Side Effects of Darkness!

“Get up! This place is way too dangerous!”

It was Flint’s voice, trying to wake Elara up.

“How long have I been out?”

“No clue. I just know it's getting late. We should head back to base.”

Elara looked around. The ashes of the undead scattered on the ground reminded her of what had happened.

“Talon… That filthy traitor!”

She turned to Flint, who looked visibly worried. She stood up, and the two started making their way back to the base.

Along the way, something felt off.

The air had grown thick with fog, and the whole forest looked darker—like a living hell had spread across the land.

Flint tried to look calm, but the tension on his face gave him away.

“You're not seriously scared of a little fog, are you? That’s not very warrior-like.”

“It’s not the fog that scares me…”

Elara froze for a second, then forced a fake smile.

“Well, maybe I'm just imagining things. You're definitely braver than that!”

Still looking uneasy, Flint replied, “I don't know what's coming or who might die… but I just hope I can help when the time comes.”

Until now, Elara had always seen him as just a stubborn, simple-minded boy. But the moment she realized he felt the same tension, she knew she’d underestimated him.

“Don’t worry. No one in this base is going to die… not anymore!”

A voice broke through the silence.

“You talk big for someone so dumb.”

It was Lux.

“Oh great, you again. Could you stop barging into my brain like that?”

“I’ve got a good reason to be here.”

“Good reason? What are you talking about? Something happened?”

“Well, yeah. But the real news can wait till you get back to base. For now, just know this—you can summon your brothers into this world.”

Elara took a deep breath. “Wow… and I thought you actually had good news.”

Suddenly her eyes sparkled.

“Wait—seriously?! I can summon them here? Tell me how! I need to see them right now!”

Flint grabbed her arm and yanked her back.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but are you on something?!”

Elara froze. “What?! What are you even talking about?!”

“You're just… talking to nobody and jumping up and down like a lunatic.”

“I—I was just… uhh…” She cleared her throat. “Probably just fatigue. Ignore it!”

In her head, she whispered to Lux:

“I swear, I’ll get you back for this.”

“You already did. That was hilarious.” Lux cleared his throat. “Anyway, with some practice back at base, you’ll learn how to summon them—and some other fun stuff too.”

Then he vanished.

Elara was exhausted. Her whole body ached like it had been smashed with a hammer. She’d lost a lot of blood, and if not for her immortality, she’d probably be dead by now.

Halfway through the path, she collapsed from sheer weakness.

Flint rushed to her side, panicked.
“Hey! Are you okay?! This isn’t the place to rest! Get up—we’re almost there!”

Elara could barely hear him. Everything sounded muffled.

“What the hell is wrong with me? I already rested… why do I feel like this? Am I just too weak now?”
She tried to look at Flint, but his face was blurry. Darkness clouded her vision. Within seconds, she blacked out—again.

"Big bro… what would you do if someone tried to beat me up at school one day?"

It was Elara again—but this time, she was fourteen. Standing right in front of Raze.

Raze laughed.
“Beat you up? I’d make sure no one even dares to look at you the wrong way.”

“And… what if I get lost someday? Or, you’re not around to protect me?”

Raze went silent. His brows furrowed.

“I’d search the world for you, Elara. And once I find you, we’ll tear apart whoever hurt you.”

Then he hugged her—tight.

“But please… try not to get lost, okay?”

Still in his arms, Elara heard a muffled voice.

“Hey! Wake up!”

“Wake up, you idiot!!”

“I said get up!”

Elara’s eyes snapped open—just in time to smash her forehead into Ben’s face.

“DAMN IT! This nose used to be perfectly shaped!”

Groaning, Elara clutched her head, the pain bringing her back to reality.

“What… what happened? How did I get here?”
She looked at Ben. “Wait, did you kidnap me?!”

Ben looked offended.

“What the hell?! You live here, dumbass!”

His voice softened.

“I seriously thought you were dead this time. But no—you’ll probably outlive me just to piss me off.”
"by the way! that little guy was the one who helped me find you under all that ash"

Then he squinted at her face. After a few seconds, he pointed.

“…What’s going on with your eye?”

Elara blinked. “My eye? What do you mean?”

Ben gulped.

“It’s like… there’s this black mist swirling inside it.”

Confused, Elara rushed to a mirror—and gasped.

Her right eye had changed. It had evolved into the Eye of Darkness.
Power-wise, she now stood on equal ground with the Evil King himself.

“So that’s why Talon—”
She froze. The memories came rushing back. She spun toward Ben.

“Talon… that bastard… he’s a traitor!”

Ben blinked, trying to process it.

“Whoa, calm down. I know your first meeting was a little rough, but that doesn’t mean—”

Elara grabbed his collar and yanked him close. She was furious—more than Ben had ever seen her before.

“I’m telling you—Talon betrayed us!! This is no time for jokes—”

She caught herself. Her fists were clenched, her voice shaking.

Letting go of Ben’s shirt, she sat down on the bed, staring at the wall.

“So this is what the Eye of Darkness does…? I’m already getting aggressive…”

She let out a small, strange laugh.

Ben flinched.

“Could you not laugh like that? You’re freaking me out…”