The Endless Forest

Four months later…

Felix stood high above a sea of people. The cacophony of voices that chanted out his name was like a wall of sound, nearly deafening him. He felt a rush of excitement as he looked down from his view.

He was smiling.

Yet, despite the apparent celebration, there was something within that cautioned him. Like a whisper in the wind, it was barely noticeable. It told him something was not right, that something was off.

He did his best to ignore it.

They had won, they stood victorious, they were unstoppable. There was no reason to worry, there was nothing they could do. They had all fled, their plans foiled. There were no traps left to spring, no counter attack coming.

So then, why did he have a sense of trepidation?

Felix shook his head, it was no matter to be concerned with. Even if they tried something, his army was ready, his army would meet them.

Pushing the thoughts away, he focused back on the crowd. It had gone silent, someone was giving a speech.

He looked over to his left, a preacher dressed in gaudy white robes was speaking. The man was like a blur, his other features non-distinct. But something about the robe brought warnings back into his mind.

He tore his eyes away from the man, determined to not let his good mood be soured. The preacher continued to preach as he closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. He was starting to want nothing but to leave.

In his moment of distraction, Felix found his right arm growing tired. Glancing over to it, it soon became apparent why. He was holding it up, sword in hand and the blade pointed to the sky.

Movement caught his attention and he looked down, shock took hold of him. It was a woman– No, it was an elven woman, and she was completely naked.

Her hair was that of the falling leaves of Fall, her eyes twinkling and matching. He knew who it was immediately, the Fall Queen, the Given Queen, Autumn.

Bound, gagged, and forced to prostrate; she managed to look up at him. There was no fear in her eyes, no scornful expression. But there was… Pity? She was pitying him?

No matter, harvest was coming early and just like her title, she would be giving up her life.

Felix hardened his own expression, masking away his concerns. The moment was coming, he was prepared.

The preacher went silent, and all eyes were suddenly on him. He forced a smile as he continued to stare down at the elf. She continued to stare up at him, with that pity in her eyes.

The moment was now, he swung his sword down.

Felix’s world went white.

She painted a picture of regret.

She painted a picture of sorrow.

She painted a picture of his future.

***

Felix felt the soft rumble of Zira behind him. He was leaning up against her, as she napped. The evening sun was beginning to set and tomorrow they would be heading for the elven village of Bernel. But this evening he would be speaking with Aluin.

The Sage had requested him to come and talk, and the time was fast approaching. He could only guess at what the elf wanted to speak to him about, but it most likely had to do with tomorrow.

Silently waiting, he decided to practice his mana control while letting his thoughts drift. A bad habit, but one he could not help at times like these. He was feeling both excited and nervous at the same time.

I’m going to be meeting a bunch of new people. Most of whom, will hate me… He pushed the thought away, not wanting to worry himself over what he could not control. Instead, he focused on the last few months and all the progress that had been made.

Looking back, it had felt like a blur to him. Both Zira and him had spent most of their time training, whether that be with Aluin or Ithea. Though, the latter had been hyper focused on their combat prowess, while the former had been focused on training their inner selves.

Of course, there had been times in between where he did his best to study dragons. Unfortunately, literature was something they were sorely lacking and he had to rely on Ithea’s own accounts. Something the dragon woman had been surprisingly open with sharing.

Now that’s a thought… Who would’ve guessed that crazy woman would actually calm down? Not him, that was for sure. Yet it happened, slowly, but it did happen. Leaving him only to wonder why.

Speaking of dragons… He glanced at Zira who was still happily slumbering away. She had grown exponentially since her hatching, and was now bigger than a horse.

With that being said, she could only carry him around while on the ground. She was still not big enough for him to ride on her while she flew. Only a few more months, he assured himself.

Zira wasn’t the only one who had grown. Kyrith had grown too, managing to keep up despite starting out smaller. The ember-colored dragon lacked the same wit that Zira had, but that didn’t mean he was lacking intelligence. He was observant, and had a way to get people to do what he wanted.

Currently, the dragon was somewhere out in the trees, helping the kobolds train the two dire wolves. The very same ones that had been a part of the pack that attacked him, all those months ago.

They were a male and female pair and Tamer, another titled-named kobold, had managed to do just that, tame them. Though he did have help from Ithea, and now Kyrith, the fact that he was successful at all spoke for itself.

Then there were the rest of the kobolds. Starting with Uzreg, who was now named Watcher. The old gray kobold had been…active, to put it nicely. Now there were several little Uzregs fixing to hatch.

He wasn’t the only one, however.

Niri and Gern had finally paired, as the kobolds called it, and were working on making the next generation as well. In fact, their population was already increasing. A dozen or so new kobolds had already hatched since they set up their camp, here at the manor.

Though calling it a camp isn’t fair, it’s a village. A shoddily put together one, but still… Felix could only give them credit. They were trying, and with each new addition they were getting better.

That just left Eri and Aluin… Really, it just left Eri. There hadn’t been much change with the Sage, besides looking a lot less stressed. Though, he wondered if that were true or if Aluin had gotten better at hiding it. Nothing would surprise him with that elf.

Eri, on the other hand, was complicated. She was continuing her training as the Sage’s apprentice, but it felt like that was slowly changing. She was starting to spend more time with Felix, something that did make him feel good.

However, it was not all perfect. The elven woman still had a penchant for overworking herself, out of constant worry for others. She was improving, and they all were doing their best to help her where they could. But if someone got hurt, she would spend every waking moment tending to them.

Luckily, there haven't been too many cases where someone got seriously injured… He was thinking of himself, the one person who seemed to find danger at every corner. It had become a running joke at this point.

Speaking of himself, Felix had seen massive improvements to his magic. Albeit, in a backwards kind of way…

Spells were nothing more than a way to direct and shape mana. It was how most people learned how to use magic. But not Felix. Instead, he was learning how to do the reverse of that. His mana control allowed him to manipulate both his and the ambient mana around him. Because of that, he had to learn how to shape spells without actually using them.

It was as difficult as it sounded, and most techniques would not work for him. Aluin, and even Ithea, had to come up with an entirely new method to train him. So here he was, reverse engineering a simple light spell…

Well, he was that is, until he got too distracted.

The mana that had been building up in his hand became unstable, and he was forced to release it slowly. He let out a sigh as he felt it flow through his fingers.

“You shouldn’t let your thoughts wander while you are practicing,” a voice called out suddenly.

Startled, Felix quickly looked up and found Aluin standing before him. He relaxed and glanced back down at his hand, flexing it. “Sorry,” he said.

The elf was silent for a few moments before speaking up again. “Perhaps, you should take a break, and we need to talk anyway. Come, I know it's late but let’s take a walk.”

Felix nodded and stood up, only now realizing how much time had passed. The sun had fully set by now, and the sounds of the forest night life could be heard.

It was summer now, and with it came hot days and nights. Not that it was all that bad for Felix, Zira alone could easily cool down any area. However, with the seasons changing, the forest had started to change with it.

The change was subtle but hard to miss, especially when the swarms of bugs began to multiply. Even the air felt heavy with moisture, clinging to just about everything. It would be miserable if it weren’t for Zira and the storms.

This time of the year was apparently when the coastal storms decided to make landfall, and while they did bring extra moisture into the air, they also brought cool winds and rain…

Felix decided to let the sleeping dragon lie, not wanting to wake her for various reasons. The main one being that tomorrow was going to be filled with excitement, both the good and the bad kind. He wanted her to be as well rested as possible.

Another major reason was a bit…selfish. He wanted a little alone time with his thoughts, and that was difficult with her awake. That wasn’t to say he hated it, but sometimes a man just wants to be in his own head.

That was doubly true after the dream he had a few nights ago…

He followed Aluin, and they eventually made their way into the forest proper. The giant Sky Trees towered over them, disappearing into the inky black night.

He activated his mana sight.

“About the next few days,” Aluin started, effortlessly walking through the underbrush. “I feel that it is time I explain a few things to you. It is almost Ascension Day, it's an important holiday and tradition for us elves.”

“You’ve mentioned that. Something to do with the rise of the first elven queen, right?” Felix asked.

“Not exactly, but it has changed overtime anyway. Originally, it was to celebrate the formation of the Elven Queendom and the ascension of the first queen. That is still a part of it now, but it has taken up a new role as well.”

Aluin stopped and turned to face him. “It has become a solemn reminder of what we have lost.”

Felix hesitated, unsure what to say to that.

Aluin went back to walking as he spoke again. “Starting tomorrow, Bernel village will be hosting festivities. That will last for three days, however tomorrow and the next will be joyful. While the third and final day, the actual date of the holiday, will be much more subdued.”

“I see…” He said, picking up the pace to keep up with the elf.

“I’m not so sure you do… Felix, you will hear stories about the past. Some of them are awful, some of them are even true. You will finally learn about some of the things that Fea and I have kept hidden from you. I can only ask for your forgiveness, because I fear some of that will be aimed directly at you.”

The Sage came to a stop, they were now standing in front of the manor. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?” The elf’s voice was serious, there was not even a hint of humor to be found in it.

He was silent for a few moments, still taking in everything his mentor, his friend, was telling him. Do I? Felix asked himself. I’ve been planning this for weeks now… I’ve been excited about the prospect of finding candidates for the eggs.

But of course, I am also concerned. Concerned about what the rest of the elves would think of me. And now, I might find out more than I am willing to know about the past…

This was a hard decision, but this would be his only chance for a long while. He desperately wanted to start hatching more eggs, and for that, he needed more people. He steeled himself and answered.

“I am.”

Noria let out a sigh. The sun was already peaking over the horizon, greeting everyone on what should have been a fantastic day.

But not for her…

She was exhausted from the constant requests, meetings, and various projects that required her attention. It didn’t help that they were all for the festival that was fixing to start.

The elven woman was the single Mage in Bernel village, at least the most adept one. However, she never wanted the title, or the stressful duties that came along with it. Unfortunately, she had been ‘volunteered’ for it by the rest of the village.

She could’ve declined, of course, but she hadn’t been in the right state of mind at the time. Not to mention, it would have let the village down. That was something she just could not do, especially when they desperately needed a dedicated mage.

If she could have her way, she would much prefer to be working with animals over people. She found it all too draining, and could hardly say no. It did not help that she was constantly compared to their former mage, Carlea… Her mother.

The woman was a legendary figure in her own right, rediscovering lost techniques that had proven to be beneficial to all elves. Sadly, though, it was her research that killed her. It had been sudden and, tragically, it was Noria who discovered her.

To make matters worse, Noria wasn’t even given time to grieve for her loss. The village had come to her in full, asking for her to take up the reins.

It was something that she had come to resent about the village. No one ever asked her how she was doing, no one ever stopped to ask if she needed help. Instead, they kept piling more work onto her and comparing her to her mother.

She often dreamed of leaving it all behind and running away…

There’s only one person who’s ever– Her thoughts were disrupted by a familiar voice.

“Noria!”

Surprised, and a little embarrassed, she whipped around to face them. “L-Lorem!” she stammered out.

The elven man rushed over to her in an instant, a bright smile painted on his face. He came to a stop and towered over her. That didn’t phase him in the slightest, as he immediately wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

Noria could feel her heart racing even as she struggled to break free. “L-Let me go!” She mumbled, inadvertently breathing in his scent. Her cheeks flushed a bright red as he finally let her free.

“Sorry! I was just so happy to see you!” He shouted in excitement.

She took a few steps back so that she could look up at him without craning her neck.

Lorem was tall for an elf, and compared to Noria, who was a little short for one, he was a giant. His shoulders were broad and filled with muscle, only adding to the image. He was a tribal guard after all, most of them were even bigger than him.

He ran a hand through his short, brown hair, while his hazel eyes sparkled at her sight. Noria couldn’t help herself, she found him quite attractive…

Noria, on the other hand, was short and thin, practically weighing nothing compared to him. Her golden hair was long and braided, coming down past her shoulders. Then there was her eyes, they were amber colored and held the spark of someone who was well studied.

“Please don’t do that… It’s embarrassing.” She said, doing her best to mask how she truly felt.

“Right… Sorry,” he apologized, but still kept his smile. “Like I said, I was just so happy to see you again.”

“Indeed… It, uh, has been a while. You weren’t with the last caravan.”

Lorem frowned. “I wasn’t… I wanted to be, but I got injured. It wasn’t serious, but they refused to let me go.”

“Oh? Well that’s not what they said…” She was finally regaining what little confidence she had back.

He furrowed his brow, looking displeased. “And what did they say?”

Noria gulped and took another step back. “They said… They said, that you broke a leg…”

Lorem clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Hardly… I sprained an ankle.” He softened his expression. “I’m sorry if they made you worry about me.”

“It’s alright, I figured you would be fine…” She lied. She had been quite worried about him when she had found out. In fact, she had almost asked if she could join the caravan just to go see him.

He stared at her for several seconds before speaking again. “I see, well, pay them no mind. As you can see for yourself, I am perfectly fine.” He gestured to his legs, to prove his point.

“Anyways,” he continued, “I wanted to see if you would come with me to the festival.”

Noria was floored by his casual invitation. “Y-you mean, like a date?!” She stammered out.

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. “Yeah… I suppose I do.”

“B-but aren’t you… You know, with your tribe?”

“I am, but I kinda wanted to spend some more time with you…”

Her heart began racing again, beating hard enough to make her worry it would break free from her chest. “I mean… I’m so busy a-and…” Her mind was drawing a blank, she was struggling to come up with reasons why she couldn’t.

“Are they seriously making you work through the festival?!” He sounded indignant at the notion.

“Well… No… I, uh, just mean I’ve got a lot of preparations to take care of…”

Relaxing, Lorem let out a breath. “Oh, well that’s fine. So do you want to come with me?”

“I…” Noria had to take a breath of her own, begging for her heart to calm down. “Yes,” she managed to squeak out.

Lorem’s smile returned. “Great! I’ll come pick you up later! I hear that Master Aluin will be kicking off the celebrations this year, we can’t miss that!”

Before she could respond, Lorem was already rushing away.

What have I done? She wondered to herself, this was the first time anyone had asked her out for anything more than a job. Despite the apprehension that was forming, she couldn’t help but smile.

I guess I’ll need to hurry things up then!