The morning was quiet, save for the soft *shhhk of stone against metal.
Noah rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stepped out of the tent the elves had provided for him. The air was brisk, and the dawn sunlight filtered through the thinning tree cover overhead. It gave the worn-out village a soft orange glow that almost masked the fatigue still clinging to the people.
Sitting by the wall, a few feet from the gate, was Valinish — his golden hair dim under the early light, head bowed slightly as he sharpened a long, thin arrow.
The elf looked up as Noah approached. There was a tired, amused glint in his sky-blue eyes.
"You're up earlier than expected," Valinish said, checking the edge of his arrowhead with a thumb. "Didn't take you for someone who wakes with the birds."
Noah gave a lopsided smile. "Can't say I slept much."
"Ah," Valinish said, resting the arrow across his lap. "Too many wounded soldiers snoring?"
"No," Noah replied, his voice softer now. "It's just… hard to close your eyes when you've seen so much pain in one place."
Valinish glanced at him, the sharpening stone idle in his hand.
"Then why didn't you ask?" he said quietly.
Noah blinked. "Ask?"
"Last night. When we entered the village. You looked like you had a thousand questions, but not one left your mouth. Most outsiders would've asked immediately. The smell of blood. The wounded everywhere. The barricades. You never said a thing."
Noah hesitated, then sighed. "Honestly? I didn't know how. I mean… it felt wrong. Like asking would've made it worse somehow. Like I'd just be rubbing salt in a wound. I figured... if something like this is happening, I'd just be another ignorant outsider poking my nose in."
Valinish studied him for a moment — then gave a faint smile.
"Huh. That's… unexpectedly respectful."
Noah smirked faintly. "Thanks. I think."
Valinish set down his stone and straightened up.
"You should know where you are," he said. "This village — it's called "Sylvas Reach". Not one of the ancient strongholds, no majestic trees or floating platforms like you'd hear about in stories. Just a camp that grew and grew. A place for outcasts. Refugees. Runaways."
He paused, eyes fixed on the small campfires in the village.
"This isn't one tribe," he continued. "We're a blend of many. Elves from far north, deep woods, broken clans. A few years ago, a great elven kingdom in the far east — "Naturaza Imperial" collapsed into civil war. Many of our people here were from there. What was once the jewel of eastern Neoabianka is now just ashes and hunger. The ones who escaped made their way here. They joined the rest of us — former slaves, scattered kin, forgotten lineages."
"And now you're all fighting together," Noah said.
Valinish nodded. "We don't fight for territory. We don't conquer. We just want to live. But even that seems like too much to ask sometimes."
"Who's attacking you?"
Valinish's face darkened slightly.
"Goblins. And the Yamagin"
Noah raised an eyebrow. "Yama... what?, and you lot have goblins too...."surprised but not shocked.
"Yamagin. A half-rhino, half-human species. Not very smart. But big. Angry. Fast. They don't come in large groups, usually alone or in pairs, but they ram the walls whenever they can. They don't even say anything. They just charge, break a few things, hurt a few people, and leave. No demands. No strategy. Just brute chaos."
"And the goblins?"
"Smarter. Too smart, maybe. Small green pests with sharp teeth and sharper minds. They use slingshots to fire poison thorns. They've even tried flinging hornet nests over the wall. Little bastards climb trees, dig tunnels… nothing but trouble."
Noah let out a long breath. "And how long has this been going on?"
"Since last season. Maybe longer. We're not sure. But it's getting worse."
The silence stretched between them. The fire crackled softly a few feet away. Noah glanced around again at the wounded, the makeshift tents, the handmade bandages and tired faces.
"They're not giving up," Noah said quietly.
"No," Valinish agreed. "We won't."
Something about the way he said it made Noah feel heavier. Not with dread, but a quiet kind of admiration.
He looked at Valinish again, at his youthful face, his almost casual posture — and was struck by how much weight the elf was clearly carrying.
"How old are you?" Noah asked suddenly.
Valinish looked at him sideways. "One-seventy-eight."
Noah blinked. "You're joking."
"In elf terms?" Valinish shrugged. "Barely out of childhood."
Noah laughed once, shaking his head. "Right. Forgot I'm in a world where teenagers have bow calluses and war stories."
Valinish chuckled under his breath. It was the first time Noah had really seen him relax.
"You're strange, human," the elf said. "But I think I like you."
Noah grinned. "i don't swing that way but thanks"
Valinish"swing what way"
Noah "Nevermind"
The sun continued to rise, casting gold across the wooden wall and warming the wind.
Inside Sylvas Reach, people stirred slowly, some limping, some groaning. But others were already boiling water, sharpening spears, whispering to each other in Sanguese, the common tongue.
There was life here. Struggle, yes — but also resilience.
And Noah could feel it stirring something in himself.
He didn't have any power yet. He didn't even know what he was supposed to *become* in this world.
But for the first time, he wasn't thinking only about surviving.
He was thinking about helping.
END OF CHAPTER
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--World Facts for all--
The Fading Light of Naturaza Imperial
Once a grand and prosperous elven kingdom in the far east of Opusterra, Naturaza Imperial now stands as a fragment of its former self. Ravaged by internal strife, political betrayal, and decades of war, the kingdom is now small, scattered, and shrouded in quiet resilience.
Still governed by the Magdelia Family, the ancient royal bloodline, Naturaza strives to reclaim its past glory. With diplomacy and quiet strength, the family leads what remains of the kingdom — hidden villages, deep forests, and fortified groves — in a slow but determined effort to rebuild and preserve their culture.
Signature Features of Naturaza Imperial:
Renowned for its lush green landscapes and towering spiritwood trees, some older than the kingdom itself.
Home to the Huhu, a rare and sacred animal resembling a plump, moss-colored deer. Each Huhu has a natural grove in its back where one living plant can safely grow — from herbs to magical flowers making them essential companions for traveling healers and forest guardians.
The elves of Naturaza speak a variant dialect of Sanguese known for its melodic tone and old poetic phrasing, often called "Green Tongue."
Though no longer a major power, Naturaza Imperial is a symbol of endurance, and its people continue to honor the old ways in the shadow of a world that forgot them.