Advent of the Archmage

“Theodore, come with me.” The High Elf Queen waved a

hand at Link. She was looking at him warmly, as a mother would at her son who

had made quite a name for himself.

The real Theodore would have felt immensely honored to be able to

walk side by side with the queen. However, Link was never one to let such a

thing go to his head. From the way the queen had acted, he imagined that the

queen must have grown suspicious of his identity and was now trying to confirm

her own suspicions.

Link gave her a small bow. “Many thanks, Your Highness.”

Ignoring the looks of admiration from the other High Elves, he

took a step forward and was instantly teleported ten feet forward to the queen’s

side.

“Leave us, all of you. I would like to have a word with

Theodore in private,” said the High Elf Queen.

The High Elves looked at each other, unsure why their queen would

issue such an order. They all looked hesitant to comply, especially the palace

guards, who seemed reluctant about leaving their posts.

“Leave us!” repeated the High Elf Queen even more

assertively.

This was the first time any of the High Elves had heard the queen

raise her voice at them. Instinctively, they backed away.

The only High Elves remaining on the path to the High Elves’ royal

tomb were Link and the High Elf Queen.

After casting a soundproof barrier, the queen’s face relaxed

somewhat. She smiled weakly at Link and said, “Come, Theodore, we have

much to talk about.”

“After you,” said Link with a small bow.

The High Elf Queen began walking forward, with Link following

after her.

The sun cast its gentle glow on them from the sky. A breeze blew

past them from time to time. A sweet smell wafted from the purple-leaved trees

that lined their path. The queen ambled down the path in ruminative silence as if trying to think of what to say

next to Link.

Link patiently waited for the queen to speak.

Soon, the tomb’s entrance appeared before them. Two 20-foot-tall

statues stood solemnly on both sides, forever keeping watch over the place.

“Both these statues were built 2935 years ago. They each

possessed Level-9 pinnacle power and were once the most powerful entities to

ever exist in the realm. However, 3000 years had passed, and they have both

been reduced to nothing more than ornamentation.”

Link said with a smile, “Nothing can withstand the erosion of

time. The world is continually changing. Without anyone taking steps to revamp

their functions, these magical statues would surely lag behind everything

else.”

“Yes, your words couldn’t be truer,” said the High Elf

Queen with a sigh. She then fell silent for a few seconds. Suddenly, she turned

to look at Link and said, “This has gone unnoticed by present-day High Elves since these statues were never the basis

of High Elf civilization. If the World Tree were to meet such a fate, it would

certainly cause a huge stir among those living in its shade. Theodore, you have

attained power unequaled by anyone else on this island. Do you think that the

World Tree will one day become obsolete?”

Link narrowed his eyes. The question sounded loaded. After

thinking about it for a while, he said, “Even if such a day were to come,

I’m sure we High Elves would still have a place in this world.”

“I’m not so sure about that now,” said the High Elf

Queen again with a sigh. “The High Elves have enjoyed 3000 years of peace

and prosperity. This has been both a blessing and a curse from the World Tree.

It is true that the High Elves of today have become decadent. Their arrogance

has also incurred the resentment of the other races on the continent. If the

World Tree were to disappear one day, I fear that we would not be able to

survive a backlash from everyone else.”

“Your Highness, why would you say something so

pessimistic?” said Link. He was not at all surprised that the High Elf

Queen was able to foresee such an outcome. Every decision she had made in the

past had attested to her incredible foresight.

In order to avoid such an outcome, she had done everything in her

power to quell any signs of uprising from the other races on the continent. She

had managed to carry out her machinations without a hitch for the last 3000

years. It was not until the appearance of Link that her failures began to

multiply.

“As a leader, I have to consider all possible outcomes,”

said the High Elf Queen. She was now smiling her kind, motherly smile as she

looked at Link. She continued, “Theodore, you are a remarkable young man.

Your diligence, modesty, and

trustworthiness have stood out amid the decadence in the Isle of Dawn. You have

survived the Dark Elf Queen’s slaughter in the Black Forest, and just recently,

you managed to take down Saroviny and save the Isle of Dawn from certain

destruction. The World Tree was right to bless you with its power, it would seem.”

Link had been showered with so much praise ever

since he first appeared in Firuman, it was now beginning to wear on him. If he wanted to, he could

just take a stroll along the streets of Ferde, where he would immediately be

accosted by the city’s inhabitants and be forced to listen to their incessant

adulations.

His face remained expressionless. He quietly waited for the High

Elf Queen to continue.

Both of them had arrived at the feet of the tomb’s magical

statues. The High Elf Queen turned to Link and said, “Past these two

statues is the royal tomb. See this silver line on the ground?”

Link looked down and saw that a 4-inch-thick silver line had been

drawn between the feet of the two statues. Upon closer inspection, he realized

that the line was, in fact, a row of magical runes packed tightly together. He

could also feel mysterious magical energy

coming from it.

“A Sacred Blood Barrier?” asked Link.

“Yes,” replied the High Elf Queen, nodding. She had

stepped over the silver line. “The Sacred Blood Barrier represents the

pinnacle of High Elf innovation in the mystic arts. Don’t worry, it’s just a detection seal. The two statues will be activated if any non-High Elf intruder

crosses this silver line. Do come in, Theodore.”

Link, however, stood rooted to the ground. He looked at the High

Elf Queen and saw that she was still wearing the same warm smile as before.

However, as seconds passed, the warmth in her smile began to fade while the

look in her eyes grew cold.

“Theodore, what are you waiting for?” she asked.

The barrier’s magic was too complicated to be overcome by Link in

such short notice. Without thinking too much about it, he stepped over the silver

line.

He felt confident that he would be able to take on the two magical

statues if he were to trigger the Sacred Blood Barrier. He had finally

understood what the Firuman realm wanted.

However, the realm fusion process was not without its risks. If he wanted to

help Firuman achieve fusion with the Aragu realm, he would have to brace himself for

a few hiccups here and there.

When Link lifted a foot over the silver line, the runes in it

instantly turned red. Rays of red light shot out from the ground, threatening

to bring the two magical statues to life.

Suddenly, the High Elf Queen lifted her foot, which glowed with

the soft green light of her Nature Power

and set it down on the silver line.

Paccha… The sound of breaking glass resounded in the air. The red light

given off by the runes on the ground vanished in an instant. The two statues

remained standing inertly on both sides of the tomb’s entrance.

Link was now standing on the other side of the barrier. He had

successfully crossed the silver line on the ground.