Evolis woke before dawn, the lingering remnants of sleep quickly replaced by the sharp clarity of his thoughts. His golden eyes traced the carved patterns on the ceiling of his quarters, the dim light filtering in through the curtains casting fragmented shadows across the room.
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. The memory of last night still played at the edge of his mind, Aeliana's touch, the warmth of her breath against his, the way she had looked at him just before…
He shut his eyes briefly. That moment—whatever it was—had passed, but the weight of it remained. And yet, since then, neither of them had spoken about it. Not once. It wasn't as if they were avoiding each other, not explicitly, but something had changed. Whether it was something real or something he was just imagining, Evolis couldn't say.
Shaking the thoughts away, he threw off the sheets and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Dwelling on it wouldn't do him any favors. There were more pressing matters, and if there was one thing he had learned since coming to Veylith, it was that sentimentality was a dangerous distraction.
Dressing quickly in his training gear, he made his way to the secluded courtyard behind the palace. It was still early enough that the city remained quiet, the world caught in the fragile moment between night and day. A cool breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and morning dew.
Without hesitation, he fell into stance, his muscles coiling as he gathered his Novaris-infused Etherion. The air around him wavered violently, gravity bending at his command, space twisting and warping in fragmented pulses as his vitality started to increase from his Plantae Element. He could feel it now, how effortlessly his body adapted to the shifts in space, his understanding of spatial manipulation having reached Stage Three in the months that had passed.
It still wasn't enough.
The war was coming, and as much as he had advanced, in the grand scheme of things, he was still barely a speck among giants.
Evolis exhaled sharply, focusing. He pushed further, forcing the Novaris energy to refine itself, feeling the stark contrast between it and Etherion. Etherion was the foundation, but Novaris was the evolution—purer, denser, a tier beyond. It required more effort to convert, but the result was undeniable. Every fiber of his being pulsed with sharpened strength, each movement reinforced by something greater than Etherion.
He shifted forward, throwing a precise strike into the air, a thin distortion of space following his fist's path. As the force exploded outward, he twisted sharply, his movements enhanced not only by gravity's pull but by the subtle fractures in reality itself. Where he once only manipulated forces, now he could bend the battlefield to his will.
The ground beneath him trembled—a silent testament to how much he had changed.
Then, the surrounding space around him warped as he was teleported 100 meters in front of where he was.
Again.
His training was a ritual, a necessity. If he wasn't growing stronger, he was stagnating, and in this world, stagnation meant death.
Again.
He moved faster, pushing his body beyond its limits, his breath coming in measured exhales. Sweat lined his brow, his muscles ached, but he welcomed the strain. He needed this. He needed—
"Evolis!"
He halted mid-motion, his senses sharpening as he turned toward the voice. A palace attendant stood at the edge of the courtyard, breathless, eyes flickering with urgency.
"The king has summoned you. Immediately."
Evolis exhaled, rolling his shoulders before grabbing a towel from a nearby bench. "That serious?"
The attendant swallowed. "It's about the war."
Evolis stilled.
So it had begun.
Without another word, he nodded, grabbing his coat and heading toward the palace. Whatever was coming, he had no choice but to face it.
---
The grand hall of Veylith's palace was eerily silent. The flickering glow of the Etherion lamps cast elongated shadows against the marble pillars, their soft luminescence reflecting the tension that had settled thick in the air.
Evolis saw Aeliana just before they arrived in front of the room. Flashing her a brief smile, and being amused at the small blush which covered her ears, he stepped through the entrance.
The moment Evolis and Aeliana stepped through the towering entrance, the hush deepened, and all eyes turned to them.
At the far end of the hall, seated upon his throne, King Aldorien regarded them with an unreadable expression. His emerald robes pooled around him like flowing water, the silver circlet upon his brow catching the dim light. To his right, Prince Vaerion stood with arms crossed, his piercing gaze giving away nothing.
Evolis straightened, his golden eyes meeting the King's with unwavering resolve. Beside him, Aeliana stepped forward, her usual composed demeanor betraying a hint of apprehension. The last time they had stood before the King, it had been over the assassination attempt. This time, it was something far greater.
Aldorien let the silence stretch before finally speaking. "The war has begun."
The weight of those words settled over them like an iron shackle.
Evolis remained impassive, but inwardly, his mind was already moving, calculating. This wasn't unexpected, everything had been leading to this moment. But to hear the official declaration meant that the time for speculation was over. Action was now inevitable.
Aeliana, however, frowned. "So soon?"
Aldorien's gaze flickered to his daughter, something unreadable in his expression. "The Dark Elves have already struck at three of our border outposts. Their movements suggest they have been preparing for this far longer than we had anticipated."
Vaerion finally spoke, his voice calm yet firm. "We are moving our forces accordingly, but there are complications."
Evolis narrowed his eyes. "Complications?"
"The enemy is stronger than expected," the prince admitted. "Not just in numbers, but in power. Our scouting parties have encountered resistance far beyond initial projections. There have been cases of dark Etherion surges—instances where entire squads were overwhelmed in moments. Some never returned at all."
A heavy silence settled over the chamber.
Evolis absorbed the information carefully. That meant one of two things—either the Dark Elves had suddenly begun producing warriors of unprecedented strength, or they had been preparing for this war long before the first blade was drawn.
Aeliana, ever sharp, caught on quickly. "Something doesn't add up," she murmured. "The Dark Elves were always formidable, but their forces shouldn't be capable of pressing us this aggressively. What changed?"
Aldorien's fingers steepled, his emerald eyes dark with thought. "That is what concerns me. The reports are… strange. Some claim that the Etherion within the battlefields feels unnatural, as if the very air itself is shifting. Others say that wounded Dark Elves recover too quickly, their Etherion regenerating faster than should be possible. And then there are the disappearances. Entire scouting groups lost, not a single trace left behind."
Vaerion folded his arms, his voice grave. "We expected a war of attrition, but what we are facing is something else entirely."
Evolis frowned. "So either their warriors are evolving at an impossible rate… or they're using something to enhance themselves."
Aeliana inhaled slowly, her posture tightening. "And you have no idea what it could be?"
Aldorien's gaze was unwavering. "Not yet. But that is why you two are being deployed."
Evolis' attention snapped fully to him.
Aeliana stiffened. "Deployed where?"
The King's tone left no room for debate. "Not to the front lines. Not yet. Your first task is to move under different identities. You will travel to the outer battlefields, assess the state of our forces, and gather intelligence. If there is an unnatural factor at play, I want confirmation."
Evolis' fingers curled slightly against his arms. "And after that?"
Aldorien's expression hardened. "Depending on what you find…" He exhaled, his gaze heavy. "You may need to go deeper."
Aeliana inhaled sharply. "You want us to infiltrate the Dark Elves."
Aldorien did not deny it. "If it comes to that—yes."
The weight of the task settled between them.
Evolis exhaled, his golden eyes gleaming with quiet calculation. Observation was one thing. Infiltration was another.It wasn't just about intelligence gathering anymore—if the Dark Elves were truly hiding something, if their forces had gained an advantage that even the Elven Kingdom couldn't yet understand, then walking blindly into their domain was far more dangerous than any battlefield.
Aeliana's voice was measured but tense. "We don't know their movements. We don't even know their full capabilities. If we go in without the right information, we're gambling with our lives."
Aldorien nodded, his expression unreadable. "That is why you will not be going alone."
Vaerion shifted, his arms still crossed. "You will be joined by a third operative. Someone who has experience in deep reconnaissance and has studied the Dark Elves longer than any of us. You will meet them before you depart."
Evolis narrowed his eyes slightly. "And how do we know we can trust them?"
Aldorien leaned forward. "Because they have more reason than anyone to want to see the Dark Elves' plans unraveled."
Something about the way he said it sent a ripple of unease through the air.
Evolis and Aeliana exchanged a glance.
The mission was no longer just a scouting trip.
It was the first move in a much larger game.
And whether they were ready or not, the pieces were already shifting.
Evolis resisted the urge to sigh. Of course it would come to that.
Vaerion studied him carefully. "You have been training for months, and your progress has exceeded expectations. But the battlefield is different from sparring matches. Do not let your newfound strength cloud your judgment."
Evolis met his gaze head-on. "I know the difference between training and survival."
Vaerion nodded approvingly but said nothing more.
Aldorien leaned forward slightly. "You leave in three days. Take this time to prepare. You will be assigned a handler, one of my trusted men, to assist in your movements and ensure that your disguises are effective."
Evolis wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea of having someone watch over them, but he understood the necessity. Aeliana, however, seemed less concerned about that and more focused on the implications of what they had just been assigned.
She bowed her head slightly. "Understood."
Evolis inclined his head as well, though his mind was already working through the next steps.
Aldorien studied them for a moment longer before speaking again, his voice quieter but no less firm. "You are being entrusted with this task because you are both uniquely suited for it. But do not mistake that for invincibility."
The meaning was clear. If they were caught, there would be no rescue.
Aeliana took a slow breath, her expression unreadable. Evolis remained still, the weight of the mission pressing against him.
"Go," the King said at last. "And do not fail."
With that, the meeting was over.
As they turned to leave the throne room, Evolis felt the shift in the air. The war was no longer a distant threat looming on the horizon.
It had arrived.