The journey back through the jagged peaks of the Mountains of Doom had been a quiet one. Nico, Shivana, and Sonari moved with a renewed sense of purpose, carrying the equipment and resources necessary to turn their fragile sanctuary into a true stronghold. Shivana looked at Nico's human form with a silent, growing hope, while Sonari—now more formidable than ever—traversed the difficult terrain with the effortless grace of a true predator. They were returning to the people Nico had promised to protect, unaware that the air of the valley had already been stained with the copper scent of fresh blood.

  ?On a high, dark ridge overlooking the hidden village, a shadow loomed against the moonlight. Jakar the Slasher watched the settlement below with eyes full of absolute malice. A twisted, wicked smile crept across his face, his fingers twitching toward the handle of his weapon.

  ?"Finally..." he whispered, his voice a low, predatory rasp. "I've found you."

  ?[The Silence of the Night]

  ?In the dead of night, the village was a picture of a peace the Crimson Elves hadn't known in generations. Elder Malitchi stepped out of his modest home to fetch water from the well, breathing in the cold, thin mountain air. He enjoyed the tranquility, feeling for the first time that his people might actually have a future.

  ?As he turned to head back, he suddenly collided with a solid, wall-like figure. The impact was heavy, and the air around the figure reeked of stale sweat and the metallic tang of old slaughter. Before Malitchi could process the intruder's presence, a massive, calloused hand clamped over his mouth, stifling his cry into a muffled whimper.

  ?Jakar hissed with pure, unadulterated sadism, his face inches from the Elder's. "Quiet, you old fool... where do you think you're going? I can't believe a cockroach like you is still breathing. But don't worry, I'll put you out of your misery."

  ?Malitchi struggled desperately, his heart hammering against his ribs. Tears streamed down his face as his life flashed before him. He remembered the decades of agony, the endless flight from Queen Nera, and the moment Nico Sigmund had appeared like a ghost from the void to lead them to safety. In those final seconds, he prayed for his people.

  ?[Forgive me, Lord Nico... Forgive me, my dear people. It seems fate truly does not want us to remain in this world.]

  ?As the first faint thread of dawn touched the horizon, the light hit Malitchi's weary face. In that tragic moment, Jakar's blade swung in a swift, violent arc. The Elder fell, his throat slit. His crimson blood soaked the very earth he had spent the last month tending. His eyes remained open, turned toward the forest where Nico had gone, and with his final, gasping breath, he whispered a name he could no longer voice.

  ?"Lord... Nico..."

  ?The life left his body, leaving him a cold shell in the dirt.

  ?[The Massacre]

  ?Suddenly, the morning peace was shattered. Jakar's soldiers stormed the simple homes, dragging the Crimson Elves brutally into the center of the village. The Elves emerged terrified, their nightclothes torn as they were shoved toward the spot where Malitchi lay.

  ?When their eyes fell upon the corpse of their leader, soul-shattering screams of horror erupted. The nightmare of persecution had returned. Their cries filled the mountain air, calling out for the only one they believed in: "Where are you, Lord Nico?!"

  ?Jakar the Slasher stood in the center of the square, savoring the music of their despair. "Well done, Elves! Keep screaming... scream as loud as you can! I've missed this sound."

  ?He grabbed the face of a young Elven woman roughly, his eyes glinting with vile intent. "You're quite the beauty... I think I'll enjoy myself with you before I send you to join your leader."

  ?"You murderer! Get away from my wife!" one of the Elven men cried out, his body trembling with a mixture of rage and sheer terror.

  ?Jakar turned toward him with absolute, cold disdain. "What did you say? Did you call me a murderer?"

  ?In a flash of motion that the human eye could barely follow, Jakar unsheathed his massive legendary axe. The blade split the Elf in half from shoulder to hip, right before his wife's eyes. The sound was a sickening thud of meat and bone. The girl froze in a state of catatonic grief as Jakar raised his blood-stained axe, laughing.

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  ?"Good grief! He died from a single strike... you lot are truly as fragile as glass." He looked at the collapsing woman and added despicably: "I suppose you're next. I wanted your husband to watch, but it seems he left the party early... what a shame!"

  ?"Lord Jakar!" one of the soldiers called out, his voice tense. "We must move quickly. The mana-scanners are picking up a disturbance. Someone might notice us."

  ?Jakar laughed provocatively. "And who exactly is going to notice us? No one dares to stand against Jakar the Slasher!"

  ?"I mean... the Black Spear unit, or the Scythe Alliance," the soldier replied, his eyes scanning the treeline anxiously.

  ?One of the Elven women shouted through her tears: "Lord Nico will never forgive you! You will all regret this!"

  ?Jakar lunged at her, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her into the air. "And who is this 'Nico'? He doesn't know who he's dealing with."

  ?With a cold, effortless snap, he broke the woman's neck. She fell as a lifeless corpse amidst the horrified gasps of the survivors. Jakar turned to his soldiers, his expression finally turning serious. "Take four of the strongest Elves quickly and let's move. I feel a presence coming... it might be the Black Spears. Curse you, Elves! It seems it's your lucky day, or I would have drowned this place in your blood!"

  ?[The Return]

  ?Nico, Shivana, and Sonari arrived minutes later... but time had already exacted its cruelest price.

  ?Nico stepped off the dragon's back into a scene so devastating it robbed him of speech. He stood frozen, his red eyes scanning the ruins of the sanctuary he had built with such meticulous care. Shivana collapsed before Malitchi's cold body, her soul-shattering sobs piercing the stagnant, blood-scented air.

  ?Nico stared at the wreckage of the homes and the broken bodies of the people he had vowed to lead. He felt the final thread of his restraint snap.

  ?[Is this the true face of these creatures?] he wondered bitterly, his gaze fixing on the red stains in the dirt. [It is as if their species evolves not for progress, but to find new ways to inflict suffering. I was so blinded by the shadow of the Queen that I neglected the jackals lurking in the dark.]

  ?The voice of a surviving Elf, broken and trembling, shattered his trance. "Welcome back, Lord Nico... I am so sorry for the sight you've returned to. This happened because of our weakness... we were powerless against that monster, Jakar."

  ?Nico walked toward the Elf with measured, heavy steps. In a gesture that shocked the survivors, he drew the trembling woman into a firm embrace. A single silent tear fell from Nico's eye — a mixture of regret and restrained fury.

  ?"Forgive me," Nico spoke, his voice heavy with genuine remorse. "I am the one who failed you. I never expected a threat other than Nera to strike so soon." His voice then hardened with a lethal, vibrating resolve: "I am relieved that Jakar did not finish what he started. I promise you... he will pay the price in blood and endless agony."

  ?He pulled back, his commanding aura returning. "Now, pack what remains of your lives. We are leaving this place immediately. I am taking you to a sanctuary where not even the gods will find you."

  ?"Thank you, Lord Nico," the Elf whispered, her head bowed in shame. "We are sorry... we feel like a burden upon your shoulders."

  ?Nico offered a faint, dry smile despite the coldness in his gaze. "Do not be. It is time for Malitchi to rest. From this moment on, I will be your shield. I will be the one who ensures your survival."

  ?[The Remnant]

  ?As the sun dipped below the jagged peaks of the mountains, the surviving Elves began to gather the shattered remnants of their lives. Their movements were heavy with despair, their pale faces masked in a grief that felt permanent. In a corner of the clearing, the survivors dug simple graves for the fallen. Their once-thriving family had been reduced to a mere handful of broken souls—only 17 remained.

  ?Their soft wailing drifted over the graves, a funeral dirge that tore at the silence of the forest. Nearby, behind the trunk of a massive, ancient tree, Nico Sigmund stood in the gathering gloom. He offered no words of comfort; instead, he watched with a terrifying, silent intensity. His hood shrouded his face, but the shadows could not hide his eyes—glowing with a sinister red light that reflected the fires of the burning homes.

  ?Nico contemplated the dried blood staining the earth. Before he turned to lead the remnant of his people into the unknown, he whispered words that sounded like a death knell:

  ?"And now... the true beginning starts."

  ?[The Investigation]

  ?Six hours passed, and a haunting silence settled over the site of the massacre. The stillness was finally broken by the low hum of tactical mana-vehicles. A Black Spear unit arrived, led by General Akaria Valerius, clad in her technologically enhanced armor.

  ?Akaria dismounted, taking cautious steps through the ruins. She checked the mana-scanners on her wrist, which flickered with distorted energy readings—residue of a power she couldn't quite identify. Her expression was enigmatic, reflecting a deep, simmering anxiety.

  ?"We are late," she whispered, looking at the fresh graves. "A horrific massacre took place here."

  ?She turned to her soldiers with sharp military authority. "Return to headquarters immediately. Deliver a detailed digital report of everything the sensors captured. I want a full analysis of these mana signatures. Encrypt everything."

  ?"As you command, General," the soldier replied, bowing. "But... will you remain here alone?"

  ?Akaria looked toward the distant, dark horizon where the mountain peaks met the stars. "I have a personal matter to attend to. Go now."

  ?Once the soldiers had departed, Akaria knelt and scrutinized the blood-stained earth. She felt the lingering trace of a density that made her own mana tremble.

  ?"Someone powerful was here..." she whispered to the wind. "But the truth is still hidden."

  ?

  [End of Chapter 26]