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.

immortals, finding one here made sense. That smoke had to be

with joy. All their losses up

fall in,” he commanded, drawing his sword and pointing toward where the smoke was rising. “Stay

once more. Exhaustion melted away, replaced by excitement. After all, what did

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 down like ordinary branches,

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

end of the grove, a gray-blue roof came into view. That was where the smoke had been

Nathaniel said, motioning for the others to move quietly. He then straightened his

a narrow path through the grove of tall, lush trees and soon came upon a yard enclosed by a wooden fence. Pale blue morning glories climbed the fence, and their petals were

two sturdy tree branches. A young child in a plain outfit sat on it, gently swaying back and

two small buns. His skin was fair, and his bare feet pressed against the swing’s footboard. Dark,

freshly picked wild fruit sat in one

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

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

child kept swinging. His eyes fixed on the sky, and he seemed

even greater deference. “If you know where the immortals are, please tell us. We would sincerely like to pay our respects and

finally reacted. He let out a

behind Nathaniel, could no longer hold back his anger. His left