"Oh, dear. What has our proud blood been tainted with?"
Despite his disdainful tone, there were equal parts hope and curiosity hidden in his voice. It showed in the welcoming gestures and intrigued smirks that followed his question. Utter contradictions to the wincing eyes and twitching nostrils that'd been staring at me for the several minutes that lasted until he spoke.
As things went, Telman Cole was a giant of a man who made my Grandpa Lich look like a dwarf in comparison. He had all features as we did; only, his hair was slicked back like a lion's mane and he was dressed modestly. Sporting a button-up shirt, high boots with trousers, and a heavy cloak that was draped behind him like a king's robes. And for better or for worse, he lacked the amiable goofiness of his immediate descendants.
He was like an ancient, battle-hardened version of my father. Only, leagues wiser, based on what I could see. Like a great sage from an ancient time.
'I doubt I can lie to him.' I mentally sighed and shrugged off my worries at the same moment. 'Whatever. It's not like he can tell anyone outside the family.'
"I'm half-drow."
"Drow." He droned slowly. "So then, the Fey have returned to Maru? Hmm." He turned a bit to the side to stroke his magnificent beard and mutter to himself. "Seems plausible. But then." He turned back to me with a raised brow. "Why would a drow breed with a human? Much less dwell on the surface?"
"The meddling of God." I shrugged. "And, the Fey have since left Maru. I'm the only one of elven blood here."
"Hmm." He clasped his hands behind his back with an amused hum. "That you know of, surely…" His words trailed off.
"My name is Amun," I said. "Just Amun."
"Ugh." He groaned. "What else shall be taken from us?"
"What does that mean?"
"It means our Clan is not even a family anymore." He harrumphed. "Now tell me, boy, in what year were you born?"
"1,475, to Emeric Cole and Eved, a drow royal from Youtera."
"And who were you raised by?" He intently squinted.
"My father and great-grandfather, Everandus Cole."
"Hmm." He tilted his head to look me over. "You command death as Ev does, but your personas couldn't be further apart. I can see that you didn't come here seeking power. So then, what knowledge do you seek, Amun?"
'Quick on the uptake, I like it." I grinned. "Well, I'm curious about you. About how you lived and about the state of the world during your time."
"And?" He droned.
"And." I sighed. "I'm currently on the summit of the tallest mountain in Maru. Where what appears to be a massive tree stump sits."
"Ah, yes." He leaned back. "The Marulean Tree of Life. What of it?"
"How was it killed?"
"That has been the question since time immemorial." He deflatedly smiled. "Though we still tried to learn, none of my descendants and few; if any, of my predecessors ever learned the truth. The corpses were too scattered, you see. And The Crypts ran too deep. But you, Amun, seem capable of reaching them."
"By 'them,' you mean our ancestors, right? Buried in Phaegrath? Where my Great-Grandfather was born?"
"Yes." Telman nodded. "Several generations of our family have been born and buried in the Cole Crypt. Including me, in the year 911. Everandus was the last. From what I understand, he departed from the Crypt shortly after burying me in 1,109. That is not to say the Crypt remains unguarded, however. To outsiders, it's an impassable dungeon filled with death and darkness. To those possessing our sorcery, it is a depository of knowledge and our ancestral burial ground.
"As for my life." Telman sighed. "It was… unremarkable. I spent my existence in the Crypt. In a constant transition between protecting our home and delving deeper into our records. Regrettably." He sighed again. "I couldn't get far."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"You will learn when you arrive," He said. "Should you make the pilgrimage."
"I plan to." I nodded. "But first I'm on a bit of a sabbatical."
"To the Arcane Tree, I presume? You seem about that age."
"Sure." I shrugged.
"A waste of time, according to Granny Raven." Telman huffed. "But then again, it seemed to do Ev some good. He traveled across the realms and returned to the Under to shamelessly brag about his exploits. I trust you won't do the same, Amun?"
I snorted. "I'm not the type to brag or boast."
"Right." He snorted right back. "You only pry and inquire."
"Naturally."
"Bahah! I like you, Amun. Tell me." He stepped closer. "What is your chosen purpose?"
"To learn and explore everything." I promptly said. "When I return to Maru, I'll be exploring Phaegrath. And then Ulai. And then Betrarth and wherever else the wind takes me until I wind up with nowhere to go."
"And then?"
"And then I'll wait for the world to change." I shrugged. "If I don't change it myself."
"Spoken like a true devil." He mused. "Very well, I will share with you all that I know.
"As I said, the Marulean Tree of Life has been dead for eons and has been so for ages before the appearance of the rifts, in year zero. Since that event, no new creatures have been born into existence in Maru. Creatures could only migrate through the rifts or evolve into something greater over time; or a combination of both.
"Now, again," Telman warned with a raised palm. "My time was an era of relative peace, but it was not without conflict. With the rifts yielding a steady outpour of monsters, Ulai was considered a war zone. As a result, many of the ancient Ulaian empires had to take refuge in Phaegrath. During my time, there were five prominent powers, six including the Cole Family. However, We dwelled in the shadows and thus weren't recognized by the others.
"The Poza Kingdom was the wealthiest nation of them all, and were natives to Phaegrath." He explained. "They were a peaceful city-state located on the southern shores. In a tropical region that gave them a thriving economy based on agriculture and trade; yet, their naval prowess was uncontested, so they remained the only power to be considered untouchable by the other nations."
"Even a family of sorcerers?" I asked.
"Our family was not large. But we could have destroyed them, had we a reason.." He nodded. "What we couldn't do was protect our lands when their armadas came for retribution."
"True."
"Besides, our most encountered foe; other than monsters, was the Takath Empire. The largest city-state of them all. Their origins came from a guild that retired from Ulai during the Great Migration and took up residence in the heart of the continent. Thereafter, they evolved into a military nation with the continent's mightiest land army. Their army of young souls clashed with the Cole Legion on a regular basis." He nostalgically chuckled. "Of course, they were no match for us- my father, grandmother, and I.
"Such good times." Telman chuckled again. "Now then, the last of the native Phaegrathean powers was the Silvanians. A clan of sorcerers that passed down powers of silver and knowledge of runes just as we pass on the dark arts and historical knowledge. Unlike the other house of sorcerers native to Maru, the Silvanians were on neutral terms with our people. Outside of the occasional trade deal or partnership, we stayed out of each other's way."
"The Lux clan?" I rhetorically asked. "Grandpa L- Everandus warned me to be wary of them."
"As you should." He nodded. "Because of our opposing natures, we gravitate towards one another. But that doesn't always result in conflict. Some of our kin found themselves coexisting with them, while others saw them as mortal enemies. The times dictate such things, in my opinion. I, however, was lucky to never meet one. They have long since forsaken Maru, you see. They chose instead to conquer the other realms."
"I see," I said. "Please continue.
"Before I do." He raised a finger. "You should know that the Lux is but a branch of the light's family tree. They numbered into the thousands, in olden times. Their numbers are perhaps even more in your day.
"Now then." He cleared his ghostly throat. "The first empire to take refuge from the destruction in Ulai were the Bonju Tribes. A powerful band of nomads who sought to live off the land and offer what they had to whoever needed it most. They were in constant contact with the otherworldly beasts, making them one of the strongest civilizations at the time. In fact, they would've been the strongest, if not for their lack of numbers and their open-mindedness. Because of that, they were placed in the lower ranks of the scale. But were no less powerful than any other nation.
"And the last empire to take refuge in Phaegrath during my time was Amazonia. And they were, by far, the most interesting." He chuckled. "They were a matriarchal nation of warriors, located in the far north of the continent. As we are considered Devils and some Silvanians were considered Beasts, Amazonians were widely considered to be a mutation of the common human. A human paragon, according to some. Their average height was no less than two meters. And they were stronger, faster, and smarter than the common human. They saw beauty in all things. But in strength most of all. They were vicious fighters. And gentle lovers."
"Ah, I see." I laughed. "You sired a child with one."
"My mother was Amazonian was well." He smiled. "As was my father's father. But I must say." He added. "Drow is fine blood to mix with ours as well."
"What other types of blood are sufficient?" I asked. "Out of curiosity, of course."
"Nothing brutish like an orc or goblin. And no demons either." He huffed. "Hellspawn and Under Devils don't mix. Something broad, large, and strong, with a human resemblance. So no dwarves or the other small races. No dragonborns, or stone people. A vampire would fit the bill. Granny Raven's mother was one. Otherwise, any Amazonian or strong human will do."
"That's not much of a choice, but alright." I laughed. "Were there any other empires existing in Maru?"
"There was one across the western seas." He nodded. "A pompous group who fled to the other side of the world when the monster and guild population in Phaegrath boomed. They went as far as naming the whole continent after themselves. But they interacted with no one, except the Poza Kingdom."
'Interesting.' I nodded. "If you're curious, I've seen live Amazonians and I have evidence that the Silvanians continue to thrive in my time. As for me, I grew up wealthy and pampered in your son's empire. But, he quite extensively educated me in the ways of our sorcery and my father raised me well, with the best education money could buy."
"Well." He sighed deeply. "I don't really care for the other empires. But, I'm happy to hear that the family lives on."
"Speaking of family," I said. "I plan to talk with all of our ancestors, just like we're doing now. I've already devoted myself to finding their corpses, in due time. So, if you would tell me the name of your father."
"My father." Telman sighed. "He was known to the world as Captain Darkblood. A notorious criminal. I knew him as Henry Cole. Please." He bowed. "Give him my regards."
"I will." I bowed in my seat. "And thank you for your wisdom, Telman."
As I stood, his form began to lose its shape and dissipate across the ground. Leaving nothing but his guttural voice echoing through the abyss. "I shall always heed the call, o' Sovereign of Death."