SSssshhhhppp
Thud!
An arrow struck down the head of the Monster Elf, causing its body to disintegrate into mere sand… Aria, hiding behind the towering trees, peered at the chaotic scene unfolding before her eyes. Hundreds of Monster Elves roamed the area, their grotesque forms screaming and wreaking havoc as they mercilessly slaughtered innocent people.
“Tsk, damn it! What the hell is wrong with these creatures?” Aria muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with frustration and disbelief. Her gaze shifted to Liora, who was in her wolf form, ferociously tearing off the head of one of the monsters with her powerful jaws.
“Liora!” Aria called out sharply. Liora reverted to her normal form, turning to face her with a questioning look. “Hmm? What’s wrong?”
“How many people have we lost so far?” Aria demanded, her voice tight with concern. Liora scanned the battlefield, her sharp eyes taking in the fallen guards and soldiers who lay lifeless around them.
“Approximately 200–” she began, but her words were abruptly cut off as an arrow whizzed through the air toward her. Reacting swiftly, Liora snatched it mid-flight with her hand and turned toward the direction it had come from, her expression darkening.
Grrkkk
Grrkkk
It was those Monster Elves, their twisted forms utilizing bows and other weapons to spread death and destruction.
“200?” Aria repeated, her voice filled with disbelief. She clenched her fists… So many lives had been sacrificed, and they had managed to eliminate only a fraction of their enemies. “Argh!” she growled, gritting her teeth in frustration. Without hesitation, she stepped out from behind the tree, knocking four arrows at once, and aimed at the Elves wielding bows.
SSssshhhhppp
Thud!
Thud!
Two of the arrows found their mark, striking the Monster Elves down. However, the remaining two escaped, retreating into the woods.
“Aether?” Liora murmured suddenly, her voice barely audible. Aria’s ears perked up, and she turned to see Liora staring intently at the sky. Following her gaze, Aria’s eyes widened as she saw Aether descending from above, carrying her mother securely in his arms.
A sense of relief washed over Aria, and she exhaled deeply, as though the presence of Aether alone could assure their survival.
Aether landed gracefully on the ground, his expression shifting from gentle to serious in an instant.
“Aether!”
“Husband!”
Both Aria and Liora called out to him. Aether gave them a soft smile before his eyes hardened, “What’s the situation?” he asked, his tone firm yet calm.
“Something terrible is happening within the Wood Elf tribe,” Aria began, her voice trembling slightly. “We tried to enter, but these monsters—these abominations that look like Elves—attacked us relentlessly. We’ve lost so many people… too many,” she admitted, her tone heavy with sadness and regret.
Aether nodded, his eyes scanning the scene of devastation. Bodies littered the ground, many pierced by arrows or torn apart as if by feral beasts.
‘Hmm… it seems some of them have managed to retain their original abilities,’ Aether thought, his mind racing as he considered the implications of the Rainbow Arcane Crystal’s power.
Just as Aether had used the Rainbow crystal on Snowflake, the Master had apparently used it on these individuals, transforming them into the monstrosities they had become.
But then suddenly—
SSssshh—
Aether’s hand shot out, catching an arrow aimed directly at Maelona. His glare was like a dagger, causing the Monster Elf responsible to flinch and retreat in fear. Aether’s frown deepened as he turned to Liora. “Where is Kaelen? Call him immediately,” he instructed.
Liora gave a short nod before letting out a piercing howl that echoed across the forest.
Aether stepped forward, and one Monster jumped towards him but Aether a simple wave from his hand purple flames erupted like a wave causing the monster to crisp… then his voice resonated with authority as he addressed, “I know some of you still hold on to your consciousness. Listen to me—let us in, and I promise we won’t harm you or your kind.”
“Aether, have you lost your mind? They’re monsters! You can’t possibly trust them,” Aria interjected, her voice sharp with disbelief. The memory of their grotesque forms and the horrors they had caused filled her with revulsion.
Maelona, still shaken, nodded in agreement. “She is right. I’ve seen them up close. They’re terrifying. We can’t let them live,” she insisted, her voice trembling slightly.
Aether shook his head. “I understand your fears, but the situation isn’t as simple as it seems,” he explained patiently. “Their bodies have been forcibly mutated, granting them immense power—power rivalling that of the Chosen Ones. However, their minds… their minds have either been numbed, leaving them as mindless monsters or….. they’ve retained enough awareness to see us as a threat and attack out of fear,” he added, gesturing toward the arrows fired by the Monster Elves.
He tested before so of course what others didn’t know about this.
Liora, Aria, and Maelona exchanged uneasy glances before one of them finally asked, “Are you saying they were forced into this? But how… and who would do such a thing?”
“Alaric,” Aether replied grimly, his voice carrying the weight of certainty. Raising his voice, he called out, “I know who did this to you. It was your tribe’s so-called hero—Alaric, wasn’t it?”
Hidden among the trees, the Monster Elves froze. Though they sneered, their expressions betrayed pain and anguish.
Grrkkk
Grrrrrkkk
Grrkkk
Grrkkkkkk
The guttural sounds they made seemed almost like words as if they were speaking to each other.
Liora’s ears twitched, picking up the subtle tones. “Wait… are they communicating?” she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.
Maelona and Aria raised their eyebrows, equally surprised.
Aether said to everyone, “Believe me, I’ve seen firsthand what the Arcane Crystal is capable of. It can turn some into mindless monsters, while others who can’t handle its power literally explode into pieces! So as long as you interact with us… I promise your safety!”
Suddenly, one of the Monster Elves stepped out from behind the trees. Aria instinctively raised her bow, ready to fire, but Aether held up his hand to stop her.
As Aether studied the creature, he noticed something unusual. Though its body bore all the hallmarks of a mindless beast, its eyes… its eyes still had pupils—a glimmer of humanity amidst the monstrosity.
Grrrrrkkk
The Monster Elf emitted a low, guttural sound as if struggling to communicate. Aether sighed, He shook his head, “I can’t understand your words… Just lower the bow, and maybe we can figure this out together—”
“FATHER!!”
Kaelen’s voice thundered as he arrived on the scene, his boots skidding to a halt. His eyes widened in sheer disbelief as he took in the grotesque sight before him. “Holy shit! What in all the empire is that thing?” he shouted, his tone laced with horror and confusion.
The Monster Elf flinched at the outburst, its primal instincts kicking in as it raised its bow, aiming directly at Kaelen with a growl of warning.
“You dare to point your weapon at me, you filthy monst—!” Kaelen’s angry rant was cut short when Liora swiftly slapped her hand over his mouth, her sharp glare silencing him. Kaelen’s protests were reduced to muffled grumbles as he begrudgingly shut up, his eyes darting toward her in irritation.
“Enough,” Aether commanded, His gaze shifted back to the Monster Elf as he spoke gently. “It’s alright. No one is going to hurt you. Just put the weapon down, and let’s try to understand each other.” as he increased his charm ability.
Grrrrrkkk
The creature’s guttural growls rumbled again, its massive frame trembling as if caught in an internal struggle. Slowly, hesitantly, it began to lower the bow, its jagged claws shaking with visible apprehension.
Aether gave a small, reassuring nod. “That’s it,” he murmured softly. He stepped forward with careful, deliberate movements, his body language radiating trust.
“Aether!” Aria called out sharply… she instinctively moved to follow him, her hand tightening on her bow, but stopped short when Aether raised his hand. His silent signal for her to stay back.
Reluctantly, Aria halted, her lips pressed into a thin line as unease flickered across her features.
The creature before Aether was trembling violently now, its drool pooling on the ground as it snarled lowly. Its hand twitched near the bow, its instincts to defend itself warring with its hesitation.. But Aether remained steadfast.
He took another step forward, his expression warm and inviting, and then—without any warning—he wrapped his arms around the creature in a gentle embrace.
“Shit!” Kaelen exclaimed, stumbling back in sheer disbelief, ‘What the hell is he doing now? Hugging that ugly thing?’
“You’ve done well, Little girl,” Aether murmured softly, his voice soothing as he leaned close to the creature’s ear. “You’ve been so brave, enduring so much. No one is going to hurt you anymore, I promise~”
[+100 AP]
Grrrrrkkkllll
The Monster Elf let out a deep, mournful cry as its massive arms hesitantly encircled Aether in return. Its entire body trembled with emotion as thick, glistening tears began to spill from its grotesque eyes, rolling down its malformed cheeks.
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The sound of its sobs was haunting, a mixture of anguish and relief.
Aria, Maelona, and the others stood frozen in place, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. Could it be possible that this monstrous creature had nothing more than a frightened soul in desperate need of comfort?
From the surrounding shadows, other Monster Elves began to emerge one by one. They moved cautiously, their bows slipping from their clawed hands as they stepped into the clearing. Each one hesitated briefly before slowly approaching Aether, their guttural cries growing louder as they joined the embrace.
Grrrrrkkklllllllllllrrrrr!!!
Grrrrrkkklllllllllllrrrrr!!!
[+100 AP]
[+100 AP]
[+100 AP]
[+100 AP]
[+100 AP]
…..
…
Aria exhaled a deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her tense shoulders finally relaxing. Maelona stood nearby, her sharp gaze fixed on Aether as he continued to comfort the creatures. After a moment, he turned his head slightly and gave her a subtle nod.
Understanding his intent, Maelona nodded back before addressing her soldiers, “Guide them to a safe area. Keep them as far from civilians as possible, and avoid any form of confrontation unless absolutely necessary. Is that understood?”
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions filled with doubt, but they nodded and obeyed. Slowly and carefully, they began guiding the Monster Elves away from the area.
As the creatures moved off, Maelona turned to Aether with a questioning look. “Are you certain this is the right choice?”
“I believe it is,” Aether replied firmly. Without waiting for further questions, he pivoted and began walking deeper into the forest. His gaze flickered briefly upward, where the massive brown dragon continued its ferocious battle against the hooded figures in the sky.
Their journey was far from over. As they pressed forward, they encountered more mindless Monster Elves, their savage nature apparent in the way they attacked on sight. Unlike the conscious ones, these feral creatures left Aether no choice but to dispatch them quickly… without hesitation.
“It seems the conscious ones fled the Wood Elf tribe,” Maelona said after observing.
Aether nodded grimly. “They must have sensed the danger and tried to escape… but your forces caught them before they could get far….” His voice trailed off as his eyes narrowed on a horrifying sight ahead—a Monster Elf crouched low, ravenously devouring another of its kind.
“Ugh… That’s revolting!” Kaelen growled, his face twisting in disgust. Without a moment’s hesitation, he transformed into his wolf form and lunged at the creature, aiming to sink his fangs into its neck.
Grrrrrkkk
The Monster Elf barely flinched. With terrifying strength, it caught Kaelen mid-attack, slamming him into the ground with a sickening thud. It leaned in, preparing to sink its jagged teeth into him.
Thwack!
An arrow whizzed through the air, striking the Monster Elf squarely in the forehead. Its body crumbled into sand, leaving behind the gleaming Rainbow Arcane Crystal.
“You’ve got a lot to learn, Kaelen,” Aria said with a smirk, lowering her bow confidently.
Kaelen’s lips twitched in irritation. Inwardly, he grumbled, ‘Easy for you to say. Your level is miles ahead of mine, so of course you’re stronger!’
Liora knelt beside the remains, her sharp eyes narrowing. “These ones… they don’t turn into sand completely. Their pupils stay intact… looks like conscious ones were not turning sand”
Aether’s brow furrowed as unease gnawed at him. They needed answers—quickly. Picking up their pace, the group moved forward until they reached the Wood Elf tribe’s perimeter.
What greeted them was a towering barricade of massive wooden spikes encircling the village, as if the forest itself had risen to defend its inhabitants.
BOOOMMM!
The air trembled as a deafening explosion echoed above, the dragon unleashing its fury upon the hooded figures.
“If we continue down this path, we might find an entrance—” Maelona began, but her words were cut off as Liora stepped forward. With a single, devastating punch, she shattered the towering wooden spikes into splinters.
Maelona’s lips twitched in exasperation. “Well… I suppose that’s one way to do it.”
Aria chuckled softly, her amusement short-lived as they entered the tribe’s boundaries… Aether’s eyes widened, his heart sinking at the scene that awaited them…..
“HELP US!”
“NOOO!!”
“MOMMY, DON’T EAT M—!!!”