Chapter 408 - 392: Imprisoned

Chapter 408: Chapter 392: Imprisoned

Eternal Song Forest.

An eternal twilight shrouded this place, as if time itself had slowed its pace here.

The Elf Spring, once flowing with a silvery brilliance, had been reduced to a mere trickle. Silver-roofed buildings carved with ancient Runes still stood, but they were mostly silent, with only a few scattered windows showing a faint glimmer of light.

Towering yews and silver birches cast long shadows through the woods. A few hurried figures could occasionally be seen passing through, but the bustling scenes of the past were gone.

An unseen tension filled the air; even the falling leaves seemed to carry a sense of vigilance.

Clad in Light Armor, an Elf Patrol Team moved silently along the forest paths, their sharp eyes constantly scanning every dark corner. The entire forest was shrouded in an atmosphere of high alert.

Deep within an ancient stone fortress built into a mountain at the edge of the forest, the light abruptly dimmed.

Moss that emitted a faint, eerie green glow was sparsely embedded in the walls, providing the only illumination for this subterranean space.

The damp, cold air was a mixture of old stone dust and a faint scent of mildew.

Lining both sides of the narrow passage were cells hewn from rough rock. On the heavy iron bars, ancient Runes had long since grown dim.

In a cell in the deepest part of the dungeon, Avril was suspended from a central stone pillar by heavy iron chains.

The iron shackles had chafed deep red marks onto her slender wrists. Her brown hair, which usually bounced with her movements, now hung limply over her forehead, partially obscuring her face.

Her eyes, which once sparkled with cunning and curiosity, were now downcast, as if covered by a layer of ash—dull and lifeless.

The corners of her mouth, usually upturned in a smile, were pressed into a tight downward curve. It was as if all the life had been drained from her, leaving only the loneliness and exhaustion of a prisoner. She was a completely different person from the lively and spirited Elf Maiden she once was.

Just then, a voice tinged with resignation came from the adjacent cell.

"I did warn you, Miss Avril."

Galvis let out a soft sigh.

"It’s been a long time since the Silver Leaf Elder Council issued a warrant for your arrest, but those old fossils aren’t the type to retract it just because a few years have passed."

Unlike Avril, the Minstrel appeared much more composed, even though he was also imprisoned.

Since he wasn’t in shackles, he sat casually, leaning against the stone wall. His long fingers were even tapping a light, intermittent rhythm on his knee, as if to some invisible beat.

"If you ask me, Miss Avril."

His tone still held a peculiar, lyrical quality.

"You should just tell them the whole story of your dealings with those Zor Elves, from beginning to end."

"For the sake of your past merits in the Silver Moon Guard, the Elders would at least spare your life, instead of... this..."

He paused, his fingers unconsciously plucking at invisible strings in the air. His voice lowered, taking on a serious tone.

"...stubbornly maintaining your silence."

"The rumors I’m hearing aren’t good. Those old geezers are already in their secret chambers discussing how to execute you. By Flame? Exile to the Withered Realm? Or... an even more ancient punishment? Believe me, it won’t be..."

"That’s enough, Galvis!"

Avril snapped her head up. Beneath her messy brown hair, a spark of misunderstood anger ignited in her once-dull eyes.

"I told you, I’ve already told them everything about the Zor Elves! Every detail, every encounter—I’ve told them everything!"

Galvis clicked his tongue, his voice taking on the exaggerated tone characteristic of a Minstrel.

"Oh? Including the part where you claim that, while completely unaware, you were inexplicably chosen by Spider Queen Rose, and then, in your sleep, walked into the Dark Elves’ subterranean lair like a puppet on strings?"

He shook his head.

"Come on, Miss Avril. Even the most hackneyed poet wouldn’t dare fabricate a plot so... devoid of rhythm."

"Believe it or not!"

Hearing the undisguised doubt in his words, Avril snorted and whipped her head away, the chains rattling harshly with her sudden movement.

After her sharp rebuke, a dead silence fell over the cell.

The Elf Maiden stubbornly clenched her jaw, but deep down, she knew how absurd and ridiculous her story sounded.

After all, according to common sense, being chosen by Spider Queen Rose would surely mean one had a profound acceptance of or faith in the dark Deity’s doctrines.

Otherwise, why would that goddess, known for her cruelty and cunning, bestow such a "blessing"?

But...

Recalling those hazy, fog-shrouded days, and the horror and confusion of waking up to find herself in a Zor Elf Divine Hall in the Dark Nether Realm, Avril squeezed her eyes shut in pain and gently shook her heavy head.

’Everything she had said was true, even if that truth sounded more ridiculous than any lie.’

"Alright, alright."

Galvis sighed, finally getting up from the wall and dusting off the corner of his clothes.

"So, shouldn’t we be thinking about how to get out of this hellhole now?"

He paced to the iron bars, his gaze carefully sweeping over every corner of the cell.

The heavy stone door was sealed tight, and the rhythmic footsteps of a Guard could be heard from outside.

Although the dim Runes on the walls had lost their former luster, he could still feel a faint fluctuation of Magic. It was clear that any attempt to use Magic would instantly trigger an alarm.

The ceiling was covered with a fine web of surveillance crystal traces, making it impossible for even a moth to escape unseen.

"This is getting more and more insane..." he muttered with a sense of helplessness. "Have the Elder Council gone mad these years? All I did was argue at the hearing that there was ’insufficient evidence and a lack of procedural fairness,’ and they threw me in here too..."

Avril was silent for a moment, her voice slightly hoarse when she spoke.

"Back then... why did you speak up for me?"

Galvis, who was crouching down to inspect the seams in the stone wall, answered without looking up.

"First, while I have my reservations about your ’sleepwalking into becoming a Chosen’ story, I did promise Roland I’d bring his lively Elf companion back in one piece."

His fingertips tapped lightly against a loose stone, and his tone suddenly became cheerful.

"And second..."

He stood up and looked back at the chained maiden, the corners of his mouth curling into a mischievous smirk.

"I’m guessing that even the former Valkyrie of our Silver Moon Guard isn’t truly so ready to face death, right? What’s more..."

He deliberately drew out his words.

"Even if you were to die, I’m sure you’d much rather it be in the arms of a certain someone, instead of ending it all alone in this cold, damp dungeon, right?"

Avril’s head snapped up. A flash of panic at being found out crossed her brown eyes, which then ignited with embarrassed anger.