I often wonder...
Am I truly alive, or is this so elaborate hallucination?
Did my parents and sister really die in that car accident?
Did I actually et soone as extraordinary as Ephera?
Were those friendships I forged real, or just fleeting fantasies?
And if Ephera was real-did she really die?
Did I truly find myself transported into the world of that ga? Into this body?
What about Cleenah and the others?
It all feels vividly real, no matter how fantastical or impossible it seems. But amidst it all, a single truth struck : my mories are incomplete.
Sothing is missing-sothing vital.
Sothing that happened on Earth.
My fingers absently traced the bracelet Viessa had given .
Was what I saw... the past? Or the future?
-BAM!
The sudden crash of splintering wood and crumbling walls jolted from my thoughts. "Where are you hiding?!" Rodolf growled.
I had taken shelter inside a decrepit house, trying to buy ti to form a plan, but my mind had wandered. Now, Rodolf had caught up.
"Co out, little one," he snarled.
Through the cracked walls, I could see his hulking shadow, massive and distorted, pacing like a caged beast. His claws glinted faintly in the dim light.
"Are those claws... or blades?" I muttered under my breath, grimacing at the sight.
The Alpha form he had taken was monstrous, a transformation that clearly pushed his body to its limits. But its physical strength was undeniable, absurdly overwhelming.
Rodolf turned sharply, his lips curling into a wicked grin, his sharp teeth bared like a wolf scenting blood.
"The better to tear you apart with, little one," he sneered.
I grimaced. "Who am I? Little Red Riding Hood?"
Rodolf paused, his expression flickering with confusion. "Huh? How do you know that sto-" -BAM!
I didn't let him finish. Gathering a surge of ruah into my fist, I lunged forward and landed a thunderous uppercut to his jaw.
Rodolf's head snapped back violently, a spray of blood escaping his mouth as he staggered.
Not giving him a chance to recover, I pivoted sharply on my heel and drove my foot into his stomach with a forceful front kick.
-BAM!
The impact was quite strong as Rodolf's body crumpled as his ribs gave way, his mouth gaping in shock. The sheer force of the blow sent him hurtling through the air, crashing through the walls of the house with a deafening roar.
The strain of his transformation was quite clear now-his body couldn't hold out much longer. I'd made the right choice playing hide-and-seek, wasting his ti.
At least I'd managed to hold my ground without resorting to Anathema's Fire or the Olphean Emblem. A small victory in itself.
I dashed toward the crater where Rodolf had crashed, but when I reached it, he was gone.
"...!"
A chill ran down my spine. Danger. My instincts scread, and without hesitation, I summoned Aegis, the Olphean Emblem glowing fiercely in my hand. The shield materialized —a massive, amber construct radiating an ancient mana. I spun around, raising it just in ti.
-BOOOOM!
A devastating Prana Breath slamd into Aegis, propelling back several ters. The impact rattled my bones, but the shield held firm. Of course, it wasn't an ordinary shield; Aegis had withstood far worse.
"Huh? That mana-" Rodolf's words cut off as realization dawned.
Without delay, I summoned Khryselakatos, the amber bow of the Emblem. Drawing its string, I unleashed a storm of golden arrows, each darting through the air with deadly precision.
Rodolf darted and weaved between them. Still, several arrows found their mark, sinking into his shoulders, arms, and legs. His groans echoed continuously.
But I wasn't done. While he focused on evading the continuous barrage, I summoned a singular, larger arrow. Pulling the string taut, I took aim and loosed it with all my might.
-BAM!
The arrow struck true, slamming into Rodolf's midsection just as I'd predicted. His gasp was audible even over the thunderous impact. The force of the blow sent him hurtling backward, crashing through three houses in a trail of splintered wood and debris.
Dismissing Khryselakatos, I sprinted toward the wreckage, ready to end this.
But before I could close the distance, a sudden gale blindsided . A powerful gust slamd into my right side, throwing off balance. Instinctively, I raised my arms to shield my head, but the attack tore into regardless, the sharp wind lacerating my skin as it flung back. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself upright, my vision briefly swimming.
Ahead, a familiar figure erged.
"Cylien..." I groaned.
She was standing there with her sword pointing at . She looked exhausted, her breath quite
ragged.
If Cylien was here...
Don't tell ... she defeated Shuria?
"Argh..." Rodolf's groan interrupted . He lay sprawled on the ground, struggling even to
lift himself.
"Yanis!" Cylien gasped and without hesitation, she rushed to his side.
"Huh?" I muttered, taken aback.
Did she just call him Yanis?
Cylien dropped to her knees, her hands trembling as she cradled Rodolf's injuries. "Are you
okay?!
"Y-Yeah, just give a minute," Rodolf grunted. "I'm going to kill that bastard..."
"Don't joke around! You need to rest!" She snapped.
What the hell?
My eyes widened as the scene unfolded before . Cylien crouched there, tending to Rodolf's wounds with a tenderness that felt eerily familiar. In that mont, their images blurred and shifted in my mind. Cylien and Rodolf overlapped with mories of Marlene and Yanis.
For a second, I stood speechless, paralyzed by the recognition. Then, unexpectedly, a wave of
relief and joy washed over .
"Guys..." I took a step forward, my voice trembling.
"Don't co any closer!" Cylien snapped, her tear-streaked face turning to glare at .
"Wait, Marlene," I said, raising my hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Eh?" Cylien's eyes widened, a strange sound escaping her lips.
Rodolf also froze, staring at in disbelief.
"It's , Nyrel," I said, my voice soft, almost unsure. Slowly, I removed Bryelle's pendant,
revealing my face.
Their reactions were instantaneous. Cylien's jaw dropped, and Rodolf's expression darkened
with suspicion.
"Amael...I an...N-Nyrel?!" Cylien stuttered my na in shock quickly understanding.
"Yeah," I replied, offering an awkward smile.
Rodolf's shock turned to a scowl, his eyes narrowing as he glared at . "Oi, Amael. Do you take for a fool? Where did you hear that na?"
I grimaced. "Be it on Earth or here, you're still the sa dumb musclehead, huh?" "What did you say?!" Rodolf snapped, but the anger in his voice wavered, giving way to faint recognition. His eyes searched my face, realization dawning. "You... Could it really be...?" "N-Nyrel..." Cylien whispered, her voice breaking as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. She staggered to her feet, her movents clumsy and unsteady. Before she could fall, I caught
her.
She clung to tightly, her body trembling as sobs wracked her fra. "I-It's really you,
Nyrel?!"
"Yeah," I murmured, a soft smile tugging at my lips.
She pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face lighting up with disbelief. "I-I can't believe it... I thought it was just Yanis and who ended up here..."
"Not just us," I said, eting her gaze. "Everyone's here. Ephera, Emric, Gladys, Lucy... and
maybe even Shayna."
"Really?!" Cylien's eyes glistened with fresh tears, this ti shining with genuine happiness. She cried again, her sobs softer now.
I smiled faintly, watching her. She was undeniably Marlene. Seeing her in Cylien's form was strange, but none of that mattered. Relief surged through -it was enough to see her and
the other idiot safe and sound.
[]
Shut up.
"Damn, you're alive, huh?" Rodolf groaned.
"I see you're thrilled to see ," I scoffed.
"Hehe!" Cylien chuckled softly, before glancing at Rodolf teasingly. "Don't let him fool you!
After you disappeared in Paris, he searched for you for weeks without sleeping!"
"Oi, Marlene!" Rodolf barked, his face flushing a deep crimson. He avoided my gaze,
awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
But Cylien's expression suddenly turned somber. Her gaze dropped, shadowed by a flicker of sothing-Pain? She bit her lip, and her hands trembled slightly as if holding back a flood of
emotions.
"Like everyone else, and then..." Her voice faltered, trailing off into silence.
Before she could continue, Cylien clamped her mouth shut, her face going ghostly pale. She
turned sharply, doubling over as though she might retch.
"Hey, are you alright?" I asked, stepping forward and placing a reassuring hand on her
shoulder.
"I'm fine..." Cylien muttered awkwardly. She straightened herself, still pale, and returned to tending Rodolf's wounds.
I crouched beside them, a question burning at the tip of my tongue.
What happened after my death?
But this wasn't the right ti. Cylien looked shaken, and I knew pressing her now would only
make things worse.
Rodolf, however spoke up. "By the way... Why the hell were you fighting ?! Are you an idiot
or what?!" He roared.
"Well, it's complicated," I replied with a shrug. "It's for my mother. I'm just infiltrating
them... Sorry about that."
"You didn't exactly hold back, Nyrel," Cylien said, glaring at .
"Co on..." I muttered, awkwardly averting my gaze.
"Damn it!" Rodolf cursed, punching the ground with a clenched fist. "If this were Earth, I'd
have crushed you already! Like always!"
"I don't recall ever losing to you," I shot back.
"Both of you, enough already," Cylien sighed, exasperated but wearing a faint, wistful smile.
For a mont, it felt almost like old tis.
But there was no ti to dwell on nostalgia. I had to return-
"You..."
A furious voice suddenly interrupted us.
I turned to see Shuria. She stood there, battered and bleeding, her sword trembling in her
grip. Her piercing red eyes burned with rage, betrayal etched into every line of her face.
"Loki... liar..." She spat.
She had seen everything...I guess.
"Shuria..." I called guiltily.
"Even though we trusted you... You!" Her voice cracked with raw emotion as she lunged at ,
swinging her sword. Her strikes were sloppy, weak-desperate. I sidestepped easily, dodging
it.
"Listen to ... There has to be a way to -"
"S-Shut up, traitor!!" She scread, cutting off as she swung again, this ti with all her
strength.
I caught the blade with my bare hand, the cold steel biting into my skin. Blood trickled down
my palm, but I didn't care.
"Nyrel?!" Cylien's shocked voice echoed behind , but I kept my focus on Shuria. Her furious
red eyes locked with mine, brimming with hatred and sorrow.
"I never ant to betray any of you. I was following Freya's orders. She asked to kill
soone, and I did it. That's all," I tried to explain.
"You think I'll believe that?!" Shuria's voice cracked with anger as she tightened her grip on
her sword. Her hands trembled. "All this ti, you must have thought of us as fools! You
Humans!" Despite the bite of her words and the blood dripping from my hand, I didn't retreat. I stood, eting her glare.
Behind her, I could see the others. They had caught up, their faces a mix of shock, confusion,
and anger. Edryn stood at the forefront, his expression pained, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. They had reached this far but they clearly hadn't expected this revelation.
"I am, indeed, a Human from Sancta Vedelia," I replied. "Amael Idea Olphean is my na."
The mont my na left my lips, it was as if the air itself had been sucked out of the place.
The Blood Elves froze, their eyes widening in collective shock. Even Shuria faltered, her glare montarily replaced by disbelief, though her anger quickly reignited, fiercer than before. The Olphean House-it was impossible for them not to know.
"W-Why... Loki?" Edryn's voice trembled as he took a step forward. His fists shaking as if he were holding back tears. "Why would you do this...?"
"I have my own reasons," I said not getting deeper in the matter. "But I don't want this to end
in a bloodbath. None of us do."
"Shut your mouth!" Shuria barked. She took a step back, as she laughed. "Y-You're saying
that so easily because you from Sancta Vedelia have it easy! You have the Tree, while we..."
Her words caught in her throat as her hands clenched around the hilt of her blade. The others, too, looked visibly shaken, their expressions twisting with anguish.
"Do you even know..." Shuria's voice dropped, trembling with suppressed emotions. "...what
happens when people like us are forced away from the Holy Tree? Away from the only thing that sustains us? Do you have any idea what it does to us?"
I remained silent. The truth was, I didn't. I had never heard of anything like this. Shuria's lips curled into a bitter scoff. "Death," she spat. "Sickness. Those born with strong
bloodlines might endure it, but the rest of us? We wither. Our bodies decay. Our ancestors were born under the Holy Tree's blessing. Our very existence depends on it! And yet..."
Her voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes, though they didn't fall. Her grip on the sword tightened until her knuckles turned white.
"Yet you drove us all away!" She shouted. "Yes, our ancestors made a mistake. But why should their descendants-why should we-pay for it?! Why must we suffer for sins we didn't commit?! Why must little children suffer from it?!"
"That is the law of the strongest." The response ca not from , but from another voice.
We all turned, searching for the speaker, and saw a woman descending gracefully.
It took only a mont to recognize her, though her expression seed a bit off. "Elizabeth..."
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