Chapter 35 (1/2)

Celia sat next to a green sprout that had two leaves poking out of the top. It was eight inches tall and the stem pulsed with a golden glow. She was reading a book out loud next to the sprout with her wooden spear on the grass beside her. She wore brown leather breeches with a green cotton halter top. Her gold hair cascaded down to her lower back.

A shadow fell over the glade and Celia shivered. She snapped her book shut and lifted her spear as she stood up. Two dragons, one black and one red, circled above her.

“This should be the spot, right?” Prika asked while looking down.

“Yeah, look,” Grimmy said while nodding, “you can see the crybaby down there.”

“Who’s a crybaby!?” Celia shouted as her right eye twitched and she raised her spear. A second later her face paled and she knelt on the floor. “I mean, greetings, Grimmoldesser, Pyrrhicandra.”

Prika and Grimmy landed in front of Celia who lowered her head.

Grimmy snorted. “This is the new tree of knowledge?” he asked, “isn’t it too tiny?”

It’s your faults! Celia thought, but said, “Yes, it has only started to sprout recently.”

Prika nodded. “And you elves are bound to protect this, right?” she asked with a grin.

Celia felt sweat start to form on her brow. “That’s correct,” she said, “is there anything I can help you with?”

“You’ve probably heard of the new kingdom that Lindyss founded right?” Grimmy asked as he flapped his wings.

Celia’s face contorted. “The corrupted one?” she asked, “we’ve received reports about it, but decided it would be best not to interfere with her actions.”

Grimmy slammed his claw into the ground in front of Celia, causing her to fall over backwards. “Don’t call her that,” he said with his teeth bared. He snorted and pulled back his claw, leaving fissures in the earth.

“U-understood,” Celia said as she felt her eyes grow hot, “it won’t happen again.”

Prika cleared her throat. “Anyways, about that new kingdom. The skeletons are numerous, but they really can’t stop a wave of SSS adventurers without abandoning the city in a siege,” she said, “we’d like the elves to help out.” She stepped forward and sniffed the tree of knowledge sprout.

Celia frowned. “I’d have to ask the elders. I don’t control our policies,” she said as she sat up and wiped her eyes.

“Oh, don’t worry. The elders will agree,” Prika said and smiled.

Celia tilted her head. “Why do the dragons care about the undead kingdom?” she asked.

“It’s going to be Vur’s playground,” Prika said, “and quite frankly, I’m bored. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything entertaining. Wouldn’t it be fun to rule over a kingdom in the shadows?”

Celia stared at Prika. “I-I guess?” she said, “Hey! What are you doing?” She turned towards Grimmy.

Grimmy was using his claws to dig the surrounding dirt away from the tree of knowledges sprout.

“Digging,” he said and lifted the chunk soil carrying the roots of the sprout.

“You can’t do that!” she said, “this is the holy land!” She stared at the sprout in Grimmy’s claw.

Grimmy laughed. “No, no. That’s where you’re wrong,” he said, “the tree wasn’t planted here because the land is holy. The land is holy because the tree was planted in it, you see?” He flapped his wings and leapt into the air with the sprout.

Prika winked at Celia. “I told you the elders would agree,” she said and flew after Grimmy.

Celia stared at the two dragons as their figures got smaller and smaller. She turned her head towards the hole in the ground and sighed. She picked up her spear and trudged out of the glade.

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“Is that a dragon?” the naked wizard asked as he stared up at the sky with his mouth open, “is that two dragons?” He was standing in the middle of the street with a skeleton standing next to him. The people in the streets glanced up at the sky for a brief moment before continuing what they were doing.

“Quick, let’s go after them,” he said as he grabbed the skeleton’s arm and pulled it with him.

“Isn’t that Exzenter?” a man on the street asked the woman standing next to him. They stared at the naked man pulling the skeleton with him, running through the streets of the undead kingdom. The woman’s face turned red as she turned her head away.