The Forest of the Elves

Under the black velvet of the night sky, the moon’s silver light sliced through like a thin strand of silk. From the depths of darkness, the silhouette of a bomber plane slowly emerged, the hum of its engines between the wings sounding like the voice of fate etched across the forest. Inside—Moris, and several elven girls who had only just tasted freedom. Joy lit their faces, their breaths carrying the sweet scent of newfound liberty. Suddenly, from the dense green canopy below, a blue light flashed and shot upward toward the heavens. CRACK! A magical projectile struck the wing, the metal snapping like a dry reed, and the plane shuddered violently for a moment. “Will they… sell us again?” one elf girl whispered in fear, her eyes shimmering. “Do not be afraid! I’ll try to hold the plane with a magnetic field,” Moris said, his voice firm yet calm. When he activated the device in his hand, the air quivered faintly. The damaged plane began to slowly change its course under the influence of magnetic force. The night forest spun past, and in the distance a small clearing appeared. The plane landed with the heavy sigh of an exhausted beast. The rescued girls, tears streaming, said, “You saved us… you’re not human, you are… hope itself…” But there was no time for celebration. From the shadows of the thick trees, arrows began to whistle toward them! In the blink of an eye, Moris ripped a panel from the plane’s armor and turned it into a massive shield. Arrows clanged against the metal with sharp sparks. From the surrounding darkness, the outlines of archers emerged. Dozens of elven soldiers moved silently, closing in until the forest became a living cage. “A human? You dared to enter the forest… You must be seeking death…” their leader said in an icy voice. “No! He saved us! We are alive—because of him!” the elf girls cried out. “Humans weave a thousand tricks to gain trust, then stab you in the back…” the leader replied with suspicion. Moris did not raise his magnetic hammer. Instead, he simply lifted his hands, signaling surrender. “If I fight—this hatred will go on. Someone must break the chain… Tonight—that moment has come,” he thought to himself. The soldiers bound his hands and led him through the forest toward the queen’s palace. Beside him walked the five elf girls who had tried to shield him. The grand hall of the palace was vast, crowned with a high ceiling, heavy with gold and green patterns, and an air of stern gravity. The elders had gathered, their faces grim. At the tallest throne, Queen Mia sat in silence. “Why is this human still alive?! There is no mercy for the enemy. We have suffered countless torments at the hands of humans!” one elder thundered. “Forgive me, my lords… But he did not fire upon us. Without him, we would have been sold long ago,” a soldier explained. “Is this not simply a ploy to gain our trust? Tomorrow he will sow rot among us!” another elder barked. Arielle, one of the rescued girls, stepped forward. “If he came only to deceive us, why did he fight the slavers? He alone defeated more than ten armed men!” she said. “We saw mercy in his eyes, not malice. He saved us!” another elf girl added. “Humans only act for their own gain. Have you forgotten the suffering they’ve brought us?!” a third elder said with bitter scorn. Queen Mia raised her hand, stilling the tide of voices in an instant. “Enough. I will speak to this man myself. Remove his chains,” she commanded calmly. The elders groaned but obeyed. Unbound, Moris stood silently. “Human. I will judge who you truly are myself…” the queen said. In her private chamber, warm wood carvings adorned the walls, and through the window the green forest and silver brook stretched into the horizon. Moris kept his hands open and free. “You… you are not like other humans. The girls told me… Did you truly save them?” the queen asked thoughtfully. “Yes,” Moris replied. “But why? They are strangers to you. To your people, they are simply forest dwellers… Why risk your life to save them?” she pressed gently. “No one has the right to enslave another. No matter the race or the land they come from, to me the only thing that matters is humanity,” Moris said calmly. “Strange… And what did you gain from this?” the queen asked, raising one eyebrow. Moris paused, meeting her gaze directly. “Must there be gain to do good? I ask you.” “Humans… most of the time, they act only for their own benefit. That is why I asked,” the queen said with a faint, wistful smile. “Goodness is never born from profit. It is born from the soul. If a man helps someone for gain—that is not goodness, that is trade. There is no such thing as an evil race. Saying all humans are evil is a lie. If you see all humans as wicked—you are not a just ruler. Then you are no different from the wicked humans you despise,” Moris said. Queen Mia fell silent, then in a softened voice said, “Well spoken… I never thought I would hear such words from a human. You have opened my eyes. I almost committed a great injustice… Forgive me. Stay as our guest for a few days. The girls have come to see you as their own brother. If you wish, you may walk freely in our forest.”