Once they had settled in to their soak, Darius decided to feed his curiosity. "So, what do you call this place?" Faelar, who's head was laid back on the smooth rounded edge of the pool, responded without opening his eyes. "This is the village of Nellenor, the last remaining bastion of Elven civilization."
"Last? What happened to the others?."
Faelar raised his head. "Humans. They warred and took our ancestral homes. Technically one of them, Octavia, owns this place too due to them claiming the forest as their territory. Luckily it's far too dangerous for them to commit to controlling."
"Octavia must be a powerful country."
"We wouldn't know, we've never been outside the forest. You're the first human we've actually seen in centuries."
"Guess I should feel special. Is this Octavia place close by??"
"Yes. It's the kingdom north of here, though I here they are at war with the empire right now. It might not be the safest place to be."
"Guess that's where I'll head next then."
"That might be a bit difficult. Even for you."
"How so?"
"While the plains themselves aren't too dangerous, the forest is treacherous. The area you landed in, wasn't too far out from the village, and it was only inhibited by bark beasts, a several goblin tribes, and a few nymphs. The two sections of the forest that lead to the plains are much more dangerous. One is filled with beasts from the demon race, and the other is filled with orcs. More specifically, it's filled with Blacktusk orcs, the most brutal and powerful of all the orc tribes."
"Demon race? Orcs? Just how many types of people live in this world?"
"Seven. There are the humans, dwarves, beast races, demi-humans, demons, orcs, and the elves."
"Hm, considering what they did to the elves, humans must be the most dominant?"
Hearing that his original hopes about the inhabitants of this world weren't far off from the truth was reassuring, but he needed to know more. Information is one of the most valuable things to have in foreign territory. "You could say that overall due to their numbers, their adventurers, and the fact that they have the most established nations. Though, if you are going by individual standards, the demons far outclass every other race. Physically, only a group of elite of any of the other races could ever hope to fight one and live."
"Really? If they're that strong, how come they aren't dominating the world?" If there was anything he'd learned in his years as a soldier, it was that people with power tended to exercise it profusely, especially when it came to taking control of others. At this Montagor walked in with fresh clothes for Darius. He took over the conversation, as Faelar had never seen or faced a demon in combat. Montagor was a different matter, so he waved them away. "Go get changed. Be back down in a little bit and I'll have some food ready for us." They grabbed towels from the side cabinet and got up to go change in their rooms.
Montagor went back to answering Darius's questions. "There are several reasons they aren't ruling us all. For one, they're divided. Half of them are mindless beasts that are closer to monsters than a race of people. They attack anything in sight and destroy everything in their path to do so. The other half, archdemons, are simply too prideful to work together. They're pretty similar to humans, and can control their more bestial kin."
"If they are similar to humans, what makes them so dangerous? Controlling monsters can't be their only skill." A dark far off look appeared on Montagor's face. He seemed to be lost in a memory from his past. "It's because they far surpass most of the other races in raw physical power. Imagine a powerful army, then combine that army into one being, that's the power of your average archdemon."
Darius began to ponder his chances against an arch demon when he noticed the look on Montagor's face."How do you know so much about them?"
"I fought them for decades during the Demon Wars." "Demon Wars?" "Yep. One amongst them managed to force a group of thirty archdemons into submission by using an ancient magic orb with the ability of absolute mind control. Each of those demons forced lesser demons into submission, which created an army capable of ravaging the continent. Luckily, everyone came together to stop them. Elves fought along side humans for the first time in my life. Granted, we wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the appearance of another traveller."
"So I'm guessing that's what you call people from other worlds like me?" "Yep. He came to us as a lone swordsmen in the middle of a losing battle. I had exhausted my mana reserves and twenty more of our elite were barely holding out against one of the archdemons and his beasts. He sliced all the beasts to bits using the ridiculously oversized sword he carried in seconds. Afterwards he pointed it at the archdemon and grinned. That was the first time I'd ever seen genuine fear in an archdemon's eyes."
"That's impressive."
"The demon seemed to think so as well because he fled. That was my first time seeing that too. The man pursued him, and by the time he came back our reinforcements had arrived. They were shocked when he showed up covered in blood, carrying the demon's head and magic sword."
"Sounds like one hell of a warrior."
"Indeed."
"If you don't mind me asking, what's the story with that orb? Something that powerful couldn't have just been lying around somewhere waiting for someone to use it." "I'm not sure where it came from. I know it was old though. Far older than even me. After the war we searched for months, trying to find where such a powerful artifact came from. We caught a break and also a dead end in a necropolis not too far from here."
"Yeah I'm pretty sure we passed that place on our way here. It looks like it's seen better days." "Yes. I'm not sure what happened to it. All I know is that we found a pedestal that looked like it once held the orb locked away in some vault. It looked almost like some alchemist's ransacked laboratory. It hadn't been opened in a long time. I could tell because the undead that swarm the place were no where to be found inside. All my team found was a single almost illegible scroll written in a very old human language. We could only make out the words demon, mind, and undead. Everything else was ruined. When we tried to take it back with us, it crumbled to dust."
This story sounded like something out of a fantasy manga, and had every ounce of Darius's attention. "Anyways, that's enough about the past. Explain to me why your aura is so immense." Shaken from his wondering thoughts it took a second for Montagor's question to register. "What do you mean by aura?" "It's the shroud of energy one naturally produces that when seen, can measure one's power. It comes in two layers. One measuring physical ability and the other measuring magic. Your's is one of the most powerful auras I've ever seen. Normally one layer dwarfs the other, but both of yours seem to be in balance and they border on the absurd."
He looked at his body trying to see what Montagor was talking about. "I don't see anything." "That's likely because you haven't trained in the magical arts. Only those who can use the fourth tier of Arcane magic can see the aura of other beings. Granted, someone with your power should easily be able to see it, but without knowledge or training you won't see anything."
The more Darius learned of this world, the more questions he seemed to be left with. He needed to understand how magic worked here, but to do so he would need to explain his situation to Montagor.
He was a bit conflicted on how much he should tell him. Montagor had invited him into his home, shared tons of knowledge about the world, brought him clothes, and intended to feed him. Yet he was still a stranger in a world he knew little about. He decided to gamble and repay his kindness with honesty. He told him the whole story. He left out the bit about Raiga being a dragon, and instead opted to call him his partner. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was most of it.
"So you can manipulate the very heavens themselves, and create lightning at will?" "Pretty much." "Well that definitely explains why your aura is so immense, but it doesn't explain how. Usually there's some type of catalyst for a traveler to acquire their powers. Yours seem like they appeared as soon as you did." "Your guess is as good as mine." "I imagine with your magic potential, you could easily cast spells in the divine tier. Maybe even higher. You could become quite the dangerous man my friend."
"Well you've been using magic since we've met, could you teach me?" "Huh? Oh no. I'm not one for teaching. I've always been more of a teach yourself type of person, so I've no real practice with teaching others magic. I'm sure you could find a teacher in one of the human cities though."
A disappointed look appeared on Darius's face. "Oh. Okay...." "Though, I do have a request for you." "Ask away." "I imagine you don't plan to stay here for long. Take my grandsons with you." "Huh?! Don't get me wrong here, I wouldn't mind them coming with me, but why send them away?" "Trust me, if you were an elf you'd understand. Regardless of what they do, they'd never be truly accepted here while the council consist of the current generation of elders. I could see a few of the younger generation accepting them, but not openly in this current climate. I can only protect them for so long. Eventually they'll have to survive on their own and that won't be easy here."
"I'm guessing this is about them being half demon?" Montagor looked surprised. "I'm surprised they'd tell you so soon." "They didn't. The moment we met I knew they weren't normal elves. My suspicion grew after meeting more of your people. Then after your spill about demons I put two and two together." "I'm actually impressed. You're not of this world, yet you were able to figure that out so easily. Yes they are half demon. Their father was an archdemon that I've never met. Their mother, my only child, died bringing them to me as infants. I never figured out what attacked her. All I knew is that I had two half demon grandsons and a daughter not long for this world. She died moments after asking me to look after them, telling me that no matter what I could always trust their father. That was a few centuries ago. I still haven't heard anything about or from their father, but I trust my daughter. If she says he's trustworthy, then I will trust him."
"My condolences. When I saw they lived with you I figured their parents had passed, but I had hoped I was wrong." "Honestly I don't know if their father is dead or alive. I only know so much about demons. Maybe after I unseal their demonic side, they'll be able to find him easier." "Unseal?" "Yes I neglected to mention, the council only allowed them to stay here if they had their demonic side sealed. It still bleeds through a little with their size and all, but it's very minuscule. Or it will be until I undo it.
"So you plan to undo the seal this council strictly put on them to suppress the half of themselves the council hates?" "Absolutely." "Then I'll gladly take them with me, but it must be their choice. I don't want them feeling forced into anything. I got thrown around myself as an orphaned child. I know the feeling of being powerless." "You've shown them more kindness then their own people. The fact that they brought you here shows they trust you, and so do I." He handed Darius his new clothes and went down to the kitchen.
Darius considered everything that they spoke on, and decided his first order of business would be to get to the nearest human city and find their adventurers guild. That'd give him plenty of access to the resources he'd need to find Crís, but food comes first. He got out of the pool, dried himself, and slipped on the rather tight fitting clothes just in time to see Fenris and Faelar coming from their rooms upstairs. They seemed to eye him with more respect than before. Unbeknownst to Darius, they'd listened in on the last bit of his and Montagor's conversation.