I was immediately transported to a new location, one more… sophisticated than the wilderness.
"A house?" [Solace]
I expected more of a mansion, but I was taken to a log cabin of some sort. It was small. So small that I thought it would be impossible to house more than one person.
("He wants me to stay here?") [Solace]
"This is my humble abode. Did you expect something grander?" [Elcrid]
"...A little." [Solace]
Glancing around, I noticed that we were still in the Misty Forest. I almost didn't realize because the air surrounding the house was clear and sunny.
"Do you have some kind of magic to push out the mist?" [Solace]
The vampire-like person simply smiled.
"Now now, enough with the speculations. How about we head inside?" [Elcrid]
I followed him into the cabin, eyes widening as it opened up to an impossibly spacious interior.
"Huh?" [Solace]
I stuck my head in and out of the doorway to check if I was hallucinating.
("This is so weird…") [Solace]
I think I've seen something like this before at the academy, yet it felt even more surreal here.
"Are you coming in?" [Elcrid]
"Ah, yeah." [Solace]
I felt a little embarrassed acting like I didn't know anything. In any case, the inside was like a giant library. Rows of books spiraled upwards, so high that I thought I thought I was inside a skyscraper. Thinking about it now, it was similar to Lapis' moving tower.
"Your home is a library?" [Solace]
"Somewhat." [Elcrid]
With a clap of his hands the room shifted into a small cozy living room. Dim lighting, a fireplace, a table, a rack of liquor, a beautiful carpet, and two recliners.
"Have a seat." [Elcrid]
Taking a seat in one of the recliners, he extended a hand towards the other.
"..." [Solace]
Still stunned by the shift of environment, I took my seat.
"Before you say anything, allow me to quickly re-introduce myself." [Elcrid]
Pulling over some liquor and cups using telekinesis or something, Elcrid poured himself a drink.
"I am Elcrid, and an ancient. I am an ancestor of vampires who has spent over a millennia in secular life. I am the creator of the Misty Forest, Elcrid the Immortal. Any questions?" [Elcrid]
I paused.
"...You made the Misty Forest?" [Solace]
Elcrid nodded.
"It was a necessary step to ensure I am to be left to my own devices during secular life. Before I made this place, life was… turbulent." [Elcrid]
"So you know nothing of the outside world?" [Solace]
"I know the holy war has ended." [Elcrid]
I had no clue what that was so I skipped over it. Instead, I spoke my mind directly.
"Why… did you ask me to stay over here?" [Solace]
Elcrid took a sip of his liquor casually.
"Boredom." [Elcrid]
"...Boredom?" [Solace]
Elcrid emptied his glass, refilled it, glanced at me, then offered it to me.
"Want some?" [Elcrid]
"...I'm underaged." [Solace]
"What's that mean?" [Elcrid]
It appears legal drinking ages didn't exist in his time.
"Can you answer my question instead of drinking?" [Solace]
Elcrid rotated his cup, allowing the dim lighting to illuminate the liquid.
"After living for so long, you tend to get bored." [Elcrid]
"So I'm your source of entertainment?" [Solace]
Will he kill me once he gets bored of my presence?
"A bit. It's not everyday someone has the courage to come into the Misty Forest." [Elcrid]
Elcrid sat up.
"I would like to hear your story." [Elcrid]
"...And then you'll let me go?" [Solace]
"If you so wish." [Elcrid]
With a snap of his fingers, a silver tray of cookies appeared on the table.
"Help yourself." [Elcrid]
I wasn't exactly hungry, but I ate one anyway.
("...This isn't chocolate.") [Solace]
What I thought to be chocolate chip was actually raisins. Putting that aside, I told Elcrid my story. Only from when the hero's journey began though.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
"Interesting… I feel like I've heard of your master once." [Elcrid]
Elcrid rubbed his chin as he tried to recall.
"Ah, he must be the one that put Jukhan in prison." [Elcrid]
"You heard of it?" [Solace]
"Yes, it was big news. Before Jukhan was known as the mage killer, he was called Lordbane." [Elcrid]
"Lordbane?" [Solace]
"It means all the Lords were afraid of him. Wherever that man went, lord-doms would fall." [Elcrid]
Guess Jukhan was a walking country demolisher.
"I'd like to meet your master some time." [Elcrid]
"Knowing Master's personality, he might want to meet you too." [Solace]
"I look forward to it. Anyway, I now know why I could sense several curses on you." [Elcrid]
"You could sense it?" [Solace]
Elcrid scratched his nose.
"The immense scent of |Divine| and |Demonic| power over you is more than just a telltale." [Elcrid]
I think that was the first time I learned that someone could uh… smell power. Well, we learn something everyday.
"I don't think anything can be done with the curses, however, I think I can do something about your manaless syndrome." [Elcrid]
I shot up in my seat.
"You can?!" [Solace]
"I researched it a while ago. I got bored so I decided to cure every known illness that time." [Elcrid]
I think I just hit the jackpot.
"I can't say it's a perfect fix though. There are side effects." [Elcrid]
"Like?" [Solace]
"Your mana will be much lower than previously. If it were to be addressed in a numerical sense, I'd say it would drop to a single digit." [Elcrid]
To summarize, I think he meant that my stats would go to one.
"Can I reaccumulate it?" [Solace]
"Not right away. Little by little in order not to break your mana core again. It would take several months to rehabilitate." [Elcrid]
That's not even a problem. Knowing this, I stood up and lowered my head.
"Elcrid. Please, cure my manaless syndrome." [Solace]
"Hm… Why not? I do have one condition though." [Elcrid]
"That is?" [Solace]
"You're… a spirit, right?" [Elcrid]
"Me? A spirit?" [Solace]
Even if I was trying to hide it, I'm pretty sure my expression just gave it away.
"Looking at your mana structure you're not human." [Elcrid]
"What?" [Solace
Did the Unseeing Sword's mana structure editing go away already?
"There's evidence of it being tampered with. I'm assuming that you've met the Unseeing Sword?" [Elcrid]
"How did you know…?" [Solace]
"I taught him that. What, did you expect me not to see through his work?" [Elcrid]
"...The Unseeing Sword is your disciple?" [Solace]
That meant this man raised quite the murderer.
"Not exactly. He has an ability to identify someone's strength and potential which he uses to pick fights. When he first met me he tried to kill me." [Elcrid]
"...And I'm guessing you beat him?" [Solace]
Elcrid grinned.
"I'm not called the Immortal for no reason. He didn't possess a weapon or skill capable of killing me, so I won of course." [Elcrid]
"Oh. So, you're like… immortal immortal? Or just mostly immortal?" [Solace]
"Immortal as in I quite literally cannot die in any possible way." [Elcrid]
"I thought you were an ancestor of vampires. What about garlic and stakes through the heart?" [Solace]
Elcrid chuckled.
"We're not the same. Vampires are descendants of ancients mixed with mortals. Their weaknesses appeared because human hearts are their weaknesses, garlic is simply an allergy, and sunlight is deadly because the goddess of light just abhors them." [Elcrid]
This was kind of destroying my view of mythical creatures.
"We're getting off track. You must be wondering how I know you're a spirit specifically right?" [Elcrid]
I nodded.
"I just reverse engineered what the Unseeing Sword did to you. Well, more like envisioning it in my head." [Elcrid]
Ah, I see. I'm in the presence of a genius.
"The thing is, spirits are the only race without a set mana structure. How I deduced you were a spirit was because your original mana structure did not match any existing creature known to man. Or rather, what I've researched." [Elcrid]
This guy might actually be insane. How can he even remember all that?
"So your condition is…?" [Solace]
"To study you." [Elcrid]
It appears that I'm dealing with another Lapis.
("What's with all these bookworms wanting to research me?") [Solace]
"You won't… harm me, right?" [Solace]
"I'll ensure that you won't die." [Elcrid]
"That's not a very good answer." [Solace]
What if he just tortured me on the verge of death?
"If you lose a limb, I will regrow it for you. With me here, you will always remain in pristine condition. I'm literally the greatest… Well, everything. Any profession, you name it. What's there to worry about?" [Elcrid]
That was a somewhat convincing argument. I leaned back in the recliner and sighed.
("Do I even have any other choice?") [Solace]
There was the option of waiting for Nakros, but the possibility of him finding something to cure me is slim. Plus, the cure is right in front of me.
"...Condition accepted. Please treat me." [Solace]
Elcrid reached over, grabbed my hand, and shook it.
"It's a pleasure." [Elcrid]