At the same time that Elysha was getting ready to go to bed and sleep, Lucius was sitting on Fjorja’s back as she soared through the night sky. He held a device in his hand and pressed it closer to his ear as he spoke to a receiver on the other side.

  “Orsen, how did your assignment go for you and your team?” Lucius asked, raising his voice slightly over the rushing wind.

  “I’d say our progress has gone well,” Orsen’s voice crackled from the device. “My team has been going around the dwellings, exchanging questions and answers—interviews, basically—to gather information about the forest’s recent events. Meanwhile, the medics are examining folks who are suffering from patterns of core-related symptoms. It’s spreading pretty fast at a high rate.”

  “And have you confirmed that these symptoms are connected to the recent phenomena?”

  “Not confirmed,” he admitted. “So far, it is only speculation that the recent phenomena may be causing imbalances in theonum levels that trigger such disturbances. We’re still analyzing the data.”

  The device in Lucius’s hand vibrated intermittently, and the wind grew louder as Fjorja angled her wings to catch an updraft.

  “And after we finished for the day,” Orsen continued, “we transported the affected people in wagons to the exclusion zone within the Theophany Fields. Medical tents have been set up there. That’s where my team and I are headed now.”

  “I can tell by the background noise,” Lucius remarked wryly.

  “Anyways, how’s your surveillance going on your side? Anything unusual?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary in the north side,” Lucius replied. “Fjorja and I are heading south, near Cecil’s place.”

  “Got it. Then—” Orsen’s words distorted behind a burst of static.

  “You’re muffling out too much. Hard to hear you,” Lucius said.

  “Same to you, buddy-boo.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Hold on for a minute. Let me and Fjorja land so I can hear your words more clearly.”

  Fjorja dipped a wing and spiraled down to Elder Merakia’s rooftop before landing. Lucius dismounted, briefly pocketing the device as he stretched. Then Orsen’s voice came through again, a little clearer.

  “Can you hear me now?”

  “Yes. I can hear you.”

  “Aw, why do you have to answer me in that kind of tone?” he asked, then continued on. “By the way, while I was visiting various places, I heard that Illumija is having a festival soon. I take it that this is their special time to celebrate their history and foundation, right? I’ve never been to one of their events, but as someone who grew up in Totheniui City, is it similar to the Day of Wisphoria?”

  “They have similarities that are inspired by each other’s cultures. Of course there are also differences.

  “Hm, I would like to go there myself, maybe bring my little brother… but, well, duty calls,” Orsen sighed. “Hey Lucius, do you think the festival might be canceled given all the recent incidents?”

  “Given how stubborn the forest’s elders can be, I doubt it. Hosting that festival annually is basically tradition,” he answered flatly.

  “Haha, imagine if these symptoms spread to everyone and we got a full-blown crisis on our hands.”

  “The archipelago has existed since time immemorial under the Asnoiji’s order,” Lucius said, his tone dismissive, “and not once in history has anything escalated to that level. If there’s an imbalance, it’ll be rebalanced soon enough.”

  “Don’t be so serious, ice prince. I’m just speculating,” Orsen teased, then changed the subject. “Hey, do you think we could get a promotion after all this? If we really do save people from a phenomenal causality—”

  “Back to the promotion talk, are we?” Lucius muttered. From the edge of his vision, he noticed Fjorja peered over the edge of the roof.

  “Well, if left unchecked, a massive outbreak could threaten the forest. Separating the afflicted might be buying time, but we need to find the real source of this instability. If we do, we could prevent a far worse outcome—and that’s gotta be worth something, right?”

  “Look, what if we are actually saving these people from a major phenomenal event? Because right now this is already a rare case where there is an outbreak of these symptoms to the point that separating them from the forest keeps the forest itself safe from the imbalance effects.”

  “Go on.”

  “And what if there’s an exact source of this outbreak that’s causing this whole ordeal in the first place? And if left unchecked, more people could be affected, leading to a pandemic that could endanger the forest?”

  “Or it could just be an aftereffect of recent incidents,” Lucius countered, sighing. “People fall ill for countless reasons, including environment-related imbalances. Common occurrences, in my experience.”

  His remark hung in the air, punctuated only by the hiss of static on Orsen’s end.

  He gave a short laugh, though it was half-lost in the crackle of interference. “I know that, of course. I’m proficient in both sociology and medical science, haha. But once I’m done here, I’ll be heading back to Totheniui with my findings. I’d like you to keep me updated on your side—you’re the one patrolling at night, after all.”

  “I won’t be here much longer either, if this remains ‘low risk,’” Lucius corrected. “Cecil will speak to the council in the coming days to push for control measures. Professor Chthostric plans to do his own brief inspection during the festival period.”

  “Ah, good for him then. Do me a favor and tell him about my contributions, would you?”

  Lucius was about to reply when he saw Fjorja craning her long neck toward Elder Merakia’s cottage window, letting out an inquisitive sound—“Brriiii?”

  “I’m ending the call,” he said abruptly into the device.

  Orsen let out a mock gasp, “What? Bored of me already?”

  Lucius sighed, slipping the buzzing contraption back into his coat pocket. “Tch, not for that reason,” he said. “It seems that someone has woken up from their sleep.”

  ~ ??? ~

  Standing on the ground not far from Elder Merakia’s residence, Lucius looked at Elysha, who seemed shaken by the recent occurrence.

  He crossed his arms, a faint scowl darkening his features. “I never thought you would jump off and cling to Fjorja as we left,” he said, his tone bordering on reproach. “If I hadn’t pulled you up, you would have fallen off. That’s the second time tonight you’ve almost fallen from a height. You should have gone back to your room and slept.”

  Elysha frowned. Despite her lingering fear, she met his gaze directly. “If I hadn’t done that,” she argued, “then how was I supposed to get off the roof? I would be stuck up there all by myself.”

  Lucius’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, and then he exhaled, “... Oh. You have a point there.”

  Behind them, Fjorja shuffled her feathers, preparing for another ascent. Sensing her movements, Lucius’s voice grew more serious. “All right,” he said, “now that you’re on the ground, it’s time for you to go back inside and—”

  “I don’t want to!”

  Elysha lifted her chin to look him straight in the eye.

  Lucius sighed and said, “Let me guess—you wanted to join us on the investigation because of your unstable core, correct?”

  She hesitated and glanced to the side, remembering the moment that had brought her out into the night in the first place, then answered in a soft voice, “... not only that.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Hm?”

  “I also… want to learn about the world, too,” she said, looking back at him. “Not only the forest. Everything.”

  Lucius crossed his arms and knitted his brows. “It is almost midnight,” he pointed out coolly. “You are a child—children should be asleep at this hour, and awake refreshed to explore the world in a day full of sunlight. You have all the time in your life to be a normal kid and learn something new every day, so why are you pushing yourself for knowledge that can easily wait? Why are you rushing to join this investigation? This is a risky job only for licensed professionals like me and Fjorja.”

  Elysha took a deep breath, her small shoulders lifting and falling. “It’s because… It’s because of my past.”

  “Past?”

  “I don’t have a past,” she continued. “I already told you that, didn’t I? I can’t remember anything…”

  For a moment, neither spoke. The night air felt heavier than before; a hush fell over the clearing around Elder Merakia’s cottage.

  Finally, Lucius broke the silence, “So… you’re saying the reason you’re so driven is that you have no memory of who you were. And you think that seeing the world—understanding the phenomena out there—might give you clues about yourself?”

  Elysha nodded. “Yes, I’ve lived in this forest with Elder Mera for as long as I can remember, but there’s always this…um, emptiness in my mind. I don’t know where I come from, why I only know my name… or why my theonum core is so… broken.”

  “If your theonum core were truly broken, you wouldn’t be standing here speaking to me right now,” Lucius said bluntly. “And you think throwing yourself into potential danger is the best way to learn about your past?”

  “No!” she countered quickly, shaking her head several times. “I know it’s dangerous, but not knowing why my core is like this is feels worse. If—if my unstable core is connected to the unstable forest—or if my presence can help find the cause of these weird and strange symptoms—then I have to at least try,” she swallowed. “Otherwise, I still won’t be able to understand anything about myself.”

  “What does Cecil Merakia say about all this?” he asked, his expression unchanged.

  “Elder Mera?”

  “Yes. What does she think of you and what you are going through?”

  Elysha shifted her gaze downward, fingers lacing together. “Elder Mera… she helps me,” she began. “She’s kind, she teaches me about theonum, and she… she always tells me stories. I think she wants me to be safe and happy…”

  She trailed off, as though there was more she wanted to say but couldn’t quite find the words.

  Lucius waited, poised to reply, when suddenly she spoke again, “Um, I have only been awake for… not many days.”

  “Not many days?”

  Elysha nodded, her eyes flickering with memory. “I remember when Elder Mera told me about my desires—my wishes and my dreams. I’ve thought about them a lot, because…”

  She paused, her voice trembling quietly and intensely. “… I want to understand and know who I am, and who I could be. Whether that could be someone Elder Mera could be proud of, or… me.”

  She touched and held the keyhole-shaped stone hanging around her neck and continued, “And every time I look out the window or up at the sky, I think to myself: I want to see the world. I want to learn about all kinds of things I’ve never seen before and… live my own story.”

  For a moment, the only sounds were the distant chirping of night insects and the rustling of leaves in the forest wind. Lucius watched her, taking in the weight of her words and her gleaming silver eyes.

  “Lucius,” she said softly, “if I were to go—if I were to go with you, I might be able to learn something about myself… is that okay with you?”

  He exhaled, realizing he could do little to change her stubborn resolve. “Fine, sure,” he relented. “But you have to take responsibility for yourself. If you’re serious about all this, then your first step is to prove that you can handle yourself—even if it’s just the basics of safety and discipline.”

  Elysha’s heart thudded. “I know.”

  “I can’t babysit you every minute, and neither can Cecil. So if you want to walk this path, it may come at a potential cost. Don’t expect special treatment. If you fail to take care of yourself, you’ll only have yourself to blame.”

  She swallowed, accepting the gravity of his words. “Okay…”

  Despite the stern warning, she couldn’t hide the flicker of excitement that lit her eyes. “Th-Thank you.”

  Lucius then gestured to Fjorja to get ready, then held out a hand to Elysha. “All right, then,” he said. “Come on. We’ll take Fjorja on flight, but don’t get any wild ideas. If you slip off, I won’t promise to catch you a second time.”

  Elysha felt a knot in her stomach at his words. With some effort she climbed onto Fjorja. Lucius lifted her easily and placed her in front of him. “Stay still and try not to lose your grip,” he advised calmly. “Look ahead. Don’t look down unless you’re ready for it.”

  She nodded, her arms sliding around Fjorja’s chest in a tight embrace. Shortly after, Fjorja spread her wings, and with a rush of wind, they soared into the sky, leaving Elder Merakia’s cottage beneath them.

  The Forest of Ir?stos spread out below them like a patchwork of moonlit treetops. Elysha gasped softly, clinging closer to Fjorja’s warm body. She could feel Lucius’s presence at her back—foreign but secure, as if that presence kept her protected.

  Lucius looked down. He noticed how tightly she held onto Fjorja—almost like a koala, as if letting go wasn’t an option. Her eyes drifted toward one of the saddlebags strapped at Fjorja’s flank, then flicked back out over the forest, her expression becoming contemplative.

  At that moment, he felt a flicker of uncertainty. ‘She’s just a child… but that look on her face and the way she talks—she doesn’t seem like a child at all.’

  He recalled her words from earlier.

  ‘I don’t have a past. I already told you that, didn’t I? I can’t remember anything…’

  His jaw tightened. ‘Could that old witch have known?’ he wondered. ‘Does she hold answers about this girl she’s raising?’

  A faint huff escaped him, lost on the wind. ‘I’ll ask her before I leave. At the very least, I deserve the truth.’

  ~ ??? ~

  As Fjorja neared their destination, she descended gently, wings outstretched, slowing her descent until they touched down on soft, leaf-strewn ground. Elysha let out a small breath and slid carefully off Fjorja’s back.

  “—!”

  The little girl looked down at her bare feet touching the mixture of leaves and earth. Then she raised her eyes and looked around.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  The night air was crisp, laced with the scent of damp moss and the faint scent of wildflowers. They had flown east from Elder Merakia’s cottage, northeast of Lake Ir?stos. She felt a subtle familiarity with the area when she saw a group of worn stone pillars, half-buried by vines and brambles.

  “Is this the place you spoke of?” she asked, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face

  Lucius dismounted with practiced ease. “Yes,” he said, patting Fjorja’s side. “This is the place. The ruins of Kuwakji.”

  He pulled out a small metallic device—something Elysha had seen him use once before. Its lights flashed and flickered in the darkness as Fjorja sniffed the ground and let out a puff of breath.

  A glimmer of recognition passed through Elysha’s eyes and she said, “Oh… I think I’ve been here before.”

  “You have?”

  She nodded. “Mm-hm, Micah and I visited this place the other day, but I have never seen this place at night before.”

  “Well, you’re seeing it at night now,” he said, turning his attention back to the device in his hand.

  Elysha glanced around. “You said you and Fjorja wanted to find the… um… instability in the forest, right?” She paused, head tilted. “What’s it like?”

  “To explain it simply,” he began, “theonum is made up of what we call WI and DR energies. These energies determine whether someone is Elbijan or Zhivopian—like blood types, for example. The entire world runs on these flows of theonum, and living beings depend on them the way we depend on air to breathe.

  He gestured to the surrounding forest, the silent ruins, and the night sky overhead. “WI and DR levels must be balanced to maintain a healthy and harmonious relationship that is beneficial to all. But when that balance is tipped or disrupted, we get what is called ‘instability.’ People will be at risk of developing symptoms—Ijatheonum’na, or ‘Theonum Deficiency Syndrome’—and there is an increased likelihood of phenomena or phenomena-related signs appearing. Whether the imbalance causes the phenomena, or the phenomena cause the imbalance, can vary. The two often feed into each other.”

  Elysha took a step forward, hugging her arms around herself. “So if the forest shows signs of imbalance…” she said slowly, “… then everyone living here could be in danger. Because if our theonum flow is disrupted, we might get sick?”

  “Essentially, yes.” Lucius cast a brief look at the device. “We’ve seen some cases of people experiencing odd symptoms, animals behaving erratically, that sort of thing. Some suspect it’s related to the abnormal shift in the environment.”

  Then he tucked the device back into his coat. He paused, then reached into one of the pockets and pulled out a small bottle. He removed the cap and held it out to Elysha. “Take this.”

  She blinked, accepting what looked like a tiny seed-shaped object. “What is it?”

  “A supplement to help maintain your energy balance,” Lucius explained matter-of-factly. “Swallow it. Just as a precaution.”

  She eyed the seed-sized object before placing it in her mouth. The dry swallow was uncomfortable, but she did it without protest. A faint, bitter aftertaste lingered on her tongue.

  “Before we go any further, since you’re now involved, I should give you some background on this investigation—so you know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

  He began, “We first came here when there were recent reports of abnormal activity in the forest, so my team and I were sent to investigate. However, this was not the first time such an incident had occurred. Over the period, more reports and information of disturbances and anomalies began to accumulate, and it was the first time in a decade that I had heard of such a potentially serious situation.”

  He paused briefly before continuing, “When I arrived to check out the region, I found that the atmosphere in parts of Ir?stos were… off. There was an oversaturation of white fog, missing wildlife, and no sign of inhabitants. Fjorja and I investigated further to see if there was any connection between these phenomena, or even what was causing them. My discovery was this.”

  Lucius reached into another pocket of his coat and pulled out a small mechanical box. He flicked a latch and the lid lifted with a soft click. Inside was a dark, cloudy, egg-shaped stone, its surface pitted and stained as if it had been eroded by something corrosive.

  Elysha’s breath caught. She leaned forward, her eyes widening at the sight. “What is that…?”

  “This is a DR-type theonum core,” Lucius said. “From its condition, it has been contaminated by the anomalies we have been investigating.”

  “DR?”

  “Yes. A DR-type theonum core indicates that it may have once belonged to a Zhivopian individual.”

  A few seconds passed as Elysha’s eyes and mouth widened in shock. She looked back at the small mechanical box where the corroded core rested.

  “When… when I first saw my own theonum core, it was like seeing colors coming out of a bright, white light,” she said. “When I tried to touch it, I saw my own memories.”

  Elysha shook her head. “I’ve never seen a core ‘outside’ like this before,” she paused briefly in realization. “Wait… if this one is here, then… what happened to the person it belongs to?”

  Lucius sighed, his tone turning dry. “Do you really want to know?”

  She nodded, bracing herself.

  “It means, I had to eliminate that ‘person’ to prevent more innocent people from being harmed—and to protect the environment.”

  “Eliminate?”

  He nodded. “There was no other choice. If I hadn’t, the anomaly—this phenomenon—would have spread further, endangering nearby residents and possibly reaching one of the forest villages. I can’t even be sure if it was an innocent resident or a phenomenal monster wearing the shell of a decaying core. This situation is becoming more complicated by the second.”

  Elysha fell silent, the weight of his words bearing down on her.

  “... I understand,” she murmured, thinking of Micah. Her fingers clenched against her chest, where her own core lay. Fear flickered in her mind, ‘Could this happen to me?’

  Noticing her troubled expression, Lucius snapped the mechanical box shut and tucked it back into his coat. He cleared his throat. “Your name is Elysha, correct?”

  She nodded back. “Yes, I am Elysha.”

  “If your earliest memories are of life among these trees, you’re essentially a child of Ir?stos.” He paused, his voice quieter. “From now on, stay close to Fjorja as often as possible.”

  Fjorja gave a soft rumble in acknowledgment.

  Lucius looked out into the gloom of the forest. “We landed at a distance from our main objective in case the situation is more dangerous than we thought. My device signals stronger readings further in that direction,” he said, tipping his head toward a cluster of overgrown pillars deeper within the ruins. “We need to get closer to the source of the disturbance.”

  Elysha took a breath. “Okay,” she managed, her voice shaking slightly. She did a bit of shoulder straightening of her own. “I’ll follow you.”

  He looked at her, seemingly measuring her resolve. “All right. Don’t wander off. Don’t try to handle anything on your own. If anything abnormal appears, stay back and let Fjorja take you as far away from them as possible.”

  ~ ??? ~

  Elysha sat on top of Fjorja’s back as they ventured deeper into the forest, the thick white fog pressing in around them like an encroaching curtain.

  The mist tugged at her senses, making her head spin as if the ground itself were shifting beneath her. ‘This fog makes me dizzy. Why…?’ she wondered, looking over Fjorja’s shoulder, but all she saw was more fog, swirling like clouds in a stormy sky.

  Lucius paused briefly to check his device again. Its lights flashed in an urgent pattern and the numbers on the screen gave updates. “We’re almost there,” he said.

  As they continued, the fog began to thin just enough to reveal an open space where a statue stood, half-buried in moss and tangled in twisting vines. Elysha found the statue familiar, seeing that the figure upon it, though worn and partially eroded, still exuded an imposing aura on her.

  “A neshev?d,” Lucius murmured, a note of recognition in his voice. He glanced back at his device once more. “The variable is moving…”

  “Moving?”

  “Yes. Until now the variable stayed in one place, but now this device indicates that the source has moved?”

  Suddenly, a wave of unease washed over him. Fjorja tensed beneath Elysha, shifting her posture defensively. Sensing the tension, she tightened her grip around Fjorja’s chest. “What’s going on?” she asked in a quavering tone.

  Lucius raised a hand, motioning for silence. He scanned the area intently, trying to locate a new presence. There was a rustling of leaves somewhere off to the side, though the fog made it difficult to see more than a few paces ahead.

  “Who goes there?” he called out, voice echoing in the stillness.

  “... come with me.“

  Elysha’s breath hitched. She looked around, eyes wide. “Did I hear something—?”

  “—let’s go together.“

  “—friends go together.“

  “—haha!”

  A chorus of strange, overlapping voices drifted through the white fog, weaving in and out like broken echoes.

  “Tch—!” Lucius spat, pulling his wand out in one smooth motion. Elysha’s eyes were wide with fear as she whipped her head around. “Wh-What’s happening?”

  “Stay where you are,” he said back, gripping his wand tighter.

  Fjorja shifted uneasily under Elysha’s weight, her feathers bristling as if on edge.

  Suddenly, the disembodied voices stopped, plunging the clearing into a tense, eerie silence.

  …

  “Hahaha! Ha ha! Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha! HA HA HA HA!”

  Mocking laughter rolled in from all directions, chilling the three to the core.

  “Why didn’t you come with me?!“

  Then, in a mad rush, the unseen beings revealed themselves. They swarmed around the trio like vultures around a carcass, their hysterical laughter pressing in from all sides.

  “—play!“

  “—come play with me!“

  Elysha’s eyes widened in horror. The creatures looked like flying wolves, but their shapes were dark, abstract—more silhouettes of nightmares than living beings. “Wh-What are they? A-Are they the ones you told me about before?”

  “Yes,” he said sternly, his gaze fixed on the horde. “They’re dangerous, of course. Stay calm and let me handle it.”

  He raised his wand and spoke a command, “Majnadak-ku!”

  Immediately, a wave of power erupted from the tip of the wand and collided with the swarm. Screaming in pain, they recoiled, disintegrating into motes and dropping small, dark stones to the ground. Some, however, resisted or dodged his attack, becoming more hostile in reaction.

  Lucius did not hesitate. “Sjeati Vont!” he incanted, unleashing another spell. A pulse of energy crackled through the fog, causing the rest of the creatures to convulse in agony.

  “—help!”

  “—I’m hurt!”

  Their cries ripped through the night until they fell eerily silent, the last echoes of their voices fading into the whiteness.

  Breathing heavily, Lucius lowered his wand. Elysha clung to Fjorja, who trembled under her. The tension in the air remained as thick as fear.

  “It’s not over yet,” he warned, scanning their surroundings. “The main threat hasn’t shown itself—the one behind this mess.”

  “Is… is it the one you were looking for?” Elysha asked hesitantly.

  “Yes. Possibly. And from what we have seen, it’s more than just what we have encountered so far.”

  He stepped forward and bent down to pick up one of the small, dark stones that had fallen to the ground. He held it in his gloved hand and studied it critically. “Looks the same as the one I found before. This confirms my suspicion: whatever this is, it is not just the core of an innocent person. It is something… phenomenal, entirely.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Then the question is: what was the root cause of this?”

  Elysha listened, her breath catching in her throat. An unnatural hush blanketed the clearing. She could almost feel an unseen gaze on her back, tugging at the hairs on her neck. She did not like this feeling.

  She looked down at Fjorja and noticed how the creature’s pupils had dilated, her body taut with lingering fear.

  In return, her heart pounded in a similar rhythm, the adrenaline still coursing from witnessing Lucius’s swift—and lethal—response to the monstrous swarm. It was the first time she had witnessed such action with her own eyes.

  “Lucius,” Elysha ventured quietly, “if these, um, creatures were… were once like that DR-type core you showed me, does that mean people can turn into those things?”

  His expression remained cold, but he answered, “I am not entirely certain. They could be wholly fabricated illusions, or remnants of corrupted theonum. However, it confirms that the phenomenon here is powerful—and possibly growing.”

  “Then… what do we do?”

  Lucius didn’t respond immediately; he seemed caught between weighing their limited options and the risk of pressing on. Slowly, he rose from his crouch and fixed Elysha with a serious look.

  “The situation is too dangerous and uncertain to proceed, especially with you here,” he said flatly. “Given what we have just encountered, it is too risky if more show up—and in greater numbers. I cannot defend both you and myself at the same time, even with Fjorja’s help. And on top of that, we still do not know and cannot underestimate the true source behind all of this.”

  A pang of guilt tugged at Elysha’s heart. “I… I understand…” she mumbled, her eyes dropping to the damp ground beneath Fjorja’s claws. ‘If only I could use my theonum core… if only it weren’t so unstable…’

  “Then let’s head back,” Lucius decided, glancing around for a final assessment of the immediate area. He appeared ready to mount Fjorja as well, scanning the swirling fog for any sign of movement.

  As Elysha waited, she cast her eyes toward the Neshev?d statue of the divine figure—Asnoiji, Theo’lfanija. She remembered what Micah had told her.

  ‘They believe that the divine powers in these statues come from the Asnoiji, that the Neshev?ds will protect us when we need help to protect us from harm.’

  Harm…

  A flash of memory flashed through her: the pain in her chest, the overwhelming whiteness, and how it had nearly swallowed everything around her. For a moment, she pictured Elder Merakia and Micah in the path of that explosion.

  A chill crept up her spine—all because of the instability of her own core.

  Her eyes fell on the dark and contaminated cores scattered on the ground—contaminated pieces of cores from earlier. Some of them were even broken apart into pieces.

  “Lucius?”

  He turned. “What is it?”

  “Um, do you… do you think all this could be coming from… someone’s unstable core?” she asked, her voice hushed. “What if the source was a person who lost control—”

  “SSCRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”

  A piercing cry shattered the silence. The scream sounded both angry and agonized, echoing through the ruins with a force that shook them all.

  Fjorja jumped back and let out a startled grunt. Elysha lost her balance and nearly fell, her heart pounding in her ears. Lucius, momentarily taken aback, snapped to attention, wand in hand.

  A thick wave of white fog rolled in, enveloping the area in an impenetrable shroud of obscurity. The white fog was bright, a stark contrast to the night sky. But it also came with a deep and unpleasant foreboding.

  Lucius reacted, his voice urgent with his command, “Fjorja! Take Elysha and fly out of here!”

  With a powerful thrust of her legs, Fjorja shot into the sky. Elysha clutched desperately, the sudden force sending a tremor through her body. “Lucius—!” she cried, alarmed at the thought of leaving him behind.

  But Lucius was already reacting. He pointed his wand toward the origin of the scream, unleashing a concussive blast.

  *boom*

  The spell erupted with an resounding crash, shaking the mist.

  “—wahhhh!!”

  “—WAAAH!!!”

  In the furious swirl of air, Elysha watched from above as the forest below turned into a maelstrom of swirling fog and flickering silhouettes.

  On the ground he shouted, “Show yourself!”

  A moment passed in tense silence, and then, slowly, a shadowy figure emerged from the swirling white fog. As it approached, the haze parted just enough for Lucius to make out the shape: a large, imposing creature reminiscent of a dark wolf, except for the flickering theonum-infused flames that shielded its body. Its deep red eyes glowed with a fierce, almost feral intensity, and it exuded an aura thick with suffering and rage.

  Above, as she watched the dark creature from her vantage point, Elysha’s eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat. The creature’s presence stirred a memory—a fleeting image of a girl with dark skin, amber eyes, and a bubbly personality.

  ‘Hehe, this is Billi. He is my beloved friend since as long as I can remember!’

  The dark creature snorted, regarding Lucius with visible disdain. “You are not the one I am searching for.”

  “Searching for?” he repeated, narrowing his eyes. He noted the unmistakably feminine tone in the beast’s voice.

  The creature lifted her muzzle, scanning the clearing. “Where is that bastard? Where is he? The demon—that demon will PAY with his life for what he did to me!”

  Lucius eyed the dark creature’s wounds: a large, still-bleeding scar on her flank, black ooze staining her fur. Even from a distance, he could sense her theonum aura distorting—a sign of deeper corruption. ‘She’s severely injured and not thinking clearly,’ he assessed grimly. The theonum aura swirling around her was unlike any standard DR or WI alignment.

  “You are behind the disturbances in this forest, including this white fog,” he said, his voice tense. “The theonum imbalance that has spread to this degree, you are the source I have been searching for with my device.”

  She let out a harsh laugh, her presence intensifying. “Me?” she cackled, a tremor of madness in her tone. “Hahahahahahahaha… HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!”

  Her laughter ended in a ferocious howl that reverberated through the ruins. “I am the Narmittari of the Nartti Village,” she roared, “and I will never bow down—even with these wounds that bastard demon gave me. I will find him, kill him, and protect my people and this forest!”

  High up on Fjorja’s back, Elysha’s stomach twisted. ‘Narmittari…? So she must be Sorcha’s…?’ The pieces slotted into place, and her pulse quickened at the realization. She looked at Fjorja, whose eyes seemed to be fixed on Lucius.

  Lucius’s brow furrowed. “Then you are the Narmittari of the Narttis, as my suspicion confirms,” he muttered. “One of the three village leaders under the forest’s divine deity. Tell me—what befell you from the start? And who is the demon that seriously injured you—”

  “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!!!” the Narmittari bellowed, fury distorting her features. “If I had known the source of the phenomena earlier, none of this would be happening. That demon caused the distortion fissure—he threatened my forest, my people. And I—” her voice cracked with anguish, “—I am losing my mind, piece by piece.”

  Lucius noted her ragged breaths, the blood oozing from her wound, the swirling aura growing more unstable by the second. “Her injuries are corrupting her mind,” he murmured. “So it seems, how unfortunate.”

  He continued, “There are exclusion zones in the Theophany and Soterian Fields where medical tents have been set up to examine you. If you do not comply with my request to leave the forest, you will put your own people in danger. Leave now—or I will be forced to eliminate you.”

  At first, the wolf-like figure made no response, her gaze distant as though caught in her own spiraling thoughts. Then, an eerie cackle escaped her throat. “Ha ha ha… it’s as if my life’s been one long, cruel joke. Oh, Caralampia, how I envy you…”

  Lucius muttered under his breath, “She’s gone mad…” He tightened his grip on his wand, preparing for the worst.

  The Narmittari’s laughter died to a bitter growl. “As if I’d leave before I find the demon who gave me this wound. You—” she aimed her blazing red glare at Lucius “—are nothing but an obstacle. Stand in my way, and I’ll tear you apart and continue my hunt.”

  Without flinching, Lucius raised his wand, a faint glow of theonum gathering at the tip. “Sorry,” he said coldly. “But I cannot allow an unstable variable to roam free. You are a threat to the balance of this forest—and possibly far beyond.”

  The Narmittari’s eyes flickered with raw hatred. “And that means I have to go down. How devastating,” she mocked, baring her teeth in a cruel smile.