Irwin's vision blurred.
The black mist seeped into her thoughts like poison.
Her legs trembled.
Every breath became heavier than the last.
She could hear distant voices.
The cries of soldiers.
The clash of steel.
The humming of the Evergreen Machine.
Everything slowly faded beneath the whispering darkness.
"...Sleep..."
The voice echoed inside her mind.
Her grip on the Light Cannon weakened.
Her knees nearly gave way.
Then...
Silence.
The pressure suddenly disappeared.
The mist that had clouded her mind withdrew as abruptly as it had appeared.
Irwin gasped, taking a deep breath as clarity returned.
"What...?"
She steadied herself and looked around.
The Evergreen Chamber was eerily quiet.
The Dark leaders were gone.
Only the aftermath remained.
Shadow Guards lay scattered across the marble floor.
Researchers had collapsed beside the Light Cannon.
Tina was unconscious, her weapons lying several feet away.
Near the entrance, the Elven Queen still lay motionless.
"Your Majesty!"
Irwin hurried over, checking her pulse.
She was alive.
Relieved, Irwin carefully lifted the Queen's arm over her shoulder.
"We have to leave."
Before taking another step, an unfamiliar sound echoed through the chamber.
A low, rhythmic hum.
The Evergreen Machine.
Both women turned toward it.
The countless emerald crystals covering the ancient machine glowed brighter than ever before.
Beautiful green light flowed through its countless roots.
For one hopeful heartbeat, Irwin believed it had resisted the corruption.
Then...
The green slowly faded.
The light shifted.
Emerald became crimson.
One crystal after another turned blood-red.
The change spread through the machine like disease moving through a living body.
The pleasant warmth that had always surrounded the chamber disappeared.
Instead, a suffocating aura filled the room.
The Evergreen Machine had fallen.
"It... it's too late..."
Irwin whispered.
The heart of the Elven Forest had been corrupted.
Without wasting another second, she supported the Queen and hurried toward an ancient stone wall hidden behind the chamber.
Pressing several concealed runes, the wall silently slid open.
A secret passage.
One known only to the royal family.
Irwin disappeared into the darkness.
The tunnel stretched deep beneath the palace.
Neither woman spoke.
Only hurried footsteps echoed through the passage.
After what felt like hours, faint sunlight appeared ahead.
They emerged into the Eastern Forest.
Irwin immediately looked back.
The sight stole her breath.
The Elven Palace stood in the distance.
Dark crimson mist poured endlessly from the towering Evergreen Machine.
Like rivers flowing through the air, the corrupted mana spread across the forest canopy.
The beautiful emerald aura that had protected the kingdom for centuries was gone.
In its place...
A sea of crimson drifted across the trees.
"The palace..."
Irwin clenched her fists.
"...has fallen."
The Queen slowly regained consciousness.
She looked toward her homeland.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Tears silently rolled down her face.
Irwin lowered her head.
There were no words capable of easing such pain.
"We have to move."
The Queen nodded weakly.
"There is still hope."
Their destination was the eastern military frontier.
Near the Dwarven border.
Years earlier, disputes over the Melarium mines had caused both kingdoms to fortify the region heavily.
Although peace had eventually returned, much of the Elven Army still remained stationed there.
If the kingdom was to survive...
That army would become its final shield.
Several hours later, they reached the eastern encampment.
The soldiers immediately knelt as the Queen arrived.
The Elven Princess, younger sister of the Queen, rushed from the command tent.
"Sister!"
She embraced the Queen before noticing Irwin's exhausted condition.
"What happened?"
Irwin answered with only three words.
"The palace fell."
Silence spread through the camp.
No one had imagined hearing those words.
The Princess immediately escorted them into the command tent.
Medical staff examined the Queen while scouts who had already been dispatched returned one after another.
A strategic meeting began.
The lead scout unfolded a map.
"The crimson mist continues expanding."
He pointed toward the capital.
"It has now covered nearly the entire western region."
Irwin looked at him.
"Is it true Demonic miasma?"
The scout shook his head.
"No."
"It doesn't corrupt the land."
That answer surprised everyone.
Another scout continued the report.
"The forests remain healthy."
"The rivers remain clean."
"The wildlife has not transformed."
"The mist is... different."
The chief mage stepped forward.
"It targets minds instead of nature."
He placed several enchanted crystals upon the table.
"Our observations suggest it interferes with consciousness."
"It suppresses independent thought."
"It allows those exposed to become highly susceptible to external control."
Irwin immediately understood.
"So..."
"It isn't meant to create Demonic territory."
"No."
The mage nodded.
"It creates obedient people."
The atmosphere inside the tent became even heavier.
The Princess spoke quietly.
"The citizens who failed to evacuate..."
"They're still inside the mist."
The scout lowered his head.
"They no longer resist."
"They obey the Dark."
The Queen closed her eyes in grief.
"My people..."
The scout continued.
"The mountain ranges prevent the mist from spreading south."
He traced the map.
"So its only path is east."
Straight toward them.
At its current speed...
The entire Elven Kingdom would be covered within a few days.
The room fell silent.
Every commander understood the consequences.
Without a solution...
Their nation would cease to exist.
Irwin remained unusually quiet.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the table.
Something troubled her.
Finally, she spoke.
"Why?"
Everyone looked at her.
"The mist isn't Demonic mana."
"It isn't natural corruption."
"It carries the signature of Tena herself."
Irwin continued.
"It was created by the leaders of the Dark."
"Didn't they meant to serve the Demons."
The Queen frowned.
"You think this was planned long before the Demons appeared?"
"I do."
"The Dark never intended only to fight kingdoms."
"They intended to rule them."
The realization chilled everyone present.
The Demons conquered through destruction.
The Dark conquered through control.
The Queen finally broke the silence.
"We cannot fight this alone."
She looked toward the Princess.
"Send envoys immediately."
"To Igdur."
"To the Dwarven Kingdom."
"And to every nation still free."
The Princess bowed.
"At once."
Messengers rushed from the tent.
Outside, horns echoed through the camp as riders departed in every direction.
Inside, maps covered the table.
Supply routes were marked.
Defensive lines were drawn.
Evacuation plans were rewritten.
For the first time since the Great Demon War had begun, the kingdoms were no longer planning how to defeat the enemy.
They were planning how to survive.
Far to the west, beneath the crimson sky surrounding the captured palace, the Evergreen Machine continued its relentless pulse.
With every heartbeat of the ancient artifact...
The sea of crimson crept farther across the Elven Kingdom.