"Emily regarded Claire with a measured calm—the kind that concealed a storm of conflicting thoughts. The two girls studied each other intently before speaking in unison"
"I look beautiful."
"Aether and Scar watched them with amused smiles. Scar then addressed Claire, his tone shifting to seriousness"
"Well, how did someone from the royal court—or rather, you—end up in this forest?"
"Claire snapped back to attention at Scar's question, while Emily shot Aether an annoyed glance, having noticed his smirk. Claire replied calmly, though her voice carried a lingering tremor"
"We were returning to the palace by carriage, passing through the crossing near the forest. As we ventured deeper into the woods, a figure stopped us. He carried a black sword and had no face—all I saw were two white, hollow eyes. With terrifying strength, he tried to smash the carriage, shouting that he would take revenge on all the people of Nivar."
"Aether looked at Scar, his expression tense with the thought that had just crossed his mind. He spoke cautiously"
"Scar... do you think it's—"
Scar cut him off immediately, his grip tightening on his sword as he whispered in a low, urgent voice:
"Don't make a sound... He's here."
"The three noticed his focus was locked onto one of the trees. He stepped forward slowly, placing a hand against its bark, as if trying to channel his energy into the forest. After a few tense moments, he suddenly punched the tree in frustration and growled"
"Damn it! I lost his trail again!"
None of the three fully understood what had just happened. Aether broke the silence:
"You lost his trail? Did you even see him?"
Scar let out a slow breath and explained:
"Yes... I connected my spirit with the forest to sense the surrounding areas. But unfortunately, all I caught was a fleeting glimpse before that madman vanished beyond the forest's edge."
"But you only touched one tree. How—"
Emily interrupted him, her voice thoughtful:
"I think I know how it works, Aether. Remember when we studied ecosystems in biology class? We learned that a forest isn't just a collection of trees—there's an entire biological network underground."
Aether paused briefly to think, then nodded:
"You might be right. That would explain it. Perhaps he communicated with the entire forest through that network."
Claire, growing impatient, interjected with clear annoyance:
"Would someone please tell me what's going on here? What underground network are you talking about?"
"Realizing they owed her an explanation, Aether turned to her calmly."
"Alright, what we meant is that a forest isn't just the trees you see above ground. There's a hidden part underground—the roots. The larger and denser the trees, the more extensive their root systems. These roots often intertwine and fuse together, forming a vast subterranean network."
"Aether approached Scar and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking in a reassuring tone."
"If we didn't get him this time, we will next time. Until then... we need to be ready for him."
"Scar managed a faint smile before turning to the others. Emily spoke up again, her tone pragmatic yet supportive."
"Well, I'm not the best at encouragement, but your abilities are incredible. Like you said earlier, you've already become his equal through training. Why not keep improving? Maybe we can handle him that way."
Claire studied Scar intently, her curiosity piqued:
"You seem much older than you look... and you know a lot about that monster. Who are you, really?"
"Scar fell silent, unable to take pride in being the Hero of Nivar after failing to stop the Shadow's escape—let alone defeat it. Before he could respond, Aether answered cheerfully on his behalf."
"He's the Hero of Nivar."
Claire's eyes widened in disbelief:
"The Hero of Nivar? Isn't that just a myth—a story time forgot? I never thought those tales or battles were real. I've always believed they were pure fantasy. And now you're telling me it's all true? Well, until I see proof, I'll consider this 'Hero of Nivar' title a lie. No offense, boy."
Scar remained silent, but Aether nodded respectfully at her skepticism:
"That actually makes sense to me. I respect that way of thinking, honestly."
Emily added with a shrug:
"No objections from me. She's making a very logical point."
Scar turned to Claire and said:
"We're heading to the Crossing—it's also the way to the Eastern Kingdom where your palace is. Come with us to ensure your safety. It's better than going alone, especially since you're unarmed."
"Claire agreed, and the four of them set off toward Crimson River Crossing. Along the way, Scar removed his cloak and handed it to Claire."
"Take this and wear it. We don't want anyone at the crossing to recognize your royal attire—it's filled with spies and thieves these days."
"Claire quickly took the cloak and draped it over herself, covering everything up to her shoulders. The group continued talking until they reached Crimson River Crossing. Aether and Emily finally understood how it got its name: trees with vivid red leaves lined both banks, and their reflection on the water made the river itself appear blood-red"
"As they crossed the bridge, Aether and Emily were stunned by its size—far larger than any river crossing they'd ever seen. Scar explained that it had once been small, but due to heavy trade activity, it had been expanded into the Eastern Kingdom's central trading hub."
Aether remarked in awe:
"This place is huge! I never imagined it would be this massive!"
"Emily nodded in agreement, and the team continued their search for supplies. That's when Aether noticed other creatures among the humans. He whispered to Emily"
"Hey, Em—what are these things?!"
Emily replied cautiously:
"I don't know, and I don't want to find out. Let's just stick together and stay out of trouble."
"As they whispered, one of the fae—arrogant and haughty—reached out to grab Emily's thigh. But before he could, a hand shot out and seized his wrist. It was Aether."
The fae snarled, his voice dripping with contempt:
"How dare you interfere with my fun, boy?! Back off, or I'll rearrange your face!"
To be continued...