Chapter 156 - Beltane's Country.
[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]
Third Person POV
Orario.
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...
A new tavern was crowded in the middle of the country called Beltane, a nation that was not large but had its own monarchy, with its city nestled within a mountain that encircled it.
The country was peaceful and simple, while some travelers passed through it to reach the other side without having to go all the way around the mountain.
In that tavern, in the middle of that city, people were talking to each other about distant news or events happening far away, as the place gathered many individuals.
At one of the tables, a couple wearing robes that hid their faces sat in a corner, merely listening to the conversations, hoping to pick up any tidbits from the travels of others there, or even news from Orario, as it had been over a month since any updates had reached them, given that they were now in the south of the continent.
"You said Orario fell into a civil war?" one of the men commented at a table.
"No! Not necessarily a civil war! But monsters invaded the city! It happened over a month and a half ago," the person explained to their companion.
"What, did the dungeon explode?!" the listener asked, clearly alarmed.
"No, not from what I heard. But an adventurer and a Familia caused all the chaos. The person who told me said part of the city was destroyed!" the speaker replied, leaving the other visibly shocked.
"Tell me the Familia was expelled from Orario!" the other demanded.
"No… they weren't, but the adventurer was. There were even reports of more than four gods dying at the same time—it was total chaos, so they showed no mercy to him," the speaker elaborated.
"Tsk," Lucius clicked his tongue before taking a swig of his beer, overhearing the exchange.
"News always gets more distorted as it spreads," Riveria remarked from across him, placing her cup of tea on the table and sighing as she looked at Lucius.
"They don't even know about us. I guess that's a good thing." In the end, he simply commented, trying to ignore that aspect as he turned his attention back to the others talking, while the place filled entirely with more people chatting here and there.
"You didn't see what happened! You have no idea what occurred in the middle of the desert!" someone exclaimed in the middle of the tavern, drawing everyone's attention.
The person realized they had garnered more attention than intended, but it didn't discourage them as they continued speaking. "Listen up, everyone!" they said.
"That damned dwarf claims the chaos with the monsters in the desert didn't really happen! He's saying it was just some small monster disturbance, but what he didn't see was that there were giant sand centipedes! You all know what happened in the Shalzard region, don't you?!" the man exclaimed, while the surrounding crowd murmured in agreement.
"This dwarf is saying that the attack by the giant centipedes wasn't real. Do you believe that?!" the man shouted to the crowd.
"I'm saying there's no way centipedes could exist in the middle of the desert! What I'm saying is that none of it makes any sense! I don't believe it!" the dwarf retorted angrily, clearly humiliated by the man's remarks about his reasoning.
"Tell that to all the people who were terrified by the monster attacks. Villages and towns could see the enormous creatures in the desert. My relatives were terrified! I say those centipedes were dormant, and someone woke them up!" the man continued to exclaim.
"I still don't believe it!" the dwarf insisted. "And if such monsters do exist? You weren't even there to see them! And where are the reports of destroyed towns? I haven't heard anything about that!" the dwarf grumbled.
"That's because whoever released those centipedes fought against them in the desert! They couldn't even reach any town and were destroyed. But believe me, they existed, and there are thousands of witnesses. Just because you came from the east doesn't mean it's a lie. If you go to the desert, you'll hear about them everywhere. Even the Kali Familia isn't too pleased about this. I've heard they're after the adventurers who caused it, because now all the inhabitants of the Kaios Desert are scared, saying there are dangerous monsters dormant throughout the desert," the man explained to everyone while they nodded and confirmed his words.
Lucius and Riveria exchanged a small glance, as they were precisely the ones who had awakened those monsters. After investigating what a tavern keeper had said about the legends of his father, they ended up going to the region. After weeks of investigation, they finally discovered the location of a tomb. What they didn't know was that three giant level-6 centipedes were lying dormant there.
They quickly had to flee as the creatures awakened. Thus, the battle was fought in the middle of the desert, with Lucius and Riveria fighting together, using their magic. These were three level-6 monsters, and normally, two adventurers of their level wouldn't be able to win. But Lucius had an array of spells he could cast continuously. That ensured their victory, even against such formidable foes.
They even completed their mission, obtaining the three crystals from the beasts. However, Lucius decided not to return to Orario. He wanted to travel the world, and Riveria didn't oppose the idea. While heading east, they stopped in this city because there were matters Lucius wanted to address.
"The Kali Familia is hunting us? That sounds interesting," Lucius commented with a smile, while Riveria made no remark about it.
The men continued arguing about the situation until the voices finally settled down. Lucius, however, was paying attention to another conversation nearby.
"Hey, have you heard the rumors from the east? They say the lands of the Abandoned World are more dangerous than ever. Any explorer who goes there isn't coming back!" one man commented with concern.
"Just rumors," the other replied.
"Are you still thinking of trying to venture into that place?" he asked the other.
"Of course! Why not? That place, forgotten by the Gods, is full of lost relics. Why do you think I'd waste my time staying here instead of going there?" the other retorted.
"You're crazy! I'm not getting involved in that. My life is worth more than any platinum I'd earn there!" he muttered, referring to the continent's most valuable currency. Typically, other items were traded for it.
"Fine, but the relics are mine!" the man mocked, eager to go alone for what he considered easy money.
Meanwhile, Lucius pulled a tattered map from his inventory and placed it on the table. Using a magic pen spell, he started marking areas and jotting notes. He highlighted the lands known as the "Abandoned World," leaving some annotations beside them, planning to explore the area in the future.
"I don't think we'll go there directly, will we, Lucius?" Riveria murmured from across him.
Lucius nodded in agreement. "No, I still want to visit the Yenite Forest."
"You know you won't be welcomed there, don't you?" Riveria murmured, as the forest was elven territory.
"Yes, but that won't stop me from visiting the library in the Sacred Tree," Lucius said, while Riveria sighed.
"Well, I guess we should leave, shouldn't we?" she said in the end, as both finished their meal and drinks.
Lucius agreed. "Yes, it's already midday. Let's talk to the royal family and the goddess residing in this city."
He spoke as he stood up, followed by Riveria. After paying for their meal and drinks, they left the establishment together.
The city, as expected, was fairly ordinary, except for the large castle located near the mountain's rocky edge. The two walked toward the castle until one of the gate guards spotted them and blocked their way, suspicious of the two hooded figures hiding their faces.
"Who are you, and what is your business here?" he asked.
"We've come to speak with the Bheara Familia. We would like an audience with the princess and her goddess," Lucius replied, but the guard frowned at him.
"And who are you to demand such a thing? You don't seem to have the right to make this request," the guard commented, eyeing Lucius with suspicion but still giving him the benefit of the doubt.
The one to respond, however, was not Lucius but Riveria. She pulled back her hood and declared, revealing herself to be a high elf. "I am Riveria Ljos Alf, princess of the high elves. Inform your princess that I seek an audience."
The guards' eyes widened quickly in surprise. They exchanged glances, and one of them nodded before hurrying off toward the castle.
Lucius looked at his companion, raising an eyebrow. "That's really convenient. Maybe one day I'll be as famous as you," he joked.
Riveria gave a small, subtle smile, amused by the situation. They stood there in silence, waiting for the response from the Bheara Familia.
The guard returned shortly, approaching the gate. "Please, Lady Princess Riveria, Princess Talvi is in the audience chamber to receive you. Follow me," he said to the two of them.
The pair passed through the gate, following the guard toward the castle doors.
"Hey, I've heard that this place has a special spring that can cure any illness," Lucius remarked, knowing some details about Beltane. Though Riveria knew far more, Lucius wanted to see if he could learn more about it.
"That is true, stranger. However, it is forbidden for anyone to approach it without the approval of Bheara-sama. Only with her blessing can you enter the area," the guard said in a warning tone.
Lucius pondered this, curious about the magical properties of the spring. Riveria glanced at him, already guessing his thoughts.
They continued through the castle corridors, passing by servants and guards until they finally reached the audience chamber, where the doors were opened for them.
The guard stepped aside, allowing them to enter a spacious room. Inside stood a woman with black hair, sporting two sets of horns on either side of her head and eyes of two different colors. This was Princess Talvi, who gazed at them with a curious expression. Beside her was a woman with blue hair, exuding a divine aura—this was none other than the goddess Bheara herself. She wore a robe adorned with flowers on her head and had a warm, friendly face.
There were three royal guards standing behind them—one an elf and two humans. They were the princess's protectors, and Lucius could tell they were at least level 4, an impressive feat for a family from this region. All eyes were on the visitors, their expressions cautious.
Lucius and Riveria stopped a respectful distance away, Lucius now without his hood, his eyes carefully analyzing everyone present. The silence was broken shortly afterward.
"Welcome, visitors. This is unexpected—Princess of the High Elves, here with a companion. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" the goddess Bheara asked in a friendly tone.
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