Chapter 2 – The Seeker and the Dreamer

DAISUKE HAS GROWN UP FINE SINCE THEN.

Now an eleven years old kid, Daisuke has grown up smart and healthy. But thanks to being bullied pretty much almost every single day, he never truly had a friend and just decided to stay at home or hang out at the Shrine of Maria during his free time.

“Back home so soon again?” Pinelia greeted Daisuke who just got back home from the academy.

“There’s... nothing much to do after school anyway,” Daisuke answered as he tried to retreat straight to his bedroom.

“Hold it right there, young man.” Pinelia caught Daisuke. “You are going outside and play.”

“But moooooom, I don’t even have friends to play with,” Daisuke complained as he walked down the stairs with heavy steps. “And besides, everyone’s ignoring me ‘cause I look different.”

“No, you’re not! You are every inch an elf just like everybody else.”

“They’re calling me names. And that I’m a...” Daisuke didn't continue. He doesn't mind being called names. But what he hated the most was that bullies call him human.

“Oh, do not mind them, okay? Do not give them that satisfaction. Now go out and do something else. Who knows, you might find friends if you stay out long enough instead of staying inside your room every single day after school,” Pinelia sternly insisted. She would not take a "no" for an answer.

Daisuke sighed and resigned to her mother. He knew how persuasive her mother can be. And so he went out after changing his school uniform with some fresh new clothes.

Luckily, he knew just the place to go.

* * * * *

Near the Council House was the Shrine of Maria. It was Daisuke's favorite spot to spend his time whenever his parents would force him to play outside.

Her mother would always tell him stories about how his parents found him (although he never believed it), took him to the base of the Sacred Tree on his birthdays where the skin of the Sacred Fruit was buried, and visited the shrine to tell him stories about the greatest elf that ever existed, the legendary warmaiden, Maria Ashenwood.

Daisuke was amazed that such a person could have existed—a beautiful warmaiden that fought and sacrificed her own life to protect her people.

He was told that a wooden statue was made in her honor, but it was stolen by treasure hunters who believed that the statue was the key to finding the lost Seed of Eternity, a magical seed that was said could grant second life to anyone or anything. Now, only the portrait of Maria and the legendary spear of Krishmala remained inside the shrine.

On his way to the shrine, a group of kids saw him, his classmates back at the Yora Academy, and decided to make fun of him like it was out of necessity, as if their lives depend on bullying one meekly kid.

“Hey guys, look! It’s the freak!” said a chubby kid who’s gobbling on corn cobs as he laughed and snorted like a swine.

“You don’t belong here, short-ears!” said another kid with coffee beans on her braided hair that emitted an aromatic fragrance of a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

The elves around were just laughing, spectating on the kids as Daisuke was about to get bullied. Others left as they do not want to be involved instead of doing anything.

Daisuke tried to just ignore the kids and go on his way, but another kid intentionally bumped him hard. He fell to the ground and the kid stepped on his chest.

“Ugh…What do you want, Capsian?” Daisuke grunted, struggling to remove the feet on his chest.

“You really should know your place, short-ears,” said the kid named Capsian.

Capsian raised his right arm. The root-like pattern on his skin suddenly glowed and a plant sprouted. The plant continued to grow until it formed some kind of a plant blade with red peppers on it. Cayenne peppers.

Daisuke's eye widened at the sight of the cayenne peppers. Only the gods knew, and probably his adoptive parents as well, how much he hated spices, especially peppers.

As soon as Capsian tried to hit Daisuke with his cayenne blade, jackfruits came flying towards him. Instead of attacking Daisuke, Capsian used his blade to slice the jackfruits and then backed away.

“Why not pick on someone your own size?” a kid shouted who was actually shorter than Capsian.

“Ugh. You think you can scare me off just because you’re a son of an Elven Council, Jack?”

The girl with the coffee beans rushed towards the kid named Jack. Powdered coffee beans appeared on her hands and formed into a spear. She tried to use it against Jack in close combat but a rose whip grabbed the coffee spear and easily split it in half.

Unlike the other elves, the one who used the rose whip had her patterns glowed reddish pink. “Two against one? Seriously?”

“Nice to see you, Riku,” said Jack.

“Couldn't really say the same,” the girl named Riku coldly replied.

“Kofeera! Come back!” shouted Capsian. “Masae! Let's do this!”

“Alright!” shouted Masae, the chubby kid.

Another plant blade appeared on Capsian’s other arm. Kofeera took out a blowpipe with coffee bean ammunition. The chubby kid named Masae sprouted corn stalks from the ground and made a weapon that resembled a grenade launcher with corn ammunition and aimed at Riku.

But before either side could attack, thousands of small mango flowers covered the street like a sandstorm that disrupted the fight.

“I’m pretty sure that using your Karma that way, and inside the village no less is highly prohibited,” the words came from an adult elf.

The bully trio quickly scattered while the spectating elves went on their way. The adult elf that stopped the bullies then helped Daisuke get up.

“Thank you…uhh...” Daisuke stared at the elf who helped him.

“The name’s Rango,” the man introduced himself.

“Thank you, Sir Rango,” Daisuke said as he dusted off his cloth.

“So...you must be that elf. The talk of the town,” Rango said intriguingly. He then glanced at Jack and Riku who both left without saying a word. “Are they your friends?”

Daisuke saw him thumb-pointing at Riku and Jack who just left. “N-No. But I know them from the academy.”

“Well, nice to meet you, Daisuke. May I know where you are heading?”

* * * * *

Rango accompanied Daisuke to the shrine of Maria.

Daisuke would then just sit on the bamboo floor of the shrine all day, looking at the old portrait of Maria. How he wished he could have met the elven warmaiden.

“Umm, I have never seen you before, Sir Rango,” Daisuke faced the adult elf.

Rango sat down with the Daisuke. “That...actually makes sense. It’s my first time seeing you as well. You see, I’m a Seeker and I just came back from my mission.”

Daisuke looked at Rango with amazement, his eyes almost sparkling. When he heard the word "Seeker", it was as if Daisuke's vision of Rango suddenly became that of an elven hero.

And there was a reason for that.

The Yoran elves had two main forces: The Seekers, which were permitted to leave the island for a variety of missions, and the Elven Corps, which regularly patrols the island in case of an invasion and kept order within the populace.

It was Daisuke's father who taught him about the Seekers.

To protect the Yoran elves from being abducted or taken advantage of by the humans and other races, the Yoran elves may not leave the island unless they pass the Seeker Trials. And when they do pass the trials, they were given missions that will take them outside of Maria Island, oftentimes to search for their stolen treasures.

Other missions included returning to the island with foreign objects and possibly making a diplomatic relationship with other countries. Despite most countries being inhabited by humans, the world has improved since then albeit just a little. They even now have human allies on the mainland Aria Continent.

“That’s so cool!!” Daisuke exclaimed. “So you must have been all around the world!”

Rango laughed amusingly. “Sorry, but I have only been to Mainland Aria. That’s where my assignment was.”

“I like to become a Seeker too one day!!” Daisuke revealed with a wide smile on his face.

“R-Really? And where will you go if you become a Seeker?” Rango played along.

Daisuke’s eyes gazed upon the portrait of Maria. “I’m going to look for the wooden statue of Maria and bring it back right here.”

Rango was taken aback at first as he heard Daisuke speak those words, but he managed to beam. He felt that the sincerity and determination in Daisuke's words were profound. Many elves already tried to find the statue, but none were successful yet. “Is that right? Well, I’m sure you will become a great Seeker one day.”

Rango continued to tell his adventures in the Aria Continent; how he met different races, fought formidable enemies, learned about different cultures, and tasted exotic foods that he loved and otherwise.

Daisuke, in return, listened eagerly and could not help but be amazed at how much the world has to offer.

It could have been just another day at the shrine for Daisuke. For a change though, someone was accompanying him. But alas, a group of treasure hunters just had to invade the island and try to steal whatever treasure remains on the island.