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The figure, who called itself a Dark Elf, stepped out of the shadow and into the light. True to its, or her, self-proclamation, she was a Dark Elf in a literal sense. She looked no different from an ordinary Elf save for her dark skin that was as black as the night sky. Her eyes were akin to two bright full moons with a faint bluish hue. Most curious of all, she was short. There was still some distance between her and Erin but the latter could tell the Dark Elf stood slightly below her shoulders.

The Dark Elf giggled as she pitter-pattered over to Erin.

Ruri hissed at the Dark Elf while still all curled up on Erin’s shoulder.

“You’re as beautiful as I have heard,” said the Dark Elf while wearing a playful smile, ignoring Ruri’s unwelcoming cry. Much like Erin, the Dark Elf too had snow white hair, although without any different hue or shade to blemish it, that cascaded down to her waist. Her garments were simple, far too simple. A dark brown rag-looking shirt that was a few sizes too big for her stature.

“And who did you hear from?”

“The Spirits… The Mukas, and sometimes travellers and merchants who trod too close to my abode. They all spoke a great deal about you, Erynthea.”

“The Mukas?”

“Yes, the Mukas.”

“I don’t believe I have heard of these… Mukas.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. You don’t know them by that name. If I recall, the common masses know them as… the Guardians or the Ancients.”

“Ah, them.” Erin shrugged nonchalantly but her grip on her sword shifted into position, ready to draw and swing. “Are you with them?”

“I am not, so you don’t need to be so wary of me. We are acquaintances at best.”

“If I don’t believe you?”

“My child, if I wanted to, you’ll be dead already. Or at least close to death. You’re in my dominion.”

Erin glanced around. “This is a Grove, isn’t it?”

“It’s a Grove and also my dominion.” The Dark Elf stopped her approach with only a few feet between her and the Fox-kin. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, you have been in a similar place.”

The only place Erin could think of was the Grove in Sephrodia Valley, where all the Aeryons resided.

The Dark Elf tittered. “I can’t believe that whimsical maniac found a companion. Life is truly full of mysteries and wonders.”

Ruri hissed louder than before as if asking the Dark Elf, ‘how did you know Aedan?’

Erin narrowed her eyes. “You know Aedan?”

“Aedan? Is that what he calls himself these days?”

“And what do you call yourself these days?”

“...I don’t know. These days, I have never needed a name. However, I used to be known as… Titania.”

“Alright, Titania, what do you want with me?”

“...A favour.”

Erin held her sword as tightly as ever. She stayed silent and waited for the Dark Elf to finish.

“Something… evil is happening in that big human settlement that they call a capital. I can feel it. It started… some time ago.”

“Some time ago? Are you incapable of perceiving time?”

“Time moves differently for folks like me who lived for millennia and in isolation. But I reckon it should have been only a few weeks since it began. Still, it’s worrisome.”

“Something evil is always happening somewhere in the world. What makes this one different?”

“Demons.”

Erin snorted. “Of course. What else can it be?”

“And also…” the Dark Elf finished her sentence by pointing at Erin.

Erin frowned. “I hope you’re not suggesting that I am involved somehow.”

“No, not you, but someone like you.”

Erin widened her eyes. “...A Fae? A Fox-kin?”

The Dark Elf smiled wryly. “If it were those two, it would have been so much simpler. But sadly, no. What I meant is—”

“An Outworlder… like me.”

The Dark Elf nodded. “The evil started shortly after I felt the arrival of the outworlder. It would be fair to assume that the Outworlder has a hand in this… eerie happening.”

Erin sighed. “There’s always something,” she grumbled.

Ruri huffed, as if agreeing with Erin.

“Don’t be too down, my child.”

Ruri growled softly in response.

Erin shot the Dark Elf a glare. “I am not your child, you goddamn darkie. And don’t tell me to not be down when you’re not the one who will be dealing with this mess.”

“Your words are a bit harsh and your tone is quite blunt, but I sympathise with your plight. Which is why this quest won’t be a charity. It will be a formal request that comes with remuneration.”

Erin couldn’t help but be tempted or at least had her interest piqued. “What kind of remuneration?”

The Dark Elf suddenly appeared in front of Erin in a blink of an eye. Before Erin could react, her hands were already caught and grasped. The sword disappeared despite her will. Ruri jumped to her feet and snarled. A faint veil of light enshrouded the Kirin, but a glance from the Dark Elf was enough to freeze Ruri in her place. The light faded without anything happening.

Erin tried to speak but her voice refused to budge out of her throat.

“Be calm, my child. I mean you no harm. I am merely offering an initial payment for your services. Forgive me for my haste as I have taken too much of your time and I don’t wish to incur your lover’s wrath.”

“Yes, my lovers. All seven of them. You will incur their wrath for certain,” Erin retorted in her mind.

“I understand that you wish to reconnect with the Spirits. I can help you with that.”

Hearing that, Erin calmed down. She gestured with her eyes for Ruri to do the same.

The Kirin was a bit reluctant but after struggling in vain for a while longer, she eventually gave up and heeded Erin’s gesture.

“You have lost the System. It wasn’t taken from you nor did you discard it. You somehow managed to sever yourself from the System, a feat that no one had managed for a long time.”

“For a long time? You’re saying someone did it before?”

“Yes, that is what I’m saying.”

“Who?”

The Dark Elf smiled. “Yours truly.”

“...How did you manage that?”

“A long story for another time. For now, I will help you regain what you have lost. First off, do you know why Spirits listen to the Faeries?”

“They like the Fae?”

“Yes, but why?”

After thinking for a while, Erin shook her shoulders.

“Because Faeries are born of Spirits. It is by the grace of the Spirits that a Fae can be conceived. Faeries are half-Spirits themselves. And you… you are a Fae but you were not conceived due to the Spirits’ grace, yet you are born of them. Without their grace, they do not understand you. They listened to you so far because of the System, which helps in translating your wishes to them.”

“...I’m so lost. Can you just skip to the part that matters? Aren’t you in a hurry?”

“The details are significant but not truly necessary. Very well. I’ll be swift. You need to know their language.”

“I need to learn their language.”

“You can learn their language but learning takes time, time that neither you or I have. The evil that is growing would not wait for either of us. Therefore, you can only know their language and I can help with that by giving you mine… Well, not exactly ‘give’ since I will retain my understanding afterwards but you get the gist. Now, open your heart and mind to me.”

“And how do I do that?”

The Dark Elf beckoned for Erin to lean forward and down.

Erin was hesitant but since she could sense any outright ill-intent or hostility, she decided to take the risk. She complied with the Dark Elf wishes and leaned forward with her back slightly bent.

The Dark Elf then did the same so their foreheads could touch.

The moment their foreheads touched, everything around them changed, much like how Erin suddenly found herself in the Dark Elf’s abode. This time, the surroundings changed into a white space that was all too familiar to Erin. She had hoped she wouldn’t return to his place so soon.

“Oh, this is interesting,” the Dark Elf muttered as she let go of Erin and observed the place.

“What’s so interesting?” Erin asked. A tinge of regret began to grow in her heart. She looked at her shoulder. Ruri wasn’t there. Of course she wouldn’t be. This was all in her mind, quite literally.

“No one’s mind and heart is this… empty and vast. Seems like someone has made a huge effort in safeguarding your mind and soul. Impressive and enviable. Oh, don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean anything by that. Just impressed, that’s all.”

Erin wasn’t having it. No one would after hearing such a remark.

“It’s alright, Erin. She can do nothing,” said a voice that resounded seemingly from nowhere, yet everywhere. It was a soft echo but the volume was immense.

The voice seemed to frighten the Dark Elf so much as she trembled and fell to her knees. “By the Spirits… you’re the emissary of Nyx…” She stared at Erin in horror.

Erin’s caution loosened instinctively. She didn’t expect such a turn of events.

“I beg your forgiveness, my c— no, Lady Erynthea. I truly meant you no ill will or harm.” The Dark Elf’s voice was shaking.

“She speaks truly, Erin. You can trust her. Besides, this is your dominion. You are the strongest here.”

Erin sighed. “Alright, I understand,” she said and walked up to the kneeling Dark Elf. “Just get up and do what you must.” She offered her hand.

The Dark Elf took the offer with some hesitation and pulled herself up.

“Is Nyx that big of a deal?”

“I-I do not know what you meant by that but regardless, it would be in my interest to keep my opinions to myself. I will do only what I came here to do.”

“Fine. Just be done with it.”

“Be warned. This will be excruciating as you are receiving a wealth of knowledge in a single instance. If you weren’t a Fae and also an Apostle, you would absolutely be overwhelmed. At worst, you will die a death so agonising that it will follow you into the afterlife.”

“...”

“But it won’t happen to you, probably.”

“Probably? Have you done this before?”

“I have not.”

“...”

“But worry not, I will not be doing this if I’m not certain of the result. Moreover, you are the dragon’s companion. I wouldn’t dare to harm you, not even in my sleep. His rage would spell the end of this continent or even the world.”

“Most don’t seem to share your sentiment or opinion.”

“Because they don’t understand his true power or they are confident they can quell his wrath. Whatever their reason is, it has nothing to do with me. So, are you ready?”

“Ready as I will ever be. Let’s do this.”

The Dark Elf nodded and began reciting an incantation. Strings of texts began to manifest itself around her, swirling around one another akin to a whirlpool.

Erin understood not a single word of it but she felt the effects. The strings of texts flowed her way after the incantation came to an end. Gradually, Erin was able to read the texts flowing around and to her. At the same time, pain struck her head. She braced herself for the agony that was about to follow through. However… nothing came afterwards. There was pain but that was all there was to it. It was just pain, nothing more and nothing less. Eventually, all of the strings of texts finished flowing into Erin. She went stumbling, but she caught her bearings before she could trip.

“I’m impressed. You withstood it… or did I misjudge the amount of pain? Or is it something else?”

“I don’t know,” Erin said, shaking her head with her hand clutching her head. “But one thing’s for sure, it worked.”

“That, it did. So, we have an agreement, I take it?”

“What about the other half of the payment?”

“Come find me once you have resolved the cause of the evil rising in the human settlement. I have no guarantees but I’m certain you will not find the payment any less… rewarding than this one.”

“If that’s true, then I’m certainly looking forward to it.”