The False Pride

"Father… long time no see…"

Vaeral kneeled as he arrived in front of the Old Dark Elf, sitting at the floating pieces of building roof in the middle of the pond.

Because Vaeral held my hand, I also kneeled next to him.

Even under the raindrops, I can hear the Old Dark Elf sigh heavily.

"Vaeral...my son…."

The Old Dark Elf mumbled as he is staring me and then 'someone' behind me.

"The Supreme Magician also come here. I thought you were already dead after the great war on Monsters."

The Old Dark Elf looks at Amdarais with a blank stare.

"Master Sundamar… please forgive my irreverence…."

Amdarais kneel next to me.

It's surprising for me to see Amdarais being so polite toward people.

Perhaps this Old Dark Elf is a respectable teacher for him.

"I'm still alive, master. I will survive after those betrayers pay for what they did for me. It's my swear."

Amdarais underline his responses.

But Sundamar replies to it with a snort.

"You're the Supreme Magician, but I can't believe you are still driven by that hollow motivation. It's a no puzzle for you to fall with silly reason."

Sundamar said with belittling tones.

"Hollow or not, I will never let those betrayers laugh because of my fall, master. I'll prove it to them even if it costs a death."

Amdarais still insist.

"Despite your brilliant skill, there's always the stubbornness among Magician. You reminded me about my foolish son who dared to throw away Venharice's just for the sake of 'love.'"

Sundamar's critics feel like stabbing Vaeral, making his heart beat fast because of fear.

"Father… It's my mistake for not listening to you. In the past, I was dumb and stubborn over my relationship with Soliana. However, it doesn't mean we are in the wrong way. On the contrary, Soliana and I only found the best way for Venharice and Yinleth to tolerate the difference between noble families."

Vaeral explains his argument.

It was pretty thoughtful when I heard it.

Vaeral admits his mistake but is also brave enough to point his viewpoint to the best result for his relationship with Soliana and Yinleth.

"…then what, son? You and your wife create an Ice Fortress for locking Venharice and Yinleth, who supported you two, into a cube of ice. Anyone who is opposite to you would be punished on the same ice. Is that tolerance you two want?"

Sundamar replied to it cynically.

"Father, the Ice Palace is our biggest mistake. Soliana uses the Forbidden Ice Magic Spell because she feels pressured by Venharice and Yinleth, who constantly have a commotion. Only the Dorberos who's willing to help us, but later on, I know they are also a deceiver to our life."

"Now, you admit your foolishness, right? It's a good step, son."

"I'm sorry for the loss of Venharice. This Royal Garden is not supposed to crumble like this."

"You're late. After Dorberos and the damn Halflings had collected a lot of raw blue gemstone, they started a war with us. Many Venharice and Yinleth lost their lives because of their invasion."

"I…"

Vaeral can't continue his words.

His sad face shows his deep regret.

"Why Venharice and Yinleth couldn't fight back, master? Isn't Dorberos and dumb Halflings only relying on magical gemstones for casting a magic spell? Therefore, the magic spell must be weak compared with the magic cast by pure Magician."

Amdarais asked curiously.

"The magic power from magical gemstones might be weak when it clashes with the magic power from pure Magician. But we lost in terms of troops number. They had more than a thousand troops that invaded us to fully control the Ice Queen."

Sundamar answered and then whistled for a moment.

Soon after that, I could hear lots of steps.

Those steps are the steps of many Dark Elves wearing similar robes to Sundamar.

They came from the bush, the fallen tree, and the almost collapsed wooden houses, then stood in a circling position on the pond's edge.

There are only 20 people, as I count it.

"This is the pure Magician troops we had capable of countering the next attack from Dorberos family and halflings."

Sundamar explained with a flat tone.

Amdarais, who heard it felt pessimistic about the survival of Venharice with this amount of troops.

"We don't know when and how Dorberos is incoming, but we only have this one principle. We would let Venharice die because of their greed. It is our pride."

Sundamar stated it firmly as he stood and stared at us.

"If you have an intention like Dorberos or those damn halflings, then we will fight until the end. We'll not let Venharice die."

Sundamar's bold tone feels like he is challenging us.

It's weird to see him full of determination, yet his face is sorrowful.

"Father, please stop your recklessness. I come here not to invade you or anything. I want to fix a thing! I want to keep Venharice stay alive!"

Vaeral shouted loudly with confidence to assure his father.

"Ho…my son back to Venharice? Very funny… I thought you already separated with us, Vaeral 'Krismenar'…."

Sundamar still not believing his son's intention.

"Father, I use 'Krismenar' name as a symbol that Soliana and I could unite both Venharice and Yinleth for peace. I admit the forbidden Ice Magic Spell is our mistake that diverts us from Krismenar's name. Please, give me a second opportunity to build my lingering dreams…!"

Even though Vaeral said it clearly, I see Sundamar's not buying it.

Not yet, to be exact.

"With that perception, your dreams stay dreams, son. It's a naïve thought."

"No, it's not that naïve! It's just hard! But I will do whatever it takes to achieve the unity between Venharice and Yinleth!"

"You still do not understand the principle. Tolerance doesn't mean we should unite or not. Tolerance means we respect our cultural difference. So you are speaking like a fool if you want to unite Venharice and Yinleth!"

"I know, father! But that doesn't mean we should give up on our difference! Isn't that the dragon of wisdom taught to Venharice?! Are you letting yourself see Venharice and Yinleth getting destroyed because Derberos want it?! Derberos force my wife, and I won't let them nag her again! I swear!"

Sundamar paused for a while.

He couldn't find a proper answer for dismissed his son's argument.

Strangely enough, Sundamar suddenly stares at me intensely.

"So this the Supreme Magician apprentice that had been talked about among the Monsters. I can sense some part of your Soul's Spirit is blocked by the Ice Seal. Incomplete Ice Seal, to be precise."

Sundamar asked me calmly, ignoring his son.

"From that eyepatch, I know you almost died at the hand of Ice Queen. So tell me, young man. What does it feel like to fight the Ice Queen, who ignores their own noble family? Aren't they act like brand-new hope? Or just a group of bravado?"

Sundamar waited for my honest answer.

Amdarais and Vaeral also look at me, waiting for my answer.

"Yes, sir. They're like a group of bravado who can't respect their family's great name."

I said it firmly.

Amdarais became speechless while Sundamar laughed.

Vaeral looks confused, but from his sad face, I know he's admitting some of my statements.

"So do you, sir. Your arrogance toward other nobles' families is a great mistake that led Derberos to move slowly, crushing Venharice and Yinleth."

Sundamar stopped his laugh after hearing my continuation statement.

His stare now focuses on my hand, which still holds Vaeral's hand.

"What a bold statement, young man. Now I understand why Amdarais took you as an apprentice. So why do you trouble yourself by meddling with our family problem?"

Sundamar asked curiously.

"It's the thing I had to do to move toward the next magician skill."

I answered with what I believed.

"…to learn the water and ice magic spell, you mean? Ah, I see. It's looks like you and Vaeral overly confident with your own belief. I suppose the dragon of wisdom could educate you."

The blue light suddenly shines brightly on Sundamar's hands.

I can feel the water's surface shaking as it resonates with Sundamar's Souls Spirit emergence.

"Vaeral… Young Man… if you have your belief, then go for it. Let the dragon of wisdom test your bravery in that belief. After all, being a Magician is to reach the miracles of life."

Sundamar finished his statement as the resonates grew stronger.

Vaeral and I almost stumbled because the water's surface was shaking entirely.

"Father! What are you doing with the Grand Magic Spell?!"

Vaeral yelled as the water on the pond shook heavily and moved like a tsunami that tossed our bodies relentlessly.

Before we even thought through what had happened, our heartbeat became fast when we heard Sundamar's recitation.

"Breathless

For the undividable of the realm

Unseen

For the unlimited fall

Flow, Grand Blue!"

As Sundamar finished his recitation, the pond water became a tornado that forced Vaeral and me to separate.

We both sink in the deep water with a tremendous and brutal flow of water that endlessly spins our bodies.

In the middle of the blurry view outside the water, I see Sundamar sitting again calmly on the pieces of roof building that can now be looked at clearly because all the water on the pond has become a water tornado.

Trapped in this breathless and brutal water, I knew my trial for learning the water magic spell had just begun.