Bulan stared at Hanan, who was still sitting on the ground, without a second thought, he stepped forward and extended his hand.
"Let me help you." he said firmly but gently.
Hanan's eyes darted to his outstretched hand, her expression a mixture of fear and mistrust. For a moment, it seemed as though she would take it, but then she turned away, pushing herself up with trembling arms.
"I don't need your help, monster!" she said, her voice shaky yet stubborn. She grabbed Drugo's arm, avoiding Bulan's gaze entirely. "Let's go, Drugo."
Drugo hesitated, glancing between Bulan and Hanan, his brows furrowed in concern. "Hanan—"
"Now," she cut him off, her tone brooking no argument. Drugo reluctantly followed her lead, his towering figure shielding her from the curious stares of the gathering crowd as they hurried away.
Bulan stood frozen, his hand still extended, watching as Hanan disappeared into the distance. A strange emptiness settled in his chest.
"Why?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the murmurs of the onlookers. He clenched his fist, lowering it slowly. "I'm not a monster."
Suddenly, the temperature around him dropped drastically. A cold mist began to rise from the ground, swirling around his feet and creeping upward until it enveloped him entirely. The murmurs of the onlookers faded, replaced by an unnatural silence. Bulan's breath clouded in the frigid air, and a shiver ran down his spine.
Then, he heard it—a voice, deep and resonant, reverberating through the mist as if it came from every direction at once.
"Yes you are," the voice intoned, calm yet chilling, carrying an authority that made Bulan's knees buckle. "You are more than you understand. More than they fear. More than you fear."
Bulan whipped his head around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but the mist thickened, obscuring his vision. Panic clawed at his chest as the voice grew louder, closer.
"Do you think the Void Serpent chooses just anyone? Do you think its power is so easily gifted?" The voice carried a hint of amusement, as though mocking his naivety. "It chose you. Because you are worthy... and because you are its vessel."
The black scales on his arm began to pulse with light, the crimson veins glowing brighter and brighter until they bathed the mist in an eerie red hue. Bulan felt the heat returning to his arm, but it wasn't comforting—it burned, a searing reminder of the power coursing through him.
"No!" Bulan shouted, his voice trembling. "I didn't ask for this! I don't want this!"
The voice chuckled, low and menacing. "Want? Need? These are the desires of mortals. You are no longer bound by such things. You will become what you must. And they will either follow you... or fall before you."
As the last word echoed, a figure stepped forward, emerging from the mist with a grace that defied explanation. "I am Mist," the figure said, his tone steady but weighted with purpose. "A fighter, and a human just like you." His gaze sharpened, briefly lingering on the Void Serpent before returning to meet Bulan's eyes. "If you wish to understand the truth about that arm, come with me."
Bulan blinked, still trying to process the stranger's sudden appearance, when the word human struck him like a thunderclap. He stared at Mist, his jaw slack.
"Wait… human?" he blurted out, pointing a clawed finger at him. "You're human too? Like, from Earth?!"
Mist tilted his head, a faint smirk forming on his lips. "Yes, same world as you. Though I must say, you seem… uniquely adapted." His gaze swept meaningfully over Bulan's scales and glowing arm.
Bulan opened his mouth to respond, but before he could form a word, his stomach betrayed him. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the mist, loud enough to make Mist raise an eyebrow.
"Uh…" Bulan winced, clutching his stomach sheepishly. "Okay, maybe I am uniquely adapted… to hunger." He straightened up, clearing his throat with exaggerated dignity. "How about this, I will go with you if you feed me. Deal?"
Mist crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "You want to negotiate a truce over… a meal to someone you just met?"
"Hey, I'm not picky," Bulan replied with a shrug. "You feed me, I'm your guy. No food? Well…" He gestured vaguely to his surroundings. "Guess I'll just wander around aimlessly and maybe get eaten by whatever made that scary voice earlier. Your choice."
For a moment, Mist just stared at him, as if weighing the absurdity of the situation. Finally, he let out a soft chuckle. "You're an interesting one, Kid." He gestured for Bulan to follow. "Very well. I know a place. But if I feed you, you're in. No backing out."
"Deal!" Bulan said with a grin, his stomach growling in approval. "So where are we going?"
Mist's eyes narrowed as he traced the route to their destination. "The Narda Stone," he murmured. "It's nearby. Perfect."
"The Narda what now?" Bulan asked, peering over Mist's shoulder, his curiosity momentarily distracting him from his hunger.
"A teleportation stone," Mist explained briskly, his voice steady as he zoomed in on the map. "Reserved for adventurers level 20 and above. It's a safe zone and a gateway to other key locations. We'll use it to get to the Kingdom. Food will be there."
Bulan blinked, his brows furrowing. "Level 20? Like… in a video game? Are you telling me this world has… rules?"
Mist didn't look up, his fingers deftly navigating the map. "Everything has rules. The question is whether you know how to play within them—or break them."
The cryptic reply left Bulan scratching his head, but his focus quickly shifted as Mist closed the map, the glowing interface dissolving into thin air.
"Let's move," Mist said firmly, stepping forward with purposeful strides.
Bulan followed Mist in silence, the faint glow of the map's residual light lingering in his mind. Behind him, the Elf Village grew smaller, he stopped abruptly, glancing over his shoulder one last time. His chest tightened as the memory of Hanan's cold glare resurfaced.
"I'll come back," he whispered, his voice resolute. "When I know exactly who I am... and when I can show you I'm not a monster."
Mist turned slightly, one eyebrow raised. "Getting sentimental?"
Bulan shook his head, his jaw tightening. "Just saying goodbye. Let's keep moving."
The path ahead cleared as Mist picked up the pace, his movements smooth and precise, like someone who'd walked these trails a hundred times.
"So," Bulan said, trying to lighten the mood, "this Narda Stone thing—is it, like, a magical teleportation rock? Or some sci-fi alien tech?"
Mist glanced at him, his face unreadable.
"It's a Crescent Stone—a point where energy converges. To us human, it may seem like advance technology. To someone else, it might look like magic. What it truly is... depends on how you perceive it."
Bulan groaned, throwing his hands up. "Do you always talk like the wise old mentor in a fantasy movie, or is today just special?"
Mist smirked faintly, not answering as they arrived at the clearing.
"Whoa," Bulan whispered, his voice tinged with awe. Each step he took toward the huge crescent shaped stone seemed to deepen the weight of its presence, a palpable aura that was both intimidating and irresistible. "This thing is… crazy. Like it's alive or something."
Mist didn't bother to look back as he approached the obelisk with practiced confidence. "This Stone is more than just a waypoint. Use it wisely, and it will take you far. Use it carelessly, and it will rip you apart."
Bulan blinked, his awe quickly replaced by nervous skepticism. "Rip me apart? Great. That's exactly what I wanted to hear before stepping into the glow-y murder rock's personal space."
Mist cast a sidelong glance at him, the faintest trace of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips. "You survived the Void Serpent's touch without damage. If anything, the Stone might be afraid of you."
Bulan scratched the back of his head, his black scales catching the faint light of the runes. "Yeah, well, tell that to my stomach. Pretty sure it's the only part of me that's afraid right now."
Mist didn't respond. Instead, he placed a hand on the obelisk's smooth surface. The blue runes flared to life, shifting like liquid script as they rearranged themselves into a new pattern. A pulse of energy radiated outward, rippling through the ground in waves that stopped just short of Bulan's feet.
The air grew heavier, charged with a power that made Bulan's hair stand on end. His eyes darted to the glowing circle that had formed around the base of the Stone, a ring of light that seemed to hum with anticipation.
"Step into the circle," Mist said, his voice steady and commanding.
Bulan took a hesitant step back instead. "And if I don't?" he asked, eyeing the runes warily.
"You stay here," Mist replied without missing a beat, his tone as cold and sharp as the blade at his side. "Alone. Unarmed. And very likely on the menu of the first predator that smells you."
With a deep breath, Bulan stepped into the portal. "O-okay, okay...Got it."