The pitch-black forest at night was like an impenetrable wall.
The towering trees’ outlines were blurred, almost blending into the sky itself.
In the darkness, their shadows intertwined, forming countless twisted shapes that seemed ready to come alive at any moment.
The entire forest felt like a massive living creature, slowly writhing in the night.
Bai’s figure dashed wildly through the woods, the crisp sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot resembling the footsteps of a phantom.
Any ordinary fifteen-year-old girl would have screamed out in fear, but Bai had lived in the Forest of Eternal Night for five years now.
There was no fear in her heart—only urgency and worry.
She was reckless, or rather, too impulsive. In a moment of heated resolve, she had plunged into the forest, determined to find Aurelia and the others.
But the problem was, where exactly should she look?
Even the Kingdom had no idea where they were.
What could a child like her possibly do?
Turning back was impossible.
Bai knew Vampire Beasts could be lurking nearby at any moment, but she had her own means of survival.
Her hand reached into her pocket, clutching that dazzling Red Higan.
If attacked, she could open a Teleportation Gate and escape at any time.
“Ha… ha… ha…”
Gasping for breath, her stamina bar was completely drained from running nonstop for so long.
Now, Bai moved her legs purely on instinct, the sharp pain tearing through her lungs keeping her from passing out.
Swish, swish, swish—
Suddenly, the grass beside her trembled.
Bai immediately stopped, panting heavily, and looked cautiously toward the source of the sound.
“Who’s there!”
Bai called out bravely, tightening her grip on the flower in her pocket.
The rustling ceased.
It seemed it had only been an overreaction, a trick of her tense nerves.
Bai let out a sigh of relief and was about to move on when a cold sensation suddenly grazed her neck.
“Waaahhh! Ugh, ugh.”
The chilling touch sent goosebumps racing over Bai’s skin, and she cried out in fright—only to have a hand clamp firmly over her mouth.
“Shh, shh, shh—do you want to attract those beasts over here?”
A familiar voice came from behind. Bai froze, then turned her head in surprise.
“Vi… Vera Sister? You came too?”
Vera placed her hands on her hips and said grumpily, “I should be the one saying that. I got here before you, you know.”
“Huh?”
Bai thought back.
When she woke up, she hadn’t noticed anyone nearby.
She’d assumed Vera was still asleep, but it turned out she had slipped out earlier!
“This place is so dangerous. What are you doing here? You’re so tiny—ten more like you wouldn’t even fill a Vampire Beast’s teeth! Don’t tell me you came looking for the Broken Blood Knights too.”
Vera frowned. She never expected such a young girl to come running into the forest.
“I’m not a child! I may not know how to use weapons or fend off Vampire Beasts, but I can use Healing Magic!”
Vera raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
“You can use Healing Magic? I don’t believe you.”
“Watch!”
Bai stretched out her hand. In the next moment, a faint green glow appeared in her palm, its gentle light shining clearly in the dark forest.
Vera’s expression changed.
She quickly covered Bai’s hand and said anxiously, “Okay, okay, I get it. But using magic like that just makes you a glowing target. Vampire Beasts always track their prey by light!”
“Oh.”
Bai reluctantly withdrew her hand.
“What about you, Vera Sister? You’re here to help the Broken Blood Knights too?”
Vera straightened her waist, confident and hopeful.
“Of course. Maybe after I fend off some Vampire Beast attacks with them, they’ll see my strength and recruit me directly! Just like Aurelia!”
“Still, you’re too young. Coming here is practically a death sentence. Even with Healing Magic, you won’t be much help. Before you get any deeper, you should turn back.”
Vera advised, but Bai wasn’t listening. Instead, she asked back:
“But Vera Sister, with so many Vampire Beasts in the forest, even the strongest can’t beat them all, right? Isn’t that just like me?”
And Vera didn’t have the same escape plan as Bai.
She couldn’t just jump into a Teleportation Gate whenever she was in danger.
In that sense, Vera’s journey was far more dangerous.
Vera was left speechless by the question.
She coughed and said helplessly, “Adult matters are none of a child’s concern. I’m an adult, you know!”
Bai: -_-
Hmm…
She was just putting on a brave face.
Bai had guessed this stubborn elf probably acted on impulse like herself, running out without thinking about the consequences.
“Please go back. Your sister must be worried sick waiting for you.”
Vera nudged her.
To her, Bai was just a kid with her head filled with reckless enthusiasm.
“No! I want to go too!”
“You…”
“Roooar!!!”
Just as Vera was about to keep persuading her, a wild beast’s roar suddenly echoed from deep within the forest.
At the same time, roars erupted both ahead and along the path they came from, then an eerie silence followed.
Vera and Bai shut their mouths, staring at each other wide-eyed.
They’d been discovered because they were too loud just now!
Without a second thought, Vera grabbed Bai’s hand and took off running.
“Damn it! If they catch us, we’re done for!” Vera hissed.
“It’s because Vera Sister’s voice is too loud…”
Seeing Bai couldn’t keep up, Vera stopped abruptly and scooped her up in a princess carry.
Her light frame sprang up onto a tree trunk.
She whispered a prayer: “Great Mother Nature, please bless your children with the Blessing of Wind, ‘Быстрее’! (Elven Swift Step)”
Suddenly, a nameless wind rose through the forest. It seemed almost sentient, enveloping Vera’s body.
What was already light felt like a feather now, as she leapt nimbly from branch to branch, moving much faster than running on the ground.
“So cool!”
Bai shouted excitedly.
Although she knew a little Wind Magic herself, she only knew how to blast it out in clumps.
She had no idea how to use it so skillfully like Vera.
“Shh, shh. They’re very close now. Don’t speak… Seriously, how did things get like this…”
***
After jumping through the trees for a full twenty minutes, Vera finally stopped—still not out of breath, looking completely at ease.
“Alright, we can’t turn back now. We’ll go together. Just so you know, if anything happens, hide behind me. Don’t come out, or they’ll definitely make a snack out of you!”
“But if Vera Sister gets hurt, I’ll come out for sure.”
“You… Fine, fine.”
Vera resigned herself.
They needed to find where the Broken Blood Knights were and get Bai to safety.
It was absurd to send a child to fight Vampire Beasts.
Their patrol area was the southern part of the forest, so it shouldn’t be too far.
But even so, this vast forest wasn’t easy to navigate, or the Kingdom wouldn’t be so helpless.
The question was, how to find them?
Bai was troubled.
She looked at the moon hanging in the sky, then around the dark forest before pointing in a direction.
“There. The direction of the Broken Blood Knights.”
“Hm? How are you so sure?”
“The Inn Lady said the Broken Blood Knights were surrounded by Vampire Beasts. So the place with the most Vampire Beasts is probably where the Knights are. Just now, the loudest roars came from that way.”
Bai pointed firmly.