Chapter 49: The Elf Chief

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Elf Chief

The wooden doors immediately opened up.

Arin walked into the chamber.

The first thing that struck him was how quiet it was.

There were no crowds, no lines of soldiers, no intimidating army of weapons.

Just a large room with wooden pillars that stretched into the ceiling and glowing crystals that hung from the branches of the large tree that surrounded the building.

An elf sat at the far end of the chamber.

He looked to be older than the guards outside, but hardly elderly.

His long silver hair flowed down his back, and the simple green robes he wore paled in comparison to what Arin expected from the leader of an entire land of elves.

Several elves stood behind him.

As soon as Arin entered the chamber, the Elf Chief smiled.

"Welcome."

Arin stopped.

That wasn’t what he expected.

The Chief stood.

"Please, forgive us for the disturbance. I believe you’ve already answered questions for the border guards."

Arin nodded.

"Yeah. A lot."

The Chief chuckled.

"They were only doing their job."

The Chief’s eyes swept over the group.

"Please, come closer."

Arin shot a glance at Ayan.

The dragon gave a small nod.

They walked up to the Chief.

The chief’s eyes fell on Ayan.

For the first time, he looked less concerned.

"You’re the dragon."

Ayan gave a small nod.

"I am."

The air in the room tensed up.

Arin immediately sensed it.

He shot a glance at the Chief.

"Is there a problem?"

The Chief looked at him.

"Not necessarily."

He hesitated.

"But dragons are not creatures we take lightly."

Arin frowned.

"I thought dragons kept mostly to themselves."

"They do."

The Chief nodded.

"Which is why I find your friend’s presence here more than a little disturbing."

Arin turned to Ayan.

"Why?"

The Chief’s expression darkened.

"Because they are considered one of the highest classes of monsters."

Arin’s eyes widened.

"Monsters?"

Ayan didn’t react.

The Chief continued.

"Dragons are intelligent creatures. Strong. Proud. They rarely involve themselves in the affairs of humans, elves, demons, or other races of man. But that doesn’t make them any less dangerous."

Arin turned to Ayan.

He had always known the man was powerful.

Stronger than anything he had ever fought before.

But he had no idea just how powerful.

The Chief continued.

"A fully-grown dragon possesses the power of at least a thousand A rank monsters."

Arin’s mouth opened slightly.

"A thousand?"

The Chief nodded.

"Depending on the dragon, yes."

Arin turned to Ayan.

"You never told me that."

Ayan calmly replied.

"You never asked."

Arin shot a glance at the man.

"That’s not something you just randomly leave out."

"I didn’t think it was important."

Zarl suddenly laughed.

"That’s dragons for you."

Ayan shot a glance at the man.

Zarl immediately stopped laughing.

The Chief’s gaze shifted to Saira.

The relaxation in the Chief’s expression vanished.

"And you are the demon."

Saira nodded.

"Yes."

A few of the elves behind the Chief visibly tensed.

Arin noted how Saira’s fingers tightened.

She was trying to hide it, but she was uncomfortable.

The Chief’s gaze lingered on Saira.

"We have no reason to trust demons."

Saira cast her eyes downward slightly.

"I understand."

Arin stepped forward.

"She’s with me."

The Chief turned to him.

"I understand that as well."

It wasn’t an angry expression, but it wasn’t exactly warm either.

"Your prescence here makes things a little more complicated, Arin."

Arin nodded.

"I’m aware of that."

The Chief smiled faintly.

"At least you’re not blind."

His gaze flicked to Adnan.

"And a Hero."

Adnan gave a polite bow.

"Adnan."

"I know."

The Chief smiled.

"Your reputation extends to even the Elf Lands."

Adnan looked slightly embarressed.

"I was hoping to avoid that."

The Chief chuckled.

"You’re not exactly good at avoiding people."

Adnan sighed.

"I’ve been told that."

Arin almost laughed.

The Chief’s eyes fell on Mira.

"And her?"

"Mira."

Arin replied.

"She was turned into a Chimera."

The Chief’s expression darkened.

"I see."

His gaze shifted to Zarl.

"And I assume he’s responsible?"

Arin hesitated.

Zarl raised a hand.

"That would be me."

The elves visibly tensed.

The Chief turned to him.

"You are Zarl Baghud?"

"Yes."

"I’ve heard of you."

Zarl’s smile returned.

"Hopefully only good things."

The Chief’s expression didn’t change.

"No."

Zarl’s smile faded.

"Right."

The Chief turned back to Arin.

"And Garul?"

"His servant."

Garul bowed his head.

The Chief regarded him for a few seconds before turning back to Arin.

"You travel with quite the group."

Arin sighed.

"Believe me, I know."

The Chief gestured to a few chairs.

"Please, have a seat."

The group sat down.

Arin took a seat next to Mira.

Ayan remained standing.

Saira sat back and forth.

Adnan took a seat opposite of him.

Zarl slouched down in a chair as if he were in the home of a friend.

Garul took a seat next to him.

The Chief followed suit.

For a long while, no one said anything.

Then the Chief turned his gaze on Arin.

"I already know why you came."

Arin’s eyebrow rose.

"The guards told you?"

"That they did."

"So you know I’m a Dungeon Master?"

"I do."

Arin slowly nodded.

"Then I’ll cut to the chase."

He leaned forward.

"I’m looking for information regarding the previous Dungeon Master."

The room grew silent.

The Chief’s expression remained calm.

"I expected as much."

Arin frowned.

"You knew him?"

The Chief didn’t immediately respond.

Instead he turned his gaze to one of the elves behind him.

The elf lowered his head.

The Chief turned back to Arin.

"We knew of him."

Arin’s eyes narrowed.

"That’s not the same thing."

"No."

The Chief gave a small smile.

"But that is all I’m willing to say on the subject today."

Arin frowned.

"Why?"

"Because there are certain things regarding the previous Dungeon Master that can’t simply be explained in a sentence or two."

Arin leaned back.

He didn’t like that answer, but he understood it.

The Chief continued.

"You said you received his authority."

Arin nodded.

"I did."

"How?"

Arin hesitated.

There was no reason to keep this from them, but he still wasn’t willing to share everything.

After all, he had never physically met the previous Dungeon Master.

Only his soul.

"I found him."

The Chief said nothing for a long moment.

Arin continued.

"Not his body. His soul."

The room became deathly silent.

"He showed up to me after I inherited the mark of the Dungeon Master. He gave me what was left of his power."

The Chief’s expression darkened slightly.

"What did he say?"

Arin remembered the words.

Protect them.

"He told me to protect his loved ones."

For a long moment, the Chief’s expression seemed to change.

Only slightly, but Arin still noticed it.

The Chief knew something.

Arin leaned forward.

"You know who he was talking about."

The Chief didn’t answer.

Arin waited for a long moment.

Finally the Chief sighed.

"Perhaps."

Arin frowned.

"Perhaps?"

"I can’t explain it all to you right now."

"Why not?"

"Because you don’t know enough."

Arin stared at him.

"Then tell me."

The Chief smiled faintly.

"You’re impatient."

"Wouldn’t you be?"

The Chief chuckled.

"Maybe I would."

He leaned back in his chair.

"But there is something else."

Arin hesitated.

"The previous Dungeon Master had dealings with the elves."

Arin’s expression changed.

"I knew it."

The Chief nodded.

"There are records of it."

"What kind of records?"

"That’s something I’ll tell you about later."

Arin frowned.

"Later?"

"Yes."

The Chief’s response was kind, but his voice didn’t change.

"But before I tell you anything at all, I need to understand what happened to you."

Arin immediately became wary.

"What do you mean?"

"You claim to hold the authority of a Dungeon Master."

"I do."

"You claim to have seen the previous Dungeon Master’s soul."

"Yes."

"But you’ve never physically seen him."

Arin shook his head.

"No."

The Chief studied him.

"Then there’s a lot you still don’t understand about the authority you possess."

Arin fell silent.

The Chief wasn’t wrong.

He had only recently begun to understand what it truly meant to be a Dungeon Master.

He didn’t fully understand his power, he didn’t understand why the elves were involved, and most importantly he didn’t understand why the previous Dungeon Master chose him.

The Chief gave a faint smile.

"Rest tonight."

Arin looked at him.

"Then what happens tomorrow?"

"We’ll speak again."

"And you’ll tell me about the previous Dungeon Master?"

The Chief nodded.

"I promise."

Arin relaxed slightly.

Finally, a lead.

Then the Chief added quietly,

"But understand this, Arin."

His expression grew serious.

"The history of the previous Dungeon Master isn’t something you’re going to find easy to understand."

Arin met his gaze.

"I figured that out already."

The Chief smiled.

"Good."

He stood.

"Then we’ll speak again tomorrow."

The meeting was officially over.

Arin stood with the rest of the group.

As they turned to leave, the Chief’s gaze lingered on Arin.

There was something there that he couldn’t quite place.

Something cautious, almost worried.

Arin didn’t notice the elf standing at the back of the chamber.

He had been silent throughout the entire conversation, but as soon as no one was looking, his fingers tightened around the edge of his sleeve.

The Elf Chief had promised to tell Arin the truth the next day.

But there were some things that even the Elf Chief wasn’t ready for.