Cynthia ran through the dense, shadowed paths of the Endless Forest with Aegon clutched tightly against her chest. Her breath came in short bursts and each inhale tasted of cold moss and ancient bark. The child slept soundly despite their frantic flight, his tiny fingers curled around the fabric of her cloak as though he feared losing her even in dreams. Cynthia wished she possessed even half of his calm. A single tremor ran through her arm as she shifted his weight and forced herself deeper into the gloom.
The forest devoured light. Legend claimed that even torches guttered and died beneath the canopy of the Endless Forest, and as Cynthia paused to survey her surroundings, the truth sank into her bones. The darkness stretched like an infinite sea of ink-black clouds, radiating an unearthly chill. High above, the faint moon offered only a slender silver thread, barely piercing the snarled branches that clawed at the sky.
She turned slowly, eyes searching the trunks for any sign of the green marks Vaelmira had told her to follow. The elves used them to guide their own lost kind through the forest, and Vaelmira had promised they would lead her to Eldhaven, the last great city of the elves. But Cynthia saw nothing. No green glow. No shimmer on a tree. No sign that the forest held anything except cold shadows and the distant rustle of unseen creatures.
Her heart clenched like a fist in her chest. She swallowed hard, throat raw from the endless running, thirst clawing at her like a second shadow—but she shoved it down, eyes straining once more for the faint green marks that should have blazed on the bark. Nothing. Only the same suffocating black.
A tremor escaped her lips, first a breath, then a whisper into the void: "Where are they?"
No glowing mark answered her plea. For a moment she thought she had misunderstood Vaelmira's instructions. Perhaps the marks had faded. Perhaps she had entered the wrong part of the forest. Panic twisted inside her chest.
She turned in another direction and walked instead of running, her steps careful and deliberate. Owls called in the distance, that made the forest look more alive but lonely. Small animals moved through the undergrowth. She caught sight of snakes winding around branches above her, their scales patterned with strange spirals she had never seen before. Magical creatures haunted this place, some harmless and some deadly, and the thought of encountering any of them made her knees weak.
Hours ago she had abandoned her friend and run away like a powerless coward. Vaelmira had been more than a companion. She had been the one who had rescued Cynthia from a life she no longer wished to remember, a life filled with cruelty and chains. Cynthia owed the elf everything. And she had not been able to save her in return.
She lowered her gaze to the sleeping child in her arms. Aegon, Vaelmira's son, the last piece of her left alive in this world. He slept with a small, exhausted sigh, his tiny hands clutching Cynthia's cloak. She hugged him close and whispered.
"I swear, Vaelmira. I will protect him for as long as I breathe."
As her fingers brushed Aegon's small hand, a gentle green glow flickered at the edge of her vision. Cynthia froze and turned her head sharply. There, half hidden between thick roots and a tangle of leaves, she saw it. A faint, luminous mark glowing softly on the bark of an ancient oak.
Her breath rushed out in a relieved laugh. She stepped toward it and immediately found another mark on the next tree, barely visible unless one looked closely. Then another. And another. They formed a path, subtle but unmistakable, guiding her deeper into the forest.
Her shoulders sagged with relief.
"We found it, my dear. A little longer and we will be safe."
Aegon did not stir. He slept peacefully in her arms, an unusual sight considering how fast she had been running. She looked up, prepared to follow the string of glowing marks, but the moment her gaze shifted the light vanished. The trees became ordinary. The forest became dark once more.
"No. Not again."
The marks were gone. Cynthia spun around in panic, clutching Aegon close. She searched left and right, desperate for even a shimmer. Nothing appeared. The forest swallowed all hints of green.
She forced herself to breathe.
"Think. Cynthia, think."
Something had made the marks visible. Something she had done. She retraced her steps to the exact spot where she had first seen the green light. Still nothing. She circled the trees, studying the bark, searching for carvings, symbols, or mechanisms. She tried every angle, every step, every guess her frightened mind conjured.
An hour passed. She was no closer to understanding.
Then it hit her. The moment she had first seen the light. She had touched Aegon's hand. She had uncovered it from the blanket.
She drew a sharp breath.
"Of course. Why did I not realize sooner."
She unwrapped the cloth around Aegon and gently lifted his tiny hand into the moonlight. Instantly the green glow shimmered back into existence. The marks brightened, which was warm and inviting, stretching before her like a hidden path only the elves could see.
"Only elven blood can find the way."
She looked down at Aegon's sleeping face and smiled with weary tenderness.
"You were the answer all along, little one. Because of you, we have a chance. Because of your heritage, we can reach Eldhaven."
She adjusted his blanket carefully, covering him again to protect him from the cold but keeping one small hand free so the path would remain visible. The glowing marks glimmered faintly in the distance like stars fallen to the forest floor.
With renewed hope, Cynthia walked forward. The forest gradually thinned, and pale moonlight spilled through the branches, softening the darkness. Relief washed through her body, although she did not fully relax. Danger lived in every corner of the Endless Forest and Vaelmira had warned her that the land near Eldhaven held its own dangers and protection mechanisms against invaders.
At last she reached a river that cut through the woods like a silver serpent. A wooden bridge stretched across it. Even in the dim light, Cynthia knew immediately that elves had built it. Dead trees and fallen branches had been woven together with care, forming a structure that looked fragile yet sturdy. Elves hated cutting living wood. They believed the forest itself was a living spirit, and taking from it without necessity was an insult.
She stepped onto the bridge. The wood creaked softly beneath her weight. the river rushed far below with wild speed through the Endless Forest. She did not linger much longer. She crossed quickly, then passed into another stretch of forest that felt less denser and more brighter than before.
As she slipped back into the forest, the first signs of intelligent life appeared: abandoned cabins nestled among the trees. Built of weathered deadwood, they had long surrendered to ruin—roofs sagged, walls leaned drunkenly, and ivy spilled through shattered doorways like green blood. Cynthia moved past them in silence, a chill prickling her skin. She had never seen an elf settlement before; everything she knew of elves came from her friend and the broken stories of slave elves she'd met along the way in her life.
As she walked through the abandoned settlement, a cold chill crawled up her spine, raising goosebumps on her arms. Until now, the Endless Forest had been quiet—just the sharp chirp of birds echoing overhead, the dry rustle of wind pushing through the leaves, and the faint, earthy smell of damp moss and rotting wood.
But now she felt something new, something she hadn't noticed since entering the forest.
An unusual Movements.
She sensed it a split second before she heard it loudly: a soft crunch of twigs under weight, the sudden shift of air brushing her cheek like a breath. Her nose caught a sharp, musky scent—warm fur and wet earth. Then came the low but a deep growl, which the sound of it was vibrating through the ground into her boots, close enough that she could almost feel the heat of it.
She froze.
From between the trees, several dire wolves emerged. Their eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. Their bodies were massive, nearly four feet tall at the shoulder and longer than any ordinary wolf. They were creatures born of magic and the wildness of the forest. Their steps were quiet but full of deadly and aggressive intent.
Cynthia's blood ran cold. She tightened her grip on Aegon. With her free hand she drew her sword, though the blade trembled slightly as she lifted it. Fighting one dire wolf would be difficult. Fighting several was impossible.
"Stay back." she whispered under her breath, though her voice barely carried.
The wolves growled much louder this time. Their hair bristled. They spread out, slowly surrounding her.
She lifted the sword higher and shouted, her voice cracking with fear.
"Hey. Go away. I am not a meal for you tonight. Go and hunt some rabbits."
Her shouting only made them more aggressive. The largest wolf bared its teeth and stepped closer. Cynthia backed up until her back pressed against a tree trunk. She pressed Aegon tightly against her chest, her heart thundering.
"I can't run," she whispered, her breath slowly falling out from despair and desperation. "I can't fight either—not like this, in the pitch-black, with Aegon clutched in my hand."
As the wolf crouched to leap, a sudden light flashed from above. A streak of bright mana cut through the air and struck the ground between her and the wolves with a loud thud. It was an arrow, glowing with magic.
The dire wolves recoiled instantly, whimpering. Before Cynthia could understand what had happened, blurred shapes darted between the trees. These blurred figures were Silent and Swift. Unseen until they were upon the wolves.
The dire wolves turned and fled, disappearing into the forest. The shadowy figures pursued them briefly, then vanished just as quickly, leaving Cynthia alone.
Or so she thought.
A chilling sensation crawled up the back of her neck as she felt like she was being watched in every corner of the forest. She scanned the underbrush, the twisted trunks, the leaf-strewn ground—nothing was there. Only one place remained unchecked. So she looked up.
Dozens of glowing eyes stared down at her from the branches.
Her breath caught. While her fingers tightened around her sword. Moonlight filtered through the leaves just enough to reveal tall, slender silhouettes perched effortlessly in the trees. Elves. Dozens of them.
She swallowed, then forced a shaky greeting.
"Hello."
Silence answered to her greeting. Not one elf moved or made a sound, they just stared at her creepyly.
A moment later a voice drifted down from above, which was cold and sharp.
"What are you doing here, human? Have you forgotten the agreement your empire made not to enter our forest?"
Cynthia raised her chin. Her voice trembled, but she answered honestly.
"I seek refuge from the empire. I am bound to no human nation. I ask only to reach Eldhaven, nothing more."
The same elf replied, his tone icy.
"Leave now, human. Whatever troubles you carry have no place among us. We grant no asylum."
"Please," Cynthia said, trying to keeping her voice steady. "I have to reach Eldhaven. I must speak with your queen. It is important. It concerns—"
An arrow struck the ground so close to her feet that the earth cracked. Cynthia jerked backward, clutching Aegon protectively.
"Watch your tongue, human. How dare you speak of our queen mother. Who are you to even imagine you could stand before her."
His disdain poured over her like icy water.
At this time, Aegon's cry came out from the bundle of the clothes that Cynthia was hugging, and to this sudden cry of a child the elves got to know that there was an infant here amongst them.
From the far side of the ancient oak, an elf dangled upside-down, silver hair spilling like moonlight, toes curled tight around the gnarled branch. His voice drifted down, low and venomous.
"She drags a baby into this death-haunted wood? Damn, the cruelty in her blood runs deeper than I thought."
Another spat a bitter laugh, the sound like cracking ice.
"Cruelty? Mercy would've been leaving it to starve. Humans breed like rats, then barter their own children for coins or favors. I've heard that their kind fathers choking dust over their alive daughters' grave, cursing the womb that failed to spit out a son. Lesser, they call her. Subhuman. Beasts at least devour their weak with purpose."
Cynthia ignored the sting of their words and checked Aegon quickly. He blinked up at her with tearful icy blue eyes. She kissed his forehead and spoke loudly so the elves could hear.
"Please. I was guided here by my friend. She was an elf. This is her child."
A rustle sounded above her. The male elf who had spoken first leapt down from the branches. He landed silently on the earth a few meters away. Tall, broad-shouldered, brown hair tied back, eyes cold as winter steel. He approached slowly, gaze fixed on Aegon's pointed ears.
His expression changed instantly. He grabbed his bow and pulled an arrow, pointing it directly at Cynthia's chest.
"Are you a slave trader. Did you steal this child. Tell me how you kidnapped one of our own."
Cynthia stared at him in disbelief and replied to his outrageous remark.
"Is your hatred for humans so blind that you invent nonsense to make me your villain. How does that even make sense."
The elf snarled.
"Silence, human. Who knows what your kind plots. Perhaps you use an elven child to enter our walls with the intention of harming the queen mother."
Before he could say more, a calm but firm voice cut through the tension.
"That is enough, Eirathas. Stop your accusations."
A female elf stepped gracefully from the branches above and landed near them. Her hair was pale gold and her eyes sharp yet thoughtful. She stepped between Cynthia and the hostile elf and pushed his bow aside.
"Do not point an arrow at her. She is holding a baby."
She turned to Cynthia.
"Who was this friend of yours who told you to come here?"
And Cynthia replied to her "Vaelmira Moonborn. And he is her child."
The female elf's brows knit with doubt, she did not argue though she asked.
"Then where is this Vaelmira? Why did she entrust her child to you?"
Cynthia's eyes lowered. A quiet sadness softened her expression.
"She is gone," Cynthia said. "Humans hunted us when we tried to escape from their captivity. She stayed behind so we could flee. Her last request was that I bring her child to her homeland. She gave her life to make that possible."
The forest seemed to fall silent. Even the elves did not speak for several heartbeats.
At last the female elf replied quietly.
"I cannot judge the truth of this matter. It is not my place to decide. We will take you to the motherland."
Eirathas stepped forward angrily and protested.
"You cannot be serious. You would lead a human into our city. What if she lies. What if this is a trap. A way to learn where we live so her kind can return and enslave us. How can you accept her words so easily. For all we know she killed the child's mother herself and now uses the child to gain our trust."
The female elf turned to him sharply.
"Will you deny this child—an elf—his birthright to his mother's land? Will you tear from his veins the legacy that sings in his blood?"
Eirathas hesitated. As His jaw clenched in conflicted emotions.
"It is not for us to decide. We take her to the council. And they will judge her and decide not us."
The female elf looked toward the others in the trees.
"Blind her. And guide her steps. We return to Eldhaven."
Cynthia exhaled shakily, relief flooding her body. She looked at Aegon and whispered.
"Just a little more. We are close, little one."
An elf descended silently and approached her with a length of soft silk. The blindfold shimmered faintly in the moonlight.
Cynthia held still and asked.
"Why are you putting that on me?"
Eirathas answered with a cruel glare.
"Did you truly believe we'd let you stroll these paths unhindered, memorizing every twist and turn back to our hidden hearth—so you could lead the rest of your disgusting kind straight to our door?"
Cynthia ignored him. She shifted Aegon gently and spoke to the quieter elf.
"Be careful. I am holding a child."
The elf nodded and tied the silk blindfold around her eyes. Darkness enveloped her again, but this time it felt different. It felt like the closing of one life and the beginning of another.
Warm hands took hold of her arms. Soft voices murmured instructions.
"Step carefully. Follow us. Do not fear."
Cynthia clutched Aegon tightly to her chest as the elves led her forward down the wooden and hidden path of the Endless Forest.