The corridor stretched endlessly, polished marble reflecting the pale morning light. Though there were a dozen doors on either side, only three of them were occupied — Zafira's, Alfons's, and Trafalgar's. The entire floor was reserved for the heirs of the Eight Great Families, yet silence was its most frequent resident.
Trafalgar leaned against the wall near the circular lift, hands tucked into his pockets. His expression was calm, but his mind wasn't.
'The World Tree, huh?' he thought. 'As in the one from the stories? The heart of the elves' lands — the root that connects the mana flow of half the continent. If the Thal'Zar really attacked something like that, they must be fucking lunatics!'
He exhaled softly, eyes narrowing. 'And of all families, why them? The Thal'Zar are proud and short-tempered, but they're not stupid. Unless someone pushed them to act, or… something was stolen that they couldn't let go.'
