Chapter 407 - 407

After those little adventures their trip was rather smooth. Except for Mark's whining that his feet hurt everything else seemed to go according to plan. They passed through the Sinn Forest, Allias freed by the voices and Alexander in no danger of being eaten by monsters again and met with the bright sun. 

The king could smell the sea, the place his father had always talked to him about. A beautiful land close by the sea where a part of the Avgee tribe used to live. His father had told him many stories about Kardia, about their enormous libraries and the fishing boats, the scorching sun and the golden sand underneath their feet. As the three men approached their destination the more impatient Allias would get, he wanted to see, even if the place was ruins due to the war he wanted to know where his father had grew up, where he was supposed to visit if things hadn't gone completely wrong. 

"So why didn't you turn and kill the monsters. You could have saved us a lot of trouble and a lot of slime" Mark said with a frown, remembering the icky feeling of the monsters' skin. 

"I can turn on command." Alexander began explaining as they walked. "Also I usually turn when I am or feel that someone I care about is being threatened, it's rarely about me.." 

"So you don't care about yourself?" Allias asked him and the young wolf avoided him with his eyes. 

"It's not that...I don't know how to explain it"

"It's just that you love Luke more" Allias continued and Alexander nodded, knowing there was no reason for him to deny the truth. The king sighed as he rubbed his temples. "I am sick of love really." He stated and Mark stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Said the one who literally undid himself to save their boyfriend." 

"Well at least I didn't sent him into he deepest pita of hell for three hundred years."

"It was for his own good!" Mark exclaimed annoyed 

"This is what all toxic parents say to excuse their horrible actions" Allias said with a smirk and Mark scoffed.

"You would know about that wouldn't you?" The red head attacked him back and for a second there was silence. Allias turned his head staring at him and for a second his best friend worried that he had passed the line between joke and bringing up very deep issues. The elf shrugged his shoulders unfazed.

"True." He simply answered before he started walking and Mark breathed out relieved. 

"You scared me for a second."

"I know, that was my intention" he said with a silly grin. 

"I think I can hear the waves" Alexander interrupted them and Allias' eyes shone with anticipation. He kept walking a bit faster wanting to reach the place as soon as possible. Mark scolded him for going up ahead of them but at that moment he didn't care. Alexander could hear the waves because his hearing was better than them but soon as he rushed to reach the end of the thick trees and deep green he could hear them room. Now it wasn't just the salty smell of the ocean, it was the sound of the waves crushing the shore and the seagulls flying above their head. As he pushed the brunches and the bushes away he found his boots touching the golden sand and a crystal blue spreading in front of him. 

His eyes widened at the beauty he was witnessing. The wind blew making the sea foam a mix of blue and white.

"This is really pretty" Mark commented in awe. "I can't believe you've never been here" he told him staring at the endless sea to their side. "What is that mountain over there?" He asked pointing at a mountain hidden by white clouds at the end of the sea.

"That's the mountain the angels live. The angelic capital is there" Allias explained but his eyes didn't seem to care about what was beyond. He was walking slowly along the shore, his shoes in his hands as he felt the sand burn slightly his feet and then the cold water as he stepped into the waves. "I can't believe I am finally here." He said with a faint smile on his lips. "It would be perfect if my father was here with me." He mumbled feeling a bittersweet happiness. It was alright though, in the end he managed to get there, Mark was with him, Alexander too, he wasn't alone. 

"It's really pretty, your father's homeland." Alexander said with a shy smile and Allias nodded cutely. He felt proud in a way. It was the first time after many years that his father was talked about so vividly. Dying so many years before the war simply meant his memory was beginning to fade while even some had never heard of his name. They didn't know what an amazing man he was. 

"We should start searching for the ruins. They must have had a city or a village somewhere." Mark said and all of them began looking around. 

Unfortunately and unexpectedly they found nothing. Even after hours there was no sign of anyone living there. No ruins, no houses nothing. The king did not know what to think. He was sure Kardia was here, he couldn't be mistaken about the location so why did it seem like they were at a dead end all of a sudden? 

"It almost looks like no one lived here." Alexander said.

"Are you sure we're at the right place Allias?" Mark asked and walked a bit further, towards a huge rock that looked like it cut off this side of the beach with the rest.

"Yes, Mark I am very sure this is the place. Why would I..." 

"Allias!" Mark exclaimed interrupting him. The king and the wolf ran towards the red head their feet diving into the sand.

"What?"

"There is a barrier here. This is not a true rock." Mark explained and touched the object. It felt real, it was cold and wet, mold growing on it but Mark was able to see through the spell.

"Barrier?" Allias mumbled as the red head touched the rock with both hands. He whispered something as suddenly a magical seal appeared on the rock, illuminating a golden color until it got destroyed. The rock began to fade away but before they could see what hid behind it Alexander heard a sound 

"Watch out!" He warned them and all of them jumped to the side.

Arrows, someone was attacking them.