Chapter 12 – The Secret Encounter
The forest was silent that night. Moonlight slipped between the branches, silvering the ground with pale light. The air was cool, carrying only the whispers of leaves and the chirping of unseen insects.
Valdyn moved swiftly, following the mysterious elf he had just met. She moved with uncanny grace, her steps barely disturbing the earth. Her long black hair, tied loosely, swayed with each step, and her silver eyes glimmered whenever the moon touched them.
Though it was their first meeting, Valdyn sensed something about her. She was no ordinary wanderer.
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They halted in a small clearing, far from the reach of human ears. The elf turned, her bow resting lightly against her shoulder, her gaze sharp and watchful.
"You're either very brave to come this close to a human encampment," she whispered, her tone cool yet clear, "or very foolish."
Valdyn pulled back his hood, his golden hair catching the moonlight, his emerald eyes fixed firmly on hers.
"I am not foolish," he replied evenly. "I want to know why they are here. A force of that size isn't here to hunt."
The elf's lips curved slightly, as if amused.
"Golden hair…" she murmured. "So the rumors were true."
Valdyn frowned. "Rumors?"
"Yes. About a golden-haired child hidden deep in the forest. Some dismissed it as a myth. I didn't believe it… until now."
Valdyn inhaled sharply. "And who are you?"
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The elf inclined her head slightly.
"My name is Sylwen Aeloria. I hail from the Forest Elves, one of the scattered remnants after the Great War. My kin hide in the western woods, but I was sent here to track the humans' growing boldness."
The moment her name left her lips, the System stirred within Valdyn's mind.
[DING!! Status Detected]
Name: Sylwen Aeloria
Age: 102 (620)
Attack: 45
Vitality: 60
Magic: 120
Intelligence: 95
Endurance: 40
Magic Resistance: 70
Occupation: Forest Huntress
Passive Skills:
Forest Affinity (B) → Speed and accuracy greatly increase within forest terrain.
Keen Sight (B) → Enhanced night vision and long-range perception.
Active Skills:
Moonlit Arrow → A luminous arrow that locks onto its target.
Binding Roots → Roots emerge from the earth to bind enemies.
Valdyn's eyes narrowed. Magic that high… she's no ordinary huntress.
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Sylwen stepped closer, her voice lowered.
"The humans you saw are not ordinary soldiers. They are Eisenhardt's scouts, searching for something—a relic. An ancient elven artifact, lost during the Great War. If they claim it first… our people will never rise again."
Valdyn clenched his jaw. "An elven relic… So that's their goal."
"Yes." Her silver eyes glinted. "And I won't let them succeed. But I cannot fight them alone."
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For a moment, silence lingered between them. The night wind lifted Sylwen's hair, framing her face in silver strands. Her features were sharp yet strikingly beautiful, tempered by the steel of determination.
"You are different," she said at last. "Most elves cower in hiding, but you… you stand against humans as if they do not frighten you."
Valdyn's lips curved faintly. "I don't have a choice. If I want my people to survive, I must face what others fear."
Sylwen studied him for a long moment. In her eyes, suspicion slowly gave way to something else—curiosity, and perhaps a glimmer of respect.
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A sudden crack of a branch shattered the quiet. Sylwen reacted instantly, drawing her bow, an arrow ready. Valdyn moved just as fast, fingers already weaving air into his shaft.
A boar lunged from the undergrowth. Sylwen's arrow flew, but Valdyn's struck first—his shaft hurled by a gust of wind, piercing the beast's forehead. The boar collapsed without a sound.
Sylwen blinked, surprised, then turned to him. "Your arrow… you infused it with wind magic?"
Valdyn lowered his bow, nodding calmly. "It's how I survive."
For the first time, Sylwen's lips curved into a small smile. "Perhaps… I misjudged you."
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The night deepened. Sylwen slung her bow back over her shoulder and fixed her silver eyes on him.
"If you truly wish to learn more about the humans and what they seek… come here tomorrow night. I will be waiting."
Valdyn inclined his head. In his heart, he knew this was more than an invitation. It was the beginning of something far larger.
An elf from another tribe… and secrets that might shape the fate of my people.
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Beneath the moonlight, two paths crossed: the golden-haired heir of prophecy and the silver-eyed huntress of the forest.
The destiny of the elves had just shifted.
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