An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Nathaniel’s expression turned grim. He didn’t dare linger and quickly led his men to safer ground. Only after they’d gotten far away from that strange area did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief.

It was a perfect example of how a single spark can start a wildfire. One soldier’s touch on a flower had triggered a violent chain reaction, and the consequences were terrifying.

Now Nathaniel and his men finally understood that this seemingly dazzling, beautiful landscape was actually full of deadly traps.

“Take a moment to rest, but stay alert,” he ordered, leaning on his sword as he gasped for breath.

Sweat seeped into the wound on his back, and the pain was so intense that he was on the verge of passing out. He signaled two of his personal guards to keep watch while he rested against a tree trunk.

In just a few minutes, he had lost over a dozen skilled soldiers. The weight of their deaths pressed heavily on him.

The medical team worked quickly to bandage the wounded. As soon as the medicinal powder was applied to the wounds scratched by the vines, white smoke hissed up, and the injured grimaced in pain.

A soldier suddenly pointed ahead and said, “Your Highness, look over there.”

Everyone followed his finger and saw a wisp of bluish-gray smoke rising from deep within the fog-shrouded valley. It rose steadily through the damp air.

The smoke didn’t swirl like ordinary household smoke. Instead, it moved with a quiet, measured rhythm, as if it had lingered there for centuries.

“Smoke?” Nathaniel asked, snapping upright and forgetting the pain from his wounds.

made sense.

up with joy. All their losses up

smoke was rising. “Stay alert and follow me. We’ll pay

excitement. After all, what did a few injuries matter if they could obtain the

had been moving shrank back to the edges of the path, and

a thicket of bushes bearing purple fruits and suddenly reached a grove of tall, lush trees. The trunks stretched at least 30

grove, a gray-blue roof came into

to move quietly. He then straightened his blood-stained

and soon came upon a yard enclosed by a wooden fence. Pale blue morning glories climbed the

the center of the yard with the ropes tied to two sturdy tree branches. A young child

His skin was fair, and his bare

in the yard, and half a basket of freshly picked wild fruit sat in one corner. Everything seemed so ordinary, yet

in this sanctuary might be the apprentice of an immortal. So, he stepped forward quietly and spoke gently with a

Isle. Pardon me, young sir, could you tell me if this is the abode

fixed on the sky,

again. He spoke with even greater deference. “If you know where the immortals are, please tell

time, the child finally reacted. He let out a snort, but was still staring at the drifting

His left arm