There is a reason for Varen to be nervous. After all, the King has once made a prophecy. And maybe in some twisted sense of belief of his majesty's words, he cannot help but be naturally curious.
"I have been waiting." Greeting Varen and Opina is Lameya. They meet up with Lameya just between the edge of the Dark Forest and the Dark Lands.
"Varen, why are you here? You are blind." Lameya casually points out.
Opina shakes her head at the unusual brazenness of Lameya. "It is fine, surely, I can be his eyes. I am his secretary after all, and moreover, he is our boss. We cannot be sure yet, but if it is as you claim, then this place might be of great significance to us. Who knows? Maybe this is the holy land."
"Suit yourself," Lameya comments. "Follow me."
With her in the lead, the trio proceeds forward. Varen is silent this whole time for reasons he just cannot explain. There is this feeling in his heart that he is at home. While he is blind, he can 'see' what the place looks like. Inside the hidden cove just by a lake, the extensive vines slither like snakes trying to pry the little cracks from the long winding walls of crags— to Varen, all of this is visible to him
Among the elves after getting the Berserker Potions, and recovering from them, exactly three elves are able to achieve mutation. Trudviar is the one who has the biggest change as the makeup of his body is holistically in a different realm already as if he has been reborn. Next will be Lafira who if under the right conditions can fall into a crazed berserk state with attributes doubling, or even tripling within a short limit of time. Lastly, there is Varen who has the least transformation, however, for him, the 'mutation' itself is already too much as if they are divine gifts from god.
Varen's mutation revolves around his senses which extend to his five senses, physical and emotional balance, clarity of mind, and even if under pressure can tap on the mystical sixth sense. From Varen's perspective, the Elven Ruin is like a warm and comforting home in which they can rest.
"Lameya, how did you end up here?" Varen asks in curiosity.
"It called me here." Lameya plainly answers.
Opina frowns at this as she doesn't understand, however, Varen is different. He can understand what Lameya means. Among the elves, Lameya is definitely one of the elves with better senses.
Lameya expounds on her answer. "It is a coincidence. After buying several brothels, and finding myself the elves I can buy with what money I have, I learn from one of them how there is a safe place for elves just further somewhere in the Dark Forest. At first, I am thinking that the reputation of the budding civilization in the Dark Forest has spread, but that is impossible as the elves I got/recruited this time are barely under 50 years old. They are even younger than the princess. It has been almost ten years since they become slaves, so I realize the 'safe place' for elves they must be talking about are a different place from what I have in mind."
Slavery is quite a booming business in the Dark Lands. If not for the cohesive front of the city lords with regard to slavery, Varen would not tolerate such injustice. That is why currently, Ratatoskr's current approach is to stabilize their power in the Dark Lands first, while at it, buying their kin freedom. It is simply a compromise and while it cannot be a proper solution that can destroy the root cause, it does alleviate and helps Ratatoskr to establish itself in the Dark Lands.
As an organization exclusively composes of elves, Ratatoskr is quite an interesting newcomer in the Dark Forest.
Lameya continues with her words explaining how she ends up investigating the rumor. "The new elves I recently bought are quite enthusiastic about this place. They don't know exactly what it is called, but they know that it must be real. According to the children, their parents decided to find this safe place as they have no homes anymore. It is the same story as to how elf communities are attacked and taken from… And then one child tells me the name of the place."
"Gaia~ that is the name of the place… of this place…" Lameya tries to speak of the place's name as calmly as possible, but her reverence of the place is still evident from how slightly her voice trembles. "After learning of the name, of the word 'Gaia,' I immediately receive this revelation in my mind— a direction to which I will find this place. I feel it calling to me. Until finally… I am here…"
Lameya halts her steps as she utters. "We are here."
At first glance, the Elven Ruin might look unassuming, as there are only rocks within their sight. However, this place is definitely a place of great importance. Just by the artistic carvings alone, Opina can feel a sense of majesty. Plenty of sunlight passes through the large hole from above illuminating what is inside. Pillars of stone are as thick as trees with the engraving of Elven Runes litter everywhere. Not to mention the perfect artistic sculpture of heroic elves of unknown names. It is truly a grand sight. However, it is not these carvings, engravings, or statues that the trio immediately takes notice of.
In front of the trio are the sacred chambers of Gaia. And in a spacious half of the dome are murals of resplendent colors, and miraculous artistry. If not for the missing fragment, cracks, and embellishments from the murals, it would have been perfect.
Opina's jaw slackens at the grand sight. While this is the second time already, Lameya cannot help but express her awe as she sighs warmly at this marvelous work of god.
A King sits on a throne of leaves, twigs, and flowers. He has silver hair in the shade of ash, long ears unique to the elves, and wears a burning golden crown. Above him are elves with fairy wings playing trumpets and harps, and below him are the elves worshipping him.
"If this is not prophecy as his majesty shared with us once, then what is this?" At Lameya's forlorn words, Opina simply nods sharing the same opinion of the matter.
"No, it is not…" Varen vehemently rejects the notion that it is a prophecy.
The two, Opina and Lameya, incredulously look at Varen who has his fleshy eyes wide open. Varen is blind, and long are his eyes gone, but at this moment, the two elven women feel that Varen is gazing at something.
Varens sweeps his blonde hair as he massages his forehead and his now-closed eyes. With a heavy sigh, he concludes what the murals wish to tell. "It is the history of at least a hundred thousand years ago…"
Feeling weak on his knees, Varen almost falls to the ground. Lameya and Opina help him to get his bearing by quickly offering their shoulder. Varen who is full of curiosity opens his 'eyes' once more, and dares to peer at the murals.
In the blind world of the abyss of the unseeable, Varen stands witness to a gigantic wall of light or so he initially likes to call it when in fact, it is just a mural… An incredibly mind-boggling mural that records a great deal of history!
Outside of the blind world, the mural is incomplete, however in this blind world, the mural is complete, and maybe even more as 'information' trickle into his mind as if he is listening to the words said by another. It is a truly mystical feeling.
Whatever this is, Varen doesn't know what to call it.
Straining his ears, and mental focus, Varen tries his best to discern as much information as possible. In the mural is a silver-haired King resembling his majesty, the Elven King Arthram Fae Zorun. Aside from learning the existence of 'high-elves' and that the mural composes of at least a hundred thousand years, Varen also learns of the 'immortality' trait of the ancient legendary high-elves.
Waking up, and leaving the blind world, Varen finds himself lying on soft grass. There are some vegetation inside the Gaia. Varen feels around him with his extraordinary senses and learns of Lameya's presence dutifully watching the surroundings. Opina is similarly doing something which is making notes of the mural.
"How long am I out?"
At his sudden question, Lameya and Opina turn their head to him. ""Two hours."" The two answers almost simultaneously.
"We were worried about you, what happened?" Lameya adds.
"I won't be able to discern this in such a short time… Sigh…" Opina complains.
Varen ignoring his subordinates' inquiry and dissatisfaction immediately gives his orders. "Send a missive to her highness. She must learn of this, ASAP. From henceforth, we shall make this place our new headquarters. There is no time to waste, move!"