Chapter 98: Moving Through Eldoris

Nira had been in Eldoris for days after the first diplomatic meeting but had managed to see little of the city. She spent most of her time in the diplomatic building with the Darveim envoys discussing the borders, trade, travel and future relationship between their countries. It was Tanaka who found her wandering the streets outside the building that morning.

"You’ve been saying you want to see Eldoris," he remarked, "so come with me."

Nira smiled. "Finally." Sora was already waiting for them nearby. "I am coming along too." Tanaka gave him a surprised look. "You planned this?" "Of course."

Sora replied. Nira chuckled. "You act like his younger brother." Sora bounced proudly. "I have been told this before." Nira did not ask to see the sights of the capital. Tanaka led the way to the residential district, skimming many streets before coming to a halt in one of the newer quarters.

Nira slowed as she took in the sight before her. There were no grand palaces or towering castles. Most of the buildings were modest structures of wood and stone with small yards and connecting alleys. A Kobold was already repairing the roof of one house as two young Goblins carried timber from one building to the next. Children were darting up and down the street until one of the adults yelled for them to return.

A Moonhare was tending to several plants that grew along the side of her home. Nira looked around, taking it all in. "This is what I want to see." Tanaka gave her a surprised look. "You mean not the walls or the building?" Nira shook her head. "Not this," she said gesturing to the buildings, "this."

She looked around at the busy streets. "Real people." Tanaka smiled. Nira gasped as a small Goblin child came tumbling out of one of the houses nearby.

The child paused when he spotted Tanaka in the street. "Lord Tanaka!" The young Goblin hurried over to him. Tanaka crouched slightly. "What are you doing?" "My mother told me to help carry the food supplies."

"Then I suggest you do what your mother told you." The child nodded gravely before scampering back to his house. Nira watched him go with a fond smile. "You remember him?" "I remember a lot of people." "Tanaka, that’s impressive." Tanaka shrugged. "I live here." The sound of splashing grew louder in the distance.

Nira turned towards the noise and spotted the group of Moss Turtles gathered around a group of young slimes. One of the slimes was trying to float atop the water but kept spinning in place. The Moss Turtles moved through the water slowly before turning and demonstrating a new movement. The slimes imitated them, lurching forward before one of them managed to move ahead. Nira laughed as the slime bounced excitedly and spun in place. "Are they really learning how to swim?" Tanaka nodded.

"The Moss Turtles started teaching them."

Nira raised an eyebrow. "Why?" "Because the slimes wanted to learn."

Nira watched the slimes for a moment. "So they decided to teach them?" "Apparently so." She smiled. There were no battles or treaties or displays of power. A turtle was showing a slime how to turn in the water while the others tried to repeat the movements. Nira found the sight oddly reassuring. "This place is really something else." Tanaka looked over the edge of the pool. "It is." One of the slimes spotted Tanaka and leapt from the water, landing square on his head. Tanaka shut his eyes as Nira burst out laughing. "That one clearly remembers you." "I think it wants attention."

The slime bounced on his head. Sora looked at the creature before smirking.

"That is precisely what it wants." Tanaka gently lifted the slime off of him. "You are supposed to be learning." The slime bounced once. "I don’t think it understood you," Nira said. "I noticed." They left the pool and followed the road towards the outer parts of the dominion. As they walked, Nira asked Tanaka about the various species living there. The young man talked about how the Orcs gathered and stored food, how the kobolds handled transport from the mines, how the Goblins kept records and workshops, and how the Moonhares had integrated themselves into the daily life of the growing dominion.

Every few minutes someone stopped to report to Tanaka, or to simply greet him.

Children waved and merchants offered him a brief greeting. Tanaka managed to respond to most of them. Nira watched him quietly. "You don’t simply rule this place."

Tanaka glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"These people know you." Nira smiled. "They aren’t just greeting a king or a lord passing through. They know you." Tanaka considered her words. "I guess." "You guess?" Tanaka shrugged. "I never really thought about it before." Nira shook her head. "That’s like you Tanaka." Sora gave a small hop. "He is like that." Eventually, they came to the entrance of the dungeon.

Nira paused as she took in the sight. The great doors loomed over the road, guarded and reinforced. "This is much larger than I expected." "It goes deep," Tanaka replied.

"Have you explored it?" Tanaka gave her a pointed look. "You haven’t answered my question." "Just some of it." Nira smiled. "Still Tanaka." Tanaka shot her a confused look. "What does that mean?" "You keep becoming stronger and rising in power but there’s always something you need to take care of." Tanaka laughed. "That sounds about right." Sora suddenly bounced backwards. "I have to go." Tanaka turned towards him. "Where are you going?" "I have something to take care of in the central district."

Nira smiled. "Thank you for walking with me." Sora bounced proudly. "You are welcome." He turned and began walking back towards the dominion. Tanaka watched him go. "He probably just wanted to make sure you didn’t get lost." Nira smiled. "We were not going to get lost."

"I know." They turned back towards the dungeon when Nira heard a voice from nearby. "So this is where you brought your guest." Tanaka turned to see a young man standing next to the entrance to the dungeon. His appearance was unremarkable, save for the fact that he was human and there was no hint of the power within him. Nira sensed it almost at once. The man’s mana was colossal. She narrowed her eyes.

The man seemed to sense her gaze and smiled. "Interesting." Tanaka shot the man a surprised look. "What are you doing here?" Nira looked between the two men. "You know him?" Tanaka nodded. Malachiel gave Tanaka an amused look. "That was far too casual." Tanaka ignored him. Nira continued staring at the strange man. Malachiel noticed her aura. "You’re a Spirit Elf." Nira nodded. "I am." His grin widened. "I see."

There was something different in the way he was looking at her. Nira was growing curious. "You have an incredible amount of mana." Malachiel said nothing. Nira stepped closer. "Are you the True Dragon?"

Tanaka turned towards her. Malachiel’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he froze. "You ask direct questions." Nira did not back down. "That was not a no." Malachiel stared at her before bursting into laughter. "Tomorrow." Nira frowned. "What happens tomorrow?" "The last day of deliberations," Malachiel said as he glanced towards the diplomatic building, "everything that needs to be revealed will be." Nira turned towards Tanaka. Tanaka gave her a confused look. "Don’t look at me." She turned towards Malachiel. "You’re enjoying this." "Very much." Malachiel turned away from the entrance to the dungeon.

He looked between Nira and Tanaka with a grin. "Until then, have fun with your boyfriend." Nira’s face immediately flushed red. "What?" Tanaka stared daggers at him.

"She’s not my girlfriend." Malachiel laughed.

"I didn’t ask." Nira crossed her arms. "Tanaka is my friend." "Just a friend?" "Yes."

Tanaka nodded. "Very close friends." Nira shot him a sideways glance. "Very close." Malachiel’s grin only grew. "Then I suppose I misunderstood." "You most definitely did," Tanaka said. Malachiel laughed as he walked away. Nira watched him go before turning to Tanaka. "He’s annoying." "Very." "You didn’t have to say very close." Tanaka blinked. "But we are." Nira smiled. "We are."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

They stood and looked out over the capital of Eldoris. From this vantage point they could see the walls, the houses and shops that dotted the streets. Looking out over the people, the workshops and the busy streets, Nira knew that Tanaka was no longer the uncertain young man that she had first met. And somehow, the sight of him was still as comforting as it had ever been.

"Tanaka."

"Yes?"

"Whatever happens tomorrow, don’t let them make you forget what you built here."

Tanaka looked at her.

"I won’t."

Nira nodded.

"Good."

They turned back towards the diplomatic district. What the three nations would decide was uncertain. Days of deliberations were already spent and more would be needed for the final decision. Inside the city, a mystery involving a True Dragon awaited its revelation.