Chapter 21: Elven Village (III).

Chapter 21: Elven Village (III).

Francisca's POV

"Horrid…" I covered my mouth from the smell, there were other things laying dead beside it. It was my first time seeing so many… skeletons in a place like this that I wanted to run.

"..."

But I didn't.

I want to know what happened.

There were other skeletons nearby, almost a dozen of them having weapons and armors. "Did a fight or a brawl happen here?"

"The cause of their death, [Scan]." I scanned the skeleton in hopes I could get more information about it. Maybe with this I could know who the people were or maybe even get a detail about their past. 

{Properties} 

-|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-

Name: ___________

Race: Human

Note: A skeleton died from unknown reasons.

"The first sign of danger, when there's this many skeletons…" I kneeled down and observed each one- they all wore the same armor with a blood red color having the texture of a scale. "[Scan]."

{Properties} 

-|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-

Name: [Salamander Scale Armor].

Item Class: Armor

Item Rank: Epic

Item Effects: 

Fire Resistance +10

Enchanted Protection +5

Defense +10

Slowness +1

Condition: Not good.

Note: Made from the scales of fire salamanders living in the desert, it contains the ability to aid the user to be fire resistant. 

"A wealthy bunch of soldiers if they're able to provide this much [Epic Rank] armor. You don't find these things nowadays, and- in respects of the dead for now I have no need for such armor." I wished for the souls of the dead here to rest. 

I was going to go inside the cave but I stomped on something.

"A… book?" I tilted my head looking under my foot. "No, it's a journal." 

I bent down picking it up and brushing the dirt off of it. "It belonged to- this skeleton right here." I turned to the skeleton who was holding a sword with his right hand, while the other was placed on his chest looking so peaceful.

"..."

I opened it unconsciously, hoping to read its contents but I could only make out the very last page- and the very last message of the soldier.

It says.

Dear Journal,

It's almost complete, we almost won the war. We promise the elder and the Northern tribe that we will win this war and avenge our loved ones. Those silver elf tribes will all suffer. If anyone sees this journal please go to the Northern tribe of Met--. Please send my reg--d to my daughter-- ri--. Take this journal with you as proof that- I entrust you with my message.

Please tell my daughter that I will always be proud. She need not to follow my path, I want for her to find her own meaning and will to live.

Sincerely,

Ricardo

"Hmm…" I flipped the last page on the back and saw a worn out drawing portrait of the two together, there was a man holding up a little girl with a worn tooth. 

Is this his daughter? 

The little one looked small and younger than me… She's cute. 

I decided to keep the journal and take on this side quest, "[Inventory]." I placed everything in my inventory and hovered around the other areas of the cave looking for rocks.

I'll make a proper burial for the soldier, I hope that he may continue to watch over his daughter wherever he is. "I can't promise it, Ricardo but I'll try and venture out to your northern tribe and find your daughter one day." 

I covered him with some rocks and left a flower that I picked up from the forest. "May your soul rest- all of your companions too, wish me luck." 

I didn't want to stay any longer inside the cave, I feared that my fate would be the same as theirs if I continued to do so. "Let's check the map for the way out." 

I opened up the map and saw that it was all black.

"...?"

But it wasn't like that a moment ago.

Hold on-!

"The elf boy's dot!" He wasn't too far away from me on the map. There were other dots similar to his, and they were all labeled from the elven race. 

It stopped not too far… 

"The exit is lost." I held my chin looking back at the map once more. It shouldn't be like this- but for some reason the pathway I took before became populated with so many monsters that I can't fight all on my own with how I am now. 

I could try mingling with the elf again- I know he didn't wish to hurt me and just wanted food from the looks of it.

"I should follow the trail but careful enough that I won't have to anger a whole village of elves. That's the last thing I would want." I prayed that these were really friendly villagers, or else I could be digging my own grave. 

…

The pathway should end just up ahead.

"..."

The last cave entrance, it was blinding. 

"...!"

There's light… in a cave?!

What is this place?! It's a hidden secret elven village completely isolated from the outside world. That's so cool! I'll explore the area for a bit. 

There's a farm and a waterfall, a source of light right up their ceiling! How could that be? 

"[Scan]!"

{Properties} 

-|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-

Error: Scanned Item is too far.

"Ah figures, it's too far away for me to scan." I shrugged and continued on trying to find something else to look at but not touch. "Villagers- and they're not too far."

This tribe of elves seemed to be living off good… barely.

I could tell that they were all doing their best, their clothes were worn out and full of misplaced pattern stitches making it obvious that they have been torn apart again and again. "The food source here is mostly vegetables and root crops, not much livestock."

So that's why the elf boy went out hunting to get some meat.

I wanted to observe a bit more but I also wanted to mingle-! Elves in another world I knew existed and even roamed the capital city but there were not this many!

I rustled into the bush and hid.

"...Excuse me but- what are you doing inside a poisonous bush?"

"Pardon-?"

DID SHE JUST SAY POISONOUS?!

"GAH! WHY WOULD YOU KEEP SOMETHING POISONOUS INSIDE YOUR VILLAGE?!" I yelled at the girl elf who yelped in return, I hurriedly ran away from the bush and scanned it in hopes I could find an antidote. "[Scan]!"

{Properties} 

-|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|-

Name: [Itchy Bush].

Item Class: Plant

Item Rank: Rare

Item Effects: 

Itchiness [1 Hour Duration]

Rash [2 Week Duration]

Note: 

[Itchy Bush], a rare lush bush found inside cave areas with high potency of water, mana concentration and bacteria. These bushes can give you the itchiness effect that will last over an hour- [Unlock Potion Making] to see the recipe for the antidote.

"Excuse me?!" 

I have to unlock something to get the antidote recipe?! Two weeks of rash?! I put myself into that torture! I should scan everything before diving into it!

"A human?"

"Oh no." 

"E-Everyone, it's a human! Help! There's a dumb human here who dived into an [Itchy Bush]!" This elven girl just alerted everyone else and now they came running towards our direction with spears. They don't look happy at all!

I ran back to the cave entrance in hopes I could get away- I don't want to fight elves! "Hah… hah!" 

I could feel the effects of that stupid bush in my arm!

"I'm close to getting out!" 

Is what I said but I was suddenly blocked by a flock of elf people. They raised their arms up and stopped me.

"Halt! You're not allowed to go back just yet, human!" 

"What do you think you're doing getting inside our village, scum!"

"The war is over-! Hold on everyone, isn't that a human child?!" 

I gulped, looking away respectfully seeing that their clothes were a bit tattered and revealing. I could fully see their abdomen flexing as they talked, yelling in question why a human child could be inside their village.

'The myth of elves being attractive and hot is true even in games.' 

…

"F-Father, that's the human I encountered before while I was hunting! I swear I don't know how she followed me!" It was the elf boy from before, it seemed that his father was wearing a significant symbol.

"Chief, Kuru!" The other elves lowered their heads in respect, making their way to show me.

"Who are you!? And why did you follow my son?! What is your business with us Silver Elf tribe?!" An elf said with silver hair and pointing the spear onto me. I was confronted with such a weapon, I decided telling the truth would be better than lying. 

"I come in peace, I saw your son hunting and was struggling to cut the bird meat with his knife. I wanted to help him with it- but he ran and I… followed him up to this cave, sir." I answered and the elf chief glared at me with his green eyes. "Human, you must understand that your kind does not belong here." 

"Our village is in quite a despair. We thought you were an intruder when we saw you but it's a relief that you were not one of those humans from the Northern Tribe of Metalicana who were facing famine after the war between the two tribes." The village chief explains and that helped me complete all the story together with the journal that I found. "If we showed you any discomfort, we apologize. You are merely a child, from that robe you are wearing I would guess that you are from the temple not too far away from here."

"I am from the temple- I really do mean no harm." I repeated just in case they would doubt my words. "As an apology for ruining his catch, please take mine."

"Huh?"

The elves looked puzzled but I emptied out my [Inventory] of all the vegetables, fruits, and root crops including medicinal herbs from the forest that was rare to find. 

"These are all I have and I could even cook a bit- I know how to cook." I told them, they all looked impressed that a human child is able to cook. 

Scratch… scratch…

"..."

Ah, the effects of itchiness are starting to bother me. I started scratching to the point all the elven people noticed and turned to me in a worry. 

"We appreciate your human efforts, and we shall consider this a trade." The chief snaps his fingers and orders the elf that snitched on me to fetch the antidote for the itchiness. "Mahlara, give this human the medicine for the itchy itchy."

Pfft!

Itchy Itchy!

"Yes, chief." 

Scratch… scratch…

I actually have no right to laugh, I'm hating this itchy feeling! Make it stop!