Levian stepped back through the portal and was instantly bombarded by his system.
[Rank Increase! Low bronze >> Mid Bronze]
[Rank Increase! Mid Bronze >> High Bronze]
[Breakthrough! High Bronze >> Low Silver]
[Stats Increased!]
Health ~ 10 >> 12 (Silvers gain 15 life force points for each stat increase)
Stamina ~ 8 >> 10
Strength ~ 10 >> 12
Agility ~ 6 >> 8
Magic ~ 10 >> 10 (Silvers gain 15 Mana for each stat increase)
Defence ~ 4 >> 5
[Life Force: 180]
[Mana: 150]
[Rank: Low-Silver]
---
Levian fell to his knees on the floor of the grand hall, panting for breath.
"Agh! What is this?" He spat, nearling coughing up his lungs onto the ground.
It felt like his entire body was being torn apart, and made anew.
Through the pain, he heard the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching.
He looked up to see his Father Odin, staring down at him with a thick smile plastered across his face.
"It seems I was wrong about you, my youngest son." His deep voice resonated through the room.
Then, he reached down and grabbed the boy's arm, pulling him to his feet.
Afterwards, he pulled Levian into a great hug.
For a moment, Levian forgot about the pain.
He was caught entirely off guard by the hug.
Is this the first time that he's hugged me since I failed my first awakening?
Levian couldn't bring himself to return to hug. Instead, he simply stood there, catching his breath.
After his father pulled away, he began to make his way back towards his seat of honour.
"There is much for me to say to you at this moment. There is also much we must do, to work towards the progression of our family, and the human empire. Your awakening has changed... everything."
The large man sat down on his throne, and sipped from his wine. The smile never left his face.
"But for now, head back to your chambers and clean yourself up. I believe that we have a lunch to attend to."
Levian had completely forgotten about having lunch with his fiancée.
It seemed so insignificant with the current circumstances.
But still, he knew that it had to be done.
He bowed his head and turned to leave, but before he made it to the exit, he found that he had one last question to ask.
"What happened to Cassius, my servant?"
Odin seemed to have forgotten who the name belonged to for a moment, until he remembered yesterday's events.
"Ahh, the girlish elf. He is locked up in the family dungeons, currently awaiting torture. We suspect that he knows the location of the awakening stone that you found on your bed, as it's now missing."
Levian's face turned grim.
Torture...
He bowed his head once more before leaving.
---
Before heading back to his chambers, Levian made his way towards the Bladeblessed dungeons which were located in the basement of the estate.
The dungeons had been empty for years, ever since the Bladeblessed had started recruiting their elf prisoners as servants.
Any who refused to comply were sent to Caldis, the closest megacity to their estate.
There, they would either be executed, tortured for information on the elves, or forced to work as slaves.
Humans could be cruel, but that was the way war worked.
They hated elves, and the elves hated them.
...
As he approached the guard standing by the door, the man twisted a key into the large oak door and pulled it open.
Down the stairs, Levian caught a whiff of urine and body odour.
The dungeons were dark and silent, all but for the sound of gentle breathing.
Levian reached the cell, and found Cassius sitting inside one.
The small elf's brown hair was slick with blood, and he wore rags that hardly suited his demeanour. His face was bruised and one of his eyes purple.
He was sitting in across-leggedd position with his eyes closed, but when he heard footsteps, he turned towards the staircase.
His eyes lit up when he spotted Levian.
"Levian!" He sighed with relief. "I thought that would be the torturer coming to tear off my skin."
For some reason, the sight of his servant made Levian's blood boil.
To see him reduced to such a state.
Perhaps it was because he knew that they shared a secret.
Shared a bloodline.
"They believe that I know where the awakening stone is. That I was the one who placed it on your bed in the first place."
Levian shrugged his shoulders. "Were you?"
"Well, yes. I placed it on your bed, but I have no clue where it is now. I swear to the elven gods."
That's one secret figured out, but that still leaves too many questions unanswered.
"Why did you bring me that stone, and how did you know it would work?"
Cassius's beaten face twisted into a smug smile.
"That's because it is an awakening stone used only to awaken those of the elven races. Seriously, did they not teach you anything in the academy?"
Suddenly, things started to make sense.
Unlike all the other stones given to him by humans, the one given by Cassius was red.
After coming to this understanding, he only found himself growing more frustrated.
"That still doesn't answer why, and how I'm a fucking elf. A true one, whatever that means. I need some answers Cassius, or I swear I'll go crazy."
Cassius held up his hands, as though in surrender.
"I understand, I truly do." The young elf said solemnly. "You want to know all about your story, and that makes sense. After all your entire life has been a lie."
Those last words didn't help calm Levian down.
"I can explain everything to you, but not right now... not here. You must help me escape this dungeon so that I can take you to the Elf King. Until then, nothing will be right in this world."
Levian shook his head and rested his face in his palms.
The Elf King. He's claiming that I'm important enough to earn the attention of one of the rulers of the ten empires.
After careful thought, Levian let out a sigh.
"I'll figure out something... Just give me time to think."
The elf nodded his head and pouted his lip.
"Okay, sure, but try to speed up on the thinking part. I would rather not be tortured."
With that, Levian left his servant alone in the darkness of the dungeons and made his way back towards his chambers.
It was time to meet his soon-to-be-wife, Diana.
---
Don't forget to gift power stones if you're enjoying the story!