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.

here made sense. That smoke had to

with joy. All their losses up to this

toward where the smoke was rising. “Stay

gripped their weapons once more. Exhaustion melted away, replaced by excitement. After all, what did a few

the group followed a winding stream forward, the plants around them grew calmer. The ferns that had been moving shrank back to the edges of the path, and the vines hung

a thicket of bushes bearing purple fruits and suddenly reached a grove of tall, lush trees. The trunks stretched at least 30 feet high, each branch catching a faint golden light. The leaves brushed against one another, producing a soft,

gray-blue roof came into view. That was

move quietly. He then straightened his blood-stained battle robe to maintain a respectful

followed a narrow path through the grove of tall, lush trees and soon came upon a yard enclosed by a wooden

yard with the ropes tied to two sturdy tree branches. A young child in a plain outfit sat on it, gently

buns. His skin was fair, and his bare feet pressed against the

freshly picked wild fruit sat in

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

Linsor. I’ve accidentally wandered onto this Elysium Isle. Pardon me, young sir, could you tell me

eyes fixed on the sky, and he

again. He spoke with even greater deference. “If you know where the immortals are, please tell us. We would sincerely like to

finally reacted. He let out a snort,

Nathaniel, could no longer hold back his anger. His left arm had been