Changes 

Chapter 20: Changes

"Nothing is permanent but change."

- Elbert Hubbert

-----------------------------------------------------

"None can escape from Damnation."

After he declared that, he fainted. Mavis rushed to catch him and diagnosed his body.

He declared that it was mana deprivation. It seemed Lucian used all the mana in his body to evoke the flames of damnation.

'So those golden flames can invoke themselves.'

Axel then looked at Celine and she seemed to calm down more but she was still shaken. He really wanted to hug and comfort her but I held myself back.

Axel went near her and said some comforting words then inquired about how things unfolded.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Year 1212, 5th day of the 5th month- Evergrey Inn~

[General POV]

.

It has been a week since Lucian fainted. He was yet to wake. Mavis was in charge of updating his condition.

He told everyone that Lucian got his mana back but he was still in a coma from the sheer shock of the whole incident.

Everyone was…

They never thought they would meet someone who could kill for sport… and even infants at that…

Julian was agitated because something like this will not be held down. People from other regions will get wind of this event sooner or later.

No matter how isolated Evergrey was there were still merchants traveling here occasionally and some Altumian people pass by this village to Hayton as well. But Lucian was in no position to decide what to do.

After Lucian, Julian could be called the leader, so everyone was waiting for him to decide for the next course of action.

Problem was without Lucian they did not have access to the illusion magic for disguise. Well they can use normal disguises but that may turn out lacking…

Julian and Mavis kept looking at the map and they knew they need to get out of the country soon.

They got wind of what happened in the north with Axel's sister. Now she was missing and declared a traitor.

The lord of Whitefox's seemed to be in prison and his majesty the current king and Lucian's father was bedridden with an unknown illness.

The changes were happening too fast.

The other news they heard was there was a fire in Alvarez estate in the capital.

Lord Alvarez was alright and he even cut down a few people who tried to assassinate him amidst the confusion.

Things were changing for the worst and at an alarming rate.

All the allies of Lucian were getting hunted.

The poor district in the capital was upturned, because they got the suspicion that some traitor was hiding there.

Julian kept looking at the map and grunted. He seemed to have decided on something so he called everyone to the meeting room.

"Everyone thank you for coming in such short notice. As you have already realized we are behind our schedule and the situation in the kingdom has gotten worse…

With the king's illness, the borders have increased their patrol. And as our lord is still unconscious we do not have access to illusion magic.

If we want to cross the border now, we will have to take huge risks.

Staying here is not an option either. This village is already on the radar of the nobility and many will travel here soon enough.

So, I was left with no choice but this."

After that he pointed towards the map for everyone to see.

"I have talked to the people from that mountain village and they told me there were a path through the mountain that gets you on the valleys of the cross mountain range.

It is a very narrow path so we will have to go on foot and from there we can sneak into Altumia."

"Can we not just force our way through the border." Celine asked a silly question.

"We can if you want to be hunted for a lifetime by two countries…"

Mavis answered looking very serious. His usual playful smile was nowhere to be found.

The situation was that serious.

"We will depart tomorrow at dawn. We will get help from one of the young hunters on the village that has experience traversing that terrain and we will go to the capital of Altumia, Alhamura.

As you know Altumia, Kaelin and Haranhaul are the only kingdoms that believe in the four deities religion, Forsaul.

So even though we will not be there for the actual prophecy reading, but we will get to know the prophecy non the less from the main church in Alhamura."

"Sooooo, why didn't Lucian want to go to Alhamura directly then?"Asked Celine.

People were already used to her obvious questions so they didn't show any reaction.

"My lady, I think it was because our main destination being the elven kingdom and Haranhaul is directly connected to Borvania. The country that houses the Elven forest." Answered Spike.

Celine seemed to be enlightened and nodded.

"Not only that, Lucian also wanted to check something in Haranhaul. Which he still will when we travel again after the prophecy is passed."

"Okay everyone go and buy what you need and pack up. We leave tomorrow."

""""Yes sir!!""""

-----------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile in Hayton- Alvarez Castle~

[Oriana's POV]

.

It has been a while since the boy left and now my daughter is finally home. I look towards the silly girl sitting and looking towards the sky in absentmindedness.

'Sigh… You followed your cousin for so long my dear, even went as far as to beg me. When I wanted to quell your fit with an unreasonable condition as work as his maid… You didn't even flinch to accept.

Your feelings for him is enviable dear daughter but… your life will not be magical like the stories I am afraid..'

Everyone knew about the feelings of the young maiden but there was nothing they could do as the prince was promised to the elven princess since birth. And even though royalty can have more than one wife… But that's only when the first wife cannot produce an heir or if they die.

So the little lady of our family only had a chance to be with that boy if he broke the marriage with the elf or if the elf was unable to produce an heir. Which was very likely as elven race has it heard to reproduce and not to mention harder with a human.

I wanted to help my daughter but things are going wrong right now. There was a fire a few days ago in my husbands estate in the capital.

'Seems like Beth is really impatient. I still haven't told Lissie, that Luce was here but I might have to send her away soon. This kingdom is not safe.

I haven't even written to my husband about this because of all the spies.

Things are all going downhill.

And with the new prophecy in the corner chaos will once again envelope these forsaken lands…'

'I heard from Lissie that my husband even sent Isadora towards the elven territory.

That's the story of another poor girl. Sigh'

'Little Luce I knew you will break hearts but even I am getting angry at this moment.' I couldn't help but shake my head because I knew that boy only had the interest of the people in mind and never indulged himself in beauties.

'But it does make one wonder… Now that he will break off the marriage between the elves who will he choose…'.

I followed my darling daughter and looked at the sky, building castles in the air.

------------------------------------------------------

[General POV]

.

"Deep in the Elven forest a massive clearing of land can be found. It was not because of deforestation but it was a gift of nature. The Elharen Trees which made up 70 percent of the elven forest could not grow in that plain lands because of the soil.

The soil was mostly made of dead roots of the world tree or as the elves worshiped as mother tree. They believe the spirits were blessed by the gods and given a seed as a gift. The nature spirits then planted the seed on the soil and the mother tree took sprout. After millennia of care the tree reached the heavens and shielded the world from harm.

Alas the Lunar Severance put an end to that.

The once glorious tree is no more. And in its place remains a plain where no tree is grown.

Legends say twelve hundred years ago when the new generation of men were trying to find their new homes, a tribe of white skinned and tall men and women discovered the elven forests.

Their affinity with nature was nothing like what other humans could achieve. These people were natural druids born very close to natural affinity.

They started living in the elven forest and in time one of the young ones met a spirit named Sa'. The spirit was one of the ancient Nature spirits and one of the last of its surviors.

After the Lunar Severance even the number of spirits dwindled. And when Sa' found a human so close to nature she was happy. She met with the other humans and offered them her blessings.

A blessing that changed their own anatomy and nature. Becoming even closer to nature and to spirits, they became the first Elves."

A beautiful man with light green hair and pointy ears closed a book. He looked ahead of him where a few beautiful teens were sitting.

He smiled at them and continued. "That is the history of our race dear children. Yes, we are no longer humans and nothing about us is that of human. We are closer to the spirits if you ask me.

And I do know a lot of you have prejudice against them because of the middle years of war and carnage.

But we are trying to open up to them again."

"But teacher!! Why do we have to sacrifice big sister for this? Why does she have to be sold to that human prince. I don't like it." Said a very young boy who was sitting front of the bunch.

The man could only smile wryly and look at a young lady, who was like a painting with beautiful emerald eyes and a long mint hair. Sitting elegantly and listening to his lecture.

As if she understood what he wanted she spoke, with a very mild tone that can calm the soul, "I know father has decided to mend our relationship with the humans but I have no such plant to be sold and be enslaved to a human. To be his… mate…"

*cough*

"Now, now princess. Don't put it like that. The prince you were promised to is a very intelligent young man who was tested by the king himself. And the king said his affinity to nature is very strong as well.

Not to mention he has a Sage as a teacher too."

"Hmph, He is not the only one with a sage as a teacher now is he? Our sister is already an Expert Rank Nature Wizard! Can that human even come near her talents?"

"Calm down Tony. And I don't believe he is as gifted as Lady Sylphette, He was an advanced mage of Earth magic at the age of ten from what I last heard. So he should be around reaching Expert Rank by now."

*Murmur*

"Like that is true! It must be those humans making up rumors to make them look good." The elf named Tony snorted.

*chuckle*

"I suppose so, but even if he is a Master Wizard. I don't plan on marrying him. My life is my own and I will find my own love."

The royal tutor just smiled at her.

He remembered something and announced.

"Now that we are on that topic. We did receive a royal letter two days ago from Rorengar. Seems like it was sent two months ago saying the Lucian Franzer will be visiting our territory in the near future.

Though there weren't any specific dates given. And they did indicate he would be travelling a bit before coming here eventually so a year perhaps!

So my lady you might really get to decide on that contact when you see him."

The beautiful young lady felt dread, to hear that she had to meet her 'Fiancé'. In the upcoming future. She had never met him but heard a bit about him from her father. Who seems to really like the human.

He said he tested him in different things and found he was very kind, intelligent and talented. But she didn't care about any of that.

She wanted to be in control of her own fate.

'I don't care how good you are but I am sorry but I will have to break our marriage.'