[The Forest of Farlios]
They walked through the Farlios forest as the soft orange light of evening spread across the trees. Leaves drifted down with every gentle gust, carrying the scent of wet earth and faint traces of wildflowers. Amid the crack of twigs and the distant murmur of a stream, the footsteps of the three travelers became the only rhythm in the silence.
Mireya, clearly bored of the quiet, finally broke it.
"So, Ardelle…" she said, brushing strands of hair off her cheek, "you said earlier—you're an elf, right?"
Ardelle nodded lightly without looking back. "That's right. I'm an elf, guardian of the Farlios forest. I've lived in this biome long before humans ever set foot in Santara."
Zeydan raised an eyebrow. "But… elves usually have long ears, smooth faces, pretty eyes, and—"
He pointed at Ardelle's head. "—definitely don't have horns like demons."
Mireya giggled. "He's got a point. If you're disguising yourself, at least take off the horns first. Otherwise people will think you're half-demon."
Ardelle suddenly stopped walking. Her body stiffened. The amber light filtering through the leaves reflected in her crimson eyes, making her expression unreadable.
Zeydan frowned awkwardly. "Uh—sorry if that offended you…"
But Ardelle didn't reply right away. Her gaze drifted into the distance—
and in a blink, her mind slipped back into the past.
The sky was red as blood.
Her old village burned to ashes, houses collapsing one after another.
Screams and cries echoed everywhere. And amidst the flames, several red-skinned, horned beings stood motionless, watching it all. Their eyes were empty—neither angry nor merciful—just cold.
One of them turned its gaze toward young Ardelle, hiding behind the ruins.
Then—everything went black.
"Ardelle?"
Mireya's voice snapped her back. The elf flinched slightly, then smiled faintly to hide her unease. "Ah… sorry. Just remembered something."
Zeydan scratched his head. "So… about the horns?"
Ardelle sighed softly before replying, her tone calm but a little hurried. "They're… decorative. We elves of Farlios attach sacred stone horns as a symbol of our bond with the forest."
Mireya looked skeptical, but Zeydan just smiled innocently. "Oh, that's cool. I thought you were actually half-demon. Glad you're not."
"...Yeah," Ardelle murmured with a faint smile. But her eyes, for a moment, looked hollow.
They continued walking along the glowing path lit by blue fireflies. The mood grew lighter again—Mireya occasionally teased Zeydan, who inspected every bush with exaggerated caution.
"Hey, Zeydan," Mireya chuckled, "if you keep staring at that bush like it's a test question, it might fall in love with you."
"Quiet," Zeydan replied flatly. "I'm just making sure there aren't any tiny Mostole hiding in there."
Ardelle chuckled softly at their banter. "You two are amusing. Most humans who come to Farlios are tense and afraid of getting lost. But you two… sound like bickering children."
Zeydan and Mireya looked at each other, then said in unison,
"We do get lost a lot."
Their laughter blended with the rising hum of the night. More fireflies gathered, guiding them down a gentle slope where the faint glow of Ardelle's village began to appear—blue crystal lights twinkling softly in the dark.
---
The sky above Farlios was now completely dark, but the blue crystals hanging along the streets bathed the village in warm, tranquil light.
Zeydan gazed around in awe. The place looked like a living painting—giant-rooted trees, wooden bridges over clear streams, and small dome-shaped houses made of glowing leaves.
"This place…" Mireya whispered, eyes shining. "It's beautiful. Like a fairytale world."
Ardelle smiled gently. "Welcome to Nightrune Village—the home of the Furniy race."
As they walked deeper into the village, the residents began to notice their arrival.
Children with cat ears and fluffy tails ran up curiously, eyes wide with wonder.
Tall wolf-eared men stood nearby, and women with soft canine features greeted them warmly.
"Look! Humans are here!" shouted one of the cat-eared kids.
"And they came with Lady Ardelle!" another cheered.
Within seconds, dozens of eyes were on Zeydan and Mireya. But instead of fear or suspicion, they were met with smiles.
A woman with golden-brown hair and wolf ears stepped forward, carrying a basket of blue fruits.
"Welcome, heroes from Warden!" she said cheerfully. "We owe your organization so much. The borders have been safer thanks to you."
Zeydan froze. "H-hero? Me? No, no, I just—"
Before he could finish, a dog-tailed boy tugged at his clothes, eyes sparkling.
"Big brother, are you the one who defeated the Mostole?! Wow! You're amazing!"
Mireya burst into laughter. "Haha! Look at that, Zeydan. Just one day here and you already have fans."
Zeydan covered his face with one hand. "This is a huge misunderstanding…"
But the kids ran around chanting, "LONG LIVE THE NEW PROTECTOR OF FARLIOS!"
Ardelle chuckled softly and patted Zeydan's shoulder. "They're just excited. It's been a long time since a human came here without weapons or ill intent."
"Well, at least now I know what it feels like to be a celebrity," Zeydan sighed, making Mireya laugh again.
Soon, the villagers offered them food and warm drinks—a sweet-scented soup made from roots and blue fruit that smelled like mint mixed with honey.
Mireya tasted it first and gasped. "THIS IS AMAZING! Zeydan, you have to try it!"
Zeydan eyed it suspiciously. "If I turn into a monster after eating this, I'm suing someone."
"Don't worry," Ardelle said with a teasing smile. "No human's ever transformed here… so far."
"So far?!" Zeydan froze, while Mireya nearly choked from laughing.
When the cheerful commotion finally died down, Ardelle led them to her home—a wooden house with silver-veined walls by a small, clear river.
It was simple but elegant, with windows framed by vines and glowing crystal lamps hanging from the ceiling.
"Please, come in," Ardelle said kindly. "It's small, but safe."
Zeydan looked around in admiration. "Safe and… smells like cedar. You live alone here?"
Ardelle nodded. "For a long time. Since I lost my family in my old village."
Her voice was soft, carrying a quiet sorrow beneath her calm expression.
Mireya gave her a sympathetic look, but Ardelle smiled again. "But tonight isn't for sadness. You both need rest. Tomorrow morning, I'll show you something—an important place in Farlios."
Zeydan set his sword down and slumped into a wooden chair. "I just hope it's not another Mostole nest."
Mireya elbowed him. "Zeydan! Don't say that name at night—you'll summon it!"
Ardelle chuckled lightly. "You two really are an odd pair."
"We're not a pair," Zeydan said instantly.
"Exactly," Mireya added. "I'd never date someone who panics every time a branch cracks."
Ardelle laughed softly, the warmth returning to the room.
Outside, the stars reflected on the river, shimmering like silver dust.
For the first time since their simulation mission, Zeydan and Mireya finally felt peace—
though faintly, among the night breeze, there lingered a distant gaze from the forest.
"Hey, Mireya…" Zeydan said quietly. "You realize something weird? Rainer and Vynia never told us when we're supposed to go home."
Mireya froze. "Wait… don't tell me—"
Zeydan lifted a hand, panic spreading on his face. "Yeah. Tomorrow's… Monday."
They both fell silent. Then—
"WE STILL HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW!!"
they shouted in unison, making Ardelle almost choke on her tea.
"Easy, easy, both of you…" Ardelle said between laughter. "If Zeydan can face a monster as big as Mostole, surely he can handle a school schedule?"
"This is different, Ardelle!" Mireya snapped, pointing at Zeydan. "If we don't show up tomorrow, our attendance will drop to zero! I'm not failing physics because of interdimensional travel!"
Zeydan sighed dramatically, staring at the ceiling. "Maybe we're stuck in this fantasy world forever…"
"And I'll end up farming carrots in the forest…" Mireya muttered gloomily.
Ardelle clutched her stomach, laughing uncontrollably. "You two are absolutely ridiculous."
But her laughter stopped when a knock echoed from the front door.
KNOCK… KNOCK… KNOCK…
Ardelle instantly stood, her steps cautious. "Who would visit at this hour?"
Zeydan and Mireya exchanged glances and stood behind her.
The door creaked open—
and a mysterious figure appeared.
A man dressed in black, wearing a long cloak with deep violet linings, and a round hat shadowing part of his face. His eyes were sharp yet calm.
"My name is Maulana Irsyad," he said in a deep, polite voice. "You can call me Irsyad."
Ardelle narrowed her eyes slightly. "Irsyad? What brings a Warden agent to my village this late?"
Irsyad raised his hand, revealing two small metallic crystals engraved with intricate symbols.
"I was sent directly from Warden headquarters. My task—deliver these two return devices to the outsiders of this world… Zeydan and Mireya."
Zeydan's eyes widened. "So… this is the device to go home?"
Irsyad nodded. "Yes. Activate them once you're ready. They'll take you back to your original world. But…" — he paused briefly — "they can also bring you back here, to the exact coordinates where you first stepped into Santara."
Mireya held the crystal with awe. "So… we can travel back and forth between worlds?"
Irsyad smiled faintly beneath his hat. "If you're brave enough, yes."
With that, he bowed slightly, then walked away—disappearing into the misty night without a sound.
After he left, Zeydan and Mireya stared at the glowing devices in their hands.
The crystals pulsed softly, like living hearts.
"This is… incredible," Mireya whispered. "Ardelle, do you know what this is?"
Ardelle nodded with a small smile. "Yes. It's a portal device used by certain Warden members to travel between worlds. I've seen one before."
Zeydan looked surprised. "You have? From who?"
Ardelle's gaze fell to the floor, her voice tender. "From someone I once admired. He was a Warden too… but I haven't seen him in years."
Zeydan and Mireya exchanged curious looks, but before they could ask, the crystals in their hands began to glow bright white.
"W-what's happening?!" Mireya shouted, shielding her eyes.
Ardelle stepped back. "It's reacting to your home world!"
The light grew stronger, flooding the room like a wave.
Zeydan managed to shout, "Ardelle! We'll come back! Wait for us!"
Then, in an instant—
the white light swallowed them whole.
The house fell silent again. Only the soft wind and a cooling cup of tea remained.
Ardelle stood by the door, gazing at the sky.
"…Those two Wardens," she whispered, "may they reach home safely."