Bound and gagged, a group of children huddled together, their eyes wide with fear. Nearby lay several men, clearly overcome by some unseen force.
The children's gaze was fixed intently on something, or someone. Following their line of sight, she expected to find the culprit. But she found... emptiness.
However, she felt a presence behind her which made her spin a full one eighty degrees. As her sword was about to hit the target, it was stopped by her in mid-air as she found herself face-to-face with the last person she expected.
It was Theo.
Calm and composed, he looked entirely out of place amidst the chaos. Before she could interrogate him, he spoke, “It's finished here. Tell Limen to escort the children home. We need to chase after their ringleader, Neria is probably with him.”
She blinked, processing his words, still reeling from the shock of the scene inside.
As if understanding her dilemma, he added, “And don’t worry, those men will wake up once the sleeping gas wears off.”
That revelation only caused her to have more questions. There were no traces of sleeping gas and how did a mana-less boy manage to subdue these experienced criminals when ordinary sleeping gas wouldn’t work on them since they had mana.
Aerin realized that she had gravely underestimated this man. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her bearings. Her heart swelled with emotions as she was relieved at finding the children, and fury for their kidnappers. Aerin wanted to immediately free them, and as she took a step forward, she felt a firm grip on her wrist.
Whipping her head around, she found herself staring into Theo’s intense eyes.
“Don’t,” he warned, his voice low but filled with urgency.
Aerin's face twisted in confusion. “Let go!” she hissed, attempting to pull away from his strangely strong grip.
“If you move into that area, you’ll end up just like them,” he gestured towards the fallen elves and the kidnappers, his tone indicating he wasn’t up for an argument.
She hesitated for a moment, her gaze darting back and forth from the children to the fallen kidnappers area. She let out a deep sigh and decided to wait.
However, as Theo let go of her hand, the sound of hurried footsteps reached their ears. Instinctively, both of them pressed themselves against the side walls of the warehouse, trying to stay hidden in the dark.
A group of Elven soldiers stormed in from the door but as they reached the area Theo had warned Aerin about, a serene yet joyous daze enveloped their faces. One by one, they collapsed, joining the others in a forced slumber.
“Stop! Stay out of the that area!” Aerin shouted, but she was a bit late to save some of the soldiers.
Captain Haldir, who was just about to step in, halted, glancing towards the direction of Aerin's voice. Recognizing her, he signaled the rest of his men to stand down.
As minutes passed and Theo allowed them to move as the sleeping aroma had passed away.
Haldir took charge, directing his men to free the children. As the kids were released, tears streamed down their faces, and their sorrowful whimpers reverberated in the night.
Limen and Lorian, having caught up, rushed inside. Lorian's eyes darted around, searching for a familiar face. Not finding Neria among the group, he began to move deeper into the warehouse.
However, A figure appeared in front of him, "She's not here," Theo stated.
Lorian shook his head frantically. "I need to check. She must be here somewhere..."
Theo's expression hardened. "Their leader took a little girl with him, and it’s likely Neria. We can't afford to waste time here."
Lorian’s face darkened upon hearing Theo's words. With sadness pooling in his eyes, the boy looked to him, “Brother, do you truly believe we can save her?”
The depth of desperation in Lorian's eyes tugged at Theo's heart. Pointing upwards, he responded, “My grandpa always used to say, there's a greater power up there watching over the good. I believe Neria will be fine. She isn’t just good, she's pure.”
Aerin overheard their conversation, causing her to gaze at Theo with complicated emotions, and murmured inwardly, ‘Teacher was right, not all humans are bad.’
Her opinion about humans was changing as she encountered this peculiar human who didn’t treat her like an ordinary princess. To him, it didn’t matter whether she was a princess or a beautiful girl. His views were so distinct from all the people she had met before.
“We need to hurry, or we won’t reach them in time…” Theo’s sharp voice brought her back from her thoughts, and she nodded in agreement.
Aerin turned to Haldir and instructed, “We’ll take your carriage. Once you've ensured the children will safely return to their families, follow our trail into the forest. We may need reinforcements. ”
Haldir saluted, "As you command, Princess."
With Limen steering the soldiers’ carriage, they departed the village and headed towards the forest. It was deep into the night, and the moonlight was Limen’s only guide. Trees obstructed their way, but Limen managed to navigate deeper into the forest. After nearly half an hour, he stopped.
Limen's sudden stop perplexed Aerin. "Why have we stopped?"
“You need to see this, Princess.” Limen replied.
Aerin and Theo peered out from the windows on either side of the carriage and saw signs of a skirmish. Trees were snapped in half, and leaves were strewn everywhere.
Limen approached, “Over there, I noticed some beastly bloodstains.” He pointed to a spot where a struggle appeared to have occurred.
Aerin exited the carriage, with Lorian and Theo close behind. After cautiously monitoring the surrounding, She announced, “Wait here. I'll climb a tree for a better view. If they've hunted the beast, there might be more signs to help us track them.”
Choosing the tallest tree nearby, Aerin leaped into the air, grabbed the tree trunk mid-flight, and swiftly ascended to the topmost branch.
Theo watched, impressed by her agility. He wondered if her speed was due to her elven strength, or perhaps, if she might have been a monkey in a past life.
While he entertained these amusing thoughts, Aerin began her descent. Upon reaching the ground, she reported, “I spotted more signs of combat towards the west. Let’s move quickly.”
They followed her lead, and at every significant point, Aerin would ascend a tree to scout. After her fourth reconnaissance, she revealed, "There's a campfire to the south, and I see a large group gathered around it. It’s likely the kidnappers."
Their faces brightened with the new information, but the mention of the large group made Limen hesitate. “Should we wait for Commander Haldir?” he asked, worry creasing his brow.
Before Aerin could answer, Lorian declared, “I’m going ahead, even if you all wait. I need to know if my sister is safe. If they capture me, so be it.”
Aerin exhaled deeply, clearly torn, and finally said, “Let’s get closer and see what they're up to. We need to confirm if they have Neria and we should leave the carriage; it might alert them.”
Following her guidance, Limen concealed the carriage using leaves and bushes. It wasn't a perfect camouflage, but it was better than nothing.
The group moved silently in the southern direction, anxiety gripping them tighter with each step. About ten minutes later, a scene unfolded before them: Dozens of tents stood in the distance, with over fifty people gathered around campfires. They were barbecuing meat, drinking what looked like alcohol, and their merry chatter filled the forest.
Disturbingly, a young girl was bound to a tree, a magical chain with dark, smoky glows keeping her captive. These kidnappers were so carefree; the magical chain clearly made them confident she couldn't escape.
“Neria…” Lorian whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He lurched forward towards the camp when a strong hand grabbed his arm.
Lorian's eyes flared. "Let me go!"
“Have you lost your senses?” Aerin retorted sharply. “They'd kill you on sight! We can't take on that many by ourselves and we need reinforcements. Think, Lorian. A dead man is of no use.”
Lorian’s eyes shimmered with tears. "When will the reinforcements arrive?"
“They're on their way,” Aerin tried to assure him, though her voice wavered slightly.
Lorian shot back, "How can you be so sure they won't lose our trail in this dense forest?"
Before Aerin could respond, Limen's puzzled voice sounded, “Princess, where’s Mister Theo?”
She spun around, scanning the area to search for Theo. He was nowhere in sight.
Limen exclaimed in amazement, “Oh the Holy Mother of Elven Stars…”
Aerin turned to follow Limen’s gaze and saw a familiar figure approaching Neria, bizarrely waving his hands all around in a pattern as though scattering food for birds.
When he finally reached her, the magical chains that had seemed so formidable dissipated into smoke. Once freed, Neria leapt into Theo's arms, wrapping her hands around his neck and hugging him tightly. He motioned for her to stay quiet and gently removed the gag from her mouth. Oddly enough, she didn’t cry. She looked relieved, even happy, in Theo's embrace.
As soon as Neria was free, Theo resumed the mysterious hand-shaking gesture, scattering something in the air. After completing that task, he began to retreat with Neria, who clung tightly to him like a child, seeking safety in his embrace."
“You've wondered why I trust him over royalty,” Lorian remarked, eyes glued on Theo's retreating form. “Now you have your answer.” Without waiting for a response, he took off in Theo’s direction.
Snapped from their trance, Aerin and Limen exchanged bewildered glances. Limen spoke with a touch of admiration, “That man is something else... He doesn't follow any form of common sense.”
“He might not, but he is going to have a rough ride,” Aerin replied, her eyes narrowed on the camp.
Limen followed her gaze and caught the motion of a man pointing to the spot where Neria had been held captive. The kidnappers were growing restless, realizing the confined young girl had vanished. Their attention soon turned to the direction in which Theo had fled.
Limen asked, slightly hesitant, “Should we help them?”
A cold smile played on Aerin's lips. “Lorian believes in that man more than he trusts us. A mere human, without any mana, risks his life for someone not even of his kind. As the future empress of the Silvania Empire, how could I stand by? it would be a disgrace not to assist.”
As she spoke, a sleek, black longbow materialized in her hand, accompanied by her two verdant rings adorning her wrist. She expertly nocked a magical arrow, her gaze locked onto her target.
However, before she could release the arrow, a dense fog enveloped the area where many of the men had started to give chase. Those on the edge of the fog cautiously stayed back.
“Where did this fog come from?”
“Stay back! Something's not right here.”
"Why do you say that?"
“Look there!,”
A voice cautioned, pointing to thorn-like objects scattered across the ground at the edge of the fog.
One of the kidnappers reached down and picked one up, only to feel a sudden weight bear down upon him. Almost immediately, he grunted, feeling a heavy weight pressing him down. “Ah! These have some sort of shadow magic!” he gasped.
After what felt like an eternity, the fog began to dissipate, revealing dozens of men lying motionless on the ground. Their bodies formed an arc, suggesting the direction Theo had taken during his escape.
“Those flowers,” the leader shouted, eyeing the Lunar Slumber Blossom that Theo had left behind. “They release some sort of poisonous gas. We must avoid it and find another way to track him down.”
With the group now separated from the main path and left behind, Theo continued his escape, clutching Neria close. He frequently reached into his golden vault, scattering three different types of demonic plant items - Mistgrenade Shrub, Lunar Slumber Blossom, and Agilitybane Thistle - that he had cultivated at the Demonic farm.
These botanical items were his best chance at slowing down his pursuers. He wasn’t entirely certain of their combined strength or if he could successfully fend them off, but he still had two trump cards up his sleeve, giving him hope for their safe escape.
Guided by the silvery moonlight, Theo made his way deeper into the forest. The surroundings were eerily silent, disturbed only by the rustling of leaves underfoot.
For half an hour, he moved deftly, avoiding any obstacles. Yet, just as he thought he was in the clear, several men emerged from the shadows, intercepting him from the left, right, and even directly in front.
"Nowhere to run now, boy," one of the kidnappers sneered.
"Thought you could escape us, did you?" another laughed.
A third taunted, "Running all the time must be tiring. Time to stop and play."
Theo halted, assessing the situation, understanding he was completely surrounded.
Bound and gagged, a group of children huddled together, their eyes wide with fear. Nearby lay several men, clearly overcome by some unseen force.
The children's gaze was fixed intently on something, or someone. Following their line of sight, she expected to find the culprit. But she found... emptiness.
However, she felt a presence behind her which made her spin a full one eighty degrees. As her sword was about to hit the target, it was stopped by her in mid-air as she found herself face-to-face with the last person she expected.
It was Theo.
Calm and composed, he looked entirely out of place amidst the chaos. Before she could interrogate him, he spoke, “It's finished here. Tell Limen to escort the children home. We need to chase after their ringleader, Neria is probably with him.”
She blinked, processing his words, still reeling from the shock of the scene inside.
As if understanding her dilemma, he added, “And don’t worry, those men will wake up once the sleeping gas wears off.”
That revelation only caused her to have more questions. There were no traces of sleeping gas and how did a mana-less boy manage to subdue these experienced criminals when ordinary sleeping gas wouldn’t work on them since they had mana.
Aerin realized that she had gravely underestimated this man. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her bearings. Her heart swelled with emotions as she was relieved at finding the children, and fury for their kidnappers. Aerin wanted to immediately free them, and as she took a step forward, she felt a firm grip on her wrist.
Whipping her head around, she found herself staring into Theo’s intense eyes.
“Don’t,” he warned, his voice low but filled with urgency.
Aerin's face twisted in confusion. “Let go!” she hissed, attempting to pull away from his strangely strong grip.
“If you move into that area, you’ll end up just like them,” he gestured towards the fallen elves and the kidnappers, his tone indicating he wasn’t up for an argument.
She hesitated for a moment, her gaze darting back and forth from the children to the fallen kidnappers area. She let out a deep sigh and decided to wait.
However, as Theo let go of her hand, the sound of hurried footsteps reached their ears. Instinctively, both of them pressed themselves against the side walls of the warehouse, trying to stay hidden in the dark.
A group of Elven soldiers stormed in from the door but as they reached the area Theo had warned Aerin about, a serene yet joyous daze enveloped their faces. One by one, they collapsed, joining the others in a forced slumber.
“Stop! Stay out of the that area!” Aerin shouted, but she was a bit late to save some of the soldiers.
Captain Haldir, who was just about to step in, halted, glancing towards the direction of Aerin's voice. Recognizing her, he signaled the rest of his men to stand down.
As minutes passed and Theo allowed them to move as the sleeping aroma had passed away.
Haldir took charge, directing his men to free the children. As the kids were released, tears streamed down their faces, and their sorrowful whimpers reverberated in the night.
Limen and Lorian, having caught up, rushed inside. Lorian's eyes darted around, searching for a familiar face. Not finding Neria among the group, he began to move deeper into the warehouse.
However, A figure appeared in front of him, "She's not here," Theo stated.
Lorian shook his head frantically. "I need to check. She must be here somewhere..."
Theo's expression hardened. "Their leader took a little girl with him, and it’s likely Neria. We can't afford to waste time here."
Lorian’s face darkened upon hearing Theo's words. With sadness pooling in his eyes, the boy looked to him, “Brother, do you truly believe we can save her?”
The depth of desperation in Lorian's eyes tugged at Theo's heart. Pointing upwards, he responded, “My grandpa always used to say, there's a greater power up there watching over the good. I believe Neria will be fine. She isn’t just good, she's pure.”
Aerin overheard their conversation, causing her to gaze at Theo with complicated emotions, and murmured inwardly, ‘Teacher was right, not all humans are bad.’
Her opinion about humans was changing as she encountered this peculiar human who didn’t treat her like an ordinary princess. To him, it didn’t matter whether she was a princess or a beautiful girl. His views were so distinct from all the people she had met before.
“We need to hurry, or we won’t reach them in time…” Theo’s sharp voice brought her back from her thoughts, and she nodded in agreement.
Aerin turned to Haldir and instructed, “We’ll take your carriage. Once you've ensured the children will safely return to their families, follow our trail into the forest. We may need reinforcements. ”
Haldir saluted, "As you command, Princess."
With Limen steering the soldiers’ carriage, they departed the village and headed towards the forest. It was deep into the night, and the moonlight was Limen’s only guide. Trees obstructed their way, but Limen managed to navigate deeper into the forest. After nearly half an hour, he stopped.
Limen's sudden stop perplexed Aerin. "Why have we stopped?"
“You need to see this, Princess.” Limen replied.
Aerin and Theo peered out from the windows on either side of the carriage and saw signs of a skirmish. Trees were snapped in half, and leaves were strewn everywhere.
Limen approached, “Over there, I noticed some beastly bloodstains.” He pointed to a spot where a struggle appeared to have occurred.
Aerin exited the carriage, with Lorian and Theo close behind. After cautiously monitoring the surrounding, She announced, “Wait here. I'll climb a tree for a better view. If they've hunted the beast, there might be more signs to help us track them.”
Choosing the tallest tree nearby, Aerin leaped into the air, grabbed the tree trunk mid-flight, and swiftly ascended to the topmost branch.
Theo watched, impressed by her agility. He wondered if her speed was due to her elven strength, or perhaps, if she might have been a monkey in a past life.
While he entertained these amusing thoughts, Aerin began her descent. Upon reaching the ground, she reported, “I spotted more signs of combat towards the west. Let’s move quickly.”
They followed her lead, and at every significant point, Aerin would ascend a tree to scout. After her fourth reconnaissance, she revealed, "There's a campfire to the south, and I see a large group gathered around it. It’s likely the kidnappers."
Their faces brightened with the new information, but the mention of the large group made Limen hesitate. “Should we wait for Commander Haldir?” he asked, worry creasing his brow.
Before Aerin could answer, Lorian declared, “I’m going ahead, even if you all wait. I need to know if my sister is safe. If they capture me, so be it.”
Aerin exhaled deeply, clearly torn, and finally said, “Let’s get closer and see what they're up to. We need to confirm if they have Neria and we should leave the carriage; it might alert them.”
Following her guidance, Limen concealed the carriage using leaves and bushes. It wasn't a perfect camouflage, but it was better than nothing.
The group moved silently in the southern direction, anxiety gripping them tighter with each step. About ten minutes later, a scene unfolded before them: Dozens of tents stood in the distance, with over fifty people gathered around campfires. They were barbecuing meat, drinking what looked like alcohol, and their merry chatter filled the forest.
Disturbingly, a young girl was bound to a tree, a magical chain with dark, smoky glows keeping her captive. These kidnappers were so carefree; the magical chain clearly made them confident she couldn't escape.
“Neria…” Lorian whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He lurched forward towards the camp when a strong hand grabbed his arm.
Lorian's eyes flared. "Let me go!"
“Have you lost your senses?” Aerin retorted sharply. “They'd kill you on sight! We can't take on that many by ourselves and we need reinforcements. Think, Lorian. A dead man is of no use.”
Lorian’s eyes shimmered with tears. "When will the reinforcements arrive?"
“They're on their way,” Aerin tried to assure him, though her voice wavered slightly.
Lorian shot back, "How can you be so sure they won't lose our trail in this dense forest?"
Before Aerin could respond, Limen's puzzled voice sounded, “Princess, where’s Mister Theo?”
She spun around, scanning the area to search for Theo. He was nowhere in sight.
Limen exclaimed in amazement, “Oh the Holy Mother of Elven Stars…”
Aerin turned to follow Limen’s gaze and saw a familiar figure approaching Neria, bizarrely waving his hands all around in a pattern as though scattering food for birds.
When he finally reached her, the magical chains that had seemed so formidable dissipated into smoke. Once freed, Neria leapt into Theo's arms, wrapping her hands around his neck and hugging him tightly. He motioned for her to stay quiet and gently removed the gag from her mouth. Oddly enough, she didn’t cry. She looked relieved, even happy, in Theo's embrace.
As soon as Neria was free, Theo resumed the mysterious hand-shaking gesture, scattering something in the air. After completing that task, he began to retreat with Neria, who clung tightly to him like a child, seeking safety in his embrace."
“You've wondered why I trust him over royalty,” Lorian remarked, eyes glued on Theo's retreating form. “Now you have your answer.” Without waiting for a response, he took off in Theo’s direction.
Snapped from their trance, Aerin and Limen exchanged bewildered glances. Limen spoke with a touch of admiration, “That man is something else... He doesn't follow any form of common sense.”
“He might not, but he is going to have a rough ride,” Aerin replied, her eyes narrowed on the camp.
Limen followed her gaze and caught the motion of a man pointing to the spot where Neria had been held captive. The kidnappers were growing restless, realizing the confined young girl had vanished. Their attention soon turned to the direction in which Theo had fled.
Limen asked, slightly hesitant, “Should we help them?”
A cold smile played on Aerin's lips. “Lorian believes in that man more than he trusts us. A mere human, without any mana, risks his life for someone not even of his kind. As the future empress of the Silvania Empire, how could I stand by? it would be a disgrace not to assist.”
As she spoke, a sleek, black longbow materialized in her hand, accompanied by her two verdant rings adorning her wrist. She expertly nocked a magical arrow, her gaze locked onto her target.
However, before she could release the arrow, a dense fog enveloped the area where many of the men had started to give chase. Those on the edge of the fog cautiously stayed back.
“Where did this fog come from?”
“Stay back! Something's not right here.”
"Why do you say that?"
“Look there!,”
A voice cautioned, pointing to thorn-like objects scattered across the ground at the edge of the fog.
One of the kidnappers reached down and picked one up, only to feel a sudden weight bear down upon him. Almost immediately, he grunted, feeling a heavy weight pressing him down. “Ah! These have some sort of shadow magic!” he gasped.
After what felt like an eternity, the fog began to dissipate, revealing dozens of men lying motionless on the ground. Their bodies formed an arc, suggesting the direction Theo had taken during his escape.
“Those flowers,” the leader shouted, eyeing the Lunar Slumber Blossom that Theo had left behind. “They release some sort of poisonous gas. We must avoid it and find another way to track him down.”
With the group now separated from the main path and left behind, Theo continued his escape, clutching Neria close. He frequently reached into his golden vault, scattering three different types of demonic plant items - Mistgrenade Shrub, Lunar Slumber Blossom, and Agilitybane Thistle - that he had cultivated at the Demonic farm.
These botanical items were his best chance at slowing down his pursuers. He wasn’t entirely certain of their combined strength or if he could successfully fend them off, but he still had two trump cards up his sleeve, giving him hope for their safe escape.
Guided by the silvery moonlight, Theo made his way deeper into the forest. The surroundings were eerily silent, disturbed only by the rustling of leaves underfoot.
For half an hour, he moved deftly, avoiding any obstacles. Yet, just as he thought he was in the clear, several men emerged from the shadows, intercepting him from the left, right, and even directly in front.
"Nowhere to run now, boy," one of the kidnappers sneered.
"Thought you could escape us, did you?" another laughed.
A third taunted, "Running all the time must be tiring. Time to stop and play."
Theo halted, assessing the situation, understanding he was completely surrounded.
