The Inner Sanctum

As one ventures deep inside the WhisperMoon forest, the surrounding seems to be more and more enshrouded by ever-present tranquillity.

The lineup of gigantic trees, whose foliages intertwined with each other and formed a canopy of vibrant emerald hue that only allowed the light to seep through between their gaps, graced the ground with dappled illumination.

The ambiance reminded him of a time spent with Grandpa Theo who would read him a bedtime story every night. Raymond felt like he was being enveloped by a comforting sensation that could only be felt in the presence of loved ones.

It was like the whole forest was cheering for him to venture further and find that source of warmth he was experiencing.

"Uhm, Human, it's not a good idea to go further! Can you let me go? I will lose my head if I enter the Inner Sanctum!" The youth pleaded after realising that there was no way out of Raymond's grasp.

"Shh! Don't talk…" Raymond shushed him and held onto that feeling that almost felt like someone was gently whispering in his ears.

There was a clear shift in the atmosphere as soon as he stepped into the imaginary boundary that separated the Inner Sanctum from the rest of the forest.

No mist lingered in the air, no bone-chilling cold was waiting to welcome him. Everything was calm like a tranquil lake and the air was full of vibrant mana that told him the significance of this place.

An hour of cultivation here was equivalent to days' worth of cultivation outside. At least, that's what Raymond could guess by observing the place.

Rows upon rows of treehouses were something that Raymond expected to see, so he wasn't surprised by the wooden structures that sat atop the trees.

Raymond walked without hesitation as a few doors opened and many heads poked out of them to take a look at the man that had brazenly entered their territory, but none decided to question him as he trotted forward.

'Huh? Why isn't anyone stopping us?' The young man was confused.

The elves would react harshly whenever someone stepped into the Inner Sanctum. It was a taboo to do so without permission from the elders or the High Priestess.

Raymond released the young man from his grasp subconsciously as he was too focused on reaching the heart of the Inner Sanctum.

There.

Raymond's eyes fell on a tree, towering far above the tallest peaks, its colossal presence seemed to bridge the gap between earth and sky, roots delving deep into the very core of existence while its branches reached out to touch the heavens themselves.

The trunk of the World Tree was a symphony of textures and colours, its bark resembling a mosaic of stories etched over countless centuries. Ancient runes and symbols, carved by hands long turned to dust, adorned its surface.

Raymond craned his neck to see where the tree ended. All he saw was the clouds that were obstructing his gaze from reaching the crown of the World Tree.

"Is that the World Tree?" Raymond asked a rhetorical question.

-Boom!

He jumped. His curious mind would never let him rest if he didn't reach the top of the World Tree.

Raymond was met with its branches as soon as he pierced through the blanket of clouds. It was an intricate web that spread outwards and supported a canopy of leaves that shimmered in hues that no mortal could describe.

Each leaf was a prism that captured the sun's rays and the moon's glow, scattering them into an assortment of colours that danced upon the breeze, producing a rustle of mystery.

It was said that those who listened closely might hear the whispers of forgotten wisdom, carried by the wind as if the tree itself spoke to those who sought its insights.

"Wow!" Raymond exclaimed as his eyes feasted upon the majestic crown of the World Tree.

Kicking the air, Raymond landed on one of the branches. The leaves shook in a gesture of welcome.

***

Lyla was watching the events unfold through the creak of the door. When Ray suddenly jumped towards the direction of the Inner Sanctum, she knew something was bound to happen.

Something that could disrupt their peace.

Vivian was the one who woke her up and told her about the crowd gathered outside the room. Lyla wanted to immediately head out and stand by Ray's side but she noticed that Vivian was feeling down just in time and decided to comfort her before rushing out.

After that, she was forced to watch everything from the inside as Vivain clung to her tightly and wasn't willing to let go for some reason.

"I-Is he really dead?" Vivian asked nervously.

"Mm, Ray killed him," replied Lyla. "Why are you so scared of him? Did he do anything to you?"

"I am not scared of him. I am scared of the consequences of his death. You know, they will blame me for everything just like before…" Vivian sniffled.

"Don't worry, Ray will handle everything," Lyla assured her. "Just turn a deaf ear to their words. They won't be able to touch you before going through me and Ray. You can trust us with your life."

Lyla felt a sense of kinship with Vivian, who was bullied by her own people. That's why she wanted to make sure Vivian felt safe with them.

"Let's go outside," Lyla offered her hand to Vivian who accepted it tentatively.

Zzzz~

"Hey, Jasmine! Wake up!" Lyla jabbed her fingers in Jasmine's flank. Unsurprisingly, Jasmine was sleeping through all that commotion outside.

"Let me sleep… I am tired," Jasmine mumbled in her sleep and snuggled deeper into the blanket. She was in no condition to walk for now and she was definitely in no mood to wake up anytime soon.

Lyla frowned.

[Kick her ass!]

'Please shut up!'

Lyla ignored Heartsbane and asked Vivian to dress up Jasmine and carry her out with them.

As soon as Lyla stepped outside of the room, all heads turned towards her. Arlo was the first one to recognise her and came forward.

"Ahh, if it isn't missus Lyla! " Arlo flashed a friendly smile.

"Arlo," Lyla acknowledged and made way for Vivian to step out.

Immediately, the villagers gasped.

"It's you again!" The middle aged lady, who was waiting for the corpse of her son, pointed a finger at Vivian. "Because of you, Lord Barhawk is dead!"

"Yes, you should quickly surrender before the elders come here." The others nodded in agreement.

-King's Domain-

"Kuh—"

"What happ—"

Lyla unleashed her domain and was about to knock out everyone when she saw a man carrying a body running towards them.

She called back her domain and the Villagers felt their slipping consciousness return to their control.

"Ives!" Arlo wiped his forehead covered in sweat. Even he wasn't spared by Lyla's attack. In her fury, she didn't properly control her power and had let out everything while forming her domain.

"Master Arlo!" Ives called out and gently placed the body of the man on the ground.

"No!!" The middle aged lady, though she was winded by Lyla's domain, somehow gained enough strength to jump to her feet and appeared before the motionless body of the man.

Tears rolled down her face as she cried her eyes out. "No, this is not real. My son can't die! This must be a dream…!"

"Hah, I wish it was, lady. But this is the truth. Your Lord Barhawk killed your son before our eyes," said Arlo. "At that time, I thought your son had done something wrong. But no, looking at the way Lord Barhawk was acting, he was not of sound mind!

"Are you all seeing this? Lord Barhawk was the one who attacked our Lord first and was killed in self-defence!" Arlo decided to hit the nail on the head. "This is the truth and we merchants are all willing to be witnesses. If any of you still doubt our words, we will cease our business here and move to a place where our opinions are heard and respected!

"You guys can continue to live in your delusions!"

"No, you can't do that!"

"How are we supposed to earn our livelihood if you just leave like that?"

It was like giving a slap of reality to the villagers. Most of them relied on the goods brought by merchants from the other side of the Continent to survive.

If they suddenly stopped selling the supplies and just left, they would be like a ship stranded in the middle of an ocean, with no clue to go elsewhere.

Sure, they could go to the other side themselves but that involved a fair share of risk to their freedom.

Even though the elves and humans had an agreement to never enslave each other in this Continent, that wasn't true for Varn.

On that Continent, slavery was still practised and the elves were highly sought after for their beauty.

So, they could imagine their fate if they were to get caught by one of those slavers roaming the Continent under the disguise of travellers.

For them, it was far better to live here without venturing outside and completely depend on merchants to buy their necessities.

So, that was why the villagers were so worried when Arlo spoke of abandoning them and moving elsewhere.

Arlo ignored whatever the villagers were saying and instead, paid attention to Lyla.

"My Lady, Lord Ray went towards the Inner Sanctum. I can show you the way if you will allow me," said Arlo.

Lyla looked at Vivian, who was carrying Jasmine and looked like she would be anywhere but Inner Sanctum, and gave a resigned sigh.

"Lead the way, Arlo."