Chapter 15

After break time was over, everything was packed up loaded onto trucks. Afterwards everyone boarded their designated vehicles but for one person.

Erik relinquished his commander’s seat to his Field Marshal, opting to ride with Lhaindir. He summoned a Willis Jeep and ordered a nearby soldier to drive it.

Engines roared to life, just waiting for the order to begin the journey. Over the roaring, Erik picked up a Handie-Talkie SCR536 AM from the soldier and ordered, “Roll out!”

The convoy departed and left their resting place in dust. Fortunately, they weren’t followed this time They travelled for two days with short breaks from time to time until they could travel no more.

Because there was nowhere else to go, for in front of them laid only the vast ocean.

Erik disembarked from the Jeep and with Lhaindir in tow walked towards the shore.

Erik immensely enjoyed the light breeze blowing while looking towards the horizon with his hands behind his back. For a moment he looked like different person, proud and aloof as if worldly matters had no impact upon him. Unfortunately, looks were deceiving.

It was around noon when they arrived, a perfect time for a break.

The former sandy beach was soon transformed into a staging point for exploration. Erik’s goal laid somewhere to the west but Ares certainly didn’t make thing easy with his vague instructions.

Erik convened a meeting consisting of the most senior military personnel in his forces. A young elf was also present.

It sounded magnificent, but it was just five people chatting by the beach.

Erik turned to Lhaindir and asked, “Do you know the lay of the land beyond the horizon? Have the elves ever been there before? Does anyone live there?”

Lhaindir replied, “Only in legends can one find information about such things. I remember that after the Exodus, not many records were left, only oral traditions remained. I was quite lucky to hear about a few of these. Most of them spoke about a time when all the races were living together peacefully but one-day calamity struck, forcing everyone to flee for their lives. After the calamity was the Exodus but unfortunately there are no survivors of the Exodus since it happened so long ago.

Because of that, nobody believes that such a place even existed. My dream was to find it one day but nobody wanted to support my expedition. Everyone said I was delusional, that elves couldn’t have lived together with those ignoble races.”

Erik asked, “So basically, we have no idea what to expect? It seems that it’s my fate is filled with suffering and even more suffering. Then, do you at least know anything about the creatures inhabiting the ocean? I presume there are such creatures, right?”

Lhaindir replied with glee in his voice since he could finally show off his knowledge, “Naturally, there are many beings living in the ocean. From small fishes to giant turtles. In fact, some even say that Astrira itself lies on the back of a giant turtle.”

Erik as a modern man with a consciousness influenced by science dismissed the notion of a giant turtle instantly, but in fact this was a fantasy world where anything was possible. A giant turtle wouldn’t have been anything unusual in the world of Valeria where the power called “magic” had a hand in evolution.

Erik asked, “So are there any dangerous species that we have to look out for?” Lhaindir replied, “I’m afraid that is a very hard question to answer, since as an Elf I haven’t needed to travel the seas before and as far as I know all who set out to sea have never returned.”

Erik sighed, it seemed they will have to go in blind. The difficulty setting on his life turned game was SERIOUS. (don’t get the reference? http://i.imgur.com/OO2xlKr.jpg)

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Your author here,

 I need to do some paperwork for college so chapters will be irregular( as if they were regular be4)

That's it from me. 

Signing out!

P.S. rate the story once in a while, it's kinda ridiculous that I have more followers than ratings

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