34 Arrival at Demacia

"So where do you think we are?" I asked the demon, studying the white trees with a furrowed brow.

"I have my theory. I know of only one world where white trees like these exist: Runeterra, or the World of League of Legends," Vagran replied, running his hand along the bark of one of the trees.

I sighed, already anticipating his response. It was a theory I had entertained as well, but it raised more questions than answers. Why were we in this world? It bore no resemblance to the Warcraft universe; the only connection was the Void, nothing else.

"Then Demacia it is," I muttered, casting my gaze over the desolate forest surrounding us.

"It seems likely. Although, I can't say for certain if there are other forests with these types of woods," Vagran replied, leaping onto one of the trees and beginning to climb.

I snorted, employing wind magic to elevate myself despite the interference from the trees absorbing my magic. It was clear that my powers were weakened here, but they still functioned, albeit with reduced potency.

"What do you think our course of action should be?" I asked as we reached the summit of the tallest tree in the forest. From there, I could see an enormous city in the distance, undoubtedly the capital of Demacia.

"You truly want to interact with these mage racists?" Vagran asked with a smirk, referring to Demacia's notorious anti-magic policies. In their kingdom, mages were either killed or imprisoned, with noble mages forced to conceal their abilities to avoid persecution.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps seeking out Ryze or heading to Piltover could offer some guidance," I replied, observing some movement on the horizon.

"Shit, something's coming our way!" I exclaimed, using my light magic to cloak us, rendering us invisible.

Moments later, a group of four beasts with riders soared overhead, followed by a band of armored cavaliers on the ground. We waited until they passed before leaping down from our hiding spot, noting the disappearance of the group as they moved beyond us.

"It seems Demacia is in turmoil," I remarked, watching the elite forces of the kingdom, the Dauntless Vanguard, pass by.

"Perhaps the city we saw wasn't their capital," Vagran mused. "I don't recall seeing so many mountains, and I sense a demonic presence nearby. There are no demons within the Demacian capital."

"Did you forget about Evelynn?" I reminded him, referring to one of the demons of Runeterra, known for her seductive and deadly nature.

"You're right," Vagran nodded, turning towards the city. "We should enter, but I'll need to disguise myself as human," he suggested as we made our way towards the distant city.

As we walked, Vagran began to shift his appearance, his armor transforming into the guise of a nobleman, complete with regal attire and red hair. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

"Are you serious? You look like you're heading to a banquet, not on a journey," I remarked with a laugh.

Grumbling, Vagran altered his appearance to something more ordinary. Following suit, I dispelled my armor and transformed my staff into a discreet bracer, its gem glimmering under my clothing. My attire bore the emblem of Elrath, subtly indicating my role as a priest.

"And you call me the flashy one," Vagran retorted as we continued our journey towards the city. Throughout the walk, we engaged in conversation, reminiscing about our past lives and discussing current events.

Upon reaching the city gates, we were halted by one of the guards. The city was heavily guarded, with over twenty sentinels stationed at the entrance, each wielding petricite weaponry crafted from the forest's magical wood.

"We are travelers seeking refuge for the night. The woods can be dangerous after dark," I explained to the captain of the guard.

The guard leader scrutinized us. "We'll need your names for the registry. Any weapons on you?" he inquired.

"No, we're unarmed," we replied simultaneously, stepping forward to add our names to the register.

"Make sure to return and have your names crossed off when you depart the city," the guard instructed as we complied with his request.

As we entered the city, we were greeted by the sight of a significant detachment of the Dauntless Vanguard. Among them, I spotted someone familiar—a figure who resembled Garen, his massive sword strapped to his back. He conversed with a hooded girl, strands of blond hair peeking out from beneath the hood.

'Lux?' I thought, recognizing the young woman I sighed another woman that looked like Lux but older and adorning enormous shoulders.

We glanced briefly at Garen and the hooded girl before continuing on our way. As we passed by, I couldn't help but sense a significant disturbance in the nearby mana, likely caused by the abundance of petricite tools. It was uncomfortable for a mage like myself to be near petricite, but I wondered how Vagran, a creature inherently tied to magic, was faring.

"Are you feeling alright?" I whispered to the demon as I noticed his expression.

"It's like someone's sucking the life out of you," he replied with a dry laugh, prompting me to elbow him lightly.

"Seriously? That's your only response?" I whispered back with a frown as we entered a nearby tavern.

Once inside the tavern, we noticed more members of the Demacian Army stocking up on provisions for their next expedition. Taking a table, we were approached by a young waitress who greeted us with a smile.

"What would you like to order, dear guest?" she inquired politely.

"I'll have the Greathorn steak, please, with a glass of water," I replied with a smile.

"I'll have the steak as well, but without the water," Vagran added, setting down the menu.

The waitress came back twenty minutes later with our food, a long time but with the demands from the army, it was understandable. 

We dined in silence, absorbing the conversations swirling around us in the tavern. The presence of the Dauntless Vanguard hinted at the rumors circulating about a demon terrorizing the city. To combat the threat, the army had been mobilized alongside the Mageseekers, a fact that soured my mood. Mageseekers were notorious for their ruthless pursuit of mages, utilizing specialized equipment to restrain and imprison them.

After finishing our meal—quite delicious, with the meat resembling the taste of deer—we both seemed satisfied.

"I'll go pay," I informed Vagran, rising from my seat and making my way to the counter.

The tavern owner regarded me wearily. "The meal will cost you 12 silver Demas," he informed me, his tone weary.

"Owner, I don't have the local currency. I only have golden currency from my home kingdom," I explained. The owner scrutinized me before sighing heavily.

"Is it pure gold?" he inquired as I placed 10 golden Angels on the counter. The owner eyed them greedily before accepting them, casting a resentful glance at the soldiers dining nearby.

"Leave," he spat venomously. "I shouldn't have served foreigners in my establishment."

I sighed, signaling to Vagran to follow me as we briskly exited the tavern. He rose from his seat, shooting a glance at the waitress who had been eyeing him.

As we stepped outside, a palpable sense of unease hung in the air. Something was awry in this town; the demonic presence lingered around its citizens like a sinister shroud.

Surveying our surroundings, I spotted a hostel nearby where we could spend the night. The city was named Fossbarow, unfamiliar to me, but Vagran informed me that it was the setting of a tale from League of Legends where Nocturne, Lux, and Garen had once clashed. Though we had no involvement in that battle, the army would inevitably suffer losses in confronting Nocturne.

Reflecting on the Demacians' disdain for mages, I felt a surge of disgust towards their narrow-mindedness. They refused to acknowledge mages as equals, treating them as less than human. Such bigotry was abhorrent, and I found it difficult to consider them as anything more than ignorant.

"We need to be cautious," I muttered to Vagran, who grunted in agreement.

"The way that tavern owner looked at you like you were trash... I wanted to gut him," Vagran remarked bitterly as Lux approached us, having parted ways with her brother.

I resisted the urge to meet her gaze, knowing the immense power she wielded as a light mage. Even suppressed, her presence seemed to radiate with the brilliance of the sun.

She was inferior to me, by a quite large margin as she never trained truly with her magic, but her reserve and talent were one of a kind, but in front of a truly skilled detective mage like myself, her concealing of mana was not optimal at all.

She passed by us as we entered the hostel, I greeted the hostess as we took two different room for us.

Once again, I paid with golden angels, despite knowing that the currency was not recognized by the government. It seemed that the people of Demacia were willing to accept different currencies.

Handing over the coins, I endured the hostess's disdainful glare and snarl—a stark reminder of the bigotry ingrained in this society. Once again, I felt the weight of disappointment settle upon me. The irrational prejudice displayed by people of the same race baffled me, echoing the societal issues I had encountered on Earth.

Retreating to my bedroom, I handed the key to Vagran with a solemn instruction. "Vagran, don't sleep tonight," I warned him before entering my own room.

"I know," he grunted in response, disappearing into his own quarters and shutting the door behind him.

As I settled into my room, a sense of unease lingered. I caught sight of a child at the end of the corridor, watching me before darting off into another room. Furrowing my brows, I entered my bedroom and locked the door behind me, the presence of the child lingering in my thoughts.

–

A little chapter for today

See you soon :)