《The Echoes of Forgotten》


 Intro and Chapter 1: Awakening in the Cottage

    The mood inside the cottage was stiff, faint groans of wood could be heard as the wooden walls shook slightly due to the heavy wind that howled through the gaps of weathered and mismatched planks that didn''t quite fit together. Long distorted shadows were dancing across the uneven floor, casted by a single lantern that was perched precariously on a crooked table, sputtering weakly. The roof of the cottage sagged slightly, its weight pressing down on the dim, suffocating space, while the chill of the night seeped in through every crack.


    There, in the middle of the room, sat a bloodied figure, slumped in an old, battered chair barely holding its weight. The girl was tied securely to the chair with thick, coarse ropes. Her head hung low, and her face was cascaded by long curtains of icy black strands, though from the cracks one could see the red on her pale skin. The girl was still, if not for the faint rise and fall of her chest, people would believe her to be dead.


    The stillness finally broke as the girl moved, her arms twitching slightly against the ropes, revealing the raw abrasions on them under the flickering light. A groan left her mouth from the pain that was wracking her body. The tattered sleeve of her once-sturdy coat revealed a gash along her forearm, the edges of the wound angry and swollen.


    The girl''s head tilted slightly, and the light caught the edge of her jaw- the sharp line that seemed defiant even under the dark patch of blood that was trailing from her forehead to her neck. Her left cheek bore a darkening bruise, and a torn fabric at her shoulder exposed the faint outline of another.


    From outside the cottage, muffled voices were carried through the thin walls, their tones agitated.


    "She took down five of us alone and fought against another fifteen," One man growled, his words, though harsh and clipped, were filled with astonishment. "How the hell is she still breathing?"


    A snort followed. "You''re asking the wrong question. What I want to know is what the boss plans to do with her. That girl is dangerous."


    "Not so dangerous now, is she?" a third voice jeered. "Tied up like that, she is nothing but a corpse now."


    Another snort followed the man''s remark "Says a man with his nose broken by the same girl tied up inside."


    "That''s because she caught me off guard- I can take care of her anytime-"


    "Enough!" a fourth voice barked, cutting through the din. It was sharper, more commanding. "She''s worth more to the boss alive than dead. Unless you want to answer to him, keep your mouths shut."


    Inside the cottage, the girl stirred again, this time, lifting her head rather slowly. Stands of dark hair parted, revealing a sliver of her face- angled cheekbones streaked with dirt and blood, and her chapped lips pressed into a tight, grim line. Her eyes, still hidden in shadow, snapped open, but she remained still, listening.


    Suddenly, the door swung open, making way for a gust of cold air, accompanied by the heavy tread of boots. A massive figure clogged the doorway, his presence almost too large for the cramped space. Carrying himself with the confidence of someone who knew he had nothing to fear from his surroundings, he swept his sharp eyes over the girl like she was nothing more than a broken tool.


    "Is she awake?" he muttered, stepping closer to take a better look.


    The girl shifted, noticing the man coming closer to her. She tilted her head to meet the man''s gaze. Her eyes, a startling shade of turquoise blue, gleamed like fractured ice in the flickering light, unyielding despite the pain etched into her features.


    "You have caused us a lot of trouble," he said, crouching until his face was level with hers. His breath was sour, but she didn''t flinch. "Five of my men won''t walk straight for weeks. Fenn''s still spitting teeth while Derick''s nose is bent at a strange angle. You must be proud of yourself."


    The girl''s lips twitched- not quite a smile, but close enough to make his expression darken.


    "Not proud," she said, her voice hoarse but steady. "Disappointed. Twenty men and none of you could do the job right."


    The man''s fist clenched, and for a moment, she thought he might strike her. Instead, he leaned closer, the malice in his eyes sharp enough to cut.


    "Keep talking, girl," he growled. "The boss won''t care what shape you''re in when he gets here."


    The girl scoffs, making the man agitate and step closer but the sound of footsteps outside the door caught his attention, and he straightened, muttering something under his breath. Without another word, he turned and left, the door slamming shut behind him.


    The moment the door clicked into place, Elara exhaled slowly, immediately testing the ropes that were binding her hands on the armrests of the chair. Her injuries throbbed with every movement, but she welcomed the pain. It was better than the hollow feeling in her chest, the one she had no time to confront right now.


    Her gaze flickered to the high window, where the faintest sliver of moonlight seeped through a crack in the boards. The odds weren''t in her favor, but they stopped being in her favor since 5 years ago. Elara shook her head slightly, there was no time to think about other things, she needed to get out of this place.


    Elara twisted and turned her arms against the ropes, testing the resistance. Her wrists aching from the rough fibers biting into her skin, but she didn''t stop, she couldn''t afford to, but then, her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a faint give in the knots on her left hand. It was not as tight on that side. A flicker of hope ignited as she adjusted her grip, flexing her fingers to reach the rope. She stretched and twisted her wrist, her nails scraping against the rough surface, seeking leverage. The sensation of the loose strands sliding slightly against her skin made her pulse quicken. She shot a quick glance toward the door, for any sign of opening, but thankfully, her captors were conveniently busy outside, the muffled voices indicated some important conversation. She could feel the fibers starting to shift, but she knew every second counted. The man that had entered previously talked about some boss, she could feel that supposed boss could be here any moment now, and then, she finally stopped.


    She stopped resisting the ropes, now that she knew the ropes on her left hand were loose, instead of unbinding herself, she waited patiently. She must meet this boss if there is even a sliver of hope of getting the answers she infiltrated their warehouse for.... and there was something else too. Now that Elara was calm and thought back, the loose ropes on her left hand felt deliberate. Was it really a coincidence that the ropes, specifically on her left hand were loose, could it be that someone who knew that she was left-handed did it on purpose? There was only one way to find out and that was to let them come to her.


    The muffled voices outside had quit down, whatever they were discussing about had come to an end. The sound of shoes clicked against the creaky wooden floor just outside the door and came to a halt. Elara waited for the person to enter, deliberating how to get the information out of them and it seemed like to her that the person outside was thinking of the same thing. Finally, the door swung open, this time without the brute force of before, but with a controlled precision that seemed at odds with the dilapidated cottage.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    A man stepped inside, his tailored suit immaculate despite the grimy surroundings. His slicked-back dark hair gleamed under the dim yellow light, and a pair of wireframed glasses perched on his nose adding a veneer intellect. He carried himself with the ease of someone used to commanding attention, a faint smirk playing on his lips as his calculated gaze settled on Elara.


    The men who followed him stopped just inside the door, guarding it. The atmosphere shifted immediately, tension coiling tight in the air.


    Elara needed no introduction of this man, she could immediately tell that this man was the boss, the earlier brute was talking about.


    "Well," the man said, his voice smooth and unhurried as though he were greeting a guest at a business meeting. "The infamous intruder. Or should I say, the cause of my current headache?" The man''s voice shifted drastically as he said the last word, his dark eyes inspecting the frail body in front of him.


    On the other side, Elara''s icy blue eyes snapped to his, narrowing as she assessed the man. This was no common thug. He was different- too polished, too composed. The way he moved, the way his words dipped with calculated amusement, reminded her of the high society types she had spent her childhood avoiding.


    "You don''t look like the boss of a gang of smugglers," Elara commented, her voice dry despite the hoarseness from her injuries. "I was expecting someone.... rougher."


    The man grinned darkly as if her defiance had amused him. "And you don''t sound like someone who''s spent the last few hours tangling with twenty elites," her replied, his eyes exploring her bloodied form. "Yet here we are."


    "Are you sure you are a businessman? clearly, you were scammed." Elara snorted, mocking him not just with her words but her actions too. The two men guarding the door shifted a little on Elara''s comment.


    The man stepped closer, calm despite Elara''s mocking comment. He casually rested his hands in his pockets and studied her as though she were an interesting puzzle. "I''ll get straight to the point. What were you doing in my warehouse? And before you answer that, let me remind you that lying won''t end well for you."


    Elara tilted her head, the movement slow and deliberate still sent a jolt of pain in her head. "What do you think?" She asked, suppressing the groan so as not to show any weakness.


    The boss''s expression didn''t falter. "You''ve got the training of a professional. The way you fight-it''s not just instinct; it''s the fruit of excessive training and experience. So, tell me. Are you a detective? Special forces? A reporter with a death wish, perhaps?


    Elara''s lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. "None of the above."


    "None?" he echoed, chuckling as if she''d told a joke. He turned to his men. "You hear that? She''s none of the above, yet she managed to leave five of you limping and take on fifteen more without dropping dead... I guess I might actually have been scammed if none of the above can take you on so easily."


    The men shifted uncomfortably, but the boss waved them off and turned back to Elara, his tone became serious. "You say you''re none of those things, but you''re trained. That much is obvious. So, indulge me- what are you, then?"


    For a moment, silence stretched between them. Elara''s gaze didn''t waver, but her mind raced as she weighed her options. Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but firm.


    "I was looking for someone."


    The amusement in the man''s eyes completely vanished this time, replaced by a sharpness that made the air in the room grow colder. He took another step closer, looming over her, and his voice dropped an octave. "So, you were sneaking around to find something? No... not something... someone."


    Before he could press further, Elara''s glare stopped him cold, her defiant eyes daring him to continue. For a brief moment, neither spoke, and the tension crackled like static.


    The silence broke with a faint crackle from the man as he straightened. "You''re bold, I''ll give you that. Few people would meet my eyes with a stare like that in your situation." He adjusted his glasses, the sharpness in his gaze returned. "Tell me, then. Who is it you''re looking for?"


    Elara hesitated, her injuries throbbing as she shifted in her chair, the ropes binding her waist to the chair cut into her. Her voice remained steady. "That''s my business."


    The man raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by her audacity. "Saying it''s your business after disrupting mine, isn''t that a bit much?" Seeing Elara just glaring in response the man sighed "Your bravery is admirable, and your fighting spirit even more so. I''ll make you a deal."


    Elara''s eyes narrowed. "A deal?"


    He smiled, sharp and predatory. "You''ve made me lose quite a bit of money in such a short time. Five of my elites-no, calling them elites now, it will only be a shame to actual elites... men, five of my men are bedridden, and you''ve caused quite a commotion. So, here''s my offer. I will let you have what- or whoever- you are looking for but, in exchange.."


    Elara''s brow furrowed at the pause. "What''s the catch?"


    "You work for me," he said simply, his tone almost casual. "I could use someone like you. Strong. Skilled. Unpredictable. You''d make a valuable asset."


    Elara scoffed, the sound sharp despite her exhaustion. "Work for you? No in this lifetime."


    The man smirked, his eyes glinting with something dark. "There must be a misunderstanding... You think you have a choice? Let me rephrase it for your better understanding. Work for me and I''ll let you have whoever you were looking for, I might even help you find that person. Refuse and you won''t get out of here alive. You see, there are fifteen people outside who are itching to have a go at you. I will let them in, how they want to have their go is totally up to them-"


    Before he could continue or Elara react, a sudden commotion outside interrupted them. "What the hell is going on outside!!" the boss roared and the men guarding the door, bolted outside to check it. It seemed to Elara something serious had happened outside.


    The man''s eyes shifted from Elara to the door one by one, the commotion outside was only growing further. "Damn these bastards! They are going to gather a lot of unnecessary attention!"


    The door swung open again, it was the brute this time, his eyes lingered on Elara for a fraction of a second before he turned to the boss, huffing loudly. "Sir, we need you!"


    The boss frowned, his irritation increasing. "What is it? Why are you all making such a huge racket?"


    "It''s... it''s urgent!" the man exclaimed through batted breaths.


    Muttering a curse under his breath, he turned back to Elara, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer. "This conversation is not over, take this time to come to a decision. Work for me or death."


    With that, he turned and strode out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him, leaving Elara alone once more.


    The muffled commotion outside seeped through the wooden walls, barely audible now over the relentless howl of the wind. Elara strained her ears, focusing on the distant voices. It wasn''t just voices-there was a sharp clatter, followed by more panicked shouts.


    Elara closed her eyes, blocking out the aching throb of her injuries as she concentrated. The rustling of leaves and the occasional creak of wood told her she wasn''t in the city. The air was cooler, sharper, and the subtle scent of damp earth hinted at a jungle. They had brought her somewhere high, perhaps on a mountain, far from the concrete and chaos she was used to.


    Her attention snapped back to the voices. Something about the vehicles... Damaged... She caught snippets of curses and hurried commands. An Animal? she thought, frowning. But the mountains near the city had no predators large enough to take out their vehicles.


    Whatever it was, it had bought Elara time. Now that she was sure she wouldn''t get anything from these people, she must get out of here. Staying here will only cost her her life.


    Elara began tugging at the ropes on her left hand again. It had become significantly loose from her earlier tugging. Now, as the noise outside grew louder, she pulled at it, her breath shallow and deliberate to avoid detection.


    Her fingers brushed against the frayed strands of the rope, and she suppressed a triumphant smile. But just as she felt the knot almost at the point of opening, the door flew open.


    Elara stilled, her body tense.


    The man who stepped inside halted. His violet-grey eyes locked onto hers with a piercing intensity that made her halt mid-motion. Recognition flared, followed swiftly by a surge of anger that sent a fresh wave of adrenaline coursing through her veins.


    "You--" she began, her voice rising with fury, but he crossed the room in long, purposeful strides.


    Before she could shout, his rough hand clamped over her mouth.


    "Quite, you fool," he hissed, his voice low but sharp, like a blade slicing through the tension.

 Chapter 2: Escape into the jungle.

    "You--" Elara began, her voice rising with fury, but he crossed the room in long, purposeful strides.


    Before she could shout, the man''s rough hand clamped over her mouth.


    "Quiet, you fool," he hissed, his voice low but sharp, like a blade slicing through the tension.


    Struggling against his grip, Elara glared at him with burning intensity, but it wasn''t enough to even make him flinch. His silver-grey hair, tousled by the howling wind outside, framed sharp and angular features that for Elara were irritatingly familiar to her. His nose, straight and refined, mirrored a shape she was used to seeing on a regular basis. Unlike the other thugs, his attire was polished- a dark tunic under a tailored black coat, paired with fitted trousers. It was a stark contrast to the chaos around him, making him look more like a gentleman caught in the wrong place than someone belonging to this group.


    The commotion outside began to fade, the voices growing distant, but his gaze flickered to the door repeatedly as though expecting someone to burst in. His stoic mask betrayed no fear, yet his movements were hurried, deliberate.


    "Keep your voice down, will you? You''ll get us both killed." the man said, his tone as cold as his gaze.


    His warning did nothing to stop Elara''s struggle but only made her anger bubble over. Only when he added, "They''ll be back soon, and I don''t have time or patience to explain every single thing to you," did she stop, her reluctant nod granting her temporary freedom.


    The man lowered his hand, relief washing over his face and without wasting a moment, he reached into his coat and pulled out a dagger. The silver blade gleamed even in the dim light, intricate carvings running along its surface.


    "What are you-" Elara began, but his sharp gaze silenced her.


    He knelt beside her, cutting at the ropes on her right arm, and then the ones holding her waist in place. Elara''s mind raced, torn between fury and confusion. The moment he stepped back from her, leaving only the ropes on her left hand, Elara immediately freed herself from the remaining bindings and lunged at him, grabbing him by the collar.


    "You-" she hissed, her voice venomous.


    The man didn''t react. His focus remained on the door, his posture tense.


    "Are you happy now?" she demanded, her voice low but shaking with restrained rage. "Making me look like this? Making me go through all this?"


    This time, his gaze shifted to hers, fierce and unyielding. "It''s your foolishness that put you in this situation," he snapped, his words sharp enough to cut. "What were you even doing in that warehouse? You should had informed me before doing something reckless like that!"


    "Huh! Don''t act ignorant. You know really well what I was doing in that warehouse. And what did you say? Inform you? You?!" Her voice rose, though she fought to keep it from carrying. "It''s been five years, Riven!" She spat his name like it was poison. "Have you ever asked what I was up to? You came barging my door twice in these five years, just to topple my world upside down-" Her voice had turned into a bare whisper now, full of emotions she couldn''t tell anyone or rather, no one was interested to know. "And, wasn''t it you who sent those goons after me? Now you act-"


    Riven''s jaw clenched, a flicker of exasperation flashing in his dead eyes. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn''t be here, risking my life to help you."


    She scoffed, her grip on his collar tightening. "Help me? You''re working for that man, too! You were the only one who knew I was in that warehouse. You were the only one who found me there! So, tell me, what the hell were you doing there? Even now, you only came to make sure those people won''t actually see my face. You are scared they''ll think we are related somehow, seeing how we look alike-"


    Riven raised a hand, signaling her to stop. His attention snapped back to the door as distant voices grew louder, approaching rapidly.


    "We don''t have time," he said, his voice urgent. He grabbed her shoulders, his grip firm but not harsh but she still winced from the pain coming from somewhere on the back of her shoulder.. it felt distant but there. "You need to run."


    She glared at him, unmoving.


    "Run toward the denser jungle," he instructed, thrusting the dagger into her hand. "Hide there. I''ll distract them... Listen, I can''t afford to be found as a traitor, not yet. I need to learn more."


    Her piercing gaze didn''t waver, her mistrust evident.


    "Elara, I''ll explain everything, but later," he said, his voice softening for the first time. "If you don''t move now, they''ll find us both."


    Elara hesitated her grip on the dagger tightening. The voices outside were coming closer by every second, but she wanted answers.


    "I am here to find him too," he finally said, his voice though steady had a hint of something Elara was not familiar with- no, she couldn''t be bothered by it- all her attention was now on his words. "I found out that it was his last mission before his supposed death, I don''t know where you got the information and how much but I don''t want you to be here, this place is dangerous... I''ll find him for you, I promise. Trust me just this once, okay?"


    Her resolve faltered, her gaze flickering with something unspoken. Finally, she relented, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can never trust you, Riven. But... I''ll do leave for now."


    With that, she turned and slipped out into the shadows of the jungle. Taking advantage of the dark, she limped away from the voices that were coming dangerously close, each step sending a jolt of pain through her side. Her breath came in sharp, frantic bursts as she pushed through the dense jungle, her body burning with pain and exhaustion. But she didn''t dare slow down, even as the foliage clawed at her arms and legs, leaving stringing scratches on her already blooded sleeves and pants.


    Every time Elara glanced over her shoulder, she saw nothing but shifting shadows, no sign of any pursuer. Riven had kept his word, but what would happen of him now? Will they take him as a traitor, or will he slither his way out of this too? "You should see him act sometime Elara, this man can slither his way out of any situation with a casual face!" The word spoke in mind like a distant memory, but she shook her mind to get them out of there.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Now that she was out of that cottage, away from those brutes and the gazes that kept scanning her body like hyenas, the memories from the past few days, the last few days kept swirling in her mind like a whirlwind. She couldn''t make sense of them all, each one tangled with the next like an unraveling thread. Riven. That name twisted like a knife inside her chest, causing her to stumble over her own feet. He had been there like a shadow every time she didn''t want him to be, but when she needed him there, he kept his distance. He was the one who coldly crushed her hope every time she tried anything.


    Her breath hitched as she recalled that moment, the last time she actually talked to him face to face¡ªRiven''s face, cold as stone, as he spoke those words, "Kaelion- your brother is no more." No hint of emotion, not even a flicker of sympathy or sadness for her loss. Not even a glance of concern. It had been like talking about the weather. Casual. Indifferent. How could he be like that? How could he not care when Kael had been like a brother to him?


    Elara had believed in him, trusted him¡ªup until that moment. After that day, there was nothing left between them but silence.


    But now, after everything, Riven was back. And he was going to help her. To find Kael? When he so brutely announced his death to her? Why? Why now, after all these years of lies? Why was he offering a lifeline now, when she was at her lowest, trapped in the jungle with no one else to turn to? She didn''t know if she could trust him. She didn''t know if she could ever trust him again.


    Something pricked at her mind, and she halted with a jolt. In his attempts to make her leave, Riven had said something suspicious: "his supposed death." What did he mean by that? Could it be that he was actually alive? Could it be she wasn''t chasing ghosts but was on the right track all along?


    She moved again with renewed power this time, as if all her previous fatigue and pain were nothing but an illusion as if all she went through in the last five years was nothing, but a nightmare and she is finally stirring awake from it. She couldn''t stop now. She had to keep going, for Kael''s sake.


    "He is alive," Elara told herself, her breathing heavy, but not with fatigue.


    He was alive. Her brother, the one she had believed to be dead for two long years, was still out there. She had to find him. She would find him. No matter what.


    Elara ran until her legs burned with exhaustion until the aches from the injuries and the pain of running without rest took over. She ran until the fact that her body was on the brink of collapse became more and more apparent to her. She ran, until the jungle around her grew tenser, the trees towering above her, their thick trunks blocking out much of the light. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to keep moving. She ran until her vision began to blur, the world tilted, and the ground beneath her feet seemed to shift.


    The pain in her head intensified, her skull feeling as though it was splitting in two. She staggered, struggling to keep her footing, but the forest seemed to close on her, the shadows creeping along her body, suffocating her.


    Then, she collapsed.


    Her knees hit the rough ground mercilessly, sending a jolt of pain up her spine. She gasped, the breath rushing out of her. Her hands were numb as the dagger she had gripped so tightly slipped from her fingers, the heavy metallic object falling with a soft thud on the ground beside her. It was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint ringing in her ears. The dagger shone faintly, its metallic surface reflecting what little light managed to pierce the thick canopy overhead.


    Elara''s surroundings were unnervingly dark and silent. The kind of silence that pressed in on you, wrapping around your chest, squeezing the air from your lungs. She didn''t have the strength to care. Her mind was a whirlwind of memories, each one breaking through her consciousness in rapid succession.


    She was 18 again, sitting stiffly in the family sitting room. The curtains were drawn, dimming the light, though she could still see the elaborate details of the space¡ªthe plush armchairs, the polished table, and the rows of bookshelves framing the walls. A single letter trembled in her hands, its neat script betraying the calm, reassuring tone of her elder brother, Kaelion.


    Her turquoise eyes scanned the words again, though she already knew them by heart:


    "Elara, by the time you read this, I''ll be gone. It''s a mission¡ªone I can''t explain. I know you''ll hate me for it, but trust me when I say it''s important. Please, don''t worry. Just live normally until I return. You''ve always been stronger than you think, and I need you to hold onto that strength. For me."


    Her fingers tightened around the paper, crumpling its edges. The weight of the letter pressed against her chest, constricting her breaths as tears welled in her eyes.


    On one side, the walls were decorated with memories¡ªpictures that captured fleeting moments of joy. Most were of her and Kael, their bond evident in every shared laugh and mischievous smile. Her icy black locks stood in stark contrast to his unkempt silverish-blue hair, though their identical turquoise eyes, the only similarity in them, reflected the same spirit.


    One picture drew her gaze: a family portrait taken when she was only 8. Her younger self grinned brightly, her small hand gripping Kael''s sleeve as he stood tall and confident beside her. Though they had a ten-year age difference, their bond was closer than the children born at the same time-twins. Their father stood behind them and she could see the grown-up Kael in him, from his silverish blue hair to his facial features, from his calm demeanor to their confident gazes. Their mother on the other side, elegant and serene with pale lavender hair and eyes, rested a hand on Elara''s shoulder. Elara had inherited her mother''s facial features but with her father''s color combination.


    It was a portrait of a happy family¡ªa life that felt like a distant dream now.


    Her reverie was broken by a quiet shift of movement. Across the room, Riven sat in a chair, silent and stoic. His casual attire¡ªa simple jacket and jeans¡ª though, felt out of place in the fancy room but matched the mood. But then, Riven had always been an anomaly, a shadow in her life. He had been Kael''s partner for four years, a trusted ally who somehow remained a stranger to her.


    The man looked more like the woman in the big family portrait than the two kids with her and it always unsettled her. She used to think and hope for this man to be her brother but his indifference and cold attitude toward her these last four years of knowing him had taught her differently.


    "Where is he?" Elara asked, hoping to get a different answer than the letter.


    "I don''t know," he replied in a tone of indifference.


    "You were his partner," Elara tried again, her voice trembling as she turned to face him. "How can you not know where he''s gone? How long he''ll be away?"


    Riven didn''t look up, his violet-grey eyes fixed on a spot just beyond her. He shrugged, the motion irritatingly casual. "That''s what they call a secret mission. No one can know."


    Her jaw tightened, and her grip on the letter grew fiercer. "What am I supposed to do now?" she demanded, her voice rising in frustration. "He''s left me all alone!"


    She thought she saw a flicker of something in Riven''s expression¡ªa crack in his cold mask¡ªbut it was gone as quickly as it came.


    "He must have written that in his letter too," Riven replied evenly. "What you''re supposed to do until he comes back."


    Elara''s lips parted in a bitter laugh. "He told me to live normally. How can I live normally without him? How can he expect me to¡ª"


    Riven cut her off, standing abruptly. His hands slipped into his pockets as he turned his back to her. "Do exactly what he said," he said, his tone firmer now. "Practice daily. Eat on time. Study hard. Go out with your friends. That way, when he comes back, he won''t fuss over you."


    His voice was steady, but he avoided her gaze, his profile betraying a tension she rarely saw in him.


    Elara stared at him, her emotions churning. For four years, this man had been a constant presence, always distant, always cold. His features¡ªso similar to her own, with their sharp lines and cool detachment¡ªreminded her of herself more than her actual brother. Yet she could never bring herself to see him as family.


    Riven hesitated before adding, "If you need anything... or if someone bothers you... call me."


    His words caught her off guard, and before she could process them, he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving her alone with the letter and the suffocating silence.

 Chapter 3: Whirlwind of Memories.

    The jungle had fallen eerily quiet in a matter of moments. The only sound was Elara''s groans as she sat slumped against the base of a massive tree, her breath shallow and uneven. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and moss, mingled with the faint metallic tang of her own blood. Her arms felt stiff, and her legs trembled from the effort of dragging her body to this small clearing. Every breath she took sent a sharp pain lancing through her ribs, but Elara forced herself still, her mind fighting with the nightmares of the last five years.


    She clenched her fist against the uneven ground, littered with jagged stones and fallen leaves mixed with grit that got stuck under her fingernails, trying to focus on the present.


    But her mind betrayed her, the darkness pressed in, and with it came back the whirlwind of rushed memories.


    Elara wasn''t in the jungle anymore. She was back in their house, sitting at the small dining table, consisting of four chairs around a square table. Four plates sat before her, but only one was occupied, the others cold and untouched. Her head hung low as she asked someone invisible, her voice barely a whisper, "When will you be back?"


    Their parents had died when she was only 12, since then, Kael was her only guardian and support in this vast world and now he too had been gone for weeks, leaving Elara alone to sit in the silence, a silence that never bothered her before was now suffocating, pressing against her like an unseen weight. It''s not like Kael was always there for her- no, he was mostly out on various missions or patrols, but she knew when he''d be back, she knew he was there. The uncertainty now was killing her, gnawing at something deep inside her.


    The memory shifted, and now Elara was standing at the door of their house, backpack slung over her shoulder, one hand on the doorknob as she stared silently, her eyes out of focus. She didn''t have the courage to open it, to step inside the empty house. It had been two years already, two long years of wait for her brother but he had not come back, not yet. She strained her ears to hear for any kind of movement inside, anything that could indicate he had returned, but there was nothing. She finally left the doorknob and shifting her back to the door she crouched down, her steps echoing in the empty halls, her body shaking slightly as she sobbed in her arms, the loneliness pressing down on her.


    The memory shifted again, this time she was practicing in the small garden behind their house, alone again. Her features had matured somewhat, her once mischievous turquoise eyes, were now cold and lifeless. The sun was setting, casting long shadows as she concentrated on the movements Kael had taught her, her face a mask of determination. Her brother''s voice ringing in her head, "You must be able to defend yourself even when I am not around." Now that he really was not around, she pushed herself, over and over, until her arms ached, until the night grew too cold to continue. She finally sat, the wooden sword falling from her hands, she looked at her hands, swollen and full of blisters. "Please, please come back."


    The memory shifted for the third time, she was back in the sitting room. Her face was calmer and more mature than she was before as she sat across the person she least expected to come- Riven.


    It had been three years since she''d last seen him. Three years of silence from the cold, stoic man whose facial similarities, despite her best efforts, always unsettled her. Elara still couldn''t shake how much he resembled her. If a stranger had walked into the room, they would''ve mistaken them for siblings. But they weren''t. They could never be. This man couldn''t be her brother, there was a time when Elara welcomed this idea but now...


    The silence stretched, Elara hadn''t asked about his visit, nor had he said anything, he just sat there with his usual stoic expression, taking his time as he sipped from the glass with deliberate breaks. Elara on the other hand was silent in anticipation and hope. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to decipher the reason for Riven''s unexpected visit. Could it be? Could her brother be coming back? Was his- Riven''s visit today to tell her that her brother- that Kael is coming back? Hope bubbled in her chest, tentative and fragile. She gulped as Riven drained the last of his water, his movements as calculated and detached as ever but it didn''t bother her anymore. Straightening in his chair, Riven finally looked at her, his cold grey gaze met her turquoise ones, which shimmered with hope.


    "He won''t be coming back."


    Elara stared, the words not adjusting properly in her brain. For a second she thought she heard wrong, clearly, he said: he was coming back soon. So, why is it that she was hearing something entirely opposite?


    "What did you say?" She breathed, something in her mind was shouting at her not to... To leave, to make this man leave and not listen to him but she had to. She had heard it wrong before, but he will correct her, he will tell her-


    "Kaelion, he is not coming back," Riven repeated, making sure she knew who they were talking about.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.Lies. He was lying. Elara stood abruptly, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Through the corner of her eyes, she saw Riven move but she didn''t care, she raised her hand to stop him. She wanted this man to get away from her as far as possible. She dreaded his next words, she had waited for 3 whole years, but, not for this news.


    "S-stop! D-don''t"


    "Elara-"


    "Don''t say it!! I don''t want to hear it!!" Elara attempted to stop him desperately,  the moisture around her eyes increasing the more she rubbed it away.


    "Kaelion is no more."


    Four words. Simple, empty words that tore through her chest, leaving nothing but a hollow ache.


    She slumped back on the sofa, the hope she had dared to feel crumbled in an instant, turning into sharp needles that pierced her from the inside. Riven had spoken the words so casually, so devoid of emotion, despite her efforts to stop him.


    There was no sympathy, no pity, no sadness for the loss of his best friend. It didn''t matter to him.


    "Y-you are lying." Elara denied, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to burst out any minute.


    "I have no reason to," Riven replied, his casual tone a stark contrast to the turmoil he had caused inside Elara.


    "You said he''ll come back!" She argued back as she wiped the tears from her face angrily.


    "I never said such a thing," Riven answered, unlike his calm tone, there was something in his grey eyes that made Elara burst, they were no longer cold or so she thought.


    "I trusted you!!" Elara''s voice echoed, louder than it should have been, and what followed it was silence. A silence, where you can hear the faintest sound of exhales. She tried to look at Riven''s face, desperate to get any hint of emotion but he evaded her...


    ".... I never asked you to." Elara looked at the man in disbelief, her eyes shimmering with newfound tears but something died in them that day.


    Something deep inside her shattered completely, she always thought that the reason this man never visited her in the last three years was because she never asked him to. She knew he was not fond of her, that the only reason he kept up with her was Kael. But his words from that day, the day when he gave her Kael''s letter had stuck in her head all this time. Somewhere in her mind, she knew that if she ever needed him, he''d come to her aid but now she was not sure anymore. That trust, that hope had died today. Riven himself had killed it.


    Elara barely registered the rest of his words. The world around her muted, her ears refusing to process the cold explanation that followed. He had turned the conversation back to Kael''s death and the circumstances around it but her mind only clung desperately to one detail that shattered the veil of shock: "We couldn''t find his body."


    Her thoughts swirled. Her earlier argument was forgotten because of the new information she got. If they hadn''t found his body, how could they be so sure? How could they say her brother was gone?


    No, she couldn''t believe them. She wouldn''t. They must''ve been mistaken.


    Kael was not gone. He couldn''t be. He was alive somewhere- he had to be. He was playing one of their games, just like the hide-and-seek they used to play. She just needed to find him.


    That day, she had sat there in the dim light of the sitting room, unmoving. Hours passed, and her back ached from sitting hunched over, but she couldn''t bring herself to leave. When she finally looked around, she realized Riven was gone.


    He had left her alone.


    Again.


    The only reason he had come back into her life after all those years was to tear it apart once more. Just when she had begun to adjust to Kael''s absence, Riven had taken her fragile stability and shattered it.


    Elara blinked slowly, shaking herself free from the memory''s grip. The ache in her body grounded her back to the reality of the jungle. She breathed in the damp air as she whispered, "Now you want me to trust you? Keep dreaming."


    Her resolve hardened as she pushed herself to her feet, clutching the dagger that was resting beside her. No matter how deep the jungle, no matter the danger that lay ahead, she would get out of here alive, for she still had to find her brother. She finally had a solid lead, Riven had confirmed it- slipped it in his hurry. That warehouse was really the place Kael had gone to for his secret mission, she must go there again.


    Elara staggered as a sudden, violent ache erupted in her head and shoulder. The pain was searing, sharp enough to blur her vision and send the world spinning uncontrollably around her. She clutched her temple, her breath hitching as her balance wavered.


    Her earlier rest had only made her battered body feel heavier, her limbs sluggish and uncooperative. The weight of exhaustion bore down on her, and her knees buckled beneath her. She crumpled to the ground, the rough earth unforgiving against her skin.


    From the corner of her eye, through the disorienting haze of pain, she noticed something strange. Even in the suffocating darkness, a faint, shimmering light caught her attention. It wasn''t the dagger. It was something else.


    Loose strands of silver floated lightly across her face as she sank into the hard embrace of the ground. They gleamed faintly in the dim light filtering through the canopy, but Elara was too drained to linger on the thought.


    Elara''s thoughts faltered, confusion and exhaustion overtaking her. Darkness crowded the edges of her mind, and as her consciousness slipped further away, the faint glimmer of light faded into nothingness.

 Chapter 4: Between shadows and hope.

    Elara''s eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly she tried to get out of the haze that was knocking on her consciousness. Her vision was blurry and the sudden flood of pale light was forcing her eyes to shut again, a sharp sting prickling behind her lids. She tried again, this time slower, and the blurred shapes towering over her sharpened into spindly silhouettes. Bare branches of pine trees stretched high into the sky, their skeletal forms stark against the bleached expanse of clouds.


    Elara flinched as she saw something white falling on her face, their cold touch startling her skin as they melted on her cheeks. She tried to move, to lift even a single finger, but the seeping cold pinned her to the ground like an invisible weight. Her whole body felt like lead, her fingers refusing her mind''s frantic commands. Her breathing came out in white vapors in front of her, along with a sharp ache in her lungs as the cold air entered them.


    The world was painfully silent- no voices, no footsteps, just the faint whisper of wind threading through the endless expanse of trees and Elara''s own shallow breathing. Elara felt it strange, the jungle she had imagined even in the vast darkness of the night, it was nothing like the one in front of her. Even in the dark, she could hear the faint whispers of the leaves, rustling slightly but definitely. Whereas, she couldn''t make out even a single leaf on these trees that seemed to be reaching the sky.


    Elara forced her head to turn, the motion sluggish and agonizing. The ground beneath her was blanketed in snow, smooth and unbroken save for her own imprint. Her lips parted, the words dry and cracked as they escaped. "Where.... am I?"


    Has she been out for a whole season? Though her mind was sluggish but she clearly remembered that the winter was yet to come. How come it was snowing already?


    Snow clung to her lashes as her vision swam again, her mind reaching for clarity, for some memory of how she''d come to lie here among the frost and shadows. But before she could process anything she heard it: A soft crunch that broke the silence, faint yet deliberate. Elara''s heart raced, fear and confusion helping her to keep her eyes open that were threatening to close, something or someone was approaching.


    She tried to focus, to pinpoint the source of the sound, but the pain in her head and the haze that was coming from it was making it difficult to stay conscious. Another crunch followed, it was closer this time. Elara''s breath hitched as her eyes darted forward, the black around her vision was getting denser but she managed to keep it at bay, and through the haze of it she finally saw something, a figure emerging from the distance. It moved with purpose, its form blending into the grey-white surroundings but distinct enough to draw her attention.


    Her chest tightened at the realization: This was no man. It was a creature, larger than any she had ever encountered. It moved with a fluid grace, its powerful limbs barely disturbing the snow beneath it. As it drew nearer, Elara''s muddled mind began to make sense.


    "A wolf!?" Elara breathed as the creature drew near enough to make sense of it. But it was not just any wolf. This creature was enormous, its size dwarfing that of any wolf she had ever read about or imagined. Even through the disorientation of her mind, she could see the intelligence in its piercing blue eyes. They glowed faintly in the light, exuding a wisdom and power that seemed almost otherwordly. The splinters in her throat pricking as she gulped down the cry that was forming in her throat, making it difficult to even breathe the cold, dry air.


    A low growl echoed softly in her ears, a sound that was more a warning than a threat. But still, it sent shivers down her spine, her body that still had some heat left even though she was laying on a bed of snow, now froze not just from the cold but from the sheer terror.


    How ironic, she thought bitterly, seeing the massive figure increasing in size with each step it took toward her. She had poured every ounce of her strength into escaping those men, keeping herself alive for Kael''s sake, for the hope that had ignited her once more, only to face a predator she had no hope of evading.


    Motionless and utterly defenseless, she let her eyes close, bracing for the inevitable. She had nothing left to fight with, no will to resist, though something in her mind kept telling her to move, to defend herself for Kael''s sake as she had yet to find him, but she had no strength left in her, even if she wanted to fight, her body was not listening to her anymore, no amount of will power was able to lift even a single finger on her body. Her body was a broken vessel, and her spirit teetered on the edge of surrender.


    "How pathetic," Elara commented on her powerlessness, her voice not even audible to herself as it came in a hoarse whisper. The wolf''s breath on the other hand was slow but loud enough for her to hear. She felt it, warm against her frozen skin, the proximity of the creature making her chest tighten further. Yet, it didn''t attack. The growl faded, replaced by a silence so profound that it stretched endlessly. Elara''s mind, already clouded by exhaustion and pain, struggled to comprehend what was happening. She had heard tales of wolves from her brother, stories about these noble and intelligent creatures, about their loyalty, but never had she imagined one capable of restraint- of such understanding.


    The wolf remained near her, its presence a looming shadow in her barely open eyes. It didn''t lunge or bare its teeth. Instead, it simply stood there, as if waiting. Could it be he was thinking of her still body to be a corpse? Elara knew that there were some animals that wouldn''t eat anything that was already dead, but then it should have left her alone. Instead, it stayed close to her, fanning her with its warm breath as if to keep her from freezing. Her breath came in shallow gasps no matter how much she tried to still them, her consciousness slipping further away in the comfort of the warmth the wolf was giving her, but she couldn''t shake the strange feeling that was coming from this creature. It was acting as if it knew her condition and was making sure she wouldn''t freeze to death. That it was watching her, assessing her, perhaps even protecting her. Her thoughts drifted as the darkness pulled her under once more. She felt herself falling deeper into the void, the world around her fading into obscurity.


    The last thing she registered was the faint sound of movements, they were deliberate and careful. The wolf was no longer alone, but the newfound footsteps didn''t belong to any creature. There was a human involved, Elara thought, before she finally welcomed the darkness completely.


    Elara''s eyes opened again from the steady movements and the dull ache in her body. The cold was gone. Instead, a warmth enveloped her, steady and reassuring. Her senses were dulled and her mind was slow to process the change, but she was aware of the strong arms cradling her. She smelled a faint waft of something unplaceable as her face pressed lightly against something soft and warm brushing against her skin like a gentle caress, though the embrace she felt around her was noticeably warm but the subtle scent coming near her nose was crisp and cool, like the air after a fresh snowfall. As Elara took another shallow breath, she noticed the change in the scent, it had a warmer undertone, earthy and grounding, reminiscent of damp forest soil. Elara couldn''t name the sense of safety that filled her with every waft she took, but she clung to it like a lifeline as darkness threatened to press against her mind.


    The rhythmic sway of the movement hinted that she was being carried, but by whom, she couldn''t tell. A powerful presence walked beside her, its steps silent but there. Though she couldn''t see it, she felt its presence- large, imposing, but oddly comforting. Her mind flitted back to the wolf, the image of those blue eyes burning in her memory. Was it the same creature? Was it a tamed beast? But who could tame such a ferocious beast? She wanted to turn her head to see the one holding her, but her body was limp and the effort was too great, while her strength, far from returning.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.For the first time in five long years, Elara had felt safe, and protected, even as questions swirled in her mind, still unanswered. The warmth lulled her into a fragile sense of peace, and she allowed herself to drift, carried willingly by the strange, comforting embrace of the unknown.


    The world came again, though fragmented, but Elara could hear the faint whispers of the cold wind threading through thin pines. The pale light of the overcast sky filtered through skeletal branches.


    The cold sensation was back, seeping through her clothes from the soft but unyielding press of the snow beneath her body, her back supported by something firm- a tree''s trunk. Elara''s eyes fluttered open, heavy and reluctant, her vision swimming in the haze of the light and shadow. She blinked slowly, getting rid of the blur in her vision and it helped as the shapes around her sharpened into the stark outlines of the spare pine forest. The trees stood scattered, their bare trunks reaching toward the heavens, and she could make out the delicate flakes of snow that were falling from the upper branches of the pines.


    She looked forward, unlike the place she first found herself in after falling unconscious in the oppressive darkness of the damp jungle, she could see a clearing up ahead, a vast field of white bed... finally a way out of the jungle but she didn''t imagine the thing that stood tall on the other end of the field- the jagged line of mountains. Their peaks weren''t towering, but they loomed nonetheless, stretching like a wall that cleaved the world in two. The silent presence stirred something deep inside her, an unease she couldn''t name.


    "Wasn''t this jungle already on a mountain?" she thought out aloud, even that effort clawed at her throat, making her wince in pain. The mountains felt foreboding like they were meant to shield something- a secret that shouldn''t be known by either side.  What lay beyond them, before Elara could fathom that question, a sharp pain in her shoulder pulled her attention away. She shifted slightly in an attempt to ease the pain but winced as the pain flared. It was then she noticed the bandages wrapped around her arm and shoulder. The fabric was crude, made from tattered rags, but it was clean and tightly secured with care.


    Someone had tended to her injuries- but who? The crisp but warm smell of the person who carried her lingered in her head but a low, guttural growl rippled through the silence, pulling her attention toward its source. A shiver passed down her spine, there it was- the wolf, it sat only a few paces away, its massive form partially blending with the shadows of the thinning forest. How could she not notice such an enormous beast, sitting in such close proximity? For a moment Elara thought that she was imagining it, how could a beast be this... beautiful? Its fur was a pale silver-grey that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light, and its eyes, piercing and blue as glacial ice, fixed unblinkingly on her.


    The creature radiated power, intelligence, and something she couldn''t name- something ancient and unyielding. Elara tried to sit properly, her body though weak didn''t resist this time but as she moved she became acutely aware of something odd. The sharp pain in her shoulder was the only bothering one, but the rest of her injuries¡ªthe pounding ache in her head, the fiery sting of the cuts on her arms, the searing pain in her ribs¡ªhad dulled to near-nothingness. She blinked, her disbelief mounting. Her wounds had been severe: a fractured rib, multiple deep gashes, injuries that should have left her incapacitated. Yet now, they were little more than faint reminders, their intensity inexplicably gone. She looked up at the wolf in disbelief, hoping to get an answer, but the sight made her breath hitch.


    Beneath the dark shadow, a silhouette. Blurry and indistinct, the figure crouched low, half concealed in the shadow of the imposing wolf. At first, Elara thought it might be a trick of the light, or perhaps the product of her disorientation, but the longer she stared, the clearer it became. The figure was human- or at least it appeared to be. As she focused the figure stirred. He rose from his crouch, its movements deliberate but cautious, as if sensing her awareness. He was wearing grey furry clothes underneath a cloak that was ragged and worn, melting in the shadowy background of the grey wolf.


    The man moved to step forward, but the wolf''s low growl stopped him in his tracks. The animal''s sharp gaze flickered toward him and then Elara who was sitting, frozen to her spot at the weird interaction between the human and the beast. The man glanced over his shoulder at the bewildered Elara, his face barely visible beneath the shadow of his cloak. Elara''s heart pounded, but strangely, it wasn''t fear from the wolf or the man that gripped her, it was the unknown- the ambiguity that sent a chill through her, making her pulse race faster.


    She was captivated yet confused, as the man made subtle gestures toward the wolf, communicating in a strange, low mutter, accompanied by hand motions that looked almost like a silent language.


    The cloak shifted slightly from the man''s fervent movement, revealing a glimpse of his face. His features were sharp, withered by time and hardship, barely seen beneath the cloak. But it was the strands of dusty silver hair that caught Elara''s attention, the edges turning black, and the blue hues in them were- unmistakable, they cascaded down to partially obscure his face, yet enough was visible to make her heart stutter. The tension in the air became thick and unable to bear it any longer, Elara spoke, her voice raw and trembling. "Who are you?" her breath clogged in her throat as she gulped it down with difficulty.


    The man froze. Slowly, his eyes- unnervingly familiar turquoise orbs- shifted toward her. In the dim shadows, they gleamed, a faint mixture of green and blue, hued by silver that tugged at something deep within her. Those eyes... they were the same shade as Kael''s, but there was something else-  something wild, feral, and untamed. Kael''s eyes, soft with the warmth for his family- for her, but these... these were different. Still, hope flickered weakly in her chest, fragile and desperate.


    "Kael?" she whispered, barely daring to believe it. The name slipped from her parched lips like a prayer, a child''s hope that the brother she had lost was somehow there, in front of her at last. But before the man could answer, the wolf growled- low and menacing- a sound that reverberated through the air, forcing both their attention back. The man''s expression hardened, his gaze shifted to Elara, foreign yet familiar, and then it returned, back to the creature that was now standing beside him. Its huge figure towering even the tall man.


    The man hesitated, the connection between them strained as if he too was torn between familiar and the wild. The wolf growled again, sharper this time, a clear command to leave, and with a soft grunt, the man finally stepped back, turning away without a word. Elara''s heart sank, she tried to stand to rush to him and stop him but her legs had become stiff from sitting on the snow for too long. She opened her mouth, desperate, but only a faint croak emerged. "Wait..." Even her voice had betrayed her when she needed it the most. But the man paused, just for a moment before the wolf''s growl pierced the silence, urging him onward, and without another glance, the man disappeared into the trees, leaving Elara alone with the beast.


    Tears pricked at her eyes, but she fought them back. No Kael wouldn''t leave me. That couldn''t have been him... or could it? Her mind spun in a whirlwind of confusion, the faint hope she''d clung to now feeling like a cruel trick- like a mirage, fading in the snow-covered wasteland, as cold and elusive as the man himself.

 Chapter 5: The caves shelter.

    Elara''s breath came in shallow gasps, each exhale forming fleeting wisps in the frigid air, the cold biting into her exposed skin. Her eyes frozen to the spot the wolf was guarding with its massive body, she strained her ears, hoping for the faintest sign of footsteps retreating through the forest, but the silence pressed in, heavier than before.


    The man- if he had truly been there- was gone, leaving no trace of his presence behind. Elara''s heart ached with the uncertainty, the fragile thread of hope that had stirred inside her, now shredded into pieces.


    The wolf who had remained- either to stop her from following the man or to keep an eye on her, Elara couldn''t know, nor did she want to. The wolf''s glowing eyes fixed on her, unblinking, but she was no longer scared of this beast who was excluding an eerie calmness as if it were more than just a creature of instinct.


    She tried to stand again, taking the support of the tree behind her, but her muscles had become weak and unresponsive. Pain lanced through her shoulder once again, and her vision blurred. She tried to peer at her shoulder to see how deep the wound was under the rough bandages but the growl from the wolf stopped her from doing so. A frustrated curse escaped her own lips as she slumped back to the ground, something was wrong, though her other injuries were not hurting as much, but the one on her shoulder was getting worse as time passed, her strength as if being sucked out of her by something invisible.


    The wolf however didn''t move, but its gaze seemed to intensify, watching her struggle with a focus that felt almost human. As Elara rested her head back on the wooden texture, closing her eyes in frustration and exhaustion, she finally heard movement. The wolf loomed over her, its glowing blue eyes locked onto her pale face, smeared with dirt and blood.


    "You should leave too... or are you waiting for my death?" Elara said through ragged puffs as she felt the wolf''s presence, towering her with unnerving calmness as if weighing a decision far beyond the instinctive nature of beasts.


    She finally opened her eyes, her turquoise meeting the blue orbs of the wolf, though the creature was so near her, again fanning her with its warm breath, she didn''t feel scared. "You don''t want me dead... or rather that man you sent away doesn''t want it, right? Or else... my fate should had been decided the moment you found me in this jungle." Elara commented, calm despite her situation. Though her dry throat was making it difficult to speak, she kept gulping on the little saliva that formed in her mouth to keep it hydrated... a futile attempt, she knew but she had no other option.


    A low growl rumbled from somewhere deep within the wolf''s chest. Elara felt she could now understand the creature too, just like that man... it was asking her to keep quiet. But what else was she supposed to do, her mind was on the edge of consciousness, it was making her frustrated and muddled-minded. Elara hated powerlessness but ever since she had awoken in this jungle, that''s all she had felt- helpless, powerless, her mind kept traveling between consciousness and dreams- memories and she hated it.


    She could barely feel the cold anymore- the wolf was keeping her upper side warm but the snow under her should had felt cold at least but funnily, her lower body had become stiff to it too. Elara froze, the haze on her mind lifting slightly as the wolf bent its head low, nudging her side gently with its nose.


    "W-what do you want?" She croaked, surprised by the wolf''s action.


    The wolf nudged again and then looked toward the mountains. Was it telling her to leave? In this condition?


    "Can''t you see?.. I can''t even stand on my own... and you want me to walk all the way toward those mountains?" Elara asked, shaking her head in disbelief. The creature was intelligent but not so much as to understand that no normal person can walk with multiple injuries and that too a journey that might take a whole day for a healthy person.


    The wolf however didn''t stop, it nudged her again. But this time the wolf didn''t straighten, instead, it sat down beside her as if telling her to mount it.


    "Y-you... you want me to get on you?" If she had felt disbelief before, then it was not as much as she was feeling now. The wolf didn''t move, its blue eyes to Elara''s astonishment seemed softer than before as it waited patiently for her.


    "I... I can''t understand it... Are you really a beast? Why would a beast help a human?" The beast huffed, its warm breath creating a fleeting cloud around her. Then, it did something unexpected- something no ordinary wolf would do. It leaned further until its back was right in front of Elara, who in response stared in shock and bewilderment. The wolf pressed further, using its head to shift Elara''s body onto its own, mistaking her shock with her incapability to move.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Elara quickly recovered from her shock, she grabbed the soft fur and with the help of the wolf, she maneuvered herself on top of the wolf. Its thick fur cushioned her, offering some warmth against the biting cold. The beast stood tall, shifting under her to balance her weight, and then it turned its gaze toward the mountains looming in the distance. The sun almost hiding behind them, completing its patrol for the day.


    "Wait-"


    With one swift motion, the wolf jumped toward the mountains, and Elara''s cry of shock was drowned in her throat.


    The journey ahead was treacherous: between the forest and the mountain stretched an open, snowy plain, barren and exposed to the harsh wind that was making Elara hide her face in the soft warmth of the beast. The wolf''s muscles coiled as it stepped out of the sheltering trees, moving with deliberate speed which made Elara feet like she was moving in the air, carried by the wind at a speed not known to humans.


    Each powerful stride from the wolf carried them further into the desolate expanse, the nearby voices died down and only the wind pressed on Elara''s exposed ears.


    The wind howled across the frozen wasteland, carving intricate patterns into the snow and leaving no place to hide. The sun which was already setting when they started their journey had completely disappeared and in its place the moonlight reflected off the endless white, illuminating the path forward and painting Elara''s form as a faint silhouette on the wolf''s back. The wolf''s pace quickened, they were almost near the mountains, Elara had noticed the change in the howls of the wind around them and she finally looked up, the mountains loomed ahead but the air had gotten colder. She moved, pressing herself further into the warmth of the fur, her fingers twitching where the wind was slapping on the exposed skin. The wolf glanced back briefly, its glowing eyes narrowing, then pressed onward with renewed determination, jumping from one shadow of the clouds to another.


    It wove a path that avoided open ridges and steered clear of patches of snow too deep to navigate safely. By the time they reached the base of the mountain, the moon had also hidden from view, making the night darker and difficult to see in. The wolf however didn''t stop, it slowed its pace as it approached a jagged, rocky outcropping partially concealed by snow and ice. With a low grunt, it slipped through a narrow crevice, the opening barely wide enough for its massive frame to pass.


    Inside the cave was a darkness that pressed on Elara''s sight, making it impossible to see but the wolf carefully walked inside without bumping into the walls and it finally came to a halt. The air was frigid but still, offering a respite from the biting wind.


    Elara grabbed the wolf''s fur as she felt its body lowering. When it stopped going any lower, Elara carefully slid off its back, using her weak legs to tap on the ground to navigate in the darkness. Elara blinked several times to adjust her vision in the darkness, even after a few seconds of silence where the only noise was the whistles of the wind at the cave''s door and her own breath mixed with the wolf''s low puffs, Elara could only make out the hulking shape of the wolf nearby. She blinked, her mind struggling to piece together the events that had brought her here. Her gaze lingered on the beast, its blue eyes, two glowing orbs in the darkness.


    "What... What are you?" The word came out in a hoarse whisper, barely audible over the sound of her shallow breathing.


    She saw the outlines of the wolf sitting back on its haunches, its glowing eyes locked onto hers. The beast didn''t growl or snarl, instead, it seemed to consider her question, as if understanding her words.


    Elara''s mind reeled, wolves were intelligent, yes, but this- this was something entirely different than anyone could ever imagine. She pressed her uninjured hand against the icy wall, the cold seeping into her palm as she tried to steady herself.


    "This doesn''t make sense," she muttered before she could stop herself but the wolf stood abruptly, its massive form towering over her once more making her breath hitch.


    It turned toward the cave''s entrance, the only place where a small amount of moonlight was entering the can, its ears twitching as if listening for something beyond the wind. Then the blue glows glanced back at her, softening for the briefest moment, and without warning, it began to pad toward the exit, pausing only to nudge a small pile of dried moss toward her. A makeshift bed, Elara''s fingers curled weakly into the moss as she stared at the creature, her pulse quickening despite her exhaustion. Wolves didn''t act like this. No wild animal carried a human on its back, especially someone who entered their territory without their permission, let alone take them to a place for them to rest and shelter from the heavy cold.


    Her lips parted, but no words came. The wolf growled softly, ears swiveling toward the entrance of the cave as if hearing for anything unusual. It turned, its massive form silhouetted against the pale moonlight, then glanced back at her one last time. The look in its eyes was... knowing intelligence. Before she could summon the courage to speak again, the wolf stepped out into the blizzard and disappeared into the darkness of the night, leaving her alone in the eerie stillness of the cave.


    For a long moment, Elara simply stared after it, her body trembling from exhaustion and disbelief. The warmth of the wolf''s fur lingered faintly on her skin, a reminder of the surreal journey that had brought her here. Her gaze flickered to the cave''s mouth, where the faint glow of the moonlight marked the wolf''s departure. "What kind of beast cares for a human?" she murmured, her voice barely audible and her eyes fell shut once again.

 Chapter 6: Fighting in the cave.

    Elara¡¯s eyes opened once again, it was the stabbing pain in her shoulder that had woken her this time, sharp enough to drag her from the haze of her uneasy dreams. Though she didn¡¯t exactly remember what the dream was about, but the drops of sweat on her forehead were the evidence of its nasty nature.


    She sucked in a breath, blinking her eyes rapidly in the pale light that was now streaming inside the cave, confirming the departure of the dark night. The sight brought a groan of frustration. She had rested long enough but her body was still far from recovered. Yet, the biting cold from last night had faded, replaced by a dull ache in her injuries and a small, fragile warmth in her core.


    As Elara tried to sit up straight, she had to stifle a cry, her shoulder had throbbed again, the pain exceeding anything she had felt so far. The crude bandages that the man had used to cover her wounds were soaked through on the shoulder. Now that her body was no longer stiff and cold, the full extent of her injuries made itself known. Even the pain that had dulled from whatever treatment that man in the jungle had given her was back. Her ribs ached with every breath, her muscles protested with each movement and the stinging cuts on her arms reminded her of her fight with the goons that seemed a long time ago.


    Pressing her palm against the jagged wall for support, Elara shivered slightly as her damp clothes clung to her skin. The memory of the wolf flashed through her mind. Its blue eyes, watching and observing her carefully with human intelligence, still sent goosebumps racing across her skin. But what shocked her most was the fact that in the presence of such a huge beast where she should have felt fear, she was contemplating its kind nature and why it was helping her. And the man... who was it? In the haze of the moment, she had confused the man with Kael, but she knew he was not him. That man couldn¡¯t be her brother as her brother would never leave her in this condition.


    The questions remained lodged in her head like a sticky note she couldn¡¯t peel off, no matter how hard she tried: Why did the wolf carry her instead of attacking her for trespassing on its territory? It had chosen to protect her from the harsh cold when it could have ended her like any beast would. Why? And the man too, she had thought that it was the tamer of the wolf- its owner, but it turned out it was the other way around. It was the wolf that gave orders, not the man. But, the questions loomed, heavy and unsettling, without an answer.


    A loud growl from her stomach shattered her train of thought, dragging her attention to more immediate concerns. Hunger cawed at her, insistent and unignorable, her throat too was dry to the point of aching. She cast a wary glance around the semi-dark cave, its jagged walls looming ahead. The faint light seeping in from the entrance was just enough to navigate without tripping, but not enough to reveal every nook and cranny, but much better than the dark night where she was unable to even see her own hands.


    A steady drip echoed somewhere in the corner, water pooling slowly onto the cold stone floor. Her eyes lingered on the water, but her brother¡¯s words echoed in her mind: ¡°Never drink water from an unknown source unless you¡¯re certain it¡¯s safe. No matter how desperate you are, it¡¯s better to endure the thirst than to risk bacteria or poison- it could cost you your life.¡±


    Shaking the memory off, she refocused her gaze. There was nothing else here- no food, no supplies, just her, the constant dripping of the water from the cave¡¯s roof, and the occasional howl of the wind outside.


    She needed to move. ¡°At least the blizzard has stopped,¡± she croaked, wincing at the pain in her dry throat.


    ¡°Food first, then.... a way out,¡± she murmured under her breath, ignoring the constant pricking in her esophagus. If the pain was going to be her constant companion in this journey, she had to learn to either control or ignore it. No point in wincing or moping on it.


    The idea of a hospital briefly crossed her mind. Her injuries were severe- far beyond what she could handle with her limited knowledge about first aid, especially the one on her shoulder, she must be at least a doctor to tend to it, as from the degree of pain it was making her go through was the clear evidence of its severity. But hospital means questions. Questions about where she had been, what had happened to her, and why was she battered in the middle of nowhere. She was sure by now that the warehouse would be empty, and the goons nowhere to be found. No, she couldn''t go to the hospital that would mean unnecessary attention. She could still see the faces of the men, their cold and calculating eyes promising they would finish what they had started if given the chance. No, a hospital wasn¡¯t an option. Not yet.


    Elara exhaled sharply, shaking her head. ¡°Home,¡± she decided. ¡°I just need to get home.¡± Once there, she could patch herself up, plan her next steps, and try to make sense of... everything. But first, she had to survive the day.


    Her hands instinctively patted the ground, searching for her jacket, even when her mind already knew it was not there. But her fingers brushed against the fabric, confused, she lifted it, but the sight that met her eyes made her freeze. It wasn¡¯t her jacket, how could it be, she remembered not taking it off of her. It was a grey, almost black cloak, bloodied and unfamiliar. She didn¡¯t remember ever owning or using such a thing. The fur on the topmost area was intact, but the bottom was frayed and strained, reasons for its state remained a mystery to Elara. One thing, however, was certain- this didn¡¯t belong to her.


    Elara¡¯s eyes then moved to her attire. Gone were the black tights and button-up shirt or the leather jacket she had worn just the other day. Instead, she now wore sturdy grey pants, fitted with a belt around her thigh that held a dagger snuggly in place. Another belt wrapped around her waist, its design suggesting loops for a long stick- or perhaps a sword. Her grey shirt was patched with stains of dried blood, torn at the edges, and worn thin in place. The epaulets on her shoulders bore markings she didn¡¯t recognize, but their marking suggested they were meant to secure a cloak- the cloak that was in her hand.


    But before she could name her shock, her eyes met the most bizarre thing... Her hair.


    Elara¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her hands trembled as they reached up, fingers brushing against locks of shimmering silver and blue. It was unmistakable, the way the strands glinted faintly even in the dim light. This wasn¡¯t her hair. Her hair had always been black, as black as the midnight sky. The reflection of her hands in the metallic strands sent a wave of unease rolling through her.


    ¡°What... what happened to me?¡± she whispered, her voice cracking. She tugged at a strand with force as if to prove it wasn¡¯t real or she was still dreaming, but the tug sent a brief, stinging pain rippling through her scalp, grounding her in the reality of the change. It wasn¡¯t a dream nor was it just her imagination- these hairs were hers now, as alien as it felt.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Her eyes moved back to her attire. Had someone changed her clothes? Had someone... done this to her? The state of her shirt- the rips and wear on each of her cuts and injuries told a different story. These clothes had seen battle, the cuts indicated she had been wearing them from the start but why was it that she remembered something entirely different?


    Before she could make sense of anything, faint voices echoed from outside the cave. The sound was distant, muffled by the wind, but unmistakable. Her pulse quickened as every muscle in her body tensed. Someone was out there, could it be that Riven had failed to stop those goons? Had her rest helped her pursuers to come close to her? Or was it just the illusion created by the howling wind outside?


    Slowly, she crept toward the cave entrance, the cold walls beneath her hands grounding her with every cautious movement. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she knew she needed to be closer to be sure- to hear better.


    ¡°How much longer do we need to keep searching for her?¡± a man¡¯s voice reached her, faint but clear enough to make her breath hitch. It was not an illusion created by the wind. There really were people outside and they were looking for someone- for her. It was because she had let herself rest for too long.


    Another voice followed, exasperated. ¡°We¡¯ve searched the entire mountain in just three days when it takes a whole week for a proper expedition. I just want to rest!¡±


    Elara¡¯s mind raced. Three days? She¡¯d been out for three days?


    A third voice, deep and commanding, silenced the complaints, both inside her and the ones outside the cave. ¡°We rest when we find the lady. The energy you¡¯re using to whine would be better spent searching. Keep moving.¡±


    The first man¡¯s voice rose again, uncertain. ¡°What if the others have already found her and we are just searching in vain? And how is he even so sure she¡¯s on this side of the mountain? This side is...¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± The deep voice interrupted sharply. ¡°If the others find her, they¡¯ll send a signal, and since there has been no signal so far, that only means she is yet to be found... As for how he knows she is on this side... You can question him when we get back. For now, search thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Ask him? I would rather search the entire mountain once again!¡± the first man¡¯s voice rang, followed by low chuckles of someone.


    Elara found their way of speaking strange, archaic, as if they had stepped out of another time. She pressed herself against the wall, her grip tightening on the dagger. Dagger? Something pricked at her mind. When had she picked it up? It was the same dagger Riven had given her, but she had lost it when she fell unconscious in the jungle. Had someone... retrieved it for her? The memory of the wolf¡¯s blue eyes flashed again along with the strange man, but she shook her head. There was no time for that, the men were coming closer.


    The exasperated voice pulled Elara¡¯s attention again, the voice was coming from somewhere dangerously close. ¡°We¡¯ve checked every crevice. If she¡¯s here, it has to be somewhere impossible to see. Or maybe... she¡¯s already entered the ¨C ¡°


    ¡°Quiet,¡± the deep voice commanded. ¡°There had been a blizzard for the last three days... have you forgotten already? No one can pass this long field on foot in that blizzard.¡±


    ¡°Even if she has... we just need to find any evidence that she had been to this side of the mountain. The orders were clear.¡± The voice of the second man added, his voice though ragged was awfully calm.


    ¡°Wait,¡± the first man said again. ¡°Did you hear that? There was a sound.¡±


    Elara froze, her breath catching in her throat. She could hear the crunch of their footsteps in the snow. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but there was nowhere to go.


    The deep voice spoke again, closer than ever. ¡°The wind? No... it¡¯s off. It¡¯s coming from below the ridge.¡±


    Elara stepped back slowly, pressing herself into the shadows of the cave as the sound of footsteps grew louder.


    ¡°Here,¡± one of them said. ¡°The wind is whistling around here. There¡¯s an opening.¡±


    More steps, hurried this time, and in no time, three figures appeared at the cave entrance. Blocking what little light was coming inside the cave.


    ¡°Check inside,¡± the deep voice barked.


    Elara¡¯s grip on the dagger tightened, hoping they wouldn''t be able to see her in the darkness. Still, she wouldn¡¯t take chances.


    The men moved with precision and caution in the dark, their postures tense but not hostile.


    The nearest man stopped abruptly, moving his head for a better look in the dark. ¡°There!!¡± he shouted.


    Elara didn¡¯t hesitate, the moment the figure shouted, her instincts flared, and her battered body reacted before her mind could catch up, her dagger already raised, her arm swinging in a quick, brutal arc toward the nearest man.


    Her blade cut through the air, aiming straight for his throat. The tall man barely had time to react, but Elara''s dagger met with something hard, his sword was there to block her attack, making a resounding clang as the two blades met each other with force. The man stumbled back a few paces, clearly surprised, but his training took over. The moment Elara took another step, she met with the other two men, their faces obscured by the veil of darkness and the cloaks they were wearing.


    ¡°My lady, stop!¡± the one closest to her called, but Elara didn¡¯t hear him. Her world had narrowed to the raw fury and fear that kept her moving- this was her only chance, she could only win if she struck first, taking them by surprise. She was a fighter, not a victim. She wouldn¡¯t be taken easily.


    The man in front of her stepped back, raising his sword to block another strike from Elara, this time it was her turn to stumble back. The wound on her shoulder sent a violent shock of pain through her arm, but she ignored it, pushing forward, she couldn¡¯t afford to give them enough time to adjust in the dark. Her movements were wild, fueled by the chaos in her chest and the desperation to protect herself, but the men were skilled. They parried her strikes easily, their swords moving in a fluid, coordinated defense as if they too had practiced sword from a young age like Elara.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to fight us,¡± one of the men said, his voice soft but urgent, as he deflected her blow that came for his waist and attempted to grab her wrist. ¡°We mean no harm, my lady. We are here to help.¡±


    But Elara was beyond reason, she didn¡¯t even notice the way they kept calling her, the pain of her injuries clouding her judgment. Her dagger danced in the air, slashing at anything within reach. The tall man blocked another blow, but she quickly spun, striking toward the second man. The wound on her shoulder flared again, nearly making her falter, but she pressed on as a faint groan left her lips. Her body was weakening, but her resolve remained.


    The third man stepped forward; his sword raised in both hands. He didn¡¯t swing immediately, instead, he moved to block her path. ¡°My lady, stop! We are not your enemy,¡± his deep voice echoed in the cave, more commanding. He tried to maneuver to her side to disarm her without harm.


    Elara felt the tight grip of desperation, the weight of her injuries slowing her movements, exhaustion creeping into her limbs, each strike making the ache in her body worsen. Her vision blurred for a brief moment, but she shook it off, her dagger slashing an erratic arc toward the third man. She refused to listen, refused to believe any of them. The world had taught her one brutal lesson: trust no one.


    The third man sidestepped her attack with practiced ease, his movements precise yet cautious. He wasn¡¯t trying to harm her- his stance was defensive, his strikes calculated to disarm not to injure. ¡°Please, my lady,¡± he tried again, his tone firm but almost pleading. ¡°We are under orders to ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± Elara finally spoke, her voice rough with pain and fury. She feinted left before lunging to the right, aiming for the exposed side of his armor. But her body betrayed her- her injured shoulder gave out mid-strike, and she stumbled forward. The man seized the moment, stepping into her space and catching her wrist with a firm grip. The dagger fell on the stone floor with a loud thud that echoed in the silence.


    ¡°Enough!¡± the man said quietly, his strength overpowering her weakened state. His hand closed around her other arm, tapping her in place. ¡°You¡¯re injured. Fighting us will only make it worse.¡±

 Chapter 7: Lady Aeternum?

    Elara struggled against the tight hold, her breaths ragged and labored. ¡°Let go of me!¡± she snarled, thrashing in the man¡¯s grip, but her strength was failing fast. She could feel the heat of her blood soaking into the bandage on her shoulder, the relentless throbbing in her body a cruel reminder of her vulnerability.


    The air around them crackled in tension as she fought against the man holding her. Their reassurances fell on deaf ears- her survival instincts screamed louder than their words. Every muscle in her body strained against the grip on her hands, her mind racing to find an escape.


    ¡°Calm down! You are only going to make your injuries worse!¡± one of the men said urgently, but Elara glared at him in response, her movements growing more erratic. She tried to kick the man holding her hands in place, but he skillfully avoided it too.


    ¡°Calm down?¡± she snapped, ¡°You expect me to trust a group of armed strangers dragging me off against my will?¡±


    One of the men stepped forward cautiously, he was taller than the other two, hands raised in a gesture of peace. ¡°We¡¯re not here to hurt you, My lady. If weapons are making you not trust us, we can get rid of them.¡± He looked at the man beside him who nodded in agreement and the two of them unhooked their swords from their belts and threw them to one side. The swords made clattering noised on the cold stone and rested there, abandoned.


    Elara finally stopped thrashing around, her eyes still filled with distrust resting on the man with a deep voice. ¡°Why are you here then? And why do you keep calling me, My Lady?¡± her gaze lingered on his clothes. The men wore what could only be described as medieval attire- black cloaks draped over leather armor underneath which they had worn loose greyish black shirts and pants with long boots, and swords strapped to their belts. Elara blinked, convinced her injuries were making her hallucinate. Who the hell wore costumes like this in the middle of nowhere? But her mind went to her own clothing, making her inner self shut.


    ¡°We were sent to find you- of course, it was not to hurt you.¡± The man answered, his voice not urgent but had a hint of something Elara couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°By whom?¡± she demanded, her tone sharp, her mind still grasping at the situation.


    The men looked at each other, though their faces were still not visible, Elara could feel the confusion in the air around them. ¡°House Aeternum.¡±


    Elara stood in silence, the name should have meant something, but it didn¡¯t. Was it some kind of secret code or something? She had never heard of any House Aeternum, and her confusion and distrust only deepened. Before she could say anything, the taller man added, ¡°Your knights have been looking for you for the last 4 days. They were lucky we were in the area, so they commissioned us.¡±


    If Elara was confused before she was totally out of words now. Knights? And not just knights- Her Knights? What the hell were these people talking about? Were they playing role-play here? But she wasn¡¯t sure if she should ask them about that, not when the situation was not clear to her yet. Masking her bewilderment with hostility, she spat, ¡°My knights asked for your help? When you were coincidentally passing from the same area?¡±


    Though the terms Knights and House Aeternum were strange to her, their story if anything was absurd.


    Her supposed knights were looking for her and these people were conveniently passing by and were commissioned to find her. In this place, where people would only come once a year for tracking and these people were here in this cold?


    ¡°Ahm!! We are mercenaries, my lady. We travel from place to place with no actual resting place.¡± The taller one answered awkwardly, making sure to not directly look at her.


    Mercenaries? What was going on? Elara¡¯s head started buzzing with all the absurd information. The men looked too polished for mere mercenaries. She had heard about mercenaries of course, but looking at their clothing and weapons, the way they spoke, and what she heard before they entered the cave. She was sure they were more than they were pretending to be. But one thing was certain, they were not going to hurt her, at least not now.


    Elara looked down at her hands, carefully held in place by the most quiet one. He had been observing her from the start, his grip on her hands, though strong but considerate so as not to hurt her.


    ¡°I never heard of mercenaries that travel from place to place, that sounds more like bandits or even rogues...¡± Elara commented, testing further. These people were mistaking her for someone else so she¡¯d play along until she knew her situation exactly and if role-play is what they want she can do that too. She would mimic their way of talking and try to get information out of them.


    Why had her hair turned silver? Why was she wearing different clothes but with tears and cuts at exactly the same places where she was injured? Who was this lady they were looking for and why were they confusing Elara with this Lady? Was it just her hair and clothes that changed or had she changed entirely and when?If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The phenomenon was absurd but that was all she could think of now. She had been through enough shocks in the past day that she no longer cared about how weird her inner thoughts sounded.


    ¡°Especially with such expensive gears,¡± Elara added, sensing the unease her questions were inflicting on these three men. Her body was getting exhausted from the continuous throbbing in her shoulder and ribs but she persisted. ¡°Please, do enlighten me, what circumstances made you work as mercenaries? People don¡¯t easily choose that kind of work and once they do they don¡¯t splurge money on such expensive stuff.¡±


    ¡°Expensive, my lady, I am sure you have mistaken-¡± The tall man attempted but was stopped by a strong glare from Elara, her turquoise eyes shining even in the dim light of the cave.


    ¡°That only adds to my suspicion. If you weren¡¯t wearing such not-so-expensive gear, my dagger should have made a serious cut on your side.¡± She nodded at a mark in the tall man¡¯s armor, where a long mark was visible on it. ¡°It is no leather is it?¡±


    ¡°Wha- When did you make this cut?! Your strength is no joke, my lady! Even in this condition, you could make such a deep cut in my armor! No one has been able to make a cut this deep on armor covered with Fortis Arboris¡¯s sap!- OUCH! What?!¡± the tall man¡¯s grumble earned him a sharp smack on the back of his neck, making him realize that he had revealed something he shouldn¡¯t.


    As for Elara, she was confused, her suspicion only growing from their reaction. Though she didn¡¯t know what this Fortis Arboris was, but she was now sure it was not something ordinary.


    ¡°My lady, you are injured. I will advise you to return to your encampment with us and get yourself treated. You can ask us anything you want on our way and I promise to tell you the truth.¡± The man¡¯s deep voice pleaded, his eyes traveling on various bandages on her body but he didn¡¯t pry about them.


    ¡°You want me to go with strangers who won¡¯t even reveal their real identities? Forget it! I would rather go to that jungle-¡°


    ¡°Aha! So you were actually going toward that jungle!¡± the tall man¡¯s voice echoed in the cave getting a glare from the other two men in response. ¡°What? We must stop her if she is...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elara asked, confused, the earlier conversation between these men played in her mind again. Even then they were thinking she¡¯ll go to the jungle. Why?


    The deep-voiced man looked at the man holding Elara¡¯s hands in place, who instantly let her go. Surprised she looked at the two men, rubbing her wrists in turns. The deep-voiced man then bowed forward making Elara jump back in shock. Elara¡¯s breath hitched as he picked the dagger carefully from the cold ground,  ¡°No wonder it could cut through your armor, Lester... It is an Aeternum heirloom...¡±


    Aeternum heirloom? Elara thought, her mind a mess. The dagger was given to her by Riven, did he know about this Aeternum family? He was the one who asked her to go to the jungle. Could it be he has something to do with her current situation? But how will that explain her changed hair and outfit?


    ¡°My lady, are you really planning to go after your brother?¡± the man carefully asked, holding the dagger¡¯s handle toward her for her to take.


    Elara was shocked as she took the dagger from the man, her shock was not because of the reason they were thinking. Her mind was thinking of something entirely different. How did they know she was looking for her brother?


    ¡°You know my brother?¡± the words left her lips without her intending to. The fact that for them she was a different person and they might be talking about someone not actually her brother, momentarily forgotten.


    ¡°Of course, Who doesn¡¯t know Sir Kaelion? Though some might know him for a different reason, but Sir Kaelion is remembered as the bravest hero in the whole empire.¡± The tall man answered again but this time the other two nodded in agreement. But Elara didn¡¯t notice their nods, nor the way the quiet man was looking at her. Her mind was too occupied to observe anything.


    These men, whom she thought were misking her for someone else knew her brother- Kaelion. But why did they call him Sir? And what did they mean by the whole empire?


    Her head started aching with all these unanswered questions. Her brother had taught her to understand the situation first before making any choice. She was doing exactly that but the more she tried to understand her situation the more confused she became.


    ¡°What were your orders exactly?¡± Elara asked, her voice shaking slightly as uncertainty grasped her once more. The pain in her shoulder flared again, making her wince loudly.


    ¡°My lady, are you alright? We really need to... as soon as possible, your injuries aren¡¯t healing... or they might worsen¡± Her head started buzzing, the voices coming in fragments. But she kept a tight hold on her consciousness that seemed to be failing her slowly as the pain increased with a new feeling of itching around her shoulder.


    ¡°Answer me!!¡± she shouted or tried to but it came only as a whimper.


    The quiet man answered, uncertain of her reason but he complied with her order. ¡°The commission we were given stated that we must help the Aeternum Knights in finding their commander, the youngest of House Aeternum, Lady Elara Aeternum.¡±


    The world started to rotate once more, but Elara made sure to grasp each and every word this time.


    They were actually looking for her- no, for someone with the same name as her. Someone who had a brother with the same name as her brother¡¯s. But she didn¡¯t know any Aeternums, she was not one of them, she was Elara Taylor and her brother was Kaelion Taylor also, not Aeternum.


    All this time she tried to talk to these men, she thought she somehow turned into someone else. How? She didn¡¯t know. Why? Not that either. Who? Someone with her name but not in her position. At least there were people coming to look for this Lady. As for Elara, her only relative was nowhere to be found. Heck, she wasn¡¯t even sure if he was alive or not.


    She had been just chasing his ghost for the last 2 years only to find out that there was a hope he might be alive just to shatter it the next moment by being trapped in an unknown world, surrounded by unknown people, not knowing how to go back. Would she even find her brother if she went back now?


    Her chest tightened with all the questions and negative emotions. The world around her darkened once more, she could hear voices ringing in her head. But wasn¡¯t sure if they belonged to the three men around her or someone in her head.


    She didn¡¯t feel her body colliding on the stone floor, instead, strong arms held her unconscious body and she didn¡¯t remember the rest as she fully let the darkness swallow her.

 Chapter 8: A Strange dream.

    The cave grew quiet after the commotion that the girl¡¯s sudden fall had caused. The three men looked at each other in turn, gears in their heads working furiously, trying to think of something. The young lady¡¯s injuries should have healed by now, as any aeternum¡¯s would have done by now. But even the smallest cut on her arm was still visible, making them worry about her condition.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± the man holding Elara asked, his tone though neutral had an edge of concern.


    ¡°I think the better question is how do we answer him?¡± the tall man, Lester, interjected, his tone light but couldn¡¯t hide the angst in it. ¡°He clearly ordered not to let her get hurt... but... it won¡¯t be considered our fault, since it was not us who injured her, right? Unc- I mean captain?¡± He crossed his arms with feigned nonchalance, though his gaze kept nervously darting toward Elara¡¯s limp body.


    The deep-voiced man, who was also their captain stayed silent, looking at the fragile body of the lady they were tasked to find unscathed. She looked fragile in Vlar¡¯s string arms, broken even, her usual commanding presence reduced to something hauntingly vulnerable. This would be the first time he was not able to completely fulfil the order he was given, and he was thinking what to tell their master. How would he justify this? The girl was already battered to this state before they arrived? No, they should have found her sooner. She looked like she was through battle... but they didn¡¯t find any sign of fight on their way up or down the mountain... then when and where?


    ¡°For now... we send her back to the encampment before her condition worsens... As for the report...¡± the captain finally said, his voice steady with authority. He turned toward Vlar who was still holding Elara¡¯s limp body, looking at the weightless body as if it might disappear if he let her out of his sight. ¡°Vlar, I want you to stay and look around for anything- any clue that can tell of her predicament. We will send her back and return to assist you.¡±


    Vlar said nothing but only nodded slightly in approval, his eyes still fixed on the girl in his arms. He adjusted his hold slightly, careful not to jostle her further.


    ¡°Haah!! when I thought we could finally rest...¡± Lester groaned, stepping forward with a dramatic sigh. ¡°Fine, hand her over. I¡¯ll carry her.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Vlar stopped Lester after handing her the limp body, Elara shifted in his hold slightly, a hint of tear coming out of one of her eyes. He took off his cloak and wrapped it around the girl, covering her from head to toe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are being overly cautious?¡± Lester asked, though there was no real bite in his question.


    ¡°I am sure she doesn¡¯t want her knights to see her in this condition.¡± Vlar simply replied, his voice low even in the quiet of the cave.


    ¡°Be careful- I know you can conceal your presence skillfully even without the cloak but just in case. Lady Elara is the best fighter of her generation... she is even better than Lester- ¡°


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to rub that on my face you know? That''s rude.¡± Lester huffed, though the other thought ignored him.


    ¡°If she is in this condition, it means whoever or whatever did this is nothing to underestimate. Stay extra sharp as you look for clues.¡± The captain advised. He knew of Vlar¡¯s expertise in stealth and his deadly fighting style. He was already impressed by Vlar¡¯s control of his instincts when Elara suddenly attacked them, he had expected him to- if not kill then to gravely hurt the person but fortunately, he didn¡¯t. Even he himself didn¡¯t expect to be suddenly attacked by her. They must find out who and what made someone as composed and calm as Lady Elara to be agitated and wounded to this degree.


    Vlar gave a slight nod, his focus unwavering. The captain, satisfied, gestured for Lester to move. And the two men along with Elara- who looked nothing more than a strange, shapeless object in Lester¡¯s arms- left the cave. Vlar followed them out but stayed at the cave¡¯s entrance.


    The atmosphere outside the cave was a stark contrast to the stillness in it. The wind was howling, biting through the snow but it did nothing to disturb the soft fabric that was concealing them effortlessly. The fabric that was dark, just like the cave they were in moments ago instantly faded in color, mimicking the grey and white surrounding.


    Although the figures were visible, but if seen from a distance, no one could tell them apart from the scenery around them.


    Lester, ever the free spirit, broke the silence as he trudged through the snow. ¡°You know, this sounded too easy to be true. ¡®Find the lady, bring her back.¡¯ He conveniently left out the part where we¡¯d be tracking through a blizzard with her half-dead body... not to mention the sleep-free days we had to find her and that too in such cold!¡±


    ¡°You can say that to master¡¯s face. Maybe he will refrain from sending you to such easy missions next time.¡± Vlar¡¯s low voice sounded from the back. The man was still standing at the entrance of the cave. His eyes, instead of following his comrades, were tracking the area around, for any sign of movements.


    ¡°Why do you always have to include master in whatever I say? And you can¡¯t comment on anything when you get to stay in the cave with all the fun detective work, while we play babysitter in this cold.¡± Lester sighed theatrically.


    ¡°Because you never stop complaining, if you want to complain why don¡¯t you just say no from the start? As for my staying in the cave, we can switch anytime- ¡°If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Quiet. This is not the time for distractions. Focus on your tasks. Vlar, flare the signal after some time.¡± The captain interrupted, exasperated by the two kids¡¯ arguing all the time. Vlar was usually quiet but when it came to Lester¡¯s complaints on mission, he couldn''t stop himself either.


    ¡°Yes, yes, Captain Killjoy,¡± Lester muttered under his breath, though he adjusted his grip on Elara and fell silent.


    The group pressed on, the storm swirling around them. Though their steps were careful, the captain¡¯s mind was already racing ahead, calculating their next move and preparing for the inevitable confrontation with their master.


    Behind them, Vlar lingered in the shadows of the cave, his sharp eyes scanning the ground for any hint of the mystery Elara had tangled herself in. He waited for the group to get out of his sight and then flared the signal, indicating they had found the Commander of Aeternum troops.


    ...............................


    Elara however was ignorant to everything happening around her, the faint aroma of the cloak around her lulling her into the fake comfort and she once again entered her memories. The only difference was that this time she visited them as an uninvited guest, looking at the once-forgotten room from the sidelines.


    Elara looked around, there were no frills or an abundance of stuffed bears that could be seen in other teenagers¡¯ rooms. The room was in fact a blend of practicality and creativity. A large wooden bookshelf stood against one wall, filled with neatly arranged books, various awards, and some trinkets. Some were gifts from her father, brought back from his many travels, their origins unknown to anyone but him. A small, delicate vase sat atop her desk, a lavender scent clinging to the air- her mother¡¯s favorite flowers brought back a warmth long forgotten by her. These flowers were always present, the faint fragrance that always soothed her nerves. The only thing she acknowledged ever remembering. The room though was hers, she knew because it had everything she could ever desire but at one point in time, it had changed to the mature Elara¡¯s room. When? She couldn¡¯t remember.


    The desk was tidy but lived-in, with papers stacked neatly beside an open journal. The study materials that were organized with a mix of precise order and scattered creativity, caught her eyes, a hint of confusion evident on her face. Her backpack also sat beside the desk; its straps slightly worn from use.


    A soft knock at the door broke the stillness, pulling Elara from her reverie. ¡°Just five more minutes...¡± a murmur came from the other direction. A figure- a young girl barely fourteen shifted slightly on the bed, dark hair like a night sky spread across the pillow, shimmering gently in the light.


    ¡°Come on, kiddo.  Or maybe you want me to practice alone today?¡± A familiar voice came from the other side of the door, making Elara turn sharply toward it. He was on the other side. She thought and walked toward it, but as Elara tried to open the door- she couldn¡¯t, she couldn¡¯t even hold the knob. She tried again desperate to see him just once but in vain.


    The figure on the bed groaned slightly as she sat up, her hair falling elegantly across her sides, rubbing her eyes. The figure finally looked at the door, her vision passing straight through Elara, her turquoise eyes full of youthful innocence and life that had long left the grown-up Elara. Then, something happened, the young Elara¡¯s eyes met with the grown-up Elara, who stood there confused and shocked. The blue in her eyes turned dark- crimson red, the little Elara said something, inaudible, her innocent smile turning into a sinister one. Elara tried to read her lips but her vision started to blur.


    ¡°What?.. w-wait!!¡±


    The room began to fade, replaced with an open field full of white buds, the sudden exposure to the raw sunlight made Elara squint her eyes. A laughter came from a few feet away- light and carefree. Elara fully opened her eyes to see the source of it- a child. She had silver hairs that were gleaming in the sunlight, she ran through the flowers to the opposite side. Her laughter filled the air as she chased a butterfly, the buds around her bloomed, its crescent-shaped patels opening, revealing the light blue sheen coming from the inside and Elara felt she had seen the flower somewhere before.


    Elara frowned. The flowers looked beautiful, ethereal even, something that didn¡¯t belong to her world, but the familiarity and connection she felt with it... it was strange.


    The girl turned; her face obscured by the sunlight. ¡°Come one brother Kael!¡± she called, her voice echoing like a distant melody.


    ¡°Be careful, Elara. You might trip,¡± Elara turned sharply at the familiar voice, her heart racing violently. There he was, smiling widely but not at her but at the little girl. His turquoise eyes as kind as she ever remembered. It was Kael, her brother, his silver hair shining in the direct sunlight but there were some blue strands in them, just like the girl¡¯s. He was younger here, younger than Elara ever remembered him to be.


    ¡°Elara, Kael, wait for me.¡± Another voice joined, this two was familiar and yet she couldn¡¯t remember where she had heard it. She ignored it nevertheless, for now, her only priority was her brother.


    ¡°Kael?¡± Elara tried to call, hoping he would answer her, but her voice fell on deaf ears. Her eyes started watering. The wind caught in her black icy hair, making it float in the air, her head bent low in disappointment.


    ¡°You are finally here?¡± Kael¡¯s voice asked, it was closer. Elara quickly looked up and he was there, this time looking straight at her. Elara gasped, not trusting her eyes or ears.


    ¡°Are you... really here?¡± she asked, the tears she had been holding started sliding down her cheeks. Kael however didn¡¯t answer but carefully wiped the tears from her face. The touch of his warm hands felt alien to her; it was there but not at the same time.


    ¡°Now that you are here... find me.¡± Kael looked into her eyes; his gaze unwavering with an emotion she couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°How?¡± Elara asked, she had become a different person, in a world she couldn¡¯t understand nor know. ¡°I am lost Kael. How can I find you when I am lost myself?¡±


    Kael smiled, tucking her hair behind her ears. ¡°You are not lost kiddo. You are at the right place. Solve the mystery and you can find me.¡± Out of the corner of her eyes, Elara noticed something, the strands of her black hairs where Kael had touched started changing color and in no time all her hairs had turned silver. She looked at her brother in shock, hoping for an answer but he smiled and bending forward, kissed her forehead.


    ¡°Now, wake up. You can¡¯t keep staying in here. It is not good.... go... go and find out- ¡°The rest of the words drowned as the surroundings once again started changing. The white buds just like the young Elara¡¯s eyes turned black. Elara felt a distant pain in her shoulder that gradually increased making her wince. She tried to hold onto her brother, but he too started fading in blackening scenery.


    ¡°Wait, please don¡¯t leave me again!¡± Elara begged, helplessly. The tears fell non-stop.


    ¡°Shhh.. You will find me soon. But not here... don¡¯t come back here, Elara. You must find me out of here. Go-leave!¡± And he was gone. The world started revolving and with a start, Elara woke up.

 Chapter 9.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

 Chapter 10.

    The gentle voice of the lady stopped Elara¡¯s frantic eating, ¡°Please, My Lady, eat slowly or you might choke. You¡¯ve already been through quite a lot.¡± The woman¡¯s words were soft, and her eyes ¨C those pastel purple eyes held a tenderness Elara couldn¡¯t quite understand the reason for. It wasn¡¯t just professional concern; there was something more behind them, something protective. Almost... maternal? Elara shook the thought away. How can this woman be her mother?


    ¡°What happened to the men that brought me here? Those mercenaries? Where are they?¡± Elara asked, setting the spoon aside. There was something strange about those men- something she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger to but if she wanted to solve the mystery, she must use each and everything.


    The lady¡¯s gaze flickered as she sighed, shaking her head slightly. ¡°They left right after they brought you in. I didn¡¯t get any details and everything was in chaos... y-you... you were in a state no one had ever seen you in. I was focused on you, My Lady, making sure you would wake up...¡± The lady shook her head frantically as if to get rid of the image of the scene she was sharing. But Elara was not going to let this go.


    ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Elara said, her voice laced with suspicion as her eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°They brought me- an unconscious, battered body- into this camp and just left with as much as a word? No one was in their right mind to stop them? I am sure there are enough people to stop three mercenaries.¡±


    The lady flinched in her seat. She opened her mouth but closed it again. She opened it again but before she could say something, a voice from outside the tent interrupted them. ¡°Commander Lupina!¡± the man¡¯s voice called urgently.


    Elara blinked. She looked at the tent¡¯s flap in confusion and then back to the lady. Commander Lupina? Was this woman the commander? No, why would someone so important come all the way here just to take care of an injured person? She understood she- that was the girl with silver hair was someone important, but a lady of the ducal house can¡¯t be important enough to be personally looked after by a commander.


    The voice outside became more urgent, pulling Elara¡¯s attention from the increasing questions. ¡°Commander, it is urgent- ¡°


    ¡°Are you an idiot!? Don¡¯t you know what condition she is in?¡± another voice hissed; it was a female.


    ¡°But- ¡°


    Elara still said nothing, her mind working fast as she just stared at the tent¡¯s flap where the voices were coming from. She could make out other noises too- a commotion? It was not the one she heard when the lady came in bearing the meal for her. This one was different, more frantic. But her mind was racing for other reasons. Those mercenaries did mention HER knights, but they didn¡¯t tell her that she was their commander and not just the youngest of the house.


    ¡°What is it?¡± the lady¡¯s voice cut Elara¡¯s chain of thoughts. Her voice was authoritative, the warmth it had earlier couldn¡¯t be heard in it anymore.


    The man¡¯s voice came abruptly, ¡°Lady Claytrix? What- where is Commander, there is a guest-" Another shush stopped the man.


    ¡°Lady Eara is in no condition to entertain guests. Make them leave.¡± Lady Calytrix answered firmly.


    A guest? Who else knew of her being in this wilderness? The man those mercenaries were talking about? Wasn¡¯t it the one who commissioned them- one of her knights? Could this guest be someone higher than her position?


    ¡°He is not someone we can send away. Please let the Commander know- " The man¡¯s tone had changed; it was respectful but with an edge of politeness only for outsiders. Elara looked at Lady Calytrix, the change in tone didn¡¯t bother her.


    ¡°Who is this guest? Who else knows of our presence in this remote area?¡± Elara finally asked, there was no point in keeping quiet, especially if she needed the answers to all those questions revolving in her mind.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    If this guest was important enough for the knights to disturb their injured commander, it must be someone she couldn¡¯t ignore. And it couldn¡¯t be good news. The last thing she needed right now was for someone to find out she wasn¡¯t who they thought she was.


    The woman outside hesitated for a moment, ¡°It''s the Fourth Prince,¡± she said, her voice heavy with the gravity of the situation. She clearly misunderstood Elara¡¯s question as her reprimanding them. ¡°Adrian Valor Rosethorne. The mission was not revealed from our side, Commander. His Highness has informed us of his presence in the area. It turned out his highness has been in the vicinity for hunting, he got the information from the passing by mercenaries.¡± She added hastily, trying to keep her cool.


    The mercenaries again? And... the Fourth Prince? What on earth could he want from her?


    ¡°You should have kept those men until I woke up,¡± Elara said colly, exchanging a look with Lady Calytrix who flinched at her words.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s... we tried to- Ah, Your Highness?¡±


    Elara instinctively sat up straighter hearing the last words, ignoring the lingering pain in her shoulder. She felt the sudden movements of Lady Calytrix standing up as the flap of the tent opened suddenly, inviting the gush of cold air.


    The very next scene made Elara¡¯s breath hitch. The man that came in despite the protests of the due on his heels had an air regality: Light golden hair, tousled from travel, caught the dim glow of the lanterns, a striking contrast to the dark hunting attire he wore- practical and fitted for movement. It was not something a prince would typically wear, yet the craftmanship and subtle embellishments betrayed his status.


    The black traveling cloak although looked normal to the naked eye, with its hood down. But Elara felt something weird about it, the way the fabric was still, not disturbed even by the man¡¯s subtle movements made her remember the cloaks the mercenaries were wearing.


    But what made Elara still was his eyes.


    Crimson- not the kind that burned with malice or cruelty, but something deeper. Mysterious. A color that seemed to pull at the edges of her mind, demanding recognition she couldn¡¯t give. There was a quiet intensity in his gaze, a wight that felt as though it had been carried for far too long. And for a fleeting second, as his gaze settled on her, something flickered in them- something unreadable.


    A strange, unfamiliar nostalgia twisted in Elara¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Lady Calytrix greeted carefully, bowing her head in respect.


    Elara said nothing, merely watching as the Prince nodded, acknowledging the greeting, his eyes never leaving hers. Her mind though exhausted from endless calculations and assessments, started its gears yet again.


    ¡°I see you are awake, My Lady.¡± He finally said, his voice smooth yet unreadable.


    The way he said it- it wasn¡¯t just an observation. There was something deliberate in his tone, something that made Elara take pause. Furthermore, instead of using her rank, he had addressed her as My Lady.


    She held his gaze, her mind racing, figuring out her relationship with this Prince and how to react.


    Lady Calytrix, noticing Elara¡¯s lack of response to an Imperial Prince, stepped forward ¡°Her Ladyship is still not fully recovered, Your Highness. I would advise to let her rest for now-¡±


    ¡°Funny...¡±


    The man, instead of heading the suggestion, moved leisurely, settling on a chair with the ease of someone who had no intention of leaving. He crossed one leg over the other, resting an arm against the chair¡¯s back, completely at home.


    ¡°The Commander of Aeternum Knights I have heard so much about was not his weak.¡± He remarked idly ¡°... someone who can¡¯t even answer herself.¡±


    The words were laced with provocation, but Elara caught something else in them. Heard so much about... that was it.


    She finally allowed herself to take a breather, shifting her posture to sit straighter.


    ¡°I imagine that alone can tell Your Highness the current condition of the Commander you have heard about,¡± Elara replied coolly, tilting her head just slightly.


    His lips quirked, his eyes flashing with something akin to amusement. ¡°Hah..., My Lady- ¡°


    "Commander," she corrected smoothly, offering a small, deceptively soft smile. "Or, if you prefer, Commander Lupina."


    The Prince paused, momentarily thrown off. ¡°Pardon me?¡±


    "Oh, it¡¯s quite alright," Elara continued lightly, her fingers idly brushing the blanket draped over her lap. "Since it seems Your Highness only knows of me from what you¡¯ve heard, allow me to clarify something. As long as Your Highness remains within my encampment, surrounded by my knights, you will address me as Commander. Or Commander Lupina."


    The air in the tent shifted.


    Lady Claytrix shifted in her place from the weight of the tense atmosphere inside the tent. Even the knights outside stilled as they listened. The Prince, however, instead of getting angry at her Impudent behavior, studied her with renewed interest, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest of his chair.


    And then almost at once, his lips curled into a charming smile.


    Elara didn¡¯t lower her gaze nor prodded further, instead, she kept her gaze on the man silently. If he was here to test her, she would ensure he walked away knowing exactly who he was dealing with.

 Chapter 11.

    Even with the presence of the fireplace full of burning logs, the atmosphere was growing colder in the tent. The two persons of authority sat on either end, while one was glaring intensely, the other simply sat there with an annoying smile on his face.


    Lady Calytrix who was standing beside Elara¡¯s makeshift bed had been straining her neck to see the both parties in turn. Her old bones shivered slightly, not from the cold but from the tension around her.


    Her attention mostly was on this rogue prince. To her knowledge, Lady Elara had never met him, nor had they any reason to meet. Then why was he here? To check on her? Thats absurd!!


    Lady Calytrix couldn¡¯t understand his reasons, but the way he carried himself- so casually, so arrogantly- made her uneasy. He could be a prince but at the moment he was in a Commander¡¯s tent, he could show some manners at the very least.


    The prince, however, oblivious or simply indifferent to the growing tension in the tent, exhaled a quiet sigh before speaking.


    ¡°You could at least show me some courtesy,¡± he said, his tone light, yet undeniably expectant. ¡°I did come all this way just to check on you.¡±


    Elara who had been watching him in silence, finally spoke. ¡°And your Highness could have done the same by not disturbing my rest,¡± she countered, her voice calm but edged with steel. ¡°Yet your highness still thought it better to march in here, even after being informed of my condition being unfit to receive guests- as for your highness coming all this way, I was told your highness was in the area when you coincidently heard about my situation.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but My Lady- Ops! Commander! Fate works in strange ways,¡± he mused, a trace of a smile lingered on the corner of his lips. ¡°and who am I to ignore its calls?¡±


    Elara let out a soft scoff. She had not expected the man to be soo annoying. ¡°Fate?¡± she replied dryly. ¡°You mean a passing band of mercenaries?¡±


    Adrian chuckled, his voice ringing like music in the air, ¡±Perhaps mercenaries are but fate¡¯s messengers,¡± he countered, crimson eyes gleaming with mischief. ¡°Delivering me exactly where I was meant to be.¡±


    Lady Calytrix blinked, momentarily thrown by the absurdity of his response.


    Elara, however, was not amused. Rather, she felt tired of this conversation that was going nowhere. She needed answers and all she had gotten so far were... excuses and nonsense.


    ¡°I don¡¯t indulge in fantasies, Your Highness. I prefer reality- things that are tangible and practical.¡± Her gaze sharpened, her patience wavering thin. ¡°So, if you have something to say, get to the point. Otherwise, you¡¯ve already checked on me, and may leave now.¡±


    The smile didn¡¯t leave Adrian¡¯s face, but something in his expression shifted ever so slightly. Amusement gave way to something more calculating, more serious. The man who was so nonchalant and light-hearted a while ago finally sobered.


    ¡°... I do have something to say,¡± he admitted, before turning his gaze toward Lady Calytrix. ¡°But not with an audience. Leave us.¡±


    Calytrix hesitated, glancing at Elara for confirmation, but before she could move, Elara¡¯s voice cut through the space between them. Her eyes fixed on Adrian, trying to figure him out.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± She leaned back slightly, suppressing the groan from the pain her shift inflicted on her wounds, but her voice was firm as she continued. ¡°Given my condition, a physician is required to stay with me at all times. Whatever your highness needs to say, you can say in front of her- and, I would rather that you don¡¯t order my people again.¡±


    Truthfully, no matter how much Elara acted, she was still an outsider. If she stayed alone with this prince and he asked her something she didn¡¯t know and considering she didn¡¯t know almost anything, it was best to keep the Lady beside her.


    Adrian studied her for a long moment before exhaling a mild exasperation. ¡°How convenient,¡± he remarked. ¡°Being Commander must be quite useful- you get to assign anyone you want to accompany you on missions. And yet, on such an important mission, you assigned your nanny as your physician. I get she is from house Lavender and all but still...¡±


    Calytrix stiffened beside Elara, who showed no signs of panic or the chaos that was created by his words. Her nanny? So this lady was her nanny? That explains her motherly instincts toward her.


    ¡°Would Your Highness care to test my physician¡¯s skill himself?¡± she asked, her tone deceptively polite. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll find her far more capable than you assume.¡±


    ¡°Adrian chuckled, shaking his head slightly. ¡°No need,¡± he said, his smirk returning. ¡°I¡¯d rather not give you an excuse to poison me.¡±


    ¡°Poison Your Highness?¡± she repeated, startled. ¡°Why would I-¡°


    ¡°Since you are not in any condition to be conversing alone,¡± he cut her off smoothly, his tone light, but lacking the teasing arrogance from earlier, ¡°You should rest.¡±


    He stood up but instead of turning to leave- he walked straight toward her.


    Elara¡¯s breath hitched, her already pounding heat thudding louder in her chest. There was something different in the way he moved now, something deliberate. The playful arrogance that had colored his words moments ago was gone. Something else took its place, something quieter- something unsettling real as if the playful and arrogant behavior was nothing but a facade. Or was it this seriousness?


    Gone was the detached, smirking prince who had spent most of their exchange toying with words. Now, as he stopped beside her bed, Elara could see it clearly in his face.


    Genuine concern.


    Lady Calytrix reacted instantly, stepping between them, her stance stiff and protective. Yet Adrian made no further move, neither did he protest, his crimson eye still locked onto Elara¡¯s.


    For the first time since he entered her tent, the weight of his presence felt different. He was no longer just an intruder in her space, carelessly testing boundaries. There was something different now- something composed, unwavering.


    Something regal.


    Despite his earlier playfulness, there was an undeniable serenity in his expression, a quiet authority that made him, at this moment, truly look like a prince.


    ¡°Your Highness...¡± Lady Claytrix¡¯s voice broke the silence, the tremble in it evident.


    The playfulness returned on Adrian¡¯s face as he smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am not going to eat your lady.¡±


    ¡°Still, I would advise your Highness to keep your distance. As both Your Highness and Lady Elara are unmarried-¡°


    ¡°Would it be fine if we were married then?¡± Adrian countered, making the physician take a deep breath.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Elara interjected. She didn¡¯t want Lady Calytrix to be reprimanded by this arrogant prince. Though Elara- the girl with silver hair- was the daughter of a grand duke, a rank that had the highest authority after the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Lady Calytrix was nothing but her nanny, she feared that if this madman got offended by her words he could punish her and Elara might not be able to do much in that matter than.


    ¡°Heh, I just wanted to wish Commander Lupina a fast recovery. I am not sure why that might be a concern...¡± Adrian shrugged as he stepped back.


    Just then, a strong gust of wind swept into the tent, tousling Adrin¡¯s golden hair. And in the shifting light, elara caught a faint rosy sheen at its edges- an almost unnatural glow, making the handsome man more breathtaking.


    Yet, though the wind parted the tent¡¯s flaps and sent a chill through her, she thought it strange that it was not enough to move even a single strand on the black cloak Adrian was wearing.


    With the wind also came a faint, sweet fragrance. Elara¡¯s breath hitched. She knew this scent. But from where?


    The dream. It had been in the dream she had of her past, lingering in the air. But how? One couldn¡¯t smell things in a dream, could they? And yet, she was certain- this was the same fragrance she had mistaken for the lavender¡¯s scent.


    As if sensing something off, Adrian suddenly offered a partying smile. ¡°Well then, Commander Lupina, I wish you a swift recovery. I did hear that the Aeternum people heal fast, not to mention the direct heirs that have extraordinary self-healing abilities, yet...¡± he faked a sigh before changing the subject, his gaze lingering on Elara¡¯s shoulder for the briefest moment, as if knowing its exact condition. ¡°As much as I would love to stay and chat more, I can¡¯t disturb your rest anymore. Maybe we can continue another time?¡± and without waiting for Elara¡¯s answer he made for the exit without a backward glance.


    The moment the tent¡¯s flap came to a halt behind him, and the moment the crunches of his footsteps were gone, Lady Calytrix let out a shaky breath, lowering herself onto the stool.


    ¡°You have my gratitude, My Lady,¡± she said softly.


    Elara frowned, unsure what she was thanking her for. Lady Calytrix, noticing her confusion, offered a small, wry smile. ¡°I know you stopped me because you didn¡¯t want me to confront his highness. You feared my words might offend him... and I¡¯d be the one to pay the price.


    Elara remained silent. She had considered that possibility. Though Prince Adrian had acted amicably, he was still a prince- someone powerful enough that his moods alone could determine another¡¯s fate. But she had not expected this old lady to notice her intentions.


    Lady Calytrix sighed her hands still trembling slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how that rogue prince knew I was your nanny when there are a few that know about this face... but at least he doesn¡¯t seem to know about the tension between you and the Grand Duke.¡±


    Elara stiffened. Tension? She wasn¡¯t on good terms with the Grand Duke- her supposed second brother?


    Before she could fully process this, Lady Calytrix continued, unaware of the turmoil her words had sparked. ¡°Perhaps His Grace already knew you would attempt to enter the jungle, and that¡¯s why despite your multiple protests he sent me on this mission.¡±


    Elara¡¯s breath caught. Another shock.


    Ever since Adrian¡¯s sudden appearance and his claim about coincidently meeting the mercenaries while hunting, she had suspected him to be their boss or in any way connected with them. But now their conversation that had hinted that he knew she might go into the jungle and this- Calytrix¡¯s claim that suggested the Grand Duke had anticipated her actions and sent her here.


    The mercenaries did say they were hired by House Aeternum- but Elara had suspected there was more to their claim. Yet if Lady Calytrix was right...


    Silence stretched between them as Elara tried to piece it all together. Then, she remembered the cloak, ¡°Did you... find the cloak Prince Adrian was wearing strange?¡±


    Lady Calytrix paused, considering. Then, with a thoughtful nod, she answered, ¡°It was strange. A prince without inheritance, exiled from the royal  palace since birth, shouldn¡¯t be able to afford a Veil of Obscura.¡±


    Elara¡¯s expression though remained unreadable, but inwardly, her mind turned sharply. Veil of Obscura? She had never heard of such a thing. And what did Calytrix mean by exiled since birth? Why would such a price visit her? And why was he exiled since birth? What crime did he commit by being born?


    Her mind went back to the cloak since the other matter was something she couldn¡¯t comprehend at the moment without asking questions and so, awakening suspicions. If the cloak was something rare or difficult to obtain, then how had the mercenaries also been wearing them? She was certain their cloaks were the same as Adrian¡¯s.


    Before she could dwell on it further, Lady Calytrix added something even more unsettling. ¡°Even the Grand Duke had to pull some serious strings to get his hands on one of those cloaks.¡±


    Elara¡¯s pulse quikened.


    Every time she thought she was close to understanding the mercenaries¡¯ true allegiance, the truth twisted into something even more elusive.


    Who exactly was the ¡®master¡¯ they had spoken of?


    The playful, arrogant prince, Adrian Thalor Rosethorne, whose easygoing nature was likely nothing but a well-crafted mask?


    Or the Grand Duke- the second brother of this silver-haired girl, whose body Elara now occupied? A man she apparently wasn¡¯t on good terms with?


    How is she going to solve the mystery Kael had mentioned in her dream when she is unable to solve this little mystery about the master of those mercenaries- which Elara was sure more than the mere mercenaries they were acting as.


    Would she ever be able to meet her brother again, or was it just a dream and Elara was taking it too seriously?


    Whatever the case, she would definitely figure it out.

 Chapter 12.

    Elara sat in silence, her mind continued to churn long after Adrian¡¯s figure had disappeared from view or maybe even the encampment. She was trying to make sense of everything- the mercenaries, their conversation of the person who might be their boss, their strange expertise of the sword as if they were meticulously taught and not just picked it from experience. The fourth prince¡¯s coincidental meeting with the same mercenaries and finding out about Elara and coming to check on her even though, according to Calytrix the two never met before. Then the story about the grand duke, her supposed brother forcing Calytrix against Elara¡¯s will on this mission and knowing about her attempt at entering the jungle.


    Every detail felt like a thread pulling her in different directions, and she was struggling to find the pattern.


    The weight of the situation pressed on her chest, the sense of unease tightening around her, when is she even going to solve all this?


    She barely noticed the ache that was beginning to creep back around her shoulder, not until the sharp, sudden pain jolted her from her thoughts.


    Elara winced loudly, holding her shoulder instinctively. The injury which had been dormant for a while, flared up again along with the uncomfortable itch- its bite sharper, as though it had been waiting for Elara to put down her guards to stab her again.


    Lady Calytrix who had grown quiet for a while now, immediately noticed the subtle change in Elara¡¯s expression along with the soft cry. She leaned forward, concern knitting her brow. ¡°Is everything alright, My Lady?¡± she asked gently, her voice laced with hesitation as her eyes travelled where Elara was clutching her shoulder.


    Elara paused, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. She didn¡¯t like showing weakness, especially not to someone she barely knew. But Calytrix had already noticed her situation and she didn¡¯t seem to be any stranger- she was the girl¡¯s nanny and a physician.


    After a moment¡¯s deliberation, Elara spoke, her voice tight but calm. ¡°My shoulder hurts again.¡±


    Calytrix nodded, her gaze softening. ¡°May I take a look?¡± she asked, her hands already reaching for the soft fabric of Elara¡¯s tunic. The wound on her shoulder had been the most gruesome of all, and from the way it had changed the color of her skin around it, Calytrix couldn¡¯t help but be concerned.


    Only after getting a nod from Elara in permission to proceed, Calytrix carefully slide the tunic from her shoulder and undoing the bandage around her shoulder. As the fabric slid away, the sight that greeted her was enough to stop Calytrix¡¯s hands mid-motion.


    Elara blinked, confused by the sudden gasp from Calytrix. She had already heard about the condition of her shoulder from this physician- why was she overreacting when she had already seen the wound before too?


    She instinctively shifted to look back at the wound on her shoulder but found she didn¡¯t need to. The sight was clear enough from where she sat. It was worse than she had realized. The blackened skin that was said to be around the injury had spread till her collarbone. But what hitched Elara¡¯s breath were those crimson lines on her blackened skin. It seemed all her veins in the area were popping out- crimson as if fire was circulating in them.


    Calytrix breath fell on her shoulder in slow intervals, her hands hovering shakingly near the wound, not daring to touch it. ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s worsened,¡± she murmured, a stunned edge to her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Elara gritted her teeth as the dull throb in her shoulder flared up once again, but she remained silent, trying to process what was happening to her body. Her fingers were itching to relief herself from the uncomfortable itch around her shoulder.


    Calytrix leaned closer, her eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°It is definitely a poison, but... what kind of poison, I can¡¯t say. I¡¯ve never encountered anything like this.¡±


    Elara¡¯s heart pounded, but it wasn¡¯t from the pain. She could endure worse, but his- this was different. Something wasn¡¯t right- and not just on physical level, she could feel it in her soul.


    As Calytrix marveled at the injury, Elara¡¯s mind churned with possibilities. The mercenaries, the prince¡¯s strange behavior, her attempts to go to the jungle, her injured and unconscious body in the jungle- they all seemed to circle back to something darker than she had anticipated. This wound... it wasn¡¯t just the result of a brawl or an accident. It was deliberate. Whoever gave her this wound knew she¡¯d be there and what this poison could do. But who?


    Calytrix looked up at Elara, her eyes full of concern and wonder at the quiet figure. ¡°How have you been able to endure this for so long?¡± she asked her voice soft with awe.


    Elara didn¡¯t answer immediately. And thankfully she didn¡¯t need to as Calytrix¡¯s hesitant voice sounded again, laced with quiet regret. ¡°I... I may need to try something more direct.¡±


    Elara peered at her face, confused at her words. Something direct?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do this earlier because I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of wound this was,¡± she added immediately, mistaking Elara¡¯s confused gaze with something else entirely. ¡°But it seems my hesitation has only worsened it.¡± She lowered her gaze, an apology already forming on her quivering lips. ¡°Please forgive me, My Lady, for not acting sooner. I¡¯ll try to heal it now.¡±


    Elara blinked, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. Heal it? This old woman can heal? Surely, she meant with ointments and bandages, right? Of course, she had heard about self-healing abilities before. That the Aeternum¡¯s had self-healing abilities but...


    Before Elara could voice her confusion, Calytrix placed her hand gently on the blackened skin of Elara¡¯s shoulder, directly on the open wound, and at once, Elara felt strange warmth pulse through her, spreading from the point of contact and washing over her entire body.


    It was a strangely comforting sensation, soothing, like a soft wave of calm. Could it be she was actually healing her?


    For a fleeting moment, Elara let herself to relax, letting her mind rest from all the thinking and unanswered questions, her muscles unwinding from the tension of the previous moments.


    But then, suddenly, without warning, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder- far worse than the aches she had felt before. It felt like a thousand needles piercing deep inside her, a stab of agony so intense it left her breathless.


    The warmth that had initially settled into her body twisted into a brutal, earing burn. Without warning, a loud, strangled cry of pain came out of mouth as she jerked away from Calytrix¡¯s touch, her entire shuddering as the burn worsened. The room spun around her, the edges of her vision blurring, but she still managed to look up the woman, her heart pounding in her chest.


    What was she doing? Is this what healing felt like? Or was Calytrix... trying to kill her?


    She could see the shock mirrored in Calytrix¡¯s expression, her face pale, eyes wide, and her mouth opening as though she were about to speak but couldn¡¯t find the words.


    For a moment, the two simply stared at each other- Elara struggling to control her breath, her body slick with sweat from the fever and the excruciating pain; Calytrix, frozen, her hand still hovering in the air as if uncertain of what to do next, her eyes darting between Elara¡¯s face and her shoulder.


    The pain didn¡¯t let up. It burned through Elara¡¯s veins, as though her very blood was on fire. She wanted to scream, to pull away, to escape the burning sensation coursing through her- but all she could do was breathe through the agony, her mind racing.


    She could feel her limbs going sluggish, as though the energy was being drained from her body. The warmth she¡¯d initially felt had evaporated, leaving only the fiery sting in its wake. Her pulse thundering in her ears.


    And still, Calytrix¡¯s face was one of shock, but now, there was something else- something Elara couldn¡¯t quite place. Fear? Guilt? Or was it something more? Before Elara could know, her head gave another loud jolt and her already blurry vision blackened at once as she fell backward, saved only by Calytrix¡¯s fast move.


    And she was once again trapped in the memories that she had buried in her mind long ago. But why were they resurfacing only now?