The lake surface lay calm, the night serene.
The beast tide receded into the distance, occasional roars still faintly audible.
After this tide, the desert would grow even more desolate—nothing left but surviving magic beasts.
How long had it been since Thorne arrived in this world? Six months? Seven? He couldn't recall.
Endless solitude mingled with sporadic, tense battles.
Thorne yearned to leave this desert, to see the vibrant world beyond.
At dawn's first light, the Magic Dragon Gecko rested on a broken trunk of the Ghost Thorn Tree floating on the lake. Shelley sat cross-legged on the shore, meditating. The mysterious pearl around her neck glowed faintly, exuding an otherworldly aura.
"They're finally here."
Seven elves approached from seven or eight hundred meters away.
They moved cautiously, stopping over five hundred meters out, then fanning out to encircle the lake from different angles.
Shelley opened her eyes, spotting the stealthy, swift enemies.
At a hundred meters, they noticed her. Five closed in; two held back.
"Damn it, so many—and all Transcendent Tier elves."
Elves were famed for speed and archery.
Spotting Shelley, they halted. A hundred meters was nothing to their agility—close enough to strike or retreat, perfect for their bow-wielding style.
"Who are you?" Lukas asked.
As the elven squad's leader, he'd rushed here after noticing heavy beast casualties and the loss of several Transcendent Tier beasts in this direction last night.
The elves took this desert purge seriously, assigning seven Transcendent Tier elves to each direction, overseen by two Legendary Tier commanders.
"I'm a mage, living here in seclusion to cultivate," Shelley replied coolly.
Lukas didn't buy it. Though no corpses remained, the air still reeked of blood.
"I never imagined such a powerful mage hid in our elven domain. My king invites you to visit the Elven Forest."
Lukas weighed her strength—six Transcendent beasts hadn't escaped her, proving her might—so he kept his tone polite.
"No need. I prefer peace. Please decline your king's kindness for me."
"If that's so, we'll have to offend you."
Lukas knew this was critical. Even if Shelley was strong, their seven must deal with her.
Shelley braced for combat. Uninjured, she'd dismiss these foes, but now, weakened, she was at a disadvantage.
Facing five—or even seven—alone demanded her full focus, though she trusted Thorne wouldn't sit idle.
She chanted, casting a shield on herself, then tore two scrolls.
"Flash!"
A blinding light forced Lukas and his team to shut their eyes. Sensing trouble, they fired blindly.
"Wind Curse!"
A gust rose, deflecting their arrows. The five elves shifted positions, leveraging their flight to surround Shelley from all angles—sky and ground.
As a mage, Shelley struggled in multi-foe fights. The elves' speed and constant repositioning, paired with sporadic green-glowing arrows, left her harried.
Her rich experience saved her. A speed-boosting wind spell and multiple shields kept her afloat, but under the elves' barrage, her defenses wavered. Her pale face betrayed her—prolonged stalemate meant defeat.
"Use water magic."
Thorne's voice echoed in her soul. Shelley, unflinching, hummed assent inwardly.
Dodging Lukas's arrow with a twist, she tanked two from above with her shield, chanting.
"Water Symphony!"
A tinkling sound swelled into roaring waves. Water surged from Thorne's lake, rushing at Lukas.
As they took flight to evade, countless ice arrows erupted from the water, blanketing the area.
Though Lukas and his team dodged frantically, several struck home.
Then, water ropes lashed out from the waves. Lukas reacted swiftly, evading, but the others, caught off guard, were dragged toward the lake.
Lukas realized someone in the lake ambushed them.
He fired rapid arrows, and the two distant scouts rushed in, trying to sever the ropes—futilely.
The elves neared the water. Once submerged, rescue would be impossible.
"Wait! I have something to say!"
Thorne ignored him, dragging them underwater first, then let Shelley question them.
Lukas sensed their fading but alive auras, exhaling in relief.
"What do you have to say? Our Sir also invites you to be a guest underwater," Shelley mocked.
Lukas glanced at the lake, thinking: This woman's already formidable, and there's a "Sir" hidden in there—could it be Legendary Tier?
"Sir, you dwell in this lake in seclusion. We shouldn't have disturbed you. Recently, the Elf King ordered a swift desert purge, forcing our hand. If we've offended you, please forgive us."
"You think invoking the Elf King will make our Sir spare you?" Shelley sneered.
"I wouldn't dare. But I trust Sir doesn't seek more enemies. My king only aims to prevent surprises in the desert. If Sir registers with us and maintains contact, the elves cherish peace."
This caught Thorne off guard. The elves wanted to recruit him—for what purpose?