5. Far south

The village was finished.

While the main reason for building it had been simple—having a place to sleep and call home—there was another, more complicated reason.

A village like this, with somewhat modernized architecture, inhabited by Arachne who had once been spiderfolk, was bound to raise suspicion... or at the very least, curiosity.

Humans couldn't get through Mehr's barrier, that much he knew. But what if someone else like him could? Or what if there were humans on the outside who found a way in?

It wasn't that Sirius wanted to leave—not anymore, at least. Quite the opposite, he had grown so accustomed to this strange new life that the idea of developing it further excited him.

Ceramics for plates, stoves, refined metal, maybe even gas cookers, there was so much he could bring to their little slice of the world.

And humans? Yeah, they were probably the race most likely to invent the Home Depot of this world.

That said, all of this hinged on assumptions, on whether the outside world could see or reach the forest. Which meant for now, these were thoughts to shelve in the back of his mind.

Tonight, there was only one thing left: the name.

Night had fallen. Torches lit the village, piercing through the darkness, creating soft shadows against the freshly built huts. Rue and Rune had even taught some of the others a few basic magic spells to keep the lights going.

The village had been built just outside the old cave. But it still stood there, dark and cold. It could serve as storage or a separate hall, maybe.

But Sirius didn't want it anymore. That cave had been a prison under Horst's rule, if it once silenced the voices of the Arachne, then it didn't deserve to be part of their future.

"Rue, I—" he started, but before he could finish, she was already at his side, kneeling.

He sighed softly. He still wasn't used to how fast they dropped everything to answer him.

He coughed, clearing his throat. "Can you teach me how to use that fire spell?"

"Of course, young master," Rue replied quickly. "But... it's kind of difficult to explain. I'm not the best at teaching."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"There are a lot of factors," she said, "like elemental affinities. If you don't have one with fire, you won't be able to cast any fire spells."

"I see," Sirius muttered, glancing to the side.

[Elemental Affinities: Fire, Wind]

How did he gain them? That question lingered. And so did another: what exactly happened after he killed Horst? How had he survived?

But now wasn't the time. He turned back to Rue and nodded.

"I have the fire affinity."

"Of course you do, young master!" she beamed, nearly coming to a shout. "Okay, so, it's a little tricky, but think of the mana in the air. Imagine it pooling into your palm—"

Sirius extended his hand toward the cave. He could feel the air condensing, mana spiraling in toward him like a whirlpool.

"Now, focus on your affinity. Picture the heat, the flames, the burning intensity. Visualize it, and—"

[Spell learned: Searing Flame]

Mana sparked in his hand, flaring to life. A massive fireball erupted, far larger than anything Rue or even Rune had conjured. The heat singed the ends of his hair, bathing the clearing in crimson light.

He released it.

The fireball shot forward, slamming into the cave with a loud explosion. Rock melted. The entire entrance was reduced to molten rubble as the spell tore through it, only stopping once it reached the very end.

[MP: 100/250]

"So it takes more mana if you have more mana to give," Sirius muttered, lowering his hand, heat still radiating from his fingertips. "Is that normal?" he asked, turning to Rue. "For a spell to... scale like that?"

Rue nodded slowly. "For most, no. But with raw-element spells, especially ones cast instinctively, the amount of mana poured in affects everything from range, heat, to even control. If you don't consciously limit it, it'll take as much as you're willing to give."

"So I could've burned down the forest if I wasn't careful?"

"Or the village," Rue said, deadpan. "Yes."

Sirius let out a breath. He'd need to learn how to regulate it fast. Power meant nothing if he couldn't use it without setting half the world on fire.

He turned.

The cave smoked, reduced to ash and molten rock. The sky above was clear, the stars now fully visible.

The Arachne stood behind him in silence.

Their old lives had been shattered, and they were happy. They had been granted something better, something they wanted to protect.

The new village stood strong.

And now, all that remained... was a name.

He turned to face them, and as soon as his gaze met theirs, they dropped to one knee, every single one of them, heads bowed low.

It was still very weird.

"From now on," Sirius said, pausing to think. "I want us all to share a surname. Wait... would that count as me giving you another name?"

"No, it would not," Garura replied. "Named individuals cannot be named twice."

"Okay then," Sirius nodded. "From now on, we'll all carry the surname... Elantris."

The name meant nothing to them, but it meant something to him. It was the surname he and his brother had shared in an old video game they used to play as kids. He smiled faintly at the memory.

"Is that okay?"

"Of course, young master!" Garura said, and the others all nodded in agreement.

"But..." he added after a moment, "what about the name of our village? Wouldn't it be better if it had one too?"

Sirius let out a tired sigh, already walking toward the first hut they'd built.

In the span of ten hours, he had killed a monstrous spider, taken over its clan, and built forty homes from scratch. He was beyond exhausted.

"Hm. Oh. You guys can name it whatever you want," he muttered, disappearing into the hut.

They watched him go in silence.

"The young master is the first king to care for us," Rune said quietly, eyes lingering on the hut. A single tear rolled down his cheek. "Even Borcust never did half as much... He might just be a god."

"How dare you insult our young master by comparing him to a god," Elendira said, clasping her hands. "He is something more. Did you not see how he consumed Horst's body? What god has powers like that?"

"In any case," Garura said, stepping forward, "he has entrusted us with the honor of naming our village. Any suggestions?"

A small hand shot up—Inca, one of the younger Arachne. "What about... The Spectacular Abode of Sirius Elantris?"

Garura clapped his hands together. "An excellent suggestion! But perhaps not long enough. Surely we can add more superlatives to honor the young master properly?"

"I see," Elendira said, tapping her chin. "Maybe something like... The Breathtaking, Spectacular, Amazing Abode of Sirius Elantris?"

"Hm..." Garura muttered. "Still feels a bit... lacking."

Elendira suddenly collapsed to her hands and knees, forehead thudding against the ground. "I have failed my young master! How could I only add two more words!"

Garura stepped forward, solemnly placing a hand on Elendira's shoulder. "No, you haven't failed. None of us have. The young master gave us a mission, and we shall complete it... together."

Elendira lifted her head, her eyes watery. "Together?"

Garura nodded, and turned to the gathered Arachne. "Let's think not of how many words we can string together, but what the name means. This village isn't just for the young master and that's probably why he told us to name the village instead. He wants us to pick the name because it's our first real home."

"Oh!" Elendira said, bashing her head against the ground, dark blood splurting against her blonde hair. "The young master is so kind!"

"Then... what if we called it something that reflects both his name and the home we've built? Something simple, but worthy." Rune suggested.

"Like?" Garura asked.

Rune looked thoughtful. "Elanvale."

"Elan...vale?" Alaric echoed.

"Elantris, for the name he gave us... and vale, like a valley. A haven."

Inca clapped her hands together. "Elanvale! That's beautiful!"

There were murmurs of agreement through the crowd, until Elendira finally stood, blood trickling down her lips, nodding with pride. "Elanvale it is."

The next morning, Sirius stepped out of the hut rubbing his eyes, only to find a wooden sign had been hammered into the ground in front of the central square. Roughly carved into it were the words:

Welcome to Elanvale – Home of the Honorable and Incomparable Sirius Elantris.

He blinked. "...Okay, not bad. Bit of a mouthful though."

Garura rushed over, bowing. "Good morning, young master. Do you approve of the name?"

Sirius smiled. "Yeah, I like it. But we might need to tweak the last part. Something about my full name being on the—"

Before he could finish, the wooden sign split cleanly in two. Now, it simply read: Welcome to Elanvale.

Elendira lowered her hand, stepping back. "How about now?"

Sirius chuckled. "Perfect."

Behind him, the villagers cheered, proud and unified.

Sirius stretched and looked toward the horizon. The Great Forest of Mehr lay quiet beyond the tree line, but something told him that peace wouldn't last long.

There were other creatures out there.

Other threats.

And other rulers.

But now, Sirius had something to protect.

Elanvale.

And he'd burn the whole damn forest down before he let anyone take it from him.

"And to that end," Sirius muttered, cracking his knuckles, "let's scout."

"Scout?" Elendira echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Garura, take the others and go hunt—boars, rabbits, anything you can find. If there's water nearby, try fishing too."

"On it!" Garura nodded, already heading off.

"I could raise the entire river into the air," Alaric added, following behind. "All the fish will be ours!"

"Don't do that, dumbass," Garura snapped. "How the hell are we supposed to eat next time if you drain it dry?"

Sirius smirked, then turned. "Rune, you and Cela—keep training. Focus on your magic. I have big hopes for you two."

"He has big hopes for me!" Rune shouted, already sprinting away with a thick branch in hand.

"Me too!" Cela shouted as well, following him.

"And the rest of you... Rue, Elendira," Sirius said, eyes fixed on the woods ahead. "We're going scouting."

The Forest of Mehr was home to demi-humans, which meant that as long as they stayed within it, they would eventually have to deal with other races, either as prey or as subordinates. That was likely why the existence of a king was so important.

A king wasn't just a ruler. They were a shield, a weapon, the one who stood at the forefront when rival groups came knocking. Strength and talent weren't just respected, they were the foundation of survival.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the morning dew clung to their skin, cool and refreshing.

The season was somewhere between autumn and spring, crisp air, yet the serene scent of new life. Flowers bloomed in clusters, browned leaves covering every other corner of the ground.

Then Sirius stopped.

Elendira and Rue halted behind him, waiting.

He didn't hesitate. "When I fought Horst in that cave... after I killed him, he hit me one last time," Sirius muttered. "What happened after that? How did I survive?"

Elendira and Rue exchanged a glance before Elendira spoke. "After you fell, we felt a surge of mana, stronger than anything we'd ever felt. And then..." She hesitated. "Horst's body, his very essence, was broken down. Absorbed by you."

"Isn't that why you're part Arachne now?" Rue added.

Sirius looked down at his hands. For the first time, he noticed the holes at the center of his palms.

He exhaled sharply, glancing to his side.

[System guide: Extract]

[System explanation]

• Extract is a prime skill that allows the user to absorb the essense of a defeated foe, during extraction, the user is presented with two choices. The first being to absorb the foe's essence, mana and abilities, turning their life energy into experience points for a level up. Or taking on the foe's form but forfeiting the other.

• Due to current limitations, Extract can only be used once per day (subject to change with system evolution)]

[System notification: In an attempt to save the user's life, extract was used right after being unlocked, taking in Spider King Horst's essence.]

Now it all made sense. Sirius sighed. It would've made sense sooner if he'd just taken a moment to read his system status.

Still, the realization brought opportunity. If he could use this ability, he could gather more species under his banner.

More hands to build. More minds to invent. With enough diversity, they wouldn't need humans at all. Dwarves, beastfolk, or anyone with the right skills could help forge a real civilization.

But that was a last-resort scenario. Becoming the king of another species was not something he was eager to add to his plate.

He walked on, head tilted as mana surged a ways up the forest, growing thicker with every step. Minutes later, the trees gave way to a clearing. A settlement sat there, wild and primal.

Wolves.

No... Fenrir.

They slept in shallow caves, some in pairs or trios. At the edge of the clearing stood a large cave, and from within it poured a tidal wave of mana, enough to rival Horst's.

"Fenrir," Elendira said softly, stepping up beside him. "Their current king has led them for over a three decades. He's one of the most experienced of the seven kings."

Kings.

Danger.

Sirius narrowed his gaze. He counted three hundred Fenrir, maybe more in caves he couldn't yet see. If they picked a fight, would they win?

Horst had crippled the Arachne, killed off most of the males to prevent any future uprising.

And now Sirius was feeling the weight of that loss.

Just then, another equally powerful presence stirred behind them, equal to the Fenrir King, maybe stronger.

They moved.

Leaping through trees and clearing branches in seconds, they landed across from another camp, this one filled with large beasts, horns glinting in the sun.

Minotaurs.

"This is bad," Rue muttered, staring ahead.

"How bad?" Sirius asked.

"Minotaurs don't live this far south," she replied. "If they're here, it only means one thing—"

"War," Elendira finished. "The Fenrir are a powerful clan, but if you could bring them under your command... you could change everything. As trackers, as mounts, even as warriors—they'd make your clan unstoppable."

"It's a good idea," Rue said. "But at the same time..."

"What comes next?" Sirius asked, eyes fixed on the camp. "Once they're done with the wolves, the next clan is ours."

"They outnumber us. They're stronger too." Rue's voice lowered. "Do we strike first?"

Sirius hesitated.

The three of them had no chance in a direct fight, not against numbers like that. The Minotaurs weren't here for them, not yet, but they would be. A preemptive strike could work... if they crippled the enemy enough. But if not?

The Arachne would be wiped out.

They weren't ready for a war like this.

He clicked his tongue.

"How about an alliance?" Elendira offered.

Rue looked at her. "With the Minotaurs? They don't negotiate. Not if they think they can win."

"Not with them," she said, turning toward the wolves settlement. "With the Fenrir."

Common ground.

It was a temporary solution, but one they could both benefit from. Survival came first.

Sirius exhaled sharply. "It's our best bet. Rue, keep an eye on the Minotaurs. If they move—even an inch—alert Elendira."

"Understood."

"Elendira, head back to the village. Bring the remaining three. If we show off our firepower, it might help persuade the Fenrir king."

"Got it," she nodded. "But what about you?"

"There's something I need to check."

And with that, Sirius shot into the forest, his legs hammering against the earth—powerful, yet leaving no trace behind. The wind whipped past him, the trees blurred—and then he stopped.

At the edge.

This was what he'd been searching for.

He stepped forward, eyes scanning the scene below.

The human world.

Massive castles stood in the distance, guarded gates buzzing with activity. Wagons rolled down dirt roads carrying cargo in and out the city.

He extended a hand toward it, inching closer—until he stopped.

An invisible force caught him. The barrier. No matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't budge.

Why?

Why had Mehr created this wall? To protect humans from demi-humans? Or the other way around? Was it fear of destruction... or something more important, more complex?

He stepped back, retreating into the forest.

There was too much he didn't know. Too many questions. But one truth had become painfully clear.

They were trapped in the forest.

All of them.

Every king.

Including the one that would most likely come after his clan next.