I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 1002: Out Of The Forest

The further they walked, the more Eccar realized just how vast the Elven kingdom truly was.

What they had seen until now, the high towers of the palace made by silver-white stone and woods, the elegant bridges woven seamlessly into the boughs of trees, and the lively markets and flowing rivers, had only been the heart of it.

Now, guided by Lyrel and Caelthar, they passed through districts upon districts. That each one was still brimming with life and culture.

Everywhere there were Elves doing their activities like craftsmen shaping weapons and jewelry, children playing under the watchful shade of enormous trees, and the scholars wandering with scrolls tucked beneath their arms.

But what stunned Eccar most was not the number of people or the breadth of the kingdom. It was how seamlessly the Elves had built their lives into the forest itself.

The colossal trees stretched endlessly toward the skies. Their canopies form a ceiling of emerald and gold light.

Homes were nestled within their trunks or woven between their branches or in the ground. Bridges and walkways stretching out like veins of living wood.

None of it seemed forced. No tree that had been cut, or stone mislaid. It was as though the Elves had simply persuaded the forest to welcome them and in turn the forest embraced their existence.

"We are now a hundred kilometers to the north," Lyrel said coldly, her voice carrying just enough for them to hear. "And you still walk inside our kingdom. Our kingdom is not built by stone alone. It grows, as the forest grows."

Eccar tilted his head back to take in the impossible canopy above.

A grin spread across his face, though this time it was less mocking and more thoughtful.

"If Erend could see this he would be struck dumb. In his world, there’s no such thing as a forest kingdom. Just stone, iron, and smoke. They cut down the forests long ago," Eccar muttered softly to himself.

Krono glanced at him briefly but said nothing. Still, his eyes softened, as if sharing the same thought.

"And if these Elves saw Erend’s world, they would probably start a war with humanity on the spot," he continued. Only Krono could hear him.

Despite the distance the journey did not wear them out. Lyrel and Caelthar opened hidden paths like green corridors special for the envoys of the king.

The paths bent and shifted in ways Eccar could not understand, cutting days’ worth of travel into mere hours.

When at last they stepped free of the forest, they could see the sun standing high above them.

Before them now stretched rolling plains, windswept hills, and mountains etched against the horizon.

The air was different here. It was drier, dustier, because the breath of the forest no longer existed.

Lyrel stopped and turned toward them with her arms crossed.

"We are now outside the kingdom’s bounds. Where do you go from here?"

"Is this north?" Krono asked.

"Yes," Lyrel answered.

"Then our road lies to the uncharted mountains," Krono said calmly.

Lyrel and Caelthar exchanged uneasy glances.

"You are certain?" Caelthar asked.

"Yes. That is our goal."

Caelthar frowned, his voice hard. "That way is dangerous. Even before you reach the mountains the plains and passes are filled with danger."

Krono merely nodded, his composure unshaken. "We expected as much. But we still must go."

Eccar noticed the unease in the Elves’ eyes.

If even these hunters, warriors, and scouts hardened by the forest looked anxious, then the danger ahead was no trivial thing.

But Krono’s face was still calm as if he already knew the outcome.

"Don’t worry," Eccar said lightly, flashing his usual grin. "Everything’s going to be fine."

Lyrel’s gaze hardened. "You have no idea. The clans there... they are barbarians. They just want blood."

Eccar’s smirk faltered for a moment. He turned to Krono.

"Humans," Krono said simply.

"Ah." Eccar gave a short laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah. They can be violent. But we’ll be fine. Like I said, don’t worry."

Lyrel and Caelthar held their stares for a long moment, then exchanged a silent look of agreement.

"We just need to follow and record," Caelthar reminded, his tone almost like an oath. "That is His Majesty’s order. Nothing more."

Both knew what it meant: when danger happen their duty was not to fight beside these strangers but to survive and bring back the tale.

Lyrel gave a small, firm nod.

And so, the four of them stepped off the edge of the forest and began their march across the plains.

The plains stretched endlessly beneath the scorching sun. Their steps take them farther from the gentle shade and cool breath of the Elven forest.

The grass was yellowed, brittle, and the dry wind carried grains of dust that clung to their skin and clothes.

Lyrel’s lips tightened as she pulled her cloak tighter across her shoulders, trying to shield herself from the heat. Her pale skin, accustomed to the filtered light beneath the trees, already glistened with sweat.

Caelthar was just a little bit better. His sharp eyes squinting against the relentless brightness and his breaths heavier than usual as though the air burned in his lungs.

The farther they walked the more restless the Elves grew. Their steps were sure but lacked their usual grace.

Eccar walked beside them with his arms folded behind his head, unbothered by the shift in climate.

His eyes drifted across the horizon, scanning without urgency.

Krono, as always, moved with quiet composure.

Caelthar’s hand rested on the hilt of his blade, not because of the weather but because of what lay ahead.

On the far side of the plains, a darker line had begun to cut through the horizon. As they neared, the shimmer of water revealed itself. A great river.

And there, just beyond the river, the village came into view.

Crude structures of wood and stone clung together on the banks. Smoke trailed from fires, and figures moved about the edges of the settlement.

Lyrel’s hand instinctively went to her dagger, her eyes narrowing.

"That is their village," she said, her voice edged with warning.

Caelthar followed her gaze, every line of his body taut, ready.

"The barbarians," he muttered grimly.

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