"Oh?" Ayren tilted his head as he was keeping his evil smirk "You're not willing to speak?" he asked as he saw the man in front of him opening his eyes like he wanted to reply, but his body was trembling.

The red eyes of the swordsman noticed how the chains around the neck, the wrists and the feet had actually spikes of metal, piercing the skin of the man. He raised his eyebrow as he noticed blue strings getting absorbed by those spikes.

"What is this..." he made the prisoner get closer to his face "A torture room?" he asked "Are you the treasure the previous Emperor cared to hide forever?" he asked, and he got surprised once he noticed the blue eyes of the prisoner shine as the stare of him was turning into a mad one.

Ayren smiled once he noticed water flowing around the prisoner, who gnashed his teeth as he kept his mad stare at the swordsman, but he then coughed blood and all the water fell to the ground.

"Oh?" He laughed, leaving the hold on the chains, making the prisoner fall to the ground without energy left like he used all he had to try to escape from the sight of Ayren.

"This... This is all yours?" he asked as he pointed at the hourglass with all the blue mana that was shining even more like it was being recalled.

He stroked his own hair and sighed. Something was weird. That blue, that mana was somehow making him feel dizzy for a moment. Ayren could feel his cursed blood boiling excited like he wanted more, but he didn't even know what exactly.

Yet.

"What a nuisance..." Ayren commented looking at the big hourglass made of mana "I didn't expect to have to deal with something similar to a kidnapping..." he said annoyed before leaving a side-eye to the man, who was crawling slowly back to the shadow.

He could notice that the body of that man was totally at the extreme of survival. He did wonder for how long he had been held in that room, and if it was since the previous Emperor, he wouldn't have even been surprised if that prisoner forgot how to speak.

"Lo..." The man leaned his back against the wall, lifting his head to look at Ayren. Ayren tried not to show surprise at hearing his voice.

It was a calm, soft voice that, strangely enough, made him feel at ease, like the gentle caress of the wind back when he had traveled on that old man's wagon—a whisper of nature itself. Ayren quickly brushed the thought away. He refused to believe that this soft voice could be the same as the one he had felt back then. It was impossible.

The world of Elthiel was vast, inhabited by all kinds of creatures—humans, vampires, dwarves, werewolves, elves, dragons, and half-dragons. They were known as life mana holders. Life mana wasn't just what sustained them; it was also what made some humans special. A rare few had the ability to resonate with Nature's life mana, and they were known as Mages.

As for the other beings, Dragons stood as the embodiment of life mana itself—the one true nemesis to Mages. These ancient creatures, composed entirely of pure life mana, were impervious to any magic. Perhaps it was because humans, seen by the Gods as creatures easily swayed by greed and ambition, often turned against one another for power that the Gods rarely bestowed upon them the ability to command life mana—to create or... to destroy.

Ayren knew it too well.

After all, his whole life ended because of a foolish plan.

"Your unit... You! You will be the best soldiers... The best!"

He was forced to become a monster, filled with death mana, the nemesis of everything that would breathe life one. He wasn't supposed to live, he was supposed to be gone a long time ago...

And because of that, he couldn't reach the true end... ever.

All because of an experiment...

Humans were indeed... traitors to his eyes.

That's how he became who he was. Using his own body, his own death mana to enhance his beloved sword and become the legendary swordsman, the mercenary, the devil himself.

Seeking for anything that would satisfy his endless thirst of... death.

"What a beautiful sight you are... You are indeed... My weapon... The perfect one!"

Ayren felt his rage destroying his own control when he swore, he heard the voice of that man echoing in his ears.

"Lo...Loon" the man said as he closed his eyes between the pants, like he was trying to keep himself from collapsing, making the swordman snap back to reality as he was getting swallowed by his own madness.

Ayren moved his sword as he was alternating the stare between Loon and the hourglass.

"What an unfortunate day for you," Ayren commented walking towards the man; to crouch down as he was pointing the sword on the floor, next to the hips of the half dragon. "I am not the hero of the situation if you hope that," he smiled and Loon opened his eyes at those words. He then just looked lifeless, like he wasn't actually expecting anything or simply he couldn't react because his energy was at the extreme, yet... Yet he truly didn't want to look away from the man he had in front.

Ayren grit his teeth, he couldn't understand why those blue eyes locked into his red ones would make him feel his own heart shatter. Was that a spell? Maybe his life mana was reacting to a powerful living being still alive next to him?

Loon tried to speak but he collapsed in front of Ayren, who was close to him. "Hey..." the swordsman laid the hand on his cheek, giving little slaps "Are you... seriously" he got annoyed once he noticed Loon really actually collapsed with no energy left, and Ayren couldn't even tell when he would wake up considering most of his vital energy was getting pulled off from those chains to contain it in the hourglass, that was literally a mana storage, to probably tame and keep imprisoned Loon in that room.

Ayren felt something inside, an inner madness. He wasn't getting the reason why the Emperor would imprison a man like that in a sanctuary.

And why try to tame him by absorbing his mana till the point of making him just crawl and do nothing.

"That insane... Emperor..." Ayren passed the hand on his face, trying not to think too much about that man "He felt like he was a God, and had rights to play with life and death like this..." he got annoyed to then slash fiercely the hourglass.

"This is the most unsatisfying mission I have ever done" he swore before destroying the glass of the hourglass that literally pushed him against the wall and Ayren's eyes opened up once he noticed all the blue mana condensing and forming a giant blue spirit dragon that rushed

against the collapsed body.

The dragon wrapped his long body around the one of Loon, as it was rising up, floating, pulled by the dragon. Ayren had no idea of what was happening, he had never seen magic like that before, or a creature like that, yet it felt something familiar at the same time.

The dragon disappeared like Loon's body absorbed it back. The chains though weren't destroyed, something that made Ayren realize that it was a magic made exactly for him to never use his powers to free himself.

Loon opened his eyes and in no time he looked like his face and body skin was getting better like he was back to being alive and not between life and death.

He did catch a big breath and closed his eyes again once he noticed still the chains on him piercing his body parts, but at least since the hourglass was destroyed, the mana wasn't getting pulled out of him anymore.

"You're welcome." Ayren said as he crossed his arms, and Loon got startled. He was probably lost in his thoughts as he was looking at his own body, like he couldn't believe he did regain his life energy after who knows how many years...

"Why...?"

Ayren stood up as he was still on the ground after the push of the hourglass and walked slowly, making his sword scratching the marble, reaching Loon, who was still laying on the ground with his back against the wall.

"I don't find it funny when they're imprisoned and can't give me a fight before dying." he replied with an evil smile, but he got annoyed as he noticed Loon keeping his calm and non-interested stare.

"Hm." he simply said before looking at the room with the shattered pieces of the hourglass.

He opened up his eyes once he noticed Ayren holding his chin with his free hand to force him to look him in the eyes.

"What? Aren't you willing to fight?" he asked, and Loon tilted his head, showing off a puzzled gaze, like he couldn't really understand what he was saying.

"Why should I?" he asked and that made Ayren stare at him, having no idea how to react towards Loon's calm and neutral stare.

"Are you serious?" Ayren asked, trying not to lose it in front of the half dragon man, whose tail was moving a little, making him look even cute.

"Who should I fight?" he asked confused, looking around totally clueless of the situation, and Ayren's red eyes locked on his.

"Me! Who else is in this room? Aaah..." he put the free hand on his own face "This is making me feel so frustrated." he told himself as Loon tilted his head to the side.

"Why should I fight the one who freed me from the hourglass?" he asked, "I think I am in debt with you, so fighting against you would be against my..." Loon flinched as Ayren's hands touched the chains connected to the neck.

"Are you kidding me? In debt with me? I thought you would fight me." Ayren looked at his blue eyes and Loon sighed.

"I don't even know your name..."

"Why would you care? I am just here to fight, what are you even on about?" Ayren asked, feeling irritated by Loon, who looked like he wasn't even feeling pain from the chains anymore even though they were piercing his skin.

"Hmm." Loon looked at him to then tilt his head like he was trying to find something beneath those pure flaming eyes of the swordsman, who raised his eyebrow confused by the half-dragon's gaze.

"So?" Ayren asked once again, and Loon ended up smiling softly.

"I am sorry, I won't fight."

Ayren truly was questioning his life choices.

"This is no fun." Ayren muttered as he left the chains, Loon this time didn't fall to the ground, he actually stood in front of him, who was trying to make some sense in the situation.

"No point in killing someone who doesn't even try to defend himself... ah, what a failure of a mission." he muttered to himself under Loon's curious stare.

Ayren then looked at him "What are you?" he asked, and Loon tilted his head to the side "You have a tail and horns... Are you a half dragon or a shapeshifter?"

"Hmm... I am Loon." he replied, and Ayren looked at him, trying not to hit him, because it wasn't something someone with honor would do.

"This is..." Ayren sighed and Loon opened his eyes as the swordsman slashed the chains on his feet. He quickly grabbed the loose chains connected to his neck and pulled him close to him "You will come with me."

"Can't you free me from these chains?" Loon asked as he was walking because Ayren was moving out the room they were in

.

"I will free from your chains when you tell me you want to fight me, or when I will get an idea how to use you, as I didn't get anything from this treasure hunt rather than a nuisance." Ayren said without even looking at him.

"You didn't know I was here?" Loon sounded surprised and Ayren for a moment stopped walking, to turn and look at the man he had in front of his eyes.

He was wearing a hanfu, white and azure in line with his jade horns and the fur of his dragon tail. He actually looked like a creature out of that world for Ayren's eyes; something he has never seen before. There was something, his instinct or maybe madness, tormenting him deep in his heart. The air, as soon as the mana got back to that man, felt lighter and his own insanity hungry for more blood. It felt like poison he managed to control after many years of cursed life.

"Why should I know you were here?" Ayren asked as Loon looked around the corridor and got confused. The swordsman then opened his eyes "Tell me... Who's the current Emperor?"

"Emperor Zhao Li." He replied before trembling "... Did he send you?" he gnashed his teeth and Ayren got curious by his reaction.

He laughed under Loon's almost serious stare, before pulling him close to him from the chains "Wrong... Emperor Zhao Li died fifty years ago... His son got in command when he was just a little boy." Loon's eyes opened, and Ayren laughed at his reaction "Are you telling me you've been here for more than fifty years?"

Loon looked lost in his thoughts. He was terrified, his eyes shining of a beautiful blue in contrast to the red eyes of Ayren.

"I have been asleep for... so long?" he whispered to himself, and Ayren looked somehow serious in front of Loon's desperation for that little revelation. "My... duties... so... so long..."

"Why were you there?" Ayren asked, trying to keep Loon focused on their conversation as he was totally overthinking.

"I was imprisoned here... I am... feeling tired. I don't remember much right now, my mind is still numb." he tried to avoid the stare of Ayren, who felt it in his skin he was lying, or he was trying not to expose himself.

"Whatever, you will come with me and see if I can get anything... Do you have a hometown who would pay me to bring you back?" he asked, and Loon looked lost in his thoughts, as he was crossing his arms and looking at a non-exact spot.

"Hmm." He mumbled under Ayren's irritated stare "I think?"

"What do you mean I think?" Ayren asked, trying again not to lose it against Loon's neutral and calm tone.

"Well, I told you I don't remember much" he said as he shrugged "But I was... living in the forest..." he smiled and Ayren almost got chills as he swore he could see sparkles around the half dragon, who was smiling innocently. "I don't think deers and rabbits have money though." Loon did giggle at his own words, clueless about the fact the swordsman was feeling a mental breakdown taking over him.

"I can't believe this." Ayren told himself "I am going to kill that village chief." he said with an evil smile as he walked out of the temple.

"W-what? Wait, who do you want to kill?" Loon's eyes opened once he noticed the corpses of the Emperor's guards on the ground "What have you...?"

"I asked kindly to let me pass." Ayren said with a neutral tone, leaving a side eye to Loon who looked surprised "And those were the ones who didn't let anyone pass... And who knows how many they've killed... This zone here is meant to stay hidden and protected" he pulled Loon close to him "If it wasn't for me, you would have been imprisoned there for more than enough to become insane."

Loon looked at the ground full of blood with a sad stare, showing his profile to Ayren, who didn't know how to feel since he noticed that man looked not even that scared of him. Loon had a pale clean skin, and the long black hair was partially covering his long and pointed ears. If it wasn't for the tail of a dragon and the horns, Ayren was getting even shivers when he thought for a moment he could be a fairy.

"You killed them all alone?"

Ayren opened his eyes once he noticed Loon turning towards him with a calm stare and tone. He actually didn't expect that man to be that calm with him that close.

"Who else would be that insane to go against the Emperor's guards?" Ayren asked as his free hand was on his face, like he was getting frustrated by the stare of those shiny blue eyes persistent on his figure.

"You're strong."

Ayren raised his eyebrow once he noticed Loon, looking at him with a proud gaze, making him question his life choices... again.

"Please, I am starting to think it was better when you were half dead on the ground." Ayren said as he pulled him, to force him to keep walking.

"Where are we going?" he asked, and Ayren sighed heavily.

"The question is where am I taking you." he corrected him "You're in chains, I decide." he explained and Loon nodded even though Ayren wasn't even looking at him. Loon seriously looked like he was having fun even. "We're going to the village chief who sent me here, if he doesn't give me any proper explanation, I will wipe out their village."

Loon stood up and for a moment Ayren felt the chains tight. He turned and noticed Loon with his eyes opened, scared, he was actually scared.

"Why would you kill innocents?" he asked, and Ayren laughed at his questions.

"Who is innocent in this world for real?" he started as he was looking like he didn't care at all. "He had a plan... He had no business talking about this place with me, yet he knew I could have gotten in... I am sure he must know something about you." he held the chains and forced Loon to walk "You better not make me stop another time." he warned and Loon sighed.

"Do you think people of this Era know me? I have been imprisoned during the previous Emperor." he reminded him, and Ayren looked for a moment at the half dragon.

"I must get rid of you, and get something in return somehow." he stopped for a moment feeling a sort of madness getting him "Did that man just try to trap me by giving me this responsibility? A dragon boy to rescue? Why? Am I seen as a babysitter? That motherf..." he asked himself with a weird expression on his face under Loon's puzzled stare.

Ayren sighed and looked at Loon, trying not to get mad before actually having the proofs "That man is the only one who's close enough from here, we will take some days, less

speech, more walking" he cut the conversation, making Loon mumbling annoyed.

"Honestly, can I say something?"

Ayren sighed after some time the two were walking in the forest, avoiding the streets to be sure not to meet anyone as Loon was pretty much someone, who people would get attracted to for his horns, clothes and tail.

"Why do you speak?" Ayren asked with an annoyed tone.

"Your decision about taking me to the village chief... I don't know..."Ayren turned towards Loon who was for a moment touched by some of the sun rays, which managed to get through the forest trees. His blue eyes were looking more like a pond of emerald water at that moment. "It sounded like you were actually out of ideas." Loon smiled innocently, and Ayren gnashed his teeth, feeling like he actually hurt his pride.

"You better shut up for the rest of the path." he mumbled mostly to himself as he was walking, without letting Loon see his face.

"Look, at the worst I will follow you wherever you go till you get some ideas!"

"Shut up."

The tail of the half dragon moved happily, and Ayren had no idea how he could hear Loon laughing behind him, enjoying the moment.

For some reason, Ayren felt the air of the place getting lighter... He looked around, having no idea why it felt like the forest was feeling more... alive. The smell of the leaves still humid, the ground itself, the birds flying high up the sky making Loon surprised like a child and happy, while the swordsman was confused at the sight of that much life considering they were outside the Empire's territories. It felt like the two were surrounded by a new place. Ayren kept the chains tight to pull Loon to keep up with his steps as the other hand was resting on the sword, feeling suspicious about whatever was happening in that moment.

There was too much... light, too much life for a place forgotten by the Gods like every territory outside the Emperor's Lands...

Ayren felt shivers...

He looked around, feeling his own body reacting to something around that place. He met Loon's eyes once again. The half dragon tilted his head innocently, confused by the worried glance of the swordsman like something was happening around them or was about to.

Turned out it was just...

A warmth coming from the sun rays mixed with the breeze...

A little wind caressing his hair...

A song...

The Forest was indeed singing a melody, unknown to the swordsman, like it was greeting something...

Someone...