[Location: Unknown]
In a large, dimly lit hall, a man dressed in a purple robe rested on a throne adorned with bones and black gems.
His eyes glowed like embers as he watched the kneeling merchants before him.
The air was thick with tension, and even the bravest dared not look him directly in the eye. He was known only as Malakar, a feared figure who controlled much of the illegal trade that crossed the lands.
"I heard you lost a shipment?" Malakar's voice was a cold whisper, but enough to make the merchants tremble.
"Yes, master... one of the cages was found empty. The dark elf we captured escaped during the storm," stammered one of the men, sweat dripping from his brow.
"A Dark Elf... the same one I told you to be meticulous with and never take your eyes off her?" Malakar repeated slowly, as if savoring the words. He stood, his tall, imposing figure casting a shadow over the men. "Do you know who she is?"
The merchants exchanged nervous glances before one of them dared to answer. "She was just a five-year-old child, we didn't think she would escape..."
"Just a child?" Malakar interrupted, a cold smile spreading across his lips. "You are as blind as you are foolish. She was not just a child. That girl was important... something many would be willing to kill for. If you don't recover her, your heads will be added to my collection."
As the merchants babbled apologies, Malakar turned, his gaze landing on a woman hidden in the shadows. Her eyes were as black as night, but within them burned a flame of determination.
"Faen, find her. I want that child alive. And if anyone dares touch her before I allow it... destroy them."
The woman nodded with a predatory smile. "It will be done, master."
[Location: Forest, inside Elion's Barrier]
Meanwhile, in a quiet corner of the forest, Sylphie was beginning to adjust to her new life. It had been several days since her desperate escape, and the safety provided by Kael and Elion was something she was still learning to accept. There were no screams, no chains. Just the tranquility of the forest, the gentle breeze passing through the trees, and the sound of Kael turning the pages of a book.
She sat a short distance from him, watching him with curiosity. He spent hours in silence, completely immersed in the words written in that volume. Sylphie couldn't understand how someone so young could be so absorbed in something so... boring. After all, he wasn't like other children. He was different, and she knew it.
"Why are you reading that all the time?" she finally asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
Kael looked up, his calm gaze meeting hers. He seemed to reflect for a moment before answering. "I want to learn magic."
"Magic?" Sylphie repeated, tilting her head. "But you're just a baby. You can barely walk."
He smiled, but there was something in the smile that seemed older, as if he were much beyond his years. "Size is no excuse. I can move better than you."
Sylphie frowned, crossing her arms. "Then why do you want to learn magic?"
Kael closed the book, holding it in his lap as he looked up at the sky. "Magic is power. And power means you can protect the people who are important to you."
These words hit Sylphie hard. She fell silent for a moment, thinking about everything she had lost, everything she had left behind. What Kael said made sense, but it sounded like something an adult would say, not a child.
"Do you want to protect your mother?" she finally asked.
Kael shrugged. "She doesn't need protection. She's strong. But there are things even the strong can't do alone. I want to be ready when the time comes."
As they spoke... two women were watching much closer than they seemed, both of course, in camouflage that hid their bodies and presences.
From afar, Elion and Eva observed the children's interaction. Eva was leaning against a tree, her arms crossed, a smirk on her face. "Your son is impressive. It seems like he already knows exactly what he wants."
Elion scoffed, but there was a lightness in her eyes. "Keep your damn claws off my son. Do you think I don't know you've already noticed? Just stop looking at him like a predator! He's mine!"
"He's unique, that's for sure, but he's not yours, until he says he is," Eva replied, smiling, and then shifted her gaze to Sylphie. "And that girl? She has something special about her too. I can feel it. Something... ancient."
Elion looked at Sylphie, and for a moment, her eyes shone with a strange light. "She has potential and also... no, I'm not sure yet. But I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Only time will tell."
...
As the days passed, Sylphie began to feel more at ease. She helped Elion with small tasks around the house and watched Kael as he read or wrote. But there was something inside her that was starting to change. Sometimes, when she touched the trees or felt the wind on her face, it was like nature was speaking to her. She didn't understand why, but it was something she had always felt, even before being captured.
One night, while everyone was sleeping, Sylphie slipped out of the cabin to explore the forest. She walked to a small stream and sat by the water, looking at her reflection. Her eyes glowed under the moonlight, and she could feel something inside her, something that seemed to want to come out.
"You feel it, don't you?" Elion's voice startled her. The woman was standing a few meters away, watching her with curiosity.
"Feel what?" Sylphie asked, trying to hide her surprise.
Elion walked up to her and crouched, looking into her eyes. "The connection with nature. You're different, Sylphie."
The little girl didn't know what to say. All she wanted was to be normal, to live a peaceful life. But deep down, she knew Elion was right. She was different. And maybe that was why she had been captured.
"I don't want to be different," she said, clenching her fists.
"Huh? Being blessed by the World Tree is the best blessing for an Elf, even a Dark Elf," Elion said, causing the little girl's mouth to drop open in shock.
"Can you teach me how to use it?" That was her first question, but...
"It won't work, little one. You'll die if you learn anything from me," Elion said before starting to turn away. "Let's go inside. My son can't catch a cold because he went looking for a girl," Elion said with a bitter smile.
"Damn," she cursed as she left the girl behind.
---
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