Chapter 10: Elysium
Zeke Elwood, the [God of Gaming], has been forcibly transported to a world name Mythos. Here, the continents are divided into four. Rak'shan, Elysium, Helios, and Mithril. He read all about this inside the town library, expanding his knowledge using a skill he bought [Inner Archive] which costed him all the [Skill Points] he earned thus far.
This is a [Passive Skill] without any rank just like [Mana Conversion]. This means that it cannot be upgraded anymore. Although a passive, the skill actually drains mana whenever Zeke registers new authentic information. This all gets stored inside his head in a kind of library format, placing all similar information within a single shelf. And of course, he remembers all information gathered quite clearly.
Hence, he breezed through all the books he could find, surprising the librarian who watched him.
"This is really squeezing every cell left in my brain." He said as he continued reading.
At noontime, the quest finally expired, popping out the notification bar in front of Zeke once again.
[You have successfully cleared the Expiring Quest - Gain information on Mythos.]
[50 Skill Points are given as reward]
"YEEEEES!" Zeke instinctively shouted, to which everyone in the library shushed him. The gamer apologized, with a wide smile being worn on his face. He expected a lot of rewards to come with the quest but, this gave him even more than what he intially thought to gain.
"Oh man, I'm going to get a bunch of upgrades." Zeke told himself merrily, excited about the number of opportunities for improvement now that he has this many points. But he left this for later and, thought about the information he gained.
Rak'shan is ruled by the Beastmen. All other continents consider this continent to be filled with brutes and savages as, the Beastmen have always relied on raw power in order to choose who would lead.
The next continent is Helios. This is where the Demons rule. There are various rare monsters in this land and, people have always believed that if the demons wage a war against the four continents, they could easily win. The current lord of the demons is, however, a calm and peace-loving creature. No demon dares to oppose him because he could easily overpower any opponent.
Then there is Mithril which is ruled by the Dwarves. All of the best weapons and the most advanced machinery can be found here. The citizens would always go to Mithril in order to have things forged. However, after the great war which occurred 400 years ago, they never offered their weapons to any other race, knowing that these would only be used for violence.
Lastly, out of the four continents, Zeke has been transported to Elysium which is ruled by the Elves. Right now, the ruling king is the son of the man whom Hark has murdered with his blades. The man whose bride was stolen from him by the same person. And, that same man is now inside a room within the castle, practicing his archery.
...
"That's the 100th head you've shot today your highness." An elf rested his arms on a railing, his eyes fixed on the multiple targets that had arrows pierced through them.
"Oh cut that crap will you Erio." The man holding a bow took another arrow from his quiver. He quickly fixed it into firing position. Normally, it takes time for a person to make a shot. Measuring the distance, feeling the wind direction, and stretching the bowstring at perfect capacity. But that is only for average people.
The elf only took a second to find his prey and shoot it down elegantly. A clean and perfect shot deserving of royalty. He then released a short breath, thinking that a hundred and one headshots in a row is enough to call it a day.
He then looked back at the person who kept teasing him since earlier. His face turned to irritation as Erio gave him a towel to wash his face with.
"You know that you're still my best friend even if I already ascended to the throne."
"Hmm, that's true. But man, do you know how hard I worked to stay by your side? I mean being the General of the Elf Military wasn't a walk in the park to achieve." Erio said, getting an apple from the table and chewing on it.
"I never asked you to do that." The other elf said.
"Yeah, like I can just go to your castle and say: Yo King! Let's have a drink."
"I guess that's true." The other elf replied, leaving a smile on his face but nor permitting himself to laugh. The Elf King must be an image of elegance and composure. That is what his father, the former Elf King, taught him as he grew up.
"My Lord, I have news!" The doors to the King's archery hall suddenly opened up.
"Who goes there?" He demanded. Every servant in the castle knows that the King must never be disturbed during his archery practice. Yet here is one who, not only disturbed his practice time, but also came barging in.
"I'll have you publicly executed." He told himself, waiting for the servant to come near him.
"Forgive me for intruding my Lord, but this is urgent news." The servant knelt in front of the King, bowing his head as he spoke.
"What could be so urgent that you'd disturb the King, soldier?" Erio came back to pretending like he is a serious person. He can't act all goofy in front of the soldiers, that would leave them a bad impression on what a warrior should be like.
"Sir, I didn't know you were here." The servant said, suddenly standing straight and making a salute.
Erio then motioned for the poor elf to go back to his previous position.
"Proceed." The King said, going to the table to pick an apple himself.
"It is about your bride, Princess Sylvia." At these words, the King dropped his apple and went for his bow and arrow.
"Close the doors Erio." He said, aiming at the elf who is still facing the ground. He is, of course, aware of what is about to happen. No servant has ever spoken that name and came out alive. Nevertheless, he felt that it is his duty to relay this information.
"For your own good. I suggest that you choose your words very carefully." The King stretched the bowstring, aiming perfectly for the servant's head.
"A scouting owl that was stationed at the outskirts came back this day. As soon as an Owl Tamer looked at it, he suddenly dropped from his chair in disbelief."
"What did he find?" The King loosened the bowstring, just a little bit.
"The owl found your bride my Lord. She is with the blademaster –" An arrow grazed the cheek of the servant.
"Ack!" The servant lost his composure and dropped to the floor. As he did, two more arrows were fired just above his shoulders.
"On your knees." The King said, furious now.
"On your knees!" He screamed, making the servant scurry back to his previous position.
"Is this report true?" The King asked.
"Hey, I don't think this lad will come here and risk his life for nothing right?" Erio said, holding the King's shoulder.
"Take your hand off me you peasant!" He demanded, glaring at Erio.
*Sigh*
"I'll get this kid back to the barracks, in the meantime, you should read the report he brought." Erio, went and assisted the servant in getting up. But as he did, an arrow flew through his hair, cutting a single strand.
"That's some accurate archery." He jested.
"We both know who the better warrior is don't we?" Erio continued, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Leave!" The King shouted; bow and arrows still at his disposal.
"Both of you leave this room!" He screamed.
At this, both Erio and the servant left the room, leaving only the King and the scroll brought by his servant lying on the floor.
"Thank you for saving me sir."
"Oh believe me kid. I didn't save you." Erio said, knowing that it is for the King's sake that he took away the servant. He has a tendency to become like his father, a hot - blooded tyrant. If he does not learn to control his emotions, then the Elf Kingdom will soon return to how it was when the former King ruled.
Back inside the archery hall, the king dropped his bow and quiver to the ground. He took off the elven rope that tied the scroll inside a capsule. The container itself is resistant to both rain and fire so that, whatever happens, the document inside will survive.
As soon as he took out the scroll, the first words have made his blood boil.
Sylvia Windsprite is found.
All the memories of that night came flooding back to the king. How he lost two of the elves that he has always held dear in a single event, both of them taken by a single filthy human. He remembered the rage he felt, how he massacred the remaining rebels of the humans singlehandedly and, how he wiped out even their wives and their children.
It was a dark moment in his life that he'd rather just forget. But the name of Sylvia in itself has reminded him of all this all over again.
"Blademaster…" He said, engulfing the room in razor-sharp wind.
"You will never know peace as long as I live. I will come for you, with the whole wrath of the elven race, I swear to bring you back to this city. I swear to personally execute you in front of the city square." The wind continued circling the room until, all the target dummies are shredded to pieces.
He then looked at the scroll again, reading the name of Sylvia, clearly spelled out at the start.
"And I swear to get you back."