The Academy For The Aces: BOOK 1 OF THE ACE SERIES

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

"Faith, Romeo, meet Korren Elywnn, Duke of Elves."

"Nice to meet you, my Lord," Faith said with a curt bow.

"The honor is mine," Korren responded graciously.

"What are you doing out here?" Andrew questioned.

"I felt an immense amount of power here, I thought it may be an intruder. But I should've known it was the Prince of Beasts himself," Korren grinned. Then he continued, "What are you doing here? It's been about four years? You've also brought friends?" Korren questioned.

"I think I may need your help, Korren. We need to find Merlin," Andrew said with urgency.

Korren chuckled and replied, "You mean that crazy wizard?"

Romeo interjected, "That crazy wizard is my uncle."

Korren quickly apologized, "Apologies, I didn't mean to offend. However, from what I've heard, Merlin is quite eccentric... he speaks almost in gibberish."

Romeo raised an eyebrow, puzzled, and said, "How is that even possible?"

Korren smirked and explained, "I'll take you to see him, but only if you're willing to venture into Fallen Willows Forest."

"Fallen Willows? Why would Merlin reside there of all places?" Andrew asked, clearly intrigued.

Korren's response held a hint of mystery, "No one knows."

Faith chimed in with curiosity, "What's in Fallen Willows?"

Korren's expression turned solemn, "The worst creatures of Arden; pixies, giants, wendigos."

Romeo chuckled and replied, "I'm sorry, but did you just say pixies? If that's the worst creatures, I think we'll be fine."

Korren looked at Romeo with a lifted brow, and Andrew scoffed, his gaze also shifting to Romeo, who was still laughing.

Andrew then said, "They range from tricksters to murderers. I don't think you should underestimate them, Romeo." Romeo's laughter ceased abruptly, and Korren let out a small chuckle at the now apprehensive look on Romeo's face.

Korren added with a hint of reassurance, "Don't forget about the wendigos, those skilled beings are quite the nuisance. Always looking for their next lunch. But don't worry, we'll be fine."

Romeo then said, "Okay, I think I'll return to the others back at the academy."

Andrew responded, "Oh come on, Romeo. You'll be fine. Lead the way, Korren."

They followed Korren through the forest, encountering different landscapes and creatures that seemed almost mythical or unreal – giant butterflies and even unicorns.

Korren announced, stopping in his tracks. "Here we are, we'll take the Bridge to Hemlean, my kingdom, and from there we can get to Fallen Willows."

The bridge was made of shimmering, translucent crystal and stretched across a misty, otherworldly lake. Surrounding them were towering trees with leaves that glowed as if made of moonlight.

Before they could resume their journey, loud and heavy footsteps echoed behind them, like thunderous drumbeats, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Andrew breathed out, "Ogres," his head snapping in the direction of the approaching noise.

Korren sighed, "Oh, not these imbeciles," as a tribe of ogres came practically galloping towards them. Sinister smiles played on their faces, their gigantic bellies moved in coordination with their long beards swaying like boats on choppy waters. They came to a halt in front of the group, using their feet as brakes.

"I know I smelled a Prince," one of them sneered, "I wonder what your dear old granddaddy would do if he finds out you're here," they chuckled. Korren made a move forward, but Andrew extended his hand, stopping him from acting rashly.

"Leave us, beasts," Andrew commanded.

"Your command does not affect us, Princey," another one taunted, "Oh lookie here, boys, Princey brought a pretty lady, I could almost feel her crushed neck between my palms," he chuckled.

Faith stood her ground, unshaken by their words. Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them, and Andrew's true form began to reveal itself.

"Who told you that was a command?" Andrew sneered. "ON YOUR KNEES, BEASTS!" he commanded, the ground beneath him quaking, causing each ogre to involuntarily fall to their knees, fear brimming in their eyes.

"Y-y-your majesty," they stuttered.

"THAT WAS A COMMAND!" he thundered, his fingers curling, and they clutched their throats in pain.

Then, amidst wheezes, they managed to choke out, "Yo..ur...Maj...esty..."

"Leave, or you'll wish you never saw my face," he seethed, a dangerous edge in his voice, "and don't even think about telling my Grandfather about this," he threatened, a visible smirk now gracing his face.

A sudden, jaw-jarring snap reverberated through the air, making Faith jolt in surprise. For a moment, it seemed like one ogre's neck was about to be snapped, and the sound was enough to send shivers down her spine. The ogre fell lifelessly to the ground, its mouth agape and eyes rolling to the back of its head. Andrew's hand fell to his side. The terrified ogres began prostrating themselves on the ground, begging for mercy.

"Please, Your Highness! Spare us!" One of them pleaded.

"Leave," Andrew simply stated, and they all scurried off into the distance, dragging the lifeless body with them.

"Did you have to kill it, Andrew?" Korren exasperatedly asked.

Andrew turned around, his earlier confidence dissipating into a mixture of distress and turmoil. He ran his hand through his disheveled hair, giving Faith and Romeo a fleeting glance that held no trace of emotion. Both Faith and Romeo were still in shock from his display of raw power.

"Sorry about that, Korren. Can we get going now?" Andrew's voice held a tinge of detachment as he spoke, quickly regaining his composure. Korren nodded, and they followed him once again.

With each step, the crystal bridge beneath their feet shimmered and sparkled in the light, casting a mesmerizing rainbow of colors across the translucent lake below. Their journey came to an abrupt halt at the center of the bridge. Korren produced a key in the shape of an infinity symbol.

That symbol, the same one engraved on Andrew's ring. Suddenly, an iridescent force field materialized before Korren, revealing a keyhole less than a centimeter away from where he held the key.

Pushing the key into the keyhole, Korren turned it anti-clockwise. The bridge ahead of them began to gradually fade away. Both Andrew and Korren seemed utterly unfazed by this extraordinary phenomenon. The forest that had surrounded them was no more; instead, they now found themselves in the heart of an elven city.

This city was a testament to celestial beauty, where magnolia trees and meticulously crafted buildings coexisted in perfect harmony. The streets were lined with ethereal, glowing lanterns, and the air was imbued with the whispers of the wind. Magic and art seemed to dance in the air, as enchanting gardens and fountains responded to the elves' very aura. The inhabitants of the city moved with grace and elegance, their pointed ears a testament to their affinity for nature.

Korren's grin widened, and he announced, "Welcome to my kingdom."