Cave walls reached up and around the Dark Citadel. Ores, droplets of waters, and traces of metallic impurities within the walls reflected the light from luminescence moss and the rare torches that humans carried, sparkling like stars and galaxies littering the sky. The cave moss also helped circulate the air. Four large stone pillars set at the four cardinal sectors of the city supported the ceiling, within each housed thousand of dwarven built apartments. A long and tall dwarven stone wall and gate guarded the only entrance into Ta'Galadul in the north. It kept open in times of peace, with citizens strolling in and out of the tunnel, going about their day.

Adelaide sauntered confidently into the city, walking side-by-side with a group of dark elf miners, pickaxe slung over their shoulders. She had always liked coming into the Dark Citadel. Though as the Demon Eyes, she was still a wanted criminal. But there, in the dark elf capitol, she could blend in, looking just like any of the locals without the judgemental glare of humans.

“You have been called for the plan?” one of the miner asked his companion. “An honour.”

“To be given a chance to be a Rondia'Aelan is truly humbling.” Her ears pricked to listen, but almost as if knowing she was there, the group's conversation degraded into banal chattering.

She knew the rough layout of the city, and knew where best to head to for information. While humans had their inns and taverns, dark elves had the aeronium pond. The streets were relatively empty. She could have taken a pole and twirled it around without hitting anyone. Dark elves were never known for their active social lives.

She continued down the path, following behind the miners that had overtaken her. Between the polished square dwarven houses were a few buildings that came after the age of dwarfs. Placed beside the architectural masterpieces, the dark elf buildings of cobbled stone and wood looked barbaric in comparison.

Splitting away from the group of miners at the next junction, she cut across the north-eastern ordinal street. Over her shoulder at the centre of the city, the boxed shaped Council Chambers stood towering and watchful over the city. She had always admired dwarven architectures. Though not as magnificent as the creation of nature, the mortal-made buildings had always looked aesthetically part of the backdrop. Unlike the slobs of human towns and cities pasted haphazardly onto a field of green.

She exited the street and onto the border road. More dwarven houses were built into the walls of the caves. Heading south along the walls, she saw the open area of the Aeronium Pond come into view. The pond was the liveliest spot in all of Ta'Galadul, though given the dark elves' seclusive nature, it wasn't more pack than a common human tavern. Even so, if she stayed near the gatherings, she was bound to overhear something.

She muttered to herself, “I wonder what this plan is.” She noted on the miners' conversation earlier.

“Do you want to find out?”

She spun to face the figure that appeared beside her, her hand reaching behind for her axe. Then it stopped. She could not move, her body frozen when the sudden wave of emotion washed over her. She did not know how, she did not know why, all she knew was that the man that stood with her was responsible for the hair that stood at the back of her neck.

His hair shone even in the dark of the cave. Locks of gold and white that seemed to sparkle on their own. His face was smooth and bubbled with a cheerful smile. And his ears, human ears, poked out of his short, ruffled hair. With golden, cat-like eyes that seemed to stare into her soul, he wore a esteemed white suit that was clear to her even in the darkness. Silver embroidery lined the hem of the outfit. A black, polished leather boots the only dark colour on his person. Even an elf like her found the man handsome.

With a gentle tone, forgiving smile, and light-hearted stare, the man warned, “I wouldn't do that if I were you.”

Fear. Fear was what caused her to freeze. The man before her was not an ordinary human. She would go so far as to call him a monster. Even without magic circuits, she could feel the power that was emanating from him. Overwhelming. Suffocating.

Slowly, she moved her hand away from her weapon. The smile on the man widened and he commented, “Good. Good. Now, shall we walk and talk, Miss Wiltkins?”

He knew who she was. The man was not just physically and magically powerful, but connected. She had a feeling even if she tried to teleport away, she would undoubtedly be caught in an instant. Relenting to her situation, she puffed up her chest and lead the way forward, refusing to let the man be in full control.

The man did not seem to mind, following just a step behind her with a confident gait. He continued, “I had wished for The Watcher or The Wanderer to be here. The killer and the traitor. But I guess you will do.”

They approached the pond. The pool of black aeronium floated like fog in a canyon. Aeronium was a gas that was half solid from an innate magnetism to itself, making it flow like water but act as air. When scooped or bathed in, it coagulated like goo. The pond reflected nothing, and staring into it was akin to looking at shadows.

Adelaide asked, “Who are you?” Looking around, she realized how empty the shoreline was. How empty the entire surrounding seemed to be.

At the edge of the pool, in the centre of the shoreline, a stone archway stood. Within it, the aeronium from the pool is aetherized like a pane of glassy air, allowing people to walk through it and cover themselves in the grey coat the dark elves are known for. The Kalen-Ta'Rae. Gate of Dark Light. On most days, the gate would have a queue of elves looking to either remove the coat or get a new one.

But it was becoming painfully obvious that that day was not most days. They had expected, if not her, at least one of the three of them. The Wanderer. The Watcher. Demon Eyes. Three epitaph holders who suddenly became the centre of events were bound to attract attention and she should have known to and been more stealthy.

The man stopped at a bench and she turned back to him. He took a seat and patted the empty spot next to him.

She had to resist the temptation to customarily stick out her tongue. Instead, she gristly replied, “I'd really rather stand.” Something about the situation with the man felt strange. Strange but important. She had the feeling if she could just figure out what it was, it would give away the man's identity.

He smiled again. “You're here to find out the reason for Lord Akaras's unfortunate demise, are you not?” The man was unrivalled in looks. Even though she was not interested in males, let alone a human man, she could not help but find him attractive.

“Are you here for that information as well?” she asked.

“Oh, no!” He waved off the notion with a laugh. “I'm here strictly on business. But I know the reason why Akaras had to die.”

“Which is?” The nagging part of her was intense. Run, it screamed. Open your eyes and figure this out!

“War.” His smile lopped to one side and he almost seem to glow sinisterly in the shadows. “The dark elves seeks to take over the land above. Of course, once Everwind learned of it, they sent me here for a little peace talk.”

“You're an envoy?” she said disbelievingly. He did not have the air of one. He felt much more... more. Then, a question popped into her head. “Why did you want Nadier and The Watcher here?”

“As a gift of good faith, of course.” He yawned again, seemingly bored with the conversation yet managed to keep his polite tone. “But I guess the girl who helped in The Watcher's escape would have to do.”

“What in the Titans are you talking about?” She was off edge, her main hand axe flew out of its holster and into her hand. “A gift?”

He looked forward to the Gate of Dark Light. “Do you know the Gate was made by an ancient race called the sentinels?” He crossed his legs and stretched his arms with a yawn. “Ancient elves with unparalleled command of science and technology. Do you know what happened to them?”

A part of her, a primal part, wanted to stab the man. An unexplainable sudden urge to draw her other axe and send it into his stupidly good looking face. Her hands clenched against her weapons' grips and she gritted out, “What happened?”

The man gave a toothy grin, and suddenly, the beautiful visage fell apart. His catlike eyes narrowed into slits and creases of madness broke across his face. His skin had not been damaged, but the insanity of the man seeped out nonetheless.

Then the answer hit her. Why she had been afraid. Why she had been uneasy. The man was a human. A human with normal eyesight, walking, staring, looking in the complete darkness of the cave. A human who could see in the dark. An envoy of Everwind. Only one person came to mind.

A whisper escaped her. “Lord Light.” The leader of The Forum States. Head of Everwind. Possibly one the most powerful photomancer to have ever lived, with legends saying him having absolute control over all elements of light itself.

She needed to run. There was no way she would be able to fight such a powerful figure. She took a step back and teleported as far as she could, landing onto the roof of a nearby building. Like a dream, the illusion of light faded, and dozens of dark elf warriors surrounded the pond.

He hid them in a light mirage! All of them turned to her, bows and swords drawn.

From behind, the Lord Light voiced, “No escape.”

She spun around and swung her axe at where the voice came from, only to watch as her blade went right through his face as if it was all just a hallucination. But she knew it was not. Especially when he raised a finger to her chest. A bright light flashed, blinding her. As darkness settled back, the pain continued the blindness.

Her offhand axe clattered to the floor as she reached for her injured shoulder. She had managed to dodge just enough for the attack to miss her heart. She made a step to the left and before the second flash of light grew bright enough to daze her, she teleported across the roof.

Another step. Another teleportation. And a third. A fourth. She popped out from roof to roof, pushed by adrenaline and fear. She saw the main gate before her. A caravan was on its way out. She could smell blood. She had to breathe through her mouth for her nose was bleeding. Another step forward. Her head rang with pain. Blackness.