Arata follows Chive through the forest illuminated by Chive’s wings, carrying Morgan as sees figures drop out from the canopy above, a squad of twenty. Dropping down, Arata finds immediately that their pointy ears are quite notable.

  “Hey… those are elves right? This is my first time meeting one.” Arata decides to comment.

  A man with pointy, slight wrinkles and a scar across their forehead comments, “Likely, no elves have left the forest since the beginning of the civil war within the elven kingdom, most elves are shot dead at the border by the humans out of fear of the Erkling… Especially now that the mist veil which originally covered the forest is gone.”

  Same thing happened when I asked Rachamah about demihumans… I must not be a good conversationalist. Arata pauses in awkward silence, not knowing how you even respond to that in a conversation.

  Arata finally decides to put his worries to rest, “hey, why’d you decide to help us then? After something like that shouldn’t you hold some resentment?”

  The man's head spins away, tossing his golden locks of hair in a way that hides his expression, “No… your kind’s intuition is right, the Erkling authorizes who gets to cross the border personally. It’s a totalitarian regime with himself at the center.”

  Arata, recognizing the spite in his voice, stays silent as Chive begins to bark orders at the elves. “Hey Lyra, stay behind to heal Arata’s ally. The rest of you are on scouting duties, a Dryad may still be in the area.” Chive moves forward pointing past some vines to an open clearing in the forest.

  “Hey-” Arata tries to speak, as this Chive was much different than the previous one. He wanted to ask but likely knowing the state of things in the forest, that was too much of a sore spot. Yet Chive turns to him. I should probably think of a new question to not waste her time.

  Arata has an idea, “What’s up with Dryads? I’ve read about them, but the creatures native to the forest seem quite… different. From what I gathered so far… that’s the Erkling’s magic right, Pestilent Interpretation, he takes the fairies and corrupts them right?”

  Chive responds, “The Erkling has three types of soldiers at his disposal. The alarune, the Dryads and the main threat… the fairy knights.” With that last one, Chive starts to shake.

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  Arata understood all too well. Chive would’ve awoken from a long slumber just to bear witness to atrocities directed at her people. Arata almost tries to encourage her to save it for when she’s ready but she just begins to go on a tangent.

  “The fairy knights… the Erkling he used that sick magic to make their bodies swell up and contort before stuffing them into metal molds to become their armor. With metal fused to their skin, they live in constant pain yet maintain a fairy’s immortality unlike the other two types. I forgot how but you’re capable of killing an immortal right?” Chive questions Arata.

  Arata’s face darkens, “Yea, Rosemary and Lavender… they’re in a better place now. God’s gift to me doesn’t care if something’s immortal or not.”

  Chive raises her eyebrow in confusion, “That’s good to hear but you’re confusing me. Who are those two you were referring to?”

  Confusing? Shouldn’t she remember? Arata poses another question to her, “remember the tea party… the two that were with you… Rosemary, Lavender.”

  Chive shakes her head as Arata feels himself begin to breathe heavily, static assaulting his senses. His vision distorts, he decides to push the vines out of the way to see the forest separated.

  In the middle of the clearing sits five rabbits at a table, three white, one black and a brown rabbit. They talk to each other in the form of incomprehensible squeaks, Arata shakes and drops Morgan.

  “Hey Arata~ Did you do something~ Hey Arata~ Did you forget someone~”

  Sanguine liquid begins to pool on the floor, waterfalls from the throats of two white rabbits.

  Stop! No! That was for the better! It’s what was wanted out of me, I just wanted to do as I was told! Arata begins to shake as he hears yet again a voice calling out.

  “Hey Arata. What the hell! Thank god Lyra was here to catch your buddy. You dropped them. Did you forget about them for a second? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Chive Reprimands Arata.

  Luckily, Chive brought Arata back to reality, in the clearing was just a particularly flat rock. Not the best place to rest the injured but this was the middle of the forest.

  Lyra is a young elf who wears glasses, otherwise much resembling the other elf Arata conversed with earlier. Lyra begins to get out the medicine on hand. She decides to comment, “Hey Arata, help me remove the armor.”

  Arata’s hands work their way to the helmet, pulling off reveals a lady, plush lips contrasting her calloused, rough hands with short cut ginger hair. Her face looks peaceful and her breathing is stable. Arata works his way down, getting her limbs freed then moving over to help with the chestplate.

  Chive shouts out, “Oh no you’re not staying for that, since you’re no longer needed, respect a lady’s privacy! Go shower off in the pond nearby. I’ll lead you there. We need to discuss more.”