As the group marched back to their homeland, nearing the village, they were greeted with a warm welcome. Trees and houses were hanged with bright lanterns, casting out not only the gloom of Verlassene but also the childrens' fatigue when they saw them. Right in the middle, a feast laid on a long intricate elven table, there were appetizing mushrooms and meats which are the usual food from their environment.

Twenty adults stand on the side, full of smiles as they excitedly await the little hunters, it wasn't extravagant, but it was brimming with heartfelt family presence. When the youngsters entered the brilliant vicinity, the adults approached to treat them with warm hugs and words of worry.

Elven couples mostly birth a single child, they can only thank their whole life's luck for having two, no wonder they are handled as precious treasures, but it doesn't mean they would hinder their growth. Having a maximum lifespan of 300 years, anyone below 50 was considered young, looking for a potential partner is also within that period, then they spent the rest of their lives together.

A simple tradition.

"Little Enni, over here" a tender voice calls Aldeice.

Who else could it be but his affectionate mother? On her habitual dress, she ran over to him smilingly, then she crouched a bit to tightly embrace Aldeice then gave him a few loving pecks on the cheek.

'Oh what our great scientist has become,' of course, his beloved Blanche didn't forget to make fun of his situation, her voice sounded like someone who's holding laughter.

'Just wait till I can properly discipline you for all the atrocities of your comments since day one,' he responded with a tone of indignation, this made Blanche finally burst into laughter, although she knows it was not taken by heart, she found it amusing whenever he pretends being offended just so he can "discipline" her for later.

"Huethea, Enni is no longer a baby, what will the ladies think if he was seen?"

While being tightly hugged, he saw a man on his usual black leather set walking from the rear of Huethea, he might not explicitly show it, but Aldeice can read on his behavior that he is proud of him, especially now that he has returned unscathed from the first hunt.

"He's still so young for that! And don't be jealous Mordor. Have I treated you less?" She protested.

Hearing this, Mordor's face reddens in embarrassment, he is still lucky to be tended secretly like a baby indoors, or where will his face go when his companions found out? Well, he wouldn't care, so what? Having such a sweet caring wife is something to be envied about. Thinking of this, he broke into a proud smile.

The celebratory feast for the childrens' first successful hunt continues. No one will believe that in the middle of vast total darkness, there were people happily chattering while some of their kids were cheerfully playing.

A picture of a peaceful safe haven.

Watching this serenity made Aldeice fascinated, a question surged within him. When the festive subsides, the family of three was walking hand in hand as they climbed the stairs up to their home.

Inside, as they are about to sleep, he stopped in between a huge double bed and a small one. Facing them, he stands unmoving, then gave the couple an unwavering stare at their eyes.

"What is it little Enni?" Squatting down, Huethea asked gently.

Being an attentive parent as her son grew, she was accustomed to this kind of behavior of his, knowing that Aldeice is curious about something whenever he acted this way.

"Will we just be contented in this kind of life?" he blurted out.

Confused by the question, she gazes at her husband at the side with pleading eyes, what does our son mean? Yes, they aren't living in luxury, but their ancestors have lived more cruelly, they have to escape their oppressors, erect this sanctuary through sacrifices and hardship. This place has given them hope to finally live normally, what is there to be not contented about?

As their confused faces penetrate Aldeice's eye, he mused, isn't all the world created equally with a harshness for the living? What were they hesitating for? Just say one day we will set our foot back to our ancestral land, and the violence shall be returned tenfold!

"Mother, if we have the strength, will we avenge our injustice in Nixfrigus (Azure Elves territory)?" getting impatient from their silence, Aldeice continued.

"If we ever can return, all we wish is to be accepted. To be embraced back in our ancestry land." She turned her look back at Aldeice, this time, she quickly answered.

Her timbre was shaking, within those obsidian eyes he can sense her sincerity and longing. How come? Were they too naive? Forgiving? She may not speak for everyone, but his observation skills weren't lacking either, not only her emits this, the majority of the Forsadon does, which was unbelievable for Aldeice and Blanche, their past social circle wasn't small. The toffs, most of them were avaricious and egocentric individuals, a little disagreement could lead to a lifelong grudge, they are ridiculously unreasonable.

Was it due to an untasted state of opulence? Or was it simply that the misery of the past has eroded their brains?

"I understand," unwilling to continue, he cut off the topic.

He then turns around to leisurely lay on his bed, who could have thought, that these people who have been oppressed and exploited by their own kind, would not seek revenge but instead yearn for harmony.

After the couple saw this, thinking kids were easily intrigued, they just brush off Aldeice's action as being natural for his age and followed suit in sleeping.

Before embarking on his dreamland, it became a habit of Aldeice to converse with Blanche first, a habit of the past as a husband and wife. This time, they talk about their feelings about this village, five years was short, but they were starting to have a sense of belonging little by little in Verlassene, a place where its people offers warmth, even a sane cold-blooded creature cared for their home, what more a human in their first life?

What makes a paradise was not the environment alone, but its people. Verlassene may stand erect in a lightless blackness void, but its populace emits the nightless brightest sun.

The next day, Aldeice was asked by his father, Mordor, if there's anything he would like to have as a present for yesterday's event, he just casually replied that it will be nice to have a small house on the edge of the village that he could play in. What he meant by playing is, of course, so he can have a tiny base for his research and experiments in the future.

---

Few weeks have passed.

Above, where each race fights for a share of the world's reserves. War after war emerge, the dependable ally of yesterday could be the cruel enemy of tomorrow.

When the sun rose, it's about to witness another nation's collapse.

Lamprotia, the city of brilliance that stood on top of a wide mountain, its tall infrastructures were painted in blue sky and white clouds with its majestic castle as the sun, it extrudes nothing but hope and light. Only, its elegance was to show its final spark.

Debris of the beautiful kingdom scatters in the ground, walls were destroyed as the nation's enemy marches inside, the citizen wails as their pretty homeland were razed to the ground, skirmish after skirmish, defending generals fall one by one in their ultimate struggle.

Plundered

Unhindered

Lamprotia's radiance is now dimming as thousands of strong men besiege its territory, the overwhelming number of opposition swarmed its brave defenders, corpses of both sides lay waste on the city road pavements, their red blood stained the chalky realm and its dust.

At the center of the city's domain, in the eyes of a towering castle, a decisive battle takes place. In the distance, knights of both sides congregate to watch the final duel, a heroic woman in silver armor and a white knight incessantly exchange heavy blows with their swords, representing the strongest warrior of each nation, their every blade strikes devastate nearby buildings, each weapon explodes with darkness and light, similar to their properties that can't coexist together, they are fated to destroy each other.

Few hours have gone by, the light of the woman in silver was dimming just like her city, the victor is about to be decided.

At the concluding moment, the white knight pierces her left shoulder that grievously wounds her. As if to show mercy, the victor avoided her fatality, his visage wasn't fierce, and it was unexpectedly full of sorrow for delivering the attack. Unconcerned by his act of leniency, she hastily dashes out to create a safe distance, but it was too late, the dark aura of his blade quickly seeps into her injury, it's trying to weigh her down to the ground.

As weakness envelopes her further, she stumbles weakly, thrusting her sword down to serve as a cane to hold in, she prevented her fall. With the sound of wind passing through her ears, a middle-aged man appears by her side that hurriedly helped her balance, the man was followed by a flock of courageous blonde men that compresses around them, standing firm, there is no fear to be found in their faces.

"Harriet, you must escape. Our kingdom may fall today, but with your survival, it may rise again." He speaks in a hushed tone towards the young woman in silver, they were both equipped in exquisite royal armor that should release airs of superiority, unfortunately, they were now messed up by their injuries.

Tightening the grip on her sword, she just responded with a nod, driven into a hopeless situation, she has no other choice. As she tries to regain her composure to assesses their conditions, she can smell the iron scent from wounds on their bodies, the sound of heavy breaths, the sight of the despair in their eyes that can not be hidden, and the piercing pain on her heart from seeing these, this is all but a nightmare.

"Harriet, please, just surrender. I will ensure you and the king's safety, I promise that none will change in our ties," the white knight comes near as he took off his helm and muster his most gentle tone to sway her.

Overhearing this man, Harriet trembled in anger but did not spare him even a cold look, trying to totally ignore his whole existence.

When the white knight realized this, he felt like a thousand needles stabbed his heart, trying to suppress his pains, he slowly turns away to avoid his complicated feelings.

"Kill, the princess shall live," raising his hand, he gave his final order to his men.

It was followed by echoing wild shouts in unison, a torrent of soldiers sprints to the last defense of this city, as the enemy swarm draws near, the blonde protectors fearlessly channel their rays of light, with their last cry.

"IN LIGHT WE LIVE"

"IN LIGHT WE LIVE"

Burning their life force emptied to take down one more foe in their demise, as their final hope was extinguished in their lifeless body, they died in futile attempts due to their enemies overwhelming numbers.

As this scene takes place, a man with a glamorous beard in royal armor neared the white knight, he pats the latter's shoulder, "That's why you only use the sword for a kill, and not stick your other sword to a foe, brother," he seriously advised, there is no sound of animosity nor schadenfreude that could be derived from him, more like a caring brother giving out guidance, the man in white only replied with a heavy sigh.

When they thought that things were over, a sudden blinding ray of light swallowed the battlefield, Harriet and her father disappeared on their spot after the illumination subsides. With this unexpected scene, the white knight's eyes widen in shock, swiftly recomposing himself, he then burst out in speed to catch on to the duo.

Like a meteorite dwindling in the atmosphere, the king carried his daughter into their castle. Inside, in one of the chambers with an ancient device, he puts her down on the circle pattern, he then hurriedly activates it by pouring light on a nearby square stone. Fixing his gaze at her daughter, there were no sad goodbyes exchanged, they just lock into a mournful eye gazing while she's being devoured by a gleam of light steadily, with the final whistling sound of the device, it fades her away.

After witnessing this, the king spat a mouthful of blood, yet he has not shown a face of suffering, what can be seen is nothing but a smile of relief. He had used was not a simple teleportation array, only a single unit can be teleported each year to a random location in a far distance which made tracking impossible, a very powerful escape tool.

For his final outburst of power, using his strained body, he was able to give his lineage a chance of survival, they could've lived both if they just submit to the white knight, but what will happen next? Their bloodline may continue through his grandchild but that's all there is to it, they may keep their pathetic life but their identities will cease to exist.

"May fate not betray you this time"