Mindless.

That's how I would have described the last two days of restlessly trudging through this seemingly endless green maze. Tracking what was left over from the convoy's ground markings, I silently followed along, hating myself for what happened. My body still hadn't fully recovered from using『Tempo』 in the reckless manner I had, still feeling a twinge of pain shoot through me with every other step.

But that was nothing compared to the current hole in my heart that losing Yukina had left. Ever since losing her, everything has felt like a fever dream—a fever nightmare in actuality. Self-loathing was all I had been doing since I started searching for her. I hadn't slept since, partly because I thought I deserved punishment for my incompetence, but mainly because I was afraid of the real nightmares I'd have if I'd shut my eyes even for a brief moment. It was stupid. Someone who was supposed to be a protector, someone who was supposed to be fearless in the face of anything, was scared to go to sleep. It was a new low for me, but life without Yukina was new.

Drowning in my own thoughts, I continued to journey through the forest. Some hours later, after the late noon sky had begun to turn into early dusk, I reached the edge of the elven woodlands.

"Shit." I grumbled as I scanned the forest floor. The convoy’s dirt path had been getting lighter for the last couple of hours before eventually disappearing. I had hoped continuing forward would lead me back onto them, but I hadn't seen any markings since.

Still mumbling under my breath, I swung my bag around and pulled out the map of the kingdom that we had packed, trying to at least get some idea of where I was. The map hadn't been as useful as I'd hoped it'd be. Granted, it was about a decade old, and while I knew it wouldn't be an exact 1:1 match, I thought it'd be enough to get us by. However, it was practically useless as the kingdom's landscape had changed at an abnormally fast rate. This wouldn't be a problem if I just needed to get to the kingdom's castle, as I doubted that area would change significantly. However, oddly enough, the convoy began to stray from the path to the castle some ways into the forest, of course leading into an area the map didn't cover.

"We should have never come here." I complained as I sucked my teeth, shoving the useless piece of paper back into its place, and continuing forward.

I had already decided that when I got Yukina back, we would be leaving. End of story. I wouldn't let my emotions sway me again. I still didn't know why we were even here in the first place, and honestly, I didn't care. It couldn't be any more important than her safety. I wouldn't care if she pleaded with me or even ordered me. I'd drag her back if I had to. Everything under this dome I was just sick of.

Leaving the forest and now pressing through the open-air field, the plight through the nauseating sights of the woodlands turned into a trek amid a sea of tall grass, gradually transforming from a green hue to a golden tone that seemed to glow even with the sky melting into the late afternoon. As I traversed the grassy ocean I continued to scan for any evidence of the convoy, but to no avail.

Night began to fall, and there was still no sign of anything relating to Yukina and her kidnappers. I was about to retrace my steps and try a different method until, between the flickering stalks of grass, I saw faint glows of light. I trekked up a hill for a better view.

"A town?"

It was a decent-sized place, about the same size as Everleaf, though its construction was based on stone rather than forest contents.

"Could they have passed through here?"

There was only one way to find out.

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As I walked through the hamlet, I could sense that the atmosphere was the complete opposite of Everleaf: lifeless. Everything appeared gray-scale and dull, a monochrome landscape that drained vibrancy from every corner. The streets were devoid of any lively hues, and its citizens moved around in a hushed manner, their movements devoid of energy, as if the color had been drained from their very beings. Nothing but silence filled the already dreary air. Conversations, if any, were muted whispers, and the usual sounds of a bustling town were replaced by a haunting stillness. Even the wind seemed to carry a mournful tune, rustling through the lifeless leaves that clung desperately to skeletal branches. It was as if there was an entire shadow cast over the place.

Regardless, it didn't matter to me. I hadn't come here to sightsee; I came here for answers. If the convey did make its way through here, at the very least, a small handful would have borne witness to it.

Yukina's distortion magic that she cast to hide our horns was still active, even after two days. It was probably taking a lot out of her to maintain it, considering the time and distance. She was okay for now, but for how much longer? I needed to get to her quickly before things took a turn for the worse.

I removed my hood in an attempt to look a tad less conspicuous and began to ask the townspeople who were still wandering on the streets if they had seen a series of carts hauling elves through the town.

Frustratingly enough, I had no luck.

Upon approach, many of the elves didn't seem to mind a small conversation, but when I tried to steer the conversation's topic toward the kidnapped elves or even anything relating to the castle, their grim faces turned darker and either said they didn't know anything or excused themselves and hurried along. It was clear something happened here, but no one would dare speak about it. Among the public roads, I tried other places that were still roaming with people this late into the night. Stemming from the town's square to small shops and other places of interest, I tried to gather information, but it was fruitless. Nobody would say anything.

I was getting nowhere fast. The frustration gnawed at me, each dead-end conversation adding to my impatience. It was as if the entire town had collectively decided to become mute, and the more I pressed, the tighter the cloak of silence seemed to become. Every dismissive gesture and guarded response intensified the looming dread that the possibility of finding Yukina was slipping away, and there was nothing that I could do about it. I was reaching my boiling point, having to remind myself to keep a level head every so often.

As it was getting deep into the night, the only hub left open was a raggedy-appearing pub at the edge of the town. I doubted that I would find anything useful here, but I didn't care if I was grasping at straws; I was desperate.

Upon pushing open the wooden doors of the pub, I was immediately greeted with the aroma of poor booze and aged wood, my face scrunching up at the stench. Despite the atmosphere, the place had a decent number of elves around, though judging by their shoddy appearances, they didn't seem like they would amount to much.

And they proved as such.

Most of them ignored me, and those who didn't waved me off with a condescending snicker. Infuriated, I dropped into a seat at the bar and let out a half grumble-half sigh, loud enough for the elderly bartender to notice.

"Can I get you anything, Miss?" He asked while gingerly rinsing one of his mugs. He was old even for an elf, his grey hair in tune with his dulled eyes. It was comical that an elf like him ran a place like this.

"Have you seen any of the castle guards coming through?" I rhetorically asked, not expecting an old elf to know anything. I met his eyes, and surprisingly, they were laced with something that I hadn't seen in others.

The feeling of pity.

"You know, miss," He started as he stopped cleaning and sat opposite me. "You shouldn't ask those types of questions here. It's not safe."

"And why is that?"

"B-because Miss," His tone was paired with worry, and his eyes began to dart nervously throughout the bar. "They'll-"

PLOP

The reverberating thud of a heavily-built elf dropping into the seat beside me interrupted the bartender's cautionary words. The creaky floor beneath us emitted a subdued protest as he settled into the bar stool. The scent of sweat and grime wafted into my nose as he leaned over the bar counter.

"A pint of the good stuff, Elowen." He gruffly asked the bartender through his unkept beard, though it sounded more like a command. Elowen, with a gulp, flew up from his seat and left us. "What do we have here?" He opened with a sly smirk. "What lovely red hair you have." He leaned onto the counter to get a better look at my face, as I refused to look at him. "And those silver eyes..." He tried to swipe a loose strand of hair behind my ear when I interrupted him with a fierce glance, though it seemed to entice him even further, his sly smile spreading as he retracted his finger. "Easy now, Missy." I turned away from him as he continued to pester me. "What brings you to this old shack?"

I didn't answer.

He cackled. "Sure, have it your way, Missy. But what if I told ya that I know what ya seek?"

That got me to turn back towards him, meeting his scruffy face once more.

"You're looking for the Castlemen aren't ya? And it appears you've got no luck. My men have seen you asking around Eldergrove. Wondering why no one el' spill the beans?" He leaned closer, flashing his dirty blond eyes at me. "Because they know what I'll do to em'." Leaning back into his bar stool, he pounded onto the countertop, ordering Elowen to move quicker, to which he hastily arrived, placing the mug in front of us.

"So…you're with them?"

"Let's just say I have an adequate relationship with the Kingdom, darling."

It took all of me right then and there to not explode and rip his face off. The feeling in my chest that had been lingering ever since I came to this useless town had begun to swell. This was the closest I had been to finding her over the past two days, and I wouldn't allow myself to blow it. I gripped at the inside of my cloak to keep myself steady and continued.

"Where did they go?"

"It won't be that easy, Missy." He snorted. "Unless you're willing to come back with-"

I'd had enough. My anger erupted, and I shot up from my seat, slamming my scabbard onto the counter. The pub's murmurings silenced instantly, and all eyes fixed on us. "Where!?" I demanded, the rage evident in my voice.

Unfazed, he stared at me before sinking deeper into his chair. "Ya know what, Missy? I ain't got a clue to' why you're looking for the Castlemen, but ya may want to have a look around."

I forced my eyes to peel off him and noticed that not only was everyone out of their seats, but they were glaring at me, some with daggers half-pulled and others preparing to do the same.

"Now, Missy," He taunted with a smirk, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Be a dear and sit down, will ya? Besides, if you're looking for their "cargo," you're out of luck. Good chance their-"

I didn't grant him the satisfaction of whatever condescending remark he wanted to get over. In one swift motion, I snatched the mug off the countertop and exploded it over his head, sending wooden shrapnel and cheap beer everywhere. Before he could recover, I quickly cast 『Buff』 and planted a forward kick right in his mid-section, sending him sailing across the pub and crashing into empty tables with a resounding thud. Jaw-dropped, the entire pub was silent in awe.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU LADS DOING?!" He roared, struggling to pick himself up. "GET HER!"

Snapping out of their daze, the room erupted in chaos as the half-drunken elves charged at me, filled with a mix of liquid courage and rage, their blades pointed at the ready. I couldn't deny it—I knew I shouldn't have done that. Drawing attention to myself was the last thing I needed to do here.

But man, I needed to blow off some fucking steam.

Flexing my fingers, I pivoted on my boots and prepared for the onslaught, reminding myself not to enjoy it too much.

With a side-step, I avoided the first would-be attacker, his blade soaring close enough to my face to where I could see my reflection. I turned on my heel and sprang my knee into his gut, with enough force for his eyes to nearly pop out before launching him over the countertop, sailing over Elowen, and into the liquor shelf, decorating the floor with glass. Whipping back around, another drunkard stumbled into view. Catching his fist mid-punch, I tightened my hold until the sickening tune of crunching bones played before greeting his face with a fist of my own, sending him airborne into the crooked portrait above the entrance. A particularly bold elf lunged at my flank, under the misguided impression that I was distracted. Crushing his hopes, I spun off him, delivering a kick to his backside as he stumbled past me, right into the path of another. Not attempting to hide my smirk, I vaulted over a fallen table, turning my leap into a kick to the neck of a scrawny elf halfway into my jump, dropping him face-first into a sloppy attempt at a plate of baked beans. As soon as I landed, I was off my feet again, springing toward a shell-shocked elf, his face lacking all the signs of confidence that it had before. He opened his mouth in an attempt to utter something, but before any sound could come out, I gripped his face and slammed his head into the wall, burying it in the rotten wood as deep as I could before letting him crumble to the floor. I turned, surveying whoever was left standing. Gone were the false bravado and confidence that cheap alcohol had fueled them with. What stood in their place were eyes of despair and sweaty palms, now faced with sobering reality. The air had changed within a matter of seconds, and stemming from the trembling henchmen, a heavy atmosphere hung, saturated with the emotion we demons relish in, what fuels and fortifies us, and what we live for.

Fear.

Before I knew it, the dozens of elves standing had been reduced to only one, whose sweaty palms and trembling body were struggling to keep his blade fixed on me. With a battle cry steeped in hopelessness, he charged toward me, only for his dagger to be caught at the tip, crushed, and shattered along with whatever courage he had mustered into pieces. The leader, who helplessly watched the entire event unfold from under the rubble, shrieked at the sight of his last henchman being delivered into the shelf next to him, his face reddened with a footprint. Grabbing my scabbard off the countertop and a map that one of the elves had generously dropped, I marched over the groaning bodies and towered over the leader, using the tip of the sword casing to lift his chin, now flashing my dulled eyes into his.

"Where?" I starkly reiterated, shoving the map into his face. His shaky finger, without hesitation, flew to a spot on the parchment. Turning around, I nudged the fallen elves with my foot until I found one that wasn't completely out of commission. Raising him by his collar with one hand and the map with the other, I asked the same question, only for his trembling finger to point to a different location. Furious, I tossed him aside and stomped back toward the leader again, this time, blade unsheathed. Amidst his begging, a quick vertical swipe across one eye was all it took to blind him in it. Wriggling like a dying bug, he cried out in pain, but only for a moment, as I swiftly stuck the edge of my boot into his mouth, effectively ending his wailing.

"Now, with your one good eye, where?"

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Shortly after leaving the pub-turned-battleground, thanks to the one-eyed elf, I found myself standing at the entrance to a cave, located at the base of a mountainous area just outside the town. Yukina and the captive elves had been taken to an offsite base some ways away on the other side of the mountains. As there was no way around it, I assumed they must've gone either through or above, the latter being the more likely scenario judging from the previous encounter I had with Elven magic.

Stepping forward, I began my descent into the darkness, praying that the princess could hold on for just a while longer.