Ery stood still, observing the seven figures before him. Each was cloaked in the ethereal glow of cosmic energy, their presence radiating authority and deep connection to the land.
A beastman with grand, twisting deer-like horns took a step forward. His expression was neither hostile nor welcoming—rely calculating.
"Who are you? You are entering forbidden ground."
Before Ery could respond, another warrior—a tall, scaled figure whose skin shimred like the hide of a celestial serpent—spoke, his slitted eyes narrowing. "Is he the one they are hunting?"
A third warrior, covered in dazzlingly colorful feathers, studied Ery closely. "No… it's not him... he looks completely different."
Aside from the three beastn, four more figures hovered in the air—mbers of the fairy race, their delicate wings humming with energy. Half of them pulsed with the power of two cosmos realms, their presence making it clear: this patrol was not ordinary.
Their formation alone spoke volus of the Fey Clan's strength. But what caught Ery's attention the most was the glowing runic tattoos covering their bodies. The lines and symbols thrumd with a natural energy he had only seen once before—etched into his own skin and Kaelyn's during their transformations. There was no doubt about it: these warriors carried Fey blood within them.
Ery exhaled slowly, learning from his past mistake. He decided to suppress his aura. This was no ti for reckless force.
"I am Soltz," he said in a asured, respectful tone. "The Pardera King sent to bring a ssage to the Fey. Let speak with the one in charge."
This was certainly a lie—Ery planned to bluff his way into the sacred place.
The warriors exchanged glances, so relaxing slightly. Yet, the deer-horned warrior remained skeptical.
"This is unusual," he said. "We would have received word before any emissary's arrival. And I have heard of none."
Ery kept his voice calm. "This is an urgent matter. Please understand."
Still, the warrior did not yield. His stance was firm, his authority unquestionable. Ery felt his body tense, readying himself to act if negotiations failed. But before he could, a sound filled the air—a lody so hauntingly beautiful that it sent a shiver down his spine.
Music.
The very forest responded, the trees swaying in unison, the ground humming beneath his feet. The lody was no re song—it was a command. A presence so imnse, so overwhelming, seeped into the air, pressing down on his very soul.
A voice, smooth and absolute, carried over the wind.
"Let the guest enter."
The weight behind the words was undeniable. Whoever spoke them was soone beyond his reach—a supre being.
Ery inhaled sharply. Retreat was no longer an option. He followed as the fey warriors led him deeper into the Fey Forest.
With each step, the atmosphere thickened. The trees here were ancient, towering monoliths with bark that pulsed like veins filled with liquid silver. Bioluminescent fungi clung to the roots, casting an eerie glow upon the misty ground. Strange, unidentifiable creatures lurked in the shadows—so shifting in and out of visibility, their eyes gleaming like hidden stars.
It was a realm untouched by mortal hands, where nature itself was alive in ways no human could comprehend. The deeper they walked, the more figures appeared—silent observers, their gazes piercing yet unreadable. They clung to the trees, erged from the rivers, materialized from the very air itself, their expressions mixed with curiosity and suspicion.
And then, finally, they reached their destination.
A shrine.
It was no ordinary structure.
The ground was a perfect mosaic of natural stone, arranged in spiraling patterns that pulsed with unseen energy. Towering crystalline formations jutted from the earth, refracting the dim light into shifting rainbows. At the center, sitting upon a raised platform was a single figure.
A woman.
She had long, silvery hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes hidden beneath delicate cloth wrappings. On her lap rested a wooden instrunt, its strings seemingly spun from moonlight itself. Her fingers glided across them effortlessly, producing a lody that resonated deep within Ery's soul.
The mont he saw her, he knew.
This was no ordinary being.
Ery exhaled, steadying himself. "Are you the Earth Mother?"
The woman smiled, her song trailing off into silence. "I am not... I am the Moon Guardian."
Her voice was gentle, but there was sothing behind it—an undeniable authority. A force of nature wrapped in serenity.
She tilted her head slightly, as though peering beyond his mask, beyond his physical form. "Your question reveals that you were not sent by the Pardera King… and you carry an energy that does not belong here." Her lips curled in quiet amusent. "You are him, aren't you? The traveler called Ery".
Ery sighed. He had expected this. Fooling a supre being was impossible.
He straightened his stance. "I have no intention of causing trouble. Return my daughter to , and I will leave."
The Moon Guardian's smile remained as composed as ever. Her fingers delicately plucked the wooden instrunt resting on her lap, the soft lody echoing through the shrine like ripples in an endless pool. "Your daughter is safe. You will see her… but you cannot bring the darkness with you. Leave it behind."
Ery stiffened. Darkness?
Then it dawned on him—she ant Khaos.
His heart pounded. It was an impossible request.
Seeing no path through words, he let instinct take over. He expanded his divine sense, reaching out, seeking that familiar presence—Shinta. The air around him shimred as his awareness stretched through the ancient forest, slipping past roots and vines, beyond the towering canopies, piercing layers of veiled enchantnts designed to conceal. And then—
There she was.
Two thousand miles ahead, her essence flickered like a distant fla. She was within reach.
His fingers twitched, magic coiling around them. In an instant, he prepared to teleport out of the place.
And then—the shrine glowed.
Every stone, every rune, every fragnt of the earth pulsed with light. Energy surged through the air, locking him in place, severing his spell before it could take form.
He was trapped.
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