The morning sun barely touched the horizon when the group prepared to leave the half-demon marketplace. After their night of strange encounters, laughter, and unexpected bonds, the air felt different. Lighter, yet laced with an invisible tension. Zaygar could feel it, though he tried to hide it beneath a calm exterior.
Selene walked a few steps behind him, still holding the small pouch that contained the gift he had given her the night before—the necklace with the glowing blue gem, the "Tear of the Sea." Every few minutes her fingers brushed against the pendant, almost as though she wanted to make sure it was real and not a dream.
Selya, however, had not forgotten. Her jealousy simmered like a hidden flame, and though she kept her royal composure in public, Zaygar noticed the way her eyes narrowed whenever Selene smiled. The others were oblivious, or perhaps too distracted by their own thoughts to care.
It was Lord Eylan, the nobleman, who broke the silence as they passed the last stalls of the market.
"Before we leave, we should restock," he said smoothly, his gloved hands gesturing toward the colorful shops. "Traveling into Elven lands is not something to be taken lightly. Their forests stretch for days, and food is scarce if you do not know their secrets."
Zaygar nodded. "You're right. Let's buy what we need quickly."
The market was alive with noise: blacksmiths hammering enchanted metal, vendors shouting the virtues of their wares, exotic spices carried on the wind. The group split up, each drawn to different corners. General Allen examined new armor, tapping the steel with a critical eye. Kairos, the swordsman, disappeared toward a weapon stall without a word, uninterested in the others.
Zaygar, however, was watching Selene. She stopped in front of a merchant who displayed delicate glass trinkets, her eyes catching the shimmer of light reflected from them. Zaygar took a deep breath, steeling himself, then approached another stall. That was when he saw it—a pendant carved from crystal, its core glowing with a faint pulse of blue.
The merchant noticed his gaze. "Ah, young traveler. That stone is called the Tear of the Sea. It's said to comfort souls who have carried loneliness for far too long."
The words pierced Zaygar's chest like an arrow. Without hesitation, he bought it and walked toward Selene. She turned, surprised, as he gently fastened the necklace around her neck. For a moment, time seemed to pause.
Selene's cheeks warmed with a faint blush. "Zaygar… why would you buy this for me?"
"Because," he replied softly, his voice low but steady, "it feels like it was made for you."
Her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but no words came. Instead, she looked away, fingers brushing the pendant.
From the shadows of a nearby stall, Selya's teeth clenched. Her hand twitched with frustration. "He… bought her a necklace? For her?"
Her emotions boiled over, and before she realized it, she had stormed across the street. Poor General Allen, who had been calmly negotiating with a smith, was suddenly seized by his hair.
"W-what in the—?! Princess Selya, what are you doing?!" Allen shouted, his voice echoing across the stalls.
"You! You'll do," Selya snapped, tugging his hair harder. "Don't ask questions, just suffer!"
Allen flailed helplessly. "Why me?! I didn't even look at her necklace!"
The scene was so absurd that even Lord Eylan chuckled under his breath. "Ah… jealousy, thy name is woman."
Kairos, meanwhile, didn't even glance back. He adjusted the blade he had just purchased, muttering, "I don't have time for this nonsense."
The others laughed at Allen's plight until, at last, Selya released him, leaving the general with hair sticking in every direction like a wild mane.
By the time the group finished shopping, the sun had begun its descent. Lord Eylan proposed that they depart under the cover of night to avoid unnecessary attention. Zaygar agreed.
When the moon rose high, the party set out, their footsteps muffled by the damp earth. The forest loomed ahead like a wall of shadows, each tree ancient and proud, whispering secrets with the wind.
Selene walked beside Zaygar, closer than usual. The pendant glimmered faintly in the moonlight. She glanced at him, then whispered, "Zaygar… thank you, not just for the necklace. For everything. For letting me stay."
He met her eyes and smiled faintly. "I should be the one thanking you. For the first time in my life… I don't feel completely alone."
Their quiet exchange carried more weight than either realized, and behind them, Selya's narrowed eyes gleamed like daggers in the dark. She said nothing, but her silence was louder than any words.
Hours passed. At last, exhaustion caught up to them. In a clearing beneath towering trees, they decided to rest. They lit a small fire, shared a simple meal, and one by one, drifted into sleep.
Zaygar lay awake for a time, staring at the stars visible through gaps in the canopy. For a moment, he wondered what awaited them in Elven lands. Would the Elves be allies or enemies? His thoughts blurred as sleep finally claimed him.
But the forest was never truly silent.
In the depth of night, faint footsteps moved across the earth, light as whispers. Shadows passed between trees, their forms almost merging with the darkness. Elves, cloaked in silver and green, approached with flawless silence. Their bows were drawn, arrows glinting with enchanted light.
The campfire flickered, yet not a single ember betrayed the invaders. One by one, the group was surrounded. Magic runes glowed as wooden cages formed from the living roots of trees, twisting upward like serpents.
When dawn touched the edge of the forest, Zaygar stirred. He opened his eyes slowly—only to find himself no longer lying on the soft ground, but trapped within a living prison of wood. The air smelled of sap and magic.
"Wha… what is this?" he muttered, gripping the glowing bars.
Across from him, Selene was in another cage, her hands pressed against the wooden walls. Selya, Allen, Kairos, and Lord Eylan were each trapped as well, all separated, all helpless.
Selya's voice cracked with outrage. "What is the meaning of this?! Do you know who I am?!"
The forest responded, not with words at first, but with movement. A line of Elves stepped into view, their silver armor gleaming faintly under morning light. Their faces were sharp, their gazes cold. At their head stood a figure taller than the rest, his crown woven from branches and crystal, his aura commanding silence.
The Elf King.
He raised one hand, and the forest itself seemed to bow in reverence. His voice, deep and ancient, echoed through the clearing.
"You have trespassed into the sacred realm of the Elves. Strangers are not welcome in our lands."
The cages creaked as the runes tightened. Zaygar's pulse quickened. He could feel the weight of the King's gaze settle upon him, piercing, as if it could strip away the very fabric of his soul.
And then, almost too quietly for the others to hear, the Elf King murmured words that sent a shiver through Zaygar's chest.
"Two among you… are not what they appear."
The clearing fell silent, and Zaygar realized the danger had only just begun.
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