Child Of Time

The dense mist clung to the cliff's edge as Grey and Elsa finally stopped, the jungle stretching out far below them, an endless sea of dark, twisted trees that seemed to sway in an unseen breeze. Across the horizon, a mountain loomed—a massive, deadly volcano, its peak blackened and jagged, wreathed in a veil of ash and smoke. The distance between them and the volcano was vast, an unbroken stretch of forest, cracked earth, and treacherous ground that made Grey question how they could possibly hope to reach it on foot.

Grey raised an eyebrow, turning to Elsa. "So…how exactly do you plan to get to that mountain?"

Elsa looked at him with a faint, almost amused smile. "We walk."

A short, disbelieving laugh escaped him. "Are you insane? That mountain is at least a thousand kilometers away. By the time we get there, we'll be ancient."

She raised a brow. "Do you see another way?"

Grey's eyes scanned the horizon. Everything around them screamed danger—the mountain, the forest below, even the earth beneath their feet, which was fissured and cracked, seeping ominous vapors from the cracks. He didn't say it out loud, but as he looked down the sheer drop of the cliff into the shadowy depths of the jungle, a prickling sensation crept over his skin. Something about that forest felt wrong. He had a nagging feeling that if he ventured into those dark trees, he'd never make it out alive.

He shook his head, more to clear his thoughts than in denial. "If we're going to travel that far, wouldn't it be easier just to fly?" He glanced back at her. "Or are we trying to make this as difficult as possible?"

She sighed, and a strange glint flickered in her eyes. "We can't fly," she said, her tone hardening. 

Grey met her stare, not about to back down. "Why not?"

Her gaze turned sharp, piercing, and her eyes began to glow with an intense blue light that seemed to cut through the fog around them. He felt his resolve waver under that gaze, his thoughts scattering as he found himself lost in the depth of her eyes. There was something mesmerizing, almost freezing, about them, like staring into an endless sea.

"You'll understand soon enough," she said, her voice low, firm. The glow in her eyes softened, but she didn't look away.

Grey's throat tightened, unable to shake off the lingering effect of her gaze. The silence stretched, tense and thick, and for once, he didn't have a comeback. Before he could process it, she let out an exasperated sigh and reached out, gripping the back of his neck with surprising strength. 

"Wha—"

But before he could finish, Elsa pulled him forward, dragging him off balance as she took a step closer to the cliff's edge. In an instant, they were falling, plummeting off the cliff into the thick, waiting forest below. The wind tore past him, and all that remained of his defiance was a choked, startled cry as the world turned into a blur of green and shadow.

***

As the wind howled past them, Grey's heart pounded from the sudden, reckless leap off the cliff. They landed with a harsh jolt, Elsa's magic cushioning them just enough to prevent serious injury. She released his neck and took a step forward, her lips curling into a satisfied grin as she laughed at his disoriented expression.

"Are you insane?" he muttered, brushing himself off with narrowed eyes.

"Perhaps," she murmured, amusement glinting in her gaze, like a cat toying with its prey.

Grey looked up, his eyes meeting hers, a steady silence settling between them. Neither spoke, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. She held his gaze a moment longer, then, as if casting someone off a cliff were a trivial gesture, turned on her heel and walked away with a casual grace. Her steps echoed softly, indifferent and calm, as though she were leaving nothing more than a fleeting conversation behind.

Grey followed, trying to shake off the residual shock. Hours seemed to stretch endlessly as they trudged through the shadowed forest, the twisted trees around them creating a dark labyrinth that seemed to have no beginning or end. Time became meaningless here—There was no day, only dimness—a shroud of perpetual twilight.

No sun rose, and the world was cloaked in an endless night, lit only by a single blood-red moon hanging ominously in the sky.

Beside it, a pale, ghostly white moon drifted in silence, casting its cold light over the desolate landscape. The two moons hovered like twin specters, one fierce and fiery, the other haunting and hollow, illuminating a world forever trapped between darkness and an unsettling, muted glow. heavy haze that clung to everything. Grey had lost track of how long it had been since they'd left the cliff, but his body ached with fatigue, and his mind felt clouded from lack of sleep.

Out of the corner of his eye, Grey observed Elsa, who strode ahead with a spring in her step. She looked impossibly fresh, bearing the same unbothered expression she'd worn when they first met. Not a trace of fatigue touched her face; if anything, she seemed more alive, as though she thrived on the eerie energy of this place.

So, this is what it feels like to be beyond human, he mused bitterly, clenching his jaw as irritation twisted in his chest, mingling with a familiar, grudging envy.

At last, he swallowed his pride and called out, "Hey, do you have something to eat? Or… anything?" His tone was neither shy nor embarrassed—if anything, it was a little shameless. At this point, he didn't care.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder, her gaze unreadable. She reached into her coat and pulled out yet another cigarette, holding it out to him with a smirk.

Grey's jaw tightened as he clenched his fist, the cigarette crumbling in his palm. This is the fifth time, he thought bitterly. Every time he asked for food, all she'd given him was a cigarette. Just how many did she have hidden away?

"You know, you're practically an addict," he grumbled.

She raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. "Who says I'm an addict? I'm simply…prepared."

"Oh, right," he muttered sarcastically. "Prepared to offer cigarettes to a starving man."

"Nothing wrong with that," she said breezily, already striding ahead, her laughter echoing back to him. They continued on, their bickering filling the silence as they pushed further into the forest, each step wearing on Grey's patience and strength.

Finally, after what felt like another endless stretch of walking, Elsa came to a stop glancing back at Grey, noticing his slower pace. She raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in her voice. "Are you tired?"

Grey didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Her steps faltered for a moment, surprise flashing across her face. this was not the answer she was excepting, She had always thought of him as a stubborn, unyielding guy—someone who would push through anything. A toy, hard to break. But now, seeing him so weary, she was struck by something she hadn't expected 

'He's not special. He's just a child. A mortal with no mana, no strength beyond his own flesh.'

She couldn't mask the disappointment in her voice. "You're weak."

Grey's response was laced with sarcasm, his lips curling into a smirk. "Sorry for not being a superhuman like you."

The words stung, and for a brief moment, Elsa was taken aback. She had expected him to fight, to resist, but instead, he had admitted it without shame. Something inside her shifted—was this really the man she had thought would be a challenge for her?

She exhaled sharply, frustration and something else she didn't care to analyze welling up inside her.

'He's just a human,

"Fine," she muttered, shaking her head. "We'll rest here."

Without waiting for a response, she moved toward the cave, the silence between them thickening. Grey followed, the weight of the moment settling in. Elsa couldn't help but wonder, despite herself, whether she had misjudged him—or if something else was changing