Chapter 451 451. SHERIA
A blurry figure shot across the sky creating a streak of sorts as it crossed many kilometers in a matter of seconds.
A random portion of the forest below it saw its descent, and immediately it reached the ground huge cracks spread in the terrain.
A muffled curse exited the cloaked figure, revealing that it was a woman.
The forest around her trembled as she strode forward. Trees curved and moved backward as if bowing to her, the very earth shifted to allow that path possible.
More mutters left the black cloak but the lady soon pulled off her hood.
"These things need to be more flexible," her tone remained annoyed, and her accent and language were foreign to that of the Cusk Nation.
Long green hair, pale skin pointy ears. An elf.
She stopped at a particular spot on the opening path.
A wide circle containing strange symbols and words unfolded in her grey eyes. She stumped her foot when she reached its center and the circle lit up with a soft green light, after which she vanished.
The trees returned to their previous positions when her presence left the forest.
The elven lady regained awareness In an underground area lit with bright green and yellow lights.
She crossed the passage made out of smoothly carved earth to arrive at a wide area filled with busy individuals possessing the same foreign features as her.
Her presence brought about bowing heads as she clearly held a high position amongst them.
She nodded as she walked past them, to arrive on a staircase that led deeper into the ground.
The elf's name was Sheria, a high-level elf who stood as one of the top members of a secret elven faction that went against the wishes of the elven royal family itself.
They were one of the seven factions that were responsible for the bad relationship between the humans and the elves. The royal family themselves who stood as the representatives of the whole continent were not responsible for them.
Being an expert that had deviated from being a commander of the elven army, her power was well sought out.
She disappeared about two centuries before current events. Rumors about her death had been widespread and eventually were believed.
Sheria was about 5ft6 in height her features spoke of youthfulness but her power spoke of old age.
She would be considered a person within the fifth tier was she human. Which was the reason for her profound influence over the world around her.
Rumors had it that she had been responsible for the destruction of a significant portion of the elven continent. Even to this day, the remains of the land area was still healing. After over two centuries!
For one to understand how significant that feat was, one would need to know that the elven continent was titled Cregar's garden. The most significant of damages usually lasted a few years at most, none had lasted as long as a century, not to talk of two.
The event that led to that destruction had seen her reaching depths that most people never decided to go to when influencing the world around them.
With all her amazing feats stretching as far back as over half a thousand years prior she was now living amongst the shadows.
The mere thought made her clench her teeth. Lately, she had been wondering if her decision back then, faking her death had been a good idea. She had done it to keep her love after all.
Nevertheless, the goal her faction had been aiming for all this time was close. They were going to purge the world of the Human continent; Lidrath, and begin a new civilization, one ruled by the power of the seven factions.
They only needed a few more things before their plans would be complete, and one of them was the orb in her hand.
Capable of summoning an ancient monster that had been within the sixth tier. She had heard that the ruler of the Cusk nation had done it many Millenials ago, but with their presence now getting laxer many gears could take motion.
Truth be told the major threat was the ruler of Cusk. She had never seen them in action, but apparently, they had single-handledly forced all the powers of the other continents into a cease-fire.
The elven nation still bore injuries from the event. She was old enough to also know that all the other continents bore wounds millennia in age.
Sheria found it amazing that they had settled for a small region on the human continent. With that type of power, they could almost rule the world. The issue confused her.
It was public knowledge that Humans became more of themselves to become stronger, making each person unique and quite difficult to understand.
She herself not being very far from being a genuine powerhouse, found such existences hard to understand. Elf got stronger the more of the world they comprehended.
The higher their comprehension the stronger their spirit got which translated into generally more power.
Unlike humans, Elves don't have three vessels of power. Only one. Which was their spirit-being.
Elves however have one thing in common, which was cultivation. They spent long periods bathing in the mana of the world trying to gain more from Her. As their understanding grew, their spirit grew.
Naturally, they are only attuned to mana, and as they grew stronger they gained far more power. The more attuned an elf was to the world, the more elements they could utilize. This was different from their base affinity which was their control over plants.
Sheria herself was capable of manipulating all four of the basic elements but was known for her special affinity which was gained from her deep understanding of the world. Gravity.
The affinity spoke for itself. She could manipulate gravity and deal with gravity magic. She only utilized it however when necessary.
In battle, she was known for her great prowess as a spell caster rather than a weapons user. She remained skilled with the sword nonetheless.
Sheria strode down the dark stairways with an annoyed expression. Her heist had been successful but she had never expected that a whole group of the nation's cultivators would be present.
The plan had been to retrieve the orb from the bandit's group in exchange for a few things, just as they had agreed.
But when the man contacted her with the amulet she designated for emergencies, she had been forced to reveal her presence in the end.
Speculations would grow about a secret group. Trouble.
She could have helped wipe out the group but she'd seen the opportunity of gaining the orb for free. She needed them to do the job.
Even if her decision would most likely put the nation's security on edge. Their faction desired complete anonymity. Her actions might have gained the powerful orb for no cost to the faction, but might have caused other troubles.
She only had the saving grace that no one had seen her face.
She had considered wiping the group out but decided against it. She felt a tinge of regret.
Sheria reached her destination. The bottom of their temporary underground base.
They had many such places in different parts of the nation.
Another passageway unfolded in her gaze, illuminated by green lights, but she ignored them to cross it.
Tapping lightly on the large wooden door before her, she waited for a moment before pushing it open. A nicely decorated chamber unfolding in her eyes.
The door closed on its own and she walked forward to plant herself on one of the green couches. They had acquired some from the underground trades of the Cusk nation.
Those merchants would sell anything as long as they were offered the right price.
The chamber was filled with a few couches similar to that one, an official table and chair, and a door that led deeper into that place.
A minute after she arrived the brown door flung open to reveal a tall elven man. His features were almost divine. His presence felt pristine.
"What was the issue?" An androgynous voice unfolded from the individual's lips, he had a series of scrolls in his right arm. He was the real leader of that branch. Sheria was his partner. Both officially and emotionally.
Sheria furrowed her brows, repositioning herself on the couch.
"The human bandits were attacked and wiped out by a group. They seemed to have planned it," she stated. "I arrived there when too much damage had been done."
The man gasped in surprise, his blonde eyebrows creasing with worry. He placed the scrolls on the black table moving forward to a couch.
"I managed to retrieve the orb, however," she added and he stopped in his tracks, sending a surprised glance her way.
His eyes swirled with thoughts and his lips revealed them. "What about their attackers?"
"I let them go," She announced with a cold expression.
"I see. But you got the orb, and I hope you weren't seen," the elven man walked toward her, her eyes following his movement even if she still had a frown on.
"Yes to both," she muttered sitting up straight when his figure loomed over her.
"Then do not worry," he knelt before her leaning to take her lips in a kiss.
Their kiss lasted for a few seconds before she pulled away.
"Wouldn't it cause trouble in the future?" her voice was shaky from desire, she knew what was to happen soon, but wanted to get all her worries off her mind.
"We can just find who the groups were and silently eliminate them," the man dismissed her worries. He leaned in again, but she pulled back.
"Illius, they were over one hundred and had silver-clothed humans similar to what the guild council wore. Are they not very dangerous?" she asked.
"From your words, I believe none of them was at your level?" Sheria nodded at his question.
"Then we can look into what they were doing and decide from there. We can even send him if you're worried about your identity. He's a human like them and is looking to earn our trust," he explained and Sheria had no words to combat his.
He kissed her again, after which they drowned themselves in their sexual desires.