Oren no longer remembered the truth of his own immortality, let alone whether such a thing truly existed.
If it did, he would find it. If it did not, he would search endlessly for something that had never been there to begin with.
Perhaps the way the world had begun to behave was some sort of signal... Or maybe he was simply hallucinating.
He shook his head, glancing at the trees and the blood-streaked ground weaving through the undergrowth behind him
The two vital pieces of information Selvar had carelessly revealed only deepened his concern.
Because that meant the adversaries were not from Everdream. And the tales about him went further back than he had expected.
Starting from his first ever venture in the first mountain to his most recent in the third mountain.
If the people were not from Everdream, one of the largest and most revered villages of the Fourth Mountain, then where had they obtained their information?
How did they know I was on my way to Everdream?
Am I just that popular?
Oren stared at Selvar, then spoke, wiping the dry blood from the corner of his lips with his thumb.
"You come from the Fog of Everdream. If I am correct, that is how you could see under the grey mist of the fog Erol."
It was only suspicion, though.
He knew that the grey fog he had been running through was only temporary, created by a fog Erol that most likely came from the Wall of Fog in Everdream.
In other words, it was not permanent.
Selvar nodded faintly, then sighed.
"Ahh, yes. I come from the Wall of Fog. I am also a trained hunter, so I can do many things. But you, Immortal Demon, you are far more impressive."
Realising the ostracising tone in his voice, he added with a dark smile.
"I need your name? They never said your name in the stories. They only cared about your acts, your sins, and the chaos you stirred, your are known as the Immortal demon."
Oren knew that what selvar said could be false... the people of Rosain, Emperois and Riverdam all knew his name, but if it was true, and that his name was not known by the of Everdream already, he would not have to create a false alias.
"My name is Xeyren, the Immortal Demon."
"Xeyren," Selvar laughed.
"This name suits a demon, does it not?"
He added quietly.
"One more question. Did you truly come to Everdream with peace in mind?"
Oren hesitated for split second, his voice calmly unhinged
"Peace? No. Not the kind you are thinking of. I came here seeking a peace of sorts indeed.
"But a man named the Immortal Demon does not exactly walk into the greatest city of the Fourth Mountain and bring serenity with him."
His lips curved faintly, though there was no warmth in it.
"Still, I do not mind. I will bring peace to Everdream."
Selvar replied enthusiasticly.
"I will take you to Everdream then."
After hearing Selvar's words and watching him for a while, Oren could not tell if the archer was lying.
He shook his head and raised his voice slightly.
"Escort? No, you are mistaken."
Oren smiled.
"Selvar, you will not merely escort me. You and I share the same idea."
He froze. Had he forgotten something?
Ah. Right.
His eyes glimmered as he spoke.
"We both betrayed those mindless humans.
While you came here to form an alliance with me, I betrayed them in battle. I was forced to retreat. You came freely at the cost of treachery."
Oren looked at the trees above them as he continued.
"We both questioned what they wanted and desired. Because of that, we are no different from two apples on a tree. They never fall far from one another."
Selvar squinted, his expression souring with visible confusion.
But Oren's next words caught him off guard, making him step back and bump into the tree behind him.
"For me to enter Everdream, I do not only need you to escort me through the forest and fog, but to become a hostage of sorts."
Oren's expression deepened profoundly.
"Since I failed to kill the four warriors, I fear that the news that I harmed them, people who put their lives on the line to defend Everdream, will spread.
That is why the people of Everdream will most likely attack me."
Selvar frowned and yet agreed with what he said.
Oren stepped forward, lifting his hand in reassurance.
"So if I have an Enlightened one like you as my hostage, I can control what they do and say, because to the people you are a protector of their home.
Personally, I do not care about such things as comments and remarks. What I do care about, though, is my safety.
So if they dare attack, I will threaten them by placing my blade against the neck of a flawless Enlightened archer who can see through the fog of Everdream."
Oren smiled faintly.
Despite his reassuring facade, he was unsure if Selvar would be so easily manipulated, falling into his grasp like the average person.
Ahh.
Oren shook his head as he reflected, staring down at the flowers.
I am not some grand mastermind.
Still, he had learnt many things, making him adept at anything he tried. He was like a rising star.
He grimaced.
If there was a rumour about my talents, they would most definitely call me a fallen devil.
Nonetheless, Oren knew that if he continued through life trying to control everyone, he would only go so far.
Then again, he had already lived for centuries due to the Erol of immortality.
He had lived longer than any human. His age even dwarfed the formation of some smaller clans.
However, when Oren heard Selvar's response, his expression faltered briefly.
Selvar spoke calmly, glancing at the leaves drifting through the air.
"Flattery will only get you so far, Xeyren. This act of yours only makes you look cunning and unholy, like the name that condemns you."
He calmly stared into Oren's golden eyes as he continued.
"I do not mind. What matters is that we have discussed how you will act, what you want, and your wish to reach Everdream."
Selvar's voice softened, though his tone shifted into something Oren could not define.
Whatever it was, it made Oren wary.
"What do I gain from this? We have yet to discuss what I want. Immortal Demon, I am not a pushover.
The corner of his lips lifted.
"This will be a deal between you and I, so tell me what will you wager."
In all honesty, Oren had thought escorting such a revered person as himself was payment enough.
But it seemed not.
Watching Selvar's expression calmly, Oren finally spoke.
"Oh well, what do you want?"
His eyes widened slightly as he told Selvar what truly mattered.
"Do keep in mind I have no money, no resources, nothing at all really. But if you want money so badly, I can simply take it from the people of Everdream."
Selvar smiled. He stood still for a while, then inhaled through his nose and looked up into the blue sky.
"That is perfect, Xeyren, but I do not need money. Stealing is unnecessary. I also do not need resources to be happy."
Upon hearing the archer's next words, Oren's faint smile faded.
"What I request is an Erol. Hopefully you have heard of it, and if not, something quite similar. And since Erols do not have predetermined names, the challenge of finding this peculiar creature will be arduous."
Oren pondered for a moment.
It indeed would not be easy because Erols were not equal.
Some were weak, little more than curiosities. Others possessed power capable of rivaling entire clans.
Their rank depended on the density of world energy and the ability it held.
Most common folk only ever encountered the lowest tiers. The people of the Unison Mountains rarely left the range.
That was partly why the range of Erols had not changed much. Erols were born from the world's energy and certain natural conditions.
Once their creation was understood, they could be reproduced while resources lasted.
Manuals detailing such methods circulated across the mountains, though nothing was ever guaranteed with those vile abominations.
Though he knew the names of many Erols, he was far from omniscient, and creating Erols had been banned due to his demonic acts.
So what exactly did Selvar want?
Oren lifted his gaze back to Selvar.
"What kind of Erol do you want?"
Selvar did not hesitate.