Eva looked at the boy with a piercing gaze, a mixture of curiosity and sternness in her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was firm and carried a hint of boldness:
— Tell me about the creatures you fought in the arena.
Finn froze for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He tried to recall those hunched monsters.
— Those beasts… I met them when I woke up in the cave. Their skin seemed to rot, but their bodies remained intact. I wandered through the dark corridors, searching for a way out. By the underground river, I saw one for the first time… C-claws… so sharp… they carved into the stone like butter, leaving deep furrows in the walls. And its jaws… they… they opened like a snake's, unnaturally wide. But the t-teeth… the teeth were human…
He fell silent, remembering that moment. The creature had cornered him, and it was only by sheer chance that he survived.
Eva listened attentively, tilting her head slightly. Her face softened, and something like approval appeared in her eyes. After a long pause, she said:
— It seems I was wrong about you. You are not as hopeless as I thought at first. — She gave a slight bow, a gesture that surprised Finn. — I apologize for my earlier words. Continue your training — you are on the right path.
Without waiting for an answer, the elf turned and walked away, her silvery hair swaying gently with each step. Finn watched her go, a warm sense of satisfaction spreading inside him. But his mind reminded him of the morning's questions, and the boy stopped her.
— A… Adam told me… You kn-know about this?
Eva's voice cut him off mid-sentence. It was firm and tinged with a hint of sadness.
— Yes, we have known about it since the beginning of our existence. — She spoke without turning back.
Eva said nothing more, slipping away silently into the depths of the settlement.
He stood there for a while, lost in thought, until his weary body reminded him of itself with sharp pain in his muscles. Only then did Finn remember his original intent — to reach the baths.
Shaking his head, he made his way to the edge of the settlement, where the bathhouse stood. It was one of the most wondrous places in the village — built from living wood. Inside, crystal-clear water flowed, gathered from underground springs and warmed by the earth's heat.
Finn immersed himself in the cool water, feeling the tension slowly leave his body. Eva's words still spun in his head. He did not understand what it meant to be "not real," nor could he imagine what the elves felt.
Through the crystals in the cave's ceiling, the last rays of the setting sun filtered in, painting the water of the bath in gentle shades of pink. Finn closed his eyes, allowing himself to fully relax. Tomorrow would bring a new day, but for now, this was a moment of well-deserved rest.
A faint aroma of healing herbs lingered in the air — the elves added them to the water. They said the herbs accelerated healing and restored strength. Finn did not know if that was true.
The water gently embraced his body, washing away the traces of today's battles. Scratches and bruises were already beginning to fade — another miracle of this place. Finn knew that by tomorrow, not a trace of them would remain. Here, everything healed faster, everything changed faster.
When the bath was done, Finn rose slowly from the water. The exhaustion had nearly left his body, replaced by a pleasant lightness. He walked toward the spot where he had left his torn battle kimono, only to freeze in surprise. Instead of the ragged garment, a new set lay waiting — perfectly clean and whole, as if freshly woven from the finest fibers of the great tree.
The boy reached out, hesitantly touching the fabric, hardly believing his eyes. It was soft and cool to the touch, with a faint glow, like everything crafted in this settlement. He slowly dressed himself, the robe fitting him perfectly, as though it had been made just for him.
Clutching the book Adam had given him, Finn stepped out of the bathhouse into the evening air of the settlement. The crystals in the ceiling had almost faded, giving way to the glow of countless vines and mushrooms that lit the streets with gentle bioluminescence.
The path back to his hut felt longer than usual. Perhaps it was fatigue, or perhaps the weight of thoughts that refused to leave his head. Eva's words — "we have known since the beginning of our existence" — echoed in his mind, raising more and more questions.
At last, reaching his home, Finn sank onto his bed woven from the leaves of the great tree. Tonight, he decided to try sleeping on the soft mattress. He tossed and turned, searching for a comfortable position, but sleep would not come.
His thoughts scattered, jumping from one memory to another. He recalled the caves where he had fled from the hunched beasts. He saw himself standing before Eva, struggling to keep the tremor from his voice. He remembered fighting another creature in the arena, dodging its deadly claws.
The desire to sleep slowly faded, replaced by a strange unease. He did not know what awaited him: if he became stronger, what then? Would they cast him out? No, impossible — they had awaited his coming; they would not simply discard him. Perhaps they would send him to a new trial? Finn knew nothing of the first trial; he only remembered waking up in the cave, knowing nothing about himself.
These thoughts finally drove away all hope of rest, and Finn sat on the edge of his bed. His eyes drifted toward the window, looking out at the trunk of the great tree.
In the silence of the night, the tree seemed more alive than ever. Waves of dim light rippled along its bark, like the pulse of some colossal being.
Rising from his bed, Finn walked to the door. He wanted to study this place, to take a closer look at the great tree's trunk.