The creatures of the forest—beasts, monsters, and even the restless spirits that lurked in the shadows—all instinctively avoided a certain area deep within the woods. They could sense it: an unnatural presence, a stifling pressure that made their instincts scream at them to flee. Whatever rested there was not to be disturbed.
Beyond the treeline, the first princess of the elven kingdom of Aranthiel, Aelries, patrolled the borders with sharp, emerald eyes scanning the horizon. Her long, flowing silver hair shimmered under the sunlight, and her lithe frame moved with the grace of a seasoned warrior. Unlike many royals who preferred the safety of their palaces, Aelries sought strength, true strength, the kind that could protect her people from the encroaching darkness, especially the demons that threatened their lands.
Yet today, something felt... off.
"Something's weird..." she muttered, her fingers tightening around the grip of her sword. The usual hum of the forest was different, too quiet, too tense. Against her better judgment, she stepped beyond the patrol route and into the dense thicket, her senses on high alert.
Then, without warning, a monstrous vine, thick as a tree trunk, lashed out from the undergrowth.
"Ugh!" Aelries barely raised her enchanted shield in time, but the force of the blow shattered it like glass, sending her crashing into a nearby oak. Pain flared through her back as she gasped, staring in disbelief at the towering plant-like abomination now looming over her. Its thorned maw dripped with acidic sap, and its countless tendrils writhed with predatory hunger.
"W-why is a monster like this here?!" she spat, pushing herself up. "High-ranking creatures like this were supposed to dwell in the forest's heart, not near the borders. Had something driven it out?"
Dodging another crushing strike, she nocked an arrow and fired, thwip! directly into one of its glowing cores. The monster shrieked but didn't falter. She fired again, and again, but each shot only seemed to enrage it further.
"Tch! Running it is!" She turned on her heel, sprinting deeper into the woods, the monster's thunderous pursuit shaking the ground beneath her.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Her breath came in ragged bursts, her muscles burned, and her quiver was nearly empty. "It's no use! I've been running for 30 minutes now, and it won't stop!"
Then—her foot caught on a root.
She tumbled forward, hitting the dirt hard. Before she could rise, the monster was upon her, its shadow swallowing her whole. Desperation flickered in her eyes as she reached for her last dagger, knowing it wouldn't be enough.
"Damn it…!" She shut her eyes, bracing for the end.
But the end never came.
Instead, a voice, lazy and casual, cut through the air.
"Light Crystal Blue."
A massive orb of radiant azure light erupted between them, swallowing the monster whole. In an instant, its form froze solid, then shattered into countless glittering fragments, dissolving into the wind like mist at dawn.
Silence.
Aelries's eyes flew open, her chest heaving. Standing, no, lounging a few feet away was a man, sprawled lazily on the grass as if he hadn't just obliterated a high-tier monster with a single spell.
"Yawn… Now that the noise is gone, I'mma go back to sleep," he mumbled, rolling onto his side like a drowsy cat.
Aelries could only stare, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. That overwhelming aura she had sensed earlier, it was coming from him. This man, who looked utterly unremarkable at a glance, had such terrifying power that even the forest's most dangerous beasts fled from him.
And then, realization struck.
"You…!" Her voice trembled with a mix of awe and irritation. "You're the reason that monster was driven out here, aren't you?!"
The man didn't answer. He was already snoring softly.
Aelries clenched her fists, torn between gratitude and the urge to kick him awake. "Whoever this man was, he is trouble."
Mixarnt could feel it, the sharp, prickling aura of the elven woman standing over him, her irritation practically radiating off her in waves. Despite her ethereal beauty, emerald eyes blazing like wildfire, her silver hair cascading like moonlight, she was growling under her breath, a sound far too undignified for a princess.
"No need to thank me," he mumbled, waving a lazy hand without even opening his eyes. "Now shu shu, go away. I'm sleeping here."
Aelries's eye twitched. "Shu shu?! Were you shooing me like some stray animal?" Her fingers curled into fists, her pride refusing to let her utter a word of gratitude to this infuriating man. Instead, she let out a haughty "Hmph!" and spun on her heel, storming off into the forest.
Or at least, she tried to.
A few minutes later, the rustling of leaves and frustrated muttering signaled her return. Mixarnt cracked one eye open just in time to see Aelries stride past him—only to reappear from the opposite direction moments later, her expression growing more and more bewildered.
"I'm… lost?" she muttered to herself, staring at the trees as if they had personally betrayed her.
Mixarnt couldn't helped but smirked, this proud, prickly elf had just walked in circles like a disoriented kitten.
Aelries's gaze snapped back to him, her glare sharp enough to pierce steel. There he was, still sprawled like a lazy predator, utterly unbothered, his oppressive aura still radiating outwards, pushing all the forest's dangers toward the safer zones. No wonder that plant monster had been lurking where it shouldn't!
"Hey."
No response.
She grabbed a nearby stick and jabbed him in the side. "Hey!"
Mixarnt let out an exaggerated yawn, stretching like a cat before blinking up at her with those annoyingly deep blue eyes. "Yawn? Sorry, didn't hear you. Say that again?"
Aelries's eye twitched again. 'Is he mocking me?!' she thought to herself.
"Ugh, I really hate you humans," she said with an irritated glare, then she looked away as if the sight of him physically pained her. Everything about him grated on her nerves, his carefree attitude, his infuriatingly handsome features (not that she cared), and worst of all, the fact that he was right about her needing his help.
Aelries just wanted to kick him in the face, but she had more pressing concerns.
"Your aura," she snapped, jabbing the stick at him again for emphasis. "Turn it off. You're disrupting the forest's balance. Monsters are being driven out of their territories because of you."
Mixarnt tilted his head, feigning ignorance. "Hmm? My aura? Ohhh, that." He waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, too much work. Besides, if I turn it off, something might eat me." He grinned, clearly enjoying her frustration. "You wouldn't want that, would you?"
Aelries's grip on the stick tightened and looked at him coldly. "I might just help them."
Mixarnt chuckled, rolling onto his back and lacing his fingers behind his head. "Aw, you do care."
She was so close to setting him on fire with her magic.
But then, a distant roar echoed through the trees. Aelries stiffened, her instincts screaming. Whatever was coming, it was big. And pissed off.
Mixarnt sighed. "See? This is why I keep it on. Less hassle."
Aelries shot him a withering glare. "You are insufferable."
"And yet," he said, sitting up with a smirk, "you're still here."
She wanted to argue. She wanted to storm off again.
But as the ground began to tremble beneath them, she realized, she was stuck with him.
And that annoyed her most of all.