Dark elves belonged to the non-human races that enslaved humanity until the ancient era when the Prea deities descended. Distinguished by purple-black skin and silver hair, they specialized in necromancy—manipulating death spirits that emerged from deceased magic-users or beasts.
As expected, eerie green light emanated from the two dark elves' hands.
An otherworldly growl resonated through the forest as five or six death spirits materialized, surrounding the crimson horse and its unconscious master. The apparitions resembled various animals—wolf, lynx, buffalo.
Though the horse reared and bellowed threateningly, it was clearly outnumbered.
Novan, concealed beside a tree, deliberated his options.
'Should I intervene?'
Keorn's teaching would prompt aiding humans without hesitation, but Novan felt caution regarding the conflict's origins. If the injured man had initiated hostilities, involvement might prove misguided.
Books portrayed dark elves and other non-humans as monsters who delighted in enslaving and consuming humans. Yet until witnessing definitive malevolence—
"Whose fingers are those? Share some."
"Eat your own. You surely claimed some."
The male dark elf gnawed unmistakably human digits.
This confirmed the accounts of dark elf cannibalism as factual, not prejudicial.
Novan deepened his concealment from mere visual obscurity to complete sensory evasion. Approaching within twenty paces, he readied an almond-shaped stone in his sling while invoking a familiar enchantment.
"Harden, accelerate, pierce—target the head."
Though such verbal incantations provided minimal benefit given his increased proficiency, they still marginally enhanced effectiveness.
As the stone flew from his spinning sling, Novan manipulated the 'air' resistance, further accelerating the projectile.
"All my victims were male, their hair excessive—"
The female dark elf's casual remark was interrupted by a sharp crack as her companion's head vanished—as though swept away by invisible force.
Half the death spirits surrounding the horse, previously under the male's control, instantly collapsed.
"Kel?" The female dark elf stared blankly, momentarily bewildered, but rallied her remaining spirits more rapidly than Novan anticipated.
This quick response allowed a mountain goat spirit to deflect Novan's second stone aimed at her head.
"What treachery! Reveal yourself!"
She directed the buffalo spirit to ravage the ground where the stone originated, but Novan had already relocated.
Recognizing her opponent's concealment abilities, she summoned another spirit.
"Let's determine if you maintain invisibility through this!"
A small fox materialized, immediately radiating intense light in all directions. The forest, previously dimmed by foliage, suddenly blazed brighter than an open field at noon.
Concealment magic, like attempting to ignite fire underwater, functioned poorly in excessive brightness. Novan faced an unwelcome choice: maintain concealment while enduring catastrophic energy depletion or abandon his advantage.
Alternatively, he could retreat—but that would doom the horse and its master.
As Novan reluctantly released his concealment, the dark elf snarled.
"You! Fiend! You murdered Kel!"
She immediately commanded the wolf and buffalo spirits to attack, allowing no opportunity for response.
Novan vigorously rubbed his palms together, mimicking flint striking.
Friction generates heat; heat ignites flame.
This fundamental understanding intensified the flames materializing above his hands. The fiery sphere accelerated through centrifugal force, striking the approaching wolf's head with precision.
The spirit collapsed with an agonized howl when struck by the practically imperceptible fireball.
However, the massive buffalo charging from the opposite direction presented a significant problem.
With insufficient distance for another flame projection and uncertain confidence in felling such a massive entity with one strike, Novan rolled sideways to evade its trajectory.
Though ungraceful, his evasion succeeded.
"This...!"
Displeased with this outcome, the dark elf summoned a deer spirit, directing it toward Novan.
Apparently, controlling four spirits simultaneously represented her maximum capacity.
'Fortunate I eliminated one previously,' Novan thought.
Confronting eight or more would have necessitated immediate retreat.
While evading another buffalo charge and preparing to incinerate the deer, sudden pain seared through Novan's leg.
"Agh!"
Looking down, he discovered the fox—its illumination extinguished—had silently attacked. He had assumed it merely provided light to counter concealment, not expecting offensive capabilities.
Though he swiftly dislodged it with his other foot, this distraction prevented him from evading the buffalo's opportunistic charge.
The impact launched Novan dozens of meters through the air before colliding with a tree.
Momentarily unconscious from the impact, he struggled to breathe as though his organs had been compressed. He could only gasp silently, sprawled helplessly.
The dark elf laughed triumphantly. "Rightfully suffered! Daring to kill my Kel—I'll make death seem merciful—aaah!"
The crimson horse suddenly attacked the gloating dark elf, having observed their conflict and identified Novan as an ally.
Protected by the mountain goat spirit, she survived the initial impact, but rapidly deteriorated under merciless hooves.
"H-help, quickly!"
Following their master's command, the buffalo and fox abandoned Novan while the mountain goat ceased its protective function. All three converged on the horse, initiating a three-against-one struggle.
The dark elf, barely escaping, gasped while adjusting her disheveled appearance. "Such humiliation... I'll destroy..."
After this brief outburst, she realized Novan had vanished from his previous position.
Had he fled? Or reengaged concealment?
'I need my mountain goat... but that would compromise the current battle...'
During this momentary indecision, a slightly softer cracking sound preceded her consciousness fading permanently.
Dark elves, like humans, ceased thinking when portions above their eyebrows disappeared.
"Finally..." Novan exhaled.
His final stone throw had required maximum magical and physical exertion. After confirming the crushed skull, he collapsed where he stood.
Rising seemed impossible as the ground appeared to undulate violently.
'Death approaches,' he thought.
Had he ever demanded so much from body and mind?
While staring at the pale yellow sky, a crimson shadow suddenly obscured his vision.
The horse approached Novan, gently pressing its muzzle against his chest—seemingly conveying appreciation.
Smiling weakly while stroking its nose, Novan rested thirty minutes to regain minimal strength before struggling upright.
Regardless of his near-death experience, victory demanded collecting its rewards—three death spirits from the male dark elf and five from the female.
"Ugh..."
In the shadowed forest, Asiz Berk groaned as consciousness returned with throbbing pain.
His memories, scrambled from head trauma, gradually reconstructed—the sudden dark elf ambush, desperate combat, frantic retreat, retainers sacrificing themselves...
"Damik!"
Calling his loyal butler's name, Asiz hastily raised himself.
First perceiving a campfire burning over neatly arranged wood, he then noticed a figure in a reddish-brown cloak seated opposite. The stranger appeared handsome with gray hair secured in a ponytail, seemingly several years his junior by commoner reckoning.
"You've awakened."
"Your identity?"
"I witnessed dark elves attacking you and intervened."
Surveying his surroundings, Asiz realized this wasn't his last-remembered location. While momentarily disoriented, he felt familiar presence enveloping him.
Tilly, his childhood companion, delicately rested a foreleg on his shoulder.
"Tilly..."
"An exceptional animal. Intelligent enough to protect its master and understand our need to relocate for safety."
Confirming Tilly's well-being assured Asiz of the stranger's benevolent intentions. His beloved horse would never permit proximity to threats.
"Thank you for my rescue. I am Asiz of House Berk."
"I am Novan."
Though no house affiliation followed, Asiz harbored no doubts regarding the stranger's nobility. The dark elf necromancers pursuing him exceeded ordinary guardian capabilities.
"Did specific motivations underlie your conflict with the dark elves?"
"Motivations? None existed. My retainers and I were simply on pilgrimage when ambushed without provocation. I'd heard of non-human ferocity but never anticipated such extremity."
As he finished speaking, Asiz's chest constricted with agonizing recollection. Six guardians and ten servants who had accompanied him—including Damik, who had essentially raised him—all perished.
Despite attempting composure before this stranger, tears blurred his vision.
While Asiz grieved, momentarily abandoning noble dignity, Novan respectfully averted his gaze toward the flames.
Truthfully, exhaustion prevented meaningful consolation. His body, brutalized by the buffalo spirit's impact, protested with pervasive aches. Only the substantial magical energy now flowing within provided solace—power acquired from consuming eight death spirits, effectively doubling his previous capacity.
Considering minimal growth since the primate beast encounter, having captured merely insignificant specimens during his travels, this represented extraordinary fortune—albeit nearly at the cost of his life.
Eventually, Asiz regained composure, apologizing while wiping reddened eyes. "Forgive my impropriety. Those lost were irreplaceable..."
"Family members?"
"Guardians and servants accompanying my pilgrimage. They essentially raised me from childhood."
Novan silently acknowledged Asiz's nobility of character, especially contrasted against House Baltas nobility who treated guardians as disposable shields.
However, practical concerns demanded attention first.
"How many dark elves comprised your attackers? I eliminated two."
"That constitutes their entirety."
Despite this assurance, Novan performed another detection spell encompassing their vicinity. Fortunately, no dark elves registered within several kilometers, permitting momentary relief.
Asiz bowed deeply to Novan. "Sir Novan, do pressing matters currently occupy you?"
"I too undertake pilgrimage."
Asiz's eyes widened with surprise. "Pilgrimage with such formidable ability... perhaps you represent a great house? Yet why travel unaccompanied?"
"I prefer discretion."
Evidently, Asiz significantly overestimated Novan's capabilities. In reality, surprise had facilitated eliminating one opponent, while the crimson horse's intervention had proven crucial against the second. However, Asiz apparently believed Novan had single-handedly overwhelmed both adversaries.
Novan released his aura to correct this misunderstanding. Asiz flinched but responded with his own—surprisingly, a presence stronger than Novan's pre-combat level, approximately two-thirds his current capacity.
'Unexpectedly potent,' Novan thought.
At such power levels, Asiz might have successfully battled alongside Tilly, yet Novan recalled that magical strength alone rarely determined combat outcomes. Asiz's demeanor suggested limited battle temperament.
While Novan evaluated him, Asiz similarly assessed the mysterious stranger.
Though magically formidable, Novan's power alone seemed insufficient against two necromancers. This suggested either extraordinary magical technique and combat intuition or exceptionally powerful bloodline abilities.
Moreover, continued pilgrimage indicated unreached growth potential—making him valuable to any major house. Why would such an individual wander unaccompanied remained perplexing...
"Lacking specific destination, would you consider visiting House Berk? We'll properly compensate you for preserving my life and ensuring safe return."
"Compensation?"
House Berk remained unfamiliar among Novan's known lineages. Their capacity to raise and travel with such a beast suggested substantial resources, yet...
"House Berk serves as vassal to the great northern House Arabion. Our artificer bloodline has created magical devices for generations."
With evident pride, Asiz declared their absolute capability to repay their life debt to Novan.