Alden wakes up, looks out the window—just trees, nothing more. He steps outside and sees others laughing, chatting, relaxed.
"Why are they so cheerful? Aren't they here to conquer this path? Pathetic," Alden thinks, eyes narrowing.
Without a word, he climbs to the top of the village, finding a quiet, secluded spot. Sitting cross-legged, he closes his eyes and begins to focus.
Soon, tiny blue orbs of light gather around him—soft, pulsing fragments of energy. He draws them in slowly, feeling their warmth sink into his skin, spreading through his veins like fire and wind.
Then, a hand rests on his shoulder.
"I never expected a traveler to grasp the essence of life so quickly," came the familiar voice of the Grand Elder. "You have potential."
He adds, "Now that the life essence flows within you, you no longer need to stay. We keep travelers here to train them in sensing it… but you've already done that."
"So I should go now, huh?"
"Also, why is no one approaching me? Am I that ugly?"
With his sword strapped to his back and a small satchel slung over his shoulder, Alden took one last look at the village.
He tightened the cloak around himself and stepped into the dense jungle beyond the village. The moment his foot touched the earth outside the safe zone, a quiet pressure settled over him—like the forest was watching.
"Two years," he muttered.
"I'll find that Heartbloom Tree… no matter what I have to go through."
Alden had been walking for nearly two hours. Vines curled like serpents, and the cries of unseen beasts echoed through the jungle. He hadn't seen another soul—just endless green.
Then he saw it.
A large, wolf-like creature hunched over the corpse of a wild hog, its fangs ripping into raw flesh, blood staining the ground beneath. Alden paused, hand slowly reaching for his sword. It looked like a normal predator... until it turned to face him.
His breath hitched.
It wasn't a wolf.
Its body was covered in coarse, dark fur, but its face—its face was human.
Distorted. Pale. Blood dripped from hollow eyes like tears. Its jaw hung unnaturally, stretching in a silent, grotesque grin.
Alden froze. The thing stood motionless, staring at him through red-soaked sockets.
Then it howled.
The sound was not of a beast—but a chorus of voices screaming in agony.
The creature lunged at Alden, this was Alden's first time fighting so he was trying to be scared, but he couldn't, he didnt feel frightened... Instead he smiled like a devil.
Alden gritted his teeth and lunged, driving his sword toward the creature's chest—but it dodged with unnatural speed.
Before he could react, the beast twisted and lashed out, its claws tearing across Alden's hand.
He stumbled back, blood dripping from his fingers. The creature grinned—a grotesque, humanoid smile that didn't belong on any living thing. It sent a cold shiver down his spine.
Still, Alden stood tall, gripping his sword tighter.
"I have to find a way to subdue this... thing," he thought, scanning it for any weakness.
Then, his eyes locked with its own.
In the bloodstained red of its pupils, something moved—a ghostly figure. Trapped. Reaching out. Silently screaming.
Alden's breath caught. That's it.
He surged forward, this time not for the body—but for the eye.
His blade struck the eye.
The creature let out an ear-splitting howl, its body convulsing. Blood poured from its eyes like a torrent, drenching the forest floor.
The beast collapsed.
From its lifeless gaze, a faint, glowing spirit emerged. It hovered in the air for a brief moment—its face peaceful, free—and offered Alden a soft smile.
"Thank you," it whispered, then vanished into the trees.
After subduing the beast, Alden winced as pain shot through his injured hand. He tore a strip of cloth from his shirt and wrapped it tightly around the bleeding wound.
Just as he pushed himself up to start walking again, his vision blurred. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and before he could steady himself—everything went black.
Behind him, the beast's corpse twitched unnaturally. A thick, dark aura seeped from its body, curling through the air like smoke... and then rushed into Alden's chest.
His body jolted once—and then lay still.
Hours later, Alden's eyes blinked open.
Cold metal. Stone walls. A dim, flickering light.
He sat up slowly, only to realize—he was inside a cell.
Bars of dull iron surrounded him.
"What… the fuck?" he whispered.
Then he heard voices.
"Is that guy related to them?" one said from the shadows.
"I swear, I'll kill this bastard right now. Don't fucking stop me."
The voices were faint, muffled… but full of fury.
Alden narrowed his eyes.
"Who captured me? and why?"
A guard passed by the cell, glanced inside, and yelled, "The filth is awake!"
Filth? Is that dickhead referring to me? Alden scowled.
Before he could even get to his feet, two guards stormed into the cell. Both were tall, muscular, with dark skin and sharp, pointed ears. Their eyes were emotionless, like they'd done this a thousand times before.
Without a word, they yanked Alden up by his arms and dragged him down a stone corridor lit by flickering torches. His boots scraped against the floor, the sound echoing through the dim hall.
Eventually, the path opened into a massive chamber. High ceilings. Polished stone. Carved symbols on the walls.
At the far end, sitting on a raised throne draped in crimson cloth, was a man who shared their features—dark skin, pointed ears—but he wore elegant royal robes, embroidered with gold. Jewels lined his fingers. His eyes, however, were sharp and full of contempt.
He stared down at Alden like he was something filthy tracked in from the wild.
"Who are you? And why did you capture me?"
The man on the throne leaned forward slightly, lips curling into a cruel smirk.
"We are the ones who ask questions here, filth. But... since you're going to die anyway, let me enlighten you. We are the Dark Elves."
Alden's eyes narrowed. "Dark Elves? Aren't you the same as the ones I met in the village?"
The throne room fell into a moment of silence before the man barked out a short, bitter laugh.
"The ones you met? You mean those forest-dwelling cowards in that pathetic excuse of a village? So… we were right. You are one of them after all."
Before Alden could even open his mouth, the man raised his hand.
"Execute him."