯t anything big, only several mages, but each of them was of the eighth circle. They got busy after checking on everyone, even the Parvians. For high elves, they seemed oddly respectful. However, Hans was fascinated by how many enchanted items they wore, from their robes to the rings; they were a walking treasure trove. ¡°Man, Clandor is rich¡ª¡± ¡°Want to rob them?¡± Delimira whispered, and her tone and leering gaze were telling Hans she wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°Deli, for god sake, you are rich¡­ no, filthy rich¡ª¡± ¡°Who says it was for money? It was just for fun.¡± She answered. Hans had noticed several times that whenever Clandor was mentioned, there was disgust in her eyes. He could understand she didn¡¯t fit with them, and the elves had rejected her at every point but the Delimira. He knew was someone who couldn¡¯t be hurt by anything. She was strong, mentally strong, and a smarter entity that he came to respect and appreciate. So her behaving irrationally was quite noticeable for him. ¡°Hey, you sure it¡¯s not me who needs to put you on a leash, not the other way around?¡± Hans teased, and Chris chuckled hearing them bicker. ¡°Who knows?¡± Delimira said seriously, ¡°I might do some friendly fires. I¡¯m getting finger tremors today¡ª¡± ¡°Deli, don¡¯t joke with a serious face. It¡¯s scary.¡± Chris and Hans almost said in unison, while Sierra came closer to them and pushed them out of the tent. ¡°Let¡¯s see our allies first, kids. Commander Homar was quicker to drag us inside. At least you should meet the people fighting with you.¡± They came out to see the first army of their lives.
Elven Lies II Chapter 62 : The Briefing CHAPTER 62 THE BRIEFING As they came out of the tent, the sound of beating metal and armours clinking graced them. Everyone was moving fast. First, his sight fell on the magenta-coloured armours. ¡°They are from Utar, right?¡± Hans asked, and Sierra pointed towards their flag, ¡°two snakes coiling in the sword, they are definitely from Utar.¡± ¡°One¡­ two¡­ ten¡­ what are their numbers?¡± He questioned again. Despite being directly involved in war, Hans had no idea about the allied nations and how many forces they sent. ¡°Really, buddy? This is embarrassing¡ª ¡°Oh, come on.¡± Hans curtly replied. ¡°At least I¡¯m not a hypocrite pretending to know what I don¡¯t.¡± Chris sighed and asked permission from Sierra for explaining things to his alleged lord, ¡°Buddy, all three nations have sent: one warship, 1000 knights, and fifty mages with one warlord. Making it a total of 3000 knights with aura grades from fifty to eighty, mages are of at least four circles, and the warlord, well, you know the grades of warlords.¡± Hans pointed to above, the beautiful and powerful product of magic and machinery, ¡°Then what are those?¡± ¡°These are the weapons of mass destruction, logistics, support, offence, and defence. That thing is capable of raining death from the skies¡ª¡± ¡°Did Parv not have those? Why did we only send 100 knights and a single warlord? And they say we are the nation of knights and technology?¡± Hans whispered. ¡°Warships sound powerful, but they have a very big flaw, Prince Hans.¡± A knight who was following the three suddenly interrupted. He was assigned to guard them and keep them out of any unwanted trouble, but speaking without asking was a mistake according to the code. So upon realising what he had done, he immediately knelt, ¡°Please forgive my interjection.¡± ¡°You should very well finish what you interjected, sir¡­?¡± Hans asked panning his head. ¡°Daniel Clifford.¡± The knight introduced himself without standing up. ¡°Yes, Sir Daniel Clifford. You were saying something about warships.¡± Hans gestured for him to speak. ¡°The warships are flawed, sir. They are huge in size, slower, and hard to manoeuvre. We have griffins as our mounts, superior in movement and evasion. The warship carries huge explosives, but our smaller, pocket-size bombs bring the same impacts.¡± ¡°So you are saying we are better than them, right?¡± Hans mused. ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Daniel stood up with pride. ¡°We are better, far better than these primates.¡± ¡°Pft¡­ primates. That is a good one, sir, Daniel.¡± Hans chuckled, but Sierra wore a solemn expression. ¡°At this rate, you are going to involve your prince in internal fighting, Golden Griffin.¡± She chided the knight, and Daniel took it on without refuting a word. Meanwhile, Hans looked at the blue-armoured force, the Grimgar knights and mages, and Duke Reinhardt, the warlord of their neighbour in Grimgar leading them. Far from everyone¡¯s camp, the black-armoured knights stood ready with their banner of descending dark sun. ¡°So, these are Cassady¡¯s family¡¯s force: Sunfall. They are the most intimidating after us,¡± he murmured. And suddenly the escorts of Clandor announced, the transfer circle was completed. The SpaceDoor was the way humans and most of the world travelled by feeding an immense amount of space stones to an artefact. The Parvians used the INGRESS light so Hans was curious to see the mass teleportation magic that used Space stones and a magic circle. ¡°Ooh! Transfer circle. This will be interesting.¡± Accompanied by the Griffin Knights, he reached the escorting mages. ¡°Commander Homar.¡± He addressed the commander of Golden Griffins, ¡°I don¡¯t see, Genas Alliance people, even their head; Norwin.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be joining us in Clandor but will guard the western rear to prevent any surprises.¡± Homar answered. ¡°So Queen Reina wants the strongest force to be left behind to guard¡­ sounds reasonable¡ª¡± ¡°They are not the strongest.¡± It was the first time Homar had cut off his words, but Hans could understand; it was the Parvian pride speaking. He chuckled a little and agreed, ¡°yeah, they aren¡¯t the strongest.¡± ¡°So, how this transfer circle works¡ª¡± he barely got the question out when a glowing circle appeared under their feet. It shimmered with colours, like magic alive and grew quickly, swallowing up everyone in its magical embrace. A burst of light blinded them as the circle flared with power. Suddenly, they were swept away in a whirl of energy, leaving their old spot in a flash. When the light faded, they found themselves in Clandor, right in the heart of Elven territory. The circle had done its job, bringing them where they needed to be. Hans opened his eyes and saw himself inside scaling walls. Chris answered his unasked question, ¡°This is the territory of House Reverend¡ª¡± ¡°The Knights of Clandor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chris pointed past the huge fort in front, ¡°After that is the huge commercial city of Vandikar. It¡¯s the most populated city after the royal city. And there is no way we will be able to evacuate citizens if the Reverend Fortress falls.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Delimira nodded, but her expressions were far from concern, as if she was waiting for it to happen. ¡°Man, she is acting scary. Just what is wrong with her? I¡¯m the one with a score to settle with elves, not her.¡± Hans let those words remain in his thoughts and focussed ahead. A woman, surrounded by warlocks and warlords, was waiting for them. Reina, currently the war general of Clandor, greeted the allies and asked them to settle their troops and warships. Hans could feel the difference between human territories and Clandor in an instant; the mana of elven lands was so dense and vivid that he could feel it without trying. Even the air smelled different. ¡°So, this is Clandor¡­ I like it.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°I hate this place.¡± Delimira made a disgusting face as she looked at the people staring them. Meanwhile, Chris saw the familiar face, but his father wasn¡¯t happy to see him back. He did everything, even begging Rudolf so his son could stay away from this war, but here he was, right in the middle of it. As father and son stared each other with different emotions, Homar came to pick Hans up. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to attend a strategic meeting. Follow me.¡± Hans nodded and followed; he didn¡¯t realise when he was mesmerising himself in the mana of Clandor. People had settled their troops and were making their way towards the strategic meeting. ¡°Woah!¡± Hans entered astonished inside the buzzing room. The whole place was filled with warlords and warlocks. Sierra also entered with him and was an eighth-circle mage but she could fight shoulder to shoulder with any warlock there. So in reality he was the only one that didn¡¯t belong there. And everyone was thinking the same. ¡°Ahem!¡± He cleared his throat a little and dismissed his astonished face. Finally he met the gaze of the general, the woman who had tried to kill, manipulate and even use his death. ¡°I need to be on my toes here.¡± He thought and stared directly into Reina¡¯s eyes. Their battle of sight continued for a while until the Reverend Lord, the sole warlord on her side in this room, asked her to start the discussion. ¡°If a gaze could kill, just how much she hates me.¡± Hans shook the shivering and focussed on the conversation. ¡°First,¡± Reina began, ¡°I thank you all for aiding us in our time of need. The Clandor family will never forget the kindness you¡¯ve shown.¡± Pausing, she turned towards Homar and Hans, ¡°Since you deny my authority over you¡ª¡± ¡°Forgive me, Queen Reina,¡± Hans interrupted, ¡°We do not deny your authority. We just preserve the right to deny any dubious commands. Because of our previous encounter, my senses go haywire when I see you.¡± Reina ignored the obvious provocation and asked, ¡°So, in simple terms, you will reject those orders which are impossible to fulfil for Parv¡¯s knight order, right?¡± ¡°Haa, she is not leaving a breathing room,¡± Hans sighed, ¡°You can do better if you want to provoke me, Queen Reina. What do you want from us?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve gifted your weapons to the council. They¡¯ve seized the Galenhall stronghold. You want to earn respect here. Take the fortress back with just your force.¡± ¡°NO,¡± Hans rejected outright, but before anyone could complain, he added, ¡°I do not run on others¡¯ acknowledgement. So you people can shove the respect back to your whatever hole it came from. But I¡­ no, we Parvians will get the strong hold back for you. Elaborate the situation.¡± He gestured irritatingly at Reina. ¡°You are so conceited to think you could go against everyone alone, Hans Parv. If you continued like this, you¡¯ll have no one on your side in the end.¡± ¡°Is this a concern I hear in your voice, Queen Reina?¡± Hans chuckled, ¡°But you should worry about your own children, not someone else¡¯s. My faith in my abilities and the blood I inherited makes me this arrogant, and they haven¡¯t let me down yet. So please, elaborate on Galenhall strong hold, area, defences, terrain, numbers, everything.¡± Reina saw no advantage in arguing with him and waved her hand. With her swift gesture, a magic projection of Galenhall strong hold appeared. Its high walls and rune protections revealed themselves in real time. ¡°This is crazy,¡± A warlock from House Galenhall stood up in frenzy. He looked at the projection carefully and added, ¡°They¡¯ve doubled down on the defences and armed those walls with Parvian artillery.¡± ¡°To breach those well-defended walls, we need warships, but the Parvian artillery would rid us of holes,¡± Another warlock added. However, Hans was silently observing the whole stronghold for weakness, and oddly enough, the place had none. ¡°Damn, which genius has arranged the defences?¡± He cursed inside. After the elves had done their bickering, Homar added, ¡°Our artillery can strike from 30 km land and air both, and the effects of impact are quite gruesome. Things turn to dust, so what do you propose¡­ prince Hans?¡± Homar might¡¯ve addressed Hans as prince in front of others, but both the addresser and addressee know their inner thoughts. Thinking hard, Hans asked Homar, ¡°What is your range, Commander Homar¡ª¡± ¡°None, I can hit it if it¡¯s visible.¡± Homar answered, annoyed as if Hans had doubted his capabilities. ¡°Then can¡¯t you just obliterate the protection barrier of Galenhall and destroy the stationed artillery¡ª¡± ¡°That is a self-healing barrier. Several warlocks are working there to make sure it stays the same.¡± Reina pointed out. ¡°Cracking it is hard, but if some miracle, you could dent that thing. It heals in an instant.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ then can you give up your people, the citizens inside the stronghold? I¡¯ve a way, but even your chickens won¡¯t be spared there.¡± Hans asked, hesitating. However, instead of Reina, with a defeated look, the Galenhall lord answered, ¡°Those bastard already massacred everyone. See.¡± He pointed out towards the bottom of the stronghold wall¡¯s that thing which Hans was misunderstanding for a stoned path were the dismembered heads of people. ¡°Sick bastards.¡± Hans stood up, infuriating. He followed the code of never harming the people who hadn¡¯t pointed their blades at him. ¡°You can go on a killing spree, but not on citizens.¡± He said grimly. This was his bottom line. Elves or humans didn¡¯t matter. He took a long breath and stood up, ¡°Commander Homar, ready the knights. We will be taking the Galenhall strong holds, right now.¡± Homar followed the order, but Hans halted and turned back to everyone, ¡°What are you all waiting for? A fucking invitation. Show me the way. I¡¯m directionally challenged. Don¡¯t blame me if I do some friendly fire.¡± Reina understood. Those words were aimed at her since she was the one who manipulated him into going to the wrong direction in Deadlands. But she didn¡¯t respond to his words. After all, like every other, she also wanted to see what this current order of Parvian knights was capable of. ¡°Follow me.¡± They all came out of the meeting room and climbed the eastern wall. Reina pointed to the far east and mentioned, ¡°That is the Galenhall strong hold. It¡¯smore than a thousand of km away.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ do humans have bad sight, or am I the only one who can¡¯t see it?¡± Hans questioned Homar, but the knight didn¡¯t answer. ¡°So, Queen Reina,¡± he turned to her, asking, ¡°if I assume this Reverend fortress is your base of operations, how far are the front lines?¡± ¡°Near the Negoi river, fifty kilometres to Galenhall Stronghold. We are preparing for the third siege¡ª¡± ¡°Even after losing twice, you aren¡¯t giving up. You might be quite a positive person or an earnest fool, Queen Reina.¡± His words since he came to the Clandor didn¡¯t make sense. He was acting like he had seen many wars despite being in his first. And she wasn¡¯t the only one thinking that. Everyone, even Homar, was speechless after hearing his word choices. It wasn¡¯t a kid talking. As astonished she was, Reina responded to his early provocation, ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to say things living inside the safe walls, Prince Parv¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s also easy for me to get back your stronghold, Queen Reina.¡± He quipped, sniggering. ¡°Hey!¡± Homar whispered, ¡°it¡¯s not easy. So don¡¯t make a mockery out of yourselves; you are representing our nation. People are laughing, saying we brought a child into the war who is boasting without thoughts. This is war¡ª ¡°And I feel quite at home in this chaos.¡± Whatever his thoughts were before, he felt comfortable in his authoritative position. ¡°Just trust me, Commander Homar; I¡¯m an imperial. We are built differently.¡± He assured. ¡°You aren¡¯t going with us in the assault, you know that, right?¡± Homar interrupted him. ¡°With our griffins and evasive formation. We can provide an opening to let elves and others charge.¡± ¡°No, you are not doing that, Commander.¡± Hans denied him, adding, ¡°I want to engrave an image of me so horrifying that our so-called allies lose their sleep at night when they even think of provoking me. I¡¯m here to establish that an imperial still lives. Let them laugh, Commander Homar.¡± He said aloud, eyeing those who were snickering in silence. ¡°Patience is a virtue. All it needs is an hour, and Galenhall will fall. So, when are we leaving for the frontline?¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 63 : The Ripper of Galenhall CHAPTER 63 THE RIPPER OF GALENHALL When Hans asked when they were scheduled to depart for the front lines, Reina wanted to say, "Now." However, knowing they needed to prepare, she gave them an hour. After all, the Reverend stronghold was just a resting point; the majority of the Clandor army was gathered at the Negoi River, gearing up for the assault at Galenhall. Just like everyone else, the Parv side was also preparing, but they were locked in a heated argument. ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll not carry any baggage with the order,¡± Homar insisted, ignoring Hans. And, Sierra agreed with the bow knight, adding, ¡°Hans, child, you promised you¡¯d be with the rear guard, support team, remember?¡± ¡°Just give me a second, will ya?¡± Hans managed to calm them down. ¡°Who says I¡¯m joining the assault at Galenhall?¡± Everyone looked puzzled, so Hans explained, ¡°I¡¯m a long-range mage too, you know. And now we also have the longest-range knight,¡± he pointed to Homar. ¡°But even if I can penetrate their barriers. Defeating a mage in his own territory is suicide, Mister Hans.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. We learned that in the first year too. But what if I can provide you with a small interval of weakened defences? Can you get an arrow in?" ¡°Of course. All I need is a moment,¡± Homar replied, explaining the artilleries. ¡°They have four aimed at us, and I think that¡¯s all there is in Galenhall. Mages tend to flee quickly. They¡¯ll run the moment they see the artillery gone. If you can create an opening, I can destroy the¡ª" ¡°Tch, are you on something or what? Why would you try to destroy our precious weapons that the council is generously handing over?¡± Hans chided. ¡°You just need to send my ''something'' with the arrow inside. That¡¯s the plan, and to achieve this, I don¡¯t even have to leave the rear." Homar agreed and left to manage the griffin order. The moment he vanished from sight, Chris and Delimira pounced on Hans with questions. ¡°So, what are you going to send in?¡± Hans remained mysterious. ¡°Something fun,¡± was all he said. Amid acting smug, his eyes searched for the calm and silent Rudolf who was staring hole in his head. ¡°What?¡± Hans questioned. ¡°Aren''t you going to say something?¡± ¡°You''ve grown up. Now you''re responsible for your own screw-ups, not us. So make your own decisions, Prince of Parv.¡± ¡°You won''t let it go, will you, Grandpa? Just call me what you used to,¡± Hans stressed. This had gone on long enough and was becoming irritating. ¡°No can do, Prince of Parv,¡± Rudolf sulked. ¡°Ah, dang it. Give it a rest, geezer,¡± complained Hans, stomping off towards the next transfer circle, followed by the rest. ¡°Zoom!¡± The transfer circle stretched again, and within a moment transported them to the Eastern Frontier, nearest to the Galenhall stronghold. ¡°There are two other places where battles are ongoing, right, Commander Homar?¡± Hans asked. ¡°Yes, in the north, House Highborn is battling together with mercenaries and Winters'' company. They are currently dominating and pushing the council back. The same is true in the south, where Ikrani and Stormad of Clandor are pushing the southern frontiers. The mid is the only place doing poorly.¡± ¡°Well, we are here, aren''t we? Let''s change that,¡± Hans said confidently. His gaze grasped the entirety of the captured stronghold of Galenhall. But something caught his mind, and he asked Homar cautiously, his voice muffled, ¡°But why isn''t the INGRESS working? OSIRIS shows we are connected, but I tried calling INGRESS and there was no response.¡± ¡°Do you take elves as a joke, Mister Hans? They are the epitome of magic. They can block anything as they wish. They must have deployed spatial interference above us. So even if Clandor is within our range, we can''t use INGRESS.¡± They were in the middle of their conversation when a voice from behind halted their discussion.¡°So you came?¡± Both Hans and Homar turned to respond. Hans recognised him. ¡°Sir Bernard, I thought you were up north. Why are you here?¡± he asked, while Homar remained silent. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Bernard asked, emphasising, ¡°Did you forget what happened in the Deadlands? Why do you come here willingly?¡± Hans chuckled a little. ¡°There''s a saying, Mr. Bernard: ''Keep your allies close and enemies clo¡ª''" ¡°No, it''s all wrong. Keep your allies close and your enemies fucking far away, Prince. That''s the right way to do it.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Pft, you¡¯re funny, Sir Bernard¡ª¡± Hans began, but Homar interrupted, ¡°Time to go, Prince Hans. You shouldn¡¯t converse with traitors; their bad habits might rub off on you.¡± ¡°Still the sharp tongue, Homar?¡± Bernard responded, his tone laced with sarcasm. ¡°My aim and my tongue strike true. I never liked Samson, but he was the king we needed. Don¡¯t provoke me,¡± Homar warned, pushing Hans further away. ¡°Let¡¯s move, Prince Hans. Do it for my sake, or this alliance might crumble right here and now.¡± Hans heeded Homar''s advice and put some distance between himself and Bernard. However, he didn''t have the luxury to dawdle, as the pivotal moment was fast approaching. He was eager to showcase, prove that his words weren¡¯t just a child¡¯s boasting. He stood way back, together with all the powerhouses. The warlords of Utar, Sunfall, and Grimgar, while the warlocks of Clandor remained cautiously observant. Everyone was curious to see what the thirteen-year-old imperial had up his sleeves. ¡°Can you really strike that far? It''s almost sixty kilometres,¡± Homar whispered skeptically. ¡°There''s only one way to find out,¡± Hans replied with a mischievous grin before bellowing at the top of his lungs, "Beanstalk!" A powerful tremor rippled through the ground where the army stood, and beneath Hans, the earth quaked violently. It seemed as though something colossal was about to burst forth, and indeed it did. With a mighty eruption, a gigantic beanstalk, straight out of fables, shot up toward the sky. Hans swiftly seized a tendril and ascended along with it. ¡°Commander Homar, GET READY.¡± Hans''s voice shifted midway through the sentence, and as swiftly as he ascended, he descended in a massive form of Elderwood. His hand gripped the top of the beanstalk, which resembled a catapult bucket but was significantly larger and deeper than anything they had in any army. The onlookers who were eager for surprises found themselves astonished, while others became more cautious. Hans was flaunting his strength and was the future ruler of a nation which was already ridiculously strong. This raised concerns among those witnessing his display. Even people from both the South and North watched in awe from their respective locations. Hans had been secluded for the past year, so they were unaware of how much this young imperial had grown. However, he seemed determined to prove his lineage, and he did not disappoint. A colossal monster held the gigantic beanstalk, as if a fable had sprung to life. But Hans''s display of power went further; he dragged the top of the beanstalk''s bucket far behind him, while his other hand stretched over the bucket as if he were trying to fill it with something. His hand hovered over the catapult bucket, causing several seeds to rain down, quickly filling the bucket with SeedBullets. Yet, Hans needed something to bind them. He conjured something that left a bitter taste in the Elves'' mouths: the day seed, a sacred item they worshipped and was nearly impossible to obtain unless gifted by the royal family. However, Hans summoned it effortlessly, and as the day seed mixed with the seed bullets, they began to merge into a singular entity. "PHOTONISE," Hans commanded, and as if in response, solar energy converged into a nature''s cannonball. Hans raised his head, adjusting the aim of the beanstalk towards the right. With a swift motion, he let go of the beanstalk, causing it to launch his bright cannonball with incredible speed toward the Galenhall stronghold. People waited to see the clash between the warlocks¡¯ barrier which not a single mana weapon of theirs succeeded in breaching. ¡°COMMANDER HOMAR. AIM.¡± Hans commanded, pointing his freed hand forward as he conjured his ace several meters above the air to the east. "Shriek!" An ear-piercing sound echoed, a name known only to those who had faced Undead Samson¡ªa force which even the undead king was wary of, the night seed. ¡°SEND IT TO THE GALENHALL.¡± Hans cried as he absorbed the green monster and transformed back into human form in an instant. Homar looked no further; he had the target in his sight, and just as the huge cannonball hit the barrier, it shattered several of their runes like stones aimed at the glass. A spiderweb crack showed a small opening for Homar¡¯s arrow to pierce the crying seed inside the barrier before it healed itself. ¡°Now what?¡± Homar''s curiosity mirrored that of the others around him. ¡°Now, we wait... Deli,¡± Hans called for Delimira, who swiftly joined them. ¡°Vision, please,¡± Hans requested, and Delimira''s eyes transformed, slitting to share her sight with Hans. ¡°Oh! It''s started,¡± Delimira exclaimed; people were still screaming, running. Ah! He got his head chewed off, ooh, this one too, yikes, this is gruesome,¡± she detailed in vivid colours. The Clandorian mages had finally succeeded in projecting a far-sight spell, granting them a view inside the Galenhall. The scene inside was nightmarish. A malevolent presence, pure evil incarnate, preyed upon every living thing within the Galenhall, devouring heads before cruelly dismembering its victims. The warlocks, previously focused on repairing the barrier, abandoned their efforts and turned to evacuation, realising the dire threat within. The once-protective barrier now transformed into a prison, trapping them with the monstrous entity. Some mages managed to escape, but the crying seed feasted on those left behind, consuming every living soul in its perimeter. ¡°People run from things they don''t understand,¡± Hans remarked, his demeanour calm as the tentacle monster within the stronghold ceased its rampage and died down on its own due to not meeting its fill further. Turning to his Clandorian allies, Hans continued, "Well, there you have it¡ªthe Galenhall stronghold. Now, the cleanup is your responsibility. There will be a lot of blood to wipe¡ª ¡°So, you meant literal cleaning up when you said ''clean up.'' I thought we''d only handle the strong ones while the others ''clean up'' the mess,¡± Homar chuckled, his hand covering his mouth. He then asked, ¡°What do you call this thing?¡± ¡°The Vegan Carnage,¡± Hans proudly declared. ¡°There''s nothing vegan about that thing, kid,¡± Homar remarked, feeling a chill from Hans for the first time. He then turned back and taunted Reina, ¡°We have done our job. Now Galenhall is all yours with four of our artilleries. This is a Parvian courtesy. You are welcome.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 64 : The Small Celebration CHAPTER 64 THE SMALL CELEBRATION As the horrors of Galenhall finally subsided, the Clandorian army moved in with cautious steps. Though Hans had assured them it was safe, the memory of the tentacle monster tearing apart their ex-comrades instilled a deep wariness. Hans and the Griffin Knights stayed behind in the rear while the gruesome task of cleaning the stronghold took nearly the entire day. Corpses and blood were cleared away before the rear guard finally entered. Reina wanted to minimise the loss of life on both sides, and as she feared Parv, led by Hans, was doing the quite opposite. She bit her inner feeling and remained calm. This stronghold was now going to serve as the new staging area for Clandor¡¯s eastern frontier. However, the Clandorians were not the only ones mobilising. The Council had witnessed the fall of Galenhall, and though they had captured it in a single day, the Clandorians had done the same and had paid no price. And this wasn¡¯t the only thing happening. As if their stars weren¡¯t aligning them to their favour, bad news kept coming to the council¡¯s ears. Northern forces had also marched forward, capturing the council-governed city of Willowbane, while the Southern frontiers used guerrilla tactics to chip away at their strength without making any further progress. ¡°Is Xandor still not coming out?¡± queried one council member, Lord Dandor Celebryn, his long beard fiddled with absent-mindedly. ¡°Screw Xandor. He was never reliable. But how did the Thalorians fail? Was their superior barrier truly nullified by that Parvian brat?¡± demanded Lady Penning Lorienneth, her big eyes narrowed in scepticism. Lord Varys Thalorian, once celebrated for his heroic capture of Galenhall, now sat in silent mourning after losing it just as swiftly. The heavy losses weighed on him, including four of their fifty mana artilleries. Despite his grief, he wasn¡¯t going to tolerate mockery from Lady Lorienneth, whom he deemed a coward. The Lorienneths avoided physical combat, preferring to manipulate enemies'' dreams, inducing fear and confusion as their method of attack. But before Varys could retort, Lord Dandor Celebryn, the brains behind the council, intervened, fiddling with his beard. ¡°Gentlemen, we have a problem here. We lost four weapons in Galenhall, and it is sure to assume they are still in working condition. Parv gave us their words that these were the only ready weapons they had, and those bastards never go back on their words¡ª¡± ¡°What are you implying, Celebryn?¡± inquired the feisty woman, the lady of Lorienneths. Her composure was quite a contrast to her dreamlike and serene appearance. If there was an award for being a seductress, she would have been definitely a winner. But Celebryn was too wordy for the impatient woman she was. Yet, Dandor didn¡¯t mind her tone and continued, ¡°I¡¯m suggesting we prepare for the worst. If those weapons are indeed functional and in enemy hands, they pose a significant threat. We must strategise accordingly, utilising our strengths to counteract this new development.¡± ¡°You mean it¡¯s time for us to use magic towers?¡± The quiet Thalorian lord inquired. ¡°Yes.¡± The calm voice of Dandor turned serious, and his hand finally moved away from his long beard. ¡°Summon the tower masters. We will focus on crushing those southern flies first.¡± EASTERN FRONTIER The first day had been nothing short of a whirlwind for Hans. The glory of recapturing Galenhall was solely his, marking the beginning of his journey towards the necessary fame required of his stature as the imperial prince. It was his first step, but he craved more. Homar had urged him to garner unparalleled fame and proposed a battle between him and one of the top ten knights. However, Hans knew that outshining everyone in the war would leave Homar no choice but to bow before him, cementing his place as the true master of the Golden Griffin, the most formidable knight order in existence. Night had fallen over the battlefield, but sleep eluded Hans. He lay in the barracks within the safe walls of Galenhall, an unsettling feeling gnawing at his heart. ¡°So, from tomorrow, I''ll really be at the support unit, huh? I wanted to do more, but I guess I should wait for the opportunity instead of worrying about Grandma.¡± ¡°Oye! Princess, are you asleep?¡± Delimira''s voice called out from outside his tent. ¡°Stop calling me princess, you dumb elf,¡± Hans grumbled as he stepped out. He noticed someone else beside her. ¡°Chris, you came too!¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What, you weren''t happy to see your first knight?¡± Chris frowned. ¡°Nah, it''s just you usually don''t bother me like her,¡± Hans pointed at Delimira. ¡°Yeah, I''m a good boy. But tonight, I''ll be bad.¡± Chris grinned, revealing a dark bottle from inside his jacket. He pushed both Hans and Delimira back into Hans''s tent, unscrewing the cork with his bare hands, his grip impressively strong. ¡°I brought this to celebrate your first victory, buddy... no, Prince Hans. Let''s celebrate.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m underage... no, we all are underage, Chris¡ª¡± ¡°Tch! Tch! Hans, buddy, we¡¯re at war. Who knows? We might actually die tomorrow. So let¡¯s enjoy today.¡± ¡°You do know that¡¯s not going to happen, right? Even a little screw-up, and I¡¯ll drag you two back to Concordia,¡± Hans assured, but Delimira intervened. ¡°He knows, Princess. He just wants to drink. Are you really that dense?¡± she sneered. ¡°Fine then, give me some.¡± Hans picked up a glass, asking Chris to fill it up. ¡°Sure, buddy.¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯d love to see our teacher¡¯s face right now,¡± Delimira teased while holding out her own glass to Chris. After filling their glasses, the three cheered, ¡°To our victory¡ªto our safe return¡ªto burying Xandor.¡± Hans said the last phrase and chugged his drink while Chris and Delimira tried to stop him. ¡°Ugh! This tastes like piss. How can anyone drink this?¡± ¡°Buddy, this is wine. What would you say if you tasted real alcohol?¡± Chris complained, but Hans was knocked out in a second. ¡°Geez, he really is a kid¡ª¡± ¡°Give him a break, Chris.¡± Delimira gazed at the mumbling Hans and covered him with a blanket. Since it was the eleventh month, winter was approaching swiftly. As she turned to Chris, she saw him looking intensely at her. ¡°You¡¯ve really changed, Deli,¡± he said warmly, chugging his drink. ¡°You were like a thunder hedgehog, ready to shock everyone. But look at you now¡ªyou came to Clandor on your own, fighting alongside elves you used to hate. And,¡± Chris pointed at Hans, ¡°you¡¯re even caring for someone other than yourself. You¡¯ve really grown¡ª ¡°Okay, Grandpa Chris. I¡¯ve grown, but you¡¯ve gotten old. Why are you talking like that?¡± She sipped her drink, fiddling with her glass, embarrassed. ¡°No reason,¡± Chris replied, his eyes sincere. ¡°It¡¯s just... good to see you like this.¡± ¡°This is getting cringe, Chris. But you¡¯re wrong about something.¡± Delimira took another sip and said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight in the war. I¡¯m just here so I won¡¯t get bored because you two idiots decided to do this stupid thing. I won¡¯t fight unless I or something of mine is in danger.¡± ¡°I wonder who or what that might be, Delimira Winters,¡± Chris commented. But when Delimira¡¯s furious, slitted eyes stared him down, he chugged the bottle dry and passed out. Meanwhile, Delimira continued to take a few sips. ¡°He is right though,¡± she mumbled staring at sleeping Hans. ¡°I¡¯m really in trouble¡­¡± NEXT MORNING. ¡°What a mess. Three kids snuck wine and got knocked out. You all get an A for discipline,¡± a voice chided. Hans rubbed his eyes and woke up, seeing his blanket snatched away by his friends. ¡°Some friends they are,¡± he grumbled. When Sierra''s scolding gaze met his, he tried to weasel out, ¡°We aren¡¯t at Concordia, Grandma. You can¡¯t grade us.¡± ¡°That was sarcasm, idiot,¡± Delimira said, embarrassed. ¡°Ooh! I think I¡¯m still fuzzy,¡± excused Hans. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it even if you were sober,¡± Delimira complained, clutching her head. ¡°Ahh, do you actually get this splitting headache? I thought people just faked it to avoid others. Ugh.¡± ¡°Stay steady,¡± Sierra said, stretching out her hand. ¡°Detoxify.¡± A two-circle spell for nullifying poison, it worked wonders on drunkards. Within a minute, all three were as good as new. ¡°Now you three¡ª¡± ¡°Dear, let it go,¡± Rudolf surprisingly took Hans¡¯s side. ¡°But they are all underage.¡± ¡°One is almost sixteen,¡± Rudolf pointed out. ¡°What about these two? One is fifteen while our brat is only twelve¡ª¡± ¡°In my defence, I¡¯ll be thirteen in two months,¡± Hans muttered, not so silently. ¡°And that is still three years early for you to drink,¡± Sierra complained, but Rudolf interrupted again. ¡°Oh, come on, Sierra. You¡¯re acting like we weren¡¯t like them when we were kids,¡± Rudolf argued. ¡°I know. Did you forget how you almost got your head hunted by the temple¡ª¡± ¡°How could I? I sneaked a kiss from their divine lady,¡± Rudolf nudged her, and their audience waited for more details. ¡°Shut your mouth! Kids are watching. Is that what you want them to learn? Sneaking kisses while drunk¡ª¡± Rudolf turned to the three, ¡°Kids, do not try this at home, school, or anywhere. Got it?¡± Chris nodded while Delimira blushed hard, as if she was caught red-handed. The last night flashed before her, ¡°That was too irrational of me. What is happening to me?¡± As she silently contemplated, Hans, unaware, urged Rudolf. ¡°Yeah, yeah, Grandpa. Carry on, what next?¡± ¡°Go wash your faces, brats. You¡¯re years early to know these kinds of things.¡± ¡°As if. You don¡¯t know what kind of novels circulate in Concordia, do you¡ª¡± Before Hans could sabotage and spill the secrets of what the senior students had created to the dean of Knights, Chris hurriedly covered his mouth. ¡°Are you out of your mind? He¡¯s the dean, you idiot,¡± he whispered and dragged Hans outside while Rudolf complained in silence, ¡°Did my disciple forget that I was also a student there?¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 65 : The War Report CHAPTER 65 THE WAR REPORT Chris and Hans stood together at the edge of the wall, gazing eastward. The elven lands stretched before them, serene and vibrant with overflowing mana. Chris breathed in the tranquility and then voiced his thoughts. ¡°Hans, do you ever wonder how this war will end? Even if one side wins, they¡¯ll have depleted their own strength and killed their brothers. Do you think it¡¯s okay to fight this senseless war?¡± Hans sighed, his gaze unwavering. ¡°Chris, I know you have a good heart, but you can¡¯t ignore the lure of power. The royals, led by Queen Reina, fight to preserve their lineage and traditional rule. On the other side, the Council, a coalition of powerful houses and magic users, seeks to establish a new order. There¡¯s no wrong side here. The only bloodless option I see is the division of the nation, but the elves will never agree to that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Chris replied, matching Hans¡¯s gaze. ¡°Given time, Clandor under a single rule would become formidable. Neither side will agree to let that kind of power slip away.¡± He sighed again, watching the horizon where a beautiful sunrise was painting the sky in vibrant hues. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed it is,¡± Hans nodded, inhaling the cold, moist air. ¡°But Hans, just out of curiosity, do you know how to rid the world of wars?¡± ¡°As long as greed exists, war will happen, but if you really want a solution, there¡¯s an easy answer for that, but it¡¯s impossible to execute,¡± Hans replied. ¡°The world must serve one monarch.¡± ¡°Do you want to achieve that impossible goal?¡± Chris asked, curious. ¡°No,¡± Hans shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too grand an ambition for me. I just want to live my life on my terms and die of old age, preferably in my bed without diapers.¡± Chris laughed. ¡°Pft, let¡¯s hope that last part comes true.¡± ¡°What about you, Chris? What kind of life do you want?¡± Hans asked, genuinely curious. Despite their years of friendship, they had never discussed their dreams and ambitions. ¡°Me?¡± Chris pointed to himself, a contemplative look crossing his face. ¡°At first, I just wanted Parv to stop threatening my father. They¡¯ve stopped making our lives miserable, which is what I wanted for my family. But there¡¯s still one thing I want to achieve. I can¡¯t tell you because I believe I¡¯ll lose the opportunity if I share it. But trust me, it¡¯s not harmful to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Chris¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Chris insisted. ¡°You need to know I¡¯m not hiding it because I want to. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Chris, I trust you,¡± Hans reassured him, placing a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Whatever it is, I trust you¡ªBut man, why are you so sentimental today?¡± Hans frowned. ¡°You¡¯ll die if you suddenly act differently. That¡¯s a death flag right there.¡± They both chuckled, their laughter mingling with the crisp morning air. Their bonding moment, however, was cut short by Homar¡¯s sudden interruption. ¡°Here you are¡­ Prince Hans.¡± Homar addressed him formally, acknowledging the presence of a third party. ¡°You can call me comfortably, Commander Homar. Don¡¯t force yourself,¡± Hans suggested. Turning back to the sunrise, he began to photonise, his body lighting up as he refreshed himself. In his glowing state, he asked Homar, ¡°So, the Council also slept through the night? I thought they¡¯d sneak in or at least send some assassins.¡± He mocked lightly, but before he could continue, Homar pointed to a few corpses, all knights of grade above seventy. ¡°Who says there weren¡¯t any assassins? Your tent was the most dangerous place. They only targeted you while you slept drunk,¡± Homar showed a disappointed face. ¡°I¡¯ll overlook your negligence¡ª¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my negligence, Commander Homar,¡± Hans respectfully interjected, pointing out, ¡°It was the trust I had in you to keep me safe, and you proved me right.¡± ¡°Flattery won¡¯t get you anywhere,¡± Homar remarked. ¡°I know, but I live around someone who always has to have the last word. Maybe it¡¯s rubbed off on me.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ll get to have the last word?¡± Homar questioned, irritated. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I¡¯d stop here then.¡± Homar respectfully retreated. ¡°Then what¡¯s the agenda for today?¡± Hans asked. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, you¡¯d better follow me to the meeting, Mister Hans.¡± Homar went toward the war meeting, and Hans trailed behind him.Leaving Chris alone in the wall, but he wasn¡¯t really alone. ¡°Just what is wrong with you nowadays? Why are you behaving like you normally won¡¯t?¡± ¡°You should ask that yourself, Deli¡ª¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m going through, Chris. It¡¯s an illness of mind that every girl growing up suffers.¡± Her eyes trailed the departing Hans. It will go away with due time, it has to go away. But you should snap out of this¡­ or whatever, it is¡­¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. WAR MEETING, GALENHALL Hans and Homar settled into the war meeting, Hans feeling a mix of curiosity and tension as he entered Galenhall¡¯s strategic room for the first time. The room was something else, adorned with complex maps and tactical displays that provided a comprehensive view of the entire vicinity. Advanced spells illuminated the room, offering real-time insights into the Southern and Northern fronts. It was a level of sophistication he had never seen before. ¡°Commander Homar, do we have anything like this?¡± Hans asked, his eyes wide with fascination. ¡°No, Clandor has its strengths, and so do we. These are the active spells of warlocks. We only have a handful of them back home.¡± They took their seats, positioned just to the left of the center where Reina now sat. Being this close to her was an awkward experience for Hans; just a month or two ago, this woman had tried to kill him. The bitterness between them was mutual. But the awkwardness evaporated as Reina received the latest war report. She addressed everyone with a commanding presence, ¡°Esteemed allies, the latest war report has just come in, and I will share the details with you now.¡± She began with the North. ¡°The Highborn family has suffered significant damage but has achieved a crucial victory by capturing the city of Willow Bane. However, they have requested additional support to hold and fortify their position.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°What do you suggest? I¡¯m open to everyone¡¯s opinions, even the children¡¯s.¡± She pointed at Hans, but he remained calm, choosing to stay silent unless the safety of the Golden Griffins were at stake. ¡°What do you suggest we do, Queen Reina?¡± Bernard interjected, breaking the tension that was beginning to build between Hans and her. ¡°To bolster our northern front,¡± Reina replied, ¡°you should return, Warlord Bernard, and take the Utar forces to aid the Highborn family. Your presence will not only strengthen our hold on Willow Bane but also provide the much-needed support to maintain this strategic advantage.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it, but please remember what we discussed that day. Look at the bigger picture. I¡¯m not asking you as your knight, but telling you as your well-wisher.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that conceited, Sir Bernard. Go without any concern,¡± Reina said. Bernard stood up with the Duke of Utar, their warlord. Both bid their farewells, while the rest wished them success. ¡°For the south,¡± Reina continued as soon as Bernard left the war meeting, ¡°our forces have successfully chipped away at the Council''s strength, but we lack the powerful driving force necessary to occupy any territory definitively.¡± She looked at her allies, and after careful deliberation and discussion, they decided to send the Grimgar forces along with two warships to the southern front. ¡°This reinforcement would provide the necessary power to shift the balance and begin reclaiming territory from the Council.¡± She explained. Hans remained silent, listening intently. Though, because of the power of ¡®Inheritance¡¯,he felt like he belonged to this table, but he recognised the value of learning from those with more practical experience. Without prejudice or personal ambition, he just listened and took it all in. ¡°Eastern Front¡ª ahem!¡± Reina cleared her throat, ¡°After dispatching aid to the North and South, we are left with Galenhall¡¯s army, Sunfall, Parv, and Clandor royal forces, along with one warship from our allies and three from our own fleet.¡± ¡°But the Council is not going to give us breathing room. We are on the brink of a siege battle. The Council is advancing with a formidable force from the city of Bulwark, ruled by a Thalorian magic tower, and they are sending 20,000 soldiers and several elite units. We only have the army half of their size.¡± She reasoned. ¡°These mages from the Thalorian magic tower,¡± Hans spoke for the first time, confirming,¡°Aren¡¯t they specialised in barrier magic as well as dark elements?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. Hans nodded back and, like an advanced war tactician, he began to speak. ¡°If I were them, I¡¯d opt for a siege. Dark magic has an obscene amount of range, but it¡¯s wide and hard to control. I¡¯d advise you to avoid the siege and confront them in an open field with the walls of Galenhall at our backs. If their army is mixed with ours, they wouldn¡¯t dare to unleash those powerful spells¡ª¡± ¡°Just like what you did in Galenhall,¡± Reina finished his thought. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°You sure you are a twelve-year-old¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the blood, get used to it,¡± Hans said, nonchalant. Reina didn¡¯t respond to Hans¡¯s prideful remark. ¡°Let¡¯s consider it.¡± She said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s a siege or an open battle, we will have plenty of time to prepare. We¡¯ve deployed anti-transfer magic, so no one can use transfer magic or SpaceDoors, not even us. With a force of twenty thousand, it would take them at least a week to reach here, even at full speed.¡± Reina''s response surprised Hans; instead of outright rejecting his suggestion, she seemed willing to consider it sincerely. As the war meeting concluded, Hans was asked to stay behind. ¡°So, Prince Hans,¡± she began, collecting and organising her documents in a methodical manner that clearly helped her maintain composure. ¡°I assume you have no control over that dark thing or whatever¡­, so I can¡¯t expect any eerie assistance from you, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Hans affirmed. ¡°You should at least try to conceal your weakness.¡± ¡°Is that concern for me? I¡¯m touched. But when a man stops evolving, he dies. I¡¯ll always have something better for the next time. So don¡¯t worry about me, Queen Reina,¡± Hans remarked, hinting at their unfinished business in the Deadlands. Unfazed by his provocation, Reina¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°I want to send your knights on a reconnaissance mission. Do you agree?¡± ¡°Details first,¡± Hans gestured, showing his willingness to listen. ¡°Since we¡¯ve occupied Galenhall, our next target is the Thalorian stronghold: the city of Bulwark. It¡¯s been impenetrable since the dawn of the Elves. Thanks to your earlier GIFTS, they¡¯ve now armed themselves with an unknown number of artillery pieces. I want the Parvians to find out what¡¯s happening there. Far sight projection is blocked, so we can¡¯t observe anything directly.¡± ¡°These Thalorians again. So they aren¡¯t sending their main force here?¡± Hans inquired. ¡°Yes, as you¡¯ve noted, they specialize in turtle tactics. You know what that means, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, they dig in and let their enemy exhaust themselves before striking back. I know the strategy, please don¡¯t test me,¡± Hans replied, contemplating. ¡°Facing the Dark Magic Tower of the Elves would be quite the achievement. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have that honor.¡± Turning to Homar, he asked, ¡°Commander of the Golden Griffins, is it doable?¡± Homar nodded affirmatively, so Hans continued, ¡°How many days do you need?¡± ¡°A week should suffice. It will take three days to reach Bulwark, one day for scouting, perhaps stretching to two at most. Even with variables, we¡¯ll definitely return faster since we¡¯ll know the way back.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Hans turned to Queen Reina and declared, ¡°The Parvians will handle this reconnaissance mission.¡±
Elven Lies II Chapter 66 : The Diversion CHAPTER 66 THE DIVERSION Arguments and suggestions flew left and right, and the War meeting consumed the entire morning before coming to an end. It was taxing for Hans to sit in the same spot for so long. He wanted to move, jump right into some thrill, but he knew there were many eyes watching him. So, he just held it in. A few hours later, tightening their armours and rechecking their supplies, the Golden Griffins were ready for their reconnaissance. They stood in formation before Hans, with the rest of the army watching. ¡°You should say something,¡± Rudolf urged him. Hans felt familiar with the situation and words automatically came from his inner self. He addressed them proudly, ¡°Don¡¯t be heroes; heroes die early. I¡¯ve given you the right to refuse. If anything seems shady, bail out. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, Prince Hans,¡± the knights responded in unison. Homar stepped forward and leaned in to whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t die on me¡ª¡± ¡°You too, Commander. Let¡¯s see each other in a week,¡± Hans nodded, affirming their resolve. Then, the scene Hans had always wanted to witness unfolded. Hundreds of feathers rained from the sky, and in an instant, the knights ascended atop their griffins. The might and majesty of these Parvian creatures sent a wave of awe through the onlookers, and Hans wasn¡¯t an exception. ¡°Damn! This is so cool,¡± he muttered as the Order disappeared into the horizon. ¡°Hey, buddy! Let¡¯s go too.¡± Chris interrupted his excited thoughts, ¡°There are several settlements we need to liberate and move those people inside the walls.¡± Hans followed him. They had a week to prepare for the siege from the Thalorians. To prevent citizens from becoming collateral damage in the attack, some temporary squads were born. He and his friends were part of one. They were ordered to move the people around Galenahall inside the fort walls. The war provided various opportunities, one of which was to confront the local thugs who had occupied the villages under the guise of protection. Hans was ready to join in, but suddenly, a firm hand grabbed his shoulder. ¡°You are not going anywhere, child.¡± He turned to see Sierra. ¡°Come on, Grandma. I¡¯m included with them.¡± He reasoned, ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to be on the vanguard¡ª¡± ¡°No. One thing will lead to another, and you¡¯ll find yourself in some situation. I need my concentration here. So don¡¯t be a variable,¡± Sierra insisted. "So what am I supposed to do for a week?¡± he grumbled ¡°Chris and Deli get all the fun¡ªI mean, saving people," ¡°Hey!¡± Delimira interjected, sneaking into the conversation. ¡°Only Chris has that much love for elves. I''m not going either.¡± She declared, her words turning Hans to her. ¡°So, what are we supposed to do here, play house?¡± he asked or more so demanded the answer. ¡°I''m not into that kind of thing,¡± she chuckled as she answered, giving a frown to Hans. "Winters¡ª" ¡°Oh, leave it, Hans. We''ll find something to do. Don''t you need to get acquainted with the support unit? Let''s go there,¡± she said, dragging him along behind Sierra. Hans resisted, but it was futile. It didn¡¯t take long for him to get bored. Chris had gone to the nearest settlement, while he was stuck with his usual holiday companions. "Grandpa, that''s not right... why are you here anyway?¡± He complained as Rudolf made a mess of the medical supplies. He asked grabbing the vials from him. ¡°Shouldn''t you be doing something Warlord-like? Leave the logistics¡ª" ¡°Hey, I want to spend some quality time with my grandson. Or is that not allowed with the Prince of Parv?" Rudolf sulked. ¡°You''re starting it again. I''m telling you, don''t increase my workload,¡± Hans bickered with Rudolf, who kept messing up his tasks in the name of help. The support unit had three main responsibilities: managing war supplies, including potions, food, and injured soldiers; ensuring the safe transport of these resources; and aiding in their healing and recovery. Hans excelled in all these areas. Sierra had once predicted he¡¯d make an excellent support mage, and now he was proving her right. His efficiency and the versatility of his VeganBind spells allowed him to handle these tasks which would typically have required multiple mages. However, excelling didn¡¯t mean he enjoyed it. In just one day, he grew to despise these chores. His vines were perfect for transporting the injured to Galenhall, and his mana recovery fruits sped up the mana regeneration in soldiers, mages, and knights alike. He hadn¡¯t even needed to reveal his ability to mass heal with his paradise garden spell, yet he was already doing better than others. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Why¡¯d I sign up for this? It''s so unrewarding,¡± he grumbled, eating dinner in the camp. He was still stationed where Parvian knights had been. ¡°You''re used to getting praised or seeing people in shock and awe. That doesn''t happen in the rear. People here have too much on their plates to notice others. As I¡¯ve said to you before, Hans, you''re an attention wh¡ª¡± ¡°I dare you to finish that, Deli,¡± Hans interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m really itching for something.¡± His eyes narrowed that he wouldn¡¯t mind sparring. ¡°Attention seeker¡ªseeker. What did you think I was going to say?¡± She played innocent. ¡°Just what is taking these Thalorians so long? Can¡¯t they show up already?¡± Hans complained. ¡°Hold your tongue,¡± Sierra shushed him as she warned, ¡°Don¡¯t know sometimes wishes turn true if you are that earnest.¡± WESTERN CLANDOR, ELVEN COUNCIL ¡°So, where are the Thalorians?¡± demanded Dandor Celebryn, the tactician and bearded Council member, fiddling with his beard again. ¡°He¡¯s taking his time, as planned,¡± Lady Penning chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a diversion, after all. We need the royals to stay on their toes in the centre.¡± ¡°What about the intel? Are the Parvians really probing the Thalorian stronghold?¡± Celebryn continued, pressing for reports from his peers, the seven other council members. ¡°Yes,¡± responded a man shrouded under a long hood, his voice calm. ¡°I guess they¡¯ll soon find themselves in an empty city¡­wait! the city still has some surprises too.¡ª ¡°But before they could realise the truth, we¡¯ll have these royals by their necks. Thalorian must redeem himself in this siege battle. If he survives and succeeds in reacquiring Galenhall, he¡¯ll regain his place as a council member.¡± The hooded elf completed Dandor¡¯s words. ¡°I thought you¡¯d given up on him, Lord Celebryn,¡± Lady Penning said, puzzled. ¡°This is not a monarchy but an oligarchy, meaning we are all equals, Lady Penning. We voted to remove him, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should discard our peers cruelly. However, we must offer them a chance to redeem themselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a hypocrite, Dandor,¡± a young man in his early thirties interrupted, showing no respect. ¡°Sending the Thalorians into a do-or-die situation and calling it redemption?¡± ¡°Lord Aerandir, that¡¯s rich coming from an assassin family like yours,¡± Dandor retorted, continuing, ¡°Our target is the south, and we¡¯re going all in. We need to pincer the center. If the Thalorians can¡¯t handle it, they¡¯ll be the stepping stone in our plan. By the end of the week, I need results, preferably a report on how our council army crushed both the south and the north alike.¡± The young assassin lord of the Aerandir house sighed. ¡°So, I¡¯m taking that ghost with our two new friends to the south. What about the north? The Highborns aren¡¯t easy to take down¡ª¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m the tactician for our dreamland, I do have a plan for that, young Aerandir. House Lorienneth, Ithildor, and Maethoriel will attack the north with full force. We aren¡¯t holding back. They¡¯ll be summoning the Four Magic Towers right in front of the Highborn army¡ª¡± ¡°Once summoned, you can¡¯t change the location of a magic tower for years, Celebryn. Is that all right?¡± Aerandir questioned. ¡°To counter us, they¡¯ll need to summon their towers too. But they won¡¯t be summoning the same numbers as us. These bastards rely on foreign powers rather than themselves. ¡®Fuck our traditions,¡¯ that¡¯s their motto after all¡ª¡± ¡°Lord Dandor, I also want to criticise the royals, but I need to hear your plans, please,¡± Aerandir interrupted Dandor¡¯s rant, causing him to halt. ¡°My apologies. Just knowing these foreigners are breathing in our god-lands is infuriating,¡± Dandor regretted before continuing. ¡°So, when the north suffers heavy damage, that will be the cue for you, Aerandir. Don¡¯t kill many, but leave them barely alive. Since they don¡¯t have the Healing Tower of Amarathiel like us, they¡¯ll be forced to send the divine wench there. That will give us an opening to launch a full-scale attack in the center. Thalorian¡¯s success or failure never really mattered.¡± ¡°So, the south is the actual bait. What you really want is the north and the center, right?¡± Aerandir asked, but Dandor neither confirmed nor denied. However, they had forgotten one simple thing: being born superior in everything, intellect and arrogance alike, high elves did not like following orders. Thalorian was also of their kind. GALENHALL, TWO DAYS LATER The situation turned critical in an instant when the lord of Thalorian suddenly appeared just a few kilometres away from Galenhall. He had summoned his massive magic tower right within the range. ¡°Since they want me to fail that badly, I''ll show them how suicidal I can get. No one shall have my tower,¡± he declared his voice amplified. It even reached Hans who was in the great halls of Galenhall which was in the middle of the fort. ¡°I thought your queen had put a ban on transfer spells. What is that humongous thing, sprouting from the ground?¡± Hans asked to just-returned Chris in bewilderment, as his eyes peeked through the protruding tower through windows. ¡°Hey, she¡¯s not my queen, and that is the Thalorian tower,¡± ¡°Gee!What is it, my birthday? Elves are really hospitable creatures. They just fulfilled my silent wish,¡± Hans taunted, having lamented that he wouldn''t get to fight a tower¡ªyet here it was, right at their doorstep. ¡°The tower has the capacity for forty thousand. Strengthen the doors, ready the walls, artillery aim at the tower¡ªit¡¯s in range!¡± Reina¡¯s voice echoed as she also amplified the sound. She fired off orders one after another in the great hall of Galenhall. The army moved like a well-oiled machine, soldiers fitting into their roles seamlessly. She was sure that moving the tower, which reduced its defences to none, would be a move that either side would only take in real desperation, and this wasn¡¯t the time for it, but Council exceeded her expectations. ¡°Prepare for a full-scale siege!¡± Reina took the command. With the beating of war drums, the Thalorian forces exited, all 20,000, launched their attack on Galenhall, but Reina had already prepared. ¡°This is idiocy,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°If he had summoned the tower a bit farther away, he could¡¯ve forced us to summon ours. He¡¯ll never get to use those wide-area dark spells for destruction.¡± But she was wrong. The Thalorian lord didn¡¯t come here to win; he came here to feed his arrogance, and his own army was nothing but food for his pride.
Elven Lies II Chapter 67 : Loyalty means nothing CHAPTER 67 LOYALTY MEANS NOTHING Within the grand, echoing halls of the castle, the air itself began to shake with tension as the rhythmic tremors of distant explosions reverberated through the stone walls. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" Explosions echoed through Galenhall like a relentless storm, shaking the very foundation. Dust filtered through the ceilings, and doors loosened from their frames. Hans stumbled out and saw a huge incoming meteor their way. It shattered the barrier protecting the castle and hit the walls directly. The embedded runestones, the last line of defence, crumbled as they fell helplessly. ¡°So this is a magic tower?¡± Hans took in the grand, terrifying scene of a long-standing tower at their door that was breathing down spells after spell. ¡°Incoming.¡± Someone else shouted, giving them time to brace. Another great explosion echoed, sending the floors to shudder underfoot. The magical assaults were flashing like lightning. Hans yearned to join the fray, but Sierra''s firm resolve and her grip over his shoulder kept him away from the walls. ¡°Ugh, Grandma, just let me get to the walls at least. People are dying there. They need help,¡± Hans pleaded desperately, trying to find a way out. ¡°No, others will bring them here. Your job is to aid me. Ensure war supplies reach the right people. Get your vines to work and do not argue. I don¡¯t have time for this¡ª Boom!¡± The biggest explosion yet rocked Galenhall and shattered the gates. ¡°The gates are breached!¡± someone shouted. ¡°Damn it,¡± Hans muttered, soaring high. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, don¡¯t worry. Just taking a look¡ªwhat the?¡± He witnessed a bizarre scene: Thalorian forces were running chaotically, consumed by their own fires. The Thalorian tower was unleashing devastating dark spells, striking both enemies and allies indiscriminately. ¡°This is nuts¡ªGrandma.¡± He descended swiftly. ¡°I think the Thalorian has lost it. He¡¯s attacking his own army.¡± But Sierra, overwhelmed by the injured piling up, had no time for Hans''s observations. ¡°Child! DO YOUR JOB. Deliver injured in a timely and reliable manner. Don¡¯t think about anything else. Understood?¡± ¡°Fine. But I¡¯ll do it my way.¡± Hans¡¯s eyes searched for his friends. Chris and Delimira were watching him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be real thirsty,¡± he hinted, signalling them to assist. With a burst of speed, Hans shot into the sky, stopping at the level of Galenhall''s walls. The scene below was gruesome, with rubble burying both friendlies and foes. ¡°Haa... Deli was right. I¡¯m an attention wh¡ªseeker,¡± he admitted, launching his solar spell. ParadiseGarden Visible bubbles of light, depicting as photons in the book of fate, converged around Hans and transformed him into a beacon of radiant light. A brilliant beam descended from him, spreading across Galenhall like water on dry soil, covering the entire ground with astonishing speed. ¡°Haa. I¡¯m parched¡­¡± Hans grabbed his dry throat. The fine green fibres erupted from the ground, connecting with the injured and uninjured alike. Some resisted, wary of the unknown entity, but those who did not¡ªor could not¡ªfelt an overwhelming surge of energy. Instead of harm, their wounds, even the grievous ones, began to mend instantly. Exhausted bodies regained their full vigour in an instant. Seeing these miraculous changes, even the resistant ones allowed the energy to flow through them. The light made no distinctions; friend or foe, all were healed as if under the watchful eyes of a benevolent entity. ¡°Is he a god?¡± someone exclaimed. ¡°Damn, now Hans¡¯s nose will grow even higher,¡± Delimira remarked. She knew Hans could heal himself and a few others, but this was on an exponential scale. Sierra observed him in silence, while Rudolf stood proud. Chris, on the other hand, looked at Hans in awe. ¡°Come on, buddy.¡± He lamented. ¡°If you excel in everything, what are we normal people supposed to dream of?¡± The Clandorians and other elf houses felt a bitter taste. This was their war, yet all the glory was going to a foreigner they despised. But they couldn¡¯t complain, as it was ultimately to their benefit. Hans continued his dazzling display of power for several minutes. The gravely injured were soon turned to mildly hurt, while the mildly hurt were ready to fight again. As the flood of injured ceased, Hans fell from the sky to his knees, gasping. ¡°Ha...ha... I¡¯m THIRSTY. Bring me water!¡± Delimira and Chris rushed to his aid. Meanwhile, Reina¡¯s mind raced, as it became closer to answering how Hans had survived their previous encounter in the Deadlands. Even after she had dismembered his hand. ¡°Every technique, every spell has a weakness. What is yours, Hans of Parv?¡± she mumbled, scrutinising his actions with her sharp gaze. She was also bitter, but Hans¡¯s miraculous intervention disrupted the Thalorian magic tower¡¯s devastating impact. As the fallen stood again, it threw the enemy army into disarray, forcing them into a retreat. The prince of Parv became an awe-inspiring figure instantly. Even if he was from an enemy nation, there was something in the Imperials that they respected and Hans was filling those shoes very well. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As he rested chugging down gallons of water, people kept praising and thanking him. But he ignored them, minding his own business. ¡°This is disappointing. I was done in mere minutes¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, Hans. That¡¯s why I call you ¡®princess.¡¯ Because you act like one, you know.¡± Delimira scoffed, ¡°Just accept that you¡¯ve done fine. You¡¯re like that bitch in class who scores 99% and still cries about doing badly on the exam.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you talking about yourself?¡± Hans let those words rest in his mouth; he had no retort for her; anything he could have said would only prompted her to come up with something even sharper to silence him. So, instead of arguing, he just kept quiet. As she continued her rant, his attention shifted elsewhere, honing in on a particular individual and his mumbling. It was an elf, skinny, even by elven standards, clad in armour that seemed like someone else¡¯s. As if he were forced into wearing clothes not meant for him. Hans signalled to her ranting friend to halt, and surprisingly, she did as she noticed the intensity in his gaze. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± The elf''s mutterings became clearer as the three of them listened intently. Chris moved to help, but Hans grabbed his arm, stopping his march. ¡°Let''s listen first, Chris,¡± he urged, and the three leaned in, their ears straining to catch every word. ¡°What did I do?¡± The skinny soldier''s voice grew louder, his confusion and frustration evident. His audience, now, swelled from three to many more, all drawn by his wretched cries. ¡°He is a rat, spreading plague.¡± Delimira unsheathed her rapier for the first time, but Hans halted her promptly. ¡°If one dies, another cries. Stop. Clandor needs to handle it carefully.¡± Hans whispered, but Chris didn¡¯t understand what these two were talking, so he whispered back. ¡°What¡¯s a rat?¡± Suddenly, both turned to Chris, their gaze asking if he was an idiot, but Chris was a kind man who accepted what he didn¡¯t know with a proud face. ¡°You two are weirdos, not me!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°He is probably bribed or threatened so he could spread the doubt, aka ¡®Plague,¡¯ in our side, understood?¡± Hans explained, and Chris acknowledged with a nod, asking back promptly, ¡°so why are we letting him spread the doubts?¡± ¡°Just hear him out first.¡± Hans gestured, and the skinny soldier continued as everyone¡¯s focus was on him. He fell on his bottom as he had lost everything.¡°I was just a farmer,¡± he complained, his eyes devoid of light. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who rules over us. You people should fight with yourselves. Why are you involving us commoners?¡± ¡°This damned soldier. I''ll cut your head off. Questioning your orders is desertion!¡± Another infuriated soldier, likely from a noble family, stepped in. Hans quickly signalled to Chris, who promptly stopped him. This was a place of recovery, where all exhausted and injured rested. They were vulnerable to thoughts of desertion. And upon hearing those words from their comrade, the thought strengthened. So their eyes searched for the one who saved their lives. ¡°Tsk, this isn''t my territory. Why do I have to calm Clandorian¡¯s army?¡± Hans reluctantly stood, marching toward the whining soldier with calm, measured steps. ¡°I don¡¯t run on compassion,¡± he calmly said, ¡°so your waterworks won¡¯t be affecting me, soldier.¡± Hans¡¯s tone commanded authority, yet there was no hint of punishment in his voice. The soldier raised his head, meeting Hans¡¯s sharp gaze as Hans continued. ¡°I admit, you¡¯re right. Many of you were probably forced to come here.¡± His words were sympathetic, but his piercing eyes conveyed a different message. ¡°Some of you might never have wielded a weapon before. But if you think you¡¯re fighting for these high-ass nobles, these royals, or any of the trash they refer to themselves as, you¡¯re wrong. Just look beside you. Who do you see?¡± Hans''s voice suddenly raised, demanding the answer in rage. The soldiers looked around but remained silent. So, Hans pressed on, his voice still brimming with fervour, ¡°There aren''t any nobles around. It¡¯s just people like you. Look closer¡ªthey¡¯re as scared as you are, forced into this war just like you. You¡¯re fighting to protect the person who ate with you, who sleeps beside you, who dreams of going back to their family just like you. Fight for them. Protect them, so they can protect you. I¡¯m not a man of many words, heck I¡¯m not even a man yet, but I think it is necessary for you all to hear this. You¡¯re in this mess together, and only the people beside you can help you steer clear.¡± Hans turned to leave, but his back seemed broader and more commanding than any noble who forced them to draft. They stared at his departing figure, even the skinny soldier who had been prepared to lose his head for inciting commotion in the army that had robbed him of his home. Now, he remained silent. ¡°You having a soft spot, Hans?¡± Delimira whispered, a teasing glint in her eye. ¡°What do you think?¡± Hans''s gaze was sharper than before. ¡°How many times have you practiced that speech, then?¡± she continued to tease, but Hans suddenly grew somber. ¡°I just repeated what someone had said in the past,¡± Hans answered as the scene of Dietrich vanished from his mind and exited the medical ward with them, mumbling, ¡°When you take up arms, you become a soldier, but that must be a choice, not compulsion. These people don¡¯t run on loyalty; they were bottom feeders, and now these nobles want them to fight their wars. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Hans, unaware of how the Clandorians recruited their armies, was furious. ¡°For a commoner, who rules over them doesn¡¯t matter, but it does matter who forces them to fight. Right now, they resent us¡ªour side,¡± he said sharply. ¡°At this rate, desertion is just a matter of time,¡± Chris thought out loud, and both Hans and Delimira nodded in agreement. ¡°My dear aunt needs to show them they¡¯re not just being sent to their deaths and lead them from the front,¡± Delimira scorned. ¡°That¡¯s a huge disadvantage with an army of mages.¡± Hans ended up defending Reina, ¡°Even worse if it¡¯s a civil war where neither side wants to incur personal losses. They¡¯re just feeling each other by sending soldiers to death. Just to see whose army will have the upper hand.¡± ¡°But eventually, they¡¯ll have to step in, won¡¯t they?¡± Chris asked. ¡°Yeah, but it would be too late for these commoners. I can¡¯t have my name smeared with such a grim war.¡± Hans said, looking at the exhausted army, devoid of any motivation. ¡°These soldiers need to know they¡¯re fighting for the right side,¡± He stepped further, taking a good look afar. ¡°Fear won¡¯t work, and you can¡¯t ignite loyalty in them,¡± he muttered. ¡°That leaves only one thing¡ªshowing them that the Council is a worse option.¡± A silence settled among the three until Hans''s lips curled into a grin. ¡°Then let¡¯s force the powerhouses to the front. I¡¯ll change this game of Clandor¡ª¡± ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t leave the rearguard,¡± Delimira quickly interjected. Sierra had tasked her with keeping an eye on her troublesome grandchild, and she wasn¡¯t about to let her down.¡°Who says I¡¯m the one leaving?¡± Hans¡¯s face turned smug as he quoted his minion. ¡°Vanir once said, I¡¯m a mage with a biblical capacity for violence.¡± He patted his waist belt and rose into the sky once again. ¡°And I think he was right.¡± All eyes, ally and enemy alike, turned to him, eager to see what kind of power the young imperial would unleash.
Elven Lies II Chapter 68 : A Sovereign Beast takes up the Stage CHAPTER 68 A SOVEREIGN BEAST TAKES UP THE STAGE In a dramatic scene as Hans floated high, a massive prehistoric beast, with scales glistening in the sunlight, appeared as he called upon it from his trusted Knapbinder. The air reverberated with its deafening roar, striking terror into the hearts of everyone below. Its immense jaws opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, as it descended with ferocity and primal might. The landscape trembled with anticipation as the ground approached, while below scattered in panic, sensing the impending danger from this ancient predator. ¡°It is coming¡ªa monstrous snapjaw,¡± someone with good eyesight spotted. The body forged from jagged rocks and interwoven with thick, green vines and tree matter. It plummeted from the skies, splintering the very earth upon impact. The creature roared, clearing the dust cloud it formed. It had a massive presence as if a warlord had summoned his mount. ¡°Kill them all.¡± Hans commanded, unleashing a colossal snapjaw, far larger than any recorded in history. He had revealed his trump card, his behemoth, and it wasted no time in its destructive mission. The creature''s eyes, glowing with an eerie green light, scanned the battlefield before locking onto the enemy lines. With a thunderous bellow, the rocky snapjaw surged forward, barreling through the allied ranks. Soldiers parted in awe and fear, barely managing to step aside in time. The monster''s enormous claws gouged deep trenches into the earth with every stride, crushing debris and remnants of shattered walls underfoot. It reached the damaged gate of Galenhall with terrifying speed, smashing through what remained as if it were made of paper. Dust and rubble exploded in all directions as the snapjaw, sitting atop the debris, leered at the enemy lines. Finally, it began another surge, dashing toward the enemy. Aura skills and defensive spells cast to stop it were feeble, barely denting the rocky hide and slowing its path. Hans had infused the creature with life, but its defence and offence were all due to Vanir¡¯s ingenious mind. Slithering like a serpent, the creature breached the enemy lines. Panic erupted among the opposing soldiers as the gargantuan Snapjaw plowed through them. As if it had intelligence, its first targets were the mages and knights, not the foot soldiers that were recruited to boost the numbers. As it confronted the main force, aura skills of formidable strength and spells beyond the fifth circle began to rain down on Crocotian, finally providing a significant challenge to the Snapjaw golem. Yet, it wasn''t enough to contain it permanently. The Crocotian clashed fiercely with the Thalorian knights and mages, battling on equal footing. Hans watched from a distance, his gaze fiercely locked in the battle. His creation was an epitome of advanced golem magic, surpassing even the famed alchemists of Concordia. Satisfied with the results, Hans descended once again. ¡°So, that takes care of it. Now, where were we?¡± he asked as if what he had done was just another Monday chore. ¡°You bastard,¡± Delimira fumed, approaching him angrily. ¡°It was all you. That is the monster of Mystic Glades. You lured people in and robbed them¡ª¡± ¡°In my defence, Deli,¡± Hans interrupted her, ¡°I had also put up a board with bold letters saying ¡®Private Property. Do Not Enter. Dangers Ahead, Go Back.¡¯ You can¡¯t blame me for people¡¯s illiteracy. It¡¯s not my fault their greed.¡± He feigned innocence. ¡°So, how strong is that golem of yours?¡± she asked, still irritated. But before Hans could answer, a roar, tantamount to a sovereign-class beast, reached their ears. Hans responded with a grin, ¡°VERY¡­¡± And he wasn''t wrong. The core used in Crocotian was an ever-evolving day seed. Over time, it had gained intelligence and was becoming more efficient with experience. It dodged like a frog and attacked like a hawk. What troubled the Thalorians most were the formulas Vanir had inserted into it. Crocotian spewed scalding hot water on them, knights and mages alike. It burned and boiled their skin and also jammed their equipment. The propelled water was acidic, adding to their agony. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. When mages turned to defence, its agile burrowing skill collapsed their footing, turning the battlefield into a deathtrap. Neither in physical nor magical, the creature lacked, and the elites of the council, even those who had reached the fifth circle or were beyond grade fifty, started losing their equal footing. They became nothing more than fodder. Those on Clandor¡¯s side finally managed to establish a far sight and saw the true extent of Hans¡¯s violent capabilities. Like an instinctual beast, the Snapjaw golem butchered its fallen prey cruelly, instilling chills in the hearts of the Thalorian forces. The Thalorians were losing not just their fyrd but their elite forces¡ªthe knights and mages they had painstakingly trained and equipped. "Damn it," Lord Varys of Thalorian grunted. It was true that he came here to die, but at this rate, he would be the only one to be put to slumber permanently. He was eager to leave a mark in history but not this way. Desperate, he activated the devastating spell of their dark tower. Eight concentric circles of black light illuminated the ground where Crocotian was rampaging through the Thalorian mages. In an instant, the entire area was consumed by a black flare, so intense that it swallowed all sound. The cries of the Thalorian collateral damage were eerily silent. Despite the destruction of his beast golem, Hans was smiling. ¡°Creak! Creak!¡± A burrow opened right beneath him, and a monitor lizard the size of a forearm emerged, climbing onto Hans''s shoulder. Its earlier roars were now the shrieks of a baby snapjaw. ¡°Good boy,¡± Hans cooed, touching the baby Crocotian¡¯s chin and praising it like a cherished pet. However, Crocotian''s rampage was not its only contribution to the battlefield. As it plowed through the enemy lines, it sowed countless VeganBind seeds. Hans, with a swift motion, knelt and touched the ground. Instantly, he spread his control from one seed to another, weaving a web of network that made him feel the whole battlefield within his palm. As the impact of the eight-circle spell from the Thalorian tower subsided, a bizarre scene unfolded. Strong green vines, which had borne the brunt of the spell, emerged, shielding parts of the Thalorian army¡ªthough primarily the fodder troops. These protective vines swiftly entwined around the soldiers, cocooning them before dragging hundreds towards Galenhall, straight to Hans through the path Crocotian had carved. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Reina stormed over, furious at Hans for acting independently and disregarding the chain of command. ¡°Now, Clandorian mages can attack without fearing to hurt the innocent people forced by the council. Just as you asked, Queen Reina,¡± Hans said innocently, bowing with respect as if he had merely fulfilled her command. The crowd, including the captured soldiers and her own commoner troops, watched her with anticipation. Trapped between a rock and a hard place, Reina couldn''t refute Hans when her own soldiers were looking at her with hope. Reluctantly, she accepted. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll keep them coming,¡± Hans shouted. ¡°Soldiers, we are going to save as many people as possible from the council¡¯s tyrannical rule. Get ready!¡± The commoners cheered at Hans¡¯s words, their morale surging. ¡°Now that is the motivation I was talking about,¡± he declared. Chris and others were looking at Hans with their mouths opened, while Delimira remarked silently, ¡°I don¡¯t know how much he knows about wars. But manipulating masses, that right flows down in his veins.¡± Her remark was meant for Reina to hear, and she didn¡¯t stop there. With a tone dripping with irony, Delimira continued, ¡°When you sit so high, you fail to see the struggles on the ground. If you don¡¯t act now, the people will only hear how Hans saved the Clandorian asses countless times. And believe me, I know him well. He is here to build his reputation. He¡¯ll seize any glory he can to build his fame, Dear Aunt.¡± She chuckled, then turned to join Hans. Delimira didn¡¯t have to tell her twice. Reina finally ordered her elite forces to jump in. She directed them to dismantle the Thalorians and their tower. The battlefield erupted as Clandorian elites stepped in, unleashing sixth and seventh circle spells. The war where only soldiers were fighting from both sides now became a war between knights and mages. Storms of fire, rivers of burning lava, and sudden landslides dominated the scene. Every conceivable natural disaster was invoked by the mages from both sides. This marked the major milestone in the civil war. Countless were injured or killed on both sides. But when the Warlords¡ªefficient mage killers¡ªjoined the Clandorian side, the stalemate began to tilt in Clandor¡¯s favour. Meanwhile, Hans gained fame among the commoners. He tirelessly saved the fodder army from both sides, standing firm even as destructive spells rained down. He protected them, healed them, provided evasion, and sometimes blocked spells by sacrificing his summoned forest. His focus was on providing perfect cover while the stronger forces clashed. The number of soldiers he saved grew every moment. From a few to hundreds, and then thousands. Finally, with the help of the Reverends¡ªthe sole knight family of Clandor¡ªGalenhall got their revenge. It took them the whole day to isolate Varys and his family. Several were sacrificed in doing so, but at last, they managed to execute and erase the Thalorian name from Elven lands. This forced the remnant army to surrender and helped them acquire the dark magic tower, which needed repairs but was still capable of raining assaulting spells. This became their new stronghold, a step toward the east where the Council had firmly established its presence. But before they could relish their victory over Thalorian, a grim news arrived from both the south and the north.
Elven Lies II Chapter 69 : Xandor Out Of The Hole CHAPTER 69 XANDOR OUT OF THE HOLE A day before the attack on Galenhall, the council members discovered that Varys Thalorian, the lord of the dark magic tower, had gone rogue. His entire army had vanished, disappearing into thin air just a few kilometres from Galenhall. The news hit the council like a thunderclap. ¡°That darn Thalorian,¡± cursed Dandor, the council''s tactician, frustration etched on his face like his aged wrinkles. ¡°I told you before, Thalorians couldn¡¯t be trusted,¡± remarked Lady Penning with a tone of vindication, her disdain for Thalorians clear. Dandor ignored her, knowing well how much she despised them. He had no time for grudges; the situation demanded swift action. He quickly expedited orders to attack the southern and northern frontiers simultaneously, setting the stage for the current crisis in Clandorian¡¯s situation room. Reina skimmed through the reports, her face growing grimmer with each passing page. The north was on the verge of destruction. They were forced to evacuate their newly occupied city because of relentless bombardment from four enemy towers. The northern frontiers had to flee, but their escape didn''t come without cost; House Highborn had to sacrifice one of their towers, which was utterly destroyed by the combined fury of the four enemy towers. The situation in the south was even more dire. Assassin mages ran amok, indiscriminately attacking citizens. The entire southern frontier was awash in blood, a scene reminiscent of a butcher¡¯s shop. Reina relayed this grim news in the situation room, where her allies were providing their valuable insights. ¡°Prince Hans,¡± she addressed him, her tone filled with irritation, ¡°Have you still failed to make contact with Commander Homar?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ''failed''?¡± Hans thought, bristling at the implication. Before he could respond, Reina interrupted, ¡°With the dark magic tower and remaining forces, we can hold even if the council summons their towers here. So I ask you to take Sierra and Rudolf with you to aid the southern frontier. The citizens are barely hanging on; they need someone to heal them.¡± Hans couldn''t refute her¡ªit was a sound strategy. Yet, he couldn''t shake the feeling that he was acting on someone else''s script. And he wasn''t the only one. The wise men in the room shared his unease. The atmosphere was tense, everyone feeling that things were getting worse quickly. Reina kept giving orders, and Hans looked at Sierra and Rudolf. They nodded, showing they understood the seriousness of what they had to do next. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll see to it.¡± Hans stood up and went back to their camp while Rudolf and Sierra trailed behind. As people dispersed to their assigned designations, it became clear that the central frontier would face a gap in strength. To fill this void, another wave of reinforcements arrived, including retired members from the previous queen¡¯s reign and the former queen herself. ¡°I saw what happened today,¡± spoke the former queen, Reina¡¯s mother. ¡°The commoners started to believe in that bastard rather than in us, their protectors.¡± ¡°He healed them and buried their enemies. How do you expect them to behave?¡± Reina questioned her mother, her tone carrying a hint of ¡®I told you so.¡¯ ¡°You were the one who opposed my strategy of using the elite force first.¡± She silently complained. ¡°I agree, it was a mistake on my part. But that boy you spared, Reina, is quite the snake. He¡¯s just like his father, though he lacks his ambitions. But, for how long?¡± The former queen paused, reflecting on Winter¡¯s daughter¡¯s words. ¡°That child has a unique air about him, a presence that makes you feel invincible as long as you¡¯re on his side. I agree with the half-blood¡¯s words and I¡¯m not saying it because he is the spawn of Parv. NO, it¡¯s his innate ability, something even his abhorrent father didn¡¯t possess.¡± Elves were sensitive to these kinds of things, Clandor Royals especially. ¡°It¡¯s natural for children to surpass their parents. We call it evolution, Mother.¡± Reina responded, ¡°And you¡¯re right about him, but we can¡¯t kill him yet. Not until I can verify Bernard¡¯s words, or we risk awakening the end of our kind.¡± When her mother looked at her, the eyes filled with desire for clarification. Reina gently slid a parchment, an old tome, towards her mother. ¡°Before this escalated, I was researching this.¡± She pointed to the text, written in archaic high elven. Though difficult even for the former queen to understand, she knew its significance. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Those cursed Amarathiel!" The former queen''s frustration echoed through the situation room. Her eyes darted across the archaic text. ¡°The prophecy?¡± she inquired, turning to Queen Reina. ¡°Yes,¡± Reina affirmed with a solemn nod, ¡°the rest of this is from the old scrolls of House Amarathiel¡ª ¡°What does it foretell?¡± The former queen''s urgency cut through Reina''s explanation. ¡°One shall rise to make one fall, The light must dim for darkness to call.¡± ¡° I have no time for riddles. What does it mean, Reina?¡± The former queen''s fear of prophecies was quite known to the royals. Calling it paranoia was the fitting term. ¡°I don''t believe the child is the Parvian sun, the harbinger of disaster as mentioned in the archaic verses. Rather, his end might herald the beginning of our downfall. Perhaps his demise is the catalyst for the Parvian sun''s awakening.¡± She explained. ¡°Ugh! These cryptic riddles! Why couldn''t those Amarathiel ancestors write plainly in Elvish? Why these convoluted puzzles?¡± The former queen''s irritation was evident, but then she paused, her eyes scanning further down the text. ¡°What about our demigod? Aredhel found those scriptures, isn¡¯t it? He is the destined one to confront this threat, right?¡± Her voice didn¡¯t show hope but unwavering confidence as if it will happen no matter what. She iterated the demigod prophecy herself. ¡°With the might of light, one would rise, neither a god nor of foes. Shove the Parvian sun to dusk, rest its wrath within his husk.¡± Reina repeated the words, adding, ¡°It doesn''t speak of killing, but of containing. You, or our family, has distorted the truth.¡± ¡°Forget it, Reina. Our faith in the gods will not falter in our darkest hours.¡± The former queen declared with unwavering conviction, leaving Reina to ponder the depths of that belief. Meanwhile, in the comfort of their tent, Rudolf pondered for a moment before speaking up, ¡°The five of us should be enough. It''s just a mission to escort Hans and Sierra there so they can work their magic,¡± he affirmed. Just then, the communication orb that Hans held lit up with a blink. ¡°I have both bad news and worse news.¡± Homar''s voice came through from the other side. ¡°What do you want to hear first, Prince Hans?¡± ¡°Is the bad news that Thalorians aren¡¯t there?¡± Hans inquired, already anticipating the answer. Homar nodded, ¡°Yes, that''s correct.¡± ¡°And the worse news?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Xandor is out of his rat hole. He is the one occupying Thalorian¡¯s land¡ª Hans abruptly stood up. He asked Homar in fervour, ¡°Can you see their forces or hear any activity?¡± Homar replied, ¡°No, we¡¯re still a day away from reaching them. We need to proceed with caution. Xandor is known to be very careful.¡± ¡°I need to get to the south, but I¡¯ll try to settle things there quickly. Let Xandor know I¡¯ll have his head on a pike real soon.¡± Blip! Blip! Before Sierra could scold Hans for his uncouth behaviour, he made another call, relaying Homar¡¯s findings to the situation room. ¡°Grandpa, let''s not waste any time,¡± he urged Rudolf and his friends. Sierra was forced to swallow her words, but she still had something to say. ¡°Child, I¡¯m still opposed to taking you there. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re getting into, so be on your best behaviour,¡± she warned. ¡°Xandor¡­ we¡¯ll talk about him later, understood?¡± Patting his waist belt lightly, Hans nodded. He needed to be calm, not irrational like a child he was. Since Xandor was the later foe to face, the situation in the south warranted his utmost caution. ¡°Listen, kids,¡± Rudolf began, ¡°we aren¡¯t going to get involved in the fight in the south. We are only there to heal the injured, so no one is to play the hero.¡± He stared at Hans and added, ¡°And for sure, no one is to show off, understood, Prince of Parv?¡± Hans had no choice but to nod again. They departed on foot, running at full speed. He was flying just above the ground level when he suddenly asked Delimira, ¡°Hey! Can¡¯t you just turn into that flying serpent and take us there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a ride,¡± she quickly denied. ¡°Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that,¡± Hans replied, glancing at her grandma who was matching Rudolf¡¯s pace. ¡°Man, I didn¡¯t know Grandma was this fast¡ª¡± ¡°Idiot, look at her feet,¡± Delimira pointed out. ¡°She¡¯s barely touching the ground. You can¡¯t underestimate a divine mana user, Hans.¡± Chris, on the other hand, was imitating Rudolf¡¯s breathing, his technique, and even the amount of aura Rudolf was using with deadly precision. If it weren¡¯t for the wind gem he wore, there was no way he would have kept up with their pace. ¡°Wow, so I¡¯m the weakest here,¡± he thought to himself. Delimira frowned at his words, ¡°Hans¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah! Yeah! Don¡¯t be a bitch, right?¡± He sighed, feeling the familiar urge to be better than everyone else. No matter what he did, he couldn''t shake this competitive habit. The southern frontier was three days away, and the reinforcements Reina had sent there before the Battle of Galenhall hadn''t reached them yet. If it had been another army, Rudolf and his group would have taken the same amount of time, but they were a small group. Conventionally, they should¡¯ve reached the southern frontier in a day and a half, but it was already the end of the second day, and they were still wondering what was happening. They didn''t sense any mischief in the mana or any artefact acting up. Neither did things repeat themselves, indicating they were running in circles. ¡°Gramps, I know I¡¯m directionally challenged, but isn¡¯t this overdoing a bit?¡± ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t figure out who has things up their assess to play this nonsense thing. Come on, bastard, show yourself.¡± Rudolf flaunted his sword around, but no one answered. After another day spent in vain, they finally stumbled upon the trail of the reinforcements heading south. ¡°Damn it,¡± Rudolf grumbled as they hastened to join the reinforcements. ¡°We were lost who knows where, and now we¡¯re late enough to catch up with an army dispatched two days before us.¡±