[Arius POV]
"I know how to destroy the big stone monster."
"Really, what makes you think that I'll believe you? A kid with bloodshot eyes and bloodstains down your cheeks."
"I want to save Master Doherty and this town."
"...."
"..."
"..."
"...Fine, your eyes tell no lies, there's no harm even if you're wrong, but hopefully, you truly do know an easier way to destroy it."
In face of my resolute eyes, the cloaked man relented and started floating down. With Big Brother Jaque and Lorraine next to me, the man pulls out his hand for me to grab. Reach my hand out to grab the outstretched hand, another hand grabs my arm stopping me.
"Arius, are you sure that you know the way?"
"My eyes and skill told me Big Brother, the mana doesn't lie."
"...*sigh* Just don't get yourself killed."
After a few moments of confliction, Big Brother Jaque just lets go of my arm to show his response. Stretching my hand out, I grab the cloaked man's hand and we both start to float up. As magical as it was, I had other things clouding my mind. As we floated higher and higher, I took one look back at Big Brother Jaque and Lorraine. Big Brother was waving while Lorraine had her back turned to me. I hope she's alright, she hasn't spoken a thing since this started.
"So what's the weakness of the golem?"
"It's on his belly, all the monsters are red but in his belly, I saw that there was a spot of blue. I saw that the red needs to eat the blue to survive. So if we destroy that, it will die"
"I think I catch what you're saying, but its abdomen is often covered as its legs are still stuck in the S.T.A. How we exploit it?"
"I thought you guys would figure that out."
"...Well, at least we have an inkling of what to do."
As we continued floating closer and closer to the main battle, we had to start to dodge more and more boulders flying in the sky. I also got to get a better view of the stone golem. As I tried to use my spectacles again, I feel my vision crack and burn before it would deactivate. Wiping off the tears and blood, we land on the battlefield. However, the cloaked man continued to hold my hand and destroy any boulder flying in our direction.
"Krast! *Gasp gasp* W-What are you doing here?"
"You guys were distracting it so much that I had nothing to do. Plus, I found a kid who said that they knew the mutated rock head's weakness."
"ARIUS!! How do you always worm your way into every problem?"
"Ummm, now that you mention it, I don't know?"
While I simply shrug my shoulders, Master Doherty kept staring at me as if he was thinking about something. Soon enough, Sir Earnest arrives behind us. His face was covered in sweat and was even paler than before.
"Krast, you said something about this kid knowing the stone golem's weakness."
"Yeah, come on kid say what you said to me."
"Soo..."
As I once again repeated my discovery, we soon arrived at the same dilemma of trying to find a way to access the abdomen of the golem.
"It looks like we'll have to wait."
Sir Earnest speaks up and offers a ridiculous idea that no one would ever think of saying.
"Earnest, that's ridiculous, are we just going to wait for that thing to pull its legs through and become mobile!!!?"
"Exactly."
"What are you thinking? Did you get hit by a rock on your way down? We won't be able to stop that thing once it starts marching toward the town."
"It is indeed very risky, but having a risky solution is better than wasting our energy."
"HOW IS THIS A SOLUTION!!!???"
After Sir Earnest's last reply, Master Doherty got really angry. That aura just started to flow out of him uncontrollably. Feeling my knees already giving out, I quickly hid behind the cloaked man, who I now know as Krast, shielding me from any aura that comes my way.
"Doherty, even after years of diligent craftsmanship and teaching younglings. You are still that fiery brat at your core..."
"Don't try and change the subject!!"
"We can't access the abdomen right now because the stone golem is on its arms trying to pull his legs through. Once it's out, it will naturally open up more room to attack. If you have a better idea then say it already."
As Master Doherty continued to stare down Earnest while towering over him, there was a sudden change of atmosphere when I feel something hit the ground. I look around thinking that it's another boulder landing near but looking past the cloaked man, it was just Master Doherty sitting on the ground.
*SIGH*
"Krast, bring us out of here, we'll eat then we'll come back. It will take more than a few hours for this stone golem to get its act together."
...
[Nillifus Ploom POV]
Tense, the only word to describe the feeling in this room. Glancing at the leaders sitting in this room, I see some of them already reacting to my slight glance. There were quite a few unfamiliar faces...Some must have left to avoid this headache.
Hearing a few light footsteps behind me, I turn around to see a maid holding an assortment of biscuits and desserts. See such a young lady holding so many things, I quickly go to hold and catch the ones that were about to fall.
"My apologies, it seems like her highness orders far too much for herself."
"N-no, no, no, there is no need to apologize. You've done nothing wrong, Sir Nillifus."
See this, I decide not to push it, any further and the young lady might end up bowing in respect. As the most renowned Protector of the Elven Forest, these responses are natural. Perhaps, I would have liked it one or two hundred years ago, but my hot blood has long since cooled. Now, it's only uncomfortable.
Never fully distracted by my thoughts, I slowly pass the plates to the young Highness who was sitting on the many chairs reserved for race leaders.
"Your highness, the desserts have arrived."
"Really, thanks so much, Nillifus."
"Your highness, please take note that others are here."
"Ahem, yes, thank you very much, Sir Nillifus"
Seeing the sarcastic manner in which her Highness acted out, I could only smile.
"You Highness, how old are you this year? Around -"
"Sir, Nillifus, you should know that I'm still young as an elf."
"Perhaps in the past, but you know that it's no longer how it works."
As her highness and I partook in a long conversation, we hear a sound that indicates the start of the council meeting. As rows and rows of seats circled around a single podium, I see someone wearing very familiar clothing. The priestess.
"I thank everybody for taking time from your duties to discuss what everyone already knows, mutations in the S.T.A.s... As of now, there are over one hundred S.T.A.'s that have been mutated, however, almost all of them are only the lowest level ones..."
'Lowest level, huh..'
As the country covers the entire continent and numerous S.T.A.s are being found and discovered every month, we've noticed that not all of them are the same strength. The size of the S.T.A. correlates to the strength of the dangers found within. With the weakest being single plane S.T.A.s and the highest being five plane S.T.A.s . After that, there is a separate level of S.T.A.s that are often much more dangerous, Altered S.T.A.s. While they don't sound scary, the mana within them has been altered, and natural mana regeneration is impossible, skill effectiveness is reduced, truly the most terrifying place to fight. The higher the level, the more dangerous the environment and the monsters.
"...These events are most likely the events foreseen by my predecessor's prophecies. Thus I request further unity. To deal with the current situation, races are responsible for S.T.A.'s in their area, the Adventurer Guild will be mobilized to help those who require them the most."
With that and a vote, the meeting was over. This priestess really likes to get it done fast, though often without much effect. As her highness finish her last bite, I give a bow and we teleport back to our forest.
-------------------
Nillifus' Fact: In the distant past, the normal elf would progress slowly, reflecting our lifespan. However, after the First Great Chaotic War, this slow development would be a fatal weakness when compared to the other races. Thus, we mirrored the humans just as humans mirror many other races. After a very turbulent few centuries, we managed to bring our cognitive development to around only twice the length of humans. Competition is truly the breeder of change.