Chapter 4 The Lonely Truth

"Okay Sylvain, i'll tell you the truth now," mom begins, "as you probably already have guessed you are not human. So I'll start by telling you about the different races that inhabit this world. There are 5 different races and they are the human race, the beast men race, the dwarven race, the spirit race, and the elven race. Each race has something that can identify them at a glance. Beast men have beast-like traits such as scales and animal ears. They also inherit beasts' senses and the like. Dwarves have a small stature and are excellent with their hands. Spirits are the size of leaves and have fairy wings on their backs. Elves have pointy ears and excell at magic. Finally humans are as you have seen them and have no special characteristics. All the races also have a special aura that can be detected. I hope you understand all that."

"Uh Huh. 5 races with all unique characteristics."

"Okay good. Now you are a half elf which means that you have half the blood of an elf and half the blood of a human. You got your eleven blood from me and your human blood from your dad. Now normally this wouldn't be a problem since those of mixed race would tend to show characteristics of one race.for example a mixed dwarf beast men could have the characteristics of a dwarf with the dwarven aura. They would then gain some benefits from the beast men's blood like enhanced smell, but they would ultimately be a dwarf."

"So I have the elven characteristics without the elven aura, but what's the problem with that? I can't control my birth."

"The problem is that the elven race is very prideful. It would hurt their pride to see someone that looks like them without the aura. So we decided to hide among the humans, however it is unfortunate that there was recently a war with the elves and humans and the humans lost badly. Many have had their loved ones killed in battle so they are hostile towards us elves. Well I can't complain too much though since if it wasn't for that war I would have never met your father."

"Well what are we going to do mom? The humans won't take us back and the elves won't accept me. And what about dad, because of me you guys are separated."

"It's okay Sylvain. We'll go to an elven village and get shelter from my sister for a few years. Then when all this commotion dies down we will be able to head back with your father. He should already be preparing a good lie to explain why we are gone and we will get back to our old lifestyle in no time. Just remember to keep the pendant on at all times now."

"Yes mom, I'm sorry, but I had no choice."

"Oh really tell me about it while I draw a teleportation circle here so we can get to my sister's place."

"Ye… wait, you have spatial affinity."

"Yep. But do talk about why you had to take off the pendant."

While still trying to wrap my head over how my momhas an advanced affinity I tell her of what happened to me. I told her about how we went to play in a cave Danny told us about and how we had a lot of fun playing hero and demon lord. How Sylvia changed the game with her last minute heal on me, the demon lord. Then I told her about the roar and the bear type demonic beast. How I told them to run and how I used my sword spell to fight. How I was nervous and almost died. How I created a new spell that allowed me to reverse the battle and how I had fainted afterwards. I told her everything without leaving out a single detail and then prepared myself for a scolding. However the scolding I thought was coming never did.

Instead I was told, "you did your best and you protected your friends even putting your life on the line. Although I don't like how you had to wait for Sylvia to make the first attack you did a good thing. Remember that moment and remember to be brave when facing similar situations."

I was so happy that I wasn't scolded that I cried. I probably cried for other reasons too, but I didn't know what they were. Maybe relief for knowing I did the right thing or anxiety over how I retold the story. Anyways I cried for a long time while being held in my mom's embrace. I then woke up still hugging my mom. She was smiling as she was looking at me and told me that the teleportation circle was ready. She had apparently finished it while I was sleeping after my crying fit. I was embarrassed, but I still followed my mom into the circle.

Since the magic circle was drawn there was no need for a chant and all that was needed to do was to pour mana through the circle. You may be wondering why magic circles weren't just drawn and brought to where they needed to be and that is because it can't be done. A magic circle is most effective right after it is drawn. According to mom there has been research into improving a magic circle so it doesn't deteriorate, but no results have been found, mainly due to the fact that much knowledge on them has been lost to time. In fact, most of the magic circles we have are just copies of old ones, found in ruins. So drawing magic circles is a skill meant for spells that have large mana consumption since it can help draw mana from the surrounding atmosphere. Magic circles can also help bypass elemental affinity, yet one needs to still have an understanding of the element to use it in that way.

The magic circle lit up as mom started channeling mana through it. Eventually the glow from the circle was so bright that I had to close my eyes. When I opened them I was in a house with my mom right beside me. I could already tell that this place had really dense mana, at least twice as dense as the mana in the village. When I looked up I saw a person that looked almost exactly the same as my mom standing there seemingly in shock.

Then in a timid small voice she asked, "Lora is that you?"

"Yes Loraine, my dear sister, I have returned."

Tears started streaming down Loraine's face as she hugged mom and cried in her embrace like I had done previously. Once auntie Loraine had finished crying mom explained the situation. I felt that auntie's face slightly changed when I or dad were mentioned, but I didn't really think anything of it.

Once mom had finished explaining, auntie said, "you've been through so much Lora. Of course I'll let you stay here until this whole situation blows over."

"Thank you so much, I really owe you. Now Sylvain let's get you to bed. You must be really due to all the stuff that happened."

"Okay mom. Thank you auntie."

I said that despite being sleepy and then was led by mom to a bed. Once I was in the bed I instantly fell asleep. I didn't know how long I slept, but I woke up to voices inside the house. From what I could tell it seemed to be auntie, mom, and another male voice. Wondering who they were I started to head down the stairs.

However before I went down the first stairs I heard, "while it's been nice catching up Lora I have been tipped off that a half is here. I must thoroughly search the house to make sure these claims are accurate."

"What are you going to do if you actually find a half elf?"

"That is so like you Lora. You even worry about those disgusting half elves. Don't worry I won't do anything bad to them. I will just chase them out into a human village."

"But if they are thrown into a human village they will have a much worse time because the humans will immediately kill them."

"It has to be done to protect the pride of the elves. And why should we care for those filthy scum with impure blood. If it were up to me not only would the child be persecuted, but also those who helped create it. Now sorry, but I will be searching now."

Listening to all of this from the top of the stairs I ran as quietly as possible back to the room I was sleeping in. I look around quickly for a place to hide. I eventually decide to hide under the bed and hope they overlook me. However my hiding was irrelevant since he headed straight to my room and immediately moved the bed.

"Now look what we have here. I never thought what Loraine said would actually be true. You have my thanks Loraine for now I will be able to get rid of this filthy scum."

As he says this he unsheathes a sword he has on his waist. He draws it in a clean arc that is headed straight to my neck. I can see the sword moving towards me, but I can't move. It's like the world is moving in slow motion so I can clearly watch my own death. However in the side of my vision I see my mom running towards me and right before the sword cuts my neck she puts her hand in its path. The sword cuts cleanly through her hand causing it to fall to the floor still spewing blood.

"Why would you protect this scum Lora?"

"Because this scum is my son. I will let him live even if the world doesn't allow him to."

While she is saying this she is also mumbling something under her breath.

"Oh so would you rather die if it meant your son would live?"

"Yes. My son is innocent in all of this and deserves to live his life."

"Well that won't happen since both of you will be dying here."

He once again swings his sword, but this time it is heading for my mom's neck. Instead of dodging it like I thought she would she covers me with her body as if to protect me from his attack.

While this is happening she is still mumbling something and telling me, "son I know this is a selfish wish, but I hope for you to live on. Do your best to stay healthy and make sure you don't die. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you more."

Then once all of this was done she stopped her constant mumbling and said, "transport my ally."

Once this was said a golden glow enveloped me. It was the same glow that encased me when I went into mom's teleportation magic circle. The last thing I saw before the glow became too much for my eyes was my mom's crying face smiling at me. When I could I opened my eyes, but my mom was gone. Instead I was in my room. I didn't want to think of what happened to my mom back there. To try to stop myself from thinking about it I went to find my dad. He was in the kitchen seemingly praying. I ran up to him and cried.

He didn't console me but said, "what are you doing here? You should be with your mother."

I couldn't say anything in response to those words and just continued to cry. Maybe he could tell from that, but this time he consoled me, however it was only for a short while.

"Sylvain," he said, "here is your pendant. You better put it on quick. The village chief is coming soon to check on the house."

I nodded in between my tears and put on the pendant. I then went to touch my ears to see if they changed. I could still feel then as pointy though.

"Dad," I said with a trembling voice, "it's not working."

And right afterwards a knock came from the door along with a voice saying, "Dave open up. We are here to check your house as agreed upon."

"Give me a second," dad yells at the guards.

Then to me he says, "son take this dagger, go out the back door, and run. Run through the forest without looking back. You should be able to outrun them. I'll stall the guards for as long as I can so run."

After passing me the dagger and sheath he then heads to the front door and starts talking to them. Listening to my dad's instructions I run. Unluckily for me, Albert and Sylvia are tending to their backyard garden and see me as I run from the house.

After Albert sees me he yells, "guards the elf child is here. He just came out of Dave's house."

From inside the house I hear a fading voice saying, "I knew it was you. You will be executed for your punishment."

Despite my dad's warning of not looking back I do. I can see my father grappling with one of the guards, while the others are surrounding him. I want to run back and help him, but I remember his and my mom's words. Their wish for me to live on in this world. So I turn my head and continue running. I soon enter the forest, but I continue running. Running as if to run away from all these problems. Even when I know I am far ahead of the guards I still run.

Finally I tire out and rest by a tree knowing that if I continue I would collapse from exhaustion. Trying to distract myself from thinking about my parents I think of my next destination. I will be hated by both the elves and the humans so I can't go to either of them and I'm pretty sure the other races won't be willing to accept me. Who would be willing to offend a race for one child. So if I want to fulfill my parents wishes then I need to live by myself. If that is the case I would need to go into a forest for food and water. I would also want to go to a place where the other races won't go.

"I guess this means that I have to live in the demonic forests." I say my thoughts aloud.

"Haha, thinking of living in the demonic forests. Even if you could make it there alive you wouldn't be able to survive." A familiar male voice says.

I turn around and find the elf that tried to kill me.

"What are you doing here?" I instantly ask, "what happened to my mother?"

"You'll be dead either way so what does it matter if I answer your question."

When I heard that his intention was to kill me I try to run away, yet he moved in front of me blocking my way with a sword that is wet with blood.

"You may be quicker than a human, but you won't be able to outrun an elf especially in a forest."

I could instantly tell that I wouldn't be able to run away with my speed so I begin chanting a spell to reinforce myself.

"O spell of wind."

"So since you can't run you decide to fight. Admirably. I'll even let you fire that spell at me."

"Flow through my body."

"Wait what spell are you chanting," he says as he goes on guard.

"To reinforce myself," I finish the chant and immediately run away.

Realizing I am running the elf begins to chase after me saying, "you really don't get it do you."

However his voice is getting farther away as my speed has increased due to my spell. My mana was being constantly drained to support the spell, yet it wasn't as much as when I fought the bear. Maybe using two spells at once drains mana quicker. Anyways with the amount of mana I have I feel like I would be able to keep this spell up for a couple of hours. I also rearranged the spell to focus on my legs so I would only get the speed boost and lower my mana cost.

With my new rearranged spell the mana drained from me equaled the amount of mana I naturally recovered which allowed me to use the spell forever. That is what I first thought, but of course it wasn't possible. Even though the amount of mana wasn't the problem my mental strength was. I myself couldn't stay awake for a whole day and since my mind was focused on channeling mana to keep the spell active my mental strength depleted faster.

Once I felt like I had gotten far enough from the elf I canceled the spell and started to look for something to eat and a place to sleep for the night as the stars were already up. I was able to find a berry bush with no poisonous berries and ate them. I couldn't really find a good place to sleep so I decided to climb up a tree. It was uncomfortable, but I still tried to sleep. Now that my mind wasn't occupied with running, my thoughts inevitably began to wander to my parents.

At first my thoughts were one of hope, thinking that they were able to get out alive and that I would see them in the future. However my thoughts slowly grew negative thinking that they had died. My father was holding back the guards. Even if they didn't kill them in that exchange he would be locked up. And also if I remember correctly they said that he would be executed. I then began imagining the ways my father would be executed. Cut down by swords, stabbed with spears, head chopped off with an axe, hanged in the village square, and many many others.

I didn't want to think of this anymore so I tried to change the topic in my mind, but the only other thing I could think about was my mother. Again I first started off hopefully. She is a great magician who had a spatial affinity. She should surely be able to teleport out and be safe right. These thoughts also began to turn negative with a what if she stayed behind to stall for my escape. What if she wasn't given a chance to chant another spell? And it was at this moment I remember the blood on the blade of the elf's sword. I also remember the last time I saw my mother. The elf's sword was slowly heading towards her neck and she made no move to block or dodge it, opting to protect me.

It was at this moment that I realized the truth. Both of my parents had died trying to protect me. They died trying to protect something that shouldn't even belong in this world.

"I am just a filthy half elf who got both of his parents dead. It would be better if I had died. No I should just die. It's what everyone wants after all."

I think back on all the anger that has been directed at me over the past few days. The humans who looked at me with disgust. The elves that looked at me with disdain. All of it flashing through my mind as I pulled the dagger from its sheath and placed its blade against my neck.

"Just one cut and this is all over."

The blade starts to cut into my skin and a trickle of blood runs down the blade. It was at this moment that I realized how my parents wanted me to live. How they wished for me to live in this cruel world. If I killed myself all their efforts in protecting me would go down the drain. I then sheathed my dagger after wiping my blood from it and cleaning my cut.

"I'll live in this cruel world. I'll make sure that you guys can look down on me with proud faces. I'll make sure of it." I said as I cried myself to sleep realizing that I am truly alone now.