>>Amber
We stared at Hael in disbelief.
"You want the mana core?" Lilia blinked at him in utter confusion. She tried to find any signs of jester in his words but Hael did not show any, "Are you out of your mind?" She said and Hael smirked.
"I don't mean all the core. I just want a tiny speck from it." He made a 'tiny' gesture with his finger and thumb.
"Even a tiny piece of it can be harmful for a human." Lilia answered, "No, it will kill a human, for sure." My skin stood up at her words.
"I don't care," Hael said, "I still want it. And my condition will not change."
"The mana core isn't something that can be given away." The elf said, "And it's something that can only be accessed by the elf ruler."
Hael smiled, "Tell Helena, Hael wants it "
Helena? Who the hell is Helena
"Helena?" Lilia was disturbed, "You mean Queen Helena?"
"I doubt there's another Helena there," He folded his arms
"How do you know the Queen?" She got suspicious of him
I looked at Hael, Seriously bro, how do you know her?
"The Queen owes me something." Hael replied,
"What?" Both of us ladies looked at him in disbelief. The whole conversation has been full of unbelievable things!
"You're lying," Lilia said, "There is no way our Queen owes a human something."
Hael's sly smile remained on his lip, "You'll find out if I'm lying or not when you talk to her." He looked at Lilia like she was some pathetic little thing, "You don't need to worry about it, just tell her it's a request from Hael Helio."
Hael Helio?
Helio?!? A second name? Since when did he get a second name? Helio... Where have I heard that name before? I feel like I have, but I can't recall it.
"What if you're lying?" She said.
"And what if I'm not?" He answered, "You're the one at loss here, your kind wants her power." Hael's words carried clear hostility, "The condition stands, give us a piece of the mana core, and we'll save those pathetic fellows of yours."
Anyone could see Lilia's blood was boiling, but she wasn't at a position to say anything.
She grimaced, tried to calm her nerves, and then let out a deep breath, "Fine," She looked at us with a relaxed demeanor, "I'll talk to the Queen."
"There's one more thing, you mentioned something about how the miasma is spreading." Hael questioned.
"Yes,"
"Tell us what you know and how you know that?" Hael asked
"I'll give you that information, when you heal my brethren."
I glanced at Hael and he shrugged, "Fine, you have a deal." He then shooed her away, "Off you go now, your job is done."
Lilia turned around and went on her way before her blood pressure broke the meter.
***
"Why did you ask for their mana core?" Hael and I walked in the city, "Why did you even agree to help them? Just a second ago, you were scolding me for being naive. And then suddenly you decide to do it on your own."
"I didn't decide it on my own," He looked back at me, "You wanted to help them."
!!
"Well yea, but you made the final decisions on your own! You didn't even ask for my opinion."
"Is your opinion necessary when you already said you wanted to help them?"
"Yes!!" I replied, "It is!"
"Even when you don't know the importance of the thing the other person is saying?"
"You can just tell me what's the importance of it!!"
"Hmmm," He thought about it, "Seems like a lot of work."
"If you don't put in that work, you won't form a relationship with anyone. What you call a lot of useless work, is actually the bare minimum." I glared at him, "You should really start learning to be more human!"
He thought about it, "...." But didn't say anything in return, instead he just kept looking at me.
"Is there something you want to say to me?" I could tell there was something on his mind.
"Hm," He let out a soft breath, "You have changed so much." His gaze was soft, "You're a completely different person now."
"Change is good," I said.
"But your change is different." He paused, his gaze dropped for a moment. I Stopped with him and stared at him as he thought about something.
"You told me once" He looked at me again, "You had a dream."
"I had a dream?" I titled my head with a question mark in my mind
"Remember when I asked you about it on your bed, when you were still Corvina?"
!!!
I remembered it immediately
"Yes," I said, "I did,"
"Did you live another lifetime in that dream?"
My eyes went wide at his words. His words almost felt like a trap.
Another lifetime in a dream? Why would he ask that? Out of nowhere?!? I began to panic.
He wouldn't know, right? There is no way for him to know that I've come back in time, that I had another life. That I lived happily there.
I can't tell him that though, can I? "... I did..." Yet I chose to answer him. It was the closest thing I could tell him. People dream after all. And people can dream of living another life, it's not unheard of
"I see" His reply was simple but his gaze got a little empty
A little lost
And maybe, a little hurt. I felt like I shouldn't. I changed the subject
"Hael! Why are you so obsessed with power?" I asked, "You seem to want it more," I knew that he knew that I changed the subject, but he let it go.
He closed his eyes, letting out a subtle soft sigh, "Because you need power so no one can harm you." He opened his eyes again, his silver-gray eyes staring into mine, "You need it to be the one in control" He looked a little agitated.
He's never agitated. He's always calm with that sly smile on his face but now although he had a poker face on, his eyes were giving him away.
What is this?
"So? Why do you want a tiny piece of the mana core?"
"To feed it to you," He began to walk again.
...
"EXCUSE ME!! WHAT?!!" I shook my head, "Why?"
"It'll increase your holy power."
????
What drug is he on?!?!?
"Didn't you hear what Lilia said," I got frantic, "Even a tiny piece of it is harmful for a human."
"I'll make sure nothing happens to you," he replied calmly.
"Hael, this isn't a joke."
"That's right, and I'm not Joking," He continued to walk.
I stared at him in disbelief.
"For what? Power? Again?"
"Because power makes me untouchable."
I went ahead and grabbed his arm, turning him around, "The king can still order you around- No, he and the rest of the royal family can do it."
"They can order me," His voice lowered, "But they can't force me." His eyes held an emotion, "No one can force anything on me." It felt like his words held history.
But then again, I also know what it means to have power and have no power. I had no power and I was mistreated in my own house.
...
There it was again, that agitated look. I tried to change the subject, only for us to end up on it again.
"But Hael," I touched his cheek which seemed to startle him, "Not everyone will force you to do things. There are good people out there."
"..." He just stared back at me with his blank expression, "Are they?"
"Yes!" I said, "There is more good than bad,"
He was not convinced. He just rolled his eyes and looked away as if my words held no merit.
"I'll take you to your place for tonight." He glanced at me, "Make sure to get plenty of rest, and be sure to keep your mind ready."
"Ready for what?" I asked.
"Ready for going through body changes again."
"..." I glared at him, "It's going to be painful again, isn't it?"
"..." He chose not to reply to me, "As soon as I get a response from the elves, we're leaving for the elf forest."
"You know where the elf forest is?" I started walking again.
"It's not a secret." He replied.
"Oh," I paused, "That's true..."
But isn't it hard for humans to find? Or is he not bothered because he's been there before? But, why was he there before? Did he stay there?
Why?
***
>>Lilia
When I arrived back at the forest of elves, I made my way to the Queen's palace. Elf houses are made with high magic, and the royal palace is made out of the elf's world tree, infused in it as one. It has towering pillars of living wood, intricately carved with elven motifs that dance in the shifting light. The palace grows organically from the roots of the tree, its architecture seamlessly blending with the natural contours of the trunk and branches.
Sunlight filters through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the polished floors of polished wood. The air is filled with the sweet fragrance of blossoms and the soft rustle of leaves
The throne room is at the heart of the palace. Carved from the heartwood of the World Tree itself, the throne sits upon a dais of moss and ferns, flanked by towering pillars adorned with swirling vines and leaves. Light streams in through stained glass windows, casting a rainbow of colors upon the polished marble floor.
"Your Highness," I kneeled for her.
"Lilia," She was going through some paperwork as she sat on her throne, "How did it go?"
"I think it went well," I replied.
"You think?" She lowered her paper and looked at me, "Why, did she not agree?"
"She has a boyfriend who is very aggressive." I sighed, "He said they'd only agree if we give them a piece of our mana core,"
The Queen let out a scoff, "Is that boy right in the head?"
"I questioned that too," I stood up, "But he said to tell you his name and you would agree."
"Oh? Really?" She placed the paper on the table and stared at me with a sly smile, "And what is his name?"
"Hael," I said, "Hael Helio,"
Her smile vanished, "What?" She stood up from her seat, "Hael?" I saw her skin stand up and that sight alone made me question things, "That kid with silver hair and eyes?"
I was a bit confused and surprised at her reaction but answered her anyway, "Yes," I gave her a nod
"God," She smirked, but it looked more like she was devastated,
So, it seems he wasn't lying about knowing the Queen, "He said you owe him something."
She looked at me again, "Ah," She seemed a little lost, "I owe him something?" Her eyes closed and an eerie smile appeared on her face, "Yes, I guess I do owe him." She sat back down, "I owe him an apology," She looked at me, "As a matter of fact, you him one too."
"With all due respect," I pointed at myself, "Me?"
"You don't remember the boy?" She chuckled, "There's only one human child that came and lived in this forest in my reign." She shook her head at me, "You don't remember throwing him off the cliff?" An image flashed across my mind, "He almost died that day,"
And then I remembered him
Oh Shit, "HIM!?!?"
This is why he was ready to kill me the moment he saw me.
He recognized me right away!