CHAPTER 173: THE WORLD SIX THOUSAND YEARS AGO [1]

[Six thousand years ago.]

[1023 E.D.]

[Hundred kilometres away from City of Bardha.]

The world six thousand years ago was far more beautiful than Velyrian had ever imagined.

The air was brimming with mana and spirit energy.

The technology was far more advanced than it was in his own time.

Yet...

’I don’t feel comfortable in this place one bit.’

Despite the better living conditions, Velyrian’s life was hanging on a thin thread that can break anytime.

Because...it was a time when the elves were hated by every other race.

And why would they not be?

The first elf and their queen Ieril of Dawn was doing her best to conquer the world.

She had already massacred thousands, and Velyrian knew she would do thousands more.

’Argh, why am I sent to a place like this!?’

His frustration was at an all-time high that it even drowned his happiness about his new legs.

His lineage of being an elf is his biggest concern right now.

It didn’t help that he was spawned in the middle of Eos City, a well-known city of high-humans.

Because of this, he had to run away, and now he was roaming around in the wilderness trying to find the Elven settlement.

Velyrian stepped over a fallen branch, brushing past tall grass as he moved deeper into the forest. His cloak, now torn at the edges, fluttered weakly in the wind.

He sighed and looked up.

The sky was golden, not with the color of sunset, but the actual hue of the heavens.

A soft golden glow poured from the sun above, casting everything in a surreal light.

"This era is insane..." he muttered.

The era where the Golden Sun began to rise.

His ears twitched at the faint sound of movement behind him.

He turned sharply—hand hovering near the dagger he had taken from a soldier’s body back in Eos.

But there was nothing. Just the wind brushing through the leaves.

Still, he didn’t lower his guard.

The last town he passed through had tried to kill him the moment they noticed his ears.

They hadn’t even let him speak.

One kid screamed "Elf!" and before he knew it, ten swords were coming for his neck.

He was lucky to escape.

’There’s no way I’ll survive without allies in this world...’

That thought made him walk faster.

His legs hurt with all the walking, but he was in a wheelchair for years.

Velyrian cherished the moment he got to walk once again.

"It’s been more than fifteen days."

A mechanical voice echoed in his head, making him flinch.

"When are you going to do actual work?"

"Shut up!" Velyrian snapped, glaring at the air. "I don’t care what you say—."

"Then die." The voice from the Ven Core interrupted. "The only way for you to survive is by joining the elves and ending the reign of goddess of desire, Alista."

"...."

Velyrian remained quiet as he felt an explicit pain in his mind.

He couldn’t understand it...why him.

"Your work is to make this time ready for ’his’ arrival."

Ven Core said, voice devoid of any emotions.

"You will place every brick in place, for only one outcome."

"Who are you talking about!?" Velyrian snapped. "Who is him!?"

"You already know him." The monotonous voice echoed again. "You have always known him."

Velyrian’s vision turned blurry, but he quickly rubbed his eyes.

’Ah, fuck.’

Velyrian sat down on a nearby rock, holding his head with both hands.

His breath came out in sharp huffs as he tried to process the voice’s words.

"Always known him? What kind of cryptic bullshit is that..." he muttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

The forest was quiet again, but it felt like the trees were listening—watching him.

"Fifteen days..." he whispered, repeating the number.

He hadn’t eaten properly in nearly two.

Just berries and a few edible roots he dug up by pure luck.

"Sigh..."

With a sigh, he stood up and began to walk again.

---

After three hours of more walking, he finally found it.

The forest cleared ahead, he noticed the ground changing.

There were robotic drones that were attached with cameras.

"Civilization," he breathed.

The drones faced him, but he kept on walking forward.

He stepped onto the old stone path carefully.

There was a presence in the place. It wasn’t human, but it wasn’t elf either.

He paused, as he felt something.

Then, from behind one of the ruined columns, a young woman emerged.

She had short white hair and wore a green tunic with leather armor stitched across her shoulders.

Her eyes were a piercing bronze.

And her bow was already pointed at him.

"Elven blood," she said coldly.

Velyrian froze, raising his hand. "Wait, wait, I’m not your enemy!"

"I don’t care." Her fingers tightened on the bowstring. "One less elf is always a good thing."

"You can kill her in an instant." The voice echoed in his head. "You have been enhanced by the Ven Core."

’Shut up!’

Velyrian slowly lowered his body to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"May I know what place I am in?" he asked, looking at the woman.

"Why would a dead man need to know that?"

"Please." He whispered. "I just need to go to Chaska."

She lowered her bow just a little, a flicker of surprise in her gaze.

"Only half-elves live there." She replied coldly. "I am sure elves despise them, don’t they?"

"I don’t despise them." Velyrian replied softly. "I am nothing like the other elves."

The woman’s sharp eyes didn’t leave him. For a moment, silence hung in the air.

Then, very slowly, she lowered her bow, though her fingers still hovered near the string.

"You’re either crazy or desperate," she said flatly.

"Probably both," Velyrian replied, forcing a small, nervous smile.

She stared at him for a few more seconds, then finally stepped out from behind the column.

"You are in the land of half-elves." she said. "I am Kael, and I not so welcome you to the city of Chaska."