Chapter 17 - The Forested City of the Elves: Arclaneia

I felt a huge sigh of relief as the familiar rush of teleportation ran through me. I was greeted by the smell of the natural world itself. I saw nothing but trees going on in every direction, except these had to be hundreds of feet tall, maybe even thousands.

Among the trees were platforms interconnected by bridges. Houses and other buildings were scattered among the platforms. These houses were wooden in structure; in fact, mostly everything I saw was made of wood. It seemed like one giant fire safety hazard.

“Don’t worry too much about fires,” Elowyn reassured. “We have a magic barrier that protects us from natural disasters, and we’re good at putting out fires internally.”

Elowyn took a few steps forward. We were walking through a series of bridges that led deeper and deeper into the woods. I saw no way to get in otherwise, so I’m assuming teleportation is the only way in and out.

As we walked forward, I saw a bunch of sapling-like two-legged creatures wandering around. With round green bodies, beady black eyes, and rather cute-looking mouths. On their heads were sprouts. Their arms and legs looked like a series of interconnected vines.

“Aw, they’re so cute! What are they?” Grace cooed at the little ones wandering around.

“They’re Sappers,” Elowyn explained as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I had to admit they were pretty adorable. “Seems even ‘Captain Brooding’ himself has a softer side.” Elowyn teased. “They’re born from these trees, and when they die. They become seeds to turn into trees as big as these after a thousand years.”

One of the Sappers noticed us looking and gave us a salute. Still, Brent and Collette’s safety was on my mind.

“I’m sure they’re fine.” Grace looked at me. “I mean, they’re after you, not them.”

I hoped she was right.

“Where are we going anyway?” I looked around.

“To the Arclaneia Royal Palace. It is there you will meet the current King of the Elves, and all will be explained. As to why I know you, as to the nature of your dream.” Elowyn exposited some more; she seemed to be barely containing her own excitement. She looked at and pointed at a variety of new things in the Elven city.

We saw farms that grew plants and food that looked rather disgusting, like a sentient cabbage. I doubt that would be very appetizing.

We saw shops that sold all sorts of odd things, from magic wands that could change size and shape to even magic carpets. Admittedly, I wanted to take the test ride the shopkeeper was offering, but Elowyn insisted we were in a hurry.

Finally, we arrived at a fairly elaborate-looking wooden structure. Judging by the architecture, it had to be where we were going. But as we approached, I found that there were a ton of people moving about in a hurry.

When we finally walked inside, there was nobody to greet us. Elvish and Sapper servants hurried about left and right to make deliveries. Even Elowyn looked confused as to what was going on.

“Guessing this isn’t to do with us,” I mentioned.

Elowyn shook her head in agreement. Grace decided to stop a servant in her tracks. “Excuse me, we’re here to see the King.” Offering a polite bow as an apology for disrupting her work.

“Ah, Lady Elowyn. You have not heard the news? The King’s age is catching up with him; the doctors only gave him a few weeks to live.”

Elowyn froze. I never thought her entirely capable of tensing up like that. She always seemed a lot more confident. But it seemed the news was shaking her up.

“W-What?” She asked, as if hoping she misheard.

“The doctors diagnosed him a week ago. I believe a messenger was sent the other day to inform you.” The servant bowed again, sensing the turmoil in Elowyn’s expression and tone.

She stormed past the servant and into the nearby room. I felt a little bad for her.

“Death is foreign to us elves; we’re used to immortality, connecting for hundreds if not thousands of years. Such an event is quite rare. Almost unheard of, until around five hundred years ago, when our crystal was stolen.” The servant explained.

I remembered Elowyn mentioning a similar story, the Goddess stole it, and she’s sworn to recapture it at all costs.

“Still, I suppose I should welcome you back again, Razan. Grace. I’ll show both of you to your rooms; his majesty may be ailing, but he wishes to meet you again nonetheless.” The Servant beckoned us to follow. I kind of wanted to check on Elowyn. But it was best to settle down first.

We followed her through a series of hallways, each one looking nearly identical to the last. I suppose for someone with hundreds of years of experience, it would be simple. But for me, it felt like a maze unlike any other.

“I suggest you not wander far, as there is a risk of getting lost. Some elves also do not take kindly to those who bear the mark on their cheek.” The Servant warned as we stopped by a set of two rooms.

Mine and Grace’s. Yet the strange part is, they had our names on it already.

“Thanks for the hospitality-” Before I could say anything more, the servant had left. “I see, well…” I took some time to gather my thoughts. “We should take some time to rest. I’m sure the King will want to see us soon.”

Grace nodded in agreement. “It’s a little eerie how they knew us already. They even had the nametags and space set up for us.”

“Maybe this is where we’ll get the answers we’ve been looking for,” I admitted. I was a bit confused about everything, too. This was getting to be a bit much for me. I never expected things to get this complicated.

I wondered just how much the Goddess hid from me. Who Ryu Nakamura was. So many questions. Hours passed as I waited in my room, which was sparsely decorated, clearly meant for visitors.

Finally, a knock at the door, I would be greeted by another servant. It was a Sapper. “Hullo! I’m here to take you to see His Majesty.” Grace was behind him. “My name is Bud, it’s a fairly simple name, but it’s a name I’m proud of nonetheless.” He spoke enthusiastically, his voice high-pitched like a child's.

After some more hallways, we stood before a bedroom. Inside was a devastated-looking Elowyn, who remained silent in the corner of the room. An elderly looking elf with long white hair and a beard that went down to his knees lay in bed.

“I cannot see who enters. Is this Razan Hamada and Grace Wanders I speak to?” The elderly man called out.

“Indeed, I’m Razan Hamada.” I introduced. “...and I’m Grace Wanders.”

The elderly elf nodded. “I see, I have lived for thousands of years, but I'm glad I get to see you both one last time.”

This confused me.

“Pardon me, but. I do have some questions, your majesty.” I bowed.

“You must be confused as to why I know you? Perhaps? Elowyn told me about a dream you had. Allow me to explain, but first, where are my manners?” The elf smiled. “I’m Martin Arclaneia III. Current King of Arcelaneia. The city of the elves.”

I nodded. “Pleased to meet you.”

The King seemed relatively pleased, but I felt a bit intimidated. Talking to a King and all.

“First, your current situation. The King of Astora had been assassinated, and the new ruler is already enacting a tyrannical rule. His name is Maxwell Lancelet. A competitor, just like you.” For once, he turned his head to look at me. His eyes were white, with no pupils to speak of.

“He placed the bounty on all competitors. Likely to remove any and all competition without lifting a finger. As for why you were singled out, I have no clue.”

I thought about that for a bit, this Maxwell guy. He killed a King and usurped a throne just to win the competition?

“How is that allowed? Surely, the Goddess would strike him down for such insolence. Killing a divine ruler like King Astora.” Grace protested.

“Then your Goddess approved of it, tell me, after everything you have learned today, child. Can you sincerely call yourself a devoted follower?” Martin looked at her.

Grace didn’t answer.

“The Goddess you worship is evil, responsible for endless suffering. If you wish to help others, you will have to kill her.” Martin explained.

“Hold on, then, how about that dream? What’s going on with that?”

“Ah, that…” Martin began. “You see, this is our first time meeting, at least for me. The best way to explain is this. You are not a first-time competitor.”

I froze. I wondered how I could?

“But I remember it like it was yesterday, I was going by the same name, and Grace was there too. How was she alive? Besides, aren’t these things every fifty years?”

Martin waved a hand, creating an image of a loop —the symbol of infinity. Made completely of magic.

“Think of life as a loop, with two endpoints on opposite ends. When you die, your soul simply leaves one end of the loop to the other, but first, you stop at a place known as the in-between. A dimensional realm where the Goddess herself exists, your soul is processed, before being given a new life on the other side.”

I found myself getting more and more confused.

“So there is no afterlife? No heaven? Just an endless loop of reincarnating, presumably between my world and this.” I asked.

“You would be correct, the Grace you saw was her, yet not her at the same time,” Martin confirmed my suspicions. So we would infinitely reincarnate?

“Hold on, then how does this competition work? What’s going on here?” I asked.

“Think of before your soul can change fully into someone new, the Goddess interrupts the process and offers you a second chance. I’m sure the rest you are familiar with. However, as a general rule, competitors must be from your world. Why?”

Martin paused before dropping yet another surprise.

“Because your world simply exists as a world to pull heroes from. She needs a detached environment to give everyone a ‘fair’ shot, and to give the competitors a sense of emotional detachment.”

It’s far easier to encourage wanton destruction if the ones doing it are not supposed to care about this new world.

“As for why? We do not know entirely. But what we do know is this must be stopped, and that can only be done by going to the in-between and bringing the fight to the Goddess.”

Another question came to me.

“What happens if we beat the Goddess? There won’t be anyone to process souls. So what happens then?”

Martin stayed silent for just a moment as he processed my question.

“It would break the cycle of destruction caused by these contests. Most importantly, it would sever the reincarnation process. Allowing souls to pass on easily. It likely also would prevent you from going home for good.”

In other words, there was a way for me to stay here; I just had to win the competition and use that as an excuse to get close to the Goddess to fight her.

Still, I had a million questions.

“How do you know that will happen? What if that isn’t what happens? What if more harm gets done and souls just get backed up in some sort of limbo?” I needed proof before I could commit fully.

“If you wish for proof. I ask that you stay a bit longer, train here. Get stronger, and you will be allowed to meet a different Goddess. Ours, the representative of life itself. Rather than death.”

Elowyn perked up at the thought. “You’re going to send him off to her?”

Martin nodded. “If I pass on before he is finished, Elowyn. It falls on you to see it through to the very end.”

I was still reluctant.

“Hold on, I never agreed to this. I mean, sure, the Goddess is horrible. But the damage that could be done with her being gone, and if I’m already fighting an evil Goddess? Why on earth would I trust another one?”

I didn’t know what to think. To believe? Why do this? Sure, I could get what I wanted, but I wasn’t entirely sure if it would do more harm than good.

“Perhaps, we need a bit more time to think it over,” Grace asked. “May we continue this conversation tomorrow, your majesty?”

I looked over at Grace. I never felt so grateful for the intervention. But I could tell we both were just overwhelmed. “I agree, it is a bit much. I would like a bit of time as well to think it over as well.”

Elowyn looked ready to protest, but Martin weakly raised a hand to stop her. “Take your time, but don’t wait too long; time is not on your side, nor is it on mine. I ask you not to take part, but to at least train with us. Then hear what our Goddess has to say.”

With that, we were dismissed. Bud would lead us to our rooms. As we made our way back, I thought about it. Though my mind didn’t change. Later, I was in bed, lying down, when I thought about it some more.

I figured at least this time. If I’ve done this before, assuming Martin was telling the truth. Then there must be some compelling reason to do so. A fix to address the very problem I just described.

Perhaps I could meet this Goddess after all. At the very least, this training of theirs would make me stronger. No reason to turn them down at this point.

Remaining participants: 46/100.

Game status: In progress.

Razan Hamada Status: Alive.