An Extra’s POV

"Ciela… is alive?"

As Rey uttered those words, looking at Kara's slightly stunned face, he realized he never actually thought about the fate that befell Esme's mother.

He never considered the implication of her being alive either—until now.

"Tell me more about this." His exhaustion instantly vanished, and the pale expression on his face brightened up instantly.

He led Kara into his abode, closing the door behind them as he listened to her explaining how she was able to piece it all together.

Talking to the Elders, narrowing it down by speaking to the Esteemed Ones, her investigation was very thorough. Still, even though Rey was very impressed that she could get such cooperation out of the Elves and pry into so much information, he wasn't really interested in her methodology

All that was relevant was the actual information on Ciela.

"You said they have her captive, right? Tell me more about that." Rey sat on his chair, opposite his bed where he told her to sit.

"W-well… yeah. In a secret chamber where only the Esteemed Elders have access to."

"And she's alive."

"Well… yeah. But it's not that simple." As soon as Rey heard this, he raised his brow and made a complicated face.

Kara took this as her queue to explain further.

"The Elves placed her in a state of Eternal Sleep. That is the highest punishment they can give to one of their own—forcing them to sleep until their life runs out and they die."

Since Elves had a no-kill Rule, they couldn't eliminate even their most severe offenders. However, by placing the perpetrators in a state akin to death, allowing nature to run its course over them, they had their own form of execution.

not fully dead… but she's not really alive either…" Rey mumbled to himself, his fingers stroking his chin as a certain image flashed

Did they use some kind of Curse, or is it just Magic…?' He couldn't determine that

the horse's mouth." Closing his eyes and controlling his breath, Rey

like to speak to the Esteemed

************

[Moments Later]

Rey… do not see

become tainted—corrupt and unholy.

"We beg of you…"

had their heads bowed as Rey stood before

the Esteemed Council Hall. It had fireflies dancing around it, with darkness

little critters not only illuminated the ugly-looking bark, but also highlighted the worried faces of the Elves that were still pleading with Rey even as he stepped forward and

was plain, and it

nighttime. However, if one looked up, they would only see the cold hard ceiling that

essence, a starless

far. I might as well…" Rey muttered under his breath and stretched out his hand towards

need to see for

bark or rough resistance. Rather, he felt a rather slimy membrane that

he

all, it only took him

was, Rey was

was nothing in sight but one entity. She seemed glued to the wall, completely naked, with parts of her body buried deep inside

her legs suffered the same fate,

part of her hair was also sucked in,

chest, to her slender, malnutritioned body, to the long