Ch 18 The Crone and The King

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[Valewood Streets]

I walked steadily behind the small Aelven boy as he led us up the hill We continued past the homes of the wealthy, the Aelven Architecture on every sprawling home was uniquely beautiful.

But for some reason, although I could see and hear the boy my senses told me there was nobody there which made me uneasy as we walked up the dark streets only sporadically passing past a home with burning lights.

"Hey Boy, why did Caranea not show up to the feast?" I asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.

He looked over to me and His hazel eyes glimmered before speaking once more. "Sir White Hair....Elder Caranea has requested your presence..."

He spoke once again, this time I noticed the distinct lack of emotion in the boys voice.....Strange.

But I felt no danger and simply continued walking where he was leading.

Only now I knew something strange was happening....

The night was eerily silent save for the clumsy footsteps of the young boy and the now faint sound of feasting and partying in the far distance.

After a few more long minutes of climbing the winding streets we finally came to a stop.

Both of us stood before an Ancient cobblestone structure, unlike every other building which was perfectly kept and orderly, this structure had thick moss and twisting vines growing along its worn down stone walls.

 "Is this it?" I asked the strange boy.

He stared at me with his glimmering hazel eyes for a long silent moment before I felt a thrum of magic coming from him.

*SHIIIING!!!!

My sword instantly flew directly at his throat...

*WHOOSH.....

Instead of removing his head, there was nothing but mist blowing away into the wind.

I stood for a long moment In confusion as to what just happened before the large wooden door of the ancient building creaked open loudly.

*CREEEAAAAK.....

The door sounded and I looked over to the entrance...not a soul in sight which sent a shiver down my back.

I questioned If i should even enter for a long while until a hoarse croaking voice sounded seemingly from everywhere.

"Be...Not.... Afraid.....Herald.....Enter...." The haunting croaking voice resounded.

I kept my sword drawn as I hesitantly entered weathered building....

As I walked forward, small candles in the hallways lit up one after another as if guiding my way farther into the ancient structure.

After nearly a minute of following the small candles I seemed to have reached my destination.

I came upon a large iron door which was engraved in ancient Aelven runes, Two burning braziers at either side burned brightly.

"You...May...Enter..." I heard the croaking voice call from seemingly everywhere.

'fucking hell this is scary' I thought to myself before grabbing the door handle and pulling hard.

*CREEEAAAAK.... The door sounded horribly as it opened slowly.

I immediately spotted Her.

What caught my attention first were her deep orange eyes which nearly glowed, She wore gray woolen robes and a heavy gold necklace which bore the symbol of Aellarith.

Caranea was seated in front of a large low brazier, the flames flickered a haunting green which warmed the entire room significantly while causing her gold necklace to shimmer strangely.

Caranea motioned with her old withered hand for me to come closer.

"Come.....Herald...My Eyes Are No Longer What They Used To Be..."

Her voice sounded once more, but instead of the horrifying croaking that I'd heard moments earlier it was now a warm voice like that of a loving grandmother.

I nodded before sheathing my sword, I felt no ill will from the Elderly woman.

I walked slowly towards Caranea as her deep orange eyes shimmered strangely, in the light I could see her irises were hazed over with a milky color upon further inspection.

After reaching only two feet away from her intricately crafted chair I knelt down so she could look at me eye to eye.

She stared at me intently for a long time before her withered lips turned upward in a little smile.

"I have lived for centuries boy.....and I can tell you this....only High Prince Aellin The Bold has been as handsome as you.." she spoke with a smile and patted my cheek softly.

"A compliment I'll gladly accept...Thank you Caranea." I spoke respectfully and she smiled in amusement before speaking once more.

"Give me your hand, I have waited multiple lifetimes for a Herald to rip those disgusting humans apart....I need to inspect you for quality..." Caranea spoke seriously with her wrinkly hand extended.

I extended my hand and soon it was grabbed by her bony fingers.

I waited for a moment until she started muttering in Old Aelvish as a pulse of low intensity magic spread from her fingertips and into my body.

*THRUM...

"Pure....So pure...The purest blood I've ever seen....No wonder you look so handsome....." The old crone muttered before increasing her magic power.

It caused by arm to tremble and twitch but I did not pull back.

"....So much....mana....such a shame you are incapable of harnessing any of it....If only the origin temples still existed...to perform the ritual...."

She muttered under her breath before unleashing even more mana.

sparks of dark green mana flared up in the air around us as the green magic flame beside us swelled and roared nearly two meters high.

Now the pain really hit me.

"ARGH...FUUCK..." I let out an animalistic groan of pain as the magic flowed.

Before It became too much to handle the flow of magic stopped instantly, as if by the flip of a lightswitch.

 Caranea let go of my arm, I was left with a trembling left arm and slightly numb fingertips.

I massaged my arm for a moment before looking back up at the old woman, she had a few tears falling down her wrinkled face.

"Elder Caranea.... are you okay? Have you been hurt?" I asked but she just gestured for me that it was okay.

"She Has finally sent you..... I'm sorry....my tears...Ive waited so long....." Caranea spoke out and the emotion in her voice was palpable.

Immediately I wrapped her into a gentle hug, my heartstrings couldn't stand seeing an old woman shedding tears after all.

"Finally.....My little sisters....my mother.....my father....all the friends I ever made.....You will avenge them....Right.." She spoke through the tears.

"I Will." I spoke out softly and she nodded

Eventually we separated and she was left with puffy swollen eyes and a sniffling nose.

the she snapped her fingers and the Aelven boy materialized out of thin air before helping her wipe her eyes and nose.

As soon as the boy was finished cleaning her tears he dissipated once more into mist.

It was then that I realized the child was noting more than a magical dummy.

"...Apologies for my tears young man....I have waited many lifetimes for..... justice..... vengeance.....and now....Here you are." Caranea spoke, her wrinkled lips spread into a happy smile.

"Entire Human Bloodlines shall scream for Barthos, as our people did for Aellarith...." I spoke and Caranea couldn't have gotten a more happy smile onto her old withered face.

"Good...Good.....But tell me Herald, Little Natalka sent a message that you wished to meet with me, Ask and I shall help you to the best of my ability." Caranea spoke gently while gesturing for me to take a seat just across from her and the magical green fire.

I sat down in the high backed wooden seat before speaking.

"I have two questions which need your wisdom, Firstly I need to find the Aen Carnith Valley, Natalka spoke that you might know of its location....Secondly is any knowledge of treating the Gray Death that you might possess....." I asked.

She scratched her wrinkled chin while thinking for a long moment before speaking.

"Ah I remember....Aen Carnith Valley It is where the Antediluvian Empress would go when a new Heir was to be born.....I traveled there once when I was just a child since my mother was a handmaiden for the Third Princess...." Caranea spoke as her eyes glazed over and lost herself in memory.

"But do you remember where it is?" I asked quickly to break the Old woman out of her daydreaming.

"I remember we flew there...It was beautiful...." She spoke with glazed eyes before her focus returned once again.

"To reach Aen Carnith you need to reach The Mons Terminus mountains, Far to the northeast and beyond.....But in my day we flew with the Emperors Gryphon Knights and it was still two days of flight.....But the Order of Gryphon Knights has been gone for centuries...To attempt the crossing On foot is surely suicide."

Caranea spoke grimly while using her magic flames to show a vast mountain-range seemingly without end.

But deep down I knew it couldn't be impossible...there had to be a way.

"Is there any other way Elder...Anything you can think of..." I asked with great concern.

"Hmmm.....When...When I was young I heard that there were Ancient Dwarven Tunnels dug deep through the mountain range....But If they ever existed the knowledge of where is long lost." Caranea spoke

I stared at the mountains in the flames with a steely gaze...it would not be easy...

Then Caranea's voice resounded in my ears once more.

"As for the second matter....Gray Death is incurable except for an Elixir of Collostia which I have not seen in over two hundred and fifty years, and the alternative is practically impossible to collect."

She spoke while rubbing her withered face into her hands.

"The elixirs are gone...but you said 'Practically impossible'....Surely that means there is a way?"

I asked and she stared into my shimmering silver eyes for a long moment before speaking.

"Dragons Essence..... is the only thing which can help Madame Aeri....Taken from the fresh heart of a Dragon." Caranea spoke hesitantly.

"Where do I find one?" I asked.

"You will surely die Herald....An enraged Dragon can make an entire Kingdom tremble before it is slain..." Caranea spoke with a trembling voice as she remembered seeing one such thing in her youth.

"Where." I asked again coldly and she hesitated for a long while before finally giving in.

"North....Many Miles North of Valewood Valley is a mountain-range that separates Therian Lands and The Lachian Confederation just beyond...There you will find the beast you seek Herald." Caranea spoke before gesturing toward the flames which morphed.

All I saw in the flames was a huge creature surrounded in darkness, only the glow in its beady eyes shone through.

"Follow the streams...The Goddess guides your way so finding the beast will not be difficult for you." She spoke with glowing eyes before they returned to normal.

"Caranea, before I go I have one more question.....When you were inspecting me, you said something about a ritual, and an origin temple..." I asked and she nodded before answering.

"...During The Fall of Antediluvia all origin temples were destroyed by the Accursed human Siegfried.....Temples of unworldly Holy power....Almost as if a portion of Aelfheim was here on earth...."

She spoke as her green magic flames morphed into an otherworldly Aelven Cathedral that gleamed in the light before flaming boulders impacted its beautiful walls....

"At these temples it was said that The most Holy Priestesses would awaken magic power in the Children of Royal Blood when they could not awaken it themselves....But that is of no matter now Herald, All the temples have been turned to dust over the centuries...."

Caranea spoke with a bitter tone as she remembered what the humans had done all those years ago.

But....I would not tell her there was still one more remaining temple....That knowledge was for myself only until I had more power...

"Thank you Caranea, for all your wisdom and help." I spoke and bowed my head.

"Go in peace Herald....Send those humans my warm regards..." Caranea spoke, her voice filled with a burning hatred for them

"I will do as you say." I spoke before heading out of the room and back into the dark dingy hallway as the iron door closed itself behind me.

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[Unknown Time Earlier] [Palace of King Clovis, Therian Capital of Novistad, Great Hall]

A regal looking bearded man dressed in fine silk robes sat upon a throne, the Bejeweled Mythril Crown on his head told of his power and wealth.

To either side of him were several of his royal guard dressed in yellow and black plate armor, all Knights of unequaled strength and skill.

Standing ten meters away was a group of five humans dressed in varied armor which would not look out of place in a shitty beta protagonist isekai garbage anime.

The gold plated Badges around their necks told that they belonged to the Famed Novistad Mercenary Guild.

"So...You five will slay the Dragon that has taken hold of my gold mine?..." The Regal Kings voice resounded.

His kingly aura made the five mercenaries feel like worms and they wriggled in their boots.

"Y..Yes my King....We've already slain a Dragon for High Thane Riwark of Lachia only two summers ago...." The leader of the mercenaries spoke, He was a handsome blonde man with brilliant blue eyes and impeccable silver armor with blue accents.

"Hmmm...What did he pay you Five?...For dispatching of that Dragon..." King Clovis asked while swirling the fragrant red wine in his chalice.

"One Hundred pounds of Gold and four Hundred Pounds Of Silver...." Harry the blonde mercenary spoke with a bowed head to avoid angering the King.

"Hmmm.....I shall pay two times what he did.....Let none say I am not Generous toward those who are useful to me." King Clovis spoke while inwardly smiling at the cheap price to get his hands back on that mine.

Much cheaper than all the food and fodder needed to raise an army, let alone how many thousands of worthless peasants would surely die.

Then King Clovis waved his hand to shoo away the Mercenaries.

"Return to me swiftly when you are done little adventurers....." Clovis spoke before downing all the fragrant wine in his Chalice.....

Then he sat back on his throne and remained silent for a few minutes until his face darkened with a deep rage.

His Royal Guards shivered in their boots from the unbelievable bloodlust that King Clovis was exuding....Then they heard him muttering something he'd been muttering for a few days now.

"Kalinik Hilandar....Kalinik Hilandar....Kalinik Hilandar....Kalinik Hilandar...." King Clovis spoke at a whisper repeatedly while his hand began tightening on the chalice so hard that his fingers began to turn white and tremble.

Then the Regal King Stood in a fit of fury.

"!!!!KALINIK HILANDAR!!!!"

King Clovis roared out and threw his golden bejeweled chalice flying hard onto the polished marble floor before turning around and storming toward his chambers.

*CLATTER*CLATTER*CLATTER

After the King was away two of his royal guards whispered to each other.

"The massacre is still heavy on his mind..." Once heavily armored man whispered to the other.

"There is none to blame since the Baronet Killed himself and nobody has ever heard of this 'Kalinik Hilandar'...."

"Hopefully he doesn't take it out on Evander...He's a good guy..." The other Knight spoke before they continued chatting amongst themselves.

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[Novistad, Therian Capitol]

"Harry we're gonna be rich!!!" The Cleric Callan, a brown haired man with kind eyes yelled out as soon as they left the palace walls.

"We're already rich idiot...." Alosia, the curvy Big titted battle-mage muttered from under her bright blue hood.

"Dont call my hubby an idiot you cow!"Jane, The small framed rogue spoke out aggressively while hugging Callan tightly.

"Jane, its not nice to call people cows." Florence, the Blonde Paladin of Barthos spoke with a cool ethereal voice.

Harry, the group leader blushed upon hearing her speak....He was hopelessly in love with Florence but he knew a Paladin could never be with a man....it was in their oath after all.

"We'll count our coins when the job is done.....do you all want to leave right now or tomorrow?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow after a while as they continued down the busy Novistadian streets.

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(Novistad is named after Novi Sad second largest city in Serbia not Witcher city)

(I have been offered a contract by webnovel but I don't want you all paying to read this novel. read [notice] auxiliary chapter for a way to support me but still get something in return)

(Lemon incoming)

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