51 chapter 51 - Hall of Mirrors (1/2)

With the Master Faun's knowledge, Kenji now knew exactly what he had to do.

”When you're ready to escape, come visit us here again. We can lead you from this realm to freedom, just make sure not to be discovered. If the guardians become aware of an intruder, this entire realm will go on high alert and your chances of returning to our Goddess will become slim at best,” the maid said, her beautiful smile a real one.

”I thank you, but that might be a while yet. Before I save the orphans I need to visit a certain place, and hopefully find a way to help you elves escape as well as stop the Far King from conquering the neighbouring lands.”

The elves appeared puzzled.

”Conquer? Why would the Far King want that?” the maid said, tilting her head to one side.

”For land, resources and prestige. I don't know, why else?” Kenji said, thinking it obvious.

”The Far King is an absolute power in this realm, and he has everything both he and his court needs. Whenever they want somthing, like Sun Elf servants, they just think up a scheme and take it. I would consider this upcoming war not of conquest but genocide, where from the Far King's perspective he is rooting out all the weeds in his back lawn. Even the enchanted monsters are no loss dead to him. Without being beautiful or some extreme rarity, they have no place in his collection and he'd prefer them as dead as the humans.”

A chill ran down Kenji's spine at the sheer callous nature of such thinking. It did truly look hopeless, how do you fight something that is both so powerful and doesn't care about casualties?

”All the same, I'll go seek answers. I'll probably come back before I go for the orphans, I don't want to go near the Far King if I can.”

Kenji suspected the Far King was a Fae who might be powerful enough to see through Kenji's disguise. So for now he headed towards the Hidden Rooms, were the most potent secrets available to the Master Faun's mind were kept.

Past grand arrays of steel armoured satyrs, enchanted monsters carefully positioned in several hidden lookout points, and seemingly endless sets of enchanted traps Kenji went before he finally arrived. Golden leaves crested a door of fine heartwood shaped into a large triangle.

To either side were powerful treants, appearing the adult version of the Forest child that had pulled Kenji into this whole mess in the first place. They stared at him with angry eyes, and produced six leaf blades gripped by six arms each.