Erend immediately looked at Billy and Lt. Bortusk. The yellow light appeared suddenly and made them worry.
"Don't worry," ordered Lt. Boartusk in a calm voice. "Let's see if the liquid in the little bottle works."
"What if it doesn't work?" asked Billy. The lieutenant was silent and stared at Billy. Billy chose to remain silent.
They don't know what will happen to them.
Among the three of them, only Erend seemed normal. No yellow light appeared on his head.
"What are you trying to do?!" asked Erend who started to feel anger again.
Delirien turned to Aerchon but the Elf looked confused. 'The potion should have reacted by now. What happened?' The question popped up in both of their minds.
Soon the yellow light disappeared. Billy and Lt. The Boartusk exchanged glances and felt that nothing had happened to them.
"What happened?" Erend asked once more as no answer came up. This time his voice was low and almost sounded like a growl.
Aerchon looked at Erend with narrowed eyes. Suddenly from outside the Elf warriors entered complete with their spears and shining white armor.
The three humans realized that this situation was going to be bad for them.
The Elves who were in the room attending the meeting started to get up from their seats and backed away.
Erend, Billy, and Lt. Boartusk stood up from the chair and took out their daggers.
Their movements were synchronous and almost simultaneously. No words came out. Those who already knew that the situation was not good immediately prepared to defend themselves.
"Aerchon! I'm warning you," Erend said as he looked at Aerchon. "You don't want this mess."
A twitch appeared next to Aerchon's eye who was still sitting in his chair. He had seen for himself what Erend could do.
The humans had enough strength to fight them. Does he want to stop all this or continue?
The Elf warriors around them lowered their spears and pointed them at the three humans.
"Let's give them the fight they deserve. Even if we're going to die here!" said Lt. Boartusk.
"Yes, sir!" Erend and Billy answered at the same time.
The three humans didn't seem afraid. Instead, their eyes spoke as if preparing to put up a fight.
"Stop it!"
A scream that appeared when the door was opened startled them all. Everyone in the room turned and saw Aurdis standing in the doorway.
Her clothes had changed to more appropriate. And Aurdis looked at them all with eyes that seemed to blaze with anger.
Her teeth gritted and so did her fists that gripped tightly.
"What are you doing?" Aurdis looked at all the Elf warriors who were still pointing their spears. Then her gaze fell on her brother who was still sitting quietly.
"I gave the antidote to Delirien's potion."
Hearing that Aerchon gripped his fist tightly. "You're causing trouble again."
Aurdis shook her head. "I've said many times that we don't need violence to get the key. We can talk with them!"
"You're asking me to talk and beg to lowly creatures like them?" said Aerchon.
"Erend, you have to burn that damn Elf's face again to teach him some manners." Suddenly Billy snorted.
Aerchon stood up from his chair like he was about to jump then said. "Kill them!"
The Elf warriors began to approach with that order.
[ 'You can use 1 Skill Point you get after leveling up.' ]
Suddenly Tut's voice echoed in Erend's head. 'Oh, that's right. I just leveled up.'
Erend immediately use the Skill Point as one of the Skills he had been after.
[ New Skill: Dragon Claw (Lv.1) ]
"STOP!"
Aurdis' voice stopped the Elf warriors in their place. They looked at each other in confusion. Who should they follow now? The Prince who ordered the attack, or the Princess who stopped them?
In this situation, the warriors were the ones caught in the middle. Erend felt that the fate of a soldier anywhere would be the same. Wedged in the middle of the rulers with their interests.
"Brothers, too much blood has been shed on the battlefield. Are you willing to sacrifice our warriors again?" Aurdis said in a pleading voice. "Daemons of Calamity and Ogres Kingdom have started moving."
Again, Aerchon's eyes twitched hearing that. The elves looked surprised.
"Please, don't go to war with humans anymore. Not all of them are evil," Aurdis added. "We can ask them nicely to return the key."
Aerchon seemed to think. As soon as he heard that the Daemon of Calamity and the Ogres Kingdom were moving again, Aerchon immediately felt anxious.
After sighing, Aerchon waved his hand. The Elf warriors drew their spears back.
Aerchon suddenly walked straight to another door behind him and disappeared.
The elves left one by one. Leaving Erend, Billy, and Lt. Boartusk together with Aurdis.
"Thank you," said Billy. "You saved their life."
Aurdis chose not to respond to Billy's remarks and told them to return to their room.
"Thank you for the antidote," said Lt. Boartusk.
Aurdis nodded weakly.
"Miss Aurdis. We appreciate your help tonight. But now it looks like we have to go."
"Wait," Aurdis stopped. "Wait until tomorrow."
"Why? We feel that our presence here is no longer needed. The planned meeting turned out to be just a trick to take advantage of us," replied the lieutenant. "We've heard that humans have stolen your valuable artifact. But we don't know anything about that."
Aurdis bit her lip. "I know. Aerchon's intention to ask you here was to brainwash you. So you can steal the key back. However, I don't agree with his plan. That's why I gave you the antidote."
They arrived in the room and Aurdis went inside with them.
"We really need the key to fight the enemy. That's why we need to get it back as soon as possible," Aurdis continued.
"What enemy is that?" Billy asked.
"You've heard of it earlier. The Daemons of Calamity and the Ogres Kingdom. They have been our mortal enemies since a long time ago." Aurdis replied. "We managed to repulse them. But somehow they started moving again. It seems that word of the missing key to the Fountain of Eternity has reached them."
"The Fountain of Eternity?" Billy stared curiously.
Aurdis nodded. "Yes, the key that the humans stole is the key to the Fountain of Eternity."
~~~