After the intense battle with the nine-tailed fox, Levy and Ela found a small, secluded clearing to rest. The forest, now silent after the earlier chaos, seemed almost peaceful. The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. As Levy and Ela set up a small camp, the sounds of the forest began to return—distant bird calls, the rustling of leaves, and the soft murmurs of a nearby stream.
Levy stretched, feeling the aches and pains from the fight slowly fade away. The elder’s blessing had done wonders, healing his wounds and restoring his strength. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this forest held more dangers, lurking just beyond the trees.
“Are you alright?” Ela asked, her voice soft as she glanced at him from across the campfire.
Levy nodded, offering a small smile. “I’m fine. Just… tired. That fox was no joke.”
Ela chuckled, sitting down beside him. “You handled it well. Better than anyone I’ve seen.”
There was a brief silence between them, comfortable yet charged with unspoken words. Levy found himself studying Ela’s face, noticing how the firelight danced across her features. She had a calm strength about her, a fierce determination that reminded him of the warriors he had fought alongside in his past life.
“So, what’s the deal with this forest?” Levy asked, breaking the silence. “One minute it’s peaceful, the next it’s trying to kill us.”
Ela sighed, leaning back against a fallen log. “This forest is alive, in a way. It’s enchanted, filled with ancient magic that we elves have tried to harness and protect. But it’s also dangerous. The creatures here… they’re not like anything you’ve faced before.”
“I’ve noticed,” Levy replied dryly, thinking back to the fox. “But there’s something more, isn’t there? Why are the dark elves after the Core Stone? What’s really going on between the dark elves and your people?”
Ela’s expression grew serious, her eyes darkening with the weight of history. “It’s a long story. The dark elves weren’t always our enemies. Once, we lived in harmony, sharing the forest and its magic. But something changed. The dark elves began to crave power, and they saw the humans as a threat to their dominance. They wanted to conquer the human lands, but they couldn’t do it alone. They needed a weapon, something powerful enough to tip the scales in their favor.”
“And that’s where the Core Stone comes in,” Levy guessed.
Ela nodded. “The Core Stone is the heart of this forest. It’s what keeps the balance, what gives life to everything here. But in the wrong hands, it can be twisted, corrupted. Yuan, the leader of the dark elves, believes that with the Core Stone, he can control the ancient beasts of the forest, the ones that even we fear. If he succeeds, he could unleash devastation on the human world, and nothing would be able to stop him.”
Levy frowned, processing this new information. “So that’s why they’re so desperate. But what about the humans? Why do the dark elves hate them so much?”
“It’s not just about power,” Ela explained. “The dark elves see humans as invaders, outsiders who don’t belong in this world. They blame humans for the loss of their ancient territories, for the weakening of their magic. To them, humans are a disease that needs to be eradicated.”
Levy let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Sounds like a lot of bad blood.”
“More than you can imagine,” Ela said quietly.
They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. The fire crackled softly, sending sparks into the night sky. Eventually, Levy turned to Ela, a mischievous glint in his eye.
“So, what were you really doing up in that tree earlier?” he teased, his tone light.
Ela’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she looked away, fidgeting with the hem of her tunic. “I was… um… just… scouting,” she mumbled, clearly embarrassed.
Levy chuckled, shaking his head. “Scouting, huh? Didn’t realize scouting involved spying on someone while they were bathing.”
“I wasn’t spying!” Ela protested, her face burning. “I was just… observing. For safety reasons.”
“Uh-huh. Sure.” Levy’s grin widened. “And did you observe anything interesting?”
Ela shot him a glare, though her blush only deepened. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
Levy laughed, enjoying the banter. “Hey, I’m just trying to lighten the mood. We’ve been through a lot, and it doesn’t hurt to have a little fun now and then.”
Ela huffed, crossing her arms. “Well, maybe I’ll just have to ‘observe’ you again, just to make sure you’re not up to any more trouble.”
Levy’s laughter echoed through the trees, the sound blending with the night. It was moments like these that made him forget, even if just for a little while, about the dangers that lay ahead. He was beginning to enjoy Ela’s company more than he expected.
As the night wore on, the forest seemed to close in around them, the once-friendly shadows now turning menacing. The sounds of the forest grew louder, more intense, as if the trees themselves were whispering secrets to each other.
Levy stood, his swords at the ready. “We should keep moving,” he said, his tone serious once more. “This place is getting creepier by the minute.”
Ela nodded, standing up as well. “Agreed. We’re still not safe here.”
They packed up their small camp and continued deeper into the forest, the darkness swallowing them up as they moved. The trees grew thicker, their gnarled branches twisting together like skeletal hands. The air was heavy with the scent of earth and decay, and every step felt like it was leading them further into the unknown.
As they walked, they encountered several small beasts—nothing like the nine-tailed fox, but still dangerous in their own right. Levy’s swords flashed in the darkness as he dispatched the creatures with ease, his movements fluid and precise. Ela used her wind magic to support him, her spells sending gusts of air that disoriented their enemies and made them easy targets.
The fights were brief but intense, each one a reminder of the dangers that lurked in the forest. Yet, despite the constant threat, Levy and Ela found themselves growing closer, their banter and teamwork creating a bond between them.
At one point, as they were catching their breath after a particularly nasty encounter with a mid-level beast, Ela turned to Levy, her eyes serious. “Levy… where do you come from? You fight like no one I’ve ever seen before, and your skills… they’re unlike any I know.”
Levy hesitated, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. But he found himself trusting Ela more than he expected. “I’m… not from this world,” he admitted slowly. “I was reincarnated here, in a way. In my previous life, I was just an ordinary guy, but when I woke up here, I found myself with these skills and powers.”
Ela looked at him in shock, her eyes wide. “Reincarnated? That’s… incredible.”
“Yeah, it’s been a wild ride,” Levy said with a wry smile. “But it’s also been… confusing. I don’t really know why I’m here, or what I’m supposed to do. I’m just trying to figure it out as I go along.”
Ela nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I can’t imagine what that must be like. But for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here. We need someone like you to help us fight back against the dark elves.”
Levy smiled, touched by her words. “Thanks, Ela. That means a lot.”
They continued walking, the forest gradually becoming less menacing as they moved forward. The trees thinned out, and the air grew lighter, filled with the scent of flowers and fresh earth. It seemed like they were finally leaving the darker part of the forest behind.
But just as they began to relax, they stumbled upon something that made them stop in their tracks.
In a small clearing ahead, surrounded by tall, thorny bushes, was a cage made of iron bars. Inside the cage was a small, pink dragon, its scales dull and its eyes filled with fear. The creature was weak, its body covered in scratches and bruises. Surrounding the cage were a group of large, notorious orcs, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.
Levy and Ela exchanged a tense glance, both realizing the gravity of the situation. The orcs were dangerous, more so than anything they had encountered so far. And the dragon… it was clearly in distress, possibly even dying.
“We need to help it,” Ela whispered, her voice filled with urgency.
Levy nodded, his mind racing. “We will. But we need to be smart about this. Let’s observe them for now, see what we’re up against.”
They crouched low, hiding behind a thick bush as they watched the orcs. The orcs were talking in gruff, guttural tones, their voices low and menacing. From what Levy could gather, they were discussing what to do with the dragon, their options ranging from selling it to using it for some dark ritual.
Levy’s grip tightened on his swords. He knew they couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. But rushing in without a plan could get them both killed.
“We’ll need to strike fast and hard,” Levy whispered to Ela. “But not yet. Let’s wait for the right moment.”
Ela nodded, her eyes never leaving the orcs. “Agreed. We’ll get that dragon out of there. But we need to be careful.”
As they continued to watch, Levy couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter would change everything. The forest had been dangerous before, but now, they were facing something even more sinister. The orcs were powerful, and the dragon… it was a creature of legend, one that could either be a powerful ally or a deadly enemy.
But whatever happened next, Levy knew one thing for certain: they were in for the fight of their lives.