Ittya looked back at the towering structure. She felt many things: disbelief, grief, pain, but relief was the most prominent of them all. She had lived through it, still sane and human. She was still in her white garb, but she was not leaving empty-handed.

She could vaguely remember the time when she was transported here. She was chained and tied, treated like a mindless beast. Soldiers had dragged her up the stairs, causing pain even with her numb senses. Yet, she failed to feel any emotions towards those faceless guards. They were nothing more than faceless dolls to her.

"We shall move along. The sun is rising, and if we can travel during the day and secure a place to rest for the night, our journey should be easier," Gisella mused. "Do you, perhaps, feel a lingering attachment to this place?"

"Quite the opposite, master. I feel light, as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders," Ittya replied, her voice soft and quiet.

Gisella acknowledged her and walked ahead, her motions fluid and confident. Ittya trundled behind, her shoulders low. A rusty and feeble sword was the first thing her master had handed her after she woke up. Alongside it was a bundle of rocks that felt very heavy, if Ittya had to describe them. They proceeded to make their way out of the tower.

"Where did you get this rusty sword, Master?" Ittya asked.

"Somewhere in the castle, obviously. Your first task as my student is to make sure you don't break it until we reach our destination," Gisella replied.

"I shall," Ittya affirmed.

As they reached the mainland, Ittya bore witness to the Sight and understood why it was called the accursed forest of Youling. Once, majestic trees had stood in these lands, but now they resembled twisted skeletons. Their branches were gnarled and lifeless, devoid of any signs of vitality. Not a single leaf adorned their skeletal frames, leaving them naked and exposed to the desolation that surrounded them.

Beneath their feet, the ground lay barren and parched, cracked as if thirsting for a drop of life-giving moisture. The soil, once teeming with vibrant foliage and thriving flora, now lay desolate and lifeless. Yellowed leaves, drained of their former vibrancy, lay strewn everywhere, a chilling reminder of the decay that had consumed this cursed place.

From all corners of the forest, eerie cries pierced the air, creating a symphony of anguish and torment. The sounds resonated through the twisted branches, echoing like a chorus of pain. It seemed as if the very essence of suffering had seeped into the soil, manifesting in the agonized cries of unseen beasts that roamed the haunted woods.

The sickly forest exuded a noxious stench, a pungent odor of poison and death that clung to every breath. Ittya stood still, questioning why anyone would do something like this. The answer came in the form of a single image of the Royal court she had been sentenced in. Of course, they would do something like this.

Her Master also came to a halt, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "A fitting name, I suppose," Gisella remarked. It was the first time Ittya truly felt a sense of a threatening aura from her. Gisella was clearly upset by the sight.

It reminded Ittya of the tale Gisella had told her during their very first meeting. Gisella possessed the power to change what she did not like. But what could she do for this forest? Nothing. It was beyond Ittya's understanding to think that this forest could be changed.

"Ask away, dear Ittya, a simple question that lingers in your mind," Gisella spoke as she ventured forward into the accursed woods.

"Why must someone do this? What fruit did it bear for anyone?" Ittya asked the question.

"Myriad possibilities exist, even if none truly justify it," Gisella replied. "Did they do it to protect their clan? Or simply to irk their enemies? Was this intentional or just a byproduct of something else entirely? Were they even responsible, or are they just scapegoats? We know nothing to form an assumption. We shall find out eventually."

Gisella did not slow down, and Ittya struggled to keep up with her master's pace. "Why must my master walk so much faster?" Ittya questioned.

"Ah, your condition slipped my mind. Does your body still linger with pain and exhaustion?" Gisella replied, finally slowing down her speed.

"I feel fine, if not for a little headache," Ittya responded.

"It will stay that way for a period of time, until we find a place where you wouldn't have to use Luminance again," Gisella explained.

"Why would we need to use Luminance in this dead forest?" Ittya asked curiously.

"Look ahead. This forest is not dead, far from it. It calls for death, to be relieved from this torment, just like you," Gisella said, pointing straight ahead.

From a clearing, Ittya observed as rotted beasts ran towards her. Their faces had melted and dissolved, revealing visible bones underneath. Their eyes were sunken, with green and deathly flames dancing within them, visible from afar.

"They were animals who are now under the curse's effect, having lost their minds and now search for the living to hunt. Archaic Ghouls, a species of the Dead. They will not stop until they are killed. You should take a preemptive strike and lessen their numbers. I will wait by the side of the tree," Gisella instructed.

"You will not battle?" Ittya asked her teacher.

"I do not fight. If I did, then what would be the point of having a student? You should be ready," Gisella replied.

As if on cue, the beasts growled. There were six of them, possibly more hidden in the shadows. Gisella calmly sat on a tree ledge, surrounded by fallen trees and scattered ledges.

Ittya let out a sigh. What should she do? Her weapon was rusty, likely to break on the first strike. She looked at her teacher, hoping for some guidance, but Gisella remained silent, seemingly amused. Of course, she was. There was no way she could die from this after traversing the wretched sea behind them.

Ittya carefully placed the bundle on the dry ground and unsheathed the sword from her hip. She could channel Luminance, but her experience from the branch told her that the sword would break just like before. The radiance of the sun flowed through her body, her veins glowing with a radiant white gold. She channeled the energy into the sword.

She dashed forward, bringing down her sword with inhuman force on the leading ghoul. The creature was unable to react in time and watched as the sword struck its head.

"Stop," Gisella's voice startled Ittya. She immediately backed away, following her master's order, and looked at Gisella with a questioning expression.

"If you had struck the sword, it would have shattered," Gisella replied to Ittya's unasked question.

"I am aware, but what other choice do I have?" Ittya asked, backing away from the wild beast that lunged at her. Compared to the beasts in the White Realm, these were weak and slow.

"There are two problems with you. First, you channel Luminance as if you are dominating the sword's identity, which it does not have, instead of fortifying it. Correct that. Second, use the element discharge I taught you last day," Gisella explained.

"Even if you say that, I don't know how," Ittya admitted.

"Do it just as you're doing with your own body. Find the difference and correct it," Gisella instructed.

Ittya nodded as the second and third beasts pounced from the side. She backed away, stopping the flow of Luminance, and whispered in her mind, "Just like my body." She visualized thousands of golden threads spiraling around the individual strands of the sword, fortifying it.

"I get it," Ittya exclaimed. The sword shone with white-gold radiance, and the rust was no longer visible. This should be enough, Ittya thought to herself. She dashed forth, swinging her sword in an angular arc and sliced the wolf-like beast in two.

Ittya glanced at her master, wondering if she was impressed by how quickly she dispatched the beasts. However, Gisella appeared dispassionate, unaffected by Ittya's actions. Of course, Ittya thought, how could she impress someone who could stop time? Stabbing the eye of another charging beast, Ittya ended its torment with a swift strike. Will there ever be something she can do to truly impress her master?

"I suppose not," Ittya replied to her own question. She swung her sword one more time, swiftly ending the last tormented soul. "Was this an act of kindness?" she pondered. If she were in the beasts' place, would this have been a mercy? She looked at the seven lifeless bodies surrounding her, yellow fumes emanating from their decaying forms, the stench of burning rotten eggs filling the air.

"Were they suffering and did they want release? As long as you know the answer to both, you can determine if it was an act of kindness or not," Gisella spoke as she stood beside Ittya.

"They were suffering," Ittya responded.

"So it would seem. We should continue with our journey. If they were any indication, our travels will be anything but smooth," Gisella stated, walking ahead with Ittya trailing behind.

"If all of them are this weak, then perhaps our journey will be smoother," Ittya commented, observing the state of the dead beasts. She didn't even need to exert much effort to defeat them.

"Why did you not use Lightning?" Gisella questioned. Ittya felt a sense of accusation in her words.

"I... don't remember how," Ittya responded, her voice small.

"Ah, it has been years since I taught a child. Perhaps it slipped your mind after you awakened the Lightning element. I shall explain it again," Gisella said. "The palace you saw yesterday, the First House, the House of Morning, the Radiant Palace, it is imprinted in your mind. Focus on it, and you will see it."

Ittya paused, trying to recall the image of the palace. Suddenly, it appeared in her mind as clearly as she had seen it the day before. However, along with the image came a burning sensation in her head, causing her to grip her temples in pain.

"Each time you see the house, the pain will lessen until you get used to it. The image that appears in your mind is something that would take a normal mage years of meditation and visualization to master. It is a shortcut, but it comes with a price," Gisella explained in a monotonous tone.

"I understand. We don't have time to learn through traditional methods," Ittya acknowledged.

"And traditional methods are a waste of time," Gisella added. "I believe this approach is more efficient. Now, try to remember the Tower you saw in the palace."

Ittya closed her eyes, focusing on recalling the details of the tower. She visualized it in her mind, as clear as her own room. "Now, channel luminance into your mind. Imagine your mind as an open expanse, with the tower standing within it. Channel the luminance into the tower," Gisella instructed.

Ittya followed Gisella's words, although it was challenging. She channeled luminance into the tower, and an electrifying sensation surged through her mind, causing her entire body to spasm. Ittya stood still, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Interesting. Your body has become very receptive to raw luminance, which is why it is sensitive to the element. It's not harmful to you in any way, apart from the momentary shock," Gisella explained.

Gisella turned to walk again, but Ittya huffed in response. "Do it again," she demanded.

"Why?" Ittya asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"More you use it, the more your body will become numb to the sensation. Eventually, you will learn spellcasting, and you'll be channeling lightning most of the time, except during battles," Gisella explained, dismissing Ittya's protest.

Ittya continued to channel the luminance, feeling increasingly tired and numb. Her head buzzed with the constant shocks. The sun had risen high up in the sky, they did not encounter any other beast. She wondered where they were even headed, as she had no idea of their destination.

"Have you noticed, dear Ittya?" Gisella asked.

"Yes, the trees have been cut down in a systematic manner. It suggests that someone with enough intelligence is in the forest, utilizing the wood," Ittya observed.

"Not much intelligence is required to use wood, but it does indicate the presence of someone other than the cursed beasts. If they are able to survive in this forest, it means they have found a way to sustain themselves," Gisella replied.

"Are you suggesting, Master, that we should seek them out and take their food?" Ittya asked.

Gisella smiled, her eyes shining like the lamp of the abyss. "No, of course not. Why would we do that? If we happen to encounter them, we could ask for a little help. However, if they happen to be hostile towards us and you need to defend yourself, leaving behind their belongings would be a waste, don't you think?"

"I wholeheartedly agree, Master," Ittya replied with a forced smile. She silently prayed, hoping that they would come across sensible beings who would provide them with food without a fight. She didn't want any harm to come to them or herself.

"Are you praying for our well-being?" Gisella asked, her eyes revealing that Ittya's thoughts were not hidden from her.

"Of course, for my well-being, actually. I don't think the Master needs the blessings of anyone. That would be disrespectful," Ittya responded animatedly.

"Aren't you a smart student? We shall proceed," Gisella remarked.

They continued their journey until they encountered the Archaic beasts for the second time, this time proving to be far more troublesome.