The Sinner

"Seriously, what's going on? Who is the elder, who is the village chief? And that uncle? The whole thing was so awkward!"

It was refreshing, finally leaving that house, but then questions poured down on him.

"I know right? It feels like we started a family drama..."

"But I didn't think elves would also be greedy for power... I thought they were the followers of peace." 

"Is that girl Claus' fiance? He never spoke about her before."

"Well of course, since we've only met him about a week ago."

"I still don't know what an elemental can do to elves."

"I don't even know what elementals are!"

The target of all these questions was the person who led them here. His actions and intentions kept getting weirder by day. They had kept silent so far, but their curiosity could no longer be suppressed. 

And that much was understandable for Ian.

"You all have a general idea of what elementals are. Claus has explained enough and we don't need to know more than the fact that they're a race born out of nature."

Having no choice, Ian began giving the others a brief explanation. If he wanted their cooperation, he couldn't keep them in the dark forever. 

As his gaze moved up to the rainy sky, he took in the pleasing smell of wet soil and the relaxing sound of droplets falling down. Although he'd retracted his Aether upon entering the village, the soothing sensation still tingled in his chest. He found this a good chance to brief the others as much as necessary. 

"They're usually invisible to the human eyes, except for those with an affinity with an element, the blessed ones of nature, and those with special powers. Elementals usually don't leave the forest and stick to their homes, so it's natural for humans not to know about them.

"Elves are a different race from us. They're able to see and sense elementals since birth, and if they want it, they can form a contract with them. Elementals can be considered a neighbor to them, a friend they always have, some intelligent pets, or a family. Anyway, elves and elementals coexist perfectly."

He didn't know when or why, but his four companions had lined up at some point, sitting down on the stairs of the Elder's house, listening to him while avoiding the rain.

"The current issue is the elementals' unusual behaviors. As you saw when we visited that theater, they not only exit the boundaries of the jungle but also attack humans, which they never do. If they're that hostile to humans whom they normally don't care about, how is their behavior towards the elves?"

Hmmmm. Everyone hummed as they nodded their heads, indicating their understanding of the situation. Where was he? In a kindergarten?

"What's the cause of that? Claus said something about corruption but I can't really understand."

"Yes," Ian gestured at the group to observe their surrounding whilst answering Eleen. As they watched the sorry state of the elves, Ian cleared his throat.

"According to the Church of the Sun, Evil arises wherever Light is lost. Monsters stand as productions of Evil, and Corruption is born of monsters. Light purifies Evil. It refines Corruption. Thus light is what shall shine down on the befouled. Slipping into Corruption is succumbing to Evil. If Light does not shower such a creature, it'll be a womb for more Evil to be born. And Evil cannot be stopped, unless by the Sun."

"....."

"....."

"....."

"....."

Quiet.

Everyone gaped at him blankly, unable to utter a word.

"Ahem!"

Adding some more random information to his words would be beneficial to them in the future, Ian believed. They needed to be briefed on some simple terms so that they wouldn't be confused over the upcoming matters. 

"So we can say that the elementals have, for some reason, lost their Light. They weren't saved on time, so corruption began to spread. It's not just the elementals that can get corrupted. These elves seem to have been seriously malnourished and sick, indicating that their food and water sources were also probably poisoned by corruption. The girl called Amelia seems to be also a victim of this incident. If that's the case, then the whole jungle is most likely under a huge risk."

Hearing the explanation, a spark lit up in Eleen's eyes, her face brightening in realization. 

"That makes sense. I couldn't understand a thing about her condition... So she must've been affected by whatever is harming the elementals."

Being reminded of the patient she just met, Eleen rubbed her chin, deep in thought. 

"If elementals are harmless creatures who always live in the jungle, then why would they lose their Light?"

Finally, the important question was asked. Ian looked at Alaric and shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows?"

The important question that he wasn't going to answer yet.

'It'll only be suspicious if I open up and explain everything right away. Not that I'm not suspicious now... They're being considerate and not questioning me a lot,' his pupils then landed on a black-haired youth. 'Or maybe are just too scared to do...'

Whatever the reason was, Ian was thankful for them. 

"Do you want to help these elves? Why?"

"It's not called helping them out, specifically, but yeah, It'll be beneficial to us."

"Beneficial? I doubt elves can pay us in human currency... What's so good about it?"

"We'll have to wait and see."

Ian chuckled at the group's confused faces. He pointed at something in the distance with a finger.

"For now, we've got more urgent problems to take care of."

BAAANGGG

Before they could understand his words, a loud bang resounded in the area. The ground shook, panicked screams resounding. Intense heat splashed in the area, making the atmosphere hot and humid. 

The group shot up to their feet. Floating high up in the air, a strange creature was spewing fire in all directions. It looked like a shapeless slime, changing forms repeatedly as it switched between fiery red and deep brown. 

"That's..."

"An elemental."

The elemental wasn't alone.

More and more of them kept appearing from all sides of the jungle, surrounding the village in the blink of an eye. 

"It's... it's an attack!"

"Another attack! They're attacking again!"

"Corrupted elementals..."

Under everyone's nervous watch, the approaching elementals halted right before reaching the village boundaries. A pale golden layer was blocking their path, yet that too, didn't seem like it would last long.

The sky was dim. Shadows covered the entirety of the village. 

"What in the world..."

Walking out from the nearby house, Claus had his eyes glued to the army of vicious creatures attaching them. They slam against the shield, struggling to get in. Elves rushed to take shelter in their houses. Children cried out in fear. And humans were frozen in their spots. 

'They are... larger in number this time...'

An army huger than what he'd ever seen. A number he couldn't even count.

Claus' hands holding his bow trembled. He could hear his own heartbeat. Dry lips pressing on each other, the man's ashen expression shifted to all the villagers taking refuge in their hoses.

Every eye was focused on him. Even in their houses, the elves didn't look away. Was it his imagination? No, it wasn't. They all demanded protection. They were asking him to find a way out of this. 

He was the only one left. After his father, in the absence of Amelia the village chief, he was responsible for the safety of these elves.

It was his responsibility.

'But what can I do...'

How could he possibly defend against this attack? 

They'd survived thus far thanks to the ancient barrier. Yet that too, couldn't last long. They retreated everything from the outside to inside the village and gathered everyone around, hoping to be safe inside the shield... What a naive dream they had.

For how long could they avoid a conflict?

'Elementals shouldn't be harmed...'

That was the rule in this village. That was a must. Hurting an elemental was a sin. Evil. Immoral.

They've been struggling to survive the brutal attacks and sudden ambushes without hurting any elemental up till now.

They lost many only not to be the sinner.

His father's last moments were still vivid in his memory. It wasn't even two months ago. The man was holding back the forces of corruption. No killing, no harming, with no weapon at hand, barely suppressing them, telling the rest of the group to run. To run for their lives and inform everyone of the disaster. To run while he stood there, swallowed by corruption.

They were miles away from the village then, and the corruption is now at their front door.

What did that man lose his life for? For the enemy to eventually annihilate them?

They could've killed all those enemies back then. They could've stopped the spread of the seed of the devil. Yet they left it be. Because they were too scared of being the sinners.

His father was one of the strongest. Why did he lose his life for? To defend the ones who'd later send his son out to find a nonexistent bird? The ones who forced Amelia to overuse her gift of nature to the point of ruining her body? His best friend, his fiance, was on the verge of death, yet he was ordered to find the bird guarding the world tree.

Where was the logic in this?

All because they were too scared to kill. Too afraid of breaking the rules. Of becoming the outcast. Of becoming the eyesore.

It was a good thing that he sneaked out, Claus thought. He managed to encounter a human doctor on his way out of the jungle and some warriors.

But she too, didn't manage to heal Amelia. She was helpless.

Everything was. All helpless. 

Everyone's gaze was on him, yet he stood in his place, rooted, watching how their last hope, the everlasting shield, cracked up and crumbled to pieces. 

"Raven, don't be reckless, and don't move far."

Somehow, a fairly clear voice found its way into his buzzing mind, scattering his cloud of thought. The voice continued, gentle as before. "Doris, the fire elementals will flock around you. Don't be careless and don't leave our side. Don't cast fire spells."

Ordering the group was the man who always had a hood on. He stood back, hiding the doctor behind him, while pointing at the elementals rushing to them through the holes in the barrier. 

"Hunt as much as you want."

Humans weren't obliged to follow another race's rules. 

That was why he brought them. 

And he didn't regret it one bit.

"Avoiding one sin results in another."

Watching Raven's departing back, Ian spoke to no one specific at all.

"One has to choose the weight that'll be easier to carry."

Either watch your race's annihilation or kill the already corrupted creatures. The words found their way to their target, etching themself on the man's mind. 

'Choose the weight that'll be easier to carry.'

It happened in a second.

The elf's fingers ran across wooden arrows. The string was pulled; arms tensed. Eyes following the darting black shadow, Claus let go of the string. Air split apart as three arrows pierced it apart.

The next second, two formless figures fell down to the ground from the sky. 

The sin was committed.

The first elementals were killed.