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The next morning quickly came, and I was forced to wake up very early to go to the capital. Everybody that was "important" had to go, which included all five heroes with us, Uncle Arafunn ended coming with us instead of flying away as he had originally planned and seemed to want to help us as well. Ninhursag and Zack were told to stay in the camp with everybody else. Just if anything were to happen, mother erected a barrier and our parents left a few spirits around.
We moved across the skies atop father's phoenix, and we quickly and easily crossed the sky in a flash. In just half an hour, we arrived at the capital, and we were greeted with dozens of Wyvern Knights that tried to stop us.
"A Giant Phoenix?!"
"What should we do?!"
"Isn't that a Tier 9 Monster or stronger?! How can we even deal with that?"
"Don't panic! We have to distract the monster as much as we can, don't let it get closer to the capital!"
The wyvern knights were really thinking it was a wild monster, but when the phoenix stopped flying midway through and the wyvern knights noticed people on top of its back, they suddenly sighed in relief.
"S-So it was the heroes…"
"A phoenix! To think it is a familiar…"
"Amazing!"
"Sorry about that boys." My father calmed down the wyvern knights.
"We have come to visit my father." My mother said. "I am Princess Faylen, also the Saint."
"Princess Faylen!"
"You have come back home!"
"The King will be pleased to hear these news!"
"I'm also here, but we are going to give the king the news ourselves. So allow us to go down please." Aina said.
The elves had no choice but to allow us to go down and then arrive right in front of the castle's door, which opened wide as dozens of soldiers and magicians greeted our sight alarmed, only to quickly lower their weapons and magic circles the moment they saw who we were.
"Princess Aina?!"
"Wait, isn't that…?"
"Princess Faylen!"
"She's back! The Saint Blessed by the gods!"
"She's really back, and in a glorious Phoenix, no less!"
"Tell everybody!"
The guards quickly dispersed, as the doors opened and a dozen of servants came rushing. Father quickly unsummoned the phoenix and then an elven butler with white hair and a small mustache greeted us.
"Welcome back to the royal palace, Princess Aina, Princess Faylen. I can see you've brought a large quantity of guests this time. We are please to have you back as well, Princess Faylen."
"Hello Johannes, can you lead us to the Throne Room?" My mother asked.
"Immediately, milady."
In the way, mother told us about this butler. It seemed that this old elf was over three thousands old and has been serving the royal family for all those three thousand years of age he had. He had seen many of the royal family grow from mere babies and knows every single member that descended from the King very well.
Mother seem to have a good impression of him, so he was perhaps a goo butler that took care of her through her childhood. He looks very stiff and had a very sharp glare, so I thought he was a bit scary to be honest…
The entire castle was enormous, so gigantic one could easily get lost inside. It made sense that mother asked him to guide them. Amongst everyone here, Johannes is probably one of the few that knows the entire structure of this place if he has served the royal family for so long.
"We are here. Open the gates." The Head Butler said, as the guards nodded. Head Butlers had authority equal to royal family members and could order the other servants to do as they pleased. This was the level in which they trusted Johannes.
CREAAAK…!
The gates opened, as we were greeted with a large group of people. There were at least a dozen figures in here, all elves with golden hair and green eyes. Flawlessly beautiful, some had shorter hair than others, some had small changes in their features that made them recognizable one from the other. But they were all beautiful and flawless, like statues made of marble.
I quickly noticed the stares of many of them being directed at me. I felt their enormous pressure raining over me and then at Zephy, who was miraculously calm despite so many people glaring him down. Perhaps he was just baby enough to not even realize it.
I noticed some smiling faces. Some were gossiping around. A few looked at me with cold stares, and I even felt the sudden killing intent of a few others… this family is filled with freaks.
However, in the center of all, the one that controlled them all, the mighty king of elves sat over his golden throne, wearing white armor and a glorious crown imbued with colorful divine spirit stones, his aura of mana and magic power was overwhelming. In fact, I think he was stronger than my parents… So there are people like this, so old and powerful they even surpass the heroes, yet did nothing against the demon king.
Maybe to protect his own kingdom he didn't do a thing? I guess there might be many reasons…
Nonetheless, without a doubt, this was my grandfather. He looked old despite being an elf. I have heard he had over five thousand years old. I guess at that age elves begin to slowly age like humans do… He had a short and sharp beard, sharp green eyes, gray hair growing and reaching his back, sharp ears, and a scratch scar in the middle of his left eye, that eye was white unlike his other green eye. This man was no spoiled royalty, he had probably participated in wars.
And wasn't skinny either, he was packed with muscles, resembling a living mountain. Elves being skinny? That's a funny joke, I've already seen many muscular ones already, but nothing like the living mountain that my grandfather was… his mere glare pierced my soul.
I was excited to see my family, but the only thing I could feel was fear.
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