The hut once again descended into silence. Rion stared at her with a deadpan look and remarked in his head,

'I was right about her being an elf... she also has the common characteristics of elves from the novels. Sharp and long ears, otherworldly beauty, medicine and herb knowledge, and a mother that they follow...'

Zaelyane closed her third eye, put on her green gem accessory, and gracefully sat back in the chair.

The chair creaked slightly and pulled his attention towards her.

He eyed her from top to bottom and asked a question that had been plaguing him more than anything else, "What do you need from me?"

Her eyes stirred, and she questioned back with a flat expression, "Why would I need anything from you?" Her usual sharp tone had also returned.

He frowned, shook his head and asked again, "Okay, let's change the question..." He stepped down from the bed, walked towards her and added in a sharper tone, "What do you need me for?"

His eyes turned impassive as he stopped just two steps away from her.

Her emotionless expression remained unchanged, and she stared into his eyes with equal intensity.

The air between them turned heavy as their eyes clashed in an invisible battle of wills.

The silence broke after a few seconds, and she said, "I cannot tell you. Not yet."

He didn't react. He had expected her to deny him any answer; she always did, after all. However, now, he could guess the reason why she had told him about her race.

"I may be curious, but I am not blind..." he stepped closer, leaned forward to her side and whispered in her ear, "The only reason you told me about yourself is you fear that I'll ignore you because of The Remnant."

For the past few days, The Remnant was the only thing on his mind, and anything he did was somehow related to them.

He formed his group and became their liege to stand before The Remnant.

He sparred with Haden just so he could become strong enough to defeat The Remnant.

He had no other choice.

The Remnant was the only door leading towards the answers that had been denied to him. They were also connected to his goal of replicating immortality or something similar.

Zaelyane's emotionless expression cracked, and she asked in a slightly furious tone, "Would you also ignore that I had helped you with that miracle medicine of yours?"

An amused chuckle escaped him, and he answered, "Heh. You talk as if you didn't send me to that place without telling me anything about it."

Trial of Regrets allowed one to relive the moments of their regrets and break free from them. Even though it sounded easy, most people wouldn't be able to do it. That was why no human had ever finished it before Rion, but Zaelyane didn't know if Rion could finish it or not, yet she forcefully sent him in there.

She simply wanted him to lose and fall into despair so she could use him. She believed that he was the prophesied one, but even if he wasn't, his talent was enough for her to consider him a useful pawn.

And right now, she was feeling her grip weaken around that pawn, so she was using the old book method of carrots and sticks to keep her grip firmed.

Her lips parted, and she added impassively, "I did it so you could gain the ability to cast illusions."

He nodded. Without her help, it would've been impossible for him to finish the medicine and help the others awaken their aura. But he didn't want to be overburdened by that.

He stepped back, picked up his spear that was placed by the wall and said, "I am grateful for that, but I won't be putting my life on line to help you if you continue to hide everything from me."

She leaned back in her chair, stared at the ceiling above with an uncertain look, and after a few minutes, she spoke, "I need revenge..."

'Revenge?' Rion frowned and pried further, "From who?"

She shook her head, stood up from her chair and walked over to the door.

Seeing that, Rion understood that he wouldn't be able to force answers anymore.

She stopped by the door, pushed it open, and said, "I cannot tell you until the day you wish to step down the mountains, so come to me then."

He didn't move, he stared at her with a conflicted expression and asked, "Why are you so sure about me being able to leave even though we have to fight The Remnant the very next year?"

Amusement flickered in her eyes, her lips arched upward, and her voice carried softly, "Your talent has made you both arrogant and ignorant."

He furrowed his brows and his lips parted to retaliate, but he had nothing to say to her.

Her smile widened even slightly; she tapped the wooden door and added, "They have been plaguing the purple fog forest for time immemorial, but the Dhaevrak still stands tall, why?"

Rion blinked and began to think of an answer, but before he could even come up with any, she said,

"It's because Dhaevrak always had one person — The Sovereign — that could contain them, and your father is considered an anomaly even in those people."

He felt pride settle within him, and he commented in his head, 'He is my father, after all.'

Suddenly, his face dropped into a heavy frown, confusion flickered across his face, and he asked, "Why hasn't Father killed them yet?"

She shook her head and answered, "How does one kill something that was never alive to begin with? The Remnant is resentment given form, and they use the souls trapped by the purple miasma to keep themselves standing."

"What...?" He froze, colour vanished from his face, and he asked in a desperate tone, "There has to be a way to kill them, right?"

"There is a way... but it's nearly impossible to use."

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