Old father

“Is this the desert, then?” Selina gazed at the endless sea of golden sand stretching before her.

The scorching sun cast relentless heat, distorting the air in her elven vision. She extended a slender finger into the sunlight, feeling her body’s moisture evaporate rapidly.

Her instincts screamed to leave this hostile terrain. Elves, tied to vitality and nature, loathed such lifeless expanses.

She touched the spatial ring on her finger—a parting gift from her mother, capable of storing ample supplies.

“Good thing we gathered water along the way. Otherwise, dehydration would be a constant threat here,” Aelir said softly, her hands clasped nervously behind Selina.

“Compared to the icy region’s overt cold, this desert’s danger is more insidious. The cold is unbearable for most, but the desert’s heat feels deceptively manageable,” Selina replied. “Come, hold my hand. Don’t get lost.”

She extended her hand, and after a brief hesitation, Aelir took it.

The warmth of Selina’s grip filled Aelir with reassurance.

A green vine silently coiled around their wrists, linking them.

“What’s this?” Aelir asked, startled but sensing no malice.

“No need to fear. It’s just natural magic. The desert’s heat and conditions create mirages that lure people deeper into danger. I’ve navigated deserts with my master before, so stick close and don’t wander,” Selina explained.

Aelir nodded, her cheeks flushing as she agreed.

They ventured into the desert, following a pre-planned route.

Selina had hoped to use Sky Eagles for reconnaissance, but as feared, the eagles now bore mental protection spells, making control time-consuming.

With only a day left in the exam, she couldn’t afford the delay. Aelir, with her remarkable memory, mapped out the desert ruins’ location based on her prior visit, guiding their path.

Selina’s primary role was protecting Aelir, Roan’s sole legacy.

Leading the way, she wielded one of her silver-gleam daggers, ready to cripple any beasts they encountered, leaving the final blow for Aelir to boost her score.

The vine linking them served as both a defensive tether and a warning system.

No longer just a magic-reliant elf, Selina’s training under Kant had honed her into a seasoned warrior.

Aelir trailed behind, occasionally using low-tier scouting spells from magic scrolls to check for dangers.

But her focus wavered, fixated on the vine. Though benign, it had left a strange sensation in her body—a foreign energy that coalesced into a vivid green mark on her left wrist.

Unlike anything she’d seen, the mark resisted her attempts to dispel it with magic. Instead, it grew clearer, almost alive, pulsing like a second heartbeat.

Aelir studied it, torn between curiosity and fear. Should she tell Selina? Would she think her a monster? The mark’s lifelike throb felt like an entity within her, unsettling yet intriguing.

“Aelir, what’s on your mind?” Selina’s voice broke her reverie, startling her. Aelir hid her hand, shaking her head. “N-Nothing.”

“Let’s keep moving,” Selina said with a smile, not pressing further. She found Aelir’s behavior odd but attributed it to her inexperience.

As they progressed, the desert’s heat intensified. Sweat beaded on Aelir’s face, her breathing labored. Unlike Selina, whose elven resilience adapted to harsh environments, Aelir struggled with the desert’s demands and sporadic beast encounters.

“Aelir, you okay?” Selina asked, noticing her distress.

“I’m fine,” Aelir insisted, forcing herself to stand tall.

“Don’t push yourself. Let’s rest,” Selina said, guiding her to a sand dune to sit.

“Thanks,” Aelir murmured, exhaustion creeping in.

“Rest here. I’ll check for water ahead,” Selina said, heading off. Aelir watched her go, comforted by her dependable presence.

Sitting alone, Aelir reflected on her past—a peaceful life of magic study and carefree play, untouched by danger.

Now, in this perilous desert with the enigmatic Selina, her future felt uncertain.

As the sun dipped, signaling nightfall, panic set in. “Oh no, it’s getting dark. We need water!”

She stood, chasing after Selina. “Selina!” she called, her voice trembling with fear of being alone.

No response came, amplifying her dread. Just as despair took hold, a green glow flickered ahead—the vine on Selina’s wrist.

Aelir ran toward it, finding Selina by a clear pool, filling a water flask.

“You found water?” Aelir asked, relieved.

Selina nodded, handing her the flask. “Drink. Restore your strength.”

Aelir sipped, feeling revitalized. “Selina, we should rest. I can’t keep going.”

“Alright,” Selina agreed, helping her back to the dune. They sat, Aelir gazing at Selina’s steadfast silhouette.

“Thank you, Selina,” Aelir whispered, grateful.

“We’re companions. Helping each other is natural,” Selina replied, offering more water.

“Why did you come here?” Aelir asked suddenly, curious about Selina’s motives.

Selina paused, her gaze distant. “I’m searching for something… something vital to me.”

“What is it?” Aelir pressed.

“You’ll understand someday,” Selina said with a faint smile, keeping her secrets.

Aelir nodded, respecting her silence. They rested through the night, resuming their journey at dawn toward the desert ruins.

Days later, they reached the ruins, shrouded in a faint green magical barrier. “This barrier looks strong,” Aelir said, awed.

“It is, but I’ve seen similar ones. I know how to break it,” Selina replied, touching the barrier. Green light pulsed, and the barrier faded.

They entered the dark ruins, Aelir clinging to Selina’s sleeve, uneasy. Selina tossed a luminous pearl into the air, illuminating a vast underground chamber filled with towering stone pillars etched with intricate magical arrays.

“This is a magic array chamber,” Aelir said, amazed.

“Yes, and a powerful one. But I can handle it,” Selina said, disabling another barrier with ease.

As they ventured deeper, they encountered a struggling candidate, collapsed in the sand, barely alive. Selina moved to pass, but the vine tugged her back. Aelir’s eyes, filled with compassion, lingered on the candidate.

“Aelir, let’s go,” Selina urged.

“He… he’s dying,” Aelir whispered, hesitating.

Selina sighed, checking the candidate’s pulse. “Severe dehydration. He won’t last long, but his token will save him if he’s in mortal danger.”

“But… it’s such a rare chance. Being eliminated for water must feel so unfair,” Aelir said, torn.

“You want to help him?” Selina asked.

Aelir nodded faintly.

“Understand this: he collapsed due to his own weakness. Even if we revive him, he can’t survive the desert alone. Helping him now means he’d leech off our supplies, dragging us down. In reality, I wouldn’t stop you from saving someone, but this is an exam. Everyone’s a rival. Helping a potential enemy isn’t wise.”

Aelir fell silent, head bowed, grappling with her kindness against Selina’s pragmatism.

Her experiences had shown her the world’s cruelty, yet her heart clung to purity.

Selina, shaped by three lifetimes, had shed such naivety, her kindness tempered by realism.

After a long silence, Selina sighed, retrieving a water bottle from her ring. “I’ll save him, but just this once.”

Aelir’s eyes lit up with gratitude. She hadn’t expected Selina to relent, knowing her logic was sound but struggling to accept it. Selina’s compromise felt like a miracle.

Using natural magic, Selina treated the candidate’s dehydration. His color improved, eyelids fluttering.

She handed the bottle to Aelir, letting her administer it. Aelir carefully moistened his lips, then returned to Selina’s side.

“Let’s go,” Aelir said, glancing back at the candidate with newfound resolve.

Selina saw a spark of maturity in Aelir’s eyes—her lesson had taken root.

Forcing her to abandon the candidate would’ve left a scar, but guiding her to understand through action fostered growth.

Roan should’ve taught her these truths, but with him gone, Selina felt obligated to guide his daughter, despite the irony of being a “daughter” herself yet playing the role of Aelir’s mentor.

Her approach proved effective. Later, when they encountered other dehydrated candidates, Aelir hesitated only briefly before moving on, grasping that helping others required ensuring her own safety first.

As they neared the ruins, the monotonous sand gave way to distorted light revealing ancient structures.

“There it is, Sister Selina! The ruins!” Aelir exclaimed, excited.

“I see them,” Selina replied, her tone heavy. Her crystal swords and the chalice in her ring vibrated, reacting to the ruins’ proximity.

The connection to the sand-wielding god from her vision was undeniable—a formidable presence she couldn’t ignore.