Chapter 21 – Shadowed Forest
The western forest was unlike the home of the Forest Elves.
Here, the trees rose taller, their crowns thick and heavy, but no sunlight could pierce through. It was as if the entire land was trapped in eternal twilight. Thick roots coiled across the ground like massive serpents, blocking the way, while a faint mist clung low to the earth.
Valdyn walked at the front, his green cloak brushing against roots and ferns with every step. Behind him, five young elves followed nervously, bows and daggers in hand, their faces pale but determined.
"Eltharion," Valdyn said softly, "do you see anything?"
The youth, known for his sharp eyes, squinted into the haze. "Something moving… to the right. But this mist— I can't tell for certain."
Valdyn nodded once. Illusions. This is the domain of the Dark Elves.
---
The deeper they went, the heavier the air became.
Bird calls twisted into eerie wails, shadows between the trees shifted unnaturally, following them.
Maeriel, the bowmaiden, gripped her weapon tighter. "This place… feels like a nightmare."
"Not a nightmare," Valdyn answered flatly. "It's how they remind intruders who rules these woods."
One of the younger elves at the rear whispered, his voice trembling. "Why must we come here? The Dark Elves hate us. They'll kill us on sight."
Valdyn halted and turned, his emerald eyes sharp. "If you fear shadows, the world will devour you. You follow me because you seek a future, do you not?"
The boy lowered his head. "…Yes."
Valdyn faced forward again. This is their first test. If they cannot endure fear, how can they bear the weight of tomorrow?
---
A rasping voice echoed from above.
"Who dares trespass into our shadowed forest?"
Figures leapt from the branches, dropping silently to the ground. Dozens of red eyes gleamed through the mist, black hair spilling over pale, bluish skin. Bows of dark wood aimed in unison, arrows tipped with black mana.
Dark Elves.
Valdyn's young companions stiffened, raising their bows in panic.
"Lower your weapons," Valdyn ordered firmly, raising a hand.
"But, my lord—!" Maeriel hissed.
"We did not come for war," Valdyn said, his gaze fixed on the encircling foe.
One Dark Elf stepped forward—tall, lean, clad in blackened leather. His stare dripped with hatred.
"Forest Elves… how dare you crawl here. Did you think after the war we would greet you with open arms?"
"No," Valdyn replied calmly. "I expected no welcome. I came to speak."
The elf sneered. "Speak? With traitor's blood?"
The air tightened. Valdyn's recruits trembled, bows half-raised, caught between instinct and terror.
But Valdyn stepped forward, mana flowing from him—green currents flickering like wind ripples through the mist.
"I am Valdyn Thalorian. I did not come for war. I came for the future."
Murmurs spread among the Dark Elves. The name still carried weight, even here.
---
A woman's voice cut through the murmurs—clear, sharp, and commanding.
"Valdyn Thalorian, you say?"
The Dark Elves parted instantly, lowering their heads as a figure approached. From the mist strode a young woman with a slender frame, long black hair, and eyes of deep violet that shimmered dangerously. She bore a staff inlaid with silver runes, its aura heavy with shadow.
Valdyn narrowed his eyes. So this is their leader.
The woman stopped a few steps away, her gaze piercing. "I am Nymeris, young mistress of this Dark Elf tribe. You bring the name Thalorian, yet I see no king… only a reckless boy wandering into my forest."
The youths behind Valdyn stiffened at the insult, some nearly breaking. But Valdyn allowed only a faint smile.
"A boy, perhaps. But one carrying the future of our race."
Nymeris arched a brow, then let out a short, mocking laugh. "Future? Forest Elves have always babbled about the future. All they've ever done is hide. What makes you any different, Valdyn Thalorian?"
Valdyn's eyes locked onto hers, his voice sharp as steel. "Test me, and you will know."
---
Nymeris raised her staff, dark energy rippling outward in a wave that sent shivers down spines.
"Very well, Valdyn Thalorian. If you wish to speak, then prove yourself in battle. Fight me. Should you lose, you and your followers will die here."
The surrounding Dark Elves hissed, their whispers turning to cruel anticipation.
Valdyn slowly lifted his bow, emerald eyes gleaming like sharpened blades.
This is what I've been waiting for.
---
Valdyn had reached the heart of the Shadowed Forest, only to face Nymeris, the Dark Elf leader.
Words would not suffice—only strength would decide whether they would be enemies or allies.
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