"It's a day that- we wish to not recall... it was- a day of tragedy..."

Listening to the weak voice of the elf elder, Eentell, and gazing at the slowly forming fury in the eyes of the others, Fatir remained quiet and simply motioned to continue.

Unfortunately, the time to play around had ended, he was already giving them a choice right now instead of simply accessing their memories which is an act Fatir considered the last step. He couldn't stop just because of their emotions. The mission he received was quite important after all. It was best he didn't delay longer now that the lost had primed.

Feeling a slight dread clutch at their hearts, the elf elders hid away their burning emotions inside themselves as they let out a single low breath in unison. Their wills were a simple ember in front of a Grace of Mana... they understood... they couldn't go against the will of the higher for it would only lead to another disaster... A situation they had fogged away seemed to clear and fill their minds once again as memories of a rainy day surfaced heart-wrenchingly... They could hear the sound of the rain washing away the blood clearly...

With a slow starting voice as a shine dimmed in his eyes, Eentell spoke as he fixed the mess of his emotions. "Around fifteen years ago, a mysterious young man arrived at our gate... the state he was in was pitiful... one of the elders before us had treated the wounds of the young man and gave him some food... I remember that he seemed quite thankful then..."

Slowly turning grim, the eyes of Eentell closed for a moment as he paused.

"Giving that wretched monster a home to be... we thought someone new had joined us... but... it was our fate to learn of the rottenness that existed..."

"While we rested, while we ate, while we kept watch, everything turned bloody in a single moment as the full moon looked down upon us... that wretched creature... I remember so clear... I wish to forget, but I know I mustn't... that smile filled with endless malice and bloodlust that night forever remains engraved in us all..."

Shaking but keeping his calm tone, Eentell opened his eyes as he lightly bowed his head and stood followed by the others.

Walking to the right and left of the conference room, Fatir watched as mana flowed from the elves as they like tree roots spread around the back of the room, opening a part of the wall.

Swish....!

A large list of names with their positions and power was greatly displayed on the open wall... well over 200 names. The Elven Edell settlement is a relatively small and isolated place, so that number was quite large and significant.

"These 200 and the four previous elders... they all perished in the hand of that wretched beast... all we survivors of that tragic day at that time could do was watch as the vitality and hearts of our friends and family were ripped out and eaten as if glorious treats..."

"We survivors only reside here for it carries the endless memories of ours... most of us have yet to leave the past..."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Fatir stayed in silence.

"... Your Grand Grace... if we may dare question..." A sudden voice spoke lowly, followed by the voices of the other three saying the same.

"That wretched presence... that evil energy... that vile scent... why does a great grace of mana carry the trail of that monster in that golden parchment..."

Hearing the query and feeling the shaking and spiking mana of the elves, Fatir opened his eyes as they flashed a light blue for a moment.

The question asked was expected though the expressions of the elves told that they had foregone a greater question which held more weight to them.

"I have come for one sole purpose... to simply collect the lost souls and to collect the red strings..."

There was no need to say everything and no need to clarify. Saying his words as the faces of the four elves fell due to souring, Fatir stood.

Looking up at the small moonlight creeping through the ceiling,

As the golden parchment appeared in his hands slowly turning from golden to black, releasing a presence unsavory, a tear started to expand from the middle as a light swipe from Fatir traveled across it.

______

To be continued