ELFORIA

Uninvited Visitor

It was in the middle of the night. The rain of snow was endless, and the people are deep in their sleep.

The surrounding is dark and blurry due to the blizzard. It is undoubtedly dangerous for ordinary citizens to venture out with the current weather.

However, in the middle of a deadly forest where monsters lurk, a man can be seen walking deeper down.

He was a soldier of the Krissus Empire, sent by the Emperor to seek the rumored witch of the Forest of Valeria.

***

A few weeks back...

KRISSUS EMPIRE

The Emperor's Chamber

"Y-Your highness! I bring a horrifying news!" A soldier exclaimed as soon as he was given permission to enter the Emperor's chamber.

He is shaking from fear, not only because of the tyrant in front of him, but because of the news that her carries.

"Speak." the deep and cold voice of the emperor made him shiver even more.

'This man, he's even scarier that the monster attacking the empire!'

"M-Monsters! A large and multiple horde of monsters are attacking every part of the empire!"

***

KRISSUS EMPIRE

Court Room

"Your highness, we must immediately take action! At this rate, not only the cities outside, but the castle might soon be filled with roaming monsters!"

"Your highness, we must do something!"

"The situation is too much out of control, you must stop this by killing every single one of those monsters!"

"How could you tell that to the Emperor?! Your highness, your safety if of utmost importance!"

The voices of the ministers and nobles reverberated through every side of the throne room as they argued about the current situation.

Knowing the Emperor's capability, some want him to go and personally kill each monsters ravaging the cities. While some who are more concerned about the Emperor's safety strongly opposes the idea.

The court was the exact definition of chaos, and yet...

"Enough!" it only took one word from the tyrant to put an end to the endless exchange.

"Send out half of the palace knights to exterminate the monsters on every cities of the empire. Then station the quarter to defend from monster attacks, while the remaining quarter must remain to guard the palace." his voice is low, but full of authority.

"Duke of North, as the Commander of the Order of the Knights, lead the defense. You must make sure that the citizens of this empire is safe from the attacks." the court remained quiet, everyone knew full well that speaking in this situation could cost their lives.

"I will personally exterminate those monsters."

***

"Your highness, it's been a week, but the surge of monsters have yet to lessen, more so stop. Instead, they grew even more. The situation have turn for the worst." The Duke of North, Commander Devione Eisenburg, reported.

"The only way to stop this is to figure out the source in which those monsters are coming from." The Emperor muttered.

The appearance of monsters is nothing new to them. Since a thousand years ago, even before the empire's existence, monsters have already been making their existence known. But never in history have their number been as huge as at the present.

According to the World's History, these monsters have existed since the time of the mages and elves who was the first species to live in Elforia— thus it's name.

They were originally mystical beasts who lived among the mages, elves, nymphs, and other species. But when magic started to disappear, the intelligence of the mystical beasts was removed and they turned into unhinged monsters who knew nothing but destruction. Thus, the last of all the species who still posses magic and special abilities worked together and poured all their remaining power in sealing these monsters away.

But about two thousand years ago, the seal started to break. Some cracks and holes appeared and there, a small number of monsters started to come out once in a while.

And this occurrence when a huge number of monsters attacks, only means one this. One or more of the seal have completely broke.

"Your highness, I heard a rumour that might prove useful in this situation." the Emperor turned and looked at the Duke.

"Speak, what is it?"

"It's the witch in the heart of the Forest of Valeria."

***

Back to the present...

It was in the middle of the night. The rain of snow was endless, and the people are deep in their sleep.

The surrounding is dark and blurry due to the blizzard. It is undoubtedly dangerous for ordinary citizens to venture out with the current weather.

However, in the middle of a deadly forest where monsters lurk, a man can be seen walking deeper down.

Eloise stirred in her sleep when she felt the presence of an uninvited visitor in her domain.

'Someone entered the forest, and it's going this way.'

Her sharp senses became even more sensitive. "A soldier..."

Eloise could feel a strong aura of a swordsman coming from the person who has the audacity to tresspass on her territory. An aura only a swordmaster of this world could have.

It's faint, almost undetectable, as if it's hiding it's presence.

"Now, now, what might be this tresspasser is after?" She stood up, walked towards the seating room of her house, waiting for her guest.

As usual, she made a cup of chocolate and drank it while waiting. Caressing Vira's fur, while Zero (the tiger) is beside her feat, sleeping.

Then, just as expected, almost half an hour later a soft knock was made in her door. Eloise created a veil out of darkness and hid half of her face before using her magic to open the door.

Silence.

A deadly silence enveloped them as her golden orbs stared at the deep blue ones that her visitor possess.

No one spoke for a few minutes, until she broke the silence. "Why don't you come in?" Then instantly, a thread made up of stings of light and darkness pulled the guy inside and made him sit on the sofa in front of her while the door closed with a loud thud.

"Hmm... Look what we have here..." Eloise smirked at the shocked and alarmed expression on the face of the person in front of her.

Shing!

The trespasser drew it's sword, pointing it to her throat. "Release me."

Eloise blinked, then she looked at the stings still enveloping half of his body.

"Oops. My bad."