Returning to the city.
Dealing with the goblins, I honored my end of the deal and gave them the equipment, which they refused to take and just left hurriedly, leaving even their carts behind. This was something unbelievable for goblins to leave their goods behind, funding highly suspicious. In order to check if there were any counterspells or curses on it, I ordered mages to inspect them.
Of course, I only let goblins leave the town. I'm not foolish enough to let the most greedy and loose-mouthed race in the realm leave after knowing and seeing what happened here. If they were to leave, the whole realm would know what happened here even before I blink. That was why I sent the rangers to ambush them beforehand while Naesala did the frontal attack with her knights, since the rangers won't be alone to defeat them quickly and smoothly.
Alleria left to interrogate the human hero, or what's left of her after Sylianner had her fun.
"My prince, there is an urgent message from the city. The queen has fallen ill, and the elders request your presence in court immediately," one of the scouts said to me as I made my way towards the stables.
"Is mother's condition critical?" I asked the scouts as I neared the stables, which were filled with crunching voices.
"My prince, from what was said in the message and from the inspection of the high priestess, the queen's health seems to be stable but she has been bedridden for a few days now and has been mumbling your name constantly, while refusing to eat anything," the scouts said as I pushed open the stable door and welcomed the sight of Moonfury. Its fur was stained red with blood, as it was devouring a horse, while multiple horse carcasses lay inside.
Hearing the door open, Moonfury took another bite of flesh and turned its head towards us, blood dripping from its mouth. I looked into the beast's eyes, and thanks to our connection, it understood what I meant and nodded.
I finished what I came to do in the human town, Sylvanas, Alleria, and Naesala can handle the rest, which wasn't much since this town was one of the poorest human territories, if not the poorest.
Sylvanas only needs to make arrangements for the mines while Alleria gets the necessary information from the human hero, and Naesala just has to wait for them to finish their task while securing the loot from the goblins.
And if I do not return immediately once Mother's depression passes, she will probably go on a rampage and charge here with the entire army.
And most importantly, I must share the information of another elven statement with mother and elders.
I patted the shoulder of the scout who was shaken by the gruesome sight before him.
"Tell the generals of my departure, tell the knight general to inspect the farms and livestock, take back what we can to the city," I said to the scout, who was nodding his head like a chicken.
"I will immediately prepare for your departure, my prince," the scout responded as he bowed and was about to leave, but I stopped him.
"Unnecessary, I will be traveling alone."
"My prince, you just had a death battle. You are not in the best condition. Traveling alone could be dangerous," the scout protested. I just grabbed his collar and headbutted his forehead, knocking him out. I wasn't going to bother arguing with a soldier. Then I left with Moonfurry following behind me.
***
Entering the tenth, I saw Sylianner lying on my pillow.
"Hey Elvy," she greeted with a wave, still lying on my pillow.
"I thought you would be having 'fun' with the human, Sylianner," I took my cloak.
"Mehh, it was fun at the beginning, but she broke way too fast, and after that, it just got boring," Sylianner looking a little down flew and took her place on my shoulder as I left the tenth.
"This cursed creature just can't keep itself clean. I've already cleaned it four times," Sylianner said angrily as she created a giant water ball and placed Moonfurry inside. Then, the waterball began to rotate slowly at first and gradually increased in speed, to the point where I couldn't see inside anymore.
*POP*
And with a pop, the waterball exploded, and now clean Moonfurry with its snow-white fur fell out, hitting the ground. The beast didn't get up immediately, and after waiting for a while, the beast still didn't get up. Thinking something happened, I neared the beast to check its condition and found out that it had passed out.
***
"Hey Elvy, I'm thinking of making my children choose one of the Blood Elves that you created as their partner, just like us, together forever, bound for eternity, never to be separated," Sylianner said, her voice darkening near the end, from my shoulder as I rode through the forest.
"Hmm?" raising an eyebrow, I sent her a questioning look. While fairies lived in harmony with elves and considered them as their friends, they never truly considered elves as their partners. They weren't bound to elves like how Sylianner was bound to me, which is why the fairies left the realm right after my fall.
"Well, you know I would never allow my children to be bound to those ungrateful savages, but now that you gave your blood to those 16, they kind of like you, you know, like a fraction of you but still you," Sylianner tried to explain to me, and I understood what she meant.
Thank you, Sylianner. With fairies by their side, Blood Elves will truly be complete. I thanked her for her generosity, but just as we were moving, an orc jumped in front of us with his axe lifted, ready to attack.
"I don't have time for this," Sylianner lifted her hand and made a grabbing motion, then pulled as the orc's entire muscle and skin ripped from his body, leaving him with nothing but his skeleton and organs. I swear I could see the confusion on the orc's skeletal face as he fell while his organs scattered around.
I patted Moonfurry's neck as the beast moved forward, stepping over the bones as they crushed under the beast's weight.
***
I entered the city through gates that the rangers used. I didn't want to use the main gates because while the elders knew of my arrival, others didn't. Entering the city alone could cause misunderstandings, thinking that I failed the raid,everyone else died, and I was the only survivor.
Getting down from Moonfurry, I let the beast roam free.
""Elvy, I'm going to go and talk to my children about the blood elves," Sylianner got off my shoulder as she brushed her finger onto the air and effortlessly tore apart the space with her bare hands, opening a portal to her realm.
I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and made my way to the castle, avoiding others.
[IMAGE]
***
Standing in front of the castle, I cast a glance at the guards who saw my red eyes from under my hood and recognized me. They bowed and opened the doors.
As I walked through the castle corridors, I removed my cloak and handed it to a maid who quickly approached.
"My prince, welcome back," she said, bowing as she took my cloak.
"How is mother?"
"The high priestess confirmed that the queen's health is perfect, but now she has been bedridden for a few days. My prince, her health is decreasing over time because she is refusing to eat or drink, only saying your name."
Mother's antics could possibly be my biggest headache. Just because I was away for a week, she had fallen ill, neglecting her role as queen and causing disorder in the council.
"Do not inform mother of my return. I will attend to her once I'm done with the council," I instructed the maid as I headed toward the court.
If mother were to know that I returned, she would rush to me, demanding my full attention, which I couldn't afford right now.Elders and I have much to discuss.
As I approached, I could hear raised voices from inside. I raised my hand to stop the guards from announcing my arrival.
"...he won because of the generals, not due to his leadership. He is just a child. We cannot let this happen again," one elder argued loudly, likely criticizing me for attacking the human town.
"Yet all of us saw what he is capable of, and we can't just ignore reports about him taking down a human hero all by himself." Another elder defended me.
"While he barely survived, thanks to the healers. That was his biggest mistake. He should have retreated when he learned about the human hero. Now that he has defeated her, once the news reaches the humans, they will come at us with full force," the female elder added.
"AND HE DID DAMN GOOD KILLING THAT DAMNED HERO. INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BLAME HIM, YOU ALL SHOULD BE HAPPY AND PREPARED TO WELCOME HIM WITH OPEN ARMS. A MERE CHILD DID WHAT WE COULDN'T DO IN THE LAST TEN THOUSAND YEARS. HE STOOD UP AGAINST OUR ENEMIES, HE TOOK REVENGE FOR OUR FALLEN COMRADES, OUR FATHERS, MOTHERS, CHILDREN. HE TOOK THE FIRST STEP TO RECLAIM OUR GLORY. WE SHOULD SUPPORT OUR FUTURE RULER REGARDLESS OF HIS DECISIONS, FOR HE WILL LEAD US TO ETERNAL GLORY."An elder's voice, louder than the rest, echoed throughout the castle.