The Light Maker felt annoyed. At first he was terrified, literally terrified, he could hardly move let alone breathe in the presence of the two. He had heard the Blood Drinker’s dying throes, he had known he died somehow. He just thought it was some type of illusion, but it finally settled in him. The pair had killed one of the strongest Monarchs in all of Selia. Therefore he was terrified. These figures had strength beyond his comprehension, though thankfully they had made a relatively fair deal with him and he could sort of relax.
But now there was only annoyance. He had been a tool to the Calamity’s verbal abuse for well over a month while the other one simply laughed about it. It was stiffening. He received no respect, neither of the two respected him. He hated every second of it, and now he felt foolish for some of the thoughts he had at the beginning.
They were Monarchs. Many soldiers dreamed of meeting one, let alone seeing one. Monarchs were figures of respect, their names famous throughout the universe, legends of Old. He too felt that kind of admiration for the pair, he didn’t know where one of them came, The Illusionist, he had heard of her as a him. But he wasn’t one to question such things. Meanwhile the Dark Calamity was a figure that appeared in the text books in his home planet.
A figure of twisted evil that tried to consume the universe with her dark plants. But the reality wasn’t further from the truth.
“Hey Ron.” Lumina called.
“It’s The Light Maker!” He grimaced.
“Whatever Ron, I need you to do me a favor.” Lumina looked at him seriously for the first time.
“Favor?” He was a bit confused but felt compelled to agree. “I will do it if you agree to call me The Light Maker.”
“Sure Ron.” Lumina agreed but he frowned. “Listen, I need you to find out what the elf is talking to Blair about, and I mean the truth. I fear that El might be doing something that I don't approve of.”
Right, he remembered that The Illusionist had left the room after a minute.
“I’ll agree.” He sighed. “Please call me by my name, The Light Maker. I deserve that much respect, I saved Blair…”
Lumina closed her eyes. “Fine, The Light Maker, can you go find out the truth for me please? I will help you advance to B Grade if you do.”
He hurriedly nodded. “I will go listen in.”
Lumina smiled. “Good.”
◇ ◇ ◇
That’s how he found himself snooping through the forest. Looking for signs of Blair and the other elf. He didn’t exactly have hopes to find where The Illusionist was considering they had entered his secluded bunker without raising any alarms. Unfortunately, even if he felt disappointed that the two Monarchs weren’t as heroic it didn’t exactly mean they weren’t strong. On the contrary, they were strong, he held no hope in finding her.
Except he did, he teleported into a cave as he heard hushed voices talking.
“Great Illusionist, we have set the thing in motion.”
“What did you do, Woodland elf?”
“Well, I found a general after arduous searching and with pure luck. With some thorough convincing and information gathering we produced a small booklet of orders from the King and Queen herself. Musings and whispers, rumors of the Dark Elves that are the reason they were killed.” The girl paused. “Hopefully, that fulfills my end of the deal.”
The Illusionist breathed. “Good.”
The Light Maker shook his head. They had made some sort of deal, and just as he was about to get out, his vision was clouded with darkness and he let out a deep sigh. He had been detected, and of course how couldn’t he be detected? It was a Monarch after all.
A tall figure phased through the darkness, it was an abomination, standing on two hooved legs, with the body of a man and a head of a goat. It stared down with flaming blue eyes holding a golden spear. Its body was blue, but The Light Maker was unimpressed.
“Interloper.”
“Get to the point.” He sighed. “Illusions right?”
The figure disappeared. “Fine.” The Illusionist walked out of the shadows. “Why are you peeping The Light Maker?”
“I was sent here.”
“By?” She asked with a frown.
“By me!” A plant sprouted in between the two, it was a tree full of spikes and its wood was black. It split open as Lumina walked out, still wearing her garbs. “I sent him, El.”
The Illusionist, Elasia, had her gaze soften.
“What are you planning on doing with Blair?” Lumina asked with a frown.
“I am just getting things in motion.” She sighed. “You know, her revenge on the Woodland Elves, I am fulfilling that. The extermination of that race.”
“You are fulfilling that with lies!” Lumina spat. “What if Blair finds out? What’s the point in the trust she has placed in us?” She was angry. “Did you not see her face? What if we just betray her trust on our selfish whims!”
Elasia gasped for a moment. “Right, you— you are back. Then— this was just petty revenge since… Blair reminded me of you, so…” she trailed.
“So you have to put a stop to things!” Lumina exclaimed.
Elasia shifted awkwardly and The Light Maker sighed. Only Monarchs could exterminate a race on selfish whims.
“So we look for Blair?” The Light Maker asked with a small sigh.
“Yes, of course we look for Blair!” Lumina agreed.
Elasia nodded with pause. Her body was shaking a bit, evidently The Light Maker could see her deep regret. Just how much did the two treasure the person he was supposed to be serving. Sure, he cared about Blair, but he didn’t— he kind of expected her to die in a couple of dozen years and be free. Meanwhile these people just…
Treated her as if it was their child? They told her a ton of information about skills he had never heard before, told her how to distribute her attributes effectively, and a myriad of other things. It was the things his parents had taught him. Except these two were Monarchs.
The Light Maker shook his head. All he could do was adopt a wait and see attitude.
* * * * *
I frowned reading the booklet that the Woodland Elf had handed me. It was like an old man, reminiscent of some of the elders, but he was quaking in fear in front of me. We stood deep underground, in the ravine where the onslaught had occurred. The booklet was akin to the cursed musings of a lunatic but it also made a lot of sense to me. Well to some extent.
They are heretics; they befriended the dark plants and plan to use them to take over the world.
Susurrations of an upheaval begin, the Deep Dark wants to overthrow the Woodland.
As I read through it, there was nothing that was particularly new to me. Elei was very understanding and coercive almost, telling me that she was surprised I held no grudges against her after last time and such things. She had changed in unforeseeable ways since I had last seen her, it was just odd to me.
I continued reading with a small frown. I had heard of most of these excuses and reasons for exterminations, the stupidity of them definitely made me angry, but I had a family now, and being entirely honest I didn’t miss my parents or the people from my village all that much. They were just a distant memory in my mind now.
And then I flipped the page, the garbling was even worse but I managed to read it.
The Child of Prophecy has finally been born. Born to the Dark elves, she will bring calamity to the land and extinguish all life. Castaway and unloved, she will see the end of her revenge no matter what. Upon being born the Dark Elves will distance themselves, upon being born they will become abrasive warriors, and the forest will change.
Child of Prophecy, it will bring Calamity onto this world. If their race is not eradicated the world will end.
I frowned as I turned to the quivering elf. The last passage was a new one, a new bullshit reason that I had never heard before.
“This passage, the Child of Prophecy— where did it come from?”
The elf lowered his head. “It’s a message passed down to all commanders and brigade commanders. It’s… it’s what I received. We were to kill all of the Deep Dark to save our kin and the entirety of the planet… I believe that ma’am is the Child of Prophecy…” He said meekly and I saw red.
“Do you mean to say that my entire race was wiped just because I was born? Do you mean to say I deserved a life of pain just because of things?” I grit my teeth.
“It’s… what was prophesied by the late King and Queen…” The elf said, taking a few steps back.
“That doesn’t answer my questions…”
“I don’t…”
I grabbed onto the spear and swung it, pausing at his neck with the mana edge. “Answer my questions!”
He nodded. “Yes! That is effectively what it says! I— I did think like that once upon a time, but ma’am is a kind woman that holds no resentments!”
I scoffed and withdrew my blade. “How many of your people know this?”
“All of the commanders and brigade commanders. So about three hundred of us…” He scratched his cheek.
“I see…” My gaze wandered to the ground. “And this was the reason the war started? This was the reason the rules of nature were defied? The reason the forest was burnt?”
“Y-Yes.” He quivered. “It is ma’am…”
“Fuck!” I snorted and stomped onto the ground.
At that moment there was a flash of light and three figures appeared next to us. Elasia, The Light Maker, and Lumina respectively. Elasia was looking down, The Light Maker shrugged and went to sit on a corner and Lumina was frowning at Elasia.
“Say it.” She commanded.
“I…” Elasia opened her eyes and looked pleadingly at Lumina but she was just reproached. Then she looked at me, I was still angry but also confused. “Blair, I… I am the reason you are reading that booklet. I wanted you to go kill all the Woodland Elves…”
I frowned. “So the entire booklet is nothing but lies? The elf is saying they were orders from the Queen and King herself. Why would you lie about my birth bringing catastrophe to my entire race?” I felt betrayed. I looked at Elasia as if she were a monster, and her countenance froze as she craned her head towards the elf.
“Is that… tell me you are— tell me the stupid elf created those lies.”
The elf quivered as a heavy atmosphere descended. “Most of the booklet is lies, but the last page is parchment, it's the orders I had received from the King and Queen herself.”
Elasia blinked and her eyes flashed. The elf held his head in pain, and then she gasped.
“Blair…” She called.
“So? You lied to get me to kill their race, is that it?”
“The…” She swallowed and looked down. “I did… but that last passage is the truth. Most of everything else is fabricated…”
I frowned. “I don’t believe you.”
“Blair.” Lumina called, her gaze was sincere. “Believe her, we want you to trust us, El is telling the truth only.”
I frowned at Lumina too, but then The Light Maker groaned.
“Look Realm Breaker, they got into a very heated argument earlier just for you. Please trust them.”
I swallowed as I forcefully quenched my rage and disappointment. I looked at Elasia and simply asked.
“Why?”
She sighed and shook her head, meanwhile Lumina answered for her. “She was angry you tried to kill her when you met her simply because of how similar she looks to the Woodland Elves, Blair. There is nothing more hurtful than losing everything and getting repaid with hatred.”
“Losing everything?” I raised my brow.
“Elasia gave a Mythical Prophecy in exchange to get the rights to be your Patron, Blair.” Lumina shook her head. “Moreover, that Prophecy was a gift from me. As you can tell, by how she reacted when she found out you found my body, it meant a lot.”
“Right… Just because of that?”
“Blair.” Lumina called with a sigh. “You remind her of me, at that time it was akin to Sun trying to kill you. Would you like that?”
I pondered for some time, imagining the scenario and bit my lip. “I wouldn’t.”
“I am sorry, Blair…” Elasia finally apologized.
“The damage is already done.” Lumina added. “Blair, what do you wish to do knowing that what you read is the supposed truth from the late Queen and King?”
I frowned upon hearing Lumina. It really didn’t matter all that much did it? Whether Elasia had done that or not, eventually I would’ve found the truth out. Of course, it wasn’t okay for her to do that, but nonetheless, I understood. I sort of understood what Elasia did and why, she was a figure with power at her fingertips, in all honesty it was probably her way of doing things.
I had threatened the elf to get an answer rather than try and talk… I closed my eyes. They were like petty grievances really.
I understood. Strength changed people. And then, came the question that Lumina made, but instead I wanted to ask.
“Elasia, what happens with the New World? What is the best outcome?”
She blinked for a moment, feeling a bit guilty.
“If you claim ownership, then we should be nigh untouchable, otherwise we would need to flee… Alternatively— no forget it, that is my struggle to deal with. If we are talking about the New World only, then it is best to seize your advantages and kill the dragon as soon as you can, Blair.”
I nodded, but decided to ask. “What is your struggle to deal with?”
Lumina sighed. “She was considering overthrowing the Empire.”
“Right.” The goal was so alien that it grounded me a bit. “So, killing the dragon is the best outcome…”
Lumina nodded.
I bit my nail as I thought, I was unsure about how I could compare to the dragon now, but I didn’t have high hopes. I needed manpower, and now— I felt resentment towards the elves that acted upon that stupid Prophecy. It wasn’t revenge— it definitely was a form of revenge. It bothered me that they had waged war under the guise of me being some sort of chosen one. What the fuck did I even have? Nothing. My dark plant affinity was strange to me, and sure my parents might’ve treated me worse due to it.
But it didn’t make sense. Maybe I wasn’t even the so-called Child of Prophecy, maybe I was making myself all self important for no reason, maybe I was victimizing myself and resenting them for no reason. But I couldn’t be alright with things, I couldn’t be alright with those people living without paying for using such a stupid prophecy to destroy a race. Not one that possibly blamed everything on me.
I took a deep breath.
“We will build a city and gather all of the Woodland Elves in the continent. An army of Commanders and Brigade Commanders.”
Lumina raised her brow.
“And then, we will go slay the dragon.”
They were going to be nothing but cannon-fodder for my success, but it didn’t matter to me. I genuinely resented them now.
The Light Maker felt annoyed. At first he was terrified, literally terrified, he could hardly move let alone breathe in the presence of the two. He had heard the Blood Drinker’s dying throes, he had known he died somehow. He just thought it was some type of illusion, but it finally settled in him. The pair had killed one of the strongest Monarchs in all of Selia. Therefore he was terrified. These figures had strength beyond his comprehension, though thankfully they had made a relatively fair deal with him and he could sort of relax.
But now there was only annoyance. He had been a tool to the Calamity’s verbal abuse for well over a month while the other one simply laughed about it. It was stiffening. He received no respect, neither of the two respected him. He hated every second of it, and now he felt foolish for some of the thoughts he had at the beginning.
They were Monarchs. Many soldiers dreamed of meeting one, let alone seeing one. Monarchs were figures of respect, their names famous throughout the universe, legends of Old. He too felt that kind of admiration for the pair, he didn’t know where one of them came, The Illusionist, he had heard of her as a him. But he wasn’t one to question such things. Meanwhile the Dark Calamity was a figure that appeared in the text books in his home planet.
A figure of twisted evil that tried to consume the universe with her dark plants. But the reality wasn’t further from the truth.
“Hey Ron.” Lumina called.
“It’s The Light Maker!” He grimaced.
“Whatever Ron, I need you to do me a favor.” Lumina looked at him seriously for the first time.
“Favor?” He was a bit confused but felt compelled to agree. “I will do it if you agree to call me The Light Maker.”
“Sure Ron.” Lumina agreed but he frowned. “Listen, I need you to find out what the elf is talking to Blair about, and I mean the truth. I fear that El might be doing something that I don't approve of.”
Right, he remembered that The Illusionist had left the room after a minute.
“I’ll agree.” He sighed. “Please call me by my name, The Light Maker. I deserve that much respect, I saved Blair…”
Lumina closed her eyes. “Fine, The Light Maker, can you go find out the truth for me please? I will help you advance to B Grade if you do.”
He hurriedly nodded. “I will go listen in.”
Lumina smiled. “Good.”
◇ ◇ ◇
That’s how he found himself snooping through the forest. Looking for signs of Blair and the other elf. He didn’t exactly have hopes to find where The Illusionist was considering they had entered his secluded bunker without raising any alarms. Unfortunately, even if he felt disappointed that the two Monarchs weren’t as heroic it didn’t exactly mean they weren’t strong. On the contrary, they were strong, he held no hope in finding her.
Except he did, he teleported into a cave as he heard hushed voices talking.
“Great Illusionist, we have set the thing in motion.”
“What did you do, Woodland elf?”
“Well, I found a general after arduous searching and with pure luck. With some thorough convincing and information gathering we produced a small booklet of orders from the King and Queen herself. Musings and whispers, rumors of the Dark Elves that are the reason they were killed.” The girl paused. “Hopefully, that fulfills my end of the deal.”
The Illusionist breathed. “Good.”
The Light Maker shook his head. They had made some sort of deal, and just as he was about to get out, his vision was clouded with darkness and he let out a deep sigh. He had been detected, and of course how couldn’t he be detected? It was a Monarch after all.
A tall figure phased through the darkness, it was an abomination, standing on two hooved legs, with the body of a man and a head of a goat. It stared down with flaming blue eyes holding a golden spear. Its body was blue, but The Light Maker was unimpressed.
“Interloper.”
“Get to the point.” He sighed. “Illusions right?”
The figure disappeared. “Fine.” The Illusionist walked out of the shadows. “Why are you peeping The Light Maker?”
“I was sent here.”
“By?” She asked with a frown.
“By me!” A plant sprouted in between the two, it was a tree full of spikes and its wood was black. It split open as Lumina walked out, still wearing her garbs. “I sent him, El.”
The Illusionist, Elasia, had her gaze soften.
“What are you planning on doing with Blair?” Lumina asked with a frown.
“I am just getting things in motion.” She sighed. “You know, her revenge on the Woodland Elves, I am fulfilling that. The extermination of that race.”
“You are fulfilling that with lies!” Lumina spat. “What if Blair finds out? What’s the point in the trust she has placed in us?” She was angry. “Did you not see her face? What if we just betray her trust on our selfish whims!”
Elasia gasped for a moment. “Right, you— you are back. Then— this was just petty revenge since… Blair reminded me of you, so…” she trailed.
“So you have to put a stop to things!” Lumina exclaimed.
Elasia shifted awkwardly and The Light Maker sighed. Only Monarchs could exterminate a race on selfish whims.
“So we look for Blair?” The Light Maker asked with a small sigh.
“Yes, of course we look for Blair!” Lumina agreed.
Elasia nodded with pause. Her body was shaking a bit, evidently The Light Maker could see her deep regret. Just how much did the two treasure the person he was supposed to be serving. Sure, he cared about Blair, but he didn’t— he kind of expected her to die in a couple of dozen years and be free. Meanwhile these people just…
Treated her as if it was their child? They told her a ton of information about skills he had never heard before, told her how to distribute her attributes effectively, and a myriad of other things. It was the things his parents had taught him. Except these two were Monarchs.
The Light Maker shook his head. All he could do was adopt a wait and see attitude.
* * * * *
I frowned reading the booklet that the Woodland Elf had handed me. It was like an old man, reminiscent of some of the elders, but he was quaking in fear in front of me. We stood deep underground, in the ravine where the onslaught had occurred. The booklet was akin to the cursed musings of a lunatic but it also made a lot of sense to me. Well to some extent.
They are heretics; they befriended the dark plants and plan to use them to take over the world.
Susurrations of an upheaval begin, the Deep Dark wants to overthrow the Woodland.
As I read through it, there was nothing that was particularly new to me. Elei was very understanding and coercive almost, telling me that she was surprised I held no grudges against her after last time and such things. She had changed in unforeseeable ways since I had last seen her, it was just odd to me.
I continued reading with a small frown. I had heard of most of these excuses and reasons for exterminations, the stupidity of them definitely made me angry, but I had a family now, and being entirely honest I didn’t miss my parents or the people from my village all that much. They were just a distant memory in my mind now.
And then I flipped the page, the garbling was even worse but I managed to read it.
The Child of Prophecy has finally been born. Born to the Dark elves, she will bring calamity to the land and extinguish all life. Castaway and unloved, she will see the end of her revenge no matter what. Upon being born the Dark Elves will distance themselves, upon being born they will become abrasive warriors, and the forest will change.
Child of Prophecy, it will bring Calamity onto this world. If their race is not eradicated the world will end.
I frowned as I turned to the quivering elf. The last passage was a new one, a new bullshit reason that I had never heard before.
“This passage, the Child of Prophecy— where did it come from?”
The elf lowered his head. “It’s a message passed down to all commanders and brigade commanders. It’s… it’s what I received. We were to kill all of the Deep Dark to save our kin and the entirety of the planet… I believe that ma’am is the Child of Prophecy…” He said meekly and I saw red.
“Do you mean to say that my entire race was wiped just because I was born? Do you mean to say I deserved a life of pain just because of things?” I grit my teeth.
“It’s… what was prophesied by the late King and Queen…” The elf said, taking a few steps back.
“That doesn’t answer my questions…”
“I don’t…”
I grabbed onto the spear and swung it, pausing at his neck with the mana edge. “Answer my questions!”
He nodded. “Yes! That is effectively what it says! I— I did think like that once upon a time, but ma’am is a kind woman that holds no resentments!”
I scoffed and withdrew my blade. “How many of your people know this?”
“All of the commanders and brigade commanders. So about three hundred of us…” He scratched his cheek.
“I see…” My gaze wandered to the ground. “And this was the reason the war started? This was the reason the rules of nature were defied? The reason the forest was burnt?”
“Y-Yes.” He quivered. “It is ma’am…”
“Fuck!” I snorted and stomped onto the ground.
At that moment there was a flash of light and three figures appeared next to us. Elasia, The Light Maker, and Lumina respectively. Elasia was looking down, The Light Maker shrugged and went to sit on a corner and Lumina was frowning at Elasia.
“Say it.” She commanded.
“I…” Elasia opened her eyes and looked pleadingly at Lumina but she was just reproached. Then she looked at me, I was still angry but also confused. “Blair, I… I am the reason you are reading that booklet. I wanted you to go kill all the Woodland Elves…”
I frowned. “So the entire booklet is nothing but lies? The elf is saying they were orders from the Queen and King herself. Why would you lie about my birth bringing catastrophe to my entire race?” I felt betrayed. I looked at Elasia as if she were a monster, and her countenance froze as she craned her head towards the elf.
“Is that… tell me you are— tell me the stupid elf created those lies.”
The elf quivered as a heavy atmosphere descended. “Most of the booklet is lies, but the last page is parchment, it's the orders I had received from the King and Queen herself.”
Elasia blinked and her eyes flashed. The elf held his head in pain, and then she gasped.
“Blair…” She called.
“So? You lied to get me to kill their race, is that it?”
“The…” She swallowed and looked down. “I did… but that last passage is the truth. Most of everything else is fabricated…”
I frowned. “I don’t believe you.”
“Blair.” Lumina called, her gaze was sincere. “Believe her, we want you to trust us, El is telling the truth only.”
I frowned at Lumina too, but then The Light Maker groaned.
“Look Realm Breaker, they got into a very heated argument earlier just for you. Please trust them.”
I swallowed as I forcefully quenched my rage and disappointment. I looked at Elasia and simply asked.
“Why?”
She sighed and shook her head, meanwhile Lumina answered for her. “She was angry you tried to kill her when you met her simply because of how similar she looks to the Woodland Elves, Blair. There is nothing more hurtful than losing everything and getting repaid with hatred.”
“Losing everything?” I raised my brow.
“Elasia gave a Mythical Prophecy in exchange to get the rights to be your Patron, Blair.” Lumina shook her head. “Moreover, that Prophecy was a gift from me. As you can tell, by how she reacted when she found out you found my body, it meant a lot.”
“Right… Just because of that?”
“Blair.” Lumina called with a sigh. “You remind her of me, at that time it was akin to Sun trying to kill you. Would you like that?”
I pondered for some time, imagining the scenario and bit my lip. “I wouldn’t.”
“I am sorry, Blair…” Elasia finally apologized.
“The damage is already done.” Lumina added. “Blair, what do you wish to do knowing that what you read is the supposed truth from the late Queen and King?”
I frowned upon hearing Lumina. It really didn’t matter all that much did it? Whether Elasia had done that or not, eventually I would’ve found the truth out. Of course, it wasn’t okay for her to do that, but nonetheless, I understood. I sort of understood what Elasia did and why, she was a figure with power at her fingertips, in all honesty it was probably her way of doing things.
I had threatened the elf to get an answer rather than try and talk… I closed my eyes. They were like petty grievances really.
I understood. Strength changed people. And then, came the question that Lumina made, but instead I wanted to ask.
“Elasia, what happens with the New World? What is the best outcome?”
She blinked for a moment, feeling a bit guilty.
“If you claim ownership, then we should be nigh untouchable, otherwise we would need to flee… Alternatively— no forget it, that is my struggle to deal with. If we are talking about the New World only, then it is best to seize your advantages and kill the dragon as soon as you can, Blair.”
I nodded, but decided to ask. “What is your struggle to deal with?”
Lumina sighed. “She was considering overthrowing the Empire.”
“Right.” The goal was so alien that it grounded me a bit. “So, killing the dragon is the best outcome…”
Lumina nodded.
I bit my nail as I thought, I was unsure about how I could compare to the dragon now, but I didn’t have high hopes. I needed manpower, and now— I felt resentment towards the elves that acted upon that stupid Prophecy. It wasn’t revenge— it definitely was a form of revenge. It bothered me that they had waged war under the guise of me being some sort of chosen one. What the fuck did I even have? Nothing. My dark plant affinity was strange to me, and sure my parents might’ve treated me worse due to it.
But it didn’t make sense. Maybe I wasn’t even the so-called Child of Prophecy, maybe I was making myself all self important for no reason, maybe I was victimizing myself and resenting them for no reason. But I couldn’t be alright with things, I couldn’t be alright with those people living without paying for using such a stupid prophecy to destroy a race. Not one that possibly blamed everything on me.
I took a deep breath.
“We will build a city and gather all of the Woodland Elves in the continent. An army of Commanders and Brigade Commanders.”
Lumina raised her brow.
“And then, we will go slay the dragon.”
They were going to be nothing but cannon-fodder for my success, but it didn’t matter to me. I genuinely resented them now.
