On the 2nd floor terrace of the Councilor Building, Zebeyeyl politely excused himself before leaving to go join his House and family down below. When she was certain he had gone, Lady Helvi’Ett smiled and said, “I believe now is the perfect opportunity to make our announcement, Lord Baen’Mtor.”

“Now?” Lord Baen’Mtor questioned, “Are you sure we shouldn’t delay until after the Goddesses’ blessings?”

“By then the perfect opportunity will have already passed.” She replied.

“How so?” He asked.

“Once the aurora fills the skys, it'll be impossible to prevent the crowds from celebrating to their heart’s content.” Lady Helvi’Ett reasoned.

“I guess you have a point.” Lord Baen’Mtor agreed, nodding his head in understanding.

“So it’s decided. We’ll make the announcement right away!” She then peered out onto the waves of elves, and instantly discerned Verana and House Ven’Thyl from the crowds, rhetorically asking “Now I wonder how she and her loathsome little House will react to this...”

***

Settling down in a slightly less crowded area, I observed thousands of more elves continuing to go up and hill and show their respects to the Kings’ statues. I also spotted where all the Nobles and rich people seemed to be. Wearing expensive fine clothes and highly decorative jewelry, they all surrounded and neared the entrance of the Councilor Building. The Nobles stood-out the most, as their Houses all wore matching colours: blue for the Helvi’Etts, green for the Fre’Nddares, and purple for the Baen’Mtors.

“Those colours keep popping up everywhere…” I noted to myself, recalling the many times I’ve seen them before, “Like the powers of a Trinity Archer, or the simple colours of the Nobles Houses…” Their constant concurrences perplexed and intrigued me, “Oh, and what about these tattoos of these fairies?”

Though quickly interrupting my thoughts, an amplified voice echoed in the air, announcing “Happy joyous festival, my dear fellow elves!”

“That voice…” Verana said, immediately recognizing it and directing her attention towards the Councilor Building.

I could see Lady Helvi’Ett begin to speak again, “Please pardon my unexpected interruption right before the Twin Goddesses’ Aurora, but there is something we both must announce to you all, and to the city and Kingdom as a whole.”

“An announcement for the Kingdom? Now?” Amariina exclaimed, surprised to hear one was being made here.

“I never heard of any announcement being scheduled today.” Aelthar stated, clueless of what this could be about.

“Hmm…” Shurtyrr hummed, having a suspicious look on his face. “This is quite peculiar indeed…”

Lady Helvi’Ett and Lord Baen’Mtor could then be seen approaching the terrace railing again, with Lady Helvi’Ett introducing the both of them, saying “As you all may already know, I am Lady Daelaf, Head of the Noble House Helvi’Ett. And this is Lord Korspar, Head of the Noble House Baen’Mtor.” They both waved to the crowds once more before she continued, “All the people of the Lands of Novus know today, on the thousandth anniversary and celebration of the Five Heroes Festival, is truly a special and extraordinary day. Yet for us elves of the Elven Kingdom, this day will become far greater and even more important, as today will mark the promise of a changed and better elven future!” Her bold words captured the crowds, gaining everyone’s attention as we all waited for an explanation.

“Just what is that witch up to…” Verana muttered, waiting to listen to what Lady Helvi’Ett would say.

With a smile, she resumed speaking, “For too long have we elves lived our long lives in blissful content, wrongfully allowing ourselves to be chained down by old traditions and ideals that were created over a millennia ago, and unintentionally making ourselves weaker every passing century.” She then powerfully refuted the idea, “Except that is wrong! We are not weak! And we should all refuse to be known as such!” and loud cheers erupted from the crowds, “However, after attending the last Peace Conference of the Three Kingdoms four years ago, I will tell you the Human and Dwarven Kingdoms do think us weak! And they who are both lesser...arrogantly look down upon our Kingdom, and even worse so our elven people!” Loud cheers of anger erupted as a response.

“Is she trying to entice another Race War?!” Amariina asked in concern.

“I don’t know... But how dare she rile up the people using disparaging words and claims!?” Aelthar angrily replied.

“Ha, to think there’s someone more senile than Old Bhin in a seat of power!” Shurtyrr laughingly scoffed.

Lord Baen’Mtor whispered something to Lady Helvi’Ett, and she nodded before carrying on, “Do not mistake my words, my fellow elves. I, nor anyone, should wish for another war. I was simply stating how the other Kingdoms currently perceive all of us.” The crowds settled down a little, “And in all honesty, they are absolutely correct in thinking that. For we are a Kingdom with no King or Queen, and no Royal Bloodline to pass on the rule...” She paused to allow the people to take in her words, but she quickly began speaking again, “That is until today! On the thousandth anniversary of the Five Heroes Festival, we the Heads of the Noble Houses of Helvi’Ett and Baen’Mtor have come to announce, for the first time in history, the engagement and formation of a new Royal Elven Bloodline!” stating, “Next year on this very day, my granddaughter, Lualaf Helvi’Ett, and Lord Baen’Mtor’s grandson, Cyspar Baen’Mtor, will be holding their planned wedding here for all to come and witness their blessed matrimony and royal coronation!”

Quest Updated

The Bloodline of Ven’Thyl:

Find information about the whereabouts of the Second Descendants of Ven’Thyl, locate their exact location, rescue them from their current dreadful circumstances, bring them into a sanctuary within the Elven Kingdom, and ultimately help them also be known and recognized as the Heirs to the Elves.

With the unexpected announcement and proclamation of a new Royal Elven Bloodline, you must thwart the ascension of ‘Cyspar Baen’Mtor’ and ‘Lualaf Helvi’Ett’ to the Elven Throne, for the good of the Second Descendants of Ven’Thyl, and to save the citizens of the Capital City of Ven’Thyl from potential death.

Reward: ??? Time Limit: Until the completion of the marriage and coronation of ‘Cyspar Baen’Mtor’ and ‘Lualaf Helvi’Ett’ on the eve next year's Five Heroes Festival. Failure: An Elven Civil War will break out, the other Kingdoms will act and move accordingly, and the Capital City of Ven’Thyl will likely be decimated in the assured battle for the Elven Throne and the right to rule over the Elven Kingdom.

“Shit…” Thinking, “I thought I had all the time in the world to complete this quest, but now I have to do it within a year or there’s gonna be a civil war?!” I began racking my brain on how I was going to do this while also making time to go and save Odelia too. Then other than my thoughts, the silence in the area was deafening, as no one really knew how to react to such an outrageous statement, but I immediately recognized the immense outrage on my House members’ faces. “Stop.” I quickly ordered them, noticing the surges of mana rapidly building-up in their bodies—especially in Verana's.

“But, Lord—”

“I know all of you must be anger, but—”

Aelthar cut me off, saying “Anger does not even begin to describe what we feel!” Clenching his fist, some of the accessories adorning his body broke off from the flex of his large muscles.

“It’s one thing to hypocritically mix their ‘Pure Elven Races’ after all this time, but it’s another thing to claim it to be a ‘New Royal Elven Bloodline’!” Shurtyrr expressed spitefully, rapidly twirling poisoned daggers in each hand out of frustration.

“This is blasphemous!” Amariina declared, “They are practically denouncing the True Royal Bloodline of its importance, and announcing that our Kingdom must move forward and accept their fraudulent coronation to be our new rule!”

Verana on the other hand maintained an unbreaking and deathly glare at Lady Helvi’Ett; though as I noticed the mana still building-up in her rising hands, I sternly called out to her “Verana. Enough. Calm yourself. She obviously wants to see our reactions.” Pointing out the condescending and smug face on Lady Helvi’Ett’s face as she glared back at our House.

Verana took a deep breath and exhale to calm herself, “Forgive me for my defiance, Eyes. I allowed myself to be caught up in her treacherous words.”

“It’s okay. But what were you planning to do? Attack her out in the open like this?” I gestured around us.

“Of course not. I would never attack her out in the open.” Verana said sarcastically, showing me a sinister smile, “I was simply going to show the her the true fear of facing a Legendary Astral-Body Mystic at night.” The others sighed in relief that she didn’t.

As a few moments passed after the announcement, I estimated over a million elves gathered around and filled the entire area. And those who weren’t present, were immediately informed by those who were, and news spread like wildfire throughout the whole city. Although the reception for the announcement was entirely mixed; some liking the idea of finally having a Royal Bloodline again to go against the other Kingdoms' Royal Bloodlines, some disliking the idea of betraying our storied and deep-rooted history, and whole lot of others quietly discussing and keeping their opinions to themselves. However, while I observed and listened to the nearby crowds, suddenly everyone strangely began staring up at the moon and sky, expecting and anticipating something to occur at any moment; and unknown to me, something did.

Without warning, a world-shaking earthquake suddenly shook the very ground we all stood on—causing me to stumble—and in almost an instant, two beams of enormous continuous light unexpectedly erupted from completely opposite horizons—a purple light from somewhere in the east, and a golden light from somewhere in the west. The startling sequence of events rightfully took me by surprise, but after noticing everyone else’s seemingly unconcerned and simply captivated expressions, all my concerns were immediately alleviated. Though standing out like shining beacons of light, I watched as the two contrasting beams rapidly traveled across the crimson night sky, and were unequivocally headed directly for the Blood Moon.

Simultaneously colliding against the moon’s surface, the two beams began equally spreading across each half of the moon, and the crimson light of the blood moon was diminished to be nothing but a sliver—before being entirely eliminated from the moon’s surface. Split into two equal halves, one side of the moon was illuminated in golden light, while the other side was illuminated in purple light. Subsequently, the two continuous beacons of light in the horizons abruptly ended, and the final beams trailed across the changed night sky to be absorbed by the newly illuminated moon.

Once the trailing lights were gone, the two colours of the moon started to perfectly meld with each other, and I watched as an incredibly complex magic circle gradually materialized around the complete surface of the moon. After fully materializing, the magic circle immediately activated, and the illuminating purple and gold light of the moon grew even brighter than before. And in the blink of an eye, a powerful wave of immense magic energy exploded out from the moon, and an incredibly beautiful and mesmerizing aurora appeared dancing and colouring the entire night sky.

The roaring voices of over a million elves echoed throughout the whole city—shouting in joy and celebration—with all kinds of different music starting to be played all around, and several fireworks and magics being shot up and exploding in the sky. This was truly a day of festival. Then all of a sudden, I noticed my sash swiftly change and mirror the colours of the light, and a new notification appeared with it.

The ‘Sash of the Thousandth Blessed Moon (Replica)’ is now imbued with the unique moonlight of the ‘Twin Goddesses Aurora’ (+100% Bonus Damage).

At the same time, another notification appeared.

The light of ‘Twin Goddesses Aurora’ has fulfilled the activation conditions of the [Runic-Body Enchantment], activating the Hidden Effect of Levitation within the Runes.

At that very moment, the tattoos on my body ignited in full-colour, and they all began surprisingly moving as if they were alive—the others’ tattoos did the same. But unlike the others, my feet suddenly rose up from the ground—momentarily freaking me out—and I began uncontrollably floating up into the air. All this of course made our House stand-out like a sore thumb, even more so than we already did, as almost everyone’s attention was naturally drawn onto us; but none of my House could be bothered to care—instead they only playfully laughed at my unexpected predicament.

“Hey! Anyone wanna tell me what’s happening?” I asked them, feeling like they all knew this was going to happen to me.

“Hmhmhm... Our apologies, Eyes.” Verana chuckled to herself.

Aelthar widely grinned as he explained, “Old Bhin always pulls a prank on one of us every year by adding a random effect to someone’s tattoos.”

“And it was quite obviously going to be you this year.” Shurtyrr happily continued.

“We just weren’t aware of what the effect would be this year.” Amariina concluded, teasingly waving me goodbye with the others.

Uncontrollably flipping upside down and floating higher up into the sky, I shouted “So what, am I just stuck like this now?”

“Bhin’s effects are always harmless, Eyes, so you should be fine after a while!” Verana assured me, mischievously joining the others as they each dispersed into the celebrating crowds of elves.

“Wow, did they really just leave me like this!?” I asked myself in disbelief, continuing to helplessly float upwards while the celebration went on without me.