As the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, Oliver stirred from his uneasy slumber. His body ached from sleeping on the rough stone floor, and he winced as he twisted his stiff neck. With a sigh, he stood, shaking off the remnants of sleep. The early morning air was crisp and cool as he gathered his few belongings, shouldering his pack. The direction he needed was ingrained in his memory, so he set off, his mind sharp and alert despite the hour.
The forest was alive with sounds both familiar and strange. Insects buzzed incessantly, and birds flitted from branch to branch, their colorful wings catching the dappled sunlight. None of the creatures seemed bothered by his presence. Oliver had walked these woods many times, and both the wildlife and the elves had long since grown accustomed to him. He was a part of the landscape now, not a disruption.
But as his boots crunched over the forest floor, something caught his eye. He paused, squinting at the ground. Footprints. They were fresh, pressed deep into the soft earth, and distinctly human. The shoes were different from what elves would wear, these belonged to someone from the human world. Another human, out here, walking the same path as him? That was unusual. Who would be bold or foolish; enough to venture alone outside the city?
Kneeling, Oliver examined the tracks. Only one set. His mind raced. A spy, perhaps? Had someone from the human world been sent to infiltrate the elves' territory? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
He stood swiftly and raised his arm, releasing a small bird he had brought with him. The creature shot into the sky, its sharp eyes searching the lush green canopy for answers that Oliver couldn't see from the ground. The bird circled for a moment before diving back down, indicating its discovery.
And that's when Oliver's heart skipped a beat. The person ahead was someone he knew, Enola.
"What is she doing here?" Oliver muttered under his breath, confusion spreading across his face. Enola's presence didn't make sense, not here, not now. His mind raced, but without more information, there was nothing he could do but follow. He couldn't afford to get too close, though. This early in the morning, Enola's senses would be heightened; any mistake and Oliver would be discovered. He had to remain unseen, a shadow among the trees.
Earlier that morning…
Chris, half-dressed and groggy from sleep, looked up in surprise as Enola passed by. "You're up early. Have you even had breakfast?"
Enola gave a nonchalant shrug. "I've already eaten. But the food got stuck in my teeth. Be sure to chew slowly," she said with a wry grin before heading towards the city gates.
"You're just going to let him leave?" Chris asked, stifling a yawn as he stretched. "What if she's persuaded by the elves out there?"
Tong Qingan, watching from a distance, chuckled softly. "If dhe's so easily swayed, then let her be. It's better to detonate a loose cannon early rather than wait for it to blow up in our faces. Besides," his smile grew wider, "there are still elves out there who wouldn't run or fight when they see humans?"
Chris nodded slowly. "True, unless they have exceptional self-control."
Meanwhile, deep in the forest…
Enola had been walking for hours, her feet sore and her patience wearing thin. The forest stretched endlessly before him, a sea of green with no sign of elves anywhere. Her brow furrowed as she continued, doubt beginning to creep into her mind. "Are there really elves here?" She muttered to herself, glancing around at the dense foliage. She had been told to expect them, but now she wondered if she had been led astray.
Oliver, following at a safe distance, wiped the sweat from his brow. His throat felt dry, and he was growing increasingly uneasy. The morning had been filled with tension, and the longer Enola walked without changing direction, the more Oliver began to suspect the other man knew he was being followed.
"Where is she going? And why haven't we seen any elves?" Oliver muttered, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. The silence of the forest unnerved him. Usually, the elves would have made themselves known by now, either through playful whispers or warning signs. But today, the woods were eerily quiet.
In truth, the elves were there, watching both men from the shadows. But they had other priorities; some were investigating rumors, others confirming deaths. Whatever the reason, none of them bothered with Oliver or Enola. To the elves, these two humans were not threats, not yet.
It was as if fate itself had decided to push these two toward something neither of them could foresee, casting aside all the others in the story, like actors left backstage while the drama unfolded center stage.
Enola suddenly stopped in her tracks, his eyes narrowing. "Why does this place look so familiar?" he murmured. The trees, the path; they all seemed to be leading him somewhere he had been before. He hadn't realized it until now, but this was the direction where his junior sister had gone missing. Could it be…?
Meanwhile, Oliver's heart raced. He clenched his fists. Could this all be an elaborate trap? Could Enola be looking for someone else entirely? An abduction?
If she just sat there in a daze all day, it wouldn't be long before someone with sweet words tricked her into giving something valuable away. The thought alone made Oliver's stomach churn. No, this couldn't happen. He needed to act quickly before the situation spiraled out of control. It wasn't just a joke anymore. If she really fell for it, the consequences would be dire; his teacher might rise from the grave just to hunt him down for letting it happen. And honestly, the thought of that terrified him.
There was no way Oliver could let her get tangled up in this mess. Even if the person causing the trouble was his own classmate, he would do what needed to be done; even if it meant killing her.
He snapped out of his thoughts and focused. The bird in the sky gave him the signal again, indicating where the target was. But in the time Oliver had been lost in his thoughts, she had covered a lot of ground. The gap between them had widened considerably. And even though Oliver was a skilled archer, the dense forest made it nearly impossible to take a clean shot at such a distance. Trees blocked his line of sight, and even if he managed to fire an arrow, there was a high chance it would be deflected.
With a frustrated growl, he gritted his teeth and forced his legs to move, though they screamed in protest with every step. His breath came in ragged gasps as he chased after her, his muscles heavy with exhaustion.
But no matter how hard he pushed, he was no match for someone whose physical strength had been enhanced by magic. Earlier, Oliver had deliberately kept his distance, but now that he wanted to catch up, it was nearly impossible. Worse, the person ahead seemed to be growing impatient. She was picking up speed, and the gap between them only widened.
Desperate, Oliver poured the last of his magic reserves into his legs, willing his body to go faster.
Meanwhile, Enola, completely unaware that she was being followed, had been walking for hours. The sun was now high in the sky, and the oppressive heat only added to her frustration. She hadn't seen a single trace of what she was searching for. Her nerves were fraying, and the uncertainty gnawed at her. After all, she was just a teenager, and patience wasn't exactly her strong suit.
Just as she was about to give up hope, a faint, pleasant fragrance drifted through the air. It was subtle but unmistakable, and with her senses heightened by magic, she was able to pinpoint its direction easily. Finally, a lead. Her heart lifted as she quickened her pace, her previously weary steps now energized.
For the first time, it seemed like she was on the right track. She began to run, eager to reach her destination. The path ahead felt like it was guiding her toward something, a meeting of fate she hadn't foreseen.
But for Oliver, it was a different story. He was barely holding on. His body was betraying him, and the forest seemed to stretch endlessly. Every step was agony, his legs threatening to give out beneath him. His head throbbed from lack of oxygen, and dizziness blurred the edges of his vision. Sweat poured down his back and face, his skin parched and cracked from dehydration. He clenched his fists, every muscle trembling from the effort.
"Why is she still running?" he muttered through gritted teeth, his mind clouded with exhaustion. He knew he was on the verge of collapse. If he fainted now, out here in the middle of nowhere, he would be defenseless. And this wasn't the kind of place where you wanted to let your guard down; there were plenty of people waiting for the chance to take advantage, maybe even end him.
His physical weakness always seemed to hold him back, always at the worst possible moment. Desperation clawed at him. He grabbed a fistful of his long black hair, pulling until strands came loose, and forced himself to stumble forward, his body on the edge of breaking.
It felt as though the universe itself was throwing obstacles in his way, preventing him from stepping onto a stage where he didn't belong. Yet for those who had been invited to that stage, everything seemed to fall into place effortlessly.
Enola followed the fragrant trail through the forest, her heart racing with anticipation. Soon, she came upon a small house nestled in a clearing, with smoke curling lazily from the chimney. The scent was stronger here, its source unmistakable. She had finally arrived.
Standing in front of the house, Enola hesitated. Her hand hovered near the door. This was it, the unknown awaited her on the other side. She had no idea what to expect. What would the person inside be like? What would they say or do? Nervous but determined, she raised her hand and knocked.
Back in the forest, Oliver collapsed to his knees, utterly spent. The heat of the day had drained what little strength he had left. Even the birds he had relied on for tracking had abandoned him, vanishing into the sky as his condition worsened. He panted heavily, every breath a struggle. The world seemed to spin around him.
He had failed.
In the distance, the sound of construction echoed through the trees; a reminder that, even here in the wilderness, life carried on relentlessly. But for Oliver, it felt like the walls were closing in. His body had reached its limit, and there was nothing more he could do but hope. Hope that somehow, this wasn't the end.