The Capital

The Fei named Alan appeared to be the complete opposite of the people I knew on Earth, prioritizing the safety of others over his own comfort. Even if it was morally correct, taking action was a lot harder than simply stating empty words.

I could tell dawn was about to arise upon the horizon, so I decided to get up and head towards the capital alone. Even if Alan's character and position intrigued me, I preferred to explore the capital on my own, not holding conversations.

I looked back, double-checking on the sleeping Fei. The probability of him being attacked was extremely low on this road, so I took my chances and headed off.

The final stretch of travel wasn't too difficult, and it was surprisingly calm in terms of monster activity. I thought monsters would be attracted to the overwhelming population within the towering walls of Eloria.

Even with low amounts of monsters, I could see a small pack of white wolves ahead of me, their eyes blood red with hatred, their jaws drooling. I welcomed the chance to practice my combat abilities a bit, and I could also estimate the power levels of the weaker monsters around here.

For the past three years, I had been training with dragon guards and the Empress herself, those days always ended with my inability to move due to the number of bruises and cuts. I shuddered ever so slightly at the memories, but I couldn't deny how fun it had been.

The wolves picked up my scent as I entered their proximity, slowly turning to face me, snarling at the presence of a human, well, almost human.

The pack charged at me, a darker-toned wolf clearly leading the pack. I unsheathed my longsword and returned the charge, dashing towards the oncoming mob.

I willed bind into my surroundings, morphing the wind around me and creating a vacuum. I released it with a sharpening whistle as the wind sliced outwards like an invisible sword, instantly executing the three lesser wolves. The alpha looked at me, unable to comprehend what it was feeling.

I had learned that monsters were unable to fear their opponents due to their rage, blinding them from emotions or logical thinking. But this alpha seemed to be unconsciously backing away, its movements hesitant and sluggish as it realized its pack had been wiped out instantly.

"You coming?" I asked, taunting it. Intelligent thought was the last thing I wanted, and a taunt was the easiest way to obtain the result I was looking for. Rage and fury overtook the wolf as it pounced me, roaring.

The image of a velvet petal entered my mind as I ignited the surrounding bind, swirling into a massive flame as it engulfed the opponent only mels in front of me. I sighed at the pile of ash accumulated in front of me.

Maybe I had gotten used to ridiculously powerful opponents, I definitely had to tone down my intensity. Even with the slight disappointment of a lack of challenge, this new power excited me deep down. Magic was unheard of on Earth, a concept created from the imagination of humanity. Yet here I was, manipulating energy around me and manifesting natural elements to overcome my opponents, who wouldn't be excited?

The massive walls finally appeared over the horizon, the dawning sun illuminating the incredible view with an angelic glow.

The giant city of Eloria sparkled with unparalleled beauty, thousands upon thousands of houses and buildings covering it like stars dotting the black sky. A towering castle rested in the center of the circular metropolis, reaching the heavens with its overwhelming beauty and height. Wait, did everything I saw look massive because of my small size?

I reached the gates, the old yet powerful stone giving the wall a majestic look, like it had survived hundreds of wars, and could survive thousands more. A guard wielding a massive shield looked down at the small kid dressed in battle clothing, his mind just as confused as Alan's.

I estimated Alan to arrive in the next few hours, I'd have to be ready if I wanted to get anything out of my meeting with him.

"What are you doing out here, kid?" asked the guard, his deep voice booming like an oversaturated microphone that had always echoed in the arena.

"Picking flowers for my mom," I answered, raising the pitch of my voice higher than it really was. The guard merely nodded and let me in, at least there were some advantages in being trapped in a young body.

I walked through the tunnel, the end slowly enveloping my vision as I was briefly blinded from the intense white brightness of the sun.

A roaring burst of noise ringing in my ears as thousands up thousands of people filled my vision. Dwarves, Feis, humans... All the races coexisting together in a single area was the only thing I was able to see, the sight beautiful. All that was left was adding a single race to that existing group.

The livelihood of Eloria didn't surprise me, with chatter and business filling the streets. I made my way down the main avenue, the stalls and shops reminding me of my own village.

A familiar presence appeared behind me, and I smiled at the coincidence.

"Kid! You had me worried there!" gasped Alan. Considering his physical condition and the time he had taken to get here, he had definitely sprinted all the way here.

"Sorry," I responded, the bluntness of my response surprising him ever so slightly.

"It's fine. I have some stuff to do, but I just wanted to know if there was anything you needed? It's not every day I see a seven-year-old sleeping alone against a rock."

"I want to become an adventurer, how do I do it?" I asked. Alan just chuckled at the comment.

"You definitely look the part! But maybe wait a bit and see if you awaken-"

I released a small portion of my aura, just enough to show that I had indeed awakened. Nobody felt disturbed at the presence of bind due to the incredible amounts of adventurers in Eloria, but Alan was paralyzed with shock.

"A seven-year-old with the ability to manipulate bind..." he muttered, almost trying to convince himself that this was indeed real.

There was no way I was going to tell him I awakened at the age of three, or he might genuinely have a heart attack.

Alan's expression suddenly changed, his eyes brimming with excitement.

"Listen, it's going to be difficult for you to become an adventurer alone, come by my place when you can and I'll see what I can do," he said, handing me a small paper.

So this guy was a businessman, he definitely knew how to spot an opportunity. I was aware of my own value in this world, the youngest binder in history, and the first person to bind all four basic elements.

"I have some work to do, but please stop by when you can, Darck!" exclaimed Alan as he ran off, almost reluctant to leave me without having guaranteed my cooperation.

I looked at the piece of paper still in my hand, reading the messy writing that had been scribbled on it. Alan Serlon, Eloria refugee manager. I smiled, this guy was definitely a higher up in the Elorian government.

Refugee manager, huh? I wonder if he met Mom and Dad, I wondered as I walked through the endless streets of Eloria, looking for something to quiet my grumbling stomach.