"What...?" he muttered, looking at the frozen faces of the men around him. The air in the clearing turned dense and heavy. The four furious men, who just a moment ago wanted to spill blood, stood still like statues. Even Elian gripped his spear with white knuckles, his face drained of color. He did not understand the situation at all. He glanced back and forth between the cloaked stranger, the terrified men, and the beautiful girl on the ground. The campfire flickered, casting long, eerie shadows across the Ironwood trees, yet no one dared to make a sound. "Elian!" he yelled, breaking the suffocating silence. He pointed his heavy gauntlet at the girl. "Who is the person in front of us?" Elian swallowed hard, a loud gulp echoing in the quiet mist. "Right, of course you would not know this person since you are not from here..." Elian stammered, his eyes never leaving the girl. "But this girl in front of us... she is a genuine monster." He felt a chill crawl up his spine. His grip on

They pushed through the damp undergrowth for what felt like hours. Every step dragged heavier than the last. The thick fog of the Ironwood Forest offered no comfort, only a freezing chill that bit into their skin. Neither of them spoke a single word. The silence stretching between them carried the heavy weight of the massacre they had just witnessed. Eventually, the endless rows of ironwood trees broke, revealing a massive, overturned tree root. The hollow space beneath the jagged wood provided a natural, hidden cave. It was secluded enough to block the biting wind and obscure them from the main path. He gestured toward the hollow. Elian gave an exhausted nod. They crawled into the dark space and collapsed against the damp dirt walls. They did not light a campfire. The risk of drawing attention in this cursed forest was too high. They just sat in the dim gray light, catching their breath. He leaned his head back against the cold earth and closed his eyes. But closing his eyes offe

Elian gripped the wooden shaft of his spear. The rough bark bit into his palms. He stared at the thick fog, his eyes straining to catch any unnatural movement in the white void. The biting cold of the Ironwood Forest seeped through his torn leather armor, making his muscles ache. He knew the Mist-Stalkers were out there, circling him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He kept his breathing shallow. He prepared his stance for the next assault, knowing a single mistake meant his throat would be torn open. A shadow shifted on his left side. The attack came, but it carried a different rhythm from the previous phantom strikes. The Mist-Stalker broke through the heavy mist. It did not test his guard or retreat. The gaunt creature charged with its maximum speed, tearing up the damp soil beneath its clawed feet. Elian narrowed his eyes. He noticed a dark, malicious energy coating the tips of the monster's razor-sharp bone claws. The black aura trailed behind the beast like thick smo

It was a staggering reality for both of them. They stood frozen, staring at the ground in front of them. A body rested in the damp dirt, leaning against the massive ironwood root. Dark crimson blood soaked the soil around the figure. Deep cuts and jagged lacerations ruined the torn leather armor. From the lean physique and the curve of the jawline, Daniel recognized it was a female. But the detail that locked his muscles and froze his mind had nothing to do with her gender or her brutal injuries. It was her ears. Long, sharp, and distinctly pointed ears protruded through the matted strands of her dirt-stained blonde hair. Based on their vision, there was zero room for debate. They both knew exactly what race this bleeding figure belonged to. "... elf?" Elian whispered. His voice carried a tone of absolute disbelief. For Daniel, the sight shattered his understanding of reality all over again. If he managed to return to Earth

Sunlight glared against polished stone. Wooden dummies stood in a rigid row across the training field. Deep scars covered their surfaces from past sessions. A young elf stared at the target in front of her. Two figures sharing her exact features stood beside her. They possessed blonde hair, sharp jawlines, and bright emerald eyes. Her brothers carried themselves with an arrogant grace she could never replicate.Heavy footsteps echoed across the courtyard. A tall man wearing golden armor stopped a few paces away. His voice cut through the quiet air with absolute authority."Try your best to hit that dummy over there with a water slash," the man ordered. His tone lacked all warmth. "Cut the dummy in half."All three children shifted their weight and prepared their stances.Her eldest brother moved first on her right side. He gathered moisture from the air in a heartbeat. A sharp flick of his wrist sent a concentrated arc of water hurtling forward. It hit the dummy dead center. Wood spli