The Dream Weaver

The Departure

When Morning came, they were all ready for the departure. All of them had already packed all the necessary stuff needed for the stay in the castle. They weren't entirely sure how many days they may have to stay in the castle as the meeting was called as an emergency one. If it was as scheduled then the meeting usually last for four or five days.

First day was for rest, as the leaders of the kingdoms may experience nausea from using the teleportation portal. The second day was used as the actual meeting day. If the content of the meeting was not finished during the second day, then the third day was also used for the meeting. Which only happened very few times. The day after that was for pleasantry exchanges and casual talks among the kings and the entourage. Sometimes a small party is arranged if anything particularly good happened which benefits the alliance. And the last day was the departure day.

The entire crew was present in the portal room. Several guards were stationed outside the room. Inside the room, there wasn't anything much apart from the many large monitors on the left side of the room. There were rune carvings on the walls. Several small lights hung on the ceiling to illuminate the room. A handful of mages were working on the monitor and some were checking on the portal, which was placed on the middle of the room.

The portal was huge, very huge. Though there where portals on the cities, which is used for traveling across other major cities, this by far out shadows every single one of them. The portal occupied one fourth of the room. It had huge frames made with the wood from the world tree. Or they say. A purple translucent screen filled its insides.

Daemon was in awe after seeing the majestic portal. He already knew about the portal on the palace. This special portal not only allows for traveling between cities but also to the other kingdoms and continents too. And of course, the other side must give permission for the portal to connect with them or else the portal wont work. The Five Major families also had a small portal on their castles. But they don't use it for visiting the royal palace as it is perceived as disrespect to the King.

On the room the crew was ready for the departure whenever the king give permission. The Reinhearts, Dragonborns along with their trusted retainers where ready. Though Marakin looked grumpy he didn't pester or irritate Daemon. The king was instructing some mages. Daemon hadn't seen any of the royal family. It was only the king and the crown prince. He thought they may have already said the necessary farewells beforehand. The two advisors were also there. Daemon particularly knew about one of the advisors. Herald Wilbur. The old man was said to be the oldest and the most powerful person in the entire Astrode kingdom. Not only that he was highly respected by all the other kingdoms too. He is the current Headmaster of Laeden academy. So naturally he too knows about Daemon. He was the one who convinced Duke Reinheart for admitting Daemon on the academy at the age of 10. Wilbur was convinced and amused by the knowledge and power shown by the young Daemon. It truly fascinated him that a 10-year-old kid had more knowledge than a 13- or 14-year-old academy students. Daemon had briefly conversed with the old man before getting admitted to the academy and he distinctively remembers, he hadn't seen the old man after entering the academy.

That same old man was standing across him and smiling at him. He looks tired. He thought. Daemon returned the smile. He knows somewhere along the meeting Wilbur will approach him for some small talks. Honestly, he doesn't know what to speak to the old man. Its not like he have any convincing remarks for his drop out from the academy, neither he has any reason to convince the Oldman too.

After instructing the mages of the necessary things for the departure, King Conrad motioned others to come. Though he was going for a week (he hopes) he wasn't worried about the kingdom being in shambles in his absence. He knows his Queen is very capable of managing the kingdom better than anyone. Certainly not better than him of course, but better than anyone else. Not to mention this have also happened many times in the past. At that time too nothing happened on his absence. He was certainly fine with the arrangement. There are also his children on the picture to help their mother in anyway. Though he hasn't high hopes for his second and third, the youngest one is both truly genius and intellect, a trait passed from her mother. His oldest was also very talented. He wants to pass down his crown to his oldest son pretty-soon, since the Braharis might attack soon.

Greedy bastards. He thought.

He isn't powerful or have intellect like his children. He was weak and dump, he knows it too. He was grateful to the Braharis for one thing, not planning any attack while his reign. The kingdom could have been destroyed if anything like that would have happened. But he now has confidence. Confidence from his two trusted advisors. One of them is one of the most powerful being in the entire world. Well, he wasn't sure about the whole world but, was sure he is one among the whole continent. He has seen it. In the eyes of the alliance. They were beaming with reverence and respect. If it was not for his son and the advisors, then the alliance wouldn't had given the 'kingdom of Astrode' a chance. They all was greedy bastards. Especially the elf king. He thought. With his power and intellect coupled with grace and beauty he was a sore sight for King Conrad.

He always looks down on me. He thought. Though he hated the tree bastards he wasn't foolish enough to show it on the surface as he knows it will jeopardise his kingdoms standing in the alliance. Worse his own people may try to murder and replace him. So, to avoid all of this he just plays the act of nice king who gets along with his subjects.

The others arrived beside the king. Calling them means the King was ready for the departure. The King nodded to one of the mages who was standing beside the monitors. He immediately pressed a button on the controller. Upon pressing the button, the portal started to vibrate and the mana inside the portal which formed the translucent 'insides' started to shimmer and vibrate like the whole mana was coming to life. The translucent purple colour beamed with life.

Long distance teleportation requires enormous amount of mana and time to work. Headmaster Wilbur was the one who injected mana to the portal. Among the ones in the palace right now, he has the highest amount of mana capacity. So naturally he took the job to inject mana to the portal. Though the expended mana wasn't much to the old wizard, his old body was uncomfortable with it.

I must be getting too old. Thought the old wizard.

Without farewells they entered the portal.

*****

CASTLE MOONDUST, AZURE ISLET

The first thing Daemon saw after coming through the portal was some people who is by far the most beautiful, he has seen in his entire life. He knew the elves were very beautiful, but the people in front him was not one of the elves. They were from the 'Pegasus' clan. The Pegasus were the guardian of this Azure Islet. They guard over the castle and the islets. He knows all about them. Reiner has talked about them multiple times after his return from the High Council Meetings. He had made his brother speak about them and the entire islet many times. So, he knew they were beautiful but he never thought they would be this beautiful.

Standing before him were three members of the clan. In human form, like other magical species does. These creatures chose to polymorph as bipeds, as it is easier to converse in a meeting like this. He had also heard about other species polymorph into elves as well as dwarves also. This kind of spell was easy to cast and only expends too little mana but they can only polymorph into one form for their entire lifetime. As the bipedal form cannot contain all the power from their original form, they will change all the power to their bipedal form thus creating internal organs same as their original bipedal counterparts. So, when basically these creatures are on bipedal mode, they are literally another human, elves or dwarves. But just because they have the same internal organs or looks that doesn't mean they are on the same power level. They are extremely formidable on any form.

Two on the side seems like they are the middle one's maid. They all wore exceptionally regal dresses. the middle one has sky blue hair and the same eye colour. The other two had a little darker blue than the middle one and the same eye colour. He remembered that, the more the blue becomes lighter, the more they are related to the Pegasus lord. So, the middle one was of the royal family. The other two where beautiful too but they were outshined by the middle one.

The middle one smiled and spoke.

"Welcome to the Azure islet."