Chapter 74: The Land Without a King

Selene's POV

Faelar tapped his chin, eyes twinkling with excitement as he circled around us.

"So! Strangers from beyond the veil, seeking answers about a kingdom that hasn't graced the tongues of many in centuries! Fascinating. Truly fascinating! But let's start simple, yes? Who exactly are you all?"

I exchanged glances with my companions.

Axel sighed, his arms still crossed as if bracing himself for a long conversation.

Khael, on the other hand, looked both impatient and intrigued.

Tyra simply rolled her eyes, clearly sensing that this elf was the type to talk in circles before getting to the point.

I decided to answer. "I am Selene. This is Axel, Khael, and Tyra. We are travelers searching for something for Eldoria."

Faelar gasped dramatically. "Travelers! Searching for truth! How poetic. How bold! How utterly exhausting that must be."

He leaned closer, studying each of us in turn.

"Axel—stern, brooding, carrying the weight of many past decisions. Khael—sharp, impatient, carrying secrets even he might not fully understand. Tyra—cunning, resilient, with just a touch of reckless charm. And you—" He suddenly turned to me, eyes narrowing with playful scrutiny.

"Selene. The one who holds it all together, but also the one who bears the heaviest burden."

I stiffened at his words, caught off guard by how easily he seemed to read us.

Faelar beamed, rocking back on his heels. "Oh, don't mind me! Just making some harmless observations. It's a little hobby of mine. But tell me, what exactly do you hope to find in Viridwyn?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Treasure? Forbidden knowledge? A way to wake a sleeping princess, perhaps?"

He gasped suddenly, as if struck by an idea.

"Oh! Are you cursed? Is that it? You do have that 'tragic hero' look about you!"

Tyra groaned. "Is he always like this?"

"Always!" Faelar said cheerfully.

"And I do hope you're not in a hurry, because I have at least a dozen more questions. Maybe twenty. No, thirty!"

He tapped his chin. "Or perhaps I should pace myself…" He grinned.

"Nah! No fun in that. So, tell me, why Eldoria? Most people have long forgotten that name."

Axel's patience was clearly thinning, but he answered nonetheless. "Because it's not just a name. It's a kingdom that needs to be restored. And to do that, we need answers."

Faelar let out a low whistle. "Restoration, huh? Now that's ambitious. Do you even know what happened to Eldoria? Or are you here to dig up stories and hope they fit together?"

I hesitated before replying, feeling the weight of the journey we had taken thus far. "We know some things. But not enough."

Faelar considered my words, tapping his fingers against his chin. "Well, you're in the right place for forgotten truths. And lucky for you, I know just where you need to go!"

He threw his arms out dramatically. "The Whispering Eldertree!"

Khael frowned. "The what now?"

"The biggest tree in all of Viridwyn!" Faelar declared.

"Ancient, wise, and quite possibly a sibling to that big ol' glowing tree you lot seem so attached to—what was it again? The Heart of Eldoria?"

I inhaled sharply. "You know about that?"

"Oh, I know many things! Some of them even useful!" Faelar smirked before continuing.

"The Whispering Eldertree is not just a tree. It holds memories—stories woven into its very roots. If there are answers to be found, it is the one that will provide them." He leaned in conspiratorially.

"If, of course, it deems you worthy."

Axel narrowed his eyes. "And if it doesn't?"

Faelar grinned. "Then you'll probably just hear a lot of wind and leave terribly disappointed. But! No need to fret! You've got me, and I'm practically a walking encyclopedia of Viridwyn trivia! I mean, I do wander a lot. It's in the name, after all."

Khael crossed his arms. "And who exactly decides if we're worthy? The tree?"

"Well, the tree does have a bit of a… personality," Faelar admitted, rubbing his chin.

"But there's also Eldrin, the Verdant Sage. He's the one who actually speaks on behalf of the tree. Been around for centuries, deeply connected to the land's magic, very wise, very mysterious. Also very, very old. I mean really old. He probably remembers the first squirrel to ever climb that tree."

Tyra exhaled. "Great. So now we have to convince a tree and an ancient druid to help us?"

"That's the spirit!" Faelar cheered.

"Besides, I have a feeling you lot might just be interesting enough to catch the Eldertree's attention. And if not, well, we'll think of something!" He clapped his hands together.

"So! What do you say? Shall we make our way to the heart of Viridwyn?"

I glanced at my companions, knowing we didn't have any other choice. We had come this far—there was no turning back now.

"Lead the way, Faelar," I said.

His grin widened. "Ah, I knew I liked you! This is going to be fun!"

And with that, he turned and strode forward, whistling a lively tune as he led us deeper into the hidden kingdom of Viridwyn.

Faelar led us forward with a confident bounce in his step, weaving effortlessly through the dense foliage as if he had walked this path a thousand times before.

Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy above, painting shifting patterns of gold and green along the forest floor. The air was rich with the scent of moss and earth, and distant bird calls echoed softly between the towering trees.

"So!" Faelar clasped his hands behind his back, casting a glance over his shoulder.

"How exactly did you lot find yourselves at the doorstep of dear old Viridwyn? You do realize most people wouldn't even get this far. The forest tends to… discourage unwanted visitors."

Axel kept his gaze ahead. "We had guidance."

"Mysterious!" Faelar chirped.

"But not very informative. Ah well, I do enjoy a bit of intrigue. And what exactly do you hope to gain from the Whispering Eldertree?" He wagged a finger.

"You never did answer that part."

I sighed, knowing there was no avoiding his curiosity. "We're looking for answers about Eldoria—what it was, what happened to it, and how we can restore it."

Faelar let out a long, low whistle. "Big aspirations. And you think the Eldertree will have all the answers?"

"You mentioned it holds memories," I pointed out.

"If there's anywhere left in this world that remembers Eldoria, it would be something ancient, something deeply connected to the land."

I studied him for a moment before asking, "What about you? Why are you out here, wandering the outskirts of Viridwyn?"

Faelar's grin widened. "Oh-ho! The mysterious lady turns the questions on me! Well played!"

He tapped his temple. "I am, as you may have gathered, not the kind to stay in one place. I like to learn, to see what lies beyond the safety of our trees. Viridwyn is beautiful, but it is also… secluded. Knowledge stagnates when it is locked away for too long."

Tyra arched a brow. "So you just wander off? Doesn't that make you, I don't know, suspicious?"

Faelar shrugged. "Perhaps. But I always bring back something useful. Stories, news, the occasional artifact. Some call me reckless. I prefer 'adventurous.'"

Axel gave him a long, measured look. "And how much do you know about what's happening outside Viridwyn?"

Faelar's expression briefly flickered with something unreadable before his usual carefree demeanor returned.

"Enough to know that the world beyond our trees is shifting. Change is coming—whether Viridwyn is ready or not."

For a brief moment, silence stretched between us, the weight of unspoken truths hanging in the air. Then Faelar clapped his hands together.

"But! That's enough heavy talk for now. You've got a long road ahead, and I have at least twenty more questions rattling around in my head!" He shot me a knowing smile.

The path through Viridwyn was unlike any I had ever seen. The air itself felt ancient, as though every whisper of the wind carried forgotten voices.

Towering trees with emerald canopies stretched endlessly above, their thick roots weaving through the earth like veins of a living giant.

Luminescent flowers bloomed in clusters, casting a soft glow that flickered like starlight. Strange, gentle creatures flitted between the branches, their iridescent wings catching the light with every delicate movement.

Faelar led the way with an effortless grace, as if he was as much a part of the forest as the trees themselves. Every step we took, he continued his relentless questioning.

"So, what's it like beyond the veil of Viridwyn? I mean, I hear things, of course, but firsthand accounts are much better."

Axel exhaled through his nose, clearly weary of the elf's endless curiosity. "Depends where you go."

"Oh, come on. Be specific! Is it true the skies are no longer as blue as they once were? That the rivers run dry and the mountains have lost their voices?"

Khael, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly spoke.

"The world outside is… broken. There's still beauty, but it's faded, hidden under the weight of time and war."

Faelar's usual cheerfulness dimmed slightly, though the curiosity never left his face. "Sad, but not surprising."

I looked around, taking in every detail of Viridwyn's breathtaking scenery. "This place… it doesn't feel like it's been touched by ruin. It's like time forgot about it."

Faelar chuckled. "Oh, time didn't forget. Viridwyn remembers. Every tree, every leaf, every drop of water in this land carries the memory of what once was. That's why outsiders don't come here. The forest chooses who it allows to step within its borders."

Tyra raised an eyebrow. "And why did it let us in?"

"Excellent question!" Faelar said brightly.

"Perhaps it sees something in you that's worth remembering. Or maybe it's just curious, like me."

I frowned. "You said you wander. That means you leave the kingdom. Why?"

Faelar's steps didn't falter, but for a brief moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something deeper in his expression.

"Because knowing only what is within these trees is like reading half a story. I want to see the rest."

Axel studied him closely. "Not many would be willing to leave a place like this."

Faelar grinned. "Well, not many are like me." He gestured broadly.

"Viridwyn is beautiful, yes, but it's also a kingdom without a king. A land waiting for something—or someone—to claim its destiny. And while it waits, I learn. I gather stories from the outside, tales of change, of ruin, of hope. And sometimes, I bring those stories back."

"Waiting for something?" Khael echoed.

"What does that mean?"

"Ah, another excellent question! You lot are full of them." Faelar spun on his heel and walked backward, facing us as he continued.

"Viridwyn is not just a kingdom of trees and magic. It was once ruled by a great line of kings, bound to the land itself. But that line ended long ago. Some say it was because of betrayal, others whisper of a curse. Either way, Viridwyn became a kingdom without a ruler, a home to those who remain loyal to the old ways and the ancient magic that still lingers."

"Then who leads now?" I asked.

"Ah, well, that would be the Eldertree, in a manner of speaking." Faelar gestured upward.

"Not in the way you'd expect a king to rule. It does not give orders or decree laws. But it remembers, and in remembering, it guides. And through Eldrin, the Verdant Sage, its voice is heard."

The path ahead shimmered faintly, as if the forest itself was shifting to guide us forward.

Viridwyn was alive in ways I was only beginning to understand, and I couldn't shake the feeling that it was watching, waiting—to see if we were worthy of the truth it held.

To be continued.