Chapter 178 What Remains
Erend forgot where he threw Laston. His perception when he was in human form and when he was still in Dragon form was very different.
This sometimes made Erend confused.
"You think Laston can still run?" Aurdis asked.
Erend thought for a few moments before answering. "I don't think so."
Erend still remembered how he caught Laston with his claws. Based on his memory, the wound he inflicted on Laston was quite severe.
'But he is a powerful Elf.'
When he remembered that fact, Erend immediately put on an alert face.
"Where do they go?" Erend asked Aurdis.
"Why? You said Laston couldn't run anymore," Aurdis said confusedly.
"I forgot that he was an Elf. If the one who suffered the wound earlier was a human, he would be dead already. But Laston is different."
Erend looked at Saeldir. "You saw it yourself, right?"
"He's right," Saeldir said. "We have to make sure he's really dead or incapable to move."
After hearing what the two of them said, Aurdis told Erend where Laston had been thrown.
Erend was about to go there. But he remembered something.
"I saw Aerchon was still up there," Erend said.
After saying that, he ran in the direction Aurdis had told him.
Erend said that wasn't because he was worried about Aerchon.
Inside Erend's head, Aerchon was still an idiotic jerk who abuse his power.
But he is still Aurdis's older brother. As a sister, Aurdis must be worried about him. No matter how bad he is.
As an older brother, Erend knew that even though they fought a lot in the past. Arty would still be worried for him if she felt something bad had happened to him.
Because of that, Erend could understand Aurdis' feelings a little.
Sure enough, when Erend was away Aurdis looked up to find Aerchon.
However, she didn't have to search too long because she already saw Aerchon descending from the sky.
He landed roughly and immediately fell not far from Aurdis and Saeldir's position.
Aurdis immediately jumped to her feet to approach him.
Meanwhile, Saeldir turned to Aerchon who immediately collapsed with a body full of wounds.
Saeldir heard what Laston said to him earlier.
There were several things that might indeed have created a scar on Aerchon's heart.
'Well, on that one Aurdis and I would agree with Laston.'
Only Saeldir and Aurdis heard Laston's vicious words in the fight earlier. In the historic fight that took place above the Elf castle.
Those were the words Saeldir and Aurdis had wanted to say to Aerchon for a long time.
Yet they knew if those words came out of their mouths, it would not have enough impact on Aerchon. He would just shake it as usual.
But when those words came out of Laston's mouth, someone he already considered his own father, then it would only have the effect it should have.
Arondite lay next to Aerchon's body. Aerchon breathed long but weakly.
His face was paler than usual. Aerchon's blond hair was messy with blood and fluids of unknown origin.
Aurdis came beside him and flipped him onto his back.
It turns out that Aerchon suffered stab wounds in his chest and stomach.
The blood from the wound spread to the front of Aerchon's clothes and almost filled them with red.
Aurdis didn't say anything. She just stretched her hand towards the wound and started the healing process like she had done with Saeldir before.
During that process, they don't talk to each other and just let the voices in the background fill in.
~~~
On the other hand, Erend had arrived at the place where Laston - supposed to be - fell.
But he did not find Laston. He only met the Forest Elf who was as confused as he was.
"(Who are you?)" Gastion, who led the squad to come here asked Erend.
"I don't understand what you're saying," Erend said.
Then he walked closer to the cracked white paving. Laston must have fallen there. Yet somehow, he disappeared already.
Erend exhaled loudly.
"You human?" Gastion asked.
"Yes," Erend answered then looked at him. "Didn't you see where he was?"
Gaston shook his head. "No. When we got here there was no one. I also ordered my squad members to search the area but couldn't find him."
Erend paused and thought.
Laston must have left using the Portal to a place far away from here. But, is his Magic energy still enough to do that?
Or maybe someone has helped him?
While Erend was thinking, Gastion looked at him from the side and wondered who he was.
Gastion wants to answer the question because he knows that Erend is not an ordinary human.
Seeing humans in the Elven palace was very unusual.
And he looked calm so Gastion concluded that Erend must be involved in this fight at some point. Even though Gastion doesn't know what his real role is.
Then, if this human was here, it must be Aurdis who had shown him the way.
So Gastion thought that this human must also know Princess Aurdis.
After all, it's impossible for humans to wander around randomly here.
"Alright. Thanks," Erend said.
Then he immediately walked back the way he had come.
Gastion looked at Erend's back from behind. He shrugged, not wanting to bother with his existence.
Now the problem is about Laston who suddenly disappeared.
Gastion decided to order one of the Forest Elves in his squad to go meet Aurdis and convey this information.
Meanwhile, he will go to meet another squad leader.
Erend told Aurdis about what he got.
Aurdis' expression immediately changed to one of shock and worry.
"What should we do?" Aurdis muttered.
Next to him were Saeldir and Erend as well. While Aerchon had closed his eyes unconscious.
"We'll think about it later. We have other things to think about now," Saeldir said.
Aurdis looked around. The Elf Palace was now in chaos and looked terrible.
Besides the buildings that were almost destroyed, the bodies of the Elves who died miserably also filled this place.
~~~