Chapter 41: Living Legend

Nathan: “FIVE THOUSAND YEARS!??

Nathan said that way louder then he meant to, but for good reason. He had been asleep for five thousand years, that was impossible. Nothing about his appearance indicated a five-thousand-year sleep.

Beatrice: “Hey, are you gonna be okay?”

Nathan: “Yeah, but are you sure?”

Elise: “I’m afraid so, the Demon Lord Elphina, brought the entire world to the brink of destruction and was ultimately defeated by the Hero. That battle took place, five thousand years ago, give or take a few hundred years.”

Nathan: “But, I’m still young.

Elise: “Under the effects of a curse, age wouldn’t matter, all time stop for something like a sleeping curse, when you awake, you would retain your appearance, from when you first slept. Think about it, if you died, what would be the point of putting you to sleep?”

Nathan: “No way.”

Elise: “Hey are you sure going to be alright, you look a little weird?”

Nathan: “Oh yeah I’ll be fine, I just need to think about a few things.”

Beatrice: “How about we rest, the suns going down anyway, we’ll stop here for the night, you guys know the drill, get it done.”

As the Carriage came to a stop, everyone filed out and when off in different direction, leaving Elise and Nathan alone. Anais tugged on Nathan’s collar, she wanted to talk.

Nathan: “Actually I’ll think I’ll go for a walk.”

Elise: “Huh, I’ll come with you.”

Nathan: “What, why?”

Elise: “It would be safer if we were together.”

Nathan: “No, no that’s fine, besides, I have to, you know.”

Elise: “O-okay, please be careful.”

Elise reluctantly allowed him to leave. Nathan nodded and hop of the cart, he walked off into the trees, not too far off he could see Shane gathering wood and Cerin foraging. He needed to move further away, didn’t want anyone overhearing. He walked a few more minutes and then looked around, making sure no one was watching.

Iris: “It’s okay, we are out of ear range and I can sense where they are, we can speak freely.”

Nathan: “Good, how could you two, not realize you were in the study for thousands of years?”

*Poof*

Anais: “How were we supposed to know it’s been so long, there is absolutely no way to tell time while inside the study.”

Nathan: “Five thousand years, I get why Iris is okay and Elise said the curse would keep me in a stasis like state, but how are you still living after all this time.”

Anais: “I don’t know, after I escape the war, I never thought about leaving again, I was content with life, why would I care how long it lasted?”

Iris: “Lady Amelia was supposed to be very powerful, perhaps she did the same thing to her study, that she did to you.”

Nathan: “Maybe, either way what are we gonna do now, anyone we could ask for information about Amelia, would be long gone.”

Anais: “Well I’m not given up, I didn’t leave the study for nothing, I’m going to look for her.”

Nathan: “I wasn’t saying give up, I’m just saying the trails is five thousand years cold, we’re going to have a tough time doing anything, we need to set another goal.”

Nathan turned away and stuck a seed into the ground, a moment later a vine sprouted with fruit.

Anais: “What’s that for?”

Nathan: “I’m going to bring it back to the carriage, its will help to keep suspicions down.”

Iris: “You don’t trust them?”

Nathan: “Not really, they’re trying way too hard to get me to come with them, that Shane practically beg me to ride.”

Anais: “I think he thinks you’re a girl.”

Nathan: “No I’m pretty sure they all do, if they didn’t, they wouldn’t have let me in their carriage so easily. As much as I hate it, I’m gonna let them keep thinking it for now, it will be easier this way.”

Iris: “Is it easier, to get someone to lower their guards as a woman?”

Nathan: “Somewhat, but it’s even easier to let your guard down around a pretty face. Will stick with them a little longer, if I disappear, they’ll probably come looking for me.”

Anais: “Yeah, and that four-eyes was reluctant to let you wander off as well.

Iris: “Then we leave as soon as we can, I don’t like those two cages on the back.

Nathan: “You can’t see inside them?”

Iris: “No, something is preventing me from seeing the contents, but I can tell that whatever inside, have some fairly strong mana signatures.”

Nathan: “Well, they’re probably Hunters, so it’s not something we should be mindful of.”

Iris: “Hunters?”

Nathan: “In my world (In games) they specialize in hunting rare and exotic monsters and sell them for profit. Those cages are probably their latest catch.”

Iris: “If what Saria said was true, people like this won’t think twice about capturing me. So, it would be best if I stayed out of sight.”

Nathan: “Yeah, wouldn’t want them to get any ideas, you too Anais.”

Anais: “Yeah, yeah.”

*Poof*

Back in her mouse form, Anais scuttled back up to Nathans shoulder, Nathan turn and headed back. With the sun going down, the woods were becoming dark again.

As he got closer to the carriage, he could here someone’s voice and his name being mentioned. Due to his abilities, he could hear some of the conversation from ways off, “Why’d you let her leave” is what he heard clearly. Though someone must have notice him coming, because all the arguing stopped as he came into view.

When he came into sight of thee carriage the scene, everyone turned to him. Elise looked nervous, but lightened up, when she saw Nathan approaching.

Nathan: “Everything alright?”

Shane: “Yeah everything’s fine, just a little disagreement.”

Nathan: “Oh, something bad?”

Beatrice: “Nah, everything’s cleared up, what do you have there?”

Nathan: “I found them growing in the woods, I thought we could eat for dinner.”

They had started a fire and was preparing something in a large pot, Nathan took a peek inside. Some meat and vegetables, simmering in a broth, it smelled wonderful.

Shane: “Wild stew, smells great, doesn’t it?”

Nathan: “Yeah, not too bad.”

Shane: “Taste even better.”

They pulled out a couple of carved wooden bowls, filling each with the stew and passing them around. Nathan took a bit of the stew, a umfamilar but, delicious mixture dance around his tongue, Since he didn’t need to eat, it had been so long since he had a hot and hearty meal like this.

Nathan: “Delicious.”

Shane: “Aint it, compliments of yours truly.”

Tin Man: “Mixing meats in vegetables is all your good for anyway.”

Shane: “Well, at least my meals don’t give everyone food poison.”

Tin Man: “You need to let that go.”

Shane: “You put tree bark…………….. in the stew, I will NEVER let that go.”

They all laughed and joke while they ate, Nathan given Anais some of his portion and Iris sneaking a taste out of the pot.

Shane: “Hey, do you have any plans?”

Nathan: “Plans?”

Shane: “Some destination, you must have had some family before, the war right, there could be someone left, right.”

Nathan: “I’m not sure, actually, I wanted to ask you something.”

Elise: “What is it?”

Nathan: “You said earlier there was some skirmishes between Humans and Pristyne, who are the Pristyne?”

Elise: The Pristyne are what the “Beastmen” call themselves nowadays.”

Nathan: “The Beastmen, why?”

Shane: They said it was because they wanted a name that was a prideful as they were and being called beast was degrading to them. But the truth of the matter is the “men” part, too close to human.”

Nathan: “Ah, makes since, but why are they fighting with humans.?”

Elise: “It’s a war over territory.”

Nathan: “Territory, that’s weird, they each had their own continent, why they need to fight over territory?”

Elise: “Oh, um, well, you see-”

Shane: “Their fighting over “Amylgum”, the Therian homeland.”

Nathan: “What?”

Elise: “Shane!”

Shane: “He’s asking us about the war, it was going to come out either way.”

Elise gave Shane a disapproving look, she understood what he meant, but there were other ways to do so.

Nathan: “How are they fighting over land that belongs to the Therians?”

Shane: “It’s their homeland in name only, shortly after the war, the humans armies along with the Pristyne ran them out their land.”

Nathan: “Why?”

Shane: “Resources.”

Nathan: “Resources?”

Elise: “Let me explain.”

Elise begin explaining what transpired thousands of years ago, basically everything he had Iris tell him from the Legend. He got some new information as well, like the aftermath of the fight with Elphina. Apparently, a lot of backlash fell on to the Therian race after the Demon lords defeat. Since they were the only race able to hold their own and since the demon lord hailed from the dark skinned Lycanian race, most believed they had plotted with her.

Nathan: “…………Sounds like a convenient excuse. The Therian took the least amount of damage, since they took the threat seriously and in the end remained mostly intact. While the other races didn’t have the resources to keep their countries together, so by telling everyone the Therians helped Elphina, they were able to invade under the guise of retribution. It’s a pretty solid plan, crude, but effective.”

Nathan looked up at their faces of the ones around him, they looked amazed.”

Nathan: “What?”

Beatrice: “Your pretty strange.”

Nathan: “I am?”

Beatrice: “We just told you that your homeland was taken from you under false pretenses, yet your saying how good the plan was.”

Nathan: “You said I’ve been asleep for thousands of years, rather I am upset or not is inconsequential. What transpired thousands of years ago, I assume in this day in age is an establish fact, even if I did get upset, anyone I could vent at are long dead. Why waste time being angry at events I had no control over?”

Elise: “That’s……very thought out.”

Nathan: “I have more question, do you mind?”

Elise: “No, not at all, I’ll answer them to the best of my knowledge.”

Nathan asked question after question, little by little, he was understanding the world. It turned out his questioning continued long into the night, until everyone had slowly fallen to sleep. Cerin, was the only one besides NAthan still awake, he didn’t speak, but just stared at Nathan, it was awkward to say the least. Nathan got up to walk away, spurring a reaction from Cerin. Nathan gestured that he had to take a leak and Cerin nodded to him.

Nathan walked off once again, headed away from the fire. When was a distance away, Anais change back into her Therian form.

Anais: “That…. Was Sooooo boring, hearing talk endlessly about history.”

Nathan: “Hey, we needed to know the state of things, the books in the study, only told us so much. But, I guess we did talk a little too long, I barely scratch the surface of this world current affairs.”

Iris: “I would be best if we found out where we are as well.”

Nathan: “Lets hold off on that until we get to the town, I rather them not know we plan to leave as soon as we get the chance.”

Anais: “We really don’t them finding out you’re the Hero, you appearing up right after, is too coincidental.”

Nathan: “No it should be okay, remember, only humans can wield “Origin” and I don’t look human.”

Anais: “Still, what she said was really crazy.”

Nathan: “Yeah, that was surprising, I didn’t think the Origin’s power could be felt around the world.”

Iris: “There was a massive amount of energy released during your fight, but to stir the entire planet, truly awe inspiring.”

Anais: “No wonder people act the way they do. When the Hero is involved, with such strength, whichever side your fighting for, basically wins the conflict.”

Iris: “This makes it nearly impossible to use Origin, everyone will come searching the moment you unsheathe it.”

Anais: “Well, according to Four-eyes, they’re already searching, where ever we go, we might come across someone who’s been looking for you.

Nathan: “Which why I’m not going to use it.”

Anais: “Why don’t you put it inside your inventory, in case of incident?”

Nathan: “I already tried, the second I stuck it in, it made this bzzzt sound and came flying back out. It nearly took my head off, when I tried to force it.”

Anais: “No good, then we’ll just have to be careful.”

Nathan: “Yeah, reframing from using the sword should keep my identity as the Hero safe, but my appearance will be a problem. I not sure if it will be a positive reaction or negative.”

Anais: “The good news, No one will think a Lycanian is wielding the Hero sword, bad news, you’re an extinct Therian, who happens to be the same race as the Demon Lord.”

Iris: “Problems will arise either way.”

Nathan: “I’ll just have to deal with them as they come, we’ll think more tomorrow. And, when we arrive in that town, we can say our goodbyes to all of them.”

With that the three headed back to camp. The night breeze was cool and refreshing, as they strolled along. The forest was pretty silent, beyond the sound of the trees shifting in the wind, you really couldn’t hear any wildlife. Nathan thought it would be more alive, compare to the forest he ran through to escape the Grassvalley, it was practically dead. As quickly as that thought cross his mind, the silence was broken.

Anais: “Do you hear that?”

Nathan: “Some buzzing sound………and someone’s fighting.”

Nathan ran back to the carriage, the sounds of battle definite in their ears. The buzzing sound from before was loud and consuming, drowning out most sounds.

Anais: “What the hell are those things?”

Nathan watched from some little ways away, while Beatrice and her party battled, what looked like giant hornets. Black as night, with eyes and stingers that glowed a dark blue. There stinger, three pronged and jagged edge, like a hidden blade, they were sharp and deadly. Nathan thought it was pretty amazing seeing the blue streaks as they zipped around. Like a cars show, only in the air. Nathan was going to help, but then got a thought.

Iris: “Are you not going to help?”

Nathan: “No, give them a minute.”

Beatrice: “Elise, start chanting, Shane, don’t let anything near her, everyone else take out as many as you can.”

Shane: “It would be easier to aim if I had some more light.”

Shane drew his bow, lining three arrows at once, fired.”

*Stab*Stab*Stab*

Three hornets fell to the ground dead, several more came falling to the ground, all with arrows through their bodies.”

Tin Man: “You don’t seem to be having problems.”

Shane: “I said, it would make it easier, not that I couldn’t do it.”

*Clink*Clink*

One of the hornets tried to stab Tin Man through his, armor but to no avail. Use the great, he split the bug into and in the process felled to more, with one swing. On the spot where he was stabbed was a blue liquid, that he casually brushes off.

Tin Man: “Be careful of their stingers, it’s releasing some blue liquid.”

Nathan laid eyes on Cerin, only form him to disappear and reappear some ways off. Every time he reappeared, another few hornets would fall to the ground, severed in two.

Beatrice was remarkable, as if dancing, she flew across the ground, killing anything unfortunate enough to come within proximity of her blade.

Elise: “Everyone I’m ready.”

The book Elise was holding, floated mid-air as she ready her spell.

Elise: “Bird of flame, bestow thy power, Phoenix Shower!”

Fire rain down from above, incinerating what was left of the giant insects. Elise breathe in deeply as sat down from exhaustion. As quickly as they had begun, everything ended. The field now decorated with insect carcasses.

Beatrice: “We’re done here. Everyone start searching for Nathan.

Shane: “I really hope she didn’t get hurt.”

Iris: “They seemed to be worried for you.”

Nathan: “……..Yeah.

Anais: “Hey, don’t you think the way they fight was a little strange?”

Nathan: “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

Iris: “What was strange about it, they seemed very coordinated and took down their enemy in a timely fashion.”

Nathan: “I can’t put my finger on it, but it felt weird and what was that incantation, all I ever hear is from you two is gibberish.”

Anais: “It’s not gibberish, all the spells in Lady Amelia’s study, I know and understand by heart. I don’t need any incantation, in the time, it took her to say that spell, you could have attack her.”

Iris: “Same for me, although, saying the incantation does help with concentration, but I just need to say the name of the spell.

That made a lot of since, there was no way Nathan would allow someone to cast a spell on him if they had to say all that. He would undoubtedly attack, which is the reason why she was being so heavily guarded.

Iris: “All and All, they did remarkably well.

Nathan: “Yeah, but, I gotta say, that fire spell was a terrible idea.

Anais&Iris: “What?”

Nathan: “Yeah, I mean, it was practically a beacon, now I get why the forest seem so dead around here. I wouldn’t want to leave around these things either.

Iris: “Master, what are you talking about?”

Nathan: “Can’t you hear it?”

The familiar buzzing sound returned, much louder than before. A swarm of the hornets was heading right for five of them. Three times as many as last time.

Anais: “Are you going to help them now?”

Nathan closed his hands and opened them again. He made a few seeds and tossed to the ground.”

Nathans: “Looks like it.”