Athena had planned to leave for the dragon's cave today, but after some thought, she decided to postpone it. One more day wouldn't hurt, especially if she used it wisely—to learn more about this place and its people.
She found a small basin of water near the house and used it to splash her face clean, the coldness jarring her awake. Then she put on her woven sandals and stepped outside, quietly shutting the door behind her.
The morning air was fresh, laced with the scent of damp earth. She walked with no clear direction, letting her feet guide her as she took in the village.
Most of the homes were made of mud and straw, simple structures patched together with care. But as she continued walking, something caught her eye—buildings that were completely out of place.
They were made of bricks.
Sturdy manors with worn, arched entrances lined a particular street, sitting beside and opposite each other in neat formation. Though clearly abandoned, their design screamed wealth. Some had broken windows, others had doors barely hanging on their hinges. Still, they stood tall.
One of the building was bigger than the rest and had a much more bigger compound. The other rest had wooden gates so she couldn't see the inside,but this last one didn't. It had fences but no gate.
"This place was undoubtedly built for the rich..." she murmured.
She counted—five in total. Five manors. All empty.
She moved on, her curiosity growing. No matter how small a village is, there has to be someone in charge, right? And considering the mission ahead of her, it might be wise to meet this leader. If nothing else, she might gain useful information… or resources.
So she started asking around.
Spotting a group of children playing nearby, she approached slowly. To her relief, they didn't run away this time. They stared at her a bit, but kept their distance.
"Hey there," Athena said gently, crouching to their level. "Do you guys know who runs this place?" She realised speaking Elven wasn't so hard all.
One of the older boys tilted his head. "You mean Sir Elandor?"
"Sir Elandor?" she repeated.
"Yeah!" a younger girl piped up. "He's always at the village hall. Never leaves!"
Another child leaned in close, lowering his voice with a grin. "I saw two strange elves go in there yesterday. Don't know who they are. But they come sometimes."
Athena's brows lifted slightly. "Strange elves?"
They all nodded.
She gave a conspiratorial smile. "Can you show me where this village hall is?"
"Sure!" they said, practically racing ahead.
They led her through a few winding paths until they reached it: a large rectangular building made of bricks, standing stronger than most. The wooden windows were bare for some reason.
The kids stopped in front and pointed. "That's it."
Athena gave them a grateful nod. "Thanks."
They giggled and ran off, leaving her standing before the large wooden doors.
She took a breath, squared her shoulders, and pushed them open. They creaked under her touch, echoing softly in the quiet building. The scent of old wood and dust lingered in the air, and shafts of sunlight streamed through the slats in the wooden windows, casting long streaks across the stone floor.
The hall was vast, but nearly empty—except for a young girl seated near the entrance. She looked to be in her early teens, with wavy chestnut hair tied in a loose braid. She wore a simple beige dress, slightly faded but clean. A small stack of parchments lay beside her on the table she was seated at.
As Athena stepped in, the girl stood, a polite smile spreading across her face. "Good morning," she said. "How can I help you?"
Athena blinked, slightly caught off guard. "Uh… I was hoping to speak with someone in charge. I heard someone named Sir Elandor lives here?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, Sir Elandor is the caretaker of this village. Are you a visitor?"
"Something like that," Athena replied vaguely.
The girl seemed used to strange answers—she simply motioned for Athena to follow. "Please wait here. I'll let him know someone wishes to see him."
Athena watched her disappear through a side door, her soft footsteps barely audible. The hall felt quiet again, almost sacred in its stillness. She slowly walked toward one of the wooden benches lined up along the wall and sat, eyes trailing across the faded banners that hung from the ceiling. They were old, marked with curling symbols and gold-threaded patterns—clearly emblems of a time long past.
Within a few minutes, the girl returned. "He'll see you now."
Athena stood and followed her deeper into the hall, through a small corridor that opened into another chamber dimly lit by narrow windows.
There, seated on a raised chair carved from dark oak, was an elf. His robes were deep blue, embroidered with pale silver runes. Long silver hair flowed over his shoulders, and a wooden staff rested beside him. He looked up as she entered, his eyes sharp and ancient.
"Welcome," he said, voice calm and deep. "You carry the scent of change."
Athena blinked. "I… what?"
He studied her with quiet intensity. "You...who are you?"
Athena held his gaze, then offered a small, cautious smile. "I was hoping you could help me with something first."
He looked at her for some time,then gestured towards a seat at the table,"Seat."
Athena took a seat, straightening her back as she faced Elandor directly. She pondered for a moment. Where to begin... Honestly, she hadn't planned this far ahead.
But she cleared her throat and began anyway, voice solemn and eyes steady.
"Good day. I am Athena. Athena Grant. I was sent from a very far place by the Gods to lend a hand to you and your people."
A beat of silence.
[System: Excuse me, host, what nonsense are you sprouting—]
Shut up, she thought sharply, smiling outwardly like a radiant oracle.
Elandor's brow lifted, but his expression remained composed as he sat straighter. His gaze seemed to pierce into her. "But… you're cursed," he said, eyes narrowing slightly. "I can see the dark energy surrounding you."
"Oh, yes, that," Athena waved her hand dismissively, adopting a tone far too casual for someone supposedly on divine duty. "My father, Zeus—the King of all Gods," she added, pointing vaguely upwards with one dramatic finger, "sent me down here. I possessed this body because it held… limitless potential."
She gestured vaguely at herself, then sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, I ran into a little hiccup upon arrival. But not to fret!" Her hand fluttered again like she were brushing away a speck of dust. "I'll be perfectly fine soon."
She leaned forward slightly, her voice softer now, "I've been appointed as the rightful overseer of this island. And as such, I've come to ask for your assistance."
[System: In all my existence, I have never heard such a bunch of beautiful nonsense.]
She ignored the system's deadpan snark, still holding Elandor's gaze.
The elder elf remained silent, unmoving. His face gave little away, but his eyes… they studied her carefully. There was something within her, something not native to this land, something unexplainable… and yet, undeniable.
Finally, he gave a slow nod. "Very well."
He turned his head slightly and called, "Rain."
The young girl from earlier stepped back into the hall, eyes flicking curiously between them.
"You'll accompany her to the dragon's coven tomorrow," Elandor instructed. "Just drop her at the entrance. Nothing more."
Rain nodded silently.
Elandor looked back at Athena. "Forgive us. Our supplies were taken during the last raid, so this is all I can offer you."
Athena gave a serene smile, as if still playing her divine role. "You've done more than enough. My father will hear of your loyalty."
As Rain led her out of the hall, the system's voice chimed again—dry, unimpressed, and yet faintly amused.
[System: Father Zeus, huh? Should I start writing letters to Mount Olympus?]
Athena smirked inwardly. Better get a golden quill while you're at it.
Tomorrow would be interesting.
Athena walked back toward the small house,She was halfway there when a familiar voice called out.
"Hey! Why are you outside? You should have waited inside!" Kael ran up to her, soaked to the skin, his hair plastered against his forehead and seawater dripping from his clothes.
Athena grumbled, switching to Elven with a slight roll of her eyes. "Oh, stop it."
Kael froze mid-step, staring at her with wide eyes. "You… you can understand me now?"
"Yes, yes, I can," she said, brushing past him and casually peeking into his basket. "What's this? Oh—great, fish again."
"Well, there's nothing else," he muttered, walking beside her as they headed home. "The forest's empty. Not a single animal left."
He was quiet for a second, then asked, "Are you back to take me with you? You said you would."
Athena paused slightly, looking at him. "Yes. We're leaving."
Kael's face lit up for a second—then quickly dimmed. "Oh." His shoulders slumped. "But… don't tell anyone," she added before he could speak. "I have to go on a trip first."
His whole body tensed. "No. Last time you said that, you were gone for a really long time."
Athena sighed. "I'm not leaving the island," she said. "Just helping Sir Elandor with a task."
"You've met him?" Kael blinked. "Already?"
"Yeah. Just now."
"I see." He kicked at a rock. "Well… stay safe, okay?"
She smiled and ruffled his damp hair. "I will."
"In that case," he said, halting, "I need to get more fish. Here." He handed her the basket. "I have to go back to the sea."
"Hold on." She grabbed his wrist, tugging him back. "Have breakfast first."
Without waiting for a reply, she pulled him along. Back at the house, she roasted the fish—again. The smell was getting far too familiar, but Kael didn't complain. He ate quickly, nodded to her with his mouth full, and then took off toward the shore.
Now alone, Athena turned her gaze inward, her expression sobering.
"Well," she muttered. "That's handled. Mostly."
"Alright," she muttered, "Let's talk. What's your purpose, system? What exactly do you want?"
There was a brief pause—then the familiar calm, echoing voice replied.
[Purpose: Development.]
Athena frowned. "Development? Of what? Me?"
[Of you, yes. But more importantly, of this place. This land. This people.]
She blinked. "That's… oddly noble. Why?"
[Because I've seen what happens when progress is left unchecked. I have traveled through time. I've lived through civilizations rising and falling, each of them collapsing at the peak of their technological evolution. Every single time.]
"Okay," Athena said slowly, "so you're anti-technology?"
[No.] The voice was firm. [I'm not against advancement. I'm against mindless advancement. That's why this time, I chose an elf. A creature of nature. Technology and nature… they never mix well. But this time, I'm determined to make it work.]
Athena furrowed her brows. "Make it work how, exactly?"
The system's voice took on a hint of excitement.
[Imagine… a vehicle that runs not on diesel, but on elven energy. Imagine cities in the trees, humming with gentle magic. Imagine medicine drawn from enchanted herbs, architecture shaped from living wood, lights powered by starlight. No pollution. No greed. A harmony between growth and the natural world.]
Athena blinked. "Okay… what?"
[Most importantly,] the system continued, [I am here to help the Elven Kingdom grow. To provide a safe place in a world destined for chaos. My vision… is to create a sanctuary. A place where humans, orcs, fairies, and whatever else exists out there can coexist.]
The silence thickened.
Then, the system concluded:
[And all of this will be made possible… with knowledge.]
Athena stared at the fire again, completely still.
"…Well," she muttered. "This sounds really crazy but we'll see."
-----
Athena woke up the next day with an ache in her back and the bitter realization that Kael didn't own a bag. Or a satchel. Or anything remotely travel-friendly. She sighed loudly, glaring at the morning sun like it owed her an apology.
After bidding a sleepy Kael goodbye, she trudged toward the Hall, her hands empty, her clothes still the same from yesterday.
Rain was already waiting outside the door, her arms crossed and her expression unreadable.
"Oh, hello," Athena greeted, trying to sound more energetic than she felt.
Rain gave a short nod. "Let's go."
Athena stopped her. "Wait—where's your bag?"
Rain looked at her, then around as if to see if the question was meant for someone else. "What bag?"
"We're going to be on the road for days!" Athena exclaimed. "Why didn't you pack anything?"
Rain blinked. "Because I'm a mage. Aren't you?"
Athena paused, a hand halfway to her temple. "No!" she started to shout—then stopped. Wait. Was she?
"I… I don't know," she admitted. "What's that?"
Rain stared at her like she'd just grown antlers. "You don't know what a mage is?"
"I do—I've read… I mean, I've heard stories. You can do magic, right?"
"No. That's fairies," Rain said flatly. "We cast spells."
"Oh. Right… right." Athena winced inwardly. Get it together.
Rain took a long, obvious look at Athena—silver hair tousled from sleep, dull clothes still dusty, and that faraway look in her blurry eyes. "Did you just say you don't know if you're a mage?"
"Yes."
Rain folded her arms. "Why don't you try casting a spell then?"
Athena perked up. "Sure. What do I do?"
Rain considered. "We'll start with something simple. A teleportation spell. Just imagine teleporting three steps behind me. Repeat after me…"
Rain recited the spell slowly, her voice measured. Athena followed every word.
But with each syllable, that feeling crept back—the tightness in her chest, the pulsing pain in her skull. Her heart thudded unevenly, and her vision swam. She clutched her head, gasping and coughing.
Rain rushed forward. "Are you okay?"
Athena slumped down onto the stone step outside the Hall, breathing shallowly. "It's happening again…" she muttered.
Rain watched her for a moment, frowning. "I think someone's restricting you from casting spells."
"I think so too…" Athena whispered, the edges of her vision still dark.
"Should we postpone?"
"No," Athena said firmly, pushing herself upright. "You'll teleport us anyway, right?"
"Yes. But not all the way. The dragon placed a ward over its coven—I can get us close, but not inside."
"Close is fine."
Rain nodded once. "Then let's go."
Athena grabbed her hand, steadying herself. A warm light surged around them, glowing golden at the edges before spiraling upward. The wind picked up, and the world blinked away.
When the light faded, Athena stumbled slightly, breath catching in her throat.
They stood in a vast valley. The ground was hard and cracked, devoid of grass. The air buzzed faintly, laced with residual magic. It stretched for meters in all directions, a basin of dust and stone surrounded by jagged hills.
"This is it?" Athena asked, brushing dirt off her leggings.
"Just the beginning," Rain replied, her gaze scanning the horizon. "We walk from here."
Athena looked out toward the dark hills ahead, a strange tension crawling down her spine.