Milbong Rainforest (4)

Hours went by and the pillars of light vanished without a trace. However, the amount of aether that had accumulated deep in the rainforest was almost tangible, so the beasts remained hidden until late into the night in the possible event that this mass of aether became a threat.

Taking advantage of the situation, the five-person team readied their mounts and quickly advanced northwestward. When Elisha finally couldn't handle the fatigue and hunger, they decided to stop for the day and set up camp before dark.

After Zagan activated a defensive barrier around the area that Samael had designated as safe, Mara continued to pitch the tents with the paladin's help while the other three members rested and dined.

Darkness reigned over the rainforest, making it eerily silent.

When everyone seemed to be asleep, the slender silhouette of a woman slipped out of one of the tents, walking stealthily until she stopped at the entrance of the tent located at the other end.

Before she could say anything, the fabric at the entrance was pulled aside by a large hand, revealing a man's burly body. His torso was bare, displaying his firm muscles formed after rigorous training along with scars of past battles. His apricot hair was wet, and tiny droplets of water slid down his curls to his shoulder and chest.

The woman slipped inside silently and the man closed the entrance to prevent interruptions. Unusual noises began to be heard after a while. The soft moans of a woman were muffled by something, accompanied by the low growls of a man.

While the noises were increasing, another man of average height and slender body appeared standing outside the tent, in a place where his presence went unnoticed thanks to the darkness and his excellent stealth abilities.

His long purple hair tied in a high ponytail revealed his exotic features, but he no longer appeared as indifferent as before. Repulsion and indignation were blatant on his pale face. His slanted eyes no longer looked at the ground, glaring fiercely in the darkness as he clenched his fists tightly, making the veins on the back of his hands stand out.

Disgusted with the noises polluting his ears, Zagan walked around the tent noiselessly, familiarly etching different runes into the ground. When the last rune was drawn, all the sigils glowed dimly and a transparent dome surrounded the tent. Finally, the unpleasant sounds disappeared.

As the hours passed, Zagan couldn't help but think bitterly about how he got to his current situation.

Years ago, when he was assigned the task of protecting the apostle, happiness and pride had filled the fifteen-year-old paladin.

After years of arduous training within the Sacred Creed, he had finally earned his place among the best paladins at an early age for his great talent with runic incantations, both defensive and offensive, thus managing to be the bodyguard of an entity as sacred as the apostle.

He still remembered vividly when his gaze first met a pair of pale pink eyes. The conviction that he was facing a true delegate of the eloah crossed his mind. From that day on, he swore to fervently serve and protect the twelve-year-old girl who had finally shown her face for the first time in front of the citizens of the kingdom.

According to legends and some ancient writings, the eloah venerated throughout the continent have certain characteristics that identify them, one of these being heterochromia. Until now, there were no records of anyone being born with heterochromatic eyes, but with hair of one of the two colors that represented a certain eloah.

In the Hathor kingdom, the 'Eloah of Spring', a deity of nature and water, was the most revered among the citizens. This was because the land where the kingdom was settled had been blessed by her, and for this reason, it had a mild climate throughout the year and never suffered droughts.

The colors magenta and green represented this eloah, and as expected, Vikram's descendants were not only born with green hair but were the only flora and aqua elementalists.

As a custom, the monarchs of other kingdoms and empires venerated the eloah who was the true owner of the lands, and they also possessed characteristics that made them the delegates of these divine beings.

Thirteen years ago, young Elisha, who had been born with orange eyes, awakened the extraordinary power of purification after a visit to the temple of the Sacred Creed and her eyes changed color to a pinkish hue. This was an unprecedented event that boosted the fame of the Sacred Creed, increasing the number of visits and donations to its temples after the apostle's appearance.

However, Zagan's devotion to this apostle evaporated as time went by.

Elisha, who at first appeared humble and benevolent, changed little by little, with Zagan and Mara witnessing how her mask began to crack until it fell to pieces. 

Arrogant actions and poisonous words conveyed with craftiness under the false image of docility and virtue, that was the true identity of Elisha Lezabel. And Zagan, a fervent believer in the doctrines of the Sacred Creed, could not accept that the alleged apostle of his revered eloah was the lustful viper now wallowing with the general of the Second Legion.