Call of Lightning
17. Elf Kingdom, Tegret Forest (Chapter Two)
Was it God who sent him to this world? Was this God's answer to his own helplessness, Aeera's, and her shattered world? Kenan learned many lessons after all this.
Aeera held Kenan for a long time. Perhaps she felt hope after all the loneliness and bullying she endured. She found peace after being alone for so long. Yuhas waited and understood the feelings of the princess and the Hanmus kingdom, even though Aeera was the daughter of a servant there, beloved by the king.
***
"We still have a long journey ahead of us; we'll encounter many monsters!" Yuhas said after the three of them opened the map copied from the blacksmith Kai.
"We have to hurry, we can't walk." Kenan looked at the map and saw many red marks on it, indicating that there were many monsters or demons. They had been walking for several days, and Kenan had lost sight of his home. Would his mother worry?
"Are we going to use a magic item to fly?" Aeera asked.
"Are we going to have to use a summoned creature and ride it?" Yuhas asked. Even using a summoned creature still requires a constant consumption of divine mana.
"No need! I've prepared everything!"
Kenan smiled and put down his bag. Everything was ready; he had a feeling this would happen. He had read the map beforehand. They still had a long way to go, and there was the largest forest they had to reach: Tegret Forest. Kenan opened his bag and took out something. It was a toy he had bought from the marketplace.
"What is that, Mr. Kalandra?" Yuhas asked.
Kenan motioned for the two to step aside. As usual, Kenan used the mana energy he could sense. Kenan's imagination was at play, something he always used in this world.
"Grow bigger!"
Aeera and Yuhas were shocked, and they even stepped back, and Yuhas fell. A large piece of metal was among the items Mr. Kalandra had brought.
Kenan smiled, "Come in!" Kenan walked towards the large piece of metal. On top of it was a giant propeller. In Kenan's world, it was a helicopter. Kenan had bought the helicopter toy for 40,000 Rupiah. Kenan was confident that the toy would come to life in Aeera's world.
Kenan stepped inside, and Yuhas was invited to come in. Kenan also took Aeera's hand, and despite his hesitation, Aeera also stepped in.
The three of them climbed in.
"Time to go, hold on!" Kenan couldn't operate a helicopter, but this was a magical world. Kenan's mind raced, and he grabbed the steering wheel, and the propellers began to spin. The machine moved, slowly ascending. Aeera and Yuhas couldn't believe what kind of metal could float and carry them? It was incredible.
"Enjoy the ride. Yuhas, open the map, and we'll soon reach Tegret Forest!"
"Yes, Lord Kalandra, this is truly amazing!"
They flew, crossing plains and water, continuing to soar. They even saw a monster below watching them. They would arrive sooner. And now, Tegret Forest was in sight.
"In the middle of the forest, the Tree of Life is home to the Elves. We must find the Golden Compass, Lord Kalandra."
"Okay!" Kenan continued to use his hands to steady the helicopter. A giant, the tallest tree, came into view. They approached it from the air.
Whoosh!
"Dodge, Lord Kalandra!" Aeera was shocked, seeing a massive energy beam heading toward them. It was incredibly powerful. They were being attacked.
It was too late for Kenan to dodge; the attack was incredibly fast.
Boom! Boom!
The helicopter exploded with a loud bang, billowing smoke.
From behind the enormous tree, a beautiful woman fired an energy arrow.
"They think they can approach our home! They're dreaming!"
The woman's smile was sweet; she was the Elven princess who guarded the great tree. And her eyes widened as, beyond the explosion, the three men were still floating in the air. A man clutching the stomachs of his companions was floating in the air.
They were persistent, too. The woman took out another arrow and prepared to attack again.
"Stop the attack, or I will destroy this forest with my power!" Kenan shouted, knowing he would be attacked again. He could see the energy coming.
The elven woman was shocked; the human could see from a great distance. This ability to see from a great distance was unique to elves.
"What do you want, human!" the elven woman shouted.
"I am a messenger! I have come to ask for the Elves' help!"
A messenger, asking for the Elves' help. What were these humans thinking, coming to the Elves? They had even hidden in Tegret Forest, having been ousted by the demons and monsters.
What would the woman decide?
"We have been sent by Blacksmith Kai!" Yuhas shouted.
The woman lowered her arrow, at least allowing them to express their intentions. She waved her hands, and a portal opened from the wall of energy she had created. Kenan knew that there was a wall of energy protecting the great tree. Now it was open, and they were invited in.
"We'll listen to you, but remember not to do anything stupid here!"
The three of them were welcomed in, Kenan still holding onto his two companions' stomachs. They floated and entered the open energy wall. They approached the large tree.
The three of them drew closer, perched on one of the large branches. The woman who had wielded the bow and arrow and attacked them stood there. Several Elves surrounded the woman. As they approached, Kenan couldn't believe his eyes. The woman was so beautiful that his eyes couldn't even blink. And his mouth couldn't keep still, uttering a word of surprise.
"Luna..., Luna..."
Kenan was shocked because the Elf woman looked so much like Luna, the woman he had had a crush on since junior high school.
Aeera wondered if Lord Kalandra knew the Elf woman. They stood on the giant branch.
"What is your purpose in coming to our kingdom, Human!" the woman said firmly.
"Is it you, Luna?" Kenan didn't answer and asked back.