Delving through Vashkeil's other corners of the world, we approach the ElveruneofAlther. Vast and full of life, teaming with many secrets, and look, you will see the tree of Vashkeil. A tree so large that it towers over the tallest mountains of Alther.
You may say that as the sun rises and falls, it casts shadows from one side to the other. But then again… somehow the tree's leaves cinders in golden light, like the morning sun, it gives rays to the shaded part. That even through the night, the lamps shine through the obscurity.
The deeper we go in, through the foot of the tree lies a kingdom, and in that kingdom were four citadels separated from each other—one to the north, to the east, to the west and towards the eastern side. From the sky, it was as if the citadels were guarding the tree; from the tree, buildings were connected, forming a spiral case ascending to the top. Resting on the tree top was another fortress. This, however, was different, for the castle was claimed back by the tree's flesh.
Unknown through a room, a girl, a young elven girl, sleeps in her elvish room, but not just a room. Her chamber was filled with tree roots, where calm water runs through. Hundreds of fireflies serve as light. Thick and thin mosses grew to the roots, on to the ground, turning the chamber into a marvellous beauty. Her golden hair silks through the soft, comfy bed; you can feel it is the embers of life.
In the midst of her slumber, she finds herself in the dark. She blinks, and in front of her appears a certain man. The clothes he wore were different, so she couldn't distinguish whether he was a foreigner from another land, she concluded. You, however, can tell that the man was from another world, of Earth.
The elf gazed up and saw it was murky black from the chest to his head; there was nothing but a fog of black ink.
"I take what was once, and what was given." The man mutters, his voice comes into two.
Then, on her back, she felt another presence, a high elf in golden light extending his hand. A hope, a saviour who reaches to save her life. But all was lost, only an inch of their fingers, the man in the dark plunged his hand into her back, so gruesome that it pierced her flesh.
"I take what was once, and what was given." The man said, again, before pulling his hand and leaving her to her death.
As for the gilded high elf, he slowly disintegrated, instantly, the mysterious man pulls his hand. She can see that the elf gave a very disappointing expression, probably woeful from being unable to save her. Alas, the elf fades to his side of light.
"I take what was once, and what was given." The man continues,
The pain she received was as real as reality itself. The blood that slowly spread across the dark ground gleams in the golden light. Through her blood, it grows into hundreds of flowers, plants of different varieties. It grew and grew, but her eyes would soon fade before the flowers could bloom or the plants could reach their oldest age. A final strength she musters, she saw the man walking towards the light, passing the light where the elf appears, cracks like a mirror. Shattering into thousands of shards, and once the darkness ruined the light, the mysterious man crumbled to ashes.
The elf instantly rouses from her sleep. From her dream, the elven girl expressed a forlorn look. It was as if the dream was death disguised on the hide of a hunter, giving her the signal of her fate, of her end.
"I'm coming in." A woman's voice calls through the door.
Waiting for minutes of silence, and silence, the door dissolves into ethereal. A woman, an elf of majestic silver armour, her looks, and her posture gave her a hold on high command. She enters, and what she finds is the child crying as if she had already known her fainting life is coming to an end.
Once the lady enters the room, the door returns to its material form. Watching the child cry was something she could not ignore. Like a mother, she was—nonetheless, she may not know what the child experienced; the lady gave her comfort. And little by little, the lady injects an unknown magic, causing the child to resume her slumber.
Fixing blankets: a wave of her hand, and a green, transparent barrier appears across the whole bed. Though only for a second, it fades until the eyes cannot see any longer.
As she exited the door, there were ten guards stationed on each side of the entrance. One man, an elf, stood still, waiting for the lady to give instructions.
"Captain." The elven lady spoke.
"Yes, lady commander." The man nods.
"Are there any reports of our cousins?" She follows, staring through the western horizon.
"There have been no reports for today, though there are visitors, a human visitor who will arrive today."
"Humans?"
"Yes, my lady commander, they are from a place called Maginum. They say it's an empire of magic, of many bloods, or so I have heard."
"Keep guard, I fear a storm is coming to us all."
"As you wish, Lady Ilia."
Two nights and two days passed across the western edge of Alther. A ship slowly appears from the fog on the horizon of the sea. As the ship slowly enters the area where the eyes can see, the flags and its sails reveal that it was the flag of Maginum.
For humans, entering the territory of the elves is not like walking to a park, leading to a small island, and mooring at a specific dock. It's anchored drops, and soon, two beings steadily step on the land. An old wizard and, by his side, a pleasing female mage; a hood may cover her head, but her figure is slightly convincing. There were no security escorting the two, only them, and them only.
"It's been seventy years since I left this land." The female mage exposes her hood, and as you can tell, she was a high elf. "What's your business with the king of Alther, father?"
"Oh, not much, dear Shilsia… Just some old conversation."
"Is there a reason for bringing me here? Is it?"
"Nothing much, I just want someone to escort this old man."
Shilsia rolled her eyes in disbelief. "I should not have agreed with your request."
"Now-now, dear, we are going to meet your brothers and sisters."
Shilsia groans heavily. "Siblings." She mutters.
The elvish building was so different in design from that of humans that some of them were floating in the air, suspended by either magic or the island's natural energy.
Upon their arrival, the two were greeted by dozens of elven guards.
"Greetings, I am Eltharon, commander of this island. What brings you here, human?" Comes an elf, he looks at Shilsia and raises his eyebrows. "And welcome home, dear sister."
"Names Forkov, I believe Lord Themrur Val Tharan gave me an invitation." The old wizard offers a letter.
Old and primitive, Eltharon was somewhat surprised to receive a human letter. Duty it is; he opens it and feels the letter is truly from a king.
"We will prepare the teleportation for you." Eltharon gave back the letter.
There were no scrolls, no stones. Through a single wave of their elvish magic, the three were sent towards the kingdom of Alther.
Heavens knows where they are, but in their transportation. The two find themselves inside where nature grows indoors. It's as if they were in a Sylvian Realm, though their flesh was in the material world.
The three journeyed ahead again, and a gate was open, and an entirely different place met them. The bridge stood tall; it was made not by stones, nor marbles, but roots of the world tree. At every edge of the tree's root, different trees and plants grow of unlike varieties. Some shimmers in silver, others glow in blue embers spreading across its every trunk.
As they stride across the bridge, they can hear the long waterfalls cascading with their colossal weight. You can even feel your ears brimming with the sounds of water clashing onto the rocks below. Yet one felt a pleasant peace within this area. Every twenty meters, elven soldiers stood guard as if they were statues.
Shilsia glances at her surroundings, and from her keen eyes, she can see hidden archers far away from the bridge. Their eyes move, steadily watching as the three march towards the other gate.
The gate opens, and a few strolls of their steps lead them to the heart of the four kingdoms. Through the eyes, an empty throne can be seen, and behind the chair a beam of emerald gushes, humming with immense energy.
Thirty meters from the throne, Eltharon kneels and upon his action. A person, no Lord Themrur Val Tharan, gradually emerges behind the seat. Forkov follows, but he was too old to make a reverence towards the king. Shilsia quickly assist her father as she too kneels in the presence of LordThemrur.
"You may leave," Themrur spoke in a soft tone.
Eltharon quickly stood, "As you wish, your majesty." He gives a bow before he exits the Lord's Hall.
"You're quite old, my friend." Themrur continues.
"The journey was long; perhaps my body is not suited for such rough travels."
Themrur gave a warm smile. "Can you still have some legs to walk with me?"
"I still do."
For Shilsia, her eyes would turn back and forth towards the two. She was astounded into silence; she saw not two sides in negotiation, but two friends in a meeting.
The three walk out of the throne room—then, they enter, where they can see the vast land of Alther, the colossal tree, and everything the eyes can grasp: the horizon.
A table for the three; in addition, in the eyes of the two visitors, it seems the elven king anticipated their coming. There were fares and teas well prepared at the table.
"Please." Themrur gestures his hand.
Gladly, Forkov takes his time savouring the meal plated on the table. Shilsia, on the other hand, was on a slower pace. After much of the food is consumed, mostly by the old wizard, Forkov queries the purpose of the letter.
"The world is growing restless day by day; there have been growing numbers of followers of the dark realm," Themrur answered. "And I fear, nothing will be permanent." He continues looking up towards the tree.
"By followers of the dark, you mean?" Forkov replied.
"We have reports of humans that are on the prowl… and if I'm not mistaken, some of them are from the empire of Maginum. I suspect they are coming for one direct reason."
"I fear this day would have come. The empire of Maginum has had a ghastly reputation in the past. Even then, the world is vast, and some hide in the skin of others."
"True old friend, and one leads of distrustful to one another."
"If I may, Lord Themrur, what of the Lords of Alther?"
"I've sent some of them back to Aetherion. The lords of Alther have been in a fidgety situation with each other. That's why I'm entrusting you two with this." Themrur glides a small envelope towards Forkov.
"I cannot have affairs with mortal humans, Forkov. For if I do, many things will happen."
"I understand, my dear friend." Forkov then accepts the envelope.
Not long after the two friends met, they stayed for three nights. Shilsia was beginning to feel nostalgic; she was reminiscing about her childhood places and memories, and felt the pull to stay. Forkov looks at her, and from her expression, he already understands the weight of what she feels.
"My dear, you can take a rest from here," Forkov spoke.
Sitting on the grass, watching and poking the glowing plants and mushrooms. Shilsia didn't utter a word; she merely gave a formal expression.
Passing another day of their vacation, it was time to give the elven king a farewell. This time, the old wizard was the only one who was teleported from the island. There was no sadness smeared on his face; it was just an older man who had graduated from his parenthood.
We return to the kingdom of Alther—Themrur walks where Shilsia is, and sees her in a conflict. Knowing her past, the king understood her difficulty.
"Forkov must have raised you quite well." The kings spoke.
Shilsia gasp. "My lord, I didn't know you were here."
"That is alright." Themrur gestures to Shilsia to end her curtsy. "There is something I want to give you." The king then gave her a blue gemstone.
For Shilsia, her eyes widened the moment she saw the gem being given by the king.
"Is this?"
"I wasn't able to retrieve her body, but I was able to save her soul." The king continues. "And one last thing, this place will always be your home." Themrur offers his hand.
Shilsia, hesitant to accept the king's offer, bows her head before finally clasping Themrur's hand.
Then it came, a dark, florid mist was slowly being drawn from the elf. Channelling their ways towards her arms, and onto the king's hand. Once all the purple energy was extracted into a crystal, it took only a single grip of Themrur's arm to shatter the scourged energy.
"Return where you came from." His fist presses firmly than ever.
Shilsia knelt once she felt her body was cleansed.
"My Lord—"
"I think there is still time to reach Forkov." Themrur intrudes with a smile, then fades into the trees.
Return to where the boat was docked.
As Forkov continues his marching, a hand grabs his arm.
"You are getting old, Father. You are walking slower than ever." Shilsia announced.
Forkov smiled. "Oh, it is just a sign of freedom."
"Don't say that, anyway, I want to know how you come across Lord Themrur." Shilsia slightly shook her father.
"Well, it was quite a long time, that's also where I first met Archsage Azageis."
"Y-You met him?"
"Yes, he was also my old friend."