[author] I know the progress is slow and some of you are impatient for the actual story to start, but bare with me until the whole setting is introduced, just two more chapters![/author]

It wasn't rocket science, and it didn't take an overly smart person to figure out that something was wrong with this city.

As we made our way deeper into the city, I couldn't help but use my spirit vision once more. I wanted to understand the underlying essence of this place, to see if there were any hidden traces of corruption. To my surprise, the city itself seemed pure and untouched by the miasma that plagued the grove. However, the unease I sensed in the people told a different story.

I tried to figure out whether the purity was just a facade put forth by the elves to deceive me, and maybe there was an underlying corruption everywhere just masked by a thin line of pure essence, I couldn't imagine how someone would be able to manipulate both energies into co-existing, but again, my theory was quickly dismissed when I really didn't see the slightest sign of corruption anywhere.

But it did confirm my suspicion that something is wrong with this place, how come the grove, which supposedly, according to the noble elf, supplies the pure essence to the world tree itself has been corrupted, while a mere city that lies within half a day's carriage ride isn't touched.

I needed answers, but I also needed to be cautious. If there was indeed a secret being kept from me, it would not reveal itself easily. I decided to keep my suspicions to myself for now and observe more closely.

I started thinking about the random elf I encountered on my first night at the grove, he certainly held a subtle amount of corruption within him, which leads me to two theories. First one is that the city has a purifying property similar to the grove, which means it constantly purifies anything within its own borders, that means that either the city has someone who has purifying skills, or they have trees and flowers similar to the ones at my grove, this theory was quickly dismissed since I would have noticed any flora similar to the one at the grove by now.

Second one is that the elf I met was not from this city, given the difference in armor between the elves that guarded me while I was unconscious and the one the elves in this city are wearing, this seemed like the most likely case. The elf I encountered could have been from another area, one less protected and more susceptible to corruption.

As I continued my walk through the city, I kept these theories in mind, watching and listening for any clues that might confirm one or the other. The noble elf and her entourage kept a respectful distance, allowing me the space to explore but remaining close enough so I don't wander off.

After a minute of walking, which was awkward considering I was down on all fours while everyone else was bipedal, a large castle came into view.

As we approached, the castle gates swung open, and a contingent of elven guards stood at attention, their armor shining and their expressions solemn, the noble looking elf turned to look at me as we passed the gates, "You are the first ancient spirit to visit our city in decades, it's quite an honor"

I did know there were other ancient spirits in this world, this was a given, but the fact that the last one to visit was decades ago sparked a small memory within me, the first elf I encountered, which seemed to give me lots of clues at this point, did mention that the last time he saw light or someone purifying the grove was decades ago, and it prompted a very important question. What happened to the last ancient spirit that was tasked with purifying the grove?

The memory of that initial encounter played in my mind like a puzzle piece falling into place. That elf's words had hinted at a time when purity was not a distant memory but a recent effort. Yet, something had gone wrong. Why did the purification cease? And where was that ancient spirit now?

As we entered the main building, the noble elf led me through lots of brightly led corridors, before we reached a large double door, beyond it was a staircase leading down. We started making our way down and she led me down a long, dimly lit corridor. We walked in silence, the soft glow of torches casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Well I was sure that something was off, but I was also curious, it seemed very obvious I was not heading somewhere pleasant now, which I wish I knew before I decided to excitedly jump into her carriage, but I decided not to make a run for it, I wanted to know what happened to the previous ancient spirit, and if they died, I had a skill that allowed me to read the memories of the dead, which means access to exclusive information that would be crucial in the future.

Was I really confident in my ability to escape this situation tho? I'm sure I'll be given the option to cooperate. If they imprisoned ancient spirits and forced them to constantly pump pure essence into the city, that didn't seem like it required violence, and they most certainly had someone capable of pinning down an ancient spirit if they did it before a couple decades back.

We finally arrived at a large chamber. The door creaked open, revealing an empty room, save for a few flickering candles placed around the perimeter. The noble elf gestured for me to enter.

I hesitated for a moment but stepped forward, my curiosity getting the better of me. As soon as I crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind me. The sudden noise echoed through the chamber, making my heart race.

Before I could react, I felt a surge of energy in the air. From the corners of the room, figures emerged—cloaked mages, it was a trap, yes, I did know that much and I wanted to know how it plays out.

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Suddenly, I was hit by multiple waves of magic. The force was overwhelming, pinning me to the ground before I could even reach for my bow or brush. My limbs felt heavy and unresponsive, as if weighed down by an invisible force. Okay Ethan, this is not fun anymore, I thought we could just talk it out, but it seemed like violence better suited their taste. Well shit.

Panic surged through me. Who were these mages? And why were they attacking me? Struggling to move, I realized the mages were controlling lower-ranking spirits. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and their presence felt wrong—corrupted.

"Spirit masters," I thought, recognizing the type of magic they wielded. They were experts in controlling and manipulating spirits, I read about them a lot in novels.

I tried to channel my own magic, to break free from their hold, but the sheer number of them was overwhelming. Their spells bound me tightly, preventing me from using my abilities. I could feel the energy draining from my body, my strength waning with each passing second.

The noble elf stepped forward, her expression cold and calculating. Gone was the warm, welcoming demeanor she had shown earlier. Now, she looked at me with a mixture of disdain and satisfaction.

"I'm glad those blabbering mutts kept spreading the word about your presence until it reached our ears" she said, "with this, our plans will proceed smoothly"

But why did they have to do this? Weren't elves a spirit's bestfriend? And what were their plans? What role did the corruption in the grove play in all this?

As I lay there, struggling against the magical restraints, my mind raced with questions. The situation was dire, but I couldn't give up. The mages tightened their hold, their magic pressing down on me like a suffocating weight. My vision started to blur, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. But even in the darkness, I held on to one thought: If they wanted to destroy my grove for whatever reason it is, I would not let them win. I would find a way to escape and put an end to their plans.

With that final determination, everything went black.

***

I awoke slowly, my senses dulled and my body feeling weightless. As my eyes fluttered open, I realized I was submerged in some kind of liquid. Panic set in for a moment before I remembered that I didn’t need to breathe. I was a spirit, after all.

Floating beside me was a man, his body old and withered, as if the very essence of his life had been forcefully drained. His eyes were vacant, staring at nothing. The sight filled me with dread. I turned my head, spotting a woman and another man in the same condition, all floating eerily still in the liquid around me.

I tried to move, but my limbs felt heavy and unresponsive. It was then that I noticed my bow, quiver, kimono, and brush were gone. I was completely naked, stripped of everything that made me feel even remotely prepared for this world. The sense of vulnerability was overwhelming.

My mind raced as I tried to piece together what had happened. The trap, the mages, the overwhelming magic—they had subdued me and brought me here. But why? What was this place? And who were these other people floating lifelessly beside me?

Submerged in the strange liquid, I tunneled into my spirit vision, trying to understand my surroundings. The liquid wasn’t just some substance; it was composed of countless micro vessels that connected to me and the others around me. These vessels were draining us of our energy, siphoning it off to somewhere I couldn’t clearly see.

I quickly realized that the figures floating beside me weren’t mortals but other spirits. Their lifeless forms spoke of a terrible fate. Driven by desperation and a need for answers, I decided to use my skill, Echoes of the Past, to delve into their memories.

I started with the first spirit, the most withered looking man that was floating right beside me, I assumed he was the oldest out of us 4 considering his look, so his memories would hopefully show where this all began. As I activated the skill, I was pulled into his memories. I saw a battlefield, chaotic and violent. Elves were clashing against each other, some valiantly protecting the familiar large tree I had seen in my last vision, and others attempting to set it ablaze. The surroundings were familiar—it was the grove. The war raged on, and the man fought bravely beside the elves that tried protecting the tree, his determination unwavering until he fell, his essence was drained as the grove was slowly being set ablaze, cutting off his supply of energy.

Next, I turned to the woman. Her memories flooded into me, showing a time when corrupted beings wandered into the grove. They infected critters and plants, spreading their corruption like a plague. She fought valiantly, but the battle took a dark turn when an elven dryad, someone she seemed to trust as she fought side by side with her, betrayed her. The dryad backstabbed her with a silver glowing knife. The feelings of betrayal and despair washed over me, intense and overwhelming, as if I were the woman herself in her final moments.

Finally, I approached the last man. I attempted to use Echoes of the Past, but it didn’t work. Confused, I tunneled back into my spirit vision and noticed the slightest hints of life energy remaining within him. He wasn’t dead! Which meant if I could potentially save this guy, I would have an ally, which prompted the question of how, how could I save this "ally" and myself?

Well, first, I needed to free myself from this liquid prison and find a way to help him. I concentrated on the flicker of power within me, gathering it into a concentrated point. The liquid resisted, but I pushed harder, feeling the barrier weaken.

But no matter how much power I concentrated, the glass didn’t give. Frustration built within me as I tried to push harder, to break free, but the container held firm. I glanced around, searching for any weakness, any way out. That’s when I noticed the figures guarding the room. Elves in dark robes, their eyes glowing with the familiar red dark color of the corruption, stood vigilant around the perimeter. In the corner, a mage observed the containers, his eyes scanning me with a smirk, as if mocking my attempts to break free.

My heart sank. It wasn’t just the glass or the liquid keeping me trapped; it was the presence of those powerful mages. I had to think of another way. Panic was setting in, but I forced myself to stay calm. There had to be a way out of this.

I focused inward, trying to recall any spell or ability that could help. I thought of the tools I had access to before I was captured—my brush, my bow. Both were missing, likely taken by my captors. I was left with nothing but my wits and the scant magic within me.

Perhaps if I could communicate with the spirits around me, I could find a way to combine our energies, to create a force strong enough to break free. I reached out with my mind, trying to connect with the other spirits, but their responses were weak, almost nonexistent. The liquid was draining them faster than I could reach them.

Despair was setting in. How could I escape this place when every attempt seemed futile? The mage’s eyes locked onto me, and I felt a surge of fear. He was coming closer, a sinister smile spreading across his face. My time was running out.

I had to come up with something, anything. There was no way I could let myself be drained dry like the others. My mind raced, searching for a solution as the mage approached.