Four adventurers walk across the dense forest on a warm sunny day. The statement sounds like straight from a magical fairy tale but the wilderness August and his party were walking across was a combination of many types of forests within.
Pines, oak, maple, tropical rainforest and many more trees were scattered along in patches— making the wilderness change its shade frequently. If this wasn't enough, the forests of different kinds were home to many monsters and beasts, hostile to any external disturbances. People used to call this equally beautiful and hellish place as 'Ravenwoods expanse'.
And since adventurers used to visit frequently in the hopes of clearing and discovering dungeons hidden deep within the wilderness — humans were prime targets of most of the monster species.
Well this geography was part of the Empire and also a hotspot for adventuring but the reality was despite having so much economic importance, no human nation was ready to take it as part of their own territory officially., considering the high rate of deaths in these regions and their unknown causes. Despite all that many people used to come here seeking unknown treasures offered by the lands. Sometimes, merchants used to take the routes by the tundra to shorten the distance, resulting in the establishment of some bandit camps also.
Even with this many human activities going on, most of the Ravenwoods were untouched by the human eye.
Avoiding the bigger ferocious monsters, not bothering with the weaker or non- disturbing ones and killing the beasts hostile to them, August, Noir, Red and Reneir were heading back to the nearest human settlements. There hasn't been much of a time they began to march forward though.
Honestly, they weren't in any kind of rush. Now that the two boys had left Wyverns too far behind and after one full night of no disturbance they were relieved and taking it easy. Also with the two veteran adventurers making sure they weren't followed, the journey ahead became rather pleasant. And it wasn't like they could encounter anything more dangerous than literal wyvern assassins chasing after them.
While enjoying the time chatting and giggling the journey became quite fun.
"So you are telling me this boy here is a dragon?" Red asked in amazement "It's quite difficult to believe you know?"
"What is so difficult about this?" Noir pouted "can't you tell by looking at me?"
"I don't know boy" Red waved in denial "if it weren't for August to vouch for you I probably wouldn't have believed it"
"Well he does gives out the vibe of a different kind" Renier added while cutting a tree branch blocking the path ahead "the aura he emanates, certainly isn't human"
"Speaking of aura" August said with a deep thought
"How are the wyverns even tracking you? I think it's related to the aura of your dragon mana"
"Mana!" Stopping in realisation "you're probably right, it might be the case" inhaling deeply Noir began to stabilize the mana around him resulting in reducing his dragon aura of presence up to a certain extent "will this do?"
"For now" August watched as the boy seems to reduce his presence "I can't say for sure that we are safe. If only your dragon presence was the cause, how were they able to track you down at the dungeon exit even after six months. Since that dungeon severed our connection from the physical world further crossing the timelines" he added looking at all of them one by one with an expression of assurance "to summarise, I am saying that we can't let our guards down"
Red smiled back and Noir gave a nod of seriousness.
"Also we are quite far off from the nearest town" Reneir said as they continued to walk forward "it could take a few weeks to reach there on foot. And to make things worse, the ones pursuing us are creatures able to fly."
"Indeed" Red chimed in "that's a threat alone, we have to keep an eye on the sky above." Suddenly they realised being surrounded by a pack of wolf-like beasts "while looking out for these damn creatures"
One stepped forward which could only be considered as leader of the pack.
Wolf-like beast, covered in grey fur, white along the corners. Sharp fangs protruding from the base of its skull giving the mandible a fierce look along with the sharp set of teeth. Dagger like white crystalline claws came out of soft padded paws. The leader stood tall eyeing his prey. The hunger they were feeling was quite obvious from their gazes but they didn't attack, or rather waited for the leader for his command.
The leader of those beasts felt like weighing the pros and cons of engaging into a fight with adventurers in front of him. The gamble was quite a big one. He doesn't want to act hostile to anyone who could wipe his pack off. After staring at them for some time he gave a howl to his companions and decided to step back.
A wise and natural decision.
When there are lives at stake, one should avoid the fights with no chances of winning. Beasts started to back off and the adventurers also understood the situation.
"Huh? What was that?" Noir asked in confusion "instead of attacking us, they backed off?"
"Their leader knew he couldn't win against us" August answered "that's why he chose to save his pack."
"Aren't they supposed to be wild beasts?" The young dragon asked again "and yet they didn't act like ones"
"They are indeed wild beasts" Red said as they continued to walk forward "many attack without thinking much, but the ones in horde or packs have responsibilities. They have to feed their offspring. That's why they don't mess with someone they can't handle. Especially those wolves."
"It's good to know" August said, "that, there are some species intelligent enough to know what to do and what not."
Apart from a few smaller creatures which only served as subjects to their hunger, the day went by smoothly.
Sitting around the bonfire near the camp with everyone, meat sizzling on the gentle flames August suddenly dozed off in the thoughts of home.
The thoughts of his father and mother waiting for him at home made him tense a bit as they were without any information about their beloved son—six whole months for now.
"—so how is it?—"
"—it's delicious—"
"—what do you dragon folks normally eat anyways?—"
"—we eat food like you people do, what? You think we are some kind of human eating monsters‽—"
"—no! It's just I wanted to know, that's all—"
"—here! August —"
"—August‽—"
As Renier tried to hand him a bowl, he snapped out of the clouds. Receiving the dinner bowl she noticed his sudden change of expressions.
"Something on your mind?" Reneir asked "you can talk to me about your thoughts"
"No, it's nothing" he replied with a shrug "I'm just tired and all"
"It doesn't seem to me that way" as her expressions softened into a polite smile "if you are worried about your parents then don't be, we are heading back you know."
"Yes you are probably right" he said nodding with realisation "there's nothing to worry about", "oh right!"
Attracting everyone's attention to himself "you were talking about that story now aren't you?"
"Well yes" Red replied rubbing the back of his head, smiling "I was telling our little dragon here a bedtime story. That, how the mighty hero Cornelius defeated the demon king and saved the abducted princess Aurora. Do you also know about this story August?"
"Yes I've read about it" he replied taking a sip of the brothy texture "there are many conflicting stories about this incident. Different books represent this tale in their own different way— not only in the way of storytelling but misinterpreting the facts also."
"That's right, it is a controversial story afterall" Renier added "different people have their different opinions about what happened. Which makes me curious, you are a bookworm, so do you have some kind of theory or deductions as well, August?"
"What? He is a fighter and a scholar?" Noir shouted in amazement "well i think that's expected. You do look like a well informed person after all...mr. bookworm"
"Hey! that's not very polite of you" August retaliated by messing with his hair "is picking on elders also included in the teachings of the great dragon prince?"
"No, it's not" He replied trying to put his hair back in place "are you going to tell the story about the hero fighting the demon king or not?"
Suddenly there was a shift in atmosphere around August, all of his companions staring at him with their full attention.
"C'mon you two also?" August said with a bored expression "I get it if it's Noir, but you probably know more than me, so why am I to be the narrator?"
"We do know" Red replied "but want to hear your version."
Start already! Noir shouted followed by a nod from Reneir.
"So here's the thing" August reacted as though a teacher taking his lecture in a class full of curious students "there are many legends that do not hold back to glorify the bravery of hero Cornelius. That is how he went into the demon lands with his three companions and brought back the severed head of demon king Zareoth as well as princess Aurora. That's what people say of course.
Demon king's head was displayed as a sign of hero's victory of course but here's the catch. No one saw princess Aurora with the hero in that parade of victory. And apart from the hero's party no one knows what happened at the demon continent."
"How does it matter anyway?" Noir asked with curiosity "isn't the demon king's head enough proof of his victory?"
"That! Is what most people believe" August replied staring back at their shining curious eyes "if you think of it another way as the reason for the conflict between humans and demons wasn't something else but princess Aurora herself not to mention she was to be engaged with Cornelius."
"That's a valid point" Renier said in realisation, "everyone believed that the princess had returned safely but there wasn't anyone who saw her. It would've been a better way for the emperor to restore the faith of his subjects in him. who were starting to question, resulting in the conflicting rumours.
Also it is said that the Princess died after sometime from an unknown illness. So she never got to marry the hero."
"All that is common knowledge" Red added scratching his chin "but there was also a rumour that said she never returned from that continent or she was already pregnant so, for the sake of empirical royal blood to not be tainted with demon blood, ministry, excluding the emperor made a decision to dispose off of her." Rolling his eyes "well there are many more bullshit rumours suggesting that the princess and demon king were in love. Like,Can you believe it?"
"Why not?" August replied "that! Is a rumour closest to the truth in my humble opinion, of course"
"What?" Noir shouted in mixed expressions of shock and curiosity.
"Can you explain how you got that deduction?" Renier asked.
"Listen for a second and decide for yourself" he replied confidently "The princess and the demon king were in love. A typical tragic love story. There is no record of how and where they met each other but what I've read from foreign literature which is from the nearest country to demon lands by the way—
Sharing almost the same culture and history with the continent which is said to be inhabited by people known as descendents of demons.
There is a description about a beautiful goddess like a princess being married to a demon king as well as accepted by the demons as their queen. Well the lines surely don't give away the name but describes her as the goddess who crossed the oceans or rather her beauty by comparing her to the majestic blue-green natural light on a clear starry night in a purgatory covered by infinite snow. Which we all know is known as 'Aurora Borealis' —as in the beautiful Princess Aurora.
Cornelius, a wealthy noble's son and a skillful warrior set out on his journey to save his soon to be fianceé from the domain of evil demon king, or so he was considered."
"Question!" noir said with one hand raised "why didn't the emperor attack the demon continent directly? Why put just four humans through so much difficulty?"
"Because" August replied, "the princess was abducted from outside the empire also there are three continents considered as demon lands and the demon king isn't only one incharge of whole demon race.
They couldn't afford to make it seem like a conflict between humans and demons. Those were peaceful times after all.
That's why some nobles and ministers suggested the mighty warriors to be sent on that mission."
Clearing his throat "getting back to the story, in my opinion, it is quite logical to say that they married each other and spent some months in harmony. Living a peaceful married life. That was until, warrior Cornelius who could've been manipulated into thinking that the woman he loved was forcefully married to demon king Zareoth —sat a small house near a quite lake in which they were residing of course, on fire. He killed the demon guards and when Zareoth came in front of him they fought toe to toe but at last the demon king fell by the mighty sword given to him by 'goddess of life Sylphiene'."
"Yes, that's right" Renier said, "that is believed by most people"
"Indeed" said August calmly coming to his point "the main event of my theory starts... after the battle. Holding the head of his enemy as a trophy when Cornelius entered the queen's chamber with the hesitation of seeing her covered in scars and bruises, that he thought considering how humans saw demons as wild and cruel monsters.
According to a famous legend, he saw her trying to get a hold of nearby furniture for support but his eyes widened when his gaze fell upon her swollen belly as it was obvious that she was pregnant. Apart from struggling with her pregnancy she seemed healthy. Not a scratch nor a scar of any torture.
She removed his hand off with a jerk when Cornelius tried to support her. To his surprise she wasn't happy about him being here on top of that tears fell from her eyes when she saw him holding the severed head of her husband. Well after that it doesn't matter if she returned or not. Her grudge against the hero and the empire was far from over." Looking at their surprised faced August let out a deep sigh followed by some moments of silence. "So! What's your take on my deduction?"
"Hmm....that" red said and then grew silent for some time "that Is the most logical perspective I've heard till now. Even If it's not the truth, it is very close to reality."
"Well it certainly is tragic" Renier said with saddened expressions "it was also said that she didn't love Cornelius, some also say that this was the major reason of her leaving the empire, so the reality could be as you said."
"There certainly are some more intriguing stories and legends about this" August said as he stood up "but sometimes the right answer turns out to be the simplest one. As in the typical, tragic love story.
Anyways, it's about midnight. We should get some sleep. What do you say little dragon?"
"Yeah" Noir said, yawning "it's time to bed i think."
"—hey big bro, the story was great—"
"—you think so?—"
"—yes and i think you should start writing more stories based on your theories and read to me daily before bed—"
"—yes, your majesty—"
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