In a luxurious room adorned with various weapons and war imagery, a man sat at a table in the center of the room. Scattered across the table were numerous papers in disarray. He appeared melancholic—a high-ranking general in the army. The reason for his despair was unclear. Among the papers, there were several pictures of a child marked as missing. Suddenly, a man burst into the room, visibly anxious.
Man: "Sir Douglas, I found this near a crack close to the Apat area, just a few miles away. I recall that this item was a gift from Madam to the young master several years ago. Do you recognize it?"
The man presented a sparkling necklace.
Douglas: "This is the necklace Jean gave the boy for his sixth birthday," Douglas replied with a weary tone.
Douglas: "Where did you find this? Speak up!!!" His voice became tense and urgent.
Man: "I found it beneath a crack near the forest, a few miles away."
Douglas: "Beneath a crack? Tell me everything you know!!"
Man: "As per your orders, I was searching for the missing young master. I used special tracking methods, including a magic technique employed by trackers at the headquarters. The traces indicated the young master headed toward a forest a few miles away, known as Apat Forest. Following the trail, I found it stopped near a crack, with some signs suggesting he fell below it."
Douglas: "Impossible! How could this happen? What did I do wrong?"
Man: "Please don't despair, sir. It's possible the young master was saved by someone, as I found no further traces beyond the necklace. I also saw two children—one wearing green attire similar to the elf tribe living in the forests, and the other dressed like the young master. I tried to follow them but was stopped at the forest's edge. They may have saved him and taken him into the forest."
Douglas: "Quickly!!! Send people to search that area immediately!"
The man rushed to relay orders to others, initiating a search operation.
Douglas: "Perhaps my son is still alive. Someone, inform Madam of this immediately. She's been worried for too long. Even a glimmer of hope must be seized, no matter the cost."
Soon, a search party of nearly a thousand people was assembled and hastily headed toward Apat. Douglas himself joined the search, causing a stir in the city. This grand event spurred much gossip, both good and bad, with some outright fabrications.
After two hours of travel, the search team reached the forest edge near the crack believed to be where the young master fell. Before they could enter, a woman appeared and blocked their path.
Leaffa: "No one may enter this forest without my permission! Any who defy me will face the consequences. Leave while you can."
Douglas: "Who are you?"
Leaffa: "Before entering another's home, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
Douglas: "I am Douglas MacArthur, General of the southern gate of Ballot City. I'm here to find my son. My subordinates reported seeing a boy dressed like my son being led into the forest by an elf."
Leaffa: "So, it seems the children's presence has been discovered." (thinking)
Leaffa: "There are no children here. Leave now. Bringing hundreds of people to someone's doorstep is hardly polite! Moreover, you have no proof anyone led your son into the forest."
Douglas: "I found a necklace my wife gave my son for his sixth birthday beneath that crack. But when we checked, there was nothing else there, while you elves live nearby. How do you explain this?!"
Leaffa: "Ridiculous. Could a child who fell into such a crack even survive? It's hardly surprising you found nothing; a corpse wouldn't last long in this world."
Douglas: "Say what you will, but today I will find my son, even if it means burning this forest to the ground!"
In the forest, numerous elf villagers emerged, armed with bows and spears, their wary eyes fixed on Douglas's group.
Leaffa: "If that's the case, then..."
A battle ensued between the two sides, resulting in significant losses. Though the elves, led by Leaffa, emerged victorious, their casualties were considerable.
Leaffa: "At last, this is over. I can keep things calm for at least a few more years. They'll likely return, but I must prepare before then."
Douglas returned with numerous injuries, including a scar across his left cheek. He swore to one day flatten the forest and eliminate every last elf.
In the forest, the villagers gathered, puzzled by the sudden attack. Unaware of Douglas's missing son or the traces leading into the forest, they speculated. Some blamed Amai, but Leaffa swiftly dismissed the claims, suggesting the attack was due to the forest's resources. She assured them a child couldn't possibly cause such upheaval.
Leaffa: "I can't let them learn the truth about this incident. By silencing the communication between us, no one in the village heard what I told him. The truth remains hidden, and the animosity between the forest elves and the humans in the city has grown irreparably." (thinking)
Oga, sitting aside, pondered.
Oga: "Could it really be this simple, or is there more to this? Did they attack solely for forest resources? If so, why now and not earlier?" (thinking)
Meanwhile, Ami and Amai remained inside their home, unaware of the events unfolding at the forest's edge or the discussions taking place below.