As the Ymplerim dove towards Roquewei, the elf thrust with all this might to run his sword through its mouth. The stone on his hilt shone and released a powerful bolt of electricity which incapacitated and eventually dissipated the monster.

Catching his breath, Roquewei bent down to inspect the greenery that had suddenly appeared at the Ymplerim’s demise. So this is what happens?

The elf’s mind was whirling, trying to comprehend this newfound information when his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a scream. Turning, he saw the other half of the creature he had split in two racing across the clearing towards Sofia. Terrified, Sofia ran back into the jungle, with the Ymplerim following close behind.

No, no, no! She’s going to lead it right back to Lyfay!

“Porgi!” Roquewei called out. “Don’t let them get to the gate!” The Aslavu dove after them. 

Roquewei dashed across the clearing, the augmenting pain in his body overpowered by adrenaline, only to be met by another screech at the edge of the forest. A third Ymplerim had appeared, flanking the warrior. Caught off guard, Roquewei tumbled into the thick underbrush.

The Ymplerim was soon upon him, knocking the elf to the ground and weighing him down with its gaseous mass. Roquewei could feel the creature’s cold appendage holding down his sword hand while its oily fingers gripped his face.

“You will never win, warrior,” the creature chuckled as its long tongue lolled out of its hideous mouth. “We are too strong. The talmhan have given us the power!”

Roquewei struggled against the creature, anxiety building in his heart as he realized he would not be able to free himself. He looked desperately for anything to help him. All that met his gaze was the browned and withered vegetation surrounding them. Their pain was excruciating, overwhelming almost to the point of causing Roquewei to pass out.

The Ymplerim turned the elf’s gaze back to itself and leaned in closer to peer hauntingly into Roquewei’s eyes. “Soon there will be nothing stopping us from overtaking this realm — or yours!”

The thought of Lyfay falling to the Ymplerim both terrified and enraged Roquewei. 

No! That can’t happen. It must not happen!  

“I will never let that happen!” he shouted. A brilliant light shone from Roquewei’s pendant, blinding his opponent. The creature shrunk from the light, freeing Roquewei’s sword hand.

Without hesitation, the elf thrust his sword into the Ymplerim’s core. With a crack of electricity, the Ymplerim screeched, fell, and dissipated. The surrounding vegetation became green again, though not fully healed.

Forcing himself through the pain, Roquewei jumped to his feet. I have to keep the Ymplerim from entering Lyfay! 

He soon sighted Porgi fighting the other Ymplerim through the trees. Sofia was still running towards where they had entered the rainforest. “Stop!” Roquewei called after her. “Don’t lead it back to the gate!”

In the next breath, he shouted, “Porgi, go after her!” 

His command distracted the Aslavu, giving the Ymplerim the chance to strike the bird. In horror, Roquewei realized his mistake. Stumbling, the elf felt another wave of pain wash over him. Anguish filled his voice as he cried out, “Porgi, no!” 

Roquewei was too far away to help his compánach, the thick underbrush and overwhelming pain from surrounding flora hindering him. He watched helplessly as the gaseous monster elevated its prey above its head and began pulling the life force from the Aslavu. Suddenly a rock knocked Porgi out of the Ymplerim’s deathly grip. 

The elf caught a glimpse of the talmhan woman through the trees, a second rock in her hand, ready to throw. Terror filled her eyes, but she had obviously come back to help the Aslavu. 

She… saved him?

“Ah, yes,” Roquewei heard the Ymplerim say. “You are worth the trouble.” Sofia turned on her heels and ran again into the jungle. 

After great difficulty, Roquewei reached Porgi. Tears running down his cheeks, Roquewei knelt down by the Aslavu’s limp, pale body lying on the ground. “Friend, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. Please… stay with me!”

Carefully, he scooped Porgi up and supported his head. This is all my fault…

Roquewei felt a shiver run through the small creature’s body. Looking down, he saw Porgi’s eyes open slightly. 

“I’m still with you, Friend,” wheezed the Aslavu. “But the woman...”

Roquewei's smile of relief quickly turned again into a frown. Gently cradling Porqi in his left arm and gripping his sword in his right hand, Roquewei forced himself to his feet. Once again fighting against the pain, the blue-haired elf rushed to catch up with Sofia and her pursuer.

By the time he found them, the Ymplerim was holding Sofia high in the air. Shadows of a long repressed memory flashed in Roquewei’s mind.

No, not again… Not this again!

Dropping his sword, the elf fell to his knees, the scene before him paralyzing him. Without any resistance, the pain of the surrounding decimated rainforest crashed over Roquewei like a mighty wave. It seemed all he could do was watch, and at the same time couldn’t bear to look away, as the Ymplerim drained Sofia of her life force energy.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared, and Sofia fell to the ground. A troop of elven warriors and their compánaigh burst through the gate, a mere meter and a half from where the Ymplerim stood. Erae and Lyna led the fray, pushing the creature away from the gate and into the jungle. 

The Ymplerim, fed by Sofia’s energy, attempted to expand and retaliate against the new arrivals. But this group, filled with skilled and experienced warriors, soon had the situation under control and overcame the creature.

Erae, mounted on a female Ghyrz, seemed especially aggressive as he pushed the creature back down the path it had come until it was far enough for Lyna to safely strike it with her arrow. Another brilliant flash and the creature was gone, leaving only a faint ring of green.

Roquewei, still unable to move, watched in a daze as Erae rushed to Sofia’s side. The blonde elf carefully picked up Sofia and placed her on his Ghryz. Together with Harton, they walked back through the quivering air into the land of Lyfay.

A gentle hand touched Roquewei’s shoulder, and he turned unseeing. Lyna, her grey eyes filled with concern, crouched by his side and held Roquewei’s distant, fearful gaze for a long moment in silence. Without speaking, she knelt before him, cupped his face with her hands and blew gently between his eyes. Roquewei blinked and finally seemed to see the purple-haired captain.

“L-Lyna? Lyna…” Roquewei’s body began shaking involuntarily. 

“I-it almost happened again,” Roquewei finally managed to say, his voice wracked with emotion. “The Ymplerim was… It nearly killed… I couldn’t protect… I wasn’t able to get there in time… A-and it nearly got to the gate. Great Creator… The same thing almost happened, Lyna, and it would have been my fault… again!” 

Tears ran down his cheeks, which Lyna gently wiped away with her thumbs. Her own eyes welled up with painful memories as she tried to console Roquewei.

Leaning forward, Lyna touched her forehead against Roquewei’s, allowing their tears to flow together. His gaze lowered, Roquewei again noticed the pale body of the Aslavu. Gripping Lyna’s arm with his right hand, he said, “I almost lost him, Lyna. I almost lost Porgi!” 

In almost a whisper he repeated, “It almost happened again…” 

Lyna lifted Roquewei’s face to meet her own tear-stained gaze. “But it didn’t, Roquewei. It didn’t happen.” 

Roquewei broke down, clutching his compánach to his chest as he folded forward and sobbed.

Slowly Lyna stood, grabbing Roquewei’s sword in one hand and helping him to his feet with the other. “Come, brother. Let’s take Porgi to the healer.”

Together, the siblings limped back through the gate into the land of Lyfay.

Chief Kiysat pinched the bridge of her nose as she leaned back against her desk, absorbing the report.

“Has the gate closed?” she asked after several moments. 

“Yes, ma’am,” Lyna and the other members of the troop replied in chorus. Erae stood silently, his arms crossed and his expression hard and dark.

“Rivlyt has secured the gate,” Lyna motioned to an elf behind her. “I watched their work with my own eyes, it will hold fast.” The referenced individual bowed in gratitude of the acknowledgement.

“What of the Ymplerim?” asked the Chief.

“All in the vicinity were vanquished,” Lyna again replied. “But not before causing considerable damage to the area.”

She glanced at Erae, expecting him to add to the report. Instead, he kept his gaze lowered and his lips tightly shut. 

Clenching her jaw in frustration, Lyna continued the report. “It seems that Roquewei, Porgi, and the talmhan woman were initially attacked by a conjoined group of Ymplerim that our warrior split. A third later arrived and attacked, but none remained after our arrival.”

The Chief watched Lyna through her fingers as she spoke. “How close were they to the gate?”

An immediate sense of discomfort filled the room, causing the elves of the scouting party to squirm uneasily.

Lyna held Kiysat’s gaze. “A meter and a half, ma’am.” 

The silence that followed was deafening. All were grateful when the Chief finally broke the silence to dismiss the group.

“Lyna, Erae — remain.” Moving behind her desk, Chief Kiysat placed her hands on its surface and kept her head bowed until she heard the last of the others depart.

“The situation is far more serious on Talamh than we knew,” she said once they were alone. “For Ymplerim to boldly attack beings, in groups, and even be conjoined! They have certainly grown in power, and will only continue to do so thanks to the selfish, destructive nature of the people of Talamh. The fabric is growing ever thinner… If those creatures were to make into Lyfay empowered as they are, they would wreak irreversible havoc! We must seal all the gates as soon as possible!”

“But Chief,” replied Lyna, “in order to do so my brother, whom you’ve tasked on finding the Living Tree, must focus on his search. Does burdening him with the additional duty of sending the talmhan woman home not hinder this important quest? He and his compánach were severely impacted in body and spirit by today’s incident, and if both missions are to remain his responsibility I am afraid he will be overwhelmed by the load.”

“My decision does not change,” declared Chief Kiysat. “He is to attend and complete both of these tasks.”

“But mother…”

“There will be no more discussion. Roquewei will do what has been asked of him, and you know exactly why.” Waving her hand dismissively, she continued, “I am sure he will heal quickly. As soon as he is well, he will find some other gate to send that woman of Talamh back and…”

“Sofia.” 

The women turned to face Erae, surprised by the interruption. 

“What was that?” challenged Kiysat, her tone unamused.

Lifting his gaze, Erae locked eyes with the Chief and repeated himself in a low, passionate voice. 

“The woman’s name is Sofia, and it is time you began calling her as such.”

The Chief snarled and glared at the blonde elf.

“Erae, you forget yourself,” warned the Chief.

“No ma’am, it is you have forgotten. In all our reports and discussions, you have not once asked of Sofia’s condition and well being. She nearly died today! Where is your humanity?”

Before either woman had a chance to interrupt him, Erae continued. “You knew the possibility of what they would face, yet you sent them anyway. Roquewei’s actions were irresponsible, blinded by emotion; but he was only following your orders. And Sofia? She had no idea what she would encounter and had no way to defend herself against the Ymplerim! If it had not been for Harton waking from his coma, somehow miraculously sensing their situation and then tracking them down we would have never known they were in trouble. We could have lost both Sofia and your son! Do you not understand that?”

Eyes wide in disbelief at Erae’s outburst, Chief Kiysat sat in dumbfounded silence. Quickly regaining her composure, the Chief narrowed her eyes and asked, “What do you suggest we do then, Captain?”

Maintaining his posture and gaze, Erae announced, “Have Lyna take over training the new recruits.”

“Wait a moment…,” Lyna attempted to cut in.

“Her team is more than capable of searching and securing the gates on their own,” Erae continued, “and she will be an excellent teacher to the guardians in training. Allow me to join the mission of finding a way home for Sofia. Once she has recovered, I wish to train her in self-defense before reembarking on the quest. Once she has safely been returned home, I will return to my previously assigned duties with the new recruits.”

Kiysat stood silently for a moment. “You care for this… for Sofia, don’t you?” she asked.

Lyna felt her face flush. She had suspected it, but was embarrassed that the Chief had inquired about it so openly. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

With a glint in his eyes, Erae ignored the question and instead reinforced his demand. “I do not wish her to leave camp again until she is able to properly defend herself against the Ymplerim.”

Seeing his seriousness, Chief Kiysat gave her consent. “As you wish, Captain. You may join this quest. However,” she continued, “your duty is only to protect Sofia. It is Roquewei’s duty to send her back, and she must return to Talamh as soon as possible. Understood?”

Erae bowed in acknowledgement. “I will go check on her now. Síocháin.” Turning on his heel, Erae exited the tent with a flourish. 

Lyna’s eyes followed him as he departed, the uncharacteristic flush on her face still hot. Could he really… have feelings for this woman?

As if reading her thoughts, Lyna’s mother said, “It seems our friend is quite taken with our visitor.” Kiysat’s green eyes were curious but cold.

“Y-yes, it seems so,” Lyna stammered as she dropped her eyes to avoid her mother’s gaze.

The Chief rose from her seat and drew near her daughter. Lifting Lyna’s face with a finger, she reassured her. “It will be short-lived. Once that woman returns home and the gates are closed, we will make sure Erae notices you, Lyna. Patience.”

Turning redder than before, Lyna backed away. “Allow me to attend to my brother, my Chief. He may have need of me.” She quickly bowed and exited.

Chief Kiysat sat back on her desk with a sigh, and watched as her daughter left. Furrowing her brow, she lifted her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. The two red stone bracelets on her wrist clinked together, grabbing her attention. A bygone memory of a warm smile flashed across her mind. 

Biting her lip to prevent from trembling, Kiysat whirled around and threw everything off her desk with a shout.

As the papers she had upset settled, the chief crumpled to the ground, gripping her short hair in anguish. She grit her teeth in anger, refusing to cry. 

“It almost happened again…”