The Amazon rainforest was alive with the hum of nature—chirping insects, rustling leaves, and distant howls of unseen predators. But tonight, something unnatural disrupted its rhythm. A shimmering distortion in the air cracked open near a tribal settlement, sending a gust of wind that disturbed the canopy. From the swirling vortex, Mary and her Royal Knights emerged, their golden armor reflecting the moonlight, their presence an omen of death.

The sudden arrival startled the tribal villagers. The elders shouted commands, and warriors rushed forward with spears and bows, their bodies painted with symbols of protection and war. But they were mere mortals against the elves.

Two Royal Knights stepped forward, unsheathing their enchanted blades, their faces devoid of emotion. The first warrior lunged with a spear—his attack was intercepted by a swift horizontal slash, severing his arm. His scream barely escaped before the second knight drove a blade through his chest. The massacre began.

Women and children fled into the jungle, but the elves’ archers picked them off with deadly precision. Arrows imbued with Light Magic burned through flesh, leaving behind charred wounds. Those who tried to fight had their weapons shattered by telekinetic force or were impaled where they stood.

Jamie, bound and forced to watch, felt her stomach churn. These elves were not warriors. They were butchers. The scene before her was a vision of Earth’s future if the elves conquered it. This would be her mother. This would be David. This would be Solomon. Her fingers clenched into fists.

Mary, standing nearby, observed Jamie’s changing expression with a knowing smile.

“You understand now, don’t you?” Her voice was calm, almost soothing. “Your people have no chance against us. This is mercy. A quick death, rather than slow enslavement. If you cooperate, I can ensure your loved ones are spared. The Queen does not need to punish those who are obedient.”

Jamie glared at her. “You call this mercy? You slaughtered innocent people!”

Mary’s golden eyes glowed under the moonlight. “A necessary sacrifice. Their existence was meaningless. They were in our way.” She motioned for her knights to continue moving. The stable node was still miles ahead, but soon, the portal between Forestia and Earth would be permanent—and no army in the world could stop it.

---

The Human Pursuit

On the human side, the latest magnetic fluctuations had pinpointed the elves’ new location near the tribal settlement. A multinational force of special operations units, mercenaries, and private hunters mobilized toward the coordinates, each with their own goals.

Inside the command tent, David adjusted his gear while speaking into his radio.

“All teams, be advised, we have confirmed elven presence near a native settlement. Proceed with caution. They will not hesitate to wipe out resistance.”

Solomon, leaning against a Humvee, exhaled smoke from a cigarette.

“If they’re at a settlement, there are going to be bodies. Hope you’re ready for that, Dave.”

David’s jaw tightened, but he gave a nod. He had already steeled himself for the horrors ahead.

The first obstacle wasn’t the elves themselves—but the jungle itself. The Lunar Priestesses had used magic to hypnotize the wildlife, turning the rainforest against them.

Wildcats pounced from the shadows, crocodiles emerged from swamps to drag men into the depths, and venomous snakes dropped from trees onto unsuspecting soldiers. The closer they got to the coordinates, the more aggressive the wildlife became.

Gunfire echoed through the forest as mercenaries and soldiers fought back against their unnatural foes. Solomon, ever the survivor, moved like a shadow through the battlefield, bypassing the worst of the chaos. He knifed a jaguar mid-air, its body crashing into a soldier behind him.

David, a former elite marksman, fired with cold precision, taking out three pouncing mane wolves before they reached his squad.

Despite the resistance, Solomon and David’s group was the first to reach the settlement—only to be met with horror.

---

A Massacre in the Moonlight

The village was silent, save for the crackling of flames. Bodies lay strewn across the dirt—some dismembered, others burnt beyond recognition. The stench of death was thick in the air. A child’s small, lifeless hand peeked from beneath a collapsed hut.

Solomon’s grip tightened on his rifle.

“Goddamn elves…”

David knelt by one of the fallen warriors, his hands trembling slightly as he closed the man’s lifeless eyes.

“We were too late.”

One of the surviving tribesmen, barely alive, reached for David’s boot. His mouth moved, but only blood gurgled out.

“What is it? Who did this?” David asked, leaning in.

With his last breath, the man rasped a single word.

“Sun…”

And then, silence.

Solomon’s gaze lifted to the trees, catching faint traces of elven footprints disappearing deeper into the jungle. He exhaled sharply.

“They’re still close.”

David stood, his eyes cold.

“Then we keep moving.”

The hunt was not over.

---

Beth Awakens

Beth’s eyes fluttered open, the beeping of medical monitors filling her ears. The harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital ward made her squint as she tried to focus. A familiar face sat beside her, gently dabbing a wet cloth against her forehead—Sophia, David’s younger sister.

“You’re awake.” Sophia’s voice was soft, but relief was evident in her eyes.

Beth tried to sit up, but a sharp headache forced her back down. “Where… where’s David?”

Sophia hesitated, then sighed. “He’s in the Amazon.”

Beth’s heart pounded. “The Amazon?”

Sophia nodded. “After the failed operation, all hell broke loose. The elves used another portal, and now every military, mercenary, and opportunist is chasing them down. David… he’s leading the charge.”

Beth’s breath caught. Her husband was out there, fighting God-knows-what, and she had been unconscious this entire time? She reached for the call button. “I need to see him. Now.”

Sophia placed a calming hand over hers. “I already tried. We contacted his assigned base, but…” She hesitated, her expression darkening.

Beth narrowed her eyes. “But what?”

Sophia exhaled. “David left. He and Solomon had a scuffle with the base commander and took off with a group of mercenaries.”

Beth’s stomach twisted. “He’s not even with the military anymore? Who told you this?”

Sophia glanced at the door, where a man in a military uniform stepped inside—a familiar face. Ryan Carter.

Beth blinked in recognition. Ryan had once dined at their home, one of David’s old squadmates.

Ryan gave her a solemn nod. “Mrs. Lancaster, I came as soon as I heard you woke up. I was at the base when David left. It wasn’t pretty. He clashed hard with command, and before anyone could stop him, he was gone. He’s deep in the jungle now, chasing the elves with Solomon Kane.”

Beth gripped the sheets tightly. “Find him.”

Ryan met her gaze. “We’re trying.”

But Beth knew that out in the jungle, where magic and monsters lurked, time was running out.