The calendar system of the Ezelea continent is crude and simple. They count by days, seasons, and cycles. On the last day of summer of the 3rd cycle of the 4th millennium, the 'Moonlit Rain' incident becomes an epic whose story shall spread to the whole continent.
It is a significant historical event that shall usher in a new era.
Quickly, news of the unbelievable feat of the Elf King reaches the ears of a lot of people— and this angers what remains of the Beyronald Upper classes suddenly becoming aware of their perilous circumstances.
Despite Beyronald's best in suppressing the news, it still manages to reach the ears of plenty of people including the neighboring kingdoms, beyond these kingdoms, and especially the empire.
It is within expectations considering the number of refugees from Urden County.
The attack of the elves sets up a domino effect that reaches not just the upper classes but so is the lower classes. A 'revolution' behind the scenes begins to ferment.
"An elf?"
"Aren't they like twigs?"
"How are they so strong?"
Doubts and suspicion circulate among the many different circles of influence. However, with so many witnesses, it is hard to disregard the stories.
The tale of the Elf King who is the figurehead and schemer of the attack of the elves is like the stuff of legends. Accompanying this is the rise of a 'Sword Saint' who can create miracles just by using his sword.
If someone hears the stories directly from a witness, a person cannot help but believe it as mere fiction. A bear that can merge on shadows fighting a strongman who can wield a two-inch thick axe. A potion that can heal all sorts of flesh wounds. Elves so ferocious and powerful even with their small numbers being barely over twenty can fight toe to toe with thousands of soldiers.
It is like the legendary battles in the tall tales that the bards sing. In time, the bards also start singing the tune of the most recent trendy epic.
The main protagonist of most of these stories is the First Elf King! Coming with it are the many fearsome titles!
The Scourge of Fendra Province!
The Kingslayer!
The Slaughterer of Lords!
The Supreme Elf King!
Many scholars denounce the said elf's claim of kingship, and spearheading this is the council leader of the Tower of Fire.
It is total chaos. Though against the scholars' denouncement, many bards continue their unbridled singing whether it be bad or good. The bards are just that greedy for coin.
The royal name of 'Arthram Fae Zorun' spreads like wildfire destroying the pacifist representation of the elves. Some elven villages who have it easy even find themselves becoming victims of the undirect anger and fear of human forces.
At the sudden uprising of an elf kin from a far forest, chaos continues to tumble down like snow and is slowly accumulating to form an avalanche.
It is fact that there are negatives to what the self-proclaimed Elf King does, but there are also positives... just like the 'hope' for unification among elves.
Many oppressed elves from some parts of the Ezelea Continent are creating their movements— one that shares the sentiments of the Elf King— the elves start their uprising.
But humanity is too narrow-minded to see this. The now-empty Beyronald Throne is a more important concern for the humans of the Ezelea continent.
While the aristocrats of the Beyronald Kingdom are busy waging small and big skirmishes among themselves, the neighboring kingdom's armies start crossing their borders and hungrily devouring and conquering land after land.
The neighboring kingdoms of Beyronald are just too eager to increase their land. The territory of the Kingless Beyronald territory is up for grabs.
...
Though many of humanity are too busy with their greedy and gossipy nature. The direct general of the late Beyronald King is able to tame his heart.
Bardano didn't let the elves have it easy.
At the news of the Elf King's escape, he immediately sends his best trackers to them. However, the trackers end up being ambushed in Jeremy territory.
Learning of the Elf King's successful escape, he decides to at least kill all of the elves that remain in Urden County only for the elves to turn the tables against him as the abominable elves acquire the said miraculous Life Potions for themselves.
Then, the said elves make their escape.
Royal General Bardano after losing to the Elf King and the elite contingent of elves, decides to pursue them promising to avenge the late Beyronald King.
However, it didn't go his way. Arriving at the burning Lorekleim Forest, Bardano realizes the cruel truth— it is his defeat.
Bardano gathers whatever remains of the army and fortifies himself in the royal capital. To answer his crimes of neglect as the scapegoat, he should be meeting the axe already, but at the insistence of the royal officials, he instead becomes the next King.
More stories breed more stories. The inspiration that comes from it will create more heroes. And it is these heroes who will carve out their stories into legends.
This is the beginning of something else entirely. In the next several years, it won't just be the Elf King anymore.
...
Driving a speedy moving wagon is a middle-aged man wearing humble clothes. He is the 'Spider' of the Imperial Agency.
Lying idly just behind him in the wagon is a half-elf woman. The slight undulations on her chest suggest that she is still alive.
"Hmm... The empire should have a use for her... I hope I made the right choice." Spider only has a single Life Potion on his person now. He hopes that this is enough for the empire to reverse engineer the formula.
Initially, he had a sack of them. After using lots of Life Potion on the half-dead Zeraya, Spider only has a single bottle now.
His decision of saving the half-elf certainly is his and him alone. It might be against protocols, but he believes that the half-elf will be of great use to the empire.
Spider isn't like this usually. He is someone who prioritizes his main objectives above all else. For the first time in his career, he decides to trust his hunch just this once.
Recalling the ferocious elves, Spider cannot help but shudder. Escaping the Urden main manor is easy, but not the encirclement that follows from the Beyronald royal army. This is how Spider ends up witnessing the whole thing.
Saving the half-elf woman is just a windfall, and something he won't shy about taking advantage of.
...
From a slope, a granny elf makes her arrival at a small village. She is already past 400 years yet she still has strong limbs.
Covering her long ears with her long greying hair, she amicably introduces herself to the villagers as a wandering traveler.
"Hello there, just a wandering traveler! And also a part-time storyteller. I don't mind receiving a simple bread for my performance. I am sure you will love this."
Temeya is among the old elves who volunteer themselves on spreading the word of the Fae Legends.
Many elderly elves across the continent similarly do their preaching at the exact time— the beginning of autumn. With active storytelling abilities and the memorized tales from the books they receive, the elves begin their 'cultural' expansion and 'knowledge' rebellion.
"How about I tell all of you a story? Something more recent? Let's say... what do you think of the Elf King?"
Both children and parents gather as Temeya stands on a crate while she enthusiastically read the script from her head.
"He is the eater of children! A demon made by man! The boogeyman that lurks in the shadows. He is many things except one— an elf..."
It may seem weird that these 'negative words' are coming from an elf's mouth. Not that the usually ignorant human villagers need to know, but even to Temeya, these words come bitter from her mouth.
Eater of children? That's too much.
Demon made by man? Maybe, but not really.
Painting the elf king as the bad guy is easy but what is up with the contradictions? He is many things except one— an elf. What does that even mean?
Temeya doesn't understand, but in her old age, she feels that she understands a glimpse of the words that etch on the book by the title of Fae Legends.
With animated gestures, she tells of the Elf King's reincarnation— a totally bullshit story even to Temeya's eyes... but the Elf King in his writings seems to strongly believe that he is a reincarnated person.
The Fae Legends is a very controversial book that only the elderly elves, the pilgrims, can lay eyes upon.
"In his past life... the Elf King is not an elf, but a man."
The outrageous aftermath doesn't end here.
...
In the Tower of Fire, a gathering of old men is discussing what they should do. In secret attendance is the emperor himself. The old men of the tower squabble like children. The words like immortality, silver hair, and high elf frequently come to the table.
The prelude for a Continental War is upon them. And the appearance of a new power might be just the catalyst the Ezelea Continent needs to tilt the balance.
For this, the Empire must prepare itself.