I was awakened by the sound of steps, and I could see that the dungeon was lightened. I look at the black ring on my finger and realize that I'm still alive. I stood up and heard the opening of my cell door. I was greeted by an Elf that looked younger than his age and he wore a fine robe with rich garments. He had a company of knights next to him but they didn't dare stand too close.

"Why do we keep meeting in dungeons Demitri?" He asked.

I bow my head to the Elf.

"My apologies Sire," I replied with a smile.

The Elf looked around my cell before returning his gaze to me.

"There's no one else with you?"

"No Sire," I said.

The Elf gave me a smile but I could see some disdain in his eyes.

"Where is my daughter?" He asked.

I gave him a puzzled look.

"I thought she came back here already," I replied.

"She never returned." He said.

"Then I wouldn't know," I said.

"You took her from me and now you don't know where she is?" The Elf glared at me.

"I apologize, Sire," I said.

"Then you'll wait here for awhile Demitri."

"Sire! Wait! Please! I need to leave! I need to get into Demon territory."

The Elf looked at me for a bit before signaling the guards to close my cell door.

"What's a couple days in staying alive matter to you Demitri?" The Elf said.

I rushed over to the door but saw that he had already left and the company of knights followed.

I knew his intentions and I could say that he guessed mine. The Elf was the Elven King Ren of the Wild Forests. I didn't know where his daughter was and I couldn't face her right now even if I wanted to. I felt ashamed to even see her and I don't know how she would feel to see me again. She was an important person to the Elves here. Where did she go? And why hasn't she returned?

The Elven King was right that we did meet often in dungeons. He was a true benefactor for me and I would feel eternally grateful for the things he's done. When I first met him he set me on the course I am on now. It was the time after I was marked as a thief.

My mind wandered back to my time in the dungeon of the Royal Capital of Bareth.

I didn't know how long I was held in the dungeons. Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Time passed by as slowly and painfully as the wounds on my body. Chains kept me hanging and isolated in the middle of my prison cell. I was still tortured every day but kept alive, they still asked for the Elven relic. Since they still questioned me, I believed that Richard and Diego were able to get away. That fact alone was one of the things that kept me alive.

My eyes had gotten used to the darkness and my body was in a state of perpetual weakness. I was fed just enough and I was tortured just enough. I was never close to dying but I was far from being truly alive. Only the memories of my family and grandfather reassured me from going insane. Being with them were the happiness moments I've known as a child.

A light slowly ventured near my dungeon door and a face peered behind the bars.

I didn't know who it was but I didn't think it was time for more punishment. The doors opened and a few men cloaked in dark robes entered my cell. Something was different about them but I could sense the seriousness in the air. Did they grow tired of me and wanted me dead already? I move my gaze down to the floor resigned in my fate to die.

"So it is you."

A light came towards my face and I close my eyes due to its brightness.

"Who are you?" I ask weakly.

"You don't remember me?"

I look up at the man speaking and he unveiled the hood of his robe. I recognized him as the important Elf who I stole the relic from. The other men unveiled their hoods to reveal themselves as Elves too. Anxiety attacked me as I knew what they came for.

"I-I don't have it," I said.

I turn my face feeling guilty of stealing from the Elves.

"Who do you think you're talking to boy?"

Another Elf spoke to me from the side.

"This is his royal highness of the Elven Wild Forests, King Ren, you will speak to him in proper form!"

This important Elf was a king?

"Do you want to die!?" The Elf said.

I look at the Elf and spit on the floor.

"Human waste!"

"Enough," King Ren said with a wave of his arm. "Let me talk to this boy privately."

"But your majesty! Why don't we just threaten this boy to tell us where the relic is!"

"You would threaten death to someone who is on the brink of it?"

King Ren gave the man a glare and the men quickly moved outside the cell doors.

"You know, the Kingdom of Bareth said you were dead." King Ren said.

"…"

"They said they killed you but here you are."

I didn't know what the Elf King was implying during the time.

"Well, I found you and you need to help me."

I shook my hands that were chained.

"Oh, don't worry about that." King Ren said with a smile. "As long as you agree, I will set you free."

"What is it?" I reply meekly.

King Ren gave me a smirk.

"I thought that my enemies had stolen the relic from me and I kept my eyes on them but no one has made a move."

King Ren was walking around my dark cell.

"That means that they don't have it yet." He said. "Get it back for me."

"I don't have it," I said.

"Yes, you don't have it but you know who does." King Ren said.

"Why should I help you?" I said.

The Elf seemed to smirk at my demeanor.

"No one even knows that you're alive!" King Ren said. "The few that knew have already been taken care of."

What did he mean?

"Your name is Demitri right?"

I stare at the Elven King before nodding my head.

"I've lived a long life, experienced many pleasures and had many children," King Ren said. "I know you are young, you want to live your life and fulfill the nature of human desires."

I lift my head up to see the eyes of King Ren clearly.

"I'll be able to pay you twice the amount that was told to you and give you your freedom."

"…"

I was very interested in his proposal.

"100 gold coins," I said.

"100?"

The Elven King had a puzzled face.

"That was how much they were going to give me, take it or leave it," I said.

The Elven King went into a mad laughter.

"You stole a sacred Elven treasure for only 100 gold coins? You should've been able to get at least a million gold coins for it!"

King Ren gave me a smile.

"Either you were swindled or the people who hired you didn't think you would accomplish it at all."

I was surprised at his words and suddenly felt bitter.

"Who hired you anyway?" He asked.

I looked at him and held my tongue from saying a word.

"No matter, I could guess it most likely started from Religion of the Veil."

Did the Religion of the Veil ask Magnus to steal the relic?

"1000 gold coins and your freedom," Ren said. "Is that a deal?"

My vision rested on the floor and then moved back to the Elven King.

"Is that all you really want?" I asked.

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"Yes." The King replied as he stood proudly.

"Why can't you find it yourselves?" I asked.

"If I could find it, I wouldn't be here would I?"

"…"

"If that is all, we must hurry," King Ren said. "Don't worry, an Elf keeps his word."

I didn't want to die here in the dungeons. I would rather be with my family and live. I don't think I can really trust this Elf but what choices do I have?  I would help this Elf and he would free me. That was the most I could ask for. I wouldn't be sane if I didn't jump at this opportunity.

I nod my head to the Elven King and agreed.

King Ren signaled his men who came and freed me from my chains. They gave me a cloak and some clothes to wear. I quickly followed Ren and his men outside my cell. When I stepped outside the cell, I saw a massacre of human bodies. The guards who tortured me were killed viciously inside the prison. Their blood splattered across the dungeon and I couldn't help but feel the pleasure that they had died.

I just didn't feel any remorse for the men who treated me so mercilessly.

It seems like the Elves had planned this out and were prepared to not leave anyone alive. The Elves notice my face and give me a grin.  If they wanted to kill me, they could have. We moved through the dark dungeons quickly and I could feel the intense fatigue on my body. I wasn't healthy by any means but I followed them as my life depended on it.

It didn't take long before we made it to the exit and I could see the light that crept through.

"Don't stare at the light, it will blind you." King Ren told me.

Those words stayed true to me throughout my life.

"You can meet us at the grove north of the city when you have the relic."

The Elves quickly disappeared out of the dungeons.

Slowly, I stepped out of the prison with my hands over my face. My anticipation was mounting with every step I took. I could feel the slight warm touch of the sun and cool breeze of the air. I could hear the chirping of birds and the sound of the ocean waves. Gradually I released my hands and my eyes adjusted to the light. My face distorted into joy and a feeling of happiness overcame me.

Some tears stream down my face as I was free from the dark hole I was in.

The feeling of weakness in my body disappeared and I moved with a sense of urgency. I was going back into the Royal Capital and I was going to see my family. I didn't remember how long it took as time seemed to pass by me and day became night. I made it to the house we lived in and a dilapidated shell of a home greeted me. Light emanated from the house and I ran to knock on the door.

I held my breath and waited to see who would come.

The door opened and I saw a woman holding a baby. She had makeup on and wore clothes that looked to enhance her feminine qualities. I was surprised at seeing her inside the house that I once lived in. The baby in her arms was quiet and I could see the hint of blue hair on her head.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"…"

"Sorry but I'm not working right now." She said.

The woman held up the baby who looked at me strangely.

"Where…where is Ariel?" I asked.

The woman looked confused for a second.

"You know Ariel?" She said.

I nod my head at the woman and try to look inside the house.

"Well, she's not here."

"Where is she?"

"She died."

The weight of my body felt heavy and I fell to my knees.

"Are you one of her customers?"

The woman's eyes sharpen on me.

"No…no…I am her…her brother." I said.

The woman became surprised.

"Are you…Demitri?" She said.

I look up to the woman and nod my head.

"She talked a lot about you."

"Where's Diego and Richard?" I asked.

"You're the only one who has come here looking for Ariel." She replied.

"What happened?"

"I wouldn't know but I'm glad you are here, now you can take care of her."

The woman handed me the baby.

"What?" I said.

"This is Ariel's baby, I had promised to take care of her until one of you showed up."

The woman seemed to be relieved of her burden.

"I had thought that I would take care of this child forever but to my luck you appeared!" She said.

This was Ariel and Richard's child?

"What's her name?" I asked.

The woman shrugged her shoulders.

"She died after child birth and never named her, she said the father of her baby wanted to name their child but he never came."

I had more questions but the woman soon disappeared from my sight.

I was left alone holding the baby in the house of our broken dreams. Where did Diego and Richard go? Did they take the Relic and run off? I felt some resentment and sadness in my heart. Holding the baby in my arms, I looked at her and she quietly stared back at me. Ariel did well in surviving alone by herself for the sake of this baby. I could only imagine what she did to survive without us and I cried.

Ariel was like a real sister to me and I had failed her.

All she wanted to do was sell flowers and create a home with us. We never told her of the things we did to survive. I felt guilt in my heart for lying to her. Now she was gone, left waiting for her family to come back and no one came. This child was the last thing left of Ariel and I held the baby close.

This baby was sort of peculiar as she never cried but stared at me intently. I look at the baby and try to muster a smile. Gradually the baby returned a smile to me. What was I going to do now? I couldn't take care of a baby and I didn't want this child to take after me. She was Richard and Ariel's child, she should be given a life different from the one that taken her parents away from her.

I walked around to the flower garden that Ariel once took care of. The flowers looked to be in bloom and softened my heart a little. This flower garden that Ariel created was still here, living without any help. I sit down on the ground to look at the garden to see Ariel's favorite, the "Arica" flower. Ariel had loved this flower because it was a flower that could heal people.

I wished that I could have saved Ariel and more tears streamed from my face.

Looking at the flowers I notice a new patch of dirt on the ground. I had seen the garden many times and knew that it was never there before. I move towards the area and use my hands to claw out the dirt. I felt something hard covered in a cloth. I remove the patch of land and grab the item.

Unveiling the cloth, I see the cross-shaped object.

I had found the Elven relic hidden in the flower garden. The relic was stained with old blood and buried in the dirt. Why was this here? Just what happened? What happened to Diego and Richard? Did Magnus betray us?

The thought of revenge soon came to swirl in my mind but the sounds of a baby brought me back.

The baby tried to say something while moving her hands toward my face. I have the relic now but I couldn't put this baby in any danger. I began to think and an Idea came to me. I hid the relic inside my pocket and left to go outside the city.

I was heading towards the grove to meet with the Elven King.