Tales of Revenants

Chapter 89 – Love and Rivalry

Eons ago before even the rise of nations and empires, a time where the lands can truly be called paradise, Thalfeur, a nature dragon silently living in the eastern lands of Arcadion Continent near the sea of Millenium Shore without care towards the world.

The usual routine of his life consists of eating, sleeping, and then secretly peeping at women behind a bush who are taking a bath in the river since there is a town near his home. Of course, he'd always get caught and beaten up for the depravity he's demonstrating.

After years went by, a normal usual day where his libido is uncontrollable, Thalfeur peeped behind the shrubs and what he saw was an extremely beautiful lady who had long, glossy green hair the same as his'.

Like a regular routine, he got too absorbed and fell into the river. The lady startled when she heard the splash of water thinking someone's just peeping on her.

Even Thalfeur was alarmed and he unconsciously got on his feet and said a pick-up line, "So hey... nice weather isn't it?"

The blank expression of the lady is priceless, and seconds later she snorted and said while giggling, "That was the worst excuse for a peeping tom like you."

"Ah... I'm sorry!" Thalfeur didn't mean harm so he bowed down and apologizes for what he has done.

"No, I don't mind, I came here to meet the infamous dragonkin who loves to glance at women around here." The lady isn't showing any shame despite her buck-n***d in front of Thalfeur who's nose already dripping blood.

He couldn't take the stimulation he's currently experiencing. The lady thought she's hurt or something so he went to where he was and touched his forehead, "Are you sick or what? You're burning hot!"

The level of his arousal skyrocket beyond his imagination and couldn't believe a beautiful bare lady like her is so near to him. It wasn't long before Thalfeur's head turned dizzy and his mind went out after he fell unconscious on the riverside.

Hours went by and Thalfeur woke up in a comfy pillow, and when he opened his eyes, he's actually sleeping on the lap of the lady he tried to peep with.

"Are you awake now? I gathered some wild berries out there." The lady's so nice she picked up a morsel of blueberry on the basket and put it on his mouth. Thalfeur just let her do as she pleases, wanting such a golden moment to last forever.

Even though they spent their time for hours, he still doesn't know her name yet and he's thinking some kind of pick-up lines to ask her. But instead, she stroked Thalfeur's slick-ack hair and bashfully asked him, "Hm... so what's your name?"

The blood slowly drips on his nose so he sniffed it back before she would think he had some kind of sickness. It's just Thalfeur never expected that she's the one who will open up instead of him.

"I'm... Thalfeur Dirophald." He simply answered her question.

"And I'm Artarel. It may sound a bit late but... It's nice to meet you!" She's so cheerful and lovely that Thalfeur suddenly found himself pressing his throbbing chest.

"I love you." Thalfeur blurted out.

"Yeah, and I– wait, what did you just say?" Artarel's cheeks turned beet-red.

"I said I love you and I know it, we can be together." He's aware he's being presumptuous and forceful, but he just had the instinct of telling his feelings no matter what happens.

While holding each other's hands, Artarel reciprocated his feelings and they became lovers on the same day.

That's the story Thalfeur told his comrades while he's forging iron and souls trying to create a proper weapon as a replacement for Laken's broken sword. Apparently, his previous swords have high density and fire resistance negating the azure flames he's producing in his right hand.

The weapon he must create mustn't melt when Laken transfers the flames on the sword. As of the moment, all the sword Thalfeur tried to make all returned to smithereens when the blue flames engulf its properties.

"Artarel approached me because she discovered I create weapons as a hobby, as she's the type of us dragonkin who also loved making weapons. So she wanted me to teach her but it turns out she's better than me. How ironic isn't it?" Thalfeur casts another sword onto the furnace.

"And you wanted to surpass her, correct? I think not just her, but all the legendary swords all over the world." Laken melted another iron weapon Thalfeur created for him. It's the hundredth sword he produced, yet it's not enough.

No hope left behind, he saw on a creaking wooden chair for the meantime, "That's right... the weapon Balakiel wield isn't something you can just compare. It's a demonic sword without a name that can surpass the legendary holy sword, Excalibur, and to top it off, he's a Demon Lord."

The chance of him falling into the abyss is not zero, Luciella had this strong sense of justice that she must stop her demonic ascension or else Thalfeur will become a Demon Lord himself.

She had the idea of at least helping him create the perfect sword, for the wish he longed for.

"Is there any method or something we can help you with? I'm sure what you need is materials..." Luciella desired to help him.

After so many years went by, he remembered he's not alone anymore. He had his comrades to share his hardship. He forgot it along with the disappearance of Artarel, but now that they crossed paths again, she stood as the enemy of all life.

It seems he found a reason again when he picked up the hammer. He continued to create weapons once more, not for himself, and instead for Artarel who suffered enough pain that she succumbed onto the eternal pits of darkness.

"Don't worry, I will never, ever become a Demon Lord. But I just want to say that there is a certain soul that can surely pierce Balakiel's heart." Thalfeur stated.

"What is it?" Eirisse was curious.

"A hard material?" Xenon guesses.

"It's the soul of the purest living person, though there's no way we can get such material. So leave everything to me, okay?" Thalfeur pushed them all out of the chamber.

Before he closes the entrance, he parted a message saying, "Tell Empress Marielye my thanks for lending the underground chamber, I promise to create the greatest sword all over the world." Just like that, he shut the door so he can resume forging weapons.

The turn of event the empress predicted has resulted in blinded divination of not knowing whether if they'll attain victory to the upcoming battle two days after the night of encounter.

In spite of the circumstances, Laken just had to tell Tetra everything about Thalfeur since he assured her. Time cannot be wasted so Empress Marielye called them in a sudden informal meeting on a secured chamber.

They were all sitting on a royal chair around a circular table, discussing not just the future of Balakh Empire, but also the world as a whole.

"I invited you here because I have a confession regarding why Queen Nimrie and Frainan are here." Marielye spilled the beans.

They carefully listened to her side. Laken presumes it must be regarding Eris who was captured by the opposing enemies.

"A week ago... I had divination. It's a bit blurry because of the increased amount of darkness, but according to what I saw as someone who has the Eye of the Beholder, the strongest valkyrie was taken by the darkness." At first, they can't seem to get the gist of it.

Empress Marielye's predictions cannot be changed. Laken tapped his hand at the table so he can ask a question, "Then you mean you saw the queen and Frainan as the potential person relating in your divination?"

"I really thought it was Queen Nimrie or Frainan Ladross who'll get captured so I invited them here to prevent Balakh Empire's difficulty on further affecting other allied nations." Her vision is always for the good of all.

Now everyone understood what she meant by the strongest. Xenon placed his hand on the table to share his words, "The strongest valkyrie in your divination, it turns out it was Eris, correct?"

Empress Marielye nodded as an answer and said, "I just didn't foresee she was the one who needed protection the most..."

Out of nowhere, Queen Nimrie hit the table with the baton she's holding and pleaded in front of them even though she's clearly modest and humble, "P-Please... save her... will give... golds..." It's the first time they heard her say anything and she's already asking for help.

Luciella stood up and bowed down as a sign of respect, "We will save her no matter what happens!" She's assertive upon the quest she was given.

"That's right, there's no way we will leave her just like that." Xenon agreed to Luciella.

"I will support you Luciella," Alisa's confident too.

Eirisse fixes the bridge of her eyeglasses and told, "It's all part of the bargain."

Hope never left them behind, Queen Nimrie couldn't contain her feelings and cried in front of them. She values her valkyries more than anyone or anything because she also understood the terror Eris is probably experiencing right now.

Now, Laken even without a sword and instead together with his comrades, they've searched for a way to outwit Demon Lord Balakiel in the upcoming battle.