Chapter 8: A New Perspective on Arcadia

Raven lay in his bed, his mind racing with thoughts about his recent training with Thorne and the rumors he heard about the Archwizard in the nearby village. As he meditated and refined his core, he tried to piece together all the information he knew about the land of Arcadia. He knew that it was divided between the elves, dwarves, and humans, each with their own unique cultures and beliefs. The humans had a capital city named Caelum, which he had never visited. He had heard stories of its grandeur and beauty, but he knew very little about the other kingdoms and the surrounding lands. However, he knew that there was so much more he needed to learn if he was to fully understand the complexities of this world.

He remembered Thorne mentioning that the relationships between the different races were strained, but he never went into detail. Raven wondered why that was the case. He had always been taught that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of their race or background. But here in Arcadia, it seemed like things were different. He decided that he would have to ask Kargath about it, the next time he had the chance.

The next morning, Raven made his way to the common room where he knew Kargath would be. As he approached, he could see Kargath already deep in conversation with some of the other mercenaries. Raven waited for a pause in the conversation and then approached, "Excuse me, Kargath. May I ask you a few questions?"

Kargath looked up and saw Raven. He nodded and gestured for Raven to sit down, "Of course, Raven. What would you like to know?"

Raven took a deep breath, "I've been thinking about the different races in Arcadia, and I was wondering why their relationships are so strained?"

Kargath sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Ah, that's a complicated question, Raven. The relationships between the races have been strained for centuries. It all started when the dwarves discovered the rich veins of mythril ore deep in the mountainous territories of the elves. The elves, who were guardians of the forests, were not happy about the dwarves mining in their lands. This led to a long and bloody war between the two races."

"And what about the humans?" Raven asked, intrigued.

"Well, the humans saw an opportunity to gain power and wealth by allying themselves with the dwarves. They supplied them with weapons and resources, in exchange for a share of the mythril ore. This only added fuel to the fire, as the elves saw the humans as traitors. The war continued for many years, until a treaty was finally signed, but the distrust between the races still remains."

Raven was shocked by what he heard. He had never heard of such a thing before. "What about the archwizard? I heard rumors that he or she is close by?"

Kargath raised an eyebrow, "I'm afraid I have no knowledge of any archwizard, Raven. But it wouldn't be surprising if there was one, given the troubled state of the world. If there is, I'm sure he or she would be a powerful ally for whoever could gain their favor."

Raven nodded, taking in all the information Kargath had given him. He realized that the world of Arcadia was far more complicated and dangerous than he had ever imagined. He decided that he would have to be careful and keep his wits about him if he was to survive and find his way in this world.

As he left the common room, Raven made a decision. He would stay with the mercenary group for now, but he would also make an effort to learn more about the different races and their relationships. He knew that knowledge was power and he needed all the power he could get.