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.

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

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

his eyes and controlling his breath, Rey spread his

speak to the Esteemed Elders

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

[Moments Later]

Rey… do not

and unholy.

"We beg of you…"

heads bowed as Rey stood before a rather

the Esteemed Council Hall. It had fireflies

the worried faces of the Elves that were still pleading with Rey even as

room was plain, and

this was nighttime. However, if one looked up, they would only

a starless

already come this far. I might as well…" Rey muttered under his breath

to see for

rough resistance. Rather, he felt a rather slimy

he pushed

no resistance at all, it only took him a few seconds to be

he was, Rey was

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

up to her elbow, and her legs suffered the same fate,

also sucked in, but everything else

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