Salvation IV

History lay quietly reflected in the star-filled night sky. Those dazzling new stars were said to be the heroes of the past. They looked down upon the earth from above the firmament, gazing upon the world of today through the eyes of history. The wind above the pine forest had not stopped for even a moment, but it was not fierce. Instead, it gently brushed the needles with an invisible hand, making them sway in unison and rustle softly.

It was like a dream murmuring of the forest's past.

As the dream unfolded, the edge of the world collapsed with it. The woodland seemed to be swallowed by endless fog, until only this tiny patch of land remained in the void—the mountain wind passing through the forest, the meadow, the carriage, the murdered Elf Maiden, and Brando's group together forming a frozen tableau.

Moonlight spilled over the mountains and wilds, while time flowed silently with the riverlike sea of stars. The bright moon rose in the west and set in the east, curved like a hook.

For everyone, this was the end of the dream. But it was not a line. Brando raised his head and looked across the entire forest, his gaze passing through layer upon layer of tree trunks before landing on the black carriage. He shouted, "Cadell, I know you're here. Come out and let me see your tricks."

For a moment, there was silence—so quiet that even a falling needle could be heard.

A pale figure appeared inside the carriage. It swayed slightly, like a ghost, glowing faintly as though shrouded in pale phosphorus fire. It wore neat aristocratic attire and carried an elven longsword at its waist, but it had no features. Its flat, slate-like face held only a pair of glittering eyes.

Without a