Chapter 379

The dark elves and human Awakened looked up at the sky with tense expressions.

Over the past several days, they had been preparing for the Great Barrier.

After Zeon created the mountains, they buried the sacred relics within them and constructed magic circles to link each one.

Nearly ten large-scale magic circles had to be completed, and both dark elves and human Awakened worked themselves to the bone. Yet not a single one of them complained.

They willingly poured their everything into the task.

During that time, there had been several monster attacks.

The flying-type beasts had returned.

Wyverns and griffins once again came to claim the spirit.

They hadn’t given up.

That was when Gaia took flight.

—Piii!

Letting out her signature cry, Gaia ascended.

At first, the wyverns and griffins underestimated her.

It made sense—Gaia’s appearance was too gentle, too peaceful. But they quickly learned their mistake in the most brutal way.

Suddenly, a black light erupted from Gaia’s entire body.

Exposed to that darkness, the wyverns and griffins died without even managing a proper struggle.

The memory of monsters falling like drugged flies was still vivid.

Gaia had invoked the power of the Reaper’s Scythe.

Any monster of lower rank or strength than her could not escape its effect.

Gaia had not only grown in size—she now carried the dignity worthy of Moby Dick’s descendant.

She was no longer a being that needed protection.

She now possessed enough power to take on most monsters with ease.

By her side, the spirit flew with her, together guarding the forest.

Thanks to them, the villagers were able to focus solely on the work of raising the barrier.

“It’s done.”

“It’s complete.”

At last, everyone finished their assigned tasks.

They all gathered in one place.

Today was the day the Great Barrier would be activated—after all their effort.

Teriuden addressed the crowd.

“Once the Great Barrier is raised, the Black Forest—no, the Primeval Forest—will be completely sealed off from the outside world.”

After long discussion, the villagers had decided to name this place “the Primeval Forest.”

The first forest to rise again on Earth.

They named it with the hope that it would become the origin and sanctuary of all life.

Though they were sealing it off for now due to lack of strength, they agreed to open it once they could protect it.

“When the barrier activates, those without a Divine Token will not be able to see this place, much less enter. So treat your tokens with care.”

The Divine Tokens Teriuden mentioned were wooden plaques made from the Cloud Tree.

In Kurayan, these had been used to prove an elf’s identity.

Teriuden had preserved them all this time, and few other tribes had any left.

Of course, simply possessing one didn’t guarantee entry through the barrier. Each tribe had its own authentication process.

The dark elves now settled in the Primeval Forest had their own.

Any bearer of a plaque who hadn’t undergone that process would never be able to cross the barrier.

Teriuden also presented Zeon, Levin, and Brielle with Cloud Tree tokens.

This granted them unrestricted access to the Primeval Forest.

“The three of you are our village’s benefactors. Please visit and stay with us whenever you wish.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, let us begin the activation.”

Teriuden nodded to the dark elves, who began channeling mana into the magic circles.

Whooooom!

The circles began to glow and emitted a resonant hum.

Zeon, Brielle, and Levin held their breath as they watched.

The magic circles encircling the Primeval Forest activated one after another, and beams of light shot up from each sacred relic.

Everyone’s mouth fell open as four towering pillars of light pierced the sky.

“Woooow!”

“Aaah!”

The children cheered, arms raised in joy.

The four beams, which looked as if they might pierce holes in the heavens, soon spread out like a vast net.

The strands of light intertwined and wove together into a massive dome.

The dome of light completely enveloped the Primeval Forest.

Zeon murmured,

“Spectacular.”

“It’s amazing… A barrier that covers the entire forest,” Levin added, unable to close his mouth in awe.

Brielle stared at the glowing dome without blinking.

The brilliant shield that seemed to set the sky on fire soon faded and disappeared entirely.

At first glance, it might have seemed like the barrier had failed. But everyone inside could feel its presence.

Though invisible, it undeniably existed.

The operation had been a complete success.

Only those inside the barrier could sense it. Outsiders would neither see it nor detect it unless they came very close.

Even if someone did sense the barrier, they would never guess that such an immense forest lay hidden within.

The Great Barrier also possessed formidable defensive power.

It could withstand attacks from most monsters without difficulty.

The forest was now significantly safer.

Then Brielle murmured, as if the thought had just struck her:

“I wish Mother could’ve been here to see this…”

Even high elves needed a forest.

Thinking of her mother and the villagers still struggling on that barren land brought tears to her eyes.

For so long, she’d felt unworthy of returning home.

But seeing the joy in everyone’s faces inside this lush, green sanctuary made her think of her mother.

Thick tears streamed silently down Brielle’s cheeks.

Then—

—Piii!

Sensing her emotions, Gaia flew to her from where she was gliding freely through the air.

Gently circling her as if in comfort, Gaia glided around Brielle. Yurie joined in, floating near Brielle’s face, also offering comfort.

Where one went, the other followed—Gaia and Yurie were always together.

“Thank you… both of you.”

Brielle gently stroked Gaia and Yurie.

Even that small contact brought her considerable comfort.

Then it happened.

Brielle felt a strange sensation.

Something tickled deep inside her chest.

The tickle reached her heart.

Thump! Thump!

Her small heart began to beat rapidly.

Startled by her body’s unfamiliar reaction, Brielle looked to Zeon with a worried expression.

“Z-Zeon?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Something’s… not right.”

Clutching her chest, Brielle dropped to her knees.

Her unusual state startled those nearby.

Then Har stepped forward from among the onlookers.

She looked at Brielle for a moment, then said:

“Congratulations.”

“Huh?”

“That’s the sign. A spirit is trying to bond with you.”

Har had nurtured a spirit egg for eight long years.

Yurie, in a way, had been born from nothing.

Had it not been for Har’s pure devotion and unwavering sacrifice, she never would have come into being.

No one knew the process of spirit birth better than Har.

She pulled Brielle into a tight embrace and said:

“Don’t be afraid. Gaia and Yurie have triggered the birth of another spirit.”

“Really?”

“Yes. In a way, every spirit born from now on could be considered their child. So don’t be scared—just accept what’s happening inside your body.”

“Okay!”

With that, Brielle clasped her hands together.

Just as Har had said, she would accept her transformation as it came.

—Piii!

Gaia and Yurie continued to gently circle around her.

Their presence gave Brielle strength.

She focused more deeply on the changes happening within.

Crack!

She suddenly felt something break inside her chest.

It felt as if something were hatching.

Brielle trembled.

At that moment, something connected with her heart.

“Ah!”

A gasp escaped her lips.

Before her eyes, a new cluster of light appeared.

Smaller than Yurie, the glowing orb flitted erratically around her, as if examining her.

“What is that?”

“It’s another spirit.”

People and dark elves alike erupted into murmurs.

The dark elves’ astonishment was on a different level.

They hadn’t expected another spirit to be born so soon after Yurie.

“The spirits are returning…”

“Is a new age of spirits dawning?”

They watched in awe as the spirit danced around Brielle.

Moments later, the light faded, revealing the spirit’s true form.

It was a dainty girl the size of a fist, with transparent wings.

Teriuden recognized her at once and murmured:

“Silf… Silf has returned. By the gods!”

Tears welled in his eyes.

Silf had been the spirit Teriuden contracted with back in Kurayan—he knew her instantly.

Brielle reached out toward the spirit.

“Silf?”

—Kyaruru!

Silf’s laughter echoed in Brielle’s ears.

Only she could hear it.

The winged child-like Silf fluttered around her playfully.

And in that moment, Brielle instinctively knew what to do.

‘Will you form a pact with me, Silf?’

—Gladly, Brielle.

Silf perched lightly on her shoulder in response.

Brielle could feel the bond between them solidify as they became one.

‘So this is what Zeon must’ve felt with Gaia…’

No matter how close she had felt to Gaia, there had always been an invisible line.

Thanks to Gaia’s gentleness, she hadn’t noticed before—but now, with her own spirit, she could tell.

No matter how friendly Gaia had been, Zeon was her true contractor. Her loyalty was to him.

But the Silf she had contracted with—she belonged to Brielle alone.

That difference, she now understood.

Then Silf said,

—Won’t you give me a name?

‘Your name is Riria. How’s that?’

—I love it! Kyaruru!

Silf—now Riria—burst into laughter and soared into the sky.

She flew up to Gaia and Yurie.

—Piii!

Gaia wagged her tail and welcomed Riria.

Like a child meeting her parents, Riria flitted around them with excitement.

“Aah…”

“Please, let this not be a dream…”

The dark elves looked on, overcome with emotion.

Teriuden said to Brielle,

“Silf is a spirit of wind.”

“A spirit of wind?”

“Yes. She loves the wind and commands it. Her power may be weak now, but as you nurture her, she’ll grow stronger. I pray you care for her well.”

“Don’t worry. I know how precious she is. Riria is my dear friend. I’ll never treat her poorly.”

“Thank you.”

“I have a request.”

“Anything. Say it, and if it’s within my power, I’ll do it.”

“Let me take just one blade of grass with me.”

“A blade of grass? May I ask why?”

At Teriuden’s cautious question, Brielle looked out toward the distant sky.

“It’s time.”

“Time?”

“It’s time to return home. I want to show them what I’ve seen.”

A spirit… and a single, living blade of grass.

That alone would be enough.

Enough to persuade the people of her stagnant, frozen village.