章節 112: Chapter 111 "Elves Ancestral Land"

Skyler called upon Dobby and Shining, instructing Dobby to Apparate them to the ancestral land of the Elves.

According to Dobby, this sacred place was a hidden realm, akin to the enchanted mirror world's existence. Only Elves possessed the ability to locate it, with every elf's soul being imprinted upon the ancestral land from birth, granting them an innate knowledge of its whereabouts.

Upon arriving at the fabled ancestral land, Skyler was awestruck by the extraordinary sight that unfolded before him.

A colossal tree, soaring into the heavens with its crown vanishing into the clouds, stood at the center. Nestled around its roots were several small elven villages.

The Elves in these villages buzzed with excitement upon spotting the outsiders, communicating in a language unknown to Skyler. It dawned on him that Elves had their own unique language, dispelling the common wizard misconception that Elves communicated in human tongues.

"Why is it that I don't understand any single thing that these guys are saying?" Skyler inquired.

"Little Master, Little Master, leave this to me and Shining!" Dobby exclaimed.

Dobby and Shining, on the other hand, Dobby and Shining comprehended the language naturally, as if it were a knowledge ingrained in their souls.

While these wild Elves shared physical similarities with house Elves, their spirits, temperaments, and even their eyes revealed a distinct divergence.

Skyler, respecting the autonomy of other intelligent species, harbored no inclination to enslave these wild Elves. His sole purpose in coming to this mystical realm was to unearth Hufflepuff's inheritance.

Seeing how the other Elves got acquainted with Dobby and Shining at almost instantly made Skyler lower his guard, "Okay, Dobby and Shining. Both of you need to go and collect as much information as you can while you're talking with them. I'll go and take a short rest by that rock over there, got it?" Skyler said while pointing toward a rock with a flat surface.

Dobby and Shining nodded in unison before they continued to talk with the other Elves.

Tasking Dobby and Shining with gathering information, Skyler patiently awaited their return. Before long, they reappeared with news. Dobby, displaying a newfound sense of seriousness, conveyed, "Little master, I believe I've found what you seek."

"Excellent! Thank you, Dobby," Skyler acknowledged. "Can we proceed to that location now?"

"Certainly, come come with me Little Master!" Dobby replied.

Guided by Dobby and Shining, Skyler cautiously trailed behind them as they navigated through numerous elf villages, making their way toward the colossal tree at the heart of the ancestral land.

After approximately an hour of walking, the trio reached the base of the enormous tree. Adjacent to the roots of a particular tree, a deep hole presented itself.

Confident in the master-servant contract he shared with Dobby and Shining, Skyler harbored no fear of any harm from them. Without hesitation, he entered the tree hole.

The interior resembled a labyrinth, with dim passageways branching out in various directions.

However, Dobby and Shining navigated with an apparent sense of guidance in the darkness. They traversed without hesitation, effortlessly advancing through the maze-like passages. Eventually, the group arrived at an altar.

Before the altar stood three lifelike stone sculptures. The tallest statue wore a garment crafted from flower petals, adorned with a pair of slender dragonfly-like wings on its back—both large and small.

Its slightly puffed hair was embellished with a charming garland, bearing a striking resemblance to the current mountain forest Nymphs.

The second statue, bearing the closest resemblance to a human, exhibited pointed ears on either side of its head—distinctly different from humans. Clad in a form-fitting costume with a pointed hat perched atop its head, the figure held a willow flute near its mouth, poised as if serenading the surroundings with a refreshing forest melody. In many aspects, it closely resembled the present Leprechaun clan.

The bottom statue portrayed a creature with long drooping ears and large eyes, sharing some resemblance to little Elves in three key features.

However, unlike the smaller counterparts, this statue sported immaculate attire, well-proportioned limbs, and a handsome countenance.

It held a wine glass in one hand, while the other gripped a broom, suggesting it was singing with a mischievous grin, exuding a smart and joyful aura.

Dobby guided Skyler towards the statue, revealing a stone slab adorned with ancient elven inscriptions. Although some parts of the ancient elven script overlapped with Skyler's knowledge of wizarding scripts, they were not identical.

Even with the assistance of Dobby and Shining, deciphering the profound knowledge embedded in the ancient magical texts proved to be a challenging task for Skyler.

The initial paragraph unveiled the ancient secret—created by the ancient Elves to evade the conflict between ancient Dragons and Giants. This space served as a sanctuary where they relocated. The three statues symbolized the mountain forest Nymph, the progenitors of Dwarfs and Elves.

The subsequent section on the stone slab chronicled a pivotal moment when certain Elves, Dwarfs, and Nymphs decided to venture beyond and explore the outside world.

The whimsical Dwarfs, enchanted by Irish clover, beer, and music, opted to settle in Ireland.

The Nymphs, fond of singing and surrounded by vibrant flowers and plants, chose to establish themselves in France and Greece.

The Elves, captivated by human craftsmanship, stealthily infiltrated human homes, offering assistance in sewing, craftsmanship, and various endeavors without detection. Thus, Muggle's fairy tales, such as "The Elf and the Old Shoemaker," became widespread.

These Elves assist humans in various tasks, driven by their genuine love for handicrafts rather than the expectation of rewards. Thus, if someone gifts them clothing or anything to wear, akin to the old shoemaker in a fairy tale, they depart indignantly, resembling a solitary artist repulsed by the scent of copper.

A wizard stumbled upon this unique characteristic of the Elves one day. Seizing upon this knowledge, he used an abundance of handicrafts to entice the Elves, then ensnared them in pre-designed traps.

Once captured, the Elves were subjected to soul contract magic, gradually succumbing to brainwashing that transformed them into human slaves—ultimately, the house Elves known to wizards today.

However, not all Elves suffered this fate. Some managed to escape and fought back; a faction concealed themselves in the Black Forest in Germany, evolving into malevolent spirits with a penchant for consuming human children as a form of vengeance.

Others sought refuge in Senegal, Africa, evolving into Yunbo, with a bias for pilfering human food as an act of retribution. Another segment migrated to Far Eastern countries, transforming into civet cat people, specialists in playing pranks on humans.

While most of these antics are harmless, there have been chilling tales in Japan of civet cats deceiving and murdering elderly women, followed by serving their husbands a broth concocted from the deceased.

The text in this section presents several distinct handwritings, evidently scribed by different Elves. One of them is unmistakably the work of the great Wugby.

Fortunate to be adopted by the benevolent Hufflepuff, Wugby was regarded as a friend and granted the freedom of thought.

In gratitude to Hufflepuff, Wugby, as it affectionately called itself, left a bloodline descendant at Hogwarts to aid in the school's daily operations. Only in its advanced years did Wugby return to the ancestral land of the Elves.

The third paragraph, inscribed on the stone slab, delves into the legacy bequeathed by Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff excelled in healing and life magic, and prior to her demise, she sealed her own life force within a magic circle hidden somewhere in the Forbidden Forest.

To inherit this power meant gaining access to her unique skill, "creation and regeneration," endowing the possessor with a constitution capable of swift self-healing, regardless of the severity of injuries sustained, as long as immediate death did not occur.

Somewhere in the Forbidden Forest?

Skyler, astute and quick-witted, benefitted from the enhanced intelligence bestowed by the crown of wisdom. His analytical skills and memory retention were exemplary. Following a round of contemplation, he discerned that the term "life force" alluded to gestation and reproduction.

The remarkable and unnatural reproductive pace in the Forbidden Forest pointed directly to the Acromantulas, particularly Aragog—the Giant spider that Hagrid introduced to the Forbidden Forest.

Skyler promptly instructed Dobby and Shining to Apparate themselves to the Forbidden Forest without further delay. "Dobby, Shining, can you go to the Forbidden Forest for me? I believe one of the answers I was looking for exists there," Skyler asked while a smile slowly formed on his face.