Accompanied by the elves, Kayn made his way to the village of the Magnolia clan. At the entrance, a crowd of elves seemed to be awaiting their arrival. Upon seeing the princess atop her horse, they all rose to their feet and erupted into cheers of joy.
"Princess!" they shouted enthusiastically. She responded with a warm smile as Arwin, wasting no time, stepped forward to address them.
"We've suffered several casualties, but some of our companions were only severely injured in the battle. Send a wagon immediately to bring them back," Arwin ordered.
"At once!" the elves replied, quickly mobilizing. Kayn was surprised by the leadership Arwin displayed. As they resumed their pace on horseback, they entered deeper into the village until they reached an enormous and imposing tree. Along the way, the elves cheered the princess's return, while others cast disdainful looks at Kayn. It was clear he wasn't welcome—after all, he was human. Yet their glares didn't seem to bother him; he preferred them over being treated like a criminal.
By the entrance to the Great Tree, two elves stood firm at their posts. Upon recognizing Arwin and the princess, their previously stern expressions softened. They dismounted, and Arwin handed the reins to one of the guards to take the horses to the stables. The other stepped back and bowed, silently granting them passage.
The group moved through the tree's interior corridors, where wooden walls were adorned with vines forming intricate natural patterns. Crystal lamps softly illuminated their path.
Silence reigned in the halls, broken only by the echo of their footsteps on the wooden floor. Finally, they arrived at the massive doors leading to the throne room. Arwin stepped forward decisively, placing both hands on the doors and pushing them wide open. The creaking of the hinges echoed throughout the hall.
The throne room spread out before them. The expansive space was bathed in moonlight streaming through large glass windows, casting intricate patterns on the floor. The king paced back and forth, visibly distressed over his daughter's disappearance.
Several elves stood nearby in silence. At the sound of the doors opening, one of them bowed slightly and raised his voice.
"Your Majesty, look."
The king halted his steps and turned his attention toward the entrance. His eyes lit up at the sight of Princess Mariana, safe and sound.
"Daughter!" the king exclaimed, his voice brimming with emotion.
The princess stepped forward with a serene smile as the other elves bowed their heads in respect. The king rushed toward her with open arms, embracing her tenderly.
"I thought I had lost you forever," the king said, holding her tightly. "I'm so glad to see you safe..."
"Thank you, Father, but… could you let go of me?" the princess replied, slightly embarrassed. The king quickly released her, attempting to compose himself.
"I'm sorry. I suppose I got a bit carried away."
Kayn and Arwin approached the scene. The king's expression grew more solemn as he noticed Kayn. He slowly separated from his daughter and took a few steps toward the young human. Before he could say anything, the princess spoke up.
"Father, this is Kayn. It's thanks to him that I'm safe now."
The princess's comment didn't surprise the king. He had assumed there was a reason for the human's presence. Kayn felt nervous; the king's presence was undeniably intimidating.
After a brief pause, the king inclined his head slightly.
"I owe you an apology. I made a grave mistake in judging you so hastily. I cannot express enough gratitude for protecting my daughter. I beg your forgiveness," the king said as he knelt.
"Your Majesty!" Arwin exclaimed. The king rose slowly, his gaze falling on Fenris, who lay unconscious in Arwin's arms, his face marked by exhaustion and pain.
"What happened to him?" the king asked, concerned about the young man's condition.
"He overused his anima," Arwin explained solemnly. "He hasn't woken up since."
Kayn clenched his fists, guilt weighing heavily on him.
"I understand. It's best to let him rest," the king concluded before turning to his daughter. "Mariana, see that he is taken to one of the guest rooms."
Mariana nodded with a smile.
"Of course, Father," she replied, bowing slightly. She approached Arwin and carefully took Fenris into her arms.
The king then turned to Eldarion, maintaining a firm posture.
"Prince Eldarion, I'd like to speak with you in private," the king added. Eldarion nodded as the others began to leave the ornately decorated room.
The princess bade them farewell and started toward the guest rooms, carrying Fenris. Arwin also seemed ready to depart, but Kayn stopped him in his tracks.
"Arwin!" Kayn called out.
"What is it?" Arwin asked, confused.
"Do you have time now?" Kayn inquired. "If you don't mind, I'd like to train with you."
Arwin looked at him for a moment before responding.
"Very well, but I warn you, my training sessions are quite demanding," Arwin replied. However, Kayn didn't seem to mind. He nodded gratefully, and the two walked away from the area.
Meanwhile, in the throne room, the king was speaking with Eldarion about what had happened with Doral and the rest of the Carrion Clan elves.
"Do you have any idea what might be going on?" King Elwing asked after listening to Eldarion. The elf shook his head.
"I'm sorry, I have no idea. It's hard to believe my own father could be involved in this."
"I know your father," the king interrupted, "and I'm sure he would never do something like this. Clearly, there's something they haven't told you. We'll have to wait until Doral wakes up."
At that moment, the throne room's great door swung open. One of the guards rushed in, panting heavily as if he had sprinted all the way.
"Your Majesty! Prince Eldarion!" the guard exclaimed. "Doral… has awakened."
Eldarion and Elwing exchanged looks of surprise. They hadn't expected Doral to wake up so soon. The king immediately stood.
"Take us to him," he ordered without hesitation.
They followed the guard through the long hallways of the Great Tree, descending silently into the depths of the dungeon. It was a grim place, lit only by flickering torches that cast dancing shadows on the stone floor. Finally, they arrived at Doral's cell, guarded by several sentries. Through the bars, they could see the elf sitting in a corner. His hands were bound, and a chain kept him from moving. The guards bowed as they saw them approach.
"We're glad to see you here. We've tried to make him talk, but we've gotten nothing," one of the guards reported.
Eldarion didn't respond, ignoring the guard's words. His mind was focused on one thing: he needed answers, and he would get them one way or another. He approached the cell, his eyes fixed on Doral, who tensed as soon as he noticed Eldarion's presence.
"Doral…" the prince murmured coldly. Doral's face turned pale as he recoiled further from the bars.
"Well, Prince, I see you're doing well. What brings you here?" Doral asked with a forced smile, trying to hide his fear. This only angered Eldarion more.
"You know exactly why I'm here," Eldarion replied, gripping the bars tightly. "You'd better tell me what happened in the Carrion Clan."
Doral shrank even more, completely cornered, but still seemingly unwilling to cooperate.
"I'm sorry, but…" Doral muttered, "I don't know anything."
Eldarion looked at him with contempt. His patience had reached its limit.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Eldarion growled, unable to control himself. With a sigh, he released the bars. "Fine, if you won't cooperate, I'll have to force it out of you."
He turned to one of the guards.
"Open the cell. I'm going in," Eldarion ordered. The guard hesitated for a moment, casting a glance at King Elwing, who watched the scene with curiosity.
"What do you intend to do?" Elwing inquired.
"I'm going to enter his mind. My anima allows me to connect to the soul of the person I touch. That also lets me see their memories," Eldarion explained. "I need the person to be conscious, which is why I couldn't do it earlier. It's exhausting, but it's the only way to get information."
"I see…" the king murmured before turning to the guard beside him. "Open the cell."
"Yes, sir!" the guard replied. He pulled a key from his belt and, with trembling hands, unlocked the padlock. The door creaked as it opened, allowing Eldarion to step inside. Slowly, he approached Doral, who instinctively retreated until his back pressed against the cold stone wall.
"Alright, Doral. Let's find out what happened in the Carrion Clan," Eldarion murmured as he advanced toward the elf. Doral's chains jingled with his trembling, his gaze filled with terror, and his breathing grew more erratic as the prince drew closer.
"No… don't do it," Doral pleaded, his voice broken with fear. "If you do, he'll…"
The prince ignored his pleas completely. He extended his hand toward Doral's face, and the moment his palm touched the elf's skin, a torrent of energy surged through his body. His vision blurred, and suddenly, reality around him shifted.
He was no longer in the dungeon. Now, he was seeing through Doral's eyes. Before him stood his father, King Imir, seated on his throne.
"Doral. You must take my son to the Magnolia Clan," the king commanded firmly. "Only then will the plan succeed."
Eldarion didn't understand what they were talking about. He couldn't hear Doral's response since he was seeing through him. He tried to discern the meaning of those words, suspecting it might be related to the princess's kidnapping. Before he could delve further, the scene faded.
Suddenly, he found himself in a dark corridor. A shadowy figure moved in the distance, gliding through the castle's halls. The presence of the entity was terrifying, and though it made no sound, its mere existence seemed to weigh down the air.
Through Doral's eyes, he began running toward it. The shadow moved with inhuman speed, but it wasn't fleeing; rather, it seemed to be waiting for him. Finally, it stood before him. Slowly, it began to turn, revealing brilliant red eyes.
Before Eldarion could discern who it was, the entire scene plunged into darkness. Confused, he looked around. He was no longer in Doral's perspective but in his own. He could see his body and had regained his senses. Suddenly, he felt something tighten forcefully around his neck. It was as if someone were strangling him. He struggled to break free, but his efforts were futile. Air grew scarce, and his consciousness began to fade.
"Eldarion!" A voice shook him, and suddenly, he was back to reality. Gasping, he opened his eyes wide. He was back in the dungeon. Beside him, Elwing watched with concern.
"What happened?" Eldarion asked as he caught his breath. He looked around, his eyes landing on Doral's body lying motionless on the floor.
"He's dead," Elwing responded before Eldarion could say anything. "While you were in his mind, Doral started going mad. He kept screaming, and then suddenly, he died. At the same time, it seemed like you were suffocating. Do you have any idea what could've happened?"
"I don't know. A shadow appeared and started strangling me. Clearly, someone was watching Doral," Eldarion replied. He slowly moved out of the cell and back into the corridor. "I suppose the only thing I can do now is go to the Carrion Clan myself."
King Elwing nodded, still trying to make sense of the situation. Something was very strange about all this, and silencing Doral was proof of it.
"For now, you can stay here as long as you need," Elwing said. "When you're ready to leave, we'll provide you with a cart and some guards to accompany you."
"I appreciate your hospitality, King Elwing. But your guards won't be necessary," Eldarion replied, surprising the king.
"Do you plan to go alone?"
"Not exactly. I have something in mind."
Without fully understanding the prince's intentions, the king nodded slowly. With a courteous gesture, Eldarion stepped away from the cell and ascended the stairs, leaving the dungeon behind.