"Did you hear any kind of voice in your head?" The Elf queen asked.
"…"
"Were you granted any Authority?"
"…"
I didn't respond.
'Authority?'
Recalling, I remembered, I do have an authority.
One of my Unique Skill [Quantum Manipulation] granted me Authority over Quantum outcomes.
But, I didn't answer her.
I stayed quiet.
Million questions raced my mind—
Who is she?
An elf?
What's an elf?
What's she doing here?
How did she know about the voice, I occasionally hear inside my head?
Did she know something? And if so, then how?
She was neither human, nor a demon, her whole existence was a mystery to me.
And let's not forget the fact that she could use more than one Elemental.
I thought, only I could do that.
"What?" She looked me in the eyes, "Not gonna answer?"
BOOOOMMMM!
"!"
An intense amount of Essence shot out from her.
It was as if my entire existence was being crushed beneath an unseen force
"Wha—!?"
She moved closer. Her breathing hitting my nose.
I wasn't able to move my body.
I tried. But it's seems like… I was under some kind of paralysis skill.
I wasn't able to activate any of my skill.
My Essence flow was completely blocked.
'What did she do to me?!' I cried inwardly.
This was the second time, I felt this… powerless.
As the former 'Strongest human known to mankind' this was so… pathetic.
Her pressure was overwhelming.
It was suffocating.
I tried opening my mouth.
"W…Wh…at.. did… you… do.." My voice trembled. My whole body shaking, tears started to gather at the corner of my eyes.
The Elf queen, giggled, "~Teehee, you humans are so fragile."
Clap!
The moment she clapped her hand, the pressure emitting from her body, reduced to nothing.
"Haaaaah! Cough!.. Cough!... Haah! Haah!" released from the pressure, I fell on the ground.
Opening one of my eyes, I looked at her. And, what I saw—No, what I felt, I could easily define it in one words.
Dominance.
Yes, that's the only correct word.
I clenched my fists, my breathing hissed as I looked at her.
She stood tall, her faint glow emerald blue eyes pierced through me. A chill ran down my spine—not from the cold ice beneath me, but from the seer weight of her presence.
For the first time in three years, I felt it— Fear.
'I can't beat her!'
Slowly, she raised a hand to her chin, tilting her head as if examining something intriguing. Then, with a melodious voice, she spoke.
"Oh my, I'm sorry," her eyes fixed, "I didn't know, you were this... weak."
"!"
Frustration.
Anger.
Embarrassment.
Fear.
All these emotions I experienced it, one after another.
"Stand up." The elf queen said. "And answer my questions."
Following her orders, I did what she asked.
I can't make a wrong move.
I was scared—after all, I wasn't alone here, Anna, Aria, and Julius are with me standing several few kilometers away. If I do something reckless, they'll pay the price along with me.
I don't want that.
So… I followed her orders.
"What exactly do you want to know?" I said.
"Everything," sitting on a boulder she smiled, "Tell me everything about your vision, about your dream, and about your authority."
I stood in front of her.
"The vision was…"
Slowly I explained her about my vision, and my dreams, but I deliberately left out details such as my skill [Immortality] and [Quantum Manipulation].
I continued.
"I don't know anything about the Authority."
"Is that so." A grin spread across her face.
But she didn't bother to question it further, instead she simply said.
"I hold the Authority of Emotions."
"…"
I went silent.
"Emotions?" Without me noticing, the words simply escaped my mouth.
"~Teehee, It would be rude to ask yours without telling mine no?"
"Y-Yeah," I hesitated, my mouth twitched.
"Now, it's your turn."
"…I don't know," I answered.
Why was she so eager to want to know about my authority?
"Tch," clicking her tongue, she said in a sweet voice, "My Authority grants me the control over every Emotions in existence. Now… tell me yours."
'That's one hell of an Authority!'
She seemed unusually eager to learn about my Authority.
Should I lie to her?
No.
By her repeated questions, I concluded that, she already know I held an Authority.
I finally asked her, "Why do you want to know about my Authority?"
The Elf Queen responded, "It's been ages since I last met another Authority holder... I was simply curious about what kind you possess."
Her answer didn't satisfy me. I narrowed my eyes. "And how do I know that after learning about my Authority, you won't harm me or the others standing behind me?" My voice was firm.
I had [Immortality], but they didn't. If she decided to do something—No, I couldn't risk it.
She tilted her head slightly, then scoffed. "Harm you?" She let out a soft laugh before continuing, "Haha, I have no interest in fragile humans. I wouldn't even lay a finger on you or the people behind you."
Something the way she said it—made me believe she wasn't lying.
"Alright," I said.
A brief silence stretched between us.
Sighhhh…
Then, taking a deep breath, I finally revealed it to her.
"I hold the Authority over Quantum Outcomes."
Silence.
The Elf Queen, who had been composed until now, suddenly stiffened.
In an instant, she shot up from her seat.
"What did you just say, human!?" Her voice carried a weight—serious, urgent. "You better not be joking!"
I blinked, stunned by her reaction.
Was my Authority that special?
But then—
My eyes lowered landed on the necklace around her neck.
A delicate silver chain, held a crescent moon-shaped crystalline pendant, inside the crystal pendant lay a tiny analog clock. Its golden hands moved, around the 13 numbers at an exception rate.
Wait… thirteen? My breathing halted. That's not normal.
Noticing my gaze on her pendant, she abruptly removed her pendant, and streched it towards me.
"Hold this."
"What?" I tilted my head, confused by her sudden action.
"Don't test my patience, human!"
"A-Alright." I hurriedly took the pendant from her hand, holding it tightly in my palm.
The pendant suddenly pulsed with an intense red aura, casting red glow around me.
The tiny clock enclosed within it, which had been spinning at an unnatural speed just a moments ago, suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Its hands now froze in place—locked on the thirteenth hour.
A long silence followed.
The Elf Queen's eyes widened in shock. Her breath hitched, and she took an involuntary step backward.
"It can't be..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her trembling hands clenched into fists as her gaze remained fixed on the glowing pendant.
"After a millennium..."
Her expression shifted—A longing ray of light.
A realization.
A hope that had long been buried.
Her voice, now filled with something akin to respect, echoed through the air.
Joining both her hands, in a praying position.
"Goddess Ylthea... We finally found your Apostle…"
A shiver ran down my spine.
She looked at me, her eyes burning with joy.
"You are the child in that prophecy..."
End of Chapter.
[A/N]: The charater image of Seraphine Ellion had been added. And also if possible vote for me with GT or PS. Thanks!