Chereads / The 1.000 year Great Sage / Chapter 5 - Side Story: Meeting the Elfians

Chapter 5 - Side Story: Meeting the Elfians

One morning, the six-year-old Seya was preparing all of his hunting gear for a hunting trip with his dad.

- Mom, I'm going to meet with dad, ok?

- Oh, that's right, you are going to hunt today with him, right? I forgot to tell you, he had to go help a hunter so he's already deep in the forest.

- Well, I can go and look for him.

- Ok, but don't get too deep all by yourself ok?

- … Ok… but that wouldn't be a problem, I'm always hunting there…

As soon as Seya had that slip of the tongue, he knew that he was going to be in trouble if his mother pressured him to explain himself. His mother was a very clever woman and despite the fact that she was making some notes about her previous trip, she was completely aware of anything that Seya said.

- What did you say? I think I've heard something stupid!

- I'm going! See you later!

When Seya arrived at the border of the Eternal Forest, he didn't see his father nearby, so he entered the Forest as always like it was his second home and not a place where a grown-up could meet his end against some of the most dangerous animals that live deep inside.

He then began to sense the Magic Flow inside the Forest, trying to detect the Flow like he always did. But this time, instead of using his detection to search for a hunt, he was looking for his father.

- Now… where is he?... Let me see… || …Flow… all around… there…||… Oh, I think he is in that direction. I can sense a strong Magic Flow, it must be him!

While Seya was looking for his father, he inadvertently reached a deep part of the forest where some beings were standing guard on top of a very tall tree.

- Look, my Prince, there's a small boy down there! Is he lost?

- I don't think so. I can sense a strong amount of Magic coming from him! I think I've already seen him before. Normally he hunts near the border. This is the first time that I see him so deep in this forest.

- I think he's going to be in trouble. There's a big boar on his path. Should we help him?

- No, it's just his destiny, if he dies today.

While the Elfian Hunter and the Elfian Prince were looking at him, Seya was distracted, following the Magic Flow that he thought was coming from his father.

When Seya was looking one way, suddenly, from a bush in his blind spot, a gigantic boar came rushing towards him. Seya acted instinctively. He used Earth Magic to create a pit right on the boar way. As soon as the boar fell and without giving the wild beast any time to react, Seya used Wind Magic to throw a Wind Slash to the boar's neck. It was killed immediately. The Elfian Hunter couldn't believe his own eyes.

- …. That was… did he just used Earth Magic to create a hole for the boar to fell?... and… that was Wind Magic? Did he just easily kill that enormous boar?

While the Elfians were surprised looking at a small child that just did something impossible, Seya looked at the boar on the bottom of the pit and he threw his newest Dark Magic, the Compressed Dimension. It was a Magic Space made with Light Magic to open it and Dark Magic inside that then created an almost infinite space compressed so many times, that anything put in there would just be compressed also. It was perfect for carrying animals like that boar. The Elfian Prince looked at his companion for a moment and when he looked back at Seya, he almost fell from the top of the tree where he was.

- Yes, he sure did. I wonder how he's going to take that boar with him… Wait, it's that Dark Magic? Where did the boar go? It just disappeared! Who is this boy?

- That's the first time that I've seen a human using three different Attributes! And such powerful Magic's!

- Come, let's get down from this tree and greet him!

- But my Prince… Wait for me!

- That was close! This big piece of yummy meat just came right to me! I'm going to have a nice barbecue today!

When Seya was using his Earth Magic to cover up the pit where the boar felt, he noticed the two Elfians coming towards him with their right hands open and high in the sky, as a universal greeting of 'we mean you no harm'.

- Oh, hello, I'm Seya, who might you be?

The Elfian Prince introduced himself.

- ****...***.***.****

And so did the Elfian Hunter.

- **.****…*****…******

That strange and melodious language that the Elfians were using was undecipherable to the young Seya. Despite that, he was so enticed by it.

- Sorry, I can't understand you.

The Elfian Prince continued to talk, but seeing Seya so puzzled, he understood what was making that little human looking at him like that.

- ***… Oh, sorry, seems that you don't speak Elfian!

- I just learned how to speak human 4 years ago! I never had the chance to learn Elfian! But that's a very melodious language! So beautiful!

The Elfian Hunter was making a disgusted face.

- Yes, the Elfian language is more pleasing to the ears than this nasty human language.

The Elfian Prince smiled at Seya.

- I often see you hunting near the border of the Eternal Forest, why are you here today so deep in this Forest?

- I was searching for my father, seems that he came here to help a hunter. I sensed your Magic Flow and I was mistaken, I thought it was my father.

The Elfian Hunter held laughter.

- Like if a mere human could have so much Magic as you, my Prince!

Seya was looking at the Elfian Prince while evaluating his Magic.

- Yeah… yours is lower… my father has more. He also uses Fire and Wind Magic. You use Earth and Water, right? Those two attributes are very useful in this forest! And you are a Prince? So cool! I must call you your Highness, I suppose.

- Ahahahah! You're funny, little one! To be able to sense my Attributes at such a young age, it's truly remarkable! And you can use three Attributes, for what we saw, right?

Seya scratched his head and he tried to change the subject.

- Yes… and some more… but what are you both doing here? Did I got too deep and I'm trespassing on your hunting grounds?

The Elfian Hunter pointed a finger towards Seya.

- You sure are!

- Oops… I'm sorry. I'll leave immediately. Should I also give to you that boar that I caught? Since these are your hunting grounds, my Prince.

- You can keep it, as long as you explain to me what did you do to that boar. You used Dark Magic, right?

- Yes. I used my Magic to store him. He was too big, I was not going to be able to bring him to my mother!

- I see. Do you always come to this forest to hunt for your mother?

- No, most of the times I hunt here to sell the meat and the fur in the village's market.

Hearing this, the Elfian Prince started to look at Seya with pitiful eyes. He thought that this young human was forced to face such dangers on the Forest because of a lack of food in his home.

- I see… so your parents are poor…

- No, they aren't. I just like to earn my own money and not be a burden to them. I already give them a lot of worries, always running here to hunt, or sword training with Father Sully and Brother Null.

- Father Sully and brother Null? Who are they?

- A family of RabbitKind. I also think of them like my family.

- You are a rather peculiar little human. Well, maybe it's better if we accompany you until you find your father, for your protection, ok?

Since Seya has identified the Magic of the Elfian Prince as not being the one made by his father, he began to search again for the familiar Flow of Magic that he knew ever since he was still in his mother's belly.

- I don't really need protection, but if my Prince is afraid, I can keep you company. …||…Flow… where are you… there!...||…

The Elfian Hunter raised one eyebrow.

- This kid is a little insolent, no?

- Ahahahah! I think he's rather funny! So young Seya, let's go?

- Yes, my father is in that direction. He's a little far…

While they were walking through the forest, every time that Seya sensed some hunting, they would stop for a little to catch it. Seya and the Prince soon started a competition, trying to see who would catch more animals. While they were doing this, they finally encountered Seya's father, together with the missing hunter.

- Hello father! We finally found you!

- Seya, what are you doing here so deep in the forest? You mother is going to kill both of us! Oh, the Elfian Prince! Hello, my Prince!

- Hello, Roland! Your son mistook my Magic with yours and we met each other! I didn't know you were Rolland Hinamoto's son, little Seya!

- My Prince knows my father? How?

- I've known your father for many years! And your mother is Anna Hinamoto, the Great Healer, right?

- Yes, she is! But… why have I've never met the Elfian Prince?

The Elfian Prince looked a little embarrassed. He didn't like to be near humans, but he didn't want to say it loud.

- Maybe because you never came to this part of the forest. And I normally don't go to your village.

- We need to change that! Oh, by the way, what should we do with the entire hunt that I have stored in my Magic?

The Elfian Prince smiled.

- I lost count of how many we caught. It's too many for both of us to carry back to our village?

- I think so. There's two bears, four boars, ten jumping mice, and five wolves.

So many? That would be a bother to carry without your Magic!

Rolland Hinamoto was looking at Seya and then at the Prince and back to Seya again.

- Did you cought all that?

The Elfian Hunter raised one arm.

– Hey, I helped a little! Not much, but I helped!

-Yes, me and Seya were the terror of these woods today! My Earth Magic and Seya's Wind Magic! The deadly duo!

Seya was scratching his head. He had that habit, everytime he got nervous.

- … But we caught too much…

The Elfian Prince nodded his head while still smiling.

- Yeah, we got carried away. Rolland, do you mind if Seya comes with us to deliver all the hunt to our village? And if he wants, he can sleep there. Tomorrow morning I will escort him back.

Seya slowly shook his head.

- So, I'm going to be a carrying mule. You should be ashamed, my Prince, very ashamed.

- Ahahahah! Seya, don't say that, or the Prince will be worried! Don't mind him, he's just kidding, my Prince! I'm sure this kid would love to visit an Elfian Village. I see no problem with that. I'll let your mother know, Seya.

Hearing his father saying that, Seya couldn't help being so excited. He was going to visit a real Elfian Village and meet more Elfians! For someone that came from Earth, having the opportunity to talk and befriend of such imaginary beings, it was like a dream come true!

- Really? Can I go? Thank you, father! I want to learn that beautiful Elfian language! Let's go, we can hunt a little more until we arrive there! Let's scare them all when we arrive with our huge hunt!

The Elfian Prince tapped Seya's little back.

- Sure, we'll have a great feast to celebrate your visit! I'm sure my father, the Elfian King, will like you!

The Elfian Hunter looked worried.

- At least let me hunt something this time! Or everyone in the village will mock me!

- Yeah, for an Elfian Hunter, you are rather weak.

- My Prince, did you hear this insolent kid? He's mocking me! Me, the best hunter in the village!

Seya made a disgusted face.

- The best? Yeah, right…

Elfian Hunter shouted, afraid that his reputation went down the drain.

- My Prince!

- Ahahahahahah!

And while laughing, the Elfian Prince guided Seya through the forest, in the direction of the Elfian Village.