The Earth Elder's massive form filled the magnificent corridor as he led them deeper into the castle's sanctuary. His footsteps echoed unnaturally quiet for someone his size. Behind them, elite elven warriors moved in arced formation.
Amanda walked beside Halodor. Her movements remained fluid, almost mechanical, as she matched his pace. Her crimson eyes seemed vacant, but something flickered beneath the surface. A desperate consciousness trapped behind forced serenity. Halodor's arm wrapped around her waist, his touch possessive rather than protective.
"The royal quarters have been prepared," the Earth Elder rumbled.
"They are warded with ancient magics, impenetrable to any who would dare—"
Boom!
A distant explosion cut through his words. Stronger than before. Crystal windows vibrated, their surfaces rippling like disturbed water. Fine fractures spread across pristine panes like spiderwebs.
Halodor's grip tightened imperceptibly.
"Are they getting closer?"
The Earth Elder didn't break stride, though his shoulders tensed slightly. "Rest assured, my king, nothing will breach these walls." His words carried absolute certainty.
"The defenses of Elderglade are beyond mere physical barriers."
They approached grand doors carved from ancient Silverwood. Amanda's steps faltered for a moment. The hesitation was subtle, barely noticeable, but the Earth Elder's eyes narrowed. He caught the disruption of her otherwise perfect composure.
The Earth Elder gestured, and the doors swung open silently, revealing a chamber of breathtaking beauty. Silky curtains danced in a nonexistent breeze, and the air was thick with the scent of night-blooming flowers. But beneath the delicate splendor, there was something else. An underlying current of power that can make anyone's heart skip a beat.
"Your sanctuary awaits." The Earth Elder bowed deeply.
As Halodor guided Amanda across the room, the elder's eyes glinted.
"Rest assured, nothing will disturb your preparation for the bonding ritual."
The ancient magic hummed through the walls, its discordant resonance making Amanda's skin crawl. The power here was different from the rest of Elderglade. Older, hungrier, waiting to be fed with something more than just mana.
The word hung in the air like rising smoke.
Bonding.
For a fraction of a second, Amanda's perfect mask cracked. Genuine emotion flashed across her face. Raw. Desperate terror. Then the emptiness returned.
The Earth Elder glanced away. His lips curled into the barest smile. "The ancient magics will ensure your safety and your compliance."
The doors closed.
Thud.
Like a tomb sealing.
Halodor and Amanda stood alone in their gilded cage. Outside, elven warriors took positions. Weapons ready. The Earth Elder remained a silent sentinel, his massive form casting long shadows in crystalline light.
Boom!
Another explosion rocked Elderglade.
This time, something else accompanied it. Reality being torn to shreds. An otherworldly roar followed.
Primal.
Terrible.
The forest shuddered under Leo's relentless assault. With each strike of the Void Predator, trees as old as time splintered and fell. Their dying groans echoed through the grassy stretch. Yet something was wrong. Despite the path of destruction he carved, despite the raw power he unleashed, Leo felt trapped in an endless loop. Like a predator chasing its own tail.
"Leo."
Ai's voice cut through his thoughts. Sharp and clear.
He turned to find her staring in the opposite direction, her feline ears twitching. Following her gaze, his eyes widened.
The forest section they'd ravaged stood restored. Massive trees he'd torn apart now stretched toward the sky. Their bark was unscratched, glistening with dew.
I've seen skills restore battered bodies. But never an entire environment like it's nothing.
The ground showed no signs of disturbance. The rich, loamy scent of undisturbed forest floor replaced the acrid smell of destruction. Even the air felt fresh. Charged with ancient magic that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
"Brute force alone will not grant you passage into Elderglade."
The voice came from everywhere.
Nowhere.
Every letter tangible. No room for doubt. Words rippled through the air like waves on a pond as the leaves trembled.
"If it were that simple, our sanctuary would have fallen ages ago."
The Void Predator dissolved. Dark tendrils retracted into Leo's back. Smoke drawn into an invisible vessel. The air cleared as the otherworldly presence diminished.
Sharp.
The forest exhaled. Natural sounds came back. Birds resumed cautious songs in the distance.
Footsteps emerged from the ancient tree's shadows. Each step a whisper against moss-covered ground. A figure materialized from the darkness.
Tall.
Elegant.
Leo's eyes glowed, now set on the cloaked figure. His fists clenched.
The cats pressed close to Ai's legs. Their tails lashed back and forth as the air grew heavier.
Charged.
Each breath felt significant.
A soft chuckle rose from beneath the black hood.
"How interesting."
"Even now, faced with the futility of your efforts, you maintain such composure."
The figure moved, circling Leo. She vanished into the light and reappeared within the next shadow beneath the trees. The air grew colder; the shadows lengthening and twisting in her wake.
Each step was soundless.
"I wonder what Seraphina saw in you."
The hood turned slightly. Though Leo couldn't see the face within, he felt the weight of the gaze upon him.
"She, of all elves, should know Elderglade's defenses cannot be breached by mere force." The figure paused.
"Yet she chose you as her diversion."
Sunlight bent around the figure's form. Creating shadows that moved independently of the swaying branches above. Leo remained still, his mind racing through possibilities as he faced this new obstacle.
Here, in this timeless forest where reality twists to another's will, the path forward will require more than just power.
Crack!
The sound echoed from above and behind the Shadow Elder.
Her fluid movements halted.
Abruptly.
Her form cemented as an invisible wave of cold swept through her body, sending icy pinpricks descending her spine.
The earth beneath them heaved violently. The rhythmic impacts grew stronger, perfectly synchronized with approaching footsteps that shook loose leaves from the ancient forest.
Through the towering trees, a colossal figure emerged. Its massive form parted the forest like it was made of rubber.
In an instant, the giant was upon them, moving with impossible speed for its size.
Between lips thick as tree trunks, a massive pipe smoldered, its bowl glowing with an eerie, pulsing light. With each breath, the giant drew deeply from the pipe, releasing plumes of shimmering smoke that curled and danced through the air.
The giant's eyes, filled with primordial fury, locked onto Leo with unwavering focus. As it coiled its massive legs to strike, it drew a deep breath from the pipe. The ember at its tip flared bright enough to cast dancing shadows across the forest floor.
It soared above him.
One heartbeat.
Everything was still.
Then, with a sound like thunder, the attack came with devastating speed. A mountainous limb swept toward them. The air hissed, compressed into visible waves that rippled outward.
"Ai!"
Leo's hand shot out, but before he could reach his companions, living vines spewed from the ground. Each tendril moved with frightening intelligence. They wrapped around his limbs with crushing force, their grip like steel cables infused with unknown magic.
The vines were unlike anything Leo had ever seen. Their surfaces shimmered with an iridescent sheen, pulsing with an inner light. They moved, coiling and uncoiling.
Each sent waves of paralytic force through his body.
Leo strained against them, veins swelling as his arms shook with futile effort.
Desperate strength.
Surging.
Leo's mind staggered. Every second he spent trapped in this forest was another second Amanda remained at the mercy of their enemies. Exposed to who knows what horrors. The thought ate at him, a growing sense of failure tightening in his chest, fueling his desperation.
Just as the giant's strike descended, Leo felt a tingling sensation spread across his face.
Sharper.
Almost electric.
The charged energy flowed across his skin. An invisible force hummed through his bones. His shoulders strained, bracing for the inevitable. But the sensation continued to intensify. It pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
Each pulse heightened his awareness. He could smell the crushed earth. The warmth of the giant's breath as it drew closer. He heard the rustle of the vines holding him in place.
His senses sharpened. Each detail became vivid. Unmistakable. The vines constricted around his arms. Their coarse tendrils dug into his skin with a pulse that thrummed like a second heartbeat.
Leo exhaled slowly.
His breath steady.
A calming clarity settled over him. His shoulders, once braced for the strike, eased.
Then the giant's strike came; its massive form eclipsed the sun.