The soldiers formed a single row behind Phraan.
Ellaria felt impressed by their discipline but didn't show it on her face. Instead, she crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground. "Well?" she voiced her displeasure at being held up by the group.
"I heard that Luka cleansed the swampland and closed a dangerous rift. My comrades in the taskforce are calling him 'Benefactor' for saving Langerlan. I thought Luka is a typical, selfish human, and I was wrong. Please pass along my apology to him; here's a small gift in appreciation from our hunters." Phraan handed her a sack containing cured boar meat. "And I'm willing to teach him leatherwork if he wishes," the elf offered.
Ellaria was stunned by Phraan's dramatic change of heart, and she felt reluctant to take the pouch. The foster mother knew that Phraan had a mercurial personality, and he often got into disputes with other villagers over the smallest things. Thus, she felt reluctant to allow Luka to be physically near Phraan, much less to learn from him as an apprentice. Nonetheless, Ellaria took the gift and said diplomatically, "Thank you. I'll pass your message to Luka. If there's nothing else, I need to rush home and prepare breakfast for the child."
Phraan politely stepped aside. "By all means, please go home," he said and waved goodbye. He cast Flight and flew off. His companions quickly followed their leader and left.
Ellaria shook her head, wondering how long Phraan's goodwill toward Luka would last. The foster mother arrived at her treehouse without further obstacles. To her relief, Luka had not awakened yet. But Bel knocked the door open and rushed out, banging her right knee in the process. The elf suppressed her voice and exhaled slowly to relieve the pain. She then used water magic to heal the throbbing in her limb and gingerly walked down the steps while heavily leaning on her left leg. Creak, creak, creak.
When she saw the mischievous rabbit in the living room, the elf scolded Bel. "Bad boy!"
However, Bel ignored her words and continued to clean himself.
Ellaria shook her head and wondered if she got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning due to the bad encounters so far. She hurriedly filled the pot with water by using her nature magic and ignited the stove. The cook controlled her fire magic with care, and soon the water started boiling. When she added the boar meat, Bel hugged her leg affectionately.
"Yes, we'll be having meat for breakfast," Ellaria confirmed with a chuckle. She remembered that this rabbit had an odd preference for meat. Whenever he ate vegetables, the animal had a sad expression on his face.
The cook quickly chopped carrots and potatoes into smaller pieces and added them to the pot. Then she closed the lid and allowed the food to simmer for roughly two hours. In the meantime, Ellaria stretched and practiced her swordsmanship with Bel as her audience. Afterward, she cleaned herself in the washroom and returned to the kitchen; the chef stirred the stew and added some herbs and spices.
Bel smelled the delicious aroma and patted her leg.
"The food will be ready soon," Ellaria said with a laugh.
Luka awoke to the kitchen's smell and quickly teleported to the washroom with a change of clothes. Luka wiped his body and put on his clothing. Then he entered the living room and met the glare of Ellaria, who had heard the sound of water from the bathroom and realized the boy used teleportation inside the treehouse in breach of her rules.
"Sit down. I will serve breakfast shortly," the guardian said frostily.
"I was feeling a little lightheaded and didn't want to use the stairs," the child offered his excuse.
The elf's stony expression softened. "You should take it easy. The chief elder granted you a week's vacation as a reward for closing the dangerous rift," Ellaria announced. She quickly distributed bowls of stew around the table. "There is boar meat inside, which I received as a gift from Phraan along with an apology to you. He also offered to take you in as an apprentice at his leatherwork shop," she added.
Luka felt astonished because Phraan was practically his archenemy within the village. The boy felt the elf's hatred toward humans was too deeply ingrained to overcome quickly. Thus, he looked at the foster mother with a skeptical expression.
"Yes, I think it's precarious to accept his offer as well," she admitted openly. "I'm not suggesting Phraan is laying a trap for you per se. But the man has inner demons, and I'm concerned his mood could vacillate and endanger you suddenly. That's why I think you should tactfully decline with an excuse like you wish to focus on researching and developing more food products for trade, or something of that nature," Ellaria suggested.
Luka looked at his bowl of stew and saw that it was full of chunky meat. "Do you think Phraan poisoned the meat?" he asked.
The elf shook her head. "I doubt it. If the boar meat is poisonous and we end up dead in this living room, then it's too easy for investigators to find out afterward. Besides, many followers came with Phraan when he handed me the meat this morning. It'll be simple to trace the poison back to him. Since Phraan is a militant faction leader, he won't do something openly to disgrace himself before his comrades. Phraan might be a violent person, but he has too much pride to engage in a sinister plot," she explained.
[I already tasted the food. There's no poison inside the boar meat. I can detect poison by sampling.] Bel declared.
Luka felt reassured by their words and began to eat his meal. He felt delighted by the tenderness of the meat and savored every bite. The boy was surprised to learn of his familiar's hidden talent but declined to comment on it. After all, Luka worried that the gluttonous fellow would try to steal his food!
Bel finished his bowl quickly and nudged it toward Ellaria.
"You want a second serving?" she asked with a smile.
The rabbit nodded while Luka rolled his eyes.
"Sure," the elf answered and took the bowl to the kitchen for a refill. Ellaria returned shortly with more food for Bel. She already knew of the creature's big appetite and made enough stew for four servings.
When the familiar finished eating, Luka said, "Since I have the week off, I can wash the dishes. You should head to work, or else you'll be late," he warned.
Ellaria shook her head. "Ailmoon gave me a week off as well. He wants me to watch over you," she explained.
"That's wonderful!" the boy exclaimed with delight. Frankly, Luka thought he was overworked. After all, the weather was warm all-year-round, and thus, the farmers tended the field daily. Even the Good Harvest Festival provided only two days of rest. Therefore, Luka didn't think the villagers understood the concept of vacation.
"What do you want to do this week?" the foster mother asked when she noticed the boy's attention wander.
"I'm not visiting Phraan's leatherwork shop," Luka answered with a grin.
"That's for sure!" the elf giggled. "How about we spend a day exploring the entire village? You haven't done that even though you've lived in Langerlan for a few months already," Ellaria noted.
"Can I visit the Ancestral Tombs?" the boy asked suddenly. He remembered Phraan being confined there as punishment.
The foster mother froze for a moment. She didn't expect Luka to make such a request. "Um, I'll have to check with the headman and obtain his permission first," Ellaria replied with slight embarrassment.
"Is that a secret place forbidden to non-elves?" Luka asked. He was curious and always wanted to visit the tombs. Frankly, the boy thought it was a dungeon similar to the Dark Catacombs that Alectos had sent Luka to explore as training.
"Let's visit Ailmoon after I finish cleaning the dishes," she proposed while ignoring his question.
The teenager nodded.
[Let's train while we wait. We haven't sparred in a while.] Bel noted with a glint in his eyes. Before Luka could respond, the rabbit slammed his head into the boy's chest.
"Oof!" Air exploded from Luka's lungs, but he managed to stay on his feet. The boy incited the demon blood inside his body and started punching the rabbit.
[Hoo! You're a hundred years too early to beat me, kid!] The dem
on taunted as he knocked aside each fist with a single paw. Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa! Bel nonchalantly held his right paw behind his back.
Before the duo escalated their spar, Ellaria intervened. "I finished washing the dishes. Let's go!"
[Tch~]
"Likewise."
The two dropped their fists and followed the guardian out the door.
Ellaria cast Flight on her group and flew in the direction of Ailmoon's treehouse.
The chief elder was surprised to see them drop in. "Is something the matter?" the old elf asked.
Luka smiled at him and said, "I thank you for giving me a week off. I wish to take this opportunity to explore Langerlan, and my first target is the Ancestral Tombs. But my foster mother notified me that I require your permission first."
Ailmoon's face turned somber at this request. "Why do you wish to go there?" he asked cautiously.
"Well, I assume it's a dungeon!" the boy replied foolishly.
The headman kept his face blank while Ellaria winced.
"I apologize for not teaching him," she said after a long moment of silence.
Ailmoon shook his head. "It's fine. The fault is ours for failing to educate him properly, although the lad's residency with us has been quite eventful so far," he admitted with a wary smile.
"I'm sorry!" Luka lowered his head toward the chief.
"No, it's not your fault," the elf shook his head again. "I should rectify the error by telling you about the Ancestral Tombs. Since you have lived among us for several months, participated in the Good Harvest Festival, and saved our village, I regard you as a true resident of Langerlan. And if we take a straw poll of the villagers, the overwhelming majority would agree with me. Hence, I'm willing to permit you to enter the tombs."
"In short, this place is the burial ground for our community. Langerlan itself has existed for under two centuries, but we've seen our share of deaths. Our original settlers fled the war in our homeland, and many of them carried severe injuries which they couldn't heal in time for various reasons," Ailmoon lectured. "When they died, our founders created a sacred burial ground as their eternal resting place."
"Oh! I'm sorry for my misunderstanding!" Luka replied with a horrified expression.
The headman raised his hand. "It's quite alright. As I said before, we never bothered to teach you even though our patron deity Alectos placed you in our care. But let's continue our discussion of the site. The Ancestral Tombs is the most important location in Langerlan because that's where our Tree of Life grows. The bodies of our deceased are buried near the roots and provide nourishment for the tree. The Tree of Life, in turn, provides the natural essence which the elves need to survive."
"If the swampland invades our village, it would eventually destroy our Life Tree and the village residents with it," Ailmoon explained. "That's why you became our 'Benefactor' for closing the rift and cleaning the miasma which threatened our destruction."
"Let me make sure I understand: the tombs was built right under your Tree of Life?" Luka asked.
"Correct."
"Why?"
Ailmoon glanced at Ellaria and indicated that she should explain to Luka.
The guardian nodded and began to talk. "Our tree requires constant monitoring and care. For example, borer insects could drill holes into the trunk and eat the bark. Insect larvae and small animals such as squirrels and rabbits feed on the roots and damage the tree as well."
"Phraan's punishment was to check the roots one-by-one and eliminate these pests as he came across them. This task requires spending enormous time underground inside narrow tunnels. Many elves develop claustrophobia due to the mental stress of being in a tight space for a long duration. Hence, most of us would not volunteer for this task and treat it as punishment," Ellaria lectured. "That's why I felt awkward when you wanted to visit the Ancestral Tombs," she added.
Luka smiled in appreciation because this was a taboo subject. Her willingness to discuss it freely with him meant that Ellaria did not regard him as an outsider. Also, Ailmoon held the same view, or else the headman wouldn't prod her to explain to Luka. "So, you think I shouldn't go there?" he asked.
The two elves exchanged looks. "I think it's wonderful that you have a curiosity about our village and wish to explore it," the foster mother replied. "I'm willing to accompany you and visit the tombs. I haven't been there in a long time," Ellaria admitted.
"You may go with Luka," Ailmoon agreed. He handed a green leaf to her. "Here's your pass to enter the tombs. Show it to the guards as proof of obtaining my permission," the chief said.
She nodded back and accepted the relic. Ellaria, Luka, and Bel departed from the treehouse and flew toward the Ancestral Tombs.
Chapter 32
The Ancestral Tombs (Part 2)
Luka noticed that his foster mother headed in a westerly direction. He had never gone that way before. The temporary resident usually spent his workdays in the central section to tend the farms or inside the south's factory building. Ellaria's treehouse joined the residences in the eastern province of Langerlan. Hence, Luka felt joyful traveling to a new area of the village and thought he was smart in asking to visit the tombs despite the trouble in obtaining Ailmoon's permission first.
Frankly, Luka felt intimidated by the headman because he recognized Ailmoon as the sort of leader who wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice individual workers for the company's benefit. And this elf probably made coldhearted decisions that forced obedience in the villagers, including the rebellious militants. Otherwise, how would the headman control that violent but ignorant mob?
Luka realized that Ailmoon was his ally as long as the human proved useful to Langerlan. However, if the boy endangered the village's survival, then the headman would plot to kill Luka while ignoring his status as Alectos' disciple. So far, the esteemed village guest provided plenty of benefits to Langerlan, such as developing a popular food product and closing the rift. Thus, Luka believed the headman thought well of the boy and allowed Luka some leeway to do as he wished.
Some twenty minutes later, Luka saw a large tree up ahead and noticed it was different from other trees within Langerlan. This tree was much taller and older than the rest. Furthermore, the mage sensed a healthy and lively magical aura emanating from it that pulsated like a heartbeat. Soon, his heart synced with this rhythm without realizing it.
When the group reached a distance of a hundred feet from the Ancestral Tombs, Ellaria made them descend to the ground because the Tree of Life's vicinity was a no-fly zone strictly enforced by the guards. She approached the tombs' entrance, which was an opening in the ground, and showed her leaf-pass to the gatekeeper.
While Luka waited, he looked up to admire the unique tree. His heart enjoyed the warmth and purity of the magical energy transmitted by the Life Tree, and his mind felt at peace. Suddenly, a green light enveloped the boy and slowly lifted him in the air. The aura drew him toward the tree trunk.
Luka saw a girl in her early teens slowly emerge from the tree and yawned. She wore clothes made of leaves. Her skin matched the tree bark's color, her hair composed of leaves, and her eyes were dark brown like soil. The girl stared at him and smiled mischievously. "I am Ptelea, the spirit of Langerlan's Tree of Life. I bid you welcome, Young Master Luka Heavensfell, Disciple of Alectos and Godson of Altima," she said and curtsied.
The boy was surprised but quickly recovered due to his etiquette training as a young child. "I am Luka Heavensfell, and I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance," Luka replied with a nobleman's salute. "May I ask how you know of me? Have we met before?" he asked cautiously.
Luka wondered if Ptelea served a particular god such as Alectos. The boy had purposely withheld his background as an aristocrat and his association with Altima from the elves. Hence, no one in Langerlan should know of his secret identities.
The elves gathered below and watched in amazement as Ptelea and Luka engaged in conversation they couldn't overhear because the tree spirit created a wind barrier to prev
ent their words from drifting below. The residents were aware of the spirit's existence, but she rarely came out to meet anyone in person. Some villagers became jealous of Luka while others were awed. "Even Ptelea is courteous to Alectos's pupil," someone remarked.
"As a sapling of the World Tree, I am part of the interconnection covering the entire world. My counterparts on the other continent passed along your data as a courtesy after I inquired about you," the spirit explained.
"Why would you ask about a simple human like me?" Luka asked. He sensed her enormous magical power dwarfed his and felt like an insignificant insect before the tree spirit.
Ptelea giggled and flew in a circle around him. "My, what a humble lad you are!" she teased. "The Goddess of Light, Altima, recognized you as her once-in-a-generation 'Godson.' That means no other human alive right now is closer to her. You could view this as either a blessing or a curse. But you're not allowed to call yourself a 'simple human.' You possess a faint, golden aura that is indecipherable to most living creatures. But for beings who hold real power, you shine like a bright star in the sea of darkness. Thus, you should understand why I wished to learn more about such an esteemed guest in my humble domain."
"Putting that aside, I am aware of happenings in the Great Forest since it is part of my territory. I knew of the rift at its center, but I lacked the power to shut the Netherverse portal. I thank you for your intervention and for protecting my province. This item is your reward: a pendant made from my tree leaf. Please take it," the spirit said.
The wind blew the necklace through the air and landed gently on Luka's palm. He saw a bright green leaf on a thin, brown string. The boy felt intense magical energy within the pendant and quickly wore it.
"This necklace provides immunity to poison and allows you to walk through the forest at double your normal speed. It reduces damage from earth magic by half. Finally, it doubles your rate of recovery from physical wounds," Ptelea explained.
The Divine Summoner: Godson of Altima Page 26