Reincarnated Into A World Of Elves As The Only Man-Chapter 27: Elena Words

Eren stared at the figure before him, his mind struggling to process what his eyes were seeing. The forest around them pulsed with unnatural life, shadows moving in ways that defied reason. His breath caught in his throat as he took an instinctive step backward, every instinct screaming danger.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice betraying more fear than he intended. His fingers reached reflexively for a weapon that wasn’t there. "What is this place?"

The woman’s lips curved into a smile that never reached her eyes. The crown of thorns upon her head seemed to writhe with a life of its own, casting strange patterns of shadow across her alabaster features.

"Don’t pretend innocence, child of Moonlight," she replied, her voice resonating oddly in the heavy air, as if speaking through water. "We both know you’ve seen me before. In those... visions of yours."

Eren’s blood turned to ice. He fought to keep his expression neutral, but a muscle jumped in his jaw, betraying his shock. "How could you possibly know about that?"

His mind raced through possibilities—had Naia betrayed his confidence? Had Lyra reported his episodes to others? Or had his mother shared the information with rival kingdoms?

The woman’s laughter was like the tinkling of broken glass. "I know many things that are hidden from others. Just as you do."

She glided closer, the ground beneath her feet blackening as if scorched by her mere presence. Eren held his ground despite every instinct urging him to retreat. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"I am Elena, Queen of Thornvale," she announced, the words carrying the weight of ancient power. "Though I suspect some part of you already knew that."

Eren searched his memory, trying to connect this clear image with the fragmented shadows from his visions. There had been glimpses—a crown of thorns, eyes like twilight, a voice that seemed to reach beyond normal hearing—but never this complete picture standing before him.

"This isn’t possible," he said, voice barely above a whisper. His gaze darted around the twisted forest. "Is this real? Or just another vision?"

"Reality is more malleable than your mother’s court would have you believe," Elena replied cryptically. She traced a finger along the trunk of a nearby tree, which seemed to shiver at her touch. "This is a dream, yes, but no less real for it. The boundaries between minds are merely another border to cross."

Eren’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, fighting to maintain composure as panic threatened to overwhelm him. He had experienced many strange things since arriving in this world, but never had someone invaded his dreams with such apparent ease.

"Why attack innocent people?" he demanded, latching onto tangible facts to ground himself. "The water in the lower city—that was your doing, wasn’t it?"

A flicker of something—was it respect?—crossed Elena’s features. "Direct. I appreciate that." She began circling him slowly, like a predator assessing its prey. "The war between our kingdoms is indeed over, but my curiosity about you... that has only intensified."

Eren turned, refusing to let her out of his sight. His heart hammered against his ribs, but he fought to keep his breathing steady. "You poisoned children to satisfy your curiosity?"

"I administered a precisely calculated test," Elena corrected, seeming genuinely offended by his characterization. "The symptoms will fade within days. No permanent harm was intended—or inflicted."

"A test for what?" Eren pressed, unable to hide the tremor in his voice.

Elena paused her predatory circling, her gaze piercing through him with uncomfortable intensity. "To confirm what whispers from other kingdoms suggested—that Elysia’s daughter possesses abilities that transcend ordinary elven gifts. That you can sense what others cannot." Her head tilted slightly. "And you passed magnificently, detecting my touch upon the water when even your mother’s most skilled alchemists found nothing amiss."

Eren felt exposed, as if she had stripped away layers of protection he hadn’t even realized he possessed. "How are you doing this?" he asked, gesturing to the dreamscape surrounding them. "Entering my dreams without permission?"

A slow smile spread across Elena’s face, revealing teeth too sharp to be entirely elven. "Oh, you young elf," she said with mock pity that felt like a slap. "You still know nothing of our world, do you? Of its true workings, its deeper magics."

She moved closer, and Eren could smell night-blooming flowers and something metallic—blood?—surrounding her. The proximity made his skin crawl, but he refused to retreat.

"The boundaries between minds are far more permeable than most realize," she continued, "especially for those with... certain talents. Talents like yours. Like mine."

The implications sent a shiver down Eren’s spine. "What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice steadier than he felt.

Elena’s expression changed, becoming almost reverent. "I never thought," she said, her voice dropping to a near whisper, "that the Moonlight Kingdom would be the one to give birth to the prophecy itself." Her eyes glittered with dangerous fascination. "How extraordinary."

"What prophecy?" Eren managed to keep his tone level despite the growing sense of dread building within him.

"Don’t act so innocent," Elena hissed, suddenly sharp. The forest darkened around them, trees groaning as they bent inward, responding to her shift in mood. "Long ago, my family sought ways to fulfill the ancient words. We tried for generations to create what you simply... are."

She reached out as if to touch his face, stopping just short when Eren flinched backward. "Perhaps," she continued, "a man like you was never meant to be born in Thornvale after all."

The words struck Eren like a physical blow. ’She knows.’ His breath caught painfully in his chest. ’She knows I’m not from this world.’ His thoughts raced frantically, calculating how much she might understand, how much danger this knowledge placed him in.

"You seem shocked," Elena observed, clear pleasure in her tone. "Did you think your secret was yours alone to keep? That the ripples of your very existence wouldn’t be felt across the realms?" She laughed softly. "The moment you crossed between worlds, the fabric of reality trembled. Those sensitive to such things... we felt it."

Eren struggled to maintain his composure, to not betray more than he already had. But questions burned within him, demanding answers. "Tell me what you know about this prophecy," he said, voice hoarse with suppressed emotion.

Elena’s eyes gleamed with triumph, recognizing the hook of curiosity she had successfully planted. "Perhaps," she said, drawing out the word like honey, "if you wish to know more, you should consider coming to my chambers in Thornvale." Her crown pulsed with inner light. "I have ancient texts that might prove... illuminating for someone in your unique position."

"And how would I manage that?" Eren asked, unable to completely mask his interest despite knowing better. "The border between our kingdoms is heavily guarded."

"My guards will accompany you," Elena replied, her form already beginning to lose substance, the dreamscape dissolving at its edges. "They will find you when the time is right."

The forest around them began to collapse into shadow, trees melting like candle wax, the ground beneath Eren’s feet becoming insubstantial. Panic surged through him as he realized she was leaving—taking her answers with her.

"Wait!" he called, reaching toward her fading form. "I thought no one used magic. Are you an earth elements user?"

Elena’s laughter echoed around him. "You still know so little. Perhaps your family is hiding something from you." The forest trembled with her voice. "What you’ve seen of your mother’s air elements is merely the surface of what’s possible."

’Another reason to seek answers,’ Eren thought, both frightened and intrigued by the possibilities. ’If Mother and sisters have been keeping secrets about magic in this world...’

Elena’s smile was the last thing to fade, lingering like the Cheshire cat’s grin. Her final words hung in the air like mist: "Remember, daughter of Elysia—sometimes the path forward requires stepping outside the light."

And then she was gone, leaving Eren alone in the dissolving nightmare, his questions unanswered and his certainties shattered.