The Author's Viewpoint

Elincia offered a faint, almost dismissive smile. One that carried the confidence of someone who viewed this entire mission as nothing more than a routine task. Without a word, she stepped forward, casually striding past Tave and Elowen, her presence now fully exposed in the open clearing under the moon's cold gaze.

Tave moved to follow, and Elowen trailed silently behind, her eyes locked on the back of the Imperial Knight.

Then, in an instant, his instincts screamed.

Without warning, a surge of raw energy exploded outward from Elincia's body. The air crackled. Blue lightning erupted around her, dancing across her frame like living fire. Her short, pink hair lifted, caught in the static surge, snapping slightly upward as if electrified by the sheer force of her power.

And then. In a blur of motion too fast for the eye to fully follow, the elf imperial knight shot forward like a bolt of lightning, tearing across the clearing and straight toward the cave entrance.

Tave reacted instantly, his body moving before his mind could fully catch up. He sprinted after her, the thrill of the hunt returning to his limbs like fire through his veins.

Yes. This would be quick.

This would be easy.

Right?

Tave pushed himself to run harder. His feet pounding against the stone, breath sharp in his lungs.

He barely remembered Elowen was behind him until he took a quick glance. She was there, close, forcing herself forward with the same urgency in her stride.

Together, they plunged into the depths of the cave.

The scent hit them immediately. Burnt flesh and scorched stone. Acrid and sharp. Elowen raised her hand and conjured a soft, steady glow, illuminating their path as the light bounced across the jagged walls. Their shadows danced along the rock, flickering and long.

They kept running. Deeper into the narrowing corridor. Until shapes came into view.

The Demons. Their bodies were strewn across the floor, crumpled and lifeless, their heads severed cleanly from their torsos.

Some still wore the same blank, almost casual expressions on their faces, as if they hadn't even realized death had come for them. There had been no time to react. No chance to defend. Elincia had cut them down before their minds could even register the attack.

"Well, this looks far too easy," Elowen murmured.

Tave didn't respond. Not because he disagreed, but because he couldn't. There was nothing to say. The destruction was complete.

They continued their pursuit, and in the distance, flashes of lightning sparked and flickered. Evidence of Elincia's relentless assault echoing down the stone corridors.

And still, they couldn't catch her. No matter how fast they ran, it wasn't enough. Elincia was moving like a force of nature, striking down every demon in her path without pause.

None of the demons had managed to raise an alarm. There had been no shouts, no rally, no coordinated defense. Nothing.

Either they were truly that foolish… or so overconfident in their hidden refuge, they hadn't even bothered with a system to warn each other.

And now, they were paying the price for it. One corpse at a time.

Tave and Elowen kept up the chase, trailing the path Elincia had carved through the cave. Every few steps marked by the mutilated bodies of demons who clearly hadn't stood a chance.

Their corpses were scattered across the stone floor, heads separated from their bodies, expressions frozen in blank shock. Not a single one had managed even the slightest resistance.

Tave didn't bother to stop, not even to check for loot or remnants. His mind was fixed on one thing: what awaited at the end of this cave. It had to be the Named Demon—surely the final threat hiding in the deepest chamber. After so many had already fallen, this had to be the last.

Even if the Named Demon was stronger, even if it could fight back, Elincia's power was still far beyond it. There would be a battle, yes. A real one. Especially in a space like this—tight and enclosed. Explosions or wild strikes could easily bring the whole structure down.

Should they even be following her this deep?

If a serious clash erupted, the aftermath could bury them under tons of stone. But… no. Tave shook the thought away.

Elincia wasn't reckless. Everything she did was calculated, executed with surgical precision. And more than that—she would never let Elowen die. Nor would she allow any harm to come to Tave. After all, if anything happened to him, it would put Vanya at risk too.

So yes… following Elincia into this cave was the safest choice they could make.

Eventually, after what felt like an endless sprint past corpses and debris, they entered a much larger chamber. The air opened up, and the walls of the cave gave way to a wide, dimly lit space. Several crystal lamps embedded in the stone cast a cold, pale light across the chamber, illuminating the figure standing at its center.

Elincia. She stood perfectly still, facing something at the far end of the cave.

"Lady Elincia…" Elowen called, her voice tense as she jogged forward and came to a stop beside her.

Tave could feel the sharp jolt of surprise ripple through Elowen.

Curiosity sparked in him, and he stepped forward, to see what lay ahead.

And then his eyes widened.

The figure slumped against the cave wall was unmistakable.

A demon, with a grotesque horse-like head, sat limp, its body sagging awkwardly. Blood had poured from a gaping wound at its neck, soaking the stone beneath it. The head was nearly severed, hanging by little more than flesh and sinew. But the blood…

It wasn't fresh.

"The Named Demon," Tave whispered.

"What happened to him?" Elowen murmured.

Elincia answered flatly, without turning. "As you can see… he was already dead like this when I got here."

"Wait… how?"

Tave couldn't believe what he was seeing. He stepped closer, his boots scraping softly against the stone floor as he knelt in front of the demon's corpse.

The creature's grotesque head lolled at a sharp angle, nearly detached from its body. Blood, long since dried, streaked down the wall behind it.

"How?" he repeated quietly.

This made no sense. The other demons had guarded this cave with such precision. It should have been impossible for someone to reach this far unnoticed, let alone kill the Named Demon hiding at its heart.

And clearly, Elincia hadn't been the one to do it. The body bore none of her signature damage—no scorching, and the blood had dried long before they'd entered the cave. If there had been a battle, even a quick one, he and Elowen would have arrived in time to witness it. Or at least hear the chaos.

Elowen approached slowly and came to stand beside him, her eyes narrowed as she studied the body.

"Who killed him? Did he… kill himself?"

Tave echoed her question in his mind, but no matter how many angles he considered, it didn't fit.

"No," he said with certainty. "Named Demons have far too much pride to take their own lives. And there's no one under his command strong enough, or bold enough, to do this to him."

Elowen's brow furrowed. "Then… were we too late? Did someone else get here first and take him out?"

Tave began examining the demon's body more closely, noting the unblemished armor, the still-gleaming accessories, and the lack of any signs of struggle. Everything was still intact. Not a single item was missing.

"There has to be someone behind this," he murmured, almost to himself.

And frankly, he hated this. He hated unsolved deaths. They dug under his skin and refused to let go. This wasn't the first time either.

His first Rift Expedition. A fellow team member had been murdered, and at the time, suspicion had fallen on Orion. That case had taken time to unravel. Time and risk.

And now… here it was again.

Another body. Another unanswered question. Another murder cloaked in mystery.

Like hell. Tave wasn't a detective.

How in the world was he supposed to figure out who had killed this demon?

"Well…" Elowen said, her voice light with the hint of amusement. "Congratulations, Tave. Mission accomplished. The target's been taken out, whoever did it. And the rest of the demons have been wiped out too. If there are any left, they're probably just low-level stragglers. You can handle them with your lovely little shadow wolf squad, can't you?"

But no… something still wasn't right.

Tave couldn't shake it—the gnawing sense that this wasn't over. That the clean ending Elowen painted wasn't the truth. Not really.

On a whim, he reached into the demon's corpse, fingers brushing through the dried gore as he searched its body for anything. An item, a token, something with value or meaning. But there was nothing unusual. Nothing he could use. Just silence and death.

He stood slowly, wiping his hands against his coat, yet that discomfort still sat heavy in his chest. Something was off. Deeply off.

"Tomorrow we can head to Vensalor Island without worry," Elowen continued. "Ah, I've missed home."

She added, glancing at him, "Let's go, Tave."

She gave him a light tap on the arm, a subtle gesture to signal it was time to move on.

Tave could already hear Elincia's footsteps receding, her presence disappearing deeper into the cave or maybe already heading back to the surface.

He turned slowly, no choice left but to follow.

And still… The unease didn't fade. The victory felt hollow.

Should he be worried? He didn't have the answer. But the silence behind him… felt far too loud.