Re: Evolution Online



Eldrin couldn't believe that the human being had changed so much since the time he had last seen him. 

Not only had he physically recovered a lot but he also seemed to have achieved some sort of enlightenment as that was the only way to gain hundreds of levels in such a short time.

"A soul technique master! This human being is a soul technique master!" Eldrin's eyes lit up.

If disintegrating and destroying the soul-blood beasts was one type of power, then controlling them to do his bidding was another power.

From the looks of it, the human being had mastered both of them!

From Eldrin's viewpoint, the second one was even more difficult than the first one. Just how did this random human being manage to master something as profound as soul art?

It was beyond his understanding!

However, there was no point in thinking about this now. Right here, in this place, this human being was bound to be more powerful than the elves.

If he played his cards right then this time his gain could be immense. But for that, he first needed to kiss some ass.

[Liam! Run! These elves can be subdued by the soul-blood beasts but the first prince has several treasures. Some of these elves should also have some treasures. If they use these, then mere soul-blood beasts might not be enough to hold them back. Run! Now!]

Eldrin started rapidly sending mental messages to Liam. However, he was still quite far away from the site of action. 

Eldrin preferred to remain this way but he had a feeling that the human being would not be moved by anything less than genuine effort.

Tch. He clicked his tongue and made a move, picking a side in the battle.

At the same time, the other royal elves as well seemingly recovered from their shock. 

So what if the human being can control a few measly soul-blood beasts? They had battled them before and they can battle them now!

All the elves prepared to attack, determined to neutralize any and all threats before their prince arrived.

Meanwhile… Liam calmly stood.

"You made me wait for so long. You couldn't have come earlier?" He said with a strange glint in his eyes.

Huh? The elves were shocked and Eldrin was even more shocked. Just what was happening? Why was the human being standing so confidently? Was he not afraid of getting killed?

Before they could understand anything, suddenly, a low humming sound began to resonate from the shrine behind Liam. 

The mysterious inscriptions that once seemed dormant started to emit a bright golden light, illuminating the entire clearing. Eldrin squinted against the light, trying to see what was happening.

The golden light morphed into a vortex, and the next second every single one of them got sucked into an unending darkness.

When Eldrin regained his consciousness, he found himself in an entirely different realm. A mystic realm inside a mystic realm? He was confused.

It was an expansive void, endless and suffocating, filled with floating islands of rock and what seemed like pathways made of stardust. 

The air was thick with mystic energy, its ethereal shimmer punctuated by pockets of silence. This place was unlike anything he'd ever seen or felt before.

Looking around, he saw the other elves, including the royal elites, scattered among the floating islands. They seemed as disoriented and shocked as he was. 

The soul-blood beasts, however, were nowhere to be seen.

Then there was Liam, standing on one of the floating islands and he seemed to be aware of what was happening. What the hell? How was this possible?

However, Eldrin did not have the time right now to think about this. The rock islands were extremely weird. They were only a few feet wide and yet were somehow floating.

They seemed close but at the same time, they seemed distant.

One of the elves hastily stood up and started attacking Liam, but the attack disappeared when it entered the space between the islands. It was as if they were frozen in the void in their own islands.

Just what the hell was this place?

Soon, breaking the silence a loud voice boomed.

"Relax young ones. The barriers around you are protective, preventing any form of harm," the male voice explained. "Here, physical attacks are meaningless, and your power is confined to the island you're on."

Therion, one of the prominent royal elves, shouted, "Release us at once! You may have some tricks up your sleeve, but you won't hold the might of Elvenkind at bay!"

"Heh? Is that so?" The voice laughed. "Good to hear that the younger generations still have fire in their veins. But do calm down; this is not the time for brashness."

Eldrin tried to discern the source of the voice but found no particular direction it came from. It was omnipresent, echoing from every corner of this realm.

Liam, however, seemed to know exactly who it was. He bowed slightly, "Elder Moros."

Ah! Eldrin's heart skipped a beat. Moros? The legendary figure in elven lore? One of the mighty elven warriors who perished here?

Now everything became clear to him and also to the other elves. They were all at the site of an inheritance!

But it was not them who had found the inheritance. It was the human being who had found it first! 

The elves seethed as they came to this realization. It was a deep humiliation for them. It could even be said that they had let down their elders by allowing a human being to enter there.

The human being was even the first one to address their ancestor! This was blasphemy!

Therion's face turned a shade of red, embarrassment mixed with rage.

Eldrin's mind raced. He tried to comprehend the gravity of the situation. This was bigger than what he had planned for before. 

He was actually standing on a freaking inheritance site! This was huge! 

This was farther than any elf who had ever stepped into this realm! This was the chance that he had been waiting for! He needed to obtain this inheritance no matter what!

Therion might look angry but unlike him, the majority of the elves looked resolute. 

All of them sought power and this was the closest they had come to it. So every single one of the elves was determined to grab the inheritance for themselves!

Only then their lives would change. Only then their status would change. If the prince had obtained this inheritance, they would have received a meager reward if at all.

But now this was their chance to shine! If they could somehow obtain this inheritance then they could become a key figure in the world that even the Emperor respected.

However, what of the human being? He somehow seems to hold an advantage? All the elves exchanged uncertain glances.

Therion couldn't bear it anymore and spoke up. "Elder Moros," he began, his voice calm but stern, "It is our right, as elves, to inherit your wisdom and power. This human has defiled our sacred land and has no claim over it."

"Yes, Elder Moros. Please allow us to cleanse this filth."

"Ancestor Moros, please let me serve you."

One by one several elves began talking in an attempt to curry favor with the elder.

However…

"SILENCE!" The voice boomed, clearly not happy with the noisy environment.

The elves immediately quieted down with ugly expressions on their faces, but the next instant, the voice once again coldly boomed. 

"Human being, I did not allow you to enter my shrine, and yet you have forcefully awakened a path and entered my shrine. You have used my elven kind to open a door for you."

The voice did not sound pleased. "You are not welcome here. Leave at once."

The elves immediately rejoiced. They celebrated Liam's misery and looked toward him, eager to see him disappear.

But a few seconds ticked by and nothing seemed to happen?

The human being was still standing…?

"YOU DARE DEFY ME?!!!" The voice boomed again, apparently even more irritated than the elves.

Eldrin gulped. He now had a newfound respect for Liam. It was one thing to not fear him or the royal elves but this guy did not even plan on showing respect to the legendary figure? Was he not afraid?

And finally, Liam opened his mouth.

"Esteemed elder, please forgive me. I would be gravely disrespecting you if I heeded your words and left now. My actions, though abrupt and uninvited, are driven by the profound respect I have for you."

"The tales of Elder Moros are legends even among humans. It is my lifelong dream to walk the same paths and to glimpse even a fraction of your greatness."

Therion scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Honeyed words. Every thief knows how to sing praises when caught."

Liam continued, undeterred by Therion's mockery, "I didn't come here to steal or lay claim over something that doesn't belong to me." 

"All I seek is one small chance to compete for your inheritance. It would be my greatest honor to even just witness this miraculous process. If that is a crime, then I stand guilty. But I will not run away."

Silence.

All the elves scowled. Come on. Surely, the legendary ancestor would not be swayed by just empty words?

However, the next second, what they feared came to fruition.

The omnipresent voice of Elder Moros echoed throughout the void, softer this time, but still filled with authority.

"Human, your words ring with sincerity. While your actions were indeed intrusive, your courage and respect for this place have earned my attention. Very well. You shall have your chance."