บท 25: Zanim Wan.
My name is Zanim Wan.
One of the Dragon newts living in this peaceful Kingdom.
I wasn't raised in the Dragon Kingdom but I was born in this Kingdom, Right here. The reason being, My Father was one of the Greater Dragons that came to this Kingdom long ago. He lived in this Kingdom for a long time in his human form and finally fell in love with my mother. It was a pretty romantic story when I heard it from it. He now lives in the Dragon Kingdom. I wonder what it is like? I never went because I told him that I won't be leaving mother behind. Yeah, she passed away some time ago. Looking on the aspect of our lifespans, it is only natural. Death cannot be avoided. It is the one absolute that every living thing must face. My mother is one of them. But she lived a very content and fulfilling life. So I'm happy she is my mother.
Father was pretty sad when he was leaving for Dragon Kingdom. Apparently, he cried so much on her grave that his eyes were so puffy that he couldn't open them. He healed them afterwards.
Honestly, conceiving a child between different races is pretty difficult. It is so rare that one might consider it impossible. But looking at the number of dragon newts, you can't say that it's impossible. My father and my mother were one of the fortunate ones. I don't know if I should give a pat on my father's back or thank the fate that brought me here. Haha.
This world is beautiful and terrifying in it's own regard. The monsters you see here are nothing short of fierce and dangerous. They are true beasts. Ones that would tear you apart if you do so as much go near them. The Magical Beasts. They are a prominent and most visible part of our world. They are the world's natural force and the ones that balance the ecosystem within this world. Most of the human society despise them and want to eradicate them but that isn't possible.
The ecosystem is balanced when adequate amount of mana is kept. And the ones who keep the mana in adequacy are the forces of nature. Thus, you cannot eliminate the forces of nature. Either this or Mana Storms and Calamities. There are only two options. The previous one seems more manageable as you cannot tackle a calamity.
What kind of Calamity you ask?
Weather Disasters. The world going crazy with the excess of mana. I heard that there was a Mana Storm nearby few days ago. It has settled down somehow but that does not usually happen. A storm goes berserk until it's mana disperses and travels somewhere with less mana. Lands may shatter, extreme weather, mutation of every life in this world could happen if mana were allowed to go rampant.
Sure, mana is essential in this world. It is basically the kife force that drives living things. But it doesn't mean that excess of mana is advantageous either. If the vessel that contains it is not stable, the vessel will be destroyed. The same could go with this world. If more mana comes into this world than this world is supposed to hold, what do you think would happen? The world would likely explode. Yeah, that's the most logical explanation I can come up with.
Take Elder Dragons for example. They have unbelievable amounts of mana in their bodies and they can withstand it. That means they are strong and sturdy enough that they can hold the mana in them. If one would to put the same amount of mana as them in a body of another being, they would most likely go boom.
This truly shows the might of elder dragons. But Elder Dragons can't be the only stronger ones can they? If every person in this world has someone who is stronger than them. Then it would mean that there could be someone even stronger then the Elder Dragons. It's just a gut feeling, that's the gist of it.
The elder dragon I met the other day was one of the most powerful among the Young Elder Dragons there have ever been. My father was of Wind's Element so that means that I should be related to the Great Wind Dragon Vejetar. He is the elder dragon of the wind and she seemed on par with him or even stronger. I haven't met his greatness in person but I can tell how much strong he is.
How? We dragons have a bond among us. Every single dragon is connected to each other somehow. A bond. A bond of blood that bounds us with respect and admiration towards any Elder Dragon. And this bond is not involuntary. This bond is followed by our own agreement, when we grow up. We are asked if we want the Elder Dragon's blessing or not. And once we accept, we don't even need to go and meet the Elder Dragon that gave us the blessing. We just know who gave us that blessing.
The bond of respect is well-deserved. The power, the intellect and the dignity an Elder Dragon carries is unmatched. Once we look into the eyes of an Elder Dragon, we immediately know who he or she is. We don't find out their names but find out that they are beings we are supposed to respect.
Human Society fears them and respects them evenly. I mean, they could turn a kingdom upside down if they wanted to. But the normally wouldn't.
There is one lace, where people aren't afraid of Elder Dragons and they don't respect them. That is, The Kingdom of Brinis.
They think that they have their hero so they shouldn't be afraid of anything that is to come threatening them. The discrimination and contempt runs in the blood of every single citizen that lives in Brinis. Why? I don't know.
The Magical races are treated very terribly there and most of them there are slaves or prostitutes staying there forcefully because of debts. The magical races are even hunted down as sport and then sold off for money. Are they animals? No. they are living beings with their own intellect and will. No one would be able to bear the view of a person screaming for help. Sure the Kingdom flourishes there but that does not mean that everything is fine.
I hope there can be someone brave enough to save them. Elder Dragons don't interfere so I won't place my hopes in them. But that one could do it.
Conditions in other countries are fairly light for Magical Races but the contempt even follows there. I heard that Brinis's contempt comes from it's religion. And religion spreads like wildfire. The religion even stretches out in other countries. Not in vast numbers but still, it is there. So magical races may face mild hostility in other countries too.
So to be safe, most of the Magical Races live in the Forest Of Alfera. Ogres, Orcs, Goblins, Djinns, Fairies, Dragon newts, Beastmen and many other spirit based Magical Races live there. The Forest of Alfera is by no means small. It is a vast area of green that stretches out forever.
Magic Races do come out of there very often. To have some new supplies or find new places to live but they could be hunted down or attacked by Magical Races or Monsters as Humans like to call them. So they lived in colonized civilizations. They do their own crops and clothing mostly. I've been to the Ogre Tribe before. they are a nice and hospitable bunch but they don't take strangers kindly. I had to work very hard to gain their trust .
They reason for the discrimination could be because about 80% of the population that lives here is human and the other 20% different and minority are Magical Beings. Magical Beasts included. Humans are afraid of the things they cannot control. Every one is. So they try to suppress the minority that could empower them with their 'Different'.
The place where magical Races live is heaven as compared to these Kingdoms. The life sure is tough in there but once you see the Forest of Alfera with your eyes, you could be bewitched by it's dense beauty. The beauty created by mana and life in the forest. The spirits known as Dryads play their roles too.
But there, also lies the danger of the fierce beasts that inhabit those areas. One cannot carelessly wander in there without appropriate measures. Many Adventurer Parties have disappeared in this forest due to carelessness. And carriages pass through these parts with total caution. They don't usually get attacked because the trade routes are not that dangerous in there. Or were they made safe by someone living in there? Could be because of a colony nearby that prevents Magical beasts from attacking them.
Alfera is a beauty. A fresh water river flows through it that splits into three streams and then joins up after some distance. There are lush green trees and plantations in there. Truly a candy for the eye.
Today I'm heading toward the East Gate. To hunt for Horned-Brownback Diblas. I took this quest from the Guild a while ago and I'm prepared to go for the hunt. They are usually considered C-Ranked, A piece of cake for a B-Ranked Adventurer like me.
But the difficulty of this Quest reaches A-Rank once you see them in a Pack. They can be very troublesome when in one. I hope I don't see them in one. It would be a pain to break them individually.
I have to hunt about five of them to complete this quest.
I get out of the East Gate and go for the hunt.
"Haaah!"
That sure was a great workout and an amazing hunt!
I caught about eight of them. I'm carrying them in tow, tied to a rope behind me. I'll complete the quest with them and get some extra money for the materials from the extra ones.
I re-enter the East Gate. I make my aim to walk to the guild with the hunt in tow.
"!"
"[BOOOM]!"
What the hell?! What was that!
"Run! It's a Demon!" comes a cry as the dust begins to settle down.
The explosion might've killed some folks nearby!
I run towards the people lying near the dust cloud.
"Hey! Are you okay?!" I shout in the direction.
Oh. I see. They are dead. No wonder.
That Scum!
"Get in position! Form a vanguard!" I hear a cry from somewhere in front of the dust cloud.
I run towards the voice and see that the Knight order and the Adventurers are working together.
"I'm Coming too!" I scream.
"Hurry! Get in line!" Says the Knight.
I get in position and unsheathe my beloved sword.
"Hakkyu!" I scream.
My sword glows white.
"What the-?!" the knight exclaims.
Yes. It is my skill. I have a skill that gives my sword powers if I name it.
The one this has is to send slashes through the air.
"Shut up and get ready!" I say.
"Get ready folks! Charge!" Shouts the Commander.
We run towards the black silhouette in front of us.
A flash of red flame goes by.
"Huh-?!"
The people to the far Left are gone.
"You scum!" I shout.
The flame then rushes towards us sending a surging explosion through.
"Guh!" I was sent flying with burns on my chest.
"I'm not gonna go like this!" I stand back up screaming.
Every single adventurer and knight that had been fighting until now lies on the ground, severely burnt.
"I WILL STOP YOU!"
"Kuku" comes a snicker from within the settling dust cloud.
The dust cloud settles down and what I see is a young man in Black and Red crimson clothes, Black hair and red eyes stands before me.
"You think you can beat me?" he says.
"I don't need to beat you!" I say.
Precisely, I just have to hold you off. Until that person comes. There is no way that she can let this go unnoticed if she wants to live undercover. I'm sure that her greatness will arrive in time.
"Hakkyu!"
I say the name of my sword once again and it glows, flowing with my own mana.
"[Splitting Slash]!" I shout as I make a slash with my sword in the air towards him.
The slash travels at him at extraordinary speed.
"[Boom]!"
Did I get him?
"Die" comes a whisper from within.
"Wha-?!"
It's the same flame as before but it's much intense!
The flame hits me hard and sends me flying, badly injured and unable to move.
I didn't think I would go down like this….
Please. More people are going to die….
Please…
"Great… Velkra…"
"Hmm? You called for me?"
A soothing voice comes from above. A chill goes down my spine. I can feel the anger and contempt for the one responsible for this carnage. The aura… I've never felt anything so intense…
"Tell me. do you want my blessing?" says the voice.
"Great… Velkra…?" I ask.
"Hmm? Yeah. It's me."
Want her blessing? Am I not blessed by the Great Wind Elder Dragon?
"If you don't you'll die. I don't mind having you as my subordinate." She says.
This person. Is kind.
"I want… Your Blessing…. Great Velkra." I say.
"Then, let me says this. I grant you my blessing."
She places a hand on my forehead. And that's when my vision goes black.
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