The winter holidays were nearing, and the festival of warmth would soon be celebrated all across the elven empire.
The Western villages are known for their great cuisine, warm welcome, and fierce winters.
The combination of struggle and yet endurance is the heart of the elven empire.
To the king of the elves, Hoshimura, it was an easy decision to travel to the West for the holidays.
He knew his trustworthy generals would keep the kingdom running in his absence, as they all were picked from the platoon he led in his army days.
From the moment he and Terrance left the kingdom, to the moment they neared the village of Davra, they were engaged in countless fights with road criminals of all kinds.
"Seriously, is that what living in the West has become? I know we're not on the best terms with the duke but to the point of ignoring such blatant criminal activities?"
Hoshimura cleaned his bloody sword, a long sword made of white metal that glowed in the sun.
His gray-haired advisor didn't respond to the accusation the king made, but he too was deeply disappointed seeing the way things were run on the frontier.
"There is a rise of crime in the north as well my king, we know that war-torn places are usually poorer which drives the population to crime.
The saddest thing here is the lack of resources for the people to develop the economy.
Food is scarce in those parts, metal deposits are insignificant in these areas,
and the worst part is that there aren't many strong fighters let alone mages around those parts."
Terrance said it all but the image of a certain general now floated in his head.
The king frowned, "Don't Tell me you forgot about the man who has kept the frontier safe for several years now."
Terrance let out a sigh, knowing he'd have to face him sooner or later to get to the new magistos group.
"I didn't forget him, my king. Let's keep moving, the skirmishes are hindering our progress, and if the messenger we sent has been killed by the magistos,
we need to eliminate them before they fight my brother, 'cause we need him to win here."
The king stood up, sliced the air with his sword to get rid of the remaining blood spots, and turned towards his advisor.
"Do you think we should have marched with an army?"
"I will not counter your decisions my king, but maybe it would have been wiser to take our children with us.
They Are more experienced than us in fighting magistos, specifically this group."
"Terry, don't you find it weird that the number of magistos keeps increasing as the years go by? Only in our kingdom 3 of them, and there is no telling how many there are right now on Edenia."
Terrance pondered the speculation, knowing full well how rare it was to see magistos.
When they were children, around 60 years ago, they only heard about them in the stories.
Never have they heard of one in elven territory, just stories of the humans who chased them to the edge of the land.
"I suppose the gods have a meaning to send them here otherwise they would have intervened in other ways.
The amount of wars that were decided by the existence of those chosen ones is innumerable.
If wars are fought using magistos, isn't it right to treat them as tools of god made for the empires?"
The king fell into deep thinking, as he pondered the meaning behind the gods' actions.
'I don't believe the gods would send people to incite war between us, though there are several records and stories about the competitive nature of the gods'.
Is it possible that this time one of those magistos is truly free from the shackles of war?
If he seeks peace, he must also seek a considerable amount of power to keep the peace.'
The warriors climbed back on their horses, and the king still drowned in his thoughts.
The sound of leaves broke the silence with each step, and the sun began to set on the horizon.
Riding slowly to the top of the hill that offers a view of the entire region, Terrance took in the beauty of the land.
"Such places exist in our empire and I never once stopped to appreciate it... Being the king is a curse and a blessing, Terry."
The king said in a melancholic tone, as the burden of the kingdom weighed on him severely.
Terrance watched him with worry, but he had known the king since they were young, playing in the courts of the palace.
He always looked for adventures, power, and lands to discover and conquer.
He never once complained throughout the wars, but he has changed his vision as a result.
Being a general requires leadership, tactical vision, and a powerful arsenal of spells.
But being king? A king requires mercy, generosity, and responsibility.
'I wish you didn't have to carry the burden.
Seeing you went here on your own instead of sending an army says it all.'
"Let's ride around the towns, I don't want to attract attention.
We need to remain in hiding for now, they might catch wind of us if we're not careful."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the forest in deep hues of purple and gray, Hoshimura and Terrance continued their ride through the cold trails leading toward Davra. The silence of the forest was deceptive, broken only by the soft crunch of frost-laden leaves beneath their horses' hooves. Shadows stretched long and menacing, and with each passing moment, the feeling of unseen eyes grew stronger.
Hoshimura's grip tightened on his sword hilt, his gaze steady but alert. The road had been treacherous, filled with criminals and skirmishes, and he felt the strain of constant vigilance. Yet, there was something about the West that called to him. Its untamed beauty, raw and honest, reminded him of the days before the crown had burdened him—when he was merely a soldier, fighting to prove himself.
The air grew crisp, imbued with the scent of pine and the earthy musk of the undergrowth. Each breath was a reminder of the life that thrived even in the harshness of winter—a resilience that echoed the spirit of the elven people.
"Look," Terrance pointed ahead, where the trees parted to reveal a small glade bathed in ethereal twilight.
Moonlight filtered through the branches, illuminating a carpet of emerald moss dotted with clusters of white flowers. A gentle stream flowed, splitting the glade, its waters silently breathing the essence of life into the forest.
Hoshimura felt a sudden lightness in his heart, a brief respite from the weight of his thoughts. "This place is... enchanting," he murmured, slowing his horse to a stop. He dismounted and stepped into the clearing, feeling the soft earth beneath his boots.
'I have never seen such a place in the entire kingdom, certainly not in the Western maps.
It must be their leader's influence on this forest...'
Terrance followed, his brow furrowed as he surveyed their surroundings. "We should be cautious. It's easy to forget the dangers that lurk in beauty," he cautioned, but his voice held a hint of wonder.
'Is it possible that he managed to empty the death mana in this forest? He can exhale life into this world by inhaling death. Such poetic justice to the souls of the dead...'
The king smiled faintly, taking a moment to breathe in the tranquility. He had spent years fighting and strategizing, but here, under the vast expanse of stars just beginning to twinkle in the darkening sky, he could almost forget the troubles that lay ahead. The forest seemed alive like never before.
They tightened the rope on their horses and tied it to a nearby rock.
As they wandered deeper into the glade, the sound of rustling leaves drew their attention. A pair of luminescent eyes watched them from the shadows—a forest spirit, graceful and ethereal, with delicate wings shimmering like moonlight. It emerged cautiously, its form shifting like mist as it approached, curious yet wary.
"Peace, little one," Hoshimura said softly, instinctively lowering his sword. "We mean no harm."
The spirit tilted its head, studying the king with a gaze that held the wisdom of ages. It flitted closer, its presence bringing a warmth that countered the chill of the air. For a fleeting moment, Hoshimura felt a connection, an understanding that transcended words.
Terrance, still on high alert, whispered, "What if it's a trap?"
But the spirit merely danced around them, leaving trails of shimmering light that flickered like fireflies. The forest began to come alive, as if awakening from a deep slumber, and Hoshimura felt a stir of hope within him. Perhaps, in this wild and beautiful land, there was still magic to be found—a power not forged in conflict, but in harmony.
"The elves of the West have always revered nature," he murmured, his heart swelling with possibility. "What if this spirit can guide us? What if it knows of the magistos or the dangers that lie ahead?"
Terrance crossed his arms, skeptical but intrigued. "And if it leads us into an ambush?"
"Then we will face it together," Hoshimura replied, a fierce determination igniting in his chest. "But we cannot let fear dictate our path. This forest holds secrets we have yet to uncover."
With newfound resolve, the king extended a hand toward the spirit. "Will you guide us, little one? Show us the way?"
The spirit hesitated, then gently touched his fingers with its own, sending a ripple of warmth coursing through him. It turned, beckoning them to follow as it flitted gracefully between the trees, illuminating their path with a soft glow.
"My king, the village should be close. The topography in the maps is not valid anymore, we might not be in the right direction. If we follow him we might not find our way back..."
The king had a pure smile, from ear to ear, "I missed the adventures, Terry. Let's do it for the good old days, my friend..."
Terrance knew that one person was still missing for them to go on such an adventure once more, but they would soon meet him.
'Brother, you left me in the court to handle our reckless friend all alone! I can't fight his exploration urge.'
"Fine. But if the situation gets risky, we go back. We have a long trip ahead of us.."
Terrance grumbled.
As the spirit fluttered ahead, its glow casting whimsical patterns on the mossy ground, Hoshimura felt a stirring of nostalgia, a longing for the adventures of his youth when the world had seemed filled with infinite possibilities.
"Look at the way the light dances," he said, captivated. "It's as if the forest itself is alive, inviting us deeper into its embrace."
Terrance followed closely, his skepticism still weighing on his mind, but even he could not ignore the allure of the place. The soft bubbling of the stream intertwined with the gentle rustle of leaves, creating a melody that resonated in his heart. It felt like a reminder of what they fought for—peace, harmony, and the beauty of their land.
As they traversed further into the glade, the atmosphere shifted, filled with an undercurrent of magic that pulsed like the rhythm of a heartbeat. Each step brought them closer to something extraordinary, yet a thread of unease lingered in the back of Terrance's mind.
"Stay alert," he whispered, casting a wary glance over his shoulder. "We may not be alone here."
Hoshimura nodded, his senses sharpening. But the spirit continued to lead them, its luminescent form flickering like a beacon of hope against the encroaching shadows. It paused occasionally, as if ensuring they followed, then danced ahead again, encouraging them to embrace the wonder of the moment.
At the heart of the glade, the trees opened to reveal a serene pond, its surface reflecting the stars above like a shattered mirror of the night sky. Fragrant blossoms lined the water's edge, their petals glistening with dew, creating an oasis of beauty that felt almost sacred.
"This is... incredible," Hoshimura breathed, stepping to the water's edge. "I've never seen anything like it."
Terrance finally allowed himself to relax, if only for a moment. "Perhaps this is what the West needs," he said thoughtfully. "A reminder of the beauty that still exists, even amidst the chaos."
As the spirit hovered over the pond, it seemed to ripple the water's surface with its essence, creating small waves that shimmered with light. Hoshimura felt drawn to the water, a sense of connection weaving through him. "Do you think... it could show us something? Some glimpse of what lies ahead?"
Before Terrance could respond, the spirit dipped lower, and the water began to swirl. Images formed in the pond—flashes of scenes both familiar and strange. A village nestled in the embrace of the mountains, fires burning bright in celebration; shadows creeping through the streets, eyes glinting with malice; and then, the silhouette of a figure, cloaked in darkness, yet somehow radiating power.
Hoshimura's heart raced. "The magistos," he murmured, feeling the weight of destiny pressing down upon him. "This vision—it speaks of a struggle yet to come."
Terrance replayed the vision in his head once more, and he felt as if the lesson was still too blurry.
"Hoshi... Those are not the magistos. This vision is not speaking of them, they are not the focus of this vision. A figure cloaked in darkness, that speaks of one figure that might be behind the developments in the frontier."
Hoshimura thought deeply, his eyes quizzical akin to the eyes of a child.
"You suspect one of the gods here is intervening in our empire?"
"I don't know if it's a god but the entire situation doesn't fit the description of Fang by my son. If he was this manipulative we would have already been ambushed by him.
There is a reason we reached so far and didn't see any traces of his influence."
The king looked his advisor in the eyes, unfaltering. Unwavering.
"We are going to do what was needed to be done years ago, my friend. It is time to reconnect with the ancestral homeland. It is time to return to where this all began."
With a final glance at the shimmering pond, the king and his advisor turned to follow the spirit once more, ready to embrace whatever challenges awaited them. The forest whispered encouragement, the night air crackling with anticipation, and Hoshimura felt a renewed sense of purpose within him.
As they ventured onward, the forest welcomed them and spit them out of the other side.
The spirit guided them towards a peak in the forest, which they climbed easily with their hands and feet.
As the reached the top of the plateau, they now looked at their objective.
"So, Davra grew this much huh?"
The cliff they stood on had a stream flowing downwards, forming a stream that passed
throughout Davra.
"It's time, Terrance." Knowing the king doesn't use his full name frequently was the sign for him to get to work.
And so, they started to the decend the mountain with Terrance casting a spell for water travel.
They jumped from the cliff into the stream.