[Successfully eliminated all targets! Congratulations on clearing the Forest of Elves Dungeon, Viel!]

[Rewards: ERROR – Player already has the reward item]

[Portal will be closed in 72 hours. Please exit the dungeon before the portal closes]

"...The portal should be back now", Viel said as he stared at Dao Ming Zhu with glazed eyes, "...Go home"

As soon as Dao Ming Zhu heard this, he quickly rushed out of the room, but not before looking at Emi, with his eyes full of guilt.

"Viel… what…", Emi whispered, "...What did-"

But before she could finish her words, Viel once again approached baby Zachary's crib.

"Viel… what…"

Emi could not really think straight. In fact, none of them can. What exactly was happening? Why did Viel say that they were going home? Was he leaving?

What is he doing in front of the crib?

And soon, they all watched Viel's hair start to float, and with it, baby Zachary's… mangled corpse. Seeing her son hanging like a puppet in the air, with his insides swaying back and forth, Emi's face instanly twisted.

"Viel, what are you doing!?", Emi was about to push Viel to the side, but then she heard Viel's next words.

"Oh, ye innocent soul. Untainted by the world…"

"Viel?"

Baby Zachary's body started to glow, his mangled body started to wriggle as it one by one started to deconstruct itself.

"!!!"

Everyone who saw this could not help but open their jaws in disbelief.

The elf, kneeled on the ground as tears burst from his eyes.

"Oh, innocent soul. Loved ever so dearly by those who brought you into this world. Your journey, albeit short, has changed the lives of everyone you have touched", Viel continued as he placed his hands together.

"My… my baby….", Emi could not help but drop to the ground as she saw baby Zachary floating in the air, without any wounds, as if he was just peacefully sleeping.

"Oh, innocent soul. May your next journey in the cycle of life be surrounded by those who loved you dearly in this life. May you have the chance to spend eternity with them, to cry, to laugh, to live.

This, I gift upon you, oh innocent soul. Grow your wings, and soon, may you start your journey again...

...Farewell, baby brother"

The light glowing from baby Zachary instantly disappeared as Viel clapped his hands. Zachary then floated directly towards Emi, whose longing arms reached for him.

Emi gently held baby Zachary's body and placed him on her bosom. Reflecting the memory of the day when baby Zachary came to their life.

He looked like he was just sleeping. But she knew…

She knew…

Her baby will never wake up again.

But to be able to embrace her baby fully once more, that was really all she could ask for.

"Thank you… thank you, Viel", while hugging baby Zachary with her right arm, she embraced Viel. "Thank you for bringing me back my baby"

The other people in the room did not really know what to say, or if they should even say anything. Only Sofia moved as she handed her cloak to Emi, for her to cover baby Zachary.

They all have experienced their own losses. But to lose a child?

That was a pain they could never imagine.

And so, one by one, they exited the room. Leaving only Emi and Viel in the room.

A moment. Seconds. A minute.

They remained like this, in silence.

"Viel…", Emi whispered, "...are you really going home?"

"..."

"Yes", Viel said softly as he released himself from Emi's embrace, "It is… time to free this world of me"

"...Won't you stay?"

Viel could only look down as he shook his head, "Miss Mirella, Miss Yinji… they both said that we don't belong here. They are right"

"You do belong here, Viel"

"How I wish that was true, Miss Emi", Viel could only sigh as he touched Zachary's face, "All of this… these deaths, the suffering… they are happening because we are here..."

"Viel… without you, I would not have-"

"Experienced this pain", Viel looked Emi straight in the eye.

"Experienced love", Emi quickly retorted.

But Viel, Viel only shook his head once again. There was a certain clarity in his eyes.

"Everything is clear to me now, Miss Emi", Viel closed his eyes as he breathed in, "I know what I must do"

"Viel-"

"I will say goodbye to Antoinette and the others before I leave"

"...", once again, Emi could see the empty gaze in Viel's eyes. And soon, she too, left the room.

Left alone, Viel then once again clapped his hands. The other children, who were strewn on the floor, all started to glow as well, their bodies returning to what it once was.

He looked around, some of these children were probably of the same age as him… and yet, he could not help but release an awkward sigh as he realized how different they were to him.

And with one final look, Viel walked out from this grave of fireflies.

"When are you leaving?"

It would seem that Princess Sofia was the only one left in the cellars. The others have already gone up to prepare to leave.

"Sofie… You're still here?", Viel asked.

"Of course, the bodies inside are children of nobility", Princess Sofia said, "I must stay here until their families have heard of the news"

"And even if it was just a silly set up…", Sofia chuckled, "I am still your fiancee. I can't just leave you behind…

What about you… when are you leaving me behind?"

"In 3 days time", Viel said as he walked near one of the cellars confining a demon, "I still have things left to do here"

"...Like what?"

Hearing this question, Viel looked at Sofia, his eyes… still revealing an empty stare. But Sofia… Sofia could only see the sadness it contained.

"Fulfilling a prophecy", Viel said as he turned his attention to the demon that was inside the cell.

And then, smoke slowly fumed from his empty eyes. His pupils gradually gleaming red.

[Heat Vision]

In Sofia's view, it was as if a red beam of light shot out from Viel's eyes, the metal that barred the cell looked like it did not even exist as the red beam went right through it, all the way through the wall.

And the demon, who was in between the wall and the metal bar, did not even know that his head was already hollow as the beam also went through it.

This happened almost instantly, if Sofia blinked, then she would have missed all of these details entirely.

"V...viel?"

"That's one…", Viel whispered, "Mr. Voice…

...Find all of them"