Chapter 244: Chapter 242 – The Forest That Welcomes Shadows
The chill of night still clung to Sylvia’s black gown as she stepped out of the vampire palace. From afar, the obsidian spire loomed like a black fang stabbing the heavens, lit by the heavy glow of the red moon hanging in the sky. The vampires still knelt in the great hall, accepting that their throne now belonged to a zombie queen. But Sylvia did not look back. She had not come to bask in victory, but to prepare her next move.
The forest swallowed her figure whole. Her steps left almost no sound upon the damp earth, thick with roots. Black chains drifted lazily around her body, forming a silent barrier between her and the night.
Her goal was clear: the dark elves.
They were known as the race most sensitive to intrusion. It was said even a bird perching on a branch could earn a poisoned arrow. Yet this time, Sylvia came not with power, but with words.
.....
This forest was unlike any other. Black-barked trees towered high, their trunks as thick as towers, their canopies so dense they nearly smothered the moonlight. The air carried the damp scent of soil, laced with the faint fragrance of bioluminescent fungi blooming at the roots. Their turquoise-blue glow acted as natural lanterns, dripping stars onto the ground.
Sylvia moved slowly, her crimson pupils adjusting to the dim light. Every so often she glanced upward at the vast hollows carved into trunks homes of the dark elves. They resembled tree-houses, yet far more organic. Tiny windows shone with the flicker of blue torches, silhouettes shifting behind veils of cloth.
Surprisingly, no arrows flew toward her. No traps were sprung.
Her brow furrowed. Strange. They know I’m here. But... no resistance.
Her footsteps echoed faintly, until a sharp creak sounded ahead. From behind a massive root, a group of dark elves emerged. Clad in dark leather, their long silvery hair glimmered faintly beneath hoods, their pointed ears jutting through.
They carried bows and spears. Yet none were aimed at Sylvia. Instead, they merely stood, as though waiting.
One stepped forward, his voice deep but calm.
"Zombie Queen. We knew you would come. Our elder awaits you at the heart of the settlement."
Sylvia studied him for a moment, then gave a slight nod. "Then take me to him."
No further words were exchanged. They turned, moving swiftly yet silently between the massive roots. Sylvia followed, her gown brushing the damp earth, while the drifting chains gently swept aside thorny leaves so they could not scratch her.
.....
They arrived at a broad clearing at the forest’s heart. The greatest tree towered there, its trunk as wide as a palace, its roots curling into a natural hall. Blue torches hung from its lower branches, casting a soft, cold light.
At the center of the root-circle sat the elder of the dark elves, upon a simple chair of black wood. His hair was long and white, his face deeply lined, yet his eyes still sharp dark green and brimming with authority. Around him, guards stood at ease, showing no signs of preparing to attack.
Sylvia stopped a few paces away. "You are their elder?"
The man nodded slowly. "My name is Eltharion. I have guided my people for fifty winters. And I know who you are, Sylvia Hortensia."
Sylvia narrowed her gaze. "I did not expect my name to travel this far."
Eltharion gave a faint smile. "Darkness speaks faster than light. Whatever shakes this island, we hear of it. You shattered the Church’s branches. You took the vampires. And now you stand in our forest."
The air grew taut, yet Sylvia did not raise a weapon. She only stood, her gown swaying lightly in the cold wind.
"I have not come to destroy you," she said flatly. "I’ve come to unite."
Eltharion fell silent for several breaths. The wind whispered through the leaves, as though the forest itself were listening.
"Continue," he said at last.
Sylvia met his eyes directly. "A vast army from the central Church is coming. They won’t rest after their branches are destroyed. They will invade the Dark Island with thousands of soldiers, blessed by six gods. They will burn, slash, and erase everything they deem part of ’darkness.’ That means not only vampires. Not only zombies. But you as well. This time, it won’t be covert. It will be a full-scale invasion."
Some of the guards shifted uneasily, their faces tightening. But the elder remained calm, his hands folded in his lap.
"You want us to join you?" he asked.
Sylvia nodded. "Yes. Not as slaves, not as living shields. As allies. If the races of darkness stand alone, we will fall one by one. But if we stand together, even the Church will hesitate."
A long silence filled the clearing. Only the faint crackle of glowing fungi sounded, like the forest’s breath.
At last, Elder Eltharion smiled faintly. "You speak with honesty. That is why we did not raise arms when you entered our forest."
Sylvia arched her brow. "So... you had decided before I arrived?"
The elder nodded. "We know what the enemy gathers. The eyes of our forest have seen the Church’s ships amassing on the neighboring isle. We know our time is short. So when word of you reached us, we chose to wait. If you came with violence, we would fight. But if you came with words... we would listen."
Sylvia paused briefly, then let out a thin smile. "I usually prefer the simpler. But I already have a remarkable dark elf woman among my undead. So consider yourselves fortunate this time."
Some of the dark elf guards suppressed faint chuckles, though they kept their heads bowed respectfully.
Elder Eltharion rose slowly, his aged body still upright and strong. His eyes gleamed with resolve. "Very well, Sylvia Hortensia. You are no longer merely a zombie queen. You are the one who moves the races of darkness on this island. From this night onward, the dark elves stand with you."
He lifted his black staff high. The surrounding guards struck their spears against the earth in unison thud, thud echoing through the root-circle.
Sylvia gave a slight bow, a small show of respect. "I will remember this oath. Together, we will make the Church regret their steps."
The elder’s smile deepened, the lines on his face etched deeper. "And this forest will bar the path of our enemies, just as it welcomes its allies. From today, your shadow is our shadow."
Sylvia exhaled softly. For the first time since she had arrived on this island, she had not fought to earn loyalty. Words had been enough.
She turned, the black chains gliding with her. "Then be ready. The great battle will not be far behind."
All of them nodded.
.....
After securing the dark elves’ pledge, Sylvia did not linger in the forest. The cold air, thick with the scent of glowing fungi, accompanied her steps out of the great root-circle. The guards bowed deeply as she passed a rare gesture of respect from a race known for arrogance and secrecy.
"Your shadow is our shadow..." Elder Eltharion’s words still echoed in her ears.
Sylvia let out a quiet breath. Another race of darkness now stood at her side. But she knew time was short. The Church would not allow them long to breathe.
With her black gown fluttering, she raised her hand. Chains twisted the air, and in a blink her body vanished into darkness Void Step.
.....
She slipped from shadow to shadow, crossing forests, passing jagged hills, until she reached snowy roads stretching far into the horizon. Her next step unveiled Anarats from a distance snow-blanketed rooftops, bustling morning streets, and at its heart, Velthya’s great mansion.
When Sylvia emerged from the darkness, she stood in the front courtyard. Snow, knee-deep, had already been cleared by servants, leaving a clean stone path toward the main doors.
Two beastkin guards bowed at once.
"Queen Sylvia," one greeted.
"Velthya?" Sylvia asked curtly.
"Her Majesty is at the palace. Government matters piled high after seizing the throne. We were left only to guard this house."
Sylvia nodded slightly. Not surprising. Velthya had only just claimed her crown; there was much to repair.
Without further words, she made her way toward the rear stables. A faint neigh echoed not from an ordinary horse, but from a zombie steed. Its frame was tall, hiding a dark brown mottled with gray, eyes glowing faintly red-violet. Fearsome in form, yet it lowered its head the moment Sylvia approached, as though recognizing its master.
"You’re still here," Sylvia whispered, her fingers brushing its cold, stone-hard neck.
Not far off stood a black carriage, its wheels reinforced with heavy steel. Untouched, unchanged since she had left it. Thin frost clung to its handles, but it was intact.
Sylvia lifted her hand, the chains unlocking the carriage door. She stepped inside and sat down. The interior was lavish plush leather seats, black velvet curtains, and a small polished table.
She leaned back, pulling the curtain aside. Through the window, she watched servants harness the zombie horse to the carriage.
"Take me to the castle," she said evenly.
The steed moved without whip or command, as if it understood her words. The steel wheels groaned, and the carriage rolled slowly along the snowy path.
Sylvia sat in silence, her gaze blank upon the window. The memory of the dark elf forest faded, replaced by the looming silhouette of the black castle where her loyal undead awaited.
Her journey was not yet done. But one by one, the pieces of the board were falling into place.