Author: Waxford

Original Source: Scribble Hub

When we got off the mountain it was night already. We set camp and started a fire.

Tia is fixedly looking up at me. The light of the moon and stars makes her brown skin shine.

“So, Tia… What is your goal? Why do you seek strength?”

Her smooth and glossy shoulders jumped.

“You’ve been evasive about your past, but you said you’d share your story. I can’t help you if I don’t hear it.”

“That is…”

Tia hung her head, her long eyelashes pointing downwards. I tried waiting for a moment. Eventually she took a deep breath and started to share with us, although avoiding eye contact.

” 500 years ago, I was an Elf Knight who pledged allegiance to Sylvana, Queen of Elvenheim… I fought to protect Elvenheim with my family.

I lived a happy life. I was level 10 back then, but my skills were recognized.”

Hold on. She said she was level 10 500 years ago!? That’s f̲u̲c̲k̲e̲d̲ up. You mean to tell me she only gained 21 levels in 500 years!? That’s too shocking.

“But… at one point, the worst occurred.”

Tia stares at me. Without moving. In her eyes, the color of fear that I couldn’t imagine from her usual transcendental attitude rose to the surface.

“A disaster hit the elf country: the Darkness.”

“Darkness? What is that?”

“I don’t really know what it is. Darkness crept up just like the night. All creatures died and the trees and grass withered completely where the darkness appeared. That darkness corroded the Elven Forest and made Elvenheim fall into danger.”

What the… hell is this all about? Is it a monster? I can’t imagine its identity. I was really familiar with Astral Storm’s lore but I haven’t heard anything like this.

While I was reflecting on it, Tia continued talking.

“The only way to stop the calamity… was the Zephyrus Bow, the hidden treasure of the elves.”

Another keyword I don’t know. Was there such an item…?

“But a hidden treasure is considered a taboo. A double-edged sword that requires a great compensation. The Queen told us it was forbidden, but I ended up… using it. As a result, the Darkness disappeared.”

“Are you saying you could defeat it?”

“I… do not know. But I am positive that it disappeared from Elvenheim. But the sacrifice for that result was not small … a quarter of Elvenheim was badly destroyed. Nobody could get close, and houses and lands where many people lived were lost.”

Tia turned her back on me and stared at the sky.

“But you did it to protect the elf nation. No one can blame you. If you didn’t, it would either have been done by others, or the whole Elvenheim would have been destroyed, don’t you agree?”

Elenore tried to cheer her up, however Tia just made a pfft sound.

“But nobody thought so. Since the disaster died down, all that remained was damage. They searched for someone to take responsibility for the damage.”

Certainly … that’s what people often do.

“This figure, which was dyed black like a dark elf… this dirty body was recognized as a symbol of sin. The sin I committed materialized in this body. What’s more, my family also got caught in the blast when I unleashed the weapon. They tried to stop me… but they ended up transformed too.

My hair color was originally pure white. This hair and skin color… are the effects of using the hidden treasure Zephyrus Bow.”

In the first place, what is a hidden treasure? In the game there were event raids with special scenarios. They were made like… unbeatable for the players, but suddenly an NPC pops up with a powerful weapon and weakens it to the point it could be killed. Was it something like that? No. That doesn’t matter now. Knowing its shape and effect have no relevance right now. It’d be good to check it later. Rather than that… I can’t help but feel sorry.

“I used the hidden treasure without permission. That’s why I was punished. And if there was another and even better way to do it… ‘maybe the Darkness, if left alone, would have disappeared without exterminating Elvenheim?’ is what my parents said.

Her voice is shaking and her words are a bit inconsistent.

“Sylvana said that when my sins were forgiven, my hair and skin would return to normal. But there is no way I will return… to how I was. I tried every method, but none of them worked.”

Damn Queen. You’re nasty.

“I abandoned Elvenheim. No. It would be more accurate to say that we were banished. The plan was to go to the dark elves’ kingdom… but… my parents ditched me. They said I was a monster. My father, my mother and my brother said they would never forgive me. So I have forsaken my past self. Tiadialga Vermillion was dead. I’m just…Tia now.”

Tia looked towards the direction to the nearest human village.

“Everyone here was kind to me. I got used to this life.”

“So… the reason you want strength is…”

“Recognition. Elves value mana and power regardless of nobility or anything else. If I become as strong as the queen… even my parents and the regular elves would have to respect me!”

I finally pieced it together. This poor girl. She’s carrying such a burden.

“Tia… stay with me. No. With us! Follow us and I will guide you. I will make you strong!”

“Eh!? Really?”

Small tear drops started forming in her eyes.

“That’s just the type Izuna is.”

“Elenore, don’t you have some firewood to collect?”

“Okay, okay. I will leave you with your cool moment. Don’t get flustered.”

“I’m not.”

After Elenore left I once again looked Tia in the eyes and gave her a gentle pat on the head.

“There’s just one thing you got wrong. Your body, isn’t dirty at all.”

“Eh!?”

I brought myself closer to her.