BOOOOOM!

A loud, heavy blast echoed across the forest as a hail of arrows struck one after another, and each impact carried enough force to shake the ground while splinters of wood and dirt were thrown into the air.

The barrier Ethan had formed trembled violently, and faint cracks of light flickered across it as the force pressed down again and again.

"Did they find us?" Hale asked, and his voice carried worry as he tightened his grip on his weapon.

Ethan was about to reply when a cold voice cut through the forest.

"Intruders... this is just a warning shot."

"You are stepping into the Sacred Land of Elves which is restricted."

Ethan’s lips twitched slightly as he heard that, and his eyes narrowed while he looked ahead.

If that was a warning shot, then the real attack would not be something they could ignore so easily, and the force behind those arrows alone was enough to flatten many people to death.

The barrier slowly dispersed, and as the energy faded, their view cleared.

Ahead of them stood a squad of elves, and their movements were silent while their bows were already drawn and aimed precisely.

At the front stood a tall and handsome figure, and his aura clearly showed Mythic rank strength while his presence carried sharp alertness.

The moment his eyes landed on Ethan, his expression changed slightly, and a flicker of shock and something close to solemn recognition passed through his gaze.

Ethan stepped forward slowly and raised his hand slightly in a calm gesture.

"Sir, there might be a misunderstanding. We aren’t trespassing here," he said, and his tone was steady.

"We were traveling across the land, and being unfamiliar, we reached here."

The man at the front frowned slightly and lowered his bow just a bit while still staying cautious.

"Humans... you aren’t with demons, right?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Ethan replied without hesitation.

The man paused for a moment, and then as if remembering something, he spoke again.

"Are you that group that was defeated by demons?"

Hale and Ethan’s expressions changed slightly as they heard that, and a faint tension appeared.

Hale stepped forward with a small cough.

"Cough... yes, we are, but we aren’t just defeated. Sir Ethan had slain that Divine Knight of Orcs and several Mythic ranks, and it’s not our fault alone," he said while straightening his back.

The elf looked at them carefully for a moment, and then his expression eased slightly.

"I can infer that," he said, and then he turned his head and spoke quietly with his squad for a few seconds before looking back at them.

"Sir Ethan, I am Carrion, one of the guards of the forest," he said.

"If you want, you can come inside and rest."

Ethan glanced briefly at Hale and Maverick, and both of them looked slightly wary as they exchanged a silent look.

Maverick spoke quietly.

"I can mark this spot, and once we use the scroll, we can teleport back here in case of trouble."

That eased their concern a bit.

Ethan nodded.

"Alright," he said.

Carrion gestured forward, and the squad lowered their bows slightly while maintaining formation as they began to move.

Ethan, Hale, and Maverick followed behind.

The path into the forest was unlike anything they had seen before, and the dense trees slowly gave way to a structured passage where roots formed natural arches while faint glowing lights floated gently in the air.

The ground was covered in soft moss, and the air felt cleaner and calmer compared to the outside, and even the oppressive feeling of the Demon realm faded gradually.

Streams of clear water flowed quietly along the sides, and faint carvings could be seen on the trees as if the forest itself was alive and guarded.

As they walked, Ethan glanced around and then spoke.

"Are outsiders forbidden?" he asked.

Carrion shook his head slightly.

"No, not in a formal sense," he replied. "The outer city allows free exchange among all, but due to the demon war, we curved this."

He paused briefly and then continued.

"You see those demon dogs. They have been pushing their luck around and even wanted to fight us, and we don’t want those rabid dogs to approach here with their diseases, so we sealed our borders for now."

Ethan nodded as he heard that.

It made sense.

"About the disease... you know about it?" Ethan asked.

Carrion gave a small nod.

"Yes, we heard from sources that it’s affecting the young ones and destroying their potential, and for that they need an elixir crafted from human hearts," he said.

His expression grew heavier.

"It’s an inevitable war, and the way it’s going, it seems it is going to end with the destruction of one species," Carrion sighed.

Ethan closed his lips for a moment and stayed silent, and he did not know what to say as a heavy feeling settled in his chest. He felt helpless, and no matter how much he thought about it, he could not see a way to turn this war around when he himself was just a small being in the middle of something far bigger.

Soon, they moved deeper and finally entered the common area of the Elves.

The scene in front of them was completely different from the outside world.

The elven town was built in harmony with the forest, and huge ancient trees rose high into the sky while wooden platforms and houses were built around them in layers. Bridges made of vines and polished wood connected one tree to another, and soft glowing lights floated gently in the air like fireflies.

The ground was covered with smooth paths made from roots and stone, and streams of clear water flowed quietly across the town while faint sounds of life echoed around.

Elves moved gracefully through the area, and their presence felt calm yet alert, and even their common area carried a natural elegance that felt untouched by chaos.

Hale looked around silently, and even he could not hide the faint surprise in his eyes.

"This place..." he muttered.

........ 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

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