Merslin had formally requested an audience with Queen Elissar and the High Elders of the High Elf realm. Guided by Idanna, he and his companions stepped into the grand council chamber located at the heart of the ancient forest.
The chamber was steeped in a solemn, almost sacred silence. Queen Elissar and the five elders sat at the far end, their eyes fixed on Merslin. Though their gazes held the timeless wisdom of their kind, there was an undercurrent of instability, something quietly unsettling.
Taking a deep breath, Merslin stepped forward and spoke with cautious gravity."Your Majesty, honored elders, we have not come here merely to break the seal upon the forest. The entire continent of Luminaria is in peril. The ancient gods have begun to stir, and signs of disruption are emerging across the multiverse."
A heavy silence followed. The queen and the elders exchanged glances, their expressions thoughtful yet troubled. Then, something shifted.
Just for a fleeting second, Merslin and Lydia noticed it: a subtle flicker in their eyes, as though their minds had been pulled elsewhere—disconnected, if only momentarily.
"Did you see that?" Lydia whispered to Merslin."Their eyes… It was like they weren't here for a moment."
Merslin gave a barely perceptible nod. "I saw it too. It's not just the confusion of awakening from a long slumber. Something's wrong."
As the leaders seemed to regain their focus, Merslin pressed on."We came here to uncover the secrets of the relics and prevent the return of the ancient ones. But we cannot do it alone. We need the wisdom and strength of the High Elves."
Queen Elissar lowered her gaze, her voice heavy with fatigue."Long ago, we chose the Deep Sleep to escape the prophecy of ruin. But now… to hear that a new darkness stirs—it shakes us to our core. We are not yet fully awake. And we are not ready."
The elders nodded solemnly, their faces etched with uncertainty and unspoken fear.
"We understand," Merslin said gently. "But this crisis is unlike any before. The multiverse itself trembles. If we don't act together, darkness will once again devour everything."
Elissar met his eyes again—momentarily lost, then slowly recovering. That same brief vacancy returned, and once more, Merslin and Lydia sensed it: a disturbance not born of exhaustion, but something far deeper.
"This isn't just confusion," Lydia murmured. "Something else is affecting them. We need to find out what."
Merslin nodded again and addressed the queen."Your Majesty, we're not asking you to stand alone. Let us face this together. Now is the time to unite our strength."
Elissar sighed. "Merslin… We will trust in your words. But we are weakened. We will look into the relics—and uncover what aid we can provide."
Merslin bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty. With your support, we will face this together."
As the queen and elders departed the chamber, Merslin and Lydia exchanged a glance. The unease they had felt could no longer be dismissed. Something unseen was at work—gnawing at the forest, its people, and perhaps even reality itself.
And the truth behind that disturbance would not stay hidden for long.
****
A Forged Truth Uncovered
Having secured a confidential document from the High Elves' archive, Merslin and his companions retreated to a secure location deep within the forest. As soon as they opened the scroll, Aria felt an inexplicable sense of unease settle over her.
"I wish Serena were here," Aria murmured. Serena, with her sharp intuition and remarkable magical insight, would have been invaluable in such moments. Her absence was more deeply felt than ever.
Hearing this, Lydia offered a confident smile. "It's fine. We can handle this without her. Let me try."
Lydia began casting a variety of spells, attempting to peel back the document's hidden truths. But no matter what she tried, the scroll remained inert. Some kind of powerful warding magic was at work, cloaking its contents in magical haze.
Though she maintained a composed expression, Lydia was inwardly frustrated. "This must be sealed with something stronger than I expected. Maybe even Serena would have trouble unraveling it."
Merslin took the document and examined it closely, hoping to confirm Aria's intuition. "It looks ordinary enough, but something definitely feels off… I just don't know how to unlock it."
At that moment, Lisa stepped forward hesitantly. "Mind if I take a look?"
Though Lisa lacked deep magical knowledge, her instincts as a warrior had proven uncanny on more than one occasion.
"Of course," Merslin replied with a smile, handing her the scroll. "Just be careful with it. I have a feeling this is more important than it seems."
Lisa carefully handled the scroll, turning it over and gently brushing over the surface. But as she tugged slightly at one edge—perhaps too hard—a part of the parchment tore.
"Oh no—I'm so sorry!" she gasped, quickly setting the scroll down in panic.
But in that very moment, something unexpected happened.
Merslin leaned in, eyes narrowing. "Wait… this—this wasn't part of the original text."
Where the scroll had torn, a hidden layer of ink bled through the fibers—an overwritten line, a concealed mark.
Lydia studied the damaged section, her expression turning grave. "This isn't just an editing mistake. Whoever did this went to great lengths to forge the document, complete with magical tampering. But ironically… it was Lisa who revealed it."
Merslin chuckled. "Talk about the perfect example of 'a cow stepping backward and catching a frog.'"
Lisa blinked. "What does that even mean?"
"It's a Korean saying," Merslin explained with a grin. "It means something great happened purely by accident. Your mistake might have just cracked this whole mystery open."
Still a bit flustered, Lisa gave an awkward laugh. "Well… I guess that was lucky. But the real win is that now we knowthis scroll was forged."
Aria, still watching the scroll closely, spoke softly. "There's something deeper here. I could feel it from the start. This isn't just any document. There's a truth hidden within… one that could shape everything that comes next."
Merslin nodded, his grip tightening on the parchment. "Then let's uncover it. Whatever lies beneath these lies—it's going to lead us to something vital."