The Runic Alchemist - Chapter 951 951: Nation At War 3

Sanctum, late evening, Vidalia.

“—armies march on without any warnings or responding to any attempt of ours to negotiate, how far—” Vidalia turned the receiver’s sound off.

This was the worst timing. All her attempts to reach Damian had failed. If only she had asked him to attend the academy opening ceremony even for a few minutes, maybe things might have been different right now.

She had just returned to the Sunblade villa.

Built outside the Sanctuary city, facing the Sanctuary park, the park which was made for the city’s kids. The house was medium-sized, built with Blazur, wood, and several other metals, and filled with Damian’s runic modifications. A few meters from their house stood a brand-new, two-story house that Elias and Damian’s mother had bought after they settled here.

Lady Tessa had Thalindra in her arms, and Hester was playing with Orian. Both often visited their house to play with the two children. It was really lively when Elias and Lumi joined them as well, at times.

Together with Vidalia, they all froze, hearing what Sam just announced.

“Sanctuary.. at war against gods?” Lady Tessa murmured.

Both Orian and Hester stopped making any noise. Vidalia glanced towards her son and knew the boy understood the gravity of the situation. Human children grew up way too fast for her liking.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang furiously. Vidalia controlled her receiver to see who was at the gate. It was her own mother. She hesitated for a moment, then opened the gates and allowed her in. Damian had made the Sunblade Villa a waygate-prohibited region. No one could enter without permission.

Her mother rushed into the living room where they all were.

She knew the layout of the house like the back of her hand. After Vidalia had Orian, her mother practically lived with her all day. That lasted for several years till Thaliandra’s first nameday.

By the time her daughter was one year old, her changes had stabilized. Unlike Orian’s barely noticeable light-dark complexion with pure white horns, lightly shadowborn angular ears, and bright dark eyes. Thalindra’s skin was dark blue, her ears were proper, elf-like, she radiated a lot of body heat, and she was strong like a shadowborn.

When Maelor’s wife first saw her, she was surprised. Apparently, in the Shadowborn lineage, there are many subspecies. Some favor strength, some favor mana, and some reflect their original ancestral features, like beastmen and their hybrid children who turned shadowborn.

Thalindra was one such unique species. She leaned towards her elven lineage, but the shadowborn version of a hybrid elf. Making her the world’s first Dark Elf. She already had the strength of a shadowborn, and with Damian and her lineage mixed, she was believed to inherit a vast manapool in the future as well.

The potential of her terrified both Eldoris and Shadowborn royalty. Both of whom wanted to train her when she was of age, and wished to name her their heir. She and Damian had to discuss it with Malveria and Eldoris multiple times just to let her be for now, and they would think about it later if their daughter showed interest.

The first word her mother said after sitting down confirmed her suspicion.

“Thalindra and Orian must be placed in a safe place. Please go to Eldoris. I will fight till I die on your behalf. I promise you that.”

Sanctuary was more than Damian’s home. It was his dream. Leave? When his dream dies before her eyes?

Never.

“Forget all about the past! I give you my word, she won’t be forced to do anything she doesn’t like. I will make sure of it.” Her mother continued.

Eldoris and her mother wanted Damian and her to outright reject Lazarin’s offer. But they did not do that, which somehow offended the Eldoris elders. And their relationship had strained a little over the years with their continued discussion of the topic.

“Is this for real? The gods want us dead?” Lady Tyssa asked. She exchanged frantic looks with Hester and Vidalia herself.

“I am afraid so.” Her mother turned towards Tyssa and replied. “Please, help me convince her. You should all stay there till things calm down.”

Lady Tyssa barely heard a word she said, though, “Elias is the guild leader. They sign a contract about helping in the war..”

Hester came to her lady’s aid, “My Lady, your son is a powerful warrior. I don’t think he will remain silent when people threaten his brother and his own nation, even if he didn’t sign any contracts. He can take care of himself. He has ways to escape.”

The aged woman finally gained some semblance of control, “Yes, you are right. We can’t leave. This place is everything. If they are threatening my children and grandchildren, damn those gods!”

Vidalia smiled. Then looked at her own mother.

A mundane mother had enough courage to go against even her own faith if it came to her sons and their families. And her own mother..?

Ilvanya understood the meaning unsaid but clear in her eyes.

Her mother looked visibly uncomfortable. “Just promise me, if things are truly worse. You will take shelter! Don’t be stubborn!”

Vidalia knew there was a reason why her mother acted as she did. Their country and their goddess were inseparable parts of Eldoris’s royalty. All those who had betrayed that and chosen different paths had eventually died. All their lives, they were taught about how to live for the country.

Despite being royalty, they were less free to love than civilians.

“Orian, do you want to go to Eldoris?” Vidalia asked.

Her mind was made up already, but she still asked.

The boy stared at her, then glanced at her grandma.

“Friends help,” he said without blinking, “If they don’t help, they are not friends.”

Even Vidalia was surprised by the answer. When he stopped smiling, and his round, chubby face took on a seriousness that didn’t suit a child, for instance, young Damian’s face flashed in her mind. All those years ago, when he spoke against her about justice in dreaded lands, surrounded by men much more powerful than himself.