Aelfric looked even more alarm watching Rheanor smile.

"Don’t try to use any tricks." Aelfric warned.

Rheanor sighed, "Fine, I’ll tell you."

Aelfric observed him carefully, "I was sent here by someone to fix the issue that’s happening."

Aelfric’s eyebrows twitched.

"Sent by who?"

Rheanor looked him in the eyes, "A Dragon."

Aelfric paused for a moment before he grimaced.

"Are you trying to-"

Rheanor plucked off his mana stone brooch and tossed it at Aelfric. On instinct, Aelfric grabbed it without any thought and then looked at the stone and then at Rheanor.

He was about to throw it when he stopped, he stared at the mana stone which was giving off the essence of a Dragon’s mana.

Aelfric stared at it for a long moment before he turned his suspicious gaze on Rheanor.

"Why should I believe you that a Dragon is behind this?"

"Even after seeing that?" Rheanor asked gesturing at the communication brooch.

"You could have found a Dragon’s mana stone and made it into this, why would I believe you?"

Rheanor sighed before he gestured at the several mana devices on him.

"You think I found a lair then?" He asked.

Aelfric was stunned, he knew finding a Dragon’s lair was impossible but he still couldn’t bring himself to believe this unknown Elf.

"This mana stone," Rheanor took one step ahead and Aelfric scowled at him.

Rheanor stopped, "belongs to the Supreme Aqua Dragon and the one who sent me here is his Scion."

Aelfric seemed to be even more skeptical now.

"Supreme Aqua Dragon’s Scion?"

Rheanor nodded, "He’s living far away and is busy that’s why he sent me here to look at the situation."

Aelfric frowned, "Why would he be interested in our situation that he especially sent an Elf to investigate?"

Rheanor sighed, "Because Elves are always close to Dragons. Our Master wasn’t going to be involved but well, after what I found out here, I think your little civil war is just a play that’s arranged. The real attack is being planned behind the scenes."

Aelfric seemed on edge as he gripped the father’s hilt tighter and asked, "What do you mean?"

Rheanor didn’t hesitate to tell him, "There’s a third party involved here who’s sparking things up."

Aelfric’s eyes widened, "What do you... Who?!"

Rheanor plucked out the piece of fabric that Nox got from his bag and handed it to Aelfric.

Aelfric took the cloth carefully and Rheanor retrieved his communication device hooking it back to his robe.

Aelfric’s eyes widened and he was unable to believe his eyes, it was only a portion of the insignia that he had seen years ago in the books from his elders. But now as he was seeing it in person, his heart wouldn’t stop pounding and his blood ran cold.

He turned his eyes on Rheanor, "Where did you find this?"

"Our Master’s familiar found it as soon as we entered in Elvenland. We had our doubts but, this just confirmed it." Rheanor said.

The insignia was torn in half so, the only visible part was the ram’s skull with the single curled horn.

Aelfric lowered his dagger and seemed like he was now willing to listen. Rheanor took this chance and said.

"This matter exceeds your power now so, our Master is willing to provide assistance. Only if you are willing to accept it." Rheanor said.

Aelfric clutched the fabric in his fist, the veins on his forearms grew taut and he remained in the rigid position resembling a marble statue for a moment before he sighed.

"I don’t need it."

Rheanor wasn’t fazed, this was one of the possibility that he calculated.

"Fine by you but since there are dark forces involved, it’s his prerequisite to come."

Aelfric pursed his lips and Rheanor shrugged, "Even Yggdrasil was happy to receive the Dragon’s refreshing rain, I’m sure, you will also find it helpful when he arrives."

Aelfric’s face paled, "What did you just say?"

Rheanor smiled, "I just met Yggdrasil, she was happy to recieve the rain that was filled with my Master’s Healing spell."

"You mean the storm-"

Rheanor smiled, "My Master is very well capable of entering and leaving this place. Your barriers and spells can’t stop him."

He then chuckled, "They couldn’t even stop me as we are accepted by Yggdrasil."

Aelfric looked like he was going to explode but he forced himself to calm and said, "Yggdrasil cannot have accepted you, the Holy Tree also never speaks to anyone."

Rheanor nodded, "Yes, she said that but she was elated to be acquainted to me and my Master."

Aelfric’s jaw tightened, "Your Master... The Dragon is here?"

Rheanor sighed, "He is but, he won’t lift a finger for now. He has some other pressing issues as well and he couldn’t send anyone alone in an uncharted territory so he came along. The Healing spell was also a gift from my Master."

Rheanor chuckled, "We both know Elves cannot cast healing spells on others."

Aelfric was having a hard time understanding everything and despite himself he staggered back and plopped on the edge of the bed, the piece of cloth and dagger still clutched in his hands.

"You’re telling me a Dragon is on Edrisyl right now?" He spoke and Rheanor smiled.

"Yes,"

Aelfric gulped before he asked, "Where is he?"

Rheanor shrugged his shoulders, "He talked to Yggdrasil and then told me to come talk to you. He must be waiting for me somewhere. He’ll find me once I get out of here."

Aelfric couldn’t help but feel like he was on edge now. He had been the King of Elves for five centuries and had been taught by his father the previous Elf King’s brother about Dragons and Demons. The previous Elf King had died protecting Edrisyl and Yggdrasil while fighting demons. He was the one of the Elves who had fought alongside a Dragon.

Aelfric looked at the Elf before him, and then at the piece of cloth in his hand. If what he had learned was true then they would need a Dragon to finish this demon. But, how could he believe it?

The Dark Elves were crafty and cunning, they were already gaining a lot of power so how-

It suddenly clicked him, the Dark Elves couldn’t have grown so powerful without the help from someone. Could it be that they had acquired the help of the dark forces to overthrow the balance?

Aelfric was filled with uncontrollable rage as he realised that that could be possible considering that the Dark Elves had no way of growing powerful and fight the majority of Pure Mana Elves. The dark forces thrived on dead mana as well, so it was possible besides, even he became a victim of a curse that disbalanced the harmony of mana flow in his body. It cleared all his doubts that the Dark Elves were siding with the demons.

Aelfric calmed himself down and looked at Rheanor, his eyes icy cold.

"I thank you for bringing the truth before me." He said and Rheanor noticed the glint in his eyes that said he was thinking of something destructive.

"But since this matter involves Elvenland and Yggdrasil so, I would like to ask your Master, the Dragon to only focus on the dark forces."

Rheanor tilted his head slightly to one side and asked, "You’re not planning on annihilating the Dark Elves once and for all, are you?"

Aelfric didn’t say anything and it confirmed Rheanor’s thoughts.

"Since you have accepted our help and since you don’t have any way of confirming that the Dark Elves are indeed taking help from the dark forces I’ll-"

Aelfric’s jaw clenched and he spoke, "I have been preaching peace between us but they have been planning for this all along."

Rheanor sighed, "Look that’s not-"

"That explains how they became powerful so quickly. They wouldn’t dare poke their heads out of their underground burrows but now they’re burning our villages and killing people. What else would explain it?"

Rheanor looked at Aelfric who seemed convinced that the Dark Elves were the problem.

"I know what would explain it." Rheanor said and Aelfric looked at him.

Rheanor was unfazed by his anger even as his mana was running rampant around the large chambers.

"It’s a big misunderstanding," Rheanor said, "The dark forces are way devious than you think. They started the conflict with only one incident and just added a bits here and there and you all were ready to play on their stage. You don’t even realise that what you’re thinking is also beneficial to them and not you."

Aelfric opened his mouth to counter it but Rheanor moved in a flash grabbing Aelfric’s dagger’s tip. He crushed it in his palm making Aelfric’s eyes go wide, Rheanor opened his palm and let the metal shards rain down on the carpeted floor.

"I came here to talk only because our Master has a habit of contacting the King of the kingdom that has such huge problems. Frankly speaking, we’re not here to save the Elves alone anymore. It’s for Yggdrasil. If anything happens to her everything will be doomed. This civil war will be the beginning of Yggdrasil’s destruction. So, I’ll request you to think carefully on what the demons are planning. They are not helping either of the sides, they just want you to fight so that they could destroy this island and Yggdrasil."

Aelfric stared into the eyes of the Elf who suddenly didn’t seem like the easy going person just a while ago. His eyes were glowing blue instead of the green that he had seen earlier. He couldn’t understand who this Elf was. It was impossible for any being to not be cut by the sharp dagger that Aelfric had, he had killed several assassins with the same dagger but this Elf simply crushed its blade with a single hand without having even a scratch on his skin.

Rheanor stepped back and returned to his composed demeanor with a smile.

"I hope you will think about what I said. I and Master won’t be on the island for around two weeks so, in that time. Try keep the war from breaking out and also, don’t tell people about the demons or it’ll only have an opposite effect. The war will be pushed ahead."

Aelfric could only nod at Rheanor’s words. Rheanor fished out a communication brooch from his little bag and then tossed it at Aelfric.

"This is a communication device. Whenever you are in need of help pour a little bit of mana in it and call for Master Ocean. Don’t say Dragon or any such word when you reach out. Master shall respond." Rheanor explained.

Aelfric stared at the mana device in his hand and then at Rheanor who made his way to the window.

"Oh and one last thing," Rheanor stopped and then turned to look at Aelfric.

"When you are in need of help, instead of closing the doors on others, ask them for help. It’s not necessary that everyone will help but, someone might. It never hurts to hope."

With that said, Aelfric watched as the Elf leapt out of the window disappearing into the darkness.