A Journey That Changed The World.

While Archer lazed around, the Moonriver Empress was getting close to Waterbury and the meeting that would change the course of the war. He decided to send a few thousand Broodmaws to meet the Water Elves.

***

’’Colestah, is it wise to travel to the borderlands? Especially in such weather,’’ an old Water Elf woman commented while staring at the black clouds above. ’’I’ve heard the rumors about this place. Monsters, devils and bandits infest it.’’

A slender woman with dark blue hair, beautiful dark brown skin and blue eyes answered without taking her gaze from the incoming storm, ’’Nayeli. Mother insisted I travel to the new fortress our forces are building. She didn’t say why, but I brought the Tideguards so we won’t have an issue.’’

Following that, the white-haired elf nodded in understanding as she revealed, ’’The Sea Goddess revealed to me the person who will save the Moonriver Empire but didn’t show me his identity.’’

’’Do you think that’s why aunty asked you come out this far?’’ Nayeli questioned.

Colestah agreed with a nod before speaking, ’’Yes, we’ll have to see wait and see what she wants.’’

Afterward, the two stopped talking and looked out the carriage’s window. As the days passed with only a few monster attacks, but it was nothing the Tideguards couldn’t handle. Hours later, the soldiers spotted the town of Waterbury in the distance.

But something was strange about it, causing Colestah to sit up to focus on it before she mumbled, ’’Why does this place look alive?’’

Nayeli came to and moved across the seat to look out only to have her jaw drop open as she replied, ’’The curse isn’t here, look the grass is alive and swaying in the wind.’’

’What happened here?’ the empress thought. ’Did the person I’m meeting do this?’

Colestah shook her head as the carriage passed through the grassland, which shock every soldier protecting in the caravan. Her eyes twitched when a loud screech echoed above, causing her to order them to stop.

’’Stop the caravan!’’ she shouted.

The Empress stepped forward as the Tideguards immediately formed a protective circle around her. Her gaze swept across the borderlands, a land she had long neglected during the chaos of the Moonriver Crisis.

’It was baron when we last checked,’ she thought. ’What sort of magic has done this?’

Colestah’s gaze sweeping over the stark contrast before her. Behind stretched a desolate land, cracked earth, lifeless trees, and an air of despair that clung to everything. But ahead, just beyond the hill, lay a vibrant, living paradise.

Emerald fields swayed gently in the breeze, dotted with blooming wildflowers in every color imaginable. A crystal-clear river snaked through the valley, glinting in the sunlight, while flocks of birds danced across the blue sky.

Towering trees with golden leaves stretched toward the heavens, their branches alive with the songs of countless creatures. Her breath caught in her chest as she took in the sight, her heart aching with a mix of wonder and longing.

’’So much life,’’ she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The beauty before her stood as both a beacon of hope and a painful reminder of what the rest of the land had lost. Following that, Colestah entered the carriage and continued on until reaching the town.

As the caravan rolled into the village, it was impossible not to notice the joy radiating from the people. Smiles lit up their faces, and laughter echoed through the air. Fields that had once been barren now teemed with life.

Farmers moved with purpose and pride, tending to crops that flourished under the unknown cause. It was a scene of hope and rejuvenation, a stark contrast to the hardship they had endured before.

’Maybe this person can help the rest of the empire?’ she thought.

Following that, the caravan stayed in Waterbury until moving toward the fortress a few months away and by the time they got there Colestah was shocked at the soldiers looked panicked.

What truly caught her attention, however, was the peculiar building standing on the far side of the settlement. Its design was unlike anything she had seen before, strange and angular, almost out of place among the traditional structures.

Smoke rose steadily from the chimney, hinting at activity within. She was just about to command one of her soldiers to investigate when the skies darkened. A low rumble of thunder echoed through the air, and within moments, a fierce storm began lashing the land.

Rain poured in relentless sheets, and howling winds swept across the village, forcing everyone to seek shelter. Colestah ordered the caravan to retreat to the fortress to wait for it to pass.

Days later, the storm finally passed, and Colestah received word that the strange building was still active. Determined to uncover its secrets, she led her group across the bridge, curiosity driving them forward.

However, as they approached, a swarm of enormous insect-like creatures emerged from the surrounding wilderness. Their chitinous bodies glinted ominously in the sunlight, and their clicking mandibles echoed like a sinister warning.

’Where did these things come from?’ she pondered.

Colestah’s heart raced, panic gripping her as she instinctively reached for her weapon. But then she noticed something peculiar. The creatures didn’t attack. Instead, she watched as they formed a protective circle, their movements purposeful.

Slowly the empress realized the monsters weren’t there to harm them. They were guiding them. As the swarm began moving toward the strange house, she hesitated for only a moment before signaling her soldiers to follow.

By the time they reached the other side of the bridge, Colestah found herself face-to-face with an unexpected sight. Two young women sat casually at the end, their totally different appearances immediately catching her attention.

When seeing them, she thought with a confused expression. ’Where did they come from?’

The first was a cat demi-human with sleek, purple hair cascading down her back. She appeared absorbed in a book, her slender fingers flipping through the pages with practiced ease.

Yet she could tell the stranger was fully aware of their presence. Her twitching ears betrayed her caution. The second woman was different. She had fluffy pink hair that framed her face and piercing pink eyes that locked onto their group with an unsettling intensity.

Her curvy figure and smooth brown skin gave her an almost otherworldly charm, but it was the glowing pink ball of fire hovering above her hand that truly held Colestah’s focus. The woman was chanting in a language she didn’t recognize.

’They carry themselves like princess but there’s something different with them,’ she pondered.

Colestah’s instincts told her this was no ordinary encounter. She tightened her grip on her weapon but held her ground, sensing that the two strangers were far more dangerous, and perhaps far more important, than they appeared.

’’Are you the Moonriver Empress?’’ the cat woman questioned.

’’Yes, I was told to meet someone here by my mother,’’ she replied while watching the pink-haired woman.

The two stared at each other before the second stranger spoke with a knowing smile, ’’I see you don’t know who we are. I’m surprised the soldiers or townspeople didn’t say anything on your way here.’’

Colestah’s eyebrow shot up, making her glance at Nayeli, who quickly explained, ’’You were sleeping soundly, and I decided it was better for you to come here unaware of who it is, but you’ll be shocked.’’

She opened her mouth, ready to voice her complaints, but stopped as a young man appeared seemingly out of nowhere. His presence was magnetic, his piercing violet eyes locking onto her with a gaze so intense it made her heart skip a beat. Explore more at novelbuddy

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She froze, mesmerized, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Nayeli doing the same. The two women were transfixed, their breath caught as they took in the stranger before them.

The young man was unlike anyone they had ever seen. His short, stark white hair, his sharp, angular features, and though his pointed ears hinted at Elven blood, it was clear he was something far more unique.

He stood just shy of seven feet tall, his well-built frame radiating a quiet power. The women in the group faltered, their usual stoicism shattered as their eyes landed on his sculpted muscles, visible beneath the tight fabric of his shirt.

A rosy hue crept across their faces, their composure slipping as they averted their gazes, flustered by his commanding presence. Colestah struggled to find her voice, but all she could do was stare, a mixture of curiosity and unease coursing through her veins.

’I’m the empress! Why am I acting like a young girl?’ she internally scolded herself while shaking her head.

Colestah shook her head only to realize who the man was in front of her, causing her to exclaim, ’’The White Dragon! Are you the one who my mother should I meet?’’

’’Yes, that’s me,’’ the young man said with a charming smile, ’’You must be the Empress?’’

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