As I was swept up in my trance-like meditation and being with nature, I failed to notice the water receding. Much of it sank back into the earth; some returned to the elementals, who I now realized formed the pond. A shiver overtook me as the strong wind cut through my drenched body. One of the ritual's benefits was the complete mending of my bones. Finally, after all this time, nothing was broken anymore. I wasn't entirely healed, but I felt sore in my arms and chest at most. In particular, the brand on my chest throbbed painfully. The blue veins were less noticeable; my eyes felt less heavy, but something told me my hair would likely remain the same.

The hypnotic chanting slowly stopped. The elves around me appeared drained of energy. Even Verdenia looked pale and panting. Part of me wondered why they did all this if it took such a toll on them. The longer I stayed here, the more questions I had, and only a few were answered. Overcome with questions and wariness, I took advantage of the opportunity and attempted to hop away. Unfortunately, the vines around my ankles slowed me down. It might seem ridiculous, but my distrust was still intact. It was ridiculous, I know, but my lack of trust was still there. After all, they drugged me and hung me from a vine without consent. Then, attempt a drowning. Maybe not so ridiculous after all, on second thought.

"Don't run! Don't do this, Falond. You can't avoid the consequences!" Verdenia called out after me.

I didn't list, of course; I was exhausted from my lack of control over recent events. I craved to be alone with my thoughts, get a grip on things, and regain control and acceptance of my life. Was it a crime to ask for some time alone? With my heightened hearing, I didn't miss the murmurs Verdenia let out.

"You forced me, Solaen. I didn't want to do this to you. Ever." Her voice cracked towards the end.

A feeling of dread came over me with her words. My hopping speed increased even faster than ever before. It felt as if distance was the only thing that could prevent what would happen next. As had been the case many times before, my slight efforts to resist were futile.

"You are commanded to stop, bound of mine!" Verdenia's voice, as melodious as a song yet as terrifying as a roar, echoed in my surroundings and within my mind. The sound reverberated inside and outside me. As I had feared, my body completely froze. The contract symbol, which I had momentarily forgotten, throbbed on my forehead. An intense pain surged behind my eyes and in my brain.

Instinctively, the power within me erupted against the symbol on my forehead. The two entered a sort of war; this only made the pain worse. My senses shut down, a bloody tear trickled from my right eye, and my hands reflexively clutched at my head. I must have been quite a sight, bloodied and writhing in pain, clad only in torn trousers.

My mind was fully conscious but closed to the world around me. Only nothingness was felt. Was the magical bond really that powerful? Did resisting orders always result in such intense pain? What other impacts did it have on me? There was one comforting thought: The aura within me instantly fought back. This confirmed what Verdenia had initially told me - if I could become more potent than her, I could win back my freedom.

And recent events made me want freedom back more than ever. A new desire arose within me. To have the ability to decide my fate in this world. Being constantly under others' control was rapidly getting old. A new resolve arose: either I figured out how to regain control of my life, or I would die trying.

With my body still in forced paralysis, I was bombarded with questions. I had yet to learn about the constraints of Verdenia's control - whether she could exercise it at will or need a valid reason to do so. I also needed to find out the severity of the backlash if I tried to resist. Verdenia did say that I could surpass her ability to regain my freedom. However, the scale of her power was still a mystery to me. The fierce resistance of my inner power provided a hint of the direction I should take, but that was about it.

Therefore, I decided to be patient, even if it took years or longer. I had no other choice. I was thrust into this group with little knowledge about the specifics. It was unsettling to realize they knew more about me than I did. As time passed, a warm light began to penetrate my eyes. The sun was rising. Coinciding with the dawn, the forces that had held me captive gradually started to wane.

As my awareness of my surroundings returned to me, those alarm bells within rang again. I found myself in an underground cell, seemingly beneath the forest. Sunroots barred holes at the top allowed dim sunlight to stream in. The walls were blanketed with moss and creeping vines. I was bound at the ankles, but on closer inspection, these weren't ordinary chains; they were vine-like formations. A small table was positioned on the opposite side of the cell.

Enchanted thornback pine bars replaced traditional metal bars, a unique choice. Thornback pines were notorious for their dangerously sharp thorns and a specific characteristic - they could explode if they perceived a threat to their existence. This means that if I dared to assault these wooden bars, even with enough force to shatter them, they would react explosively, likely causing a cave-in of the entire underground structure. Clearly, if you weren't as strong as someone like Hadrian, this place would keep you here until you were allowed to leave. My throat gulped when my situation became clear.

Yet, the situation could have been more straightforward. Sure, I tried to hop away, but was it so wrong that they had to warrant this cell? Why not just keep watch like they were doing anyway? They knew that I couldn't possibly make it out of the forest undetected by them.

With no better option, I decided to reinspect my surroundings. The only additional feature found was a small water source, which appeared to be fed by a rushing stream coursing through the cell. The earth had been purposely carved out to allow for the collection and use of water.

There wasn't a bathroom or waste bucket around here. That must be where inmates needed to go when nature called to. I nearly hurled at the thought. It was forced back, though, thinking about how that bile would stay in the same cell as me if I did that.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Two elven women walked in and stood in front of my cell. They were Verdenia and Elnara, both familiar to me. It had been a while since I saw Elnara, so her presence now surprised me. Everything felt over the top. After all, they had drugged and kidnapped me for mana's sake. What did they expect me to do, sit quietly like a good dog?

Their faces meant business, in any case.

"Falond Conmor." That was Elnara, bringing out the full name again. Was I in timeout? Adult timeout was being in prison like this; after all, I guess, what a twisted world adults lived in. Upon being called that last name, a faint annoyance came to me; it wasn't mine anymore, so why keep using it?

That trace of emotion didn't escape the eyes of either of them.

"Feeling annoyed, are you? Well, you can remain that way. Your petty display and ingratitude have also tested my patience. My foolish yet handsome man." Elnara's playful habit slipped out towards the end but disappeared soon after.

I started to speak, but then Verdenia quickly said, "Keep yourself shut, bound of mine." Of course, without any detail in her command, everything became closed—my eyes, hands, and, yes, my mouth. At least I could hear, though, and still feel. So, there wasn't any complete sealing of the senses as there was last time.

Elnara noted that I'd now be in a state to listen and not be able to interrupt. "Falond of Reverent, you are now part of this clan. You are contracted to a Saintess of the Forest Elves. Branded by me, their leader, chosen by the Moth and transformed by the rite of the Naien forest. You are one of us now. You will have to accept this. Even among others of your kind here, your situation is special. One day, you will understand you're now as much of an elf as you are human."

As much as an elf as a human now? What did that ritual do to me?

"Your lack of understanding about being bound to a Saintess or marked by me is apparent. We won't disclose everything yet. As time progresses, you'll grasp it all. If only you could develop some trust and patience, your life would be less complicated and painful," Elnara's voice softened.

"However, don't expect any sympathy for your predicament or your futile attempts to gain acceptance from that pitiful excuse of a family," Elnara's following statement stung.

"You are indebted to us yet committed two severe offenses. Both are entirely your fault. First, you've polluted yourself with those corrupting mana rituals. Second, you tried to defy the gift of the forest. Disrespecting our sacred rite directly insults all elves, especially your Saintess and me, as the one who marked you with nature's transcendent emblem."

The gift of the forest? A sacred rite? And Verdenia was a Saintess? At least I now understood the significance of the brand as a transcendent emblem. Although that just told me what it was, not what it entirely did.

"I told you that you'd have to follow our traditions here. Normally, the punishment for doing what you did would be life imprisonment. You've too much fate placed on your shoulders now, though. Instead, your training will be held here, in this underground chamber. You'll only be let out for sparring and training with Verdenia. Your human faction here is banned from interaction with you until your pathetic strength is enough to enter the portal."

Too much fate? What exactly was that supposed to mean? Why all this secrecy? My frustration heightened with these unanswered questions. If my eyes could open, they'd be burning with fiery red anger. Both elves were aware of my seething anger—no surprise there. It could have been a consequence of the contract, the mark, or just the frightening perceptiveness of women.

Ignoring my lack of emotional control, Elnara went on. "The auramancers faction, of course, is upset at being unable to complete their training for you. Rest assured, Verdenia will be your trainer here now. This is a blessing in disguise for you. It's time for your bond with your contractor to deepen. After all, you now belong to her." A teasing gaze came from that. I could feel it, damn elf.

Verdenia, who had been largely silent until then, decided to chime in. "I understand your frustration, Falond. You feel as though your choices, your freedom, and your desires are being trampled on. You yearn to return to your twisted family one day. You crave training in aura, believing it will make them accept you. But it won't. And you mistakenly believe Elnara and I are the obstacles in your path. You must stop denying your current situation and accept the reality of it. You're not meant to manipulate mana; that will never change."

My anger, which had just started to subside, flared at that. They certainly knew how to hit where it hurt. It felt as though they understood me better than I understood myself. The one-sided connections created by the brand and contract placed me at a significant disadvantage against the two. Elnara still had more to say.

"Falond, you agreed to follow our ways. Yet, you blatantly disregard them," she said. You enjoy our protection. Your place in the encampment is one of give and take. There are benefits, and there are responsibilities in turn. Your actions show a lack of loyalty and disrespect for me."

That's not the real reason you're trapping me like this, and you know it. The thought popped up into my head. What was the actual cause? Unfortunately, under the influence of the contract mark, I was left voiceless.

She breathed and added, "Clearly, you have much to learn about our ways. But don't fret; I'm confident I can enlighten you. Perhaps I might introduce you to some of our more pleasurable lifestyles." That damned hobby of hers was out again.

Elnara, having said her piece, departed without allowing me to argue her words—not that I could, anyway. I believed the lecture was over, but Verdenia corrected my assumption. "This is all for your benefit, you know. Had you remained in the city after receiving the Moth's blessing, it would've meant certain death for you. Even the family you foolishly seek approval from would have joined the hunt against you."

Aura surged within me, straining against the seal. It appeared to have some effect for once, starting to crack the imposed silence. But Verdenia promptly restored the seal with minimal effort. It was evident she could sense my resistance against her magic. A flurry of questions stormed my mind. What exactly was the Moth? Why did it hold such significance? Why were mages hunting those who possessed power like mine? As for what they repeatedly claimed about my family, I had always thought my lack of mana caused their disappointment. But surely, that could change, right? Even if my parents continued to feel disdain for me, at least my sister might feel differently... or so I hoped.

Verdenia's furrowed brow suggested that she realized only part of her words were getting through to me. "Words have done what they can for my stubborn bound, it seems," she remarked. Reaching through the bars, she brought me closer. The thorns of the cell bars retracted at her touch. Her hand gently cupped my cheek, and a soft, melodic voice floated into my ears, "From the moment you came into my view, you were destined to be mine. It's only a matter of time. For now, I'll ensure you're prepared to survive the portal."

With that, the seal was finally lifted. Even the vine-like bindings released me, falling limply to the ground. I would be completely free if I managed to get past the wooden bars. However, I knew that most of my pressing questions would be met with silence; instead, I tried one with a chance of receiving an answer.

"Is entering the portal really that dangerous?"

Verdenia's eyes held a mischievous glint as she spoke, "We have a problem, my bound. Can you guess what it is?"

"A problem? What problem?" I shot back, my mind racing. Her words were ominous, and I felt a wave of unease.

With a gesture, the jail gate slid open. Somehow, it felt like the gate was protecting me more than keeping me in at that moment. I almost missed it.