The Guilty,
the Lost Piece,
and
the Seeker
Flashback, more than century had passed, Eladin's History 01: Inside the bed chamber of the old king, bedridden by his old age; the young adult, Eladin, with eyes in well, reports himself.
"I have come my highness. Aside from your loyal servant, no one knows of my visit. I shall be listening and obey your orders. My life as a marshal is yours to command."
"Eladin," has spoken by the old king. "Finally you have come. I'm happy to have you. Will you listen to a story from an old man?"
"My highness, you're not just an old man to me. You're the king and by far a person to be respected by everyone. I can assure you, no one can trample your name."
The king slowly smiles and his eyes he closes. "You flatter me, Eladin. I just want your presence here and listen to this old man muttering about his past. Will you listen about the truth of me?"
"O… of course my highness... My ears are wide open to hear you."
"I see. Before I begin. Please don't ask a question. And please, believe of what this old man may say."
"As you wish."
"Good. Then here's my story. I was but a man born not in the royal blood. My home was in the ruined village of Arasal. You know... it is... it was, it was located on the north... northeastern area of Dandia.
"I was a child that time, which had witnessed, the destruction of my village. You're wondering, why, I was still alive? Yes, someone had saved me. This was because of a person, who had shown me the wonder of the world. Even if I don't have a mother and he was not my real father, I was so happy to have him. I was born not knowing about my parents, yet he was there for me. His name was, Ka, Ka'el Em'tis.
"He locked me to a basement of someone's house. I saw his face hoping that I could survive. To survive, to find the strongest person of Dandia. Then he told me, and left words to me, only the strongest can survive in Dandia and can save its inhabitants.
"For I felt grateful of him, saving me, I forced myself to become one by his expectation. I challenged every strong person that I met. I even robbed the kingdom of Jelfyr by force. And I forced every person on Dandia to cultivate their nature, their ability, their power; either an arrange or force marriage for their offspring, gaining from forbidden ritual, gaining from killing, and stealing anyone's ability by force.
"And of course, those were not gifted, were treated as servant, slave, and worse, they were subjected to some experiment.
"Eladin, long before you were born, I was but a cruel king. Feared by anyone... until... until... an unblessed one, discovered a certain ability that protect him from harmed. And he had power surpassing mine.
"But I of course, seeing them as but a pest, no... Actually... the me before... I wasn't able to accept that them, who were just plain norim could surpass us, the gifted one.
"He proposed to me about the legality of his technique in the schools' academic to teach for those unblessed norim yet I was enrage... after he told me... one person can't master two specializations at the same time, for while the person is growing it hinders him from achieving the necessity of his technique.
"And yes, a battle between me and him broke out. I was unable to defeat him. But I did found a way. And it was the way of trickery. I forced hostage his love ones and relatives by the exchange of his death."
Tears flow from the king eyes. His body is shaking. He cries. "I, I wasn't' able to find the documents about his technique. By, by... that time I raged and forced to torture every single person of his relatives. And, and it was not fruitful. I was so depressed, so in despair. What had I done?
"But, but it was all everything from the past... I won't give up... For the scholars discovered the truth about Dandia... Not might be accurate... However in the interval of several years that had passed, a village was gone.
"So Eladin... before I retire to this life... as you the descendant of those norims that can live centuries... I shall give task on you...
"Seek the strongest, not by your personal interest, but for everyone who is satisfied to their lives and sees their children happy... And make it continue onward... Do, even the worst that you could do... Eladin..."
Eladin remains silent. A month had followed, the kingdom mourned that death of the king.
—End of Intro.
Retiring from being a marshal, Eladin founded the underworld. With the numbers of his scholars collaborating on his task, they came off with numbers of theories. One was the combination of different emodes whose body is identical to their ability. The second is the ability of a gaile that can mutate to other species. The third, their search of a sorse with blood that can heal minor to critical wounds.
Flashback to many years after the death of the old king, Eladin's History 02: To a meeting room, one of Eladin's scholars reports, "I'd read a journal written by an adventurer who ventured in the mystery cavern. He mentioned of a portal that can transport to another world, a world where dragons ruled and the minorities of species worshiped them as god. It mentioned there also, that those uncivilized minor species, their different factions were at war."
"That was just a fable," has disagreed by another scholar. "And how could it be helpful in our slow progress?"
"Do you remembered those ancient stories? That one can slain a dragon can gain immortality?"
"Ah, that's nonsense." And most of the scholars laugh.
"Maybe yes. If we investigated further where that journal's lead, slaying a dragon might be not the answer of immortality but we can try them mixing it with gaile's ability. Who knows about the result? Remember, it mentioned in the journal, that those dragons were worshiped as god."
Eladin remains silent as the conversation goes on.
From those days, Eladin sent a scout in the mystery cavern. A century and five decades had passed, one of his men reported to him about a strong woman, hindering anyone in accessing a certain area.
Flashback, inside the mystery cavern, Eladin's History 03: Under the earth, where the light shines inside from the long and wide gap of cracked ceiling; the veteran-age Eladin walks alone into the path. His footsteps are the sole emitting noise in the place.
Following his scouts' report, he arrives in the wide area, surrounded by tall trees, each clung by verdant vines and moss. An area where the sunlight shines upon the grassland. And to another path, the strictness beauty, Cally Haulicrity speaks,
"So another one has arrived."
"And you're, the person that hurt my men?" has asked by Eladin.
"Ah, yes. So they have not keep their words. I should have killed them before it was too late." She declares to Eladin, "Man with the blade, don't dig further into this place. I'm sure you'll find an identical areas unexplored inside this cavern. They might be even more dangerous than this place. Soon you'll realize why I'm guarding here. And you would do the same to those areas that you might discovered."
Observing the surrounding, Eladin replies, "I wanna ask something from you, and by your answer, I might reconsidered a decision."
Cally silences... She smiles... "I can feel your emotions. You are but a high esteemed person. You have a strong dedication. A dedication that cannot be overlaid.
"Defeat me, and you shall gain your answer. Or retrace at your path and forget about this place."
"It seems fighting is my only choice. Let's battle," has replied by Eladin. A hand holds his teres. He sees the woman to his side. He thinks, Already? And why can't I hold her with my psychic? He receives a heavy punch to his stomach, making him hold his breath. The woman revolves performing a roundhouse kick, landing her foot onto his face. Eladin has airborne into the air. Landing in a not far distance, he groans in pain.
The woman speaks, "You seem have a strong ability right there, protecting your stomach from being pierced by my punch and your head from getting smashed by my kick.
"Ah, those painful emotions that you suffer, I can feel it. This is so wonderful. But, I shall hold back." Seeing Eladin trying to stand, she dashes and kicks his face. She kicks his thorax, slamming his back into the tree. Noticing, the man's hand, trying to reach the hilt of the sword, she grabs that hand and slams his head into the tree. She asks, "Your will is too strong. If I couldn't feel your emotion, I would have killed you already."
Eladin mumbles as he groans, "You... you're a strong person... please... Please, serve the kingdom... Save the people of Dandia."
The strictness beauty smiles. "I'm sorry. But my tribe is a descendant of an adventurer. My ability, my strength, and my life were cultivated to guard this place, for the purpose of protecting Dandia.
"If you're seeking for a strong person, seek it outside this cavern. It's your duty. I'm already occupied by one. You're strong, why not refine yourself?"
Eladin silences. Later then, he asks, "Woman, is that... really terrifying beyond that path?"
The woman smiles again. "Beyond this place is a portal leading to another world. The world where dragons exist. The different factions of their followers are at war. Although their followers aren't much intelligent having them attack us with great numbers is difficult to handle. They are blessed with impenetrable protection that they receive from dragons of which they called gods.
"And my duty? is to not let anyone may pass from ours so no one in the other side might discovered this portal. Understood?"
"I... I see..."
"Then, I shall take my payment." To Eladin's eyes, the strictness beauty pushes her two fingers, scratching the corneas.
Eladin cries aloud, "Ah, my eyes! My eyes! Grahh!"
The strictness woman holds both her upper arms. "Oh, I can enjoy this pain. But I shall show you mercy." Her hand she smacks to his nape, putting his consciousness to sleep.
After Eladin lost his eyesight, the Hidlidiana, a tribe of Cally took care of his recovery. A month had passed, he managed to find a way to walk into the world. Unnoticed by anyone, he exited the village. He asked the kingdom for support. Gaining their favor, they raided the Hidlidiana tribe.
Eladin took over every captive and had them under interrogation. Some of the captives were subjected to experiment.
Aside from his revenge against Cally, Eladin was searching for an answer to have the guardian moved away from the place. His main objective was to gain access of the portal.
And then, a scout reported to him the disappearance of the guardian.
Every answer might have a cost
the effort after searching it
or after gaining from someone
.