Advent of the Archmage

As Link was on his way to the Magician's Fair in Hot Springs City, another black carriage was similarly, heading down King's Lane to take part in the symbolic festival. If anyone were to peek inside the carriage, they would certainly be horrified to see two Dark Elves sitting leisurely inside.

One of the was Felidia, while the other was an old friend of his who stayed at the Cliff of Howling Winds. If Link were to see this elf, he would definitely be able to recognize him through the scar that ran across his left eye.

His name was Ainos, a genius Dark Elf Assassin. He was only a few years older than Felidia but had already attained the power of a Level-4 Assassin. He could probably achieve a breakthrough a reach Level-5 in half a years' time.

"Feli (Felidia's nickname), our activities in the Girvent Forest are already extremely dangerous—to attend a crowded festival in Hot Springs City right after that is close to suicide!" Ainos had a worried expression on his face. In fact, he had been close to breaking down ever since he heard of Felidia's plan. 　　

Felidia was casually dressed and not in his usual black robe. He had tied his natural curls into a ponytail which revealed his devilishly charming face he kept hidden all the time.

If one were to ignore the dark red eyes and the gloomy pale complexion, Felidia was definitely handsome even by human standards.　

Felidia was carefully putting a thin layer of foundation on his skin. When the foundation made contact with his skin, the pale complexion turned into one that was healthy and rosy. He was thorough and made sure to leave no areas untouched, dabbing his neck, hairline and even the back of his ears compulsively.　　

He then passed the paint to Ainos before casting a water mirror spell to check if he left out any areas.　　　　

"The Norton Kingdom's Magician's Fair is a major affair and attracts a huge crowd. No one would cause a ruckus or even take much notice of us. Furthermore, a Magician can find all the magic materials he needs in one place—how can I possibly give up on this chance?" After making sure that his foundation was perfectly put on, Felidia then took out two thin circular black crystal pieces and placed them in his eyes. After a few blinks, his pupils had turned black.　

After a detailed make-up session, Felidia had transformed into a young man with black pupils and curly brown hair. Ainos also completed his disguise hastily, opting for the brown eyes and golden locks instead.

"I will say this beforehand. If we are exposed, I will be the first one out of Hot Springs City. Don't even expect me to save you." Ainos was still dissatisfied.

Felidia looked at him with puppy eyes and sulked, "You are really going to leave me behind?"　　

"Get out!" Ainos fanned his hands in disgust. 　　

Felidia laughed before speaking in a serious tone, "Actually, we are not here only to purchase magic materials. We have an important mission to accomplish."

Ainos expression went solemn as well. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

"I just received the news. This mission is a secret mission directly from the queen. There has been news that a young high elf of important stature is also going to attend the festival. Our mission is to kill him. Alina is also going to join us this time."　　

Ainos eyes widened upon hearing Alina's name, "This young high elf is that important?"　

Alina

29 years old

Level-5 Swordswoman

Weapon: Sword of Shattered Stars

Alias: Constellations Assassin

(Note: She is the youngest genius swordswoman the Pralync Kingdom has seen in centuries!

Ainos, Felidia and her were considered to be the three musketeers of the Silver Moon Alliance. Among the three of them, Alina was undoubtedly the strongest.

She came from a prominent background. Her father was the patriarch of the Norigan family, one of the three largest families in the Silver Moon Alliance. She was also a core member of the Kingdom Warrior Academy, holding the achievement of killing a pure-blooded black dragon by herself. Her talent coupled with her flawless beauty and cold demeanor had given her the accolade of "Dream Goddess".

Ainos was also slightly attracted to Alina. However, the stark difference in their status was too glaring. He hence kept this fantasy in the deepest part of his heart.

To think that the kingdom would send Alina for this mission—it seemed like the mission was of great importance.　　

Felidia smiled, "His name is Phillip, 15 years old, the youngest and most cherished son of the elf queen. What do you think will happen if he is met with misfortune in Hot Springs City?" Felidia looked exceptionally handsome in his human disguise, especially when he smiled.　

Ainos eyes lit up. "The queen would definitely be heartbroken. If the prince of the high elves died in Hot Springs City, there is no way the Norton Kingdom could give an acceptable explanation. Even if the high elf queen let the incident slide, this would worsen the already shaky relationship between humans and the high elves. There would then be no chance of an alliance between the two races. However, this has to be handled very carefully. It is easy to get ourselves in trouble."　　　

"Naturally," Felidia laughed, "We will not be the one taking any action. We will merely be working behind the scenes and watch as the human race turns against themselves in an internal conflict. If Phillip is still alive after the chaos, we merely have to deliver the finishing blow."

...　

Despite the Dark Elves' plan running ever so quietly, it did not escape the eyes of the Nordic Kingdom's resourceful and observant military.

The southernmost military zone of Hot Springs City

...

A courtyard was barricaded by tall walls and a sturdy gate; the buildings in the courtyard were all made from a sturdy mineral called bluestone. There were sentry posts erected at every key location and even prowlers circling the courtyard in shifts. The whole place simply looked like a military fortress. 　

The parliament hall on the second floor.

...　

Ten middle-aged men clad in exquisite cyan leather armor and a dagger on their waist were seated in a circle around a long table. They had a majestic lion crest pinned onto their neat uniforms.　

They looked serious with a calm temperament. The Battle Aura emanating from their bodies was concentrated and deep—they were all masters.

There were a number of documents on the table. One of them pulled out a specific file and said, "The recent pursuit of the Dark Elves has been a success. We have basically eliminated all the Dark Elves in the kingdom. However, there have been traces of Dark Elven magic in the Girvent Forest recently."　　

He then passed the document to the man seated at the front of the long table, presumably the leader. The leader seemed to be covered with a faint grey aura, masking his facial features. While his armor was also cyan in color, the design and the Battle Aura emanating from him was clearly different from the rest. He also wore a gold cloak to differentiate himself from the rest.　　

"Duke sir, the recent happenings in Girvent Forest have been recorded in detail in this document. Please take a look."

The person who was honored as Duke picked up the document and started reading. After five minutes, he gently put down the file and asked, "I am interested in this young Magician called Link. To think that he could defeat the Necromancer who was hiding in his Mage Tower. I am curious as to how he did it."

The man who handed him the file previously seemed to have expected this statement and immediately handed over another one.

"We have already done in-depth research into this young man's background. You can view them in this document."　

The duke took the file and read with interest. It contained a lot more information than before and it took him a good ten minutes before he was done.　

"The youngest son of Hamilton. First appeared at the Lower Magic Academy of Flemmings. Defeated Lund with a Flame Blast spell and… is regarded by the Light Maiden as the Chosen One?" The Duke looked at the document with a dubious expression.

"Areve, is this true?" He looked at the middle-aged man beside him. This person was the duke's most trusted aide.　　

Areve shrugged his shoulders, "There is no reason not to believe it. Even if he is not the Chosen One, it is clear that he is a talented Magician. If the Light Maiden favors him this much, he should not be our enemy."

Herrera was referred to as the Light Maiden in the hexagon military bureau. This was due to her outstanding talent in the area of light elemental magic.　　

"Well, then." The Duke smiled and tapped his finger on the table. He thought for a few minutes and said, "The Dark Elves must be planning something if traces of their magic were discovered in the Girvent Forest. I believe it is a matter of great importance. Their actions have also become more frequent recently. If my predictions are not wrong, it should be related to Prince Phillip. We have to watch him carefully and make sure he is safe."　　

Prince Phillip was way too important. In times of a war, in the shadows against the Dark Elves like this, they definitely had to strengthen protection; the hexagon military bureau would not be enough.　　

The Duke thought for a moment before telling his aide, "I have some matters to talk to Olaf (Commander of the Royal Forest Guards) about. Areve, you take charge."

The Hexagon Military Bureau was made up of Assassins. They were adept at setting up sneak attacks, but lacked direct combat abilities. If they wished to ensure Prince Phillip's safety, they would require the help of powerful Warriors. The Royal Forest Guards fit this role perfectly.