The king and his advisor traveled deeper into the woods, the dense shrubbery grazing their knees.
The king switched from his combat armor to a well-tailored outfit, with a long-sleeved white shirt, held with a minimal amount of buttons.
Above the shirt was a red vest, with sewen runes across the chest.
His pants were pitch black and were tucked inside his black boots.
His advisor wore similar clothes, the only difference being the color of the vest which was blue.
They continue marching deeper into the woods, seeing several animals keeping their distance from the territory they now enter.
After a few minutes, the king and his advisor reached the cave.
They followed Varden's instructions, finding the path to the cave treacherous.
The number of traps they avoided was innumerable, questioning the need for so many traps.
"Isn't this too cautious? I know Varden said he is a very agile planner and hellbent on security but this?
I'm glad we didn't send the army here 'cause the number of casualties would be unimaginable."
The king sighed out of relief, but his gaze focused on the narrow trail marked by Varden.
His advisor kept quiet, but his thoughts were as loud as the king's words.
'I am glad the king forbid my military plans or else we would have lost tens, if not hundreds of bronze warriors. Who knows, maybe some mages would have died too.
According to brother, the marked traps are only half of the traps, and even so, I can sense something else in the trapholes.'
Terrance dragged his feet in the mud, and he gazed at a spot marked on the map near him.
He felt the wisps of magic in the air, forcing him to reevaluate how destructive the traps can be.
'there is magic involved in their making, but I can't pin the type of magic. It must be earth or fire magic cause the other mages in his group hold those elements.
We were underestimating them, we can't allow ourselves to battle In such conditions. Not when the dwarves are so close that they can take advantage of the situation.'
Soon, the duo reached the entrance of the black rock cave.
When Fang found the cave only two or three months ago, it was big enough to house 4 people max.
Now, the cave has widened thanks to Gaia's endeavors, and the cave's entrance remodeled to be 10 meters high, and 8 meters wide.
The entrance could easily allow the passage of big beasts and golems commanded by the group.
The internal space was now bigger than ever, as it was around 80 square meters before.
Now, the space is closer to 300 meters, circularly wrapping the underground.
Blocking the entrance was a jagged rock, moveable only by earth magic. There was a small opening in the middle of the rock, allowing entrance to several people at once.
Hoshimura and Terrance both drank a small purple bottle before entering the cave.
The cave was darker than King Hoshimura had expected, its cold dampness clinging to the air. His boots echoed softly on the stone floor as he stepped forward. Behind him, Terrance followed silently, his sharp eyes scanning the cavern for any sign of danger.
Varden, his brother, stood at the cave's entrance, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Though his face betrayed nothing, his rigid stance spoke volumes—he wasn't convinced this meeting was a good idea.
Sitting cross-legged at the heart of the cave was Fang, his golden pupils glowing faintly in the dim light. Isgram leaned casually against the wall behind him, while Gaia stood to his right, her arms crossed and her horns barely illuminated by the flickering light of a small magical flame.
"I didn't expect royalty to venture into a cave," Fang said, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity. "King Hoshimura, I presume?"
The king nodded, his expression unreadable. "And you must be Fang. You're even younger than I imagined."
Fang stood, towering slightly over the elf king. "Youthful are the leaves of the tree, aren't they? But I assume you didn't come here to discuss my age."
Terrance stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "Watch your tone, boy. The king is here as a gesture of goodwill. You'd do well to show respect."
Gaia smirked, stepping forward. "Respect is earned, not demanded. Let's not forget, that we've done your people a favor by clearing out the adventurers you sent after us. Such power-hungry savages were robbing villages nearby, how shameful..."
The king raised a hand, silencing Terrance before he could respond. "Enough. This isn't a battlefield, and we're not here to debate the past." He turned his gaze back to Fang. "I've come to understand you—not as an enemy, but as a friend."
Fang tilted his head slightly. "From where I stand, it seems your kingdom wants me dead. Or is this your way of apology?"
Hoshimura's expression hardened. "The assassins weren't sent by me. They were sent by factions that didn't answer to the crown. I already heard it all. Eiridan and his ilk have done much to sow discord, and I suspect they aim to pit us against each other."
The silence in the cave spread, and Isgram looked just as shocked as Varden and Gaia.
The only one who was unfazed was Fang, already suspecting the king gathered intelligence on his way here.
'He surely didn't hear it in the empire's courts. That must mean he managed to capture and investigate rebel faction members on his way here, and he extracted such information all on his own. Truly, the king is remarkable.'
Isgram shifted uneasily, his hand resting on the hilt of his axe. Gaia's eyes narrowed as she studied the king's face.
Fang finally spoke, his tone measured. "I've heard whispers of Eiridan. A priest stirring rebellion in Greenhill, but his motives are still unknown to us. Nonetheless, If what you're saying is true, then we have a common enemy.
But I've learned to trust actions over words. So tell me, what do you want from me?"
Terrance stepped forward, his expression cold and calculating. "We want an alliance. The dwarves are monitoring the situation, and if Eiridan gets his way, the West will fall into chaos. If you're willing to fight, you could do more than save this region...
You could secure your place in Edenia."
Fang's eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"
The king's voice was quiet but firm. "Then you'll face the wrath of both the dwarves and the factions loyal to Eiridan, alone. And I assure you, they won't spare Davra or your allies."
Isgram gripped his axe, "Your words are nothing but empty threats, as we both know your armies aren't fit to fight another war. Or am I mistaken?"
Suddenly, the cave's atmosphere chilled to zero.
The air crystalized, and the torches in the cave extinguished.
The mana pressure wasn't enough to make the magistos cave, but they sure felt the difference in strength.
"So, this is the power of a golden mage huh?" Said Fang with a frown.
Several drops of sweat rolled down his chin, and his legs shook.
The king sighed and kept his pressure stable. Terrnace who was used to the king's powers still felt the immense pressure, but his experience on the battlefields of the last 30 years has made him much less sensitive to it.
His brother Varden on the other hand felt it like the rest of the group, a display of his rusty power.
"I have been very polite with you, but even a king can act like a brute.
Is that the only way to talk sense into you? Cause if that is the case, I will turn back and let the dwarves eat you alive the moment this situation explodes in your face."
The silence was paired with frowns, and Fang's eyes hated the king to the core.
'This bastard making such threats, the fuck he thinks we are? I can't take him on my own, the difference in power is too vast.
Even If I were a gold like him, I would have lost as a result of experience gaps.
Nothing to gain by arguing, I guess.'
Fang was about to speak, but before he opened his mouth Another magic presence filled the room.
The winds from outside the cave rushed inside, and the trio stiffened.
Two strong mages in one place is the limit to their endurance.
But the mana presence isn't hostile to them but to the king.
The now-retired general held a sword in his hand and several wind blades surrounded the king.
"Brother, what's the meaning of this? Have you lost your mind, going against the king!?"
Terrance yelled in anger, but his mana did not compare to his brother.
While more skilled and well-trained, Varden is the closest to Gold In the room yet he is in no way strong enough to duel the king.
"I will not serve a king who doesn't care for his people! Hoshi, I hope your words are nothing but empty threats! I AM HERE BECAUSE OF YOU TWO!
You... you two ungrateful fucks, to think you would be willing to sacrifice the West for such puny arguments!? If that is your opinion, then the West does not belong to you in the first place!"
Varden's mana presence inflamed and the winds surrounding him sharpened.
The blades of wind bounced back from the cave's walls, leaving shallow scars on the rock.
Then, Varden's body released another pulse of mana on par with a gold mana level!
The air in the cave became almost unbearable. The fierce winds whirled, creating an invisible storm that made it difficult to stand upright. Dust and loose debris filled the air as Varden's mana pulse shook the cavern, threatening to collapse it entirely. Fang instinctively took a step back, his hand resting on his katana's hilt.
Gaia's horns glinted in the dim light as she whispered a spell under her breath. The faint aura around her suggested she was preparing to counter Varden if he went too far. Isgram clenched his axe tightly, positioning himself between Fang and the brewing chaos.
King Hoshimura's eyes narrowed, the icy glow of his mana pushing back against Varden's oppressive winds. His voice, sharp and steady, cut through the storm.
"Varden, you let your emotions blind you. The West's survival isn't a matter of pride—it's strategy. You think you stand on moral high ground, yet you risk everything with this reckless display."
Varden didn't back down, the winds roaring louder. "Don't patronize me, Hoshimura. I've seen what happens when kings play politics over lives. If you're willing to threaten an ally—one who could save countless lives—then you're no better than the dwarves you claim to oppose!"
Terrance, caught between loyalty to his brother and the king, took a cautious step forward, his voice pleading. "Varden, stand down. This isn't the time or place for infighting. We came here to secure an alliance, not to ignite another war!"
The tension was palpable, every moment stretched thin by the mana-heavy air. Fang's gaze flicked between the two powerful men. He knew that if either made the wrong move, it would trigger a battle that could end disastrously for everyone in the cave.
Fang raised a hand, his golden eyes glowing brighter. A surge of necromantic energy rippled through the room, suppressing the swirling winds just enough to calm the chaos.
The combination of the ice magic and the death magic was enough to suppress the power of Varden.
Fang's voice, calm yet commanding, carried an edge of warning.
"Enough!" The echo of his voice filled the cavern. "This isn't a contest of strength. If you've come to bargain, then act like men of reason, not children throwing tantrums."
The winds stilled slightly, though Varden's glare remained fixed on the king. Hoshimura met Fang's gaze, his expression unreadable but his mana pulling back slightly. Varden hesitated, his mana pulse flickering before dissipating entirely.
Fang continued, his voice cold. "I don't care for your petty politics or grudges. If you want my help, you'll show me the respect I'm due—not as a 'boy,' but as someone capable of turning the tide of this war. If you can't do that, then leave. I don't have time for games.
And you, remind me your name?"
Terrance frowned at the rudeness, yet he knew he was on formal duty.
"Terrance."
"Terrance, right. You look very similar to someone I fought lately, a young MAN, named Hans."
Terrance gritted his teeth at the mention of his son, but he kept his calm and didn't retort.
"See the difference in respect? Respect is earned on the battlefield, not by arranging wars.
And the king, I will say it very clearly. I am not a soldier, nor a future refugee so you can drop the threats."
The silence was deafening as Fang's words hung in the air. Varden exhaled sharply, his shoulders relaxing as he sheathed his sword. The king, his composure fully intact, gave a small nod.
"Very well," Hoshimura said. "Your strength is not in question, Fang. Nor is your resolve. Let's speak as equals, then—about the future of Edenia and the West."
Fang crossed his arms, his golden gaze unwavering.
Gaia motioned and said sarcastically, "Well then, have a sit, my king."