Valeria's Move

Valeria moved silently through the shadows, her eyes fixed on the distant edge of the Great Forest of Arendel. The towering trees stretched high into the sky, their thick canopy providing perfect cover for her movements. The air was crisp and still, the only sound being the soft rustle of leaves under her feet. According to some sources, the men in black visited the Elves, and she figured that if she were to gather information about them, this is the place to go.

She watched the elven scouts patrolling the perimeter of the forest.

Valeria knew she had to be careful; elves were known for their keen senses and sharp reflexes. But she was patient. She had waited this long, and she wasn't about to rush her plan.

The scouts moved in pairs, communicating in their melodic elven language, their sharp eyes scanning the treeline. Valeria kept her distance, blending into the shadows. Her dark energy cloaked her presence, muffling her footsteps and dampening her aura. She moved closer, staying downwind and keeping herself hidden.

She spotted her target-alone scout lagging behind his partner. He appeared young, his pointed ears peeking out from his hood, his silver bow hanging loosely at his side. Valeria waited until his partner disappeared from view, then she made her move.

In one swift, silent motion, Valeria closed the distance between them. The elf's senses flared too late; he turned just in time to see a shadow rush toward him. Before he could react, Valeria's hand was over his mouth, her grip like iron as she dragged him into the underbrush.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The elf struggled, but Valeria was far too strong. She pulled him deeper into the forest, using her dark magic to muffle any sound he made. She didn't stop until they were far enough from the patrols that no one would hear him scream.

Throwing him to the ground, she loomed over him, her eyes glowing faintly with dark energy. The elf scrambled backward, reaching for his dagger, but Valeria was faster. With a flick of her wrist, a tendril of shadow wrapped around his wrist, pinning his arm to the ground.

"I have some questions and you are going to answer them truthfully," Valeria whispered.

The elf's eyes widened in terror, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. He tugged futilely against the shadowy tendril binding his wrist, but it held firm.

"Now, you have visitors, a group of men with advanced technology. I want to know who they are and what their purpose was for coming to your place," Valeria asked and warned. "I'm going to let you speak, but if you attempt to scream or call for help, I will make sure you never speak again, literally."

Valeria slowly removed her hand from his mouth, keeping a close watch on his every move. The elf took a shaky breath, his eyes darting around as if trying to find a way out. But he knew there was no escape. Valeria's dark presence loomed over him, a constant reminder of the danger he was in.

"I... I don't know much," the elf stammered, his voice shaking. "The men you speak of-yes, they came. They were on this weird contraption called vehicle that can move without the use of animals. They wore strange black armor, nothing like we've ever seen before. They spoke with the elders in private. None of us scouts were allowed near the meeting."

Valeria's eyes narrowed. "And what did they want? Why did they meet with your elders?" The elf swallowed nervously, clearly terrified. "I don't know, I am just a scout. I won't have any knowledge regarding those..."

Valeria's eyes glinted with a dangerous edge as the elf's stammering words failed to satisfy her. She crouched lower, bringing her face closer to his, the dark energy surrounding her intensifying.

"You are not giving me the answer I want," she hissed.

Her hand shot forward, fingers wrapping around the elf's throat. Not enough to choke him completely, but enough to make him gasp for breath. "I don't care about your excuses. You will talk, or I will make sure this becomes much more painful."

The elf's eyes widened in fear, his body trembling under her grip. His mouth opened, but no words came out as he tried to breathe under the pressure of her hand.

Valeria released her grip slightly, letting him take in a desperate gulp of air. "Tell me something!"

"Well they gave us weapons, their weapons," the elf said..

Valeria's eyes flickered with interest at the mention of weapons. She leaned closer, her grip on the elf's throat tightening slightly once more as she urged him to continue. "Their weapons, you say? What kind of weapons?"

The elf coughed, trying to catch his breath before speaking again. His voice trembled with fear. "They... they were not like ours. These were not made of elven steel or enchanted wood. They were strange, made of metal and something we've never seen before. The elders seemed... impressed."

Valeria's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Interesting. And what did the elders do with these weapons?"

"They were given to 100 elite elven forces as the new rifle battalion," the elf answered.

"Does the rifle look like this?" Valeria materialized the dark outline of the M4 Carbine she had encountered back in Akarios Village.

His eyes widened in shock and recognition. He stammered, his voice barely a whisper, "Y- Yes... that's it. It's exactly like that."

Valeria examined the weapon for a moment, admiring the sleek, deadly design. She could feel the fear radiating from the elf as he stared at the shadowy construct, knowing that something so alien and powerful had been given to his people.

"So, they've armed your forces with this," Valeria said. "Where can I find one?"

"Well, they are in the armory, and it's highly secure," the elf said, his voice trembling as he realized he might have given away too much.

Valeria's smile grew darker. "Highly secure, you say? That won't be an issue for me."

Her eyes narrowed as she leaned even closer to the elf. "Where is this armory? You're going to take me there."

The elf swallowed hard, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't... if they find out I helped you... they'll-"

"They'll do what?" Valeria snapped, her hand tightening around his throat again, cutting off his words. "I can assure you, they can't do worse than I will if you don't cooperate."

The elf coughed and gasped for air as Valeria loosened her grip slightly. He knew he had no choice. "The armory... it's in the southern part of the forest, near the border of the sacred grove. Only the elite guard has access."

Valeria's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Good. Now, you're going to take me there. Lead the way."

The elf's body trembled as he slowly nodded, knowing that any attempt to escape would be futile. Valeria released her grip on his throat, but the tendril of shadow still wrapped around his wrist ensured he wouldn't try anything foolish.

They moved through the dense forest, Valeria staying close behind the elf as he led the way. The trees loomed high above them, casting long shadows over the narrow paths. Every step the elf took was hesitant, but Valeria remained patient, her dark energy cloaking them both in

silence.

After what felt like an eternity, the elf slowed his pace and gestured toward a clearing ahead. "It's just beyond there... the armory."

Valeria glanced ahead, her sharp eyes scanning the area. The armory was a large structure, built into the natural landscape, blending seamlessly with the surrounding trees. Guards patrolled the perimeter, their weapons at the ready.

Valeria's eyes glinted as she observed the patrolling guards around the armory. They were alert, but she was confident that they wouldn't see her coming. Her dark magic could deal with them swiftly and without drawing attention. As she studied their movements, an idea

began to form.

"You've been very helpful," she whispered to the trembling elf beside her. "But I need you to

stay quiet now."

Before he could respond, Valeria extended her hand toward the guards. Shadows coiled around her fingers, spreading across the ground like dark tendrils. With a small motion, she summoned a portal beneath the feet of the unsuspecting guards, who were patrolling the

armory's entrance.

The portal opened silently, a swirling black vortex of darkness that appeared as if the earth itself had vanished beneath them. The guards had no time to react. One moment they were standing, the next they were falling, pulled into the abyss of shadows with nothing but a muffled gasp as they disappeared from sight.

Valeria's portal closed just as silently as it had opened, leaving no trace of the guards. The area was now clear, with the patrolling soldiers removed from her path.

The elf beside her stared in wide-eyed horror at what had just transpired. Valeria gave him a

dark smile, clearly satisfied with her work.

"Let's continue," she said coolly.

The elf, too terrified to refuse, nodded frantically and led her closer to the armory's entrance.

His heart raced with every step, but Valeria's presence behind him kept him from bolting.

As they neared the entrance, Valeria's attention remained on the armory door. It was reinforced with thick wood and metal, clearly designed to withstand attacks. But magic, particularly her dark magic, cared little for such defenses.

"Stay back," she ordered the elf, who immediately complied, backing away without question.

Valeria extended her hands once more, her eyes glowing with dark energy. Shadows coiled around the armory door, creeping into every crevice. With a sharp gesture, she willed the shadows to infiltrate the locking mechanisms, corrupting the enchantments placed upon the door. A faint crackling sound echoed as the magic protecting the door shattered.

With another flick of her wrist, the door swung open slowly, revealing the dimly lit interior of

the armory. Rows upon rows of weapons were neatly organized inside, including the rifles she

had seen before.

Valeria stepped forward into the armory, her eyes scanning the stockpile of advanced

weapons. She smiled to herself.

"They looked exactly like it."