The sky loomed with dark, heavy clouds, casting a somber tone over the land. It was the kind of weather that, no matter who you were, even the most cheerful soul, elf or otherwise; would find their spirits weighed down. The oppressive gray blanket hung low, smothering any hint of sunlight or joy.
"Do you really believe that?" The voice came from a blonde girl, perched casually on a high branch. Her pointed ears betrayed her elven heritage, though the skepticism in her voice was unmistakably human. Her bright eyes glanced down at the man standing below, his dark hair tousled and his figure still as if rooted to the earth.
"I'd like to say no," he responded, tilting his head back to survey the swirling clouds, their ominous presence seeming to reflect his inner thoughts. His eyes, bloodshot and tired, told the story of another sleepless night. "But this world is unpredictable. Friends… even the closest ones... they change, sometimes in ways you never expect."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her elven grace allowing her to leap down from the tree with effortless ease. She landed in front of him, her expression unreadable. "Will you change?" Her voice was cool, devoid of emotion, leaving him to wonder whether it was a genuine question or a subtle challenge.
He exhaled sharply, pushing himself off the tree and stretching lazily. "I'm not going to dignify that with an answer. It's a pointless question." His tone was dismissive, laced with irritation, as though the very idea bored him.
"There's something oddly unsettling about hearing that from you," she said, crossing her arms. "As if it's more than just a flippant remark."
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What do you mean by that?"
"Do you know where I last heard someone talk like that?" Her voice took on a softer, more reflective tone, and her gaze wandered off, as though remembering a distant memory. "It was from those playboys, the kind that flirt their way through life, pretending to care."
Without waiting for his reply, she sighed quietly, leaving him standing there, puzzled by the sudden shift in their conversation.
---
Far from their woodland retreat, in the crumbling city of Joshua; a city that once flourished but now resembled a ruin; there existed a place untouched by decay. Here, wealth still clung to the walls like a stubborn vine. Lavish homes filled with opulent trappings sat defiantly amid the wreckage, a stark contrast to the rest of the city.
In one such building, nestled among the many, was a small but exquisitely furnished room. The walls were lined with valuable scrolls, and the floors were carpeted in luxurious fluff. Exotic flowers, usually reserved for royalty, bloomed vibrantly in pots by the window, and the furniture itself was crafted from rare wood that grew only a centimeter each decade. Contracts worth a king's ransom lay strewn carelessly across the desk, and even the blankets had been woven by the hands of a master artisan. Yet, for all its grandeur, none of these trappings held a candle to the man who sat within.
The man who commanded the feared Black Crows was none other than Tom. His sharp eyes and stern demeanor were enough to silence a room.
"The Principal is sending students here?" Tom's voice was authoritative, his gaze fixed sharply on the messenger, a recent graduate of the academy, sent as the Principal's representative.
"Yes, sir," the young man replied, standing rigidly. He didn't dare show any sign of nervousness in the presence of the infamous leader.
"Let me guess," Tom mused, his eyes glinting with a shrewd light. "A bunch of young nobles, eager to make their mark. Handle them well, and they'll continue to be valuable allies."
"That's the idea, sir."
Tom leaned back, his gaze drifting to the window before turning serious. "I've heard some whispers. Are you certain the man you found; the one with the mask; is the same who caused that stir during the coastal raid?"
"Yes, sir. He's the one. Apparently, he crossed paths with an elf during that raid. Ever since then, the elf's been spreading rumors about him. I didn't have to offer much to get the information."
Tom's lips curled into a cold smile. "Elves, always so proud… and so easily wounded." He tapped his fingers on the desk, deep in thought. "This masked man, he's quite the asset. A natural archer, capable of outmatching the elves in their own game. If he proves unreliable, though, dispose of him."
"Understood." The graduate bowed slightly, his pointed ears just barely visible beneath his hood; an elf himself, though he hid it well.
Tom studied him for a moment longer, the humorless smile returning to his face. "Do your job well, and you'll be rewarded. It's amusing… the elves, so proud of their heritage, yet so willing to betray their own kind."
The elf smiled in return, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
---
Back in the heart of the academy, Oliver stood staring blankly at his companion, Enola. The question she had just posed left him momentarily stunned.
"What did you say?" he asked, blinking in confusion.
"I'll rephrase it," Enola said calmly. Her eyes bore into him, as if weighing his very soul. "If there were an external threat, would you protect humanity; no matter the cost? Even if it meant going against everything else you believe in?"
Oliver swallowed hard, the weight of the question settling over him like the dark clouds that had gathered in the sky earlier.
Oliver blinked at her, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Huh?"
Enola mirrored the reaction, momentarily baffled by the lack of response. "Ah?" She was almost certain something had gone wrong with Oliver's ability to comprehend her.
But just as quickly, Oliver shrugged and offered an answer, nonchalantly. "Well, if humans aren't in the wrong, sure, we should protect them. But if they've messed up… why should we help them?"
Enola furrowed her brows. "But…"
"But it depends on the situation," Oliver cut in, stretching lazily as if the conversation didn't hold much weight for him. He rubbed his neck and shook his legs to get the blood flowing again. "You know, not everything's black and white."
"Depends on the situation?" Enola's voice rose with a touch of frustration, her confusion deepening.
Oliver nodded as if explaining something basic. "Yeah, think about it; people make mistakes depending on the circumstances. Let's say a little kid hits you as hard as they can. Now, imagine an adult hits you just as hard. It's not the same, right? The kid's just ignorant, doesn't know any better. The adult? They probably mean it. Same action, but two completely different situations."
Enola's lips tightened. "So what you're saying is, even if humans are facing an external threat; something that could wipe them out; you'd still base your decision on context? You wouldn't just help them outright?"
"No matter who it is or what the situation is," Oliver replied calmly, "if someone's wrong, they're wrong. There's always a chance to change course, to make things right. But if they don't even try to turn back, why should I help? I'm not in the business of forgiving just because I can."
Enola sat back, deflated. "I see. I guess that makes sense," she muttered, though his face showed a hint of disappointment.
The carriage they were traveling in rattled forward, speeding across the open plains. The rest of the passengers, sensing the lull in conversation, closed their eyes, eager to catch some rest.
"What a surprise," the vice Principal, seated in the lead carriage, exclaimed with a chuckle. "Local specialties for sale, even here! I thought they'd all been snatched up long ago."
"It won't last much longer," another teacher said with a rueful smile. "If it weren't for someone taking on that bounty mission and catching all that fish, the old fishermen would've probably packed up and retired by now."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. You should've seen their faces when they finally hauled in that catch. Their wrinkled old smiles… it was like they'd rediscovered something they'd long since lost."
The vice Principal grinned, holding up a perfectly cooked piece of fish. "When you've been cooking fish your entire life, it's hard to just let go of it, no matter what age you are."
They laughed together and continued their journey, the rhythmic rocking of the carriages lulling them into a comfortable silence.
---
Meanwhile, back at the academy, the Principal was nearly beside himself with worry. His hands clasped in desperation as he practically pleaded. "My dear little princess," he said, his voice trembling, "why must you go to Joshua of all places? Couldn't we pick somewhere else?"
"Brother Oliver went there," came the simple, stubborn reply.
The Principal let out a wail of despair. "Ahhh!!!" His anguished cry echoed throughout the campus, causing heads to turn in confusion and concern.
---
Back in the moving carriage, Oliver's eyes snapped open. He felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of danger, like an invisible threat looming just beyond the horizon. His instincts screamed at him, but he couldn't place why. He hadn't crossed anyone dangerous lately or so he thought.
With a sigh, he closed his eyes again, trying to shake off the unease.
---
In another part of the land, two figures stood locked in a tight embrace. The blonde elf held her sister close, her arms wrapped protectively around her.
"You're here," she whispered, a note of relief in her voice.
The black-haired man, standing a few paces away, leaned against a towering tree. He watched the reunion with patience, waiting for the conversation to run its course.
"Do you need my opinion?" the blonde elf asked, pulling back slightly to look her sister in the eyes.
"Yes," her sister replied, a serious note creeping into her voice. "Two-thirds of the elves have already agreed to the plan."
The blonde raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. "That many? Well, if he finds out, he'll probably be so angry he'll jump up and down like a wild hare."
Her sister let out a soft laugh. "Does he really just jump up in situations like that?"
"You know him well enough," the blonde replied with a smirk. "He's easy to push around."
"A pushover," her sister agreed with a nod.
"Exactly."
Her sister's expression softened. "Alright then. I trust your judgment. I'll follow your lead."