Chap 35: Eastpine City
2209 Words
“Liana, I want to ask. When we were fighting against Rosalyn, did you jump into the cliff right?”
“Aye right, Yes I did!”
“Did you discover anything beneath it?”
“Hm... Sadly, I couldn't see anything since I was blocked at the half way by another barrier. That's why I had to fly back.”
It meant even Liana's plan had become in vain. Galen really appreciated how diligent she was back then but it seemed to be Queen Meriss had calculated everything.
“How about you? Roman? Do you have any idea about it?”
“Even if we are the children of Queen Meriss, Rosalyn and I don't know as well.” Roman waggled his ears behind Galen and answered “We just know what the queen has taught us: That hole is also called The Beginning of Mothien. When a dragon was born in this kingdom, all of them flew up from that place.”
If that, Queen Meriss was trying to hide something that only she knew about it, Galen wondered. He was sure that bottom of the cliff would be the answer he needed in order to discover the mystery of the domestic dragons in that kingdom.
Liana had been flying through the dangerous ravine being built by sharp cliff and mountain summits. Sometimes on their way, there were some waterfalls falling in the middle of the small ravine. Galen told Liana to fly through them already.
When a human being soaked by natural water, they would feel their energy had been fully regened after sunbathing. For a reason, Galen remembered the lesson that Rosalyn used to teach him: In order to charge aura, human needed to gather all four elements together from the nature.
“First, before entering this topic, anyone of you know how to answer this question: What is aura energy?”
No one among the class rose their hand. A few seconds later, Galen was one who volunteered to answer since no one knew.
“According to what I’ve ever known from self-study, aura is the flow of magical energy roaming around us, coming from the world of Black Magic.
There are four popular elements of aura energy: Fire, Water, Wind and Earth.”
“Excellent, Gerald! A+ mark for you, meow!! As expected from a S Rank student!”
Rosalyn sparkled her eyes when Galen’s answer was even more accurate than her expectation. Then, she continued.
“Exactly as Gerald said, aura energy is the magical particles existing everywhere in our world. And aura energy co-exists with living species, including plants, every living species and human in the nature and our body. Their transaction like this is called The Cycle of Aura.”
Hearing the term ‘The Cycle of Aura’, Galen also sparkled his eyes. Because Saeza also mentioned about this in his famous book as well! As he thought, even Mothien Academy sued Saeza’s knowledge to teach the students.
“First, in the nature, aura exists in the form of natural particles in the earth, fire, water and wind. From the nature to human body, we need to gather all four elements energy from the nature together in order to charge our aura energy. The best way is: Wash yourself with natural water, then sunbath on the grass with windy environment. We need to do that frequently. Because we human are different than animal or other species, we are living in the civilization, far from the nature so we cannot absorb our energy naturally. If we don’t do that and let ourself exhausting aura energy, we will die.”
Galen remembered there used to be countless of times he almost died just because of that effect as well.
“Aura energy will be released back to the nature, when we cast our magic. That was how our magic is visible and can damage to the enemy.” Rosalyn explained while pointing her stick on the board “That’s The Cycle of Aura – We borrowed aura energy from the nature, and give it back by casting magic.”
That was why in this world, sunbathing had been the crucial habit for all mages and magic casters. Liana recalled herself. She used to have a time visit many magical kingdoms. It was normal to her to see every house must have a backyard and a small swimming pool. So people can charge their aura energy from the nature by sunbathing.
“Then I don’t understand one thing.” Roman waggled his cat ears and looked at Galen “Galen, how about the seed of Galadriel? You have to charge aura energy for her to use her power as well?”
That was a nice question from Roman as well. Galen was recalling himself. When he was being attacked by the wolves at the first day of his adventure, it was Galadriel who saved him. So the seed of the goddess could still be alive even if Galen’s aura energy is exhausted?
“I think the aura energy of Galadriel and mine works independently.”
Galen answered, while touching on his chest. For now, there wasn’t any danger so the seed didn’t react as strongly as usual. He wondered, how could the seed get its own aura energy to work without needing Galen to charge the energy?
He tried to call the seed by his thought, but nothing happened.
Once again, the result still remained same.
There was one theory that Galen could guess. Normally, the seed of Galadriel would be in sleeping state in order to charge its energy within Galen’s body. When Galen entered the combatting or dangerous state, the seed would automatically react?
Then, how could it absorb aura energy without needing to keep contact with the nature?
“It’s easy, Galen. I guess the seed charges the energy from stealing from your aura energy.”
Ah… now he understood why he was born to become weaker than anyone. If that, Galen promised himself that he would be going to train harder to expand his durability and provided more aura energy for the seed, for himself.
Galen would become stronger, to gather more allies, to come home at Tredia with pride and to become the king of Frelanna, he thought. Until he could remove the sin of his ancestors, he must not let the secret of his family being revealed to Liana and Roman.
“You ok?” Roman asked “You don’t look happy.”
“Huh? Really? It was nothing anyway.”
***
“Guys, look! We have arrived, Eastpine City!”
After flying through the dangerous ravines, Eastpine City had been showed up in front of everyone.
This is a center of civilization at the east of Mothien province, with the square smaller than Mothien Capital by half. According to what Roman said, it was a small kingdom, but 10 years ago, the king had been defeated and his territory had been claimed by Queen Meriss, changed its name into Eastpine City.
Roman used to have a trip to this city before for the investigation from the palace’s order. Back then, it was just a poor city with almost people being in the poverty after the war. Now, as he came back, he didn’t hide his surprised when seeing the city becoming more advanced than he thought.
The big houses, the avenues, they were all visible just by flying from above. If this city had the drone dragons flying around, it would be counted as the second Mothien Capital.
There was only a guard at the gate, Galen tried to use Liana’s trick to get the benefit again. So they immediately showed up in front of the gate immediately. If those guards were the cults of Saganite as well, it would be so damn convenient!
Of course, Galen and Roman had to hide themselves in order to avoid being wanted from the capital, by using their own coats and hid their face. Besides, Liana would be ok in dragon form but… Galen and Roman were wearing the S Rank student’s academy uniform, from the famous Mothien Academy, they couldn’t let themselves being noticed.
Surprisingly, the guards in this city just asked them their reason to enter the city and their name without any identity documents. How could they be so easily let the strangers enter like that?
And when three of them entered the city… they understood why.
Even at the center avenue of Eastpine city, there was so many people passing by, brought the city a weird lively atmosphere. Galen noticed their animal ears and tail, they might be alike Roman – a half-beast. But in this place, half-beasts are freaking EVERYWHERE!!
Not only half-beast, there were also the dwarves and the elves. The elves were the most highlighted ones since they had miraculously white skin and beautiful blond hair, both male and female. While the half-beasts were identified with their muscles and colorful furs from different species.
There was just something not right in this city. Everyone was wearing the torn costume, some only have a few tissus for their bottom and let them being topless. They even didn’t have any shoes, almost all of them have the bruise at their foots. Roman used to tell him, this city is located at the height of 2000meter, Galen began trembling as he had already worn the academic uniform, how could they wear this such thin outfit like nothing happened?
Their eyes didn’t have any soul and just walked like the ghosts. What’s happening in this hypocrite city? It looked so good outside, but the inside is… urgh!
Galen led the team. The first thing everyone needed to do is finding the way to destroy the academic uniform, then buy outfits for Liana, Roman and him. With a small pouch of gold from Roman, it would be enough to buy the proper set of outfits for all three.
Suddenly, someone violently grabbed Galen’s shoulder from behind.
“Hey, who are you?!”
Galen went speechless when seeing the shadow behind him. It was so huge, must have been higher than 3 meters. In this world, a giant man like his existed?!
Then, Galen felt tickle at his back. That giant man had just sniffed him.
“Wait… this smell… From Mothien Capital!” That man went panicked, roared like a hurting pig “Please! Forgive me for my impoliteness toward you!!!”
What was that man talking about? Galen didn’t have enough time to react yet. When he turned his back, showed in front of him was a giant middle-aged man wearing a black elegant suit like a noble. According to his ears and his nose, Galen believed that was a werewolf?
“Yes, hehehe. As expected from human from Mothien Capital, you are so smart. You guessed correctly and no as well. Werewolf can shade shift between human and wolf form, while my case is different, I cannot do that. That’s why I’m half-beast wolf only.”
Despite being given compliment, Galen wasn’t happy about it. He really wanted to leave this place in order to avoid the attention, since that guy could even sense the human’s smell on Galen.
“So, lady and gentlemen, which business have brought you here?”
If that, Galen would be honest immediately and straight forward to the main problem.
“We are looking for an outfit shop.” Galen answered “Do you have any recommendation for us?”
“Oh sure sure~!! Of course!! But why don’t you visit my house to take a tea party first? The journey from Mothien Capital must be tiring for you so why don’t you…”
“Thank you, but we are currently busy so have to refuse your kindness.” Galen answered. He began feeling annoyed by that man now “Would you like to guide us to the shop now instead?”
“I got it, I got it, sir. I’ll give you my servant to escort you to the shop immediately.”
Then, he entered his workshop and brought out a small cage and gave to Galen. However, it was a cage being covered by a tissue, so Galen couldn’t see what it was inside.
“Here, for you. This little one is very obedient to me and very smart. It can guide you to any destination within this city.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Well, that wolf man wasn’t as bad as he thought? Galen wondered himself.
“And… can you give me two coins of gold as the tourist fee? Hehe.”
“…”
***
After getting two coins of gold, the wolf business man immediately fled out with his mobile workshop, leaving Galen and his friends he confusion.
“Er… well, at least he helped us, I think?” Galen said.
“Aye, yeah.” Galen’s head appeared Liana’s voice, since she was currently in dragon form.
“Galen, let’s open that cage?”
“Oh, uhm, sure!”
And when Galen opened the cage…
Huh? What is it?! Galen’s face went darker when seeing the thing inside.
“WHAT THE… HE TRICKED US!!!”
Inside that cage, there was just an useless egg.
- Writer
