Warhammer Divine Throne-Chapter 802 - 355: King’s Forest (2)

After the Longbeard War ended, the High Elves split into Dark Elves, falling into a desperate civil war. At that time, Phoenix King Caladieu ordered all High Elf colonists in the Old World and the New World to return to Ossuan to resist the Dark Elves' counterattack. However, the Eslelin resolutely refused Caladieu's order. From that moment on, until Finuba visited Aisloron thousands of years later, the Wood Elves not only severed ties with the High Elves but also regarded all outsiders as enemies. There was a time when Wood Elves existed only in human myths and operas.

The Wood Elves abandoned farming and husbandry, took off their splendid clothes, donned vine grass, only engaging in fishing, hunting, and gathering, indulging in this harmonious coexistence with the forest and a self-sufficient life.

It wasn't until the founding of Brittania that the Knight Kingdom sought to expand its territories, finally making contact with the Wood Elves. After the second Knight King, "Reckless" Lewis, ascended, Brittania signed mutual aid and non-aggression agreements with the Wood Elves. Only the Brittania people knew for sure about the existence of the Wood Elves and could communicate with them.

"Who are Eslelin's current trade partners?" Tygris asked Alaros in front of him.

"Only Count Laine." Alaros shook his head, "Eslelin only needs one trade partner. Count Laine can meet our needs, and that's enough. We have always chosen only one Great Noble from Brittania for trade."

"Well, Laine is a trustworthy person," Tygris continued, "and he'll live a long life..."

"Count Laine will live a long life? Is that your intuition, Lord Tygris?" Female Prophet Lifer quickly interjected. As opposed to the chatty Eslelin, the High Elves felt uncomfortable with their sparse conversations along the way.

"He will outlive many elves." Tygris continued with another sentence, then closed his lips, leaving it up to the Wood Elves to interpret.

Both High Elves and Dark Elves typically have lifespans ranging from eight hundred to a thousand years, with particularly strong individuals extending their lives by another thousand years, yet death is inevitable. Wood Elves, due to their emphasis on harmonious cohabitation with nature and a symbiotic relationship with the forest, often live two to three thousand years.

"If that is the case, we are fortunate to have a long-lived trade partner. Our previous trade partner lived only to the age of one hundred sixty before dying, truly an unlucky fellow," Lifer prompted, "right, Alaros?"

"Ah? Yes, Count Laine keeps his word, he offers fair and reasonable prices, and respects our privacy. He is a good trade partner," Alaros, pondering ways to gain Lilith's favor, seemed distracted before adding, "The mineral veins in the forest were exhausted thousands of years ago; we need more timber and food."

"Timber..." Hos Demon Swordsman Zoltan surveyed the countless towering trees in the forest, wearing a look of disbelief.

"This is our agreement with the tree spirits; Eslelin communicates with the forest essence through the tree songs," Lifer explained: "In Aisloron, every tree possesses its own independent soul. Tree King Dursu once taught us how to sculpt trees and harvest some timber without harming them. However, we need a significant amount of timber for our bows and arrows, from Lord Laine we can import a large supply of dwarf weaponry, hardwood, minerals, and grain. Our needs are mutual."

"Mutual needs are a good thing. Your goods are unrivaled in the Old World; I worry about greedy intruders, some monkeys, coming under the guise of traders seeking profit," Zoltan added.

High Elves could sense an immensely pleasant aura from Laine, especially the Hos Sword Saints and Demon Swordsmen skilled in the Magic Wind. Naturally, they considered Laine to be equivalent to their own kind, distancing him from humanity.

"We've consecutively annihilated five waves of caravans under the guise of traders. Every time, we let one survive, warning them not to come close to Eslelin's forest!" Alaros scornfully remarked, "Eslelin doesn't trust human pledges; trade is initiated by Eslelin, not passive acceptance."

"The Asur will also trade with Laine Macado. We've already signed trade contracts with Duke Bodric, Duke Francois, and Laine. In the future, Asur's ocean-going merchant fleets will anchor at Boldro's Manannan Dry Dock to sell goods. If you want High Elf merchandise, you can use Laine's territory as an intermediary," Tygris added upon recalling something.

"We will."

The conversation came to a dead end, yet fortunately, the King's Forest was now in sight.

Forest King Olein and Forest Queen Airel, leading a huge group of Wild Cavalry, Thorn Sisters, and masses of Wood Elf armies, awaited Tygris and High Elf compatriots within the King's Courtyard in the King's Forest.

Forest King Olein was a giant, over three meters tall, with two huge antlers on his head and coarse features. His upper body was bare, and his lower half was crudely clad in simple fabric. He bore the "Wild Hunting Horn" at his waist, wielded "Kunos's Spear," donned "Aisha's Cloak," and carried the massive "Eagle's Claw" bow, standing proudly amidst hundreds of Wild Cavalry and Eternal Guard.

The spirit of Hunting God Kunos filled Olein's body; he was the god's incarnation traversing the Mortal World.

Forest Queen Airel possessed sharp and slender features characteristic of a beautiful Wood Elf appearance, twice the height of an ordinary Wood Elf. Her eyebrows were extensions of moth antennae, prolonging over ten centimeters. Airel wore a Wood Elf silk gown with gigantic butterfly wings fluttering at her back. As one of the world's most powerful mages, wielding the "Bald Willow Staff," she released Mother Goddess Aisha's power, commanding vast natural forces to act according to her desires. Airel could compel forest trees to grow and plants to sprout from the earth. In this enchanted forest, Airel utilized this ability to delay and mislead invaders or lure them to their ruin.

Tygris's understanding of Airel was limited; hundreds of years ago, Olein once ventured to Naglos under Airel's orders using the roots of the World Tree to launch a far-reaching campaign, driving Witch King Malekith to desperation. However, Witch Queen Moras eventually offered to instruct Airel in Dark Magic, causing the Wood Elves to retreat.

Witch Queen Moras's Dark Magic magnified the evil facet within Airel's soul, plunging her into intense insanity. Ultimately, one of the three Ancient Tree-men, Adanhu, emerged, sacrificing himself to heal Airel, thus restoring her tranquility.

With Kedile's corruption and Adanhu's sacrifice, only Dursu is left among the three Ancient Tree-men, a situation profoundly saddening.

Before Tygris now stood the Forest King couple, their mental state and abilities greatly diminished, as their existence intertwined with Aisloron. During peak summer, their power was akin to true gods, yet as winter approached, their strength waned like withering trees.

"Tygris, Supreme Grandmaster of the Safurios White Tower Mage Council of the High Elves, on behalf of the Phoenix Royal Court and all elves of Ossuan, brings greetings from His Majesty Finuba to His Majesty Forest King Olein and His Majesty Queen Airel," Tygris bowed respectfully, supporting himself with his staff. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Tygris did not receive the anticipated response.

"Not, welcome!"

"What do the Asur seek on Eslelin's territory?!"