Chapter 1: Prologue
Chapter Text
High flames were heading towards the sky. The smoke was covering everything and many were running away, escaping from their own homes. Long, familiar screeching sounds were spreading terror everywhere.
The old man cursed under his breath, while his eyes darted around, looking into the first thing in his field of view he could use as a weapon. He saw an axe, stuck near a chopping wood table. It wasn’t ideal, but he had to make do with less in the past. He grabbed it without hesitation.
“Monsters! Monsters are attacking the village!” a man screamed, trying to make his way out of the nearby house on fire.
“Someone! God! Help us, please!” a young woman was crying while limping away, with blood on her ankle and her child between her arms.
These were the loud, piercing cries that he heard while he was heading to the village, ready to sell the goods from the mountains where he lived. He left livelihood behind and his body, still used to this even after such a long time, bolted towards the first people he saw, who were trying to defend themselves from a monster.
They were astonished when they saw the infamous old hunter coming towards them. For such a man to be here, charging to their rescue with an axe in hand, they were nothing short of shocked.
He dealt a strong blow to the creature’s throat, and soon the monster’s head fell on his feet, in a pool of blood. Relief instantly appeared on the faces of the villagers standing in front of him.
“You’re here!”
“This is a miracle!”
“Please, save us!” begged a man, his trembling hands holding the folds of the hero’s pants.
He has never been a person with a noble soul, nor was he known as something even close to a hero. He was known to have killed for money in the past, and the victims weren’t just monsters. The same people that didn’t want him living inside the village, calling him “murderer”, were the same ones who were now asking for his help.
‘I know how humans are, my long life has shown me how unabashed their hypocrisy is, but I can't help but feel surprised when I see it every time. I guess hypocrisy is part of human nature, after all’ he shifted his gaze from the humans to the monsters, wanting to ignore them.
He kicked the blood-covered remains of the monster he just stabbed aside and started slaying all the ones standing in his way one after the other. If only he hadn’t thrown all of his weapons away after retirement, now he wouldn’t be using a stupid, rusty axe. Luckily, those monsters didn’t have armored skin but their fur was made of fire. Taking a step back from the monsters, although their shape was chimera, they looked somehow like monkeys. As he tried to figure out the best approach to get close without getting scorched, he merely dodged a surprise attack from one of their scorpion tails, probably containing venom, that he hadn’t noticed before. Taking a step back from the monsters, although their shape was chimera, they looked somehow like monkeys.
As soon as he’d killed the second one, all of them decided to target him, seeing him as the main threat for their pack. Everyone else screamed and ran away, while he faced seven of them alone.
One of the monsters tried to bite off his arm, but the man split its head in half before it could do any damage. Another one tried to stab the back of his head with its venomous tail, just to be roughly grabbed by the head and torn off from the rest of its body as the man dealt it a powerful kick. The man could feel their boiling blood run down his skin, and immediately started feeling nauseous.
He’d never wanted to become a hunter in the first place. Yet, his body was trained to kill, despite his mind still trying to escape the terrible punishment that had tormented him all his life. He couldn’t remember the last time he slept well, without nightmares of the creature he had slayed. Even with these monsters now, he couldn’t help but feel a sharp pain inside his chest every time he heard their last cry.
“He’s gonna die! We’re all gonna die!” a woman’s call of desperation rose from the crowd “We’re all gonna die and it’s all that- that baby’s fault!”
‘A baby?’
One of the monsters was able to tear open the tender flesh near his stomach. He let down a low groan, pressing a hand firmly on his abdomen while trying to dodge another attack and coughing up blood.
Then, he heard it.
The long, desperate sound of a baby crying. It couldn’t have been very far from him.
That’s when he sensed a vibration in the air around them: the ground suddenly caved under the monsters’ feet and water streamed down from seemingly nowhere. Monstrous guttural howls left their throats, while the flames on their fur died out and they ended up buried under the ground. Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
‘What… Just happened?’
The same woman from before screamed once again.
“Demon! The real monster is still alive! They came for him! He’ll bring us all to hell!”
The old man looked in the direction the woman was desperately pointing to, and saw a house completely engulfed by the flames. Suddenly, he couldn’t think about anything else. With his now bloody hand still pressed on his abdomen, his body moved. Realizing his intentions, one of the villagers tried to stop him, but he dodged without breaking a sweat and threw himself in the raging inferno.
The echoing sound of a cry, the strong smell of smoke and the unbearable heat of the rising flames were numbing his senses.
A strong cough shaked his whole body, but he managed to tire down the big remains of a wooden wardrobe that were in the way. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes. There was dust everywhere and he could feel more and more blood gushing from his wound, but he couldn’t stop there, not yet.
‘I will not die here, not after killing again.’
He needed to find that baby.
Another cry caught his attention and he tore off his shirt, now ripped to shreds, shoving it in his mouth and biting down hard while moving forward again, desperately looking for the source of the pitiful lament.
Painful blisters were starting to form on his skin, the heat was just too much. He could feel he was mere seconds away from losing consciousness.
Then, he found it.
A small child was crying his eyes out, curled up inside an invisible circle the fire couldn’t enter. He couldn’t be more than two years old, and had fair, pale skin and shiny, dark eyes. His fluffy black hair couldn’t manage to hide his little, pointy ears, as well as a pair of tiny antennae on top of his head. From his back, long purple wings shone in the blinding light of the flames. They were fluttering desperately, in a physical manifestation of the child’s distress.
‘It’s… a fairy?’
Three corpses lay near the child. A man and a woman, both humans, covered in deep wounds in a pool of their own blood. Next to them, a dead monkey monster was impaled, pierced by a spike that had come out from the ground.
The old man’s shock immediately came to a halt when he saw the child stretching his little arms out to him. The little one was trying to stand on his own, but his legs couldn’t stop shaking. His desperate cries showed no sign of stopping.
The hunter coughed again, feeling the cold, metallic taste of blood well up in his mouth. A crack that suddenly appeared on the ceiling above their heads made him bolt forward as fast as he could, swiftly enveloping the child in his arms. He shielded him with his own body, ready to die.
‘This… is a heroic death, at least’ He thought. After all this time, perhaps, he could have atoned for his sins.
But death didn’t come.
He waited a few seconds, then opened his eyes and looked up. The ceiling had completely collapsed, yet they were unharmed. A warm purple light was covering their bodies.
He was inside a protective barrier.
His gaze shifted to the child in his arms. His cheeks were red from fatigue, and he was covered in sweat. He was still crying on the man’s chest, not even aware of what was happening. His little hands tightly squeezed whatever remained of the hunter’s shirt.
The old man pressed his hand down on the child’s fluffy hair and started running without hesitation, determined to make it out of that hell. The sheer adrenaline running through his veins even made him forget about his own wounds.
‘I’m still alive. We’re alive. This child… saved me.’
As soon as they got out, he heard the blaring sound of the house collapsing to the ground. He took in a deep breath, with the child still loudly crying in his arms. He was about to fall on his knees, when a horrified scream stopped him in his tracks.
“The demon! He took the monster with him!” The same woman from before widened her eyes in terror, petrified in fear. “We need to kill him or more monsters will come! He’s a cursed child!”
“What the hell are you talking about? Did the smoke get to your head or something?” The old hunter’s tone was sharp and cold as he replied. “This is just a baby. All the damage was caused by the monkey monsters.”
Only women and children surrounded the two: the men were all trying to extinguish the remaining flames with water gathered from a nearby river. A second woman put her hand on the other’s shoulder, in an attempt to calm her down. Her eyes remained fixed on the little one in the old man’s arms.
“You have eyes, you can see his wings too.” The woman couldn’t hide her aversion, accentuated by her poisonous tone.
“So what? Never seen a fairy in your life?” The irritation in his tone grew stronger and stronger by the second. “Just because this is a human village, it doesn’t make other creatures demons. What about our Elf King?”
She hesitated for a moment, before letting out a sigh. The woman on her side was muttering in distress, saying something along the lines of “We’re all going to die, we will never be free.”
“Put that thing down and let me tend to your wounds while we talk. After all, you saved us.”
“It wasn’t just me. This fairy that scares you all so much also saved you. Saved… me.” He looked down into the boy’s dark eyes. His breathing was still irregular and he looked exhausted, but his tears had stopped flowing down his cheeks and he had gone silent.
“Don’t let your eyes betray you. Can’t you see the mark on his right hand?” The old man looked down at the little fist that still gripped his shirt tightly. A little, star-like shape was covering the back of the little boy’s hand.
“That symbol marks it as a changeling, a fairy that took the place of a human child in another family. It’s said that they do this so that the fairy’s parents can eat precious, newborn human flesh and their offspring can grow as a parasite in another family. It will consume all of their money, food and energy until the humans that tend to it die. If they survive all the monsters coming to eat them, they become even more powerful than other fairies. Just because of his presence, part of the village was destroyed, and if you hadn’t come down here, many people would have died. We were just lucky.”
The old man remained silent. The child, sensing the tense atmosphere and, noticing everyone’s eyes on his hand, tried to hide it.
“The married couple in the house was already dead, wasn’t it? Monster or not, if the child is able to use magic, it’s because it absorbed the energy of those reckless people. We tried to warn them, but they didn’t listen. They wanted to believe that it was their real child, and that it was blessed or something. Maybe it was all part of its spell.” She sighed once again, and her eyes hardened. “So, if you want to be part of this village, we need you to let us kill the child. Or else, you shall take it away with you and never come here again. Your choice.”
The little wings on the child’s back fluttered in agitation, while his antennae started to curl up. The old hunter looked at him for what felt like eternity, wondering what to do. His head was spinning so much.
He knew what he saw. The couple had died because of the monster. But what about the child’s powers? How could such a small creature have absorbed their life energy? If he’d decided to keep it, would he have faced the same death too? And would he have had to fight monster after monster? Alone, without any support whatsoever from the nearby village?
Every thought made it clear that it was a terrible idea. He was already too old for all of this.
But for once, he decided to follow his heart.
“Screw you! All of you!” His booming voice echoed in every corner of the village. Everyone looked at him in shock.
“You’re all just a bunch of ungrateful pieces of shit! And you call yourselves the good guys here?! Hah!” He started laughing, mocking them, until he found himself coughing up blood again. But that didn’t stop him. “I’ll be damned! If nurturing this little one will bring misfortune to you all, then so be it!”
All the people in the village looked at his back, now completely covered in blood, as he climbed up the mountain while limping and growling in pain. Just above his shoulder, the face of the little child, once again covered in tears, was the last thing they saw. No one had the courage to halter his steps.
“He’s been enchanted as well…”
“We’re all going to die…”
The old man left everything behind. His body was aching from the pain, but he never lost hope. He decided to try talking to the child, all he could do to try and stay conscious.
“You’ll need a name. I don’t think ‘demon’ or ‘monster’ suit you at all.”
The child, for the first time since they had met, decided to talk.
“Yudr…” He tried to say. His voice was so feeble.
“Yudr? That sounds strange. Is that your name?” The old hunter was surprised, then a smile bloomed on his lips. “What about Yuder? It has a nice ring to it. Can I call you that?”
The child was silent for a while, and then gave a little nod.
“Well Yuder, you can call me Grandpa.”
“Ga-Pa?”
“Yeah.” He sighed and let out a little laugh. “Life will not be gentle to you, Yuder, but I'll try to prepare you for it as much as I can. Be proud of who you are, and someday, others too will be able to recognize your worth.”
He wasn’t sure if the child could understand what he was saying, but he felt his little body relax and his head lean on his shoulder.
The old man felt his own heart thumping in his ears. For the first time in his life, he’d made a choice for himself.
For the first time in his life, he had found a purpose.
18 years later
Wind played with his hair and antennae. Long, dark bangs covered his eyes as his sleek, purple dragonfly wings fluttered on his exposed, pale back.
He focused his eyes, now shining gold, to admire the view. A city carved into giant trees was right beneath him, full of creatures roaming around the main path. With his pointy ears, he could hear laughter and voices, while his antennae sensed many powers who all overlapped with each other.
Looking down from his elevated point of view, he could see every single path unfurling between the giant plants. They all converged at the center of the village, where the most magnificent, majestic tree of the whole Great Sarain Forest stood tall. Only the Elf King and other members of the Royal Family were allowed to live there.
Yuder took a deep breath, absentmindedly letting his slender fingers lightly brush onto the exposed mark on his right hand. He knew he would soon face many others ready to hate him, judge him and curse him, but his Grandpa’s last words kept repeating in his mind.
‘Be proud of who you are, and someday, others too will be able to recognize your worth.’
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Chapter Text
The sun was shining in the sky of the Great Sarain Forest, as a playful wind raised the fallen leaves off the ground in swirls.
A tall man looked outside the window of his room, his arms crossed. His long, golden hair momentarily uncovered his long ears because of the breeze, but he didn’t notice it.
Beneath him, he could hear busy people working on the streets. Although there was still a month to go, everyone was excited for the upcoming Harvest Festival. The taverns were filling up their storages with all kinds of food, and the merchants were preparing to show off the best goods they could find. Many were painting the streets with symbols of the sun, the moon and summer flowers, and getting ready to dance and pray during the whole week dedicated to the upcoming festivity. It was a tradition created long ago by the first King of the Great Sarain Forest - represented by the sun - to honor the ancient mage Luma - portrayed as the moon -, to commemorate the creation of the kingdom.
‘I hope I'll be able to see it this year, too.’ The elf couldn’t help but sigh longingly.
Since he was a child, he’d always used to sneak out from the Great Holy Tree to enjoy the Festival. Even though it was a regular annual occurrence, all the people laughing, dancing, cheering and hoping for a good harvest for the next year, were still a sight that made his heart swell with joy every time.
Seeing all of that, reminded him of all the days his big brother spent working on his desk behind piles of books. The other noble families kept saying behind his back that he wasn’t made for that role and that he couldn’t make the hostilities between all the creatures disappear, that ‘a place like that could never exist’; but If the Kingdom of the Great Sarain Forest was suddenly so peaceful, after many years at war with other nations, it was only thanks to the young King. Kishiar couldn’t help but feel proud of him, even if it weren’t his own achievements.
‘I wish he could scold me this time, too.’ A bitter laugh accompanied his thoughts. He was always excited to see the young King fussing about his younger brother’s identity being revealed while sneaking out. However, his big brother had never been able to hide the affection in his eyes everytime he brought him something from the Festival.
His red eyes shifted upwards, scanning the clouds, looking for something. A small smile appeared on his face as soon as he saw a dark figure with long, black, jagged wings approaching him.
“Nathan, I’ve been waiting for you.” He said, moving to the side.
The man, his skin a light red color, landed gracefully in the room, careful not to damage the window with his big, dragon-like wings. As soon as his feet touched the floor, a blue-colored aura enveloped him, changing his half-dragon form to a more human-like appearance. The only things hinting at his true nature were the vertical, reptile-like pupils of his ocean blue eyes.
“I apologize for the delay, Your Highness.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He replied, his tone calm. “How did it go?”
“I have done everything you requested.” The other replied, as the elf's red eyes widened in surprise.
“Already? Even the investigation?”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Hearing the dragon’s response, a smile bloomed on his plump lips.
“What would I do without such a capable adjutant?” He caressed the other man’s dark blue hair gently. Even if they were almost the same height now, this intimate gesture had never changed with the passing of time. The dragon stood still, closing his eyes while enjoying his Master’s touch.
“We’ll talk about the rest later. Are you ready to go?”
Nathan nodded in response and the elf left out a sigh. Even if he was somehow managing to maintain a relaxed expression, he knew the dragon could feel the tension brewing inside him. He silently moved his hand down, intertwining his long fingers with the other’s.
“Thank you” Kishiar whispered.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
After stepping out of Kishiar’s chambers, they moved into a long hallway carved through living wood, where glowing vines pulsed with gentle light and the walls hummed with the heartbeat of the ancient tree, leading them toward the royal quarters.
The elf extended his hand and long, tendril-like roots moved to the side, opening the golden doors in front of them. When the passage had become big enough to allow both of them in, Kishiar halted the current of sacred energy radiating from his palm and quickly moved inside with his adjutant. The entrance closed once more behind them in the blink of an eye.
‘The energy flowing from the spring keeps getting weaker…’ His red eyes scanned the roots again, a worried expression painted on his face. They were rotting more and more everyday.
“Kishiar.” A familiar voice called for him, abruptly stopping his train of thought. He quickly turned around.
At the end of the room, a nymph was approaching them with elegant steps. Little purple flowers were dancing around, moving as if they were alive and following every elegant movement coming from her. Two worried cerulean eyes, adorned by long platinum hair, were set on Kishiar, the palpable sadness they held evident for everyone looking. Most of the flowers had lost some of their petals, leaving a trail behind her, manifesting her turmoil, but she nonetheless gave both of them a smile as she always did.
“Your Majesty.” Nathan was the first to greet her, bowing deeply.
“My Queen.” Kishiar smiled back at her warmly. “Is the King still unable to greet me out here?”
He tried his best to keep his tone light and playful, but all three of them were aware of the true, crushing weight his words held.
“Let’s go. He’s waiting for you.” Her smile wavered, and a shadow of sorrow deepened in her eyes. She hadn’t answered Kishiar’s question aloud, but the truth was clear.
The queen turned around, leading the way. With every step, more and more petals were falling on the ground.
The hallway stretched endlessly ahead, its walls alive with slow pulses of golden sap that glowed beneath the smooth grain of ancient wood. Vines braided into delicate arches overhead, their leaves whispering secrets in a language only the forest could understand.
Nobody, not even the attendants were present in that long hallway, but they were always aware of the possibility of eyes watching them. From an outsider’s perspective, they just looked like they were walking towards the King’s chambers, but in reality they were using that moment to share vital information.
“He’s getting worse, even if tries to hide it.” She whispered softly, so that only the two of them could hear.
“I already guessed this much. I used more power than usual just to open the doors, too. And, since he’s the core of the Tree right now…” Kishiar saw a hint of hesitation take over the Queen for a moment, but she quickly adjusted the long veil that covered her shoulders, making it look like she was just shivering from the cold.
“Did you… Manage to find out anything else about that solution?” Her face was composed, but her voice was shaking as she spoke.
“Nathan just came back with the last bit of information. We finally have an idea of where we could be able to find it.” He quickened his pace to walk beside her, before continuing. “I really hope I can convince His Majesty, this time.”
“I’ll help you as much as I can.” She gave him a look full of determination. “He can be stubborn sometimes, but we know full well he can’t resist both of us.” Kishiar let out a sigh, to conceal his nervous laugh.
“I’m glad I'm not alone. Thank you, My Queen.”
A soon as they reached their destination, they both went silent.
“Her Majesty the Queen and His Highness the Prince have arrived, My King.” The servant near the bed announced.
“Thank you, Yuliver. You can leave us.” The old man bowed in response, excusing himself, and left with some kind of cloth in his arms. Even though he tried to conceal it, Kishiar could clearly see traces of blood on it. His heart tightened in his chest.
Nathan, sensing his tension, moved to his side. The distance he kept was still one appropriate for an adjutant, but Kishiar felt his hand graze the side of his arm. It was just a simple touch, one that could well pass off as a coincidence caused by his sudden movement, but the elf could sense a reassuring energy flowing from the dragon.
“Brother, it’s been a while.” As soon as he heard Yuliver leaving the room, Kishiar instantly dropped the formalities, switching to a more casual tone.
“Barely one day has passed since your last visit.” Keilusa remarked, raising an eyebrow. His shining red eyes met the ones of his little brother.
“Yes, but I enjoy your honorable company so much that it feels like it’s been weeks instead.” The King let out an annoyed sigh, reaching for his golden hair ready to softly push them out of his face as he was used to doing, but his hand only met air. He still wasn’t used to his new, short cut, imposed by the constant withering of his hair. He fixed his glasses instead.
“Why are you here, Kishiar? Get straight to the point. I know you have better things to do than to check my conditions everyday. As you can see, I can still sit up on my own and speak without any trouble whatsoever. You don’t need to concern yourself so much." His voice was firm, but his sickly appearance betrayed him. He was sweating just from having that simple conversation, and the roots of the Sacred Tree near him were in poor conditions too.
“I have found a solution, brother. I know how to help you stabilize the Sacred Spring and bring the Tree back to its stability.”
“You’re talking about the Red Stone again?” The king tried to keep his composure. “We’ve already talked about this. It’s only a legend. There's no way something like that could really exist. And if it does exist, then it’s too dangerous for you to try looking for it. I need to make sure you’re safe, or else…” His words came to a halt as he started coughing uncontrollably.
The Queen moved to his side, lightly rubbing his shoulder to relieve his stress, and handed him a cup of water infused with some of her healing flowers. He brought it to his lips, sipping slowly, and managed to calm down a little.
“Your Majesty, I’m sorry to intrude” Nathan piped up, bowing his head as a sign of respect. “I can confirm that we’ve made a lot of progress since the last time we spoke. We were able to find the place in which it most likely fell, and many reports from people who were able to see it falling from the sky as well.”
The King remained silent for some time before posing a question.
“And where would that be?”
“The mountains near the Central Region. It would take just two weeks to go back and forth from the Great Sarain Forest." Hearing his affirmation, Keilusa stroked his forehead with his hand, looking tired.
“Still, this doesn’t change the fact that we’re talking about a legend. Just because some ancient mage wrote about a similar phenomenon before, we can’t be sure the same would happen again.”
“It’s not just any ancient mage. We’re talking about Luma, the ancient mage that helped the First King create the Kingdom of the Great Sarain Forest, the one where we live right now.” Nathan had moved first, that alone meant that Kishiar couldn’t afford to hold back.
“Why not give it a try, My King? What do we have to lose? If the legends are indeed true, then this stone could really help balance the energy from the Sacred Spring again.” The Queen also tried to do her part in convincing her husband, but he shook his head.
“We have so much to lose, Rosa. If something happens to me, and Kishiar puts his life at risk during this expedition, Katchian and the Diarca Family will immediately aim for the throne. You'll be left alone to fight a terrible battle. I need to know both of you will be here, ready to take my place.”
“We don’t want to see you sacrificing yourself just to keep the Sacred Tree alive either.” The nymph lightly caressed the tips of his hair, which were slowly browning, a constant reminder of the life force that was leaving his body as they spoke.
Before he could rebut, Kishiar intervened.
“I know what you’re afraid of.” with his eyes fixed on the other elf, he moved closer to the bed “But I need you to trust me. Not because I ask, but because you know the weight of what’s coming.” Kishiar took his brother’s hands. and brought them to his forehead in a delicate but desperate gesture. “You’re still the one this Kingdom looks to. I do, too.”
Keilusa was about to say something back, his hands shaking a little, but Rosa didn’t hesitate to take the lead of the situation again.
“My love, neither of us wants to live in a world without you. I know you trust us so much that you’re willingly trading your life for the fate of this whole Kingdom, but if we can manage to be able to live together for years and years to come, then wouldn’t it be worth it to try?”
To deal him the final blow, Nathan knelt down in front of his bed, with a hand on his chest.
“You’ve given me a place to live where I can be my true self. I would be honored to serve you, your family and my Master for many more years to come.”
Keilusa shifted his gaze between the three of them, completely speechless. His little brother, with whom he had shared his whole life, his wife, who’d stolen his heart from the very first time he saw her, and a legendary black dragon that was vowing to protect him and the ones he loved.
His eyes were welled up with tears, but he didn’t allow himself to cry. He tried to keep his composure, but his voice faltered a little.
“I have one condition.”
“What is it?”
“You can’t do this alone. And no, even if I trust Sir Zuckerman, he’s not enough. You can’t use the Royal Guards because of the secrecy of this mission, but…” His gaze was firm while looking at his younger brother, who was still holding his hand. “I need to know you’ll be as safe as possible. You’ll need someone capable and trustworthy to accompany you.”
A smile bloomed on Kishiar’s face.
“It’s really fortunate that I know you so well. I thought you’d say that, and I already planned accordingly.” A surprised expression appeared on Keilusa’s face.
“You don’t mean…”
“Yes.” Kishiar stood up, a newfound determination in his eyes. Finally, he could allow himself to hope again.
“Today, we’re officially going to assemble a squad for the retrieval of the Red Stone.”
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Notes:
Now that i read it again, it sounds more like a second prologue than a first chapter... OH WELL.
The plot is starting to plot! (?) poor Keilusa, always sick :c
Hope you like it so far! The next chapter is my favorite!
Chapter Text
Loud voices echoed in the halls, and the air was filled with the smell of roasted meat, the familiar aroma of the burning embers in the kitchen drifting lazily out the door.
The tavern was bustling with activity for lunchtime. The group had decided to head there at that specific time of day to blend in with the crowd as much as possible.
Nathan looked at the man in front of him, who was sipping on the golden drink he’d ordered for both. Even if his facial traits remained the same, except for the now round, human-looking ears, his now short light brown hair and amber eyes made it very difficult to recognize him. Wrapped around one of his fingers, the magical shape shifting ring had such a simple, unsuspecting design that no one would think it was such a powerful tool.
“So, even if I’d love to think that you asked me out for lunch just to grace me with a most pleasurable meal in your company… ” Kishiar winked at the other between words, his usual, playful tone evident. “I know that’s probably not the case. Who are we looking for?”
The dragon cleared his throat, keeping his composure as he ignored his Master's flirty behavior.
He quickly signaled with his eyes, pointing to a girl who was swiftly navigating around the crowded tavern while taking the clients’ orders. She had short, fluffy brown hair, and sweet blue eyes that squinted cheerfully every time she smiled at the customers. She’d almost look like a completely normal human, had it not been for the scales covering some parts of her neck and hands. They most likely coated other parts of her body as well, but if that was the case, they were hidden by her long sleeves and skirt.
Every once in a while, she would wipe a damp handkerchief on her face. She seemed to be doing it to dry her sweat, but a more careful observation would quickly prove it was to keep her extremely sensitive skin hydrated instead.
“Kanna Wand, 20 years old, half-mermaid. She came from the Western Continent, near the Great Lake. It’s been two years since she was able to escape her father and started working here. Her mother was part of a rare mermaid clan that left the ocean and adapted to the water of rivers and lakes about a century ago. They’re very rare nowadays, since they need to hide from the land-dwelling creatures who regularly hunt them down.” Nathan whispered in a low voice, just loud enough for Kishiar to hear him and conveniently drowned out to prying ears by the loud laughter filling the tavern around them.
“Half-mermaid, you say…” Kishiar slowly stroked his chin, taking one discreet glance at her. “Mermaids rarely venture far from their homes” His voice lowered slightly. “I imagine she had no other choices, if she decided that was her best option.”
“... Yes, that seems to be the case.” The dragon nodded quietly in response. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find out precisely who her father is.”
"Maybe someday we’ll be able to find out, if she ever decides to seek help.” Kishiar couldn’t help but let out a sigh. “I don’t mean to sound cold, given everything she's endured.” His gaze slid back to Nathan "But I assume there’s a reason you thought she was suited for this mission.”
“A famous legend has it that mermaids have the power to read into someone's emotions and life memories, and that’s how they charm other creatures and lead them to their death at sea.” As he talked, Nathan took pages of handwritten notes out of his pockets and signaled to the most important parts.
“I looked up more about this, and found out that an exiled mage named Thais Yulman and his apprentice, Alik Pelgin, were able to study them after surviving a shipwreck. They reported that most of the mermaids were able to gain such information through singing, and others by making direct eye contact with their prey. Just a handful of them needed physical contact. Even if such a method is more inconvenient and risky for them, as well as being a lot harder to control, it allowed these mermaids to extract considerably more information than the others.”
Kishiar looked at Kanna again, this time paying more attention to her movements.
After having observed her for a while, he noticed that she actively tried to dodge everyone, avoiding contact as much as she could. The few times she happened to accidentally bump into someone, a deeply troubled expression appeared on her face.
“Interesting. I think I can figure out the rest on my own.” Nathan looked at Kishiar as his lips bloomed into a smile “I can perfectly understand what it means to have such a troublesome power and how hard it is to keep it from everyone else.” He closed his eyes for a moment, deep in contemplation.
Then, he raised one arm, trying to catch her attention.
“Excuse me, may I trouble you for another order?” She quickly turned to him, slightly taken aback by the sudden call, but she quickly composed herself, moving in their direction.
“O-Of course! What would you like to order? Some food to complement your drinks?” She smiled at the two of them, her hands behind her back.
“Why not? What do you recommend?” Kishiar asked, a nonchalant smirk on his face.
Nathan sensed the other’s leg shifting under the table and frowned. Right then, he saw Kishiar's foot discreetly getting closer to the girl, and realized what he was scheming.
“Well… What about some wild boar meat? Or maybe you’d enjoy our special salad, grown by pixies if you-” She stopped talking as soon as the tip of Kishiar’s foot touched hers. She blinked in confusion and instinctively flinched in shock.
“Y-Your High-” Stepping back, she didn’t notice a customer behind her and was about to bump into him, but Nathan swiftly intervened, grabbing one of her arms and pulling her out of the way.
She blinked again, clearly startled from the situation, her gaze directed at the dragon this time. She instantly pulled her arm back and covered her mouth with her hands.
“I’m so, so sorry! I didn't mean to…” Kishiar shook his head, with a reassuring smile.
“Quite the opposite, I owe you an apology. My action was intentional, a test, though I admit it may not have been a fair one.”
“A test? But, why would…” As she started sweating more profusely, more and more scales started to appear on her skin. Kishiar noticed it and took out one of his clean napkins, slightly dampening it with the water from their table before handing it to her.
Kanna looked at him, her eyes still filled with confusion. Still, she accepted the napkin and started to hydrate herself once more, deeply breathing in and out. The anxiety from having her secret laid bare was heavy in the air around them, but she was somehow able to regain her composure.
Just as she was about to say something, she was interrupted by a middle-aged woman shouting at her from the other side of the tavern.
“Kanna! What are you doing? The kitchen is waiting for the client's orders!”
“Ah, I-I’m sorry! I’m coming right now!” She was about to walk away but hesitated, still looking at the two men before her.
“I’m deeply sorry we caused you trouble during your shift.” Kishiar apologized again, smiling at her. “If you read our intentions, you’ll know we don’t wish to harm you in any way. If you still want answers as to why we were seeking out your help, then I hope you’ll come and meet us tonight.”
Without saying any more, he stood up, leaving some gold coins on the table and excusing himself. Nathan moved to follow him to the entrance of the tavern, giving her a final, parting nod.
Kanna stared at them until they both disappeared behind the door. It all felt like an extremely strange, vivid dream, but the damp napkin still in her hands proved otherwise. She looked at it and saw that the hour and place of the appointment were written down in magical, golden ink.
“Kanna!”
“I’m coming!” She quickly came back to her senses and shoved the napkin inside her pocket. Her heart and thoughts were racing in fear and confusion, but most of all… excitement.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
The busiest road of the Great Sarain Forest Kingdom was very lively in the early hours of the afternoon.
Children scurried around everywhere, cheerfully playing tag after the end of their school day. From the windows of many houses, civilians hung up the wet laundry they’d washed in the nearby river earlier in the day, while others were ready to go back to their jobs after enjoying a hearty meal.
Nathan tugged the hem of his hood down to better hide his face as they walked among the crowd. He’d planned to move at that specific time because anyone would have simply been too busy to pay proper attention to their two cloaked figures. Still, he could feel several, unwelcomed pairs of eyes staring holes right through them.
“This does bring back memories of when we used to sneak around. The only difference is that now you’re the one leading the tour.” Kishiar smiled at him, a glint of playfulness in his now amber eyes. “Don’t you feel nostalgic too, Nathan?”
“I recall things rather differently, my Lord.” Nathan replied, eyes fixed on the road. “Back then, I was always being dragged out without warning. Every time." He kept up his pace, his expression unreadable as always. Kishiar couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Kishiar couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “Ah, yes. And you were always so diligently scared about it.” His playful smile only grew wider. “Still, we managed to go unnoticed most of the time, so what should we feel guilty for?” Nathan didn’t know what to argue back, and left out a deep sigh.
They passed by a young flower nymph who was selling beautifully colored roses she kept in a basket. Kishiar crouched down to her level to hand her a silver coin, and chose one of the blue ones. The young nymph beamed at him gratefully and ran to her mother, enthusiastically showing off her first coin.
“I am fully aware that I was a very annoying little Prince back in the day, but the ‘little adventures’ we always embarked on together still remain some of my most deeply cherished memories.” Kishiar's gaze softened as he looked at him again. Then he gently put the blue rose, whose color was so similar to the dragon’s eyes, into the pocket of Nathan’s uniform, near his heart.
“I always end up acting like a fool whenever I want to surprise my loved ones. And I’m afraid this will not change anytime soon.” The prince winked at him, turning back with a mischievous expression and acting like he hadn’t just openly flirted with another man in the middle of the Kingdom’s main street.
Nathan immediately hid the flower with the cape that already concealed most of his figure, pressing his lips together and closing his eyes shut as a flustered look appeared on his usually stoic, deadpan face.
‘To think I told him not to do this sort of thing while we’re outside…’ He tried hard to regain his composure: he needed to fully focus on the mission. Yet, some part of him couldn’t help but feel flattered, even pleased by such cheesy, flirty gestures. Only His Lord could do this sort of thing to him and get away with it.
He secretly grazed the flower with his fingers one last time before stepping up to walk alongside Kishiar again.
“Please! Just a letter of recommendation would be fine, I’m not asking for more.”
As soon as the bounty board entered their field of view, they both hid behind the nearby houses, careful to not be noticed by the people they could see from their hiding place.
Not too far from them, a young man with a face as beautiful as a blooming rose and fiery red hair, stood in front of a group of individuals, pleading. With one knee to the ground to better look at the dwarf he was talking to without towering over him, his deep green eyes were wide in disbelief. Betrayal was written all over his face as some sort of strange shadow shifted behind his back, almost as if it had been a creature with a mind of its own.
Judging from their outfits, weapons and bags on their shoulders, they were probably a group of adventurers, ready to leave for their next expedition.
“And that boy would be our next candidate, I suppose?” Kishiar asked, without taking his eyes off the scene unfolding in front of them. Nathan simply nodded in response.
“Gakane Bolunwald, 21 years old, human. His ancestors were noblemen, but their family name fell from grace after the man who was Lord of their house at the time was cursed. He’d wronged a witch, exploiting her powers and tricking her into becoming his lover just so he could gather more and more wealth, all while hiding his real wife and children. Once the witch found out the truth, she decided to curse him and all his descendants, so that at least one child in every generation would have their own shadow live as a being of its own. The Lord went mad and died, just like all the others that inherited this cursed shadow from that point on.”
“So, they can’t even trust their own shadow? That sure sounds like such a nerve-wracking life” As he said this, Kishiar focused his attention back on the strange, shifting shadow he’d noticed before.
Not only was it clearly moving on its own accord, but it was circling around Gakane's knees, trying to make him stand up, as if furiously beckoning him not to kneel before the people in front of him.
“Yes, but his case is a little… peculiar. He’s actually the first ever member of his family that was able to befriend the shadow and harness it as if it were an extension of his own body.” Kishiar’s eyes widened at Nathan’s words.
“That’s truly fascinating...” Before he could add anything else, he was interrupted.
“Listen, young man. I know you asked for this job solely because I know someone who works for the Royal Guard, but I haven't talked to them in so many years, and…” The middle-aged dwarf, an apologetic expression visible even under his long beard, was trying to reason with the redhead but the sad, hurt-puppy-like glances that Gakane kept shooting him were truly heartbreaking.
“Was I lacking in any way? Did I do something wrong?” While he tried so hard to make up for whatever mistake he’d made, the shadow swirled in a very menacing way towards the adventurers. They backed down, in a cold sweat from the fear.
“Oh no, not again…” Gakane tried to hold back his own shadow, but it didn’t seem to have any intention of listening to its owner.
“You see? You can’t even control your own shadow! Do you really think the Royal Guards would accept someone as dangerous as you?!” Another one of the adventurers, a human mage, couldn’t take it anymore and spat out her true thoughts. “It’s truly a miracle we were able to survive travelling with you and your… your… abomination!”
The shadow coiled ominously, as if ready to attack, but Gakane looked down at it, sadness filling his eyes. The dark being suddenly decided to remain still.
“I… I understand. Thank you for trying anyway.” He said, disheartened, as he got up from the ground.
“I’m sorry, Gakane… I’m sure you’ll find another way.” The dwarf was about to pat him on the side, but he didn’t dare approach the shadow, which looked like a barely tamed beast. He decided to give him a little nod instead, and then turned around to face the rest of the group.
“Yeah… Sure…” Gakane scratched the back of his neck, and a discouraged sigh left his lips.
“From what I’ve gathered, this seems to be his eighth try…” Nathan murmured to himself, but Kishiar didn’t fail to hear him.
“Hmm? Care to elaborate?” He slowly stroked his chin, still observing the dejected-looking young man.
“I’ve heard that he’s very skilled, and has remarkable mastery in all survival skills. So far, he’s tried to join eight different adventurer teams with the intention of being noticed by the Royal Guards, as he wishes to become a Knight.”
“Oh? Is he trying to win this year’s Adventurer Award so he can receive a special Knight training without having to disclose his family name?” Kishiar started to connect the dots. The recommendation letter the boy had mentioned at the very start of the conversation, as well as the dwarf being acquaintances with a Royal Guard, now made Gakane’s intentions all the more clear.
Every year, during the Harvest Festival, one adventurer that met a list of requirements could have one wish granted in exchange for having risked their life outside of the Great Sarain Forest. If their expedition had helped the Kingdom in some important way, then the probability of being noticed and chosen was significantly higher.
“That seems to be the case, but as My Lord can see… He hasn’t had much luck at all.” Nathan glanced at Gakane, who was now looking at the bounty board and trying to figure out what to try next, but his slouched posture gave away his obvious sorrow.
“A small test might be in order, If he’s as promising as you believe, this could be a useful stage for him.” Nathan raised an eyebrow at Kishiar’s words.
“What are you plotting, My Lord..?”
“Nothing that would really harm anyone, don’t fret. But… be ready to intervene, just in case.” He replied, the mischievous glint in his eyes utterly failing to reassure his adjutant.
Kishiar stretched his right hand out, his eyes shining like two crimson gems. At the same time, Nathan reached for the scabbard of his sword.
A strange energy started to ripple in the space just above the adventurer group that still hadn’t gone too far. The roof of a nearby house started to crack, and soon bricks and wood were falling down, aiming directly for the head of the human mage that had insulted Gakane earlier.
Nathan's body flinched, his instinct yelling at him that the mage would have died if he hadn’t intervened immediately, but Kishiar’s free hand stopped him just in time.
A shadow, big enough to contain all the adventurers, enveloped the group just in time. As soon as they hit the dark surface, the bricks were absorbed and disappeared as if they’d never existed in the first place.
Kishiar smiled with satisfaction.
“Are you all okay?!” Gakane called back his power and ran towards them to check on their conditions. Their faces were masks of horror and shock, and the mage screamed as the boy got closer.
“D-Don’t touch me!” She instantly pointed the big wand she was carrying with her straight towards him, ready to cast a spell, but stumbled in the process, falling on her back.
A powerful blast of magic shot up from the tip of her wand. An ominous dark distortion appeared in midair, splitting the sky as a long, inhuman screech echoed loudly throughout the area and the townspeople started screaming and running away in fear.
“What the hell did you do?!” The dwarf shouted at the young mage.
“I-I summoned a portal because I wanted to send him away!” The mage tried to explain, but she was already well aware of the seriousness of her actions. The spell she’d just used, albeit impulsively, was a forbidden one.
Portals were used by merchants to help them transport their goods while traveling, so it was a spell well known even if incredibly hard to use, because the point of start and the destination needed to be extremely clear. Creating a portal from nowhere, with no purpose and without previous notice, was forbidden because it was incredibly dangerous. If the start and arrival weren’t decided in advance, the portal could cause a direct contact between two realities, and most of the time it was a dark dimension where monsters lived.
“We’ll talk about this later! Now’s not the time!” Gakane abruptly interrupted them, a determined look in his eyes. “Let’s evacuate the civilians!”
The adventurers all looked at him and nodded. That wasn’t the time to talk.
“The spell was cast inside the Kingdom’s protective barrier… I wasn’t expecting such a dire situation to unfold.” Kishiar bolted towards the portal without hesitation, swiftly dodging the people running in the opposite direction.
“How many do you think will come out?” Nathan asked, drawing his longsword as he kept up with the Prince’s pace.
“If we’re fortunate, just one. And even if luck isn’t on our side today, it still isn’t a passage big enough to let more than three, small-sized monsters inside.” Kishiar effortlessly assumed an elegant stance, worthy of a true swordmaster. “It’s sure been a while since the last time I could put my combat skills to good use Still, I didn’t expect for us to be forced to use them before even setting out on our wondrous journey.”
Shooting a glance over his shoulder, he saw Gakane darting around with his big shadow following closely after him, trying to help the people that had gotten caught in the crowd’s stampede and prevent any further damage. His eyes burned with determination: he was not going to leave anyone behind.
‘Indeed, I’d say the boy passes with flying colors.’ Without anything else to worry about, he fully brought his attention back to the incoming danger.
“It’s coming.” Nathan shifted his stance, ready to take on any blow that could come their way.
Long claws appeared to grab either side of the crack, using it as a leverage point to drag the body they were attached to outside of it. The monster’s head, similar to that of a lizard, came out of the portal, letting out another long screech and baring its razor-like teeth. As soon as its long body was completely out of the portal, the distortion disappeared and the monster landed on all fours, shaking the ground as it did.
“I guess Lady Luck kissed our foreheads this morning.” An amused smile bloomed on Kishiar's lips.
The monster thrashed its long, whip-like tail and destroyed the merchant carts as it ran towards the two men, jaws wide open and ready to attack.
Their two swords were now shone bright as a blue aura enveloped them, ready to finish everything with just one, coordinated blow.
Then, as soon as the giant lizard entered the perfect range for them to strike, an unknown figure appeared on top of it out of thin air. The ground crumbled under its feet, trapping the creature’s limbs, as long spikes started to stab at its abdomen from beneath. The monster screamed again, this time in unbearable pain, as its blood gushed everywhere.
Without wasting any more time, a short sword pierced its skull in the blink of an eye. After just a few seconds, the monster stopped moving.
Before the creature fell to the ground, the mysterious man landed beside it with just a flutter of his dragonfly wings. He made sure to not touch the monster’s blood as its corpse fell, and not a single drop of sweat was visible under the black bangs covering his forehead. The antennae on his head were still moving, scanning the area around them.
After sheathing his sword with his right hand, whose back sported a strange mark, his gaze met the baffled one of the two other men. As soon as they met his dark eyes, a shiver ran down their spines.
“Who is this man…?” Nathan whispered, his hands still tightly gripping the hilt of his sword.
“A Dragonfly Fairy.” Kishiar replied, his eyes shining.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Notes:
This chapter was very long ahaha but i think so far it's still one of my favorites!!
I decided that I'll try to make a little drawing for every chapter, so... Check the previous one to see them! And follow me on Tumblr Muffetta-999 if you want to see more of my art! (❁´◡`❁)
Thank you for all the support and kudos <3
Chapter Text
He knew he shouldn’t have acted.
The dryad that was currently hosting him had warned against standing out, but he acted before he could think.
“You need to lay low for now, or you won’t be trusted.” The man said “This is the second time a monster has appeared in this kingdom since your arrival.”
His golden eyes had shifted to look at the back of Yuder’s hand, with his eyebrows furrowed more than usual, manifesting his concern. “Unlike me, they can’t feel the barrier weakening, so you can’t blame them if they start to convince themself that you are the cause.”
No more words were needed, they both knew about the twisted beliefs surrounding that mark.
He knew full well, yet he couldn’t bear to be forced to do nothing at all. He’d been trained to kill monsters since he was a child as a way to protect himself from harm, but also as an instrument to protect others surrounding him. He would have betrayed his Grandpa's words by choosing to hide.
With a graceful arc of the marked hand, the air stirred, summoning a breeze from nothingness. All the things that the monster had overturned were instantly put back in place, while the ruins of their shattered surroundings were gently put to the side. The main road was clean again.
The civilians that had witnessed the scene started coming back from their previous escape, visibly alarmed. Their eyes darted anxiously from the monster’s corpse, laying in a pool of its own blood, to the young man that had killed it in the blink of an eye and cleaned up almost every trace of the aftermath as if it had been nothing.
Yuder ignored all of their terrified but curious gazes, glancing at the dead monster once again and trying to recall the last time he’d seen something similar.
As soon as he remembered where he had seen the monster before, he turned towards the people who were now warily surrounding the monster’s carcass, speaking aloud so that everyone could hear.
“Its tail should be edible, if you peel it and cook it for at least an hour over high heat. Moreover, its skin is very resistant, while the claws and teeth can become good materials for building daggers.”
No one replied. Yuder just couldn’t wrap his head around why people always got rid of the monster’s corpses without even thinking of using the good parts, so he’d decided to start telling them. It was a waste, it made Yuder wonder how much they didn’t know about monsters.
“Truly fascinating.” a voice not far from his side spoke, a velvety murmur, warm and resonant, more akin to a quiet decree than a fleeting whisper.
Yuder looked at the direction where the voice was coming from. He recognized the two men approaching, those who had drawn their swords and stood ready to fight, yet had been caught off guard by his sudden intervention.
The human with short brown hair smiled at him, his eyes shining with a glint of curiosity. “Are you a hunter? Or maybe some sort of Monster’s Byproducts expert?”
Yuder hesitated for a second, slightly unsettled by such a bright, welcoming smile. He was so used to others being afraid of him, asking what he was or what his intentions were. For someone to genuinely ask about his profession, it was a first.
Looking into his amber eyes, he could sense some strange energy coming from the man. His antennae scanned his figure, and he looked down to a ring wrapped around his middle finger where the floating energy was pulsing, albeit almost undetectably. Probably some sort of magical artifact.
He glanced over at the other, red-skinned man following him, who was busy placing his longsword back into its scabbard. As soon as Yuder's eyes met the man’s two vertical pupils, the purple wings on his back went stiff. Something ancient and mysterious was swirling beneath those eyes, and a feeling that he’d never experienced before washed over him.
Since he arrived in the Sarain Forest, it wasn’t unusual for him to see or learn about new types of creatures, but it was the first time he felt uneasy to not know the true nature of the individual he was looking at.
He couldn't help but wonder what kind of creature was hiding inside the man. He could guess the other was asking himself the same thing by his gaze, that was scanning Yuder from head to toes, with his hand still placed on top of the scabbard, wary but not openly hostile.
The weirdest thing, however, was the strange connection he felt between the two. They were two different beings, but it felt like both their energies were intertwined. It was the first time he perceived something like that with his antennae.
“Is that… a fairy?” A voice coming from the crowd interrupted his train of thought.
“...They’re still alive?”
Yuder ignored every noise and murmur coming from the townspeople, looking at the brown-haired man in front of him once again. As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, he saw a tomato flying in his direction. He moved to dodge it, but the man in front of him was faster and grabbed it in midair.
In just a second, the atmosphere became unbearably tense.
“What is the meaning of this?” He moved between Yuder and the crowd, still smiling with nonchalance, the fruit a little squished in his hand.
“T-This is the third time something like this has happened since he arrived a month ago!” A middle aged man shouted, trying to justify his action. “This can’t be a coincidence anymore!”
“Oh? And what makes you think he’s to blame?” Interest was evident in the man's tone.
‘It’s happening again.’ Yuder could barely hold back a sigh. Even though he had been ready to face the consequence when he took action, it was still disheartening. ‘The apothecary was right.’ He could already picture his angry expression and the feeling of his cheeks being pulled on.
“Why, you ask? Obviously, because he’s a-”
Like Yuder had summoned him, a sudden shout rose from the crowd.
“Oh for Luma’s sake- YUDER!”
Making his way out of the crowd, not paying attention and consequently shoving the man that was just trying to talk -and, actually, probably doing so on purpose-, a dryad with long, messy gray hair that was covered in leaves appeared. His eyebrows, already pointed themselves, were furrowed in anger.
“Everyone of you is such an ungrateful being! Better yet, I think that monster would have found you especially tasty!” He approached Yuder and the two men with big steps, all while trying to free himself from a towel that had gotten stuck on one of his branch-like horns.
“Oh no… it’s that apothecary again,” someone muttered with a resigned sigh.
He was well-known throughout the Sarain Forest. Respected, certainly, but just as much feared. Everyone had heard of the ‘talented and mysterious apothecary’ who lived in those woods, and most had learned, one way or another, to tread carefully around his temper.
“Enon, please! You can’t just defend some random stranger that came out of nowhere!” A woman tentatively screamed in disbelief.
“Well, this random stranger just saved your lazy asses, for the third time I might add, since he moved here! You should throw him flowers instead! Or lemons, if you’re so fixated on what you throw being edible! And you !” He roughly pulled Yuder away from the brown-haired man, dragging him in the opposite direction. “What did I tell you? Stop putting yourself in danger! At least say something before you decide to disappear all of a sudden!”
It was then that Yuder remembered why he was even there in the first place. He’d been in the market until just minutes before, running errands with Enon. He’d left him in the middle of the street as soon as he sensed the distortion appearing in the sky, and… Dropped the herbs he’d been holding in the process.
“Enon, i’m sorry about the goods-”
“Is that what you’re worried about?! Ughh, shut it! I don't want to hear your voice anymore!”
After that confusing, yet somewhat funny exchange, they left everyone behind. Yuder shot one last glance at the two men, before following Enon in complete silence. The brown-haired one was smiling, waving with the same hand that wore the magic ring, while the mysterious red-skinned individual beside him continued to observe from a distance.
He had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time he saw them.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
“Sir Enon! Yuder! Welcome back!”
A green haired human opened the door of the apothecary with a welcoming smile, and the familiar scent of freshly processed herbs greeted them.
When his green eyes met those of Enon, he seemed to notice that his expression was grumpier than usual. the human expression somehow even grumpier than usual, He covered his mouth, a worried frown shifting on his face. “Did something happen...?”
“You’d never guess, Lusan.” The dryad scratched his gray hair furiously. “ Someone here wanted to play the lone hero so bad he put his life on the line again ” He then started pulling Yuder’s cheeks to further emphasize who he was talking about.
After he heard that, Lusan hurried to Yuder without any hesitation whatsoever.
“Yuder, are you hurt?! Are the villagers okay?”
Even if it had just been a month since he’d arrived, Yuder was still not used to the way Enon always scolded him: like he was talking to a child and not a grown man. At the same time, he was still unfamiliar with Lusan’s concern behaviour. He’d been alone for so long that he could have never expected to find someone who’d genuinely care for him. He was first a patient, and now a temporary assistant to them, not positions that he would have thought warranted this much care.
“I’m fine. None of the civilians were hurt.” Relief appeared on Lusan's face for a moment as Enon started to pull on Yuder’s cheeks even harder.
“He’s fine, he says! Like having the whole kingdom throwing tomatoes at your face while blaming you for all these monster’s appearances was a funny joke!”
Lusan's eyes saddened at the revelation.
“I’m so sorry, Yuder… I can't believe so many simple-minded people still live inside the Great Sarain Forest!” His voice was filled with frustration, but he tried to keep his emotions in check. “I understood the situation… Why don’t we sit down for a moment?” Enon was about to disagree, but he remained still when Lusan put one hand on his shoulder. “I think it would be better to calm down a little before discussing the rest.”
Yuder nodded and Enon let go of his cheeks. After closing the apothecary for the day, both of them followed Lusan to a side door that led to a small dining room. They sat down on the wooden chairs, looking at Lusan as he poured tea in three wooden cups. His long hair, tied in a ponytail, was swaying on his back, following his quick movements.
No one would have guessed he was just a normal human, judging its peculiar brilliant green color. Yuder was also surprised at first, but it turned out he wasn’t so far from the truth. Lusan’s family descended from an ancient lineage of naiads, a specific type of nymph that lived in rivers and were said to have strong healing powers. Even if Lusan’s ancestors intertwined their lineage with humans, the naiad genes and a strong curative energy were still present in their descendants.
“Here you go, this should help.”
The sweet aroma coming from the cups filled the room and eased the atmosphere in an instant. Enon's eyebrows started to relax from all the previous tension. As confirming his now calm state of mind, from one of his branch-like horns a lemon started to bloom. As soon as it had perfectly matured, he picked it and started to chew on it, peel and all.
Yuder still remembered his shock the first time he’d seen him do that, but it happened so often that now it was as normal as seeing him drink water.
“So… Yuder. You came here because of your Grandpa's wish in the first place, right? You told us something about it the first time you came here.” After taking a few sips, Lusan resumed the conversation.
“Yes, that’s right… He wanted to be sure I would be able to find a place and people that’d accept me for who I am.” His eyes automatically fell to his mark. Enon slapped his hand.
“Stop looking at it like you want to cut your hand off!” He sighed. “If it was that easy to be accepted, then more creatures would have been part of the Grand Sarain Forest since long ago. It’s only thanks to King Keilusa that we can have some peace around here.”
Yuder nodded. Enon wasn’t the type to talk highly of someone else, but it wasn’t the first time he’d complimented the King’s achievements.
“And that’s why…” The dryad looked back at him, pointing the half-bitten lemon to his direction. “You should build a good reputation around here. As soon as the royals see you in a good light, then it’s done. But! ” He started to pull on Yuder’s cheeks again. “If you ruin everything now because of those stupid civilians’ opinions, then you’re screwed! That’s why you should lay low! Like, I don't know… Use at least some type of disguise if you want to play the hero in the middle of the street!”
Yuder was genuinely confused. How was he supposed to have a good reputation if he was defeating monsters in disguise?
“Well, that could be an idea, but…” Lusan cleared his throat to hide his snicker at the weird suggestion, trying to change the topic. “What are we gonna do about the whole situation now?”
Silence filled the room for a couple of minutes.
Yuder thought about how the two people in front of him had accepted his existence so easily, healing him and treating his wounds the very same night he’d killed the first monster that had invaded the city the day he arrived. He knocked on so many doors, asking for a place to stay, offering to work as payback, but none of the places he visited wanted to host such a creepy stranger.
But not them.
As soon as Enon opened the door that night, seeing him covered in dirt, he was so ready to throw him inside a bathtub that Yuder was speechless. That same night, neither of them left him to rest alone in the room they provided for him until they’d treated all his scratches.
He wondered if they hadn’t seen him defeating the huge monster that same morning, maybe that was why they weren’t so scared of him in the first place. He was surprised to learn that wasn’t the case at all when Lusan thanked him for saving the civilians.
What he had thought would be only a temporary place to stay ended up becoming part of his life for a whole month, an offer made by Enon after Yuder helped him develop new medicines. When Yuder left his old home behind, he took with him a few homemade remedies he had learned to prepare from his grandfather, using common herbs that grew near the mountains where he once lived. Enon was immediately fascinated when he saw them for the first time. He asked Yuder to teach him how to make them, and, impressed by their effectiveness and low cost, offered him a place to stay in exchange for the right to learn and sell those remedies, a simple, affordable way to help those in need.
Yuder wasn’t sure if they could be considered friends, but they were the first people who had treated him with genuine concern since his grandfather’s passed away. That alone was enough to make him hesitate, he didn’t want to trouble them any more than he already had.
“I think… It would be best for me to change where I stay for now.” He broke the silence, voicing his thoughts out loud.
“Why do you say that? Don’t speak nonsense.” Enon cut in at once, his voice gruff but quick with concern. He waved a hand sharply in the air, as if swatting the idea away like an annoying fly.
“I think that more people would come here to complain about me staying than before. I don’t want to involve you in all of this.” They both knew what he was referring to. Two customers had already come by just to complain about his presence in the shop.
Enon had put their names on the ‘ Unwelcome customers ’ sign out of the apothecary as soon as he’d made them leave.
“Yuder, I’m sure that there is another way. Me and Enon are more than happy to have you here! You’re not troubling us, if that’s what you think.” Lusan smiled at Yuder, sincerity filling his eyes.
“The little one is right. Also-” Enon was suddenly interrupted by someone knocking on the main door. After the third knock, he got up from his chair, his eyebrows frowned again.
“ For Luma’s sake ! Can’t they see the big wooden sign saying ‘ closed ’?!” He walked towards the door with big steps , without worrying if the customers could hear him from the other side. Lusan let out a little laugh and followed him alongside Yuder.
“Sorry to intrude.” A clear and familiar voice came from the front door. “I wish to talk with the mysterious hero that saved my life on the main street.”
As soon as Yuder had met the eyes of the people behind the entrance, he couldn’t help but be surprised. The two strange men that approached him before were standing in front of Enon. The brown haired man had the same beautiful, playful smile as before.
“And who are you supposed to be?” The dryad asked, his arm crossed and without any intention to let the two in, even despite them being much taller than him. He probably didn’t recognize them, since his only focus on the main street had been saving Yuder from the crowd.
The brown man lifted his hand and touched the same strange ring that Yuder had sensed during their first meeting. As soon as he’d done that, his appearance changed.
Pointed ears, long golden hair and two unmistakable crimson eyes. The features aligned perfectly with the description that Enon had repeated numerous times.
It was none other than the prince of the Sarain Fores, Kishiar La Orr.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Notes:
I love Enon so much, so far he's still my favorite character of Turning. When the idea to make him grow lemons on his own horns popped out in my mind, it was so funny and stupid that i couldn't help it :"D
PS: I plan to do some extra chapters for this story for side characters at the end, so the backstory of how Lusan and Enon came to live together will be shared in the future! (Not in the main story because it's becoming so long already... And i need to focus on main characters.)
Pps: I ship them a little, but in a platonic way (?) so, enjoy the husband and wife that adopted a stray cat dynamic q(≧▽≦q)
Chapter 5: Chapter 4
Notes:
Damn it pissed me off that every time I have "chapter x: chapter y" situation where the numbers don't match because i started the ff with "prologue" instead of "chapter 1". I'M NOT GOOD WITH TITLES, do you know how hard it was for me to find the right one for the fic?? I can't use my poor braincells to find new names for the chapters as well... OKAY, IGNORE MY FRUSTRATION AHAHA enjoy!! q(≧▽≦q)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Enon had lived for many years, so many that it was rumored he'd been around even before the Great Sarain Forest had taken root.
At least, these were the stories people loved to share among themselves in cluttered taverns. After all, even the diaries of great-great-grandparents of elves, creatures known for having an extremely long life span, talked about a strange, perpetually angry apothecary.
He never shared his secrets, but many had tried to pry them out of him. The only thing they got for their trouble, was a firm boot to the backside and a lifetime ban from his shop
Yes, Enon had lived through centuries. However, that didn’t mean he was immune to surprise, and the sight before him now was more than enough to crack the hardened shell of habit.
Kishiar la Orr was sitting at the center of their humble living room, tapping his long fingers on the wooden table - which was way too small for him - while enjoying some of the tea Lusan had previously prepared. The little one was so worried, saying that it wouldn’t be good enough for a Royal, but Enon was able to calm him down, stating that if the prince wanted something refined then he shouldn't have come unannounced.
Standing behind him was a man with peculiar reptile-like eyes. Enon hadn’t seen much of his kind during his life, but it was still enough to let him recognize his mystical aura and features.
‘Why is this dragon here?’ He couldn’t help but wonder. They were supreme, narcissistic creatures who lived alone in remote and hidden parts of the realm, so it was more than strange to see one of them serving someone that they’d normally consider a ‘lowly being’.
He shifted his eyes back to the prince. It wasn’t the time to wonder about the dragon now.
“Why is His Highness here to confer with me?” Sitting in front of the Prince, Yuder spoke first. Even if it was the first time he’d ever talked to a Royal, he looked composed, his dark eyes firmly set on him. Enon couldn’t help the faint smirk tugging at his lips as he watched Yuder hold his ground. At least the boy wasn’t planning to roll over just because someone wore a crown.
“Why, you ask?” The prince crossed his legs. “Our previous conversation was interrupted, so I would like to start from where we left.” A smile bloomed on his face.
Enon let out a groan, not bothering to conceal it. He always used to talk about the King in a good way, but the same couldn’t be said about his brother, known to secretly sneak around and being a flirty troublemaker. He smelled something fishy, hidden in that peaceful expression.
He picked another lemon from his own horn, biting it while assessing the situation. He saw Yuder try to recall the prince’s previous question, closing his eyes and taking some time before answering.
“My Grandpa was a monster hunter, that’s why I know how to deal with those creatures.”
Enon could see something shifting into the elf's eyes at Yuder’s answer.
“You’re grandpa seems to know a great deal about monsters, he must have been a great hunter.” The tone had been light, but the dryad could see a flash of something else in the prince's eyes. “Such a hunter would have been known if he lived around here.”
The prince drummed his fingers lightly against the table, his gaze fixed on Yuder. When the fairy offered no reply, he spoke again, his voice calm but edged with expectation.
“I hope you forgive the town people for sharing your information so freely. A month, they said?” He smiled faintly, leaning back against his chair. “And before that?”
Enon frowned. He’d just said how convenient it would’ve been if Yuder could obtain the attention of the Royal Family, and now for some kind of magical coincidence the Prince was suddenly interested in him? He seemed to have done a background check too. Something in his guts was telling him that the situation was shady.
Before Yuder could answer the prince, he decided to intervene.
“Excuse me, can we know the true purpose of your visit to this humble apothecary, before answering all these questions?”
Lusan looked like he might faint from sheer embarrassment, shifting nervously at Enon’s side for his boldness. The dryad ignored his desperate gaze, staring right into Kishiar's surprised eyes. He had never been one to stand still and play the respectful old sage, not even in front of royal blood.
A sudden laugh filled the space, the prince’s smile shining even more.
Enon was disgusted by the view, but caught Yuder stare mesmerized at the prince. That displeased him even more.
Before speaking again, Kishiar exchanged a glance with the man behind his shoulder, handing him the same wooden cup where he’d been drinking.
“Why don’t you try this, my dear adjutant? It’s not exactly the Queen’s tea, but it’s truly delicious. We have some capable apothecaries in front of us.”
Silence filled the room. The dragon remained composed, accepting the sudden and playful request of his Master, like sharing the same cup wasn't something only lovers should do.
Enon could feel the atmosphere shifting, becoming more… relaxed? Capable apothecaries, he’d said…
‘Were they testing us?’ His gaze grew sharp.
“I would like to apologize. We asked around to some of the civilians on the scene, and I wasn't sure if the apothecaries were treating our benefactor properly, keeping him hidden.” He looked at the dryad, his crimson eyes gentler than before. “But I can sense a genuine kind of friendship.” He then looked at Enon’s hand, resting on Yuder’s shoulder.
The dryad jerked it away without a second thought, feeling somewhat embarrassed. When had he done that? Nevermind.
“Even if I would like to give an honest answer on what our intentions are, I still need to ask you some questions. Would that be okay with you?” Kishiar looked directly at the fairy in front of him.
Enon was about to say something else, but Yuder nudged him with his foot, nodding to reassure him he was fine. There was no need to be this worried. The dryad sighed.
“I grew up on a mountain near the Central Region. My Grandpa saved me from a monster attack in the nearby village and took me in. He taught me everything he could before dying.”
“...How old were you?” His tone was light, but something behind it faltered.
“I was two years old when he found me, and he died when I was thirteen.” Yuder pulled up one of his long sleeves to reveal a wooden handmade bracelet.
Enon couldn’t help but remember the first night he and Lusan had taken him in. Even while they were bathing him or treating his wounds, he’d always made sure to keep it safe near him, in his field of view. It shouldn’t take much for the prince to realize that it was a memento from Yuder’s grandpa.
“Now you look almost twenty, but we can’t be sure since so many creatures have longer lifespans. How old are you now?”
Even if it wasn’t said out loud, it was clear that the question had a second meaning: ‘Since when were you alone?’
“...I should be twenty this year.” Yuder confirmed his assumption. Kishiar’s expression remained unchanged by his answer, but the dryad could see a glint of doubt in his eyes.
He saw Yuder holding that gaze, with the same serious expression. Eighteen years had passed since his grandfather adopted him, if he tried to count the years the math was right, so why did the prince have doubts?
“And why did you come here, to the Great Sarain Forest of all places?” Before he could think further about it, the prince changed the topic. He saw Yuder’s shoulders relax a little.
“It was my Grandfather's last wish. He wanted me to… find a place where I could be accepted for who I am.”
The Prince's expression didn’t change, but something in his gaze shifted, quiet and perceptive, like he knew there was something else hidden under the surface, but wanted to hear it from Yuder himself.
Nathan stared at Yuder, a strange light in his eyes. Was it… empathy? For the topic about being accepted? From a dragon? Enon wasn’t sure.
“Mmh, but is it also your wish?” Kishiar stroked his chin. “We aren’t forced to follow someone else's wish, if it’s not what we want. And it’s been eighteen years since your Grandfather left this world." He paused again, to study Yuder’s reaction. “This makes me wonder if you hesitated just now because you didn’t have the same wish. What made you change your mind?”
Yuder clenched his fists. His antennae moving and his wings flattering couldn’t hide his surprise. Enon was shocked by the sudden revelation, thinking how dumb he’d been for not thinking about it beforehand.
Even if his actions moved him in that direction, he’d never once said he was on the same page as his Grandfather. Enon hadn’t even questioned it in the first place, but while recalling all the conversations he’d had with Yuder, he’d never said ‘My wish’. It had always been ‘His wish’ instead.
The prince was able to read this young man better than him with just a glance, while Enon and Lusan were on his side for a month. This made him feel somewhat frustrated.
Yuder bit his lips. The dryad couldn’t read everything that was passing inside his mind, but he could sense a big conflict, probably unsure on what and how much information he should share. There were more secrets and walls around this young guy than he thought, a deep sigh left his mouth.
“...If I told you it was because of a dream, would you believe me?”
Kishiar looked at his tensed up shoulder for a moment. Nathan, behind him, frowned his eyebrows a little. Both of them didn’t expect that answer, and Enon couldn't help but stretch his pointy ears too.
“A dream?”
“Yes.”
The Prince tapped his fingers on the wooden table once more.
“I can’t say I have enough knowledge about fairies, but…” He exchanged a glance with Nathan and the adjutant gave him the documents he was about to ask for. Kishiar smiled at him, before focusing on Yuder again.
“There are some old legends about fairies. Bad ones and good ones, like for most creatures.” He opened the papers in front of him, pointing at different parts while talking. “Some stories are popular knowledge, like the one about changelings.” He paused for a second, looking at the mark on Yuder’s right hand.
“But some of them are still nothing but hypotheses. Like, for example…” The prince held his breath for a moment. “...Having visions about the future.”
“The future..?” Lusan repeated Kishiar’s words in disbelief, looking at Yuder.
Enon did the same, his golden eyes full of questions, while his mind wandered back to the old, familiar face of a certain archmage, who’d always wondered about the future, wanting to know it, change it, but never achieved such knowledge.
‘Don’t tell me he was able to know when even Luma couldn’t...!’ The dryad tried to hold back his mix of surprise and frustration.
“I’m not familiar with it either, since I’ve never spoken to another fairy before. But…” Yuder's voice sounded deeper than usual “...What you said was just a hypothesis… It’s very close to the truth.”
The fairy closed his eyes, magic flowing through him. Enon guessed he was about to show them something to prove his words, since he never felt an energy like this one before.
When Yuder opened them again, one of his pupils was shining like a star in the night sky. Some ancient, mysterious energy was moving inside it. Something Enon, in all his long years of living, had never seen before.
“...What kind of future did you see?” Nathan couldn’t help but ask, his reptilian eyes staring down at the golden light.
Yuder's voice came out like a dark, unavoidable prophecy.
“I saw the King dying, the forest collapsing, and… monsters destroying everything.” he paused for a moment, before continuing “...The destruction of the Sarain Forest Kingdom.”
Kishiar’s face hardened, his fingers intertwined, knuckles white with tension he refused to voice. Nathan's posture became stiff, gripping his hands harder behind his back.
Lusan looked like he was about to faint, while Enon’s instinct told him the fairy wasn’t lying, and that was the scariest thing.
At that moment, he connected the dots. The barrier weakening, the King's illness, and the sudden monsters’ appearances. The whole situation confirmed that Yuder was likely speaking the truth.
He looked at Kishiar. Was he aware of those same things? Given his expression, that was probably the case.
“But that wasn’t all.” Yuder quickly started to talk again. “In those ‘visions’, I also saw the Red Stone. It’s real, not just a legend, and it’s powerful enough to bring life back.”
“Are you sure about this?” Kishiar asked, feeling the weight of his words.
“Yes. The King can be saved.” his declaration echoed in the room, like a destiny that would come true.
A long silence filled the room.
With his crimson eyes fixated on him, Kishiar asked one last question: “You knew we would have come to you for help?”
Yuder’s eye turned back to normal. He remained silent for a moment.
“...Yes.” His answer was simple, but after all that he revealed, it sounded like the final confirmation the prince needed.
Enon was speechless. This guy was always so quiet that it was hard to read his mind, but he really knew all that?
“W-What…” Lusan's eyes were trembling in shock. Maybe it was too late, but Enon thought that probably the little one shouldn’t have heard more than half of the things that were shared in this room. He’d let Lusan curl up next to him again later, as always when things got bad. That usually worked. For now, he just gave him a pat on the shoulder. Lusan seemed to settle a bit, though his body stayed tense.
“Some kind of deity sent us a very interesting hero, Nathan.” Kishiar let out a chuckle, trying to release the previous tension that had built up in the room. His red eyes were still unreadable, covered behind that bright smile, but Enon was sure that he wasn’t left unscathed by all these revelations.
“I guess you can state your real intentions now, Your Highness ?” The dryad couldn’t help but repeat his previous question, with an even more bitter tone. If he had known that Yuder would have shared so much, before knowing what the other party truly wanted from him, he would have stopped the fairy.
“Well, I guess our young man here already knows, doesn't he?” He smiled, as he saw Yuder nodding.
“I will help you find the Red Stone and save the Forest Kingdom… Under one condition.”
“Oh? And what would that be?”
Yuder bit his lip once more.
“I wish you could make my Grandfather's wish-”
“No.”
“...”
After a long silence, a scream could be heard even from outside the apothecary.
“ What do you mean ‘no’ ?!” Enon’s face became impossibly red, as if he was ready to explode “You ungrateful-”
“I also have a request for you. If you can do that, only then will I make your Grandfather’s wish come true.” Kishiar ignored the screaming dryad. Lusan was desperately trying to calm him down, trying unsuccessfully to usher him into another room, before he could jump at the Prince’s throat.
Yuder looked at him lost in his thoughts, not paying attention to the two apothecaries.
“And what would it be?”
A mischievous smile appeared on the elf lips.
“I’ll keep it a secret for now, but I promise it won’t be anything too bothersome for you.”
Yuder looked at those red eyes, wondering what the strange man wanted from him, but at the same time he didn’t have any reason to decline the agreement. The priority right now was to ensure the success of the mission, he would have worried about the condition when the issue arose again, hoping it really wouldn't be that troublesome of a request.
After a long sigh, he nodded.
“Okay. I accept your offer.”
Enon was still making noises of disapproval in the background, like a kettle just shy of boiling over.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Inside the Great Holy Three, there was a room located far away from the other Royals’, one that the power of the King couldn’t reach. He hadn't been able to see or hear anything in that area since he’d first gotten sick. Here, the roots and tendrils crawled along the walls, darker and drier than anywhere else, like veins slowly losing their color. The furniture, once carved from wood that pulsed with a soft, living glow, had turned dull and heavy. That somehow reflected the true nature of the young man living there.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The only sound echoing in the bedchamber was the man’s long fingers, adorned with rings, tapping on the sofa’s armrest.
Even if he was forced down on his knees, Kiolle could feel the burning gaze of the Crown Prince in front of him.
“A strange fairy that hunts monsters. This sure is interesting.” He crossed his leg on top of the other. “Are you sure you told me everything you saw?”
Kiolle's face became red as he cleared his throat.
“Y-Yes! That’s all! Kishiar visited the King, then had lunch with his adjutant in a tavern, tried flirting with a girl working there, spied on a group of adventurers fighting among each other, and then the monster appeared! After that, he asked for information and followed the apothecary who walked away with that… strange fairy!”
The dark, red eyes glaring down at him were full of disappointment. He put the glass of wine he was drinking aside.
“As always, your information is lacking.” He pulled Kiolle's hair to lift his head and met his gaze.“I wonder why I still keep asking you to do this kind of work for me.”
‘Why do I always end up in this kind of situations?’ Kiolle thought, fisting the fabric of his pants, trying to suppress his frustration and to resist the impulse to break himself free.
Since he’d been assigned to be the Crown Prince Katchian La Orr’s personal guard, he’d asked him to follow Kishiar’s every move and report back to him. But he was a knight, not some assassin! He could never manage to get close enough to hear Kishiar’s every conversation, nor was he skilled enough to hide properly as he followed him.
“Anyway, even with your pitiful work, I'm now able to understand that he’s found a powerful ally. I want to have a talk with that fairy.” A sadistic smile spread on his lips. “We should pay him a special visit, don’t you think?”
Kiolle wasn’t smart but, as a renowned slacker, he could perfectly understand when something troublesome was coming his way.
“Your Highness, you want to sneak out of the Sacred Tree?!”
“Yes, tonight.” He let go of him, pushing him aside. “Prepare a disguise for both of us.”
Kiolle left out a pained moan, rubbing his head and trying to tidy up his now messy hair.
With a last sip of wine from his glass, Katchian stood up from the sofa, walking towards the adorned mirror. He touched his round, normal-looking ears, while murmuring some ancient words.
As soon as he’d finished chanting, his ears became pointy like every other elf’s and a strange mark, resembling a star, disappeared from his forehead.
“I want to see if I can steal his new toy this time around.”
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Notes:
I love writing with Enon's pov, is so damn fun. It's like thinking with the mind of an angry old man XD Also!! SOME JUICY REVELATIONS HEEREEE ehehe <3
Btw, i wanted to post every week but i understand now that it would be crazy for me to do that... That's why the pacing will change with once every two weeks, so that i have the proper time to write and edit everything... I want a clone and be able to create 24/7, being an artist AND a writer while having a normal job is crazy sigh.
Thank you all for your support!! (❁´◡`❁)
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