I Received System to Become Dragonborn-Chapter 987: The City

The Elf woman did not blink, her gaze flicking between the two Dragonborn as if she could peel away their flesh with her eyes and see what truly lay beneath that.

Her fingers were steady on the bowstring, the fletching of the arrow unmoving despite the rain that misted between them. She gives the vibe that she will be able to hit them right in their head if they moved.

Two more shadows shifted above, and the rest of her companions emerged. Both of them were male Elves, one with a spear of polished wood and steel, the other with a pair of long curved blades strapped across his back.

They moved with the silent grace of their kind, landing without a sound in the wet moss around the Dragonborn.

Eccar kept his expression neutral, his eyes flicking only once to Krono, who seemed completely relaxed.

They were both seated, their posture loose, every movement designed to whisper that they are no threat.

The woman spoke first, her voice edged with authority and suspicion. "You are far from where your kind usually tread, strangers. Stand."

Neither moved immediately. They rose only after a slow moment, letting the Elves believe they obeyed out of compliance rather than defiance.

One of the males circled behind them, checking for weapons. He found the short dagger at Eccar’s belt and took it without a word, then patted down Krono, whose only possession was the cooling cup set aside on the root.

The woman’s eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"

Krono met her gaze evenly. "Searching for someone to speak with. It seems we’ve found them."

That earned a faint scowl. She gestured sharply and the spear-wielding Elf stepped forward, producing thin cords woven from some silvery fiber.

They shimmered faintly. Those cords were enchanted, without doubt.

Eccar didn’t flinch as his wrists were bound. The cord tightened on its own, knotting with a strong pull.

Krono allowed the same without resistance, his expression unreadable save for the faint curve of amusement at the corner of his mouth.

The woman’s gaze lingered on that smile a moment too long before she stepped back.

"You will come with us. You will answer before our elders. Resist, and we will kill you immediately."

Eccar inclined his head in a show of acknowledgment, though his eyes briefly caught Krono’s look. That was the unspoken signal that they were exactly where they needed to be.

The two male Elves took flanking positions, while the woman took point.

Without another word, the small escort led them deeper into the endless forest, where the canopy grew even darker and the path underfoot became something only the Elves seemed able to see.

The march began in silence and broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the muted thud of boots on moss.

The rain had become a steady hiss above and seemed more distant here, swallowed by the dense canopy that let through only thin threads of silver light.

The path—or what looks like a path for Eccar and Krono—wound sharply between ancient trunks that were each wider than a cottage, their roots coiling over the ground.

The Elves moved with unerring precision, stepping in patterns that seemed meaningless at first. They turn left around a fallen log, three paces along a slick branch, then slipping through a narrow gap in the undergrowth.

To Eccar and Krono, the way seems to twist in upon itself, doubling back without any logic. The forest looks like it was folding like a labyrinth. There were moments Eccar could swear they had walked in a circle because he saw the same thing again. But the scents on the damp air and the subtle change in the earth beneath his boots told him they were always moving forward.

This was no simple road. It was a living maze that only the Elves could read.

After what felt like hours the forest began to change. The air grew warmer, fragrant with wildflowers and something faintly sweet.

A soft golden light began to filter down. It was not sunlight but a glow that shimmered along the bark of the trees themselves.

Then the trunks began to rise higher and higher, their massive branches weaving together like colossal arches overhead.

And there, emerging from the living cathedral of wood, the city revealed itself.

There were hundreds of structures built into and among the trees. Their walls formed from polished wood and living vines. Their roofs arched with leaves that swayed as if breathing.

Rope bridges and carved walkways laced between the trunks high above, some vanishing into the haze where the canopy thickened beyond sight.

Towering spires of intertwined branches reached toward the high sky above, their tips crowned with crystal lanterns that shone like starlight.

The sound of flowing water mingled with the faint music of chimes stirred by the wind.

Elves moved gracefully along the bridges, their garments woven in shades that matched the forest like in greens, golds, and deep russet browns. Blending them into their home as if they were another living part of it.

And yet, even with all this wonder spread before them, Eccar could tell this was only a glimpse. The city was vast, sprawling far beyond what his eyes could follow.

There were a lot of sections hidden behind the colossal trunks or shrouded in the mists higher in the canopy. Some structures floated like platforms suspended on invisible threads and the others tunneled deep into the heartwood of the trees themselves.

It was not merely a settlement. It was a kingdom in the branches, a place grown from the forest rather than built upon it.

The Elves kept moving, their pace steady, guiding the two Dragonborn along a spiraling ascent toward the heart of the city, where the glow grew brightest.

About a minute later they found themselves standing in front of a large castle that was built in woods and stone. Every wall of the castle was shimmering as if enchanted by Magic.

Eccar and Krono know this is the place where they will meet the Elves’ ruler.

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