Chapter 32 – A Perilous Journey
The morning mist clung low as the Dark Elf exodus began.
Their footsteps were heavy, burdened with what little belongings they could carry. Mothers clutched their children, while the elders led the way, silent and grim. Nymeris lay upon a light litter, still pale after giving birth to three children. Valdyn walked at her side, emerald eyes scanning every shadow between the trees.
Behind him, seven young members of the Shadow Unit he had trained followed in tense silence. They were no longer mere boys—they were witnesses to history. For all present, this was no simple journey. It was survival itself.
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As they pushed deeper into the forest, the mist thickened. The creak of branches, the snap of twigs, and the rustle of unseen creatures pressed against their ears.
Then came silence—too heavy, too complete.
A roar shattered it. The ground shook. Birds scattered from the canopy, and the very air seemed to crack.
From the fog, it appeared.
A tiger the size of a house, its coat a deep orange striped with black that glinted like forged steel. Golden eyes burned with ancient malice, and each breath shook the air like distant thunder.
"Faelthorn…" whispered the white-bearded elder, his voice trembling.
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The entire column collapsed to their knees. Chests tightened, breaths shortened, bodies shook as if crushed under an invisible mountain. Mothers sobbed quietly, clutching their children. Even the Shadow youths, who had trained to fight men, now froze as prey before a predator.
Valdyn clenched his bow tighter, forcing himself upright against the suffocating weight.
Faelthorn's voice rolled across the clearing like an avalanche.
"Elves… daring enough to tread my domain? The world has already judged you—weak, hunted, dying. You are not rulers. You are prey."
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Valdyn stepped forward, his emerald gaze sharp as steel.
"We are not here to challenge you, Faelthorn. We seek only to cross east, to reach the western forest."
A low, rumbling laugh shook the trees.
"Cross my land? Do deer ask permission to pass before the tiger devours them? No… you are flesh, nothing more."
The elders bowed lower, sweat beading their brows. The tension grew so thick that one step, one breath, could ignite slaughter.
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A chime echoed in Valdyn's mind.
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Survive the Beast's Domain]
Survive the confrontation with Faelthorn.
Ensure the safety of the Elven migration.
Reward: +1 Passive Skill Fragment (random), +20 Endurance.
Valdyn grit his teeth, heart pounding. So this is the trial. Not only humans, but even the forest itself stands against us…
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Faelthorn crouched low, claws raking the ground, tearing trenches into the soil. His breath was hot, his golden eyes blazing with dominance.
"Go, if you can… but know this: every step you take in my land is an insult. And insults… are always paid for in blood."
Valdyn straightened, bow in hand, refusing to yield. His voice cut through the suffocating silence.
"Then let us see whose blood will be spilled first."
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