"Now, let us continue our meeting," Veldra said.
His voice was calm, yet it carried weight, as though the forest itself leaned closer to listen.
"Tell me all that you know of this forest. I have not ruled for long, so enlighten me."
The Druid King was the first to respond. He inclined his head slightly, his ancient eyes reflecting roots, soil, and unseen depths.
"My Lord, there is little that can truly be known. The forest is unknown by nature, even to itself. Yet today, something has changed. The density of Prismora has increased. Not subtly, but distinctly. Along with it, there has been an influx of people. Too many. I suspect they are otherworlders."
Silence followed.
Veldra did not react at once. He already understood. After all, he himself, and this entire twisted convergence of fate, had arrived through the same unseen summons. A world that gathered strangers as offerings.
"Hm," Veldra murmured at last. "That aligns with what I observed. I encountered several individuals wandering the forest."
His tone remained even, but inwardly, his thoughts coiled.
I do not want to lie, but neither will I reveal the truth. Not yet. The truth has its own timing; maybe a while later, I will tell them who I am.
Resues slowly raised his hand.
The Beast King's earlier arrogance had long since drained away. What remained was tension, tightly contained.
"My Lord," Resues said, his voice hollow, threaded with uncertainty. "I do not dare ask for a favour after my earlier conduct. But please, permit me to speak. I require your aid."
"Go on," Veldra replied.
For the first time, faint intrigue surfaced in his eyes.
"Speak your need."
Resues swallowed. "My realm is in the midst of a civil war."
Amon spoke before Veldra could respond.
"A civil war," he repeated coolly. "And why should this concern us? Are you not a Named One? Can you not suppress it yourself?"
There was no cruelty in his voice, only indifference. Sympathy had no place in his words.
"It is not that simple," Resues said quickly, his composure cracking. "The entire realm is revolting. They claim the age of kings has ended. They cry for revolution."
"A revolution?" Veldra asked.
His eyes, once merely dark, now seemed emptied, as though absence itself had taken residence within them.
"Yes, my Lord," Resues said, desperation bleeding into his tone. "They call it the revolution of the beasts. They seek to abolish kingship itself."
"Oh?" Veldra asked. "And why is that?"
"I do not know," Resues replied.
Veldra turned his gaze slightly. "What do you think, Lucien? Should we help them?"
Before Lucien could answer, one of the gathered beings spoke in disbelief. "What do you mean by that? This one is a Named One?"
"Yes," Veldra said calmly. "He is. I named him myself."
The words struck like a silent thunderclap.
Resues froze. He raised both hands and covered his face, his breath hitching. Named by him? A chill crawled through his spine. Who was this being seated before them? What, exactly, was Veldra?
The others reacted no differently. Shock rippled through the hall. Names were sacred, preserved for kings, sovereigns, and entities acknowledged by the world itself. For a man, an abnormal beast no less, to bestow names at will shattered their understanding of order.
Lucien finally spoke, his voice steady.
"My Lord, we should help them. I was once Beast Kin myself. Though my origin has changed, my past remains tied to them. It would be… unpleasant to watch that realm descend into chaos."
One by one, the others nodded in agreement. Not that refusal had ever truly been an option.
"Very well," Veldra said. "It is settled. We will help them."
He rose from his seat.
"This meeting is concluded. From now on, future gatherings will be held elsewhere. I dislike this place."
All of them bowed their heads.
They stood in silence as Veldra lifted his hand. With a single flick of his fingers, the table and chairs vanished. No sound followed. No distortion of space. Only absence.
A vortex briefly opened, unseen by any but him, swallowing the furniture whole before closing without a trace.
The Inventory had claimed it.
"What about you, Amon?" Veldra asked. "Now that you are the ruler of the Elven Realm, do you trust your subordinates to govern it in your absence, or do you wish to stay behind?"
"My Lord, I would like to come with you. It will also be the first time I enter the Realm of the Beasts, and I trust my subordinates," Amon replied, a faint smile appearing on his face as he turned toward the elves who had risen to their feet.
"Alright," Veldra said.
With a flick of his hand, they vanished. Amon, Veldra, Lucien, Resues, and Arroz were swallowed by silence.
In the next second, they reappeared within the Realm of the Beasts.
Veldra looked around.
The Realm of the Beasts was vast and untamed, it stretched beyond horizons in roaring biomes that clashed and coexisted in violent harmony. Colossal forests of ironwood and blood bark rose like ancient titans, their canopies blotting out the sky while roots as thick as fortresses crushed stone beneath them. Between these forests sprawled endless savannahs of golden grass, where the earth trembled beneath migrating herds the size of cities, each beast marked by scars that told stories of survival rather than age.
Mountains dominated the realm like the spines of dead gods. Their peaks were jagged, gnawed by constant storms, and within their depths lived apex creatures whose roars triggered avalanches. Rivers did not gently flow, they charged, carving canyons with violent currents, their waters infused with primal essence that strengthened flesh and sharpened claws. Even the air carried weight, heavy with raw vitality, making every breath feel like a challenge issued by the world itself.
The sky above was never calm. Clouds rolled like warring armies, streaked with crimson lightning and ash-black thunder. At times, twin suns burned overhead, while at others a massive moon hung low, watching like an unblinking predator's eye.