Tave and Vanya sprinted through the dense underbrush, moving fast and low as they activated their stealth skills, vanishing into the shadows of the forest. They put as much distance as possible between themselves and the demons behind them.
The chaos they’d left behind was still evident, trees were shattered, chunks of earth torn apart. So of the demons had slamd into the ground, others were still airborne, circling the treetops, scanning. But this ti, Tave and Vanya had the energy. They had enough strength to move faster, much faster, than they had before.
Tave knew he wasn’t ready to confront them head-on. Not yet. He still needed ti, ti to break through to Gaia Master. Facing this overwhelming number of demons in a direct battle would be suicide. Their sheer volu alone made that a losing scenario. No, stealth was the better choice. That was where his strength truly lay.
And now that Vanya had awakened her full potential, the odds had tilted even further in their favor. This wasn’t just about escape anymore. Tave had a plan. A brilliant one. He just needed ti. An hour, maybe two. If they could hold out before morning ca, they could turn the tides.
They ran for several minutes, darting through the forest. The further they went, the less visible their pursuers beca, until eventually.
Tave had already chosen their next hiding spot, a cave they’d used before. Yes, the demons had discovered it last ti, but Tave knew more about that place than anyone else. Its exits, its secret paths, and with Fang on their side, monitoring enemy movent would be far easier this ti.
They slipped into the cave, careful to check their surroundings. Once inside, they deactivated their stealth mode and bolted down the winding corridor, their footsteps echoing softly in the dark.
At last, they reached a familiar hollow, a safe space deeper within. Without another word, they collapsed to the stone floor, breathing heavily, chests heaving with exhaustion. The weight of the run pressed down on them—but they had made it.
For now, they were safe. They had a mont. A brief, precious mont to rest.
Tave and Vanya sat in the cool silence of the cave, both of them struggling to catch their breath.
Every now and then, their eyes would et for the briefest of monts, before each of them looked away again. It was awkward. Almost painfully so.
For Tave, it was more than awkward. It was surreal. Suddenly, he found himself reevaluating how he should even be speaking to the girl in front of him. Should he adjust his tone? His posture? His entire attitude? Because the reality was, this wasn’t just any girl. This was Princess Vanya Zylven.
Sure, Elincia would probably have his head if she knew how casually he’d been chatting with Vanya. But then again... decapitating him would be a bit of a problem now, wouldn’t it? That would also an hurting Vanya. And sohow, that made him want to laugh, just a little.
Finally, it was Vanya who broke the silence.
"Tave," she said softly, "I need to explain sothing to you. And... it might not be sothing you want to hear."
Wait, did she seriously think he hadn’t figured it out yet?
Of course, in Deadbay City, the na Vanya Zylven didn’t carry much weight. It made sense, her identity had been kept a secret, even from most within the Vensalor Kingdom itself. Very few had ever seen her in person. That would explain why Velion treated her like a regular forest elf. Even those closest to the royal family might not have known the princess was living among them in disguise.
Which... yeah. Honestly? That felt reckless. Irresponsible, even. Dangerous and, frankly, kind of dumb.
"Yes, please," Tave replied simply, deciding to play along, at least for now. He could see where this was going.
"I’m actually... the crowned princess of the Vensalor Kingdom," she said, plain and direct.
Was he supposed to fake a shocked reaction here? Tave wasn’t in the mood to act. He kept his face still, expression neutral. No dramatics.
Then, Vanya began to explain everything in detail.
She told him how the mission to the human world had been assigned to her directly, how the King himself had aided her in crafting her disguise. She explained how only Elincia had been aware of her true identity throughout the journey. How carefully the secret had been kept.
And Tave listened quietly. He let her speak, let her explain it all, until, finally, she fell silent.
He exhaled, long and slow, the breath echoing gently in the cavern’s hush.
"You don’t look even a little surprised, Tave," she said, tilting her head slightly.
Tave responded with a quiet chuckle. Maybe the first real breath of relief he’d felt all night. Not because the danger had passed, far from it, but simply because they were finally talking. Finally, they had a mont that didn’t involve running or fighting or narrowly avoiding death.
"Well, honestly? I was surprised. Completely, actually. But everything we’ve been through tonight has already gone so far beyond the bounds of what I thought was possible... another shocking revelation doesn’t even register anymore," he replied, his voice low, carrying just the faintest trace of humor.
Vanya smiled at that, just a gentle, knowing curve of her lips.
Tave continued before she could say more. He was careful, very careful, not to let anything slip that might hint at how much he already knew.
"This situation... It’s madness. Total chaos. And I made a pact with you. That alone is enormous. That kind of bond, in any other situation, would be a blessing. Honestly, I’m the one who gained the most from it. Princess..."
"Vanya," she cut in softly. "Just call Vanya. Or Panpan, whichever feels easier for you."
Tave shook his head, a half-smile tugging at his mouth. "There’s no way I can casually call you Vanya."
"At least do it when there aren’t any forest elves nearby," she said. "Please?"
He gave a slow nod, accepting her request. Then he took a breath and continued.
"I know there’s sothing big waiting for us after all this," Tave continued.
He didn’t elaborate. Instead, he took another long breath, the kind that tried to ease the weight pressing down on his chest. This wasn’t sothing light, or fleeting. It wasn’t a convenient alliance made in the heat of battle. No, this was sacred.
Deeper, even, than marriage.
Which, ironically, was exactly where most Pact bondings usually led. Traditionally, those who shared a Pact ended up united in marriage. Which ant, eventually, Tave would have to stand before the King of Vensalor. He’d have to explain everything, how it happened, why it happened, what it ant. If they made it out of this alive.
But he pushed that thought aside. Now wasn’t the ti.
"But... I gained a lot from this bonding," he added, his tone thoughtful.
Vanya turned to him, curious. "You awakened your Echo?" she asked.
Tave nodded slowly. "Yes. Or no, not yet. But it’s still dormant. It hasn’t fully awakened."
Vanya’s eyes widened in response. A flicker of surprise, of amazent, maybe even a touch of joy, crossed her face.
"That’s incredible, Tave. Truly. This is the first ti I’ve heard of soone outside the forest elves receiving such a favor."
Tave sighed. Of course she hadn’t heard of it. Because it was never allowed to happen. They had always kept this kind of power locked within their own race. And now, with him as the exception, this would undoubtedly beco another problem.
"I need ti," he said, steady now. "An hour, at least. Fang’s already keeping watch. I have to break through... I need to reach Gaia Master."
"Will you awaken your Echo after reaching Gaia Master?"
"I hope so," Tave replied, exhaling slowly. "But I’ll keep my expectations in check."
He knew better than to assu too much. Even if the Echo within him resonated with the sa elental power as Vanya’s, it didn’t guarantee a mirror result. Echoes were reflections of the soul, never identical. The power might be similar, yes, but the form it would take, the way it would manifest, those things could be wildly different.
He had to pass the test from the world tree.
And he hated that. Hated how there was always another test waiting for him. Always another threshold to cross. Another gatekeeper demanded sothing more from him.
Still, there was no point in delaying it.
He cleared his mind, focused his energy, and settled into the center of the cave. With quiet determination, he lowered himself into position, folding his legs and resting his hands on his knees. The world around him dulled as he closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath.
He centered himself. Grounded every thought. Pulled inward.
Let’s do this.
Breakthrough.
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