Return of the Fallen Volume 9 Chapter 6
Zephris saw this large crimson blade leaning against a table and couldn’t help but approach it. Reaching out, he was just about to touch it when his father called out to him.
“Boy, you touch my blade and I’ll turn your hideout.”
Zephris froze in place and his father came down a set of stairs. Walking past his son, Grek shook the village chief’s hand.
“Thanks for coming chief.”
Zephris had fetched the village chief but the moment he saw his father’s sword, he had gone blank and had forgotten the old chief behind him.
The chief nodded.
“After hearing what happened and now seeing that infamous blade out, it seems things are going to start all over again.”
Grek looked apologetic and didn’t deny it.
“Chief…I
“Chief you’ve come already?”
Zephris’s mom came down the stairs with his little sister Alta in tow.
Zephris’s mom seemed irritated seeing the village chief but the chief on the other hand simply sighed.
“Chela, how many times must I tell you, you of all people do not have to call me chief. Your mother was like a sister to me and you like a daughter. Do you still blame me for the past?”
Chela shook her head.
“I don’t blame you, how could I. Someone like you who had no strength in the past, it makes no sense. What followed after though, too much bad has come from your incompetence.”
The chief sighed once more and didn’t defend himself from Chela’s harsh but truthful words.
Alta and Zephris stared at one another from across the room. Neither one knew what this confusing conversation held but although both of them were still fairly young, they knew now was not the time to interrupt the adults. Grek though was already growing impatient and interrupted.
“Enough, Chela, I didn’t call the chief over so you two could hash out old dirt. We haven’t the time, not here and not now. This is about the lord just south of the Great forest.”
Chela stoped her bickering and the chief asked.
“Your son said you fought with several knights. They serve this lord and came specifically for you, they mentioned no other names?”
Grek nodded.
“They said my name and they also mentioned that haunting title given to me.”
“Thousand manslayer.”
The chief said this almost in a whisper but both Zephris and his sister heard it clear as day and the two once again shared a look of burning curiosity but again now wasn’t the time to interrupt.
Chela could see the curiosity on her kid’s faces and had wanted them to learn of this much later when they were older but the incoming danger…she felt they had a right to know.
“Zephris, Alta, come here.”
Chela sat down at the table and both Zephris and Alta came over. Zephris sat near the tall sword leaning against the table while his little sister climbed into her mother’s lap. Grek then offered the chief a seat and they all sat down.
Chela was a little nervous and her hands shook. Both Zephris and Alta were surprised by this because to them their mother was strong. She never ever showed an ounce of fear or hesitation yet right now she was trembling. Grek reached across the table and gently placed a hand over top hers and held it.
Chela’s nerves calmed and she took a deep breath before explaining.
“Your father…he is human.”
Chela was about to continue but Zephris couldn’t help but laugh.
*Pffft*
“Of course he’s human. Everyone can see that for miles. He’s the only human in this village or rather the only human in the entire Great forest.”
*Whack*
A ladle came flying from out of nowhere and thumped Zephris on top of his insolent little head.
*Ow*
Zephris gripped his head in pain but looking up at his mother’s fierce glare, he held the rest of his groans in and didn’t dare make another sound.
The ladle circled in the air before landing on the table next to Chela. the ring on her finger stopped glowing and she sighed.
“Listen next time Zephris or I’ll you’ll have the permanent brand of a ladle on your forehead.”
Alta stuck her tongue out at Zephris as if to say, that’s what you get.
Zephris rolled his eyes at her and wanted to throw a small bit of mud at her but his mother was holding Alta and he would surely get caught.
“Boy, listen to your mother and make no more stupid comments, got it?”
Zephris nodded.
“Sorry.”
Chela continued.
“Your father is human as well as something more. He is a mix of human as well as something else. As you know, this is a village of elves and for a long time now, humans have been banned from the Great forest. Because of this, your father, when he first came here, was unwelcome. Even now, after living in the Great forest with me for almost a decade, many still do not talk or interact with him.”
Alta looked up curiously and asked.
“But mama they don’t treat me or big brother like that. Everyone is so friendly to us and they like us lots.”
Chela nodded.
“Since you have half of my elf blood running through you, most of them tend to overlook your human and other parts. Plus you two were born here and raised here, away from the influence of other humans. To be honest, though, the biggest reason may be because your father is still here. If the others ever mistreated you, not only I but especially your father would rampage. Many of the young do not know of your father’s strength but all of the older folk are strictly aware of what he’s capable of. They know to maintain peace, it’s best just to be at peace and get along.”
Chela skipped ahead to the main topic.
“The reason elves despise humans and have kept them out of the Great forest is because of their nature. Humans tend to fight over every little thing and are very greedy. They kill their brothers to steal their land and harm others out of spite. They mistreat the land. They over hunt, over fish, and instead of living in the trees as we do, they cut them to the ground to build houses and they burn more trees for warmth. Their wars scar the land and cause near irreparable harm that takes generations to recover from. Because of this, elves have stopped going out of the Great forest and cut off most contact from them.”
Alta became scarred.
“Mama I don’t want to be human, I don’t want to hurt others.”
Chela hugged Alta.
“No no no, you won’t hurt others, you’re my baby girl. You’re kind and gentle, and you care about others and the world around you. I shouldn’t have generalized so much. Not every human is bad. Not only that, some humans can even change their ways. Just look at your father.”
Alta looked over at her dad and Grek felt a slight sense of guilt and shame seeing her adorable face.
“Dad changed?”
Alta’s eyes landed on the large sword leaning against the table between father and son. Grek then took his blade and laid it on the floor, out of sight.
“That’s right my princess. Before I met your mother, all I knew of was war and rage. By the time I was your age I was already swinging a sword and by the time I was Zephris’s age, I had already been in a few battles. Later on, I found a different path, and your mother and I married and had you two.”
Alta was about to cry a moment ago but now she was smiling.
“Really?”
Grek nodded and added.
“Yes really. After Your mother had you two, I calmed down even further and haven’t had to kill for many years.”
Alta was confused by the way he worded this and even Chela gave him a look. Zephris as well picked up on the way he phrased it.
(Haven’t had to kill? Does father need to kill?)
Grek sighed, seeing he had messed up.
“I…I have killed far too many to count. In order to survive, in order to continue forward, Alta, your father killed people and beasts alike. Because of this, because of my relentless and savage ways, I made many deserved enemies. I met many bad men and those that lived on, those that I didn’t end, they are very powerful and they would do anything to see harm to me, even if that means harming you, Zephris, or your mother just to get to me.”
Alta became scared once again.
“But they can’t find you. As long as you stay in the Great forest, the forest will protect you, it will protect all of us, right?”
…
It was quiet for a moment before Chela spoke.
“Dear, things are not so simple. The men that came today, they were ordered by the lord south of here. That person already knows too much. That’s why when the men came, they mentioned your father by both his real name as well as his infamous title he got from years of war. This lord knows these things and tried to blackmail your father. If your father joined this man, then the lord would say nothing to your father’s enemies. Your father turned him down and when those knights don’t return, the lord will know and will surely spread your father’s whereabouts to his enemies. These enemies, will not be stopped by the Great forest.”
Grek nodded.
“That’s why, before word reaches back to the lord of the south, we must leave here.”
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