"… Mother."


    "… Mother."


    "MOTHER!"


    Startled, niel, the queen of the elves, woke up from her stupor and looked to her side. Elowyn, her beloved daughter, was calling out to her.


    "W-what?" niel mumbled, disoriented and still partly lost in her thoughts.


    Elowyn sighed, her heart heavy with concern as she looked at her mother''s reaction. niel, the queen of the elves, appeared lost in thought, her gaze distant and preupied.


    "You still have to make a decision on how to handle the survivors infected by Kaksan''s Miasma, and what to do with the elders who wish to get back at the city," Elowyn gently reminded her mother.


    "R-right"


    Elowyn couldn''t help but worry about her mother. Since the attack, niel had been carrying a tremendous burden of guilt. She med herself for the tragedy that had unfolded in their once-peaceful city of Faerielight. Hundreds of innocent lives had been lost, and over a thousand of their soldiers had perished while bravely attempting to fend off the monstrous beast.


    The destruction wrought by Kaksan''s assault left Faerielight in ruins. The survivors, infected by the miasma, were in a perilous state, fighting to resist the corruption it wrought upon their bodies and minds.


    The scars on the once lush and vibrant forest were immeasurable. Kaksan''s destructive rampage had wreaked havoc beyond their ability to quantify, leaving thend wounded and the elves traumatized. Even though the malevolent beast had been eventually subjugated, the echoes of the fear it had instilled in them still lingered, an ever-present reminder of the horrors they had endured.


    Elowyn''s frustration swelled when she thought of the elders who had fled at the first sign of Kaksan''s mana, only to now return and im some sort of credit for the resolution of the situation. They had the audacity to lecture her mother, the queen, insinuating that without their initial escape, she wouldn''t be seated on the throne. The audacity of these elders infuriated Elowyn, and her magical abilities responded to her surging emotions.


    Sparks of fire gathered at her fingertips as her mana spiraled around her like a fiery tempest. She felt the heat and energy building within her, a reflection of her intense emotions and the burning determination to protect her people and her mother.


    Although there were survivors thanks to Kaksan''s twisted sadism, he had left his victims mutted rather than outright killing them, giving them a chance to heal after the battle had ended. The poisoned ck miasma he had unleashed still tainted the air, a constant reminder of the malevolence that had gued theirnd.


    Elowyn knew that their struggles were far from over, and the situation was still dire. But she was determined to stand firm and help her mother make the decisions that would lead their people to recovery and restoration. The fires in her heart represented not just anger but a resolute determination to heal their woundednd and to ensure justice for those who had suffered.


    The absence of their hero, Adrian only added much burden on Elowyn.


    He had left immediately after the battle was over, leaving Elowyn to take on the burden of being praised as their hero.


    The people looked up to her with admiration and gratitude, their hopes lifted by the presence of a princess who had fought alongside them.


    While she was ustomed to receiving attention as a princess, this level of adoration was something entirely different.


    ''Even though he seemed dangerous he was true to his words, he really did juste here to kill that beast'' Elowyn thought contemting what to reward Adrian in the future.


    She had questions for Adrian, questions that she needed answers to. However, those questions would have to wait.


    She couldn''t leave the city at this critical juncture. Her mother needed her to help stabilize the situation and guide the city towards recovery.


    The woundednd, the survivors, the lingering miasma—all required her immediate attention. The weight of her duties as a princess and as a hero pressed upon her, and she knew that she needed to be strong for her people.


    Despite Elowyn''s best efforts, theizens were growing increasingly vocal in theirints about the royal family''s inability to erase the effects of the ck miasma that still gued the survivors.


    It seemed like no matter how hard they worked, the solutions they had tried were only temporary, and the miasma''s grip on the people remained. Theizens demanded answers and immediate relief for those suffering from its effects.


    Elowyn and her mother considered seeking the help of the World Tree to provide a wellspring of energy and pure life force to the affected citizens.


    However, the World Tree was currently preupied with restoring itself after the damage inflicted by Kaksan''s miasma.


    The tree''s roots had been damaged, and while the barrier it once provided was slowly being repaired, it could only block mid to low-ranking monsters from entering the city.


    The more formidable high-ranking monsters remained a looming threat, and with the city''s scent still carrying the lingering aroma of blood, the danger was far from over.


    Frustration and helplessness gnawed at Elowyn as she grappled with the magnitude of the situation. She knew that they needed a more sustainable solution, one that would not only heal the afflicted but also fortify the city against future threats.


    "Your majesty, your highness" called out a royal guard


    "Elder Rondil wishes to speak with you"


    Elowyn''s eyes zed with an intense mixture of anger and power when a royal guard appeared unannounced and delivered a message about Elder Rondil''s desire to speak with her.


    She couldn''t hide her contempt for the elders who had abandoned the city in its time of need, taking the majority of their followers with them.


    Addressing the guard, Elowyn''s voice dripped with disdain "So, there were still loyalists of the elders inside the royal guards left? I thought you guys followed those cowards. Why are you still here?" Her disdainful tone reflected her frustration at the betrayal they had endured.


    The guard, who still harbored allegiance to the elders, tried to respond but found himself overpowered by the tremendous mana emanating from Elowyn. He was forced into a submissive position, his body bending towards the ground under the crushing weight of her power.


    "They dare want to speak with us? Haha, the audacity"


    Elowyn''s anger surged as she contemted the audacity of the elders seeking an audience with her. In a swift and fiery disy of her abilities, she unleashed her power, causing the unfortunate guard to erupt into mes, reducing him to ashes in mere moments.


    The guards, concealed in their positions around the queen and princess, were taken aback by Elowyn''s impressive disy of fire maniption.


    They watched in awe as their princess showcased her incredible control over this powerful element.


    While their instincts urged them to react forcefully against the intruding guard, they understood that it was their duty to protect the royal family and act only upon their orders.


    ''My control over fire really became easier huh?''


    As Elowyn calmly flexed her fingers, she couldn''t help but marvel at her newfound ease in controlling fire.


    The bond she shared with her high-ranking spirit, Lason, had deepened and grown more potent since theirst encounter.


    The blessings he had bestowed upon her seemed to be strengthening, granting her greatermand over the element of fire.


    ''I may have gotten stronger, but this is not enough to protect this ce"


    Elowyn watched her mother, Queen niel, who had been lost in her own thoughts. Even after everything that happned just not there was still an absentminded look in her mother''s eyes, as if she were suffering from some form of mental distress.


    This had be a recurring pattern since her awakening after Kaksan''s devastating attack on Faerielight. Elowyn couldn''t bear to see her mother in this state and felt the need to providefort.


    Approaching her mother, Elowyn gently wrapped her arms around her, embracing her in a warm and reassuring hug.


    She hoped that this physical connection would offer some sce to her mother during this difficult time.


    ....


    "Please, no! Don''t do this!" the young elf begged; his voice filled with desperation. His body was covered in blood, his arms severed, and his right foot was missing. Despite his gruesome injuries, he mustered the strength to crawl frantically in search of safety.


    As he looked back over his shoulder, he was met with a surreal sight: a seemingly innocent and beautiful young girl. However, her smile was anything but innocent; it bore a sinister and menacing quality. Behind her, nightmarish tentacles wriggled and squirmed, adding to the eerie atmosphere.


    The girl''s demeanor was unsettling, and she spoke with an unsettling calmness, "I really need to tone down this bad habit of mine." Her tongue darted out, briefly touching her lips as if savoring the impending moment.


    With deliberate, unhurried steps, she drew closer to the wounded elf, her intentions shrouded in darkness and dread.


    "No! Get away from me, monster!" the terrified elf shrieked as he struggled to crawl away from the approaching darkness.


    The sinister young girl taunted him with a cruelughter, her voiceced with sadistic glee. "Then you should run faster, but oh, right, you can''t. Hahahaha!"


    Suddenly, in a blur of horrifying speed, the tentacles shot forth, coiling around the man and piercing his flesh, pinning him mercilessly to the ground. The elf''s anguished scream filled the air as his vision darkened, and he could only cry out in despair as he witnessed the child''s body undergoing a grotesque transformation.


    The girl''s form twisted and writhed, morphing into an embodiment of pure darkness, a nightmarish maw with a thousand razor-sharp teeth, all shrouded in a dark, viscous miasma.


    CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!


    A sickening crunch filled the air as the man was swallowed whole, his body devoured and crushed with each ruthless bite. His bones snapped and splintered with every merciless chew, and he was consumed by the insatiable darkness.


    "Fael!" A desperate shout called out for the child, causing her to panic. In a split second, she reverted to her innocent, childlike form.


    She fled from the abandoned rubble, erasing all traces of her prior activities, and ran towards the voice, her youthful innocence returning. "I''m here, Uncle!" she eximed, waving her small hands enthusiastically.


    However, her enthusiasm was short-lived as a sudden bonk on the head caught her off guard. She found herself standing before a middle-aged-looking elf, who reprimanded the child with a stern expression. "I told you to stay put, kid!"


    "I''m sorry," Fael mumbled, her eyes downcast. "It was just so boring at the camps."


    The middle-aged elf could only let out a sigh, realizing how difficult it was for the child to remain still.


    He couldn''t stay mad at her for long, so he patted her head affectionately.


    "Look, I understand your boredom" her uncle began, trying to convey the seriousness of the situation.


    "But the city isn''t safe right now. We don''t know what kind of monsters are still lingering here after the barrier broke down. And besides, do you want to get infested like those people in the emergency section?"


    The child''s eyes widened with fear, and she immediately pleaded "N-no!" as she grabbed his arms.


    Her uncle couldn''t resist her innocence and fear, so he reached down and ruffled her hair once more, shing aforting smile.


    Together, they walked back to the camp, and he offered the little girl some candy, all while remaining oblivious to the true nature of the creature he was taking care of.


    ….


    How can I reestablish contact with my father? It''s a question that has gued my thoughts for some time.


    My current form may be small, but it is excellent. However, the vige has be a gilded cage, and I suspect they will never allow me to leave.


    The idea of killing them all has crossed my mind, especially considering that most of my strength has returned. I have a sense that there is no one left here who could truly challenge me.


    As I grapple with these dark considerations, a voice interrupts my thoughts.


    "Fael y with us"


    A young boy, with his blonde hair catching the dappled sunlight, beckons me to join them in y.


    The other children in the camp have devised games to cope with the somber reality surrounding us, ying house and engaging in simple, carefree pastimes.


    But I give a cold, upromising "No" in response.


    The boy''s hopeful expression fades into disappointment, his eyes losing their luster. Yet, I feel nothing for him, nor for the other children.


    To me, they are insignificant, their life forcescking appeal, and their flesh offering no temptation. My own obsessions hold my focus as I contemte my sinister goals.


    As I considered my options for reestablishing contact with father, the idea of sending mana signals crosses my mind. It could be an effective method, but a creeping sense of foreboding holds me back.


    I can''t shake the feeling that something sinister may happen to me the moment I release my mana into the wild once more.


    If there was one child I had a desire to possess, it would be that kid standing in the distance. The child was dressed in high-ss elven fabrics and wore a flower crown on her head, which made it quite clear who she was.


    "P-princess Iselia, is it really alright?"


    "Yes."


    The child she was talking to appeared truly delighted to receive some kind of healing flowers from the princess.


    However, it was evident that the elven guards reprimanded the princess for offering such a high-ss gift to a mere ailing child.


    Even if the child experienced physical healing from the flower, I knew that my dark miasma would continue to seep through, ultimately taking the child''s life along with the enhanced life force gained from the flower.


    I couldn''t conceal the sinister smile that crept across my face as I continued to watch the young princess.


    Even though she was just a child at this moment, the reservoir oftent energy within her was nothing short of astonishing. Her future held the promise of tremendous potential.


    ''Ahh! I want it''


    I yearned to inhabit her body, to take control of her life and her destiny.


    ''I''m sure father would like the pretty look of the princess''


    ''How should I kill her as painfully as possible?''