Chapter 27: The Ancient Caves of Agora (1)

It only took them a couple of hours to reach their destination, during which the queen explained everything as promised. "Alright, I want to enlighten you two regarding our history and uncover the reason for our trip. You see, the hatred between the werewolves and the vampires started with a love story. I believe Damien told it to you when you visited the Flower Temple, didn't he?"

"Yes, it started with King Bane and Queen Calanthe," Eliana answered.

"Correct, their love made the country prosper. Back then, we used to be nomads traveling the dunes of the desert, being one with nature. We could suddenly trade with all neighboring countries, including Paxos, through the trading network Bane and Calanthe created. Although the relationship between the species had always been complicated, there was no hatred, and the rulers understood the advantage of living in peace with each other." Queen Clara kept looking at the horizon playing the story in her head. "When Calanthe was killed by her brother, Bane's heart grew dark, and his war of many hundred years destroyed all they had built together. That is when the real hate between our nations began."

"But I thought it was just a tale and not a real story," Eliana asked, confused.

Nodding at Eliana's question, Clara continued her story. "It happened so long ago that nobody knows which part of the story is the truth and which is merely fiction. Nevertheless, we consider it our history because there are records of their marriage and their time as rulers. - Anyways, after the long war, Bane finally found peace when he discovered the calanthe in the middle of the desert, right where the Flower Temple is situated today. It is said that Calanthe had sent him that flower from the afterlife as a sign that there is hope even in the darkest times – just like a delicate flower can grow under the harshest conditions. Subsequently to building the temple, he founded Lothaire, which is why we settled down and are no nomads anymore. It took him a long while to mend his mistakes, but he reestablished Agora's glory until one of Paxon's assassins killed him."

"Who ruled after Bane?" This time it was Georgina who asked a question.

"Well, he had four children with Calanthe, two boys and two girls. One of his sons, Adonis, was able to take over his father's reign after he was killed."

"But he didn't revenge his father's death?" Eliana couldn't hide her curiosity.

"No, he didn't after experiencing firsthand that it was not worth it. Instead, he strategized to become as powerful as Paxos so they could never dream of attacking us again. When he saw that Paxos had created a great fleet of ships to conquer lands afar, he realized that he had to do the same to stay competitive with them and invested all the country's earnings in building ships. At first, the people didn't welcome his idea, but with time they discerned that the money he took from the taxes essentially went back to the people through the salaries he paid to the builders. Because the builders had more to spend with their additional earnings, they spent it on goods produced in Agora. So again, it would be reinvested in businesses within the country, which then, in return, were able to pay the taxes that were given out as salaries to the builders, creating a steady flow of finances within Agora - Genius, really. His strategy was the strong foundation of our healthy economy to this day, but it has become a little more complex since we also have a financial flow through all our colonized countries." Clara smiled proudly, appearing as if she appreciated her clever ancestors.

"That is very impressive. Thus, he is also the reason why you have so many colonized places and can trade with those countries, integrating diversity and creating space for new inventions to stay current. Probably Paxos' underestimating you is due to you initially being nomads and them still believing you live like that." Drawing a conclusion, Eliana shared her statement.

"Indeed, I would deduce the same assumption. - Astonishing how quickly you catch up, Eliana." The first compliment given by the queen made Eliana flustered.

"You flatter me, my queen," Eliana said shily.

"Hmm, I think we should drop these formalities. Please call me Clara when we are alone. You too, Georgina." Both girls were flabbergasted. When did she change her attitude? Whatever convinced her to improve her opinion of them, they wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste and immediately accepted the queen's friendliness.

"Thank you, Clara." Georgina's smile went from ear to ear. "I have one more question. What happened to his other children? You said he had four."

"Oh yes, well, his second son Apollo ruled with his brother like Damien, and Simon will do one day. One of his daughters married one of Paxos' princes when Calanthe was still alive. The plan was to strengthen their relationship with this marriage. Unfortunately, following Calanthe's death, the initiation of the war by Bane weakened her position in Paxos, and after many embarrassments and disloyalties, she killed herself. And finally, there are no records of what happened to his last child and second daughter. Historians believe that she must have married out of love and probably with a lower-ranked male, which was why there is no further mention of her."

"But didn't it matter that they were mixed race? I mean, they were half werewolf and half vampire, were they not? That mixture doesn't exist anymore." Georgina couldn't stop thinking about those children who, in the beginning, didn't seem to have any relevance in the story.

"No, it didn't matter. The people accepted them as they were. They didn't look or behave differently; the only difference was their extraordinary abilities because of that mixture. But the explanation of why we don't have that many interracial people anymore is that vampires and werewolves have mates, which usually happen to be within the same race leaving only the enchanters, shapeshifters, and humans, where there are many more cases of mixed children but since their supernatural abilities lessened by mixing with humans they prefer not to do so."

"I see." Georgina understood the reasoning but thought it unfair for humans to be considered the least worthy race. It wasn't her fault that she was born this way, and she didn't want to be categorized simply by some circumstance. Abruptly she felt this urge to achieve great things in her life to prove everyone wrong, starting with climbing up the ladder in the military.

Next to Georgina, who was planning her career, Eliana was digesting the newly acquired information. Her relationship with Damien was terrific as it was, but secretly and subconsciously, she was hoping for more. Although she never allowed herself to think so far, it struck her that if interracial mates were so rare, it wouldn't be possible for her and Damien… She blocked herself from finishing that sentence and focused back on the conversation.

"Clara, what did you mean by shapeshifters? I have never heard of that species."

"Oh yes, of course, it slipped my mind that you might have never crossed paths with those beings. Shapeshifters are a mutation from interracial children of witches. They can shift into an animal, making them excellent spies. Nobody knows their heritage, but they have been around for a long time, and few are left. Similar to what had befallen the witches, the Paxon Royals hunted them down and abused them for their powers."

How was it possible that the Paxon Royals ruled ruthlessly without any consequences? It annoyed Eliana because she knew not all vampires were terrible, and Paxos had great potential. Her thought process was interrupted by the queen. "We have arrived."

The girls had been too engrossed in the conversation to realize they had reached the spot where the ocean met the desert. A breathtaking scenery unfolded before their eyes. As they journeyed closer to the coastline, the rhythmic swaying of the camels' gait synchronized with the gentle ebb and flow of the nearby turquoise waters.

The golden sand dunes of the desert gradually gave way to rocky cliffs adorned with vibrant hues. The ridges stood tall and majestic, their rugged surfaces carved by the relentless force of wind and water over the ages. Here and there, patches of greenery clung tenaciously to the rocky crevices, contrasting against the arid landscape.

At the cliff's edge, the queen gave them a sign to stop and dismount their camels. Gazing in awe at the panoramic view, azure and emerald expanse stretching as far as the eye can see, merging seamlessly with the horizon, the girls had no words for what they saw.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The queen asked without expecting an answer. The girls were still struggling to grasp the scene before them. It was their first time seeing the ocean, and they had never imagined it so magical.

"We made it just in time. Traveling through the desert during midday can be troublesome because of the heat. Now gather your things. We will leave behind the animals and climb down the cliff." The girl's head snapped toward Clara, shocked about her instructions.