I wandered aimlessly through the elven kingdom, letting my eyes roam every corner with a mix of awe and curiosity. I had to admit: the architecture was mesmerizing. Marble, wood, entire trees carved into homes—a spectacle that could only be described as… well, breathtaking.
The trees of the Dark Forest were so colossal and sturdy that it made sense someone would hollow them into dwellings. But there was something else about these structures, something that didn’t quite align with elven elegance. I couldn’t help but frown.
Dwarven hands were definitely involved here.
It wasn’t just the engineering of the hanging bridges, which allowed easy movement between trees. It was subtler… more distinct. And there it was—the irrefutable proof: a hammer’s seal carved into the wood.
Dwarves always left their mark on their creations, obsessed with etching their legacy into history. Even my sword, Zadkiel, bore that seal on its hilt. It was almost endearing how they ensured no one forgot their craftsmanship.
I kept walking, lost in thought, until…
“Wait a second…”
I stopped and glanced around. No houses. Just towering trees and the distant whisper of wind through leaves.
“When did…?”
Clearly, I’d walked too far. So far I hadn’t even noticed I was utterly alone.
And then, I felt it.
A chill crawled up my spine.
This mana…
It was like a black stain in the air—heavy, murky, oppressive. I’d never sensed mana so… corrupted. Was this truly coming from a person? Because honestly, it was worse than a demon’s.
My body reacted instinctively. I moved cautiously, following the trail of that nauseating energy. Something like this couldn’t be ignored. This wasn’t just dangerous—it was the kind of mana that only existed when its wielder’s heart was rotten to the core.
Whether it was adrenaline or revulsion, I felt a faint dizziness.
And then, I saw her.
Ahead, a woman stood relaxed, gazing at a rosebush. Her fingers brushed the petals with poetic delicacy.
My stomach churned. A storm of emotions surged in my chest—disgust, bitter memories, and deep, aching disappointment.
I took a step forward, but before I could speak, her voice froze me.
“What are you doing here?”
Her tone was so indifferent, I almost wondered if she was even aware of the miasma her mana radiated.
“I…” I swallowed. “I don’t know how to answer that. Why the hell does your mana feel like… this?”
Not my sharpest reply, but come on—what was I supposed to say? Corrupted mana only seeped from rotten souls. Normally, it was faint, like a dark mist. But this… this was crude. Suffocating.
Eleanor sighed, as if bored by the conversation.
“Ah, right. I forgot those freaky eyes of yours have that… weird ability.” Her gaze swept over my face, a mocking half-smile curling her lips. “Still making you look like a freakshow, I see.”
“What…?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb. You should already know why my mana feels this way.”
“What did you do?” My voice shook. I hated that. Hated how my composure shattered in an instant, how my chest tightened like something was crushing me.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Eleanor tilted her head, her expression hovering between mockery and pity.
“What? Don’t you remember?”
My blood turned to ice.
What the hell is she talking about?
A Reunion.
Aren’t reunions supposed to be sweet? A heartfelt moment, maybe with an awkward hug or silent tears. But I guess not all of us are that lucky.
“Let me jog your dead memory, Jay.”
Eleanor’s tone dripped venom. This wasn’t just contempt—no, she wanted to humiliate me. And the worst part? I had no idea why.
“Do you know why you ended up in that coffin? Pff. Of course you don’t. I’ll be blunt. It was us.”
“What?”
My mind went blank.
My lips moved, but no words came out. Like I’d swallowed my own voice.
“Ugh—” She sighed, as if annoyed by my reaction. “I truly don’t get how someone so calm could forget something like that. It was us, Jay. Robert, Raynold, and me. Need me to repeat it?”
“W-what are you talking about? That’s impossible. You’re my friends… my family.”
My voice trembled.
Not from anger.
Not from sorrow.
It was the kind of trembling born of anguish—the suffocating fear that crushes your chest and steals your breath. That feeling your entire world is collapsing, but you refuse to believe it. Ever felt that? The panic that drowns your voice and buckles your knees.
“Friends? No. Haha. We’re not friends, Jay. Seems you’re deeply confused.”
She mocked me. Casually. Mercilessly.
“Also, you’ve gotten so thin. Did rotting in there really wreck you this badly? And I thought you’d stay fit with all that mana of yours. Hell, even I struggle to outdo you, and magic’s my specialty.”
My hands turned ice-cold.
I didn’t answer. Couldn’t.
“But what does it matter? Now, tell me—how the hell did you escape and get here?”
I don’t want to talk.
I don’t.
My mind spun. They betrayed me. They did? Them? My brothers? The people I shielded again and again? The ones I protected with everything I had?
Why?
What reason could they possibly have?
“I…”
Eleanor radiated hostility. A thick, oppressive aura, as if her mana were feeding on my doubt.
This wasn’t normal.
She wasn’t the same Eleanor.
“Don’t panic—I won’t hurt you. Just answer.”
Her voice softened, but it didn’t calm me. My whole body was drenched in sweat. My legs begged to retreat.
Her presence forced me to speak.
I could resist. Maybe. But… what’s the point?
Nothing would change. What’s done is done.
“The… magic circles blocking the lid wore off… I stumbled here by chance.”
Eleanor sighed. Long and heavy.
“Knew it. That idiot Robert forgot to reinforce the seals.”
“What?”
“Never mind.”
Her gaze shifted.
It was the same feeling I’d had in that coffin.
A chill clawed up my spine.
“I can’t let you live any longer. I’ll finish this now—while you’re barely clinging to your mana.”
I leapt backward on pure instinct. My leg, weak from disuse, buckled. I nearly fell.
Danger. My body knew it before my mind did.
“—…!”
Eleanor lunged at me. I barely saw her. Her arm grazed my face before I blocked. A searing pain sliced across my cheek.
Warm blood trickled down.
Her hand swung again, aimed at my head. No weapon. No magic. Just her bare hands.
I threw myself backward, rolling across the ground. She didn’t stop.
She stretched her hand, vines sprouting from her fingers—living whips lashing toward me. I could cut them… but one misstep and…
My cheek still bled. Shit.
“Agh!”
Pain. When did—?
“Aagh!”
Two blows to the gut. Air fled my lungs in a choked gasp. But… Eleanor hadn’t moved. How—?
“Stop making this harder. You’re lucky I’ll make it quick.”
Eleanor strode toward me calmly, as if she hadn’t just struck like lightning.
“Even if immortality’s still in you, it’s worthless without mana.”
Her words froze me.
I staggered upright, the sting on my cheek sharpening.
“How did you hit me?”
Eleanor tilted her head, mocking.
“Hm? Oh, that. Just fists.”
“But… you didn’t even move.”
“Are you sure?”
Then I saw her. She stood right in front of me. But a second ago…
“We weren’t idle all these years, Jay. Did you really think we wouldn’t train after killing Astaroth?”
It made sense. If something worse than Astaroth emerged, preparing was logical. But then… If she’s this strong… why not kill me in one strike?
Eleanor laughed softly.
“Don’t worry. I control my strength perfectly. I won’t kill you instantly. It’ll be quick… but I want to watch you squirm first.”
I tried to lift my head, but my body screamed.
Exhaustion? No. I’d barely moved.
Ah… My mana’s drained too fast.
I’m going to die, aren’t I? Even immortal, without mana…
Eleanor raised her arm, poised to strike. I swallowed hard.
Then—
A white light erupted above me. Blinding. Warm. Alien.
“What is this?”
Eleanor scowled, shielding her eyes.
“What the hell are you doing, Jay?!”
She shouted, but her voice felt distant. Too distant. Yet she stood right there. What’s happening?
The light hummed—a shrill, drilling vibration in my ears.
Eleanor screamed something else. Her figure thrashed wildly. Was she hitting the light? Trying to break it? How stupid. You can’t shatter light.
“Damn you!”
Her fury vibrated in my skull.
The light swelled, swallowing me whole. Everything turned white.
Then…
Darkness. I fell.
