Chapter 25 – Politics of Blood
The shroud of shadow over the Dark Forest slowly lifted.
The towering black trees once again stood revealed, roots like sleeping serpents coiling across the ground.
Yet though the mist dispersed, tension only grew heavier.
The name of Valdyn Thalorian now rippled through every corner of the Dark Elf settlement.
A Forest Elf boy—who had pierced Nymeris's Veil of Shadows.
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Everywhere, voices stirred.
"He… he defeated Lady Nymeris with three elements?"
"Impossible, no Forest Elf could do that."
"I saw it with my own eyes! His arrow tore the shroud apart!"
"This is humiliation. Must we bow to foreign blood?"
"Not foreign. Thalorian blood. The ancestors foretold it."
Whispers spread like wildfire, impossible to smother.
A mix of awe, unease, and fear settled over the people. No one could deny what had been witnessed.
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That night, the crystal bell tolled, summoning the Dark Elf elders.
Their hall was a circle of black stone, roots of ancient trees winding through the walls. Black candles flickered, smoke curling upward like restless spirits.
Seven elders sat in a ring, faces hardened, eyes marked by the scars of the Ragnarok War.
Elder Eldros—the most stubborn—struck his staff against the stone floor.
"This is shame! Nymeris, our mistress, humiliated before her people by a Forest Elf whelp! We cannot allow this!"
Another elder, narrow-eyed, raised his hand.
"Eldros, don't blind yourself. You saw the arrow. Three elements woven as one. Who among us can match that?"
An uproar followed. Some nodded, others slammed fists on stone, spitting curses.
Nymeris sat at the seat of honor, pale but resolute, her amethyst gaze sharp. She let them argue, though Valdyn's hand clasp in the duel still burned in her memory.
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A Dark Elf guard arrived.
"The mistress summons you to the hall."
Valdyn walked with steady steps, every gaze heavy upon him.
The faint resonance of nature mana from his duel still clung to him, emerald light flickering in his eyes.
It was enough to make the guards tense, as if facing something foreign yet dangerous.
When he entered, silence fell. Dozens of eyes measured, weighed, judged him.
Eldros jabbed his staff toward him.
"Forest Elf, do you think one victory grants you the right to speak here?"
Valdyn's voice was calm, unyielding.
"I didn't come to speak empty words. I came to prove myself. And if that's not enough… I'll prove it again."
The uproar returned, louder than before. Some elders seethed with rage, others exchanged intrigued glances.
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Finally, Nymeris rose. Her voice cut like frost.
"Enough. Facts cannot be erased. I lost to him."
The chamber fell silent.
Her gaze swept across the elders.
"That doesn't mean I bow. But I will not close my eyes. Valdyn Thalorian possesses something different. The blood of Thalor… the prophecy of our ancestors… it stands before us. If we reject it, we will only sink deeper into ruin."
Her words carried more weight than any spell.
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The narrow-eyed elder stroked his beard, lips curling slyly.
"Then there is only one way to be sure the prophecy is real. Blood."
Murmurs broke out.
"If Valdyn is truly the heir foretold, his blood must unite with ours.
If from that union strong offspring are born, none can deny his claim."
Nymeris stiffened, color rushing to her cheeks.
"You suggest that I—"
The elder cut in with a wicked smile.
"You are our mistress. Who else could be more fitting?"
The chamber erupted in chaos. Some nodded grimly, others shouted in outrage.
Eldros's staff cracked against the floor.
"This is madness! We need no mingling of foreign blood!"
Valdyn stepped forward, his voice calm yet resonant.
"If that is what it takes, I won't step back. I came not to divide, but to unite. And if my blood can prove it… then so be it."
The storm of voices raged again, echoing through the stone hall.
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Nymeris clenched her teeth, yet her eyes fixed on Valdyn.
Fury burned there—but beneath it flickered something else. Something she loathed to admit.
Why don't I reject this outright? Why does his touch still linger in my thoughts?
Her breath trembled as she answered.
"Don't think I will accept this so easily, Thalorian. But… I will consider it."
The chamber froze. Some elders looked shocked, others smirked in satisfaction. Eldros nearly exploded, but his voice was drowned in the tide.
---
The familiar whisper came in Valdyn's mind.
[New Quest Unlocked: Secure Your Bond with Nymeris]
Description:
– Gain the full recognition of Nymeris, Mistress of the Dark Elves.
– Forge a bond of blood that ties two peoples together.
Reward:
– +25 Magic
– +25 Vitality
– Hidden Bonus (unknown)
Valdyn's heart steadied. So this is the path. Not only through blade and spell… but through blood as well.
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The council ended without resolution. Yet one truth was inescapable—Valdyn was no longer a guest. He had become the storm's eye.
Walking back along the moonlit path, Valdyn paused.
Beneath a dark tree, Nymeris stood alone, silver hair glowing faintly in the pale light.
Their eyes met—no words spoken, yet a promise lingered.
I will make you believe. With my magic… and with my blood.
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