Chapter Twenty Three
The kingdom of Drador, a realm surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and Telluric currents. Birthplace of the esteemed Sundow clan, a lineage of revered warriors and hunters who have protected Eldrador's borders for generations.
To the West of this kingdom, within the ancient forests, is the Elven conglomerate known as El'gorothi, a vast and mysterious network of Elven cities, woven into the very fabric of the ancient forests.
With these two nations sharing borders, there have been numerous conflicts and border disputes.
Today however, is no such day as Sundow warriors and Elven rangers gather at the border.
Two figures stand in the center of this gathering.
"Wow, the rumors were true. You guys really do care." Kaelith Sundow smirks while the Sundow warriors snicker.
Kaelith stands at an impressive 5'10" with a lean, athletic build and an agile physique. Her hair is a wild tangle of silver-blonde locks, and her eyes burn with an inner intensity, shining like polished onyx. She wears a suit of supple black leather armor, adorned with intricate silver tracery and a flowing cape that billows behind her like a dark cloud.
*Sigh* "Unfortunately, I'm not permitted to cut you where you stand." Thalion's eyes narrow.
The esteemed Elven champion, stands at an impressive height of 6'2" with a lean, athletic build that belies his incredible strength and agility. His piercing emerald eyes seem to gleam, his raven-black hair is worn long, braided with threads of silver and gold. A delicate, intricate tattoo of the constellations adorns his left cheekbone.
Thalion's attire features a flowing white cloak embroidered with silver stars, a suit of supple leather armor adorned with small, glittering gemstones, and a silver-buckled belt that holds his Moonsword.
Kaelith Sundow and Thalion stand in the middle of the gathering facing each other, their eyes blazing with animosity. The dim light of the ancient forest cast eerie shadows on the trees.
"You lied to me, Thalion," Kaelith spat, her voice low and venomous her entire demeanor changing in an instant. "Your people have been secretly gathering arms, preparing for war. This implies-"
Thalion's emerald eyes flashes with defiance. "What we do is none of your concern, Kaelith. And besides, trying times are coming, are they not?"
Kaelith's hand instinctively go to the hilt of her sword, her fingers tightening around it like a vice. "Whatever it is, it's bound to fail, Thalion. You and your entire congregation of tree-hugging fanatics."
Thalion sneers. "You know nothing, your ignorance is matched only by your arrogance, you and the rest your kin. You're no different from the empire."
The air is tense with unease as the Sundow warriors and Elven rangers gather around them, their weapons at the ready.
In contrast to the killing intent permeating the air however, two minds are linked in a mental connection.
'You think this is good enough, not too much?' Kaelith asks through the mind bridge.
'Your acting is perfect, my love. No one suspects anything.' Thalion replies.
'Why are we even leaving at the same time anyway? We could be there in an instant without all of this.' Kaelith asks, frustration in her tone.
'We've been over this, our people think that if one of us leaves first, we'll be leaving our kingdom unprotected from the other.' Thalion replies, sighing internally.
'That sounds stupid.' Kaelith roll her eyes.
As they converse mentally, their physical bodies appear to be locked in a fierce stare-down, their swords still sheathed but ready to strike at a moment's notice.
The tension between them is palpable, the air thick with anticipation. The Sundow warriors and Elven rangers watch with bated breath, unsure what will happen next.
Suddenly, Kaelith's eyes flicker to the side, her gaze locking onto something in the distance. Thalion follows her gaze, his eyes narrowing as he sees a blue portal manifest.
"As much as I would like to place your head on a pike, we have bigger issues." Staring at Kaelith once more, he heads towards the portal, followed by three elves.
Kaelith spits, "Coward." Before turning to two of her warriors. "Let's go." Kaelith and her warriors head into the portal after Thalion.
////
The sand lands or white desert, known as the "Dunes of Elyria," stretches out like an endless sea of silk. The fine, powdery sand is so bright it seems to shimmer with an ethereal light, as if the very essence of the sun has been distilled into its granules. The dunes undulates like waves, their crests blown into delicate ridges by the gentle breeze. Here and there, sparse clusters of bleached-white trees stand like skeletal sentinels, their branches etched against the sky like a delicate pen and ink drawing.
A hooded figure traverses this surreal landscape, the soft sand swallowing the sound of their footsteps, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake. The air is crisp and clean, with a faint hint of sweetness that seemed to dance on the edge of perception. The sky above, a brilliant blue, so vibrant it seems to hum with an otherworldly energy.
After a few hours of walking, the figure comes across an abandoned camp. Making their way past melted tents, it comes across a fairly working tent. Flapping open the covers, it is welcomed by a nauseating stench.
Within the tent, lay three corpses. Two of the corpses already decomposed with nothing left but rotting skeletons. The third corpse however, looks in perfect condition.
"No." It speaks, it's voice a detached metallic tone conveying no emotions. "Not a corpse." The figure walks towards the third corpse, or rather the last survivor.
The hooded figure approaches the survivor, its voice devoid of empathy or concern. "You are the last one remaining. Your companions have perished. You will soon join them."
The survivor's eyes flicker open, gazing up at the figure with a mix of fear and desperation. "Please...help me," it whispers, its voice weak and raspy.
The figure looms over the survivor, its metallic voice unwavering. "I am not here to assist you. I am here to collect data. Your findings are of interest to me."
The survivor's eyes widen in horror as the figure raises a metallic arm, a small, gleaming probe extending from its fingertips. "No, please don't!" the survivor begs, but the figure is unfazed.
With a swift motion, the probe pierces the survivor's chest, and a soft hum fills the air as small bits of light begins to transfer between the two figures. The survivor's eyes glaze over, their body going limp as the figure continues to collect its information.
As the transfer completes, the figure withdraws the probe and turns to leave, its neutral voice devoid of any warmth echoing in the silence. "Data collected."
And with that, the figure disappears into the vast expanse of the white desert, leaving behind a trail of death.
////
Pant...
Pant...
"Please... Hah... Slow... Slow down." Najeel struggles to catch his breath as he stabs another giant caterpillar to death with his spear.
Ahead of him, a massive bipedal creature lays dead, a small figure hopping on it's head.
"Najeeeee!! Hurry up... I'm hungry." The figure whines as it stamps its foot on the massive head beneath it.
Squelch
The head explodes in a sickening splatter.
Najeel, stands at around 6 feet tall, with a lean and athletic build. His eyes are sunken, and his face is gaunt from months of grueling travel and battle. A scruff of beard and a few scars on his cheeks and forehead attest to his hardships.
He wears a worn and battered suit of leather armor covered in brownish blood, with dents and scratches that tell stories of horrifying events. His spear, once a proud and deadly weapon, now looks worn and weathered, its tip chipped and its shaft scratched.
Despite his fatigue, he carries himself forward towards his charge, a little girl standing at around 5 feet tall, her gelatinous body glistening in the light. Her translucent skin reveals a soft, pulsing glow from within, like a gentle lantern. Her form is amoeba-like, with tendrils and pseudopodia extending from her main body.
Her face is a sweet, innocent visage, with large, shimmering eyes that sparkle like diamonds. Her mouth is a small, delicate slit, curved into a perpetual smile. Two tiny, delicate horns protrude from her forehead, giving her a playful, mischievous look.
"Finally, Najeeeee beat the disgusting creepy crawlies." The little girl does a celebratory dance atop the gruesome mess that was once the head of a young dragon.
Najeel sighs, already used to her antics. "It's Najeel. Hah, who am I kidding? Please just eat your meal already."
Hearing Najeel give the go ahead, the girl giggles as she expands several meters wide, instantly swallowing the thirty meter long earth dragon.
A sickening crunch echoes through the dim cave as the gelatinous blob shrinks in size taking around four minutes. As the slime girl finishes her meal, she reverts to her normal size and shape, her glowing eyes sparkling with satisfaction. Najeel shakes his head, relieved that the ordeal is over.
"Well, that was...enlightening," he says, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Remind me again why I'm stuck with a slime girl who has an insatiable appetite for giant monsters?"
The slime girl giggles, her voice like a gentle chime. "Because, Najeeeee, you're my favorite human! And I promise to keep you safe from all the scary creatures!"
Najeel sighs, rubbing his temples. "I'm not sure if that's a blessing or a curse." Handing over a set of clothes, he Informs her. "We have to hurry Talia, or we'll be late. The other Sins will be attending."
Talia shrugs before slithering into the clothes as she puts them on. "I don't wanna, they're all so mean. Well apart from Monarcha."
Najeel, cleaning his spear from the blood of the caterpillars rolls his eyes. "Well Monarcha will be there too."
Talia, pleased by this cheers in excitement. "Fine I'll go."