Calypsius ran, the echo of his footsteps swallowed by the oppressive dark around him. His lungs burned, his legs screamed in protest, but he didn't dare stop. Somewhere ahead, he could feel it—fresh air, a hint of daylight. The cave felt endless, twisting and turning, but he kept moving, ignoring the tightness in his chest and the ache in his bones.
And then, just as he thought he'd collapse from exhaustion, he saw it—a sliver of light, a tiny gap in the rock up ahead. Heart pounding, he forced himself to keep going, his hands scraping against the rough stone as he fought to reach it. With one final push, he threw himself through the narrow opening, and suddenly he was out, tumbling into the warmth of daylight.
He landed on the ground, breathing hard, sunlight on his face for the first time in what felt like forever. Relief washed over him, and for a moment he closed his eyes, letting himself just exist in the open air. But he knew it was far from over. He couldn't stay here. Night would fall soon, and who knew what other dangers lurked in the shadows?
Pushing himself to his feet, he glanced around. He was in the middle of a dense forest, trees stretching high above him, their leaves filtering the light so everything felt shadowed and quiet. Calypsius didn't waste any time—he picked a direction and started running again, adrenaline keeping him moving as he dodged branches and leapt over roots. Every once in a while, he stopped to catch his breath, but fear drove him forward, a constant reminder that he couldn't afford to slow down.
He ran until his legs were heavy and his steps faltered. The forest was growing darker, and just when he thought he couldn't take another step, he stumbled onto something completely unexpected.
There, nestled between the trees, was a town—except it wasn't like any town he'd ever seen. Small homes were built into the trees, their wooden walls blending seamlessly with the forest. Strange glowing orbs floated in the air, casting a soft, enchanting light that made everything look otherworldly.
Calypsius stared, mouth slightly open. As he looked closer, he saw figures moving gracefully between the trees—tall, slender, with pointed ears and an elegance that felt almost surreal. He realized, with a start, that he'd found an elven town.
His first instinct was to hide, to keep running, but he was too tired. And maybe—just maybe—they could help him. Steeling himself, he stumbled into the elven town, relief flooding him as he took in the soft glow of lights and the peacefulness of his surroundings. But fear lingered in the back of his mind. What if they didn't take kindly to strangers—especially humans?
He took a deep breath, summoning what little courage he had left, and stepped forward, hoping to find shelter and maybe, if he was lucky, a little rest. But just as he approached the edge of the town, a sudden rustling sounded from the bushes nearby. He froze, eyes widening, heart pounding. For a split second, he thought about running, but his body was too exhausted to obey.
The bushes parted, and out popped a young elven child, eyes wide with both curiosity and alarm. "It's a human! It's a human!" the child whispered to himself, almost in disbelief. "What's a human doing here?"
Before Calypsius could even muster a response, his vision swam, the exhaustion of his journey catching up with him. The last thing he saw was the child's curious face hovering over him before everything faded to black.
.....
When Calypsius finally woke, he was lying on a soft bed, surrounded by unfamiliar walls. The air smelled faintly of herbs and flowers, and warm sunlight streamed through a small window, bathing the room in a gentle glow. His muscles ached, but it was a pleasant kind of ache, as though he'd finally had a chance to rest.
A soft sound made him turn his head, and he found himself looking up at a figure standing nearby—a female elf with delicate features and warm, green eyes. She wore simple robes, and in her hands was a small bowl filled with herbs.
"Oh, you're awake," she said, her voice soothing and melodic. "You gave us quite a scare, human. How did you even find your way here?"
Calypsius opened his mouth, trying to find words, but his throat was dry, and his mind was still foggy from sleep. "I… I was lost," he managed, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I… just stumbled here."
The elven nurse nodded, her gaze softening. "Well, you're safe now. But rest a bit longer—you'll need your strength if you're going to explain yourself to the elders. They're curious about you, to say the least."
Calypsius wasn't sure what to make of that, but for now, he was too tired to care. As he lay back, letting the comfort of the bed lull him, he wondered what awaited him in this strange town and if he'd finally found a place where he could be safe—or if this was only the beginning of a new danger.