"Alright... I'll turn it off. There, done."
Mixarnt waved a hand lazily, and just like that, the crushing, oppressive aura that had filled the forest vanished in an instant.
Aelries blinked.
"W-wait, that's it?!" she sputtered, her grip tightening in annoyance. "You said it was too much work!"
Mixarnt gave her an innocent look. "Hmm? Did I?"
"Y-you!" In a flash, she lunged forward, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him up to eye level.
Mixarnt chuckled nervously, avoiding her furious gaze. "Aha...haha... S-sorry?"
Aelries shoved him back with a frustrated "Hmph!" and turned on her heel. "A human shouldn't be wandering here in elven territory!" she snapped, storming off into the trees.
Mixarnt just scratched his head and flopped back onto the grass. "Man, elves are prickly..."
A Few Minutes Later
The forest rumbled again, Mixarnt barely had time to yawn before a monstrous bear, towering over the trees, burst into the clearing, its jaws dripping with venomous saliva.
"Ugh. Loud. So you were the one who has been causing that stupid noise."
With a flick of his wrist, he activated his power.
"Light Crystal Blue."
The beast froze mid, roar, then shattered into glittering dust.
Mixarnt yawned again, already half asleep only to freeze when a very familiar, very annoyed elf princess stepped back into view.
"Uh… thought you were leaving permanently?" he asked awkwardly.
Aelries stiffened, her face flushing red. "I-I just felt that the monster came here s-so I checked!" she snapped, quickly unfolding a map and pretending to study it. "I was checking..."
Mixarnt grinned. Slowly, he pushed himself up and started strolling after her, hands laced behind his head.
"Hey, hey, elf!" he called, laughter bubbling in his voice. "You lost or something? Haha! It's kinda funny seeing an elf lost in her own forest! Hahahaha! Like, seriously, I can't believe an elf would get lost in a forest hahaha!"
Aelries's ears burned. "I-I'M NOT LOST!!!" she shrieked, whirling around to glare at him. "And why are you even following me?! You just want to enslave me like humans always do to my kind!"
Mixarnt blinked—then burst out laughing. "Enslave you? Nah, I'd rather not have a nagging slave! Hahahaha!"
He wasn't mocking her. He wasn't even trying to be cruel. He was just genuinely amused. And that made it worse.
Aelries's face was now the same shade as a ripe tomato. She spun back around, stomping forward with as much dignity as she could muster.
"J-just shut up and go away!"
Mixarnt kept following, still chuckling. "Nah, this is too fun. Besides, if I leave, you might actually get lost again and end up in that same spot where I'm napping. Yawn..."
Aelries gritted her teeth. "I. Am. Not. Lost."
"Uh-huh."
"I'm not!"
"Sure, sure."
She wanted to scream. But at least, this infuriating human didn't know she was a princess. She had no intention of telling him and even had briefly fantasize about pushing him off a cliff because of his annoying personality.
The two continued walking, Aelries walked with purpose, while Mixarnt ambled along behind her like an oversized puppy, occasionally poking at mushrooms or watching squirrels scurry up trees.
Then, the forest opened up.
Before them stood crumbling ruins, ancient pillars covered in intricate elven engravings, their surfaces worn by time but still pulsing with latent magic. Aelries froze, her breath catching in her throat. "T-this is..."
She recognized the symbols instantly. These were the Hidden Ruins of Luminar, a sacred site spoken of only in the oldest elven texts. It was said to hold one of the lost treasures of her people, a relic her family had spent centuries searching for. Countless knights, scholars, and adventurers had scoured the forest, yet none had ever found it.
And yet... here it was.
Her gaze traveled past the pillars, landing on a softly glowing pedestal. Resting atop it was a blade of breathtaking elegance, a short sword forged from legendary metal, its edge shimmering as if woven from moonlight itself.
"The Legendary Sword of Sylphara..." she whispered, her voice trembling with reverence. "The blade that cuts through illusions and barriers..."
Meanwhile, Mixarnt had crouched down nearby, utterly engrossed in something far less majestic. "Hey hey, look," he said, pointing at the ground with childlike fascination. "Ants really are strong, huh? They're carrying stuff way bigger than them."
Aelries's eye twitched.
First, this infuriating human followed her.
Second, he was more interested in ants than a legendary elven artifact right in front of him.
She took a deep breath, reminding herself that patience was a virtue. "Just ignore him. Focus on the sword." Aelries muttered to herself.
Cautiously, she approached the pedestal, examining the blade without touching it. The engravings along its surface pulsed faintly, as if responding to her presence.
Then—
"Oh, a sword." Mixarnt said,
Before she could react, Mixarnt reached out, grabbed it, and gave it a casual swing, once, twice, before tossing it aside like a broken stick.
"W-W-W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!??" Aelries shrieked, lunging forward and seizing him by the collar, her face a mix of horror and absolute fury.
The sword had clattered to the ground, its glow flickering indignantly.
Mixarnt blinked. "Haha... Er, is it important?" He scratched his head. "It's just an old sword."
Aelries's mouth hung open.
"Just an old sword..." She muttered, her hands on his collar slowly tightening.
"JUST AN OLD SWORD?!" She shouted at his face. She was torn between throttling him and collapsing to her knees in despair.
"That! That is the Sylphara Blade! A sacred relic of my people! A weapon of unmatched purity and power! And you- you just THREW IT?!"
Mixarnt tilted his head. "Huh. Felt kinda flimsy." he said casually.
Aelries made a noise somewhere between a growl and a scream.
"YOU—!"
But before she could strangle him, the ground beneath them trembled. The ruins groaned, the engravings on the pillars flaring to life with an ominous crimson glow.
A deep, echoing voice boomed through the air.
"Who dares defile the sacred trial...?"
Mixarnt sighed. "Oh great. More noise."
Aelries paled. "We just activated a guardian spirit."
Mixarnt yawned. "Cool. Can it wait? I was about to nap."
Aelries wanted to cry.