Cold and Lifeless

"Hmm," Stan muttered, staring intently at the young man who had somehow convinced their leader he could help them locate the Chronos Lock. But he sensed it… something was wrong with this young man. In fact, *everything* was wrong. He was mana-less—something supposedly impossible—and there was an ominous aura about him.

"I don't feel good about this. Why don't we just kill him and be done with it?" he voiced, squinting as he glared at the back of Amael, who seemed oddly detached.

"Well… no one feels entirely at ease, but if he's telling the truth, killing him could work against us. Besides, it's worth a shot; he's no stronger than the weakest among us," replied Maselay, her arms folded as she regarded Amael thoughtfully.

"But what if he's leading us astray?" Stan pressed.

"I doubt that. You know Ellie's abilities. If she says he's honest, that's good enough," Maselay replied, casting a careful glance around the forest.

Amael and Ellie led the group, with Leo trailing closely behind, hatred burning in his gaze for Amael. Though he couldn't explain it, something within Leo urged him to kill this young man before he lost something valuable to him.

"Where did you say you're from?" Leo asked, prying for information, hoping for any reason to rid himself of Amael. He regretted not doing it earlier; now Ellie seemed intrigued by Amael's mana-less nature, which only fueled his irritation.

Amael remained silent, his expression distant as he continued forward. It was as if something within him was dead. However…

"Ugh," he groaned as Ellie's suffocating aura pressed down on him. "Answer the question, human," she said indifferently, yet there was a hint of curiosity in her gaze.

After all, he did claim he was their only hope of finding the relic, and killing him would ruin any chance of ever laying hands on it.

So she was curious.

Just who was he?

"Arenford…" he replied finally, the pressure easing.

"Arenford? That's near Nevel's capital. Quite a distance from home, isn't it?" Leo mumbled, to which Amael merely nodded, continuing forward.

"You mentioned a different relic as your reason for joining this raid—something other than the Chronos Lock. What tier is that relic?" the young elf pressed further, asking the questions Ellie herself had in mind. If Amael knew where the Chronos Lock was but prioritized another relic, that was strange indeed.

"That's none of your business. We had a deal—I show you the Chronos Lock, you help me gain entry," Amael replied, his gaze fixed ahead.

Leo frowned, but a smirk crossed his face as a thought took shape. Knowing Ellie, the only reason she was letting Amael live was his knowledge of the Chronos Lock's location. He was sure she'd kill him the moment he revealed it.

"It seems we're here," Maselay said from behind, as they emerged from the dense forest and faced a massive mountain. A towering gate marked the entrance, guarded by figures likely far beyond Origin level, perhaps mid-Advanced.

Surrounding the mountain were various structures built to house adventurers taking part in the Arten raid.

"Alright, let's get registered," Ellie said indifferently, heading toward the adventurers' guild near the imposing structure.

Upon reaching the entrance, they found a long line of participants from across the continent. Instead of queuing, Ellie approached a guard, who, after a brief exchange, ushered them in, leaving others wondering if they were nobles or royalty to receive such preferential treatment.

"Here," the guard said, leading them into a private room where a man sat at a table, his gaze immediately fixed on them.

"Princess, why wasn't there an official letter informing us royalty would be attending?" he asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Am I unwelcome?" Ellie replied, her face expressionless.

"Of course not. But… does His Majesty know you're here?" he asked, pressing the one question that truly mattered. An elven princess lost in a human kingdom could spell disaster.

"Of course not," she replied matter-of-factly, and the man, Fredlind, felt an intense headache building.

She'd left her homeland without royal permission or sufficient security—if anything happened, it could lead to immediate fallout between the races, something the continent could ill afford given the looming threat of the Ryquins, creatures powerful enough to have annihilated the Dwarven empire.

"Very well. We'll assign guards for your protection, just in case," he said, adjusting his glasses. However…

"That won't be necessary," she said, turning to leave. She wanted no one but her chosen few to know of the Chronos Lock.

"Wait," he said as she halted, tilting her head back toward him. "Him," he added, pointing at Amael.

"He's with me," she said, continuing out, followed by the others.

"Guide them to the registrar," Fredlind said to the guard, his gaze lingering on Amael as the door closed.

"Hm…" he hummed thoughtfully, then turned to the document before him. "It appears His Majesty was correct," a voice echoed in the room, and a smile crept onto his face.

"Send word to him. It seems the relic does indeed exist."