Chapter 357 Probing the Elven Chief“s Knowledge
Heaving a sigh of relief, the elven chief smiled back at the small party. "Please, follow me."
As Jack's party followed the chief, they were taken down the main roads and grabbed the attention of most elves they passed. This was in part to having the chief lead them and also in part to them being humans. But most gazes lingered on Daliea in the end, making Jack all the more curious.
After another forty-five minutes of walking, the group finally reached the Ancient Life Tree. Inside the tree's base, many rooms were carved out but left vacant.
The chief led them to one of the larger rooms and grabbed the handle with green aura surrounding his hand. A latch was heard, activated by the magic, allowing them access to the room. With a smile, the chief held the door open and nodded his head. "Please, after you."
"Thank you, Chief Gwendon." Jack bowed his head as he entered first, followed by the women and the beasts.
Once the party had entered, Gwendon entered the room as well, locking the door behind him again with the same magic. Then, the chief opened his arms and smiled proudly. "This is where I reside. Though this room is my office, that door opposite us leads to my humble abode. So, if you happen to ever need me, you know where to find me."
"Thanks, but I'd like to get straight to business as I don't have a lot of time to spare, Chief Gewendon." Sitting himself in one of the many seats around the chief's desk, Jack waited for the chief to sit.
"Right." Once the others found a seat and the chief returned to his desk, Gwendon asked, "I heard that you're here with the Leisure Guild. Is that correct?"
"That is."
"And you're also here to visit Lyrun? Is that true as well?"
"Yup, but we'll be also be visiting Eedaj," added Jack. "Tell me, do you know who that is?"
A confused smile appeared on the chief's face. "I… I know of him but I'm too young to have ever met him. I'm only one hundred and thirty-two years old, and the last time anyone met with Eedaj was well before the Godly war began."
"Do you know why that is, at least?" asked Jack.
Shaking his head, Gwendon replied, "I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that something offended the god, and the elves, as well as Lyrun, were a part of it."
Wide-eyed, Jack paused for a moment before asking, "Does anyone know what happened exactly? Or would I have to talk with Lyrun about that?"
"I'm sorry, but allow me to warn you about something. Lyrun hasn't accepted any visitors since the end of the Godly War. The only interactions he has with this place is when the current chief gives him yearly reports or if there were ever an emergency that only he could resolve," explained Gwendon. "Otherwise, he simply stays high up in the Ancient Life Tree."
"So his temple never changed after all this time?" Jack chuckled as he checked the map and verified Lyrun's location. "Gwendon, what do you call the forest to the north of Korten."
"In history, we've referred to it as the Prehistoric Forest due to the size of the ancient trees and wildlife, but lately we've referred to it as the Illusory Woods," Gwendon stated.
"Does that mean the forest has changed since then?"
"The forest itself remains the same. What has changed is the magic barrier that surrounds the forest. If someone enters then they will travel in circles for hours unknowingly until they end up exiting exactly where they entered," replied Gwendon.
Jack squinted and asked, "Did you know that Eedaj currently resides in that forest."
"That's what ancient rumors and legends have told us but it was never confirmed."
"Gwendon, would you mind if we try to visit Lyrun? He's currently not in his abode, but we'll wait outside his door it that's okay with you."
Gwendon blinked. "What do you mean? How could he not be there?"
"Nevermind that then. If you don't mind us attempting to speak with Lyrun, then let's talk as the elven chief and the ambassador of the Leisure Guild. Okay?"
"Sure… Jack, what is it that you want to discuss?"
"First, why did you let us into Estonya when your laws typically prohibit such a thing?" asked Jack.
Gwendon replied, "For several reasons actually. Since you're a former ancient hero as well as a member of the Leisure Guild, that showed you had credibility. And once you mentioned you had business with not only Lyrun but Eedaj, I knew that something was up."
"Why's that?"
"Because even most elves don't remember Eedaj and he's originally from here. Most of the younger generation has only heard tales about him and quickly forgets everything about the god," stated Gwendon. "Honestly, I don't know much about him either. All I know is that he's supposedly living in the Prehistoric Forest and has made it his home. But it makes sense to believe that he's the cause of that strange barrier as well."
"Do you know anything about his origin or his abilities?" questioned Jack, trying to gauge the level of knowledge the ancient civilization could have.
Shaking his head, Gwendon sighed. "I know very little. I know that he's a master of illusions, making him the best cause for the change in the Prehistoric Forest."
"And Lyrun hasn't told you anything about Eedaj?" Jack asked with a curious smile. "Feel free to be honest. If Lyrun told you anything but you're not allowed to say so, tell me now, please."
Gwendon relaxed a bit and looked into Jack's confident gaze. "Lyrun has warned me to never allow elves into the Prehistoric Forest and that it's best to not search anything about Eedaj."
"So, the Nature God has decided that the elven race should forget about him… Interesting." Jack softened his smile and slowly scratched his head. "Gwendon, did Lyrun tell you what might happen should an elf enter the Prehistoric Forest? Or did he not go into detail about that?"
"No, he simply stated that no one should enter there and that it's best to not attempt to seek him out. As for Eedaj's origin… Honestly, I can't remember anything about it. I don't even know why or how Eedaj came to occupy the Prehistoric Forest. Though I do remember that it caused quite an uproar back in the day, according to the story my fathers have passed down," mentioned Gwendon.
"The Prehistoric Forest was a major source of food and a great place for us elves to train and grow stronger back in the day. It's teeming with wild beasts so it was also a great food source for the villages and towns to the north. But one day, that illusory barrier appeared and changed everything. When confronted about it, Lyrun simply told everyone that a god named Eedaj was now living there and to not bother entering."
Gwendon continued, "Some still tried but either got lost and returned where they entered or they never made it back out. That's all I know of Eedaj's origin."
"Really? That's all?" As if he was startled and unconvinced, Jack asked, "Do you even know what race the god is? If he's human, an elf, a beast?"
"No." Gwendon shook his head. "Why, do you know, Jack?"
Jack started to break out in quiet laughter, covering his face with his hand. "I guess I know more about him then you… Anyway, allow me to state my purpose in speaking with you before I go and visit Lyrun."
"Very well. Go ahead, Jack."
With a smile, Jack stood up and extended an open hand toward the elven chief. "The Leisure Guild would like to reestablish our trading pact with Korten."