Sanctuary

The warmth of midday sinks through the forest canopy to the lower levels.

The vapor, full of earthy and vegetal flavors, floats into the air, gauzing the forest.

The sunlight, sharp as a spear, softened before it hit the ground.

The vegetation and lichen share the flakes of gold and let them flow through each other's velvet green.

Wandering through the sleepy landscape of Whispering Forest, vision is inevitably obstructed.

To avoid ambush, Sela uses her vampire vision from time to time to detect the activity of nearby beings.

This left her a little low on energy.

The good news is that it was a peaceful journey.

Passing a beech tree that had suffered a lightning strike, Sela stopped in her tracks."This is a natural shelter.

We can camp under here." She propped herself up against the tilted trunk, but saw her companion hesitating."What?" She asked.

"I'm worried that this will offend Kiel (the god of atmosphere and storms on the Wissane world)."

"Oh? What the hell is going on? Tell me about it." Sela sat down and pretended to know nothing about the legend of the Storm God.

"He is immensely powerful, so much so that the whiskers that fall from him can bring disaster.

In addition to destroying things on the ground, it can also start a big fire.

Of course, sometimes he puts the fire out himself.

You want other evidence, don't you?" Keane grabbed a handful of sand from the root of the tree and put it into Sela's hand to hold it, "When the lightning, also known as Kiel's whiskers, fell from the sky, the soil and the rocks inside were crushed into sand because they couldn't withstand its power."

Sela tries to show surprise, "It's different from what the bards describe in their songs.

Most of them would say that lightning is Kiel's finger reaching for the ground or a fist smashing into the ground.

But I think he's more powerful in your story." Seeing the boy's puzzled look, she immediately explained, "If one of his hairs could cause a disaster, what would happen to a finger or a fist instead?"

"That's what I saw with my own eyes.

I was still in Ironstone Town at the time," Keane said, rubbing the sand in his hands and recalling the sight of the lightning as it fell.

Suddenly, a stab of pain interrupted him.

He filters out the sand, leaving a few shiny stones behind."I've seen this stuff before.

When pounded, it sharpens my weapons and works better than a whetstone."

Sela observed the grains, "Well, quartzite.

It used to be handled cheaply to some artisans as a carving tool.

In earlier times, people would use it as a cutting tool, like a pocket knife."

Keane stood up and pointed to the large wadding hanging under the treetops not far away, "There is our 'northerners' beard'.

It can be covered with it or used as flock.

We should rest over there so Kiel's beard doesn't fall here."

Sela buried the red potatoes next to the fire and then proceeded to gather branches to build a cover for the camp.

Soon after, Keane returned to camp holding some sticky black liquid in his bark."I found this sap when I was setting the traps.

It's kind of like what elves put on their faces.

Maybe we can put it on our bodies.

That way the elves won't find us."

Sela dabbed a little of the liquid with her finger and brought it under her nose to sniff.

The liquid emits the fresh scent of wood, and then she puts her finger in her mouth."I'm testing it for toxicity.

Remember, you don't want to do that." She instructed."Most toxins can't hurt me, and you're different."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Catch a rat to use as a test subject." Sela swallowed the sap and stopped talking; her body needed time to judge the efficacy of this sap.

It was at sundown that Sela continued to talk about the previous topic."If you want to test whether something is edible, catch a mouse to be a test subject.

If it takes the initiative to eat it and has no abnormal reaction afterwards, then you can basically go ahead and eat it.

If the rat avoids it, it means that the thing can not eat.

If you want to know the consequences of eating that thing, get a bait for the mouse to eat."

Keane pointed to the black liquid, "Is this edible?"

Sela shook her head, "I've only done preliminary tests.

I still need a longer time to determine if it is safe for consumption.

But I agree with your previous speculation.

Also, I think the elves have added plant pigments to the sap.

This allows it to stay on the surface of the body for a longer period of time.

Given that, I'm basically sure it's safe to apply it to your body.

And even if the body is traumatized, we don't have to worry about this liquid harming our bodies through blood circulation.

So I don't need to perform 'skin test' and 'blood test' on it anymore."

Sela took out her notes and made a note.

She then blocked the path of a caterpillar with a few drops of tree sap.

The caterpillar immediately chose to go around.

She again put drops of sap on the food that the ants were carrying.

The ant immediately abandoned the food."So it seems that it also has insect repellent effect."

Keane has a half-understanding of Sela's experiment."If I put the drug on a mouse and the mouse is fine, that means it works on my body, is that right?"

"You're talking about the 'skin test', also known as the 'in vitro test'." Sela patiently explained."This kind of experiment usually chooses animals without body hair as the experimental subjects.

For example, earthworms and frogs.

Because there is no fur, their skin is more sensitive to external stimuli.

Using them for the test is more conducive to observing the efficacy of the medicine."

Before the two were paired, Keane only knew Sela as the village pharmacist, the weak woman.

To this day, he can't find the words to describe Sela, except to cast an admiring glance."I hope I can remember what you said."

"These are only preliminary experiments.

More refined experiments need to be conducted in the alchemy chamber.

The 'potency' refers to more than just the result of using the drug.

It also includes the speed and duration of effectiveness." Sela added.

Seeing her companion scratching her cheek, she didn't continue."Don't be upset about that.

Just remember not to mess with the food."

After a moment of silence, they looked at each other."How are your injuries?"

Since her death (as an undead creature), Sela never thought she could draw warmth from the living except by drinking their blood.

But at this moment, she did experience a certain kind of warmth, a warmth that she had never had before in life.

"As long as there is food, my wounds heal quickly.

Of course, if I drink blood, it will be even faster." Sela moved her shoulders to prove that what she said was true.

Then, she began to examine her companion's wound."The wound has stopped oozing blood, and the swelling will go down in a few days.

We're getting close to our destination.

When we get there, you'll need a big meal and a warm bed.

And then--"

"Sela," Keane said with a look as if he'd gone back a few days."What I need most is revenge on those people."

Sela nodded melancholy.

She knew that her companion's heart would not be at peace unless her enemies were dead.

----------

Large shrubs and low trees obscured the terrain in front of them, and the two men's view was suppressed to a few steps away.

If not in the middle of it, no one would have thought it was a hidden depression.

Because it is on the northern slope of the ridge, the sun is not visible here.

The shadows running through the dense foliage like a huge spider web discourage outsiders.

After a period of trekking, there was no way ahead.

In addition to backing up, the two seemed to have no choice.

"Here we are." Sela lifted a piece of vine as if it were a curtain.

On the rocky base, a fissure slanted into the ground, like a gap torn open by man.

It only allowed one person to twist his body to pass through.

The roots dangling from above kept extending into the darkness.

"It didn't seem to welcome me." Keane tied two torches with branches and vines and drizzled some more fuel on top of them.

"That's obvious." Sela took the torch, "Stay close to me and don't fall behind."

The cave trails are winding and rugged, with switchbacks abounding.

Whenever such places, Sela always take care of his companion and instruct him not to explore alone, because there are dangerous cave-dwelling creatures.

The second torch was about to burn out, and Keane showed a hint of concern."Can you feel those roots?" He pointed to the top of the cave, "We'll have to make some more torches, with root whiskers and arrow shafts."

"No." Sela's hands lit up with magical light, "No need to worry about the lighting."

In front of a stone door, the two stopped in their tracks.

The stone door has been eroded by time, and the remaining carvings vaguely present the outline of a woman.

Sela recited an incantation.

The stone door slowly descended.

What came into view was a passage, apparently man-made.

Some kind of luminous plant embedded in the top illuminates the way ahead.

Some clusters of creatures were rooted in the soil on both sides of the passage.

They swayed all over, probing the surroundings.

When outsiders approach, they shrink into the holes as if frightened to avoid trouble.

With the flow of air, an intoxicating aroma comes to the surface, making people drowsy.

Sela extinguished the magic light in her hand."We are already in the underground world.

Like the surface creatures, some here carry poison and others can provide you with help." She reached up and dug out a glowing plant from the top and handed it to her companion, "This is Fluorescent Mushroom.

it's a fungus and a good source of light.

It's not poisonous and can even be used as food.

But if you eat too much of it, your stomach will glow like a firefly."

Feeling the warmth of the skin, FluoMush becomes brighter.

So Keane held it in his hand as a light source.

Sela leaned over and lifted the leaves of a plant, "This moving plant is called Ortney, which means 'catalyst' in Elvish.

Warmth will make it bloom, but the bloom will soon fade.

Cold will make it shrink, as if it were dormant.

As long as its roots do not die, it will surely bloom again.

It is very versatile."

"That is, I can make it into FluoMush sustenance to make FluoMush brighter?"

"Oh, yes." Sela wasn't surprised that her companion was able to comprehend this.

"The plants here are sensitive to temperature and air currents?"

"I should say sensitive." Sela corrected her companion's choice of words."The aroma you just smelled came from this flower.

It's called Lilyfan, and it's a good insect repellent.

When refined, Lilyfan sap turns into a deadly poison that can kill a person in their sleep.

When rediluted, it is coma-causing drug.

It is also an additive to some compound spices."

Sela picked up a bug from the ground."You must have thought it was some kind of bee.

You might even think it's a queen bee because of the little wings that sprout from its back.

But in reality, it's a white ant.

They are often found near Lilyfan.

They secrete insect acids that dissipate the effects of Lilyfan and also some other coma-causing drugs." She sends the ant under her companion's nose.

"Uh, like rotten." Keane shook his head, feeling a lot clearer.

"That's right, you just remember they stink." Sela continued on, "These things can't be found above ground.

Some black marketeers will get these through their network of contacts or sorority hired soldiers."

The passage suddenly widened and a secret whisper came from the darkness, it echoed around as if someone was assembled there.

"Ms.

Sela, is that you?" A voice drowned out the other murmurs.

"It's me, Master Sosbin."

The man in the darkness came out.

He wore a soy-purple robe with an ink-colored tunic over it.

The deep-set eye sockets reflect a straight nose.

The light purple eyes seemed like crystals buried deep underground.

Waist-length white hair behind his back.

The most noticeable thing is his forehead moth-shaped mask ornament and several symbols.

Out of place with these is his dead gray skin.

If you don't look closely, you'll be hard pressed to spot his slightly pointed ears.

This indicates that he has elven blood.

"You've been gone a long time.

Did you get into trouble?" Sosbin asked.

"No." Sela shook her head, not about to reveal the interlude between the two and the elf."I can turn into a bat and travel through the forest, but my companion will not."

"I almost forgot you guys had to hike through the forest." Sosbin clasped his hands in front of him, "Come with me."

The three of them came to a hall.

If you don't consider being in the underground world, this place is more like an empty field used by villages and towns for gatherings.

The inhabitants here have similar characteristics to Sosbin.

Some of the individuals had strange horns on their heads, even covering their five senses.

They go their own way, as if they do not feel the presence of visitors.

It is also because of their silence that the sound of running water in the surrounding walls becomes clear to the ear.

Seeing the room prepared for himself, Keane suddenly felt that it would be more comfortable to sleep in the wild.

This is not only because of the uneven walls in the room.

If the humans on the ground world are "making" furniture, then the locals are "building" furniture.

The beds, chairs, and cabinets in the room cannot be moved because they are molten earth and rock.

The builders seem to have determined from the beginning to shape everything here by digging into the earth and fixing the rocks.

Thankfully, the residents do not need to go to the river or a well to get water.

Underground water flows silently from a spring cut into the wall, through a ditch and deeper.

In addition, the air from the forest seeps through the cracks in the walls.

This somewhat relieved the stuffiness of the room.

"This is the 'sanctuary', young man.

I hope we didn't scare you.

You must have a lot of questions, now we can talk." Sosbin sat in his chair and observed the human.

"Are you an elf?" Keane asked vaguely.

"That was a long time ago.

Although we hate to mention it, we cannot deny that we were once distant relatives of the elves, close relatives of the dark elves.

That is, until cursed and banished by our kin, the Dark Elves.

Now, we call ourselves 'Spell Banishers'." Sosbin replied slowly.

"Why did they do that?"

"This one is a story that spans centuries and perhaps millennia, with twists and turns that even the oldest animals can't account for.

But I'm willing to tell you the part I know." With that, Sosbin magically extinguished the FluoMush in the room and drew their light into his hands.

Soft light and shadows flowed through his fingers to weave the scroll of history.

"That starts with the origin of the Dark Elves.

At the moment when war broke out between humans and elves, the elves were not sheltered by the god of the forest, and many of their compatriots were killed as a result.

Eventually the elven king was forced to cede the forest in exchange for peace.

This led to some of the elves losing their homes, and they had to leave, fleeing to the icebergs and underground, also changing their beliefs and becoming dark elves.

As they multiplied and bred, they made new friends - dwarves.

The dwarves wanted the dark elves to convert to their faith, and the dark elves refused.

Fortunately no war broke out this time, only in getting along, not all dwarves were willing to help the dark elves.

What makes the Dark Elves more enlightened than the Elves is their willingness to communicate with other races, to live with them, to learn from them, and to spread their own culture at the same time.

Some dark elves or individuals with elven blood will fall in love with foreigners and breed offspring, but the union is not successful.

Due to interracial marriage, the survival rate of newborns is very low, and some even survived are deformed.

For the sake of these children, mixed-blood Archmage Elesser sacrificed his mana, flesh, and carried the eternal curse of the Creator God, who created the unique bloodline 'Shadow Affinity'.

This bloodline separated the half-bloods from their original race to form who we are now.

However, all this incurred the displeasure of the Dark Elf nobility, who believed that the pure Dark Elf bloodline must continue.

In response, clan councils argued for centuries.

At the end of the day, several noble forces joined forces to stage a coup, and they coerced the royal family.

To avoid more bloodshed, the royal family finally decided to banish us.

Interracial unions were also banned completely."

Keane did not know much about the unfamiliar race, gods and goddesses, but listened with great interest, even a bit of intent.

However, when he touched the arrows engraved with clues, everything just now was banished from his mind."Sela said you can help me, help me get revenge.

I'm not strong enough now.

What do I have to do?"

"I've heard about you, young man.

I am willing to help you if you can put aside the boundaries of race.

So until then, we have to listen to the will of the goddess.

She will make arrangements for that." Seeing that the human was a little disappointed, Sosbin did not explain much and turned away.