Chapter 16: Meeting the Elves

*YAWN*

It was nearly mid-day and right now I’m inside a vast forest walking towards nowhere and beside me is an elf which is quite taller than me.

“Where is your village again?” I asked and stare at her

“…..” she did not say anything and averted her eyes

“haaaaaaah at least respond to me”

It has been like this since we left the army, whenever I talk to her I always get a sound less reply.

“If it’s like this I should have used that method earlier, at least it’s faster than talking to myself and I thought you can act as my guide *sigh*”

“AAAAAH I don’t care anymore” I began to rapidly scratch my head for a moment and shout while facing the sky

Emotionally down I look for a good spot and sat down. The elf remained standing beside me, staring at me as if she is in the process of analyzing my being.

I ignored her stare and focused my mind, my body as to become one with nature and used my earth element to find any signs of life near us.

Finding the village is not that difficult, I just have to find lots of vibration in the ground on a single spot which means there are a lot of beings gathered there. The only hard part is if we are too far from these vibrations and if these vibrations are not caused by human like feet.

Hours passed and sweat began to slide on my face. I opened my eyes and rearranged my thoughts.

“*pant* finally *pant* I *pant* found it, just need to *pant* rest before we *pant* go”

It’s really exhausting, there are a lot of land animals in these forests and I have to return from the start every time I noticed that what I found are just a group of animals travelling with their herds.

I opened a bag which is given to me by the armies cook as provisions. I took out some bread and water to satisfy my stomach. I glanced at the elf and gestured to her like asking ‘you want to eat’ sadly the elf just shakes her head.

“Not hungry eh, fine”

After eating we resumed travelling. I found the village near the foot of a mountain which is almost half a day walk from our spot, Strangely enough no matter what I offer the elf to eat it was always refused.

When we arrived it’s already dark but when I looked around I cannot see any signs of life other than trees or plants.

“hmm did I make a wrong turn?” I said while checking again. Since it’s easier to look for something if you know its direction it does not take out a lot from me like the first time I did it.

“Well that’s weird I can tell it’s in front of me but I cannot see it” I made a frown face and put my right hand on my chin.

“Huh?” a small voice came right behind me. It was the silent elf

I turn around and look at her.

“Did you just say something?” I asked

She began to vigorously shake her head.

“Well what ever since this is the case lets walk right through it”

I walk towards what I thought was an illusion but after I got close *bam*.

My head bounced back onto something as if hitting a wall.

“Ow that hurts what the hell is that?”

*giggle*

I turn around and saw the elf covered her mouth and averted her gaze.

“You knew something huh?” i ask

She turns around and looks up

“Argh fine ill force my way through here” I stand up and focused my mind

My body began to have a faint glow which is visible because of the darkness which is only illuminated by the moon in the sky.

I raised my hand trying to touch what is in front of me then I felt something a surge of energy fighting against mine.

“Hehehehe you want to play rough? Fine right now I feel like destroying something to relieve my stress”

I raised the amount of energy concentrated in my hands and my hands began to emit a brighter glow.

Then suddenly everything turned white.

“……”

Looking around and maintaining my posture I saw a floating blue crystal ball in front of me.

Curiosity driven I tried to approach it.

“Hello stranger”

I suddenly take a quick step backwards

“It talked?” staring at the crystal ball

“I’m not really an ‘it’ considering that I am using this object to communicate with you”

“Where are you and who are you then?” I asked

“I am the guardian of this village they call me a ‘Spirit’ who governs them. As to where I am, right now I am at the center of this village, resting and preserving my powers to protect the elves.”

“So you’re responsible for this wall or something?”

“The wall you’re talking about is known as a barrier, and please stop whatever you are doing, trying to destroy it. I am almost at my limit, if you destroy the barrier it will leave me powerless and unable to create another one”

“Well, then will you let me in?”

“Before that may I asked, what is your purpose?”

“What, for entering the village? I’m escorting an elf”

“You can leave the elf here and go back if it’s only that”

Crossing my arms and puffing my chest “Because I never been into one before I want to know what it is like”

“You are not asking for a reward?”

I raised my right hand and wave it in front of me “nah don’t care about that” (well I am far richer than a king so why would I ask for a reward doing something like walking in the streets?)

“Very well I will let you inside but I want ask for a simple request”

So it came down to this “speak”

“Release my seal”

“HUH?” what the heck is this some sort of a ‘release me and I’ll be yours’ scenario? It’s a common thing in the books I have read in the orphanage.

“And why would you think I will do that?”

“Thousands of years ago the one true god sealed every spirit king and other powerful spirits of each element, so no one will be able to summon us and aid the one who summon us. The one true god promised us that one day a stranger will release us from our seals and allowing the elves to borrow our strength.”

“So in other words you’re saying that it’s me? Wait, you said earlier that you are almost at your limit?”

“Yes, being sealed for too long drains our powers and without the outside source of natural mana to replenish it we will slowly die”

“So how will I break that seal? Wait the one true god’s seal is something a human cannot break right? According to what I know only the one true god can remove it”

“It’s a different seal than the one true god placed on the other race. Since the elves are powerless without us it’s enough to seal the spirits. And to break it, you just have to use your energy and the seal will react”

Thinking about it does the one true god plays an important role in my life. I mean, finding that sphere in the kingdom and now breaking the seal of the spirits. I don’t know what others might think but I can see it’s not a mere coincidence, were talking about the one true god after all.

Well I hate trouble some things but I really want to go inside.

I rally my thought about going in and the consequences. After several minutes I asked

“After I release your seal, then what?”

“It will depend if you really manage to break it. And if you do I’ll give you a little service *wink*”

I suddenly felt a chill that run though my spine. I know I can’t see the other party since I can only hear the voice. It sounds feminine, but I can’t help this feeling that a part of my body is in grave danger.

*gulp* I hope I won’t regret my decision

“Ok I’m in I will release your seal but let me sleep first on a good bed, I’m tired and hungry so I will break the seal on the next day”

*giggle* “Ok I will inform the head priest of this village to welcome you……………….”

Suddenly the ball began to suck in all of my surrounding and in a blink of an eye I came back to where I’m trying to force myself in.

The glow in my hands vanished, probably because I suddenly lose focus and the energy building up dissipated in to the surroundings.

I look behind me and the elf I’m with is staring at me, when our eyes met she began to look away.

*sigh* I look up in the night sky and ‘Now should I wait or should I dash over?’ a question filled my thoughts.

Thinking of what should I do *growl* my stomach began to protest and grab my attention.

“Ugh come to think of it, I haven’t eaten anything since noon”

*growl*

“yeah yeah I know im hungry”

*growl*

“Huh? Wait” I look around and stare at the elf

*growl*

With her hands at her stomach and a blushing face she looks away at me again.

‘Yep confirmed it’s her stomach that is making the same noise’

Then my stomach began to make the same noise again *growl*

“puh, ha ha ha haa” I let out a laugh which made her face blush even more.

*fwish*

I suddenly sensed several human like presence and when I look around I can see a portion of the barrier slowly fading and showing what it hides from the outside world.

A group of individuals began to come out and greeted me.

“Hello stranger, I’am the head chief of the village and also its priestess and given the name of Fay”

She introduced herself and gave a bow then she look at me in the eyes

“I was told by the Great Spirit to guide you and give you proper accommodations here in the village, but a simple warning stranger, this village does not have a good relationship with humans and some bore animosity towards them. So I advice that you keep out of trouble and do not go far away from me, for I am your pass to safety during your stay.”

“I’m glad to be in your care my name is Frau and I came here to escort an elf whom I freed from captive”

Pointing at the elf I’m with, Fay looked at her with intimidation and speak in elven tongue “414 70u 7311 h13 743 w^7? ” the elf who I escorted back began to shake her head wildly and Fay speak again in elven tongue “^23 70u 7311!n9 743 72u74?”. The elf gave a nod then Fay said something again “40 70u 8w3^2 70 743 923^7 8p!2!7?” the elf gave another nod, Fay return her gaze to me and asked me to follow her.

I did not bother to ask what is it about because I believe in the saying ‘Curiosity Kills The Cat’. I’m not a cat but pondering into something you should not have only invites trouble so as long as it has nothing to do with me I won’t get involve. [Author’s note: he is already involved in many ways ha ha ha ha

We passed by on different houses, be it on ground or on a tree. It has this great view and if you add the moonlight gazing upon them, it’s like a mysterious place where all of your excitement and expectations will go, an uplifting place where your energy rush throughout your body and the eagerness to explore but I noticed that every window and door are tightly closed, it seems they did have something against humans.

We went straight to a house which is located up on a big tree. We climb up using a well-made spiral staircase.

We entered the house, well I can’t really call it a house, It is spacious, yes but there is a big crescent table and a single chair at the very center of the semi-circular table.

It’s more like an interrogation room than a house to me.

Fey instructed me to sit on that very chair at the center facing the crescent table.

In front of me are some old looking elves, probably their elders so yep its interrogation time for me.

Fay moved towards the center of the arching table opposite to my position directly in front of me.

“I know it is too sudden to summon all of you elders on a short notice but the matter at hand concerns the Great Spirit.

Earlier I heard the voice of the great spirit which no matter how long I pray or plead no response was made yet earlier while cleaning myself to perform the ritual to please the great spirit I was instructed to greet the human outside the village and treat him with respect.

Even though the Great Spirit words are absolute, knowing our situation with outsiders I just cannot blindly follow it without consulting on what to do with this human.” Fay said

“The Great spirit must have some reason as to why allow him to enter the village”

“That may be true but we must not ignore the fact that he is still an outsider, we must be cautious especially its been hundreds of years since the great spirit spoke to us”

The elders keep voicing out their own opinions but in the end they agreed to question my intentions before they decide.

“So for now what do you intend to do in this village?” one of the elders asked me with such intimidating voice.

“I want to have some sightseeing”

“Nothing more?”

“I’ve never been into an elven village so I want to wander around to my heart’s content”

“Don’t treat us like a fool human, State your real intensions or it will end up in the prison”

“Like I said, I want to tour the whole village nothing more nothing less. But that is after I fulfil my promise with this Great spirit of yours”

“And what is that promise”

“You will know soon enough but for now *growl* I really need some food and a good bed to rest”

“That can wait, there is a more pressing matter to addressed”

“Like what? Like torturing me by not letting me eat? Tsk this is not part of the deal. I’m going to complain to that thing next time I see her”

Showing my emotions of anger combined with annoyance I spat out some words that I know it will cause some hatred towards me.

But instead of that, they gave me a confused expression then asked.

“Child are you telling the truth?”

“About what?”

“You saw the great spirit?”

“Huh?” I slightly tilt me head to the right and raised my right brow, confused of what they are saying ‘is it a bad thing to talk to that thing?’ is what I thought.

“The only one who can communicate with the Great Spirit is the priestess of this village who I know you already guessed who. For hundreds of years the Great Spirit suddenly stopped communicating with us that is until you came. Now you are telling me a human manage to speak with the Great Spirit” a woman among the elders asked me.

“I speak to her, yes but seeing this Great Spirit of yours in person I did not. She only used a sphere as a medium to speak to me inside my consciousness”

“Fay did the same thing happen to you before?” the old male elf with the greatest intimidating aura spoke

Fay shakes her head and said “no I only hear whispers when I’m meditating near the altar”

Murmurs began to spread among the elders, saying different things at once which I cannot understand.

“SILENCE” the old elf with intimidating aura made those murmurs stop.

“Child, I assume that this promise is a personal request of the Great Spirit right?” he continued

“More or less yes, there is also a chance that the request could end my life in the process”

‘It’s a seal created by the one true god so yeah I might die, wait if I die then that means ………….. GAAAAAAH this is a freaking scam why did I realized this now’

The elders just look at me in silence for a while and after a few minutes they began to discuss among themselves including fay.

I waited for about an hour while my stomach began to protest more and more

‘I don’t care anymore; can’t they just let me eat for now? At least let me have a good last supper before I die’

Then the discussions came to a halt and every one look at me.

‘Finally I reaaaaaly hope their decision includes the food and a bed’

“*ehem* Boy, The Great Spirit is an existence…….blah blah blah” I dint bother to listen to his preaching ceremony, my mind is all for food right now

“……. And so we will give you the appropriate accommodations but we will assign someone to guard you. Is that fine with you?”

“Huh? Ah yeah anything will do just let me eat” I said not knowing what exactly he is talking about

One of the elders gestured to one of the elves and I think he ask them to bring someone.

I waited long enough and I hope they will return quickly.

Few moments passed and a knock on the door can be heard. It seems the one we are waiting for arrived

It seems that after the person entered the room, this elf kneel down without observing the surroundings

“Excuse me I came here by your summons and take this task to ……” the elf stop when slowly raising its head

“EH?”

“HUH?”

Our eyes met and both of us became confused.

“Frau?”

“GEH! Granny?” I retreated behind my chair for cover while saying that

*rumble*

I can feel the pressure of anger rising in the room and the elf in front of me starts turning red from anger or is it?

“I TOLD YOU IM NOT THAT OLD” Yep its Ecleair the legitimate granny I saved while I’m with Jerome.

She began to charge towards me still hiding behind my chair and strike me with a straight punch.

*crash*

I moved away from the chair who received the perfect punch from granny and now the chair is ….. do I have to say it? Ok It’s in pieces

Her head suddenly turn in my direction filled with blood lust, I believe I can see a masked demon holding a bloody knife behind her which made be break into cold sweat and then she aligned her body ready to strike me again.

*wooosh*

She kicks the ground and tackles me, pinning me to the wall.

She tried to punch me with her right hand but I manage to grab her wrist. Realizing she cannot use her right hand she tried using her left but I also caught it.

“That is quite the greeting for our reunion miss granny” I said

“Let me go at least let me hit you in the face for once”

“It seems you are quite acquainted to each other and I can see that you are rather close. Seeing the man hater Ecleair to react like this it really makes me wonder what’s between the two of you”

Seeing our exchange Fay began to interfere

Realizing what she’s doing Ecleair reduce her strength from her arms and noticing that she won’t do anything I let her go.

*OW*

She turns around and kicked my foot. Well I dint expect that

She keel down again this time in front of Fay

“Please forgive me for my rude behaviour”

“Don’t worry about it, seeing you like this is quite refreshing. I must admit I’m quite surprised by the way you act towards our guest but also relieved to see the always serious and cold Ecleair let loose” with a hint of smile on her lips the she looked at me with quite the expecting eyes

“Ecleair tell me what is your relationship with this young man” With a teasing smile she asked

“I…. He is….. um” without knowing what to say she began turn red again. Seeing her face turn red even her ears is quite cute.

“This is the second time we met and we have a small argument from last time” I walk forward and said those things thinking that miss granny don’t know what to say

“I see, Ecleair is he the one?” still with that teasing smile she asked Ecleair again

Ecleair looked at her side to avoid the eye contact but doing so she met mine which made her even redder.

“fu fu fu I see now, I feel so happy knowing that you finally hit puberty” with that remark it made me think that Fay and Ecleair are really close to each other.

*cough**cough* “Please be reminded that you are still in the presence of the council. Fay is that child related to what happened to Ecleair?” one of the elders asked

The atmosphere began to return from this playful feel to a serious one

“I believed so and from that it’s starting to make sense why the Great Spirit speaks to him. I also think that he is here to solve one of our problems”

“I also think that is the case” every one of the elders agree to what Fay have said and with that I was escorted again but this time towards my long awaited food.

“So where are we going?” I asked

“To my house” Ecleair said

“HUH?”

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Hello HalfSpicy here

First i apologize for not updating this story for weeks because of real world issues and so after writing this story bit by bit i finally manage to complete it.

second is a question

Can anyone reading this chapter read and understand the elven language? if you can post it in the comments bellow hehehe.

personally i do not like to make it gibberish so i made it that way. if you are asking for a hint then i would say its in English, how? analyze it and you will know

I do not have much to say so until the next chapter buh bye