Taming the Dark Elf: The Alv Great Forest
If the lands to the west of the continent belonged to humans and those to the south to beastmen, then to the east lay the realm of the elves—the Alv Great Forest.
Humans speculated that the elves had taken root there since the time of their distant ancestors' ancestors' ancestors, but how could humans, whose own history was so murky, presume to gauge the history of elves who lived for eternities beyond their comprehension? Yet upon entering the great forest region and beholding the age of those colossal trees, it didn't seem entirely impossible. Seeing trees whose exposed roots alone were thicker than a man's body, humans would simply think, The elves' history must be as ancient as these trees.
But which human could know the truth? The elves had existed since those trees were mere saplings—from the dawn of time itself.
Humans had heard the name but knew nothing of its reality, yet to the elves, there existed a massive tree called the Mother Tree, the mother of all forests, the origin of the elven race—the World Tree. To call it merely "massive" felt profane, for it was a tree of such immense size and sanctity that it served as the elves' spiritual pillar... and their god incarnate.
How could a single tree be revered as a deity? In the primordial era when all things on earth began to emerge, the World Tree was still a young sapling newly rooted in the soil. It created beings to attend it: leaves fallen from its branches became the white elves, and roots bursting from the earth became the black elves. Day and night, they served the young World Tree in turn.
A passage from the elven creation myth.
Not even the elves, who lived for ages beyond human reckoning, knew when the World Tree had first sprouted. That was precisely why they worshiped this sacred tree as a god. Myths and legends, after all, were always rooted in some kernel of truth.
And as befitted a being called a god by her people, the World Tree had a shrine maiden to serve it. She was the guardian knight who called herself protector of the World Tree, the queen who ruled all white elves—the high elf.
Her hair cascaded like threads of spun gold, framing ears far longer and sharper than those of other elves. A beauty mark beneath her delicate eyes added to her striking allure. But anyone who glimpsed those ears peeking through her tresses would know her at once: clad in a translucent chiton befitting the shrine maiden and oracle of the World Tree, she was Leisia Mimir Alb, the noble high elf.
Leisia knelt with eyes closed inside the temple nestled within the World Tree's trunk. Apart from meals and sleep, she devoted nearly every hour of the day to prayer in this sacred tree—a routine of utter simplicity that consumed her life. Yet as the representative of the elven race, tending directly to the holy tree was a divine duty: praying for the prosperity and safety of her kind, a brighter future, and receiving the prophecies and oracles the World Tree bestowed.
Pzzzt!
“...”
Leisia's ears twitched as her eyes remained shut.
Pzzzt!
A sound like radio static crackling through the air—but this was no mere noise. If it were, everyone nearby would hear it. Yet in the temple, only Leisia heard it amid her prayers. Not the handmaidens who served the high elf, nor the knights—only her, the sole being who could commune with the World Tree.
Another... another prophecy... a vision of the future!
How many was this now? After centuries of silence, the World Tree had revealed a prophecy mere years ago—and now, after just a few short years, it was granting her new visions of its prophecies and glimpsed futures.
“...”
Can we veer away from that future of ruin this time?
Years ago, the prophecy had descended without warning. Even during the Demon King's rampage, the World Tree had remained silent—until then. Leisia had witnessed the World Tree engulfed in flames, a future so shocking it shook her to her core.
But in that prophetic vision of doom, she had also glimpsed her fellow kin, the princess of the dark elves who walked the night—Lenaris. To save her people and the World Tree from destruction, Leisia had betrayed her own and handed Lenaris over to the humans.
The surest way would have been to kill her outright. But that was impossible. Waging war against the dark elves to avert a foreseen future was no option, and defying the natural order for the sake of that future would only invite greater calamity upon them in time. She knew better than anyone: to save the World Tree, she would do anything—but the greater the sin committed in its name, the mightier the wave of retribution that would one day crash back upon them.
Thus, Leisia had sold Lenaris to the humans. Greedy and depraved as they were, they would never free their slave... nor simply let her die. It was tantamount to sealing away Lenaris—someone linked to the World Tree's doom—on human soil. This was the best Leisia could manage.
She had considered the torments Lenaris might endure in the process, but compared to the World Tree's annihilation, the sufferings of the dark elf princess were but the flutter of a butterfly's wing.
Call her a hypocrite. Call her filthy. Leisia was a high elf—ever prepared to do anything for the prosperity and peace of her race. Even if it meant slaying her own kin or selling off their princess.
But today, after just a few years, the World Tree was prophesying once more. Would this one be different? Might it begin differently, yet always end in the same flames of annihilation? Had she and her kin been spared from ruin?
Leisia did not resist the sacred energy piercing her mind. She accepted it.
And then—
“Hah?!”
Again. Everything ablaze once more.
Her kin fled in all directions from the infernos rising around them. Pursuing them were orcs clad in silver pelts, black hides, and golden fur.
“Orcs...?!”
Orcs were surely—all orcs surely—extinct, slain by the hero summoned from another world!
Scenes even clearer and more destructive than the last prophecy unfolded in sequence.
-Everything for the Master!
-Trample them! Ravish them! This is a holy war for the Master! You pathetic bitches will all grovel at his feet!
Two nude women led the charge—one with silver hair, the other blue—laying waste to the village. And trailing them emerged something green, the embodiment of utter depravity beyond compare, its foul cock erect as it followed.
-Woof! Woof! Woof!
-Arf! Arf! Arf!
“Aaaah...! No, nooo!!”
Lenaris, fawning like a dog as she serviced that entity's cock with barks and playful antics...
-Master, grant your bitch Leisia your grace...!
And Leisia herself, rubbing her face against that cock, begging for its affection.
“Hngh?!”
With that glimpse of her future self, Leisia snapped awake from the World Tree's prophetic vision, returning to reality.
“No... This isn't... this can't be!!!!! Nooooo!!!!!!”
Her scream echoed through the temple, startling the attendant waiting silently outside. The servant rushed in and supported the gasping Leisia.
Why?! Why this future?!
Lenaris had been sealed away on human lands—how was she trampling the World Tree once more? How had she escaped?!
More than that, the attackers weren't human. Or were they? They wore human forms, but could they truly be called human?
“Sows...”
Yes—they were depraved sows masquerading as humans. And behind them loomed that wicked entity commanding the sows. The one who had tamed both Lenaris and Leisia herself as bitches... it was unmistakably...
“O-orc... orc...”
Leisia's body trembled uncontrollably.
She didn't understand why she was aiding the elves' and World Tree's doom in that future—but right now, the most vital thing was—
“No, I... I won't...”
“Terralis, gather intelligence across the continent at once.”
“The whereabouts of the dark elf princess, Lenaris. Where she went, whom she was sold to.”
“No more questions—now! It's a prophecy of ruin...”
Leisia had seen herself in the vision—betraying her kin to become the orc's loyal bitch—but she kept that from her servant.
Fearing the dark elf princess would burn their lands, she had sealed her away. Yet in this twisted future, Leisia herself betrayed her race alongside her. That meant the future hinged on Lenaris—where she was, what she was doing.
“Wait!”
Leisia grabbed the servant already hurrying out.
“While searching for the dark princess, look into one more thing.”
“Orcs. Investigate if any orcs remain on this continent—or any survivors from the last war.”
The servant bowed deeply to Leisia and bolted away.
Left alone in the temple, Leisia collapsed to her knees.
“No... I won't... I won't anymore...”
Her porcelain-white hand trembled as it stroked her neck.