[scene : Colt, Luna, Edwin, the twins and Zeno are sitting in the castle's garden around a table drinking tea]
It's only been a few days since the final elf village was brought on board. Uhh, these past few months have been hectic.
The enactment of the enslavement law will be in two months as per Trea's warning.
Luc and the Starleas did their best, but against the king and duke Blackwood, doesn't really have an effect.
Ironically enough, the law will be publicly announced on the day the prince, and us, graduate from the academy and Luc still can't look me in the eyes. I swear, these people are-
Zeno : "Would we be able to go back in the future?"
Colt [snapping out of his trans] : "Why would you want to? This land will treat you better than the main continent."
Zeno : "It would have been better if we could get the dark elves on this too."
*Colt just keeps staring for a few seconds and against Zeno's confused reaction Edwin speaks*
Edwin : "You should not've said that. You should NOT've said that!"
Colt [speaking slowly] : "Did you say… dark elves?"
Colt [looking at Luna by his side] : "Did he say dark elves?"
Edwin [murmuring] : "There he goes."
Colt : "LET'S GO!! We have a new race to discover *looks at Zeno* ok, intel, how come I've never heard of them? What are their behavioral patterns? Culture? What do they look like? How are they different-"
Edwin : "Slow down and let the man speak will you?"
Zeno : "Thank you child, the reason you've never heard of them is because no human has seen them and lived to tell the tale."
Colt : "Now I'm more intrigued."
Zeno : "Unlike us, they don't stay in one place for too long; they don't rely on farming like we do. They target bandit groups in order to avoid drawing attention, that's how they get their supplies as well as knowledge of human matters."
Colt : "And how do you know all this?"
Levi : "They'd come to our village every hundred years for the last 300. That's how we knew of the wasteland unlike all the other villages."
Colt : "Interesting, why though?"
Liam : "They'd trade the tools and loot from bandits they don't need for food as well as fight our warriors."
Colt : "HUH?"
Zeno : "They value strength above all else. The leader of the group is always the strongest, he could be challenged anytime for the position. Whenever they have the chance, they'd always fight any opponent they see."
Colt [smiling an excited smile] : "And let me guess, it's about time they came?"
Zeno : "It's still 30 years too early."
Colt [sulking a bit] : "I do appreciate consistency… but why does this world keep messing with me?"
*The twins and Luna laugh*
Edwin [smiling] : "Not everything is easy even for the most overpowered now, is it?"
Colt [still kinda sulking] : "Stupid inconvenient timeline *ponders in deep thought for a few minutes*"
Edwin : "What are you doing?"
Colt : "This conversation… I've heard something similar before. I'm reviewing every relevant memory…"
[flash back]
[scene : Colt with Alexander in the wagon, Colt glances back to the people sitting inside]
Colt : "Didn't you say the roads around this town have been safe for the last 5 years?"
Alexander : "Are you asking because you're curious?"
Colt : "No merchant I've seen until now spends money unnecessarily yet you hired adventurers."
Alexander : "These people are fools. How would they know it's still safe? No amount of money can buy back your life once it's gone. But a little extra spending can easily save it."
In another world, you would've been a fine engineer, Alexander.
Colt : "What's this town called?"
Alexander : "It's called-"
[end of flash back]
[back to the original scene]
Colt : "The town of Saria. It was our third stop. At the time, me and Alexander were travelling together. It was known as the "safe town of Saria". It made zero sense to me why bandits and monsters weren't around it."
Luna: "But knowing the existence of dark elves-"
Colt : "The negative sense becomes positive and a logical explanation reveals itself. FINALLY, after all these years."
Liam : "Uhhh, what's happening here?"
Edwin [placing a hand in his forehead, exasperated] : "He figured out where they are. And now-"
Colt [excited grin] : "We gotta go find 'em"
Edwin : "Called it."
[scene : A white "gate" closes revealing the "elf recruitment party" in the usual formation, standing in a forest]
*Colt moves a few steps and moves some vines to reveal a stone gate in the not too far distance*
Colt : "Welcome to outskirts of the peaceful town of Saria."
Luna : "Aren't you rushing this? This town was peaceful when you visited ten years ago."
Colt : "I'm definitely rushing, but I have no other leads. If this doesn't work, I'll cover the whole kingdom in search magic or use Galileo. But I will find them."
Liam [whispering to Luna] : "Who's Galileo?"
Luna : "Can't tell you."
*Meanwhile, Colt's search magic was already spreading far but with no luck*
Colt : "Can't find 'em-"
*They hear the sounds of bushes rustling around them, tree branches breaking*
Liam : "I think we're-"
*The view expands to show a bunch of blades surrounding them and from the top of the trees, pointy arrows are aimed at them*
Colt [demonic grin] : "Completely surrounded."
Luna [whispering] : "How did they get past your search magic."
Liam [speaking normally] : "Not like whispering would do any good. Can't you see?"
Colt [still maintaining his grin, using magic sight] : "It seems you got too used to me, dear-"
*The view shifts to the attackers*
Colt : "None of these crazy bastards is emitting an aura."
*They hear murmurs from the dark elves all around*
Voice1 : "He's back."
Voice2 : "The demonic creature."
Voice3 : "No aura."
*A female dark elf walks to our party, proudly and slowly, savoring her apparent victory with each step, silver hair, grey eyes, brown skin*
The elf : "To think you'd come into our territory, I engraved that face into my mind for this day. Take solace in the fact that you die by my hands. I am the proud Tanya of the wandering dark tribe and-"
*As she gets close enough, she stops talking, her eyes narrow as she recognizes our party*
Tanya : "Chief Zeno, Levi, why are you with this being?"
Colt [absolutely unfazed] : "You know each other?"
Levi : "We had a mock battle the last time we saw each other."
Tanya [grinning] : "And you were soundly defeated."
Colt : "Pfft, pft. Ah man, good luck taking him on now."
Tanya : "Silence, you evil being. How did you fool these people all these years?"
Colt : "I would've remembered meeting someone like you. What bone do you have to pick with me?"
Tanya : "Your vile existence is an atrocity on its own, even if you learned to hide your true nature."
Colt : "Oohh, you mean this?"
*Lets out his aura*
*The hands of the elves holding swords shake a little, Tanya takes a step back*
Tanya : "STEADY. We can't risk harming chief Zeno."
Zeno : "He has no intention of harming anyone here. Just lower your weapons and take us to the chief."
Tanya : "No matter how much he threatened you, we can't risk letting the chief meet him."
Luna : "I see now, you fear his overwhelming power. Just from seeing his aura. You have no idea what my dear husband can do."
Tanya [in shock] : "WHAT?!"
*The arrows lower a bit*
Tanya : "Don't listen to a single word! Who are you?"
Zeno : "She's my granddaughter, do you still think I'm being threatened?"
*A lot of voices murmur around saying the same few words "elf", "demon", "husband"*
Colt : "Should I do it?"
Luna : "No, wait, this can be resolved here. *Luna speaks to Tanya* You want to protect your people. I get it. But we're here to protect you too."
*Tanya remains silent switching her gaze between Colt, Luna and Zeno*
Colt [in a bored tone, slowly retracting his aura] : "Just point a sword to my neck or something, unless you're too scared."
*Tanya instantly draws her sword, places it near Colt's neck, signals*
*Two dark elves who share the same skin color come from behind to place their swords on his left and right*
Good thing they don't know about "static armor" or they'd realize I'm just trolling.
Luna [with concern and agony] : "Colt no! You can't let them do this."
Colt : "I'm sorry, dear. This is the only way."
Luna: "You can't let yourself die like this."
I think I might be a bad influence on Luna, since when did she learn to be so dramatic?
*Meanwhile Zeno, Levi and Liam show no reaction whatsoever, the dark elves look at one another and Tanya speaks*
Tanya : "He won't be harmed as long as doesn't try anything."
[scene : The whole group walking in a formation, our party walks in single file. Zeno's leading, Luna and Colt are in the back, on both sides of Colt's neck lies a sword held by a dark elf, and a similar one from behind held by Tanya. Furthermore, in a half-circle formation, archers are walking pointing their arrows at Colt from all angles]
Colt : "I have to give you an Oscar later, dear."
Tanya : "A very optimistic claim, demon, you won't be able to give anything; there won't be a later."
Luna : "What's an Oscar?"
Colt [subtle smile] : "I'll explain later."
Tanya [interrupting their banter] : "We're here."
[In a clearing deep in the forest, they find tents instead of houses, there was no wall surrounding this village. Between the tents, many dark elves were stationed, they walk in a straight line until they reach the biggest tent, they enter to find a seemingly young male dark elf who shares Tanya's features, sitting on a throne like chair, with the tent's lighting coming from outside, Tanya leaves the group standing at the entrance, Tanya takes a knee right in front of the throne]
Tanya : "I greet the lord of our tribe, the strongest of dark elves, the mighty Thanatos."
Oh, reeaaally? We'll see how long the name sticks.
Thanatos : "Who have you brought, daughter of mine?"
And I thought me and Luna were being dramatic.
*Tanya signals, our group is slightly pushed to move closer to the throne, throughout all this, the archers stay outside, tensely holding their bows while two elves still target Colt's neck*
Tanya : "My lord, I have finally brought the demon as per your orders, However, we have encountered unexpected guests in his company-"
*Thanatos raises his hand, Tanya immediately stops speaking. Thanatos shifts his gaze to Zeno*
Thanatos : "Chief Zeno, I was under the impression you never leave your village, what brought you here with this being?"
Zeno : "In order for us to meet with you, chief Thanatos."
*Thanatos does not respond, instead shifts his gaze to look at Colt*
Thanatos : "You look human, so, human, why did you come here willingly?"
*Tanya flinches but does not move from her position*
Thanatos : "Rise, daughter of mine, did you believe you could capture that creature?"
Tanya : "But we-"
*Tanya stands up, turns around to look at Colt*
Thanatos : "You only did what he allowed you to do."
Wow! This guy is dramatic as hell but he's no simpleton.
*With another gesture of his hand, the two elves lower their weapons*
Thanatos : "Guests must be treated with respect. *shifts his gaze back to Colt, leans a tiny bit forward* I have not heard an answer yet?"
Colt : "I've come in peace, we want to establish a connection to benefit you."
Thanatos : "A bold claim."
Zeno : "Allow me to explain."
*A while later*
Tanya : "My lord, may I speak my mind?"
Thanatos : "You may."
Tanya : "Even for a demon such as him, I do not believe he could conquer the dead land."
Thanatos : "What do you propose then?"
Tanya : "A duel."
Thanatos : "You are aware of the stakes."
Tanya : "I've never lost before and I won't lose now."
Thanatos : "I'll allow it."
I think I know where this is going.
*Images are displayed as Colt speaks*
Dark elf + values strength + female + duel with stakes + name is Tanya = NOOOPE
Colt [keeping a very straight face on the outside] : "I'm not fighting her."
Liam : "WHAT?!"
Levi : "WHAT?!"
*Zeno looks in astonishment but does not say a word*
Luna [speaking in between her teeth] : "What's wrong? You've never felt like this before."
Colt : "This was called a "nope situation" where I'm from."
Tanya : "Are you terrified of facing me, human?"
Colt [sarcastically speaking, looking to the side] : "I'm more terrified of winning."
Thanatos : "Interesting."
*Before the situation escalates, Levi speaks*
Levi [taking a step forward] : "I'll fight instead."
Colt : "You sure?"
Levi : "You must have serious reasons, or else you would've mopped the tent with her."
Colt : "Be warned, something unexpected might happen when you win"
*Upon hearing "when you win", Tanya grins an angry, annoyed grin*
Levi : "I know, but she's hard-headed, they wouldn't listen until we prove ourselves."
Tanya : "He's not even a challenge for me."
Colt : "If you beat him, I'll take you on."
Thanatos : "I allow it."
[scene : Outside the tent, Levi and Tanya stare each other down as the others stand a safe distance away. Levi is on high alert, his pose is firm, while Tanya is a little lax]
Thanatos : "The rules are simple: No spells that would damage the area too much, other than that, anything goes. The duel ends when your opponent is knocked out or is in a lethal position, understood?"
Levi : "Yes."
Tanya : "Yes."
Thanatos : "Then you may begin."