“Master,” Zerus said firmly, her voice steady despite the blood still trailing down her arm.

  Enya stared at the crystal.

  The voice that answered was… a girl’s. Light. Youthful. It didn’t match what she’d expected—not for someone like that.

  This is her master? And who was Lia supposed to be?

  “I have captured her. She is with me now. I am currently running away in a forest with her. We’re en route to the warp site. However—”

  “What? Is there an issue?”

  “There are pursuers,” Zerus replied. Her tone dropped back into that cold, distant monotone. “My left shoulder is completely destroyed. I could barely react in time. They’re closing in. I don’t believe I can outrun them long enough to safely use another teleport stone.”

  From the crystal, the faint clamor of metal echoed. Clinking chains, rotating gears, and the slow thump-thump of distant machines. The background noise was rhythmic, almost mechanical in breathing.

  In a dimly lit workshop lined with metal limbs, tubes, and unblinking crystal eyes, Pin sat hunched at her desk. A young girl in appearance—but no child.

  A blueprint lay unrolled in front of her, ink-streaked with harsh red annotations. Schematics of a humanoid body; it consisted of cold steel bones, gem-powered nodes, and arteries filled with dark, viscous liquid. That same liquid, and those same runes, marked Zerus’ heart.

  Controlled chaos reigned around her: pulleys spinning, saws grinding, vials bubbling. Somewhere behind her, someone screamed—a long, desperate wail from deep within a chamber. She didn’t flinch.

  Pin’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.

  “Someone got close enough to injure you without you noticing, huh?” she said, slowly, thoughtfully.

  Another scream rang out. She ignored it.

  “Do you know who it was?”

  Zerus’ grip on the crystal tightened.

  “No. I didn’t see them. The moment I warped, the attack came from my blindside. It was a fire-based spell, but… the impact was severe. More force than heat. The blow damaged through the bone itself.”

  A thoughtful hum drifted through the crystal.

  “Fire, hm? If it destroyed part of your body, then it surely isn't regular fire magic… Flame spells alone wouldn’t have that much stopping power unless it was an obsidian-tier War Paragon. And a weapon or artifact seems unlikely, not on that layer…”

  She paused, tapping her chin. A soft tsk followed after.

  “It must’ve been a Draconid. Those fiery brutes are the only ones with that kind of explosive output.”

  Draconid. Enya’s thoughts jolted.

  Wait… That’s what the lizard guy was, right? The one who hurt Pell? Why is he with Pell now?

  Enya’s fingers clenched at her sides. She didn’t understand what any of this meant—only that it was getting worse by the second.

  “I do not think I will be able to reach the site and defeat the enemies. I suggest we abandon the mission—”

  “Zerus,” Pin said, voice flat.

  Zerus’s face turned grim. Her body stiffened.

  “This is a favor I owe someone, and I don’t like owing favors. Just because you are a layer away from me, don’t think you can get complacent with me,” she stated. “You are bringing that girl here, that is an order.”

  “Master, please—“

  “You are no longer permitted to respond unless I ask,” Pin snapped back sharply, cutting her off.

  Zerus’ lips froze mid-sentence, and slowly, she closed her mouth.

  After a few seconds, Pin continued. “What of the Twisted Seedlings? How many of them did you use?”

  “I-I… I used none.”

  A deep sigh came from the crystal. “So what, you snuck in and grabbed the girl secretly? Where’s the fun in that? How many did you kill?”

  “I… I killed one person to get into the tournament. Then I attacked some guards and captured the target before warping out of the city.”

  “Can’t say I’m surprised that you wanted to avoid bloodshed. You’re such a failure of a demon. What kind of beast wants to avoid conflict? Your village would be so disappointed in you. Even they put up more of a fight.” A soft, berating laugh from the otherwise childish voice echoed out from the crystal, slowly becoming crazed. Again, another loud scream of pain and agony echoed out from behind her, deep in whatever workshop she was in.

  “Whatever. Your rebellious nature actually paid off. You can use the Twisted Seedlings against whoever it is chasing you. If the forest turns, then it’s the second layer’s problem. Burn your life force using the Callendryl Chains to even the playing ground if they somehow catch up. Just make sure the girl gets here.”

  Callendryl Chains, Enya thought. Is it those rune-etched chains connecting to Zerus’ exposed heart? Is that what she is referring to? And burning her life force? What does that mean? What happens if she uses them?

  Pin’s voice snapped again. “Remember your place. You exist to serve. You listen. You obey. If you die getting the girl to me, then you’ve done your job. You are—”

  A pause. Then came the cold finality of her statement.

  “—easily replaced. ”

  Zerus’ hand shook. Her claws trembled just slightly as she held the crystal near her ear.

  Enya saw it then. Beneath the blood and power. The fear. The pain.

  “Yes, Master,” Zerus whispered at last.

  The crystal dimmed at last, the communication severed. Zerus returned the device to her cloak, her face unreadable.

  She turned and reached for something else inside the folds of her cloak. Then she crouched, sweeping away small patches of grassy dirt with her good hand. She placed something small within the hole, then stood—and let a single droplet of blood fall from her fingertips onto the spot.

  She repeated the process several more times, each placement spaced a few meters apart.

  Enya stood watching her, silent. Various questions came to her mind. What is she doing? Is she planting those Twisted Seedlings the girl had mentioned?

  “Alright. Let’s keep moving,” Zerus said, her voice empty.

  She walked back over to Enya, scooped her up again, and without another word, broke into a sprint toward their destination. Zerus’ left shoulder was exposed once more; it was still torn, and far from healed, but it was holding together enough to move with each step without falling apart.

  And so—they left.

  The Twisted Seedlings buried beneath the forest floor, the wild monster’s blood still seeping into their roots.

  Enya held the Grim Pullet against her chest, the cover shut tight, bouncing slightly with each of Zerus’ quick strides.

  What Zerus didn’t know—what no one could see—was that Enya didn’t need to write in the book.

  She could feel messages being sent to her. But more than that… she could respond. Not with a pen. Not with ink. But with her thoughts alone.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  All this time, she’d been communicating with Pell.

  But now… something felt wrong. A strange tug at her mind, subtle but steady. A thread becoming thinner. Fainter. Distant.

  She recognized it with an indescribable instinct.

  It was her own magic unraveling.

  And if she was right—this would be the last message she could send before the connection vanished completely.

  ???

  “Experimentation on a demon? How… crude,” Josier muttered, his tone laced with quiet disdain.

  “But why exactly does this person want Enya?” Berry asked. “I mean, yeah, she’s a high-noble now, but still—why go so far as to send a demon after her? That has to be like... heresy in the highest degree.”

  Their caravan rolled steadily through a deeper stretch of the forest, the wheels creaking quietly beneath them. This far out, the roads thinned into overgrown trails. No patrols. No regulated outposts. Just wildlands.

  Which meant monsters.

  “Where the hell could they be going?” Pell asked, peering out the side. “What’s even out here?”

  “Heading west, there’s a road that used to lead to a few small towns and outposts,” Manny replied. “Milertown first, then a long ways away straight to Bardine. But… we’re veering more southwest than that.”

  He paused, thinking.

  “There are ruins in this direction,” he continued. “Old ones. From an empire that collapsed thousands of years ago. Nothing’s left but stone and sand now, worn down by time.”

  Josier glanced at him, raising a brow. “You’re pretty knowledgeable for someone your age.”

  Manny rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling nervously. “I study a lot. Grades are kind of my thing. I’m not really built for, uh… physical stuff.”

  “So there are ruins that way,” Risha said, leaning forward. “You think that’s where the demon’s taking her? Is there something out there?”

  Manny hummed, gaze thoughtful. “If those ruins are that remote, odds are they’ve never been officially documented or cleared. Could make a decent hideout I guess.”

  He glanced at Pell. “But judging by what Enya said in her message, I don’t think they’re staying there. She mentioned the demon wanted to take her somewhere and then teleport her to her master.”

  “Why go through all that trouble?” Pell asked, narrowing his soul-flames. “Why not just teleport from the city?”

  “That’s the thing,” Manny said. “I think they’re trying to teleport between layers. Maybe even multiple.”

  Josier crossed his arms. “And what makes you think that?”

  “Look at the wording. Enya said—and I quote—‘She’s taking me somewhere. Wants to go somewhere and then teleport me to her master.’ So… why not just teleport from Talo? They clearly have the resources. Every major city has warp gates, and you can travel across the entire second layer easily.”

  Josier leaned back, arms crossed. “Unless the destination isn’t in the second layer at all.”

  Manny snapped his fingers. “Right. That’s what I’m thinking. It’s not a regular warp. It’s probably between layers. That would explain why they need a specific location—one with an old warp anchor, or a dormant gate tied to the layer system.”

  He glanced down at the notes he’d jotted in his journal. “It’s just a theory, but those ruins might have belonged to a civilization that used layered warp systems before everything got more centralized. If the demon’s master is in another layer… then they’re not just escaping the city. They’re leaving the entire realm.”

  The group fell silent.

  Only the creaking of the wheels and the soft groan of wood echoed beneath the canopy as they each sat with the thought—heavy, unsettling, and far too plausible.

  Pell was already on board with the theory. Why?

  Because Enya was a high-noble.

  People like her didn’t belong in the second layer. They moved through the fourth. Mostly the fifth. Anyone who actually knew Enya—her name, her face, her value—had to come from higher up.

  Cross-layer travel was a seemingly valid theory.

  The caravan rattled over a thick stone, jostling everyone upward with a loud creak of wood and groan of wheels. This was when Shadow Enya, who was already extremely pale, almost translucent, stood up once more.

  Everyone looked over at her. It must have been another message.

  She lifted her arms, and the Grim Pullet appeared midair, already opened, pages fluttering faintly before settling. Words were etched across them, neat but urgent.

  Pell leaned in close, eyes scanning the ink.

  Last message. Pell. I think there’s something in the forest. She planted something. Called Twisted Seedlings. Pin told her to use them inside the city, but Zerus didn’t want to. She’s taking me away now. Pin is forcing her.

  “What…” Pell muttered.

  Twisted Seedlings? And who the hell was Pin?

  Enya had been referring to the demon as Zerus now, but the group decided to just stick with ‘demon.’

  “What is a Twisted Seedling?” Pell asked, turning to the rest.

  Everyone held a confused expression, shrugging, showing they didn’t know. Everyone, except Josier.

  “Twisted Seedlings are seeds that spawn corrupted, demonic monsters. They are demonic trees and generally harmless. But if planted outside of carefully prepared soil, they instead mutate and turn into living monsters called Twisted Ents,” Josier explained, his eyes narrow, expression hard. “If they were released inside the city… it would have been a catastrophe.”

  “Are they that strong?” Berry asked.

  “Yes, and no. They—“

  His words were cut off as the bicorns up ahead suddenly stopped, the ground beneath them beginning to rumble. Nakrin fought to restrain the two unicorns under his care.

  The forest, however, was thrown into chaos.

  The forest around them shook.

  And then—through the trees—shapes emerged. Massive. Twisted. Demonic.

  Tree-like beasts. Each one towered as tall as the forest canopy, their bodies cobbled together from blackened bark, gnarled roots, and bone-thick vines. Their limbs were impossibly long—trunks and large tendril-branches scraping grooves into the earth as they moved. Thick wooden joints cracked with every step, the sound like splitting logs.

  Each monster was as tall as the tallest trees around them; five of them lumbered forward like ogres.

  “T-they’re gigantic!” Risha yelped.

  “Everybody! Get out! Prepare for battle!” Josier shouted. “If we don’t kill them, they’ll infect every tree in this forest!”

  At his command, the caravan exploded into motion. Every rider leaped from the cart, boots hitting dirt, weapons drawn, and adrenaline flaring among the members.

  Pell moved to follow, one foot already braced on the edge—when something tugged at his arm.

  He glanced back. Shadow Enya had grabbed him, her form barely holding together now. Her light was flickering, transparent as a fading mist. The Grim Pullet hovered beside her, a final message scrawled across the glowing page.

  Pell, if you make it to me. Try to not kill Zerus, please. I don’t think she is a bad person.

  Pell’s soul flames tightened inside his skull. Bad person? A demon of all things, kidnapping you isn’t a bad person?

  With the message delivered, the Grim Pullet vanished—its pages dissolving into light—and Shadow Enya followed shortly after, her form flickering once before fading completely. The mana fueling her was gone.

  Pell grunted and jumped down from the cart, landing with a thud. His gaze shifted to the monsters approaching through the trees.

  Everyone else was already in position.

  Nakrin’s wings were flared wide, heat radiating off him in shimmering waves, his skin glowing a molten red. Manny stood with a vortex of wind twisting violently between his palms, while Berry’s expression was locked in fury, eyes blazing, lips drawn tight in rage. Risha summoned her claymore, hands trembling ever so slightly—but she stood firm despite the fear shaking her core as she faced the monsters.

  Pell clenched his fists. He wasn’t a fighter. Not by a long shot. But if monsters were coming for his head, he wouldn’t die quietly.

  Then—

  “Pell!” Josier’s voice rang out from the side.

  He was holding the reins of the last remaining bicorn, while Nakrin had already charged ahead. The second bicorn had bolted, frightened off the moment Nakrin’s power flared.

  “If we want to catch the demon, we split here!” Josier shouted. “Me and you go after them—everyone else holds the monsters back!”

  A massive crash boomed through the trees as one of the towering beasts knocked over a pine, its collapse echoing through the woods.

  “You sure they can handle it?” Pell called back. “You sure you can handle her?”

  Josier didn’t flinch. “Nakrin’s a draconid. Trees are his natural prey. I know your history with him isn’t… great, but he’ll protect them. As for the demon—if she couldn’t react to Nakrin’s fire spear before, then I’m more than enough to deal with her.”

  He swung himself onto the bicorn’s back, reins tight in his grip. “Get on! We have to move!”

  The first of the shambling beasts stomped into the clearing.

  It was a mess of branches, wood, and a giant living tree that took the shape of a humanoid figure. Its bark twisted, limbs bending at impossible angles. Its chest cracked open, and with a guttural roar, a barrage of thorned tendrils erupted from its body—like jagged quills, slashing through the air, bending toward the group like spears.

  Nakrin didn’t wait.

  He reared back, scales rumbling and glowing brighter—then he roared.

  A blast of fire, a searing torrent escaped his mouth, the ground beneath him turned to rising steam. The tendrils were instantly consumed, shriveling into ash mid-lunge.

  The burst of flame struck the ent head-on, the intense heat warping the air around it as flames wrapped around it like fiery bands. It screeched. Wood grinding against bark. It swiped through the inferno, thrashing wildly as flames crawled across its limbs. Another tree toppled as the beast flailed, trying to extinguish the blaze.

  But it wasn’t done.

  The tendrils, burned or broken, slammed into the earth and surrounding trunks. Wherever they struck, the ground blackened, the bark of trees twisting, spreading that same warped texture.

  It was spreading already.

  “Nakrin! Keep your fire under control!” Josier shouted over the chaos. “Don’t go burning down the whole forest—it might trigger a monster flood towards Talo!”

  Pell sprinted to the bicorn and leapt onto its back, landing hard behind Josier. The creature kicked off immediately, hooves pounding into the dirt as they took off.

  Nakrin’s muscles tensed, scales shifting into a brighter, molten red. His eyes narrowed as he growled, his voice booming like thunder over the battlefield.

  “All of you! Keep the other ents distracted! Don’t let them spread! Just hold them back long enough for me to burn them down!”

  It echoed across the clearing, shaking leaves from branches.

  Nakrin could handle the beasts individually. But their sheer size, their spreading corruption, and the risk of collateral made things complicated. If he unleashed his full firepower now, he’d burn the entire forest with them.

  And if that happened, he wouldn’t be preventing the monster flood—he’d be helping it.

  He had to isolate the ents first. Draw them away from the trees before reducing them to ash.

  “Make sure you bring Enya back!” Risha called out, her voice ringing behind them. “And tell her I’m sorry!”

  “Same here!” Berry added, shouting over the chaos. “I have some things to tell her too!” Her voice cracked slightly, strained with anger and fury, her berserker aura already flaring to life. A distortion of energy forming above and behind her like a seething halo.

  Pell didn’t look back.

  He just gripped tighter onto the back of Josier’s uniform as the bicorn barreled forward, weaving around and past the horde of giant ents, going through a makeshift path.

  For now, his mind was fixed on one thing.

  Enya.

  After all, this situation was different from her being in danger from monsters. Someone wanted her. And not for good reason, either.

  He just had to get to her back. Everything else could come later.