Blood kept trickling from my knee, scraped when I hid from the attacking Wargwood.
"Ugh..." I let out a soft groan, trying to endure the stinging pain.
Elfea quickly turned toward me as she heard my groan. Her tattered cloak was slowly mending itself, while her body returned to its normal form.
I sat down on the ground, trying to catch my breath and rest for a bit.
Seeing me like that, Elfea sat beside me. Her face looked serious.
"Are you okay, Rey?" she asked with concern in her voice.
"It's just a small wound, Elfea," I replied, trying to sound calm. I didn't want to trouble her over something this trivial.
Without saying anything more, Elfea placed both hands over my injured knee. A gentle green light began to glow from her palms.
Then she softly chanted a spell.
"Sanare Lux."
In an instant, the pain disappeared. The wound on my knee closed as if it had never been there. I stared at her in awe—I had no idea Elfea possessed healing abilities.
"That was... what, Elfea?" I asked, still stunned.
"My healing magic, Rey," she answered with a soft smile.
"Your technique is amazing... truly incredible," I said, gazing at her in admiration.
"Thank you... But I can only use it a few times a day. My energy is limited," she whispered, her eyes fixed on my knee.
I nodded slowly. "Even so... you still helped me without hesitation."
A thought crossed my mind—to ask her to come with me to Moniyan Kingdom. I felt a pull to invite her.
I looked at her seriously and said,
"Come with me, Elfea."
She looked puzzled by my sudden words.
"Come? Come where, Rey?" she asked.
"To the Moniyan Kingdom."
"I don't know that place," Elfea said, resting her hand under her chin.
As I suspected, Elfea wasn't from the Moniyan Kingdom. She looked as if she had just heard its name for the first time.
Once again, Elfea looked at me with a confused expression, but in her eyes, I saw a flicker of curiosity she could not hide.
"The Moniyan Kingdom... what kind of place is it?" she asked softly, as if trying to picture a world completely unknown to her.
I took a slow breath, searching for the right words to help her understand. "The Moniyan Kingdom is the center of all knowledge, art, and power. A place where warriors, mages, and nobles live side by side. But... it's more than that, Elfea. There, I believe we can find answers—about myself, about this world, and maybe... about you too."
She stared at me intently, then lowered her gaze. Her silver hair fell gently, covering part of her face. There was hesitation in her silence.
"I don't know what's out there, Rey. The outside world is too foreign to me." She clenched her fists. "I'm... afraid."
I fell silent for a moment. Empathy tugged at my chest. Elfea, the girl who could heal wounds with magic, was hiding fears invisible to the eye.
"Then... why did you help me just now? Without hesitation, without question, you healed my wound."
She looked up, and this time, her gaze was stronger. "Because I can't bear to see others hurt."
I stayed silent, not wanting to push her further.
"Then... what if I promise to protect you? I won't let anything happen to you. You don't have to be afraid, Elfea. You're not alone anymore."
The leaves rustled gently, as if the forest itself was listening to our conversation. Elfea closed her eyes for a moment and let out a deep sigh.
"Then... let me think about it overnight. I'll give you my answer tonight. Please... wait for me."
I nodded. "I'll wait for your answer."
And in the stillness of the creeping night, I knew Elfea's decision would change everything—not just for me, but for the destiny neither of us fully understood yet.
The night slowly crept on, wrapped in a thin mist hanging between the towering trees. The night breeze blew softly, carrying the whisper of leaves and the scent of damp earth. Yet, my mind was restless—not from pain or exhaustion, but because of Elfea sitting alone in the distance.
She sat atop a large tree root, hugging her knees, staring at the starry night sky. The flickering firelight cast her face in silhouette—a face filled with doubt, as if battling something deep within her.
I didn't want to disturb her. Let her be alone for now.
Meanwhile, Elfea was lost in her thoughts.
"Go with Rey... to a place I've never even heard of."
She clutched the pendant hanging from her neck tightly.
"The outside world is too vast... too unfamiliar. But he... he makes me feel safe. Yet... can I truly trust him?"
Her eyes closed, trying to listen to her own heart. But the voice inside her fractured, splitting like the winding paths of the forest—one leading toward adventure and hope, the other toward fear and hesitation.
"What if I'm not strong enough? What if I become a burden to him?"
Rey's voice from earlier echoed in her ears:
"You're not alone anymore."
Her heart thundered, like wind shaking the treetops. Elfea slowly opened her eyes. The stars still shimmered above, calm and eternal. But inside her chest, a small storm swirled, waiting for its moment to settle.
She looked down at her own hands—the hands that had healed, the same hands that once failed to save.
"Am I strong enough to walk beside him... toward a destiny I can't yet see?"
The night deepened into darkness. The campfire was almost out, leaving behind only the faint glow of embers. I was leaning against the trunk of a tree, nearly drifting off, when I heard soft footsteps approaching.
"Elfea?" I murmured.
She stopped in front of me, her face calmer than before, though her eyes still held deep-seated doubt.
"I've thought about it," she said quietly, almost in a whisper. "About your invitation."
I straightened up, looking at her with hope.
"I'm still afraid, Rey... But maybe, I would regret it more if I didn't try."
She took a long breath, then continued,
"So... I'll go with you."
I paused for a moment, then smiled—a smile full of gratitude and hope.
"Thank you, Elfea."
She smiled faintly back, her eyes shimmering slightly. "But promise me... you won't leave me behind."
I nodded gently. "I promise."
A few seconds of silence wrapped around us. Elfea then sat down beside me, letting her shoulder brush against mine—light, yet warm.
"Tonight... for the first time, I don't feel alone," she whispered softly.
I looked up at the star-filled sky, then turned to her. "Tomorrow, we begin our journey, Elfea."
She closed her eyes and nodded slowly.
And that night, under the quiet watch of the distant stars, a decision was made—a decision that would lead us to a journey with no turning back.