Chucckk!
“AETHEERRR!!!”
Maelona screamed as she jolted awake, her body drenched in cold sweat, her breath ragged and uneven, her entire frame trembling.
Her face contorted with a horrified expression as she parted her lips, trying to say something—anything—but no words came out. The vivid image of Aether killing himself was still burned into her mind, haunting her like a cursed memory that refused to fade.
Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe, her fingers instinctively reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table. But—
Thud!
Trrrrnnngg!!
The glass slipped from her trembling hands and crashed onto the floor, shattering into scattered pieces…. Her fingers clenched the sheets as she stared at the broken shards, her heart pounding relentlessly, her body frozen in a mixture of fear and overwhelming grief.
“-Ha-Ha-Ha…”
Maelona exhaled shakily, dragging in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Her pulse throbbed violently in her ears, and she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady herself. After what felt like an eternity, she finally managed to let out a slow, shuddering sigh before mumbling to herself, “W-What the hell was that? This nightmare… it felt so real, just like before…”
Her thoughts drifted to a few months ago, when she had experienced a similar vivid dream.
It was as if she had truly lived through it—only to suddenly return, like time itself had rewound, erasing everything… Back then, she had brushed it off, convincing herself it was just exhaustion from overworking to restore the academy. Even in the dream, all she did was work, so she hadn’t thought much of it.
But now… this wasn’t just some random nightmare.
This was something else.
“Am I… seeing the future?” Maelona murmured, a deep frown forming on her face as unease settled in her chest. But when she checked her log… there was nothing new.
Nothing had changed!
“Then why? Are these just nightmares?” she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper. But deep inside, she knew—this was no ordinary dream.
The pain, the anguish, the sheer terror she had felt… it was all too real.
Her brows furrowed deeply as she massaged her temples. Maybe she needed to take something for this—a potion, some medicine—anything to keep her from going insane.
She lay back down, willing herself to sleep again…. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t.
Every time she closed her eyes, the same haunting image of Aether killing himself replayed over and over, tormenting her.
As if it was destined to happen!
“Arrgh!” Maelona groaned, frustrated and exhausted. She finally sat up, rubbing her face before deciding to take a walk around the corridor. Maybe stretching her legs would help clear her mind.
However, just as she stepped out, she spotted Liora sprinting down the hall.
“Where the hell are you going in the middle of the night?” Maelona called out, her voice firm.
Liora abruptly halted, turning her head to glance at her. A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes as she smirked, “Didn’t Husband inform you?”
Maelona’s frown deepened. “What?”
Liora blinked innocently before grinning wider. “Oh well~ Bye then!” she chimed playfully before dashing away again.
Maelona’s lips twitched furiously. ‘This bitch!’
But before she could chase after her—
“Mom!”
A familiar voice called out, and Maelona turned just in time to see Aria approaching, her expression unusually serious.
“I was just about to wake you… thank goodness you’re up,” Aria said, a hint of urgency in her tone.
Maelona crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “What’s going on? Why all the sudden commotion in the middle of the night?” she asked, noticing the unease on her daughter’s face.
Aria inhaled deeply before nodding. “Mom, I don’t know the details, but… Aether told me to inform you that we need to isolate the Wood Tribe immediately and evacuate everyone else as far away as possible.”
Maelona’s breath hitched…. Her pupils dilated as a wave of shock and horror overtook her remembering the horrors of monster elves!!, “T-T—”
“T?” Aria repeated, her frown deepening in concern. “Mom? What’s wrong?”
“Time—” Maelona started, but before she could finish her sentence—
Her vision twisted.
Darkness!
A suffocating void!!
Her eyes widened as she tried to process what was happening, “W-Where am I—”
But then she saw it.
A pure white feminine figure.
Its body was eerily pristine, yet its face—
A deep black, massive grin.
And it was standing—no—floating. Upside down!!
Its pure white fingers slowly moved up to its black grin, tracing the edges of its grotesque smile.
Then, it moved.
“Ssshh!”
It hushed her—deeply, hauntingly.
As if commanding her to stay silent.
Forever!
Maelona’s breath caught in her throat, and without thinking, she nodded frantically, like a panicked woodpecker, her entire body rigid with fear.
Then—
Everything snapped back.
She gasped sharply as her vision returned to normal.
“Mom? Are you okay?!” Aria’s worried voice shook her shoulder. Her mother suddenly went daze while talking!
Maelona blinked rapidly, her body trembling. “H-Huh? Y-Yeah, yeah… I-I’m fine,” she stammered, forcing herself to breathe evenly. “So… what do you need again?”
Aria stared at her, “Are you… really alright?” she asked, her voice pressing with concern.
Maelona forced a strained smile, waving a hand dismissively. “I-It’s just… I just woke up, so my mind is all over the place,” she said, hoping her daughter would drop it.
Aria hesitated but eventually nodded. “Alright… Anyway, You need to handle the situation, but it must be done quietly. No one should know about it. Evacuate the people silently, and whatever you do, do not cause any panic. Aether was very clear about this.”
Maelona inhaled deeply before nodding. “Fine. I’ll take care of it.”
Aria exhaled in relief, flashing a small smile before adding, “Also, he specifically asked about anything related to the Fox Tribe.”
Maelona’s frown returned. “The Fox Tribe?”
“Yes,” Aria confirmed. “Do we have any records related to them here?”
Maelona’s expression darkened as a wave of unease settled in. ‘The Fox Tribe was wiped out long ago… Why is Aether suddenly asking about them now?’
Her fingers instinctively curled into a fist as she thought about it before replying, “You might find a few things in our Elanthariel’s Archive.”
Aria nodded before hurrying off to read through the archives. Meanwhile, Maelona stepped back into her room, locking the door tightly behind her. But as soon as she turned—
“Vooooooo!!!”
She lurched forward, violently vomiting onto the floor, her body jerking uncontrollably as the contents of her stomach came up.
Her entire body shook as her face twisted in pure horror. Gasping for air, she wiped her mouth with trembling hands and turned toward the mirror. But the moment she lifted her gaze—
A chilling reflection stared back at her.
The memories white figure with the massive black grin flashed before her eyes, and—
“Vvvoooooooooooo!”
Another wave of nausea hit her like a tidal wave, forcing her to vomit again. Her stomach twisted painfully, but she barely registered the discomfort.
It took her a few agonizing minutes to collect herself, panting heavily as she clutched the edge of the table for support. Her fingers trembled as she whispered, “I… I’ve seen that face before… That book—”
Her exhausted eyes flickered with realization. Without wasting another second, she stumbled toward her cupboard, yanking it open and frantically rummaging through her old belongings.
“Not here… not here… not here—!” she muttered under her breath, her hands scrambling through piles of dusty objects, tossing them aside without a second thought.
Her room became a complete mess within seconds, but she didn’t care… Her mind was fixated on that book.
And finally—
“Sigh…”
A heavy breath of relief escaped her lips as she clutched an old, tattered book in her hands. The pages were so fragile that even the slightest pressure could tear them apart.
Her gaze darkened as she gazed down at the weathered cover of the book–
“No… this isn’t just a book… It’s a story,” she murmured, staring at the worn cover.
A story that wasn’t meant for amusement—
But for fear!
Yes, A story that had once been read to her by her parents. Not to entertain her, but to scare her.
It was a well-known tale among her tribe, a terrifying story told to children to ensure they never strayed, never misbehaved, and never dared to harm others.
A story about Three children.
“…And that’s all I remember,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
It had been so long ago. Like every other child, she had believed in the story when she was young…. But as she grew up, she dismissed it as nothing more than a foolish legend.
She had forgotten it.
Or at least… she thought she had.
Until now.
As she ran her fingers over the cover, her heart pounded at the one thing she did remember—
A drawing!
A single drawing that had haunted her as a child. A drawing that, even now, sent a deep chill down her spine…. like a child!
With trembling fingers, she carefully opened the book. Most of the letters had faded with time, barely legible, but she didn’t care. She flipped through the pages carefully, her breath uneven, her fingers slightly shaking—
Until—
“Haa—”
Her breath hitched!
Her body stiffened!!
Her pupils dilated in pure horror!!!
There it was!
A drawing of a feminine figure with a massive, eerie grin.
Just like the one she had just seen.
But that one… was alive.
Her entire body went cold as she stared at the page, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Her trembling lips barely moved as she read the remaining words on the page aloud:
“…It was then that the devil tricked the children… and the bond that once held them together was shattered. As their ties broke apart, the devil could do nothing but… grin.”
Her memories slowly began to jog as fragments of the story outline resurfaced in her mind.
“I… I remember now…” she whispered, her voice uneven, barely above a murmur.
“It was about the lives of three children who became sinners and were tricked by… by… by… the Devil and… an… an— ouc—”
Suddenly,
A piercing headache exploded in her skull.
She winced, shaking her head desperately as the pain coursed through her… But before she could recover, her eyes widened in sheer terror when the drawing in the book suddenly flickered and,
“Ssshh!”
The figure in the drawing…. hushed. and then, with an eerie, unnatural speed, it zoomed toward Maelona!
Thud!
Maelona was thrown to the ground, motionlessly!
Everything unnervingly turned silent… until,
But then—
The book in her hand began to change. Its pages twisted and turned into a deep black, crisp texture, as though the very essence of the book was being burned and turned ash.
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And then—
Puffffff!!!
Disappeared!