98 Guest from afar

[Mousillon]

"Finally, I am here. His majesty, the Phoenix King, said the fated one is to be found in these lands." An elven wearing a thick cloak enchanted with magic to lessen the presence emitted by the wearer arrived in front of the Gates of Mousillon.

Behind him were other elves wearing the same cloak to hide themselves. They were sent to investigate in the Old World by the current Pheonix King, due to the recent activity of the Eternal Flame that sparked the curious minds of the High Elves.

And as they brooded over this matter they elected the most adventurous and tolerating of the elves they knew of. It was then they found the young and adventurous Finubar, Bel-Hathor felt a profound reason deep within for him to call upon the young elf.

And it also resonated deep within many Princes present as they found the young Sea Guard which the Flame of Asuryan has chosen to seek out the one that challenged the fate in store for this world planned by the chaos Gods.

Thus the young adventurous soul, Finubar of Lothern was sent with a few guards to determine who this being the Flame of Asuryan burns bright for in the middle of the night during the Pheonix King's sleep.

Also to find potential allies for the Dark Elves of Naggaroth has been heard to have been making a move. Other than the Pheonix King, it seems the Everqueen also felt a call or received a vision from the mother of all life.

Thus also sent a handmaiden with Finubar to find out what the Gods of the Cadai seem to want to contact who ever stirs their minds awake.

Now this contingent of elves were able to get into the city of Mousillon that is reviving its vibrant nature.

They being a proud race and feeling that the world beyond their shores are primitive and expected that the former barbarians still live in huts and mud.

But they were greeted with grand castles and a bustling economy that would soon catch up to the way of life the High Elves have.

They were in awe as they roamed the streets, the clean canals, fresh air that made them a relaxing feeling at a single whiff and music that resounded to the feelings of those that hear it.

The High elves were in a confused state as they watched whatever unfolds in their eyes, they watched with wonder how the uneducated barbarians from before ever developed this much after not looking over the world for a few thousand years.

And Elf's life is so long that they view time differently as they could never think such amount of progress has been made without their knowledge.

They cannot fathom how the mudslinging primitives they were told about now built such structures that showed elegance and beauty.

The archways that showed grand and mighty as they gave the city an artistic element while flowers and plants creep up the pillars giving it a natural vibe.

The clean waters that flowed in the canals where there are fishes that swim and live by.

Bards that sing in the side of the roads about tales of distant lands and about rumors heard from all over the world.

Stalls that exudes aroma that whets the appetite of those the smell it making them want to buy the food.

Ladies shopping in a large building where various dresses can be seen and some clothes that seemed to be a bit suggestive for the conservative eyes of the elves.

They watched the knights that patrol the roads with their intricately designed armors and their powerful steeds that seemed to be able to compare to the might of the steeds of their Dragon Princes.

The kids that frolic and play with toys that seemed very beautifully made as well as laughter that fills the sol with joy.

The people that smiled without fear of the former horrors that had been said to have driven their kind to leave the old world.

They have heard stories when they were young of creatures from the dark that thirst for Aeldari souls to offer to their dark masters.

Yet no sight of such darkness present in the large bustling city they are in, they had seen the fields sown with such abundance of wheat that it could provide much food for the populace.

Forest filled with life that no sign of rot nor decay can be seen, Seas that even the beasts of the deep are absent to terrorize the fishermen.

A total enigma this city is to them but they remembered their mission. So they went for a tavern, as many would say this is where most information could be heard of and indeed they heard a lot.

How this place is a duchy an how it was a decrepit place before exploited by the whims and demands of unforgiving nobles.

The tale of the Sunset Fist that the bards in the tavern love to regale and sing of, his heroic deeds and how he got the love of the daughter of the Duke.

How his talent and foresight made the past Duke choose him as the successor instead of the sons that he has. The purge of the corrupted nobles and how the last Duke died from an assassination called in by his son who tried to take the title of Duke from the hero.

But as stories went it is still the hero that prevailed, then many other tales were sung as the tavern went on its merriment.

The elves were shocked as they listened for more, at how an old nightmare that event the elves did not find a way to rid of, Constant Drachenfels, was brought to an end by the hands of this now Duke Marcelus.

His feat of turning into a godly giant that dwarfs the Sky Titans of old, his power to destroy the foul nest of that hideous ancient monster.

The challenge in Marienberg, the Count's Folly(one with the first encounter with Drachenfels), the Fleet of monsters, the Battle of Bearsonling where four Deamon Princes died and other small snippets of Mark's rumored achievements.

The elves were in a confused state as their information seems to point out that the one they were looking for is this Mark who seemed to have the support of all the people here.

They can introduce themselves but they still have uncertainties, they cannot know if Mark is as kind and understanding as the people boast him to be so they just kept watch.

"T-that!" a elven guard gasped making the others look over including Finubar and the Handmaiden of the Everqueen.

"An Elf? How can a kin of ours walk without worry in these land of barbarians?" the Handmaiden asked as she seemed curious at the female elf archer shopping non-chalantly in the streets of Mousillon.

"This, this is our kind indeed. But they are different from us, they magic that emanates from her is fundamentally different from what ours is. They give of the feeling of nature and the life of the forest within them." Finubar said as his observation deduced this.

"Is that a dwarf?!" another Elven Guard said as he looked at the shop on the next street where they can see a few dwarves walking around shopping as well.

The history of their kinds has been not in the best terms making the guards react a bit aggressively but Finubar and the Handmaiden stopped them in time before they get attention.

"Cease this! We are here under the orders of his Majesty the Phoenix King so do not act rashly in the lands of another." Finubar said as he looked sternly at the Elven escorts.

"Tsk, why are you acting meek? Aren't they all just a bunch of barbarians that play in mud and straw?" the elf was a bit hot headed and did not hold back his words.

The whole tavern immediately quieted down as the people inside were staring at the elven contingent making the elves shocked at the sudden change in atmosphere.

"I believe the door is that way dear guest, this Tavern does not welcome you all one bit." A man said as he looked at the Elves that were in thick cloaks.

"Why you insole-!" an elven guard was about to draw his blade but it was then the Handmaiden stopped his hand from drawing further as she glared at the hot headed guard.

"Silence, you are out of your line soldier." The Handmaiden glared at the impetuous elf. It was then a few elves also arrived glaring at their kin as they saw the sharp ears and aura of familiarity but they did not wear welcoming smiles.

Only cold indifference as they tried to find out which clan or family did these Elves come from. Even some dwarves who just arrived to drink in the tavern were squinting their eyes looking at this group.

"I am sorry for my companions inexcusable behavior, if you would forgive us then I would be most grateful. I'll discipline my companion for his offence, I just hope that you shall take no offence in his words." Finubar walked forward and bowed sincerely as he felt that if they gain animosity from the locals then their mission will get harder.

"*Spit* Che, At least this lad got some sense in him. Oi, this a clan there in your forest?" a dwarf looked in disdain towards Finubar's group while looking at the Wood Elves that also entered.

"They bear no resemblance to any family I know off, though they are elves like us it seems that they are different from us the woodland elves." The elf answered, though not in good terms with the dwarves, the whole city is not somewhere they can show of enmity as Mark has very strict laws regarding public disputes.

"Whoa! Diana look! It's a total fantasy Tavern! Barkeep can I get a mug of Ale?" Just then Judy came in along with Diana followed by the Maria who took it upon herself to be the one to guide their guest.

Diana and Maria noticed the palpable tension within the tavern making them look at the people being stared at by the customers. Diana looked at Maria who just shook her head not caring for the people troubling the customers.

But it was then the Handmaiden and some elves felt a bit uncomfortable at the nature of Maria's powers. Though it is faint, they could still feel the traces of dark magic within the former Vampire since Maria was quite a high ranking one before.

"You, why do you have dark magic upon you being?" the Hand Maiden was a bit guarded now as she reevaluated the whole situation while Finubar was silent as he looked around seeing the faces of those present.

He could see the apparent respect and admiration of the people here towards Maria making him reach out and stop the other elven escorts to make any more moves that might hinder their mission.

"Don't talk to the Lady of Duke Mark so informally! So you not know that the whole realm just recently won a war against the forces of chaos? The ladies of the Sunset Fist fought in the battle as well so it is not weird for them to have been hit by dark magic! You people on the other hand called us barbarians yet I never saw you fight with us in the fields! Who are you to come around and start asking questions!" a bard eloquently said as he felt that this group might cause trouble to the domain of their lord.

"You lowly human pe-" an elf cannot hold himself much longer was about to burst but he was suddenly silence by the glaring eyes of the people present.

"They are the High Elves, they seem to have come from Ulthuan." Maria looked at the embroideries of the cloaks and understood immediately where they come from.

They are not the best information network of the whole world for nothing. Diana and Judy were just watching this from the side since Maria indicated they can handle this on their own.

"Hah! So it was these cowards huh? Aren't they the ones that left you all back then? Who would have thought they have the courage to get back haha!" a dwarf laughed while the wood elves were silent as it was indeed true.

They do not hold amicable feelings to their distant cousins who had been said to have left them behind during the reign of Caradryel to fend for their own.

Though they went on a different path, the wood elves oddly stayed true to their traditions compared to the high elves but some went on a completely far path from their own yet they still stayed in his adopted homeland of theirs.

These wood elves were not from Athel Loren but rather came from the forest of Laurelon, they were rather different as they are used to the world of men and it made them wiser in how to deal with the nature of humans.

Only in this city of Mousillon did they see a semblance of peaceful coexistence with the humans who did not see them as different but treated them equally without prejudice.

"It seems you have all come here thinking this is the Old world of past. As prideful and vain as ever, you seem to have just arrived here yet you did not fail to belittle everyone else as soon as you arrive." The wood elf said as he felt disgusted, they had heard stories how they were abandoned before because the High Elves rather have the crown intact than the realm saying it is more important than a few colonist.