After leaving the lakeside carnage, Dustin, Grace, and the group moved with extreme caution. They threaded their way carefully through the dense, treacherous jungle.
The dangers of Elysium Isle far surpassed anything they’d imagined. Harmless-looking shrubs could suddenly whip out barbed tendrils, and vibrant flowers spewed clouds of paralyzing pollen. Even the soil underfoot might collapse without warning into churning quicksand ready to devour them whole.
Fortunately, Dustin, a man whose strength seemed limitless, was there to lead them. He seemed to sense danger before it struck, handling each threat with effortless ease and guiding the group safely through one deadly encounter after another.
After traveling for roughly a day and a night, the landscape suddenly opened up before them.
A vibrant green grove stretched before them. Slender trunks rose straight and tall, leaves rustling gently in a light mist. The air smelled fresh and clean. It was a sharp contrast to the dangers they had just left behind. The place felt unusually calm and peaceful, like a hidden sanctuary.
“This place… It’s so peaceful here,” Judith murmured, her tense nerves relaxing slightly.
Grace nodded slightly, though she remained vigilant. “When things seem too peaceful, trouble is never far behind. On Elysium Isle, the calmer a place seems, the more likely it hides unknown dangers.”
Dustin’s gaze swept across the grove. He noticed something, but kept it to himself. Then he motioned for the group to keep moving forward.
Deep within the grove, they came across a small clearing with a modest, fenced courtyard at the center. Inside, a little boy no older than six, with pigtails and a bright red top, swung leisurely on a wooden swing. He hummed a tuneless nursery rhyme, lost in his own world and full of innocent charm
Grace faltered for a moment, then took a few careful steps forward. Standing outside the fence, she tried to sound as calm and friendly as possible.
“Hello there. Are your parents home? We’re just passing through and wondered if we could trouble you for some water.”
The boy seemed oblivious to her question. Without even glancing at her, he kept swinging and humming
After hesitating for a while, she spoke a bit louder. “We mean no harm. We’re only here to ask for directions.”
He still ignored her and deliberately kicked the swing higher, making the ropes creak as if to show his annoyance.
Grace frowned slightly. Though she sensed something was off, she restrained herself and cautiously approached the fragile gate to investigate.
The moment her fingers brushed the wood, the boy let out a snort. His small face twisted with a deadly seriousness far beyond his age. Without looking back, he flicked his sleeve.
A condensed beam of azure internal energy shot out like an arrow, whistling through the air straight at Grace’s chest. The strike was ruthlessly sharp, powerful enough to pierce through stone with ease. If she’d been hit, she would have died on the spot.
The guards cried out in alarm, and Judith’s face went deathly pale. She wanted to rush forward to help but knew she’d never make it in time.
In that split second, Dustin, who had been standing quietly nearby, moved forward. Instead of drawing his sword, he simply pressed his index and middle fingers together and pointed forward.
With a pop, the deadly beam of azure internal energy stopped less than a foot away from Grace’s chest, as if it had slammed into an invisible wall. It shattered instantly and dissipated into wisps of breeze.
Grace broke out in a cold sweat and quickly retreated several steps back to Dustin’s side. The boy finally stopped swinging and turned around. His face was filled with shock and anger.
