《Neet Elf》 Chapter 1: A Fated Meeting You can read in books, or see in television, an event in which two people meet for the first time that is often times described as magical. Or hear from one of the characters that it was a moment in which they knew right away that fate had brought them together. There is nothing strange about reading such passages when they come from literary works of course. It is, after all, the job of a good author to make such scenes as descriptive and vivid of course. To exaggerate the normally mundane to make it somehow seem extraordinary. It was then Daniel¡¯s sole gripe with the subject, even if small, when people used those same terms to describe a meeting in real life. To try to give a flare an importance to their own events as if worthy of being put by pen on paper. But in the end, it wasn¡¯t something he felt strongly about, just a minor thing he found silly. So then, what was the point of this entire bit. Why were such thoughts about a subject Daniel didn¡¯t really care about in his mind? Well that had to do with the event occurring right before his eye. What was occurring in his room right after the power suddenly went out in his room. Because when a a blinding multicolored light suddenly filled in for the missing light, drowning his room in its prismic color. Only to reveal the sight of a woman dressed in a medieval fashion, with a sword at her waist, and long pointy ears. Well, at that moment, it was hard for Daniel to find a way to describe the encounter with this unknown person as anything but¡ª Magical. **** Immediately, before she had even opened her eyes, she could sense that something was wrong. No, it was better to say that it was because she could sense nothing from her surroundings, that she could tell right away that things had gone awfully wrong. She awaited for the last remnants of the powerful spell that had taken her to another land to fade. So that she may open her eyes and confirm the worse of her fears. But when she did so she found not the barren, life-less landscape that she had expected to find in front of her. The kind of view that a world that felt as dead as the one she was in could only produce. But instead, she found herself inside a dark small room, with only the light of the moon to illuminate the surroundings. Accompanying her was a young man wearing what she believed to be undergarments, which made sense considering the time of day, staring back at her with a flabbergasted expression from the chair he sat on. To say the sight was surprising would be understatement. She had been prepared for the possibly of coming across beings who were not human in origin. Prepared for the occasion in which she would need to fight upon arrival. Prepared for something to go wrong in the large spell and for her to die in the process of teleporting. But what she had not expected was to find a world that seemed completely devoid of the very life essence that had always surrounded her. To see a world that should have been dead, and yet could have a young man who looked as healthy as the one before her did. She hoped, then, that this incongruity was caused by an inability from her to sense the life essence of this world, the energy that should have suffused it wherever life existed. Hoped that this didn¡¯t mean that her mission has failed before it began. That she would have to go return to her comrades with nothing to show for after all they had spent on this endeavor. Hoped, that she would not have to face her father after such a failure¡­ She let out a pulse of energy with complete disregard for subtlety. As she had both feared and hoped, there was nothing to be returned for her effort, no other signs of any other living being nearby, despite her being sure that that was not the case. ¡°You.¡± She called out to the young man in front of her who had been staring at her this entire time. He was startled by her words, but soon recovered and attempted to communicate with her. But of course, as was to be expected, she was unable to understand a single word coming from his mouth. She brought down the leather satchel that was hanging from her back, the one that was meant to carry with it everything that she would need for this mission. She looked past expensive gifts and rare, but sturdy, magical items. Past extra clothes and items meant for grooming. Until finally, she reached the part where she kept a few items carefully bundled. She brought it out, and unwrapped it to reveal three ivory sticks engraved with script that was unknown to her. It was a special item meant to allow her to communicate with the locals of this land. One whose creation and composition was unknown to her, but whose value she was keenly aware of. So she hesitated for a second, before taking one and breaking it in twain. As soon as she did so the script written on it began to glow, and she quickly threw one of the glowing halves in the direction of the perplexed man. Who thankfully, instinctively caught it. And no sooner had he done so that the intensity of the light coming from the two halves of the ivory stick, now one in each of their hands, increased in magnitude. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. But just as soon as the sticks lit up the room, their light went quiet. The sticks, despite being solid constructs just seconds ago, having dissolved in motes of light. Leaving the two back in darkness. ¡°Do yo¡ª¡± Light suddenly engulfed the room. She swallowed the question, and immediately jumped to attention. She took stock of her surroundings, keeping watch of the young man as she tried to discover the source of the light, eventually pegging it to three different sources. ¡°Huh¡­the power¡¯s back on¡­¡± She heard the young man mumble. ¡°Did you do this?¡± She asked him, no longer needing to ask if they could understand each other. ¡°Uhh¡­no. You speak English?¡± She ignored him, allowing her gaze to linger on him for only a moment before taking the opportunity to look around the room. This was a good chance for her to carefully study the space she was in, to get clues on the type of person that the summoning spell had brought her in front of. And therefore, give her some advantages when it came to dealing with him. ¡°Alright just ignore me.¡± Which was good that she did so, because right away she was able to notice the immense quantity and diversity of items strewn around the small space, as well the high quality that they all seemed to possess. She turned back to glance at the young man, who had made his way to the wardrobe at the end of the small room, and pulled out a pair of shorts he proceeded to put on. He was clean and well groomed, with a pleasant odor coming from his direction, one that felt familiar, and yet unknown, to her. Also of note were his unblemished hands, free of signs of having ever endured hard labor or training, despite his decent physique. She took a second glance around the room. This one being more critical to its design and composition. Her thoughts were that it was too cluttered, far too many things in such a little space. So not a man of the upper classes, who could afford the luxury of space. But someone wealthy enough that the luxuries of life were within reach. So someone who was part of wealthier side of the middle class perhaps? The only thing she was certain of, was that he was not a fighter. The person who mean to save her troubled world. She still asked him, just in case. ¡°Are you strong? Can you fight?¡± The young man stared at her, then at the sword that was hanging by her waist. He then looked upwards, towards the ceiling, a pensive look on his face as he pondered on whatever it was that he was pondering. ¡°Wanna have a match?¡± He suddenly asked after a while. ¡°A¡­spar?¡± She asked, perplexed at this request. ¡°Not anything that serious, just a little arm-wrestling match. You do know what that is, right?¡± She nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your purpose in doing so?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­maybe.¡± Was his simple reply. The young man then stood up, made his way past her and towards the night stand next to his bed, picked it up, and then placed it in the middle of his room. Having at no point waited for her to give him an answer. ¡°Alright, so here¡¯s how we¡¯re going to do this. I¡¯m going to give it my all to beat you, and all I want you to do, is to hold out as best as you can. Alright?¡± She wasn¡¯t fully sure why she decided to go along with his request. Perhaps because she didn¡¯t find him threatening in the least. Or perhaps because he was the first, and only, person she had met in this unknown world. But despite it being a waste of time in her opinion, she still agreed. ¡°So you want me to just hold still?¡± She asked for clarification. She received a thumbs up in response. The two got in position. Bodies leaning forward as their arms entwined with another. Then, when both of their grips were set, the young man across from her began counting down. ¡°Alright, get ready to hold out in 3¡­2¡­1¡­Hhhhng!¡± She watched him. Watched him push with all his might against her arm. Watched him throw his body to the other side as he tried to leverage his body weight to get her to move. Then, when that showed no promise, he brought his other hand to use against her as well. Disqualifying him, but also¡­ ¡°Nothing is happening¡­¡± She drawled. He let go. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t fucking believe this is happening.¡± He said in between heavy breaths. ¡°So what was the point of all of this?¡± She asked, still in the same place she had been in at the start, and actually somewhat curious about his intentions with this. ¡°Can I ask you why you¡¯re here?¡± He asked a question back instead. She thought about not answering him for blowing off her question. But decided in the end to not be petty when she still had quite a bit of use from him. ¡°Are you asking why I¡¯m in your room or¡­?¡± ¡°Just in general I guess.¡± She took a pause, and thought back to her mission. To the people who were waiting for her to return with the prophesied hero, who would finally save their world. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the person that will vanquish the Great Evil of my world once and for all. The hero that prophecy promised would finally liberate all life.¡± She answered him in a serious tone. One filled with determination. But the face the young man made, even before saying anything, caused her to feel a pit begin to form in her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m letting you know right now. And I¡¯m being completely honest. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone in this world as strong as you.¡± She stared at the young man before her. She wasn''t ready to deem her mission a failure just from the words of one man. But from the moment she had arrived here, she had a feeling that things were wrong. And so, in case that his answer wasn''t a lie. In the case that this one man before her somehow knew with certainty that there was no one here stronger than her, then her mission truly was doomed. Also doomed were the hopes and futures of all who had placed their trust on this mission. And lastly...was her. For if his words were true, then... ¡°So whoever it is you¡¯re looking for, they¡¯re not here. Sorry.¡± There was no way, she could show her face back in her world again. Chapter 2: An Elf ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Instead of giving a reply to his rather forward statement, Danial watched as the elf(yes, an actual honest-to-god straight out of a fantasy novel long-eared elf) turned to the wall his bed was laid against and pointed at a poster above it. ¡°That¡¯s¡­Lewandowski, he plays soccer. He¡¯s a pretty big deal around here. Well not here, but like, in Europe, where my family is from.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­is he strong?¡± The elf asked him. ¡°I can show you what he does if you want?¡± He offered her. Daniel kept his gaze on the elf just long enough to see her give him a nod, and once she had done so, he got on his seat and immediately started browsing on his computer. Less than a minute later, Daniel had a YouTube compilation of Lewandowski¡¯s best goals and plays from his Bayern days up on his monitor. If the elf was surprised at all by the marvels of modern technology or Lewandowski skill, then she definitely didn¡¯t let it show on her face. Although Daniel did note how she watched his actions intently, but considering there wasn¡¯t really anything else for her to do, he wasn¡¯t sure if that meant much of anything. Once the video was up, the elf switched her focus from him to the video on the screen. She gave it her full attention, and patiently watched the nearly ten minute long video without uttering a single word or showing any displeasure in doing so. Yet at the same time, Daniel couldn¡¯t find a single sign or expression from her that she found any of it enjoyable or impressive. So while that was going on, Daniel took the ten minutes that the elf was distracted to get his thoughts in order. He thought back on the moment the lights had gone on in his apartment, the shock and fear he had felt when his room was suddenly inundated by a new strange light. Only to then find himself absolutely baffled when the light subsided and then, not just discovering a young woman, but one that looked like an elf straight out of Lord of the Rings. And by now, he would not have been so insistent on calling her one in his head, if it wasn¡¯t for the magic she had performed before him. He¡­had honestly surprised himself at first. Surprised himself by how calm he had felt and acted as everything went down. Whether that was after suddenly having an elf in his room, or after hearing the fantasy-like story from her about searching for some kind of mythical hero to save her home world. But now that he had time to think, time to allow the initial bout of adrenaline in his body to subside. He realized that he hadn¡¯t been calm. No, what he was was in complete shock. So shocked by the entire thing that he had moved on autopilot, trying not to think too much about what was going on and keeping his emotions sedated for the moment. And now, now that he had time to think, to fully allow the events from just a few minutes ago to be processed by his mind, Daniel began to feel the full brunt of the excitement, fear, and shock that the whole thing brought. He let out a deep sigh, an action that caught the attention of the elf for only a second before she returned to staring at Lewa¡¯s greatest moments with an absolutely bored expression. Now that he had time to think about it, he found himself smirking as the looked back on one disappointing thing he learned. And that was that after battling with the elf in an arm wrestling competition, he did not unlock some hidden strength or feel some mysterious energy coursing through him that designated him the hero she was searching for. It seemed¡­that the chance to experience the adventure of a lifetime would not be given to him. Maybe someone else in this world would have the time, but as he had told the elf, he highly doubted it. And that brought him back to the elf. To the woman who had suddenly appeared before him by magic in what clearly had been some sort of mistake. Ever since the two had laid eyes on each other, he had found it difficult to figure her out. She, like Spock, maintained a solemn and disinterested expression at all times. With only a few flashes and slip-ups here and there that showed that she did, in fact, have more emotions hidden under that perfect face of hers. Even if they were squashed quickly as any proper Vulcan would. Although, despite how good her poker face might have been, one that she was using even now as she watched Lewa¡¯s highlight reel. Her body language was a lot more honest than she might have liked.. From the way her foot would tap against the floor, or how her finger would do the same but against her arm. These little signs here and there served as clues to what the elf truly felt behind that facade of hers. To the frustration and restlessness she was experiencing at no doubt finding herself in the wrong place. The video came to an end. ¡°So¡­what did you think?¡± Daniel asked her. Whether she interpreted the question to be about Lewandowski or the computer or something else, it was all the same to him. ¡°How does this work?¡± She gave a tap at the monitor. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. He didn¡¯t know, actually, the science behind computers. So he said as much with a simple joke. ¡°Magic, I guess.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± Her interest in the topic leaked in her voice. Something which made Daniel realize right away that he had been an idiot for joking in such a manner, especially when he had to disappoint the elf by explaining the truth. ¡°That¡­that was a joke. I just don¡¯t really know how these things work. It¡¯s not magic though.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± An awkward silence filled the room. And while Daniel would have liked to break it, the entire situation was one that was far beyond anything a high school senior could properly handle. And so, he found himself not knowing how to proceed. ¡°How do you know the person I¡¯m looking for doesn¡¯t exist in this world?¡± The elf suddenly asked. Daniel just pointed back to the monitor. ¡°If they did, the world would know..¡± ¡°How? How can you be so certain about that? And how can that thing let you know that the person I¡¯m looking for, that the hero in our prophecies, isn¡¯t this world?¡± Daniel thought for a bit about how to explain the computer, and most importantly the internet, to her. In the end, he decided to focus on getting the concept across rather than being technically correct. ¡°Well¡­you can think about it as a thing that holds all of the world¡¯s knowledge. If someone knows something, it¡¯s probably there.¡± Daniel¡¯s words actually got a clear reaction from the elf this time around, as she raised her eyebrow in disbelief at his claim. ¡°The important part is that if someone as strong as you probably imagined this hero to be, existed, you¡¯d be able to find them with this. Here, let me show you.¡± The elf moved in closer as Daniel got to work on the computer once more. This time, he waited for her to lean in and look at what he was doing before he started typing on the empty google page. ¡°So look, I¡¯m going to look up ¡®Who is the strongest person in the world.¡¯ and look.¡± The result shown by Google was not one person or a list of the strongest men in the world, but instead a competition based on discovering that very thing. ¡°World¡¯s Strongest Man.¡± She read off slowly from the screen. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a competition to decide who the strongest person in the world is.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how true that statement was, but at the very least, he didn¡¯t doubt that the people there were among the strongest humanity had to offer. At least as far as brute strength was concerned. She pointed to the monitor. ¡°Can you do the same thing you did for¡­that dude right there.¡± She pointed to the Lewa poster. ¡°Yeah, let me pull it up.¡± In less than a minute, the two were watching a YouTube video showing some very big men lifting some very big weights. However, considering the result of their impromptu arm wrestling competition,, he highly doubted that what they were doing was what she was searching for. ¡°Are there other people nearby?¡± Were the first words out of her mouth when the video had ended. ¡°Uhmm, there¡¯s some people around here¡­¡± He got up from his seat and made his way towards his window. Then, opening up his blinders, he said. ¡°Should be at least someone in each of these houses.¡± Daniel watched as the elf looked around his neighborhood. And he wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt she looked slightly more despondent than before. ¡°If you want to see more people¡­I could take you to New York.¡± He offered her. ¡°New York?¡± ¡°Yeah, the Capital of the World as some would call it. Big city.¡± ¡°How far from here is it?¡± She asked. ¡°About an hour from here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­not that far.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Nope. pretty close by, just on the other side really..¡± The elf nodded her head. ¡°Alright, please take me there.¡± ¡°Got you. Let me get dressed first¡ª¡± At that moment, Daniel could hear his cell phone vibrating from his desk. ¡°Give me a sec, I forgot about something.¡± Daniel answered the call, whereupon someone informed him that his Domino¡¯s delivery had arrived. ¡°Want to eat something?¡± He asked the elf after hanging up the phone. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to wait until after visiting this, ¡®New York¡¯. Don¡¯t want to waste time seeing how late it is.¡± ¡°I mean, like, the food is already made and everything. I ordered some It''s just that I forgot about it because of the whole, you know.¡± The elf nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± Daniel quickly ran down the stairs, received his order, and came back up the stairs. ¡°This is what I got.¡± He showed the elf one of the extra cheese pizzas he had ordered. ¡°Want some? It doesn¡¯t take long to eat.¡± The elf contemplated it for a moment, taking a few sniffs of the air before shrugging and then saying. ¡°Alright. If you insist, then I accept. Thank you.¡± Daniel nodded at the elf and passed her a box. This was a moment where him being a fatass thankfully saved him. As despite being the only person home for the day, he had ordered two whole pies for himself. He took his place on his bed, offering the seat on his computer desk to the elf who graciously accepted it. At first, the elf wasn¡¯t entirely sure what to do, but after Daniel took a slice and ate it, the elf was quick to copy. The two were perhaps halfway done with their pies, something that had been done in silence up until now, when Daniel decided to ask a question that he felt should have been asked long ago. ¡°Didn¡¯t catch your name earlier. I¡¯m Daniel by the way.¡± The elf stared at him for a good ten seconds before reaching down to grab another slice of pizza. ¡°I¡¯m Nidea...Thanks for the food by the way.¡± ¡°Did you like it?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s good.¡± And so, the two returned to finishing the rest of their pizzas in awkward silence. Chapter 3: Departure The sounds of wood creaking alerted Nidea to the return of the young man. He had gone downstairs to throw out the two boxes containing the ¡®pizza¡¯ they had both eaten, and had now returned. But despite being able to hear him and knowing that he was just outside the door, the door to the room never opened. He was most likely being considerate, giving her time to finish changing, something she gratefully accepted as she continued to struggle dragging her pants up. The young man¡ªDaniel, had suggested that she used his clothes when heading out. That the clothes she had brought, whether they be the ones she had been wearing or the other outfits she had brought along, would attract attention that they might be better without. So she had been handed a black t-shirt and some blue trousers. The shirt had gone on her with no issue, and she found the garment and its material comfortable enough. The trousers on the other hand, were a different issue. They were tight, just barely perfect for her build. But unlike her own trousers that were loose at the waist and could be tightened after putting them on, the ones she was putting on right now did not offer much leeway as far as getting them through her bottom went. Thankfully, after one more tug and little shimmy from her, she was able to get thing all the way up and was able to button and zip the trousers close. *Knock* *Knock* ¡°I am dressed, you may enter.¡± She told him. Nidea watched Daniel. Watched as his eyes trailed down to her legs, watched as an expression of surprise appeared on his face, and then heard him say¡ª ¡°Damn. I thought my legs were big.¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± She narrowed her eyes at him. It was him who had given her these clothes after all. She was not about to suffer complaints if she came out looking weird due to something he did. ¡°No, no. Just an observation.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Do you have a toothbrush?¡± He suddenly asked. ¡°Like they¡¯re these¡ª¡° ¡°Yes. I do.¡± She answered. Of course she knew what a toothbrush was, did he think her to be some sort of savage? ¡°Oh, alright. Then you can brush your teeth in the bathroom. It¡¯s¡­right here.¡± Daniel stepped out of the room and pointed to a room beside it to the left. ¡°The toothpaste is right there on the counter.¡± She gave him a few nods. And although it might have been proper to ask a few questions about where things were or how they worked for his particular room, but there was something about the tone he had just used when addressing her that rubbed her wrong, so she decided to hold her tongue. As soon as she entered the bathroom she reeled back for a second. It wasn¡¯t that she was a stranger to mirrors, especially not to ones in a bedroom or bathroom. But there was something about seeing herself in the outfit she had just put on, along with the magic she had applied to hide her ears per Daniel¡¯s request, that made her doubt for a moment if the person in the mirror was really her. But the surprise quickly disappeared, and she spent a few seconds leisurely checking her own reflection. She looked tense, with fatigued eyes. At least, that¡¯s what her opinion of her own appearance was. She wanted to ask Daniel if he shared the same opinion, because part of the job she had been given was to establish cordial relations and try to gain goodwill with anyone important she met, and one of the things that had been drilled in her head was to maintain an amicable appearance. And if she didn¡¯t look as bad as she thought she did, then she could be glad that she wouldn¡¯t have to force herself to smile or look friendly. She let out a sigh. This wasn¡¯t time to worry about such things. Right now, she needed to focus and ascertain once and for all the veracity of the young man¡¯s words. If they truly arrived at a great city, one worthy of being called The Capital of the World, and she could not find a single person worthy to bring back with her. Then at that point she could admit that all hope was truly lost. But until that moment, she wasn¡¯t willing to deem her mission a failure just from the words of one person. Especially not when considering the ramifications of her being unable to complete her mission. She reached the counter and stared at the faucet, one with two handles. She turned one and water came out, water that she could feel progressively get warmer as time went on. She turned it the other way and the water stopped. She tried doing the same on the other side, and just like before, water came out. Only that this time, she could feel the water get progressively colder as time went on. She let the water run for a bit, then cupped her hands to pick some of it before splashing it on her face. A small use of magic later, and she felt both refreshed, alert, and dry. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Now feeling better, she picked up the only thing out on the counter. A tube that must have been the toothpaste that Daniel had mentioned. She hadn¡¯t heard of something like it before, but the name of the object left little to be wondered about. She tugged on the cap, then turned it one way and then another, until finally managing to pull it off. She stared at the now cap-less tube for a moment, squished it softly, and then decided to put the paste on top of her toothbrush. It was minty, the taste and scent of the toothpaste that is. It must have been a way for the humans of this world to mimic what their leaves did for them back in her forest home. It was¡­a bit nostalgic, if she was honest. Once finished, she turned the handle that brought forth cold water and rinsed her mouth. After that, she again used a simple application of her wind magic to dry both her hands and her toothbrush. Daniel had already finished changing by the time she returned to his room. He was wearing, in a rather uninspiring fashion, an outfit that was for all purposes the same as hers; a black t-shirt with a simple emblem on it and blue trousers. ¡°Let me brush my teeth and then we can leave, alright?¡± She nodded at Daniel and watched him make his way to the bathroom. ¡°You can wait downstairs if you¡¯d like. Or just wait here. Whatever works for you.¡± She nodded again, and Daniel disappeared into the bathroom as he closed the door. She stood still, thinking about his offer, before deciding to stay and give his room a quick snoop around. There had to be a reason she had shown up in this particular place after all. Maybe, with a sharper and more focused eye, she could find some clues. **** Daniel guided the two of them out of his house and towards his car, or more precisely, his family¡¯s second car. It was an old and simple car, a 2008 Honda Civic. But it was a car that had survived two others and still remained with his family to this day. He unlocked the passenger door and beckoned for Nidea to enter. Which she did without hesitation. He went around and entered on the drivers side, then¡ª ¡°Oh, yeah. Can you put on your seat belt? It¡¯s this thing right here.¡± Daniel pulled down on the seat belt and locked it in. An action that was soon copied by the elf. With both of them safe, Daniel took off and made his way towards the train station. The ride was¡­disappointing, if Daniel had to be honest. For how much her clothes and the fact that she was an elf¡ª No, he had never ascertained that she was an elf, he had just as assumed that she was one because of her pointy ears. And considering her deposition, she was far more similar to a vulcan than an elf. Perhaps, it was one of many wrong assumptions he was making about the girl lazily staring out the window right now. Although in Daniel¡¯s defense, with clothes and an appearance that seemed straight out of a fantasy novel, it wasn¡¯t too far out there to see why he had made the assumptions he did. In this case, what was disappointing him was that he imagined her to act like a person from medieval times. Or at least how he¡¯d imagine someone from the 12th century would act when brought to the 21st century. Instead, she seemed completely disinterested in the wonders of the modern world. And with how she was dressed right now, along with the magic she applied to her ears to make them disappear, there was nothing about the moment that felt ¡®magical¡¯. Instead, Daniel felt as though he was simply driving while one of his classmates hitched a ride. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Daniel told the girl as he parked in the parking lot behind the deli. ¡°This is New York?¡± Nidea asked with a completely skeptical look. ¡°No. This is where we¡¯re leaving the car behind so that we can take the train to New York.¡± Again, all he got was a disinterested nod from the elf before she dutifully followed after him as the two made their way towards the train station. Daniel purchased two tickets from the kiosk that was left outside at the station, then took a few steps before just standing still, keeping his gaze away from any of the other people waiting for the train as he joined them for, what would hopefully be, only four minutes if his phone was to be believed. As for Nidea, for the first time in a while she had a clear and visible reaction. Although it was one of disgust. He couldn;t blame her, despite not being a particularly bad town, the train stop at his city still looked like, well, a train stop. Dirt and trash littered on the floor here and there, while a man took one of the few available benches for his sleeping place for the night. And taking a glance at her, Daniel could tell Nidea was focusing her eyes on the less fortunate man. When Nidea noticed him looking in her direction, she seemed to catch the unspoken message and turned her gaze away, instead looking forward and staring at nothing in particular. Thankfully, the train arrived on time, and the two were able to board without issue. ¡°You want to sit on the top or on the bottom.¡± Daniel asked Nidea, the train having two floors which passengers could choose to sit on. And keeping to her character, Nidea just gave him a shrug as she replied, ¡°Wherever you prefer.¡± ¡°Up it is.¡± After climbing the short steps up, Daniel walked a bit before taking two of the empty seats off to the side for themselves, although he allowed Nidea to take the window seat so that she could see the land she was now in. Once seated, the two sat back and let the fifty minute ride to New York go by in silence. By the time that they were over halfway there, Daniel felt that It was a shame that it was too dark to properly get a look at the passage, because Daniel felt that Nidea could have really used the distraction. By that point her expression looked more restless, more on edge, and the little mannerisms that had given away her frustrations had only worsened. She would tap a foot or finger non-stop, and when not doing so, she would start biting on her nails. And she would also constantly adjust her position on her chair. Daniel knew that there was no way he could understand the kind of emotions the young woman must have been feeling. What disappointments or frustrations could come from arriving in a foreign world, only to find that the reason you had gone there in the first place didn¡¯t exist. And it was because he knew that he couldn¡¯t properly empathize with her plight, that any words of comfort out of his mouth would sound hollow. So he left her alone, to deal with her thoughts in peace as he relaxed for the trip to New York. Where hopefully, one way or another, she could find the answers she was looking for. Chapter 4: New York An hour away is not a long distance. Whether by foot, carriage, or horse, an hour is not enough time to take the common person far. So for a city to only be an hour away would mean that it either was interconnected to another, or it was separated by a natural barrier, one that made delineating the two areas necessary despite their close proximity. At least, that had been her assumption. But in the same way in which everything else had gone since she first arrived, it had been wrong. For an hour, she learned, was enough to travel past many towns and cities for even the weakest and least able people of this world. And it was all thanks to the mechanical carriage she was now sitting in. One that was filled with dozens of humans nearby her, and even more ahead and behind on other carriages which she couldn¡¯t see. Humans that, just like as had happened earlier, she couldn¡¯t feel. Once again, despite the abundance of humanity surrounding her, not a single one of them contained the life essence that filled each and every living being in her world. And not a single one of them showed even a hint of sensibility to her brazen and conspicuous use of matic. A response that so baffled and frustrated her that she had only half a mind to not use more visible and obvious magic. For someone from her world, this was something that just didn¡¯t make any sense, couldn¡¯t make any sense. To be alive, she had learned, was to be filled with a certain essence, a certain energy that united all living things. An energy that was found even in the walking dead that necromancers would raise. And yet, around her were not beings filled with the gift of life, but ones that were essentially just walking bags of meat. Walking contradictions that continued to baffle her and give her a disconcerting feeling as she tried to make sense of it all. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Daniel¡¯s words brought her out of the spiraling thoughts at the same time that the view outside the carriage returned once more, having disappeared when the ¡®train¡¯ had gone underground. This was it, the last opportunity for her to ascertain if any hope remained for her mission. If any hope remained for her comrades back home who had placed their trust in her. And if any hope remained for her. *** There was no way for her to describe the city as anything other than a clear triumph of humanity over all other forces in this world. She had already seen the endless urban sprawl on their way here. Seen, an endless expanse of concrete that knew no end. One that signaled that humans had been able to build and achieve a level of peace far beyond what her world could imagine. But this¡­this was a clear display of the massive wealth they possessed. Endless monuments in the shape of buildings that reached to the heavens, as if signaling that it was up there where humanity belonged. ¡°Well, this is it. New York City. Thoughts?¡± Daniel asked her. ¡°How many people live in this city?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s eight million in total. Although we¡¯ll probably only see a fraction of that.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± That was all she could say. Eight million people. Eight million humans in just one city. It was a dizzying amount to think of. If a country of such a size were to suddenly join them in their struggle, the amount of help they And this was just one city in this world. ¡°So what do you want to do?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Walk, look around.¡± She drily answered. With the amount of people just walking by, and the multitude that must have been inside the heaven defying towers, there would undoubtedly be enough people for her to ascertain once and for all if Daniel¡¯s earlier words were correct. ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡± And she did. Even if she didn¡¯t know where she was going, the grid-like outline of the city made it very easy to pick one direction and just keep heading down it. The results, disappointingly, were much like earlier. No matter how many people she passed by, no matter how reckless her use of magic to sense others became, until she had surely become a beacon beckoning even those with the dullest senses to her, she didn¡¯t pick up a single sign that there was a single living thing around her. The more she tried, and the more things stayed the same, the less frustrated she started to feel about the whole thing. In fact, it was even becoming somewhat humorous in her opinion. Because what could she possibly say? The entire reason she had been chosen for this job in the first place was because she was one of the most sensitive people to mana in her world, while being strong enough to defend herself if the need arose. And yet, like a slap to her face, the world she found herself in had no use for either of her talents. No, this was not a world for someone like her, for an elf famed for her ability to navigate forests and locate even the best hidden people with her eyes closed. This was a city that saw no need for her so-called ¡®sixth sense¡¯, instead it was one that was more than happy to assault the other five. From a myriad of smells ranging from delectable as they passed restaurants, to the foul odors that could be found in any human dwellings. From the sounds of sweet music coming from people in the streets, to a cacophony of loud noises whose only purpose she could describe as driving people mad. And from the darkness of the sky to the bright lights and moving letters everywhere she looked. The city was a place that seemed built for the single purpose of overwhelming the senses of those who found themselves in it. To trap them in some sort of hypnotic trance for who knew what purpose. And even she was finding it hard to resist its spell. She stopped walking. ¡°I have some gold, do you know of a good restaurant to eat?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, why not. Let me see, we¡¯re at 14th street and 7th avenue so¡­¡± Daniel took the lead, and Nidea dutifully followed behind him. She didn¡¯t bother to send out any more pulses of energy in some desperate attempt to find what clearly didn¡¯t exist. There was a lot for her to think of, a lot for her to decide on. For now, she felt she had given her poor mind enough to think and suffer about. So she put a stop to her worries for the moment. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Thankfully, unlike at Daniel¡¯s home, or during her ride in the train, here in this city she was able to walk, to blow off a bit of her bottled frustration as she moved her body. Helping to calm her mind somewhat. Even as the city mounted an assault on her senses. And the city, now that she was looking at it with a fresher mind, one whose thoughts weren¡¯t clouded by her desperation, she found herself appreciating its sheer size and scale. Although even then she doubted the bitter feeling that arose from seeing how peaceful and prosperous it was compared to her world, suffering and destitute as it was, would ever go away. Still, it did leave some food for thought. Such as if perhaps one day too her world would look this way, after the millennium long struggle against evil came to an end. Although as she looked around at the people of many different origins, she couldn¡¯t help but think back to her father¡¯s words. For no matter how diverse the human population here looked, it was just that, human. This city of eight million was a clear monument to humanity¡¯s prosperity and glory in this world, not anyone else''s. Eventually, after what must have been around twenty minutes, Daniel finally stopped walking. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°What the hell is that?¡± She couldn¡¯t help herself from exclaiming in shock. Bald baby dolls, skeletons, and other strange creatures were visible on the second floor of where Daniel had pointed the restaurant to be. It was a shocking sight, shocking enough that it made her forget about her world and everything else for a moment. ¡°You mean the store or something in the window specifically.¡± ¡°...Both, I think I want to know about both.¡± ¡°Alright, so those are baby dolls.¡± ¡°I know that part, and the skeletons, and the big mouse, but what about the thing next to it?¡± ¡®The green one?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a teletubby.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s this thing from a children¡¯s show.¡± ¡°Like¡­a costume someone uses for a play for children? ?¡± ¡°Eh¡­Basically.¡± ¡°And you terrorize your children with those?¡± She asked in disbelief. Daniel laughed. ¡°Uh no, those are meant to look cute and friendly.¡± She gave him an incredulous look. There was nothing cute or friendly looking about that green abomination. ¡°Want to go inside? We still have like five minutes we can kill.¡± ¡°Can we?¡± She asked him. Genuinely interested at the extremely strange looking store and what could be inside. ¡°Yeah why not. Let¡¯s go.¡± She followed him up the stairs, and then followed him inside the extremely odd shop. **** ¡°Welcome.¡± A voice coming from a man with blue hair with visible facial piercings behind a counter welcomed them in. ¡°Hey.¡± Was Daniel¡¯s simple reply. Unlike him, Nidea gave a more respectful greeting, nodding her head and saying, ¡°A good night to you.¡± It was strange, but very pleasing to see her have an expression that was something other than restless or frustrated. RIght now, as she looked through the clothes and strange articles inside the punk store, she had a genuine expression of curiosity and intrigue. One that was replaced by surprise or repulsion when she came across a few of the stranger items. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Nidea lifted a mask for him to see, one belonging to a very creepy clown. "That''s a clown mask.¡± He answered. ¡°Why would someone wear this?¡± ¡°To look creepy I imagine.¡± She gave the mask another look, then handed it to him. ¡°Could you wear it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He put it on, then waited for Nidea¡¯s reaction. ¡°Yeah, you were right.¡± Nidea chuckled. He was glad to see her enjoying herself, to not see her no longer stuck in her frustrations even if it was only for this moment. It was why he had decided to come to eat at this place in the first place. He still remembered very clearly when his sister had brought him here, how fascinated she had seen as she looked through the shop above the restaurant she had wanted to eat in, even if she didn¡¯t end up liking any of the strange items in the end. At that time, his sister had been pretty down as it was almost time for her to return to Poland, but after the little detour she had seemed more chipper. And Nidea was faring no different. He offered to buy her something if it caught her attention, but she declined his offer. Although she still continued to look around at the strange mannequins, masks, and signs strewn around. Clearly enjoying herself as she did so. ¡°Is this also from a children¡¯s show?¡± Nidea Held up an ugly toddler sized doll. ¡°No, that''s Chucky. He¡¯s from a horror show.¡± He told her. ¡°See, now that makes a lot more sense. Are you sure the green guy isn¡¯t also from some horror show?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s definitely from a children¡¯s show, I promise you.¡± After seeing her giving him an incredulous look again, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll show you later, I promise you. ¡°If you say so¡­¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for us to go eat.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I called on the way here and they said to show up by now, so¡­¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nidea seemed a bit disappointed, but even as they exited the shop and headed to eat, she seemed to still be in a much better mood than before. **** ¡°I told you.¡± I told the girl walking beside me as we exited the shop. ¡°Yes you did. Still, I think they look creepy.¡± I chuckled at her words. I had shown her a clip of the teletubbies while we were eating, one that proved once and for all that they did not come from the same kind of genre as Chucky did. ¡°So what did you enjoy the food?¡± I asked her. ¡°Yeah, it was pretty good, how much was it?¡± ¡°It was really cheap, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± While it might have been courteous of me to downplay the cost and eat the price of the bill myself, I wasn¡¯t lying. As far as places to eat in New York went, this was a pretty damn cheap place for how much food we got. ¡°Then I must thank you for your generosity.¡± I waved her off. ¡°Did you like this more than the pizza we ate back home?¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± She answered without hesitation. ¡°Didn¡¯t like the pizza?¡± ¡°It was fine. I enjoyed it but¡­¡± She shrugged, and I made a mental note to get her some proper pizza before she left to wherever she planned on going next. ¡®Hey, what are you planning¡ª¡± I had wanted to ask her about what she planned to do after this, when all of the sudden she stopped moving. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Her answer came in the form of her raising her finger to her lips. Which considering the display of power she had shown at my house, caused adrenaline to immediately begin pumping through my body. Whatever could cause her to be so alarmed was definitely something I needed to be wary of. Nidea took hold of my hand, and began making way to what seemed to be a less populated area. Eventually, we managed to reach a street that appeared to be completely empty. Once there, Nidea stopped, although she didn¡¯t let go of hand. We waited in tense silence, yet nothing happened no matter how much time passed. I was beginning to relax when suddenly¡ª A massive gust of wind appeared around us, while I found myself suddenly held tightly against Nidea. I looked up, and found her expression to be a steely one showing her intense focus. When I glanced down the street she was looking at, I was able to make out the shape of three clearly human figures. But most concerning, was that I was sure at least one of them was holding a gun. For some reason, at that moment, I felt something telling me to look the other way. So I did, and found one more person pointing a gun in our direction. I tried to scream for Nidea to turn around, but before I could, a deafening sound filled the street. Chapter 5: Encounter It happened in the blink of an eye. Literally. In less time that it took for him to even make a sound and warn Nidea about the figure pointing a gun in their direction, the distinct sound of a gun was already echoing through the empty street. But despite the sound, no bullet ever reached the two. For at that same instant as the gun had been fired at them, a pulse of some sort of blue energy exploded outwards from where he and Nidea were standing, rocking cars and shattering windows as it continued in its outwards trajectory. And a second later, the street was filled with debris and the sound of multiple car alarms going off, making it all but certain that curious bystanders and police would soon flood the place. A thought that their mysterious assailants must have shared, because after exchanging some words amongst themselves that he couldn¡¯t make out, they hightailed it out of there. ¡°Who were those people?¡± Daniel asked dumbfoundedly, feeling his mouth dry and his heart beating so loudly that he was sure the elf holding him against her could both feel and hear it. ¡°What makes you think I would know?¡± Nidea raised an eyebrow at him. She then pulled him away, looking straight into his eyes as she spoke with an expression that matched the serious occasion, ¡°Can you take us back to the train station? Preferably through a path with as few people as possible?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll try but it¡¯s New York. There¡¯s always people around here, and there¡¯ll probably be even more the closer we get to Penn.¡± For the second time today, his body was moving and responding despite the shock he was in. ¡°Please do so.¡± Nidea succinctly replied. Giving her a nod, Daniel began making his way back towards Penn Station, trying his best to pick streets that seemed as empty as streets could be in New York, and not thinking about the jumbled mess that were his current emotions. It wasn¡¯t long into his journey back towards the station that he noticed a few odd things with how Nidea was acting. The first of those he hadn¡¯t thought much of at the beginning, not paying much mind to the way Nidea would pull him away whenever he walked too close to someone else and just thinking that she was trying to save time. But as this kept happening more and more, Daniel began to catch on to one thing. The people they were walking past couldn¡¯t see them. Or at least didn¡¯t react to their presence. Perhaps, employing the same kind of magic that was keeping her ears hidden, Nidea had managed to make the two of them invisible. Or at least made the two of them completely unnoticeable to the people around them. The second thing, although perhaps it was incorrect for him to call it odd considering the situation, was the frequency with which NIdea would stop and begin to look around at their surroundings as if searching for someone or something. And it was this that was particularly alarming to him for one simple reason. Because if they really were being followed, then it meant that the people following them had the capability to track two ¡®invisible¡¯ people. And that meant that the people that had attacked them earlier weren¡¯t some thugs who had tried to rob them. He wasn¡¯t sure if this meant that people in his world had such powers, but the thought that had been planted in his head from the moment that Nidea had appeared in his home was beginning to grow in size. And a part of him hoped that it was some supernatural group. At least then he wouldn''t have to explain to his family why the government was after him. And on that note he put away the thought of finding police at his door tomorrow in case the earlier event was captured on camera. Thankfully, the two managed to reach Penn Station without any issue, and were soon inside of it. ¡°Let¡¯s get on a train right away.¡± Nidea said, now firmly holding onto him and guiding him around the sea of people that were inside the station. Daniel looked up at the large board, finding the next train back home on it and said, ¡°Uhh, the next train back to our place doesn¡¯t leave for another thirty-five minutes.¡± The look she gave him at that moment was one that told him how bright she believed his statement to be, which was not very much. Although it wasn¡¯t hard for him to see her point. Just half-an-hour ago, a group of people had made an attempt on their lives, and here he was worrying about catching the wrong train when there was a chance he might never make it home. Although in his defense, this situation was not exactly the kind of thing he was used to dealing with. ¡°Can we take another?¡± Nidea asked in a patient tone, which Daniel was grateful for. ¡°Yeah. Let me see¡­¡± He looked back up, trying to remember which train wouldn¡¯t leave them in the middle of nowhere while still departing as soon as possible. In the end, he just gave up and pointed to the one that was soon to depart that didn¡¯t seem to be going away from his home state. ¡°There¡¯s one that¡¯s boarding right now.¡± He said. Nidea gave him a nod, and followed him as he took them to the stairs to head down to the track the train was at. They were lucky to find the way down not too packed so as to give them space to head down. And as soon as they did they quickly entered the train where Nidea dragged him to an empty row without people nearby. ¡°I¡¯ve ended the spell.¡± She told him once he was seated. ¡°People can see us again.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Daniel said and gave her a few nods, not sure what else to say. Although a second later, he remembered something. ¡°Fuck, let me see if I can still buy them.¡± He mumbled under his breath. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Remember when we were headed here I gave two tickets to the guy that was walking on the train?¡± ¡°I do¡­do we need those? Should I make us invisible again?¡± ¡°Not if the internet still works down here.¡± And thankfully it did, and Daniel was able to buy two tickets for them to some random place that seemed far away enough. The train soon took off, and the outside world once more disappeared as the train moved underground and away from NYC. The ride following that was done with the two of them staying in silence, with both of them having a few things to sort through their minds. It was about fifteen minutes later that Nidea spoke again, telling him, ¡°Say, how many people can use mana in this world?¡± ¡°Mana?¡± ¡°Mana, you know, what¡¯s used to cast Magic? Or whatever you guys call the energy to do so here?¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Uhmm¡­As far as I¡¯m aware? None.¡± Nidea looked at him in silence for a short while, then asked,¡°None? Like you don¡¯t personally know anyone who does, or you¡¯ve never heard of anyone using it at all?¡± ¡°Second. No such thing as far as anyone is concerned.¡± Well there were a few people who believed in magic, but that wasn¡¯t the same as having people that could actually use magic. ¡°But you know of magic?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­but it¡¯s not considered real in this world.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure of this because¡­?¡± ¡°There would have been some proof of it by now. Some sort of evidence on TV or the internet.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re certain of this?¡± ¡°Yeah. If someone could use magic it would be all over TV or the internet. Trust me.¡± Nidea didn¡¯t seem to fully buy his story, so he explained once more. ¡°Look, the internet is something everyone in the world has access to. All seven billion of them¡± Not exactly true, but saying it that way helped to better get his point across. ¡°Everyone can share any information they know, or look up whatever they want to. So it¡¯s hard to believe that we wouldn¡¯t know of someone who can use magic.¡± An hour ago, Daniel might have been certain of the veracity of his own words. And before he had met the woman capable of magic before him? One hundred percent sure. But right now, even as the words left his lips, Daniel found himself having a few suspicions that perhaps information about mana or the supernatural, was being kept hidden from the public at large. Nidea fell silent for a moment, then turned to him and asked, ¡°You said you can look up whatever you want to on the internet, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Does that mean on your little monitor too?¡± It took Daniel a second to figure out she meant his phone, which he had used back in the restaurant. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Show me then. Show me about this world, about its people and history. And show me how the people in this world fight.¡± Daniel nodded, took out his phone, and began to search up for some video that would have the kind of information that would most answer her questions. He ended up settling a video about the evolution of warfare over the past two thousand years, from Rome to the modern world. Daniel showed her the video, grateful that there weren¡¯t people around so as to not bother them due to their lack of headphones, and Nidea watched it intently. After the video was done, Daniel could see Nidea deep in thought, although what she was thinking was unknown to him. She stayed that way for another few minutes, until she eventually turned to him and asked, ¡°Can you show me more? About the kinds of weapons people use in this world.¡± Daniel quickly agreed, and found another video that showed a bit more about how modern warfare was carried out. When that video had finished and Daniel turned to see NIdea¡¯s expression, he found it to be a hesitant one. He wondered if she was that shocked by modern weaponry, but was surprised to hear the words that next left her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m positive that the people who attacked us earlier did so because of my actions, so I need to apologize to you. Sorry.¡± Daniel looked at her with a puzzled expression. He had been with Nidea the entire time, and he couldn¡¯t think of something in particular that she did that could have attracted such attention. Unless she was referring to when she first showed up in his room. And it seemed that his confusion was clear to see on his face, because Nidea clarified with the following words. ¡°I was sending out pulses of mana to locate living this when we were walking earlier. But as my senses picked up nothing¡­I began to send out stronger and stronger waves in a rather reckless fashion. Which is what must have attracted attention to myself and you. Sorry.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°I know. Nor did any of the other people around us.¡± She answered. ¡°But maybe there¡¯s something your government has that picked it up, something that probably deemed me a threat based on my foolish actions.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± It made sense, in some sort of way. But Daniel wasn¡¯t exactly sure if the appropriate reaction to some unknown energy source was to shoot it on sight. No matter how big of a stereotype about Americans it was. ¡°And you don¡¯t think it was maybe some sort of group that could use mana?¡± Nidea let out a chuckle, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said that there were no people capable of using magic in your world?¡± ¡°I mean yeah¡­but ever since you appeared I¡¯ve been having some doubts.¡± Nidea gave him a nod, then said, ¡°I thought so too at first. But then it wouldn¡¯t make sense that I couldn¡¯t feel them at all. Not back in the city, or even now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing it again?¡± Daniel asked, looking around or and trying to focus his senses so as to see or feel for some sign of this magic she was using. ¡°I have been for the last minute. But I¡¯m not sensing anything again.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°How far are we from your place?¡± Nidea asked. ¡°Uhm¡­Pretty far.¡± Daniel replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get off at the next stop then.¡± Nidea said. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in us going any further.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Nidea took a deep breath and then exhaled. ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t feel anyone following us on the way back to the station. And now that we¡¯re far enough from the city, I used my magic to see if there was anyone of interest nearby, but nothing came up again.¡± Then she turned to face Daniel, giving him a wry smile as she said. ¡°So in the case there are people following us, it¡¯s better to know now that we¡¯re away from your place. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Daniel nodded, deciding to trust Nidea¡¯s judgment in this matter. He was confident that she had experience in such things, while he himself was lacking. Soon, the train came to a stop, and the two stepped out into a bare-bones train stop, one that was out in the open air, that must have belonged to what must have been a small, not too significant, city. ¡°Have a particular place you want to go or¡­?¡± He asked Nidea who was staring off at the moon. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just keep walking.¡± Daniel nodded, and the two exited the train stop and began to walk aimlessly around the mostly empty town. As they did so, Nidea suddenly began to whistle. It was a tune that was surprisingly alluring, one that kept him from bothering her so as to not stop the pleasing melody. It was therefore that Daniel found himself slightly surprised when Nidea spoke to him again. And the contents of her words only served to alarm him even more. ¡°We¡¯re being followed. One person.¡± ¡°Not that I don¡¯t believe you, but how do you know? Did you sense someone?¡± ¡°Not me, but I had enchanted a few birds to keep track of my surroundings. One of them caught a suspicious person a few minutes ago, and now I¡¯m certain that they¡¯ve been following us.¡± ¡°When did you have the time for that?¡± Daniel asked. The answer to his question came in the form of the same melody that Nidea was whistling earlier, although she only played a short sample of it this time around. Daniel wanted to ask if the melody had affected him as well, but decided to save that question for a better time. ¡°So what now?¡± He asked instead. Nidea stared up at the sky once again, looking at the moon as she answered, ¡°Now we go talk to this person and see what their deal is. Stay here, alright.¡± Daniel wasn¡¯t sure whether he would have been happier to learn that they were being tracked by the government or some supernatural force. But whoever was following them, he doubted they would be happy to find Nidea suddenly ambushing them. Which is why he had planned on warning her against doing such a thing, but before he had the opportunity to do so, a gust of wind strong enough to force his eyes close suddenly appeared from where Nidea had been standing. When he opened his eyes again, Daniel found himself completely alone, with no sign of the long eared girl anywhere in sight. Although about thirty seconds later, he was able to spot Nidea walking his way, though not without something on hand. ¡°Yo.¡± A girl that was younger than him greeted him with a sheepish smile and a wave as she hung from Nidea¡¯s outstretched hand. Daniel didn¡¯t respond, instead looking at Nidea who had a serious expression as she kept holding the girl. He looked back at the girl, dressed in a simple black hoodie and equally black sweatpants. But despite the dark color of her clothes, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t some sort of secret government agent. Which meant¡­ That Daniel was now pretty certain that whoever had been after them belonged to a group of people with supernatural powers.