67 Leon Goldentree (1/2)

The people of the East's verdant grasslands and secluded woods trembled in the wake of what they had heard not too long ago. News quickly spread that the High Elder, representative of the entire Avunian race, had done something many considered extremely controversial, to say the least.

It was such an unthinkable act that some even questioned if the High Elder was of sound mind. Whispers floated around the aristocracy asking whether or not the time had come for the old man to retire, although none would ever dare to put the idea into action...

The act that had brought the High Elder's mental wellbeing into question?

Adoption.

But that, in itself, was not the cause for the Avunian community's concern. In fact, it was a selfless act of love, something to be praised.

The High Elder's act would have been praised as such under normal circumstances but...

It was ties of blood that united the Avunian race together, whether one was of either bloodline, for they were all descendants of the Alf at the end of the day. They were family.

...What he'd done was anything but normal.

He, one of the oldest survivors of the Unification Era, had done this. The same man who had sacrificed an unspeakable amount to help secure a future for his entire race.

This was the man who had once held the terrifying position of the King's Hand — the second-in-command in the East — answering only to the true ruler of the East, the Lion King.

But given that the Sovereign had left his empire to its own devices, in pursuit of his own goals, the former King's Hand had once served as proxy ruler in his stead.

Although the Goldentree Clan was not of royal blood, they too, just like the Kingscrown Family in the North, had a special history and lineage that afforded them the same authority as if they were.

For all intents and purposes, they represented the will of their Sovereigns.

As such, many viewed the High Elder's decision to adopt… a human child into the Goldentree Clan as borderline sacrilegious, an act that spat on the millennia-long history of conflict that the Avunians had with Humanity in particular…

Nevertheless, who could speak against the High Elder? None. The East itself owed him a debt it could never pay back in full and Avunian culture greatly frowned upon the idea of even criticizing one's elders, much less one's benefactor.

Who among the Avunians in the East could ever say he or she was the elder of the High Elder?

Who among the Avunians in the East could say that he or she was not indebted to the High Elder for all that he had done?

As such, history would have its first human prince of Avunian hertiage by order of custom.

The rogue prince, and future saviour of the East — Leon Goldentree, the Scoundrel of the East.

It was a fusion of many elements; some concepts adopted from their ancestors, and ideas taken from other races. Tiny hints of human and Ancient Mulian influence existed, but were overshadowed by the overflowing abundance of nature that had been infused into the city's infrastructure.

”How does it find you, my boy? It is quite the sight, isn't not?”

Reed nodded and said, ”It is wonderful. Almost like a living, breathing work of art, in a certain way. I didn't even know something like this was even possible.”

That was not a lie in the slightest. He could not even begin to imagine how the Avunians had accomplished a feat like this, even with the assistance of Anima and the mind-numbing amount of information contained within the Universal Compendium.

Velvund Goldentree grinned and said, ”I'm glad you like it. It's a chaotic, lively place these days, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Better it be alive and bustling — even with mischief abound in return — than dead and devoid of life like a crypt.....”

”I see..... Well, it's a wonderful city, but what are we doing here?” said Reed.

After he'd explained his circumstances as best he could, the old fellow in front of him had told him that he'd be in good hands from now on. The man introduced himself and whisked him away here on top of a giant tree-spire that overlooked the city.