But it was already too late.

The boy had been authorized to enter the narrow passage leading to the water shortage site—a tunnel so tight that only a child could fit through. Without weapons or protection, he went in empty-handed.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Beta didn’t hesitate. Even after so many twists in just a few hours, the thought of death didn’t frighten him. He was resolved. He felt he didn’t deserve to live—and that feeling had haunted his soul for a long time.

— Are you sure it was a good idea to let him go in without any weapon? — Bell asked, visibly concerned.

— Yes — one of the guards replied. — Hambar said the boy has a special power. Something that might help against the monster.

— Wow, really? — Terra said, crossing his arms. — And here I thought he was just some unlucky kid who ended up here by mistake.

— Either way, we should return to our real post — the guard concluded, walking away.

As Beta squeezed deeper into the narrow, dark space, something was happening far away. At her home, May was being consumed by an epileptic seizure. Blood ran from her nose, and her body trembled violently. She was alone—and in pain.

That was one of the consequences of her gift. Whenever her predictions failed to come true, her body reacted in devastating ways. And now, for the first time in centuries, she was feeling that pain.

She knew with certainty that Beta would die—and that he would not fulfill his purpose.

‘Shouldn’t Eurus have made the announcement in private?’ she thought, dazed. ‘Shouldn’t the reason have been revealed more cautiously? Did something happen to the child that altered the predicted future?’

Questions. Assumptions. Uncertainty. Everything swirled in her mind like a storm.

What had happened?

Where was the mistake?

How had the future diverged from what she had foreseen?

She didn’t know.

And that destroyed her.

†

†

— What!? — Hambar shouted, completely shaken by the revelation.

— There's no need for such a fuss, Hambar — said May, calmly bringing the teacup to her lips.

— Are you kidding me!? Why didn’t you tell me this before, May?

— Because you would’ve reacted exactly like you are now. Isn’t it obvious?

— Even so! To reveal something so serious with such calm...

— It’s not information that directly affects me. It’s something that can, yes, be shared with others — she replied, setting the cup down on the table.

— And how can you be so sure everything will happen as you foresaw?

— Beta is already here, isn’t he? Just train him and let fate handle the rest. — She paused briefly before continuing in a more sober tone: — I’ve helped you many times in the past, Osley. But by altering the destiny of our race and changing the present entirely, some inevitable consequences followed.

— Consequences you never told me about — he replied, irritated.

— Small changes throughout history didn’t affect my body. But after seeing the extinction of the elves twice and preventing it... I learned that not everything is a bed of roses. The epileptic seizures started after that, and now they affect my body in irreversible ways.

— But why didn’t this happen the other times we changed destiny?

— Because we never altered the future itself — only the way events unfolded. The only time we actually interfered with the outcome was with the extinction of our race — and that’s the future we’re living in now.

— And you’re okay with that?

— That’s why I asked Eurus to be more careful with this whole situation. Now that you understand the importance of the boy, any misstep could change the course of events.

— Are you saying that if the smallest thing goes off track, you’ll die?

— No. What matters is the outcome. If, in the end, Beta manages to kill the creature, nothing will happen to me — she said, letting out a deep sigh. — However, if something endangers the boy’s life... then yes, I’ll have another seizure. But it won’t be fatal.

— What a relief... — Hambar muttered, leaning back in his chair.

— But if the child dies, we’ll all die too.

— What!?

— With the boy’s death, the creature will become even more powerful. And with it, all the others spread across the territory will gain strength as well.

— And the Blessed? Won’t they intervene?

— They won’t come. I can guarantee that.

— Why reveal all this now!?

— Precisely because of the gravity of the situation. After realizing my visions were being used irresponsibly — often without my knowledge — and putting my life at risk, I decided to stop using them.

— Did you know about the water shortage? The spiders? The moths? — he asked, outraged.

— I know what you’re thinking, Hambar. But what had to happen, happened.

— Thirty-eight scientists, May. Thirty-eight lives!

— I know...

— So as long as your own life isn’t threatened, the rest be damned, is that it? Your life is worth more than everyone else’s?

— You tell me, Hambar: do you think your life is worth less than anyone else’s? No one in their right mind wants to die. I’m no different. I’ve witnessed many deaths I knew were coming... and they hurt. But I couldn’t intervene.

— So you mean living among the poor was just an act? To appear kind in everyone’s eyes?

— You could say that. In a way.

— And to think I once believed you were worth something...

— I’m not a bad person, Hambar. I just learned to put my life above others’. I only use my power when it’s truly necessary — like today.

†

†

“Why am I remembering this right now!?”

— Miss May, I’m coming in... Lissy wanted to know if you could— — the words died in her throat at the sight before her: foam was spilling from May’s mouth, and a pool of blood had formed around her head.

The little girl, desperate, began screaming for help outside, unaware that, no matter the effort, the seer would die all the same — just like Beta.

In the depths of Caesnta, already engulfed by the darkness of night, Hambar raged, shouting indignantly and hurling insults at the elite warriors, while Bonsai used his elemental power to try to locate Beta — unsuccessfully.

— HOW COULD YOU LET A CHILD BE THROWN INTO A HOLE WITHOUT EVEN CHECKING IF THE INFORMATION WAS TRUE!?

— T-the prison guards from the Dinger territory told us, sir... How could we have imagined they were lying? Especially using your name... — Bell replied, trembling as she tried to justify herself.

Bell, an elf and elite-ranked archer, was two hundred and thirty-nine years old. Her partner was Terra, a prodigy who had reached the same rank at just ninety-seven and was currently one hundred and eighteen.

Despite always working outdoors, Bell had pale, almost fragile-looking skin — a deceptive appearance, as she was a true killing machine. She wore a short navy-blue shirt with a neckline, leather bracers, and a belt that held up her long skirt of the same color, which had a side slit adorned with a green bow. On her feet, she wore elven leather sandals.

Her hair was straight and silver, reflecting sunlight. Her eyes were a vibrant cyan-green, contrasting with bluish irises. A scar marked her left eye. Her purple quiver was made from the hide of a rare cave lizard, while her bow, crafted from pure, unbreakable crystal, had a translucent blue hue. Its string was made of resilient fur from a now-extinct sky-blue dragon.

— Calm down, gramps — Terra retorted mockingly, hands on her hips. — If you want to blame someone, blame the ones who brought the kid.

Terra, also an elite archer, had long hair tied into two side buns, pale green and almost faded in color. Her skin was even lighter than her hair, and her sharp teeth resembled a shark’s.

She wore a short green blouse that exposed her navel, and a matching skirt with brown trim. Her wings, made of branches and leaves, completed the look. She wore fishnet tights and leather sneakers with white accents. Her weapons were a bamboo bow decorated with leaves and a medium-sized greenish shield.

— It’s impossible to locate him with the roots — Bonsai lamented, approaching Hambar.

— I don’t care! Find a way! — Hambar ordered, lighting a torch to illuminate the area.

— Why the panic? The guards said he had some kind of special power — Terra commented, raising an eyebrow.

— What? — Hambar asked, surprised, looking at her.

— So it’s true? Then what’s the big deal? — Bell questioned.

— If that brat dies... the whole kingdom will be destroyed, you incompetents! — he revealed, agitated.

— What!? — Bell exclaimed, not understanding.

At that moment, a violent earthquake shook the entire forest. The ground trembled, and the hole the child had entered collapsed. Surprised, Osley dropped the torch, which was quickly extinguished by the damp grass.

Everyone searched for something to hold onto. The tremor seemed endless. Gradually, they realized they were being swallowed by a deep darkness — one that consumed trees, stones, and even the moonlight.

In the midst of the void, they saw gigantic trees erupting from the ground, surrounding them in a new, dense, and endless forest. Then, countless monarch butterflies flew past them, ignoring their presence.

— What’s happening!? — Terra shouted, drawing her bow alongside Bell, both ready for combat.

Before they could react, thick roots wrapped around them — generated by Bonsai. He entangled himself too, immobilizing his body.

— Stay still — he whispered, using the roots as a means of communication. — I’ve seen something like this... many years ago.

— And what was it!? — Terra whispered back.

Without receiving an immediate answer, they felt as if they were falling in freefall, protected only by the bark shell around them. When they were released, they were already far from that place.

— H-how did you get us out of there!? — Terra asked, confused.

— I didn’t — Bonsai replied. — Whoever did that... has been defeated.

— Could it have happened inside that hole!? — Bell speculated.

— Either way, this place isn’t safe. We need to leave immediately — he ordered, leading everyone away.

Sccha, Caesnta, Dinger, and Scolli — all the territories felt the shock. The frightened population poured into the streets with more lights than usual, searching for answers. Though still early in the night, it was rare to see elves outside after dark.

In the room where Terra usually slept, violent knocks rattled the door. It was the five council members. Getting no response, they unlocked the door themselves — only to find the room empty.

— I knew it! — Owlette exclaimed, outraged.

— What is he plotting this time!? — Anastasia growled, power vibrating in her voice.

— Has that grumpy old fool finally lost his mind!? — Shen asked, still groggy.

— This definitely reeks of trouble. We have to find him before Hambar does — said Annabeth, running out of the house.

Meanwhile, in her home, Clara watched the movement of the crowd through the window. She was scared. No one knew exactly what had happened. Upon hearing knocks at the door, her mother informed her that two friends had come to see her, concerned.

— Thank goodness you're okay! — said Shin, hugging her, trembling.

— And why wouldn't I be? — Clara asked, staring into her friend's tearful eyes.

— I don't know... There's so much going on with your dad that... I imagined the worst — murmured Shin, hiding her face in Clara’s pajamas.

— I don't blame you — commented Adolf, leaning against the doorway. — Since we're on that topic... where is he?

— He's not here?

— What do you mean...? Hey! You're still not talking to him!?

A serious argument between Clara and Adolf was about to begin when a beam of light shot into the sky. It lasted only a fraction of a second but was enough for everyone to witness it. Even inside the houses, the flash lit up the entire kingdom.

— Holy crap! That looked like it came from the direction guarded by Bell and Terra! — exclaimed Milo, stunned, while L1nk swallowed hard, fearing the worst.

Despite their overwhelming curiosity, only the guards and patrolmen headed toward the site, for safety reasons. As a warning after the elite warriors went missing, a search began through the forests between the territories of Caesnta and Scolli.

After sixteen minutes of searching, amid widespread tension, the village remained in complete silence—until they were surprised by a stream of flowing water crossing the dirt paths, following the same route as months ago, now returning to the village. A wave of celebration swept through the residents, who rejoiced right there over the return of what had once been taken from them.

The euphoria, however, was cut short when they heard footsteps coming from the forest. With no one to protect them, fear crept back in. But when they saw who was approaching, a wave of relief filled their anxious hearts — it was the two imprisoned boys, completely battered and exhausted.

— L1nk... aren’t those the boys from the prison? — Milo asked, shocked.

— They are... — his friend replied, staring at the collapsed bodies lying on the grass.

— Those bastards are still here? Grab them! — shouted an enraged elf.

The furious crowd advanced toward the boys, but a wall of thick roots rose around them, preventing anyone from getting close.

— What’s going on!? — cried one of the villagers, gripped by fear.

— Idiots... — muttered Hambar, descending from the sky alongside Bell and Terra, supported by roots under their control.

— WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!? — the elves roared, bewildered by the scene.

— You were about to hurt the ones responsible for bringing water back to our village — he explained, voice firm.

— What...? — they murmured, confused.

— Who would’ve thought... in the end, you really were right, May... —

— Those two...? — Milo asked, stunned. — Wait... isn’t that your baseball bat, L1nk!? — he pointed at the object tightly gripped by Beta’s unconscious body.

— Y-yeah... No way... they really... — L1nk stammered, walking slowly toward the fallen boy.

— DON’T GO NEAR HIM, KID! YOU’LL BE CONTAMINATED! — a villager shouted in alarm.

— H-how did they do it? — L1nk asked in a flat tone, turning his gaze to Osley, who also looked surprised.

— You know them?

— I saw him... in prison.

— I see... — said Osley, turning to the elite warriors. — You two, take him to the council chamber. Bonsai, take the children to Eurus for medical treatment — he ordered.

Now, all that remained for both sides were unanswered questions — and they would only be resolved once one of the two boys awakened. But the greatest mystery still lingered: how had the second boy, previously deemed irrelevant, managed to enter the underground without using the only known entrance? And more importantly... what exactly had the two of them fought down there?

‡