Chapter 23: Escape

Asa's initial impression of the elves came from the dwarves. After spending several days with them, he realized that dwarves excelled not only in mechanics and forging but likely had a certain talent for literature as well, especially when it came to their biting satire and ridicule of the elves. They described the elves' personalities vividly: stubborn, self-righteous, and utterly lifeless.

Elves took great pride in their identity and their long-standing culture. The sacred glory of their millennia-long history weighed so heavily on them that every action had to be taken with extreme caution, lest they offend their traditions. Their daily routines were filled with prayers and rituals, taking up much of their time. Though Elder Cranford had promised to do his best to find a way to draw out the power within Asa's body, even in the limited remaining hours of each day, any new ideas had to go through a discussion. They had to ensure no offense was given to their honorable traditions, nor any violation of the gods' teachings. At this pace, Asa realized there was a chance he could end up stuck here for life.

But Asa wasn't worried. He knew what he needed to do.

At first, Asa feared that the elves would find a way to imprison him. To his surprise, they allowed him free movement. Perhaps they believed that any human placed in this grand environment would be overwhelmed and submit to their will. Or perhaps they assumed Asa wouldn't dare make trouble. However, the most important reason was that they imposed a unique constraint rooted in their millennia-old culture, requiring him to swear an oath in the name of his god.

When Asa replied that he had no god, the elves were shocked. Many whispered amongst themselves, remarking that humans had truly fallen into corruption and chaos.

A few scholarly elves later explained that due to the complexities of human life, humans had begun to worship concepts derived from their experiences, such as justice, fairness, wealth, technology, and effort. After some contemplation, the elves agreed to let Asa swear by whatever he personally believed in. Elder Cranford solemnly told him, "Swear by what you believe in and live by. This way, you will fear being forsaken by it and will keep your promise. Violence is something our noble race abhors, and we will only use it as a last resort. The gods have taught us that 'binding the body is inferior to binding the soul.' Thus, we use this civilized and effective method of restraint."

Asa originally planned to give a perfunctory oath, but seeing how serious the elves were, he felt a little embarrassed. Furrowing his brows, he searched his mind for something he truly believed in.

Seeing his effort, Elder Cranford encouraged him, "Think carefully. It's the thing you trust most, the most important truth in your life—your guiding belief."

After some thought, Asa finally concluded, "I believe that if you don't eat, you'll get hungry, and if you're hungry for too long, you'll die." This was indeed his most steadfast belief.

The elves, once again, murmured amongst themselves but ultimately accepted this as a valid belief, as it was still a guiding principle. Under their guidance, Asa took part in a strange ritual and swore an oath: "In the name of food, I swear that I will not escape, nor will I…" The elves collectively agreed that this human was now bound by their oath.

Asa wasn't fond of lying. He preferred to lay things out plainly, sometimes even handling matters head-on. However, he wasn't one to stubbornly cling to a direct approach; when that failed, a small bit of maneuvering didn't bother him.

The elves had never treated him as an equal, let alone trusted him. Asa could clearly feel that the elves saw him the way humans view livestock—an inferior creature. Although their tone was always gentle and their expressions unchanged, they didn't hide their condescension. That calm, aloof demeanor only accentuated the contempt they felt deep down.

Though Asa wasn't particularly angered by this disdain, it did make him speak more forcefully when swearing the oath.

For the past few days, he had lived quietly in the elves' domain, playing the role of a simple vessel, just as they expected.

The atmosphere inside the heart of the Whispering Forest was a stark contrast to the deathly stillness he had sensed on its outskirts. Inside, it was vibrant with life. Strange insects and flowers thrived, majestic unicorns roamed freely, and occasionally, tiny butterfly-like fairies flitted among the plants. Nothing here bore any trace of human handiwork. The elves' treehouses grew naturally from the branches, and their tools were cleverly crafted from insect shells and plant parts.

To some, this might seem like a paradise, harmoniously merged with nature. But Asa couldn't wait to achieve his goal and leave this place as soon as possible.

Just a month ago, he had been in the bustling capital, surrounded by people. Since coming here, he had first encountered zombies, then giant treants, and had been drawn into a bizarre ritual involving responsibilities for light and darkness. It felt like he had been thrown from the real world into a chaotic myth. While his horizons had certainly expanded, more than anything, he longed to return to his own life.

Compared to the other rigid elves, the only one who showed any hint of vitality was the young girl, Ruya. She seemed curious about the outside world and often came to Asa with strange questions about human habits and society. Every time she heard Asa's answers, she would widen her eyes in shock. She found it hard to believe that humans would kill animals just to wear their skins, that they would kill each other, or that they would toil like beasts to feed people who had no relation to them. After her initial surprise, she would usually shake her head in disdain and say, "Barbaric. Inferior." As if Asa himself were responsible for all of humanity's actions.

Although Ruya spoke to Asa with a hint of disdain in her tone and gaze, her emotional expression was still a breath of fresh air in this otherwise dull environment. Compared to the gentle yet rigid attitudes of the other elves, Ruya's reactions were much more endearing.

At first, Asa had tried to directly inquire about the Sunwell and the World Tree's leaves, but Ruya immediately grew wary, saying, "Humans are not allowed to know such things." Elder Cranford had likely warned her about this. However, Asa soon realized that with a bit of subtle questioning, he could get nearly any information he wanted from her. The relationships between the elves seemed quite straightforward, and they never resorted to tricks or deception. Despite living nearly a hundred years, Ruya was utterly naive. Thanks to her, Asa didn't need to investigate or spy on his own—he learned everything he needed to know with ease.

With the necessary information gathered, the time for action had arrived.

The weather was perfect, with not a single cloud in the sky. It was a full moon, and even though the ancient trees had dense branches, the forest would still be brightly illuminated by the moonlight. It was an excellent opportunity.

Standing on the high treehouse platform, Asa watched the last glow of the sunset fade from the treetops as the full moon slowly rose from the other side. Below, the elves had returned from their final prayer session of the day at the Sunwell. Afterward, they would retire to their treehouses to rest. They didn't cut down trees, nor did they know how to make any other fuel. To them, sunset marked the end of the day, and they would simply wait in their treehouses for the next morning to come.

The unicorns in the forest were also heading back to their nests. These intelligent creatures weren't domesticated by the elves but, like them, had been guardians of this forest since ancient times. Like the elves, they had no habit of being active at night.

Asa entered his treehouse, sat cross-legged, and began to meditate.

This was his first time meditating since entering the Whispering Forest. He needed to bring both his body and mind to their peak condition. The elves and unicorns would sleep, but the ancient tree guardians wouldn't. From what Asa had learned from Ruya, aside from the ones killed by the man in the red robe, there were still hundreds of these massive creatures scattered throughout the forest.

Closing his eyes, Asa quickly entered the usual deep meditative state. He became unaware of everything around him, his mind devoid of thoughts, his full attention focused inward. His senses sharpened to an incredible degree. He could feel each of his organs functioning in harmony, every beat of his heart pushing blood through his veins, spreading energy to the tiniest parts of his body.

Then, a new sensation arose. A scorching yet non-burning energy naturally surged from his bones, muscles, and every drop of blood. As the blood circulated through his body, this heat permeated every part of him. The sharp awareness of his internal body was overwhelmed by this chaotic, powerful force, making it seem as though all his body parts had fused into one.

Though his eyes were closed, Asa could see a dazzling golden light within his body, as if the sun itself resided inside him.

Gradually, the sensation calmed and faded away. Asa opened his eyes and let out a long breath. His body was now filled with a power he had never felt before—steady and vast, like a river flowing through his limbs, not turbulent but undeniably mighty.

This was an unprecedented feeling. Could it be the result of reaching a certain level in his meditation practice? Or was it because he had been exposed to the Sunwell? Elder Cranford had said that with his "filthy human body," Asa shouldn't be able to use such power. Was the elder just spouting nonsense, or was he confused himself?

There was no time for these questions now. Whatever the reason, this new strength had come at just the right moment, giving Asa more confidence in the success of his upcoming plan. Silently, Asa left the treehouse. The forest beneath the moonlight was empty, with only the sounds of insects chirping, rising and falling in the night air.

Moving cautiously, he began making his way toward the Sunwell. Asa had never been so aware of his own footsteps; they sounded so loud, as if they could shake the entire forest.