Gardenia’s Heart

The orange glow of the afternoon sun that once streamed through her window had already been replaced by the silver light of the moon. Without even realizing how much time had passed—let alone turning on the lights—a pink-haired elf continued pacing back and forth in her small room.

“I did my part. I brought the girl the Sage asked me to find without telling anyone! It shouldn’t be a problem if I tell Kelios what’s going on now, right?”

Zaylin stopped in her tracks and stared at the pink orb resting on her bed.

Maple, who had spent the entire day listening to the girl argue with herself, rolled lazily across the sheets before floating toward the elf.

(Talk.)

She spoke a single word, but it was enough to make the elf grab handfuls of her short hair and pull them over her face.

“But Maple… Kelios is so stubborn. Will he even listen to me?”

Kelios was the kind of person who hated accepting things that didn’t align with his rigid ideas of right and wrong. He probably wouldn’t understand how a human could be the key to saving the Sage. To be honest, not even Zaylin fully understood it herself—she was simply following the Sage’s trust.

She had rehearsed the conversation dozens, maybe even hundreds of times in her head, but it always ended in failure.

Letting go of her pink hair, Zaylin slapped her cheeks a few times and looked back at the fairy.

“Standing here doing nothing isn’t going to help, right?”

Zaylin knew she had to clear things up with the boy. As much as she hated to admit it to anyone, Kelios was the only friend she had.

Determined, she turned to look for her clothes—only then realizing how dark the room had become.

“Wait, it’s this late already!?”

She quickly turned on the lamps and threw on her soldier uniform. Opening her bedroom door, she headed to the front of the house, slipping on her boots. Her parents worked night shifts, so there was no one around to say goodbye to.

After double-checking that the door was locked, Zaylin dashed across the bridges that connected the treehouses, the pink orb playfully flying beside her.

The city of Lampides remained lively even at night. Small shops stayed open, selling everyday items, and restaurants offering sweets and a wide variety of fruits would keep running as long as customers kept coming.

The elf considered buying a dessert to go along with her apology—but then remembered the boy’s current situation.

“Because of me, Kelios got stuck cleaning the stables…”

Even the strongest soldiers lost their appetite after dealing with horse manure all day, so food didn’t seem like a good idea right now.

“Well, no matter how much he hates me right now, there’s no way he’ll turn down an extra pair of hands to help.”

Giving her cheeks another quick slap, the elf jumped off one of the bridges and slid down the vines hanging from the trees, landing on the forest floor.

She hadn’t been able to do anything the previous night, caught up helping with the palace infiltration and fleeing before the royal guards could find her. But now she had all the time she needed to explain everything to her friend.

“Which barracks is he at today? Damn it, I should’ve at least checked the duty roster.”

Cursing her own carelessness, Zaylin braced herself to search all four barracks, starting by running toward the stables at the first.

After only a few minutes of walking, the first lights began to appear through the sparse vegetation. A narrow but long wooden structure with a triangular roof emerged humbly among the trees—unlike the stench that immediately invaded her nose.

As she drew closer, eyes scanning for any sign of the boy, Zaylin finally spotted a familiar silhouette among the many horses resting in their pens.

“Kelio—”

But just as she was about to call out to him, she noticed he wasn’t alone.

Pressing herself against the wooden wall, the girl crouched low in the shadows, where the stable lights couldn’t reach, and tried to get a better look at what was happening. As she focused more on the inside of the stable, the voices gradually became clearer.

“You’re tired of them too, aren’t you? Those idiots who think an elf’s only worth something if they’ve got a fairy contract.”

The sharp voice didn’t belong to her friend—it was clearly male. Peeking a bit further, she spotted a young figure in a military uniform. The boy, who didn’t look much older than them in elven years, had bluish hair and a smile that didn’t match the sharpness in his eyes. She recognized him—he was from the fourth barracks.

“Faelion, I already told you I don’t care about that,” Kelios replied, not even sparing the boy a glance as he stroked the flank of a horse finishing its meal. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got work to finish.”

The green-haired boy turned to another horse, removing the saddle from its back. His body language made it clear he didn’t intend to entertain Faelion any further—but that didn’t stop him from continuing.

“General Riari treats you like trash every single day. Even though you’re close to becoming part of his family, he still gives you this kind of work just because he doesn’t like you. Honestly, I’m surprised you’ve held on for this long, Kelios.” He crushed a handful of hay in his fist, letting the shredded pieces fall to the floor.

As he approached, Faelion draped one arm around Kelios’s shoulders. A lantern hanging from the ceiling swayed gently above them, casting shadows that stretched across the wooden walls.

“Take your partner, for example. You both went on the same mission, but she’s the one who got all the praise from the general for escorting that human—the queen’s friend—into the city.”

His words came slowly, almost sweetly, each one chosen carefully to strike at Kelios’s deepest wounds.

“You don’t need their approval. We can shape our future with our own hands, without depending on those ridiculous traditions they keep trying to force on us.”

The silence that followed was heavy. Kelios opened and closed his mouth several times, words failing him—until finally, something came out.

“What are you getting at?”

As soon as the long-awaited question was asked, Faelion’s smile widened.

“There’s someone I’m sure you’d really benefit from meeting.” Without wasting another second, Faelion began leading Kelios out of the stable.

Outside, still hidden in the shadows, the pink-haired girl had both hands clamped over her mouth, stifling even the faintest breath.

He was talking about her. He was definitely talking about her. That thought pounded in her head as she watched the two boys walk off into the darker part of the forest.

Zaylin had no idea where Faelion was taking Kelios. The way he spoke, the way he moved—it all felt off. Something suspicious was going on.

She thought about calling someone for help, but deep down, she knew part of the mess was her fault. She hadn’t been honest with Kelios and ended up dragging him into trouble with their superiors. If this turned out to be a misunderstanding, she might lose her last chance to make things right with him.

(Follow?) Maple asked from beneath her clothes, hiding there to avoid exposing their position with her glow.

Zaylin nodded once, silently. Then, rising to her feet, she began trailing the pair at a distance where she wouldn’t be noticed.

At first, she expected them to climb one of the stairways that led to the bridges—the usual level where elves lived. However, after several minutes of walking deeper and deeper between the bases of the towering trees, her concern began to grow.

“...Where are they going?” she murmured, trying not to lose sight of the boys’ faint silhouettes in the forest’s shadows.

After walking a while longer, they finally reached the far edge of the city and came to a stop. Zaylin noted the glowing flowers on the ground— this was one of many fields where magical herbs were cultivated, and the restricted access made it clear no one should touch it without permission.

Kneeling down, Faelion brushed aside a thin layer of flowers. Even in the darkness where moonlight didn’t reach, she could clearly see a wooden hatch beneath.

He tapped lightly three times on the structure, and a knock came from the other side. Zaylin was too far away to hear what was said, but Faelion appeared to respond with a short phrase, and after that, the hatch opened. Both boys disappeared inside. Seconds later, some kind of spell seemed to be cast from below, because all the flowers returned to their original position, covering the hatch as if it had never been touched.

Out of caution, Zaylin waited for a full minute before approaching. Brushing the flowers aside, she inspected the hatch more closely. Judging by its location near the walls, she was certain it was one of the old escape tunnels—just like the one Thelira had taught her to use to sneak into the castle in secret when necessary.

“But how did they find it?”

Murmuring wouldn’t give her any answers. She turned to her fairy. Maple glowed faintly pink, as if understanding exactly what she needed to do, and zipped toward the hatch. Door, window, lock, shackle, chain—it didn’t matter. As long as it was a lock, Maple could open it.

It didn’t take more than a second after Zaylin’s silent request for the hatch to click open. Carefully, she lifted it with dagger in hand. Fortunately, whoever had been there was already gone, as only a single staircase was revealed before her.

Turning to Maple, Zaylin gestured for her to hide under her cloak. Together, they descended into the underground.

As expected, the heat from the lack of ventilation was noticeable, making the already-thin air feel heavy—but it didn’t stop her from moving forward.

Luminite lamps lit the walls in place of torches. Though she could now see where she stepped, it didn’t make her feel any safer. What she initially thought was a single corridor soon split into several others, giving her plenty of places to hide if she ran into someone.

Erasing her own tracks and finding those left by others was the most basic skill of an elven soldier. As one of the top students in her class, it didn’t take her long to figure out exactly where Kelios had gone.

Voices began to echo ahead—not one or two, but many. She doubled her caution and moved closer with utmost care. Step by step, she finally caught sight of a large room.

The chamber, built of black bricks, was lavishly decorated with elegant curtains and golden lamps. It wasn’t massive, but it comfortably held more than twenty people in suits or soldier uniforms, chatting cheerfully.

For a moment, Zaylin thought it looked less like an escape tunnel and more like a noble banquet hall.

“Well now, who’s this young man?” a gravelly voice drew her attention.

At one end of the room, she spotted Kelios and Faelion. Approaching them was an old man scratching his thick beard.

“Good evening, Elder Haldrion. This is one of the boys I mentioned before. His name is Kelios,” Faelion said, his smile never quite reaching his eyes. He gave Kelios a light pat on the back, making the confused boy jump in surprise.

“It’s wonderful to see a youth so dedicated to his nation’s future during these decadent times,” the old man murmured, the sour smell of wine wafting with each word. “You may have been through a lot, but now you are among allies.”

Kelios swallowed hard.

“I...”

He couldn’t finish. The words died in his throat the moment the elder’s fingers pressed down on his shoulder. He turned to Faelion, searching for some form of help, but found only an empty smile.

Still hidden in the shadows, cold sweat dripped down Zaylin’s neck. She knew that man—how could she not?

Lampides was ruled by six noble houses, families who bowed only to the royal family. Haldrion was one of the patriarchs and a sitting member of the council.

Her heart raced as her eyes scanned the hall. Haldrion’s presence in a place like this was strange enough—but the longer she studied the room, the more uneasy she became.

She recognized far too many faces.

Several other council members, nobles, and even soldiers she remembered for their unruly personalities were gathered here.

She pressed her back harder against the cold wall, terrified of being seen. Zaylin kept asking herself what was happening—but as if the world wanted to answer her, all the lights suddenly went out. Silence fell.

“My elven friends, good evening! Good evening to you all!”

The voice was authoritative yet strangely melodic, resonating through the chamber as all turned to greet its source.

Descending the staircase at the far end of the hall was a figure who looked sculpted by fate itself.

Clad in ceremonial white armor that gleamed even in darkness, she embodied threat and destruction. The long dress did nothing to hide her generous curves; her body was adorned with intricate patterns that resembled a queen’s regalia. Her skin, pale as ivory with undertones like polished stone, radiated a magnetic beauty.

The curved horns crowning her head betrayed her inhuman heritage—a natural, macabre crown. Her white hair didn’t fall down her back but was tied into two coiled buns.

And lastly, two crimson eyes, sharp as razors, gleamed with the purity of freshly spilled blood.

There was no way to fight something like that.

That was the first thought that crossed Zaylin’s mind as her body locked up completely. Her tongue turned dry as cloth, her limbs frozen by fear, her thoughts caught in a web of dread.

She held her breath—barely. It was the only movement she could manage after seeing that woman.

This being was fundamentally different. Zaylin had never seen anything like her, but she knew with absolute certainty what she was.

A demon.

“Lady Belladona!”

The cheerful voice of Elder Haldrion rang out, snapping Zaylin back to life just enough to study the room again.

Everyone was kneeling. Even Kelios—who clearly didn’t understand what was happening—had lowered his head in panic, cold sweat pouring down his body as he struggled to keep his trembling eyes fixed on the floor.

“It’s lovely to see so many new faces. You’ve done well,” the woman said, her tone gentle, almost motherly.

The one Haldrion had named Belladona walked through the hall, trailing her fingers along the faces of several elves who appeared enthralled by her touch.

Their bodies trembled in ecstasy—young and old, man or woman, it didn’t matter. Each one of them looked euphoric.

“As planned, the Hero has once again left the city. But what of the Sage?”

Sitting atop the back of one of the elven soldiers, Belladona crossed her legs, her well-shaped thighs pressing sensually against her revealing dress.

“Unfortunately, my lady, the Sage vanished before we could capture her. We believe she left the city with the Hero,” Haldrion said, still kneeling at Belladona’s feet, not once lifting his gaze from her body.

“A misstep. That was something you should have handled with more care.”

With the sole of her high heel, Belladona pressed the elder’s body into the floor hard enough to leave red marks on his skin.

The old man, however, seemed nothing short of elated, his ragged breathing growing increasingly euphoric.

“Even with limited foresight, the Sage managed to gather enough information to force the Hero into declaring a state of alert,” Belladona continued, her heel still digging into the man. A sigh escaped her lips as her index finger traced over them gently. “Ideally, we should have killed her tonight, while she was separated from her sister—but... with preparations nearly complete, it won’t be an issue.”

She stood, her arms spreading wide as she gazed upon everyone in the hall.

“Do not worry, my beloved elves. You will no longer suffer the humiliation forced upon you by the High Elves. Much struggle has led us to this day—but finally, it has come.”

Bringing both hands over her ample chest, she pressed her bosom together to accentuate it, her crimson eyes gleaming alongside her silver armor.

“During the war, when my people were slaughtered by the alliance of the two continents, we sought only peace. Though we never achieved it, we still follow the will of our Lord—the Demon King—and seek justice for all.”

She raised one hand toward the ceiling, as though trying to reach the heavens.

“You remember, don’t you? The golden age of the elves, when you were one of the mightiest races! Not even dragons dared challenge you, so fearful were they of your power. Now, all of you are forced to hide within this forest, afraid of those who should be beneath your feet.”

Silence swept through the chamber, a suffocating pressure in which only Belladona’s voice was allowed to exist.

“The war took so much from you. Fathers, brothers, loved ones. Each of them fell under the command of the very High Elves who should have protected you.”

She brought both hands to her tear-filled eyes, as though mourning a grief that defied words.

Every gaze in the room was fixed on Belladona—smiles of ecstasy and longing spread across faces lost in memories of another era.

“Your queen—your hero—she didn’t save you. Did she not admit it herself? And now, because of her weakness, you all suffer—forced to obey an incompetent little girl. Someone like that should never be allowed to rule over you.”

Longing turned into rage. Sweet memories twisted into a thirst for vengeance.

“But don’t worry! We will give you the strength to reclaim that golden era! To seize your destiny with your own hands!”

Slowly, voices began to rise in the silence. Euphoric cries and vile proclamations grew in number until chaos filled the room.

“Tomorrow, everything will be ready at last to welcome my beloved master. He will capture your cursed queen, and you will finally be able to continue the lineage of the High Elves—this time, under your command. Rejoice!”

Belladona proclaimed once more, as tear-streaked, flushed faces turned toward her, screaming their support for the demon.

The hall, now plunged in darkness, lit only by the brilliance of the woman at its center, made Zaylin’s head throb.

She couldn’t understand how the vision burning in her eyes could be real.

They had been the ones to start the war in the first place.

Why were they claiming they wanted peace?

And why was everyone kneeling as if this woman were their savior?

Thelira’s vision wasn’t wrong. The council was against the royal family. Zaylin was certain now—it was they who would destroy the city.

They who would bring the chaos Thelira had tried so long to warn about.

She had to warn General Riari.

She had to get out of this place—now.

She shifted her weight—a simple movement of her foot—and all the air left her lungs.

“Oh?”

The voice pierced her skull, honeyed and sharp like poisoned nectar.

Before her body could even blink, footsteps echoed in the silence, and then—red eyes filled her vision.

Vertical pupils, dilated like blades.

A smile curled across the pale face, so close Zaylin could feel the woman’s icy breath against her skin.

“To think... someone was truly resisting this entire time.”

Belladona’s white fingers slid through Zaylin’s pink hair. A sharp nail touched the nape of her sweaty neck, scratching her skin in a deceptively gentle caress.

“And to think it would be the girl with the fairy key! How wonderful of you to visit on this day. You’ve spared me all the trouble of having to find you~”