After breakfast, I stretched my arms and looked at Elariele.
"So what's your plan now? If you want, I can escort you until we reach the kingdom. That's where I'm planning to go anyway."
She lowered her head. "But my parents are probably worried about me right now..."
I scratched my cheek. "You want to go home then? I can escort you back safely too."
She nodded. "I agree... but there's a problem."
"What?.." I asked curiously. She hesitated for a bit. "No human has ever set foot on our land. Ever." That made me blink. "Seriously?"
"Our king believes humans are too dangerous for our homeland."
I raised a finger. "I second that opinion." That earned me a tiny smile. "But then how am I supposed to escort you home?" I asked. "They can at least make an exception... probably."
She looked at me hopefully. "I hope so. I just want to go home now."
"Then let's leave now," I said, standing up. "It's still morning. We can make the trip shorter"
She crossed her arms. "Hold on, mister adventure head. You don't even know where we're going."
...Fair point. Good thing she didn't ask how I ended up lost in those ruins...Or so I thought.
"By the way," she said, narrowing her eyes. "How did you end up in that ruins?" and there she goes.
"I-I actually got lost... for days."
She stared at me for a second. Then burst out laughing. "So you're just a human after all, huh?"
"Hey! Don't tease me. It's my first adventure, you know."
Blaze, sitting on my shoulder, snickered.
"A disaster of one too."
We set off soon after. The journey took three days. By day, Elariel led the way through deep forests, hidden trails, and narrow paths I never would've found alone. By night, we camped under the stars while Blaze stole food whenever he thought I wasn't looking.
On the second day, Elariel laughed at me for slipping into a river. On the third day, I laughed at her for walking into a thick spider web and nearly declaring war on the entire forest.
Somewhere along the road, traveling with her stopped feeling awkward... and started feeling normal. By noon of the third day, we reached a hillside covered in vines...At the center of it stood a massive boulder taller than a house.
I looked around. "Okay... where's the entrance?"
She pointed at the rock. I stared. "Wait. Don't tell me I have to dig a hole through that."
She laughed. "No. We need magic." I cracked my knuckles. "Good. I can do that."
"Not just magic," she said smugly. "Elven magic." She stepped toward the boulder and placed her palm against the stone.
Mana gathered around her hand, glowing soft green. The air hummed. Symbols lit up across the rock like vines made of light. Then the boulder opened into a swirling green portal.
I froze."...Wow."
She turned with a grin.
"My first time seeing one," I admitted. "Are you sure it's safe?"
She smirked. "Don't tell me you're scared?"
"Hey!"
She laughed and stepped through first.
I took one last look behind me, then followed. The moment I crossed, the world changed. The air felt cleaner. Sunlight filtered through towering silver trees. Rivers floated through the sky in glowing streams. Flowers the size of shields bloomed across fields of emerald grass. I nearly tripped. "What is this place...?"
"Home," she said softly. Then ten sharp clicks echoed around us. I looked up. Elven guards had appeared from everywhere.
Trees. Rooftops. Shadows. Bows drawn. Blades ready. And every single one pointed at me. "Uh... Elariel?"
One guard shouted, "There's a human intruder! Stand down and surrender!"
I slowly raised my hands. "Okay, wow. Very welcoming." Blaze whispered, "Want me to burn something?"
"No!"
Before things got worse, Elariel ran forward. "Stop! He's not an enemy!" The guards hesitated.
"He saved me!" she shouted. "He protected me and brought me home!"
A new figure stepped through the crowd.
Tall. Elegant armor. Silver hair tied behind his back. Sharp eyes that could cut stone.
Elarielle's face lit up.
"Uncle!" She ran straight to him. "Uncle, help him! He's not a bad person! He saved me! He brought me home!"
The man's stern expression softened for only a moment before returning. He turned to the guards.
"Release the boy at once." Weapons lowered immediately. I exhaled. "Finally." The man approached me and studied my face. "You are brave... or foolish..Usually both." For the first time, he almost smiled.
"I am Elandor. High general of silver vanguard.." He glanced at Elariel, then back at me. "The king will wish to see the human who returned her safely."
I blinked. "The king?" Elariel suddenly looked very interested in the sky. I can feel it.. She's definitely hiding something..
Elandor turned toward a shining city in the distance, where towers of crystal rose above the trees.
"Come. You will stand before the throne."
I looked at Blaze. he looked at me. "This adventure escalated quickly," I muttered.
Few moments later we've reached the entrance of the castle, it's so huge...
A few moments later, we reached the entrance of the castle.
Calling it a castle almost felt disrespectful.
The gates alone were taller than any building in my village. Silver stone walls curved into the sky, wrapped in living vines that glowed softly with mana.
Towering pillars stood like guardians on both sides of the massive doors. Then the doors opened. Slowly. Heavily. The sound echoed through the courtyard like thunder.
And the moment they did, I felt it. The atmosphere changed. The air itself grew heavier, colder... like the whole place was warning me that something bad was about to happen.
Blaze lifted his head on my shoulder.
"Oh, this should be entertaining."
"Please don't make it worse," I whispered.
Then w stepped inside the grand hall.
It was enormous. Rows of white pillars lined the chamber, each carved with ancient symbols. Sunlight poured through crystal windows high above, casting colors across the polished floor.
At the far end stood the throne. And on it sat a man whose presence filled the entire room. Sharp features. Long silver hair. A crown shaped like intertwining branches rested on his head. His eyes burned like cold fire.
Beside him sat a graceful woman whose calm presence softened the harsh weight of the throne itself. Her silver hair flowed like moonlight, and her eyes carried both warmth and quiet strength.
The moment he saw me, his expression darkened. "Human!" His gaze locked on me "You dare infiltrate our sacred lands?.. You stand here, in the heart of Valerión, wearing the filth of the human world and bringing my daughter before me?" His voice cracked through the hall.
Then he stepped forward. "You were part of the ambush at the pass, weren't you? You and your people took my gifts, you spilled elven blood... and now you think you can walk into my hall and claim protection for one of my min?" The guards reacted instantly.
Weapons pointed at me from every direction. I sighed internally. Of course it's one of those days. The king walked down from his throne. Each step echoed louder than the last. Then he drew his sword. And placed it right at my head while I was forced to kneel.
Oh, shit... so this is how it feels? In my old world, I never dealt with people like this. No nobles. No kings. No one who could end you without hesitation. Just people arguing online about fantasy politics. Now I was literally living inside one. Shit I'm really scared right now but I can't show it.
Luckily… my body was trained for this kind of pressure, being threatened by blades and spears because of my father's training.
I slowly spoke. "I-I saved Elariel from bandits," I said. "She got separated during the ambush and ended up in the ruins where we met."
The king's eyes sharpened. "You dare speak her name as if you were equals? It is Princess Elariel. Not what you choose to call her." that hit me, everything clicked. I knew it, that's what she's been hiding...she's a princess..
"With all due respect," I continued, "titles don't change who she is. If you're so focused on the name… maybe you've forgotten the person."
The king's expression shifted slightly.
Not anger. Something older. Like memory. "You have manners I give you that, but foolish.."
Then Elariel suddenly shouted. "Father! It's true! He saved me!" Her voice cracked slightly, but she didn't step back.
"Silence!" He continued "You venture in the human lands because of your curiousity without anyone of us knowing...If anything happened to you, do you understand what kind of war would follow?"
I exhaled slowly. "If you're angry about the carriage, a runaway princess, I suggest you point your blades to those who stole the cargo, not the guy who saved your daughter from them." The king turned sharply toward me. Oh boy I can say this is definitely a bad idea.
"You dare speak to me boy? Without asking you?" The pressure in the room spiked instantly. The king's grip on his sword tightened—but his anger didn't grow further. Before anything else could happen, another elf stepped forward beside the throne. He looks like an elven advisor of some kind.
he said carefully, "High King...The boy may not be lying." His eyes moved slowly… and landed on Blaze. "…but his companion. The creature on his head."
The entire hall focused on the small red lizard. Blaze yawned. The advisor's voice dropped. "It is not of this world. There is a dragon's malice in that lizard's eyes."
End of chapter.