Arrival at the Elven Village
Editor(s): Joker, Speedphoenix
“I’m glad you made it back,” said Phynar . “Why don’t we get right into the details?”
“Right away, sir,” said the commander of the squad that had detached itself from Yuki’s party . He was kneeling before his king, ready to report on his findings . “Before I inform you of the information I gathered while I was out, I’d first like to tell you something else that is just as important . We met with the demon lord named Yuki during our return . He and a companion of his have already dispatched the undead dragon . ”
“He’s already dealt with it?” Phynar raised a hand to his chin . “It’s only been a day since we’ve asked for help . I wasn’t expecting him until tomorrow . ”
“I’m sure it was him, Lady Nell was also present as a witness, and she appeared to be confident that he was who he claimed to be . I’m also absolutely certain that the undead dragon has perished . I watched them destroy it with my own two eyes . ”
“Hmmm…” Phynar smiled . “Always exceeding my expectations, that one . ” After chuckling and crossing his legs, the king continued . “What else do you have to report?”
“The survey was a success, sir,” said the guardian devil . “We’ve managed to confirm that there are fiends spread throughout our surroundings, and that they seem to be up to something . Unfortunately, I was unable to contact the forward base we have placed at the southeastern frontier . I suspect they are either in battle, or they have already been wiped out . ”
He began thinking of the humans that Remiero had captured . He was convinced that they served as a crucial piece of evidence, one that pointed towards the possibility of a fiend-human alliance . And not a small one .
The Southeastern Frontier Base was one of the demon realm’s most important points of defense, a border they shared with humans . To the fiends, it was a target of little interest . It was far from their base, and the main purpose of it was to defend against a potential human invasion . To that end, Phynar wasn’t able to immediately conclude which of the two parties were responsible . Unless he was to assume that they were working together, that is . At the very least, the attack’s perfect timing was indicative of some sort of deal .
He needed to do something about it . Quickly . If the base was to collapse, it would leave the demon realm open to a possible human invasion . But it was far too difficult for him to deal with the situation while in elven lands . The longer they kept him from returning, the longer it would be before he was able to deploy reinforcements . That was why they had unleashed a creature as terrifying as an undead dragon . Fortunately, their scheme had been dismantled . Yuki had proven himself to be a massive wrench in their plans .
“Now that the undead dragon is gone, we have plenty of ways to deal with the situation . I’d like your squad to take a day off to rest, but once that’s over, you’ll unfortunately have to sortie again immediately . I would’ve liked to give you more time to recuperate, but the situation is too dire,” said Phynar . “I’d like you to deliver a letter I’ll be writing shortly to our southeastern headquarters . Once you’re done, you’re free to pick whomever you want to form a unit for the sake of investigating any sort of suspicious human activity . Focus on anything that relates to military action . Everything else, I’ll be dealing with separately, so don’t worry about it . ”
“Orders received, sir . ”
The commander stood up and left, only to be replaced moments later . A certain elven monarch burst straight through the door .
“Phynar! Our men bring news . The undead dragon has been defeated . It is likely that the reinforcements have arrived!”
“Yup! I was just told the exact same thing . ”
“You were informed already?” She raised a brow . “It must have been the men you sent to scout . Have they brought the information you required?”
“They’ve provided me everything I need to deduce our enemies’ intentions,” he said with a cunning smile . “I’m fairly certain I know exactly what they want . ” He got to his feet as he continued . “But enough of that . The people who dealt with the big bad undead for us will be arriving soon . I’d love to show them some hospitality myself, but sadly, I have no power here . That duty’ll have to fall on your shoulders . ”
“Do not worry . We have already arranged for it . The best Our settlement can provide shall be put on full display . The hospitality We shall demonstrate is far beyond all that can be experienced within your realm . ”
“I’m not so sure about that, but I’m curious to see what you have in store . ”
After lightly prodding at each other just to mess around, the two each got to their respective tasks .
***
“Do you remember the chief of the fiends?” Nell asked as we leisurely made our way over to the elven village . She was still riding the dire wolf that she had borrowed from the queen . “He’s a pretty big guy with a head of red hair . I think you said you fought him before . ”
“Yeah? What about him?” I answered with an annoyed scowl .
“I fought him yesterday,” she said . “He escaped by using a necklace to teleport away . And it looked a lot like the ones that you use all the time . ”
“So, you’re saying you think he had a warp crystal?”
“Mhm . That’s what made me start suspecting that they might have a demon lord on their side too . ” she said with a nod . “It’d all make sense if they did . The demon king mentioned that the fiends replenish their forces abnormally quickly . ”
She went on to explain that Phynar’s plots had crippled the fiends on several different occasions . While he hadn’t wiped their forces out, he’d left them depleted to the point where any further conflict was likely to be impossible . And yet, they would rear their heads again in full force the moment he turned the corner . It hadn’t just been once . The exact same scenario had played out several times already .
As Phynar wasn’t the type to fail at reading his foes’ forces to such a degree, he came to the conclusion that there had to be a reason for their abnormally high numbers .
“So you think they’re using a dungeon to boost their numbers?”
“Mhm . If that’s not it, then it doesn’t really make sense . There are still a few things I don’t really get, but let’s not think about that right now . Because we’re finally here!”
I raised a brow and scanned our surroundings .
“You sure this is the right place…?”
“I don’t see anything,” said Enne, telepathically .
“There is a barrier,” said Lefi, who, unlike us, clearly understood what was going on .
“I knew there was no tricking you,” Nell giggled .
She led the way and took a few steps forward . When we did the same, everything, and I mean everything changed . The trees suddenly grew larger and more organized . There stood rows upon rows of massive, towering plants adorned with stairs to climb their oversized trunks and bridges to connect their canopies . Many elves had made the trees their homes, hollowing out massive sections to turn the natural constructs into buildings . And yet, it was clear they weren’t destructive or even intrusive . The trees remained full of vitality, their emerald green leaves indicative of their good health . The homes built into their trunks almost seemed to embody the concept of harmony between man and nature .
The beautiful flowers that had been planted literally everywhere were only highlighted by the way the sunlight filtered through the trees . The mystical, wondrous scene was exactly like what one would expect of an elven village hidden somewhere deep in the forest . And it instilled in me without question the idea that today was a warm spring day .
But it wasn’t perfect . At least not anymore . The flames of war had ravaged the secret hideaway . Many of the trees were damaged by impact or by flame . Elves and their golems could be seen all around, using a mix of might and magic to restore their homes the best they could . It’s a shame this place isn’t at its best anymore .
It was clear from both what Lefi had said and the sudden change in scenery that the entire settlement was masked by some sort of magic . Troops of all sorts, elves, demons, and humans, had appeared out of thin air the moment we stepped through the boundary, already in the midst of a salute .
A beautiful elf wearing what seemed to be a traditional dress approached, walking between the lines of soldiers as would an individual of great importance . She was dignified, radiating confidence and pride with every step .
“Welcome, dear guests . We thank you for defeating the undead dragon in Our steeeeeeeeeeek!?”
The individual of great importance made an odd sounding squeak as her eyes fell on the person beside me .
Lefi .
“L-Leficios!? T-the Supreme Dragon!?”
The clear shout of recognition led my wife to raise her brow .
“I recognize you,” she said . “Are you not the elf that attempted to challenge me?”
“Guessing she’s an acquaintance?”
My question was met with a shrug .
“An acquaintance indeed, and nothing but . I was once attacked by a group of elves as I passed over their domain, likely as they suspect that I wished to engage . She was among them . ”
“W-we apologize,” squeaked the terrified elf . “I-it was not Our intention to inconvenience you . ” She literally dripped with cold sweat as she bowed .
As I wasn’t being conversed with, I took the opportunity to put Analyze to work .
***
Name: Napholahz Faeraie
Race: High Elf
Class: Fairy Queen of the Elven Domain
Level: 93
***
Well then . I guess she doesn’t just seem important . She is important . And her level’s pretty high too . Seems like she puts her soldiers to shame .
“Worry not, it was an event long past . You are free to forget it . I have little intention of holding a grudge . ”
“W-we thank you for your leniency from the depths of Our being,” said the queen .
She finally stopped bowing, but it was clear that she was still on edge . Her behaviour was apparently so abnormal that she was throwing the soldiers for a loop . The elven ones were especially weirded out .
The awkward atmosphere would likely have persisted had Nell not stepped in .
“U-uhm, I’m sure our guests are probably hungry, so why don’t we start heading into the village, Your Majesty?”
“Honestly, I’m sleepier than I am hungry,” I said . “We basically haven’t stopped flying since we set out last night . ”
“Indeed . I wish for an opportunity to rest . ”
“Oh yeah, you did rush right over, huh? I guess you would be tired,” said Nell .
“Our guests have spoken!” said the still-panicked monarch . “Prepare Our finest guest room immediately . Spare no expense!”
“Y-yes, your majesty! At your command!”
Though still bewildered, some of her men split off to follow her instructions .
“So, Lefi… mind explaining? The hell did you do to the poor girl?”
“It was not I who was at fault . I did little but issue a threat,” she said . “She would do best to be grateful, for I forgave her in spite of an unreasonable assault . ”
The only thing I really learned from her explanation was that the elven queen was truly an individual worthy of every bit of pity I had to spare .
