Elves have changed a lot over the long period of time since their birth, but one thing has never changed - they still like to meet under the stars, sing, and dance. Not to praise a god, not to show off their talents and skills, but to simply bask in all that they have, to be grateful, and to enjoy themselves.

Norway couldn't remember how long it had been since he had attended such a party. 100 years, or 200 years? After his father's death, he returned to Grivar less and less, and occasionally he did so in a hurry. In the last dozen years, Stonebutch's shop has seemed more like a home to him—a thing that Tess would love to hear, but deep down, he knew that he still missed his home deep in the forest, the courtyards shaded by the canopy of huge ginkgo trees, and the dappled golden sunlight on the grass, a beauty that even the best painter could not have depicted.

and, Viorita's singing.

Violetta, his only sister. He couldn't remember the cause of the heated argument, but Violita never smiled at him again.

The last time he heard her singing, she probably didn't even know he was back in Grivar.

He was ready to leave, but he was tripped by the familiar singing, and he was involuntarily dragged step by step towards the depths of the forest.

Viorita's singing voice is not very tactful, not as ethereal as many elven chantings. Her voice was as clear as a stream in early spring, flowing in the quiet forest under the eternal starlight. It seems to be able to wash away all the fatigue and sorrow of the travelers, leaving only the joy and peace from the heart.

No one can resist that call.

At that time, he could only stop in the distance, watching the starlight shine on Violetta's long blonde hair. Knowing that his presence would make the smile disappear from her face, that her singing would be frozen, that she would lower her bright green eyes and refuse to even look at him.

- But this time, not this time.

This time he won't be denied, this time the elves sitting around the campfire will pull him and let him sit next to Viorita. Put the harp into his hand. He would accompany her, just as she did when she first sang in the starlight. And she would smile at him, like they had never been separated for hundreds of years.

He walked over to Viorita—she had stood up, and held out her hands to him. Her singing didn't stop, she was inviting. Waiting, and he couldn't let her down again.

He didn't know why his steps were so heavy, as if the blades of grass under his feet were growing wildly and tangling up, making it harder and harder for him to take one step at a time. Something was telling him something was wrong...... But Viorita's smile seemed so real, it couldn't be fake.

They will be reconciled as before. He would take Tess home, little Tess with red hair like a burning flame......

- Tess, Tess should be right next to him. Why is he here? Where is he?

A strange scream disrupted the singing, and the scene in front of him shook suddenly. He was a little dizzy, and everything around him became a blur, except for something clenched in his hand. Cold and hot against his palm, it felt real and reliable.

He bowed his head—it wasn't a harp, it wasn't a flute, it was a sharp sword with a faint white glow.

The illusion shattered into thousands of pieces in an instant, disappearing into darkness. Novi stopped abruptly. A torch that was still burning fell at his feet.

In the midst of the fear, the consciousness gradually cleared. It was as if he was about to suffocate and suddenly burst out of the water from the depths of the water. The crisp chimes still trembled in the dim light and foul air, but they could no longer invade the elves' souls.

Norvi was still in a trance, until he saw Tess.

The red-haired girl was standing motionless in front of a gray-white shadow, and Mochi was clutched in her hands, screaming miserably, exactly what the elf had heard in the illusion, but Tess didn't react to it, just looked up at it—the humanoid monster was all over*, without a single hair, its skin seemed to be taut to bones, and its hands were ended in dagger claws. It seemed to have no ears and no nose, a yellow glow in its sunken eye sockets, and the tip of its tongue quivering between its thin lips, making a strange ringing sound.

It was the ringing that made them all fall into a fantasy land. Elves are naturally resistant to mind control, and they are so easily deluded that they can't imagine what kind of hallucinations humans are experiencing, and whether they can still wake up.

Worry and anger dispelled the last fog in his mind, and the elf clenched his sword and walked slowly.

Thornon and his companions were already lying at the monster's feet, dead or alive. Norway knew he should keep his dazed expression and approach slowly until he figured out the situation before he could move, but when Tess fell limply to the ground, he instinctively rushed forward and grabbed her and dragged her back, his sword arcing to force the monster away.

The bell turned into a bizarre scream, and the monster, realizing that the elf had gotten out of control, stepped back. Norway fumbled eagerly, until his fingertips felt Tess's steady breathing, and Mochi finally broke free from Tess's stiff fingers and scurried into the elf's arms, his warm little body trembling through his clothes. It was presumably caught in Tess's hand while trying to bring her to her senses.

Norway patted the poor little thing lightly, staring warily at the gray figure cowering into the corner, his sword in front of his chest, and picked Tess up with one hand—he had to keep her as far away as possible.

He soon realized that this was a mistake, and what he should do was to deal with the monster as soon as possible.

Another voice rang out, and more figures rose from the corner, staggering around the elf, chains dragging on the ground rubbing against the stone slabs that had been sent here.

Norvi didn't know if they were still alive, but dead or alive, they weren't tough to deal with.

When Thornhorne and his companions also got up from the ground, a trace of unease crossed Norway's heart, but he hesitated for a brief moment not to let go of Tess immediately.

That's another mistake.

A sharp pain in his abdomen made him shudder. Looking down, Tess Amber eyes were staring blankly at him, as if they didn't recognize his face at all.

The dagger in her left hand plunged deep into his flank, and for a moment she seemed overwhelmed, but soon she nimbly rolled over and broke free from his arms,

Novi smiled wryly and stepped back, leaning his back against the wall. Even when controlled, Tess is still agile and crisp, and she will be the most headache for him in the crowd.

The wound in his abdomen was deep, and while it wasn't immediately fatal, the magic attached to Tess's dagger would make him bleed until he died—and before that, he had to kill the disgusting monster.

Luckily, he was familiar with Tess's moves.

He sideways away from the other dagger and slammed Tess against the door, the plane of the sword slamming into Thornon's face as it was charging at him—the bridge of his nose would probably snap, and now Novi couldn't be any more gentle.

All his strength was flowing from the wound with blood, but his gaze had firmly locked on the monster hiding in the distance, and a strong killing intent that had never been felt before rose from the bottom of his heart.

He remembered the headless stone statue on the ground—that was what the monster should be.

When Tess woke up, it was as if someone had put a hand in her head, grabbed the mass and pulled it out. She thought she was on a hangover, but hell, how could she not remember that she had drunk?

She groaned and sat up, her vision blurred in the darkness, like her memory—where was Norwe? What was this place? Why was she here?

She vaguely remembered that she had returned to Stonebutch, back home, and her father had welcomed her back with open arms......

A chill ran down his spine and stabbed him in the back of the head.

My father died a long time ago. She buried him with her own hands.

A small, furry object brushed against her hand, and quickly ran away as she jerked it up.

"Little Mo......" she called softly, "what's going on?"

The little meerkat, of course, could not have answered her question. It did not approach her as affectionately as it usually did, jumping on her shoulders and burrowing into her arms, but stayed away, chirping, staring at her warily, as if ready to flee further.

It was scared of her—it had never been before.

Tess gritted her teeth and raised her dagger, she had to protect herself no matter what happened. The slimy feeling in her hands let her know that she must have stabbed someone, but she didn't have the slightest impression at all.

She looked around, and on the ground not far away, a torch was still lingering, and several figures on the ground were vaguely reflected, and the closest to her was Thornoen-

When I recognized the guy with the nosebleed to the chin, the memory flooded into my mind for a moment. The escape in the middle of the night, the secret passages in the tailor's shop, the tall spruce trees covered in snow, the ruins in the depths of the forest, the headless stone statues, the secret chambers underground......

"Norwe!" she cried, scrambling up for the familiar figure.

"Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo...... Where's Norvi?" Her voice trembled so hard that she almost burst into tears. She couldn't see the dark corners clearly, even when she held up a torch. She trampled on the corpses that had fallen to the ground, not caring if they were dead or alive, she just wanted to find her elves.

"Tsk!"

Mochi's tiny figure scurried past her, paused, looked back at her, and ran into a corner.

It led her to him.

The elf sat against the wall, head hanging to one side, half of his face pale as paper, one hand still clutching the sword, the other pressed against a disgusting-looking, severed bare head.

......The dagger fell to the ground, and Tess screamed softly, kneeling beside the elf, trembling and reaching out to brush away the blonde hair that fell down his face.

The elf's skin was cold and damp, motionless to her touch. Tess lowered her head, staring blankly at the blood that almost soaked half of his body.

(To be continued)